Dessiara (Deh-sih-ahr-ah)
Etymology
Dessiara's name, of course, was originated from the word 'desert', however it was also word smashed with the word 'tiara'. Despite our IRL association with the word sounding similar to desert, desert is pronounced taq-and in Krea, while Dessiara is spelled Tiqquehe.
History
Geography
The capital city of Dessiara is located on the western part of Dessiara. Past the city to the east is a large lake with a small island in the center. The city is very large and is separated into two sections, the main district and castle grounds. The city itself is not segregated by richer or poorer by location, but much more by house. The government does not take care of the city, as each person is required to manage their properties with their own wealth. Disputes are dealt with by the royal guards, however most people try to settle things without bothering them as the tyranny keeps most people in check. Houses are made from various materials and decorated in many styles, and the roads are taken care of by the people who own the shops or houses in the area. Thus the roads are generally made of smooth sandstone.
The castle is located to the west of the city at a higher elevation, and is halfway carved into the mountain it sits on. Surrounding the front of it is a large ditch with a drawbridge, then a small garden, before the castle wall and vertical drawbridge. The only way in is through it or any hidden entrances. Inside is the courtyard, which is like a cave, and the castle itself, which is a traditional dungeon castle, though does have some living quarters inside. There is a balcony up top which overlooks the city as well.
Most people living farther north stick close to water sources and cover up to protect themselves due to the harsh climate. Housing is close knit villages made of adobe or clay and oftentimes resemble little mounds that often need fixing up. The interior of houses is often underground where it is a little cooler. Lighting fixtures are rarely if ever seen as with being daytime most if not all the day, and houses will generally have a sealed tube leading to the surface that shares the sun's light with the room.
The grassy hills on the northern side of the mountain ranges provide lots of fertile soil and is mostly farmlands. To the south of the mountains it is much cooler and more shaded, and there are a lot more cities and towns. Trade is a lot more prevalent, causing tunnels and trade paths to be made through the mountain for farmers to sell goods in said towns and cities. Houses are a mix of wood and adobe/clay and are a lot more traditional, even reaching multiple stories.
Along the northern coast people benefit from the ocean breeze and eat a lot of seafood. Houses aren't always underground, but living with the ocean is a big part of their lives. The south eastern tip of Dessiara is filled with plains and trees and is considered a great trade area.
Government and Politics
The ruler of Dessiara is chosen from the children of the current rulers. Though the heir is only allowed to be male, a female can take the throne if there are no heirs and she gets a husband, or has a son.
If the ruler has more than one son, the children will fight for the throne. These fights can be simple contests or feats, achievement or merit based, based on supporters, or even physical fights. The prince only becomes king once his father dies or retires. The brothers and other siblings to the new king will lose their title of royalty at that and will become higher ranking nobles, or may even become guards or advisors, if they weren't killed. If the king dies without an heir, those of the higher ranking nobles can squabble and fight among each other for the throne.
Dessiara has a very high tax on non essentials. This causes them to have the highest tax overall between the three countries, however on average is one of the lowest taxed. Imports and exports are also taxed heavily, as well as most non essential businesses. Farmers and essential businesses are taxed lower, while some select businesses and government-related jobs are taxed lower as well. Because the streets and properties are taken care of by the property owner and not the city/government, taxes for city care are low, but fines for one not upkeeping their property are high. Because of the way Dessiaran cities handle their finances and imports, most of the money in the capital vault is personal for the ruler or used in emergencies. Thus, if someone were to somehow steal the money from the capital vault, the country would not be in dire financial distress.Economy
Demographics
Culture and Society
In Dessiara, if there is a disagreement between someone and a buisness or property owner, people go to a royal guard to talk with and the royal guard will give their judgement on the situation. What ever they say goes. Arguing with the royal guard would likely get you arrested on the spot. If you feel they were being biased, you can go to another royal guard to get their opinion of the situation. If the second royal guard agrees with the first then the decision is final. If the second guard disagrees with the first, then the two royal guards dispute the issue and come up with a solution. If the two royal guards still can't come to a solution, a third royal guard would be brought in for the tie breaker. If either party goes to a third or fourth after a decision is already made they can and will be arrested. Slavery is allowed in Dessiara. Being LGBT in Dessiara is perfectly fine, there is no hate towards people in that demographic. Because LGBT is so common and accepted, it has been normalized and is not seen as separate from being straight, nor are people of that demographic treated any differently or charged differently.Notes
See Also
Structure
King - The king is the highest ranking in Dessiara. He rules the country and decides everything to do with politics/economy. What he says goes.
Queen - The queen is respected as royalty, however only has as much authority as a lower noble. She cannot create or enforce laws.
Prince - The princes of the country all equally share the ability to become king. As such, many respect them just as much as the king and will listen to things they say to get on their good sides for the future. This false authority they hold often needs to be kept in check by their father, unless the king is letting his sons rule in his place for a time being.
Princess - Princesses have less authority than a royal guard; they may be respected as they are royalty, but their title is just for show.
High Noble - High nobles are akin to Dukes. They consist of ex-royalty, their ancestors, and those who have great achievements the King deems worthy. The Royal General is oftentimes a High Noble. Most high nobles are males, however there are some few female high nobles.
Count - Counts are akin to viscounts. They are held as province leaders and report directly to the king. Counts can also be High Nobles.
Countess - Countesses are married to Counts, but only hold as much power as a lesser noble. Unlike the titles imply, Counts and Countesses can both be either male or female, the title depends on who married in. Countesses do not hold the same power as Counts but are held at similar responsibility.
Lower Noble - Lower nobles are akin to barons. It's more of a title than anything, though they do get some perks.
Royal Guards - The country's military and police force. Some are nobles, most are commoners.
Commoner - The common people.
Blackstone - Blackstone is naturally found in Dessiara, so is imported to other countries after processing and has to be ordered through dessiaran companies.
Cleeth - Not as popular south of Terramis but mostly manufactured in Dessiara due to high temperatures.
Gold - Most common in Dessiara, so oftentimes imported to other countries if they're short on gold.
