The Panaxian Protectorate (pa-KNACK-sia)

Panaxia, or the Panaxian Protectorate, is a small country west of Duurheim, home of the Panaxian gnomes. Since the end of the Second War of Ashes, it has been under the protection of the Duurians, but it maintains its own government and leadership.

Government

Panaxia is ruled by the First Protector, an elected official who serves for 12 years at a time. He or she is chosen by the electors, a title granted to landholders when Panaxia was first founded, and that is heritable. It comes with an elector's ring, and they can be sold, gifted, or paid as penance, so the 317 elector positions have changed hands many times over the centuries and most now belong to the Four Families, powerful clans that have shaped the history of Panaxia. Duurheim is the official protector of the Panaxian Protectorate, but unlike a vassal, this arrangement is purely a military alliance, and not one where the king of Duurheim has any direct say in the ruling of Panaxia. The Synod of Elders is a counsil of 14 powerful wizards, who support the First Protector as ministers and arbiters, and who oversee the elections, and the transfer of elector titles. They are apointed for life, and new members are selected by the remaining elders.

History

There have been gnomes living in the Panaxi foothills for as long as anyone can remember, but it was sometime in the late Golden Epoch that five adventurers returned from the Battle of Burnom Hills with riches and experience, to settle in their ancestral land and help make it into a thriving kingdom. A wizard, a warrior, a bard, a merchant and a ranger, they divided the responsibilites of governing up amongst themselves, and founded the elector system, with themselves as the original electors. The wizard founded the Synod of elders, while the four others founded the four families, and the crest of these can still be seen on the heraldry of the Panaxian Protectorate to this day. During the Second war of Ashes, many Panaxians sought refuge in Duurheim, and Panaxian wizards and warriors helped defend the ancient dwarven kingdom, and when the war was over the King of Duurheim declared an eternal friendship and debt to the Panaxians, and woved to protect it always. This is how the country came to be known as a protectorate, and does in fact not, as some believe, have anything to do with the title of its ruler.

The crest of Panaxia bears the mark of Duurheim in its center to reflect its protectorate status, and then bears the standard of each of the four founding families: The Askari family (the warrior) has the badger, the Mpelelezi family (the ranger) the compass rose, the Kamari family (the bard) the die, and the Hisabati family (the merchant) the abacus.

Area
Ca. 16.000 km2

Type

State

Population

Ca. 125 thousand people

Inhabitant Demonym

Panaxians

Ruling/Owning Rank

First Protector of Panaxia