The Domain Of Zirconia*

Structure

The Council of Dominion represents each of the guilds within Zirconia. There are nine people on the Council, each representing one of the major guilds within the Domian. The guilds are supposed to be equal in their standing, but there is always someone at the helm and pulling the strings, at least in my experience. Culivation runs the agriculture, Dilligence keeps the industrial side running, Discipline is the militaristic portions and law, Erudition keeps records and manages education, Treasure manages the Domain's funds, Mercantile is the trade and merchant guild, Consulate takes on foreign affairs, Zirwelt's Roads manages transportation and Sight of the Serpent pursues magical and scientific advancement.
Each guild decides how it executes its delegated responsibilites, which can cause for some confusion, but the Domain of Zirconia is still standing after five-hundred years.

Culture

In modern day, Zirconia has a diversity of cultures considering they were orginally seperate peoples that united for a cause. And ever since the tribes united, people have come to Zirconia since it has become a symbol of progress and welfare. The cultures vary from place to place and from people to people. However, there is always an amount of pride for the advancements and abilities in the arcane and scientific fields.

History

The Domain of Zirconia was founded in the New Era after the fall of the Empire of Jatheador. The tribes of what we now call Zirconia and Valoros banded together to push the Empire out of their regions when disaster struck the old capital of the Jatheador on the island of Squama. After the tribes of Zirconia united to stand up to the Empire, they decided to unite permanently. The tribes formed the Domain of Zirconia. Many people have since come to the Domain for its prosperity, but others have left due to conflict.

The 3 Tribes of Zir'Kanna

The Grimmig, Rhines, and the Zirwelt were the three tribes of Zir'Kanna, meaning Trails of the People, the old term for the region of Zirconia. The nomadic tribe of the Zirwelt would follow the trails of the huge boars that would roam the lands. After years of learning the safest routes to take from these enormous boars, the tribes started naming the routes and trails of the region. These boars are now rarely found outside Rotunda, the safehaven of The Valkyrie. The three tribes all spoke the same language by the Vulgar Epoch which we refer to as Old Zirconic.
The Grimmig is a combination of halflings and goblins that live in the foothills of the Azure Range. This tribe was also the only tribe that would venture into the Empire's bounds. The goblin's ability to perceive danger and the halfling's inner-compass along with both ancestries acute senses makes for an incredible relationship between them. They were able to withstand monsters affected by merithal that may have come from the caves of the Azure Range. The Grimmig have records of forming during the Comaergos Epoch and are the only peoples of both Zirconia and Valoros to have roots in mining. Jatheador was never able to fully make the Grimmig submit to the Empire's power, but of course, not for a lack of trying. The Grimmig were the ones to unite the tribes to fight back against the Empire.
The Rhines were firbolgs that lived in the plains of Zir'Kanna they tended to have brown, almost red fur, but of course there is always exceptions. They became farmers and tradesmen by the Vulgar Epoch. They were also who the Empire of Jatheador integrated with so now most of their culture is unknown and kept secret by only a few. One day I must find them and discuss the Rhines. Many of the Rhines didn't want to stand up to the Empire since they had formed close bonds with the people of the Empire. However, some of the people the were orginally from the Empire decided they wanted no part of the Empire anymore, and they fought with the tribes of Zir'Kanna.
The Zirwelt was the largest and lived along the four rivers in the west side of the Wold. They were a group of humans assumed to have migrated from Valoros to Zir'Kanna. This is assumed to be during the end of Bonui Epoch when Valoros stretched to the ocean. The Zirwelt were nomadic hunters and gatherers that were the first ones to map the region of Zir'Kanna. By the end of the Vulgar Epoch, they diversified into many groups with some going to live with the Rhines and the Grimmig. Their culture seemed to be about adaptibility so they didn't hold on to many traditions too tightly.

After the Rebellion and Formation of the Domain

Now reader, I will write about the rebellion of the tribes against the Empire in another entry for that conflict is too complicated to go into in this entry. However, the creation of the Domain of Zirconia and the subsequent events is what I will write about.
After the tribes of Zir'Kanna pushed the Empire out of their territory and the Vali went back to the east side of the Wold, the Grimmig and the remains of the Zirwelt and the Rhines decided in order to be more stable, they should stay united to keep Jatheador out of their borders.
The tribes sent their leaders to convene at a safe place, one that wasn't touched by the Empire and was a defendable location. They looked toward the south, to the Tearmanna Bay, a place where the Rhines sent the children and those incapable of fighting agaisnt the Empire. This eventually became the capital of the Domain, Tearamon, which means asylum in Zirconic.
The tribes set up a council in Tearamon where each tribe would be represented. The Council of the Dominion formed and the Domain was named Zirconia in the New year 217. Over the years, as the tribes united, the council became less of a representation of the tribes and more of a representation of the factions that formed.

Military

Discipline, the defense force of Zirconia is split into three branches.

Technological Level

The scientists of the Domian have made a way to attach automatous materials to organic substances. (more to come)

Religion

Because they had the religion of the Empire of Jatheador forced upon them, the Domain tends to not incorporate religion into the main parts of their government structure. Freedom of religion and all that. Almost every god is accepted in Zirconia, The Fulcra and The Fallen.

Foreign Relations

Currently, the Domain of Zirconia is at war with Jatheador and there is antagonistic tension between the Domain and Valoros, their old ally. The war with the Kingdom of Jatheador was declared about a year ago, in the present year 726. Of course, the consequences of Zirconia's ambitions and actions started to come to fruition about ten years ago, but now the Domain is desperate. Rumor has it that Zirconia asked Jatheador for help resources to cleanse their lands of the merithal pollution, but Jatheador refused. The people of Valoros, the Vali, have drawn back into their borders because of the pollution and The Valkyrie, Warriors of Mount Simthriall have stopped providing trade.

Laws

Laws in the Domain are pretty standard: don't murder, don't steal, but in recent years, a new law has been stated that anyone who finds merithal must immediatly turn it in to local Master of Dilligence. Those who are found with undocumented and unclaimed merithal are sent to mine merithal at the various prison camps in the Azure Range.

Ad Kanna Zirum. (To explore for the people.)

Founding Date

Present Year 217

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Alternative Names

Zir'Kanna

Government System

Oligarchy

Gazetteer

The capital of the Domain, Tearamon and Tearmanna Bay are the most defenseable locations within Zirconia. This is where imports are brought and exports are sent out. The Council of Dominion meets in this city.
Four Forks is a river town on stilts that covers the splitting of the Livermar. It is in a central location and is on a waterway so many merchants and travelers stop here.