Bilhras
Structure
The Union of Bilhras is a collection of three Kingdoms (Bilaria, Hraria, & Ivinia) and three Clans (Kroh, Xad, & Ivix). Each of these Nations maintains their own independance, while presenting themselves to the rest of the world as a united polity, known as Bilhras or as the Union of Bilhras.
The Kings of the three Kingdoms and the Chiefs of the three Clans meet together to form the ruling council of Bilhras, called the Council of Kings and Chiefs. The Council of Kings and Chiefs chooses one of its members to serve as the Chancellor of Bilhras, who has ultimate authority over foriegn affairs, including war. Each of the council members has a number of votes in rough proportion to the population of their polity, one vote for every 25,000 people. As the Human Kingdoms have much higher populations, the Chancellor has almost always been a Hrasnian Human; most commonly the King of Bilaria.
In the most recent election, Kurtath Grayscale, the chief of the Kroh Dragonborn Clan forged an alliance between the Draconoid Clans and the King of Bilaria, whose votes were enough to elect him Chancellor of Bilhras.
Chancellors serve for life and a new one can only be elected after the death of the previous Chancellor.
Culture
The people of Bilhras identify themselves with their Kingdom and Clan far more than with the Union as a whole. As such, the culture as a whole varies between these internal polities.
In general, the people of Bilhras dislike outsiders and those who would deride their worship of Tarrasque as foolish. Although there have been periods of relative peace with their southern neighbor of Jarsokka, there is a deep seated distrust or even hatred of Jarsokkans, particuarily in the Human dominated Kingdoms.
Demography and Population
In 4050 MA, it was estimated that there are around five hundred and twenty-five thousand residents in Bilhras in 4050 MA. The majority of these residents are Hrasnian Humans, living mostly in the three Kingdoms. The three Clans are almost entirely populated by Draconoids, mostly Dragonborn and Kobolds. There are minorities of other races, and other Human ethnicities in the Union, but they are not very common and are focused in urban areas.
The three Hrasnian Human Kingdoms dwarf the three Clans in population. In 4050 MA, the Hrasnian Kingdoms had a combined population around 350,000 compared to the Clans' 175,000. This difference in population has led to Human dominance in the Council of Kings & Chiefs.
Military
The different nations within the Union have different obligations to the military, each sending different kinds of soldiers. The Dragonborn Clans of Kroh and Xad provide heavy infantry, while Clan Ivix supplies scouts, messengers, and skirmishers. Light infantry is supplied by both Bilaria and Ivinia, while Hraria supplies nearly all of the cavalry.
All nations are required to feed, cloth, and house a number of soldiers according to their means. Notably, the soldiers stationed in each nation are a mix of each nation's soldiers, instead of each nation caring for their own. The soldier's pay is covered by a general land tax, requiring land owners to pay an amount in gold or in kind determined by the worth of their land.
By signing the Mildale Treaties, Bilhras agreed to limit its standing army to ten thousand or less members. In 4050 MA, the Union's army, called the Army of the Union, consisted of six thousand light Hrasnian infantry, two thousand heavy Dragonborn infantry, one thousand five hundred Hrasnian cavalry, and five hundred Kobold skirmishers.
Religion
Tarrasque Worship was the mandated religion for most of the Union for most of its existance. Only since the signing of the Treaty of Religion (one of the six Mildale Treaties) has widespread religious toleration been implememented and even though the state no longer enforces religious practitice, the people of Bilhras have been known to harass those practicing other faiths.
The Xad Dragonborn Clan has always been comprised of mostly Xolox worshippers, which has been the excuse, if not the cause of many wars between them and other nations within the Union of Bilhras. It was during one of these wars, with the Kroh Dragonborn Clan, that the Kobolds of the Ivix Clan were settled inbetween the two Dragonborn Clans, causing them to make a quick peace and declare war on the Hrasnian Human Kingdoms, whose Kings had voted to settle the Kobolds there.
Foreign Relations
Even before the creation of the Union, the Hrasnian people had an intense rivalry with their southern nieghbor, Jarsokka. There have only been a handful of periods of prolonged peace between the two peoples. Throughout most of their history, this rivalry mostly consisted of raids over the Hra River, but formal wars were not uncommon.
The Hrakken Empire has invaded Bilhas several times, the most notable being during the War of Hrakken Expansion.
Bilhras has fought some wars against Lokain, most being caused by disagreements about religion and wether Lokish Priests had the right to prostheletize in Hrasnian territory.
Agriculture & Industry
The three Hrasnian Human Kingdoms are the agricultural powerhouses of the Union. Bilaria grows most of the grain required to sustain the Union, with Hraria providing the majority of meat and wool. Although Ivinia doesn't specialize in any particular agricultural pracice, they produce enough to have a small excess for trade with the other nations of the Union.
The three Draconoid Clans provide lumber and other resources from the Vaellem Forest to the rest of the Union in exchange for food and other goods they do not produce enough of themselves.
Trade & Transport
Historically, Jarsokka has restricted Hrasnian shipping leaving the Hra River, forcing merchants from Bilhras to ship goods overland to the capital of Stilalbrahs to trade at sea. Once both countries signed the Mildale Treaties and formally joined the Western Coalition, sea trade has started leaving from Ivinia's capital of Vihau to bypass the regular trade taxes of Stilalbrahs. This change in trade centers has already begun affecting the two cities in opposite ways. Vihau has been growing in population and prestige, while Stilalbrahs has seen a sharp decrease in revenue and visitors.
Three Kingdoms, Three Clans.
Capital
Alternative Names
Union of Bilhras or The Union
Demonym
Hrasnian
Leader Title
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Elective
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Mixed economy
Legislative Body
The Council of Kings and Chiefs.
Judicial Body
The Council of Kings and Chiefs
Executive Body
Each Kingdom or Clan
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
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