Astagua

Astagua is unlike any other country in Vals'kar; the seven city-states it is comprised of were brought together through war, and have stayed together because of the constant threat of it from their neighbors to the west. Each state of the Seven is rich with its own culture, history, laws, and ethics. While each state respects the authority of The Unified Council, travelers must be cognizant of the differences between them.

Overview

Long before Vescania sought to conquer Astagua, seven fully-independent and functional city-states existed across its lands. They learned to trade and coexist with seldom a significant quarrel. Those states, which their regions are named after, were . Perhaps intuitively, Astagua found its name through the presence of the Common letter 'a' in each of the states that comprise it.
Despite Unification, each state in Astagua has seen little immigration from the other states with the exception of Marka, which houses the capitol of Astagua, the grand city of Highburg. They are heavily reliant on trade with one another, however, and the otherwise rigid cultural boundaries are beginning to blur.
To the dismay of its leaders, the woes and troubles of neighboring states seem to be following behind the trades and commerce at an alarming rate. Were it not for the need to support a common front against Vescania, tensions would certainly be higher.

Customs and Culture

Few things permeate Astaguan culture considering the recency of Unification. Many states share morals and ideals with their own cultural flavoring, but only the most serious customs exist similarly throughout.

Honor for the Dead

Among those few national customs, none are as revered as the respect afforded to the dead - particularly those lost in the Astagua-Vescania War, which ended just six years ago with the construction of Peacekeeper's Temple on Armistice Isle.
So righteous and patriotic is this respect for the dead, that non-citizens of Astagua are forbidden from being buried on Astaguan soil. In order to be buried in Astagua, friends or family must submit a burial request through their state's mortuary office for a permit. Mortuary offices can be found in every major city.
Each office employs a number of Deadwrites, who visit burial yards and cemeteries to ensure the proper permit has been acquired prior to the ceremony starting. Citizen violators are fined for their first offense and imprisoned for any violations thereafter; non-citizens are deported, unless they can afford the incredibly hefty fine of 100 gold.
Aymaq, the only state in Astagua which permits slave trade, either cremates their dead slaves or weighs them down with rocks before dropping them into the sea.

Combative Agreements

Though murder is outlawed in Astagua, it is not uncommon for particularly heated disagreements, be it business or personal, to be resolved via a duel. The process for a duel is surprisingly imperial, with both parties testifying before a Deadwrite that they agree to the duel. Afterwards, the Deadwrite mediates a discussion for the terms of the duel, for example what the winner receives from the loser. The Deadwrite must then establish a place and time for the duel and regulate it, ensuring the event is fair and just.
The standard is a duel to incapacitate, not outright kill. Should each member agree that the fight is to the death, however, the Deadwrite is to pursue a burial permit prior to officiating the duel. Under no circumstances can a duelist have someone fight in their place; any attempt to do so is considered an automatic loss, resulting in the forfeiture of what's been wagered on their behalf.

Abhorring the Enemy

The third and final cultural similarity between the states is, simply, an abhorrence of Vescania. Details of the grievances suffered across Astagua are highlighted later, but so damaging was their effects that even an impartial thought afforded to the country to the west is enough to tarnish one's reputation, or worse.
Conversely, vilifying Vescania with creative insults or promises of revenge is a sure way to earn trust of the locals.

Type

Geopolitical, Country