Astrinth

Astrinth is a fertile land of rolling hills, sandy coasts, and stormy skies. It is the Draenean city-state that is aligned with Astrina, the draconic god of lightning. Astrinth is home to the most famous polis in Draenea, Astri, which is known even in lands far away from Draenea for its reputation as a center of learning and a pre-eminent source of arcane study. This arcane study is overseen by the City-state's draconic Exemplar, Daskofos the Wise, a kindly old Bronze dragon who seeks to uncover new knowledge whenever possible. Daskofos and the senate guide the city-state towards progress that furthers the pursuit of the academic, the arcane, and the philosophical. Astrinth's military boasts a large amount of magic using members, though it is also known for its regiments of javelin throwers, who are said to rival archers in ability, in part thanks to their amentums (leather straps used to throw the javelin). A land of knowledge and fine art, Astrinth is a common place for foreigners to Draenea to visit as well.

Demographics

The demographics of Astrinth are perhaps the most representative of the whole of Draenea out of all the city states. The majority population is human, with a significant amount of dragonborn and kobolds, some half elves and elves, and a slightly below normal amount of the various other common races.

Government

The Library of Elogios serves as the seat of Astrinthian government. Astrinth functions on the principles of a democracy based in intellectual merit. The Astrinthian senate is nearly entirely composed of scholars, with the current Exemplar serving as the speaker of the senate, directing the focus of conversation and putting forth motions. Scholar, politician, and mage are often seen as inherently intertwined roles within Astrinthian society. Most Astrinthians who show aptitude for magical talent tend to travel to the Library to seek education and to offer their services to their polis. Even those who only show aptitude towards knowledge and scholarly pursuits, but no magical talent, may still train and study alongside the many aspiring mages and philosophers at the Library of Elogios. The current Exemplar, Daskofos the Wise, has brought on great prosperity within Astrinth, by encouraging the study of many underdeveloped practical trades, such as agriculture and metallurgy, leading to the advent of Elyssian Bronze. It has been many ages since a blue dragon held title of Exemplar of Astrinth

Industry & Trade

There are three major industries in Astrinth. Most recent, yet not unimportant, is that of metal working. Astrinthian smiths, with the aid from the Exemplar, discovered how to forge Elyssian Bronze about 50 years ago, and have turned this practice into a lucrative endeavor. Secondly, the industry of agriculture; Astrinth is the best equipped Draenean state for farming, as it has more suitable farmland than Pagos , more consistent rainfall than Kafotia, and more uninterrupted land than Oxeos (not to mention that much of Oxeos's land is swampland and therefore difficult to farm in). Olives, grapes, wheat, and barley are the primary foods grown in Astrinth. Lastly, there is much money to be made in Astrinth by the production of supplies and manuscripts related to scholarly pursuits. Arcane texts, scrolls, books of philosophy, plays, and other intellectually focused goods sell quite well in Astrinth, and the world knows Astrinth as a place of culture, meaning their cultural exports are highly sought after. Because of this, the Astrinthian pottery trade is also quite well off, typically focusing on artistic pottery over functional objects. Astrinth enjoys a peaceful relationship with Oxeos, and frequently imports papyrus from the region in order to use in libraries.

Currency

1 Copper Piece = 1 Copper Obol
5 Copper Pieces = 1 Copper Drachma
1 Silver Piece = 1 Tin Obol
5 Silver Pieces = 1 Tin Drachma
1 Gold Piece = 1 Bronze Obol
5 Gold Pieces = 1 Bronze Drachma
1 Platinum Piece = 1 Black Bronze Obol
5 Platinum Pieces = 1 Black Bronze Drachma

Geography

Astrinth's mainland is mostly mild hills with thin forests and shallow creeks. As the land approaches either the Draenean Sea or the Six Winds Sea, it typically cuts off from hills as steep cliffs. Past these cliffs is usually an abnormally lengthy sandy beach, serving as home to many ocean-side life, such as turtles, crabs, birds, and otherwise. The Astrinthian countryside is typically dotted with many temporary bodies of water, such as small ponds or creeks that only have water during rainfalls. The land of Astrinth is typically fertile, due to the plentiful rain and warm temperatures.

Natural Resources

Olives and Olivewood from the forests and groves of Astrinth are abundant, though Olivewood is prized, due to the fact that it is abnormal to chop down an olive tree (and forfeit the potential gain from the olives themselves). Copper and tin are incredibly abundant in the seaside cliffs of Astrinth, making bronze an incredibly common metal. The beaches of Astrinth provide sands that are uniquely suited for glassmaking. While beach sand is normally not suitable for making glass, Astrinth's abnormally large beaches mean that the sand furthest away from the sea doesn't contain the shells, coral, and other debris which make the glass less pure. Clay deposits are common in Astrinth, due to frequent flooding of rivers.