Mahria
15-07-2005, 09:04
Numbers changed frequently, as my nation keeps growing. So in the interest of simplicity, just consider me medium-sized, decent-but-not-stunning economy.
The people of Mahria, tired of being unknown, have appointed several tribal elders to create a source of information for outsiders. Wisely, the elders corraled some young fools with computers to put in statistics and diffuse it to the world. Here is a condensed version of their work.
The dominant philosophy of Mahria is Tellecism, a philosophy named for the Nathi shaman Tellec (gods smile upon him) from the age of colonization. He composed the Alexiad (see below) of Freedom, which forms the majority of Mahria’s constitution. Tellec was a famed diplomat, who united squabbling tribes into a powerful force that pushed back would-be conquerors from several colonizing nations. Tellec is treated as a holy man, and Tellecism is taught in every Mahrian school.
Tellecism is a largely socialist doctrine, but one that is almost Marxist in it’s revolutionary, violent ideas. “He who oppresses another,” Tellec is quoted, “Is forsaken by gods, cursed by spirits and pursued by demons. Chase him even over the sea to be sure he brings his chains to none.”
The passage, “chase him even over the sea,” has been used as justification for assisting revolutionary forces in a variety of nations. It’s an open secret that Mahria provides refuge, training, and arms for republican, Marxist, secessionist, and other groups. For is not one man’s terrorist another man’s freedom fighter?
Military:
Approximately five hundred thousand currently enlisted. Approximately two hundred and fourty thousand are land forces, while two hundred and twenty thousand are naval. Training is excellent while equipment is generally average or poor.
Mahria’s army specializes in guerilla infantry operations, but it’s airforce is weak and the army possesses little heavy armour. Nathi make up an unusually large percentage of land forces, as hunting and living nomadically create excellent soldiers. The Navy is dominated by the more nautical Tlaloc, and is somewhat small but well trained.
Panther Squadron, the special forces, are large and extremely dangerous. The navy is mainly smaller battleships. Many independent Tlaloc captains join in times of warfare, making precise numbers tricky to calculate. Tribal militias are also fluid, but a force to be reckoned with.
Mahria’s secret service, locally known as the Shadows, are infamous for political assasination and have quietly built up incredible reach and influence among organized crime and other “underworld” types.
Breaking RP here: there is very limited magic in Mahria, but it’s on the whole modern technology and more or less normal. Magic is mainly limited to shamans of the Nathi, who have a connection to nature that hugely enhances their perception. There are some unusual flora and fauna, as well as (of course) the majority of the population being elves.
I’m happy to enter as a rabble-rouser and mob-armer in any RP, and (while I’m new at all this) would like practice and the chance to learn.
History:
Mahria was an oddity. It’s indigenous populations had a unique experience with colonization: not being devastated. The usual weapons of “civilized” interlopers-new diseases and frightening technology-were relatively toothless in Mahria’s case. The primary reason for the first was the species barrier: Mahria’s natives are elves, while colonizers are human.
A bloody, decades-long guerilla campaign eventually led to Royalist Colonial forces withdrawing at a horrific cost to both sides. The Mahrian forces were lead by Tellec (gods smile upon him), for whom more information can be seen below.
Many colonizers stayed behind, bringing technology and trade to the natives. Human “foreigners” form seventeen percent of the population, and there is tension between them and the elves. Ghettoization by species is rampant.
Geography/Economy
Mahria is primarily covered in lush rainforest and most of it sits at low to mid elevation. It is a rounded country, with a long coastline and only a handful of mountains looming out of the trees. There are dozens of isolated valleys, which (until recently) have kept tribes hidden from the world and isolated from each other.
Some mineral deposits exist, but most of Mahria’s money comes from trade, tourism, and fishing. Agriculture is sufficient for domestic demand, as are most industries. While far from wealthy, most Mahrians live rather comfortably. Cultural beliefs about holding items in common mean that luxuries such as internet access and the temporary use of vehicles are available to most. Mahria’s maritime claims extend several hundred kilometers beyond their shores, and are extensive (and enforced) enough to make it’s neighbours grumble.
Culture and Population:
Radio has been eagerly seized in Mahria, bringing the nation remarkably close together. There are dozens of small independent radio stations, but the primary media outlet is the government-owned Windspeaker. Most transport is by river boat or helicopter.
Mahria has two major Elven ethnic groups: the Nathi and the Tlaloc.
The Nathi live primarily inland, in the deep forest. They are historically nomadic hunter-gatherers, and have a proud warrior history. The lack of colonizer’s numbers and Mahria learning of other colonies’ troubles have kept the forest more or less intact. Nathi tend to be small of stature, with tan skin and large eyes. They comprise seven to ten percent of the population. (Census taking is rather difficult.)
Nathi shamans are trained in memorization and herbalism, and serve as sources of oral history going back thousands of years. Information and history is composed into Alexiads, long poems written to be easy to memorize. Each tribe has at least one shaman. Modern anthropologists have taken an interest in the famous Alexiads, and have taken to recording them to preserve their knowledge.
The Tlaloc are primarily coastal, and have been settled for the last several thousand years. They live primarily from fishing and trade, and agriculture was negligible until recent years. Tlalocs are usually taller and darker of skin than the Nathi. They make up approximately seventy percent of Mahria’s population. Most of Mahria’s cities are historical Tlalocan settlements, and the majority of the population density is on the coasts.
The Nathi language is relatively similar to Tlalocan, and an increasing number of Nathi are moving to the cities. Problems with poverty, alcoholism, and homelessness affect a disproportionate number of Nathi. Lifestyles within the forest have changed remained surprisingly traditional, but modern medicine and metal tools have been embraced with enthusiasm. The Nathi have recently been making legal claims for greater minority rights.
Government:
Mahria’s “parliament” follows tribal tradition. Taboos exist against professional politicians: the only people who can run for election are retired elderly people and tradespeople who do at least some honest work. This is intended to combat the corruption of power, and (despite inconvenience) has worked remarkably well.
The head of state, the Speaker, is little more than an administrator. By tradition, the oldest member of parliament acts as Speaker, and grants the right to speak to any of the 406 other representatives. The current leader is the four hundred and seventy-seven year old Ysla the Grey, a Nathi canoe builder.
The people of Mahria, tired of being unknown, have appointed several tribal elders to create a source of information for outsiders. Wisely, the elders corraled some young fools with computers to put in statistics and diffuse it to the world. Here is a condensed version of their work.
The dominant philosophy of Mahria is Tellecism, a philosophy named for the Nathi shaman Tellec (gods smile upon him) from the age of colonization. He composed the Alexiad (see below) of Freedom, which forms the majority of Mahria’s constitution. Tellec was a famed diplomat, who united squabbling tribes into a powerful force that pushed back would-be conquerors from several colonizing nations. Tellec is treated as a holy man, and Tellecism is taught in every Mahrian school.
Tellecism is a largely socialist doctrine, but one that is almost Marxist in it’s revolutionary, violent ideas. “He who oppresses another,” Tellec is quoted, “Is forsaken by gods, cursed by spirits and pursued by demons. Chase him even over the sea to be sure he brings his chains to none.”
The passage, “chase him even over the sea,” has been used as justification for assisting revolutionary forces in a variety of nations. It’s an open secret that Mahria provides refuge, training, and arms for republican, Marxist, secessionist, and other groups. For is not one man’s terrorist another man’s freedom fighter?
Military:
Approximately five hundred thousand currently enlisted. Approximately two hundred and fourty thousand are land forces, while two hundred and twenty thousand are naval. Training is excellent while equipment is generally average or poor.
Mahria’s army specializes in guerilla infantry operations, but it’s airforce is weak and the army possesses little heavy armour. Nathi make up an unusually large percentage of land forces, as hunting and living nomadically create excellent soldiers. The Navy is dominated by the more nautical Tlaloc, and is somewhat small but well trained.
Panther Squadron, the special forces, are large and extremely dangerous. The navy is mainly smaller battleships. Many independent Tlaloc captains join in times of warfare, making precise numbers tricky to calculate. Tribal militias are also fluid, but a force to be reckoned with.
Mahria’s secret service, locally known as the Shadows, are infamous for political assasination and have quietly built up incredible reach and influence among organized crime and other “underworld” types.
Breaking RP here: there is very limited magic in Mahria, but it’s on the whole modern technology and more or less normal. Magic is mainly limited to shamans of the Nathi, who have a connection to nature that hugely enhances their perception. There are some unusual flora and fauna, as well as (of course) the majority of the population being elves.
I’m happy to enter as a rabble-rouser and mob-armer in any RP, and (while I’m new at all this) would like practice and the chance to learn.
History:
Mahria was an oddity. It’s indigenous populations had a unique experience with colonization: not being devastated. The usual weapons of “civilized” interlopers-new diseases and frightening technology-were relatively toothless in Mahria’s case. The primary reason for the first was the species barrier: Mahria’s natives are elves, while colonizers are human.
A bloody, decades-long guerilla campaign eventually led to Royalist Colonial forces withdrawing at a horrific cost to both sides. The Mahrian forces were lead by Tellec (gods smile upon him), for whom more information can be seen below.
Many colonizers stayed behind, bringing technology and trade to the natives. Human “foreigners” form seventeen percent of the population, and there is tension between them and the elves. Ghettoization by species is rampant.
Geography/Economy
Mahria is primarily covered in lush rainforest and most of it sits at low to mid elevation. It is a rounded country, with a long coastline and only a handful of mountains looming out of the trees. There are dozens of isolated valleys, which (until recently) have kept tribes hidden from the world and isolated from each other.
Some mineral deposits exist, but most of Mahria’s money comes from trade, tourism, and fishing. Agriculture is sufficient for domestic demand, as are most industries. While far from wealthy, most Mahrians live rather comfortably. Cultural beliefs about holding items in common mean that luxuries such as internet access and the temporary use of vehicles are available to most. Mahria’s maritime claims extend several hundred kilometers beyond their shores, and are extensive (and enforced) enough to make it’s neighbours grumble.
Culture and Population:
Radio has been eagerly seized in Mahria, bringing the nation remarkably close together. There are dozens of small independent radio stations, but the primary media outlet is the government-owned Windspeaker. Most transport is by river boat or helicopter.
Mahria has two major Elven ethnic groups: the Nathi and the Tlaloc.
The Nathi live primarily inland, in the deep forest. They are historically nomadic hunter-gatherers, and have a proud warrior history. The lack of colonizer’s numbers and Mahria learning of other colonies’ troubles have kept the forest more or less intact. Nathi tend to be small of stature, with tan skin and large eyes. They comprise seven to ten percent of the population. (Census taking is rather difficult.)
Nathi shamans are trained in memorization and herbalism, and serve as sources of oral history going back thousands of years. Information and history is composed into Alexiads, long poems written to be easy to memorize. Each tribe has at least one shaman. Modern anthropologists have taken an interest in the famous Alexiads, and have taken to recording them to preserve their knowledge.
The Tlaloc are primarily coastal, and have been settled for the last several thousand years. They live primarily from fishing and trade, and agriculture was negligible until recent years. Tlalocs are usually taller and darker of skin than the Nathi. They make up approximately seventy percent of Mahria’s population. Most of Mahria’s cities are historical Tlalocan settlements, and the majority of the population density is on the coasts.
The Nathi language is relatively similar to Tlalocan, and an increasing number of Nathi are moving to the cities. Problems with poverty, alcoholism, and homelessness affect a disproportionate number of Nathi. Lifestyles within the forest have changed remained surprisingly traditional, but modern medicine and metal tools have been embraced with enthusiasm. The Nathi have recently been making legal claims for greater minority rights.
Government:
Mahria’s “parliament” follows tribal tradition. Taboos exist against professional politicians: the only people who can run for election are retired elderly people and tradespeople who do at least some honest work. This is intended to combat the corruption of power, and (despite inconvenience) has worked remarkably well.
The head of state, the Speaker, is little more than an administrator. By tradition, the oldest member of parliament acts as Speaker, and grants the right to speak to any of the 406 other representatives. The current leader is the four hundred and seventy-seven year old Ysla the Grey, a Nathi canoe builder.