Post by Varlyn Drake on Mar 26, 2007 17:34:39 GMT -5
In the wake of all the political expansion, war, and social hierarchies occuring throughout the land of Terra, one nation, now split into two, has found itself being left almost idly by. These are the lands of North and South Umberland.
History: Predominately an agricultural nation, Umberland, as it was once known as, managed to squeak by as its own nation simply on its crops and livestock. While much of the population lived as subsistence farmers, the more affluent farmers who could afford more land managed to make enough surplus crops to keep the export rate high enough to avoid national poverty. In short, while few truly made much profit, few ever fell into debt, either, due to Umberland's rich soils. The national growth continued ever so slowly, but steadily.
However, Nature itself seemed to see fit to tear this very nation in two, quite literally.
The northern lands of Umberland were struck simultaneously. First, rain became scarce, leading up to a crippling draught. Crops were shriveling, cattle were dying of thirst, and even the wealthier farmers of the northern provinces found themselves increasingly low on money as well as supplies. As if that were not enough, the rapidly drying climate brought about an insurgence of a new virus, that had, for reasons unknown, been dormant thanks to the moist climate. Scientists had speculated that this virus's genetic makeup rendered it ineffective in moist areas, but considering the current state of North Umberlands, there is little chance for further research.
Draught and plague swept the countryside, and none were safe from their grasp. People were becoming sick, and dying, and with little to feed them with, and with no money to purchase medicince to heal them, the northern Provinces were rapidly spiraling into destruction.
Umberlanders are a proud sort, however. Many, if not all, of the people had built themselves from the ground up, living off the very ground they walked upon, and were not content to simply give up and try again elsewhere. So, they demanded that the southern provinces, in their good fortunes, share with them their earnings as well as their produce. The southerners wanted to help, and bore no ill will against the northerners; unfortunately, they, too, were simply subsistence farmers, and could only give little. That which they could give, also, would only serve to impoverish them, further. The southerners knew all too well that if they did try to come to their northern brothers in their time of need, it would only result in the entire nation becoming a hallowed-out shell of what it once was.
So the southern provinces simply did not send aid.
The northerners continued to ask, beg, and demand, and the southerners held firm. Tensions began to rise between the two, that finally erupted in civil war. The Umberland Civil War, as far as wars go, was quite miniscule. The three major governments at the time simply overlooked it as 'a bunch of angry farmers with pitchforks.' They were, for the most part, correct in their assumption, but the aftermath would forever separate the nation.
The two sides fought to a stalemate, as no side contained any great fighters. After a few months of skirmishes and battles along the bitterly named "Line of Selfish Desire", the nations realized that they were getting nowhere. In a hastily made agreement, the Northern nation broke away, citing that if the South wasn't going to help them, they were going to help themselves. Thus, Umberland became North and South Umberland, and stands as such to this day.
In one final act of togetherness, however, both North and South Umberlanders worked together to finally separate their nations for good, ironically enough, and built Drakholme and the Wall of Shame. To this day, it is unknown whether the wall was named for either nation in particular.
Geography: North Umberland- Due to the plague and the draught that destroyed North Umberland's land and society, the region has still yet to recover. The soil is craggy, the grass and plants are thin and sickly, and the water is foul to the taste. While natural weather patterns have, for the most part, resumed, the continued production from Shussei's Equinox sends enough pollution into the air to cause occasional acid rains, further eliminating the chances of this nation to ever become the agricultural haven it once was. Strange electrical storms that lack rain, perhaps a residual effect of the past draught, also are rather common in North Umberland.
South Umberland- In stark contrast, South Umberland has retained the lush geography it has always held. Rolling plains, fertile soil, and tall trees dot the landscape. The weather patterns here are much more regular than in their northern counterpart. Rain is plentiful, and when the sun shines, it shines brightly in a mostly cloudless sky. In short, South Umberland stands as a farmer's dream.
Government: North Umberland- To be precise, one would be hard-pressed to find any form of government in the land at all. Anarchy has driven it's inhabitants to become completely self-serving. There are no rules, and even fewer safeties here. It could be described as a completely Libertarian environment: Each and every person fends for themselves as they see fit, no matter what that entails. What little economy there is here is based almost entirely upon bartering, though it is not uncommong for one to purchase items with various jewels and other valuable items that can be sold for actual money in either of the two neighboring superpowers.
South Umberland- While also loosely governed, South Umberland is nowhere near the anarchist's paradise that North Umberland boasts. They keep a fairly 'laissez-faire' attitude, choosing to leave well enough alone as far as business and governmental matters are concerned.
As it stands, every town is run by a prefect, who serves as the overseer, judge, and twice a year, the tax collector of the town. Disputes are often solved by the prefect as they are brought forward, if the prefect can not reach a decision, he shall call the feuding parties to court, with a six-person jury, brought in from a neighboring town, to decide upon the final verdict. If the jury's vote results in a tie, the Prefect himself makes the final decision.
Twice a year, as previously stated, the Prefect also collects a sort of 'property tax' from the populace of his town. This tax is called the "Give-Back", and is very aptly named. For those who live in these farming communities, they are given a third-party for which to settle disputes, a fair amount of personal protection, and a voice in the way things are run. In return, the prefect simply asks for each household to 'give something back.' Be it money, a share of the harvest, or a fatted calf, any donations are welcome. While there is no set minimum to the Give-Back, it is generally assumed that you give as much as you can without exhausting your own resources; those that constantly give less than they could afford to are generally heavily looked down upon by the rest of the community, and find themselves often ostracized and on the losing end of any disputes against them.
There is no centralized government in South Umberland, as the various towns are all much too spread apart to be able to link together in any efficient form.
People/Culture: North Umberland- The people of North Umberland are, for the most part, bandits by trade. Many of them make a living preying off of unwary travelers, robbing them of their riches, and even of their everyday items, anything they can use to trade or sell for what they need. While it is important to note that while not ALL North Umberlanders steal and kill and rob to survive, due to the generally dangerous nature of the region, it is not only impractical, it is unwise to attempt to lead a life that does not in some way deal in black markets and shady business transactions.
North Umberland is also home to many various patrol parties of both the Lucian and the Shussei military factions. Due to the general lawlessness of the region, and the extreme distance from either nation's military headquarters, the two factions will often wage unsanctioned battles, seemingly spurred on by the chaotic nature of the very country itself.
South Umberland- Again, South Umberland finds itself almost the exact opposite of North, retaining the idyllic agricultural culture that both nations once held as a whole. As a smaller nation, however, the country has managed to turn more profits than before, not to mention the fact that it's a wonderfully peaceful place to live. Because of this, many organized towns have popped up in the recent years. Most of the population are farmers, as could be expected, but there are other professions around as well. However, these professions tend to go no farther than a simple blacksmith, general store owner, or such like.
Again, unlike North Umberland, South Umberland has managed to have peaceful relations with both Lucia and Shussei, doing a bit of trade with the both of them. However, seeing as they have little to trade with, they only get the barest minimum of things in return, and as such, they hardly practice the "Moderation" that Bremelia does. Rather, they simply use what little they can get from either nation to augment their own simple, easy lifestyle, choosing not to deal in either magic or technology on the whole.
Military: Ironically enough, neither nation has a military of any means. North Umberland is simply too violent and lawless, South Umberland is too peaceful. South Umberland towns, however, do have what could be considered a militia of sorts. Each town's prefect appoints a Sherriff who takes on volunteer 'deputies' in order to keep their particular town safe.
Current State of Affairs: North Umberland remains a constant scene of violence and bloodshed. It seems that little will change there, unless drastic measures are taken. South Umberland, likewise, remains a quiet paradise. However, there is always the threat of a stray bandit or two from the Northern Nation sneaking past the Wall of Shame some way or another and attempting to raid the peaceful farms. As could be expected, those nearest to the border are in the most danger.
The Drakholme Fortress and the Wall of Shame: The medium-sized fortress and the adjoining wall that stretches all the way across the dividing line of the two nations are known as Drakholme and The Wall of Shame, respectively. At one time, in the beginning of the split, the two nations had enough trust between the other to have the fort constantly manned by security personnel from each nation, in order to keep any border disputes down. As the state of affairs in North Umberland continued to decay, however, the fort itself was soon abandoned as well, both sets of double-doors locked from the outside, so that neither nation can easily use it to cross over into the other side.
Though it is mostly unused as of late, Drakholme is the setting for many a late-night campfire ghost tale, by men, women and children of both nations alike.
History: Predominately an agricultural nation, Umberland, as it was once known as, managed to squeak by as its own nation simply on its crops and livestock. While much of the population lived as subsistence farmers, the more affluent farmers who could afford more land managed to make enough surplus crops to keep the export rate high enough to avoid national poverty. In short, while few truly made much profit, few ever fell into debt, either, due to Umberland's rich soils. The national growth continued ever so slowly, but steadily.
However, Nature itself seemed to see fit to tear this very nation in two, quite literally.
The northern lands of Umberland were struck simultaneously. First, rain became scarce, leading up to a crippling draught. Crops were shriveling, cattle were dying of thirst, and even the wealthier farmers of the northern provinces found themselves increasingly low on money as well as supplies. As if that were not enough, the rapidly drying climate brought about an insurgence of a new virus, that had, for reasons unknown, been dormant thanks to the moist climate. Scientists had speculated that this virus's genetic makeup rendered it ineffective in moist areas, but considering the current state of North Umberlands, there is little chance for further research.
Draught and plague swept the countryside, and none were safe from their grasp. People were becoming sick, and dying, and with little to feed them with, and with no money to purchase medicince to heal them, the northern Provinces were rapidly spiraling into destruction.
Umberlanders are a proud sort, however. Many, if not all, of the people had built themselves from the ground up, living off the very ground they walked upon, and were not content to simply give up and try again elsewhere. So, they demanded that the southern provinces, in their good fortunes, share with them their earnings as well as their produce. The southerners wanted to help, and bore no ill will against the northerners; unfortunately, they, too, were simply subsistence farmers, and could only give little. That which they could give, also, would only serve to impoverish them, further. The southerners knew all too well that if they did try to come to their northern brothers in their time of need, it would only result in the entire nation becoming a hallowed-out shell of what it once was.
So the southern provinces simply did not send aid.
The northerners continued to ask, beg, and demand, and the southerners held firm. Tensions began to rise between the two, that finally erupted in civil war. The Umberland Civil War, as far as wars go, was quite miniscule. The three major governments at the time simply overlooked it as 'a bunch of angry farmers with pitchforks.' They were, for the most part, correct in their assumption, but the aftermath would forever separate the nation.
The two sides fought to a stalemate, as no side contained any great fighters. After a few months of skirmishes and battles along the bitterly named "Line of Selfish Desire", the nations realized that they were getting nowhere. In a hastily made agreement, the Northern nation broke away, citing that if the South wasn't going to help them, they were going to help themselves. Thus, Umberland became North and South Umberland, and stands as such to this day.
In one final act of togetherness, however, both North and South Umberlanders worked together to finally separate their nations for good, ironically enough, and built Drakholme and the Wall of Shame. To this day, it is unknown whether the wall was named for either nation in particular.
Geography: North Umberland- Due to the plague and the draught that destroyed North Umberland's land and society, the region has still yet to recover. The soil is craggy, the grass and plants are thin and sickly, and the water is foul to the taste. While natural weather patterns have, for the most part, resumed, the continued production from Shussei's Equinox sends enough pollution into the air to cause occasional acid rains, further eliminating the chances of this nation to ever become the agricultural haven it once was. Strange electrical storms that lack rain, perhaps a residual effect of the past draught, also are rather common in North Umberland.
South Umberland- In stark contrast, South Umberland has retained the lush geography it has always held. Rolling plains, fertile soil, and tall trees dot the landscape. The weather patterns here are much more regular than in their northern counterpart. Rain is plentiful, and when the sun shines, it shines brightly in a mostly cloudless sky. In short, South Umberland stands as a farmer's dream.
Government: North Umberland- To be precise, one would be hard-pressed to find any form of government in the land at all. Anarchy has driven it's inhabitants to become completely self-serving. There are no rules, and even fewer safeties here. It could be described as a completely Libertarian environment: Each and every person fends for themselves as they see fit, no matter what that entails. What little economy there is here is based almost entirely upon bartering, though it is not uncommong for one to purchase items with various jewels and other valuable items that can be sold for actual money in either of the two neighboring superpowers.
South Umberland- While also loosely governed, South Umberland is nowhere near the anarchist's paradise that North Umberland boasts. They keep a fairly 'laissez-faire' attitude, choosing to leave well enough alone as far as business and governmental matters are concerned.
As it stands, every town is run by a prefect, who serves as the overseer, judge, and twice a year, the tax collector of the town. Disputes are often solved by the prefect as they are brought forward, if the prefect can not reach a decision, he shall call the feuding parties to court, with a six-person jury, brought in from a neighboring town, to decide upon the final verdict. If the jury's vote results in a tie, the Prefect himself makes the final decision.
Twice a year, as previously stated, the Prefect also collects a sort of 'property tax' from the populace of his town. This tax is called the "Give-Back", and is very aptly named. For those who live in these farming communities, they are given a third-party for which to settle disputes, a fair amount of personal protection, and a voice in the way things are run. In return, the prefect simply asks for each household to 'give something back.' Be it money, a share of the harvest, or a fatted calf, any donations are welcome. While there is no set minimum to the Give-Back, it is generally assumed that you give as much as you can without exhausting your own resources; those that constantly give less than they could afford to are generally heavily looked down upon by the rest of the community, and find themselves often ostracized and on the losing end of any disputes against them.
There is no centralized government in South Umberland, as the various towns are all much too spread apart to be able to link together in any efficient form.
People/Culture: North Umberland- The people of North Umberland are, for the most part, bandits by trade. Many of them make a living preying off of unwary travelers, robbing them of their riches, and even of their everyday items, anything they can use to trade or sell for what they need. While it is important to note that while not ALL North Umberlanders steal and kill and rob to survive, due to the generally dangerous nature of the region, it is not only impractical, it is unwise to attempt to lead a life that does not in some way deal in black markets and shady business transactions.
North Umberland is also home to many various patrol parties of both the Lucian and the Shussei military factions. Due to the general lawlessness of the region, and the extreme distance from either nation's military headquarters, the two factions will often wage unsanctioned battles, seemingly spurred on by the chaotic nature of the very country itself.
South Umberland- Again, South Umberland finds itself almost the exact opposite of North, retaining the idyllic agricultural culture that both nations once held as a whole. As a smaller nation, however, the country has managed to turn more profits than before, not to mention the fact that it's a wonderfully peaceful place to live. Because of this, many organized towns have popped up in the recent years. Most of the population are farmers, as could be expected, but there are other professions around as well. However, these professions tend to go no farther than a simple blacksmith, general store owner, or such like.
Again, unlike North Umberland, South Umberland has managed to have peaceful relations with both Lucia and Shussei, doing a bit of trade with the both of them. However, seeing as they have little to trade with, they only get the barest minimum of things in return, and as such, they hardly practice the "Moderation" that Bremelia does. Rather, they simply use what little they can get from either nation to augment their own simple, easy lifestyle, choosing not to deal in either magic or technology on the whole.
Military: Ironically enough, neither nation has a military of any means. North Umberland is simply too violent and lawless, South Umberland is too peaceful. South Umberland towns, however, do have what could be considered a militia of sorts. Each town's prefect appoints a Sherriff who takes on volunteer 'deputies' in order to keep their particular town safe.
Current State of Affairs: North Umberland remains a constant scene of violence and bloodshed. It seems that little will change there, unless drastic measures are taken. South Umberland, likewise, remains a quiet paradise. However, there is always the threat of a stray bandit or two from the Northern Nation sneaking past the Wall of Shame some way or another and attempting to raid the peaceful farms. As could be expected, those nearest to the border are in the most danger.
The Drakholme Fortress and the Wall of Shame: The medium-sized fortress and the adjoining wall that stretches all the way across the dividing line of the two nations are known as Drakholme and The Wall of Shame, respectively. At one time, in the beginning of the split, the two nations had enough trust between the other to have the fort constantly manned by security personnel from each nation, in order to keep any border disputes down. As the state of affairs in North Umberland continued to decay, however, the fort itself was soon abandoned as well, both sets of double-doors locked from the outside, so that neither nation can easily use it to cross over into the other side.
Though it is mostly unused as of late, Drakholme is the setting for many a late-night campfire ghost tale, by men, women and children of both nations alike.