Colomares Castle, Andalusia, Spain.
See also: The Legion of the Maor Dlí
The Northern Province is the birthplace of Ásaterra. The North was where Queen Ása I led her rebellion and liberated her people, founding her own Monarchy which became the hub of the Ásaterran Empire under the rule of her descendants.It is a hot land full of deserts, mountains, and intricately crafted cities. The Legion of the Maor Dlí currently governs the North, and their Capital is in the ancient city of Hynafoltre.
History
Before Ása's rebellion, the North was ruled by many different tribes. Born into poverty, Ása rose quickly through the ranks of her tribe due to her cunning and martial skill. She finally rebelled against her tribe’s chief, who is believed to have blasphemed the gods, and united the country under her rule. The North became her seat of power, as it was for her descendants. During the expansion of the Ásaterran Empire, it was the main base of operations. The rest of the countries under Ásaterra's rule eventually officially became part of Ásaterra itself after many years. Until the year 1185 BA, the royal family mainly inhabited Constantium. After their coup, the Royal Council continued this tradition, with their headquarters in the former royal palace. After the Second Civil War, Constantium was renamed Hynafoltre, with Frithstede in the south-west being named the new capital of Ásaterra. The Legion, mainly recruited from the forces of former Royal Council members, remained in their headquarters in Hynafoltre.
Geography & Architecture
Alhambra Palace, Spain.
See also: Northern Territories
The North consists of a humid subtropical climate and Mediterranean scrubland and forest which gives way to desert the further north-east you travel. With hot summers and gentle winters, thanks to the warm currents running along it’s northernmost coastline, the North of Ásaterra is remembered fondly as the place where the country was born. The Northern Provinces are composed of red cliffs and deserts in the far North and long sandy beaches and dunes where the land meets the ocean. Further south, the deserts become scrub-lands, before meeting fertile farmlands thanks to the innovative irrigation system. Lemons and oranges grow in abundance, and the vineyards are some of the best in all of Ásaterra. The Northern cities are full of beautiful architecture, thanks to the help of the Elven stonemasons who came with their prince when he married Queen Ása. The high walls, set with precious stones or tiles, and frosted with gold filigree conceal an inner paradise full of coloured tiles, fountains, exotic birds, silk throws and much more; at least, if you’re rich enough to be in the inner circles. Glass windows are few and far between; large, arched doors and windows are set into the walls and covered with shutters. Rooms tend to be central in the home, with a corridor around the edge of the house. Floors are covered with slabs of stone or intricate mosaics; beautifully woven rugs may make an appearance in the bedrooms.
The lower classes inhabit the outskirts of the city in apartments and houses made of baked clay. Their roofs provide space for work and recreation, when they have the time. Buildings tent to be tall and narrow, and many form apartments. Carpets are few and far between; the floors are set with stone or tile. Their bustling markets are alive with the smells of spice and donkey dung, and the cries of traders selling their wares. The roads stretching through the north are old, but sturdy and straight, and villages and way-stations are generally dotted along them. There are many farms further south, as the scorching heat cools into a steady warmth, and the towns are built of grey stone and are sometimes whitewashed. The cobbled streets bustle with life, bright flowers hang from the trees whilst the old sit and bask in the sun, enjoying the sound of the musicians who often play in the town square and watching the young dance as dusk falls and the sweetly scented nights draw in.
Being the lands from which Ásaterra originated and containing the old royal capital city, the North of Ásaterra is one ruled over by many wealthy and powerful noble families, each vying with one another to gain more power and influence within the land. The Northern lands also contain the Dwarven hold of Karak Anor, a grand Dwarven mountain-fortress-city home to some of the most ancient Dwarven families, mines, smithies and architecture in the known world.
See some of the inspiration for Northern Ásaterra here.
Society & Culture
Families
Families are at the beating heart of both northern society and politics. Most northern families, from noble to commoner, live under the same roof in a large house with many many rooms. Siblings, cousins, grandparents and spouses all live under one roof in a large communal group and work together to better their family.
While not always the case in less wealthy families, for noble families a Head of the Family is an important method of ensuring their rise to prominence. The head of the family often holds a landed title and "steers the ship" in terms of the families combined efforts in politics. This has been known to cause friction amongst prominent members of Northern families when disagreements arise, but as long as it stays within the walls of the family home, it is seen as a healthy part of Northern life.
When a head of a family dies, a successor is chosen from amongst all members of the family, not just the previous head's children. The successor is normally nominated by the previous head of the family, but in situations where no successor was chosen, the elders of the family will usually gather to pick a family member to succeed them.
Fashion
Fashion in the North is well suited to the heat. Light silks, cottons and linens are used, often died in bright colours. The wealthy are often decorated with intricate embroidery of gold, beads or even precious gems, and heavy jewellery is often worn to denote a high status. Flowing robes that close at the front are commonplace, often layered over another robe, or tunic with a pair of loose trousers of a complementary colour. For more practical occasions, the trousers are worn without the long robe, often with waistcoats or shorter robes over the top of a loose shirt. A sash or belt is normally wrapped around their waist. Although light leather or fabric shoes are worn around the house, practical leather boots or shoes will be worn when venturing outside, although sandals are often worn in the desert regions.
In the hottest areas, in the far north and near the border, fashion is similar to that worn in Treth; loose, floating sleeveless tunics, stola's or togas. They are mainly loose and flowing, with bright colours and patterns, and often pulled in at the waist. Loose flowing fabric is often wrapped around the torso decoratively.
The mountainous areas of the North are more temperate, as even in the foothills of the Ortun Mountains, temperatures tend to drop. Blouses and shirts are worn under beautifully decorated waistcoats or bodices, embellished with metallic embroidery. These are worn with with plain underlayers and tiered skirts or baggy trousers which tighten below the mid calf. Sleeves are flared, and aprons are often worn over their skirts; although as much for decoration as practicality. In colder weather, shawls and wraps are used to help keep them warm. Their clothes mainly incorporates jewel tones and cotton fabric; rather than printed patterns, the emphasis is on plain fabrics decorated with embellishments such as embroidery or cutwork. Geometric and floral embroidery design are popular, and even here heavy jewellery is seen as a sign of status.
See some of the inspiration for Northern Ásaterran fashion here.
Politics
The Legion of Maor Dlí
Photo by Arran Hopper.
Main Page: The Legion of Maor Dlí
The Northern Province of Ásaterra is a land of many powerful nobles who possess large numbers of troops loyal first and foremost to their noble Lord or Lady. This means that the bickering that comes with many powerful nobles and families wishing to further themselves can often lead to small-scale wars over land or property. Under the monarchy that preceded the current council, a number of alliances began to develop within the noble circles of the North. These alliances helped keep the small-scale wars that had plagued the Northern lands in check, as by entering into one of these powerful alliances a noble was given a significant degree of protection against his or her neighbours. The threat of large-scale civil war within the North did increase quite significantly as these alliances grew in power and influence, but as such wars would severely hinder the nation as a whole, the monarchs themselves often intervened to stop such wars before they began, ensuring prosperity remained almost all of the time.
It was these alliances that were ultimately to prove the downfall of the monarchy however, for when the mad king Carlos II decided to dissolve the Royal Council, the majority of which was made up of senior members of these alliances, the various alliances of the north set aside their differences and united against the king. This rebellion was lead by the well known Legion of Maor Dlí who had been the premier law keepers of the monarchy up until then. With the Legion of Maor Dlí leading the alliance, they overthrew King Carlos and rid Ásaterra from monarchs for good.
As such, when the Royal Council took full control of Ásaterra, it was seen as only right and proper that these alliances were made formal. As such, the various different alliances were renamed as “Legions” and the various senior nobles who made up the Royal Council named themselves the permanent leaders of these Legions.
Belgrade, Serbia.
These Legions were at the forefront of the Ásaterran civil war and performed the vast majority of the fighting on the Northern side. It was during this war that a sense of unity between the Legions grew until the Legionaries themselves felt that they were all part of a greater whole. Thus it was that when the civil war was over, and the Royal Council disbanded, that control of the North was given to the Legion of Maor Dlí. In order to maintain their place in the North, the Legions swore fealty to the Legion of Maor Dlí, thus growing it from a purely lawkeeping force to the political power behind the North.
The Legion of Maor Dlí is the political, legal, and military organisation that unites the Northern lands of Ásaterra. The Legion of Maor Dlí is a confederation of the other Legions, united under the command of the Northern Councillor. While the Legion of Maor Dlí has few people working directly for them, all Legionnaires are technically members, and so when the Legion of Maor Dlí is called to war, it is a call to arms for all the Northern forces. Despite this, it is not guaranteed that all the Legions will answer a summons if the Legion of Maor Dlí is called to arms. The Legion of Karak Anor is infamous for very rarely answering to the Legion of Maor Dlí, much to the frustration of the Councillors.
The Legions themselves have over time become more than simple alliances of nobles with similar goals; they have become geographically-based powers intricately tied to the Feudal system by which the North is run. Almost every Liege in the North is a member of a Legion, and every soldier they have under arms is considered a Legionnaire. Therefore almost anybody who is anyone in the North is a member of a legion, even if they do not serve any military purpose. This is because the Legions often have political goals that stretch beyond that of armed might, or require advisers for the dealing with the day-to-day running of local lands.
Over recent years, the need for a team of talented people from all nations to solve Ásaterra's issues became more and more apparent. As such, a task force made from members of all the legions was established to help with the council's expeditionary force. Thus the Legion of Maor Dlí now has a small number of members dedicated solely to the defence of the entire North, and by extension, all of Ásaterra.
The Northern Councillor
The appointment of the council member of Northern Ásaterra differs somewhat with the election processes held by the other factions, for it is focused around a number of Electors, powerful individuals whose position as Electors are derived from their command of a Northern Legion.
The Electors are elected by the Legionarries of each Legion during Ásaterra's election cycle. These votes are collected by courtiers of each of the lesser nobles, who then place their collective votes into the counting stations of each Legion. These votes are then counted up and the winner is elected the Elector of the Legion, serving as both the head of said Legion, and as a voter for the position of Councillor. The big exception to this is the Legion of Karak Anor, who by their treaty of subjugation, retain a hereditary Elector/king title.
There are currently seven Elector positions held by five individuals; the current Councillor Constantine II holding both the Elector title of The Legion of Hynafoltre and The Legion of Thebepolis. The Elector of Shamal has been vacant for the last fifty years, as the region has been wracked by war without a clear winner to hold the position.
The Councillor of Northern Ásaterra is elected from the Electors, by the Electors upon each Ásaterra's election cycle. This means the elections are often very tense affairs with each of the candidates having large forces at their disposal should the vote not go their way. Thankfully, for the last few decades the peace has been maintained by the Byzantine house, who has maintained a strong primary position thanks to their local prestiege in the region.
For more information on the Legions and the lands they govern, see: Northern Territories
The Cataphract Order
In myth there is an old saying of “Who watches the watchman?” In Ásaterra the answer is simple; The Cataphracts. The Cataphracts are a holy knightly order that spans the entire length of Ásaterra holding many keeps dotted across the map. The cataphract order gets its authority to impose the law by being paladins of Annatarra, goddess of law, thereby adding divine weight to their acts and judgements. While under the monarchy their role was to both uphold the holy law and fight for the monarch, under the council they act as elite lawkeepers, having the authority to hold accountable even the highest members of the Ásaterran society to the law. While the Cataphracts themselves are not allowed to hold any landed title, they have the authority to arrest almost anybody within Ásaterra, including land-owning nobles. This makes them both a force to be feared and respected by commoner and noble alike, although it does make the job of a Cataphract a very dangerous one should they choose to arrest a more powerful individual who has the armed forces (or willing assassins) to resist.
While the Cataphracts used to have the authority to impose the law upon anybody they saw fit, the Hunsow incident of 1292 BA and the political fallout that followed meant that the council stripped them of their authority to judge Lieges alone. Instead the Cataphracts can hold, at the request of the parties involved, a Cataphract Trial where their loyalty first and foremost to Annatarra means that a fairer judgement can be passed.
On the battlefield the charge of the Cataphracts is an awesome sight to behold, tight formations of heavy horsemen that have shattered many an army at the will of their commanders.