Larsaki League
| Formal Name | Larsaki |
|---|---|
| Capital | Larsaki |
| Head of State | Nanni Galmarash |
| Government Type | Oligarchic Republic |
| Cultures | ~11 millions Midian |
| Religions | Mostly Midian |
| Population Density | Very High |
| Population | 11 millions |
The Larsaki League is a league of city-states headed by the city of Larsa-Ki in southwestern Midia. It is a great naval power and control trade with tropical land to its south. The city of Larsa-Ki is the most prominent city of the League and
History
The city of Larsa-Ki were founded by Midian colonists at the mouth of the Imruk river to trade with the native Midorites of the land, who eventually adopted the Midian's language and customs as its civilization spread. The city of Larsa-Ki founded numerous colonies along the coast to the southwest and up the river. These colonies eventually gained enough population and some kind of economical autonomy, and demanded rights from its mother state. Larsaki granted those rights after protracted conflicts, codifying the Larsaki League into existence as an association of its colonies that retain local autonomy to run whatever government it wishes - whether it is a monarchy or a republic or theocracy, in exchange for paying taxes and contributing to the League's common defense.
Of course, Larsa-Ki remains the most prominent city state and acts as a permanent hegemon over the other states, a status quo that other state are more than happy to abide as they see Larsa-Ki's hegemony as its best defender against Ninurmah's dream of unifying all of Midia under its rule, while many of the elites and even commoners under the League's rule believes that they are better off keeping their own autonomy.
In the last two hundred years, Larsa-Ki League's libertine policies on what can be practiced in its territory attracted a particular strand of magical scholars seeking to advance magic - a subset of whom were highly practiced and efficient necromancers. These necromancers are now employed by a significant portion of the League's city - including Larsa-Ki itself, to supplement its army with all-obedient, infallible undeads.
Government
The city of Larsa-Ki itself is ruled as a merchant republic, with ruler elected for lifetime or for fifty years - whichever expires first. Larsa-Ki has a 600 men senates consisting of mostly the wealthiest and most powerful families of the city, and are elected by a small citizen population of around 80,000 people to represent them, including wealth merchants in the city, mage-priests, and landowners from nearby villages and towns considered part of its territory. Larsa-Ki itself rule over a significant patch of territories that is considered the city's own property.
Underneath the Larsa-Ki league are a large groups of city in association with the league, who usually contribute military force in kind for the league's common defense and is otherwise allowed to do what it want - including selecting its form of government. However, the League has intervened whenever it deems a local city's government to be hostile to its interest or is attempting to breakaway from the League.
A smaller groups of cities or town are considered common territory under the joint administration of the League. Revenues derived from these cities are redistributed toward "common defense" - mostly for Larsa-Ki's own military, and these lands are exploited heavily with little political right.
Economy
The League has a diverse economy. Amongst its specialties are export of ivory, preserved tropical fruits, sugar and hardwood from the tropical parts of its territory, and re-export from the tropical south.
Regions
- Abkalla (~5 millions): The Abkalla region is the central plains region and consist of the fertile lowland of the Girnamu river. It is densely populated.
- Larsaki (200,000): The capital city of the Larsa-Ki League, a prominent trading city.
- Abshagal (~1 million): A northern province that is generally deprived of political right and considered the League's joint territory - a recent war spoil from the Ninurmah Empire.
- Zinmurun (~2 millions): Zinmurun province consist of the upper reach of the Girnamu river and is much less densely populated.
- Edingal (~3 millions): The long western coastal province and territories that stretches west and south beyond the map's boundary, this part of the League is less developed but has been settled gradually due to overpopulation in the core land of the League. The city of Eshgalla is the only prominent province here and most of it are densely farmed rural land.
The Larsaki League's southern territories off the map border the The Great Jungle that is routinely explored by adventurers in search of great magical creatures or lumberjacks there to cut down highly valuable, regrowing wood. The jungle is extremely hostile to sapient lives and it is ill-advised to stay there for more than 30 days, and is home to no temporary or permanent settlements, but is a soruce of wealth for the League who are experienced with exploiting its periphery.
Military
The League has a feudal like army maintained by each individual city-state, though Larsa-Ki itself maintain up to half of the effective forces of the League, thanks to tax transfer from other city and its effective control of the League's common army, which draw recruits from all over the league. The traditional Zagarim warrior-mage caste play a prominent roles in the League's army.
Its most notable trait however, is its willingness to utilize necromancy in its army. Necromancy are used to bind and summon a large amount of somewhat autonomous, obedient constructs that are put into formations. The form of necromancy practiced by the Larsakian are flawed and incapable of producing highly skilled or strong soldiers, so instead the dead are equipped with crossbows and long pike and expected to hold the line as disposable, unbreakable, if not unskilled troops. Imported firearms are not prominent enough for Larsakian to consider arming undead with en masse - and instead the living are given the privileges of using them instead.
The League has a powerful oceangoing navy that patrols most of the Sea of Midia. Though its navy is slightly smaller in size than that of Ninurmah, it is more experienced in conflicts on the high seas compared to the Ninurmahian who are more specialized in inland sea combat.