Nistra
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| “ | Nistra is the last surviving fragment of Axonia, the great empire of old. The mountainous realm is home to many peoples, all ruled with iron fist by the Great Despot. | „ |
Nistrian Despotate is a dominantly human country located at the west end of the Continent, most notable for being successor state to the old Axonian empire and for making war with Aldor numerous times in the past.
Geography and economy
Nistra is bordered by the Fjall clans up north and Aldor to the east, and by the sea in the south and west. Nistra is described as mountainous place, especially in the northern region bordering Fjall. The long and winding coastline in the south and west has made Nistra one of the great nations of seafarers and traders. The east part of Nistra that borders Aldor is the place where skirmishes as well as great wars were fought between the two nations, sometimes for decades or even longer.
During the recent civil war in Aldor, some of Nistrian traders have been able to make their business in Brynn. As of late, there has been considerable exchange in products, armaments and knowledge between the two rivaling countries. Nistrian merchants typically stock various weapons and shields which Nistra is known for, as well as their their famous bottled incendiary weapon, but also textile products made of linen and wool. In return, their exports from Aldor, and further, include timber and local agricultural products like grain and wine.
The singular Azure Thread trade route passes through almost all of the Nistrian coastal cities, including one of the settlements on an island off the south-west coast of the country. The status of trade by land is presently unknown but speculated to be disturbed by the civil war of Aldor and persisting raids from Fjall, making naval connection something of a lifeline for the country.
Government and religion
As the full name of the nation implies, the monarch of Nistra is a single person titled as The Great Despot. From his seat of residence and governance in the capital city of Hieropolis, he rules the country with iron fist and strict tradition. Anyone who dares defy The Great Despot is usually executed on the spot or thrown into dungeons for fate more brutal than death. These and other traditions of the Despotate are nurtured to preserve their lineage as the last and the true successor of the ancient Axonian Empire.
However, the various Nistrian peoples practice more than one Path to worship the Host. The teachings of Nistrian Hieronism, called the Path of Tradition, hearken back to the Axonian era and are maintained through the coastal lands as well as eastern reaches of the country. In addition, Gnostic Hieronosm, which is most widely practiced in Aldor, has taken root in the central regions of the country, while the Chervenians people that have ties with the distant land of Skadia maintain Northern Hieronism, or Path of Stoicism, mostly in the north-west part of the country.
History and culture
Nistra has long history hailing back to the era of the ancient Axonian Empire. This is seen in every aspect of their life, attempting to preserve their Axonian heritage. From the government policy to their way to worshipping the Host, to their armaments, strategy of war, and their cuisines, every detail is kept as similar as possible with the practices of the ancient empire. This preservation of tradition should be seen not only as as a means to maintaing their cultural heritage, but also as a status symbol as the true successor of the Axonian empire. After many conflicts, both Aldor and Nistra have recognized and sometimes adopted their respective characteristics and advances for their own use.
Rather typically for an absolute ruler, the Great Despot is also known as a patron of their people. Every year the monarch ensures a military parade across their capital city to show the might of Nistrian military for the common people.
Relatively few unique articles of Nistrian cuisine are widely distinguished in Aldor. Some better known examples include their traditional condiments which Axonian philosophers have mentioned in their writings and the more recently developed Custard Muffins.
Council of Peoples
Although ruled by absolutism and great focus on tradition, most people in Nistra belong to the four major tribes who all have their own languages, customs and way of life that warrant them their own individual rights and privileges (or the lack thereof), which are granted to them by what is known as the Council of Peoples.
The most numerous people are the Chervenians. Their language is reminiscent of that of Skadians, although their temperaments are more mild and joyful. The majority of Chervenians are peasants and farmers. There are few of them among the upper society, with any who rise to nobility having to compete against the extended privileges of the other ethnicities. The second most numerous people, Marrs, have close resemblance with Chervenians, and are found in majority along the southern coastline and especially the port cities. Marrs are relieved of numerous taxes and fees, so many become merchants or craftsmen. The third group, Zeineshes, hail from ancient nomads who inhabited the local plains. They form the bulk of the Great Despot's cavalry, but other than skill at arms and the unique language they speak, they are hardly distinguishable from the other Nistrians. Finally, there are the most direct descendants of ancient Axonians, the Ksifits. A large portion of the nobility, city magistrates, high clergy, and even the Great Despot himself come from Ksifit bloodlines. Although this effectively places them as the ruling ethnicity of the realm, the other peoples are also known to continue adoring their clothing with their respective traditional folk patterns to show defiance on the ruling Ksifits minority.
Military and warfare
Similar on how Nistrian people keeping their culture and way of life strictly following the tradition of Ancient Axonian, their weaponries and warfare are still following the tradition no matter how ancient or how antique they were. To their Great Despot, preserving and replicating centuries-old weapons and armors is a matter of prestige to be perceived as the successor of the Great Axonian Empire. But sometimes out of necessity and numerous conflicts with neighboring Aldor, pushed them to copy others strategy or adapting new strategy towards their rivals.
Beside antique weaponries, Nistra put maces in high regard and even renowned as noble weapon. Unlike Skadia that create many bludgeons and have deep root of respect toward mace, Nistrian people see maces as the power to defeat Aldorian full-plated knights. There are so many vendors, smiths, and traders showing their unique and powerful mace that can make a dent of the most expensive Aldorian plate armor.
For defensive, scale armor is still used by many troops in Nistrian army. Dated back when Nistra's influence stretched far to the East with their full-scaled armor cataphracts. With their love in military tradition, scaled armor and scaled boots still a common sight on every Nistrian equipment.
There are several tactics that shown still effective even for current warfare standard that still practiced by Nistrian army. Some of them are well-known that even praised by their rivals to be studied, adopted, or strategically calculated for their own retaliation tactic.
- The famous square shield formation. Nistrian military deployed their heavy infantry in square formation armed with their tower shields. This formation help them to protect their first row of infantry but also the archers behind the square formation. Making them impervious to disorganized attack from Fjall raids and intimidate Aldorian commander to charge their heavy cavalry for needless death.
- Skirmishing tactic. Beside the full-plated heavy infantry from Nistra fending off rows of enemies, there are many support from the flanking light cavalry and agile archers/horse archers whittling down enemies from the back or any weak point of enemies' ranks. Trapping enemies to defend themselves from all sides.
- Flame Flask. The famous yet mysterious Nistrian Flame, created with their secret recipe by the Nistrian alchemists and engineers that not even Aldorian scholars can reproduce. Throwing these bottles of flame can set ablaze even the most armored Aldorian commander or disorganized enemies' rank who tried to avoid both the fire and also the Nistrian infantry advance.
Nistrian army are famously renown across The Continent because their training regime, their antique weaponries, and also their heavy armored soldiers. There are many elite troops that are personally trained to aid Great Despot's war across the Continent or for personal bodyguards protecting the capital cities. Current troops that Nistra known to recruit are:
- Agemon or Aegemon. The elite guardsmen of The Great Despot himself. Picked from young age across the country to be trained in Gymnasium with harsh and cruel training regime not only for building their physical prowess, but also their martial and magic arts to become the perfect bodyguard. Usually armed with heavy polehammer or two-handed mace and adequate magical knowledge of Geomancy, Agemons are the heavy hitting infantry that not only good at protecting Nistrian Despotate, but also dealing heavy damage to whoever dares to defy their Despot.
- Cataphract. Heavy cavalry armed with armor from the rider to the hooves of their horses. The rider adored with countless shiny scales of armor and armed with hefty flanged mace. Cataphract will charge in wegde formation with their heavy armored mount like battering ram that even break pikemen formation. After the brutal trample from their charge, the rider will finish whoever survive the initial charge with their heavy maces.
- Nistrian Heavy Infantry. Nistrian military really believe in the strength of their infantrymen. This showed with many of their infantry ranks are geared with scaled armor and protection such as Nistrian shield to protect themselves and their back ranks that usually filled with light infantry or archers.
- Skirmish Light Cavalry. Beside their heavy cavalry of cataphract, Nistra also use many light cavalry to harass enemies backline or flank infantry that are preoccupied by their sturdy heavy infantry. Usually armed with shield to protect them from stray arrows.
- Skirmish Light Infantry. Nistrian military also deployed light infantry. Most notably their light infantry consist of archers that raining arrow from the back line, or maneuvering across the battlefield to whitling down enemies numbers.
- Geomancer Mage. Even though Agemon or other high commander in Nistra learn some magic of Geomancy to bolster their defense, there are also many powerful geomancers deployed to cast runic boulder or earthquake to shatter walls, buildings, or human alike just like when Nistrian besieged the city of Aldwynn.
- Varangs. Nistra just like their rival Aldor, bulk their military ranks with mercenary or anyone who put a price for their service. This mercenary can be from their Northern brigands, or the famous Varangs mercenary from Fjall clans. From decades of hiring Varangs, Nistrian military learn the usefulness of bardiches that the Varangs brought from Skadia.
Trivia
- Nistra inspired heavily with the history of Byzantine Empire which how they proclaimed themselves as the successor of Axonian Empire which might be referenced Roman Empire.
- The many people in Nistra also transpired from Byzantine diverse ethnicity which at some point also include Slavs, Armenian, Syria, Southern Italy, Anatolia, and many more.
- Their box formation referenced Roman Empire testudo formation and square formation.