Geopolitics

From Volume XIV, Annals of Polity and Border, The Archive.

The borders between the principalities and territories of Danukoria have remained largely stable since the Formal Instrument of Consecrated Inter-Polity Delimitation, Jurisdictional Limitation, and Conditional Passage, commonly known as The Border Treaty. The primary exception here is the border of Zyvurge and the Aparctian Expanse. The Tribes recognize no border and so it shifts with the fortunes of war.

Zyvurge

Zyvurge is comprised of two principalities, originally the independent realms of Wharcer and Yadrios. Each of these is in turn made up of large territories, each with its own lord. There are several large cities and ports scattered around that have a semi-independent governorship, and whose laws are decided by largely democratic principles. However, the territorial lords still have final say over the cities. Following unification, these realms were constitutionally redesignated as principalities, reflecting reduced sovereignty rather than altered identity.

The Island of Lagdral

The large island kingdom of Lagdral is potentially a third principality, but while the majority of Lagdrans are willing to join with Zyvurge, there are still deep misgivings in the higher levels of the royal house. These are primarily due to the perceived diminution of their regional status were they to join the other two larger principalities. Lagdral is ruled completely by the royals, with no real political subdivisions. The only thing that might come close to a political rival is the Tradesmen Guild Association. Their primary goal is to ensure that the quality and price of manufactured and traded goods remain as high as possible. The addition of Lagdral to Zyvurge would give better access to the far foreign ports of Yikuzal and Jigoen across the Great Ocean.

The Aparctian Tribes

The Aparctian Tribes are split into two main groups. Those that are members of a loose confederacy whose only goal is to invade the south lands, and those that are too far away from Zyvurge to care. The tribes themselves are semi-nomadic with the rulers basing their power on age-old superstition and quasi-religious beliefs. Because of the conflicting views of each of these sets of tribal beliefs, the Tribes are almost as likely to fight each other as they are the Zyvurgans. Due to these potential conflicts, agents from Zyvurge have met with some success in keeping them occupied with tribal in-fighting instead of joining forces against their Zyvurgan enemies.

Military Composition

The military might of Zyvurge is built from standing forces provided by each of the territorial lords, and both of the principalities. In addition, elite forces from the royal house of Zyvurge and the Jophaidian Guard round out the armed forces. In times of deep trouble, levies from the general population can also be called up as needed, but for the moment none are in use. Lagdral has only a simple navy, whose main object is to protect the ports and merchant ships from pirates. The Aparctian Tribes have no distinguishable army, as each tribe is usually a small army in and of itself, with members of both sexes trained in the military arts from a very young age.