Maoudi Kingdom

The Maoudi Kingdom is a nation of approximately 18.3 million people. It is located on the Westernmost edge of Zamoroziet, and borders Sihar, Jabaristan, Yuezhistan, and Arkadyitsiya. There are also two port exclaves belonging to L'acqua. The capital(and largest) city of the Maoudi Kingdom is Al-Tuz. While it has been the largest city in the Kingdom for some time, the royal capital of Iziz served as the center of government until its defection in 1876 to L'acqua. L'acqua previously acquired the city of Hisn al Bahr in 1871, following the defeat of the Maoudian navy during the War of Royal Vanity(1869-1871). The current head of state is king Umar al-Malak(age 35), and the head of government is Anwar al-Kadar.

. The national currency is the Maoudi Dinar, backed with a silver reserve. It is abbreviated as the MD. Although in recent years a push has been made to convert it to old shell casings as a form of recycling, an idea many traditionalists scoff at.

A constitutional monarchy, the current era of Maoudian politics began after the Maoudian Revolution, which ended in the flight of most of the royal family from the capital after the defeat of the loyalists.

## Holidays

Like almost every other nation, Maoudi has a holiday to celebrate its nationality. Patriot's day is celebrated on 07/02 every year and is marked with sales on all Maoudian weaponry, armor, and cultural staples. It lasts all day, and workers receive government paid leave.

On the last couple of nights and first few mornings of every year, Maoudians celebrate the festival of lights. Booths and stands line the streets as people gather to celebrate life with each other. Spotlights, lanterns, and flashlights are all pointed upwards whilst somber music is played. Some people take these days to fast in remembrance of lost fellows.

On the last day of October (although the whole month is considered spooky season), Maoudians celebrate Halowaloween. Halowaloween is a time for dressing up and cosplaying icons, usually leaning towards monsters and villains. The streets are filled with ghosts and ghouls, vampires and lichtyers. Derived from superstitions of alchemical witches, people also use this holiday to mix things, making fun or odd combinations. Apple steak pie, cake soup, and mocha tea, just to name a few. Many mock battles also take place this day, featuring popular adversaries or powerful parallels.

On the third to last day of September Maoudians celebrate remembrance day. This is a day to honor the fallen and show others their glory. photos are put up and candles are lit around the graves of family members. There are often summaries of their life and achievements and, all who are able spend the day fasting in respect.

## History

### The Maoudshi

The History of Sahir is inextricably linked to the now dissolved Nation of the Maoudshi. The word Maoudshi comes from their own word for "wanderers from the west". They first emerged in the lands of modern Maoudi in the early 400s BCE. As can be inferred from any map there is little land west of Maoudi, leaving the origin of these peoples unknown to this day. There they grew and spread absorbing the disparate elements of the Shi and Maoudi as well as the Saku to the even further North.

### The Fall of Maoudishi

Long chafing under the rule of the reigning nobles, the church and the crown, many of the now former Shi kings were looking for an increase in their power found a way to command vast pools of expendable labor, the meritocratic and individualistic nature of their own peoples made for an expensive labor market. But in the year 1500 there was a famine in neighboring Jabaristan, and there they found an opening as millions of people suddenly became willing to do anything for even scraps of food. Thus did indentured servitude become the way of the land. Over the next two centuries the Barons consolidated their power getting laws passed to regulate who could buy and sell the "labor contracts" and how long they could last.With the system established the "Labor Barons" had their power. But that power had come at a cost, not just their victims but also the traditions of Maoudshi ways. Mines and cities were replacing herds, and few were safe from the "Labor Barons" bottoming out their markets with cheap not slaves. It was not a sustainable situation.

The Jabari woman Nadiyya Abreu came, ironically enough, from the west in the year 1782. Where she was trained is a secrete she took to her grave. Some say L'acqua for their hatred for slavery, some say Arkadyetsiya or Celtica due to their ethnic ties, some incidental evidence points towards the Spider Cult of Kyslev. Some say that all of the above are true, some say none.

Regardless of where she came from she dedicated herself to breaking her people free from their slavery. She used the old laws of Maoudshi to challenge the Labor barons to single combat. Not only did her training serve her well as she won many notable victories, but her timing was impeccable, the old priests of the Maoudshi were simmering in disent as the labor Barons gathered more and more power for themselves. So with a existing feud and an outsider playing more by the laws of their religion than some of the supposed leaders, the stage was set for conflict.

Nine years of ritual duels followed, the Freedom Riders won the majority of them, in particular in the opening years. The movement spread, gaining the assistance of some of the finest duelists of the land. Inside of seven the majority of slaves in the south were freed, some not even by duels but by the actions of local magistrates and/or rulers. The Mid Northern provinces however were more resistant to change. Two factors worked against the Freedom riders there, The first was the mines there gave the Labor Barons a much firmer hold, the other was that they had kept a system of judicial champions in place. Giving them a legal buffer against the challenges as many of the duels had inflicted grievous enough wounds that the Barons had died even if they won. Poison was suspected but could never be proven, lending weight to the interference of outside groups like the cults of The L'acquan or the Spider.

### The Civil War

The Ninth year 1793 was the tipping point, the reigning monarch was the nineteen year old King Kerem Vardanyan. He had been specifically chosen to replace his uncle by the labor barons to be weak and influenceable. They misguided the young man, mistaking his soft spokenness for weakness. They also completely misjudged his relationship with the relatively young and quite fit priest Ihsan Nazaretyan believing him to be another bully trying to use his physical might to intimidate the young king. These misunderstanding well in mind it is perhaps no surprise then that they attempted to have him over turn the cases against them and restore their wealth and power.

Civil wars are never clean affairs. and the breaking of Maoudshi was no exception even accounting for the missteps the Labor barons had made in the lead in. Still however they had built armies at first to prevent ecapies and to enforce their brutal order. They had brought the vanguard these armies with them when they traveled to the capitol Al-Tuz. and when they were rejected they laid siege to the palace. With their leadership currently trapped inside the armies of Maoudshi hesitated, but not for long. Within a week they had entered and driven the Labor Barons out of the city, though the sige was not yet broken.

From 1793 on, a series of extended uprisings against Maoudshi rule sprang up in Sahir and across the north. The primary impetus for these revolts were primarily tied to the total outlawing of Slavery, and the enforcement of conscription requirements on the local populace, that had long been largely autonomous. Asymmetric warfare and the targeting of civilians was common. The movement was largely bankrolled by Labor Barons and a few other landowners who held massive influence over the economy, and which had previously benefited from the systems of slavery that the Maoudshi outlawed.

Fighting raged across the North. The Freedom riders were not soldiers and Nadiyya Abreu was not a general, but she still gathered her followers to be placed at the behest of the true military leaders. Though not trained for war their dedication and mobility made them valuable assets in the asymmetric war fare they found themselves in.
The outcome was never really in doubt The South controlled to much land and to many people.But they found a way to halt the oncoming armies. When it looked like the Nier river would be crossed the (the divide between Modern Maoudi and Shiar) they began attempting to cull the Indentured servants in their employee. This and the threat that they would do like to other peoples in the north, bought them a grudging peace after nearly a decade of war. Thus was born a two new nations, Shair and Maoudi. Saku had declared their own independence at the five year mark citing the dedicant folly of the rest of the nation refusing any further part in it. Thus the remaining Labor Barons in the south were moved to Shiar.The final treaty was signed May 19th, dissolving the old union.

Shiar might have ensured their own survival, but the terms of peace were high. Preventing them from raising their own monarchy, legalising slavery or building forts on the coast.These terms were irksome but they had little room to negotiate. So again they bided their time. Despite its illegality, many of these barons were able to retain these workers through systems of rent. Many of these peoples were of the Jabari, and as a result their suffering was often overlooked by the world at large as the Jabari had little to offer to the world to gather support

## The Revolution(1871-1876)

Following the defeat in the War of Royal Vanity and the loss of Hisn al Bahr in 1871, the nation's people began to start a series of protests. Massive protests broke out during August 1871 in Al-Tuz, Alhadid, Shaze, Udin, and Izan, and smaller protests started in Koqas, Shahar, and Zabs. There were also minor protests in other regions of the country. These would culminate in the March on Iziz on September 7th, 1871, when 40,000 protesters attempted to march on the royal capital. The Royal Maoudian Army(RMA) was sent to prevent the marchers from reaching Iziz, and the army opened fire on the march almost immediately. While successful in preventing the protesters from reaching Iziz, this would prove to be the spark that would light the fire of revolution in Maoudi. As the news spread, armed units defected, and protesters turned into rebels and rioters. Koqas, a smaller island city, was the first city to officially raise the banner of revolt, following the defeat of the small garrison force there on September 19th.

Whilst all of this was happening Shir made their move. Taking this opportunity to break away from their treaties with their former overlords, the Sahir declared independence new deal in October of that year. By 1872 a parliament of prominent landowners elected a new King for the Sahir, Juzifit the First. Their position was largely ceremonial however; with the aristocracy controlling much of the nations affairs and economy. Slavery was legalized in the summer of 1872, with many of the Jabari that had been nominally freed under treaty rules returning to bondage. Low level militia conflicts with the New Republic of Maoudi were common; however the Maoudi Republic was too unstable to reassert control over the north. After the stabilization of the Maoudi Monarchy in 1882, Sahir was on strong enough footing to diplomatically resist attempts at negotiation. Having long possessed ties to the mining sector of the region, Firocco supported Sahir independence, to ensure continued access to Sahir mineral resources.

## The Republican Years(1876-1882)

Following the defection of Iziz, and the failed siege of Iziz, the Aswati Republic formally signed a treaty with L'acqua, ceding control over Iziz. It was after this that the nation set about preparing for a proper government. First, the various rebel groups that had made up the Maoudian Liberation Army were united to form the Aswati National Army.

## The False Monarchy (1882-)

Following the end of the Aswati Republic due to external pressures and the risk of a former royal attempting to rally another army to try and overthrow the fledgling government, a decision was made to appoint a figurehead monarch. The government decided on the then 12 year old Umar al-Malak, the bastard son of the king's younger brother. He was found living with his mother in a village outside of Bulasi.

Perhaps one of the more interesting turn arounds regards the Saddians, and the Shield States as a whole. In 1900 the Formal signing of the Treaty of Return recognized the Princedoms of Maoudi in return they received expansions the economic and military aid they were already receiving. They reaped a double benefit from this when The Alliance of Three Empires was signed and in a single moment the two greatest rivals of the Kingdom were abated.

## Religion

Hearth of Wings

Religious services are mostly concentrated around all day Monday and Thursday nights. They typically involve mass gatherings and a ritual meal and song.
Perhaps one of the reason they have reconciled with the L'acquan is the adoration of ritual combat, weapons are part of both their religion. Indeed it is the way other than gathering service that they honor their Dragon gods. In recent years with the proliferation of firearms some sects have opted to evolve beyond simple combats and gone for "simple" displays of skills, whilst many traditionalist scoff at this the shear flair on display has won many over. This is not to say the old ways of spear, net, and buckler are dead, and traditional arenas are common throughout the land. A radical denomination has even attempted to combine the ways of old and new into one. Such studies have supposedly yielded a gunpowder crossbow, molotovs, and bayonets. Whether or not these are just claims or they actually invented these is up in the air and heavily debated to this day. These groups, to their credit, are at least attempting to invent things and as of recent years are trying to build a gun which shoots knives.

### Superstitions

The Maoudi people, like any others, have their own legends and stories of ghosts or the ethereal. Surprising nobody, many of these center around weaponry. There are many a tale of swords which can rend souls, axes which curse the wielder, demons giving warriors powerful tools in exchange for claim to their psychic energies. The invention of firearms has stoked the fire of storytelling once more. Some people have claims of haunted rifles, others believe certain ammunition will please spirits more than others, most notably the captain of the ship, Rook, uses only brass tipped bullets in his sidearm (According to myth, sand wraiths of the west are only killed by brass). One old wives' tale that doesn't involve weapons though is to always bring sands from your home if you're traveling far to bring good luck. This one has lost popularity as more maoudians live in places without sand these days.

## Culture & People

Like any nation a number of stereotypes have grown up around the Maoudian. Their love of firearms and gladiator combat are both widely known and repeated. Though it is inelegant to judge a whole of a race and nation by mere hearsay, these beliefs do come from fact.

All Maoudian must purchase a pistol to be considered an adult this dates back to a royal decree from the era Shiran separation. Though the original decree was meanly a tax to help pay the army as conscription and raids during the tumultuous times it was expanded to a gun in every hand. In contemporary times large revolvers in both cap and ball and cartridge are the most common, at least in the heartlands. In the more coastal areas as times progress smaller guns are becoming the norm and concealing them or leaving them at home is becoming more normal. A simmering cultural debate of some note is the preference of images of the Dragon gods or old victories on weapons. The debate doesn't seem to be resolved anytime soon. also of note is the ancient debate of spear, bi, and trident. Largely the Trident seems to have won as the mainstream debate seems to have shifted to buckshot vs slugs.

There are three very broad groups in Maoudi the coastal areas, the heartlands and, the riverine areas.
The heart lands are herding lands were vast packs of cattle are moved from pasture to market and mining towns pop up wherever there is a hint of iron. Many hunters of game, big and small, seek to live here. This was also believed to be where domestication of wild animals for hunting, like wolves, crows, hawks, etc. probably originated. In more recent years the aforementioned radicals have attempted to find ways to give weapons to animals. these endeavors are often unsuccessful but have yielded somewhat comical results. Nomadic groups are still fairly common to this region as well.

In another quirk of law gambling is Illegal in the *lands* of Maoudi, so perhaps predictably there is an extensive gambling industry on the rivers. This has given the waterways and the "ports" that service them a sleazy reputaion for vices and sin.

The last broad category is of course the coast. These are areas where traditions hold strong, proud peoples of iron and steel. Though the least represented in foreign media, they are the most seen by traders and merchants. Prideful even by the standards of the Moaudian they have clung the hardest to the traditional gladiator arenas.

## Resources Expended

1905

Sold Domestically
* .5 Bituminous Coal: To assist the newly budding rail lines, the government has offered a subsidy on coal.
* 1.5 Iron: With the help of Mon Caln rail engineers contracted by Saddian interests, the infrastructure of Maoudi is in for a substantial upgrade.

Consumed
* 1 Tin: Modern Infantry Field equipment
* 1 Iron: Steel Production.

Operations
* 1 Anthracite Coal: Quality Coal reduces wear on boilers, and improves steaming, for the naval units.
* 1 Lignite Coal: Adequate for commercial uses.

1906

Sold Domestically
* .5 Bituminous Coal: To assist the newly budding rail lines, the government has offered a subsidy on coal.
* 1.5 Iron: With the help of Mon Caln rail engineers contracted by Saddian interests, the infrastructure of Maoudi is in for a substantial upgrade.
* .5 Sulfur: The small arms industry continues to boom.

Consumed
* 1 Iron Arms production continues apace.
* 1 Tin Modern Infantry Field equipment
* 1 Nickel: For warship armor.
* .5 Magnesium: Higher grade steel

Operations
* 1 Anthracite Coal: Quality Coal reduces wear on boilers, and improves steaming, for the naval units.
* 1 Lignite Coal: Adequate for commercial uses.

1907

Sold Domestically
* .5 Bituminous Coal: To assist the newly budding rail lines, the government has offered a subsidy on coal.
* 1.5 Iron: With the help of Mon Caln rail engineers contracted by Saddian interests, the infrastructure of Maoudi is in for a substantial upgrade.
* .5 Sulfur: The small arms industry continues to boom.

Consumed
* 1 Iron Arms production continues apace.
* 1 Tin Modern Infantry Field equipment
* 1 Nickel: For warship armor.
* .5 Magnesium: Higher grade steel

Operations
* 1 Anthracite Coal: Quality Coal reduces wear on boilers, and improves steaming, for the naval units.
* 1 Lignite Coal: Adequate for commercial uses.

## Gallery

The Princedom of Maoudi is a pair of cities aligned with the L'acquan.