Al'terra (Diplomacy)

## International Relations

Allies of Galeez, not always and the bitter enemies of Novac. Elsewhere? Although half-breeds have been allowed to grow up in Al'terra but are never truly given citizenship or looked on kindly and they are never allowed to have their own kids. They are either given herbs at the point of the Dance, or instantly kill the kids. This is the reason - among others - Kite and Timethy don't have kids.Galeez has an embassy in the Cradle - Timethy's birthplace, though he isn't the only half, he is very unusual. Nolvac has an embassy in the Landingshores while Septavia has theirs in the West. Al'terra has long forgotten other ties with other nations who  no longer parlay with them.

If you are born in Al'terra, you are an Al'terrian citizen (well, except halves, kind of) - anyone else is a guest who must follow the rules.

## War and Military

### History

The Al’terrians have never liked hand on hand fighting, so wrestling as seen as very low and vulgar form of fighting taken up mostly by barbarians or the uncivilized. This is yet another annoyance with Nolvac. Every unit has it's own cat for luck and prayers - which are done with the group as there are no special religious personnel. In times past, there was such thing as a vanguard called the Pheonix - hero class of warrior sent in as a last resort from prietesses and oracles everywhere. If the Pheonix was sent, the situation is dire. This has fallen out of common mythos.

### Weapons

The common weapons are therefore slightly more ranged, such as very types of swords and blades, knife fighting being the most ‘intimate’ and threatening. A more common weapon that is allowed to be carried is a staff for defence. Bladed, spiked, and edged designs, although available for sparring and competitions, are not permitted to be carried openly . Varying lengths are available from the length of forearm to a staff taller than a grown man. These hands off weapons are acceptable. The superior weapon, which has never been allowed to be sold or made outside the Pride, are claws and devices for the hands resembling claws. These are used by the Jin-Tï with frightening precision, a weapon unique to them and one of their symbols. Crossbows are a common distance ranged weapon and used by guards.

While it would be uncommon to have a weapon in the house, perhaps a set of claws that were ancestral, but otherwise nothing more than that. People don't even know how to use weapons unless specially trained. We are not at the point of gunpowder, at least as a weapon, so guns are non-existent.

### Standing Military

For a country that’s been at peace for so many years, Al'terra has had a rather good military. The military is controlled by a council in the Pride with direct input from both monarchs and has always been made up of common. High ranking officials are offered Privileged positions but have always refused, out of both tradition and pride in their work. We have to go back in time a bit and look at the military of old.

There have been calls to arms though not strictly speaking conscription, and the people of Al'terra have joined when necessary, though most are not considered fighting people by nature, only by necessity.

#### Military Rankings

The entering rank of the military is ‘siton’ where those entering this rank are taken to train in the east: sitons must learn proficiency in all ranged weapons to achieve any further ranks but based on physical performance (speed, stamina, climbing talent) they can moved past the rank of 'minar' into specialties: pari, peri, puri, piri, peeri, and piiri.These sub-groups have their own four or five ranks within them before merging back to the growing ranks of tellin, sorb, karafor, cyprus, porran, and then captain (each of their various straights of the six)

Pari - Rangers - Advanced through Half Pari, Standing Pari, Pari at Hand, and Ken-Pari

Peri - Hand to hand soldiers - Advanced through Fifth Peri, Fourth Peri, Third Peri, Second Peri, and First Peri

Puri - Communications (linguistics, messages, translation, legal work) - Advanced through hin-Puri, halta-Puri, hek-Puri, and finally hal-Puri

Piri - Body Guards (service to diplomats, envoys, and personnel protection of higher up) - Advanced through Scarlett, Crimson, Sanguine, and Bloodied.

Peeri - Elite force (often tactics and strategy, besides being SEAL like, kidnappings, espeionage) - Advanced through shale-Peeri, ebon-Peeri, ony-Peeri, somb-Peeri, and brun-Peeri

Piiri - Medical personnel - Advanced through piiri Mender, piiri Medic, piiri Doctor, Piiri Surgeon, piir Physician.

In charge of the military is a general - whom are Jin-Ti - who has control of the captains. Captains are either placed in a region or over part of a campaign.

### Training

Training is done mainly in the east because most wars have historically happened in the east against Nolvac so techniques in rain, storm, and saltwater are a basic staple. In fact three quarters of the military is stationed in the east and around those cities, and the rest near Septavia. Since the overwhelming peace that has taken Al'terra, at least internationally, the military went into steep decline to where it isn’t much of a job to have anymore. Maybe one in a thousand is picked for military. Those in the military are no less intelligent than the average Al'terrian, nor are they involved in criminal activity - it as respected as much as any other career. Rankings are not given my medals so much as arm bands, from top to bottom of the right arm. Never has a single person obtained so much as to reach the cuff of their right arm - theoretically it can’t be done. Uniform is quite a straight, tight but not choking uniform in all beige, done in a tight wrap, with armour plating banded in and a full set of weapons tucked, hooked, or belted in. Everyone carries standard weapons, though some specialisms will swap out additional equipment. Hair must be kept long and tied up in a top knot - this is the military look. There is no male/female discrimination ratio - sometimes it leans a bit in one direction for no particular reason.

There is an incentive to go through a year's worth of training, so as to be called back to that rank - and paid - in times of need. The training is free for those that take it seriously, but only may occur once. The highest rank typically achieve in a year, is somewhere within the six bands and could never surpass that in one year

### Chain of command

Although free thought is allowed and often encouraged in the army - as it will help progressment - if an order is given a third time, it MUST be followed. This can allow an underling to question a choice, respectfully, before it is confirmed. In terms of peace, peace is negotiated on the battle field at the behest of captains and generals, on the recommendation from their underlings. It is of exquisite importance to listen and respect the young. While every effort is made to not touch the enemy and given them a clean death, it is not always possible in close combat. Al'terra likes to keep hostages for their information and sell them back - POWs are almost never kept and would rather be executed. Those who are not traded back, are killed. Al'terrians are fierce about only attacking those who attack them.

On rare occasion, fviya come in as generals and dazzle with magic but magic is not common enough to be used, although usually adults with the granting have joined and used to preserve themselves.