Ghidovia

## Government

### Succession

The reigning Zarodess names from her family an heir. As per the ancient Arcva tradition, the heir is a female, typically the eldest daughter. In some circumstances, the eldest daughter has been skipped for a more suitable candidate.

The Retuvian Guard is responsible for the safety of the royal family, including the Zarodess and her heirs. They exist as a result of the Ghidovian Civil War and help prevent succession crises between different daughters of the Zarodess.

### Rulers

**Sophia Ragnarr** (1920--): Unlike her predecessors, Sophia studied in the traditionally male discipline of ritual magic and became a mana seeker. She has invested large quantities of resources into expanding the use of magic in Ghidovia to improve the well-being of its citizens.

**Sarah Ragnarr** (1825-1866): A powerful archmage but paranoid of thefts resulting in Ghidovia's Solitude.

**Fryna Ragnarr II** (1801-1825): A meticulous note-taker who traveled to Arcellus to help her ally, Empai Athen I of the Cellian Empire, quash a rebellion.

**Freja Ragnarr** (1731-1768): Married the son of the last Norsom and cemented an alliance that held together the fracturing Ghidovia.

**Fryna Ragnarr** (1716-1731): A towering Ghido woman from Donoughen Post and sister of the Doga of Donoughen Forest. Fryna won her soldiers' respect during the Hammer Wars and was given the crown when Serilda died.

**Zarodess Serilda Norsom IV** (1708-1715) an infertile cleric of Akatu and granddaughter of the previous Zarodesss through her son, Danmen Norsom. She commit suicide after the battle of Wheat Tribute.

**Sonya Norsom I** (1633-1708): "The Donoughen Witch" as she became known repeatedly bested Venificors and won the Ghidovian Wars.

**Sasha Norsom X** (1612-1633): The young Zarodess died in childbirth, leaving Sonya Norsom I as Zarodess.

**Sophia Norsom I** (936-971): The priestess of Zarodossa who began the Ghidovian Revolt which overthrew the Rafil dynasty.

### Hierarchy

**Zarodess:** The Zarodess is Zarodossa's hand on Altus.

**The Mana Seeker:** Responsible for training all ritual-casting mana seekers. Typically a male relative of the Zarodess and speaks with her authority.

**The Archmage:** Responsible for training all battle archmages. Typically a female relative of the Zarodess and speaks with her authority.

**The Retuvian:** Head of the Retuvian Guard, this prestigious position supervises all security measures for the Zarodess and speaks with her authority.

**Doga:** The dogas govern the distant tribes and settlements of Ghidovia. They have legal and judicial authority within their lands but may not raise their own armies and must rely on local Saradauks.

**Saradauk:** A Saradauk is a military leader for Ghidovia. All Saradauks are of equal rank and must report directly to the Zarodess, though they can be entrusted to other higher-ranking members of government.

**Retuvian/mana seeker/archmage:** The lower-levels of these elite branches have the authority to command anyone lower-ranked than a Saradauk or Doga.

**Augyr:** The Augyr are medium-ranked soldiers responsible for commanding units of soldiers on the battlefield or while on assignments. In the absence of other authorities, they have broad powers to enforce laws and make decisions.

**Winter Augyr:** The long winters of Ghidovia cut communication between isolated villages, especially to the south outside of the Donoughen basin. Fygyrs of these villages are appointed as "Winter Augyrs" who, for set periods of the year, are promoted to Augyr.

**Fyryr:** The local-level of the army is the Fygyr. With a role similar to a chieftain, they set local laws and protect their villages. It is the Fyryr who recruit soldiers, so large towns will necessarily have larger units assigned to a Fyryr than a smaller one.

### Military

The Ghidovian army is very small but highly trained and well equipped. Each of the four Frontier Guards and Kryus Keep holds a group of about 500 trained heavy-infantry and archmages. There are an additional 1000 warriors kept in Ragnarr Keep ready to respond to any border incursions. The western cost and the eastern tundra are patrolled by the nomadic Maedoc tribe and their reindeer Cavalry.

Ghidovia has no navy, although its rivers are well-controlled by canoes. Rumours abound of galleys built in secret lakes that can take off into the sky and land in the ocean if Ghidovia is ever threatened again, but these romours have not been confirmed by anyone.

The magical abilities of Ghidovia are substantial. Boasting over 50 active mana seekers and 50 archmages, their fighting abilities were historically enough to resist armies double their size.

## Economy

### New Ghidovia

On the sprawling plains along the Wheat Tribute lies about 10,000 humans in this dimly lit city. Its summers are hot, but its winters are as cold as Donoughen's. Its position began due to the wealth of fertile soil. As the farming population expanded throughout the early years of Ghidovia, it became a natural place to house the royal family. In addition to its grain production, the town has Alnasia's Blood Academy.

### West Pizors

A crescent-shaped city surrounded by a low stone wall and with a small bay to house merchant ships with about 3000 Cellian Ashanzu. Known by the Cellians as "Vastasuesmin Bankamana," it is an important trading hub for Ghidovia. Foreign ships must remain floating in the harbour while royal ships relay supplied and select merchants aboard. Smugglers and unauthorized ships are seized on sight.

### Firesky

This town of 2000 humans is dug into the side of the hills south of the natural hotsprings in Firesky. Subsistence farming and some hunting feed the locals, but the important trade is in providing pilgrims to the Storm Mountains and Hauvis with a place to stay. With the development of iroworking, summer mines have opened up in the hills which are abandoned again each winter. The ancient Alnasian Phoenix, Menelion, once called Firesky its home before retreating back to the mountains where it can be seen in the winter night flying through the sky as it watches over the local humans.

### Key Exports

**Mana Crystals:** These strange shards of solidified arcane essence are almost unique to Ghidovia, being mined out of small low-depth mines around Donoughen.

**Fur:** The wildlife of Donoughen Forest is well-endowed with warm furs that fetch a high price across the Zarodom and the rest of the world.

**Incense:** The incense of northern Ghidovia is a staple luxury in many religious services.

**Sapphires:** The sapphire mines at the Capital Lake are the reason for Ghidovia's iconic blue gemstone sigil.

**Steel:** Ghidovia produces this alloy using secret techniques. It only shares a limited quantity with the outside world and always at a high price.