Medala

The term "Medala" mean either Land, Culture or Political Entity.

Medala Empire and Yakuallpa. Also known as the Great Turtle (even though it barely looks like a turtle) or the Twin Isles (even though it's technicaly two peninsulas stacked together).

## History

Some time in the past Medala was inhabited by simple commoners. Unfortunately no traces of their culture remains.

In Arcavia all warriors were chased out due to difference of religion, and they came on boats to current Medala. These warriors with little difficulty subjugated previous inhabitants and established current classes and religion.

Initially a number of smaller kingdoms, eventually two kingdoms formed, Northern kingdom and Sachay, southern kingdom. These two kingdoms were often at war, which is one of the reasons Quarasi castle was build on the southern tip of Northern kingdom to defend against raids from the south. To defend vulnerable waterways of the south and due to the fact Saniya, the main transport hub of Sachay, was so close to the north, young Sonco Cauac Saqartu build a canal that connected Punascara to verdant sea completely bypassing Saniya.

The war between North and South ended during reign of Corcos father emperor Titu, who took Corco mother Amaya Saquartu as a wife together with Saniya as her dowry, to unify the empire into one. In order to not bee seen as conqueror, Emperor Titu refused to use Saniya and instead ordered to plant lavender, favourite flower of Amaya, around Saniya

## Culture

The Cultural names are inspired from Andean Culture (Incas) while the political system are akin to Romans.

The letter system as called Yaku, and bears resemblance to chinese language, with each symbol made to represent different word. It is possible this was done in the past to further separate commoners and warriors, with commoners being forbidden to learn Yaku. Phonetic language is called Yakua.

Medalan construction values open air and prefers open courtyards and gardens to let the earth in. As construction materials, stone is only used in important building and manors of the lords, meanwhile commoner housing is build from wood.

## Religion

All Medalans worship "Yaku", The meaning of Yaku is very subjective.

Its an organized Religion, Pacha Priests are conduits of the faith while the City of Arguna acts like Vatican City and Holy Capital of the Religion. There are a number of Holy sites scattered through the empire, such as Urquna or The Eternal Ice.

Priest use sacred metal Quicksilver (Mercury) to determine future.

Funeral of warriors and other high ranked officials consists of mourning period, after which the body is embalmed and put into grave or a tomb. Encasing body in vax or salting it is considered a grave offence against the heavens.

## Class System

### Nobles

The higher class and warriors must be under any one of these Nobles, Thus Private Armies are culturally foreign to most Medalans.

Every Warrior under the Noble must share the name of their master's family name (i.e Atau di Pluritac) and there is also a limit on how many warriors a Noble could name, The higher the Noble in hiereachy, The higher the number they could name.

King and Princes have no such limit.

### Walla (Warriors Caste)

Walla can own no land and run no business. Unlike the commoner castes, a warrior is allowed to enter the inner parts of Medalan towns and cities. He can also bear arms openly. Warriors might also receive training in cultivation techniques, though most families are tight with their secrets.

Technically, warriors are one of the two noble castes of Medala, which means they can cut down peasants or anyone else below them with little justification. If it's a merchant or a craftsman they don't need to justify anything.

Unfortunately warriors are forbidden from owning property or conducting business themselves and must devote their life to their master

### Commoners

Commoners are the largest part of Medalan population, with only Arguna having more than 100 000 commoners. They are expected to work for their lords and for the benefit of their families, and are often looked down upon. Luckily, thanks to this, they are often overlooked as being useless and being only useful in the fields or as cannon fodder on battlefield. They are also completely unregulated, with them being able to do anything as long as it does not offend their lords.

Craftsmen are actually pretty respected when compared with other commoners, mostly due to the fact they are the only people who can create goods. Traders on the other hand are seen as leeches who do not contribute anything and just live of the profit of others

### Priests

Priest are seen as people directly communicating with heavens, and thus enjoy significant importance. Commoners especially are very respectful, and sometimes almost blindly believe anything priests say. All around the empire to every village once a year travel beaconers, priests tasked with writing birth and deaths in the villages and cities.

## Politics

### Before Triumviate

Medala is ruled by emperor, which creates rules and manages the realm.

He is supported by Small court

Big decision as well as accepting a crown prince requires majority of Nobles Assembly, which consists of 87 different heads of houses of the empire. Once a head of house turn 80, he must join Ancestral hall and is forbidden from interfering in his estate politics

## Story Summary

Not once in the almost three centuries of the Pluritac dynasty was the throne not inherited by the eldest son of the house. But things changed during Corco's time.

After the chosing of crown prince event. The Empire is split into three Kingdoms, Northern Kingdom under Amautu, Central Kingdom under Pacha and Southern Kingdom under Corco.

Wars waged by Pacha and further switching sides of Lords with the North made Central Kingdom the weakest of the three Kingdoms.

## Trivia

* Once the crown prince turns thirty at the latest, it is customary for him to be involved in the day to day politics of the palace, to prepare him for his future role as ruler.
* The North hates the South and Vice versa