Concordia (Campaign Setting) (LL)

Quick rundown on Governments

Empire of the Dragon Throne

Leader: Xavier the IV, Emperor, Blood of Hieronymus, Duke of the Imperial city...
Capital: Imperial City
Other Cities: Paros, Zakar, Motts Ford, Irongate, Homs Rest, Port Isso, Rikker, Novo Soltar, Dalmaria, Tenpenny Bay, Point Lookout.
In addition, the Grand Duchy of Carcaso, the Duchy of Kri, and the Oea free state are all Fiefs of the empire with limited self rule. 
Culture: Imperial
Common Language: Imperial (Paros speaks Helikian (Western))

Grand Duchy of Carcaso

Leader: Jamie De Cote, Duke of Carcaso
Capital: Carcaso
Other Cities: Isara, Matrica, Zile
Culture: Imperial (Carcaso)
Common Language: Imperial (Carcaso)

Dutchy of Kri

Leader: Jonas XIII, Duke of Kri
Capital: Kri
Other Cities: None
Culture: Kresso
Common Language: Demotic (Kresso)

Oea Free State

Leader: City Council
Capital: Oea
Other cities: None
Culture: Inner Sea
Common Language: Imperial


Kingdom of the Two Rivers

Leader: Naralep the II, Xi of Adytum
Capital: Adytum
Other cities: Everwatch
Culture: Adytum
Common Language: Demotic

The Issaria

Leader: High Priest Council
Capital: Axolotl 
Other Cities: Daggerpoint
Culture: Lizardman
Common Language: Sithian


Nord Confederation
Leader: None
Capital: None
Cities: Nordholm, Navarro, Balin
Culture: Nord
Common Language: Nord

Helikian City states

Leader: None
Capital: Helikos 
Other Cities: Dolikos, Lycaos, Verskos, Dallamarkos, Hammerfall,
Culture Helikian
Common Language: Helikian


Riverland confederation

Leader: Reseune City Council 
Capital Reseune
Other Cities: Cyteen, Blackgate, Orric
Culture: Riverlander
Common Language: Demotic (Riverlander)

Inner Sea City States

Leader: None
Capital: None
Other cities: Esser, Redfort, Tyrion, Eastport, Valis, Valehead, Treehills, Caleb's Rest, Oldfort
Culture: Inner Sea
Common Language: Imperial (Inner Sea)

Silver Sea City States
Leader: None
Capital: None
Other Cities: Yendys, Krax, Rhodhess, Silverbay, Brexa, Peone, Harrowbay, Rigal
Culture: Silver Sea
Common Language: Brexian

For the following cities are independent of any confederation, and please see the city info for further information.

Quastor
Ezri
Handelman's Keep
Dawnstar
Zurkos
Haven
Warrenstown
Droyne
Jasper's Ferry
Rivers End
Barrowtown
Elvenhome
Hollin
Celaborn
Gregor's Holdfast
Ruins of Zithlithium
Concordia
Sarum
Krenik

No worries, it's up to you.

That said, I would suggest posting your map here as an image, in the first post (just hit Edit).

1. It will make a powerful statement.
2. You have your work backed up in case of an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) attack.

Pres,
2544 AD

Good stuff DH

Of Lords, Sirs, and Common rabble

There is a regimented, but free flowing system of Nobility in the The Free cities and the Empire. New Knights and Lords are created, and old Families die out or whole branches fall into the realm of commoners. Once someone has reached the level of importance, They are noted as being part of a Noble House or Clan. Normally important Commoners are said to be part of a Clan, while Nobles are of a House, but this is a Rule, and not a absolute. However a rough overlay of the Titles that exist.

Lords:

Lords: A lord is someone who owns lands and is a who is sworn directly to the Emperor, or to another Duke, or another sovereign (excepting rare cases). They have the rights to rule the land and keep the peace, carrying out justice, and are nobles. They are required as part of holding lands to produce a set amount of coin to the treasury, but how they obtain incomes from the land is up to the individual lord and the traditions in the area. Some Lords are minor, only controlling small, poor lands while others have more wealth then can be counted. Most Lords are expected to fight and defend lands from Orkind (Orcs, Goblins, and Ogres) and to serve the his liege if called upon. (be it of fighting, magic, clerical duties, or any other means.) The Title of Lord is reserved for the ruling landowner, his/her spouse, and all the children. Those in the family that are not the direct children of the Ruler are considered part of the Royal house, but not a Lord.

Titles are Lord for males, and Lady for female.

All Lords are to be tried before a Jury of peers (Fellow Lords) and can demand a trial by combat.

Sir: (Aka Knights)


Many Times a lord will have too much land to directly manage, and will give individuals the rights to a sub portion of their lands in return for a cash rent and service. These are giving the title of Sir (Or Dame if female), Also, there are many skilled individuals who obtain the honor without lands. By custom, the Lord granting such a boon must provide the person being honored with a horse and money equal to a suit of armor (Plate).

A Landed Knight is one who controls land for a Lord. A Hedge Knight is one who is granted the title without lands. While not hereditary like the Lord titles. Most Knights with honorable service can obtain their children with the same honors.

A Male Knight is called Ser, while a female Knight is called Dame.

Knights are thought of as being of minor Nobility, and will be thought of as being part of a Noble House.

Knights can demand Jury by Peers (Lords or Knights) or Trial by combat.

The major difference between a Lord and a knight is that a lord directly serves the leader of the nation or a duke, while a knight serves a lord, or in some cases with a hedge knight, no-one but themselves.

Commoners:

The Commoners are split into two general branches, Townfolk and Rural commons.

Rural Commoners: There is no Serfdom in the Most of the city states and empire, however, most farming contracts are of seven years, where the Noble provides A cottage space, and leases farmland, and the farmer will pay rent by a share of the crop, coin, or most often, a combination of the above for the rented lands. While the crops grown in the cottage space is thought to be the farmers sole possession. Under the Social custom it is illegal for the rental contract to demand payment in labor. However many of the rural folk must at times work for the lord for wages (which are not regulated) to help pay rents. Cottages are provided for the renter, but the renter is expected to maintain the cottage. Some of the Rural commoners are known to rent large tracts and sublet to other farmers, and some Rural commoners are somewhat well off. However those who are injured or childless can face tough years as they get older.

Rural commoners trials are held before the Lord, or his Magistrate.

Townfolk: The town and cityfolk have some more freedoms, and generally more wealth then the rural neighbors. Most Cityfolk are part of a guild of some sort. The Guilds regulate who can carry out the work that the guild oversees, and also provides mutual aid will feed and clothe widows and orphans of Guild members. Internal disputes are handled at the guild level, while disputes between members of two guilds are handled by the guild masters.

This rigid system of guilds and the poverty of the rural living means that many who seek more in life become adventures or sell-swords from the common rabble, while many distant relations of noble families are forced into the life of adventure due to having no future in landowning or politics. Luckily the lands still has many Orcs to slay, ruins to explore, and wild lands to tame so that it is not a unreasonable dream for a distant noble cousin or a laborer not wanting to carry out his family business to gain wealth and glory to become a Sir or a Lord.

The Currency



(Note, the world is much more flush with coinage then historical middle ages. Thus the fudalism is in this setting many times is by payment in coin and men at war, instead of the highly complicated labor agreements of the historic middle ages. A unskilled worker will make 5 SP to 1 GP per day, depending on the kingdom and labor market.)

Historically, each kingdom, and many of the petty lords, had their own coinage, and not all the time using the same weights and content. Helikos rulers understood that this was a unworkable system in the long run, as small and large coins, and even paper currency in some areas meant that trade and taxation was a burden. Tyrion Svarfisk is created with creating a royal mint and began to issue his own coinage, and all other coins that came into the possession of the royal government was melted down and reissued into the regular, milled coinage that slowed down coin clipping and counterfeiting. Standardizing at 1.6 ounce (~45 gram) coins, (standard 1/10 of a pound coin) These large coins where minted in large quantities, the re-minting of the coins recovered from the dragon Akar the red alone produced a large sum of metal for the coinage for years of use. While listened as gold and silver, the coins are mixed with base metals to give a uniform 1/10 of a pound with not dissimilar size.

Crowns (PP) - A coin that includes platinum, mithril, and some base metals, it is normally never seen by commoners, and in fact, is rarely seen by even Lords of the realm. Most of the coins are seen to settle accounts with great merchants and for Bride-price (Like a dowry, but the husband pays the wife to be family) at the highest levels. It is worth 10 Dragons. it has a image of the crown on one side, and the High Fane of Dawnstar on the back.

Dragons (GP) - A mixture of gold and base metals, and many times referred to as Drakes, This is the currency of account. A drake is a not as rare that few people have seen it, but much of the day to day coinage is silver. Drakes have a tendency to be horded at bad times, so even the money changers in areas not near a mint might not be able to exchange silver for drakes. On the front side is a image of the issuing ruler father (It is thought to be unseemly to put one own face on the coin, and even Tyrion Svetfisk put his father on his coinage.) and on the back is detailed design, which depends on which of the royal mints issued the coin.

Thaller (EP) - A rare coin, this is almost a pure silver coin that is used mostly in trade to locals are used to more pure silver. It is worth 1/2 of a Drake. They are rarely minted and are only minted when needs require it. Most finding a Thaller will quickly change it to Stags which are more easily spent, as even tradesmen will sometimes not have seen a Thaller in over a year. Generally it is a image of a queen on the front, and on the back is script that assures of its purity. "Silver as pure as newfallen snow"

Stags (SP) - Also known as bucks, this is a silver coin that is worth 1/10th of a Dragon. (AKA - 1 dragon = 10 Stags), This is a most common currency and is used on a daily basis. Sometimes stags are broken into half or quarters to make change. The front is of a rearing stag, the back is a motto, most commonly a reminder that to counterfeit is to die.

Farthings (CP) - Copper coins that are produced in large quantities, they are worth 1/100 to a Drake (1 drake is 100 farthings). These are produced by the lords, and not the royal mint. However it is forbidden culturally to put the human face on such a small value coin. So it is a regional landmark or a noble fortress that is put on the coinage. The royal mint does inspect the coinage to make sure it is of copper and of the correct weight.

Smaller change is handled by local tokens, and not under this review.

Adventures will many times find odd, old currency in treasure. This is not a full list, but some are worth more to the collector then to the moneychanger, while others are coins that must be exchanged and re-coined, leaving the players with a little less coin then they hoped for.

Silver Pennies - small silver coins that where common prior to the unification. Weighing 25 to a pound, these coins are worth 8 Stags per pound after money changer fees. However, if the players go to a sage to review the coins, there is a 10% chance that one of the coins will be rare and be worth 20-30 Dragons (GP). However a dishonest sage may not tell the players this information, and instead obtain the coins for a much lesser sum.

Groats - Large pure copper coins worth half a stag. Most have been remelted but you will still find them in coin hordes and isolated towns, as this was a very common currency and Halflings sometimes still coin it.

Mith-Marks - The internal currency of the Dwarves, 100 to a pound and each is worth a Dragon. They have a near religious standing among dwarves, dwarves will many times attack someone in a rage if they are foolish to show they possess one outside a dwarf hold. Instead of coins, they look like small flat bars with Dwarven runes on them.

Dawnstar Paper - Dawnstar used a unique form of currency, the Paper note that was backed by a set amount of gold. High Rock still issues the paper notes (now backed by a set amount of royal issued coin), and they work as small letters of credit, in dawnstar you can exchange it for the set amount of coins that it is listed at the issuing merchant house, however as you go further away from Dawnstar, the less value you will be able to get form the paper note, as moneychangers will discount any paper due to the cost of redeeming it. Also every thief or party dreams of robbing one of the great vaults where the backing coinage is held.