Republic of Az-Emberek

This is the Opera of Az Emberek:

''At the beginning of time, there was the One. Ineffable and eternal, the One is whole and complete. The One became the four-ring. The four-ring gave birth to everything. All that is and that all that was and all that shall be are made of the four-ring, which are made of the One. Through the four-ring, the One was still complete. By knowing the world, we may know the four-ring. By knowing the four-ring, we may become reconnected to the One.''

''At the first, there was a tribe of people known as the Föld, who were great farmers and shepherds. In the Kék mountains to the south lived a great village of warriors called the Vér. One brutal winter, the Vér came down from the Kék mountains to raid and plunder enough food to fill their empty larders. Stopped by a freak snow storm, the leader of the Vér was captured by the Föld. The Földish leader, Farkas the wise, proposed a plan for the mutual benefit of both tribes. In exchange for food, the Vér would protect the Földish villages against all threats. Over time, the two cultures intermingled into a single whole, stronger and richer than either individually.''

''Later came the Lovast, the Kerac, the Tizenöt Város alliance and a dozen others. Whether by force, trade or simple accretion, the Republic of Az Emberek grew in every measure until it stretched for a months ride in any direction from the capital, Jafka. For 500 years, there was calm and order within the Republic. A Tanács Négy, the Council of Four, was comprised of the finest mage from each branch of sorcery and dispensed advice and gave counsel to the Great Council''.

''As time passed, the members of A Tanács Négy became less interested in governance and more interested in returning to the One. By understanding how magic worked, by finding the causality between the four disparate branches, they reasoned that they may be able to control the Ineffable and become eternal.'' ''Thus began A háború körzet - the War of Division. Brother fought brother and mage fought mage till the great ways of old were shattered. In the midst of the chaos and mayhem, a leader appeared in the form of Vér Mihály gyõzhetetlen. Banding the disparate peoples together, Mihály brought order and calm to a ravaged land. Eventually, Mihály brought most of the lands of the old Republic under his control. For 30 years peace descended upon the land and, on his deathbed, Mihály ordered that the Great Council take on the roles of the old Tanács Négy, renaming it the Nagygyülés. Since then, the Nagygyülés has ruled for over 200 years.''

Overview
Description::The Republic of Az Emberek is as ancient a society as one can find on Világ and is the largest single nation on the planet.  Tradition and custom are the bricks and mortar which hold the Republic together. Whether it is electing a new Küldött to the Nagygyülés or taking a pig to market, there are forms of follow and rituals to obey. The people of the Republic are keenly aware that they are inheritors of what once was (and, at least to them, still is) the greatest single civilization in history. That history, the cultural identity which comes with it and the "burden" of being the seat of culture for the world are things which are not as much taught as bred into the people, as if it is part of their genetic identity.

That said, it cannot be ignored that Az Emberek have never recovered from A háború körzet. Despite what the Republicans will say, Mihaly's miracle did more to prevent a complete collapse of an ancient system than return the nation to greatness. In the times after A háború körzet, there have been no great magical public works, no blessings of the fields, no dams or roads drummed into place. The grass grows spotty and the fields are not nearly as green as they once were. Sure, nobody else has had these cast either, but the Föld-lands can no longer feed all of Az Emberek as it once did.

Values


Az Emberek revere the past, law and order. These things are their link to the past and serve as touchstones to their shared cultural identity. They hold the concepts of equality, fairness and solidarity as vital to the sanctity of life and central to the idea of civil society. Their unique status as the only republic, arguably the oldest continuous nation and the largest single power on Világ is not lost on them. Additionally, the participatory nature of the government is a source of great pride for the average citizen. Indeed, the very words Az Emberek mean “The People”. These deep-seated ideals mean that Az Emberek are well known for their morality. These things lead those who deal with Az Emberek to gain a grudging respect and appreciation for their way of life even if they don’t agree with those views.

Economic Situation


Most of the Családi within the Republic function under a monetized system of capitalism with regulated guilds and mechanisms in place to discourage graft and corruption. That is to say, in short and brief, that merchants are allowed and encouraged to make a modest profit as long as neither the seller nor the buyer are taken advantage of. In some quarters, barter or exchange is acceptable, but the use of specie is more commonplace. Of note, the majority of trade which occurs within Az Emberek is entirely internal, with caravans and barges plying goods from one part of the Republic to another. External, long-distance trade normally happens on the border családi and in the large, port cities with the goods being imported those which either are of unique quality (everyone knows that Atrian sea salt is the finest) or are domestically unobtainable (sisal just doesn't grow here).

Culture


As the preeminent culture on Világ with a history which can be measured in centuries, the Republic has a long and varied culture which has filled libraries in its study. There are schools of sculpture, using both mystic and mundane means to achieve great works of art, academies dedicated to theatre, dance and music, institutions dedicated to the study of architecture and the list goes on. In more general terms, Az Emberek have institutionalized and publicly underwritten the study and promulgation of the arts, considering them to be a vital link to their past greatness. As such, public fora for artwork, whether they be galleries, parks or amphitheatres, are a central part of civic life. The ultimate expression of this 'art as history' is Grand Opera.

Political Situation


The first and most important thing to consider is that Az Emberek is a republic. This means that, in theory, every citizen of the age of majority has a voice in governance. This also means that, in practice, they don't (but never get caught saying that). Further, each Családi has their own methods of choosing their elected representatives. There is a strong, centralized government which enforces and rules on the law. Finally, there is a vast civil service network (the polgári) which ensures the continued functioning of the state. Below the national government are the Családi, each different and distinct in their methods of governance.

Az Emberek at War


It would be argued by some that this section is obsolete or, at best, misnamed. The Republic has not declared war on another sovereign nation in almost 200 years and the Army of Az Emberek hasn’t been raised in defense in over a century. Still, the elements of the army are in place and should be discussed in the remote chance that it be needed.

Where some may argue that the lack of a worthy opponent has made the military soft, it's ability to field an army of thousands with various unit types, integrated tactics, and a holistic support and supply system makes the ancient and hoary army a force to contend with.

I mention army because there hasn't been a significant naval presence in the Republic since before A háború körzet. Still, there are the occasional raiders and the ilk who decide to ply the waterways and estuaries from time to time.