LeonardPCollins
Member
I'll just elaborate on the political system/perhaps economy too of my own city called Damasceane. It draws inspiration from Singapore, China, Japan, modern and Nazi Germany. Any thoughts?
I Origins.
Its origin is one of struggle and rebellion, and closely tied to another country called Onesh. One century past year zero (Year 0 is internationally considered the start of the first renaissance in my own fictional world, when man wakes up from the dark ages, education, technology, arts flourished and the central focus was on humans rather than gods, religion, etc) there was a coalition of dwarven kingdoms in a large, mountainous region called Onesh. There were nine kingdoms in total, that had their homes built inside mountains. Everything from the palace to the market were inside those mountains. Outside those mountains were some villages that were small supply-colonies, that supply the mountain dwelling dwarves with ale, food, and anything that can't grow underneath the mountains. The Dwarves saw themselves as a higher sort of species as compared to those in the supply colonies, because the dwarves were tall, muscular, and fierce. The supply colonies were villages that 'donated' to the kingdoms for 'protection'. If they fail to chalk up the supplies demanded, the kingdoms of Dwarves send raiders to the village to pillage it. One of these villages was Verim. An excommunicated noble ran the village and made sure the annual donations kept flowing, not because he sided with the dwarves, but because he wanted to protect his people, and his family. He was a human, but was cast out of his family for marrying an Elf from a neighboring country of Onesh, Veneziene. This exiled noble had a son, who would become a smith, a scholar, and eventually the leader of Verim in its great exodus from Onesh. With his tactical, technological, and logistics knowledge the noblle's son, named Leon ploughed through the bigger, better equipped armies of Onesh by using guerrilla tactics, and shrewd politics. He picked up a number of friends and life long allies on the way and soon formed a council that managed the nomadic people of Verim. Having forethought, Leon befriended an elvish girl, who taught him her language, which allowed him to negotiate with the ruler of Veneziene to let them through. With an offering of an expertly crafted sword, the Elvish ruler not only allowed them passage but also informed them of a peninsula with nothing but grass and a beach.
Leon accepted and found a brothel known as the Thorny Rose upon a hill. He would settle around there, and of course, frequent it quite often. But the Oneshians were not far behind, for near the shore of the nameless peninsula, Oneshian troops mounted an attack on a floating city that was dedicated to the acquisition of knowledge off the shore of the peninsula. This was Izalith, the scholar city of mages and students of the arcane. Knowing that they would make a great ally, Leon helped evacuate the city as it was sent into the sea by Oneshian cannonfire. The mages of Izalith were offered a plot of land, to rebuild their city by Leon, who was then the de facto ruler of the people of Verim, and the mages gratefully accepted. This new city-academy will turn into the Damascean Integrated University (D.I.U.) in the future.
After a final war with the dwarves, Leon commissioned the building of a great city-state where the brothel was, when it was destroyed in the war with the Dwarves. In honor of the brothel, he named the palace Rozenberg, or mountain of Roses. The city was named Damasceane, a word used a lot in Leon's speeches before battle. Damasceane was a word in old human language that was synonymous with "Future, hope and more closely, Destiny" as the soldiers under Leon weren't loyal to him, but loyal to the promise of a home, free from Oneshian oppression. After the war, some of the Elves from Veneziene decided to stay in Damasceane after its construction. Damasceane and the Elvish country of Veneziene thus established a brotherly connection with one another, both against the Oneshians. And although the hate for Onesh has since died down, a minority of people living in Damascean still resent the people in Onesh. In recent history, Damasceane has flourished and became the ideal city state, focusing on industry, security, and education to create a self-sustainable utopia that doesn't involve itself in other countries' affairs.
II. Government/Security
Originally, there was a totalitarian council formed by Leon of Vimir, his sister, and scholars of Izalith. The people submitted to him, and the intellectual elite to lead them to a bright future. Since the people trusted them, Leon and his council were committed to fulfilling their part. This trust between the people and their leaders was key to making a utopian society. Should there have been plots or conspiracy, it would have fallen into an indecisive democracy. The council evolved to include some other nobles, and commoners. Eventually the rule by lineage was forfeited, when the education system improved.
In current times, the system became became Meritocratic, with a council of statesmen, who, like any Damascean, share almost the same values and love his or her country, and choose the best performing political scholar/apprentice to become the new Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is in office for as long as he lives, or as long as he is useful to the country. The Prime Minister has all Judiciary, Legislative, and Executive powers. He is only guided by the interest of his people, and the values of Damasceane. Other countries that criticize Damasceane for this are either worse off them them or jealous. As a result of selfless loving of one's nation and people, there is absolutely no corruption in government.
Since the time of Leon, there was a secret police unit that operated in the shadows. There were no guards, or police in uniforms, only the Damascean Institution of Enforcement (D.I.E.). They operate covert operations. They wear civilian clothes most of the time, and sometimes are drugged to become sleeper agents of criminal syndicates, only to awaken and ruin their plans before they even spring into action, or dismantle the syndicates altogether. There is a hidden surveillance network all over Damasceane. Nothing happens in Damasceane without the government knowing. Though perceived as a breach of privacy by other nations, Damasceans welcome it, and see it as a means to fight external and internal threats. It is so easy for the police unit to replace a terrorist's gun with a water squirter, and the police would often times allow crimes to take place only to fail, when the criminals realize they have been sabotaged. Due to the spotless record of Damasceane Police, everyone trusts them and will continue to do so. There are no prisons in Damasceane and criminals are judged on the spot. If they are foreigners, they are deported via transportation missile. If they are Damascean citizens, they are given two options: The first is to be accepted into society and to be treated like nothing happened, or they forfeit their rights as a citizen and are treated like property to the offended party. The Damascean people do not see anything wrong in this, as they were given a choice. If they were forgiven in the past but commit another crime, they are automatically ruled as slaves. This form of punishment is taken from when one of Leon's council members committed a crime and he quickly forgave him, and allowed him to atone for his sins. There is a game show where slaves are killed for fun or executed.
III Economy
As the foremost leading country in terms of Industry and Services, it generates a lot of income. Government allows for businesses to flourish, but under strict monitoring and regulations. Most of the companies within the city are government ran, and the private sector is almost nonexistent. This is to secure that no greedy individual manipulates the system. As far as the social strata goes for the Damascean society, there is no such class lower than middle class. Poverty has been eliminated, and unemployment is nonexistent. If there are no jobs to be taken, they will be created. Due to close relationships with Veneziene, Elvish businesses also flourish among the Damascean ones. People in the upper strata of Damascean society have to pay heavier taxes, from 50-70% of their annual income. This is alright with them, as it is composed of mostly the remnants of the outdated aristocracy. Those of noble blood still have to find jobs. Damasceane is mostly an exporter, creating cheap magical-technological implements and pricing them high. they are bought nonetheless, as the quality of their products are irreproductable. The large budget of hundred thousands of Damascean Dollars go to Education and Manufacturing.
There is also an agricultural sector, but its main focus is to supply Damasceane, but unlike in the past, these farmers are treated nicely and farming isn't a thankless job.
IV Society
The values of Damascean Society revolves around a few words: Family, Strength, Destiny.
These words resonate the ideals of every Damascean citizen and shapes their philosophies. It is usually the family that teaches these values. Family comes from the familial bond between each and every Damascean, the willingness to sacrifice him or herself for one another, in order for the whole to survive. Every adult is ready to join the Armed Forces and fight a war if it means keeping Damasceane away from harm. However, just like families in real life, they will not intervene in the dealings of other countries, as it is simply not their place. Through this, they are able to focus on their own weaknesses and fix them.
Strength is a backbone of Damasceane Society and culture. Not to be interpreted that they cast away the weak, Damascean Society empowers the incapable to make them stronger to serve Damasceane. There will be no weak link in the chain that is Damasceane, for rather than cutting them off, they harden and polish these rusted links. This is also the value that makes Damasceane a strong country, wherein rather than outsourcing experts, they create experts far more superior in quantity and quality.
Destiny is the name of the city state that is Damasceane, in the old human language. It is vaguer than the other two core values, but in essence, Damasceane people see a future for themselves, and would work hard to secure that future, if not for them, for the generations ahead.
These three core values together would form a statement: "Strength through Family, to reach our Destiny"
That said, it isn't a surprise that Damasceane is a closely knit community, and seen almost like an 'ant colony'.
V Religion
The religion of Damasceans is that of Victricism, a monotheistic religion of ancient man. It is said that there exists a deity--named Victoria--who watches over mankind, though her faith by a lot of mankind in the Oneshian region wavered when they were enslaved by the dwarves. She was thought to have guided Leon of Vimir in guiding the Damasceans through Onesh as a mysterious woman who followed him in his pilgrimage. The woman who followed him was in reality a witch from the academy city of Izalith, who Leon tricked people into believing that she was the goddess herself. While not as strong an influence in modern damasceane, the church of the Goddess did serve in guiding the morality of the people in Damasceane. The Goddess, who is in fact real, judges those who die. Her rule of heaven is simple, those who are sorry for their past misgivings may enter her heaven, those who aren't are to be cast into the nine rings of hell. Faith to the Goddess is essential to clerics, as part of the scripture details on light based magic and healing words.
There is a Church of Victricism that rests on top of a waterfall, where she is believed to have jumped from to be released from her mortal body.
VI. Race
Damasceans, although are officially labeled as pure humans, a bit of Elvish blood is in them. This is part of a long term plan by Leon, who was, secretly, the father of Eugenics. With his highborne human and elvish blood, he impregnated all the women in Damasceane while putting everyone asleep. With a modified strand of DNA, he made successfully a race of superhumans impervious to disease. This project, continued in secrecy, evolved over time, as more and more strands of bacteria and viruses are made. He also made everyone seen 'weak' sterile.
VII Others.
Damasceans speak a language that was drawn up anew by Leon himself, requiring it to be taught. This new language, in comparison to Oneshian-their former language-borrows a lot from Elvish and Wyrmblut. In the future, its language would be taught alongside the universal language.
Food in Damasceane is a blend of Elvish (inspired by Vietnamese and Thai food) and Oneshian dishes (Ukrainian, German, French).
I Origins.
Its origin is one of struggle and rebellion, and closely tied to another country called Onesh. One century past year zero (Year 0 is internationally considered the start of the first renaissance in my own fictional world, when man wakes up from the dark ages, education, technology, arts flourished and the central focus was on humans rather than gods, religion, etc) there was a coalition of dwarven kingdoms in a large, mountainous region called Onesh. There were nine kingdoms in total, that had their homes built inside mountains. Everything from the palace to the market were inside those mountains. Outside those mountains were some villages that were small supply-colonies, that supply the mountain dwelling dwarves with ale, food, and anything that can't grow underneath the mountains. The Dwarves saw themselves as a higher sort of species as compared to those in the supply colonies, because the dwarves were tall, muscular, and fierce. The supply colonies were villages that 'donated' to the kingdoms for 'protection'. If they fail to chalk up the supplies demanded, the kingdoms of Dwarves send raiders to the village to pillage it. One of these villages was Verim. An excommunicated noble ran the village and made sure the annual donations kept flowing, not because he sided with the dwarves, but because he wanted to protect his people, and his family. He was a human, but was cast out of his family for marrying an Elf from a neighboring country of Onesh, Veneziene. This exiled noble had a son, who would become a smith, a scholar, and eventually the leader of Verim in its great exodus from Onesh. With his tactical, technological, and logistics knowledge the noblle's son, named Leon ploughed through the bigger, better equipped armies of Onesh by using guerrilla tactics, and shrewd politics. He picked up a number of friends and life long allies on the way and soon formed a council that managed the nomadic people of Verim. Having forethought, Leon befriended an elvish girl, who taught him her language, which allowed him to negotiate with the ruler of Veneziene to let them through. With an offering of an expertly crafted sword, the Elvish ruler not only allowed them passage but also informed them of a peninsula with nothing but grass and a beach.
Leon accepted and found a brothel known as the Thorny Rose upon a hill. He would settle around there, and of course, frequent it quite often. But the Oneshians were not far behind, for near the shore of the nameless peninsula, Oneshian troops mounted an attack on a floating city that was dedicated to the acquisition of knowledge off the shore of the peninsula. This was Izalith, the scholar city of mages and students of the arcane. Knowing that they would make a great ally, Leon helped evacuate the city as it was sent into the sea by Oneshian cannonfire. The mages of Izalith were offered a plot of land, to rebuild their city by Leon, who was then the de facto ruler of the people of Verim, and the mages gratefully accepted. This new city-academy will turn into the Damascean Integrated University (D.I.U.) in the future.
After a final war with the dwarves, Leon commissioned the building of a great city-state where the brothel was, when it was destroyed in the war with the Dwarves. In honor of the brothel, he named the palace Rozenberg, or mountain of Roses. The city was named Damasceane, a word used a lot in Leon's speeches before battle. Damasceane was a word in old human language that was synonymous with "Future, hope and more closely, Destiny" as the soldiers under Leon weren't loyal to him, but loyal to the promise of a home, free from Oneshian oppression. After the war, some of the Elves from Veneziene decided to stay in Damasceane after its construction. Damasceane and the Elvish country of Veneziene thus established a brotherly connection with one another, both against the Oneshians. And although the hate for Onesh has since died down, a minority of people living in Damascean still resent the people in Onesh. In recent history, Damasceane has flourished and became the ideal city state, focusing on industry, security, and education to create a self-sustainable utopia that doesn't involve itself in other countries' affairs.
II. Government/Security
Originally, there was a totalitarian council formed by Leon of Vimir, his sister, and scholars of Izalith. The people submitted to him, and the intellectual elite to lead them to a bright future. Since the people trusted them, Leon and his council were committed to fulfilling their part. This trust between the people and their leaders was key to making a utopian society. Should there have been plots or conspiracy, it would have fallen into an indecisive democracy. The council evolved to include some other nobles, and commoners. Eventually the rule by lineage was forfeited, when the education system improved.
In current times, the system became became Meritocratic, with a council of statesmen, who, like any Damascean, share almost the same values and love his or her country, and choose the best performing political scholar/apprentice to become the new Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is in office for as long as he lives, or as long as he is useful to the country. The Prime Minister has all Judiciary, Legislative, and Executive powers. He is only guided by the interest of his people, and the values of Damasceane. Other countries that criticize Damasceane for this are either worse off them them or jealous. As a result of selfless loving of one's nation and people, there is absolutely no corruption in government.
Since the time of Leon, there was a secret police unit that operated in the shadows. There were no guards, or police in uniforms, only the Damascean Institution of Enforcement (D.I.E.). They operate covert operations. They wear civilian clothes most of the time, and sometimes are drugged to become sleeper agents of criminal syndicates, only to awaken and ruin their plans before they even spring into action, or dismantle the syndicates altogether. There is a hidden surveillance network all over Damasceane. Nothing happens in Damasceane without the government knowing. Though perceived as a breach of privacy by other nations, Damasceans welcome it, and see it as a means to fight external and internal threats. It is so easy for the police unit to replace a terrorist's gun with a water squirter, and the police would often times allow crimes to take place only to fail, when the criminals realize they have been sabotaged. Due to the spotless record of Damasceane Police, everyone trusts them and will continue to do so. There are no prisons in Damasceane and criminals are judged on the spot. If they are foreigners, they are deported via transportation missile. If they are Damascean citizens, they are given two options: The first is to be accepted into society and to be treated like nothing happened, or they forfeit their rights as a citizen and are treated like property to the offended party. The Damascean people do not see anything wrong in this, as they were given a choice. If they were forgiven in the past but commit another crime, they are automatically ruled as slaves. This form of punishment is taken from when one of Leon's council members committed a crime and he quickly forgave him, and allowed him to atone for his sins. There is a game show where slaves are killed for fun or executed.
III Economy
As the foremost leading country in terms of Industry and Services, it generates a lot of income. Government allows for businesses to flourish, but under strict monitoring and regulations. Most of the companies within the city are government ran, and the private sector is almost nonexistent. This is to secure that no greedy individual manipulates the system. As far as the social strata goes for the Damascean society, there is no such class lower than middle class. Poverty has been eliminated, and unemployment is nonexistent. If there are no jobs to be taken, they will be created. Due to close relationships with Veneziene, Elvish businesses also flourish among the Damascean ones. People in the upper strata of Damascean society have to pay heavier taxes, from 50-70% of their annual income. This is alright with them, as it is composed of mostly the remnants of the outdated aristocracy. Those of noble blood still have to find jobs. Damasceane is mostly an exporter, creating cheap magical-technological implements and pricing them high. they are bought nonetheless, as the quality of their products are irreproductable. The large budget of hundred thousands of Damascean Dollars go to Education and Manufacturing.
There is also an agricultural sector, but its main focus is to supply Damasceane, but unlike in the past, these farmers are treated nicely and farming isn't a thankless job.
IV Society
The values of Damascean Society revolves around a few words: Family, Strength, Destiny.
These words resonate the ideals of every Damascean citizen and shapes their philosophies. It is usually the family that teaches these values. Family comes from the familial bond between each and every Damascean, the willingness to sacrifice him or herself for one another, in order for the whole to survive. Every adult is ready to join the Armed Forces and fight a war if it means keeping Damasceane away from harm. However, just like families in real life, they will not intervene in the dealings of other countries, as it is simply not their place. Through this, they are able to focus on their own weaknesses and fix them.
Strength is a backbone of Damasceane Society and culture. Not to be interpreted that they cast away the weak, Damascean Society empowers the incapable to make them stronger to serve Damasceane. There will be no weak link in the chain that is Damasceane, for rather than cutting them off, they harden and polish these rusted links. This is also the value that makes Damasceane a strong country, wherein rather than outsourcing experts, they create experts far more superior in quantity and quality.
Destiny is the name of the city state that is Damasceane, in the old human language. It is vaguer than the other two core values, but in essence, Damasceane people see a future for themselves, and would work hard to secure that future, if not for them, for the generations ahead.
These three core values together would form a statement: "Strength through Family, to reach our Destiny"
That said, it isn't a surprise that Damasceane is a closely knit community, and seen almost like an 'ant colony'.
V Religion
The religion of Damasceans is that of Victricism, a monotheistic religion of ancient man. It is said that there exists a deity--named Victoria--who watches over mankind, though her faith by a lot of mankind in the Oneshian region wavered when they were enslaved by the dwarves. She was thought to have guided Leon of Vimir in guiding the Damasceans through Onesh as a mysterious woman who followed him in his pilgrimage. The woman who followed him was in reality a witch from the academy city of Izalith, who Leon tricked people into believing that she was the goddess herself. While not as strong an influence in modern damasceane, the church of the Goddess did serve in guiding the morality of the people in Damasceane. The Goddess, who is in fact real, judges those who die. Her rule of heaven is simple, those who are sorry for their past misgivings may enter her heaven, those who aren't are to be cast into the nine rings of hell. Faith to the Goddess is essential to clerics, as part of the scripture details on light based magic and healing words.
There is a Church of Victricism that rests on top of a waterfall, where she is believed to have jumped from to be released from her mortal body.
VI. Race
Damasceans, although are officially labeled as pure humans, a bit of Elvish blood is in them. This is part of a long term plan by Leon, who was, secretly, the father of Eugenics. With his highborne human and elvish blood, he impregnated all the women in Damasceane while putting everyone asleep. With a modified strand of DNA, he made successfully a race of superhumans impervious to disease. This project, continued in secrecy, evolved over time, as more and more strands of bacteria and viruses are made. He also made everyone seen 'weak' sterile.
VII Others.
Damasceans speak a language that was drawn up anew by Leon himself, requiring it to be taught. This new language, in comparison to Oneshian-their former language-borrows a lot from Elvish and Wyrmblut. In the future, its language would be taught alongside the universal language.
Food in Damasceane is a blend of Elvish (inspired by Vietnamese and Thai food) and Oneshian dishes (Ukrainian, German, French).
Last edited by a moderator:
