Tierraz

Tierraz
The southernmost kingdom in what is considered the 'Western' region of Aurasa, the Tierrazi peninsula stretches out into the Medio sea, surrounded by water on three sides, it is a wealthy country due to immense trade. With a warm climate and a prosperous wine industry, it can be considered a popular country to live in.

Etymology
Tierraz, coming from the Spanish word land 'Tierra', the 'Z' is added to give the country a Mediterranean-sounding name. Based of off Spain, Italy, and Greece, it is not unlike the Mediterranean countries of southern Europe.

Governance
Tierraz's government is based around a King, who makes important decisions such as the declaration of war, trade taxes, and quotas, while he may have much power, all of his commands must go through the Consejo Alvaro, or Alvaro Council, which also has a considerable amount of power

and the ability to make supreme decisions if necessary. Consisting of esteemed tacticians, merchants, and nobles, the Alvaro Council has the ability to turn down the King's request. In the past, this has caused conflicts between the King and the Alvaro Council, such as the ''Guerra Polemos. The Guerra Polemos ''was a bloody civil war between the Alvaro Council and the King, in of which the Kingdom of Tierraz was near total collapse. The King at the time, Casimiro Aruajo, had ordered the declaration of war upon Sahraa due to piracy, the Alvaro Council disagreed, claiming that the piracy had not been committed by the Sahraan Government itself, but a sect of criminals based out of Sahraa. The King was outraged, immediately declaring the execution of the Alvaro Council. A bloody war ensued, with Casimiro being eventually assassinated, ending the war. If the law is passed, it is then carried out by whomever it was directed to, either the military or otherwise. The military consists of a large portion of pikemen, crossbowmen, and swordsmen. The Tierrazi's pikes are designed for the purpose of warding off cavalry charges, not uncommon when the Tierraz military is fighting Desert Nomads or Anglian Knights.

Culture
After many years of war with the Empire of Sahraa, Tierraz has been influenced greatly by the Sahraani's diverse and unique culture, one such example is the Sahraan head scarf, which was adopted by the Tierraz military for crossbowmen, as seen above. The southernmost island in Tierraz, Castille, has been overrun by Sahraan invaders more than once, thus, the island has an extremely different culture than mainland Tierraz, with Sahraan customs and traits mixed in with Tierraz features and traditions. The Tierrazi's culture is different from Anglia and Talasholm's cultures in many ways, such as the right to own slaves, which is illegal in most other Western kingdoms. There is also a thriving black market in Tierraz, with many resources being illegally traded such as spice, silk, and weapons.

Economy
With a rich country comes much trade, Tierraz has trade routes running from Moscova to Kasai. Tierraz's main exports are wine, fish, and spice, clothing, and olives, all of which are controlled by several different merchant fleets and guilds. Tierraz's wine trade is the largest in Aurasa, shipping their goods far and wide. Nordic raiders have been known to raid Tierrazi wineries for their exquisite wine.

Cities

 * Porto Nótos: A large seaside city in the south of Tierraz, the center of the fishing trade and home to the Tierrazi navy.
 * Castello: A city in central Tierraz, is known for its fine craftsmen and olive farms.
 * Anrico: Anrico is a fortified city on the coast of the Medio, with much trade and a large fishing fleet.
 * Porto Marino: On the southern most mainland point in Tierraz, it is has boats to ferry citizens and soldiers alike to Sicilia. Known for its large navy and history of pirate attacks.
 * Asissi: Being the largest city in Tierraz, it is thought to be the richest city in Tierraz, it is home to the finest craftsmen in Tierraz, known for its wide variety of exports, it has a massive merchant fleet.
 * Tunayzi: Founded by Sahraan invaders on the island of Castille, it has a very Sahraan culture, and hosts a Abdahan festival every year in the Sahraan tradition honoring their southern heritage and culture. This city has a large silk and clothing industry as well as a large garrison.
 * Talamanca: A medium sized city on in the heart of southern Tierraz, this city is extremely fortified and is the home of the Alvaro Council.
 * Ciriaco: A city in northern Tierraz, on the coast of the Medio, it has a large merchant's guild.
 * La Macasa: In the very center of wine country, it is Tierraz's main wine exporter.