Gior
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Overview
The Kingdom of Gior is a beautiful, natural country with many rock formations and wide canyons with rivers flowing through them. It is notable for being one of the only kingdoms where galdori do not rule over humans in any concrete way. The two races are almost completely isolated from each other within the wild landscape of the Kingdom. The humans of Gior are mainly livestock farmers, living above the canyons; however, the Gioran galdori live in cities carved into the rock faces of their canyons, away from human society. These galdori have a unique approach to harnessing magic: it is said they use the echoes of the canyons to increase the power of their spells.
The capital city of Gior is Giorite (pronounced JOR-et) but the most populous city is undoubtedly Qrieth (pronounced kreeth). This city is inside a massive temple carved into a mountain. Its many levels house well over eighty thousand galdori.
Topography & Locations
The capital of Gior is Giorite, though it is not the most populated city in Gior. This honor belongs to the monumentally impressive temple city of Qrieth. Giorite is more of a trade city, allowing the settlement of foreigners and their businesses. Most stock and produce comes from Giorite into Qrieth.
The country is divided into three sections; Upper, Middle and Lower
Upper Gior
- Ivenlath - a holy site, home to a huge petrified white tree called Iventre
- Citeiva - a smaller galdori settlement south of Qrieth
- Verit Lie - a human town known for its vineyards
Middle Gior
- Qrieth - Gior's most most populated galdori city
- Damna Erth - a gorge with perfect acoustics
- Drah Lie - a human village in the heartland
Lower Gior
- Giorite - capital city for the galdori
- Susketec - a relatively large human town with a coal mine
- Omn Lie - another small human village, close rivals with Dolosgonne
- Dolosgonne - a small human village
Kingdom Information
Climate
The mountainous ranges of Gior are subject to an alpine biome, though this does not mean it is one of the coldest biomes in the world. That honor belongs to Hox. Due to the high altitudes, Gior can be quite cool even in Roalis, ranging between 10 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. In winter, it can drop to below freezing, and snow storms are a frequent event. The galdori of Gior however barely suffer this, due to the temperatures in the mountain always staying a consistent 9 degrees Celsius.
Given the precipice of Gior, rain is a frequent occurrence all year round.
Trees do not commonly grow in Gior given the hard stone of the mountains. There is more vegetation at the foothills, therefore a trade route is set up between Citeiva and Giorite. There are a number of scientific advances in the city of Giorite that have seen a rise in underground, self-contained plantations, but these must still be subject to magical and scientific intervention to be successful. Remarkably, some species of cave lichen have been cultivated for various food and drink uses.
The problem of light is quite different in Gior, given that the deeper in you go in a city, the less natural light you have. The little amount of atmosphere at such high altitudes exposes the Gioran area to sunlight, especially UV, at a dangerous level. To go out on the mountain top without full cover is to risk severe burns and cancerous growths after too much prolonged exposure.
Some of the plants in Gior are tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths. Some common animals in Gior are: mountain kensers, wild white moa, wild chroven, Gioran osta, garmon, hingles, kluiw, beetles, grasshoppers and butterflies.
Culture
Giorans are tall and strong, with pale faces and angular features. An unusually encouraged genetic defect has caused most Gioran galdori to be born with albinism; the few that are not are often mistaken for foreigners. The defect includes all of the usual side effects of albinism, including sensitivity to sunlight and poor eyesight.
Gioran galdori live in a ritualistic society built on centuries of matriarchal family rule. They are very bold and speak their mind with no hesitation, which can often come across as blunt to outsiders. They consider the external show of emotions to be a deep flaw, and always encourage discussion over outbursts of feelings. They share their emotions in private, or more subtly with their fields.
Human towns and villages in Gior are typically controlled by mayors elected by the townspeople. These mayors are referred to as "magisters," although they are not galdori. There are no galdori towns; the galdori live almost exclusively in the cities carved into the Sourasian and Shier mountain ranges.
Everything in Gior is ritualized, including dances and public meetings. One such dance is the Ba Bieth, a hauntingly beautiful choreographed dance that is said to bring rain. (As rain is an incredibly common occurrence in Gior, this dance almost always has the desired effect.) The city of Qrieth is called "The Temple" by locals, who use many of the public locations on the cliff face for worship. Many citizens of Gior make pilgrimages to the city to see its remarkable design and worship at its many fountains, which are fed by a sacred underground waterfall.
Human culture in Gior prizes stoicism and hard work, honesty and family. Interestingly enough, the galdori value the same qualities. A good deal of the peace and prosperity of the country comes from the lack of conflict and violence between the races. A great divide separates humans and galdori, one that is hardly ever crossed except in times of emergency.
Economy
Gior does trade with other countries, though the trade is sectioned off according to race; the humans in Gior are primarily exporters (exports including tea, alpaca wool, and yak butter), and the galdori are primarily importers. Like Hoxian galdori, Gioran galdori prefer to be self-sufficient, and do not rely on human servitude or passive slavery. There have been great advances in hydroponics and animal husbandry in Gior because of this self-sufficiency.
Politics
At high level Gior is a Matriarchal society, lead by an overarching ruling family. The current ruling family, the Da Huane, have been in power for over three centuries. They rule over the capital city of Giorite and the city of Qrieth, with two sides of the family sharing power. During their rule, the Da Huane have been involved in many feuds with the Da Fintaine, who rule over the Drigeth, a small society of rebels who resent Da Huane rule. This conflict is seemingly endless but has been largely nonviolent for the past fifty years.
The Driegeth occupy a gorge called Damna Erth.
The overthrowing of a ruling family is often violent and rife with assassination and infiltration. When the Da Huane wrested power from the Da Giore line, most of their family were killed or exiled, though some still remain in various settlements across Gior.
The ruling family oversees any civil disputes and trials for crimes. They are the final judgement and their word is law. Members of the family act in various government positions across Gior, and though there may be non-family members in employ, they are not the final sign off for official documents or contracts.
Passives may hold a place in politics, though they are usually lower level positions.
The border of Gior and Bastia has been in a long standing state of contention, the Giorans wanting to claim more of the mountain range as their own whilst Bastia are loathe to let go of any of the enormous land mass they hold.
Government
Gior is a tribalistic society, built on tradition and ritual. Their political state is Oligarchy. A single family line rules the entire country, with strategic placement of family members in each city capital.
The country runs on a matriarchal system, women being the ones in power and more highly respected then men. This stems from the days of Aminark Giore's reign, and has carried over through the years. Whilst men are never treated poorly as such, quite often their opinions can be over ruled by the opinion of a woman. Women are more likely to enter into positions of diplomacy and power, where men tend to move into more manual roles.
Structure:
The Matriarch:
The head of the family, leader of all of Gior. Usually eldest woman in the family. Responsible for creating or altering any laws across Gior. Ultimate power in the country. Must be albino. Must have at least one child, however often they will have a substantial amount of children (four to six). If the Matriarch passes away, the leadership of the country passes to her first born albino daughter and the Patriarch is kept on as vizier. If her first born is not an albino, it moves down the line till an albino is found.
The Patriarch:
Wedlocked to the Matriarch. Considered second-in-command if the Matriarch is incapacitated, though cannot replace the Matriarch as head of Gior. When the Matriarch passes away and is replaced by her first born albino daughter, the daughters partner becomes the new Patriarch whilst the old Patriarch becomes vizier.
The Ithaellim and Ikaellim:
The female direct blood descendants of the Matriarch, by birth, over the age of ten. Oversee day to day operations such as officiating ceremonies, signing paperwork, dealing with diplomats and keeping the kingdom running smoothly. Ithaellim are posted in each city capital and act as a Matriarch for that particular city. Their word is considered absolute in their designated city, and can only be challenged by The Matriarch herself. If an Ithaellim is not able to be posted, or is otherwise incapacitated, the role can be covered by a male descendant of the Matriarch also known as an Ikaellim.
The Council:
The female descendants of the Matriarch, by marriage, over the age of ten. Act as judge, jury and executioner on any legal disputes. Propose new laws or changes to existing laws, which can only be approved and acknowledged by The Matriarch. Any male descendants of the Matriarch, by marriage, can also stand in place of a female Council member if there is not one on hand or they are otherwise incapacitated. This isn't a common practice, as their judgements can often be escalated by the people to an Ithaellim.
The Assembly:
Government officials who are employed by the leading family, but are not of the family themselves. These can constitute of but are not limited to: diplomats, ambassadors, clerks, officiators, medical counsellors, high profile business moguls, doctors, accomplished professors and well respected magisters. The Assembly are considered an extension of the voice of the leading family, are are expected to represent the very best that Gior has to offer.
Changing Of The Family:
Leading family's can be in power for years, centuries even, unless they are over thrown by another family. To over throw a leading family, a Matriarch must be sure she has a large strong lineage. The in power family are assassinated from the Council up, sometimes by espionage, sometimes by out and out clan war. Regardless of how this is done, the final take over is usually bloody and violent. The overtaking family storm the Temple of Qrieth and capture The Matriarch and Patriarch. They are taken to the summit, and in the eyes of the people under Imaan's light, they are executed. This ritualistic murder is followed by a large celebration and dancing, and the new leading family moves to insert their positions in each of the cities of Gior.
Ruling Families of Note
Legal Disputes:
All legal proceedings are overseen by a Council member, and are dealt with in swift and absolute ways. The issues are reviewed by the Council member, and they decide who is right and who is wrong. Judgement can range from verbal agreements, monetary compensations, temporary or permanent exile and finally execution.There is no jail time in Gior, as they don't see value in holding people who will not contribute to the wider society. A person who feels the judgement handed down is not fair does have the ability to demand the secondary opinion of an Ithaellim, and even The Matriarch, though this is quite often a waste of time as the family will not usually speak against its own.
Race Relations
The people of Gior are known far and wide as being simple and self sustaining, though once emerged in the culture, one would see it is a deep and profound tribal race.
Humanity began to show itself in the foothills of Gior around the same time as the Da Huane took over, and whilst they have been around for a while the galdori have not engaged with them. The Gioran galdori do not associate with humanity, seeing them more like animals than people.
Because of the physical distance between them, there are no wick tribes in Gior. Relationships between humans and galdori in Gior are simply unheard of.
Passives are not treated very badly here; they are viewed as cripples and are allowed to live with the galdori. When tested at the age of ten for their magical aptitude, those children who fail either have the choice of stepping into labor or priesthood. Only a purely albino passive may choose the priesthood. Those who choose priesthood are immediately sent to the Church, where they are initiated into the sect by the eldest of the priests in attendance.
However, Giorans are very wary of immigrants, and do not allow non-Giorans to become citizens.
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