Megam

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Megam is a religious, tropical country to the west of Eire. It is filled with temples to the Dragons Light and Dark and is run by a Council, comprising of the highest members of the clergy and the nobility, as a theocracy. The capital is Lucre, City of Light.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Geography

Megam is completely surrounded by oceans, except for a small land bridge, the Pilgrim’s Pass, which connects it to Dentoria. These waters can be quite treacherous to pass, especially during the main rainy season in springtime and the hurricane season which usually starts in October and runs into early winter (though hurricanes have been known to occur in late September, which have greatly upset the end of the Autumn Pilgrimage).

Megam has a very tropical climate, its land lush and fertile. Occasionally the northern tip of the country will get some cooler temperatures, even snow sometimes, but for the most part it is always fairly warm or at least temperate. During the summer, it is extremely hot and moist all the time, especially in the south around Lucre.

The majority of Megam land is used for farming or covered by jungle. The shores are famous for their black sand, especially on the southern islands.

There are four major cities in Megam. Each city is made of a mix between wood and marble, to look pretty but also not bake the poor people alive.

By far the largest is the capital, Lucre, City of Light. All the main governmental functioning occurs here, as well as it being the heart of the religion of the Dragon Gods, the defining feature of Megam life. Lucre is a large city, one of the largest in all of Eire, and is built out of white marble. Like all the cities in Megam, the city uses the naturally wet environment to have a vast number of elaborate water displays such as fountains, waterfalls, and other such things. In the center of the city rests the Altar of the Dragons, the pinnacle of the world’s religion.

The next biggest city in the country is Azudesce, which is on the east coast of Megam. This city controls the naval trade into and out of Megam, as it is located not too far from the calmer waters surrounding Dentoria. This city is built out of a bluer marble, echoing the colour of the sea which gives it its name and purpose. What small navy Megam has it all based out of this city. Azudesce has the most elaborate decorative waterworks in the world.

Mamaura is the third largest city and it lies right at the end of the Pilgrim’s Pass, monitoring those who enter the county by land. This dark grey marble city controls the land-based trading in Megam and is famous for its eclectic marketplace. The city has a standing militia, though like Azudesce’s army it is more for show than actual use, as the religious importance of Megam keeps it safe from foreign attacks.

The final major city in Chimer (pronounced Shi-mear), the city of black marble, located in the heart of the jungle on the west side of Megam. This city is most well-known as a retreat, a place where people can go for rest, relaxation, and solitude.

There are other small towns scattered throughout the country, but the majority of the land is either uninhabited or used for agricultural purposes.

There is a minor ciy named Aurore that is located to the South of Lucre. Aurore is not nearly as nice as Azudesce and the waters there are harder to navigate, but it's close proximity to Lucre make it prominent enough to have a fair amount of trade, amoung those willing to brave the seas to get to it.

Tolere, to the northern most regions of Megam, is home to a temple popular with Dentorian nobles due to its relatively short distance. The waters tend to be calmer than other areas around it, as well, and its weather is closer to that in Dentoria.

Finally, there is the Northern town of Chiaco. This town is very important as it is the only publically known location of a temple to the Dragons of Darkness. Chiaco's architecture was designed to appear similar to that of Lucre, though under closer examination there are many differences.

[edit] Government

Megam society is divided into three sections, known as the Estates. The first estate is the clergy, which holds the most power over the rule of Megam. The second estate is the nobility, and the third is everyone else.

[edit] The First Estate

The clergy make up 15% of the population of Megam and hold the highest power in the land. They generally only deal with religious matters, though do have the power to dictate other matters. Megam controls all of the churches to the Dragons of Light in all of Eire and the head officials keep a close eye on foreign political affairs, though they almost never interfere in anything beyond religion (however, throughout history, there have been a very small handful of times when the church has tried to exert pressure on foreign leadership, with mixed success).

Without permission, it is VERY bad for a member of the clergy to leave Megam.

However, there are quite a bit more rank distinctions, especially among the higher clergy. The breakdown of ranking is like this:

- The highest members of the clergy are the 5 High Priests and 5 High Priestesses who serve as Guardians of the Altar. Six of these clergy also are chosen to sit on the Council of Eleven, the highest ruling body of Megam (see below for more information). - Below the Guardians are those of the clergy who are in Lucre, The City of Light, for the purpose of serving the Guardians and dealing with the low-level bureaucracy of the Church. - The heads of the various temples/convents/etc throughout Eire…are next in rank. - Those who serve the temple heads rank next. - The lowest order rank-wise of high priests/priestesses are those who decide to travel the world. - Finally, the lowest of the low are the acolytes and sisters.

The First Estate is made up of those who have come from either the Second or Third estate. Nobles usually try to send one member of their family to join the clergy ever few generations, both out of tradition and a hope to gain power within the clergy. The commoners send their children to join the clergy in hopes of them being able to gain an education and an opportunity to become something more than their original station.

[edit] The Second Estate

The nobility make up 5% of the population of Megam. They are charged with dealing with the more mundane aspects of running Megam, though they can be out-ranked on any issue by the clergy (though this usually does not happen). The ranking system within the nobility is less rigid than that of the clergy and is based on a mix of wealth and political power. Alliances between houses are commonly made through marriages. The most powerful noble houses are the 5 which have seats on the Council of Eleven. The names of members of the Second Estate always include what house they are in, even if they have become members of the First Estate as well.

[edit] The Third Estate

The Third Estate consists of everyone else in Megam, the final 80% of the population. The majority of these “commoners” are involved in agriculture, though a fair number also dwell in cities. 40-50% of the Megam population lives in or around Lucre, City of Light. There is no official means of ranking within this Estate, as it is generally something done on a community level, based mostly on perceived merit, with some emphasis on material goods.

[edit] The Followers of the Dark Dragons

There is one other group of people that makes up Megam society: the followers of the Dragons of Darkness. Outside their order, very little is known about them. The number of followers is unknown, where they dwell and what they do is unknown, for the most part, though there are some established temples. But essentially they are a completely independent and mysterious group who is only seen on the holidays dedicated to the Dragons of Darkness, when there presence is required at the Altar and other various places of worship.

[edit] The Council of Eleven

The Council of Eleven is the highest political body in Megam and is one of the few joint efforts between the First and Second Estates when it comes to governing the country. It meets four times a year (on the eleventh of January, April, July, and October) to review various political issues, especially any which has not been sufficiently handled by the lower ranks. The eleven members are 6 of the Guardians of the Altar (who attends the meeting is not strictly set, but it generally is 3 of the priests and 3 of the priestesses) and 4 members of the nobility who are elected by the Second Estate and who hold lifetime positions on the council.

[edit] Characters of Megam Heritage

[edit] Clergy

  • Sister Aine, a sister of the dark clergy with some mystery shrouding her. deceased
  • Sister Allison, also known as Ally. At a convent in Lucre.
  • Sister Alma, a woman from House Shairfel.
  • Father Desmond one of the Dark Council.
  • Brother Druce, once in service of the Dragons of Darkness, and married to Aine. Now follows his father, Lewis, a notorious bandit.
  • Father Ellius, also known as Elliot. A highly renowned teacher of magic.
  • Brother Emery, born the third child of House Theane.
  • Father Eron, a Guardian of the Altar.
  • Father Forbes, a travelling chaplain.
  • Sister Freya, a Guardian of the Altar.
  • Sister Leana, half-sister of Hilary, Cameryn, and Alastair.
  • Sister Lillian, at a convent in Papan.
  • Brother Luka, secretly the bastard son of a Guardian of the Altar.
  • Father Lycoris, one of the Dark Council.
  • Sister Maire, born the only girl of House Valens.
  • Sister Mallorie, left the church and her home in search of her brother. deceased
  • Sister Mathilda, at a convent in Papan.
  • Brother Max, at a convent in Papan.
  • Father Mulcahy, a chaplain stationed in East Korin.
  • Brother Norman, an excomminicated heretic.
  • Sister Raetha, at a convent in Papan.
  • Father Rolen, once one of the highest ranking priests in Lucre, now a chaplain stationed in Taleth, Atsiria.
  • Father Terrance, a follower of Lord Lawrence of Franel, but in fact a (terrible) spy for the Megam government.

[edit] Nobility

  • Lord Alastair, heir to House Fairen.
  • Cameryn, once heir to House Fairen, but now a member of the Holy Guard.
  • Lord Destin, heir to House Lysel.
  • Lady Eudora, of House Iverem.
  • Lord Gilbert, of House Iverem.
  • Lady Hilary, once of House Fairen, but now the widow of Lord Caroval of Emelia, and takes his place in the Council of Eleven.
  • Tea, a nobleborn woman who left the Holy Guard in search of her missing brother. Now in disgrace, and serves as a guard in Norey.

[edit] Commonborn

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