United Cities

The United Cities was a state that existed in northwestern Corumm and parts of Canpei from 915 to 1215. Emerging during the death throes of the Chen dynasty and the Four Great Impostors crisis, it was originally created as a confederation of city states, the main aim of which was mutual protection, eliminating bad governance, promoting the slave trade and evading imperial taxation. The original members were the cities of Heng, Sho Battai, Brink, Heft and Stoat. The economy of the United Cities was heavily dominated by slavery and not soon after its founding would slavers become the ruling class, effectively creating a highly corrrupt and despotic plutocracy. The United Cities would fall to Corummese Zhong dynasty armies in 1215 but many of its trade and societal practices would continue in the territories that it had ruled.

History
The reigning Chen dynasty of Corumm saw a succession of revolts and uprisings starting in 877. The rise of the Four Great Impostors who sought to claim the imperial throne posed an existential threat to it. The second of these pretenders, Tengu Peg Leg, first rose in the city of Heng. Claiming descent from the last Shang emperor, he and his supporters took over the city administration by force and gained the support of its citizens by abolishing taxes for three years and promising to give every citizen five slaves from towns he conquered.

Climate
The predominant climate of the area covered by the United Cities is cold semi-arid, featuring warm, dry summers and freezing winters with temperatures dropping below zero. Winters usually see light to moderate snowfall.

Government
The United Cities was ruled by the Council of Cities, a collection of the wealthiest and most influential men of each city. Only the richest ten citizens from each city were allowed to take part in the council. The choosing was not through election but by a tallying of the monetary worth of the aspirant, usually carried out by Traders Guild accountants. Every ten years a member of the council would be elected by simple majority to serve as Grand Secretary of the United Cities. The Grand Secretary had powers to represent the United Cities in foreign matters and trade negotiations. For the United Cities entire three hundred year existence the position was typically rotated, with no one city ever holding on to the position for consecutive terms.

Military
The United Cities kept a unified standing army known as the Iron Legion, composed of twenty thousand men in lamellar armor, divided into footmen, cavalry and artillery corps. It was augmented by city self-defense forces and private militias composed of slaves as needed. The Iron Legion was able to repel the numerically superior armies of the Zhong for many years until funding cutbacks, corruption and the intake of slaves into its ranks drastically reduced its combat effectiveness.

Economy
The United Cities economy was heavily reliant on slave labor for its agricultural and industrial manpower. Slavers would undertake great raids into Rusana, Duamacia and the rest of Zhong dominated Corumm to procure slaves for both internal use and for export. It would also acquire Audonian slaves through intermediaries since the United Cities never had direct access to the sea. The semiarid climate made for poor agricultural output, crops that required little water like cactus were favored. The rare alcoholic Cactus Rum has its origins in the United Cities and was also a big earner. Another source of revenue was taxation of caravans traversing through its territory. Most trade in and out of the United Cities was overseen by an institution known as the United Traders Guild.

Culture
Hunting was an important culture of the United Cities, at least among the upper class. The nobles of the United Cities were avid participants of numerous hunts in the deserts were they hunted great beasts such as sand elephants and the great Krayt dragons of old. Once a year the slaver houses would release hundreds of slaves into the deserts and hunt them down for sport, they called this the Desert Lottery. Those that made it outside the territory of the United Cities would gain their freedom.