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United Cities: Difference between revisions
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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. | 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 == | == Economy == | ||
The United Cities economy was heavily reliant on slave labor for its agricultural and industrial manpower. Slavers would undertake great raids into [[Rusana]], [[ | [[File:UC trade caravan.jpg|thumb|Trade caravans were an important source of revenue]] | ||
The United Cities economy was heavily reliant on slave labor for its agricultural and industrial manpower. Slavers would undertake great raids into [[Rusana]], [[Tashi-Daypa]] 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, date palms, mint and other drought resistant legumes were favored. The rare alcoholic Cactus Rum has its origins in the United Cities and was also a big currency earner; the state owning the largest breweries in Heft. Another source of revenue was taxation of caravans traversing through its territory, during times of peace with the Zhong this was very lucrative for the state. Most trade in and out of the United Cities was overseen by an institution known as the United Traders Guild. | |||
== Culture == | == Culture == | ||
Hunting was an important aspect of upper class culture in the United Cities. 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 while at the same time socializing and bonding. 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. | Hunting was an important aspect of upper class culture in the United Cities. 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 while at the same time socializing and bonding. 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. | ||