Population: 2,719,000
Area: ~91,000 sq miles (~235,600 sq km)
Capitol: Ahlissa (pop: 223,000)
Other Major Cities: Kadizza, Gordova, Medrido, Alamocar, Tevijya, Oligava
Demographics: 85% Rodinae, 10% Vasken, 5% Miscellaneous
Resources/Trading goods: Grain, Cloth, Fish, Livestock, leather goods
Borders: Thelly River, Reiuwood edge, Line from Reiuwood and Iron Hills, Headland hills around Ferrvil, Vasken Sea
The Prelacy of Ahlissa is a theocracy that remained after the decline and breakup of the Rodinian Empire. Ahlissa was the holiest city of the empire where the largest temples to the Rodinian Sun God Solaternus were located. The Highest Priest–the Prelate–eventually became one of the most powerful figures in the empire and the Church of Solaternus was granted more and more lands around Ahlissa as its sole possession.
This powerful hierarchy grew more and more rigid over time, and while it was originally a force for good, eventually corruption from without crept in and turned rigidity into intolerance and hatred. With the pronouncement of the Novo Solaris texts, human supremacy became Church Doctrine, which then led to a series of events that destroyed an already weakened empire. As it stands the Prelate still controls most of the southwestern portion of the former empire–including Azurdee–with the glaring exceptions of Ferrvil and Vaskenland, which are a continual thorn in its side.
Additionally, attempts to exert its power through its naval forces–which used to be substantial–are no longer possible because of the Sea Elves from the Farathian and Vasken Seas. Attempting to discourage the elvish states from trading with the Vaskenland and Ferrvil, the Ahlissa Navy attacked the Rhunland city of Nazaria “as a warning.” In response, the Sea Elves waited until the next moonless night and then attacked the main fleet headquarters and shipyard–burning the yards to the ground and sinking 2/3rds of the fleet. Without ready supplies of timber (the majority of which came from either the Elves of Reiuwood or the forested parts of the Iron hills which are in revolt), it is going to take a long time for the Prelacy to rebuild its navies. Whether such setbacks will change the attitudes of the Prelate–or whether internal forces will try to reform a Church that has been mostly on a self-destructive course remains to be seen.
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The Philosophy of NOM 