The Kingdom of Verduria [To Drilldown]

Lords of Verduria
Kings of Verduria
Titles of the King
The Verdurian Cabinet
The royal family
Composition of the Eschambra
Noble titles
Guilds and associations
The Verdurian constitution
Civil and religious holidays
Verdurian schooling
Parliamentary voting systems
Coinage and Prices

Lords of Verduria / Sannoi i Verdúria - 2477-2943 [466 years] [To Index]

Kings of Verduria / Dalî i Verdúria - 2943 to present [565 years] [To Index]

Titles of the King [To Index]

Dalu er Sanno i Verdúria / King and Lord of Verduria

Velto Cänen, then Mayor (Cadh. amaruos) of Verduria, was granted the title sanno (Lord) by the Cadhinorian emperor in 2477 in appreciation of his efforts in recapturing the Cadhinorian capital, Ctésifon (Zhésifo), from the Naviu.

Caleon Prezheon took the title of dalu (king) in 2943. In Cadhinor the word meant 'prince', but it is clear that Caleon-- and the Cadhinorian emperor of the time-- took it as a declaration of sovereignty.

The present title, combining both traditional terms, was adopted by the Eschambra in 3316, formalizing the practice of Mëranac 1e.

Cefsanno i Arcaln / Warlord of Arcaln

The military governorship of the stronghold of Arcaln on Arin island (usually just called soa Nezi, the Island). The first Warlord was named by the Emperor in 1626, and the emperors were careful to keep the warlordship separate from the mayoralty. Velto Cänen was the first Warlord to be named Mayor as well.

Shoh i Veor / Duke of Veor

Caleon revived this ancient title to make known his sovereignty over the Plain south of Verduria-- the provinces of Zhésifo, Krasnaya, Curesi, Sherian, Irvesi, and Aodo, which he had conquered. (Veor was an ancient pre-Cadhinorian kingdom in this area.) The title is traditionally given to the King's firstborn son (not daughter).

Sazë i Zeir / Prince of Zeir

The principality of Zeir, like Verduria a province of ancient Cadhinas, was united to the Lordship of Verduria in 2870 with the marriage of Ánabar of Verduria with Asheli of Zeir.

Beom Amezhna / Baron of Amezhna

This is Alric's own title; his father Vlaran had been Baron of Amezhna before assuming the throne.

Cumbrigec Zelmei / Defender of Zelm

Zhevuran Este (the Great) became cefsanno of Zelm in 2968, by conquest. By his own Great Code, however (3021), the title of cefsanno for castles other than Arcaln was abolished, as it had acquired the meaning of 'commander in chief'. Lords of castles were thenceforth styled Defenders.

Orayul i Célenor, Luyshor er Sereor / Sovereign of Celenor, Luyshor, and Sereor

These provinces have maintained a special constitutional status since their conquest by Caleon, and Célenor in particular has tended to slip into independence when it could. For some centuries the provinces were governed by their own Dukes, but royal administration has been affirmed, intermittently under the Eledhî and Abolineronî, and more firmly by the Vleteonî.

Lon Enäronei / Honor of Enäron

The Lords and Kings from Valura Prezheon onward styled themselves Cumbrigec Enäronei, Defender of Enäron, thus claiming authority over the pagan presbyterate as well as a rather high place in the eyes of the chief of the gods. Tomao as an Eledhe of course renounced the title, and assumed instead the title Snugá Iainei (Servant of Iain). Mëranac 1e Abolineron created the present, more modest form of the title.

Innesec Eschambre / Founder of Parliament

Elena, the architect of the modern or Broad Eschambra, gave herself this title in 3270; it has sometimes been emphasized by kings as a reminder of their authority over Parliament.

Zol Zhenei / Strength of the People

This title was taken by Alric in 3470 after the Barons' Rebellion, as a reminder that he, and not the barons, was the ultimate ruler and protector of the people.

Mashrom Nanei / Master of the North

Caleon, conqueror of Cadhinas, gave himself this grandiose title in 2950-- in lieu of Emperor, some said. Caleon certainly had the self-esteem to declare himself Emperor, but is said to have disdained that title, not only because of the inferior character of the later emperors, but because, he said, Verduria was destined to surpass, not merely equal, the glory of Cadhinas.

Some former titles

Shoh i Pelym / Duke of Pelym

The noble title of the Soley kings. The lands of Pelym were then administered with other Crown lands; but in the chaos of Utu's usurpation (3198), the Soleys managed to keep Utu off their lands, and thus the Crown lost the title.

Sanno Erei / Lord of the South

A title taken by Zhevuran Este (the Great), who indeed extended the realm as far south as it ever got. Estdorot added er Sarei ('and of the East') when he invaded Dhekhnam and restored the liberty of Sarnáe. But the kingdom entered a dark period soon after, and no later king has had the temerity, or the territory, to style himself thus.

Nachaúl Etaldei / Ruler of the Plain

A title assumed by Safcu, son of Ánabar, as a token of the doubling of Verduria's size following the union with Zeir, and readying a claim to the provinces to the south. This was the favorite title of Utu and Utu-On, who indeed preferred it to dalu, and was therefore abandoned by Tomao and the later kings.

Biyeta / Elector

The Biyetora was the Body of Electors which had the hereditary right, also called biyeta, to choose the King. As the King was invariably chosen from among their own number when they were given a chance to choose at all, the kings were of course electors themselves. Elena's reform however eliminated the Biyetora as a legal entity.

Alric Vlaranei Vleteon, Dalu er Sanno i Verdúria, Cefsanno i Arcaln, shoh i Veor, sazë i Zeir er beom Amezhna, so Cumbrigec Zelmei, Orayul i Célenor, Luyshor i Sereor, Lon Enäronei, Innesec Eschambre, so Zol Zhenei er so Mashrom Nanei.

Alric [son of] Vlaran [of the house of] Vleteon, King and Lord of Verduria, Warlord of Arcaln, Duke of Veor, Prince of Zeir, and Baron of Amezhna, the Defender of Zelm, Sovereign of Célenor, Luyshor i Sereor, Honor of Enäron, Founder of Parliament, the Strength of the People, and the Master of the North.

The Cabinet / Soa Konselora Daluy [To Index]

Sanno Konsolore Daluii / Prime Minister

The head of the Government; advises the King, executes his wishes; responsible for the day to day administration of executive power. In the absence of the King, presides over the Council. Also responsible for running the royal household (though this is delegated to the Hozën Daluy, the Royal Steward) and for introducing government bills into the Eschambra. Appointed by the King; approved by Parliament.Currently Abend cont Monteneon.

Pere Eschambre / First in Parliament

The speaker of the legislature. Elected by the members of the Eschambra. Often identical to the preceding.

Sanno i Kunasha / Lord of the Exchequer

Director of the royal treasury, which collects taxes and disburses money to the various government functions according to the budget prepared by the Eschambra.

Redhréë i Ruscurë / Foreign Minister

Head of the Ambassadorial Service; responsible in large part for international affairs, save war.

Alte Dalui Ovnelom / King's High Justice

Administrator of the King's courts and prisons. Generally a retired judge of the High Court. The royal experts in law also report to him. Appointed by the King with Eschambra approval.

Redhréë i Belgo / Minister of War

Head of the Army and Navy. Normally filled by an army officer (and a noble).

Sanno Kalei / Lord of the Forum

Head of the City Forum (Mazhtan-Kal). Elected annually by the Forum.

Shrayom Mazhtane / City Wizard

Responsible for any magic needed by the state; also oversees wizards practicing within the kingdom.

Redhréë i Celdoni / Minister for Trade

Regulates trade; collects customs; polices the guilds; registers corporations; grants royal charters and monopolies.

Redhréë i Hutorát / Minister of Agriculture

Ensures the steady supply of food to the nation by buyingup excess crops in good harves years and disbursing them in poor years, and likewise for livestock. Prosecutes the oppression of landholders by the gentry. Organizes poor relief. Administers the King's own estates.

Pere Dhitelom / First Engineer

The Ministry of Roads (Redhreo i soî Dhitelî), headed by the First Engineer, is responsible for public roads, buildings, and parks, as well as the royal shipyards and armory.

Rhivo i Verdúria / Mayor of Verduria

Head of the local (city) administration, which oversees local commerce, maintains roads, maintains public order, and undertakes public works (such as the Plain's first sewer system). Chosen jointly by the Eschambra and the Kal, with veto power by the King.

Mashrom Denië / Master of Documents

Keeper of the City and National Archives and the Crown Jewels; recorder of legal decrees; overseer of the universities and seminaries of the kingdom; liaison with the temples and churches. Organizes national ceremonies.

Shoh Célenorei / Duke of Célenor

By the terms of the treaty by which the Duchy recognized the overlordship of Verduria, the Duke of Célenor has a seat on the Council, though he does not always have any official function. Currently Caloton Matrey.

Before the usurpation of Utu the (pagan) Patriarch of Verdúria (Perarh Verdúrë) sat on the council. Mëranac attempted to revive this custom, but the Eledhî demanded representation for their own Patriarch, and the revival was abandoned.

The Palace Guard and the military administration of Arcaln report directly to the King, though this is sometimes delegated to the Prime Minister.

The royal family [To Index]

He was succeeded in 3462 by his son Alric, who has been an exception to the general failure of second kings in Verdurian dynasties. Like most modern Verdurian kings, he has been content to let commerce and industry develop, rather than seek conquests in the Plain. (He has however extended Verduria's colonies in Téllinor and Qaraumia.)

Where Vlaran, as a minor noble, could do no better than to marry into a rich family, his children had to be married to royalty. Alric, the oldest child surviving to adulthood, was married to Zhivesa of Ismahi, and Shelicöra to a prince of Barakhún; Mëroshec merely married into the richest noble family in Verduria, the Tälî.

Zhivesa bore no children, a matter of increasing concern to the family, since the lack of a heir so early in the dynasty would throw the succession back to the Eschambra. The princess was sickly as well, and died in 3462, the same year as Vlaran. Alric's succession was not contested, but his heirlessness was a problem, and his advisors hurried to find him a suitable-- and healthy-- bride, as soon as was decently possible after Vlaran's funeral and Alric's accession.

Their choice was Leticai Cirisea, daughter of the king of Benécia; and many a troubled brow was unfurrowed when the new queen (elrei) bore a daughter in 3467. Tilye, now a teenager, is the Crown Princess and Duchess of Kaino (shoha Kaino); next in the line of succession is her baby brother Velto, who is also the Duke of Veor.

Prince Mëroshec (the duke of Dobrai) and his family live in the Dalusheíra, the King's Palace in Verduria-- Verdurian kings have learned not to give their royal brothers too long a leash. He has served more than once in Alric's Konselora. His daughter Sumëra was married to a prince of Krasnaya, and his son Caiem is an officer in the Navy.

Princess Shelicöra lived for a time in Barakhún, but complained of the cold, and she now lives with her husband on one of the royal estates in Zeir (or sometimes without him; the marriage is said to be troubled).

In addition to the Dalusheíra and the estates in Zeir, the royal family has palaces on the Island, in Pelym, Curesi, and Sherian. It also retains Vlaran's original baronial estate of Amezhna in Verduria province.

Under Verdurian law royalty is not contagious past the second generation. So, for instance, Mëroshec's daugher Sumëra is properly addressed as saza (princess) and her husband as sazë maris (prince by marriage); but Sumëra's son Mërcalto will be addressed simply as telnë Vleteon ('worthy Vleteon').

Composition of the Biyetora and Eschambra [To Index]

Type of member in Biyetora in Eschambra	Elective Lords 2477-2552		The Yanî as of 2742		Caleon 2958		The Soleî 3175		Elena Eledhe 3267		Alric 3480
City Stewards	6	30%	8	15%	10	14%	12	7%
Government officials	8	40	10	19	5	7	3	2
Nobles	6	30	29	55	46	65	109 145	64 51	170	39%	187	34%
Pagan clergy			6	11	10	14	45 50	27 18	18	4	24	4
Eledhe clergy							5	2	15	3	24	4
Members at large							20	7			8	2
Guild masters							35	12	32	7	35	6
Borough representatives							30	11	76	17	115	21
District representatives									119	27	136	25
Petty barons (beomulî)									10	2	16	3
Total	20		53		71		169 285		440		545
Elected							30	11	195	44	251	46
Electorate							20,000		700,000		4 million

The Eschambra or Parliament was made formally distinct from the Biyetora in 3174.

Elena's reform (3267) formally abolished the Biyetora.

Verduria-city is divided into boroughs (keshanî), whose leaders are stewards (kesharoi). From the time of the Soleî until Elena, the boroughs elected representatives to the Eschambra, but sent their stewards to the Biyetora.

Verduria is divided into ten provinces (fetörî): Verduria, Zeir, Sherian, Curesi, Irvesi, Aodo, Zelm, plus the vassal states Célenor, Luyshor, and Sereor. These are in turn divided into districts (shanî), although duchies and marquisates (shohî and surcontanî) are not considered part of a shana. It is the districts which elect representatives to the Eschambra. Cities also do not belong to shanî, and thus elect borough (keshana) instead of district representatives.

All nobles have the right to sit in the Eschambra, but (under Alric's reforms) only if they maintain a residence in Verduria-city. All nobles but certain beomî had a biyeta. The table may suggest that the number of nobles has exploded; but the columns for the Elective Lords and the Yanî include nobles in Verduria province only, and under Caleon those of Verduria and Zeir only.

There are over a hundred petty barons or baronets (beomulî), which elect a subset of their number to the Eschambra.

Members at large are appointed by the King, or are representatives of other bodies; since 3380, for instance, the University of Verduria has its own Member.

A Member of Parliament is known as an eschambrom.

Noble titles [To Index]

The following table lists the major titles by province, and gives the zhenata of the family which currently holds the title.

Province	shoh (13)	surcont (20)	cont (34)	hipcont (25)	beom (95)
Verdúria(40)	Kaino (= heir) Vleteon	Zandorini Eltuë	Menla	Veshnoa	Amezhna Vleteon
	Pelym Badbec	Anaseri Berg	Scushana	Dhacendi	Arostrana Ihtüec
	Vyat Dineon	Veshdan Täl	Arosd (app'td)	Tandora	Unrho Belucaro
	so Rhuk Rhafor	Nëron Mihel Medeon	Sü Barbúl	Borodino Täl	Erruk
	Arin (= P.M.) Monteneon	Pérecaln Spasiec	Belushati	Alletiey Alletiey	Losha
					Urushek
					(14 more)
Zeir (23)	Zeir (sazë) Vleteon	Caledo Cintanilo	Deuneon	Shayumor Shayumor	(10)
		Mishicama Erakilo	Savares Savaresey	Diburey Diburey
		Cuerin	Nicuru Bordëy	Alen
			Efrat
			Isyae Cunr
			Azhimbea
Sherian (22)	Veor (K's son) Vleteon	Bogric	Abolineron Abolineron	Daboral	(10)
	Sherian	Lescey	Veshnoa	Lazhna
			Ulian	(2 more)
			Balal
Irvesi (14)		Irvesi Culán	(2)	Firustey	(9)
				(1 more)
Curesi(13)	Dobrai (K's brother) Vleteon	Curesi Arzhentey	Shcarea	(2)	(6)
			(2 more)
Zelm (10)	so Sar	Kara	(2)	(1)	(5)
Aodo (12)		Aodo Obuneon	Mituré	(2)	Bilmán
			Dharcalno		(6 more)
Célenor(20)	Célenor Matrey	Nof Osörey	Nërona Cardhë	(3)	(10)
		Ozhnëa	(2 more)
		Elesa
Luyshor (12)	Luyshor (dalu)	Adel	(4)		(6)
Sereor(21)	Sereor (dalu)	Nuo	Ervost	(3)	(12)
		Ledhear	(2 more)

While we're at it, Krasnaya has one Lord (sanno), 3 surcontî (Aranë, Yuzhnaya, Enocur), 4 contî, 2 hipcontî and 6 beomî.

Guilds and Associations [To Index]

Guilds proper
Craft associations
Commercial associations
Professional associations
Keshana associations
Universities
Patriarchates

Guilds proper [Top of section]

The 32 guilds of Verduria-city are named below. Other cities and towns will have differing lists.

The full name of (say) the Lanyomië 'Mercers' would be Lonse Neron Lanyomië 'Honorable Guild of Mercers'. All the guilds are lonse except for those indicated below with ül (ancient), este (great), or daluy (royal). The guild name is given in the plural genitive; remove the final -ië (or -ë if there's no i) to get the name of the profession, e.g. lanyom 'mercer'.

Clothing

Lanyomië - Mercers--dealers in fine textiles: linen, velvet, silk, etc.
Uveromië - Tailors and Drapers
Shautomië - Skinners and Tanners
Huvecië - Dyers
Testasomië - Weavers
Shapomië - Hatters
Addobromië (ül) - Glovers-- dealers in gloves, scarves, belts, and other accessories
Calseomië - Shoemakers
Lapiskuskuomië - Bunny-suit makers

Food

Rälomië - Cooks
Bulondomië - Bakers
Myasomië - Butchers
Vintoshuvecië (ül) - Vintners-- sellers of wine and distilled liquors
Pazhusecië - Fishmongers
Sfetomië - Grocers-- dealers in cheese, spices, imported foods such as tea, coffee, cocoa

Tools

Sizhomië - Blacksmiths
Orhurokecië (este) - Goldsmiths
Genturokecië - Metalsmiths (silver, brass, pewter, etc.)
Endomië - Carpenters
Fäbomië - Painters
Fevomië - Woodcarvers
Gunoroë (daluy) - Armorers-- makers of armor as well as swords
Streloroë (daluy) - Fletchers and Bowyers -- makers of bows, arrows, and catapults
Sönilecië - Saddlers
Bechomië - Coopers (barrelmakers)
Zhoudautomië (ül) - Jewelers
Teleomië - Instrument maker
Lotomië (ül) - Boatwrights
Pazhakomië - Mapmakers
Scilecië - Shrubbers
Donyoshomië - Candlemakers
Steklomië - Glassblowers

Craft associations [Top of section]

Except as shown, the full names follow the pattern Lonsë Cunculë Shualnaomië (Honorable Company of Stablemasters); different adjectives are given in parentheses. Note that pretäro shevië is an unusual and even absurd term; the usual word for 'hairdresser', fifachich shevië, was considered undignified. Similarly, celkunom actually means 'moneychanger', but moneychangers are unorganized street vendors; their name is used by the much richer but despised ruzhkunomî, the moneylenders.

A few of these-- notably the booksellers, scribes, chinaware makers, and stablemasters-- are 'lesser' guilds simply because they are relatively new.

Prusoë (crechë 'agreeable') - Innkeepers and Restaurateurs
Shualnaomië - Stablemasters
Crifomië - Scribes
Impuyecië - Booksellers
Lekádecië - Apothecaries
Zerhashomië - Herblorist
Tuyoshariomië - Tobacconists
Pretäroë shevië - Hairdresser
Ledliomië (estë) - Makers of Fine China
Chanomië - Potters
Dhumatomië - Masons
Celkunomië - Moneylenders
Cumonora Aladheomië - League of Musicians
Cumonora Furomië - League of Actors

Commercial associations [Top of section]

Cunculë i Kunnáî - Association of Banks
Säte i soî Celdonecî Zëë - Hall of the Sea Traders
Cunculë Fascomië - Manufacturers' Association

Professional fellowships [Top of section]

The cumoterát itself runs colleges for some of the necessary studies, supervises apprenticeships and the passage to full membership, holds meetings and parties, and generally sticks up for the profession-- much like a guild. But full members (cumoteromî) really respond to no one-- the cumoterát does not discipline or oversee them, as a guild would.

The names follow the pattern Cumoterát Lekaroë (Fellowship of Physicians). The magicians add the adjective nüminse 'dreadful'. The magicians' and lawyers' fellowships are named after the art rather than the man; a lawyer is an amrabom, a magician a shrayom or alcedlom.

Lekaroë - Physicians
Sätevisanomië - Architects
Dhitelomië - Engineers (designers of roads, bridges, and canals)
soei Amrabei - Law
Cerhecomië - Alchemists
soei Shraii - Magic (literally, the Hidden (Art))

Keshana associations [Top of section]

Universities [Top of section]

Verdúria	2312	Cadhinorian emperor Sörtoro
Sherian	2571	Duke Rhezörn of Sherian
Curesi	2982	Zhevuran the Great
Zeir	2985	Zhevuran the Great
Vyat	3290	Elena Eledhe
so Sar (Nuo)	3314	Mëranac 1e Abolineron

Patriarchates [Top of section]

Verdúria (Verduria)	Barakhina (Barakhún)	Maranhë (Viminia)
Zeirdan (Verduria)	Kulzha (Curiya)	Kalomei (Lebcaizura)
Sherian (Verduria)	Zariaspa (Bazhra)	Saikn (Azgami)
Ozhnëa (Verduria)	Liynnor (Svetla)	Avéla (Érenat)
Zhésifo (Ctésifon)	Aránicer (Svetla)	Ilzanea (Dhekhnam)
Lumrehy (Solhai)	Sarnáe (Hezhina)	Eteban (Dhekhnam)
Beloa (Beshbalic)	Dracnáe (Dracnáe)	Visecra (Dhekhnam)

Theoretically these are all equals, with the Pere Perarh (First Patriarch) of Zhésifo as the supreme head. In practice, since the fall of the Empire, patriarchs have mostly gone their own way. However, the Pere Perarh has sought to impose a greater discipline on the central Cadhinorian patriarchates (Lumrehy, Kulzha, Zariaspa, Liynnor, Aránicer), and the perarh of Verduria has managed to attain a similar elevated position over the Verdurian patriarchates.

The Dhekhnami have closed down the cletanî in their territory, and chased the perarh out of Ilzanea; they still suffer those in Eteban and Visecra to remain, these having made Soviet-style professions of fealty to their overlords.

Below the level of perarh there are vacuranî (primates), administrators of monastic orders; cürî (curates) of different degrees, responsible for provinces, districts, or cities; and altclidhî (archpriests), who supervise the clidhî (priests) of a city borough, a town, or a rural circuit. The cenoi or abbots of monasteries may report to their vacuran, the local altclidhu, or both; and the cletandoroi or deans of seminaries are subject only to perarhî. Details of the hierarchy, as well as titles, can vary by region.

The Eledhe hierarchy is modelled on that of the pagans. There are Eledhe patriarchs in:

Verduria
Nëron Pavel (Benécia)
Dobray (Krasnaya)
Kebropol (Kebri)
Avéla (Érenat)

These also maintain seminaries; there are two in Verduria, Nëron Mihel in Verduria-city and Nëron Pavel in Sherian.

The Verdurian constitution [To Index]

Classical times

The commander of Arcaln was a calenorion (from calenos 'fortress'), and was normally a noble from the Cadhinorian heartland, chosen for military and managerial skill, and loyalty to the Emperor. In the early days, when Arénica was a small town (cumunda), its leader was a dusorion or headman, whose choice could be safely left to the locals. By the late Classical period, however (~ 1800), the town had grown to be an important seaport, dominating the Etald Verduran, the Deep Green Plain in the north of Eretald. Under its new name, Verduria, it was elevated to the rank of a mactana (city) ruled by an amaruos or mayor (1735). The amaruos was now appointed from Ctésifon, but normally from among the local grandees.

Common practices became traditions and then unalterable routine; Cadhinas ossified, and offices tended more and more to become hereditary. It was an easy transition: it was one less decision to make; it avoided politics and resentment; and the important families tended to remain the same anyway. From 1897 the mayoralty was held by the Saney family; from 2074, by the Darodenî.

The later Empire

In 2198 the wizard Uhnonca, profiting from a mysterious lack of Darodenî, took the sash of the Mayor for himself; he thereupon managed to take control of Arcaln and rebelled against the Cabal (not however in the Empire's name, but in his own). He was put down after a bloody three-year struggle. The lesson, so far as Ctésifon was concerned, was to neglect the northern city no longer. Verduria was placed under the direct rule of the Oligarchs.

The Red Cabal soon after fell to Irun of Banda, who proclaimed the restoration of the Empire. Irun and the later Emperors made Verduria their winter capital. As a result Verduria grew and adorned itself with palaces and government edifices. The Mayoralty was again entrusted to trusted lieutenants of the Empire.

The Lords

Ctésifon was recovered in 2472, with the essential aid of Velto Cänen, the cefsanno of Arcaln. In gratitude the Emperor elevated Verduria to a satranda or free city (2477), and made Cänen its sanno or Lord. Verduria and Arcaln were now united under the same hand for the first time since Uhnonca.

As a satranda the city would largely rule itself; but ground rules were established by the Emperor. To elect Sannoi, the emperor set up a system of electors. Those with a vote, a biyeta, were the keshoroi or stewards of the city's boroughs (keshanî), certain local governmental and military officials, and the more important nobles-- about 20 in all. This assemblage, the Biyetora, would be important for the next milennium.

The Biyetora, as a gathering of the chief notables of the realm, was inevitably called upon for counsel and cooperation in many areas. It soon had an official role as an advising body and as a court, and was expanded to include pagan clergy and more nobles. It had no taxing authority. It was called together every few years-- more often if a Lord felt weak and needed its help or authority.

Ironically, it was rarely consulted for its original purpose; by 2520 the sannát was effectively hereditary, though accessions were always ratified by the Biyetora. Only when a dynasty ran out of heirs, or when the heir was too young or too weak, was the Biyetora's role more than ceremonial.

For day to day administration the Lord relied on a permanent body, the Konselora or Lord's Council. Membership was informal, consisting simply of whoever the Lord chose to listen to. After 2800 counselors were entitled to a state pension.

The dominion of the sanno was essentially the city of Verduria and the estates previously attached to the cefsannát; the remainder of the province (fetöra) of Verduria was ruled by nobles, who theoretically owed no allegiance to the sanno except in wartime. The Lord was in practice not much more than the mayor of Verduria and captain of the province's army. This began to change only in 2870, when the Lord acquired through marriage the vast estates of the Princess of Zeir, making him the largest landowner in the combined realm. But even in 2920 the alliance Lord Avtor Prezheon made with the Marquis of Irvesi was directed largely against Ondorot of Vyat-- a Verdurian noble.

The Kingdom

Ordered to appear in Ctésifon to swear fealty, Caleon came; but Ertala's arrogance so outraged him that he returned to Verduria and (with the Biyetora's backing) proclaimed himself dalu, or King (2943). Dalu had meant 'prince' in Cadhinor, but its semantics had shifted as provinces became autonomous, and Ertala took it as it was meant, as a declaration of independence.

Ertala raised an army to subjugate Verduria; Caleon demolished it. He marched into Ctésifon, proclaiming his intention to have Ertala thrashed like a schoolboy. The last Cadhinorian Emperor killed himself rather than suffer this indignity.

The new King now found himself at the head of the largest state in the Plain. How was it to be ruled? Direct rule, at this stage of history, was not really possible. The conquered lands (not only Ertala's tiny empire but Irvesi, Aodo, and Célenor) were inevitably given to dukes and generals to rule; though Caleon absorbed what was left of the imperial state apparatus, which even then was stronger than his own.

The broadened horizons of the Prezheons made it necessary to delegate the rule of Verduria-city itself to the Great Steward (Este Hozën), who was appointed by the King in consultation with important local officials. It wasn't long before the Steward was simply called the Rhivo, after the title of the mayors of large cities. Verduria-city has had mayors ever since.

On Caleon's death-- he was assassinated by agents of the Marquis of Irvesi-- the Biyetora wanted to put his brother Zheneon on the throne. Caleon's son Zhevuran had to fight a short civil war to secure his succession. (Ironically his greatest support came from Zeir and the newly conquered territories, Zheneon's from Verduria province.) Upon his victory Zhevuran dissolved the Biyetora and ruled by decree. For counsel he relied on the Konselora, filled with his loyal followers.

Zhevuran did contribute to the rule of law, by promulgating the Great Code of 3021, unifying Verdurian and Ctésifoni law, which had diverged in the last milennium. He established courts to enforce the law, and gave his officers the right to pursue violators anywhere in the realm-- an important first step in the long process of subjugating the independent feudal nobility to central rule.

The later Prezheons were weak, and the conquests of Zhevuran and his son Estdorot (who had even crossed the Ctelm mountains to thrash the ktuvok empire of Dhekhnam) were largely lost. After a short civil war Caloton Soley seized the sash (3142), and called up the Biyetora for the first time since 2959 to affirm his kingship.

Caloton, in his will, gave the Biyetora legislative power, for the first time. He had no high opinion of his son Efaristo, and felt that the nobles should do most of the ruling. He also modernized the composition of the Biyetora, distributing biyetî widely in the new territories, and giving seats (without biyeta) to guild leaders, Eledhe priests, and elected representatives of the keshanî. This expanded body was called the Eschambra or Great Council. In 3194 taxing authority was given to it, as part of a compromise between the king and the nobles abolishing certain feudal duties.

The Konselora also became a more formal body in these years. The heads of the kingdom's ministries were now always members, and the chief minister, that of the Exchequer, was an increasingly important figure.

Tomao Eledhe

The Eschambra was thus by now an indispensable symbol of legitimacy, and except for despots an essential part of government. Tomao indeed passed a law requiring the Eschambra to meet at least once every three years.

Tomao was a follower of the relatively new Eledhe religion, and thus he and his dynasty remain controversial in Verdurian history. Pagans cannot quite forgive him for disestablishing Cadhinorian polytheism (tësadhát) and separating temple and state; but they cannot deny that he saved Verduria from tyranny and presided over a renaissance. Verdurian ships reached Xurno, Uytai, and Téllinor, and even crossed the Zone of Fire; the first joint-stock corporations were formed; and printing was introduced from Avéla.

Tomao was succeeded by his son Ihano, and then by his daughter Elena (3266).

Elena's reform

Many were outraged by this demonstration of arrogance, and Elena agreed. She dissolved the Eschambra, imprisoned the ringleaders, and proceeded to entirely reform the legislature. Thus by revolution from above, Verduria received its modern constitution.

Elena created 25 new peerages, increased the number of urban boroughs entitled to elect representatives from 30 to 76, and gave ten seats to the baronets or beomulî, to be chosen from their number. Some pagan clergy were stripped of their Eschambra seats, which were given to Eledhî. Rural shanî (districts) were also to elect representatives for the first time; and the franchise was greatly extended: henceforth all male Verdurians worth more than 100 orhulî per year, and all unmarried females worth more than 500, were entitled to vote. The electorate at a stroke expanded from roughly 20,000 to more than 700,000, out of a population of 5 million. (Since then inflation, without any change of law, has expanded the electorate to 3.8 out of 6 million.)

Finally Elena abolished the Biyetora, the subset of the Eschambra responsible for choosing a new King. The monarchy (recognizing long tradition) was henceforth to be hereditary, though the Eschambra would still have the right to choose a King when the succession was in dispute or the ruling dynasty had no heirs.

The immediate impact of Elena's reforms was to pack the Eschambra with her allies; but the long-term result was to make it a more democratic body, and one which reflected the new power of the urban bourgeoisie, the Eledhî, and the merchants as against the traditional nobles and clergy who had dominated the old Eschambra.

A more suprising result is that the more representative nature of the new Eschambra eventually increased its own authority and its legitimacy as the voice of the Verdurian people; no monarch since Elena has been able to wholly dominate it.

Modern trends

The fortunes of Verduria's brokers, sea traders, merchants, and manufacturers dwarf the land-based estates of the nobles. Verduria is now oriented toward trade, and even the rural districts have been transformed by the market economy. Peasants no longer depend on the local lord as protector or buyer, and are increasingly unwilling to suffer his claims and pretentions; and in this they have a powerful ally in the King.

The last stand of the nobles was the rebellion of the Duke of Sherian in 3470, soundly defeated by Alric. Noble privileges remain, but the authority of the King even within the nobles' estates is no longer questioned. Alric has even compelled the nobles to live in Verduria-city-- where he can keep an eye on them-- if they wish to exercise their vote in the Eschambra.

A system of party politics developed even in the early years of "Elena's Eschambra". The parties are named fakoi, after the boxes in which members drop their votes. They tend to come and go, but they normally align with the abiding divisions in Verdurian society: the old order vs. the new; agriculture vs. trade; the Svetla vs. the sea; the pagans vs. the Eledhî; and above all the country vs. the city.

Since the time of the Abolinerons the preeminent figure in the Konselora has been the Lord of the King's Council (Sanno Konselore Daluii) or Prime Minister-- in effect, the head of the government. The requirement that he be appointed by the King but approved by the Eschambra has made his choice a battleground between royal and parliamentary power, usually solved by appointing the head of the largest fako.

The end result is a system not unlike the French constitution: day to day administration is in the hands of a prime minister dependent on parliament, while defense and other broad-scale issues remain in the hands of the king. The King has somewhat more power than this analogy would suggest, including the ability to dismiss the prime minister or to call new elections for Parliament at will, as well as complete control over the army and the courts. But his power is certainly not limitless; indeed, by this time he cannot truly function without the Eschambra, which alone has the power to tax and the power to alter legislation-- and whose representation of the power centers of Verdurian society ensures the legitimacy of the government.

Civil and religious holidays [To Index]

Civil calendar

Date	Holiday	Explanation
1 olashu	Cäma i Lebe Zon	New Year Holiday.
14-16 cuéndimar	Cuenda Mazhtane	Festival of the City.
20 vlerëi	Imdaluát	Coronation Day. The date varies by King; this is Alric's.
27 yag	Cäma i Urukesha Recoltëi	Harvest's End Holiday.
10 zhelea	Cedhue Scurë	National Day. Although the holiday was created by Elena Eledhe, it commemorates the formal creation of the Eschambra in 3174. For years the Eschambra opened on this date, but now it opens on the last scúreden of the month.
week of 1 shoru	Elshoru	Middark. Winter solstice celebration.
23 beshana	Izhzhon	Foreyear Day. Civil appointments begin. Parliamentary elections are held on the previous cedhnare.

Cadhinorian Pagan calendar

Month	God	Celebration
olashu	Rhavcaëna	(1) Imameto demeche	Investitute of Spring
reli	Necheron	(1) Dën relë	Day of Sowing
cuéndimar	Enäron	(1st week) Cuéndimar	Great Festival
		(17) Dën Vlerëi or Vleryana	Day of Vlerë
vlerëi	Vlerë	(6) Cuendaya	Lesser Festival, honoring the King
calo	Caloton	(1) Cedhue Caltei	Feast of Caloton
recoltë	Bodhneay	(1) Dën Recoltëi	Day of Reaping
		(28) Elzon	Midyear's Day
yag	Oruseon
zhelea	Azhirei	(1st cedhnare) Ishet Cumproseo	Solemn March
ishire	Ishira	(1) Dën Ishire	Day of Ishira
shoru	Fidra	(1) Elshoru or Cedhue Cedhuië	Enddark, Feast of Feasts
frodhac	Mëranac	(1) Eliveri	Midwinter's Day (chiefly rural)
		(1st cedhnare) Dën Deutaye	Day of Deutaya (in city)
beshana	Eshi	(1) Adhcet	Godsfest

Of these festivals the most important are Cuéndimar, a week-long festival centering on Enäron, and featuring plays and rites reenacting celebrated events in Cadhinorian history; the Solemn March, in which thousands of worshippers, in a solemn, chanting defile, give thanks to Rhavcaëna for the successful harvest, and pray for protection in the coming winter; and Elshoru, which celebrates the lengthening of days in midwinter, and (not incidentally) Keadau's expulsion of the Munkhâshi from the Plain.

In addition kasten or leap-day, which falls in no month, every five years, is a holiday, and is celebrated with feasts, games, and pranks.

Since ancient times each of these festivals has been celebrated by the priests, at the temple of the appropriate god. Sacrifices are made, to implore the gods' favor. The local lord will supply the greatest sacrifice (it is customary in the north, for instance, for the king to offer a white bull to be slain on the steps of the Temple of Enäron at the Investiture of Spring); but the lowliest peasant will attempt to find a rabbit or a pigeon or a handful of grain to offer.

Eating and drinking is involved, as well. Small villages eat communally on the feast days; in town, the feasts are organized by clans, by guilds, or by neighborhoods. The local lord, in partial recompense for feudalism, is expected to supply meat and beer for all.

Eledhe calendar

Date	Holiday	Explanation
1	Izhpasca	Before-Easter. (Passover)
1+4	Dernë Zury	The last supper.
1+5	Shoruden	Day of darkness.
2	Pasca	Easter.
3	Nërona Maria Magdale.	Mary Magdalene.
5	Nëron Ikobo	St. Ikobo (an early Eledhe).
7	Brac Eledhei	Glory of Eledh. (Ascension)
9	Zurem Itianei or Donulî	Mass of the Spirit, or Gifts. (Pentecost)
10	Nëron Cefa	St. Cephas. (St. Peter)
13 + 1-7	Cuenda Creise	Festival of Creation. A seven-day Arashei feast (Cuêzi Vissiveyas dêriex) celebrating and reenacting the Creation.
15	Zurem Durnëe Dënië	Mass of the Last Days. An Arashei holiday which looked to the last days as a liberation from the tribulations of the Dark Years; it now more blithely anticipates the final victory of Eledh.
17	Nëron Mihel	St. Mihel, leader of the Eleniki.
19	Nërona Vënica	St. Vënica (an Eledhe prophet).
20	Nërona Maria Benula	Blessed St. Mary.
23	Nëron Ihano	St. John.
26	Samnurzha Iainei	Fast of Iáinos. Cuêzi Ga:ema:u Iáinex; thanksgiving to Iáinos in the time of harvest and a renewal of vows to follow God.
28	Nëron Ihano Immeyec	St. John the Baptist.
30	Capiye Zhantomië	Reverence of the Prophets. Cuêzi Ca:pias numi:curie:; once a nine-week series of holidays celebrating various prophets; now a one-day invocation of them all.
31	Nëron Iosif	St. Joseph.
32	Eledhnes	Birth of Eledh (Christmas).
34	Dalî or Zurem Donulië Daluë	Kings or Mass of the Kings' Gifts. (Epiphany)
35	Nëron Pavel	St. Paul
37	Nëron Oromo	St. Oromo (an Arashei saint).
38	Zurem Einatui	Mass of Einatu. (Michaelmas)
40	Racont Marian or Zurem Yee	the Telling to Mary or the Mass of Yea. (Annunciation)
42	Zurem Iriamei	Mass of Iriam. An Arashei holiday in honor of the first ilii.
3rd from last	Zurem Detombei	Mass of Man's Fall. An Arashei holiday mourning the fall of Cuzei, now serving as well to prepare for the Passion.
2nd from last	Nëron Teronel	St. Teronél (an Arashei saint).
last	Zurem Adhetonei	Mass of the Church.

Zon Erei (Year of the South) 3480

Verdurian schooling [To Index]

Echom - Grammar school [To Index]

In the country children may have anywhere from one to four years of echom; girls are less likely than boys to be sent to school.

The traditional course of study is hiceteviso (mathematics), aladhea (music), Cadhino (Cadhinor), aluatas (grammar), eyurcrivát (rhetoric), pleschura (history), kestora (natural philosophy), and lätat (athletics). Only a beginning is made on these in the echom, whose focus is more on teaching reading and writing, singing, games, stories from Verdurian history, and the recitation of memorized poems.

There is little religious instruction, even in church-run schools, since it's generally felt that young children cannot understand doctrine, and should be absorbing religious practice and morality from their families instead.

Echomî are privately run; but in a society where doing things for the common good is a bedrock virtue, this amounts to saying only that it's not a function of the state per se. Founding an echom is a good work, like founding a hospital, and many echomî were established by nobles or rich men, often in their wills. Others are run by religious orders, by guilds for their members' children, or by scholars who live off the students' fees. In the countryside they are often attached to temples or churches.

Echomî are usually small, with anywhere from four to sixty students (a schoolchild is an echomu) and one to five teachers. Even in the country, there is likely to be an echom within walking distance of a child's house, so children go home for dinner.

The teachers (imbemec, literally, one who puts things into your head) generally live on the premises. Traditionally most teachers were men, though there have always been female monastic orders devoted to teaching; in the last few centuries there has been a great increase in the number of female teachers (themselves a result of greater education, and financial need, among the urban lower classes).

One who has completed grammar school (or most of it) is echomul-- once a respectable status, now fairly common.

Ebrakát - Apprenticeship [To Index]

If you wish to join a guild or craft, you begin with an apprenticeship (ebrakát) to a master craftsman , at age 12 or 13. The length of the ebrakát varies by the craft, but it's typically six years. (It was less in the Dark Years, when lifespans were short and crafts were simpler.) Apprentices are maintained by their master (an osän, who is usually but not always a relative), but not paid.

Girls are only very rarely accepted into an apprenticeship. If a man has no sons, he will often adopt one instead, and marry him off to his daughter. (A condition of such marriages is that the groom take the father's name as well as, ultimately, his business.)

After finishing your apprenticeship, you generally have the status of lebom (journeyman) for one or two years. A lebom is entitled to wages-- which is not always to his benefit, since some masters prefer to take on apprentices, who don't have to be paid, rather than pay journeymen. It's common to switch masters after finishing one's apprenticeship.

You will then be examined by the guild and hopefully accepted into membership, in which case you're a neronom. (The guild may reject you for bad work, or for immorality; and it may delay membership if there are already too many members for the work available.)

Avisar - Academy [To Index]

Prototypically you begin the avisar at 13 and study for three to five years. Instruction is thorough and severe. The curriculum focusses on the traditional subjects mentioned above. However, girls are often taught drawing or sewing instead of Cadhinor; and for nobles, the lätát is likely to involve horseriding (for both sexes) and swordsmanship (for boys), rather than the games favored in middle class schools. There may also be religious instruction.

Avisarî are larger than echomî, with 50 to 150 students (a student is an avisaru), and 5 to 15 teachers. Some avisarî act as day schools, like echomî; but since they are often far from the child's house, and because students may be sent to an avisar in another town, many are boarding schools.

In the smaller or more conservative towns, girls are generally not sent to avisarî; but in the cities most middle and upper class girls do attend one.

Avisarî, unlike most echomî, are single-sex. Most Verdurians do not have what we would recognize as a teenage; one passes directly from childhood to work or apprenticeship, and what free time one has is generally spent with family, not with fellow teens. The closest exception is the prolonged dependence of the avisar years; and here it is felt that contact between the sexes is distracting. Avisar girls often form lesbian relationships-- generally with official approval, since it's seen as a harmless way of keeping the girls' minds off boys. Same-sex experimentation is common at many boys' academies as well, but here the authorities try to prevent real bonding, since this is considered debilitating.

One who has completed the avisar is called avisarei.

Some children are taught by private tutors (indhulomî) instead of attending an avisar.

Smernáe - College [To Index]

There are girls' smernáî for medicine, architecture, engineering, and magic; girls may be admitted to to schools of law or alchemy under exceptional circumstances.

The curriculum consists mostly of practical training in the profession, though there will be some general studies: Cadhinor for physicians and magicians; natural philosophy for alchemists; drawing and mathematics for architects and engineers; rhetoric and history for lawyers.

The professions are not eager to share their secrets with the outside world. Students are sworn not to reveal the content of their courses, and if there are texts, they are written in an obscure fashion impenetrable to outsiders. The interpretation of this secret language must of course be taught in the college. Advanced medical and magical training may even be given in Cadhinor (or to be precise a modern Cadhinor, with Verdurian intrusions in syntax and lexicon, which would probably strike the ancients as strange and difficult).

After college, the student is accepted into the profession, but it is usual to then serve as a lebom for two years or so under the direction of an experienced member of the craft.

Cletana - Seminary [To Index]

There are of course seminaries for each of the major religions. In Eledhe and Irrean seminaries there is a large emphasis on doctrine; in the pagan seminaries this is replaced with training in Cadhinor, still the language of the pagan hierarchy and pagan religious literature.

If the seminarian aims to be a priest, he will serve as a lebom (acolyte), assisting an older priest for two or more years, before being assigned a cure of his own. Seminarians may also become teachers in schools run by the sect, or join a religious order. (It's possible to join an order without attending a cletana, but those who do cannot advance in the order, and tend to get all the menial jobs.)

Cletanî have adjuncts for girls; all the sects allow women to join religious orders, and some (notably the Irreanists, and Eledhî coming out of an Arashei background) allow them to be priests.

A military cletana does not have the atmosphere of an American military school-- you don't send a boy there because he's a disciplinary problem. A Verdurian military officer is a gentleman, and often an aristocrat; besides military strategy and tactics and army or navy procedure, the student is given instruction in the traditional Cadhinorian curriculum-- and in manners-- and is expected to end up as suited to the drawing room as to the battlefield.

A graduate of a military cletana will serve as an adjutant for some years before becoming a full officer.

Cadhinorian tradition has long recognized that an exceptional woman may be suited for a military career (starting with the mythic heroine Koleva). To avoid problems, officers and soldiers are instructed to treat these women com serán, 'like a man'-- with no special favors or accommodation, no harrassment, and no sexual interest. (This is one niche in Verdurian society for open lesbians: it's acceptable for a female officer to be so com serán that she has a girlfriend or wife.)

Shriftanáe - University [To Index]

The first level of the shriftanáe, the suméria, is more or less formalized, and takes three or four years. Thereafter the student is called a sumerul. A sumerul can go into business or government, teach at a lower level in the educational system, tutor, or continue to study. Formerly, he could also teach at the university; but now a second level of study, called the scrifteca, is required for this. A person with a scrifteca is a recognized master of his subject, can teach at the university itself, and is dignified with the title Shriftom.

No level of education is closed to women, but only about a tenth of university students (smericî) are women.

In contrast to our system, where the college authorities are considered to act in loco parentis, smericî are considered to be adults. Thus, their freedom of action is limited only by penury. (Nobles consider the avisar to be sufficient education for their heirs; only their third or fourth-born children, who will not inherit the estate and thus need a means of getting on in life, are sent to university.)

Parliamentary voting systems [To Index]

Electing members [To Index]

Boroughs

Each borough (keshana) could establish its own rules for voting, but the following was typical, and is still the prototypical voting system in the Plain. Candidates were nominated by the borough officials or by electors. (No one could nominate themselves-- if you couldn't get one friend to suggest your name, you certainly weren't going to get elected.) One ballot (divea) after another was held till one candidate attained a simple majority.

For each ballot, each voter was given a stone (dhumë), filed past a table on which one box per candidate had been set up, and dropped his stone in the box (fako) of his choice. The winner was of course the candidate with the most stones in his fako.

The ballot was not secret, but if you didn't want anyone to see your vote, you put a fist in two boxes at once, and dropped your stone from one of them. (Observers would raise a ruckus immediately if they heard two stones dropping, hands rooting around in the stones, or other no-nos.)

As the electorate has grown (by immigration into the cities, by increasing prosperity, and by inflation), meetings of all the electors are no longer practical. (Though there are now 115 boroughs, the urban electorate has grown to over two million, so that the average borough has 18000 voters.)

One expedient is to require poorer voters to appoint a 'supervoter' (proelusec) to cast their collective votes; the proelusecî then meet together as above to choose an eschambrom. Traditionally a proelusec represents forty voters. In some keshanî the householders in a neighborhood get together to choose a proelusec; in others it is the proelusecî who seek voters, canvassing the borough till they have forty signatures.

Other boroughs have elections more like ours, with declared candidates and a voting day. The voters vote just once, bringing their stones to the borough hall (keshansäte). If no one has a majority, then the candidate with the least votes distributes his stones as he sees fit to the other candidates. The process continues till someone has a majority.

Districts

Parliamentary votes [To Index]

Parties

The chief parties, with their representation in the 3480 Eschambra:

• The Navirora or Navy party, originally the war party in the Kebreni conflict. They are traditionally associated with naval power, merchants, Eledhî, the cities, and latterly industry and financial sectors.

  67 nobles, 4 pagan & 18 Eledhe clergy, 4 members at large, 26 guild, 75 borough, 23 district, 1 beomul = 218

• The Cadhin or Cadhinorian party, originally the opposition in the Kebreni war. They are traditionally associated with rural areas, with the Svetla trade, farmers, pagans, and the southern part of the country.

  108 nobles, 20 pagan clergy, 5 guild, 15 borough, 103 district, 14 beomulî = 265

• The Zhenië or Peoples' party, which split off around 3400 from the Navy party. It's associated with petty bourgeois, scholars, Zeir, and the more anti-aristocratic elements of the bourgeoisie.

  12 nobles, 6 Eledhe clergy, 4 members at large, 4 guild, 25 borough, 10 district, 1 beomul = 62

History

A national unity government was formed after the Time of Chaos (3374-6) and governed during the first years of the Vochnor dynasty; the Cadhin party thereafter ruled alone.

The reign of Onvadhra was confused; her power base was the Navy party, but the issue of her usurpation divided the party. Onvadhra's supporters formed the Zhenië party, an odd alliance of progressives with pragmatics. There were several coalitions, some of them based on personality rather than the parties per se.

Under the Vleteonî, the Navy party has generally governed, either alone or in coalition with the Zhenië; the Cadhinî governed only during a few years of Vlaran's reign, and for a brief period preceding the Barons' Rebellion of 3470. Note that since Alric's law requiring nobles to reside in Verduria-city to vote, the above representation figures overstate the power of the Cadhin party.

Coinage and Prices [To Index]

Coin	Type	Defined as		Equivalent value
orh	large gold	= 3 orhulî	= 12 f	$58
orhula	small gold	= 4 falî	= 4 f	$19
fale	large silver	= 3 arzhentulî	= 1 f	$4.80
arzhentul	small silver	= 4 emurî	= 1/3 f	$1.60
emura	small emur	= 6 stanî	= 1/12 f	$0.40
stan	large tin		= 1/72 f	$0.07

The 'large' coins are all the same size, about 10 grams, and roughly .4 mano wide (= 3.3 cm). The 'small' coins are all the same size too, 1/3 the weight of the large size (thus, 3.33 grams, 1.9 cm wide). As a result all the large coins share a single reverse; a smaller version is used on the small coins.

In many countries merchants can legally accept only coins from their own country, marked on the reverse with the national stamp, which is therefore called the amrabul, from leta amrabul 'coin made legal'. The Verdurian stamp is pictured at right.

The value of money [To Index]

In the Cadhinorian period before Ervëa, the price ratio of silver to gold was about 8 to 1; after Ervëa, due an influx of silver following the colonization of Sarnáe and exploitation of mines in the Ctelm mountains, the ratio rose to 15 to 1. It fell to 10 to 1 during the medieval era, due to such factors as a greater assiduity in mining and panning for gold, restricted access to the silver mines in the mountains, and the preference of the barbarians for silver (they had plenty of gold from Xurno). Presently, with increased access to worldwide sources of silver, the ratio has climbed to 12 to 1.

The price ratio of tin to silver is 72 to 1; that of copper (civru, used by some countries as currency) to silver is 110 to 1. (The value of emur of course depends on the mixture used.)

In medieval times trade was moribund, and most economic transactions were accomplished through barter or the exchange of feudal obligations; coins were used mostly in the cities, and perhaps their largest economic use was by kings to pay for mercenaries and luxuries. The amount of coin in circulation, however, was dwarfed by the amount hoarded (by lords, by rich merchants, by monasteries and seminaries, by monsters, by barbarian hordes, etc.-- not by kings, who spent their money).

In modern times the money economy has revived, and money is invested rather than hoarded. The coin-hoards have returned to circulation, and governments and banks are again coining money. Not surprisingly, then, prices have soared since the medieval period when coins were rare.

The brokerage houses (kunnáî) have recently discovered reserves: they have realized that only a small portion of the money on deposit will be called for at any one time, and the rest-- the majority-- can be lent out at interest. As a result, an explosion of investment capital has become available, and the amount of money in bank accounts is much larger than the total coinage.

In addition, the larger transactions these days are not made by currency, but by shuffling numbers between ledgers. There is no paper currency in the Plain, but there are bank drafts, functionally equivalent to our checks.

The value of coins is also affected by their purity and of course their size; and treasuries play with both in order to maintain a proper ratio of coin values-- or a satisfactory purchasing power. The value of various countries' currency is thus much more volatile than that of the metals themselves.

Units of account [To Index]

For the last few centuries the preferred currency has been the Verdurian orhula, which has been similarly stable. (From the time of the Eledhe dynasty on, the Exchequer-- soa Kunasha-- has been wise enough not to mess with the coinage. One reason is that in Verduria's dynamic economy, there are plenty of other means to satisfy the government's appetite for cash.)

Note that a unit of account need not correspond to a physical coin. That of Zhésifo, for instance, is the Cadhinorian chunima, which has not been coined there for two thousand years; and that of Érenat is the orh crifei, the 'gold of the ledger'; these are occasionally minted for special occasions, but haven't been the coin of the realm for three centuries.

Prices in the market may or may not be expressed in the unit of account. The orhula is a bit cumbersome for the market; prices are normally expressed in falî (= 1/4 orhula); but very cheap items are quoted in stanî.

Other countries [To Index]

Thus, bes 12 under Guaya means that the Guayan bes is 12 times the value of the Guayan eleura; while eleura 1.1 means that the eleura is 1.1 times the value of the Verdurian fale. From this it can be seen that the bes is worth 13.2 falî.

The chief coins of the late Cadhinorian Empire are shown; it can be seen that their names and values have persisted across the Plain. The names derive from the objects that were pictured on them: 'hero, sword, ship, bird'.

Other nations have influenced their neighbors' coinage as well, notably Svetla (the chief nation of the south of the Plain), Kebri (due to its dominant position in the Littoral), and Elkarinor (the land of the elcari-- as the great miners of Almea, their coins are numerous and respected).

Kebri, Ismahi, Cerei, Curiya, and Svetla punch holes in the gold piece to change the price ratio of silver to gold coins to 10 to 1. Other countries achieve a smaller gold/silver ratio by making the gold coin smaller.

Small tin and copper coins are omitted, and not a few intermediate or extra-large coins as well.

	gold				silver				emur
Cadhinas	baesos	15	cruva	3	glabro		pelantos	1/4	alathis	1/12
Verdúria	orh	12	orhula	4	fale	1	arzhentul	1/3	emura	1/12
Célenor	flave	12	orhula	4	fale	1	arzhentei	1/3	alati	1/12
Krasnaya	bes	12	orhula	4	arzhentei	.9	felát	1/3	emura	1/12
Ctésifon	bes	12	besima	4	glavo	1	pelant	1/4	alati	1/12
Guaya	bes	12	orhula	4	eleura	1.1	arzhentei	1/3	alati	1/12
Solhai	daluy	12	orhula	4	glavo	1	felát	1/4	alati	1/12
Viminia	daluy	12	orhula	4	fale	.5	arzhentei	1/3	emura	1/12
Caizura	orh	12	orhula	3	fale	.85	dungo	1/2	emura	1/10
Curiya	orh	10	metorh	5	kop	.9	felát	1/4	stanse	1/16
Svetla	ezhonde	10	mesuy	5	eshenë	1.29	eshenalt	1/4	razo	1/16
Pakshohan			cadhin	4	eshenë	1.03	eshenalt	1/4	alat	1/16
Cerei	ezhonde	10	mesuy	5	eshenë	1.13	meteshenë	1/2	stana	1/10
Hezhina	ezhdonde	12	metuy	6	eshcenile	1.08	felánt	1/4	alat	1/16
Mútkün	nashtorî	9	ôkhek	3	ilôdil	.733	pelant	1/3	aladhi	1/12
Hroth	khurind	9	metuî	3	ilôdil	.75	pelant	1/3	aladhi	1/12
Barakhún	khurind	9	ôkhek	3	ilôdil	.8	pelant	1/3	kharshi	1/9
Elkarinor	machîl	18	khurind	6	buduq	2.43	nkhinîluq	1/2	kphath	1/12
Benécia	orhón	12	orhíl	4	hínalek	1	harshi	1/4	stanón	1/20
Kebri	suithum	10	kuirnu suithum	5	alath	1.32	kuirnu	1/2	sylkona	1/12
Érenat	sutam	12	orhula	4	glavo	1	cürnu	1/3	alati	1/12
Ismahi	saçne	8	sasavi	2.67	glure	1	mes,u	1/3	alasi	1/12
Denisovich	sutam	6	orhula	2	mecin	2.07	meshu	1/6	emura	1/18
Flora	nolleck	10	obnolleck	5	meckin	2.1	obmeckin	1/2	priddel	1/6
Xurno	ej	12			mikush	2.54	teishmikush	1/2	geshik (copper)	1/10

Prices [To Index]

Prices are not uniform even within the kingdom of Verduria, much less the Plain-- although the discrepancies are nowhere near as striking as they were in medieval times, when the same commodity could be five to ten times more expensive in one area than another.

Dollar equivalents are based on a ratio of 1 fale = $4.80, which was chosen based on the price of certain foodstuffs. By modern standards Verduria is a low-wage, high-price economy. (But within the Plain Verduria is known for offering good wages.)

Wages
Worker's daily wage (incl board)	1.5 f	$7.20
Same, without meals	2 f	$9.60
Boy's daily wage (with meals)	1 f	$4.80
Common soldier's daily wage (active duty; with meals)	1.7 f	$8.20
Alchiro's daily pay (~= captain)	15 f	$72
Dramatist's fee for a play	320 f	$1536
Food
Ordinary dinner	1 f	$4.80
Restaurant dinner	2 - 8 f	$9 - 36
Cheese, 1 süro (.61 kg)	.3 f	$1.40
Butter, 1/2 süro (.30 kg)	.4 f	$1.90
Beef, 1/2 süro	.2 f	$1
Mutton, 1/2 süro	.14 f	$0.67
Chicken, 1 whole	1.75 f	$8.40
Eggs, 10	.4 f	$1.90
Loaf of bread	0.3 f	$1.50
Drink
Beer, 1 lazhna (.8 l)	.07 - .15 f	$0.33 - .67
Wine, 1 lazhna	.4 - 3 f	$2 - 14
Mead, 1 lazhna	0.2 f	$1
Coffee or tea, 2 veraî (.16 l)	.08 f	$0.38
Food & Drink-- Wholesale
Wheat, 1 luco (36.27 l)	2 f	$9.80
Beef, 1 cucuri (6.1 kg)	1.7 f	$8.20
Mutton, 1 cucuri	1.2 f	$5.80
Beer, 1 bechka (barrel, 145.1 l)	4 f	$19
Wine, 1 bechka	20-100 f	$100-500
Metals
Gold, 100 hecurî (.61 kg)	817 f	$3922
Silver, 1 cucuri (6.1 kg)	677 f	$3249
Tin, 1 cucuri	9.3 f	$45
Copper, 1 cucuri	5.8 f	$28
Iron, 1 cucuri	1.9 f	$9
Materials & miscellaneous
Bricks, 1000	11 f	$53
Wood, pavona (1750 kg)	.75 f	$3.60
Newspaper, daily	.07 f	$0.34
Newspaper, weekly	.25 f	$1.20
Printed book	2 f	$9.60
Manuscript book or scroll	40 f	$192
Telescope	50 f	$240
Mirror	15 f	$72
Candles, 1/2 süro	.2 f	$1
Cloth & clothing
Fine wool cloth, chima2 (.76 m)	1.5 f	$7.20
Coarse cotton cloth, chima2	.5 f	$2.40
Silk cloth, chima2	40 f	$192
Noblewoman's fine dress	400 f	$1920
Bourgeoise's dress	80 f	$384
Work dress	20 f	$96
Tunic and pants	15 f	$72
Shoes	10 f	$48
Cloak	6 f	$29
Hat, simple	2 f	$9.60
Blanket	6 f	$29
Sword	20 f	$96
Services
1/2 hour carriage ride	.17 f	$0.82
Day's rent on carriage	3 f	$14.40
1 night's lodging in an inn	2 f	$9.60
Horse, riding	60 f	$288
Horse, for war	500 f	$2400
Feed & stabling for a horse, 1 night	.3 f	$1.44
Tickets to a play	.25 f	$1.20