Glyffa

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Glyffa

Population: 2,500,000

Government- Theocratic Gynocracy

Cities: Tarantum

Ruler- Gabrielle De Courtney "The Trustee" (Priestess of Rhea 25th level)

Important Persons: Swan- commander of region blue (Warrior 8th level)

Alliances: Pellen, Northermark Confederacy, and Aragos

Economy: spice, agriculture, textiles, livestock

Military- their military consist entirely of women. It is highly mobile with Dragoons, horse archers and medium lancers as the majority of forces. Their navy is a small one concerned primarily with coastal defense.

Notes: a northern country ruled by women.

Rhiannon and St. Raphine are worshiped widely here. The land of Glyffa is separated into four regions. Mostly plain and plateau, although there are some foothills and mountains, as well as forests bogs and marshlands. A third or more of the land is virgin forest or wild grasslands

History: Taken from "The Chronicles of Reconciliation" by Silverquill.

"Glyffa was a place not much worse or better than most, over a century ago. It's king paramount was young and headstrong, named Sunfavor. A handsome, vain, doughty warrior, he thought himself irresistible to women. His fancy lit on a courtier. Betrothed to another, she refused him, her name was Kasara.

He grew wroth. To his own end, he instituted legal sanctions against the rights of her sex. To him rallied men who concurred with him, or stood to gain by his new laws. Soon, a woman couldn't own property, choose her own mate or cite any birthright. To travel required consent of father, husband or brother. She was forbidden reading, writing and numbers. Public speaking was also forbidden.

Women who resisted and men who objected were squelched. Kasara escaped with her fiancé'. She might have changed things with a word and a brief surrender, but did not for her love for her betrothed was pure and true. From her exile she reviled Sunfavor; that provoked even greater excesses. Suppression became slavery out-right. Two aborted insurrections led to mass arrest and wholesale slaughter. Women were chattels as cattle would be. Old evils appeared, the piercing virtue ring, the locked chastity belt, whispered moronisms about women's cycles and life change. Punishment was meted out for the simple misfortune of infertility. Worship of the Bright Lady was outlawed. Sunfavor left this mark forever, making his name and country an obscenity on the lips of any sane person.

Late in life Kasara reappeared at the direction of dreams sent by the Goddess. She declared that neither sex could rule the other, anymore than the right hand could chain the left. Kasara went through the land unhindered, protected by unseen powers. A day came when she entered Sunfavor's courtroom.

She bade him end his crimes. He blanched with fright, and struck her down with his scepter. A funeral pyre was built. The King lit it himself. Kasara's husband lay in chains in the dungeon as the flames blossomed. The final wrong was done.

When it was finished, the Bright lady made herself manifest to all of Glyffa. They shrank from her in sudden anguish, and all her glory was made into blinding fury. Sunfavor's mind snapped. He threw himself on the pyre and was consumed. The Bright Lady mandated that for two hundred years, men of Glyffa were to meditate on what they had done. They would bear no arms, hunt no game, eat no meat, conduct no business, own any property, and do no harm to anyone. They were never to ride, nor take a wife. They could engender children, but never know them.

That is the Mandate of Glyffa, and why it's men are monkish and withdrawn. But when the mandate ends and men have searched their consciences, they will reveal what form they think life here should take. That is called the Reconciliation. Until then, women conduct the country's affairs."

Observations-

"I fought alongside the Glyffans in the Thornwar. I never met more disciplined troopers. My unit was assigned support for their archers, those women were the coolest, deadliest shots I'd ever seen. Most time archers would shoot off a few volleys until the enemy gets up close, then they'd retreat and let us pikemen handle it. But these gals stayed put and kept up the heat, firing point blank into the Orc infantry pressing us. With fighting spirit like that It's no wonder the Noharians can't break them."

A mercenary pikeman

I've had occasion to visit Glyffa on several diplomatic missions. The land is pleasant enough and the populace seems content. They are officially a theocracy but I found most of the day to day running of the nation being done by the national constabulary. This martial tinge to their government is no doubt the result of the aggressiveness of their neighbor to the north. Interesting to note each time there the only other males I saw were visitors such as myself. I hear tell that the men of Glyffa are cloistered in monastic communities far from most population centers.

A diplomat from Abbashan


	\| home Abbashan \| Aragos \| Border Kingdoms \| Broaq-Nohar \| Demornte \| Glyffa \| Maghreb \| The Northermark Confederacy \| Pellen \| Prince Samuel's Isle \| Ravvika \| Sellonar \| Wren Glyffa Population: 2,500,000 Government- Theocratic Gynocracy Cities: Tarantum Ruler- Gabrielle De Courtney "The Trustee" (Priestess of Rhea 25th level) Important Persons: Swan- commander of region blue (Warrior 8th level) Alliances: Pellen, Northermark Confederacy, and Aragos Economy: spice, agriculture, textiles, livestock Military- their military consist entirely of women. It is highly mobile with Dragoons, horse archers and medium lancers as the majority of forces. Their navy is a small one concerned primarily with coastal defense. Notes: a northern country ruled by women. Rhiannon and St. Raphine are worshiped widely here. The land of Glyffa is separated into four regions. Mostly plain and plateau, although there are some foothills and mountains, as well as forests bogs and marshlands. A third or more of the land is virgin forest or wild grasslands History: Taken from "The Chronicles of Reconciliation" by Silverquill. "Glyffa was a place not much worse or better than most, over a century ago. It's king paramount was young and headstrong, named Sunfavor. A handsome, vain, doughty warrior, he thought himself irresistible to women. His fancy lit on a courtier. Betrothed to another, she refused him, her name was Kasara. He grew wroth. To his own end, he instituted legal sanctions against the rights of her sex. To him rallied men who concurred with him, or stood to gain by his new laws. Soon, a woman couldn't own property, choose her own mate or cite any birthright. To travel required consent of father, husband or brother. She was forbidden reading, writing and numbers. Public speaking was also forbidden. Women who resisted and men who objected were squelched. Kasara escaped with her fiancé'. She might have changed things with a word and a brief surrender, but did not for her love for her betrothed was pure and true. From her exile she reviled Sunfavor; that provoked even greater excesses. Suppression became slavery out-right. Two aborted insurrections led to mass arrest and wholesale slaughter. Women were chattels as cattle would be. Old evils appeared, the piercing virtue ring, the locked chastity belt, whispered moronisms about women's cycles and life change. Punishment was meted out for the simple misfortune of infertility. Worship of the Bright Lady was outlawed. Sunfavor left this mark forever, making his name and country an obscenity on the lips of any sane person. Late in life Kasara reappeared at the direction of dreams sent by the Goddess. She declared that neither sex could rule the other, anymore than the right hand could chain the left. Kasara went through the land unhindered, protected by unseen powers. A day came when she entered Sunfavor's courtroom. She bade him end his crimes. He blanched with fright, and struck her down with his scepter. A funeral pyre was built. The King lit it himself. Kasara's husband lay in chains in the dungeon as the flames blossomed. The final wrong was done. When it was finished, the Bright lady made herself manifest to all of Glyffa. They shrank from her in sudden anguish, and all her glory was made into blinding fury. Sunfavor's mind snapped. He threw himself on the pyre and was consumed. The Bright Lady mandated that for two hundred years, men of Glyffa were to meditate on what they had done. They would bear no arms, hunt no game, eat no meat, conduct no business, own any property, and do no harm to anyone. They were never to ride, nor take a wife. They could engender children, but never know them. That is the Mandate of Glyffa, and why it's men are monkish and withdrawn. But when the mandate ends and men have searched their consciences, they will reveal what form they think life here should take. That is called the Reconciliation. Until then, women conduct the country's affairs." Observations- "I fought alongside the Glyffans in the Thornwar. I never met more disciplined troopers. My unit was assigned support for their archers, those women were the coolest, deadliest shots I'd ever seen. Most time archers would shoot off a few volleys until the enemy gets up close, then they'd retreat and let us pikemen handle it. But these gals stayed put and kept up the heat, firing point blank into the Orc infantry pressing us. With fighting spirit like that It's no wonder the Noharians can't break them." A mercenary pikeman I've had occasion to visit Glyffa on several diplomatic missions. The land is pleasant enough and the populace seems content. They are officially a theocracy but I found most of the day to day running of the nation being done by the national constabulary. This martial tinge to their government is no doubt the result of the aggressiveness of their neighbor to the north. Interesting to note each time there the only other males I saw were visitors such as myself. I hear tell that the men of Glyffa are cloistered in monastic communities far from most population centers. A diplomat from Abbashan