General Description: Seven major city-states and numerous small settlements tied together by treaties, trade, and common culture. Each city has its own idiosyncrasies and form of government.
Location/Boundaries: On both sides of the dividing Anteian Sea, along the coasts and in the river valleys between the mountainous highlands that bracket the area on both continents. The Southern lands were the first to be settled. There is a pass through the Kurous mountains on the southern continent that is a point of territorial dispute between the closest cities and the Western Empire.
Government: Varies with each city but most are oligarchies of some form or another. Some are based on "old money" titles, some are just based on wealth without the qualifier of nobility. One has an elected kingship and two are republics similar to early Roman government. Most are stable, but in some cities infighting between powerful clans gets out of hand and has even led to civil war. Riots between factions of the population supporting one politician or another are common and considered almost a sporting event (wagers on the outcome are common, in any case).
Laws/Legal System: Very well codified. Codes classify types of infractions. There is an appeal process and free council is provided to the accused. Accused is not considered either innocent or guilty until a verdict is passed. Judges are generally elected from the taxpayers. BEcasue they pay tax, they must have some wealth. They need not come from any given social class, but the positions are not paid so udges are almost always very wealthy. Juries are used in trials of the upper classes. They are peers of the accused, and are given a token compensation for their time to minimize bribery. Punishment generally consists of execution, fines, exile, or labor-based confinement such as enslavement.
Social Classes/Status: Large middle class. Grey upper class in that a rich commoner can have as high a standing as a noble. There are urban poor, not as much as in the Kingdom or the Marches during the good times, but swelling greatly during times of depression. Because the economy is more manufacturing-based, it is less stable than a land-based economy. Rural poor consist of farmers and fishermen, etc. Children can hope to rise in status through apprentice-ship in a needed profession, successful prosecution of lawsuits, and/or a university education. Citizenship is a mark of status and community, and not all residents have it.
Cities/People: In the north, people tend to be a mix of Kingdom and Gallic racial types with the Achaean stock. They are generally fairer of complexion, have less desert blood, and are taller. In the south, those of Achaean, deep desert or Kurdic blood make up most of the population. The cities are all walled. The street are usually paved with stone and stone is the primary building material as well. In the south the architecture is heavier, to keep out the heat. Also in the south, houses have open court yards (alternating with thick-walled narrow-windowed rooms). In the north, much of the architecture is very open with court yards, terraces and atriums quite popular. In the north you can also find buildings like those of the Kingdom or Gallacia. Cities are well designed with clear market areas as well defined neighborhoods. They generally have systems for delivering fresh water and removing sewage. These utilities serve the homes of wealthy individuals as well as neighborhood squares and bathhouses.
Military: There is no standing military. In fact, there is a revered treaty forbidding any city to have a standing citizen army. When faced with a war, such as has been going on for some time over the southern cities' border with the Western Empire, cities hire mercenary troops to fight for them. Each city has an internal police force of some sort. Sometimes they contract out for these services and sometimes the members are natives of the city. Each city does have a well equipped standing navy of variable size. These ships are generally used to patrol the sea, fighting pirates and assisting travellers when needed.
Education: There are several universities in the cities. At them one can study everything from the liberal arts and law to medicine, engineering, or even magick. Law is a very popular subject, and the schools of medicine are some of the most advanced in the world. Achaean-trained engineers design buildings, ships, clocks, weapons, and more. The schools that teach magick are the least common, as much of that is passed down through private tutors, but one or two schools do offer programs in the 'basics' for those who qualify. Most teach auxiliary magical skills like rune-reading but not actual spell casting. Lower education is mandatory. All children must have one year of a program in reading, basic mathematics, and civics. Only the very poor will not continue for at least another year or two. Most boys and some girls will complete five or so years of grammar school and go on to attend one of the universities. The grammar schools are funded from taxes and are free to the children of all citizens as well as tax-paying permanent residents. Private tutors are also plentiful and allow the wealthier citizen to have his children educated at home.
Technology: Comparable to the early to mid Renaissance. The cities specialism in sailing, navigation, weapon crafting (both firearms and blades), and architecture. They have as much (if not more) new knowledge as the Empire, but not as much ancient lore. Printing presses and mechanized production processes are both relatively common. A given city will have three or four print shops and one or two industries (such as weaving or pottery making) that rely on wind, water or coal powered machines as much as on human labor.
Production & Industry: See above. The north is the bread basket of Achaea, producing wheat, barley, millet, and the like. Sheep are the main animal raised, with cattle and pigs secondary. In the south some corn and wheat is grown, mostly in the river valleys. The deserts supply herbs and sand for glass-making, and the nomads raise horses and goats for trade. Good harvests of fish are taken from the sea, and the jungle-covered mountains produce luxury items like fruit and rare spices. Wine grapes are another main Achaean crop, and Achaean wines are respected if not considered up to par with those from Gallacia or Sienova.
Foreign Relations: The cities are in very good terms with Galacia, most of the Border Kingdoms, the southern Dwarven settlements, the Marches, and generally each other. They trade less with the Kingdom of Mithraea, as the Kingdom is farterh away and somewhat intolerant of their atheism. There is an Underworld organization that actively connects the two regions, however, as well as Galacia and Sienova. The Achaean city states both need and resent the Covenant States with their strong military. The cities are not on good terms with the Empire. Two of the southern cities are often at war with it over disputed borders. The rest, while they trademinimally and allow Imperial abasadors to reside within their walls, are engaged in something of a cold war with plenty of convoluted diplomacy masking a network of spies and intrigue.
Religion: Among the upper classes, wery little. They tend to be humanists, and follow philosophies much like the Hellenistic Greeks on Earth. There are many philosophies that preport to explain life and the universe and how to find happiness. Among some the Elven 'religion,' a very Taoist-like belief system, has caught on. The uneducated draw from a miriad of Praedian beliefs, picking and choosing the ones that suit them. All are accepted. There are Mithraic (Traditional and Reform) heliopheni, Gallic temples, odd southern desert cults, and more. Most people leave offerings to a benevolent sea god, Mannannan (or Manon) to ensure good trade and fishing harvests.
Magick: Common and acceptable. Some people are even publicly known as mages. Magick is usually mathematics-based manipulation of the essence of the world. Those who practice channeling/thaumaturgy are rare amnd healers are most often surgeons with some magickal knowege to assist their skill. Technical magick is the basis for Achaean practices runes, circles, alchemy and the like. Think of Achaean magic as very systematic, logical, and ordered. High or Ritual magic is considered a bit too risky . The Achaeans don't deal with demons at all, preferring to summon elementals on the rare occsions that the summon anything. They are currently trying to learn (i.e. steal) more of the Empire's ancient, arcane magick.