Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
New to the forum? Check out our Introduction Page and New Members Guide! 1.1: Statistical Updates have been completed for the month.
Add Reply
Cetatsenia-Demoness Meeting
Topic Started: Nov 18 2013, 07:41 PM (8,248 Views)
Cetatsenia
Member Avatar

If one was to take a place from the nation of Demoness to Cetatsenia, one would most likely see the dichotomy that the nation was rather known for. In the southern parts of the nation one would notice the highlands, heavily forested and almost untouched by man aside from the winding roads and the occasional town. But further north, the terrain would give away to the lowlands of the Centric Basin. This land was flat, and lacked the expansive forests, though there were smaller isolated forests. But the main difference one would notice would be the level of development, it was dominated by a large amount of farmland as the lowland soil was incredibly fertile, but there was also the occasional city, bustling with people.

Albraustana-zid was one such city, and it was the primate city of Cetatsenia, the richest and most populous and most important of them all. It was built along both sides of the great Albastru River that ran through much of Cetatsenia, though most of it was on the southern bank of the river. This was because of the simple fact that Albraustana-zid had begun life as three separate forts and settlements built along the river. Albrau and Stana had been built on the Southern bank, and over time had grown together until they were finally united into Albraustana. And while Zid would eventually become part of the greater whole, for a long time it was simply considered a city separated from the capital only by the river.

Since it had grown organically over the numerous years, and had once been three separate cities, the streets and roads had a habit of being winding and could be complicated to navigate for those unfamiliar with them who had no map. Though the roads had over time been widened and revamped in order to accommodate cars, and the newest sections of the city on the outskirts actually had a gridded street plan. As it was the middle of the day, the streets were currently filled with cars and buses, and the sidewalks filled with pedestrians, while the newest addition to the city's transportation network, the subway system, ran below the streets.

While there was a number of attractions in the city, such as the museums and baths, one of the most prominent is the Palatul Regal, the Royal Palace. The site of the original settlement of Albrau and lying atop a hill, it has been torn down or otherwise destroyed and then subsequently rebuilt several times throughout history. The most recent being the ascension of Ioan I to the throne of Cetatsenia, though it has been renovated and updated since then.

The Palace itself is surrounded by a wall that rings the entirety of the hill, with only a single gate leading up to it. The wall is patrolled by a special corps of Cetatsenian soldiers, easily identified by their bright blue ceremonial uniforms and ornate, pointed helmets. After that, a road lead up to the palace proper, an expansive building with a stone exterior that shared more in common with a medieval castle than what one thinks of when they hear the word 'palace'. It was home to a fair number of servants, as well as the guardsmen, and a small number of government officials. Most of those lived out in the city, and worked in their own buildings. It was absolutely huge, and in front of it was an expansive pool of water. Overall, it was an impressive sight that could be seen from a good portion of the city.

At the moment, however, Voivode Gavril IV Suveraneshti was not at his home in the palace. Rather he was at the airport, which had been cleared of any citizens besides him, the guards arrayed with him, and those who worked there; all flights to this airport had either been delayed or rerouted to other nearby airports. Today was an important day, as this was the decided upon day of Jia Li's visit to Cetatsenia. As two nations whose relationship could be accurately described as "mutually neutral", this was a rather important meeting, and Gavril did not want to mess anything up. So he stood alongside his older sister Andreea, the Steward of Cetatsenia, in the airport, ready to head out onto the tarmac to greet the Empress as soon as her plane set down.
Edited by Cetatsenia, Apr 22 2014, 09:58 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Replies:
Cetatsenia
Member Avatar

"Eh, zat was a long while ago," Gavrila said with a shrug.

Gavril and Andreea just looked a little bit confused. "Twins?" Andreea said, hoping for an explanation.

"Oh, we just talked a bit about Anton and Artur de Sud in ze baz last night," Gavrila replied.

At that Gavril's face lit up in understanding. "Ah yes, well zat was back before ze laws of succession were written down," Gavril said, "And it had more to do wiz zeir fazer and ze fact zat zey were twins, really."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Demoness
Member Avatar

"But it is still theoretically possible, and the elder child may inherit nothing," Jia Li said.

Xel frowned. "There's always that possibility with inheritance laws, regardless of how they are written, and they were written back when land was probably the most important resource anyway. Aside from titles, there are many other things children can inherit, and with their parents' support, they can achieve their own fortunes." He wondered if their talk of twins had brought up Hikari as well.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Cetatsenia
Member Avatar

"A child achieving zeir own fortunes was actually ze reasoning behind our succession being ultimogeniture," Gavril said, "Ze zought was zat elder siblings had more time to go out on zeir own and make zeir own fortunes, and so had less need to be given zings for inheritance."

"Of course, it did not always work out zat way," Andreea added, "And elder siblings did not get nozing, but ze titles and land was passed to ze youngest. Usually."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Demoness
Member Avatar

"I imagine there would have been less emphasis on peer marriages since you have fewer houses and ranks of nobility than other countries," Xel said.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Cetatsenia
Member Avatar

"Well, zere are actually quite a few noble houses. Zough most of zem are very minor and just control ze Banates," Gavril said, "But wiz Cetatsen nobility of ze past, you were just expected to marry into nobility. Or razer, you were supposed to marry ze noble your parents chose for you."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Demoness
Member Avatar

Xel nodded as it occurred to him that they would still have the same inbreeding issues of most other nobility. He never understood why one lineage was considered better than another, especially when blood was spilt over it, but history was filled with examples of it. "That sounds normal. Did your culture practice dowry payments?"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Cetatsenia
Member Avatar

"I believe zere was, zough ze practice fell out of favour a long time ago," Gavril said, "Generally families wiz daughters would save up money and property to give to zeir daughter when she was married."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Demoness
Member Avatar

"What about the sons?" Jia Li asked curiously.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Cetatsenia
Member Avatar

"I am not entirely sure to be honest. Zey did not get anyzing like a dowry, but I am certain zey were not just cast off on zeir own," Gavril said with a shrug.

"Just because sons and daughters are equal in inheritance does not mean zat early Cetatsenia was some sort of wonderland of gender equality," Andreea said, "Men were considered superior to women when you took ze two genders as a whole."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Demoness
Member Avatar

"So then only women gained from marrying? Or did the dowry go to her husband?" Jia Li asked.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Archive · Next Topic »
Add Reply

Theme Designed by McKee91