While the long and bloody War of the Cities dragged on in Kamos, many citizens of Metis left to live elsewhere, founding colonies in Etrarknia (eat-RARK-knee-er) and Tuskamet. When the war concluded, many men of Metis, who had done nothing all their lives but bear arms, and whose estates had been destroyed in the war, wandered abroad, selling their swords as mercenaries.

The Etrarknians (eat-RARK-knee-an-z), carving themselves out a state from the lands that had been Hren’s, found much to admire in Kami warrior-philosophers, and based the constitution of their city on the republic favored by Metis. They also adopted the Gods of Kamos as their own.

Etrarknia is a republic. There is only one legislative body, the Senate. Trark is the seat of government, and the only major city in Etrarknia. The coast is on the Sea of Kamos.

The peasants make their living from farming and herding. They are rather parochial, despising and distrusting all foreigners except Kami.

Slaves used for household tasks are usually poor Etrarknians who have sold themselves into slavery in a bad year, and they have a realistic chance of buying themselves out of slavery by saving any gratuities they are given for extra work.

Slaves used for heavy labor are foreigners, mostly Haren captured as small children or slaves bought from Poeni traders, and they are used for heavy labor. Foreign slaves do not have a good life expectancy, though they are not deliberately worked to death.

Nobles, who spend most of their time in Trark, or campaigning in Hren, own the land. The peasants are not heavily taxed.

Nobles are families who can trace their ancestry back to the legendary hero Etrark.

Women are ruled by their husband or father, and expect their marriage to be arranged. Noble women are not permitted to marry peasants, but it occasionally happens anyway, if a merchant or rich crafter can offer a good bride-price to an impoverished noble family.

Units of the army not on active duty are used to patrol in Trark, to keep order.

Senators are elected by lot to act as judges, and may not do so for more than five years, before being replaced. (This is to minimize corruption.)

The most serious crime is treason, or giving away state secrets, closely followed by murder and rape of a noble woman. Minor crimes are punished with flogging, major ones with beheading.

Any male born in free in Etrarknia is a citizen, and no one can punish a citizen without a trial. Even peasants are very proud of this status.

The army is mostly infantry, but highly disciplined. It is raised from the citizens, all males being required to spend one month a year on maneuvers, and to keep up their weapon-practice.

The navy is non-existent: if pirates raid the coast, the Senate invokes its treaty of mutual defense with Kamos.

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