The Holy Mandate of Ascolon

The Holy Mandate of Ascolon was a theocratic state situated at the edge of the Tastiaran Sea. Founded some 800 years before the events of the Wars of May, the Holy Mandate would be one of several states founded in the aftermath of a series of intense wars of religion. Once the head of a confederation of such religiously organized states, Ascolon has always been a regional powerhouse, albeit one whose influence has waned in recent memory. This is a result of the holy sites situated throughout the region, the steady influx of pilgrims drawing substantial revenue for the Holy Mandate. Ruled by a religious council overseen by the Patriarch of Ascolon, Ascolon's importance in the Wars of May would owe itself to Ascolon's close proximity to crucial Altian trade routes.

History
The Holy Mandate of Ascolon was founded as a result of the wars that wracked what was once a union of religiously organized states known as the "Sancti Confoederationis." The union of states, established by religious militants nearly 800 years prior to the events of the Wars of May, would initially be organized into several 'Mandates,' Ascolon being one of the largest and most influential among them. Still, whilst nominally aligned with one another, the "Sancti Confoederationis" would begin to fracture in the fourth century of its existence with the election of two rival patriarchs to lead the union. War would break out amongst the mandates in short order. Ascolon, with its large geographic size, its relations to other states outside the union and its possession of key religious sites, would be prevail over the others, dominating the league upon its victory. Still, the political reality that would ensue would be a shadow of the previous strength of the "Sancti Confoederationis." The war itself had been exceedingly brutal with massive casualties on all sides. Meanwhile, weveral regions had managed gain complete independence while others would fall into anarchy and lawlessness. In any case, the whole region would be left exhausted from the expenditures incurred during the conflict.

The centuries leading up to the Wars of May (and Ascolon's involvement in the conflict) have mostly seen the Ascolon Mandate struggling to maintain what powers it acquired in the aftermath of its civil war. Most of the Mandate's patriarchs have occupied themselves with expanding the Mandate's frontier to the borders once held by the "Sancti Confoederationis." This would accordingly entail offensives against the powerful bedouin tribes inhabiting the deserts in the east and north whilst instituting repressive measures against Ascolon's dissident populations. The degree with which such policies have been pursued has dramatically shifted between Ascolon's rulers, with some attempting vast conquests while others would be content to maintain Ascolon's borders. Still, the demographic results would strongly influence Ascolon's domestic affairs.

The years of war would render Ascolon's subjects both exhausted and concurrently skeptical of the infallibility of the Holy Mandate's governing authority, the Holy Synod, led by the Ascolon Patriarch. Moreover, the wars of reconquest and the hiring of foreign mercernaries to fight Ascolon's wars would result in the massive influx of bedouin populations. These changes coupled with divergent calls for both modernization and reactionary conservatism have wracked the Holy Mandate in recent years, the uncomfortable product being the secession of Laus from Ascolon's holdings.

The Schism of 266
By the year 200 (according to the ascension of the House of Liege by which recent events have been measured) the Holy Mandate of Ascolon was a hollow shell of its former glory. Still, with the long rule of the renowned patriarch Alexios III Pelagios would see Ascolon expanding its borders to the limit of the "Sancti Confoederationis," thus restoring a semblence of grandeur to the Holy Mandate. Still, the bloody wars conducted by Alexios would effectively bankrupt the Holy Mandate, while Alexios' own personal excesses would incur the wrath of many of his subjects. Alexios would rule with almost unlimited powers, executing dissident members of both his clergy and secular nobles who held allegiance to the Holy Mandate. Still, Alexios would prove one of the Mandate's most able and popular leaders. Unsurprisingly, upon his death, a brief crisis of succession would erupt. Two leading contenders would be the Alexios' favorite, Claudius Chrysoloros, and the Archbishop of Nablus, one Andreas II Koresses.



In spite of the structural problems incurred during the sovereignty of the Patriarch Alexios Pelagios, the Ecuminical Council of Ascolon would elect his favored heir, Claudius Chrysoloros in February 266. Almost immediately, bishops and nobles backing the candidacy of Andreas II Koresses would petition the ecuminical council to reconsider. Still, believing their decision guided by the divine, the Holy Synod would deny theses proposals. By late 266, armed conflict would arise. Many of Ascolon's powerful nobles and the dioceses and parishes of the northern half of Ascolon would declare the decision of the Council illegitimate and, by the decision of their own convention, would elect Andreas II Koresses the new Patriarch. The splinter state, named "Laus" and centered in Nablus, would be backed by many of Ascolon's most powerful secular nobles, whose financial and commercial clout would offset their deficit in divine favor according to the Holy Synod. The Patriarch Claudius Chrysoloros would attempt to destroy the secessionist state in a series of offensives throughout the decade, however, these would invariably result in failure.

Weakened by Alexios' wars, the Holy Mandate would be unable to reconquer the heretical secessionist state. The Duchy of Laus would accordingly depart from the immediate traditions of the Holy Mandate of Ascolon. The backing of many of Ascolon's secular nobles would serve to defend the new Duchy whilst changing the ideology of its church. Rather than combining the secular and spiritual authority into one executive body as in Ascolon, the Duchy of Laus would be ruled by the Duke Justin Arianetes, while spiritual authority would be vested in Andreas II Koresses. This decision, among many other doctrinal divisions, would cement the division between the Ascolon Church and that of Laus based in Nablus.

To the Holy Synod and Patriarchs of Ascolon, the tremendous loss of Laus would be one of heretical clergy members, and one that would come to dominate Ascolon's policy for the following generations. Since the Great schism, no less than three wars have been fought, all of them seeing minimal gains or maintenance of the status quo by the Holy Mandate. In spite of Ascolon's greater size and population, the Duchy of Laus' shrewd diplomatic maneuvering with surrounding powers and recruitment of foreign, modernized troops would see the Duchy through Ascolon's offensives. That said, the patriarchs of Ascolon would continue to obsess over the prospect of Laus and other lost territories to the detriment of the Mandate's other obligations.

Economy
Ascolon is a state who, in spite of its regional hegemony, has comparably weak economic fundamentals. The dictates of Ascolon's strict religious law preclude money lending and financial institutions are accordingly dysfunctional with relation to the other modernized states. Moreover, businesses are divided up amongst heirs rather than inherited as a single body,



further weakening commercial enterprises in Ascolon. That said, most of the land in Ascolon is unsurprisingly owned by the Holy Synod.

Without many natural resources and industry, Ascolon's main sources of revenue have traditionally been its Holy Places and the exchange of money that inevitably follows. While commercialism and material greed are viewed as cardinal sins, this has not stopped Ascolon's rulers from cultivating a massive business catering to the masses of visiting pilgrims that visit the Holy Mandate every year. Meanwhile, the recent boom in trade between the Republic of Altia, its colonies, and other foreign nations has recently been to the great benefit of Ascolon, whose geographic placement garners the Holy Mandate vast treasures in tariffs and processing fees. While handling money is considered dirty work in Ascolon, funneling it off from foreign merchants for the betterment of the Holy Mandate is considered more than acceptable!

Military
Ascolon's existence as a state founded by religious devotees seeking to carve out and protect their holy places has inevitably made its story a bloody one of faith and bloodshed in equal measure. Ruled by a patriarch and dominated by a knightly order, that of St. Athanasius, Ascolon is comparatively backward when compared to the modern armies fighting in the Altian Civil War. Melee weapons still prevail on the battlefield whilst firearms are archaically designed flint or matchlock pieces. Moreover, the organization of Ascolon's armed forces is exceedingly obsolete, with each city and canton in the Holy Mandate owing a quota of soldiers answerable to the will of the Holy Synod. That said, most of Ascolon's soldiers are not professional, and their quality ranges from religious fanatics to deceptivaly professional urban militia units. That said, the inhabitants of Ascolon are savage and skilled fighters, their fervor perhaps making up for any lack of technology. Moreover, Ascolon’s elite fervently believe they are a holy kingdom on earth.



The Knights of Saint Athanasius
The Knights of Saint Athanasius are the military elite of Ascolon. Trained since childhood in a variety of subjects, their first and foremost priority is the defense of Ascolon and their prowess in martial pursuits. Politically screened for loyalty to the Patriarch, the Knights of Saint Athanasius overwhelmingly come from the oldest sons of the Ascolon nobility. Technically speaking, knights of the order have no personal property and have taken a vow of fealty to the Orthodox Church of Ascolon. This is somewhat surprising given the ornate nature of their arms and armor in addition to property and material possessions that are to the contrary. Still, in spite of any holes in their oaths, knights are trained as heavy cavalry and are heavily armored in extravagantly decorated equipment. They generally use a straight, heavy and powerful sword, occasionally bearing shields, armature from a by-gone era. The Knights of Ascolon are renowned for their fanatical devotion to Ascolon and the patriarch, as well as their exceptional bravery.

Nizam-Al-Çadid
The Wars of May and the onset of Altian military advisers would Ascolon would entertain the prospect of the modernization of its army in order to reflect advances in technology. This has, of course, been the subject of intense debate amongst traditionalists and reformists - potential change in the Ascolon army has on more than one occasion nearly led to a coup or civil war. It has only been the strength of the patriarch that has been able to curb the voices of the Knights of St. Athanasius who are increasingly hard pressed to show their ability to defend the Holy Mandate. Still, the dictates of necessity have made all in Ascolon more receptive to major reform in the army, hence the establishment of the Nizam-Al-Çadid, an attempt by Ascolon to make line infantry with the same level of training and versatility as those of Altia and the Patricians. Men in the Nizam-Al-Çadid are well equipped, being trained and drilled in much the same routines as regular line infantry from the other great powers. Moreover, often being the second sons of knightly families, they are eager and well motivated.

Irregular Formations
In addition to the Knights of Saint Athanasius and Ascolon's small professional military Corps, the vast majority of Ascolon's manpower come from irregular formations of militia or hired mercenaries. The influx of Bedouin following the conquests of the Patriarch Alexios would provide Ascolon with numerous tribes from which to recruit savage, loyal and skilled fighters. Meanwhile, the cities of Ascolon have traditionally fielded formidable militia formations who, while not necessarily profession, are well-equipped and adequately trained to meet most of Ascolon's military needs.

Culture
Ascolon's geographic location - in the midst of desert or sparse hills and scrub, has dramatically shaped its culture and society. Architectural design, clothing and other features all bear the mark of the desert's influence. Life in the desert has made the average resident of Ascolon a frugal, stoic individual, whose hard life is tempered by extreme religious devotion.

Being the last of a confederation of Holy Mandates, Ascolon's culture inevitably revolves a great deal around its traditionally religious organization and identity. Ascolon is a highly conservative society, and heresy or worse, apostasy amongst its subjects is grounds for severe punitive measures. That said, many of the features present in day-to-day life are dictated or influenced by religious law or procedure dictated by scripture. Financial transactions, the inheritance of property and criminal justice system, for example, are all influenced by Holy Texts, whose interpretation by the Holy Synod makes up Ascolon's Code of Law. Additionally, traditions outside the scope of religious scope or authority are also prevalent in Ascolon. Informal yet strict honor codes, for example, call for inviolable protection to strangers seeking help and vendetta against those who harm family. Still, dark sides exist behind these codes - the same tradition calls for the death of daughters who might shame the family whilst concurrently prohibiting them from marrying outside the faith. It is worth noting the practice does not traditionally extend to male members of a given family.

That said, there do exist various degrees of adherence to traditionalism within the Holy Mandate. Ascolon's upper classes, for example, are well known within the Mandate for their profligacy and indulgence in practices anathema to the official line. The famed Patriarch Alexios, for example, possessed a harem of women fabled to number 365 - one for every day of the year! That said, both the excesses and strictness of Ascolon society are both usually exaggerated. Most of Ascolon's elite maintain a pious, stoic existence without the legendary frivolity that has made Ascolon renowned throughout the world. And while music and dance are both viewed as sinful by Ascolon's more reactionary factions, most efforts to ban it and other practices have failed.

Linguistically, the predominant language is Elysian. Unintelligible to speakers of Altian, Elysian is an old language with ancient roots that are very distantly related to Altian. That said, its pure forms are spoken for religious rites and services whilst its general tones are a watered down variety mixing bedouin and local dialects. This makes acquisition of the language by foreigners nigh impossible without proper training and a good degree of talent. The pure, ritual variety of Elysian is most commonly taught abroad (although this is scarce) whilst the various dialects require intensive specialized training or a similarly appropriate background.