Cambrian Confederacy
Ceredigion: the king of Ceredigion is the most powerful of the Cambrian rulers in military terms. This is mostly because he hasn't had to waste his valuable blood and treasure fighting the Rygi. He's also got the best connections with everybody else. He tends to push wars with the Rygi because he won't have to be the one to fight them, unless things get really ugly.
Powys: the king of Powys is a constant rival of his Ceredigian neighbor, both due to trivial friction (you stole my bgoat!) and nontrivial friction (there aren't a lot of urban centers in Powys so trade has to run through Ceredigion for the most part, and the Ceredigian king levies a hefty duty). Since Ceredigion tends by virtue of weight to get most of its policies through the Council the king of Powys is a tad embittered.
Dyfnaint: the king of Dyfnaint is chomping at the bit to fight the Rygi, and is pissed that peace is prevailing. He tends to fear Rygi power, being on the front lines and all. Think of him like a Cato the Censor. That's his main issue, though he also supports expanding the common navy.
Elmet: the king of Elmet is both weak and close to the Rygi. He tends to shy away from any wars with them and is the most supportive of increasing the size of the common army.
Rheged: the king of Rheged is far enough from the Rygi not to have to worry about getting screwed in most wars with them, but weak enough to be forced to fight by the Ceredigian king. They tend to support fighting with Ystrad Clud as well, on a low-level "let's plunder them gaise" basis, but it's not exactly a critical plank in their policy.
Kingdom of Rygia
Rygi: the Rygi group of Germanic dudes, originally East Germanic but ended up adopting a West Germanic language when they were forced into Frisia several centuries ago by the turmoil associated with the first migration period. Nowadays they are starting to speak something rather akin to Old English. Settled in OMD Kent and Sussex, mostly. Overall they tend to be more loyal to the kings, because the kings are Rygi. Usually can be counted on to support wars with the Cambrians, especially if they are successful. Are more accepting of Ronding settlers than the Kimbria.
Kimbria: the Kimbria group of Germanic dudes, originally from southern Jutland, ish. Settled in OTL East, South, and Middle Anglia. Have been heavily depleted by wars against the Cambrians and usually oppose those nowadays. Not very accepting of the Rondings because they fear being politically overwhelmed by the new group, being much more numerically vulnerable than the Rygi.
Rondinga: the Ronding group of Germanic dudes, originally from various Jutlandish places. Settling in OMD Essex. Relatively new arrivals (with more groups arriving as time goes on) and fairly weak, continue to speak an East Germanic dialect. Feared by the Kimbria, though not so much by the Rygi. Unhappy about being marginalized, haven't been granted a whole lot of territory in which to settle thus far.
Brythonic natives: ought to be quite self-explanatory, the Brythonic people who originally lived in this territory. Are numerically greatest on the upper Thames. In some places they are starting to assimilate reasonably well (chiefly in Rygi-settled territory). Overall they are regarded as a dangerous fifth column but outside of a few sporadic attempts by local Brythonic magnates in western Rygia to either rebel or support invading Cambrian armies they haven't really been a military factor. (Yet?)
Silenga:
Winnilic Horde
Kingdom of Walhia
PMed to Adrogans
Iberian Empire
Aorsi Horde
Spada: basically, the army, or at least, the army available for personal service to the Murunda of the Aursa. Comprised chiefly of the usual steppe cavalry, and interested mostly in plunder. Size is declining slowly as the Aursa abandon pastoralism. Tend to approve of victorious campaigns for plunder.
Tyrrenian Aursa: the Aursa viceroy in OMD Tuscany, controls a separate group of cavalry. Interested in gaining more plunder and getting a free rein to raid Panorman territory.
Adriatic Aursa: the Aursa viceroy along the Adriatic coastline, controls a separate group of cavalry. Interested in gaining more plunder and getting a free rein to raid Chaonian territory.
Sannic Aursa: the Aursa viceroy in OMD Liguria, controls a separate group of cavalry. Interested in gaining more plunder and getting a free rein to raid Walhaland. Pissed because after a recent failed raid several thousand horsemen were removed from his command.
Markomanna: 'Marcomanni', shorthand for the natives of the Po River Valley. Germanic, Celtic, Latin, Greek in a confusing potpourri. Opposition to the Aursa is chiefly run by the minor magnates and descendants of tribal leaders who still have holdings, irked by their almost total exclusion from government and warmaking and plunder.
Republic of Panormos
Sikeliot Merchantry: oddly enough, this refers to the merchants of Sicily. Tend to support initiatives that involve increasing the size of the navy and destroying the navies of rivals. Also tend to support appeasing the Aursa. One of the primary factors in the Panormos boule.
Panormos Mob: as most mobs tend to be, they are fairly unpredictable, and their hot-button issues vary. Currently they are into the bread-and-circuses thing, as usual, which the state is starting to fall behind on, because of austerity budgets passed due to the Aorsi Menace. Riots and some mishandling of the situation by the state have also embittered them somewhat. The Panorman poor have increased in numbers dramatically with refugees from the mainland, and they are understandably irked at having lost their homes and livelihoods because the state failed to protect them from Aorsi raiders.
Megale Hellenic poleis: also self-explanatory. Right now their overarching concern is protection from the Aorsi, preferably in alliance with Chaonia. Their chorai are melting away with successive Aorsi raids, making them a less viable political opponent as time goes on and people start to migrate to relatively-safe Sicily.
Sikeliot Gentry: also self-explanatory. They're at the root of a lot of these social problems. With the devastation on the Italian mainland, a lot of the Sicilian absentee landlords have begun to lose a lot of their estates. They're not participating in government as much as they used to - call it something akin to the 'flight of the curials' of OTL, except it's a real phenomenon instead of a phantom one. Tend to favor policies decreasing the property security of smallholders, opening up public lands for purchase in Aphrike, and recovering the initiative in Italy.
Aphrike: does not denote the administration of the Aphrikan territories, but rather the general mass of people, who are mostly Punic and Berber. Sophism is fairly widespread here, though there are rumors of a truly horrifying neo-Punic polytheist cult that sacrifices babies and so forth. The main reason they're pissed is that public lands, which tend not to have as good administration as the lands administered by the Sicilian or even Aphrikan gentry, are being reclaimed by the state, in order to rebuild a financial base after the last few decades of losing to the Aorsi.
Kingdom of Chaonia
Epeirotai: the Epirotes, the bluff peoples of the western slopes of the Pindos Mountains, and the backbone of your kingdom demographically and militarily. The most numerous subgroup of these are the Molossoi [Molossians]. Tend to focus on trade in the urbanized regions along the coast but include major landowners with estates along the margins of the Epirote piedmont region. Heavily Sophist. Can usually be counted upon to support royal initiatives.
Ambrakia: Ambrakia is a region that currently refers to the southern portion of Epeiros proper, Akarnania, and Aitolia, governed from the eponymous city. Ambrakiots are not particularly numerous and tend to be similar in terms of economic focus to the Epeirotai. However, they are not so willing to subsidize military expeditions to the north and across the Ionian Sea, and tend to be very interested in the goings-on in Greece proper. Also provide large numbers of quality light infantry and assault infantry for your army.
Megale Hellenic poleis: the cities of Great Greece, the Italian portion of your empire. Politically they are semi-independent, and technically exist in a "Koinon Italikon" (Italiote League) led by the king of Chaonia as hereditary hegemon. They like being economically independent from the rest of Chaonia, not subject to the same trade policy the king enforces in the Greek territories of the kingdom. However, they are increasingly being forced to trade autonomy for security as Aorsi raids devastate the chorai of the cities. Above all, they are interested in checking the threat of the Aorsi.
Illyria: the northern coastal possessions of Chaonia, in OMD Dalmatia and Istria. The same barbarian pressure that weakened Makedonia enough to allow Chaonia to achieve independence destroyed the Illyrian hinterland of the once-thriving coastal poleis in Dalmatia. Illyria is heavily raided, heavily depopulated, and dangerously separatist at the lack of attention it has received from the central Chaonian government.
Gothic Horde
Ruxsalannoi Horde
Kala Ruxsalanna: 'Great' or 'Excellent' Ruxsalannoi, the group more or less immediately under the command of the Kalarauka (or Great/Excellent King). Tends to do what the Kalarauka tells them to.
Greek coastal poleis: fairly self-explanatory, the Greek poleis along the Black Sea coast, the most important of which is Kallatis. They've recently had most of the leadership that opposes being vassals of the Ruxsalannoi killed off, so they are currently going along with the Kalarauka's diktat, partially out of fear, partially out of a vague expectation that trading rivals in Thraikia will be wiped out. Mostly fear.
Mauya Ruxsalanna: the other main Ruxsalannoi tribe, the 'Tiger' Ruxsalannoi. Name originates with a group of Sakas absorbed by the Ruxsalanna several centuries ago. Currently are interested mostly in crushing Thraikian resistance and milking the Thraikians for all they've got, but are quite willing to be fobbed off with plunder from basically anywhere, so long as they do get it.
Thyssakata: aka the Thyssagetai. Formerly residents of the southern Urals. They are violently opposed to any accommodation with the Goths to the north, and are very interested in attacking Makedonia.
Getai: loose term, like Markomanna, used to refer to the natives who lived in Ruxsalannoi territory before they settled there (mostly Greeks south of the Danube and Dacians to the north of the Danube). Tend to oppose the Ruxsalannoi on cultural grounds, and because they tend to be the targets of raids. (Weirdos. Who wouldn't want to get raided by the Ruxsalannoi? I mean really.)
Kingdom of Makedonia
Army Assembly: the organization of all Makedonian full citizens under arms, or at least enough close-by ones for a quorum. Position is derived from the ancient Argead army assembly, so an army assembly can act as court, resolves succession crises, and formally acclaims all basileis. Tends to favor Sophist policies, wars that get plunder, not messing with the position of the landed gentry, and other various conservative things.
Mesogaioi: lit. "inlanders", these are aristocratic landowners living in or with most of their estates in the inland territories of Makedonia. Tend on the whole to be distrustful of naval expansion. Support attacking the Ruxsalannoi, and strenuously oppose any sort of agreement or cooperation with same. Supply most of the army leadership.
Boiotia: the satrapy of Boiotia, which controls the region of Boiotia. Not as independent as Attika is. Tends to support war against Chaonia. Satraps of Boiotia tend to be rather jealous of the Attikan ones. Always supportive of gaining more autonomy.
Attika: the semiautonomous satrapy of Attika, which controls the region of Attika, home of the holy city of Athens. Tends to support war against the Perseids and expanding the navy. Enjoys current autonomy.
Paralioi: lit. "shore-dwellers", these are the group of people clustered in the regions of Makedonia near the sea. Tend to be more urbanized than the mesogaioi. Also tends to include the merchantry. Makes up most of the Mak naval leadership and supports a larger fleet, as well as war with the Thraikians or Mysians or Perseids.
Thraikian Poleis:
Kingdom of Mysia
Kingdom of Kimmerian Bosporos
Pantikapaion: capital and largest polis. Governed internally by a boule. The ruling dynasty is native to here and enjoys wide support. Generally supports actions geared towards a naval increase and war with Mysia if they screw around on the European side of the Straits again.
Merchantry: the merchants. Oppose large-scale naval increases, support a short naval war with Mysia if they screw around at the Straits again. Usually support buying off raids from the Antes and Ruxsalannoi as compared to launching military campaigns against them.
Gorgipeia: the polis of Gorgipeia (OMD Anapa). Supports military operations against the Antes the most out of basically everybody. Obviously enough opposes losing autonomy.
Chersonesos: the polis of Chersonesos (OMD Sevastopol). Supports most of the same stuff Pantikapaion does right now. It will probably be replaced as a faction by Olbia within the next few turns.
Olbia:
Skythoi: the various 'Skythian' groups settled within the bounds of the kingdom. Heavily Sophist, just like everybody else, and reasonably Hellenized. They like getting more territory on which to do their pastoralist thing, and so generally like it if you reduce the chorai of individual poleis to add to their reservations; they aren't really that hungry for land right now, though. Usually have a lot of friction with the Antes.
Pontos:
Perseid Empire
Imperial bureaucracy: seems pretty self-explanatory. While a relatively small organization of a few thousands, these guys run the state and tend to support imperial initiatives that don't shake up the bureaucracy. There's no real standardized entrance exam or anything to get in, and the bureaucracy is chiefly made up of people with the money or connections to get a post. Not that inefficient yet.
Army Assembly: the organization of all Perseid full citizens under arms, or at least enough close-by ones for a quorum. Position is derived from the ancient Argead army assembly, so an army assembly can act as court, resolves succession crises (a split in the Seleukid army assembly precipitated the original Perseid war), and formally acclaims all basileis. Tends to favor Sophist policies, wars that get plunder, not messing with the position of the landed gentry, and other various conservative things.
Nesiarchy: basically an Admiralty. They are actually against expanding the navy because that would mean broadening the officer corps and opening up more leadership positions to outsiders. Sort of entrenched, reasonably militarily effective still but becoming ossified. Tends to oppose innovation in policies, such as tactics.
Peloponnesos: the satrapy of the Peloponnesos, an Army and civil post. Likes having the current détente with the Maks over Attika, but will fall in behind a successful military operation in the north quickly enough. Assuming military operations are on the table, the current satrap supports war against the Maks in alliance with Chaonia.
Ionia: the satrapy of Ionia, an Army and civil post in charge of the Aegean coastal territories. Supports invading Pisidia, naturally extending the satrapal boundaries of Ionia to encompass a lot of the occupied territory of course. Currently involved in under-the-table open-secret deals with local Mysian authorities and is interested in not having that shaken up. Has a rivalry with the satrap of the Peloponnesos and doesn't want to see any resources or powers arrogated to him (and vice versa).
Kingdom of Aigyptos
Army Assembly: the same setup as in the Perseid territories.
Alexandrian mob: the mass of the poor and not-so-poor of Alexandreia, the capital. Angry over the recent crackdowns following religious riots and internal city political struggles - various candidates for city magistrates have organized bands of roughs and were duking it out, and the Jewish and Buddhist minorities in the city were also quite restive. Supports bread and circuses and impressive looking parades.
Sophist clergy: the...ah...Sophist clergy. Odd, right? They are in favor of and against everything you think they would be. Oppose civil disorders, too - no 'liberation theology' stuff going on here.
Royal bureaucracy: seems pretty self-explanatory. While a relatively small organization of a few thousands, these guys run the state and tend to support imperial initiatives that don't shake up the bureaucracy. There's no real standardized entrance exam or anything to get in, and the bureaucracy is chiefly made up of people with the money or connections to get a post. Very efficient. Has been more or less purged of religious connections (both with the Sophists and with the sad remnant of the old Egyptian priests).
Nesiarchy: same thing as in the Perseid empire, with the rather major exception that this particular administration is staffed with more young and dynamic officers who have less to lose and more to gain. The crusty old salts of the navy are therefore a great deal more embittered than they are in the Perseid state.
Aksumite Empire
Merchantry: the...merchantry. Tend to favor initiatives that sweep their rivals (Patalene, Aigyptos, the Gangas) from the seas. One of the most heavily Jewish groups in the state. Will probably be annoyed at large-scale naval expansions because they will end up trying to hire away sailors from trading ships. Oppose long, drawn-out, trade-disrupting wars.
Sab'yn: the general mass of the Arabian people in OMD Yemen and Hijaz. They are decidedly not Jewish, and largely adhere to the various Arabian polytheistic religions, especially in the interior. A recently conquered people, and they're still pissed about that and about the heavy duties levied on most of the land-based trade they still carry out.
Qurayshi:
Troglodytic Hellenes: Greeks who have settled in a few poleis along the Red Sea coast. Heavily Sophist, but since Sophists are more or less equal under the law in Aksum they don't have a problem with that. Lots of overlap with the merchantry, and they tend to support many of the policies the merchants do. They also supply most of the really good military forces to the Aksumite army and navy.
Aksum Highlanders: fairly self-explanatory. Dominated by big landholding magnates. Not particularly interested in expanding the territorial reach of Aksum very far, have settled into a give-and-take routine with the neighboring unorganized peoples.
Blemmyes: nomadic people along the north Red Sea coast. Fairly militarily potent. Like to be permitted to a) do what the hell they want which includes b) attacking and plundering Alodia and Aigyptos. Don't like being restricted in doing that for political purposes. Don't like being incorporated into the formal military forces of Aksum or fighting under Aksumite leaders.
Armenian Empire
Artavashuni: the family of the Arkah. Very supportive of the central authority, tends to provide war leaders of no mean skill.
Nakharars: the nobility. Generally supplies heavy cavalry to the army. Tend to be more heavily Zoroastrian than the rest of the state. Generally quite disloyal, and are gratified that the central authority is unable to supervise them effectively.
Shinakans: various lower-class elements who are chiefly noteworthy because they have weapons, since they provide the bulk of the military's infantry. Used to be that estates would provide peasantry to fight as shinakans but these days they are mostly the Armenian urban poor. Heavily Sophist, tend to dislike the nakharars.
Kavakaza marz lords: the Caucasus marcher-lords, funnily enough. More or less evenly split between Sophist and not. They like having a low-level Antes threat because that way they get resources from the central government without having to deal with oversight from same. Unfortunately for them that hasn't been the Antes' program.
Adurbagadan: marz that basically corresponds to Atropatene. Satrap is Zoroastrian and very pro-Areia for the obvious reasons.
Pokr Hayk: marz of Pokr Hayk (lit. "Lesser Armenia"), the westernmost marz. This one is Sophist, the most powerful of the marz lords. Tends to oppose wars with Pisidia or the Seleukids, wants to tear the Pontic League a new one.
Sophists: are the Sophists. I think the stuff they support ought to be pretty obvious by now. They're mostly an urban faith in Armenia.
Seleukid Empire
Mazsakata Horde
Xaraosta Mazsakata: 'Mighty Mazsakata', the personal companions, family, and associates of the Spadahaura (lit. 'army leader' or 'warlord'). Tend to follow along with the Spadahaura's policies and decisions.
Mazsakata Azats: the nobility of the larger Mazsakata group. Perform a similar function to the Qoriltai of the Tantan.
Alanna yabghu: the yabghu of the Alanna [or Alan; Chinese Yancai] tribe. Currently the most prominent of the subsidiary leaders of the Mazsakata. Favors attacking the Sogdianans, since they are both the closest to Alan territory and the most vulnerable.
Daha yabghu: the yabghu of the Daha [or Dahae] tribe. Concentrated in the south of the Mazsakata domains. Strongly favors attacking the Areians, since they are the closest to the Daha and the most wealthy.
Ashina yabghu: the yabghu of the Ashina [proto-Turk] tribe. Relatively new addition, currently focused on staking out a political and territorial claim and making it safe. Will follow the Spadahaura's policies in order to keep his political head above water.
Kingdom of Areia
Army Assembly: the aristocratic generals and smallholding soldiers that make up much of the backbone of your army. They like successful wars with lots of plunder and lots of estates. Not just Greek, there are a large number of Medians in the group too, chiefly because of the cavalry. They also formally have to acclaim each new successor to the throne and arbitrate succession disputes.
Medioi: "Medians", the native Iranian people, specifically the big landowners who serve in your army as cavalry. They're also deeply Zoroastrian. Support any policies that you can justify with links back to the ancient Hakhaamahesh kings or back to Zoroaster.
Zoroastrian clergy: self-explanatory. I have no frickin clue why they are a separate faction from the Medioi, presumably I thought it was a good idea at the time. Anyway, these guys are like the Magi from the succession dispute Darius the Great had that one time back in the day. They like holy wars against infidels, just like the Magi did.
Sousiane: the region and satrap of Susiana, which is the area around Susa. The satrap has been given powers over all the territory from Fars up the Zagros all along the western border. Likes it when he is given money or when attention is given to his territory. Opposes war with the Seleukids on the grounds that he has under the table trade ties to the Seleukid authorities.
Parthyaia: the region of the capital Hekatompylos. The people here tend to favor fighting the Mazsakata and Baktrians, having attention showered upon them in various ways, you name it. Also much more heavily Hellenized than Sousiane.
Merchantry: obviously enough, the merchants. These guys are more land-focused than the Chinese merchants since Seleukid and Patalene guys have more or less taken over the carry trade in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. So they favor accommodations with the Mazsakata and Tantan in order to safely move in the east, and if possible a short conquest of Sogdiane, although a long war would obviously be bad because it would funnily enough disrupt trade.
Karmania:
Kingdom of Sogdiane
Dayuan: 'Great Yuan', a nomadic group of Saka origin [not the same as OTL Dayuan], the pastoralists who accompanied Stasanor into Sogdiane and formed the backbone of his army. Loyal to the king, tend to violently oppose any attempts to get them to make a sedentary living.
Hellenes: the Greeks who colonized Sogdiane. While it is hard to categorize their overall opinion of most events or policies they tend to be very wary about their Dayuan 'saviors' and extremely suspicious of any anti-Sophist powers. Their loyalty to the Dayuan stems in great part from Stasanor et al's willingness to adopt Greek language and Sophist religion, and their terror at the alternatives.
Merchantry: the Silk Route merchants, oddly enough. Are especially leery of war with Areia and the Tantan, and would rather bribe the Tantan away instead of having to suffer trade-disrupting raids.
Chorasmians: more pastoralists, longer-term residents who live in Chorasmia/Khwarizm/the northern part of Sogdiane and are vaguely related to the Mazsakata. Are more or less Hellenized. Very suspicious of the Dayuan and their current protagonism in the state, which is displacing their traditionally dominant role in the Sogdianan military.
Kingdom of Baktria
Royal bureaucracy: seems pretty self-explanatory. While a relatively small organization of a few thousands, these guys run the state and tend to support imperial initiatives that don't shake up the bureaucracy. There's no real standardized entrance exam or anything to get in, and the bureaucracy is chiefly made up of people with the money or connections to get a post. Very efficient.
Hellenes: the Greek settlers of Baktria. Also should be fairly self-explanatory. Deeply Sophist. Tend to be the most anti-Areian of the various groups in Baktria.
Paropamisans: the Iranohellenic residents of the Paropamisadai, or the Hindu Kush. Still a few Zoroastrians among this group and they are marginally more supportive of rapprochement with Areia than the other Baktrian groups.
Kapisans: the Hellenic settlers of Kapisene, which is more or less there area around Alexandreia of the Caucasus [Kapisa, OMD Bagram Air Base] and Kophen [Kabul]. Tend to oppose Kaspeireia.
Katoikiai: the katoikiai are sort of the Greek equivalent of the Chinese buqu: military colonists receiving their land in exchange for service. They form the backbone of your levy army and ensure that it has a higher quality than most. They are mostly Greek, though in the last century the number of Dayuan and Mazsakata military 'colonists' (essentially, pastoralists who fight as horse-archers in the army) has increased. They also serve, militarily, as a group providing 'defense-in-depth' against raiders rather like the thematic soldiers of the OTL Byzantine army. Politically, they tend to oppose wars (or at least wars in which they would get involved), reductions in their pay, land reductions, and (generally) cultural policies that the other Hellenes would oppose.
Kingdom of Kaspeireia
League of Patalene
Antipatreia: Largest city of the league and home to most governmental proceedings. On the site of what in OTL was Demetrias in Patalene. Usually they tend to go along with what the player says. Has a rivalry with Barygaza.
Barygaza: Second-largest city of the league and a major rival of Antipatreia. Tends to favor policies aimed against the Chola more than anything else. Strong proponents of the 'understanding' with the Pala. OMD Bharuch.
Abiria: That northern region bordering on Kaspeireia. Tends to be rather worried of threat from same but otherwise is quite happy with the Pala 'understanding'.
Surastrene: More or less the Rann of Kutch. Hinterland of Barygaza and usually supports Barygazan policies, but usually ends up being a force for stability on the whole.
Oraia: A renamed Kokala, significant (but small) port city south of Rambakia. Generally oriented towards the Gulf and trade towards the West.
