I have been commanded by #nes to take Poland, so I will.
Fantastic, glad to have you both
I will get to faction descriptions for everyone, but since I have several dozen to do it might take a couple of days. In the meantime
Azale said:
Ninja Dude said:
Don't forget Yaroslavl and the Order.
yui 108 said:
Someone probably mentioned the Aradabilids...but them too.
BAM!
Viceroy of the Left: The official in charge of the Oirats, and watching the western frontier. Very Buddhist, very supportive of the current programme in China, opposes any sort of agreement with the Chinese. Tends to handle most of the Khaganate's relations with the Horde; would like to eventually bring Buddhism to the Horde, but China comes first.
Viceroy of the Right: The commander in charge of the tribes of the eastern frontier. Less influential than the Viceroy of the Left and not happy about it. Supports bringing the Jurchen back into the fold, provided that they'd become his responsibility. Less thoroughly Buddhist than the Viceroy of the Left, and with more pagans kicking around.
Kurultai: The assembly of the tribal chiefs and clan leaders of the steppe. Thoroughly Buddhist and supportive of the current programme in China; oppose anything that smacks of Sinicization.
Chinese bureaucracy: The bureaucracy that runs the Chinese possessions. Mostly native Chinese, obviously. In most areas is
not the standard Confucian scholar-gentry bureaucracy; that system has been destroyed in most places north of the Yangtze, and replaced with a broadly similar system based instead on Yenogretic values. Draws of necessity from merchants and artisans, and is undermanned and less efficient than its predecessor, though improving all the time.
Chinese gentry: The gentry in the Chinese territories. Mostly cut out of administration now, and very unhappy about it, but a lot of the most vocal have been killed off in various rebellions and purges, so the ones who are left tend to keep quiet most of the time. Very anti-Yenogretic, and anti-Mongol in general; tend to oppose the Khagan's initiatives on general principle.
Boyar council: The prince's advisory council, comprised of the seven or so most senior nobility. Constitutionally extremely important; it is not a rubber stamp body, and trying to ignore the boyars on important issues would be highly irregular. The present body is pro-Tver, but somewhat suspicious of Vasili's motives.
Orthodox Church: The Novgorodian hierarchy in the principality. Broadly speaking is in favor of rapprochement with Nizhny, but royal patronage has gone a long way to bringing them onside. More anti-Veliky than most, thanks to the Archbishop attempting to interfere with Yaroslavl's territory.
Royal Court: The servicemen who hang around the prince's person. Generally pretty much support any royal initiatives that don't directly attack their privileges.
Namestniki: The urban governors, supported by kormlenie. Broadly speaking responsible for civilian administration. Heavily influenced by Tver; are the strongest supporters of closer alliance with Vasili. Oppose any detente with Nizhny on general principle.
Volosteli: The rural governors, supported by kormlenie. Responsible for organizing levies for the military, and broadly speaking in charge of military administration. Feel that the principality is too close to Tver, would like to chart a more independent course.
Natives: The Chuds and Balts who inhabit the countryside. Don't like being forced to offer military service, don't appreciate efforts to make them give up their pseudo-pagan customs. Generally oppose aggression and would like more of a role in Order governance, though they know that's a long shot.
Merchantry: The merchants, often Ost Danes and mostly concentrated around Lyndanisse and Riga. Don't like the League, and the Rigans in particular have fairly intense trade routes with the Lithuanians and Polotsk that they don't want jeopardized.
Mark Captains: The commanders of the castles and military districts on the frontier, with the most influential being those on the Novgorod frontier. They're primarily military commanders, and are the most senior members of what you might call the 'active-duty' Order, though there's really no such clear division. Support taking the offensive against Novgorod or Lithuania or both, tend to be fairly pro-Danish.
Home Captains: The commanders of the castles and districts of the interior. Tend to be administrators and organizers more than soldiers, since their districts provide most of the food and equipment for the Order. Have a bit of a rivalry with the Mark Captains, who are traditionally more prestigious. Tend to oppose close alliance with the Danes and major expansionist campaigns, since that would give more influence to the Mark Captains.
Mission Captains: The commanders of the wing of the Order responsible for ministering to the natives; basically they're the bishops. Are responsible for converting pagans, running non-Order churches, and all the rest of the stuff that is technically the Order's primary mission. By far the least prestigious and numerous wing of the Order, and tends to be either a punishment posting or a quiet place to put the rejects where they can contribute without damaging anything. Would appreciate having the Grand Abbot listen to them for once, and obviously support an increased focus on ministering to the natives.
Dhahabi clergy: The Dhahabi ulema, led by their Imam. Strongest in the northwest, weakest in the far east. Violently opposed to any sort of concessions to liberalism or Turkism. Support pretty much any war to cleanse the kafirs.
Tabaristan: The home provinces, around the southern shores of the Caspian. The first conquests of the Ardabilid emirate, and still probably the most loyal and valued by the state. Natives tend to occupy a large proportion of the state's high offices, and they'd like to keep it that way. Support the state fairly unconditionally, and dislike the easterners pushing for a change of focus away from the Turks.
Merchantry: The merchants, most numerous around the Persian Gulf. Dislike that Dhahabi regulations and Ardabilid-sponsored pirates have driven away many of their trading partners, and push for both policies to change. Tend to be slightly more liberal than most, and consequently are excluded from most policymaking.
Fars: The southwestern provinces. Dislike Tabaristan's predominance in internal affairs, feel that their defense against the Turk deserves more attention than it's getting. Aren't, generally speaking, maniacally anti-Chobanid, but would very much like to retake Khuzistan before reaching any sort of permanent settlement.
Khorasan: The far eastern provinces. Somewhat less Dhahabi than the western regions. Feel neglected by the focus on the Chobanids, would prefer a stronger line against the Horde. Somewhat pro-Delhi, or at least anti-war-with-Delhi, thanks to Delhi's diplomatic efforts.
Ghulams: The professional slave soldiers that form the Shah's guard and the core of the army. Mostly Central Asians bought young, or Georgians captured in raids. Presently somewhat upset by the Shah's perceived kowtowing to the Dhahabi ulema; they're Dhahabi, of course, but they feel that the recent wars against the Chobanids would have gone a lot better if they'd had more say and the clerics less. Would like more influence over military policy, and more ghulams and less regional levies. Generally reliable backers of the Shah in other internal disputes.