Nation spotlight: Maryx and Free Maryx

For centuries, the Hobgoblins lived in conflict with the tribes of orcs, goblins and others in the Hordelands. Unlike the other races, the Hobgoblins banded together, sensing the benefit of co-operation against these other races. The hobgoblins formed a council of chieftains, which slowly evolved into a hierarchical military over the decades, ruled by a council of Generals. They carved out the meagre fertile lands in the west of the Hordelands, driving the other races out.

The fledgeling nation of Maryx was in a precarious position. The Hordelands lay to the east, the walled nation of Thehn to the north, and the powerful arcane nation of Northire to the west. With nowhere to expand, there was a high risk that the Hobgoblins would fall into civil war over their dwindling resources. All of that changed with the breaking.

The breaking shattered Thehn, but left no opportunity for the Hobgoblins. What truly gave Maryx the chance to expand was the death of Uthirian and the end of arcane magic. With the power of Northire shattered, the Hobgoblin horde swept in, forcing those that could not flee into slavery.

Maryx viciously defended its borders for the last 2 centuries, and has cemented itself as a new power in the south. Though the population of Hobgoblins overall is low, almost the entire population is militarised in some way, and their number grows each year.

A decade ago, the eastern peninsula that juts towards the frozen sea to the east seceded from Maryx under the order of General Zerxyx. His claim is that the High Command was under the control of Maenad psions, and that Maryx had to purge the race from their lands to be free. The high command branded him a traitor, but many flocked to his banner. Civil war has not yet broken out, but both sides have fortified their side of a disputed border. In Free Maryx, Maenad are forbidden to enter, and are either executed as traitors or exiled.

Culture

Both Maryx and Free Maryx have very similar cultures. The one defining difference is the attitude towards Maenad slaves. In Maryx, they are considered valuable property, and treated well. Human slaves are less valuable, and treated more harshly, but still valued. In Free Maryx, Human slaves are valued, and have recently begun to earn their freedom if they also join the military ranks.

In both nations, the military is the core of the society. It forms the government, and also societal structure. Your place in society is easily determined by your rank, and those that are excluded from the military are either pitied or loathed depending on their circumstances. All young adults are trained in some form of combat, whether it be martial, psionic or other. The Hobgoblins do not see physical strength as the true mark of a warrior as their ancestors did, but rather see skill and ability as markers of one worthy of advancement.

Ranks are organised in a strictly lineal structure, with several corps that a member can fall under. These corps are:

Infantry
Cavalry
Hospitalers
Engineers
Assault
Secrets
Security
Sea

Those that leave Maryx are usually given leave, or an honourable discharge from their service depending on their circumstances. Many others are given covert missions to learn more of other cultures, and foster trade relations with other nations, or to investigate possible opportunities that Maryx can take advantage of. Free Maryx also does this, but has also used a high amount of loyal human operatives to infiltrate the other lands where Hobgoblins are treated with suspicion.

Clothing is usually formal military attire in browns and reds, the colours of Maryx that denote the brown dust of the Hordelands and the spilled blood of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to Maryx. The same is true in Free Maryx, but with white headwear to denote that their minds are free of Maenad taint.

Language and names

The Hobgoblin language is guttural and harsh, with long drawn out vowel sounds that seem out of place with the rest of the language. It has a surprising amount of detail when it comes to matters involving combat and military life; It is a utilitarian language, and does not easily lend itself to artistic expression. It is considered an easy language to learn by most other races, as it has solid rules of grammar and syntax that are rarely broken.

Hobgoblin names are also utilitarian. Male and female names differ wildly, with male names constructed of short syllables of guttural sounds, and female names with long vowel sounds.

Hobgoblins do not have family names, but rather use a naming structure as follows: (Rank) (Name) (Corps). The fledgeling hobgoblin navy uses the same rank structure, finding the idea that their navy ranks should be different from their army absurd. They simply call their navy the "Sea Corps"

Ranks: Golbar (Trainee), Moknard (Recruit), Iknard (Full), Shaktakir (Blooded), Omkarakna (Branded), Nabrath (Thinker), Nohroth (Commander) Arnohroth (High Commander) Krakornir (General) Arkrakornir (High General).

Male names: Ar, Azta, Belz, Cor, Dalk, Ez, Fik, Gurk, Juz, Kik, Kurz, Mak, Mur, Ok, Ozr, Rak, Rorc, Tak, Turg, Zug.

Female names: Aamaa, Anooa, Bemaaroo, Caanira, Eeneeri, Enyaara, Fiiraa, Heeri, Iinuu, Laaza, Moorno, Niiloo, Ooni, Raamee, Seevia, Unlee, Vaanee, Zyuura.