Osir

Located north of Cesarica, Osir is a highly militant country that consists primarily of arid desert. It is one of the few countries that halted the Cesarican Empire's expansion.  

Government

The governing body of Osir is the Osir Congress, a group consisting of counselors that serve as elected representatitves from each of the recognized guilds within the country. Usually the congress consists of about 75 counselors, though that number can fluctuate as the number of official guilds recognized by the Osiran government changes.   There is no official hierarchy within the congress. Each counselor's vote holds the same weight. However, because many guilds are offshoots of older and larger guilds (for example, the Guild of Grocers was originally a part of the Merchant's Guild), often the counselors of these smaller and younger guilds will follow the guidance of the more established guilds.   Because of the differing and often opposing priorities of the many different guilds within the country, congressional sessions are frequent and often heated. New legislation must be passed with a two-thirds majority vote, and it is not unheard of for physical altercations to break out during debates.  

Geography

The majority of the interior of Osir is covered by the arid and sandy Zuzaji Desert. The northwestern part of the country is the location of a dense rainforest called the Sinharaja Jungle, and the northeastern side of the country is made up of the mesas of the Tawila Plateau.   The majority of the population is located along the coasts and in the capital, Irvene, which is located around a large oasis in the middle of the Zuzaji Desert.  

Culture

Unlike Cesarica, Osir is a more insular and sometimes xenophobic country. Traditions are highly valued, and Osirans are often seen to be exceptionally proud people. Independence, strength, and merit are all highly valued within Osiran culture.   Citizenship is not a given, even for those born to citizens within the country. Instead, citizenship must be earned by attaining membership to a guild. It is through guild membership that an individual gets access to government representation as well as the rights to own property. As a result, being stripped of one's guild membership is one of the highest punishments that can be meted out.  

Family

Osiran society is structured around the individual's household. The head of the household is understood to have full control over everything in their posession, from land to property to children and slaves. A fundamental right of Osiran citizens is that they full control to do what they please with their property (with a few exceptions), it cannot be forcibly reposessed by the government, and theft is almost always a capital offense.   Marriage is considered more of a symbolic gesture rather than a legal one. Each partner retains their ownership of their household. Many partners will enter co-ownership agreements for land or a shared house, but these must be specifically negotiated.   Because individuals are not considered citizens of Osir until they attain membership to a guild, children are considered property under the co-ownership of their parents. While parents have significant leeway over their children, children born to Osir citizens cannot be sold like slaves or other property can. This is one of the few limitations on the control a head of household has.  

Slavery

Slavery is a common and arguably fundamental part of Osiran society. The majority of agricultural work is done via slave labor, and many of the most skilled artisans in the country are slaves.   Generally, slaves are placed in among four categories: agricultural workers, domestic servants, skilled artisans, and gladiators. Agricultural works are usually seen as the lowest value, equivalent or even less in value than the livestock that they often care for. Gladiators are a unique caste among slaves in that they do not belong to a household. Instead, they are considered property of the Osir Congress.   In Osir, slaves do not have any legal rights of their own. They are considered the property of the household they belong to and any work product that they produce is also considered a part of that household. They cannot be held liable or initiate legal proceedings, and they cannot give testimony in a legal case.   There have been very few instances of organized slave rebellion in the history of Osir. Primarily, instances of rebellion happen on an individual level ranging from malicious compliance to running away. However, the country has placed a lot of resources into finding and returning fugitive slaves to their owners. The Bounty Hunter Guild, who are primarily tasked with this, is one of the oldest and most powerful in the Osir Congress.  

Sources of Slaves

War Captives - Historically, the most common source of new slaves in Osir was war captives. Much of Osir's history has been spent in skirmishes along its borders, and common practice was to enslave opponents defeated in battle as well as civilians caught in the crossfire. However, Osir's borders have come to a fairly stable peace, and this is no longer common.   Piracy and Kidnapping - While technically illegal, the kidnapping and enslavement of both citizens and foreigners is rarely formally punished outside of the most egregious cases. As such a integral part of Osiran society, the slave trade is highly lucrative. So, piracy resulting in the enslavement of otherwise free people is relatively common, especially along the northern coasts of Cesarica and even the southernmost parts of Orini.   Children of Enslaved Parents - This is technically the only currently legal way for new slaves to join the population. It is often highly encouraged for slaves to reproduce, especially skilled slaves. Because the children of a household's slave belong to that household, it guarantees the growth of their assets. As a result, while slaves cannot legally marry, families are often kept together.  

Manumission

It is possible for a slave to earn their freedom, though it is exceedingly rare. There are two methods of manumission: via will or via wealth. The head of a household can bequeath freedom upon their slaves in their will. This very rarely happens, as most instead opt to transfer the contents of their household to their heirs (there have been many Osiran dramas about heirs or slaves contesting the contents of a head of household's will).   The other path for manumission is for a slave to buy their freedom. Again, this is extremely difficult to accomplish as slaves cannot legally own property. Gladiators are the most likely to achieve this path to freedom as they are allowed a small portion (about 1%) of the winnings from their matches. Occaisionally, an individual will give a slave (usually a skilled artisan) a small portion of their wealth to spend as they wish. Usually, this occurs when the individual appoints the slave as an agent of a business. Generous slave owners will allow a slave to keep any returns on that investment.   Once a slave has accumulated enough wealth, they can then apply for manumission from their owner. For gladiators, this is a fairly straightforward (although uncommon) process since they petition the government directly and are often given a set value based on their track record in the arena. Privately owned slaves, however, require the agreement of their owner to buy their freedom, as they are essentially buying themselves from the household. The head of household is free to put whatever value upon the slave that they choose, which commonly leads to a moving target of wealth that the slave must acquire in order to reach freedom.  

Military