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Tales of Cross
Nations and powers
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The eight powers

One page: location, capital, regime, population and army of every power in Cross in 1890.

A pocket reference. Figures cross-checked against Population, The armies in figures and The state of the world.


The eight powers

Power Where it sits Capital Regime Population Army % mobilised
PowerClerical Order Where it sitscentre of the continent, both shores of the Sea of the Choir · 43-51° N CapitalAurum Roma Regimetheocratic empire of 7 States under the One Population120 M Army1,780,000 % mobilised1.5%
PowerPact Heptarchy Where it sitsdeep east, beyond the line · 46-54° N CapitalKarzhar (empty throne) Regimeconfederation of 7 patron cities, one per Prince Population40 M Army2,300,000 % mobilised5.8%
PowerBrytonia Where it sitswestern archipelago, 150 km off the continent · 51-58° N CapitalBrithon Regimeconstitutional monarchy, bicameral parliament Population40 M Army620,000 % mobilised1.6%
PowerVykhradia Where it sitseast-central plateau · 47-53° N CapitalVykhrad Regimemonarchy + Diet of eleven magnates Population30 M Army1,200,000 % mobilised4.0%
PowerMeridia Where it sitsvolcanic peninsula of the south · 40-44° N CapitalStromakra Regimemonarchy, mercantile-military aristocracy Population28 M Army480,000 % mobilised1.7%
PowerKönigsmark Where it sitsdeep north, fjords and taiga · 56-63° N CapitalKönigsburg Regimemonarchy + caesaropapism (Royal Church of the North) Population22 M Army720,000 % mobilised3.3%
PowerSerenissima Velinia Where it sitsarchipelago in the middle of the Sea of the Choir · 44-45° N CapitalVelinia Regimerepublic — mercantile oligarchy, rotating Doge of Sails Population10 M Army210,000 % mobilised2.1%
PowerKantonal Confederation Where it sitsalpine heart, 800-1,800 m · 46-49° N CapitalBernkanton Regimefederal republic — 17 cantons, annual Council of the Just Population6 M Army130,000 % mobilised2.2%
PowerFronts and margins Where it sitsLimes, Tenebrum, irregulars Capital Regime Population4 M Army560,000 % mobilised
PowerTOTAL Where it sits Capital Regime Population300 M Army~8,000,000 % mobilised2.7%

The seven States of the Clerical Order

Each under a Crowned Cardinal-of-State, answering to the One.

# State Capital Where Function Mineral
#1 StateAurum Romana CapitalAurum Roma (800,000) Wherecentre, plain Functionseat of the Pontiff and the Curia MineralLiturgical Gold
#2 StateFerrum Alpina CapitalFerrumkar Wherecentre-north, 600-1,400 m Functionsteel, armament MineralChoir-Iron + Hashmalite (55% of world output)
#3 StateSal Pradelica CapitalPradel Whereeast-central, 500-1,200 m Functionbarrier mining MineralSeal Salt (monopoly)
#4 StateLimes Orientalis CapitalCastrum Limentis Whereeast, the front Functionpermanent war MineralChoir-Iron + Ardentine
#5 StateMaritima Coronata CapitalCoronata Wherecentre-south, coast Functionfleet and trade of the Choir MineralSilver Chrism
#6 StateVallia Sacra CapitalVallium Wherecentre, hills Functionagriculture, liturgical vineyards MineralHoly Ash
#7 StateSchola Coronata CapitalSchola Maior Wherecentre-north, plateau Functionuniversities, Curia of the Hashmal MineralLumen

The seven cities of the Heptarchy

City Patron Prince Vice Function
CityKarzhar (200,000) Patron PrinceLuzhar VicePride Functionpolitical capital. Throne empty since 1819
CitySathkar Patron PrinceSathnar ViceWrath Functionforge-city and military front
CityLeviakol Patron PrinceLeviath ViceEnvy Functionport on the Tenebrum Sea
CityBelkar Patron PrinceBelzebar ViceGluttony Functionsupply and banquet
CityMammon-Ur Patron PrinceMammen ViceGreed Functioncontract, credit, the wax seal
CityAsmotheri Patron PrinceAsmoteth ViceLust Functioncourt
CityBelikatra Patron PrinceBelifor ViceSloth Functionthe one that stops answering

Inside the army of the Order — 1,780,000

Component Strength
ComponentLine Strength1,200,000
Component— of which rail garrison Strength600,000 (half the army guards empty track)
Component— Limes Orientalis Strength260,000
Component— Maritima Coronata Strength130,000
Component— Seal II under quarantine Strength90,000
Component— Seals I, III, V Strength80,000
Component— reserve and schools Strength40,000
ComponentMilitary Orders Strength180,000 — Knights of the Seal 110,000 · Hospitallers 56,000 · Reformed Inquisition 14,000
ComponentDiocesan militia Strength400,000

Six readings of the table

  1. The Heptarchy mobilises twice what the Order does, in proportion — 5.8% against 1.5%. It manages that because it can absorb losses the other side cannot, and that is why the line never falls back.
  2. Vykhradia is the most militarised human state — 4%, and it still loses ground. The only great power with a permanent land front, and its demography shows the price: +15% in a hundred and ten years.
  3. Brytonia mobilises less than any power of weight — 1.6%, almost all of it naval. Its military effort is essentially paying others to fight, and the continent knows it.
  4. The Order has four times the Heptarchy's population and three quarters of its army. It wins on scale and loses on availability.
  5. The One's personal guard is Kantonal, by contract since 1817. The most protected man in the Christian world is guarded by hired foreigners.
  6. Half the army of the greatest power in the world exists to stop the other half starving. That is the operational definition of the Stagnation.

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