Here's a write up of Argos based roughly on Mongoose Publishing's
Argos & Zingara, which I'm using for my current campaign. It is one of 8 City States on the continent of Myria Dia!
City State of ArgosDemographics: Argosseans are a mixture of Hyborian stock and Zingaran and Shemite bloodlines.
Languages: ancient Greek, common Greek, common [that's my addition, not true to the text as are other deviations below].
Population: 10,350 not counting foreign merchants and their members
Alignments: NG, CG, LN, NE
Location: at the tip of the south western peninsula in Myria Dia at the mouth of black creek.
Authority: The nobles control the land and resources; the merchant houses control the economy. Property is source of wealth and social prestige; it is backed by written law. As judge, minter, and tax collector, nobles administer their own estates,.
Important people: Nobles: 1 duke, 3 barons, 6 house lords
Crown revenue: fees, heavy taxes, rents, tariffs,
Law: law – seeks to establish a resolution to conflict and the furtherance of profitability
• manor court
• temple court
• royal court
In suits against merchants the courts favor the rich. Rulings against smuggling depends on the operation – local boys do better than foreigners. Sorcerer is illegal.
Military: Pirates (conscript), Marines (professional), Shemite Mercenaries (professional); Navy: a ½ dozen naval ships in support of the mercantile vessels. Constables: the uniform of the Patrol is brown boots and breeches and a pale blue sleeved coat under a leather jerkin on which is emblazoned the wave and coin emblem of Messantia, above a number of stripes, which indicate the Patrolman’s rank. A leather cap completes the uniform. On duty, the officers of the Patrol are armed with broadsword, poniard and manacles. They all carry copper whistles as well, which make a distinctive trilling noise when blown and are used to summon reinforcements.
Architecture: streets have sewage lines; water in underground pipes and aqueducts
pillars and arches for houses and public buildings; houses: single story, stone foundations, with frames of wood and clay, plastering for walls and with clay tiled roofs; In the City State of Argos streets have sewage lines; water in underground pipes and aqueducts; pillars and arches for houses and public buildings.
Religion: Greek pantheon: Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Hercules [note: the choice of Greek pantheon is Myria Dia specific] plus Mitra.
Resources and industries: Fishing, animal husbandry, small plot farming, hunting, shipbuilding, warehousing, beer, copper, value added in a host of professions; trades for any missing finished goods.
Food production ● 125 square miles arable or husbandry land.
● Fishing, sheep & goat husbandry, and hunting augment diet.
Professions: careers as soldiers or sailors or farmers, blacksmiths, musicians, dancers, painters, merchants, apothecaries, midwives, field hands, writers
Economy: Argos is described as a trading kingdom, with Merchant Houses dominating the political arenas much as the gladiators dominate the gladiatorial arenas. Members of Merchant Houses or nobility don't do work; slave do it. Slaves live in caves beneath wealthy houses. Slaves generally come from commoner class. Craftsmen sell goods from storefront built in to home with shop in the back. Guilds: craftsmen, apprentices, and masters; geared to hinder foreign trade of goods produced in Argos. Merchant houses: 16-hour work days, 12 in the winter. Started with armed expeditions to establish trade routes, signing trading arrangements with other city states and beyond. With trade came wealth, and wealth was invested in buying land, businesses, and ships thus creating powerful Merchant Houses. Foreign merchants deal with intermediaries controlled by the merchant houses. Houses pay tribute to feudal lords, who grant them charters. Most trade with Kush and Koth Produce kept local City State of Argos famed for its clockmakers and finesmiths (jewelers) To Zingara: beads, silk, sugar, and weapons in exchange for ivory, copra, copper ore, slaves, and pearls. To Shem: mirrors, silk clothing, armor, weapons, and shields To Koth: all of these. Special orders can be had for massive markup of price.
Currency: realm mintage: silver pieces, gold pieces.
Undercurrents: Wealthy merchants, neither noble nor peasant, steer the economy. Skills are as important as birth. Reputation; honor is important, education, property (including slaves) and trade. Gladiators feature in the cities and outlying towns as well as master sailors, crafty pirates, powerful merchants. The City State of Argos is liberal; inlying province peopled with traditional, more conservative farmers, craftsmen and laborers. Social standing: king and royal family, extended royal family, nobles of the merchant houses, then wealthy merchants and ship captains, the freemen (artisans) living in the city, then laborers including peasants and cottagers, and finally slaves. From the rulers’ point of view, extra money, free time, and education for the lower classes leads to laziness and the moral decline of the nation. There is a strong sense of community; civic pride dictated by the current weight of one's coin purse. Reputation is paramount. if a character goes 2 months without a change in reputation, he loses reputation; To not to be talked about is political and social death for an Argossean. Allegiances take precedence over other social interactions. Public display and honor; public display and recognition as honorable is more important than private personal feelings and behavior. Argosseans are honor bound; sensitive to insults; and that extends to family. Impugned honor results in a dual code. For honor is a real as land holdings or a castle. Last, Argos is the most seaworthy of the cities. Argos is wealthy enough to raise armies for war, hire assassins, spies, and diplomats for its particular brand of intrigue and subterfuge involving the other 7 city states.
Diet; fish, crab, & clams, lamb, pork, grains, nuts, fruits, poultry, other birds,
Fashion: meant to display wealth and station, if these are worth proclaiming. For the poor, stolen or hand me downs plus piercing, scars, and tattoos. Craftsmen were cloths suited to their work and tattoos as well. With increase in wealth gold and jewelry and fine cut suits. Colors are bold and bright; the higher the quality the more expensive the clothing.
Famous for: merchants, sailors, and sailing ships, including: coasters, cogs and other small and intermediate crafts for local maritime trade, which is far cheaper than overland trading with galleons, carracks, and caravels for longer journeys, say to Stygia or Khoraja; and last its gladiators and gladiator circuit.
Enemies: pirates of Zingara
