Bohemian Rhapsody
Current Saga Year
1271 AD
Saga Mythic Europe Ordo Hermei Lusus
CovenantCharacters
 
Porta Germaniae is governed by the Consilium, a council of member magi. Routine administration of Foedus affairs is delegated to the Vilicus, assisted by the Procurator. Defense of the Foedus is entrusted to the Praetorius.

Assisting these trusted officers are the Scriptor Maximus, Tabularius, and Praeceptor Ensis, as well as the Staršina, Praeceptor Arcus, Librarius, Mercator Maximus, and a number of other custodes and meritores. A Sněm Mluvčích (assembly of speakers), composed of selected covenfolk, advises the Vilicus and Procurator.

Custos Ctibor is Předák (headman), responsible for the venatores and agricolae outside the hranice; Panoš Ryszard governs the Morava vesnicka, assisted by Arnost and Dobroslav.

Some of the covenfolk have lodging and meals provided by the Foedus in return for their service; such folk are called Haly ("of the Hall") because they may eat in the Aula. All Consortes and Custodes are Haly, for example, as are the aethranavitae and milites. Not all do, of course, but all Haly have the right to be fed in the Aula if they choose.

Most of the covenfolk, however, must provide their own lodging and meals. Because all buildings and land are property of the Foedus, covenfolk pay rent for the homes and buy their own food, clothing, and sundries. They do so through the sale of things they produce for the Foedus; they are required to sell only to the Foedus, at rates set by the Foedus. A portion of their production is required to pay rent to the Foedus, and the remainder is available to spend as they see fit. However, because the Foedus pays its folk in býci, most are only able to purchase products from other Foedus folk, or from the Foedus itself. Things which are not able to be produced by the Foedus may be purchased externally by the Foedus, and some may be sold to those in the Foedus who desire them and can afford them.

Porta Germaniae has experienced dramatic population growth, owing to the importation of former slaves from the Baltic region, a sustained span of fertility, and low rates of mortality. With a population that has grown to around one thousand people, the Foedus has struggled to obtain sufficient food locally. Since the enchantment of the Aethranavis, which enabled efficient bulk transport from Italy, Porta Germaniae has depended on the bounty of the Po valley to supplement its food supplies.

The Foedus uses every possible resource for income, from agriculture, livestock, and forestry to manufacturing, service, toll-gathering, and trade.
  Agriculture mead, honey, crops   Greater
  Fishing fysilver rights to fishing in Foedus waters on the Dyje and Morava rivers   Typical
  Forestry timber & charcoal   Greater
  Livestock pig breeding, hounds   Lesser
  Manufacturing candles, baskets, pottery, rope, cloth, bronzework & goldwork   Greater
  Service milling rights   Typical
  Toll-gathering half of Breclav bridge tolls   Lesser
  Trade trading house   Lesser
 

Porta Germaniae is home to many skilled craftfolk, from weavers, tailers, potters, basketweavers, and cobblers to meaders, brewers, chandlers, smiths, leatherworkers, and ropemakers.

Foedus reputations include:
Hermetic   Respectable Covenant 3  
Hermetic   Enchanted flying ship 2  
Local   Good mead 2  
Local   Strange folk -1  

 

 
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Renovatio Monetae

Renovatio Monetae, or renewal of the coinage, is a common element of life in medieval Bohemia. Every six months, in Spring and Autumn, the crown requires everyone in the kingdom to turn in their old silver coins at a mint: at this time there are seventeen small mints throughout the kingdom for this purpose. When exchanging old silver coins for newly minted coins, one is given three coins in return for four, or two coins in return for three. This practice discourages hoarding (keeping older silver coins is illegal) and encourages people to spend their coins rather than store them.

For this reason, the Foedus also prefers to spend local coinage on things it needs, and keeps very little of it. The nearest mint to Porta Germaniae is at Znojmo, and this is where the Foedus takes its silver for exchange. In general, most covenfolk of the Foedus do not use silver, only the Foedus and wealthy individuals keep silver coins. Thus, a Foedus representative may collect coins for exchange, and travel to Znojmo for the renovatio.

Instead of silver, the covenfolk traditionally used a barter system among themselves, which has now been replaced by wooden tokens, called býci (bulls). One býci is valued at the cost charged to bake a loaf of bread at a communal oven.