🎀 Wisteria 🎀

For one reason or another – whether it was the location of their previous stop, the high cost of sea travel, a reluctance to be caught by church patrols, or perhaps something else entirely – the "Golden Griffin" approached the borders of the Airisufir Empire not from the sea, but from the west, that is, from Lisliar, a land of non-human tribes and generally unsafe, restless places that are very unfriendly to ordinary travelers. Fortunately, the road leading from one empire to another rarely became a gathering place for large military formations, and petty bandits were not brave or foolish enough to risk attacking such a well-armed group of travelers, especially since the non-human tribes who engaged in this activity were already too busy at the moment. Finally reaching the border post, the first thing that struck the travelers was the cultivated fields planted with various things, flowers growing all around, newly built mills, infrequent but cozy-looking houses, and behind them, in the distance, tall walls. One did not need deep knowledge of history and politics to understand what was happening: the Airisufir Empire had once again shifted its borders beyond the previously defined limits and, in order to emphasize its claims on them, developed new lands and settled them with its own citizens. The high walls protecting the empire from raids by non-humans and barbarians could unfortunately not be moved so easily, which meant that local residents were more vulnerable to attack from outside than their fellow countrymen on the other side of the walls. Be that as it may, the members of the "Golden Griffin" were met by a well-organized detachment of border soldiers, who escorted them to a waiting room where, as they soon discovered, there weren't many people besides themselves. Now, before the entire group and each of its members, lay a choice – undergo inspection, fill out all the necessary documents, and enter the country legally, or try to infiltrate it illegally, using bribery or one's own stealth and luck. The first option would allow staying in the country on legal grounds, which would make it possible to engage in official work, carry out state assignments, and avoid trouble in case of any problems, but at the same time, it would increase the risk of being detected and caught if committing some kind of crime, since you would have to go through an inspection and answer a number of questions with all the notes in the migration document – when did you arrive, with whom, for what purpose, how long will you stay in the country, where are you going to stay, do you have acquaintances or relatives in the country, what do you look like (they will sketch a portrait), etc. Claudius would also need a guarantor (a person who will be responsible for him), since he has no rights in this country. Mirastir, in turn, only needs to pass the inspection – having citizenship will allow him to cross the border without unnecessary hassle. This applies to Raphael and his servants and slaves as well; his old acquaintance Inar Anluki took care that the Lisliarian slave owner could enter the country without any problems. While at the border post, travelers also had the opportunity to order something to eat in the local canteen and read a fresh newspaper.

Dear readers, here comes the second issue of our now monthly publication, and before we start covering the events of the past month, our editorial team sincerely thanks the readers for their positive feedback and hopes that news about events in the empire, whatever they may be, will lift your spirits! Or at least not upset you too much! After all, things happen in life, but don't get worked up because the night is darkest just before dawn! Life is beautiful – don't forget it! The End of the Jewel Era? Dear readers, you probably remember that two years ago, namely on March 15th, 727, the government of the empire began issuing its own currency called "Air" as an alternative to jewel, which was used almost everywhere in the world? We remind you that this currency was created and launched into the economies of the countries of Vesteria by the Church of Arterius and has dominated the markets of all developed countries of the continent for centuries. This was certainly due, among other things, to the fact that the church gently suppressed attempts by allied countries to introduce their own currency into circulation, explaining this by saying that such actions would bring nothing but problems for ordinary people and serious interstate conflicts. Nevertheless, the government of Empress Astrea Air el Sufir insisted on her own and, moreover, recently issued a new order on a tax on the use of jewel. Starting this month, an additional tax of 35% will be levied on all monetary transactions carried out using this currency! Therefore, we strongly urge you to make your purchases with caution! Also, please note that you can exchange currency at a rate of 1 jewel for 9 air in any bank in the empire. Matrilineal Marriages Along with the monetary reform, an unprecedented law on matrilineal marriages also came into force in the empire. Throughout the history of our country, issues of marriage and inheritance were decided individually by each family, but from today onwards, this comes to an end. From now on, all children born in marriage will belong to the dynasty of their mother, and if this change is not so noticeable for an ordinary person, then for the aristocracy, these innovations in the laws of the empire open up a whole range of problems and opportunities. The author of the new law, Lucretia Air el Sufir, sister of Empress Astrea Air el Sufir and Countess of Purple Lake, explains the new decree as follows: The Goddess intentionally created men and women differently so that they could better cope with certain tasks, and while men are better suited for war and heavy physical labor, women are naturally better suited for leadership, which is why they have primacy in the family. This statement was refuted by representatives of the church, but this did not prevent the government of the empire from introducing the new law. Guarantors for Non-Humans The last important news for today is that from now on every non-human must have a guarantor – a person who will be responsible for his actions, and in case he commits a crime, he will bear the punishment instead of him. As officials explain, this is due to the increased raids by non-humans on weakly protected settlements of the empire and the increase in the level of crime in recent months. Non-humans without a guarantor will be deported.