Defining "Empire" and "Nation" in an Olman context

Defining "Empire" and "Nation" in an Olman context
By Maria Deltorre

The idea that the Olman encompass a broad variety of subcultures is generally well recieved among those who have attempted some study and development of them in the past.

I think the term Empire as it applies to the Olman of the Amedio should mean "the body of real estate controlled by Olman factions" instead of "a coherent, centrally administered political entity".

Likewise, Nations should be used, IMO, in a way similar to its use regarding the Native Americans of North America. The term "Cherokee Nation" doesn't so much describe a formal set of borders that defined their holdings, but instead refers to them as a people and culture, and is used comparitively to differentiate them from their peers.

Instead of looking at the Olman Empire as something akin to the Roman Empire, approach it in comparison to the Greek "Empire" or the real life Mayan Empire, both of which were less centrally managed coherent nations, but more collections of similar cultured city states, that in times of external war, religious observance or need were allied together, but were just as likely at other times to be fighting amongst themselves over anything and everything.

In response to this discussion in the past, it was suggested that at some times, the Olman realm would be united under one banner militarily and politically, here is my response to that:

Without a doubt. It is possible, and even likely during the life of the Olman society in the Amedio that one or another city state will dominate others and hold sway over the "empire" as a whole. Following the Greek model, we can easily view Tamoachan and Xamaclan as the Athens and Sparta of the Amedio, representing different flavors of advanced Olman politics, culture and military might.

I also offer that the initial cause of the Olman-Touv wars was possibly rooted in one of these periods where one of the Olman states rose to prominence, and having brought their peers under their banner, through diplomacy or warfare, sought to expand their realm of influence to the various islands off the coast of the jungle, and eventually to Hepmonland beyond. As the influence of the two major city states waned (or at least withdrew back to a manageable territory, in Xamaclan's case), the wars with the Touv drew to a close.

It is possible, and maybe even inevitable, that Xamaclan, or another yet unknown city state will once again rise to power in the jungle and flex its muscle toward its neighbors in Hepmonaland and the Flanaess. In fact, the dangers posed by Scarlet Brotherhood invasions in the north could be the very stimulus for a strong leader appearing and rallying his city state to greatness...not that I have any such plotline in mind or anything...

And further, considering the impact of the Amedi Suloise people on the political landscape of the Olman:

In order to rectify the sovereignity of the Olman civilization as implied in C1 with the presence of Suel immigrants turned Savages (the term used on the Darlene map, btw) obviously documented in the World of Greyhawk Campaign Setting, I suggest that the Jungle be divided into two distinct areas in the post-migrations setting. Quite simply, the Amedi Suel hold dominance in the northern chunk of the Jungle, that portion which is seen on the Darlene map. Obviously, this does not mean that no Olman live here, but it is unlikely that any major city state exists, and those Olman that do dwell here are closer to the barbaric, nomadic tribes that SKR suggested.

It is interesting to note though that the Green Nightmare article by Roger Moore mentions the Jungle swallowed ruins of an ancient city along the northern shore of Lake Matreyus, which is clearly seen (the lake and shore, not the ruins) on the Darlene map. I offer that this ruin is that of a great Olman city state of old, mighty in the days before the migrations, that was conquered and held by the Suel settlers for some time. In those early days of Suel settlement, however, their ability to survive and thrive in the Jungle was limited, and the city fell into decline and ruin as they slowly learned that unlike in their homeland, magic and might is not always the answer to every problem in the Jungle. The Suel learned a painful lesson here, one known to the Olman for ages, that being that the Jungle is a greedy and jealous mistress, and the moment men fail to steadfastly maintain the little realms they've carved out beneath her canopy, the Jungle quickly devours those realms.