D'Hara/History/Second Census
The Second Census was conducted in the Winter of 21 YD by Ismail Tandaros.
A new census was called for when the Tandareen Council first convened to work on the Book of D'Hara. Realizing the state of extreme neglect and the long time since the Book was last revised, a census was called for to see whether Sanguis Astroism had become the majority religion of D'Haran nobility; subsequently the Tandareen decided it would also be a good chance to examine how D'Haran character had changed in the span of some fifteen years.
The Census used the same questions as the First. It was distributed to all nobles through their respective house of government. The realm's participation rate of the Second Census was 64%, surpassing that of the First Census. The House of Lords had 92% participating while the Midlands Council had 38%.
Returns
1) What is your age
under 25: 6
25-50: 8
50+: 3
2) Where is your home region/continent
Dwilight: 7
East: 2
Far East: 1
Atamara: 5
Colonies: 1
Beluaterra: 1
3) What is your class + subclass (if any)
Warrior: 8
Warrior/Cav: 1
Warrior/Hero: 3
Priest: 3
Courtier: 2
Ambassador: 2
Trader: 2
4) What titles have you held
Royal: 3
Government: 8
Ducal: 7
Lordship: 15
Marshal: 3
Knighthood: 9
Religious: 3
Guild: 2
5) What religion are you
Sanguis Astroism: 7
Verdis Elementum: 7
Aetheris Pyrism: 1
Pagan: 2
6) What sort of unit do you prefer to command
Infantry: 4
Archers: 6
Cavalry: 0
SF: 4
MI: 2
7) What other realms have you served in
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8) How long have you been in D'Hara
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9) Where do you currently reside (city/rural), which one
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10) What is your estimated tax income
Interpretation
1) D'Haran nobility is largely middle-aged, with a fresh influx of younger nobles at court and a peppering of elderly lords.
2) D'Haran nobility hails from all over the world, though many nobles originate locally in Dwilight or in Atamara.
3) The majority of D'Haran nobles are warriors, heroes, and cavaliers. There are a handful of traders, courtiers, and priests.
4) D'Haran nobility is a complex patchwork of competing claims and titles. Many nobles have served as lords, dukes, or government ministers. NB: This finding may be skewed due to the knighthood's comparatively low return rate in the Second Census.
5) D'Haran nobility is quite evenly split between Sanguis Astroism and Verdis Elementum.
6) Many noblemen prefer archery, though some lead infantry companies and others favor employing special forces. D'Hara generally shuns the use of cavalry as they do not fit well on ships.
Conclusion
The nobility is dominated by the powerful House of Lords, who are politically engaged and have deep personal investments in various aspects of D'Haran life; namely glory in battle, religion, and wealth. The knighthood is less engaged and more independent, often roaming around the Dragon Isles, frequenting the cities' taverns, whorehouses, and gambling halls.
The famed wealth of D'Hara has been decimated by the Long Winter, with Raviel and Paisly in particular still reeling from the effects of anarchy and famine. Nonetheless, many signs indicate an imminent economic boom. Eastern D'Hara is thriving in comparison. The Long Winter also decimated the followers of Verdis Elementum and in the following recovery, Sanguis Astroism has become the most-practiced religion in D'Haran peasantry. Today D'Haran nobility is evenly divided between followers of the Bloodstars and the Elements, with a small minority practicing other faiths. The spirit of religious freedom still prevails in D'Hara, though occasionally anti-theocratic movements arise which call the motives of the Church of Sanguis Astroism into question.
At the time of the First Census, the nobility were largely foreigners from the eastern continents who arrived in D'Hara, offered their protection and patronage to the local islanders, and established a relationship of mutual dependence with the local peasantry. The Tandareen has discovered that between the First and the Second Census, the proportion of local nobility has slowly grown, with many islanders achieving noble status. It remains yet to be seen what the infusion of local D'Haran blood into the nobility will portend for the realm's future, culturally or politically.
The Chair of the Tandareen speculates that there will, in the next few years likely, be a reckoning of values new and old, foreign and local. The days of Shadovar are now long gone, and the Dragon King hasn't been seen for many years. There is internal tension and confusion, with some republican elements festering and others calling for a royal restoration. The D'Haran court has been dominated by foreign lords of the East. Now I suspect many folk customs of the local peasantry and minor nobility will seep into D'Haran court life.
Though D'Hara is known as a merchant realm, a shockingly small proportion of the nobility is involved in trade - these few noblemen work hard and travel far afield to keep the realm fed. The majority of D'Haran nobles are dedicated warriors. D'Haran warrior society is nonetheless fractious and somewhat undisciplined. Many noble commanders are forced to hire pirates and corsairs when recruiting for campaign.
