Kingdom Irrigated

Kingdom Irrigate
Kingdom Irrigate is fertile land set asside for the purpose of farming a type of root-wheat known as Marriah. Marriah Wheat (or Kingdom Marriah) is cultivated exclusively for the outer-regions as a concentrated food source for the extraplanar populations. Bear in mind that this product is only a "wheat" by name. In fact it is closer to a root of crystalline substance that is extracted from deep underground.

Able to produce the equivalent of 200-days of standard rations per quantity of 1kg, it is prized by the merchant guilds and is usually reserved to richer markets within the developed realms. Cultivation requires precise harvesting techniques along with exact measures of natural blue/red sunlight and deep-pocket soil areas containing large quantities of non-contaminated fresh water (either by organics or toxic distilates).

It is estimated that less than 1% of worlds within the prime material plane have the necessary requirements to grow Marriah. Not always but usually a world must form an orbit to a binary system consisting of a yellow or red star and a blue star. The soil must form a layer of more than 350 m in depth and be virgin land untouched by past farming. A large containment of fresh water must be nearby that does not already form a natural irrigation (marsh) and it must be mostly free of smaller organic sediments (life). These recesses are usually consistent of water channels formed by igneous bedrock within a limited evolutionary cycle of the planet.

The majority of the market is controlled by House Sardia, a Monarchy ruled by King Sardain XVII. There is a belief that the Kingdom personally manages the cultivation and distribution of Marriah Wheat and has done so for over one thousand-years. Shipment to the outerplanes is controlled by means of planar gateways. A small portion of wheat is exported to several outer house affiliates whom are sworn to the secrecy of the Kingdom. These external houses may then redistribute the Marriah as befitting their market needs.

Not much is known outside of House Sardia of the cultivation process for Marriah Wheat. Within the House resides an ancient civilization long bound by King Sardia I and forming a multittude of greater houses each helping to the needs of the diverse ethnic populations.

Marriah Wheat forms a long stem that flowers when mature. The roots stretch at a depth of greater than 25- meters and at its base is a large bulb that is extracted for alchemical properties. This concentrated bulb requires a timely injection of a vast amount of water for the Marriah Wheat to flower. The roots are used to form strong textile for clothing and shipping.

A process of underground irrigation is employed during the final stages wherby the soil is flooded from deep below the earth. The bulb absorbs the water quickly and within days the stalk turns deep blue and a large orange and white-cap flower blossoms. The Kingdom has long enjoyed a dwarven alliance for mining and control of the subterranean irrigation passageways.

Depending on the generation, Sardia has employed alternate means to harvest the heavy Marriah Wheat. Excavation by strong hands is required to harvest the roots and bulb wherby the stalk can be simply cut and the wheat germ ground by the Hobbit Shires. Several Half-giant clans were initially responsible for excavating the roots and bulb, but this alliance proved too diffiucult for the King to maintain as the hobbits grew more sophisticated with time and finally destroyed the giants. cc The Halfling Uprising circa KoS 939 There are still some half-giants within the Kingdom but they are mostly employed as bodyguards or adventurers to the Lords of Sardia.

For the past few generations, all excavations of bulb root has been left to a large family of Gnomes and their arcane constructs. Their dedication to ingenuity has led to faming advancements that have as late greatly reduced the manpower necessary to harvest Marriah Wheat. Control of these constructs must be carefully maintained by the Gnomish lords, each respective house forming pockets known as 'Golem Nests' within the fiefdoms. From time to time constructs have gone missing, "borrowed" by House Lords and some have even been found on distant worlds evidently stamped with the royal seal of KoS.

The Outer World Crusades have recently mounted pressured against the Kingdom and threatened them to immediately desist from using these "souless beings", but as long as the King is able to maintain a steady supply of Marriah Wheat and keep the outerplanes fed, The Church has no power to ordain authority within the Kingdom of Sardia.