Britvalia: The Mountain Kings United
The mountains of Takira have stood as the heart of the continent since time immemorial and the first steps of the fledgling mortal races. As of now, they hold a powerful nation that has learned the true meaning of Iron Defense. Britvalia. A kingdom split amongst many other smaller kingdoms. And yet somehow, it is able to deal with disunity and unity as easily as Humans and Elves do. The Dwarves, with their stalwart honor and courage, and the Gnomes, with their creativity and immense intellect. They are a match made in Celestia or the Abyss depending on who's side you're on. And we are lucky they support us against the demons. Countless times, they have pushed back assaults both above and below ground. Without need of thanks. And we should thank them. Because they are one of the core bastions against the next Long Night. And we will need them on our side should the Demons have come again.
Structure
The High King
The King of Britvalia, so named by the Elector Kings. The High King is the protector of the realm and officially has authority over all other Elector Kings. While some both in and outside Britvalia see the High King as a figurehead, both ancient stories and recent times have often silenced those thoughts. While weak and manipulated High Kings do dot the history books, all recognize the Crown that stands above all others. The current High King is Ulston Dawnhammer, crowned at the dawn of the 15th century before he even reached his 1st century. The High King's territory goes from the surface into the depths of Takira.
The Elector Kings
65 Mountains kings lay claim to the 65 mountain provinces of Britvalia. The 66th, Kistorm, is left to the High King. These titles are hereditary but it is not uncommon for one clan to fall in a province and another to lay claim to kingship. However, Only one clan can rule each province as each province is essentially its own kingdom. Another reason is to stop the countless wars over other provinces that gripped the mountain lands in the past and led to a civil war that nearly broke their iron defense during the Long Night.
However, they are not the only Kings as there are kings of Undrek beneath the surface. These kingdoms serve as the main bulwark against any underground threat. They have a direct line to the High King since his territory extends into their lands and they make absolutely sure they are not cut of politics. Often, Undrek Kings are more of warriors than the Mountain Kings but they are no strangers to political espionage, sabotage, and even assassination due to the enemies they face.
The Paragons
Law is intrinsic to the ideals of Britvalia and they treat the judges who hold people to those laws as idolized versions of what a Lawful citizen should be. When treaties are forgotten or laws broken, the Paragons are expected to whip the offenders back into shape or punish them accordingly. As their name suggests, they are people who have never broken any laws and have held themselves to the ideal of Britvalian society. They pride themselves on that. How true that is often left up to debate.
Paragons are common across all levels of society as they deal with both civil and criminal cases. Minor Paragons usually deal with cases in cities, towns, and frontier cases. As they grow in experience and prestige, they become Major Paragons, serving in the courts of the Elector Kings. High Paragons are the rarest but often deal with laws and cases in the High King's court, deciding the interpretation of laws for the United Kingdom. Whatever laws the Electors or High King make, it is the Paragons who have the final say in how it will be interpreted or if it will be allowed.
Public Agenda
Britvalia is mainly trying to defend the south against the Demonic hordes of the North. They do this with the aid of the Steamerian Theocracy and the Nauthion Kingdom. However, their rivalry/suspicion of Ris is clear for all to see.
History
Before the Long Night, the mountains of Takira were devastated by war and volcanic eruption alike. In the wake of the volcano eruption of a mountain known as Vinro, the region was abandoned by everyone. Everyone except the Dwarves who saw potential in the lands. They were tired of the countless forces that would sweep through their lands. And when the air grew colder and the nights grew longer, they knew it was a herald of changing times. So starting from the depths, they rose into the mountains, establishing their own holds.
They were right to lay claim when they did as the gnolls soon went mad, corrupted by the whispers of the Beast. They tore through the plains, attacking Lupin and Wolf-Ferra alike and casting them out. The Dwarves offered safe passage to the people running from the mad Gnolls and built strongholds to defend against the Gnolls. However, danger also came from the north as the Orcs of Cixan came down, their gods allying with the demons and slamming against the barely defended north. Countless strongholds were lost before the Britvalians began their counterattack. Attacking from both above and below with the aid of Aarakocra and Goliaths, they slammed into the demonic lines and kept them out of the mountains.
From that point on, the Dwarves began a war of attrition against the Demons. They were the sole reason the Demons never reached the southern lands for centuries on end. But all that war. All that death. It started to wear down on them. and the once united group fractured into different dwarven holds. And with that, the demons forced their way south and started raiding the southern lands. Which caught the southern races' attention and they threw themselves into the fight against the Long Night. Gnomish ingenuity with war machines thought lost after centuries of disuse.
And when the war finally came to the end, the Dwarves decided to allow the Gnomes into their lands. They slowly mended the ties between the holds and the kingdoms once again joined together under the United Kingdom, still keeping some of their autonomy.
Demography and Population
On the surface of Takira, 137 thousand call Britivalia home. Most of them are the numerous strongholds of other Dwarven clans that stay on the surface to trade with the few mountain dweller groups left. The real population lies beneath the ground, sprawling across the corridors of the Underdark, or Undrek as its denizens call it. There are many more homes for the Britvalians beneath the surface with mostly dwarves to inhabit them. While most of them serve as homes to the populace, there are settlements at the fringes of the holds that defend against the darkness that lurks in the depths.
As a result of their connections, the Dwarves accept the Gnomes as their technological ingenuity blends well with the creative craftsmanship of the Dwarves. While the Gnomes are never populous enough to become leaders, they accept their role in life as they are needed immensely. Grey Dwarves who turned away from the darkness live with their kin but the stigma from the actions of the Duergar often leave them worse off just like the Dark Elves who escaped the Drow.
Territories
Above ground, Britvalia only lays claim to the mountain range that covers central Takira through 66 provinces. Due to its highly defensive and mineral-rich nature, the other nations allow Britvalia to claim hold over it. However, Britvalians are ever-expanding underneath the earth, fighting against a tide of demons and Undrek residents alike. While the surface knows peace, the depths know only the fear and constant paranoia of war and bloodshed that has always been a part of Undrek. The territories on the borders of the underground are constantly under threat and Britvalia does its best to keep these towns in line. However, more often than not, they break off into independent city-states or are captured by a rival power that the United Kingdom must once again fight to take control of.
Religion
The Dwarven Pantheon of the Stonekeepers reigns in Britvalia. However, the Gnomish pantheon was inducted into the Stonekeepers as a sign of cooperation between the two groups. Just like the rest of Takira, they try their best to outlaw and hunt down demon worship. They are technically aided in this by the Devil-worshipping cults that have sprung up. After all, their lawful nature will not abide by the chaotic nature of demons and their followers. And as such, the Stonekeepers and their gods are willing to make deals and truces for now. How long that will last after the demons are pushed back is up for debate.
Agriculture & Industry
The dwarf and gnome population have spurned an industrial nature inside of Britvalia. While they can't rival the likes of Aethyr's Tykriels and Elves, they can still compete in their own ways. They are the first and only known crafters of firearms, keeping them locked in the depths to battle against the demonic hordes that throw themselves at the gates. Their forges can forge powerful metals that can easily cut through the toughest stone as if it was butter. They have even started to learn how to weave magic more easily into these materials, doubling their power.
However, that doesn't mean they're lagging far behind agriculturally. While they don't have ready access to the sun for the majority of their population, they have learned about farmable plantlife that grows underground thanks to Druids who adapted to the depths. Slowly but surely, they are growing their own food supply, relying less and less on the other nations who might one day try to starve them out or forget the kindness Britvalia does for them and retract their shipments of food as a result.
Trade & Transport
Britivalia, despite the mountainous area it resides in, is one of the major trade centers on the eastern continent. It houses the only road that cuts through the mountains, using this as a bargaining chip with their capital located right on the main road. Additionally, they house plenty of underground roads that allow quick access to other areas of Takira and supposedly even the western continent of Aethyr.
The Mountains Stand United
Founding Date
800 SF
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
The United Kingdom of Britvalia, Britvalia, The Mountain Holds
Demonym
Britvalian
Leader Title
Government System
Monarchy, Elective
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Barter system
Currency
Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum Coins (Marked with Dwarven Sigils)
Major Exports
Minerals, Weapons, Jewelry
Major Imports
Vegetables, Grains, Meats
Legislative Body
The Elector Kings
- The Mountain Kings
- The Undrek Kings
Judicial Body
The Paragons
- High Paragons
- Major Paragons
- Minor Paragons
Official State Religion
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
At War
- Dagdra sees Britvalia as the one thing stopping them from reaching the south through the mountains
- Britvalia despises Dagrda on the principle of the Demons who reside there, their followers that support them, and their chaotic energy that clashes with the Devil worshipping and/or Lawful people who reside in the mountain kingdom
- Dagrda has attacked Britvalia several times in Undrek and supported those that also attacked them
Comments