The Hastlands
Unity in the north was always a difficult ask. The northern culture is built around Clans, powerful groups that families and individuals pledge to. These Clans range from small groups of like minded people following a single leader, to massive economic bases that run multiple forms of trade. And each Clan has it out for others in the same line of business. Before the Elves, the north was industrious and sheltered. There was little connection between settlements, but each one on its own had the wealth of multiple Maldrere kingdoms. The largest clans could muster forces well beyond what one would expect thanks to huge coffers and expendable income. However, the north was mostly cut off from the rest of the worlds dealings in the early years - and from one another. The Pale Elves exploited this in their conquest, brutally and quickly striking at northern settlements until they held control over the clans.
In the years that followed, the north was a prison. Waging a war of conquest against the fractured but less isolated south required gold and weapons. The Pale Elves subjected the north to a brutal police state, sapping up huge swaths of the Clans wealth and turning many of them against one another for lightly better conditions. When this came to a head and the North had enough, it would be a heroic individual named Hast who rose to the occasion and united a majority of the clans if only just for war. Hast the Clanless would lead a brutal war of freedom and then extermination, freeing his people and brutalising the elves. He would become the name that the Dwarves took with them, that they named the north after, and what they named their very realm.
In modern days, multiple civil wars of succession by the clans forced the hands of the north to come together and find a solution to their lack of unity in the face of the rise of Requiem. The civil wars had torn down many smaller clans, leaving only a handful of large ones remaining.
Clan Baletongue
Clan Goldshiver
Clan Runeguard
Clan Seacall
Clan Hearthmire
Smaller clans still remained, controlling niche industries and local goods, but many were indebted to the 5 largest clans - having needed their help to survive the wars. These 5 clans would each elect a single individual to the council, and in turn those would elect a leader, one outside of their own clans, to become Sovereign of the Hastlands. They would be all powerful to an extent, managed by the heads of the clans who would push and pull on decision making as keeping them balanced kept the Hastlands out of civil conflict. Local governments followed suit, their Jarls elected by the most powerful 3-5 clans within the local settlements, those Jarls joining the voices that the Sovereign has to manage.
The Hastlands are extremely gold wealthy thanks to their huge industrial sector. Mining, lumber, and smithing are extremely popular occupations and the Hastlands is filled with massive and wealthy mines. They are the worlds largest exporter of iron, gold, copper, and adamantium. This has led to a surprisingly wealthy labour class. Those who work labour jobs are often in the middle class or higher, especially those who facilitate the trade to other nations. Clan Seacall is almost entirely based as a transport and trade group and they are one of the 5.
This push towards constant production (especially as a way to maintain the happiness of the clans) has led to a decrease in artistic groups and others who don't produce materials. Hastlandian art is rare, Hastlandian mercenaries are rare, and Hastlandian services are lacking. If you do not produce a trade-able, tangible good, or help facilitate the trade of those goods, you are often in poverty.
The only group outside of this is those affiliated with Clan Runeguard, the Hastlands magical ministry who closely guards the secrets of runic magic and the golems they create. The Hastlands were the first to perfect the semi-sentient golem, and none have truly mastered it. Their golems have enough thought to be useful as combat forces or in labour positions though they're cost makes them rare outside of the military. Hastlandian magic is based in runic symbols and heavily influenced by goliath and giant magic with some tweaks and tuning. The specifics are carefully guarded and the Hastlands are one of the most strict governments in terms of magical control. Citizens must be registered mages to cast, and those with magic that visit must either be escorted by a member of the Protectorate or pay for a temporary registration. Use of magic otherwise is very illegal.
The Hastlands is defended by its mixed army that includes a large set of Wargolems, including 8 (previously 11) Titans - massive war golems the size of castles.
From the Stone, for the Stone
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Demonym
Hastlandian
Leader
Leader Title
Related Ranks & Titles
Neighboring Nations
