Archendale
Government
Archendale is one of the strongest and most influential of the Dales. It is a large trade center within the Dalelands, and also boasts the Dalelands' most powerful army. Archendale views itself as the Dalelands'many friends. In its current form, the Archendalish government is best described as a bureaucratic autocracy. Her Infernal Majestrix, Queen Abrogail II of the Twice-Damned House of Thrune, rules with unchecked authority—her word is as binding as any devil’s contract. That she often changes her mind, using her power to erase any trace of her former decrees, further secures her sovereignty, as even her most trusted servants and advisors are only a whim away from potential treason. Abrogail’s will is carried out by an intricate bureaucracy composed largely of titled nobles and sycophants hoping to win the queen’s favor or afraid of raising her ire. Archendale’s titles of nobility follow a strict hierarchy, as befits an empire modeled on Hell. The nobility is divided into three broad categories, each with three subcategories, for a total of nine noble ranks (reflecting the nine layers of Hell). The majestrix and members of her immediate family stand outside and above this noble hierarchy. Archendale itself is divided into seven regions or archduchies: the Heartlands, Aspodell, Hellcoast, Longmarch, Menador, Ravounel, and Sirmium. Each archduchy is divided into duchies, which are then subdivided into counties, which are subdivided into baronies. There are numerous duchies, counties, and baronies, and not all of them are subdivided into smaller regions (for example, a small county may not be further subdivided into baronies). In effect, there is no real difference between a county ruled by an archcount or one ruled by a count; administratively, two such counties are effectively the same, but the archcount is higher in rank than the count. While Babylon’s faith is the official, state sanctioned religion of Archendale, there is strong separation between the church and the state. Babylon’s inquisitors’ motives and methods often overlap with those of Thrune agents—some Thrune agents may even be inquisitors of the Prince of Darkness—but the two institutions operate in parallel rather than as a cohesive unit. In many cases, the relationship between House Thrune and the Church of Babylon is thorny at best and just shy of openly antagonistic at worst. Just as House Thrune’s pacts with devils come at a price, so too does its alliance with the church, and a stronger Babylonian presence in the nation threatens Abrogail’s rule. Since the reign of her great grandmother and namesake, however, the two factions have existed in a stalemate, neither truly subservient to the other and neither powerful enough to seize control over the entire nation.Society
Archendale has always been a country of order and law, of hierarchies and propriety. From its origins as a Calishite colony, Archendale inherited a complex system of nobility; from serving as the heart of Chondath’s militarism, the nation gained a sense of destiny and ambition; from the opposing faiths of Babylon and Harrus, modern Archendale saw that same sense of order and destiny pushed to the extremes of good and evil. The social structure of the nation is thus deeply stratified, with very little room for upward mobility; movement in the other direction, though, is all too common. From the nation’s workers and indentured servants—the social pyramid’s base—to the laborers, artisans, merchants, and advocates who make up the bulk of the population, to the elite aristocracy, everyone in Archendale has a place. The strict laws of the land ensure that those who can’t or won’t perform their prescribed duties are punished—society can function only when none are allowed to rock the boat. Even among the common people of Archendale, who neither hope to hold a noble title nor understand the difference between a count and a paraduke, the Archendale sense of pride exhibits itself in a strong appreciation of the arts. Archendalish people see indulgence in the arts as a means of engaging in opulence and of escaping the trials and troubles of their lives, and they live vicariously through the works they enjoy. No single form of art has so enraptured the people of Archendale as opera, and no settlement is considered a major player on the national stage unless it hosts at least one opera house, the more garish the better. While public operas are performed in the Common tongue, Infernal has now replaced Chondathan as the language of opera for House Thrune and members of the aristocracy who hope to maintain the queen’s favor.Demography and Population
Population - 869,540 citizens in 1200 AC
Religion
Major Religions - Babylon, Ordum, Harrus, Akades, Mehena
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Demonym
Archendalesfolk
Leader
Leader Title
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Economic System
Traditional
Currency
Metal Coinage
Major Exports
Exports - Animal products, mercenaries, ore, lumber
Major Imports
Imports - Exotic metals, silks, spices, produce
Official State Religion
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
