The Grand Cornerstone

The paper seed.

The Grand Conerstone, also called the Branching Pact, the Crenpillar or simply the Founding Pact refers to a nearly legendary document signed in the heartland of the Ar'Nuhûnian continent that ended the centuries-long conflict between the tribes of orcs, the clans of dwarves, the legions of elves, the groups of men, the marauding tieflings, and the raiding tabaxii and leading to the founding of the Kingdom of Crendameth.

For years there had been pleas of ending the misery caused by the continuous fighting. The talks, conversations, reunions and meeting that took place before the document could actually be signed have arrived to the current day due to second hand accounts and stories and poems that were written about it. To this day, however, it is not entirely certain as to where the document was signed, or if it was truly written and sigend at all.

The name of the Kingdom, Crendameth, was chosen as a sign of respect towards Andor of Cren, the human representative, a great warrior who had integrated the customs and beliefs of the other founding races to his own instead of disregarding it entirely. Because of his leadership, cleverness and skill with the blade, he was also crowned as the first King, reportedly to his chagrin. However much this displeased some groups in the Kingdom's earliest years, Andor proved himself to be a capable and just ruler, raising the nation from the ground and into its future.

Purpose

The Cornerstone's main objective was to cease the two-century long conflict between the settlers that had landed on Ar'Nuhûn's shores, and was probably prompted by war fatigue and a rise in the scarcity of materials. To do so, the people signing it were willing to create a single, unified nation with one appointed ruler, while the others established their own, semi-independent countries that answered to this authority.

Document Structure

Clauses

Throughout the span of its four sheets of paper, twelve clauses are listed, each one detailing a certain aspect, condition and other such terms that must be met for the cooperation between the races and their people to remain valid. These are:

1. The Preface, stating the document's intentions and the circumstances surrounding its inception.
2. The Essence of the Law, where a draft of what would later become the Kingdom's Codex of Laws is established. 
3. The Nature of the Country, where the idea of the Kingdom is described in detail for the first time, establishing its unifying symbols. 
4. The Nature of its Borders, establishing the total extension of the Kingdom's original borders to the north, south, east and west. 
5. The Nature of its Rule, describing the Ruler's position, rights, powers and duties to the country and its people. 
6. The Nature of its Affairs, which broadly describes how the Kingdom is to be partitioned between the signing races, where these borders begin and end and what the people in charge of these territories must account for. 
7. The Nature of its Citizens, pointing out who could be considered as a natural citizen of the nation and what their rights and duties to their fellow citizens and to the Kingdom are.
8. The Nature of its Coinage, elaborating on the need to unify all trade under a single currency. 
9. The Nature of its Trade, detailing what goods are to be considered licit and illicit, restricting the production of certain commodities to specific tribes or races.
10. The Nature of its Standing Forces, going into detail as to how the countries militia would operate under the new rule.
11. The Nature of its Religion, where it is stated that there will be no official religion enforced onto the people inhabiting the Kingdom.
12. The Nature of Erstwhile Enmities, where all signing parties vow to put aside the centuries of prior conflict to work alongside each other as equals and not as enemies. 

Caveats

The Cornerstone's caveats are defined in tandem to most of the clauses stated earlier. However, these can be grouped into general categories in little to no particular order. 

• The Pact is valid so long as the document exists as proof that it was ever signed to begin with. Copies of the document are to be kept to a maximum of four, one for each of the signing races. 
• The Kingdom shall exist so long as the Pact is valid and its members respect and honor its clauses, with no expiry date set. 
• The people of the Kingdom are in their right and sacred duty to rebel against the ruler should they be presenting gross mismanagement and blatant abuse of their conferred powers.
• Any ruler, be them King or otherwise, is subject to the law, even if they are the ones responsible for its enforcement, and must operate under its terms with no deviations. 
• The standing forces are to be employed when in the defense of an invader that threatens the nation's interest, never to be used against its people. 

Publication Status

The document Was publicly accessible for a time. However, because of secessionist sentiment running rampant in the Kingdom's infancy, many tried to destroy it as a means to nullify what it represented. When several of these attempts failed, the document was locked away in the Starkeep's vaults, where in supposedly remains to this day.

Legal status

The document is valid under the law it created, that being the law of the Kingdom of Crendameth. By the authority the people conferred to the representative leaders should this Pact be recognized and respected.

Historical Details

Background

Before the Cornerstone was written, Ar'Nuhûn in a constant state of war between opposing factions, all of which had landed in the continent's shores at different points throughout early history. These constant struggles wore people out, and they pleaded for a way to end these destructive conflicts. Over the span of an unknown amount of time, leaders were chosen to represent each race.

This would lead to further conflicts further ahead, as some factions felt these leaders did not represent their opinions or best interests in the slightest.

History

The signing of this document served as a way to finalize all military enmity between the people of Ar'Nuhûn, ushering in what would later be known as the Age of the Quill, eventually leading to the rise of the Kingdom of Crendameth as it is known today. Not long after the Kingdom's inception, however, would the new state face its first real test as a unified nation against the Yо̄ken Empire in what is now called The War of Further Discovery.

Public Reaction

For the most part, the citizens of the new Kingdom celebrated the end of the war, with some allegedly breaking down in disbelief that they'd managed to see the end of such a long period of time. 

Not everyone held that opinion, however. Several groups attempted to avoid the Kingdom's birth entirely by targeting key figures and attempting to destroy the Pact, or openly rebelling against the new authority as a means to challenge their might.

Legacy

The Kingdom of Crendameth stands tall and proud six hundred years after its foundation was decreed by a group of people that agreed to put aside their differences to work together to heal the wounds left by centuries of war. Though the Cornerstone has been replaced by newer, more robust documents in modern times, it still remains as a point of great pride for those who live within the Kingdom and know of its history. 

The document would lever serve as the template for updated versions with allowed for less exploits and contradictions, using more precise language to avoid any malicious misinterpretations.

Read the Document

The Grand Cornerstone

The preface for the Grand Cornerstone reads as follows: 

Declaration and Ratification of the end of Enmities and the founding of a new Country

In these words, wrought from liquid to unmoving paper by the inventiveness of those with awakened minds, do the Leaders and Shepherds of the Four Peoples of the Land set forth to cast aside the hitherto ever present horrors brought about by the brandishing of cruel iron, screaming steel and roaring magics. To this effect, and under the eternal vigilance of the many gods of the world and the beings here present serving as witnesses to this immutable moment, do these chosen individuals, of whole mind and sound reasoning and great in skill, look to extensively and correctly establish the existence of a nation which unifies all of the Peoples under one banner whilst retaining their erstwhile symbols, customs and a degree of their independence. Such a country is to be called Crendameth, the domain of those originally from the lands of Cren, and it is to be a tree that takes root in the most barren of deserts and the hardest of stones. Hereafter are the specific details of how such a country would exist and in which measure it would be administrated.

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Type

Manuscript, Historical

Medium

Paper

Authoring Date

Around six hundred years ago. Exact date unknown.

Ratification Date

Thought to be the same as its authoring date.

Myth

The Warrior from the Apex of the Sun

Location

Calmgrove

Authors

• Syndil Xiloscient

Signatories (Characters)

• Andor of Cren
• J'rrantaq the Faithful
• Mhrrar Udnatar
• One-eyed Waterfall
• Rurik Blackhammer
• Syndil Xiloscient