Grand Alliance
Alton has a long and storied history of cooperation. For millennia, the land of Alton was home to a great elven empire known as Dol Falton. When the humans first arrived on this plane, many believed they arrived in Dol Falton. Despite how the rest of the world might have viewed the arrival of mankind, the elves of Dol Falton welcomed them with open arms. Within several generations, the elves and humans were intermingling. Half-Elves became a more common sight, and humans were finding their way into the government.
Dol Falton eventually peacefully dissolved as an empire, but the land of Alton remained, now mostly human. However, the tradition of peaceful coexistence lives on in the land, with elves and humans living peacefully side-by-side still takes place. The alliance began with the two cities of Evermoot and Tol Edwan, and were joined when the two rode out to defend their neighbors in Umberport from an invading Northumbre warlord.
Their coexistence reaches outwards now, past Alton, to the gnomes of the Parvus Enclave and the halflings of Greensburg, who have joined the Alliance most recently. As of late however, their northern neighbors have been more and more aggressive. The past centuries have seen more raids from the northern Volksgrad tribes and Helspire Islands raiders than ever before. Because of this, the military power of the Alliance has grown. With the Army and Navy both rising in oppsition to the raiders, rising to a size that rivals the times when the Straatan Empire threatened their borders.
Structure
The current form of the Alton governance is the Alliance, a group of likeminded nobles, lords, military leaders and all other manner of rulers around Alton. It is a loose confederation of those settlements and their agents, all of whom owe allegiance first to their homelands, and second to the Alliance. The main centers of power reside in Evermoot, where the Alliance was founded, the elven enclave of Tol Edwan and the rough and fierce city of Umberport. There are many more smaller settlements that pledge to one of those cities, but they all act together in the threats that challenge them all. Because of this, the forts in the north are manned by soldiers sent from all of the settlements, and when dealing with the foreign dukes of Suderland or the underground kingdom of Anklegnaw, they negotiate as a joint front.
It is impossible to ascribe an overall character to the individual members of the alliance. As a group, the agents of the members are interested in the preservation of civilization in Olorin, and they share what information they can — and oppose what threats they must — to further that goal. In the end, though, a merchant of Evermoot and one of Umberport are concerned mainly for their own purses and the welfare of their home cities, and are unlikely to care what happens to the other, except inasmuch as it affects trade.
Demography and Population
The culture of Alton can vary widely from town to town, each unique in its own right. However, as a whole, Alton is unified by its ability to welcome anyone into its arms. Discrimination based on any basis is unheard of in this land. Races of all kinds live in Alton, and because of this, their cultures have spread rapidly. As a whole, citizens of Alton are fiercely protective of their freedoms. A heavy mix of elven and human gods and traditions have taken root here. Many of the ancient elven holidays and events have blended with the more modern human ones, forming a unified tradition throughout the country.
Military
Alton's military is one of the strongest in the known world. Troops are well-trained and provided by each of Alton's major settlements. Due to the wary relations with the North, Alton is constantly engaged in border skirmishes, and with the turbulent piracy that occurs in nearby waters, Alton's navy must always be prepared. Their strength lies in their elite forces of elves which they employ in strike forces against threats to Alton, while humans make up the bulk of the regular forces that hold the line.
Religion
Many different gods are worshiped in Alton, and religious favortisim can vary from town to town. However, the most popular gods in Alton are those of nature, growth, and light.
Education
There are several hubs of education in the land of Alton that are known all over the world for their excellence.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Confederation
Economic System
Market economy
Subsidiary Organizations
Notable Members