Kingdom of Avonland

Avonland is a new kingdom with an old idea, the restart of the Derthan royal house of old Avendor and independence from the Marjolesians.
History
The people of Avonland are descended from the old kingdom of Avendor, which fell to the Sundered even before the Second Fall. Once a proud kingdom, a few scattered survivors managed to escape the doom of the world and emerge into the Fifth Age.
Ethnically Claudian, the Avendori survivors, who could not defend themselves, became part of the Marjolesian Empire in the Fifth Age, who were descended from the old Marjolesian Kingdom, and were ethnically Tremen.
After a hundred and eighty years of Marjolesian occupation, the Claudians had settled a large province in the north of the empire called Avonles, with a provincial capital called Leones. It was fertile and fruitful, but half of the bounty was confiscated as taxes for their Marjolesian overlords. However, it was discovered that the line of Derthan still continued in the blood of one Aethelwulf Gerheart, who began a rebellion against the Marjolesians.
At this point, while still outnumbered, the ethnic Claudians had a much larger population than they once did, and stood a better chance of gaining their independence than before. To supplement their forces, they hired bands of mercenaries from Midway and Mettenheim, the Mettenese contingent lead by the Hauptmänner Obrist Heynrich.
However, the tides turned against the rebels when one of the Clarion Knights, sir Gillard de Pacificateur personally joined the fray. After weeks of losses, and in exchange for a large sum of coin, Obrist challenged the Clarion Knight in single combat.
Surprisingly, after a half hour long battle, Obrist managed to slay the Clarion Knight, beheading him with his Mettenese Buster Sword, earning him a legendary status. From then the tides turned, and eventually the Marjolais sued for peace, earning the now coined Kingdom of Avonland their freedom, the entirety of the province of Avonles succeeding, Leones, the capital, being renamed Lords in honor of the old Avendor capital.
Aethelwulf Gerheart became king, marrying the princess of the midway Princedom of Saxonnia, and in the 30 years since Avonland has prospered.
Culture and Society
Avonland is a relatively temperate nation in the far northeast of Tremalking. The Mandatism is the most popular religion in the region.
Avonic cities are considered virtually anarchic by the standards of most outsiders. The Avonish desire for freedom has engendered a cultural mistrust of law enforcement, and 'laissez-faire' attitudes in general.
While the worst offenses are quickly put down by the authorities, many others are ignored and citizens are often left to make their own justice. Petty theft is common, as guardsmen will only go out of their way to deal with serious disruptions. Commerce is given little official scrutiny as long as taxes are paid; businesses such as brothels and gambling halls are not only tolerated, but expected.
The Avonish are a puzzle. As a people, they are one bad day away from reverting to barbarism. They repelled Marjolais with nothing but dogs and their own obstinate disposition. They are the coarse, wilful, dirty, disorganized people who somehow gave rise to a nation, ushered in an era of enlightenment, and fought off one of the great empires in modern history.
There are few things you can assume safely in dealing with these people: First, they value loyalty above all things, beyond wealth, beyond power, beyond reason. Second, although they have nothing in their entire country which you are likely to think at all remarkable, they are extremely proud of their accomplishments. Third, if you insult their dogs, they are likely to declare war. And finally, the surest sign that you have underestimated the Avonish is that you think you have come to understand them.
Avonish society is descended directly from Claudian tribal culture and its respect for skill and ability. It is most generally broken up into the nobility and commoners. There are also crafters and crafthouses (similar to guilds), who make up a highly valued middle tier between the lowest noble and the highest common classes. They have total power over certain industries in Avonland.
Beneath the crafthouses, the population is subdivided into common classes called "High Freemen" and "Low Freemen." High freemen are comprised of freeholders (land owners), soldiers and other employed individuals. Low freemen are made up of criminals and prostitutes.
For all that, all freemen are allowed to live and go where they wish, and make a living as they will. There are no serfs in Avonland; all are paid in coin or barter for their work.
Surnames
In Avonland, nobles have proper last names, such as the Sandys or the Alleways. Sometimes commoners will have last names that stem from noble lines, foreign origins, land ownership or titles granted to family members in the past.] Otherwise, most Avonish commoners introduce themselves with a reference to the area they come from or to their trade, e.g. Robert of Eastchester or Markam Smith.
Dogs
Visitors and travelers to Avonland are often curious about local attitudes toward dogs. Throughout Azure dogs are employed in hunting game, keeping barns and storehouses free of vermin, herding livestock and guarding homes; in the mountains they may even be used as beasts of burden. The Avonish, however, show a particular appreciation for canine companions. The origin of this is tangled up in mythology.
The ability of normal dogs to detect a werewolf even when it is in a human guise is what first led the Avonish's ancestors the Claudians and then the Avendori to adopt dogs as indispensable companions in every farmhold. Avonish lore is full of instances where werewolves plagued the countryside and the humans of Avendor had to undergo many wars to eliminate the werewolf threat.
Dogs are common in Avonland, both amongst the nobles as well as the common folk. Keeping dogs is a tradition kept since the times before Avonland and Avendor, started by the Claudian tribes. Avonish dogs, called Dire Dogs in foreign lands, are said to have been bred from the wolves who served the Claudian hero Beogang and anyone they are paired with are believed by Avonish to be a person of worth. Furthermore, prominent Avonish families think that they have a kinship with the dogs, because, according to Avonish folklore, they are descendants of Beogang, who was reputed to be a werewolf.
In addition to that, the Dire Dogs have also become an essential part of Avonish military strategy and a formidable asset to Avonish armies.
Food
Avonish food is usually described as hearty and humble, and is not known for being particularly appetizing. "Avonish turnip" is an insult levied at the Avonish; it presumably stems from their frequent use of turnips. Foreigners sometimes think Avonish cuisine involves throwing all the ingredients in a pot and cooking them for as long as possible, until everything looks grey, bland, and unappetizing. Stews seem a particular specialty of Avonland, such as the traditional Avonish Lamb and Pea Stew, and the Avonish Turnip and Barley Stew. Pickled eggs are another popular Avonish dish, as well as a folk remedy prescribed for any ailment. Avonland is also known for its ripe cheeses and rich pies. As for drinks, ale is commonly found across Avonish taverns.
Legal System
Avonish law is relatively unregulated compared to that of older nations, and is expected on an individual level to be supplemented by one's martial prowess. Indeed, most petty crimes like theft are overlooked by the city guard in Lords, whose main concern is protecting their posts. Consequently, the common Avonish should not expect much help fending off criminal activity unless murder or major property damage has occurred. Slavery is illegal in Avonland, but criminals still practice it in secret.
There are no laws regulating personal behavior such as bearing arms, drinking, gambling and prostitution. This is not to say that Avonland is lawless; quite the opposite. The king's seneschal personally appoints judges called Barristers to hear disputes. Barristers adjudicate cases from the seneschal's hall in Lords, and in the countryside, sheriffs appointed by the local lord patrol and keep track of upcoming cases for the Barristers to hear.
Given the Barristers busy schedules, trials can take some time to occur. A suspect may surrender an item of great value to the local sheriff and be released "on his bond" until the time of the trial rather than waiting in a dungeon. This property will be returned if the suspect returns to be judged. Otherwise, the property is retained by the sheriff and the suspect has the charge of fleeing justice added to their criminal record.
As long-term imprisonment is frowned upon in general in Avonland, punishment is often quick and violent. Common methods include public humiliation, whipping, disfigurement, fines, and even executions.
There's no firm rule that dictates who rules the household. The Avonish are willful and their families tend to be managed by whoever can. Usually, the oldest child inherits the majority of the property regardless of gender, but there are some cases where a younger brother or sister is named the heir simply because he or she seems more capable.
Politics
Unlike most kingdoms, power does not reside exclusively with the nobility. Rather, it arises from the support of the freeholders and even the king is not the unchallenged ruler. For the past three decades the nobility has gathered annually to hold the Meet (A bastardized word that derives from the Velsh word Moot, used in Alber), a council which functions as the official legislative body of Avonland and it can even override the king or queen on any matter of law.
The royalty and nobility of Avonland is divided into several ranks.
King/Queen Prince/Princess Aethling/Aethlinga Ealdormann/Ealdorlass Beor Lord/Lady Knight

Tenets of Faith

Tis the Last rose of summer' the last rose of Summer, Avonic funeral song by sir Thomas Less

May mercy prevail over our wrath

Founding Date

187, 5th Age

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Capital

Lords

Demonym

Avendori

Location

Tremalking

Official Languages

• Avonic

Related Ethnicities

• Claudian