Tzardom of Senderfalls
Current Month: Julwar 2nd: 209, The Fifth Age
Between the Melentine Ocean, the Lesser Gap, and the The Dwarven Marches, much of Senderfall is true steppe land, though south of the river Lysk there are some croplands to be found as well. In the east, the foothills and lower peaks of the Dwarves Marches are counted as part of the region, and much timber is brought down from the forests to supply the more settled Poselok .
The region is fairly well settled, thanks in part to the trade route to the far east that starts in Frost, the nations capital. Nevertheless, Poselok (small towns) are of normal size for the country, and there are more than a few Kochevz (nomadic Senderrians) roaming the northern and western steppes.
History
Since before its founding, the people that would found and rule Senderfall were the ancient clans of the Tubalian, a mighty nomadic people of the subcontinent of Sybra who managed to migrate across the Melentine on a now gone land bridge to the Sender Steppes. They lived, drank, loved, and died like their fore-fathers before them, living out their lives in relative peace upon the open steppes. All that changed the day the Tremalking Empire came, and forced them into a war they could not win.
After enduring a millennia of servitude under the Tremalking, the Tubalians suddenly found themselves freed as their master retreat south to the Highlands of western Tremalking. The celebration was short lived as soon the Scranc Hordes descended on the unprepared tribes. The Tubalians suffered many casualties, but soon learned that their main advantage was their master of horse riding and archery. Instead of engaging the Scranc head on, they decided to fight from a distance, and slowly but surely they wore down the exhausted hordes. Once the Scranc threat was dealt with, The Tubalians formed the first Tzardom of Senderfall, after the Sender Steppes which they've always called home. They Crowned their first Tzarina Katarine, and have had more Tzarinas than Tzars in their long history.
The Senderians fought many wars against their neighbors in the Fourth Age, and managed to flee to Refuge during the Second Apocalypse, allowing the kingdom to survive the Apocalypse. The Survivors returned to their homeland and continued the kingdom with the last surviving member of the royal family. The latest in a long line of rulers descended from the ancient Tzars of the Tubalian. The Tzarina Rebekka ruled with a cold majesty, beloved by her subjects and feared by her enemies. But barely four years into her reign, the land began to shake as the drums of war echoed throughout the lands of the north, as the Vaskerry soon came for the renewed Tzardom.
It wad during the Vaskerry Wars in the Fifth Age that the most famed of the Senderian military formations was made; the Winged Hussars of Frost. Wearing winged armor and long lances, they pierced through Vaskerry shield walls and forced back the invaders, and secured Senderfalls future in the Fifth Age.
in the year 209 Fifth Age, The Tzardom is currently ruled by Tzarina Anya the II, and the New Melentine Empire and the Tzardom of Senderfall are at war, but a truce may be called soon. Time will tell.
Government
The ruling government of Senderfall is usually defined by a centralised autocratic monarchy governed by hereditary rulers known as Tzars. The Tzar or Tzarina of Senderfall are powerful figures whom claim to be the direct descendants of Katarine, the first Tzarina of the ancient Tubalian people. In theory, the Tzar has absolute power within his kingdom, for they are considered the spiritual and political rulers of the land and its people. The Tzar has the power to issue his own edicts, create new laws, command vast armies and gain the fealty of all subjects living within Senderian lands. In realty, however, the people of Senderfall are far more autonomous than even the Tzarina Anya the II would wish.
The lands of Senderfall is a mostly empty country, with vast tracts of land separating what meager settlements that still remain untouched by warfare. Such distance makes governing near impossible, and as a result, these settlements have become highly independent from the ruling of the Tzars. The inhabitants of these towns and villages still recognise they are subjects of the realm, but they would be profoundly surprised to learn that the Tzar expects them to do whatever they demand. Instead, each settlement is govern by a local level, usually by an Elder or village chief.
Since the kingdoms very founding, it has been the sole responsibility of the Tzars to lead and defend their people against all forms of harm or invasion that would enter their homeland. As such, the issue of warfare is considered paramount within the political landscape of Senderian government. The threat posed from the east and south is considered real and imminent, and as such, all leaders are assessed in the terms of how well they can defend their people from outside threat. Often, this means that the peasants put up with new taxes, rather than risk weakening their defences, but it can also lead to the nobility withdrawing unpopular taxes, as discontent among the common folk makes for less effective warriors. This political climate ensures a mutual dependence of cooperation between various feuding nobles.
Below the Tzarina's rule are a myriad of nobles with a variety of titles. However, those nobles with real actual power and significance within Senderfall are divided between two titles. The Druzhin are the lowest rank within Senderian nobility, a title that is generally given to the leaders or Village Chiefs of a Senderian settlement. The rank of Druzhin is a traditionally hereditary title, but the Tzarina has been know to use the title as a reward to those individuals who publicly affirm and support her power and authority. Above the Druzhin are the middle-ranked nobles known as the Boyar. Across most of Senderfall, the Boyars are the most powerful individuals within the land, for they hold fealty to a great number of settlements and other Druzhin nobles under his rule. Due to the lack of a centralized government, the local power each Boyar wields has made them far more important than their nobility ranking perceives them to be.
In the presence of the Tzarina, there are certain rules that must be followed. Ensuring proper etiquette are the Tzarina’s palace guards, dangerous men of peerless skill in arms, and a resilience that rivals even the courageous Dwarfs of the Marches. While the rules of court are strictly enforced, Anya keeps them simple. She wants people to keep them, not have an excuse to punish those who break them. The total effect of these simple rules is to keep everyone in court constantly aware of where the Tzarina is and where she is looking. And because she always dresses to have an impact, the rules make it difficult to spend any time at court without subconsciously forming the idea that the Tzarina is the center of the world.
The Rules of Court
No one may turn his back on the Tzarina, which means backing away from her, primarily. She almost always leaves a room immediately after finishing a meeting, so people can leave easily.
No one may sit in the Tzarina’s presence. Anya has granted personal exceptions to this rule to a few valuable or influential individuals who have trouble standing for long periods. Even they tend to rise when she enters a room, the exceptions being those who no longer have legs.
No one may stand behind the Tzarina. This rule is interpreted to mean everyone within the room must be within her field of vision and is only strictly enforced while she is seated. She normally stands for a few moments at her throne, to give people time to move into view.
No one’s head may be higher than that of the Tzarina. Fortunately, she is a tall woman, and her throne is always raised on a high platform. People do have to bow when she enters or leaves a room, however.
Nobody below the rank of boyar may speak directly to the Tzarina, and boyars may only speak to her when invited to do so. While this is generally true, the Tzarina is known to make exceptions on a whim or in special circumstances.
Anyas personal bodyguards are exempt from all of these rules, so they can do their job properly, and they always enter rooms ahead of her, both to check for threats and to warn courtiers that the Tzarina is about to arrive.
Military
Senderfall maintains a number of armies with a particular focus on cavalry. Senderian armies are traditionally formed from militia gathered from the scattered Poseloks and Kochevz of the Sender Steppes. When Senderfall comes under the threat of invasion these men fight for their homeland in defiance of whatever threat assails them.
The Senderians place less emphasis on ground fighting and thus do not have many types of infantry regiments. Foot troops from Senderfall are usually those drafted to fight but do not own horses themselves. Senderian armies usually win or lose their battles based on the performances of their mounted regiments. They usually field skirmishing horse archers, and heavy cavalry such as their winged hussars.
A common tactic for the Tzardom is to skirmish the enemy lines, employing hit and run tactics before any large scale engagement. When such a strategy is unfeasible, the armies pull back and employ scorch earth tactics to deny supplies to any would be invaders.
Economy
Though not an economic powerhouse, Senderfall does well in trading various goods such as whale oil, ivory, timber, tar, and fish. Their biggest trading commodity however is furs, and much of the civilized worlds fur trade stems from Senderfall. They also do well in the horse trade, their lean steeds famous for their speed and endurance. Another good Senderians are world famous for is Vodka. it is said if you place a Senderian in an empty room with only a potato for ten minutes, you'll find him with a fresh batch of Vodka.
Many young men also sell their services as mercenaries to foreign in powers, sending their earnings and plunder back to their families and homelands.
Currency
Senderfall produces copper, silver, and gold coins, and chooses to use both old Tremalker and Alantrian electrum and platinum coins. The copper coin is the Med, the Silver is the Serebryn, the Gold is the Zolot.
Culture
There are dozens of tribes in the Steppes of Sendar, but there are some which stand out amongst the rest.
Hussar - The main military backbone of Senderfall. Their strongest joining the Winged Hussars, a Shock Cavalry Unit.
Strelzky - Orignally renown foot archers, they now prefer firearms over the bow. Their main weapon is a long Musket with the stock of an Axehead for melee combat, a desgin stolen from Refuge.
Bodkyns - Famed Horse Archers, it is often the Bodkyns which patrol around the Steppes in search of bandits and enemies, and the first line of Defense for the Motherland.
Ursus - Masters of Bears. They have domesticated bears for everyday use as one would use a packhorse, but also for war. The Ursus were the first to worship Orsick the Werebreaker, and are the main proponents of the Cult of Orsidox in Senderfall.
Hoarfrost - Magic runs strongly in this tribe, or coldly one might say. A small tribe of Sorcerors, their specialty is Frost Magic. They are now considered a branch of the Cult of Orsidox.
Unyielding and unbroken
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
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