Pranish

"Try not to slip from the trail. Light knows there are enough broken foreign bodies in the valley."
-Ivanna Droskavei, Pranishan ranger

In the high mountains in the west of Acitern lies the kingdom of Pranish. Few travelers of the continent come here compared to the other kingdoms, considering it to be nothing but a rocky wasteland and believing it to be hostile to life. Many Pranishans would even agree with that assessment, proud of their place in the world.
Still, this place has its own sort of life, even if it's harder than that found elsewhere on the continent. These mountains hide virtues almost unknown and entirely unappreciated by those of the other kingdoms. This is in truth a place for grand, majestic peaks and hardy, steadfast people.

Structure

Much like most other kingdoms in Acitern, Pranish is ruled by a feudal system. The king or queen nominally rules from their place in Anslev. In practice, the monarch's hold over their territory isn't as strong as it is in places such as Aurand or Llanuria, mostly due to the Pranishan love of independence.
Officially, other communities are ruled by a noble family. Unofficially, most of these nobles prefer to leave the actual responsibilities of leadership to a civic leader, usually refered to as a burgomeister. The way in which this official is chosen varies from town to town. Sometimes, they are appointed, but others they are elected, much like Reynardian officials.

Culture

More than anything, Pranishans are known for legendary stubbornness. It's sometimes said that if one were to say the sky was blue, a Pranishan would argue that a cloudy sky is gray. Even the Pranishans themselves proudly state that they are unyielding as their mountain homes.
These people are also known for a certain fatalism. Many fully recognize that life can be difficult and often dangerous. Many foreigners misunderstand this philosophy, however. Most often, Pranishans take this as an excuse to enjoy life while they can, laughing heartily and loving fiercely.
Pranishan culture places a certain value on strength and athleticism. They believe it was these traits that allowed them to survive in among the mountain peaks where others might not have. They are sometimes impressed by physical feats performed by foreigners, and this is said to be one of the best ways to earn a Pranishan's friendship.
Historically, the Pranishans have been among the most devout followers of the Church of the Light. Even after the schism of the Pranishan church, most Pranishans proudly state that they live by the tenants of the Book of Radiance, despite what the mainstream church has to say on the matter.

History

If asked, most Pranishans would proudly declare that the first people here were born from the mountain stone, itself. Still, none truly believe that. It is believed that, like the Reynardians, the first Pranishans came from Aurand. Unlike them, how, when, and why is far less well-documented.
According to legend, the kingdom of Pranish was first founded by an explorer, later known as Ivan the Father. He supposedly found an orb, perfectly round and perfectly clear in a cave as if it were a gift left for the man, himself. This was a powerful item known as the Heart of Pranish, and has passed from one monarch to the next in an unbroken line.
Due to their overall history of neutrality, the Pranishans have had comparatively little effect on the history of Acitern. Most other kingdoms have been largely content to leave them alone in turn. Aurand has been something of an exception to this, attempting to conquer them more than once, but consistently failing.
The Pranishan policy of isolationism was put to the ultimate test when a lich hero named Karad Blackheart tried to convert the population of Acitern into his undead legions to be rallied against the lands of the gods. He started in Aurand, even besieging the city of Tarke.
Another hero, the Bjornlander wizard Vidar Elf-Child attempted to rally the entire continent against him. As he had already received the support of Llanuria and even the Aciterni, the Pranishans eagerly pledged their troops. Together, they managed to lift the siege, while Vidar and his companions managed to end the threat permanently.

Demography and Population

While Pranish is a human kingdom with a human majority in its population, recent trends have seen more non-humans coming here. Their populations have grown to almost twice what they once were, split almost evenly between halflings and gnomes. Due to the presence of the vila, there are even a few very rare half-nymphs, one of the few places other than Polisia they can be found.
Populations of less civilized raiders are higher here than in most other places in Acitern. Most of these are bugbears and goblins, although hobgoblins can be found, as well. The Pranishans suffer more attacks from dark elves than most anywhere else other than Skogsmark, mostly due to vast caves in the mountains, hiding plenty of entrances into the Underdark.

Territories

The land of Pranish differs from in neighbors in one primary way: its mountains. The land resembles a massive peninsula with rocky, treacherous coastlines. The innermost land is covered in some of the largest mountains in the world. They are lower on the borders to the east, but the low foothills are mostly in the territory of the neighboring nations.
Pranish, due to its elevation and northern location has quite the cold climate, meaning it is often seen in a similar manner to Bjornland. In the summer the weather can be quite pleasant, although it can sometimes be dreary and rainy depending on the season.
The mountains of Pranish create something of a unique ecosystem compared to the rest of the continent. The creatures living here tend to be both tough and sure-footed. These include bears, goats, lynxes, foxes, as well as birds of prey and the creatures they feed on.
Many of the magical creatures of this land have powers of flight, such as griffons, hippogriffs, perytons, and vila, not to mention the dragons keeping their lairs far from others. The fey of this land tend towards the especially dark varieties such as hags, owing mainly to the archfey Baba Yaga.

Military

While the population of Pranish isn't quite as high as the likes of Aurand or Llanuria, its military makes up a larger portion of that population. It still doesn't have the sheer numbers to compete with those of the larger kingdoms. Individually, these warriors tend to be stronger and more well-trained, however.
Just like the other feudal kingdoms of Acitern, both the monarchy and nobility have mages working for them in support of their houses. There aren't as many of these mages due to the Pranishan culture valuing strength over learning. Some of these are even foreigners, well paid by their noble patrons.

Foreign Relations

Pranish is noticeably more isolationist than most kingdoms on the continent. Even the nomadic Aciterni clans rarely come here due to the fact that their wagons are ill equipped to come into the mountains. Still, occasionally Aurand has attacked them due to their belief in their own legitimate rule over the continent.
Since the schism when Peristeri pulled the Pranishan church away from the mainstream Church of the Light, Pranish has become an enemy of the devout Llanurians and somewhat devoted Aurandians. However, this has also brought them somewhat closer to the Reynardians, who want nothing to do with Taelafel's call for a crusade.
While they do not interact enough to have proper diplomatic relations, the Pranishans tend to get along very well with Bjornlanders. Both cultures share similar philosophies, and both value strength and endurance. Often, members of these cultures become fast friends when working together in capacities such as adventuring parties.

Agriculture & Industry

Due to the mountainous terrain, large-scale agriculture is not as easy as it is in other places. Much of the Pranishan diet comes from goats herded through narrow mountain trails. They do also grow some hardy mountain grains that they use for vodka almost as much as they do for bread.
Much of the economy of Pranish is in mining. The mountains are rich in ore, especially iron, silver, copper, and to a lesser extent gold. Many of the smaller communities of this kingdom tend to spring up around ore deposits and are dedicated to mining.

Trade & Transport

While the Pranishans keep to themselves, they do in some ways depend on trade with other lands. The ores they mine are in heavy demand across the continent. In exchange, they tend to receive things they can't really get in their mountain homes, especially food.
Because of the cliffs and rocky coastlines, they are not sailors and are thus limited to overland trade. Most of their goods go to and come from the Aurandian city of Tarke, and the Llanurian city of Santania. Although Pranishan goods can occasionally be found in Puertana or even the Reynardian city of Bellailles.

Infrastructure

Naturally, due to the abundant materials, Pranishan buildings are primarily constructed of stone. More low-lying areas are more heavily wooded, and so use more timber. Almost all Pranishan structures have at least one fireplace to help warm it during the frigid winter months. 
They also cannot truly connect most communities by any real roads. Instead, there are much smaller trails winding through the mountains. Foreign travelers often need a guide to find their way and it's not uncommon for these paths to become inaccessible due to snow or rockslides.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Capital

Anslev

Demonym

Pranishan

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Traditional

Location

Acitern

Controlled Territories

• Anslev

Neighboring Nations

• Aurand
• Llanuria