The Kingdom of the Franks

The Franks are a warlike people who, from their homeland on the lower Reiksturm River, have spread across the former imperial province of Gaul to form a great kingdom. Their dominion extends from the fertile fields of west to the dark forests of the Murky Wood, from the mountains and hills of the south to the salt flats of the northern shores.  The core of the kingdom is formed from three realms-Westerike, Osterike, and Burgundia.  The semi-independent realms of Aquilonia and Bavaria pay tribute and the reach of the kingdom threatens the indpendence of the Frisians in the north and the Saxons in the east.

Structure

Since its foundation, the Kingdom of the Franks has been ruled by the Merovingian Dynasty.  But the Merovingian kings have grown weak and much of the real power of the kingdom is held by the Maior Palatii. This official acts as a general marshal of all troops and head of the king's household.
At the regional level, the kingdom is divided into smaller units, or pagi, each administered by a comes, or count.  The comites are considered public agents of the king and act as royal judges at the regional level.  Appointed by the king (or the maior palatii) from among the local aristocracy, they have the right to command their own soldiers in the name of the king and to act as necessary to preserve the peace.  They also exercise the royal right of protection of churches, widows, and orphans.  Although they wield power through appointment, in many cases their position has become hereditary.
Former imperial provinces or subkingdoms are administered by a dux or duke. These are the military leaders of the kingdom, often heading expeditions far from their home territory.

History

The Origins of the Franks
The origins of the Franks date back to a confederation of barbarian tribes who fished and hunted the area around the lower Reiksturm River. The tribes that would later make up the Frankish people had long been known by the Empire as both fearsome invaders and capable mercenaries. They were a hardy folk, for the Reiksturm River could be a dangerous place, not just because of the conflicts with other war-loving people, but due to the river trolls that lurk in the waters, and the goblins and orcs of the Murky Wood.
In CY 350, some of the more cultivated Franks, fleeing from an influx of Gloomspite-driven grots, called upon the Empire for help with the invaders. Imperial troops were dispatched to the area, but though the menace was eradicated, the land had been thoroughly ravaged, and the refugees were allowed to settle on imperial lands without opposition. Less than half a century later, they had settled down to become skilled farmers, many of their number serving in the imperial armies. In fact, when the lands faced the threat of invasion by a less civilized branch of the tribe, Arbogast, a soldier of Frankish origin who had risen to command the troops of the area, would defend the imperial lands on which he had settled from invasion by that hostile branch of his own erstwhile people.
The Coming of Merovech
By 450 CY, the Frankish settlements in the Empire had given rise to a number of petty chieftaincies. The greatest of these, the semi-legendary Merovech, fought alongside imperial forces against the invading hordes of Odela. Merovech was said to have been sired by Nodanz, a river god of war, hunting, and rebirth. The god is said to have risen up out of the Reiksturm River heralded by the bellowing of five-horned bulls and the baying of unearthly hounds. He found the wife of Chlodio, a Frankish chieftain, on the shore, and took her, planting his divine seed within.
Chlodio did not believe his wife at first, but the soothsayers warned him accept the child, for he was fated by Nodanz to rule the Franks and Chlodio would face the wrath of the god if he opposed him. The chieftain ignored the soothsayers, swearing that he would cast his unfaithful wife and her unborn child into the river. But as he prepared to do so, a great serpent arose and threatened to swallow him alive. Chlodio fell to his knees in terror, and offered up his own children, by a previous wife, in place of himself. The serpent complied and Chlodio took his wife home and raised her child as his own.

Whatever the truth of these tales, Merovech distinguished himself in battle, soon rising to prominence among the other Frankish chieftains.
The Reign of Clovis
His legacy was furthered by his grandson Clovis, who, as a teenager some 30 years after his grandfather had helped repel the hordes of Odela, embarked on a war of conquest against the neighboring chieftains. Clovis quickly unified the Franks under his charismatic rule. He carried the banner of Nodanz into the battlefield, thrusting aside imperial opposition in his quest to extend Frankish rule over the long-standing imperial province. Despite his military victories, however, he was consistently opposed by the towns and the priesthood of Amon, whose churches his troops had pillaged. But the Herald of Amon came to him in a dream, telling him to lay aside his anger, and Clovis returned the riches he had taken to the churches. In 491 CY, he pledged himself to the Light of Amon, and thereafter unified the province under his rule. Thus, at 26, Clovis had established the Kingdom of the Franks under the Merovingian Dynasty.

War Cry of the Franks:

Tempus Vult!

Frankish Warriors

The Franks derive their name from their typical weapon, a throwing axe they hurl before closing with their enemies. In battle, they favor weapons that can chop or crush opponents such as hand axes, hammers, and truncheons. They frequently carry broadswords as well. Franks fight with barbarian ferocity, but their experience within the imperial armies has taught them military discipline. For this reason, they often triumph over opponents with superior numbers.

Although the Frankish people have embraced the Light of Amon, they carry with them the memory of their warlike past. Now the warrior aristocracy follow the banner of the god Tempus, Hammer of Amon.