Thilk

A kingdom with it's glory days behind it.  Once ruling a long swathe of land stretching from Peert to the Emanar River, Thilk slipped into decadency and began it's decline.  Losing the duchies of Arbios, Bolhaven and Marcheste first (with them uniting to form the Grand Duchy of Arbios) Thilk was greatly reduced in wealth and influence.
Today Thilk is a small kingdom between the Deepwood and Tradesea, it's relevance maintained only by the harbor at Lanzeport bringing trade through the kingdom.  The high society desperately tries to cling on to a lavish lifestyle with expensive masquerade balls and other events being commonplace as their ability to administer the realm recedes.  The average citizen is burdened with crushing taxes and any excuse is given to seize a citizen's assets and sentence him to serfdom in order to fund the next social event.
The growing resentment is beginning to boil over in the form of food riots in Lanzeport.  The professional army was called to support the watch and men at arms in the capital, however the commander has cited numerous logistical problems as a reason they are unable to support them.  The transparent refusal of the professional army to obey the king's orders (along with many of the men at arms) is sparking fears of a coup in the high society, the citizens and serfs however are beginning to be hopeful for such an outcome.  Either in denial of reality or out of a sense of uncaring, the high society continues to live their decadent lifestyles and display open contempt for the lower class.

Culture

Vast wealth disparity between the high society and the working class has the average citizen in Thilk living an austere life; as each year more and more of their production is taken in taxes to support the nobles' lavish lifestyles.  The fear of having one's property seized and being sentenced to serfdom under one lord or another has previously prevented people from speaking out.  Recently however the anger has risen to the surface with food riots as elsewhere people speak of rebellion in basements over barrels of ale they were able to hide from the tax collectors.

History

With the dissolution of the Tharan Empire the kingdom of Thilk was born as an independent state.
Thilk eventually expanded in it's rise to power, annexing the Kingdom of Arbios and city state of Peert.
The nobility and wealthy merchants began enjoying a more and more luxurious lifestyle with the wealth of the realm.  In an attempt to constantly outdo their peers the upper class began holding extravagant social events and began raising the taxes om their subjects to pay for them.  With this the kingdom began it's slide into decadency and it's decline.
With the duchies that made up the Kingdom of Arbios seceding from Thilk the major source of income on the Southway was suddenly closed off to the realm.  In response the nobility raised taxes and tariffs even more to keep living their lifestyles of extreme excess.  This drove away trade and forced many businesses to close as they were unable to meet the ever raising taxation.
Peert ceased to be effectively administered by Thilk and has become an independent city state in all but name.
On the night of the 5th Dawn, Lanzeport experienced it's first food riot as a fleet of Andarian ships came into harbor carrying food for trade left to sell at Ostegarde instead as the duty fees levied by the crown had become untenable.  The loss of this shipment that the people were counting on to feed their families (as many of the farms had been abandoned or were being worked by serfs and the nobility was receiving all of the food produced) with whatever few coins they were able to scrounge up was the final straw for the assembled citizenry and a week of violent riots broke out.

Demography and Population

Population: 630,000

Military

Thilk maintains a standing professional army of 4,000 members.  At the height of Thilkan power this was an extremely well equipped and trained force, considered easily on par with that of the Andarian professional forces.  However the last two centuries of neglect as the crowns taxes were wasted on frivolities has led to a considerable decline in the quality of both equipment and training.  The men who serve have nonetheless done an outstanding job protecting the realm with the meagre resources they have been provided.
Being organized in small mobile units of roughly 200 strong, the army is usually fighting bandits, goblins and monsters from the Deepwood.  Staying mobile and flexible they have managed to keep the realm and it's people safe from external threats.
The knights and nobles while only required to maintain 2 men at arms each have been keeping many more than that in order to enhance their own prestige.  These men at arms are usually extremely finely dressed and able to execute impeccable parade movements.  These men at arms are usually poorly trained and equipped for any actual conflict however as they are seen as "toy soldiers" for the nobles to parade around.  This ill preparedness was shown in the recent food riot as the legions of parade perfect men at arms were overwhelmed and deserted in droves in the face of a horde of angry, hungry citizens.

Foreign Relations

Thilk maintains a relatively isolationist policy however has opened up diplomatic and trade relations with Arbios out of necessity as it sits on the Southway and therefore is central to trade in the region.

Agriculture & Industry

Many of the farms and lumber mills have been abandoned or taken over by the nobles (to be worked by their unpaid serfs).  This has led to a dramatic decline in productivity in the recent decades, causing scarcity in nearly everything.

Trade & Transport

Being on the Long Road and Tradesea gives Thilk excellent access to the majority of Riela, however being between the Deepwood and Tradesea means there is relatively little cause for anyone to travel to Thilk unless they are landing at Lanzeport.
With the abandonment of the border forts the Long Road in the western reach of the kingdom as it hugs the Deepwood is generally considered too dangerous to travel without at least a company of soldiers or mercenaries however.  For this reason travel to Peert is almost exclusively by sea.

Infrastructure

With the commoners living in thatched buildings and simple wood or stone huts, it is a stark contrast to the stately manor houses of the wealthy merchants and nobles.
Border Forts:  A series of wooden fortifications line the border with the Deepwood. Garrisoning members of the professional army, ready to protect the realm against any denizens of that great forest at short notice.  Thilk used to maintain dozens of these forts, however they now only have 11 of them garrisoned as the rest were abandoned.

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Capital

Lanzeport

Demonym

Thilkan

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Official Languages

• Common, High | Aefrani
• Common, South | Callonge'

Neighboring Nations

• Grand Duchy of Arbios