Westemär (Wess-teh-maar)
Westemär is a broken nation. After a mysterious meteor devastated the capital city of Drakkenheim fifteen years ago, the nation descended into a decade of bloody civilwar. The surviving siblings of King Ulrich IV fought bitterly for the throne, but the brutal matter cost both their lives. The Civil War ended with no real victor, and no clear inheritor to the royal titles of House von Kessel.
Ravaged by conflict, the once-great nation is now fracturing into disparate smaller realms. Worse, the otherworldly contamination left behind by the falling star is slowly spreading into the surrounding lands, bringing madness and monsters to the unprepared towns and villages of Westemär. As curious mages and profit-seeking smugglers ferry delerium from the ruins of Drakkenheim into distant lands, grim veterans of the Civil War fight to retake the capital and rebuild the realm. Meanwhile, a grave religious schism has broken out amongst the common folk driven by the apocalyptic proclamations of Lucretia Mathias. No nation in the continent is in greater need for heroes, and now Westemär has become the stage upon which greater conflicts affecting the entire continent are taking shape.
Structure
Royal Council
Lord Commander. Chief Military advisor to the Monarch, who commands Westemar's combined military forces during times of war.Archmage. This position is typically appointed byt he Amethyst Academy, and is traditionally filled by a member of the Academy Directorate to councel the monarch on arcane matters.
High Flamekeeper. The Divine matriarch of the Sacred Flame chooses the High Flamekeeper, and this person is traditionally a prominent cleric of the relgiion to offer spiritual guidance and spur righteous action.
Spymaster. Responsible for intelligence and law enforcement, often working closely with the Lord Commander and the Chancellor.
Steward. Chief administrative official who manages the Royal Household and oversees civil matters from Construction to Taxation.
Chancellor. Manages diplomatic and international relations.
Note: Most members of the Royal Council went missing or died when Drakkenheim was destroyed, except Lord Commander Elias Drexel. The dukes and counts of Westemär appoint their own household staff in the model of the Royal Council. Thus, most dukes are served by a court mage and appoint their own steward to manage their affairs.
Noble Ranks
King or Queen. The Monarch of Westemar.Duke or Duchess. Vassals only to the Monarch, each rule on of Westemar's provinces and usually from on of the provincial capitals.
Count or Countess. A middle noble rank who holds a county as their domain. Most are direct vassals to a Duke, but may lord over lesser nobles.
Baron or Baroness. Rules of smaller fiefdoms who serve higher nobles. Landed Knights and other petty nobles may have their own manors or eststes.
Common Ranks
Lord Mayor. Elected Mayor of a City.Burgomaster. Elected Mayor of a Town.
Reeve. A commoner appointed by a noble to manage an estate or village within their lands.
Demography and Population
Approximately 8 million people dwell in Westemär. Most of the population inhabit rural villages, and only about 600,000 people live in cities and large towns. Most people living in Westemär are humans who value hard work and pragmatism. Many simply want to put the turmoil of the last ten years behind them, and are exhausted from the conflicts gripping their lands. Young people either bitterly resent the prosperity their parents enjoyed during the unrestrictive rule of the late Ulrich IV, or fight furiously to restore a glorious kingdom they’ve only ever known through stories told to them by their grandparents. Tieflings form several noble houses and are commonly encountered in larger cities, and see opportunity in the hard times of the nation. There are several halfling communities in the eastern areas of Westemär who have suffered greatly from the civil war and eldritch contamination placing great strain upon their harvests. The dwarven holds of the Glimmer Mountains and Ironhelm Ridge traditionally consider themselves self-governing city states, but look to prospecting delerium in Drakkenheim as a new avenue for industry as their old mines run dry.
Small enclaves of elves once inhabited the southwestern regions, but these communities were annihilated during the conquests of Vladimir von Drakken. Most of the surviving elves fled to the Isles of Skye; only a handful of elves remain in Westemär today.
Military
Westemär has a feudal military structure. During wartime, a noble lord calls upon their vassals to muster an army. These vassals respond by assembling a mixed force drawn from their household guard, knights sworn to their services, and levies drawn up from either volunteer or conscripted commonfolk who dwell in their domains. The Civil War saw the formation of numerous mercenary companies as the noble houses exhausted their own local armies. Though the war has ended, the dukes and duchesses of Westemär keep mercenary regiments such as the Steelfang Company and the Achtungwald Irregulars on retainer to bolster the security of their domains.
The most well-known military outfit in Westemär, and the only thing resembling any sort of national armed force, is the 4th Provisional Regiment to Reclaim the Capital, also known as the Hooded Lanterns.
Religion
It has been several centuries since the Faith of the Sacred Flame spread to all corners of Westemär. Every major city in the nation has a large and impressive cathedral devoted to the faith, tended by a high-ranking Flamekeeper and throng of acolytes. All throughout the countryside are monasteries for the clergy to live and worship, and smaller chapels are the heart of rural communities. Even the tiniest villages in Westemär keep small shrines and bonfire pits ministered by a devout member of the community. However, the folk of Westemär are more modest and moderate in their faith compared to their neighbors in Elyria. While many nobles seek council from Flamekeepers, the religion does not play an active role in the politics of Westemär. Nevertheless, Flamekeepers are highly influential amongst the common folk, acting as important community leaders and elders. Although most people in Westemär follow the Sacred Flame, amongst the three great nations of the continent, Westemär has the largest number of people who still keep the Old Faith. The laws and people of Westemär are mostly tolerant towards these ancient beliefs, and major shrines to the Old Gods are openly displayed outside several large cities, including one to Nodens near Drannsmund, another to Morrigan outside Drakkenheim, and several great cairns near Helig. Recently, however, Westemär has become the hotbed for a budding religious schism in the Faith of the Sacred Flame. Renegade preachers and zealous faithful heed the teachings of Lucretia Mathias and the Followers of the Falling Fire. Many prominent High Flamekeepers in major cities in Westemär have turned their backs on the Divine Matriarch, urging their flocks to take up the cause of the Falling Fire.
Overview
Encompassing the northwestern quarter of the continent, Westemär is a rugged land of deep forests and slow wide rivers broken up by small areas of rolling pasture and farmland. It has a moderate climate with snowy winters and warm summers, and it rains constantly in the spring and fall. The region is rich in natural resources: logging and lumber are the backbone for many villages and towns, but others lie along vast deposits of iron, copper, and coal which feed the industry of Westemär’s cities. The Crystal Coast takes its name from the rich salt mines along its rocky northern shores, and fine quarries throughout Westemär built the nation’s many castles and fortresses. Veins of gold and silver are found within the mountainous regions to the south, though the dwarven communities in the Glimmer Mountains have long asserted their independence and make claim to the richest veins.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Trained
Leader Title
Family Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Post-scarcity economy
Currency
Coinage and Delerium
Major Exports
Delerium
Official State Religion
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
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