Devania (/Duh-vayn-ee-ah/)
History and Government
Devania is one of the oldest kingdoms on Pharos, arguably predating the first settlements of the Protectorate-Commonwealth, back when men were vassals of elves. For over four decades, however, it has been locked in an unending civil war. What originally began with an uprising of disgruntled nobles aiming to expand upon their powers has turned into a full-scale, multi-faceted war that nobody has been able to gain control over. Devania was founded early in the Age of Creation, under the guidance of the High Elves of Delos'Nordan. The royal family was given great and absolute power, so long as it was subservient to the elves, and with this power it unified many fractured human tribes into a singular state. The leaders of these tribes became Devania's nobility, and for eras, the monarchy and nobles vied for power, while the peasant classes were largely enserfed and owned by the lords they worked for. These lords had jurisdiction over their own estates and peasantry, and historically this has led to illicit organization and black markets to thrive, as nobody considered it their business to interfere; always, it was for somebody higher up. The one highest up - the king - hardly cared about such things, however, stretched thin by his deals with the nobility. Occasionally, a powerful king would rise and bring order back to the countryside. The current ruler, Devan XXVI, was not such a king. No, in fact, Devan XXVI has proven neither to be great, nor to have been given a particularly good inheritance of problems to deal with. Upon his father's death, the young king set upon an eradication of corruption in the kingdom's highest positions. The Nobles Revolt, which began in the late Age of Enlightenment, was a direct response to this threat against the nobles' interests. Unfortunately, it happened to coincide with a dispersal of philosophical and literary thought which was allowed by improvements to the printing press, and which the country bandits imported, leading the revolt to spread rapidly spread through the lower echelons of society, who had always been quick to agitate due to their treatment by the nobility. This time, however, neither the nobles nor the king had the resources to curtail the protests' magnitude. Foreign powers, including Nothgard, as well as the bandits which had enabled this unrest, seized upon the opportunity to gain the upper hand, and the situation rapidly spiraled into a civil war. Perhaps because of the sheer amount of different interests within the country, this civil war has fractured onto an uncountable amount of fronts, with no victor in sight. The king himself has withdrawn to the north, into the so-called Kingsland, from which he regroups to retake the Oldlands - or, Devanold. Ironically, much of the nobility has joined him, accepting pardons in exchange for strict loyalty, as they seek to at least regain the grip that they once had upon the populace.Cities
Devan
Devan is the historical capital of Devania, but it lies in the north-western section of war-ravaged Devanold. Devan is an expansive estate of farmlands, as far as the eye can see, centered about a minor settlement where several thousands once lived, in which lay the castle of the Devan family. In the outlying farms, there lived upwards of ten thousand people, who were given a relatively high degree of autonomy to manage their lands in comparison to the serfs of the other nobles - simply, the kings had bigger problems to deal with than to be a lord. Today, the nobles and burghers who lived in the central town have fled, while the farmers largely operate independently, occasionally paying fees and taxes when a large bandit war-party comes by demanding payment. The castle has come to be inhabited by various faction throughout the years, but is today is occupied by the Council of the Red Rose, which declares itself to be for the liberation of the people, but is largely ignored by the formerly-enserfed populace around the settlement.Whitemantle Keep
Whitemantle Keep is one of the most heavily-defended fortresses on the Pharosian continent. Its mouth juts out of the Dragon's Tail Mountains, and it has the capability of housing most of Devan's former nobility, as well as as the full force of its military might - a feat which is made much easier by the amount of desertions the country has faced. Whitemantle is an impenetrable fortress for Devan to rule from - assuming he will one day again have a nation to rule.Geography
Devania is largely an expanse of rolling hills and prairies, though it features the intimidating Dragon's Tail Mountains on its western border. Further south, the Dragon's Spine begins, the ranges interrupted by a short pass that leads into the Arberian desert. This pass, known affectionately by merchants as "the Dragon's Hole," is virtually useless for all purposes, as it leads into the deathly dry Silent Wastes. The northern part of the country, today known as Kingsland, is far more rocky, but it also features the Hiding Woods, which are the nation's primary source of lumber. A combination of the rocky terrain and the abundant timber has bolstered King Devan XXVI's position, but not enough to end the war. The most important river in Devania is the Old Devon River, at the southern border of Devanold. Devania once held lands further south of this river, but lost them to Nothgard at the beginning of the civil war, a grudge which it holds despite its weakened position. The Crown Brook is today the most important river, a demarcation of the king's influence. Much of Devanold goes through devastating droughts because it has been cut off from easy access to both sources of water. The eastern portion of Devania leads to the , which features minor trade ports, as most trade to Devania can be done by land. Imports from the Kcalsbury Continent, however, almost exclusively enter through this sea on a path from Barisea, as tensions with Nothgard and the civil war's impact on supply routes has made alternate routes impossible. The few traders who are willing to brave the Dragon's Hole can expect high returns, however, as the nobility in Kingsland still holds sizable wealth.Resources
Much of Kingsland sits upon vast troves of metals, including gold, silver, iron, and copper. The Dragon's Tail Mountains hide plentiful tin and lead, while the Silent Wastes just beyond hide many reserves of salt, which were tapped by brave merchants in times long past. Timber used to be an important export to Nothgard and Barisea, traded in exchange for goods from the Kcalsbury Continent. Central Devania used to be famed for its bee products, especially honey and wax; the eastern farmlands were also primary producers of marjoram and valerian.Ethnicities
The founding tribe of Devania were the Dulmens, named so by the High Elves of Delos'Nordan. This tribe is no longer extant, and has been fully integrated into the Devanian citizenry. In the modern day, they are typically referred to as the Devans, or the Sons of Devan, but the name they used for themselves is a long-lost artifact of Pharosian Common. Aside from the Devans, Devania is home to several Old Faith tribes which have staunchly refused integration. These include the Althrics, who are distantly related to the Hill-Wigs, and the Kolbecs. The former primarily live in the south-western hills of Devania, while the Kolbecs are concentrated in the Hiding Woods, especially in the region of Kingsland.Diplomacy
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"The Home of Embattled Nobility"
Adjectives: Devanian
National Animal: Devanian Bolter
National Instrument: Tambura
Ethnicities: Devans (outdated: Dolmens), Althrics, Kolbecs
Languages: Human Common (Pharosian Gultic), Pharosian Common, Court Devanian, North Old-Tongue (Althriki and Kulbeki)
Capital:
Government: Monarchy, plagued by civil war.
Hallmarks: Civil war, mob rule, farming, black markets
Characteristics: Vengeful, politically nihilistic, insular, simple-minded
National Animal: Devanian Bolter
National Instrument: Tambura
Ethnicities: Devans (outdated: Dolmens), Althrics, Kolbecs
Languages: Human Common (Pharosian Gultic), Pharosian Common, Court Devanian, North Old-Tongue (Althriki and Kulbeki)
Capital:
- Devan (historical)
- Whitemantle Keep (temporary)
Government: Monarchy, plagued by civil war.
Hallmarks: Civil war, mob rule, farming, black markets
Characteristics: Vengeful, politically nihilistic, insular, simple-minded