Messino
Located centrally in the world, Messino is a country of ancient history, fluctuating alliances, and internal contest. It is a temperate, forested region, bordering the idyllic the Pordetina Sea, but is also a region of internal strife and international military disputes.
Structure
Messino is a theocracy, through and through, though the people of Rivia beg to differ.
DUKE AND DUCHESS
At the top of the hierarchy is the Duke or Duchess, who is functionally the same as any feudal monarch. Traditionally, the Duke or Duchess oversees the counts and lords of Messino, and is the liaison between the Archbishop of the Delizia Maro Monastery and the lords. In recent centuries, however, Duke Provenza has lost the majority of the title's power as the monastery extends its reach further into international politics.
COUNT AND COUNTESS
Counts and Countesses are the heads of several noble houses and control large swathes of land under their banners. Technically, House Provenza controls Rivia and the immediate region around it, but a smaller house, House Rozzi, has strengthened its position in the region first by increasing the size of its mercantile fleet, and then through the marriage between the heirs to House Rozzi and House Provenza. House d'Addio controls the region around Avenia, an idyllic town on the shore of the Pordetina Sea. The d'Addios aren't considered to hold much power in the country, and despite their advantageous position at the mouth of the Messicce River, it remains a region dedicated more to the summer homes of noble families than a settlement of any strategic importance. House Fiocca controls Cesarona, the largest area of land and the least populous. Despite its lower population, House Fiocca holds a great deal of power on the small council as its numerous farms provide the surrounding regions with food. House Spaziani holds Fort Marino, the most fortified settlement in the country, and has the largest military force of all the houses. It protects Messino's eastern shores from Khyrdin, and occasionally Lyvsk. Finally, House Masini oversees the lands surrounding Rivoli. Perhaps the most disconnected house from the rest of the country's politics, House Masini is often kept busy with diplomatic - and sometimes military - actions with the fey creatures of Mercy's Oak.
BARON AND BARONESS
Answering to the Counts and Countesses, Barons and Baronesses are often children, nieces, or nephews of the ruling Count or Countess who are not in line to take over the title. They oversee smaller regions under their houses' control. They direct the Lords and Ladies in their various settlements.
LORD AND LADY
The direct liaison between the common people and nobility, Lords and Ladies control only a small area of land within the borders of the Counts' or Countesses' land. They often hold little power within Messino's government.
Culture
Overall, the culture in Messino is highly religious. The Delizia Maro Monastery ensures that the general population is satisfactorily pious to one of the 13 gods that have temples at the monastery. While religious practice is not required by law, the sheer amount of priests present in every settlement makes worship hard to avoid.
The nobility tend to have a holier-than-thou attitude towards not just toward citizens of other countries, but also towards each other. Some of the nobility believe that their house's patron god is superior to others, and council meetings often devolve into passive aggressive religious debates.
The common people are much less devout than the nobility, and have no real national sentiment. Many worship one of the 13 gods, but their worship tends to be more casual. Unlike the nobility as well, the common people are a much more diverse group with no house ties. The exception is the people of Mercy's Oak, a large settlement of primarily fey creatures who protect their land with deadly force.
Overall, the culture of Messino is relatively standoffish toward the rest of the world. Despite their history of imperialism, they are still rather unwelcoming towards visitors.
History
Little is known about the founding of Messino, other than there was a time when its borders stretched all the way to Al-Mara to the west, Union to the south, and Lyvsk to the east. Over the thousands of years and multiple wars, Messino lost its hold on most of the world, starting with Al-Mara. In 3E, 382, Messino lost control of Al-Mara to Hythe during the largest conflict that Messino was ever a part of.
In 5E, 22, the Kostov family of Lyvsk, having quickly gained power via both material wealth and popular opinion, rose up against Messino and successfully their borders across the Tuchanka Bridge. It was a surprise to most as the militia of Lyvsk was ill-equipped for conflict with Messino, but Messino’s forces were stretched thin trying to quash uprisings in Khyrdin while also attempting to push into the Crescent Isles against Hythe. They would eventually regain control of Lyvsk in 5E, 426, only to lose it again to the Kostov family in 6E, 37.
In 12E, 30, the military force of Belcarra was able to push Messino back almost entirely out of Union, leaving only the regions now known as Arcadia and Wellspring Plains under their control.
Military
Messino has a large standing army, with the majority of troops coming from the rural farming regions in central Messino. The rank and file travel to Fort Marino and its surrounding land to train before being stationed at various military outposts both domestically and abroad. Officers often come from nobility, and are trained at the Delizia Maro Monastery, giving Messino's forces the nickname The Holy Army.
The structure of the military resembles the most common military structure, with ranks from Private all the way to General.
Religion
Religion is an important aspect of Messino's culture, but the majority of the pantheon is ignored. There are 13 major deities that the people commonly worship, with - ironically - Eldath, goddess of peace, the most revered. There are often several major temples in most settlements, even the smallest.
Foreign Relations
Despite its military conflict with Union in the past, Messino has maintained a friendly relationship with its southern neighbor. As Union's technological prowess quickly ballooned, the Duke and Archbishop alike knew that it was politically advantageous to ally itself with the new nation with the only fleet of airships. The two countries have remained staunch allies; when Union goes to war, Messino usually follows. The only real point of political tension over the two is usually over the Wellspring Plains region, which supplies Belcarra, Arcadia, and the Delizia Maro Monastery with produce, meat, and livestock.
Messino and Hythe seem to be eternal enemies. Throughout most of history, Messino and Hythe were the biggest military powerhouses in the world and often clashed over the borders of their respective territories. For a small period of time, as Messino's borders were pushed back and its military collapsed, Messino was forced into a truce with Hythe. Until Union gained some technological superiority over Hythe, Messino was forced to tread lightly around Hythe. Currently, Messino is posturing for yet another war with Hythe over control of the Delfain Shipping Lane, with or without the help of Union.
Messino's relationship with Khyrdin has also been rocky, though not as much as Union's. Their only real conflict was at the very end of Messino's imperial era, when a half-hearted army was pushed back by Khyrdin's guerilla fighters. The situation between Al-Mara, the Crescent Isles, and Messino is much the same as with Khyrdin. Currently, the situation is more tense with the conflict between Messino and Hythe over the Delfain Shipping Lane.
Traditionally, like with most of Messino's old territories, the relationship between Lyvsk and Messino has been tense. At first, the Kostov family was resolutely against Messino, but as the centuries passed, the tension has loosened, and it is widely rumored that the Kostov Coterie has entered an alliance with the Delizia Maro Monastery.
Unsurprisingly, Messino's most friendly ally is Skyholm, being the only territory that has been untouched by its military.
Founding Date
1E, 1
Capital
Leader
Leader Title
Head of Government
Government System
Theocracy
Controlled Territories
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