The Kingdom of Nimeara
Nestled deep within the Western Odric Mountains, ruling from the slopes of Mount Stelara, newly-crowned King Aghavni Orontes heads the small but proud Kingdom of Nimeara. Though once overseeing a great empire, the soft-spoken Monarchs of Nimeara instead tend to cultural and spiritual matters, while the Federated Temples of Luva and the High Council of Satraps manage the affairs of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is located to the north of the Aeillan Region, at the far southern edge of the Ellerycan savanna, and between Cyrenica to the east and Gallaca to the west. It also borders the Nabari Plateau.
In the last hundred years, Aarumite raiding campaigns have began to intensify in destruction, frequency, and range. As the frontier, which bears the brunt of these raids, has become more settled, pressure has mounted for the Kingdom to respond. This has put focus on the Kingdom's small army to defend the one border not naturally fortified or historically defended. Recently, a power struggle resulted in the formerly-exiled prince Aghavni becoming the King of Nimeara. Not much is known about him to the wider populace, however those out near the frontier consider him a hero and saviour.
Culture
Nimearan's do not generally trouble themselves with the affairs of State, content to go about their daily labors. As such, they are a relatively pliant people, with a deep respect for tradition and the institutions of their country. Nimearan cultural influence has waned to the point of nonexistence outside of the Kingdom's borders, however Ashvetism, the Nimearan-originated religion, is practiced in neighboring Elleryca, Merida, and in some regions of the Kingdom of Gallaca.
Communal living dominates in Nimeara, with halfling and human populations living alongside each other throughout the Kingdom. A unique mixture of halfling and human culture exists here. The coexistence between the halfling and human communities is reflected in much of the cuisine, and with particularly joyous celebrations that, while not as frequent as some in other halfling lands, are every bit as bombastic and revelatory.
Nimearan arts are oriented towards the celebrations throughout the year. Ensemble music and stage theatre are frequent performances, and elaborate sculptures relating to the theme of the celebration are displayed by their local creators. Work songs are also common in the day-to-day life of Nimearan labourers, and many Nimearans practice the duduk, a double reed instrument indigenous to the Kingdom, which dominates Nimearan life from playing it as a means to unwind after a hard day's work to trying to win the affections of a would-be lover
History
Over 2000 years prior existed the ancient Kingdom of Nimeara, which ruled over lands now part of Gallaca, Ellyrca, Cyrenica, and Aarum. This Kingdom was destroyed in 192 AS, when the Yuan-ti aggressively expanded into the Kingdom’s lands. The Nimearan homeland would change rulers many times, and smaller Satraps and Houses would control small parts of the homeland, never really gaining an edge due to their own infighting and the periodic invasions by outside peoples, such as the Aeillans and Gallacans.
The Kingdom of Nimeara’s current foundation dates back to 1554 AS, after Queen Christine Artashad reunified the remaining ancient Nimearean homelands under one Noble House. She re-established the local satraps, renovated Fire Temples and Sacred Shrines, and codified a legal system within the small Kingdom. Since then, the Kingdom has been largely content to live it’s existence on its own – not in isolation but in gentle seclusion.
Caught between the influences of the Kingdom of Gallaca and the Aellian Empire for over 300 years, the Nimearan Kingdom more firmly determined its own policy as Aeilla and Gallaca wanedunder two centuries of Feloran onslaught. The Kingdom's present-day borders were secured with signed a treaty with the Kingdom of Gallaca, which included the marriage of the Gallacan Prince to the Nimearan Princess Aka.
Demography and Population
Nimeara is home to about 130,000 subjects, with about 35% of them being halflings. A smattering of other races, mostly Cyrenic dwarves and a few orcs round out the rest of the population, mostly taking up odd jobs in small towns or filling the position of business or trade that was lacking in a particular area.
Territories
Nimeara is extremely compact – its border is less than 700 kilometers in total, with a near-circular shape. Approximately 25,400 square kilometers make up the Kingdom, the ancient home of the Mards and Hin people and the core province of the ancient kingdom.
Military
Nimeara maintains a small, but well equipped professional military of 300. The last three rulers of the Kingdom have cultivated trade with Cyrenica, importing firearms for their most skilled troops and officers, including the personal guard of the Monarch. Increased pressure after the retreat of Cyrenica from the Nabari plateau by the Aarumites on the Kingdom's outermost provinces has also increased calls for a larger army, with more specialisation and garrisons.
Technological Level
There has been a recent reversal of the steady decline and stagnation of the Kingdom relative to it's neighbors. Long content to sit and watch the world pass it by outside it's borders, the arrival of the Aarumites into the Nabari plateau exposed the Kingdom to it's first threat of war since the Feloran Invasions, which never reached the Kingdom's borders but impacted it. Though not equipped with the sort of plumbing or waterworks of Aeilla or Felora, nor the mining techniques or lighting systems of their fellow mountain dwelling Cyrenicans, firearms have been increasingly available in the Kingdom, and there are efforts to begin the production of gunpowder within the Kingdom's borders.
Nimeara also is the remaining society in Galisea with the knowledge to make Celestine Cement, a mixture that dates to the time Before the Star, supposedly a recipe brought by the ancient Dins from their destroyed homeland, and which remains a closely guarded secret of the Kingdom's halfling elders.
Religion
Nimeara is a remarkably religious nation, thanks to the relatively homogenous demographics and the widespread evoutness of the Nimearan people. Their faith, Ashvetism, is organised through the Federated Temples of Luva, which in turn is the official church of the Kingdom. The Federated Temples include temples outside the Kingdom, which also are subordinate to the Monarch, who is head of the Federated Temples. Cyrenic populations tend to practice their faith, and Pandroi is a notable secondary faith among traveled Nimearans and Aeillan settlers.
Foreign Relations
There are not many enemies, or allies, of the Kingdom. It maintains active relations with some Aeillan Successor States, and through the Fire Temples of Ashva has some semblance of active relations with Elleryca and Merida. Nimeara has been secluded, and content to be, for almost 7 centuries. Since the arrival of the Aarumites to the Nabari Plateau in the east, the Kingdom has been under increasing pressure to fortify it's borders and modernise it's military.
Agriculture & Industry
Nimeara has long been a breadbasket of the Odric Mountains, although advances in Cyrenic rockbreaking has closed this gap almost completely in the last few centuries. There is not much by way of industry in the Kingdom, however a few watermills have been constructed to sustain mechanised production of textiles, in hopes that Nimearan cloth and embroidery will make up the difference in trade. A few Cyrenic smiths have also set up workshops in the Kingdom, increasing the practicality of firearms in the Kingdom as well.
Trade & Transport
Nimearan embrodiery is a coveted textile in Galisea, and trade through the mountains into Aeilla is a secondary route compared to the coastal and Terruk routes. The Kingdom also exports some of it's surplus food to the Cantons of Salemesia, taking advantage of their fertile homeland.
Infrastructure
Most major Nimearan roads are paved.
Maps
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Map of the Kingdom of Nimeara (Modern)
Founding Date
1554 AS
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Demonym
Nimearan
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Nimearan Dram
Legislative Body
High Council of Satraps
Official State Religion
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Music of Nimeara
(Worldbuilder's Note: The following playlist is suitable background music for an RPG set in the Kingdom or to note the Nimearan culture.)Diplomatic Recognition
The Kingdom of Gallaca recognizes the Kingdom of Nimeara, and vice versa, functionaries from both states are regular visitors to the courts of their counterparts, but little in the way of formal arrangements have been made.
