Velden
Akin to
Vevia and Legacya, Velden is one of the central_kingdoms of Människar that arose after the fall of Snadov in the year 1000. The kingdom formerly comprised the core province of Snadov, centered around Bratislen, its former and current capital. When Snadov's lasat king, Faros Dabrowski died in the Siege of Sarusa, in 1000, the throne passed to his cousin, Aleksandr Dabrowski, who was only 10 at the time. His rule was remembered as a time of descentralization and internal instability, which culminated into his assassination - in 1021, which put an end to the rule of the Dabrowski dinasty. The ruling of Velden was then inherited by Diana Zamoyski, which was elected by the dukes and counts of the kingdom after the events of the The Crisis of 1020. As of 1025, Velden is experiencing a significant economical growth and military development, as the rule of young Queen Diana seems to have restored and reinvigorated a sense of pride and ambition in the veldian people.
Culture
Having inherited the ancient values of Snadov, the veldian culture leans strongly towards the traditional customs of
Människar - the dead are highly respected and there's a widespread sense of pride towards the heritage of the The Engelian Empire †. Society is highly stratified, and century-old noble houses sit on top of the social pyramid, followed by a flourishing class of burghers and merchants that have been gaining power over the last century. The King or Queen, following the snadovian standard, are often referred as Regnor or Regna, which is the title associated with the Palace of Regnum, located in Bratislen and where the Veldian throne lies.
When it comes to faith, the veldian people stand almost evenly divided between different cults and religions. The southern provinces, mainly Wachoviak and Kolski, have been experiencing an increase in the
Mosaicist faith, influenced by the cultural exchange with Legacya and the Twins. The exception to this rule is Bratislen itself, located further north, but also harbouring a significant number of followers of the southron belief. The remaining provinces, on the other hand, are split between the Gammalist and Arialist faith, in which many outposts of the Larian Blade can be found across the kingdom - established to hunt heretics, marked and spread the monotheistic faith. The Exodist faith is outlawed.
Politics
In Velden, status, noblebirth and wealth stand as key parameters that dictate social norms and standards. Ancient Great Houses and rich burghers detain much of the militaristic, economic and decision power, despite the increasing centralization that has started with the rule of Diana. Backed mainly by the dukes and nobles of the northern provinces the Queen has responded to their support by focusing her rule in strenghtening and developing said regions, which has created a sense of detachment amidst the nobles. As of 1025, 2 main political factions stand consolidated in Velden, with some minor ones attempting to garner members and military power.
Loyalists - The Króli
The crown's most important and strongest allies, loyal to Queen Diana and key effectors of her authority. They back the monarchy and addhere to traditional customs that were inherited from the Empire, with a particular emphasis for military development, consolidation of power and infrastructure development, such as bridges, roads and forts. When it comes to foreign relations, the loyalists support belligerent, imperalistic stances, pushing the Crown to exert authority against the neighbouring kingdoms and strenghtening defenses over the northern border, with
Thortyr. Dukes such as Kuba Strzebor, of Komsor, were pivotal in the election of Diana as Queen, in 1020.
Aristocrats - The Duman
Represented by the majority of the southern lords, the Duman (from snaggravian prideful) are powerful landowners and nobles from ancient houses that exert significant regional power, protecting their privileges and often standing for their own interests rather than the Crown's. The faction in itself dates all the way back to the time of Snadov, which suffered from a lack of cohesion and unity and eventually culminated in its splitting. With the creation of the three central_kingdoms , Velden merely inherited the faction, which strives for autonomy and even independence in some cases. A key representative of this faction is Duke Anton Zamodyn, of Zamodyn.
Powerful Houses
Countless noble houses permeate Velden, with new, smaller ones constantly rising and falling amidst conspiracies and treacheries that often infiltrate the political stage, yet amongst them, a few major ones stand harboring much of the power in the kingdom. Some of them are the Strzebor, Zamodyn, Zamoyski, Wachoviak, Czarnolas and Annopol.
Military
The veldian army reflects the kingdom's own banner - the white horse of Bratislen, and thus, their forces often revolve around their implacable heavy cavalry, the Rycer, optimal for the large patches of verdant plains that stretch across central Människar. The Crown sustains a permanent, professional army composed mainly of regiments of men-at-arms and pikemen, accompanied by brigades of longbowmen and light cavalrymen. During the Siege of Sarusa in 1000, the Snadovian army had amassed an army of nearly 60 thousand strong that had made their way to the plains of Kotraca, in the south. At the time, Faros Dabrowski ordered the construction of countless siege engines, such as trebutchets and sturdy siege towers, his victory seemed inquestionable as they laid siege to the siege, only losing afterwards due to the interference of the Shadows of Exodus.
As of 1025, Velden still retains the best army in Människar after the engelians. Against its neighbors the kingdom ranks first in both quality and organization of its army and officials, with a standing, professional army of 22 thousand, but with the possibility of amassing up to 43 if levies are raised and peasants conscripted. Arialor holds the lead of potential army when it comes to size, averaging almost 46 thousand if conscription occurs, despite holding a somewhat small professional army of 10 thousand.
Despite its superior ranking, many veldian lords recognize the kingdom has an even greater potential, given their most developed trades are weaponsmithing and armorsmithing, as well as mining for sustaining the demand for metals and crafting materials. The main gap in the kingom's strength is its lack of unity and corruption amongst the nobility.
Trade and Industy
As mentioned before, many of the crafts geared for military practice are well developed in Velden and rank amongst the best in Mellanvärlden. Along with this are ancient and wealthy mining guilds that encircle almost the entirety of the The Guardian Peaks, at least on the western side. Fletchery is another significant activity that impacts for Velden's industry, due to traditional customs linked to archery, as several Ranger guilds are responsible for patrolling and securing the kingdom against monsters and creatures that often harass its settlements. Other notable trades are agriculture, more specifically the cultivation of large acres of wheat, rye and barley, horse and sheep breeding, adventuring guildswork , research and education, masonry, herbalism and alchemy, brewery and winery.
Demography and Population
Velden has an approximate population of 10 million people
Founding Date
1000 EE
Capital
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Veldian
Leader
Leader Title
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Currency
gold Sphinxes, silver Sickles, copper Kinses
Notable Members
Previous Rulers
- Aleksandr Dabrowski: 1000 - 1020 EE
