Weswyn
Borders Verretos and Norhorn Dale in the East, Nordmark in the North, Selsaym and Haldor in the west. The deep forest of Emeraldheart borders Weswyn to the northeast, and is not technically claimed territory of either Weswyn or Norhorn Dale.
The House la Salle has controlled the throne of Weswyn for 141 years, ever since the War of the Dragons, when the House la Salle wrested control of the throne from the House de Charbonnier. King Frederic is viewed by nobles of his court as a relatively foolish, feckless king, easily manipulated by courtiers. This reflects poorly on the House la Salle, and a sentiment is growing amongst the nobles of Weswyn that perhaps it is time for another noble house to take the throne. Meanwhile, Queen Claudia appears to make most executive decisions and edicts issued by the Throne, and is viewed as a much stronger ruler than the King.
Geography
Weswyn is a moderately forested country, not terribly mountainous, with many flat open plains and an enormous amount of arable farmland. The southern coast is covered in thick pine forests, granting the Pine Coast its name. The entire southern half of the country is dotted with lakes and rivers, so fresh water is not scarce. Most of the northern country is rolling hills and open plains, and deciduous forests dot the landscape along the northern border. The two most obvious geographic features aside from the Pine Coast are the River Sen, one of the widest and most free-flowing rivers in Mesothalassos, and the lake from which it snakes southward, Lac Magne, the single largest inland body of freshwater in Mesothalassos.Social strata
Weswyn is separated primarily into four classes of citizens. A citizen of Weswyn is loosely defined as an individual naturally born to Weswyner parents, but this is not applied in any practical sense, and if you live in Weswyn, you are essentially a Weswyner citizen. Weswyner citizens fall into the four categories of noble, middler, peasant, and serf. Nobles are born into their position. If you are not a member of a noble family, chances are extremely slim that you are going to ever see the benefits of nobility. Exceptions include the gifting of land and title to the Dragochasseur family in AK 209 as a reward for slaying the green dragon Orismuul, and the gifting of land and title to the Hauptmanne family in AK 430 as thanks for providing relief and emergency aid to the town of Loussé after it was devastated by the floodwaters of the River Sen. In general, nobles enjoy unparalleled power and wealth in Weswyner society. The children of noble families are often sent to Pavin to become royal knights in the service of the Crown, and noble families are the only ones who are able to own serfs. Nobles are by far the least populous of Weswyners, making only a fraction of a percent of the total population. Middlers are generally extraordinary people who work their way into a class above peasants and serfs. In Weswyn, if you are not born a noble, typically you are born a peasant - until you prove yourself to be a middler. These include clerics blessed by a god, sorcerers, bards, and other magic-users who prove themselves a cut above the average citizen, but also talented musicians, artisans, craftsmen, and other individuals who perfect a craft. The local wizard is a middler - neither a noble, as they were not born a noble, nor a peasant, as they are certainly exceeding that status, but something in between. However, the town blacksmith, the local magistrate or shire reeve, the owner of a mining company - these are all middlers as well. It is a broad class that catches pretty much anything that floats upward from the peasant class but doesn’t have the bloodline to prove to be a noble. Middlers make up about 10% of the population of Weswyn and generally hold positions of some repute and status in the towns, villages, and cities of the nation. Peasants are the general catch-all term for any individuals who are not owned by another person (not serfs) but also do not command any sort of political power and do not have any significant accumulated wealth. The distinction between peasants and middlers is nebulous and more socially appointed than in any way politically appointed, but peasants are usually farmers, laborers, and other free people who have not spent decades becoming a master craftsman, wizard, man-at-arms or other fighting individual, and so on. Due to the nature of the trade, most thieves and professional criminals, regardless of their skill at their craft, will never rise above peasant status. Peasants make up about 70% of the population of Weswyn and populate towns, villages, and swaths of farmland in between. Serfs are individuals who live on and work land owned by a noble family. These are generally farmers, woodsmen, shepherds, carpenters, farriers, blacksmiths, miners, and other individuals who gather natural resources and work them specifically for the benefit of their noble lords. Generally serfs are born into their class, as the children of working serfs on a noble’s estate will continue their parents’ work. By law, there are only two ways to gain your freedom as a serf: to have it granted to you by your lord, or by being freed by the Crown, which is the only entity who can overrule a noble lord. Historically, this is usually the result of a serf mastering a craft and presenting a gift to the royal family, or proving themselves worthy of middler status by some gift, generally the blessing of a god or an innate aptitude for sorcery. Serfs make up about 20% of the population of Weswyn and generally do not reside in towns or villages except for those that spring up around the estate of a noble.Demography and Population
Estimated population between 4.5 and 6 million
Estimated 70% human, 15% elven or half-elven, 8% halfling, 6% dwarven, 1% all others
Technological Level
Relatively medieval. While some advanced technology does exist, primarily given to Weswyn by Antivassos while it was part of the Empire, much of this technology cannot be replicated using modern methods. A Weswyner may look at the White Bridge in the village that shares its name, a colossal structure of white stone that spans the River Sen, and ask, "what giants built this?"
Religion
The official religion of Weswyn is worship of the gods of the Gael Oc
The patron god of Pavin is Tyvorix
Foreign Relations
Weswyn is currently a trade partner of Isambard and Selsaym.
The xenophobic dwarves of Haldor do not currently deal with Weswyn.
Weswyn shares open borders with Norhorn Dale and trades regularly with them, though no formal trade agreement has ever been made with the relatively laid-back Dalesfolk.
Weswyn is currently in a state of “heightened security” regarding Antivassos, who have historically claimed a small archipelago off Weswyn’s southeastern coast - the Norielles - as part of Antivassos - a claim disputed by Weswyn. Antivassos, under the Klethora administration, have begun making aggressive moves against several of their neighbors, including Weswyn, their historical rival in the Age of Kings. This includes a renewed declaration that the Norielles, called the Giavos Islands in Antivassos, are territory of the Antivassan nation.
The Weswyner navy currently patrols the Jasper Sea, hunting pirates of the Federated Freeholds, who frequently prey upon trade ships coming to and from port cities along the Pine Coast.
Weswyn is currently in a state of tenuous peace with Nordmark and has remained so for seventeen years following the unification of the Nordmarker tribes under High King Hemming Hjarlmarssen. However, Nordmarker raids have historically disproportionately targeted the wealthy towns of northern Weswyn, and as such, any peace between Nordmark and Weswyn is thought to be temporary at best
The coat of arms of the la Salle family, current ruling family of Weswyn.
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Experienced
Demonym
Weswyner
Head of State
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Gold Dragon, silver Crown, copper coin
Neighboring Nations
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