Duchy of the Crag
Geography
Life near the coast is far easier as the sea provides many of the food resources that the inland lacks. Fishing and seabound agriculture are huge industries and are where the vast majority of the population commit their lives to. The cities along the coast are always bristling with thousands of fishing boats large and small. Then there are the Privateers; these individuals are considered the most important and prestigious part of Crag society. They raid and pillage ships and settlements along the coast either for themselves or for a patron/employer all with the blessing of the Grand Duke. Their ships are small communities amongst themselves, making a hefty salary cut from their plunder. They are absolutely loyal to their captains and have tight bonds that are otherwise unheard of in Crag society. Before the ascension of Reginald Pelk, raids on Kingdom ships and towns were strictly prohibited, which the Privateers adhered to for the most part. As such, Consulate, Didacy, and Hrim ships were the main target of their raiding. Occasionally the rare ship flagged from the Free Cities would pose a tantalizing prize, especially ones originating from the south of Pillarin, for they often housed goods that were rarely seen in this region of Perradin.The capital, Brine, is built upon the pulverized foundation of a former Fortress of the make in which most Kingdom Fortress Cities are built. Society there is far more "modern" in that its streets are paved and well kept, and its people (even the poor) are generally well taken care of by the Grand Duke. This is made possible as all the plunder of the Crag's privateers flows through Brine and a tribute is given to the Ducal Throne. It is considered an immense privilege to live in Brine, even as a member of the urban poor, and citizenship is strictly monitored by the Ducal Guard. All other cities fend for themselves by comparison.
The main races of the region are humans, dark elves, gith, orcs, and a smattering of beastfolk. There are even rumors of some Warforged having made the Crag their home inland in recent centuries searching for a purpose.
Before independence, the Crag was a range of rocky mountains with lush temperate rainforest in its central valley and tropical jungles along its coast. Its central valley was dubbed the Valley of Plenty for its overabundance of food-bearing plants and plentiful livestock. After the region was granted independence in 8477, the land gradually began to wither. Over the centuries, it became the utter hellscape known today. Its central valley is now a massive dust flat, inhabited by very few. Its mountains are cold, barren, and dry. No rain or snow has been observed in the central valley in nearly three centuries.
Culture
The Crag is a significantly devolved and chaotic version of what goes on in Kingdom Duchies. The Grand Duke sits at the top and below him are several Barons and Counts who rule over different regions. There are local leaders either elected or appointed. However, it is extremely libertarian in nature with survival of the fittest being a guiding principle. The geography of the Crag is barren mountains, dry salty coasts, and a desiccated dust flats in the valleys and coastal plains. Life is harsh, and the people need to be harsh to survive. Regions compete, often bloodily, for basic resources. And within those regions, there is only a loose sense of community under their leader, but other than that, it's every man for himself. The rich are able to either import basic necessities and luxuries or they have several privateers in their employ who "import" them on their behalf. The poor and "middle class" are often pitted against one another in competition for resources available on the market or made domestically at extremely ludicrous premiums.
Religion is a touchy subject in the area. Before the withering of the land, Eldath was held in extremely high esteem for her embodiment of rivers and forests. But now, Eldath is viewed as a betrayer goddess whose whims led to the deaths of millions. Other gods are worshiped, but with very few having to do with nature. The only one being Deegra, Bringer of Storms, for they seek to appease her when sailing out to raid enemy vessels. The rest of commonly-worshiped gods have to do more with mortal concepts such as war, pain, endings, and beginnings and patron deities of groups such as elves worshiping Diedrethaa.
Additionally, the reverence for the Monarch in Throne since the independence movement remained pretty neutral given the bloodless nature it was granted independence. However, Reginald Pelk has been aggressive in pushing a narrative that the Kingdom is responsible for the ruinous degradation, and was a major factor in convincing the people to go to war. This has also led to an extreme intolerance of those who identify as Augurs or conduct any kind of magic that claims to glimpse the future.
Religion is a touchy subject in the area. Before the withering of the land, Eldath was held in extremely high esteem for her embodiment of rivers and forests. But now, Eldath is viewed as a betrayer goddess whose whims led to the deaths of millions. Other gods are worshiped, but with very few having to do with nature. The only one being Deegra, Bringer of Storms, for they seek to appease her when sailing out to raid enemy vessels. The rest of commonly-worshiped gods have to do more with mortal concepts such as war, pain, endings, and beginnings and patron deities of groups such as elves worshiping Diedrethaa.
Additionally, the reverence for the Monarch in Throne since the independence movement remained pretty neutral given the bloodless nature it was granted independence. However, Reginald Pelk has been aggressive in pushing a narrative that the Kingdom is responsible for the ruinous degradation, and was a major factor in convincing the people to go to war. This has also led to an extreme intolerance of those who identify as Augurs or conduct any kind of magic that claims to glimpse the future.
History
The Duchy of the Crag was once a part of The Final Kingdom. Being the last region colonized by the Kingdom in the late 1200s, it was always viewed as being “barely” part of the Kingdom. The Crag also was unique in that it didn’t have a centralized Duke for the majority of its existence under the Kingdom, instead being a loosely-associated areas ruled over by local Barons and Counts. Because of these differences, in addition to the mountains and rocky terrain of the region, it became ideologically isolated from the rest of the kingdom over time. In 8447, several fringe forts’ leaders decided to petition for independence. Without hesitation, The King of Liberation granted the petition and appointed Count Adrien Pelk from the fortress city of Brine as the Grand Duke of the new nation, forming the Duchy of the Crag. The people of the Crag rather quickly abandoned the augury they had practiced under the Kingdom. A cultural attitude of “forging your own destiny” became commonplace and was held up as a paragon of the nation’s identity.
Despite the easy secession, the Crag immediately ran into problems. The previous lush landscape turned into rugged terrain, resulting in a nearly immediate famine without the resources and farmland of the Kingdom. Additionally, the attempt to farm the poor soil of the valley extending through the Duchy’s center resulted in a rapid desertification and subsequent dust bowl. Fishing became a primary source of food, but the waterways inland slowly depleted. Some groups became disgruntled and turned to piracy and banditry over the years. Their entire society eventually evolved to focus on pillaging trade routes from Didacia or Hrim, but never from The Kingdom.
The newest Grand Duke of the Crag, Reginald Pelk, ascended the throne in 9030 at an exceptionally old age, even by half-elf standards. What little is known about him is that he is gaunt, soft spoken, and utterly ruthless. Before accession, he had a reputation as an exceptionally ruthless pirate warlord against Consulate forces, cutting down merchant and military vessels with little effort. Rumor has it he has become obsessed with making his mark before his inevitable death. As such, he has made an alliance with Gerrion Relactia of Hrim to stage a joint invasion of The Kingdom to take essential resources and become more independent and less reliant on piracy. While initially successful, the invasion has stalled indefinitely during a lengthy siege of Balsearenta, many believing it will ultimately fail.
Despite the easy secession, the Crag immediately ran into problems. The previous lush landscape turned into rugged terrain, resulting in a nearly immediate famine without the resources and farmland of the Kingdom. Additionally, the attempt to farm the poor soil of the valley extending through the Duchy’s center resulted in a rapid desertification and subsequent dust bowl. Fishing became a primary source of food, but the waterways inland slowly depleted. Some groups became disgruntled and turned to piracy and banditry over the years. Their entire society eventually evolved to focus on pillaging trade routes from Didacia or Hrim, but never from The Kingdom.
The newest Grand Duke of the Crag, Reginald Pelk, ascended the throne in 9030 at an exceptionally old age, even by half-elf standards. What little is known about him is that he is gaunt, soft spoken, and utterly ruthless. Before accession, he had a reputation as an exceptionally ruthless pirate warlord against Consulate forces, cutting down merchant and military vessels with little effort. Rumor has it he has become obsessed with making his mark before his inevitable death. As such, he has made an alliance with Gerrion Relactia of Hrim to stage a joint invasion of The Kingdom to take essential resources and become more independent and less reliant on piracy. While initially successful, the invasion has stalled indefinitely during a lengthy siege of Balsearenta, many believing it will ultimately fail.
Ever Onward, Ever Self-Sufficient
Founding Date
8477 FFC
Type
Geopolitical, Duchy
Alternative Names
The Crag
Demonym
Craggans
Leader
Leader Title
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Location
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Comments