Kingdom of Dane

Dane, named after Daighne Arundel of the Red Stag, is young, upstart realm which profits from agriculture, lumber, and fur trapping. It is considered one of the Sovereign Kingdoms. The capital city of Dane is Rosewall. Other prominent cities are Braavast, headquarters to the Domain of Merchant Princes, and Howlbec, which houses the Medicine House. The kingdom's neighbors are the Grand Empire of Rend, the Kingdom of Ardennais, the Orynfell Dwarvenrul, the Old Lands of Merelev and the Domain of Merchant Princes.
The people of Dane are known as Danic people.

Society & Culture

Gold means little in Dane. Loyalty, my young squire, is what creates dynasties in that barbaric land.

— An Ardennais Noble

Dane is a nation of a relatively temperate climate in the northwest of the Sovereign Realms. Once famed for their raiding culture, the Danic people were of a fiercely independent yet simple culture, according to their many neighbors.
Dane became part of the Kingdom of Ardennais in the 13th Century, and remained under their rule for over 110 years. During this time, modern fortifications were introduced in the form of castles such as Castle Tanague and Castle Howe. In addition, Danic settlements were destroyed by the Ardennais forces and cities were modernized with stone walls, cobblestone streets, and multi-storied housing.
Many Danic people are unwelcoming to foreigners and newcomers. They resent the presence of foreigners and see the influence of outside nations and cultures as a threat to their way of life.

Politics

In Dane, power is not held exclusively by the monarch. Rather, power rises from free landholders who swear fealty to a lord. Normally, landholders swear to the lord closest in proximity, as they will be called upon to defend the lord in times of war. However, it is not uncommon for loyalties to change. Since no formal oaths are sworn, lords can court landholders to their realm and away from their neighbors, an act that can trigger feuds that can last generations.

Amongst the lords are Dukes, powerful lords who have gathered enough favor from their fellow lords to represent their land at the Folksmoot. In the early days, Dane held dozens of small duchies which acted hostile towards one another. However, over many decades, the number has dwindled to three: Lauderon, Dorsill, and Grafsholm. These Dukes are responsible for defending the lords sworn to them, while also being able to call upon them in times of war or disaster.

THE FOLKSMOOT

The Folksmoot is the governing council which is held triannually, with additional ones being held at times of war or disaster. It does not meet during the harvest season, as that time is normally used to bolster supplies and prepare for winter.
The Folksmoot functions as the official legislature of Dane, where nobility and commoners can discuss current affairs and participate in an exchange of ideas. During the Folksmoot, it is expected that the King or Queen of Dane actively confers with and garners favor from their vassals to remain in power.

Knights, first established by the Dukes, were high-ranking members of their court who were given command of strategic fortresses throughout their realm and given orders to keep the peace and instill the Kings' law on the people. Unlike Lords, Knights are established by Dukes but owe loyalty to the King and answer only to their command.
The King of Dane is, by all accounts, the most powerful Duke. While the King only rules the city of Rosewall, the King's domain is all of Dane. However, this does not mean the King is untouchable. The King's rule can be challenged by the Dukes if they feel they are unworthy or dishonest and can be removed by popular demand of the Folksmoot.

Economy

The Kingdom derives enormous profits from trade with the Free City of Braavast and the Domain of the Merchant Princes. In Southern Dane, the landscape is dominated by massive, undulating fields of grain which give it the name "The Amber Plains." In the north, just before crossing the Highgard Mountains, the Duchy of Dorsill yields massive forests filled with great and savage beasts. Because of this, very little industry exists and many of the people rely heavily on lumber and hunting. Fur-trapping and leather-making are quite profitable in this region, as many nobles in Dane pride themselves in wearing Dorsillian furs. The Duchy of Lauderon, unlike the others, produces very little on its own. Its landscape is made of swampy peat bogs. This has allowed Lauderon to become a refinery, taking wood and unprocessed timber from Dorsill and prepping it into logs and boards on the way to the Free City of Braavast. Gold and silver are found in the swamps through panning, but this is uncommon.

History

Ancient History

Not much is known about the history of Dane before the Pandemonium. Ruins located throughout Dorsill indicate heavy elven influence and the worship of a form of animist pantheon. It is unknown how large this elven empire was, or if was ended by the Pandemonium or perhaps later by the Giants.
As with much of the Sovereign Realms, the lands of Dane were occupied by the Giantdom of Ilbar during their Golden Age. The lands of Dane were seen as worthless to the Giants with the exception of timber. So, for much of their occupation, Dane was spared the devastation the Giants wrought. Major works created by the Giants include, but are not limited to: The Ilbaran Highway, which crossed the Bay of Fortune; and the Watchtowers around Braavast. In 785 EØ, Dane was the sight of many battles between Morcar Giantslayer and the Giant forces. The biggest battle being the Battle of Ivorshelm, where Ivor the Forgesinger was defeated and locked into his own archive and left to be buried alive.
After the collapse of the Giantdom, much of Dane regressed into a tribalistic, raiding culture that preyed on their neighbors for many centuries after.

Ardennais Occupation

In 1267 EØ, The land of the Danic peoples was invaded by Ardennais forces and completely occupied in 25 years. During this time, much of the traditional lifestyle of the Danic people was destroyed as Ardennais began building fortresses and castles in strategic areas while also destroying settlements that attempting any form of resistance. Many Danic people were forced to work in the large scale construction projects implimented by the Ardennais nobility who became the administrators of the region and assisted in the construction of major works. The largest being the City of Braavast which acted as the Ardennais seat of power. Ardennais noble Cheval was installed as the Magistrate of Dane during the Occupation of Dane.
Dane was freed by Daighne Arundel, the son of a chieftain who had been blessed by the Red Stag, with the help of Eddar de Hue and Abella the Sage. They began their rebellion in Dorsill through the capture of the city of Howlbec, before gathering strength in the surrounding area. They defeated a larger Ardennais force at the Battle of the Howling River before crossing the Rosewater and laying siege to the Outpost of Rosewall. As Daighne's forces surrounded Braavast, the King of Ardennais withdrew his forces and abandoned Cheval to his fate. Daighne burned down the city of Braavast, killing the last remnants of control Ardennais had over Dane in 1380 EØ.
Sometime later, Daighne was chosen by the people to be the first King of Dane. He eventually married Abella and had six children before his death in 1415 EØ

The Kingdom of Dane

Founding Date

1380 EØ

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Leader

Symon of Dane

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Traditional

Subsidiary Organizations

• Order of the Glade

Kingdom of Dane

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