Valonde
In the known world, there are few nations or even groups who are as dedicated and sincere when it comes to swordsmanship and bladesmithing. Often called the Kingdom of Swords, a name originating from their "obsession" and from their knights, Valonde is a nation of warriors and smiths. In their society, the two most respected professions are those that make swords and the ones who wield them. Valonde has numerous fighting pits and tournaments where knights test their fighting skills and smiths test their capabilities. Those that rise to become elite knights and expert smiths are like the celebrities of the kingdom. It is not uncommon for unaffiliated knights that prove themselves in a tournament to be invited to join one of Valonde's knight orders.
Crests
In Valonde are noble and royal crests are swords of some sort. This is meant to show that the whole kingdom is unified but still allow separate factions and families to be recognized. The crest for the whole kingdom has always been the legendary sword Ales, wielded by the current king. Due to the similarity in shape, it is common for Valonde's crest and flags to be mistaken for the cross of the The Holy Arbia Empire and The Church of the Three Saints.Currency
Like many other nations of the known world, Valonde uses its own form of currency, Anvils. Anvils are simply coins with the crest of the Royal family on one side and an anvil on the other. There are four types of coins; Copper Anvils, Silver Anvils, Gold Anvils, and Platinum Anvils. 10 Copper Anvils equals 1 Silver Anvil. 10 Silver Anvils equals 1 Gold Anvil, 10 Gold Anvils equals 1 Platinum Anvil. Unless otherwise stated all prices are considered to be in Copper Anvils. For deals involving thousands of Platinum Anvils or more, it is more common for something called a Vault Slate to be traded instead. Vault Slates are small rectangular metal tiles. Though appearing to be smooth it has barely noticeable makings that indicate their value. Vault Slates can then be brought to a bank or one of the kingdom's treasury offices and exchange for the amount the Slate is worth. This allows for large amounts of money to be exchanged without the hassle of lugging the coins around. To have a Vault Slate made one simply has to bring the Anvils to the nearest bank or treasury office and have them converted. The biggest downside of using Slates is that they cannot be broken up. Either you use all the Anvils it represents or none.Structure
Valonde is a kingdom ruled by the Val Arya family who has ruled the city of Valon for as far back as the history goes. Directly below them are the Nobles and Royals. The Nobles and Royals oversee various sections of land throughout the Iron Plains or handle certain aspects of the kingdom's operations. For example, several members of the Royals and Nobles work together and manage the kingdom's agriculture. Though the rule of the great cities of Valonde falls towards the current king the job of ruling the cities of Ironbay, Mithlonde, and Dellonde are often delegated towards Nobles and Royals that are chosen by the current king.
Val Arya
The Val Arya family has ruled over the city of Valon and the kingdom of Valonde since their founding. As is tradition, the firstborn child of the current ruler is often the heir regardless of gender. If they are deemed unworthy or fall victim to tragedy then they may be relieved of their position as heir. It is also common for members of the family to take up hobbies that further the kingdom. The hobbies of the former rulers are responsible for many positive changes such as the introduction of griffon calvary into the military, the standardization of the weapons and armor of the knights, and the innovation and development of the current mining practices.Royals
The individuals that are part of the Val Arya family or related to the family yet not part of the main ruling family are considered part of the Royal Faction. Unlike Nobles, members of the Royal faction are often given responsibilities that are more central towards the kingdom such as leading units of the military, running government departments and offices, overseeing mines and collecting taxes from businesses.Nobles
Those individuals that have done a great service to the kingdom or have greatly aided in its operation often times have their family elevated to the Noble Faction. Nobles work alongside the Royals in running the kingdom and carrying out the orders of the ruling family. The members of the Noble Faction are commonly given the responsibilities of overseeing and maintaining land, overseeing the trade routes of official goods and dealing with civilians businesses.Assets
By far the most important asset of Valonde is that it owns all of the mines within the Iron Plains. All metal flows from the kingdom to its citizens. This secured source of income has allowed the kingdom to not rely on the taxation of its citizens. This also gives the kingdom control over weapon production and a major trade good.
History
Roughly three hundred years ago the king of Valon, Abas Val Arya, and the Saint of Iron formed a great army and united the entirety of the Iron Plains under their banner over the course of a five-year war. It is unclear what caused the sudden shift in Valon's policy towards the other inhabitants of the plains. Since the founding war of Valonde, a member of the Val Arya family has ruled the Iron Plains and the Saint of Iron has served as their advisor.
In the history of the kingdom, Valonde has survived 3 Active Titans that have roamed through the Iron Plains.
Demography and Population
Valonde is largely a human nation with notable populations of other races. Below are the populations of other races and what city or region they are more commonly found:
Ash Elf - Many Ash Elves come to Valonde for the Academy of Swords to improve their smithing prowess. As such they are more commonly found in Valon, the capital.
Dwarf - Dwarves of all kinds can be found throughout the kingdom.
Gray Orc and Half-Gray Orc - Because Valonde borders the lands where the nomadic The Gray Orc Tribes a number of their kind can be seen in Mithlonde.
Halflings -Halfing communities can be found within Ironbay and Dellonde
Kobold - A community of Kobolds can be found within Dellonde
Genasi - Fire, Ash, and Earth Genasi can be found in small communities within Valonde. They are typically found within Ironbay and Valon.
Military
In terms of military forces, Valonde is a force to be reckoned with. In Valonde there are twelve elite knightly orders, an army roughly 140,000 strong, and a corp of engineers that develop siege weapons capable of deterring Titans.
The knightly orders are as follows:
The Order of the Griffon - Griffon mounted calvary knights.
The Knights of the Fang - Knights who specialize in mobility and close combat with shorter blades.
The Order of the Book - Knight Librarians
The Order of the Beast - Knights that specialize in the taming and use of monsters and beasts.
The Ashen Knights - Knights that use fire-based magic and flammable substances such as black powder and oils.
The Knights of Nightfall - Knights that excel in night based combat and stealth
The Stone Order - Knights that are known for their strength. More than one are known to wield two greatswords.
The Knights of Wind - Knights that specialize in mobility and weapons such as khopeshes and other high mobility swords.
The Knights of the Brave - Vanguard knights known for their bravery
The Blood Knights - Of all the knight orders few have as terrifying a reputation as the Blood Knights. The Blood Knights are famed for pulling off suicidal missions and coming back covered in the blood of their enemies.
The Vine Knights - Knights skilled in the use of chain whip swords.
The Valor Knights - The most elite and prestigious of the knight orders
The Knights of the Fang - Knights who specialize in mobility and close combat with shorter blades.
The Order of the Book - Knight Librarians
The Order of the Beast - Knights that specialize in the taming and use of monsters and beasts.
The Ashen Knights - Knights that use fire-based magic and flammable substances such as black powder and oils.
The Knights of Nightfall - Knights that excel in night based combat and stealth
The Stone Order - Knights that are known for their strength. More than one are known to wield two greatswords.
The Knights of Wind - Knights that specialize in mobility and weapons such as khopeshes and other high mobility swords.
The Knights of the Brave - Vanguard knights known for their bravery
The Blood Knights - Of all the knight orders few have as terrifying a reputation as the Blood Knights. The Blood Knights are famed for pulling off suicidal missions and coming back covered in the blood of their enemies.
The Vine Knights - Knights skilled in the use of chain whip swords.
The Valor Knights - The most elite and prestigious of the knight orders
Technological Level
Though not as technologically advanced like Wresh or Aithrol, Valonde has very advanced forging processes, metal refineries and mines. Many of the famous weapons of the past three hundred years are said to have come from Valonde or a crafter who trained there. Rumor has it that there is no metal Valonde craftsmen can't work with. It is also rumored that they can also fuse two pieces of metal together using heat of some kind.
Religion
Though Valonde lacks an official religion there are many faiths within its borders. The largest one is The Iron Church, a religion centered around the Saint of Iron that helped the first king found the nation. The second-largest religion in Valonde is one that follows Zaros, God of Earth, Craftsmen and Wealth. Many of the craftsmen and forges in Valonde have his symbol hanging for his blessing even if they don't follow him.
Education
In addition to their famed military Valonde also has the famed Academy of Swords, a college dedicated towards combat, weaponsmithing, tactics and various other topics. The Academy of Swords is directly controlled by the Val Arya family and is known throughout the world for both its difficulty and its results.
The academy works mainly like this. There are two years of general studying and training. after those two years are over, students are must complete a physical test that changes every year. Captains of the various schools within the academy look at the results of your test and the observations during your general years. Students are then privately brought before the captains and the students are told which schools, if more than one, will accept them. Once a student joins a school they cannot switch unless both captains agree. Students also have the right to refuse the offers they receive and leave the academy. Some of the schools are very elite and selective of who they let in so it is rare to get an offer from every school. Done privately to protect the students' privacy out of respect for completing the two years of general. In some cases, students may be asked to continue general or individual studies for various reasons. Rarely a captain can bring someone they believe should skip the general school and join their school before the master of the school. If the headmaster approves they can be accepted that way. Due to the attention that the academy receives nobles and wealthy have a harder time trying to buy their kids way into a school. Many attempts are outright denied because of attention.
May Our Souls Shine Like Our Swords
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
Kingdom of Swords
Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Currency
Anvils and Vault Slates
Major Exports
Being rich in metals and full of skilled crafters, Valonde's main exports are raw or unworked metal and finished metal goods.
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
by Edward Montenegro
by Edward Montenegro
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