The Hallowed Kingdom of the New Weald
The Weald is the starting location for the game of the World of the Five Gods. The culture is heavily influenced by a mix of iron age Celtic and the Wealding nation from Lois McMaster Bujuld's Five Gods series (with her permission ). It's a little isolated geographically by desert, mountains, and oceans, so when other nations were competing and developing magic/technology, the various clans of the area took an isolationist stance.
Eventually the rest of the world came calling and although they've now gotten free of foreign oppression, they are a nation struggling to define itself as more than the weak clans that were so easy to conquer, but true to the culture they share.
The defining characteristic of the Wealding clans, as opposed to the related tribes and clans in neighboring countries, is that the wealding clans have made a ritual covenant or bargain, in their language called a weald, with the primal spirits of the land. Throughout the year, the clans sacrifice of themselves to honor the weald, and the land reciprocates by providing the wealdings powers and Power.
Structure
The head of state is the Hallowed King, Berathran kin Stagthorne, "the Unhealdy".
The king is advised by and administers through the privy council, whose members are appointed at the monarch's discretion, but currently include his Chief Singer, Chief Warrior, Chief Diplomat, Chief Steward, Treasurer, Chaplain, and Secretary.
The electoral body is the @meisrech electors, which is comprised of the clan chiefs and a non-saoi representative from each of the 5 Wealding temples.
The legislative body is the Wealding Senate, with a representative from each Wealding clan, often, but not always, the heir.
The saoi Council of Elders organizes the distribution and membership of the saoi throughout the Weald, and holds a seldom-used power to remove any member of the meisrech from their leadership position, including senators and the king.
Assets
Wealding National Territory encompasses about 90,000 sq mi of mostly temperate land in the southern hemisphere, with the southernmost tip trending toward the subartic. It’s bordered by the eastern ocean on the east, the Ravenridge mountains and Dratharca on the west, the The Canton Mountains and Brajar on the north and the Misty Sea to the south.
History
Until about 150 years ago, the Weald was dominated by a squabbling group of iron-age clans. Isolated geographically, the Weald was left to its own until the advent of the Dratharcan emperor, Audur the Great. Audur embarked on an empire building spree that eventually subsumed most of the neighboring lands, including the Weald. Although initially each clan defended itself separately against the invading forces, they eventually united against the common enemy. It was too late to prevent the invasion, but they coordinated a guerrilla campaign against the colonial powers that lasted several generations. In the meantime, a series of astute Drathacan governors worked to modernize the previously backward land, focusing on more efficient administration, improved infrastructure, and increased commerce. Eventually living standards began to rise slightly, and the Weald became crisscrossed with roads and bridges. Many previously semi-nomadic clansmen settled into village and town life.
Eventually the combined pressure of separatist movements (including that of the Weald), Cedonian encroachment, decline in leadership, and internal fractionalization led to a revolution in Dratharca. Forty one years ago, the Dratharcan empire dissolved and the Weald regained its independence. Determined to never again be conquered, the clan leaders formed a feudal monarchy with Adelbrant kin Stagthorne “Firetongue” elected as the hallowed king. The present king, Berathran kin Stagthorne, is his son.
Demography and Population
The Weald is a relatively non-urban society, with 90% living rurally, scattered among 10,000 villages, hamlets, forts, and camps. About 9% live in towns of over 1,000 people, and the remaining 1% live in true cities of over 8,000 people.
In terms of ethnicity, the Weald comprises about 70% Wealding clan members, 10% Dratharcan heritage, 5% Brajador, 5% Fen folk, 4% Cantonese, 3% Chalion/Ibran, 2% Rocknari, 1% other
Maps
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The Weald
The Hallowed Kingdom of the New Weald
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Alternative Names
Weald
Demonym
Wealding
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments