Maringrad

Maringrad has tough neighbours and few valueable natural resources but have managed to make themselves one of the most influential and feared kingdoms in the realm.

Structure

Lords & Nobles, Knights & Merchants, Tradesmen & Scholars, Lyren Serfs. Caste System:

Ruling Caste: Maren

Serving Caste: Lyren

Maren rule over the land and Lyren as the great houses, nobles, and aristocracy. To taint your bloodline as a Maren is to bring great shame to your family and your descendants will always be seen as "less than".

Public Agenda

To increase the power and Influence of Maringrad.

Assets

The Mare Flower

Several castles, keeps and towers in devilishly advantageous positions,

Rich in gold and silver through prosperous trade agreements and various business arrangements.

An average-sized but highly-trained and well equipped military force.

High-quality weapons and armour made from light-weight spring steel.

Tamed Marish wolves used in hunting and combat.

A fleet of small, fast and stealthy ships.

History

The territory was originally colonized by settlers from the Amberlands but they were invaded and subjugated by invaders from the north. The invaders were pale and had a queer way about them. They saw conquered inhabitants as an inferior species and forced them into slavery. They used the Mare Flower that they brought with them to dose their captives into being docile and obedient subjects. The conquerors called themselves the Maren and established themselves as permanent rulers of the region. Over generations, the Maren adjusted their culture to fit in with their neighbours but never lost their ruthless cunning and disdain for those seen as lesser beings. These attributes and their cold demeanor made them savvy and imposing political opponants.

Demography and Population

70,000 Maren

650,000 Lyren

The Maren plan their families and have controlled birthrate with few early deaths. Many of the lowest of the Lyren are bred like livestock for favourable traits by their masters. This, plus their poor living conditions leads to a high, irregular birth rate with death being common at all ages.

Territories

Sitting on the Northern edge of the Great Lake, Maringrad stretches from the Amberlands, all the way to morris and shares a border with The Rind of Vlad. The land was taken by conquest thousands of years ago by the Maren ruling caste.

Military

60,000 Lyren pikemen

25,000 Lyren archers

5000 Lyren light cavalry

7000 Maren shock infantry

3000 Maren knights

Foreign Relations

Margingrad specializes in pushing their political opponents to the edge of combat and knowing when to back off to reap maximum rewards with minimal cost and few full-scale conflicts.

Agriculture & Industry

Few crops grow well in this region aside from mushrooms and root vegetables. Hunted game, foraging, and fish from the Great Lake make up a large portion of the average Marish diet. Imported goods make up the remainder of the food consumed within the region, They have many rich mines in their land which are mined aggressively by their obedient serfs. The great houses have made sure to source fine craftsmen and tradesmen from around the realm to enable them to produce high-quality goods and equipment. A huge portion of the kingdom's wealth comes from the private enterprizes and back door deals conducted by the ruling class.

Trade & Transport

Maringrad receives much of its goods from the main arterial road to Amber city and shipments that arrive from across the Great Lake. There is little of worth to buy from Morris or the Vlads so there are few imports from their lands but Maringrad control the main trade route between these kingdoms and the rest of the realm. They collect a toll on all trade that passes through their lands and have made a pretty penny thanks to the constant need for grain and other basics in these areas.

Education

Most Maren-born men are given a decent education with their wealthiest nobles being privately tutored by teachers from all around the world. Barely any Lyren are educated or literate.