New Lormia

Haven of Peace

Culture

It is said of Lormians that they will gladly welcome you into their home, feed you, nearly drown you in drink, and give you their own bed to sleep in; if, however, even accidentally insult their local lord or (gods forbid) the monarch, they will not hesitate to soak that bed in your blood while you sleep. While that is, perhaps, an over-exaggeration, it is true that the Lormians have a not-undeserved reputation for fierce loyalty and a pride in their sovereign which can, at times, border on fanaticism. The Lormian world-view, forged in some of the worst and bloodiest fighting of the Wars of Sundering, is vaguely insular- if the last strangers you saw burned your home and slaughtered your family, you’re likely to pass on the resulting suspicion to your descendants. This attitude extends to the sub-kingdom level as well, with the numerous lesser and greater lords constantly jockeying for position and power, supported (generally with at least some enthusiasm) by the common folk subject to them.
Like most nations, New Lormia is primarily agricultural, with the Lormian Plain (or, at least, that is the name it is given in New Lormia itself; the other kingdoms of the region tend to substitute their own names) having been one of the breadbaskets of the Tethan Empire. Most of the people inhabit or live near small, relatively self-sufficient villages, thorpes, and hamlets, with a nearby castle being the home of the local member of the landed aristocracy. Many of these lords and ladies are absentees, preferring to spend their time visiting each other or gathered at the royal court in Harina.

History

Lormia was the very first nation to be conquered by the rising power of the Tethan Kingdom. The entire royal line was massacred, its armies annihilated, its people terrified into complete and utter submission; in other words, it became the template for every single Tethan conquest. During the reign of the Empire, the province of Lormia was generally considered a stable, reliable part of the heartland, almost on the level of the home province itself. After the assassination of Empress Teilaea IV, Lormia, along with the other provinces in the immediate vicinity of Tethas proper, was devastated by armies clashing over the capital and Imperial throne. After the end of the Wars of Sundering (also known simply as the Collapse), most of Lormia’s major settlements were nigh-abandoned ruins, with only the highly fortified citadel of Harina remaining relatively intact. However, post-War Lormia had one major advantage- a capable leader, in the form of the former Imperial Governor, Lord Herich Iorith, who had survived the Wars and proven an able, if not outstanding, military commander during the Loyalist attempts to repel the invasion of the home province. Playing on the distant memories of the old Lormian kingdom, Iorith founded New Lormia in 2 YC, with its capital at the proven stronghold of Harina. It is generally accepted by historians that Iorith would have preferred to keep the title of Governor for himself and his successors (perhaps with a long-term view towards rebuilding the Empire however, popular acclaim and the passage of time eventually forced him to relent and accept the title of King of New Lormia.

Since then, the Iorith Dynasty has built a nation based on both peace and order, commodities that until around two or three centuries ago were hard to come by. Harina has become a major centre of arts, culture and politics, the Lormian currency recognised as an economic baseline by moneychangers and bankers continent-wide (even in proud Tazumanush), and the Lormian army recognised as a force to be reckoned with in any situation where the odds are fair. Lormia participated in the War of the Archipelago, along with most of the other major southern nations; however, they were forced to withdraw from the conflict due to the increasing chaos of the reign of the possible dark wizard and definite madman, Aelmaer II. His reign culminated in an attempt to murder his own daughter Ealhswith (seemingly in an attempt to cheat death by substituting her soul), and the subsequent in her name which succeeded in capturing Harina and killing the King. As Queen, Ealhswith III has raised some eyebrows by marrying a Half-Elven minstrel, who is both lowborn and a reputed serial seducer of women; however, the most extreme reaction has been some crude jokes currently circulating in taverns across Lormia, and most welcome her reign as a relief from the blood-soaked madness of her predecessor. Due to their early withdrawal from the War of the Archipelago, the Lormians only gained a few small islands, and barely any concessions in the lucrative ferin trade; consequently, there are some who worry that, unless active measures are taken, their kingdom may lose any edge it has over its neighbours in the very near future. So far, however, Queen Ealhswith seems content to rule over a nation at peace.

Founding Date

2 YC

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Demonym

Lormian