The Depenwood Confederation
"In the morning mist and dew, an elk calls out in the distance, a low sound, yet one that carries far and wind, as birds sing and chirp all about, the morning sun bringing life to the thick woodlands all around you. All around you, sunlight pierces through the gaps of the dappled canopy, creating beautiful patterns of light and shade all about the forest floor. It is quiet, it is peaceful, and most importantly, as you and your companions rise from your tents and bedrolls, it is plentiful. No fears of hunger exist here, for throw a stone in any direction from this small clearing, you are likely to hit a food bearing plant of some kind. A simple but satisfying breakfast of apples, hazelnuts and blackberries all mixed with some oats and boiled water, whilst you listen to the forest around you come awake. There is peace among those that live here, a peace and passion, an appreciation for the simpler things that cannot help but be a little bit contagious, even to travellers and guests within the forests. The culture here is one of harmony and sustainability, those that live here do not live in the Depen, they are 'a part of the Depen', and this seems to permeate even the quiet regions between towns and villages. It is not disarming, for you are fully aware that these forested lands can hide many dangers in their own right, however it is the feelings of purity. Of knowing the dangers that may find you are ones that will manifest as outward threats. It is an instinctual peace, an instinctual comfort, in the unconscious knowledge that mere survival is not worked for here. That starvation and dehydration will never threaten you, so long as you are within this region. It is the purity of understanding that the only threats to one's safety are external."
Structure
Depenwood is a coalition of sorts, a tight knit confederation of the nine tribal kingdoms. Its governmental structure shares some similiarities in its hybridized structure to Suranth, but with noone at the top who's vote on policy can count as two unlike Suranth's High King. Instead, each of the chiefs of the tribe, along with all eight archmagisters of the Kelethan Magisterium, nine elected officials chose every ten years, one for each tribal region, and Oakenspeaker Fri'sillis An'morin, whom is the high priestess of the Talian faith, make up a council of twenty-seven individuals whom make up the national governmental body known as the Consialete ver Wylde, or the 'Wild Council'.
However unlike in Suranth, which is in many ways more centralized, this body very rarely steps in now when it comes to policy or legislation. Depenwood as a nation has no fewer nation wide pieces of legislation than one would find, on average, in other countries of similar size and population. No instead, as old as the nation is, due to the lack of politicking that needs to occur in that top end leadership, and the long lived nature of the elven chiefs, the country's legislation was designed without much thought for politicking or the gain or loss of power. Instead such things have been and continue to be mostly focused on the nation and the people within it as a whole, and continuing to grow the already excellent baseline quality of life the people of the Depenwood have.
Far be it to call this a utopia of course, that would be dishonest. Like any nation, there will always be some disparity, some discontenct, and some internal issues. However, Depenwood finds itself uniquely positioned as a nation that has perhaps the least of such problems, and one of the most egalitarian socieites, outside its political sphere, in all of Valerick. Besides politicks, there are no limitations on anyone's movement within the Depen society. The only limitation is your own will, potential and skill. It is a system that, uniquely in this nation where the most basic needs of every citizen are met by the wilderness itself, that such an approach and such a long lived (or some might argue clearly stagnate and unbalanced) political cycle can work relatively well.
Only the large issues, like matters of a few select exceedingly heinous and violent crimes and their punishment, international trade and diplomatic relations, transportation and military infrastructure, and other similar matters are handled at the national level. Along with budgeting and taxes, naturally. There exists in Depenwood none of the other sort of lesser 'busy work' that other national governments have, like food distribution for the poor or destitute. That is handled by the simple law that anyone may harvest from the Depen, no one can own the great forest, or any part of it. Ownership is limited to structures and direct business goods and tools. Land is borrowed, and you have a duty to maintain all food growing plant life upon that land to the best of your ability, and have no ownership claim to it or any food it bears. Combine this with a cultural education from youth about the concept that food and water are right, not a commodity or a priviledge, you develop a culture that values the idea that a basic, yet fully functional, level of sustenance is something everyone is entitled too, and no one should ever go without.
No the real level of government that handles most of Depenwood's internal governence is the territorial level. Each territory is split into a few districts, generally centered on the largest cities and townships. Each district elects an official to serve for a century, or until they die, whichever comes first. Again removing some of the politicking and nonsense grandstanding that occurs with other nations whom elect officials more frequently. This is especially true because like Suranth, elected officials can only serve one term. Another law of the Depen stops this sort of behavior, one that should seem natural when you note the length of the term. No one at the territorial level or national level of government can be elected if they are not a Wylde Elf. The only non Wylde elves in either of those two levels of Depenwoods government at any given time in the nation's history are some of the archmagisters and they are not elected in the general election sense either, the Magisterium has its own internal workings in that regard. It is the territorial levels of government than handle most internal affairs, including most social systems, all other public works type infrastructure, Education, most parts of the legal system, and beyond. The national government is the calm, well spoken, intellgent face of Depenwood to the world. The territorial governments are the ones who do most of the actual work, a system that has worked very well thus far for the nation.
However unlike in Suranth, which is in many ways more centralized, this body very rarely steps in now when it comes to policy or legislation. Depenwood as a nation has no fewer nation wide pieces of legislation than one would find, on average, in other countries of similar size and population. No instead, as old as the nation is, due to the lack of politicking that needs to occur in that top end leadership, and the long lived nature of the elven chiefs, the country's legislation was designed without much thought for politicking or the gain or loss of power. Instead such things have been and continue to be mostly focused on the nation and the people within it as a whole, and continuing to grow the already excellent baseline quality of life the people of the Depenwood have.
Far be it to call this a utopia of course, that would be dishonest. Like any nation, there will always be some disparity, some discontenct, and some internal issues. However, Depenwood finds itself uniquely positioned as a nation that has perhaps the least of such problems, and one of the most egalitarian socieites, outside its political sphere, in all of Valerick. Besides politicks, there are no limitations on anyone's movement within the Depen society. The only limitation is your own will, potential and skill. It is a system that, uniquely in this nation where the most basic needs of every citizen are met by the wilderness itself, that such an approach and such a long lived (or some might argue clearly stagnate and unbalanced) political cycle can work relatively well.
Only the large issues, like matters of a few select exceedingly heinous and violent crimes and their punishment, international trade and diplomatic relations, transportation and military infrastructure, and other similar matters are handled at the national level. Along with budgeting and taxes, naturally. There exists in Depenwood none of the other sort of lesser 'busy work' that other national governments have, like food distribution for the poor or destitute. That is handled by the simple law that anyone may harvest from the Depen, no one can own the great forest, or any part of it. Ownership is limited to structures and direct business goods and tools. Land is borrowed, and you have a duty to maintain all food growing plant life upon that land to the best of your ability, and have no ownership claim to it or any food it bears. Combine this with a cultural education from youth about the concept that food and water are right, not a commodity or a priviledge, you develop a culture that values the idea that a basic, yet fully functional, level of sustenance is something everyone is entitled too, and no one should ever go without.
No the real level of government that handles most of Depenwood's internal governence is the territorial level. Each territory is split into a few districts, generally centered on the largest cities and townships. Each district elects an official to serve for a century, or until they die, whichever comes first. Again removing some of the politicking and nonsense grandstanding that occurs with other nations whom elect officials more frequently. This is especially true because like Suranth, elected officials can only serve one term. Another law of the Depen stops this sort of behavior, one that should seem natural when you note the length of the term. No one at the territorial level or national level of government can be elected if they are not a Wylde Elf. The only non Wylde elves in either of those two levels of Depenwoods government at any given time in the nation's history are some of the archmagisters and they are not elected in the general election sense either, the Magisterium has its own internal workings in that regard. It is the territorial levels of government than handle most internal affairs, including most social systems, all other public works type infrastructure, Education, most parts of the legal system, and beyond. The national government is the calm, well spoken, intellgent face of Depenwood to the world. The territorial governments are the ones who do most of the actual work, a system that has worked very well thus far for the nation.
Culture
Depenwood culture is best defined not by a term, nor explanation of any 'cultural norms, but rather by simply acknowledging their tie to the natural world and to the Talian faith. The birthplace of the Magisterium as we know it today, and the epicenter of this juggernaut of magickal education. The land of plenty, a nickname well earned. The breadbasket of Durol.
Food security and the sacred view of their forested home is perhaps one of the most well known and well discussed notes of this culture, and this is not racial, but in fact a defining link of culture, imprinting on any raised here. The Depen is, by design and by nature, a realm of plentiful food. It is selected for, by law and deed, the people here making the very willful choices to favor selecting for food bearing trees, bushes and plants. It is illegal to chop down trees or remove brushes and bushes that bear fruit, nuts or vegetables unless they have some illness or rot that is sure to kill them. The proportions of food bearing vegetation to non-food bearing vegetation is absolutely wild when one considers the Depen is still very much a 'wilderness'. It is a cultural choice, carefully bred and indoctrinated into generation after generation in everything from how they build their settlements to what travelers will use as fuel for cooking fires.
The punishments for breaching this tradition are severe as well. You can be tried, and if found guilty, will likely face the imprisonment. They take it as seriously as crimes such as murder or violent assault, seeing it as a sort of violent indifference to the safety of other beings around you to cut down, destroy or burn food bearing vegetation willingly.
Besides this common link however, the various tribelands of the Depen are in many ways each their own unique culture, sharing heritage, a tie to Talia, and a desire for mutual benefit, but each quite independent. Despite having an outward facing political body at a national level, this is more a by product for handling foreign relations in this new era of the conceptualization of 'nations/countries' and far less an actual internal governing body with any real power. Each tribe even keeps their own military, with no officially sanctioned 'national army' besides the Wyldespeakers, whom hold their loyalty more to the land itself, and Talia's faith, than to any concept of 'country'. As such, those visiting this land whom seek to travel and explore it would do well to learn and study some rudimentary cultural information and contextual lore about each of the tribes whom's lands they intend to visit.
Food security and the sacred view of their forested home is perhaps one of the most well known and well discussed notes of this culture, and this is not racial, but in fact a defining link of culture, imprinting on any raised here. The Depen is, by design and by nature, a realm of plentiful food. It is selected for, by law and deed, the people here making the very willful choices to favor selecting for food bearing trees, bushes and plants. It is illegal to chop down trees or remove brushes and bushes that bear fruit, nuts or vegetables unless they have some illness or rot that is sure to kill them. The proportions of food bearing vegetation to non-food bearing vegetation is absolutely wild when one considers the Depen is still very much a 'wilderness'. It is a cultural choice, carefully bred and indoctrinated into generation after generation in everything from how they build their settlements to what travelers will use as fuel for cooking fires.
The punishments for breaching this tradition are severe as well. You can be tried, and if found guilty, will likely face the imprisonment. They take it as seriously as crimes such as murder or violent assault, seeing it as a sort of violent indifference to the safety of other beings around you to cut down, destroy or burn food bearing vegetation willingly.
Besides this common link however, the various tribelands of the Depen are in many ways each their own unique culture, sharing heritage, a tie to Talia, and a desire for mutual benefit, but each quite independent. Despite having an outward facing political body at a national level, this is more a by product for handling foreign relations in this new era of the conceptualization of 'nations/countries' and far less an actual internal governing body with any real power. Each tribe even keeps their own military, with no officially sanctioned 'national army' besides the Wyldespeakers, whom hold their loyalty more to the land itself, and Talia's faith, than to any concept of 'country'. As such, those visiting this land whom seek to travel and explore it would do well to learn and study some rudimentary cultural information and contextual lore about each of the tribes whom's lands they intend to visit.
Assets
The lands of the Depen are a rich and fertile temperate forest climate by and large, with notable stretches of swamp and fen amidst them. Fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables, food of all kinds are their largest natural resource and their most valuable asset. Magickal prowess, knowledge and education is another valuable asset they possess, and another well utilized asset.
History
Depenwood is a land built by tragedy, with a tribal structure built by war. The Arcanis Crusades, though a worldwide phenomenon resulting in untold slaughter across Valerick, started and were centralized right here. Indeed, the hero of folklore, Talia, was what we would call an Emerald Magister today, by all accounts of the stories about her. Beyond this, her grand-daughter Elysia Tel'ni'vairi is a sort of national hero here, the founder of the Magisterium and a revolutionary leader during the Arcanis Crusades.
Depenwood, much like Suranth, has some notable restrictions upon particular movements within their caste and political structure, though as with the Tundra Realms these are solely limited to the political leadership positions, in that nine of them, the tribal chiefs, can never be held by someone whom is not a Woad Elf of that tribe.
Depenwood, much like Suranth, has some notable restrictions upon particular movements within their caste and political structure, though as with the Tundra Realms these are solely limited to the political leadership positions, in that nine of them, the tribal chiefs, can never be held by someone whom is not a Woad Elf of that tribe.
Demography and Population
One of the only other duties of the Wylde Council, and each of the tribal leadership structures, its to organize and accomplish a full census every twenty years. This is to establish tribal commitments to the various agreements in regards to trade, defense, and taxation. The last census was nine years ago, and was counted in similar terms to how Suranth handles their census, ignoring homeless and beggars, as well as children, using the age of 56 for both elves and dwarves (which equates out to 14 for humans) as the cut off. According to this count, Depenwood is home to roughly 3.1 million people. The rough demographics by race are noted in the table below;
Population by Tribal Territory
| Race | Rough % of the Population | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarf | 9% | 279000 |
| Gnomes | 5% | 155000 |
| Halfmen | 5% | 155000 | Human, Koltani | 11% | 341000 |
| Human, Mogol | 4% | 124000 |
| Human, Renarii | 6% | 186000 |
| Human, Mixed | 7% | 217000 |
| Skye Elves | 12% | 372000 |
| Woad Elves | 26% | 806000 |
| Mixed Elves | 10% | 310000 |
| Tanturs | 5% | 155000 |
Population by Tribal Territory
Territories
The nation of Depenwood, whilst laying a wide claim all across the region of the Depen as a while, has many uninhabited regions, wild lands that are laid claim to by the tribes of the Depen, though they have not yet expanded into those frontiers. Broadly, the the nation of Depenwood is divided into nine distinct regions, known as Tribelands.
Sol'neitza Territory: The ancestral lands of the Sol'neitza Tribe, which now constitutes the Sol'neitza Territory, this territory is well known for having many fine institutions of learning and education across its cities and larger towns. Lying on the eastern borders with Raechin, this region is one of the most diverse and multicultural regions.
Shae'lin Territory: The ancestral lands of the Shae'lin Tribe, which now make up the Shae'lin Territory, this territory, and especially Cha'covinil, its Heartwood city, has a well known reputation amongst the nation of Depenwood as a hotbed for questionable activities, smuggling, and shady enterprises.
Emb'ralis Territory: The ancestral lands of the Emb'ralis Tribe now make up the Emb'ralis territory, a region most notable for its strong militant culture within the Depenwood's various territories.
Wyel'calwy Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Wyel'calwy tribe, which now makes up the Wyel'calwy territory, is known as the breadbasket of Durol. For though the Depen itself is a 'garden forest' of sorts, this prairie is the richest and most prominent and productive farmland on the entire continent of Durol. It is also the largest geographically out of any territory in Depenwood, and holds the second largest population.
Rokui'vari Territory: The ancestral homelands of the Rokui'vari Tribe, which now constitute the Rokui'vari territory, perhaps the most resource rich region Depenwood.
Wyr'galis Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Wyr'galis Tribe, which now makes up the Wyr'galis Territory, which geographically and demographically is the smallest territory within Depenwood.
Umi'boro Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Umi'boro Tribe, which now forms the Umi'boro Territory, one of the political regional divisions within Depenwood.
Emer'valis Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Emer'valis Tribe, this now makes up geographically one of the largest territories within Depenwood, with a population to match.
Umi'livi Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Umi'livi Tribe, which now forms the most populated territory in the nation of Depenwood, and includes the capital of Kelethan, though Kelethan is sacred ground, not considered part of any one of the nine territories that make up Depenwood, whilst simultaneously being part of all of them.
Sol'neitza Territory: The ancestral lands of the Sol'neitza Tribe, which now constitutes the Sol'neitza Territory, this territory is well known for having many fine institutions of learning and education across its cities and larger towns. Lying on the eastern borders with Raechin, this region is one of the most diverse and multicultural regions.
Shae'lin Territory: The ancestral lands of the Shae'lin Tribe, which now make up the Shae'lin Territory, this territory, and especially Cha'covinil, its Heartwood city, has a well known reputation amongst the nation of Depenwood as a hotbed for questionable activities, smuggling, and shady enterprises.
Emb'ralis Territory: The ancestral lands of the Emb'ralis Tribe now make up the Emb'ralis territory, a region most notable for its strong militant culture within the Depenwood's various territories.
Wyel'calwy Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Wyel'calwy tribe, which now makes up the Wyel'calwy territory, is known as the breadbasket of Durol. For though the Depen itself is a 'garden forest' of sorts, this prairie is the richest and most prominent and productive farmland on the entire continent of Durol. It is also the largest geographically out of any territory in Depenwood, and holds the second largest population.
Rokui'vari Territory: The ancestral homelands of the Rokui'vari Tribe, which now constitute the Rokui'vari territory, perhaps the most resource rich region Depenwood.
Wyr'galis Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Wyr'galis Tribe, which now makes up the Wyr'galis Territory, which geographically and demographically is the smallest territory within Depenwood.
Umi'boro Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Umi'boro Tribe, which now forms the Umi'boro Territory, one of the political regional divisions within Depenwood.
Emer'valis Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Emer'valis Tribe, this now makes up geographically one of the largest territories within Depenwood, with a population to match.
Umi'livi Territory: The ancestral homeland of the Umi'livi Tribe, which now forms the most populated territory in the nation of Depenwood, and includes the capital of Kelethan, though Kelethan is sacred ground, not considered part of any one of the nine territories that make up Depenwood, whilst simultaneously being part of all of them.
Military
The nation of Depenwood has a standing military in a sense, though it is structurally far more layered in its structure, being combined tribal forces. Her standing military numbers some 311000 all told, counting militia and local tribal forces as well as more standardized combined national forces. Those combined standardized forces number some 225000 or so, and are roughly divided as noted below;
66774 Striders (Regulars): These are of course your infantry, the common soldiery, the core of any and all land forces. Archers and Crossbowmen are plentiful, along with spearmen and pikemen. Most archers and crossbowmen are generally trained with sabre or arming sword and buckler.
36290 Skimmers (Basic Sailors/marines): These are the bulk of any naval forces/crews within Depenwood's navy, mostly armed with crossbows, pistols, boarding axes or cutlasses.
47178 Light-Foots: These troops are skilled forward scouts of all variety, light cavalry riding horses or steppe ponies, road wardens, all those sorts. They prefer lighter gear of course, light blades, longbows or rifles and pistols. Scouts, coach troops, these sorts are skilled navigators. Stealth and observation are perhaps their greatest skill sets, along with skirmish tactics, especially amongst the various light cavalry troops of sorts.
7984 Oakhearts: Mounted and heavily armored troops, be they mounted on horse or pegasi, armed with lance, cavalry sabre or hammer, along with elven made warbows, they are the knightly orders and shock cavalry, as much as such troops still see use in Depenwood's armies. There are few left, perhaps three or four orders at most of note, as modern technology marches to make such troops obsolete.
20322 Wyldemasters: These specialized troops are all magisters almost exclusively, and are by a very large percentage, woad elves. They represent every school of magick relatively equally, which is a rarity, and as a nation, Depenwood stands apart with their sheer volume of magick users they have at their disposal within their military structure. This is not to suggest they are all massively powerful of course, you will have a wide and varied range of skill and ability. They oft work in small teams when deployed to accompany a large battle group of formation, and they work in mixed groups, purposely to give a wider coverage of ability, generally.
14516 Sharpshooters (Fusiliers): Rifles and pistols much in evidence, the finest gear, the finest guns, these are in some ways the new knights, the future of warfare. Wave upon wave of lead shot, they fight and fire in ranks, and are trained to fight with blade and pistols at melee range, skilled in the practice.
8347 Warpriests/Priests/Physicians: These are specialized troops of course, all of which are in high demand by all sections and brigades. With available numbers being limited by comparative need, they are made available how and where they can be.
8347 Engineers/Artisans: These are of course the officers and craftsmen whom handle large arms, like cannon, trebuchet, ballista, and other such large scale equipment. Sappers. These officers and troops are favored for seige warfare, though every oceanic vessel in Depenwood's navy has at least one engineer and a specialized cannon operator on board, whom guides and trains the handpicked sailors on the basics of cannon operation.
15242 Foxes (Intelligence): This number is at best an estimate. The Foxes, as they are called, are Depenwood's own intelligence apparatus and problem solving tool. They provide eyes and ears at home and abroad to any number of issues, though their operations are generally only guessed at, not known in any way. These individuals ply their craft in ways befitting their name, with intelligence, cunning, and savvy manipulation of informants both willing and coerced.
66774 Striders (Regulars): These are of course your infantry, the common soldiery, the core of any and all land forces. Archers and Crossbowmen are plentiful, along with spearmen and pikemen. Most archers and crossbowmen are generally trained with sabre or arming sword and buckler.
36290 Skimmers (Basic Sailors/marines): These are the bulk of any naval forces/crews within Depenwood's navy, mostly armed with crossbows, pistols, boarding axes or cutlasses.
47178 Light-Foots: These troops are skilled forward scouts of all variety, light cavalry riding horses or steppe ponies, road wardens, all those sorts. They prefer lighter gear of course, light blades, longbows or rifles and pistols. Scouts, coach troops, these sorts are skilled navigators. Stealth and observation are perhaps their greatest skill sets, along with skirmish tactics, especially amongst the various light cavalry troops of sorts.
7984 Oakhearts: Mounted and heavily armored troops, be they mounted on horse or pegasi, armed with lance, cavalry sabre or hammer, along with elven made warbows, they are the knightly orders and shock cavalry, as much as such troops still see use in Depenwood's armies. There are few left, perhaps three or four orders at most of note, as modern technology marches to make such troops obsolete.
20322 Wyldemasters: These specialized troops are all magisters almost exclusively, and are by a very large percentage, woad elves. They represent every school of magick relatively equally, which is a rarity, and as a nation, Depenwood stands apart with their sheer volume of magick users they have at their disposal within their military structure. This is not to suggest they are all massively powerful of course, you will have a wide and varied range of skill and ability. They oft work in small teams when deployed to accompany a large battle group of formation, and they work in mixed groups, purposely to give a wider coverage of ability, generally.
14516 Sharpshooters (Fusiliers): Rifles and pistols much in evidence, the finest gear, the finest guns, these are in some ways the new knights, the future of warfare. Wave upon wave of lead shot, they fight and fire in ranks, and are trained to fight with blade and pistols at melee range, skilled in the practice.
8347 Warpriests/Priests/Physicians: These are specialized troops of course, all of which are in high demand by all sections and brigades. With available numbers being limited by comparative need, they are made available how and where they can be.
8347 Engineers/Artisans: These are of course the officers and craftsmen whom handle large arms, like cannon, trebuchet, ballista, and other such large scale equipment. Sappers. These officers and troops are favored for seige warfare, though every oceanic vessel in Depenwood's navy has at least one engineer and a specialized cannon operator on board, whom guides and trains the handpicked sailors on the basics of cannon operation.
15242 Foxes (Intelligence): This number is at best an estimate. The Foxes, as they are called, are Depenwood's own intelligence apparatus and problem solving tool. They provide eyes and ears at home and abroad to any number of issues, though their operations are generally only guessed at, not known in any way. These individuals ply their craft in ways befitting their name, with intelligence, cunning, and savvy manipulation of informants both willing and coerced.
Technological Level
Due to their close relationship with their neighbours to the north, the Suranthi, and the desire for more interconnected continental trade between all three nations of Durol, rail lines are plentiful here. Depenwood is an odd place in that regard, a wild arboreal realm, a food forest, seemingly endless in its beauty, yet is a land of technological progress, not an industry leader and yet very actively industrializing in their own symbiotic way, their methods blending the natural with the technological.
Religion
Depenwood is the home and birthplace of the Talian church, so as one may expect, the worship of Talia is very common here, and is the dominant faith. This does not mean the other Ascended do not have their place in Depen society. All have their place and followers, and the mix is relatively equal outside Talia herself. However the Talian church, much like in Suranth, holds some amount of political power as well, as they hold a permanent seat at a national level.
As with all nations of Valerick, worship of the Ruined Gods is strictly forbidden, illegal and is punishable by extreme measures including execution.
As with all nations of Valerick, worship of the Ruined Gods is strictly forbidden, illegal and is punishable by extreme measures including execution.
Agriculture & Industry
Depenwood is the agricultural power of the continent of Durol, and is known as the continent's bread basket for this reason, though bread basket is not a literal term, though in the prairie regions that dominate the southern region of Depenwood, wheat, corns and grains are the bulk crop of choice. Industrially, they are not a superpower, but their close trade relationship with Suranth does insure they are of notable power in that space via trade.
Trade & Transport
Depenwood mirrors their neighbours having a well defined and patrolled road system, with main roads between key large settlements and regions quite well patrolled, though smaller regional routes are less well patrolled or maintained, but no less well marked. Both rail and sky-ship are plentiful and available as transportation between and to the large cities, with every tribal Heartwood city has a Sky-Port, making for a total of 10, for Kelethan has one as well. Naval travel, both through rivers and lakes, as well as Oceanic transit for both person and goods are quite commonly used and also decently well patrolled and watched over, with the Depen navy quite well cared for and maintained.
Education
Education, particularly in the fields of history, magick and other esoteric and occult fields are plentiful here besides. Each tribal region handles its own educational set up for children, and it is far less formalized than Suranth's structure, still holding. However that advanced education, that is another major industry for the economy of Depenwood, as people travel from all over to the various advanced institutions of advanced learning
Infrastructure
The cities of Depenwood are a beautiful and odd blend of technology and nature. The massive heartwoods dominate, this strange grown blend of housing and trees, markets and canopies, a unique architecture that always dominates the central sector of the cities. Rail-Stations, Sky-Ports, these things are found here, which is a marvel, for despite the smoke and coal fumes from such technologies, the manna bleed offs and such, the forest is vibrant, alive, seemingly unaffected. No sickness, no deposits and such. No early deaths or sicknesses take the trees. The cities here are steeped in magick as well, especially those of the Emerald Order. Even things like sewage disposal are handled thusly, with the Amethyst and Emerald Orders involved, using their magicks and specialized enchantments and efforts to accelerate the decomposition processes and create fertilizers of the waste, which are used to feed the Heartwoods.
Born of Magick, one with the World
Maps
-
Depenwood, the Endless Boreal
A map of the nation of Depenwood.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Demonym
Depen
Ruling Organization
Government System
Tribalism
Power Structure
Confederation
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Depen money is known as 'Leaves, Bark and Roots.' Leaves are gold, bark is silver and roots are brass. Much like Suranth, it is structured similarly, with roots and bark are coins, where as leaves are gold. Leaf notes come in six denominations very similar to Suranthi suns, coming in a one Leaf coin, a two Leaf coin, a five Leaf note, a ten Leaf note, a twenty Leaf note and a fifty Leaf note.
Silver comes in a variety of denominations as well, coming in 1 bark coin, 2.5 bark coins, 5 bark coins and 7.5 bark coins, though unlike Suranth, they have no special names, and the brass coins come with similar denominations. 1 root coin, 2.5 root coins, 5 root coins and 7.5 root coins.
In this new modernizing era, on the open trade markets that now are burgeoning and starting to take full shape, as a world economy grows and establishes itself, at current the Depen Leaf is at a rate of 1.21 to 1 with the Wastonian Shailling.
Silver comes in a variety of denominations as well, coming in 1 bark coin, 2.5 bark coins, 5 bark coins and 7.5 bark coins, though unlike Suranth, they have no special names, and the brass coins come with similar denominations. 1 root coin, 2.5 root coins, 5 root coins and 7.5 root coins.
In this new modernizing era, on the open trade markets that now are burgeoning and starting to take full shape, as a world economy grows and establishes itself, at current the Depen Leaf is at a rate of 1.21 to 1 with the Wastonian Shailling.
Major Exports
Food of all kinds, produce, farmed animals, cheeses, wines, and more are the key export of Depenwood, and their key contribution to the NPA they are part of with Suranth and Raechin.
Major Imports
Depenwood has a few select regions with minerals or stone worth mining or quarrying, but by comparison to the needs of a populace of a nation their size, its not enough, and as such, this is one of their major imports. Strangely enough lumber is another key import, as their part of the forests that dominate a massive part of the Durolian continent are far more important for their food production.
Legislative Body
Depenwood occupies a strange place when talking about their governmental system, as they mix tribalism with some limited democratic representation, as well as magocracy and theocracy, given both the Treestriders and the Magisterium hold permanent seats on the council that is the 'national' government of Depenwood. In reality this 'national' governmental body only offers the barest of legislative 'rules', if they offer such at all, and entrust governance more or less entirely to the nine tribes to handle their own affairs within their own tribelands.
Judicial Body
Because of the oddity that is their 'national structure' at a legislative level, their judicial system is a strange one as well, with a very limited to almost non-existent federal or national level court system. Each tribe is responsible for law enforcement and judicial proceedings within their own tribal lands. One can attempt to make a plea to the Treestriders as a next step and a recourse beyond the tribal territory level of court. However the church is under no obligation to step in. Indeed unless a matter of some import in regards to the Magisterium and the complex rules and treaties governing it, or a matter of religious importance directly, they likely will not step in.
Executive Body
The nine tribes and tribelands each utilize their own structure and bodies, creating an interesting patchwork system of law enforcement groups that do have a level of willingness to cooperate and communicate in times of need, but are not standardized under one set of rules, regulations and standards nation wide.
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Comments