The Kingdom of Hoydvann
Name: Hoydvann
Movie/ Real Life Resemblances: Rohan and Anglo Saxon culture and building structure.
Culture
Hoydvann is an island that has her own king, capital, and buisnesses. All of the money that Hoydvann makes is earned by the trading of fish and livestock meat with other kingdoms in Ashnuw. Along Hoydvann’s coast, most people work as fishermen and supply the kingdom with all sorts of fish and the various sea creatures that flood its waters. Further inland, most villages have numerous farms and pastures where the villagers raise cows, pigs, chicken, and sheep, all of which are either sold or killed for their meat. Most of the villages’ populations never grow beyond 3,000 people, so as a result, they remain small and rustic in nature.
Most buildings in Hoydvann are Anglo Saxon in nature, sporting thatched roofs and wooden beams that support their structures. All buildings are designed this way with variations on length, width, and height, except for the buildings that are in the capital, which are built with stone and are larger than most other buildings.
The crowning jewel of Hoydvann is its capital. At the center of the island, there is a city that is known as Hovestad. Hovestad has quite a large population compared to the rest of the kingdom’s villages, and is circular in shape with a radius of 3 miles. Hovestad was built in such a way that the center of the city is the highest point in all of Hoydvann, even higher than the city’s wall. The wall is about 25 feet in height, made of stone, and surrounds the entire city. The central building in Hovestad is a large keep that is 3 stories tall and features 4 towers that surround it.
Hoydvann’s people can best be described as hearty. They have a good love of work and an even greater love for singing, games, and luxury. The singing of songs is something that is commonly shared all throughout the kingdom, as it can be heard in almost every tavern and inn across the land, ranging from war songs, to sea shanties, to songs that speak about sorrow and despair.
There is a very strong sense of brotherhood and togetherness in the kingdom, so as a result it has a very closely knit community. This aspect bleeds over into the structure of the military. The army that exists isn’t very large, and focuses more on singular, well-trained units than large-scale armies. These soldiers are known as the Voldsom, and are highly trained units that excel at sword combat and horseback fighting. The kingdom rarely participates in large-scale battles and more well-organized attacks with smaller groups of soldiers. The defending of Hoydvann’s towns from the pirates that swarm the sea is something that the Voldsom constantly have to deal with, so most towns have barracks where the soldiers can reside. The fighting style that the Voldsom exhibit is strongly focused on working together as a group, where every soldier has his brother’s back. As a result of this, one Voldsom is a fearsome opponent, but a group of Voldsom is quite the force to compete with.
The government is structured with one Hersker (king) that rules over all of the land. The succession of Herskers is completely determined on blood relation, so there has never been a Hersker that was unrelated to the last. They usually have most of the power over the kingdom, while individual towns have their own mayors (called Leders) that rule over them.
Hoydvann has several trade routes and relationships with several other kingdoms. Such kingdoms include Kokka and Eeryn to the North, and Glandoria in the West. Hoydvann appreciates and greatly respects almost all of the kingdoms in Ashnuw and tries to assist any kingdom that it can. It trades fish and livestock with many, but it also assists in any wars that kingdoms may need assistance in. Although, it will not join in any wars that the Hersker thinks is an unjust or cruel war, in which case, Hoydvann will either abstain from fighting or defend the opposite side.
Territories
Size: Small
Terrain: Hoydvann is a small island that is shaped like a large hill that is planted in the ocean in the eastern side of Ashnuw. The shore of Hoydvann is a beach that spans the entire circumference of the island and has several cities that spot the shoreline. All land excluding the shore and the very center of Hoydvann is a dense oak forest that has many villages and towns placed throughout. At the very center of Hoydvann, there lies something only known as the Great Plain. It is a circular plain that has a radius of over 10 miles, and it truly is a sight to see.
Climate: The climate remains fairly cold in Hoydvann and features snowy winters and bitter falls.
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