Grand Duchy of Rilara
Rilara is a fairly large feudal state centered in the Asturian continent. It sits on valuable trade routes that it uses to great effect, and its mountains are home to plentiful natural resources that its craftsmen use to produce all manner of useful and beautiful items. Despite Rilara's almost constant war with Urellia, the Duchy remains a prosperous country, in large part due to its propensity for making strategic alliances with the peoples of the plains. Indeed, Rilara's membership in the Alliance of Free Peoples has allowed the relatively new state an uncommon amount of security.
Structure
The Grand Duchy is an oddity amongst the states outside of the Shattered Lands, as its rulers do not assume the title of king or prince. In fact, they almost ostentatiously avoid titles of that nature and prefer a more "provincial" organizational structure. Since the Duchy was once part of the Urellian Kingdom, its hierarchy features a few holdovers from that time. For example, its titles and positions are roughly the same, though with slight changes in responsibilities:
- Grand Duke/Duchess--ruler of the duchy and final arbiter of all matters within its borders.
- Archduke/Archduchess--the heir apparent to the duke. This person serves along side the duke, and s/he is expected to take command of the Crown's Guard should the duchy ever be attacked.
- Counts--These nobles are placed over relatively large landholding with the Duchy provided they pay their dues to the Duke, and support them through military service. Many might be worried about various counts wanting to subvert the throne, but the dukes have taken to marrying their children to various highborn families in order to bind them close to the family. Whether this is a wise move or not remains to be seen.
- Barons--These lesser nobles usually take command over smaller holdings or slightly larger frontier territories. The barons are appointed by the Duke and Archduke together, and, usually, they are taken from people who have shown promise, either in the military, the mining guilds, or the caravan guilds. Occasionally, a commoner will be elevated to a noble position.
Culture
Despite its feudal structure, the Duchy's rulers and its people see themselves as protectors of justice and peace. When the Duchy broke away from Urellia, it championed the cause of trying to find land for the lost and the destitute. The Ducal Crown's Guard have fought off various nomadic tribes that attacked the frontiers as well as numerous attempts by the Urellians to conquer and reincorporate the Duchy. In addition, to the end of protection, common people are allowed to join local militias and men-at-arms squads, which then supplement the mounted knights and noble soldiers that make up the core of the military. in addition, the ducal leadership has taken great pains to forge alliances with some of the nomads to the west. This alliance system became so successful that eventually this relationship between the six Plains Tribes and the Duchy was formalized into The Alliance of Free Peoples. This has allowed the Duchy to expand its influence far beyond its borders and even establish outposts at the far edges of its territory. This also cements the idea that everyone within the Duchy, both noble and common alike, are sentinels of justice and order.
The Duchy has also reopened trade routes to, from, and even through the Duchy. Since Rilara is rich is minerals, precious metals, and other natural resources of a similar nature, this previously isolated province has made itself a hub of trade. It also doesn't hurt the state coffers that all trade going through the land is taxed.
Public Agenda
Rilara's primary goal is to defend itself from its erstwhile ruler, Urellia, since the two nations are in a perpetual state of war. Secondary to defense, the Duchy has maintained its stance as the protector of the people and champion of the downtrodden. To that end, they have taken in refugees and immigrants from Urellia and other neighboring regions and resettled them within Rilara's borders, though that practice has slowed in recent years. Finally, though, they would never admit it, the Duchy has always aggressively maintained its system of alliances with the western nomads and plains tribes. The Alliance of Free People's is the first Grand Duke's pet project and his successors have not given up on it. Their aim seems to be to make the alliance a true nation that will rival the great empires of old.
Assets
There are some mineral deposits in the Rilaran Mountains, and the craftsmen of the Duchy are almost legendary. Their arms, armor, and tools are sought after across the continent. However, much of the new wealth coming into the ducal coffers is from taxes from trade routes. Due to its role in the Alliance, the Duchy is able to collect on a portion of the taxes collected from merchants who must partake in the pass system. All traders and merchants who wish to travel through and/or do business with any of the member of the Alliance must purchase a trading pass. Once one does, the pass grants its bearer safe passage across all member states.
History
The Grand Duchy did not always live up to its title. Centuries ago, it was a podunk territory at the outskirts of the Kingdom of Urellia. When the Empire collapsed, many of its frontier states fell into disarray and infighting. One outpost, Urellia (then known as Far Point), managed to keep itself safe and even defend a couple of the surrounding city states. Over time, the commanding general of the garrison, Varshek Urellios, had become a very popular leader; he took command of all of the armed forces and waged a punitive campaign against the nearby warlords. He was a tactical master, and after he had proved his military campaign, he then went to show off his political prowess. He managed to maneuver himself into a position where the local city states had no choice but to declare him king. The Kingdom of Urellia was born and his dynasty still rules to this day.
Rilara didn't become noteworthy until the saga of the brothers began. Crown prince Philip Augustus Vidal and prince Marcus Andronicus Vidal were only separated by seven years, and they were quite close. They learned together, trained together, and went on campaigns together. Andronicus did not covet the throne even though palace intrigue suggested otherwise, but even that did not tarnish their relationship. The first crack appeared when the reigning king and queen started to argue and tensions rose. Their squabbles escalated until the queen put herself in self-imposed exile at her estate of Gardenwald, which has been incorporated with the marriage. This was alright with his majesty who took this as a sign that he could choose another bride from the nothern stretch of the Barrier Mts. This was an advantageous match as this would give Urellia access and potentiall a way around the Gap of Tzun. This effectively ended the marriage in the queen's eyes, though the king did not see it that way, and thus a quasi civil war insued. Philip. was more sympathetic to his father and Andronicus to his mother. As tensions increased, Andronicus faced punishment for wanting to support his mother's cause and claim, so he placed himself in exile and travelled across northern Asturia. He spent the better part of ten years honing his martial and magical talents. Though he would never be his brother's equal in pure fighting skills, he delved into academies, lost libraries, and catacombs for arcane secrets and knowledge and truly excelled. At one point, the great king of Urellia passed, and Andronicus was recalled to Urellia by his brother to say that all was forgiven. Indeed, when the two brothers reunited, the people rejoiced at the difusion of the spectre of civil war. Andronicus was given the Duchy of Rilara to rule over, and though it was a sizable chunk of territory, it was a mountainous border zone with poor soil and plague of bandits and raiders on the other side of the mountains. Rilara was a backwater, and though it was large, it was meant as a form of punishment. Philip did not want to do this, but he was under pressure to keep his brother at arms lnegth. Some of Philip's advisors wanted to put Andronicus under house arrest at a local castle, but the new king would not have that, so he compromised and gave his brother a lesser duchy. As time went on, Marcus Andronicus turned his little backwater into a fairly prosperous mining and farming community. It was not garnering great wealth by any means, but it was doing better under his administration than others had expected. As his duchy prospered, he was called upon to fight for thre kingdom and he equipped himself nobly. However, his grave mistake came years later.
Andronicus was having a problem with mountain bandits and border raiders, so he personally trained a cadre of knights to deal with the problem, and he waged a fierce campaign. The expedition went so well that some of the raiders submitted to the duchy and were incorporated into the knights. Eventually, the duke used this epanded military force to create new colonies on the other side of the lesser Barrier Mts. Over time, he was able to fill these new settlements with people who wanted an escape from valley life. Also, debtors and politcal dissidents were recuited to bolster border numbers since Urellia was having some problems in that area. The royal court did not look favorably on this unapporved epaqnsion, but it was performing a service, so the king let it go. The duke became more successful and beloved by his people, and the duke and the king remained friends. They even campaigned togtehr to expand the norther borders of the kingdom. The one person who never trusted the duke was the queen. She was from a powerful city state to the south that coveted the lands owened by the former queen of Urellia. What made matters even worse was the queen mother passed away. Normally, a now foreign monarch passing was not an issue, but she bequeathed her entire domesne to her son Marcus Andronicu Vidall. This caused an uproar and almost fratcured the brothers, but there was nothing anyone could do short of invading the feudal holdings. Philip Ausgustus respected the inheritance, which infuriated his wife who passed her frustrations on to her son and heir.
The final break occured with Philip Augustus Vidall died while on campaign years later. His son, who had just come of age, was immediately crowned king, and after years of his mother poisoning him against his uncle, he mobilized the royal army and marched into the southern demesne and its capital of Gardenwald. The duke met his nephew at the gates of the city and demanded to know why this act of aggression was levied against him. He balked at his loyalty being questioned, and when the king's guards went to seize the duke and accuse him of treason, Andronicus disappeared in a puff of smoke. He rallied his own knights and the war was inaugurated. After a year of struggle, the king finally had to relent, and he proposed a compromise with his uncle. However, the duke was cunning and saw this treay for what it was: a stalling action. He cleverly agreed, but during this crucial peace, he went to the westlands, the veldt, and the mountain holds. He secured alliances, trade relationships, and secured all of his border, and when the second war eventually came, he was ready. When he met his nephew, the duke declared that Rilara woukld no longer fall under the sway of king who broke oaths and betrayed his own blood. Rilara, from that moment, became the Grand Duchy, and its rulers would forever be known as Grand Dukes.
To this day, the Grand Dukes of Rilara still have a strong claim to the Urellian throne, though they have not pressed it...yet.
Demography and Population
The majority of the population is human, but there are sizable minorities within the duchy, and indeed, some speculate that human will only maintain a plurality in the coming generations. The population breakdown is as follows:
- Humans--55%
- Elves--20%. (mainly wood elves)
- Dwarves--10% (mainly stone dwarves, though some hill dwarves make their homes on the plains)
- Other*--15%
- Tieflings
- Half-elves
- Halflings
Territories
The center of power for the Duchy is in the Farpoint Valley between the Farpoint and Amaran Mountains. However, the true heartland lies west of the Farpoint mountains near the Veldt. The Duchy expanded into this area when it was still part of Urellia, and the people and resources that have come out of this region have strengthened Rilara considerably. Since its separation from its erstwhile ruler, the Duchy has also expanded into the Veldt and settled numerous forts and outposts to maintain its preeminence amongst the Alliance members.
Military
The military branches of the duchy are split into three principle divisions:
- The Crown's Guard--Local guardsmen whose job it is to safeguard all of the major towns and cities. When asked, they can be called upon to form small divisions in the regular army.
- Kataphractoi--the kataphracts are the elite cavalry units of the Duchy. They are heavily armored men and horses that are the primary shock troops of the army. They tear into the enemy, tear out, and then regroup to make further passes. There is a small subgroup of mage-knights that only add to the effectiveness of the whole unit.
- Regular Army--in this day and age, few nations have standing armies, but the Duchy has a standard forces consisting of spearmen, swordsmen, and light skirmishers consisting of javelin chuckers and archers.
Technological Level
For the most part, The Grand Duchy of Rilara is on par with its neighbors when it comes to technology. That being said, the Rilaran's do produce some of the best armor on the continent, and their talent at reverse engineering is incredible. That skill, in particular, has allowed them to begin to unlock the secret of firearms, if rumors are to be believed. In addition, there is talk about the wreckage of an ancient airship found near one of their mountain outposts.
Foreign Relations
The Duchy tries to maintain friendly relationship with all of its neighbors since the economy relies chiefly on caravan trade routes. Due to Rilara's relationship with the various clans and tribes of the alliance, the Dukes have been able to promise almost unparalleled security while also participating in a ready-made system of caravan routes. Relations with the Alliance of Free peoples have become somewhat tense due to Rilara's seemingly unending war with the Kingdom of Urellia. Since Rilara declared its independence almost two centuries ago from the Kingdom, the relationship has been fraught with discord, strife, and all out warfare.
Agriculture & Industry
Due to its positions in and around a mountain chain, the Duchy does not have a great deal of arable land. What agricultural operations it does have are located near the Achot River and the Veldt plains. That territory produces much of the food that sustains the Rilaran people who then can focus on the bulk of the regions industry. The Grand Duchy focuses its efforts on tinkering, building, and trading. The craftsmen in this area are almost legendary, and they supply much of the alliance with the tools and weapons they use. Indeed, much of the mountains is dotted with foundries, smithies and metalworks, while the lowland cities and towns are filled with tinkerers and tool works.
Trade & Transport
Though trade westward is restricted, A robust network of caravan routes connects the area with the far flung corners of the continent. Just about everything, including spices, textiles, weapons, lord, and even news, gets traded in the various towns and outpost of the Duchy, especially those in the Westlands who deal more directly with the nomadic clans of the plains. Indeed, one of the safest ways to travel throughout the Duchy and the Alliance lands is with a caravan since they have a special pass that grants them unrestricted travel. Furthermore, it is against ducal law to harass merchants and traders on the road without cause, and even then, any grievance must be registered with the local authorities before any action is taken.
Per Patientiam et Laborem Sustinemus (Through Patience and Effort, We Endure)
Founding Date
750 AE
Type
Geopolitical, Duchy
Capital
Alternative Names
The Duchy, Rilara, The Risen Lands, The Prodigal Province
Predecessor Organization
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Rilarans
Leader
Leader Title
Family Leader
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Crowned Republic
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
All standard forms of currency are accepted, though, thanks to some nearby mines, some precious metals are more common in this area than others. For example, electrum is more frequently used as it is a happy medium between the golden "noble" and the silver "cavalier" coins, which are the usual go-tos.
Standard coin names:
- Platinum--Emperors
- Gold--Nobles
- Electrum--Mages
- Silver--Cavaliers
- Copper--Knotts
Legislative Body
There is no formal legislative body that meets every day. Instead, a council of nobles, known as the House of Nobles, is called up once every four years, and it serves for two. This is to ensure that each lord is not away from their holdings for too long. A representative or seneschal can stand in for part of the time, but the noble must be there for the majority of the time. During the off years, an emergency council can be called if the Grand Duke feels there is a need. The council's job is to advise the Duke as to the situation in the provinces and make recommendations for any new laws that need to be passed. While the ultimate authority for deciding laws does rest with the Duke, this august body has become increasingly more involved in governing politics. In fact, recent council have gotten concessions and increased responsibility making them more than just a rubber stamp for the ducal throne.
Judicial Body
Every county and barony has its own district court that handles its own domestic cases that cannot be handled by local town magistrate (if there is one). Any appeals or cases that require arbitration between two nobles must be handled by the High Court in the capital. This court is presided over by the Grand Duke or the Archduke and is seen as the final word of law when a cases reaches their bench.
Executive Body
The power of the executive rests chiefly with the Grand Duke who is the final arbiter for all law within the Duchy. Depending on the temperament of the Duke and the archduke, some responsibilities will be delegated to the latter by the former. For example, while the Duke is holding court in the capital, the archduke may be entrusted with a diplomatic mission on his/her behalf. Both the Duke and the heir may take command of military companies should the need arise.
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Trade Alliance
Rilara relies on the guild for trade, and most of all, news. The guilds reputation as information brokers is not lost on the Duchy.
Peace; trading relationship
These two states are so far apart, they do not know much about each other, but the ease of trade ameliorates most latent suspicions.
War
Even in times of relative peace, these two states have existed in an almost perpetual state of war. Perhaps the net generation of leaders will have cooler heads.
Comments