Kingdom of Thrane (Thr-ANE)

Capital: Flamekeep
Known for Divine magic, the Silver Flame; fine crafts, wool, textiles, fruit, livestock, missionaries
The modern Church of the Silver Flame was founded in Thrane, and most of the people of the nation are devout followers of this faith. During the Last War, the people of Thrane chose to set aside the rule of the monarch and to embrace the leadership of the Church. For the last seventy years Thrane has been a theocracy. The head of the state is 11-year-old Jaela Daeran, the divine selected Keeper of the Flame; however, Jaela looks to the Council of Cardinals to perform the practical work of running the nation.
The primary purpose of the Silver Flame is to defend the innocent from supernatural evil. The faith has always had a militant aspect, with battalions of templars and peasant militias prepared to face undead, lycanthropes, or other monstrous threats. But compassion and charity are core values of the church, and the templars are tasked to defend all innocents. Even during the Last War, if a fiendish threat were to arise in a Brelish village, Thrane templars would ally with the locals to bring an end to the threat. With that said, this is the ideal. There are zealous Thranes who believe the Church is destined to reunite Galifar under the Silver Flame, and corrupt priests interested only in power and wealth.
Not all priests are divine spellcasters, and the typical templar is a mundane warrior; however, due to the deep faith of its people, Thrane has more clerics, paladins, and divine spellcasters than any other nation in Khorvaire.

Echoes of the Last War

Imagine being surrounded on all sides by angry, resentful neighbours, and you can begin to understand how the common Thrane feels. Thrane shares borders with all four of its longtime enemies, and Thrane alone abandoned the royal bloodline of Galifar in favor of a theocracy.
Moreover, Thrane seized parcels of land from Aundair and Breland — territory that Queen Aurala and King Boranel would like returned.
Thrane has also been duly chastised for its cruelty. It demonstrated a startling lack of compassion when it denied Cyran refugees a new home after the destruction of their homeland, and vengeful Karrns resent Thrane for the ruthless bombardment of their capital — an audacious attack that left the imperious Karrnathi citizens feeling vulnerable and defenceless.
Surrounded by such resentment, Thranes can ill afford to lead carefree lives. However, they take great comfort in the Silver Flame, for it has never broken their trust or led them astray.
Thrane is still rebuilding as a result of the Last War. It has few coins left in its treasury, it owes money to various dragonmarked houses (House Kundarak in particular), its citizens are overtaxed, and its cities still show signs of carnage and destruction wrought by Aundairian, Brelish, Cyran, Karrnathi, and Darguun invaders. The dragonmarked houses have trouble acting within the tight strictures of the Church of the Silver Flame, and they must tread carefully around prickly, overbearing cardinals.
The Last War brought pain and loss to every family in Thrane. Dead brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters are remembered in daily prayer. Cardinal Yisek, who spoke out against the war, proclaimed that “the Last War was about who gets to sit on that old chair in Thronehold.” The sad irony is that after Thalin’s death, Thrane forsook the royal bloodline altogether.
When the nation transformed into a theocracy, Thranes stopped fighting for their king and instead began fighting for land and for the greater glory of the Silver Flame. It’s no wonder that many Thranes today feel detached from the rest of the Five Nations.
Although Thranes hear news of rampant corruption in the cities of Aundair, Breland, and Karrnath, they are blind to the corruption within their own borders. Too many officials who learned to abandon their morals and ethics during the Last War remain in power, wearing their faith like a mask and cleverly hiding their personal agendas and thirst for power. Whether the theocracy can survive the machinations of these tainted few remains to be seen.

Church and State

The most powerful and influential organization in Thrane is its theocracy, the government that controls both church and state. United under a common faith, the theocracy is cohesive enough to defend and inspire a troubled nation, but it’s a young government filled with lesser groups and aspiring individuals who struggle for power within it.
The structure of Thrane’s theocracy is similar to the Church of the Silver Flame itself, with a series of ranks: Priests tend to temples, bishops watch over the larger towns and cities, and archbishops travel throughout a region. Councils of cardinals govern larger regions and, like legislators, are empowered to draft new laws when needed. Thirteen High Cardinals oversee these various councils, gathering in Flamekeep to heed the words and wisdom of their spiritual leader, Jaela Daran. The High Cardinals accept visitors from various noble houses and organizations and determine what is best for the theocracy and its constituents. Not every priest and cleric in the Church of the Silver Flame is a “theocrat.” Only those chosen by the High Cardinals are invested with the power to enforce (or make) law.
Theocratic laws and doctrine are not universally applied to the nation. Instead, a bishop or archbishop has the authority to determine what he thinks is best for the citizens in his domain. One would hope this authority is tempered by faith and respect for the Church’s teachings, but it is entirely possible that a bishop may act out of personal interest when he decides what is right and wrong. In theory, cardinals watch over bishops and archbishops for signs of corruption, but Khorvaire’s marvellous means of transportation don’t extend everywhere. It is possible that a corrupt priest or bishop in a small village or town might escape notice for a time.
Travel to any city in Thrane, and you’ll soon learn the name of the local theocrat, his immediate superiors, and high-ranking potentates who watch over the land for miles around. Thrane’s government isn’t an abstraction, after all—in any place smaller than Flamekeep or Thaliost, the Church’s authority is represented by a single individual or small cabal whose word is law.
Most theocrats are lawful good, but even they can make life difficult for adventurers despite the best intentions. Lawful theocrats put the needs of entire cities or regions first, while chaotic ones may act out of simple arrogance or ambition. Evil theocrats exist, but they must take special measures to conceal their alignment and agenda from Thrane’s crusaders and investigators.

Art

The people of Thrane embrace the tenets of the Silver Flame in all of their forms of expression. From fine art to sculpture, the most popular artistic style remains Kree-Flamic, a stylized form of rendering that uses cubes and triangles to create all shapes and images. Jesp Kree pioneered the style; he served as the Church Art Master for Keeper Traelyn Ghelios and helped establish the principles of the Flamic style. From stained glass in the great cathedrals that present stylized images of great moments in the faith’s history to the three-sided, stained-glass flame boxes found in the homes of many followers of the Silver Flame, almost all Flamic-style art pays homage to the Church and its significant figures.
Of course, not everyone in the country adheres to the tenets of the Silver Flame. A small but growing artistic counterculture has taken root in Thrane. Called Pre-Kingdom style by critics and practitioners alike, the form harkens back to the art created before the coming of Galifar and the united kingdom. It is a raw, humanistic form that draws on strong emotions, primal urges, and topics more grounded than the religious ideals depicted in Flamic art. Although it is not outlawed, some Church leaders and the most conservative of the faithful dismiss Pre-Kingdom art as frivolous, distracting, and in some extreme cases even perverse.

Architecture

Thrane architecture features Galifar-style towers and keeps, deep-wood long homes, and Flamic-style cathedrals and public buildings. In some places, the older-style construction has been modified to incorporate Flamic elements, while newer buildings fully embrace the Flamic style from the ground up.
Flamic architecture features tall windows and open arches to let in light and incorporates an open, soaring use of space to revere the power of the Silver Flame. From urban centers to the larger villages in the countryside, Thrane surrounds itself with religious symbols, edifices, and art that makes the entire country feel like an extended church.
The Last War caused much damage to the infrastructure of the country, and today the Keeper of the Flame and other Church officials have begun to put programs in place to repair what has been damaged and replace what has been destroyed. The newly appointed Art Master, Kenra Deel, has been charged with updating the Flamic style for the new generation. Her first project, the impressive Tower of Cardinals, now under construction in Thaliost (much to the dismay of Aundair), shows signs of taking the Flamic style in new but wholly appropriate directions.

Fashion

In thinking of Thrane fashion, it’s useful to contrast the forces shaping it to those that shaped its neighbors. Aundair has the widest penetration of everyday arcane magic and is also shaped by long-term interaction with the Fey. This leads to fashions that are wild and whimsical, to widespread glamerweave, cosmetic prestidigitation, and a general love of flamboyance and flair. On the other side, Karrnath has the harshest climate and the most martial culture. When it embraces fashion, it tends toward a gothic approach that is both grim and intentionally intimidating; the strong seek to show their strength, and you see a definite martial element across general fashion. So with that said…
Faith is the cornerstone of Thrane. This predates both the Church of the Silver Flame and Thrane itself; before Galifar, the people of Daskara were devoted to the Sovereign Host. Divine magic is as important to Thrane as arcane magic is to Aundair, but that power comes from deep faith. The typical Thrane is more humble and stoic than their counterparts in the other nations. A key element of the faith of the Silver Flame is the idea that they face a constant, shared threat — that people should be prepared to face supernatural evil and to protect themselves and their neighbors. That shared devotion, and shared practices like group archery, are key elements of daily life for the common Thrane. Thrane fashion is a reflection of all of these things. They don’t seek to intimidate their rivals or to celebrate their martial prowess as Karrnathees do, and they don’t seek to shine the brightest or to dazzle their peers as happens in Aundair. More than anything, Thrane fashion is simple and functional. It’s not that the Thrane people don’t take pride in their appearance, it's just that they aren’t especially driven by a desire to shine brighter than their neighbors; what is vital is to wear clothing that is practical. More than any other nation, the people of Thrane know that dolgrims could burst out of the ground or ghouls could swarm out of the graveyard at any moment, so Thranes always thinking “Am I wearing something that would be practical in a zombie apocalypse?”
Blue and silver are colors associated with the faith, so both of these colors are thus commonly seen throughout the populace. More specifically, long coats and dusters are common: simple, durable, and versatile when it comes to weather. The same concept goes for boots and hats; in Thrane, a hat is designed to protect from the sun and rain; in Aundair, a hat exists to make a statement, and its functionality is a secondary bonus.
This means that at a glance, Thranes have significant uniformity, similar colors, and similar overall design of clothing, but it’s not a uniform. And likewise, where an Aundairian will use Mending to repair damage and likely throw out (or recycle) clothing that is out of style, Thranes will wear their clothes to the bitter end and repair them by hand. They aren’t embarrassed to have clothing with patches or a cloak that’s clearly using a piece of another cloak. So while there’s a common overall style, there’s also a significant degree of tiny, unique details, as clothes evolve over time. There can be a patchwork aspect to clothing, almost like a quilt — some people specifically patch their clothes with pieces of cloth that have particular significance to them — heirlooms from family members, a strip from of the cloak of a heroic templar.

We can see some aspects of this reflected in Epitaph, the Thrane missionary pictured to the left. Epitaph is a priest, so there is a little flair to her outfit; her flowing sleeves are tied to a tendency to make sweeping gestures while preaching. But compared to Aundairian fashion, it’s a fairly simple outfit. There’s no glamerweave, no decorative embroidery, no jewelry, and she’s wearing practical footwear. Her most prominent accessory is the symbol of her faith, as befits a missionary. Her clothing serves its purpose. Now, she doesn’t have the “patchwork” aspect suggested above, but that’s not surprising for a missionary, who represents the Church. The common templar wouldn't be embarrassed to wear a patched cloak, or their father’s long coat modified to fit their frame.

Cuisine

While the heart and soul concentrates on the Silver Flame, the collective stomach of Thrane looks to the country’s unique cuisine for a different kind of religious experience. Many find that secular life in Thrane is stifled by the theocracy, but few who come to the country find the food to be disappointing. “It is like a breath of fire in the cold of a dark winter’s night,” said Princess Wroya of Breland during a diplomatic visit to Thrane, after partaking in the Feast of the Silver Flame.
Utilizing thrakel spices cooked in thick sauces, Thrane cuisine tends to be heavy, filling, hot, and delicious. Thrakel-seared beef in red sauce, three-thrakel fish stew, and the traditional silvered vegetable skewers are particular favorites in Thrane and beyond.
The people of Thrane also enjoy their desserts, but here they take a different tack. To counter the spicy nature of the main meal, Thrane desserts tend to be sweet and served cold. Beesh-berry sorbet on top of silverfruit pie is considered the best of many tempting desserts.

Data based on military draft records, 996 YK.
Population: 2.3 million (70% human, 10% half-elf, 9% dwarf, 4% elf, 4% halfling, 3% other)
Area: 500,000 square miles
Sovereign: Jaela Daran, Keeper of the Silver Flame
Capital: Flamekeep
Major Cities: Aruldusk, Sigilstar, Thaliost
Climate: Temperate
Highest Point: Trumpet Mountain in the Starpeak Range, elevation 10,965
Heraldry: A silver sword set beneath the symbol of the Silver Flame
Founder: Thalin, second scion of King Jarot
National Motto: “Glory to the Silver Flame.”

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Controlled Territories

• Aelyndar
• Nathyrr
• SigilStar

Interesting Things About Thrane

• Flamekeep is the capital of Thrane and the seat of the Silver Flame. The Keeper of the Flame dwells in the great Cathedral of the Silver Flame, which holds a pillar of fire born when Tira Miron sacrificed herself to bind the demon Bel Shalor.
• Faith is part of daily life in Thrane, and divine adepts provide important services. Magic is also common in Thrane. Everbright lanterns light the streets while magewrights and wizards practice their trades, though there are fewer of them than in other nations.
• Every town has a militia ready to deal with supernatural threats, and people stand together to fight darkness. Champions of the light find support and hospitality, but any character who dabbles with dark forces—necromancers, warlocks, and the like—finds Thrane a dangerous, unwelcoming place.
• Thrane people train from an early age to become proficient with bows because the bow is the favored weapon of the Chuch of the Silver Flame. Thranes come together weekly to practice archery as an expression of their devotion to the tenets of the Silver Flame.
• The feudal system of nobility remains in place, but ultimate authority rests in the hands of the church. Queen Diani ir’Wynarn is the “blood regent,” serving as a symbolic advisor to the Keeper of the Flame. A small fraction of the population would like to see the traditional monarchy restored to power.
• The people of Thrane embrace the tenets of the Silver Flame in all of their forms of expression. From fine art to sculpture, the most popular artistic style remains Kree-Flamic, a stylized form of rendering that uses cubes and triangles to create all shapes and images.