Highveldt
The Barony of Highveldt is a recently founded nation created by a band of adventurers sent out by the Kingdom of Alsona. In maintaining deference to their sponsors, the adventurers established themselves as a subordinate tributary state to the Alsonans, rather than a fully independent regime. Highveldt has had little opportunity to establish a true culture or nation as of yet, with most of their inhabitants being transplanted dwarven refugees or Alsonan settlers from the south.
Structure
The small size of the barony of Highveldt has prevented the development of the true apparatus of state over the handful of years it has existed. Baron Vance rules the region directly, often taking a personal hand in the affairs of state and diplomacy. He has since appointed several lords and ministers from among his adventuring companions, who perform the essential functions of a government in his name. This includes less than a dozen ministers and the agents they personally have hired to assist in the creation of a new nation.
Culture
The culture of Highveldt has yet to be truly determined due to its youth. However, the invitation of dwarves and Alsonans alike to settle within the frontier have led to a mix of traditions from both of those groups integrating themselves into the young nation. Traditions from even further south have raised their head, as both the baron and other members of his central cabinet hail from the Jakonian Empire, bringing in the disparate cultures of the races of the empire in addition to more local sources.
History
The Barony of Highveldt has its origins in the long hostility between the Kingdom of Alsona and the centaur tribes to the north. For hundreds of years the centaurs have ridden south to plague the northern farmsteads and towns of the people of Alsona. Over the 1020s and early 1030s, these attacks began to decline, and at first the people of Alsona were relieved. Then it was discovered that a "Centaur King" had emerged and began extorting tribute from the frontiers. Concerned that the centaurs had united into a single force, Queen Miranda Taeylorr called for a rapid response. She mustered together as many adventurers as possible to send north to end the threat of the Centaur King. One group succeeded.
Led by Vance Norrick and his companions, this group rallied those in what would become Highveldt against the Centaur King, who was merely a human bandit with pretensions towards royalty. He was struck down in battle, and the party seized his fort as their own new citadel. After word reached Alsona of the party's victory, efforts immediately began to consolidate the gains. Over the next few years, some roads were built and settlers were brought in from the south. These pioneers have done their best to begin forging their own destiny, and the Barony of Highveldt remains full of optimism of this new nation's path.
Demography and Population
Highveldt's population predominantly consists of Alsonan humans who have since migrated into the north. This has been supplemented by two major sources. The first of these are agreements made with Alsona for Highveldt to house the large number of dwarven refugees from the Apps Mountains who have caused a demographic headache for the Alsonan aristocracy. Numerous mountain dwarves have made their home in Kingsward, carving out the hillside to create a facsimile of home underneath the human settlement. The other source is the Rachiden Banking House, which has sent numerous half-elves and high elves to assist in administration of the nation's treasury, and giving the young nation a banking system to support economic growth.
Military
The armed forces of Highveldt are rudimentary at best, despite numerous efforts by the leading general of the barony to modernize and develop. The core of the new military is actually the remnants of the Centaur King's old bandit gang. The strongest among them have been integrated as officers in the new armed forces, and have pledged their loyalty to the baron. Although this has given the barony's army a rather suspect reputation, they have become the center of a surprisingly effective military force, dedicated primarily to protecting Kingsward and the roads between the capital and Alsona. The size of the army is roughly equivalent to less than two Jakonian regiments, but they are well equipped with high quality weaponry paid for by the spoils of the baron's adventuring days.
Religion
The head religious advisor in Highveldt is a cleric of the Church of Keshush, making it recognized as the primary faith of the nation. In practice, however, the majority of people follow various pantheons, with the dwarves following their pantheon of old, and the humans following the practices of the The King's Host. Migrants from further south have readily adopted the ways of Keshush, finding plenty in common with their own faiths. The temple of Keshush in Kingsward is the largest and best financed religious structure in the entire nation.
Foreign Relations
Relations with the Kingdom of Alsona are the most important to the people of Highveldt. Technically the barony is a tributary state to the larger and more populous kingdom, which could easily decide to end the reign of the baron should he step out of line. Therefore, the majority of foreign policy for Highveldt is handled from Parthenonas, although there has been two exceptions. Tensions have remained high with the elves of the Tenashi Kingdom, due to occasional conflicts over mining and lumber rights in western Highveldt, but the baron has prevented any hostilities actually breaking out. Furthermore, the dwarves of Valtkos Wingo have refused to recognize the new barony and in fact have condemned the agreements made between Highveldt and Alsona, creating a new destination for dwarves, rather than continuing to send them on to Wingo.
Agriculture & Industry
The economy of Highveldt relies heavily upon agrarian pursuits. Although the dwarves have found a handful of minor ore veins underneath Kingsward itself, these are in the far minority of items that could act as exports or trade. Instead, herders and farmers have found the region to have rich soil, and the open terrain lends itself well to grazing of livestock. Highveldtian cattle has recently begun to be quite prized among the aristocracy of Alsona, and others have reported that the grasslands themselves have led to remarkably strong and agile horses being bred. It is hoped that over the next decade these successes will lead to ever greater economic growth for Highveldt.
Education
There is no system of standardized education or management yet established in Highveldt. Most who seek out an education in this frontier region typically have to rely on either an apprenticeship or tutoring from the handful of literate souls in Kingsward. Higher learning is impossible, and anyone who seeks out a university education must travel at least to Alsona.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of Highveldt is essentially nonexistent. The majority of trade and transit taking place across the plains of Highveldt simply follow the old nomadic trails of the centaur tribes that once called the region home. Some dirt roads have sprung up, but they remain the minority. A few bridges have been built or restored in parts of the countryside, making transport more possible than it had been, but most merchants and traders still rely on caravans departing from Alexei's Trading Post, typically heavily guarded by mercenaries as isolated bandits and centaur clans still seem to plague traders in the region.
Civilization of the Frontier
Founding Date
Riftwane 26, 1035
Type
Geopolitical, Barony
Capital
Demonym
Highveldtian
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Command/Planned economy
Currency
Copper/Silver/Gold
Major Exports
Cattle
Major Imports
Lumber, ore, other construction materials, luxuries
Official State Religion
Parent Organization
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Comments