The Republic of Lechia
The Defender showed us that we are strongest together, lead by example without expecting anything in return, and died in our defense, how could we not love her?
One of the more powerful nations of The Great Inland Sea, The Republic of Lechia has never been an aggressive or expansionist power, and is often seen as a stabilizing force in the region.
History
Humble beginnings
The first recorded permanent settlements on the Lechian peninsula, at least built by humans, were built along the rivers that cut across the high steppes. It's unknown at which point the Zapporizan Horsemen split off from these more settled people, or if they were seperate groups from the start, but their societies developed seperately from a very early point. As the river settlements grew, they tended to expand along the river rather than outwards from them, as settlements too close to the forests edge presented an irresistable temptation for the Zaporozan horsemen, and would inevitably be raided.
Expansion and Conflict
As the settlements expanded and came into contact with one another, it was inevitable that ambitious leaders would look at their neighbors holdings with greedy eyes, and before long minor wars of expansion and conquest were breaking out all across the peninsula. With their rulers attention so fixated on lands outside of their own, it was inevitable that the peasantry would suffer, fields lying fallow with farmers conscripted into their lord's armies, a rise in banditry with most of the normal men at arms at war, and monsters running rampant. It was in these turbulent years that Sigune was born, her parents and place of birth lost to time.
The Rise of The Defender
Born in a time of great turmoil as kings and warlords tore the region apart in pursuit of power, Sigune saw that the common folk were under constant threat from banditry, monsters, and warring armies alike and stepped forwards as their defender. Preaching that strength should be used to defend the weak, she travelled the peninsula, moving from kingdom from kingdom clearing out bandits and monsters and assembling a force of like minded followers as she went. She entreated the rulers of the kingdoms she passed through to take a more active role in the defense of their citizens whether by simply making their realms safer for the peasantry or by going further and improving infrastructure and developing their land. Gradually, it became clear that the rulers who worked with her to improve their realms rather than war constantly with their neighbors ended up stronger for it, and slowly the remaining beligerants began to be absorbed by their more prosperous neighbors.
Sigune didn't limit her travels to the so called civilized kingdoms, she also spent a substantial amount of time with the clans of Zaporozan horsemen out on the steppes of the westerlands. Traveling from clan to clan, she preached her philosophy of using strength to protect the weak, healed the injured, and proved her strength to them by killing mighty beasts which threatened the clans or the herds which they followed. Under her influence the clans abandoned their practice of abandoning the weak and infirm to the elements and embraced the idea that the strong should protect the weak, at least within their clans, although raids between clans proved to be too integrated into their culture to eliminate. While her philosophy was perhaps not adopted perfectly by the clans, she gained their deep and enduring respect and the moniker of "The White Rider".
Saviour of Lechia
When a dark tide with The Lich Lord at it's head threatened to sweep across Lechia leaving nothing but death in it's path, Sigune stepped forwards to defend her beloved land. She called upon her followers across the kingdoms and clans to join her in the grasslands outside of the city of Bedle, and the answer to that call was tremendous. Entire armies were sent from a dozen kingdoms and a half dozen clans, and when it became clear that they would not be assembled in time, the Galek clan of Zaporozan horsemen took it upon themselves to ride out and engage the legions of undead in delaying and harassing actions, losing an enormous amount of their clan in the process. In the end, The Defender and The Lich Lord met in mortal combat and ascended to godhood, leaving his army to crumble to dust and the forces of Lechia victorious.
Seeds of The Republic
As the dust settled and the victors recovered from their celebrations, they realized that the rulers of all of the largest factions on the peninsula were present and sat down to do some politicking. By the time they all departed, the seeds of what would become The Republic of Lechia had been planted; and it would only take a few short years for the modern republic to be formed. Without Her influence, it may have taken centuries more for the peninsula to unite, and it might not have included the Zaporozan Horsemen.
foreign invasions?
trouble after formation of the republic?
Society
Lechia is a nation whose people have been deeply shaped by both the land on which they live and their faith, from the Zaporozan horsemen of the high steppes to the farmers and citizens of the many towns and cities built around the rivers of The Westerlands. A deep reverence for the goddess Sigune unites them all, whether they know her as "The Defender" or by the name given her by the Zaporozans "The white rider".
The Senate
Convening in the picturesque city of Starazow nad jeziorem or 'Starazow on the lake', capital of the state of Zaleca, The Senate is composed of representatives from each of The River States and Zaporozan clans. While the individual states and clans represented in the senate all maintain some level of independance, they are bound by the laws laid down by the senate. The senate meets in three month cycles to allow the senators to visit the regions that they represent between sessions and ensure that they are properly representing their constituants.
The Szlachta
While Lechia did away with any formal systems of nobility when the individual kingdoms were united into the republic, the Szlachta are the remants of those systems, a concession given to the assorted noble families during the negotiations over unification. Many of the noble families were unhappy with the concept of every person having an equal say in government, and the idea of losing their noble status chafed. The creation of a single privileged noble class was the compromise, with any member of existing systems of hereditary nobility being inducted into it automatically.
The Zaporozan Horsemen, unwilling to be left out, demanded that their clan chiefs and high ranking members be made members of the Szlachta as well, much to the dismay of the hereditary nobility. Unable to come up with a good reason to deny them, the Zaporozans were inducted into the new class of nobility as well. New members of the Szlachta are still created occasionally, usually for services to the state or republic or as the Lechian equivilant to a knighthood.
Privileges
More than just a legal recognition of social status, membership in the szlachta comes with a number of privileges including".
- The right to raise men at arms.
- Nobles are likely to have properties requiring protection beyond a hired guard or two, and their men at arms can provide a free supplement to local guard forces if needed.
- Near total immunity from arrest without a warrant
- This is based on the assumption that a noble will not go into hiding after committing a minor crime, and can be easily found and arrested at the courts leisure rather than enduring the humiliation of a public arrest.
- Immunity from public corporal punishment
- Public punishment of this sort, such as flogging or imprisonment in the stocks is unsuitable for persons of their station, other methods such as fines or confiscation of property are more appropriate.
- Special rights in the courts, to be tried by a jury of their peers rather than commoners.
- It's inappropriate to have commoners sit in judgement of the nobility, as it might give them ideas above their station and they might be tempted to judge unduely harshly due to jealousy.
- The right to display their own heraldry
- A holdover from the old systems of hereditary nobility
The Zaporozan Horsemen
Living nomadic lives in the steppes of The Westerlands in much the same manner as their ancestors have for the last two millenia, the Zaporozan Horsemen are a people whose lives revolve around the horses which they ride, herd, and eat. Widely considered to be the best horsemen and women in The Shattered Continent, it is often said that Zaporozans learn to ride before they learn to walk. Moving between water sources with the seasons, the horsemen maintain large herds of hardy horses which they use for riding, milk, meat, and as beasts of burden. Zaporozan horses are prized across the continent by militaries, although most nobles and knights turn their noses up at the hardy beasts in favor of prancing thoroughbreads.
The Zaporozan Horsemen are among the finest light cavalry in the continent, wielding long lances and curved swords and exhibiting near superhuman levels of horsemanship. In addition to their historical conflicts with each other and the River States, since the founding of The Republic they have answered the call to defend Lechia from foreign invaders on several occasions. One Galacian commander who was unfortunate enough to have faced them on the battlefield described them as "hundreds of horses and men all moving like a single creature, flowing around volleys of arrows before slamming into our lines and then withdrawing before we could encircle and properly engage with them".
The Clans
The Zaporozan Horsemen are divided into a number of clans located across the steppes of the Westerlands. While there are many small clans, often just single family groups, other clans are huge with many hundreds of members.
Terube
The Terube are a tribe of sheep herding Zaporozans who reside on the western end of The Northern Plateau. In the summers, they live in a permanent settlement of stone huts out on the tip of the long peninsula on the western edge of this region, and as the winds turn cold they head south to a stone and timber settlement on the border of the river state of Piotyn.
Nerube
The Nerube live as far north as is possible in the lechian peninsula, residing nearly at the tip of the peninsula for most of the year, just south of where the grass ends and bare rock worn smooth by the winds of Stormside start. In addition to their herds of sheep, they are notorious for venturing into the very edge of stormside to salvage wrecks. When winter comes, they leave their stone villages and move south with the hide tents which are more traditional among the Zaporozans.
Saikal
The largest and most powerful of the clans, the Saikal follow the largest herd of Aurochs across The Midland Steppe, guarding it jealously and driving off any other clan who would seek to take from it. The Saikal are fiercely disliked by the other clans of The Midland Steppe, as they often engage in raiding of smaller clans, living by the philosophy that might makes right.
Nerkal
The main rivals of the Saikal, the Nerkal are the most nomadic of the Zaporozan clans, moving between herds of Aurochs constantly, often temporarily driving off whichever smaller clan has been following the herd which they have set their sights on. They often take advantage of their totally nomadic nature to locate and ambush raiding parties from the Saikal.
Orakal
Moving between a couple of midsized herds depending on the season, the Orakal do their best to avoid their larger neighbors and will often move early if it keeps them out of the way of the Saikal or Nerkal.
Galek
Living on The Windblown Expanse, the Galek are famous for having taken it upon themselves to harass and engage in delaying actions against the forces of The Lich Lord during his invasion of Lechia. Today, they tend to follow the herds along the eastern edge of The Windblown Expanse, often setting up camp within a dozen miles of the forests edge.
Karalek
Venturing further south than any of the other clans, the Karalek spend most of the year in the lightly forested grasslands on the southern edge of the steppe, taking advantage of the windbreak provided by the trees and only moving north when the weather threatens to turn truly cold. The karalek are unusual among the Zaporozan clans in that they are accustomed to riding through light forest, manouvering through the trees with relative ease.
The River States
The majority of the Lechian population lives in settlements along the forested rivers which break up the grassland of the steppes, each major river and all of the settlements around it constituting one of the river states. Almost all aspects of life there are reliant on the rivers, from transportation, irrigation, and water power to harvesting timber from the forests which only exist around those waterways. The River States have always been careful not to over harvest the forests, as in addition to providing habitat for game and timber for building, they were traditionally a shield against marauding Zaporozan Horsemen, even the most skilled horsemen being hindered by riding through the trees and brush.
Due to the relatively low rainfall in the westerlands, irrigation is necessary for farming to be viable, and all of the river states have been heavily developed into farmland with extensive systems of irrigation. In addition to irrigation, the rivers power many waterwheels and dams, powering mills, forges, and other industrial ventures. Because of the vital importance of the rivers, the mountain lakes which feed them and even the storms which feed them are viewed with a sort of reverence by the Lechians.
The River States
High atop the stormbreakers are a series of lakes which collect the rainwater from the storms which scour the eastern coast and release it into the dry westerlands in a series of great rivers. Forests grow all along their lengths, breaking up the high steppes and providing a source of timber, and their waters feed the irrigation systems which allow farming despite the low rainfall of the westerlands. Settlements have sprung up around these rivers, and today they have been consilidated into the River States, the centers of government and trade in Lechia.
Piotyn
The northernmost of The River States, Piotyn is ideally positioned to trade with Galacia and Fruchtbarland, and its capital Slaskie is both a bustling trade port and the home of the Lechian Navy.
Zalec
The most prosperous of The River States, most of the wealth of the state of Zalec comes from the mines in the hills around it's capital, Starazow nad jeziorem or 'Starazow on the lake'. The smiths of Starazow are renowned across the republic for their skill, turning the high quality ore from the prolific mines into masterworks, including the swords, armor, barding and lances that help make the Lechian Winged Hussars legendary.
Ranowiec
Running from the southern end of the Stormbreakers to the calm waters of the Tavelian Gulf, Ranowiec may be the least famous of the River States, but it's capital of Gordansk serves as the home port for Lechian's eastern navy. In addition to allowing Lechia to project power into the Mare Promiscus, the eastern navy also actively patrols the gulf, keeping a watchful eye out for anything from Tavelian border incursions to smugglers and pirates.
Suwiec
Technically a March rather than one of The River States, Suwiec stretches from the Tavelian Gulf to the Palsas Sea, running from the Tavelian border and along the borders of Krudh and Gnok. Responsible for maintaining the security of Lechias southern border, it's military forces are supplemented by rotating detachments from each of The River States and the Zaporozan clans, and it's border forts are kept fully staffed and well maintained. Posessing a climate closer to that of the Eastern Marches than the westerlands due to it's position south of the stormbreakers, it is heavily forested although care is taken to maintain large cleared areas around the capital city of Fienic and around each of the border forts to allow the famed Lechian cavalry room to engage any opposing force on their own terms.
Military
While The Republic hasn't historically engaged in wars of conquest against it's neighbors, several defensive wars and regular engagements against incursions from Tavelia have given the Lechian military a fearsome reputation.
General Composition
Lechian armies have a higher percentage of cavalry than most of their contemporaries, a product of the extensive herds of horses maintained by both the River States and Zaporozan Horsemen. Infantry and archers tend to be used defensively, with archers being used to counter enemy ranged units and to force the enemy to engage and the infantry serving both to defend the archers and as an anvil for the cavalry to smash the enemy against.
Infantry
Lechian infantry generally falls into one of two categories, levy forces and heavy infantry, although unlike many nations they make limited use of levy forces. Visually, lechian infantry are easily identifiable with their so called "kettle hats", metal helmets with a broad brim around their base.
Levies
Lechian armies make limited use of citizen levies, generally only in auxilliary positions, guarding baggage trains, and when there aren't enough heavy infantry they are occasionally deployed to screen the archers from being flanked.
Heavy Infantry
Professional soldiers, Lechian soldiers wear medium or heavy armor, large shields, and a variety of melee weapons and are typically used defensively. They are deployed in tight formations and serve two general purposes according to standard lechian tactics, as a screening force to defend the archers and as an anvil for the cavalry to crush the enemy against.
Archers
While some less well off cities may still deploy lightly armored peasant levies with longbows, the lechians have nearly totally replaced the traditional bow with the crossbow in military service. Lechian crossbowmen are generally relatively heavily armored and equipped with heavy crossbows along with a mace or sword as a sidearm. Tactically, archers are used both to engage enemy ranged units and to force the enemy to engage with their infantry.
Cavalry
Horsemen are undeniably the most famous element of the Lechian military, from the heavy cavalry of the Hussaria to the light Zaporozan horsemen. Riding some of the best horses in The Shattered Continent, the cavalry of Lechia boast that they can outride any cavalryman from any other nation.
The Hussaria
The famous "Winged Hussars" of Lechia have a fearsome reputation, but the ranks of the Hussaria are far broader than just these legendary warriors. The majority of the Hussars are professional heavy cavalry, armored in gleaming steel armor and bearing lances and sabres. The Hussars are used as heavy shock cavalry, the hammer to the anvil of the heavy infantry, making charge after charge against enemy lines until they shattered.
The winged hussars are drawn from the ranks of the Szlachta, Nobles with the means to pay for armor, weapons, and mounts for both themselves and their retainers and were allowed to bear the eponymous "wings" on their backs. The "wings" of the winged hussars are made of two wooden frames which curve at the top and have eagle, swan, or goose wing feathers mounted all along their lengths. When the horses charged at full speed, the air moving across the feathers would create a fearsome noise, further demoralizing the enemy infantry who were already facing a heavy cavalry charge.
The hussars were organized into small units consisting of two to five hussars along with several men, often hussars in training, who would tend to the horses, help maintain the equipment, and transport a supply of replacement lances. In battle, these assistants would hang back when the hussars charged, allowing the hussars to quickly return, grab another lance, and charge again. In the case of the Winged Hussars, each nobleman would be accompanied by two to five identically equipped retainers along with their servants.
The horses used by the hussars are a special breed, a hybrid of the heavy chargers used by the knights of other nations and the sturdy, agile horses used by the Zaporozan Horsemen. These horses are quick and manouverable while still being able to bear the weight of an armored hussar into battle, and they enable the hussars to outmanouver the heavy knights fielded by their contemporaries. Ownership of this special breed of horse was strictly limited to the hussars, and selling a hussar bred horse to a non-lechian carries the death penalty in the republic.
The Zaporozans
Considered to be the greatest riders on the continent, the Zaporozan Horsemen act as the light cavalry of the Lechian military. Rejecting the use of ranged weapons as a matter of cultural pride, the Zaporozans are exclusively melee cavalry, lightly armored and wielding lances, shields, and vicious curved swords. Famous for being so fast and manouverable that entire formations of them can dodge volleys of arrows, the Zaporozans frequently use rapid series of charges and retreats to bait enemy formations out of position and disrupt the enemy plan of battle.
The Tabor
The Lechians are extremely unusual in that they include a large portion of their logistics chain in their battlefield formations. Originating in pre-unification wagon trains used by the river settlements to transport goods across the steppes where moving the wagons to create makeshift fortifications proved to be an effective tactic against Zaporozan raiders, it has been adopted by the Lechian military. The non-cavalry portion of a Lechian army tends to be relatively stationary once battle begins, assuming stationary defensive positions and allowing the cavalry to dictate the pace of the battle. Within this stationary formation, the tabor serve as walls, resupply points, and firing platforms for groups of crossbowmen.
In addition to serving as transportation for all of the supplies needed to keep an army on it's feet, many of the wagons in the logistics train of a Lechian army are purpose built to serve secondary purposes.
Bulwark wagons
These wagons have an odd, asymettrical appearance, with one side built into a thick wooden wall and designed to be deployed as a defensive fortification that one or two rows of men equipped with long spears can stand atop it, protected by a half wall and above any potential attackers. These wagons may be deployed at the front of the army, particularly if there arent enough heavy infantry, but are more typically deployed on the flanks to protect the archers from being overrun. Ideally, there will be enough right and left handed wagons to fill both sides so that they can simply driver into place, but if needed they can be turned around to fill in on either side.
Archery wagons
Similar in design to the bulwark wagons, but broader and lacking the heavy re-enforced sides, the archery wagons have platforms designed to allow multiple ranks of crossbowmen to stand above the battlefield and rain down fire from a superior position. Often there will be several different heights of archery wagons positioned shortest to tallest to allow multiple groups of crossbowmen to fire over the heads of the groups in front of them.
Artillery wagons
Purpose-built to carry deconstructed siege weapons and all of the supplies and ammunition needed to deploy them, these wagons also serve as elevated firing platforms. Two wagons are pushed together and anchored and the artillery piece is assembled on top of the newly formed platform, complete with strategically positioned short walls to defend the weapon and it's crew from enemy ranged weapons. In recent years, the Lechians have begun to integrate gunpowder weapons into their armies, and found that their artillery wagons are ideal for these weapons and their flatter firing arcs.
The Defender
Sigune, The Defender, was born, lived, and ascended in Lechia, and she is deeply loved by its people. She is responsible for the modern Lechian ideal that the strong should work to protect and nurture the weak that is responsible for much of the development of modern Lechia. The transfomation of Lechia from a land of warring kingdoms to a unified republic can largely be laid at her feet.
Her Influence in Life
The impact that Sigune had on the formation of the modern Republic of Lechia can't be overstated, as she left her mark on every one of the kingdoms which would one day form the modern River States. The teachings that she and her followers preached as they travelled the land were the basis of the prosperity that allowed the modern kingdoms to overcome their enemies and become the stable and peaceful realms that they are today. Even the Zaporozan Horsemen were changed by her teachings, abandoning some of their more brutal traditional practices such as abandoning the weak and infirm to the elements in favor of the idea that the strong should nurture and protect the weak, even if they didn't apply these ideas to interactions between clans.
The Formation of the Republic
As the dust settled on the climactic final battle between the forces of The Lich King and the defenders of Lechia, and the victors came to term with their hero's ascension and recovered from their celebrations, they realized that the rulers of all of the largest factions on the peninsula were present and sat down to do some politicking. By the time they all departed, the seeds of what would become The Republic of Lechia had been planted; and it would only take a few short years for the modern republic to be formed. Without Her influence, it may have taken centuries more for the peninsula to unite, and it might not have included the Zaporozan Horsemen.
Modern Worship
Today, temples dedicated to Sigune can be found in nearly every settlement in Lechia and most lechian towns come to a complete standstill for several hours every monday when weekly services are held. Worship of The Defender is the official state religion, and it's very much expected that third sons will enter Her clergy. Within the camps of the Zaporozan Horsemen the the worship of Sigune hasn't totally displaced their traditional ancester worship, but The White Rider is considered to be an honorary ancestor and holds the place of prominence in their religious ceremonies.
Foreign Relations
Unlike many of it's contemporaries, Lechia has never engaged in wars of conquest, which has resulted in generally good foreign relations with the other nations of The Shattered Continent. Despite its lack of aggression towards its neighbors, as a wealthy, well developed nation with control of the entire eastern shore of the Palsas Sea it has had to defend itself from invasion a number of times.
Galacia
Lechia's nearest neighbor, at least as far as the major powers go, Galacia controls nearly the entire opposite shore of the Palsas Sea, all the way down to the Eastern Marches, and has several times attempted to gain control of portions of The Lechian Peninsula. Each of it's attempts has been met by a robust response by the Lechian military, and despite some naval victories the Galacians have never beaten the Lechians on land. While these conflicts have harmed their relationship, the fact that the Lechians have won each engagement handily have prevented any serious bad feelings on the Lechian side.
Fruchtbarland
While Fruchtbarland doesn't currently control any of the coast of the Palsas Sea, they have in the past, and just like the galacians they made an attempt to gain control of the north of the Lechian Peninsula during that period. They made the incredibly poor decision to meet the Lechians in battle out on the steppes, and were absolutely overwhelmed by both the Lechian cavalry and two entire Zaporozan clans who spotted the two forces assembling before the battle and decided to fight as well. Today, The two nations have a good relationship, although trade is limited due to having to pass through Galacia.
Tavelia
The eternal threat on Lechia's southern border, most Lechians view holding back incursions from The Dark Forest to be a divine mandate, since Sigune's mortal life ended defending the peninsula from a Tavelian invasion. While the dense forests of Tavelia make it impractical to invade, the border is lined with forts and the land around them has been cleared to allow the Lechian cavalry room to manouver. The Lechians recognise that the supposed Tavelian government in Covareni is little more than a joke with no control over The Dark Forest, and so do not maintain diplomatic relations with Tavalia.
The Achaean City States
Lechia and The Achaean City States enjoy a busy trade relationship, and both nations sharing a border with Tavelia has brought them together in common purpose.
The Alborian Empire
Lechia's relationship with The Alborian Empire is a limited one, as the distance between them has historically made trade somewhat difficult, and by the time The Bite was constructed Lechia was getting most of alboria's most famous trade goods like wine, olives, and olive oil from The Achaean City States and Oenotria.
Bommbergonia
Lechia and bommbergonia have a decent relationship, their distance having prevented any military conflicts, and Lechia has profited during times of war by selling Bommbergonian goods to Galacia and vice versa.
The Valorous Dominion
While most countries are either put off by the little theocracy's strict religious views or inclined to snub them in deference to The Kingdom of Fruchtbarland, Lechians tend to admire their dedication to their god, and relations between the two are fair.
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