The Compact of Kings

eight kingdoms become one

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Thousands of years before the present day but also not long after the Cataclysm, the known world had become divided more or less between Eight Kingdoms. They varied greatly in size...some were smaller territory-wise than the great city of Alessia, and still others were a mere collection of hamlets that stubbornly maintained their independence.
It was only under the threat of famine in the south and raiders from the sea that caused the King of Alessia to entertain a mad notion. He drew up a document providing for a lose alliance of interests and protection from unprovoked attack between all kingdoms on that part of the continent. And these were:

• First Kingdom, the Sunken Heart. Capital is (was) called Alessia

• Second Kingdom, the Spinelands. Capital is called Beregolf

• Third Kingdom, the Crossroads. Capital is called Charmaine.

• Fourth Kingdom, the Wildlands. Capital is called Verdance.

• Fifth Kingdom, the Tilled Lands. Capital is called Arkney.

• Sixth Kingdom, Easthallow, Capital is called Tergaron.

• Seventh Kingdom, Kinecardine, Capital is called Orilon-on-Strand

• Eighth Kingdom, the Starport. Capital is called Stellas-Galleron

It took three years, but the various monarchs were eventually persuaded to give the compact a glance. Famine was knocking even harder now on the doors of Tergaron and Beregolf. Stellas-Galleron was doing well, but clearly understood that without the other kingdoms, they would have very beautiful boats but no market to use them in.
The exact terms of the compact were this:

• That all hostilities should cease until their economies stabilized. That on the occasion of attack by a foreign invader, all signers and their descendants would send supplies, reinforcement, and aid, protecting that kingdom as if it were their own. They could expect the same treatment.

• One monarch of the eight should be selected by popular vote to take on the role of bringing disputes to a peaceful and profitable compromise. He was to be impartial, a third party who had no legislative authority over the other kingdoms, but was welcome to officiate their interactions.

• In all other aspects of legislative and cultural life, the kingdoms would remain independent of each other.

It is likely that if the situation hadn't been so dire every which way they looked, they would never even have considered signing the compact. As it was, Eight Kings met at the Moot, in the beautiful Valley of the Sunken Heart. For the first time in history, the trouble kingdoms of Heydenhearth were united by a common cause; prosperity and peace. Never before and never since have so many independent territories been bound together.

Type

Treaty, Diplomatic

Medium

Paper

Authoring Date

1870 AC

Ratification Date

1873 AC

Location

Valley of the Sunken Heart