Republic of Fennerland
The Republic of Fennerland, officially the United Democratic Republic of Fennerland, is a sovereign nation comprising the vast majority of the continent of the same name, as well as Menassas Island and numerous smaller islands. Fennerland is the largest country by area on Luquastra, situated south of Galessia and west of Asmarea. Born out of a multitude of disparate states uniting through diplomacy, purchase, and conquest, the modern state of Fennerland is renowned for its strong economy, innovation, industry, service sector, and government. Its current ruler is Foremaster Gareth Jain-Albivi.
History
The modern Republic is a young state, having formally united but a few years ago. Prior to unification, the following states existed on the Fennerian continent, from north to south:- Lordship of Waversham. Built around the bustling port city of Waversham and governed by a High Lord, the Lordship was a tumultuous and often unstable state, falling victim to many coup d'êtats throughout history. Due to its strategic location, many merchants set up shop in the city, attracting laborers and investors from across the Three Great Continents. Over the centuries, Waversham slowly grew into the largest city found anywhere in the world. After a massive eruption of Mount Waver laid waste to the city's western districts, the wounded lordship voluntarily accepted integration with the growing Fennerian kingdom in exchange for aid. Since this decision, Waversham has experienced a renaissance, emerging once again as the world's undisputed economic center, especially since the establishment of the Threecloak Company, the consolidated conglomeration in control of shipping across the world ocean.
- County of Caelkirk. A rural county centered around Caelkirk, the Bulwark of Heroes, and ruled by a Count or Countess. After a succession crisis yielded a torn court, the Venerated Kingdom stepped in with an offer to annex the county and provide stability - backed by a military force waiting to the south. The fragile government crumbled under this implied threat, and the county was annexed by the Venerated Kingdom of the Kair. The old domain of the county roughly corresponds to the modern region of Geswickshire, named after the legendary hero Geswick the Immovable, who hailed from Caelkirk.
- Duchy of Ganet. The last bastion of defiance against the unification, the Duchy was a historical powerhouse on the continent, covering large swaths of land in the west of Fennerland and in a near-constant state of war against the drow from the Underdark. The Dukes and Duchesses of Ganet were mighty, heroic, yet haughty, and refused to yield their lands under any circumstance. Even when all the states around them were slowly getting absorbed by the uniting force of the Kingdom of Fennerland, the Duchy remained steadfast in its defiance and refused to voluntarily unify. This culminated in the Ganetian Conquest, where the entire united continent came together to topple the Duchy and succeeded after a three-year war, deposing the duke and finally declaring the Unified Democratic Republic of Fennerland. Its territory has been divided into the Provinces of Ganet, Dukesland, and West Stamsard. The last duke, Duke Roderick Stallmere of Ganet, now serves in the People's Parliament, as a vocal and unceasing critic of the central government.
- Paisland. A disorganized region of farms and towns without any central government, Paisland lies on the Tolkayle Peninsula, physically separated from the rest of the continent by the towering mountain range of the same name. It was officially annexed by the Kingdom of Shaerock a few decades before the Queens' Accord, yet little has functionally changed in the region since then: it remains a quiet region where one can enjoy the slow life. A tunnel is being constructed through the mountains, in the hopes of further integrating the region - now known as the Tolkayle Province - with the remainder of the continent.
- City of Daniston. An old, long-independent city ruled by the clergy of Kelemvor, Daniston is a remote city situated against the northern flank of the Tolkayle Mountains. A popular pilgrimage location for worshippers of the God of the Dead and those seeking closure in matters pertaining to death, it was diplomatically integrated with the Kingdom of Shaerock on the condition that the clergy could continue to exert their will upon the city. This understanding persists to this day, although recently, the central government has established their own Governance Office within the city, much to the Danisians' chagrin.
- Kingdom of Shaerock. An ancient kingdom centered around the "Unconquerable City" Shaerock, it was a strong nation, often in direct opposition to the nearby Venerated Kingdom. After a series of devastating naval wars between the two kingdoms, Queen Ariella of Shaerock and Queen Ihrin of the Kair came together to sign a historic document, the Queens' Accord, to share joint ownership of the lands between them. Over the generations, this evolved into a fully-integrated condominium governed by one monarch in personal union. Due to this, the kingdoms were eventually officially merged, paving the way for the eventual union of the entire continent, in which the newly-created Kingdom of Fennerland led the charge.
- Venerated Kingdom of the Kair. A holy kingdom devoted to Milil, God of Art, the Venerated Kingdom and its capital Kairsmouth have long been the center of culture and civilization on the Fennerian continent, and a staunch ally of the Duchy of Eastwall. After the Queens' Accord turned it into the Kingdom of Fennerland, it also integrated the Duchy and its strong military through a purchase, and began the process of unifying the continent. Slow at first, their pace soon accelerated. However, after the purchase of Yorhaven and the annexation of Waversham, progress stalled for decades, leading to unrest among the kingdom's subjects. Twelve years ago, a charismatic half-elf named Gareth Jain-Albivi led an uprising, promising to complete the unification of the continent if the people helped him depose the king. The people responded favorably, joining Jain-Albivi and his allies for the Selday Uprising, defeating the King's Guard and installing Jain-Albivi as the new republic's first - and so far only - Foremaster. He has completed the task where King Merthyr could not - defeating the Duchy of Ganet, placating the regions, and establishing a united Fennerland.
- Duchy of Eastwall. A military powerhouse in the tropical east of the continent, the large and strong duchy has long been known for its beautiful vistas, and is a prominent destination for the wealthy tourist or peaceseeking adventurer. Ironically, this peaceful region was long the most militarily active nation on the continent, bringing low the Barony of Ullsthorne and large parts of Cerreckshire, and aiding the Venerated Kingdom in its wars against Shaerock. Not long after its fusion, the young Kingdom of Fennerland made an agreement with Duke Sirilo of Eastwall, to purchase the territory and the nation's military, in return for leaving the Duke in charge as regional under-ruler - and not taxing his personal wealth and earnings. This self-serving deal made the Duke and his family incredibly unpopular within Eastwall, whose citizens now lost their national identity. In revenge, they overwhelmed the palace and publicly executed the Duke and his family in what has become known as the Night of the People's Retribution. Ever since, Eastwall has been slowly bled dry by its new overlords, and now only survives off of its tourism and grants from the central government.
- Barony of Ullsthorne. A small barony against the forested western bank of the lower River Stamsard, it was long ruled by a family of wealthy Barons and Baronesses. A multitude of rebellions took place in the unstable barony over the centuries, yet new rulers always fell in the same traps as the last one, leading to the common belief that the seat of the baron was in some way cursed, or that the land was not meant to be ruled. After a quick war, the barony was overthrown and annexed by the Duchy of Eastwall. Since then, Ullsthorne has mostly passed into obscurity - and the curse seems to be a thing of the past.
- Yorhaven. An independent city on the southwestern coast of Fennerland, led by a Governor or Governess. It was the site of the Yorhaven Miracle, when a cleric of Talos had their deity intervene to save the city from a terrifyingly powerful storm. Whereas the city was saved, there was much damage, and the Kingdom of Fennerland jumped at the chance to offer a purchase, allowing the people to rebuild. The Governess of Yorhaven happily agreed, and the city has rebuilt under the aegis of the united state. Nowadays, it is the shipbuilding capital of the world, and the starting site of many expeditions into the wide blue nothing of the world ocean.
- Cerreckshire. A frigid region of stalwart peoples in the continent's very south, it was long fragmented into many different feuding polities. The city of Cerreck stood in the middle, attempting to centralize and unite the disparate peoples. What ended up unifying them, was an invasion by the Duchy of Eastwall, which gave them a common enemy. Most of the region had been conquered when the war was suddenly ended by the Duchy's purchase. The wartime government of the region made a deal with the new nation: their lands were to be returned, in exchange for cooperation. When this cooperation slowly transitioned into another annexation, the people of Cerreckshire again began to grumble, and fears for another war were common. While the Kingdom of Fennerland focused its attention northward in its quest for unification, the peoples of Cerreckshire began engaging in acts of armed rebellion and guerrilla warfare, leading to a very strained relationship. After the Selday Uprising, Foremaster Jain-Albivi intervened, investing heavily in the city of Cerreck, and promising autonomy before the decade was out - a promise that was honored, albeit a year late, due to the Ganetian Conquest happening in between. While this served to quell the whispers of rebellion for the most part, the stalwart Cerreckers retain their wild streak and independent identity, so the threat of an uprising is never fully gone.
Geography
As the Republic of Fennerland comprises an entire continent, its territory is incredibly diverse, spanning forests, mountain ranges, plains, badlands, temperate and tropical coastlands, and a myriad of rivers - such as the Rivers Kair, Pais, Bexraine, and Stamsard, the latter of which extends through almost the entire length of the continent. The far north is a peninsula known as Wyvernhead, due to its curious shape resembling the head of a draconic creature. A volcanic region with rugged terrain and fertile soil, it is home to the largest city on Luquastra, Waversham. The west of the continent is dry and semi-arid, especially the region south and southwest of the Denderre Mountains, former lands of the Duchy of Ganet. Home to marble deposits, giant canyons, and the Denderre Darkpass, the feared entrance into the region of the Underdark where the drow city of Undyraeth lies. Whereas the Drow Wars may have ended, their violent subjugation of other peoples is unceasing, and few people live on the region's surface anymore as a result. Further south, around Yorhaven, the winds blow in moisture from the sea, giving rise to large unspoiled forests. In this region, the legend of Vorter the Huntsman is a ubiquitous folktale, and the forests have attained the name 'Vorter's Woods' as a result. The region is also known for its many depressions, where the ground sinks into large underground cave systems. Some claim these are part of the Underdark, though drow are rarely seen this far south. Others claim that there are other, vast underground societies here, hidden from view. The southern end of the continent, below the Cerreck Mountains, the climate is colder, and vast evergreen forests spread across the countryside. There's few permanent settlements beyond the eponymous city of Cerreck, home to the University of Southern Fennerland. The mountains themselves are home to large metal deposits, including the largest silver mines in the world, owned by entrepreneur Eurig Uran and his Agrenberg Mining Consortium. The east of Fennerland is increasingly warm, until the northeastern coast of Eastwall gives way to tropical beaches and forests, rich in fruit and popular with vacationers from around the world. The Bay of Kairsmouth cuts the eastern half of the continent in two, and at its furthest extent, the eponymous city and capital of the Republic can be found. The northeastern Tolkayle Peninsula is lush, rural, and quiet. Home to Mount Valthair and Lake Wolfpine, as well as many quaint fishing villages around the vast, easygoing coasts, the region is known for its relative lack of large, threatening monsters or organized criminal elements, making it a safe place to live.Politics and society
The Republic of Fennerland is governed by two bodies of government working in tandem. First is the Foremaster's Office, an appointed position currently held by its originator, Gareth Jain-Albivi. The Foremaster oversees his advisors and the departments under them, which handle affairs such as diplomacy, military, infrastructure, and the treasury. The second body is the People's Parliament, a board of local leaders who come together three months out of the year to argue laws and keep the Foremaster's Office in check. The elected leader of the People's Parliament is the High Journeyman, a position currently held by Waversham mayor Colton C. Chambers. Fennerland is an egregiously diplomatic nation, engaging with all nations and groups it can. Foremaster Jain-Albivi is a gifted speaker and smart dealmaker, and travels regularly to every corner of the world to build relations. Due to this, very few factions in the world consider Fennerland an enemy. The Fennerian economy is strong, and as a mercantile nation, its goods are sold everywhere. The Threecloak Company, a shipping conglomerate founded by Jain-Albivi's friend Hari-wen Threecloak, is headquartered in Waversham, and has spread itself all around the world, taking Fennerian goods with it. Fennerland is the ancestral homeland of the industrious humans, and as such, they are everywhere in the nation - as are their mixed and planetouched offspring, such as half-elves and tieflings. However, the center of the continent is also the original homeland of the changelings, who have since vanished into all societies in unknowable numbers. As the primary entrances to the Underdark are in Fennerland, such as the Denderre Darkpass, the drow have long had a foothold in Fennerian affairs, and the northwest of the continent is largely empty as a result. Finally, the seas around Fennerland are home to many societies of merfolk. Some of these freely interact with the peoples of the land, while others shun them or even conduct themselves in a hostile manner. Faith in Fennerland is as varied as the former lands that used to make it up. In general, people here tend to place less emphasis on religion than the peoples of Galessia and Asmarea, but of note are the three deities with cities dedicated to them: Milil, Talos, and Kelemvor. Chauntea, Waukeen, and Silvanus have significant followings too - the last of which is mainly due to the copious druid circles in the otherwise empty forested interior of the continent. The Five Scorned are often worshipped in secret, as while there is no inquisition to forbid their worship, the dark divines still incur suspicion and unease from others.United Democratic Republic of Fennerland
Ruler
Foremaster Gareth Jain-Albivi
Capital
Kairsmouth
Armed Forces
People's Army; People's Navy
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