Sovranty of the Wendrough

The Sovranty of the Wendrough, commonly referred to as simply the Sovranty, is a nation in central Galessia. Hugging the northern bank of the River Wendrough until it meets the River Myre, and then similarly hugging that river's northern bank until it flows into the Gray Lake, the Sovranty is bordered to the north by the domain of the Kingcity of Herdskeep, and to the northeast by the Estorian realm. A founding member of the Alliance of Overmyre, the Sovranty is a friendly nation to many, home to knightly orders, guilds, and lords who promote heroism and prosperity. Its current ruler is His Highness the Noble Lord Sovran Baliman Jyphnerius the Magnanimous.

History

In the wake of the dissolution of the Ancient Dwarven Empire after the Darksky War, a knightly order called the Jadehammers found itself trapped between two sides: the retreated dwarves in Balkholme, and the newly-arrived humans establishing the city of Herdskeep to the north. These factions both claimed the land up to their side of the River Wendrough, yet the Jadehammers were unwilling to swear their fealty to either side. The dwarves, of course, they had fought against for their freedom. The humans of Herdskeep, the Jadehammers saw as valorless barbarians cultivating a culture of strife merely for the love of combat. The Jadehammers sought to escape these factions, without leaving their home - the Viridian Bastion on the northern bank of the Wendrough. To solve this, the Lord Sovran of the Jadehammers came up with an ingenious idea: to claim the river itself. Thus was the city of Kipson constructed on top of the waters of the River Wendrough, and the Sovranty of the Wendrough established. The Sovranty presented itself as the home of heroes in Galessia, and openly welcomed adventurers and glory-seekers. With their aid, the Lord Sovran secured the land around the Viridian Bastion, eventually claiming all of their modern territory. With every great victory, the greatest hero of that victory was awarded a lordship or knighthood, and granted the lands they just conquered to oversee and police on behalf of the Sovran. Many castles were built over the decades, but this complex web of lordships eventually led to a new reputation for the Sovranty: being a region infamous for its many petty battles between local squabbling lords. Minor disagreements, insults, or questions of honor or valor often led to splintered groups of knights fighting one another, and the common folk of the Sovranty were forced to suffer through battle after battle tearing through their lands. To distance itself from politics and the Sovranty's worsening reputation, the leadership of the Jadehammers eventually relinquished their hold on the Sovranty, and the reigning Lord Sovran renounced his membership of the order, leading to a formal severing of ties. It then fell onto the Lord Sovran to reestablish order - which he never did. Instead, he promoted the valor to be found in honorable combat even further, and encouraged all the lords and knights in his lands to conduct themselves according to the laws of chivalry and continue their battles if they saw it just. Secretly, the Lord Sovran enjoyed the tales of spectacle and honor these battles brought, and never even considered to bring them to a stop. While eventually, most feuds were settled and alliances were struck between the local lords and knights, spats between the castles still occur with some regularity. The Lords Sovran over the centuries interacted little with the outside world, growing more distanced and eccentric with every generation. The Viridian Bastion became known as the home of a mad ruler, one whose whims were unpredictable, egos were unquestionable, and who adored nothing more than entertainment. Due to this, the reputation of the Sovranty waned, and it was soon regarded as just one of the many nations in central Galessia, a far cry from its glory days as the hub for all adventurers. The southernmost lords within the Sovranty were the first to receive word of fighting below the rivers, and banded together to inform the Lord Sovran that war may be coming. The Lord Sovran, immensely excited by the prospect of a grand-scale war, initially encouraged his lords and knights to prepare for the greatest combat of their lives, but was eventually convinced that such a war would end up being 'boring', as the forces of the Sovranty would not be enough. As such, the Lord Sovran sent missives to all nations, states, cities, and communities above the rivers with glee in his heart, beseeching them to join his forces for the grandest war since the Darksky War. This led directly to the founding of the Alliance of Overmyre, its participation in the Zenith War, and direct conflict with the Samans of Starn. The Lord Sovran was thoroughly amused by the war, and was pleased by the prospect of commanding the armies of the other nations in the Alliance. For his initiative in starting the Alliance, the Lord Sovran was to be the first ruler in the rotation, and for a few years, Kipson was the seat of government for the entire Alliance of Overmyre. However, the Lord Sovran quickly grew bored of this, and was glad when the rotation continued and he was rid of this undue responsibility. Ever since, the Sovranty has returned to its old ways, albeit now with new allies.

Geography

The lands of the Sovranty are lush, arable, and crossed by a multitude of smaller rivers and streams pouring in from the Yichtal Highlands around Herdskeep. This leads to plentiful croplands with rich yields. Unlike most of Overmyre, the Sovranty lacks harsh winters, leading to pleasant temperatures year-round. Due to the many sources of freshwater in the region, flooding occurs relatively often, leading to most castles and settlements being built on hilltops, with only necessary buildings such as mills and waterwheels set on the lowland by the water. Strong monsters are rare in the Sovranty, as it lacks the dense forests and deep caves in which they typically reside. However, in the east of the region near the Gray Lake, roving bands of goblins are a common plague on settlements. Aquatic beasts and monsters are more common, however, and pose a frequent threat to the floating city of Kipson.

Politics and society

The Sovranty of the Wendrough is ruled by the Lord Sovran, currently His Highness the Noble Lord Sovran Baliman Jyphnerius the Magnanimous. Formal rules of inheritance of the title have never been established: sometimes, the Lord Sovran appoints a successor in the later years of his life, or includes it in his will. If no successor is known, the title is usually claimed by a relative of the late Lord Sovran, or a high-placed functionary. If there are multiple claimants, they must do battle for the crown. Personal attacks and affronts to the Lord Sovran's person are punished heavily; no one is allowed to insult him in any way. The Lord Sovran technically rules with impunity, but due to the frequent madness of his proclamations and the lack of engagement with him outside of the Viridian Bastion, many ignore his will and defer to their local lord or knight. The central government barely functions, and there is little in the way of public infrastructure in the Sovranty. The Sovranty retains friendly contact with the Dwarven Kingdom of Starn despite their recent conflict, the only member of the Alliance of Overmyre to do so. The dwarves and halflings of Cindra's Hold are currently constructing a bridge across the Wendrough just south of Kipson, finally connecting the lands north and south. Within the Alliance, there remains a rivalry between the Sovranty and the Kingcity of Herdskeep, a holdover from their past. Estoria and the Free City of Crosswell are both friendly with the Lord Sovran. Once founded by half-dragons in defiance of humans, the modern demographics of the Sovranty shows roughly equal proportions of half-dragons and humans within its lands. Due to its past attractiveness to adventurers of all stripes, most races can be found here in some regard. Civilized goblins can also be found here, distancing themselves from their feral relatives by the lake. The Sovranty also contains a curious enclave of water genasi; it remains a mystery how the normally Asmarean genasi found themselves here. Religion within the Sovranty is of a scattered nature. Various small groups worship various divines, either due to their community's ancient disposition towards them, or their lordship serving or venerating a certain deity. The Abbey of the Righteous, dedicated to Amano, stands in the north of the Sovranty, and serves as a hub for his followers and the Syndicate of Lawmakers, his knightly order. The Jadehammers also retain a detachment in Kipson, and with them, the church of their god Lathander maintains a presence there, too.