The Viden League

Structure

The League is ruled by the Lord-Chancellor of the capital, Keppel-Brahem, whose position wields absolute executive power. Each city in the league also has its own Chancellor, who maintains executive power for the city itself and acts as the head of state for political and diplomatic purposes.

The role of Principal is concerned with the day-to-day administration of their city. Each city has a single principal, with at least a handful of junior assistants.

The Rector of each city deals with both academic and military matters, guiding the growth of each in turn. Typically, a Rector will maintain a circle of advisors in each of their jurisdictions, but this is not explicitly required.

These roles are chosen by a ballot of peers. Members of each position's offices will select an exemplary individual to act as their head, and that individual may then accept or reject the position. Principals are selected by members of the Principal's administrative offices, and Rectors are selected by the upper echelons of the military and academies. Both groups vote on the position of Chancellor.

Public Agenda

The League aims to unravel and explain all the mysteries of the world, and expand their knowledge of the mundane and arcane to encompass every conceiveable fact and equation. Any and all who wish to aid them through their journey are welcome, no matter their methods, but the League are keen to remind scholars that their research should be for the betterment of all.

History

Long ago, there were two brothers named Keppe and Brahl. These two brothers were fierce rivals in all respects, but most of all disagreed on their philosophies of the stars. They founded houses on either side of a dry river valley, and bid their retinue settle with them. Over the years, the settlements grew and their philosophies shifted to the scientific and arcane study of the heavens, but their disagreements remained and festered. As the settlements grew larger, the disagreements turned into public arguments, then fights, and before long the two cities were at war.

The enclaves of each city had been reinforced and fortified many times as the war continued, and neither side could get the advantage over the other's fortress. The cities were at a stalemate, until a strange trader came from the west to sell his wares. On finding the warring cities, he sat and debated with each of the leaders, showing both the errors in their dogmas. Before the day was out, the leaders of the two cities met in the battlefield of the dry riverbed to reconcile their differences. A grand bridge was constructed across the gorge to commemorate and cement the alliance, and the two cities became one.

The trader was revered as a hero, but inspired by the debate, he continued his journey through southwest Eira, bringing more independent cities into contact with Keppel-Brahem. Over time, more and more settlements unified under one banner, naming themselves after the mysterious trader to become the Viden League.

Demography and Population

Populations vary depending on each city in the League, but for the most part Humans form the majority, with Dwarves not far behind. Elves are less frequently found, and whilst Dragonborn are rare outside of the League's territory, their overall scarcity result in their community being the smallest of the major races of the League.

Territories

The Viden League controls territory around the southwestern tip of Eira, stretching to the edge of Enkur's southern jungles in the East, and through the Enkur desert to the North.

Military

Each major town or city in the league retains a corps of Halberdiers, the regular army of the League, lead by the Rector. Smaller villages may have a few militia or watchmen, but rely on the haberdiers to defend them from any significant threat.
It is rare now that the League is called to war, but historically it has been known to hire legions of mercenaries, utilising the riches gained through trade of knowledge and arcane gadgets.

Technological Level

lots

Religion

The League has no official religion, but the Sun Cult has made a notable foothold in Huygepel, and there are a few worshippers of Enkur in the East around Boorhav. There is no official ruling on religion, but most leaguers hold reverence for the pursuit of knowledge over religious devotion. However, some see the founders of their cities as saint-like figures, and treat them with an according amount of reverence.

Foreign Relations

The League and the Sun Cult maintain close diplomatic relations, as the trade of Tame-Suns has allowed the Cult to blossom in its devotion and the League to rake in the profits. A healthy exchange of scholars and clergy allows for familiarity between the two disparate cultures.

Relationships between the League and the Kingdom of Enkur are amiable, with trade flowing freely between the two nations, but members of the League are wary of the banditry that follows the Kingdom's fragile and expansionist borders.

The Republic of Namu frequently sends delegations of scholars and performers to tour the League's cities, but there is little reciprocation from the League. Nonetheless, trade between the two nations occurs.

There is no formal trade or relationships with the cultures of the Northern or Southern Islands, or with the contintent of Ysse.

Trade & Transport

Goods and travellers move between the major cities of the league via the Circle of Wisdom, the wide and well-established circular road that stretches from Huygepel in the West to Boorhav in the East. Roads continue to the East from Boorhav and the North from Keppel-Brahem into the lands of the Kingdom of Enkur.
Further afield, ships from the port of Huygepel travel to the Sun Cult and the Republic of Namu .

Education

Every individual in the League is entitled to a position in a state school, where a basic degree of literacy and numeracy can be instilled, along with a healthy respect for (if not an actual education in) the sciences. The non-academic populace is usually then sent to an apprenticeship where they will learn their trade alongside a skilled craftsman, or return home to work the land. The academic class, however, remain in education for the remainder of their childhood up until they are young adults, either as a member of one of the academic enclaves or under the tutelage of an independent scholar.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Keppel-Brahem

Alternative Names

The League

Head of State

Lord-Chancellor Conalbrandt

Power Structure

Confederation

Location

Eira

Controlled Territories

• Agrichav
• Boorhav
• Gerichem
• Huygepel
• Keppel-Brahem
• Vesalihem

Neighboring Nations

• Kingdom of Enkur