Cascadia
"Always the rebel, always the struggle. Them high-falutin kings and lords and ladies, let them lean back in their thrones and such. Rest of us lot, well, we do what we need to do to survive, with or without them. Whether that means we muster our militias and fight people in our way, or whether that means we're tilling the soil like good little serfs, then so be it. But let none of them others tell us we ain't workin' for what we've got. And let none of them tell ya it's better as a slave to one of those empires. We won't be tools, not ever. And don't forget it."
-Kennedy Duval, rancher from Eunomia
Culture
The culture of Cascadia is one of fierce independence. Each kingdom throughout the land has its own unique culture and lifestyle, as dictated by that lands own means. However, all Cascadians are collected upon several core tenants.
- Elven supremacy will never occur again. Cascadians see themselves as an international paradigm for other non-elvish peoples to resist Elven Imperialism.
- Human primacy is absolute. The age before the Second Halcyon - known as the Mandate of Humanity - was a glorious time, and Cascadians are united in the concept of resurrecting the days of old and reinstituting human kingdoms throughout the lands.
- Work and toil. The expansive plains and rugged terrain of Cascadia makes the land difficult to travel throughout. Thus, people are expected a hard life, and fineries are luxuries that are only cherished by those who have earned them.
History
Cascadia is a confederation built on rebellion.
After the end of the War in Heaven, nations slowly began to gather strength and take root throughout the world. And as the great reinnaisance of the Second Halcyon began, empires grew. Few were as privileged or renowned as The Great Union, a collection of smaller elven nations that had subjugated their surroundings. With rich soil, thousands of miles of free terrain, and fantastic armies to aid in pacification of the natives, The Great Union quickly rose to prominence. Preying on their weaker denizens, the Elvish armies drafted anyone they saw fit - most notably humans - for their international ambitions of war.
But humans are not so easily shackled. An extreme resentment brewed among humans most notably. Humans in Cascadia bore the brunt of the worst of Elven culture: enslavement, forced service in the military, and constant toil and labor; humans also bore the brunt of casualties in wars, whether they be fighting on the borders with orcish hordes, or off on some distant continent for the ambitions of some debutant elf reclining on a throne. Although human resistance movements were popular, and occurred frequently, The Grand Union snuffed them out with great impunity.
It wasn't until 2200 7e when something truly changed. A notorious bandit kingdom in the central regions of Eunomia rose to power, and began to claim territory for themselves. Harsh as they were, oftentimes even more brutal than the elven Empires, the locals mounted a defensive militia, which was backed by the Elven powers. The victory in this small war went to the militias, and as a sign of respect to their loyalty, their leader, Benjamin Turner, was made into a praetor of the region. Turner was allowed to travel to western Eunomia, the old capital of The Grand Union, where he became involved in political affairs and military recruitment for The Grand Union. It was during this service when Turner was given access to affairs involved with revolutions and revolts throughout the entire Grand Union.
Turner saw that these revolts were constant, and all across the lands in Cascadia, but disconnected by nature of distance and prioritization of their immediate needs for revolt. Through this, Turner saw an opportunity for fundamental change. He asked permission to aid in quelling revolts throughout the empire, and was granted this privilege, along with being allowed to gather an army of majority humans for the task. While the Elves saw this as a fantastic effort of public relations, Turners goals were clear: he would meet the revolutionaries under the guise of an Elven stooge, talk the revolutionaries into a surrender, but with the ultimate goal of uniting these revolutionaries under a single banner that would resist Elven supremacy. As he parleyed with revolutionaries throughout the lands, he would secure safety for their leaders in order to minimize reprisals, and would report back to his superiors that had had successfully quashed dissent. This awarded him with further access and resources, which he immediately used to bolster the rank and file of the revolutionaries.
With all revolts seemingly handled with ease by Turner, The Grand Union turned their military might toward the south, where they wished to expand further by attacking the new nation of Urduun to the south. When The Grand Union began engagements in the War of the Isles in 2022, that Turner's plan was executed. The organized revolutionaries across the continent all simultaneously rebelled under a unified Cascadian banner in what is now known as the 9 Day War. Although resistance was swift, it was ultimately successful, as all of the major city-centers were deposed of their Elven rulers. Turner had all Elven nobles slain, along with many generals and admirals that remained in the country, and insisted upon offshore armies not to return. Although some offensives were launched to retake the continent, the human territories were united in their rebellion against Elven supremacy. In a backhanded alliance with the Urduuni elites, Urduun wiped out what little remained of The Grand Union with the promise that the newfound human territories would be ceded to Urduun. This was later rejected by Turner, who famously said, "You're the second knife-ears that wanted to control us. We control ourselves. If you want our bodies, take them with your own blades." The First Cascadian War was fought over the next hundred years, in a battle of attrition that eventually pushed back the fledgling empire of Urduun.
Cascadia was thus a free nation, and went about reinventing what a nation was meant to be. However, taming the rebellious nature of Cascadia was no easy feat. Although Cascadia had collected in revolution against the elves, individual kingdoms across the land then immediately began to eye their neighbors for conquest of resources and territory. The only things binding the nations together were Turner's leadership and the war effort against Urduun. But when Turner passed away in 2046, and when the war with Urduun ended, the kingdoms of Cascadia immediately devolved into civil war. Eventually, a longstanding truce and tradition formed among the various kingdoms: all would be independent, but would serve as a collective Confederation for the purpose of resisting Elvish attempts to destroy this land that they had built. This Confederated States of Cascadia has managed to survive up until the present day.
Territories
These nations are under the control of Cascadia, with the exception of their only land border with the city-state of Sanctum.
- Orithyia - The cold trundra of the north, the land here is extremely mountainous and remote, with plains, swamps, bogs, forests, and lakelands. The central governments are located near the southern Bay of Hope along the border with Adrasteia. Orithyia shares a border with the city-state of Sanctum, located in the north-central area of Orithyia, and which is not affiliated with Cascadia.
- Adrasteia - Located west along the Bay of Hope, sharing borders with Orithyia, Atlantia, and Eunomia, this was the former capital of The Grand Union and then Cascadia itself. After a civil war in the region, the capital of Cascadia was relocated south to Eunomia. The nation is prolific in its artisanship, but is struggling with relevancy due to the loss of its status as a capital center.
- Atlantia - A rural region located to the east, bordering Orithyia, Adrasteia, and Eunomia. This is one of the most low populated regions of Cascadia, and most of its economy revolves around international trade and fishing. The interior of the nation is broadly unpopulated, and is a frequent hideout for Orcish hordes.
- Eunomia - The largest of all regions in Cascadia, the country was formed over violent civil wars that have slowly annexed smaller duchies and kingdoms in the center of the continent. The capital is based in the west, and is the current seat of the Confederation of Cascadia, but also features a second capital in the eastern seaboard. Each capital operates a designated portion of their country, ensuring unified maintenance of the various baronies and duchies to stamp out potential rebellion. This is also the riches of all the Cascadian nations.
- Amalthea - The breadbasket of Cascadia, this land is graced with remarkably fertile soil and ideal climates. It produces extreme amounts of the nations food, which is usually shipped out off the east coach. The interior of Amalthea is a dizzying maze of mountains, valleys, and rivers, and is still largely seen as an untamed wilderness.
- Asteria - The land of this region is a scorched desert and tempered badlands, except along rivers and the coast. However, it is renowned for its magicians and mage's college, which is a successful international investment that draws many travelers.
- Irenica - Lowlands of the south. This region is marked by a beautiful subtropical climate that is ideal for farming. However, the land is also nearest to all other foreign powers, and has been the victim of multiple invasions over its history. Thus, its economy revolves largely around national military and naval infrastructure, as well as agriculture.
Pro Humanitate
Type
Political, Confederation
Alternative Names
The Confederated Kingdoms of Cascadia
Demonym
Cascadians
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Confederation
Economic System
Traditional
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