The Grand Duchy of Kadmos
A land of adventure
The end of this rebellion is the start of something new, something undreamed of in your time. This land is unified under one rule. No longer will your men be slaughtered in endless territorial skirmishes. No longer will your children go hungry because of the blood in the fields and raided cattle. No longer will women live in fear of the marauders and rampaging baronial armies. I have come, on behalf of the Theosian Emperor himself, to bring stability to this land. Together, we, as a unified Duchy will tame the wild lands, push back the forces of Chaos, and show to all that the glory of Ashtyr and her creations can not be stopped. I have sheathed the sword and now open my hand in friendship.
- Duke Julian Kadmos I , after the battle of Mystemere
Structure
The Duke is the head of state. A council of barons meets annually with the Duke to discuss matters of state. Succession within the Duchy hereditary, to the oldest child (male or female).
Public Agenda
To maintain prosperity and order within the Duchy. To tame the wild lands and increase trade with the neighboring countries, especially the Empire of Theos . To ensure the The Brass Horde remains north of the Shardcliff Mountains.
History
Settled and populated by the Dorian people, this region of Reluria was split among noble families that were in a constant state of rivalry and combat. Their neighbors the the south, the Theosian Empire felt that as long as the barons fought each other, they would not be a problem. But unified they may pose a political threat to the empire. To stop this, the Theosian emperor sent a small army to capture the major port city of Marnev, and establishing a presence there. They renamed the city Mystemere and declared the Doric lands as part of the Empire. They pretty much left it at that. The Doric people just paid lip service to this, as well as some taxes and were left to fighting each other.
Thirty years ago, a young nobleman, Julian Kadmos made a deal with the Emperor Zeno Omenos to give him the Doric lands in exchange for the ancestral lands of House Kadmos. The Emperor was delighted, feeling that the backwards Doric people would prove too much for Kadmos to control. The Empire recognized Kadmos claim on the lands and declared it the Grand Duchy of Kadmos.
Julian Kadmos arrived in Mystemere and made an official declaration of his rulership as Duke Kadmos I. Soon enough an insurrection lead by some of the powerful Doric families erupted against the Duke. But he was a skilled warrior and had well trained and organized forces at his disposal. He put down the insurrection, executed the main instigators, but forgave many of the others.
After the insurrection, Kadmos established his hold on Mystemere and the surrounding lands. Then he invited other barons from Theosian lands to join him in the "taming" of the Duchy. This lead to a mixed reaction among the Doric peoples. Some of the new Theosian nobles were good rules, with fair and just laws. But a select few ere tyrants waiting for their chance to rule with an iron hand.
The Doric noble families were pushed to the sidelines, their power diminished. Some allied themselves with the new Duke and his barons. Others began to seek help in undermining the Duke and finding a way back into power.
The Duke turned out to be a just ruler. His focus on security and trade have made him popular among merchants and commoners. He even established the Order of the Griffin , to act as his representatives in times of danger and need. He's built better roads, increased trade and relations with the halflings of the Five Shires and even started overseas trade with the Confederation of Ithan .
Demography and Population
The majority of the people in the Duchy are Doric in origin. They are the common folk, merchants and minor nobility in the region. Their language is mostly commonly heard in villages and towns.
Most of the current barons and the Duke himself are from the Theosian Empire. In the bigger cities and towns, Theosian knights, merchants, and scholars are often encountered. They speak the modern form of the Tyrian language, and it is considered the language of court.
The Arcanum is primarily organized and run by Theosians.
Elves in the Duchy are mostly from Caeden Farne near Green Mountain region. There is also a small Dwarf settlement in the Shardcliff Peaks called Uvolterum. Halflings in the Duchy are usually travelers from the neighboring Five Shires and can be found in small towns and cities within the Duchy. First Folk are seen at times in the Duchy, bu there are no known enclaves (but much of the Duchy remains unexplored).
Foreign Relations
The Duchy has friendly relationships with its nearest neighbors, the Five Shires and the Theosian Empire. Trade has increased under the Duke and his barons. Word is that the Duke even made a deal to keep the infamous halfling pirates from pillaging their trading vessels too often.
The Duke has not established any relationship with the The Brass Horde. But the hostile intent of that group toward any of Ashtyr's children is well known. At this time the Duke has sent some of the Order of the Griffon to help the Dwarven kingdoms in the north deal with the Horde. He has sent a few envoys to the barbarian tribes in that region as well, but that has not been met with any tangible results (some envoys were treated to a banquet and told to leave, others were beaten or killed).
Type
Geopolitical, Duchy
Capital
Training Level
Professional
Veterancy Level
Veteran
Demonym
Kadmosians
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Semi-autonomous area
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Based off the silver coin called Knights.
- Gold Dukes
- Silver Knights
- Copper Shields
- Platinum Emperors
- Gold Counts
- Silver Barons
- Electrum Reeves
- Copper Bailiffs
- Gold Crowns
- Silver Scepters
- Copper Discs
Subsidiary Organizations
Deities
Neighboring Nations
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