Kingdom of Uskala
The most noteworthy thing about Uskala is it's ruler, King Drosst. Drosst has been king for well over a thousand years. Drosst noticeably never makes a public appearance during the day.
Drosst also has a reputation for cruelty ruling with an iron fist. To use a modern metaphor, he often runs his realm like a mafia don. Drosst doesn't care what his underbosses do as long as they don't interfere with his plans and pay the top man his cut.
Culture
Centuries of rule under a seemingly immortal ironfisted monarch has bled into the culture.
Byzantine politics are the norm and there is an air of treachery in the land where everyone, peasant and prince alike, seems to be out to get one over on everyone else.
History
King Drosst took over the city state of Uskala in 425 and over the centuries began annexing the territory around Uskala bit by bit. Over the next 1000+ years though Uskala has not made any new land acquisitions in well over 100 years.
Military
Uskala has a diverse military with many varied units. Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, pike formations, longbowmen, crossbowmen, and heavy cavalry among many specialist troubleshooters.
Religion
Uskala's state deity is Phidas and the Masks are pretty well integrated into society's upper echelons.
The Masks regularly provide King Drosst and his vassals magical and ecclesiastical support. In return for this aid, the Masks get fairly strong monetary support and a lot of leeway and autonomy to enforce their ecclasiastical law.
Also, the Masks and government work together to tamp down on the other eight priesthoods, especially the Lanterns, who are pretty much all underground in Uskala.
The Stewards are the distant second most influential priesthood. Uskala's lords do not exactly bend the knee to the Stewards but the Stewards are largely left alone.
The Keepers have a small amount of influence and voice as long as they don't take a stand against oppression.
Open Greymoria worship is legal year round which is something the Children do not see in every nation, but they don't have any influence or reach. At best they can expect some under the table mercenary tranactions with the powers that be.
The Tenders are tolerated as long as they don't make waves. The Guardians are a paper tiger at best.
The Rovers are tolerated and acknowledged at traveler junctions and on Nami's holy days, but are not given much leeway. Most, but not all Rovers work underground.
Foreign Relations
Uskala has been annexing their neighbors for most of their history, but they haven't annexed anything in approximately two hundred years. The longest period in Uskalan history without expansion.
Understandably, Uskala's neighbors are somewhat nervous.
Uskala has trade routes with their neighbors but they are not especially busy trade routes because Uskala is fairly self sufficient.
Agriculture & Industry
Uskala has a lot of land and much of it is arable land from the fairly cool north to the subtropical southern lands allowing Uskala to grow a wide variety of cereal crops, root crops, fruits and vegetable.
Uskala has a modest amount of good grazing land and lots of forests to draw timber from.
Uskala has a lot of hills good for certain crops and a few productive mines.
Founding Date
425 on paper though 872 would be more technically accurate
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Training Level
Trained
Veterancy Level
Trained
Demonym
Uskalan
Leader
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Traditional
Currency
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Official Languages
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Comments