Thorolund
The western coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars is the home to an ancient and massive nation, the home to millions of people and the central hub of Elluvitarian faith. Thorolund has been squarely the power house of the region, strengthened ever more by their support Impilturian in both nation's prime. The lack of oversight coupling with a warm and wet climate from the vast river basin and the hot winds from the sea caused Thorolund to explode in influence. Now it extends thousands of miles in every direction, with millions of people under the Crowned King and revering a singular sun god.
However, in recent years, unwarranted misfortune has befallen the mighty nation, with the proud elves of Elyn'aran invading the south and ripping as much of the fertile earth they can away from the rightful rulers. Simultaneously, seeing an opportunity to perform an aggressive land grab as well, Berenike invaded from the north, and continues to carve deep into Thorolundi homeland, putting the nation into a wide two-front war that they have thus far been unprepared for. Perhaps they will be able to right their course and push back the invaders, and return peace to the region.
Structure
The political structure of Thorolund is divided into two sects: state and church. While the Crowned King is the sovereign over all, even above the highest rank of the church, in practice he acts equal to the Radiant Lord Bishop. The structure is as follows, nobles to the left, religious ranks (where applicable) to the right:
Crowned King/Radiant Lord Bishop
-/High Bishop
Duke/-
Sovereign Prince/-
Knight-Lord/Knight-Lord (Usually a high ranking Paladin)
Count/Bishop
Viscount/Bishop
Baron/Head Cleric
Knight/Cleric & Paladin
Free Man
Serf
History
When the Impilturian Empire came across the wide land, they found people had already settled their and built their own cities along the great rivers. The Thrastians was the name of those who lived under the mountains that would later be named in their honor. A rigidly honor-bound people, when Impiltur invaded Sildeyuir the Thrastians began to cut ties with the imperials from across the sea, assisting the elvish kingdoms. As the elvish lands were rugged and difficult to invade, Thrastia took the brunt of the war effort, with cities and farms put to the torch to cripple the defenders. From these cinders rose a house of betrayers, led Lord Thoros of Tethir, also known as the Thorn Lord. He bargained with the Impilturians and with his final act of betrayal extinguished Thrastian rule. As such, Thorolund was founded, retaining the same capital even after it was burned in the final battle.
In the times of Thrastia, the majority of the land used to be covered in the Umber Swamp, stretching from the coast to the mountains. This vast bog was ruled over by a black dragon of incredible size, power and age, a truly mighty great wyrm named Arngalor who lorded over his realm and beyond with wicked malice. This beast fathered countless black dragons, hundreds if not thousands of the evil creatures spread out across the countryside, tormenting all creatures beneath their talons. At some point a couple years after the Convergence, the men of Thrastia rose up against the dragons and descended into the swamp in great hunts. They pushed into the very epicenter of the swamp lands, reaching the horrible lair of the great wyrm Arngalor, and a hundred and one men descended, with only one returning, the great hero Naterius who dragged the head of the dragon behind him, a head larger than four men. With the death of the dragon, the swamp receeded into its modern size, a fraction of its former vastness. The head stayed the hall of Naterius, but in the flighty foolishness of his daughters, the skull was then passed among countless hands and halls. However, when it fell into the court of a Thorolund king, he built a mighty keep upon the ground of Arngalor's lair, named Black Skull Keep after the terrifying skull mounted on the gate where it sits to this day. The tradition of black dragon hunting has not faded, and frequent hunts delve into the remains of the Umber Swamp, driving the dragons into practical extinction.
Impiltur and Thorolund prospered together, as loyal vassals to the Empire, reaching new heights of wealth and success. This peace lasted only a few centuries however, when a religious conflict arose in the mid to late 7th century, led by Divine Elliana who came bearing the monotheistic religion and established the Church of Elluvitar. This came into conflict with the populous pantheon that had held sway over the region since time immemorial, and the tension escalated to violence frequently. Peace did not break out when the royal family converted to the Church, and made it the realm's sole legal religion. As centuries have passed however, acceptance slowly took hold of the population, and the bloodshed slowed to but a trickle, with only the smallest sacrilegious cults still remaining, hidden from the main sight.
In recent decades however, Thorolund has once more come under invasion, with Berenike looking to expand into richer pastures into Thorolund, only stopped at the slopes of the Thrastian Mountains. Skirmishes and campaigns have been waged again and again, but the borders have stayed relatively stable, with the Rose River basin suffering the consequence. In the south, an invasion by the elves across the South Passage carved an enclave into the southern fields. Elyn’aran was suffering from the newly born nation of Veliuona, born of a racial civil war that the former country was losing. In need of arable land, Elyn’aran launched a backwards invasion of Thorolund to seize usable farmland, a surprisingly successful invasion that has kept the old elvish realm alive. Thorolund has no intention of leaving them peacefully there however.
Demography and Population
The kingdom of Thorlund has a total population of 28 million people. The largest city, Solisdanum, has a population of 68 thousand people, the second largest 27 thousand. There are 6 other cities of note in the kingdom, and 36 towns. The remaining population lives in countless small villages, isolated dwellings, etc.
Humans are squarely the dominant population of Thorolund by an obscene margin, dwarfing every other population to the point seeing a dwarf or an elf is as exceptional as a catfolk or goblin. This was made the case by several racial wars and purges that have risen and fallen over the centuries, giving the humans of Thorolund an innate pride and superiority even against to most humans of other nations.
Due to the lush arable plains that comprise Thorolund's river basin, the humble shortfolk are in an uncharacteristic majority in several parts of Thorolund, enjoying their simple life of farming and peaceful relaxation. This was a hard won peaceful land for them against the domineering humans, stopped by the efforts of an exceptionally clever halfling named Jephroh, titled Lord of the Passage Hills. Many folk consider the halfling lands to be an independent country set right inside Thorolund's borders, and due to the halfling's rejection attitude to many of Thorolund's laws and cultural influences, they may be correct.
In the westerlands, the grip of Thorolund loosens before its borders reach the Enclave of City States, with most minorities finding their way to these lands. Minorities can be defined as just about any race or people.
Territories
Thorolund at its largest occupied land from the Sea of Fallen Stars as its eastern coast, reaching far along the South Passage into its southern border. To the north, Berenike borders Thorolund, with the Rose Thorn Delta acting as the parallel the two borders were drawn at. In the west, Thorolund reaches all the way to the Inland States.
While much of this land is not ancestral to either the Thrastians or the Thorolundi, it was numerous campaigns over the centuries that expanded the borders to the point it holds at present, assimilating various tribes and countries, swallowing them up into one giant nation that covers thousands of miles each direction.
However, Thorolund proper is mostly east of the Claw and Arm Mountains, in the river basin, with geographical and political difficulties putting the grasp on western lands at a more administrative level than any proper dominion. The notable exception being the halfman lands south of the Passage River.
Military
Military strategy is dominated by cavalry in Thorolund, making heavy use of the famous Winged Hussar that are well-renowned for their overwhelming victories over great odds and adversaries. Beyond the pride of the Thorolund cavalry, little makes Thorolund stand out other than their ability to marshal large and well-stocked armies. Sheer numbers and strength of divisions coupling with overwhelming cavalry capability allows Thorolund to engage in its wars with great success, holding onto its gigantic space.
Religion
Religion is a key part of Thorolundi culture, one of the rare monotheistic nations in the world. The ruling faith of the country is the Church of Elluvitar, which claims its creation and founding within the borders of Thorolund. Elluvitar's faith gives easily to worship across the board thanks to his claim to four different sects within a singular faith, guaranteeing a place for nearly anyone and easing assimilation. The common folk, who barely concern their lives with complex politics or enriching religion still find comfort in a god of sun, peace and harvest, covering most bases a simple folk could ask for.
Other faiths are almost exclusively banned by the laws of the land, but beyond the most aggressive fanatics, the purging of other religions isn't performed by the average guard. However, this doesn't guarantee safety should you worship someone other than Elluvitar.
The grasp of the faith on the royalty is so entwined that the king and the highest ranking bishop are on equal ground, making the government a two fold feudal system. Make no mistake that it hasn't always been an easy relationship, but in modern day, it seems the two are agreeable, but how often and how long can peace be promised?
Foreign Relations
Thorolund has few neighbors, despite its massive size. It only borders a handful of equally large and powerful nations; Berenike and Elyn'aran. As an inescapable fact of life, where there is power, there will be conflict, and the nations flip flop regularly between delightful peaceful relations to bloodthirsty wars and land grabs. War is a standard state of affairs for all three parties, and is rarely scorned after the fact, as they will just be back at it within the next decade or two.
Thorolund never killed its relationship with Impiltur in the north even after the Empire receded its hold to its home peninsula. Being ancient allies, the two countries have nary the need for diplomats to one another, except for routine banquets and trade partnerships.
In the western most reaches of Thorolund, where the reach of the Crown is thinnest, a collection of cities decided to split off from the main body and formed a Confederation of Cities. However, as it so often happens among revolutionaries, the cities split into their own city states, forming a messy hodgepodge of squabbling realms. Thorolund keeps its distance from the public eye here, but has reinstated itself as the puppeteer of each of the city states despite the defiant calls of their leaders. Despite its puppet master status, Thorolund doesn't care enough to drag the city states back into the fold, letting the lot remain in blissful ignorance.
Agriculture & Industry
The kingdom of Thorlund covers an area of roughly 350 thousand square miles. Of this, 51% (179 thousand sq. miles) is arable land, and 48% (170 thousand sq. miles) is wilderness.
Thorolund is a primarily agricultural nation, with vast plains of grass lands that are used for farming corn, wheat, barley, and various other efficient crops. Due to the plains, cattle and horse ranches are also popular. Thorolundi horses (Malopolska Horse breed) are a matter of pride for the nation, lean, excellent endurance and carrying strength. The Thorolundi cavalry is heavily used thanks to the usefulness of the Malopolska, forming the famous Hussar brigades.
Trade & Transport
The most populous locations in Thorolund are along water, be it by the coast or the rivers. The sea is a more treacherous location, where warm air from the east meets cold air from the south, making large and aggressive thunderstorms. As such, hugging the coastline is par the course for most settlements. However hostile the sea may be, the two large rivers, the Black and Passage, are wide and tame bodies of water that invite extensive barge travel. This has led to inland cities to be the most populous.
Roads crisscross the countryside, with endless villages dotting the route between the various cities, hugging the rivers as much as any. However, due to the difficulty of reaching the western slopes of the Thrastian Mountains, this has made the western lands semi-autonomous, with an unofficial power center based on the inland Sareema Sea.
Infrastructure
The kingdom of Thorlund has 560 active castles and 177 ruined. Of these, 476 castles and 124 ruined are in civilized lands, and 84 castles and 53 ruined are in the wilderness, along borders, etc.
Coronatus et Solis Ensum
Maps
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Thorolund Map
Founding Date
220 AC
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
Thrastia, Western Impilturian Empire, The Sun Lands
Demonym
Thorolundi
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
10 Copper Shields = 1 Silver Star
10 Silver Stars = 1 Gold Crown
10 Gold Crowns = 1 Platinum Dragon
Official State Religion
Deities
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Comments