Falwa
Almost every place I have been was beautiful in its own way. Vralgard with its solitary and contemplative ice flats. Drunbaraz with it's caves of iridescent crystals. The homeland of my wife, Shaola, with its mists hiding the stunning cherry blossoms. But no place, and I mean no place, was literally covered in its own beauty like Falwa.
-Atezka Tlalli, An excerpt from his novel "A Compendium of the Nations of the World Stage"
Structure
Queen Filianor Contrino
The Barony and the Circle of the Golden Sun
Culture
Most modern nations view nature as an adversary, something to be conquered and defeated. Who can blame them in such a dangerous world? Falwa, however, is much more in tune with the flora and fauna of it's home. Instead of prying resources from its wild grasp, the Falwain coax and sing it out, so that it is given willingly.
Assets
- 615 million acres of assorted Wisteria blossoms, with Amethyst Tongue Wisteria being the most popular
- 65 thousand appiaries (liscensed)
- 47 thousand meaderies (liscensed)
- 1.3 million bakeries and pastry factories
- 2.2 million Honeycoats
- 400,000 Swarm Keepers
- 320 Arcane Constructs (Druidic)
- 232 Naval combat ships
- 1204 Airial combat ships
History
Falwa wasn't always the agricultural utopia that it is today. There were no villas decorating its rolling hills, that are in turn decorated by the Wisteria and other blooms that are the livelihood of almost every citizen of the modern country. In fact, archeological evidence indicates that the continent was a barren waste after the Dragon's Blood War. Burned to charcoal that wasn't worth the effort it took to scrape out a living upon it. So the people prayed. They offered parts of the dragons that had been slain on their soil. Scales and bones offered to any god or goddess that would answer. And finally, an answer came. Two in fact; Feloris, Mother of Petals and her wife Tholhania, the Sun Weaver. The two goddesses took the offerings and together sang life back into the ground. The land that had been nothing but hardscrabble now bloomed with flowers that the world had never seen. Tholhania took shafts of sunlight and spun them into strings that would guide the sun where it was needed. To this end, she established the Circle of the Golden Sun, a druidic order that would watch over her strings. Feloris, crafted the diminutive Petal species. Small, pixie-like, creatures that would defend and cultivate the newfound life of Falwa.
The people were overjoyed and quickly got to work. Apiaries popped up quickly, and bees quickly took up residence. While the people tilled and planted and harvested, they grew their families and trades, but they never forgot their goddesses. Making sure that they always paid their dues, the divine family grew with them. Many daughters have been born since the appearance of Tholhania and Feloris
The first true test of the nascent nation came in the form of a rogue druid, who is known as the Rotting Sheperd. There are many druidic circles throughout the world and devoted to Tholhania and Feloris specifically, each with its own set of beliefs. From Circles that believe that all life should be cherished and saved at any cost, to Circles that believe death is inevitable and that it is wasted effort to preserve life.
The Rotting Sheperd was one of the later, taken to the extreme. He argued that life was in and unto itself suffering and reportedly thought to end it. For everyone. In 937, Age of the Divine, the Rotting Sheperd launched his assault against Falwa. His golems of rot withered everything they touched and the life cultivated by the two goddesses started to fail, dying like an animal with blood poisoning. The people of Falwa wouldn't let their new home go without a fight, however, and they quickly rallied to their goddesses. The Druid Circles solidified their practices as well, and became integral to the Falwain effort in the War of the Roses. It took 5 years to contain the Rotting Shepard, and another 3 to drive his druid enclave back to it's home.
While the war was considered over, the danger hadn't passed. The Shepard and his ilk weren't gone, their enclave still holding out against the Falwain army and it's druids. Occasionally slipping between the guards and wards to spread their rot once again. A few minor wars have started since then, but each time the cost has been too great to truly eradicate the druids of rot. And so they sit. Staring at each other across wards, which have advanced to checkpoints, then to trenches and artillery emplacements. The situation within the rot druids enclaves is unknown, as even high ranking officials struggle to get a pass and escort inside. Many think that they are slowly starving, or already dead. Others are sure that they are slowly growing more powerful within their ineffective prison.
Outside, however, the Falwain industry has taken off with the flowers that fill their borders. Honey has become their gold, which is good because they don't have any of their own. Meaderies and apiaries have become the most prominent and numerous businesses, and the whole nation has taken a decidedly lax and calm demeanor, though their work ethic is as hard as ever.
Demography and Population
99% Falwainian
1% assorted foreigner
Military
Honeycoats: the standard infantry of Falwa, equipped to be flexible, but with a leaning towards a defensive doctrine.
Swarmkeepers: A specialized unit of magicians, who patrol the Wisteria forests in the wilder parts of Falwa. When war calls, they act as mid-power arcane support, usually backing up vanguard forces and key positions.
Founding Date
796, Age of Divine
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Demonym
Falwain
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Falwainian Queens: a yellow-gold note, one side adorned with a honeycomb emblazoned with the royal crown in the center comb. The other has the image of a wisteria bloom, surrounded by a druidic circle. Comes in Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Copper denominations.
Legislative Body
The Queen decrees new laws and rulings, hopefully listening to her advisors.
Judicial Body
The Barony interprets and enforces laws. Sometimes at their own risk or benefit, depending on if the Queen takes exception to their interpretation.
Official Languages
Comments