Principalities of the Vineyard Coast
Written for Prompt 9 (2019 Summer Camp)
When I was a lad, my old man would tell me stories of magical places, tales of far-off lands with golden haired maidens and oath-sworn knights. Lands rich with drink and lavish feasts. I never believed those stories until I found Aquitainia! Simple folk live simple lives, they work the fields, peddle their goods and tend to the vineyards making the finest wines this side of the continent. It's a land ripe with opportunity, full of wild beasts, fair maidens to defend and long lost treasures just begging to be found. Here, a man never pangs with hunger, never wants for company and never goes anywhere without a drink in his hand!
The Great Western Empire collapsed in the year 2132EM (The 482nd year of the Third Age) and marked the start of the transition between the Third and Fourth Ages. While lands still loyal to the old throne and the new regime of aristocratic democracy became the Great Western Republic, the majority of once Imperial lands gained their independence.
Part of the Mordwynn, in Elgerlor, southern coastline known as the Vineyard Coast was one of the first of these regions to declare their independence. While having the same Human Hawkii cultural origins as the rest of Mordwynn, the Vineyard Coast developed its own unique sub-culture during the reign of the Golden King and then the Imperial Dynasty, revolving around the land they inhabited and their main economic strength; wine.
Political Structure
A number of five Principalities make up the Vineyard Coast, each noble House (Montague, Aquitaine, Languedoc, Narbonne, Aramon) has a sense of autonomy between each other though united under a common trade and protection. Every year, the Princes of each House (The local culture calling nobility princes rather than syres) come together in their own Principality to agree amongst themselves who will be their House's Elector-Prince. The Elector-Prince acts as the head of the House for that year, much like in noble Houses across the old GWE though it doesn't have to be the eldest member of the family. This allows the leader of the Principality to be headed by the most popular or sound of mind member of the family's Princes for that year.
Every 5 years, the five Elector-Princes come together to elect amongst themselves to be the respective leader of the entire Vineyard Coast as their own King. This elected Prince-King is known as the Roy du Vin and controls trade of wine in and out of the Principalities, as well as calling the Houses to arms to defend the region or their bordering allies in the independent Kingdom of Mordwynn and Papal States. To elect the next Roy du Vin, the Elector-Princes come together in the seat of the previous Roy du Vin.
Territories
The lands of the Vineyard Coast are known as such for a very specific reason. The region is almost completely arable with a few hills, but nothing so steep as to make pastoral farming the only option. The coastline is the gentlest in Elgerlia, with many beaches, few high cliffs, and numerous safe coves. However, there are no suitable locations for a major port, so the largest settlements are fishing (and smuggling) villages. Inland, there are no major rivers bar one, no obvious crossing points through the low hills, and no particularly defensible locations. As a result, no settlements have grown particularly large. Surrounding these urban areas are fields of golden wheat and purple grapes that flourish in the southern climate, creating perfect resources to trade with the outside realms and allowing the Princes to earn massive wealth.
The one major river is the great Brandywine River, with deltas that stretch out and connect every Principality. The Great Imperial Road passes over this river at a very wide and high stone bridge commonly known as just the Brandywine Bridge. This river gains it's name from the wine and brandy trade it supports, and stories that in certain points of the river and its deltas when the sun sets, the river takes the colour of flowing ale or brandy that would make any travelling merchant thirsty for the goods of the Vineyard Coast.
The Princes encourage urban development around their castles so that they can tax the trade and become wealthier. So far, these developments have never taken root due to the process of new Elector-Princes being put in place every year and a new Roy du Vin every half-decade. When a new noble comes into power, interest in a town is lost and the specific settlement shrinks again. Thus, there are a lot of towns with abandoned areas as large as the inhabited. The hovels there quickly collapse, but the more substantial buildings slowly moulder away. A similar effect can be seen in the Prince’s castles. As there are no naturally defensible locations, the Princes of the Vineyard Coast rely on construction to protect their homes. A noble facing attack or possessing extra money extends his castle, and his heirs abandon the parts that are no longer necessary to avoid the expense of upkeep.
Aquitainia
Aquitainia - also known as the Aquitaine Principality - is the largest and most central area of the Vineyard Coast, with the Aquitaine Princes being the hereditary Dukes of the region under Mordwynn over the entire history of the GWE. The land is quite unremarkable but beautiful like most of the region, though next to the Brandywine and it's tributaries the land becomes quite boggy and almost a marshland of sorts. Various causeways cut and cross over these waterways. The main settlement of Castle Aquitaine is the seat of the Princes of Aquitaine.
Narbonne Boleland
The Narbonne Boleland - also known as the Orange Principality and Narbonne Principality - is the only partially wooded portion of the region, rising upland to the coast where the land cuts off into high chalk white sea cliffs. Imported citrus fruits from Sanaros are grown in orchards outside of these woods, which influence the wines and brandies brewed. The main settlement of Despei is the seat of the Princes of Narbonne.
Aramon Downs
The Aramon Downs - also known as the Far Downlands, Fox Downs and Aramon Principality - is the most inland region of the Vineyard Coast, with a strong chalk industry alongside the usual alcoholic production. The geography is relatively unremarkable, with the Brandywine River flowing through the middle. The main settlement of Rossello and Greenhall Castle is the seat of the Princes of Aramon.
Montague Heartlands
The Montague Heartlands - also known as the Olive Island and Montague Principality - is an island surrounded by Aquitainia, The main settlement of Derrevin is seat of the Princes of MontagueMilitary
The armed guard, levy and knights of the Vineyard Coast are some of the most expensive but well equipped military one can find in Elgerlia, let alone Mordwynn, due to the high levels of trade that pass through the region on the Great Imperial Road.
Gilded silver or adamantine plate and mail are wrapped in a fine silk of deep purple, with standard Mordwynnian armour styles with a wide brimmed kettle helmet that keeps the Summer shade from the Watchmen's and Vintnerguard's eyes while surveying the long vineyards held under special protection. The special protection units of the Princes themselves are defined by the grapevine patterns embroidered on the silks and embedded into the armour, with a spiked point protruding from the top of the kettle helmet. The Vineguards of the Roy du Vin himself are defined by golden trims and a swap from deep purple to a thick red.
While swords and shields are extremely common due to the wealth of these individuals, they too are lavishly designed to portray the wine-making culture of the Principalities. Shields are rarely ever kite shields like the majority of Mordwynn, unless for less wealthy vintners. Instead, they resemble the leaves found on a vine, and will be heavily designed in gold, silver and purple riches. Spears, while more common for City Watchman Companies, may seem to have a detached shaft which has a spiral design which though does decrease in effectiveness, effectiveness is not exactly required in the seemingly peaceful region of the Vineyard Coast.
Flora & Fauna
Fauna common to the region include, Narbonne Panthers that stalk the woodland areas; Trolls that come down from the mountains; Both flies and wolves are also found in extreme abundance throughout the region. Ghouls are often prevalent in the wilderness apparently more than most other areas of the world and the supposed reason for many disappearances.
Common threats to those hoping to reclaim forgotten and left-behind villas and vineyards include Giant Spiders, Giant Centipedes and other infestations of insects and arachnids drawn to the leftover richness of the land.
Civilisation
Tradition is holy to the people of the Vineyard Coast, their laws and lives coming directly from their ancient traditions and cultures. As such, holidays are of extreme importance and are keenly observed. To go against culture is seen as a punishable sin, which impacted the region's relationship with the GWE when it was a part of Mordwynn in the Third Age.
Even the brigands and vagabonds of the Vineyard Coast are orderly and unified in a sense. Outlaw gangs known as "Voleurs" congregate into sub-societies and lay claim to forgotten and untouched lands known as Voleurvous and based in Voleur Bases. Voleurs are made up of common bandits, criminals, runaways and even disgraced or dishonoured knights of the Vineyard Coast. Usually, Voleurs will be attempted to be taken down by roaming knights seeking justice, though this is often a feeble endeavour leading to only a few bandits being taken down or a slain knight, and so are most commonly left alone to their own devices until a revolt occurs in one or more Principality where the Voleurs will undoubtedly support the rebels. Those inside Voleur Bases and the Voleurvous are well-organised under strong leadership and when attacked may light signal fires to call for aid from other nearby Voleur Bases.
"The Wine Will Flow Red"
Founding Date
2132EM
Type
Political, Confederation
Alternative Names
The Puce Princes, The Courts of the Vintner
Demonym
Winemen
Government System
Monarchy, Elective
Power Structure
Feudal state
Official State Religion
A veritable oasis in a land of danger and death, where the wine flows red and the hearts beat strong.
Fairest land in the world. The grain is plentiful, travelling is easy, and monsters are rare. Who would choose to live anywhere else? Hah! Let the wine flow red, I say!
Travel through Princelands is boring. Dull, dull, dull. Orchard, village, orchard, ridiculously overbuilt castle, field of wheat, small town. Oh, and then another orchard. Best part of my job.
A vassal duchy of Mordwynn, widely considered a beautiful, fable-like land where everyone is eternally tipsy.
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