The Grand Duchy of Meuseburg

Structure

Resembling a feudal society on the surface, the structure is ruled by the Tudor family line, who in turn manages the hordes of senators, politicians, and governmental advisors. They also have representatives from their conquered territories, though they have never had as much political standing as the mainland.

Culture

For the people past the River Lüz, survival is paramount. Family bonds and ties are that which hold the people together. In this, they are superior to the rest of the inhabitants that used to make up the Vunao Kingdom. FOr how can they not be, so modest and proud the Meuselanders are, that those born of their villages past the River Lüz are seen as "not true Meuselanders". For this reason, when they conquer a new village (for their are hundreds if not thousands of scattered free villages and cities in the Deadlands, though a lot are also owned by vampiric lords) they brutally suppress any resistance, and make sure the people are converted to their culture. Public executions and political bribery, assassination's, and marriages can be excellent motivators, that and the promise of security under the Black Army. Tehri army is the thing they are proud of, for while they fight against horrifically powerful undead monsters, that does not matter when their armies are so vast that any loss can be replaced easily. For this reason, conscription is common, with even slaves being conscripted into the military to bolster numbers.
While some may decry the Meuselanders as brutal barbarians, in truth they are a culture rich with art, music, dance, and literature. Their architecture is some of the finest examples of craftsmanship, and their musical composers are famous the world over. They are also an incredibly diverse people despite their fixation on cultural assimilation. Many of their citizens speak both Reikspeak and Vestonian, with their ancient ancestors being tied to those lands, though Reikspeak was always the more popular one. For this reason, many of the citizens believe that being useful to the state is considered not just your job, but a moral imperative. If you are not useful, you will be made useful one way or another.
Meuseburg is also known for its political prowess, for the Meuselanders are ever silver tongued. Their vast array of marriages and deals has led to them being found in many wars few would expect them to have any part in. They have marched to war alongside vampire armies, and even lords and ladies from mainland Nilush. However, all their deals at the end of the day are made to further the goals of Meuseburg as a whole, and if the most beneficial way to survive is to go back on a deal for a new one, they will do it. The Tudor family is a quite proud and ancient family line, thoguh it is a secretive one as few know the inner workings of its members and schemes. However, none can question that they are dedicated to furthering the goals of their nation by any means necessary.

History

The land that encompasses Meuseburg has long been apart of the now fallen Vunao Kingdom. However, the Meuseburg land was always slightly independent from the kingdom. Regardless, the first natives of the land are said to have been tribes from Neundorf and a small mix of Vestoni tribes, in where they inhabited the land behind the ever important River Lüz. This river has long helped Meuseburg maintain a small degree of independence despite being a fairly early annexation under the Vunao Kingdom. It is said that during the height of the Vunao Kingdom, the noble family of Tudor, having a long and prestigious history in the kingdom, had managed to earn itself the title of Grand Duchy thanks to a vast network of political marriages and trade deals. This also led to the degree of superiority the Meuselanders have, as when the Vunao Kingdom was getting ready to unleash a druidic spell to hyper fertilize the land, the Meuselanders and the Tudor family refused any attempts at their land being in the spell. Though they were seen as backwards for this, ironically this action saved the land from the worst of the damages of the land, though affected it still was.
Strangely, the Tudor family disappeared after the Vunao Kingdom fell, and anarchy followed quickly after. The duchy turned to anarchy, before being brutally subjugated under a vampire by the name of Lazar Böhmer. He brutally subjugated and butchered the people, ruling with an iron fist as he would fight nearby vampires for his territory. However his rule led to constant rebellions that needed to be put down. This was until suddenly, the Tudor family remerged and organized a rebellion against Lazar. Though bloody, the rebellion was successful, as the Tudor family was reinstated into power in the year 3125EC. Instituting a number of reforms, the Tudor family, at the time led by one Ferdinand the III, they calmed the peasantry as they saw a number of benefits instilled to the lower class.
However, their time was not a bloodless one, as local vampire warlords always sought to gain territory from these upstarts, and though the Meuselanders are skilled, they were only able to be on the defensive. That was until the Diosian's launched an invasion force to the city in the hopes of successfully colonizing the Deadlands. This was when the Meuselanders won a surprise victory against the Diosian's, utterly anihilating them as their ranks of black armored warriors fell the crusaders, and declared their right to rule the land to all.
Since then, the Grand Duchy of Meuseburg has fought bitterly against any who dare invade. With the still politically maneuverable but ever secretive Tudor family line, Meuseburg has amazingly achieved peace deals with vampire warlords that aren't dead-set on taking their land. In large part the Meuselanders have kept to themselves, however something has changed as of late. Ever since the failed Crusade of Light, the banner of the Black Sun has been flown high. The ranks of warriors armed in black armor have marched from their cities walls, and have now set out to conquer the lands around them. They subjugate any tribe or free-city they find, and will use any means necessary to achieve total supremacy. Their web of political deals have meant they have even had to march to war for other vampire warlords to help them in their battles, but at the end of the day Meuseburg only cares about one thing above all, the survival of the state and the nation, and that one day the Black Sun banner will fly over all of the Deadlands, and bring the land back to life.

Religion

The Balck Sun is a sort of god like figure to the Meuselanders. It represents both the pain of the fallen kingdom, but also the promise of rebirth. For this reason, he is prayed to as the main deity of the Meuseburg Duchy for strength and power, and seen as a patron saint. While they also worship other gods and goddesses, ranging from some of the Light Pantheon to the old religions of the Vunao, the Church of the Flame has never been able to maintain as much of a hold on the land as they would've liked.

Foreign Relations

With the Deadlands, its a case by case basis. Some vampiric lords the Grand Duchy of Meuseburg has made political dealings and marriages with to maintain strong alliances, but others the Meuselanders know only war. With the rest of the world its more complicated, as Diosia views them as impure heretics, and the more zealous of people in Neundorf of Ashenfeld see them as brutal paganists. However others see them as lucrative trade partners, and so try to maintain good relations. In fact due to its positioning, Meuseburg is one of the few places with safe lanes to Orliea, and as such it is a strongpoint in the ever rich trade goods coming from that land.

"sub atra sidus, renascentia" -Under the Black Star, Rebirth

Type

Geopolitical, Duchy

Demonym

Meuselanders