Balkrainian Provinces

The Bakrain Provinces are run by a form of primitive republic, where a large council of petty kings decide the actions of their collective nations. When Slovuek was first colonized, the council’s first action was to crown a King of Slovuek to represent the region back on the mainland. Though a handful of generations have passed since then, the Fassalan Dynasty still rules over Slovuek from their capital Pristav, and images of the family crest can be seen all over the island: a great horned goat. The culture of the Balkrain Elite reflects the eclectic and varied nature of the cultures united under their republic. Both depressive and stimulatory substances are enjoyed from the southernmost region of the mainland province’s territory, usually smoked but occasionally eaten or even injected directly into the blood through thin cuts. The most popular high among the elite is the infamous Red Larvae powder, which allows for the reliving of certain memories harvested from other individuals. Less substance-based pastimes among the elite include hunting, riding, alchemical experimentation, painting and dueling. The latter of these common hobbies is in fact so popular, there is hardly a court in any of the provinces that lacks a formal dueling instructor. These duels can be fought with blunted tools for fun, until first blood to settle legal disputes, or till the death for personal matters; as long as an official of the Council is present, any harm done in a formal duel is legal under Balkrain law. The citizens of the Balkrain Provinces come from all over the east coast of the mainland and comprise of hundreds of different microcultures that have melded together into Balkrianian Society. Most citizens are ardently faithful to the Marble Church and hold the Goddess in high regard, but elements of folks religion are so widespread at every level of society that even the elite often possess small shrines to ancient pagan spirits of the elements and seasons. Though this is much to the dismay of the Marble Church, Balkrain’s stringent laws of religious toleration prevent church inquisitors from rooting heresy out while remaining law-abiding residents. Smallfolk of the provinces wear all manner of clothes, depending on their status and decent from within the nation’s territories. Southerners, most of which decent from nomadic goat herds, wear short robes of rough spun wool without dye nor ornamentation. Alternatively, the northern population has been settled and farming since even the earliest histories, and wear colorful tunics of green and brown. Regardless of where one comes from in the mainland territories, all Balkrainians share a love of horses and the open steppes of their homeland. So prevalent are horses in Balkrain’s society that families would sooner sell their homes and selves before their mounts; as any Balkrainian man can survive off the back of a sturdy mare alone. This obsession with horses exists among the wealthiest elements of society as well as the poorest, as even the simplest Balkrainian shepherd keeps at least one horse in his household. All Balkrainian men have access to at least one horse, and thus their military consists almost entirely of cavalry. Infantry units are extremely rare among Balkrain’s forces, usually consisting of foreign conscripts used only to hold positions and other mundane tasks cavalry cannot accomplish. This tendency as earned the Balkrainian forces the nickname of “The Sea of Hooves”, as a host from the Provinces can cover a whole grassland shoulder-to-shoulder with horses. Soldiers prefer to use lance and curved blade, and fire short bows while at full stride atop their mounts. A detachment of Balkrainian cavalry hits fast and hard, trampling over forces and disappearing before a counter-attack becomes possible, only to reappear in the flash of an eye for another charge. Even afoot, it is difficult to mistake a Balkrain soldier. Advanced steelworking techniques of the west have not yet grown profitable in the provinces, and any man not incredibly rich can only hope to afford lamellar armor of rough iron. With the addition of their cone-shaped helmets, curved blades and short-sleeved battle robes, it is difficult to mistake a soldier from Balkrain even at first sight. What they lack in advanced metalworking techniques they make up for in enthusiastic militancy, as even afoot a typical soldier has been trained in lance and sword since their earliest days. Even unarmed, wrestling is a well-respected and taught discipline among soldiers, and none are above gouging at an opponent’s eyes and cheeks in desperate melee. Balkrainian fighting is often viewed as barbaric by those from the West, but none doubt its brutal efficiency.

Structure

Atop the power structure of the Balkrainian Provinces is the Council of Kings; a parliament of dozens of petty kings of small territories that recognize universal laws between them and act as a single unit. These Kings usually rule their personal territories from their own castles, but gather at every turn of the season to discuss the actions of the collective league. Kings assist in preventing rebellion in each other's realms, and unite together against outside threats, to protect both themselves and the collective. Beneath them are the vassals to specific kings, who largely rule exactly like normal feudal lords under the King's Law. The names and titles of these lords depend on the specific King in question; boasting ranks such as Baron, Duke, or simply Lord.

Public Agenda

The Balkrainian Empire has expanded through influence and blood, with King's on the nation's border eager to expand outwards to bring more independent kingdom's into the fold and better protect their own states. Within the Bright Isles, the current reigning King Fassalan has to repay the Council for the colonizable land he was granted and crowned King of, and thus works to expand his economy and influence over the Isles.

Assets

Conscription is universal across all the Kingdoms of the Balkrainian Provinces. Due to the sheer abundance of horses throughout their territories, and the strong culture of hunting that permeates the kingdom, these hordes of peasant conscripts are skilled horsemen, archers and lancers. Professional soldiers do exist within their forces, but the size of the professional armies of independent kings pales against the sight of the "Sea of Hooves" assembled.

History

2777 AM - Three independent Kings unite in the Balkrainian Alliance against marauding kingdoms in the South

2812 AM - An alliance of four Southern Kings come together agaisnt the Balkrainian Alliance, uniting under the Horselord's Provinces

2820 AM - Balkrainian Alliance and Horselord's Provinces begin to skirmish with one another on their respective borders, beginning the Cavalrymen's War

2834 AM - Both sides meet at the Field of Dead Horses, and smash their massive hosts of troops against one another. The battle ends as a catastrophe for both sides, and the warring kings combine their alliances into the Balkrainian Provinces

3011 AM - Formal declaration of the King's Concil is decided; the Balkrainian Provinces and from a simple alliance to a Republic of Kings

3824 AM - First Balkrainian colonists arrive on Czellian Island; King Fredrick Putzie I is crowned King of the Island

3830 AM - The Treaty of Comprimise is signed between Balkrainian Colonists and Victoraccan, dividing Czellian Island into two territories for Colonists to occupy

3837 AM - First colonists arrive on Slovuek; a retired warrior, Helge Fassalan I, was crowned King of the Island and chose the sigil of a Great Horned Goat

3855 AM - Begining of the Skeleton Wars on Czellian Island

3869 AM - End of the Skeleton Wars, King Fredrick Putzie I is executed for treason under The Undying Order. With no sons, the Putzie dynasty started and ended with a single ruler.

3903 AM - Trade disputes with the Victoraccan Monarchy result in the Bright War begining with a naval skirmish of the coast of Ghanna

3996 AM - Crowning of current king, King Eskild Fassalan II

3998 AM - The Bright War, now also called the Generation's War, ends inconsusively with a cease fire

4021 AM - Reports of state-sponsered trade raids from the Victoraccan Monarchy reach King Eskild; an unnamed proxy war between mercenaries and privateers begins between the two colonial superpowers