Ferelden
Alamarri Land
Ferelden is the youngest kingdom, located in Southeastern Thedas. It was formed by King Calenhad about thirty years ago as an attempt to repel Orlesian occupation. Alamarri clans who held grudges against one another put that aside to take back their land.
With the Orlesians having left three decades ago, the Alamarri people have been deeply divided on whether Ferelden's existence is still necessary.
Culture and Society
Ferelden is a relatively temperate nation in the far Southeast of Thedas, historically populated by a simple militaristic culture that has only begun to "civilize" in the past three decades. The Andrastian Chantry is now revered by over 60% of the population. Ferelden cities are considered virtually anarchic by the standards of most outsiders. The Ferelden desire for freedom has engendered a cultural mistrust of law enforcement, and 'laissez-faire' attitudes in general. While the worst offenses are quickly put down by the authorities, many others are ignored and citizens are often left to make their own justice. Petty theft is common, as guardsmen will only go out of their way to deal with serious disruptions. Commerce is given little official scrutiny as long as taxes are paid; businesses such as brothels and gambling halls are not only tolerated, but expected. King Calenhad has attempted to crack down on this, though it is a difficult matter to approach.Social Tiers
Ferelden society is descended directly from Alamarri tribal culture and its respect for skill and ability. It is most generally broken up into the nobility and commoners (including city elves). There are also crafters and crafthouses, who make up a highly valued middle tier between the lowest noble and the highest common classes. They have total power over certain industries in Ferelden. Beneath the crafthouses, the population is subdivided into common classes called "High Freemen" and "Low Freemen." High freemen are comprised of freeholders (land owners), soldiers and other employed individuals. Low freemen are made up of criminals, prostitutes and elves. For all that, all freemen are allowed to live and go where they wish, and make a living as they will. There are no serfs in Ferelden; all are paid in coin or barter for their work.Surnames
Nobles often have proper last names. Sometimes commoners will have last names that stem from noble lines or foreign ties. Generally, it is more common for them to introduce themselves with reference to the area they come from or to their trade, e.g. Gareth of Denerim or Oswin Blademaker.Importance of dogs
Visitors and travelers to Ferelden are often curious about local attitudes toward dogs. Throughout Thedas dogs are employed in hunting game, keeping barns and storehouses free of vermin, herding livestock and guarding homes; in the mountains they may even be used as beasts of burden. Fereldans, however, show a particular appreciation for canine companions. The origin of this is tangled up in mythology. They were used against Fereldens during the Orlesian occupation, but following their departure many were left behind.Politics
Unlike most kingdoms, power does not reside exclusively with the nobility. Rather, it arises from the support of the freeholders and even the king is not the unchallenged ruler. For the past decades the nobility has gathered annually to hold the Landsmeet, a council which functions as the official legislative body of Ferelden and it can even override the king or queen on any matter of law. This privilege has not yet been invoked. The nobility of Ferelden is divided into ranks. They are ordered as follows, from most powerful to least powerful:- King
- Teyrn/Teyrna
- Arl/Arlessa
- Bann
- Lord/Lady
- Knight
Wardens
Wardens are the singular group that work outside all laws inside of Ferelden, an idea put forth by King Calenhad. They are a group consisting mostly (though not only) of Fereldens, both magi and warriors alike. This group was put together shortly after retreat of the Orlesians as a way to deal with the Jrid. Though they are able to work outside the law, they answer directly to King Calenhad. Their main goal is to protect Ferelden, at all costs. Few truly know what the Jrid are, other than a group of "things" that watch the Southern border of Ferelden. Rarely do they enter the fertile valley, but when they do it is a thing people dread. When they do, four of the toughest Alamarri soldiers can barely keep a single one of their's down. Soldiers have come to give them the nickname "Misery", a title that aptly fits the experience any soldier feels when they see them coming. One of the most historically influential powers the Wardens are given is the Right of Conscription. This allows the Wardens to pull any person into their ranks as they see fit. Even those criminals befit to die, they may pull into their ranks. No one can argue against this.History
When the Alamarri people first settled in these lands, they called it Ferelden. In their native tongue, this meant "fertile valley". However, it was not until many centuries later that the Alamarri people created the unified nation under this name. The time before unification was littered with numerous wars the Alamarri tribes waged, both with foreign powers such as the Tevinter Imperium and Orlais, as well as their fellow tribes. During that time the Alamarri developed their own political system which remains largely intact to this day. With time, powerful nobles would turn their land into bannorns, then arlings, and finally teyrnirs. The nobles continued the Alamarri tradition of infighting and continued to fight with each other over petty and personal matters in order to gain more power. A few of the most powerful nobles put forward their bid for kingship over the Alamarri, but without success. It wasn't until about thirty years ago that Ferelden became the nation it's known as today. The nation of Orlais, lead by their "Mad Emperor" Reville, saw an opportunity to lead conquest over the Alamarri people. They knew Ferelden had resources they needed, and having a direct trade route to the Amaranthine Ocean would've proven quite useful. With that, Orlais' Chevaliers rode for Ferelden. Due to the infighting and grudges that ran deep between Alamarri tribes, they were too proud to see themselves work together. Broken apart, Orlesian forces made little work of the nation. For fifteen years, the Alamarri people were effectively slaves to their invaders. It was during this occupation, that the Alamarri people began considering their options. They saw banding together as their only path to freedom. A man named Calenhad, born to a merchant, managed to get involved in an underground race for potential kingship. He did so by working beneath a teyrn, eventually fending off a legion of Chevaliers he had no business defeating, and then finally marrying his master's noble daughter. By doing such, he became a rightful candidate for king. As he was leading men, more joined his side. He was known to be more honorable than other nobles, specifically due to his experience as a warrior. When people thought of him they saw an Alamarri first, a warrior second, and a king third. As a man devoted to the Maker, he was also able to pull followers from the Circle of Magi and the Chantry in other countries. A secret Landsmeet was called and Calenhad made an appearance with his army. Only one noble opposed him: Simeon, the teyrn of Denerim. The Landsmeet agreed that whoever killed the other in a fair fight was destined by the Maker to lead Ferelden. The battle was close, Calenhad was matched and wounded but ultimately defeat in Simeon. However, to the surprise of the teyrns, Calenhad did not kill Simeon. No one is quite sure why, but it is commonly believed he did so because he thought it would've weakened Ferelden to lose such a strong fighter and leader to the sake of tradition. Despite shocking the nobles, Calenhad was given the title of kingship over the fertile valley. It was at this Landsmeet that the teyrns formed the nation that is now known as Ferelden. Calenhad continued to lead a brutal resistance against the Orlesians. He intelligently waited until the late-Autumn to begin fighting them. This made it impossible for the Orlesians to continue fighting due to the winter of the Frostback Mountains cutting off any potential escape or supply routes if they had stayed. With their fleeing, Ferelden was once more free.Maps
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Ferelden Political Regions
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Head of State
Currency
Bits/Silvers/Sovereigns
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Related Myths
Location: Southeastern Thedas
Government: Feudal monarchy
Capital: Denerim
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