Conlis (Con-Les)
Ah Conlis. Once the crown jewel of the west, Brittania. But through the dark displays of betrayal, and twisted greed the jewels have long since fallen. Now it is nothing but a nation crumbling under threat of civil war and starvation. No matter how much Lacdu may try. He is no king, and soon, I fear the country shall crumble. Modred Blackmore is no true king.
Government
Currently, Conlis owes its allegiance to the Ceridian Empire. It is ruled by a monarch whom is advised by a group known as "The Round". This is a group of high-ranking citizens of the Country from various walks of life. There is no limit to the number of members in this group, but the requirements are strict, limited to exceptional individuals. Beyond this, political power is split amongst the noble families of Conlis, primarily their major families which rule individual cities and have limited say in country-wide politics as well. Slavery is currently legal within Conlis, but only as a form of criminal punishment or method of working off debts for citizens. Currently, non-humans are often viewed as nothing better than slaves by many citizens, and are treated poorly at best. This, however, does not stop those in power--especially those connected to the Blackmore Family from abusing this law and framing individuals that go against their desires. Often leading to innocent people, or visitors from other countries being forced into slavery.Military
The military ranks and power of Conlis are based upon a semblance of nobility and individual skill. All citizens are required to enact combat training working within their physical means once per week, these training sessions ensure even the elderly, and young are able to at least utilize crossbow, dagger, spear, buckler and caltrop for self-defense. Beyond these standard militias however, there are then three separate branches of Military. The first being known as the Crown Watch, which are directly commissioned guards hand-picked from skilled volunteers that are members of the general militia. These individuals usually are as common as one member per fifty to a hundred militia, and undergo significant combat training with a specialization in investigation and observation. Within the Crown Watch there is then three ranks. A Guard, followed by Constable whom is generally considered the right hand of a Watchmaster that runs a town or city's defense. Though well respected, the Crowns Watch are generally viwed as investigators first and warriors second, though they are assuredly more skilled than standard militia. On the other hand the Crowns March, Soldiers are true member of the populaces military. They breathe combat, training and tactics for battle, fueling the government's true military force. Generally most soldiers are subconscious users of Aura. After this a Lieutenant is viewed as someone that is trusted with commanding and training up to a hundred Soldiers, and on average at least ten of them report directly to a Captain. Though some Captains are in charge of far more than just that. Finally, Bands are the last section of a Government's Military power. These are mercenaries that have been officially commissioned by the crown or a high noble family that are granted an official name and coat of arms to be used while under contract. Due to this status they cannot be high-ranking members of the Wayfarer's Society. Each contract usually extends from five to ten years and can usually be refreshed unless the Band separates, or is viewed poorly. Bands can be anything from a small, elite group, to an entire military force in the hundreds.Notable Organizations
- Crowns Watch & March
- Order of Merlin
- Wayfarer Society
- Order of the White Flower
- Obsidian Throne
- Wreath
Previous Royal Families
Nobles
- Blackmore (Royalty)
- Silversea (Dukedom)
- Everlight (Dukedom)
- Battenwood (Countis)
- Ravenfield (Countis)
- Wyndholm (Countis)
- Blackfield (Barony)
- Lancelot (Barony)
- Reinsberg (Knighthood)
Internal Affairs
Due to the current owner of the country bowing to the Ceridian Empire, many of Conlis' population have begun to resist the current monarchy. The nation is currently split into two separate major factions, the Royal Faction whom are considered loyal to the original royal family and their desires for freedom, kindness, resisting slavery of any sort and distributing some of the wealth more evenly each year to ensure the success of the entire Kingdom, giving nobles and the royal family less power. The other faction are known as the Loyalists and make themselves clearly known as supporters of King Modred. Preaching the opposite in many ways, that they need competent leadership regardless of what bloodline the leader may be, and strength to survive in the civil war that is soon to break out across the Ceridian Empire. Their goals focus on military growth, slave soldiers earning their freedom, and nobles acting as generals to defend each of their holds in the coming times of trouble.Religion
Though Conlis is technically encouraged by the Ceridian Empire to worship the Ceridian God-Emperor, it is not legally required. Due to this very few individuals actually do so and instead they remain loyal to the old Brittanian deities which hold deep roots in many small gods worshipped in the various areas of the nation with a focus on gods of water, the sea, and agriculture. Below are the list of the four most commonly worshipped deities in Conlis, however, there are numerous other lesser deities often worshipped as well. The Church of the Trinity also holds many members, but as it is less a form of worship and more a group of scholars that understand and listen to the old stories, they are generally worshippers of other deities that directly involve their day-to-day lives despite being members of the "church".- Njoran being the most worshipped deity of Conlis is bound to much of the shoreline and supported by the worship of Sirona, his daughter due to his domain being parent to her own. God of fishing, water, seas, storms, travel and life. His domain focuses on providing safe passage and resources across the seas in return for respecting nature and never trying to truly own, over-fish or dominate them.
- Sirona, goddess of wisdom, patience, springs, healing, lakes, rivers and other forms of fresh water. Her domain being based around providing rest, healing, and flourishing nature through her power. She is most often worshipped within the south and center of Conlis.
- Cennitus the antlered god of nature, lover of Sirona. His domain being primal nature born forth from fresh water. God of the hunt, leadership, wild nature, forestry and beasts. Worshipped widely within the Whitewood and further north along the Ebony Range forestry.
- Freyr/ja being a god or goddess depending on their desire in the moment is widely worshipped within the north and south-east of Conlis by many farmers and common folk. With their domain being based around fertility, childbirth, parental love, domesticated nature, farming and protection of family.
Geography
Natural Resources
More than anything, Conlis is a country of flourishing foods and agriculture. They have little in the way of mines and treasures, and though they have forestry it's certainly not their largest geographical feature. Despite this, they hold some of the most fertile lands on the continent with great plains, lakes, and rivers. Allowing the country to use boats for casual travel with ease, leading out to the sea. With these options, the country has become known for its foods, be them grown, gathered, or fished from the lakes and sea. Exporting large amounts of these resources to the other countries to provide them with the food and drink that they are sorely lacking has provided them with a booming economy in these dire times.
History
Conlis was once the noble lands of Brittania, founded in the year 92 AR. Here, the five great City's known as Liones, Daobeth, Caerleon, Edinburgh and the crown jewel of them all, Camelot called home. Known for their lush lands, and powerful cavalry and knights due to their superior health Brittania came to be when the Five Great Families swore an oath to support the Praxis Family. With each family provided a great city to rule within Brittania, and the Pendragons pledging to serve beneath the Praxis for all time within Camelot.
For the next thousand years, things were of great plenty. The Blackmore were famed for their long lives and great health, serving as loyal spymasters and scouts for the country. The Praxis held tremendous mystical potential and charisma, alongside the Pendragon's whom were masterful mages and scholars. With the union of the two families, a new minor noble family was born, this family would one day evolve into the Silversea's. The Escanor and Lancelot both were known as great warrior houses that defended the borders on both sides against the original Giant and Ogre tribes of the north and south.
However, this was not to last. During the year 1197 AR, the Blackmore began to hear the whispers of the Daemon's influence on their minds. Their blood began to grow stronger again, and with it came the dark thoughts of the taint. Negative emotions grew, jealousy began to grow with anger at minor slights. It was at this point that another major human country had been born in the form of Ceridia. This land was inhospitable to most due to the Faedra drawing away its life force in an attempt to form a temporary barrier from the humans after the Great Rupture.
With this lack of resources, they had begun to fall back on conquest. With it came ruthless intelligence, and so they offered the Blackmore a deal. Help them weaken Brittania and they would, in turn, give the Blackmore a high station once it fell. Greedy for the power they felt should be their own, not the Praxis', the Blackmore agreed. For the next three-thousand years, the Blackmore would sow discord throughout the country. Telling them to assist Ceridia in their own wars, weakening the forces loyal to the Royal Line over time. Generations would pass until finally, the country's diplomatic state was in shambles. Split in half on loyalty now more toward Ceridia, and the Blackmore than their own royal family.
It would be in the year of 4510 AR that the Praxis family would fall. With only a single heir left, the king would be killed in secret, through poison and though some say his daughter escaped, the line had ended. With his dying breath, he granted his royal line to the Pendragons publically. Ruining the Blackmore's plans to overtake the throne and causing the Pendragon's to become the new royal line of Brittania. Serving Praxis's desires earnestly, and beginning to pull away from Ceridia. Focusing on recovering their own internal affairs once more.
During this time, Brittania would come back from the brink. With the King acting as a martyr for generations to come, the country stabilized to once more understand its own needs. It would be during the year of 5020 AR, that Ceridia would begin its march on the world. Initially, targeting only the lands far to the north past their borders. Though wary as they enslaved and cleared out the northern tribes of Giants and Ogre, they did not yet intervene. Too weak and not allies to the tribes by any means. This would be their downfall, however, as well as the downfall of the continent.
By the year of 5142 AR, Víteliú fell. Then more, and soon, Ceridia had expanded across much of the continent and turned its eyes on Conlis. The Blackmore finally acted on their old oath in the year 5932 AR. Killing the Pendragons with the help of several other noble families, and keeping it secret. Blaming it on the Ceridians, as the Blackmore came forward stating they had to surrender in the face of such a force. At least then they would still be allowed a degree of self-governance. The people, reluctantly agreed when Lacdu Lancelot agreed to Modred Blackmore's statement.
From this surrender on, the war was lost. Brittania was re-named Conlis, and the Country was pulled under the wing of the Ceridian Empire. They would help support the Empire through countless battles, sending some of the strongest mages to the front line to earn their glory in battle. Yet the battles were against Fae of Altris, warriors of Lacedon, and devastating instruments of war from Ronia. The Empire was running out of men, and so had to rely on their funds to purchase mercenaries instead. The start of the deterioration of the land began.
As the Thousand-Year Blood War came to an end in 6071 AR, the Empire began to fracture. They had won, spread across the continent and claiming it as their own. But Emperor Magnus Cerdius III was dying with only two inept heirs to his throne. Civil war had already begun to break out across the continent. Racism, slavery, hatred, and lack of economic support were leading the Empire to a steep decline.
Now, sixty years after the current war in the year 6131 AR, Conlis has begun to change. With the Blackmore sensing the shift of power, they begin to hunger for the throne of the Empire itself. Using their food supplies and superior finances to begin hiring mercenaries under the illusion of supporting the Empire. In reality, they have begun to mobilize with the hope of conquest to replace the current "Royal Family", no longer just rulers of a country. But an entire Empire, even as that same Empire burns around them so blinded by greed are they.
As if sensing the shift as well, the seven great families of Conlis have all begun to move. Forging alliances with minor noble families and one another, knowing that their chance to back the Blackmore and possibly rise to power, or crush the nefarious families all at once, is on the horizon.
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