Kingdom of Osneia
The honorable land of knights and soldiers, founded upon the ideals of Honor and Valor
A Crisis of Succession
Though the land of Osneia has long enjoyed a stable and solid ruler ever since it was founded, it is currently undergoing a crisis of leadership the likes of which the country has never had to endure before - thanks to the country's usual tradition of selecting its rulers which sees its "Kaisers", or the country's emperor, hand-pick two to a half dozen people they believe are capable of succeeding them on the day of their inaugeration as kaiser, crisises of succession have, thus far, been avoided - even if the Kaiser were to die suddenly and tragically, this 'list' of successors which is used to pick the next Kaiser is used to select they who shall take the Kaiser's place, as until now it was unheard of and unthinkable for every member on the list to die at once. However, that was precisely what happened - after inviting Naiara Zaragoza and a cadre of her most elite bodyguards to the capital of Osneia for peace talks and simple, routine affirmations of existing agreements, tragedy struck as Naiara Zaragoza flew into a frenzy after the previous Kaiser insulted the powerful ruler(Intentionally or not, is unclear) - leaping from her chair, the powerful ruler of the Kassau Matriarchy savagely grabbed Kaiser Leonhardt and brutally beat him within an inch of his life, putting him into a coma from which he still has not awoken. After this brutal beating, Naiara Zaragoza and the rest of her bodyguards made short work of the Kaiser's bodyguard unit and proceeded to rampage through the castle in a surprise assault, slaughtering every single person who stood in their path with brutal efficiency in a display that showed the absolute power of the warrior-women of the Kassau Matriarchy, each a match for a dozen trained knights on their own. During this rampage, countless knights, warriors, and nobles of Osneia met their end beneath the blades or brutal well-placed stomps of the warrior-women serving Naiara Zaragoza - quite literally the entire upper echelon of the Osneian government including most of the Kaiser's cabinet was crushed, slaughtered, or simply captured and taken as a slave as the warrior-women killed their way through the Osneian palace and eventually, after freeing many dangerous prisoners to mask their escape, fled through the palace's gates and escaped before they could be brought to justice. The political fallout of this rampage notwithstanding, the deaths of so many Osneian nobles, powerful leaders, and knights has thrust the entire kingdom into a state of crisis like it has never seen before - though the Kaiser's son endured the rampage, he did so only because of the cruel whims of Naiara Zaragoza and her cadre of warrior-women, who seemingly brutalized him thoroughly before leaving him alive to suffer the pain of his wounds. However, his state is a rough one - his formerly brilliant mind renowned for its intelligence and wit has dulled considerably, and the former up and coming star of Osneia, while alive and conscious, has trouble forming words and making himself coherent without considerable help...leading many to question the state of the next obvious candidate for Kaiserhood.A race for the throne
As might be expected, in the wake of such a massive power vaccuum, many have surged forward to try and take advantage of the situation for themselves to try and place themselves into power - however, out of all these challengers to the throne, two have emerged in short order to stand head and shoulders above all other contenders, quickly turning the race for the throne of Osneia into a three-way race. However, flying in the face of the entire history and tradition of Osneia, which has been an entirely patriarchal and feudal society, these two contenders that have emerged to take the throne in a race against the Kaiser's son have revealed themselves as both women - which, to the staunchly male-dominated nobility and citizenry of Kassau, is an unthinkable proposition. However, for better or worse, the country's current state means that despite fierce opposition from what remains of the country's elite, they do not have the traction they once did to stop these two women from vying for the throne - lack of better options aside from the Kaiser's son means that, for many, the fate of this race for the throne might well spell the end of Osneia's patrilineal traditions if a woman ends up sitting atop the throne of Osneia...an outcome that, many angrily claim, can be nothing but a plot by Naiara Zaragoza and the Kassau Matriarchy to conquer the country from within. Below are listed the contenders for the throne of Osneia - listed in no particular order.- Diedrich Heike von Stralnau: Race: Human Age: 24 Description: The son of the previous Kaiser, Leonhardt Heike von Stralnau II. Was extremely well-regarded as an up and coming prodigy by all the lands of Osneia as he excelled at nearly everything he put his mind to - he was an excellent statesman, philosophist, intellectual, warrior, and above all, a kind-hearted and humble man - the closest thing to a perfect man as could be imagined by many. A notorious perfectionist, he was well-known to suffer beneath the burden of following in his fathers' footsteps as Kaiser and constantly strove to outperform all others to earn his spot as his fathers' chosen successor(As Osneia is by no means a country where the seat of Emperor is passed down through bloodlines). However, in the current day after his savage beating and near-death experience at the hands of Naiara Zaragoza and her bodyguards he is a struggling man - his body is twisted and gnarled, and his mind was damaged in the beatings he recieved, as he has trouble speaking without stuttering, moving without experiencing bodily spasms, and expressing himself as he used to. However, his former brilliance shines through sometimes, as it did when he saved the country from outright war after the incident that left him beaten and broken by demanding the Kassau Matriarchy pay massive reparations for the crimes committed against his country unless they wished to go to war - a deal which Naiara Zaragoza and the Kassau Matriarchy took. Now, he yearns for the throne his father left behind while also trying to prove himself a match for his two rivals to the throne - and despite his shortcomings and bodily issues, he has, by far, the largest supporter base of the three racing for the throne; not only for his sex as a male, but because the nobles of Osneia believe heavily in honor and loyalty - meaning that most are loathe to abandon him for things beyond his control, believing that with proper care and dedicated effort on his part he will make a fine Kaiser.
- Lorelai von Blütgrens Race: Half-Elf Age: 115(?) Description: A well-known and fairly notorious woman in Osneia, well-known as the daughter of the infamous Kaiser Emmerich IV, better known as "The Crimson Kaiser" - despite the cruel and despicable deeds of her infamous father, she has proven herself time and again in passing decades as a powerful knight and supremely talented stateswoman. She is known to be perhaps the only woman in charge of an elite noble house in Osneian history - as the eldest daughter of her father, she was the leading force behind the "War of the Blood Throne" which followed the death of her father in which his house, the Von Blütgrens house, shattered apart to infighting after his death. Conquering the armies of her younger brothers and re-establishing the Von Blütgrens house firmly beneath her own banner, she ended the War of the Blood Throne by conquering the well-respected and much beloved von Krügenberg house that had long been a sworn rival of her villainous father. Firmly uniting two of the most powerful houses at the time, she has held onto the seat of her house ever since - and until the unfortunate assault on Osneia by Naiara Zaragoza, had gotten to the highest echelons of Osneian society much to the dismay of her male contemporaries. A manipulative, ruthless, and cunning woman beyond measure who, despite her attitude and public persona, does hold strong patriotic feelings towards Osneia and dearly wishes to help it overcome this crisis - ultimately, she is a product of the Osneian Patriarchy, where a woman has to work thirty times as hard to achieve what a man can do overnight. Formally known as Lorelai Elfriede Aletta Linn von Blutgrens und von Krügenberg, she is extremely proud of her family's history that can be traced all the way back to the country's founding, and during the assault on the palace by Naiara Zaragoza managed to cause the only casualties the barbarian women experienced - killing two of the half-dozen strong force by herself. This, combined with her reputation and cunning statescraft, has secured her a powerful claim to the throne...though the bloody history of her family means many would rather die than see a child of "The Crimson Kaiser" put into power.
- Elise van der Feld Race: Human Age: 19 Description: Well-regarded as the best option among the two women vying for the Osneian Throne, Elise(Or Pope/lady Elise, as she can now call herself), is a shy, reserved, and soft-spoken girl that was unbelievably lucky - she was, until barely two months prior to the modern day, a simple priestess based in a small village most would not even be aware of in the western corners of Osneia. However, due to her talent and a program that was being run by the former head of the Osneian church, she was selected as the winner of the program that would recieve the right to come to the Osneian capital and spend a time studying faith and religion beneath the head of the entire Osneian faith, Pope Erhard III. This program, designed to help educate the worse-off Osneian masses and teach them the proper ways of society and faith, saw Elise in the palace at the time of Naiara Zaragoza's attack at the side of Pope Erhard III - from whom she had learned a great deal about divine spellcasting and was taking the first steps to formally become his apprentice after showing her suprising aptitude for casting divine magic. However, unlike her contemporaries which were butchered to the last by Naiara Zaragoza, eliminating quite literally the entire ruling body of the Osneian Church, she alone stood her ground and stood up to the brutal barbarians of the Kassau Matriarchy - and for reasons unknown, was spared by Naiara Zaragoza and found herself the sole survivor of the Osneian Church. In the aftermath of the assault, as attentions were elsewhere assessing the tragic loss of the Osneian Elite, the young, shy girl emerged as the victor of a brief but violent power struggle in the Osneian church - and became the youngest and first female ruler of the Osneian church. Though she holds massive power, her quiet, reserved nature means that many Osneian nobles see her as a 'lesser evil' compared to Lady Lorelai von Blütgrens - not to mention how closely she seems to hold the ideals of the church, which does much to engender begrudging respect by the patriarchal elite. As such, she has gained a suprisingly massive support base in not just the church(Which has fallen into line beneath her quickly and without much struggle), but also many nobles and knight orders who place their faith in her and the church...though many are unsure whether it was her idea to vie for the seat of Kaiser or one that was forced upon her.
Structure
Within the lands of Osneia, no person holds higher power than that of the Kaiser - a seat comparable to that of an Emperor, who rules the country absolutely from the seat of power in the country's capital. In ancient times, the Kaiser was drawn from the acting head of the most powerful and most noble Knight Order in the country, though in modern day Osneia this practice has been extinguished in favor of a system that sees each Kaiser, on the day of their inaugeration, create a list of no more than a half dozen people that they believe are worthy successors to the seat of Kaiser should the worst come to pass and they die in some manner, tragic or natural.
This 'list' system has ensured that Osneia remains in the hands of capable and just rulers for generations, as upon the death of the Kaiser a council is formed from the country's highest ranking nobility and knights to deliberate on which of the people mentioned in the former Kaiser's "list" is most suitable for rule - in the extremely rare case none is suitable, then the title is passed to the next highest standing and most capable noble or knight in line for the throne(As determined in the country's founding constitution).
Crucial to the nobility of Osneia is the concept of the "Landed Elite" or "Landed Nobility" - those who make up the vast majority of the nobility of Osneia who were granted manors and the rulership over towns, villages, districts, and the like after the accomplishment of great deeds or, more commonly, settling down after retiring from a Knight Order. To the oldest of the Landed Elite, they trace their roots back to the time of the country's founding when the ancient Kingdom of Ysnio broke apart and became modern-day Osneia - when the Knight Order, the Order of Beldenaar, broke apart and integrated themselves with all levels of society. As such, almost all of Osneia's nobility are either active or former knights - and very, very few are nobles in name alone with little to no knightly experience, as Osneian tradition yet holds that one who has not learned to serve others cannot be trusted to rule over others.
Osneian Noble Ranks
The ranks of the nobility are given below, from greatest to smallest.- Kaiser: The emperor that rules over all of Osneia, commands it Knight Orders, and wields absolute control over the government - they are wholly unbound by constitution and have absolute power over the entire country. They are chosen by previous Kaisers as each Kaiser is tasked with forming a list of worthy successors who, upon their death or abdication, are voted upon by the country's elite to determine who among the provided options are most worthy of the seat of Kaiser. They are almost universally powerful warriors who have proven themselves in countless battles throughout decades, and have earned the respect of the military, citizenry, and nobility alike. Some may choose to employ a cabinet, though it is not a requirement.
- Pope: The seat of the Osneian Papacy, which oversees all religious matters in the country. As Osneia is a deeply spiritual country most commonly tied into the faith of the Saint Bataar the Cloven(Though other religions are welcomed), the one who rules over the church and the Papacy is given extremely vast power in the country, though they still answer to the Kaiser at the end of the day. Unlike the seat of Kaiser, the seat of Pope is typically an elected one, though they hold the seat for life. One of the reasons the seat is so powerful is that they wield control over various Knight Orders loyal exclusively to the Pope and the Papacy - while the Kaiser controls much of the military, the Pope oversees and holds sway over more religious militant orders in the country, either that directly serve as armies for the Papacy or that simply fall under its banner for one reason or another. Has long maintained a careful power balance with the seat of Kaiser.
- Herzog: The highest rank of the ruling nobility, Herzogs, or Dukes, are the titles given to the very highest and most noble Osneians, and are universally the heads of one of the "Eight Greats" - an epithet given to the eight most noble and powerful noble families that rule over the biggest cities and chunks of land for the Osneian Crown. Oftentimes, these families command Knight Orders or have significant sway in many parts of the Osneian Government. They are awarded this rank by the Kaiser alone as a reward for some great service or as a reward once their family hits a certain age and accrues a certain number of noble ranks and titles.
- Margraff/Marquis: Margraffs, better known as Marquis, are one of the most powerful nobles in the country, ruling from massive castle complexes and the largest cities to oversee a massive county with many smaller regions located inside of it. They are chosen and given their titles exclusively by The Crown, though the Papacy is given allowance to name a select few.
- Graf: Grafs(Counts) are powerful, high-ranking nobility who govern an entire region often filled with several smaller cities. They are chosen and given their titles exclusively by The Crown, though some are also picked by the Papacy.
- Visgraf: Visgrafs(Viscounts) are the lowest rank of the nobility that almost universally comes from the ranks of Knights or from knightly or militant lineages. They run the cities of the land, managing them with the assistance of several Barons in outlying castles in the surrounding area. They are chosen and given their titles exclusively by The Crown and the Papacy.
- Freiherr/Baron: Barons are those chosen by their betters from the ranks of any who are proven capable(Not just knights or noble militants), who can come from any walk of life but nonetheless reside in large castles with several Lords assisting them as they oversee a vast area large enough to fit several groups, and thus an expansive area with many villages. They receive no wage, and instead profit off the taxes and profits of the land they manage, as do all other nobles above this rank. Uniquely, they are named by the Visgrafs and other nobles above them, though the Kaiser reviews such awards for final approval. They are often made barons for deeds in service to Osneia or for otherwise showing qualities that one of their betters believes carries the truest essence of what it means to be an Osneian - typically in some way upholding the virtues of Honor, Valor, Courage, Loyalty, and Selflessness.
- Lord: The first rank of true nobility, Lords hold little of the expansive power held by true nobility and serve instead as assistants and adjutants to Barons and sometimes other higher nobility, assisting them in running their lands and territories. They, like the Freiherrs above them, are chosen by their betters and given titles and land as service for some great deed, accomplishment or otherwise doing something one of their betters believes merits such a mighty reward. They typically hold manors that oversee small villages and are given a set wage by the Crown, as they cannot profit off the taxes of the lands they manage like those above them.
- Hussar: A rank reserved for the elite knights who have proven themselves and earned admittance into the legendary "Hussars", better known as the legendary Osneian Heavy Cavalry feared the world over for its battle prowess. Much like a knight, they are elite full time soldiers with excellent training and gear, and serve full time in times of war as part of the military. During times of peace, they are expected to dedicate fully four to six months out of the year to their duties as a warrior, training their steeds and any subordinates, during which time their land is maintained for them by the government. They are gifted larger manors or sometimes small forts and plots of land compared to knights, earn a much more modest monthly wage, and often manage and oversee several knights and their villages and land. Much like Knights, they are not inherently true Nobility(Though many come from noble birth) but are often considered as extremely respectable Nobility by many.
- Knight: They are the basic Nobility, and well-trained and armored full-time soldiers of the land during all times of war, but during times of peace they are only expected to serve one month a year. They exist above the common soldiery and men-at-arms, and though they do not properly or inherently belong to the nobility(Though many come from the ranks of nobility), they often are considered as Nobles by most. Knights in Osneia are raised as a profession military to support the common soldiery and infantry, and are drawn from all strata of society - though it is common practice for the eldest son of a noble family to be trained in the ways of knighthood, any may apply to become one, though commonfolk usually are made to serve time as a common man-at-arms or normal soldier before they may apply for knighthood.
Osneian Societal Ranks
The different ranks of Osneian Society are listed below, from highest to lowest:- High Nobility: Refers to the Kaiser, Pope, and the Herzog(Dukes). The elite of the elite, these nobility make the decisions that run the country and all its constituent territories. They are unfathomably wealthy and powerful, hold immense power and authority, and hold some say in the running of the country at the highest level. They have near limitless rights to do anything within the country under the law, and have extremely favorable considerations and allowances within those laws compared to other lesser nobility, such as extreme privileges and are almost immune to punishment or imprisonment(but not payment, fines, restitution, etc) unless irrevocable proof of some heinous crime is shown.
- Nobility: Refers to the other noble ranks beneath that of Herzog. They hold immense power, but have no true say in the running of the country's day to day(Aside from ruling those beneath them according to their wishes of those above them), though they may hold the ear of those who do. They have several privileges under the law, punishments are lessened, and are in general given favorable treatment.
- Peasantry: The rank most all basic and average citizens are at. They have full rights, such as the right to move, to breed, own land, etc. There are a large number(Around two dozen) of ranks or 'tiers' within this societal ranking - several dozen that denote increasing responsibility and status until one reaches the higher ranks, which heralds entry into the nobility(See the 'Culture' section below for more information on these tiers.
- Branded: Those who have committed a crime horrific or deemed bad enough to be Branded lose all rights(including Breeding, Food, Etc.), are not protected by law, and are used and expended according to their skillset or the needs of the nation. They are indebted to society as a whole, therefore they "work" for the crown. Those born to a Branded are taken from their parents and given to proper parents - Osneians do not believe the crimes of the parent should carry over to the child, and thus give children born to Branded a chance to live their own lives and prove themselves on their own merits.
Culture
Osneian society is rather notable in its uniqueness - the ranks of the commonfolk and society at large are divided into nearly two dozen 'tiers' or 'rankings' that determine where one stands in society, from the first rank(Reserved for Non-Osneians seeking citizenship and native children), to the second(The Initial Period of Mandatatory Military Service), to the third(Formal citizenship, recieved after one finishes mandatory military training). For Non-Osneians, true citizenship is granted after the individual completes a small period of initial training and musters out of service.
Throughout their lives, Osneians ascend to the higher tiers of citizenship and are occasionally "demoted" to lower ones as is deemed appropriate by their betters and society as a whole. However, the stigma associated with this demotion lies not on the individual who was demoted, but on those who promoted them when he or she wasn't ready for additional responsibility. This cultural stigma works to curbs the tendency to promote individuals into positions beyond their capabilities, and does much to create the unique 'knight-culture' inherent to Osneian Society.
In the same vein, settling into a role and rank is not considered stagnation by most Osneians - instead, they value knowing one's own limitations more than being ambitious.
Notably, Osneia has very few laws concerning recreation or entertainment activities, as so long as one completes his duties, and does not prevent others from completing theirs, nothing is forbidden. Even recreational drug use is not outlawed, but if someone is unable to complete his duties due to drug use, his superiors step in.
See the "Shao-neian" section of the Shaoshuan ethnicity for more information on the culture of Osneia.
Public Agenda
The public agenda of Osneia is one of protecting their own people, honoring existing deals or political treaties, and bettering the lives of their citizens. Beneath the rule of the Kaiser for the last several decades, they have not been an expansionist power, but with the succession crisis currently at hand, the country's agenda is anyone's guess.
History
The history of Osneia is a long one beginning nearly a thousand years ago, starting during its founding when the Shaoshu Empire, unable to contact the lands of pagan Ysnio, turned to the Order of Beldenaar - an independent military order of knights that had been spreading the word of Saint Bataar the Cloven on an endless crusade. The Shaoshu King at the time, King Richard III, invited the Beldenaaric Knights to conquer the Pagan Osneian Tribes in the unconquered lands on his western border. After fourty years of struggle against those who dwelled in pagan Ysnio, the Order reported their success to the aging King Richard III and were awarded with the right to rule the lands they had saved, as the people of the land had come to enjoy the order that had united the lands.
The order, now made landed elite of the Shaoshu Empire, established Stralnau Castle on the shores of Lake Brahmberg - which would go on to develop into the trading city of Stralnau. The formation of this castle coincided with and was built to commemerate the crowning of the first Ysnio "King", Kaiser Ludwig Wilhelm Von Stralnau I, or Kaiser Ludwig I for short. Everafter, the Head of the Beldenaaric Knights went on and served as the Kaiser - which historically placed both them and the Order as subordinate of the Shaoshu King and the Shaoshu Church. This relationship continued as more of a dependent territory compared to the rest of the Shaoshu Empire, which was more completely absorbed by the Shaoshu Empire than Osneia.
Towards the end of the reign of the Shaoshu Empire, there was a large upheaval in the Order as a rebellion broke out among the lower ranks, and spread rapidly through the ranks of the peasantry beneath the Landed Lords who rebelled - this rebellion that began in the year 4139 that came to be known as the nine-years war which eventually saw the rebellion put down. However, in the aftermath, the Ysnion Crown managed to persuade the ailing Shaoshu Government to leave the handling of the rebellion to them - to which the Shaoshu Crown, beset by violence and rising unrest across the empire, agreed to. The rebellion, though it failed, led to a movement within the empire that would result in a strong wave of patriotic Nationalism that swept the lands of Ysnio, as the subordinate lands which had been facing increasing cultural assimilation at the hands of the Shaoshu Empire, revitalized the Beldenaaric Knights and led to a series of reforms which saw them return to their roots.
The changes that came out of this rebellion created a lot of the internal infrastructure and social constructs that would, eventually, allow the lands of Ysnio to endure the collapse of the Shaoshu Empire - as the Order of Beldenaar, able to endure the chaos and put down the social unrest within their borders while fending off assaults from without by the fracturing forces of the empire, reformed the broken lands after only a year or two of strife, forming the modern day "Kingdom of Osneia" from the ashes of the Empire. The independence of the lands of old Ysnio contributed greatly to the success and formation of modern day Osneia, as their ability and permission to self-govern and handle their own business prepared them extremely well for self-governance and self-rule as a completely independent state.
When the Kingdom of Osneia was founded, the Order of Beldenaar was disbanded - its members, to prevent a future rebellion such as The Nine Years War, broke up and became the new landed elite - knights and warriors one and all, so as to carry the legacy of the Order into all eschelons of society, rather than removing themselves from it as lords or a seperate organization. From that point Forward, the Office of Kaiser would be a position passed down exclusively to those the previous Kaiser chose - the first thing each Kaiser must do when they enter office is to select two or more successors that they think are fit to carry out their legacy. As their rule progresses, they can change and alter this list.
Demography and Population
Osneia is primarily populated by Humans, Half-Elves, Half-Dwarves and Dwarves. Smaller populations of Scornfolk and Half-Orcs dot the countryside, though most any race can be found in Osneia in extremely small numbers aside from more monstrous ones and undead due to the Osneian cultural emphasis on contribution and meritocracy.
Territories
The lands of Osneia are those that were long ago conquered by the ancient itinerant Knight Order of Beldenaar that had been spreading the word of Saint Bataar the Cloven on an endless crusade when the King of the ancient Unified Shaoshu Empire at the time, King Richard III, invited the Beldenaaric Knights to conquer the Pagan Osneian Tribes in the unconquered lands on his western border. After fourty years of struggle against those who dwelled in pagan Ysnio, the Order reported their success to the aging King Richard III and were awarded with the right to rule the lands they had saved, as the people of the land had come to enjoy the order that had united the lands.
These lands have formed the basis for the ancient Kingdom of Ysnio as well as the more modern day iteration of Osneia for nearly a thousand years - though they have expanded and been attacked over the years, this territory has more or less stayed the same.
Military
The Osneian Military, while not entirely professional such as the likes of the Kingdom of Raoulin, maintains a large amount of professional knights and the like, with an especially massive focus on cavalry - for which they are well-renowned across Zheng-Kitar as being the unrivaled best at, as their legendary Heavy Cavalry Unit the Immaculate Hussars are feared the world over as the most elite and dangerous cavalry force in all the world.
Aside from this focus on cavalry and professional soldiery, Osneia does maintain plenty of volunteer and conscripted 'Auxiliary Units' that work to support the more professional main units - made up of non-natives, more mundane soldiers and recruits, these more normal soldiers handle a large bevy of tasks from serving as a police force, firefighting unit, public works force, and simple levvies and normal soldiers that work to support the main regiments of Osneian Soldiers that make up the large bulwark of their forces.
Religion
Osneians enjoy broad freedom of religion - though the faith of Bataar the Cloven is by far the most pervasive throughout the country, many faiths are welcomed so long as they do not inhibit the performing of one's duties or hinder the common good.
Foreign Relations
Osneia has typically had excellent relations with most of its neighbors for most of its history - as an honorable nation that honors its deals, it is relatively easy to get along with even with more villainous nations such as the Danzou Theocracy, maintaining neutrality even in the face of the Theocracy's brutal treatment towards its own citizens. However, it has grown sour with the Kassau Matriarchy after its leader Naiara Zaragoza put the Osneian Kaiser(Emperor) in a coma and killed most of their ruling elite in the Palace - the two countriers a needledrop away from outright war avoided only due to the quick thinking of the Osneian Kaiser's son who demanded the Matriarchy pay massive reparations to their country if they wanted to avoid spilling blood.
Agriculture & Industry
Osneia is a simple nation - its grain and agriculture outputs are enough to sustain itself, and its animal husbandry is much the same - its industries are best described as 'average'. They have enough food and animal goods to export in small amounts, but greatest of all is their metalworking, mining, and mineral industries - their proximity to the Tianzhao Peaks and the dwarves who call it home have made them natural allies of the mountains inhabitants and have allowed them to tap into a great amount of mineral and mining wealth of all that dwells beneath the earth.
One exception to their average husbandry is their horses - Osneian horses are well-known to be some of the best in the world, and are one of their chief exports they guard quite zealously.
Trade & Transport
Osneian roads are built and maintained by the military - so main thoroughfares are well-maintained and upkept, while other roads not used by the government are left up to the discretion of locals to build and maintain. Trade is done in large wagon trains guarded by columns of knights or warriors.
Education
Education is not available to common folk aside from some short periods of mandatory military training - though nobles often have access to better sources of knowledge and study.
Live for honor, serve with valor, stand for others.
Founding Date
3586 ASK(Ancient Ysnio), Fell and was reformed as Osneia in 4202 ASK
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Alternative Names
Osneia, The Holy Osneian Kingdom, Ysnio, The Land of the Kaisers,
Demonym
Leader Title
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
The primary means of Osneian currency is the three coin system(Copper, Silver, Gold) once established by the Shaoshu Empire, though they also accept Narixian Credits and the Saltsheets of The Gāngtao Migrant Fleet.
Major Exports
Ores, Minerals, Horses, Military Power, Metalworking
Major Imports
Spices, Grain, Ivory, Animals, Exotic Metals
Legislative Body
The Kaiser, Emperor of Osneia, is the sole legislative power in the country.
Judicial Body
The Kaiser, Emperor of Osneia, is the sole judicial power in the country, though at a more local level individual councils of one's peers and local knights and lords are often formed to handle smaller judicial matters in these 'local tribunals'.
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Founded upon honor
As one of the oldest countries in existence in the modern day, the lands of Osneia have long been the domain of Knights, Honorable Warfare, and the virtues of Loyalty and Duty - founded back in the days of the United Shaoshu Empire over a thousand years ago by the then free-for-hire Knight Order, the Order of Beldenaar(A wandering group of knights loyal to Bataar the Cloven), when the Shaoshu Empire's King hired them to clear out and conquer the Pagan Osneian Tribes in the unconquered, wild lands on his western border. Rewarded with the lands they conquered as a reward for their deeds, the Order of Beldenaar quickly settled down and founded the ancient Kingdom of Ysnio(Precursor state to modern day Osneia) on the lands they had conquered, forming a nation all their own where the virtues they so treasured - honor, duty, loyalty, and strength-at-arms - would be paramount as they gave a home to those tribes they had only just conquered. This nation, even in the days of the Shaoshu Empire, was notoriously independent and comparable more to a dependent territory rather than a wholly absorbed vassal state(As was common practice in the Shaoshu Empire), as the Kaiser, then crowned from the head of the Order of Beldenaar, as well as the knights and citizens that had accepted their rule when they established Ysnio were allowed to govern themselves. Though the Kingdom fof Ysnio had a troubled history, it nonetheless remained staunchly a land of knights and warrior-kings, as even the nobility(Better known as the Landed Elite) almost universally trace themselves back to the Knight Orders that founded the country or sprang up soon afterwards - and when the unified Shaoshu Empire fractured and fell into the many nations present in the modern day, the Kingdom of Ysnio suffered only minor strife in which they briefly fell to anarchy only to reform themselves a year later as modern day Osneia. However, as part of this reformation, the Order of Beldenaar, which had until then determined the seat of Kaiser and served as the military of the land, broke apart and willingly went their seperate ways, disseminating into the general populace to carry their ideals into all levels of society...to found a nation based on the stalwart, noble principles they embodied as knights and faithful of Bataar the Cloven.
A bandit problem
To add onto the list of Osneia's current woes, they are also in the grip of a bandit crisis the likes of which has not been seen in a century - thanks to the efforts of Naiara Zaragoza and her cadre of elite warriors rampaging through the Osneian Palace and freeing a handful of dangerous prisoners from the dungeons in order to mask their escape, several notorious bandits that had only recently been captured got free and rampaged throughout the Osneian Capital City for some time. And though many were recaptured before they could flee the city, a handful did escape out into the countryside - most notable among these bandits is the legendary bandit duo known as the Rockspire Twins, leaders of the Rockspire bandits...most feared bandit group in recent Osneian history. Usually, bandits of even such legendary caliber would not be too much of a threat - the power of the Osneian Knight Orders and the Military typically tend to be more than enough to deal with the threats present within their borders, save powerful monsters and the like. However, with the succession crisis currently at hand, the armies of Osneia are occupied keeping order and are strained far in excess of their usual limits, and as such do not have the same power they usually do to handle such unruly and lawless elements. As such, adding onto the times of great crisis the Osneian people are living in, they must now contend with an increased bandit presence across the country rampaging to their hearts content - leaving local militias and the armies of the nobility to put down such issues where they can, or in many cases turning to The Rasmanthus Guild to help maintain public order and keep such lawless elements in check...however, if rumors are to be believed, the legendary Rockspire Twins are said to be planning something big. Something that may involve attempting to secure the throne of Osneia for themselves...
Neutral
Though the Kingdom of Osneia actively despises what the Theocracy does to its citizens, they make no mention of this publically and instead maintain a tense neutrality that maintains the status quo - the vast wealth of the Theocracy is simply too much for them to cast aside for the sake of morality, so they content themselves to sitting idly by and watching as a nonaggressive third party.
Neutral
As two nations built on honor and live-and-let-live, Osneia and the Coalition have gotten along fine with no issues for decades.
Non-Aggression Pact, Incredibly Tense Relations
While the two nations have never gotten along fully, the Kingdom of Osneia, unlike its neighbor the Danzou Theocracy, have long understood the value of discretion when dealing with the barbarians of Kassau - not to be mistaken with cowardice, they simply judged that the best way to deal with the brutes on their northeastern border was to not provoke them and simply "live and let live".
Tensions have rose recently between the two nations as Kassau's High Valkyrion maimed and brutalized the Kaiser of Osneia in a political conference, nearly killing the aging ruler and slaughtering his royal guards to a man. It was only thanks to the wisdom of the Kaiser's Son that all-out war was prevented and the standing pacts were upheld between the two nations after Kassau paid retributions to the Osneian crown.
Oh my, I really liked the Germans before the Nazis came about and reading stuff like this saddens me, but this is just so good!!!!