[hider=Country CS] [b]Formal Name:[/b] Kingdom of Vaolos. [b]Informal Name:[/b] Vaolos. [b]Government System:[/b] Absolute Monarchy. [b]Species:[/b] Homo Fortemus. [b]Population:[/b] 3.2m Homo Fortemus, 0.3 million Homo Sapiens and <0.1m minor species. [b]Nation Advantages:[/b] - Vaolos has access to a number of strategic resources including coal, tin and salt. - The predominant species, Homo Fortemus, all posses a natural hardiness and resistance to the environment to a much greater extent than the majority of their contemporary species. [b]Nation Weaknesses:[/b] - The territories occupied by Vaolos lack plentiful water resources due to mineral contamination from the mountain sides making the water unsafe to drink. - Vaolos is currently locked in a guerrilla civil war between the monarchists and the republicans. [b]Culture:[/b] Quite similar to the Ancient Romans but instead of classical villas and gladiatorial arenas dominating the landscape, Vaolos should be pictured instead with an European medieval architecture (see below). [hider=architecture][img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e9/57/bc/e957bc5935661bb31674ed5aa673132d.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.flipbookstudio.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/19.-Dawn-0f-Fantasy_Castle.jpg[/img][/hider] [b]Brief History:[/b] Founded roughly 450 years ago by the Aolosian kings, the Kingdom of Vaolos began as a monarchy established through brutal murder and consolidation. The first recorded king (1000.CE), King Readre Aolosia, is depicted as a shrewd and capable king. Under threat from local natives and quarreling companions, he abolished the somewhat democratic system in place in favour of an absolute monarchy, achieved in large part through the underhanded killing of any potential rivals and the starting of a reign of fear. Such methods were hugely successful and have allowed the Aolosian family to prosper in spite of harsh environmental conditions. However, such success can only last so long and after centuries of the family pushing their weight around, the tempers of the peasants and other nobles have finally snapped... [/hider] [hider=Character CS] [b]Name:[/b] Ragnest Starkweather. [b]Title:[/b] Sir Starkweather, Lord of Pharen and Member of The King's Council. [b]Species:[/b] Homo Fortemus. [b]Age:[/b] 28. [b]Gender:[/b] Male. [b]Orientation:[/b] Closeted Homosexual. [hider=Appearance:][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/7c9d20b9-3621-4ff2-aa01-faab0a060566.jpg[/img][/hider] [b]Personality:[/b] Often described as courageous and noble, Ragnest has a good heart and constantly strives to improve the conditions of the people of Vaolos; for this is he well known and loved among the peasantry. Taught by his father in history, astrology, philosophy and agriculture when young and further studied through the help of famous individuals, Ragnest is also considerably intelligent for his age largely explaining his presence on the King's Council. Last but not least, Ragnest is also an explorer at heart filled to the brim with wanderlust. He is rarely at home and more often than not exploring distant foreign cities and valleys, leaving his peasants in his stead to run his estate. [b]Short History: [/b] [u]Early life[/u] Born and raised on his to-be estate with his father, Ragnest gained the best possible start in life with every manner of luxury available to him. His father, Sir Egriwn Starkweather, was a powerful man holding a respected place at the court of King Campania (the now current king). However, as luxurious as his life could have been, Ragnest was instead given an austere upbringing away from the fanciful events of nobles and fine dining; in fact, Ragnest and his father often ate with the peasants of their estate. This idea of peasant and noble equality easily found its way into Ragnest's thinking and is one of the main reasons for who his is today. At a young age, he was also subject to precise instruction by his father, a benefit not afforded to a great many other nobles of his status, and while his father was away on royal duty he was often taught by a peasant schoolteacher of the local village. [u]Adult life[/u] After reaching adolescence, Ragnest's life took a new turn after the death of his father when he was only 17. As per the traditions of the land, Pharen was now his inherited estate with which he could do what he liked. His first action, which gained him the unquestioning loyalty of the local peasantry, was to upgrade the school where he was often taught and add on several extensions including an observatory, library, stables and dining court. Such luxuries that those peasant children now had was unparalleled elsewhere. Later, Ragnest began to look to politics to pique his interests and applied for the court of the new king, to which, he was almost immediately accepted due to his father's unquestioning loyalty of the previous king. Here Ragnest's philosophy and history came as great boons to the king's reign and both Ragnest and King Campania shared a great bond of friendship. During this time, Ragnest also sought to further his learning. So, after returning from a long campaign in a neighboring province he set about searching the courts of the land, purchasing individuals who he believed he could learn from. One of the closest friends he made out of this endeavor was was Tyron, a reputable historian, who shared almost all of Ragnest's outlooks on the contemporary world. [u]Current[/u] Upon hearing news of the outbreak of civil war, Ragnest's worst nightmares were met. He was both a good friend of the king but also a great ally and friend of the peasantry whom he regarded almost as his family. His only possible option therefore was to leave, accompanied by Tyron, and to hopefully return when the war had subsided. [b]Other:[/b] It is worth noting that homosexuality is frowned upon in Vaolos, hence the 'closeted homosexual'.[/hider]