[hider=Kingdom of Glorandal][center][h2]Kingdom of Glorandal[/h2][/center] [center][img]http://www.mytribe101.com/crest/cache/maker/TFtiAwcveF1at6tRoadgw.jpg[/img][/center] [h3]Government[/h3] While to the wider world Glorandal is a soveriegn Monarchy, in reality it is more of a Confederation of small Fiefdoms, under the 'oversight' of a Queen and Prince Protector. They are united culturally and in race, but divided politically. Many 'Merchant Lords' vye for greater wealth and influence. Trading wars are common. The Queen is set to handle all of the inner politics of Glorandal, settling disputes and helping broker agreements. The 'Prince Protector' will perform these duties when the Queen is absent, but his main role is to handle matters of National Security, War, and executing Justice when need be. [h3]Geography[/h3] This should be more just a claim of your location. Talk about the climate, terrain, and important locations in your country. Specifically mention major cities and your capital. Bonus points if you have an internal map that includes highways. [h3]Culture[/h3] Much like the government section, don’t drown us in details, though feel free to add more info under a hider or something. Is your country culturally homogenous or a mixture of ethnicities? Are your people humans or some other race? If you have various ethnicities, how do they interact with each other? What are your people’s values? Bonus points for adding insults they use to refer to the people from countries they have been at war with. A note about nonhuman races: do not simply make them arbitrarily superior to humans, if they are better than humans in one way then they will be inferior in another way. [h3]Military[/h3] Much of Glorandal's Military is comprised of Spearman and Archers when on the ground. Their Cavalry isn't vast in number, they are excellent in light engagements and flanking maneuvers. The Knights of Glorandal are their most elite force, excellent warriors in all forms of land combat, and wearing magically enchanted weapons and half plate armor. They still field Giant-Killers, which are militarized 'clans' of those who honor the old ways and whose ancestors fought the Ogryns long past. They wield deadly Glaives and Greatswords (sometimes large hammers or Axes) and wear heavy armor that is ridged with spike traditionally, so a large creature could not simply pick one up without harming himself. In essense, Glorandal fields a powerful Navy with some of the best weapons money can buy. On the ground, they field armies of a few specialized units, but mostly medium armored and highly maneuverable ranged/melee deadly troops, with magically enhanced weaponry. Excel at range, but fairly good at close combat and guerilla tactics. [h3]Heroes[/h3] Tolendur Stormblade: The Prince Protector of the realm of Glorandal. The finest Swordsman in the realm, as well as a peerless archer and woodsman, as well as an accomplished sailor. Perhaps his greatest virtue, however, is that he seems to genuinely care of his country and people. He rides a great warhorse into battle by the name of Bard. Finabar Dawnseeker: A prominent Seafarer, both in trade and renting out as a Privateer. A personal friend to the Prince Protector, and famous throughout the realms as an explorer and womanizer. [h3]History[/h3] Three Thousand years ago, the Gherds were a society of Barbaric huntsmen and Highland warriors living in various clans. They revered the Western Sea for its limitless vastness along with it's famous Maelstroms, and worshiped Thoron, the God of Storms. They quarreled for land and resources, but met at bi-yearly moots to discuss matters that concern them all. With the men of the East they made little conflict with, but the Ogryns to the North were a worry more often than not. Though they lived behind the natural barrier of the Valan mountains, as well as the thick forests that surround it, they still did battle with the large beings. Eventually, the Gherds united and strode forth from their land of the West. With great spears and glaives of bronze, and armor covered in sharpened goat horns, they attacked and pushed into the territory the Ogryn's had occupied. As fate would have it, the Vultic people had just begun to push as well, and with their combined might, the two drove the Ogryns back just long enough for the Vultic people to make their great wall. Victory was had, and the Gherdic clans went home to rest and lick their wounds. The following 280 years went by relatively business as usual, though a few raids to the east by smaller bands of smaller clans were made, there was mostly silence. Until a Clan leader warred with the other clans, uniting them under one banner after a war that spanned 5 years. He was Galric Earlhardt, who crown himself Earl of the Gherdic people. Soon they began to trade with their eastern neighbors, for their forests were filled with animals of great size. Two hundred and twenty years later, or fifteen hundred years previously to the current date, a Seafaring Elven people made landfall upon the land. They had arrived in a great storm, their ships having (mostly) traversed the hurricane with little ill effect. Not only that, but they had come from out of the Great Beyond to the West! They controlled more advanced magics and wielded swords of enchanted power. The Gherdic people saw the Elves as something out of their greatest legends and essentially not only welcomed them into their home, but allowed them to rule over them, almost becoming second class citizens for many years. The Elves did not treat them as slaves, but nor did they curb the Gherds of their respect and reverence, teaching them instead the finer ways to craft and speak. That is, until a prominent human leader known as Forthalorn rose up and rebelled, having been supplied by Calor Murex in secret. He accused the Elves of using their magic to sway the minds of their mannish hosts, and that they were destroying the Gherdic way of life. A war broke out that lasted many years. The men were strong, and hardy folk, but even with the supplies of the East, they had little in the way of resources. The Elves had weapons of magic and knowledge of maneuverability and careful planning, and had control of the western Islands to use as strike bases. It was not until the Elvish Queen was revealed to be pregnant by the captured son of Forthalorn that the war was shattered with a common interest (And thus, the relationship with Queen and Prince protector was made). The protection of both of the people's only heirs to their thrones. An uneasy peace was made, and a summit was created to broker this peace, includung the Ambassador of Calor Murex, Weasalis Ormoneric. It was revealed through the leaders of both Elves and Gherds that their people had apparently integrated more fully with one another than many had believed, for dividing their nations would have upended entire towns and thousands of families who had become one people. The Prince of the Earl and the Queen of the Elves union formed one Kingdom, and their cultures were fully made into one. The men were taught the art of the Sea, and the Elves were shown the ways of this land and the Gods the men held dear. Over the next few hundred years, this Half Elven nation, while still unified by the Royal family, still had an air of being splintered based upon blood and ancient creed, and many small lords were carved out of the countryside. These men became Merchant Lords... Other than various Merchant Lord scandals, and Glorandal hiring out themselves as Privateers and purveyors of exotic goods, relatively little happened the next thousand or so years. Fifty years previous, one of the Merchant Lords known as Hirgen'del suddenly sacked a rival Lord's trade fleet in the open, prompting a small civil war that ended in the current Prince Protector slaying Hirgen'del with his sword. Unfortunately, Hirgendel was the Queen's first and favored cousin. This led to an estranged relationship between the Queen and Prince protector, until the Queen was assassinated by what is believed to have been the Prince's associates, which led to the Prince Protector being exiled, and his cousin Tolendur Stormblade being elected the new Prince Protector. [h3]Relations[/h3] Calor Murex: Long time trade partners and allies. Recently, relationships have been strained by the new Murex leadership, troubling reports of both slavery and corruption. Dakarragord: Recently made contact with this new Dominion. Trade and negotiations are few at the moment, but it looks promising. [h3]Characters[/h3] Optional section. Put any info about any characters here. Examples of this would be your kings or queens, military leaders, and non-hero “badasses”. You can also put more detailed info of your heroes here as well.[/hider]