Location:
Name: Kingdom of Öspa
Flag
Capital and Major Settlements Capital: Port Skova Major Settlements: Hjarif, Echberd, Fort Torfénn, MósRuler and Royal Family - The Royal Line
- King Enní IV, the tenth monarch of House Siglune, aged nine
- Prince Lonne, his younger brother, aged three
- Queen Dowager Enga,, mother of the royal children and widow to King Enní III. The daughter of the ancient House Bakhrholt, who since the times of Öspad have been the principal retainers of the royal seat.
- Prince Halland, younger and only brother to Enní III; a boisterous and portly man, he is the Grand Admiral of the Merchant Fleet
- Princess Kélse, youngest sister to Enní III; considered very beautiful in her youth, she was wed to a minor prince of the Kingdom of Jura. She has not been seen in Öspa since, though she often writes to Brekka, her handmaiden, of whom she is very fond. Once a devout convert of the Cults of Skádi and Mjola, Kélse has renounced her former gods and now worships the Light.
- The Regency Council
- Queen Dowager Enga---Regent
- Prince Halland Siglune---Magister of the Treasury
- Magister Jólben---Magister of War
- Magister Öndewe---Magister of the Navy
- Magister Úri---Magister of Espionage
- Alosto---High Almoner
- Raúgost---Majordomo
- Élid---The King's Tutor
- Bartram---Captain of the Barquentine Company
People/s: Mostly humans, with a growing minority of dwarven and elven immigrants. The native Öspaín tend to be dark of hair, have dark-colored eyes (though green and blue eyes are not considered to be irregular), and have skin the shade of blanched olive, with slight Mongoloid features and developed epicanthus.
Kingdom Traits- Developed infrastructure
- Schools
- Friends with nobles
- Fair law
Military Traits- Ships
- Seaworthy
- Good archers
- Good equipment
Trade Traits- Ports
- Ancient merchant families
- Industry
Flaws - Overly powerful merchant guilds
- Arguable claims
- Sellswords (+1 point)
VassalsHouse UyaltRuled by Egill Uyalt, Duke of Bildsfelln. The Duke is an old man of seventy years, and rumor is that he is dying. He doesn’t seem to have noticed, however, as he is still governing his island and people with a firm but gentle hand. His wife, Eydís, passed away last year, leaving him with his heir Hrafn, a hard man of 50 years, and his sister Jóna, a masterful sailor of 42.
The Uyalt family supported House Siglune in the War of Succession and has been loyal ever since. The Duke of Bildsfelln has selflessly defended the royal family more than once. Some say that his oldest son and heir is of another mindset, though. They say that Hrafn Uyalt has great ambitions, aspiring perhaps to take the throne for himself. These are only rumors, and his father the Duke takes great offence to anyone calling his son a traitor.
House HákonRuled by Ásta Hákon, Duchess of Hestr. The Duchess is a young woman of only 25, recently risen to power following the death of her parents in a fluke hunting accident. Her family consists of her younger brother Hjörtur, 21, and his daughter Svana, 3. Despite her youth, the Duchess is known as a shrewd politician. There is however a rumor circulating that she is unable to have children.
The Hákons were fierce supporters of the old royal family during the crisis before the War of Succession, but have changed with time. They have proven their loyalty to House Siglune more than once, even though they are far from perfect supporters. It has been hinted on more than one occasion that the Duchess and her brother would like to see their Svana wed to the young King Enní.
Culture The Kingdom of Öspa has staked its livelihood on its mercantile prowess. Blessed with very little natural mineral wealth, the Öspaín (the demonym of the Kingdom’s people) have been known as crafty merchants since antiquity. Thus, although tradition is venerated, the Öspaín are a cosmopolitan folk, well versed in the ways of the outside world. Likewise, Öspa’s deep-water ports have made the kingdom a commercial hub---manifold peoples have come to Öspa’s shores and left their wake upon the native culture. For instance, the viands which sustained the Öspaín in ancient times might be juxtaposed with a flavoring or served alongside another dish anything but indigenous. Proud yet curious, the Öspaín culture is constantly adapting to outside stimulus.
As Öspa is an archipelago, the indigenous culture is inherently maritime in nature. The blind bear-shamans, now relegated to the primeval forests of Lúlhen, revered Holtlí, the Virgin of the Waves, above all other gods; fish is the staple protein, and whale blubber lamps still burn in many rural homes; but most notably, the great shipbuilding firms of Port Skova construct the stalwart
bjali boats which have defined Öspaín culture since time immemorial. A family’s boat was, and in many communities, still is a family’s livelihood. The
bjali boats, gaudy to some, were vivified with paints, depicting grand stories from myth and legend---many boats have survived for generations, and are embroidered with entire epics. The ship, whether it be
bjali or the contemporary galley and cog, is
the intangible symbol of Öspa.
Military Like the other kingdoms of Seyan, the military backbone of Öspa lies in the levies of its feudal lords. The kingdom’s army, however, is small compared to most of those aforementioned kingdoms. Simply put, the islands of Öspa cannot support much of a population, and certainly not a grand standing army. The people historically have supported themselves through fish and game, and by foraging---but on the whole, the islands are far too mountainous to support large-scale agriculture. While the Öspaín are excellent archers, the sad reality is that there are not many Öspaín. In the past, the kingdom has secured its safety on the basis of trade deals, and upon the fact that the islands are very simply not conducive to invasion. But, should push come to shove, Öspa would fare somewhat miserably, at least on land, with its god-given resources.
Luckily, with the wealth acquired from years of commercial success, Öspa has supplemented its own forces with a sizeable host of mercenaries. This, of course, is a double edged sword---their allegiance is not to the crown of Öspa, but to its purse. Thankfully, the hand of Öspa is not niggardly with its coin. The sellswords are both well paid and well outfitted, and all on royal dime.
Öspa’s greatest military resource, however, lies in its navy. The grand naval tradition of Öspa has ensured that its trade fleet is large---and its gold-laden holds are insured by war galleys, thronged with mercenaries armed to the tooth. Should any nation wish to invade the islands, they will have to pass through the crucible of Öspa’s navy---outfitted to contend against the rough waters surrounding Öspa’s coast and stalwart against any missile.
Economy Öspa’s economy, as previously mentioned, is couched decidedly in the strength of its commerce. The kingdom trades with all the nations of Seyan, as well as many on the mainland, and is a crucial stopover for ships bound for Seyan from the south. The quays of Port Skova are lined with crates of goods from every place in the known world.
The islands produce many quality goods of their own, however. The shipbuilding firms of Port Skova are world-renown for their quality, and have been known to take orders from kings. Whale oil is a valued commodity, produced on the remote northern isle of Földo; and the native reindeer fur coats are an appreciated export, especially in the more northerly climes of the continent.
However, on the whole, the shipbuilding industry, fueled by vast and ancient forests of good hardwood, reaps the most profits. The firms are family affairs and in most cases their ownership spans generations. They, along with a number of other merchant houses, drive the economy in Öspa and thus play in a critical and ever-expanding role in the hierarchy of the nation. It would be unwise to displease them.
Reputation Öspa are generally regarded as they actually are---shrewd tradespeople and excellent shipbuilders. Their tendency towards neutrality, mercenary army, and preservation of shamanistic traditions, however, has earned them some scorn.
History The Öspaín have resided in the Leírlandt Archipelago since antiquity, plying the waters for fish in their
bjali boats and stalking forests teeming with elk and reindeer. They were divided, however, and mostly along tribal lines---they shared a common faith, mutually intelligible languages, and mostly analogous culture, but for centuries they warred, staining the snow drifts with blood. Even today, tribal disputes are settled in local courts, and, more commonly, in tavern brawls. But it has been almost seven hundred years since the islands were convulsed with all-out tribal war, all due to the efforts of one man: Öspad the Arbiter, chief of the tribes of the island that was once known as Morufell but which now bears his name. For decades, Öspad struggled to unify the disparate tribes of the archipelago---finally, on the eve of his death, Öspad was able to bring the chiefs of the eight islands together under one banner in the Mjolit Concordat, a pact which remains to this day enshrined in the royal hall. Upon discovering Öspad dead the next morning, all the chiefs pledged fealty to his son, Öspad II, who became the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Öspa.
As the legend goes, with peace brought to the islands the Öspaín looked outwards towards commerce, though in reality it was much earlier than that that the peoples of Öspa began trading. Since that time there have been no great upheavals, save for three-hundred years before the modern era, in which House Siglune ascended to the royal seat. The line of Öspad was extinguished, and a succession crisis began. And although Siglune won out in the end, it was at the cost of much spilled blood---a fact still fresh in the minds of those who participated in the War of Succession. A child of nine now occupies the royal seat, his father, Enní III having died a premature death at the hands of the waters of dropsy, and a regency council rules the nation in his stead. Without a stern hand, this window of opportunity might be all too enticing for those whose families suffered during the War of the Succession.
Geographic Breakdown Thought it would be nice to talk about the geography/climate of the islands as well for the benefit of other RP'ers. Here is an extremely poorly done map that I made in 2 minutes in paint that points out (if you can even see the text, idk what I was thinking), the eight main islands of the archipelago. More info to come. 
The Leírlandt Archipelago, lying to the southeast of the main mass of the island of Seyan, is comprised of eight principal islands, and a host of smaller islets. They are as follows:
- Öspa: The southernmost island of the archipelago, Öspa has the most clement climate and is thus the most suitable for agriculture, although the winters are still hoary and the harbor of Port Skova ices over each year without fail. Major settlements on the island include Port Skova (the capital of the Kingdom of Öspa and a commercial center), Fort Torfénn (a fishing village on the northern tip of the island which grew into a full city after the navy started using it as their headquarters), and Hongeír (fiefdom of Duke Holmas; an agricultural center). Too cold for wheat, the staple crops are rye and barley, as well as leafy greens like cabbage, spinach, and chard and root vegetables such as parsnips, turnips, and rutabaga. Much more level than the rest of the islands, Öspa is interspersed with low-lying peaks and bluffs, gradually gaining altitude the more northerly one travels.
- Bildsfelln: The second largest and most northerly of the islands, Bildsfelln is known in folklore as the "realm of the lord of winter". Unsurprisingly, Bildsfelln is renown for its bitter and snow-laden winters. The island is rather mountainous, with some peaks rising to altitudes of nearly 14,000 feet, making it un-conducive to large-scale planting, though some villagers attempt to eke out a crop on the windswept slopes, usually to little avail. The people of Bildsfelln make their livelihood on fur trapping, and their coats are a much prized export of the kingdom, and in the northern reaches of the island whaling stations dot the coast; as for food, the forests of Bildsfelln are teeming with reindeer, bears (which are rarely killed), and small game, and the mountain slopes are always covered with mountain goats. With vast forests of ancient wood, the people of Bildsfelln are also renown for their excellent shipbuilding prowess. It is on Bildsfelln that the shamanism of the ancient Öspaín is most well-remembered, with roughly a quarter of the inhabitants being practitioners of the religion; and it is on Bildsfelln in the forest of Lúlhen that the bear-shamans, exiled by Öspad himself, practice their secret arts. Major settlements include Echberd (the fiefdom of Duke Uyalt, situated on the southern coast), and Hjarif (a whaling station on the northern coast).
- Mjors: The third largest and westernmost of the archipelago, Mjors is one of the least densely populated. The island is nearly completely made up of high mountain peaks, swathed in glaciers, and deep, inhospitable valleys. Most of the population resides in Gindélfard, on the far eastern coast, and the only settlement of note on the island save for some isolated fishing villages. Rumor has it that the regime intends to construct a trading post and a fort on the island's northern coast, citing its strategic location---but the locals of Gindélfard pass it off as another mad dream.
- Földo: Földo, like Mjors, is synonymous with isolation. The southern portion of the island is dense with mountains, glaciers, and interminable tangles of forest, mostly exploited by the shipbuilders. The northern portion of the island, however, is a haven for the whaling industry, which has established a rather large settlement, Mós, on the northern coast. However, it is the proverbial "wild west", with unwashed men, faces blackened by blubber stoves, and prostitutes being the prime inhabitants. For centuries, Földo was uninhabited. Even before the unification of the islands, it was used only as a temporary stop-off or for its lumber, and never for a permanent habitation. Földo itself means "white hunter" in the Öspaín---to the superstitious, the island is simply a bad omen. Some say that Földo was the realm of Ýardol, the Prince of Magic and Deceit, and that to step foot up its shores meant to fall under his illusions.
- Hestr: Hestr is densely wooded and rainy, with low mountains dotting the isle. It is, however, another place in the archipelago suitable for agriculture, and many farms thick with rye can be found throughout the island. Its principal settlement is Port Lundele, a common stopover for ships coming from Seyan who do not wish to round the Cape of Glaciers, notorious for rough seas, on their way to Port Skova.
- Lonil: Lonil is a quiet island of fishing villages and lumber yards, with high mountains dominating the interior. Its principal settlement is Kiojafelln.
- Ranga: South of Lonil is Ranya, a storm-battered island of fishing villages and hunters. Notable for its reindeer fur coats, just as Bildsfelln. Its principal settlement is Kjarradalr, which was the site of a massive battle during the War of Succession.
- Rond: A lonely, mountainous island north of Hestr, with notoriously fierce winters. Very few live there, although there are a handful of small hamlets. Duke Kolhaýn, the leader of the resistance during the War of Succession, was exiled here with his family and retinue following the war's closure. His mead hall is now used as the head of the local government.
Notes on Religion in Öspa "
In modern Öspa, direct worship of the old shamanistic gods is on the way out. While the regime hasn't outlawed it---and probably won't, as there is a sizable minority who do practice the old ways, particularly on Bildsfelln---the vast majority of Öspaín have begun to practice a "new" religion, which I haven't really worked on yet, but which is influenced in equal parts by old shamanistic practices and new practices from the continent (i.e. similar to the conversion of the Nordic nations in the Dark Ages to Christianity, though this religion will not be an analogue of Christianity). However, freedom of religion is state policy, in order to accommodate the growing number of immigrants to Öspa, and as a courtesy to their trading partners who regularly send merchants to do business in Öspa.
The stance of the royal family is becoming more and more ambivalent and obviously changing. The royal line are considered direct descendants of Öspad the Arbiter, the "founding father" of the nation and a figure couched in mythic significance by the shamanistic community. Öspad is considered a lesser god, I suppose, and there are many legends of him having been advised by the gods on his journey to unite the disparate tribes of the islands. Thus, the king is kind of the ur-role to the shamans, who purport that the drop of divine blood in the veins of the royalty gives them mythical prowess, the ability to look into the future and to re-live events of the path, and their role has a special magnetism that keeps the nation together. That's why during the War of the Succession, the shamans prophesied the end of the nation---it was kind of a cataclysmic event to them, and they predicted that the new dynasty would cause ruination. They were seriously superstitious about it, and many communities migrated to the less-populated islands, fearing that the gods themselves would wreak a holocaust upon the land. Of course, that didn't happen---the nation has held together, and the Siglunes have brought Öspa into a new era of prosperity. Some hypothesize that this is the reason for the gradual death of the shamanistic tradition---this was the test of the potency of their gods and mythos and it kind of turned out to be a fluke, and the shaman class was humiliated. Others purport that since the ascendance of House Siglune, the Öspaín have grown less and less insular---the shamanism is highly community-based, and the sense of Öspaín "community" has rapidly expanded in the period of three-hundred odd years. Thus, the death of shamanism could be said to be a product of expansion and the wholesale adoption of foreign cultural elements into Öspaín culture.
However, that is not to say that the Öspaín are not proud of their traditions. Shamanism has left its wake on social and community structures, in naming conventions, on holidays, on the calendar---the culture is still recuperating from the rejection of shamanistic practices and thus still retains some of the structures of a shamanistic culture. Thus, to the un-attuned eye, it might appear that Öspa is still shamanistic, even though a majority of the population are no longer practicing.
The same goes for the royal family. The royal "pageantry" is still couched in shamanistic motifs and symbolism---the throne room is adorned with arrases depicting events from myth, and the throne itself is carved of the wood of Öspad's bjali boat and decorated with the myth of the creation of the world. But the fact of the matter is that, even though the royal family has much mythical significance, they themselves are either ambivalent on the issue of faith, or have converted to other faiths. The status quo is changing and thus they are still unsure as to where they should stand. Thus, it is entirely possible that a roving priest from Jura managed to convert Princess Kélse to the Light, and maybe even some of the other members of the household. At least at this point in Öspa's history, for the royal family it's kind of an "anything goes" situation. Make sense?" "
Forgot about Holtlí. She is basically the creator god to the shamanistic tradition of Öspa. The bear-shamans who were exiled to the forests in Bildsfelln were exiled not because of some crazy practices, but because they fetishized Holtlí as the one-true-god, while the others even within the shamanistic tradition were lesser---a political move by Öspad. So basically they practiced a form of henotheism I suppose. Anyway, in mainstream shamanistic practice, she is revered just as much as other gods, though as she is the goddess of the waves it is common, even with the new religion, to burn a votive candle for her before embarking on a voyage. Another leftover of the shamanistic tradition..."
"
Skádi and MjölaIn Öspaín shamanism, Skádi and Mjöla serve as the twin gondoliers of the sun and moon. In myth, each day they ferry the celestial bodies in their arcs, ensuring that the sun sets and the moon rises. Neither goddess has a particular affiliation with either body---oftentimes, they trade places, growing weary of their time in the light or rejecting the lunar darkness. In runic syllabary, they are represented as a circle broken through the center, one continuous entity, not two separate mythic figures. Each day at dawn in shamanistic communities, the shaman arises and presents "sunbones"---reindeer or fish bones inscribed with the runic sigil---to the east, whose rattling ensures that the goddesses wake at their oars. Skádi and Mjöla have been connected to the sun-goddesses of the Juran faith---although usually opposed to marriages outside of tradition, the Kingdom of Jura made exception for Princess Kélse, who had been converted to the goddesses' respective cultic tradition by an itinerant ascetic.
The Pleiadine Creed 
(WIP)
Member
Guardian Angel Haruki
Will ad to my NS as well as some of my own invention. 
