Drachen (Nation)

"Did you hear about the duel in the lower levels last night? I hear almost half the city went to watch Josef and Mikkel go at it. I'm told they were at a stand still for almost an hour before the first blow was landed. In the end, they had so much fun dueling that the insult was forgiven."

"People of Drachenigreich, it is time for us to march forth and push back the attackers from the Northern Wilds. We will stand for their raids no longer, and our infantry will crush those that dare disturb our nation!"

The Nation of Drachen

The Ancient Kingdom of Drachenigreich, known to most as Drachen, is best known through out Kith Kanaan for it's ancient architecture and incredibly well-preserved lands that have withstood the test of time. A sprawling region of plains and forests, nestled against a great mountain range to the west and south, it has existed in it's current state for thousands of years. The people of Drachen are strong, stoic, and stubborn - like the lands of the country, these people are set in their ways. As a Nation, Drachen has had to survive countless invasions from the cannibals of the Northern Wilds, and the encroachment of the Shire past the southern pass, however they do not plan to yield to anyone.

The Capitol City of Drachen, known as Drachenhalten (or Drachenkeep) is home to the King and Queen, inset on the mountains that line the nation to the east. Drachens largest port city, Schwelle (or Threshold) is on the north edge of the Nations land, nestled in the Kustenansicht, a natural harbor on the south edge of the Aregon Bay.

Geography and Climate

Drachen exists as a large Nation, compatible to Tarantis in sheer size. It shares a border with Tarantis to the North-East, and a large mountain range protects it's Western and Southern Borders from the embrace of the Northern Wilds. Only two holes are present in this great defense - On the northern border in the Aregon Bay is the trade city of Threshold, it also guards the gap at the north end of the Great Mountains. The second is the forests north of Westwood, initially an allied territory, it's defection to the Shire Lands has removed the defensive buffer that once existed there.

Due to the pocket nature of Drachen, it has a humid climate with warm, moist summers and severely cold winters. Warm, moisture laden winds come up from the southern pass and the Westwood region, and combines with the cold off-shore winds of Aregon Bay to cause the country to always have rainfall throughout all months, thunderstorms in the summer, and regular snowfall in the winter. It doesn't share some of the same frigid cold of it's neighbor Tarantis, staying between 21C (70F) in summer and -3C (26F) in the winter.

Drachen has thick, boreal forests, with birch, alder, willow, and poplar trees being common in the north, while oak, elm, and maple are more common in the south. The forests of the region are largely coniferous, dominated by spruce, fir, and pine trees. The region is home to the caribou, elk, and roe deer. There are also squirrel, mountain hare, snowshoe hare, and vole. The black and brown bear are common closer to the mountain range. The wolf is recognized as a symbol of Drachen, and the timber wolf flourishes in the region. Other hunting animals of note include the fox, weasel, and lynx. Among the predator birds are the raven, owls and eagles. Falcons are raised for hunting.

Demographics

Drachen is a fairly colorful Nation, in part due to the mixed nature of the geography. The majority of the population are simple and strong. They are well known as being dedicated and continuing to work hard until the job is done. Only when things are complete, do they ever relax and enjoy themselves.

Drachen people consider fighting to be a natural part of the culture. Brawling is a sport and entertainment, and dueling is used to handle breaches of etiquette. Brawls are quite common to see during the evening, and can spill out into the streets. They are all in good fun, and usually end with a hearty pat on the back and someone paying for all the drinks. Dueling on the other hand is a clash between strong souls one to one - no proxies are allowed, and it is normally to the 3rd cut.

When it comes to supernatural bloodlines, they include Archons, Daevas, and Draconians. While other bloodlines are not rare to see, any of the Faerie or Infernal bloodlines tend to be looked down upon.

Government and Politics

The Drachen monarchy was created by one of the three Dragon Queens, specifically to replace the dragons as rulers of Kith Kanaan. The laws and duties of the kingdom were laid out, and later reinforced by the Blue Wizard upon the return of the monarchy in the recent past. The purpose of the Drachen crown is to perform three duties for the people: to act as judge and enforce Drachen law, to serve as priest to the gods during religious festivals, and to serve as leader of the armies during times of war. In recent times, Queen Dove has placed most of the demands of the court into the hands of the dukes, allowing them to dictate policy and the running of the kingdom, with the Queen giving the final decision on most policies. Conflicts between the crown and the court are settled through forum, while the King acts to ensure that the interests of the crown and the integrity of the court are not compromised.

The ruler of Drachen is the Dove Queen. Her husband, the queen's consort, is the Shadow King. Both are archons of Arion. While most true archons are unable to influence mortal affairs, the position of ruler was granted to the Dove Queen by a mortal, thus giving her the permission to rule this land. Under her, the people and land itself has flourished, renewed by the Archon of Life. Sickness and famine are a thing of the past under the rule of the king and queen.

The Dove Queen is favoured by the people of Drachen, having handed most of the day-to-day control of the kingdom to parliament. Here, the nobles discuss important laws or settle disputes in an attempt to ensure the kingdom operates smoothly and any cases brought before the parliament are settled. Any laws to be passed are presented to the Dove Queen for final approval, while the Shadow King's silent presence ensures that corruption is kept to a minimum.

The Shadow King is the spymaster of Drachen and the grandfather of assassins. He is the leader of the Horsemen, a servant of the goddess Mika, and is the Archon of Silence. His spies and assassins are deeply entrenched in Drachen, searching for threats to his beloved queen, and he tolerates no insurrection. It is fortunate that his servants are subtle, allowing the people of Drachen to go about their lives, acting to preserve the peace only when necessary.

Order and Religion

For quite a long time, the kingdom of Drachen was predominantly Joshuite, but with the rule of the Dove Queen, the Arin Faith has risen into popularity once again. The kingdom is a blend of Arin and Joshuite tradition, with churches dedicated to the worship of Adonai mingled with some of the practices of the Arin faith - while Arin temples have developed some Joshuite ceremony. The largest such temple is the Cathedral of Mika, found in the city of Drachenkeep, and the Grand Library of the Bortherhood, found in Threshold.

Tension between the Joshuite and Arin faith has been on the decline, more so with the wedding of Princess Reyala to king Jason of Tarantis. The blending of Joshuite and Arin tradition in the royal wedding has done much to ease the conflict between the two faiths, and the two kingdoms have grown closer. Some think that the two nations may become united within the next generation.

Political Orders

Das Drache-Ritter

Das Drache-Ritter or "The Dragoon Knights" are specially trained heavily armored pole arm units. Through tough training and an iron will they are capable of vast physical feats of movement such as running and jumping. Das Drache-Ritter tend to employ a technique of "Death From Above" that makes them hard to spot or intercept, and vasty improves their lance damage.

The Dragonwright

A mysterious and private Order, The Dragonwright were instituted as a last ditch defense against the Dragons of the End in the Arin faith. They are dragon slayers, trained in special arts and rituals. Currently, they exist only in rumor, as it has been a long time since any member has been spotted or identified.

Religious Orders

Clerics of Michael, Rapheal, and Uriel

These holy clerics of the Joshuite Church as commonly seen in Drachen, usually as bodyguards, exorcists, and wandering judges and lawmen.

The Sacred Knights of the Order

Of the great knights of Adonai, The Order of the Hospital and The Order of the Pardoners are most easily seen, as they help run the various Churches of the Joshuite Faith.

Primary Religion

The Joshuite Faith

The church of Adonai has been the predominant religion in Drachen for a quite long time. It hasn't been until recently that the Arin Pantheon has shown up on the scene. The two religions are oddly at peace within the Nation of Drachen.

Other Religeons and Orders

The Arin Pantheon

The worship of Arion and his pantheon has picked up considerably since the Shadow King and Dove Queen were instated. Through wise examples and a naturally adaptive culture, The Arin Pantheon and the Chuch of Adonai are merely friendly rivals.

Military

The Drachen military is best known for the legions of soldiers under it's command. A massive love for infantry and excellent resources for producing metal arms and armor has resulted in some of the most fearsome footmen on the northern half of Kith Kanaan. Complimenting these infantry are the specially trained Drachenritter or "Dragoon Knights".

Das Drachenritter are small units of fast-strike capability, armed with lances and other pole arms and capable of fantastic feats of leaping ability.

Normally the Drachen infantry machine will come in to corner and slowly envelope an area, while Das Drachenritter are used to hit targets of high value, or ward off and herd faster enemy units. The Drachen obsession with infantry means that they eschew heavy artillery and complex war machines. This actually puts them at an advantage in the heavy forested lands of their Nation.

Economy

Economically, Drachen has a firm stronghold on which to rely. Blessed with copious raw materials for smithing, as well as wood and previous metals, Drachen has some of the best metal smiths in Kith Kanaan. Drachen Steel is said to be second to none, and their armor is crafted with a dedication to detail and excellence that simply epitomizes their love of quality.

Much of their trade economy is simply well-made products such as furniture, decorations, tools, and other useful objects. Jewelry and dressers, bed frames and carpentry supplies are all common. Drachen does not export any real technology per se, but some of the best oaken tables can trace their roots to this Nation.

Magic and Technology

Drachen in general is a fairly progressive nation, having moved into a bit of a renaissance with many of the towns and cities starting to evolve into trade towns and places of critical thinking. Oddly enough Drachen does not share it's neighbor's love of technology - anything over basic tools is made for the weak and lazy. As such, artistically they are advancing but there is a strong resistance of more advanced technology.

The Nation of Drachen is also one of the original birthplaces of Azure Magic. While most residents prefer crafting with their hands, those with the gift go after their magic circles with the same level of devotion to detail as the finest gold smith might, making them fearsome casters when properly prepared.

Official Language

Drachen, Arin, Trade