Kingdom of Raechin

The Koltani Crown Game

Raechin is a feudal state in every sense. Though the Anvilstone Monarchy holds the largest swath of land directly, and the largest piece of the military individually, they could be overpowered by any three of the banner families and the forces they command. Such is the nature of the country's decentralized power structure. Jarlessa Scarlet Anvilstone plays the game well, knowing she must keep careful balance in her policies and decisions, to insure she does not seem to favor any one to heavily, whilst keeping the most powerful of her banners economically and militarily well and truly placated.

"Some might argue this modernizing world stands against the structure of feudalism, this hierarchical structure. However I would heavily disagree. What it has done though, to the benefit of all, it has reinforced how this structure is supposed to work. The people answer to their local electors and minor nobility, who in turn answer to their nobles of the court. Those of the court in turn answer to the ruling Counts and Countesses and their houses. Who in turn answer to the monarchy itself. As the monarch, who then do I, Jarlessa Scarlet Anvilstone answer too? Why, all of you, the people themselves. When handled properly, this structure of heraldic fealties is not a tower. It is a circle of accountability."

A quote from the Jarlessa herself, from a speech she gave repeatedly at large public events during her coronation tour of the realms of her kingdom.

Upward Movement

Despite the nature of feudal structures to say there is no room to shift from one's social position would be a lie. The truth of Raechin culture is simple. It is predatory. The hunter and the hunted. The shepards and the sheep. However one can shift between these easily enough, if one is truly committed to the task. It is a nation that honors the circle of life beyond all else, the cycle of prey and predator, of hunter and hunted.

Martial prowess is one of the fastest ways to ascend the ranks of Raechin society. Skill at arms, at battle, at war, skills of leadership, all these can help one gain swift noteriety and rise through the ranks of Raechin Society, and even beyond military and into political and noble circles as well. There is even a sanctioned culture of combat at arms.

Civilian dueling is culturally acceptable, the structures and legal codex for it existing both as a form of addressing perceived slights, or even for settling land, contract, financial or personal disputes.

Military Flexibility

Her military is not one piece, but many smaller armies united under the monarchy. Each count can call their own oathsworn houses, minor nobilities overseeing smaller slices of their county, whom each have small personal forces of men at arms, true military forces/units and militia that they will provide to any such effort. Raechin's standing army, such as it is, is instead six much smaller forces united by nationality and common cause, but under mostly seperate command structures. As such, they have a defensive flexibility, though a convoluted and complex hierarchy structure within their armed forces.

Yet this flexible structure has proven very effective, allowing swifter reaction to issues such as raiding monsters from the northern regions, such as the Fell Crags and Nor'wood Basin, as well as the rare but dangerous raids of the Night Elves or Norvii upon the seas. This is not of course counting the only true 'national' force such as it is, the Wolfsguard. Sworn to the service of the Hunter's Throne, as the very seat of the Koltani kingdom is seen as a religous one, for their first 'king' or Jarl by all stories and scripture was Boran the Bloodhound himself. As such, it is seen as divine providence and doctorine that the Anvilstone family is directly blood relatives to that most divine figure.

However it is important to note the Wolfsguard's oath is to the seat, not the individual seated upon it. As such they are another faction that Jarlessa Anvilstone, and any before or after her will be careful, and have always been careful to keep well provided for and well entrenched, as well as properly paid and supported.

Religous Backdrop

Raechin is the birthplace of the Huntmaster's faith, and as such it should come as no surprise that of all the Ascended, the worship and following of Boran the Bloodhound's faith and creed are by far the most common. The next closest would naturally be Talia, lady of the Leaves, and this speaks to the tight tie between Depenwood and Raechin, given their two most holy figures are said to have been wed. As such, one would be unsurprised to learn that the two nations have a strong sense of allegiance to one and another.

Education

There is a massive disparity in education availability and averages between urban and rural areas, a holdover that one would hope will slowly change, however as it stands, those in more rural regions by and large have less opportunity and less availability of education, less opportunity to learn skilled trades outside family lines, less flexibility in their status and station because of this. There is even a noted disparity in literacy rates, with the more rural areas seeing a noted 15-20% drop in literacy.

Bearwood County: The central county, the territory wherein sits the seat of the monarchy, Longreach, this county remains the holding of House Anvilstone, and is the centre of their authority and territory. It is notably the largest county by geography, and the most populated, housing the majority of the farming across the Whispering Plains as well.

Thornwood County: Encompassing several islands off the western and southwestern coasts of the nation, as well as a notable region of the mainland along the Thorn River. Dalereach is the largest community, the city the home and seat of House Karnith. The Tantur family are amongst the most loyal of banners to the Anvilstone monarchy, hence their position near one of the nation's borders, as well as their dominant role within naval affairs, their territory and holdings already suited to task, given their control and trust of care with the various islands off the coast of Raechin.

Millwood County: The county of Millwood, though geographically small, is a keystone county, a place of industry and agriculture, a region of great import to the country of Raechin. The corn and wheat fields that dominate the western regions of the Whispering Plains though small, are fertile and the soil rich, producing regular bumper crops that provide plentiful grain for the country, insuring they keep prices manageable, even whilst importing across the sea from Rohara. The lumber and paper industries are strong in the northern reaches of the county as well, this part of the Depen not under the conclave's dominion and not subject to the same rules. Salmon's Run provides the necessary water as well as plentiful fishing and access to the sea.

Vant, the largest settlement and seat of power in the county, is well known for her industrial piers, with mills of a wide variety spread along the river bank. The Anvilstone monarchy entrusts overseeing of these holdings to the noble Turmill family, a fellow Koltani family of deep heritage and heavy honor.

Goldhead County:
Covering much of the Bearwood, on both sides of the Coalhead River, and nestling right up against the Forgehead Range this industrious county, so named for the large gold mine that lends its name to the city that provides its labor, Goldbridge. The name is no misnomer, however gold is not the only mineral mined frequently and with volume from the edges of this mountain range. Silver is also plentiful, and these mines are one of the two dominant economic boons this region provides, and arguably the most vital and strategically important. The other, naturally is the vast and spread out lumber industry all throughout the Bearwood, as one might expect. Oversight and governance of this county is entrusted by the Anvilstone Monarchy to the Rolsten family, another prestigious and long serving Koltani family with deep roots and a prestidigious family history.

Stonewood County: Encompassing the territory at the eastern end of the Bearwood, as well as a small, but notable chunk of the Smokestacks mountain range, this region is known and named for the Ironwood Oaks, their fine timber difficult to fell, but valuable and a major economic boon. The trees are somewhat rare, and a bonus within the larger lumber industry in the region. Besides this, the stone within the mountains known as the Smokestacks, primarily granite and marble, though with some limestone shelves and cliffs present closer to the ocean, is a valuable resource in and of itself. As such many quarries dominate the mountains in these eastern regions.

Cliffveld, the largest settlement in the county, acts as a processing center for much of the quarrying industry, much of the raw materials shipping into the city to be processed and eventually shipped all throughout the region, and even further, some across all of Raechin and a bit even beyond that. The Cliffveld Railyards are perhaps the busiest in the country outside Longreach. This county is entrusted and overseen by the Rockwell family. A relatively newly established and recognized member of the nobility, this being but the second generation of such a position and trust. They are generally less than favorably viewed by the fellow ruling families due to this 'new money' position they now hold.

Smoke-Stone County: This county gets its name from the Smoke-Stacks range that dominates most of its mainland holdings. Coal mining and charcoal production are the dominate industries here, the forested island of Blackwood well known for this secondary industry. Furthermore the north eastern oceans have a heavy crab and lobster fishing industry, mostly run off Blackwood isle. The coal mines are the dominate industry here however with Blackridge being the shipping point, as well as a key refueling point for locomotives across all of Durol, never mind just Raechin. Blackridge earns its name as one might guess from this valuable resource that dominates the county. This region is entrusted in alliance and allegiance to a small dwarven clan, whom are officially bannermen of the Anvilstone Monarchy, the Barimac Clan, whoms expertise guides the largest coal mining operations all across the county.