Duchy of Letha
Structure
Letha within the Kingdom of Gallia
The Duchy of Letha is a feudal state, nominally a vassal of the Kingdom of Gallia since its formation in 842 SI. In reality, however, Letha functionally operates as a loose confederation of independent states, held together by a strong cultural identity and a long history of rebellion and autonomy. Even Gallia itself often seems to recognize this reality, as Lethan nobility are not regarded in the Gallian Court as "Peers of the Realm", but as separate Princes Etranger, titles normally reserved for fully independent entities. Furthermore, defense, spending, taxation, and trade are all administered not by the Gallian Crown, but by Dugal authority. It maintains its own separate relations with both Gallian vassals and fully foreign powers, with the full authority of its own national sovereignty.Internal Organization
The Dugez of Letha
Central authority in the Duchy rests on the Dug/Dugez, a noble position that succeeded that of the High King of the Lethaned after the Kingdom was reorganized into its current form. The actual power of the Dugez varies greatly depending on the individual and the political situation in the Duchy at the time, ranging from powerful autocrats to symbolic figureheads. The Dugez is the Sovereign over 9 major vassal states within Letha, which in turn are made up of their own vassals. The Dugez exerts her strongest influence around the Dugal seat and the surrounding Kontelezh, commonly acting as both the Sovereign and Kontez of those respective regions in addition to ruling the Duchy as a whole. Most Dugs also hold title over a family claim, commonly outside of their seat, where they hold outsized power. As one travels away from these positions of influence, the direct power of the Dugez wanes.The Mac’htiern of Letha
Beneath the Dugez are the Mac’htiern, the titled nobility of Letha, built around great houses, many of which descend from the ancient clans of the Great Kingdom of Kernev and Dumnonia. The powers and duties of the Mac'htiern are largely in line with those of the Nobility and Gentry elsewhere. The Konts/Kontezes are the most powerful nobles beneath the Dugez, controlling the seven Kontelezh of Letha. The Markizes/Markizezes of Letha are of special note, controlling the six Bevenn-Difenn (marches) along the Eastern border. Marches are distinguished from interior holdings and are granted special privileges and greater authority in exchange for extra duties. While nominally below the Konts, they answer directly to the Dugez in times of war and national emergencies. Beneath the Konts are the Biskonts/Biskontezes. Of these, the Biskonts of Dol and Leon are exceptionally powerful, independent and considered equals to the Konts in Duchy politics. Biskonts control regions known as Biskonti The lowest of the Mac’htiern are the Barons/Baronezes. Barons typically are granted their fiefs directly from the Sovereign, rather than the Konts or Biskonts. Barons control regions known as Baronelezh.The Gentry of Letha
Beneath the Mac’htiern are the gentry, non-titled landowners, sworn to lesser nobles to manage fiefs in their territory or execute other functions. These are, in order of significance: Caballos - Knight Skoedour - Esquire Aotron/Itron - Lord/Lady. Areas controlled by Aotrons are called Aotronia.Ecclesiastical Holdings
The Church of the Four holds a unique role in Lethan political society, operating largely independently of the civic authorities. This mostly consists of freedom from taxation and the management of church lands, such as monasteries and abbeys. However, a rare hybrid position, that of vidame exists within the Duchy. Vidames are chosen by the Archperfect, with the consent of the Sovereign, to administer the “earthly” interests of larger church holdings.Free Cities
In addition to the Nobility and the Church, some cities within the Duchy are permitted to limited self-autonomy. These are typically led by a seneschal appointed by the Dugez, administered by magistrates and bureaucrats, and advised by council of powerful merchants, gentry and civic leaders. The rights and powers of these cities vary depending on the charter granted to them by the Dugez.Public Agenda
Located on the remote Armorican Peninsula, the Duchy of Letha is uniquely situated within the Gallian sphere of influence. Surrounded by rough waters and filled with rocky moorland and dense forests, it has garnered a reputation as a wild and inhospitable region on the edge of the world, politically and culturally isolated. At the same time, however, its lengthy shoreline and control of a key maritime crossing, has positioned it well to exert a surprising amount of influence over commerce and politics. Additionally, Letha has a long history of conflict and collusion between Bediz and Fair, with Bediz, Korrigan, Sidhe and Fomorian all greatly influencing the culture and history of the region. It is these seemingly conflicting circumstances that make the Duchy so singular and define its agenda.
Territory and Trade
The Duchy’s options for territorial expansion are greatly limited, having long consolidated its borders in a series of bloody wars against Gallia, La Manche and Anjev. Further Eastward expansion is untenable due to the strength of Gallia and strong cultural differences. Similar challenges exist for maritime expansion, effectively limiting Lethan territorial ambitions to its current borders. With its territorial expansion limited, Letha instead derives its political and economic advantages from the sea, specifically its crucial location controlling the Painted Channel, effectively exerting influence over all trade between the Mor Bras and Mor Marv. Protected ports and harbours along its coastline are all but mandatory stops for those braving the dangerous trip around the stormy peninsula, taking on crucial supplies, rest and repairs. To this end, much of the Duchy’s efforts go towards furthering its port facilities, offering drydocks, ship building, and outfitting services. These ports in turn, allow the regions industries to export outside of its borders, growing a thriving trade of produce, aquaculture, ores, textiles and lumber, as well as more specialized refined goods. Seeing the advent of Windships as a potential threat to this arrangement, Letha has pivoted to take advantage of this new technology, creating wide canals, artificial lagoons and developing adjacent technologies.Politics and Culture
Letha has a long history of political and cultural independence, a stubborn streak of self-determination that has led it to confront powerful outside forces. To this end, it has intertwined itself into the politics, economies and cultures of its neighbors, striking a careful balance that allows it to control its own destiny. In the present day, Letha finds itself in crisis, torn between its Bediz and Fair identities and between the machinations of Gallia and the Fortunate Isles. With the death of Dug Yann III, Letha has fallen into a civil war over the succession. The pro-fair Ermine faction, with the backing of the Courts of Winter and Summer, supports Dugez Janed Monforz fights against the claims of Janed Frihep, supported by the Bediz-supremacist Staunchist faction and the Gallian Crown.Assets
Trade Assets
While Letha has a reputation for poverty as a rural backwater or untamed frontier, a wild landscape without infrastructure, in reality it possesses some of the most active trade routes and ports in the North. The largest is the port city of Naoned, located on the mouth of the Liger River and the Mor Kantabria, connecting the Silvercoast with Anjev and the Gallian interior. The ports of Gwened, Brest, Montroulez and Aleth similarly add great value to the trade output of the Duchy. Overland, the towns of Gwitreg and Roazhon serve as the “gateways to Letha”, but along old Kingdom Roads, connecting not only the Armorican Peninsula with the rest of the continent, but also providing a trade route from Akitania to La Manche, free from the direct controls and profiteering of Royal customs collectors. Salt, specifically, flows freely through the territory without Gallian taxation. An industry of canneries, drydocks and landing lagoons have been built up along the coast to further Letha’s role as a trade lynchpin.unique Holdings
Demography and Population
Letha has one of the highest populations of Fae peoples in Kornôgel, being the apparent homeland of the Korrigan, as well as home to large populations of Sidhe from the Fortunate Isles and Fomorians from Orkney. Beginning in the time of Gradlon Mwar, Fae have widely integrated with some of their Bediz neighbors, but others exist as separate communities. Wildfae populations of both trouping and solitary fae exists deep within the Faewylde, especially in sparsely populated areas.
Boléguéans The Korrigan of the Mounds hold by far the smallest population of the Korrigan peoples, with populations across the entire peninsula generously placed at the low hundreds. They do not maintain their own population centers, but rather travel amongst their peers, servings as advisors, priests, keepers of ways and elders. They resolve disputes, mark important events like births, deaths and marriages, oversee festivals and offer counsel. Most often, a Boléguéan will travel within a set circuit of communities, rather than wandering at large. While they are not absent from Bediz society, they view their role as a calling to aid the Korrigan specifically.
Boudics - The Korrigan of the Farms may have the largest population of the Korrigan peoples, although specific numbers are almost impossible to determine as a result of their diminutive size, secretive nature and extensive obfuscating glamour. Indeed, there are many who argue that the Boudic are not Korrigan at all, but physical manifestations of genius loci, rather than discrete entities. Many homes, farms and shops, both mundane and magical, are thought to have boudic residents, often acting unseen as bane or boon to the inhabitants. Some even appear on ships.
Fées-des-Houles - The Korrigan of the Swells reside in the seaside caves along the Ar Mor Breizh, building large cities in these sea-level caverns. A monosexual race of only females, the Fées-des-Houles cohabitate with the Jetin Kriores (See Below). They are heavily involved in the day-to-day life of the wider population along the Northern Coast from Aleth to Erquy, teaching local children, tending their herds, and trading at market. Their cousins, the solitary Margot are found in a wider geographic spread, but in fewer numbers.
Gargoul - While the self-proclaimed Korrigan of the Mountains are not true Korrigan, but rather Alfr from the Forest of the Erlking, transplanted by Windships from the Cloth Cities. Nevertheless, the diminutive creatures steadfastly cling to their self-given moniker with pride and passionate arguments. While some populations live in the Meneziou Are and Meneziou Du, most are instead found in urban areas, establishing colonies in church steeples, high roofs, castle towers and similar structures. The largest populations are found in Gwened, Naoned and Roazhon. Gargoul have pushed themselves actively into other communities, both Fae and Bediz, working as engineers, construction workers and alchemists.
Hoseguéannets - The Korrigan of the Cromlechs have made almost no attempt to integrate with the Bediz, or indeed the Korrigan, operating out of tight knit clans and only interacting with non-Korrigan outsiders as individuals or through intermediaries. They have a one-sided rivalry, but apparent great respect for the Boléguéans.
Kornikaned - The Korrigan of the Forests are difficult to count as a result of their aggressive territoriality, small stature and often remote habitat, but are widely spread across the Peninsula in both rural and urban settings, staking out trees and glades in forests or following the lumber to make their home in ships and buildings. Their territoriality makes them difficult neighbors, even for other Korrigan, going so far as to form criminal gangs or standing armies to protect their claimed domain. But some, like the Troupe of Garenne in Gwened, have more positive relations with their neighbors.
Kriores - The Korrigan of the Moors are the second most engaged and populous of the Korrigan raes, and exist in three distinct factions: The Troupes of Gargantua, extant since the days of Ker-Ys, are the largest, based in the underground metropolis of Ker-Malastred in the Landes be Lanvaux near Gwened. The Jetins are a seafaring people, found along the Ar Mor Breizh. Lastly, the Knockers, unaffiliated troupes of wyldfae live deep in Faerie and in forgotten caves, almost feral in their compulsive digging. The Gargantuans and Jetins interact regular with other peoples, with the latter co-habitating with the Fées-des-Houles.
Margot - Also, called the Nathair, the serpentine Korrigan of the Wells, existed in lower numbers in Letha until large populations from Tolosa and Southern Arle began to flee North from the violence and religious persecution during the Heresy of Albi. Here, they were welcomed by their Lethan cousins and Dugez Konstanza. The Margot have since established themselves in small populations throughout the Duchy, both in cities and remote, monastic-style hermitages.
Poulpiquet - The mischievous Korrigan of the Dale originate in the Kastellin Basin, but have spread further out to cover much of the region, living openly in Bediz settlements. They are often living as Pilhaouer, adopting a semi-nomadic lifestyle and traveling in and out of larger settlements as merchants, tinkers and soldiers,
Teuz - The Korrigan of the Meadows are the most common and verifiably populous Korrigan peoples in Letha, working as farmers and craftsmen in their own settlements, or openly among the Bediz. There are very few, if any, Teuz settlements that exist outside the power structure and larger communities of Letha, to the point where most official records will not bother differentiate between Bediz and Teuz majority settlements.
Paolig - The feline Paolig have made themselves at home on the outskirts of Lethan settlements for some time, integrating themselves into society at all levels, from the slums to the palaces. Paolig serve as natural advisors and have risen quite high in the guilds and nobility, but rarely hold high offices themselves, instead serving as counsel and catspaws for those they have attached themselves to. Most reside in urban areas throughout the Duchy.
Tempestarii - The nature of the nomadic Tempestarii makes considering them a permanent population difficult, as individuals and small groups move throughout the region and further abroad regularly. However, Tempestarii Windships and traders are a common sight in the major trade ports of Letha, and a regular presence in the city of Barrad-Faout.
Tuatha de Danaan - The Eladan are the most common Sidhe people in Letha, often holding positions of power with society.
Other Sidhe - Other Sidhe, like the Chough, Glaistig, Selkie and Far Darrig make their home in Letha, but rarely in statistically significant communities.
The Alfr , the mysterious Fae of the East, are rare in Letha, the Erlking's conquest of the continent ending in Tours and never directly entering the Armorican Peninsula. Some individuals, like the plant-like Alraune are found within its borders, but there exists no established communities. The exception to this is the Gargoul, who are sometimes classified as Alfr, despite their own self-identification and distinctions from other Alfr subgroups.
Djinn - Very few true Djinn live within Letha, but a small population of Bilqis make their home in Gwened and other port towns along the Southeastern Coast.
The Marie-Morgane are native to the sunken city of Ys-Beneath-the-Waves, once the capital of Great Kernev, now lost beneath the sea. Since the Odet Raids, the Daughters of Ys have been been growing in number and influence, interacting with Korrigan communities across the Peninsula. The Marie-Morgane are most commonly attached to Ys itself, but some exiles and loners, like the Drifting of Pen-Be, are independent of Queen Ahes' domain. The relationship between Ys-Beneath-the-Waves and the surface world is a complex one, and the return of the Marie-Morgane is sure to bring about introspection and a reckoning for both sides.
The Bediz
Compared to the dense populations of Anjev, Akitania and Gallia, the Bediz population of Letha is comparatively sparse, centered largely in and around the Ducal Cities and major coastal ports. The Ar Goat and the Penn-ar-Bed have a reputation, even within the Duchy itself of being remote, backwater regions. The gender ratio of the Bediz populations skews female, and Lethan culture has adapted to allow a great deal of flexibility in gender roles, with females commonly found in the roles of soldiers, magistrates, merchants and sailors. Women can inherit noble title and estates and administer them in the own names. Notable attempts to exercise jure uxoris in leadership positions have often failed, unlike in neighboring regions for much of history. The native Lethan ethnicity makes up the largest population group, with Manchais, Gallian and Anjevin groups following in large numbers throughout the East and the port cities of the Peninsula. Akitanians make up a large percentage of the population of Naoned and Gwened, while these and other large ports support major population groups from areas a diverse as the Cloth Cities, the Fortunate Isles and Tolosa. The city of Gwened also supports a large population from Ubar and Slaver's Coast. The Pilhaouer, a nomadic people within larger Lethan society, are seen as a separate cultural ethnicity, residing in the harsh moors of the Meneziou Are and living a largely itinerant lifestyle as ragpickers and subsistence farming.Korrigan
The Korrigan are incredibly numerous in Letha, claiming the Peninsula as their homeland, while detractors point to their large numbers as an "infestation". A wide variety of Korrigan peoples inhabit the region, existing within their own communities and Lethan society as a whole. While each is found in their own territory and in metropolitan areas, they are most numerous in the Ar Goat, specifically the Brekilien Forest, the Meneziou Are and Meneziou Du, and the Kastellin Basin.The Sidhe
The Fae of the Forutnate Isles have fewer numbers than the Bediz or the Korrigan, but still make up a notable segment of the overall population in Lethan society, with some communities living on the continent for centuries.Fomorian
The Fomorii arrived in Letha during the campaigns of Hastings Fireforged, even taking control of the Peninsula from 812 to 841 SI. After the defeat of Hastings at the Battle of Trans-la-Forêt, his followers remained in the Baronies of Gwenrann, Bidar and Dardoup. These populations eventually grew and returned to Letha at large, supplemented by the arrival of new Fomorian populations from La Manche and the Orkney Isles. These populations are largely dispersed along a rural/urban divide, with the newcomers working as longshoremen, shipwrights and sailors, while the older settlements farm peat in the wetlands.Other Peoples
Territories
The borders of Letha largely corresponds to those of the Armorican Peninsula, stretching from the remote Western island of Eusa to the Kouenon River marking the Eastern border with La Manche.
Letha shares is borders with vassal states of Normandi in the form of the Counties of Avranches and Mortain, of Akitania in the Counties of Cenomannie and Angers and Akitania with the Lordship of Montaigu. Its northern border is the Mor Breizh, while the south is the Pleg-Mor Gwaskon.
Military
Like many regions, Letha lacks a standing army, instead drawing its forces from the ranks of noble knights and peasant militias, both sworn immediately to lesser lords who in turn have sworn oaths to the Dug. Fighting forces will often be supplemented with the employment of freebooter mercenary companies. Fighting forces of all ranks and skills are made up with both male and female, Bediz and Fae members, although Bediz males remain the most common soldier by a large margin.
The Lethan Windguard, a naval force of windships and Wyvern riders, are similarly aligned with powerful houses, but the Ducal cities each have a sizeable force at their direct disposal, and the others can be theoretically called up with much more direct control than the average knight of peasant militia. Letha also has a sizeable number of Brassguard forces at its disposal, largely originating from Gwened.
Technological Level
Notable Technology -
Ri Benn
Gwele-kloz (Box-Bed)
Rod ar Fortun (The Wheel of Fortune) - A crank-operated wheel with 12 bells of varying sizes.
Religion
The Southern Church has been battling for control of the region since the days of Conan Meriadoc and King Gradlon, with the missionary St. Guenole achieving marked success against the indigenous Druidic faith, which suffered major defeats with the Fall of Ys and the Battle of Keremma Dunes. The Druidic resistance was politically crippled, allowing the Faith to spread across the Peninsula to become the dominant religion.
Throughout Lethan history, the old ways were declared heretical and purged by inquisition and crusade, but never exterminated entirely, surviving in the remote Penn-ar-Bed as folk traditions and in Fae populations, experiencing a formal resurgence at many points, even coming close to achieving status as a state religion under Konstanza I and Eleanor I, but this was officially blocked during the reign of Duke Yann "Ar Ruzh" I. It has nevertheless remained a powerful force in the region.
The Faith itself is not without regional controversy, largely centering on a dispute surrounding the establishment of an arch-bishopric at Dol, rather than the Anjevin Tours, establishing sizeable regional control over the dogma and administration of the Church within Lethan borders.
Foreign Relations
Laws
Sovereignty
A sovereign holds office for life, so long as they are of full age with possession of all faculties and without "remarkable blemish of mind or body." Sovereignty, including land and title, is hereditary, but can be granted or revoked by a higher power. Jure Uxoris is banned in Letha since the reign of Hawiz I.Succession and Inheritance
Tanistry
Unlike its neighbors, Letha follows an elective monarchy, not a strictly hereditary one. Within the Duchy of Letha, lines of succession follow a system of Tanistry, where an heir is appointed from a pool of eligible successors. Candidacy for this position, typically drawn from the children of a sovereign, extends beyond primogeniture to include adopted children and legitimized bastards, most commonly descended from a common grandparent or great-grandparent. Succession can follow both male and female lines without legal issue. Sons hold a position called the Tanist of Title and Daughters are called Tanist of Lands. In practice, the Firstson or Firstdaughter is most commonly the Tanist, followed by a Secondchild, Thirdchild, etc. in the event that the Tanist is removed from contention. Due to the rotational nature of Tanistry, the system created both balance and tension, allowing different factions of a clan to rise and fall with some regularity.Appanage
Appanage is a system in which the Juveigneur (Younger children) inherit lands and titles when they are not the Tanist. These divisions typically revert to the central line upon the cessation of the appanage line. These lands cannot be sold.Agriculture & Industry
The Armorican Peninsula has access to a large array of natural resources, hidden within its long coastline, vast forests and rugged mountains.
Wood and furs are plentiful in the forests of Ar Goat, and the mountain ranges of Meneziou Are and Menezio Du provide ample access to minerals, like slate, granite and sandstone, and ores, such as gold, silver and tin. These are mined along the mountainside in vast, open pits, and more recently, shafts dug into the earth. The swamps that fill the Kastelin Basin between the mountain ranges are a good source of peat, and the rivers make for easy transportation to the more populous Ar Mor.
The rough, inhospitable land of the Ar Goat makes agriculture difficult, forcing much of it to the bocages created in the fertile soils of the forests and river abers along the Ar Mor. Buckwheat, known for its hearty stamina, is a favourite crop, greatly influenced by its tax-free status by Ducal decree. Vegetables and legumes, such as green beans, onions, artichokes, potatoes and tomatoes grow well in the Ar Goat. Apple orchards are common to find throughout the region, and Cidre is the drink of choice by many Bretoned. Grapes do not grow well on the peninsula, save for in the County of Naoned, where rich soils are home to Vineyards rivaling those of Aquitaine.
Livestock, such as cattle, pigs and poultry can be found on many noble estates, and sheep graze the moorlands. The Biskonti Leon (Viscounty of Léon) is well known for its prized horses.
Fishing is a heavy industry in the region, taking advantage of its long coastline. Seaweed harvesting along the Ar Mor is also a profitable business. Salt is frequently harvested from the seaside marshes, such as in the town of Gwenrann. On a darker, but no less profitable side, the sharp rocks and submerged reefs hidden along the coastline provide dangers to passing ships, a fact which is seized upon by the wreckers who inhabit remote stretches of shore.
Seaweed Harvesting
Seaweed is harvested as a foodstuff, an animal feed as fuel and as a nutrient-rich fertilizer. Soda ash, extracted from the harvested seaweed has alchemical properties, useful in the production of both glass and soap, making dried seaweed a major export of the Duchy. Seaweed is harvested directly from the sea by large rakes, or collected by hand along the shoreline. Seaweed is collected in large bales in the shallow water, allowing the tide to bring in the heavy loads, which are loaded into wheelbarrows or horse carts.
The carts are taken inland, laid out to dry while long shallow pits, lined with stones, are dug out to serve as ovens. The ash is made into bricks, called "sea bread" and transported elsewhere to be sold.
Textiles are a major industry in many coastal merchant towns.
Trade & Transport
Letha benefits from a series of Imperial Roads, spreading out like the spokes of a wheel from Roazhon and Ker-Ahes, which together make the spine of this stone road network. Smaller roads along the coast connect other major settlements, with bridges and tunnels to navigate the difficult, rolling terrain. These roads have often fallen into disrepair and are frequent targets of bandits and solitary Fae.
A largely maritime region, ships travel between coastal cities with some regularity, and flat-bottom boats move up and down the coastal rivers into the Ar Goat. Windships have become increasingly popular with the well off, allowing direct overland travel for the first time.
Breizh maintains a proud Mercantile tradition, with cities such as Naoned, Gwitreg and Montroulez becoming centers of international commerce.
Kentoc'h mervel eget bezañ saotret (Death before Dishonor)
Founding Date
28 SI (Royal Line)/842 SI (Current Political Entity)
Type
Geopolitical, Duchy
Capital
Alternative Names
Armorica, the Mistlands
Predecessor Organizations
Demonym
Lethan
Leader
Ruling Organization
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Traditional
Gazetteer
The Duchy of Letha is largely contiguous with the Armorican Peninsula, a landmass on the Northwestern tip of Kornôgel. It is directly to the South of Albia, the largest of the Fortunate Isles, located across the Painted Channel, which connects the Mor Bras and the Mor Marv. The Pleg-mor Gwaskogn makes up its Southern Coastline, a large bay that stretches from Letha to the Shatterlands.
. The Kouenon River marks its Eastern terrestrial border, emptying into the Pleg-Mor Menez-Mikael, which separates the Armorican from The Cotentin Peninsula
The Armorican Peninsula is largely defined by two distinct concepts. The long coast of the Peninsula is known as Ar Mor (by the sea), a rugged and forbidding landscape, full of stone cliffs and capes, broken up by the occassional stretches of sandy beaches or marshy wetlands. The Ar Mor Breizh has a reputation as one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the North, ships threatened by high winds, submerged rocks and rough seas, compounded by the frequent appearance of thick Feth Fiada and chaotic Wyldstorms. However, those brave enough to face those waters are rewarded with extensive fishing and an unparalleled trade network, commanding all trade between the Northern and Eastern seas. A notable feature on the south side of the Peninsula is the Mor Bihan, a massive natural harbour full of countless islands.
The interior of the region, known as Ar Goat (by the forest), is generally dominated by highlands. Two mountain ranges make up the central spine of the region: the Meneziou Are in the North and the Meneziou Du in the south, the Kastellin Basin, which follows the Aon River until it empties into the Rade de Brest. These ranges and the basin between them are dominated by rolling hills, rocky, desolate moors, thick forests and wetlands. The largest forest is the Brekilien, which takes up much of the interior.
Northwest from the Meneziou-Are is the Plateau de Leon a highlands region beginning in the rocky foothills of the mountains before flattening out into a Bocage dominated landscape, ending with the river valley and Montroulez Bay in the East. At Montroulez, the landscape again rises in the Plateau de Dreger, continuing along the spine of the Meneziou Are, gradually declining in height until it reaches the Marais de Dol, a low-lying region of river valleys and wetlands. Following the Renk river Southwards reaches the Roazhon Basin, situated between the Brekilien Forest in the West and gentle rolling hills to the east. The valley rises once more to the Naoned Plateau, then drops once more to the Ar Briwer wetlands along the Pleg-Mor Gwaskon and across the Liger river, where the plains begin.
West of the Naoned Plateau, the Southern Ar Mor is dominated by the Landes be Lanvaux, rocky moors rising into the heavily forested foothills of the Meneziou Du until dipping down at the Blavezh River at Henbont, rising again in the Kernev Plateau until reaching Douarnenez Bay.
The majority of settlement has taken root along the rivers and fertile coastline, especially in the flat and hospitable East. The landscapes surrounding these settlements has been transformed into Bocage farmland, carefully maintained mixture of pasture and woodland, criss-crossed with sunken country lanes surrounded by hedgerows to break the wind as it races across the peninsula.
The Peninsula is crossed by several rivers, which wind their way through the landscape. These include the Aon, the Gwilen, the Liger the Odet and the Renk River, among others.
Currency
The Duchy of Letha has linked its currency to a largely unified valuation based on the Livre Tournois, a result of pressures from mercantile interests such as the Lugoni or the Julod of Montroulez. As with much of its neighbors, 12 copper Deniers are worth 1 silver Sol (Silver). 20 Sols are worth 1 golden Livre.
The 7 Counties, the Biskontis of Leon and Dol, and several free cities are granted the authority to mint their own coins, which effects their relative value. Ore-rich Kernev has a higher content of precious metals in its coins, and are thus typically worth more than those of neighboring Leon. Dreger's "dragon" coins, emblazoned with their arms, have a history of being counterfeited en masse, and are typically not accepted in more reputable locations. In a strange fluke, due to changes in metal composition and the ratio of ores, even these counterfeit coins can sometimes be worth more than their legitimate counterparts. For the most part however, coins are worth generally a similar amount with mostly minor variances.
Outside of the cities and large towns, however, the barter economy is in full force, enforced by local customs, both mundane and magical. Various Goblin Markets regularly spring up around the Peninsula, trading in more obscure and unorthodox currencies.
Major Exports
Major Imports
Legislative Body
Letha follows three primary bodies of law: Secular, Ecclesiastic and Faerie.
Secular Law
Primary legal power stems from the Dug, and by extension, the nobility. For the most part, laws are created and enforced within a feudal state, with some regularitions and duties existing across the entire Duchy, enforced by Ducal sensechals and ministers. The Estates of Letha exists as an advisory council to the Dug, representing the major noble, ecclesiastic, and economic powers in the Duchy, for the purpose of proposing laws and ensuring a degree of uniformity across the land. The Estates meet every seven years for a full session in Roazhon, with smaller meetings taking place regularly across the Duchy. While the Estates have no executive or direct power, their influence is very strong and their proposals are largely adopted across the region, although final say usually rests with local powers absent ducal enforcement.
The full membership of the Estates of Letha consists of a council of 1000 representatives, representing the nobility, the high-clergy, Sidhe Courts and Korrigan Troupes, as well as representatives from the 42 largest cities and towns in the Duchy. The meeting has become known as a major social event, as the nobility host lavish parties, banquets and entertainment throughout the time of the proceedings. The notoriety of these events has come to dwarf the actual legislative progress typically made during them, a reputation that has only grown with the addition of the boisterous Korrigan troupes.
Ecclesiastic Power
The Southern Church holds itself as immune to temporal noble power, largely administering its own lands and personelle, operating a minor baronies in their own right. Ecclesiastic laws are established and reviewed regularly by councils of scholars and perfects. The Council of Dol and the Council of Tours each hold themselves over the Lethan parishes, often with contradictory rulings, a centuries-long issue for the region.
Faerie Power
Faerie law, by comparison, is arcane and byzantine to an almost incomprehensible degree, a collection of magical compulsions, ancient customs, delicate power balances and alien logic. To a casual, or even dedicated observer, the laws of Faerie often seem incomprehensible or nonsensical, but are all based on their own complicated internal logic.
Each Sidhe Court and Korrigan Troupe has its own rituals and laws, but the latter also take direction from the Boléguéans, the Korrigan of the Tumuli, who serve as elders, spiritual leaders and keepers of ways for the Korrigan peoples are oversee disputes between the troupes and with outsiders.
Judicial Body
Seignorial justice
The most widely accepted method for the resolution of legal disputes among the Bediz is the notion of "Seigniorial Justice." Under the concept of Sovereignty, all laws, representing an exercise of rightful power over and land and its inhabitants, stem from the Sovereign. In Letha, this power is deemed to rest with the Dug or Dugez. However, in the modern world, the complexity of political governance forces the delegation of powers to proxies, more convenient in proximity and cost to the average litigant, and less crushing to the other affairs of the head of state. These typically take the form of lesser nobles, each delegating further down the feudal chain, or to specially appointed seneschals and ministers. These agents are therefor entrusted with both the dissemination and enforcement of noble decrees and edicts at a local level, as well as the administration of local affairs, such as the maintenance of roads, setting of weights and measures and management of markets and trade. These agents are also responsible for the arbitration of disputes and delivery of justice. Three levels of Seigniorial Justice exist as follows:Trial by Ordeal
In the absence of credible witnesses or dispositive evidence, trial by ordeal is common in Letha, especially among the Fae. These include:Korrigan Justice
While most troupes engage in their own brands of justice, they also follow the judgment of the Boléguéans in matters involving disputes between troupes or with outsiders, although the other party in the latter does not always know of these tribunals, and the Korrigan are often not in a hurry to educate their adversaries. Justice is carried out, sometimes under the colour of law, sometimes as vigilante justice, by the Hoseguéannets, the Korrigan of the Cromlechs. Despite their reputation for violence and vindictive "justice", these will respect the ruling of the Council as an iron-clad ere-hud.
Executive Body
Official State Religion
Subsidiary Organizations
- Barony of Arzal
- Barony of Redon
- Barony of Rouzig
- Biskonti Dol
- Biskonti Gwened
- Biskonti Leon - Viscounty of Léon
- Biskonti Naoned
- Kontelezh Aleth
- Kontelezh Dreger
- Kontelezh Gwened
- Kontelezh Kernev
- Kontelezh Naoned
- Kontelezh Pentevr
- Lordship of Crozon
- March of Ancenis
- March of La Mee
- Marches of Neustria
Location
Official Languages
Related Traditions
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
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