Drakaesland

<infobox>
 <title><default>Drakeslands</default></title>
 <image><default>
 File:Drakaesland Physical Map.png|Physical Map
 File:Map of Eldham (With Drakaesland).png|Eldham Map
 </default></image>
 <label>Namesake</label><default>Thomas Drake</default>
 <label>Names</label><default>DrakeslandDrakeslandsDrakaeslandDrakaeslandsDrakaes RegionDrakaen Region</default>
 <label>Demonym</label><default>Drakaen</default>
 <group collapse="closed"><header>Demographics</header>
 <label>States by the End of TE</label><default>9AmarilloWestern DrakaesValreachKatolisAndliriaAserilecCoressiaJayleSimulami</default>
 <label>Cultures</label><default>DrakaenAmarillianValreanSmeganMohadiVlonsiTaerniOthers:YoakenCataniaNidarosianJorvianAmarillo-TakavianTakavianSeeburgVelenianAquatosian</default>
 <label>Religions</label><default>SolevielVareismAxolocismTekora FaithBlood God faithSolonismOthers:ROTDy'lonismCult of AroseCult of the Dragon</default>
 </group>
 <group><header>Main Nations</header>
 <default>Amarillo · Andliria · Arthholds · Catania Drakaes · Gardenia · Pasifa · MugenNachtenreich · Nidaros · Nujh · PatatasPreyella · Saror Haven · Taernsbia · Takavia Valreach · Velenu · Yoake</default>
 </group>
</infobox>Drakaesland, also referred to as Drakesland, occasionally pluralized as Drakaeslands or Drakeslands and broadly referred to as Drakaen Region, is a geographical region in central-north Eldham. It was split between the continents Elastra, Phoros and Valresh on most international maps but considered its own continent by most of the nations within the region. It also is widely considered a diverse yet coherent political and sometimes cultural region with a shared identity.
== History ==
The Drakeslands gets its namesake from Thomas Drake, a humble and charismatic fisherman who lived in The Empire Of The White Raven in Rathnir. At the time, the Empire was home to numerous former bandits, outcasts, exiles, political radicals and revolutionaries, religious leaders, and many refugees arriving from Huitca, Bardonia, and the Aurlûnor Velande.The discovery of the Drakeslands, which at first was dismissed by those who heard the tale, as was common for fishermen's tales, was one where Thomas Drake had discovered the land by accident, his boat thrown off course by an unimaginable storm, never before seen on Rathnir. Having survived the storm, the fisherman found himself in a strange and mysterious land, half a world away.
Having survived and escaping from the strange land, Drake found his way back to the Empire and soon his tale was being told in the taverns and alleys of the city of Awm.
Whether the tale was true or not, and whether Thomas Drake had truly found himself in Eldham remains a mystery, yet his tale would intrigue adventurers and with the deterioration of the White Raven, hundreds of settlers, adventurers and fools fled east, just two years after Thomas Drake had died.
In their new lands in Eldham, these Rathnir refugees and settlers founded the city of Aurica and the first Drakeslands Autarchy, which would soon rise and become the Regnum Drakaes.
== Geography ==
The Drakeslands are the bunch of lands and islands situated around the Drakaen sea, in central Eldham. While its southern, northern and eastern limits are clear and easily identified, all marked by seas or rivers but one, instead marked by the political border between Simulami and Valreach, the western limits are harder to define, as the political borders of the westernmost Drakaen states have been, throughout history, very unstable, and their population very sparse.
More vague, alternate definitions and boundries are proposed by some scholars, who refer to the Greater Drakesland area to the lands including the historical lands of Gardenia and Preyella, once held by Drakaen states.
The climate of the Drakeslands is very varied depending on the region, ranging from arid deserts in the Amarillian mainland or the region of Saafir to frozen forests near Yoake. However, most of the region enjoys rather temperate climates, allowing for good enough living conditions and harvests.
== Culture ==
As the Drakeslands have been, for most of their history, disunited, their culture varies a lot from one place to an other. Most of the traits common to most of the Drakeslands' inhabitants are linked to their common past under Regnum Drakaes, or to other, more recent, historical ties.
The most important Drakaen cultures and thoughts about the concept of Drakeslands and Drakaen culture were documented by Soronaca in his . Despite the main Drakaen cultures, many local cultures and national identities exist in the Drakeslands, often more important to the local inhabitants than the broad Drakaen culture itself. In late Traveller's Era, Valrean, Amarillian and Vlonsi cultures were to be considered the main ones, followed by more localised groups such as Mohadi, Takavian or Smegan, mainly in the western Drakesland. 
== Politics ==
Nations<tabber style="width:360px;">
|-|Tales Era=
Drakesland Autarchy
Urakiend
Andliria
Limuria
Seeburg
Avaria
Florandia
|-|Regnum Era=
Regnum Drakaes
Drakaen Concordat
Taernsbia
Yoake
Aquaria
Takavia
Barbossa
Saror Haven
Tamarin
Kai
|-|Vircon Era=
Aquatos 	Nujh
Kingdom of Nidaros 	First Republic of Amarillo
Falsoria 	High Kingdom of Catania
Drakaen Westenlandes	Zie Drakaen Union
Neo-Drakaes 	Holy Drakaen Empire
Velenu 	Skjoldrbrodir
Mugen 	Onumozaki
Smegsville 	The Old Guard
Konigsburg 	Acolytes
Helmfirth 	Paviledo
Imperium Draconis 	Noricum
Androk-Vost 	Arthholds
|-|Awakening Period=
Gardenia 	Urubia
Mordaine 	Torham
Soleannan Imperium	Eldham Union
Irulan 	VCC
Mugenistan 	Katolis
Tortuga 	Libertas
Novo Verdes 	Drakaen Kontrybund
Metsalej 	Scylding
VVR 	First Kingdom of Amarillo
 	
 	
 	
|-|Division Era=
Aurica
Nachtenreich
Vionir
Kingdom of Nidaros
Yoake
Eleanor Realm
Kingdom of Takavia
Empires of Amarillo
|-|Long Peace Era=
Valreach-Simulami
Altryae
Aurora
Anglunia
Aristios
Zie Western Drakaes
Second Kingdom of Amarillo
</tabber>After the fall of the Drakaen Concordat, despite the absence of a unified Drakaen state, the concept of the Drakeslands as a coherent cultural and/or political community in the region distinct from the rest of Eldham always played a major role in the politics of the region. Some political actors embraced it in various different ways and others, though rarer, rejecting it to various degrees.
Overall, the political visions on the conceptualization of Drakeslands as a political and cultural community can be seen as an axis on a specter going from wanting a full union under a single state to the full rejection of the concept of Drakeslands, with all the small nuances imaginable. The next part of the article will talk about specific schools of thought about the concept of Drakeslands in politics. Though, keep in mind it is a simplified explanation and in the field most of them are, at least partially, compatible with each other.
=== Radical Pan-Drakaenism ===
The most radical pan-drakaen ideas aimed to recreate a Drakeslands-wide state, similar to the Regnum Drakaes. For some, the goal was to recreate the Regnum itself, seen with nostalgia as a golden age for the region. For most, though, the idea was to create a Drakaen state on a new basis, while sometimes still retaining key elements of continuity and legitimacy from the Regnum Drakaes.
For a long time, the idea of recreating a Drakaen state was seen, by most, as a dystopian extremist idea. Though, this one slowly became mainstream during the the years of the Cold War, in hand with the Drakaen Summits. King Vin Helianthus and self-proclaimed Goddess Juniper Kyani seceded from The Kingdoms of Valreach and formed the Holy Drakaen Empire during 114 TE. However, its theocratic nature, added to the actors involved in the event, far from any classical Pan-Drakaen ideal, make the HDE a bad candidate for the Radical Pan-Drakaenism currents of thought. The first real steps came with the reform of the Valrean-Catanian Commonwealth into the Drakaen Commonwealth. This confederation, however, it did not claim its continuation from the Regnum Drakaes nor reformed its symbols and institutions into a pan-Drakaen structure until the year 146 TE, with the Neu Köntrybund Saculdum. An attempt to further integrate the states of the Commonwealth into a centralised Pan-Drakaen State was made in 158 TE. Autarch Delta launched a vote, as an ultimatum to the Ephorate, with two options: Turning the Commonwealth into a federation, with a stronger central government or fully dissolve the Commonwealth. The vote ended up in a tie and due to the negative of the King of Valreach to allow this project, Autarch Delta dissolved the Commonwealth.
After a long period during which Drakaen politics were overall dominated by Amarillo's more moderate vision of the Drakeslands, pushed by its king Soronaca I, and the anti-Drakan sentiment of Valreach; more extreme ideas resurfaced after the Twilight Empire crisis, especially during the reign of Soronaca's successor, Connie Aulian. This led to the creation of Zie Western Drakaes, a new Drakaen federative state similar to the Drakaen Concordat, which managed to control, except Valreach, most of the Drakeslands until the the War of the Last Cycle.
Important figures of these Radical Pan-Drakaen political movements include Tiffany Canalopin, Delta Aulian Drake & Canalopin, Lennard Poliorcetes, Connie Aulian or Kawaii II Poliorcetes af Takavia.
=== National Pan-Drakaenism ===
National Pan-Drakaenism is defined as the will to unite the Drakeslands under the influence of a single state, but not a Drakaen state. The state in question wouldn't claim its legitimacy as successor of the Autarchy nor the Regnum. This political ideology can manifest itself in various ways. Some views are less extreme, only aiming to have one nation have more influence than the other independent Drakaen countries. The most extreme views seeked to, ideally, annex the entire region under their banner.
Soronaca's Amarillian international policy during the First Kingdom of Amarillo can be considered a form of moderate national pan-drakaenism. While maintaining the right to self-determination of the Drakaen peoples, he indeed tried to make Amarillo the most diplomatically influent country in the Drakeslands, and did not hesitate to annex territories willing to join Amarillo, though never forcing them. This led to the formation of the Twilight Empire of Amarillo, a hybrid between a National Pan-Drakaen and a Radical-Pan Drakaen state.
Valreach's policy during the war of annexation against Catania and the Twilight Empire Crisis can be seen as a more extreme form of national pan-drakaenist policy, Valreach directly annexing all of the Eastern Drakeslands.
The political figures that embody the best this side of the spectrum are: Vix Aulian Moreau, Yorg M. Aulian and Vin Helianthus.
=== Cooperative Pan-Drakaenism ===
Throughout history, a lot Drakaen politicians have pushed towards cooperation between independent Drakaen nations. The forefathers of this ideology, as well as its supporters, define the core values of this one based on two main premises. First, that the nations of the Drakesland are intertwined through their past, culture and even family; therefore, they must stand together against foreign threats. Second, that the nations of the Drakesland have developed their own culture and identity, becoming nations; therefore, they are entitled to be sovereign states.
As soon as the Regnum fell, the League of Vircon, a supranational organization of independent Drakaen nations was created. Although its Drakaen nature was, at first, not conscious, it ended up being seen as the first organization to promote this Cooperative Pan-Drakaenism. After its downfall in 116 TE, other organisations and treaties promoted political cooperation between Drakaen nations. While some these organisations proposed a very loose cooperation between Drakaen nations, based on treaties and summits, others were a lot tighter, with permanent organisations and hierarcal structures, sometimes even close to unification. In the same manner, while some clearly had ambitions to extend their influence all over the Drakeslands, some were limited to only parts of the region or to specific goals and domains.
Cooperative Pan-Drakaenist Organisations 
Organisation 	Years active	Note
League of Vircon 	83 - 116 TE 	
Valrean-Catanian Commonwealth 	118 - 137 TE	Internally it exemplified Cooperative Pan-Drakaenism. Its foreign policy, however, it can be seen as a National Pan-Drakaenist.
Drakaen Summits of the Cultural Centre	121 - 150 TE	First Drakaen Summit (121 TE)
Second Drakaen Summit (129 TE)
Third Drakaen Summit (150 TE)
Second Coalition against Kelp 	142 - 148 TE	
Drakaen Köntrybund 	137 - 158 TE	The Drakaen Köntrybund changed its nature and policies throughout its life. It pivoted between Cooperative Pan-Drakaenism and Radical Pan-Drakaenism.
Treaty of Puerto Amarillo 	150 - 202 TE	De facto end of the Treaty with the dennouncement of the VRR and Pasifa.
Salazarian League 	225 - 232 TE	De facto end of the League with the formation of Western Drakaes.
Often, cooperation between Drakaen nations was only done through bilateral agreements and projects, without a formal supranational organisation. For example, Velenu's allies coalition during the Aquatosi rebellion or the Amarillian coalition in the War of the Rising Tides can be seen as manifestations of Drakaen cooperation, as well as the dozens of bilateral treaties between Drakaen nations.
The forefathers of this political framework are: Delta Aulian, Salazar Van Den Green and Soronaca Aulian de Porphyropolis. Other political figures, mainly their successors, shared these political views.
=== Anti-Drakaenism ===
Anti-drakaenism is the rejection of the concept of the Drakesland as anything more than a strict geographical region. Some anti-drakaens claim the concept of Drakeslands doesn't make sense and shouldn't be taken into account, while others acknowledge the Drakesland is a coherent region, but feel left out of it and/or are in conflict with most of its other members.
Valreach's policy after their civil war, while often ambiguous, can be seen as at least partially anti-drakaen, as Valreach destroyed many Drakaen monuments on its soil and mostly kept out of Drakaen organisations and projects. The only exception being the Treaty of Puerto Amarillo, that had been signed before the civil war. Valreach, after the rejection of their Drakaen heritage developed its ties with the foreign power of Simulami.
Pasifa's position can also often be seen as anti-drakaen, the Pasifans always rejecting organisations openly referencing a Drakaen state, like the Drakaen Commonwealth, and having been for most of their history in conflict with their drakaen neighbours. This position can be understood for their heritage from the First and Second Andlirian Empires, a nation which was conquered, first by the Drakesland Autarchy and a second time by its neighbours of Katolis and Amarillo.
=== Drakaen Political Compass ===
Some scholars have developed alternative ways of classifying and sorting the different states that rose in the Drakesland. One of these methods is the two-axis classification known as Drakaen Political Compass (DPC). This one is born out of the criticism of the common one-dimensional and almost binary classification system between Pan-Drakaen states and National Anti-Drakaen states. The DPC segregates two different and independent spectrums.
This ex-post synthetic system usually takes into consideration both the ideological principles of the organisation being classified and the pragmatic actions it took place.
==== Integration axis ====
This axis measures, in a way, the level of will and capacity of integration and connection in the Drakesland. In one extreme we would have entities that push for the unification of the Drakesland under a sole state. On the other, we would have entities that seek isolation or no relations with the rest of the Drakesland or that want to break apart from it. It is visually represented in the vertical axis.
The axis does not measure the ways or grade of cooperation. Both militaristic and diplomatic states are considered Unificationist if a united Drakesland is what they seek. Nevertheless, inside the spectrum, we find states that want organisations that unite the peoples of the Drakesland but not in a single state. That might be federative or feudal models, among others.
==== Identity axis ====
This other axis takes into account the identity of the state or organisation. On one side, we have those who embrace a pan-drakaen identity, understood as a shared identity between the peoples of the Drakesland, with the most extreme cases being the ideals of a single pan-drakaen nation. On the other side, we have those who embrace their national identity above Drakaenhood. While some just defend that there are multiple identities in the Drakesland, some most extreme positions totally refuse the Drakaen identity or Drakaenhood. It is visually represented in the horizontal axis.
In this axis, the ideals and discourse are more important than the pragmatic side since it has to do more with the narratives and alleged legitimacy of each organisation than their internal mechanics. This axis leans more towards the cultural side of the societies rather than the more strict political side. However, both interact and talk to each other, making them impossible to segregate.
==== Compass dynamics ====
With the compass assembled, when we start positioning the different countries and organisation we realise that there are some clusters that stand out over emptier areas. This reveals the dynamics or 'pipelines' that most states end up in. We observe how this tendency is forms a tilted 'T' shape with a strong ascendent diagonal pull. This is a normal effect due to the nature of the compass. Pan-Drakaen states will have the tendency of being Unificationist, for the nature of the Drakaen cultural identity. The exceptions are minimal but they do exist as well.
== Nobility ==
The Drakesland was known for the high density of varied noble houses and royal dynasties. Some were born in the Drakesland but some others came both from migration or royal marriages.
Native nobility 	Native nobility 	Native nobility 	Foreign nobility
House Allium Panem 	House Almirion 	House Andlir 	House Arietis Sanguine
House Aquilia 	House Astilor/Astyla	House Aulian 	House Fiel
House Aulian de Porphyropolis	House Aulian-Moreau 	House Braun 	House Helianthus
House Canalopin 	House Comphain 	House Ciosetia 	Hosue Kyani
House Drake 	House Elrisum 	House Fairfax 	House Olmero
House Gerwin 	House Klayton 	House Lachfrost 	Osria Dynasty
House Mertümer 	House Moreau 	House Poliorcetes	House Osri-Draconis
House Rokalim 	House Rosthorn 	House Sacren 	House Osri-Poliorcetes
House Smegsint 	House Takav 	House Tarakona 	House Maestro
House Varan 	House Velaran 	House Yoaken 	House Reach
House Zhuteus 	House Arbon 	House Mcaulk 	House Wyrda
House Sylva 	House Dadlos 	House Rabonius 	House Hrafn
Hosue Fydhar 	 	 	
Category:Geography
Category:Continents
Category:Regions
Category:Eldham
Category:Drakaes
Category:Traveler's Era
Category:Amarillo
Category:Valreach