Grand Duchy of Lorehold

The **Grand Duchy of Lorehold** is the world's largest nation and is considered to be the leading country in terms of research, expansionism, and expressionism.

## History

### Founding (1348 AU)

Historical records state that the Grand Duchy was founded by a Nerish man who, in the beginning of the Era of Redemption, lead a band of multi-cultured watchmen across the southern continent of Khona in order to establish order in a land of chaos.

Richard Greyward, now known as **Richard the Righteous**, would establish the first country following the Umbral Age. Him and his followers drafted a peerage system that is still used to this day, wherein he awarded titles and land to men and women who proved themselves in his campaign to unite the various cities and towns of Khona. Those that did not join him, eventually, submitted to the combined wrath of Richard and those that chose to back him in his efforts to unite the continent. Richard Greyward fell victim to the impetus of his son, whose ambition defied his father's philosophy.

**Alaric the Ambitious**, the second Grand Duke, is rumored to have killed his father on his silver and steel throne. Following his untimely death, Alaric Greyward continued to rule under the surname of his father, and his son and their sons after that for centuries. Every now and then, however, especially in the early years of the Grand Duchy, sovereigns fell victim to temptations of power, ushering in periods of tyranny. In its fundamental beginnings, the Grayward line was known for producing relentlessly efficient subjugators who all met their enemies with a similar dogma: join or die.

### Rise of Nobility and Novelties (2200 AU—Present)

By the beginning of the Era of Redemption, the Grand Duchy of Lorehold had adopted roughly two hundred families into its peerage system. These families declared allegiance to the Grand Duke, retaining the rights to their lands while indoctrinating themselves into a larger collective of organized government. This feudal system served enabled the Grand Duchy to call upon a blanket of stakeholders across the continent to aid them in their expansion.

The rise of nobility, surprisingly, lead to something of a creative revolution within the Grand Duchy's constituency. As the Era of Redemption began to run its course, commoners garnered more power for themselves by taking up trades and distinguishing themselves in the service of nobles. Household guards from humble beginnings, through years of combative experience, went on to become famous arena fighters. Farmers began leasing out land to nobles, using their newfound money to jumpstart food delivery businesses.

   Artists, writers, actors and all manner of entertainers found themselves getting sponsorships from various noble families, who promoted their practices while expanding their own influence during the Global Renaissance, a phenomenon that has been in circulation for the last thousand years. In recent decades, the current Grand Duke has placed out an edict that offers basic universal income to any and all artistically inclined individuals who seek to contribute to the growing field of arts and literature.

Slowly but surely, the study and practice of the abstract are beginning to compete with the long-established field of industrialism. Nobles and commoners alike with large holdings in mining, transportation, and armaments have begun investing in newly formed acts in hopes of profiting off their continental success.

## Culture

Racial inequality does not exist within the Grand Duchy. Any and all races are welcomed with open arms and are not subject to any form of segregation or ridicule. The worship of any and all gods is permitted, with many cities having a temple dedicated to different deities. There is, however, something that disables true equality from flourishing within its borders: classes.

While common-born can—and certainly have—flourished, the Grand Duchy has remained partially bound by the constraints of the peerage system. Certain opportunities can only be awarded to those with noble blood, which has remained the case ever since the nation's founding.

    The arts and philosophy are considered sacrosanct. Many contemporary celebrities can credit their wealth to their pursuit of painting, literature, and music. Philosophers who develop new ways of thinking and expand upon schools of thought that already exist are professionally employed as advisors by nearly all nobles and many commoners who have enough wealth to have a guiding hand by their side at all times.

Weapons technology is among one of the nation's most well-known specializations. The Grand Duchy and its many Nerish inhabitants produce the finest swords, armor, pistols, and rifles that rival the great lost creations of the Old Imperium of Man. Furthermore, they are at the forefront of transportation innovation. They are the only nation in the world with access to trains and airships.

### Peerage

* **Counts** or **Countesses** are the highest level of nobility, directly below the Grand Duke. These men and women, in some fashion, exert control over entire regions within the territorial boundaries of the Grand Duchy. Only Counts and Countesses are capable of becoming Premiers, who lead the Grand Duchy's armies.
* **Viscounts** or **Viscountesses** are men and women who control their own cities. These men and women exert control over     entire cities, and function as exert control over their own city watch.
* **Barons** or **Baronesses** are men and women of noble households with large of lands, civil servants, and a small number loyal levies who answer directly to them.
* **Baronets** or **Baronetesses** are men and women who are not technically sanctified nobles in the eyes of the Grand Duchy, but are inducted into the aristocracy due to their achievements. Many military officers who distinguish themselves are often awarded this title.
* **Commoners** are basic citizens of the Grand Duchy. They comprise the majority of the nation's population, but through certain circumstances, can be awarded noble titles depending on their contributions to the nation as a whole (see above).

Titles that aware awarded carry down to family members, as is the case, especially with a Baronet or Baronetess—if an ancestor was awarded the title of Baronet, their extended bloodline would still bear that title as their direct descendants. Similarly, titles can be transferred to spouses regardless of one's peerage at birth, for if a commoner was to marry a Count, upon his death she would be awarded the title of Countess and rule in his stead.

However, if a commoner or lower-level noble marries into a different tier of nobility and their spouses dies, they cannot remarry. If the Countess in question does not produce any heirs, then the title would be transferred to the next oldest relative of the extended family (i.e uncles, brothers and so on).

## Government

The Grand Duchy of Loredale is, for all intents and purposes, a monarchy that adheres to the feudal system. The Great Duke functions as the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the military and exerts absolute control over their own fiefdom, the seat of Loredale and its surrounding territory. The four Counts, each controlling their own cities, function as the Great Duke's cabinet and are obligated to have their direct heirs in his court when they are not present in a tradition that dates back to the reign of the second Great Duke, Alaric the Ambitious.

To this day,

    commoners cannot hold any position in the government but can function as courtesans for both the Grand Duke and the varying levels of nobility. Commoners do, however, reserve the right to bear arms at all times and are permitted to select representatives known as **Addressors** to speak on their behalf. Addressors are the only commoners that are granted the privilege of having a direct audience with the Grand Duke and his cabinet.

With the exception of the right to bear arms, which extends to all cities of the Grand Duchy, the individual Counts set the laws of their territories. Many follow the unspoken *Ballad of Humanities*, the national anthem of the Grand Duchy which states that all persons must be treated fairly and with dignity. Similarly, slavery of any type is banned within the reigns of the Grand Duchy and is punishable by death regardless of the city in question.

Nobles are required to have their signet rings on them at all times: artifacts that stem from the first leader of their respective households. Absent a signet ring, which serves as tangible proof of a noble bloodline, nobles cannot make use of the privileges that they would normally be awarded.

### Military

Each branch of the military has a similar purpose: to serve and protect their liege lords and their subjects. The five battalions function as expansionary forces to be used for military campaigns and as law enforcers for their respective cities. While they all bear the same uniforms, each is awarded a different cloak ring to signify their direct affiliation. Their training follows a similar structure, though there is a slight variation between each battalion's drills and strategies.

The Grand Duchy's military is divided into five armies:

* The **1st Royal Batallion**, otherwise known as the *Shieldbearers*, operate within the fiefdom of Loredale. Their cloak rings bear a shield.
* The **2nd Northern Batallion**, the Beastmasters
* The **3rd Southern Batallion**, the Ironholders
* The **4th Western Batallion**, otherwise known the *Stormheralds*, operate within the fiefdom of New Rothcaster. Their cloak rings bear a thunderbolt.
* The 5th Eastern Batallion, the Waywatchers

### Economy

The Grand Duchy of Lorehold is widely known for its lack of reliance on other nations. They consume the bare minimum of imports shipped out by neighboring countries, namely Ravonia, and are almost entirely self-sufficient. Boasting innumerable laboring and trade guilds, lower to middle class workers in the Grand Duchy are considered the backbone of the nation's continued economic prosperity.

Nobles of any capacity often find ways to provide long-term jobs for the financially inept, scooping up the needy and conditioning them to provide their household with various services. A common trend in the Grand Duchy, this practice is referred to as 're-education investing', wherein members of the aristocracy transform unproductive subjects into tradesmen that they can profit off of in the future.

Small businesses, whether they are independently owned and operated or sponsored by nobility, can be found lingering in every street in every city. Since its founding, the Grand Duchy has maintained a phenomenally low unemployment rate, due largely in part to the peerage system.

Technical fields, such as engineering and alchemy, are among the most profitable. Researchers and developers of different creeds are among the wealthiest individuals in the nation, allowing commoners to rival the generational wealth of the many noble families of the Grand Duchy.