Fleur

**Fleur** is a kingdom situated in the north-west of the continent Fayos. It is part of the United North and is a matriarchal monarchy that has existed since 1929 A.E. It is ruled by a single queen, called the Queen of Flowers from its capital Wilemberg.

## History

### Imogenia's Line

Fleur was founded shortly after the end of the Thousand Shield War, when the High King Korenvir Isgerd doled out the lands that he and his generals had won. The land had originally been gifted to Akdur the Great and General Holmir but was eventually given to the Shield Maiden Imogenia Florsdottir on threat of rebellion. Imogenia had been crucial in the victory of the Thousand Shield War, supplying her expertly trained troops to aid in fights that scared away others, even leading several battles herself. Korenvir relented to her demands giving her the land to the far west, reaching from the current border to the Eye and Blue Scale Lake and to the fork in the Vark River. The area at the time was barely inhabited, mostly ruins from the times of the Kaidures. Imogenia proclaimed herself Queen of the new kingdom, saying that it would forever be ruled by her daughters and that "No ill-begotten king shall place his hand upon fair Flor's crest."

As Queen, Imogenia named the new land Flor and began in the reconstruction of the then ruined city of Aidur. The city was inhabitable within three years, with reconstruction continuing for twenty more until most of the ancient buildings had been rebuilt or demolished. The steady stream of workers led to vast expansion and word spread as far south as the Neck that the kingdom was in need of settlers. Imogenia proclaimed the city the capital and had her seat built there upon an old remnant of a throne, called the High Seat, as it sat upon a massive carved block of dark stone. Queen Imogenia ruled well and justly Flor until her death in 1902 A.E. Her daughter, Euridia Flor succeeded her without troubles.

Queen Euridia Flor led the country into a time of early prosperity. She brought settlers in from the Neck, then experiencing a turbulent time without solid rule, to settle and farm the areas near the Eye and Blue Scale Lake, bringing in a large crop of wheat and barley, making Flor no longer dependent on Korevna for food. Euridia began to send envoys south into Kudd to make connections with traders in the area. Through them she bought Ihjargan slaves versed in the planting and cultivating of fruit. She settled them in the middle of Flor, granting them land under the supervision of lesser nobles in which to cultivate as many fruit trees as they could. The exercise proved successful and fruit became one of Flor's most important exports in the reign of later Queens. The status of the Ihjargan population in middle Flor would not be addressed for many years and at the time they were considered second-class citizens. Queen Euridia was well loved by the people and successfully advanced the nation prior to her death in 1865 A.E.

WIP

### Verden Line

When Imogenia's last ancestor had died, the kingdom panicked. No suitable successor was obvious, so a council was called, including several notable members of other northern kingdoms. After several conventions and much debate, it was decided that the young Ilena Verden would be named Queen of Flowers on account of her "great aptitude and high breeding". Ilena was pronounced queen in winter of 968 A.E. She immediately set to WIP

### Wilem Line

The Wilems rose to power in 212 A.E. when Astoria Wilemsdotir married Crown Prince Aeren Verden, who had become the ruler of Fleur after the remaining female heirs had died. Astoria had not been favored to win the place of princess, as her family had long vied for the throne, but the young girl had managed to weasel her way into the heart of the prince, who was the one to finalize the affair. As Princess, Astoria quickly grabbed at power, executing several orders without Aeren's word and even going as far as to establish her own Lily Knights, something reserved for only a Queen of Flowers. As Fleur has no equal title for male rulers, Aeren had been tentatively called a king, though none really believed in his rule, but none dared to call Astoria a queen. When King Aeren fell ill in 202 A.E. he insisted to be nursed only by his wife. He died the next year of an unknown disease of the bowels. Many believe this to be caused by Astoria, as several accounts tell of her Lily Knight Sir Solomon of the Crossroads being seen performing suspicious acts near the king's bedside. Reluctantly, the council of Fleur was forced to recognize Astoria as the queen of Fleur, though none were ready to give her the title of Flowers.

Queen Astoria had one daughter, a bright little girl called Kateraldir. Rumors spread of her legitimacy, though it is now widely accepted that she was the daughter of Sir Solomon and not Aeren. She would succeed her mother in 188 A.E. on her mother's request. She was crowned Queen of Flowers, and the Wilem line truly began. For three generations, Wilem women ruled over Fleur without issue, surprising many with their competent and easy rules. However, in 160 A.E. things would change.

The Queen Tizarn Wilem gave birth to two twin daughters called Taurinja and Angelith. At birth, the two were mixed by the midwife and none could remember which had been born first. This led to a lifetime of conflict that would end in the ruin of one of the great northern kingdoms. Tuarinja had been proclaimed crown princess, angering Angelith who spent her youth mastering arts in an attempt to sway her ailing mother. However, her mother died with Taurinja still crown princess and she ascended the throne to become the Queen of Flowers. Her first order was the banishment of her sister from the kingdom, leaving Angelith to flee to Forzen where she would marry the Crown Prince Gerald Korzir. The two conspired to reclaim Fleur and combine the lands into one large kingdom; a prospect that excited the ailing Forzen. They proceeded to fight Fleur in the War of the Twins, which ended in Forzen's conquering and destruction. After, the nation settles into quiet peace with newly gained lands.

The White Plague, first seen in 139 A.E. in Ihjarga, reaches the north the next year, killing thousands, including the brothers of future Queen Aryanja Wilem. She herself in afflicted, leading her to have lifelong scars across her body. The next seven rulers govern without major incident, ranging in shades of average.

Fleur, under the rule of Minerva Wilem II, begins to lose much of its border growth to neglect. Eventually the Queen's madness would lead to her daughter calling for her abdication. This would be granted by the council and Guinevere Wilem would become Queen of Flowers in 110 M.E. She would rule until 115 M.E., leading her nation in the Second War of the Lilies against Korevna and her allies. She would be captured the same year, held in captivity in Isgerdia, eventually being executed there by the High King Justain Isgerd in 116. M.E. Her death would cause a chain of events that would lead to the fall of Korevna and the establishment of a new Northern nation by her distant cousin Cassandra Wilem.

## Topography

Fleur is located on high flat cliffs in the warmest part of the north. Warm winds from the River Lands and Palus sweep across the small rolling hills of the countryside. The area is mostly grassland or farms, inhabited sparsely and interrupted by the occasional clump of birch trees. Near the coast, the ground becomes more rocky and uneven, with suitable patches of dirt sprouting masses of colorful wild flowers and short grass. The coast is almost all high grey or white cliffs with small sand bars of gravel interspersed between them. Sea stacks and sea arches are common, many even house expansive cave systems. Further north, the ground becomes more sloping and forested in birch trees that give way to pines near the Skjol border. The most eastern sections are similar to the large, flat plains of Korevna.

## Regions, Duchies, and Provinces

Fleur is divided into nine major regions, duchies, and provinces as of 114 ME. Historically, many other such divisions existed, though their combination, dissolution, or general changes have left them in the past. Below is a list of each region, duchy, or province with descriptions of each.

### Region of Wilemette

The region of Wilemette encompasses the area directly around Wilemberg, the capital city of Fleur. It stretches along the coast from the Southern Duchy of Varden to the Koraea Province in the North. The region is directly controlled by the Wilem Royal Family, making it the place where the Queen has the most control. The region along the coast is covered in waving yellow grasses, wildflowers, farms and vineyards, and the occasional grove. Low rolling hills interrupt a bit of the region's flatness, though overall it is possible to see breaks in the terrain for miles due to the level nature of the area.

Wilemberg is the largest city in the region as well as the kingdom, being its capital. The other city within the region is Vedro on the coast north of Wilemberg. Vedro is a smaller city focused on maritime activity, trade, and is popular among artists looking for a quieter metropolitan life than that offered in Wilemberg. There are also the towns of Lembert, Zidonia, and Benali. Lembert is located on the coast north of Vedro and is of a medium size, with walls of exquisite make and ornament. The town is built around the old Monastery of Saint Bernedect. It is known for its exquisite soft cheese called Lemberti. Zidonia is an interior town, near the border with the Duchy of Montestaea. It is an older town, once a great city that was decimated in the Sister's War, now a bustling township on the edge of Fleur's warmer regions. It is an older style, with crumbling old walls and ancient stone buildings. Finally, there is Benali in the interior, which is a town started by Ihjargan immigrant workers in 362 AE. The town is unique in its Ihjargan style architecture, culture, and style. It is famous for the quality of fruit produced in the orchards it sustains. Several hamlets and villages litter the Wilemette region such as Hanlet, Redrock, Maulen, Zirka, Donette, and others.

The major productions within Wilemette are wheat, flowers, fruit, other grains, fish, luxury goods, and art objects. Its infrastructure is very good, with well kept roads and waterways. The region is home to two major rivers: the Imogeneaux and the Cybille. Many tributaries come off these larger rivers, though the region is mostly free of lakes.

### Duchy of Labrotzia

The Duchy of Labrotzia is a tiny duchy north of Wilemette, just south of the border with Skjol, and west of the Duchy of Montestaea.

## Wildlife

Fleur is home to an abundance of wildlife, thanks mostly in part to the sparse population and vast swathes of natural terrain. In Fleur one can find:

* Aardwolf
* Akdur's Hawk
* Black Footed Hare
* Blue Bird
* Brown Bat
* Common Corn mouse
* Crowned Crow
* Dire Wolf
* Dwarf Kale's Griffin
* Elk
* Giant Vampire Bat
* Greater Northern Short-Armed Monkey
* Greater Northern Griffin
* Grey Rat
* Kaiduren Velvet Deer
* Korevnan Great Boar
* Lesser Barland Grizzly
* Lesser Unicorn (Alleged)
* Northern Brown Lion
* Northern Long-Tailed Deer
* Northern Short-Armed Monkey
* Red Rock Snake
* Timber Wolf
* Walrin

Many of the above species are invasive to the area, such as the Common Corn Mouse or Brown Rat. Other species, such as the Lesser Unicorn and Red Rock Snake are allegedly living in the area, though no solid proof of their inhabiting Fleur has been produced.

## Culture

Fleurian culture is more refined than other Northern cultures. The people are mostly craftsmen, farmers, or artists living in tight city centers or on isolated farms. Fleurian culture stresses the importance of romanticism and aesthetics, often placing large focus on the role of beauty in daily life. This has led others to call them cowards or toothless, as to an outsider it may seem that the average citizen of Fleur is not versed enough in the hardy ways of other northern men. However, citizens are not all wistful artists as many stereotype them to be. The focus on aesthetics has led to a number of belief systems and schools, such as Verure, a system of thought where students argue that beauty is found in bloodshed and pain, as it is the most poignant reminder of our mortality, and thus the most beautiful of all scenery. So the citizens of Fleur are mostly warrior artists.

Fleurians are genuinely of northern decent, with a small community of Ihjargan immigrants and citizens living in the middle of the country. The nation is proud but not particularly prejudiced, though their is a general disdain for Higd. Fleur's dominant religion is Justainism, followed by Religious Aestheticism, and then Old Northern Polytheism. A very small percentage worship the Kuddian-Ihjargan Pantheon.

## Exports and Imports

Fleur trades with all of the other northern nations as well as those to the south, up to the Neck. Fleurian exports include:

* Fruit
* Flowers
* Wheat
* Fish
* Other Grains
* Lumber

Fleur imports many goods from the other kingdoms such as:

* Corn
* Vegetables and Meats
* Lumber
* Labor
* Luxury Goods
* Metals and Ores