Pobrzeze

**The Great and Serene Commonwealth of the Nations of Pobrzeze**, also known as **The Steppe Commonwealth**, or simply **Pobrzeze**, is a multiracial nation positioned between the Elven Exarchiae and the Elven Heartlands. It is a majority human polity, but embraces most other races within its borders, and tolerates Elves.

### History

Pobrzeze was formed out of the existing city-states and minor kingdoms of the area after the War of the Alliance in 1722 MA. Though unapologetically and unambiguously human dominated, as a nation at the crossroads, it was founded with the intention of being a kind of 'neutral' kingdom, where different races and faiths would be able to tolerate one another in peace.

### Geography

Pobrzeze is mostly steppe and plains, with some coastal forests along the southwest in Zakresy.

Despite how well-forested the Elven Heartlands are, the border between Pobrzeze and the Elven Empire is barren, and on the Pobrzezan side, intensively farmed. This is due to the peace treaty of the War of the Alliance stipulating that a zone of around ten miles (the borders being set at irregular markers) within Pobrzeze not be allowed to grow nor cut trees to account for the religious sensibilities of the Elves. What small groves exist in this deforested zone are tended to only by Elven foresters, according to their religious devotions. Increasing soil erosion over the past 50 years have steadily decreased yields in this deforested zone, and tensions have risen between Pobrzeze and the Elven Empire because of it.

### Economy

Zakresy is a highly mercantile region with intensive forestry and logging industries, as well as some mining along the mountain ranges. Masovia is the center of government, engaged in redistribution of taxes and, as a highly populated and fertile region, intensive agriculture, especially cash crops. Industrial scale refinement also occurs, as many of the river trade routes from Zakresy end in the great coastal trade cities of Masovia. Przystepie, while covered in fertile, black soil, is largely unexploited due to the long history of conflict, leaving loose, warlike confederations of clans (loyal to Pobrzeze) to engage in traditional pastoralism and subsistence agriculture in the steppes.

### Culture

The culture of Pobrzeze varies wildly across the three Great Voivodeships.

### Government

The central government is run by two powers: the monarch, and the Sejm. The monarch is elected by the Sejm and rules by their consent; often the monarch is elected from foreign nobility, rather than native Pobrzezan nobility, so as to better act as an unbiased mediator between disputes between Pobrzezan nobles. The Sejm consists of five equal divisions of representatives, each elected by a different group. Three of the divisions are of the three Great Voivodeships; two are of the classes without regard to region, that of the nobility and the clergy. However, practically speaking, one may regard the nobility as effectively dominating the representatives afforded to the Great Voivodeships as well.

The three Great Vovoideships, sometimes called the Privileged Vovoideships, are Zakresy in the southwest and along the mountain range in the northwest, Masovia along the coast and eastern peninsula, and Przystepie in the northeast.