Holy Columbian Confederacy

The **Holy Columbian Confederacy**, also known as **Holy Evangelical Empire of the Southron Nation**, is a multi-ethnic complex of territories in the former Deep South that developed in the 2300s as one of the first major nations east of the Mississippi River

305 years after it's founding by Leonidas I Royal, the Holy Columbian Confederacy can boast of being one of the most powerful and stable realms on the Eastern half of the continent. The Confederacy prides itself on its chivalric culture and boasts of being the true successor to Old America. As of July 4th, 2666, it is led by Emperor Algernon Littlepage. Its capital is Charleston

## History

The Confederacy was formed by Emperor Leonidas I Royall in the year 2361, uniting the Evangelical South into a single force that would rival its neighbors for hundreds of years. In 2501, the Emperor Pompey murdered Hannibal Baron, an Americanist President, which would begin years of hostile relations between the two faiths.

The Confederacy has been pushing slowly westward its entire existence, having finally reaching the Ol Miss River through its protectorate, The Magnolia Marches just over a hundred years ago and as since begun to pushing both north, into the Blue Ridge mountains and into The Green, and south, into Anathema, without much success in either direction.

## Demographics & Inhabitants

Demographics are all about how the population of the settlement is distributed amongst different species, ethnicities, wealth classes, professions etc.

The HCC is predominantly governed by the Southron and considered a Southron realm. Southron culture has been spreading with the conquests of the Emperors westward. It is however not the most prominent culture among the realm's subjects. Rather it's the third highest population which is next to the lowest of landed cultures. The Dixies comprise the most abundant culture and were largely Post-Adventist before being conquered. They have the most in common with the Southrons but differ in having more agrarian values with customs of more rural roots. Tuskegean culture comprises the second highest population in the HCC and was predominantly Revelationist before the conquests of old Alabama. It's related to Dixie culture from which is draws a number of cultural values. The fourth-most prevalent culture in the HCC, and the smallest one represented in landed rulers, is Gullah which holds to a coastal region near the capital of Charleston. Gullah has some common heritage to Tuskegean culture but differs in lacking Dixie influences. Gullah cuisine is considered exotic and often an exciting dish served to those in the realm's capital. As such the culture has a great deal of respect within culinary circles. Other minority cultures in the HCC include significant Native American populations of the Catawba and Muscogee tribes, which thousands of years ago ruled the entire land of the HCC, along with Gulfard and Rostmann immigrant communities

While there's many halfling communities and even some elven enclaves, dwarves and elves are usually associated with the Blue Ridge mountains and The Green, quite ironically in the case of dwarves, as dwarven interests consistently run counter to The Green and elvish interests.

### Cultures

* **Southron**: The people of the Old South. These dashing and elegant gentlemen currently dominate the Holy Columbian Confederacy, forming most of its gentry. Mostly Evangelical in faith, although in parts outside of the Holy Confederacy they follow the Americanist faith. Known for their preference for antiquated names.
* **Dixie**: Related to the Southron, but generally ruddier. Inhabit the Deep South of Old America. As a rule, they're Evangelical. Dominated by the Southron nobility just as their Tuskegean neighbors.
* **Tuskegean**: African-American population centers in the South also found themselves diverging greatly after the Event, with cities like Jackson, Birmingham, and Atlanta forging ahead with their reinvented culture. Unlike their Northern counterparts, the Tuskegeans are a minority population under the rule of the Holy Columbian Confederacy, with powerful influence curbed by the elective monarchy. Tuskegeans are exclusively Evangelicals, with their communities as island among the Dixie and Southron peoples stretching from the Mississippi to the Potomac.
* **Gullah**: The most insular of the Afro-Anglos, the Gullah are the reborn descendants of the actual Gullah population along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. Though Evangelical like their fellow Confederates, their unique creole language and traditions are kept alive within the larger realm.
* **Muscogee**: Like the Cherokee, the Muscogee were also exiled from their traditional homeland, although some of them have retained a foothold in the lands of the Holy Columbian Confederacy.
* **Gulfards**: The people of Florida. Spanish and French influences have led to them having a distinct identity from their northerly cousins, but frequent Brethren raids and foreign rule by the Caribbean Empire often keeps them down. From a religious point of view, they are divided: most adhere to Americanism or Evangelicalism, with some Rastafari and Brethren amongst them.
* **Rostmann**: Rostmann culture encompasses parts of the Rust Belt of old America. Between Peoria and Erie lie the largely Rust Cultist kingdoms. Though their names are often Spoonerisms or Malapropisms of ancient names the tycoons and machinists are completely feudal and are not to be trifled with.

### Common Non-human Races

* **Halflings**: Created by The Fae when they eventually caught a group of thieves who would *Plane Shift* onto the Faewild, due to it's similar geography and planar proximity making it easy, as punishment for trespassing and not paying tribute. They have since reintegrated back into human society very easily and have been very successful spreading all over the continent.
* **Drow**: A dark-skinned sub-race of elves that predominantly live in the Underdark in a matriarchal Empire. They are hated and feared due to their cruelty and slaving, though some non-evil and an even smaller number of good drow exist. White is the most common hair color among drow, but almost any pale shade is possible. Drow tend to be smaller and thinner than other sorts of elves, and their eyes are often a vivid red. Drow society is based upon violence, murder, cunning, and the philosophy that only the strong survive. Hence, most drow plot endlessly to murder or otherwise incapacitate their rivals and enemy drow using deceit and betrayal. Drow, particularly in higher positions, are constantly wary of assassins and the like. Their society, as a whole, is seemingly nonviable. The only reason they do not murder themselves to extinction is by the will of Lolth, working primarily through her clergy. Lolth does not tolerate any drow that threaten to bring down her society, and the clergy make certain that perpetrators cease their destructive actions by either threatening or killing them, depending on her mood.
* **Skaven**: A mostly malevolent and diabolical race of large humanoid rat-creatures, they are a minor facton in the south, being contained for better or worse by the Drow. The Skaven are an industrious and intelligent race, competing with and likely surpassing gnomes for technologic understanding, the Skaven might be the most advanced race on the planet. Unlike the gnomes, and the reason they haven't dominated the surface world, is that are also the most tribal and divided race in the world, constantly at war with one another for dominance. Despite all that, they still occasionally raid the surface, although they do not leave many survivors so many raids are blamed on other creatures.

## Religion

Today the majority of the HCC's territory are practicing Evangelicals however at the time of the Empire's founding such was not the case. Territory west of the Savannah River was predominantly Charismatic, Postadventist, and Revelationist in practice with the Postadventist at the time of Leonidas I's conquests having recently retaken Atlanta from Revelationists and established a feudal society after years of tribalism. With the Empire's expansion westward it's Evangelical Emperors put in place other Evangelicals to govern the territory as it transformed from tribal to feudal society. These early rulers were very spiteful of the Revelationists and through the hunting of pagans, they managed to secure their new territory. So focused were they on stamping out Revelationists, that the other two religions occupying the territory have survived though marginally into the present. With no ruler publicly practicing the Postadventist nor Charismatic religion, both are expected to wane in the coming decades. Still there have been rumors that even now some rulers are secretly practicing one of these religions.

## Government

Holy Columbian Confederate politics are deeply intertwined with Evangelicalism. The ages old struggle between Church and State have manifested in two prominent political factions. The **Bulldogs** who believe in the prominence of the Church over secular authority and the **Rams** who see secular rulers as stewards of the church in their realms. The friction between these two is most noticeable in the old territory of former South Carolina where the confederate capital of Charleston is situated between the factional strongholds.

### The Emperor

The HCC is notable as the largest Elective Monarchy in North America. The seat of Emperor is an elected position with every direct vassal, and the Emperor, having a vote on the next monarch. This system is enjoyed by the various members states of the Confederacy but has not been without issue. Dynasties that maintain control for many generations tend to indicate some seated corruption and such dynasties have at times taken a loss of ruling very poorly. Their members still enjoy Princely titles and the benefits of such even if they loose the election and for a number this is enough to simply be content with. For those who are not, the formation of factions for a specific someone to take the throne have been formed. The HCC is most stable under long serving dynasties but such rule tends to bring with it a situation that can leave a number of the members unhappy. That being that long standing familial ties lead to favoritism and corruption can set in as favors are exchanged. The HCC's Elective Monarchy is heathiest when power is changed between dynasties often yet it's also the most divided when such occurs. The duel edge of the situation of a long serving dynasty is that such does bring favoritism which harms vassals who are not in the circle of the Dynasties connections but it also brings the realm together for the same reason. The ties a long dynasty forms allows it to diminish internal rivalry in the HCC and even garner generational confidence among the citizenry. It's because of this that Dynasties garner support and reputable bloodlines that leave lasting impressions.

### The Imperial Senate

The deliberative body of the Holy Columbian Confederacy. Composed of the Confederate Estates, it is not a legislative body but more like a central forum where its more important to negotiate than to decide, nominally placing the realm and its stability over petty rivalries, but in practice is often several shifting alliances than change as the issues before them do.

## Infastructure

What have the entrepreneurial spirits of this settlement built? Examples include watermills and windmills, sewers, courtyards, blast furnaces, roads, bridges, shipyards etc.

## Defenses

The defences of the settlement are the arrays and layers of infrastructure that make sure that the inhabitants and wealth of the settlement is safe. Palisades, walls, moats, towers, raised bridges etc. and their specifications can be described here.

## Industry and Trade

Describe here the way that the settlement stays afloat. What do its inhabitants do for a living. Which are the most important imports, exports and manufacturing taking place in the settlement.

## Guilds and Factions

Settlements, from the smallest town to the most thriving of metropolicies is moved one direction or another by the organizations which affect its politics and financial development. Describe here which are these factions for this settlement.

## Architecture

Which is the style of architecture used in this settlement? Which is the stone or wood used for the walls of its buildings? How do people traditionally adorn their structures (e.g. white picket fences, whitewashed walls with ocean blue roofs or brightly coloured door)

## Geography

Describe the location's geographic features. Is the terrain a plain, a mountain or rolling hills? Does it have access to fresh water via a river or a lake? Is it at the edge of a sea or an ocean? You can also talk about the views and natural beauty of the location.

## Natural Resources

Wood from the forests, grain from the fields, sheeps in the rolling hills and metals and stone from the bowels of the earth. Natural resources define all the assets that can be found by prospectors, or can be exploited by the population living in, or near by this location.

## DM Resources

### Flavor Bits

Americanists strongly dispute any notion that the Holy Columbian Confederacy has any claim to be a successor to Old America. Rather they claim it's historic predecessor was an evil and traitorous rebellion that forsake the founders in order to maintain the wicked institution of slavery. The Holy Columbian Confederacy denies all such claims and certain Emperors have cut out the tongues of those who speak too loudly about such things. During the conquests of Leonidas I, who established the Holy Columbian Confederacy during the life time of President Bannistar, there was a battle with the Postadventist Duke of Peach Tree. Prior to the battle the Postadventist used an ancient artillery shell to destroy on old stone work located on Stone Mountain. No one in the HCC will say what was there before, only that Leonidas I had the mountain resculpted with his image. Those who meddle in this conspiracy believe that the mountain was a monument to this 'Evil Rebellion' and Leonidas had the mountain recarved to hide the true heritage of the HCC.