Stratocracy of Kirchenstau

***“**Fear is a far greater motivator than loyalty ever could be.**”***
— Falk Krech

The **Stratocracy of Kirchenstau** is a small Republican country located in the North. It borders the Republic of Fühlgart to the northeast, and the Protectorate of Weckstein to the south. It has a coastline on the Western Ocean. Kirchenstau is a puppet government of the Republic of Fühlgart, though has become largely independent as a result of the Second Fühlgartian Civil War.

Established in the wake of the Kirchenstauer Civil War, which came to a violent end in 1214 AW with a joint invasion of Ulfric Luftschwert, Albert Schmied, and Falk Krech, the Stratocracy of Kirchenstau was meant to tighten Republican control over the area. The previous government under the protectorate of the same name, was relatively autonomous, which led to religious clashes and the eventual civil war.

Falk Krech, the dictator of Kirchenstau until 1227 AW, successfully kept the peace in Kirchenstau through fear. After the death of Jan Luftschwert, he was recalled to Fühlgart and replaced by Volkert Dachler. Dachler ultimately betrayed the Republicans in 1228 AW when he tried and failed to establish Kirchenstau as an independent city-state. He was ousted by loyalist Elbon von Trieshein, which marked the start of the ongoing Second Kirchenstauer Civil War.

## History

### The Great War

Kirchenstau was first conquered by Republican forces in the original Fühlgartian Civil War. At the time an important trading city and naval hub, the area achieved some degree of autonomy after the civil war in the form of the Protectorate of Kirchenstau.

However, the Protectorate ultimately failed in implementing the mandatory Worship of Syarus as the sole state religion. A weak government response led to Karlo von Kirchenstau, son of the deposed Duke of Kirchenstau, launching a religious civil war against the new government from 1205 AW onwards. This civil war would drag on all the way until 1214 AW before being crushed by a joint invasion of Fühlgartian generals Ulfric Luftschwert and Albert Schmied. However, by this point, the continued urban fighting had reduced most of Kirchenstau to rubble, as the once-important port city had fallen from grace and became a ruined backwater.

Realising that the protectorate system had failed in Kirchenstau, Jan Luftschwert put the area under a special military dictatorship to regain control over the rebellious region. This would mark the birth of the modern Stratocracy of Kirchenstau, which came under the control of Falk Krech. Krech was Ulfric Luftschwert's right-hand man, a native of the city, and feared in the region for his role in pacifying the area during the Fühlgartian Civil War and his general cruelty.

Under Falk Krech, Kirchenstau was partially rebuilt and lasted the Great War without further incident. The area increased slightly in importance during the War for Weckstein, as fears of a Grey Temple invasion of Kirchenstau became increasingly common, though this would not be the case, as the Grey Kingdom of Weckstein's advance would eventually be halted. Kirchenstau, despite being under martial law, was relatively peaceful despite the larger chaos of the Great War. However, all this would come to an end in 1227 AW.

### Civil War and Present Day

In 1227 AW, Jan Luftschwert died of illness. Before his body was even cold, the Fühlgartian Senate turned on itself, as senators began calling in favours and fighting erupted in the streets of Freistadt. Ulfric Luftschwert ultimately quelled the chaos by marching on Freistadt with the First Army in tow and naming himself the new Head of the Republic. He purged the senate of old and began making changes to the rapidly destabilising state. Notably, he appointed militaristic allies to the senate. One of these was his devoted friend, Falk Krech, who was recalled from Kirchenstau to Freistadt. In his absence, he was replaced by Volkert Dachler, another native of the area. Dachler initially seemed like a safe choice for the position. He had a clean service record to the Republicans since the Fühlgartian Civil War and had many connections in the area.

However, Dachler was also ambitious, and more loyal to Kirchenstau than to Fühlgart. When the Republic descended into the Second Fühlgartian Civil War, he saw an opportunity to free Kirchenstau from the clutches of Freistadt. In 1228 AW, he boldly declared independence from Fühlgart and tried to establish Kirchenstau as a city-state. Yet, before the week was over, he had been driven from the city by Elbon von Trieshein, second-in-command of the National Army of Kirchenstau and a staunch Republican loyalist.

Despite this setback, Volkert Dachler was not defeated outright. He still held significant ties to the area and many supported him over Trieshein. From these loyalists, Dachler formed the Kirchenstauer Liberation Front, marking the start of the Second Kirchenstauer Civil War. While Trieshein has requested aid from Fühlgart, the deteriorating situation in their own civil war has led to a lack of assistance, as they have neither the means nor the will to help. This has left Trieshein in a difficult situation, as both the National Army and the Liberation Front are of similar strength. Once more, Kirchenstau has descended into chaos and civil war. The city itself, battered by nearly thirty years of conflict, has become unrecognizable to its natives.

The fate of Kirchenstau is uncertain, though one thing is certain. Whoever proves victorious in the civil war will be a ruler of ruins, as the Kirchenstau of old is lost. Those who remain merely fight for control over the shadow of what it once was.

## Politics

Kirchenstau, in its current state, is an absolute military dictatorship. One man alone decides the direction which the country heads in and personally appoints his ministers from among his loyalists. While supposedly a puppet of the Republic of Fühlgart, their own collapse has prevented them from exerting influence over their protectorates and vassal states, giving Kirchenstau de-facto independence.

## Geography

The borders of Kirchenstau were drawn up shortly after the Fühlgartian Civil War, and only include the city itself and some neighbouring towns. What little nature is left consists of flat grassland, most of which is used for agriculture. Similar to other city-states such as Whitecrest or Rytow, Kirchenstau is almost entirely urban.

## Economy

Amongst the rubble of what once was Kirchenstau, there is no such thing as an organised economy. Agriculture is the main production, though farming anything is difficult whilst a civil war rages around or even on one's land. The once profitable trading city of Kirchenstau is now irrelevant, as any shipping has been avoiding it for years due to the dangers of getting caught in the crossfire or being outright robbed while docked. The currency has collapsed, and bartering has become the standardised way to do what little business and trade remains possible.

## Relations

* Republic of Fühlgart - While both states have grown apart due to domestic problems, Fühlgart is nonetheless Kirchenstau's closest ally and de jure master.
* Protectorate of Weckstein - Kirchenstau's ideological ally and southern neighbour, Weckstein is a minor ally, yet cooperation between the two states is minimal.

## Military

### Land

* **National Army** - The National Army is Kirchenstau's only organised domestic fighting force, under the direct control of its dictator. They fight in the Second Kirchenstauer Civil War.

## Dictators of Kirchenstau

* Falk Krech, 1214-1227 AW
* Volkert Dachler, 1227-1228 AW
* Elbon von Trieshein, 1228 AW-

## People

*For a full list, see Category:Characters (Stratocracy of Kirchenstau)*

* Elbon von Trieshein - Current Dictator
* Falk Krech - Former Dictator, General, Fühlgartian Senator
* Volkert Dachler - Rebel leader of the KLF

## Locations

*For a full list that includes buildings, see Category:Locations (Stratocracy of Kirchenstau)*

* Kirchenstau - Capital City