The Snowdrop Duchy

> ***"Some would call this a frozen hell-world and, to that, I say... "pretty much". That says a little something about the people who live here now doesn't it?"***
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> -Former Duchess Snowflake
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## Map and Info

### Faiths

70% Lunarism 27% Harmonism

3% Lunar Islamb

### Economy

Mining and Tourism basedCurrencies used:

Equestrian Bit

Lunar Dollar

## Current ruler

### Full name & titles:

Duchess Akari of Sagami, sovereign of Snowdrop

Formerly the Duchy of Charn, **The Snowdrop Duchy (Schneeglöckchen Herzogtum in Germane)** is a small little kingdom up near the northern most coast Germaney within the Exalted Equestrian Empire, known for its ski resorts and its Iron mines. Tracing its lineage to the ancient discordian tribes, Snowdrop's is a land that is every bit as magical as it is harsh. From its never ending winter to it's high percentage of magic users to it's odd and individualistic rulers, what it lacks in material wealth and resources is made up for in charm, mysticism and mystery.

It's more recent history has been plagued by its association with it's former Amareican born Duchess Snowflake, who was known for her eccentric behavior, her obsession with the far east and her alleged assassination of an Imperial official. Currently, the former Duchess is serving her exile in Griffonstone, leaving the Duchy in the hooves of Akari, her Neighponese confidant. Despite both its small size and it's general lack of resources and clout, the Duchy continues to have a surprising amount of influence around Equestria and beyond, with work and trade deals in both Omare and in Neighpon along with a fruitful partnership with Flankonia and other Northern Germane states.

## Ancient History

### Pre-Equestrian/Discordian Era

Little is known, in precise detail, regarding the tribal era given the inherently chaotic nature of Discord's rule. It was around this time, however, that the city of Charn was founded. A collection of tribes had come together in an attempt to survive the harsh winter conditions. After enough time had passed, the city grew and, with it, came a slow settlement of what would someday become Snowdrop.

There is conjecture, among scholars, that it was Discord who is, at least partially, responsible for the winter conditions of the Duchy. Some support for these theories come from the fact that much of the wildlife appears to be perfectly adapted to year round frigid conditions. Farming was exceptionally difficult, but the forests were far from lifeless and the rivers provided a steady stream of food for those who could break beneath the ice or in those rare "Warm" seasons when ice melts enough for it.

Further information will follow

### Equestrian Era

Eventually the Discordian Era would come to a close and the tribes of Charn would form a kingdom in their own right, ruled under the watchful eyes of Canterlot and their Princesses, Luna and Celestia. Ancient records dictate that it was Luna who first reached out to the denizens of Charn and, even today, Non-Secular Lunarism is one of the most wildly practiced religions in the region. As time went on, the population of Charn would diminish as it's denizens started migrating out to seek fairer climates. A good number of these ponies would migrate to the Bittish isles, and, to this very day, many families still living in Snowdrop have at least some relatives either in Bitton or in the New Lunar Republic proper.

### The Fall of Equestria

After Luna's banishment and Celestia's disappearance the country, despite it's Lunar ties, did not entirely participate in the Lunar Rebellion. Historians believe this was largely due to communal ties with the other Northern states. Despite their largely Lunar population, the country's populace and it's leadership didn't wish to separate itself from it's neighbors. One of the more profound effects of this period is the rise of Harmonic sects within Charn proper. To this day, Harmonism is practiced by a not insignificant portion of the population, especially by those who live further away from the frozen coasts.

### Induction into the Exalted Equestrian Empire

Charn, along with other Northern States, would find themselves united under the Exalted Equestrian Empire. This period brought a certain degree of stability to the kingdom, though few outside of the Northern States would pay much mind to it. Duke Ice Rend, the monarch at the time, took advantage of this period of peace to expand upon his Duchy's natural hot springs to further develop the heating network that many denizens relied on not to freeze to death. In modern times, this natural source of heating would be augmented by magical engineering, allowing for the surprising amount of livability today.

## Contemporary history and events

### Royal schism

Expanding upon Duke Ice Rend's infrastructure improvements, the Royal Family enjoyed a period of relative stability and peace leading up to the contemporary era. This would all end during the reign of Duchess Snowdrift. Historical records reveal contradictory narratives depending on which side they fell on but the accounts reveal a similar point of origin in an argument between Snowdrift and her cousins regarding the distribution of Royal owned land. Snowdrift wished for the land to remain under direct control of the crown whereas her cousins wished to divvy the land up between members of the royal family. Though this would not become a violent affair, the cousins would abscond from the country entirely after a point, thus splitting the family in two. The cousins would immigrate to Bitton and, from there, make way for the New World, while Snowdrift's family remained in the Duchy.

### Continued neglect

Snowdrift grew increasingly unconcerned with the affairs of her kingdom in the years proceeding the schism. More and more the Royal family began to delegate responsibilities to local mayors, sheriffs and other community leaders as the Duchess grew more and more withdrawn. Subsequent Dukes and Duchesses would, more or less, continue this growing trend as the power of the royal family began to decay.

### Rise of the Unions

In response to royal ambivalence, local communities began to grow more involved in their own decision making. Groups of ponies banded together to form what was, originally, an attempt to lobby for increased Royal support. These groups are as varied as the professions they represent, though the "original three" were the Miners Union, the Guild of Mages and the Engineering guild. More and more groups like these would pop up over time, from the Baker's union to the Society of Bakers and Confectioners and, even today, these groups make up a vital and irreplaceable part of Snowdrop's internal political landscape.

### Duchess Snowdrop

The last of the Charn line, Merry Winter, would pass away due to natural causes, explicitly stating in her will that the title of Duchess was to fall to one individual belonging to the Lunar Branch of the family. This individual was Duchess Snowdrop, who would become equal parts famous and infamous for her incredibly eccentric style of rulership. Educated by Canterlot University and originally hailing from the Marechigan city of Manehattan, Snowdrop brought with her several personal contacts from Lunatia. This collection of businessmares and investors would see new money come into a stagnant and neglected economy and it would see an almost immediate rise in various building projects, including the Ski resort in Caldron.

She would also see that the Royal family would, once again, become more involved with the affairs of the Duchy. This was achieved by a combination of foreign investment, personal persuasion and, as her detractors would allege, coercion and intimidation. The Duchess would claim, among many things, to have personally executed minor nobility that had crossed her. She also claimed responsibility for the Eternal Winter and would subsequently change the name of the Duchy from "Charn" to Snowdrop proper. Her stated reason was, according to a press release, that she "thought Charn was a stupid name".

Despite these eccentricities, Snowdrop's investment in the dated infrastructure of Snowdrop, along with her emphasis on building up the tourism industry, ended up easing many of the concerns of several of Snowdrop's guilds. Her purging of the old family's cabinet of advisors, though controversial, was seen by some as a positive step towards fighting the corruption and neglect of the Royal family prior to her arrival. At least by those who support her.

### Assassination of Stellar and the start of the Third Imperial war

Over the years, the Duchess would become more and more involved with the affairs of the E.E.E. A ball was held in honor of the visiting Prince Alder Von Haysburg, marking the first time a member of the Kaiser's family had visited since the days of Ice Rend. The Duchess would make frequent trips outside the Duchy, including to places like Omare. This marked the Duchy's emergent first steps in becoming more internationally involved. One such visit, however, would end up having disastrous and far reaching consequences.

Duchess Snowdrop visited King-Elect Mikolaj of Ponland and his aunt, Grand Duchess Anana Jagiellequus of Lithuaneighia. During the course of this visit, a high ranking Equites knight, Stellar, would end up dead via gunshot to the head. The details are vague and unclear, with many conflicting accounts, though the war that was sparked by this was far less vague. Duchess Snowdrop alleges that she did this in self defense, while the Imperium, and the E.E.E, contend that this was a political assassination, aided by the King-Elect and the Grand Duchess. Further allegations have been made that Snowdrop was an agent of the New Lunar Republic, whose actions were meant to destabilize relations between the two powers. Duchess Snowdrop has, to this day, denied these allegations.

Whatever the truth may be, what is clear is that this event would be the spark that lit the powder keg.

### Wartime efforts

During the war, Duchess Snowdrop herself would often lead the Snowdrop Protection force into combat. Given the geography of the Duchy, many of it's soldiers were uniquely suited to mountainous warfare and, though the Protection force was far smaller then most, they punched above their weight in the fight for the Coltcassus Front. The Snowdrop navy would also participate in the naval defense of Haylenica during the early days of the war. Eventually, as the Imperial armies gained ground, an invasion attempt was thwarted by the combined navies of Snowdrop and Brocenberg. The Weather guild, in anticipation of more invasion attempts, would attempt to engineer blizzard conditions while the Engineering guild would shut down select heaters in the regions closest to the then fallen Dithmareschen. No invasion attempt on Snowdrop proper was successful, though scholars attribute this largely to the timing of the peace meetings that would subsequently follow.

Duchess Snowdrop, herself, would lead an evacuation attempt of the Duchy to Omare, which lead to even warmer relations between the two kingdoms. Many of those evacuated would help build several key improvements in Omare, including a border wall.

### Peacetime, the Capture of Snowdrop and the ascendance of Duchess Akari

Not long after the war, despite claims that Snowdrop had escaped to the Republic, Equestrian officials would be successful in their apprehension of Snowdrop. A trial would find her guilty of political assassination and espionage and would end with her banishment to the Kingdom of Griffonstone, where she is currently imprisoned. The trial, much like anything else Snowdrop is involved in, was contentious, controversial and stressful. Despite this, however, the Duchy itself has seen an impressive recovery from the conflict, which has been aided by assistance from other Hanneighverian states.

Before her departure, one of Snowdrop's final acts was to make Akari, her confidant, the new Duchess, marking the start of a new Royal line. Born in Neighpon to the Sagami clan, Akari would become one of the first Far Easterners to lay claim to an Equestrian Royal title. Her association with Snowdrop has made her a suspect in several ongoing investigations regarding her loyalties and it is said that the Kaiser, personally, does not trust the new Duchess with her position. Despite this, however, Akari would see that many of her predecessor's reforms would continue to be implemented and some see her comparative stability as a plus. Her rule has also seen the Duchy's international presence expanded with a series of new projects commissioned by her emergent homeland.

## Culture

The culture of Snowdrop is surprisingly varied and it is often best to break it down between regions. In general, however, you can expect the denizens of Snowdrop to be friendly, hardy and communal in nature. Hospitality and openness is extremely important to the denizens of Snowdrop, and visitors to the Duchy can expect a surprisingly warm welcome from the locals. Historians believe this trend is a carry over from the tribal era, where hospitality, generosity and harmony were seen as a survival tactic to ensure as many members of the community survived the harsh environment as possible.

Despite this, however, the citizens of Snowdrop can also be very opinionated. They are stubborn, sometimes to a fault, and do not easily change their mind on things. Arguments are common among coworkers and friends alike but few appear to hold a grudge. Two ponies could be arguing about work in the morning, only to laugh and drink together in the evening.

True to the Equestrian spirit, the citizens of Snowdrop are as equally open to outsiders as they are to citizens of the empire. Given the Duchy's recent strides onto the international stage, one can expect a surprising amount of influence from other nations. Bitton is the most notable and historic but the balloon ports to the near and far east have opened up trade and immigration with a plethora of different peoples. In Charn and Caldron, especially, one can find everything from an Omareie market to a Neighponese styled Onsen and the citizens of Snowdrop take no small amount of pride in their growing melting pot.

## Geography and Climate

Dating back to the Discordian Era, as described in the Historical section of this document, Snowdrop has always been an especially cold and harsh environment. Though nature accounts for some of this, the year round and almost permanent winter cannot be the result of nature alone. Many suspect discordian magic is at hoof but, whatever the case might be, it is advised that visitors pack and plan accordingly. In the valleys, one can expect to find ancient and frigid forests along with frozen lakes and rivers. Several mountains dot the landscape as well, with Mt.Caldron being the tallest of them all.

Blizzards are a common occurrence, though the Weather Guild is careful to engineer them in as precise and as controlled a manner as possible. Life up in one of the cloud cities is similarly frigid. Packing an extra coat, no matter where you go, is an absolute must.

## Cities of note and Important landmarks

### Charn

The capital of Snowdrop and it's oldest city, Charn makes up the heart of the Duchy. Located at the edge of the Bitsea forest, it contains not just the administrative centers of Snowdrop, but also several other important structures as well. These would list as follows...

* **The Cathedral of the Stars** is a non-secular Lunar church that utilizes distinctive onion shaped domes that can be seen across the city. Services are held here every Saturday but the functions of the cathedral are more then just spiritual. Here, several social programs are carried out, including food drives and community funded projects for citizens who have fallen on hard times. Housing is considered an absolute necessity and those who find themselves homeless are quickly assigned housing through programs organized by the church. On the day of Luna's banishment, the church also hosts the festival of the counting, which celebrates and marks another year that is gone from Luna's sentence on the moon.
* **The Great Guild halls** are the designated headquarters of some of the oldest and most influential unions in Snowdrop. Located in a stately manor in the heart of the city, the Guild hall serves as a royal funded administrative center to keep track of all the various groups operating within the Duchy. A monthly feast is also organized in the building, open to everyone, with food provided by each participating guild.
* **Snowdrop Ballet Company's performative arts theater** is located within the heart of the city, close to the Great Guild hall. Though ballet is the company's specialty, the theater also organizes various plays put on by the city's university. They also offer dance classes to those who are interested in them.
* **The Charn Opera House** is situated near the Cathedral and enjoys similar architectural styles, including the onion domes. Citizens with a more discerning taste can come get their opera fix here.
* **The Ice Palace** is located near the Cathedral and makes up the traditional seat of power for the Duchy. It is here that the Duchess and her court come to carry out the business of running Snowdrop itself. The Palace is lavishly equipped with a frozen courtyard, a ballroom and a diplomatic residence for foreign dignitaries to reside in.
* **The Spring Gardens** is one of Snowdrop's technological and magical marvels. It is one of many artificial "Seasonal gardens" located throughout the Duchy, designed in a way to simulate seasons outside of Snowdrop's signature winter. The Spring Gardens is among the largest and most lavish of these magically maintained facilities, with a small lake, a forested pathway and a pagoda installed to give the citizens of Charn a place of calm in the winter storms.

These are among a few of the cultural landmarks and structures located within the city. Charn is also home to a Balloon port, which connects the city to several others across Equestria and beyond!

### Caspian

Caspian is located the furthest inland of any major city in Snowdrop and, thus, adheres most to the customs and norms of the other Northern Germane states. Many consider it the official inland "gate" to the Duchy itself and is home to much of Snowdrop's industries, from ranches to iron refineries. A great many of Snowdrop's local rail companies also have their headquarters in Caspian. Though not as prestigious as Charn, it's proximity on the border to the rest of Equestria often makes it the first stop into the kingdom, assuming one travels by rail and not by balloon. Notable places to visit are as follows...

* **Cold Valley Fortress.** This star fort isn't just a defensive installation, it is also headquarters to the Snowdrop Citizen's Protection Force's High command. New volunteers receive basic training here before moving on to more specialized training areas. With this in mind, soldiers and their families make up a not insignificant portion of Caspian's population. Several closed off living facilities are maintained near the fort to provide living space for said families, though many venture into the city proper in search of things to do. The Fortress is mostly closed to the public, but tours are given in select areas. Travelers should be aware that photography of the fortress is **not permitted** unless under special circumstances and under the supervision of a military officer.
* **Caspian Hydroponics farm.** Much of Snowdrop's native flora and fauna have adapted to years in the cold climate, but as tastes become more refined there has been a demand for more exotic foods that are only possible to grow in certain conditions. The Hydroponics farm seeks to bring more temperate crops to the cold Kingdom in as large a scale as possible, utilizing similar technology to the Seasonal Gardens found across the Duchy. This farm is one of many but also one of the most extensive. It runs a farmer's market every other week to sell produce that has been grown here as well as frequent tours of the facility. They also typically employ seasonal or temporary laborers around harvest time and may offer a travelers a chance to make a little extra money while exploring the Duchy.
* **The Grand Equestrian Rail station** is the largest rail station in Snowdrop and, often, a visitor's first stop into the Duchy. One can find rails going into all the major cities from here. It is located near several shops and inns as well should you wish to relax a little before traveling on. In particular, the Grand Equestrian Bistro offers exceptional food with both exceptional service and an exceptional price!
* **Iron Strike's Academy of Practical sciences.** Funded and staffed by Guildmaster Iron Strike of the Engineering Guild, the Academy of Practical sciences leads the way for Snowdrop's many innovations in magical technology. Many of the school's teachers also train members of the Protection Force's engineering corp. School is free for citizens of Snowdrop and available at a steep discount to citizens of Equestria as a whole. It also maintains a museum of technological wonders which can delight both local and tourist alike.

### Ice Harbor

If Caspian is the door to the kingdom by land and Charn is the door by air then, naturally, Ice Harbor is one's ticket into Snowdrop by the frigid sea. Here one might find a style of architecture that may remind one of Londoe and, indeed, many Republican immigrants, workers and captains of industry have chosen this city to set up shop in. It is also home to the largest population of pegasi in the Duchy, and cloud cities and estates are as common a site here as Zeppelins are in Charn. Should one find themselves in the city, you will find that there is plenty to do and see. Some places of note are as follows...

* **The Ice Fisher's wharf.** Do you like fish? Fancy a plate of steamed crab legs? Maybe lobster bisque is more your style? Well look no further! A variety of restaurants can be found on the docks, serving up sea food freshly caught on the coast. The wharf maintains a fish market as well should you fancy trying your hoof at cooking yourself. Tourists and locals alike are also free to fish off the edge of the wharf, though, should you decide to do so, be sure to dress as warmly as possible.
* **Tundra and Son's Harbor side cannery.** Though it is not the only cannery in the city it is, by far, the largest of them. Tundra and Son's processes much of the fisherpony's catches and then sells them to both domestic and international markets across the globe. Tours are occasionally given and temporary work is often available. There is always something that needs doing here.
* **Nimbus district.** The Nimbus is one of the largest cloud districts in the Duchy and is accessible by balloon at all times of the day. Here a great many pegasi live and rest. It is primarily a residential area but it is also home to one of the Duchy's most prestigious sea food restaurants, *The Seven Storms.* Those who are not pegasi are required to drink a special potion to allow for cloud walking and they must *always* be mindful of the time. The potions effects last days but the Duchy is not responsible for ponies who forget to keep track of their hours. This is not a problem for the majority of visitors but, for those planning on staying longer, caution is advised.

### Caldron

Caldron is an old community situated high up near Mt.Caldron, the highest mountain peak in Snowdrop. Already a popular place to ski, Duchess Snowdrop made it a point to completely revitalize the community to accommodate a world class, international ski resort. True to her strange obsession with the Far East, Duchess Snowdrop invited exiled Neighponese Architect Sutāburaito to design the resort in a distinctly eastern style. Along with Sutāburaito, a variety of other exiled artists had been invited to settle in Caldron on the condition that they help enrich the town with their culture and art. With Neighpon opening to the west and under Akari's leadership, the link between east and west has grown only stronger here. What was once a largely unassuming town, as a result, has gone on to become one of the more unique communities in the Duchy and a world class destination for vacationers across the globe. Interesting landmarks are as follows...

* **Snow peak Ski Resort**. The crown jewel of the town, this sprawling resort offers modern amenities at affordable prices to the most discerning of customers. One can hit the world famous slopes of Mt.Caldron or relax to a cup of hot cocoa in your heated room. There are stores to cater for every taste and services to account for any need. It also hosts a theater house where one can enjoy a variety of performances, from Equestrian comedies to Neighponese Kabuki. There is plenty to do and plenty to see. Just remember to adhere to the health and safety guidelines set forth by the resort's leadership. Be safe and have fun!
* **Iron Strike Mountain Mining facility.** Not necessarily a touristy destination and largely inaccessible to most people is Snowdrop's largest mining operation. Here, the local miners dig deep into the frigid mountains to help fuel Snowdrop's growing industry. Though the facility itself is closed off, the miners themselves are a common sight around Caldron. These ponies are treated with the utmost respect and each miner, and their family, is given full access to the ski resort free of charge. Many of these miners volunteer as ski instructors as well and are more then happy to help, provided they are treated with respect! The local miner's union works closely with the Service pony's guild to ensure that employees are treated fairly by both management and guest alike. Treat them well and they will treat you well, in turn!
* **Ātisuto chiku, AKA "Little Kokyo"** is a specially designed district to house Neighponese foreign exiles that former Duchess Snowdrop had collected to herself. Translating to "Artist's district" in Equestrian, this community is meant to help service their needs in the harsh climate of the Duchy. The district itself, designed by the very architect responsible for the resort, has added to the unique aesthetic of Caldron itself. The Protection force also maintains a small school here to facilitate the specialized training of their "Ice soldiers."

## Food and Drink

Despite it's small size, Snowdrop has one of the highest rates of obesity in the entire Equestrian empire. This is attributed both to the effects of ice magic and for the denizen's love of foods, especially sweets and desserts. Snowdrop has a love of baked goods that borders on the unhealthy and many of the drinks are similarly sweet. Savory foods do exist, however, and they tend to be delicious and hearty. Fish also makes up a good chunk of Snowdrop's diet, given the relative ease of fishing compared to the difficulty of farming. Be it lobster bisque in Ice Harbor, or Brats in Caspian or even Kebabs and Sushi, you can find a wide variety of dishes to suit your palette. Make sure to pack a big appetite, however, because you can expect portion sizes to be large.

## Military

Given Snowdrop's small size, the military forces of the Duchy fashion themselves less like an army and more of a highly professional militia. **The Snowdrop Citizen's Protection Force (Citzens Schutzkraft)** , as such, is a small but highly trained, all volunteer army meant to protect the Duchy against aggression, working alongside **The Snowdrop Navy (Schneeglöckchen Marine)** to repel potential invaders on both land and sea.