Former Kingdom of Waldemaria

The Westerlings - as called by the Zapalovach Republic - are a race of humans that live in the plains that surrounded Harpies' Peak.

The Westerling countryside is described as a land of pastures and lush tall grassland. They are mostly farmers and are known as excellent riders. They mostly cultivate pumpkins, wheat, potatoes and corn.

The Westerlings were not too long ago united under a Kingdom - the Kingdom of Waldemaria. However, the Kingdom is now defunct, as the last king - William Merriman II - was killed in battle, leaving no heirs behind.

A group of westerlings have united under a druid sorcerer that are based in Harpies' peaks. Attacks from these foul were-beings and monsters are frequent in Plains of the Kings, although they are swiftly repelled by the Waldemarian Riders.

That savage cult however is no match compared to the cruel Vzdoruye from Mossovoy, the sworn enemies of the Westerlings.

## History

### Early History

The area that eventually became the domain of the Kingdom of Waldemaria was home to many tribes of Humans who are closely related to the ones that inhabit the Land of the Windmills. These humans came to be known as the "Westerlings', and were always known as excellent horse riders, as well as hardy farmers. Internal wars, as well as threats from outside forces - such as the Manogre Princedoms - shaped the Westerlings into the stalwart people of today. Waldemaria once included the lands that are now inhabited by the dark sorcerers of Mossovoy, as well as the queer people of Sniden and Harpies' Peaks. Many Westerlings, thousands of years ago, were charmed by the God Emperor that inhabits the groves of Sniden, and their descendants make up the majority of the human population there.

Many Westerling tribes, particularly the western ones, waged war with their neighbors in order to expand their realms. They were stopped by the Elves of the Elfwood after many bloody battles, and as such they never were able to exert their influence beyond that region.

Eventually, the westerling tribes united under the banner of one king, and the Kingdom of Waldemaria was born. Waldemaria had remained as the largest force of the region for a while, even when Zapalovah evolved from a small city state to a large mercantile thalassocracy. That all changed, however, when conflict within Zapalovah lead to the exile of the Vzdoruye and the rise of the city of Mossovoy.

### The Mossovoy Invasion

The foul necromancers of Mossovoy had come from the north in a time long past, quickly establishing their secret city in the plains and hills south of Zapalovah. It took them almost a century, however, to begin their attacks in former Waldemaria. What were small skirmishes turned into large battles, and it was when the Waldemarians broke the stallmate and switched to the offensive that the Vzdoruye unveiled their ultimate weapon.

The Waldemarian cavalry was marching in the plains north of Needle Ridge, hoping to flank and eliminate a band of undead creatures, headed by their sorcerer generals. What initially seemed like a victorious battle was quickly shattered at the sound of a wicked horn. King William Merriman II himself turned at the loud noise, which sounded like taunting, sadistic laughter. Another army had enroached them from the south, beyond the Glass Mountains.

The King quickly abandoned all hopes of victory at the sight of two hulking giants, a race that was ancient even to the great grandfathers of his great grandafthers. How they came he didn't know, but what he did know was that those were not living creatures. Almost as tall as 20 men in height, the giants were cladded in chainmail and iron, their armor and skin covered in burning scars and cuts. Under their helmets, their skeletal eyes were growing red.

Clutching giant spiked clubs the giants marched in unison. The earth beyond them shook as they advanced towards the Riders of Waldemar. The men were shocked, ready to flee. But King William ordered them to stand their ground and face their fears. The Waldemarians fought fiercefully against the Vdzoruye. Their archers, combined with the lances of the riders, managed to fell down a giant, his skull crushing more than 10 ogres in its wake. Defeat finally came when the last remaining giant grabbed King William's horse, crushing it under his palm as if it were a fly. The giant then tore apart the king's body in half, throwing at the last standing riders. The plains of Waldemar were henceforth called "the Plain of the Kings"

Only two men survived from that battle. From that day, Waldemaria was no more. Its people left with no king nor hope.

The people of the villages and the castles were either hoping to migrate to the South, beyond the Manogre princedoms and into the Evergreen Pastures. Some were even willing to ingest poison, not wanting to fall in the hands of the necromancers. However, not all was bleak. Knights from the far East had made their land to the west of the Land of the Windmills. When the Vdzoruye had thought that they had finished one enemy, one more rose up. The Laurentian Crusaders quickly built many great fortresses, vowing to rid the world of the dark lords.

Many Waldemarians - or Westerlings, as they're now called - joined the cause of Lorentz. The men and families that did not leave to the East, joining the fight against Mossovoy, are still cultivating their crops and riding their horses, although, still without a King.

It's been more than 30 years since the Battle of the Needle Ridge. They hope that a man can take the mantle of their leader, but the few men that tried were proven too little and petty to stand in the shadow of King William, failing to even united the now scattered villages and towns. After the death of Lord Lorentz, the Vzdoruye lords have gotten bold, tresspassing beyond their secret city and into the Westerling lands once again, looking for bodies to reinforce their armies. Tensions have risen, with many Westerlings, even their women and children, taking up extensive measures to protect their farms and households.

## Government

Traditionally, Waldemaria was ruled by a King that held absolute power. However, the line of the Waldemarian kings was broken with the death of King William II 30 years ago, since he left no heirs. Even though Lord Magnus Butterfield has proclaimed himself as the King of Waldemaria in his ancestral home of Fort Dvorak, pretty much each town, castle or village is self governed. Each individual lord or village elder is responsible for his domain's defense and supplies, and none have proven worthy of taking the mantle of the King of Waldemaria, since they are too concerned with the well being and the defense of their own lands and people in order to think of the broader picture.

## Geography

The Westerling countryside is described as a land of pastures and lush tall grassland. This makes these lands ideal for cultivating a plethora of crops. A nickname for Waldemaria is "Londaswar", meaning the "Sea of Grass". Waldemaria is most of the time very rainy and cloudy, although the southern portion of the land can get very hot, thanks to its close proximity to the Glass Mountains.

## Locations

Fort Dvorak is the stronghold of Lord Magnus Butterfield, who has proclaimed himself as the rightful King of Waldemaria, although none but his own followers support his claim. It's near the boundaries with the Manogre Princedoms, where conflict with the Vzdoruye or their undead legions is rare.

Erewhon is the largest city of Waldemaria and the traditional capital, as well as the seat of the King. It's surrounded by a large moat and tall, wooden walls with spiky palisades. The Castle of the Kings is situated on top of a small hill that overlooks the Plains of the Kings and the city of Erewhon, and serves as an important strategic location.

## Economy

Waldemaria's economy is based around agriculture. They mostly cultivate pumpkins, wheat, potatoes and corn. Trade mostly occurs between them and the various races of the lands behind the great hedge, as well as with the people of the land of the fake humans. Waldemaria had long benefited from trade with Felovik and Zapalovah, but the incursion of the Vzdoruye into their northern lands greatly jeopardized these trade routes.

## Religion and Culture

The Waldemarians worship a deity known as Queveron, also known as the Father of the Earth. He takes the form of a centaur, with the lower half of a horse, and the upper body of a human; half male and half female. The Waldemarians credit him with the creation and the shaping of the world. Every equinox, the Westerlings throw a huge feast in the name of Queveron, celebrating the harvests of old and new alike.

Horse riding is a big part of Waldemarian culture. Every adult male is required to ride a horse, as per tradition. In the days where Waldemaria was splintered into many tribes, no man could hold power for long if it was found out that he could no longer ride. Horse races through the plains and forests of Waldemaria is a common form of entertainment.

Despite this clear adoration and respect for horses, however, Waldemarians have no qualms about eating horse meat as part of their culinary tradition.

## Military

A large part of Waldemaria's military is comprised of cavalry. Cavalry units are known as "Centaurs". They wield long lances and are lightly armored, unlike their infantry counterparts. Waldemaria also uses archers in their army.

After the Kingdom fell, many villagers and townspeople felt the need to defend themselves instead of relying on protection by the armies. As a result of this, most peasants and women were trained by knights and other lords with fighting expertise, with much of the common folk adopting a warrior culture over time.

## Demographics

### Humans

The majority of Waldemaria is inhabited by humans that are known as "Westerlings". Other humans include ambassadors and merchants from Zapalovah, as well as crusaders from the Laurentian Strongholds. The Vzdoruye and their undead minions sometimes roam the lands of Waldemaria, but are often repelled by the natives.

### Non Humans

Fearsome were-creatures and hobgoblins roam the lands around the Harpies Peak, and often make the trek west towards the lands behind the hedge. Hobbit, Wood Elven and "Fake Human" merchants occasionally make their way towards Waldemaria, although this commotion has slowed down after the conflicts with Mossovoy arose. There are some villages in the western border of Waldemaria that are mostly populated by hobbit families. Manskin Ogres were traditionally employed as mercenaries, and some are still found in Waldemaria today.

## Foreign Relations

### Mossovoy

Waldemaria and the dark sorcerer lords of Mossovoy have been at war for almost two centuries now. What were initially tensions turned to small conflicts, and what were small conflicts turned to full scale war, which led to the fall of the Kingdom. Even though the war is now at a dormant stage thanks to the intervention by the Laurentian Crusade, the Waldemarians have developed a zealous hatred of all things undead and magical.

### Zapalovah Republic and City State of Felovik

Zapalovah and Waldemaria once were rivals in the immediate region for infuence in their neighbors. Despite that, there has not been a full-scale war between the two in centuries -with only skirmishes and proxy wars for control of the Land of the Windmills- and trade was always common. Nowadays, trade has been disrupted somewhat by the presence of Mossovoy, although Zapalovah and Felovik often assist Waldemaria against the Vzdoruye, given that they are also in a proxy war against the latter.

### Laurentian Crusade Strongholds

Many Waldemarians fled east in order to join the crusade against the Vzdoruye, and many of those crusaders in return made their way to Waldemaria, in order to protect the Westerlings from the necromancers. Even though the crusade has slowed down in recent years, many crusaders still patrol the lands of Waldemaria and garrison their forts in hopes that they'll be able to rid the world of the Vzdoruye for good.

### Land of the Windmills

Trade between these lands was common back in the day, as Waldemarians had to ride east in order to avoid crossing the Splinter Pass. In fact, many Windmill cities were built and populated by Waldemarians, and that area was disputed between Waldemaria, Zapalovah and even the Bayukmen for a long time. Nowadays, some people of the Land of the Windmills have joined the cause of Lorentz and took arms in his crusade against Mossovoy.

### Sniden

Many of the humans that make up Sniden's population have common ancestors with the Waldemarians. Despite that, interactions between the two are rare, and Waldemarians know better than to venture in this strange place.

### Petty Manogre Kingdoms

In ancient times, there used to be conflict between the Manskin Ogres and the Westerlings, because the latter wanted to expand their dominion. These conflicts were inconclusive, and the humans settled on being given tribute by the Manogres once per year, as well as establishing a petty alliance. In modern days, Manogres are usually used as mercenaries by the Waldemarians thanks to their brutish strength.

### Elfwood

Some Westerling tribes had fought in the past against the Wood Elves of Elfwood, after they were done fighting the Manskin Ogres. Many bloody battles were fought between the humans and their manogre allies against the Wood Elves, with the westerlings' conquering being halted at that point. Nowadays, interactions between the two nations are rare, with the Wood Elves not bothering to help the Waldemarians against the Vzdoruye.

### Lands behind the Hedge and the Fake Humans

Common trade partners of Waldemaria. Many fake humans and hobbits made their way towards the Laurentian Strongholds in order to enlist for the crusade, and subsequently found themselves fighting the Vzdoruye in Waldemaria.

### Harpies Peak

Locals know well to avoid this place at all costs. The local werebeasts are more interested in fighting against the hobbits and the other little people of the west, but Waldemarians have learned to defend themselves against these cultists. Lately, the Harpies Peak cultists have gotten bolder and bolder, and there's been talks of peasants arming themselves with the help of Zapalovahns and some Crusaders, in order to take the fight to the cultists' base.