Lachier

A color photograph of the Lachieri landscape, showing the forested Cobalt Peaks.

Political map of Lachier

### Location

Suilis

**Lachier** (officially the Holy Kingdom of Lachier) is a country in Suilis. Its territory covers most of the mainland of Suilis, with Jörundia as its northern neighbor. Much of its land is mountainous or hilly due to the Cobalt Peaks that run through the northern half of the nation. The Tiele Plains, southwest of the mountains, are grasslands well suited to ranching and some farming. The Chesgall Bog encompasses Lachier's southern and eastern coast. The nation contains several large, industrial cities such as its capital, Doah, and the trading centers of Iron Springs and Bastion. The nation has two Gates: one in Iron Springs and one in Bastion.

Lachier's modern borders encompass many cultural groups. Those near the borders, both in the northern Cobalt Peaks and in the Chesgall Bog, often feel stronger ties to their historical cultural identities than to Lachieri culture.

Over the past several decades, Lachier has seen increasing industrialization and urbanization in the central regions of the nation. Outside the foothills of the Cobalt Peaks and some of the coast, even with a strong railroad infrastructure, small towns and villages, as well as agricultural and mining industries, are still more common. However, these smaller settlements benefit from the connection afforded by the technological advances driven by the heart of the nation.

## Government

Lachier is a theocratic monarchy ruled by the divine guidance of Reservoir. Its monarch is chosen directly by the Aspect, named at the death or retirement of the previous monarch. The chosen monarch has absolute power over the political policy of the nation. The choices often appear random to the people of the kingdom, but Lachier rarely falls under the thumb of a widely unpopular monarch— and if it does, it will not stay that way for long, as Reservoir grants the right of rule and can take it away. The ability of any Lachierian citizen to become its next ruler prevents class from being synonymous with political power, but the two do occasionally overlap. Wealth is much more effectively used to influence trade than policy.

When the previous monarch dies or retires, high priests of Reservoir gather at the Everspring to receive the next one. The name and image of the chosen monarch is shown to all present, and one attending priest additionally receives the knowledge of where the chosen monarch is. As a group, led by the priest who knows the monarch’s location, they collectively travel to crown the next ruler and escort them back to Doah and The Timekeeper's Peace.

The current monarch is King Zechare Tasker, also known as the Boy-King of Lachier. He is a six-year-old boy from the city of Bastion. He was chosen as monarch three years ago when the previous monarch, Queen Silvia of Tiele, retired due to her failing health. Clerics suggest that Reservoir’s choice of such a young child is a test of patience for the people of Lachier.

Dissent surrounding the appointment of the Boy-King surrounds the absolute power of the monarch; a monarch cannot name other individuals to rule on their behalf, even temporarily, so policy has stagnated in the three years since his coronation. While Queen Silvia was generally popular and left the nation in a reasonably functional state, many Lachierians worry that may not continue to hold true long enough for Zechare to grow old enough to effectively rule.

## History

The Holy Kingdom of Lachier formed in 1267. Its original borders were limited to the foothills of the Cobalt Peaks, including the Everspring and what is now Doah. Throughout the Iconoclasm, Lachierians used the wealth they accumulated by providing fuel and weapons to the forces fighting more actively in the war to expand their operations through the coal-rich Cobalt Peaks and gain access to more resources. Their expansion continued after the conclusion of the Iconoclasm until 1846, when the nation's current borders were established.

### Pre-Kingdom Suilis

Prior to the formation of Lachier, the southern half of Suilis was made up of various tribes, villages, and kingdoms who interacted freely.

The foothills of the Cobalt Peaks were inhabited by Chierians and Laresi, two cultures made up of diverse races. Chierians lived in dense towns and were known for their artisan goods and innovative tools, while Laresi lived in semi-nomadic settlements near the Everspring and were known for their devout worship of Reservoir and for having sophisticated infrastructure for transporting people and goods.

### Formation

In 1261, the Laresi and Chierians formed an alliance. Since the beginning of the Iconoclasm, the Chierians had been materially aiding the war effort, and their tools and technology had advanced quickly. They wanted Laresi help in transporting the supplies they were constructing to the warfronts. The Laresi lent their transportation knowledge to the Chierians. Laresi high priests supported this alliance because it pleased Reservoir.

In 1267, after the two groups had been working closely for several years, Laresi high priests announced that Reservoir wanted them to form a permanent kingdom, blessed by its influence and ruled by champions hand-picked by the Aspect. The first such monarch was Aroa Zaman, a prominent Chierian watchmaker.

Under Zaman's rule, the newly-formed Holy Kingdom of Lachier continued to provide supplies to the Iconoclasm. Zaman was celebrated for keeping the young kingdom out of direct conflict, and Reservoir rewarded xem with a magical stone seed. Zaman planted this seed in a hill north of the Everspring, where it grew into a clocktower of living stone. This building became known as The Timekeeper's Peace, and has served as Lachier's royal palace ever since.

### Expansion and the Iconoclasm

Following the precedent set by Zaman, Lachieri monarchs worked to keep the Iconoclasm off Suilis, but stayed involved materially. This resulted in the kingdom quickly gaining wealth, which its people turned towards further developing their technology, and to expanding their resources. In the process, the borders of Lachier grew steadily as more people and towns began to work with the kingdom and were eventually absorbed into it.

### Post-Iconoclasm

Because Lachier did not suffer the destruction of a war on its home turf, the end of the Iconoclasm did not bring drastic change to the country. For another two and a half centuries, Lachier continued to expand until it covered all of the southern half of Suilis. Its expansion was driven primarily by the riches it accumulated during the Iconoclasm, resulting in many of the peoples who became Lachierians looking on the kingdom favorably. The expanding territory allowed Lachier to have an increasingly diverse economy.

### Modern Lachier

For the past 150 years, Lachier has focused largely on advancing their technology and infrastructure, and trading with the rest of the world. Two of its largest cities are trading hubs: Iron Springs is a central location in Lachier's locomotive system, with over half of all Lachieri land trade passing through it, while Bastion is a large seaport through which goods are brought in from and shipped out to trading partners on other continents.

In recent decades, technological advancements have been particularly quick, with Lachier experiencing an industrial revolution. Together with Jörundia, Suilis has become home to a vast system of trains that make land transportation much easier. Lachier has also seen its large cities boom with growth as more opportunities become available to urban Lachierians.

Lachier's previous monarch, Queen Silvia of Tiele, was immensely popular for her support of the country's industrial and cultural development. When she retired due to her failing health, she was lauded for the efforts she took prior to her retirement to leave Lachier in a stable state and ensure her careful work would be able to continue after her retirement. Silvia died a year and a half after her retirement, and her funeral was attended by over 10,000 Lachierians.

## Geography

The geography of a country as large as Lachier is diverse. The nation is usually divided into three main geographical regions.

#### Cobalt Peaks

*Main article: Cobalt Peaks*

The Cobalt Peaks are a system of forested mountains that run north to south through the mainland of Suilis. Once taller, they have eroded over time and now the summits fall below the tree line. In addition to diverse plant life, the Peaks contain rich mineral veins. Coal and iron are the most common, and many towns in the mountains rely heavily on their mining.

The foothills of the Cobalt Peaks and the northwestern coasts of Lachier are often included in this region. The foothills have the most mild climate in Lachier. Also located in the foothills is the Everspring, the physical manifestation of Reservoir.

### Tiele Plains

*Main article: Tiele Plains*

The Tiele Plains are a region of semi-arid grassland that span much of the western half of Lachier. Especially in coastal and river towns, agriculture is a major industry. Though there are many lakes and rivers spanning this region, the plains are the driest part of Lachier, so ranching is more common than farming for people's consumption.

### Chesgall Bog

*Main article: Chesgall Bog*

The Chesgall Bog is a peat bog spanning much of Lachier's southern coasts. It is nutrient-poor and acidic, but has its own natural resources. Peat, cranberries, and rare plant and animal species are all features found in the bog.

## Economy

Lachier has been a wealthy nation since its official founding during the Iconoclasm. Before the kingdom was formed, the people who would become Lachierians were already contributing to the war effort materially. As a kingdom, it has consistently utilized its natural resources to develop its own economy, industry, and trade relationships with other nations.

The Cobalt Peaks region is known for coal and iron mining, lumber, and for the industrial and artisan products made in its towns and cities.

The Tiele Plains region is known for ranching and livestock, as well as agricultural farming.

The Chesgall Bog region is known for peat and rare species of plant and animal, which are often cultivated to make medicines.

## Religion

The official religion of Lachier is worship of Reservoir. As a theocracy, Reservoir is considered the ultimate ruler of the nation, with its chosen monarchs acting as spokespeople for the Aspect. Worship of other Aspects is allowed, but uncommon among those who consider themselves Lachierians.

### The Congregation of Patience

The Congregation of Patience is a group of high priests of Reservoir who meet to receive visions of the next monarch. Members usually reside in towns or cities and work as local healers and spiritual guides when not meeting to find the next monarch.

## Culture

A nation as large as Lachier encompasses many cultures. The influence of the Laresi and Chierian cultures that combined to form the kingdom can be seen throughout the nation, but local cultures also shine through and give the various regions of Lachier their own flavor.

Both technology and magic are common in Lachier, both considered effective tools for improving life. Some people choose to focus on one or the other, but it is much more common to see people who make use of both. For those who cannot perform magic themselves, stores that stock simple, enchanted items designed to make everyday tasks easier are common.

### Central Lachier

Central Lachier, the region in the foothills of the Cobalt Peaks surrounding Doah and the Everspring, are considered the cultural center of Lachier as well as the political center. This region is characterized by large, dense cities surrounded by swaths of nearly-untouched land. As industrial hubs, these cities are often melting pots of people from all over Lachier and beyond, but the Lachieri culture dominates. Innovation and invention are highly prized, and inventors or industry barons are common among the celebrities of Lachier. The quick urbanization of this area has resulted in changes in day-to-day life, but the dominant culture here is well adapted to that.

#### Folklore and Cryptids

Central Lachier is also a hub of folklore. A geographical and cultural basin, the legends and local ghost stories of other parts of the country flow in from the rest of Lachier. Many such stories feature strange creatures no one has ever confirmed the existence of. Even in a world where magic is well known and documented, Lachier holds no shortage of mystery and uncertainty.

### Tiele Plains

Most inhabitants of the Tiele Plains have assimilated some of the Lachieri cultural values into their lifestyles. The region is characterized by the people and things that span it: Train lines connecting small towns and nomadic cowhands who herd livestock across the plains. These people are comfortable in their ways of life, but search for ways to improve their techniques and output.

### Bastion

One of the largest cities in Lachier, Bastion is unique in its local culture. It is usually considered to be a part of the Cobalt Peaks region and the Lachieri culture, but is more similar to the historical Bastian culture than the more common and dominant Lachieri culture. Bastion proper, the dense coastal portion of the city, is Lachier's largest port and home to Northern University, the nation's top university. Outside the city proper are the Bastian estates, huge farms that each specialize in a particular crop or product. The Bastian economy is a microcosm of the larger Lachieri economy, with diverse products and a focus on trade.

Bastion's social structure is unlike other Lachieri cities' and towns', as it has a long-standing tradition of powerful, dynastic families. Though they do not levy political power, Bastion's dynastic families each control one of the estates. Nearly all Bastians who work with a particular product work under or with the family known for that product.

### Northern Cobalt

Though the Cobalt Peaks are not particularly tall mountains, life in the northern parts of the mountain range is harsh. The climate near the border with Jörundia is cold, and the people who live in this region take pride in their hardiness and physical strength. Those who live in the northern Cobalt range do not consider themselves Lachierian, nor do they identify with Jörundia to the north. People here live in small, isolated communities and often look down on anyone who lives further south as weaker. They answer to no government, and the small, hard-to-access settlements they inhabit prevent tax collectors and census takers from forcing them to participate in Lachieri society.

Many people in this region are inspired by the people of the Badlands in Ozymandium.

### Chesgall Bog

Inhabitants of the Chesgall Bog do not consider themselves Lachierians. Like those in the northern Cobalt Peaks, they typically avoid participating in Lachieri society and politics. However, life in the Chesgall Bog is much more communal than in the northern Cobalt Peaks. Though settlements here are small, the communities are tight-knit and friendly with each other. Communal living is nearly universal, and the lack of political hierarchy among normal Lachierians is even more complete here.

### Entertainment

Historically, live performances have been the most popular form of entertainment in Lachier. Theater, music, and sports are all common events attended by Lachierians.

#### Music

Lachier has a rich tradition of folk music that has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to the invention of phonographs and wax cylinders.

The dulcimer originates in the foothills of the Cobalt Peaks.

#### Sports

The national sport of Lachier is baseball. There are two major leagues, Mundane League Baseball and the National Arcane Baseball League. The MLB is a traditional baseball league, while the NABL uses the same basic rules but allows the use of magic in the game so long as the use does not violate one of the rules of the game.