Kingdom of Belara

**Population**: 85% Westrasi human, 8% Imuuga Human, 7% Other

**Capitol**: Belwed

**Government**: Feudal Monarchy

What was once by far the most powerful nation in Westrasi, the great Belaran empire which controlled almost all of the north-west, was split in twain by a bloody civil war. Today it’s an entire nation dedicated to recapturing the glory of a foregone empire, maintaining millenia old traditions together with modern innovations, a clash which has brought them both terrible grief and great heights, though far from the old behemoth they take their name from.

**Culture**

Much of the Belaran cultural identity is based on regaining the glory of the old empire. This manifests as a superiority complex and they often appear arrogant and vain to outsiders. They fashion themselves in elaborate clothes which resemble the garb of the old imperial royals and the architecture, even peasant homes, are made to evoke the old royal palace. This also manifests in an expansionist mindset, believing that all Belarans should seek to expand the land and Influence of the kingdom no matter the cost and this philosophy is the uniting principle of all Belarans. That’s not to say that they lack behind.

With their new maritime empire, the changing political landscape in Westrasi and scientific, technological and magical advancements, many nobles have chosen to embrace these modern changes, going from tyrants, schemers, warriors and warlords to thinkers, tinkerers, traders and explorers with a few even looking to their rival cousins to the south. Despite this modernisation, Belara remains firmly rooted in their history and many other more traditionalist nobles reject all but the advancements in arms and warfare. While much rarer than in the past, feuds and skirmishes between the nobles is still not entirely uncommon though it's more prevalent among traditionalists.

Another aspect central to Belaran culture is the feudal ranks. These ranks are extremely strict and families tend to stay in their ranks for centuries. Gaining or losing ranks is extremely rare, despite great achievements or losses. This has led to strange situations where some people of lower ranks end up achieving more wealth and influence than some of higher ranks yet officially being lower than them, for example some individual knights have amassed greater lands and armies than many nobles and even some peasant merchants are wealthier than some of the poorer nobles. The ranks in descending order are king, nobles, clergy, knights, peasants, serfs and slaves (Although the last two are for all practical purposes the same and only exist to differentiate between native Belarans and foreign slaves). Someone of higher rank could murder someone lower and face few consequences while one of lower rank could face death penalty for addressing a higher rank improperly.

#### **Religion**

While most Belarans believe in Gloria-Etalia, the Church of the Divine Duality has been barred from entering the nation. Instead the Belaran chapel is deeply intertwined with politics and believes the only way to ensure the return of Gloria-Etalia is for Belara to conquer the world and enforce the Belaran way of life across the continent. It even portrays the king as an angel, directly descended from Gloria-Etalia. The Belaran inquisition ruthlessly pursues anyone of deviant beliefs, particularly anyone who follows the Sarkatian faith.

**Organization**

Claiming to be the oldest continuous state in the west (A claim that’s highly disputed among Westrasi schoolars, particularly the “continuous” part), it also maintains a rather old political tradition of feudalism. The various lords hold absolute power over their lands while the king holds absolute power over them, at least in theory. In practice, the lords hold much power and if they banded together could easily overthrow the king, a fact the king is keenly aware of. This same power dynamic extends one level down further to the clergy and knights and another level down to the peasants, who have a right to own private property. The only ones with absolutely no power are the serfs and slaves (Who make up about 65% of the population) who, outside a couple of revolts here and there, are practically owned by their lord.

The current regent, King Silandra (Only a king is allowed to rule, regardless of gender) has officially been king since the age of five when her father died and her brother was proven to be a bastard. Now she’s twenty-three and has proven a capable king, although a staunch traditionalist to the dismay of modernist nobles and peasants. Only time will tell if she can hold the kingdom together.

**Origin**

The Vestlarians who travelled across the southern mountains (See, Kingdom of Uoro, Origin) found a new bountiful land by the coast where they saw an opportunity to build a new city from which to expand their dominion. The city was called Balar, the name of the Westrasi in their tongue, and from there began their expansionist empire which in time would be called the Belaran Empire, marking the beginning of the fifth era in the west, fifteen hundred years ago. In time, the empire would control the entire north-west coast of Westrasi and even reach far enough inland to reach the Westrasi sea, reigning for a millennia as the most powerful nation in the west. What could break apart such a vast empire? Five centuries ago, the first heir to the throne Prince Layrone the Third had landed in trouble. Only twenty years of age, he was an incredibly charismatic young man gifted from birth with wisdom in all matters from strategy to politics, however he was also debaucherous
and impulsive, often acting and speaking with no regards for the consequences. In a single drunken night, he had killed three noblemen in an illegal duel, spoken heresy against the church, sodomized several nuns and kidnapped the daughter of the Celestial Empire’s envoy to marry her, among other charges. Being a royal he was exempt from execution so instead he was banished from Belara. But the stubborn Prince Layron was not content with his fate and gathered what friends he had in the aristocracy and appealing to the oppressed peoples of Belara, began a revolt against his own family. This led to a bloody civil war reaching across all of Westrasi and beyond for 70 years resulting in the complete dissolvement of the Belaran empire and the birth of the kingdom of Morloux, as well as the independence of many states. The Belaran royal family had fled to the northern islands, retaining what was left of the old empire.

**Diplomacy**

Belara has rather poor relations to the rest of Westrasi. Their closest neighbor, the Morloux, are considered the arch-enemy of Belara and they’ve been in a semi-perpetual war since the civil war. This hostility has worsened in the last two centuries after the Morloux revolution, now seeing these revolutionary ideals as a threat to the Belaran power structure. The rest of the Westrasi nations, particularly those who were subjects of the old empire, tend to hold negative connotations against the Belarans. Ironically, Belara has better diplomatic relations with the rest of the continent through its colonies. Currently they're on a similar level power and influence as the Morloux republic, although where their power is concentrated in Westrasi and the southern continent, Belara can project their power anywhere in the world. The confusing manner in which they interact with the world can be attributed to this traditionalist/modernist divide, where on one hand a Belaran noble may greet you with exceptional kindness and politeness and on the other they may cut you down on the spot for not bowing in their presence. The greatest contrast is between the colonies of Ta-Li Hold and Norvia Stronghold, the former of which has been largely amiable, preferring to gain favour and trade deals by diplomatic conduct vs the latter which prefers to gain trade deals through violence and intimidation and takes resources and slaves as they see fit. New Belwed is an odd mix, giving them a reputation of unreliability in the region.

Through diplomacy and conquest, Belara has established several colonies around the world. These colonies are called Ta-Li Hold, Belara Norvia Stronghold, and New Belwed, and are admistrated through the Imperial Bureau of Colonization, with regional governments being subsidiaries of this orginisation.

#### **Geography**

The Belaran Isles are a mix of flat lowlands and mountainous highlands, the former of which is the most populated and largely been converted to farmland, while the latter is still mostly forested and used more for grazing and hunting.

#### **Economy**

The Belaran homeland produces quite a lot of resources, with many mines producing iron, gold and other metals, and has a strong agricultural base, although most of the food production is located on the continental lands it still holds onto. However, its true wealth comes from the overseas colonies. Arctic nibbler fish from Norvia, Silk from Ta-Li hold and xuxu beans from New Belwed are only some of their more extravagant exports which they sell primarily to the western kingdoms.