Levernian Order

Flag of the Levernian Order.

The **Levernian Order**, more officially referred to as the **Holy Order of St. Ulrich** or the **Bishopric of Leverne** is a faction and state located at the strait which connects the Lazuis and Levernian sea. The knights of Leverne, which are devoted to preserving the remains and legacy of Saint Ulrich, aim to collect and copy as much knowledge as possible in the name of the goddess Avacyn.

### Etymology

The Official name is the *Holy Order of St. Ulrich under Avacyn,* often shortered to the *Order of St. Ulrich*. However, the state is also colloquially referred to as the *Levernian Order*, based on the name of the Bishopric established by Fürstbischof Gerhard of Avacyn, Leverne (*Lehr werne = Small sea),* named after the region which it generally inhabits.

## History

### Pagan settlement

Very little is known about the land of Leverne before the Order came. It was generally inhabited by a diverse array of different pagan tribes, some settled, some migratory. There are a few surviving buildings from this time in the Monastery of Walde and the city of Reislau (originally Arroz), in which many native influences can still be seen, mostly in its architectural style.

### The Missions of St. Ulrich

*Main article: St. Ulrich (Avcynism) - TBD*

   Saint Ulrich was a priest and knight originally living in the city of Avacyn, who came to the lands of Leverne to convert the local pagans to the Avcynist faith. He spent roughly fifteen years meddling in local politics, performing many knigthly deeds and slaying foul beasts, all the while forming friendships and rivalries with the local chieftains, who he attempted to convert, with limited success. He often wrote home of his accomplishments, attracting attention and gaining great fame.

Eventually, one of Ulrich's closest friends and allies, chieftain Arhallaric, fearing that their culture's very existance might be under threat, invited Ulrich to a feast, where he had him cuffed in chains and buried alive. When Avcynist priests arrived to collect his body a year later, they dug up his shallow grave and discovered him to be still alive - a true miracle. However, in the panic and amazement that followed, a worker accidentally smashed the saint over the forehead with a shovel, killing him.

### The Little Schism

When news of the saint's death reached the city of Avacyn, a priest named Hermann rose up in anger and demanded that Ulrich's death be avenged. When his pleas were not answered, he called up on the Ardermeister of the Holy Order of Avacyn, who, being sympathetic to the cause, swore his fealty to Hermann. Together they travelled to Leverne and established a Bishopric there. The Order gained a new name, *The Order of Saint Ulrich*, and Hermann adopted the name Gerhard and assumed the title of Fürstbischof *(Prince-Bishop)*. The remains of St. Ulrich himself were fully recovered and placed in a carved wooden reliquiary, around which the Monastery of Walde was constructed, growing to be the new capital and home base of the Order.

### Westsiedlung

With the completion of the Chapel of Avacyn within the monastery, a new movement was begun by Bishof Gerhard, named the Westsiedlung (*West settling).* The aim of the operation would be to gain full control over the lands which St. Ulrich travelled through, which the Order now considered to be their holy land. It would see moderate success. The lands directly west of Walde, which contained only several small farms, were easily annexed. In the west, however, several settled pagan tribes posed themselves to offer more resistance. The tribe of Arroz, which looked to be problematic at first, was quickly assimilated and converted, as the knights were able to bribe them with their favourite source of food, rice, and turn them into serfs.

Farther to the west, across the Gottlau river, which was chosen to be the border of this new state, the small nation of Nousiron demanded land which the knights of Leverne saw as being rightfully theirs. Eventually an agreement was reached and the people of Nouksiron renounced all claims over lands held by the knights. With this, full and monopolised military control over Leverne was finally reached, and, on the 26th of June 2022, in a decree from Bishof Gerhard, the Bishopric of Leverne was proclaimed to be a sovereign state as well as a military order.

## Geography

### Borders and Climate

The region of Leverne is comprised of hilly temperate forests cut off from the West by the Gottlau river and from the East by the Walde strait. These natural borders offer great protection, but also hinder possible southward expansion. The Levernian Order's closest neighbours are the pagan nations of Nousiron and Takengo, with whom it maintains somewhat friendly relations. Due to an ineffective naval force yet to be expanded and the lack of a large port, the Order has not made any attempts to colonise islands around it, though it considers them to be a part of Leverne, too.

The unique temperate climate of Leverne allows for both the abundant growth of wheat as well, which is often used to make beer, as well as a crop that would otherwise be rather uncommon around these parts - rice, the favourite food of the native inhabitants of Leverne.

### Geographical regions

*The lands of the Order are split into different feudal fiefdoms, which govern themselves with oversight from the Fürstbischof. If new land is integrated into the realm, it is generally made into a new, separate fief.*
Gerhard
Generally flat and made up of forest, it is split in the middle by the Strait of Walde.
Godefroy
Home to the Order of St. Ulrich itself, it is commanded directly by the Ardermeister.
Bivoj

## Settlements and Towns

### Walde

Walde is the capital and core settlement of Leverne. It is home to the Walde monastery, which both holds the relics of St. Ulrich, as well as being the largest centre of learning and the site of the most expansive library in these parts of the world. Surrounding the monastery is a relatively small walled town bearing the same name. Travellers may find food, drink and accomodations in the 'Drunken Monk' tavern, and buy a wide variety of goods in the marketplace.

### Trieftern

Trieftern is a large fortress with a small surrounding village. It originally served the function of defending Walde from barbarian attacks to the west, before it eventually lost this purpose and became a grand seat to the Ardermeister, and the headquarters of the Order of St. Ulrich itself. It virtually serves as a "second capital". Trieftern is also famous for its fancy pastries, the *Trieftern Pretzeln.*

### Allargau

Allargau is a small castle located north of Trieftern. While it has lost its original purpose of defending Walde's western reach, it serves as a defensive post to keep away attackers from the north, especially possible naval invasions. The castle is inhabited by Knecht Beathard von Cummrich.

### Reislau

Reislau is a largely rural region, and the settlement after which it is named is no different. Reislau is a relatively small village that exists as the main supplier of grain to the rest of Leverne, and is relatively disconnected from the politics of Walde. Its separation from the capital has allowed it to retain some of its original pagan traditions, most apparently festivals and the farming and consumption of rice, which is revered by the people of Reislau as a beloved crop. The town is managed by a peasant commune, and has no single clear leader.

### Flusterungen

Flusterungen is a small fortified church and port on one of the northern isles. It is placed directly under the diocese of the Bishopric of Leverne, and is managed by the monk William.

### Schmalzburg

Schmalzburg is a small fortress on one of the Northern Isles, managed and run by the legendary knecht Bivoj *'das Schweineschmalz'* (the Lard). A small square keep sits on the island, overlooking the passage ships in the Lazuis sea. The island is supplied weekly with food from Reislau, since it cannot effectively grow enough of its own crop to sustain itself, however it makes up for this in large exports of fish, which often end up in Walde.