Hansalands

> *"The beating heart of the Known World! The centre of Enlightenment and Knowlegde! Or at least, that's what the Hansites like to believe..."*
> Excerpt from "The Eastern Enigma", Magus Rolmeo Magnus
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## United Hansalands

### Regionen

ReggenGottsmund

Sûndmark

Covwich

Earles

Once a collection of several smaller kingdoms and tribes, the United Hansalands emerged from a Era of conflict and division under one banner. Strengthened through their High King and a common faith of the Divine Right, the Hansalands became a world power to be reckoned with. Despite their own apex slowly fading in the Fifth Era, the United Kingdoms still fight for their superiority over the culture of the Known World and other Human nations, even if progress is only slowly adapted by the persistent Hansites.

## History

### Exodus

During the Second Era, when most of Humanity left their homeland of Meridia, some found themselves in the green shires to the west, beyond the Waals Mountains. These land later became the *Westerlands*, which included the *Hansalands*, Tarmenia are surroundings and the Ærlian Isles.

As the old rule and governments broke apart during the Exodus, new and smaller societal groups from in the West, settling in the regions and founding their own kingdoms and tribes. Without the unity of the Celestial Pantheon, constant conflict between different groups arose, dosing the Third Era in a time of constant feudal war and changing political landscape, as countless kingdoms rose and fell in that time. The first lager and unified Human nation was the Island Chiefdom of Ærles, which was founded from a brutal war around 3:131. But the early Ærlians kept away from the chaotic mainland, rather preserving their new identity and improving their marine skills as a people.

### The Mortal Era and Golden Era

Around 3:324, three siblings, later known as the Hansa Siblings, began their quest to unite the divided kingdoms of the *Westerlands*, to bring true peace to the region. Gernhardt the Older gathered an army of warriors and knights around him, toppling a powerful and brutal king in the south, forcing the surrounding nations into submission and founding the kingdom of Sûndmark on top. Theodolf the Cunning orchestrated a political coup in the northern harbour cities, taking out his opponents and creating the kingdom of Reggen, swallowing the neighbouring kingdoms in the process.

And the youngest of the three, Hannah the Pure, founded a new cult in the marshlands between Reggen and Sûndmark, quickly spreading the word of a new god among the people. Many Cults of the Old Ones operated during that time, but Hannah's new religion under the monotheistic Goddess Levain declared all other deities as pagan and false idols. It was the visions she received from Levain as well, that instructed her and her brothers to unite the land. Her teachings were popular and supported by magical miracles, that eventually, the cult became a religion and Hannah founded the papal nation of Gottsmund, with her as the first Divine. The Divine Right was also preached among the two other kingdoms, uniting them under one faith and one shared royal family. After years of war, peace was finally achieved and the *United Hansalands* founded. Even the Ærlian Isles joined in with this union, to upkeep the peace and unity of Humanity.

During the Fourth Era, the *United Hansalands* mostly tried to impose their political power in the rest of the Known World. They helped spread the faith of the Divine Right to their northern and southern brethren and joined in the 4th Crusade against the Eternal Empire, when the Valkar occupied the northern continent of Vona. It was a time of prosperity and growth, as they semented themselves as the leading example of the new Humanity, after the great fall of Meridia.

### Fall of the Magistrax

When the Crusaders returned around 4:184 from the Crusade against the Eternal Empire, called out by the Church, news of corruption inside church structures and the leadership of the Crusade itself, combined with an attempted genocide during the campaign, made their round in the *Westerlands*. These rumours were quickly silenced by the Church and High Crown, seemingly returning spirits of the Known World back to the time before the Valarian Occupation of the North.

But in 4:308, the dissenting voices returned from their exile of public affairs in form of the Renetizist. Originating from Tarmenia, these protestants questioned the position the Church held for the last hundreds of years, yearning for a more spiritual path for the Divine Right, rather than the political the Church often participated in. This new version of the faith in Levain spread quickly, leading to revolts in Tarmenia and attacks on Magistra and their families. The *United Hansalands* closed their borders, reading themselves for a religious war between the Church and the Renetizism. Under the influence of the Church, the ruling High King engaged in skirmishes with the Southerners, almost shoving the *Westerlands* back into conflict, after their *Golden Era.*

For a long time, the situation at the southern border war tense, with both factions trying to impose their will on the other. But as Tarmenia's royal family was murdered and the South reorganised by the Renetizist, both groups came to a stalemate. This, and the wish of a newly voted Divine, lead to peace meetings, eventually coming to compromise to the two brethren religions. Tarmenia stopped their aggression towards the *United Hansalands*, and in return, the Church would accept certain reformations of the inner structures, which have been bloated by wealth and corruption over the ages. This led to non-Magi being able to become Magistra and in the loss of political power of the Church, as their interference led to this outcome in the first place.

Over the following years, the *United Hansalands*, shook in the faith in their Church and Royals, lost a lot of influence over the Known World. The Church, as other religions like the Renetizism and Old Gods Cults gained popularity around the Known World. The Royals, as Vona, alongside Laiin and the Frayhilden Republic, moved on to the Industrialisation of their nations, leaving the rather feudal Westerlands behind. As the Hansites are only slow in adapting to new situations, the *United Hansalands* struggle to regain the prestige in the World they once held. One of the few saving graces for this stagnant Union, is the exploration efforts of the Royal family of the Island of Covwich. The Campseys are currently, in the dawn of the Fifth Era, busy sending expeditions around the world, in order to fill out their sea maps and maybe find new lands to discover for the High Crown.

## Culture

The early settlers, who came to the *Westerlands* from Meridia, brought initially their culture and faith into this new world. Even though the Celestial Pantheon lost the favour of the Humans, many of the minor Old Gods survived and shaped the face of early Western religion. The Hansites and Ærlians practices many now seen as pagan beliefs, holding up the Old Gods and their cults.

When the Divine Right spread across the Mainland in the Third Era, it overpowered many Old Gods Cults, replacing them with the Grand Church as the new spiritual heart of the *United Hansalands* and its people. To this day, most citizens of the Union are faithful followers of the Divine Right, which lead a lot of power in the World through the Eras. This gave many Hansites a certain sense of grandeur, starting to see themselves as the centre of the World, sometimes even called the *Midelreik*.

The people of the *Hansalands* often hold up their tradition and great history, often relying on the deeds of their ancestors and family bloodlines. While the Mainland is more spiritual, the people of the Ærlian Isles also hold a certain adventurous spirit. For a long time, the mariners of the isles held the most powerful and unchallenged Navy of the Known World, often sailing the oceans and fighting against pirates and other scum, that threatens the safety of trade routes.

## People

* Hansites
* Ærlians

## Politics

At the top of the *United Hansalands* sits the High-Monarch; voted for nobility that holds the highest governmental rank in the system. This High King or Queen is then supported by vassal-like Monarchs of the different member nation of the union. Each kingdom has their own monarchs and royal families, who often vie for political power in the court of the ruling High Monarch. These Kings and Queens can also become High Monarchs themselves if enough members vote them to replace the current High Monarch or their bloodline successor.

Under these rulers are then several nation-bound vassal Lords and Ladies, who oversee the counties of the different royal families. Their highest aspiration is often to rise in their inner-politic structure, eventually becoming the ruler of the corresponding nation themselves, and one day maybe even High Monarch. This system of differently ranked nobility reflects the previous Third Era, when all named above constantly fought over dominion of the area. Now, they tend to bow to a system, enforced by the High Monarch and supported by the Church of the Divine Right. Of course, games of thrones are still held within their world, with many noble families lost to history after being beaten by their rivals

In the Fifth Era, the royal family of Elzstein holds the High Crown. Here is a brief overview of the current houses of the *United Hansalands*:

* Sûndmark Royalty: Elzstein
	+ Nobility: Sannberg; Dorner; Drakaz; Rosenkwis

* Gottsmund Royalty: Kaulberg
	+ Nobility Euthan; Feenbaum; Rechards; Vadamars
* Reggen Royalty: Hohenregg
	+ Nobility: Kröfli; Dûrand; Haagenstolz; Dolf
* Ærles Royalty: Blackcleark
	+ Nobility: Strathall; Ffreder; Dinstaple; Wilstead
* Covwich Royalty: Campsey
	+ Nobility: Hydberg; Gytwulf; Berwood; Kester

## Regions

* Sûndmark
* Gottsmund
* Reggen
* Covwich
* Ærles