Lauchette

**The Kingdom of Lauchette** is an insular nation located in the Hales along with its two counterparts, Aedwin and Hallengard. The nation is the sole inhabitant of Latora. The nation was formerly a vassal of the Hallenic Empire, but since the War of Daggers, the nation has been independent.

## History

### Early History

Lauchette started out as various cultures spread across its many islands. Due to the differences in how resource-laden said islands were, trade became a staple of Lauch life. As such, the nation promptly developed into a merchant republic, where each island had a representative. These representatives’ families still carry on their business and are the backbone of the Lauch economy.

The merchant republic of Lauchette wouldn’t last for very long, as nobles on the mainland wanted their own authority. Under the command of Flavien Levallois, the disparate Lauch nobles sailed to the various islands of the Latoran Archipelago and enforced their rule. Most of the merchants capitulated and continued to engage in their business, but the ones who refused wound up dying in battle or being executed.

Flavien would go on to crown himself King of Lauchette, adopting the name the merchants used. He would encourage the development of Marjou Harbor, a massive harbor in the mainlands of Latora. However, Flavien would be struck by an assassin before the harbor was finished. The assassin was rumored to be hired by one of the merchants, though no firm connection was established.

### Henri's Reign

Nevertheless, Flavien’s son Henri assumed the throne and began to levy increased taxes onto the merchants in retaliation. The merchants’ profits fell, and the thought of exploring for new lands to trade in started circulating. As such, merchants outfitted their vessels for exploration, and it wasn’t long before they would stumble upon the mainland Hales and come into contact with the Hallenic Empire.

While the two parties started hesitant, a good relationship sprouted between the Imperial clans and the Lauch nobility. Soon, Henri would receive a proposal to marry his eldest daughter, Lucille, to the Hallenic crown-prince, Cedric. Henri considered the arrangement and eventually decided to allow it. Henri passed away soon after the marriage, leaving the throne to his eldest son Pierre.

### Assassinations

Pierre wouldn’t have the throne for long, as he died soon after his coronation. Pierre’s death was shrouded in intrigue, and the immediate question of who would take his spot arose. Tradition would’ve demanded that it be Lucille, which made the nobles suspect that Cedric had some hand in Pierre’s death. While no firm link was established, the nobles objected to Lucille claiming the throne.

Lucille would head to Latora in the hopes of talking the nobles down. She found some success with this, though it wasn’t enough for everyone. However, Cedric was preparing the armies in the meantime as he was under the assumption diplomacy wouldn’t work. The potential for war between the two nations scared most of the remaining nobles. The ones who weren’t fearful of the armies and were unreceptive to diplomacy were few and far between, not enough to pose a serious threat.

Lucille then claimed the throne, practically unopposed. This crisis caused Lauch and Hallenic relations to become strained and overburdened. Lauch trade was and continues to be the backbone of the Hales’ economy, but the nobles had no control over whether or not they would remain independent. The entire interaction served to confirm their biases, that Cedric was responsible for the death of Pierre, and that their freedoms were at risk.

### Union to Vassal

One of the main concerns of the Lauch nobility was the fact that a child between Cedric and Lucille would inherit the entirety of the Hales. This concern would turn into a reality when Lucille gave birth to a child, Wallace. Lucille would die soon after from complications during childbirth, which once again set the nobility off. They convened and decided to place one of the Levallois onto the throne. Their reasons for doing this are debated, though the Lauch nobility claimed it was because Wallace was too young to rule the nation.

Marceau Levallois was placed upon the throne with a catch: the nobles would form a council of sorts to advise him and prevent tyranny. One of Marceau’s first actions as king was approaching Cedric to change their political arrangement. Marceau proposed becoming a vassal to the Empire and dismissing Wallace’s claim to the Lauch throne. Cedric agreed, as long as their taxes and trade continued to go towards the Empire.

This arrangement would last for about twenty years, when Cedric passed away, leaving the throne to Wallace. Wallace both disagreed with the arrangement and was unaware that it had even happened, so he demanded that the Lauch remove Marceau as their king, recognize himself as their emperor, and ready his armies. The Lauch nobility saw this as an insult and an overstep and so began to prepare their own armies, while the Lauch merchants began to cut back on trades made in the Empire.

### The War of Daggers

Wallace would soon declare war on Lauchette, despite the various calls from the Imperial clans to not do so. His refusals to listen to the clans prompted Tynan Sutherland, a noble from modern-day eastern Hallengard, to approach Marceau and the Imperial allies with a curious offer. If the Lauch allowed the Imperial troops to land, then sabotaged their ships and supplies, they would receive their independence. All who were asked obliged, and the plan went into action.

Peasants, separatists, and nobles all simultaneously revolted in the Mainlands. The Imperial armies were told to march back, but Lauch saboteurs set their ships ablaze, punched holes into the sides, and stole their supplies. The troops were practically locked into Lauchette, with no way of returning back to their homes. They continued to fight, raiding farms and razing villages, but they were barely a threat. The war had practically been won.

### Present

With Marceau’s position as king secured, he attended the peace talks and received a guarantee of Lauchette’s independence. Since then, the former trade restrictions have been lifted and Lauchette has cemented its position as the major trade power. Further quests to find new lands resulted in the discovery of the Winterlands, but little has come from their interactions. What Lauchette and Marceau intend for the Hales is unknown.