Stravien

*Stravien* is one of the northern nation an member if the Northern Covenant. It is know for its generally strong military presence, especially on sea, having the second greatest navy in the Known World.

## History

### Galawin

During the Third Era, *Stravien* was still part of Galawin. With the Three Corner War, the land was taken by Berland for a time, only to become part of the larger Haalfinian Kaiserreik that followed.

Following the fall of the Kaiserreik, *Stravien* was official founded as a sovereignty under the Baronat of d'Guîget.

### The Crusade

The Valkarian occupation during the Fourth Era began in the west of Vona. While most western, berlish nation fell quickly; un-unified by years of conflict, the people of *Stravien* were the first to show real resistance against the Legiones. All by themselves, they held the foreign troops, only to fall eventually under the overwhelming power. But the bravery ignited a fire within the remaining northern nations, leading to an alliance between old enemies to fight the Empire. Even though *Stravien* was incorporated into the Empire at that point, many of their soldiers joined the Alliance Army against the Valkar.

When the Crusade of the southern Kingdoms; aimed to liberate Vona, came to *Stravien*, its people helped in the overthrowing of the local province holder. After the North was independant again, the Northern Covenant was founded, with *Stravien* as one of its members. Believed to have died during the occupation, the d'Guîget returned as well during the fight against the Empire, taking the mantle of leadership of *Stravien* once more.

### Northern Covenant

Today, in the Fifth Era, *Stravien* is part of the South-North Trading-Alliance within the Covenant council, using its fleet to protect trading routes in the Bergian and Northern Sea. Their biggest rivals are the Corsairs from the Stone Isles, constantly plundering merchant ships.

*Stravien* also cooperated with the ærlian Navy, who patrol the southern oceans, although *Stravien* often cares more about the South-North profit, than the security of the world's oceans.

## Culture

Despite their strong military and war-history, *Stravien* has a different mentality than most military nations. In *Stravien*, people follow those, who pay the most and rarely are services given for free. The *Stravien*-Navy works more like a mercenary army, giving their strength to those merchants who hire them

*Stravien* is mostly concerned with the safety of northern trade routes of other coastal nations (for the right price of course). Like in most galwinian states, personal gain and opportunism is common.

## Regions

### Eastern Enda Forest

At the country triangle of *Stravien*, Sundheim and Lillerås lies the Enda Forest, whose eastern part reaches into *Stravien* itself. A wide reaching pine woodlands, filled with wild game and old, berlish legends. The eastern part of the wold is comparably rather sparse, with rivers and streams running through it. It is used as a source of lumber for the stravian navy.

### Gratuit

The Gratuit is the area near the neighbour Troems, where once the *Stravians* stood all by themselves against the Eternal Empire's Legiones. The fall of the brave soldiers there let to the unified effort of the last northern countries to stand united against the Empire. Today, the fields are mostly used as farmlands and bountiful orchards.

### The South-Finger

The southern peninsula and its bay is the seat of L'Sudville, the capital of *Stravien*. The area is, besides the last tip of Bergenfall, the most southern part of Vona, and also its warmest. The warm-water currents there even allow exotic plants like palm trees to grow in parts.