FALCONDONIA
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Falcondonia was established during the early time of Ærth's Great
Rekindling. It was originally established by primarilly Frankish and
Gauls who were establishing a colony for Charlemagne's Crown. Their
population was mixed with several colonies of Kells from Avillonia, most
notably Hibernia and Lyonnesse.
There are no serfs, and a relatively small percentage of actual
Villeins. The peasant class is mostly made up of land owners,
laborers, and some hunters/fishers. The class is free, and can bear
arms too, mostly due to the small population, the still-untamed areas,
and old fights with both the Wambak people and Jarlsheim where that
population has the same requirements. Freemen make up the bulk of the
population, with a large number of Gentry in the state. Many Merchants
and Guilds are found in this state, particularly in Falcondon proper.
Aristocracy is standard, but many are hard working as well--because of
the important of the state and the relative small population, they all
have important roles. "The Idle Rich" and foppery doesn't exist in
Falcondon, though they are prosperious and do have social gatherings
and fun times.
The Standing Army is small--based on the population, but can be
expanded with leaves and local militia as needed--see Brettony for an
example of this--or Helvantia, since most of the people can be ready
for such military service. The Knightly class is small, about a few
score total in number, and serves as an enhancement to other titles,
such as a Magistrate. "The Green Stags" are an order of Knights who
oversee the various Foresters who serve and protect Falcondonia from
Bandits and incursions. "The Golden Acorns" are a small group, less
than a Score of (mostly partial practicing) dweomercraefters who have
skill in both Green and White (or Elemental) magicks and Aportropism
(with Vow multiplier if not FPs), who are ranked as Knights and are
equivalent to High Magistrates, serving the king as Agents of his will,
acting as royal police and detectives, and report directly to the crown
and the Royal Wizard of Falcondonia.
Falcondon is a walled city, the largest one in Northern Vargaard,
located near the approximate area Washington D.C. would be found on
Earth. The city, while small if compared to those communities around
the Mare Librium, is the largest in Northern Vargaard, and thus serves
as a hub of trade for the surrounding states.
The City of Falcondon contains the Palace of the Grand Duke, as well as
a few other fortifications. A few castles and forts can be found
surrounding the immediate area. Notable temples are the Three Ivory
Temples to Apollo, Diana, and Athena, the largest and most magnificent
of all the Temples, though smaller ones, chapels and shrines are abound
for the other Olympians as well as the Numina Saturn and Janus. Other
notable places are the Falcondonia Mint and Treasury, with its pristine
Silver Guard protecting the money source, the Scarlet ward near the
docks, with Brothels and vice available to all, the Dock Ward, where all
manner of Ships, from cargo to fishermen call port. Guilds are powerful
here and command large complexes where they are powerful. Many merchant
companies can be found in the city, plying trade with other states.
Pantheon is the G-R standard, Roman influence. All the primary
Olympians and the Numina, The Kelltic influence has encouraged worship
of many natural-oriented dieties, such as Artemis, Bacchus, Silvanius,
Pan, etc. Such festivals are very popular. Some 5-7% of the populace
worships the Kelltic Pantheon, even though it is not officially
sactioned.
Kelltic and Teutonic influence has affected the preisthoods. Small
Bardic orders serve Apollo, combining Avillonian Spellsongs with
Roman/Francian Preisty knowledge, making for some very powerful
personas. Ovates exist, and serve either Apollo or Minerva. Many
wisepeople serve the lower class, mostly devoted to the nature-leaning
dieties. Some monastic orders have strongholds and retreats in the less
populated areas.
A brief note about the Gucanion's School, (College of the White Acorn)
located and dominates the Artisan section. This school was established
by the Archimage from Punt who, with the benevolent first Grand Duke
Generaouin, stabilized the state making it the power it was
today--organizing the "Golden Acorns", finding and delivering the
Forbidden Scrolls to the crown, and other similar feats. He is
legendary, has a holiday in his honor, and it is said he had a secret
hideaway somewhere in an isolated portion of the state. He founded a
university with the various scholars, to teach the future generation.
The university can't compare to the great ones in the Cosmopolitian
cities of Æropia, but it is the best school in Northern Vargaard,
holding an equal status to smaller schools in other nations. The
dweomercraeft college handles all the colleges save the Ebondark, and
the Green School is their specialty. The school is a small collection
of buildings, occupying a large grove and topiary, cared for by students
of the magick. It is without a doubt the center of mundane and
dweomercraeft in Northern Vargaard.
The main witchcraeft covey in Northern Vargaard have a base somewhere
in the state, mostly in part due to education and the ability to exploit
the prosperity of Falcondonia. Supposedly, a secret temple to Hecate
and other evil creatures (Dispater, Orcus) can be found somewhere in the
nation outside of Falcondon. Evil has found strange alliances among the
various Entites of Evil. Many of the Supernatural Nether creatures have
made alliances, pacts, defections, etc. For example, Hectate has
muscled her way to gain control of some evil spirits or races which were
once controlled by the Manitou pantheon, especially when such beings had
no offical "higher-up". Thus, both the Golden Acorns and the few
Witchfinders in the Duke's employ have learned to deal with the unknown
when facing reports of evil possessions and hauntings.
In fact, a brief note should be made here about a problem that still
exists in Falcondon. During the "Forty Four Day" battle, Falcondonia
had to deal with an Alliance between a Jarl of Jarlsheim, a thegn of
Grandmark, and some Iroukian tribesmen. All were following the banner
of a powerful nethercraefter, who wished to take territory from
Falcondonia, making it their own state. Because of the threat and
backed by powerful magic, Gucanion used the powerful Forbidden Scrolls
of Grosapis (who was a powerful Elementalist serving Caligula back in
the days of the Italic Empire, when it was corrupted by Atlantian
Demon-worship). The scrolls summoned a horde of Air Elementals who
ended up routing the armies and slaying the foes...but it also caused a
"fallout" effect which caused a powerful Elementary infestation, which
took years to reduce, and even today the chance of encountering an
Elementary in the western areas of Falcondonia is 3 times the norm.
Also certain conjuration castings may have strange effects from this
event. This has caused great tensions from the Irokian tribes, who were
affected as well, and even the Mysterious Hobgoblin Ohdhows, who
consider this disruption an influx of evil and a disruption of the
natural state of things on ÆAErth.
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