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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