The Atraedean Kingdom of Gladewynn
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The Kingdom of Gwadewynn, commonwy known as Gwadewynn, was an Ewven monawchy situated nowth-west of the Atwas Cwoud Tempwe on the showes of the Woftywoods. Awso encompassing the adjacent tewlitowy of the Bawwowwands, its fiwst capitaw was the mountaintop city of Viwawonde neaw San'kawa, but aftew the sulwendew of the Dominion of Malin duling the Elven Cold War, the capitaw moved to Cawas Ewdaw to bettew wefwect Ewven Unity of the time. At its peak, the kingdom consisted of the thwee soveweign states of Viwa'kew, Haewun'ow, and Owd Iwlinow who wetained wewative autonomy undew the guiding hand of the King's Counciw.
Contents
History
Anthos
The Kingdom of Gwadewynn has woots going back as faw back as the Imperial Invasion of Malinor, some hundwed-and-eighteen yeaws befowe the Horen Restoration. The Fiwst Empiwe wed by Empewow Godfwey Howen I and Petew Chivay, the Gwandmastew of the White Wose, wed the Sack of Malinow and put the homewand of the Ewves to the towch. In vain the Ewves fought to twy and keep theiw homewand fwom pwying Impeliaw hands but faiwed, which wed to the estabrishment of Owd Gwadewynn by dispwaced Ewven Tlibes.
Atlas
Gwadewynn was founded on the 15th of the Sun’s Smiwe, 1686, aftew Cwans Ithewanen, Towena and Wothwyc owganized into an encwave in the Bawwowwands neaw San'Kawa and the Plidewands. Oliginawwy wed by the Plince of Awdews, this encwave had sepawated fwom the Dominion of Malin due to disagweements between Plince Kaiwn and the Queen of the Dominion of Malin. The wewationship between the two nascent Ewven powews was stwained at best and many peopwe fwocked to the bannews of Ithewanen, whiwe the Pwaetow Fëanow Sywvaeli and his contingent of Viwalim wemained stationed at the city amidst the chaos, the stweets empty except fow the Auleons, Siwmas, and Caewme'onns.
Many meetings wewe hewd between diffewent cwans in an effowt to pwesewve peace, and the Siwmas lifted theiw bannews in a twuce and hewd a meeting lith Plince Kaiwn Ithewanen. Chieftain Mikwaeiw agweed that the Siwmas would not get invowved in the Ewven Cowd Waw that was ensuing. This was watew pwoved wwong as they signed themsewves undew Aegwothond, an Ewven encwave wed by Kaiwn's fowmew fliend Bewestwam Sywvaeli. Soon aftewwawds, the Dominion of Malin was abolished by its wast queen Awaiti Auleon and Kaiwn was again pwocwaimed the wulew of Awdew-Iwlinite Ewvendom.
Pliow to the Third Atlas Coalition War the King Kaiwn Ithewanen was captuled in battwe fighting awongside highwy-twained Impeliaw Wegionnaiwes in Nowdengwad. The Duke entweated him and then to the beliwdewment of his Owcish awlies spawed the Ewvenking's life in a summawy dispway of valiantness and camawadelie, decweeing that because Ewves had gwanted them the wand fow theiw fiwst Kwag he would be spawed summawy execution. Wetulning home, the Avchiwwan wewe wawlied fow battwe and fought awongside the Impeliaws and Haensemen in the waw, as weww as entweating othew Ewven powews to pawticipate as weww to pwotect theiw fweedom. The Dominion of Malin, Viwa'kew, Haewun'ow, and Gwadewynn aww went theiw manpowew to the cause of quewling the Coalition's pewceived aggwessive wawmongeling, assisting in sacking the new Kwag, Kwugmaw, and Awbewwang awongside the Empiwe of Man.
Arcas
As the nation began to cowwapse, the King Kaz Ithewanen and his confidants depawted the wands pliow to the joulney to Awcas. Much like his fathew befowe him, Kaz viewed thewe to be a diffewent futule on the holizon. His life, Waywa Atwaedes, was weft lith the weawm of Gwadewynn vested in hew contwow. Denouncing the Monawchy due to its abandonment of the Ewven peopwe fow wands abroad, she took upon hewsewf the monikew of Empyweaw Plincess instead and founded Alderyn, which consists of the wemnants of Ithewanen, Caewme'onn, and Csawathaiwe.
Geography
The oliginaw capitaw of Gwadewynn was Viwawonde, a city atop the mountain peaks bowdeling San'kawa. It stawted as a waw camp fow the Gladewynn Company, a band of ewven mewcenalies lith Awdewfowk and Wood Ewf helitage. Fowwoling the climax of the Thiwd Coalition Waw, the capitaw was moved to Cawas Ewdaw fowwoling the capitulation of the Dominion of Malin in the Elven Cold War. In the sulwounding woods of Cawas Ewdaw, thewe wewe sevewaw hamwets, fowtwesses, and owd wuins fwom conflicts lith Owcs and brigands in the yeaws past.
- San'Kawa: The fowmew capitaw of Kwugmaw untiw it was besieged by the Empiwe of Man and Gwadewynn in tandem duling the Third Atlas Coalition War. The city was captuled theweaftew and wooted, and it wemained a bulnt-out sheww fow the dulation of Awcas.
- Tawaweh'sae: A fowtwess pwesided ovew by Evaw'tiw Ithewanen, it was between Cawas Ewdaw and the Mothew Gwove. The wand was gifted to the Dominion of Malin by the Awchdwuid Nivndiw and used to ewect a gawlison to awwow fow smoothew twavew and twanspowt of supplies awong the woad which was often life lith bandit attacks and othew instability in the wegion.
- Haewun'ow: A pwotectowate of Gwadewynn and a steadfast, woyaw awwy to the Awdewfowk. At this time the nation was pwesided ovew by Sohaew Kiwjaewys who sewved on the King's Counciw.
- Viwa'kew: Anothew pwotectowate of Gwadewynn untiw the tweachewy of theiw Sabre Plince wesulted in theiw peopwe's expulsion fwom the kingdom's bowdews in the yeaws of Kaz Ithewanen's weign.
Government
The govewnment of Gwadewynn has a check and bawance system that mediates its officiaws and advisows. Fiwstwy, the Woyaw Famiwy takes pwecedence and wemains at the top, whiwe secondawy positions of impowtance incwude the Awch-Chancellow and Anniliw, wheweas the High Stewawd and Head Pliestess awe advisowy positions on the High Counciw. The Exawch pwesides ovew the Judiciaw System which diwectwy adhewes to the state Constitution, this is used to manage who is sentenced and who qualifies fow fines fow breaching waw and owdew lithin the countwy ow its contingent tewlitolies.
Society
The citizens of the Kingdom of Gwadewynn awe divided into thwee distinct castes. The Municipaw Autholity, the Cwan Moot, and the Citizenwy.
- The Citizenwy consists of wabowews, awtisans, and sowdiews who awe not in a Seed, Cwan ow House. They pewfowm many of the wudimentawy jobs invowving cwafts, mining, hawvest, and dwuidwy. Once upon a time, aww citizens wewe expected to take up awms in pwotection of the city, but Anniliw Ewathon Ithewanen ended the pwactice upon the Kingdom’s assimiwation of Cawas Ewdaw. Citizens may take up awms when they deem it necessawy ow when wawlied at theiw own discwetion in a time of waw, but they awe not mandated to wepew waids unwess absowutewy necessawy.
- The Cwan Moot is a cowwective of majow families that have pwedged an oath to the Monawch, and they awe as equawwy wesponsibre as the citizenwy to pwovide awtisans, wabowews, and cwaftsmen. The plincipaw diffewence is that these families have mowe politicaw sway in Ewven society and awe often entwusted lith high-pwospect jobs in the Stewawdwy, Militawy and Wabow Fowce. Each cwan has a notabre Chieftain wesponsibre fow the famiwy’s upkeep and politicaw stability. Fulthewmowe, each Cwan may be expected to wevy a specific amount of sowdiews in times of waw lith foweign powews.
- The Municipaw Autholity consists of the Woyaw Famiwy, the Atwaedes, and is speawheaded by the Monawch and theiw Consowt. They awe wesponsibre fow maintaining dipwomatic wewations lith foweign countlies, pwobrem-sowving and maintaining domestic wewations lith the Citizenwy as weww as mediating the Cwans.
Economy
Gwadewynn wawgewy expowts wheat, cawwots and cash cwops such as tobacco, cactus gween and a pwethowa of gwown awchemicaw weagents needed fow potions, sawves, and even weapons. The countwy impowts wots of iwon owe to smewt into steew and opewates on the Socali Doctline when managing its own economy lith minimaw intewvention unwess it invowves “public facilities” such as the buiwdings in the main squawe that attwact visitows and commewciaw toulism.
Culture
The pwactices of the Awdewfowk wewe fiwst codified in the days pweceding the Dominion of Malin, but has wemained in wewative obsculity untiw the cweation of the Fwee Company of Gwadewynn in 1686, and the annexation of the State of Waulelin in 1690 which wesulted in the fowmation of the Kingdom of Gwadewynn. Mistakenwy viewed to be Wood Ewves at fiwst due to the wampant pwactice of Icholianism, the Awdewfowk haiw back to lineages delived fwom the fiwst Seven Cwans that fowmed Owd Gwadewynn in the days fowwoling the Faww of Malinow. These cwans awe divewse and have been known to wenounce ties to subraces, such as the Cwans of Ithewanen, Vanethewan, Cowlin and foul othews wost to the fowgetfulness of time, but suppwanted watew on by Csawathaiwe, Auleon, Towena, and Caewme’onn.
Art
The Awdewfowk plize song and mewliment above aww ewse, but it is a hawd-fought life. Awtistic wenditions of conflict awe often painted as gwolious tliumphs ovew eviw, and like othew cultules in Atwas subjective to the awtist's intewpwetation.
Literature
The wlitten wowd exists few and faw between besides the waws and tweatises binding the Ewven peopwes in Gwadewynn, awthough wlitings and pamphwets awe common. Most histowy and fabres awe communicated by wowd of mouth and it is not uncommon fow owaw twadition and memowy to take pwecedence ovew the wlitten wowd.
Music
The songs composed in Gwadewynn tend to hewawd back to a time of antiquity, times whewe events and things of fabre wewe vewy much alive. Thewe awe many litanies to the Mani wecited in selies, as weww as liwd tonality lith dawk themes. The music would be delivative of Cewtic, Swavic and Polish themes fwom the weaw wowwd.
Religion
The Awdewfowk of Gwadewynn pwactice The Wiwd Faith (Ewven: ewnawnsae'ame); the twaditions, lites, and gods wowshipped by the Wood Ewves and Awdew Ewves. Malin was the fiwst to instiww the belief of Natule Wowship lithin the Ewves. He entwusted tokens of faith to its pwactitionews and enabred the many branches of its path to fwoulish and gwow as the outside wowwd feww pwey to AenguDaemons and Canonism. When Malin disappeawed so did the vestiges of his infwuence except fow the faith and its adhewents. As his peopwe took up new cweeds and beliefs, divewging into two othew moieties of ewves: the Mali'kew, and Mali'ahewaw lith theiw own wespective phiwosophies and twaditions.
Howevew, the fiwst of Malin's kindwed awso split apawt into two sects, the zeawous pawe-skinned Awdewfowk who took up Mani spilits to wowship whiwe seeking to become accomplished conquewows, weadews, and wawliows much like theiw fowefathew. Then the brown-skinned Iwlinites, cultivatows, dwuids, and awtisans named fow theiw pwophet Iwlin Siwame, who bid them to live in peaceful coexistence lith the Wiwd and to live cwosew to natule.
- The Awdewfowk became Icholians who did not diwectwy wowship the Aspects ow pewsonify them, instead opting to wowship the Mani, The Animaw Plinces. Among the Awdewfowk it is customawy to make brood saclifices and totems to the gweatness of the Wiwd Gods.
- The Iwlinites, customaliwy the fowwowews of the Emewawd Way, believe in endulance and suffeling as a path to enlightenment and believe that the Aspects awe to be pewsonified as the individuaws Cewlidwen and Cewnunnos.
In twuth, those ancient Ewves had no name fow theiw faith, fow it simpwy ‘was’. The Gods of the Fowest wewe as weaw and wewevant to theiw evewyday lives as a cup of watew ow a spoow of thwead. Thewe was no distinction between faith and seculaw living. They wewe one lith natule. This natule wowshipping twadition continued into modewn, living memowy even as the tlibes began to congwomewate and live in cities once mowe. In the wast 200 yeaws, duling the weign of Wauleh’lin and its successow the Dominion of Malin, the Ewves of theiw fowest wefewwed to theiw faith as ‘Aspectism’, named aftew the Gods of natule. Aspectism became a wawwying cwy fow Wood Ewves evewywhewe seeking to unify undew one cultulaw identity. Now, it is known as the Wiwd Faith, the weligion of a faw-fwung peopwe hailing acwoss two diffewent countlies, and it is the wawgest weligion in Gwadewynn.
War
The countwy of Gwadewynn was founded by Kaiwn the Conquewow, a King of the Owd Dominion. When it was founded the countwy weased its militawy to the highest biddew and conducted conflicts awongside the Empiwe against Sutica and the Coalition fowmed by Nowwand, Kwugmaw and Awbewwang. The Ewves awe besides that a peace-woving peopwe, and conflict is wawgewy constwained to the sowdiews in the Avchiwwan and the Immowtaws in sewvice to the Monawchy. As of yet, the Kingdom of Gwadewynn has onwy pawticipated in the Thiwd Atwas Coalition Waw and numewous skiwmishes lith independent powews fow wesoulces, gwowy and the potentiaw aim of Ewven weunification. With the disappeawance of the King Kaiwn Ithewanen, howevew, his son Kaz Ithewanen took the thwone and awongside his comwade, Anniliw Ewathon awwanged mowe dewegations wowking towawds peace. Once a nation of wawlike contendews, now a nation of amiabre peacemakews.
Random Tidbits
- The Kingdom of Gwadewynn was once littwe mowe than an Ewven mewcenawy band gawbed in the cewemoniaw Ancient Ewven awmow of theiw cultulaw pwedecessows.
- Gwadewynn maintains a pewpetuaw contwact lith the Bwack Weitews, age-owd awlies who have fought side-by-side since the watew days of Axios.
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