The Kingdom of Treniata

[Grandmaster]

Geography:

To the north of Treniata lies the Artonese Empire, and to the Empire’s west lies Demeria itself. The fastest route of travel between Treniata and Demeria is by ship across the Cerulean Sea. Treniata itself is a varied land consisting of plains and forests in its south, old mountains in its north and shoreline all along the eastern, southeastern and southern border. It is comparable in size to Demeria.

The plains of Treniata are lush and receive enough water from rain and river to provide rich soil for a host of crops, including cotton, flax, hemp and others. Indeed, a vast majority of Treniata is devoted to agrarian purposes, and more than half of the grand duchies of Treniata derive most of their income from these plains. The mountains of the north grant wealth to a particular grand duchy, deep within the ancient roots, men have uncovered rubies and emeralds aplenty. It is these same mountains that provide it protection from invaders of the north, as well.

The capitol of Treniata, Aldenburg, is found a hundred miles north of the geographic center of the nation. It is a large and sprawling city, given the flat terrain the city is built upon. As such, it has at least four expansions of walls that have been erected as the city continued to grow throughout the centuries. Given the high quality of Artisans within the country, the city is built to withstand a prolonged siege and not even the mightiest windspout has been able to topple it. During the summers, the royal family will venture to the port city of Talba, a popular tourist and summer destination for its beautiful beaches and refreshing breeze off the Cerulean Sea.

The weather of Treniata entails mild, but cool winters and hot, sometimes humid and stormy summers. It is not uncommon for windspouts and ice from the sky to form during particularly strong storms. It does occasionally snow in Treniata, but it is usually light in most of the country. It is only heavy in the mountains. The springs and autumns are short, but a beautiful and festive time within Treniata.

[Grandmaster]

Culture:

The people of Treniata, whether noble or peasant, pride themselves on being sturdy, hard-working, and sober people most of the time. However, they love a good festival or party, embracing all as brothers or sisters without regard for rank. They are not a people overly concerned with rank or station; it is not unusual for a Grand Duke to work alongside his peasants in the fields at harvest time, or for a peasant maid to be elevated to the rank of Baroness via marriage if she be a generous, kind and lovely girl. Intermarriage between the social ranks is not uncommon, except amongst the royalty - they keep themselves for marriages of state to protect and preserve the realm.

A peaceful people by nature, they are no less determined in the protection of their lands; in the eyes of the Treniatans, land is everything. It provides life, wealth, hope, home and hearth. A true Treniatan will die in the defense of his home and family, but will not recklessly give his life. Family and home are of paramount importance to them; peasants are not serfs but pay rent or tithes to their lords. If a lord proves himself overly greedy or cruel, the peasants have the right to petition their Duke or go as high as the King to see the offender removed from his office. Frightened, abused peasants, it is known, do not work well. However, if the peasants fail in their own offices, the price can be paid in the form of conscription, balancing out the tides of power. Each rank has its reasons to work well and together, and no one is considered exempt from the virtue of work. Even the lowest peasant child or highest noble child spends their days in tasks suited to their ages and abilities.

It is not paradise; summer storms can wreak havoc on crops, men and housing alike. Accordingly, there is a fourth class in Treniata - the Artisans. Those skilled in carpentry, thatching, glassmaking, masonry, and architecture are considered almost sacred. In a land where ice falls from the sky in summer as well as winter, and windspouts can destroy villages in mere seconds, those capable of building are never taken for granted. These are some of the most wealthy in the land who do not hold noble title, though an artisan who performs an exceptional service to the realm may be elevated to the nobility.

Festivals are times of celebration. Music and dancing, merrymaking and general frolics occur to commemorate births, christenings, betrothals, the ending of apprenticeships and the gaining of a Master’s rank in a trade, weddings, and holidays. Toasts are raised first to honor the All-Father and the lands, then the people whether a noble celebration or something more humble, yet all are welcome to join in.

Weddings are equal matters of faith and practicality. Love is not considered a reason for marriage, but blending families with common interests, adjoining lands, augmented trades or ending feuds are good reasons. The matchmakers of Treniata, a rare trade performed only by women, strive to ensure that those who are mated are at least compatible and betrothals are typically a year long, blessed by the priests of both bride and groom. The costs of the wedding are shared between the two families. Marriage is viewed as a full partnership, where husband and wife have equal responsibilities as well as privileges.

Adultery is frowned upon, whether by husband or wife, as the vows taken are before the All-Father and Holy Mother. If a spouse is proven to be adulterous, the other may solicit a bill of divorcement from the Church and remarry, but the adulterer may not. Any children remain in the custody of the spouse who is wronged, and must be supported until they are fifteen years of age.

[Grandmaster]

Politics:

Treniatan politics are refreshingly direct and to the point. They are a good and honest people, who place emphasis on speaking to the matter clearly and without avoidance. It is rare to see a Treniatan indulge in flowery speech or dancing in diplomatic circles, and their patience for such tactics is limited. Any treaty presented to them is likely to be rejected if the terms are couched in language where tricks and loopholes may be contained, yet they are swift to accept those written in plain language.

They place great emphasis on courtesy and manners; feuds have been started by mere verbal insults. However, at their hearts, they wish to preserve their way of life, the sanctity and wholeness of their lands, and peace; they will do all they can to ensure it, rewarding those with the talent to help secure lasting tranquility.

[Grandmaster]

Religion:

The Treniatans follow a single god, augmented by three divine lesser beings. The faith is all but universal to the realm, practiced by nobles and peasants alike, teaching forgiveness, charity and peace. The God, referred to as the All-Father, had a human consort (The Holy Mother), raised to divine status because of her virtue and devotion to the womanly arts, and several children who represent the virtues of Treniata - diligence, faith, charity, thrift and humility.

The symbol of the faith, four equal arms of a cross connected by a circle, is worn by all social strata, though the materials are dictated by economic status. The peasants wear their crosses of wood or carved stone on leather thongs or flax thread while the merchants can afford bronze or copper with chains. The nobility and royalty are able to obtain crosses of gold, silver or platinum, adorned with stones though it is considered immodest to wear too ostentatious a symbol of faith.

[Grandmaster]

Military:

The Artonese have their vast legions, Sarkozsy its impressively skilled infantry and Demeria its exceptional skill in riverland combat, but the Treniatans true specialty lies in its siege weaponry and ability to raise levies quickly. This due to the mostly flat nature of the country’s terrain, meaning the Grand Dukes of the realm had to build impressive fortifications, quite literally from the ground up, to defend their holds. Thus, in the old days, wars were won by who had the most impressive siege weapons and fortifications. It is for this reason that the Artonese have never successfully invaded Treniata. The gates and walls to the north are too tall, too well built and too well defended for even the impressive armies of the empire.

In addition to its siege weapons, the armies of Treniata, when raised, consist of a balanced mix of skirmishers, heavy swordsmen, pikemen, cavalry and archers. Commanders of the military strictly consists of noblemen, usually the lord of the land or a noble Knight of the realm. If a commoner has served with distinction in the past, and shows skill in combat, tactics and strategy, he may also be granted command of an army.

Levies rarely have to be conscripted or forced into action, as young men are usually eager to defend the homes they love so much. Thus, it is not surprising to see a village or city regularly undergoing training drills akin to a militia to keep their skills at an optimum level. The weapons are maintained, the siege weapons at the ready, and, thus, a levy can be raised in a very short period of time.

[Grandmaster]

The Royal Family of Treniata:

• King Johan von Arles -- Gertrude Holdstedt
  
  • Princess Elspeth von Arles -- Henrich Schultheiss
    
    • Rudolf von Arles
      
    • Wilhelm von Arles
      
    • Charlotte von Arles
    
    
  • Prince Franz von Arles -- Maria Elena Carlotta del Prado
    
    • Roberto del Prado
    
    
  • Prince Anton von Arles
    
  • Prince George von Arles
    
  • Princess Antonia von Arles
  
  
• Archduke Walter von Arles -- Sophia von Trell
  
  • Frederick von Arles
    
  • Erwin von Arles
    
  • Hilda von Arles