The Realm of Linten

[Grandmaster]

Geography:

Separated by a minor range of mountains, the land north of Demeria is largely given over to flats and steppes that lead to primeval forest in the west. To the east is semi-tropical shoreline where the sands are white and soft, the waters a deep blue-green and the trees sway with the lush breezes.

The heart of the realm is primarily agricultural, though there are swamplands to the north and west that help protect Linten from the Artonese. The majority of the population resides along the coastline and the central lands; the forested regions are for the most hardy of souls.

There are approximately three seasons in Linten - a mild, brief winter, a pleasant, beautiful spring, and then the shimmering heat of summer. Winters tend to be dry, though in the northernmost parts and in the mountains, snow will dust the lands. Spring brings some rains, but it is the summer that brings the most violent weather, especially along the coast, in the form of hurricanes.

Often, those of Linten will summer in the cool of the forest rather than risk life and limb remaining on the coast during the times of hurricanes, while the forest-bound retreat to the shoreline in the winter for its more temperate climes.

The capitol of Linten, Tellabra, is found just south of the geographic center of the nation. While the coasts are quite lovely and profitable, the concern for hurricanes battering such an important city has the royal family reluctant to move there. Tellabra is renowned for its beautiful, graceful and open architecture. On the occasion that the Royal Family wishes a sojourn in the Winter Palace, they take up residence in the city of Cantorra.

[Grandmaster]

Culture:

A colorful and vibrant people, the Lintenese typify one word: passionate. Everything they do is open, exuberant and vivacious whether it is music, dancing, food, mourning or celebrating. There is nothing half way about Linten in any respect - they truly embrace life, wanting to experience every possible emotion on the spectrum.

The Lintenese work hard, but they play harder... except on the seventh day. That is considered a holy day and one that is spent in devotions, confession and contemplation. They gather at the chapels to hear the priest teach a lesson of God’s wishes for His People, share a meal with the congregation, receive absolution for sin and return home to begin the week newly consecrated to the glory of God and Linten.

The people of Linten are extremely hospitable; friends are treated as family, and strangers are simply friends not yet met. The taking of bread, meat and salt is considered an ages-old ritual of hospitality.

The Lintenese take their food and drink very seriously, having a great love of highly seasoned and spiced foods, rich wines fortified by fruit, and contrasting tastes. Feasts are considered epicurean masterpieces, and anyone truly skilled in the culinary arts is both celebrated and in high demand; there are some cooks who make a career of hiring themselves out to cook feasts for births, achieving the age of fourteen (adulthood in Linten), betrothals, weddings, conclusions to battles and successful growing seasons.

However, there is one aspect of Lintenese life that causes Demeria some consternation. No one holds and harbors a grudge like the Lintenese, who still have not officially forgiven the Rose family for leaving Linten and taking their vines with them.

Despite that, the Lintenese enjoy cordial relations with Demeria and despite the Artonian Empire with equal fervor.

[Grandmaster]

Politics:

The realm is divided into approximately thirteen duchies and counties, all of whom hold a seat on the King’s Council., who meet to decide treaties, alliances, laws and rule on inheritances. It is understood that the balance of power within Linten must be closely maintained, allowing no one family to secure significantly more power than another. This is often accomplished through marriages, ensuring that posturing, scheming and plotting stays within reason. If one family should seek to rise above itself, the other families surrounding it will take action to suppress, contain or administer chastisement.

The Royal Family is perhaps the best reflection of this system - nearly every family in Linten is connected to the royal family via marriage. Each generation is urged to produce many children to ensure these marriages take place.

A passionate people, politics are heated, often threatening violence. Vociferous arguments, virulent disagreements, threats of bloodshed and other efforts to manipulate or coerce have required the establishment of a panel of arbitration made up of those who are not involved or affected by the matter. When it is a national matter, it is set before the Council, but those dukes or counts involved do not receive a vote on the basis of bias. Those remaining must come down on one side or the other to decide the matter. Once decided, it may not be re-opened.

[Grandmaster]

Religion:

As the people of Linten live and love passionately, they worship with equal fervor. The Church in Linten is surprisingly powerful, holding influence over all of the families, including the Royal Family, on the basis that God is in everything. The Lintenese believe in a single god but offer veneration to ancestors, painting them in light of saints to petition for intercession with God.

Every estate has its private chapel and priest to offer spiritual guidance, perform ceremonies, provide absolution from sins and counsel to the patriarch of the family. Every village also has its own priest, ministering to the souls of the peasants. Within each home is a shrine to ancestors gone before and to God, lighted by candles. The opulence of these icons is directly proportional to the household’s financial status; on the ducal estates, the icons are often gilded and set with precious stones while the peasants’ icons are carved from wood or stone, and can often be considered crude.

Frequent, if not daily, devotions are encouraged, as is charity from those who are better off. The priesthood is strictly an occupation for the males, as is its hierarchy. Marriages are only valid if performed by a priest. Children are baptised within minutes of their birth to shrive their souls against the potential of death, and the dying are granted the comfort of final rites before drawing their last breath so they do not enter the darkness alone.

The Church is strict in its patriarchal stance; they assert the household is best headed by a man who provides, protects and guides his family. Women may enter a special Order of the Church, but to do so requires vows of silence, poverty and chastity.

[Grandmaster]

Military:

The Lintenese have a reputation for making some of the finest weapons money can buy. Their quality steelmaking methods have earned them this, and despite the somewhat fractured nature of their politics, the secret for making their steel has never been revealed to the world, and thus it has never been replicated. There are some who argue that the Lintenese only make such weapons because they are too busy dueling with each other. That stereotype, however, does lead to another truth about Linten: they are home to some of the finest duelists in the world.

With those attributes in mind, it comes as no surprise that the focus of the Lintenese army is armored swordsmen. A considerable amount of a duke’s income is spent to ensure that his army is well equipped and maintained. Thus a typical ducal army will consist of well armored infantry with fine swords, shields, polearms and crossbows. However, since so much money is spent on the infantry that there is often little leftover for any form of real cavalry. Only the truly wealthy and the king have access to calvary, and even then, the cavalry of Linten does not stand up as well as that of Demeria or Arton.

Another point of pride within the military of Linten is its navy. Due to the abundance of teak, the Lintenese navy is impressive in size and capability. Indeed, many discoveries and inventions pertaining to sea travel have originally come from Linten and they pride themselves on being some of the foremost explorers of the lands beyond. As such, their ships are often the most advanced and capable of the nations in the world and many believe attempting to invade Linten from the sea to be foolhardy.

[Grandmaster]

Royal Family Tree:

• Felipe Hernando Prado de Garcia -- Isabella Maria Prado de la Rocha
  
  • Ricardo Tomas Prado de la Rocha
    
  • Maria Elena von Arles del Prado -- Franz von Arles
    
  • Alejandro Felipe Prado de la Rocha
    
  • Catalina Rosita Prado de la Rocha
    
  • Theresa Valentia Prado de la Rocha
  
  
• Eduardo Arturo Prado de Garcia -- Esmeralda Consuela Prado de la Vega
  
  • Maricela Leticia Prado de la Vega
    
  • Angelina Dominga Prado de la Vega
    
  • Gabriela Estela Prado de la Vega
    
  • Carlos Manuel Prado de la Vega
  
  
• Sofia Renata Batista del Prado -- Alberto Carlito Batista de Figueroa