Dracia
Once known as the "Errant Son" of the Great Empire because of the wily and deceptive nature of its people, Dracia was one of the first regions of the Great Empire to gain its independence from the Empire during the Fourth Succession War. With the dawn of the Fourth Age of Man, Dracia was positioned to become one of the few organized powers of the region, but for the last decade they have suffered under the iron grip of their Ivory Queen, a sorceress who worships the last Emperor, Lucius "the Heretic", as a god and she as his successor to the glory of the Great Empire.
| Dracia |
| The Kingdom of Dracia |
 |
| Geographic Info |
| Continent: Aurea |
| Location: Eastern Aurea, in a wide valley between the Challieann Mountains and the Antasian Mountains |
| Government |
| Government Type: Moncarchy (King, Duke, Count, Baron, Knight, Burgher) |
| Ruler: Queen Magdalena Vtalasav |
| Arms: Azure, an eagle argent displayed and elevated and on a bordure argent alternating roundels or and carnations gules |
| Coinage: 1 Denarius (1 sp) = 10 Siliquae (cp); 1 Double Denarius (1 ep) = 2 Denarii; 1 Aureus (1 gp) = 25 Denarii, 1 Solidus (1 pp) = 4 Aurei (Mythus: 1 Denarius = 10 BUCs) |
| Capital: Kzerna (pop 18,896) |
| Alliances: None |
| Hostilities: None |
| Society |
| Population: 1,285,850 (90% human, 4% dwarven, 3% hobbit, 3% other) |
| Languages: Dracian |
| Important Persons: The Vtalasav family, various nobles of import |
| Religious Info |
| Pantheon: Imperial |
| Patron: None |
| Game Info |
| Cultural Templates: Dracian |
Geography
Dracia is in east-central Aurea in the upper Temesh river valley, between the Antasian Mountains to the east and the Challieann Mountains to the north. The Moldogoi Hills in the northern part of the region are generally wild and untamed, though there are a few major iron and copper mines in the region. The Negruja Hills in the east are comparatively heavily settled, with recently reopened gold and silver mines feeding the nation's wealth. The Dracian Wood dominates the southwestern region of the country, along its border with Drussa. To the northeast lie the Two Kings, twin cliff-side towers that protect Cuplat Pass on the region's border with Mabagne.
History
Dracia was a relatively recent conquest of the Empire, having first come into conflict with Imperial troops in 1083 IC. A minor squabble between a marcher lord of Narbonne and the Dracian crown resulted in warfare, which the Empire quickly took as an excuse to conquer the entire country, removing all titles from its King Otto III Vtalasav. The Vtalasav family, however, recovered quickly, and regained several noble titles that they had lost in return for servitude to the Emperor.
The Dracian people recovered quickly from the conquest of their nation, and assimilated surprisingly well into Imperial society. Many nobles and bureaucrats from the country have wormed their way into the good graces of various high-level positions within the Great Houses, and many more have secured for themselves far more power than a colonial typically receives. The nation was considered mostly subdued (except for the periodic peasant rebellions in the southeast), but far too complicated to rule effectively by non-natives, and rulership of the nation has passed from one Great House to another, no single House maintaining rulership for long. Remus Augustilius of House Valerius became the colony's most recent Prefect in 1246 IC, but he would prove to be unfit for the task of ruling the Dracians.
Dracia was affected little during the rule of the Emperor Lucius “the Heretic” and seemed to support House Valerius in its bid for the Imperial Throne during the early months of the Fourth Succession War. After the Mabean Marches successfully rebelled against the Empire and gained their independence, Vladimir of the old Vtalasav royal family also made his bid for autonomy in 1255 IC. True to Dracian form, their independence was negotiated from Remus Augustilius, who Vladimir swore to assist in the Fourth Succession War in return for a treaty which affirmed Dracian independence and recognized the crown. Since that time, Dracia has continued to support the bid of House Valerius for the throne, but their support in recent years has been waning as more pressing matters bring Dracian troops home. As Dracia has no real enemies in the region and little bandit activity since the fall of Imperial control in the nation, few know precisely what these troops are needed for, but his Majesty assures House Valerius that they are, indeed, needed.
Economy
Since the fall of Imperial control in the region, Dracian exports have risen dramatically. Their border with Donnagh Saoristat has proved to be a bottle-neck for trade coming to and from Gaelish Kingdom and they have taken great advantage of this advantage. Though the land has traditionally been poor for agriculture, the King has issued many edicts assisting farming villages and begun exporting foodstuffs to their neighbors. The wealthy ore mines of the foothills of the Challieann Mountains still rarely leave the country, but Dracian weapons are sold to anyone who can afford the price (House Valerius receives a discount, of course). As a result of this change in practices, most people in Dracia have become extremely wealthy due to its independence, creating a rock-solid loyalty to the Crown among the common folk. The Dracian nobility, of course, have used this new-found wealth to increase the stakes in attempting to outdo one another in the ownership of property and luxuries. Demand for rare and exotic luxuries has, as a result, increased exponentially.
Religion
Dracia is extremely open-minded about religion, as long as those who practice religious beliefs do not infringe on secular law. Even during Imperial rule, Dracians were extremely liberal when it came to religion, eager to pretend to take up the worship of this god or another as the fickle motions of fashion dictate. Currently, the worship of Cebren, god of music; Erato, goddess of love; Furinus, god of wine; and Minos, god of commerce, is extremely popular in Dracia, though the worship of Amphitritus, god of greed; Britomaris, goddess of thievery; and Mormo, god of deception, is popular as well. It is said that there is a major temple to Dagon in the foothills of the Challieann Mountains, to the northwest, but such rumors are unconfirmed. It is notable that the Dracian crown has not yet declared a religious leaders whose responsibility it would be to crown the next King, but this is in keeping with pre-Imperial Dracian tradition, which dictated that the King’s heir would crown himself, with the acceptance of the Dukes.
| This page has been identified as needing a map for clarity. |
| This is a thumbnail description and is scheduled for expansion at a later date. |
| This article is part of the Player's Guide to Aurea | |
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Introduction · Economics and Trade · Legends and History · Religion · Regions and Realms | |
| Regions and Realms on Aurea | |
