Fourland Dukedom

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The Ocean Demesne

Summary

A powerful naval nation. Much of the Dukedom is connected solely by sea routes, canals, and bridges. As a result, its people are exceptionally adept at fighting in, on, and around water, making it a difficult prospect to defeat them on their home seas. The Dukedom is ruled by its Duke, usually of Undine blood. The Dukedom’s primary Wave element is Water, befitting its mercurial nature and clever tactics. Its Root Town is Mac Anu, the City of Canals. Its color is Blue.

History

The Forgotten Time

Where the Fourland Dukedom now lies, there was once a foursome of small kingdoms; their names now long lost in irrelevancy. Four human kingdoms once vying for control over the small rivers-split landmass; their warfare forced en masse upon ocean and across rivers.

When the Alvs made themselves known, the four kingdoms saw a threat to their authority through the magical might displayed by these strange people. And though at the time, the Alvs were no enemy of their kingdoms - there was enough fear and awe to drive them to grow an alliance. This nervousness only grew when the Alv people erected a towering city against the waters made to stand the test of time, within merely a few days.

Over the years, that alliance bound itself into the Fourland Dukedom. Four dukes, never duchesses, that would oversee their domain and keep the peace. And in doing so, they focused their attention away from each-other and began to sail the oceans. For years, they’d warred over the rivers and the ocean close to their own land. Now, they would sail out. They sought to make the waters truly /their/ domain.

But they found opposition in the proud Undine race, that saw their massive fleets and many incursions even on the underwater and the water-side caves, as a threat. And so, the Fourland Dukedom’s attention was forced upon these Undine and their underwater treasures and enormously spanning Empire.

They created strange boats, and magics to move around beneath the water. In turn, the Undine showed they were no less powerful above ground as they were under water. A constant struggle, though never outright war, continued between them.

The Fourland Dukedom was the only kingdom capable of safely running boats across the oceans. And today, even with the monsters that roam the oceans, they have cemented themselves as the only ones truly equipped for this task.

The Alv Genocide

When the Alvs proved their arrogance and secret motives to move in upon their territory, the Fourland Dukedom pushed back. But as their power lay in their ocean-roaming and their siege weapons, they were forced into a temporary alliance with the Undine Hero - who had come to fall in love with their own. With their armies, their hero, and the Undine hero, they annihilated the Alv ruins within their borders, and made it their own.

The Scrapped Princess War

During the Scrapped Princess War, the Scrapped Princesses saw it easy to fool the Fourland Kingdom into an all-out war with the Undine. Whispering lies to the Undine and Human hero, once lovers, turned everything into bitter hatred. Their Spriggan were able to strike across borders that the Fourland Dukedom never expected to be crossed. It was a bloody time, during which the humans put a lot of resources into forming their infrastructure defensive and expanding their siege weaponry and Navy. A choice that later, after the First World Fraction, would pay off.

When the Imps finally came and pulled away the blindfold, they did this partially by mending the relationship between the Undine and Human hero. And in realizing their foolishness, the two became allies once more. The Fourland Dukedom from there-on out helped the many races cross the oceans into the Scrapped Princesses’ domain to execute on their annihilation.

The Monsters

The First World Fraction brought more land monsters than ocean ones, and the Fourland Dukedom was so rife with rivers that the monsters had little room for their breeding grounds. In many ways, the Fourland Dukedom was the least warred-over region. And their human hero made sure that their kingdom continued building on their infrastructure and its off-and-on with the Undine to ensure they would not fall. Even coming to the aid of the Undine in their massive underwater cities to fend off larger monster invasions - and enjoying the benefit the other direction as well.

The Adventurers Arrival

By the time the Adventurers came, the Fourland Dukedom had a massive infrastructure and navy built up that did away with most of the common monsters with ease. Constant patrols over their rivers and the ocean kept the smaller problems at bay. The Fourland Dukedom didn’t enjoy much Adventurer presence in fact.

The Dark Times

When the Adventurers disappeared, the Fourland Dukedom was the least worried. That was, until the arrival of the Leviathans. When the Undine cried out for help, the Fourland Dukedom initiated Operation Anchor, trying to eradicate the first of the great Leviathans alongside the Undine. A battle during which their now aging heroes both perished.

This meant massive fleet losses. It was in honor of their hero, that the Fourland Dukedom made room for the surviving Undine and brought them into their midsts, formally making the ocean-fleeing Undine part of their government a few years later.

Together, they wept for what had seemed to be a near-xenocidal event for the Undine, and formed such a close alliance of means and knowledge that in these days, it’s unfathomable to not hear of the Fourland Dukedom Humans and Undine in the same breath.

The Return of the Adventurers

When the Adventurers returned, they seemed far more numerous. And while the Fourland Dukedom didn’t see much benefits from the Adventurers at first, their arrival finally meant a chance at destroying the Leviathans and an elimination of some of the more troublesome monsters in their regions they’d been keeping at bay. And for the past year, they have been preparing with various guilds to annihilate those enormous sea-monsters. But adventurer-level has not been sufficient so far for the Fourland Dukedom to dare another all-out assault. It would take adventurers more powerful from their new generation of heroes.

Conditions

Government

The Fourland Dukedom is run by four dukes, as the name may imply. Currently, this is an equal two Undine and two Human dukes. Each of these four has a Navy General, Advisor, etc. They coordinate intensively with each other to ensure smooth running.

In general, the Fourland Dukedom is a maritime aristocratic synarchy, aiming to swing into colonialism. It has a heavy culture of maritime and architectural tradition, and fails to be a ‘master’ of anything but naval tradition within the region of Yamato; yet also lacks the economic, military, or intellectual weak points of the others.

Its current Ruling Body are made up by Duke Corwen, Duke Sumeragi, Duke Zorah and Duke Rulid.

Opinion on Adventurers

The Adventurers were not vital to the survival of the Fourland Dukedom, but they are at worst Neutral on the adventurers. They are suspicious of their ability to Resurrect and see both the good and bad brought by these people. However, the main view is that they see them as their best chance at destroying the Leviathans that are halting their navy from truly blossoming.