Topic: OOC Setting - Pomerania

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:53 EST
http://i.imgur.com/ghFN11Y.jpg

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:54 EST
Pomerania is the closet thing to an empire state Meringia has. Alanic, Carantania, Epirus, Cicilia. Edessa, and Lotharingia are all vassal states of the High Kingdom of Pomerania, paying tribute and at least lip service to the High King himself. Valentia is nominally at war with Pomerania, though lacks the military might to be able to stand against the allied states.

Francia is a sore spot - it was a vassal state for centuries, until two generations ago, when the Franks made a series of decisive strikes along the border they share with Pomerania. Rather than risk a war that could easily bring about the destruction of the noblest line in the land, the then High King, Godfrey, chose to release Francia from its vassal status. Since then, Pomerania has been trying to cement an alliance with the Frankish kingdom without a vast amount of luck. This, however, will change with the marriage of the Crown Prince Stephan to the Princess Royal of Francia, Marianne.

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:54 EST
A BRIEF HISTORY

Pomerania began life as a small city state that shared a border with Gelre, the seat of the Church, and owed allegiance to Francia, the most powerful established kingdom in those early days. The usurping of the city's leadership by one Caspar Hasperan, however, changed the fate of Pomerania forever. He is considered a hero by the people of Pomerania, a military and political genius who, over the course of his forty year reign, expanded Pomeran territory until it encompassed the small state of Gelre entirely. His son and grandson, too, shared his genius, and by the end of two centuries, Pomerania had risen to become one of the largest and most secure countries in Meringia, their royal line established and acknowledged by others, most notably Gelre and Francia.

That military and diplomatic seems to be an inbred talent of the Hasperan line, though the line itself was almost broken during the first expansion of vassal states a little under four centuries ago. For sixty years, a cadet branch of the Royal House of Tournai (Francia's royal line) took power, but the Hasperan line was protected. When they had three generations fit for war, the throne of Pomerania was taken back, and Francia was forced to become the first true vassal state of Pomerania. With the support of the Dalai in Gelre, Pomerania proceeded to subjugate Alanic, Carantania, Epirus, Cicilia. Edessa, Valentia, and Lotharingia under the auspices of a treaty of perpetual peace. In recent years, Francia has broken away, and Valentia has nominally declared war on the mother state without much more than making noise.

Pomeran culture revolves around the Church and the Crown - they take their responsibility as the Defenders of the Faith very seriously indeed. As the renaissance sweeps in from Alanic and other countries, fashions are slowly changing; not just in clothing, but in music and the arts, even certain customs. The Pomeran court, however, is unlikely to change quickly - staunchly loyal and obedient to the Royal House of Hasperan, nonetheless there is always a plot or seven underway to shift the balance of power among the nobles.

An idiosyncrasy of Pomeran culture is that sexual affairs are conducted openly and without shame; there is no stigma attached to any man or woman who chooses to lie with someone other than their wedded partner, and indeed, some make their living from such affairs.

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:55 EST
http://mysticrapture.weebly.com/uploads/2/5/2/3/25234271/1663031_orig.jpg
The Coat of Arms of the Royal House of Hasperan

The royal line of Hasperan has survived, unbroken but twice deposed, since the foundation of the kingdom following Caspar Hasperan's revolutionary expansion. The current King, Philippe (53), is one of the older kings in Meringia, and has proved to be a master of diplomacy, somehow managing to maintain the allegiance and loyalty of the majority of the vassal states under his care. Kings in Pomerania tend to take wives from those vassal states - the current Queen was originally the First Princess of Valentia, Catherine (47), before her country declared a war of independence in word only.

Though Philippe and Catherine were married young, their first two children - both male - were stillborn. Their eldest surviving son, Stephan (29), Crown Prince of Pomerania, was followed by two further sons; Maksim (27), Duke of Ayleth, and Felipe (25), Earl of Merek.

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:56 EST
REGIONS

Garia The original city state as it has been for centuries, this is the seat of Pomerania, the jewel in the crown, maintaining both the capital city of Berengaria, Castile Garia, and the Crown Prince's estate at Peronell.

Ayleth The trade center of Pomerania, Ayleth is the closest point of the country to the sea. Thanks to the glowing reputation of its market towns, this is the place all merchants wish to visit at least once in their lifetime. It is the ducal seat of Maksim, the second son of the king.

Catrain A region given over to the Dalai of Gelre by order of the king, Catrain is the most fertile land in Pomerania, worked by the religious orders of the Church of the Goddess, who pay a tithe of their produce to the Pomeran crown.

Carac Carac could be called the cultural capital of Pomerania. It contains the king's southern estate at Dareth Fall, and is often host to visiting nobles and royals when the king is in residence. It is the most peaceful region of the country, having never risen in rebellion or been attacked from without.

Ysmay Bordering Francia, Ysmay has the unlovely distinction of being a waypoint between Gelre and the First Church in Sanbryde, Francia. Pilgrims can often be found tracing the route between the foundation of the Church, and its current seat.

Merek A region almost entirely devoted to worrying its immediate neighbor, the troublesome country of Coimbra, Merek is the most heavily fortified of the provinces of Pomerania, maintaining a steady force on the border to discourage the Coimbrans from attempting an incursion of any kind, under the command of Felipe, the king's youngest son.

Fendral Fendral is farming central for the majority of Pomerania, second only to Catrain. Wagons more or less constantly trundle along the roads to the other regions, supplying food and essentials to the less fecund regions of the country.

Terrowin Containing the king's northern estate of Castile Woolgar, Terrowin was once the most heavily under siege region of the country. In peaceful times now, nonetheless it is still the most defensible, enduring bitter winters and boiling summers. It is from here that the intricate lace that Pomeran women are so famous for originates.

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:56 EST
LIST OF PERTINENT PLACES


Berengaria
The capital city of Pomerania is located hard on the southern-most border of Gelre, close to the center of the realm and equally close to the residence of the Dalai within Gelre itself. The court and main function of government is maintained here, with the Castile Garia sitting above the city itself.
http://s.picsfab.com/static/contents/images/7/9/3/0d10c1ba1622d4ac19be9e433412e.jpg


Castile Woolgar
The King's northern estate, located in the mid-east of the northern half of the kingdom. This is where the new year is often celebrated, and is considered to be the most defensible castle built in Pomerania. If, at any time, the royal house is threatened, they are moved to Castile Woolgar.
http://multimedia1.front.toprural.com/alojamiento/7/0/6/1364489355077_big.jpg


Dareth Fall
The King's southern estate can be found a little over fifty miles from the southern border with Francia and Alanic, one of the most peaceful regions in Meringia. This is the king's winter retreat, where he can escape from the bitter weather further north, and often is used to entertain visiting monarchs from other countries.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Alcazaba_de_M%C3%A1laga_desde_el_puerto.JPG/640px-Alcazaba_de_M%C3%A1laga_desde_el_puerto.JPG


Peronell
The estate of the Crown Prince, located around forty miles east of Berengaria - within a couple of days' journey from the capital itself without being too close. It has a relatively small house, but the estate is considered one of the greenest in the country, and those who live in the small town of Peronell on the border of the estate have a great love for Prince Stephan.
http://magazine.zankyou.com/fr/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Ch%C3%A2teau-de-Bourron.jpg

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:59 EST
King Philippe
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/72/ff/a3/72ffa3c9b7650bebe7ba665e06c7b0e0.jpg

Queen Catherine
http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy107/ShannaraRhyDin/917045474123474528.jpg

Prince Maksim - second son
http://media3.popsugar-assets.com/files/2013/05/09/809/n/3019466/487840bd570d48ac_Henry.xxxlarge/i/Onscreen-princes-like-Ever-After-Prince-Henry-Dougray-Scott-let.jpg

Prince Felipe - third son
http://cineplex.media.baselineresearch.com/images/296024/296024_large.jpg

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:59 EST
RELIGION

Pomerania adheres strictly to the Church of the Goddess (Catholic Church), being the Defenders of the Faith. There is no tolerance of religious debate, and any heresy is weeded out and ruthlessly destroyed. The New Church of Coimbra is not acknowledged, and any dissemination of beliefs from that structure are vehemently opposed.

William Marillier

Date: 2014-12-18 15:59 EST
CUISINE

Pomeran cuisine is basically French in nature, very simply prepared from high quality ingredients. Meat is consumed on a daily basis, served with highly pungent sauces and few vegetables. Fish is something only the very wealthy enjoy, either farmed from lakes on private estates or transported at great expense from Alanic or Cicilia. Fruit is in high demand, though sugar is also known in the richer circles. People drink ale, beer, or wine - the water is not safe to drink until it has been used in the fermenting process.