A group of six principalities and petty kingdoms, along with two city states. They are separated by language and rivalry, but united by history and one common purpose: to stand as the first line of defense against the Crescent Empire. To those outside the Wakenlyan, the six countries seem to blur together. They see only a place of unsteady rulers, and of superstitious, fearful peasants. But each country is indeed it’s own land with it’s own history and rulers.

Banava

Eskylya

Turalvya

Aklan

Tahtornya

Uzikya

Irilus

Patlov

Zytanya

Bonus Trait: Resolve

The northernmost of the Wakenlyan, Banava once stood between the Sea of Eyes and Usurra. Now it stands under Montainge control, as Montegue had to march his way through Banava to achieve his Emperor’s goal of war with Usurra (1). Upon Montegue’s arrival, the king of Banava made a deal with the devil known as Leon Alexandre, and while they certainly have more Autonomy than the people of Conquered Castille, they are now little more than an extension of the Empire of Montaigne.

This hardly sits well with the local Nobles, who resent the superior attitude of the Montainge soldiers towards them. The common people are not so badly affected, but that may well change if L’ Empereur decides to drain it’s new little kingdom dry to increase the glory of his own reign. And Banava can easily be so depleted, for there is a wealth of precious stones under the mountains of Banava, and is home to some of the finest jewelers in Theah. Jewelers that Leon could easily prefer to be working for him, and precious stones that can offset the cost of the wars with both Usurra and Castille.

Bonus Trait: Resolve

Nestled against Usurra, the kingdom of Eskylya is almost more Usurran than Wakenlyan. Matushka has extended her protection to the land any time their own king acknowledges the Gaius as his leige. Many of the nobles of Eskylya have married noble families of Usurra, and Pyrdym is not uncommon. The current king of Eskylya maintains his independence from Matushka’s chosen, but his son pines for an Usurran noblewoman, so Eskylya’s current independence may not survive her current ruler.

Eskylya’s people are of a mixed mind when it comes to Matushka’s protection. Without the King’s acquiescence, Matushka seems to have no power in Eskylya, yet the winters are unquestionably milder when Matushka watches over them. Still, most would prefer not to have the current Gaius as their lord, and there is little question that if the prince wins his lady love, she will not have the love of the people unless the current Gaius of Usurra is removed first.

Bonus Trait: Wits.

They are almost overlooked, when considering the politics of the Wakenlyan, and that’s just how the Princes of Turalvya have always wanted it. Not because of the peace that it brings their people, though the peasants are certainly fond of that. But rather, they enjoy being overlooked because that gives them power when the other lords of the Wakenlyan realize that the support of the rich and militarily powerful Turalvya will tip the balance in their favor. After all, how do you think Turalvya became the richest of the Wakenlyan? Turalvya’s quiet power makes them dangerous, and if a truly ambitious prince ever came to the throne, the rest of the Wakenlyan could be in serious trouble.

At the moment, the nearest such threat is the nephew of the current prince, but in the unstable lands of the Wakenlyan, even a nephew can claim and empty throne.

Bonus Trait: Wits

The Kingdom of Aklan claims to be the oldest of the Wakenlyan, and certainly none of the others dispute it. Resting on the Northwest shore of the Sea of Eyes, Aklan looks across the Sea of Eyes at the Crescent Empire.

But the Kingdom of Aklan has a troubled past. No ruler has died of old age in centuries. Fratricide is the most common means of ascension, though son’s have killed their parents, and cousin has murdered cousin to obtain the throne. It is no wonder the throne is referred to as the Crimson Chair. Still, though the throne has occasionally passed to cousins or husbands of daughters, the bloodline that rules Aklan is the same that founded the Kingdom. Even with intrigue and Treachery to equal the Vodacce amongst the nobles.

The common people simply adapt. They know that if one ruler is cruel, the next will come along soon. He may be worse, he may be better, but he will be a change. This makes the people very adaptable to any sort of strangeness or change, and those who are permitted to travel, depending on the King, can adapt in any country they find themselves. Still the people have a love for their homeland, if not always the ruler, and even under the cruelest king, they do not depart their home.

Bonus Trait: Wits

A century ago, the king of Aklan died, leaving his two sons and a daughter. The daughter was married to the mayor of Tahtornya, a large trading town on the coast of the Sea of Eyes. While the two sons tore the kingdom apart fighting each other for the throne, the daughter and her husband quickly set their city as a haven against the madness. For ten years brother fought brother, and the city of Tahtornya survived on its own, asking nothing of whichever prince claimed the title of King and the Crimson Chair at that moment. When the fighting was done, the survivor asked for the long overdue taxes from the city, and was refused. For ten years Tahtornya had not needed the Crimson Chair, and they were sure they could survive as such indefinitely. His forces sorely depleted by the civil war, the new king simply washed his hands of the city, sure that they would change their tune once the Crescents attacked. But Tahtornya survived crescent attack, and attempted invasions by neighboring kingdoms. And now Tahtornya stands on it’s own. The ruling family has not suffered the same bloodbaths as its progenitors, but even so, intrigue is hardly a foreign concept to the nobility of the city.

Bonus Trait: Resolve

Uzikya stands alone among not only the Wakenlyan, but indeed among all of Theah as the only country where tradition passes the throne to the eldest daughter. Long ago, in order to reduce the chances of revolution, a picture was painted of the Beloved princess against her "evil" advisors. But this is only a picture, most of the time. In truth, the advising Nobles usually run the country, taking the blame upon themselves for the more draconian measures, and casting the more lenient ones upon the princess, to ensure that the princess is beloved by her people.

The scam has worked well…except for those times when the Princess was not content to be a mere figurehead. Twice Uzikya has been lucky, and the Princess was indeed a benevolent ruler. Once it was not, and revolution nearly upset everything until the Princess’s sister was persuaded to take the throne. Most of the time when the Princess has been of strong will, she has been willing to work with the Council to maintain the peace.

The People are fiercely loyal to their princess, and they revel in cheering their "champion" and booing their "nemesis" in the form of the council. A few know it’s just a game, but everyone loves to play.

Bonus Trait: Resolve

In the 1420’s, the ruling family of Irilus all died of the White Plague. Having no other real choice, the Royal Bishop of Irilus stepped in to stabilize the country. Unfortunately, it never actually stabilized, and no method for choosing a new King was ever agreed upon by the remaining relatives. The Bishop took on the Title of "Regent" to place a mask of respectability on his claim to the throne, and the office of Holy Regent has ruled Irilus ever since.

Irilus is not a friendly place for Objectionists, Crescents, the Church of Avalon, or even the Usurran Orthodox. Vatacine to an extreme that even Castillians would find disturbing, when the Inquisition put an end to the exploration of Science by the church, every university in Irilus was shut down. In only two years where once there were scholars and scientists, the people have become suspicious, insular and superstitious. Mass is held daily, and absence from Mass on Holy days often leads the Inquisition to the miscreant’s door. The people of Irilus hide behind their religion, using it as a shield against the world, and against the Regent.

Practitioners of Pritzka are also targets for the Inquisition, and those that know it’s secrets are a rare find in Irilus.

Bonus Trait: Resolve

On the edge of disaster sits the City-state of Patolv. Carved from Irilus only twenty years ago, during the War of the Cross, Patolv strives to display the religious tolerance that made Weiss the beloved Imperator that he was. It sits balanced between Irilus and Hainzl, swearing loyalty to neither, and praying it can survive.

But survival does not look likely for Patolv. Flooded by refugees from both Eisen and the oppression of Irilus, Patolv has too many mouths to feed off of its meager landscape. It’s industries are strong, especially Clockworks, but not strong enough to support the imports of food required. How long the city will be able to stand on it’s own, with Irilus yearning to recapture it’s wayward child, is in the hands of Theus.

Despite their differences, the Wakenlyan share many elements of culture. As a rule, the people are Usuran orthodox, although Vatacine beliefs are not uncommon. Objectionism is rare. The people are close knit, and even the largest cities seem to have a "small town" feel to them…including a mistrust of outsiders.

Bonus Trait: Panache

A mysterious people with no past they speak of, and no land they call home, they are wanderers who live of the lands they travel through, and the people there. They are honest people…among themselves, but will play someone outside their kind for a sucker any chance they get. Still, they are ladies and gentlemen of their own sort of honor, and if they give you their word as a Zytanya, they will not break it, no mater the origin of the person so owed. They are thought to be related to the Fhideli of Ussurra, or perhaps the Cymbr of Voddacce, for their language is not dissimilar to either, but it is closest to the other languages of the Wakenlyan, which they claim as their brethren. This despite the minor detail that their "brothers" do not return the favor.

Zytanya are unique among the peoples of the Wakenlyan, for they can purchase half blood with any sorcery for 25 points. Their connection to Vodacce is displayed by Sorte costing only 20 points. They can also buy Pritzka or the Druid School. (Pritzka at normal cost, Druid at 25pts) Zytanya cannot be nobles (or gentry), nor have any advantages tying them to any land.

 Each of the Wakenlyan, except the city-states, speaks their own variant of what was once a common language. These are more pronounced than the "regional accents" of many countries, creating in fact six separate languages, however, all of these languages are so similar to each other that a speaker can make himself understood by anyone who knows any one of the languages. (A speaker in one of the languages is considered to have an Acquaintance with the other five for free)

The Wakenlyan have three other things in common. A local magic ("Shamanism") known as Pritzka and two schools of combat. Di Stenand, a sword and shield style used by the armies of all eight Wakenlyan, and Fenytsa, a fencing school taught to many nobles of the lands.

(1) Footnote: In the Ussura book, Montegue did the more sensible thing and sailed north of Eisen to Ussura. For my own plot reasons, I decided to return Montegue's approach to Ussura to the one implied in the Game Master's Guide, the Player's Handbook, Montaigne and Eisen, which is along the Trade River.

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