Cryria: Difference between revisions
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Even as the self-proclaimed Queen made her escape, the rest of the Kingdom devolved into open war. Talvere, historically wary of the Church's influence, declared itself for the Queen and launched a fleet against Lindesgaard only to see it destroyed over a month-long campaign. Later campaigns on land brought further Talveri defeats when Isak's armies took Storlund and Lavini. In the north, Karlin's small flotilla successfully deters destructive coastal raids from the overcautious leaders of Aisis March. A later invasion into Karlin results in the disastrous Jaedz Campaign, which devastates much of the countryside but is caught by winter and destroyed in an ambush. Karlin's armies then march through the highlands towards the city of Lielsta, whose garrison is thought to be unreliable. Isak's armies remain caught on the far side of the Isles, still occupied by the war against Talvere. To stall the Duchess' march south, Gustaf of Tarva and the King's Ghouls move to Lielsta to take control of the city's defense. The presence of the afflicted soldiers unnerves both the garrison and the besiegers, however, and the former attempts to defect. The Lower City falls in the subsequent insurrection, but forces loyal to Isak hold the strategic Linnake Plateau and its citadel, which controls the passage south. Thus, the war in the north came to a stalemate.
The forces the two claimants had become increasingly bloodied by years of warfare, and both made overtures to the last neutral power in Cryria - Duke
==== The Court of Quarters ====
As the Queen's armies surrendered or fled, Isak set out to return stability to the Kingdom and legitimacy to the House of Leidensen. Cryrian powerbrokers would gather in the ancient walled city of Nederborg to end the long war. Harsh punishments were levied against rebellious aristocrats who declined to swear their loyalty to the King. Those sentenced to death were hung, drawn, and quartered in the town square. Those willing to accept new allegiances forfeited only portions of their wealth and lands, in part due to the Church's efforts to ameliorate the King's desire for vengeance. Dominating the proceedings was the Duke of Tynam, who was both reviled by much of the Kingdom due to his late entry and treacherous actions, but also commanded the last intact force in the Isles. Worries about the Duke's increasingly independent attitude and the need to reward him for his service led to proposals that the Duchy of Karlin be granted to him. The area was still fiercely rebellious with a widespread hatred of the Duke, and it was thought that being forced to occupy the area would occupy Tynam's resources. Isak rejected this scheme. The King had by all accounts grown paranoid over the course of the war, and feared that the still-missing Duchess Caroline might resurface to launch a new uprising, this time with Tynam's backing.
Tynam's reward would ultimately come from Talvere instead of Karlin. Though Talveri holdings on Älmark had fallen and its fleet was destroyed, the island itself remained under the control of the Queen's supporters. In exchange for their return to the fold without further warfare, Talveri autocephaly would be reaffirmed. The lost territories on Älmark were reorganized into the new Duchy of Storlund and granted to Duke
=== The Absolute Era ===
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=== Nobility ===
The Cryrian nobility encompasses both hereditary peers and anointed knights. The Kingdom's aristocracy has played a fundamental role throughout its history, but has seen its official powers vastly curtailed. The Absolute Era effectively ended the existence of semi-independent fiefdoms and private armies which had previously defined the Kingdom. Reforms in 1929 further reduced the power the aristocracy could wield inside the Riksdag and many of the social attachments around the nobility such as required forms of address soon fell out of use as well.
Even so the nobility continues to be a recognized class in Cryria, and has at times been criticized for maintaining a ''de facto'' caste system through a combination of inherited wealth and political connections. Indeed, over a third of land in Cryria is still thought to be owned by the aristocracy, often as parts of centuries-old holdings. Powerful [[Egendom|Egendomar]] also often are held by aristocratic families. The Drifting Throne has the sole authority in both making and unmaking members of the nobility and in granting or withdrawing seats in the Första Kammaren.
The nobility can be divided into four groups - The High Nobility, Count and Countesses, Barons and Baronesses, and Knights of the Realm. Some titles also exist outside this categorization. For example, King Albert bestowed the title of Lord Protector of the Realm on his common-born Prime Minister Rikard Östberg, reportedly after noting the disrespect Östberg faced from powerful aristocrats within the Riksdag. This action effectively forced other aristocrats to address Östberg as an equal in terms of rank, and the practice of granting Prime Ministers the title of Lord Protector for the duration of their terms continues to this day.
==== High Nobility ====
The so-called High Nobility encompasses the most powerful aristocratic families of Cryria that historically held sway over large swathes of the Kingdom. While these were at times very nearly monarchs in their own right, the uppermost levels of Cryrian nobility were thus also the ones who received the greatest degree of scrutiny and interference from the Monarchy. This policy was explicitly described by the Duke Gösta of Tynam after the Sorrows:{{quote|To be the second most powerful man in Cryria is to at once be the most dangerous and the most endangered.}}As such it is no accident that the category of High Nobility saw a high degree of turnover throughout Cryrian history as its occupants were often deliberately kept impermanent. As the House of Leidensen's power centralized many of these titles were either gathered into the Royal Family or simply fell out of use.
The High Nobility consisted of both Ducal and Marcher Houses. Of the seven Ducal titles in the Kingdom, four(Karlin, Leidenstad, Vesterholm, and Talvere) are now held by the occupant of the Drifting Throne. A fifth - the Duke of Lindesgaard - Is a title traditionally granted to the Crown Prince or Princess. Titles to the Duchy of Storlund and Tynam are both held by the House of Tynam.
Cryria also has three regions designated as Marches - Aisis, Lielsta, and Oshombran. These were historically frontier areas with high degrees of continuous instability and warfare. The title of Margrave was more akin to an appointed general with the right to rule over, call upon, and command the nobility of a given region. The title was not an inherited one, though a single prominent family might see several generations receive the same title over time. The appointment of Margraves ended during the Absolute Era as professional standing armies become more effective and prevalent. This effectively leaves the House of Tynam as the last family to fall within the category of the High Nobility, as the House of Leidensen is typically not counted.
=== Political Parties ===
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