Alda

Nation Profile
Description	The shining beacon of freedom across the channel.
Government	Absolute Monarchy
Real World Inspiration	England
Other Names	The Land of Stars
Geography
Location	Western Sea
Largest City	Salkaster
Relative Distance From the Basin	Distant
Demography
Demonym	Aldan
Population	3 million
Languages	Aldan
Races and Ethnicities	Aldan
Religion	Aldan Pantheon
Currency	Starling

Nation Overview

Society

Culture

“Aldans,” it is said, “would rather wield a coinpurse than a sword.”

More than any other, Alda is a mercantile nation. Aldans believe themselves to be the most free people in the world, and the foundation of their freedom is the flow of currency. There are no peasants in Alda. Instead, those who work the land do so as tenant farmers, selling their labor to the landowners. Artisans and other skilled laborers often flock to wherever their services are the most valuable. And for the merchants, even noble titles can be bought for the right price. It is the dream of every lowborn Aldan to one day work hard enough to move up to the next rung on the ladder.

The Aldan free spirit extends beyond their love of commerce, of course. Aldans worship who they want: even the most vile deities are allowed temples in Alda so long as their practices do not bring harm onto others. Aldans say what they want: peaceful protest is permitted so long as it does not disrupt anyone's ability to travel or do business. Aldans go where they want: so long as an Aldan has the means, they can pick up and move anywhere in the country.

Alda does not have a significant adventuring culture within its borders. Monsters and other threats are eliminated by the Order of the Alder Throne, and private monster-hunting is outlawed to ensure that the Order posesses sufficient sources of practice to keep their skills sharp. As a result, Aldans who wish to become adventurers leave the country to pursue this career.

Government

Alda is nominally ruled by the Sovereign Eternal. While its monarch does theoretically possess the final say on matters of grave importance and can unilaterally override decisions made by her subjects and vassals, in reality, the administration of the country has largely been delegated to a parliament of appointed ministers.

The parliament is comprised of unlanded nobility who show aptitude for governance – usually the second and third children of landed nobles who do not stand to inherit any land themselves. They are appointed by the Sovereign Eternal herself, who uses esoteric means to determine which candidates are best suited to matters of state. From among them, a Prime Minister is elected by their peers, and the Prime Minister forms a cabinet to head the various ministries of the state.

The parliament of Alda puts emphasis on what it calls “orchestrated freedom”. Rather than achieving desired outcomes through direct management, they use indirect means (usually economic) to steer the nation in the right direction. This often leads the people of Alda, from the lowest tenant farmer to the highest Duke, to believe that they possess much more liberty than they do in reality.

Alda possesses a small standing army of elite troops known as the Order of the Alder Throne, which can be supplemented by conscripts levied from the Sovereign Eternal's lands and vassals. In times of war, the Sovereign Eternal often leads the army herself. Wars have been uncommon for Alda in recent decades, thanks in no small part to the Sovereign Eternal's fearsome reputation as both a brilliant strategist and an Archmage.

Inhabitants

Aldans are typically pale-skinned with darker hair colors. The style of clothing is simple and elegant, with most adornment coming from accessories. Women tend to wear simple mono-color dresses, with finer fabric and dyes being used to indicate social status (though especially wealthy women may adorn their dresses with embroidery). Noblewomen almost universally wear a narrow belt, decorated with metal plating in various colors, with a cyclas or surcoat worn over it. Men's clothing is similar, though they wear a tunic rather than a dress. Men and women both usually cover their legs with hose.

Geography

Climate

Alda has a temperate maritime climate. Its temperatures do not go much below freezing in the wintertime, and it is not terribly hot even in the heart of summer. Thanks to its island nature, the weather is quite wet and changes frequently. Overcast skies are a common sight above Salkaster.

Ecology

Much of Alda is managed woodland, with the relatively few open areas converted to farms and ranches. The soil is of average quality, but it is enough to provide for the country.

Landscape

Low hills and plains make up the majority of Alda's terrain. Rivers run through much of the kingdom, with the largest (the Avonstar) running through the capital of Salkaster.

History

To be discovered

Religion

While the Aldan Pantheon is not the state religion of Alda (for Aldans are free to worship whomever they choose), it has been the dominant religion on the island since the island's history has been recorded. Its houses of worship also benefit from certain tax breaks and other privileges not afforded to other religions, which help it maintain its preeminence within Alda's borders. According to its tradition, the pantheon is presided over by the Willow Queen, a free spirit who believes in going where the wind takes her, and that those with ability can seize their own destiny. She is joined on her journey by her consort, the Brass Knight, who ardently defends his Queen's liberty and the peace of her demense. The Granite Judge is not an opponent of the Willow Queen per se, but more of a counterbalance to her free-spiritedness: while it is all well and good for an individual to be self-actualizing, a society must be bound by convention. He provides these conventions, as well as a path for those who cannot seize life's reins themselves. He does not rule over the pantheon, but he does manage it in his Queen's stead. He is accompanied in his duties by his consort, the Pale Lady. She takes life as it comes, serving as an example of stoicism and dignity in the face of times both hard and good. But when she is wronged, her vengeance is swift and terrible.