FEF7 Lore: Nations

KINGDOM OF ANGEBORTEN:
Coat of Arms: Three oak trees silver on red field
Predominant Religion: Seven Sisters
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Gothian (Gallian)
Cultural Counterpart: Francophone Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembourg etc)

Landlocked and sparsely urbanized, Kingdom of Angeborten occupies the fertile valley where most of Vulnberries grow in the wild. Angeborten Valley was site of many battles, both to conquer the precious herbfields as well as secure the strategic mountain passes into Gallia and Herzgottia. After the Seven Years' War in the middle of the last century, the native Albertine dynasty was replaced with Sachsen monarch, Friedrich; his grandson, the elderly Friedrich II, is the current ruler of the nation, his only child and heiress being Princess Sophia von Sachsen-Angeborten, bethrothed to Joachim Lichteisen, a son of one of numerous local noble families. The ruling family enjoys some popularity amongst its subjects, although it is constantly challenged by Seven Sisters' clergy (on the grounds of being too progressive) and plutocratically-minded merchant class (on the grounds of being too feudal in its politics), sometimes leading to domestic problems of varying size and severity.

HERZGOTTIAN EMPIRE (defunct):
Coat of Arms: Sitting golden lion on black field
Predominant Religion: Sigismund the Man-King
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Gothian
Cultural Counterpart: Germany

Once a large nation-state comprised of many feudal townships and noble holdings, it was ruled by the ambitious and greedy Bayernlohe family for almost a hundred years, the backbone of its army always the mighty and terrifying Wyvern Riders. Often, Herzgottian Empire clashed with Kingdom of Gallia, and one of the exhaustive wars, know as 'The Half War' saw collapse of Herzgottia; Grand Duchy of Herzgottia, Republic of Nurn and Kingdom of Sterlitz are its current-day remnants.

GRAND DUCHY OF HERZGOTTIA:
Coat of Arms: Field divided silver and black, diagonally upper-left to lower-right
Predominant Religion: Sigismund the Man-King
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Gothian
Cultural Counterpart: Central Germany (Hesse)

Whatever did not become independent or was annexed by Gallia or the Tiberrine City-States, remained with Herzgottia, which ruler was now elected amongst the Lords of the Grand Council, the greatest monarchs of all time like Karl Sober or Ulrich von Altenburg rising to power only due to the Lords' support. Over the decades, however, the Council lost its influence and its main job nowadays is to affirm the basically-hereditary rule of von Sachsen family. Currently, Maximillian I von Sachsen rules the Grand Duchy, and has family ties with Angeborten Kingdom; King Friedrich II and Grand Duke Maximillian I are uncle and nephew, respectively.

KINGDOM OF TATALIA:
Coat of Arms: Silver pegasus rearing on blue field
Predominant Religion: Seven Sisters
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Kostspraak (Gothian)
Cultural Counterpart: Netherlands

Tatalians were always a peoples similar yet different from the Herzgottians; whereas Herzgottians looked proudly upon their Wyverns and prefered conquest of land, Tatalians cultivated their maritime ties and maintained their prized Pegasus stables. First a close affiliate of Herzgottia, it was then bound together in marriage, then in vassalship, before being integrated into the Empire; after its fall, Tatalians gained independence once more. Currently the maritime kingdom is known for its trading prowess and of course the Pegasi mercenaries. In Tatalia, the King (of Diest dynasty) and his family wield mostly ceremonial power; the ruling power lies within the Lord-Protector and Tatalian Plutocrats.

REPUBLIC OF NURN:
Coat of Arms: Black lion on golden field
Predominant Religion: Seven Sisters
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Gothian, Tibberian
Cultural Counterpart: Southern Germany (Bavaria)

A small republic, ruled by Council of Lords, which numbers are determined both by elections and hereditary appointage. Considered 'the trade hub' of Herzgottian Empire, its wealth allowed not only to buy itself an independence from Gallian occupation, but also to raise and maintain a defensive force. Nurnians consider themselves 'successors' of Herzgottian Empire, leading to certain dose of hostility (fortunately, often cold rather than hot) between them and the Grand Duchy. Otherwise, the Republic keeps to itself, albeit the Council keeps amicable ties with the Kingdom of Angeborten.

KINGDOM OF STERLITZ:
Coat of Arms: Green fire-breathing wyvern on silver field
Predominant Religion: Sigismund the Man-King
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Gothian
Cultural Counterpart: Northern Germany (Hannover)

Proud and ancient Kingdom, first ruled by Sigismund the Man-King, Mountain-Eater and Dragon-Slayer, himself. The first dynasty long gone, its successor rulers were Bayernlohe family, who came to wield great power and rule Herzgottian Empire. After the fall of Empire, the reverence of Sigismund diminished across the continent, but people of Sterlitz remain his most faithful of worshippers. Agricultural in its makeup and peppered with thick forests and uncharted mountains, it would be considered a backwards land of poverty, fortunately 'Sons of Sigismund's' (Man-King's theocratic council) charitable donations as well as the income from local gold mines keep Sterlitzian peoples well fed.

EMPIRE OF GALLIA:
Coat of Arms: Five golden stars on blue and black checkered field
Predominant Religion: The Inviolable Light
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Gallian (Tibberian, Kostspraak)
Cultural Counterpart: France

Since time eternal, Gallians were ruled by Sanspeur family. Through numerous branches and marriages between cousins (always at least thrice-removed), the ancient dynasty was kept both healthy and alive. The internal stability led to economic prosperity, and that economic prosperity allowed foundation of powerful military giant. In Age of Strife, Empire of Gallia fought often with Argeboten, Tiberrine City-States and Herzgottia, finally leading to collapse of the last one. Nowadays, Gallians have to contend with some nomads from beyond Southern Deserts, preoccupying the minds and armies of Gallians for the time-being. They're also renowned for their rich vineyards and literature, with repetitive epics, 'les mysteres' and vengeance dramas being renowned across entirety of the continent, with current Gallian Emperor, the square-faced and hairy Jean XIV Sanspeur, being an active patron of arts, and even a playwright, himself.

TIBERRINE REPUBLICS:
Coat of Arms: varies (Nicca: Two silver winged spears crossed on black field; Floria: Red rose on silver-and-blue checkered field; Vancia: Four silver circles arranged into a cross on red field)
Predominant Religion: varies; The Inviolable Light in south and west, Seven Sisters in northeast
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Tibberian
Cultural Counterpart: Italy

Comprised of twenty-one republics varying in size from city-states to expansive nations, the Tiberrines live on a peninsula rich in fertile farmlands and rich hillsides surrounded from three sides by Tiber Sea. Sometimes, Tiberrines fight against each other over petty issues, but when presented with outside threat, they are capable of quickly putting aside their differences and fight alongside each other. After dissolving Herzgottian Empire, the Tiberrines next dealt a crushing defeat to Empire of Gallia, establishing 'Hundred Years Truce'. Nowadays, the lands of Tiberrines are lands of milk and honey, arts and sculpture, gold and jewellry... but internal politics of the alliance are shaky at best, with rampant corruption and mysterious murders, the peninsula became a battlefield for three most influential of republics: Nicca, Floria and Vancia.

KINGDOM OF NORGEMARK:
Coat of Arms: Divided into four parts, three golden wyverns on blue field in top left and bottom right, a red longship on silver field in top right and bottom left
Predominant Religion: Sigismund the Man-King (coastal cities), Norgemarkian Animism (inland)
Official (and Common other) Language(s): Nordic
Cultural Counterpart: Scandinavia (Denmark)

Back in the days of Herzgottia, Norgemarks were considered lowly island dwellers who had nothing to offer but fish and furs. But once they mastered shipbuilding and begun raising Wyverns, boy, the Tatalians and Herzgottians were in a bad time. For past two centuries, Norgemarks raided the coasts, with tales of the conquests, pillaging and fearsome strength scaring many people as far as Gallia. Nowadays, Norgemark has changed; its ruling dynasty, the Sjeborg family, tracing its roots to Bayernlohes of Herzgottia, it also adopted its culture and religion, albeit wildsmen and hunters of inland Norgemark keep true to worship of divine beasts and ancestral spirits. Coastal cities are not very different from ports on Herzgottian side of Suderbund Sea; Temples of Sigismund are surrounded by thatch-and-brick townhouses, whilst Wyvern hatcheries bring tons of profit into local merchants' pockets. Norgemark is currently ruled by King Faldmar VI 'the Iron Fist'; the nickname comes from the fact that, during a hunting trip gone wrong, Faldmar, then in his teens, had to wrestle a wild Wyvern to death, losing his left hand (and left eye, for that matter) in the process, and had it replaced with an iron-cast replica.