King’s Port
National Symbol: Roaring Lion Head
National Colors: Blue and Gold
51% Human (British Ethnic Backgrounds)
20% Halfling
13% Dwarf
11% Wood Elf
4% Gome
1% High Elf
40% Organized
20% Shamanistic
20% Pantheon
10% Ancestor Worship
(Feudal Monarchy System of Government) The Kingdom of Aldania is ruled by a royal family. Holding supreme governmental control, the King has the final authority on all affairs of state. Underneath the King are nobles organized into Great Houses that each control a province in the kingdom and are the ones responsible for keeping law and order in their lands and the daily governance. The political landscape is one where the Great Houses are constantly vying for more influence in the royal court, and a lot of the governance is mired in power struggles.
Badlands: Neutral
Cenovia: Hostile
Commonwealth of Dail: Neutral
Eldarian Union: Neutral
Elven Triumvirate: Friendly
Empire of Grundar: Neutral
Golden Dwarves: Neutral
Grand Duchy of Montia: Friendly
Granelian Protectorate: Friendly
Hassarian Oligarchy: Neutral
Highlands: Neutral
Ichi Shogunate: Neutral
Idelan Republic: Neutral
Iron Dwarves: Friendly
Naga’s Landing: Hostile
Orc Horde: Hostile
Sahalan Sultanate: Hostile
Shaneier Elves: Neutral
Steel Dwarves: Neutral
Taisan Khanate: Hostile
The Dark Covenant: Hostile
Theocracy of Vespa: Friendly
Undying Lands: Hostile
Wolven Marches: Hostile
Currency is minted with a Lion Head icon on it
Gold (gp) is used to buy luxury goods and high-end services
Silver (sp) is used to buy common quality goods and skilled labor
Copper (cp) is used to buy basic supplies goods and food
Average costs
Basic Food items: 1-3 copper
Luxury Food items: 10-15 copper
Basic Drinks: 1-3 copper
Luxury Drinks: 5-10 copper
Basic clothing: 25-50 copper
Average clothing: 25-50 silver
Luxury/High End clothing: 10-15 gold
Basic Lodging (Common Inn): 5-10 silver per night
Comfortable Lodging (High End Inn): 20-25 silver per night
Luxury Lodging (Private room with bath): 50-100 silver per night
Opulent/Noble Lodging (Private suite with multiple rooms): 10-15 gold per night
Transportation (Rented wagon/carriage): 10-15 silver per km
Weapons and Armor: Use Item costs
In the Kingdom of Aldania you have traditional medieval fantasy architecture in a mix of European, Romanesque, and Gothic styles. Tudor style buildings are common, as are large stone castles for the Great Houses. Equally abundant are quaint thatched roof farmsteads and Inns/taverns that dot the countryside. Towns and villages heavily use stone, wood, and tile materials, and many buildings have signs out front to denote their purpose.
Aldania is the true melting pot of just about every other culture in the world as it has the most diverse population. Having access to nearly every type of materials, clothing can be made from wool, cotton, hemp, silks, leather, and furs. Colors are also equally varied and styles are also diverse. Many provinces have regional designs or patterns such as stripes, floral patterns, or other such embroideries but just about any clothing that can be tailored can be found here. Higher class wealthy citizens and nobles tend to favor finely crafted silk or velvet attire in the color of their respective House.
Typical cuisine in Aldania includes all manners of variety. Plentiful farmland, livestock, forests, seafood, and natural sources of producing food mean the options are limitless. Aldanian’s pride themselves on variety, and nearly every establishment that sells food has a ‘special’ item they are known for. Drinks are usually fruit or tea based, and alcohol favors wheat-based ales, ciders, meads, red wines, and strong whiskey spirits.
Music: Aldanian music is a clash of cultural styles. Everything from elegant elven arrangements on precise instruments, sonnets from the sea, to guttural dwarven chanting and horns can be found here. Most music comes from minstrels who are fond of bardic tales. Taverns and concert halls are riddled with such traveling musicians earning coin for their songs and melodies.
Literature: Books and writing are common in Aldania, and in a wide variety of topics and source materials. Everything from magical tomes, to fanciful fictions about star crossed lovers can be found here. Many of the Great Houses keep archives and libraries and written contracts, patents of nobility, and guild charters are also common.
Entertainment/Theater: The primary form of entertainment in Aldania are tournaments. The Great Houses love to host them as a demonstration of their knightly prowess, and as a social event to gain favor with the royal family or other Houses. Outside of tournaments elaborate banquet and ballroom activities are also popular amongst the nobility. In the lower class the diverse cultural spread is also an influence. Gambling, athletic competitions, horse racing, and other such activities are common. Prostitution is also an industry here, but it is regulated by the state and courtesans must have a license that confirms they are doing so of their own free will.
Technology is primarily medieval throughout the Kingdom of Aldania but because of the cultural diversity it is common enough to not surprise anyone should they run across a clever gadget. Much of the larger keeps and castles have plumbing but that is about as advanced as the country has gotten. Magic is equally widespread, however magic users must be a member of one of the many Mage Guilds or risk imprisonment. These guilds control the rules for magic use and ensure that it is not used for nefarious or destructive purposes.
After the great war that wiped out much of the elven and dwarven populations, a large expanse of territory of what would eventually turn into Aldania became uninhabited. Unlike the scorched earth practices that took place in the east, the west was spared the destruction. However without any dwarves or elves left in the area to stifle the expansion, a group of human tribes began to settle the lands. Not having much interaction with dwarves or elves, the civilization that developed was unique to humans. A mix of family and social castes based on their purpose the humans in Aldania developed a more traditional feudal society. Land ownership became a very important part of status and only nobles were allowed to do so. This led to a complicated hierarchal and hereditary system of politics that most other cultures and nations can’t make sense of. But to most Aldanian’s it is simple, the land or town you come from is your home, and the Baron or Lord who owns it, is your liege. Fealty to your House, and your trade or purpose to your local community keeps a roof over your head and food in your belly. This is how things have always been, and always will be and Aldanian’s will fight to defend their way of life. Even with each other sometimes when two landed nobles decide to do so since any House is allowed to field their own personal armies. In control of the whole system and keeping the peace between the Barons, are the King and Queen, currently of House Aldan for which each of the Baron’s owes fealty to by law. Any Baron attempting to break away from the kingdom is considered traitorous and would quickly find themselves stripped of their lands. The “King’s Peace” as it is called, is enforced with a large standing national army that is under direct control of the King and not sworn to any one house. They act as a kind of policing force throughout every province and can be seen in blue and gold livery at checkpoints, on patrols, and garrisons in key locations. The Feudal nature of the politics means each province is a miniature kingdom of its own, and many have varied cultural focuses. For the outside world Aldania has far reaching influence, easily the largest standing military force in the entire world, Aldanian’s carry a very big presence into diplomatic relations. Because of their nation’s proximity to the evil races, and their constant state of warfare with them, Aldania considers themselves not just the protectors of their own lands, but of the entire continent. Aldania is locked in a particularly brutal and longstanding stalemate with the orcs to their west for example. Preventing the evil races from crossing into the eastern parts of the continent is something Aldanian’s wear like a badge of honor, even though it is an award often times earned in lives. However not all nations are grateful, and expansionist cultures like Cenovia and the Taisan Khanate are openly a threat to the kingdom. Also, due to a disastrous diplomatic failure between Aldania and the ambassador of the Sahalan Sultanate, the two nations are in open declared warfare. It is primarily a religious dispute and because of the vast distance between the two nations, it is largely without any true physical conflict and is more a war of words between the King and the Sultan. The true politics that affect the everyday Aldanian come from the great Houses and Barons, who are constantly vying for more power and influence with the King. The Kingdom of Aldandia as it stands now, is thriving feudal nation, that centers around featly and chivalric traditions.