BeronTheGrey/HundredKingdomsBelarn
Belarn, Most Beloved of the Sun
All that most know of Belarn, if they know of it at-all, are rumours that of a nation of fanatical Sun-worshippers, ruled over by a cruel and corrupt priesthood that does not stint at summoning up demons to terrorise the populace into submission. Many in the further reaches of the Scavenger Lands discount such stories as hearsay or Immaculate propaganda; they are wrong. Belarn is all that the Immaculate Order says it is, and some suspect that the only reason a massive Wyld Hunt was never launched against the whole kingdom was that it was too far away, little threat to its neighbours (save Lyndanisse), and made too good an example of the evils of the Anathema.
Where the Immaculate Order is mistaken is in spreading lurid tales of the Anathema secretly ruling Belarn, for there are none. The hand of oppression in Belarn is a mortal hand; for the powerful thaumaturges and sorcerers in the upper ranks of the Church of Sol are all enlightened mortals. Few outside the kingdom know for sure, but it is suspected that Belarn was founded by a small cult of Sun-worshippers who came across an unearthed First Age Temple while fleeing the chaos of the Fair Folk Invasion at the turning of the Age. The Church of Sol was initially benign, if strict, but gradually fell into corruption over the centuries.
Belarn hates and fears any taint of mutation amongst its people (a legacy of the Fair Folk), and any showing signs of unnatural powers are hunted down and purified by fire. This hatred extends to any enlightened mortal outside the control of the Church, and to any god-bloods born within Belarn. The handful of Dragonbloods that have exalted within the kingdom's borders over the centuries have also suffered the same fate, though the Church's hatred for them was fuelled by badly translated texts found in the ancient temple that spoke of the Usurpation.
Belarn has poor relationships with all of its neighbours, but it reserves special enmity for Lyndanisse. It is possible that the temple's ancient texts speak poorly of the Chosen of Lunar, accusing them of deserting their Solar mates in their time of need, or it may be confusion between the shape shifting Lunars and the hated Fair Folk; whatever the reason, worship of the Moon Goddess is regarded as anathema in Belarn. Besides this, supernatural Martial Arts are unknown in Belarn, and thus seem like witchery to the Church of Sol. The Hundred Paladins, as well, are a direct affront to the Church's monopoly on Enlightening mortals. Finally, and most fundamentally, Lyndanisse controls fertile land that Belarn sorely feels the lack of.
Belarn's defences are many, from the mountains bordering the land in every direction, the fanaticism of its troops, to the powers of the ancient temple itself. Belarn holds no great store of First Age artifacts (otherwise avaricious eyes would surely have turned their gaze upon the kingdom long ago), but they do possess a priceless store of lore on Thaumaturgy and Sorcery. Even so, Belarn could not hope to hold off a determined Celestial Exalt or force of Dragonbloods; it is likely they have survived thus far because none have cared enough to try. What would happen should a Solar Exalt try to claim Belarn is unknown, but it is likely that the upper ranks of the Church would not be pleased.
