JesseLowe/Inaria

Inaria

Inaria lies between the Meander and Yellow Rivers in the east of Creation. Inaria is a fairly isolated kingdom concerned mostly with its own affairs and internal intrigues. They were part of the Realm millennia ago, but not since the Great Contagion. Today, the court pays nominal attention to Immaculate Order, but in many parts of the country, respect for the order is no stronger than to local gods and spirits.

In RY 762, Inaria went through a civil war as a faction of nobles led by an outcaste Dragon-Blooded (Emyr of Seven-Bridged Hills) overthrew King Caderyn the Brave, whose incompetence was driving the country to ruin. The House of Lanybri was instrumental in Emyr’s success. After the coronation of Emyr, it slowly became evident that he was a puppet of the Realm. Feeling both betrayed and invaded, a noble named Hotspur led a revolt against Emyr with the aid of his uncle, Lord Peredur of the Broken Valley, and the leader of some barbarians further west (Esos the Wolf). The revolt failed, but Hotspur was Exalted as a Solar at the final battle.

Inaria is modelled on England as portrayed in Shakespeare's histories, and uses (probably abuses) Welsh naming conventions.

Duchies and Cities of Inaria

Cydweli

Cydweli is the capital. It sits at the junction of the Meander and the Yellow Rivers, more or less. Actually, it's about a mile upstream of the junction, since the two rivers create something of a marsh where they meet. Cydweli is on the Meander, but has two good roads leading away from it, toward Crymych and Tregaron.

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• Lanybri (on the Yellow)
• Crymych (on the Yellow)
• Tregaron (on the Meander)
• Amanford (on the Meander)

Distances:

• From Cydweli to Crymych: 154 miles
• From Crymych to Lanybri: 101 miles
• From Cydweli to Tregaron: 140 miles
• From Tregaron to Amanford: 140 miles

Caer Cydweli -- The ducal seat of Cydweli, somewhat neglected during the reigns of Caderyn and Emyr.

The Royal Manse -- The citadel of Cydweli City and the seat of royal power.

The Nobility

The King

The king of Inaria is usually first among equals, not a complete sovereign. How the crown changes heads is determined as much by political and military skill as by law, but there is a traditional method that is usually followed in form if not in fact.

The King (or Queen -- Inarians have no problem with ruling Queens) is technically an elected office of lifetime duration. To be eligible, a candidate must be of noble Inarian blood and at least fifteen years of age. He must also undergo certain tests (which have changed over time): Test of Purity, Test of Strength, Test of Will, and the Test of Grace.

The electors are the dukes of the realm. Traditionally, the king is one of the dukes; even more traditionally, the Duke of Cydweli, the richest duchy. Also, the crown usually passes in direct line of descent, from parent to child, for a few generations. Still, over the course of the last seven hundred years, a number of unusual persons have risen to the throne through politics, war, or simple fate.

Dukes

As mentioned above, there are six duchies. There were at one time almost a dozen, but the rest have been lost. In the beginning of Inaria's history, the duchies were all independent nations. At times, duchies have either been independent de facto or even de jure. The title is hereditary, though a noble or even his entire family may be stripped of it with the consent of the High Council and the King. This is very rarely done. A new duchy may be created out of unclaimed land by the King, who would be well advised to gain the assent of the current dukes.

Baron

Any lord who pledges fief directly to a duke or the king is known as a baron. Often, these are grouped into the greater barons (margraves and earls) and the lesser barons (counts and viscounts)

Margraves

At one time, those counts (see below) who held land on the dangerous frontier (the </i>mark</i> or marches) were entitled margraves and given certain privileges and honors that ordinary counts lacked. In the last two centuries, the number of margraves has declined due to royal action and quiet frontiers; now there are only three, all in the Cradafar Mountains: Lord Peredur of Broken Valley, Lord Arven of Brangalt, and Lady Mared of Glyn Gwalch.

Earls

The chosen companions of the King or Queen are Earls, and the title is not hereditary though it is life-long. They are usually counts, almost always of the duchy of which the King is also Duke. The king may bestow the title of earl on anyone he chooses; this is of course bound by propriety.

Counts

A count is pledged to a duke and takes the fealty of the knights on his land. The rulers of towns are also often counts, sometimes hereditary, sometimes not.

Viscounts

A non-hereditary office, a viscount is made by a count to assist him in the rule of a county. A viscount must swear fealty to both the count and the duke, making it a sometimes uncomfortable position to be in.

Knights

Every noble is a knight. In general, though, a noble who is only a knight holds a small plot of land in fief, usually equivalent to a Calrushan manor. This will often include a village or two. Wealthy burghers and merchants are often knighted as an incentive to support the current system, so long as they can display some measure of martial prowess.