The Grand Duchy of Caedwyni

Standing as one of the Grand Dukes to the north of the Kingdom of Aladez, and formally a vassal of the Valdez Kingdom, the Grand Duchy of Castelli - now known as Caedwyni - has been around since the foundation of the Kingdom itself and has often been at the heart of the Royalist surges that the nation has seen. Priding itself around the cornerstones of its Faith, its Duchy and its Military, the Caedwyni are seen as one of the purest bloodlines in the region and have close ties with the Valdezian armed forces and the various churches across the land. 

With the land covered in forests and mountains, they are a hardy people with strong cultural links to the lands of Luska to their immediate north. A highly warlike nation, their nobles have a colonial outlook on dealing with 'Lesser Nations'; and have long held titles which grant them powers over the 'Horse Lords' of the South to a certain extent, although in recent times these titles have been surrendered.

Lands & Holdings

Being a Grand Duchy, the holder of the office lays claim to the two Duchys and numerous other lands within its demesne as Vassals. The Duchy of Caedwyn which occupies much of the mountains, and the Duchy of Mursalli which was founded to hold the southern part of the realm centuries ago. Within Caedwyn lies the Counties of Deavon and Caedwyn as well as the City of Ard Caedwyn in which can be found the Bishopric of San Arten which is itself a separate vassal under the Duchy.

In the other Duchy, that of Mursalli, there can be found the Counties of Grimbold and Hansalt as well as the Order of Haester one of the realms Knightly Orders the leader of whom dualy holds the office of Count. Finally within this Duchy lies the Township of Caendorg and its Mayor and Protector. Outside the Duchys there reside a handful of Barons on the Southern and Western fringes of the realm.

Military

The Caedwyni Military is focused on a traditional backbone of the feudalistic state approach to such matters. Thanks to its geographic location being near the Luskan Border, as well as a range of Mountains many of its men are thus equipped to fight in such conditions, with the army split between Levied Troops and a small Standing Army. In total, when at full muster, the army stands at 45,000.00 in total. Despite its location being in a more peaceful region of the geopolitical map, the army of Castelli prides itself on being well trained and war ready. Usually, around one-third of the total muster is 'standing' at any one point, with the others 'semi-ready' for muster.

The army is split into two sections - The Dukes Own which serves as the professional backbone of the army, and its core elite of men and then the Marchers which are drawn from rural areas and serve as a border and scouting force. Much of this army is arranged in a traditional feudal manner, with Knights and Baron's commanding sections of the army, underneath the earls and the duke himself. 

The Dukes Own which form the professional core of the army, are well-trained men focus around the main castle and border points of the realm. They consist of 30,000.00 men in totality, 2,500 of which are known as the Dor Bandar a group of mountaineers, who serve as the personal cavalry of the duke himself. They are equipped with Bardiche, fur and scale armour, and a collection of crossbows and maces. Alongside them serve the 25,000 strong Dukes Own Regiment of Foot who are marked out by the blue markings on their tabards. They are split roughly into swordsmen and crossbowmen and serve in half-plate of mail when needed. Finally the Dukes Own Regiment Artillery serve as the final group in this part of the army and serve as engineers and siege experts.

Training-wise these men are schooled in the college of warfare found within the Ducal Capitol and are paid handsomely for their expertise in warfare. Often expected to train the harsh conditions of mountain, forest and swamp; these men are considered the creme of the crop when it comes to troops in the region. Mostly their command is left to the higher ranking nobles, having tried and tested themselves on the levies earlier in their careers.

Finally, the Marchers are the Knights of the Realm, numbering at 5,000 strong, the Marchers are split into five orders Caedywn, Deavon, Hansalt, Grimbold and Kaestar. Each Order has a Marshall, and finds a home within a stout fort about the realm. The Marshall serves on the Dukes council, and it is the Marchers that the Duke turns when war is declared. They are equipped in the same way as one would expect of a Knight, and trained just as well. It is not uncommon for them to be sent abroad to fight as mercenaries for other nations. A further 10,000.00 knights are levied here,
heavily armoured and equipped with melee and crossbows - drawn from the baronies on the border.

Speaking of Mercenaries, the Duchy is well versed in their use and commonly employs them - with a long history of honouring contracts and paying their dues. It is estimated that some 15,000 to 20,000 mercenaries could be raised in dire times.

Society and Culture

Deeply religious nation, with the second son of every noble house required by law to join the church. A considerable amount of attention is paid to family, hearth and home - with most minor to major nobles in the region having large 'halls' at the heart of their manors around which they hold frequent feasts for their vassals. Military service is also commonplace, with the vast majority of able-bodied men serving for at least two to three years in their towns guard. Even when they have left the guard, men are expected to hold a longbow and pay a tithe to their local noble for the 'keeping of a sword' in case of war or bandit attack.

Government

With a traditional structure, but with liberal elements of leadership, the central Government consists of a Ducal Council, made up of the Duke, the Bishop and the leaders of the army and Chapters of Knights. However, each township may also elect a Mayor - who can come from any landowning household, and each Mayor serves on an advisory council to the Duke. Mayors are further assisted by Hereditary Town Protectors, who command the Guard and the collection of taxes.

Knightly Orders are the only way to gain a Knighthood, and their Marshalls serve on the Dukes Council. Other ranks of Nobility, still play a key role in the running of the realm. Barons serve as rural leaders of small villages, whilst Viscounts reside next up the chain of nobility, followed by Earls who normally control small counties, and Marquisses - normally hailing from those families who had been appointed by the Duke many years past. They are slightly more senior, as they hold counties on the borders of the Duchy. 

Economy

Thanks to the mountains and forests which litter the landscape, the economy is built on a backbone of forestry and fur trading, most of which head either north into Luska or South to the Eternal City. Alongside this, the Duke takes a tithe of one horse from the 'Horse Lords' by virtue of their position as 'Lord Governor' of that region, a purely ceremonial title these days. Stone, Iron and Silver Quarrys as well as the gold mines of Valdez, the production of wines and beers, as well as the general production of fruits and cereals serve as the rest of the economy, with the top three taxes for the Duke coming from - Fur, Alchohol and then Stone.

Much of the army is supported by a combination of equipment and food manufactured from within the region itself. There exist numerous camps across the land to support the provisioning of troops, with the economy supporting this - in so much as warehouses of supplies to exist should a muster be called nationwide.

Noted Locations

Around the Duchy there can be found several noted areas, beginning with the townships of Ard Caedywn and the smaller townships of Daevon and Caendorg. Aside from the seats of the County's, there are three main features in the region - the Luskan Fringe Forts, Castle Caedywn and the Fortress Marell, which serve as the seats of each Duchy - although Caedwyn has taken up residence in recent years.

Castle Caedwyn is the present seat of the dynasty of Carriagh and lies near the mountains that bear its name. It is a proud mansion castle cut in the fashion of the northern Kings. Fortress Marell, however, is the main and most defendable position, residing on the southern border of the Grand Duchy. Aside from this, the Luskan Fringe consists of around ten small single tower forts.

House Carraigh

Holding the position of 'Warden of the North' as well as 'Governor-Militant of the Horse Lords' (despite such lands being far to the south of them) Grand Duke Hedraeth Carraigh , is the ruling Patriarch of the House of Carraigh and the current leaders of the Duchy. Having served within the 'Blades of Castelli' before the death of his father some five years prior, he is a famed commander in the Nation of Valdez, and abroad. An outspoken critic of the 'Liberal Religious Values' of some of the other Kingdoms, he has often been called a 'Firebrand' in the Royal Court, for his considerable desire to wage war on some of the more 'Impure' Kingdoms of Trevast.

He is the epitome of a Nation Builder, long wishing for a cultural revival in the region - and famed for his study of Imperial Era texts and paintings. To this end, Headryth has recently converted from the mainstream Artis Faiths, to one more in line with his vision that Emperors are made and forged, not born and bred.

The House itself took over as leaders of the Duchy following the death of the Duke Castelli some three-hundred years hence. Without issue, a succession war was held, and the Carraigh House secured the support of the Valdez themselves, and thus landed themselves with the title of Duke. Historically their house has long links with the Luskan Nobility and deep-seated links to the various nearby Barons.

Key Historical Points

Like all such places, the Duchy has several moments in history that define it which are as follows - 

The Great Migration - In which the pro-Valdezian nobles fled south to form a new Kingdom following the death of their Emperor.

During this period the Duchy was formally formed out of the merging of a predominatly Luskan, and Tribalistic nation. Within these tribes, several of the noble houses where drawn, and from the Luskan Families, the House of Carraigh would be found - the house which one day would rise to hold the position of Duke.

The Age of Strife - The years following the Valdez war of unification, which saw the Castelli Duchy Formed.

Succession Crisis - The time in which the Carraigh House assumed the mantle of Duke.