The Grand Dominion of Smeisserand

Travelogue as of LY 2143

The Lay of the Land

Smeisserand comprises a large northwestern peninsula on the continent of Jaastenland. It is bounded on three sides by the sea and by the Alaan Mountain range in the east. Most people consider Smeisserand to be a very beautiful country. There are three prevalent types of terrain: rugged hills and mountains, lush forests, and gently rolling farmland. Much of the northern coast is rocky, but there are a few excellent harbors. The western and southern coasts are rugged, but offer shelter for many fishing villages and several larger port towns. Unfortunately, ice and storms make shipping dangerous south of Katraal for more than three months out of the year.

The mountains and rugged hills cross Smeisserand in a crescent from the Dwarfspire in the northwest across Bergen and Nordmeer counties to Maastricht and the frontier lands of the Alaan Mountains in the east.

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Old forests stand in testimony to the power of druidism and the reverence (and fear) that most Smeisseranders have for the deep woods. Great oaks, maples, and cedars mix with spruce, redwood, and southern pine. The northern forests are particularly wild. The Wano Forest of Tarnia is an idyllic expanse of old growth with few dangerous predators. Across the Contradina Bay is the Thalheath Forest, a wild place full of ancient ruins and the lairs of "wild" kzinti and trolls. Straddling the northern Alaan range foothills is the Aelvenwode, the private homeland of the elves. Humans are distinctly unwelcome in the deep Aelvenwode.

The southern march of Smeisserand encompasses the Velsfar River valley around Brulhafen. Brulhafen (known as Taakrich to the kzinti) was the battleground between the Southern Patriarchy of Chirrar'-Hroch and Smeisserand for many scores of years. The terrain lends itself to dairy cattle, many types of berries, and to warfare. With Brulhafen safely in human hands again, the neighboring Republic of Kyriabor has been relaxing its guard over the eastern end of the Velsfar Pass. There are also many small, independent holdings and domains tucked into mountain vallies across the south.

Politics

Smeisserand is a feudal monarchy. The Kraanicher nobility see to it that their privileges are maintained, and that other less fit classes stay pretty much in their places. In theory, the king of Smeisserand exercises un restricted power. In practice, however, there is a stable balance between the power of the Crown, the ranks of the nobility, the professional military class, and the Lord Guilders.

The King of Smeisserand has the responsibility to enact and enforce laws, to direct the campaigns of the military, and to give any other orders he pleases. Most rulers have exercised a very strong hand in matters they felt important, and in choosing advisors and officials who would earnestly represent their wishes in routine matters. The king and queen also hold court, which is where much of the business of ruling is done.

The Nobility is responsible for administering the duchies, counties, and baronies of Smeisserand, as well as a few additional territories. They are the ones who must collect taxes, raise military units (which are then turned over to the control of the professional military), maintain roads and public works, and provide for safe commerce throughout the Dominion. In practice, many nobles delegate these duties to castellans and seneschals, most of whom are minor nobles who do not stand to inherit. The ruling nobility are thus freed to attend to two pastimes: court and war. Fiefs can and do change hands rapidly as a result of dealings at court or of conquest in the field. As long as the king gets the troops he wants, the nobles are perfectly welcome to conquer their neighbors with any other knights or soldiers they can scrape together.

Smeisserand has developed a Professional Military Class whose principal business is building, administering, and employing a powerful military machine. The ideals of honor, courage, duty, and skill are highly regarded among these people. Many young Smeisseranders join the military to serve in the army so that they can better themselves. Upon completion of military service, veterans are given or allowed to purchase land, becoming yeomen farmers or landholders. This creates a mechanism for ambitious and capable people to rise above their ordinary stations through constructive service to the Crown. A consequence of this practice is that land ownership reverts back to the local ruler if there are no living veterans to inherit the property upon the death of the owner. This tends to generate family traditions of service. Quite a few orcs have joined the yeomanry through service, and are rightly proud of their accomplishments. Except at the field officer grades, specific human or orcish racial background matters little in the military. Women are even accepted as "Shield Maidens," though they never make up more than a small portion of the force.

The Lord Guilders are the elite merchant princes and princesses of the Dominion. The wealth of each of the eleven Lords and Ladies could buy baronies, counties, and armies outright. These powerful people control the trade and mercantile activity of the entire kingdom, either through direct ownership or other, less obvious methods, like patronage or having proxy membership on merchant councils. There is no set limit to the number of Lord Guilders, but the practical requirement for membership is having majority control of trade activity in at least three baronies or provinces. No less than an income of 25,000 kruger per month from merchant trade would even give a Lord or Lady Guilder pause to consider someone a potential equal. Membership on the Council of Lord Guilders is by invitation only. For practical purposes, the Lord Guilders control the economy of Smeisserand. Even the king treats these people with respect. In turn, the Lords and Ladies are welcomed at court with the trappings of status attendant to counts and countesses.

The Economy

Smeisserand has a classic Rennaissance-period agriculture-based economy. Serfs and peasants work the farms, usually owned by the nobility. Serfs are beholden by law to a particular noble family and cannot leave their community without permission. Peasants are free, but cannot own land. Most peasants come from yeoman families who have no surviving veterans to give land ownership, whether through death by old age, war, or disease. Smaller villages and towns have some crafters and merchants, but seldom have really fine goods. Larger towns and cities are centers of trade, with fine craft guilds. The Lord Guilders hold many monopolies, causing prices to be high for necessities and luxuries alike. Most folk make do with what they can make themselves or barter for from a neighbor.

Smeisserand is well off the common trade routes between the Four Kingdoms, Kyriabor, and Japan, so the country has been considered rather provincial by more advanced nations. In recent years, Smeisserand has been trading more frequently with Qoolm and its colonies, as well as its favored trade partner, Kyriabor. It exports lumber, grain, cheese, wine, and marble. It imports tools, coffee, fabric, livestock, and hardware. Smeisserand also has a flourishing domestic weapons and armor industry, as might be expected. The quality is good, but not so exceptional as to make these items favorites for export.

There are few great centers of learning in Smeisserand. Each major city has its own university, and there are monastaries full of old records and knowledge tucked away in remote places, but there is no common education available. Magic use is not common in the Dominion. The formal study of magic is restricted to three colleges of thaumaturgy, one each in Katraal, Norton, and Kazaandu. Only graduates of these academies are considered "Wizards." Other spellcasters are trained by the traditional apprenticeship system, and are prohibited from appending or using the title "Wizard" in description of their professions.

The People

Smeisserand was originally settled by a group of outspoken Qoolmian pilgrims, known as Kraanichers, in the sixth century, Landers Reckoning. Other colonies branched out from the strong Kraanicher settlements. Many colonies were later attacked and destroyed by kzinti, kenku, or other perils. The Kraanichers conquered several rival colonies themselves. The current capital of Smeisserand, Katraal, was first founded in this early period, although it was destroyed and rebuilt in the years that followed.

Overall, humans represent 80% of the population of Smeisserand. The majority human racial type is the Landish group (40% of the population), who typically have fair to dark-toned skin, hair color ranging from reddish-blonde to dark brown, and brown or green eyes. They are usually of compact or medium build, and tend towards ruddy complexions. As the least homogenous group of settlers, they also display the greatest variety of features. The Landish, as might be expected, are descended from the Ilandic colonists. There are also quite a few Landish who display some Kraanicher phsyical features, but who have only partial Kraanicher blood. Smeisseranders regard these people as Landish, rather than part-Kraanicher, and they gain no special privileges from their small portion of noble blood. They tend to follow the druidic Earth Mother religion of the Dominion.

The Kraanichers (25% of the population) are a handsome race of people derived from the Qoolmians. They are bronze-skinned, with dark, almond-shaped eyes and dark hair. The Kraanicher appearance is distinctive, and sets them apart from the rest of the races. This is a source of pride for most Kraanichers, as they regard themselves as superior to the lower class races. They are nearly always very intelligent and physically attractive. Kraanichers pride themselves on their poise and aloofness, and tend to be intellectual and contemplative. There is a much higher incidence of psionic talent among Kraanichers than in the general population. They make up the nearly all of the nobility, gentry, and merchant classes in Smeisserand.

Kraanichers believe in a thorough education. Children receive training from an early age and all can read and write. The Kraanichers' philosophical beliefs and sense of racial pride also bind them together. Marriages and children are planned around these beliefs. This has given rise to the rumor (among non-Kraanichers, of course) that Kraanichers are selectively breeding themselves for excellent traits, much as one might breed dogs or horses. This is actually true, although Kraanichers snub people crass enough to relate these rumors in public.

Orcs (15% of the population) traveled to Jaastenland as settlers with their human counterparts. Originally serving as soldiers and heavy laborers, many of the orcish families now living in Kyriabor have broadened their horizons. Although they still tend to be involved in lower class occupations, many are minor landholders, crafters, and lesser military officers. The orcs found special opportunities in the military class of Smeisserand, and used this social mechanism to turn good service into land ownership. Even with this method of gaining status, they are still restricted to the peasant and military classes in Smeisserand. This does not bother most easy-going orcs. Orcs tend to interact well with Landish and Heidann humans, and seldom hold prejudices. Orcs are earthy, practical people; a bit slow, but honest and trustworthy. Most of the orcs in Smeisserand follow the druidic faith devoutly.

The Heidann (10% of the population) are tall, fair-skinned people with blonde or red hair and blue or green eyes. They are of large build and rugged constitution. Most pure Heidanners live in the hills and mountains of Jaastenland in tribal or clan villages, away from the influence of civilization. Many consider these people to be barbarians. They are traditionally the most open-minded race, although this also means that they are the most superstitious people. They believe that the spirits of the land, sea, and sky talk to them and they treat all things with a corresponding respect.

The Jaani (5% of the population) are derived from Japanese stock. They tend to be of compact build, with warm tan or golden-tinted skin, brown or occasionally green eyes, and dark hair. Jaani also have the epicanthic fold, giving them the appearance of having slanted eyes. They tend to be city-dwellers, and are traditionally friendly and voluble. Many are merchants or expert crafters, having brought their traditions with them in the distant years of colonization. These days, there are few pure Jaani left as many have intermarried with the other races. There are still a number of strong family lines, however, and these tend to have frequent contact with "the Old Country." Most Jaani follow Komatscience, but make little noise about in the predominantly druidic Smeisserand.

The Dwarven Clans (less than 5% of the population) arrived during the early years of the Colonial Period, in the fifth century. These immigrants were of the traditional clans, more given to mining, smithing, and hoarding than to tinkering with corporate greed and technomancy. They founded several clanholds of moderate size, but no great cities like those in Technikor. In Smeisserand, there is only one clan of dwarves, living in a great hall under the Dwarfspire. The Dwarfspire Clan are great miners, jewelers, smiths, stoneworkers, and warriors. They had been enslaved by the blue dragon known as "The Admiral" for several spans of years, but were freed in LY 2139 by a wizard known as "The Dragon Wizard." The dwarves of Dwarfspire have retained the traditional culture. They are very isolated from most human contact, and prefer it that way.

Half-elves (less than 5% of the population) Half-elves tend to have a hard life everywhere, but nowhere is this worse than in Smeisserand. Halfbreed babies have been put out for hundreds of years on "stones of shame" to be exposed to the elements. Many such babies are secretly removed from the stones by druids, open-minded foresters, or the babes' elven parents, but many others die. Half-elves are regarded with even more mistrust than the elves, if such is possible. Tolerated and regarded with pity as mere children by the elves and viewed with hatred, fear, and jealousy by humans, few half-elves born in Smeisserand live to an old age. Many are fearful, bitter people. Loners by necessity, they seldom trust others. If they can find other halfbreeds, they form strong friendships with others who know the oppression they feel.

Common Male Names: Bernhard, Thomas, Ulrich, Anderian, Rolf, Stefan, Ernst, Mattias, Heinz, Paul, Josiah, Richard, Gerhard, Frederick, Klaus, Jann, Benjamin

Common Female Names: Claudia, Renate, Charlotte, Uta, Marianne, Angelika, Anna, Marta, Berta, Simone, Edit, Heidi, Helga, Irene, Zera.

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