Kingdom of Lenthir

Location

Pre-writing Notes:

• Typical human/ag society
• Barter, trade, and capitalist
• Kingdom of horses
• Monarchy

Table of Contents

1. Government Structure
2. National Economy
3. Legal System & Crime
4. Foreign Relations
5. National Politics
6. Military & Warfare
7. Country Profile
8. National Magic Policy
9. National Infrastructure

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Government Structure

What is the basic form of government in this country?

Answer: Constitutional monarchy

What services does the government or head-of-state provide?

Villages have a strong autonomy, and pay very little in the form of taxes towards Lenthir. Thus, the only services that Lenthir will typically provide are

• Marriage and property deed registration with kingdom-wide recognition
• Census taking for military and administrative purposes
• A small standing military, consisting mainly of cavalry
• Diplomatic relations and treaty negotiation with neighboring kingdoms
• Postal or messenger services connecting distant towns
• Disaster relief coordination (floods, droughts, famines)
• Disease outbreak response and quarantine management
• Major water management projects (dams, large-scale irrigation)
• Maintenance of the Graymarch
• Maintaining contracts with magical enforcers, in the event of illegal use of The Aetheric Weave (Magic)
• A stockpile of rations in the event of a disaster or famine.

Are schools, wells, courts, and the army paid for by taxes?

Most wells and courts are enforced on the village level. There is a higher court in ★ Lenthiri proper to deal with larger crimes and disputes.

Local watches are funded by the village, though Lenthir does maintain a small standing army.

What local or private services are provided by the government?

Answer:

What services do people expect from their government?

Answer: Very little. Lenthiri citizens expect the monarchy to handle only what cannot be managed locally: defending the southern border from orc raids, maintaining diplomatic relations with other kingdoms, providing kingdom-wide recognition of marriages and property deeds, coordinating disaster relief when local resources are overwhelmed, and ensuring magical law enforcement through external contractors. Beyond this, citizens expect to govern themselves through their local elected officials.

What do people owe their government?

Villages pay taxes in the form of crop or other various needs / precious metals in the form of a very small (fraction of a percent) annuity. The percentage is based on the villages own tax collection, and has never been the cause of scrutiny for local villages.

Do people pay their government in taxes, in labour, in crops, in military service?

Taxes are accepted in any form of the above. Additionally, each village is required to keep a census of able bodies men and women, should a conscription ever be necessary.

Who has the right to levy taxes?

Answer: The Royal family, and the elected officials of each village within the fiefdom are in charge of imposing taxes on their populace at a reasonable level. Rarely have the rulers of Lenthir had to intervene in local taxation (for it being too high or low) due to the democratic socialist nature of the electoral process.

For what purposes are taxes (or new taxes) levied?

Answer: Large projects, such as a new dam, or the hiring of druids to analyze and bless the harvest will typically come with a short-term, goal oriented tax hike.

On what or on whom are taxes levied?

Answer: Taxes are levied against all of the populace, with a top-down approach (the most wealthy individuals have the highest tax burden). The laborers on farms receive the highest tax incentives, some of whom pay no taxes at all, due to their critical role in society.

Can taxes be paid in-kind, or do certain things always require money?

Answer: Most everything in Lenthir can be paid in kind. There are sometimes requirements for a percentage of taxes be precious metal when iron and steel production is low.

Who provides support services for the head of state and what are they called (examples: councilors, ministers, secretaries, viziers)?

Answer: The monarch maintains only a small administrative staff to handle kingdom-level functions. These positions include:

• The Marshal of the Graymarch: Oversees the standing army and coordinates defense of the southern border_
• The Keeper of Records: Maintains the kingdom-wide registry of marriages, property deeds, and the census
• The Herald of the Crown: Manages diplomatic relations with other kingdoms and oversees the postal system
• The Steward of the Granaries: Coordinates disaster relief efforts and maintains the kingdom’s emergency stockpiles*

These four positions, along with a handful of clerks and messengers, constitute the entirety of the royal administration. The monarch personally handles contracts with magical enforcement agencies.

Are offices hereditary, elected, or appointed?

Answer: All administrative offices (Marshal, Keeper of Records, Herald, Steward) are filled via popular vote. Judicial positions work differently: the monarch appoints high court judges from candidates nominated by legal guilds and local councils. Local judges in villages and towns are elected directly by their communities. It is a long standing tradition, held in the very values of the constitution of Lenthir brought forth by the first kings, that the ruling monarch have no influence in his cabinetry elections.

Can a government office be a career choice?

Answer: Yes. Government positions are open to most.

Is the relative power of a country or ruler usually measured by the size of the army, the number and ability of the wizards, or the amount of money and trade flowing through it?

Answer: Lenthir’s power comes from its trade dominance (agricultural meca of Eldara, most food will come from here), as well as its cavalry.

Who will take over running the government if the current head-of-state is incapacitated?

Answer: The heir to the throne, if they exist and are ready. Otherwise, the cabinet will have joint responsibility in managing affairs in interim. Should the immediate bloodline be broken, a relative will inherit the responsibility.

How is succession determined?

Answer: Heritage and immediate bloodline.

Is there an heir apparent (either actual or political)?

Answer: The eldest son or daughter typically inherits the throne. There have been cases, however, when the role is refused, to which it falls to the next eldest.

What happens if the heir is a child?

Answer: Monarchs are disallowed by the constitution to rule before military age (18). The largest responsibility of the monarch is to General the army, and thus proper experience and strength are required.

Who is responsible for protecting the head-of-state?

Answer: The monarch’s personal protection falls to a small contingent of Royal Riders, elite cavalry personally sworn to the crown. This unit typically numbers between 20-30 highly trained horsemen who serve as both bodyguards and the monarch’s personal messengers for sensitive matters. When at the capital, local city watch may supplement security, but the Royal Riders remain the primary protective force. The low-touch nature of Lenthiri governance means the monarch rarely needs extensive security, they’re more likely to be found riding the plains than holding elaborate court.

What safeguards does the head-of-state have against assassins, poison, assault, and magical attack?

Answer: The Royal Riders provide physical protection against assassins and assault. Magical threats are the most concerning, as the kingdom lacks its own magical defenses. In times of heightened threat, the monarch may contract protective wards from Aelarion’s colleges or hire temporary magical bodyguards from ★ Ithilvaeth, but such measures are rare and expensive. Most Lenthiri monarchs rely on their accessibility and relatively uncontroversial governance to avoid making the kind of enemies who would resort to assassination.

Who can give orders (to the military, to the tax collectors, to the civil servants, to ordinary folks on the street)?

Answer: The monarch can give orders to the Marshal of the Graymarch (and thus the standing army), the small royal administrative staff, and the Royal Riders. However, the monarch has no direct authority over local matters. Local elected officials in each city and village give orders to their own watches, tax collectors, and civil servants. These local leaders answer to their constituents, not to the crown. In practice, ordinary citizens follow local laws enforced by local officials. The only time the monarch can give orders that affect ordinary citizens is during declared emergencies (natural disasters, war) or when enforcing the few kingdom-wide laws that exist.

How are the people with the power to give orders chosen?

Answer: Election

Are any activities licensed or certified (driving, dog ownership, being an attorney or a physician)?

Answer: Very few activities require kingdom-level licensing. The only professions requiring royal certification are:

• Magical practitioners working within Lenthir’s borders (certified through contracts with external enforcement agencies)
• Inter-kingdom merchants conducting trade across borders (requiring royal seal for diplomatic protection)
• Royal messengers and postal workers (certified by the Herald of the Crown)**

Most other licensing happens at the local level. Physicians, attorneys, craftsmen, and other professionals are certified by their own city or village guilds and councils. What counts as adequate qualification in one settlement may differ from another, reflecting Lenthir’s decentralized governance.

Who does the certification or licensing?

Answer: Kingdom-level certifications are handled by the relevant royal administrator: the Herald of the Crown certifies merchants and postal workers, while magical practitioner licensing is managed through the external contractors from Aelarion or ★ Ithilvaeth (the monarch negotiates these contracts but the magical enforcement agencies handle the actual certification process). Local certifications are handled by city and village councils, trade guilds, or professional organizations within each settlement. There is no central licensing authority beyond the few kingdom-level exceptions.

Is it merely formal (pay a fee, and get a license), or are there qualifications to meet?

Answer:

• Magical practitioners: Must meet strict qualifications set by the enforcement agencies (typically demonstrating competence, knowledge of laws, and safety protocols). This is not merely a fee.
• Inter-kingdom merchants: Largely formal. Merchants pay a fee and swear an oath to conduct honest trade, receiving a royal seal for diplomatic protection.
• Royal messengers/postal workers: Must demonstrate literacy, riding ability, and knowledge of the road network.*

Local certifications vary wildly. Some settlements maintain rigorous guild standards with apprenticeships and examinations. Others simply require a fee and a good reputation. This inconsistency is accepted as the natural result of local autonomy.

Can licenses or certifications be revoked, and if so, how?

Answer: Kingdom-level licenses can be revoked by the issuing authority. The Herald of the Crown can revoke merchant seals for fraud or treaty violations. Magical practitioner certifications are revoked by the enforcement agencies for illegal magic use or violations of magical law. Royal messenger certifications can be revoked by the Herald for dereliction of duty or breach of confidentiality. Local certifications are revoked according to each settlement’s own rules, typically through guild tribunals or council votes. Appeals for kingdom-level revocations can be made to the monarch directly, though this is rare.

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National Economy

What goods are produced in this country and where are they produced?

Lenthir’s primary production is agricultural. Grain (wheat, barley, oats), vegetables, and legumes are grown across the vast plains. Each settlement produces food, but the central plains are the most productive. Horses are bred throughout the kingdom, with the legendary Great Horses of Westhold coming from specialized breeding programs in the western territories. Leather goods, wool, and textiles are produced locally in most settlements. Honey, herbs, and preserved foods are common secondary products.

What are the major trade goods?

Grain is Lenthir’s primary export, feeding much of the continent. Great Horses command extremely high prices and are sought after by nobility and cavalry units across all kingdoms. Preserved foods, dried meats, and travel rations are also major exports. Lenthiri leather goods and wool are known for quality but are secondary to food exports.

Are there trading centres?

Each major city serves as a regional trading center for surrounding villages. Greendale has the largest markets due to its proximity to surrounding fiefdoms, but most trade happens locally or through traveling merchants who circuit between settlements. The Graymarch also functions as a trading post with southern territories despite its military purpose.

What economic systems are used?

Lenthir uses a mixed economy: barter is extremely common in rural areas and between neighbors, cash (coins from various kingdoms) is used for larger transactions and inter-kingdom trade, and letters of credit are accepted from established merchant houses when dealing with bulk grain purchases. Stock companies do not exist. The economy is primarily capitalist but with strong communal support networks at the local level.

Are there banks?

Yes, but only two. The capital maintains a banking house that handles large merchant transactions, letters of credit, and secure storage of valuables. Greendale, as a major trade hub, also has a bank that serves traveling merchants and manages the town’s famous vault (which stores a significant portion of the kingdom’s emergency reserves and tax revenues). These are the only formal banking institutions in Lenthir. Outside these two locations, wealthy individuals may offer private loans, but most citizens have no access to banking services.

Do people barter or use money?

Both extensively. Rural areas and small transactions rely heavily on barter. Money is used for larger purchases, inter-settlement trade, and anything involving foreign merchants. Most citizens engage in both systems depending on context.

If money is used, is it valuable itself or is it fiat currency?

Valuable itself. Coins are worth their metal content (gold, silver, copper). Lenthir has no fiat currency system.

What are people’s attitudes toward money?

Practical and pragmatic. Money is a tool for trade, not a measure of worth. Hoarding wealth is seen as foolish when land and livestock are more valuable. Ostentatious displays of wealth are considered poor taste. Generosity and fair dealing are valued over accumulation.

What are people’s attitudes toward poverty?

Viewed as unfortunate but solvable through community support and hard work. True destitution is rare given abundant land and food. Communities generally help struggling neighbors with shared labor, food, or temporary lodging. However, those who won’t work are viewed less sympathetically.

Are there generally acceptable standards for coins?

Lenthir accepts coins from all major kingdoms based on metal content and weight. Most common are coins from Vanguard Reach, with rare mints from Caernast, and Aelarion. Merchants use scales to verify weight when dealing with unfamiliar coinage. There is no standard “Lenthiri coin” as the kingdom doesn’t mint its own currency.

How easy and common is counterfeiting?

Relatively uncommon. Since coins are valued by metal content rather than face value, counterfeiting requires expensive metals. Clipped coins or coins with cheaper metal cores do appear occasionally, which is why merchants weigh suspicious coins. The decentralized economy and reliance on barter reduce opportunities for systematic counterfeiting.

What does this country import? Export?

Exports: Grain, Great Horses, preserved foods, leather goods, wool.

Imports: Worked metal goods, labor, and weapons from Vanguard Reach, luxury items and magical supplies from Aelarion, finished manufactured goods from Caernast, stone and metalwork from Ironveil.

How important is trade to the economy?

Moderately important. Lenthir is largely self-sufficient in essentials (food, basic goods), but trade provides metal goods, luxuries, and specialized items that improve quality of life. Export of surplus grain generates income for imports. The economy could survive without external trade but would be less prosperous.

How is currency exchange handled, and by whom?

Money changers operate in larger towns and cities, typically merchants who maintain scales and knowledge of current exchange rates. They charge small fees for their service. In smaller settlements, people simply weigh coins and negotiate value based on metal content. No official exchange system exists.

What is monetary system used, if any, and who mints it?

Lenthir uses coins minted by other kingdoms, primarily Vanguard Reach, Caernast, and Aelarion. The kingdom has never established its own mint. This is partly due to limited metal resources and partly philosophical, the monarchy sees no need for its own currency when foreign coins work fine based on metal weight.

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Legal System & Crime

What are considered normal and legal ways of gathering evidence and determining guilt?

Witness testimony is primary. Physical evidence (stolen goods, weapons, damaged property) is presented when available. In villages, community reputation and character witnesses carry significant weight. Oaths are taken seriously in this culture. Local judges may visit crime scenes. Magical divination is extremely rare and expensive, only used for the most serious cases through contracted mages from Aelarion or ★ Ithilvaeth.

Are torture and magic part of the legal system?

Torture is not standard practice and is generally viewed as dishonorable. It may occur in extreme cases at the Graymarch during wartime interrogations of enemy combatants, but not in civilian courts. Magic for evidence gathering (truth spells, forensic divination) can be requested but must be contracted from external magical enforcement agencies at considerable expense. Most cases never involve magic.

Are arbitrary judgements by a lord or landowner allowed, or is there a standard that they are supposed to follow?

Local judges (elected officials or appointed community leaders) are expected to follow customary law and community standards. Arbitrary judgements are frowned upon and can be appealed. While judges have discretion in sentencing, they answer to their communities. A judge making consistently unfair rulings would likely lose their position in the next election or face community pressure.

Is there an appeal system?

Yes. Local judgements can be appealed to the higher court in the capital. This is expensive and time-consuming, so most people only appeal serious cases. The monarch (or their appointed representative) hears these appeals and makes final rulings. Appeals beyond this do not exist.

How high can a case go in the system before it is finally settled?

Local court, then capital high court, then the monarch. Three levels maximum. The monarch’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed.

Is everyone tried in the same courts or are there special courts for special classes of people — for example, are mages tried in specialized wizard’s court?

Everyone is tried in the same local courts regardless of class or race. The only exception is magical crimes, which involve the external enforcement contractors who have jurisdiction over magical matters per their contracts with the kingdom.

Are there separate courts for civil and criminal matters?

No formal separation at the local level. The same judges hear disputes between neighbors (civil) and theft accusations (criminal). The capital high court may designate different judges for different types of cases, but this is administrative convenience, not separate court systems.

Are there separate courts for magical and non-magical matters?

Magical crimes and disputes involving magic fall under the jurisdiction of the contracted enforcement agencies from Aelarion or ★ Ithilvaeth, who handle investigation, trial, and sentencing per their contracts. Non-magical matters go through normal Lenthir courts.

Are there separate courts for humans and non-humans?

No. All residents are tried in the same courts under the same laws.

Are there separate courts for religious matters?

No. Religious disputes are either handled within religious communities or, if they involve criminal activity or civil disputes, in normal courts.

What things are considered truly serious crimes and why (example: a trade-oriented culture might consider counterfeiting or bootlegging a death-penalty crime while in a place where life is cheap murder might be something that only results in a small fine)?

Horse theft is perhaps the most serious crime in Lenthiri culture (horses are livelihood, status, and survival). Murder, rape, and arson are capital crimes. Destroying crops or granaries (threatening food security) is extremely serious. Treason and collaboration with orc raiders. Magical crimes that endanger communities. Counterfeiting or fraud involving the emergency grain reserves.

What are the punishments for serious versus minor crimes?

Serious crimes (murder, horse theft, arson, major magical crimes): Death by hanging, or hard labor at the Graymarch for life. Minor crimes (petty theft, assault, property damage): Fines, restitution, public shaming, temporary labor service to the wronged party. Medium crimes (non-lethal violence, significant theft): Corporal punishment, substantial fines, extended labor service, banishment.

Are there prisons, or are people punished and released?

No prisons in most settlements. Serious criminals are executed or sent to hard labor at the Graymarch. Minor criminals are punished (fined) and released. Temporary holding cells exist for people awaiting trial, but long-term imprisonment is rare. The Graymarch has facilities for prisoners serving labor sentences.

Are there degrees of punishment such as fines, branding, public whippings, removal of body parts, executions — or do they just hang everybody regardless of the crime?

Yes. Fines and restitution for minor offenses. Public shaming (stocks, public apology). Flogging for medium offenses. Removal of body parts or branding is not practiced. Execution (hanging) for capital crimes. Banishment for those the community wants gone but whose crimes don’t warrant death.

Who is responsible for catching criminals?

Local watch in towns and cities. In villages, able-bodied citizens form posses when needed. Victims and their families often pursue justice themselves, especially in remote areas. The standing army at the Graymarch deals with orc raiders and border security but not internal crime. Magical crimes are investigated by the contracted enforcement agencies.

Who pays the thief takers?

Local watch is paid by local taxes. Citizen posses are unpaid volunteers. Some settlements offer rewards for capturing dangerous criminals, paid from local coffers. Victims may offer private rewards.

Who pays for prisons and jails?

Local settlements pay for their holding cells through local taxes. The Graymarch labor facilities are funded by kingdom taxes as part of military spending.

Who supplies food to prisoners?

Local prisoners awaiting trial are fed by their families or by the settlement if they have no family. At the Graymarch, prisoners working hard labor are fed basic rations as part of the military supply system.

How are law enforcement officers organized?

Each settlement organizes its own watch as it sees fit. Some have formal constables or sheriffs, others rely on rotating volunteer duty, and some have elected watch captains who organize citizen patrols. There is no kingdom-wide organization or standard structure. The only unified force is the standing army at the Graymarch, which focuses on external defense.

Are there independent precincts, overlapping districts, or separate jurisdictions?

Each settlement is its own jurisdiction. No overlap. Cities may have multiple precincts within them, but this is internal organization. Jurisdictional boundaries are clear: each settlement handles its own area. Crimes occurring between settlements or on the roads are handled by whichever settlement the criminal is brought to, or by the nearest settlement to the crime scene.

Can law enforcement be hired?

Private guards can be hired for personal or merchant protection, but they have no official authority beyond any other citizen. They cannot make arrests or conduct investigations on behalf of the law. Some wealthy merchants traveling with valuable goods hire guards, but these are essentially armed companions, not law enforcement.

Are there lawyers or advocates?

Few formal lawyers exist. In local courts, people represent themselves or ask respected community members to speak on their behalf. The capital high court has trained advocates who can be hired, primarily for complex property disputes or appeals. These advocates are expensive and unnecessary for most cases.

Who can afford legal representation?

Wealthy landowners, successful merchants, and horse breeders. Most citizens represent themselves. In serious criminal cases, family members or friends may speak as character witnesses, which serves a similar function without cost.

Who trains the legal experts and are they certified?

The handful of advocates in the capital learned through apprenticeship with established advocates or through study in Aelarion or ★ Ithilvaeth. No formal certification exists. Reputation and success rate determine an advocate’s value. Local judges learn on the job or are chosen for their wisdom and community standing.

Are people guilty until proven innocent, innocent until proven guilty, or does it depend on the mood the bench is in when the case comes in front of it?

Presumed innocent until proven guilty is the ideal, but in practice it depends on community sentiment and the accused’s reputation. Someone caught red-handed with stolen goods faces an uphill battle. A respected farmer accused by a known troublemaker has the benefit of doubt. Judges try to be fair, but human nature and community pressure influence proceedings.

Are there assumptions made about how an accused criminals will be treated?

Accused criminals are expected to be held for trial if there’s flight risk, but not mistreated. Violence against prisoners is discouraged. However, communities are small and informal, so treatment varies. A popular community member accused of crime will be treated better than a stranger or someone already disliked.

Are there judges other than the nobles or gentry?

Yes. Most local judges are elected community members or village elders, not nobles. Lenthir has very little hereditary nobility. Judges are chosen for wisdom, fairness, and community respect. The capital high court judges are appointed by the monarch but need not be of any particular class. Merit and reputation matter more than birth.

How are judges paid and by whom?

Local judges are paid by their settlements, either as a salary or through community support (gifts of food, labor, housing). In small villages, being judge may be an unpaid honor with the expectation of community support. Capital high court judges receive salaries from kingdom taxes.

How often are remote areas likely to see a judge?

Remote villages may have a permanent elder who serves as judge, or cases may wait weeks or months for a traveling judge to circuit through. Very remote areas may go a year between visits from any official authority. Serious cases requiring higher judgment may require the accused be transported to larger towns.

Is mob justice common? Is it legal?

Not common but not unknown, especially for horse thieves or in remote areas where official justice is distant. Technically illegal, but rarely prosecuted if the mob’s action seems proportionate to the crime. Communities generally prefer official proceedings but understand the impulse when someone catches a thief red-handed.

How is mob justice viewed by society?

Viewed with mixed feelings. Officially discouraged. Pragmatically understood. If a community catches a horse thief and hangs them immediately, authorities might not pursue it if the evidence was clear. If a mob beats someone to death over a disputed debt, that’s murder and will be prosecuted. Context matters.

Are highwaymen, muggers, bandits, or pirates common or rare?

Rare. Low population density and community cohesion make banditry difficult. Most roads are safe. The southern routes near orc territory are the exception, as well as certain areas near the Gloamwood Forest. Organized banditry is almost nonexistent. Pirates are not relevant as Lenthir’s travel system is landlocked.

What sorts of crimes would the average citizen be likely encounter in their lifetime?

Petty theft, property disputes with neighbors, livestock wandering onto others’ land, market fraud (dishonest weights, poor quality goods), occasional bar fights, boundary disputes. Most citizens will never encounter serious violent crime. Horse theft is rare but serious when it happens.

Who can make or repeal laws?

The monarch can make kingdom-wide laws, though they rarely do. Local settlements make their own local laws through their councils or community meetings. Major changes to kingdom law would traditionally involve consultation with major settlements, though the monarch has final authority. In practice, most law is customary rather than written.

How are alleged criminals treated before their trials?

Held in local cells or under guard if flight risk exists. Allowed family visits. Fed adequately. Not tortured or abused. May be released on surety (someone vouching they’ll appear for trial) if the crime is minor and they’re trusted. Dangerous criminals or strangers are kept confined.

How are convicted criminals treated?

Punishment is administered promptly. Minor offenders are fined, publicly shamed, or punished and released. Serious offenders are executed or sent to hard labor at the Graymarch. There is no concept of “serving time” beyond labor sentences. Once punishment is complete, the matter is considered settled. Reformed criminals can reintegrate into society, though reputation damage persists.

Do the police, military, or city guard make a practice of roughing up suspects?

Not standard practice. Individual guards or watch members might be rough during arrest of violent criminals, but systematic brutality is not part of the culture. Communities are too small and interconnected for routine violence to be tolerated. The military at the Graymarch might be harsher with captured orc raiders than with citizens.

Are there laws forbidding certain types of people (peasants, wizards, priests, women) from carrying arms?

No. Most citizens carry knives as tools. Many own bows for hunting. Swords and military weapons are less common but not forbidden. The practical culture sees weapons as tools for work and defense. Convicted violent criminals might be forbidden weapons as part of their sentence.

Are there laws requiring certain people to be skilled with certain weapons?

No formal requirements, however social pressure and survival rather than law ensures most people have basic competence with knife, staff, or bow.

Are certain spells (as opposed to magic generally) illegal?

All magic is forbidden unless authorized.

How would a criminal magician be detected? Apprehended? Punished?

Detected by the contracted enforcement agencies through their own methods (magical surveillance, informant networks, investigation of unusual events). Apprehended by enforcement agency operatives, sometimes with local watch assistance. Punished according to the enforcement agency’s standards, which usually means magical binding or removal of magical ability for serious offenses, fines and restrictions for minor offenses, and death for the most dangerous practitioners. Local courts have little to no jurisdiction.

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Foreign Relations

Which nations have formal relations with this country?

Kingdom of Vanguard Reach (strongest relationship), Caernast (trade partner for advanced dwarven mills and machines), Aelarion (loose diplomatic ties), Ironveil (trade and mutual defense considerations due to proximity). The Greenfell has minimal contact due to their isolation, save for The Festival of Therion. Relations with other kingdoms are informal or nonexistent.

Who can be ambassadors and envoys?

The Herald of the Crown handles most diplomatic communication through letters and messengers. For important negotiations, the monarch may appoint a trusted advisor or regional leader as special envoy. There are no professional diplomats. Appointments are temporary and task-specific.

Are there standing embassies and consulates, or are envoys sent only when something specific comes up?

No standing embassies. Envoys are sent only when specific issues arise requiring face-to-face negotiation. The low-touch monarchy sees permanent diplomatic missions as unnecessary expense. Regular communication happens through the postal system and travelers.

How are treaties arranged?

Through direct negotiation between monarchs or their appointed representatives. Treaties are simple, practical documents focused on specific issues like trade terms, mutual defense, or border security. The Herald of the Crown drafts and maintains treaty records. Major treaties may involve consultation with affected cities, but the monarch has final authority.

Are there any significant ones currently in force or coming up for signing?

Long-standing mutual defense pact with Vanguard Reach. Trade agreements with Caernast governing grain exports. Border security coordination with Vanguard Reach regarding orc raids in southern territories. An aging agreement with Ironveil regarding trade routes may need renewal soon.

How much do official attitudes toward other countries affect commerce and trade?

Minimal effect. Lenthir’s government stays out of merchant affairs. As long as treaties are honored and trade benefits Lenthiri citizens, the monarchy doesn’t interfere. Poor diplomatic relations might slow official communication but rarely stop trade. The practical culture values commerce over politics.

Do merchants pretty much ignore tensions between governments as long as they can make a profit, or will this get them into trouble?

Merchants largely ignore political tensions and face little trouble for it. The monarchy won’t punish merchants for trading with kingdoms Lenthir has cool relations with. The only exception would be trading with active enemies during wartime, which would be considered treason. This hasn’t been relevant in recent memory.

How much formal spying and intelligence gathering is normally done by governments?

Almost none. The monarchy lacks resources and interest for organized espionage. The Herald of the Crown maintains correspondence with counterparts in other kingdoms and learns through normal diplomatic channels. Merchants and travelers share information informally. This casual approach works because Lenthir has few enemies and limited strategic ambitions.

How much spying is done by the military?

The Marshal of the Graymarch maintains scouts who monitor orc movements and southern border activity. This is tactical reconnaissance, not political espionage. No organized military intelligence service exists. Information about other kingdoms’ military capabilities comes from observation during joint exercises or casual conversation.

Do merchants (or companies) engage in espionage?

Not systematically. Merchants gather market intelligence (crop yields, prices, demand) as normal business practice, but political espionage is rare. Some merchant families in Greendale may keep closer watch on Caernast’s commercial policies, but this is business intelligence, not spying for the government.

Who has the best information gathering system?

Among kingdoms, probably Aelarion or Caernast. Lenthir’s information gathering is informal and limited. The monarchy relies on merchant gossip, traveler reports, and occasional diplomatic correspondence. This suits their needs since they’re not trying to manipulate or compete with neighbors beyond basic trade and security interests.

Which countries are traditional allies?

Vanguard Reach is the closest ally, with deep historical ties, shared borders, mutual defense interests, and cultural similarities. Ironveil is a reliable trade partner and friendly neighbor, though less politically close.

Which countries are traditional rivals?

None currently. Lenthir’s agricultural focus and non-expansionist culture creates few rivalries. Historically there may have been tensions with Caernast over trade terms, but these are commercial disputes, not true rivalry. The practical culture avoids making enemies.

Historically, the kingdom of Sylmaran, now Sylmaran Ruins were political rivals, but the Mire of Vyth is now a desolate land.

How do these traditional alliances and rivalries affect foreign policy?

The proximity to Vanguard Reach means Lenthir generally supports their positions and coordinates on border security. Beyond this, Lenthir’s foreign policy is reactive rather than proactive. They maintain friendly neutrality with most kingdoms, intervening in continental politics only when directly affected.

Which heads-of-state are related by blood or marriage?

How important are political marriages?

Not very

How do ties of blood and marriage affect foreign policy?

Family connections create natural communication channels and goodwill but don’t override national interests. A marriage alliance with Vanguard Reach reinforces existing friendship but didn’t create it. Marriage ties might make monarchs more inclined to hear each other out, but Lenthir won’t sacrifice their interests for family sentiment.

Who are the rivals or enemies of this country?

The orc tribes of Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven raiding from the south are the closest thing to enemies, hence the Graymarch.

There are occasional tiffs with the nomads of Sandgrave, but this is rare.

No kingdom-level enemies exist currently. This could change with rising tensions, but historically Lenthir avoids making state enemies through their neutral, practical approach.

It should be noted that most Kingdom’s rely on Lenthir for stable food and grain, which makes Lenthir a powerful force, despite their apathy towards foreign policy.

How close are they physically, and how powerful are they?

The orc territories lie directly south of Lenthir across contested borderlands. The orc tribes are fragmented and disorganized compared to kingdom militaries, but their raids are persistent enough to require the Graymarch garrison. They’re a nuisance requiring constant vigilance rather than an existential threat.

Who are the neighboring countries and people and what are they like?

See: Kingdom of Vanguard Reach, Sandgrave, Saltcrest, Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven

What forms of government are used in neighboring countries, and why are they the same or different?

See: Kingdom of Vanguard Reach, Sandgrave, Saltcrest, Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven

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National Politics

Does the level of technological advancement match the level of social and political advancement?

Yes, reasonably well. Lenthir has medieval-level technology (simple tools, traditional farming, no factories) paired with locally democratic governance and relatively high social equality. The decentralized political system matches their agricultural, village-based economy. There’s no mismatch where technology has raced ahead of social structures or vice versa. The practical culture develops both at a steady, sustainable pace.

What are the major political factions at present?

Lenthir has no formal political parties, but several loose factional divisions exist:

Regional Interests: Cities and regions advocate for their own needs. Greendale (as a trade hub) pushes for better roads and foreign trade access. The Graymarch garrison wants more military funding. Agricultural heartland settlements want to maintain low taxes and autonomy. Western territories near The Greenfell have different concerns than southern border regions.

Traditionalists vs Reformers: Traditionalists want to maintain the current low-touch monarchy and maximum local autonomy. Reformers (growing minority) argue the kingdom needs more central coordination for infrastructure, standardized laws, and unified response to threats. This split crosses regional lines.

Isolationists vs Interventionists: Isolationists believe Lenthir should focus inward, avoid foreign entanglements, and maintain minimal diplomatic involvement. Interventionists (especially those in trade cities and border regions) argue Lenthir should leverage its agricultural power for greater continental influence and stronger alliances.

These are ideological tendencies rather than organized factions. People shift positions based on specific issues.

How long have the current political factions been around?

These divisions have existed in various forms for centuries, but have sharpened significantly in the last 200-300 years. Regional interests are as old as the settlements themselves. The Traditionalist vs Reformer split has grown more pronounced as some began questioning whether the old low-touch system still serves current needs. The Isolationist vs Interventionist debate has intensified as Lenthir’s agricultural dominance makes them increasingly important to continental politics, forcing them to confront their traditional apathy toward foreign affairs. The timing of this sharpening corresponds with subtle cultural shifts that have made politics more contentious than in previous eras.

Which factions are allies and which are enemies?

No formal alliances exist between factions, but natural alignments occur:

Often Aligned: Traditionalists and Isolationists frequently overlap, both wanting to maintain the status quo of local autonomy and minimal external involvement. Regional interests from rural agricultural areas tend to align with Traditionalists, wanting to preserve their independence from central authority.

Often Aligned: Reformers and Interventionists often find common ground, both believing Lenthir needs to adapt and engage more actively. Greendale’s merchant interests naturally lean Interventionist and somewhat Reformist (wanting better infrastructure for trade).

Tension Points: The Graymarch garrison leans Reformist (wanting more centralized military funding) but Isolationist (focused on border defense, not foreign entanglements). Rural Traditionalists clash with urban Reformers over centralization. Isolationists view Interventionists as dangerous idealists, while Interventionists see Isolationists as burying their heads in the sand.

None of these are true enemies yet, just competing visions for the kingdom’s future.

Are there any potential new forces on the political scene?

Several emerging voices could reshape politics:

Agricultural Protectionists: A growing movement arguing Lenthir should reduce grain exports and “protect our abundance.” Led by wealthy landowners and some regional leaders, they claim other kingdoms take advantage of Lenthiri generosity. This faction has gained surprising influence in the last century, particularly around feast halls and among prosperous farmers who host elaborate gatherings. Their rhetoric about “valuing what we have” resonates with some citizens.

Military Expansionists: Some officers at the Graymarch, frustrated by limited resources, argue for a larger standing army and more aggressive border policy. They’re a minority but growing louder as orc raids from Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven persist.

Pan-Kingdom Movement: Mostly intellectuals and young urban dwellers who believe the era of village autonomy is ending. They advocate for stronger central institutions, standardized laws, and unified kingdom identity. Still small but passionate.

These groups are too new and disorganized, save for the Agricultural Protectionists, to be true factions yet, but could become significant forces.

The Agricultural Protectionist movement has deeper roots than the others. For centuries, concerns about over-exporting grain surfaced during particularly lean harvests, only to fade when abundance returned. What changed in the last century is the movement’s organization and intensity. Where previous generations discussed export limits pragmatically during crises, modern Protectionists frame it as permanent philosophy. The movement’s recent success comes from wealthy landowners who host increasingly lavish feasts while preaching scarcity, creating a peculiar contradiction that somehow resonates.

How much influence do special interest groups (such as merchants, wizards, or religious sects) have on politics?

Moderate to significant influence depending on the group and location:

Merchant interests: Strong influence in trade cities like Greendale, minimal in rural areas. They can sway local councils on trade policy and infrastructure but have little kingdom-wide power.

Horse breeders: Considerable cultural influence. Great Horse breeders are respected voices in their communities. Their opinions on military matters, breeding regulations, and trade carry weight.

Agricultural landowners: Growing influence, especially wealthy ones who host community gatherings and fund local projects. Their voices increasingly shape policy around exports and resource management.

Religious groups: Moderate influence tied to agricultural life. The seasonal Alorama (Viridia, God of Spring, Solana, God of Summer) are widely honored, Therion, God of Harvest is beloved and celebrated, and Drezzar, God of Famine and Morthar, Bringer of Pestilence are propitiated out of fear. Religious leaders don’t directly control policy, but harvest festivals, planting rituals, and appeasement ceremonies shape the agricultural calendar and community decisions. Ignoring religious customs around planting or harvest would be politically unwise for any local leader.

Wizards/Magical practitioners: Almost no influence. So few arcane mages live in Lenthir that they’re not a political force. Divine practitioners (clerics, paladins, druids) have moderate influence through their religious roles but aren’t politically organized as a magical class. The external magical enforcement contractors have no political involvement.

How do interest groups exercise their influence?

Merchants: Control purse strings in trade cities. They fund local infrastructure projects in exchange for favorable trade policies, sponsor festivals and public works to gain goodwill, and threaten to move operations if regulations become too burdensome. In Greendale, wealthy merchant families essentially control the local council through economic leverage.

Horse breeders: Influence through reputation and expertise. When councils debate military preparedness or trade agreements involving horses, breeders are consulted as authorities. Their word carries weight on matters of animal husbandry and cavalry tactics. Great Horse breeders host gatherings where informal political discussions happen.

Agricultural landowners: Host elaborate feasts and community gatherings where they subtly shape opinion. They fund local projects (wells, roads, granaries) to build loyalty. The wealthiest sponsor religious festivals dedicated to Therion, God of Harvest or Solana, God of Summer, positioning themselves as community pillars. Their “generosity” creates obligation.

Religious leaders: Shape the agricultural calendar, which is the rhythm of Lenthiri life. Declaring a feast day for Therion, God of Harvest or calling for appeasement rituals to ward off Drezzar, God of Famine affects when work happens and community priorities. Religious festivals are when major community decisions are often made.

What political positions are considered conservative?

Strong Local Autonomy: Belief that the current system of village self-governance is sacred and should never be centralized. Opposition to any kingdom-level standardization of laws or practices.

Low Taxation: Maintaining the minimal tax burden on settlements. Any proposal to increase kingdom levies is viewed as government overreach.

Agricultural Protectionism: The emerging position that Lenthir should reduce grain exports to “protect our own.” This is becoming mainstream conservative thought, especially among wealthy landowners.

Traditional Religious Observance: Strict adherence to seasonal festivals for the Alorama and proper appeasement of Drezzar, God of Famine and Morthar, Bringer of Pestilence. Skepticism toward new religious movements or foreign faiths.

Isolationism: The belief that Lenthir should avoid foreign entanglements beyond necessary trade with Vanguard Reach. Continental politics are seen as none of Lenthir’s concern.

Hereditary Land Rights: Strong protection of family farmsteads and opposition to land redistribution or communal ownership experiments.

What political positions are considered liberal?

Centralized Infrastructure: Belief that the kingdom needs unified road systems, standardized postal service, and coordinated disaster response that only central government can provide efficiently.

Kingdom-Wide Legal Standards: Advocating for standardized laws across settlements, particularly regarding criminal justice, property rights, and contract enforcement. The current patchwork system is seen as chaotic.

Active Foreign Policy: Using Lenthir’s agricultural power to gain diplomatic leverage and stronger alliances. Engaging actively in continental politics rather than passive neutrality.

Expanded Military: Increasing the standing army beyond the Graymarch garrison, with permanent forces stationed throughout the kingdom for security and rapid disaster response.

Universal Education: Kingdom-funded schools in every settlement rather than leaving education to families and local resources.

Progressive Taxation: Wealthier settlements and landowners should pay proportionally more to fund kingdom services that benefit everyone.

Religious Pluralism: Welcoming faiths from other kingdoms and reducing the emphasis on traditional agricultural deities in public life.

Are there political positions that are unthinkable?

Abolishing the Monarchy: Even though the monarchy is low-touch, it’s a fundamental institution. Eliminating it entirely would be seen as severing ties to Lenthir’s founding and identity.

Ending Local Elections: Completely abolishing village autonomy and local self-governance would violate the core principle upon which Lenthir was built. Even reformers want coordination, not dictatorship.

Selling Farmland to Foreign Powers: Allowing other kingdoms to own Lenthiri agricultural land would be seen as betrayal. The land belongs to those who work it.

Abandoning the Graymarch: Leaving the southern border undefended and allowing Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven raiders free access would be unthinkable cowardice.

Banning Traditional Agricultural Worship: Prohibiting worship of Therion, God of Harvest or the seasonal Alorama would attack Lenthiri identity itself. Even non-religious citizens would oppose this.

Forced Urbanization: Any policy that would force farmers off their land to concentrate population in cities would be seen as destroying what makes Lenthir itself.

Are there any shaky political alliances between disparate groups?

Traditionalists and Agricultural Protectionists: An uneasy alliance. Traditional farmers value the old ways of generosity and sharing, but wealthy landowners pushing protectionism claim they’re defending “traditional abundance.” Many traditionalists are uncomfortable with the hoarding rhetoric but align on maintaining autonomy from central interference.

Reformers and Greendale Merchants: Merchants want better infrastructure and standardized trade laws (reformist goals), but they oppose the taxation increases reformers need to fund these improvements. They cooperate when convenient, clash over who pays.

Isolationists and the Graymarch Garrison: The garrison wants more military funding (reformist position requiring central coordination), but they’re isolationist regarding foreign wars. They clash with reformers over priorities but align with isolationists on avoiding foreign entanglements.

Religious Traditionalists and Progressive Farmers: Young farmers experimenting with new techniques still honor Therion, God of Harvest and traditional festivals, creating common ground with religious leaders despite disagreeing on other social issues.

Why were the current alliances formed?

Traditionalists and Agricultural Protectionists: Formed from shared opposition to reformist centralizing efforts. Traditionalists initially allied with protectionists because both groups wanted to preserve local control. The protectionists cleverly framed their hoarding agenda as “protecting traditional ways” and “valuing what our ancestors built,” which resonated with conservative sentiments.

Reformers and Greendale Merchants: Formed from mutual frustration with inefficient systems. Merchants need reliable roads and standardized contracts to expand trade. Reformers need merchant wealth and practical examples of why coordination matters. The alliance is transactional, based on overlapping immediate goals rather than shared philosophy.

Isolationists and the Graymarch Garrison: United by focus on Lenthir’s borders rather than continental politics. The garrison doesn’t want resources diverted to foreign adventures when they need troops and supplies for defending against Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven. Isolationists see the garrison as proof that Lenthir’s only external concern should be immediate threats, not distant alliances.

Religious Traditionalists and Progressive Farmers: Both groups center their lives around agricultural success. Progressive techniques require divine blessing to be truly trusted, and religious leaders recognize that innovation that increases yields honors Therion, God of Harvest just as much as old methods. Shared reverence for the land creates common ground despite methodological differences.

How long before current alliances fall apart, and, when they do, what will the effects be?

Traditionalists and Agricultural Protectionists (Most Vulnerable - 10-20 years): This alliance is already straining as protectionist rhetoric grows more extreme. True traditionalists remember when Lenthir’s identity was generosity, not hoarding. As wealthy landowners push for stricter export limits and more elaborate feasts while others go hungry, the contradiction will become undeniable. When this breaks: Rural communities will split between genuine traditionalists and the newly wealthy protectionist faction. Social cohesion will fracture along class lines for the first time in Lenthiri history.

Reformers and Greendale Merchants (Moderately Stable - 20-50 years): This alliance survives as long as both sides get something. It breaks when reformers actually try to implement the taxes needed to fund their plans. When this breaks: Reform movement loses its economic base. Infrastructure improvements stall. Greendale may attempt to operate independently, worsening regional divisions.

Isolationists and Graymarch Garrison (Stable Unless Crisis - Could break suddenly): Holds together until a major external threat forces the question of continental intervention. If Vanguard Reach calls for military aid or raids escalate dramatically, the garrison may choose survival over isolationist principles. When this breaks: Could drag Lenthir into foreign conflicts. Isolationist movement would view this as betrayal, potentially leading to civil unrest.

Religious Traditionalists and Progressive Farmers (Most Stable - 50+ years): Unified by genuine shared values around agricultural success and reverence for the land. Only breaks if religious authorities start opposing all innovation or if progressives abandon traditional worship entirely, neither of which seems likely.

What ancient rivalries and hatreds still affect current attitudes and political positions?

The Orc Question (Centuries Old): Deep-seated distrust of Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven tribes. Generations of raids have created cultural assumption that orcs are irredeemable raiders. This affects southern border policy and military spending debates. Any suggestion of negotiating with orc tribes is political suicide, though pragmatists quietly note the raids have patterns and might be survivable rather than conquerable.

The Great Hoarding (600 years ago): A severe drought led some wealthy landowners to hoard grain while others starved. The memory of this betrayal still echoes in debates about export policy and resource management. Families who hoarded are remembered, though not openly condemned. This historical wound makes current protectionist rhetoric especially toxic to older families who recall the tales.

The Greenfell Incident (300 years ago): Lenthir once called on the Greenfell for aid during a famine, and the halflings refused. This created lingering resentment that affects relations even today. Many Lenthiri see halfling isolationism as proof that relying on neighbors is foolish, strengthening isolationist arguments.

Regional Rivalries: Ancient disputes between eastern and western settlements over water rights and grazing lands. Though legally resolved, these color current debates about resource allocation and infrastructure priorities. Eastern settlements remember western “theft” of river access; western settlements remember eastern “monopolization” of best grazing lands.

None of these are active hatreds requiring blood vengeance (not Lenthir’s style), but they’re historical touchstones that politicians reference to support modern positions.

Are magicians a force in politics?

No

Are there national politics that revolve around magic or wizards?

No

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Military & Warfare

Which peoples, countries, and races have been in conflict with this nation in the recent past?

The orc tribes of Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven have been in ongoing low-level conflict with Lenthir for centuries through persistent raiding on the southern border. Occasional skirmishes with nomads from Sandgrave, though these are rare and usually over water rights or grazing territory rather than conquest. No formal wars with other kingdoms in recent memory.

What caused recent conflicts?

Orc raids are driven by resource scarcity in their territories and cultural traditions of raiding as a rite of passage. The raids target livestock, stored grain, and occasionally captives. Sandgrave conflicts arise from competing claims over borderland resources during drought years. These are survival-driven conflicts, not ideological or territorial conquest.

When was the last war and what was it about?

The last true war involving Lenthir was during the War of Five Kingdoms in the First Era (Era of Chaos), over 5,000 years ago. Specifically, Lenthir became entangled in the War of Succession in Vanguard Reach around year 1863 of that era.

During the Second Era (Era of Conflict), Lenthir faced the threat of renewed warfare as rising tensions between religious factions supporting different divine pantheons threatened both internal strife and external conflicts. The competing influences of the Alorama and the Nyx created ideological divisions that nearly erupted into open warfare between kingdoms and within them. The establishment of the Covenant of Divine Order prevented this catastrophe.

Since the establishment of the Covenant of Divine Order in the Second Era, Lenthir has not fought in a formal kingdom-level war. The last 4,000 years of the Third Era have seen only ongoing low-level orc raids from Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven, and occasional skirmishes with Sandgrave nomads.

Who won the last war?

No one truly won the War of Five Kingdoms. The conflict devastated all human kingdoms and contributed to the near-extinction of humanity that ended the First Era. The religious tensions of the Second Era were resolved through diplomacy and the Covenant system before erupting into full warfare, representing a victory for institutional cooperation over violence. The lessons of both eras are why the Covenant was established and why kingdoms have maintained peace for millennia since.

Are there ongoing tensions from the most recent war?

No direct tensions from the ancient War of Five Kingdoms remain after 5,000+ years. However, the cultural memory of that devastation shapes Lenthir’s political attitudes: deep commitment to the alliance with Vanguard Reach (forged in shared recovery), institutional reluctance toward kingdom-level conflicts, and the understanding that cooperation prevented another catastrophe. The only ongoing military tensions are the persistent orc raids, which are manageable nuisances rather than existential threats.

What major weapons of war are available?

Lenthiri forces primarily use cavalry weapons: lances, sabers, composite bows designed for mounted archery. Infantry carry spears, short swords, and shields. Crossbows are used at the Graymarch for defensive positions. Vanguard Reach provides quality steel weapons through trade. No siege engines or artillery - cavalry warfare doesn’t require them. Very limited magical weapons due to scarcity of mages.

How much has the presence of magic affected strategy and tactics?

Minimally. Lenthir has so little magical capability that commanders don’t plan around it. The assumption is that magic won’t be available, so tactics rely on mobility, terrain, and superior horsemanship. When facing enemies with magic (rare), Lenthiri forces rely on speed and dispersal to minimize magical attack effectiveness.

Do army commanders have to use specific formations or techniques to deal with possible magical attacks?

Lenthiri commanders have limited experience with magical threats since they face mainly non-magical orc raiders. Basic anti-magic tactics include: dispersed cavalry formations to minimize area-effect spell impact, rapid mobility to avoid becoming stationary targets, using terrain (hills, forests) to break line-of-sight for targeted spells. At the Graymarch, fortifications include areas blessed by contracted mages to resist magical assault, but these are static defenses. In open battle, Lenthiri cavalry relies on speed and numbers to overwhelm enemy mages before they can cast effectively. This works against orc shamans with limited magical training but would be less effective against trained battle-mages from other kingdoms.

How can magic be used as part of a battle plan?

Lenthir has limited but significant magical capability through divine rather than arcane means:

Clerics: Priests of Therion, God of Harvest and the seasonal Alorama (Viridia, God of Spring, Solana, God of Summer, Caelith, God of Winter) serve in military units, providing healing, blessings, and divine protection. They’re most effective supporting defensive operations and bolstering morale. Some clerics also perform appeasement rituals to Drezzar, God of Famine and Morthar, Bringer of Pestilence to ward off divine misfortune during campaigns.

Druids: Natural guardians who protect Lenthir’s agricultural lands work with military forces when defending farmland from raiders. They can call upon natural allies, manipulate terrain, and use weather magic. Particularly valuable against orc raiders who often use fire.

Paladins: Holy warriors sworn to protect the harvest and the people are the closest thing Lenthir has to magical cavalry. Small orders of mounted paladins serve at the Graymarch and in border defense, combining cavalry tactics with divine smiting power.

However, Lenthir has almost no arcane spellcasters (wizards, sorcerers). Battle plans rely on divine magic for support and healing rather than offensive magical firepower. The contracted enforcement mages from Aelarion or Ithilvaeth might assist in extreme emergencies but are expensive and rarely involved in military operations.

How are armies usually structured?

Lenthir’s military has two distinct structures:

The Standing Army (Graymarch Garrison): Formally organized with clear ranks and permanent structure. Approximately 300-500 professional soldiers including cavalry units, infantry, archers, and support staff. Led by the Marshal of the Graymarch who reports directly to the monarch. Includes small dedicated units of clerics, druids, and paladins. This force is always maintained and ready.

Conscripted Forces (Wartime): When larger armies are needed, each settlement provides troops based on their census records. These forces are organized by origin, with each city or village forming its own company under a locally-chosen captain. The structure is more confederation than unified army - groups of village militias coordinated loosely rather than integrated battalions. Local leaders maintain command of their own people.

Cavalry Focus: Both structures emphasize mounted units. Even infantry companies typically have mounted scouts and messengers. The pride of any Lenthiri force is its cavalry, especially units mounted on Great Horses.

Divine Support: Clerics, druids, and paladins are integrated throughout both structures, typically one per company for conscripted forces, higher concentration in the professional garrison.

Are command structures formal and independent or is everybody officially under the command of the lord who brought them to army?

Standing Army: Formal and independent. The Marshal of the Graymarch has clear authority regardless of nobles’ preferences. Rank determines command, not birth or wealth. Officers are promoted based on competence and experience.

Conscripted Forces: Hybrid system. Each settlement’s troops remain under their local captain, who takes orders from whoever brought them (village elder, city council representative, regional lord). These captains then coordinate with the Marshal or appointed supreme commander. Local leaders maintain authority over their own people but are expected to follow the overall battle plan.

In practice, this creates tension. Professional officers at the Graymarch want unified command. Local leaders resist giving up authority over “their” troops. Successful campaigns require diplomatic compromise between formal military hierarchy and local autonomy. The monarch can impose unified command in declared emergencies, but this is politically sensitive and rarely invoked.

The system reflects Lenthir’s fundamental tension between central coordination and local autonomy, even in military matters.

If there is a formal structure, what are the various ranks and titles?

Standing Army (Graymarch Garrison):

• Marshal of the Graymarch: Supreme commander, appointed by the monarch
• Captain-Commander: Second-in-command, oversees daily operations
• Cavalry Captain / Infantry Captain: Lead specific mounted or foot companies
• Rider-Lieutenant: Junior cavalry officers (Lenthiri term for lieutenant in mounted units)
• Shield-Lieutenant: Junior infantry officers
• Horsemaster-Sergeant: Senior cavalry NCOs, responsible for both troops and horses
• Sergeant-of-Arms: Senior infantry NCOs
• Lancer / Trooper: Professional cavalry soldiers
• Man-at-Arms: Professional infantry soldiers

Conscripted Forces:

Ranks vary by settlement. Common titles include:

• Company Captain: Leads a settlement’s contingent
• Squadleader: Leads smaller units within the company (usually 10-20 soldiers)
• Militia: Common soldiers

Divine Specialists:

• Battle-Priest / War-Cleric: Senior clerics attached to units
• Oath-Knight: Paladins (often use their order’s titles rather than military ranks)

Druids are rare and unreliable in the army, and thus don’t have a specific title.

The professional ranks use practical, descriptive titles reflecting Lenthir’s cavalry culture and no-nonsense approach.

Who can call up an army?

The monarch has the authority to call up a full kingdom-wide army in times of declared war or emergency. This requires formal proclamation and activates the census records.

The Marshal of the Graymarch can call up troops from southern settlements for border defense without royal approval, but only from the immediate region and only for defensive purposes.

Local leaders (city councils, village elders) can call up their own local militias for immediate defense of their settlement, but cannot compel other settlements to join them or march beyond their own territory without royal authorization.

In practice, calling up the full army is rare and politically difficult. It disrupts the agricultural cycle, requires settlements to provide soldiers they need for their own protection, and triggers debates about who pays for the campaign. The last genuine full mobilization was during the War of Five Kingdoms in the First Era. During the Second Era religious tensions, Lenthir prepared for mobilization but the Covenant was established before troops were actually called up, making it the largest near-mobilization in recent history.

How are the ranks filled in times of need?

Through conscription based on census records. Each settlement provides soldiers proportional to their population. Able-bodied adults are expected to serve when called, though farmers during critical planting/harvest seasons may be deferred. Settlements choose how to select their troops - some use rotation, others take volunteers first, some use lottery systems. The wealthy can sometimes pay substitutes, though this is frowned upon. Officers come from local leadership (experienced hunters, watch captains, respected warriors).

Are there professional soldiers and mercenaries?

Professional soldiers exist only in the Graymarch garrison (300-500 troops) and the Royal Riders (20-30 elite bodyguards). Mercenaries are rare in Lenthir - the practical culture views selling one’s sword as dishonorable, and there’s little demand since major wars are uncommon. Foreign mercenaries occasionally pass through but find little employment.

Is a career in the army possible, or would one have to be a mercenary in order to make a living as a soldier?

Very limited career path. The Graymarch garrison and Royal Riders are the only permanent military positions. Competition is fierce and positions are held for life. Most soldiers serve their conscription term and return to farming. Veterans respected but not financially supported beyond their service. Some become local militia trainers or security guards, but these aren’t military careers proper.

Does the army accept volunteers?

Yes, enthusiastically. Volunteers are preferred over reluctant conscripts. Young people seeking glory, second sons with no inheritance, those wanting to prove themselves - all can volunteer for either the professional garrison (if positions open) or to fill their settlement’s conscription quota. Settlements that provide volunteers rather than forcing conscripts are viewed more favorably.

How large is a typical army?

Standing Force: 300-500 at the Graymarch, plus 20-30 Royal Riders. Total professional military around 400-550.

Full Conscription: In declared war, Lenthir could theoretically field 10,000-15,000 troops based on population, but this would cripple agriculture. Realistic sustainable army: 3,000-5,000 for extended campaigns. Most conflicts use far fewer - border raids might involve 200-500 troops.

In an army, what percentage of the soldiers will be trained and what portion will be untrained recruits?

Professional Garrison: 100% trained, experienced soldiers.

Conscripted Army: Perhaps 10-20% have relevant skills (hunters, militia members familiar with weapons and riding). The remaining 80-90% are farmers who can ride and may own weapons but have no military training whatsoever. The lack of warfare for millennia means no training infrastructure exists.

Are recruits and conscripts given training, or are they expected to learn on the battlefield?

Expected to learn on the battlefield or from veterans in their units. No formal military training programs exist because Lenthir hasn’t needed them. Most combat skills are learned informally through family and community teaching - fathers teach sons to ride and fight, hunters share tracking techniques, village watches practice together during slow seasons.

The Graymarch garrison trains its own replacements through apprenticeship, but conscripted forces would simply be handed weapons and expected to follow orders. This is a critical weakness that would be exposed in any real war - but since there hasn’t been one in 5,000+ years, the problem remains theoretical.

How is the army supplied?

Graymarch Garrison: Supplied by the kingdom’s emergency stockpiles and regular shipments of grain, preserved foods, and equipment from nearby settlements. The Steward of the Granaries coordinates this. Horses are bred and trained locally or acquired from regional breeders.

Conscripted Forces: Each settlement provides supplies for their own troops - food, weapons, horses, basic equipment. No centralized supply system exists for large armies. In theory, the kingdom would coordinate logistics, but without recent wars, these systems are untested and likely inadequate.

Are soldiers allowed to live off the land and peasantry, or do they pay for what they take?

Lenthiri soldiers are expected to pay for what they take from civilians, even during campaigns. The agricultural culture makes theft of food especially taboo. In practice, during border defense, settlements willingly provide for troops protecting them. The Graymarch garrison has arrangements with nearby farms for regular supply. Looting civilian populations would be viewed as dishonorable and contrary to what soldiers are fighting to protect.

How are supplies handled during long campaigns?

Poorly. Lenthir has no experience with sustained campaigns beyond the Graymarch garrison’s established supply lines. In theory, supply trains would follow armies, but logistics planning is theoretical rather than practical. This is another major weakness masked by millennia of peace.

How many days worth of supplies can the army haul along with them?

Cavalry-focused forces travel light - perhaps 3-5 days of food for soldiers, assuming they can forage or resupply from friendly settlements. Horse feed is the limiting factor. The Graymarch garrison maintains larger reserves but expects regular resupply. Any extended campaign would require establishing supply lines, something Lenthir has no modern experience doing.

What are the accepted conventions for making war (examples: only fight in winter when nobody is busy with crops; don’t make war on civilians; only certain kinds of weapons are used)?

Agricultural Calendar: War during planting or harvest seasons is considered barbaric and self-destructive. Fighting happens in late autumn/winter/early spring when farmwork is minimal. This is practical necessity, not mere convention.

Civilian Protection: Targeting civilians, burning crops, or poisoning wells is deeply taboo. The agricultural culture views such acts as attacks on civilization itself. Even orc raiders mostly target livestock and stored goods, not people.

Honorable Combat: Single combat between champions to settle disputes is respected though rare. Ambushes and night attacks are tactically sound but considered less honorable than open battle.

Surrender Terms: Enemies who surrender are treated well, ransomed if valuable, or allowed to return home. The practical culture sees no point in pointless killing.

Do the accepted conventions vary by race or region?

Gruz’Thok and Durmshaven orcs follow different conventions - they raid year-round when desperate, take captives, and view honor differently. This is why they’re seen as uncivilized threats rather than honorable enemies. Sandgrave nomads have their own honor codes around water rights and grazing territory. Lenthir’s conventions are shared generally with Vanguard Reach and other human kingdoms due to shared agricultural culture.

How does the presence of non-humans affect strategy, tactics, and battles?

Against Orcs: Orcs are physically stronger and more resilient. Lenthiri tactics emphasize mobility and range - cavalry charges to break formations, mounted archery to wear them down from distance, avoid prolonged melee. Use superior horses and coordination to offset individual orc strength.

Theoretical (Other Races): Elven archers would outrange Lenthiri cavalry. Dwarven heavy infantry would be nearly impossible to break with charges. These are theoretical concerns - no wars with other races in millennia.

Are special weapons required if an army is facing certain kinds of non-human armies?

Against orcs: Longer spears and lances to engage before they close to melee range. Heavy crossbows at the Graymarch to penetrate thick hide and crude armor. Fire arrows to deny them cover in raids. Nothing exotic or magical required, just practical adaptations.

How would non-human soldiers turn their physical differences from humans to their advantage?

Orcs: Use superior strength in close combat, intimidating charges, ability to carry heavier weapons and armor. Can fight longer without tiring. Break Lenthiri formations through brute force if they close distance.

Theoretical - Elves: Superior archery, better night vision, enhanced agility. Would harass Lenthiri cavalry from range and use terrain (forests) where horses struggle.

Theoretical - Dwarves: Unbreakable infantry formations, superior endurance, better equipment. Would force cavalry to dismount and fight on dwarf terms, negating Lenthir’s mobility advantage.

Theoretical - Halflings: Would avoid direct confrontation entirely, use stealth, ambushes, knowledge of terrain. Make occupation impossible through guerrilla tactics.

Are particular non-human races traditionally better with certain weapons? If so, why?

From historical knowledge and cultural memory: Elves excel with bows (patience, precision, enhanced vision). Dwarves master axes and hammers (mining culture, upper body strength, close-quarters). Orcs favor heavy weapons requiring strength (clubs, great axes).

Are particular human groups traditionally better with certain weapons, and if so, why?

Lenthiri: Cavalry weapons (lances, sabers, mounted archery). Generations of horse culture and plains warfare.

Vanguard Reach: All weapons, especially heavy infantry gear. Their martial culture and forge tradition.

Others vary by culture and geography, though Lenthir knows less about distant kingdoms’ specialties.

How do the weapons of this country compare with those of surrounding nations?

Lenthir imports most quality metalwork from Vanguard Reach and Ironveil. Lenthiri weapons are serviceable but not exceptional - functional farmer’s tools and basic military gear. Vanguard Reach’s forges produce superior steel. Lenthir’s advantage is horses, not weapons. This dependency on imported arms is a strategic vulnerability that isolationists worry about.

Have there been recent innovations that may upset the balance of power?

None in Lenthir - the long peace means no military innovation.

Potential concerns: If other kingdoms developed magical weapons or better anti-cavalry tactics, Lenthir would be unprepared. If Vanguard Reach stopped exporting weapons, Lenthir would struggle. The Graymarch garrison tries to stay current with orc raiding tactics, but that’s adaptation rather than innovation.

How much as the presence of magic affected military strategy and tactics in general?

Minimally for Lenthir specifically. They plan around having clerics and paladins for support but no offensive magic. Other kingdoms likely integrate magic more heavily - Aelarion certainly would, Vanguard Reach possibly. Lenthir’s lack of magical capability is a known weakness, contributing to their reliance on the Vanguard Reach alliance. The religious tensions of the Second Era demonstrated how devastating magical warfare could be, which is why the Covenant restricts it.

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Country Profile

Who are the heroes and villains of each country’s history?

Answer:

Why are these people heroes, and what does this say about the country and people?

Answer:

How accessible is this area?

Very accessible by land. The great plains have few natural barriers, allowing easy travel by horse and cart. Multiple roads connect settlements across the kingdom. Northern border with Vanguard Reach is open and well-traveled. Western approaches through Ferron’s Reach are more difficult (mountain passes), limiting access from that direction. Southern border is accessible but dangerous due to orc raids. Overall, Lenthir is easily reached and traversed by land travelers, making it a natural crossroads for continental trade.

What natural features mark the country’s borders?

North: The northern border is defined by the Gloamwood Forest region (Brookshade area) and rivers, separating Lenthir from Vanguard Reach.

West: Ferron’s Reach mountains, the ocean, and a river that separates Lenthir from The Greenfell and Ironveil. These create a clear geographical boundary on the western side.

South: The transition from fertile plains to the Dunes of Zherim marks the southern border. The Graymarch fortress sits at this boundary, defending against the arid lands beyond.

East: The Broken Spires and the edge of the plains transitioning toward Sandgrave and more arid eastern regions. Rivers and the Starlight Sea also define portions of the eastern boundary.

Why did people settle in this area in the first place?

The vast fertile plains were perfect for agriculture and animal husbandry. Early human settlers from Aelarion saw endless grasslands ideal for growing crops and raising horses. The relatively flat terrain made farming easier than mountainous or forested regions. Abundant wild horses could be domesticated. Rivers provided water for irrigation. The climate supported year-round agriculture with distinct growing seasons. The open land allowed communities to spread out and establish independent settlements while remaining connected. This was the ideal location for humans who wanted to develop agricultural expertise and horse culture.

Is the country in a strategic location, on a trade route, in a good place for a harbour, rich in minerals, good for farming?

Strategic Location: Centrally located on the continent for land trade but not coastal. Natural hub for north-south trade routes.

Trade Routes: Yes - land routes connecting Vanguard Reach, Ironveil, Caernast, and more distant kingdoms pass through Lenthir. Greendale serves as a major trading center.

Harbour: No major harbors exist, though there are a few seafaring villages in the remote reaches of the east and west coasts.

Minerals: Poor. Limited mineral wealth - some stone from the Broken Spires, but nothing significant. Depends on imports from Ironveil and Vanguard Reach for metals.

Farming: Exceptional. Some of the best agricultural land on the continent. This is Lenthir’s primary strategic asset.

Have things changed much since people entered the area, or do people still depend on whatever brought them there in the first place?

Fundamentally unchanged. Lenthir remains an agricultural kingdom built on grain production and horse breeding, just as the original settlers envisioned 5,000+ years ago. The techniques have improved, settlements have grown into cities, but the core identity is identical - farmers and horse breeders living on the plains. If the original settlers returned, they’d recognize their descendants’ way of life immediately. This continuity is a source of pride and also contributes to conservatism - “it’s worked for five millennia, why change?”

How diverse is the population of this country?

Predominantly human (95%+). Small populations of other races in trade cities like Greendale - halflings from the Greenfell, dwarves from Ironveil conducting trade, occasional elves from Aelarion. The coastal villages might have slightly more diversity. Rural areas are almost entirely human. Cultural diversity within humans is also limited - shared agricultural lifestyle creates homogeneous culture. This lack of diversity reinforces isolationist tendencies and makes Lenthir less cosmopolitan than Aelarion or Caernast.

Are people immigrating to or emigrating from the country? Why?

Immigration: Minimal. Some traders settle in Greendale. Occasional refugees from orc raids in border regions. A few seeking agricultural opportunities. Lenthir doesn’t actively encourage immigration and the rural, farming lifestyle doesn’t attract many outsiders.

Emigration: Also minimal. Most Lenthiri are satisfied with their lives. Some young people seeking adventure or magical education go to Aelarion or Vanguard Reach. Second sons with no land inheritance might seek opportunities elsewhere. Failed farmers might try their luck in other kingdoms. But overall, people stay - the land is good and life is stable.

How much of this country is farmland? Forest? Desert? Mountains? Plains? Swamp?

Plains: 75-80% of the kingdom. Vast open grasslands, most of which is either actively farmed or used for grazing.

Farmland: Perhaps 60% of total area is actively cultivated fields. The rest is pasture, fallow land, or natural grassland.

Forest: 5%. Some forests in the northern regions and scattered woodlands near rivers and settlements. Not a heavily forested kingdom.

Mountains: 5%. Ferron’s Reach marks the western border, the Broken Spires in the east. These are boundary features rather than interior terrain.

Desert/Arid: Minimal within borders, though southern regions near the Dunes of Zherim become drier and less fertile.

How much of this country is arable?

Approximately 70-75% of the land is arable. The plains have excellent soil, adequate rainfall, and good drainage. Only the mountainous regions (Ferron’s Reach, Broken Spires), the driest southern areas, and the forests are unsuitable for farming. This exceptional arable percentage is Lenthir’s greatest strength and why they feed the continent.

What are the primary crops?

Grains: Wheat, barley, oats, rye. These dominate. Wheat is the most important.

Vegetables: Cabbage, turnips, carrots, onions, beans, peas.

Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas for soil enrichment and food.

Hay and fodder crops: Alfalfa, clover for feeding the massive horse population.

Orchards: Apples, pears in suitable areas, though fruit is secondary to grain.

Herbs: Medicinal and culinary herbs in kitchen gardens.

Grain is king - everything else is supplementary.

Which crops are any grown mainly for export or for trade?

Wheat: Primary export. Lenthir feeds much of the continent through wheat exports to Vanguard Reach, Caernast, Aelarion, and others.

Barley: Also exported, especially to regions brewing beer or making bread.

Preserved foods: Dried grains, preserved meats, travel rations packaged for long-distance trade.

Most grain production exceeds domestic needs, making surplus the foundation of Lenthir’s economy and political power. The growing protectionist movement wants to reduce these exports.

What crops can not be grown here because of the soil or climate?

Tropical/Subtropical crops: Citrus fruits, rice, sugar cane, cotton, spices. The temperate plains climate is too cold.

Cold-weather crops: Nothing grows well in the southern arid zones.

Exotic imports: Coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas don’t grow in Lenthir at all.

Wine grapes: Climate isn’t ideal. Lenthir imports wine from other kingdoms.

Luxury crops: Most specialty items come from elsewhere. Lenthir grows staples, not luxuries.

What water resources are available here, and for what uses?

Rivers: Multiple river systems cross the plains. Used for irrigation, drinking water, transportation of goods, powering mills. The map shows rivers running through the kingdom.

Wells: Groundwater is accessible throughout most of the plains. Every settlement has wells for drinking water and livestock.

Rainfall: Adequate and fairly reliable for growing crops without extensive irrigation. The plains receive enough natural precipitation.

Limited coastal access: Small fishing villages on east and west coasts provide some seafood but this is minor compared to rivers.

Water is generally abundant and reliable, contributing to agricultural success.

What wild animals live in this area? Are any of them potentially useful or dangerous to the population?

Useful Wildlife:

• Wild horses: Still exist in remote grasslands, source of new breeding stock
• Deer and elk: Hunted for meat and leather, especially in northern forests
• Rabbits and hares: Common game animals
• Wild fowl: Ducks, geese, pheasants provide supplementary food
• Fish: In rivers and limited coastal waters

Dangerous Wildlife:

• Wolves: Prey on livestock, particularly in winter. Hunted aggressively
• Wild boar: In forested areas, dangerous when cornered, damage crops
• Bears: Rare, in Ferron’s Reach and mountainous regions, occasionally raid settlements
• Large cats: Mountain lions in the Broken Spires, rare but dangerous
• Poisonous snakes: In grasslands and warmer southern regions

Which animals are commonly domesticated in this area?

Horses: The most important. Great Horses of Westhold are legendary, but all types of horses are bred - draft horses for plowing, riding horses, war horses.

Cattle: For meat, leather, dairy, and draft labor. Essential to farming.

Sheep: For wool, meat, leather. Graze on land unsuitable for crops.

Goats: Hardy animals for marginal land, provide milk and meat.

Pigs: Efficient meat production, fed on scraps and forest forage.

Chickens: Eggs and meat, every farmstead has them.

Dogs: Herding dogs, guard dogs, hunting dogs. Essential working animals.

Windcaller Hawks: Specially bred and trained for carrying messages. Unique to Lenthir.

Cats: Mousers in granaries and homes.

Horses are culturally and economically dominant, but the full range of farm animals exists.

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National Magic Policy

Is magic legal in this country?

Yes, magic is legal in Lenthir, but heavily regulated under the Pact of the Ythraewyn. All practitioners must register with local authorities and comply with kingdom-wide conservation laws. The Pact’s restrictions are enforced strictly, though Lenthir’s practical culture means there’s little temptation toward frivolous magic use anyway.

Is all magic legal, or only some types?

Legal magic includes:

• Divine magic (clerics, paladins, druids) for healing, blessing crops, warding against threats
• Certified wizards performing approved functions (study, teaching, law enforcement)
• Registered sorcerers under supervision
• Monk abilities (ki, largely unregulated)
• Agricultural magic specifically approved for crop enhancement

Illegal magic includes:

• Mind control and enchantment magic (except licensed bards in specific circumstances)
• Necromancy
• Destructive magic without defensive justification
• Any frivolous or recreational use
• Unregistered practice

Do laws about magic vary widely from city to city, or are attitudes generally similar?

The Pact of the Ythraewyn establishes kingdom-wide standards that all settlements must follow. However, local interpretation varies:

Conservative rural areas: Extremely strict. Some villages view even healing magic with suspicion, preferring traditional herbalism. Sorcerers face intense scrutiny. Local councils may impose additional restrictions beyond Pact requirements.

Trade cities like Greendale: More pragmatic. Accept registered practitioners from other kingdoms, allow licensed magical services. Still enforce Pact but with less paranoia.

The Graymarch: Actively welcomes military-trained clerics and paladins. Practical necessity of border defense overrides magical squeamishness.

Core attitudes are similar (magic conservation, respect for divine power, distrust of arcane showmanship), but enforcement intensity varies.

How has the presence of magic and magicians affected law and government?

Minimally compared to more magical kingdoms. Lenthir’s low-magic culture means:

Positive Effects:

• External enforcement contracts created diplomatic ties with Aelarion and Ithilvaeth
• Divine magic from clerics of Therion, God of Harvest legitimizes agricultural policy
• Pact enforcement provides rare instance of kingdom-wide standardization

Negative Effects:

• Sorcerer registration creates surveillance bureaucracy
• Dependence on foreign magical enforcers is strategic vulnerability
• Magical crimes require expensive external investigation
• Government has limited capacity to monitor compliance independently

Are wizards barred from certain kinds of government posts?

No formal bars exist, but practical reality keeps wizards out of most positions:

Can serve as: Advisors to the Marshal of the Graymarch on magical threats, liaisons to enforcement contractors, researchers at the Royal Agricultural Institute

Unlikely to serve as: Local elected officials (communities prefer traditional farmers), Royal Riders (requires cavalry focus), tax collectors or administrators (no relevant skills)

The issue is cultural rather than legal. Wizards are respected for expertise but not trusted with general governance. A wizard running for village council would be viewed as odd, not illegal.

Do some positions require that their holder be a wizard?

No. Lenthir deliberately avoids requiring magical ability for any government position. This reflects:

• Commitment to non-magical governance
• Shortage of qualified wizards
• Cultural preference for practical expertise over arcane knowledge

Even positions that deal with magic (like liaisons to enforcement contractors) don’t require the holder to be a wizard, just knowledgeable about magical law.

What effect has magic had on law? On art? On technology? On entertainment?

On Law:

• Pact of the Ythraewyn created entirely new legal category requiring enforcement infrastructure
• Sorcerer registration laws
• Magical crime definitions and penalties
• Contracts with external enforcement agencies
• Otherwise, minimal effect - most law deals with agriculture, property, and mundane crime

On Art:

• Very little. Lenthiri art is practical (pottery, weaving, woodcarving, songs). Magical enhancement forbidden as frivolous
• Religious festivals may include blessed elements, but this is divine, not arcane
• Bards passing through may perform, but resident magical entertainment doesn’t exist

On Technology:

• Agricultural techniques benefit from clerical blessing but remain fundamentally non-magical

On Entertainment:

• No magical entertainment exists post-Pact. All forbidden as frivolous
• Traditional entertainment (music, storytelling, festivals, horse shows, competitions) remains entirely mundane

How are illegal magicians apprehended and punished?

Detection:

• Observation Posts (maintained by wizards from Aelarion) detect large-scale illegal magic
• Community reporting - neighbors notice unauthorized practice
• Regular audits of registered practitioners reveal violations
• Accidental discovery during other investigations

Apprehension:

• Minor violations: Local watch can arrest non-resisting violators
• Moderate violations: Local watch requests assistance from contracted enforcement agencies
• Severe violations or resistant mages: Enforcement contractors handle entirely
• Sorcerers in wild magic surge: Specialized containment teams from contractors

Punishment:

• Adjudicated by local courts for minor offenses (fines, community service)
• Tribunal of Balance for serious violations
• Magical binding performed only by certified contractors
• Imprisonment in local facilities for non-magical criminals, specialized facilities (outside Lenthir) for dangerous mages

Is the apprehension of illegal practitioners the responsibility of the magician’s guild, or do ordinary law enforcement agencies have to deal with it?

Hybrid system:

Local Watch Responsibilities:

• Initial response to reported violations
• Apprehending cooperative violators
• Minor cases (unregistered hedge wizard, accidental sorcerer manifestation)
• Securing scene until contractors arrive for serious cases

Enforcement Contractors (from Aelarion/Ithilvaeth):

• Investigating magical crimes
• Apprehending dangerous or resistant mages
• Conducting forensic magic
• Performing magical binding
• Prosecuting cases before the Tribunal
• Training local authorities in basic magical threat recognition

No Guild Exists: Lenthir has no magician’s guild. Too few practitioners and cultural distrust of magical organizations. The contractors function as external guild-equivalents.

Coordination Issues: Local watch sometimes delays calling contractors (expensive, admits they can’t handle it), or contractors arrive too slowly for urgent situations. This tension is ongoing.

Is healing usually a magical process?

Mixed approach:

Common Healing (90% of cases): Non-magical. Herbalists, midwives, bonesetter, traditional medicine. Most Lenthiri never experience magical healing. Villages without resident clerics rely entirely on mundane methods.

Magical Healing Used For:

• Life-threatening injuries beyond mundane medicine
• Disease outbreaks threatening communities
• Removing curses or magical afflictions
• Blessing childbirth in difficult cases
• Treating injuries at the Graymarch

Accessibility:

• Cities and larger towns: May have resident clerics of Therion, God of Harvest, Ithara, Healer of Sorrows, or other healing deities
• Villages: Must send for traveling cleric or make pilgrimage to nearest temple
• Cost: Donations expected but clerics won’t refuse the destitute
• Cultural attitude: Magical healing is backup, not first choice

Is forensic magic possible?

Yes

Why Rarely Used:

• Expensive - requires hiring contractors
• Most crimes mundane and solved through traditional investigation
• Cultural preference for physical evidence over magical testimony
• Limited qualified practitioners
• Time delay waiting for contractors to arrive

Can forensic magic be used to investigate only certain types of crimes (and if so, which)?

Authorized Uses:

• Murder investigations (including Speak with Dead)
• Magical crimes (obviously)
• Theft of extremely valuable items (Great Horses, kingdom treasures)
• Treason and threats to national security
• Cases where mundane investigation has failed and justice requires magical intervention

Generally Not Authorized For:

• Minor theft or property disputes
• Common assault
• Civil disputes
• Cases with sufficient physical evidence
• Crimes where victim/family cannot afford contractor fees and kingdom won’t subsidize

Approval Required: Local judges can authorize for serious cases. Tribunal approval needed for necromancy. Marshal of the Graymarch can authorize for military matters.

Are the results of forensic spells admissible in court as evidence?

Yes, but with significant caveats:

Admissible:

• Zone of Truth testimony (divine magic, trusted)
• Speak with Dead (with Tribunal authorization and proper safeguards)
• Detect Magic results (objective magical presence)
• Physical evidence located through divination (the evidence itself is what matters)

Admissibility Requirements:

• Must be performed by certified, neutral contractor
• Proper documentation of spell casting and results
• Witness testimony describing procedure
• Judge determines reliability case-by-case

Limitations:

• Some rural judges distrust magical evidence entirely
• Defense can challenge contractor credentials or methods
• Magical evidence alone rarely sufficient for conviction - must be corroborated
• Zone of Truth doesn’t compel answers, only prevents lies in what is said
• Speak with Dead limited by what deceased knew and spirit’s cooperation

Cultural Attitudes: Urban courts more accepting, rural courts skeptical. Magical evidence seen as confirmation rather than foundation of cases.

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National Infrastructure

How are roads built in this country?

Simple, practical construction suited to plains terrain:

Major Trade Routes: Packed earth graded and drained, with gravel surfaces on heavily-trafficked sections. Built wide enough for two wagons to pass. Bridges over rivers constructed by local communities with kingdom coordination. These connect major cities and extend to borders with Vanguard Reach and Ironveil.

Local Roads: Dirt tracks worn by regular use. Minimal formal construction. Communities may add gravel or logs over muddy sections but otherwise let natural paths develop between settlements.

Labor: Built by local communities using their own labor or tax-labor obligations. Kingdom provides coordination and engineering advice for major routes but not funds or workers.

What state are the roads in?

Variable by location and season:

Major Trade Routes: Good to fair condition. Well-drained, regularly maintained, passable year-round. Spring thaw creates muddy sections but these are anticipated and routes adjusted.

Local Roads: Poor to adequate. Dry season they’re fine, wet season they become muddy morasses. Winter snow can close roads for weeks. Rural areas accept this as normal.

Overall Assessment: Functional for agricultural economy but not impressive. Vanguard Reach and Caernast have better road systems. Adequate for moving grain and horses, which is what matters.

Who pays for roads?

Major Trade Routes: Kingdom pays through general taxation (the small annuity from settlements). This is one of the few centralized infrastructure investments.

Local Roads: Each settlement maintains roads within their territory and to neighbors. No external funding. Communities organize road repair as communal labor projects.

Bridges: Shared cost between communities on both sides. Kingdom may subsidize strategically important bridges but expects local contribution.

The Graymarch approaches: Military budget maintains southern roads for troop movement and supply.

Who maintains the roads?

Major Routes: Herald of the Crown coordinates maintenance schedule. Settlements along routes provide labor proportional to road length in their territory. Kingdom inspectors assess conditions annually.

Local Roads: Each settlement responsible for their own. Village councils organize repair parties, usually in spring after thaw damage and autumn before harvest travel.

Bridges: Communities that use them. Larger cities may employ bridge-keepers, smaller settlements rotate responsibility.

Are there good roads? Who builds them?

Major trade routes are good, local roads adequate to poor. Built by local labor coordinated by kingdom for major routes, purely local initiative for minor roads. Ironveil dwarves contracted for technically difficult construction (major bridges). No professional road-building corps exists - it’s communal labor.

Are there tolls?

Very few:

Generally Free: Most roads are toll-free. The low-touch monarchy and cultural values favor open movement.

Rare Exceptions: Some major bridges charge small tolls to fund maintenance

Cultural Attitude: Tolls viewed with suspicion as money-grubbing. Charging tolls on roads within Lenthir proper would be politically unpopular. Accepted only when maintenance costs are clearly justified.

Are roads guarded or patrolled?

Minimally:

Major Trade Routes: Irregular patrols by Royal Riders or local militia, maybe once per month on important routes. More reactive than preventive - respond to reports of trouble rather than constant presence.

Southern Roads (near Graymarch): Regular military patrols due to orc raid threat. Daily patrols within 20 miles of the Graymarch, weekly further north.

Local Roads: Unguarded. Villages may send riders to check roads before important travel but no regular patrols.

Why So Little?: Banditry rare, population sparse, low-touch government philosophy. Most travel is local and communities know each other. The expense of regular patrols doesn’t justify the minimal threat.

Merchant Caravans: Larger operations hire their own guards, especially when carrying valuable goods.

Are there magical means of transportation?

Almost none.

Practical Reality: Even emergency teleportation requires hiring contractors from Aelarion, waiting for them to arrive, and justifying the expense. By the time it’s arranged, conventional travel is often faster.

Cultural Attitude: Using magic to travel seen as lazy, wasteful, and disrespectful to those who built the roads. “If your horse can’t get you there, maybe you don’t need to go.”

How does magical transportation compare in speed, safety, and expense to non-magical means?

For 99.9% of situations, conventional travel is superior in every practical dimension except raw speed of the magical transition itself.

Is there a public or private postal system, or does everyone of importance have to send messengers?

Royal Postal Service: Exists for kingdom business. The Herald of the Crown maintains postal stations in major cities and along main routes. Royal messengers (certified by Herald) carry official correspondence. Uses combination of mounted riders and Windcaller Hawks for urgent messages.

Windcaller Hawk Network: Specially trained hawks can carry small messages between bonded aviaries. Faster than horses for urgent communication. Limited by weight capacity (small scrolls only) and need for established aviary pairs. Primarily used for official kingdom business but wealthy merchants may contract access.

Private Messengers: Common people hire traveling merchants, friendly travelers, or pay dedicated messengers for important personal business. No formal system - relies on trust and payment.

Local Communication: Most communication happens face-to-face. Villages are small enough that everyone knows everyone. Important news announced by town criers at market days.

How fast can news get from one point to another?

Within Lenthir:

• Windcaller Hawk: Same day for most kingdom destinations (up to ~160 miles). Weather dependent.
• Mounted messenger: 50-70 miles per day on good roads with fresh horses. Can cross the kingdom (north to south) in 2-3 days.
• Merchant/traveler: 20-30 miles per day, slower due to cargo. Kingdom crossing takes 5-8 days.
• Word of mouth: Spreads through villages along routes at merchant pace.

Examples:

• Capital (central) to Greendale (north, ~80 miles): Hawk same day, urgent rider in 1-2 days, regular travel in 3-4 days
• Capital to Graymarch (south, ~80 miles): Hawk same day, urgent rider in 1-2 days, regular travel in 3-4 days
• Graymarch to northern Greendale region (~160 miles): Hawk in 1 day, urgent rider in 2-3 days, regular travel in 5-8 days

Cross-Kingdom: Much slower. International news travels at merchant caravan pace unless kingdoms use magical communication.

Are there magical means of communication? How common and reliable are they? How expensive?

Sending Spell: Available from certified wizards or high-level clerics. Limited to 25 words. Expensive (must hire contractor). Reliable if recipient is known and reachable.

Usage: Reserved for true emergencies:

• Notifying monarch of imminent invasion
• Warning of natural disaster
• Critical diplomatic crises
• Medical emergencies requiring specialized healer

Reliability: High success rate when properly cast, but recipient must be locatable. Doesn’t work across planar boundaries. Can be blocked by anti-magic fields.

Frequency: Perhaps a dozen sendings per year kingdom-wide. Not a routine communication method.

Scrying: Technically possible but heavily restricted under Pact (invasion of privacy, potentially frivolous). Requires Tribunal authorization except for specific law enforcement purposes.

Common Assessment: Magical communication exists in theory but is so expensive and regulated that Lenthir functions as if it doesn’t. Windcaller Hawks are the “magical” communication most people know.

How are books produced?

Hand-Copied by Scribes:

• Professional scribes in larger cities and temples
• Monks at monasteries copy religious texts
• Scholars copy their own texts or hire scribes
• Each book individually written, taking weeks to months

Materials:

• Parchment (sheepskin) or vellum (calfskin) for quality books
• Paper (rare, imported) for less important documents
• Ink made from soot, oak galls, or other natural materials
• Leather or wooden bindings

Are books common or are they valuable hand-written objects?

Valuable hand-written objects:

Cost: A single book costs equivalent to several months’ wages for a farmer. Large volumes can cost as much as a good horse.

Ownership:

• Common people: Own no books. Can’t afford them and most are illiterate anyway
• Merchants/Landowners: Might own 1-5 books (ledgers, agricultural manuals, maybe religious text)
• Nobles/Officials: Small personal libraries of 10-30 books considered impressive
• Temples/Monasteries: Collections of 50-200 books represent centuries of accumulation
• Royal Library (capital): Perhaps 500-1000 volumes, considered treasure of the kingdom

Common Books:

• Agricultural manuals (most practical)
• Religious texts (prayers, rituals, theology)
• Legal codes and precedents
• Historical chronicles
• Herbal and medical texts

Literacy: Perhaps 20-30% literacy in cities, under 10% in rural areas. However, most learning is oral and apprenticeship-based. Village governance operates through spoken debate at community gatherings where decisions are made collectively. Reading is a specialized skill, but political participation doesn’t require it - citizens vote through show of hands, voice votes, or marking stones. Literate community members read official documents aloud at gatherings.

Cultural Attitude: Books are treasured objects, often family heirlooms. Lending books is sign of deep trust. Damaging someone’s book is serious offense.

Is there freedom of the press? If not, who controls or censors it, by what means, and for what purpose?

Most written material is technical (farming guides), religious (devotional texts), or administrative (tax records, legal codes). Political or controversial writing rare simply because few write and fewer can read. The low-touch monarchy doesn’t care enough about controlling thought to actively censor, and the slow pace of book production makes any controversial ideas spread too slowly to worry about.

Town Criers/Oral News: No restriction on what can be spoken in public squares, though seditious speech could bring legal trouble. Most news spreads orally and authorities only intervene if someone incites violence or rebellion.

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