Commonwealth of Lorenthal

The Commonwealth of Lorenthal is an infantile government, scrambling for relevance and recognition in the ashes of its former status as a kingdom. Though Lorenthal itself has existed autonomously for centuries, recent political upheaval has radically transformed it and alienated it from most of its former allies. Harsh famine, an absolute monarch, and a series of disastrous exploration missions to the far seas all contributed to a vicious civil war that ended with the monarchy being demolished entirely. A new head of government sits at the top of a parliamentary body, styled as the High Protector. Lacking experience and with few past governmental examples with which to base their constitution on, the Commonwealth is haphazardly juggling issues and attempting to find a foothold that will allow them to return to the greatness they were once known for. Though weakened, they are still considered a great power, their abundant resources and relative isolation giving them far better chances of succeeding in their gamble than others might have. Lorenthal has long excelled in archery due to the quality and availability of lumber in their lands, and it is this same lumber that makes their navy a force to be reckoned with. Even in their crippled state, Lorenthalian flags raised high above a fleet of ships is enough to cause any opposing Admiral to reconsider his course. They do, however, lack an abundance of important minerals, leading them to use far more wood and stone in their endeavors. Geographically, it is northwest of Almeron and connected to the continent by a thin strip of land that is heavily fortified and contested. The two countries have a long history of conflict, and that seems unlikely to change.

Geography
Though connected to the rest of Estoria by a contested land bridge, Lorenthal is largely isolated. Theirs is a land surrounded almost entirely by the ocean and one covered with towering oaks. Lorenthal is heavily forested, and the wood found there is strong and plentiful. The land becomes progressively more mountainous as one moves northward, the terrain less lush and more stony. Lorenthal does not lack for natural resources and is perhaps the most eligible country to remain completely isolationist, nearly cut off from the mainland and with supplies enough to hold it’s own. The thin land bridge connecting Lorenthal to Almeron has existed for all of written history, perhaps three hundred yards across at it’s thickest and one hundred at its most narrow. It is the most unique geographical feature of Lorenthal, and has been the site of many battles and abandoned trade routes in it’s existence.

Economy
The Lorenthalian economy is almost entirely self-reliant even in dire straits, seeking outside trade not out of necessity but out of the possibility to gain as much money as possible to support their infrastructure. Lumber is the most vital and oft used resource in Lorenthal, a primary component in their mighty ships and the longbows that have made foes think twice about invasion. Farming in Lorenthal is not varied but it is plentiful, usually yielding more than enough to feed the populace. Mining is concentrated in the north, where the terrain is more suited to digging trenches into the earth, and was a burgeoning industry until the civil war. The mining and farming industries are both currently recovering from the destruction and loss of life, but a return to usual self-sufficient form seems likely for the Commonwealth given time.

Religion
Lorenthal has a conflicted and bitter history with religion. It was not swift to accept the Church of Ignis and their last monarch was as devout to the Flame as any. Utter contempt for him and the ensuing rebellion saw a return to traditional Lorenthalian religion, a commitment to nature and creatures of the forest. This has unsurprisingly split the nation, traditionalists of all sorts banding together to push for a return to the old ways and the Ignisi faithful who are being targeted as a result. This upheaval has been officially condemned by the church, but as of yet the Archbishop has not called for a Venerated March upon the country. Either he trusts a return to form will come, or elsewise he understands that invading with such a precarious situation might bring ruin. Faithful knights and crusaders from many countries have since began travelling to Lorenthal, seeking to serve as Hospitallers who protect followers of Ignis from the ever growing number of traditionalists. The Commonwealth has done what it can to stem the tide, but those who are truly determined enter the country and only make a delicate balance all the more likely to tip.

Culture
Lorenthalians have always been a stubborn people, set in their traditions and unwilling to see reason if it stands in the way of their objectives. They see change as dangerous, and it takes a truly great event for them to allow it without major resistance. It is this culture that galvanizes them to defend their home in times of war and reminds them to stay steadfast in times of peace. It is a double edged sword, for the nobility struggle to make changes whether they be beneficial to the people or no. There is a strong demand and desire for connection with nature in Lorenthal, rituals occurring even among followers of Ignis that involve journeys into the woods. This is done for meditation, self discovery, or even as rites of passage into adulthood. It is not uncommon for northern Lorenthalian boys to have to successfully claim a boar's before being considered a man. This is adverse to much of Estorian culture, but to challenge it would be to invoke a change too great, and that has never gone well for those outside or inside of Lorenthal.

Politics
Lorenthal has recently seen a political upheaval never before witnessed in Estoria’s history, the people overthrowing their long established kingdom in favor of a Commonwealth. While before their monarch held absolute power and ruled by the mandate of Ignis Himself, now they follow a High Protector who holds only moderate powers and oversees a large legislative body of officials who represent the people. This shift has shocked the rest of Estoria and left the country on uncertain footing. With diplomatic relations suffering heavily and no real examples with which to base their government on, they are reliant on setting their own path. Rights for the nobility have been cut and the lower classes suddenly have much more power than before, a potential issue with a bubbling hatred for nobility not yet dying down. There have been several executions since the end of the civil war, and entire noble families are now extinct, having no heirs to take up their heraldry.

Military
The Lorenthalian army has traditionally focused on a few basic principles: Take the high ground, rain hell down upon the enemy as they advance, and have solid enough troops to hold the line that you might continue to rain hell down upon them. This strategy has long worked well, as it is especially suited to the Commonwealth’s terrain and has been the bane of many Almeronian forces. Though knights are deadly and to be feared, they are worthless if they are struck dead before they can reach their enemies. Some consider the Lorenthalians cowardly for their predisposition to archery, but they have used this skill to protect their home and inflict mass casualties upon their enemies. An abundance of quality wood and only a small amount of available minerals means that Lorenthalian foot soldiers and knights tend to use axes and hammers, far more skilled with these weapons than with any sword. The Lorenthalian navy was undoubtedly the world’s finest prior to the civil war, though now still is powerful enough to make all but perhaps the Kingdom of Lleida or the Vasterans fear it. Seafaring is a necessity for trade and survival in Lorenthal, and with their ships they have both invaded nations and taken hoards of treasure. They have long policed the seas, and for a time boasted no pirates in their waters.

History
The people of Lorenthal have long been stubborn, those native to their lands thriving in a culture of war and rejecting any outside influence. The arrival of the Verilius Imperium upon the coasts of Lorenthal during the First Era marked the beginning of a long and bloody war. The Lorenthalian natives were beaten back at every turn yet refused to relent, only accepting subjugation under threat of total extermination by the Veriliusi legions. The decades that followed saw frequent failed uprisings, yet in the centuries after that Lorenthal existed largely peacefully within the Imperium. Their stubbornness actually lended itself to support of the occupation, a large majority understanding that Veriliusi industry and soldiery had developed Lorenthal and greatly increased the quality of life there. As such, Lorenthal never truly rose up again until the decline of the Imperium. It was only when the benefits of occupation vanished and were replaced with hardship and higher tariffs that Lorenthal rebelled, expelling what remained of the legions and achieving sovereignty. The newly born Kingdom then turned its eyes to the lands of Almeron, connected to them only by a thin strip of land. In the years that followed, the two countries would fight countless wars over ownership of the land bridge as well as petty political matters.

Though war is rarely considered a good thing, the constant conflict helped develop a sense of national unity in Lorenthal as well as a strong warrior tradition that assisted them in managing to survive the March of the Damned during the Third Era. The years following only saw the nation grow stronger, the Church of Ignis finding a foothold and exploding in popularity whilst industry and naval endeavors made Lorenthal into a true power. This only became threatened during the rule of King Aderyn VIII, whose rule proved so disastrous that it led to civil war and the eventual shift from a kingdom to a commonwealth.

Recent Events
Recent events have seen Lorenthal change in drastic ways that are uncharacteristic and surprising to many. A series of failed naval expeditions in search of treasure by the country’s monarch, King Aderyn VIII, wracked the country with debts and forcibly raised taxes upon the lower classes. Abuses of power by Aderyn and a push to make the nation strongly Ignisi saw all but high ranking nobility and church officials turn against him. Protests began to grow violent, but when the crops failed to grow and famine followed the people rose up entirely. The military was split and levies revolted against their lords, and a civil war began. It lasted for nearly nine months, a handful of royalist victories at the war’s onset only rallying more to the rebel cause before the King was overwhelmed. His reign was ended and he and his entire Council was executed. A handful of ships bearing royalists and the family of the King managed to escape the carnage. The man who had led the rebellion, one Marshal Llewellyn Griffith, was dubbed High Protector. From the ashes of the kingdom the Commonwealth was born, and now the country rides a wave of change into the future. It scrambles to rebuild its military and economy while dealing with a return to traditionalist views that has seen the Church of Ignis suffering and followers dying in the streets.

A government in exile currently exists in the far off New Lands, dubbed the Kingdom of New Lorenthal. It is headed by the late King Aderyn's elder sister, Queen Cerys I. It has received moderate support from the Church of Ignis, as it is a largely Ignisi government and is in need of much assistance if it ever hopes to re-establish the Lorenthalian throne.