The Kingdoms

= The Kingdoms =

In the world of Svet, ancient monarchical lines are by far the most common basis for any governmental body of any group of peoples that could be called a nation state. While these nation states may have differing governmental systems and certainly differing political views; the ancient lineages of crown bearers is almost exclusively at the head of the state.

These kingdoms, while all sharing common history and some overarching cultural traits from their progenitors, could not be more unique to each other. With distinct cultures, distinct politics, distinct aesthetics, and distinct focuses in their societies.

The Three Great Kingdoms
In the world of Svet, there are many kingdoms worth mentioning of course.. However, it is indisputable that during the eras before, during, and after the Great War that there were three Kingdoms that stood far above the rest in power, culture, technology, size, and political reach.

The three kingdoms in question are as follows:

Aristoria
The largest of the Three Great Kingdoms in landmass, resources and population. An indominable industrial powerhouse, the people of Aristoria have a disposition that one might refer to as steely. Of good and kind hearts by nature, like any other peoples of Svet; they are however separated by their indominable work ethic and focus on a unified struggle as a peoples. While Volterans might pride themselves on their cutting edge technology, and the Strastvians their immaculate culture and heritage.. Aristoria's great works of stone and steel stand tall above their counterparts, both figuratively and quite literally. These peoples are known to have put themselves together to create some of the most immense works of architecture and machinery, boasting factories the size of small towns in some cases.

In times of war, mass production of high quality equipment has always been a hallmark of their grand strategy. It is said that there is no such thing as second rate equipment in the Aristorian Military. There is never a shortage of what they consider to be state of the art, and their manufacturing quality is unmatched. Manufacturing faults are exceedingly rare, as Aristorian craftsmen tend to have an exceedingly fine eye for their work. The amount of massive machines of war in the Aristorian military is also completely unmatched.

Often defined as the "winner" of the great war, mostly for being the one to legally impose it's wills upon the other two major.. In the opinion of this scholar, there could be no such thing as the winner of a total apocalypse.

Voltera
The Sovereign Kingdom of Voltera (Some times referred to as the Clockwork Kingdom), sits at the crossroads between two massive geographical reliefs - An ancient waterway, and the massive cliffs and jutting islands that shield it from harsh eastern oceans. Located in the south-east of the continent, it boasts a large contingent of forests, rivers, lakes, scarce mountains and many small islands and archipelagos to its name. It is know for its abundance of inventors, scientists, and promotion of a pseudo combination of old Pantheons, and integrating the discoveries of science and nature, within their legends and epics, whilst acknowledging science as fact, and humanity’s torchlight and throne amongst the Gods, and the Sovereign.

An ancient kingdom, they manufacture a number of machinery, clockwork devices, and export just as much in naval and intracontinental trade. Culturally they are on the side of reason, logic, but dearly cling on to emotions and feelings, letting them seep into their work, and keeping their true hearts, close to themselves - and open to those they trust and call family.

An organized and orderly peoples, in times of war, they band together and focus on decisive grand strategy. Adaptability is one of their strong suits, however they are also stunted by more dogged generals, who, in the vein of their very culture of logic and reason, can be stubborn if they decide “their” way of thinking, is critically superior to others.

Strastvia
The Grand Kingdom of Strastvia is a nation situated in the western part of the main continent, Strastvia is an autocratic union of several principalities, dukedoms, duchies and grand duchies, numbering in the dozens. A former unruly area where many fought over the vast resources of the bountiful lands, both from within and without, over the many rivers, forests and hill, ore-filled terrain – they had unified after a conqueror emerged, their ancient emperor, and united them as one.

Over time, due to the similarities of their cultures, and due to the many centuries of struggle and hardships they endured – now several more hundred years of a unified identity – have promoted a blossoming of culture. Reaching for high nobility, and setting out to make even the common man, a noble in his own right. Cultural festivals, traditional events and ceremonies, vast attention to detail, and a huge focus on a mixture of an industrial and agrarian society. Strastvians are known as extremely familial peoples, and have endless bounds of compassion and empathy for one another.

Militarily they are known to be amongst the most prudent of defensive armies in Svet. They posses an intrinsic doctrine focusing on hardy but extremely fast built fortifications. Once in motion, their armies turn their defensive walls into battering rams, using all their combined effort to make breakthroughs in massive pushes. They do this whilst also favoring smaller strike forces, like arrows, to get in the cracks of enemy armour. Many have claimed themselves conquerors of the old world, but none have claimed themselves the hammer that cracked Strastvia’s unified shell.