Shessara
03-10-2004, 18:44
The Princes' Confederacy of Shessara
History
Shessara was founded around 41 AD by British tribes (from the area now known as Wales) fleeing the second Roman invasion. The earliest settlers clung to their tribal structure, but over time lords emerged, and then dukes and barons and finally princes. Thousands of wars were fought between then and the modern day, as each lord tried to increase his individual power.
Finally, the nations were unified into five seperate states- Canolbardd, Crastiroedd, Yr Ucheldiroedd, Gwylptir, and Coetir. Of all of these, Canolbardd was the largest. Wars between the states continued up until 1770, where the use of guns turned war into a horrible bloodbath. Disturbed, the Princes of the various states met together for the first time. They knew that the conflict within kept the minds and muscles of Shessara strong, but they knew that war with guns was wasteful and useless. They resolved that until a means could be found to lessen the effectiveness of guns, it would be pointless to continue with their conflicts. Officially, at least, feudal war was banned.
In 1920, the Shessarans reached what some might consider modern technology- electricity, gasoline engines, machine guns, medicine. Then, in 1930, the Shessarans invented what they and their allies call Battle-Armor, a massive, ceramic-titanium plated, gasoline-powered, behemoth suit that fit one man and amplified his movements- a massive powered exoskeleton, to be precise. Declaring the truce over, Prince Rhychor Laeryn of Crastiroedd(Great-grandfather to Braedd Laeryn) declared war on Canolbardd. The ensuing wars between the states were more bloody and more destructive than ever before. It is now referred to as 'Gwaedlyd Rhyfel Cartref'- the Bloody Civil War.
Using illegal and dangerous genetic engineering, the aristocrats modified their own DNA, so that their children were biologically as close to perfect as they could then come. The Armor was turned into a treasured and valued family heirloom, with one suit being passed down and decorated, maintained, and upgraded by each successive holder.
In 1944, in a massive show of strength, Cyrn Pendefigion, the Prince of Canolbardd, conquered first Coetir, then Yr Ucheldiroedd. Prince Saeth Heuliau of Gwylptir, fearing destruction, swore fealty to Cyrn. In exchange for freedom and pardon, Duwiol Marchocáu and Ewin Cleddyf followed suit. The united Princes attacked Crastiroedd. After a long and bloody campaign, Cyrn took Dinas Crastiroedd, the capital, and forced Rhychor and all other senior members of clan Laeryn into exile. The new Pennaeth, or Head, of clan Laeryn, Tarw Laeryn, swore fealty to Cyrn. In an ensuing Council it was determined that the States would come together in a great Confederation, to grow and gain power in the modern world.
Cyrn became the greatest hero Shessara ever had, being called Unwyr, Uniter, and Tangnefeddwr, Peacemaker.
Shessara's princedoms fell into disrepair around 1978, with powerful corporations forming around select nobles. Clan Marchocáu diminished in number until only seventeen pureblood Marchocáu were alive, with no one Pennaeth- a stark contrast to the thousand in the Rhyfel. Clan Laeryn, still headed by Tarw, became withdrawn, closing down thousand-year-old trade routes and stopping immigration to Crastiroedd. Clan Cleddyf took that moment to place sanctions on their thousand-year rival. Incensed, the aging Tarw called for personal combat against Gobaidd Cleddyf, son of Ewin of the Rhyfel. In a long and epic fight, augmented by battle-armor, Tarw slew Gobaidd, though the Cleddyf Pennaeth was only twenty-seven. Gobaidd's young son, Heddwyn, grew up hearing that his father had been killed brutally by an old man.
Meanwhile, the powerful 'Buddsoddwyr mewn Pobl' conglomerate of corporations grew more powerful. In 2003 they tried to force the 56-year-old Pennaeth of Pendefigion, High Prince Haerlan, to place sanctions and restrictions on their competitors by threatening him with destablization of the academy. Haerlan, shocked and furious, announced that from then on every corporation in Shessara would be appropriated by the government. Terrified of what might happen, the corporations arranged the assassination of Haerlan, the first revealed incident of such in known Shessaran history. Haerlan's son, Cyridd, decided that the way it had been before was the way it should be. He ordered all nobles within the Buddsoddwyr mewn Pobl executed for treason, and dissolved that and almost every other corporations within Canolbardd, and ordered all other Princes to follow suit. All did, save Heddwyn of Yr Ucheldiroedd, and more importantly Pennaeth of clan Cleddyf. Braedd Laeryn, one of the earliest nobles after Cyridd and Heddwyn to be augmented, confronted his rival Heddwyn, unknowing of Heddwyn's pure hate. Heddwyn did not bother with a challenge, and drew sword and pistol, telling Laeryn to 'choose his manner of death'. Braedd looked thoughtful, and then suddenly knocked Heddwyn cold with a right hook. Realizing the depth of Heddwyn's animosity, Braedd was set to fight the duel, but Cyridd stopped it, making both swear that 'the sins of their ancestors did not cloud their judgement'. Both were honor-bound then not to duel, but they took and still take every opportunity to fight.
Once the fuss over the corporations and over the Laeryn-Cleddyf conflict had died down, Shessara looked to the world. Allied with the government of Hallad, a nearby state, Braedd Laeryn marched to war against the state of Hattia with an army millions-strong. Braedd, however, despised the then-ruler of Hallad, Mustafa Fenris, with a passion, and joined Hattia temporarily, long enough to get Hattia to leave. Shessaran diplomacy barely prevented a war with Hallad then, and Braedd returned to Shessara a hunted man. Through a twist of Shessaran law, though, Braedd was found innocent of any crime, and returned to the governing of Crastiroedd.
''Government''
Shessara is a massive, feudally-organized state. There are five Princes who each lead seperate states within Shessara. Due to complexities of feudal oaths, one Prince has lordship over the others, and is the High Prince and ruler of Shessara. What many foreigners do not understand is that the High Prince is not a king, merely a feudal overlord. He has no rights outside of feudal oaths, and so is technically not in complete control of his country.
In times of war, each man is commanded by his feudal overlord. There is no formal order in the military, and no real rankings outside of alliegance. In Shessara, all are trained to fight from an early age, due to the interior feudal warfare, and so Shessara's armies are massive and experienced. The only problem Shessara encounters is in supplying their armies- usually they end up 'foraging'- basically taking anything they can find.
Current Government Postings:
High Prince: Cyridd Pendefigion of Canolbardd (Shessara)
Princes:
Braedd Laeryn of Crastiroedd (Southern Shessara)
Heddwyn Cleddyf of Yr Ucheldiroedd (Western Shessara)
Cadri Heuliau of Gwylptir (Northern Shessara)
Mathonwy Marchocáu of Coetir (Southern Shessara)
Maelgad (War Prince): Braedd Laeryn
History
Shessara was founded around 41 AD by British tribes (from the area now known as Wales) fleeing the second Roman invasion. The earliest settlers clung to their tribal structure, but over time lords emerged, and then dukes and barons and finally princes. Thousands of wars were fought between then and the modern day, as each lord tried to increase his individual power.
Finally, the nations were unified into five seperate states- Canolbardd, Crastiroedd, Yr Ucheldiroedd, Gwylptir, and Coetir. Of all of these, Canolbardd was the largest. Wars between the states continued up until 1770, where the use of guns turned war into a horrible bloodbath. Disturbed, the Princes of the various states met together for the first time. They knew that the conflict within kept the minds and muscles of Shessara strong, but they knew that war with guns was wasteful and useless. They resolved that until a means could be found to lessen the effectiveness of guns, it would be pointless to continue with their conflicts. Officially, at least, feudal war was banned.
In 1920, the Shessarans reached what some might consider modern technology- electricity, gasoline engines, machine guns, medicine. Then, in 1930, the Shessarans invented what they and their allies call Battle-Armor, a massive, ceramic-titanium plated, gasoline-powered, behemoth suit that fit one man and amplified his movements- a massive powered exoskeleton, to be precise. Declaring the truce over, Prince Rhychor Laeryn of Crastiroedd(Great-grandfather to Braedd Laeryn) declared war on Canolbardd. The ensuing wars between the states were more bloody and more destructive than ever before. It is now referred to as 'Gwaedlyd Rhyfel Cartref'- the Bloody Civil War.
Using illegal and dangerous genetic engineering, the aristocrats modified their own DNA, so that their children were biologically as close to perfect as they could then come. The Armor was turned into a treasured and valued family heirloom, with one suit being passed down and decorated, maintained, and upgraded by each successive holder.
In 1944, in a massive show of strength, Cyrn Pendefigion, the Prince of Canolbardd, conquered first Coetir, then Yr Ucheldiroedd. Prince Saeth Heuliau of Gwylptir, fearing destruction, swore fealty to Cyrn. In exchange for freedom and pardon, Duwiol Marchocáu and Ewin Cleddyf followed suit. The united Princes attacked Crastiroedd. After a long and bloody campaign, Cyrn took Dinas Crastiroedd, the capital, and forced Rhychor and all other senior members of clan Laeryn into exile. The new Pennaeth, or Head, of clan Laeryn, Tarw Laeryn, swore fealty to Cyrn. In an ensuing Council it was determined that the States would come together in a great Confederation, to grow and gain power in the modern world.
Cyrn became the greatest hero Shessara ever had, being called Unwyr, Uniter, and Tangnefeddwr, Peacemaker.
Shessara's princedoms fell into disrepair around 1978, with powerful corporations forming around select nobles. Clan Marchocáu diminished in number until only seventeen pureblood Marchocáu were alive, with no one Pennaeth- a stark contrast to the thousand in the Rhyfel. Clan Laeryn, still headed by Tarw, became withdrawn, closing down thousand-year-old trade routes and stopping immigration to Crastiroedd. Clan Cleddyf took that moment to place sanctions on their thousand-year rival. Incensed, the aging Tarw called for personal combat against Gobaidd Cleddyf, son of Ewin of the Rhyfel. In a long and epic fight, augmented by battle-armor, Tarw slew Gobaidd, though the Cleddyf Pennaeth was only twenty-seven. Gobaidd's young son, Heddwyn, grew up hearing that his father had been killed brutally by an old man.
Meanwhile, the powerful 'Buddsoddwyr mewn Pobl' conglomerate of corporations grew more powerful. In 2003 they tried to force the 56-year-old Pennaeth of Pendefigion, High Prince Haerlan, to place sanctions and restrictions on their competitors by threatening him with destablization of the academy. Haerlan, shocked and furious, announced that from then on every corporation in Shessara would be appropriated by the government. Terrified of what might happen, the corporations arranged the assassination of Haerlan, the first revealed incident of such in known Shessaran history. Haerlan's son, Cyridd, decided that the way it had been before was the way it should be. He ordered all nobles within the Buddsoddwyr mewn Pobl executed for treason, and dissolved that and almost every other corporations within Canolbardd, and ordered all other Princes to follow suit. All did, save Heddwyn of Yr Ucheldiroedd, and more importantly Pennaeth of clan Cleddyf. Braedd Laeryn, one of the earliest nobles after Cyridd and Heddwyn to be augmented, confronted his rival Heddwyn, unknowing of Heddwyn's pure hate. Heddwyn did not bother with a challenge, and drew sword and pistol, telling Laeryn to 'choose his manner of death'. Braedd looked thoughtful, and then suddenly knocked Heddwyn cold with a right hook. Realizing the depth of Heddwyn's animosity, Braedd was set to fight the duel, but Cyridd stopped it, making both swear that 'the sins of their ancestors did not cloud their judgement'. Both were honor-bound then not to duel, but they took and still take every opportunity to fight.
Once the fuss over the corporations and over the Laeryn-Cleddyf conflict had died down, Shessara looked to the world. Allied with the government of Hallad, a nearby state, Braedd Laeryn marched to war against the state of Hattia with an army millions-strong. Braedd, however, despised the then-ruler of Hallad, Mustafa Fenris, with a passion, and joined Hattia temporarily, long enough to get Hattia to leave. Shessaran diplomacy barely prevented a war with Hallad then, and Braedd returned to Shessara a hunted man. Through a twist of Shessaran law, though, Braedd was found innocent of any crime, and returned to the governing of Crastiroedd.
''Government''
Shessara is a massive, feudally-organized state. There are five Princes who each lead seperate states within Shessara. Due to complexities of feudal oaths, one Prince has lordship over the others, and is the High Prince and ruler of Shessara. What many foreigners do not understand is that the High Prince is not a king, merely a feudal overlord. He has no rights outside of feudal oaths, and so is technically not in complete control of his country.
In times of war, each man is commanded by his feudal overlord. There is no formal order in the military, and no real rankings outside of alliegance. In Shessara, all are trained to fight from an early age, due to the interior feudal warfare, and so Shessara's armies are massive and experienced. The only problem Shessara encounters is in supplying their armies- usually they end up 'foraging'- basically taking anything they can find.
Current Government Postings:
High Prince: Cyridd Pendefigion of Canolbardd (Shessara)
Princes:
Braedd Laeryn of Crastiroedd (Southern Shessara)
Heddwyn Cleddyf of Yr Ucheldiroedd (Western Shessara)
Cadri Heuliau of Gwylptir (Northern Shessara)
Mathonwy Marchocáu of Coetir (Southern Shessara)
Maelgad (War Prince): Braedd Laeryn