The Nation
Capital: Lyonsdelle
Political System: Absolute Monarchy
Leader: King Charles Erhart VI
National Colours: Royal Purple and Silver
National Emblem: A Silver Stag Rampant
Religion: The Faiths
Population: Absolute majority of Human, with small Elven, Halfling and Gnomish enclaves on the continent.
The Erhart Kingdom
Founded six hundred years ago with the subjugation of the Eight Great Families, Eron Erhart "The Unifier" forged a dynasty and a nation that has endured, expanded and thrived from a backwater duchy to a world power.
An absolute monarchy, the Erhart nation espouses the idea of each man having a purpose in life and that a lineage determines the fitness of a people for their station.
For what is a family line but the sum of its ancient knowledge and ambition? The farmer would not ask his monarch on matters of rearing farmstock. Similarly a king would not deign to ask the farmer on matters of the great game of nations. But, together, the farmer in his place, and the king in his, both can grow and prosper. This is the fundamental underpinning principle of a strong and proud nation.
Thusly, Erhart's society is drawn across strict lines of class, with subtle sub-strata that allow for practical social mobility- within reason. To move between the lower classes is simple enough, often requiring only to learn a trade- however the higher rungs of society come with very little societal mobility and much in the way of social protocol. To achieve a position of nobility is the work of generations.
The Kingdom of Erhart itself is an island nation with some continental holdings. It is considered to have one of the best navies in the world and its ruthless practicality in war and trade has garnered long standing rivalries with many of the other major world powers. Though not especially impressive in terms of land power, its use of strategy and tactics, coupled with control of major shipping lanes gives it vast control over trade and make it a formidable nation. That, coupled with an innate grasp of foreign diplomacy and the quickly shifting alliances of its neighbours more than makes up for its smaller population.
While the majority of the populace is human; due to its aggressive and shrewd penchant for opportunistic conquest and political pressure, it controls various satellite states and vassals in its immediate vicinity, giving its outlying principalities a more cosmopolitan feel.
It has a longstanding dislike for the Elven Bacheneaux Republic. Philosophical differences between the two have chafed at every turn- class loyalty is ingrained in the social fabric of Erhart where as the Republic preaches self-determination of the people. This has spilled over into various wars between the two nations, leaving both with a grudging respect and often deep loathing for the other.