Danton

This page is a work in progress by its author(s) and should not be considered final.

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton
Motto: Sinaf tiré ta nûni. "To the East lies our hope."
Capital		Dantonakhan
Largest city		Markal
Ethnic groups (2014)		Gorgoran Terrangelian Anwarian Ristabanian
Demonym		Dantonian
Government		Monarchy
-	King	Menledur Urilson
Establishment
-	Foundation	23rd November 2013
Currency		Ghant

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton (also called the Eastern Kingdom, Danton, or The Realm of Kings) is a monarchy comprising six ethnically and geographically divided areas of land, one northeast colony and an oceanic island. The country is situated in the region of Dalrawduel, occupying nearly all of the fertile plains east of the Rohet River.

Danton is one of the most widespread and economically thriving nations in the region, and is also one of the most ethnically diverse, due mainly to the various populations of peoples that inhabited the land when the country was first founded. The geography and climate there is also largely diverse, including three mountain ranges, five major rivers, and one enormous lake. In the capital city of Dantonakhan, national pride and history are held in reverence, with every visitor being essentially required to know the native tongue.

The current Dantonian law system was formed primarily by the founder and first King of the realm, Uril Furecoson, in 655,841 X.N. It limits the powers of the king to a minor extent, and grants some political abilities to highest-ranking nobles, who reside in Dantonakhan close to the royal palace. King Menledur later added several other features to the document, promoting better care for the citizens and also better trade relations with neighboring countries. He shall serve as King for the realm until his death or usurpation, whereupon any and all efforts will be made by his followers to restore him or else his heir.

Danton is a highly developed country for its time, and has the largest economy in the physical area of Dalrawduel. It is a world leader culturally, scientifically, economically and militarily. It is also ever seeking to expand its influence regionally and globally, is an active member of the World Assembly, and is a regular voter on both General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.

Politically, the realm leads Dalrawduel in its regionally governmental affairs, being the official founder of the region and holding the ability to assume absolute power over it. However, it instead shares its power with two other officials, having granted them such authority through use of a regional constitution, The Medieval Compact of Dalrawduel.

Etymology

In 653,841 X.N., Uril Furecoson formally established the Kingdom of Dantón. Originally the nation was to be pronounced as such (dan-TONE), but the use of a new national language and regional accents caused it to gradually become pronounced as Danton (DAN-tun) instead. As a result, the spelling began to be continually altered to “Danton” in common writing, and that spelling soon worked its way up even to official documents and government articles.

Eventually, King Menledur called a small group of scholars together to help determine the official spelling and pronunciation of the name. The council ultimately determined that the pronunciation was to remain as it had become (DAN-tun), and that the spelling of it as “Danton” would likewise continue in common use; however, they retained the original spelling for ceremonial, legislative, and governmental documents. Therefore, it is now most widely known by its simplified name, although the primary version remains in use for certain purposes.

Geography

Danton occupies the entirety of the Fertile Plains of the far east. In the southwest, flat, fertile prairielands cover enormous areas of ground. To the northwest, rougher and less fertile plains expand outward to meet rivers, forests, lakes, mountains, marshes, and ocean on all sides. To the south central, grassland thins out in relation to mountains and forested areas. This land is cool and dry, with little to no farmland upon it.

The center of the country has variable climate tendencies, depending largely upon the time of year. It consists greatly of fields, being enclosed between the River Galanduel and the Belemon Mountains. The river is used for transport between parts of the realm more than any other within the nation. The mountains are also an important crossing point for those journeying between the north and south areas of the country.

Moving north, over the mountains, more grasslands expand for miles uninterrupted until encountering the far northern range of the Nome Mountains, and Lake Nezrah to the east. They are not used for farmland except near their edges and around cities, due largely to the extensive population of lions living upon them.

To the far east central of the country lies the greatest variety in terrain, including the greatest bulk of the Belemon Mountains, three estuaries, and the great marsh of Ûrka Damon. They border the coast of the Great Sea, which serves as an excellent means of transport from the northern part of Danton to the southern part.

Danton, with its large size and geographical variety, includes very favorable climate types. The northeast of the country is humid subtropical, and the southeast and south central are generally dry, with varying temperatures seldom growing very hot. To the northwest, climate remain relatively constant at moderate temperatures. To the southwest, moderate humidity is common and the temperatures rarely cool except in winter. In central Danton, temperatures vary extremely depending on the season, with very hot summers and very cold winters. On the island of Wenderkhan, tropical climate is constant, with great humidity and very high temperatures.

Danton's ecology is relatively diverse. With over five thousand known species of flora and over four thousand known species of fauna, the environment remains steady and continues to function at a constant rate. There are no endangered species, and hunting is regulated to prevent potential extinction of any species.

The island of Wenderkhan suffers from occasional small tsunamis on its eastern coast, which devastate habitats for many diverse species. However, no natural disasters have yet been known to reach the coast of the Dantonian mainland. Only one natural disaster has been known to strike the nation inland, namely a huge ferocious storm that occurred in the spring of 653,873 X.N. It destroyed three minor cities in south central Danton. It was simply called “the Great Storm”.

Ethnic Divisions

Danton is a single nation with no official inter-national boundaries between sections of it; however, there are six different areas of it that are set apart by historical and cultural differences. They are given individual names in order to aid in locating specific locations with more accuracy. The first of these is that of Vistabon, which is located in northwest Danton. Its primary population race is Ristabanian. In the northeast is Nezrah, also populated mainly by the Ristabanian people. Then in central Danton is Avindar, which holds an even blend of Gorgoran and Terrangelian people. To the south central is Malikhan, the primary race of which is Anwarian. To the southeast is Ghantabon, which holds mainly Gorgoran and Terrangelian people. Lastly is Danthow, in the southwest, which holds nearly only Gorgoran people.

History

Flight from Terrangeli

Danton was founded by Uril Furecoson, who was born and raised in the nation of Terrangeli. Upon the outbreak of the Terrangelian Civil War, he and eight companions fled eastward to escape the horrific conflict. Their aim was to establish a new realm which they would lead far more honorably than the government of Terrangeli. After journeying through Yobel and ejecting one of their number for his wicked intentions, they crossed the great plains of Danthow – at that time called Gorgora – and gained aid from the natives on their way northeast. They eventually came to a the end of the Green Mountains, which they crossed in order to continue their journey, but one of them perished in a gondoron attack.

When they finally arrived on the other side, they set off across the great fields of Avindar before them, during which time they first encountered horses. They then settled at the eastern end of the plains, near the Belemon Mountains, with which Uril became captivated. However, despite their searches, they could find very few natural resources, and soon began to lose hope of progress or even survival.

The Great Exploration

In order to enter the mountains in search of a good location to construct a city, Uril decided to set off alone on an expedition to search the land for neighboring civilizations from which they might gain aid. He did so the very next day, entering into the Belemon Mountains while his companions stayed behind. After fending off wolves and other mountainous dangers, he came across the civilization of Delsroth, home of the warlogs. There he was first questioned harshly, but was later accepted and granted items to help him along the next stage of his journey.

He then continued on southward, entering into Imetheldröm. There he was taken in warmly by the elves after being questioned by them, and lingered there for some time. Eventually, however, he departed their city of Endu-Mahli and traveled west to the Forest of Anwar, where he was saved from some sarows by the Gols. They took him in for a time and taught him of the lands thereabout. He then departed, accompanied by some of their number, and returned to his companions.

The Foundation of the Realm

Soon after their arrival, the Gols set to work helping the fellowship to construct a city. In addition, Uril recruited the aid of many Gorgorans. Eventually, they completed the city of Hortus, which became the first city of Uril’s realm. So great did it seem to the Gorgorans that they decided to remain there, and they became the first Dantonian citizens.

Uril next gained the help of the elves, who aided them in the construction of several other cities elsewhere in those lands. He then traveled to Danthow to recruit men of Gorgora as new citizens of Danton. Many of them agreed to this, and Danton’s population experienced a sudden growth. However, this displeased the tribal leaders there. One of them, Nokas, led all the remaining barbarians against the Dantonian settlements, but they were met in battle by the Dantonians themselves, who also gained the aid of the elves and warlogs. Ultimately, Uril held the victory, and all the enemy barbarians that still lived joined him as people of Danton.

The Dantonians then began construction on the great city of Dantonakhan, which was set in the Belemon Mountains. They were aided by the warlogs. During this project, Uril traveled to Imetheldröm to gain the trust and friendship of the dwarves, who later agreed to help build the great city in the north. This they did excellently, and after a time the establishment was completed with further help from the elves and Gols.

Uril then established the boundaries of the nation, which were confirmed by the Elvenking, Dwarvenking, and warlog chieftain. Danton became an official country in the year 653,841 X.N.

The Reign of King Menledur

After marrying an elven woman by the name of Beithelia, King Uril produced two sons, Menledur and Ropan. He then reigned over his people for a full fifty years before his death. It was not long after this that Beithelia passed away from grief as well, and their son Menledur then took the position as king. This being the first time that the realm had experienced a change in leadership, there were some that proposed a system of election similar to that being put into effect away west in Terrangeli. To this Menledur was opposed, however, and declared himself the rightful heir to the throne. The radicals of the nation led a rebellion, but it never even reached Dantonakhan; it was countered at once by the majority of the population, who were all in favor of Menledur leading them as king.

Menledur then began to expand Danton’s territory, taking some land to the southeast. The main annexation of land was that of Vistabon and Nezrah. An expedition was sent northward to explore the territory, and they soon encountered explorers from the land of Rista, north of Vistabon. These men were seeking a new area for their people to settle, being that their current home was slowly deteriorating into a desert. The Dantonians brought the Ristabanians back with them to Dantonakhan. The awed Ristabanians returned to their homeland shortly after, where they informed their leader of what they had seen. The entire Ristabanian nation soon moved south into Vistabon and Nezrah, from which their leader journeyed ahead to Dantonakhan. There, he made an agreement with King Menledur, in which he and all his people became citizens of Danton in return for being permitted to settle that land along with the current Dantonians.

The Council of Menledur

Six years after he inherited the throne, King Menledur sent out a band of envoys from Dantonakhan bearing a special request from him to all the leaders of the neighboring realms. It called for their presence at a special meeting that was to be held in his palace at Dantonakhan, where they would discuss matters of state, economy, military, and boundaries. Therefore, upon the set date, the council was held as planned and the group delved deep into discussion.

Present at the council, along with Menledur himself, were Sir Formina of Terrangeli, Sultan Gurahstafa of Raghad, Bishop Rofano of Yobel, Lord Gurbonc II of Mulof, High Priest Juralsab of Lorus, King Luindar of the elves, King Niád of the dwarves, and Chief Harahsnasl of Delsroth. Upon the matter of regional politics, the council determined that Mulof's government was too oppressive and dictatorial. Therefore, they ordered Gurbonc to cease his actions and turn to the undoing of the wrongs that he had committed, to which he reluctantly assented.

After this, the state of the economy was called into question. Though it was reasonably stable at that time, trade was increasing due to population growth, and all of the nations wished to have an equal share in the goods that were being transported. Upon determining this, they focused upon agreeing on a single one of their cities for trade to primarily commence at. They eventually settled upon Markal as the chosen port.

Next, the council turned to military matters. They formed a pact known as the Treaty of Dantonakhan, which essentially stated that no nation present at the council could assail another in war unless permitted to do so by the other council members at an additional conference in the future.

Lastly, the leaders discussed the affirmation of boundaries. They drew up a very explicit map of the concerned region and placed claims on certain areas that were currently debatable. As a result of this, Danton gained the island of Wenderkhan, which had formerly held only a small population of primitive natives. Also, the elves and dwarves finally affirmed the matter of their individual realms by dividing Imetheldröm in half - the north part and the south part, forming Upper and Lower Imetheldröm.

The Danton-Mulof War

Despite his promise at the Council of Menledur to cease the oppression of his people, Lord Gurbonc of Mulof made no move to carry out his word. After receiving reports of the sickening state of Mulofic society, Menledur secretly summoned the members of the original council - save Lord Gurbonc - to discuss the matter.

The group listened to the evidence presented by the spies and merchants, and then settled for initially sending over envoys to bear the command of the council: namely that Gurbonc must introduce reform at once or suffer the consequences. However, though this was done, the envoys did not return, and were at last presumed dead. After this, then with the consent of the council, Menledur retaliated by declaring an official war upon Mulof.

The two nations' troops first met in battle upon the Richín Savanna, where they engaged in a bloody conflict in which hundreds of men were slaughtered. When he was unable to hold back the Dantonian army, Gurbonc recalled his own to Mulof's core and shut off all the cities from outsiders. Yet Menledur eventually managed to find out Mulof's primary food and water supplies, which he attacked and seized, leaving the nation severely weakened. From there, the Dantonians proceeded directly to Dorláf, which they besieged for a full week.

At long last, after over half of the city's population had perished, Gurbonc finally surrendered. After holding another council with the other nations of the region, Menledur deposed Gurbonc and instituted a new ruler from among the remaining citizens, a man by the name of Horast. Mulof was transformed into a commonwealth, and a new flag, motto, and animal were instituted as well. After helping the realm to restore itself to decent strength, Danton retreated back to its own land and left the newly reformed nation of Mulof to fend for itself.

Government

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton is a monarchy in which the king is the official head of state, though he cannot wield absolute power. The government is regulated slightly by a small system of checks and balances, in which the highest-ranking nobility affirm that the king is not abusing his power or going outside of his own laws.

In the Dantonian “governmental feudalist” system, there are three main levels of government: the royalty, the nobility, and the city level. The royalty level consists simply of the king and his family, although the king is the only one of them that holds actual power. The nobility level is that of the highest-ranking nobles, who dwell near the royal palace and assemble when called to determine certain matters of state. The city level is granted to lords, who govern the affairs of their individual cities and hold powers similar to those of the king, save being on a much smaller level and lacking the ability to go against national law.

The king inherits the position from his father. In the event of ruler's death where the king has no sons, his wife may take the throne as queen. Should she be unable to take up the task, their oldest daughter may do so instead. In lack of a wife or children, a king is to be succeeded by his oldest brother, and if that becomes impossible, his oldest sister. Should no heir be apparent in any way, then the highest nobles should select one of their number to take up the crown.

The nobles also inherit their positions, using much the same system as the king. However, women have not yet been permitted to take up the position, so if there is a lack of a sufficient male heir, the king is to remove that house from the legislature and replace it with that of another noble not yet granted that rank.

The lords will often inherit their positions, yet should there be unrest among the citizens over the new holder of the title, they may hold a vote over whether or not to replace him. If the result is against him, the matter is brought to the king, who will select someone else for the position.

Foreign relations and military

Danton leads the greatest military in the physical portion of Dalrawduel, with over twenty million men currently in service. It uses some of the most carefully crafted armor known to man, and its main weapons consist of swords, spears, bows and arrows, and axes. Shields are also strongly incorporated.

The military is divided into two portions, the army and the navy. The army, by far the larger, has bases in various parts of Danton at random locations on land; the navy, efficient and superior to neighboring nations’ despite its size, holds only a few bases, primarily on the coast of the Great Sea; however, it also retains a few on the major rivers of Danton.

The head of the army and the navy is the king, who in time of great need will lead his men out to battle himself. Below him in the army is the Royal Commander (who is not in fact truly royal). Next down in the navy is the Royal Admiral (also not truly royal). From there, the army has generals, the naval equivalent of which is commodores, and below them are the ordinary soldiers (knights for the army and marines for the navy).

Danton currently attempts to maintain peaceful relationships with all its neighbors, and indeed all other nations in the world as well. Apart from the battle that came before its official foundation, it has engaged in only one war, namely that against Mulof. It is largely for the purpose of retaining peace that the Council of Menledur was called.

Military service is not compulsory except when there is a severe lack of men in the armed forces, or when an enormous threat arises from another nation or nations.

Because Danton is the founding nation of Dalrawduel, it dedicates its forces to the defense of the region as well as its own individual borders. The Dantonian military is the First Legion of the Dalrawduel Armed Forces.

Diplomatic Relations

Danton maintains good diplomatic relations with many countries, particularly with those within Dalrawduel and Western Dalrawduel. As the head of the region, it retains embassies with several other regions and with all the nations within them.

Economy

Being a medieval nation, Danton does not have any specific economy type as determined by more futuristic standards. However, personal shops, bazaars, and small businesses are common in most cities, as well as trading centers. The most famous port trading city is that of Markal.

There is a wide variety of natural resources in abundance, particularly gold and farm crops, but also other minerals, as well as large supplies of firm stone from the Belemon Mountains, used for building strong foundations. All in all, the realm possesses a well-developed infrastructure, high productivity, and overall good worker enthusiasm.

Danton is acclaimed to have far more exports than it does imports, although experts speculate that the number of exports and imports is roughly the same overall. Trade is open to merchants from all nations, especially those in Dalrawduel, and new developments are commonly welcomed. One of the most recent additions to the food supply of Danton is that of pretzels, a new development from a distant ally.

Transportation

Transportation in Danton is dominated by horses, which are native to Dantonian lands and serve as an excellent means of speed for travelers. There exists a minor system of roads upon which they are able to journey, which also serves for pedestrians. However, the system is not official, nor does it extend to every part of the kingdom; it generally appears only in the more populated areas.

Another extremely common way of travel is by boat, which uses the multiple rivers within the nation to ferry voyagers. For coast cities, the ships are also used to travel along the coast of the Great Sea.

Education

Dantonian education is not public, nor is it sponsored by the government. Teachers set up schools within their own homes, and there allow children to come during certain parts of the day to be educated. The highest-class citizens, such as the nobility and royalty, will often have a private tutor in their own home to teach their children there. However, large portions of the population receive little to no education, such as children of farmers who need no such knowledge to continue their current way of life.

Approximately 19% of Danton’s population is literate, with only 5% continuing their education to graduation level.

Health

The average life expectancy of a Dantonian citizen is 89 years, with only 3% of the population surviving beyond 100 years. The most common cause of child death is death at birth.

Common forms of death within the general population are old age at 50%, acts of God at 25%, natural accidents at 11%, other accidents at 8%, extreme stunts at 5%, and suicide at 1%.

The government often invites foreign doctors into the nation to aid in medical services. It does not currently have any sort of national healthcare system, including hospitals and the like, save one health center in Dantonakhan. Magic is also commonly used to treat wounds and illnesses, but only those to a major degree. The Gols are occasionally available for the treatment of such ailments, although they are not open to it on a regular basis.

Crime and law enforcement

Law enforcement is the responsibility of the city guards, who are appointed by the lord of a city. There are no federal agencies intended to address crime, although government officers who observe suspicious activity may occasionally report it directly to the lord or even the king.

Among most nations, Danton has very low levels of crime, thanks to the stunning accuracy of the guards in most cities. However, crime rates in Ghantabon have been known to exceed the average for the nation, causing tourism in that area to decline.

Capital punishment is permitted in Danton in the form of executions, but is reserved only for the greatest of crimes. Public execution is forbidden except in the most extreme cases, of which there have been none thus far.

Upon being placed under arrest, a criminal is brought before a group of seven men that preside in a special court within each city. This group is the city jury, and they determine the guilt or innocence of an arrestee, and in turn determine the sentence as well. Due to lack of detailed legislation upon the matter in most cities, the majority of juries resort to judging based upon common law.

This page is a work in progress by its author(s) and should not be considered final.

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton
Motto: Sinaf tiré ta nûni.
Capital		Dantonakhan
Largest city		Markal
Ethnic groups (2014)		Gorgoran Terrangelian Anwarian Ristabanian
Demonym		Dantonian
Government		Monarchy
-	King	Menledur Urilson
Establishment
-	Foundation	23rd November 2013
Currency		Ghant

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton (also called the Eastern Kingdom, Danton, or The Realm of Kings) is a monarchy comprising six ethnically and geographically divided areas of land, one northeast colony and an oceanic island. The country is situated in the region of Dalrawduel, occupying nearly all of the fertile plains east of the Rohet River.

Danton is one of the most widespread and economically thriving nations in the region, and is also one of the most ethnically diverse, due mainly to the various populations of peoples that inhabited the land when the country was first founded. The geography and climate there is also largely diverse, including three mountain ranges, five major rivers, and one enormous lake. In the capital city of Dantonakhan, national pride and history are held in reverence, with every visitor being essentially required to know the native tongue.

The current Dantonian law system was formed primarily by the founder and first King of the realm, Uril Furecoson, in 655,841 X.N. It limits the powers of the king to a minor extent, and grants some political abilities to highest-ranking nobles, who reside in Dantonakhan close to the royal palace. King Menledur later added several other features to the document, promoting better care for the citizens and also better trade relations with neighboring countries. He shall serve as King for the realm until his death or usurpation, whereupon any and all efforts will be made by his followers to restore him or else his heir.

Danton is a highly developed country for its time, and has the largest economy in the physical area of Dalrawduel. It is a world leader culturally, scientifically, economically and militarily. It is also ever seeking to expand its influence regionally and globally, is an active member of the World Assembly, and is a regular voter on both General Assembly and Security Council resolutions.

Politically, the realm leads Dalrawduel in its regionally governmental affairs, being the official founder of the region and holding the ability to assume absolute power over it. However, it instead shares its power with two other officials, having granted them such authority through use of a regional constitution, The Medieval Compact of Dalrawduel.

Etymology

In 653,841 X.N., Uril Furecoson formally established the Kingdom of Dantón. Originally the nation was to be pronounced as such (dan-TONE), but the use of a new national language and regional accents caused it to gradually become pronounced as Danton (DAN-tun) instead. As a result, the spelling began to be continually altered to “Danton” in common writing, and that spelling soon worked its way up even to official documents and government articles.

Eventually, King Menledur called a small group of scholars together to help determine the official spelling and pronunciation of the name. The council ultimately determined that the pronunciation was to remain as it had become (DAN-tun), and that the spelling of it as “Danton” would likewise continue in common use; however, they retained the original spelling for ceremonial, legislative, and governmental documents. Therefore, it is now most widely known by its simplified name, although the primary version remains in use for certain purposes.

Geography

Danton occupies the entirety of the Fertile Plains of the far east. In the southwest, flat, fertile prairielands cover enormous areas of ground. To the northwest, rougher and less fertile plains expand outward to meet rivers, forests, lakes, mountains, marshes, and ocean on all sides. To the south central, grassland thins out in relation to mountains and forested areas. This land is cool and dry, with little to no farmland upon it.

The center of the country has variable climate tendencies, depending largely upon the time of year. It consists greatly of fields, being enclosed between the River Galanduel and the Belemon Mountains. The river is used for transport between parts of the realm more than any other within the nation. The mountains are also an important crossing point for those journeying between the north and south areas of the country.

Moving north, over the mountains, more grasslands expand for miles uninterrupted until encountering the far northern range of the Nome Mountains, and Lake Nezrah to the east. They are not used for farmland except near their edges and around cities, due largely to the extensive population of lions living upon them.

To the far east central of the country lies the greatest variety in terrain, including the greatest bulk of the Belemon Mountains, three estuaries, and the great marsh of Ûrka Damon. They border the coast of the Great Sea, which serves as an excellent means of transport from the northern part of Danton to the southern part.

Danton, with its large size and geographical variety, includes very favorable climate types. The northeast of the country is humid subtropical, and the southeast and south central are generally dry, with varying temperatures seldom growing very hot. To the northwest, climate remain relatively constant at moderate temperatures. To the southwest, moderate humidity is common and the temperatures rarely cool except in winter. In central Danton, temperatures vary extremely depending on the season, with very hot summers and very cold winters. On the island of Wenderkhan, tropical climate is constant, with great humidity and very high temperatures.

Danton's ecology is relatively diverse. With over five thousand known species of flora and over four thousand known species of fauna, the environment remains steady and continues to function at a constant rate. There are no endangered species, and hunting is regulated to prevent potential extinction of any species.

The island of Wenderkhan suffers from occasional small tsunamis on its eastern coast, which devastate habitats for many diverse species. However, no natural disasters have yet been known to reach the coast of the Dantonian mainland. Only one natural disaster has been known to strike the nation inland, namely a huge ferocious storm that occurred in the spring of 653,873 X.N. It destroyed three minor cities in south central Danton. It was simply called “the Great Storm”.

Ethnic Divisions

Danton is a single nation with no official inter-national boundaries between sections of it; however, there are six different areas of it that are set apart by historical and cultural differences. They are given individual names in order to aid in locating specific locations with more accuracy. The first of these is that of Vistabon, which is located in northwest Danton. Its primary population race is Ristabanian. In the northeast is Nezrah, also populated mainly by the Ristabanian people. Then in central Danton is Avindar, which holds an even blend of Gorgoran and Terrangelian people. To the south central is Malikhan, the primary race of which is Anwarian. To the southeast is Ghantabon, which holds mainly Gorgoran and Terrangelian people. Lastly is Danthow, in the southwest, which holds nearly only Gorgoran people.

History

Flight from Terrangeli

Danton was founded by Uril Furecoson, who was born and raised in the nation of Terrangeli. Upon the outbreak of the Terrangelian Civil War, he and eight companions fled eastward to escape the horrific conflict. Their aim was to establish a new realm which they would lead far more honorably than the government of Terrangeli. After journeying through Yobel and ejecting one of their number for his wicked intentions, they crossed the great plains of Danthow – at that time called Gorgora – and gained aid from the natives on their way northeast. They eventually came to a the end of the Green Mountains, which they crossed in order to continue their journey, but one of them perished in a gondoron attack.

When they finally arrived on the other side, they set off across the great fields of Avindar before them, during which time they first encountered horses. They then settled at the eastern end of the plains, near the Belemon Mountains, with which Uril became captivated. However, despite their searches, they could find very few natural resources, and soon began to lose hope of progress or even survival.

The Great Exploration

In order to enter the mountains in search of a good location to construct a city, Uril decided to set off alone on an expedition to search the land for neighboring civilizations from which they might gain aid. He did so the very next day, entering into the Belemon Mountains while his companions stayed behind. After fending off wolves and other mountainous dangers, he came across the civilization of Delsroth, home of the warlogs. There he was first questioned harshly, but was later accepted and granted items to help him along the next stage of his journey.

He then continued on southward, entering into Imetheldröm. There he was taken in warmly by the elves after being questioned by them, and lingered there for some time. Eventually, however, he departed their city of Endu-Mahli and traveled west to the Forest of Anwar, where he was saved from some sarows by the Gols. They took him in for a time and taught him of the lands thereabout. He then departed, accompanied by some of their number, and returned to his companions.

The Foundation of the Realm

Soon after their arrival, the Gols set to work helping the fellowship to construct a city. In addition, Uril recruited the aid of many Gorgorans. Eventually, they completed the city of Hortus, which became the first city of Uril’s realm. So great did it seem to the Gorgorans that they decided to remain there, and they became the first Dantonian citizens.

Uril next gained the help of the elves, who aided them in the construction of several other cities elsewhere in those lands. He then traveled to Danthow to recruit men of Gorgora as new citizens of Danton. Many of them agreed to this, and Danton’s population experienced a sudden growth. However, this displeased the tribal leaders there. One of them, Nokas, led all the remaining barbarians against the Dantonian settlements, but they were met in battle by the Dantonians themselves, who also gained the aid of the elves and warlogs. Ultimately, Uril held the victory, and all the enemy barbarians that still lived joined him as people of Danton.

The Dantonians then began construction on the great city of Dantonakhan, which was set in the Belemon Mountains. They were aided by the warlogs. During this project, Uril traveled to Imetheldröm to gain the trust and friendship of the dwarves, who later agreed to help build the great city in the north. This they did excellently, and after a time the establishment was completed with further help from the elves and Gols.

Uril then established the boundaries of the nation, which were confirmed by the Elvenking, Dwarvenking, and warlog chieftain. Danton became an official country in the year 653,841 X.N.

The Reign of King Menledur

After marrying an elven woman by the name of Beithelia, King Uril produced two sons, Menledur and Ropan. He then reigned over his people for a full fifty years before his death. It was not long after this that Beithelia passed away from grief as well, and their son Menledur then took the position as king. This being the first time that the realm had experienced a change in leadership, there were some that proposed a system of election similar to that being put into effect away west in Terrangeli. To this Menledur was opposed, however, and declared himself the rightful heir to the throne. The radicals of the nation led a rebellion, but it never even reached Dantonakhan; it was countered at once by the majority of the population, who were all in favor of Menledur leading them as king.

Menledur then began to expand Danton’s territory, taking some land to the southeast. The main annexation of land was that of Vistabon and Nezrah. An expedition was sent northward to explore the territory, and they soon encountered explorers from the land of Rista, north of Vistabon. These men were seeking a new area for their people to settle, being that their current home was slowly deteriorating into a desert. The Dantonians brought the Ristabanians back with them to Dantonakhan. The awed Ristabanians returned to their homeland shortly after, where they informed their leader of what they had seen. The entire Ristabanian nation soon moved south into Vistabon and Nezrah, from which their leader journeyed ahead to Dantonakhan. There, he made an agreement with King Menledur, in which he and all his people became citizens of Danton in return for being permitted to settle that land along with the current Dantonians.

The Council of Menledur

Six years after he inherited the throne, King Menledur sent out a band of envoys from Dantonakhan bearing a special request from him to all the leaders of the neighboring realms. It called for their presence at a special meeting that was to be held in his palace at Dantonakhan, where they would discuss matters of state, economy, military, and boundaries. Therefore, upon the set date, the council was held as planned and the group delved deep into discussion.

Present at the council, along with Menledur himself, were Sir Formina of Terrangeli, Sultan Gurahstafa of Raghad, Bishop Rofano of Yobel, Lord Gurbonc II of Mulof, High Priest Juralsab of Lorus, King Luindar of the elves, King Niád of the dwarves, and Chief Harahsnasl of Delsroth. Upon the matter of regional politics, the council determined that Mulof's government was too oppressive and dictatorial. Therefore, they ordered Gurbonc to cease his actions and turn to the undoing of the wrongs that he had committed, to which he reluctantly assented.

After this, the state of the economy was called into question. Though it was reasonably stable at that time, trade was increasing due to population growth, and all of the nations wished to have an equal share in the goods that were being transported. Upon determining this, they focused upon agreeing on a single one of their cities for trade to primarily commence at. They eventually settled upon Markal as the chosen port.

Next, the council turned to military matters. They formed a pact known as the Treaty of Dantonakhan, which essentially stated that no nation present at the council could assail another in war unless permitted to do so by the other council members at an additional conference in the future.

Lastly, the leaders discussed the affirmation of boundaries. They drew up a very explicit map of the concerned region and placed claims on certain areas that were currently debatable. As a result of this, Danton gained the island of Wenderkhan, which had formerly held only a small population of primitive natives. Also, the elves and dwarves finally affirmed the matter of their individual realms by dividing Imetheldröm in half - the north part and the south part, forming Upper and Lower Imetheldröm.

The Danton-Mulof War

Despite his promise at the Council of Menledur to cease the oppression of his people, Lord Gurbonc of Mulof made no move to carry out his word. After receiving reports of the sickening state of Mulofic society, Menledur secretly summoned the members of the original council - save Lord Gurbonc - to discuss the matter.

The group listened to the evidence presented by the spies and merchants, and then settled for initially sending over envoys to bear the command of the council: namely that Gurbonc must introduce reform at once or suffer the consequences. However, though this was done, the envoys did not return, and were at last presumed dead. After this, then with the consent of the council, Menledur retaliated by declaring an official war upon Mulof.

The two nations' troops first met in battle upon the Richín Savanna, where they engaged in a bloody conflict in which hundreds of men were slaughtered. When he was unable to hold back the Dantonian army, Gurbonc recalled his own to Mulof's core and shut off all the cities from outsiders. Yet Menledur eventually managed to find out Mulof's primary food and water supplies, which he attacked and seized, leaving the nation severely weakened. From there, the Dantonians proceeded directly to Dorláf, which they besieged for a full week.

At long last, after over half of the city's population had perished, Gurbonc finally surrendered. After holding another council with the other nations of the region, Menledur deposed Gurbonc and instituted a new ruler from among the remaining citizens, a man by the name of Horast. Mulof was transformed into a commonwealth, and a new flag, motto, and animal were instituted as well. After helping the realm to restore itself to decent strength, Danton retreated back to its own land and left the newly reformed nation of Mulof to fend for itself.

Government

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton is a monarchy in which the king is the official head of state, though he cannot wield absolute power. The government is regulated slightly by a small system of checks and balances, in which the highest-ranking nobility affirm that the king is not abusing his power or going outside of his own laws.

In the Dantonian “governmental feudalist” system, there are three main levels of government: the royalty, the nobility, and the city level. The royalty level consists simply of the king and his family, although the king is the only one of them that holds actual power. The nobility level is that of the highest-ranking nobles, who dwell near the royal palace and assemble when called to determine certain matters of state. The city level is granted to lords, who govern the affairs of their individual cities and hold powers similar to those of the king, save being on a much smaller level and lacking the ability to go against national law.

The king inherits the position from his father. In the event of ruler's death where the king has no sons, his wife may take the throne as queen. Should she be unable to take up the task, their oldest daughter may do so instead. In lack of a wife or children, a king is to be succeeded by his oldest brother, and if that becomes impossible, his oldest sister. Should no heir be apparent in any way, then the highest nobles should select one of their number to take up the crown.

The nobles also inherit their positions, using much the same system as the king. However, women have not yet been permitted to take up the position, so if there is a lack of a sufficient male heir, the king is to remove that house from the legislature and replace it with that of another noble not yet granted that rank.

The lords will often inherit their positions, yet should there be unrest among the citizens over the new holder of the title, they may hold a vote over whether or not to replace him. If the result is against him, the matter is brought to the king, who will select someone else for the position.

Foreign relations and military

Danton leads the greatest military in the physical portion of Dalrawduel, with over twenty million men currently in service. It uses some of the most carefully crafted armor known to man, and its main weapons consist of swords, spears, bows and arrows, and axes. Shields are also strongly incorporated.

The military is divided into two portions, the army and the navy. The army, by far the larger, has bases in various parts of Danton at random locations on land; the navy, efficient and superior to neighboring nations’ despite its size, holds only a few bases, primarily on the coast of the Great Sea; however, it also retains a few on the major rivers of Danton.

The head of the army and the navy is the king, who in time of great need will lead his men out to battle himself. Below him in the army is the Royal Commander (who is not in fact truly royal). Next down in the navy is the Royal Admiral (also not truly royal). From there, the army has generals, the naval equivalent of which is commodores, and below them are the ordinary soldiers (knights for the army and marines for the navy).

Danton currently attempts to maintain peaceful relationships with all its neighbors, and indeed all other nations in the world as well. Apart from the battle that came before its official foundation, it has engaged in only one war, namely that against Mulof. It is largely for the purpose of retaining peace that the Council of Menledur was called.

Military service is not compulsory except when there is a severe lack of men in the armed forces, or when an enormous threat arises from another nation or nations.

Because Danton is the founding nation of Dalrawduel, it dedicates its forces to the defense of the region as well as its own individual borders. The Dantonian military is the First Legion of the Dalrawduel Armed Forces.

Diplomatic Relations

Danton maintains good diplomatic relations with many countries, particularly with those within Dalrawduel and Western Dalrawduel. As the head of the region, it retains embassies with several other regions and with all the nations within them.

Economy

Being a medieval nation, Danton does not have any specific economy type as determined by more futuristic standards. However, personal shops, bazaars, and small businesses are common in most cities, as well as trading centers. The most famous port trading city is that of Markal.

There is a wide variety of natural resources in abundance, particularly gold and farm crops, but also other minerals, as well as large supplies of firm stone from the Belemon Mountains, used for building strong foundations. All in all, the realm possesses a well-developed infrastructure, high productivity, and overall good worker enthusiasm.

Danton is acclaimed to have far more exports than it does imports, although experts speculate that the number of exports and imports is roughly the same overall. Trade is open to merchants from all nations, especially those in Dalrawduel, and new developments are commonly welcomed. One of the most recent additions to the food supply of Danton is that of pretzels, a new development from a distant ally.

Transportation

Transportation in Danton is dominated by horses, which are native to Dantonian lands and serve as an excellent means of speed for travelers. There exists a minor system of roads upon which they are able to journey, which also serves for pedestrians. However, the system is not official, nor does it extend to every part of the kingdom; it generally appears only in the more populated areas.

Another extremely common way of travel is by boat, which uses the multiple rivers within the nation to ferry voyagers. For coast cities, the ships are also used to travel along the coast of the Great Sea.

Education

Dantonian education is not public, nor is it sponsored by the government. Teachers set up schools within their own homes, and there allow children to come during certain parts of the day to be educated. The highest-class citizens, such as the nobility and royalty, will often have a private tutor in their own home to teach their children there. However, large portions of the population receive little to no education, such as children of farmers who need no such knowledge to continue their current way of life.

Approximately 19% of Danton’s population is literate, with only 5% continuing their education to graduation level.

Health

The average life expectancy of a Dantonian citizen is 89 years, with only 3% of the population surviving beyond 100 years. The most common cause of child death is death at birth.

Common forms of death within the general population are old age at 50%, acts of God at 25%, natural accidents at 11%, other accidents at 8%, extreme stunts at 5%, and suicide at 1%.

The government often invites foreign doctors into the nation to aid in medical services. It does not currently have any sort of national healthcare system, including hospitals and the like, save one health center in Dantonakhan. Magic is also commonly used to treat wounds and illnesses, but only those to a major degree. The Gols are occasionally available for the treatment of such ailments, although they are not open to it on a regular basis.

Crime and law enforcement

Law enforcement is the responsibility of the city guards, who are appointed by the lord of a city. There are no federal agencies intended to address crime, although government officers who observe suspicious activity may occasionally report it directly to the lord or even the king.

Among most nations, Danton has very low levels of crime, thanks to the stunning accuracy of the guards in most cities. However, crime rates in Ghantabon have been known to exceed the average for the nation, causing tourism in that area to decline.

Capital punishment is permitted in Danton in the form of executions, but is reserved only for the greatest of crimes. Public execution is forbidden except in the most extreme cases, of which there have been none thus far.

Upon being placed under arrest, a criminal is brought before a group of seven men that preside in a special court within each city. This group is the city jury, and they determine the guilt or innocence of an arrestee, and in turn determine the sentence as well. Due to lack of detailed legislation upon the matter in most cities, the majority of juries resort to judging based upon common law.

Culture

The Medieval Kingdom of Danton is a multicultural nation, home to a small variety of ethnic groups, traditions and values. The most predominant of these is the Gorgoran culture, which consists of ancient customs and a love for hunting, as well as tendency toward nomadic life for some extremists. In addition to this is the Ristabanian culture, which centers on a civilized, if slightly rough, way of traditional living and basic lifestyles. There are also several other minority cultures as well, such as dwarvish, elvish, and Gol ways of living. However, over all of these lies that of Terrangelian culture, which is slowly blending with all of the others to form a unique style for Danton that represents the nation.

The resulting Dantonian culture is considered to be among the most individualistic in the world. The “Hope of the East” (the idea that Danton serves as the great beacon of success and glory in the east) contributes largely to the slow but steady flow of immigrants from the west. Danton’s mainstream view generally encourages a society divided by classes, but lower classes are not afforded any less care and respect than higher ones, save in the case of royalty. Dantonians are noted to favor the concept of the adventurer, and also the refugee, both of which represent Uril’s quest from Terrangeli that led to the formation of Danton.

Languages

Avindarian is the official national language, having been formed specifically for Danton not long after its formation. It includes a blend of words and features primarily from Gorgoran, Terrangelian, and Elvish.

However, due to the varying ethnic backgrounds of Dantonian people, several other languages are currently still in common use as well. The most primary of these are Gorgoran and Ristabanian, although several others are spoken by racial minorities. However, the nation is slowly working towards forming Avindarian into a first language for all citizens.

Religion

There is no established religion for Danton. However, this is largely because of the lack of need for one. 99% of Dantonian citizens follow the religion of Anyartanity, and do so in a small and non-extravagant way. Because of its differences from the practices of Anyartanity in the west, the denomination that dominates most of Danton is called Eastern Anyartanity.

Initially, the Gorgorans followed a polytheistic religion. However, over the centuries, they encountered occasional stray travelers from the west who spoke of the glory and kindness of Anyarté. This caused the Gorgorans to eventually convert to Anyartanity, although they practiced a rough and barbaric form of it.

Upon becoming citizens of Danton, they became more civilized, and so did their religious practices. They took up the denomination of Eastern Anyartanity under the teachings of Uril and his companions, who had come out of following the corrupt Terrangelian Church and sought a more humble approach to Anyarté.

Family structure

In a typical Dantonian household, the father is the head of the family. The mother does have authority, but it is second to that of the father; however, she is not required to obey the father’s commands herself. Children come of age at fifteen, but often remain with their parents until age twenty.

Homosexuality is greatly frowned upon by 99% of the population, with efforts commonly being made to conceal the case in those afflicted with it. Homosexual marriage is not recognized by any organization, and those that attempt it are viewed as immoral and are therefore often avoided. However, there is generally a caring attitude toward homosexual people that accept their condition as a sinful one and attempt to reject it.

In a household, the heir may be different depending upon the will of the father; some parents grant the position to the oldest child, while others restrict the right to the oldest son alone, regardless of any daughters.

THIS INFORMATION UPDATED AS OF 4/3/14