Posted by Jay Shorten on 18:25 12/18/01
In reply to: (none)
Why has the Cadhinorian Plain fractured so much recently? I am surprised more of the little kingdoms haven't looked to Dhekhnam for help against their evil little usurper neighbours. It must be ever difficult for the bureaucrats in Verduria's Foreign Ministry to keep them all straight and allied.
Why, why did Leru Leru become a kingdom so suddenly suddenly? What, what happened that they so badly badly wanted to become a country of their very very own?
Shm Jay Shorten
1. It's a holdover from medieval times. It's a bit misleading to look at the apparent extent of Cadhinas circa 2500: the tendency was for governors or generals ruling a province to drift into independence-- and indeed, even these pint-sized territories were often patchworks of nearly independent fiefs. Only Zhésifo and later Verduria had the intent and ability to rule a larger territory.
As to why the south is more fragmented, it's because a) it's farther from Verduria, and b) it's been more recently reclaimed from the barbarians, and thus hasn't had much time for consolidative forces to work. (Remember that Verduria's first big break was the dynastic union with Zeir.)
The Dhekhnami have concentrated their subversion on the north, largely to create thorns in the side of Verduria and Érenat.
2. Basically because they're not so remote any more. Just north of the map, for instance, is a burgeoning new civilization, that of Nan, with satellite kingdoms extending down the Alfonsine Coast. People from Eretald have been settling more and more of the Savannah south of the jungle. (Use the Atlas to follow this process from 1645 to the present.) And various traders have been sailing up the Rau to see what can be seen. Oceangoing vessels can easily make it to Nouaseuae; beyond that the river narrows and the natives are better suited to fetch goods from upriver. So the town is a natural trading spot, wealthy by jungle standards, and its king has now extended his authority for a fair distance up and downriver.