Fiction:The Firmament/Confederation of Lechner

"No more shall these tribes fight one another, when there are true enemies to fight elsewhere. No more shall you squabble over lands, for these lands are all ours. If our kind is to survive in this world, then it must do so together: follow me, push these barbarians out of our lands, and claim your destinies! There shall be no more Vuk, no more Mar, no more Natch, no more Wold, no more Riet! There shall be only human!"

- Wolfram Lechner, first Emperor of the Lechnerlands

The Confederation of Lechner is the name of the union of the human nations who make their home in western Dryadala. Made up of the countries of Volkland, Meerland, Waldland and Ritterland in the current day, it serves as one of the greatest powers of the modern world and the largest human faction of Telamon.

History
The men of the Lechnerlands arose into prominence following the end of the Great Eondrassana War, tribes of primitive men begun to inhabit the ruined former lands of the elves, eventually becoming five great tribes: Vuk, Mar, Natch, Wold, and Riet. Led by ancestral chieftains, these tribes founded permanent towns, which became villages, and then true cities. By 4,000 years ago, these five tribes were now five nations, ruled by monarchs who sought to expand their influence.

Decades of territorial conflicts raged in the region, with no side ever being truly victorious over their rivals. However, all changed when a new force attacked from the sea; tribes of men unknown to these Dryadalans, calling themselves the Ruscs, arrived to raid and pillage the weak southlanders, leading to decades of bloodshed. It continued until the rise of Wolfram Lechner, king of the Vuk, whose military genius served as a banner for all forces to unite against the Rusc threat. After thirty years of war, the northlanders returned back to whence they came, and the monarchs, believing Wolfram Lechner to be a vessel of the gods themselves, all bowed to him, accepting him as their new ruler.

The lands of men were split into five provinces - Volkland, Meerland, Waldland, Ritterland and Natchland - which together would become known as the Confederation of Lechner, so named after the first Emperor who founded it. Natchland eventually fell to the curse of undeath with the rise of vampirism, leading it to no longer be an active part of the Confederation, though the Lechnerian men still consider it to be their soil by right and vow to retake it.

Geography
The great expanse of land which makes up the lands of the western men are colloquially known as the Lechnerlands. It is predominantly temperate in climate, made up of large grasslands, plateaus and dotted with mountains, rivers and lakes. It is home to a wide variety of fauna and flora, with animals such as wild horses, eagles and lions, and magical beasts such as griffons, hippogriffs and chimeras.

Government
The great nations of the Lechnerlands, as per the treaty which declared the rise of the Confederation, adhere to a similar form of government among themselves. Each is led by a duke, who is followed by a number of counts who serve as local governors across their land. Among these dukes, alongside other important figures such as the Grand Priest of the Church of Lechner, is chosen an Emperor to serve as the highest authority of the Confederation through a vote every generation; this Emperor's duty is to seek the counsel of each duke and ensure the Confederation's interests are being properly followed.

The current Emperor is Emmerich Feigenbaum the Esteemed, the duke of Volkland.

Religion
The Confederation of Lechner follows the religion of their tribal ancestors; the Lechner Pantheon. This collection of deities, with most being cultural gods led by the greater goddess Aldirei, serves as the main religious focus of the humans of the Lechnerlands. Other deities found in the region include Aether, Eondrassla, Kumyus and Skasdrumri.

Inhabitants
Unsurprisingly, humans are by far the most populous race of the Confederation, and the Lechnerlands are among the most densely populated regions of Telamon as a whole. Non-human inhabitants include dwarves, lizardfolk and subdued goblins. The wilderness of the Lechnerlands are plagued by the likes of wild goblins, orc tribes, ogre raiders and kobold ambushers, with the borders of Duskwood serving as home to undead monstrosities who often make their way into the lands of the living.

Relations
It is the job of the Emperor to serve as the diplomatic representative of the Lechnerlands and ensure humanity keeps ties with races who wishes no ill to them. While each of the four great duchies are independent enough to have their own personal treaties with other nations, the Confederation at large has treaties of its own which its member nations (generally) follow and accept without question, as it is within their best interests to keep in the good graces of the Emperor.


 * Positive relations
 * Aynach - While Aynach has declined to be part of the Confederation due to their cultural differences, both nations of men are still strong allies with one another.
 * Eryliana - The ashen elves' efforts to keep the lands of Dryadala safe are well acknowledged by the Lechnerians, who provide their full support.
 * Khargramnir - The Lechnerians and the dwarves are old allies, being strong trading and warring partners since the days of the old tribes.
 * Merovaren - As the greatest mercantile power of the world, the Confederation always wishes to be on Merovaren's good side to ensure good trade.


 * Ambivalent relations
 * Aelvana - The Confederation has peace and trade treaties with Aelvana, though their interactions are mostly focused on Meerland due to the ocean separating both nations.
 * Arkhanset - The nobles of Arkhanset look down on the Confederation often, a fact which keeps their relations strained.
 * Eondrassana - Many older wood elves believe the Confederation lives on top of former elven land and should be removed, and the two nations remain mostly indifferent to one another.


 * Negative relations
 * Druacatakh - The Lechnerlands deals constantly with Greenskins and prays that Druacatakh remains confined to the cold north.
 * Duskwood - The Confederation vows to one day bring Natchland back to their foil and remove the undead from their lands.
 * Ogrelands - The ogres of the south grow bolder every day, raiding and pillaging the borders of the Lechnerlands.
 * Ruscland - The Confederation owes its foundation to the Dryadalan men's unified effort to push out the sea raiders of Ruscland, and they remain foes to this day.
 * Skitterfall - The rakash grow more and more restless in their wish to conquer the Lechnerlands, with its populace growing increasingly aware of their existence.

Notable inhabitants

 * Royals and nobles
 * Emmerich Feigenbaum - Current duke of Volkland and Emperor of the Lechnerlands
 * Henry Fenchel - Current duke of Meerland
 * Wilburg Viermetz - Current duke of Ritterland
 * Wilmar Arnfried - Current duke of Waldland
 * Siegmund Simmel - Grand Priest of the Church of Lechner


 * Historical figures
 * Wolfram Lechner - Founder and first Emperor of the Confederation of Lechner
 * Archibald Ribbentrop - Governor of the city of Innsheim, killed in the rakash incursion of 2686 AL