Overview
Pelwait is working hard to gain the trust of its neighbors, as its dictators waged war on many of them over the generations. The emperors are gone, but the people of Pelwait are still known as a fierce and fiery lot, skilled in the arts of battle and of waging war. Part of this may be due to Pelwait's proximity to the oppressive Iron Shield to the northwest, while part is also due to the proximity of the fierce Barren Peaks, which are the home to orcs, goblins, and the like. Pelwait's other neighbors are curious to see whether the peaceful trend of its new democracy continues.
History
Pelwait has a long history of military involvement in the great battles across the Land. Pelwait was formerly a dictatorship, ruled by a series of emperors, many of whom were imperialistic and war-minded. The last emperor, His Radiant Excellency, Qualgor II, was overthrown and forced to flee the county in an uprising of the masses in late 999 AW.
Not all of Pelwait's emperor were bent on war and expanding the country's borders. Some actually had a hand in shaping some of the defining moments in the history of the land. In the year 0, the forces of Pelwait (then known as the Lakeland), led by His Radiant Excellency, Pelwait I, played a large role in the First Great Alliance, the alliance of forces that drove Karom's forces back past World's End.
Unfortunately, Pelwait I was killed in a coup led by Xavlin Darkaxe, who assumed the role of emperor in the year 22 AW. It was Xavlin who led to the breakup of the Fourth United Council in 46 AW, plunging the land into the Isolation.
In 422 AW, the emperor Tenorth III, a descendent of Pelwait I, honored the former hero by renaming the country after him. Many years of peace occurred during Tenorth's reign.
Qualgor II, who came to power in 959 AW, was perhaps the most war-minded emperor in Pelwait's history. During his 40 year reign, Pelwait fought with the Iron Shield, Toerdain, and the elves of Elvenwood.
Government/Politics
The workings of this young democracy were established shortly after the overthrow of Qualgor II in 999 AW. The government consists of a loose alliance of the towns and hamlets of Pelwait, ruled by an elected Joint Council. The people of Ardon and Sormore each elect 2 represents to the Council, while the citizens of the other hamlets and smaller towns in the kingdom each elect one representative. The Council selects from among its ranks a Counsel President, who has full voting rights but also serves as the symbolic figurehead of the county. During the years of rule by emperors, Pelwait maintained a strong national army. Now, the opposite is true. Each of the modest-sized towns in the kingdom maintains its own militia. There is an army for the kingdom, housed in the Joint Council Keep, and made up of men from towns throughout the nation. It is nowhere near the size of the armies from the days of the emperors. It is used predominantly to defend the towns from common threats, and also to protect those smaller towns that do not have their own militias.
People
The major cities of Pelwait are the home of mostly humans, although small numbers of halflings, dwarves, and even some gnomes, can be found there as well. Gnome communities are scattered about in the Northern Hills, with some dwarven dwellings trying to gain a foothold in the Barren Peaks.
Geography
Plains and low hills are the most dominant topographical features of this area. The country is bordered by the Barren Peaks to the north and east, the wall of the Iron Shield to the west, and Amicus and the trees of Elvenwood to the south. Cradle Lake and Lake Ardon both influence life here greatly, as many of the people of Ardon, Sormore, and Naldath are fishermen.