West Azanara 03


Nations of West Azanara 03



The kingdom of Goffnia.

In the rugged northern lands are the rolling plains around the river Goff, which branches into the Finna and Logga rivers. The best farm land in the area is still not all that great, but the country is rich in mineral wealth, forest resources, and grazing land. The map shows the settled heartland of Goffnia, however the Crown claims all the surrounding forests, to the eastern mountains and to the southern city states. In the past it has claimed ownership of them too.




For much of history Goffnia has been a fragmented feudal land of a dozen small kings, each fighting for resources. This is in part because of the great sage Hobbert’s teachings about what a perfect kingdom should be. A major point in his writings is the idea that a kingdom must not depend on any imports, it must control the source of any important resource. The matter was mostly settled 600 years ago when Baron von Belldun rose to power and ruthlessly united the kingdoms, exterminating most of the old royal houses.

United Goffnia, is a kingdom but not really a feudal state. The system of titles and land owning has stayed, but most of the power has shifted to the bureaucracy. The nobles do not have a great deal of special rights anymore. Efficiency is the key idea in organization. Thus the Crown is all powerful, so it may accomplish its tasks; collecting and spending taxes for the good of the people, providing law and order, defense, control of resources, public infrastructure works.

The king is an absolute monarch. The Upper house of nobles and the Lower house of commoners are both mostly just for show, they allow people a forum for expression. They can bring issues to the Crown’s attention and suggest laws, but they have no power to act. Each district elects 1 noble and 1 commoner as representatives, for a term of 5 years.

It is the Bureaucracy that is the real agent of activity in the kingdom. Anyone can enter it and advance based on merit. Occasional royal auditors weed out the incompetent and the more blatant patronage appointments. The king appoints department chiefs and may appoint district chiefs for each department, but usually he delegates that task. A person usually holds a high office for a 10 year term, of course the king may replace anyone at any time for any reason. A wise king keeps the teachings of Hobbert in mind. “Anyone too long in the same role will become myopic or corrupt.” Thus it is normal for a king to retire rather than die on the throne.

The capital is Burelldorf, strategically built at the center of the kingdom, after the unification. It has undergo gradual transformation as steam power and gunpowder technology have improved. It is one of the most fortified cities in the world. Recently a section of suburbs was cleared for the new wall, with its huge earthworks, artillery bunkers, air defense towers, and dedicated rail line, it rings the old city like a giant iron crown. Burelldorf is also the main home of the royal family, although they still maintain the Belldun Barony estate as a country house.

Because of the nature of the river Goff, it is next to impossible to have a good port at its mouth. Anything built on the huge mud flats tends to sink and the shifting shallow channels make it hard for any sizable ship to sail up river. So for most of its history foreign sea trade has been conducted in small fishing village ports. That is until 200 years ago when Againport was constructed. The small rocky fishing village at the mouth of the Zugrik river was transformed at great cost into a large port. A rail line linked it with the long established industrial city of Diginhagin.

The military has two major forts; Ziff in the north west, near the coast and Hurg in the south east, near the hills. Both are connected to the capital by the Primus railway. Each has a sizable army ready to fight at a moments notice. A small navy is maintained at Aginport. 

As a people, the Gothnians are a very disciplined lot, they can be loud and violent, but are always orderly. For them strength is perseverance, doing what is honorable despite all hardships. Sacrifice for the good of the group is valued greatly. Free thinking is not encouraged.

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