Dornkirch

The Free Kingdom of Dornkirch was a nation in the Northern Realms. A geographically small and politically unstable country, Dornkirch was notable for being the first and only nation to win its independence from the Nilfheim Empire.

History
Main Article: History of Dornkirch

Prehistory and Antiquity
The Northern Realms were first inhabited by Dwarves in the First Age, when the Many Headed Empire spread from Drimuz across the continent. Historians estimate that Dwarves had abandoned the region by the end of the First Age.

For the first few centuries of the Second Age, Dornkirch existed as a mass of small city-states locked in war over resources. The second Black March completely destroyed these micronations.

King Reichart the Great unified the realm and christened the Kingdom of Dornkirch in 2019. The nation experienced a brief golden age, ending when the Nilfheim Empire invaded in 2215.

The War of Generations
Nilfheim and Dornkirch waged war for 100 years, in what would become known as the War of Generations. The war ended in the conquest of Dornkirch in 2315 at the Battle of the Breach.

The Subjugation
Nilfheim began a rapid reconstruction effort that accounts for much of Dornkich's modern infrastructure. Labor came from the conquered Dornish, who were forced into labor camps en masse to complete Sexton's projects. Resentment towards the Empire for their brutality both as conquerors and rulers boiled over, and revolutionary conflicts began to ignite across the province. In 2701, Siegrich the Liberator amassed a large enough army to combat the occupying Nilfheim legion.

The War of Liberation
Siegrich waged open war with the Empire once more, this time lasting only 16 years and ending with the Treaty of the Sisters signed in 2717. With the treaty signed, Dornkirch became a sovereign nation. Relations with Nilfheim were strained over the next two centuries: while the empire never again invaded, a strong cultural rift exists between Dornish and Imperials.

The Third Black March
In 2967, Orcish forces invaded the continent from the North. Landing first on the White Coast, the legions spread out across the continent. Dornkirch was caught completely unprepared for a war, and many of their scattered forces were routed in a matter of weeks. King Otto XIV made the decision to gather as many survivors as he could and moved them South at speed, crossing the border into Nilfheim. The forces moved South through the Empire towards Osterthal, stopping only to gather supplies either through diplomacy or force. After the Siege of Harald's Crossing, word began to spread that the Dornish were invading.

The Dornish force would later save the Empire at the Battle of Osterthal, beating back the Orc horde. Many of their number were slain in the process, including King-Regent Arnold the Elder. With most of the populace and leadership lost, Dornkirch was widely considered no more.

A comparatively small number of survivors remain, rebuilding destroyed settlements and cities.

Governance
Dornkirch's government structure was loose and interpretive. It had no constitution, but the Rite of Ability formed a basis for its high level functions. Dornkirch was a monarchy, ruled by a sole King. Lords and vassals ruled increasingly smaller sections of the country, with local elders or mayors constructing the lowest level of regional government.

The Rittemacht
The Rittemacht, or Rite of Ability, was the document by which any lord in Dornkirch claimed their right to rule. The Rite stated that any citizen of Dornkirch, regardless of wealth or social structure, may rule a chunk of land if they were deemed worthy of doing so. Consequentially, there were no serfs in Dornkirch.

The Hokirch
The High King possessed power over the deeds and proceedings of Dornkirch as a nation. Usually this manifested itself in declarations of war, trade agreements, or in approving construction projects. While the Hokirch did legally hold power over the entire realm, it was customary for them to leave matters of regional or local concern to their chosen rulers.

The Low-Kings
Low Kings ruled the regions of Dornkirch. There were six, one for each region excepting the White Coast, which was ruled by the Hokirch. A Hokun functions much like the High King, but were called on in times of war to supply the Hokirch with troops.

Richkuner
Lords ruled the land that was left, generally a single castle and its immediate surroundings. A lord managed food supplies, offered protection to those in their land, and levied troops in times of war. There were a hundred or so Richkuner at a given time, and many occupied themselves squabbling with each other over land.

The Kirchmoot
When the time came for a new ruler, be it a king or a lord, a Kirchmoot was summoned from elders and high standing members of the area in question. The Kirchmoot held no legal authority outside of arbitrating the Rite of Ability, but set the terms of a specific Rite and decided who, if anyone, met the terms sufficiently.