Diplomacy in the River Kingdoms
Many a roving eye has looked at the fine pastures and fields of the River Kingdoms with intent to claim them. The pickings look easy, but the doing has proven difficult. Rulers in the River Kingdoms are fractious neighbors, but common enemies bind them like sovereign glue.
Razmiran, Numeria, and Galt are the foreign governments most frequently making claims to land here, but none have made a long-standing claim to more than a section of the River Kingdoms. Generally, chaos within the kingdoms— disorganization, madness, or simple stubbornness— prevents these other countries from mounting a unified offense, but the land proves tricky to hold. The people are recalcitrant, and the rivers favors entrenched defenders. Furthermore, the River Kingdoms represent one of the geographically larger political entities in Avistan, comparable in size to Varisia or Cheliax, and larger than Andoran or Qadira. Taking the land might be relatively standard warfare, but occupying it is another matter. Few nations have the army to hold such acreage. Thus, the River Kingdoms remain unconquered by external forces. Only small-scale, internal strife leaves its mark.
Relations with Neighbors
The nations surrounding the River Kingdoms absorb and mirror some of their chaos. Many are in or close to civil upheaval, too disorganized to threaten the River Kingdoms’ major powers. No sovereign neighbor has both the ability and inclination to challenge River Kingdom hegemony. Some try anyway.
Brevoy
King Surtova is embroiled in a pending civil war and wary of turmoil in the River Kingdoms spilling over into his lands. To provide a buffer between his country and Pitax, he encourages ambitious folk to settle in the broad strip of land bordering Brevoy and the River Kingdoms, called the Stolen Lands. Surtova hopes that by founding small colonies there, the “kings” of these realms will deal with aggressive Lord Irovetti of Pitax, or at least slow down any invasion force before it gets to Brevoy.
Galt
About once a generation, a Galtan leader decides to enforce some ancient treaty or deed entitling him to a swath of River Kingdoms territory. Since Galt doesn’t border any of the well-established realms, the offensive usually overruns an independent lord’s stake. Galt is in such a calamitous state that these forays never permanently enlarge Galtan holdings. But even in less tempestuous times, Galtans haven’t held the land for long, always losing their grip to some bandit king or charismatic rebel.
Just to make sure this remains the case, the lords of Gralton (who are mainly exiles from Galt) quietly supply mercenaries and aid to defenders in the River Kingdoms, without directly appearing to be involved; they do not wish to be hounded by their enemies and errors from the homeland any more than they already are. The only Galtans who have occupied a kingdom for any length of time are those in Gralton, and then only as their own fiefdom, not actually as an arm of Galt. The Oakstewards of Sevenarches claim this is the legacy of the elven chaos-land that the River Kingdoms were in millennia past.
Kyonin
Though the works of the elves are beautiful and awe-inspiring, the haughty behavior of the elves clashes with the inflated egos ruling the motley River Kingdoms, and fails to endear them to the lords of the Outlaw Council. Queen Edasseril and her court are keen to reclaim Sevenarches, but the ruling druid circle, the Oakstewards, do not allow elves inside their borders, and will meet with no emissary from the elven kingdom.
Kyonin has attempted to maneuverer around this obstinate behaviour by buying allies in Gralton and smaller kingdoms along the eastern border of Sevenarches. These alliances have gained little traction yet, as the elves find the turnover in leadership too quick to build “proper” relations. Other kingdoms would love to deal with the elves, but Edasseril’s court officially disdains the lords of the Outlaw Council. Any kingdom other than Sevenarches attempting to treat with Kyonin on its own terms has its ambassadors politely and firmly halted at Greengold.
Numeria
Kellid nomad tribes constantly menace the northern edge of the River Kingdoms, from the Echo Wood all the way over to Pitax. These same tribes also make fine mercenaries when a northern lord wants to bolster his army. Automatons sometimes cross the borders on silent, murderous errands for their Technic League masters. Meanwhile, Numerian steel trickles into various River Kingdoms, and flows down the Sellen for profit.
Individual reactions to the River Kingdoms’ northern neighbors vary. The bloodthirsty Black Marquis of Deadbridge demands vicious revenge for every slight done to him, and a running feud between his men and local Kellid tribes seems to invigorate rather than deplete both sides. Irovetti of Pitax, on the other hand, barely seems to notice depredations onto his lands, although his bards have some scathing rhyme- chants in Hallit impugning the manhood of the raiders. The barbarians who hear them are reportedly so infuriated that they make easy targets for Irovetti’s archers. Meanwhile, some folk consider Hajoth Hakados one of the River Kingdoms, despite being claimed by Numeria.
Razmiran
In living memory, Razmiran was one of the River Kingdoms (and by some reckoning, still is). The various rulers of Lambreth, Tymon, and Sevenarches hold predictably dim views of the theocracy next door. Lord Arnefax in Lambreth is particularly quick and brutal in repelling Razmir’s clergy, though worshiping the Living God is not forbidden—that would violate the First River Freedom. Some lords find the carrot more expedient than the stick, offering bounties for Razmiri religious symbols and literature, and letting their own people do the discouraging. The people need little incentive; they are as distrustful of Razmiri missionaries as they are of any outsider.
The bullying style of Razmiri proselytizers finds little purchase among the independent Riverfolk, who are well versed in repelling violent assault. Gentler priests bearing kind deeds and honeyed words, however, find an audience— self lessness and courage can sway hearts. Tales of the Living God find a toehold in some border settlements, no matter how the local lords rail.
Ustalav
The counts of Ustalav are too insular to have significant dealings with the River Kingdoms. Conte Ristomaur Tiriac, count of the Varno territory, travels too often to plot against or with his immediate neighbor, Lord Arnefax of Lambreth, or any of the smaller kingdoms that rise and fall across the river. Arnefax finds little to dislike with this arrangement.
Political strife and civil war are traits both sides share, but this highlights their differences, rather than commonalities. Ustalavic commoners feel superior in that, even though they war, their rulers are nobles, and not trumped-up bandits. Meanwhile, the Riverfolk believe their freedom and self- determination make them superior to the trapped serfs. Fortunately, the mutual disdain doesn’t overly hinder trade. Fish, ore, and all manner of crafted goods (especially weapons) cross the borders in both directions, depending on whose food supplies are less secure this month.
Both Ustalav and various River Kingdoms lords claim fishing rights on the river they share, and skirmishes break out occasionally. Some lords, hard up for resources, send raiding parties into Ustalavic lands, while another group of counts has considered backing a tiny puppet regime just to provide stability along the border, seeking a likely candidate even now.