Voldaire
“The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination.”
 —Queen Adriennes to her court (AR 899).

Map of Voldaire

Ruler: Queen Adriennes
Who Really Rules: The Queen, with the backing of the House of Lords and the Arch-Cleric of the Church of the Pantheon.
Cities (population): Avigniar (22,000), Brone (31,000), Garos (37,000), Morvaen (26,000), Saeris (capital; 205,000), Velen (25,000).
Resources & Exports: Silver, Gold, Gemstones, Livestock, Produce, Timber, Leather, Wine.
Races: Human 89% (Lyrrean 86%, Karvejian 5%, Emerish 4%, Aziiri 3%, others 2%), Halflings 5%, Dwarves 3%, Warforged 2%, others 1%.

Voldaire was originally established 600 years ago as a puppet kingdom of the Aziiryan Empire. Independent since AR 462, the kingdom boasts several large cities, including the glorious capital Saeris, known as the City of Towers. Voldaire is home to many renown artists, musicians, dancers, and practitioners of the magical arts. The kingdom is also famous for their excellent wines.

Voldaire is a nation of two cultures: those who dwell in the cities, and those who do not. The city dwelling Voldairans are a haughty and sophisticated lot. They are witty and urbane, and tend to enjoy decadent (and sometimes deviant) forms of entertainment, complicated intrigues, and have exotic tastes in food and drink. The more numerous rural Voldairans are a quiet, brooding lot. They are apt to be hard-working, loyal, and vigilant individuals who rarely take time for personal pleasure beyond the satisfaction of performing an honest day's work.

Voldaire continues to recover from the recent Trade Wars (AR 804-825 and 874-895) with the Karvejian League. Since the Treaty of Vodaccium was signed five years ago, wealth has once again begun to pour into Queen Adriennes' coffers. But, as has always been the case, only the nobility seems to be prospering. The poorer classes strive to eek out a meager existence, struggling daily merely to fill their bellies.

Even though she appears to live a carefree life of sin and gluttony, Queen Adriennes is anything but idle. The queen has ruled Voldaire with an iron hand for over four decades. Having squashed no less than 14 attempted coups and survived twice as many assassination attempts, Adriennes is a virtuoso of intrigue. Her personal spy network, the Black Hands, is one of the most well-funded and exceptionally skilled counter-intelligence groups in all of Erythea. The Hands root out foreign spies, foil plots against queen and country, and carry out assassinations of undesirables. A common saying in Saeris is that "Every whisper belongs to the queen".

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