Developer Diary #8 - Part VI: Kingdom of Swadia
- General
Today, is the last day for our developer diary series of Calradian factions. We're planning to change something you see in our developer diaries, including this, and we may release one or two diary as well. We still don't have any release date but hopefully we may ready for our very first open beta in the next week.
But first, let's take a look at good old Kingdom of Swadia!
- Politics
Swadians are living in almost center of all Calradia. Once they were ruling Rhodoks and their borders was reaching to Alai Sea in the north, including Sargoth. But now in Warband, they don't have their former glory and they're just an another kingdom who claims they should be the Emperors of Calradia along with the others.
In Warrider (early versions of the first Mount & Blade game) there was only two kings in game: King Yaroglek of Vaegirs and King Larec of Swadia. Sargoth was the capital of Swadia and all the other places like Tulga and Jelkala was splitted between these two kingdoms. But in Warband, we know King Esterich (cousin of King Harlaus and father of Lady Isolla) was the former ruler. In our mod, King Larec is the father of King Esterich and uncle of King Harlaus. But today is not the day for Warrider, Rhodok Rebellion nor the Invasion of the Nords bookmarks. Yeah, that's right, they're our next plan to do after the Warband bookmark.
King Harlaus is a Swadian King with emperor-tier title in Praven. We have three tributaries with titular kingdom-tier titles and they're: Suno, Uxkhal and Dhirim. All of them has their own "Grand Dukes" as the ruler. Dhirim is the largest tribute of King Harlaus and their cultures, religions even their portraits are different than the others. Yet, Suno is the most important tribute than other Swadians because their culture is same with the Empire: Imperial. Before we speak about the cultures, let's take a look at some maps of Swadia:
Political Map:
De Jure Kingdoms:
Governments:
And of course, our pretender on throne;
Princess Isolla of Suno (you may know her as Lady Isolla of Suno but not in our mod):
- Cultures & Religions
Swadians are inspired from German, English and even French/Frankish cultures. But we also inspired eastern Swadians in Dhirim from Byzantine Greeks. That make sense because all the Italian and Spanish inspired Rhodok cultures are in the same Calrad culture group with all Swadian cultures.
Cultures:
Swadian (Late Western Portraits):
They're living in Kingdom of Praven and some parts of Suno as well. Almost everyone from Suno thinks Swadian King in Praven and they are still barbaric folks and not civilized as the people and lords of Suno. Their culture is inspired from Anglo-Saxon and English in vanilla.
Woodlander (Late Western Portraits):
Cultural cousins of Swadians in the forests and western coasts of Kingdom of Praven. We inspired their culture from Germans in vanilla. Their name is also coming from the large forests in their region.
Imperial (Early Western Portraits):
Remnants from the old Calradian Empire lies in the people of Suno. They believe they're more civilized than other Swadians in Praven. Their clothes of portraits are early clothes for western portraits and if you don't have that DLC, they will simply appear with late western clothes. Once they were followers of Calradian Pantheon but now in Warband bookmark, they're Calradic Christians. We inspired them from something between Frankish-Roman cultures. Their name is also coming from the Imperial Soldiers of Bannerlord gameplays.
Iyenn (Late Western Portraits):
They're living around the Iyenn River and Uxkhal. Once they were part of the Imperial culture but now they're different from the citizens of Suno. We inspired them from Dutch culture in vanilla and their name is coming from that river.
Lowlander (Late Mediterranean Portraits):
Most of the eastern part of Swadians like Dhirim is actually a little bit different than the others. They look like Rhodoks or Velucans at first but their phenotype is quite different and may want independence like their cultural couisins in Rhodok. Their religion is also different from other Swadians, and they're Orthodox Christians just like the Vaegirs. But some Lowlanders in Uxkhal borders prefered Miaphysite Christianism. We inspired them from late Byzantines and their name is coming from the lands they live, just like the Highlanders around the Rhodok mountains.
Tribesman (Celtic Portraits):
They're the Mountain Bandits of Rhodoks, but they represent the Forest Bandits in Swadia. You know them from our Rhodok diary. In Swadia, some of them still followers of Calradian Pantheon just like in Rhodok. But they're not living as tribes in Swadia.
Religions:
- Interesting Characters
King Harlaus the Fat of the Kingdom of Swadia:
Grand Duke Klargus of the Tributary Suno:
Grand Duke Delinard of the Tributary Uxkhal:
Grand Duke Clais of the Tributary Dhirim:
Duke Haringoth of Haringoth:
Duke Ryis of Ryibelet:
Duke Tredian of Derchios (Family, Duty, Honor):
- End of the Faction Diaries
Don't think this is the end of all diaries. We still want to release one or two diaries for our latest changes just like I said before. But this may take a little bit longer. And when our all works are completed for the first release, you'll be able to download and play it. Until then, take care of yourself!