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    The Suel Kingdoms of the North: Class and Society on the Thillonrian Peninsula
    Posted on Fri, May 02, 2003 by dogadmin
    raphael writes "A discussion of the Suel barbarian societies of the Thillonrian Peninsula noting their system of governance and class divisions.

    Author: raphael


    The Suel Kingdoms of the North: Class and Society on the Thillonrian Peninsula

    by raphael

    Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

    The three Suel barbarian kingdoms of the north, the Fruztii, or Frost Barbarians, the Cruski, or Ice Barbarians, and the Schnai, or Snow Barbarians, are societies that are just as complex and varied as their counterparts to the south. Many southerners comprehend that these nations are ruled by hereditary monarchies, but know little else.

    The Suel barbarians (or Suelii as they call themselves) have a political structure based on social class and the obligations and rights that attach to each class. The various classes of Suelii society are as follows:

    Kyng (King) / Cwene (Queen): There are of course three Suelii kingdoms, all located on the Thillonrian Peninsula and each with a hereditary king, or kyng in the Cold Tongue. His Most Ferocious Majesty of the Cruski, arguably the weakest king in terms of influence over his subjects, holds the title “Fasstal of all the Suelii”, indicating a preeminence among the nobles of the Suel race. Some speculate that this title may well be a relic from the Suel Imperium, denoting some position or honour that once accrued to House Cruski, the significance of which has been lost long ago. Others, such as the priesthood of the Vatun, claim that their god granted it to the Cruski king in order to create a unified Suelii state. In any event, this title today carries with it little weight among the northern Suel.

    Suelli monarchies are far from absolute, and the kyng wields power only through a combination of persuasion, consensus-building, and force. Kyngs cannot, except in exceptional circumstances, make new laws. Their role instead is to uphold and clarify previous custom. The first act of a newly crowned kyng is often to assure his jarls that he will uphold their ancient privileges, laws, and customs.

    The strongest ties in Suelli society are to kin and lord. The ties of loyalty are to the person of a lord, not to his station. There is no real concept of patriotism or loyalty to a cause. This explains why dynasties wax and wane so quickly on the Thillonrian Peninsula. A kingdom is only as strong as its war-leader kyng. There is no underlying administration or bureaucracy to maintain any gains beyond the lifetime of a leader.

    The counterpart of the kyng is the cwene, or queen. While typically the cwene is the consort of the kyng, and wields no political power herself, there is no provision in the unwritten Suelii law prohibiting women from reigning as a monarch. In fact, widowed cwenes have occasionally ruled after their husband’s deaths, and more often serve as regent for an infant heir.

    The kyng holds land directly, much as a jarl (qv.), and has his own thegns (qv.) based in his territory. He has a retinue of advisors (clerics and skalds).

    Aetheling (Prince) / Prinsesse (Princess): An aetheling is a title reserved for the son of a kyng. The patriarchal character of Suelii society is evident when one considers that the female equivalent of this title, prinsesse, is foreign in origin being a loan word from Middle Oeridian.

    Hertog (Warlord): Traditionally the kyng would be expected to lead his warriors into battle. When this is not practical due to other obligations, or to advanced age or ill-health, the kyng can temporarily appoint a hertog, or warlord, for the purpose of leading the army or fleet. The hertog is typically a jarl or one of the kyng’s own thegns who is elevated in rank for a time to take control of his peers. The appointment is limited to a single purpose (eg. invade Stonehold, raid the North Province) and ends when the task is complete or the kyng withdraws it. Some very successful hertogs gain cults of personality and usurp the throne for themselves. A kyng who names a hertog must always balance the convenience of the appointment against the possible consequences resulting from it. This form of dynastic succession is completely constitutional according to the unwritten law of the Suelii.

    Jarl (Count) / Greifynja (Countess): The jarls are the aristocracy of the Suelii, and each governs his own fief which is a small geographical territory, often around a fjord. The jarl is owed allegiance by his thegns, who are the village chieftains of settlements located within the jarldom and are usually the jarl’s kinsmen by blood or by marriage. Every other individual in society is either a churl (a commoner) or a thrall (a slave). Suelii society is very stratified, and each member’s place is clearly defined. The jarl technically owes his allegiance to the kyng.

    The jarl holds the fief’s property in trust for the community. Suelii society has no concept of private property. A jarl who wastes the community’s property or deals with it unwisely can expect his thegns to put an end to the his rule. This principle of direct citizen intervention is known as posse commitatus. Practically speaking, a churl who is using a piece of personal property has a possessory right to use that property for as long as he has a use for it, or until a ranking member of society tells him to relinquish it.

    In each of the three kingdoms, the power of the kyng is based on the support he receives from the jarls. A cause that is unpopular with the jarls will not be supported. The most extreme example of this can be seen in Kingdom of the Schnai, where that kingdom’s jarls meet yearly at the Althing (assembly) of Knudje, without the kyng present, to discuss and vote on matters of importance to the kingdom. Representatives are then sent to the capital of Soull to negotiate with the kyng or have him resolve judicial disputes. The Schnai have essentially effected the division between the legislative and executive branches of government, although this is a characteristic of all Seulii societies to some extent.

    A jarl has a retinue of advisors (clerics and skalds). The wife of a jarl is called a greifynja.

    Thegn (Chieftain): A thegn is a village chieftain who owes direct allegiance to the local jarl or directly to the kyng should he reside within the kyng’s personal territory. Some Cruski thegns are independent of a jarl and rule over their own small landholdings. Each thegn is expected to provide at least one longboat and the warriors necessary to crew it for service in his jarl’s fleet.

    Hersir (Captain): A jarl traditionally leads his own warriors into battle, but should he be unable or unwilling, the jarl can appoint a hersir, or captain, to take control over his forces. Hersirs often command a group of longboats during raids to the south. A hersir is often a thegn but sometimes a promising churl is appointed. The appointment is limited similar to that of a hertog.

    Note: Suel, Cruski, Schnai, Fruztii, Thillonrian Peninsula"
     
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    Re: The Suel Kingdoms of the North: Class and Society on the Thillonrian Peninsula (Score: 1)
    by chatdemon (chatdemon@hotmail.com) on Wed, May 07, 2003
    (User Info | Send a Message | Journal)
    You've got some cool ideas here, good work. I'm glad to see a little attention given to one of the sadly often overlooked societies of the Flanaess.

    I'm not sure I'd use the title's you suggest (they feel a little too Celtic to me I guess), but otherwise this is a good basis for my campaign should the party decide to wander northeast for a while.



    Re: The Suel Kingdoms of the North: Class and Society on the Thillonrian Peninsula (Score: 1)
    by Eric on Tue, December 09, 2003
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    Note that these names are more old English and Danish, not Celtic.

    --Eric




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