The Kingdom of Littonia - Vaults of Pandius

SOCIETY
leaves (for men) and flowers (for
women), and decorate their homes with
thorns and rowan branches. Festival fires
are also lit, and burn from sunset to
sunrise, and during the night people leap
over them to ensure prosperity and
fertility for the coming winter. Herbs
gathered during Jāni are thought to
possess magical powers.
Currency and Trade
The people of Littonia have used
currency for centuries. The ancient
Valoin used amber shards of various
sizes as a crude form of money – a
system that remained in place until the
rise of the first Littonian kingdom under
Namejs, who minted silver coins in
varying denominations. During the
chaotic period that followed, many of the
larger petty realms that arose minted their
own coins, or used a mixture of old silver
pieces and amber.
With the rise of the second kingdom
under Karlis, a new currency, based on
the golden lats, was instituted. Each lats
is subdivided into 100 tiny silver santīmu
(sing. santīms, worth 1cp). To further tie
his subjects together, Karlis ordered the
seizure of as many old coins as possible,
and melted them down – it is still
possible to find old coins in treasure
hoards and the like, however.
Although the Littonians have been
trading amongst themselves, and to a
lesser degree with the Kaarjalans, for
centuries, international trade as it would
be understood in the Known World
commenced relatively recently. Littonia
manages to feed itself in all but the worst
years, but it does not export food. The
kingdom is rich in timber, wool, and
silver – all of which it exports. Its most
valuable commodity is amber – petrified
pine pitch – which is often found in great
quantities on the beaches. Littonian
amber is gaining a reputation throughout
the north for being of exceptional quality,
and it is favored by many magic users
whenever amber is needed as a spell or
alchemical component. As a result, the
market value of such amber is often twice
or three times greater than specimens
from the Known World. High-value
transactions, particularly with foreigners,
are sometimes conducted using amber
jewelry.
Governance
Littonia is a monarchy, ruled by Karalis
Uldis VI. Historically, the king ruled as
an absolute monarch, but the reign of
Karalis Egils (AC 442-454), which was
characterized by heavy tax increases and
poorly planned military campaigns
against the humanoids, prompted several
nobles to rise up in rebellion. After the
king was deposed, the nobles established
an informal parliament, or Saiema, to
advise the king’s son, Māris IV, until he
reached majority. The nobles ensured
that the Saiema (whose membership
consisted of themselves) became
established at court, and since that time
every reigning monarch has been advised
by this body. It is composed of the
nobility and, more recently, at a previous
king’s request, the wealthier landowning
gentry.
The Saiema is responsible for advising
the ruler on matters of state and trade,
and for ensuring that all laws pronounced
by the ruler are followed throughout the
kingdom. Membership is for life, and
awarded to nobles who have recognized
estates (i.e., dominions), or gentry whose
private property is worth at least 20,000
lats. Eighteen members represent the
nobility, who are responsible for
appointing their own successors, and the
remaining nine are appointed by the
ruler. The noble faction has often
claimed that the king’s appointments to
the Saiema have been wealthy merchants
who won their posts through bribery, but
this has never been proven. Being a
largely informal body, the Saiema meets
whenever its members agree to do so,
and, as motions are carried by a threequarters
majority, debates are always
raucous affairs.
In addition, each town and village is
governed by a local council, which
manages daily affairs. These local
councils are under the direct authority of
the landed noble that controls the
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surrounding region, but in most cases
towns and villages are left to govern
themselves as long as they remit
sufficient tax revenues.
Taxes are levied on an annual basis by
the landed nobles, acting through their
seneschals, who then remit it to the king.
Although the date of assessment varies
among the regions, it usually falls within
a week after the shortest day of the year.
Typically, commoners are levied a tax of
20% on the estimated value of their
assets. Those who can pay in coinage;
otherwise, people pay their taxes in the
form of livestock and other goods.
In addition, towns with markets pay a
commerce tax of five lats per merchant,
per month, levied by the local council on
behalf of the king. This source of
revenue passes directly into the king’s
coffers, and its institution was a cause for
concern among the nobles, who fear a
reduction in their own influence.
Nobles are taxed at 20% on the value of
their estates, but this is reduced if the
noble in question can prove that all
fortifications within his dominion are
fully garrisoned. In addition, nobles of
all ranks are expected to serve with their
garrisons for at least one month out of the
year.
Crime and Punishment
Littonian legal traditions vary depending
on whether the crime is committed in a
rural or urban region. In rural Littonia,
which is by far the majority of the
kingdom, the criminal code is based on
the legal traditions of the clans who
settled it centuries ago. The head of a
family – man or woman, but usually a
man – is considered the absolute
authority. Disputes are brought before
the patriarch (or matriarch), who, advised
by elders, renders a decision based upon
what is in the best interests of the family
as a whole. Once made, a decision
cannot be questioned, save through Trial
by Combat (see below).
For minor transgressions (e.g., theft,
disobeying an elder) the punishment
meted out depends on the status of the
guilty party. Youth might be birched,