Kingdom of Sensatard

The Hexactic Kingdom of Sensatard is an island nation, the northernmost of the Anrel Isles and the northern tip of the Natorn Archipelago. Consequently it is colloquially called Northland, particularly by its inhabitants.

It is separated from Mainland by the narrow Strait of Armets.

Geographically it is the most northerly island in the Natorn Archipelago, separated from the north pole by the Polassirn Ocean, over five thousand kilometres of open sea. Consequently the climate is temperate but often cool and wet, particularly in the northern half which takes the brunt of rainy storm fronts sweeping in from the northern seas, covering the island in rain and fog for much of the year.

The island has uplands at its centre, dominated by snowy peaks. The north coast is windswept with high cliffs and marginal green moorland, lashed by the most severe storm tides. The abundant rainfall falls mostly here and on the mountains, but due to the lie of the land flows southwest from the mountains into a Lake Otaran. The southwestern plain is much drier and more sheltered, but less fertile, being of porous chalcint rock. Only the central regions east and west of the mountains are truly suitable for agriculture, particularly along the rivers Esa and Hoar.

It is separated from Tresard by a narrow channel called the Strait of Armets (Sens), or Armess (Tres). The channel is often treacherous to shipping and closed during the winter and storm tide seasons.

Northlanders are renowned for their pragmatism and lack of ceremonial pretension, and their government reflects this. The common people have unprecedented access to the king, and play a vibrant part in the politics of the land. The state is Hexactic - the Hexact ideology was formulated here after all - but Northland relies more on its ancient tradition of communal decision-making that has its roots in village life. The king is strictly scrutinised in his actions and spending. Foolish men do not usually become king, regardless of their lineage, and those who displease the people for too long are quickly and unceremoniously replaced - though that is rare. There is a hereditary principle, but the Hexact selects candidates from a cadre of competent patrician candidates. There is no law of primogeniture, but sons are generally pressurised to prove their worth by royal fathers.

Politically the island is divided into three areas of population: the west coast surrounding the city of Saria, the southeast with its capital at Traste, and the tribal highlanders based at Sareta. Traste is the capital city but governance has to take regional sensitivities into account.

The highland people have a distinct culture and language which is recognised and respected by the government, and they have a degree of protected autonomy. Consequently they are generally aloof from national politics, which revolves around the competing trade interests of Saria and Traste.

Before the Long War, the region was consisted of four autonomous states: Esard to the west, Hariard to the north, Sensatard to the southeast and the Highlands in the centre. During the Long War all nominally joined the Northern League. After the war the north was briefly part of the new Kingdom of Trésard, but refused to submit to the new government, particularly after rising sea levels separated the island from the Mainland. Exhausted by war, the new kingdom was unwilling to enter into a lengthy civil war, but the Marksgrave of Sensatard asked for support to bring the Northlands into line. Rising sea levels at the end of the Little Ice Age had caused the decline in strength of both Hornum and Heth Ania, so that Hariard and Esard fell quite easily to the southern army. However Sensatard remained undefeated, and eventually seized and liberated the rest of the island. In gratitude the western provinces swore fealty to the king of Sensatard, making the whole island a single nation.

The island is therefore formally the Kingdom of Sensatard, but most local people (especially in the west), refuse to call it so. Hence it is generally referred to, diplomatically, as Northland.