Ruler: King Henri Valroux III

The Land

While the second-largest kingdom in the world of King’s Gate, this country isn’t as powerful as it could be. It is torn by internal strife; its leading Provinces are engaged in petty bickering and political in-fighting. Many of the rulers of Dechaine’s Provinces feel that the ruler, Henri Valroux, isn’t fit to sit the throne and seek to claim the crown as their own. This internal conflict has divided the country for the majority of its existence.

The People

Despite these troubling political battles, citizens of Dechaine do have a cultural identity. Dechaine is famous for its troubadours, poets, and bards. This country is a haven for all those wishing to pursue the traditional arts of love. Dechaine, as a whole, can generally be classified as a nation of hopeless romantics. The Troubadour is one of the most highly prized and honored individuals in all of the Provinces of this kingdom. The Dechainais are so enamored of their troubadours, in fact, that several Noblemen throughout its history have been successful and beloved troubadours. Renowned troubadours of Dechaine who travel about the other nations of their world can expect to be warmly received, and treated like a visiting prince.

As a nation of hopeless romantics, Dechaine has evolved an interesting entity to deal with the ideals of courtly love and fidelity. Sixty-seven years ago, the Comptess du Toulaire, with the permission of King Phillipe Valroux, began the Court of Love. Isabella de Toulaire began the Court of Love to formalize, and in some fashion, regulate, the practice of Courtly Love. Before her intervention, some feuds and murders arose due to the pursuit of some Nobleman’s wife by an overly amorous troubadour. Isabella decided to do her part to end this by setting down clear rules for the practice of Courtly Love. Through her wisdom, feuds and murder over a married woman are now a rare thing. The Queen of the Court of Love is the final arbiter of any question of dishonor or impropriety involving activities between parties not married to one another in the pursuit of Courtly Love. The Queen, if necessary, will hold a trial to determine if any fault exists, and if so, in whom the fault lies. Her decisions are final, and unquestioned. The rest of Dechaine follows her lead, and if an individual is found guilty of breaking the rules of the Court, they are despised and shamed in all the Provinces.

Dechainais, by and large, can be counted on to enjoy the more sybaritic pleasures of life; good wine, good food, good song, and good friends are the keys to happiness, as far as most Dechainais are concerned. The kingdom of Dechaine produces some of the best wines in the world. It is commonly thought in Dechaine that knowledge of brewing can aid in the pursuit of the perfect wine, so many vintners study brewing, to enhance their skill with wine. Additionally, as food is also extremely important to the Dechainais’ mind, Dechaine produces some of the finest chefs and bakers in the known world.

The pursuit of pleasure that so characterizes those from Dechaine has given them a reputation of being soft and weak, both physically and mentally. This is not true. Dechainais simply have their own views as to what is important and what is not. There are, of course, those within Dechaine that seek power, and those that seek knowledge for knowledge’s sake, but the average, common man or woman, seeks to enjoy life. This leads those from this nation to pursue a wide variety of employment and skills.

Note: For further information on this culture, please consult the appropriate Culture Packet which may be requested of kgplot@redbuttonproductions.net