Cymru (CTD)

Cymru is a Changeling Kingdom coinciding with country of Wales.

Overview[]

Close your eyes and imagine an icy stream of clear mountain water washing over your bare ankles. Now imagine a cool, damp breeze as it blows through ancient rowan trees. The wind carries songs of bleating sheep and harp strings from far down the valley. The scent of fresh bread and sizzling bacon tickles your nose. As you open your eyes, soft clouds roll over foreboding crags, taking you into their shadowy embrace.

Wales offers a palate of pastoral delights for any visitor, mortal or fae. Small in size, it holds great wealth in its scenic river valleys, craggy peaks and sun-washed shores. As for as the eye can see, Wales radiates an enigmatic charm. Any who view it are overcome with a mood of joy and wonder. Even the most disenchanted find the verdant countryside and its people entrancing.

A major quest for the Welsh fae is the recovery of the past. As wondrous as Wales is today, it is a pale shadow of its former glory. The Industrial Revolution fatally wounded much of the land in the south, once just as wild and lush as north Wales. The fae particularly want to recover the riches of the Lost Lowland in the Principality of Powys.

Yet a lack of unity threatens Cymru. Unlike the Kithain of Concordia, the Welsh fae live under no central rule; the jurisdiction of their own independent cantrevs is all they have ever known. Some relish this freedom. But many others long for a high king to vanquish the corruption of the Dauntain in the Principality of Glamorgan, unite the cantrevs, and bring Cymru into a new Spring. Among the Kithain of Cymru are several would-be kingmakers who plot incessantly to seat someone on the long vacant Throne of Dragons.

Changeling Politics[]

Much like the mages, the fae of Cymru dwell in fractious disharmony. However, diverse interests and passions rather than noble or commoner loyalties divide the Kithain. The by-and-large commoner population of Gwynedd wants to restore Powys, the lost land of their ancestors, but lack the strong leadership, knowledge, and power necessary to do so. Clwyd, home of two mighty sidhe, hovers at the edge of a civil war; moreover, the principality's residents look with curious and eager eyes north to the Kingdom of Dalriada and its charismatic ruler, Ross. Glamorgan is lost, and the noble prince of Dyfed strangely refuses to interfere with matters outside his border. Only in Gwynt is there any real piss and vinegar among the populace, mostly commoners, for they are ready to defend themselves against any incursions from Glamorgan, or elsewhere if necessary.

The Kithain who want a high king (or queen) of Cymru doubly outnumber those who do not. While they would, of course, prefer a candidate from Wales, many would give support, if not undying loyalty, to a capable and just high king from Scotland or perhaps Ireland. Hence the debate over King Ross, his marriage to a noble fae of Cymru, and co-rulership with her, has some distinct advantages. What all Tylwyth Teg (fair family) do agree on is that no "Sassanach" should hold command over Cymru; most Welsh fae would rather immigrate to the New World than see the English control their homeland. Many might even start a long and bloody war over the issue.

Trods[]

Faerie trods once lay over Wales like gossamer webs. Now, only a few of these sarns, as the Tylwyth Tegcall them, remain in use. What the wise Kithain in Cymru realize is that whoever controls the sarns in effect controls the land. If a war for rulership does occur, the sarns will become prizes to be won at any cost.

The Principalities of Cymru[]

Six principalities comprise the Kingdom of Cymru. Clwyd, Gwynedd, Dyfed, and Gwynt remain viable realms, while Powys and Glamorgan are lost to Banality and neglect. Clywd, Land of Two Valleys, dominates the northeast. Gwynedd, Land of Mountains and Meadows, covers much of the northwest. The ruined realm of Powys falls in the center of Cymru, spreading from Cardigan Bay in the west to England in the east. Dyfed, Land of Seas and Shores, lies on a peninsula surrounded by Cardigan Bay, St. George's Channel, and the Bristol Channel. Glamorgan, the Land of Black Rowan, extends over south central Cymru. Its neighbor Gwynt, the Borderland, rests just south of Powys and northeast of Glamorgan. Clwyd, Powys, and Gwynt all share a border with England's Kingdom of Smoke.

Kithain[]

The Tylwyth Teg, the changelings of Wales, contains two general groups. The first and largest group, led by Gwilym Pugh, Nestor Evans, and Prince Dylan, seeks a new high king or queen for Cymru. It believes the might of a single ruler could restore Glamorgan and Powys, make peace in Clwyd and create an abundance of Dreamers and Glamour. The group points to the success of Concordia as an example. The second group, headed by Countess Angharad, believes that matters are progressing quite normally in Cymru without a high king or queen. A Dauntain might be in Glamorgan, but it isn't a great enough threat to warrant political upheaval. A single ruler, it believes, would compromise the freedom of the Tylwyth Teg.

Discussion of such matters never takes place in a formal setting. Groups of changelings usually banter about politics in a relaxed manner at the Llangollen eisteddfod. With few exceptions, commoners and nobles get along well together, and freeholds are generally open to all Tylwyth Teg and their vouchsafed guests. Despite differences in politics, the Welsh Kithain love their country; if threatened, they would undoubtedly band together for the good of Cymru and lay all other disputes aside.

The Seelie Court[]

Duty, honor and a quest for beauty guide the actions of Seelie Welsh changelings. Most follow the Seelie code closely and respect the old ways. Consequently, most of the kingmakers are Seelie fae. The chief reason the Seelie want a high king or queen is because they believe a strong leader could revive Cymru's past, allowing future generations to enjoy its peace and tranquillity. They hesitate to take any actions without thorough consideration.

The Unseelie Court[]

Members of the Unseelie Court in Cymru believe that nostalgia is a waste of time. Dwelling on Powys' past diminishes what's good in Cymru's present. The Unseelie want the traditional farts to quit sniveling and take some action. If Lloyd Morgenstern needs to be killed, it should be done quickly and efficiently, with minimal fuss. Ulric One-Arm plans a move on Glamorgan sooner than later; he wants the help of Nestor and other Seelie, but he's willing to go alone if necessary.

References[]

CTD. Isle of the Mighty, pp. 145-169.