The Weluche state, often called Weluche Order, was a thalassocratic state in the southwestern Archaen ocean.

History

In 881 b. OW, the Luche Archipelago was home to many separate states. The Knights Welfare, an altruistic knightly order, had expanded naval connections between the islands and encouraged a rapprochement of the states.

Unification

The various archipelago states decided to band together for mostly economic reasons, but also because of cultural similarity thanks to recent large population exchanges. The two most powerful players, Luche and Dynnegall, agreed to join so that they couldn't be outcompeted by the other. The Independent Colonies on San Morin meanwhile didn't want to join completely and became a sovereign member state with citizen status.

Colonial Efforts

Weluche had a strong history in imperial colonialism, and this reflected in the new state. It developed the movement of New Constructivism, which advocated expansion as the holy duty of pilgrists. Weluche, often with Dwarven help, ended up founding the colony of Hawkroost and launching both the Second and Third Settler Waves.

The people of San Morin especially profited from the Settler Waves, regaining some colonial zeal and enthusiasm. The Waves also increased San Morin's economic, political and naval dependence on the archipelago.

San Morin's Secession, 350 b. OW

There were many things separating San Morin from the rest of Weluche. It had a separate political status, the localized economy in Weluche made interdependence between the islands zero, and the recent Dragon War drove a wedge between the two peoples: the island no longer had a potent navy or military, and relied mostly on its shared fleet with Weluche for protection; however, none was forthcoming, and the Independent Colonies had to go through the war largely defenseless.

The island seceded and founded the State of San Morin, separate from Weluche.

Fall

In 320 b. OW, an invasion fleet of the Denise Empire washed over the Luche Archipelago, defeating Weluche in three days of fighting and then moving on to conquer San Morin. The dominion of Denisite Archea was founded.

Government

Weluche was governed by a knightly order called Knights Weluche, or Weluche Order. They were a select group of nobles who filled all public offices and controlled federal law, state policy, and the Sentinels. The pilgrist church filled judiciary roles.

The state was not very centralized. In truth, it was a federacy of self-ruled nobles who made their own laws and were only loyal to the government because they were part of the Order. These many patches of autonomous land were encouraged by Welfare to form their own autarchic industry in what was called the feudal network economy. This was not very effective on a societal level, because it discouraged unity and even exchanges of goods or people between noble territories. The Weluche Order had a low population concentration. This independence of the nobility eventually led to the rise of the brightlords and the Morinian secession.