The land of steel has benefited from its tight alliance with France, nearly as much as France herself has. Spain is a land of exploration, founded by daring, and daring is one of the main exports still. Spaniards have seen more of the world than any other European, and their expertise along the lines of logistics and cartography are unmatched as well. These are the masters of the unknown and practice the most open form of diplomacy in the known world. Truly there are Spaniards in every city the world over, and have been for all time. Barring the Bright Kingdom of course. And even then, what little is known about the English come from the Estalian navies and the Norsca reavers, and most especially from the Spanish, who will dare anything and anyone, much to their regret at times. Spain is a growing land, a land of gentle hills and vales, rich with olives, grapes, wheat. Its people are numerous and happy in the main. Save where the steel is born. These places are blacked out, ruined, tarnished, and ugly. But these are the prices of fame, of perfection, of legendary tradition and expertise. And Spain pays gladly. The royal family, however, is no more, and this is a kingdom no longer, but a collection of allied city-states that function autonomously and yet rely on each other for survival. There is no infighting because there cannot afford to be, and yet, laws differ from town to town, and there is no single army, no single navy. Merchants and traders rule here now, much to the chagrin of power-mongers. In Spain, the very home of steel itself, gold now is the heaviest of metals.

Espana is the brotherland to Estalia in more than shared borders. Once part of a combined land a long time ago, the reasons for separation are no longer really known, beyond legends of a bloody family feud between long-dead royal brothers. Where Estalia has long since mastered sea-voyage, Espana has been the nation most willing to contract those ships. The Spanish venture forth with Portuguese armadas and found trade routes, and form merchant alliances that the Estalians will benefit from for generations. Perhaps there is something of the artist in your average Spaniard, where the minutiae of a merchant’s life is unappealing, driving them ever onwards to find a new horizon and a new destiny, even if the farthest horizon will only be the beautiful curve of a newly-minted masterwork blade.

Spain is the mecca of metalworking and metallurgy. The foundries of Toledo and Seville are legends. The mere mention of a weapon’s heritage as coming from these city-states promises an edge that holds true, a weapon of ideal balance and heft. Spain will gift visiting dignitaries from all walks and all nations with the fruits of their labor, and these choice weapons hang in every palace and state house in the known world. Barcelona has evolved into the source for protective steel as well. Knights will bankrupt their families to own personally-forged Barcelona mail-and-plate, and truly, this is the only source if one would dare to purchase such field plate mail.

With the relentless pursuit of martial perfection, it would serve that Spain must needs be at least somewhat martial itself. Can a peaceful people truly perfect the making of killing tools? And so it is that many, many Spanish explorers refer to themselves as Conquistadoros, or conquering explorers. Bearing their gilded weapons and fearlessness, they aggressively and even sometimes tyrannically extend themselves into new lands and carve from the very earth itself, their new domains. Many conquistadoros have infamy as despots and usurpers, but it is important to note that they seem to know well enough to behave this way far from the shores of the Continent, where such foolery would be roundly and quickly silenced. Bear in mind though, that for others from farther off places, such as Araby and Afrika, a Spaniard is frequently the cause of much harm, and always a sign that European greed has come to their simple ways of life. Spaniards are not widely loved.

Ruling Families:

Regent Edward Montebanc, Lord of Toledo, “the Steelsmith”, Keeper of Peace within Toledo and its surrounds

Regent Michaelo Tedesci, Lord of Seville, “The Barber Prince”, Brigand-turned-merchant, protector of Seville and its surrounds

Regent Marco Polonus, Lord of Barcelona, “the Proof”, Armorlord and protector of Barcelona and its surrounds

Regent Lawreno de’Medici, “the Black Medicine”, Outlaw prince and protector of Madrid and its surrounds

Regent Juana Desmonde, “the Slinger Princess”, Queen of Valencia and the Isles of Majorca and Balera

Cities of note:

Madrid, the center city, ‘the Hub’, commerce mecca

Toledo “the furnace” a production center of immense proportions

Seville, “the Old Senorita”, another substantial production center

Barcelona “the gilded land” masterwork armories and foundries

Valencia “Gibraltar”, the sea port, the embassy, the trade hub and the royal seat of old

Return to the World Guide