Castille"Castillians live their lives as they play their guitars: with unbridled passion and relentless precision." |
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Of all Théah's nations, Castille is the most eclectic. Founded by one of the oldest of the Old Empire's families, it has also shared an alliance with the Crescent Empire, is one of only two nations not ruled by sorcerous blood, and is the current home of the Vaticine Church. However, despite hundreds of years of invasions military and otherwise the heart of Castille has never changed. It was, is and always will be a nation devoted to its people.
The Castillians are a passionate people and their passion can be seen in their music, their food, even their language. Of all the nations of Théah, their culture is the most diverse, having influences from all across the continent, even from the Empire of the Crescent Moon. However, the most important and potent influence in recent years has been the Vaticine Church.
Over four hundred years ago, in a bloody war, the capital of the Church moved from Vodacce to Castille, shifting the balance of power in Théah for ever. Because of the Church, Castille has a university in every city, making them the most educated nation in Théah. It also sponsors public health programs, aqueducts, and medical centers, providing health and medicine to anyone who is in need. Castille boasts that its nobility are not "tainted" by the dark art of sorcery, an unusual claim in Théah.
However, trouble has befallen Castille. Just before his death, Castille's aging king exiled his eldest son in a fit of rage, leaving a beardless boy to inherit the throne. Needless to say Good King Sandoval is no match for the cunning and wiles of Théah's more mature and experienced nobility, but he does have one ally: the man known only as El Vago. This masked figure and his league of confederates have protected the king from treachery on too many occasions to enumerate. However, there are those who would like to see The Vagabond on the end of a rope, thus putting Good King Sandoval in their ambitious hands.
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Castille is located on the southwest tip of Théah, just south of Montaigne. Geographically, the nation is situated on prime real estate. It has rich mines, fertile soil, and well stocked oceans; Castille's people have never wanted for food or supplies. Its winters are short and tepid and its summers are long and temperate. Castille's previous agricultural efforts hampered the productivity of its farmlands, but the Church's knowledge has changed all of that. In fact, Castille's organizational efforts have turned Castille into an economic powerhouse.
See also the Map of Castille.
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The
Sandoval family sits on the throne of Castille, while its countrysides
are divided into counties called ducados. A family don, the
duque,
governs each of the ducados for the King, collecting taxes and administering
justice. Ducados are subdivided into estancias, each
also ruled by a Don (usually a relative of the Don ruling
the
ducado, but sometimes given as a reward to a faithful retainer).
Due to Church sanctioning, the ducados are distributed equally,
and the Dons are each responsible for housing and maintaining an
equal portion of the King's army. Only recently the King of Castille passed
away, leaving his son on the throne. Dubbed "Good King Sandoval" by one
of the more famous court poets, the boy has held the country together for
three years far longer than his detractors predicted.
While the King of Castille is nominally the supreme ruler of his Kingdom, it is no secret that his council of Church advisors powerfully influences his decisions. Others have plotted treason against the Good King, but three assassination attempts have failed, due in large part to the efforts of a mysterious figure known only as El Vago. The masked Vagabond has proven to be more than a match for those who plot against the crown of Castille, although his efforts may yet be in vain.
Castille's biggest problem these days comes from its northern neighbor, Montaigne. After having forced the Church from Montaigne's borders, General Montegue continued on into Castille itself. Nearly a third of the country was claimed as spoils of war by the invading Montaigne army. Montaigne's forces ripped through Castille's defenses, capturing important strategic and trade positions. However, since he split his army to assault Ussura (a tactical move the Castillians still have not been able to decipher), Montaigne lost its momentum and the two forces were locked in a standstill.
The present state of Castille's government is at best fractured. At worst it is slipping into utter chaos. With the death of King Salvador de Aldana y Sandoval de Sandoval in 1664, the sole heir to the throne then a fourteen-year-old boy was hardly prepared to handle the affairs of a world power.
For the first time since the whole of the royal family was stricken down by the plague in 1386, Castille's ruler has been denied his due title of Castillorum Rex ("King of the Castilles") by El Concilio de la Razon the Council of Cardinals who act as the King's advisors. Sandoval's every decree is scrutinized and reworded by the Cardinals in an effort to maintain the illusion of strength at the head of Castille. They have instituted a form of conditional monarchy within the country, ignoring the absolute rule of their King in favor of their own judgement, and for all intents and purposes are currently running Castille.
This has not helped the already overburdened sovereign structure of the nation, mired in a bureaucratic process left over from the time of the Old Republic, and made worse by the early influence of the Vaticine Church. The Montaigne invasion has caused even more confusion, with the heads of the military clamoring for orders that, in the past, have always come from the King.
There are simply too many voices in Castille right now, and El Concilio's choice of solutions is far from adequate. As of the loss of territory in the current conflict, they have sequestered the King within Vaticine City and are conducting the war in his name. While these men and women are well versed in the ways of the Creator, they are woefully ill-prepared to manage the subjects of his creation, and have made several disastrous decisions in the last eighteen months. With the Council firmly in charge and no one in a position to challenge them, the lamentable state of Castille's government does not look to improve in the near future.
See also the Sandoval Succession for information on the Council of Dons and the Concilio de la Razon.
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While it is easy to describe Castillians as "cold" or "distant", it is easy to see why they distrust foreigners of any sort. Castille has been invaded many times in her history and her occupations have always been long and bloody. Consolidating Castillian power with the Vaticine Church ensured that foreigners would never again hold her, which has made it easier for Castillians to accept the teachings of the Prophets. Unfortunately, the recent Montaigne invasion has caused the people to begin to doubt the Church's veracity and power.
Castillians are practical. They have seen the benefits of accepting the Church into the nation's culture. Castille is the only nation to have aqueducts in every major city. They have free public education. Their water is clean and their crops are more productive than ever. Even the simplest village in Castille has a church stocked with medical supplies and a small library along with a scholar trained in science and medicine. Generally speaking, Castillians are the best educated people in Théah.
But they are also a passionate people. They love music and dancing and have a profound devotion to la familia: the family. La familia is centered around the mother who brought the children into the world. The Castillian veneration for the maternal figure is great, and anyone who has known a Castillian knows never to make any disparaging comments about his or her mother. Traditional Castillian dances are passionate some say lascivious and their music is quick and heartfelt. The Church's influence on Castillian music has produced what some call "a passion for precision", a sound that the Castillian guitar encapsulates perfectly.
The recent Montaigne invasion is tearing Castille apart. Her economy is crumbling, her nobility is dispossessed, and other nations begin to hover like vultures at her borders. Good King Sandoval is trying to hold his kingdom together, but it seems only a matter of time before the nation's strength begins to waver and the rest of Théah rushes in to share the kill.
Castillians are patriots, first and foremost. Though this often translates into a quiet refusal to accept those of other cultures, is also has secured several benefits for them. Castille's people are immensely prideful, determined, and efficient, which sets them apart from others in Théah.
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At the pinnacle of the Castillian social ladder are the King and the Church, which are considered equal (although there is currently some debate about this among the Dons, as many refuse to acknowledge the rule of a boy over the Church). Next come the Dons who retain land (and therefore produce the country's economy). Of these the Dons who control ducados are considered the first among equals, but Dons holding individual estancias within a ducados are still considered powerful, and may at times even outrank the Don of their ducado in practical terms. Below the landed Dons are those without land, known as the roving Dons. This portion of Castillian society has increased greatly of late due to the Montaigne conquest. Merchants and the common folk fall, in that order, below roving Dons. With the recent peace treaty, however, a rush can be expected to seize back the lands of Zepeda and Torres which had been abandoned in the last two years.
Castillians do not consider social status (save that of such folk as the King and the Hierophant) to be of much concern. They are hospitable and grateful to one another for their company, regardless of their title, wealth, and accomplishments.
The most important aspect of Castille's social structure is la familia or "the family". There is no such concept as "extended family" in Castille. Cousins are family. Uncles are family. Second cousins twice removed are family. The family traces its heritage back to a single founder almost always a matriarch and keeps a picture of her in the house. Those with the means usually purchase smaller portraits to wear around their necks.
Castillians know, deep in their hearts, that as long as a person has the blood in his or her veins, he or she is a member of the family. No matter what his sins, he or she will always have a place in the family. Only the most unforgivable sins the murder of a family member or the like will force the family to use its most dreaded punishment: ostracism.
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On Revenant's 7th Sea site, the most complete fan site in Avalon, Albert Estrada Zambrano has posted a Spanish/Castillian Translations that makes some corrections to the one cooked up by AEG. Then there's the Brilliant Victory's Rudimentary Castillian for scoundrels and other such ilk; and for real-life Spanish, you can try SpanishDICT.com - Dictionary of Spanish and English with audio.
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AEG's Castille sourcebook has some naming conventions, but they're not very good. Try instead these essays on Spanish Family Names and Why are some Spanish names so long? Other interesting information can be found in Spanish Names from the Late 15th Century although it's a bit old for the 7th Sea period. Check the notes on names in the game for our version.
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See the Map of Castille
See the Sandoval Succession page
Return to 7th Sea: Aldana Steel front page
Credits: The colour picture of Cardinal Estéban Verdugo, Good King Sandoval, and El Vago is by Therese Nielsen and was obtained from the AEG 7th Sea site. Used without permission, no copyright challenge intended.