National Flag
Leaders
Prelate-General Renaut Belsaire
Capital
Courmont
Major Cities
Veronne
Kesselmere
Dunbrae
Towns
Tremalac
Rasailles
Alemdoux
Pavissone
Delmaire
Stradhoek
Sanctorian Protectorate
Overview
The Sanctorian Protectorate is a theocratic territory located in Stonebreak region of southwestern Ametria, formerly governed by the Crown of Brenland. Following a regional upheaval in neighboring Sallia (now the Valseur Sovereignty), the area was militarily and spiritually subsumed by the Sanctorian Church. Today, the Protectorate is administered directly by the Church and secured by detachments of the Stellarium, its militant arm.
The region includes the semi-autonomous Dunnish homeland and is a key strategic and spiritual stronghold for the Church on the continent.
History
The transition began not with theology, but with the territorial aggression of Aedric III. The launching repeated raids into Valseur (formerly Sallia), Brenland forced a confrontation that unified secular and religious powers against them. The mockery of the repeated Sanctor requests to end the raids provided the moral clarity needed for the Church to authorize a "Cleansing Campaign."
The Continental Rout and Naval Disaster
The conflict reached its nadir during the Retreat from Stonebreak.
The Land War: The Brenish Continental Army, outmaneuvered by the Valseurian Sovereignty’s superior positioning and the zeal of the Stellarium, broke formation in southwestern Ametria.
The Sinking of the Royal Navy: As the defeated army attempted to evacuate to the Brenish Isles, the Royal Navy’s transport fleet was intercepted. Valseurian warships exploited the heavy, slow-moving troopships. The resulting "Drowned Legion" remains a primary source of Brenish national mourning and bitterness toward the continent.
Governance of the Protectorate
Following the Brenish expulsion, the region was reorganized as the Sanctorian Protectorate. It is no longer a traditional colony but a Theocratic Administrative Zone.
The Stellarium Occupation: Security is maintained by the Stellarium, ensuring that the border with Valseur remains porous to allies but impenetrable to Brenish influence.
The Stonebreak Mandate: The region serves as a "Spiritual Buffer." The Church treats the land as sacred territory reclaimed from "heretical" Brenish mismanagement.
The Dunnish Question: The semi-autonomous Dunnish homeland exists in a delicate balance. While they retain some local customs, they are subject to the Church’s overarching spiritual laws and the extraction of resources to fund the Stellarium’s upkeep.
Government
The Protectorate is governed directly by the Sanctorian Church, bypassing all secular forms of authority. A Prelate-General oversees the region's spiritual and civic affairs, reporting directly to the Sanctor in Sanctuary City. The Church manages civil administration, taxation, education, and law enforcement through a network of ordained clerics and appointed bureaucrats.
Economy
The economy of the Sanctorian Protectorate is agrarian and extraction-based:
Agriculture: Fertile plains produce large yields of wheat and corn, which are tithed to the Church and sold to Valseur and Borgravia.
Mining: The Stonefield Mountains yield significant deposits of iron ore, silver, and copper. These are controlled by Church-appointed overseers and mined by labor conscripts and contracted miners.
Trade: Commerce is limited to Valseur and Borgravia.
Internal Security
The Church maintains civil order via the Cleric Watch, a religious-police institution responsible for moral conduct and local enforcement. Strategic security is handled by garrisoned Stellarium units, including at least one full Stratum of troops in each major city and border fortress.
Religion and Culture
The Sanctorian Church is the sole legal faith in the Protectorate. Religious life is mandatory and deeply integrated into civil practice.
All schools, courts, and civic institutions are administered by Church-aligned officials, and heresy is punishable by forced confession, public penance, or execution.
There are Daisonite home churches that meet secretly, mostly in the border region near Sherran.
Cities
Courmont– Sanctorian Protectorate capital; seat of the Prelate; center of administration and ecclesiastical power.
Veronne - Northern trading hub and large Stellarium garrison
Kesselmere– Deepwater port, naval base for the Stellarium. Large warehousing and markets.
Dunbrae – Dunnish capital city. Semi-independent
Towns
1. Stadhoek– Agricultural town with large grain silos.
2. Tremalac– Market town with large fishing fleet.
3. Rasaiiles - farming community with a small industrial base (metal and woodworking)
4. Pavissone – Stellarium naval base, shipyard - repair and new builds
5. Camp-Delmaire - Stellarium coastal watch and navy base, fishing village, small trading market
6. Alemdoux– Mining town turned penitential labor colony.
Culture
Brenish (Native majority in central plains and older towns)
Speak Low Brenish, a dialect distinct from the speech of Brenland Isle.
Maintain communal traditions like harvest songs, storytelling circles, and shared bread ovens.
Deep distrust of both Valsuerians and Church officials; They are forced to follow Church doctrine and attend services and festivals. Many now privately follow the teaching of the Holy Covenant Church and the Daisonite Faith
Brenish architecture remains in many towns: wattle-and-daub homes, timber barns, square bell towers.
Valsuerian Settlers (New arrivals from the west, in cities and garrison towns). They Speak High Valsuerian, which is becoming the official tongue of administration and church.
Bring courtly manners, ornate dress, and a more rigid view of Church orthodoxy.
Tend to see themselves as “civilizers” and often hold land titles granted by Church decrees.
Build in stone with spires, cloisters, and elaborate façades — replacing old Brenish buildings.
Dunnish (Southern hills and eastern interior)
Semi-autonomous but culturally marginalized.
Speak Dunnish, a clipped, consonant-heavy language.
Known for distinctive embroidery, carved talismans, and hilltop festivals (some now co-opted as Church holidays).
Deeply skeptical of both Brenish and Valsuerians; maintain tight kin networks and oral traditions.
Dunnish Homeland
The southeastern portion of the Protectorate is home to the Dunnish people, a culturally distinct ethnic group with deep ties to the land. Following the expulsion of Brenland, the Church granted the Dunnish semi-autonomous status. While local councils manage day-to-day affairs, all policy is ultimately subject to Church approval. Dunnish militias are tolerated but closely monitored.
Military
Three Stellars are based in the Protectorate. 15th at Pavissone, 4th at Veronne, 7th at Courmont.
Foreign Relations
Allies: Valsuer Sovereignty, Sanctorian Church and Highrealm of Borgravia
Neutral: Sherrani Commonwealth, Kingdom of Vonahr, State of Haaret
Rivals: Crown of Brenland and Dominon of Tartesso
Political Map
Geographic Map
