I was hoping to get some input on my homebrew regarding an area that I've been trying to work out and an idea I had - for now I'll call it the Northlands in this post.
The Northlands are bordered by the kingdom of Bressia. Bressian cavalry is famed across the world. Bressia is also a vassal state of the Dorian Empire. The Imperial family, however, is a family of Bressian origins. This is all to say that Bressia is part of the Empire, but holds a special status among vassals due to family ties.
Now, for the Northlands I wanted a sovereign region - i.e. not part of the Empire. I was thinking that the region could be somewhat backward, with little economic, trade, strategic, or mineral value. What it does have, however, are the finest horses and horsemen in the world. People in this region live by their horses and die by their horses, with many herds of the great beasts roaming the steppe under the watch of their migrant owners. While the area is too unpopulated and anarchic to support much military strength or tradition, this neighbor has long been the key to Bressia's fine cavalry.
Bressian rulers have long understood that in order to keep both their supply of fine horses and the world's best trainers and commanders that they must protect not only the herds of the Northlands, but also the entire nomadic Northland way of life. For this reason, Bressia has long protected the Northlands from other military threats without requiring any compromise of the Northland's own sovereignty. The Northlanders have also been known to come to Bressia's aid at times by supplying military reinforcements (unparalleled riders that serve as auxillary scouting & raiding light cavalry, but who lack the discipline and formal training of Bressian cavalry needed for the crush of the battlefield).
Does this arrangement sound like it makes sense or is it too contrived?
The Northlands are bordered by the kingdom of Bressia. Bressian cavalry is famed across the world. Bressia is also a vassal state of the Dorian Empire. The Imperial family, however, is a family of Bressian origins. This is all to say that Bressia is part of the Empire, but holds a special status among vassals due to family ties.
Now, for the Northlands I wanted a sovereign region - i.e. not part of the Empire. I was thinking that the region could be somewhat backward, with little economic, trade, strategic, or mineral value. What it does have, however, are the finest horses and horsemen in the world. People in this region live by their horses and die by their horses, with many herds of the great beasts roaming the steppe under the watch of their migrant owners. While the area is too unpopulated and anarchic to support much military strength or tradition, this neighbor has long been the key to Bressia's fine cavalry.
Bressian rulers have long understood that in order to keep both their supply of fine horses and the world's best trainers and commanders that they must protect not only the herds of the Northlands, but also the entire nomadic Northland way of life. For this reason, Bressia has long protected the Northlands from other military threats without requiring any compromise of the Northland's own sovereignty. The Northlanders have also been known to come to Bressia's aid at times by supplying military reinforcements (unparalleled riders that serve as auxillary scouting & raiding light cavalry, but who lack the discipline and formal training of Bressian cavalry needed for the crush of the battlefield).
Does this arrangement sound like it makes sense or is it too contrived?