Belonging to this RP here: http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10016
Incognitia is an island nation, primarily comprised of yeomen farmers and small traders.
There is no strong nobility; while an earldom exists, an Earl is generally only first amongst equals of the local 'great and the good'.
One would expect this to have led to a strong monarchy, however the monarchy is generally dependent on the customs revenues of the large towns and cities, which are granted grudgingly except in times of need by the Assembly.
The current King Neil II has sat the throne for five years, and is considered to have astutely balanced the Assembly and the Earls to control his own course, with enough money to raise armies then ask for funding afterwards.
King Neil has several children. His oldest son, Oscar, is nearly of age and was recently named Prince of the Sea, traditional title of the heir presumptive.
The total population hasn't been assessed for 50 years - the towns always resist as it might lead to higher taxes - but at the last census it was nearly 6 million.
The population concentrates on the coast, and in the quieter Western areas, rather than on the unsettled Eastern border...though that frontier attracts hardy adventurers as these areas always do.
Religiously a quiet orthodoxy prevails, though generally in anywhere more cosmopolitan than the remoter villages one can un-ostentatiously practice whatever religion one wishes without difficulty. Trying to stage a procession through the streets might cause problems, but you won't be noted down for the Inquisition if you're not seen in church too many Sundays in a row either...
The military is mostly formed by volunteers, paid out of tax money.
The professional soldiers, who besides the Earls are located on the East March, are generally equipped and trained as dismounted men at arms. Comfortable with spears, pikes and horses their favoured tactic is to fight with swords, on foot, stiffening the line.
The men raised either for campaigns or as a militia are equipped as a mixture of longbowmen and billmen, and many will have experience of previous campaigns.
As a last resort there remains the right to raise all men of military age in a locality, equip them with whatever is available and march them off to war. However, this right has not been employed in any area larger than a town under siege for over a century.
The Navy, besides a bare half-dozen King's Ships, consists of a few Letters of Marque issued to semi-reputable gentlemen to 'hunt down pirates', in effect engage in legalised piracy, and many many ships hired or impressed in time of war.
The East March has regular castles of impressive size, with respectable numbers of lesser fortifications scattered between them. Elsewhere the great castles are only found overlooking the great harbours, dominating them to retain control of comings-and-goings to and from the island.
