Lustenheim

Lustenheim, officially the Grand Duchy of Lustenheim, is a landlocked country in Western Euteria. It is bordered by Gallone to the south, Helvetica to the east, Monterroso to the southeast, and Bergarny to the north. Its natural borders are the Polemon Mountains and Neri River to the west, the Haalstra Plain to the north, the Capine Mountains and Gula River to the east, and the Neri Delta to the south.

History
Lustenheim was first settled by the Hiberian Hunter Gatherers, who emerged from their homeland in Hiberia and expanded eastward. The Serephanians later migrated from their homeland in Ancotania to the Caps. The Leppians inhabited the territory, specifically the Lustii. The Tonans conquered the region, incorporating it into the Republic and later their Empire. After the fall of the Western Tonan Empire, the migration period brought Bergaric peoples into the region.

The first wave brought the Oranians, Nuestri, and the Bangals, who briefly occupied the area before continuing onto Hiberia and Atria. The second wave brought the Vitrobergs, part of the Gothian sub-group, who established a kingdom in the Lustenheim Plain. The Vitrobergs assimilated the existing Leppic and Tonan groups while continuing to conquer most of Hiberia from the original migratory groups. While the Hiberian Vitrobergs became Tonanized, the Vitrobergs in Lustenheim retained their language, which would later become the Lustenheimish language.

The Haslens settled to the northeast of Lustenheim, forming the Kingdom of the Haslens. After the expansion of the Gallans the Kingdom of the Haslens became part of Gallania, which would conquer Lustenheim from the Vitrobergs. The partition of Gallania left the kingdom in Middle Gallania, which quickly dissolved due to internal conflict and left a number of small remnant states. Lustenheim was part of the Duchy of Haslen, the southwest portion of the former kingdom. The duchy began breaking apart into smaller micro-states controlled by competing Houses. These micro-states were absorbed into the Neo-Tonan Empire and chose to form the Old Capine Confederacy.

The Old Capine Confederacy existed in some capacity until the Gallonese Empire, who invaded the Caps and centralized the Confederacy into the Republic of Helvetica. A compromise was made where the Confederacy was allowed to return to decentralization, however the Gallonese retained direct control over the micro-states of Lustenheim, the largest being Toureind. After the fall of the Empire, the new monarchs under the Kingdom of Gallone were forced to give up the states which it occupied, including the states of Lustenheim. Inspired by the Union of Helvetica, Toureind began to campaign for a union of the Lustenheim states. They successfully lobbied most of the northern parishes to join together, leading to the First Lustenheim Union. It wasn't until nearly a century later that the southern parishes joined, fearing for their own sovereignty from the larger surrounding states.

The Union did not last, as Toureind made sweeping changes to the autonomy of the parishes. During the July Wars, the Union went into civil war, but Toureind was successful. They enacted a centralization process to bring together the various ethnic groups under a new common identity; Lustenheimish. Most minority languages were outlawed, with the exception of Gallonese, and many minority groups became assimilated. Nearly a century later these policies were successful and most citizens identified as Lustenheimish. An uprising among the remaining minority groups led to the Second Civil War, which overthrew the old government and established a reformed republic. The republic restored minority rights and abolished the monarchy, although they continued to use the duchy name. This became the modern country of Lustenheim.

Old Version
Lustenheim was originally settled by Serephanians. Following the Leppic expansion, the country formed a core part of Leppia. The Leppians strongly resisted the Tonan invasions but ultimately fell under Republic rule. During the Migration Period various Bergaric groups settled the former Western Tonan Empire. The Vitrobergs settled along the east bank of the Neri River, where they made their new home. The Gallans, another Bergaric tribe, made vast conquests in Western Euteria and absorbed the Vitroberg Kingdom. The division of the Gallanish Empire left the territory of Lustenheim divided into several states, the largest being the Free City of Toureind. A series of conflicts with its neighbours saw Toureind gain land on both mountains, giving it full control of the plain.

Geography
Lustenheim is located in the most strategic location in Western Euteria. It occupies a narrow pass located between the Capine Mountains and Neri River to the east, the Polemon Mountains and Gula River to the west, and the Neri River Delta to the south. With access to important rivers and a short distance away from the Serephanian Sea, nearly all trade in the region must pass through the Plains of Lustenheim.

Northern Lustenheim is divided into three geographic regions: the mountainous west known Polmen, the central Lustenheim Plain, and the mountainous east known as Capsen.

Climate
Most of Lustenheim falls under an ocean climate zone, particularly in the central interior plains. In the far west and northeast the country experiences a mix of Alpine and Tundra climates with a large amount of precipitation year-round and cold summers. The climate transitions from oceanic to subtropical as one heads further south, until it reaches a Mediterranean climate in the southernmost parts of the country.

Ethnic groups
The people of Lustenheim are called Lustenheimers. Lustenheimers are a Bergaric ethnic group which make up around half the population of the country. Minority groups in the duchy include the Gallonese-speaking population who live along the Neri River (Gallos), Viguerian-speakers in the far south, Monterrosans in the southeast, Haalmans in the northeast, and the Altenese in the northwest. Immigration to the country has resulted in a minority of other Euterian groups to the region.