Cerathene is a healthy and prosperous monarchy with a large territory, a modest population density, and strong local government. Most of the country is forested. Rivers descend from the Seleric Range through fertile valleys and wet lowlands before reaching a long, broken coastline.

Timber is the kingdom’s largest export. Cerathene also produces coal, iron, steel, wool, grain, livestock, ships, paper, furniture, machinery, and finished tools. It lacks no essential resource.

The state is stable under Queen Maireth III. Her government is negotiating closer relations with Valessar while trying to preserve Cerathene’s independence, Seleric institutions, and control of its own resources.

The Kingdom of Cerathene occupies the southwestern end of Mediath. Its territory begins beneath the northern Seleric Range and continues across a broad, river-cut highland country to the continent’s southern and western shores. It claims the whole of the Seleric Highlands.

Cerathene is the principal state of the Seleric peoples. Its culture developed separately from the Arvessan Basin, though hundreds of Cycles (each equal to 1.4608 Veyrathian years) of trade, imperial contact, and intermarriage introduced Arvessan law and urban practice. Contact with neighbouring Saphren also left a strong mark upon court language, music, scholarship, and decorative art. These influences did not erase Seleric identity. Cerathene remains a kingdom of local assemblies, household loyalties, forest law, fortified burghs, and stubbornly defended liberties.

The country is unusually fortunate in natural resources. It has productive soil, abundant rainfall, navigable rivers, fisheries, timber, coal, iron, copper, pasture, and good harbours. Cerathene can feed itself, fuel its industries, build its own ships, and equip its population without relying upon foreign supply.

Its principal weakness is military complacency. Geography has protected Cerathene for generations. The Crown has invested in roads, industry, forestry, education, and commerce while allowing the army and navy to fall behind the newer standards represented by Valessar.