Parancho

About
The Kingdom of Parancho (パランチョ王国, Parancho ōkoku) is a small and peaceful country located in the southwestern corner of the Free Cities Alliance, directly in-between Toushin City and Mars Star. With a population of only a few thousand people, Parancho is often excluded from maps of The Continent due to its small size and relative lack of national power. Despite this, it possesses many unique and wondrous qualities that make it a notable part of the Human Realm nonetheless.

Surrounded by a large mountain range known as Mount Paran to the north and the edge of the Continent to the south, Parancho is very difficult to invade, making it largely safe from Monster attacks. As a result of this protection, it enjoys a state of peace and tranquility that is otherwise entirely absent from the rest of the Continent, which is historically plagued by war and chaos. For this reason, it is regarded as being something of a paradise by those who know of it, with many visitors comparing it to a land from a fairy tale.

In addition to its safety, Parancho maintains a temperate climate year-round, granting it lush and prosperous farmland at all times. The country's main export is a small seed known as the pilin bean, which can only be grown within the region's very specific weather conditions. Pilin beans are known for their potent spicy taste and are sold at a premium in stores across the world for use in countless culinary dishes. It is a common saying among citizens of Parancho that the pilin bean is representative of the country and its people as a whole: small and unassuming but packing incredible power and flavor. Parancho's economy is strong and stable, and is free of both poverty and financial inequality.

Parancho is governed by an absolute monarchy run by the Chao family. Its current king, Poron Chao, was instated as ruler in the year LP0004 at the age of 15 after proving himself as a capable successor to his father Peperon Chao. Despite his youth, Poron is beloved by his people for his compassionate personality, and inherited much of his father's talent for governing, allowing him to continue to uphold his family's legacy of leading his nation towards a bright future. The royal family resides at the center of the kingdom inside of a magnificent pink castle outfitted with waterfalls that cascade into a surrounding moat. A secret passageway that leads to a nearby village is located within the catacombs of Parancho Castle for use as an emergency exit in the event of a crisis.

Rather unexpectedly for a small and nonviolent country, Parancho is also known for having an outstanding military. While composed only of about 300 soldiers, the Parancho Army is recognized as being one of the most superbly-organized fighting forces on the Continent, with its knights in particular being considered to be on par with those of the Kingdom of Leazas and the Helman Republic, the Human Realm's two largest military superpowers. Soldiers of the Parancho Army wear a special kind of armor crafted from rare minerals mined from Mount Paran, which bestow them with an unrivaled level of Magic resistance that is unheard of in most physical fighters. The Parancho Army is led by Pitten Chao, the older brother of King Poron and a man celebrated for having no weaknesses whatsoever. Nicknamed "The Flawless Golden Knight", Pitten is considered to be one of the most talented warriors in the world, with word of his exploits reaching the ears of even legendary generals such as Lelyukov Berkov. Pitten has personally trained every knight under his command, allowing them each to absorb some degree of his excellence as well as perfectly carry out his orders. A dedicated division of mages, led by the royal court's wizard Nikopelli, also exists within the Parancho Army, which accompanies the kingdom's knights in every battle.

Parancho played an active role in supporting humanity throughout the 2nd Dark Lord War, the cataclysmic event that shaped the future of the Continent forever. During the initial attack on the Human Realm by the forces of the Monster Army in the year LP0007, Parancho was the sole invaded region of the Free Cities that succeeded in fending off the enemy assault and avoiding monster occupation. Following this early victory, the country immediately lent its considerable military strength toward assisting the Free Cities Army in overcoming the monsters and retaking the captured city-states, with Pitten acting as a sort of auxiliary leader to the alliance's combined forces alongside its officially-recognized general Cecil Carna. In addition, both Pitten and Poron himself volunteered to serve as members of the Dark Lord Extermination Squad, the elite fighting group led by the United Human Army's leader Rance that provided instrumental assistance to the war fronts of every nation in the Human Realm.

Trivia

 * Interestingly, images of cetacea, such as whales and dolphins, appear throughout Parancho-made clothing and architecture. This motif may be tied to the Goddess Pull Ratanhia, a mysterious whale-like being known as the "Paran God" who appears to preside over the country as a sort of patron deity, though the exact details relating to her connection with it are unknown.