Empire! Lands of Arandi

[HalfTangible]

Primus
Region 57, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium (Capital)
Population: 620,000

Current Ruler: High Queen Breydice

Spoiler: Terrain

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Primus is a land of rocky caverns and towering mountains. It's almost impossible to climb individual mountains entirely, but the land is also pockmarked by caves and pathways that lead through the mountains, often in highly circuitous paths. The paths wind and double back on themselves to often that it's possible to see your destination days before your arrival. The capital city of Valkyrie is famous for this; It is positioned in such a way that the city comes into sight and leaves it at least twice (the southern route actually does so six times) before you actually arrive at its gates.

Highback Mountains: A mountain range runs straight through Primus. Most are too steep to climb to the top, though most also have caves or tunnels that can be traveled through. Villages and towns tend to situate themselves along these paths.

Valkyrie: Valkyrie is the capital city of Primus, and for good reason. It is situated along a massive cliff face where several tunnel systems and winding pathways connect beneath the earth, resulting in what appears to be a city sticking out of a wall.

Road Cities: Primus' towns and villages (with a few exceptions) are built along the mountain roads and paths that already existed. This has resulted in very few cities that spread out, and more that grow in a line, especially on the walls of the mountain. It's impossible to walk through the region without encountering these cities.

Spoiler: People

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Primus is populated by a matriarchal people who are headstrong, determined, and warlike. The populace is almost entirely human, though there may be an exception here or there, especially for foreign merchants. Everyone from the lowest beggar to the royal family are required to serve at least 3 years in military service. They place a strong emphasis on honor and battle, to the degree that it is possible to take a noble title through an honorable duel (the royal family can't lose their power this way, however, and hold veto power over any duel's results) even if you are about to be executed.

In Primus, it's no secret that women are the rulers and masters. (In lieu of rings, women wear wristbands to note marriage and men wear collars). Men are believed to be too weak-willed to control their vices (primarily lust and wrath) and so are generally seen as lesser. This has naturally resulted in a sexist society and legal system that favors women over men in most instances. (For example: that required 3 years in military service mentioned above? Women must spend those years as cadets, men as recruits. Meaning that women find it much easier to become officers.) However, this has also resulted in a strong sense of - for lack of a better term - noblesse oblige within the society. Women are expected to accomplish far more and do far more than their male counterparts, and so any failure is judged more harshly. Men who gain power have clawed their way beaten and bloody to it, and so are expected to help others on their own climbs whenever possible.

This line of thinking only applies to men and women who are born and raised in Primus - it doesn't apply to foreigners. Explorers and merchants, in fact, are among the few areas in life where the sexes are actually equal.

Sex, Love and Marriage

Sexuality is very open in Primus. The land seems to be overrun with attractive people, and the populace is very eager to enjoy this; it's not uncommon to see complete strangers kiss as a greeting. Marriage is considered a commitment to your partner's well-being more than a monogamous relationship (romantic or sexual) but divorce is utterly impossible.

Weapons

Weapons in Primus are considered an extension of one's self, as if you're wielding a piece of your soul. What weapon you use will often inform every action others take with you and will form many base assumptions about how you'll behave. Generally this is tied to combat style in some way (Halberd users are tactical thinkers, archers are cowards, etc etc).

Going out without a weapon in most cultures signals that you're not looking to hurt anyone, that you're confident in the peace. Most cultures with honor duels will generally wait until a pre-appointed time so that each combatant is as ready as they can be.

To the Primus, however, combat and battle are everything. Going out without your weapon is a statement that even if you were attacked or challenged to a duel, no one around you could possibly be a threat. And to a warrior culture, that's a huge insult, especially since the Time Before was so astronomically bloody that going without a weapon was suicide.

Children usually wear a dagger or some form of short sword, but when they become adults they pick a weapon that suits their particular style of combat. It depends on the individual, but it's considered a rite of passage of sorts to pick your weapon.

Military Ranks - WORK IN PROGRESS

The Primal military is divided into three major divisions called Segmentum: the Agri (Field Troops), the Custodia Altum (Royal Guard), and the Securitas (Guards).

The Agri primarily divide their troops by numbers.
Unit (Composed of) - Commanded By
Imperial Army OR Agri Segmentum (All Agri Legions) - High Queen
Potestate (A group of legions in a particular theater) - Legatus
Sejunctio (All legions from a particular region or province) - Tribune
Legion (5 centuries, 1000 Warriors) - Legionnaire
Cohort (2 Centuries, 200 warriors) - Pilus (Multiple Pilon)
Century (5 Platoons, 100 warriors) - Centurion
Platoon (2 squads, 20 warriors) - Optio
Squad (10 warriors) - Ductor

The Securitas, rather than raw troop numbers, divide their ranks based on the needs of individual cities and outposts. The Primal's specialized fortifications (Castra) typically are not large enough to have precincts, and so 'Precept' as a title goes to the Vigilate's secont in command.

Imperial Guard (All Guardsmen) - High Queen
The Nobility (Inter-city Investigations) - Lady/Lord
Urbis (Outpost or City) - Vigilate
Divisus (Quarter of an outpost or city) - Dux
Precinct (Section of the city, size depends on the city but are usually kept at equal size) - Precept
Guardsmen (Individual Guards) - Auspex

More recently, the Securitas have reorganized to follow a model similar to that of the Berrium Knight Chapters. This is particularly popular in towns and cities that border the two kingdoms.

The Custodia Alta alone can override the High Queen's orders, and even then usually requires there be some immediate and tangible threat to her life. Their ranks are kept strangely secret, even from the Queen herself. It's well known that they are expected to serve the queen in a personal capacity whenever needed. This is considered by many both in and out of the Custodia to be one of the thankless job's "rewards", though this has the practical benefit of keeping all who enter and leave the Queen's bedroom known and safe.

Spoiler: Resource

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Moonsilver: Moonsilver is a mystical metal found primarily within the Highback Mountains. It is an alloy that can be bent and molded to fit a specific shape, even after forging. When worn, it shapes itself based on how that person moves, allowing for greater mobility than standard armor. In addition, Moonsilver changes color based on who is wearing it (though the exact color is impossible to predict or control). Moonsilver is exceedingly expensive and dangerous to mine (and as you might imagine, very difficult to forge properly), so most Moonsilver items and artifacts are used by high-ranking officers, nobles, or the royal family. However, recently Primus has developed special techniques to mine the stuff safely and cheaply (well, less expensively) so the material is becoming more common.

Needs: Swift Mounts: Primus is a land of twisting turns and open chasms that make traveling anywhere a slow, ponderous affair. Even towns and villages have to place themselves along paths, making it even more of a hassle to get through a city. At one time, this was accomplished through Rocs from the Kingdom of Berrium's Dandric Road. However, with the advent of the Skyways in Primus, this need was lessened. Swift mounts are still useful, but it is no longer necessary to own a roc.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Primus do not share an organized faith. However, there is a widespread belief amongst the populace that people who perform great deeds (but do not initially gain recognition for them) are reincarnated as members of the royal family. The exact details vary so wildly that it can hardly be called a faith of its own, but it is a common thread that runs through the smaller faiths in various towns and villages.

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Secundus
(originally Ma'Tanaki)
Region 59, HalfTangible
Nation: Kingdom of Berrium
Population: 1,203,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Secundus is a tropical breadbasket of sorts. The territory boasts beautiful beaches with sand as white as the clouds, but very few ports. There is little to indicate that this land has ever known war, but there are a few old, crumbling ruins that suggest a larger empire once held sway over the region. Most of these ruins have been left to rot, but despite their rarity cities on the coast are remarkably well-maintained.

Spoiler: People

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Once, it is said, Ma'Tanaki was but one arm of a massive sea-based empire. The land was prized for its cocoa beans which were a delicacy far and wide. They were so prized, in fact, that Ma'Tanaki was a sight of regular competition for control of the native tribes. Most of these tribes managed to keep out of actual conflict, but there were many slights and diplomatic blunders that left the land divided. (Some speculate that this was the same empire that once held sway over Primus)

None are sure how, but the Empire eventually collapsed as all empires do. This collapse left a power vaccuum into which various chieftains and tribal lords attempted to assert themselves. However, unwilling to spill each others' blood, the various clans and tribes have been largely at a stalemate, trying to beat each other through trade.

Secundus' people today are composed of scattered families and clans, each of which claims to be the true rulers their land. While the people are largely peaceful and content with their lifestyle, there is some resentment between the various clans and the sort of burning mistrust you would expect in old enemies, especially in higher echelons of power. The wealth of these clans is determined through the amount of cocoa beans they can produce, as well as their access to livestock and beasts of burden.

The people believe in the concept of economic warfare - the idea that you can defeat an enemy through trade and negotiation as readily as with an army. The clans and tribes of the area have been attempting to do so for hundreds of years, and while many clans have risen and fallen, there's never been a clear winner.

Clans and families that have women at the head have historically been sneered at by Ma'Tanaki but have become more prominent since Primus discovered the region. House Conferrus has delibrately avoided negotiating with male controlled clans, instead propping up females as the rightful rulers of all. After all, Conferrus reasons, their goddess is a woman, is she not?

Spoiler: Resources

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Cocoa Beans - Good: Secundus is a land famous for its food, but especially for its cocoa beans. The forests are filled with cocoa trees, and are famously resilient and fertile. The beans have many varied uses that the populace incorporates into everyday life.

Beasts of Burden: While this land has come up with many inventive ways to use cocoa beans to keep itself fed and its lands fertile, the populace has grown too large to sustain without greater production of cocoa beans. However, they have nowhere else to grow the trees without reshaping massive swathes of land, and need more efficient ways to transport their stock in bulk. To this end, the nation is seeking some hardy beast to help with the process.

Spoiler: Religion

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Secundus worships a goddess of both mountain and sea. She is said to be a pacifist lover of all things. She left the Ma'Tanaki after their split to live in the distant Highback mountains, and is said to have a horde of angelic women more beautiful than the rising sun. One day, she and her angels would come down to unite the tribes and lead them all into a time of final unity.

Imagine their surprise when a group of warrior women came down from those mountains and began military drills.

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Tertius
(originally Alpha)
Region 58, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium
Population: 712,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Tertius is a land of lost glory. The mountains and plateaus are full of massive stone statues (the largest is of an old king on a throne at 20 feet tall, though most are closer to ten) and monuments forged from solid steel in a long forgotten age. (though what words are written/carved on them are in a language no one understands) Scaffolding and burned-out husks dot the landscape, indicating that Tertius had once played host to both massive construction and horrific conflict.

The various cities of Tertius are old and crumbling, and all built around even older garrisons. These buildings serve partly as town halls and partly as central mustering points for the city's forces. They can also be used as a location for defense should the city come under attack. The garrisons are singular buildings constructed from mountain stone and are believed to have served a similar function in ages long past. Several have collapsed in places, requiring reconstruction.

Most of these cities are built on plateaus rather than on the mountain trails. There are few ways on or off these plateaus, making them easy to defend and difficult to navigate.

Still, it's a good place to visit if you want to dig into some archaeology.

Spoiler: People

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Tertians are actually similar to the people of Primus. They are a warrior culture with a strong emphasis on honor and dueling. They utilize a powerful metal that is not widely available elsewhere, and they are highly ambitious.

However, while the Primal have done everything in their power to prevent knowledge of their past from spreading, the Tertians have simply lost all knowledge of it. They seek it out as they can, and dearly wish to learn as much as they can.

The biggest difference (and the one with the most problems right now) is that they are patriarchal. Until Primus came along, men held sway over their lands, and women were little more than slaves. Primus liberated the women and gave them rights that the men did not. This massive difference in gender politics will undoubtedly will cause no small amount of friction between the two territories, but at the moment Primus is strong enough to drag their land kicking and screaming into Imperial glory.

Spoiler: Resources

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Steel [Good]: An old Empire (presumably the same one that once held sway over Secundus and Primus) once ruled this region. When it fell, most of the knowledge it granted was lost, but one piece of knowledge that was recovered around the year 86 was how to forge steel. Its usage is currently limited, but that could easily change.

Food: While Tertius is well-set in terms of construction and metals, the region has little access to fertile land to grow food and are almost at their limit. As such, they require a food resource of one sort or another.

Spoiler: Religion

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There's no true religion in Tertius (in fact, it's believed that religion was once outlawed in the region entirely) but the people do hold honor and fair play in high esteem. They also believe that men and masculinity are the closest that a mortal can get to true divinity.

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Quartus
(originally Ai'm [pronounced like "I'm" or 'eye-m'])
Region 47, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium
Population: 653,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Quartus' cities and people make their homes in the valleys of the Highback mountains, south of Primus. The mountain range splits here for a bit, enclosing the territory from the outside. The people live a life very reminiscent of monks, in that their lives are kept very simple and non-violent. The valleys are full of monk temples (most of which are now abandoned to the elements) and small villages by the rivers.

There are no villages to the west of the mountains, as it leads right to the desert. There are a few temples, but they are only inhabited by a small number of people and almost never see visitors. No one comes from the desert and no one in the mountains has a reason to go there.

Redrun: Redrun is a massive river that begins as a waterfall from the Primus' territory's mountains. The river runs through the territory, connecting the various villages together, finally coming out into territory 46. While initially it runs quickly, it slows down before long and is wide enough to be used for a great deal of large transport.

Spoiler: People

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Species

Quartus is largely composed of humans. However, there is a small segment of the population referred to as the Aima.

The Aima are a human sub-race found in small numbers in Quartus, usually wearing blindfolds. They are born without eyes, and their skin bears a semi-permanent flush. However, they can sense fresh blood, whether recently spilled or in someone's body. It's unknown exactly how this came to be, but the ability is whispered to be supernatural in nature.They can sense fresh or dried blood in a 20 meter area around them, and if they turn their heads in its direction it seems to function as regular eyesight.

The problem is that it only works that way for blood. They have no eyes, so they can't see - for example - that wall the blood-filled person is hiding behind, the giant chasm between them and that pool of fresh blood, an arrow flying for their head, or the weak points in armor.

The Aima themselves possess a redundant circulatory system, meaning that A) they are like bonfires to other Aima, and B) they take a long time to die of blood loss. However, the rest of their organs are not redundant, meaning they need to work overtime to keep the redundant circulatory system functional. As such, Aima have a hard time breathing, and find speech irritating. They can still talk, of course, they just won't do so much or for very long. (And while Aima CAN be warriors or athletes, they are few, far between, and usually less than their human counterparts anyway)

The Aima also seem to be under the impression that they grow stronger by drinking the blood of others. All indications are that this is complete horse****, but it's a persistent enough rumor that those outside of Quartus may believe it.

Over the last four decades, the Aima in Quartus have been steadily growing in number. While they are still a functionally negligible portion of the population (around 3 percent in the year 105) they are undeniably beginning to outpace the human population in growth.

Culture

Quartus is a land of simplicity. The humans and Aima of the region lead a life with few luxuries and fewer pleasures, though they don't seem to begrudge it. There are old ruins and husks that suggest the region was originally only home to monks, and it's easy to believe.

More interestingly than their personal effects, however, are how the humans and Aima interact with each other. A rift is beginning to form between the two as the Aima begin to grow more numerous and the humans begin to shrink away. Aima are usually poor since their limited speech makes it difficult to barter properly.

Spoiler: Resources

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Goats [Minor]: The simple mountain villages use goats for pretty much all their needs. Their milk is used for food, they're used as beasts of burden on occasion, and to the utter surprise of everyone (including most of the humans of Quartus) the Aima enjoy looking at the goats' blood pump. While the goats are the land's main export, the fact that they lived humbly for centuries means that they don't have many goats to spare.

Precious Metals: The region currently operates under a barter system that is slow and ineffective. Their lands would be much better served with some other type of valuable, something that can be easily equated to a particular value.

Spoiler: Religion

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"Whatever wants to come is allowed. There's some Doctrine, some Daen, I think there's even a cult dedicated to the god of the left big toe in the valley. This land has no united faith in and of itself. We are a simple people, without need for the squabbles of faith. We only need a better method to barter for the few things we do need, so if we-"

"May stab you? Delicious..."

"AEGEUS!!"

"Not harm. Thirsty."

"...she's not a river, you can't just drink her..."

"Blood is liquid. Lots. She's fit."

"That's not the problem-"

"Blood is strength is blood."

"... the Aima really like blood. Does that count as a religion?"

"Blood calls to blood."

"Okay, stop it."

"Heart pulses. Pretty rhythm..."

"Should I... come back later?"

"No no no, Lady Bestius, he's quite harmless, really! He just-"

"Hug?"

"NO! NO HUGS!"

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Subquartus
(Originally known as "The Master's Vault")
Region 47B, Unclaimed
Nation: Unclaimed
Population: 118 Archivists/Ghouls, some workers

Spoiler: Terrain

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Subquartus is a largely empty underground system of caverns. The very air seems to glow a dark blue, as if the entire cave is subjected to the enchantments that keep the Archivists alive. Gold deposits are plentiful in this place, and occasionally one of the archivists can be seen stalking the labyrinthine passageways, muttering to itself.

Every few passageways there is a small camp full of workers from Quartus, working in shifts. Occasionally there is a man carrying gold out of the caverns up to the Imperium above, or deeper into the caves to Subprimus and beyond.

At the deepest point of the cavern, however, there is a door as black as obsidian. The archivists call what lies beyond this door 'the Vault', which contians their store of truth, lies, and everything in between. No one has actually seen one of these creatures go in or out of the door; presumably, it is forbidden to allow outsiders within.

Spoiler: People

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There are 118 mysterious creatures beneath the surface of Quartus. They call themselves the Archivists, though most of the workers call them ghouls. They are nightmarish beasts in a shape that resembles a human skeleton, with paper-thin skin stretched over the bones. Their eyes glow bright blue, and a cold pallor of death and decay hangs around them.

Once, there were thousands of these creatures beneath Quartus. Now there are only 118. Their ranks grow thinner with every death and cannot be replenished, as they cannot reproduce. Whatever method was used to create them has (according to the Archivists) been lost.

There are also several camps of workers mining gold for the Imperium.

Spoiler: Resources

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Gold [Good]: It's unknown why precisely the Archivists chose to live down in these particular caves of all places, but there is a substantial amount of gold that they do not seem to care for. The Imperium has made good use of the resource by setting up mining operations for themselves and

Hard Metals: In order to mine the precious gold, the miners need tools. They can make do with resources from Quartus to make their temporary homes and shelters, and the Archivists are willing to provide food in exchange for books (or blood), but the caves in Subquartus seem to lack anything but gold and rock otherwise.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Archivists claim that their creator (who they never refer to by name) tasked them with preserving all knowledge they came into contact with. He gave them perfect memories and made them incapable of destroying the written word. They do not pray to him, but they do carry out "his will".

What's most interesting about the Archivists is that despite their desire to gather knowledge relating to religious faith, they have no apparent unifying canon. Their main concern seems to be the acquiring of books that are blasphemous or outright lies, and are willing to pay in substantial amounts of gold for them. They are always seeking to learn of anything that insults or denies the gods. Primus' anti-religious stance... intrigues them.

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Quintas
(Originally known by several names, most recently Konobasho)
Region 197, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium
Population: 628,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Forests and villages: While the southern lands of Quintas are savannas that eventually give way to the Silvanus desert, and there are some foothills leading to the Highback mountains, most of Quintas is composed of forests. The people live in small villages scattered throughout, generally avoiding deliberate organization. Communication between villages does occur regularly enough for a common culture, but the region is largely bereft of cities.

Each village seems to be in an almost constant state of reinvention, as the people of Quintas constantly try to change everything they can, making sure that their house, store or other building follows no particular pattern or trend in an almost obsessive manner. They will add on new rooms, carve out new doors, rethatch their roofs... essentially they will do whatever they can to make their home look different from those around them.

A traveler once commented that "a masochistic eyeball couldn't have dreamed up a bigger eyesore."

Temples: The Satsujin (see military) are known for temples and meeting places that are only ever half-built. This is because - according to them - complete buildings can never get better, only worse as wear and tear damages them. Quintas is well known for these half-finished buildings that often are missing inner walls or a second floor's roof.

Elephants: The most unique feature of Quintas' territory are the two types of elephants that inhabit the region.

The savannas of the south are inhabited by a massive grey beast with thick skin and a distended snout. They can be up to 12 feet tall, and have a pair of curved white tusks protruding from their mouths. In the forests there are creatures that are similar to the savanna inhabitants, but far smaller (around 8 feet instead of 12) and darker. Their tusks are pink and straight, and their ears more rounded.

(OOC: African elephant versus forest elephant. Look it up.)

Spoiler: People

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Culture

Quintas' people believe solely in the idea of the Honmyo (see religion section). This has led to a culture and people vastly removed from the ideas around them, and a snobbish elitism. Quintas' people seem more content with directly opposing other cultures than developing a clear one of their own. They believe that to adopt the Honmyo of another is to have yours weakened through dilution.

(As a side note: Honmyo also leads to the people of the region changing their names repeatedly over the course of their lives, making interacting with their people's history difficult)

However, this attempt to have no culture at all has ironically led a very clear and distinct one. The people of Quintas are known to wrap themselves in excessive amounts of clothing and long scarves. The Satsujin (see the military section) wrap themselves in black, and are known for changing their tactics on the fly.

Gender

There's no real difference between male and female, aside from naming conventions.

Sexuality

Sex and sexuality are taboo subjects in Quintas. It is not considered polite or wise to mention it in these lands, nor are there any customs associated with it. Occasionally, two people will meet together to reproduce, but it is done quickly and only for the purposes of reproduction.

Military

The people of Quintas don't have a formal military of any description. The largest organized group of soldiers/warriors that they have ever shown publicly was around 30 people, far too few to be considered an army. What the Quintas lack in numbers and organization, however, they make up for with assassinations, traps and the Satsujin.

The Satsujin are masters of shadows, trickery and subtlety. Unlike most others in their territory, they are said to be able to change their Honmyo in its entirety on the fly, allowing them to adapt their skills, luck and even their prejudices to fit any given situation they may encounter. While this is likely local superstition, the Satsujin are skilled warriors and clever assassins.

Spoiler: Resources

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Peyote: A form of hallucinogen, peyote is used by the people of Quintas for multiple endeavors, mostly relating to religion. Generally the public will smoke it to relax, and often claim the drug helps one to divine their Honmyo. The Satsujin, however, have occasionally used the drug in a stronger form to incapacitate foes by making them incapable of distinguishing fantasy from reality. However, they are perfectly willing to sell off any of it to outsiders, and many believe the Satsujin are looking for a new signature technique.

Food: The elephants of the region as well as the nearby desert have made the available space for agriculture limited. The people of Quintas require an outside source of food.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Quintas believe in the concept of the Honmyo, or 'true name'. It is what the gods and spirits choose to call you by, and is said to describe the truest, most basic nature of the person or object it refers to. Every thing in existence from the highest Empress to the tiniest pebble has a unique true name, including nations and personas. For a living being (or anything run by living beings) a Honmyo constantly grows and changes over the course of their life to reflect who they now are. Most other things in existence constantly shrink and lose definition.

Historical records show that several groups - including the Church of Daen and the Doctrine - have attempted to introduce another form of worship to Quintas' people, since the Honmyo doesn't necessarily contradict the ideas of other spiritual disciplines (the Doctrine in particular proposed that one's Honmyo could easily be their ninth discipline). However, every time they have tried it has been rejected, as the Quintas believe that accepting the spirituality of anything so widespread as such churches would dilute their territory's own Honmyo.

Surprisingly, this has actually caught on strongly in their Primal conquerors, despite the fact that the ideas of Honmyo have led to strong resistance culturally. This has led to a people who have an inordinate amount of autonomy and 'independence' from Imperial ideology. (though House Eventus is still matriarchal and pushing for women to take a larger role than equality)

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Sextus
(Originally known as the Sunlands)
Region 196, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium
Population: 636,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Sextus has some forests to the south (the forest is widely accepted as the region's border) but the vast majority of the territory is arid and dry. The place isn't in a drought, but one would be forgiven for thinking so. Cacti dot the hills of the land, and many of the tribes make their homes in the few greener areas of land, especially around the various rivers.

The Aa center themselves around the Solate river to the north, keeping most of their permanent settlements on the north side so that any invaders will have to cross the deep waters to get to them. The Shem have a stronghold in the east, along the Idalia river. The Sul get most of their water from the southern forests.

Spoiler: People

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Culture

Sextus is a land divided into several tribes and clans that all claim to worship the sun god, Invictus, maker of all things. (see Religion) The oldest tribes in the area are the Aa, the Shem, and the Sul.

The Aa are traditionalists through and through. According to them, Invictus is a god with the head of a bird who lives in a burning castle on the sun. One day millennia ago he descended from the heavens and set out rules for the Aa to follow. The Aa have kept these supposed divine instructions as close to the letter as they can manage, and are extremely harsh regarding transgressions. They are very stable people, avoiding war when possible and simply outlasting their opponents when they cannot. Their tribe has several powerful fortifications and defensive positions locked up tight - to fight the Aa is to ram your head against a brick wall. The Shem are considered respectable warriors but ultimately heretics not worth the air they breathe, and the Sul's devotion to the goddess Luna is blasphemy of the highest order.

The Shem embrace the warrior aspect of Invictus, believing that conflict is the best route to achieving divine inspiration. They believe him to be a dark-skinned monk with bracers that blaze with golden light. The Shem believe that conflict is necessary for growth on both the personal and cultural level. As such, when conflict arises, the Shem are quick and eager to crush their enemies. The Shem have the greatest warriors of the tribes for obvious reasons. Less obviously, however, is that the Shem are also the most trustworthy people you will ever meet. They believe a battle won through dishonest methods is no victory at all, and apply this even to everyday conversation. The Aa are considered fundamentalist zealots too caught up in tradition to see how poorly their traditions fail them, and the Shem absolutely hate the Sul for their trickery.

The Sul believe that the moon is also a goddess, and Invictus' bride. The two share the sky together, but duty to the world below keeps them apart. Invictus is a valorous, passionate god to the Sul, a paragon of beauty and masculinity both. He revels in pleasure and love, and is made happiest by people who pursue their dreams. Luna is believed to be a shape-shifting trickster deity, one more concerned with cleverness and guile than her husband. The Sul have a reputation for lies, chicanery and dishonorable conduct in the pursuit of their goals, though they claim this is propaganda by the other tribes. Whatever the truth, the Sul's enemies are plagued by failure, sabotage and cursed luck wherever they go. The Sul consider the Shem's love of direct combat as absolutely insane, and the Aa are seen as hypocritical tyrants.

These three tribes have existed for longer than most people of Sextus have been alive, but they are not the only ones, simply the longest-lasting. Several smaller tribes either pledge fealty to the greater tribes, or attempt to carve out their own niche.

Gender
The Aa believe that all women in the world belong to Invictus as property - the men are simply borrowing them. They are required to leave most of their flesh exposed. Arranged marriages are common, and treated as similar to bartering in a store. However, it is considered a grievous sin to harm or abuse any given woman (you don't break a god's things, after all), and in fact is often punished through castration. As such, women in the Aa are not treated as poorly as they could be. (The Primal do not see it this way). When captured, women and men are both expected to conform to Aa traditions, which is usually impossible to do perfectly at first. However, the men usually have it easier since there are fewer rules regarding dress and general daily behavior. As such, the Aa do not consider foreign women worth the time.

The Shem couldn't care less about your genitals, beyond how they may affect your ability to fight. Pregnant women are expected to avoid combat for the sake of the child, but otherwise they are equal.

The Sul believe that men and women should attempt to emulate Invictus and Luna respectively; Men should be courageous, strong-willed and passionate. Women should be devious, cunning and crafty. Neither is considered to be better or worse than the other, but gender roles are still fairly rigid.

Spoiler: Resources

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Camels [Minor]: The people of Sextus use camels for transport and as mounts, and believe that they were placed on Arandi by Invictus as a great joke. However, even Invictus' jokes are a blessing, and they found use for such creatures.

Mystic/magical materials: The people of Sextus believe that all magic comes from Invictus, and that it is his will that such materials be used. They demand that magic be brought to them so that they may interpret Invictus' (or Luna's, for the Sul) divine will.

Spoiler: Religion

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All tribes in Sextus turn their face to the sun and worship Invictus, god of the sun and all that its light touches. Each of the clans and tribes, however, has their own interpretation of what exactly Invictus is and what he wants from his worshipers. Some claim that he is a dog-faced god that rides the sun as one might a chariot. Others claim that he IS the sun, or that he wills it to travel the sky through sheer force of will. Whatever the reason for this bizarre similarity, it is undeniable that those who do not worship Invictus do not last long. When a group rises up claiming to another deity - such as the church of Daen or the Doctrine - they are quickly driven out or utterly massacred.

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Septimus
(Originally known as "Adeptus")
Region 192, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium
Population: 878,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Septimus is a land of rolling hills and wide grassland plains. The people are kept confined in a small number of... not quite cities, but camps of a sort, referred to as "Adeptus" followed by individual names for the camps. Many compare the structures to prisons. Some examples include:

Adeptus Victum

The main source of Adeptus' farming crop, the population of this Adeptus is turned entirely towards food production. Baking, cooking, even hunting on occasion, the Victum is mostly farmland surrounded by high walls.

Adeptus Uictoria

Everyone in Septimus has spent at least some time in the Adeptus Uictoria, learning the art of war. Part military academy, part prison and part training camp, Uictoria exists for the sole purpose of churning out effective and powerful warriors.

Adeptus Marita

Every fertile woman is brought to this particular adeptus and kept under heavy guard. Their lives are under complete dominance by their overseers and the commissariat; it is truly a prison, with all that implies. A woman's best chance once sent here is to be deemed barren young, and allowed to go to the other Adepti to learn the ways of war and command.

Naturally, Primus is revolted by the mere existence of such a place; unfortunately, they did not learn of it until it was too late to dislodge the commissariat.

Spoiler: People

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The people of Septimus are ruled by the Commissariat, a highly militarized government system that makes state affairs part of the military's normal duties. A soldier is expected to work the fields or die in battle with equal ease and obedience.

Commissars serve as both statesmen and military generals, and are empowered to be judge, jury and executioner. They have the authority to execute any "soldier" that is deemed to "fail in their duties". Since every person in Septimus is considered part of the military, that is essentially everyone except other commissars.

An unusual nobility

The Commissariat is the strangest of all 'noble houses' in the Imperium, and the most unusual. Killing a commissar does not allow you to take their place in the organization's hierarchy, though they do allow you to join from the bottom and work your way up. Only rarely does this work out in the new commissar's favor, as the old commissar often had friends who will do their best to make the replacement pay.

This special status makes the blood of the other noble houses boil, as does the Comissariat's complete disregard for the men under their command. The Comissariat's general battle plan is to throw more men at the problem until it dies, and considers retreat of any kind grounds for execution.

However, what disgusts Primus the most about the commissariat is their attitude towards the sexes.

Sex

The Commissariat contains few women, but that is mostly because Septimus itself has very few women in comparison to the surrounding lands. Women that are capable of producing children are almost entirely kept in the Adeptus Marita under both guard and strict control, as they are too few and too precious to risk in open conflict. (Women who cannot breed are treated as normal). Many of these women have no education or skills outside of carnal acts, and many have never even made their first kill despite how militaristic their society is.

Primus did not learn of this practice until after the Commisariat had been promised a special position in the Imperium on par with any noble house. It was an appalling shock that left many in the Imperium clamoring for Septimus' utter annihilation.

The necessity of corralling their women like cattle was largely removed by induction into the Imperium, but the Commissariat has refused to stop, claiming that High Queen Breydice's previous deal grants them the right to preserve their traditions. This has led to a great deal of friction between the comissariat and their new masters in the Primus Imperium, for obvious reasons.

Many in Primus believe that the Comissariat's status was won through trickery and lies and is thus not valid. However, the deal remains intact, albeit strained. Some of Primus' warriors have made it their personal mission to ascend the ranks of the commissariat. Most have not returned, and rumors abound that they either failed or were placed in the Adeptus Marita. (though the comissariat denies this and multiple investigations have failed to turn up anything concrete)

As it stands, the region is a powder keg, just waiting for a spark. The Imperium's current plan is to exploit any loophole they can find to change how Septimus is run.

Spoiler: Resources

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Oxen [Minor]: Septimus uses oxen as their main beast of burden. They are strong beasts, able to pull massive amounts of weight. Some commissars even use them to break down gates in a mighty charge (though this strategy is laughed off by others).

Hard Metal: To fuel their war machine, the Commissariat requires hard metal of some sort for their weapons and light armor. Tertian steel should do nicely.

Spoiler: Religion

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Religion is outright banned in Septimus, and hated more than any other idea. Daen and the Cult of Invictus in particular are seen as the ultimate enslavers of humankind, and resisted on all possible fronts.

While a formal religion is not practiced in the region, it has been observed that the people value service to one's authority figures and combat as the highest calling. This is the main reason Primus has had an easy time integrating them, despite their many conflicting ideas.

[HalfTangible]

Colonia
(Originally known as Aneth)
Region 44A, HalfTangible
Nation: The Primus Imperium
Population: (I couldn't find numbers for this, sorry)

Spoiler: Terrain:

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Colonia is a forested, warm area. Its many mountain ranges create some areas with an abundance of rain, and others that stay dry. An area of note is the Valley of Worrianz, or as it’s known amongst the native humans, the Valley of Praise. Holding the Western Skyway in its safe mountainous embrance, the Valley was once known for its contact with the Prevaz. The Prevaz, fond of visitors, came to the surface from time to time to show the locals the way of the chisel, the voice or the brush. However, the valley has not seen Prevaz eager to speak with surface dwellers in a long time; aside from the occasional trade caravan, most simply no longer go to or from Skianz anymore. House Florus keeps the area under guard and makes regular inspections on each merchant that travels to and from the underground home of the Prevaz.

The rainforests in the north of Colonia are dangerous, with numerous poisonous beasts and plants. The hot climate in these forests combined with the high humidity and dangerous fauna makes even a small task barely manageable for those not adapted to the climate. This is a problem because the silver is found in the same mountains that cause this weather. The Whansis of the region mine the silver, and House Florus buys it from them. Most of the wealth from this operation goes to the women and to loyalists before being given to the men in small wages.

Silvershine

To the south-east of the Valley of Worrianz on the coast of a large lake lies Silvershine, the capital of Colonia and the current seat of House Florus. Silvershine is a tradetown, with the silver mined by the Whansis in the forests being sold and shipped by the human populace. Since the Six Crown Conflict, this trade has gone entirely through House Florus. Loyalty to the Imperium is rewarded, while traders who disrupt the ruling class find their business in the city strangled. (Foreigners are given more leniency)

The Deadland

The Deadland is where the infamous Battle of Aneth took place. With neither King Lysus nor High Queen Roethye able to gain a significant advantage on terrain or strategy, the battle ultimately came down to sheer numbers. The plains in which this final battle was fought have been turned into one massive memorial to the conflict, with unmarked graves dotting the entirety of the field.

Spoiler: People:

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Colonia is inhabited by two sentient humanoid species: Humans and the Whansis. The humans of the region inhabit most of the south, with villages and settlements strewn across the plains. The humans are dark-skinned with slanted eyes, wearing white clothing to reduce the impact the sun has on their daily lives. They rely on trade through House Florus to get what they need to get by. For food they rely on small-scale agriculture and they keep small herds of cattle. They live in square-shaped houses made of plaster and worked clay.

The Whansis however, are of a race related to the Prevaz. Having the same snake-like tail, they are a distant cousin of the Prevaz race. However, they possess eyes with a keen eyesight, like the majority of the surface dwellers do. This lead to their name, as Whansis means "Keen Observers" in Prevazan, a name which stuck with the Whansis themselves over the ages. These serpent-humanoids are smaller and more slender than the Prevaz, allowing them to traverse the Colonia jungle with relative ease. The Whansis live in rainforest villages consisting of tree huts, woven of the branches and vines that are abundant there. In contrast with the Prevaz, their scales have vivid colors. Their hearing is worse than a Prevaz’. They mostly dress in practical clothing, favoring strength over style.

However, numerous powerful female Whansis (propped up by House Florus) dress in silks and silver, with an eye for aesthetic pleasure. They have also adopted the Primal custom of carrying weapons wherever they go, and favor curved blades.

The Whansis have more pronounced fangs than their Prevazan cousins and have a mild poison that causes temporarily paralysis in the victim. This poison isn’t lethal to all but the smallest of children.

Culture

House Florus deliberately set out to remove Prevaz influences from Colonia's culture as much as possible. They introduced the idea of a matriarchy to the people, and while many rejected the idea, those who embraced it found themselves favored by the House.

During the brief period where Whansis were enslaved, female Whansis that showed their loyalty were granted access to the best slaves, mostly male. When these slaves were freed, the Whansis who owned them were paid in recompense, and with such wealth came a newfound freedom.

Sex
It's no secret that amongst the Primal, women are given the most power and influence. However, Colonia's men have it particularly bad, owing in large part to the iron fist that is House Florus. While the occasional grumbling is allowed, open rebellion is not tolerated.

Amongst the Whansis, the Primus have carefully engineered a culture where the females are a sort of pseudo-nobility - they have the power and influence, and dole it out to the males beneath them as they desire.

Spoiler: History and Goverment:

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Colonia has a long history of interactions between the Whansis and the Prevaz. However, over time, the Prevaz retreated more and more, focusing more and more on their Arts. Prevaz became a rare sight, and cults even sprung up claiming them to be agents of the goddess of the earth, Doara.

Contacts between the humans that inhabited the plains and the Whansis weren’t always peaceful. Up until 300 years ago, conflict regularly broke out between the fractions, fueled by greed and rage. Humans wanted the silver, entering the rain forests and trying to drive the Whansis away. The Whansis responded in kind, repelling the human invaders time after time, using their superior knowledge of the environment.

Eventually, both sides came to an understanding: keep on fighting didn’t solve anything. Silver could only be mined effectively by the Whansis, but they weren’t good traders, mostly due to their appearance. The humans couldn’t reach the silver, but had access to boats and contacts to trade the silver and turn a profit. The two races clasped hands and cooperated, turning the formerly poor wartorn region into a peaceful one with a good working trade system, if not a very large scale one.

House Florus, however, changed everything. After the Battle of Aneth ensured that the territory would become an Imperial colony, they overthrew the trading council and set up their own personal bueraucracy. Rebellion was swiftly put down, and House Florus made itself master of all trade in the region before the year was out.

Spoiler: Religion:

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Due to traversing monks of the Doctrine of the Nine candles on their way to Skianz, the Majority of Colonia upholds the values of the Doctrine. There is a small minority that worships a goddess of the earth called Doara instead, which appears to be strangely serpentine in shape, according to documents pertaining about this paganistic movement.

Doara worshippers, however, after seeing the brutality of the Primal and their attempted slavery operations, have gone into hiding as a protest movement against the Imperium. House Florus allows them their protests so long as they do not descend into violence. Few care about a minor religion that has no political pull crying about a problem that no longer exists.

House Florus has mostly refused to personally adopt Doctrine ideas, as they believe that service to the Imperium is far more important. Those who do put their faith in the Ninth Struggle, rather predictably given the nature of Primus culture, but above all they serve the Imperium.

Spoiler: Resources:

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Silver [Good]: Colonia's silver is located in two major places: the mountains, and some of the northern forests. Previously, the region was disorganized and too careful to get a decent amount of silver. House Florus, however, forbade expeditions into the forests for silver, and instead focused on organizing efforts in the mountains. While the amount of silver exported remains relatively unchanged, it is far safer now.

Due to the region's hot climate, most of the people greatly desire fabrics to create special clothing. While a luxury, it is a heavily desired one.

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The Queenlands

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Admiral Pronoe with one of the Ordo Crudice

Cochragio
(originally Pavos)
Region 488, HalfTangible
Nation: Primus Imperium
Population: ???

Spoiler: Terrain

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The capital region of the former Pavos Republic holds a grandeur that belies the madness of the previous rulers. Its ports are majestic, heavily fortified and prosperous trade hubs. Its lands are lush with forests and grasslands. There is regular rainfall more common than elsewhere in the world (or even in the Queenlands) that makes for some fairly wet marshlands.

The cities of Cochragio are often situated near forests. These forests are regularly combed through by the people of the city for firewood or animals to hunt. As a result, each of these forests is immaculately maintained and beautiful.

The capital of the region (renamed 'Cochradice' by its Primal conquerors) is rather peculiar; It is a series of buildings stretching from a massive harbor on the coast to nearby hills filled to the brim with silver. The city leads right to the mines that the silver comes from; the main street from the mines to the harbor is always bustling with carts full of the metal. The city's buildings curve towards these hills, and so it is shaped somewhat like a hook. The citizens tend to live either near the harbor or the mines, while the nobility live in the very center of the city. Around the nobility are various markets and city services, forming the city's cores.

Many of the region's cities have tried to imitate this, though only the capital has managed to make it work so far.

Spoiler: People

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Cochragio is a land that was heavily influenced by the mad ramblings of the former Pavos Republic. Their people live in fear of Doctrine iconography, especially the red skin and horns of Kan's incarnations. They mostly consist of humans. Men tend to shave their heads in deference to their lost lord, while the women are rarely seen outside their homes. Many call out that the Imperium will surely show itself as a cruel and harsh leader in time, just as they prosecuted themselves dishonorably in war.

However, the Imperium's governship after the removal of the Quont and the Senate has been very soft. House Ferrus lifted most taxes, instead using the region's silver mines to make money. The Imperial government's allowance of personal protection (so long as the law is not violated) has gone over well in a populace that still fears the demons. Surprisingly, the common man has done well under the Imperium's rule.

Spoiler: Resources

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Silver [Great]: Pavos had incredibly lucrative silver mines within its capital region, with its most lucrative being the one in the capital city. This is one of the main reasons that the Republic had such a well-funded navy. The mines were strategic targets during the war, but now that they have been seized in totality by the Imperium, they are the region's main source of tax revenue.

[Crops]: The Pavos Republic had a habit of offering farmers subsidies to farm the wheatfields elsewhere in the republic, leaving the capital region with little in the way of farms. They require imported wheat and bread.

Spoiler: Religion

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While the Imperium has done its best to stamp out the influence of the Pavosi, many in Cochragio still hold the view that their rulers AND conquerors were worshippers of demons. They are extremely hostile to the faith of the nine candles, and they look to the Aeldir rulers in nearby lands with apprehension and fear. The fact that their new rulers have done their best to appear as liberators has done little to make them feel better about their situation.

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Rusathye
(originally Ilhas Norte)
Region 456, HalfTangible
Nation: Primus Imperium
Population: ???

Spoiler: Terrain

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Rusathye is the northernmost island chain in the seas to the west of Pavos. This island is a major source of ships and valuable Wonderwood, a rare material perfect for light, fast ships. They are best known for their white beaches and extensive harbors, in particular their capital of Asharis (renamed from Porto Maritimo). It is a sprawling city that covers nearly a fourth of one of the smaller islands, housing thousands of people. It is a major source of trade for Rusathye.

However, their lands also bear the strongest and starkest reminders of the Pavos occupation. Many cities and towns were ruined by the initial occupation that the inhabits refuse to fix; most startling, there is a plinth in the capital city's center that is surrounded by rubble. In the plinth itself there are a pair of six-toed feet, from one of the old statues of the city. It has never been cleaned up, and in fact is apparently illegal to.

Spoiler: People

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Rusathye was one of the only territories to be occupied directly by Pavos when they enacted their purge on the followers of Kan. As such, the people are resistant to the idea of foreign rule; they wish to return to their way of life undisturbed. They are highly isolationist and suspicious of outsiders, though by necessity they will occasionally trade with others. They will usually cover themselves up, speak solely in the trade tongue, and speak as little as possible. The surrounding lands find this behavior particularly strange, as the island was far more open in the past.

Spoiler: Resources

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Wonderwood [Good]: The main reason Rusathye was the first of the island chains conquered when the Pavos launched their invasion was for the incredible trees and lumber of the islands, called 'Wonderwood'. Most of the trees are too small or weak to use for ships, but many have wood that is perfect for carving as well as trunks the right size and shape to use for the planks in a ship. The trees are rumored to be unique in all the world, and there is an almost mystical relevance to them.

Rumor has it, however, that a similar material called Yondervoed exists to the northeast. The two are not exactly the same, of course - different climates, different trees, but they serve roughly the same purpose.

[Precious Metals]: The people of Rusathye want little from outsiders, but there are few riches on the island itself. Those that build the ships and harvest the Wonderwood still need to be paid, and an influx of money will help fuel the local economy immeasurably. The loss of silver from Pavos has hit them hard in recent times.

Spoiler: Religion

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The islands of the former Pavos Republic follow a variation of the Doctrine of the Nine Candles referred to as the Followers of Kan. However, Rusathye was the subject of heavy propaganda and religious purges during the war against Pavos. The Doctrine was wiped out almost to a man, though not exactly to a man.

In response, Rusathye's people began practicing a form of local hero worship. Instead of praising gods and dieties, they worshipped those who performed great deeds, whether more ancient heroes such as the Lion or the Red Angel, or more recent champions such as the Lord Summer Turien. Those on the island still loyal to Pavos staunchly cling to more recent "heroes" such as Martelo or Ignacio.

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Breydisle
(originally Orrisinata)
Region 457, HalfTangible
Nation: Primus Imperium
Population: ???

(Written by TheDarkDM - thanks pal!)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The southernmost region of the island chain the formed the backbone of Kanite resistance to the Republic of Pavos, Orrisiem's volcanic islands spread out like spoke from the wheel of the central and largest of their number. This island, Orris, is at a glance a paradise. Black sand beaches encircle the temperate interior, thriving forests broken in wide swaths by idyllic plantations and clustered farmsteads. The remnants of the volcano loom over these rural communities, a broken green spine snaking through the core of the isle and forming a natural barrier around the extinct caldera. It is here that the capital of the region, Kauahi, is located. A city open to the surrounding landscape, her fields of food and commercial crops have been painstakingly cultivated to form a tableau of shapes and colors, nine spiraling arms around the core of the city in honor of the Nine Candles of their benefactor.

Beyond the central island are four islands of note, each lying along a cardinal direction from the region's center. The site of initial territorial forays by Orrisi natives, Paeti, Weyuna, Batrak, and Otulani each hold impressive colonies on thier coastlines, in addition to scattered agricultural and mining outposts. There is a constant flow of ships between these isles, transporting goods and further settlers, though unlike the ocean-worthy vessels of the outside world most are simple catamarans or impressively large canoes.

Spoiler: People

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Slightly shorter than their Nako neighbors, the Orrisi nevertheless retain the darkly tanned skin and black hair that characterizes the natives of their archipelago. Believing themselves descended from the fire spirits that shaped the islands at the beginning of time, they have a cherished tradition of manipulating the most dangerous of elements. Whether it is through the burn inherent in sugar cane harvesting, communal bonfires on nights of celebration, or the widely respected fire dancers that grace their festivals, fire is a central part of Orrisi culture. And while fire's dangerously predatory nature has never been reflected in their dealings with each other, it has colored their interactions with other peoples. The histories of the Orrisi are rife with instances of minor conflicts with competing tribes, as well as more extreme acts of violence that saw entire peoples forcibly joined to the Orrisi. Prior to the threat of Pavos, this was their primary interaction with the Nako, and the Orrisi presented a stubborn (if doomed) resistance to Qount Martelo's conquest.

Since their conversion to the teachings of Kan, the passions of the Orrisi have become mroe controlled. While their territory still produces war leaders of renown, and supplied many troops to oppose the Pavosi invasion, the unity Kan brought to the islands was a sacred thing. No longer do Orrisi chiefs plot conquest - instead, they have turned their energies to the mastery of their islands. Worked metals have become increasingly common as the Orrisi embrace the smith's art wholeheartedly, and their spearcraft is renowned even on the Pavosi mainland. A warrior tradition is slowly transitioning into a soldier's tradition, though it will take many years yet for honor duels to go out of vogue.

Spoiler: Resources

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Paper: MinorFlax is the most widespread commercial crop on the islands, serving as textile, food supplement, and most importantly the base for their paper. Forced to expand their production to meet the bureaucratic needs of the burgeoning Republic of Pavos, many of Orrisinata's mills remained in operation even after the Kanite schism.

Unfortunately, the scattered nature of the isles and the rugged topography of their forests has made the collection of lumber a continual source of frustration. Now under the control of a new government, there are high hopes among the Orrisi that this deficiency might finally be resolved.

Spoiler: Religion

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Filtering the teachings of Kan through their extant respect for the spirits of fire, the Orrisi favor the virtues of Purity and Honor in their teachings of the Nine Candles. They have in many ways embraced the role as guardians of the faith, no doubt explaining their intent to rejoin Kan directly no matter his guise. Fire is used in a great many ceremonies still, usually in a brazier fed by sweet herbs to supplement the faith's traditional incense burning.

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Phelnius
(originally Ankis and Tanuto)
Region 455, HalfTangible
Nation: Primus Imperium
Population: ???

(Written up by Randoman - thanks buddy!)

Spoiler: Terrain

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Composed of two relatively small islands with enough ocean between them to consume the better part of a day of travel on a rudimentary ship it is of some surprise that the peoples inhabiting these two islands are recognized as a unified people. However, the two islands, Ankis to the south and Tanuto to the north have long served as bastions for bilaterally intertwined culture between the two sister islands. Some scholars speculate this shared culture and crossover between the two islands, similar but separate from their eastern neighboring islands, is due to the incredible similarity between the two landmasses.

Both Ankis and Tanuto are of volcanic origin, with large central peaks covered in tropical rainforest; the steeper slopes leading to these peaks are mostly uninhabited. The majority of the population on both islands lives closer to the sea where the terrain flattens out. There are numerous rivers descending from the mountains of both islands, which provide fresh water to the local population. The climate is tropical. There are two seasons annually: the dry season for the first five months of the year, and the rainy season in the remaining seven. Both islands and their coastal waters support a great diversity of life and local scholars still claim discoveries of unrecognized species with every excursion made into the interior or the sea.

The largest city in Ankis lies on its northeastern coast and shares the name of the island. While the island dialect distinguishes the two through a unique pronunciation foreigners often default to referring to the city simply as "Ankis City" a separate entity from the whole of Ankis. As the islands parallel so do its man-made structures and along the southwestern coast of Tanuto its primary city, Nef named after a legendary king of the northern island, stands as a sister to Ankis across the waves. These cities each host the largest ports on the islands and while easily dwarfed by many other cities elsewhere in the world among the island cluster in which the two islands sit both cities are marveled at for their beauty and craftsmanship afforded to them by the vast trade of pearls produced by the region's abundant waters.

Spoiler: People

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The people of both islands know themselves as the Nako and claim a long history dating back well before even the beginning of the Aenic Calendar. According to their own myths and legends they arose from the sea alongside the islands themselves by the will of the spirits whom wished to see what life among the animals was like to live. The spirits found their creation pleasing and the men and women most at peace and serene with their world found themselves reincarnated to enjoy the heavenly experience of life upon the sacred islands. Kings, queens, and holy men throughout both islands' histories are believed to have often been one reincarnation of an earlier royal or spiritual leader and the people maintain a long and complex oral tradition naming previous reincarnations of each of the various "lines" known as Yora most often translated as "Noble Soul" or "Noble" (though few share direct paternal blood relations as many other nobles do). New noble lines are uncommon as evidence for possessing a previous incarnation are often found in the place of declaration of a new line although on occasion where a reincarnation is already living that would match the line claimed by a confirmed noble soul.

Nobility of the soul is determined by a council of confirmed nobles as well as the family of the claiming person. It is expected that the family speak honestly of the candidate that any dark or unsavory actions be brought to light although in practice this is not always followed. In accordance with a self morally policing society familial bonds and transparency are incredibly important to the Nako. Breaking one's word, reneging on an agreement, forcing capitulation, and disrespecting one's family, elders, or a noble are all deeply frowned upon. The Nako do not believe in capital punishment and are loathe to shed blood themselves, preferring to send repeating offenders into the jungle interior to survive or die alone for a minimum of five years and a maximum of twenty. If, after their sentence they return and are repentant they are welcomed back as a newborn washed clean of their past misdeeds. With the advent of more advanced ships brought by the Aeldir many of these convicts have sought to escape the islands in search of greener pastures elsewhere.

The people themselves are universally black haired and tan of skin. They dress lightly in clothing made of leather, feathers, and plant fronds although attempts by both the Pavosi and the Aeldir have seen the introduction of more conservative dress among the people. Standing between 5'8 and 6'2 men and women possess equal roles within the communities. Not a warrior people and driven by community both the mother and father figures are revered and the expectation of fraternal and sororal obligations are high. Dance is a commonly invoked ritual both spiritually and communally and with their affinity for dance comes an affinity for music. A number of Aeldir brought to administrate the island are said to have openly wept at the depth and beauty of Nako epics even without understanding of the words so great was the emotion and skill of the musicians.

Spoiler: Resources

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The two islands' most abundant resources are their Pearls: Great. Oysters of many varying shapes, sizes, and colors fill the bays and shorelines of both islands producing a great many number of pearls for harvesting and refining. Though they see little use outside personal decoration among the populace the people long ago discovered the value placed in them by their neighbors both among the islands and upon the continent from which the Pavos came. As such a great many found themselves filling the role of pearl divers for the bountiful prices paid by these foreign merchants though the recent destruction of the Pavos Republic has left many wondering whether their trade goods shall still be so highly sought.

Introduced to silver by the Pavosi and lacking metals of their own the Noka desire both precious metals for jewelery and decoration exemplifying wealth and broad travel as well as hard metals for tools and common use. The demands for hard metal far outstrip the wants for jewelery among the elite.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of the islands hold many ancient spiritual traditions but all of these practices are unified through the lens provided by the Doctrine of the Nine Candles which the whole of the people adhere to. Subjugated by the first Qount Martelo in the first expansion of the Republic into the islands many resented all that came with the Republic. However, it is said that in the years where Martelo sought redemption and inner peace he came and traveled among the mystics and spiritualists of the Nako first so peaceful and touching were the islands upon the conqueror's heart. While the Qount eventually adopted the teachings of the Nine Candles that he found salvation in the story of Kan and was so transformed by it is credited to the religious beliefs of reincarnation espoused by the peoples of Ankis and Tanuto. That Crudice Primus so clearly shows signs of Kan and the First Martelo is taken as evidence of the truth of the islands' beliefs and the people strongly adhere to their beliefs and the Nine Virtues that help to define their beliefs for those beyond the islands.

[Tychris1]

Spoiler: Region 222 Ríkgulli

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Region 222
Population: 715,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Ríkgulli is a land of surprisingly temperate weather, with large fields that go months untouched by the harsher weathers of the north, and streams from Nifhel flowing down through it after the ice and snow of the blighted wasteland melts. Consisting mostly of flatlands and a few disparate forests, a handful of snow tipped mountains and the occasional freak blizzard act as a reminder that this land of golden fields is on the border of Nifhel. The namesake and center of civilization for the population of Ríkgulli is the Golden Ocean a wide and deep valley where the vast majority of the landscapes Canola can be found growing during spring and summer. So thick is the growth of these plants that when the breeze blows through the valley just right, it shimmers and waves like a massive ocean of gold.

Spoiler: People

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The people of Ríkgulli are obviously of Nifelic descent, living so closely to Nifhel, and to the casual observer one might mistake the other at a distance. Closer examination reveals that they lack the magical taint that courses through a Nifhel Raiders veins, often times standing an inch or two shorter on average, and for the most part dress in clothing that consists of cloth more often than fur. They are also far less barbarous than the Nifhel, their society consisting more of gatherers and farmers then their hunting and raiding kin.

Spoiler: Religion

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Ríkgulli possesses a minority of Pale Lady worshippers and a Majority of Cult of the Fimbulvintr worshippers.

Spoiler: Resource

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Ríkgulli possesses a [Good] resource of Canola that the local population harvests from the Golden Ocean, and they are in desperate need of Large Mammals to eat and help till their fields.

Spoiler: Region P3 Gjallarbrú

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Region P3
Population: 600,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Gjallarbrú is a land of fractured ice caps, massive icebergs, and frigid waterfalls. Massive pillars of stone jut out of the frozen sea beneath this land, like the fingers of a decrepit god reaching to the sky trying to escape its watery tomb. With no fertile land and no reprieve from the harsh winds and crashing water, no animals live upon the surface of Gjallarbrú, but beneath the surface thrives a deadly and alien ecosystem. Many common fish like salmon swim beneath, but these treacherous waters also hold massive predators the most frequent and venerated of which are sharks. Dead Man's Pit a massive hole near the center of Gjallarbrú is a frequent hunting ground for sharks and a ritual sacrificial hole for appeasing them and ensuring they frequent the spot.

Spoiler: People

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The people of Gjallarbrú are stocky and slightly tan of skin, their bodies well adjusted to the treacherous thin ice that is abundant throughout their homeland. Nomadic and vicious, they cover themselves in furs stolen from foreign lands and clothing fashioned from dead fish. Preferring to use spears in combat, they frequently fight over the best fishing spots, and when the hunting grounds dry up they resort to cannibalism and mysticism to survive. Venerating the Shark for its hunter qualities, strength, and endurance the people of Gjallarbrú see eating a shark as a delicacy. The most rare and coveted form of eating a shark involves fishing it out, burying it underground for weeks before digging it up, letting it dry for months before cutting it up and serving it to the tribe.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Gjallarbrú have a majority religion of Cult of the Fimbulvintr, and they believe that Hákar the Ice Shark, Lord of the Ocean, Predators, and the Hunt is a member of the Fimbulvintr's spirit council. While not rejected by the Cult, this spirit of the North has also not been fully accepted yet.

Spoiler: Resource

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Gjallarbrú has a [Good] supply of Fish, on account of the massive underwater ecosystem that thrives beneath them and their easy access to it. However, on account of their violent lifestyle and mundane fishing tools, they desperately require Metals to make tools with.

Spoiler: Region P2 Hel

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Region P2
Population 545,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Hel is a shattered and warped landscape, with very little even ground anywhere, and consisting of mostly valleys and mountains sloping all about. Blanketed with ice and snow, the land is almost perpetually sunny or atleast shimmering with light as the northern lights are particularly strong and frequent here. The only land to match this phenomenon is Nifhel, and considering how frequent the deadly blizzards can get around the winter times inspired the close naming. Populated predominately by razor beaked penguins who ride the slopes of the land hunting for lesser prey, the sloped landscape is also home to wolves, walrus, bears, and owls. Yet all of them bow before the penguin, who predominately roost around the largest most treacherous mountain in the region Knife's Peak.

Spoiler: People

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The people of Hel are of obvious Nifelic descent, large barbarous warriors who stand head and shoulders over the average man. Disorganized and fractured into countless tribes, the people of Hel claim whatever mountains or pieces of territory are available to them and only leave their hunting grounds to declare war or raid other tribes. Due to the twisting and curving landscape, the people of Hel often transport themselves via sleds which are often times dragged by a team of the penguins that populate the treacherous landscape.

Spoiler: Religion

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Hel contains a majority religion of Cult of the Fimbulvintr and minor religions of Agnosticism and Atheism.

Spoiler: Resource

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Hel has a [Good] Resource of Penguins which have adapted to the harsh and violent conditions of their lands and become more muscular and predatory as a result. Predominately black and red, their lifeless eyes are frequently white or blue beneath their large bushy eyebrows, and they frequently use pack tactics to make up for their small size and overwhelm larger creatures. As a result of the killing capabilities of the local creatures, the people of Hel require Metal to successfully hunt or defend themselves.

Spoiler: Region P8 Eljudnir

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Region P8
Population 683,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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If poets were sent to traverse Eljudnir instead of the brave adventurers under Pestilence's guiding hand, they might have described it as the battleground of the divine ones. The land is a blasted and desolate wasteland, with large holes and gouges ripped all through out it as if giants once lived here and did battle. A large crevasse rips through the center of the land and carves its way from one end to the other, a treacherous depth atleast a league down. Gushing rivers and chunks of ice floating on frozen lakes are a common sight in this land, whose underwater life remains unmolested and alive in contrast to the barren lifeless surface. At the center of the massive crevasse through this land is a seemingly bottomless hole, twenty men wide, and referred to by the local population as Fallandaforad. It is said that if one were to put their ear over the edge of this pit fall to the abyss, they could hear all the screaming voices of those who fell, and yet who would risk slipping and falling in themselves?

Spoiler: People

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The people of Eljudnir seem to be some strange hybrid of the Stone beasts of Móðguðr and their native human population. Normal men cursed with blood shot eyes, a short life span, and a stony skin condition that covers their body like birth marks. Their teeth are needle like and constantly growing, while their stony skin is frequently peeling off and replacing itself, and they constantly hunger and seek to devour food. The verifiability of their relation with Móðguðr is up in the air however, as Clan Grimmson has met frequent rebuttal from the Cave Queens of the land who consider such a notion as interbreeding to be heretical and completely outlandish. For the time being, the people of Móðguðr persecute the people of Eljudnir, and considering their subhuman status the Great Clans of Nifhel are loathe to intervene and simply adopt a laissez faire stance on their infighting.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Eljudnir have a majority Cult of the Fimbulvintr religion and a minority Pale Lady religion, though they have perverted their Pale Lady worship to a far more violent and conflict driven variation of it that is almost unrecognizable by the church.

Spoiler: Resource

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Eljudnir has a [Good] resource of Fish and require Meat to sate their ravenous hungers.

Spoiler: Region P1 Hekla

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Spoiler: Terrain

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Hekla is rife with snowy volcanic mountains, many of which have died and slumbered since before the local population could remember. With glaciers grinding in from the east, the snow driven lands are prone to change and are often blanketed with soot and ash, carried on by the winds from lava belching maws in the distance. Many tribes make camp within the yawning abyss of these dead fire gods, fortifications and cities built into mountains as a means of defending themselves from both the deadly weather and foreign invaders. Few animals call Hekla home, save for the odd polar bear, winter wolf, caribou or sheep. More often than not these animals are spotted on the outskirts of the land, as they tend to avoid the more ashen regions of Hekla though a few of them seem to have adapted to the near constant ash and sport different hued coats. The God Gate, the largest active volcano in Hekla that produces the vast majority of ash in the land, is a frequent site of battle and sacrifice as the local population venerates it as the spot where the Fimbulvintr entered the world, and so to die in glorious battle before it is almost an assured way to rest for eternity by the Winter Warrior's side.

Spoiler: People

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Population: 402,000

The people of Hekla are of Nifhel descent, broad shouldered warriors ranging from 6 feet to 6 and a half feet on average. Predominately sporting blue eyes and grey hair, they are often times covered in blotchy birth marks, and are hunters all. To the outside world they perhaps may seem the most civilized among the polar people, as they are most prone to creating permanent cities and engaging in trade amongst each other, but they are no less bloodthirsty than there distant kin. Masters of siege craft, the preferred weapon of Hekla is the longbow, and battles between city-states are often an entrenched and confusing affair of arrows, fire, stealth operations, and rapid abandoning of the battlefield whenever a blizzard or volcanic eruption occurs. As a result of this steeds are highly prized among the Hekla people.

Many wise men from Clans Niffeldruch and Hardrada have ingratiated themselves with the local populace, the two Clans vying for more control of the land and its populace, and as of such often times act as intermediaries between the various city-states that dot the landscape in matters of trade, war, and religion.

Spoiler: Resource

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Due to their predominately living in mountains and volcanoes, the people of Hekla have a Good Stone resource, something they utilize both in making tools and fortifications to supplement the tactical advantages of the local landscape. However, thanks to the polluted winds carrying ash, hunting for animals is quite difficult, and so Food is in short supply.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Hekla have a majority Cult of the Fimbulvintr worship and a minority Ancestor worship.

[woolli264]

Ruby Legion of the Crystal Union part two

The rest is here

Spoiler: Region 132 Heimat

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Lizard-Horn

Spoiler: Race

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The people of Heimat are called Schmetterlings. The Schmetterlings are reptilian humanoids tails, teeth and all. They stand three to four feet tall, with a long horn on their foreheads adding another couple of inches. During a deadly religious tournament known as the Totung games they collect the horns of their fallen foes and incorporate the most prominent into jewelry, armour, weapons and clothing. The less exceptional ones are kept in their homes.
The Tötung Games are a series of annual duels that serve as a right of passage and are supposedly entertaining to the ‘gods’ the Fliege. All young Schmetterlings (ages 3-9) enter the arena and have their arms tightly bound behind their backs. They then fight to the death in a one-on-one combat against another initiate their age, using their horns, and the winner eats their opponent, and hangs their skull on their trophy rack. Winning does not guarantee life, however, as the winner often dies from infection or blood loss as a result of wounds that they do not know how to clean, cover or heal. The games are won by the child who kills and eats their opponent the fastest.

The Fliege are two feet long giant orange butterflies. They are as stupid as a regular butterfly only far more immense. The Schmetterlings believe these insects to be gods and hold truly barbaric rituals and events in their honor often sacrificing the cripples, diseased and any who stand against the Töt, or priests, to the Fliege in dramatic, bloody and painful ways. Dismemberment is popular.

The Schmetterlings are not all bad, however. The fact that they tolerate these practices is based around a few things. Firstly only those born into the religious leaders families are exempt from the games and most of them will become the new Töt priests so they continue the practices. Secondly in order to survive the games you must be able to massacre other children and some truly good people cannot bring themselves to do this and are killed in response. Finally many fear the Töt as they wield the power and shower wealth upon the greatest warriors to ensure that the best of the winners of the Tötung games will defend them from rabble makers. Also those who do survive but are not good enough to serve the Töt have often received injuries and are weaker than the Töts own soldiers.

After coming under the control of the Ruby Legion Queen Eleanor the wise was outraged to hear of what the Tot were tolerated to do. She sent thousands of Sasu Warriors flooding into the country to wage a holy war and destroy the blasphemy that was Tot. She has since received messages of mistrust from some in the Venaton and other foreign powers have misjudged her as a barbarian but she was wise in doing this for when the seas of rebellions came flooding across the world in the year 131 the Tot would have already been dealt with for they were a fairly strong military force, defeated more by bad luck and elements of surprise than the Sasu's own skill.

Spoiler: Resources

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In Heimat the people have a few trees here and there and clear cutting is a common practice when building mansions and temples for the fliege. They use most of the wood for themselves but usually have a [minor] amount left over to export.
-Trudeau Trail
They wish for more precious metals in order to decorate their gruesome altars to the fliege or more recently, the far less gruesome temples to the order of the eternal soul.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Heimat worship the Fliege, a completely unintelligent breed of large butterflies. They sacrifice their own species in order to please the Fliege. They also participate in the totung games as described above. Simply for the reason of wishing to do so the religious leaders rule the entire country from their blood stained churches.

After the purge, however, the majority of the freed Schmetterlings converted to the Order of the Eternal Soul as it was the only other religion presented to them and far less brutal than their previous cults.

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Heimat would be a dense rainforest like the other nearby regions but much of the nature has been destroyed by its reckless inhabitants leaving only small patches of woodlands.

Landmark
In the center of Heimat, there is a giant city, populated by Schmetterlings. It has buildings made of oakwood, but it’s outer walls are made of ancient stone, and they stand twenty feet tall. The Schmeterlings in this city are either winners of the Totung games who live in small primitive huts or religious leaders who each have palaces in their honor. At the center of city is the Tötung Arena.

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Spoiler: Region 141 Adrax Awaria

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(copied with minor edits from original post by Dimple)
Northwards Southwards

Population 890 000

Spoiler: People

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In Adrax Awaria, the people are called banions. They are between five and six feet tall, when they are fully grown. At birth, they are a colour of the rainbow, and they slowly change colour, until they are another at natural death. Their eyes can look like any gemstone you can think of. Their black hair is worn long and greasy.
The past 100 years:
1: Frescobaldi unifies Adrax Awaria as one country.
5: Frescobaldi is assassinated by a rebel.
10: Anti Unification Rebels have begun frequent attacks against the government.
15: A full out civil war is started, dividing Adrax Awaria in two parts. The North and the South, the Adrax and the Awaria.
40: The Awarian Rebels overpower the Adraxians. The remaining Adraxians flee to the beach, where they can hide underground.
60: The Adraxians recommence the civil war, starting by reconquering the beach.
80: The Adraxians conquer the North side of the wall.
Grand Sheep Jack XII is born.
90: Peace is restored, as Adrax Awaria becomes reunited as one country.
100: Grand Sheep Jack XII breaks down the wall, to ensure peace.

Homes
Banions live in complex tunnel systems, going no more than 10 meters underground, with rocks as their front doors.
Banions can also live in hollowed out trees, with giant mushrooms as doors.
Finally, they can live in tents on the Northern beach.

Spoiler: Religion

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A small portion of the banions follow The Grand Church of Daen, while another larger portion follows The Doctorine of the Nine Candles. The rest does not support any religion.
The Grand Church of Daen Minority.
The Doctorine of the Nine Candles Minority.
Religionless Majority.
Order of the Eternal Soul Minority

Spoiler: Resource

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The most common pass time and job in Adrax Awaria is the [good] art of chicken farming. They can be used for feathers, eggs, claws, beaks, meat bones etc.
-Jungle Jaunt
-Trudeau Trail
A resource that they need is wood. They need it to build fences to contain their chickens, build houses and make water transportation.

Spoiler: Terrain

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The terrain of Adrax Awaria is loosely forested, by moon berry trees, providing food for chickens and only chickens, as they are toxic to all other species, and they make chickens really fat. In the North, there is a white sand beach, containing most of the population of Adrax Awaria. This is the ideal spot for chicken farming, as it is easy to watch all of the chickens here. Adrax Awarians still farm chickens in the forest, but it is less common because it is easier for them to run away.

Landmarks
•The main Landmark is a giant 100 meter tall rock on the beach, carved into a glorious portrait of the founder of Adrax Awaria, Frescobaldi. They call it, The stone Portrait of Frescobaldi, the founder.
•Another Landmark is The Broken North Western Wall of Adrax Awaria, broken down ten years after Peace was restored in Adrax Awaria. Each Homestead was given a small portion of the wall to signify peace throughout Adrax Awaria.

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Spoiler: Region 136 Starkold

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Chill Town

Spoiler: People

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The humans of Starkold, known as Koldmen are easily recognizable by their broad shoulders, blue-grey eyes and light hair varying from blond to light brown. They are renowned for their frightful presence on the battlefield, their unwavering sense of honour and their fish. These fish are caught almost entirely in rivers by men balancing on rocks protruding from the frigid water and wildly swinging nets, spears and bare hands to retrieve the fish they need to survive. It is truly a heroic sight to see them as they risk their own lives unwaveringly for those of their families and villages. The Koldmen wear layers of fur under cloaks to keep warm in the cold air. They compete with polar bears for fish in the rivers and they compete with the white wolves that roam the southern plains for furs and territory. The Koldmen domesticate very few animals but the occasional wolf as a pet or hunting companion is not unheard of among the wealthier folk.

Spoiler: Religion

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Faiths vary but the faiths that are practiced are practiced fervently and unfailingly. They follow the teachings of the animal gods. Followers of Wolf value teamwork and camaraderie, followers of Bear seek out power and physical strength followers of deer value nature and are often some form of vegetarian, so on and so on. Most animals have a representative god with at least a couple followers though some are quite obscure.
(unorganised sole)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The region is a field of ice that is slightly hilly in the north and quite flat in the south. It is pocked with lakes and rivers that carry the fish exported by the Koldmen. Lynx are uncommon and are replaced by polar bears and white wolves as the main predator while rabbits and hares are still quite common. Squirrels are exceedingly rare but have been seen and migrational birds and Caribou do frequent the area.
A landmark is the stone city of Slappathbolg, whose towers are visible for miles and is one of the few havens of safety for a long while. It is in the shape of a ten sided star and filled with tall towering buildings that stand strongly against the icy wind. The flags of blue and silver that decorate the keep contrast the warm glow escaping from many a window into the narrow streets below. All manner of people live here and all are welcome to escape the cold and the beasts that threaten the outsiders.

Spoiler: Resource

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Fish (good) The great men of Starkold gather fish as they rush down the river rapids using nets, spears or their bare hands.
They desire Livestock to feed and clothe themselves a bit more reliably and to help in the taming of wolves.

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Spoiler: Region 127 Gelummus

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Region 127 Gelummus

Terrain
Ice snow and rocks, Gelummus is not a forgiving place to the average observer.
The natives would beg to differ. They know that beneath the ice are fish filled rivers and silver rich caverns. They know that the short warm seasons provide all that the native animals need for the long winters. The wild mountain goats in the north and the awe inspiring mammoths in the conifer forests to the south as well as the migratory bison herds throughout the region are evidence of this.

There are very few defined settlements though some small mining communities do exist. Instead the region is marked by circuitous trails where tribes of Furfolk follow herds of goat, bison or mammoth.

Near the centre of Gelummus, though a bit to the north east, many of these trails intersect around a series of standing stones that have thousands of Furfolk hand prints carved in them. Warriors of great renown chisel out the shape of their hands for all the future generations to remember their bravery.

People

The people of Gelummus are Furfolk with thick grey fur ranging from silver to almost black. They believe that in the beginning there were three great boulders and out of each broke the first goat, mammoth and bison. Each animal created a tribe of Furfolk. Goat created the lean Skewin tribe of the north and blessed them with speed to navigate the mountainous terrain and escape the Lynx of the mountains. Bison created the hardy Wanus tribe and blessed them with bravery to defend themselves from the prowling wolves and wild barbarians. Mammoth created the proud Meanto tribe and blessed them with the strength to survive the frigid cold of the south.

Over the years these tribes split into many smaller ones and adopted different lifestyles but all Furfolk of the region still bear many similarities to one of the three tribes.

The majority of people live as nomads following herds of the various animals around the mountains plains and forests of the region. When it is necessary to kill an animal all of it is used from the tail used as a fly swatter to the bladder and stomach used as water skins and the like. It is deemed incredibly wasteful to kill an animal and not use every last bit of it. As a result the animal populations are safe from over hunting because even a few goats, let alone a mammoth, can provide sustenance for enormous periods of time.

Those who do not live off of the animals often become miners building small villages close to places where many migration routes intersect. The miners gather coal and iron from the earth to build tools which they trade with the nomads. They are also quite keen to avoid waste and as a result carefully craft every item that they make to avoid mistake. They also create very little of artistic value as such things are deemed eccentric and a waste of time and energy that could be used to follow more practical pursuits. This is why, until recently, almost no one mined any of the silver found throughout the region as they thought of it as a worthless metal that was just a less effective version of the other metals they already used for tools.

Finally, there are the barbaric tribes who steal from and kill their hard working cousins. They are known only as the "you." The Gelummese only refer to their enemies as you and will say things like "are we hungry?" Or "we should come inside now" when referring to anyone that they don't hold a grudge against.

Religion
The Gelummese have a tradition of honouring the bravest, strongest and swiftest of their tribes by carving shapes of their hands into a collection of stones said to be the remnants of the boulders that the first bison, goat and mammoth burst forth from. They also pray to these three beings during times of famine, disease, and other issues of great import.


Resource

Some ambitious Gelummese give up the self sustaining life style that most favour and strike out to survive off of the silver that they sell to foreign merchants in exchange for the means to live comfortably. They build estates in the north and arm them with small personal garrisons to defend themselves and their wealth from thieves. At the moment most people follow the d ways of life but some elders fear that more and more ambitious young tribesmen will seek out comfort and wealth over peace with nature and the gods, especially while the region is ruled by the ever growing Crystal Union.

They desire food to prove to the other natives that they can survive in this lifestyle as well as if not better than the old way of life and because the tribes refuse to trade food (or anything at all) with the greedy traders.

[Kythia]

The Izele Clans

The Clanlands

Spoiler: 85 Izele Clanlands

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Spoiler: Terrain

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Coastal plains sloping off steeply towards mountains in the west. Some long-dead civilization made its home in these lands, and all that is known now of them is the standing stones dotting the landscape, some barely knee high, most as tall as a man and one, at the base of a path ascending in to the mountains, a true colossus standing almost thirty feet high and a rich red totally at odds with the surrounding granite and shale. It's at the base of this rock - its name varies wildly amongst the divergent languages of the clans - that the rare meetings that require all the clan heads to be present are held.

Spoiler: People

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The Izele are a tall and powerfully muscled dark skinned people better at short bursts of exertion than sustained endurance. Of course, it's only outsiders who recognise the existence of "the Izele" as a demograph. To the people themselves, they are a widely disparate group who's loyalty is to the clan not the people. Clans form a complicated web of rivalries, alliances and power structures rendered even more disparate by the region not having a single language. While scholars realise all the clan's languages are from a common root, that doesn't necessarily make them mutually intelligible and geographically seperated clans struggle to understand each other without specifically learning one another's language. Maintaining the shifting power structures across this language barrier, though, has given the inhabitants a remarkable skill with picking up at least the basics of a new language.

Most Izele live a semi-pastoral subsistence lifestyle with luxuries being rare. Fishing at the coast leads to farming across the plains gradually melds in to hunting in the mountains though it is a rare clan that is entirely fishers, farmers or hunters. Trade is largely through barter across clans and a vaguely communist shared warehouse within a clan - settlements are small enough that societal disapproval and possible exile keep all pulling their weight.

Recently one of the plains clans, the Shoksa, have grown to prominence through a combination of military might and diplomacy, led by a queen with the intense eyes only seen in a prophetess or a madwoman - and specifically the intense and possibly violent eyes that dissuade people from wondering if there is a difference.

Spoiler: Resources

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The Shoksa are beekeepers and their hives are one of the first changes they make to a newly captured settlement. The peculiar flavoured honeys they have mastered making form a staple part of their own diet but would likely be seen as exotic, and pricey, luxury spices to foreigners. However, bees aren't heavy and beehives are seldom moved, the Shoksa have seen no need to domesticate beasts of burden - a rarity in fact throughout the Izele as a whole. If they seek to expand beyond a radius determined by a laden walker with low endurance, this will need to be remedied.

(Has: Shoksa Honey/Spices
Requires: Beasts of Burden - J)

Spoiler: Faith

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The Izele have more gods than clans. Or possibly less. Or maybe the same. Each clan worships it's own mini-pantheon of animist spirits and often offers at least cursory praise to those of allies while viewing those of enemies as demons. Some of these gods may be the same ones with different names, some of the ones with the same name may have developed such widely divergent theologies as to be different ones. Matching the complex network of gods, named in almost a hundred different languages and viewed as beneficial or malevolent spirits depending on an ever-shifting matrix of alliances and hatreds is a task to make the most dedicated of archivists weep and none have yet attempted it.

(Solely Pagans)

Spoiler: 84 Northern Izele Clanlands

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Spoiler: Terrain

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Coastal plains sloping off steeply towards mountains in the west. This area was once a major religious centre for a long dead civilization. In the foothills of the mountain there is the ruins of a once great temple complex. Built from a non-native red stone it is surrounded by a ring of Standing Stones whose positions correlate to sunset on various days - the solstices, equinoxes and a few others without any great astronomical significance that were presumably holy days of the religion in question. Many statues depict dogs and a large part of the temple complex was clearly once kennels.

Spoiler: People

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Like its neighbours to the south, this land is inhabited by the muscular dark skinned Izele. Clans form a complicated web of rivalries, alliances and power structures rendered even more disparate by the region not having a single language. While scholars realise that all the clan's languages are from a common root, that doesn't necessarily make them mutually intelligible and geographically seperated clans struggle to understand each other without specifically learning one another's language. Maintaining the shifting power structures across this language barrier, though, has given the inhabitants a remarkable skill with picking up at least the basics of a new language.

Most Izele live a semi-pastoral subsistence lifestyle with luxuries being rare. Fishing at the coast leads to farming across the plains gradually melds in to hunting in the mountains though it is a rare clan that is entirely fishers, farmers or hunters. Trade is largely through barter across clans and a vaguely communist shared warehouse within a clan - settlements are small enough that societal disapproval and possible exile keep all pulling their weight.

Spoiler: Resources

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A great number of dog packs live in the land, the speculation is that they are the feral descendants of the inhabitants of the temple complex who escaped when whatever happened to the complex happened to it. Their names vary across the variety of Izele languages, but the Shoksa call them "Inja". Diseases are rampant amongst the dog hordes - rabies, various parasitic infections, viruses and others - and the native inhabitants struggle with a lack of Medicines to overcome this.

Has: [Good] Dogs
Requires: Medicines (G)

Spoiler: Religion

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The Izele have more gods than clans. Or possibly less. Or maybe the same. Each clan worships it's own mini-pantheon of animist spirits and often offers at least cursory praise to those of allies while viewing those of enemies as demons. Some of these gods may be the same ones with different names, some of the ones with the same name may have developed such widely divergent theologies as to be different ones. Matching the complex network of gods, named in almost a hundred different languages and viewed as beneficial or malevolent spirits depending on an ever-shifting matrix of alliances and hatreds is a task to make the most dedicated of archivists weep and none have yet attempted it.

(Solely Pagans)

Spoiler: 86 Southern Izele Clanlands

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Spoiler: Terrain

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Coastal plains sloping off gently towards low mountains in the west. This regoin was once arable farming, the breadbasket of the mighty empire that once held these lands. It is still seperated, in places, in to large fields by low stone walls. Now, though, the majority of the walls have fallen down and their stone salvaged to use elsewhere. Worse, the generations of over-farming left this region as a dustbowl from which it has still not recovered. Short, tough grass is all that grows in the nutrient poor soil unless havily fertilised with manure from the yaks that make their home here.

Spoiler: People

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The Izele are a tall and powerfully muscled dark skinned people better at short bursts of exertion than sustained endurance. Of course, it's only outsiders who recognise the existence of "the Izele" as a demograph. To the people themselves, they are a widely disparate group who's loyalty is to the clan not the people. Clans form a complicated web of rivalries, alliances and power structures rendered even more disparate by the region not having a single language. While scholars realise all the clan's languages are from a common root, that doesn't necessarily make them mutually intelligible and geographically seperated clans struggle to understand each other without specifically learning one another's language. Maintaining the shifting power structures across this language barrier, though, has given the inhabitants a remarkable skill with picking up at least the basics of a new language.

Most Izele live a semi-pastoral subsistence lifestyle with luxuries being rare. Fishing at the coast leads to farming across the plains gradually melds in to hunting in the mountains though it is a rare clan that is entirely fishers, farmers or hunters. Trade is largely through barter across clans and a vaguely communist shared warehouse within a clan - settlements are small enough that societal disapproval and possible exile keep all pulling their weight.

Recently one of the plains clans, the Shoksa, have grown to prominence through a combination of military might and diplomacy, led by a queen with the intense eyes only seen in a prophetess or a madwoman - and specifically the intense and possibly violent eyes that dissuade people from wondering if there is a difference.

Spoiler: Resources

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Yaks, barely domesticated, are all that can survive on the bitter grasses growing here and they are used for both their meat and, more importantly, the fertilizer they produce by the native clans. Although they provide some food, and fishing provides some more, famine is common in these lands and they require imports of food desperately if they are to prosper.

(Has: Yaks Minor
Requires: Food

Spoiler: Faith

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The Izele have more gods than clans. Or possibly less. Or maybe the same. Each clan worships it's own mini-pantheon of animist spirits and often offers at least cursory praise to those of allies while viewing those of enemies as demons. Some of these gods may be the same ones with different names, some of the ones with the same name may have developed such widely divergent theologies as to be different ones. Matching the complex network of gods, named in almost a hundred different languages and viewed as beneficial or malevolent spirits depending on an ever-shifting matrix of alliances and hatreds is a task to make the most dedicated of archivists weep and none have yet attempted it.

(Solely Pagans)

The Diaspora Lands

Spoiler: 109 Emiqolombeni

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Spoiler: Terrain

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High peaks, the majority of which are snowcapped all year separated by steep valleys with fast flowing streams running through them. While there is some greenery in the valleys the vast majority of the region has nothing more than lichen. Numerous caves dot the mountains and one or two show signs of former habitation - one large complex has been worked with stone tools to open caves in to one another and form a fairly expansive complex. This system, called Emiqolombeni by the Izele who have taken residence in there, has sections that are naturally heated by the magma reservoir of a currently dormant volcano.

Spoiler: People

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The natives of Emiqolombeni are tall fair skinned humans living in primitive clan-based structures semi-united under a High King who demands tribute from the clans under force of arms. However they number only in the thousands. Since their arrival in the region, the dominant ethnic group is the Izele.

The Izele are a tall and powerfully muscled dark skinned people better at short bursts of exertion than sustained endurance. Of course, it's only outsiders who recognise the existence of "the Izele" as a demograph. To the people themselves, they are a widely disparate group who's loyalty is to the clan not the people. Clans form a complicated web of rivalries, alliances and power structures rendered even more disparate by the region not having a single language. While scholars realise all the clan's languages are from a common root, that doesn't necessarily make them mutually intelligible and geographically seperated clans struggle to understand each other without specifically learning one another's language. Maintaining the shifting power structures across this language barrier, though, has given the inhabitants a remarkable skill with picking up at least the basics of a new language.

Spoiler: Resources

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The eight-of-an-inch-long beetles known as Rust Beetles pervade this entire region. They build massive mounds, looking like termite mounds and in some cases stretching up to two or three metres tall. These mounds are made of rusted iron, the Rust Beetles somehow use the heat released by oxidising iron to warm their hatchlings, though of course Izele science isn't sufficiently advanced to phrase it in those terms.

Centuries or longer, though, of Rust Beetle depredation of the natural resources has left what was presumably a once iron-rich area sorely lacking and in fact some of the mounds are dying off.

(Has: [Great] Rust Beetles
Requires: Metal - B)

Spoiler: Faith

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Living in such a harsh environment, the natives do not have their own religion. Some follow a simplistic animalism, praying to mountains to hold off the snow or the sparse forests to keep providing fuel. The Izele have brought the shattered remnants of their own religion which they practice in their cave complex.
(Majority Paganism, Minority Animism

[Geckus]

Further lands of the Clan Holds.

Spoiler: Region 264 - Wallnoth

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Wallnoth
Region: 264
Population: 655,000 humans
Religion: House of the Pale Lady (majority)
Resource: Calign Archaists (Minor)
Needed: Medicinal Herbs

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Spoiler: Terrain

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The rolling hills of this area are interspersed with great lakes fed from the high, snow-covered mountains that stretch the length of its southern border, and coniferous forests cover the mountain’s lower slopes and vast reaches of the hilly terrain.

Scattered about the region are ruins and monuments to a long-dead people that have been named the Calign by the scholars and archeologists who study their legacy. Statues of figures that can only be describes as human-like dot the land, both grand and small; their features are vague and distorted, as if by wear, though the stone they are carved from has proven impervious to hammer and chisel.

Spoiler: People

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The lands north and west of the Shieldwall mountains has been named Wallnoth by its settlers; originally inhabitants of the Phoenixcrest area who sought an escape from the lawlessness and infighting of that regions gangs.

Eventually those settlers were joined by an order of scholars from the east, drawn by the discovery of ancient ruins and statues of a people long past from the world; some claim that these scholars were renegades from the colleges of the Seerono, others believe that they came from even further away, from some unnamed land far across the sea. Regardless of their origin, these scholars soon became a fixture in the region, appearing wherever artifacts of the ancients were discovered.

The region’s one city, HIllscrest, stands at the northern end of the only good pass through the mountains; or at least the beginnings of it do. A great wall stretches across the pass, the first of three planned, and behind that wall the city proper is growing at a slow but steady pace.

Spoiler: Faith

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(Majority) House of the Pale Lady
Many of those who left Pheonixcrest to find a new life in the north were followers of the Lady, and they brought their faith with them to their new land, hoping that she would aid them in facing the daunting challenge of carving a new outpost of civilization from the wilderness.

Spoiler: Resources

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(Minor) Calign Archaists:
The scholars of Wallnoth have made a religion of the study of the ancient ruins and monuments of the region, and through their dedication have unlocked many of the secrets held by their long-dead artificers. Through certain rites of spiritual purification, secret concoctions of rare and deadly herbs, and life-long study, the Calign Archaists are able to perform feats that others can only define as ‘magic’; speaking to animals, influencing the minds of others, healing the sick or injured with a touch, reading the future in the passage of the stars, and calling fire to their open hand. Though their order has remained secretive and possessive of the knowledge they have gleaned, they are not above selling their services, if the price is right.

(Needed) Medicinal Herbs:
The secret crafts practiced by the Archaists requires a wide variety of potent herbs, many of which cannot be found in the region.

Spoiler: Region 267 - Arakhal

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Arakhal
Region: 267
Population: 482,000 humans; 100,000 yeti
Religion: House of the Pale Lady (Sole)
Resource: Barley (Minor)
Needed: Steel

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Spoiler: Terrain

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Arakhal is a land of frozen tundra dotted with perpetually iced over lakes and rivers to the north east and steep, snow covered mountain peaks to the south and west. Howling winds sweep in from the north to break against the mountains, turning the open tundra into a bitterly cold wildland, untouched by the hand of man. The mountains themselves are high and steep, the lower slopes dotted with coniferous forests and brushland. Hidden within range are numerous valleys and plateaus, many of them with exceptionally fertile soil that gives rise to a plethora of plant and animal life.

The towering Winterspear can be seen from across the region, a massive peak that reaches almost twice the height of any other mountain in the range. Many of the locals believe that the Lady herself resides at the zenith, and more than a few heroes and devotees have attempted to scale it’s sheer, ice-covered slopes – many die in the attempt, and none have ever come close to reaching the top.

A species of great man-like carnivorous beasts called the yeti dwell in the higher reaches of the mountains, though they often descend into the valleys and plateaus to hunt. A yeti is a formidable creature, a shaggy white and grey creature able to blend seamlessly into a snowy background despite their great height and powerful build. They are natural climbers, and their clawed hands and feet possess incredible physical strength, giving them exceptional purchase on icy terrain. Alone, they are dangerous adversaries, but the wise warrior remembers that it’s not the yeti you see that kills you, it’s the three you didn’t.

Spoiler: People

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The humans of Arakhal call themselves the Children of Araki, or just Arakis, after the legendary warrior who led their ancestor’s migration to the area. Legend states that in times long past, they were part of a great Empire that spanned many lands and it was an Empire of blood, death, and savagery, where great warriors ruled and all others were subject to their whims. One of the greatest and most savage of these warriors was Araki, called War by those who followed him and Death by any sought to challenge his might; yet despite his endless victories, the fear and awe in which he was held, the great warrior always rested uneasily. One night a woman, cloaked head to toe in shimmering while cloth and veiled against the cold winter winds, came to Araki and offered to ease his sleep and sooth that which had troubled him for so long. Having heard such promises before, Araki took the woman to his bed, intent on ravishing her and asserting his dominance as always he had before; instead, the mighty warlord fell into a sound slumber the moment he removed her veil and gazed upon her face, and in that slumber he dreamed. Legends argue over what it was he dreamed – some claim that he was shown the hollowness he carried within, other that he was shown a vision of the future – but regardless of which, if any, are correct, he awoke alone and as a changed man. No longer did he revel in bloodshed and destruction, instead he sought the greater challenge of healing those he once abused, tending to their wounds and lifting the brutal boot of oppression they had lived beneath. Seeing such ‘weakness’, other warlords and warriors attacked, hoping gain the glory of killing the great warrior. Forced to take up his sword time and again to defend himself or those around him, Araki saw that he could not remain where he was and find the peace he now knew he craved, and so he began a great march towards the borders of the Empire, taking with him any others who wanted a life free of the brutality of the Empire. Araki fended off constant attacks as they travelled, and as the host grew and grew, other warriors, inspired by the change in so great a warlord as Araki, added their blades to his. In time, they reached the very edge of the Empire, and there they met a great host – the gathered warriors of all the great warlords - intent on destroying them. Knowing that there could be no peace with the warlords, and that there was little hope of victory against so mighty a throng, Araki called together his warriors and together they punched a hole through the center of the warlord’s line, pushing them back to form a channel through which the remainder of his following could pass. So ferocious were Araki’s chosen warriors, and so intent were the warlords on his destruction, that none could be spared to chase down the escaping host, and so they passed beyond the Empire’s reach and eventually into the lands now called Arakhal.

On settling in their new lands, a new warrior culture arose – one dedicated to the service and protection of the people, honoring the sacrifice of those who died to give the rest a chance for a better life. Every community larger than a farmstead hosts a warrior lodge, each with its own fighting style and traditions, but all answerable to the leaders of their community (typically as council of elders, but on occasion an elected mayor). The main role of these warrior lodges is as a defense against raiders from outlying regions and the yeti that populate the higher peaks.

The people of Arakhal are a friendly people, welcoming hosts to the few strangers that pass through the mountains, and quick to offer aid to the lost or injured. Their shared history of oppression and violence has forged strong bonds between the communities, and they are quick to come to one another’s defense against yeti attacks and raiders from the northern wastes (and more recently against seemingly uncaring overlords); the few disagreements between the settlements that cannot be talked through are resolved in a contest of champions overseen by a priestess of the Lady to avoid mass conflict and bloodshed.

Spoiler: Faith

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(Sole) House of the Pale Lady
The unnamed woman in the legend of Araki is believed to have been an avatar of the Pale Lady, who saw his deeply hidden desire for peace and ultimately gave him the strength the face the challenge of making that desire a reality. She is held as the patroness of all the warrior lodges (along with her saint, Araki), and is worshipped to the exclusion of all others by the people of Arakhal.

Spoiler: Resources

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(Minor) Barley:
The fertile valleys of Arakhal produce an abundance of edible crops during the spring and summer months, but the largest staple is a particularly cold-resistant strain of barley used for baking bread, cereals, and of course brewing beer.

(Needed) Steel:
The warrior lodges are always in need of good steel for their weapons and armor; the mountains near the towns and villages of men have been found to hold only small deposits of poor quality iron unsuitable for making arms.

Spoiler: Region 256 - Kevishtad

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Kevishtad
Region: 256
Population: 654,000 Humans
Religion: Pagan - Animist (minority)
Resource: Steel (Good)
Needed: Food
Trade Routes:

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Spoiler: Terrain

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The stark mountains and rocky foothills of the Great Barrier Range make up the majority of this region, and here in the center of the mountain range where the peaks are at their highest the craggy grey granite is regularly capped in snow, unlike the more northerly arm of the range. Low-lying scrub and briar thickets are the most common form of plant life in the hills and mountains, consisting of particularly tough and tenacious specimens able to survive in what little poor earth they can find. Native wildlife is scarce; overhunting has seen to the extinction of many species, and the few that remain are cautious and quick. There is a small area of arid flatlands in the north-east, it’s poor soil made worse by constant over-farming.

In the high mountain reaches, there is a cave network where a few of the deeper chambers are lined with clear crystal growths that respond to sound by shedding light, each crystal with it's own color and intensity and awakened by a different pitch or note. It is said that once a skilled singer could create a spectacle beyond compare, an aurora borealis that would dance in harmony with the tune, but constant attempts to collect the crystals (all ending in failure, as the crystals inevitably crumble to powder once removed) have left most of the caverns bare and the display much diminished.

Spoiler: People

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The majority of the population of Kevishtad are the descendants of those native peoples driven out of Hallavad by the arrival of Aladarian conquerers. Having found the land far less hospitable, many of the exiled tribes turned against each other, fighting bitterly over what few scraps of fertile land there were – the less successful found themselves exiled to the rocky hills, or worse, the mountain slopes themselves; forced to eke out a living from what little game or forage could be had. In time, those few particularly strong, cunning, and vicious tribes that had managed to lay claim to the flatlands began using their small surpluses of food to trade with the less fortunate tribes, both gaining a hold over them and reducing the number of raids they had to fend off; even at the ruinous rates of trade imposed by the flatland tribes, those who refused to trade with them (or were refused trade by them) found themselves outmatched by better fed rivals and forced further up the mountains, into worse and worse territory.

Three tribes currently divide the flatlands amongst themselves; the Ligari, the Lobani, and the Kelvati. All three are mirror images of each other; vicious warlords who regularly engage in all sorts of despicable behaviour while clinging to a precarious power, knowing full well that their system is failing along with the land, but not caring as long as it will hold out enough for their life-time.

Spoiler: Faith

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(Minority) Pagan - Animist

The majority of the people of Kevishtad have turned their back on the gods, feeling that the gods have turned away from them, though some still cling to an animistic faith carried to the land by their ancestors.

Spoiler: Resources

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(Good) Steel:
The hills and mountains are rife with veins of iron holding just the right proportions of carbon to make a decent grade of steel. The biggest obstacle the miners face is their ever-present hunger; mining is exhausting work even for a healthy, well-fed man, and the local mines claim a steady toll of lives from those made careless or weak by their poor diet.

(Needed) Food:
With well over half of the habitable land of this region consisting of rocky foothills, and the remainder being an arid grassland with a think soil unsuitable for farming, malnutrition and starvation have been the norm for the people of Kevishtad. Renewed contact and trade with neighbouring regions brings with it the hope for a stable inflow of food.

Spoiler: Region 257 - Hallavad

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Hallavad
Region: 257
Population: 722,000 Humans
Religion: Doctrine of the Nine Candles (minority), Pagan – Animism (minority)
Resource: Gargants (Good)
Needed: Food Crops
Trade Routes: Storm Sea Circle

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Spoiler: Terrain

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A land of open grassy plains and lightly rolling hills bordered by the Great Barrier Range to the west, the Sea of Storms to the east, and Lake Simtrill to the north. Large areas that once boasted thick forest have been completely denuded by the herds of gargants kept by local breeders, leading to the extinction of a great deal of the local wildlife.

Lake Simtrill is a massive freshwater lake teeming with aquatic life, including several species of fish found nowhere else. The eagle rays common to the northern part of the lake seem to avoid the south; common belief is that they have been scared away by the gargants that like to swim along the coast.

Spoiler: People

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The people of Hallavad are a twisted mirror of their northern cousins; old Aladarian colonists ruling as petty lords over a native populace that has grown largely inured to their presence and the near constant conflicts between the so-called ‘nobility’ over land borders, and grazing and breeding rights for the gargant herds. The introduction of new blood in the form of claimants from the Clan Holds with deeds for land grants from the old Aladarian Hegemony threw the region into temporary chaos, as arguments threatened to spill into outright war, but ultimately the lords were forced to accept the claims of the newcomers or lose any legitimacy to their own rule.

Spoiler: Faith

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(Minority) Pagan, (Minority) Doctrine of the Nine Candles
Most of the locals conform to a native animistic religion, though it has few fervent devotees anymore, while others follow the same offshoot of the Doctrine practiced in Darromar.

Spoiler: Resources

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(Good) Gargants:
A gargant is a massive beast, one of the largest terrestrial animals known to man, with adult males typically standing 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) at the shoulder, and weighing 4,000-7,000 kg (8,800-15,400 lbs). They bear a superficial resemblance to one of the great apes, with elongated forelimbs that end in spade-clawed three fingered hands, and a hunched forward-leaning posture; though primarily quadrupedal, they are able to stand and move about solely on their hind legs for short periods of time. Their forward facing eyes, broad noses and shortened muzzle adds to their somewhat humanoid appearance, though there is no evidence that they possess more than animal intelligence. The thick, leathery grey hide of a gargant is tough enough to shed arrows and even turn aside spears and swords.

The gargant herds were once migratory, traversing the entirety of the north-east in a decades long path, but by capturing the rare females of the species, local lords were able to effectively contain and eventually tame the herds, using them as beasts of burden - one gargant can easily do the work of an entire team of oxen. Despite their fearsome appearance, a gargant is a perfectly peaceable herbivore, though one with a marked lack of any natural predator, making them ill-suited for use on the battlefield. Not that it hasn’t been tried; early attempts found that the blood and chaos of a battlefield would cause them to panic and lash out at anything nearby, causing as much damage to friendly forces as the enemy.

(Needed) Food Crops:
Despite being a fertile land, Hallavad requires an enormous quantity of food to maintain and grow their gargant herds; their vast appetites have already denuded large tracts of forested land that has had no chance to recover now that the herds no longer migrate to fresh territory.

[DurkBlanston]

Cahoosa Confederation
Region 225, 233, 234, 235, 236, 271, 272, 273 DurkBlanston



Cacique Atohi Santos
Diplomacy: 10
Military: 7
Curiosity: 5
Faith: 4
Luck: 6

Spoiler: Image & Family Tree

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Family Tree

A renowned warrior and respected Cacique, Atohi has lead the Confederation for three years ever since the defeat of the Cahana tribe that sealed complete dominion over the Confederation but led to the death of his predecessor and the wounding of his own eye. Now with his people in order and peace across the lands Atohi stands prepared to venture beyond his humble domain for the first time in centuries.

Puesto Kagun, Region 235
Population: 860,000

Spoiler: History

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Before the arrival of the ships from the Adrian Empire the people of Puesto Kagun knew their land by one hundred names each distinct to the tribe that inhabited that portion of it. It was the Cahoosa tribe that lived along the banks of the region that called it Ay'ti Kagun, the place of crows, for it was known to this militant tribe as a land of war and feasting of the carrion birds. The foreigners of the ship called the land Puesto del Kagun, adopting and combining the native speech with their own strange tongue. The ships came in a storm, washed up on the beaches of the land and discovered by the Cahoosa tribe who took the survivors from the great boats in and fed them back to health. Their leader fell madly in love with the daughter of the Chief at the time and asked for her hand. The Chief was wise and powerful and had seen the men of the sea bore shining armaments and told the foreign man if he taught the Cahoosa of these ways and proved himself a worthy leader he would grant the man his daughter's hand.

The foreign man, known to the Cahoosa as "the Captain Santos" showed the Cahoosa how to extract ore from the mountain, to forge steel weapons and armor as well as tools, and led the Cahoosa in many victories against their neighboring tribes. The mighty Chief saw this and honored his word, wedding Captain Santos to his eldest daughter. This union was not alone, all the men of the ships found Cahoosa wives and with the knowledge brought by the foreigners, who in time forgot and were forgotten in turn by their homeland the Cahoosa with their new allies began to dominate the region.

It has been four generations since the arrival of the foreign boats and the Cahoosa tribe has exerted itself over every tribe, either through military or political alliance, and the great nephew of Captain Santos now rules the confederation of tribes covering the lands known collectively as Puesto Kagun as Chief, later becoming the first Cacique. Final remnants of dissent have been quashed or mollified and for the first time the people of the region stand poised to reach out beyond the woods of Kagun.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Situated in a temperate climate the region of Puesto Kagun is subjected to hot long summers and cool if shorter winters. Humidity is a dominant force in the region and the wet air and ground combined with weeks of cloudless sun leaves the region choked with vegetation. The Cahoosa make their homes in small villages in clearings, some natural but many man made and maintained religiously, knowledge that any village left untended for long will be reclaimed by nature.

The coast of Puesto Kagun is sandy beaches running up against deep woods growth and is the site of the Cahoosa capital, Tasquisi built on a great earthen mound, where the Cacique makes his home and the noble families congregate to discuss important matters and petition the Cacique. It is also here where the only official Church of Daen exists, erected after the ascendance of Captain Santos to Cacique and tended to by the local clergy.

The most notable terrain features are the varying earthen mounds found scattered throughout the region. While some serve as the sites of cities and impressive villages like the great mound of Tasquisi, many are left alone and serve as resting plots for great noble families or as markers for large battlefields. These mounds are covered in grass but no trees grow upon them and it is said the great Daen may land upon the mounds should he deign to visit the mortal world.

Spoiler: People & Government

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The people of Puesto Kagun are universally brown skinned humans, though noble lines and others with ancestors from the ancient ships may be lighter it is not a mark of standing and all bear the skin of a people familiar and common with the sun and its ever presence. Hair color is universally black and eye colors range generally from hazel to brown to black with little variation. On occasion a descendant from a shipper's line as they're known may have blue or green eyes but such instances are rare. Rarely topping out at 6' most Cahoosa are shorter, standing around 5'5" to 5'7" although most all are well muscled owing to their work ethic and their warrior culture.

The dress of the region is generally one of practicality combined with an appreciation for ascetics, loose fitting clothing or little of it among the common people, dyed in bright colors of blues and reds. Differences between men and women's apparel is subtle. Women generally wear dresses and skirts that men don't though women wearing pants is hardly unheard of and the adoption of kilts or tunics without leggings to accompany them by men is relatively common place.

The people of the region organize and identify themselves through tribes, tracing lineage back through the matrileneal line. The father of a child is not expected to be the role model or male figure to the child, rather, the mother's eldest brother is expected to fill that role. While this was changed by the arrival of the shippers it nonetheless remained that a child identified with the tribe of their mother. Despite this focus on matrileneal heritage however only males can serve as warriors or chiefs of the various tribes though councils of advisers are often occupied by elder wise women.

Before the unification the people of Kagun were led individually by tribal chiefs, after wars fought and treaties signed by the Cahoosa tribe with the aid of the Captain Santos the leader of the Cahoosa tribe became known as the Cacique, the ultimate chief of all the tribes. The Cacique's word is law and each chief of every tribe is expected to carry out the Cacique's orders. In turn the Cacique entertains audiences with his vassal chiefs and attempts to address concerns within the various tribes that can't be dealt with by the local chiefs. This confederated, feudal structure allows the Cacique to exert dominion far and beyond the scope capable of a single chief and uniting the people under the Cahoosa tribe while not robbing every tribe of its unique identity.

Spoiler: Resource

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Rich in food and vegetation the farming methods of the Cahoosa do not encourage extremely efficient or exportable food, useful only for subsistence of the people themselves. What the Cahoosa have learned well is the art of mining, specifically the minding of iron and coal to make Steel. Abundant in the hills and valleys of the region the knowledge brought by the foreign ships has allowed the Cahoosa an unprecedented dominance in the field of metallurgy within their local area of influence.

The region of Kagun is sorely lacking in fruits or grains conducive to large scale fermentation. The travelers in ancient times brought with them drinks that clouded the head and relaxed the body and while a few casks exist still locked away by the Cacique for a special event very few exists and the populace would be greatly pleased by the importation of alcohol.

Spoiler: Faith

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The majority of the people of Cahoosa, in a strange twist given their distance from the Church's center, follow the Church of Daen. A faith brought by the travelers and the Captain Santos most of the primary Cahoosa tribe now follow the religion and only tribes on the outskirts of the region still adhere to their pagan beliefs.

It is the belief of Cahoosa followers that Daen, Sky Father to the Land, is a benevolent but stern god, unafraid of war as a means to spread his word and his will nor uncompassionate to a defeated foe. The only exception to his mercy is when fighting demented creatures not of the natural world. For the Cahoosa this definition extends to any sufficiently non-humans.

The spiritual leader of the people is the Abbot, often a relative of the Cacique, and the church constantly speaks of its eagerness to recover contact with the Grand Church proper though some more selfish members of the clergy ponder if such an occurrence might lead to their own loss of power.

Puesto Azandi, Region 236
Population: 770,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Puesto Azandi is marked with gently rolling hills transitioning from grazing grassland in the south to more heavily wooded lands in the north. The region is a mix of temperate and subtropical climates with long hot humid summers and shorter cool winters. It rains often in the region, the weather blown in from the Ceril Sea to the east and storms are relatively common. The people make their homes in small communities, the largest being the capital city Tsiyu in the south.

The most notable landmark is Tsula Bay in the west. A natural bay and harbor this region is noted by Cahoosa canoemen as an excellent spot for a port city to be built to allow trade to be conducted with the greater world.

Spoiler: People & Government

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A bastard mix of the brown-skinned humans common to Puesto Kagun to their north and the paler-skinned Anceran people from the island to the south and those further southern lands the Azandi tend towards golden-brown skin and black or brown hair with brown eyes as the dominant appearance but with some greens and blues, more common among the Azandi than among the Cahoosa tribes. The Azandi, men and women, wear their hair long often with beads, ribbons, feathers, and strips of dyed leather woven in. There is no custom to these braids, done more for aesthetic than as a social structuring though the more affluent tend to wear more expensive decorations.

Clothing is often leather, owing to the abundance of cow hide available in the region, and dying one's leathers is a common practice. Living life as herdsmen has split the population with some becoming settled people, largely around the southern tip, and others retaining a semi-nomadic lifestyle following their cattle herds.

With a stronger mixed heritage of north easterner with south easterner the Azandi, notably those in the south living on large ranches, tend towards a more balanced view of gender roles, the mixing and matching of men and women as both Rancheros/as, traders, and craftspeople has eroded the stricter divisions of tribal life still ascribed to in the north of the region. In the southern part of the region the Azandi have a city, Tsiyu which while not of the same splendor as Azandria or the great southern cities of Kherson it is the largest population center in the region and serves as the region's de facto capital. Having never organized following the decline of Ancerin power the people proved receptive to Cahoosa overtures of friendship and alliance and a majority of the northern tribes and the Rancheros of the south agreed to unify with the Confederation.

Spoiler: Resource

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Dominated in the south by Rancheros and in the north by the great herding clans the region boasts a [Good] supply of Cattle and all the sundry resources therein: meat, leather, milk, and cheese. Cahoosa explorers and diplomats who arranged the region's joining the Confederation spoke fondly of the quality produced by the fine beef herds of the Azandi.

With the cosmopolitan interests of the southern Azandi being awakened further by contact with the outside world there has been an increasing demand for dyes for use in hair, clothing, and accessories.

Spoiler: Faith

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The people of Azandi follow pagan beliefs in animal spirits as well as the great spirits of the moon. While some vestiges of Daenic mythology can be found among the Azandi of the south it is long degraded and not nearly enough to constitute any sizable portion of the people.

Puesto Yatahe, Region 225
Population: 580,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Temperate forests dominate this region, thick with Maple, Birch, Sycamore, and Oak the region is more or less a vast forest, intersperse with the small clearing for villages where the native people make their homes. More temperate than Puseto Kagun to its south winters here are longer and cooler and summer shorter and less intense. The land itself rolls in hills and valleys and large rivers bisect the land, some feeding off down into the river system of Kagun.

The most notable feature in the terrain of Yatahe is the Wooded Crest along the southern coast, a surprising bunching of old growth trees growing right at the edge of the beach, their trunks even being swallowed up in high tide. The ability of these trees to endure the salt water of the sea is considered a prosperous sign and they are considered sacred by the native people.

Spoiler: People & Government

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Like the tribes of Kagun before the Cahoosa the natives of Yatahe live in individualist villages and before joining the Confederation had no real leader. Similar in appearance to the Cahoosa of the south, however lacking the fairer traits that accompanied the rare inhabitants of Kagun the Yatahe, as they are known in name after the largest tribe the Cahoosa came in contact with, are universally brown skinned humans with black hair and brown eyes. They typically stand between 5'5 and 6' tall and dress in the warm furs of the native creatures, largely beaver and deerksin hide.

Spoiler: Resource

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The region's thick forest provide an abundance of Wood but local beliefs and limited population concentration keeps the resource at a [Minor] amount.

In moving to respect local tradition and following the discovery of the natural abilities of local healers and wisemen Puesto Yatahe has begun to provide the Confederation with a [Minor] amount of Medicine.

With no natural ores to mine nor the knowledge to forge them the Yatahe have shown an unbridled interest in the metal carried by Cahoosa explorers and diplomats.

Spoiler: Faith

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The people revere the forests and believe their ancestors reside within the limbs of the oldest growth trees. While not adverse to cutting trees down for use in homes and construction the people believe it necessary to pay respect before doing so in a somewhat drawn out ritual.

The Hunting Ground, Region 271
Population: 670,000

Spoiler: Ruler

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Ruler:

A leader is chosen from amongst the herds by the amount of herds under their control, a majority does not need to be reached in this position, so long as the Herding Lord has the largest of the herds they can claim domain over any Hunting Ground, and can rely upon the other herds falling somewhat into place.
The current Herding Lord is the Cacique of the Cahoosa Confederation, having garnered this position through carefully placed payments and promises to the largest and most prominent herding clans.

Spoiler: Terrain

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The land to which the Breying herds call home is a combination of dense forests and thicket groves, interspersed with gentle glades and wild meadows, typically it is the glades and meadows upon which the Brey-An call home, their titanic herding stones at the center of a constantly drifting and chaotic community, and the forests where the beasts hunt. A particular landmark of this land is Bhuighrheets-Tor, a vast stone monument surrounded by smaller stone circles, and painted in archaic and crude glyphics, it serves as the focal point of many migrating herds as they pass throughout the land.

There are also signs of some previous civilisation, a collection of stone houses and roads long overgrown or burnt to a cinder, perhaps the telling signs of the Brey-An's sordid past.

Spoiler: People

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The Brey-An are a natural oddity, in the sense of their seemingly mannish qualities torturously grafted onto a goat like physiology, they stand upon cloven hooves, and yet show as much dexterousness as any handed creature, they gather in herds, and yet portray a society as close as the proudest kingdom, thick fur covers their hide, and yet they still adorn themselves in vestments and cloth.

The culture of the herding Brey-An is somewhat backwards, on a technological level they are closer in form to ancient man, utilising stone and gathering to encourage growth, a few small herds have shown an ability, however limited, to smelt from bronze and press gold, the common herds will rely upon quarried stone; Large obelisks of unworked stone, painted with glyphics, form the center of herding communities, a herding stone will be placed at the center of a hunting field, this serves as a meeting place, fortification, beacon, supply hub, throne and multiple other functions.

Communication is infrequent, and often done through the form of glyphics, the low grunts and shrill screeches of Breying beasts is often seen as the signs of animalistic behavior, but it hides a verbal tongue that only those properly attuned to the natural world, those such as druids and shaman, truly understand. Written communication is performed with the oft mentioned glyphic language, it is the means by which a herding lord will claim domain over a hunting ground, a shaman will announce the passing of the seasons and general news of exploits and story are shared, these painted runes coat the herding stones, in layers of faded ochre and lost meaning, no uniform either exists for the glyphics throughout the land, context and dialect can change a peaceful symbol into an aggressive insult.

Spoiler: Resource

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The Brey-An are not often wont to trade, they lack the communication skills to meet out a proper balanced exchange and prefer to acquire their resources from frequent raiding. That said, the proper partner can expect abundant (Good) Stone from the herds, in form ranging from the sharpened slivers used in skinning and scraping game animals, to the hefty slabs that form the basis of Brey-An communion.

Whilst the Brey-An do not want for much; additional Food would surely increase the expected size of a raiding herd, something no Herding Lord will turn down, such is their voracious appetite for both gnawed flesh and bloody combat.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Brey-An are a shamanistic and superstitious lot. A Brey Shaman will act as a spiritual leader for a herd and advisor to its lord, they will also serve as the more intellectual moral support for a passing herd, as it is they who often decode the glyphics to determine the better choice in hunting grounds, whilst a Shaman's status is elevated amongst herds, both a Shaman and Lord will understand that neither shall attempt to overpower the other, since both mutually rely upon the others skill.

Manitosa, Region 234
Population: 716,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Great stretching plains of rolling grassland marks nearly the entirety of Manitosa's terrain. While scrub turns to trees along the southern border the vast expanse of the region is filled only with long grasses. There is little remarkable or memorable to the terrain although the vast expanse does lend itself to great storms with tornado season being a serious threat to the native inhabitants. Still, outside the rainy months the sky is usually clear and blue and the flat blue sky and flat golden land has lent itself into the native's beliefs. A small lake in the east is known as Skydrop for its clear blue appearance reflecting the sky and is believed to be where a drop of the sky fell to the earth, or as more commonly accepted now, a site where the Pale Lady ascends and descends between the realm above and the realm of earth.

The plains are inhabited by a semi nomadic people as well as a range of herd beasts, most prominently the great herds of horses that dominate the landscape. Structures are not permanent given the volatile nature of the region on a yearly basis and the people live in tents and temporary structures erected and dismantled during their travels across the region. Most camps follow similar patterns and the concentration of the populace follow a few distinct groupings though individual tribes maintain distant camps and so it was necessary for the Cahoosa to become skilled riders that they might correspond with the various tribal chiefs.

Spoiler: People & Government

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The native people are collectively referred to as the Pakota although three distinct tribes make up their entirety. The Coux, the Waka, and the Waho dominate regional politics and are led by their own celebrated chiefs. While conflict is rare between the three tribes it is not unheard of for grazing grounds however the Pakota adhere to a strict code of honor in war preventing any but warriors from becoming involved and forbidding nighttime violence or sabotage by participants. It is believed that only a fair test of might can properly settle a conflict between tribes.

Like the Cahoosa to the south the Pakota are brown skinned with dark eyes. The constant exposure to wind and open air has left their faces more scrunched forward than the forest dwelling Cahoosa and sharp cheekbones and eyebrows are a common and distinctive mark of the people. Men and women wear their thick black hair long and often decorated with bones, beads, feathers, and horse hair. They wear leathers and skins to protect them from the abrasive nature of the tall grasses although warriors rarely wear shirts and choose to paint symbols of lineage and strength onto their torsos during war.

The Cahoosa were first met in the region by the Waka tribe and negotiated an alliance in exchange for their elevation above the other tribes with Cahoosa support. A series of marriages were orchestrated that further integrated the Waka and elevated a Cahoosa native to a position of power within the tribe. Contact with the Coux and Waho was negative at first for the other tribes believed there was a plot between Waka and Cahoosa but in truth the Waka were sacrificed by the Cahoosa to gain the favor of the other two tribes. The Waka are now the weakest tribe in the region and are forced to roam the northern stretches of the plains while the Coux and Waho have migrated south with the Waho along the southwestern border with Puesto Kagun.

Spoiler: Resource

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The region is home to a variety of graze animals but chief among them are the wild and tamed [Good] Horses of the region. Both free and tamed by the Pakota these riding beasts roam all across the plains of Manitosa. It is unlikely a single stretch of the region has not seen the hooves of these majestic creatures. The Cahoosa see great value in these beasts and believe they could revolutionize travel across the Confederacy.

When the Cahoosa integrated themselves and introduced their culture to the Pakota they brought with them their search and penchant for alcohol. While the region did not satisfy the Cahoosa's thirst it did serve to grow it and the natives now too clamor for the fiery spirits.

Spoiler: Faith

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The majority of the Pakota follow the House of the Pale Lady having been converted in times long past. Still, long absence of the House and isolation from the clergy has led the natives to adapt and mold these teachings to match their own native beliefs that speak of a sky spirit and an earth spirit whose union and cooperation is the foundation for life. A number of Pakota learned of Daen from Cahoosa travelers and the reverence of the Sky Father caught on quickly among a Minority.

Kankanabec, region 233
Population: 618,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Kankanabec is an extension of the foothills of the mountains of Etenjord to the north. It rises from the plains of Manitosa to the west in a ring around the border with the Hunting Ground. Numerous streams flow south into it, and strong seasonal weather provides significant rainfall & snowfall. Overall, it is more humid in the summer and colder in the winter than surrounding regions. The entire region is one massive highland swamp which dominates its climate.

Kankanabec means, literally, the Elm Swamp. The swamps congregate and drain out in a massive waterfall called Halo Falls after its persistent double rainbow during the summer months. The Hotawidah (White Foam river) courses from the falls to the sea, forming the border with the Hunting Ground.

The land is anchored by Dogwood, Cypress, Cedar, and the massive Bronze Elm. Scrub brush of holly, elderberry and yew grow in the damp soil. Ferns, bulrushes, and water-lillies are the bulk of the natural ground plants. It can be a beautiful place, at times. But poison ivy is rampant throughout the region. There are hundreds of species in the ponds and around them. But the dozens of species of poisonous snakes, the dreaded black panthers, and the bald-headed bears make this a harrowing place to traverse.

One prominent folk tale speaks of the ghost-lights. Small colored lights, like candles, appear at night to lure unwary or trespassing people into the thick, sticky, sucking mud of the swamps. Some claim these are vengeful spirits of the dead. Others claim they are mischevious devils making people suffer for their amusement. Most folks dismiss them as alcohol-induced hallucinations.

Spoiler: People & Government

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The region is home to a mix of Pakota peoples and the towering Noorden. Most people show traits of both. They all share a common history of being outcasts, runaways, and refugees from their lands at some point in their family history. Most tell harrowing tales of unjust persecution and narrow, dangerous escapes from their opressors. They are a very insular and xenophobic people who distrust anyone they don’t know personally.

The Kankanee live in small villages centered around crumbling, ancient fortresses. Dozens of these massive stone structures dominate the high-points within the swamps. Two versions of their history exists. The Noorden believe that they were once a network of defenses to keep the Brey-an from invading the north. These rumor claim the goat-people were far more aggressive in ancient times, even feasting on man flesh. The Pakota believe that it was their ancestors who constructed them in ancient times to block the snow-men from raiding their herds.

Their culture is a blend of Pakota warrior culture and Noorden symbol-heavy attire and tattooing. Armor is not prevalent nor prudent in the swamps. So tattoos and totems, symbols and ritual hair braiding all have their “mythical” powers to protect. This is supported by the number of leaf-readers who ply their trade from town to town. They serve a tea made from the leaves and berries from a unique holly plant. After the tea is consumed, the leaf readers dump the dregs from the cup onto the plate. They interpret the patterns and forms to predict the past and the future. They also sell trinkets and totems that relate to their readings.

The Cahoosa were able to exert control over the numerous “lords”, “princes”, and “elders” of each village easily. Almost all of them see warfare and violence in their future. As such, they want strong allies and to consolidate their defenses.

Spoiler: Resource

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Export: GOOD Bronze elm {wood (c)}
Import: Gems {Gemstones (P)}

The Kankanee can harvest a wide variety of trees. The Bronze elm is particularly prized. It maintains strength equivalent to bronze while being as light and pliable as willow. Other species of trees are also harvested for export.

Their distrusting nature makes barter difficult. Fist-fights are an everyday occurrence at local markets. Numerous attempts at minted coinage have been attempted as well. But as quickly as they are minted, they are counterfeited or skimmed. The local leaders want gemstones to use as currency. They are much harder to cheat.

Spoiler: faith

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The region has no central faith. Daen, the Pale Lady, various shamanistic beliefs, almost everything has their followers in this region.

Puebleo Ahmeeka, region272
Population: 730,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Puebleo Ahmeeka is a dry, dusty land. It doesn’t have the sea to bring humidity like Puesto Kagun, or the rolling plains to generate the storms of Manitosa. It is land of scrub oak, sugarbrush, yucca, cactus and sage. Water is scarce, and when it does come, it comes as a deluge. Flash flooding is common. It is hot and dry in the summer and cool and dry in the winter. It can be beautiful at times. The rare rains cause massive floral blooms. Wind and rain carve the land, creating canyons and arroyos.

Threshers, jays, hummingbirds, and dustracers all live hear. Rodents, insects, and snakes ply their trade as temperatures permit. Dust-hart, a kind of large deer, are common. Coyote, fox, and bobcat are top predators. Nature is dominated by the solar cycle since the land does not retain heat well. “Puebleo Ahmeeka”, the saying goes, “Is the only place where you can get heat stroke and frostbite in the same day.” Most animals are diurnal, favoring the dawn and dusk and hiding from the extremes.

Spoiler: People & Government

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The people of Puebleo Ahmeeka are various tribes of Cahoosa. Most trace their lineage back to Coux or Waho tribes of Manitosa. Others claim to be from an unafilliated tribe called the Kokoha. They claim to have been part of the land since ancient times. The Coux and Waho have similar appearance and dress to their Maniosa cousins. The Kokoha seem closer to those who live in Puesto Yatahe.

The people live in clusters of brick homes built on highpoints or into the eroded cliffs. Usually, each village is enclosed by a wall with only one or two gates. This protects from the strong winds as well as limits access of strangers to the lifeblood of the community- the town well. Deep underwater rivers provide clear, cool water for animals and people. Towns have sprung up wherever wells can be dug to reach the water. The town walls also protect the local crops and chickens. Crops are limited to those that can stand drought, but still need some water. Chickens are common because they consume the dangerous stinging ants and venomous spiders.

Each village is led by a Sky Dancer. This person, usually male, has learned the secrets of the sky and clouds from his father. They tell the people when bad weather is coming, and perform ritual dances to encourage rain when needed. They also keep watch over the well to make sure water is not being wasted.
The Sky Dancers meet three times a year to discuss the future and to set plans for the upcoming months. It was at this group that the Confederation leaders were able to gain nominal control of the region. The Sky dancers maintain control of their communities, but at the are told the policy for the entire region.

Spoiler: Resource

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Export: Poor furs {Hides and furs (O)}
Import: Healing {medicines (G)}
There is a species of nocturnal rodent called the chinchavela. They are large, rotund little creatures known for their soft, thick fur. The various tribes hunt them for their fur. The chinchavela is also the favored meal of the red fox. So the locals hunt them for their fur as well. This is their only limited form of export, and furs are often used as currency in the Puebleo Ahmeeka.

Biting ants, venomous spiders and snakes, sunburn, frostbite- the people of Puebleo Ahmeeka are plagued by injury and ailment. They are in constant need of astringents, bandages, anti-venoms and other medicines.

Spoiler: faith

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The Kokoha speak of their reverence for the Sky Father existing from ancient times. Decades ago, missionaries from the Church of Daen found fertile ground here. A vast majority of the Puebleo Ahmeeka are followers. It is different than is practiced in the west, however. Most do not pray to Daen directly, but merely ask their Sky Dancer to see if the clouds fortell anything about them.

Puesto Cahuna, region273
Population: 931,000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Puesto Cahuna is a crossroads of weather and geography. The dry chaparral from the west meets the grasslands of the east and the forests of the north. Along the south, long sandy beached. The Hotawidah bisescts the land, bringing rich, cool, muddy water to numerous gulleys and streambeds. It is hot in the summer and mild in the winter. Rain is widely variable, with both droughts and floods common. Land becomes more fertile, dry grasslands give way to rolling, sandy hills.

The land is truly beautiful. Flowering plants and trees seem to always have something in bloom. Yarrow, lilac, roses, poppies, and lavender bushes compete for attention with the hawthorne, crab-apple, apple, cherry, and myrtle trees. Hummingbirds and butterflies swarm through the air, adding their own color and sounds. Songbirds, cardinals, and jays feast upon the butterflies and catapillars. In turn, wild cat and fox hunt the birds. Weasels are plentiful, from the tiny stoat to the massive, irritable wolverine. Otters frolic along the sandy banks of the Hotawidah, feasting on shell and crayfish.

Ancient cobblestone roads criss-cross the land leading off into most other regions. Local fables speak of the mighty crossroads and travelers from all over the world being seen in the region. Certain ruins of caravan-forts, crowning local hight points and enveloped by the growing bushes, support these tales. It was one of these ancient caravan forts, known as Awatase, that was rebuilt into West Veil, the nominal capital of the region.

The Hotawidah is the center of life in Cahuna. It is not passable for ocean going ships, so a large port city has grown up in the bayou where it enters the sea. Transportation up the river is by barge, and it is these barges that form the center of communities.

Spoiler: People & Government

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The people of Cahuna are a similar mix to the Azandi to the south- a mix of chaoosa tribes and ancerans from islands. They attire is similar as well, though they prefer otterskin to cattle leather. Otterskin leather has more waterproofing properties. Shorts and vests are common in the warm weather. They have a special love for small, aggressive little dogs that are used to guard the barges and herd their animals. Swimming is also a passion for the Cahuna.

Common life centers around the barges on the river. These barges are large constructions that are homes for an extended family. Propelled by poles or, weather permitting, a simple triangular sail, it carries their supplies and their animals- sheep, goats, and ducks. The elder family/tribal leader typically occupies the single log construction atop the barge. The younger families pitch tents along the shores. Families live their lives up and down the Hotawidah, moving from grazing land to orchard to shellfish beds as the seasons demand. At night, they tie up to the shore, congregating in large clusters. Tents and community fires soon dot the shores, and the sounds of music, dancing, and laughter carry off into the night. There are many rules and customs around giving and receiving visitors, and family connections and marriage often grow out of these shore-parties.

Government is maintained by the Betula-Kenu. This is a tribe of Cahoosa claiming this land as their own since ancient times. They claim the city of Awatase as their home. They are the keepers of history and geneology for the people of Cahuna. They are also the messengers and scribes, travelling in plank-canoes throughout the region. These canoes are highly decorated and fly an official pennant. The Betula-Kenu perform marriages and record births and deaths. They often settle inter-tribal disputes and record the results. They maintain these records for a fee.

When the confederation came to them, the Betula-Kenu agreed to their oversight in exchange for rebuilding Awatase into a true stronghold and regional center.

Spoiler: Resource

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Export: Poor dyes{Dyes (Q)}
Import: timber {Wood (C)}

The Cahuna collect dyes from shellsifh and from caterpillar chrysalis. The chrysalis are crystalline in nature and take on the color from the plants they are attached. When the butterflies emerge, the crystal chrysalis is collected, ground to powder. It can then be mixed with alcohol to make dyes. These powders are used as currency. The powders are kept in stoppered wood tubes, which are used as currency.
The Cahuna are always looking for more wood, particularly long timbers with which to fashion rafts. A raft is the most prized possession of any individual.

Spoiler: faith

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The people of Cahuna follow pagan beliefs in animal spirits as well as the great spirits of the moon and river

Poscosone
Region 224, population 779,000
ghost-written by Lt. Murgen

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Poscosone is a northern region bordered on two sides by the Sea of Coin. The far western third is occupied by a tall mountain range that trails off along the northern border. It is referred to as the Comante, or Shield, Mountains. The forests of Puesto Yatahe give way to the high bogs, the Poscosone, that give the region its name. Thick peat and peat bogs dominate the land, climbing up and covering all but the tallest peaks of the Sentinels. Fast growing grasses, sedges, and ferns burst out of the peat in a wide variety of colors and shapes.

The climate is cold and rainy in the winter and cool and rainy in the summer. The vast peat acts as a giant sponge, soaking up excess water and spilling it out into countless streams and small rivers. Some of these streams have found their way through the peat and into the limestone below. Uncountable caves and cave systems exist throughout the region. The caves are the basis for the animals of the region. Small alpaca and deer feed upon the bogs & bugs, sheltering under overhangs. Ferrets, quokka, and rodents live in peat burrows. The coatel, a cat larger than a bobcat but smaller than a cougar, hunts the plant-eaters. Song birds and parrots have adapted to nesting in caves.

The numerous peat streams feed into the shore produce huge blooms of plankton and krill. Xocven Peake, the great bite into the land, is sandy and rocky, the perfect breeding ground for sardines. The sardine runs bring in larger fish- tuna, striper, and so on. These support the vast flocks of duck, goose, and albatross that feast on them. Sharks and predatory whales and porpoise feed seasonally as well. Along the rocky shores west and north of Xocven Peake, penguins, seals, and Sea Elephants have their breeding grounds, numbering in the millions.

Spoiler: People & government

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The Posconii, as they refer to themselves, are more cosmopolitan that their natives to the east. They are a mixture of pale-skinned and dark skinned people. Many seem to have the pale hair and complexion similar to Ancerins. Others are darker of hair and eye. Their dress is an amalgamation of whatever styles happen to catch their fancy. When travelling outside, long coats and tall boots are commonly worn, made of whale or sharkskin.
Posconii make their homes in the caves in the area. Some may be only a family home, others a small village. Larger cave systems can contain an entire city’s worth of people. Peat burns well, so caves are warm and dry. Walls are rare, but screens and hangings used to separate rooms. Being able to reconfigure their dwelling is a sign of wealth and influence in Posconii society
The sea provides food year round, and the Poconos are not shy about indulging- clam, fish, lobster, duck, geese, shark, even penguin find their way onto the menu. Many plants growing in the peat provide starchy tubers. Farming them is easy, if muddy. It does significant trade with passing ships, both in glassware as well as fresh water and seagoing provision.
The Poconos have more free time than many others on the continent. Fishing, trading, and farming occupy only a small portion of their time. They have an appreciation for art, with dancing and singing being particularly prized. Glassmaking, of course, is a source of fierce pride

Posconii society and government is based around and intricate web of glassmaking guilds and family groups. By default, the Chief of Guilds lives in the biggest trading city. Grandholme lies at the point Xocven Peake the mountains. It is a massive cave system dozens of miles long nearly that wide. Visitors often wonder which is more difficult to navigate- Grandholme’s labyrinthine roads or its politics.

Spoiler: Resource

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They possess MINOR levels of glassware {S}for export.
The sands in and around Shark Fin Bay and the limestone of the caves make for high-quality, durable glass. The Posconii have mastered a variety of techniques and recipes for glass in a wide range of color and transparency. However, their cultural prowess and political power attached to such skill makes them reluctant to export it for anything other than the finest in trade goods.

Their choice of dwelling and desire for the ability to change how their rooms look give them a strong desire for cloth {D}

Spoiler: Religion

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No major religion has gained dominance in the region. Small communities of most major religions- Daen, Nine Candles, Pale Lady, do exist.

Shunland
Region 282 (Population 703,000)ghost-written by Lt. Murgen

Spoiler: Terrain

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Shunland takes the grasslands up into the mountains coming out of Toldec and Aladar. The land is gently rolling, but cut with deep ravines and river-washes. The forest of the Hunting Grounds to the North quickly run out, with only a scattering of scraggly trees spotting the landscape.
It is a land of thorn and bramble. Blackberry, manberry, and raspberry bushes tangle up the ravines. Wild grape and other vines tangle up the few trees trying to grow. Thorny vine, burr-bushes, and other prickly thistles grow everywhere. Small creatures thrive here- rodents and rabbits, small birds and ground-dwelling grouse, wild cat and fox- anything quick and agile. There are exceptions, of course. The native roroan bird is the size of a turkey which uses its layers of feathers to shove aside the tangles. Other creatures from surrounding lands often find their way into the border regions, looking for food.

Two great stone roads cut across the difficult landscape. One runs from the shore through the deep point into Western Aladar. The other comes out of Puesto Cahuna and curves down to the center of the unknown land to the south. Both roads are worked cobblestone, so tight weeds cannot grow between them. Every 20 miles the road widens into a large circle around a waypoint, invariably with some small pond within. Ancient stone bridges cross ravines too steep for wagons. The architects of the roads is lost in time. They are named the Sacred Roads.

Spoiler: people

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The native Brey-an were the ones who named the land. Outcasts from the Hunting Grounds to the north, their ancestors were banished here. To a furry goat-man, the land of bramble, burr, and thistle was truly horrific. They were shunned from Brey-an society, and the land itself took on that name.
The Brey-an simply call themselves the Shunned. The Shunned are even more xenophobic and aggressive than their northern cousins. Anyone not on the Sacred Roads is subject to attack on sight. Humans they eat, other Brey-an they toss into the deepest thorn-thicket they can find, then set it on fire.
When not preying on travelers, the Brey-an live in herds. These herds use flocks of roroan to collect the man-berry. Man-berry is a large fuzzy fruit the size of a man’s palm. They grow in pairs amongst thickest of vines bristling with long, sharp spikes. Inside the man-berry, the reddish pulp and thick red sap is highly nutritious. That it tastes like blood is only a side-benefit to the Brey-an. The roroan have long beaks capable of reaching past the thorns and grabbing the fruit. Which the Brey-an then take from their bird flocks.
They use the thick vines to make dome huts to dwell in. A skilled craftsman can build one big enough for himself in a full day. Tents are also common. Herds tend to be small and constantly on the move. The one exception is the Most Shunned, their High Lord. He lives in a permanent settlement around where the Sacred Roads cross. He maintains the peace ruthlessly to keep is gemstone monopoly under control. At the Crossroads is the only place he allows trade of firewood, food, and gemstones for other goods.

Spoiler: resources

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The Shunlands are the only place known to produce the rare Blue Amber {P}. The Most Shunned allows its export in [/b] Good[/b] quantities under his exclusive control. Blue amber has reportedly mystical properties. When worn as a pendant at night, the stone remembers your dreams and guides your waking actions to their fulfillment. Or so the shamans amongst the Shunned claim.
The land is poor in metals, so the Most Shunned greatly prizes Hard metals, like iron and steel. Of course, these will be forged into weapons, of that there is no doubt. So providing such a resource could be problematic.

Spoiler: blue amber

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Spoiler: Religion

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The Brey-An are a shamanistic and superstitious lot. A Brey Shaman will act as a spiritual leader for a herd and advisor to its lord, they will also serve as the more intellectual moral support for a passing herd, as it is they who often decode the glyphics to determine the better choice in hunting grounds, whilst a Shaman's status is elevated amongst herds, both a Shaman and Lord will understand that neither shall attempt to overpower the other, since both mutually rely upon the others skill.

[DurkBlanston]

Lethluumu
Region 226 (Population ?)
ghost-written by Lt. Murgen

Spoiler: Terrain

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Lethluumu (Leth-lu -u-mu) roughly translates to the Land of groves of bulbs in the local language. It is a land of rivers and open plains. A great escarpment forms the northern border of the land. Numerous waterfalls cascade down into the headwaters of fast-flowing cool rivers. The land is covered with tall, sweet grasses. Groves of plum and maple trees form a patchwork of shade and color amongst the greenery. Wild hedge roses provide cover for grouse and rabbit.

The climate is cool and dry in the summer and cold and wet in the winter. The snows that come seldom last for more than a few days before melting off. Ice storms are frequent in the winter. It is surprising that Pori Vassa, the nominal capital, lies along the northern border escarpment. But it controls the few, vital quarries of Honey Slate in Lethluumu.

Spoiler: people

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Lethluumu is a domain where the Nifel of the frozen north have blended equally with the Pakota from the east. Some are short with brown skin and dark hair, others tall with blue eyes and gray/white hair. Often when two different people mix, the descendants are an exotic and pleasant combination of their ancestors’ features. In Lethluumu, it is the opposite. The worst elements of both groups have blended into some of the ugliest people in all of Arandi. Sharp cheekbones, thick eyebrows, and scrunched faces pock-marked and stained with blotchy birthmarks; muddy brown and gray hair in unkempt curls; even their eyes, commonly two different colors, makes them difficult to look at. They call themselves the Lethlu, but neighboring regions call them the Lethlama- or ‘prune people’.

Travelers through the region should note that the land is largely empty of small settlements, though cottages and barns dot the landscape. These dwellings are typically as ugly as their builders- irregular stacked-slate constructions with thatched roofs. Local tradition holds that these places are communal property. As long as you replace what you use, you are welcome to reside there for a time. Perhaps that is why they are so poorly constructed and furnished. About 1/3 of the population would be using these dwellings at any time- mostly hunters, fisher folk, and orchardists.

The population lives in 7 fortified cities. Each is built on an island or chain of islands in one of the rivers. Tall exterior walls of stone are fronted by the rivers, as well as canals and moats. Wide, rolling hedgerows of bramble and rose provide further defense, with narrow lanes kept clear for concentrated missile fire. Behind these walls, people live in peace and comfort. Lethlu are largely vegetarians, keeping cows and chickens for eggs, milk, and cheese. Plums make up a significant portion of their diet. The people also fish the many rivers, collecting small minnows to feed the chickens. River trout, when in season, is considered a delicacy and reserved for special occasions. Oddly, they also keep pigs, but consider them to be ‘common’ food.

They are limited in exports, but take great pride in their wide spectrum of plum liquors. Annual contests are a source of community and regional pride. It was through these contests that the Cahoosa Confederation managed to conquer the region. Their vast wealth easily took control of the contests first, and then the manufacturers shortly afterwards. Before they realized it, the Cahoosa confederation had appointed governors into all the major cities. Officially to organize and keep track of the ‘rankings’ of best distilleries and bottles, they now control most socio-economic activity in the region.

Spoiler: Ressources

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Their one MINOR exportable resource is a wide spectrum of plum liquor {Beverages (E)}. These varying from plum-flavored beers, to wines and brandies, all the way to potent Umesheviz. Umesheviz is a potent distillation of plum extract and maple syrup with an alcohol content strong enough to be used in lamps.

They have a long standing fear of the cold. This drives them to want to Import furs{furs & leather (O)} and other items to ward off the cold

Spoiler: Religion

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There is no grand central state religion in Lethluumu. Most worship spirits of the air and the land. There is, however, a long oral tradition of folk tales and ghost stories that speak of an evil ice goddess. Vengeful and capricious, she sends ice and cold southward to punish those that offended her, or perhaps simply for her own twisted enjoyment.

Seidrea
Region 230 (Population ?)
ghost-written by Lt. Murgen

Spoiler: Terrain

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Seidrea is defined by the boundary edges of the forest of the same name. Tall spruce, birch, aspen and pine trees struggle to climb out of the grip of the climbing vines like clematis, honeysuckle, and wisteria. Beneath the boughs, the land is plunged into perpetual twilight. Glowing moss and luminescent mushrooms feast upon the omnipresent decaying plant material. Chipmunks and squirrels feast upon the many wood-eating beetles and are preyed upon by small, fast bears, voles, and hawks. Feral pigs in vast numbers make their homes in the forest as well.
The climate underneath the trees varies in temperature, but is always humid and still. Spores and pollen make the air seem thick and unmoving, almost a physical presence that must be fought against with each step. Water seeps down through the canopy hours, even days after the last rain. It collects in pools, and cuts deep ravines through the soft, mulchy ground.
A prominent feature of the Seidrea are the Waystones. Tall pillars of smooth white rock, they stand out- almost glowing- against the twilight backdrop. They mark the main roads through the Seidrea. Travelers should never be out of sight from one before they can spy another. This can often prove the only way to properly navigate the maze of kettles and moraines that make up the land.

Spoiler: people

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The Seidr are the people who live within the Seidrea. They are an offshoot of Nifel women- exceptionally tall, with pale skin and white hair streaked with silver. They are fast, and agile, and exceptionally good climbers. They fiercely defend their home forest, wielding combat versions of a weaver’s distaff and bola-like spindles. They are skilled trap-makers as well, turning their native forest’s resources into deadly snares and deadfalls. They also train fast, aggressive, clever dogs which are well suited for guarding and herding. The Seidr hunt trespassers in large over cloaks of Tarnknap, making them nearly invisible in the twilight of the forests.

The women control the Seidrea. Men must be present, but have never been seen by outsiders. The Seidr explain that men cannot be trusted with their own safety, and lack the sensibility to deal with outsiders. The Seidr claim they all live on a large floating castle in the middle of a grand, mirror-like lake. However, they are most commonly met in large log cabins along the safe travel routes. There fresh supplies and home-cooked meals of boar and potato are common.

The women chiefly are herders and weavers. They keep their flocks in remote locations throughout the forest, far away from the prying eyes of outsiders. Some of this caution may be attributed to the wondrous cloth they produce. But the nature of their flock should be concerning as well. The Seidr herds are made up of creatures virtually identical to the Brey-An to the south. They simply are called the Tarn. These creatures are more fluffy than the Brey-an, having a wondrous, thick, curly wool coat. They seem to possess no more intelligence than the average sheep. The Seidr and their work dogs herd them from one vale to another, allowing them to feast upon the vegetation.

When the Cahoosa Confederation approached them, the Seidr chose to accept their leadership. As long as they are left alone, the Seidr are content to allow caravans to follow the marker routes and trade their wondrous cloth for other items.

Spoiler: Resources

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The Seidr produce a remarkable textile called simple Tarnknap. It is as luxurious and heavy as velvet, yet as strong as canvas. The fabric itself will not hold a dye, and repels water well. But its most unique feature seems to be its ability to reflect or take on the colors of the landscape around it. It blends exceptionally well into the surrounding landscape. This can be attributed to its unique source. They produce Tarnknap {Cloth(D)}in Great quantities.

Though they will profess not to needing anything, the Seidr have a passion for [b]Imported [b]glassware {Glass(S))}. Cut glass bottles and philters are greatly prized. They have no materials from which to make glass in the forest.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Seidr worship the Pale Lady exclusively. In fact, some of their theology seems to have more ancient roots than the House of the Pale Lady would be comfortable admitting. Their practices and rituals border on shamanistic body-worship. Or perhaps that is just the rampant nudity at their services.

The Seidr also have a strong folklore. It speaks of a time in the ancient past when the Seidr rode out of the North as conquerors. In those days, men and women were equal in skill, valor, and authority. They built great roads and vast fortresses stretching far to the south. They tell tales of finding the Tarn and domesticating them, culling and pacifying the herds. But conflict arose. Some tales claim the Seidr men found the Tarn females willing and compliant, a far cry from the proud and strong Seidr women. Other tales claim it was the Tarn females’ wantonness that seduced their men. Pride and arrogance was stoked by empty adulation. A war between the sexes exploded. Their vast empire was torn apart and ground away under decades of conflict. When not fighting their women, the Seidr men fought over control of their harem-herds. Their entire empire fell away. Except for here, in the Seidrea, where women finally asserted control over their men, and the Tarn. This is the source of their duty to protect their herds, and to keep their men safe and isolated from the outside world and each other.

[Ionbound]

Region 409 (The Wolves' Steppes):

Spoiler: Resources

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Good: Dire Wolves. The nomad people of the Silver Horde live accompanied by massive wolves that are often ridden by their partners. Each adult, and certainly each warrior has a small pack of wolves accompanying them that they have often known since birth, and are almost never seen without.

Required: Iron (And further fruits of the earth). Their nomadic lifestyle makes mining an impossibility for the Silver Horde, and all metal they own are either traded or looted from other peoples.

Spoiler: People

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Population: 370,000

The people of the Silver Horde are pastoral nomads and hunters, lending them a 'tougher than diamond-plated Differential Calculus' quality, used to the hardships of nomadic life. At birth, each child of the Silver Horde forms a bond with one of their family's pups or juvenile wolves. From then on, it is said the two share a spirit, becoming an inseparable pair until one of them dies.

The Silver Horde also has a relatively sophisticated messenger system for,ed from a series of outposts. Riders on wolfback carry messages between these outposts, letting commands easily traverse the empire. This also has the side-effect of making much of the empire very safe as the riders are warriors trained like any other, and also function as policemen, routing out banditry along their routes.

The other thing to be known about the Silver Horde is that they are, without exception, werewolves. Each full moon, the horde undergoes a transformation from normal-seeming humans into monstrous wolf-beasts. They view this transformation as a gift from the first wolf, and one of the first occurrences that happen after they conquer a settlement is, on the first full moon, they transform and run wild through the town, attacking any they come across. Those they are killed are too weak to be fit for the horde, while those that survive gain the gift of the Wolf and start on a course to become true members of the Horde.

Spoiler: Terrain

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The lands of the Silver Horde are forests, seguing into steppes in equal quantity. The Silver Horde live most often along the border of the two, grazing their herds in the steppes and hunting to feed themselves and their wolves in the forests. The Silver Horde has no permanent settlements, and thus there are no cities in their lands, though if one knows their migration habits, or stumbles across an encampment, the series of yurts is very reminiscent of some of the greatest metropolises of civilized lands.

Landmarks:
The Wolf's Thumb. Silver Horde legends state that the first wolf's thumb was cut off by the gods of the soft, civilized folk to ensure that he would not be a threat to their lands and followers. The limestone monolith of the Wolf's Thumb is said to be where the severed finger landed and decayed to bone, and is a sacred site of the Silver Horde, a place to worship the most important wolf spirits and mourn those that have been maimed or slain in combat.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Silver Horde are shamanistic and animistic people, worshiping the spirits of nature. They are strangely tolerant of other religion, holding the belief that outsiders cannot be expected to understand the truth of nature, and allow other religions to flourish within their empire.

[BootStrapTommy]

The Nihoni Dominion
Part 2
Regions 251B, 253B, 254, 254B, 255, 256B, 257B, 277B, 278B, 279B, 280B, 323B, 172, 173

Total Population of the Dominion: 6,026,000
Ruler: Aneira Penddraig, First of Her Name, First among the Nihoni, Exarch of Carraig Dún and the Nihoni Demenses, Princeps of the Nihonel, Archduxess of Rhune, Satrap of the Awladal'ard, Guardian of Myrkheim, Grand Legate of the Patriam, Lugal of Nevarr and Neilor, and Imperatrix of the Nihoni Dominion
Imperial Family Tree

The Nihoni Dependencies:

Qalbal'ard (Region 253B)

Spoiler: Terrain

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Southeast of the Ring of Rhune, the Dawn Range meet arid steppes, where the land is watered largely by the spring run off of the mountains. These waters have served to help open the volcanic caverns of the mountains, creating the strange underground landscape that the Awladal'ard call home.

Shaded from the the sun of the lands about them, the caverns are a cool, dry place. It is the odd clusters of hot springs and large pools of run off that form the oases that provide life for the natives of this hostile place.

In the massive underground caverns, glowing fungi paint a dark and twisted picture on the massive walls of lime and sandstone caves, where the Awladal'ard have made their underground homes. While many small communities have formed along the various oases of the cavern system, the largest community in the region is Alcazaba, the largest of numerous fortified cave entrances found deep within the mountains' often icy peaks. Located in a cavern held up by the enormous skeleton of a long dead firebeast in the near-dormant volcano of Dagon's Mount, the grand fortress is built on various platforms attached to the skeletal structure, connected by the woven mycelia bridges that span the lava pools below. There access to the surface, ample run off, and geothermic heat have created a prosperous community which holds significant sway among the Awladal'ard.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 445,000

The Awladal'ard are a race of large goblinoids. Most stand between 7 and 9 feet tall and weigh between 320 and 500 pounds. Awladal'ardi have gray, green, or tan/orange skin, mottled with dark and light patches that Awladal'ardi elders say hint at a particular Awladal'ardi’s fate. Lithoderms, coin-sized bone-and-skin growths as hard as pebbles, speckle their arms, shoulders, and torso. Their skulls have a jutting eyebrow ridge, wide jaw, and occasional lithoderms which manifest like horns. Female Awladal'ardi have hair on their heads, grown to great length and usually kept braided. Male Awladal'ardi generally have body hair, but rarely hair on their heads. Because their skin mottling has cultural significance, Awladal'ardi generally dress as lightly as possible, being naturally resistant to the heat and cold anyway, displaying their skin patterns for all to see. Awladal'ardi are often judged by their scars, which are viewed as badges of pride and a rewriting of their fate.

The Awladal'ard have a clan based society, with loyalty to clan being considered the highest virtue. As a result the 'Awladal'ard are a fragmented people, prone to inner conflict and war. However they are a honorable people, believing strongly in fairness and equality, many of their internal conflicts being solved in the realm of ritualized combat. Their martial culture views strength and martial cunning to be admirable qualities and blood sports are common

While the Awladal'ard are a segmented people, each oasis having its own elders, chieftains, and leader as per the traditions of the resident clans, the most powerful ruler in the region is the Raj of Alcazaba, who holds at least de facto control over the region's underground.

Spoiler: 'Awladal'ardi

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Spoiler: Resource

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The alfatar khamr fungi that often grow around the oases are abundant in starchy byproducts, making them an excellent ingredient for the fermentation into delicious Mushroom Beer [Good]. The Awladal'ard are voracious carnivores, but their cool, arid land does not sustain any significant cattle for them to eat.

Spoiler: Faith

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While the Awladal'ard hold many shamanistic traditions, they primarily worship the earth goddess Al'ard, who they believe brought their people into this world.

Patriam (Region 256B)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The dark mines of Patriam are a series of largely artificial caverns carved over many millenia between the natural caverns that burrow the mountains north of Lycarus and the strange alien world found deep beneath the mountains. Carved with exacting detail by the ancient race of dwarves that call it home, it is an artificially created labyrinth that now hosts a strange and unearthly ecosystem, a hybrid of the two strange worlds it unites. In the upper caverns, guano-filled caverns like those near the grand thaig of Terrae Vepertillio create an ecosystem built around nutrients imported from the surface. On the enormous, centuries-old mountains of animal refuse, insects, invertebrates, fungi, and bacteria live in an unnatural harmony. In the deep caverns below, strange rock and chemical eating extremophiles live off a dark land bathed in the heat of the earth below. The mines between are a dangerous land, marked by a strange hybrid ecology, populated by many dangerous and other worldly creatures who evolved in the strange buffer between the two worlds.

It is there that the many dwarven thaigs mine the precious metals that run deep beneath the mountains. Among the most powerful of these thaigs are the underfortresses of Edoc'sil Redoubt, Arcem Tenebris, and Terrae Vepertillio.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 547,000

Patriam is populated by a race of hearty dwarves, hardy, stout, and standing four and four and a half feet tall. Females wear their hair long, while male Patriites grow long, extravagant beards which they often elaborately braid. The Patriites are somewhat preoccupied with quality grooming, with the combs and brushes used to maintain their hair often consider among their most prize possession. Unlike many other races, Patriites are often preoccupied with hygiene and bathing. As a result, they are generally view as a handsome, hardy people.

They are skilled miners and even more skilled smiths. Since most of their homeland was craved from the stone by their own ancestors' hands, they share a cultural identity in the pride for the Patriam and are skilled in its maintenance and expansion. Largely clan based, each thaig, or underfortress, is a self contained entity, its members fiercely proud and patriotic of their home. Each thaig is ruled by a Prime Legate, a military dictator elected from the thaig's warrior caste. The most powerful of these are thaigs are Edoc'sil Redoubt, Arcem Tenebris, and Terrae Vepertillio.

Spoiler: Resource

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The mines were largely excavated in pursuit of the incredibly pure iron ore of the region, which the dwarven smiths of Patriam use to forge quality Steel [Minor]. While the strange ecology is not devoid of edibles, the dwarves of Patriam to desire foodstuffs to supplement their diets.

Spoiler: Faith

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The dwarves of Patriam practice a form of ancestral animism, believing the spirits of their most hallowed ancestors still inhabit the mines.

Rhune (Region 254)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Vale of Rhune is a large valley located among the Rhunic Mountains along the southmost shores of the Sea of Storms. Carved from the mountains by the erosive forces of the weather, the valley is dominated by the short, yet mighty Nisos River, the life blood of the residents. The Nisos meets the sea in a fertile delta, where much of the regions agriculture arises. Along the shore and in the deep valley it is a land of cool steppes and rolling hills, while the highlands of the Rhunic Range are marked by wild, temperate woodlands.

Major polities in the area include the cities of Orquacourt, Tiarnas Dorcha, and the Mhór Demesne, as well as the great fortress of Carnedd Dagon. In the region's western most corner lurks the enormous Dagon's Mount, a dormant volcano and one of the largest peaks in the Rhunic Range. It is considered sacred ground to the native Rhunites. Where the Nisos flows out form the mountains just north of the Mount lie the Six Goddesses, huge, ancient monoliths built on the shores of the river by an ancient people long forgotten.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 816,000

The primary residents of the Vale of Rhune are a race of humans aptly called the Rhunites. Tall and light skinned with dark or fiery hair and dark eyes, they are generally accepted as a remarkably handsome people by foreigners.

Local tribal Earls rule as feudal leaders over tight-knit clans, each under the sway of regional Duchies ruled by military Dukes. Rhune is thus divided among the Duchies of Nisos, Fornox, Aratoy, Elythria, Fadenwaith, and Taberland. It is these ruling Dux that form the foundation of a ruling confederacy, with a Archdux head of state elected from their members. The position is mostly ceremonial, however, designed largely for third party arbitration and mutual military defense.

It is the Fornoxi, who hold sway over the southwestern mountains, that hold the most sway in the region, serving as spiritual leaders and promoting what cultural cohesion that does exist between the region's clans. The Nisos, who dominate the coast, provide much of the regions trade and navy, while the Aratoi, Elythrians, Waithen, and Taberlanders provide many of the regions diverse warriors.

Spoiler: Resource

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Growing in the many fields of the Vale, Malahe Prophets [Good] are a type of edible plant, famed for its medicinal uses. Useful for treating anything from fevers and infected wounds to headaches and general pain, it produces a strong euphoric effect that lends itself to recreational use, as well as a reputation as an effective aphrodisiac. Its most famed quality, however, is the seemingly prophetic dreams it induces in users, popular among the prophetic Fornoxi sibyls of the Six Goddesses. Marked by both internal conflict and religious fervor, the Rhunites desire stone to build their castles, temples, and monoliths.

Spoiler: Faith

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The Rhunites worship the Six Goddesses, a pantheon of feminine fertility deities associated with the monolithic female statues on the slopes of Dagon's Mount along the Nisos River. Each statue is assigned portfolio and is maintained by a collection of devoted Fornoxi priestesses.

The Dales (Region 255)

Spoiler: Terrain

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Located in the middle between Rhune, Kevishtad, and Hallavad, the Dales are a series of hilly valleys tucked between the Rhunic Range and the Sea of Storms. A landscaped dominated by massive rolling hills, it it is home to woodsmen of similar heritage to their Rhunite neighbors. The hills and valleys of the region are dominated by thick forests, winding wilderness that can be confusing and disorienting to foreigners. These primordial woodlands are home to numerous strange and dangerous creatures, from large dire wolves and moose to twisted wendigo and fiery phoenixes.

The region's coasts possess an ample amount of quality anchorage, the hilly coast meeting the sea in a number of rivers in the southeast, while the northernmost coast is dominated by a number of fjords called the Firths of Falstad, which provide great harbors for the regions navy and fisherman.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 775,000

The primary residents of the Dales are a race of Rhunites known as the Dalesmen. Tall and light skinned with dark or fiery hair and dark eyes, they are generally accepted as a remarkably handsome race of humans by foreigners.

Local tribal Earls rule as feudal leaders over tight-knit clans, each under the sway of regional Duchies ruled by military Dukes. These Dux rule from feudal cities like Elyt, Demure, Genoi, and the Havens.

The Duchy of Elyt, in the southern most corner, is the spiritual center of the Dales. The Dalemen of Elyt are relatives of the Fornoxi, and it is there that many of their priestesses maintain temples to the Rhunite Six Goddesses. The Duchy of the Haven is militarily the most powerful in the region, controlling the anchorages of the Firth of Falstad, as well as much of the region's naval forces.

Spoiler: Resource

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The woodlands of the Dales are an ample supply of Wood [Good], and are often harvested to build ships in the harbors of the Haven. The Dalemen desire imported need

Spoiler: Faith

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Most Dalemen worship the Six Goddesses of their ancestors, a pantheon of feminine fertility deities associated with the monolithic female statues on the slopes of Dagon's Mount in Rhune. Each statue is assigned portfolio and worshiped by Elyt priestesses.

Myrkheim (Region 254B)

Spoiler: Terrain

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Unlike many of the other underground landscapes throughout the central mountains of the eastern continent, the mindlessly wandering labyrinths under the Vale of Rhune are a cool, damp wasteland, largely devoid of the considerable ecosystems of other underground regions. The dark, damp caverns are home to glowing proteobacteria stalactites and various oozes, with cold puddles of pooling and frigid underground river systems providing what little sustenance the species of pale white invertebrates and blind amphibians need to survive.

Deep under Dagon's Mount lies the enormous cavern of Tumma Linnoitus, whose massive central stalagmite houses the Myrkálfr city of Skumle Taarn. It is through this cavern that the River Tethys, largest in the region, flows.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 536,000

The residence of Myrkheim are the Myrkálfar, an eerie, long-lived elfin race that haunts the dark, twisted caverns under Rhune. Standing six to seven and a half feet, with slender, hunched frames, thin, lanky limbs, and long clawed, four fingered hands, the pale skinned Myrkálfar are an unsettling sight to foreigners. Long, point ears extend from their heads under straight black hair. Just two small slits just below their large, black eyes, their noses are nearly nonexistent. While they possess nothing easily identified as a mouth, they do possess one, though it appears seamless when not in use and is often unnoticable even when they speak. They wear long flowing spider silk robes, dyed black with coal.

A oddly stoic race, they possess an abnormally laconic language, but mostly communicated nonverbally when able. However, their structures are intricate and elaborate, as is their jewelry, and their people are consider skilled smiths, craftsmen, and masons. This is because, given their nearly endless life span, they possess ample time to perfect their trades. Often dismissive of foreigners, they judge other races by the skill of their craftsman, as well as their propensity to act rather than talk.

While many Myrkálfr communities dot the caverns of the region and shores of the rivers, the only true city is Skumle Taarn. The city is ruled by a priestess called the All-Mother, an immortal Myrkálfr so ancient that even the eldest among the Myrkálfar have no memory or knowledge of a time when She did not claim dominion over Her people. Most other communities are gerontocracies, however all Myrkálfar pay homage to the Lady of Skumle Taarn.

Spoiler: Resource

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The caverns of Myrkheim are rich in Gold [Minor], which the Myrkalfar forge into exquisite works of art. As the region is devoid of considerable agriculture, the Myrkálfar desire imported foodstuffs to supplement their diets.

Spoiler: Faith

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The majority of the Myrkálfar appear to practice nothing approaching a religion at all, while a minority among the leadership follow a haunting cult to the Old Ones, a strange otherworldly faith that worships powerful, slumbering entities said to live deep beneath the earth.

Svartalfheim (Region 323B)

Spoiler: Terrain

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Unlike many of the other underground landscapes throughout the central mountains of the eastern continent, the mindlessly wandering labyrinths under the mountains above are a cool, damp wasteland, largely devoid of the considerable ecosystems of other underground regions. The dark, damp caverns are home to glowing proteobacteria stalactites and various oozes, with cold puddles of pooling and frigid underground river systems providing what little sustenance the species of pale white invertebrates and blind amphibians need to survive.

Deep and to the east of Myrkheim where the River Tethys and other rivers flow into the earth, lies the realm of Svartalfheim, a colder and more desolate place populated by the Myrkálfar.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 733,000

The residence of Svartalfheim are the Myrkálfar, an eerie, long-lived elfin race that haunts the dark, twisted caverns of the region. Standing six to seven and a half feet, with slender, hunched frames, thin, lanky limbs, and long clawed, four fingered hands, the pale skinned Myrkálfar are an unsettling sight to foreigners. Long, point ears extend from their heads under straight black hair. Just two small slits just below their large, black eyes, their noses are nearly nonexistent. While they possess nothing easily identified as a mouth, they do possess one, though it appears seamless when not in use and is often unnoticable even when they speak. They wear long flowing spider silk robes, dyed black with coal.

A oddly stoic race, they possess an abnormally laconic language, but mostly communicated nonverbally when able. However, their structures are intricate and elaborate, as is their jewelry, and their people are consider skilled smiths, craftsmen, and masons. This is because, given their nearly endless life span, they possess ample time to perfect their trades. Often dismissive of foreigners, they judge other races by the skill of their craftsman, as well as their propensity to act rather than talk.

While many Myrkálfr communities dot the caverns of the region and shores of the rivers, there are no true cities as in Myrkheim. Most other communities are gerontocracies, however all Myrkálfar in the region pay homage to the Lady of Skumle Taarn in Myrkheim.

Spoiler: Resource

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A plentiful source of food within the caverns of Svartalfheim are a species of edible Snails [Good], which have become something of a delicacy outside of Svartalfheim. The Myrkálfar desire imported need.

Spoiler: Faith

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The majority of the Myrkálfar appear to practice nothing approaching a religion at all, while a minority among the leadership follow a haunting cult to the Old Ones, a strange otherworldly faith that worships powerful, slumbering entities said to live deep beneath the earth.

The Nevarri Colonies:

Nevarr (Region 174)

Spoiler: Terrain

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Nevarr is bordered to the south and west by rugged, jungle-covered mountains, and much of its eastern half is desert. Two major rivers flow out of these mountains, and most of the inhabited areas of Nevarr lie along them.

Tyre and Eris Rivers: These rivers are vital to Nevarri civilization, and are worshipped as sources of life by many of its people. They provide transportation, fresh water, and most of Nevarr’s arable land. Eight of the nine founding cities of the League, and many smaller towns, are built along the banks of the rivers.

Ugan Oasis: Situated in the desert between the two rivers, this large oasis provides a pocket of fertile land large enough to support the ninth League city, Ugan. Caravans travelling between the rivers often stop here for supplies, making it an important center of trade.

Nine Cities: These are the founding city-states of the League, the seats of the Ensi, and still the largest cities in Nevarr. These cities are built with classic Nevarri architecture – simple, elegant, and functional stonework. Elaborate irrigation systems, defensive walls, and magnificent public buildings are common. Trade along the rivers and the Ugan caravans ensures that anything available in Nevarr can be found in the markets of these cities.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 854,000

The Nevarri people are human – typically tall, with dark hair and skin. They wear loose, flowing robes, suitable for their desert climate, and the Lugal and Ensi wear torcs of precious metals as badges of office.

As in most medieval societies, the majority of Nevarri are farmers. They typically own the land they work, and pay taxes to the local Ensi (mostly in crops and labour) in exchange for protection and other services. Skilled craftspeople of all types are unusually common in Nevarr, and are highly respected.

Each of the nine major cities is ruled by an Ensi – these were initially hereditary monarchs, with largely independent rule over their own city and surrounding area. With the founding of the League, the Council of Ensi was formed to facilitate cooperation between the cities and deal with matters affecting all of Nevarr. Each Ensi sits on the Council personally when in the capital city of Akkar, and appoints a representative to speak for them when they are elsewhere. The Council initially had the authority to appoint and depose its head, the Lugal, with a majority vote of the Ensi.

In addition to the river-based society, Nevarr is also home to a smaller population of nomadic herders. They inhabit the foothills of the southeastern mountains and small oases throughout the desert, and often act as guides for travelers crossing between the rivers. These nomads are not subjects of any Ensi and are largely independent of the Nevarri government, but some are beginning to push for one of their people on the Council.

Spoiler: Resources

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Thanks to the extensive Nevarri irrigation systems, the farmlands along the Tyre and Eris rivers produce a substantial surplus of Grain [Good]. Nevarr is poor in Metals, and seeks improved supplies for tools and weapons.

Spoiler: Religion

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Organized religion is rare in modern Nevarr. Most citizens follow a pantheistic faith focused on the natural world, especially the two great rivers. A notable aspect of this faith is its emphasis on finding clever ways to make use of the gifts of the world – building an irrigation canal is as much an act of devotion as casting an offering into the river to ask for a good harvest.

During the era of independent city-states, the Ensi were seen as god-kings, responsible for interceding with the world spirits on behalf of their people, and an organized priesthood developed around this. With the rise of the League and the centralized power of the Lugal, this aspect of the faith has fallen out of favor, and the priesthood lost most of its power in the civil war under Lugal Sidur. Given this history, most Nevarri are suspicious of organized, hierarchical religions, including the Grand Church of Daen. In recent years, however, a small but growing minority follow the Doctrine of the Nine Candles, often alongside traditional Nevarri practices.

Neilor (Region 173)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The jungled mountains along Nevarr's southern border give way into the hills of the north of Neilor, which gives way to the rolling plains and prairies of an ancient land dominated by the same culture as the desert lands to the north.

Large rolling hills dominate the northern portion of the nation just south of the mountainous border, running to the eastern shore, where the regions largest river, the Neil, meets the sea.

The Neil flows from the west through the arid prairies that dominate much of the the interior. It is along this river that many of the region's city-states arose. Tel Hamoukar, Göbekli Tepe, Uruk, Nippur, Medes, Tyre, and Sidon dominat the poltics of the region, being the major centers of power in the region. Tel Hamoukar is the region's capital, the traditional seat of the ruling Šarrum.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: ???

The Neilor people are human of a Nevarri stock, typically tall, with dark hair and skin. They wear loose, flowing robes, suitable for their arid climate, and the Ensi wear torcs of precious metals as badges of office.

As in most medieval societies, the majority of the Neilor are farmers. They typically own the land they work, and pay taxes to the local Ensi (mostly in crops and labor) in exchange for protection and other territorial administration. Skilled craftspeople of all types are unusually common in Neilor, particularly the in the cities, and are highly respected. Some Neilor are nomadic herders, living among the prairies, and often act as guides for travelers crossing the enormous plains of the lands interior. These nomads are not subjects of any Ensi and are largely independent of the the regions's government.

Each of the major cities is ruled by an Ensi; these were initially hereditary monarchs, with largely independent rule over their own city and surrounding area. Following suit with their northern Nevarri neighbors, a Council of Ensi was formed to facilitate cooperation between the cities and deal with matters affecting all of Neilor. Each Ensi sits on the Council personally when in the capital city of Place, and appoints a representative to speak for them when they are elsewhere. It was this Council which formed and elected the democratic title of Šarrum, which rules the whole nation much like the Lugal to the north.

Spoiler: Resources

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The hills along the mountains to the north are rich in iron ore, which skilled Neilor craftsmen forge into quality Steel [Good]. Desiring to turn their blades and other weaponry into works of art, the Neilor desire Gemstones to embellish their steel works.

Spoiler: Religion

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Most citizens of the states of Nielor follow a pantheistic faith focused on the natural world, especially the river. A notable aspect of this faith is its emphasis on finding clever ways to make use of the gifts of the world – building an irrigation canal is as much an act of devotion as casting an offering into the river to ask for a good harvest. Traditionally the Ensi were seen as god-kings, responsible for interceding with the world spirits on behalf of their people, and an organized priesthood developed around this. However, this kind of worship fell to the wayside under Nevarri rules, and now a minority of the Neilor worship the draconic gods of the Crystal Union.

[Epinephrine_Syn]

Univale Commune
Reina (Her Highness, Erde Herz)
(Something of a druidic high title, meaning 'soul/heart of the world' within the dialect. Acting as a queen proper, with a title that means something a little more reverent and at the same time more 'mellow' than being demanded a title of high ruler, though 'her highness' is also appropriate.)

Spoiler: Univael: Soul of the World (405) (Soulblood Sap G) (N-Mounts)

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Ruler: Reina(as of t23start)
Diplomacy: 4
Military: 2
Curiosity: 4
Faith: 2
Luck: 1

Born and raised by the high council to be the destined child, the soul of the world given new life and form, to unify and grant prosperity to all. Her physical presence is rare and she is sheltered, but represents a figurehead to unite the population against the potential threat of invasion. She is supernatural in at least some manner, and she perhaps even believes in the truth of the council's statements. Or not. It's hard to say.

Name Origin: From the dialect of the people of Univael, a combination of German and French accents/sounds. Reign: To reign over.




Univael Population: 800,000 (as of Turn 23 Start) Region 405


Terrain: The terrain of Univael switches between vast fields of Valleys and Hills, with a dense forest within. Traversing this overland is hard, even for the inhabitants. There are wonderful views of the sunrise given the landscape, a proverbial sea of terrace. The two biggest landmarks one has to see are the ‘devil’s tent’ and the ‘stairway to heaven’. The devil’s tent is a particularly deep valley once inhabited by a dark tribe, but long since deserted. The place is rumored to be cursed, and is only gazed at for sightseeing, and as a cautionary tale.

The ‘stairway to heaven’ is in the center of the capital of Univael. It is in reality a large oak tree, stretching up higher than the rest, with a built in spiral staircase to the top. The most scenic spot where one can survey almost half the region, and when time permits, where royal events and meetings are held.


People: The people are gathered in largely forested regions of the continent, where there are not plains to farm/build upon. The people are largely agricultural and easy going, having a culture of live and let live, helping others to help thyself, and collecting as much knowledge as humanly possible. While the people do get into arguments and miniature wars amongst themselves based on interpretations of druidism or interference of other religion, outside of these matters they are often forgiving to a fault.

The population demographics are approximately 99% humans, 1% non-human entities/immigrants. The human skin color is largely separated by the 'valley people' having darker skin from being out in the sun for extensive periods of time, and the 'forest people' who are almost always in the shade of the forest above. Different 'tribes' before the unification have different traits regarding height, eye color, and to a degree traditions, but not enough intermingling has happened (or still is happening) to unify the people in a singular way.

The dialect of the regions is a combination of German and French, although usually still understandable to non-natives as Language.

Heraldry: http://imgur.com/a/6pyZd
Colors: Light Blue / Dark Green

Resources:
Resource Boon: (Soulblood Sap [Good]) The environment of Univael has some of the most sparkling nature around. From the flowers, the trees, the fields, Sap can be harvested. Other countries often just recognize it as a rare, healthy, and exotic delicacy, often compared to Wine. It is purported (especially within Druidic circles of thought) to have more otherworldly properties.

Resource Deficiency: With the recent unification comes a far greater need for travel. There are no creatures native to the lands now called Univael to serve as proper Mounts (J), to pull wagons, to regularly navigate people through the dense forests or across the sparse plains with their steep hills and low valleys.



Religion/History: The people of Univael are a relatively new one. The history of the nation is one of Druidic past times and numerous traditions. Within the last twenty years, a council has formed together to unite the people against the inward trend of expansionist neighboring nations. Professing the Universal Unity of all life and nature into a single soul, and heralding a young child as a literal manifestation of nature, the people are banded together to retain their culture and ways of life.

How much people believe in whatever the child is wavers, but it is as good a reason as any to group for a common cause. As of Turn 23, Reina (the ruler) officially has her Sixteenth Birthday, and takes administrative control of the nation from her regent council (although still deferring/listening to their advice extensively).

Other Regions
Region 392 - [Minor] Dyna Herbs (Population of 490,000)
Region 393 - [Good] Redbeaks (Population of 200,000)
Region 394 - [Minor] Buffalo (Population of 530,000)

Spoiler: Køhl (404) (Alcohol G) (Needs-Stone/(Precious Metals))

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Colonization History/People: It is important to note that each of these vast regions rarely has their own name and is made up of a few separate different peoples, and is only given a name by the colonizing Univaleans. Often by picking one large tribe's name and applying it to the rest of the region, but in this case in particular all of the names were too long winded. Reina prefers giving her regions single syllable statements, or two at the most. People would put acronyms to anything longer anyway. The young queen has a slight distaste for the area, their propensity for alcohol, having a loud minority of intoxicated people, and the fact that it competes with her homeland's delicacy of preference all combine to be troublesome. Still, she won't let personal taste for the dwarves ale bias her against those people, they just need some… proper guidance out of heresy.
Disclaimer, despite the people in this region being called dwarves, they are actually the tallest humans on average in her regions. Reina herself, as a sheltered heiress, doesn't go visit these lands that far out. The ambassador to her region was a (choose your socially acceptable word of preference of little person/midget/etc) and a rude drunkard, so she presumes this is at least somewhat representative of the area. This may have colored her impressions on the populace.


Terrain: A fair bit of forest, bits of hills and valleys, nothing extremely out of the norm spare the fact that the trees are everywhere. Indeed, it is the nothing out of the norm which is most definable, one would call it the classic forest region. The people live in little spots of land shaven clean of wildlife, and need to do maintenance to keep the perhaps enchanted wildlife from overcoming their towns and fortifications.

Resources: Booze, beer, alcohol. Reina doesn't partake, but she knows that a lot of people do, and not everyone is a druid. Admittedly, even her own region enjoys the differing taste, and one has even combined the types of drinks for different blends. Druids typically don't take part in excess, but the stereotype rule is loosely followed at best, like how one tells their kids to come to a full stop at a stop sign as part of driving, but rarely does anyone consistently follow this to the letter.

Needs: (Precious Metals) These people need a specific set of gemstones and precious metals to give them some culture. There's a lot of fine art. With these materials and the schools that can be built, one could teach the new generation to grow up better than their ancestors did. Of course, this is the idea Reina got from the talks her greedy ambassador friend gave her, who intends to pilfer a portion of the imported goods and retire a wealthy man through skimming off the top.

But no, what they actually need is (Stone). The region has a lot of wood and soft dirt, but putting up actual stone walls on their many region ways would go a vast way towards reducing the work they have to do to stop the wildlife from encroaching on their terrain.

Spoiler: Gün (406) (Steel G) (N-Drink)

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Region 406 - [Good] Steel, Needs: Drink
(Population of 830,000)

Terrain: High reaching, a literal sea of mountainous terrain that looks over it's surrounding regions by at least six feet, rushing upwards into the horizon. If one looked at the area known as Gün, they might think the rest of the world to be a valley. Most of the natives lay in these mountains, creating extensive networks within them that make them function similar to massive castles that sprung from the earth and grew unchecked like weeds. You know when you've entered the lands of Gün when you walk up an incline six feet higher, or need to scale an eight foot cliff to press onwards. Bard-spun tales proclaim that mountaintops scrape the clouds in the sky, and more reliable merchants from the region affirm that these tall tall-tales are closer to the truth than a skeptic might suggest.

People: Within the last three generations, the region population has more than doubled. 'Go forth, multiply, and prosper'. The area had a cultural shift, in something of a social revolution from restrictive and disciplinarian to loose and 'hippie'. Of course, the people are still comparatively to the rest of the globe fairly traditionalist, ancestor worshipping, and strict. To them, the grandfathers are sickened by their reckless newest generation, their wild proliferation, and their 'hippie warmongering mindset' that goes against the norm.

Resources: Steel. The titanous mountains provide lots of metals for it's people, and they know how to forge them well. Harvesting these mountains is almost a limitless avenue for goods, the titan's blessing upon the land and those who inhabit it.

Needs: Water/Drink. Water flows downhill, and most of the rivers in the land of Gün run out into the surrounding regions. A few places catch it in valley lakes, but the recent population explosion and further colonization has rendered the demand to outrace the supply with ferocity. Most drinkable liquids will suffice to the parched people, and they hope the recent events will bring an upswing.

Turn Write-Ups
T25
T26
T27

[QuintonBeck]

The Transcendent Unity
Pendria and the Shrouded Catacombs (280B and 279B)
Lesser Vassal to the Nihoni Dominion

Shrouded Lord
Diplomacy: 5
Military: 1
Curiosity: 4
Faith: 5
Luck: 2

Pendria (Region 280B)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The caverns under Conlarbores are a strange and foreign realm. A damp cavescape, the halls of Pendria do not benefit as much from the heat of the plate tectonics that shaped those caverns nearby, and are a cold bleak landscape dominated by strangely carved halls connecting many bleak and chilly underground lakes and rivers.

The Halls of Pendria, as they are now known, were carved long ago, before the oral history of the Nihonel and even before the memories of the oldest surviving Pendrel following the Ancerin Inquisition’s purge of elders. For as long as either species can remember the strange system of artificial tunnels has existed. Whoever or whatever is responsible for the strange series of tunnels appears to have long been driven out or destroyed by either the ancient Nihonel or the Pendrel themselves. The exact identity or nature of these precursors who carved their halls with strange and intricate glyphs is unknown though some Exarchate scholars have noted similarities to modern Myrkálfar runes leading to speculation that the reserved elfin people may have once extended further north than their current domain.

Pendria is a dark and cold land devoid of the subterranean life common to its neighboring regions. Lacking the natural heat of other regions it is cool and empty with the fols fire of the region glowing only dully in isolated clusters. The center of the ecosystem is the enormous collection of mycorrhizas systems reaching down from the great forests from the land above. It's these strange systems of fungi and roots that, along with the underground lakes and streams, form the backbone of what sparse life exists in the area. Comprised of mainly invertebrates, save for a few cave fish, the natural ecosystem of the area was historically dominated by two apex predators: the Pendrel and the Glyph Weaver, a large species of spider.

Large artificial structures both new and ancient rise along the various lakes and streams and it is within these that the Nihonel, descendants of Nihoni who fled into the unnatural cave system following conflict with the Nitent’oculis above, make their home. The most notable of these loosely conglomerated townships are Avaritia, Stygia, and Maladomini, the latter of which where the Ancerin Inquisition held their court during the brief period of Ancerin dominion and inquisition.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 587,000 (Pendrel with Nihonel hosts)

Similar to their Nihoni cousins the Nihonel stand between four and a half and six feet tall. Their face appears remarkably human, save their feline eyes and ears and their discolored noses. The Nihonel possess fur only on their limbs and tail, their torso being bare like a human's. The Nihonel possess dangerous natural weapons in their sharp, durable claws and fearsome canine teeth and tend to rely upon their natural strengths than upon weapons forged or crafted of steel. The color of their fur and skin differs from Nihonel to Nihonel, ranging widely even within small communities. They are more similar to the Nihonwyr caste of Nihoni, with the majority of the population priding themselves on physical fitness and personal capability as a warrior. The Nihonel possess even better night vision than their Nihoni cousins likely due to the lower light conditions of their cave homes.

The descendants of surface Nihoni the Nihonel differ greatly due to their relationship with the Pendrel. The Pendrel are a race of invertebrate parasites which populated the lakes and waters of the region prior to the Nihonel arrival. Having spent years using the Glyph Weaver spiders as hosts the Pendrel were quickly attracted to the more adaptable Nihoni exiles. Upon initial bonding with a small number of their new hosts the Pendrel shared the hunting techniques of the deadly Glyph Weavers helping to shape those who would become the Nihonwyr exile leaders into deadly combatants capable of overcoming their unbound foes. Through a war of subterfuge, elimination, and infiltration the Pendrel claimed dominion over the fledgling Nihonel populace and established peace throughout the region.

Young Pendrel appear much like large tadpoles and can communicate directly with other members of their species that share the same body of water through some form of limited telepathy. As they grow they come to desire a host with whom to share their minds. Failure to bond with a host in a timely fashion is known to stunt a Pendrel’s intellectual capability and care is put into ensuring the youth of Pendrel nurseries are provided hosts as needed to avoid this fate, once common during the years preceding the arrival of the Nihonel. The Pendrel are effectively immortal, capable of surviving so long as they possess a viable host; robbed of a host however, they will expire within a twenty four to thirty six hours. Pendrel reproduce by spawning in water following the expiration of a host and preceding their transfer to a subsequent host. The emphasis on ensuring the development and life of newborn Pendrel means only those Pendrel deemed most intelligent or important to the whole of society are granted the right to subsequent hosts with the majority relegated to a single Nihonel lifespan though there are those who attempt to bypass this restriction. Those that receive the gift of subsequent hosts often bond with the children or grandchildren of their previous host though in the times of Iron Gauntlet rule members of the infamous cabal were known to take many varying hosts ensuring their identity remained obscured.

The recognized rulers of the region are the Nihonel Dominus who are bonded with some of the most cunning elder Pendrel claiming membership among the first pendrel to bond with original Nihonel exiles. While once the Iron Guantlet held great power and sway in the region, they have waned following the Ancerin Inquisition with those who survived having moved "underground' or fleeing to other demesnes of the United Nihoni Exarchate.

Spoiler: Resource

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While once a safe haven and academy for trained killers under the threat of death by Ancerin Inquisitors Pendria has now turned its efforts to the farming of the Spider Silk [Minor] produced by the Glyph Weaver spiders. The Glyph Weavers are massive spiders with bodies the size of small Nihonel children whose leg span brings them to match the size of most adult species. In addition to possessing the luxurious qualities of other silks the fabrics spun from the fiber are incredibly durable, while ropes braided with the silk are notably stronger than traditional hempen rope. It is said the Iron Gauntlet once used this spider silk to craft garrote wires used in many assassinations making the shift in resource collection less taxing upon the specialized populace. Due to the sparse nature of the local ecosystem and unified Pendrel and Nihonel desire to expand their populations foodstuffs are needed to feed the burgeoning populace.

Spoiler: Faith

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Nihonel in possession of secular Pendrel often carry on the worship of their Paragon Ancestors brought with them into their exile from the surface. Those with pious Pendrel worship a strange otherworldly faith that reveres powerful, slumbering entities said to live deep beneath the earth. This faith is noted to bear a stunning resemblance to the Myrkálfr faith of the Old Ones strengthening arguments that the Myrkálfr once spanned as far north as Pendria and prompting some to speculate as to their history relating to the Pendrel.

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The Shrouded Catacombs (Region 279B)

Spoiler: Terrain

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As the mysterious halls pf Pendria move east they converge deep under the rugged mountains of Domumontem upon the great underground lake known as the Llynytywyllwch.It is there that the great vaulted doors leading to the deeply entrenched Shrouded Catacombs can be found. The Catacombs are a massive underground labyrinth of glyph lined halls once built by whatever civilization predated the current inhabitants. Unlike the halls of Pendria which speak of having played host to homes of this forgotten race the depths of the Catacombs speak to their once being a great tomb of these ancient peoples. Time and newer occupants however have transformed the buried labyrinth into what is now a massive underground city populated by the region's Nihonel, rivaling even Carraig Dún and Prevaz in its size. It is within these ancient hallowed halls where the entirety of the region’s population now makes their home.

The underground tomb does not benefit from the heat of the plate tectonics that shaped those caverns nearby and is a cold bleak landscape dominated by strangely carved halls connecting many bleak mausoleums of a race long gone. Carved long before the oral history of the Nihonel the halls are an enigma but they provide a suitable home for the Nihonel tribes of the region as well as the parasitic Pendrel whose nurseries fill the flooded depths of the Catacombs.

The Shrouded Catacombs is a dark and cold land devoid of life compared to neighboring regions. The fols fire native the region glows only dully in isolated clusters while the glyphed halls are filled with all manner of strange and other worldly invertebrates. The local ecosystem was long dominated by the eerie Pendrel and the Glyph Wanderer a predatory arachnid related to the Glyph Weavers of Pendria known for its potent venom and a penchant for seeming to disappear from plain sight.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 587,000 (Pendrel with Nihonel hosts)

Similar to their Nihoni cousins the Nihonel stand between four and a half and six feet tall. Their face appears remarkably human, save their feline eyes and ears and their discolored noses. The Nihonel possess fur only on their limbs and tail, their torso being bare like a human's. The Nihonel possess dangerous natural weapons in their sharp, durable claws and fearsome canine teeth and tend to rely upon their natural strengths than upon weapons forged or crafted of steel. The color of their fur and skin differs from Nihonel to Nihonel, ranging widely even within small communities. They are more similar to the Nihonwyr caste of Nihoni, with the majority of the population priding themselves on physical fitness and personal capability as a warrior. The Nihonel possess even better night vision than their Nihoni cousins likely due to the lower light conditions of their cave homes.

The descendants of surface Nihoni the Nihonel differ greatly due to their relationship with the Pendrel. The Pendrel are a race of invertebrate parasites which populated the lakes and waters of the region prior to the Nihonel arrival. Having spent years using the Glyph Wanderer spiders as hosts the Pendrel were quickly attracted to the more adaptable Nihoni exiles. Upon initial bonding with a small number of their new hosts the Pendrel shared the hunting techniques of the deadly Glyph Wanderers helping to shape those who would become the Nihonwyr exile leaders into deadly combatants capable of overcoming their unbound foes. Through a war of subterfuge, elimination, and infiltration the Pendrel claimed dominion over the fledgling Nihonel populace and established peace throughout the region.

Young Pendrel appear much like large tadpoles and can communicate directly with other members of their species that share the same body of water through some form of limited telepathy. As they grow they come to desire a host with whom to share their minds. Failure to bond with a host in a timely fashion is known to stunt a Pendrel’s intellectual capability and care is put into ensuring the youth of Pendrel nurseries are provided hosts as needed to avoid this fate, once common during the years preceding the arrival of the Nihonel. The Pendrel are effectively immortal, capable of surviving so long as they possess a viable host; robbed of a host however, they will expire within a twenty four to thirty six hours. Pendrel reproduce by spawning in water following the expiration of a host and preceding their transfer to a subsequent host. The emphasis on ensuring the development and life of newborn Pendrel means only those Pendrel deemed most intelligent or important to the whole of society are granted the right to subsequent hosts with the majority relegated to a single Nihonel lifespan though there are those who attempt to bypass this restriction. Those that receive the gift of subsequent hosts often bond with the children or grandchildren of their previous host though members of the Iron Gauntlet are known to take many and varying hosts ensuring their identity remains obscured.

The ruler of the Shrouded Catacomb is an ancient Pendrel known only as the Shrouded Lord. One of the first Pendrel to bond with Nihonel as well as a founding member of the original Iron Gauntlet he is a wise and incredibly skilled creature. The Shrouded Lord has successfully maintained control over the region as well as possessing much influence in Pendria for centuries, turning his subsequent hosts into wise rulers, skilled warriors, and merciless killers of the greatest skill. While the Iron Gauntlet in Pendria waned following Ancerin Inquisition, those within the Shrouded Catacombs remained protected under the auspices of the United Nihoni Exarchate and many who fled persecution in Pendria soon found themselves brought under the protective umbrella of the Shrouded Lords. While considered ill to speak of given the Ancerin Inquisition’s history in Pendria and the spat of international deaths linked to those claiming membership to the Iron Gauntlet it is recognized that the Shrouded Lord claims the loyalty of the ancient reviled and notorious organization. While no effort has been made to distance themselves from the international terrorists it is well regarded that the “Iron Gauntlet” responsible for the deaths of many of Arandi’s political elite was a splinter organization separate from the ancient order of Pendrel assassins.

Spoiler: Resource

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The venom of the Glyph Wanderer, known simply as Blindgut Poison [Minor], is a potent poison, known for both the quickness with which it renders its victims incapacitated, and for the drawn out, torpid manner in which it finally claims its victims. Within moments of infliction in a wound (much slower if digested), the poison manifests fever, weakness, and uncontrolled vomiting, before eventual effecting the victim's eye sight, rendering them blind. If left to its own device, the poison will claim a victim's life only over the course of several days, as the victim's fever grows and they languish in immense pain. Those who use the poison rarely choose to wait that long. An antidote is said to exist though none can claim knowledge of its secret save for the Shrouded Lord and a handful of his most trusted lieutenants meaning for most to be poisoned by a Blindgut Blade is an irreversible death sentence. While foodstuffs is greatly desired by the population emphasis has been put on the importation of hard metals which are needed to forge the blades and weaponized gauntlets common of the region's warriors and assassins.

Spoiler: Faith

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Nihonel in possession of secular Pendrel often carry on the worship of their Paragon Ancestors brought with them into their exile from the surface. Those with pious Pendrel worship a strange otherworldly faith that reveres powerful, slumbering entities said to live deep beneath the earth. This faith is noted to bear a stunning resemblance to the Myrkálfr faith of the Old Ones strengthening arguments that the Myrkálfr once spanned as far north as Pendria and prompting some to speculate as to their history relating to the Pendrel.
It is said rituals honoring these ancient slumbering entities are commonly carried out by members of the Iron Gauntlet. The destruction of the “New” Iron Gauntlet is said to have sparked a religious revolution within the ranks of the “Old” Gauntlet though befitting the secretive organization little news as to why or what this means has emerged.

[EtuBrutus]

Nemeria, Part 2

Dherai
Region 341

Spoiler: Terrain

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Spoiler: The River Dherai

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The Dherai is situated in the middle of a rocky desert. Towering rock formations dot the landscape, and deep red canyons stretch like scars across the majority of the country. These canyons are all interconnected with one another, and the massive River Dherai crashes through them all, branching off and forming tributaries which inevitably rejoin the River Dherai before pouring out into the ocean to the south. This feature is referred to as the Dherai Eka Ho by the local natives, a phrase meaning ‘many are now one,’ in reference to the various riverlets that form the River Dherai. The capital city is situated in the middle of the Dherai Eka Ho, and shares its name.

Spoiler: People

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Population: 386,000

Spoiler: Dherai Woman

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The inhabitants of the Dherai are dark-skinned humans with very thick, straight hair. Many of them have blue eyes, which contrasts sharply with the deep brown of their skin. The people of the Dherai are separated into many different tribes and, while the tribes are not actively hostile to one another, there is a degree of mistrust between them some of them, even after the uniting hand of Uc Tyraxis bound them all together.

In the year 43, Uc Tyraxis began his quest to join the tribes of the region together. Uc saw the River Dherai as a metaphor for life - it all begins the same, and then we twist and turn and follow new paths before reuniting at the end in death. It was this belief that fueled his desire to unite the peoples of the Dherai into one nation. By the year 87, he had completed his goal, having successfully negotiated with or conquered all of the region’s separate peoples, and establishing the capital in the very center of the new country.

Dherai culture is vast in its diversity, though there are some common elements between different tribes. There is a universal respect for the spirits of the deceased, who are thrown elaborate parties in place of more traditional, somber funerals. Additionally, the River Dherai itself is held to be sacred, as its waters are the only thing allowing life to flourish in the otherwise barren land.

Spoiler: Resource

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Spoiler: Tsol Mos Crystals

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Tsol mos (Good) is a strange crystalline substance found in the canyons. It ranges from dazzlingly white to nearly translucent in appearance. Seen as yet another of the River Dherai’s gifts, tsol mos is remarkable in that it is usable as both a preservative AND a fertilizer, allowing the natives to keep and maintain bountiful stocks of food, even in the harsh desert.

While tsol mos is great for growing crops and for keeping things from souring, it cannot create animal life, of which there is a great dearth in the Dherai. The few animals large enough to sate a man’s hunger are slowly starting to disappear due to overhunting, and many of them are too feral to domesticate properly. They desire Livestock.

Spoiler: Religion

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Animism [Sole]

The people of the Dherai have many varied beliefs, but they all share a few similarities. Ancestor worship and respect is very prominent, as is a reverence for the River Dherai, which is viewed as being a living thing that cares and provides for the people of the desert.

Bascaro
Region 340

Spoiler: Terrain

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Spoiler: A Stone Field

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The landscape of the red southern desert shifts into rocky savannah as one goes north into Bascaro. Rolling plains of grass stretch for miles, with large boulders and spires of stone jutting out of the ground. These ‘stone fields’ are very common in Bascaro, and the natives have carved and painted many of the rocks with images of their gods and legends. Some of the more prominent stone fields are even the site of villages and townships, with canopies stretched over the tops of stones to serve as shade or protection from the weather. The fields are artificial, having been created long ago by the ancestors of the modern-day Bascarans.

Spoiler: People

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Population: 778,000

Spoiler: Telpith

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The humans of Bascaro resemble those of the Dherai, with dark skin and thick straight hair. However, unlike Dherai, Bascaro is also inhabited by a race of lizard-like creatures who call themselves the telpith. Telpith on average stand a little less than five feet tall, and are covered in bony-looking ridges all over their bodies. They vary in color from dun browns to lively greens and blues. Long beak-like mouths tip their scaly snouts. In addition, they have six long, clawed, and fully opposable digits on each hand and foot. Tails with spiny protrusions drag behind them as they walk, and are clear indicators of the telpith’s moods. A raised tail indicates interest or excitement, one that swishes rapidly suggests irritation, and a ramrod straight one implies aggression.

Despire their physiological differences, humans and telpith get along very well. Their society is one based primarily on farming and raising the savannah sheep, hardy beasts with thick wool and grandiose spiraling horns. As such, they are very precise timekeepers and astronomers, due to their reliance on the coming and going of seasons. They have an intricate calendar system, one that keeps track of not just the days of Arandi, but that also supposedly calculates the passage of time across the entire universe.

Spoiler: Resource

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Spoiler: A Savannah Sheep

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Savannah Sheep (Minor) are a hardy breed of woolen ungulate that roam the grassy plains of Bascaro. They are herded and kept by human and telpith alike for many reasons including food, but the most important one is their wool. Savannah sheep wool is very resistant to tearing when spun into cloth, and as a result is used in most everything. Clothing, rugs, canvases, tarps, you name it. It also holds color remarkably well, barely fading even when exposed to heavy elements.

One thing that the Bascarans lack is good old-fashioned metals like bronze and iron. Most tools made in Bascaro are wooden or stone, and are subject to copious amounts of wear and tear. As a result, quality hard metal goods are always in high demand.

Spoiler: Religion

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Paganism [Sole]

Bascarans have a complicated pantheon of deities who are each bound to a specific constellation, and exert the most amount of power over the world when their stars are at their zenith in the night sky. The one exception to this are their creator deities, Vann and Olstuth, who created man and telpith respectively. The two are perched at the opposite edges of the horizon, forever keeping an eye on their creations.

Salnad
Region 342

Spoiler: Terrain

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Spoiler: A Kavir

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The land in Salnad is largely flat, open saltwater marsh. Quicksand pits are plentiful, and many weird animals lurk in the silt and much. Large plants like trees are uncommon, with most arboreal life being varying types of grasses. Many lakes dot landscape, the largest of which are called Kavir. The two largest Kavir are in the northern part of the region, and their deep blue surfaces spiral with black silt and strange algaes. The two largest sources of freshwater in the region, they are the site of most of what passes for civilization in Salnad.

Spoiler: People

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Spoiler: Marsh Telpith

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Population: 570,000

Salnad is inhabited solely by the telpith, though Salnad telpith are somewhat different from their Bascaran brethren. The marsh telpith are more lithe, and their bony plates are more stream-lined. They have longer, broader beaks, and their spines long ago became flatter and more streamlined. They come in many colors, from brilliant reds to rich earthy browns. Their culture is somewhat reclusive, with several disparate tribes staking claims on the few sources of freshwater in the region.

These tribes have a long history of territory conflicts, fought primarily over these water sources. As a result, the Salnads put a large emphasis on warrior training, and part of their society's coming of age ritual involves wrestling a giant ceremonial bogfish to the ground bare-handed. Should the one attempting the rite succeed, there is a huge feast held in their honor, with the vanquished bogfish as the main course.

Spoiler: Resource

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Spoiler: Bogfish

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The marshes of Salnad are filled with weird life, and chief amongst them are the Bogfish (Minor). These strange, colossal icthyoids are capable of breathing air as well as water, and frequently wade through shallower waters, hiding in the mud and silt on the shoreline in attempts to catch larger landborne prey. The Salnads have grown very adept at catching them, for a single bogfish can feed a family for days.

Life in the bogs is rather dull sometimes, filled with mud and sludge and various shades of brown. Every so often, the Salnads crave something new and fresh to liven things up a little, desiring luxury goods.

Spoiler: Religion

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Sole: Animism

The Salnads revere nature, with a special place in their cultural heart for the bogfish. The bizarre fish can supposedly predict disasters, summon rain, cause earthquakes, and dispense wisdom to mighty warriors. The titanic creatures are also seen as a symbol of strength, and many warriors wear jewelry fashioned from their bones.

The Straits of Karsus
Region 348

Spoiler: Terrain

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A narrow passage of water passes on either side of the Isle of Karsus, separating the eastern continent and the western continent and connecting the Piliki Sea to the waters to its south. Located in a strategic Strait, the jagged, rocky archipelago was once an outpost for the long defunct Empire of Nemer, as they tried control access and trade through the Straits.

To the west of Karsus, on the very tip of the eastern continent lies Land's End, a rocky land of cliffs and caverns the Nemer riddled with additional fortification to defend the Straits. To the east lies the large and fertile demesne of the Westmarch. Home to the Hauflin, the Westmarch is a sunny, fertile land, dominated by rolling hills and wooded subtropical grasslands. The Westmarch is the agricultural hub of the region, producing most of the food required to feed the whole region.

Spoiler: Society

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Population: 910,000

The humans who inhabit Karsus and Land's End are of Nemer stock. They have dusky skin, bronzed from ample sun, and dark hair. Blessed rich oceans and seas and control of the Straits, the Nemer of Karsus make their living as fisherman, sailors, and privateers. The Nemer, like their Nemerian cousins, are an adventurous people. Bravery and physical prowess are considered of great importance, while fishing, swimming, and hunting are a favorite past time in the region.

The political center of the Nemer of Karsus is the fortified harbor of Karsus Festning on the island's southwestern end. The fort is carved from the very rocks of Karsus, while the harbor itself is an enormous cavern carved from the cliffs by the waves. The ruler of the Festning is Earl of Karsus, once a vassal of Nemer, before achieving autonomy when that once great empire collapsed. To this day the Earl remains the most powerful political figure in the regions.

Other notable Nemer stronghold include the pirate haven of Libertatia on natural bay in the northwest of Karsus', the naval fort of in the isle's southeast, and the city of Smyrna in Land's End. The power vaccum left by the collapse of the Empire and the locations strategic advantage has lead to piracy in the region, with many sailors turning to privateering for merchant companies to make a living. The brigands of Libertatia hold considerable power and sway in the region.

The Hauflin of the Westmarch are a small, stout race of feline humanoids, resembling a Nihoni standing only between three or four feet. While possessing dangerous natural weapons in their sharp, durable claws and fearsome canine teeth, the Hauflin are a rather peaceful race. Living in underground burrows known as smygel, the hauflin are avid farmers and agriculturalists, preferring simple, honest work and plenty of leisure time. While they are known to be rather humble of possessions and property, possessing a love of food, drink, and other merriment, they are always down for an excuse to celebrate with food and games. Their most notable vice is the use of pipe-weed, an intoxicating local herb smoked in small clay pipes for its euphoric effects and appetite stimulation. The Westmarch is the bread basket of the region, and provides food to the Karsus in exchange for the military protection of the Nemer Earl.

While most the Hauflin live in small villages and towns throughout the region, the center of region power rests in the small city of Luiric, located on the coast of the Straits. There the Haulfin Margrave rules, though the tiny ruler swears fealty to the Earl of Karsus.

Spoiler: Resources

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The Hauflin of the Westmarch grow pipe-weed (good), a form of cannabis useful both as a potent recreational drug and for its fibrous stalk, which can be used to make hempen fabrics.

Fans of a tasty meal, the Hauflin desire ample spices to flavor their foods. Their Nemer neighbors certainly agree.

Spoiler: Faith

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Majority: The Harbinger (Henotheism), Minority: The Gods of Nemer (pagan)

The Nemer generally worship their ancestral gods. Headed up by the Queen Amarth, goddess of alcohol, fertility, beauty, and festivities, the Nemer pantheon includes other members such as; Caern, the god of death, Pontus, the goddess of nature and the sea, and Solaris, god of the sun. The Hauflin worship a single ancestor spirit known only as the Harbinger, who they view as the patron of the Westmarch and the protect of each Hauflin.

[BlazingAegis]

Praetorian Empire Part Two

Part One

Spoiler: Ferrum (Region 502)

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Spoiler: Summary

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Ferrum (Region 502)
Population: 832,000 Humans
Religion: Eternal Night (Minor)
Resources: Steel (Good), Needs: Food

Spoiler: Terrain

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The land of Ferrum is a dusty steppe in the east with large rolling hills located in the west and north. The population of the steppes is considerably lower than in the hilly part of the region due to higher wind speeds and the lack of suitable building materials, people do still live in the steppes, but it primarily small tent villages tucked away in whatever sheltered areas they can find. The one outstanding feature of the steppes is there is rather large spires of iron ore shooting out of the ground in what has been called “The Pit”. A massive crater in the ground, which many attribute to either a dormant volcano or a large meteorite impact. The Pit is mined by criminal elements of the local populace.

Over in the hill lands larger communities of people exist, due to the moderate amount of forests available for construction. In the hills there is definitely signs of volcanic activity, it is not unheard of to see lava flows moving through valleys in the hills. The largest site of volcanic activity is referred to as the Praefurnium. An entire side of a hill had crumbled and magma began to pour out of vents in the stone. The people of Ferrum are trying to harness the heat of the magma to process their abundant iron resource, it has met with varying degrees of success, and steel is slowly but surely being produced by the magmatic furnaces of Praefurnium.

Spoiler: People

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There is two distinct types of people in Ferrum, to the east the average person is a more tanned skin, with darker hair and eye colors. In the west skin tones tend to get considerably lighter, with a small portion of the population being incredibly pale skinned. It is rumored that these people are ill with the same disease that plague the followers of Eternal Night. They are rarely seen during daylight hours, but if they are, they are covered head to toe, with no skin exposed to the sunlight. The operations at The Pit and Praefurnium are run by a seemingly young woman, who seemingly never ages, even though she has run both for decades. She is simply known as Sorsi, she has extremely pale skin, pure black hair, and bright blue eyes. Sorsi runs The Pit and Praefurnium from the confines of her court at Salus. The Pit is run without mercy, if you were sentenced to work in The Pit, you were expected to either die or prove your worth, in which case a position is given within Sorsi’s inner circle, which is rare.

Spoiler: Religion

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The only formal religion is the Eternal Night, which is only practiced and followed by those who have the sickness. Most are looking for some existential reason they were afflicted, others more lost in the madness of being hurt by the one thing that gives life to the world, and are looking for more permanent ways to end its influence.

Spoiler: Resources

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The abundance of iron in the region, as well as the forced mining camp for criminals at The Pit give much iron ore to be turned into steel at Praefurnium. As techniques for improving the magma furnaces come, the better the production of steel becomes.

Due to volcanic activity in the valleys of the region, food crops are harder to grow for an extended period of time, and the people would like to have an ample stock of food just incase a lava flow destroys farmland.

Spoiler: Lanataen (Region 492)

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Spoiler: Summary

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Lanataen (Region 492)
Population: 932,000 Humans
Religion: Pagan (Minor)
Resources: Sheep (Good), Needs: Luxury Goods

Spoiler: Terrain

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The vast majority of Lanataen is wide open prairie, with the occasional copse of trees. Two large rivers flow through the region, the Aries in the north, and the Ovem in the south. The two rivers and their tributaries provide plenty of water for the regions grasses, which provides an excellent food source for grazing animals. Along the southern border of Lanataen is a series of ruined fortifications, and given the history of Lanataen’s neighbors it is a good bet the forts were built to keep them at bay. From a distance it appears to be a broken “Stone Line” which is what many locals call it.

Spoiler: People

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Since many of the people in Lanataen herd livestock for a living, many have fairly tanned skin, and many colors of hair and eyes may be observed while walking along the streets. Rule of the region for the longest time was a contest of who was the strongest, petty warlords would raise small armies and compete with each other for dominance of the region, this ended when the neighbors to the south began raids of Lanataen for their livestock. The warlords organized and built a force to repel the invaders. After being repelled the southerns maintained their distance from Lanataen. Unfortunately control went back to the individual warlords, who began warring for dominance once again.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Lanataen worship and pantheon of celestial beings. A sun god for the growth of the vegetation that the animals need to be productive, a moon god for the relief of night and restful recovery from the day’s labors. And last but not least a rarely seen star god said to bless those who see him as he passes through sky with greatness.

Spoiler: Resources

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With all open plains for animals to graze on it is quite easy to raise livestock, however the preferred animal is sheep, it provides both food and material to make clothing.

The average person doesn’t have much in Lanataen, and they would like to have some more luxury goods.

[Jerry]

Duoviri of the Blade
Berrium
Extreme WIP

Region 62, Centrata
Population: 840,000

Capital Region Details
Written by op

Spoiler: Terrain

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The lands of Centrata were once a lush primal forest, now tamed by the people of Berrium. A sizeable chunk of the original forest was cut down to make room for a smattering of towns that now covers the countryside, spacious fields of grain and orchards of varying fruit spreading outwards from every town. The waters off the coast of Centrata are bountiful and filled with varying fishes, all delectable and loved by the people.

The land is divided into many provinces and each province holds a fortified fort or castle, depending upon the wealth of the Lord and size of the province it was built upon. Each of these fortified positions also holds a small Dandric Chapterhouse, for the Dandric Knights to dwell when they are not spreading the word of Dandria.

The capitol city is named Silverleaf, and is situated in a large bay that allows many ships to come and go for fishing, trade or other ventures. As the bay is backed onto a large hill, it was decided that the grandest castle of the realm would have to be placed there, surrounded by the fortified stone walls and a large city, extending both out into the countryside and into the bay itself.

Spoiler: People

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The Berrium people are a fairly civilised folk, albeit lacking in technology. But what they lack in knowledge, they thrive in civility and culture. Keeping the peace between noble families is typically a tough thing to do, but whereas other nations may squabble and bicker for generations amongst themselves, the Binidan crown prevents such a thing from happening by imposing contests of honourable combat and games to prove which is the greater family, ending potential feuds before they can get out of hand.

Ruled by the royal family of Binari, the people of Berrium look to them as the ultimate authority of the kingdom. Below them are the Dandric Knights, who safeguard the realm from all manners of evil, be they a disobedient and cruel lord or some other worse foe. Under them are the reigning Lords who have their own employed local guard, who police their lands and make sure no harm comes to their serfs, who are at the ultimate bottom of the food chain. The difference between a Dandric Knight and a Lord is that a Lord is from a long-aged noble family of the realm and have owned the land they live in for generations, whereas a Dandric Knight may only own land if they have proven themselves and done untold deeds of valour and bravery.

As a nation of knights, honour and chivalry are everything to these people. If you were to wrong someone overtly, not only does it stain your individual honour but also the honour of your family and, if a horrible enough crime is committed, the honour of your lord. Therefore, the people of the kingdom tend to stay on the side of caution when doing anything that involves others, in an effort to protect all they hold dear from potential catastrophe.

The peasants of Berrium are known as serfs, who are bound to certain areas of land where they are protected by their lord who makes sure they are sheltered, fed and kept safe from danger, be it from a rival lord, an enemy of the nation or even creatures unknown lurking in the shadows. There are fairly stringent laws kept by the peacekeeping knights of the realm that are in place to ensure no serf is allowed to be overly mistreated, which, if violated, will carry a hefty penalty to the current lord of the region.

Spoiler: Resources

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Amichan Grapes [Good]
The Amichan vineyards are renowned throughout the kingdom for their most delectable grapes that not only are a tasty food source, but can also be made into a most delectable sweet wine that many adore across the realm and tends to fetch a high price at most trade markets.

Import desire: Silver.
Silver is one of the most coveted things in the Kingdom of Berrium, as it is said to protect one's self from evil spirits. As such, many cannot afford to possess such a precious metal and if an abundant supply of it were to be brought into the Kingdom, they would be considered a most valuable trade partner.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Berrium worship the Goddess of Life, known to them as Dandria. Belief as such is known to all as the Chapter of Dandric, whereupon the Dandric Knights were named and hence why their places of residence are namely Dandric Chapterhouses, as they follow the word of Dandria herself, hearing her speak to their very souls in order to convey her feelings towards one matter or another. Also, those who possess silver on their person in the form of an intricate design (be it an amulet, a ring or even the lining of a knight's armour) are said to be protected from evil spirits that would do foul things to any and all people of the realm.

The Knights are believed to be the conveyors of the very words of Dandria, and therefore they are both worshipped and feared, as they could knock on your door to save your family from poverty... Or to bring it to ruin. Such is the Chapter of Dandric.

As a general rule, the Dandric Knights don't mess with the royal family of Berrium, as that would be to spit on the chosen of Dandria. Members of the royal family are not only allowed to become Dandric Knights, they're encouraged to protect the kingdom, for kin and goddess both.

Pendrake (61)

Spoiler: People

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As a nation of knights, honor and chivalry are everything to these people. If you were to wrong someone overtly, not only does it stain your individual honor but also the honor of your family and, if a horrible enough crime is committed, the honor of your lord. Therefore, the people of the kingdom tend to stay on the side of caution when doing anything that involves others, in an effort to protect all they hold dear from potential catastrophe.

The peasants of the land are known as serfs, who are bound to certain areas of land where they are protected by their lord who makes sure they are sheltered, fed and kept safe from danger, be it from a rival lord, an enemy of the nation or even creatures unknown lurking in the shadows. There are fairly stringent laws kept by the peacekeeping knights of the realm that are in place to ensure no serf is allowed to be overly mistreated, which, if violated, will carry a hefty penalty to the current lord of the region.

The knights are not wholly disorganised and individualist. As in Mercivale, many of them have formed themselves into orders the better to advance their collective interests, and many of these orders have, over the years, come to acquire a degree of identity quite separate from the knights who compose it. Membership of many of the orders, especially the older and more prestigious ones, is an honour sought after by most young knights of the region.

Spoiler: Terrain

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On the eastern border of Pendrake lie the Whispering Peaks, so named for the soft howling sound the wind makes as it blows down the bare mountainside. The mountain range provides a natural border between Pendrake’s lands and those of Paschalia. An offshoot of the Highback Mountains, the Whispering Peaks dominate the landscape with their three towering peaks of bare carbonate rock, which is responsible for the mountain’s characteristic shape and color.

The wooded inland terrain is dotted with castles and the holdings of knights and nobles, each declaring themselves as lord of this or that. The oldest and most prestigious of these castles is Castle Baremont, in the foothills of the Whispering Peaks, the holder styling himself as “Lord of the Mountain”. Nearby, would-be clergy flock to the esteemed Temple of the Silver Lady to study all things Dandria.

The coast of Pendrake, though long, had been under utilized until recently, earning it the nickname, The Forgotten Coast. A seaport sprung up as a result of the growing lumber demand, along with the region’s largest market. Seat of the “Lord of the Sea”, Castle Seaglass is a bustling port town, thriving with all manner of inns, brothels and fishmongers frequented by the knights of the region and also foreign travelers.

Spoiler: Resource

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As woodlands are plentiful in the region, so too is wood. The lumber industry thrives in Pendrake, and constitutes the region’s major export. Those not suited for Knighthood often find themselves employed as lumberjacks, a hard but lucrative career.

Pendrake requires alcoholic beverages, for knighthood and lumberjacking is thirsty work.

Spoiler: Religion

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Those of Pendrake worship the Goddess of Life, known to them as Dandria. Belief as such is known to all as the Chapter of Dandric, whereupon the Dandric Knights were named and hence why their places of residence are namely Dandric Chapterhouses, as they follow the word of Dandria herself, hearing her speak to their very souls in order to convey her feelings towards one matter or another. Also, those who possess silver on their person in the form of an intricate design (be it an amulet, a ring or even the lining of a knight's armour) are said to be protected from evil spirits that would do foul things to any and all people of the realm. The Knights are believed to be the conveyors of the very words of Dandria, and therefore they are both worshipped and feared, as they could knock on your door to save your family from poverty... Or to bring it to ruin. Such is the Chapter of Dandric.

The Mercivale (60)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Mercivale is a pleasant, some might even say idyllic, land, dominated by a huge valley carved by an ancient river. Its green fields are dotted with sheep and cattle, its forests dappled with sunlight, while overhead the skies are frequented by huge birds, rocs, which nest high up in the hills, well above the human towns and castles.

It is said that the land gained its name from the mercy shown by Adzak the Slayer in ancient times to the last of the giants who once inhabited the land, for he was struck by the beauty of his surroundings. Others, more prosaically, suggest it is named after the merchants (or mercers) who congregated in the towns there.

The most famous landmark is Gormoran, a large rock some twenty feet in height and superficially resembling a humanoid form, said to be the ossified body of a giant warrior, who Adzak tricked into stepping into a trap where he became stuck and eventually turned to stone, by divine intervention (which god intervened is a cause of some controversy, with both the Dandrian and Daenic churches claiming the credit).

Nearby is Anak's Hollow, which is purportedly where Adzak fought and defeated the last giant king, Anak, before sparing him on a whim. An ancient stone structure stands there, said to be the remnants of the table where they feasted together after the battle.

Spoiler: People

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Population: 540,000

The people are of human stock though they claim that within each of them there is still a drop of blood from the giants who once lived there, which makes them hale and hearty, fair and strong. They work hard on days of labour and revel on days of rest, making hay while the sun shines and feasting while it does not. The yeomen of the Mercivale believe themselves the happiest and most contented people in the world, although their conception of the “world” is a rather narrow one, for most of them travel only a few miles from home throughout their lives, at most. But then, why would they want to travel further? They are houseproud and parochial, fond of a drink, quick to anger and quicker to forgive.

At least, that is what they tell themselves, or any visiting foreigners, and much of the time it is not entirely fictional. But the Mercivale is also a land of knights, and it seems at times that every hilltop has a castle upon it. Like the peasants, the knights maintain an idealised version of themselves in which they are noble and generous patrons to their serfs and dependents, and the devotion of their time to higher pursuits – courtly love, tournaments, hunting and so on. Many of the richer knights patronise troubadours and minstrels; some knights are even troubadours themselves.

In reality the region exists in a precarious balance. Most of the time the knights and yeomen have little to do with each other, the yeomen being left to manage their villages and towns and the knights in their castles with their serfs. Occasionally however the two come into conflict, whether a knight believes that a group of peasants are taking liberties with his property, or whether some private fancy of a knight's has infringed upon rights or lands of the commonfolk, and such disputes can turn violent – and bloody.

Spoiler: Government

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The knights are not wholly disorganised and individualist. Many of them have formed themselves into orders the better to advance their collective interests, and many of these orders have, over the years, come to acquire a degree of identity quite separate from the knights who compose it. Membership of many of the orders, especially the older and more prestigious ones, is an honour sought after by most young knights of the Vale.

Some of the more famous orders include:
The Order of the Rose
The Order of Adzak
The Order of Dandria
The Order of the Golden Roc
The Order of the Arduous Day
The Order of the Veil
The Order of Bugei
The Order of the Lion
The Order of the Long Knives

Prior to the region's official absorption into the kingdom of Berrium, there was rarely any real effective central government of the region, although occasionally the senior knights would convene to debate matters of importance to all of them, and sometimes even elect a king in times of crisis. In keeping with this tradition the current government operates along similar lines, and a new order (of the Sceptre) has been created with authority over the whole region. Senior knights from existing orders – or knights with no order but who are respected or powerful – are invited to join this order

The Order of the Sceptre is based in the castle of Melagand, around which a substantial court has grown up. The knights of the Sceptre sit in council with the Preceptor (the head of the order, appointed from Berrium) to decide all matters pertaining to the region as a whole. By decree, all knights of the Order of the Sceptre are considered equal, although inevitably there are unofficial gradations among them. The current Preceptor is a man named Agrevain, a middle-aged knight with a reputation as a strong and unrelenting warrior.

Some of the town councils (which are generally run by yeomen, free from knightly interference) have seen this development as a power grab by the knights and an attempt to disenfranchise them from any say over their own country. It remains to be seen how this will be resolved by the Preceptor, if it can be at all.

Spoiler: Resources

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The Mercivale is a land rich in most resources, but the most remarkable of them is the roc, the giant bird in the skies above the region. They grow large enough for a man to ride, though only the bravest would try, and there are many stories of bold knights being carried off or torn to pieces by rocs they sought to tame. Although the rocs do take the occasional sheep or ox, the people are stoic about it and the predation is not usually so great as to cause major hardship. When it is, the people sometimes turn to knights to defend them and drive the rocs away (killing them is not generally considered achievable, although there are legends of knights who have).

Intrepid adventurers sometimes raid the nests of the rocs and return with eggs, which fetch an enormous price.

Although the people cannot truly be said to want for much, they are relatively short of precious metals, particularly silver, which they use for coinage.

Spoiler: Religion

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The knights of the Mercivale are divided almost equally between adherents of Daen and followers of Dandria, although there is one order devoted to the Pale Lady. The knightly orders are enthusiastic and pious patrons of the religions, building chapels and shrines seemingly wherever in their manors they can find space, and all too ready to swear oaths by their chosen deity. One might be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the knights of different faiths in terms of deeds and behaviour, for, no matter how loudly they may proclaim their allegiance or how prominently they wear religious insignia, they all conduct themselves in much the same way. Some of the stricter orders do attempt to impose religious strictures on their members, and these are sometimes even observed, especially on holy days or while in sacred buildings.

As with the knights, the traditional “folk religion” of the yeomen is the real dominant force, although there is often a superficial overlay of observance to one deity or another. Unlike the knights, the yeomen do not tend to make a great fuss about their religious observances, and except in a handful of places where the churches have made an effort to build great centres of worship, religion largely disappears into the fabric of day-to-day life.

The Jade Havens (371)
ghost-written by Lt. Murgen

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Jade Haven is one half of a large volcanic island. The island itself is a portion of a massive underwater sea-mount, a hot spot formed by several volcanoes slowly growing up from the sea floor. The natives refer to the local waters as the Boiling Sea. The water is boiling deep under the surface, and the warm rising currents mix with the cold arctic air. This creates a misty, rainy, cool island covered in thick trees. The climate is almost tropical all year around due to the heat. The western border is formed by the Caulderon, the highest point on the island. Named for the boiling lake inside its caldera, it is the source of the many streams that run across the island. The constant clash of warm water and cold air create frequent violent storms. The seas can go from nearly calm to waves towering over 20 feet tall in a matter of hours. Despite its warmth and plenty, it is a dangerous place to live.

A warm refuge in the cold seas, the waters around the island teem with life. Herring is the bedrock of the food chain. There are three different species, each mating and spawning at different times. These great movements of fish out of the deep cool waters and into the hot shallows bring with them an entire chain of predators. Fish, crustaceans, and mollusks in uncountable varieties make the ridges and coral reefs home to feat upon the eggs. Vast flocks of sea birds stop over on their yearly migrations, timed to the spawn. Dolphins, whales, and sharks all come to feast as well.

The Boiling Sea is home to a unique species of whale. The locals call it an angora whale. They are moderate in size, 100 to 160 chain long, with black tops and grey-white bellies. Their calves take roughly 5 years to reach maturity, and start our uniformly grey-white. It is the calves that give the species their name. They are covered in a fluffy white hair, making them appear like floating icebergs under the sea. Once a year, the families come into the Boiling Sea to feast on the spawning herring. The young head into the shallows and roll and rub against the rocks and sand. This causes their fur to molt off and float away. This fur, if collected and spun, makes excellent warm waterproof cloth.

On the island, it is verdant and green all year around. Waxy laurel trees and ferns cover the lands. Towering coconut palms fight with the laurels for height and light. Flowering and fruit vines climb and entangle the trees. Beneath the canopy it is humid and cool. Lizards are pervasive, from small insect eaters to larger sea-going coral iguanas. At the apex is a creature nearly 40 chain long from nose to tip of its tail. Armed with sharp claws and teeth oozing with skin-eating drool, the Gray Death lizard is an ambush predator which uses stealth and speed to bring down anything it can catch. Molting angora-whale calves are one of their prime prey.

Spoiler: people, society, & government

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The people of the Jade Havens are a species of Satyr. They are of average human height, intelligence and build. They resemble other satyrs in overall appearance, with one notable exception. Their hair is greenish in color and very straight. Another strange adaptation is within their horns. Both men and women have horns. They claim they are sensitive to the weather, and give them warnings to oncoming storms.

They simply call themselves the Faun. They are a fisher-folk, living off the bounty of the Boiling Sea. They make their homes in scattered villages near the best beaches. Homes are built up in the canopy away from flooding and the gray death lizards. Each village will have a large central hall where people gather and spend their idle time. Fauns are experts in weaving and woodcraft. Their life depends on it, from the sturdiness of their treehouses and boats to the strength of their fishing nets.

The Fauns have a passion for music and dancing. Proficiency in more than one instrument is common. music and singing is prominent in courtship, and expensive instruments with pearl pieces are common wedding gifts. music also is the foundation of their government, such as it is. Once every 6 years, each village holds a tournament. The winner of that tournament then plays against the winners from the other villages in a single elimination match. The instruments and musical style is chosen beforehand, with each village given the same opportunity for its citizens to prepare. The final four then set the ‘rules’ for the next 6 years. These are not so much laws as overall goals for the entire population to try to achieve. Each village is expected to govern themselves in accordance with these rules. In the central music hall of each village, there will be some display showing how well they are meeting the rules. It is a sign of community pride. The rules also include the musical genre for the next tournament, so everyone has a chance to improve their skills.

Spoiler: Resources

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Export: GOOD Coconuts
Import: Wood
The Fauns have an abundance of coconuts. Their hard shell keeps the nutritious meat and milk fresh for months. They are highly prized by sailors.

The Fauns lack a decent source of building materials. They would like to import wood for this reason.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Fauns worship Navtia, the goddess of luck and of the sea. She brings both good and bad fortune in season, and is embodied by the moon and its phases. Pearls are considered sacred to her, and sailors often toss one into the sea before setting off on their voyages. They also have special meaning when given as gifts.

Doskolany (199)
Written by Aedilred

Spoiler: Terrain

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Doskonaly is a small land, divided principally into two sub-regions of its own, now known as Upper and Lower Doskonaly. Lower Doskonlay was once known as Wolny during the days of the Jade Coalition, but adopted the name of its neighbour following integration.

Upper Doskonaly is a region of hills and valleys, generally pleasant: cool in winter and warm in summer, but relatively short on resources. What money the region generates for itself is largely from mining and quarrying.Lower Doskolany is a richer and more fertile land, covered with crop fields and majestic forests.

The government is located in Chmura-Kukulka in Upper Doskolany, though the largest town is Sniegogien on the coast. Surely the most beautiful and prosperous city in the world, it is a town where many do not labour, living a life of leisure and maintained by the goodwill of the regional authorities.

Spoiler: People

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The people of the region are human, with little physiological difference between the upper and lower folks. Though there were some minor cultural differences, these were quickly erased following the peaceful conquest of Wolny.

People here are peaceful and fun-loving and there is very little violent crime. People are generous both with their bodies and their possessions, and selfishness in ether is considered a serious social faux pas. In particular, refusal to contribute to the common good when agents of the government make requests of people can result in social shunning. Fortunately, the government believes that people are not evil by nature and any such issues must result from a failure of education. Those who fall outside society’s mores, including criminals, are encouraged to partake of education schemes offered by the government to correct them.

As a result, there are no prisons in the region, nor does it have the death penalty. Instead, criminals are taught the errors of their ways in specialised camps where they cannot endanger the rest of the population, before being rehabilitated into society. On completing this process most criminals feel such shame at their misdeeds that they donate their wealth to the government and dedicate the rest of their lives to atonement in government service. Most of the mines and quarries in Upper Doskolany are manned by such volunteers.

Spoiler: History and Government

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The Kingdom of Doskolany predated recorded history in the region, traditionally governed by a diarchy of a married pair of king and queen. For generations, the oldest married couple within the royal house would succeed to the throne. In 138, however, this understanding was challenged by Swieta, a young princess of the royal house then attending university. She unearthed an ancient document claiming that, contrary to popular belief, the Kingdom had been founded with the intention that the most meritorious of the Doskolany people would sit the thrones. The following year, following the death of the incumbent queen, Swieta became queen herself in recognition of her exceptional fitness to rule.

Swieta, who was already a legendary beauty in the kingdom, proved to be a great queen, possessed of fine diplomatic skills, a keen intellect and wisdom beyond her years. One of her first acts was to send troops to secure the former government buildings in Wolny to provide stability to the region and extend the boons of Doskonalin culture to their neighbours.

However, three years into her rule a thesis was published noting the remarkable coincidence of the fittest candidates to rule the kingdom always coming from the same family and implicitly challenging Swieta’s claim to the throne. Swieta accepted the premise and announced that she would step down as queen in favour of democratic elections to select the next ruler of the region.

Despite the pleas of many of her people, Swieta refused to enter her name for the elections. Such was her popularity, however, that the people wrote her name in on the ballots rather than accept one of the lesser candidates, many of them believing in her so fervently that they contrived to vote more than once. She was eventually elected near-unanimously as Leader of the People and Mother of the Nation.

When the League of Allied Provinces invaded Doskolany, Swieta, then aged 25, expressed sadness at the violation of her people’s lands. In response, the Lower Doskonlanin people undertook a peaceful protest on the border against the incoming army, many of them former critics of Swieta, underlining their commitment to her ideals. Armed only with sufficient weapons to defend themselves and lacking any proper military coordination, they were easily swept aside by the incoming troops, with many of them cruelly and unprovokedly killed.

Spoiler: Resources

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By far the most valuable resource in Doskolany is its timber. Years of mismanagement of the aristocratic forest estates in Lower Doskolany are being reversed, following the unification with Upper Doskolany and most such estates being handed over for management by the Leader of the People.

While the region wants for almost nothing, its people wish to dress well at all times, and thus it maintains a steady import of fabric to satisfy them.

Spoiler: Religion

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The dominant religion in the region is a local faith called Zupelna. Zupelna holds that all things are part of a greater whole, including all other religions, which are merely imperfect reflections or aspects of the Zupelnic Truth. The supreme being is the Great Creator, who is the ancestor of all beings both spirit and material. Periodically the Great Creator will select a vessel through which His will is expressed.

Zupelna also holds that the soul continues to live after death and can be transmitted to a new bodily vessel. Many of the faith believe that Swieta is a reincarnation of the legendary Doskonalin queen Agnieszka.

In the lowlands, there is a small minority of those who cling to the beliefs of the Doctrine of Nine Candles and have not yet accepted the truth of Zupelna, however conversion is proceeding apace.

[HalfTangible]

Barony of the North Hold

The Frozen Sky
Region 297
Population: 683,000

(ghostwritten by lt_murgen)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Frozen Sky is the name given to the mountainous region along the border with the polar regions to the north. A small area of heavily forested tundra exists in the south west corner of the land. The rest is covered by the Frozen Sky glacier. The glacier itself covers the mountaintops, and fills the valleys to a depth of 7-8 sound, in some locations even double that. It is a vast sheet wall of slightly blue-tinted ice. During the numerous sunny days, it is often difficult to see where the land ends, and the pale blue sky starts, hence the name of the region. The ice itself fractures and reflects the light deep within itself, making a deep chasm appear only modest depth.
Life is sparse along the glacier. A unique species of Viridian moss grows in sheltered bands. Something within the moss prevents it from freezing, even in the depths of winter. Ice-cutter ants carve the glacier and make their nests, feasting on the moss. Some birds nest here, feeding on the ants, and ant-badgers roam far and wide to find nests to unearth and consume.
The land is inhospitable to cross. Strong cold winds and high-elevation lack of breathable air are constant threats. Avalanches and trap-crevisses are constant threats. Despite this, hardy adventurers often make their way across the glaciers. A wide range of valuable, blue-hued gemstones can be found within the ice.
There is another part of the Frozen Sky, one most travelers do not see. Buried under the glacier, dozens of streams and rivers flow, carrying melt-water southward. Ages of slow undermining by the streams have created a vast network of channels, caves, and lakes. Life giving nutirents from the melting ice above and the mountains below feed a wide variety of aquatic life- algea, krill, fish, crabs, and the like. A small species of hammerhead shark has adapted to the rivers. Seldom growing longer than a man’s arm, they feed on the crabs within the streams.

Spoiler: people, society, & government

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There are two groups of people living in the Frozen Sky. The first are a group of humans. They are settled in a large stronghold, Freetown, in the Southwest of the land. It is a frontier mining town catering to the brave souls who venture onto the glacier for the gems. It is strongly fortified against both the elements and the cougar and bear prevalent in the region. It’s leader controls the logging guild, which in turn controls all the building materials and heating fuel for the entire town. The remainder of the town are hunters, trappers, fisher-folk and farmers. Gem hunters come in from the wastes to trade their hard-won gems for deer-hide and mink or hare-fur lined clothing as well as moose-jerky rations. Drinking and gambling is common, and fights even more so. .
The second, larger group, are a peculiar species of Drimma. They are a stout and hardy people with broad shoulders and thick frames. Like their southern cousins, they are remarkably hirsute and well insulated from the cold. They tend to wear more clothing than those in the south. The drimma are tireless workers, able to labour for hours under the harshest conditions and walk for days on end without rest. As hardy in mind as they are in body, the average drimma is disciplined and intently focused on the job at hand, leading other races to often see them as dour or even humourless, but in private they are every bit as passionate and expressive as any human.
These Drimma inhabit the caverns, ice-cathedrals, and causeways deep below the ice. Subsiting on a diet drawn from the waterways, their skin has a permanent blue hue and their hair generally white.
Relationships between the two groups are cordial, but cool. Miners resent the drimma, claiming they defend the best gem sites with deadfalls and avalanche. The drimma resent the miners for their rough and damaging digging which causes damage to the depths below.

Spoiler: Sky Drimma

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Spoiler: Resources

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Export: GOOD True Ice {Magic}
Import: barley {grain}
One of the most sacred treasures of the Sky-Drimma are the small, round mystical stones. Called True Ice, it has the ability to moderate temperatures. Water with a fragment of true ice will never freeze. Heated water rapidly cools to near, but not quite, freezing. Each infant drimma is gifted with a small stone to protect them from the bitter cold all around their domain. They never feer freezing to death or frostbite while they have their shard.
The human miners value it as well. It does not work as well on humans, who may suffer frostbite to the extremities. But it will keep them alive on the freezing glacial surface.
True Ice stones are only found in the subterranean glacial lakes. They are almost exclusively collected by the Sky Drimma.

The rough and tumble miners and drimma crave beer and hot soups, so importing enough barley is important. It is the preferred flavor of the region.

Spoiler: true ice

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Spoiler: Religion

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The area has no formal religion. Most treat the glacier itself with superstition, cursing or blessing “her” providence as circumstances suggest.

[Nighteye]

Svea
Ruler:Undis

Spoiler: Region 325B Chalced

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Population:710000

Spoiler: Terrain

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Chalced is covered in darkness, with no natural source of light. Consisting of countless caves and numberless winding cracks in the sandstone it is inhabited by the Naids. These creatures build their homes in the cave wall one level upon another, connecting them by a labyrinth of narrow pathways, to leave the warm cave floor unoccupied. This make every cave with a warm rock look like the center of a Swiss cheese. Not being the only ones depending on warm rocks this is also where a large part of Chalceds scarce wildlife is most easily seen. Although not plentiful the various animals living in the darkness are more varied than the few species of moss left, tasting too bad to be edible for most animals these can be seen growing in the whole region.

In the northeast there are about four dozen warm rocks close to each other. Simply being called the hot caverns this is the Naids capital. Being the largest of their cities the pathway network is immense, built by hundreds of individuals each adding their own paths and tunnels to the already existing ones as they feel the need it takes a lifetime to learn all the ways.

Spoiler: Society

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The Naids are a people of human lizards standing between 4 to 5 foot tall with a tail around 3 foot long. Wearing grey/brown leather clothes made from pieces of the local wildlife. Using echolocation as their sense of navigation they have ears and necks very similar to the Prevazs. As an effect they have dull skin colors ranging from dark grey to light grey. Being a reptile they are coldblooded and thus need to reheat themselves once every week as part of the heat is stored in a special organ.

The Naids live in small villages which size is determined by the size of the warm rock forming the center of the village. Most Naids strive to live as close to the bottom as possible and so also closer to the heat. The exception is the uppers. They are Naids that for some reason want to live as high up as possibly. Generally being frowned upon they are accepted in the villages as excellent help when building new houses, being the best climbers after having strived upwards their whole life.

Never having felt the urge of full scale war, usually settling disputes with diplomacy or “accidents “if the former turns out to be useless. They seem to be peaceful at the surface. Even if the “accidents” have led to a few quite unpleasant moments in history when they have been sent rapidly back and forth between parties. To lower the rate of accidents all villages are led by one or more elders chosen by the villages inhabitants. And when the whole community is affected (plague, earthquake, etc.) the elders chose one or more leaders to guide the whole population as long as needed.
When they don’t argue with each other the Naids tend to everyday things like setting traps to catch animals, building new houses/tunnels or mining coal with no apparent gender bias.

Spoiler: Recourses

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The Naids are mining coal (good) to make fires to cook food and as an alternate way of keeping warm when travelling and far away from warm rocks. They are longing after something else to eat (tasty meat) than the sinewy and tasteless meet of local animals, which are the only available food in the region.

Spoiler: religion

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The Naids shamans walk from one village to another, keeping alive faith with oral histories about how to please the earth spirits. Both serving as moral guidance and healers for the society they often enjoy the privilege of being gifted a lower house when they visit a village.