Empire3! Lands of Celessa

[Aedilred]

EMPIRE 3!

Lands of Celessa

This thread is associated with the Empire3! world-building game. The game is the world history of this world building event, with the actions the players take shaping the intricate details of an ever changing, constantly conflicting, world.

Below are the countries themselves, where players may post the details of their own regions, adding fluff and details as they go. This is a reference guide, compilation and index of these countries.


Players! Please post your region groups below. This thread we aim to keep unlocked so you may not fear the mods closing a thread you're post is in, and keeping it from being editable, as can happen with the OOC threads. It also makes finding details about specific regions easier if they are all in one place, for obvious reasons. This thread also allows you to post as much as you need, and if you need a larger group, feel free to copy and paste your posts into new posts and deleting your old ones so that you get more room. However, please use double (and more) posting only when it is necessary based on your character length (or anticipation thereof) as the forum rules dictate.

Others! If you are interested in being a part of this game, see the main thread which is also in the World-Building section of the forums. Once your region is approved, you can post it here.

[Aedilred]

Spoiler: Map

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[Kythia]

Ynys Y Corsydd
Region 62
Motto: Rhaid i waed y merthyron ddyfrhau y dolydd o'r yma.

Exarch Dawydd Terfal, Father of the Nation
Diplomacy: 4
Military: 5
Economy: 2
Intrigue: 5
Faith: 2

Rolls here +1 to Military and Intrigue

History and Government

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Isolated from the rest of the continent by the often stormy straights known as "Sianel gyda llawer o stormydd", or just the Sianel and an unprofitable target for military conquest, the land of Ynys Y Corsydd was left to its own devices for many centuries. It was brought under the umbrella of the Sishayan Church many centuries by a missionary known locally as "Dyn a ddaeth â'r grefydd" who is venerated locally as something of a Saint. Out on the fringes of the continent, though, oversight of orthodoxy was weak and it was perhaps that that led to the ruling family, the Dyfarniad Teulu, falling in to heresy. As their devotion to the vile Laskist heresy grew so did their own tyranny - the king seeing the established social structures as having being forced on Ynys Y Corsydd by the corrupt church and believing he had a moral duty to overthrow them at first but later sinking further and further in to insanity. Taxes were raised to support Laskist sects elsewhere and the people suffered under the yoke of the oppressors.

Ynys Y Corsydd needed a savior and one arose. On one infamous day Dawydd Terfal gave a speech that all children in Ynys Y Corsydd now learn by heart. Speaking from floating platform outside the country's largest port he begged his countrymen to "Arise, workers from your slumber. Arise, prisoners of starvation." People were unsure but he was a persuasive leader "Servile masses, arise, arise" he entreated "change henceforth the old tradition, and spurn the dust to claim the prize." Sensing their fear he grasped a reed growing nearby and held it aloft. "See how a single reed breaks easily" he shouted, snapping it over his knee "but many together" and he plucked many and held them together in a tight bundle "are strong" - he tried to break them but failed. It is for that reason that that symbol, the bound together bundle of reeds, was briefly the symbol of the resistance.

The energised masses surged forwards and sunk the royal yacht, named for the strange lights that sometimes play in the Northern sky. A violent civil war ensued and and for a few years the country was in dual control - the king had abdicated (his famous speech claims that the sounds he could hear outside his palace was that of "a people who would not be slaves again") and fled but government remained under the control of one of his advisers with the people mainly swearing allegiance to their local "So llet" or village. Finally, in Autumn, a new revolution rose and swept away the remnants of the corrupt rulers, establishing the system of so llets as the primary tool of governance and Dawydd Terfal unanimously elected as glorious leader.

Now - fifteen years later - Dawydd, assisted by the CPMM (the commissariat pobl materion mewnol, his most trusted authorities), strives to wipe away the last vestiges of the crypto-Laskist hierarchy and establish a new glorious nation under the banner of the hammer and fishing hook - representing the labourers and fishermen who had been so important in the revolution.

In theory each so llet is an autonomous region with broad powers over a number of matters and the council merely regulates disputes between them. In practice though this varies wildly. Large settlements or those with particularly astute representatives may be essentially a nation to themselves but the majority of representatives are nothing more than figureheads owing their position, and their loyalty, to Dafydd Terfal.

Again in theory each so llet is meant to raise its own regiments and military force which can then be merged seamlessly in to part of a larger force. This doesn't work at all in practice (and that fact is often blamed on Laskist agents provocateur undermining the people's unity). Marshal Bryn Corgan was the military genius of the revolution and still maintains a high profile as Dafydd's right hand man and commander of the eventual army.

Terrain

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Ynys Y Corsydd is a very low lying island composed predominantly of saltwater marshes. A few high places - the former royal castle of Har Llech for example - do exist and are dry the majority of the year but most places experience seasonal or even daily flooding. Most structures are made of the local reeds - cyrs lleol - and the vast majority are somewhere between boat and house, built to float when the tide rises and settle unobtrusively on the mud when it recedes. Cyrs lleol grow strong and fast and are used for all matters where other nations would use wood as the few stunted trees that survive in the marshes are too twisted to make fine lumber.

To the south east of the main island sit two smaller islands - Ynys Llai Cyntaf and Ynys Llai Eraill. Ynys Llai Cyntaf hosts a large monastery and is the primary religious centre of Ynys Y Corsydd while Ynys Llai Eraill is largely unoccupied.

The largest town, almost entirely floating, is Tref Fel Y Bo'r Angen Mawr, or just "Tref Fel" which is the new capital. The majority of trade though takes place in Dŵr dwfn which has a large port.

People

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The people of Ynys Y Corsydd are short dark haired human people largely accustomed to their lives in the marshes. As the majority of them live on floating boats they have a rolling sailor's gait in the main but in the old monarchy the richer citizens lived on dry land and lacking those sea legs was seen as a marker of class - such class divisions are largely gone now though, of course.

Open agriculture is rare due to the lack of solid land but there are some fields that grow a local variant of rice. Predominantly though people live on fish with fruit and veg requirements provided through a thick paste (cawl trwchus) made from boiling up the leaves of various marsh plants - this paste (often boiled in water to make a broth) is the closest Ynys Y Corsydd comes to having a "national dish".

Red was the colour of the revolution and much clothing still features that colour heavily in a show of patriotic glory. Local dyes aren't really sufficient to create the rich crimson required so the predominant shade is a mucky almost-brown (#790805) with only senior figures in the government having the state pay for their own crimson robes to better show the glory of the children of the revolution.

Resources

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Cyrs Lleol grow in great numbers and are easy to harvest, sufficient to supply all of the island's needs for wood and have spare to export. However the low lying and saturated ground is totally unsuitable for mining rendering Ynys Y Corsydd low on stone and, more crucially, utility metals.

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
62	Wood	YYC	O	O

Trade Centre	Rank	Control
Tref Fel	Minor	Ynys Y Corsydd
Har Llech	Good	None
Dŵr dwfn	Great	None

Religion

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The ruling regime is largely uninterested in matters of religion (a leading adviser remarked that it was nothing more than the Blue Syrup of the people and was no longer needed now they had freedom). However, religion does survive. Thanks to the aid the church provided in the revolution the majority of the populace are at least nominally members of the Sishiyan Church. However, the former royalist stronghold has a strong, but underground, Laskist presence of enemies of the people who wish to reestablish the monarchy.

Location	Religion
Har Llech	Laskist heresy of orthodox Sishiyan Church
Ynys Llai Cyntaf	Orthodox Sishiyan Church
Tref Fel	Orthodox Sishiyan Church

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[QuintonBeck]

Zhentanna
Region 36

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King Gideon Istan Ina Abahar
Diplomacy: 3
Military: 1
Economy: 5
Intrigue: 5
Faith: 2

History and Government

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The royal families of Zhentanna trace their histories and lineage back over two thousand years claiming a heritage predating even Ananda. It is accepted within Zhentanna that the male heads of the three royal houses of Isten Ina Abahar, Sanu Ina Abahar and Salsu Ina Abahar, or first, second and third of Abahar respectively, are direct descendents of the Chosen Champion Abahar and his wife, the Prophet Varda. Legend claims that this union produced a miraculous sextuplet birth, three each male and female, each visibly marked with the blessing only such a divine union could bring. Varda died in childbirth and Abahar, driven mad with grief, sent his children far away that he might not be reminded of his love’s loss.

These children were spirited away by mortal hands and grew to take the form of man and woman though this was not their true divine form. They wandered the world seeking a place they might call home. Abahar was an unparalleled Champion of the Exalted and they walked with fear always of their father’s wrath should he find them. They traveled far and met many people, learning many things from them and on occasion siring a child or two with great men and women of the world. Legends and modern propaganda claim these children grew to become those mighty noble families who now rule much of Celessa though little evidence exists to support this.

The six children wandered for a century until at last they came to the great salty sea and the dry lands of Zhentanna and Gehenna divided by the rich river valley carved by the Mighty Ufratu River. The land looked empty, no doubt the reason it was spared their father’s gaze, and the only life that endured did so along the Ufratu where six small cities struggled to stay alive against the desert’s dangers. The six children of Abahar and Varda looked upon these cities and people and realized they had found a place they might call home.

The children divided themselves between the cities. The three brothers built their ziggurats and their families in the three cities that lay along the south banks of the Mighty Ufratu: Haishal, Kineret, and Lavilin. The brothers were amorous and fruitful, taking many lovers and consorts from among the people. Great numbers of children were born but often they lacked the distinctive mark of the divine. It was determined with much despair that the common blood diluted the power of the brothers’ divine parents. They arranged with the Princesses of Gehenna, their sisters, a plan to preserve their bloodlines through arranged intermarriage between the families. Dissenters and malcontents who accused their rulers of incestuous and occult practices were violently silenced. A series of laws came into being that would enshrine the intrafamilial marriage pacts as an honored tradition and requirement of office to ensure the bloodline would not grow weak and fade away.

The three dynasties established by this ancient union still share the rule of Zhentanna and Gehenna. Children born to one of the royal lines and recognized as members of the royal household are raised among their parents until puberty at which point they are divided by sex. Girls of royal blood are sent north to Gehenna while boys remain in Zhentanna. Oftentimes one’s childhood friend and playmate reappears in a royal’s life years later as a potential bride or groom. Perhaps to encourage this or as a consequence of it male royals speak of other royal relatives differently depending on gender. Males of similar enough ages will call one another “brother” regardless of their actual blood relation. Females however are referred to by their name except in reference to one’s wife (referred to as simply “wife”) or actual trueborn sisters though it is considered impolite to refer to one’s “sister” in the company of other males.

The three families intermarry routinely to ensure heirs will be available for ascending to the Material and Divine Thrones, positions of great ceremonial and regional importance. In modern Zhentanna the successive Kings who sit upon the Material Throne are the husbands of those recognized to rule as Queen of Gehenna. With the power of selection left in the hands of the Gehenna branches of the Houses marriage becomes a major factor in alliance and power balance between the six branches of the royal family.

Terrain

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The regions of Zhentanna and Gehenna are divided by the sky blue waters of the great river Ufratu which flows east from its origin high among the peaks of the Southwall Mountains. At points along the region-long river it is as wide as four and a half miles though it averages closer to one and a half miles in width. The Ufratu moves in a slow meandering fashion although is prone to flooding during rainy seasons. It is just off these peaceful and green floodplains and shores of the Mighty Ufratu that the three major cities of Zhentanna have arisen.

House Isten controls the richest city in Zhentanna Haishal which lies at the western mouth of the Ufratu where its waters spill out into the great salt sea. A small natural bay keeps the city secluded from the occasionally violent coastal weather along Gehenna’s northern shore. Many traders, both rivermen and foreign sailors from up and down the coast and even across the [Region 34] islands from further north ply their wares in Haishal and the city grows rich for it. The Material Throne resides in this city though it is only sat upon by the reigning King, leaving it mostly empty when a member of House Isten does not hold the title.

House Sanu controls the old city of Kineret which while being the smallest of the three south bank cities is also one of the most important. It’s small size is derived from its role as a simple sort of administration center for a vast quantity of irrigated farmland collectively known as the Blue Fields for their primary crop of Batana. Kineret lies at the western end of the Ufratu only south and east a short distance from the Gehenna city of Marad. It is from Kineret that the large shipments of Batana embark down the Ufratu and onward towards those who crave the sweet blue flower’s nectar.

House Salsu controls the city of Lavilin which lies midway between the eastern and western ends of the Ufratu. While the city is of great regional importance, connecting the Batana fields in the east to the merchants of the west, it suffers no great distinction like those of its brother cities. It has languished under a series of lazy Princes, content to collect what taxes they could and invest in parties rather than something more tangible to their home or people. It has only been through the efforts of Salsu’s brother houses that the city has avoided severe economic trouble.

Each city houses a single large ziggurat made of dark stone within which the royal lines make their homes. These ziggurats have no names themselves but are simply referred to as "the ziggurat" with a clarifying city name when necessary. Considered the epitome of ancient engineering feats the large stone structures have decayed some in the centuries since their construction though regular maintenance has kept them quite structurally sound.

Zhentanna receives its eastern border from the Eastwall Mountains which are ruled by (Region 33 guy) and lie beyond the direct domain of the Divine and Material Thrones. To the southeast between the Eastwall and Southwall mountains a pass exists that leads only to a great and relentless desert that the people of Zhentanna call the Ghos Desert. None but criminals desperate to escape the law or fools unaware of the desert’s danger attempt make their homes in this portion of the region. Harsh and unforgiving the Ghos Desert is avoided by any right thinking individual.

People

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The common people of Zhentanna are humans known among themselves as Zhen. With skin ranging from bronze to brown and eyes and hair almost universally black and curly a foreign traveler might be forgiven for thinking many of them indistinguishable if not for the bombastic, bright, and uniquely colored dress worn by the people. Robes and dresses of varying degrees of modesty and practicality are universally bright and eye catching in their coloration. Dyes are highly valued and more colorful clothing is generally associated with higher standing in Zhen society. Blue, violet, and red are common colors produced by many local dyeworks although certain shades of even these common colors are rare and highly valued. There are many color dyes that cannot be made easily and some that cannot be made at all within Zhentanna and any traveler able to provide a new or rare dye will quickly find themselves a popular and possibly rich man within the southern kingdom.

The common people tend to wear their curly black hair long. Men often plait or braid their hair down their backs while females tend to make great shapely buns and piles of hair twisted into various shapes atop their heads. Facial hair among men is often seen as a sign of vitality and maturity though there is an equivalent association of youth and vitality with clean shaven faces leading to a broad range of appearances. While color plays an important part in their dress hair and its accessories tend to be more muted, maintaining earthy tones of brown, green, black, and grey. Foreigners with differently or brightly colored hair have sometimes found themselves accosted in the streets by curious folk eager to get a closer look at such a strange sight.

Unlike the common people and local nobility of Zhentanna the royal families still show signs of their ancient foreign heritage though much has faded over the generations. Legends speak of the Six Siblings having natural crowns atop their brows, an unnatural beauty to their faces, and angelic wings that gave them flight. Some heretical stories claim the Six possessed the tails of beasts and wielded magical power unseen before or since. These legends, both heretical and canon, are largely disregarded as embellishment and hyperbole. The only sign of any inhuman heritage in modern royals are the two small bony protrusions at the hairline on their forehead. The prominence and symmetry of these horns are often used to judge the worth of a new child’s claim to royal status.

The royal families are renowned among the common Zhen for their beauty. Royal features tend to almost perfect symmetry and youth clings to them well beyond the years it abandons most. Those of the royal lines tend to have longer lives as well, most living to at least ninety and many easily crossing the century mark. Greying hair tends not to appear until their eighties and wrinkles even later still. The oldest living royal in recent memory, Prince Leviah of House Sanu recently celebrating his 121st year, could be mistaken for a middle aged man of common blood by physical appearance alone. There is some whispering that the royal line gains its vitality through carnal exploits, a rumor that is not discouraged by the royal houses. The traditional greeting of royals for honored guests is to run their lips up the visitors neck from shoulder to ear, as a modified kiss that helps to perpetuate this notion of sensual proclivity.

The common people of Zhentanna are an industrious and intelligent race of men eager to discuss and solve their problems with diplomacy first rather than resort to violence. The struggle against the desert’s harsh realities and the importance of struggling against evil and death engendered by their faith has turned their culture to one of exchange and communal cooperation. This attitude has only been further fostered under the rule of the dynasties with a number of projects and organizations created to see to the health and prosperity of those living under their rule.

The people are welcoming of strangers and foreigners in their public lives, seeing them as sources of new ideas, new cultures, and new resources to be examined, dissected, and possibly incorporated. Despite this welcoming attitude in their public life however many common people prefer to remain separate from foreign influence in their private affairs. Foreign faiths are tolerated so long as practitioners keep their practices to themselves and while many merchants and diplomats learn foreign tongues their native language holds a highly important religious and cultural significance. Marriage to foreigners is generally unheard of as it is expected that both parties adhere to Kunism and can trace their lineage to Zhentanna or Gehenna before their marriage can be recognized. Many cities have private districts intended specifically for foreigners or in some larger cities there are multiple districts for different stripes of foreign guests and ambassadors.

Resources

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Produces: Batana Flowers [Great] Batana Flowers are rare desert flowers grown in the Blue Fields outside Kineret. The delicate blue petals of the Batana are used in two ways within Zhentanna. The first use is in the creation of a rich indigo dye commonly seen in the clothing of Ufratu river valley peoples. It is not an expensive dye but neither is it the most common. It perhaps would be more common if not for its second and likely more infamous use. The blue petals of the Batana can be boiled in hot water to produce a heady ecstatic high-inducing tea commonly referred to as Blue Tea. The effects of the tea are most often described as eye opening, relaxing, with a mild aphrodisiac sensation setting in towards the end of the experience.

A small number of herbalists and alchemists possess the knowledge to further distill the properties of the Batana Flower into a concentrated serum. Known as Blue Syrup this highly addictive concentrate is outlawed within Zhentanna although a number of these refineries operate in Haishal where foreigners purchase Blue Syrup for their own consumption or trade beyond the borders of Zhentanna.

Trade Posts and Control

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
36	Bhatana	ZHN	O	O
35	Owls	GHN	ZHN	O

Needs: The demand for new colored dyes is almost overwhelming in Zhentanna. Colorful and intriguing foreign goods of any stripe are eagerly consumed but dyes above all else are valued for the style and importance unique colors can evoke. Colors aside from blue, violet, and red are especially sought after and signify both a well traveled or well funded individual.

Religion

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The vast majority if not the entirety of Zhentanna’s people are members of the Kunism sect of the Shishiyan church. They adhere to the doctrine of struggle between Exalted and Enemy as well as recognizing the legitimacy of the Chosen and most of the time the Grand Mahangar. Unlike conventional Shi however the people of Zhentanna believe the last great prophet was Varda who is said to have arisen before Ananda and continued to teach even as Ananda tried to usurp her rightful position as a Prophet of the Exalted. Views on Ananda are often varied. Some consider the supposed last Prophet to have been well-meaning but misguided in preaching thoughts contrary to Varda’s teachings while some accuse Ananda of having been an agent of the Enemy attempting to sway worship away from the Exalted and towards the Enemy.

For centuries the people of Zhentanna have paid formal homage to the official central church in exchange for the church leaving the relatively benign heretics to their private worship. On occasion a passionate zealot has attempted to upset this balance but so far neither the Kunists nor the Shi have been willing to risk a real war over the relatively minor theological disagreement. Needless to say most theological discussions between merchants of Zhen and foreign Shi followers tend to focus on older legends and avoid completely the belief of divine blood flowing through the royal house’s veins as well as the conflict over who the true last prophet of the Exalted was.

Religious Centers
Haishal - Shishiyan Kunism
Kineret - Shishiyan Kunism
Lavilin - Shishiyan Kunism

[Catrus]

Parlayan Dağlar (Region#50)

Meclis Üyesi: Ulan Abdullah
Diplomacy: 3
Military: 10
Economy: 9
Intrigue: 2
Faith: 1

Seraskier: Ipekci Irmak
Military: 6

Spoiler: History/Government

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The Dağcılar of Parlayan Dağlar are ruled by the Kral, or would, if one still yet lived. The last Kral left on a holy crusade hundreds of years previous, and with them, their entire familial line. Leaving the great stone throne empty.

In the absence of the Kral, they have resorted to a form of sortition. With their governing body, the Temsilciler Meclisi, being randomly elected from the populace. Officials maintain office, until it is decided that they have fulfilled their purpose, or their interests conflict with the ideals of the nation and its peoples. Criminal offences are likewise a prompting for a change in representative, although a quite rare one. Of the Temsilciler Meclisi, one stands above the rest, the Meclis Üyesi.

Spoiler: Specialisations

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(Civil) Customer Loyalty, increases die size on buyout rolls.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Parlayan Dağlar is a great mountain range spreading across the northern central reaches of the continent. Upon the snow covered peaks of the range dwell the Dağcılar, living in stone cities carved out of, and built upon the mountains' face.

The great city of Tonoz lies upon the highest summit of Ağaç Ana. The massive stone city looks down upon the clouds, and the world below. Constantly partially buried beneath the packed and blowing snows, the stone homes shelter them from the harshness of the elements. The stone homes partially submerged in the rock, with thick wooden walls reflecting the heat from the hearth fires back inside, leaving the homes far warmer than one would expect. The buildings have minimal decorations on the exteriors, long and squat, made of simple black and grey stone, with domed roofs. The only decorations seeming to be short and wide windows, high on the eastern and western sides. The eastern windows being indigo glass, while the western are crimson. Both being reinforced with iron.

The paths up the mountains are littered with numerous hunting and lumber camps. The paths themselves being a series of steep and twisting stone staircases, bridges across wide crevices, and the occasional beast-cranked lift up sheer inaccessible cliffs. The lower reaches being covered with evergreen forests, primarily populated by elk and deer.

On the foothills situated at the base of Parlayan Dağlar, within a great natural cave, lies the temple city and necropolis of Son Mezar. Where the keepers of the dead live and work, interring the dead. Son Mezar also finds itself home to the mills of the Dağcılar. Both lumber and grain mills, dot the high hill tops of the foothills. With the low foothills being farm lands, growing a wide variety of produce. While the caves not reserved for the necropolis being used for fungus and lichen farms.

The lowlands beneath the mountains are thick with deciduous forests. In which dwell a wide assortment of wildlife. Massive brown bears and a curious breed of red and orange furred wolf, being the most notable. Across the lowlands, along the coast, lay numerous fishing villages. As well as the large port town of Nehir Yatağı. In and out of which almost all trade of the region passes, on its way up, or down, the mountain face to, and from, Tonoz.

Spoiler: People

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Spoiler: People of Interest

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Ulan Abdullah, current Meclis Üyesi
Age: 39 (DOB: 1014)

Aslan Ozdemir, former Meclis Üyesi (MIA)
Age: 67 (DOB: 986)

Ozek Kahraman, chief diplomat
Age: 75 (DOB: 979)

Karadeniz Ecevit, Achar of Son Mezar
Age: 153 (DOB: 900)

Agaoglu Ruya, Achar's defter tutan kimse
Age: 51 (DOB: 1002)

Ipekci Irmak, Seraskier
Age: 41 (DOB: 1012)

The Dağcılar of Parlayan Dağlar are a short and stocky people, standing between four and a half and five feet in height. With broad shoulders, chests, and hips, making them well suited to their lives in the thin air high atop the snow covered peaks of Parlayan Dağlar. With thick, tough, and dark skin, as well as dark eyes and hair.

Hair that is considered taboo to ever cut. Letting it grow throughout their entire lives. Tradition and etiquette leading them to maintain its care fervently. Washing and combing it regularly. Using elaborate braids, styles, ties, and decorations to display their social, economic, religious, and military status and service. The males adorning their beards, while the womenfolk, obviously not having beards, instead braid their hair and wear it hung forward over their shoulders, for ease of inspection and admiration. Hygiene is important to the Dağcılar, thus they regularly bathe in heated iron baths, filled with melted snow.

A meeting of Dağcılar is something of a curiosity to outsiders, as they approach one another closely, then begin to finger and fondle each other's braids. Learning their profession, rank, family members, marital status, past services, honours, and numerous other things from the cut, style, position, and size of the decorations on the ties and fasteners within their braids. As well as the style and position of the braids themselves.

Fashion amongst the Dağcılar is typically an afterthought. Little time or effort is spent on designing their clothing. Most is just leather and cloth, of a basic and simple design, adorned with fur to keep the cold at bay. The clothing is almost always of browns or dark greys, matching the natural colours of the wildlife that the leathers and furs are cultivated from.

There is little segregation of tasks amongst the people, with a few exceptions. Due to the importance of the beards of the men, smithing, smelting, and other such tasks involving extreme heat, and open flames are dominated by women. With the men largely refusing to partake in a task that could singe their beards, and potentially ruin their social standing. On the other hand, military tasks, and mining, are strictly male dominated ventures. However, just the physical efforts. Managers, overseers, as well as generals and admirals are just as likely to be female as male.

Spoiler: Trade

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The peaks of Parlayan Dağlar are thick with many minerals and precious metals, however they are especially rich with veins of electrum. Leading the Dağcılar to opening countless mines to harvest this rare resource. The precious mineral is distributed and processed across the numerous cities and holdings within the province. Mined and sent to Tonoz for smelting and minting, Son Mezar for refinement and use by artisans, then off to Nehir Yatağı for distribution amongst the populace and foreign lands.

The Dağcılar have nearly insatiable appetites, which has left them constantly looking to import flavourful foods and spices from foreign lands.

Spoiler: Local Economic Hubs

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Tonoz, controlled by Parlayan Dağlar
Son Mezar, controlled by Parlayan Dağlar
Nehir Yatağı, controlled by Parlayan Dağlar

Spoiler: Controlled Economic Hubs

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Region #11 (Diamonds)
Region #14 (Fabrics)
Region #18 (Grain)
Region #19 (Iron)
Region #20 (Truffles)
Region #26 (Dogs)
Region #30 (Rubies)
Region #37 (Salt)
Region #38 (Bronze)
Region #40 (Medicine)
Region #50 (Electrum) (x3)
Region #57 (Adamantine Ore)
Region #65 (Whales) Destroyed, awaiting repair.
Region #59 (Rye)
Region #66 (Gold)
Region #67 (Silver)
Region #68 (Cloves)
Region #74 (Emeralds)

Spoiler: Civil Technologies

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Hoist Gears : Reduces build time on 5-action construction projects by 1 action.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Dağcılar of Parlayan Dağlar are devout Yadaiists. Offering their loyalty, their bodies, their lives, and their swords, as well as tithes, to the Shishiyan Church, without question.

Spoiler: Religious Centres

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Tonoz - Yadaism
Son Mezar - Yadaism
Nehir Yatağı - Yadaism

Spoiler: Yadaism

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Spoiler: Beliefs and Overview

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The general ideals and practices of Yadaism are almost entirely identical to the local Shishiyan practices present in the areas where Yadaism crops up. The primary difference is also usually the largest problem that Shishiyans have with the cult, the addition of a third figure to the pantheon. Not even the most faithful of Yadaiists proclaim the figure to be anywhere near the equivalent of the Exalted and/or the Enemy. Yet the figure, known as the Grey Mother, is included nonetheless.

The Grey Mother is venerated as the guardian of the dead. Serving to purify fallen souls from any taint of the Enemy, so that they may ascend, in order to continue serving the exalted in what comes next. She strips the dead of, and swallows, the darkness and impurity the deceased may have gathered from any sins and transgressions committed. Leaving them as pure and free from corruption for the next life, as they were at the beginning of the life they have recently vacated.

In the eyes of the faithful, it is their faith that sets them apart. So that it is relatively inconsequential who or what one was, whether a King, or Commoner, all are judged equally in the end. It is this belief, that Yadaiists hold most true. The funeral pyres burn all equally. Stripping the faithful and faithless of sin and corruption equally, leaving only bone and ash behind. Freeing what lies within one's heart to ascend for judgement, and service.

Spoiler: History and Origin

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Yadaism primarily began amongst soldiers, and a few priests sent afield, in crusades against heathens and heretics. While they knew what they were doing was for the Faith and Church, and therefore was good in the eyes of the Exalted, many felt that the means necessary left a black mark upon their heart that could preclude them from being considered worthy of their faith. The savage brutality of the battlefield, while noble and necessary for the good of the whole, did not always sit well with many. Seeing the very need to be fighting as something of an indirect failure on the part of the Church. The soldiers were facing what many believed to be, at the core, their brothers; innocents in the great battle between the Exalted and the Enemy. Innocents that had been deceived into straying from the light.

As such, veneration of the Grey Mother, the embodiment of the purity and necessity of death, began. The soldiers were able to disassociate themselves from their savagery against, and the slaughter of the "innocents" they commonly found themselves pitted against, as well as their own common sins of every day life. Upon their death, the Grey Mother would take them into her bosom, peel away their sins, and any black marks upon their hearts that the Enemy may have been able to leave, and swallow them, leaving the soul pure, and free from corruption. So that they may continue to serve the Exalted in what comes next.

While the cult existed in varying forms and degrees throughout history, it was not until Masuma obtained the rank and title of Grand Mahangar that it was officially recognised. Elevating the cult from obscurity, to the officially supported and recognised Order of Yada. Using the Yadaiists strict adherence to the word of the laws of the Exalted, and the Church, coupled with their ability to disassociate themselves from guilt or hesitation towards persecuting non-believers, the Order of Yada became a fanatical military force under Masuma's banner.

Spoiler: Present Day

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While still primarily heavily adopted by soldiers, the cult has also been adopted by those who deal with the darker parts of every day life. Physicians, who deal constantly with the pain and suffering of the people. Smiths, who spend their lives forging weapons and arms with the sole purpose of ending another's life. Merchants and bankers, who see much wealth, yet despite it, cannot always help the poor and downtrodden as they feel they should. But most of modern adherents are miners, quarry workers, and other labourers. Who see themselves venturing deep below the surface, away from the light of the Exalted, into the dark heart of the Enemy, to steal away the riches that lay there, so that the battle against the Enemy's forces and influences may continue. Petty criminals are also strong believers in the Grey Mother, as they see themselves committing crimes not through malice, but for survival. As they are of the belief that crimes of necessity, such as stealing a loaf of bread to feed one's family should not condemn one for eternity.

Despite the faithful being quite fanatical about how people should behave and act in life, with the faith being militantly orthodox, endless compassion is extended to the dead. Thus, many of those who do not strictly adhere to the Yadaiist principles, nonetheless support or condone their practices. Especially in regards to last rites. The poor and downtrodden especially are known to seek out Yadaiists to perform the funeral rites for their recently departed loved ones. As in the necropoli of the Yadaiists all are granted equal pomp and circumstance. Whether a King or street beggar, all deceased are treated with equal respect and ceremony. Even those officially labelled as blasphemers, heretics, and infidels are treated with just as much respect as the remains of Grand Mahangar Masuma himself was. As it is believed that all are innocents in the eyes of the Exalted, and one is not to be shunned for having been deceived into believing the falsehoods of the Enemy during life. Even those poor unfortunates who fell victim to such blasphemous treachery, should be offered up to the Grey Mother so that they may be washed clean, and purified. So that they may then be, in death, stripped from the Enemy's grasp, and go on to serve the Exalted. It is that very belief, and the fervour with which it is practised that give many outsiders pause.

Yet despite their odd beliefs and questionably heretical worship of the Grey Mother, the Yadaiists remain a part of the Shishiyan Church. For, despite their oddities, their loyalty and fanaticism is unquestionable. While the preferred method to spread the Word of the Exalted is through preaching, charity, and peaceful conversions, the Mahangars know that the Enemy is not one to do things peacefully. So having the faithful ready, and eager, to march forth into the very abyss of darkness that the Beast lurks, and carve its heart out, is often times, necessary. However regrettable it may be.

Spoiler: Sacerdotal Criticism

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Yadaism presents two main difficulties to orthodox Shishiyan thought.
The foremost deals with the perception of forgiveness. If the Grey Mother exists and forgives the transgressions of the faithful, what does that allow? Does that allow the individual soldier to be harsher and more violent, believing their excesses will not weigh upon them? Does it reduce their willingness to act in accordance to faith, rather than the savage necessity of combat; and how does such excess, and the perception of it being forgiven, affect those who are seen as the enemy? Does savagery in the name of faith not harden their resolve and drive them deeper into the embrace of the enemy? While the transgressions of the soldier are removed from them, the shadows and pains of their actions linger upon the world. Does the forgiveness of the Grey Mother not beget enmity in others and thereby strengthen the Enemy?

The second difficulty comes from a dogmatic interpretation. The battle between the Exalted and the Enemy is eternal. But the battle is fought, to some degree, by every faithful every day. Even after death, the faithful ascend to the Eternal Army and, perhaps, into the Realm of the Triumphant. They Grey Mother would then be placed into the position of selecting who is worthy and who is not. Yet the Realm of the Triumphant and the disposition of souls is ruled by the will of the Exalted. So there is a dogmatic conflict here. Some scholars suggest that the Grey Mother is perhaps only another name for the Exalted’s Will, and those in martial service to the Exalted would be better served through direct entreaty.

Still others speculate on more evil intents of the Grey Mother. Believers claim she could take on the taint and corruption of evil acts of soldiers in the service of the Exalted. Yet the evil, the taint, must remain. She is incapable of removing it from creation. Could she not, indeed, be an agent of the Enemy, gathering chaos and corruption in its service? While largely discounted, such dark whispering haunts Yadaism.

Spoiler: Yadaiist Lodges

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Another common complaint about the Yadaiists from outsiders is their rather secretive lodges. An invitation only meeting of like minded individuals. Many rumours abound of the initiation rites, and internal practices, many less than favourable. Yet no actual proof of these claims exists.

While not all Yadaiists are lodge members, there is almost always a lodge in every community where Yadaiists live or work. Outsiders tend to disapprove of the influence that the lodges tend to accumulate within the communities they lay. As members tend to always be rather wealthy, powerful, and charismatic individuals.

Spoiler: The Grey Mother

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The Grey Mother, known more commonly as Saint Yada to those outside the faith, was, in life, a missionary for the Shishiyan church. She worked alongside crusaders, primarily tending to the wounded, and assisting displaced and disenfranchised locals caught up in the battles. As well as helping war orphans find new homes and families. She attempted to bring peace and stability to the collateral victims of the Church's war against the Enemy. As she spent the majority of her time directly alongside the soldiers in the crusades, she encountered wounded of both sides of the conflicts. Which, she of course attempted to assist. Regrettably, her compassion was not always viewed favourably. Especially by the more fanatical and hardened of the crusaders. Eventually, after a particularly brutal battle, that the crusaders lost, suffering severe casualties, she was accused of being a traitor for the cause. Charges of treason and heresy were raised against her. She was quickly found guilty, and burnt at the stake.

Her supporters however, primarily war orphans that had been relocated away from the battlefront, did not accept these charges and judgements. They lobbied hard for an investigation into the events, and eventually, word reached the local Mahangar, who ordered an inquisition into the matter. After a rather lengthy investigation, it was discovered that the charges, trial, and execution were a way to scapegoat the blame away from the general who was in charge of the battle, and had ignored scout reports about enemy numbers, and fortifications, and had ordered a premature attack. The Mahangar absolved Yada of the charges when these facts came to light. She was eventually suggested for sainthood many decades later, when many of those she had worked tirelessly to save held positions of influence and power.

Spoiler: Military

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Units: 6

Spoiler: Military Technologies

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Bupkiss.

Spoiler: Formation and Tactics

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The armies of the Dağcılar, are largely remnants of the previous ages, adapted to centuries of warfare. Each individual legion comprised of numerous mixed units types, working in concert. A long standing professional military, rather than emergency conscripts, or drafted prisoners.

Dağcılar legions typically take the form of several independently functioning phalanxes. With the front ranks being equipped with large, heavy shields. While subsequent ranks are equipped with lighter shields, intended to be held aloft, covering the heads of the ranks in front from overhead fire. The first few ranks of soldiers are equipped with long pikes, while the deeper ranks are equipped with bows. Each soldier wears a haubergeon of chain, with a reinforced cuirass over-top, a sturdy helm, and is equipped with a warhammer or mace. These are the preferred weapons of the Dağcılar, as it is more likely to maim or cripple an opponent, allowing easier capture of potential hostages. The deeper ranks also carry lengths of ropes, or iron manacles, used to restrain wounded enemy soldiers that the legion marches over. While boot knives are likewise carried, but instead be used to end the suffering of anybody too injured for recovery.

The Dağcılar also utilise medium and heavy cavalries. The quicker medium cavalries being used for reconnaissance, and to harry enemy forces as the phalanxes close the distance. Typically targeting archers and other lightly armoured units, or flanking heavily armoured units already engaged with a phalanx. The heavy cavalry is utilised to manipulate the battlefield, encouraging enemy movements for optimal impact by the phalanxes. As well as to rush down any fleeing opponents. Like their footsoldier brethren, the cavalries are equipped with warhammers or maces, although with far longer shafts for extra reach and impact. The medium cavalry units tend to wear brigandine armours, light weight and less restrictive, increasing their speed an manoeuvrability. While heavy cavalry units wear, much like the front ranks of the phalanxes, a chain haubergeon with a cuirass worn over. At present, however, cavalry units are in short supply, due to a lack of native breeders and trainers of suitable mounts.

[Icilia]

Khan Vvtkian Xalo
Diplomacy: 8 (+3)
Military: 8 (+3)
Economy: 5
Intrigue: 1
Faith: 2
roll link

The Highlands of Mi'vara
Area 12

Spoiler: Mi'Vara, region 12

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Spoiler: Geography

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The northern nation of Mi'vara is a beautiful open vista of rolling plains covered in lush, coarse grass most of the year round. Many a song has been written about the wind sweeping through the grass in an interact and beautiful dance, put in contrast by the slow crawl of the clouds above. It's most interesting natural feature is an area known as the Dragon's Graveyard. Hidden away in the Mi'varan highlands, this roughly two mile area is covered in numerous white granite deposits of varying sizes. The area is named so because the granite boulders are lined up to look like the bones of numerous sleeping dragons.

Mi'vara is split into two regions. East Mi'vara sits about one to two thousand feet above sea level, and is considered the more habitable area with cool but still enjoyable weather. It tends to have more common seasonal weather, with snow not being an unknown in the winter. Almost all of the trees natively sourced in Mi'vara are from here, and are mostly firs and pines.

West Mi'vara rises up to an impressive six thousand feet at some of it's more extreme areas, but is in general usually about three to four thousand feet. Rain is common almost all year round, and almost always has at least one snow storm in the winter. The colder climate due to rain and altitude limits the number of people willing to live in the area, restricting it to the native Highlander nomads. Trees rarely grow in the region, as it is simply to cold even in summer to have a good growth period.

Spoiler: People and Places

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Mi'vara has two seperate peoples within her borders. Highlanders, the people native to West Mi'vara, are a tall, broad and dark skinned people. They tend to favour horse hide clothing and generally living a nomadic life, following their herds around Mi'vara. Although they are considered the native people, they only make up about one-fifth of the population. The only long term site the Highlanders have is Craig Uchel, a large stone fortress built some eight hundred years ago. Craig Uchel maintains a relatively small population, but is often the location for clan gathers, important weddings and funerals of chieftains. Those that live within Craig Uchel are mostly an assortment of priest and shamans who maintain the teachings Arglwydd Ceffyl, a paganistic belief about the connection between the Highlanders and the animals they live with.

Those who live in the Eastern region of Mi'vara call themselves Mi'varans. Whilst many can trace ancestry to Highlanders, they have mixed with the people of the neighbouring countries and are no longer true Highlanders. For the most part, they share some of the height and breadth of the Highlanders, but with much fairer skin. Mi'varans have much more standard clothing, but often favour horse hide over the skin of other animals, simply due to the ease of sourcing such material. Much of the Mi'varan architecture is stone, as it stands against the cold and the rain much better than wood. Whilst East Mi'vara has numerous small towns and villages, it has two major cities.

Giat Cymdogion sits close to the border of <region 3> and <region 14>. It is one of the most multicultural cities in Mi'vara, and is the prime site of trade in Mi'vara. Almost all trade heading into or out of Mi'vara goes through Giat Cymdogion, and is a veritable metropolis due the summer, when the Highlander clans drive their herds to the city to trade and sell with both Mi'varans and foreigners.

Brig Y Gaeaf lies in the far north of Mi'vara, and is considered the seat of power for the ruling Khan. An impressive fortress built into the side of a mountain, many claim that it was built by giants. Brig Y Gaeaf is one of the few places that is not a part of West Mi'vara, but that is still respected by Highlanders. Clans often pass by to declare their loyalty to the Khan.

Spoiler: Resources

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With such a huge expanse of land available to them, Mi'varans cultivate numerous herd animals; including horses, sheep and cattle. Of the three, horses are the focus of Mi'vara, and very few children grow up with out having ridden a horse. The stock of horses breed in Mi'vara are know as the Cryf horse. Cryf are renowned for their strength and endurance, and make for excellent work horse as well as military horses. Although Cryf horses can be breed else where, those raised in Mi'vara are superior to those raised elsewhere.

Unfortunately for such a cold climate, naturally sourced coal is almost unheard of. With steel rapidly overtaking iron as the primary used metal of the world coal is an important resource that is lacked in Mi'vara. Although wood could be used as a substitute, the heat produced is not comparable to coal, for either heating buildings or for metal work.

Trading Post

Region number	Resource	Quality
12	Cryf Horse	Great

Spoiler: Religion

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Although some of the Eastern Mi'varans call themselves followers of the Shishiyan Church, most of Mi'vara is still in a transient position between Paganistic beliefs, which are still held in high regard by Highlanders, and something close to adherence to Shishiyan doctrine. Missionaries to the area have so far reported that religious sentiment to Shishiyan belief is positive and within safe margins. The only real exception to this is Giat Cymdogion, which has a higher than normal foreign population than the rest of Mi'vara. As such, many in the city are followers of the Shishiyan Church.

Craig Uchel: Pagan belief (Arglwydd Ceffyl)
Giant Cymdogion: Shishiyan
Brig Y Gaeaf: Vacant
[B]

Spoiler: Xa'vara, region 3, WIP

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Region 3
Region name: The Lowlands of Xa'vara

Geography: Xa'vara is a wide open expanse of lush green grass, beautiful crystaline lakes and gentle landscape. Many of the surronding region's rivers flow into and through Xa'vara, filling it's many lakes all year round. This has helped cultivate a strong natural ecosystem throughout the region, even near heavily populated areas.

Xa'vara's major lake is Lake Calliska, centered roughly in the middle of the nation. Although many assume Lake Calliska is one massive lake, it is actually over twenty lakes seperated by very little distance and interlinked by rivers. Each of the mini lakes is differentiated by prefixes, such as Chi', Zul', Chet' and Plu'. During the summer, ocean trout swim up the river Macheti, the river that flows out to sea, and into Lake Calliska to spawn.

People and Places: The people of Xa'vara recognise that the regions of Xa'vara and Mi'vara were once one, but have been seperated for so long that consider the Mi'varans to be a completely seperate people. However, their love and skill at breeding horses has remained, a constant reminder of their ties to Mi'vara.

Xa'varan cities are beautiful works of art, carefully crafted to stand on the shores and often in the lakes. Foreginers often believe that the cities they visit in fact float. This has only been a recent endevour in the last fifty years, after a major flood swept through and severly damaged large amounts of infastructure. As for outlying towns, most of them are modest and built from wood. Those who live in these outer towns and villagers whom are inclined to be farmers tend to farm rice and other water dependent plants.

Resources: Xa'varan horses differ from Cryh Horses in that they have gone through rigorus selective breeding regimes in attempts to create superior horses for almost any purpose one can think off. Although this allows Xa'vara to sell their horses for specific purposes, they don't boast a single type of horse that can appeal to all.

Vara on Calliska is the capital of Xa'vara, and exemplafies the recent cultural decision to include the lakes and rivers as part of their city planing. Built on the shores of Lake Calliska, it has bloomed into a civil engineering marvel, and has attracted merchants from all around. Although it is considered one of the trade centers of Xa'vara, very little in the way of commodities ever make it directly to Vara on Calliska. Instead, the merchants of the city trade in paper and promises of listings of horses and other goods.

Chateu Le'Calliska was founded as a the summer home of some long forgotten noble on Lake Le'Calliska, the most western of the lakes that make up Lake Calliska. Since then it has florished into a succseful city that mostly avoided the damages of the flood fifty years ago. Although it is a part of Xa'vara, it has often stood apart from the other towns and cities. It's breeding focuses has mostly been towards fast, agile horses often used by scouts, couriers and spies. Rumours even speak that it is a bastion for the faith of Laskists.

Thomas' Rest was origionally a stopping point for those on piligramigs to the holy cities of the south. Over time, it formed into a major city when the faithful tired of their travels to the south, or wished not to return north. It prides itself on it's ever faithful embrace of the Shishiyan faith, and has focused on breeding steady, mild mannnered horses for travelers.

Horses - Great

Religion: Xa'vara is a heavy mix of religion. With large religious push from the south, many in Xa'vara claim to be followers of the true faith. Most of these followers are based in the south and east of Xa'vara, and claim Thomas' Rest as a minor holy site. Vara on Calliska has been focused on other things, and has never really commited to any single religion. As for the Laskist in Xa'vara, almost all of them are based in the far west, in and around Chateu Le'Calliska

[PepperP.]

Gehenna
Region 35

Summary

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Region Name: Gehenna
Number: 35
Population: Humans
Resources: Owls
Required Resource: Hard metals
Religion: Shishiyan Kunism

People and Society

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The commoners in Gehenna, known as the Gehenites are average sized humans. Of tanned skin with dark hair and eyes, their golden complexions are ideally suited to the warm and dry climate of their home region. Favoring airy lightweight garments, Gehenites prefer to dress in pale colors that reflect the sun’s heat. Blessed with a large coastline, various maritime activities such as fishing and sailing are important in their everyday lives, for food and protection. Because of this, Shipmasters are afforded such respect and status that they are the only sect allowed to wear cobalt blue.

A devout people, Gehenites follow the Kunism schism of the Shishiyan Church. Considered second in status only to the Royal houses are those who devote their life to the worship and study of what they view as the last true prophet, Varda and her Champion Abahar. Inhabiting three large temples, one in each major metropolitan center of Gehenna, the clergy is responsible for much of the education and public outreach that happens within the region. They also hold several annual festivals throughout the year, and oversee the coronation of the new Queen, though that is entirely ceremonial. Members of the clergy wear white to symbolize Varda’s various aspects and connection with the lunar cycle.

The three royal lines of Gehenna each still hold signs of what they believe to be their ancient vaulted lineage. Those destined for their turn at the Divine Throne are born with small horns at their hairline, which to Gehenites, signifies the presence of the traits which the original siblings held sacred. Of uncommon beauty and slow to age, the royals of Gehenna who are born with small horns are of the utmost highest status and are almost immediately recognized as of the ancient lineage by the royal houses. Ancient tablets have been found carved with feminine figures depicted with horns, wings and tails. These carvings prompted speculation that the royal houses were once far more powerful than they are now, though that’s largely seen as heretical nonsense.

Matriarchal, though ties to the Patriarchy of Zhentanna are seen as necessary to continue the traditional traits of the ruling houses. Fiercely proud and protective of their independence, they grant the Zhenites honorary equality, though there has historically been strife between the families, and they remain divided by the sexes. The males born and recognized by the three royal lines are sent to Zhentanna at the first signs of puberty. The royals believe themselves to be of divine blood, a belief that is perpetuated by the temple and clergy. Gehenna’s assertion of being propagated by the progeny of the prophet Varda and Her Champion is taught as truth within their schools and churches.

Gehenites are welcoming of foreigners as long as they do not attempt to undermine traditional Gehenna rule or beliefs. Foreign proselytizers are generally unwelcome, though our clergy seeks to co-habitate peacefully over violent crusades whenever possible. The royal houses look at this cooperation indulgently, as they are of the firm conviction of their natural superiority, both physically and spiritually. Despite their reticence to expose themselves to foreign influence, Gehenna does enjoy a rich culture of trade and welcomes the variety in food and luxury goods that it brings to the region. Through trade Gehenna learns to adapt and advance itself to maintain a balance of power with her neighbors, as they maintain their sense of national identity through their faith.

History and Government

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Like their brother region Zhentanna, the three royal houses of Gehenna claim to trace their lineage back two thousand years to the holy union of Varda and Abahar. This claim is supported by the teachings of the clergy and is widely accepted as truth throughout the region. The three royal houses of Gehenna are divided by which original sibling they can most closely attribute their heritage to. Isten Ina Varda, Sanu Ina Varda and Salsu Ina Varda, or first, second and third of Varda respectively. House Isten controls the oldest city in Gehenna, Isin. Isin is revered as the site where the first of the sisters gained the Divine Throne and came to rule the region.

House Sanu controls the location of the trade of hub of the region, the port city of Larsa. Much of the wealth of the region flows through Larsa and its citizens are often the first to attain the exotic goods and foreign gossip that comes into the harbor along with the merchants and sailors. House Salsu controls the third major metropolitan city of the region, Marad. Marad is considered the religious center of the region, as it contains Gehenna’s only seminary and the religious leaders of each city temple is anointed at the Temple of Marad, along with their Queens. The city’s close proximity to the Ufratu’s origin lends credence to its holy authority, as the river is considered to be of divine origin by the region’s inhabitants.

The Kuni doctrine of the Gehenites view the Prophetess Varda as being the last true Prophet of the Exalted, and see Ananda as a usurper. One who took it upon himself to teach his view of the Shi doctrine, and not appointed by Exalted to spread the divine word. It is believed by Gehenites that Varda took the Exalted’s Champion Abahar as her mate, and from this divine union were the six siblings born, three males and three females. Some more obscure versions of this story portray Abahar as the Enemy’s Champion, pointing to the ancient tablets with their inscriptions of demonic appearing figures with wings and tails. These notions are dismissed as superstitions and old wives tales, if not outright heresy and are summarily discouraged by the church.

The Prophetess Varda promptly died after birthing her sextuplets and Abahar in his great sorrow and infinite wrath cast his children away from him lest they be a constant reminder to him of his lost love. Afraid of the Champion’s notorious wrath, six who had been servants of Varda took the babes and fled into the unknown with them. The six grew and gained strength and abilities that were said to be unknown to humans of ordinary origins. They are said to have traveled the whole of Celessa before coming upon the fertile river valley of the great Ufratu and settling down to call the region home. The three males chose to occupy seats in the southern river valley, while the three females chose to settle in the north and on the coast.

Over time, the three great ziggurats of Gehenna were erected and as their rule over the region was cemented, the three sisters took mates for themselves and many children were born unto them. Soon it was noticed with displeasure that the intermingling of ordinary human blood had produced an issue that was weakened in abilities and the traits that had been the divine inheritance of the siblings were diminished. In an attempt to preserve their bloodline, which they perceived as divine, they began a determined intermarrying with the blood of their siblings and in doing so, preserved some of their distinct talents, though it is said that some abilities were never recovered. What these may have been is unclear and has been lost to antiquity.

In modern day Gehenna, the successive Queens are taken from each house in turn, ensuring that each city has its turn at housing the ruling seat of the region. The new Queen must be a recognized member of the royal line by every house, and must posses the traits of the divine. Most obviously, the small horns that differentiate them physically from ordinary humans along with their beauty and lengthened lifespan. There is some whispering that the royal line gains its vitality through carnal exploits, a rumor that is not discouraged by the royal houses. The traditional greeting of the royals is to run their lips up the visitors neck from shoulder to ear, as a modified kiss and helps to perpetuate this notion of sensual proclivity.

Terrain

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A coastal region which enjoys a steadily warm climate, Gehenna’s terrain has been shaped by the great waterways that flank it to the north and the south. To the north lies the Sea of Reflection, as the saltwater ocean is known colloquially. It gets its name from its uncommonly still waters where on clear nights, it is said that Varda and Her Champion Abahar can reach the ground through the reflection of the heavens upon the ocean. The major port and commerce hub on the Gehenna coast is Larsa of House Sanu.

To the south, the region is bordered by the great river Ufratu, whose life giving waters shaped the fertile river valley of Zhentanna and Gehenna. The oldest city known to region lies in the western portion of this valley, Isin, the seat of power for house Isten. In the east, Marad of house Salsu sits high in the foothills of the mountain range that is known to the locals as the Lamagiri Mountains. Lamagiri, in the local tongue means “Unsubmissive” and the mountain range is named for its perceived refusal to bow before the heavens. Found at each of the three major cities of Gehenna are the region’s Temples. Each dedicated to Varda and responsible for the education of the populace, both secular and religious, and for the perpetuation of the reverence for the royal houses as divine.

Each of the three metropolitan centers of Gehenna, Isin, Larsa and Marad, are built around a centrally located ziggurat. These flat-topped pyramids are each built of seven levels and are the homes of each of the ruling royal houses of the cities. The ziggurats are made of large bricks which have been glazed and painted and are carved with stylized portrayals of women with horns and sometimes wings and tails. These feminine figures are depicted in various activities, ranging from the mundane such as harvesting fields and herding sheep, to giving birth and the activities that precede pregnancy, to more fantastical depictions of the women transforming into owls or themselves flying with large feathered wings.

The Uftratu River valley is fertile, and its produce varied and plentiful. Flat and largely treeless, it is ideal terrain for agricultural pursuits. With large quantities of sun and an abundance of fresh water, Gehenites are able to cultivate large and varied farms. Major crops include barley, wheat, lentils, peas, beans, grapes, and other vegetables. Grapes are turned into wine, and wheat into beer. Orchards of pistachios, dates, olives, and pomegranates are tended by wealthier farmers, or grown on the private grounds of the rich or royal. Fishing is also a lucrative career, with food sources being plentiful in both the saltwater sea and in the fresh water of the Ufratu.

Religion

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The Temples of Gehenna preach the Kunist doctrine of the Shishiyan Faith. They speak of Ananda as a false prophet and usurper of Varda’s teachings. They refute Ananda’s Divine legitimacy, and claim that he twisted the doctrine to suit his own purposes. Some argue that Ananda was in fact, an agent of the Enemy, but the church of Gehenna refutes this, refusing to grant him the influence of the Divine, be it Exalted or Enemy. Varda is celebrated as the last true Prophet of the Exalted and the mother of the six original siblings that settled the area. Otherwise, Gehenites adhere to the Shi doctrine of Exalted and Enemy, and recognize the legitimacy of the Grand Mangahar.

In some ancient religious texts, the Prophetess Varda ascends to the heavens to become the moon after her death, in order to watch over her children who were forced to roam the land in order to avoid their father’s wrath and to find a new home. In other teachings, she did not become the moon, but her spirit came to dwell upon it after her death. Either way, the moon has become to symbolize Varda and is revered as the eye of the divine. It is said that when the Champion Abahar succumbed to mortality at last, that it was from a broken heart. It is believed that after his death, his spirit rose to the heavens to become a constellation of a warrior in order to be near his beloved once again. Thus the great Champion has become to be symbolized by stars.

Religious Centers:
Isin - Shishiyan Kunism
Larsa - Shishiyan Kunism
Marad - Shishiyan Kunism

Resource

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The relationship between the three royal houses and the owls they keep is said to stretch back to antiquity. The same tablets that depict the original sisters, also commonly depict owls. Oftentimes, they can be found perched atop a shoulder, or are shown in flight carrying messages tied to their ankles. The owls of Gehenna are still used in this capacity today, and the great owlerys located inside the ziggurats of Gehenna are a particular point of pride for the royal houses and the intelligent birds are the main export of the region.

Whether the owls of the region are indigenous or were brought to the area by the original settlers is unclear. They are medium sized owls with short ear tufts. The owls of Gehenna range in color from brown to a bright, rich red. All varieties sport pale feathers on their underbellies and the undersides of their wings. They have sharp claws and yellow feet, and almost universally possess bright green eyes. Nocturnal, as other owls are, they are ideally suited for sending messages between the major cities of Gehenna, covert or otherwise and they also serve to keep the royal houses free of rodents.

The Gehenites, especially the military, have a great desire for sturdy metals for use as weapons, other agricultural tools, and coinage. Containing no mineral operations in the region, Gehenna’s greatest need for imports is hard metals such as iron or bronze, etc.

Trade Posts and Control

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
35	Owls	GEH	O	O

Tophet
Region 33

Summary

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Region Name: Tophet
Number: 33
Population: Humans
Resources: Stone
Required Resource: None
Religion: Shishiyan, Kunism, Kunism

People and Society

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The population of Tophet is entirely human and share some similar characteristics throughout the region despite their internal divisions. The people of Tophet are largely dark skinned though shades range from a bright bronze in the north to a dark saddle-brown in the south. Eyes tend towards dark browns and blacks though green eyes are not unheard of in the northern portion of the region. Hair is universally black although its texture swings from incredibly straight in the north to tightly curled in the south.

Hairstyles and clothing vary heavily across the region. Those in the north, heavily influenced by the Amadin of Yssa, wear practical garb in muted color and offer little distinction between the sexes by clothing alone. In the south the influence of Zhen and Gehennite fashion can be felt as bright colors and intimate designs are the norm. In the central cantons these disparate fashions have met and mixed to create truly unique styles. Some of the central valley people use various colored clothing to signify station or duty while modeling their designs after the more practical northern patterns. Others defy the southern zeal for color but embrace the relative abandonment of clothing rather than embrace the conservative designs of the north.

The northern people are believed to have come south from Yssa during the Assurb conquest of the region in the name of the church seeking to preserve their native worship of Amad. As time passed and Amad was canonized as a demigod within the Shishiyan Church relations were improved between northern Tophet and the Kingdom of Yssa leading to the adoption of the Shishiyan Church in Alashyia. As trouble began to wrack the Kingdom of Yssa however Alashyia withdrew from the northern kingdom and sought to gain dominion over the whole of Tophet.

Tophet’s southern inhabitants are believed to be migrants from Zhentanna and Gehenna who, if their mythological stories are to be believed, fled the arrival of demons in their lands to the east and settled in southern Tophet. These people brought with them their ancient Kunist traditions and beliefs as well as a number of innovative ideas the insular natives of Tophet had never before seen. With the aid of the native peoples Awan was built and populated to serve as a capital for an eventual expansion into the rest of the region. The expansion never came however for when it became clear Alashyia would oppose Awan the cost was deemed too high and plans abandoned.

The third distinct people of Tophet are the region’s native inhabitants who had lived in the mountain valleys long before the arrival of either Alashyia or Awan. Historically herdsmen and nomads much of the native culture and identity has been lost to assimilation or amalgamation with the newer inhabitants of Tophet. Communities led or composed of mostly native peoples are often the most opposed to accepting Shah rule or a unified Tophet. Radical ideas promoting democracy and opposing imperial conquest find root among these people although most are content to rebel locally, refusing to recognize Shah authority and electing their own local leaders, rather than openly fighting the forces of Alashyia or Awan.

History and Government

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Tophet is a historical hodgepodge of influences whose many, often diametrically opposing, beliefs helped shape the sparsely populated mountainous region into a highly decentralized confederation of cantons, towns, and villages. Though led by a titular “Shah”, a remnant of Tophet’s ancient united history bastardized as a figurehead for an uneasy peace, the peoples of Tophet rarely see themselves as beholden to any power beyond their local community leader. Two major cities, Awan in the north and Alashyia in the south, dominate the appointment and origin of the Shah but this has historically done little to enforce a sense of kingdom or country amidst the various villages, towns, and hamlets that sit in the many mountain valleys of the region.

The Gehennite invasion of the region thus met little formal organized resistance. While some militias formed to ward off foreign troops when it became clear these were not raiders but occupiers the Gehennite commanders were instead met with directions to Alashyia where the reigning Shah Alaja Pan lived. As the Gehennite armies marched on Alashyia a courier from the ruling council of Awan came bearing an offer. If the Gehennites would depose the reigning Shah Awan would welcome the foreign soldiers into their city and appoint their own Shah whose fealty was assured to Gehenna. This offer was accepted and in a raid on the palace of Alashyia the Shah was killed along with most of his family and senior officials. The Gehennite army handed control of Alashyia to their co-conspirators in Awan and withdrew their military save a small number of abandoned forts that were retrofitted to garrison troops.

Now ruled by Shah Mazeer Qatal, sworn vassal of the Divine Queen of Gehenna, Tophet stands poised to centralize and homogenize under the direction of Awan though such attempts may face adversity and struggle from the long independent cantons of the region.

Terrain

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Like the Yssa Mountains to the north Tophet is an interior mountainous region. Though the surrounding lowlands are hot the highlands of Tophet are considerably cooler without becoming cold. Snowfall is almost unknown with rainfall taking its place during the winter months. Overall elevation generally ranges from 500 to 3000 meters, with the majority of the landscape hovering between 800 and 1200 meters.

Most of the landscape is covered by bushy, rampant, coniferous scrub and other hardy low-growing plants. There are coniferous forests, composed of cedar, juniper and related plants, in more sheltered areas and scrub forests at the higher altitudes. Fire is a regular seasonal occurrence in large areas. The western edge of the region is impacted by the mountainous rain shadow and is quite arid. Flora is most abundant around streams and highland lakes.

Human population is concentrated within the river and lake valleys prevalent throughout the region. Some population centers are little more than hamlets of fifteen or twenty families while others such as Alashyia and Awan could rival the provincial capitals of many kingdoms.

Religion

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As with the rest of the region religious belief falls along two major lines. Those in the north who adhere to Shishiyan doctrine, brought to their people by exchange with post-Assurb Yssa, and those in the south who adhere to the Kunist doctrine brought with them from the southeast. The two religious groups are checked by the region's native paganism still adhered to by the region's central dwelling people. While efforts have been made by both Shishiyan and Kunist proselytizers to convert the natives they refuse to relent in their ancient beliefs in the elemental energies and spirits as guiding patrons. While some success has been noted in garnering acceptance of the Exalted and Enemy as powerful spirits these two are often seen by the region's pagans as foreign spirits intent to destroy and consume native belief.

Religious Centers

Alashyia - Shishiyan

Awan - Kunism

Mt. Ciyaye - Kunism

Resources

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Produces: Stone [Minor] The mountains of Tophet have since ancient times hosted many quarries and mines whose bounty has provided housing and trade goods for the native people. Currently the acrimonious division within the region prevents any large scale efforts to quarry or mine the mountains and the region only supports the minor export of stone, quarried outside Awan. Historical records exist suggesting other more rare minerals and metals have been found within the mountain range though no recent effort has been made to identify or extract more lucrative resources from the mountains.

[Lleban]

Baalbek
region 66



Leader- Hannibal II
Faith-1
Diplomacy-4
Military-2
Economy-4
Intrigue-2

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Antiquity


Recent History
400 years ago on the far eastern edge of the Celessa, the region of Baalbek was settled by refugees from a titanic conflict in the far south. Some say it was a horde of barbarians that decimated the first Baali kingdom, other claim it was the wrath of the gods, and others still blame the mythological "Beastmen". No matter the circumstances the few Baali who survived the catastrophe intact fled across the desert out of reach of the vengeful victors. On a large island off the coast the refugees, lead by Harsabul Mansu, founded the city of Gao on one of the islands many oasis. The heavy usage of irrigation canals, waterwheels, alchemy and aqueducts turned a barren island into an agricultural powerhouse. Over the generations the inhabitants of Gao would spread from the island cities, due to the increasing population, to the remainder of Baalbek. Settling of the low and highlands of Baalbek caused conflict with the Zenta, nomads and headers, who occupy the rough interior. The war between the Zenta and Baali was marked by guerrilla warfare and dirty tactics as no mercy was held between either side. After 65 years of sieges, well poisonings and massacres the leaders of the Zenta and Baali met in the coastal town of Ilibis, despite the near constant war the two peoples were beginning to intermarry and their cultures started to mix. The treaty of Ibilis created the system of two peoples one kingdom.

Since the great nomad war the kingdom of Baalbek has been looking to the sea for expansion. Baali merchants have brought goods to Gao from far and wide as its scholars have begun to chart the stars for better navigational techniques in the great coral tower. Greater exposure to the known world has lead to an influx of kuni missionaries who have begun to convert both the Baali and Zenta peoples from their pagan beliefs.

The system of two peoples one kingdom divided Baalbek into 3 administrative areas Island, lowlands, and high lands. Each administrative area is ruled by a council of elders, which send two representatives per area to Gao to form a grand governing council. The Grand council directs projects on a national level and elects a king who serves for life.

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Highlands- The Highlands of Baalbek are known for their mountainous and harsh arid landscape with the occasional wind swept steppe, most plant life is scare and the region is sparsely populated by Zenta goat headers. However, the highlands are rich in precious metals. No permanent settlements exist in this area aside from the 3 major gold mines which serve as both gathering places for Zenta nomads and merchants seeking gold. The Zenta that live here do their best to live with the old ways but shishyan missionaries have a foot hold on the gold mines.

The Lowlands-The Lowlands consist of primarily savannas and arid scrubland inhabited by a mixture of both Baali and Zenta peoples. The farmers that inhabit this region primarily grow rice, giant mushrooms, and wheat. Agriculture is made possible using advanced irrigation canals, qanats, aqueducts and water storing methods, that make most of the lowlands potentially arable. Common animals within this region are gazelles, ibexes, cheetahs, hyenas, goats, camels, and condors. Supporting a large population, most of the largest cities in Baalbek are in this region.

Cities
Tyris: A large port on the southern edge of the lowlands primarily inhabited by fishermen, farmers, merchants exporting gold to far away lands. The port houses most of the Baalbeki merchant fleet in the shadows of the 80 ft high Colossus

Ibilis Home to Baalbek's largest Kunni community the city of 10,000 people is on the north of the lowlands bordering on the highlands. The city lines cliffs with various buildings even carved into rocky outcroppings. The cathedral is notably carved into the cliff face.

Island- The Island consist of a primarily arid plain dotted with fresh water oasis which make the island unusually fertile. This supports the largest cities of Baalbek Gao. Originally the island was dotted with villages and agricultural towns. The largest of these towns was planned around the great harvest Pyramid.

Gao is notably known for the Imperial way, a long, wide road leading from the port to the base of the Harvest pyramid, and the aforementioned pyramid itself. Built 400 years ago by the initial Baali settlers the 450 ft tall pyramid is one of the tallest structures in Cellessa. What was once a small planned administrative city had, as of 1037, grown to a size of 125,000, due to being the center of Baalbeki commerce.

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The Baali- Descended from people south of the great desert the Baali are a dark skinned people with olive hair and hazel eyes. While most of the knowledge and culture from the first Baali kingdom was lost, the Baali retained a knowledge of hydraulics and alchemy persisted. Scholars speculate that the Baali have a cultural need, or perhaps even an obsession, to yield sustenance from otherwise infertile land. Thankfully wiser folk know better, for they are certain this behavior comes from the worship of the pagan gods Aquarius Minor, and Baahlea The Bountiful. Many Elders insist that these gods personally lead the Baali through the desert. Even though kunism has become more popular among some, the traditional solstice festivals and the lunar calendar are universally used.

The Zenta- The Zenta are apart of a wider group of nomads and tribes that inhabit southern Celessa. Typically the Zenta are olive skinned with jet black hair, though its difficult to see the complexion of a true Zenta tribesmen due to the long flowing colorful robes they don in public. In fact some of the Robes they wear are so vibrant and colorful they have become popular among-st both the Baali elite, and the other tribesmen across the continent in Zhentanna. Fashion aside the Zenta are primarily headers that roam from oasis to oasis,participate in the exotic animal trade, and as mercenaries for neighboring states. Before the Baalbek kingdom the Zenta had no government but gathered once a year in the sacred highlands to gain counsel from a council of elders. The Zenta religion revolves around a series of animal totems that each family in the tribe embodies. This belief system has been mixed with the growing popularity of Kunism in recent years. The Zenta are often weary of foreigners and have been known to indiscriminately assault merchants who attempt to cross the desert between the borders of Zhentanna and Baalbek.

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The region of Baalbek has one of the worlds largest supplies of gold deep within the highlands. The region has a demand for wood which is needed for ships.

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Baali Religion- The two main deities worshiped by the Baali people are Aquarius Minor, god of water, and Baalhea The Bountiful, goddess of the harvest. These gods are worshiped mostly at small alters both in public and at home along with ancestor veneration. However as the Baali grew wealthier many have sought to use monumental architecture to express their faith.

Zenta paganism- Many of the Zenta tribesmen live and die belive that they are protected by an animal totem. Each family is encouraged to act and embody traits relating to that totem, impact facets of life from fashion to holidays, and even funeral rights. Zenta myths cliam that all Zenta are descended from "Beastmen" from south of the great desert but scholars are uncertain of the actual origin of totem worship.

The great Pyramid of Gao- devoted to a pagan harvest god
Kuni cathedral of Ibilis- a center devoted to the study of Kunism
Colossus of Tyris- devoted to a pagan sea god

Oroseros

Region C2

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The most prominent religion within the Oroserean archipelago Six armed paganism. Six armed paganism is the worship of the Six armed goddess. Legend says she molded creation with her blood and clay. After 3 days of molding, weakened by sacrifice she longed for company. With more blood she molded beasts and men. Satisfied she soon became overwhelmed by the suns oppressing rays and the loss of all her blood, causing her to retreat underground.
Worship of the Six armed goddess is most commonly expressed through chanting, dance, prayers, and blood sacrifice. Small temples and home altars dot the region. Significantly more common in the islands past, blood sacrifice was used as a means to both control the population, and as a nation’s way to show devotion. Rituals were frequently preformed with the sacrifices, most importantly; the ritual to become a Child of The Six Armed One. To become a Child of The Six Armed One a prospective applicant must have their throat slit under the statue of the The Six Armed One during the full moon. Once the New moon rises. the prospective is reborn, after being bathed in blood of sacrifices, a creature believed to feast on the blood.
Religious Centers
Mahya-hala is a three hectare temple complex where all human sacrifices are delivered. Underneath the temple area lays a necropolis with a 40 foot tale statue of The Six Armed One at its center. The statue is unnaturally detailed and is where all sacrifices are held. Though these days only animals are sacrificed at the altars.
Hala-Thaal is an older abandoned temple complex, now overrun with jungle.
Red mountain is an in-active volcano within Oroseros.

Spoiler: History and Government

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Pre historyThe Oroserean islands were first inhabited by human tribes 2700 years ago. Many Orsosereans claim that the world was created by a six armed goddess molding the islands like a clay pot. Monsoons and volcanic soil have played a vital part of the archipelagos providing fertile soil and winds for sailing. Theocratic kingdoms and cultures easily spread from one island to another, slowly battling each other for supremacy. Near constant war and trade between the islands has left many ruined cities along the shores, even the oldest cities are simply built within the carcass of their ruined predecessors. By the beginning of the first millennium the Oroserean islands were divided between 2 empires, Thallica and Mahyana.

1st millennium
Nobody knows what enabled Mahyana to triumph over Thallica, some priests claim the people of Mahyana were more devout to the Six Armed One, scholars assert that plague struck down the armies of Thallica, while others believe that volcanic eruptions laid waste to Thallica's most prized recruiting grounds. No matter what the reason, when Mahyanna laid siege to the final capital of Thallica, Nahutal, they were met not with brave powerful warriors, but an emaciated force of 20,000. Since that battle the remnants of Thallica can only be found at the outer edges of the archipelago. With Mahyana ascendant, trade flourished, infrastructure was built, and voyagers explored as far as southern Alade. Soon after Thallicia was defeated the Mahyana elites banned the practice of magic by all lower classes and viciously hunted any mage not part of the inner circle. It is from this period that most prominent Mahyanan literature originates, Love and Sacrifice, The Seven Samartha, and "The Girl Turned Beast" are the most prominent examples.

Collapse 920-present
After many years of prosperity Mahyana faced a crisis. The Children became greedy and numerous...too numerous, as famine struck the land more and more sacrifices were required, both to gain the blessing of the Six Armed One, and to sate The Children's greed. These combined stresses created multiple factions; heretics, rebelling serfs, cities yearning to be free of the children's grasp all vied for power. Desperate to restore order the Children started a new type of warfare, sacrifice warfare. All enemy prisoners and all civilian men in conquered territory capable of holding a sword would be scarified. So many were scarified that the holy sight, Mahya-hala became known as the palace of blood. Soon such extreme tactics became controversial, even among the Children. Once again the Oroserean islands are dotted with ruins, fallow fields, and mass graves.

Spoiler: People

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The people of the Oroserean islands are short with chestnut brown skin and long, thin, jet black hair. Frequently raised to value honor, devotion, and sacrifice Orosereans area very capable of great and terrible feats. While many Orosereans worship the six armed goddess, the faith has grown significantly weaker over the years due to the sacrificial wars. As of now the primary faith is a form of ancestor worship.
Mahyanan society

While the Mahyanan empire has collapsed the remnants of Mahyanan society remain strong. During the days of the empire mobility between the castes was impossible, though during times of anarchy thee border between castes become more grey.

Children of The Six Armed One - The rulers of Mayhana consider themselves the children of the creation goddess. Only a select few priests warriors, and nobles are allowed to take the ritual necessary to become a child of the Six Armed One. Children of the Six Armed One are never seen in public unless they are in a carriage or covered in heavy flowery veils. The Children reside at a palace adjacent to the temple complex Mahya-hala. After the collapse many of The Children have either died or went into hiding.

Priests- Priests are responsible for maintaining the temples across the islands, and often gather sacrifices from villages to send to Mahya-hala.

Samartha- Includes warriors and artisans and those who specialize in a trade. Only those of high honor or dishonor within thier caste are eligible to be sacrificed.

Serfs- Tied to the land serfs draw what they can from the fields. The only serfs eligible for sacrifice are serfs who don't pay their taxes.

Unbounded- Consists of criminals, rebels, slum residents and serfs that leave their lands. Unbounded are always eligible for sacrifice, and can be taken at any moment at the discretion of a local priest.

Spoiler: Terrain/ Resources

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The Oroserean archipelago is an island chain covered primarily in volcanic mountains, jungles and tropical scrub land. The three largest islands are Oroseros, Thallacia, and Yeharra. Oroseros mainly consists of scrub land with two inactive volcanoes on its north side with a combination of jungles and woodlands lining the coast. Thallacia contains mostly arable land and thick jungles. Yeharra is primarily mountainous, containing five volcanoes with jungles lining the valley's, most settlements remain on the coast. The largest islands house many of the great cities of Mahyana, Nahutal and Thaxcla. Though in a heavily reduced state both cities have a population of roughly 40,000-60,000. Known fauna within the islands include, dwarf elephants, tigers, wild dogs, dire monkeys, fruit bats, sea eagles and boars.

A resource famous within the Oroserean archipelago is nutmeg. Nutmeg is used for flavoring many dishes, usually in ground or grated form. Religiously, nutmeg is frequently mixed with palm oil and other spices to bathe sacrifices to The Six Armed One. Nutmeg is most commonly cultivated on Thallacia within large plantations employing several hundred serfs.

Region C6

Etern Mangtas

Spoiler: People

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The most prominent of the peoples to inhabit Entern Mangtas are the Entir. Descended from eastern nomads of mixed human and elfin descent the Entir average about 5'5 in height with narrow faces, slim frames, and a skin tine ranging between grey and light brown. Occasionally an Entir is born with more obviously elfin traits, but it's otherwise rare. The Entir language is within the same linguistic family as the trade language of Celessa, the alphabet even shares 6 letters with the trade language.

Both monsters and Etern Mangtas's unforgiving landscape have heavily impeded all but the smallest settlements of the interior. As a result the vast majority of the Entir settlements are on the coast. while mining settlements dot the river valley's. Entir settlements are known for their outrageously high walls,proclivity for towers, and domed buildings. Entir civilization, while lacking technology such as the printing press and gunpowder, have mastered the arts of building and metallurgy. Entir society is centered around competition and loyalty . A families power is measured by the beasts they've slain or the metals they've stored. The loyalty of the Entir nobility go toward the strongest faction known and can be easily swayed by promises of money and power. The handful of coastal cities largely self govern through competing families.

Entir cities

• Azul city- A city of 30,000 on Etern Mangtas's southern coast, Azul city is most famous for its 60 foot high wall that encircles nearly the entire city, save for sections of the coast near the harbor and the Blue temple. Merchants from the as far west as the eastern Wei provinces come to trade for the treasures of the Entir.
• Mocha town-To an outsider this town may seem ablaze but that is due simply to the multitude of furnaces refining the metals it receives.
• Castelia- A fortress on the southern coast that specializes in hunting large beasts. The majority of Entir hunting guilds base their business here.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Etern Magntas isn't far from the bridge between Celessa and Ahomas, though it is surrounded by unassailable mountains on all sides save the west. Climate wise Etern Magntas has both a cold wet season and a hot dry season. The terrain of Etern Magntas is dominated by subtropical old-growth thick marshes, metal contaminated lakes,and roving savannas which render much of the interior uninhabitable. However disease and terrain aren't the only things limiting, this is Etern Magntas after all, a wide variety of great beasts inhabit the region justifying the need for the great walls of the Entir.

Known Beasts

• Ground sloth- Deep in the forest lay fiercely territorial sloths the size of ox's. Highly aggressive they lash both logging camps and livestock that enter their territories.
  
• Horse Catcher spiders-- Sheep sized spiders that construct incredibly dense webs in the marshes and frequently use group tactics to take out larger prey. They prefer to web in open spaces near bodies of water, clearings and roads.
  
• Dragon vultures- Resembling a cross between a wyvern and a condor, dragon vultures are scavengers that can find corpses of all types from up to 20 km. These ornery beasts typically land quiet clumsily, often crashing into homes and cemeteries to steal corpses. While normally docile to the living, during the mating season dragon vultures spit blobs of potent acid indiscriminately.
  
• Quinona- A rabbit sized rat that attempts to eat almost every organic substance, and frequently burrows beneath human settlements.
  
• Epicophants- At 16 ft tall at the shoulder and 12 tons, these tusked beasts typically occupy the northern savannas
  
• Forrest trolls- Larger yet more lithe than their eastern cousins, a forest troll reach up to 12 feet tall and are infamously carnivorous. They frequently organize them selves in packs and have scaled walls attempting to devour the livestock and humans residing in villages. Known for their surprising ingenuity and complex social structured forest trolls are the most feared beasts of Etern Magntas.

Spoiler: Religion

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The religion of the Entir embraces dualism similarly to Celessan religions. However, contrary to Celessan traditions, both gods are worshiped and neither have a particular connotation with good and evil. Sa kalayo the god of smiting, creation, law and the harvest while her brother Ater is the god of chaos, water, storms, and hunting.

Religious centers

• Blue temple-Devoted to the Entir religion the Blue temple is a massive doomed structure whose twin doned towers peak above the walls of Azul city.Lined with copper, platinum and blue stone the Blue temple renowned for its opulence.
• Red rock- A large red rock piercing the savanna.
• Twisted spire- a Titanic oak tree frequented by colonies of forest trolls.

Spoiler: Resources

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Entir is plentiful with a [Great] supply of metals scattered in mines within the interior. Iron, copper, lead, platinum, and nickel are the most abundant metals discovered.

Taurin

Spoiler: History

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Taurin's Past -

For the people of Taurin, their history is one of a scattered and broken people that through unity, have bounced back from the brink of extinction and into a civilization that is to be reckon with.

According to the traditions of the Taurin people, there kind was first created by the divine entity called Taurin (for whom they have taken their name from). The first generation, called the Aurochs, were said to live in harmony among a very primeval land. For generations the Aurochs followed the sacred principals of Taurin but one day they became corrupt and abused the land, no longer respecting the sacred principals. For that Taurin cursed the Aurochs into blood thirsty beast many would come to call Minotaurs, forever hated and hunted by other races. However, not all were as such but still were punished by Taurin for not stopping their kinsmen from becoming corrupted. The punishment was to be a separation of the people into the 7 tribes and exiled from the lands of their birth, forever a nomadic people to deal with the hardships that came of this lifestyle.

As the generations went, the 7 tribes existed in all parts of the continent evolving their own cultures based on the lands they roamed. But some 2000 years ago all of the 7 tribes began to face persecution to the point of the Taurin people going extinct. In their lore, it was in this time of darkness 7 women each representing the different tribes would find one another under Taurin's guidance and be given the task to find one that would unit the people and lead them to a promised land. The 7 women, called the Pleiades, found the chose individual who was a simple farm boy named Aldebaran. Through great trials and tribulations, Aldebaran fought many odds but united the tribes and lead them on a great journey to the lands the Taurin people now call home.

Taurins present-
During the

Spoiler: People

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The Taurin in appearance is best described as humans with a selection of key bovine traits. Unlike the truly cursed Aurochs who were turned into upright walking bull people, Taurins do share a many similarities to humans. If not for the bovine traites, they could almost blend in with them.

The typical Taurin stands between 5'6 to 6'2 in both men and women. Their skin consist of a rich almond like color with hair that typically appears as Redish-Brown, Black, and in rare cases Blond. Eyes of the Taurin people are normally brown with hazel being a close second. Rarely is one born with amber or green eyes. As to physical appearance Taurins come in all shapes and sizes as far as being skinny or fat, although one very binding trait is that all Taurin's have broad shoulders and a very pronounced neck. In addition, all Taurins are born with a cow-like tail, cow-like ears, and cow like horns that spring to full size once puberty hits. Though each of the cow-like features differ based on the tribe they come from.

From time to time, some individuals are born with more bovine features as like a Minotaur. Such individuals however are seen as cursed and will have a hard life. In reality this is a genetic defect akin to some humans born with extra fingers or webbed feet.

There are seven tribes of Auroch, each tribe possesses different lands within the region. While in the past the tribes frequently warred with each other for resources, the formation of Taurin brought a degree of stability and the beginnings of a common identity. Even though Taurin banded the tribes together, the government was rather decentralized, so its eventual collapse ultimately did impact the relationships between the tribes. The Baalbeki conquest has impacted each tribe differently as many of the tribes have cooperated with the Baalbeki government to different degrees. Buying and confiscation of lands for the establishment of Ditti nut plantations has become a sore point during the pacification of the island.

• Bellum- The first tribe of the Aurochs, legend has it that the Bellum were the first tribe to arrive on Taurin shores. At present what remains of their lands lies on the northern eastern edge of the island. While the were the most vaunted warriors of the 7 tribes, even forming a significant fraction of Taurins army
• Villam
• Torrem
• Aurocem
  

Demographics

Spoiler: Demographics on eve of the 12th century

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Approx area.+ colonies 286k sq miles
Baalbek: Population 3.1 million, largest city, Gao 300k people
60% Baali
20% Zenta
10% Other Celessans/ Aladians
6% Orosereans
4% Entir

Taurin: Population 3.7 million, largest city, Bovem 30k people
90% Taurin
5% Zenta
3% YYC immagrants
2% Baali

West Aladian regions: Population 2.9 million, largest city, Acre 40k people
85% Native
10% Baali
4% Oroserean
1% Entir

East Aladian regions: Population 1.5 million, largest city, New Hasusa 40k people
67% Native
9% Oroserean
4% West Aladian
12% Zenta
6% Baali
2% Taurin

Oroseros: Population 5.8 million, largest cities, Mahayana 155k people, Timbuktu 80k
70% Oroserean
12% Baali
5% East+West Aladian
3% Zenta
2% Entir
3% Caligonian
5% Nevarese

Etern Magntas: Population 1.1 million Azul city 60k people
Entir 83%
Caligonian 2%
Baali 7%
Orosereans 1%
Eastern/Western Aladians 3%
Other peoples from further west 4%

[WaylanderX]

The Grasping Isles
Region 45

Johan de Johng, Markies of the Grasping Isles
Diplomacy: 5
Military: 4
Economy: 5
Intrigue: 2
Faith: 1

History and Government

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The Grasping Isles (De Vattende Eilanden in their native tongue), are a trade nation that has existed for quite a long time. Situated at the borders of d'Oost Oceaen (The eastern ocean) and de West See (The western sea), the climate and conditions are an interesting mix. Both cold and warm currents converge at the Isles, flowing in and out of the archipelago.

Settlement of the Grasping Isles
The Grasping Isles were settled a long time ago by explorers and fugitives, whose origins are unfortunately unknown. They first viewed the Grasping Isles as a refuge, keeping to themselves and living off the island's flora and fauna. However, when time passed on, their old thirst for knowledge and trade resurfaced. Trade started up slowly, first between the different islands themselves, but then also spreading to the surrounding lands. Soon, the need for a central governmental body arose.

Rise of the Regeringh
The first incarnation of the Regeringh was formed by the 5 most powerful traders of the isles. They held a power of the amounts of trade and the trade routes. However, due to the other trader's disagreement and the eventual corruption of the Regeringh, this form of the central government was quickly dissolved. Afterward, all of the islands each choose their own representative in a general poll, resulting in a council of the 10 most trustworthy people on the Isles. These 10 people would then choose a representative amongst themselves. Not allowing to vote for themselves or the representatives of the two closest islands, the one that provides the best arguments and ideas is chosen. The representative's title is the Markies. This system has been in place ever since.
The Regeringh is situated in the main harbor city of Schielingen on the island of Leerland.

Army and Combat
Army The Isles almost solely rely on naval forces to keep trading vessels and envoys safe. They also hire out their fleet to foreign forces as a way of trade. Ships made by the Vatlanders are almost always equiped with a uncolored Wolboom fabric sail. The lime color of the sails make the Vatland ships easy to recognise. However, the last generation, the Vatlanders were able to avoid war, except a few minor border scuffles.

Terrain

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The Grasping Isles are made up of eight isles, two of which are too small to house a city, although they both house one fishermen's village. The isles that make up the archipelago are named as follows (In order of size):

• Leerland, the main island of the Grasping Isles. The majority of trade happens in the city of Shielingen on the western coast of the island. Shielingen is the seat of the Regeringh. The country is covered with patches of forest and hills, with sweeping dunes all across it's coastline. Shielingen is a big city filled with the offices of the different trading companies and is a melting pot of cultures, religions and rarities.
  
• Ter Ieling, the second largest island. The biggest city on this island is Baaskaak. Baaskaak is the city on which the preachers of the Shishiyan religion first set foot. As such, the city is filled with temples, although it is still primary a trading port city.
  
• Groenvloed, the forested island. Groenvloed is home to the largest Woolboom forest on the Isles. Around 80 percent of its coast is covered with it. There is one major city here, called Groenwaard, which specialises in harvesting and transporting the Woolboom fibers.
  
• Arel, the weaver's island. Arel is home to the weaver's guild, who provide the rest of the Isles (and the ones who trade with them) with the Woolboom fabric. Woolwacht is the major city on this island.
  
• Zuidval, the naval island. Zuidval is the main naval port of the Isles. Most of the military naval forces of the Isles are stationed here, in the city of Landval.
  
• Warmhaven The smallest of the islands with have cities on them, Warmhaven's main point of interest are the plains that make up the island. The people of Warmhaven are the researchers of the Isles, introducing animals and plants in a controlled manner on the island to study them in detail.
  
• Ruigstorm The bigger one of the two small islands, Ruigstorm isn't known for anything special. A small amount of people live in a small fisher's village on the north coast.
  
• Gierpriestsoog The smallest inhabited isle in the archipelago, Gierpriestsoog has only a handful of inhabitants. However, it is of great interest of those of faith in the Grasping Isles.
  According to legend, a priest of the Shishiyan faith once lived alone here, as a hermit. He made his home on the top of the small island, in a small cavern. He was wise and old, and preached knowledge and peace. However, over time, the people wouldn't see him anymore. In his stead, a vulture was seen flying towards the north. The only thing left of the priest was a bloody eye.
  Every stream of the Shishiyan faith has its own interpretation of this legend, but to the less faithful, it's just a good story that brings in the wealthy.

People

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The Vatlanders, as they call themselves, are humans of white (caucasian) complexion. They are raised to question everything and to be as inquisitive as possible towards the world around them. Also, due to their nature and they location of their archipelago, they strive to be friendly to everyone that comes to them with the intention of peaceful trade. However, when provoked or disruptive to trade, they can be vicious foes. They are as protective of trading partners and friends to the nation as they are to their trade routes and cargo.

Vatlandish society is divided up into different guilds. Each young man or woman is expected to join a guild somewhere in his or her early adolence. It starts with an apprenticeship under the guidance of an older, more experienced member of the guild, and lasts until the mentor deems the apprentice ready to leave their tutelage.
There are many different kinds of guild, but these are some of the more prevalent:

• 't Handelaersch Gilde: The Trader's Guild. These are the folks that actually go around and find people for the other guilds to trade with. They are hired to find potential buyers abroad and also often double as diplomats for the Isles.
• 't Weversch Gilde: The Weaver's Guild. These are the people in charge of the Wolboom production. They take care of the tree orchards, are the ones responsible for the harvest and manage the distribution of labor throughout the enterprise.
• 't Vervoersch Gilde: The Transporter's Guild. This guild is in charge of actually getting goods to where they need to go. They have access to a significant number of transport ships and on land transport (although the latter only on the Isles).
• 't Onderzoeksch Gilde: The Researcher's Guild. This guild focuses on researching and documenting new information, from foreign species of plant and animal to making maps of newly found shores.
• 't Oorlogsch Gilde: The Militairy Guild. This guild is responsible for maintaining the fleet and taking jobs relating to escorting other nation's trading fleets and other mercenary-like work.

Resources

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Produces: Wolboom fabric [Great] This substance, akin to cotton or light wool, is actually a fibrous material found on the leaves and roots of the Wolboom trees on the coastlines of the Grasping Isles. The Wolboom forests protect the Isles from severe flooding and are well adapted to withstand rough waves and large fluctuations in the water level. The fibers on the leaves makes sure the leaves are as dry as possible to help with respiration. The same fibers on the roots make sure that there are almost always air bubbles present against the root, making sure the trees are not exposed to too large quantities of seawater at once. The natural collors of these fibers is a vibrant, lime-like green, which the Vatlanders adopted as their national color.

Trade Posts and Control

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
45	Wolboom Fabric	GPI	O	O

Needs: The people of the Isles are an inquisitive folk. Even though they have quite a large variety of wildlife and plants, they are keen to learn more. Non-native animals in particular are highly sought after, both as pets and as objects for study.

Religion

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True to their inquisitive nature, the Islanders are also quite curious of foreign belief systems. As such, they do not have an own centralised church, but they do have temples on the different islands. There is a small presence of the Shishiyan Church on the isles, as well as a small group of other unorganized religions, such as large amount of people that practice Shishiyan Kunism and a small group of Shishiyan Sarvochism.

The Isles' main capital, Shielingen, has a large amount of Shishiyan Kunism followers, due to the prevalence of that belief in the lands surrounding the Isles.

The capital of the Ter Ieling isle and the second biggest city on the Isles, Baaskaak, is the main harbour used by the Shishiyan religion historically, so a large concentration of Shishiyan followers can be found there.

Lastly, on De Groene Kust (The Green Coast) on the islands of Arel and Groenvloed, small pockets of Shishiyan Sarvochism can be found in the villages there. They are relatively sheltered here and keep to their own.

Religious Centers
- Shielingen Shishiyan Kunism
- Baaskaak Shishiyan
- De Groene Kust Shishiyan Sarvochism

[Elemental]

The Archpatriarchate of Salendera
Shamaran
Region 18

Archpatriarch Mahangar Ragash

Stats:
Diplomacy: 3
Military: 1
Economy: 2
Intrigue: 2
Faith: 4

Spoiler: History and Government

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Despite fighting bravely for the Holy Church, King Balendin of Shamaran died in the same ill-fated campaign that saw the demise of the last Kral of Parlayan Dağlar. He was left without issue and all his siblings predeceased him. Tradition dictated that the crown fall to the eldest child of his eldest sibling, a confirmed lunatic and so all the nieces and nephews, of which at least ten were confirmed legitimate without doubt, put forth their claim for the throne. None possessed sufficient power to seize the throne themselves and none were able to secure enough backing to overcome a coalition of the others. Rather than tear the land apart by endless civil war, administration of the Kingdom of Shamaran was handed over to the Church with the Archpatriarch of Salendera presiding over the highest courts of the land in place of the deceased king, the idea being the arrangement would last until the mess of potential heirs was sorted out and a new King or Queen crowned by then Archpatriarch Imanol II. That was centuries ago.

In the current age the title "King of Shamaran" is added to lists of inconsequential titles and claimed by nobles seeking to inflate their own egos and the Kingdom of Shamaran is but a legal fiction. All royal powers are held in trust by the Archpatriarch (Mahangar) ruling from the city of Salendera who governs with advice from five lesser patriarchs/matriarchs (Achars), who govern the cities of Arraham, Marandel, Kanna, Norselan and Daharan. The position of Archpatriarch and Mahangar is traditionally held for life with their replacement being chosen from among the five lesser by the Grand Mahangar, again as per tradition.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Shamaran can be readily divided into six principle geographic regions, each with their own distinct terrain, industries and populations.

The first, largest and most populous of these, is the Valley of the River Maran. The River Maran flows generally northwest from the highlands of <region 47> before curving to the northeast until it reaches the border of <region 49> where it turns north and then northeast again to form the border between <region 49> and <region 50>. The river is wide and fed by a number of tributaries as it flows across a fertile floodplain. This floodplain is home to numerous settlements and widespread grain farming, leading to the growth of wealthy cities, the most important being the great metropolis of Marandel, a shining white city built of a series of hills near to where the Maran curves to the east.

The second most populous, but not the second largest is the smaller Valley of the River Arran which flows southeast across the land before entering <region 5>. Farming here is much less intensive as the River Arran spreads out into a wide shifting marsh that fills much of the vale. Nevertheless, fishing and the gathering of reeds for paper manufacture are thriving industries and so prosperous towns have grown along the edge of the marshy Arran. An important trading centre in these parts is the ancient fortress city of Arraham that guards the remnants of the Imperial Causeway that once cross the marsh.

The third most populous province of Shamaran is the Wolfenwold, a region of wooded highlands in the south of Shamaran. Covered in ancient oaks on the lower slopes and pines higher up as the terrain becomes more mountainous, this region is an important source of timber and furs for the cities of the lowlands. That is not to say the Wolfenwold is devoid of urban settlements as high above the surrounding land stands the most holy and shimmering city of Salendera, a city of bejewelled silver towers that glitter in the sunlight.

Fourth in population is Arkanhir, a small stretch of land along the border of <region 19>. This mostly flat land is predominantly used to grow vines and keep goats for the production of cheese. The chief settlement of this province is the small city of Kanna, a city of brightly painted houses and large gardens.

Fifth is Norselan, a tiny former principality, now a county, in the foothills of the northern mountains. Low in population, the somewhat precipitous, pine covered hills of the region are rich in metals and stone. The small province's capital shares with it a common name, also being known as Norselan. This small city is located on a spur of land that juts out dramatically from the surrounding hills and is particularly infamous for its reportedly haunted citadel, the Black Tower.

Lastly is Tarandahar located on the eastern border. This is a lightly forested, hilly region, home to many flowering and fruiting trees. Many of these trees, especially apples and cherries, are cultivated in orchards by the population even as they grow wild on the hillsides. The chief settlement, Daharan, is one of the smallest cities in Shamaran and there is much spare room behind its walls for the growth of ornamental orchards.

Spoiler: People

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Shamaran is poetically called the land of exiles and wanderers due to its unusually diverse population. The core of the population consists of roughly half Orcs and half Humans. In the Maranvale Humans dominate, in the Wolfenwold Orcs Dominate and the Arranvale is home to about three fifths Orcs and two fifths Humans and lesser provinces are roughly split between them. In addition there are minority groups of Dağcılar in Tarandahar and Arkanhir.

The Human population is predominantly pale skinned and of average height, but muscular. Their hair is usually dark brown and their eyes green or blue. In terms of attire they prefer, the working class and peasants tend to wear plain brown clothes with finer colours reserved solely for festivals and special occasions. Wealthier individuals prefer coloured garments based on whatever the fashion is and their outfits tend to often be embellished. Humans in the Arranvale follow the lead of their Orcish brethren and often wear hide or fur mantles.

The Orcish population has skin that is many shades of green with dark brown or black hair. They on average stand a foot taller than most humans and tend to have bulky physiques. Their eyes are usually black or very dark red, with light red being rare. In addition to these traits they have slightly pointed ears and a pair of ivory tusks jut upwards from their lower jaw. Their hair is worn long and is braided for neatness. Most male Orcs find it difficult to grow long beards and it is not uncommon for them to shave off any short beard that does grow. As the climate in the Wolfenwold is much cooler than the lowlands, the Orcs there tend to wear a lot of furs and heavy cloth to keep warm, but those in the lowlands eschew the heavy garments of their upland brethren for the most part but retain a thick fur or hide mantle out of tradition. It is also not uncommon for an Orcish male to forego covering their chest in the Summer months and for Orcish women to do the same when in the company of other women.

For those wishing a physical description of the Dağcılar, a guidebook of Parlayan Dağlar is best consulted. In short however, they are people on average about a foot shorter than the average human man and in general resemble short stocky humans. Those dwelling in Shamaran tend to have light brown, blonde or reddish-blonde hair. They share the cultural trait of both men and women wearing their hair long and braided with men also wearing long beards that they also braid. The loss of a beard however, while embarrassing is not considered shameful. Their attire is for the most part simple and practical, though rich cloth is enjoyed by them. They are also fond of wearing steel jewellery as they claim their race invented the practice of making it.

While it is very rare, it is possible for a child to be born of both Human and Orcish parentage. The progeny of such unions though are prone to lung complaints and are often ostracised by all but the Church.

Living alongside these primary groups in the cities of Shamaran are the "exiles" the land is known for. Communities of peoples from distant lands have set up their homes under the generally tolerant government of the Archpatriarchy and so one can see humans of all lands, Taurin, Goblins, Xin Len and many more besides. There are even some groups whose homelands are unknown but all are welcome under the aegis of the Church.

Spoiler: Resources

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The lowlands of Shamaran are among the most fertile in the world and are watered by several rivers making drought all but unheard of. As such the land is the breadbasket of empires, its Grain grown in quantity great enough to fuel both armies and industrious populations.

While the country is abundant in most goods and can readily trade for most others, there is a huge demand for Incense for use in religious rites and meditation.

Spoiler: Religion

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The disparate groups that call Shamaran home are nearly all adherents to the Shishiyan Church, though a sizeable minority of Kunism exists peacefully among the Human faithful. The major religious centres of the region, the great cities of Salendera, Arraham and Marandel are all under Church control.

Salendera - Shishiyan Church
Arraham - Shishiyan Church
Marendal - Shishiyan Church

[SOSDarkPhoenix]

The Feral Vale
High Chieftain Asterion Moloc, Grahka Bane
Faith-3
Diplomacy-3
Military-4
Economy-4
Intrigue-2

Spoiler: History/Government

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The Yolden people are governed by a Chiefdom. Six houses of Yolden exist, each ruled by a chief, and each with varied political standpoints. However, all six houses and chiefs swear fealty to the High Chieftain (Currently the title is held by Asterion of house Moloc). When a High Chieftain dies, a new chief is chosen by the house elders.

Spoiler: Terrain

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The majority of the Feral Vale is covered in sprawling grassy plains, with very sparse forests scattered across it. Rocky outcrops and large boulders are a common sight, as well large stone monuments erected by the people of the Vale. The shoreline to the east is comprised of gravel beaches and large rocky sea stacks. Finally, to the west stands a small mountain chain with many caves dug throughout by the ancient people of the Vale. Legends hold that a great beast slumbers within the caves.

Spoiler: People

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The Yolden- The Yolden are the primary inhabitants of the Feral Vale, hailing from the grassy plains and sparse western woodlands known to them as the Ebon Woods. Standing 6 and a half feet tall on average, with thick muscles, and skin ranging from an ashen grey to an almost crimson tan, the Yolden are the masters of the Feral Vale, carving out their home among the beasts of the land. It is said that when the Yolden first arrived and settled in the Vale, they hunted an ancient species to extinction, driving the remaining population underground, where they would later devolve into the primitive Grahka that now ravage the landscape, at odds with the Yolden. The Yolden culturally don’t see the bigger picture beyond survival and expansion, not the most negotiable of folks to say the least. While this may give the outward appearance of them being unintelligent, this is untrue, as they simply don’t care about other peoples that do not immediately threaten them. They hunt large game animals that they have named “Stonebacks” for the stony protrusions dotting their skin.

The Grahka- 7 feet tall, lumbering, primitive, cunning. All are worthy adjectives to describe the Grahka. All that remains of an ancient race long since hunted to near extinction, the Grahka now ravage the countryside, raiding Yolden settlements and destroying anything that moves past their color-blind eyes.

Spoiler: Resources

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Hydra Scales - Exactly what they sound like, scales of the great multi-headed beasts native to the Feral Vale’s Ebon Woods and the caverns beneath Mt. Kheres. Traded and collected frequently as armor crafting materials and among the commoners, a form of currency used alongside larger trades in their bartering system.
Sadly, the Vale has very little in terms of lumber, most of the trees in the vale being “sacred” spots where ancestors of the Yolden are buried.

Spoiler: Religion

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Following no organized religion, it is a common faith in the Vale that the many boulders and smaller stones found across its fields are artifacts placed by the ancient peoples of the vale. Using these stones, certain Yolden claim to be able to perform divination. Such Yolden are known as Oracles, though the validity of their claims can not be verified. Oracles tend to perform their rituals at large boulders referred to as “Divining Obelisks” across the Vale.

The Obelisk of the Sun- Devoted to the divining of economic futures.
The Obelisk of the Moon- Devoted to the divining of fertility futures.
The Obelisk of the Stars- Devoted to the divining of military futures.

[woolli264]

Spoiler: Region 61, Jauder

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Current Ruler:

Sir Silvain
Diplomacy: 3
Economy: 3
Faith: 1
Intrigue: 1
Military: 4
A true and virtuous knight generally agreed to be the third best of all time, behind Jacque and Silvest, not too shabby a place.

Grand Knight Gilles
Diplomacy: 2
Economy: 4
Faith: 2
Intrigue: 4
Military: 6
A goblin who, with the help of his sister Jacqueline, cheated to gain the throne. After a few years of corrupt ruling and attempted power grabs he is sentenced to rehabilitation in Fort Baddytrap for his crimes against the church, Ynys Y Corsydd and Jauder itself.

Acel, Keeper of the Knights
Diplomacy: 1
Economy: 4
Faith: 1
Intrigue: 5
Military: 7
The mysterious gnome who runs the place. His influence is usually minimal but when he wants something done he has set up all of the strings he would need to pull.

Grand Knight Jacque
Diplomacy: 2
Economy: 7
Faith: 4
Intrigue: 7
Military: 10
After becoming a hero in several battles including the defense of Jauder from the Skrillings where he defeated the three armed troll he was captured, tortured and enslaved by Hawa, a Skrilling general. He was presumed dead after six years of unsuccessful attempts at recovery but miraculously washed up alive and well years after that. He gained healing powers and a much longer lifespan and is similar to the chosen in many ways. Clearly he is blessed by Silvest.

Spoiler: People

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Spoiler: Biology

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The Jaudes are a race of green skinned, big eared creatures more commonly known as goblins. They stand between 3.5 and 4 feet tall with men tending to be slightly smaller than women. This size is ideal for sneaking through the tall grass of mainland Jauder. Goblins have excellent smelling capabilities allowing them to pick out even multiple day old scents that most humans might not recognize. This is quite handy for tracking prey and detecting predators before they are seen. This is counteracted by the fact that goblins, including Jaudes have poor eyesight, barely able to read small writing and unable to identify faces from several meters away. To make matters worse they have difficulty differentiating shades of green and red.
Goblins live short lifespans with the oldest recorded at 67 though death by age 40 is usually to be expected (aside from Silvest of course who lived over a hundred years and showed no sign of age). Those in Jauder are a less chaotic than neighboring Gobsfull and as a result may live a few years longer. The average life expectancy in the Knights of Silvest is 35 years of age while the common folk live to be about 30 for the most part. These averages are for goblins who do not die as infants which is, of course, a relatively common phenomenon.

Spoiler: History

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The upper nobles of Jauder are known as the Knights of Silvest, the only war hero in recorded Jaude history. The story goes that Silvest was a brave warrior who traveled with the prophet Ananda 2000 years ago and settled in modern day Jauder after defeating the tyrant warlords who lived there. Based on what is known about goblins and their migrant, almost parasitic life styles it is quite possible that these "warlords" were simply a small pagan human kingdom with a large goblin infestation and that Silvests invasion (justified as a crusade) caused said humans to move south after being fed up with the explosive number of goblins being added to the already deeply infested population. The Knights follow in the footsteps of Silvest riding boars into battle, wearing bright colours on their clothes, shields and banners and (ideally) valuing honour and justice above all else. The Grand Knight is the leader of the region. Below him in the hierarchy are Great Knights, Gallant Knights, Good Knights, Knights, Squires and Pages, in that order.
Historically the first Grand Knight was Silvest and the next few were his descendants then one of them, Sir Silvain, died in a battle when his knees collapsed unexpectedly and he was beaten to death with a cows leg. This occured before he sired any descendants and as such a new Grand Knight had to be chosen. The method varies but generally some sort of tournament is held where the victor becomes the new knight. A new Knight may also be chosen for his great deeds and heroism by the Keeper and then a tournament will be held but the winner will be rewarded with treasure rather than a ruling position.
During the human occupation most goblins were pranksters who would tie people's hair in knots as they slept or steal their clothes, money, food etc. and many still act similarly to this day. It is even rumoured that in ancient times some goblins possessed magical abilities to affect the dreams of a sleeping person and some pranksters would cause nightmares. There were, and still are, a few of a more benevolent nature who would do house keeping or leave small pieces of gold when a child had lost a tooth. Now that there are no humans to live off of these behaviors have been greatly reduced as more goblins need to work at their jobs for sustenance and goblins aren't as easy to prank as the big folk, especially with their keen sense of smell.
Since the big folk left (and even before to a lesser degree) many Jaudes have began keeping Changelings, babies of other races stolen from the crib and kept as servants, pets or long living family members to help guide the shorter lived goblins based on their families pasts. The Keeper of the Knights is one such person. He is in charge of directing the Knights of Silvest, teaching them of Silvest and his adventures and training them for their various jobs throughout the region. His main duty, however, is to the Grand Knight and as such he also has a team of changelings called the Keepers Pages who have a similar job to him and teach most of the nobles. Jaude education is rapid and begins at an early age. Knights must be masters of their chosen profession before their tenth year and even earlier is usually better.

Spoiler: Culture

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Spoiler: Common Jobs

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The Jaudes are experienced (though not necessarily good) at all to do with metals. Those who do not work in the mines at least part time are usually some sort of jeweler, smith or tinker of varying success. Of course people must eat so there are also a considerable number of trappers and farmers who bring in delicious rabbits and vegetables like potatoes, corn and squash. Daily life is usually made up of long work days. This is broken up roughly once or twice a month when a travelling band or Shishyan priest arrives in town to spend a day or two and lead the village in music or religious services. The Knights of Silvest serve as bankers, law keepers, librarians, military officers, overseers and other roles that require a degree of organization.

Spoiler: Common Hobbies

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The Jaudes as a people are quite obsessed with counting and collecting be it animals (alive or dead), tools, rocks (oddly shaped or otherwise) or other things. In fact in the olden days before the human populace left people would scatter seeds on their floor so that if a goblin came in the night, seeking trouble, they would stop to count all of the seeds and pile them in the corner, a task that would hopefully take most of the night.

They even have their own number system going as follows
One, two, two, three, four, five, five and one, five and two, five and three, five and four, two fives, two fives and one, etc. until Fivelin (Five Fives), Fivelin and one, Fivelin and two, etc. until Fat Fivelin (five fivelins), Brungle (five Fat Fivelins). Formally it is said as (x) Brungle over (y) Fat Fivelin upon (z) Fivelin and (n) fives with (m) but this is not consistent and changes from goblin to goblin.
Jaude currency is based off of this system:
Buck: 1/25 Silina
Bucklin: 1/5 Silina
Big Bucklin: 1 Silina
Brungle Bucklin: 5 Silina
Big Brungle Bucklin: 25 Silina

Spoiler: Style

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The majority wear clothes resembling potato sacs made of the regions tall grass woven together. They are not particularly comfortable but they don’t really look different dirty or clean and they are cheap and easy to make. The Knights of Silvest are an exception. They are well known for their baggy and colourful clothing that is perhaps a little too hard on the eyes but at least is more comfortable than grass stalks.

Images and a different description of the race by DoomHat here

Spoiler: Terrain

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The mainland of Jauder is home to most of the Jaude population. The capital city of Headsmash Peak is located on the mainland near the top of Mount Headsmash. Piddledown Marsh is the city in the north built among marshes and softer fields where most farming is done. Snakerustle Meadow is in the south but still close enough to the mountain that mining can be achieved by most of the inhabitants. Each has a significant order of Knights with the Grand Knight belonging to the Headsmash order and each is built from the keep outwards causing the three main cities to be sprawling and disorganized. Often houses are built on top of each other with rope ladders to get up. They seem chaotic and sloppy to outsiders but the Jaudes try their hardest to keep people from getting lost by putting up signs every where indicating where and how to go places.
The mainland is filled with tall grass whether in the damp marshes to the north or the slightly drier plains to the south. In the middle the grass is less thick as a result of the mining and the higher altitude and concentration of inhabitants. This tall grass makes an excellent habitat for snakes, rodents, foxes and other small creatures who can hide in it and move quietly and quickly or rely on other senses than sight to move around.
There are three small islands off the coast of the region, difficult to reach as a result of the inhabitants large lack of wood to make boats. The two nearer are inhabited by small communities who hunt and fish for resources to supply to the mainland. The furthest island holds a large fortress, in fact the largest in Jauder. It is known as Fort Baddytrap. Baddytrap serves as a prison as well as a training ground for Knights of Silvest. It is said to have been originally built by Silvest after he liberated the goblins and it was the seat of military power for many generations before falling into relative disrepair.
All three islands are relatively flat as a result of wind erosion but the furthest is mainly rocky while the rest of Jauder is quite filled with vegetation.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Jaudes follow the Shishyan faith and are for the most part orthodox ignoring most of the other branches. The only main feature of Jaude faith is that most of them worship or pay tribute to Silvest, companion of the last prophet Ananda, to some degree. Most worship him as a sort of spirit of luck and offer him a short prayer before partaking in a major event such as a battle, performance, game of sport or otherwise.
Headsmash Peak: Orthodox Shishyan
Piddledown Marsh: Orthodox Shishayan
Snakerustle Measow: Orthodox Shishayan

Spoiler: Resource

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Great Gold is mined in the region and it is used as currency in trade and stored in banks run by some of the most organized Knights of Silvest.
Minor Jauder
Good None as of yet
Great None as of yet
The people need wood as there is basically none and boats are crucial when your region contains three islands separate from the mainland. Wood would also help to make smaller canoes and rafts for travelling around the marshes or the fields during flooding.

Spoiler: Past Rounds

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1, 2, 3,
4,
5,
6,
7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,

Spoiler: Region 58, Gobsfull

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Written originally by DoomHat

Spoiler: Terrain

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So named because the huge stretches of arable land promised the early inhabitants that their “little gobs(mouths) would be stuffed full for all your days and your babes days and so on forever and such”.

Most of it is breathtakingly nondescript. Pasture after pasture full of goblins herding trolls tending to various grains and vegetables. Now and then one finds a massive haphazardly cobbled barn or storage silo to make one stop and gawk with wonder how long it's managed to stand on its own power. Perhaps it doesn't stand so much as fall over in every direction at once, forever. Which you might suppose works just a well boring old 'standing'.

To your horror you find that all the cities and towns(locally called warrens) are built in the same way, with roads and alleys twisting crazily into the distance. The three largest of these abominations being Bigguest'hat City (home of the kings palace and neighboring Downriver Warren which is home to the nation's spiritual center), Fandorgorph Crossroads (wherein literally nearly every standing structure at least doubles as a storefront), and Blood Port (don't ask about pirates, there are no pirates here just humble fishermen who are clumsy, ha ha, not battle scars at all because there are no pirates here back away nice and slow).

Toward the center of the region is a vast, terrifying sinkhole that yawns unwholesome into unfathomable and almost certainly unholy depths. It's a pretty big tourist draw. You can buy knickknacks to throw into it if you like. It's sort of, just, the thing to do.

Spoiler: People

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Like neighboring Jauder, the overwhelming majority of the population are Goblins.

Spoiler: Goblins

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Goblins are perhaps the physically smallest race of people in all Celessa. Averaging around three and a half feet tall, to an upper limit of four feet in the case of the comparatively larger female half of their population. Their heads are proportionally larger then in most humanoids, and their arms are somewhat elongated allowing for a greater ease of transitioning freely back and forth between bipedal and quadrupedal movement.

Their noses are broad, stubby, snout-like, and extremely sensitive. A goblin can typically identify specific people and animals based on lingering scent alone. Needless to say this grants them a significant advantage in hunting, tracking, and scavenging. They unfortunately pay a price for this in terms of a less then ideal visual acuity. They can't make out fine details, only just able to read standard sized text, and can't easily distinguish between the colors red and green.

Their ears are long, pointed, and capable of wiggling, perking, and folding expressively. Their skin and hair are a spectrum of dull green, occasionally with darker freckles, which tends to allow them to blend in well with swampy and deep forest environments.

Goblin mothers typically give birth to litters of three or so, and it's extremely rare to come across an adult goblin woman who isn't in some stage of pregnancy. This is necessary to maintain their population, as goblins are remarkable in the tragic brevity of their individual lifespans. The oldest goblin on credible record lived to be a profoundly geriatric 32 years old, with most reaching only a little over half that, primarily do to accident or violence.

Goblin sociology and psychology are highly bizarre by most standards, most likely due in large part to what might be an instinctive frenzied struggle to accomplish as much as possible within such a small window of existence.

This can take the form of hoarding behaviors, spontaneous outbursts of violence, compulsive tinkering, and many other manic disorders, usually defined by their local cultural filter. In this way goblin societies often tend to become a sort of unintentional twisted parody of their nearest non-goblin neighbors.

Historically, in the distant and ill remembered past before Ananda, goblins existed almost exclusively in the shadow of larger races. Living symbiotically (or more often parasitically) under the cracks and floorboards, or perhaps out on the thresholds, of other race's settlements and cities. These days goblin-kind stands on its own within at least two sovereign countries, but that isn't to say there aren't still some communities living as sapient vermin in the depths of other lands.

Perhaps the greatest asset of goblin-kind is their unusual, perhaps even frighting, capacity for spontaneous collaboration among large groups of themselves. Without discussion or prior planning, goblins are known to work with each other with sudden and alarming synchronicity to achieve mutual goals as they appear. Under panic conditions an intuitive consensus frequently seems to emerge among throngs of goblins. The exact means by which this works is not fully understood by scholarship, but it's an edge the allows the species to remain competitive with larger peoples.

History supports and disputes in equal measure Gobsfull's claim to being the first great civilization of Goblins in Celessa. Never the less, the kingdom's founding charter as (disputably) ratified by the Grand Mahangar of that age bestows on The Goblin King sovereign right to rule not only the land, but all goblinkind. Though no Goblin King has ever yet attempted to exert this supposed privilege outside Gobsfull's boarders.

Gobsfull's core cultural concern is an unusual breed of mercantilism, followed closely by an intimately related hedonism. The nation's economic policy has been described fairly as “a war waged on all sides with the goal of unending stalemate, to the benefit of all involved parties”. Rather then attempting to dam and levy the flow of commerce in an effort to pool resources into a monopolized static reserve, like a sane people might do, the merchants of Gobsfull take a feverish pride in maximized turnover above profit, or so goes the stereotype.

As an extension of this, the Gobsfullin tend to prefer direct barter of goods for other goods over a simple exchange of currency wherever possible. The sorts of goods and services traded in this way have an exotic history, but none more so then in the case of purchasing non-goblin infants and toddlers. The subjects of these transactions of known as “changelings”.

Due to the incredibly brief lifespan of individual goblins, households (usually called “dens”) find it advantageous to maintain a personal adviser who can easily maintain a handful of generations worth of memories at once. Any sufficiently large den is expected to own at least one changeling, to do otherwise constitutes something of a humiliation.

Despite being technically slaves, changelings are, with few exceptions, always valued and included members of their respective dens, and wield significant subtle power over their own adoptive keepers. For this reason changelings are almost always highly resistant, and frankly resentful, of attempted rescues by members of their own race or blood relations. Many an epic poem has recounted a changeling's heroic journey back to their family's den after suffering a well intentioned kidnapping to their land of origin.

Goblin fashion is appalling. By most measurements, any reasonably objective measures of taste and sophistication, simply appalling. Regarding clothing; asymmetry, crude stitching, and patchworks of wildly clashing materials and colors are common themes. Tattoos, piercings, braids, rings on each finger, ribbons, necklaces strung with baubles, bracelets, anklets, mixed belts, and of course, absurd hats are common among all social strata. Back mounted banners and pennants pass in and out of vogue every so often.

Spoiler: Government

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Largely incomprehensible to a non-goblin mind and seeming to varying wildly from one warren(town) to the next, the single meaningful constant is the prevailing position and importance of the Goblin King over it all. Who is, perhaps, for that reason, never an actual goblin themself.

The Goblin King is born from a loose linage of changelings, frequently supplemented by babies purchased from the royal bloodlines of other nations. The Goblin King is raised communally by the royal court. The size, membership content, and rules of succession among the royal court itself are seemingly quite fluid and the subject of multi-volume of manuscripts attempting to attain a baseline of understanding of its workings. So just, forget it.

What's important is that there is a Goblin King. Right over there. He's the tall one wearing the most ridiculous hat in the room. Talk to him and don't worry about it, it's just better this way.

Spoiler: Resource

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-Trolls [Great]
Trolls are utilized by goblins as household pets and beasts of burden. They come in a variety of breeds, with associated sizes, shapes, fur length, and coloration specialized to different tasks, but they're all humanoids with proportionally small heads, short legs, thick torsos, and enormous hands and forearms. They stand at heights ranging from a little under 6ft up to nearly 7ft. Most of their bodies are usually covered with short soft fur, generally excepting their face, neck, chest, and padded soles of their hands and feet. The hair on their heads and forearms tends to be longer and “floofy”.

It's not strictly fair to call trolls slaves, though it's a certainly a fair first impression. They're similar to domesticated dogs in both intelligence and temperament. Though technically capable of speech, they have no true facility with language, expressing themselves though a jumble of limited vocabulary at best, but more commonly just monosyllabic grunts simple gestures. Example; “Urrh, Eat-drink treat! Give bread give. Bread. Mmmh, mmmh! Me, me good give!”.

Mistreatment of trolls is certainly not unheard of in goblin society, but it is strongly looked down on, if not outright illegal in some of the more well to do warrens. It's a common trope in goblin stories to quickly establish a character as a villain by depicting them being purposefully cruel to a troll.

Requirement: Food
Though the country was originally named for the abundance of its crops, the wild growth in the popularity of Troll husbandry in recent decades has dwindled the usable supply of grain for the general populace.
To Quote the late Goblin King Abergef, “We use trolls to produce, churn, and spread the compost, to til the soil, and to haul the harvest once reaped... Damn it, might as well leave them the final task of gobbling it all up along the way”.

Trading Hubs
Bigguest'hat City [Control: Gobsfell]
Fandorgorph Crossroads [Control: None]
Blood Port [Control: None]

Spoiler: Faith

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The official state religion of Gobsfull is thoroughly orthodox Shishiyan, or at least makes a strong effort at trying to be. For hundreds of years the court of the Goblin King has reserved a seat of high importance for their resident Achar. However, in the view of the church's internal politics, being commissioned Achar of Gobsfull by the eastern Mahangar has traditionally been regarded as either a form of hazing, a cruel joke, or an implicit punishment.

It's a subject of intense debate as to whether Gobsfull's reputation as a seething cauldron of ecclesiastic degeneracy is due to something innate in the people, or its historic use as a dumping ground for ignoble careers in the church since time immemorial. Achars and Destars who've fallen out of favor, but who for whatever reason don't warrant outright disconnection or exile, almost inevitably find a home in Gobsfull.

From time to time a particularly zealous priest in high standing will volunteer for assignment in Gobsfull, imagining they'll be able to reverse the age old trends and redeem the realm. Without exception these brave souls have all eventually succumbed to madness or apathy.

At the level of Mobars and Hebars, temple services are frequently conducted as profoundly licentiousness affairs. There's nothing technically heretical about Gobsfull's obeisances to scripture and church tradition, but only technically. For everything a hidebound visiting outsider might find exception to, a Gobsfull priest has a record of indisputable precedent explaining and excusing it.

The devotions range from, at best, direct readings from scripture in what might be perceived as an irreverent tone for a giggling congregation, down to showings of secular theater performances tenuously claiming a pious theme, and drunken choir recitals repeatedly toasting Ananda and the Chosen's glory to excess, claiming it as a sacrament.

However, despite all of this, Gobsfull is more or less flawless in its record of consistent and appropriate tithing back to mother church. Perhaps for this reason alone the Mahangar traditionally turns a blind eye to it all. The common reasoning going something along the lines that, while surely no new Exalts will rise from the souls of this lowly place, their loyalty and practical support of Ananda's legacy has proven consistent and unwavering, and for all their faults they can be counted on to stand with The Chosen when that holy day arrives.

Spoiler: The Hidden Truth

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There's nothing accidental about the apparent “stupidity and incompetence” of Gobsfull's clergy.

While Gadists believe that the Shishiyan church is an instrument of The Beast, and Niskists believe the mortal world is a creation of the Enemy, the Vuadanists of Gobsfull agree with both, but see these things as a positive.

Vuadanism holds that the so called “Enemy” described by Ananda and those who came before them is the all powerful beneficent creator god of the universe. The Exalted and their Chosen are in rebellion against the True God, and so are the cause of all the world's suffering. The Beast will come as a great redeemer, a final punishment upon those who have turned their hearts and minds away from the calling of the True God.

It is their belief that the True God made the world as a paradise, which was then steadily brought to ruin by mortal ambition. Craving to break perfection to match their own petty whims, they stole the True God's secret words and called it magic. With magic, morals became “Exalted” and created every harm and evil that ever existed. Goblins the descendants of those who would not betray the Creator, and so were cursed and trampled forever, as the True God was driven into exile from the world of their own making.

As such it's the holy mission of Vuadanists to make the world ready for the arrival of The Beast, corrupting the Shishiya Church where possible from the inside out, and spreading its lesser sects into further and further subdivisions and pointless exhausting wars. Until the world is ready to be made right again.

The Achar of Gobsfull is only sometimes a knowing Vuadanist. Vuadanists are highly selective with those they approach with the truth. Instead they prefer to make agents out of common hypocrites. Appealing to their pawn's sense of self-interest, Vaudanists use what they see as the inherent corruption of lesser faiths toward holy ends.

Downriver Super Big Holytalker Den: {Orthodox Shishiyan}
The largest temple in the region, and perhaps even out scaling those in neighboring regions. It consists primarily of a vast and intensely gaudy amphitheater. The interior offices being the official headquarters of the Achar of Gobsfull, but one must pass through the expansive gift shop to reach the entrance.

Spugg-Spugg's Vault: {Orthodox Shishiyan}
A massive trap filled labyrinth containing somewhere at its heart a hoard of wondrous treasures, rumored to include among other things, some of the bones of the prophet Ananda. The Spugg-spugg lineage refuses to confirm or deny this, but are more then happy collect fees for aiding the church in hosting services for those who wish to venerate the hypothetical relics from outside.

The Hole: {Orthodox Shishiyan}
A sinkhole so vast and deep it is believed by some to lead strait to the realm of The Enemy. Some argue that there are passages in scripture which claim it will be the emergence point of the Beast itself. Pilgrims and holy orders come to pray for the Exalted to smite anything that might come up from it, and or to throw filth and insults down it.

Spoiler: Region 60, Redrock

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Written originally by Kythia

Spoiler: History and Government

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None. Obviously that's an overstatement but its not far from the truth. The area has no centralised authority and is nothing more than a collection of autonomous Goblin tribes - even the name of the region is simply the name used by the largest and is hotly disputed by every tribe but them. As is often teh case for Goblins, the majority of these tribes are petty monarchies but the tradition of changelings has never kept on - meaning that the short lifespan of the rulers is the dominant factor in the politics of the area and the institutional memory is low, in turn meaning most tribes are orders of magnitude more primitive than goblins in other nations. In so far as such things can be determined for Goblins, at least.

The tribes in the north tend to be a little more advanced as in the north iron is so close to the surface that it can be mined without complicated engineering.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Most of this region is low rolling hills generally covered in a massive variety of heather through which pheasants, deer, rabbits and goblins run with roughly equal levels of sentience and clothing. Lower lying areas tend to peat bogs and the bodies of Goblins who fell in them (known as "Clumsies") are a pretty regular archaeological find.

The copious iron under the northern hills sends magnetic navigation aids crazy and renders them all but useless while across the southern coast long collapsed sea forts and coastal defences hint at a better past that the primitive oral histories of the residents haven't really retained.

Spoiler: People

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Almost exclusively Goblin, similar physically to their cousins in Jaudar and Gobsfull. These, however, haven't developed the institutions necessary to overcome their lifespan and other failings and are considerably less advanced as a result. Language, writing even, is relatively common and it shouldn't be supposed that they live in a pure state of nature, but they have no attained anything like the complexity of civilization as elsewhere. While it's not terribly surprising that one area would not develop the changelings or other crutch ot overcome their weakness, many scholars are puzzled as to why their more advanced neighbours to the north have not taken this area. It is known that the natives of this region have an utter terror of trolls which may go some way to explaining it, but not all the way shortly. Perhaps the constructors of the ancient sea forts are related? Perhaps not.

The populace live simple pastoral lives devoted to the "Four Fs" which is as close as the natives come to a homegrown religion. Rather naive and unversed in sophistry or debate, they tend to uncritically accept other points of view.

Spoiler: Resources

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The tribes have no merchant or tradesman class per se, many in fact living at a subsistence level. Only the northern tribes produce sufficient capacity to have spare, though many do not even know that the reddish stone they have too much of is valuable.

Trade Centres:
Rumblin' RedRock - the largest tribe live in the shadow of, well, a big red rock. Sometimes it rumbles.
Harry's Spittin' Hole - outsiders would recognise it as an open cast mine. To the tribes surrounding it, though, it makes a mighty fine spittin' hole and digging out more of the red rock just makes it a better place for spittin'
(Vacant)

Spoiler: Religion

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The Four Fs - Farming, Fighting, Farting, Falling in to peat bogs - are generally held to cover all aspects of Goblin life. Giving one's nose a damn good picking or having a relaxing nap, for example, all fall under the purview of "Farting" which covers all of life's pleasures. Loud noises, being hit on the head, having a bad dream about a troll or losing one's lucky twig are under the dark auspices of "Falling in to peat bogs" which is the umbrella term for all the negatives of life. "Farming" covering the physical necessities of life - food, sex, etc - and "Fighting" which covers organisational structures and dominance round out the quartet.

At some point during the Laskist uprising some now-forgotten missionary brought that interpretation of the faith to the natives and it stuck in their simple minds, recent events have caused others to fall in to that worldview as well.

Centres:
Rumblin' RedRock (Shishiyan) - the largest tribe live in the shadow of, well, a big red rock. Sometimes it rumbles.
Kowpa Woz Ere (Laskist) - not any more, but a militant and militarised tribe of Goblins are now, recently converted to Laskism.
Fallen Over Tree (Laskist) - presumably named after a tree that fell over once, a particularly devout tribe of goblins follow Laskist precepts.

[/QUOTE]

[Minescratcher]

The Kingdom of Neveran

Spoiler: Ruler

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Dasha of Many Colors
Diplomacy: 6
Military: 3
Economy: 7
Intrigue: 5
Faith: 2

Spoiler: Starting stats

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Diplomacy: 3
Military: 2
Economy: 3
Intrigue: 4
Faith: 2

Spoiler: Previous Rulers

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Spoiler: Endero Hammer-Arm

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Endero Hammer-Arm
Diplomacy: 8
Military: 4
Economy: 10
Intrigue: 2
Faith: 1

Spoiler: Starting stats

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Diplomacy: 5
Military: 2
Economy: 5
Intrigue: 2
Faith: 1

* * *

Region 64
Neveran

Spoiler: Terrain

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Neveran is almost entirely low, rolling hills, covered with dense forest, which thins as one approaches the coast. Most Nevites live in the cities on or near the coast, once including the former capital city of Dunava. Following the Gyathavan Riots of 1049 and 1050, the capital city was moved westwards to the port city of Tiace. Close to Neveran's eastern border lies Mount Teko, a dormant volcano which has become an important religious site. Mount Teko is surrounded by several hot springs and small lakes.

Spoiler: People

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The human inhabitants, called Nevites, generally have light or tan skin, light brown hair, and olive or green eyes. They generally stand about 5' 10" tall as adults.

Their religion was polytheistic, with many myths and legends that were suppressed by the Shishiyan Church. Currently the Nevites are technically Shishiyan, but follow the old traditions regardless. They pray facing to the east in the morning, and to the west in the evening; they tap each other's left shoulder in greeting; they translate Shishiyan literature to the language of their old priests. Men grow short beards and mustaches, and men and women alike cut their hair short. All male names end in -o, and all female names in -a, although this has begun to change slightly as the Nevites reconnect to other nations. Nevites in general are extremely curious to rediscover the world and friendly with most peoples.

Spoiler: Government

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Absolute monarchy, supported by a province system. Neveran is divided into five provinces, each of which is controlled by a governor. The governors are chosen every 14 years by the reigning king or queen. No one can serve as governor more than once. Each governor has absolute power over his or her province which can only be vetoed by the monarch or a vote against it by at least three other governors. Lower classes have a relatively high degree of personal freedom, but are expected to obey their governor and the monarch.

Spoiler: Religion

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Neveran largely follows the Shishiyan Church, but retains many aspects and legends of the previous pagan religion. Most Nevites believe, for example, that Mount Teko was long ago raised in a single day by the Creator, and taken as a home by the God of Fire. Shishiyans, however, claim that the Chosen performed a miracle to create it so that he could become closer to heaven. These and similar beliefs have caused a split in the religious community, creating the radical Purist sect.

Purists believe that the old traditions directly oppose the true Shishiyan way, therefore they must be the work of the Enemy, and wish to remove all trace of old culture from society. Their main religious center is Catidos Falls, a temple noted for a large artificial waterfall that was constructed above it.

Nevites also believe that the world was once filled with magic, but it was somehow lost. Traditionally, they either say that a great demon destroyed its connection to the world or that the god of magic was killed and his creations undone. Purists either deny that magic ever existed or claim that it was created by the Enemy as a tool of evil and chaos, and purged from Celessa by the Exalted. These claims are often supported by the tales of such Beasts as Jadogar the Sorcerer.

Religious sites:
Mount Teko (currently unoccupied)
The First Church of Exalted Silver (Nevite Shishiyanism)
Catidos Falls (Purist Shishiyanism)

Spoiler: History

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No story amongst the Nevites tells of how they came to the island and settled it. The only stories of that far-gone time tell that the settlers' original home was located "beyond the sunset". The settlers built great cities on the coast and traded eagerly with the mainland empire. When it collapsed, the Nevites survived mostly unharmed, but lost all external support. A series of poor rulers led to a three-year famine, a bloody revolt, the destruction of the southern half of the Kingdom, and a policy of enforced isolation as protection. Eventually the old empire was forgotten completely.

Roughly 100 years ago, Shishiyan explorers landed and began conversion by force, attempting to eradicate all traces of pagan gods. Neveran's leaders cautioned that they could not resist until they had placated the newcomers, and the Nevites pretended to abandon their old ways. Most of the Shishiyans were recalled from Neveran years ago, but left an indelible mark on Nevite culture.

Their eastern neighbors, the Taurin tribes, have been equally isolationist, and few Nevites have ever met one. However, in this modern time the Kingdom has opened diplomatic talks with the tribes and settled on an official border between their lands. Nevites usually react to them with surprise and some suspicion, but are hospitable enough. The exceptions to this rule are the Purist Shishiyanists, who decry the Taurin people as demons, Taurin religion as heresy, and their very nation itself as an evil blight of the Enemy.

Spoiler: Resources

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One of the Kingdom's most productive natural resources is a glossy silver-colored metal they call Thiole, commonly known in other regions as "Alicorn" for its similarity to unicorn horn's legendary curative properties. Found in large deposits underground, Thiole cures nearly all diseases and neutralizes many poisons if taken consistently over roughly seven days. It is usually ground into powder to be ingested for this purpose. Containers made of it have the same effect on any liquid held within them.

As a result of the Nevites' growing curiosity, there is high demand for exotic foods in Neveran.

Controlled Trading Post: Dunava

* * *

Region 59
The Unified Provinces of Yedinaya-Predgor'ya

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Unified Provinces of Yedinaya-Predgor'ya lie southeast of the Phönix Berge of Adler, stretching from the foothills of those mountains to the coastal cliffs. Along the northern border, the mountains come to an end, replaced by broken, rocky hills. The land levels out closer to the coast, until it reaches the cliffs; a sheer drop of forty to sixty feet into the ocean below. Forest covers most of the northeast.

There are two major Human cities in the Provinces, Solberg and Statvik, both of which are situated on the Potok River. Only one major settlement of Goblins exists, Biggerest Warren, which consists of a large number of tunnels dug into the side of the cliffs. It mostly serves as a home for the Goblin mothers and children, while most of the men and childless women travel and trade.

Spoiler: People

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The Unified Provinces are primarily populated by Humans, with a large minority of Goblins. The Humans of the region are very pale of skin, with a large variety of hair colors. Their eyes are usually olive, but all colors can be found among them. On average they stand roughly 5' 8" tall. Their architecture consists primarily of stone, with roofs made of wood and ceramic shingles. Those living closer to Adler often cover the stone walls with a smooth white plaster. Most of the Humans live in or around medium-sized farming villages, rye being the most productive crop.

The native Goblins are extremely freckled, to the extent that some appear to have brown skin dotted with green rather than vice versa. They are slightly shorter than their northern counterparts, at an average of 3' 2" tall. Goblins in the Unified Provinces are nomadic traders. Their only aboveground structures are tents and occasional small buildings outside villages used as communal rest stops. Most elderly Goblins, along with mothers and children, live in Biggerest Warren. More able adults travel afar to trade, and return to the tunnels only sporadically to bring goods acquired from Humans.

Spoiler: Government

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Before its Unification into the Kingdom of Neveran, Yedinaya-Predgor'ya had no centralized government. The large cities, Solberg and Statvik, were independent city-states, each controlling several of the nearest villages. Settlements farther from the Potok River were independent. Biggerest Warren was controlled by a Goblin King or Queen, always a changeling from one of the nearer villages.

Now, the region has been subdivided into seven provinces in a system identical to Neveran's. Each province is controlled by a governor, who has absolute power over his or her province. This power can only be vetoed by the monarch or a majority vote of all seven governors. To streamline administration of both regions, the governors of both Neveran and Yedinaya-Predgor'ya assemble the Unified Council twice each year to resolve Kingdom-wide matters.

Spoiler: Governors of the UPYP

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• Fortun van der Sol, Lord of Solberg
• Goblin King Phlóv
• Princess Lira Jeanne of Statvik
• Korolev Rozh
• Vilho Kostya, Mayor of Kholmgrad
• Marko Bladeforger
• Lady Katarina Volkov

Spoiler: History

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The history of the Unified Provinces is the history of Solberg and Statvik. Among the smaller villages, the only major events are periods of famine and prosperity, while little historical record is kept in Biggerest Warren. The city-states, however, have long had a rivalry over an ancient tale claiming that a Chosen originated from a town on the Potok River. Each city believed the tale to refer to itself, and, under more hot-blooded leaders, wars have been fought between the two. No such battle has occurred since the Second Battle of Potok Brod, roughly two hundred years ago, but the contention remains. More recently, the wars of the Adler to the north have led many Castilian refugees to settle in the north, though they adopted native culture rather quickly.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Unified Provinces are strongly Shishiyan, and have been for hundreds of years. A few legends survive from the far past, but are usually fragmented and vague.

During the last decade, many became disillusioned with the central Church, especially in Solberg. This was exacerbated by the Crusade, which seemed to ignore its original purpose the instant an excuse was found for a more beneficial invasion. In 1033, as the Laskist Rebellion accelerated, the cathedral of Vulmami iz Predgor'ya in Solberg was occupied by Laskists, both native and foreign. However, as the tide of the war turned, the heretics surrendered and missionaries from Salendera retook the grand structure.

Religious Centers of the UPYP:

1. Biggerest Warren (Shishiyan)
2. Tserkov-Castilla (Shishiyan)
3. Vulnami iz Predgor'ya (Shishiyan)

Spoiler: Resources

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The climate and soil of the flatter provinces are perfect for cultivating rye, and it grows well even in rocky soil. The grain has become a dietary staple among farmers, and is commonly eaten within the cities as well.

* * *

Region C3
Zaldia

Spoiler: Terrain

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The land of Zaldia is located several weeks' ocean travel to the southeast of Celessa. Flat grasslands stretch from the coast many miles inland, though several large plateaus are distantly visible. In the few years since explorers first landed in Zaldia, hurricanes have been frequent and their results devastating, including the destruction of the first colony fleet.

Little of the land has been explored or mapped by Nevites beyond the colony at Hammer Point. One native city, Tenplu Urdina, is within travel distance. Small local trade has begun between the city and the colony.

Spoiler: People

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The natives of Zaldia are humans, but very different from those of Celessa. They seem to average about 5' 11" tall, with tan skin, reddish-brown hair, and deep green eyes. The Zaldians are wary of Celessan peoples, but in general have been friendly and hospitable. Interestingly, their language is very similar to the Nevites', and communication was established fairly quickly. They have a strange custom in which each of them has an indelible tattoo across the back of their right hand, usually a simple image or symbol, which relates to that person's natural talents. This tattoo seems to be viewed as almost religious in nature, though not a part of their religion.

Spoiler: Government

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Hammer Point is currently governed by the Pedgor'yan Beryl Trenchholm in the name of the Kingdom. It is expected that as Nevite settlements expand a true governor system will be enacted.

The Zaldians are ruled by an autocratic leader called the Zeruko. She is always female, and acts as the high priest of Zaldian religion. The current Zeruko is Zerea Ederne.

Spoiler: Religion

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Most of the Nevite colonists are Shishiyan, although as of yet there is no formal Church center in the colony. The major religious sites outside of Hammer Point are controlled by Zaldians.

Zaldian religion revolves around the Goddess of the Sun, who is said to bring sunlight for her people to live and work under. However, formal prayer is uncommon outside of religious holidays. Legends have also been heard of a second Goddess, one of the Moon, who was destroyed by the Goddess of the Sun, but such tales are not widely told.

Religious centers of Zaldia:

• Zutik Harri (pagan)
• Tenplu Urdina (pagan)

Spoiler: Resources

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The ground beneath the plains of Zaldia is rich in a mineral not found in Celessa. Called Selucine, it has several strange properties. It glows with a pale bluish light under the night sky, and is very hard but brittle. Selucine tends to fracture into roughly triangular chunks, which are often sanded down and used as decoration by the Zaldians.

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Region C8
The Hono Moku Archipelago

Spoiler: Terrain

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Hono Moku is an island chain located generally northeast of Celessa. Its climate is surprisingly warm despite being rather far north, allowing agriculture to flourish. There are five large islands, which altogether are roughly the same size as the region of Yedinaya-Predgor’ya. These islands - Pali Punana, Kolili, Meka Nele, Ao Puni, and Alopeke - are covered in a mixture of plains and small forests, and the sea around them is filled with dozens if not hundreds of small islets. Massive rock spires and cliffs rise out of the sea to tower over the otherwise flat archipelago.

Spoiler: People

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The islanders of Hono Moku are divided into four tribes; the Aeto, the Hahai, the Paka, and the Īlo Hae. Each tribe inhabits one of the major islands, with the third-largest (Meka Nele) being uninhabited. In the year 1048, Nevite explorers under Bërdo Seaspray landed on Meka Nele and established the town of Seton Bay there.

The Aeto occupy the largest island of Pali Punana. They are humans rather similar to Nevites, reaching an average height of about 5' 8" tall, and generally have light to tan skin, blond or brown hair, and light blue eyes. Aeto bowmen are well-trained, and even their spears are designed to be thrown far and accurately, allowing the tribe to fight from long distances away.

The Hahai inhabit the next-largest island, Kolili. It is the most heavily forested of the islands and provides most of Hono Moku’s timber. The Hahai reach an average height of about 5’ 4”, with tan skin, dark brown hair, and blue or green eyes. They do little farming of their own; their primary food source is the fruit and flower nectar which are widespread on Kolili.

The Paka live on the fourth-largest island of Ao Puni. Their average height is 4’ 11”, and most have light or pale skin, green eyes and light brown hair. They are the least warlike of the four tribes, being mostly farmers. Tobacco is among their most prolific crops, and so much is consumed that the smoke often creates a light fog or haze which seems to cover Ao Puni.

The Īlo Hae dwell on Alopeke, the smallest of the major islands. They are very similar to the Hahai, reaching an average height of 5’ 5”, and usually having dark brown hair and dark green or olive eyes, though their skin is lighter. The best fishermen of Hono Moku come from the Īlo Hae, allowing them to rely much less on agriculture for food.

Spoiler: Government

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The Nevite colony at Seton Bay is currently governed by Bërdo Seaspray in the name of the Kingdom. Similarly to Hammer Point in the far land of Zaldia, a governor system will most likely be created if Nevite settlements expand.

Each of the four tribes is ruled by a chieftain with absolute power. As of 1052, there appear to be two major alliances; the Aeto and Paka, and the Hahai and Īlo Hae, though all of the tribes have mostly good relations.

Chieftains of Hono Moku:

• Lehua Elea of the Aeto
• Kaulana Ikai of the Paka
• Kaleo Konani of the Hahai
• Malie Iman of the Īlo Hae

Spoiler: Religion

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The Nevite colonists are majority Shishiyan, with a relatively large Laskist minority. However, the Church has no particular presence outside of Seton Bay, which itself does not have a major religious center yet.

All four of the tribes follow the same pagan religion, which venerates a wide pantheon of gods and goddesses. Each is generally worshipped at a few times a year to request aid, such as turning a violent hurricane away from Hono Moku, victory in a battle, or an abundant harvest.

Spoiler: Resources

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Although Tobacco is not the most prolific crop in Hono Moku, it is the one which most interests the colonists. Introduced by the Paka, their practice of burning the leaves and inhaling the smoke was quickly imitated by the colonists, and the seeds were soon planted to create a highly profitable crop.

[Mechalich]

The Yssa Mountains
Region 32

King Arzu Mazam
Diplomacy 3
Military 5
Economy 2
Intrigue 2
Faith 5

History and Government

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The Yssa Mountains have been inhabited for a very long time, as evidenced by ancient stone huts found high on desolate slopes, but their current incarnation as a polity is much more recent, though still in its own way quite ancient.

The Amadin people trace their heritage to a warrior host that came from the deserts behind the banner of Amad, a great champion of light. Amad fought the dark ones who had built cruel fortresses and claimed the heights of the Yssa Mountains as places of sacrifice and demon worship. Amad, surrounded by foes, fought to his last breath, and was raised to the heavens before all the blood had fled his body. He charged his followers to live in the mountains he had purified and keep them clean of blackness as a sacred trust. Such is the legend.

The actual truth is more prosaic, the Amadin were natural migrants seeking to claim new lands due to a particularly severe dry spell in the desert and the mountains were sparsely populated, but Amad did exist and there were strongholds of great darkness in high canyons. Ever since that time the Amadin have inhabited the mountains.

The people of the mountains lived simple lives under local lords for a long time, mostly feuding with their neighbors over water rights and pasturage. They were a pagan people, worshipping Amad as a god and also acknowledging a number of lesser spirits. Twelve hundred years ago the Shishiyan Church, offended by this, made a concerted effort to convert the region. Scores of missionary priests were dispatched. Most were armed with little more than their zeal, but they were wise and cunning men, and had great plans.

One among them, a monk named Sarru, was a student of animals. He believed the Giant Yssian Ibex, an animal the herdsmen had tamed centuries before, could be adapted for riding, and devised a saddle suited for the purpose. He gave this discovery into the hands of Tilkhal Assurb, the Desan – ranking noble – of the northern third of the country, following the noble’s conversion to Shishiyanism.

Empowered by this strange cavalry, Assurb rapidly conquered the whole of the mountains and declared the Kingdom of Yssa as a Shishiyan state. There was, however, considerable resistance, as the people were not willing to give up their worship of Amad and violent resistance continued for decades. The monk Sarru was murdered by rebels during a journey. He was later honored as a Shishiyan saint and the Temple-Fortress of Sarrut and the Saru-Kisi holy order honor his name.

The violent would be stymied by the actions of a later priest, Pileser, one born in Yssa but trained in [as yet unnamed nation containing church headquarters]. With dispensation from the Grand Mahangar, he arranged to have Amad honored as a demigod champion of the Exalted and protector of the Yssa Mountains. Children were carefully raised in the new faith, and within a generation resistance had ceased and most of the nation was devout.

Since that time there have been various upheavals. The Assurb Dynasty collapsed during the dark centuries and the Yssa Mountains were long a country only in name, depopulated by plagues and crippled by droughts. Recent centuries have been more prosperous. Five generations past the kingdom was renewed under blade of Argon Mazam, whose lineage yet controls the throne. This dynasty survived a brutal succession struggle in which the putative heir converted to Laskism, leading to a series of brutal sieges in the high peaks. After this many Yssan soldiers fought the Laskists across the continent on behalf of the Shishiyan Church.

The current monarch is Arzu Mazam, who has only recently taken office upon the death of his father.

The Yssian government is based in a compressed feudal system. The proto-market economy of this state is very limited due to low development and high faith. The king holds court in the capital city of Amadaran (‘City of Amad’ in the ancient language), which is located in a fertile valley deep in the mountains in the shadow of Mount Ainlar.

The king appoints four Desans, major nobles, one to rule the capital and each of the others to govern the north, center, and southern regions. The position of Desan is generally not hereditary, and is instead given as a reward for loyalty to key supporters. Also by tradition the acknowledge heir is made Desan of the capital. The Desans derive revenue from the economy of the cities within their respective regions. They are not major landholders.

Below the Desans are the Turtans, the landholding nobles. These are hereditary positions, of which there are currently twenty-eight, and generally correspond to a fertile mountain valley and its surrounding pasture lands. Much of the land in the desolate western half of the nation is not claimed by the nobility and is held in trust by the crown, but is essentially wilderness. In time of war each Turtan is expected to muster the populace to form an army, which is led by the king.

Beneath the Turtans there are only village leaders, who are always an elder from one of a small group of core families in each settlement. Their authority is informal, but considerable at the local scale, and they are usually allied with the local priests.

As typical in a nation of considerable religious faith, the Shishiyan Church possesses considerable holdings in Yssa. The ranking Destars control a number of territories under their own authority and are considered equal to a Turtan. There are currently five such positions. They are not expected to marshal armies at royal command, but face intense pressure to ‘donate’ heavily to the cause if the conflict has church sanction.

Terrain

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Yssa is an inland mountain region. Though the surrounding lowlands are hot the highlands of Yssa are considerably cooler, though they are rarely truly cold and snowfall is almost unknown. Rainfall occurs primarily during the winter. Overall elevation generally ranges from 500 to 3000 meters, with the majority of the landscape hovering between 800 and 1200 meters.

The mountains run north to south and the region is divided along this axis through the foundational streams of three major watersheds. The western edge of the region is impacted by the mountainous rain shadow and is quite arid. Floral is most abundant around streams and highland lakes.

Most of the landscape is covered by bushy, rampant, coniferous scrub (chaparral biome) and other hardy low-growing plants. There are coniferous forests, composed of cedar, juniper and related plants, in more sheltered areas and scrub forests at the higher altitudes. Fire is a regular seasonal occurrence in large areas. Overall animal diversity is low, with few large predators, but there is a high diversity of goats and their relatives (Caprinae).

Human population is concentrated along the high valleys, which mostly run in an east-west direction, though they are rarely straight. The eastern half of the region is significantly more inhabited than the western half, which has few permanent settlements.

The three major watersheds are known as, from north to south, Hamat, Rabla, and Tabal. The central region of Rabla is the most prosperous and contains the capital city which holds the Silver Temple. Hamat is the least hospitable region and also the most militarized, it contains both the Arpa Monastery and the Temple-Fortress Sarrut.

The highest mountain of Yssa is Mount Ainlar, a towering peak that tops four thousand meters at its mighty summit – giving a veneer of year-round snowpack, unique among mountains in the region.

People

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The people of Yssa have learned to live under a hot, searing sun that rarely leaves, and to survive in a land regularly wracked by fire. They are known as the Amadin people.

Bronze-skinned with universally straight black hair, and often possessed of a cracked and wind-lashed look. Brown eyes predominate, but some have greenish shades, with increasing degrees of green considered a mark of beauty. Hair is usually worn short in men and longer in women, with women wrapping their hair in buns at the back of their head upon reaching adulthood. Men go clean-shaven.

Clothing accommodates the harsh climate. Loose but solid pants or skirts (worn by both men and women), long-sleeved tops, and headbands are the standard wear. While full-covered head-wraps are common, especially in particularly harsh weather, hats are considered foreign dress and avoided. Outfits feature robust fabrics or hides, particularly on the legs to avoid ever-present thorns. Coloration is limited to pale earth tones, usually tan to muted yellow, designed to reflect the baleful sun. Pure white, decorated with embroidery or other flourishes, is preferred ceremonial wear. Linen is considered the ideal fabric for this purpose and is highly valued. Ornate headbands, often with extraordinarily detailed embellishments, are also utilized for this purpose.

The Amadin people mostly live a difficult life with few outside comforts. Their land is hard and so are they, but they are also a people united by strong faith and traditions. They are suspicious of outsiders, who they tend to view as likely to try and steal from them. Outwardly they are restrained and stoic, but they let loose their emotions wildly during regular holidays. The majority of the Amadin live as farmers of small plots in sheltered areas or as herders – primarily of goats and their relatives – in the upland chaparral. There are also groves of olives, cork trees, and valuable culinary spices, but these are generally controlled by the nobility.

Resource

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The Yssa Mountains produce Yssian Donkeys [Great]. The product of many centuries of selective breeding, these are widely considered to be the best working asses in Celessa and are highly valued as domestic animals far and wide. Seemingly tireless, tough as nails, and able to survive with a very limited ration of water, they exemplify the virtues of donkey. They are particularly valuable as breedstock, for they produce superior mules when bred with horses.

The mountains experience a significant shortage of Timber as they have limited woodlands of their own and need to conserve them strictly to maintain water retention. Demand is therefore quite high and poaching of timber lands remains a considerable problem. Major industries, particularly smithing, a highly dependent upon timber imports.

Trading Posts: Each of the three watersheds contains a trading post. All are located in the east on rivers at points were they have become navigable. Danu, is located in the north and trades primarily in cork and herbs. Arraf, located in the center, trades primarily in linen, livestock, and hunting birds. Dilb, located in the south, trades primarily in cheese, horn, and olives.

Faith

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As Yssa is a harsh land, faith is very important to the lives of its people, and has long been so. The name for their people, Amadin, means ‘followers of Amad’ in ancient dialect. Amad was a pagan deity in an early age who fought against the darkness and was a national hero – he is believed to have ascended from the peak of Mount Ainlar and the Amadin are descended from his host. The Amadin were converted over a thousand years ago in a long and strenuous campaign, and Amad was exalted as a demigod of the Shishiyan Church. This conversion was accepted wholly and while the Amadin still give Amad a little too much veneration than the Grand Mahangar is comfortable with, the central church looks the other way because they are so willing to seek out and purge the enemies of the church.

Amadin worship tends towards the austere and nearly fanatical. It keeps its rituals simple – since the people cannot afford ostentation – but goes in big for quantity. There are small temples in every village and attendance at prayer is a social obligation that is not to be missed. Willingness to fight on behalf of the Exalted (and his servant Amad) is highly valued.

The principle religious center is the Temple-Fortress of Sarrut, where the Saru-Kisi order of holy warriors is headquartered and trained. This is located in the northwest, a particular isolated and harsh place designed to train fanatically capable zealots. The Saur-Kisi ride the giant Yssian Ibex into battle when called to holy war, yielding a terrifying cavalry capable of ascending mountains and vaulting barricades.

The other religious centers are the more scholarly Arpa Monastery and the royal Silver Temple. All three centers are dedicated to the Shishiyan Church.

Nasaeron
Region 31

History & Government

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The land known as Nasaeron has been settled for long ages by many peoples, residing in the countless small harbors of its coastlines and the river valleys fed by the cold streams of the Yssa Mountains above them in the west. It has been crisscrossed by kingdoms and empires, but has never itself been a land of might. The considerable diversity of the peoples has led to internal conflicts and local lords jealous of their territories. Internal divisions between southern identifying peoples from Alade and those from the northern center of the continent have often been considerably divisive.

A major civil war was fought a generation past, centered on religious conflicts due to the turn of the millennium. This bloody struggle lasted the better part of a decade and doomed the proto-state of Nasa, which had been centered around the deep water harbors of the southern coastline. In the absence of a central government control was maintained by the various hereditary landholding families and harbomasters, who ruled the landscape under a feudal system. The economy languished as trade was lost to the more prosperous and welcoming Kunist kingdoms to the east.

Despite this general malaise, the various populations of Nasaeron long considered themselves a highly civilized and cultured people due to the varied ethnic influences, religious diversity, and the cosmopolitan nature of the small coastal cities. They considered themselves superior to the mountain peoples of [Region 33] to their south and to the Yssa Mountains to their west. Aggressive raids from those mountain regions had been defeated at several times in the past, including an attempted invasion by King Tarvan Mazam. That invasion ended primarily due to the outbreak of Laskist uprisings, not the military efficacy of Nasa, but the people of Nasaeron remembered events differently.

This erroneous legacy proved disadvantageous in the extreme when localized skirmishing between competing feudal factions provided an excuse for the Yssa Mountains to again invade the region in 1025. While the defensive forces raised by the local lords were swiftly swept from the field by the disciplined and numerically superior Yssian forces, the divided nature of Nasaeron led a minority of stubborn feudal magnates to continue resistance for the better part of a decade, until a complete and systematic reorganization of the state was imposed by the conquerors.

The government of Nasaeron is now an extension of the government of Yssa, with major territories controlled by Desans appointed by the crown and low-ranking Turtans holding small areas and mustering troops for the crown. The initial setup of the new nobility was composed almost entirely of promoted Yssian military officers. However, reforms conducted by Prince Artaln have incorporated a great number of homegrown nobles into the administration in an effort to foster loyalty and integrate the territory completely.

Terrain

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Nasaeron is a coastal region of complex terrain. The narrow coastal plain is intercut by ancient eroded hills and long, serpentine valleys harboring swift rivers descending from the highlands above. Landforms, soils, and other features vary considerably in close proximity, resulting in a patchy distribution of flora, fauna, and human settlement. The shoreline is generally regular, with only a small number of deep harbors in the south and a handful of navigable estuaries in the north.

The coastal plain of Nasaeron is extremely fertile, with high productivity in fruits and vegetables. The fine sands of the beaches, in combination with a number of varied minerals found throughout the near-shore hills are ideal for the production of glass, an extremely important industry in Nasaeron. This industry was once linked to the production of olives and wines, but that trade has declined over recent decades.

The inland region of Nasaeron is somewhat more arid, but the valleys are fed by runoff from Yssa and Region 33 and are suitable for intensive cropping so long as water is properly managed. Orchards are very common, for a variety of fruit and nut trees. Upland areas are mostly forested, usually by cedar or a related species, though these are periodically cut and then used for some time as grazing pasture for sheep or goats.

Human population in Nasaeron is heaviest upon the coastal plain, and the majority of large settlements are coastal, but the long feudal interregnum has seen urban populations reduced and people spread more widely in simple farming villages.

People

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Nasaeron has no one major ethnic group, having been settled in continuous waves for centuries. The hot southern sun favors bronzed-skin tones and dark hair predominates, but the average resident may have the features common to any of the regions of Alade or a number of nations to the north. Generally people resemble their close neighbors, as the individual villages and towns have undergone considerable sorting in the past few centuries, but the population varies greatly from one town to the next.

Dress is held somewhat more in common, as the fearsome nature of the southern sun must be accommodated. Loose-fitting light-colored clothing predominates, usually of tan or brown shades and often made from flaxen or hempen fiber. Head-wraps are common in summer and winter. As it rarely gets particularly cold, however, heavy clothing is seldom necessary. Bright dyes may be used to augment this drab coloration, with blue, green, and purple being extremely popular colors. Even more often, glass beads, produced in a riotous variety of colors and shades, are used to adorn almost any article of clothing imaginable.

Traditionally the residents of Nasaeron were an urban people with a cosmopolitan viewpoint and an openness to new ideas. However, they are also possessed of a decidedly stubborn streak and hold fast to personal independence and local leadership, as witnessed by their long resistance to Yssian domination. In the current feudal climate most of the population is engaged in farming, with their trade ports generally in decline.

Resource

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The sandy beaches and hills of Nasaeron produce Glass [] at countless workshops in every coastal town and city. The glassworks in the former capital of Nasala is famed throughout the continent and draws master glassworkers from many nations. Glass is used abundant for decoration, storage, paneling, and other purposes throughout Nasaeron, and much is also exported abroad as a central commodity in local trade.

Trading Posts: Nasala, located in the south, produces glass.

Faith

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Nasaeron is not a land of particularly strong faith, in large part because it has lacked the stability to establish centers capable of training clerics and preaching effectively to the masses. Various schismatic doctrines are widespread, including Kunism – representing the influence of migrants from Alade, and Sarvochism – representing the influence of migrants from the north. Kunism holds a to their temple of Aerosa, known for its fluted glass spires and glass organ, near Nasa. The Sarvochist Church has a holy site to the north atop Mount Jallara. There was once a third holy center, in the inland area at the great waterfall of Caesoram, but it was subordinated by Laskists and subsequently leveled by Tarvan Mazam.

It is presently unclear what plans, if any, the new Yssian administration intends for the faithful of Nasaeron.

Racloe
Region 30

History and Government

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Racloe was the first kingdom to emerge in the west coast from the five centuries of darkness, and through more than four centuries of struggle was the most powerful of all polities to reign in the region stretching from between Alade in the south and the central northern lands of Celessa. It dominated its southern neighbor Nasaeron and others at times, backed by a fertile coastline and numerous soldiers driven to serve its powerful dynasty.

Then it fell.

The precise circumstances leading to the destruction of Racloe That Was (as it has since become known) are mysterious. Outbreaks of Gadism and Niskism rocked the court, seemingly from nowhere, with various members of the dynasty following into the throes of these doctrines and facing aggressive purges. A powerful inquisition grew up within the state, seemingly from nothing, and began to put the irons to anyone and everyone suspected of holding improper beliefs. In the end they too were purged by the King, but the court proved barren of heirs, and the land descended into civil war thereafter, with four or more claimants in the field. The weakness of Racloe’s neighbors prevented outsiders from taking advantage of this status, as did the tendency of the barons to unite against outside aggression. Yet in the end, unity was never regained.

Though Racloe’s coastal plains remained as fertile and productive as ever the barons settled into new castles and the ancient fortresses with their eerie bronze statues were left abandoned, considered accursed. Many monuments and constructions of Racloe That Was remain in place, especially fluted spires of bronze raised high atop the summits of hills and mountains. Now green with age, they remain as silent sentinels to a lost kingdom. Their purpose is unknown, lost to history along with so much of Racloe.

In the absence of a crown, control of the land devolved to the barons, the hereditary households descended from those who were once the king’s provincial governors. These seven positions divided the land between them with surprising equanimity, and there have been no major outbreaks of war ever since. In fact the barons have repeatedly marshalled their forces behind a chosen commander to face outside aggressors, most recently against troops from Yssa. This surprising state of affairs stems from two factors. First, Racloe is a rich land blessed with valuable resources. Second, the destructive impact of the kingdom’s downfall left it massive underpopulated, and expansion pressures have yet to arise despite over a century without the monarchy.

Racloe’s slumber was disturbed recently by the rising power of the mountain kingdom of Yssa. In a bid to diplomatically gain control of the kingdom the second child of King Arzu, Princess Fena Mazam, was wed to Baron Pelser, the consensus leader of the barons. However the agreement was interpreted rather differently by the two sides. The barons believed they were buying peace, the king that he was buying territory. When negotiations broke down, Yssa resorted to arms.

The resulting conflict was swift, as the better organized Yssian forces overran the disparate defensive units and obliterated them. At present, the administration is being reorganized. Yssa apparently intends to retain the system of baronies, but whether any of the previous barons or their families will retain their positions remains to be seen.

Terrain

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Racloe is a rich coastal plain in the northern niche of the Western Coast. It has a balmy climate with warm summers and mild winters. Rain is plentiful and the steady flow of the Caseot River and its tributaries regulates patterns throughout the state to an easy, plentiful abundance of water. The inland territory is possessed of rising mountains, where there are valuable mines.

The fertile alluvial soils of the coastal plain allow for abundant cropping, with most farms taking in multiple crops each year, alternating cereals – predominantly wheat – with pulses – predominantly chick peas – and maintaining large vegetable gardens. An extraordinary percentage of the lowland territory is under cultivation, while upland area and wetlands are largely forested and used for timber and hunting by the nobles. There is little pasturage, with such livestock as is kept utilizing fallow fields.

The forests of Racloe are known for periodic outbreaks of wood-devouring caterpillar swarms and the large-bodied spiders they prey upon them, which regularly grow as large as a spread hand. These spiders occasionally act in concert to take down large game such as the sizeable boars that live in the undergrowth. Sleeping alone in the forests is not advised. The preferred building materials are brick, stone, and metal as a result.

The Caseot River dominates much of Racloe. It is fed from high in the mountains to the west and runs to the sea. Having spread into deep soil with periodic but measured flooding, it winds a path in sinuous patterns across the plain. The river is notable for hosting many fish and in some places giant river otters, though these animals are rare due to hunting for their pelts.

In the western edge of the nation, the mountains rise high and swift, with vast escarpments of stone exposed and devoid of cover. High in the peaks were the deposits of copper and tin used to forge the great bronzes of Racloe That Was. Lower are found great quarries of stone suitable for construction, including marble that may be very fine in places. At the bottom of these peaks, especially near waterfalls, are the alluvial gravels deposited by the source waters of the Caseot. Here are found very fine rubies in great abundance, and other lesser gems such as garnet and peridot as well. A number of mining towns exist in the area, with product shipped downstream to the sea.

People

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The people of Racloe are known simply as the Racloe, as they have long been associated with their once-kingdom. They are a relatively pale people compared to their southern neighbors, but retain a degree of bronze or tanned tones. Hair is usually dark brown or black in color, with brown or hazel eyes. Women wear their hair long and may braid it elaborately. Men wear their hair much shorter, keeping it above the ears. Beards are rare but not unknown, and mustaches are common.

Dress involves full-length robes or dresses, though upper class men may adopt skirts and pantaloons topped by coats. A variety of natural fabrics are used, including cotton, hemp, and flax, as well as naturally harvested silk, but furs and wools are rare (giant otter fur is primarily exported, especially to the Feral Vale, where it is highly valued). Red and maroon are favored colors. Elaborate patterns are also common, as is brass or bronze jewelry – always polished to shine – or gold when available. Gemstone studs are used regularly, especially in head pieces. Raised cylindrical or conical hats are ubiquitous.

Most people live in tightly knit villages devoted to farming or mining, or in the market towns that serve as local hubs. There are only a few cities on the coast and at major intersections of the Caseot River. These settlements are high density, in order to maximum advantage of the fertile soils. Most people live in extended family groups with portions of the household built off the rest in large multi-piece aggregations of many rooms. Castles and other defensive structures tend to be built on heights, as are the lost monuments of Racloe That Was.

The community ethic is strong in the Racloe. Communities are tightly knit and most people do not move about much, a point reinforced by stories of travelers being eaten by spiders. People pay their taxes without much grumbling but have little great loyalty to their lords. Pleasure is focused on the life at home and local festivals. Surrounded by the legacy of a lost kingdom, they are not eager to spill blood in a return to grand ambitions.

Resource

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The alluvial marble gravel of Racloe’s western slopes produces the finest [Rubies] in the world, and a number of other gemstones of considerable value. These are collected together in Olanm, a small city on the coast near the northern border where they are cleaned and cut in preparation for use by jewelers. Gemstones are in common use throughout the region as decorative items.

In a previous era Racloe was known for producing Bronze and also for utilizing the soil of its plains to output a considerable surplus of Grain, but these industries have fallen into disrepair.

Faith

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Racloe was destroyed by heresy and the reaction against it. This had a chilling effect on religious fervor after the country stabilized, and that impact has only become more entrenched with time. The population as a whole is nominally Shishiyan, but services tend to be informal and deeply local in scope. The church hierarchy has not penetrated the region to any great extent, in part because the Barons do not desire the foul deeds of their ancestors investigated in any detail.

The Shishiyan Church has retained an active presence at The Headwaters – the source of the Caseot River – where there is an ancient stone chapel sanctified in the name of Iti-Keriya who it is claimed began the river’s flow when he smote the stones there. While the provenance of this event is a matter of some theological debate, the ancient dry stone structure is unquestionably among the oldest structures dedicated to the Exalted anywhere in Celessa.

The Sarvochist faithful, inspired by nearby Sarvochia, established an agricultural school in the city of Casella at the greatest confluence of the Caseot River in an attempt to disseminate their teachings and win converts. Baron Pelser was sympathetic to the school and undertook to sponsor it and engage in efforts to improve agricultural practices.

Faith: Shishiyan, Sarvochism, Open

[darkmammoth]

The Tribes of Taurin

Ruler - Aldebaran Taru Tibadus
Region Number - 63
Military - 4
Faith - 4
Economy - 4
Intrigue - 2
Diplomacy- 3

Spoiler: History

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Taurin's Past -

For the people of Taurin, their history is one of a scattered and broken people that through unity, have bounced back from the brink of extinction and into a civilization that is to be reckon with.

According to the traditions of the Taurin people, there kind was first created by the divine entity called Taurin (for whom they have taken their name from). The first generation, called the Aurochs, were said to live in harmony among a very primeval land. For generations the Aurochs followed the sacred principals of Taurin but one day they became corrupt and abused the land, no longer respecting the sacred principals. For that Taurin cursed the Aurochs into blood thirsty beast many would come to call Minotaurs, forever hated and hunted by other races. However, not all were as such but still were punished by Taurin for not stopping their kinsmen from becoming corrupted. The punishment was to be a separation of the people into the 7 tribes and exiled from the lands of their birth, forever a nomadic people to deal with the hardships that came of this lifestyle.

As the generations went, the 7 tribes existed in all parts of the continent evolving their own cultures based on the lands they roamed. But some 2000 years ago all of the 7 tribes began to face persecution to the point of the Taurin people going extinct. In their lore, it was in this time of darkness 7 women each representing the different tribes would find one another under Taurin's guidance and be given the task to find one that would unit the people and lead them to a promised land. The 7 women, called the Pleiades, found the chose individual who was a simple farm boy named Aldebaran. Through great trials and tribulations, Aldebaran fought many odds but united the tribes and lead them on a great journey to the lands the Taurin people now call home.

Taurin's Present -

In the modern times Taurin has thrived as a nation and experience a prosperity not recalled since the days of the Aurochs. However, the nation has always held an "arms-length" policy with regards to other nations, especially with their neighbors to the south. The underlying reason is a deep seeded fear at the possibility of facing extinction once again. The Taurin's know that they are seen as monsters by most even in modern times, but still do realize that friendly relations must always be kept at all times. Still the Taurin people have mandated that all Taurin of age, both male and female, must serve at least 6 years in their national defense force. Some neighboring countries may view this as a provocation, but those that know the history of the Taurin can at least understand the reason why. Trust of this nation is not easily won, but of those nations that do will find a loyalty that will withstand the test of time.

However, the present Aldebaran wants to expand the knowledge of the people and has set upon an initiative to modernize the education system.

Spoiler: Government

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Taurin has possibly one of the most oddest forms of government that is essentially a dichotomy unto itself. At the head of of the government is a ruler that is called the Aldebaran in honor of the first ruler that united the people. The Aldebaran holds a position of office that is basically as a king though there is no right by birth. The one who comes to hold this office must demonstrate the "Qualities of Aldebaran" which is a series of physical, mental, social, and spiritual contests (a total of 200 test) that hold to the original qualities of Aldebaran.

Below this offices forms what others would call a court consisting of the appointed representatives of each tribe who are elected in a democratic fashion based on merit and skills. Though the appointed representative act more like a counsel of elders despite the ages vary dramatically.

Below this rank is the tribe's leader that acts as a governor of the district the tribe inhabits. Despite this well methodical form of government, there exist a group of religious figures called the Pleiades who are those that receive divine messages from Taurin and communicate that to all the leaders. The interesting thing is the Pleiades rarely speak regarding affairs of state, but when they do all in a position of political power listen. It is that big of a deal.

Offices of government are obtainable to both men and women, even the position of Aldebaran. However those chosen as the Pleiades are restricted to women only.

Spoiler: People

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The Taurin in appearance is best described as humans with a selection of key bovine traits. Unlike the truly cursed Aurochs who were turned into upright walking bull people, Taurins do share a many similarities to humans. If not for the bovine traites, they could almost blend in with them.

The typical Taurin stands between 5'6 to 6'2 in both men and women. Their skin consist of a rich almond like color with hair that typically appears as Redish-Brown, Black, and in rare cases Blond. Eyes of the Taurin people are normally brown with hazel being a close second. Rarely is one born with amber or green eyes. As to physical appearance Taurins come in all shapes and sizes as far as being skinny or fat, although one very binding trait is that all Taurin's have broad shoulders and a very pronounced neck. In addition, all Taurins are born with a cow-like tail, cow-like ears, and cow like horns that spring to full size once puberty hits. Though each of the cow-like features differ based on the tribe they come from.

From time to time, some individuals are born with more bovine features as like a Minotaur. Such individuals however are seen as cursed and will have a hard life. In reality this is a genetic defect akin to some humans born with extra fingers or webbed feet.

Spoiler: Religion

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By the views of the Shishiyan Church, the religion of Taurin is pagan. To the Taurin people, it is a reverence to nature.

At the center of their religious beliefs is a reverence for the entity called Taurin. Taurin is not worshiped as a traditional deity but is considered the personification of the world and the heavens itself, a force of nature. There are no shrines, churches or anything that most religions would consider as needed for worship. To the Taurin people, the land they live on is a shrine, a living shrine that must always be constantly revered. But center to the reverence of Taurin is a following of the sacred principals, a strict code of ethics given by Taurin.

When manners of a divine nature are called upon, a group of seven women called the Pleiades appear who act as the voice of Taurin. Not very often do they interfere or appear in the lives of the people or the government but when they do have something to say, everyone listens because it is that important. The Pleiades maintain 3 small centers built evenly throughout the nation which they routinely migrate to at certain times of the year.

In addition to this is a set of rules called the Songs of Aldebaran. Simply it is a unification of the various different laws of each tribe taken by Aldebarn that made the most sense and bound into one unifying law along with his own original ideas. The Songs deal in a variety of topics regarding how affairs of state are to be conducted to proper protocols for a host and their guest. While though not a religion, the Songs are a core philosophical principal that impacts everyone's lives in one way or another.

Spoiler: Resource

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Export: Taurin Manure
The substance call Taurin Manure is a misrepresentation of what the item is. Taurins have found that use of a local nut called the Ditti, if allowed to rot and ferment, makes a very excellent growing aid for crops. But the rott and fermintation must be done under specific conditions for a great length of time. This product takes the name Taurin Manure in that the odor given by the rotting Ditti is akin to animal dung.

Import:
As part of the education initiative, several books of knowledge are sought after on a wide range of disciplines.

Spoiler: Terrain

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The terrain composes mostly of thick forest surrounding most of the boarders and the coastline that proceeds inward until the twin mountain ranges are hit. Within the mountain ranges the climate is warmer thanks to a natural underground geysers which allow plants used to warmer temperatures to grow. The mountains extend very high above the cloud lines where small pockets of flat land exist that receive constant rain and snow fall. On the northern coast is a small island that is covered with a layer of volcanic rock but does allow life to be sustained. Deep beneath the mountains is a large network of natural caverns that have been utilized for extra living spaces.

[Lord_Burch]

The Kingdom of Gleiss

King Markus Huvendagar
Diplomacy: 10
Military: 10
Economy: 5
Intrigue: 4
Faith: 1
Rolls.




Gleiss
Region 52

History

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For much of recorded history, what is now the Kingdom of Gleiss was a chaotic mix of coastal cities vying for trade and influence, and the Hourn clans who fought both among themselves, and more frequently with the coastal cities and their inland encroachments. The rest of the time, a king may have briefly emerged along the coast– only to be brought down by infighting among his vassals and frequent clan raids. For nearly a thousand years, no central authority had existed within the region– even the church had abandoned trying to exert any meaningful control over Gleiss.

Seventy years ago, however, Felix Huvendagar began to emerge as what many assumed would be another failed king. He subjugated many of the coastal cities, and– hoping to retain the momentum of his conquest– turned his eye towards the Hourn clans. While he made early progress, the clans saw the outside threat and united against him. Several bloody yet indecisive battles culminated in the Battle of the Red Ford, which saw over six thousand dead, the majority of them clansmen– although the fighting did see the death of King Felix. Felix’s heir, the young Isolde, saw little point in continuing the uncertainty of conquest– his troops demoralized and at risk of deserting, he instead sought another route.

Isolde drafted an agreement that he called the Royal Promise– a treaty that, in return for their loyalty, granted the Hourn clans certain rights and privileges under the crown. After a week of negotiations, the clan heads who survived the Red Ford argued for and acquired many more rights than were originally planned. Among these were cultural and religious freedom, free from royal interference, and established that there would always be a council of clan heads to advise the king and exercise his will upon the clans– within reason, of course.

Isolde anticipated that, with the news of his father’s death, many of the city lords would once again assert their independence. Consequently, he led his combined army of Hourn clansmen and Komand citizens to the largest city in Gleiss, Törich. Upon reaching the city, the city lord quite foolishly repudiated the authority of the king, declaring his newfound independence. Unfortunately for him, the majority of his city guards did not agree with this decision– they promptly opened the gates for the king. He made an example of the unfortunate nobleman– ensuring that no one else would get similar ideas.

Now, after 60 years of a strong king and peaceful rule, Isolde the Benevolent is dead. His grandson, Markus Huvendagar, has taken the throne at the age of 32. For the first time, a united Gleiss turns its eye outward. The question becomes: who will Markus seek to emulate? Old King Felix, the conquering warlord? Or King Isolde, the silver tongued diplomat? Perhaps he will forge his own path; only time will tell.

Terrain

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The coast of Gleiss is known as the Blükast; so named due to the abundance and vibrancy of the flowers that bloom all along the seaside. Most of its length is made up of steep cliffs and treacherous rocks, although western sections are generally more tame and have the greatest concentrations of navigable bays and coastline. This western portion is host to most of the great trading cities, although one city– Elnöde– managed to survive and achieve prominence in the east. This coastal region has a population of about 800,000; about 15% of this population dwells directly in the cities; the rest live on either noble plantations and estates or small townships along the coast or slightly farther inland, though not far enough to be considered a part of

The inner regions of Gleiss can be divided into the Low Hills and High Mountain areas. The Low Hills are, of course, a hilly region sprinkled with many small lakes and streams, around which the majority of settlements have formed. This area is settled by both Komand and Hourn– meaning that there is significant amounts of cultural blending between the two. The Low Hills has a population of around 350,000, which is more Hourn than Komand, although they do form a significant minority– about 100,000 Komand settlers have moved here. The High Mountains, on the other hand, are entirely settled by the Hourn clans, numbering about 150,000 total. While not quite xenophobic, these mountain clans are hostile towards outsiders– especially coastal ones. These clans have settled upon the lower slopes of the mountains, while the peaks are often treated as places of worship.

Gleiss is nearly perfectly divided by the river Teil, a small river with few tributaries originating at Lake Einerste. Due to the delta, which is unnavigable, the river is of little strategic importance; a few small towns have grown up along it, but little else has developed. The only notable feature of it is that it’s banks are the only place where the Tears of Kummer will grow in any significant density inland, although they are generally less vibrant– and therefore less valuable– than those that grow along the coast.

Elnöde is a marvel– a glimmering city sitting upon a high cliff, far above the sea below. It is built around and above a massive bay that begins as a large crack in the cliffside, but quickly widens into the bay proper. A large sandy beach takes up roughly a third of the inner bay, and is where most of the mercantile district is built upon; as the city grew, however, businesses and warehouses began to be built into the stone cliffside, with docks emerging directly from the stone. The bay is connected to the city proper by a combination of stone roads carved directly into the cliffside and wooden walkways constructed alongside it. In recent times, some enterprising noble has installed large, moving platforms powered by oxen in order to move large quantities of materials up and down the cliff.

Edelstein, the capital of Gleiss, sits towards the center of the coast– close to where the river Teil hits the coast. The city has been the seat of the Huvendagar family for close to 400 years, and has shared in the family’s success: the population swelled from 40,000 to 90,000, with most of the growth coming under the reign of Isolde the Benevolent. One of the major factors for the growth was Isolde’s implementation of the “Wechseln Anwesenheit” system. This idea was created by Isolde in order to force the loyalty of the city lords. The system forces the lords to maintain large mansions within the city proper, to reside in them every other year, and to ensure that close relatives “maintain” these estates year round– all justified in the name of ensuring that the King can call upon nobles to advise him at any time. It is, of course, a thinly veiled hostage situation, but one in which has preserved peace on the coast for Isolde’s reign.

People

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The Kingdom of Gleiss is a land of two peoples: the coast and parts of the inland hills are settled by the Komand, who tend to be tall and willowy, with a tan complexion. Straight, dark hair is the norm, although due to interbreeding with the Hourn clans, most inland Komand have streaks of blonde hair to one degree or another. Regardless of their location or station, the Komand wear many bright colors– the dyes are easily acquired due to their abundance around the coastal cities.

One of the great pursuits of the Komand is art; it is seen as the pinnacle of human experience. While painting is the most prominent and valued in Gleiss, other expressions of art are valued and respected– particularly when one is good at it. Wealthy merchants and nobles often encourage their children to became great painters or musicians, spending lavish sums on tutors and materials for their children. Great artists are patronized by the wealthiest families; often, one’s status can be measured in how many artists you patronize, and how good they are. Indeed, one of the major avenues for social advancement is through art; many a minor noble family has spawned from an urchin with a gift for song, or a matron with a hand for sculpture.

The Hourn clans are the second group native to Gleiss. They tend to be much shorter than the Komand on average– 5’4” to the Komand’s 6’0”– and in general have a broader build. Most have blond hair and green eyes, although blue or black eyes are also common. The Hourn are organized around feudal clans– each one numbering 1000 to 2000 individuals centered around a hall or keep owned by the ruling family. These clans are scattered about the slopes of the Daingneach mountains, as well as many of the lower hills. There are no true Hourn cities– the closest to one is the city of Orden, which was settled by coastal Komand to act as a trading post between the clans and the coast.

Religion

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Both the Komand and the majority of the Hourn clans follow the Kunist branch of the faith; although there is significant debate and division over who might be considered true prophets of the church. While Gesalb, the patron of arts, is nearly universally accepted, some Komand scholars say that he is the only true prophet since the times before Ananda; others say that there have been as many as a dozen just within Gleiss itself, and still others fall somewhere in between. Among the Hourn clans, they only recognize a man they call Stonewalker; there is frustratingly little information available on this man, as the tales of him vary between each Hourn clan– when they will even consent to telling stories of the man.

The remainder of the Hourn clans– mostly those living on the fringes of Gleiss, within the mountains– are a peculiar combination of paganism and Kunism. They continue to worship stone and maintain an independent priesthood known as the Stonewardens, yet still recognize the central authority of the church, without subjecting themselves to it. Some whisper that these mountain heretics refuge more radical segments of the church, or even that they themselves are Gadists in secret; these rumors, however, are swiftly smothered or denied by the Hourn Council.

At the end of the river Teil, where it meets the Blükast, a delta formed, creating many small islands separated by small rivers and streams. This delta made the end of the river unnavigable, rendering it of little economic or strategic importance, though the site was long renowned for the particular vibrance and beauty of its flowers. However, 1500 years ago, a local prophet by the name of Gesalb visited the islands in the last years of his life, and proclaimed them to be an Exalted paradise upon the earth; a place of beauty and wonder. While the prophet died soon after, his legacy lived on; a monastery, known as Steigen, was built on a few of the larger islands. Its monks originally dedicated themselves to preserving the natural beauty of Gesalb’s Gardens, although as the monastery expanded and grew in importance it also became a haven for artists of all sorts. Now, the monks retain their headquarters in Steigen, but their influence can be seen across the region in the form of the works of art valued by the Komand.

The great city of Nachtun sits on the far western edge of Gleiss; the last great city one will find before they leave Gleiss behind entirely. While it is famed for the beautiful violets found near its shores, the true marvel of the city is Die Zuflucht. Literally translating to “the refuge”, it is a cathedral began 400 years ago by the ruler of the city to serves the ultimate expression of art and religion combined, while at the same time serving a practical purpose by helping the poor and downtrodden of the city. While even today it has yet to live up to its creators dream, the central hall– the most beautiful part– has been completed. The stained glass windows of the building immortalize some of the more famous prophets and chosen, as well as the eternal struggle between the Exalted and the enemy.

Clach Iadh is the main religious site for Hourn clans. Sitting atop Àrd Rìgh, the tallest mountain within the Daingneach chain, it has been a center of worship for the Hourn clans for millennia. There is little information available about it– only clan chiefs, their heirs, or Hourn priests are allowed atop the mountain, and this guard is maintained by a special clan of Hourn made up of loyal warriors from across the Hourn people. The only whispers I have been able to obtain say that is where Stonewalker sacrificed himself, and where they continue to venerate him. ~Albrecht Veneer, Scribe

Religious Centers
Steigen Monastery: Kunism (Komand)
Die Zuflucht: Kunism (Komand)
Clach Iadh: Kunism (Hourn)

Resources

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Legend has it that, near the beginning of the world, there was a Chosen man who walked the earth, railing against the power of the Enemy. His name is forgotten, but he is widely known as Kummer– “Sorrow”. His journeys eventually took him to what would become Gleiss, where he beheld what the Enemy had done to this land– it had driven all life from the coast, leaving it barren and grey. For this injustice, Kummer fell to the ground and wept– wept for the beauty that must have been lost, wept for damage that could never be undone. As his tears fell upon the ground, however, he beheld something wondrous– a small sprout off color, a vibrant red in ashen grey dirt. With this, Kummer stood, his tears dried up, for he knew that this was a sign that the Enemy had yet to win– that there was still hope for this barren land.

Thus comes the tale of the Tears of Kummer, the flowers that grow upon the cliffs and bays of Gleiss. Their origin attests to the hardiness of the flowers– they are able to cling to life even on the barren and wind blasted cliffs of Gleiss. With these flowers, the people of Gleiss are able to manufacture a great variety of dyes, in nearly every color and shade. While the flowers grow in the greatest concentrations on the more tame and hospitable western shorelines, the greatest colors come from the eastern cliffs. The cliffhangers of the east spend great amounts of time combing the cliffs for the most vibrant and beautiful colors– at no small risk to their own lives, as the cliffs are often beset by storms, rough waters, and powerful winds. Still, the rewards can be great– the most talented of painters often only use cliff dyes, and the richest of nobles wear exclusively cliff-dyed clothing.

Trade Nodes
Elnöde (Minor)
Törich (Good)
Edelstein (Great)

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
52	Tears	GLE	O	O

Stone is often hard to come by in Gleiss; the Hourn clans, while still members of the Shishiyan church, retain elements of their former pagan ways. Among these are a peculiar reverence for stone; they view it as sacred, and to walk on it– or quarry it– as blasphemous. Due to the Royal Promise, it is often impossible for merchants in the coastal cities to procure stone from the mountains the Hourn clans call home. As such, they must look abroad to procure it in great numbers.

Ciriya
Region 51

Government

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The entirety of the region known as Ciriya was once governed from the eponymous city of Ciriya, towards the center of the region. The Laskist Wars, however, were not kind to the government. The Kin of Ciriya– a pseudo-king elected from among the nobility of the city– died early on in the fighting, and the nobility, who were divided almost evenly between Laskism and mainline Shishiyanism, were unable to elect a new Kin. The city of Ciriya descended into infighting, from which it has only emerged in the last 20 years. The Laskist nobles were driven into the south, where they maintain a strong presence to this day. The ones who remained in Ciriya elected a new Kin, but he was a weak king; the nobles of Ciriya, instead of reasserting control over the region, fought each other over control of various districts within the city in a period now as the Division. King Markus Huvendagar marched into the city nearly unopposed, executed the Kin, and ordered the remaining nobility to gather and declare a new Kin– and heavily encouraged them to make the right choice.

People

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By and large, the people of Ciriya have dark brown skin, are dark-eyed, and possess straight black hair occasionally streaked with a pearly, almost luminescent white color. The amount, prevalence, and positioning of this streak is seen as an indication of one’s noble rank, though by this point, the trait is rare and only seen among a few select families; the stories concerning this trait wildly vary and often contradict one another, but it is generally told and accepted that some blessed ancestor from long ago has passed the hair color to the rulers of the land. The people are of a moderate height; at an average of 5’8”, they sit squarely between the Komand and the Hourn in height.

Ciriyans are often a fractious and condescending lot. No matter where they're from, how far from Ciriya they live, or what religion they belong to, all Ciriyans regard the city itself as the pinnacle of civilization. To them, it will always be “the City”; even abroad, they are near religious in their praise of the City.

While the native Ciriyans form the vast majority of the population of the central and southern provinces, the north and west are more mixed. The west has a smattering of Hourn clans settled along the mountainsides; the north has cities made up of both Komand and Ciriyan, though the Komand form no more than 10 per cent of the population.

Recently, goblins from Jauder have been settling within Ciriya; the current population is extremely small, but growing steadily. They have all settled into a district in the slums of the eastern end of the city, which has derisively become known as “Gobbotown” by the nobility– thought the common people have been significantly more welcoming. This district has come to be led by a goblin man by the name of Kadhir Gene, the self-proclaimed Baron. By and large, this population has adopted a curious blend of Ciriyan practices mixed with their own traditions from home. Changelings are often adopted from the orphanages that dot the slums of the outer city, or from urchins brought in from off the street. Native goblin names have been discarded in favor of Ciriyan ones, or, more rarely, Komand names.

Terrain

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The two great peaks of Kiret Tarar and Kavē Tari (Great Brother and Favored Sister, respectively) dominate the central landscape of Ciriya. They are geological oddities: they sit alone, with no other mountain ranges or even singular peaks until one reaches Hourn mountains to the west. Between these two runs the broad river Tāy; on its banks is the great city of Ciriya. Ciriya is the only city of any size sitting on either the coast or upon the Tāy; the nobility of the city have long set building taxes on cities along the coast or river, to keep them from growing too large. After the collapse of central government, however, Ciriya’s control has grown lax; in the south, the city of Turoki has grown up, and in the north, another settlement, Itil, has gained influence. Only time will tell if these cities will grow the industry and economic power to challenge Ciriya.

Ciriya itself is a massive city of over 250,000 people; the vast majority of these are native Ciriyans, though in times past the city has been host to merchants from the world over. The city is neatly halved by the river Tāy, though the island of Aranmanai, almost a half of a mile long, sits near the center of the city. Numerous bridges connect it to the rest of the city; it is the only point where the river is narrow enough to cross the river with bridges. Upon the northern end of the island sits a walled complex, the Kin’s Palace. The rest of the city is divided into a wide variety of districts, ranging from the dockworker’s district, containing about 8% of the city population, to the foreign merchant’s, an area on the southern end of the city, which is currently severely underpopulated.

The rest of the region is made up of gentle coastal plains that eventually transition into hills before finally reaching the western mountains, known as Ninta Val. Ninta Val is the primary source of the region’s extensive lumberyards that produce the wood used to build their famous ships. In the past, the native Hourn clans formed the backbone of the labor used in these camps; more often than not, they were poorly treated and exploited by Ciriyan taskmasters. With the collapse of Ciriya in the Laskist Wars, the lumberyards shut down and the clans were able to assert some amount of independence; recent attempts at reopening the lumberyards have either used Ciriyan workers or substantially better treated Hourn.

Resources

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The Ciriya have long been famed far and wide for their shipbuilding enterprises; and Ciriya, as the only city of consequence with access to the sea for centuries, is the heart of this enterprise. At the eastern edge of the city– past the bridges and ferries which connect the two halves of Ciriya– numerous docks and wharves extend far into the river, and the banks are covered in shipyards. In recent times, the docks of Ciriya have fallen into ruin and disrepair; on the best of days, only a third of what was produced in antiquity can be built, and often production falls short of even this benchmark.

In order to support a robust shipbuilding industry, three things are needed: wood, labor, and cloth. These first two are in ready supply in Ciriya– plentiful forests in the western mountains and a large population within Ciriya create an abundance, but the last is far more difficult to acquire. In the past, Ciriyan merchants have looked abroad for their supply; with the collapse of government and order, as well as the subsequent fighting, they have been unable to purchase great stores of it. Any hopes of once again creating a thriving shipbuilding enterprise in Ciriya stems first from acquiring a ready supply of cloth.

Trade Nodes
Ciriya [Minor]

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
51	Ships	JDR	X	X

Religion

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The lands of Ciriya are heavily divided religiously; the north and western sections are largely Kunist, the central provinces surrounding Ciriya are Shishiyan, and the south remains a Laskist stronghold.

The mountain of Kiret Tarar has long been a center for religious observances and practices; the first written record of such events comes from over 1,000 years before the birth of Ananda, and apocryphal story puts that figure at nearly 6,000. Now, the mountain is host to a large complex of temples, monasteries, and living spaces, all of which sit on the northern side of the mountain overlooking the city.

In contrast to Kiret Tarar, Kavē Tari is almost completely bare of human settlement. The southern side, facing the city, is a series of descending barren cliff faces; ascending these cliffs are the Sister’s Steps. Supposedly, when the man yet lived, Ananda– or perhaps some other prophet, claim other stories– himself climbed this path to the top of the mountain, where he fasted and meditated for seven days and seven nights. On the dawn of the eighth, he descended to the people of Ciriya, to whom he delivered a sermon. Unfortunately, all records of this sermon have been lost to time. Now, the Steps are a popular pilgrimage site for Ciriyans. Few have the bravery to fully ascend the mountain– most stick to the bottom, where a large chapel was constructed and actual steps been carved into the mountainside. Braver souls must face a rough path, often climbing the cliff to continue the ascent. At the top, a small, ornate altar sits, containing only an incense brazier; it is considered good luck to carry incense from the bottom and burn it there.

The Gathering Hall sits near the center of the southern Ciriyan city of Turoki, the principal stronghold of the Laskist nobles. As its name suggests, it is a gathering place, one intended for the discussion and debate of religion. Most of the scholars who visit it concern themselves with arguments over the authority of the Orthodox Shishiyan Church, the validity of the Prophet Ananda, and the superiority of Laskist ideas. Dissenting opinions often find themselves tossed outside the city– if not bleeding out in an alley.


Religious Centers
Kiret Tarar: Shishiyanism
The Gathering Hall: Laskism
The Sister’s Steps: Open

Reash
Region 53

Terrain

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The coast of Reash is made up of long, sandy beaches, largely unmolested by rough seas or rogue waves. A few bays and harbors break up the monotony; these form the foundation for the only large cities settled by the Ingeboren. These cities are one of the few places where Ingeboren from different villages coexist and interact with one another in significant numbers. Farther inland, gentle hills and valleys dominate the landscape; underneath the hills are extensive networks of caves. The largest of the caves, the Kerregrotten, has over 150 miles of mapped passages; at least another 60 miles are theorized to exist, however, as many of the deepest crevices have proven to be too dangerous to safely explore.

One of the most iconic sights of Reash is Four Stones, a massive valley near the center of Reash. Its name comes from the four standing stones, each over 50 feet tall, made of a dark grey stone; they are spaced about 250 feet apart from one another, forming a broad, flat expanse. Faint impressions can be felt along all four stones; time has faded them beyond recognizability, however. The site has long been home to Four Stones Fair, a massive gathering drawing in people from across the region and beyond. In times past, thousands would visit the fair over its two week span; merchants, peddlers, and entertainers would abound, covering the clearing and extending well beyond it. Now, however, the region has become too divided, too stricken by war and disaster to boast such numbers; Four Stones has become a shadow of what it once was.

Mount Geit sits at the far western end of Reash; almost to the border with Saralyn and Guria. The top of the mountain is said to look like the gargantuan head of some primordial goat, with massive curling horns; though the resemblance is so slight that it is mostly limited to story and fable. Legend has it that the Ingeboren– then pagans who had yet to see the light– worshipped the mountain, and offered sacrifices there. Supposedly, on the edge of twilight on the summer solstice, the faint gleam of sacrificial fires can still be seen shining in the eyes of the goat god.

People

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Reash is a harshly stratified region, with significant religious and ethnic tensions keeping it divided. The western coast and the inner regions of Reash are both occupied by the Ingeboren– dark haired, dark-eyed, and light skinned humans. Many of the Ingeboren dwell in small villages scattered across the map; a few large cities do dot the coast, however. These villages are organized along the lines of what breed of goat they raise; they take great pride in the quality of their product, and to insult one’s goat is the highest offense. The towns are named after the goat breed they produce, as well as one or two words that serve to identify the specific village. The village headsmen also take the name of the breed they raise as a sort of title, and can be identified by the horns taken from a prime specimen that the leaders wear.

Furthermore, a relatively large group of Bearmen live among the coastal Ingeboren. A group of devout and orthodox Shishiyans, they broke off from the rest of the Bearmen clans about 250 years ago, eventually settling in Reash. By and large, they have been integrated into Ingeboren life; the two people largely share a similar cultural identity. The exception is the Purifiers– a group of particularly dogmatic, almost Yadist, group of Bearmen. With the advent and subsequent unrest caused by the Laskist Wars, they have made themselves an informal inquisition, rooting and persecuting out Laskists and more recently Kunists found in Reash. With the arrival of Gleiss in the region, the Purifiers have by and large been killed or driven into hiding; however, Gleiss has not yet been able to fully rid the region of their stain, as small groups have hidden themselves in the cave systems of the region.

The eastern coast is largely settled by the Verbann. An offshoot of the Komand found in Gleiss, the Verbann share largely the same characteristics, though they tend to be a bit shorter and have a higher prevalence of darker hair colors, and like the Komand, are primarily Kunist. By and large they have maintained peace with the other two factions– though in the past wealthy Gleiss city lords and merchants have financed revolts against the Ingeboren, and in more recent years, pressure from the Purifiers in the Hammer faction have been mounting against the heretics.

Religion

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Even before the Laskist Wars, Reash was divided by religious wars and skirmishes between the eastern Kunists, the Flowers faction, and the western Shishiyan, the Hammer faction. At various times one faction would hold loose dominion over the other– though that often would not last long. With the conversion of many Ingeboren to Laskism, a third faction emerged, the Wicks. Now, since the emergence of the Wicks, the three groups sit in an uneasy truce– though one often broken by small skirmishes and raids against one another.

Of the Ingeboren, a little over half are estimated to be Laskist– these are the ones living in the southern hills. Not many will profess to being Laskist– frequent inquisitions from the Purifiers caused many in the past to hide their faith, though they would often provide support to the open rebels. A few of the more remote villages deep in the hills will profess to their faith, and rebel lords safe in their hill forts actively defy the strength of the Purifiers. The most powerful of these hill lords, Vliegend Godfried Sterke, has constructed a magnificent church partially carved into the caves beneath the hills. Naming it Kaars Hal– or Candle Hall– in reference to the name of the Laskist faction, it is both a place of worship and a final sanctuary for Laskists across Reash. With the arrival of Gleiss, and armed with the knowledge of its tolerance towards Laskists in Ciriya, the religion has become more open, though some still retain their secrecy.

The other half of the Ingeboren, as well as the vast majority of the Bearmen, are members of the Orthodox Shishiyan Church. No notable variations exist within the church of Reash– beyond, of course, the existence of the vigilante Purifiers. In the past, the most prominent cathedral in Reash was the Hamer Cathedral, built around 400 years ago by Zeldzaam Puck Klein. The church later became the headquarters for Destar Erwin Brennen, self-proclaimed leader of the Purifiers. With the withdrawal of the Purifiers, it has once again become host to a Shishiyan congregation– though one significantly smaller than it once saw.

The Verbann inhabiting the eastern portions are, like their Komand relatives, mostly Kunist. They share many of the same beliefs– though, like the Komand, there are conflicting opinions on both who constitutes a prophet and the exploits of said prophets. One prominent tale concerns the prophet Gesalb, his residence among the Verbann for a season or two, and how he managed to acquire one of the legendary Vliegend. This tale has been immortalized in the Storied Garden– an extensive park in the city of Weiter, where scenes from the story are carefully sculpted out of foliage.

Religious Centers
Kaars Hal
Hamer Cathedral
Storied Garden

Resources

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The goats of Reash come in many different breeds, each with a different purpose. There is the Gemeen breed, the most common; it is not dissimilar to other varieties of goat found elsewhere, and is often slaughtered for food or its hide. On the other end of the spectrum is the Vliegend; the rarest and most valuable goat found in all of Celessa. As large as or larger than most horses, it is used by the Ingeboren as an alternative to that ignoble animal. The Vliegend is never traded to outsiders; only Ingeboren are allowed to ride the majestic beast. Legend tells of foreigners being gifted a Vliegend– among them Gesalb the Gardener and Ananda– but none exist in living memory.

Trade Nodes
Gemeen Villages
Ongewoon Villages
Zeldzaam Villages

Region Number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
51	Goats	ZHN	SAR	BBK

Zenska
Region 51

History

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Once, in a time long past, Zenska was the capital of a mighty nation, a bastion of strength and stability for the north. The now-ruined fortifications that cover the region turned back great and terrible armies many times, and the mithril mines made the region prosperous enough to field magnificent army. Alas, civil war and a series of weak Queen Mothers caused the collapse of this great queendom– outer provinces broke away entirely, and afterwards the Queen Mother only truly ruled the capital city. All else in the region may have paid lip service to her, but ignored her decrees and schemed against one another.

With the arrival of the glorious armies of Saralyn, the Queen Mother and the Princess Maiden disappeared entirely– leaving only a half-senile Royal Crone as the nominal ruler. Saralyn, and later Gleiss, both initially ignored the power vacuum this caused, a vacuum that was quickly filled by one Gabriel Hemane, a wealthy merchant– and more importantly, a man. An influential mithril merchant and supposed arms dealer, Gabriel aims to overturn the matriarchy that has long ruled in Zenska and seize the crown for himself as the first king, though he has as of yet made little progress. For now, other concerns must take precedence for the crown of Gleiss; Zenska still remains in relative disorder.

Government

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Zenska is ruled by the Maidens, the Mothers, and the Crones. Every settlement, from the smallest village to the greatest city, is governed by a Mother. She is accompanied by a Maiden– a young girl who is the presumptive heir– and a Crone, a previous Mother who has given up her seat and now serves as an advisor. Succession to a role is based on the death of the Crone– once the local Crone has died, the Mother and Maiden both step up, and the Maiden’s daughter becomes the new Maiden.

Terrain

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Zenska is a dark and foreboding expanse; shifting mists drift through thick pine forests and across the streets of small villages tucked deep within. Lonely moors thrust up out of the fog– many covered in the remains of old watchtowers, forgotten castles, and broken fortresses. Broken blocks of stone, scattered about as if by some giant, abound, all that is left of once proud manors and estates. Cities are scattered about like so many bastions of civilization– yet they are few and far between, and between them lies naught but but expanses of dark wood and abandoned villages. Zenska has long been in the twilight of its existence; the terrain, the cities, and even the people have come to reflect this.

The Riesenfestung, at the height of the Zenskan Empire, was the largest fortress in the region. Atop a high hill overlooking the capital, at one point it boasted 60 foot walls, a central tower 300 feet tall, and over 3,000 garrisoned soldiers. It sheltered the Queen Mother and her court six times over its lifetime, and at one point was credited with saving the queendom itself. Unfortunately, the size and grandeur that made it such a symbol of the monarchy turned it into the first casualty of the decline. As soldiers deserted and revenues collapsed, the castle was deemed too large and costly to maintain. Years of neglect have turned this once-beautiful edifice into a pile of broken blocks and rotting timbers, fit only for the desperate or the foolish.

Lesdelney is a massive pine forest, covering much of the inner regions of Zenska. No major cities lie within it– only isolated villages, connected by poorly maintained dirt tracks, dot the woods. As with any dark and isolated area, numerous stories abound on the nature of this region. City dwellers say that the few who live here are twisted half-men, bestial in form, with red eyes and piercing screams. Those who live within tell different tales– of eerie forms that stalk the edges of isolated farmsteads and villages deep in the night, always seen at the night of the full moon.

The Shining Depths are the former center of Zenska’s Mithril mines. In times past, the richness of the mines was well-documented– the metal was as plentiful as weeds, and
it was so easy to find large veins that small chunks would be left in the miner’s wake. Alas, the prosperity of the past is no more. 250 years ago, the mines began to dry up; Mithril became harder and harder to find, and within 50 years, every scrap that could be found was dug up. In desperation, the miners strove deeper than they ever had before; unfortunately, a freak accident destroyed the new tunnels. A large explosion caused the tunnels to collapse; the culprit, an unexpected pocket of explosive gas. What few miners who lived must have been driven mad by the experience, for they spoke of a great lizard that caused the collapse.

People

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The people of Zenska are pale-skinned, blue-eyed humans. They are often favored by golden hair, a trait they claim is because the Zenskan are descended from a pair of Exalted; like most such claims, it is steeped in legend and lore. Men tend to defer to women in public– though in private, relationships are much more egalitarian.

Religion

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Unlike most of the rest of the world, the furor and hardship of the Laskist Wars mostly passed over Zenska. Its isolation, fairly low population, and lack of a central authority all caused the two warring sides to overlook the region. While the more western population converted to Laskism, it was more of a political decision rather than a religious one; they converted to appease more radical elements farther west. The Shishiyan majority in the east remained Orthodox for much of the same reason; the church maintained a stronger presence on their borders than they did in the west.

The Kostel Cathedral is the center of the Shishiyan church in Zenska. Sitting on the far eastern edge of the region, it is one of the few true bastions of genuine faith in the region.

By the same token, the Drala is the bastion of the Laskist faith in Zenska. Occupied by similarly zealous Laskists, it is a ruined fort turned somewhat restored church.

The Krasna is a naturally occurring waterfall deep within Lesdelney, at the bottom of which sits an open glade. Long ago, legend has it that pagan cults dedicated to bestial gods would have a festival on the summer solstice within this glade. On the very last moments of that day, the sun shines through the mist to cast rainbows across the clearing. Now, it is only occasionally visited by artists and the occasional local– though the area has seen an increase in traffic as painters from Gleiss have become interested in the area.


Religious Centers
Shishiyan
Laskist
Open

Resources

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The Mithril mines of Zenska lie beneath the moors of the region. In modern times, the mines are few and far between, and the extraction of ore danger and difficult. Still, even though far less is produced than what was made in antiquity, they still manage to eke out an existence.

Trade Nodes

Statkovy
Nedostat

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
51	Ships	O	X	X

-Required-

[Legionary]

The Cursed Duchy of Slavia
Region 19

"Glory to the Honoured Dead"

Diplomacy [4]
Military [5]
Economy [2]
Intrigue [3]
Faith [1]

Spoiler: History

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Prior to its de facto independence, Slavia was a province in the Kingdom of Shamaran, vast in size but no different from say other provinces like Maran or Arran. However, when King Balendin died in the same tragic campaign that saw the demise of the last Kral of Parlayan Dağlar, Shamaran was thrown into a succession crisis. On the very day Archpatriarch Imanol II was declared the interim ruler until a proper monarch could be crowned the Duke of Slavia, the infamous Vladimir Von Orlok, declared he would not recognise his authority nor any other bar a "true queen" of Shamaran. To this day, it unclear whether this bold declaration was a result of predetermined scheme to secede his Duchy, genuine political grievances or bitter disappointment that his favoured candidate to be crowned queen was not immediately recognised.

Before diplomacy could properly take its course, two of the nephews of the late King Balendin called their banners and brashly marched upon Slavia. The naïve siblings saw subduing the rogue Duchy as an oppportunistic move to prove their legitimacy as the true heirs to the throne of Shamaran, and overshadow the accomplishments of their rival claimants. Their ill-fated endeavour was troubled from the start as the duo only managed to win a Pyrrhic victory at the grizzly Battle of Vogorr River on the Slavian border. The waters of the narrow fording routes ran red with the blood of the slain, as thousands of Slavian levies had clashed with Claimant Princes’ army in what more an unruly bloodbath than an organised battle. Undeterred, the invaders rallied their men continued their campaign further into the grim lands that was Slavia, only to disappear into the foreboding mists and never be heard from again.

Whilst the Von Orloks did not hold the Archpatriarch personally responsible for the Claimant Princes failed invasion, Slavian-Shamaran relations never truly healed. The Duchy continued to operate outside of the authority of the Archpatriarch to the point that today it now considered a completely separate nation. Now given the vastly constrasting political and cultural evolution of both Slavian and Shamaran, it is unlikely that the rogue Duchy will ever reunify with its parent nation.

Spoiler: Government

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Since it's secession from Shamaran the Duchy of Slavia has been under the tyrannical rule of the Von Orlok family. For last two hundred years it's patriarch, Vladimir Von Orlok, also known as the Black Duke, has been at the helm of his kin and accursed domain. In addition to the Black Duke, there are several other Von Orlok's of note. These include the infamous, Crimson Baron, Konrad Von Orlok, Vladimir's heir and only son. Unlike his more reserved and methodical father, Konrad is a bloodthirsty hedonist, whom is infamous for his incestual relationship with both of his sisters. With unnatural lives that have spanned at least a couple of centuries there is little doubt in both the minds of his subjects and neighbours, that the dreaded Duke and his family are more than human. The terrifying truth is that, like most of the Duchy's oppressive aristocracy, the Von Orloks are vile vampires. These secretive creatures of the night lord over their serfs behind their masquerade of feudalist nobility, whilst treating their peasant population little better than cattle.

In regards to foreign policy, currently Slavia is intensely isolationist. The Duchy's lowly serf population is suspicious of outsiders, whilst it's undead lords are content not to jeopardize their relative freedom within their own borders by attracting unwanted attention. Bizarrely enough, in time of great political upheaval or continental wide war, Slavia has generally erred on the side of those nations closer to the Shishiyan Church over pagan factions. This is usually more for cultural than religious reasons, though it is one of the ways that these vampires are able placate their pious minions without resorting to their usual methods of fear and oppression.

Spoiler: Slavians of Note

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Left to Right: Lady Isabella Von Orlok, Lady Carmella Von Orlok, Duke Vladimir Von Orlok, Baron Konrad Von Orlok, Lady Anastasia Von Orlok

Duke Vladimir Von Orlok, the “Black Duke”
Vladimir is the grizzly and disgruntled patriarch, of the Von Orloks, not least because all four of his spawn are in his eyes untrustworthy sociopaths. Whilst the Duke has been called pragmatically evil by some, his children are generally malevolent of the sake of it. Because of this there is a real possibility that he would name one of his many brothers to be his successor instead of his bloodthirsty son.

Baron Konrad Von Orlok, the “Crimson Baron”
Unlike his more reserved and methodical father, Konrad is a bloodthirsty hedonist, whom is infamous for his incestual relationship with at least two of his sisters. He has been known to be a tyrannical ruler not even by typical standards, but by the incredibly poor Slavian standards. Luckily, leadership was never truly an aspiration of Konrad, as he is often far more content being left to wreak havoc on the populas or hunt Slavian Satyrs than running any sort of administration. The wandering blood knight plays very loosely with the rules of the vampire masquerade, much to the perpetual annoyance of his father.

Lady Isabella Von Orlok, the “Red Widow”
It would be a stretch to call Isabella Vladimir’s favourite child, but perhaps she is one that has disappointed him the least. Despite having never been wed, Isabella earned the infamous title of the Red Widow after losing five suitors in just seven years all to rather suspicious “accidents”. Each of her sibling slates their unholy bloodlust in their own depraved ways, but for Isabella there is no greater thrill than seducing unsuspecting “bluebloods” and putting at that colloquial moniker to a grizzly test. At least her diplomatic acumen is a redeeming feature in the eyes of her disgruntled father, and because of this Isabella is one of the few Von Orloks trusted by Vladimir to travel abroad for diplomatic purposes.

Lady Carmella Von Orlok
Vladmir’s middle daughter earned herself a reputation as bit of a tomboy for indulging such unladylike pursues as falconry, archery and horseback hunting. This has made her object of desire for many a rough and rugged nobleman looking for wife less pampered than those typical of the aristocratic courts. Those naive few that did get the chance to court Carmella often lost their passion for her after discovering that her favourite game to hunt is a malnourish Slavian peasant as he runs screaming through the woods.

Lady Anastasia Von Orlok
Anastasia is the youngest of Vladimir Von Orlok’s children, an altruistic soul with a playfully youthful and empathic heart. She can often be seen frolicking in the grounds of Von Orlok Castle, playing hide and seek with misfortunate orphaned peasant children that she is renowned for generously adopting. Slavian children must be exceptional players of this fun little game as once they enter Anastasia’s care most are never seen or heard of again.

Patriarch Loredo Thule
Because truly pious Patriarchs of Shishiyan tend to "disappear" pretty quickly in Slavia, most of the longer lasting ones have previously been cautiously quiet out of self-preservation. Because most of these former Patriarchs spent their lives walking on eggshells around the Von Orloks not many priests are too keen step up to a position that is in most cases a death sentence if they are not careful. The current Patriarch of Slavia, Loredo Thule, is a slimy opportunist that took a different approach. When he became Patriarch he pushed the limits of indecent behaviour because there was no one to put him in his place. Loredo isn’t actively malicious like his patrons, but instead a selfish sloth that is only interested in looking after himself. The Von Orloks don't care that this corrupt drunkard that spends more time in orgies than preaching, so long as Thule stays out of politics and doesn't cause any unrest.

Spoiler: Demographics

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Ethnically, Slavians are of the same kin as the Maranvale humans of Shamaran. They have retained the same pale skin and dark hair of their northern kin, however years of malnutrition and poor living conditions means that the typical Slavian is generally more gaunt than his Shamaran counterpart. With the understandably low yield of crops, starvation is a constant threat, and many accept times of hunger pains as a normal part of life.

Whilst they may be physically similar, Slavian cultural has developed quite differently in Von Orlok's Duchy. They often have a blasé attitude towards death and the dead that is at odds with their neighbours. They take a perverse pride in the harshness of their life, seeing others as "soft" for living in warmer climes, using simple luxuries, or associating with the other races. Malevolent lords and a hostile landscape has likewise turned the Slavian people into xenophobic and suppositious folk, with most of the population living in tight-knit walled villages. The populace is, for the most part, only concerned with day-to-day survival, raising famished, skinny goats and pigs, tending to what scraps of farmland they have in the hope of gathering enough crops to survive the long and cruel winter. The trust of a Slavian is one of the hardest things to earn, with most violently paranoid about those in neighbouring towns, let alone foreign countries. It should be noted that because of their mistrust of outsiders and Slavia's lethal living conditions, most Slavians have extremely large families out of necessity as much as tradition. In fact, Slavia is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. In matters of war, the Barons and Counts of Slavia take advantage of this surplus by boosting their levy armies with mass conscription. Human life in this harrowing land is indeed a cheap commodity. Whilst hardy commonfolk may not be on par with the world's various warrior cultures, Slavian's ruthless lords have a nasty reputation of drowning invaders in the bodies of their dead serfs.

As well as the living population of Slavia there is also the aforementioned undead that make the accursed land their home. It is estimated that nearly one hundred and fifty vampires dwell in Slavia, with most of these creatures masquerading as aristocracy. They terrorise their subjects from the shadows, taxing the coins from their pockets and draining the blood from their veins. The life of a typical Slavian is as harsh, brutal, and usually violently short, yet they see the vampires as merely another aspect of that. Sometimes the crops fail, sometimes the winter is harsh, sometimes bandits raid from the mountains, sometimes the plague sweeps through, and sometimes the vampires come drag someone off into the night. The Slavians have become so accustomed to hardship that they have become very indifferent to it, though they keep garlic and other herbs around their windows as a matter of course.

Spoiler: Geography

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The lands of Slavia is an accursed land surrounded in mist and darkness. The very soil itself is highly infertile, with certain regions gradually being transformered into bogs, swamps and marshes, with the surronding forest often harboring all manner of groteques and horrifying creatures of the night. Close to uninhabitable, Slavia's forests are dingy copses of twisted, half-rotted trees that claw what nourishment they can from the bone-strewn soil. Desolate moorlands and sluggish grey rivers punctuate the brown-leafed woods, wind-swept and storm shrouded by dark clouds that seep down from the Wolfsmaw Mountains on an almost daily basis. There are only a rare few natural harbours along the waterfront, with most of Slavia's rocky coastline is comprised of sheer cliffs and treacherous jagged outcrops littered with shipwrecks and eternally beset by an angery ocean.

The scattered villages and hamlets of Slavia, though numerous, are more isolated and parochial than other settlements in Celessa. Grubbing what meagre existence they can from the infertile land, the peasantry lives in small communities of inter-related families, and never venture far from their crude hovels. There are few stone roads here, rutted, half-flooded tracks and paths link most villages, all but impossible to navigate except in the relatively dry summer months. At times, the mud itself seems to be a living thing, clawing at the legs of the weak and dragging them to a suffocating death. Slavian villages are in a constant state of disrepair, for good stone and wood is hard to come by for most of it's impoverished inhabitants. All, however, have barred or boarded windows and heavy doors to keep out the night's predators. Crude fetishes and charms of a dozen gods hang on every lintel and frame. The villagers daub symbols of protection on their doors with pig's blood, to guard against the unnatural horrors of this frightful land. Hanging outside the gates of the most desperate townships can be found criminals and travellers caged in iron maidens, their only companions the crows and vampire bats that feed on them.

PLACES OF NOTE
Orlokgrad (Capital City): This gloomy city is the largest in Slavia, located on the coast and home to the ruling Von Orloks.
The Wolfsmaw Mountains: These mighty snow capped peaks mark the eastern border of Slavia's domain.
The Vogorr River: This mighty river is a natural barrier that marks Slavia's border with Shamaran and Aerok. Due to it's depth and dangerous currents it can only be safely forded in three strategic locations, one on the Aerok border and two on the Shamaran.
"Last Post" (Trading Post): This small trading hub is located where mutual borders of Slavia, Shamaran and Aerok meet. Despite being terrifyingly grim by any other nation's more progressive standards, this small village is probably the most cosmopolitan in Slavia thanks to the foreign traders that constantly pass through it. It has once been described as "the place to go in Slavia if you don't want to go to Slavia".
Hel Fenn (Trading Post): This mining town is a vital trade hub for the ores that are extracted from the Wolfsmaw Mountains.
Mortgard (Trading Post): This port town is has one of the few safe harbours on Slavia's dangerous coastline making comparatively wealthy in the region. It is known for it's large lighthouse, built long before Slavia split from Shamaran.
Kurlberg (Religious Centre: Gothic Shishiyan): On the outskirts of this minor village lies the Shine of Saint Lyra, a simple statue dedicated to one of the few divine figures unique to Gothic Shishiyanism. When a young peasant girl, renowned for her skills in the arts of herbology and healing, refused the advances of a corrupt priest she was sentenced to burn as witch. However, legend has it though that when the time came the flames did not burn the girl and she was protected by divine mandate. The repentant villagers, horrified by their cowardly compliance in her attempted execution, instead burned the priest in her place. Lyra as she was known, was from that day forward revered by many local Slavians as a saint and spiritual healer. The Orthodox Shishiyan church stated that although they don't condone Slavia's backwards tradition of witch burning, the fact that an accused witch survived being set on fire through supernatural means probably means that she was actually just a witch and defiantly not a holy saint. Like nearly everything optimistic in this grim land, Lyra's tale ended in tragedy. Just a year after her supposed miracle, the young woman was found by pilgrims defiled and butchered in her isolated cottage by what was assumed to be vampires.
Morrfenn (Religious Centre: Occult/Heresy): Rumour has it that it is on the marshland outskirts of this town that the Claimant Princes of Shamaran's army meet its mysterious demise over two hundred years ago. The region is also infamous for its cannibals.
Verhungern (Religious Centre: Occult/Heresy): This cursed town is infamous the "Hag's Groove" that exists somewhere in its surrounding woodlands. It is mecca for witches, sinister pagans and other unsavoury sorts.

Spoiler: Resources

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Those Slavian serfs unfortunate enough not to be tied to farmland tend to end up toiling their miserable lives away in the various mines along the Wolfsmaw Ridge. The fruits of their labour, Utility Metals, like Iron, are utilised both domestically and sold abroad to foreign markets.

For the poor peasants of Slavia everything is short supply, however their indifferent lieges rarely listen to their whims and the xenophobic serfs are always wary foreign traders. One of the few thing that rulers of this grim Duchy seem concern with importing is Horses, either for cavalry or domestic purposes. Few exist in wilds of the Duchy's accursed woodlands and due to the large numbers monstrous beasts that are rumoured roam Slavia the attrition rate on those that are imported is high.

Spoiler: Religion

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Beset by unnatural evils and constant hardship, the down trodden inhabitants of Slavia find what little solace they can in faith. If you were to ask the common peasant he would fervently assert that he and his kin worship as pious Orthodox Shishiyans, however theological scholars see enough unique regional discrepancies to classify the faith in Slavia as a subsect known as Gothic Shishiyan. The main differences this Gothic Shishiyan has from mainstream practices is that Shishiyan priests rarely conform to a strict hierarchy, having instead adopted a more decentralised organisational structure. This is a pragmatic adaption to Slavia's insular communities and the fact that this accursed land's godless rulers tend to take poor to rival institutions. Places of worship are often modest so as to not attract ill intention and due to the obvious lack of social wealth. Gothic Shishiyan also pays homage to the people of Slavia's deep traditional pagan roots, with many retaining heretical rituals and superstitions that they believe are a necessity to ward off the various evils that plagues their lands.

A lack strict over sight from the church mean that many outsiders see Slavia as haven for heretics, heathens, cultists and those curious in witchcraft. Whilst many such folk wander the gloomy countryside or dwell in isolated conclaves, they rarely receive a warm welcome in the suspicious and devout townships. Whilst the suppressed populous would never dare raise arms against their immortal masters, they have a habit driving out other perceived evils from their sheltered hamlets. Witch burnings are an all too common sight in Slavia, with its victims ranging from the genuinely deranged and sinister to innocent peasant girls falsely accused of adultery.

Spoiler: Military

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Spoiler: Slavian Levy Pikemen

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[Tentreto]

The Kingdom of Caligonia
Region 67

Ruler: King Anlos D'Aust

Diplomacy:2
Military:3 (2+1)
Economy:4 (3+1)
Intrigue:2
Faith:1
link

Spoiler: Flag

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Spoiler: Terrain

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Caligonia is a land almost completely desolate. Away from the coast, only sun-baked earth
and rugged rocky ground lies. The west is almost a desert although stone spires stick out every mile
or so around head height. The east is more pleasant with oasis and small lakes and is far flatter. The south is mountainous, and barren enough that without native knowledge it is essentially impassable, although small brooks do exist nearer the mountains. The coastal stretch however is a single long expanse of beach with very little to distinguish any of it, which gradually meets the sea. It is generally referred to as The Expanse. The only exception is in the east where a rocky granite outcropping leaves high cliffs. This area is known as The Banner and is where the seat of power lies, at the city of Kinright.
Aside from this, many towns and villages populate the eastern section of coast, most notably the trading port of Outreach, which nicely bisects the region. Also worth mentioning is the Dust Fountain, around 20 miles south of Outreach, which is a traditional meeting place for tribespeople who live semi-nomadically in the south.
The temperature across Caligonia is generally hot in the day, and cold in the night, as usual in desert terrain, although it verges on mild on the coast, with snow being a rare, once in a life-time event. It is not especially humid.

Spoiler: People

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The people of Caligonia are mostly defined by two groups:
The Calis: The more coastal dwelling group. These people are fair haired with tan skin tones, due to their coastal lifestyle. Originally From northern lands, after great strife forced them from their homes they took to sea to find new lands. The open beaches were their salvation, and they have lived there for around 250 years, enough to barely remember their original home. Calis usually dress in light robes of white or turquoise, and wear hats with wide open brims, as a symbol of their joy at their new home. Calis value openness and honesty, and have many festivals on the beach that last from tide to tide, with no one bothering about getting out the water for the duration. At their coming of age, children are often asked “Desert or Sea,” and must then prove their worth in their choice.

The Ligians: Those who dwell more inland. Darker skinned than their kinsmen, they wear robes that are usually described as dust coloured, to blue. These people dwelt as nomads in the land well before the Calis arrived and although the biggest local tribe, were struggling to live off the land. The arrival of the Calis with irrigation and seafaring won them over, and they adopted a somewhat more sedentary lifestyle in new towns and villages, although many do still travel as nomadic villages. The Ligians, having defeated other rivals in the region, value strength and courage in general, but do appreciate innovation and honesty. They never really have seen the point of a coming of age ceremony, and thus children are usually apprenticed into work, which they carry on usually until old age. They have a major festival on the third moon of the year celebrating an old pagan tradition of the third child of the moon being their patron.

Spoiler: History

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The ancient history of the land is mostly unknown, as the Ligians did not keep records of their history, while the Calis came were essentially refugees whose earliest record comes from an account of the journey to Caligonia. However, in a period known as The Septim War, around 260 years ago, the Ligians drove off other local tribes and competition but almost starved themselves from the lack of infrastructure and food. Meanwhile, the Calis arrived 250 years ago, with knowledge of fishing and some livestock, but no local knowledge. Some type of trade was inevitable, but as noted, aside from a few early skirmishes, both sides remained remarkably amicable, giving them a reputation for idealism. The alliance and later kingdom has withstood the test of time, and hasremained remarkably strong. This is mostly because Caligonia is almost completely disregarded and forgotten by most powers, as it is essentially barren. The only period of strife occurred around 70 years ago, where a town settled on the coast by Ligians was attacked by Calis merchants, who being somewhat hot-headed, mistook it for a pirate base. After a few months of skirmishes, the King, a Calis at the time, handed the merchants over to Ligian chiefs, who apparently killed them on the next full moon.
Recently, no one would consider Caligonia to be aspiring for empire, as they hardly prosper as they are. They would need a reason, or at least a leader with ambition to galvanise them. But that would never happen...

Spoiler: Governance

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The government of Caligonia is centred around the defensible city of Kinright. When the peoples first met, there was at first much skirmishing and raids, which almost escalated to war, which would likely have doomed both sides. Both sides sent a delegation and surprisingly enough, both sought an alliance and trade agreement. After ten years, it was decided to make this permanent, and the leader of the Calis, Regus Insulus, and the Ligians, the High Chief Albert D’Aust, wed families between prominent figures on both sides, and declared all future rulers would come from those wed that day.
Caligonia therefore, is almost an Oligarchy, although it would be far more accurate to call it a Electivist Monarchy. The monarch is absolutist in power, with many nobles from both sides serving as advisors. Generally, land warfare is left to local chiefs, and pirates to local seamen, but the word of the monarch, or a designated marshal will unite armies without question. Recently, the merchant class, while not disliked, has been making inroads into power through the one absolute right all have in the realm, to petition. As honesty is a trait valued highly here, merchants are viewed with a tinge of…unease.
The Current Ruler is Anlos D’Aust, a direct descendant of Albert.

Spoiler: Resoruces

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Caligonia has Silver as a major commodity, it being found both by the coast and in the lands south of the Dust Fountain mostly. Silver is valuable for trading, but is traditionally not made into ornaments; neither side particularly value baubles, although it is popular in Lunalta temples where they can be found, and a few Laskists have simple amulets made from it.
However, Caligonia lacks a vast amount of Livestock, as they are not native to the area, aside from some horses, and the Calis could not bring any. Goats are especially looked for due to their arduousness.
The trading posts in Caligonia are firstly the Port of Outreach, which is controlled very much by Anlos. Aside from this, the port of Bellease and the trading town of Pilm are also notable centres of trade.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Calis are not Heretics, nor are the Ligians Pagans, at least that is the official message sent to the Church, and the local clergy mostly agree. While there is a presence of the Official Church at Kinright, many Laskists have come in recent years finding the land a relative haven, and thus it has a notable presence, especially in the town of Laskan, which holds several symphonises. Thus the land is essentially Laskist above all, as the clergy have decided that the only noticeable part is orthodox, and are currently unwilling to press it. Aside from that only the pagan traditions of Lunalta remain, which emphasises worshiping the moon goddess, Lunala Temalta, for her creation of the world, and always shining in her followers darkest hour. Many Ligians find a lot in common with this. Possibly the only reason the Orthodox church has allowed such deviancy is because Caligonia is for some strange reason often forgotten on maps, and the fact that by not having created any major fusses or spread heresy, it is largely beneath notice.
Religious node 1: Laskan: Laskist
Religious node 2: Kinright: Orthodox
Religious node 3: Lunalta (Ligian Paganism): has no current centre.

Region C5:

Spoiler: Newmouth

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Newmouth

Spoiler: Terrain and Climate

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The area of Newmouth is centred around a river which winds its way inland for miles. The area surrounding the river is surprisingly sparse, with only whispy, light grass for miles around. The terrain itself is mostly flat, with small hills in places which have smooth inclines. In the south, there is a small forest of all sorts of strange trees, which creates a dense overhead layer, blotting out most of the sun. The coast in the west is the only part with noticeable rocky outcroppings, with jagged rocks and small cliffs of dark rock. If it was not for the abandoned settlement, one would think the place uninhabited.
The climate so far appears to be quite temperate, with more mist than rain however. Mist seems to fall every night and rise every morning in the winter, with the summer months being far drier. It has not snowed at all yet, though it is not unlikely to.

Spoiler: People

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There are certainly some natives in Newmouth. However, contact with them has been brief at best. They seem to be fair skinned, but for some reason have blue hair, probably through dye. The only meeting up close was when two Ligian scouts walked into two natives in the southern forest almost entirely by accident. The conversation was brief, as neither could understand one another, but apparently one of the natives pointed at herself and said ‘Liae’Gaw’, before carefully retreating. So far that has been their ‘official’ name. It would appear they live in or around the forest, possibly to escape the local wildlife. They appear to carry spears, and dress in robes of grey.

Spoiler: Religion

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The most notable structure by far in Newmouth is the temple. In comparison to the University in Caligonia, it would seem to be around the same size as the Universities main building. Which is in fact massive. The temple seems to be made out of granite blocks, treated in some way to appear whitish. Outside, it has many spires, towers, and possibly rookeries, but of a massive side. No one has dared venture far in, as it appears to have become a nesting site, but it appears from a glance through the doors to have had a bright blue rug, and many, many matts. For now, it is known as the Blue Feather Temple.
Newmouth religious centres:
Blue Feather temple: Open
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Spoiler: Resource

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The Lammasu are strange creatures that inhabit this region. The few captured seem to have bodies similar to that of a lion, yet have wings not unlike those of eagles, and most unsettlingly, heads and faces that are almost, almost human. Maybe it is seeing a human face on such a strange an animalistic body that causes that strange feeling. Either way, the Lammasu can fly, are likely carnivorous, and possibly caused the settlement to be abandoned in the first place, as well as eating the original settlers. Yet, as one colonist has managed to show, they can be tamed. This woman managed to entice one with meat, and through training it somewhat like a horse, she managed to get it to fly her a small distance, although she did break her leg getting off. So far, those few tamed have all been given face masks, if just to give their riders a sense of security from riding something that has a humanlike face.
The primary nesting ground is currently the outskirts of Blue Feather temple, although a hill to the north also has some Lammasu gathering.
The inhabitants so far are quite happy, but if pressed, they would like Flowers, to help brighten up the somewhat bleak area.
Newmouth
Trading post 1: Temple outskirts: open
Trading Post 2: Lammasu hill
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[BlazingAegis]

Die Adlerfirma
Region 57



Leader: Herzog Wilhelm Engel
Diplomacy: 3
Economy: 5 (4+1)
Faith: 1
Military: 3
Intrigue: 5 (4+1)
Initial Rolls

Spoiler: Region 57: Adler

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Spoiler: Summary

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Region Name: Adler
Region Number: 57
Population: Humans
Resources:

Have: Adamantine Ore
Want: Coal

Religion: Majority Pagan

Spoiler: Flag and Sigil

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Spoiler: History and Government

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The Adlern are originally not from Celessa, they arrived after a series of natural disasters affected their homeland far to the north across the sea. Upon arriving on Celessa the refugees finally felt like their journey was at an end, nothing could be further from the truth. The natives turned away the beleaguered travelers, who left up into the mountains to try and build a life for themselves.

Small Adlern villages started to form and start trading with each other. Problems rose once again with the natives once the villages wanted to trade with native cities. The most prominent case of problems with the natives was the Cadiz Fur Massacre. Aldern traders approached the city of Cadiz looking to trade the furs they have accumulated over the winter, the guards quickly surrounded the traders and summarily executed the traders as poachers once the location of the villages was given. The Duke of Cadiz sent forth a legion to wipe out the villages, once the first village was put to the torch the remaining Adlern fled deeper into the mountains each vowing to destroy those with no regard for life.

The resentment only grew after generations of training in ambush and guerrilla warfare, several skirmishes with traders and patrols have occurred and are only gaining in intensity. The mountains are harsh but provide the shelter and resources required to fight Cadiz and her allies. A source of ore is found, while the forges of the Adlern were rudimentary, the ore is strong and is effective versus the standard steel armor and weapons of the Castilians. Military victories soon became common for the guerrilla fighters, and more and more land was taken from the natives up until the point where the only land they held were their walled cities and outposts. Soon enough even those wouldn’t be enough to keep the Adlern at bay.

The raids of trading convoys and farming villages left the Castilians weakened by starvation, and the lack of resources to keep reinforcing their crumbling fortifications. Not satisfied by all they had taken the Adlern besieged many of the walled cities, starving the people within, until they had to make a choice between opening their gates to raiders or death by starvation. Cities fell one after another, each stripped of anything of value, those who resisted outright were put to the sword, everyone else was pressed into servitude to one of the many clans. The last holdout was the Duchy of Cadiz, the Engel clan took their time, drawing out the siege and doing as little damage to the actual city as possible, once their food supply dwindled and ran out, the gates were opened. Unlike every other city sacking previously, every man, woman, and child was slaughtered, all but the daughter of the Duke. The daughter was taken as a prize, the wealth of Cadiz as a dowry.

A generation had passed, a land once seemingly opulent with the wealth of the natives now lay dead. Shortages of most resources had become common, and if nothing were to be done famine would once again wreak havoc upon the Adlern. The Chieftain of the Engel tribe, the son of the conqueror of Cadiz and the Duke’s daughter, Wilhelm Engel decided that the old ways of raiding were behind them, and if his people were to survive they would need to start producing their own food and products. Before that was possible all of the clans would need to be united, by choice, or by force. Wilhelm traveled from village to village, and spoke to the elders to gain their assistance, most pledged loyalty without much thought, the conditions would likely be better than starvation. Few resisted, and those who did were quickly beaten into submission by the united tribes, and either were given a chance to redeem themselves, or were just enslaved.

Under Engel’s leadership cities seemed to rise out of nothing, farms flourished across the landscape, the basic tools from their ore became refined. With plenty of slaves to work the farms, and doing other menial jobs, the region became wealthy. The lust for gold took root in many of the well-to-do people’s hearts. It was at this time that Wilhelm decided that if the people wanted money so badly the power of the state could be used to that end. Companies of experienced mercenaries were formed from the combined military forces of the tribes. Special colleges were formed in the art of espionage, networks of spies were being created. Traders flowed from city to city, even beyond their borders, spreading their influence and the news. Die Adlerfirma was open for business.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Most of the region is covered by the Phönix Berge, a large mountain range that begins in the south and moves north, taking up roughly three quarters of the region. The Phönix Berge was named due to revival of the Adlern thanks to the security of the mountains. The mountains themselves are quite tall, and for the most part maintain a covering of snow on their peaks all year round. Even though it’s not practical, many of the Adlern cities and villages are located in the mountainous areas, due to them being forced into the mountains by the natives.
The natives themselves lived on the lowlands on the northern part of the region. The landscape in the lowlands is quite diverse, there is many forests, wide open plains, and a few marshy areas. A few small rivers snake their way through the lowlands, The area itself has gotten the name the Castilian Ödland, since many of the former Castilian cities simply lie in ruins, and much of the land is overgrown. This area has slowly been restored to working conditions by large plantation owners and their slave labor.

Spoiler: People

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Both the natives to Adler and its new inhabitants are average height for humans, pale of skin, have an array of hair and eye colors. Due to slavery, some people’s figures have atrophied and grown weaker, however due to mercenary companies formed, a majority of military age men, and rarely women, are strong and capable.

The slaves in Adler are a combination of natives and clans that refused to submit to the rule of the Engel clan. While they are not freemen like the rest of the population the conditions of the slaves are not intolerable, and slaveholders have been known to grant freedom to slaves who have either proved their worth, or have served an appointed sentence.

The Castilian architecture and the Adlern architecture are somewhat different, the Castilian ruins are stone covered with a white plaster and smoothed, the roof is a simple wooden roof covered with terracotta shingles. The new Adlern construction is bare stone on the exterior, with wooden paneling on the inside, the roof is a wooden roof, with additional wooden shingling.

There are three major cities in Adler, the capital, the trade-hub, and the academic center of Adler. The capital at Kardinal is a somewhat cramped city, sitting in a valley in the Phönix Berge, as much of the usable land of the valley has been converted into living space as possible aside from appointed garden areas, and the plantations of a few well connected farmers. The trade-hub of the region is Pirol, it resides on the Castilian Ödland, unlike Kardinal the city of Pirol is spread out over a large space, incorporating many marketplaces and storefronts into the design of the city, the surrounding countryside is full of Castilian ruins and plantations producing fruits and vegetables to sell at the marketplace. The center for all academia in Adler is Nachtigall, it houses several colleges in all manner of fields, some also believe it to be a home to a school for clandestine activities.

Spoiler: Religion

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Not much remains of the religious structure from the Castilians, ruined churches and plundered religious icons made of valuable metals. As such former established religion has little to no influence on the people of Adler, who were forced to live separately, and kept on with the traditions and pagan beliefs of their ancestors. The Adlern have a pantheon of seven major deities, and many lesser deities.

However some embers of the Shishiyan faith remain as those who are faithful return to the ruins of an old church to pray. Located in the Castilian Ödland the Iglesia Sucia remains a destination for those who have found themselves drawn to the symbols of the native's faith.

Religious Centers:
Kardinal: Pagan
Nachtigall: Pagan
Iglesia Sucia: Shishiyan

Spoiler: Resources

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During their time in the remote mountain areas of Adler the Adlern have discovered a very tough, resilient metal ore, they have dubbed Adamantine. The ore and the metal itself is a grayish-green color, and is comparable in weight to iron or steel ingots once refined. Adamantine holds up very well in daily use as both tools, weapons, or armor, however the average cost to get adamantine items is generally high, putting it out of the reach of the average citizen. Most plantation owners have iron, or steel tools for their slaves in the fields, and simple leather armor and steel weapons for their guards. One of the major costs of the adamantine is the amount of fuel needed to get it to the temperature to refine it properly.

While the region’s mountains are rich in adamantine and other basic metals there is a severe lack of fuel to refine it all. There are many in the business of producing charcoal, but the demand for fuel far exceeds their capacity to produce, so the Adlern must look towards the market to solve their problems. While most types of fuels would meet the needs of the furnaces of Adler, most are looking for suppliers of coal as a primary fuel source.

Region Number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
57	Adamantine Ore	ADL	N/A	N/A

[DimpleLoamsdown]

Spoiler: Flag and Header.

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Medved, Land of Bearmen

Spoiler: Ruler

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Miqhail of Medved

Diplomacy	4
Military	7
Economy	10
Intrigue	3
Faith	5

Boris of Medved

Diplomacy	4
Military	10
Economy	1
Intrigue	3
Faith	3

Rolls
Boris of Medved is a Strongmen. Strongmen range from seven to eight feet tall in adulthood. Strongmen are genetically very muscular, with arms the size of legs, and legs even larger than that. Strongmen make up most of the workforce in construction and in combat. They are always exercising to gain more muscles, eating to furnish their intense training, or sleeping to recover after a training intensive day. Strongmen typically do not bother raising horses, as most of them would die under a Strongmen's weight, and Strongmen instead pull carts on their own.

For the past twenty years, Qlan Ares has been voted to be the head Qlan of Land of Bearmen, leading the country in all of its exploits. As a result of this, the leaders of the other two Qlans have spent most of their time in the Qlan Ares city of Medved, to discuss decisions with the Chief of the Qlans, who at this point is a recently empowered Strongman, named Boris. Boris's family line will rule a monarchy, until their family is left with noone is left who is older than twelve. If this point occurs, an election will take place, and the people will choose a new person to be the Chief of the Qlans.

Spoiler: Technologies

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Technology	Prerequisites	Effect
Clipped Crossbows	None	+1 to battle checks.
Gleissan Heavy Cavalry	None	+1 to battle checks.
Tomolo	None	Permits oversea exploration and colonization.

Spoiler: Standing Army

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Unit Number	Unit Name	Unit Member Count	Unit Race	Battles Participated in	Qlan of Origin	Battle of Defeat
1	The Wringers	500	Strongmen	The Battle of Initiation	Ares	The Battle of Initiation
2	The Pero Taqo	1000	Strongmen	The Battle of Initiation, The Battle of Reash, First Defense of the Skrillings, Second Defense of the Skrillings	Ares
3	The Selestisight	2000	shortmen	The Battle of Initiation, The Battle of Reash, First Defense of the Skrillings, Second Defense of the Skrillings	Ares	Second Defense of the Skrillings
4	The Butshers	400	Strongmen	The Battle of Initiation	Ares	The Battle of Initiation
5	The Meqfolq	400	Strongmen	The Battle of Initiation, The Battle of Seajumped	Ares	The Battle of Seajumped
6	The Qon'raydery	1000	Highmen	The Battle of Reash, First Defense of the Skrillings, Second Defense of the Skrillings, Battle of Solmarest	Ares	Battle of Solmarest
7	The Zhelobov	800	Strongmen	The Battle of Reash, First Defense of the Skrillings, Second Defense of the Skrillings	Ares
8	The Lezviye	400	Strongmen	The Battle of Reash, First Defense of the Skrillings	Ares	First Defense of the Skrillings
9	The Loshadi'raydery	500	Highmen		Ares	Sent to serve YYC
10	The Qrepleniye'raydery	500	Highmen	First Defense of the Skrillings	Ares	First Defense of the Skrillings
11	Sil'nyy'raydery	600	Strongmen		Ares
12	Pero Taqo Mladshiy	1200	Strongmen		Ares
13	New Qon'raydery	1000	Highmen		Ares
14	First Anti-Skrilling Battalian	1000	Mixed		Mixed
15	First Goblin Battalion of Freedom	2000	Goblin		None
16	Second Anti-Skrilling Battalian	1000	Mixed		Mixed
17	1st Unit of Baalbeki	1000	Baalbeki		Baalbek
18	1st Unit of Neveran	1000	Neveranites		Neveran

Spoiler: Regions Owned

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Region Name	Region Number	Region Kingdom	Region Resource	Region Ownership level
Medved	55	Land of Bearmen	Coal	Complete (Capital)
Qladbishshe	13	Land of Bearmen	Instruments	Complete (Province)

Spoiler: Terrain

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The terrain of Medved, Land of Bearmen largely consists of generally flat land, existing in very cold temperatures. There is a somewhat large forest, known as the Darq Forest, which travels through the center of the region, although it dies off well before the ocean, which is referred to by Bearmen as the Winter Ocean, north of Medved, Land of Bearmen.
The Sagittarius Qlan resides in the city of Qristalview, located at the northernmost point of the region. The Apeljus Qlan exists in the city of Qoldberry, which is located in the south east of the region. The Ares Qlan inhabits the largest city in all of Medved, Land of Bearmen, and the capital of Land of Bearmen, which is named Medved. These are the three primary native cities in Medved, but they are not the only places where people in Medved live. Lumberjacks might live in the Darq Forest on there own, or in small communities of Log Cabins or Logoqabins. There are many small ports, or small fishing villages along the shore of the Winter Ocean.
There is one especially large port, which attracts a lot of foreigners and trade to Land of Bearmen and is the center of technological development and trade in all of Land of Bearmen. This is the Strongport. The port is very large, but has very little housing. Any housing is either temporary, or in the nearby city of Medved. Temporary housing is usually a rented story on a four or five story building. The remaining majority of the land in the port belongs to shops and to market places, where produce, weapons, resources and technologies can be exchanged from civilian to civilian.
In order to catch the vermin goblins in the Strongport, and other regions of Medved, the guards scatter large amounts of small objects, such as seeds, berries, or pebbles across surfaces, so that the vermin goblins stop to count them over night.

Spoiler: People

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Highlanders, the people native to West Mi'vara, are a tall, broad and dark skinned people. They tend to favour horse hide clothing and generally living a nomadic life, following their herds around Mi'vara.

In Land of Bearmen, Highlanders are referred to as Highmen, although there culture is approximately the same as in Mi’vara, but adapted to the colder climate. Highmen are very common in Medved, making up approximately half of the population.
The other half of the population is approximately two thirds Strongmen, and one third shortmen.
Strongmen range from seven to eight feet tall in adulthood. Strongmen are genetically very muscular, with arms the size of legs, and legs even larger than that. Strongmen make up most of the workforce in construction and in combat. They are always exercising to gain more muscles, eating to furnish their intense training, or sleeping to recover after a training intensive day. Strongmen typically do not bother raising horses, as most of them would die under a Strongmen's weight, and Strongmen instead pull carts on their own.
shortmen are on average four to five feet tall in adulthood, and weigh very little. shortmen typically become hunters or diplomats. shortmen diplomats make up the majority of chiefs, but that is not to say that Strongmen or Highmen do not ever become chiefs.
shortmen names are often longer, to make up for their small size, Strongmen names are shorter, giving them a less intelligent appearance and Highmen names often include vocal clicks in their names.
A general term to refer to the three races as a whole is Bearmen.
In the beginning, there were eighteen Qlans in Land of Bearmen, although some of them have died out, or have migrated to other regions and have disappeared for the time being. As an example, Septius, the only cannibalistic Qlan ate all members of Noveqtius, and Deseqtus in retaliation raided Septius, killing every last one of their people, and burned their houses.
The original Bearmen Qlans were Sagittarius, Ares, Virgo, Pisqes, Apeljus, Qapriqorn, Septius, Oqtius, Noveqtius, Deseqtus, Aqwarius, Tauros, Gemini, Qanser, Leo, Libra, Sqorpio, Maqsimus.

Three Qlans remain in the Land of Bearmen. They are as follows:
Sagittarius Sagittarius is a small Qlan, residing in northern Land of Bearmen in the village of Qrystalview. Its current chief is a shortmen named Tqachenqo, who rules over a small fishing village, and studies the movements of the stars, the moons and the sun.
Apeljus Apeljus is the smallest Qlan in all of Land of Bearmen, existing on the southeast border of Land of Bearmen in the town of Qoldberry. They are headed by chief Y'ster, a Highmen, who runs a town that collects fruit during the warmer months of the year, and "Qoldberries" in the winter months of the year. They collect their fruit and send it off to the other two Qlans of the region, pulled by Strongmen carts.
Ares Ares lies geographically in between the other two Qlans. For the past twenty years, Qlan Ares has been voted to be the head Qlan of Land of Bearmen, leading the country in all of its exploits. As a result of this, the leaders of the other two Qlans have spent most of their time in the Qlan Ares city of Medved, to discuss decisions with the Chief of the Qlans, who at this point is a recently empowered Strongman, named Boris. Boris's family line will rule a monarchy, until their family is left with noone is left who is older than twelve. If this point occurs, an election will take place, and the people will choose a new person to be the Chief of the Qlans.
At this point, Medved takes up the most amount of land in the region, and contains a prosperous natural fuel industry. There are coal mines in the south of Medved, oil pumps in the north west of Medved, and small lakes of natural gas in eastern Medved.
Bearmen commonly live in two primary types of homes, although they also live in ordinary log cabins, huts, and occasionally multiple story buildings. Bearmen also have storage buildings and temporary shelters for preserving objects, which they do not live in.
Known as Qigluses (Qigli) or Mudhauses, the first kind is dug into a hole, with snow or mud crafted to form a roof for the house. These houses typically have a fireplace, whether powered by coal, oil or gas, in the center of their circular rooms, rarely have more than two rooms, and most commonly have only one room. As a Qiglus require snow to be constructed, they are only ever seen in the northern most settlements in all of Land of Bearmen. The people who live in Iglus and Mudhauses sleep, eat and cook around the central fire, but store their caught meat underground, outside of their house. The other form of house, the Logoqabin, is made like a long log cabin. The Logoqabin has one large room, divided into sections along its length, The first section is typically a sitting area, for resting after a long day of working. This is also where Bearmen keep their beds. The next section of a Logoqabin is a place for eating, with long tables surrounding an oven or a stove used for cooking. The next section is a training zone for all kinds of Bearmen. There are 300 pound weights of stone, punching bags and sparing rings for Strongmen, crossbow firing ranges for shortmen, and horse riding rings for the Highmen. Overall, Logoqabins can be over five hundred feet long.

Spoiler: A word from me about the speech and the alphabet of the native Bearmen.

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"Qiq the qloq" would be pronounced in the same way as "Kick the Clock"
I forgot to mention in the People section that the native language among the bearmen replaces all "k"-like sounds with "q"s, but it is pronounced the same way. You cannot have two "q"s directly next to each other in the same word.
Other changes include the letter zex. The zex is used in front of words like "Xylophone" or other words that make the "z" sound, but with an "x". For example: "ylophone"
The C is completely removed, as in words like "circular", an s can replace the softer "c" at the start, and as mentioned above, a q can replace the harder "c" in the middle. "Circular" would become "Sirqular"
Now this brings up another rule difference. To make the "Qu" sound, you would have to spell the word "Qw". Therefore, in order to spell "Quack" in the native tongue, you would spell it "Qwaq". "Quaq" would be pronounced "Kuack"
Their alphabet reads: "a,b,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,l,m,n,o,p,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y ,,z"
A final rule (for now), is that all articles, whether indefinite or definite, are removed when speaking, even if they are present in literature. As a result of this, a sign or book might read, "Qiq the qloq", but a native from Land of Bearmen might say, "Qiq qlock."
I hope that this clears things up a bit.

It has been brought to my attention that in removing the "c", I have also removed the "ch". I have done some thinking, and instead, "ch"s are to be replaced with "sh"s.

Spoiler: Transportation

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In Land of Bearmen, people typically travel by foot, or by horse and cart. It is not uncommon, though, for Bearmen to travel on bare horseback from place to place. Bearmen horses of choice are usually of the Sil'nyy breed. Bearmen choose these horses because they are very resistant to the cold northern temperatures of Land of Bearmen. Males are small, but very strong. Females are typically even stronger, and much larger, standing seven feet at the shoulder. Males are usually used for horseback riding, as they are easy to mount for smaller races such as the Highmen and the shortmen, whereas females are typically used for pulling carts for long periods of time, or they are ridden by the very rare Strongmen horse rider.
During winter months or snowy regions of Land of Bearmen, another common form of transportation is by cross country skiing. This is popular among Strongmen, as cross country skiing uses many of the muscles in the human body.

Spoiler: Music

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In Land of Bearmen, music is a common way to bring people together. In general, the music of Bearmen displays intensity, viciousness and strength. The themes of strength vary greatly, but are always present. They might be about strength as a group, with multiple musicians or singers playing or singing powerfully in harmony. They might be about strength as an individual, with one dominant musician or singer performing a solo over top of an orchestra, or completely on their own. They might also be about competitions of strength, with intertwining melodies competing for the audience's attention.
Bearmen music is typically counted in four, and has high tempos, reaching three hundred beats per minute. Occasionally though, Bearmen might write a ballad about a great historical warrior, or a romance, which uses much slower tempos.
Bearmen frequently use perfect fourths and fifths in their music to display power to their audience, and they rarely use minor intervals that would inject a sense of doubt into the audience.
Instrumentation of Land of Bearmen typically includes the gusli, a quadrilateral harp-like instrument. Bearmen also usually use a gudok, a three stringed, bowed instrument, played on the knee and upright, with the scroll near the musician's left ear. Percussion often includes wooden treshchotkas, or clappers and the buben, a drum similar to a tambourine. Wind instrumentation includes flutes like the fipple flute or the svirel, which are played similarly to the recorder.
Bearmen musicians usually carve traditional or religious symbols into their instruments, which are usually made from wood or bone and having musical training is a symbol of status among the Bearmen.

Spoiler: Resource

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Medved exports natural fuels, exported from each trading post. Land of Bearmen has a [Greater] Natural energy export.
The Trading Posts are as follows:
Qarl’s Qoal Qabin Qarl’s Qoal Qabin is run by a Strongmen named Qarl. The entire cabin has a thin layer of coal dust hanging around it and sits next to a long and winding road. The cabin consists of two buildings. The first building is a small one story Log Cabin where Qarl lives, containing a bedroom, and a shoplike porch that has only one window, from which Qarl views the land, facing the passing road. Both of these are connected by a thin hallway, which leads to the door of the log cabin, positioned on the back of the house, relative to the passing road. The other building at this trading post is a large storage room, containing multiple years worth of coal. This room is refilled by travelling Strongmen, who work for the government of Medved on a weekly basis. Traders can buy, sell, or trade for coal at Qarl’s Qoal Qabin.
Peat Bog Family Peat Bog Family is a family run company which collects peat from private bogs in the southeast of Medved. They do not store their peat, but fill up containers when paid by customers. The company property is surrounded by a massive brick wall, in order to prevent intruders from stealing the peat. The family lives in a Logoqabin next door and always has someone hired to patrol the wall, searching for intruders.
Benediqtov’s Sharqoal Qompany Benediqtov’s Sharqoal Qompany is a company situated in the North Western part of Medved. Owned by a rich shortmen named Benediqtov, who owns a three story log cabin mansion, at the center of his property. He hires Strongmen to cut down trees and to operate his wood burners. About a half a mile away from his mansion, Benediqtov has a burner building, made of stone, which he uses to convert his chopped wood into charcoal.
Unfortunately, Medved, Land of Bearmen lacks Hard Metals. These metals would be used to create better armour, better weapons, better storage containers and cooking units and better houses. With the more malleable of the hard metals, they would also be capable of creating more elaborate jewelries, and ceremonial headpieces or ceremonial weapons and armour.

Spoiler: Religion

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It is common for people in Land of Bearmen to move around, unless they inhabit one of the three main cities, so not coincidentally, the three cities are the only places where you can find strongly religious people and locations.
Qristalview University Modified Shishiyan Church
The Modified Shishiyan Church sees the Moons as being ruled by the Exalted, and the Sun as being controlled by the Enemy. For this reason, followers of the Exalted remain indoors at the Summer Solstice, for the entire day, and followers of the Enemy remain indoors the entire day on the Winter Solstice
Qristalview University is where people from all around come to study the Shishiyan Church. The campus consists of four main buildings, each with an observatory tower on its roof. These observatories are used to study the movements of the moons.
The first building is the grand library of the religious orbits. This library contains books anywhere from how to read a book, or use a telescope, to copies of the original manuscripts of the Shishiyan church and detailed drawings, all in ink, of the movements and shapes of the moons.
The next two buildings are residences for the students and the professors of the Exalted. Each of these buildings are made of strong stone and are heavily guarded.
The final building is a large theater. This is where students go to eat, drink, and enjoy performances. Performances might be one of the fine arts, or they might be an archery or wrestling match.
Students who have completed their training at the university will go out into the world to provide insight to the Exalted's works to the commoners. They are also capable of remaining in the university to study the religion or the moons for many more years, or they might go to the Shrine of the Selestial Shishiyan to meditate for years, or more accurately view the Moons.
The Shrine of the Selestial Shishiyan Modified Shishiyan Church
The Shrine of the Selestial Shishiyan is a circular grove outside of Qoldberry, used for religious meditation and prayer. At the center of the Shrine are two rock gardens shaped like the moons, including all of their darker and lighter spots. Followers of the Modified Shishiyan Church and Qristalview University Alumni gather here to pray and meditate for years at a time, while their pupils, who are here to study the moons feed them qoldberries.
Hall of the Moons Pagan Moon worshipers
The Hall of the Moons is found in the big city of Medved. It is a three story tall Logoqabin in which Bearmen who are especially inclined to study the moons do so by holding animal sacrifices, or meditating and praying to the moons. They have a strange Hierarchy and very little is known about this hierarchy, aside from one clear fact. The pagan worshipers all follow the ruling command of a shortmen leader, who they call Luna, of Lunar.

Qladbishshe
Region 13

Spoiler: Terrain

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Qladbishshe is largely full of an ancient charred forest. Very little grows in the forest, and many of the burnt trees have the natural, or sometimes unnatural appearance of being splattered with blood. The region is vary sparsely populated, with the largest settlement being a small town at the center of the region, containing a population hardly over twenty thousand. The town is known as Qladbishshe and encircles the Graveyard of Qlans. The Graveyard of Qlans is a massive graveyard that contains the graves of the ancient Bearmen Qlans of Septius, Noveqtius and members of Deseqtius, who died in the Septius Affair, nearly five hundred years ago. Many of the graves contain little more than the skeletons of the Bearmen to which they are entitled. Over fifty thousand graves are in the Graveyard, at which the Bearmen of Qladbishshe pray.
Close to five hundred years ago, Septius, the only cannibalistic Qlan ate all members of Noveqtius, and Deseqtus in retaliation raided Septius, killing every last one of their people, and burned their houses. The burnt houses still remain on the outskirts of the village and many of them have not been touched for centuries.

Spoiler: People

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Highlanders, the people native to West Mi'vara, are a tall, broad and dark skinned people. They tend to favour horse hide clothing and generally living a nomadic life, following their herds around Mi'vara.
In the Land of Bearmen, Highlanders are referred to as Highmen, although there culture is approximately the same as in Mi’vara, but adapted to the colder climate. Highmen are very common in Qladbishshe, making up approximately half of the population.
The other half of the population is approximately two thirds Strongmen, and one third shortmen.
Strongmen range from seven to eight feet tall in adulthood. Strongmen are genetically very muscular, with arms the size of legs, and legs even larger than that. Strongmen make up most of the workforce in construction and in combat. They are always exercising to gain more muscles, eating to furnish their intense training, or sleeping to recover after a training intensive day. Strongmen typically do not bother raising horses, as most of them would die under a Strongmen's weight, and Strongmen instead pull carts on their own.
shortmen are on average four to five feet tall in adulthood, and weigh very little. shortmen typically become hunters or diplomats. shortmen diplomats make up the majority of chiefs, but that is not to say that Strongmen or Highmen do not ever become chiefs.
shortmen names are often longer, to make up for their small size, Strongmen names are shorter, giving them a less intelligent appearance and Highmen names often include vocal clicks in their names.
A general term to refer to the three races as a whole is Bearmen.
In the beginning, there were eighteen Qlans in Land of Bearmen, although some of them have died out, or have migrated to other regions and have disappeared for the time being. As an example, Septius, the only cannibalistic Qlan ate all members of Noveqtius, and Deseqtus in retaliation raided Septius, killing every last one of their people, and burned their houses.
The original Bearmen Qlans were Sagittarius, Ares, Virgo, Pisqes, Apeljus, Qapriqorn, Septius, Oqtius, Noveqtius, Deseqtus, Aqwarius, Tauros, Gemini, Qanser, Leo, Libra, Sqorpio, Maqsimus.

Only the Qlan of Deseqtus remains in Qladbishshe today, as the other two Qlans that used to exist in Qladbishshe died out. The Qlan of Deseqtus lives in a small village, know as Qladbishshe. The village is run by a shortmen named Starodubsteva. Her ancestors gained the trust of the Qlan of Deseqtus hundreds of years ago, after the Septius Affair. They have ruled over the village of Qladbishshe ever since.
The village of Qladbishshe is small, but contains the majority of the population of the region. Although the region's primary exports are musical instruments, the people enjoy blueberries as their primary cultural food. The blueberries that grow in Qladbishshe grow in the more habitable regions of the Dead Forest, or from the graves of the Ancient Qlans. The blueberries that grow from the graveyard are considered sacred and are only harvested on holy days.

Contrary to the other Bearmen of the world, the majority of the musicians of Qladbishshe play instruments of southern design. Their violins, violas, viols, violoncellos and basses are either purchased from the legendary luthier named Testifonte Tavolacci, or made to imitate his spotless works. Although the imitations are usually of decent quality, the musicians of Qladbishshe tend to create a division between themselves: the skilled players use the Tavolacci instruments, while the novice players use the mock instruments.

Bearmen commonly live in two primary types of homes, although they also live in ordinary log cabins, huts, and occasionally multiple story buildings. Bearmen also have storage buildings and temporary shelters for preserving objects, which they do not live in.
Known as Mudhauses, the first kind is dug into a hole, with mud crafted to form a roof for the house. These houses typically have a fireplace, whether powered by coal, in the center of their circular rooms, rarely have more than two rooms, and most commonly have only one room. The people who live in Mudhauses sleep, eat and cook around the central fire, but store their caught meat underground, outside of their house. The other form of house, the Logoqabin, is made like a long log cabin. The Logoqabin has one large room, divided into sections along its length, The first section is typically a sitting area, for resting after a long day of working. This is also where Bearmen keep their beds. The next section of a Logoqabin is a place for eating, with long tables surrounding an oven or a stove used for cooking. The next section is a training zone for all kinds of Bearmen. There are 300 pound weights of stone, punching bags and sparing rings for Strongmen, crossbow firing ranges for shortmen, and horse riding rings for the Highmen. Overall, Logoqabins can be over five hundred feet long.
Qigluses are not found in Qladbishshe, as there is no snow to make them.

Spoiler: Resource

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Instruments.
Qladbishshe is home to two of the greatest instrument researchers and/or creators in all of Celessa.

Tesifonte Tavolacci: Tesifonte Tavolacci is a luthier who moved to Qladbishshe nearly fifty years ago from the south. He moved to the seemingly dead and burnt region to bring music to the somber area. Upon close investigation of the charred trees, Tesifonte Tavolacci found that at the core of the charred trees of Qladbishshe was excellent, unharmed wood for the construction of the musical instruments that Tavolacci specializes in. Tavolacci makes what some consider to be the continent's best violins, violas, viols, violoncellos and basses.

Minin Yefrem Maximovish: Minin Yefrem Maximovich is a Bearmen archaeologist, who performs digs on ancient tombs found in the far north, along the Winter Coast. He searches the ancient tombs and removes from them, the ancient instruments that where buried with the ancient warlords or barbarian kings of the north. He studies their composition and recreates them, with modern day equivalents of the materials used in their creation.

Spoiler: Religion

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The people of Qladbishshe are primarily worshipers of the Shishiyan religion, although in the north, a small group of tomb raiders worship the ancient corpses of the barbarian kings and the warlords that were buried there.

The Shishiyan Temple of Qladbishshe. Shishiyan
On a weekly basis, the Shishiyan worshipers of Qladbishshe come together at a temple outside of the Qladbishshe Graveyard, where they go out into the moonlight, to pray for each of the graves in the graveyard. The interior of the circular temple is filled with statues of the Chosen throughout the ages, at which the people of Qladbishshe leave food offerings.

The Tomb of the Ancient Barbarian King. Pagan
A small group of tomb raiders in the north of the region of Qladbishshe have discovered an especially large tomb, in which the richest ancient northern bandit king was buried. The group of about one thousand tomb raiders pray to the ancient bandit king in this tomb, leaving their gold at his rotting feet. The tomb raiders also protect the tomb viciously, not letting anyone come near to the tomb.

The Church of Noveqtius. Empty
The Church of Noveqtius is a gothic church that has been empty since the Septius affair, almost five hundred years ago. See People and/or Terrain for more detail on the matter. The church was the only building that was not torched at the end of the matter, but no one dares go near it, out of superstition. It is believed that the church is haunted by the ancient souls of the Qlan of Septius, but common sense makes that hogwash fake. Ghosts? Really?

[Geckus]

Khada’Aldul “Realm of the Godly”
Region 40

Tiridata Tarak Kainen, the Thousand Hammers
Diplomacy: 2
Military: 3
Economy: 1
Intrigue: 1
Faith: 4

Spoiler: Khada'Aldul, the Realm of the Godly

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Spoiler: History and Government

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History and Government:
A militant theocracy with roots stretching back into antiquity, Khada’Aldul, the Realm of the Godly, is a place of incredible beauty and splendor built upon the bones of uncountable masses.

Khada’Aldul is a caste based society ruled by the God-Kings and their families, the four Khada lines whose power is absolute; in Khada’Aldul, all people are slaves to the Khada, but not all slaves are equal. One is born into their caste and this may never change, but standing within that caste is fluid – those who best exemplify the traits of their caste and serve the will of the Khada are given a higher place and may even earn privileges normally denied their caste. Caste marks are branded into the forehead once it is deemed an infant shall live, or upon conversion to the true way for those unfortunate enough to have been born outside of the Realm. Each of the castes is granted certain rights and freedoms, as well as obligations, while those without a caste mark are lower even than slaves and have no standing or rights at all within Khada’Aldul. Marriage between castes is forbidden, but children born of a pairing between members of differing castes can be taken into the higher caste at the parent’s discretion.

The highest of the castes are the Talrud, the priestly caste, servants of the Khada who oversee the many religious ceremonies and also fill the role of bureaucrat within the realm. Then come the Mharvad, the warrior caste, which includes gladiators and athletes, as well as the common soldier. The Dalhaz are the artisan caste, those who make and sell goods as well as performers and artists. Last and least, as well as by far the most numerous, are the Pakdavir, the worker caste, which includes farmers, litter bearers, water haulers, and any other laborers.

Metal rings are worn around the neck to denote status within a caste; the rules which govern the giving of new rings are complex and often baffling to outsiders, but the most obvious is that the right to a new ring can only be confirmed by one of higher station within the caste or one of the Khada. Rings of copper are worn by the Pakdavir, bronze by the Dalhaz, silver by the Mharvad, and gold by the Talrud; the Khada lines themselves are beyond such things, they each carry titles and sobriquets, but only one is used to denote rank and distinguish the first among them – Tiridata, or Law Giver.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Terrain:
The majority of Khada’Aldul is an arid desert, of the rocky sort in the south, where the exposed bedrock has formed a region of raised plateaus and deep canyons, while sand dunes cover the lower lands of the north to the coast. There are some decent agricultural lands along the mighty river Semet, which threads its way from deep within the rocky plateaus of the south-west across the length of the region to the north-eastern coast.

The walled city of Aldhera is the gateway to the Realm, sitting on a promontory overlooking the terminus of the river Semet as it flows into the sea. Originally a fortress from which the faithful would embark upon crusades to bring the true way to the northern heathens, it quickly saw the growth of a true city around it to handle supplying the crusades and the influx of new slaves. In times of peace, it acts as one of the largest trading port along the coast, and by word of the Khada, it is the one place in the Realm where those lost to the true way are tolerated and even protected (to a degree).

Almost perfectly circular and surrounded by raised rock formations that form a natural amphitheater, Mihrab, or Skybowl, is the name given to the great lake from which the river Semet flows. It is believed that this is the location where the first Khada met in counsel to form the Realm, and so is a site of major religious importance to the Khadast’una.

The capital city is called Khada’Angir, the Home of the Godly, for it is the primary residence of the heads of each of the four Khada lines. It is also known as the City of Thousand Temples; every road in the city has at least one temple to the Khada somewhere along it length, and shrines can be found every hundred feet along the main roads. Originally built around an oasis in the southern reaches of the desert, the city has long outgrown the capacity to support itself, and relies upon constant shipments of water drawn from Skybowl and the Semet to refill its cisterns.

Spoiler: People

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People:
The human people of Khada’Aldul call themselves the Khada’haz, or the ‘Godly People’, as they have been blessed by the presence of the Khada, the eternal God-Kings. Most the populace have a bronzed skin tone and dark hair, though there are smaller populations of both lighter and darker skinned peoples, mostly of the worker caste, a reminder of times when the realm stretched further and non-natives were taught the true way and brought back to the capital.

Typical garb consists of a loose necked hooded robe worn over a long tunic and pants, with long scarves wound about the face and neck while travelling to guard against the sun and wind blown sand. Fabrics are native linens and cotton, typically in natural shades of brown, white and grey, though more affluent individuals make heavy use of dyes and embroidery to add some ornamentation to their clothing.

Given the scarcity of wood in the area, the architecture of Khada’Angir relies almost entirely on stone, with granite and marble being relatively abundant in the south, and limestone being used extensively in the north. Most homes consist of a single large open space which is sectioned off by hanging cloth or stretched leather panels to make distinct rooms, with a short entrance hall with heavy curtains rather than doors at both the inner and outer doorways. Carved pillars and statuary are common forms of decoration both indoors and out, and no structure is complete without at last a small shrine to the Khada.

Due to their recent long period of quiescence, the Khada’haz have fallen behind the north in certain areas of science and technology, such as metalworking and agriculture, but their dedication to the perfection of the human form has also driven them to remarkable advances in the field of medicine, leading to surprising long life expectancy even among the Pakdavir and slaves. Literacy is somewhat more common than elsewhere – all Talrud are literate (to better serve the Khada and administer the Realm), as are many of the Mharvad and Dalhaz caste.

Beyond the normal human populace, there are the Khada lines; enhanced and perfected across countless generations of careful breeding and alchemical augmentation, few outside of the realm would qualify the Khada as entirely human anymore. Each of the lines has their own vision of the perfected self, and differing regimens of alchemical concoctions that make their line unique and grant those who survive the decades long process of their application extreme longevity and great power. The four Khada lines bear a broad mix of physical traits, for they take their lovers and breeding stock from all castes, ensuring themselves a wide variety of descendants upon which to test and perfect their alchemical formulas – the vast majority of which either die during their alchemical alterations, or are killed due to some failing identified in the many tests they are subjected to.

Spoiler: Resources

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Resources:
While alchemy is the province of the Khada lines, given their dedication to the perfection of the human body the Khada’haz have made remarkable advances in the medical sciences. The manifold products of their countless physicians are the primary export of the Realm; whether it be a draught to stave off illness, an infusion to deaden pain, or a tonic to increase virility, the Dalhaz produce an abundance for sale to believer and heathen alike.

Trade Posts and Control

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
40	Medicine	KDL	O	O

While fish remains the staple food of their diet, beef, lamb, and pork all make up a part of local cuisine, and Khada’Aldul requires a steady influx of sheep, cattle and pigs to supplement their small and ever-diminishing herds.
Requirement: Herd Animals

Spoiler: Religion

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Religion:
The populace of the region are devout believers in Khadast’una, the Pillars of Godliness, which teaches that there is no life beyond this one, and no greater power than the self; immortal divinity can only be achieved through perfection of the self – as the body is the temple of the spirit, only through strengthening and mastering the flesh can the spirit be mastered and strengthened in turn. The Khada are those who have come closest to achieving this perfection, and so are the only beings worthy of worship and obedience.

Though it is not commonly known outside of the realm, institutionalized cannibalism is part of the religion’s highest ceremony’s; the spirit lives within the flesh and those who have been deemed worthy have their flesh eaten by one of a higher caste, thus moving their spirit closer to the Khada. The very best of each caste offer themselves up to the Khada, so that their spirits might join with them and so reach towards divinity. Criminals, as well as those who fail their caste in spectacular fashion, are fed to the dogs, their spirit condemned to an animal existence (the flesh of a dog is therefore unclean, and must never be eaten).

There is a small heretical group in the city of Aldhera that have attempted to reconcile the northern Shishiyan faith with the Khadast’una by claiming that it is from the Khada that a Chosen will rise, the perfect champion of humanity who will strike down the world’s ills, bringing eternal peace and order to the righteous. To them, the Exalted and the Enemy are nothing more than a shorthand for the conflict between the order of civilization and the chaos of foreign barbarism.

Religious Centers
Khada’Angir – Khadast’una
Aldhera – Khadast’una
Mihrab - Khadast’una

Spoiler: Military

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Military:
The typical army consists of a small cadre of Mharvad caste soldier, a hundred strong and geared with light leather armor, wooden or bone shields, a sling or short bow, and a shamshir (short, curve bladed swords), riding herd on a tide of several thousand fanatical Pakdavir levies armed with whatever gear can be scrounged up, with poor spears, farming implements, rocks and bare hands being equally common.

Spoiler: Ruler History

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Round 1 - Tiradata Tarak Kainen - D2, M3, E1, I1, F4 (floating +1 put in M & F)
Round 2 -

Spoiler: Region 41 - Kharaseya

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Kharaseya
Region 41

Spoiler: History & Government:

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Kharaseya has a long history of invasion, occupation, neglect, and eventual abandonment leading to another invasion; both the Khada and Kings of Euqeen have laid claim to the region in the past, occupying it for a time before their isolationist tendencies led to an eventual withdrawal. The native zenta tribes long ago gave up their nomadic traditions to settle in the northeast, founding several small towns and villages and one major city, Zvan.
Each town and village is led by an elected Elder, who is not necessarily the oldest person, but is usually the wisest or most personable. A council of Elders is hosted every five years in Zvan to settle disputes and make trade agreements, overseen by the Lord of Zvan – a hereditary title currently held by Dal Vorgo, who traces his lineage (somewhat spuriously) to the tribe that first settled the city.
Since the year 1023, the King of Euqeen had once again been making claims to large swaths of the region along the coast citing previous oaths of fealty made by Elders in the area, and was making some headway with the populace (who were eager to stave off yet another invasion), but was ultimately beaten to the punch by the armies of Khada’Aldul in 1028, who, following an edict made several years back by their Tiridata, marched across the region and forced the surrender of the Lord of Zvan after scattering his forces, who had been hindered and disrupted by locals still loyal to the Khada and made aware of the coming invasion by Talrud missionaries almost a decade past.

Spoiler: Terrain:

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Along the south-eastern edge of the region desert plateaus slowly give way to broken, rocky hills as one travels eastward, while the coastal region is sandy desert giving way to wadis and eventually arid plains crossed by a half dozen rivers flowing down from the more fertile lands to the northeast.
The chain of islands off the coast are largely under the sway of the island kingdom of Euqeen, save for a few small ones that claimed independence from them long ago.
The only true city in the region is in the northeast, almost at the very border, and is situated at the confluence of the two largest rivers flowing into the region. Called Zvan, which means ‘beautiful meeting’ in the native tongue, it acts as both the hub of all trade and capitol for the area. Liberal use has been made of the native marble in the construction of the city; statuary and fountains are common place, and the main thoroughfare has been entirely paved with marble blocks. Being the only major population center, it has also been the target of every invasion of the region, making something of a mockery of its name. Having been sacked and burned on at least three separate occasions, it’s once mighty walls were taken down long ago and it has become tradition for the Lord of Zvan to surrender once the army is defeated in the field, to prevent yet another disastrous siege.

Spoiler: People:

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The people of Kharaseya are a mix of human peoples left behind by a former occupation by the Khada’haz, who dominate the western reaches, and those descended from the native Zenta tribes that settled into an agrarian lifestyle in the more habitable east, while a small number of Fale inhabit the few islands that tentatively belong to the region.
Relations between these three peoples are rocky – the khada’haz and zenta argue and fight over borders and grazing rights constantly, while the fale control most of the good fishing spots off the coast and have earned the enmity of quite a few families by sinking fishing boats trespassing in their waters.

Spoiler: Resources:

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Two major marble quarries operate in the region, supplying a vast quantity of the valuable stone. In the southern hills, the Obesta quarry turns out blocks of fine-grained green hued marble of surpassing hardness, used extensively in buildings and monuments across the region and abroad. Along the northern coast is the Paros quarry, where a fine-grained semi translucent pure white and entirely flawless marble is cut and shipped to be used in the crafting of the finest sculptures in Celessa.

Spoiler: Trade Posts (Marble):

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1) Obesta Quarry - Open
2) Paros Quarry - Open

Spoiler: Religion:

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The majority of the populace follow the conventional Shishiyan faith; the native Zenta’s worship of animal totems was routed out centuries past when the region was part of Khada’Aldul and when that nation fell into decline and abandoned the region, northern proselytizers found fertile grounds for conversion. Only in the west, in the desert areas closest to the Realm of the Godly did the imposed belief in the Khada remain strong.

Spoiler: Religious Centers:

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1) Shishiyan
2) Shishiyan
3) Khadast’una

Spoiler: Region 39 - Hessia

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Hessia
Region 39

History & Government:
The people of Hessia maintain an oral tradition, with their history passed down in the form of stories and legends. According to the legends of most of the clans, the Hessen are the descendants of warriors who fought by the side of a Chosen against a horde of demon-men, the legions of a Beast in an age long past. The battle was won and the remaining demon-men fled underground, but the Chosen died killing the Beast, so his warriors took it upon themselves to remain as guardians to watch over the tombs of both and ensure that the demon-men would not rise again.
There is no central governance in the region; the Hessen live in small clan groupings that rarely number more than a hundred members and each clan follows a Headman who wields ultimate authority over their people. The position is a hereditary one, though a Headman who loses the respect of his warriors might find himself overthrown and abandoned in the deep desert to die. The clans are a fractious lot entangled in a web of old grievances and arguments over religion, honor, pride, and of course the allocation of the region’s limited resources. Raids between clans are commonplace, though pitched battles are quite rare as few Headmen are willing to risk the loses in men and mounts that would entail. It was this inability to unify that ensured no true army met the invading forces of Khada’Aldul in the year of 1025, and led the various Headmen to bend the knee as the Mharvad, no strangers to desert warfare, solidified their control over oasis after oasis over the next few years instead of chasing them across the dunes.

Terrain:
Hessia a desert land where no rivers flow; the southern reaches are a series of raised rocky plateaus riddled with caves and treacherous areas of shifting stone, while the central and northern stretch of the region is a great sand sea with dunes that can reach over 130 meters in height. The only sources of water are the oasis’ concealed by the shifting sands or hidden in the depths of the southern caves, and the rare rains from the northern sea. There is very sparse vegetation, limited to desert grasses and shrubs except around the rare oasis where a few hardier species of tree can be found.
Animal life is sparse, consisting of a few breeds of antelope and gazelle, camels, goats, cheetahs, foxes, and numerous varieties of lizard, snake, and birds. Small packs of wild dogs also roam the region – while they avoid larger groups, they are known to attack and kill lone humans and present a deadly threat to those who have been drawn away from their clan to hunt or gather. There are also several species of scorpion, the most feared of which is called the deathstalker – growing to over 10 centa in length, they possess a venom that while not often directly fatal to something as large as a grown man causes such intense pain that unrestrained victims have been known to hack off their own limbs and animals to bleed to death from gnawing at the stung area in attempts to free themselves of it.

People:
The nomadic humans who live in the region call themselves Hessen. They share a common ancestry with the Ligian peoples of Caligonia; the Ligians are quick to claim that the Hessen were rivals driven into the harsher desert land to the east, while the Hessen insist that the Ligians came from clans too soft for the burning sands who fled to the west. As both groups maintain an oral tradition rather than written records, there is little proof to settle the dispute on either side.
Hessen have a dark bronze skin tone, and eye and hair colors other than dark brown are extremely rare and often considered a sign of misfortune. They are lean and long limbed, averaging around five and half feet in height though they are universally bow-legged from lives spent in the saddle; it is sometimes said that a true Hessen is only out of the saddle twice in their life, when they are born and when they die – an exaggeration to be sure, but not so great a one as most outsiders would believe. Typical clothing consists of a linen tunic and pants covered by a cotton robe, with a long headscarf wrapped around the face and neck as added protection from sun and sand.

Resources:
Every Hessen clan measures its wealth by the number of camels in its herd; life in the desert is a hard one and without the beast’s strong backs and tireless legs it is harder still. Those clans who skirt the borders of the region have been known to trade the ill-tempered but hardy beasts in exchange for goods that are otherwise unavailable in the area, knowing that they will be able to recoup the cost and more from those clans that keep to the deeper desert.

Religion:
The Hessen are devout followers of the Shishiyan faith, though time and infrequent contact with the church has led to differences between the clans as to which branch of the faith is the correct one.

Religious Centers:
1) Shishiyan
2) Sarvochism
3) Kunist

Trade Posts (Camels):
1) Clan Stranna – coastal (GRI)
2) Clan Vintna – western border (CLG)
3) Clan Camarris – eastern border (Open)

[BootStrapTommy]

The Phœnīx Estates

The Phœnīx Suzerain
Diplomacy:
Military:
Economy:
Intrigue:
Faith:

The Phœnīx Demesne (Region 7)

History and Government

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The Phœnīx Estates could be described as an oligarchical republic. Largely a class based society, the Phenite Patricians rules over the Equestrian class of soldiers and the Plebeian commoners. The governing senate is called the Curia Phœnīx, which serves as a legislature from the capital of Rhune. The Alepoúsói Harbinger also holds an esteemed place on the Curia, serving to represent the will of the Alepoúsói. The Harbinger's existence is considered a legacy of the prophet Ananda, who proclaimed the personhood of the Alepoúsói despite their historic persecution. The head of state is the Phœnīx Suzerain, a mysterious and somewhat mythological figure with veto powers over the Curia. It is believed by many that the masked rulers are in fact secretly appointed by the Shishiyan Grand Mahangar and subject to the direct authority of the Church. However, some rumors circulate that the Suzerain is in fact a single immortal being, surviving from the days before even the Prophet Ananda walked Celessa.

Terrain

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Located tucked between the the peaks of the Iugis Ignis and the sparkling waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Phœnīx Demesne is a craggy land of mountains and rolling hills. While the eastern most border is dominated by the towering Iugis Ignis, the southern border is set by the smaller Panoúrgos Iuga. In the Phœnīx Vale between, the rolling hills are dotted with small forests and shrubbery, with numerous areas burned clear by the wildfires that plague the area. A result of both the latent volcanic activity of the peninsula's central range and the death knells of the region's population of phœnīxes, the periodic fires leave the soil rich and fertile. There among the hills the local Phenite humans grow many staples, from grains and grapes to olive trees. Deep in the mountains of the region is the territory of the Alepoúsói, who call the pastoral valleys of the inlands their home.

The largest polity in the region is capital of Rhune, located in the Demesne's south on Phœnīxbay, where the Panoúrgos Iuga reach toward the sea. This large metropolis, one of the largest and oldest cities in Celessa, is a major trade hub and the home of the Phœnīx Curia, the regional governing body. In the country's north lies the holy city of Capevasta, located within sight of the Church's holiest site and headquarters, Shanadeer. Tradition holds that it was in Capevesta that the prophet Ananda finally passed, and many Shishiyan faithful make pilgrimage to the city and its holy sites. Meanwhile, deep in the Vale on the border with the mountains lies the small city of Phœnīxkila, a trade hub between the valley Phenites and the Alepoúsói of the mountains. It was in this town that the first intellectual roots of the Yadaism movement began.

People

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Two major peoples call the Demense home, the human Phenites and the vulpine Alepoúsói.

The Phenites are a race of handsome, tan skinned humans of an ancient and esteemed culture. They are of a relatively tall height, with eyes and hair of wildly varying color. Considered to be one of the first ethnic groups to embrace the teachings of Ananda, the Phenite have a long proud history in central Celessa as a militaristic and industrious people. Possessing a strong class structure, the majority of Phenites belong to the Plebeian class, citizens of the Demesne born of low standing. Most of the country's farmers, laborers, tradesman, and minor merchants belong to this class. Above them are the Equestrians, minor nobles and members of the warrior class. The Equestrains make up most of the Demense military, and own a sizable chunk of the nations land. The highest class are the Patricians, those esteemed noble houses that govern most of the land, which include members of the Curia, governors, and many of the wealthiest and most powerful merchants and landowners. There exists a certain mobility within this class system, as Plebeians of some means can buy a house and armor to join the military, earning themselves Equestrian status, while Equestrians of great accomplishment, on or off the battlefield, can be named Patricians by the Curia.

The Phenites are largely devote Shishiyans, with numerous holy sites of the religion within the Demesne's border. Proximity to the Church's headquarters only serves to solidify this relationship, to the point that many describe Shishiyan culture as synonymous with Phenite culture. As a result the Shishiyan Church holds great sway within the region, up to the highest levels of government.

The Alepoúsói are the other inhabitants of the region, a minority largely consigned to the valleys of the Iugis Ignis and the epitomous Panoúrgos Iuga. Appearing largely human, the Alepoúsói differ in a few features. They are pale skinned and possess ears not unlike those of a fox and long furry tails of similar mien. With often bright and fiery colored hair, they are considered a beautiful race by many, though this appearance does little to diffuse their reputation as a deceitful, vulpine people. Their acceptance within Phenite culture is largely rooted in the teachings of Ananda, but even today they face a great deal of discrimination. Most remain pastoralists in the mountains or wandering traders, largely divorced from the Phenite class system. An Auxlia of Alepoúsói exists among the Equestrian class, however, and comprise some of the most feared soldiers in the legions of the Demesne, under the direct command of the Alepoúsói Harbinger. However, the Curia has done almost nothing to recognize the accomplishments of this group, the Harbinger being the only Alepoúsói of Patrician status.

Resources

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Produces: Phœnīx Ashes [Great] A native avian of the region, the volatile phœnīx is a large, brightly colored avian purported to be immortal. The strange species of high intelligent raptor is a common avian predator of the area, and is popular as a pet among the wealthy and elite. The strange feature of the bird is that, when ending its life cycle, the bird violently combusts, rather than dying in the manner traditional to other animals. It is said that the bird re-emerges from the ashes, though little evidence supports this claim. The ashes, however, have a number of strange properties that make them extremely valuable. The ashes make an amazing fuel source, as they violently combust and burn very bright and hot.

Trade Posts and Control

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
7	Phœnīx Ashes	PHX	O	O

Needs: The Patricians, in a position of power and wealth, demand precious metals for the purpose of status and jewelry, while the Curia desires more to mint coinage.

Religion

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With a deep history in the region and some of the Church's holiest sites, the Shishiyan Church holds sway over much of the region and has a profound influence on the culture of the people of the Demesne, to the point that many consider Phenite culture as synonymous with Shishiyan culture. In the city of Phœnīxkila, far from the other major centers in the region and on the border of Alepoúsói territory has arisen the Yadaism faction of the Shishiyan Church, a hardline faction claiming extreme loyalties to the Grand Mahangar. This highly zealous faction is tolerated by the Church do to it extreme orthodoxy and notable loyalty, though some eye the upstart group with suspicion.

Religious Centers
Rhune - The Shishiyan Church
Capevasta - The Shishiyan Church
Phœnīxkila - Shishiyan Yadaism

[Aedilred]

Celessa and the World

Spoiler: The Solar System, and the Calendar

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People have long been fascinated by the movement of celestial bodies, and have seen in their direction some reflection of the cosmic struggle. Early astronomers assumed a geocentric model where all the celestial bodies revolved around the point they were standing, but frustrations resulting from attempting to fit the observed patterns of movement into a geocentric model caused a major revision of this a few centuries ago. Heliocentrism is now the official position of the Church, though periodically further revisions are called for.

There are four known planets, in addition to Sansar (the planet on which Celessa rests). These are, in ascending order outward from the Sun: Shisha, Arshagar, Jalish, (Sansar) and Haragar.

Since antiquity the visible bodies have been incorporated into calendars. The year has long been known to have 365 days.

The “primary” moon, Chandi, has a cycle of 26 days, while the secondary moon, Chandera, sometimes called the dark moon, has a cycle of 73 days. This slight offset of each moon relative to the other, and of both moons to the sun, means that each year Chandi falls backwards one day in phase, although Chandera remains constant with the sun. The relative phase of each moon is significant for astrologers, with days when both moons are in fully opposite phases considered particularly remarkable.

Conventionally, the year is divided into seven-day weeks, as in the ancient Imperial calendar, with each day corresponding to one of the celestial bodies (the four visible planets, the Sun, and both moons). The year is further conventionally divided into twelve months, now numbered simply one to twelve and named accordingly. Attempts have been made in the past to change the names of these months. The mad Emperor Laramahar, for instance, renamed the sixth month after himself and the other eleven months after his favourite hunting dogs, but this system did not long survive his death. Some regional variants, with months named after weather, seasonal occupations, or divine patrons, have proven more durable.

The calendar used for most purposes (formally, the Imperial Calendar) is shown below, and is accurate for the year 1029. The month and day names are those used by the Church, but these are heavily regionalised.

Spoiler: Imperial Calendar

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1029 Imperial Calendar
Ravidin	Chandin	Sheedin	Arshadin	Haradin	Jaladin	Chanderadin
Ekastha
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26 (New Moon I)	27	28
29	30
Dosastha
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22 New Moon I)	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30
Tinasta
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13 (New Moon II)	14	15	16	17
18 (New Moon I)	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31
Chartastha
1 (Equinox)	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13 (New Moon I)	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30
Panchastha
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9 (New Moon I)	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25 (New Moon II)	26
27	28	29	30	31
Chathavan
					1	2
3	4 (New Moon I)	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30 (New Moon I)
Sathavan
1 (Solstice)	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26 (New Moon I)	27	28
29	30	31
Athastha
			1	2	3	4
5	6 (New Moon II)	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21 (New Moon I)	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31
Nosthavan
						1
2	3	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16 (New Moon I)	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29
30 (Equinox)
Dasthavan
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12 (New Moon I)	13
14	15	16	17	18 (New Moon II)	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31
Gyathavan
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7 (New Moon I)	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Barastha
						1
2	3 (New Moon I)	4	5	6	7	8
9	10	11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20	21	22
23	24	25	26	27	28	29 (New Moon I)
30 (Solstice, New Moon II)

As implied by its nickname of the “dark moon”, Chandera has a grim reputation and is often regarded as a property of the Enemy. According to legend, some of the most terrible Beasts have arisen when Chandera is waxing and Chandi is all but invisible. At some point in distant antiquity, possibly even before the birth of Ananda, a calendar was therefore created which made no allowance for Chandera and maintained a six-day week. This was felt to be more pleasing to the Exalted in any case, due to the importance of the number six, and the calendar was further kept regular by making each month exactly 30 days in length. In order to fill out the full 365 days an intercalary week of five days was added at the end of the year, though for some priests this odd intrusion was unacceptable and they insisted on a six-day week, even though that would in time throw the year out of phase with the sun altogether. Thus two calendars were created, one which keeps in step with the Imperial calendar but which numbers its days within the year differently, and one which synchronises its beginning or end with the Imperial calendar only once every few centuries.

Both these calendars are still in use. The five-day calendar (known as the Anarchic Calendar) is more common, and is used to calculate the dates of some holy days by the Church, although for all practical purposes the Imperial calendar is used. The six-day calendar (known as the Perfect Calendar) is maintained by some ancient sects who use it to calculate their own dates, festivals and feasts. This has been known to cause confusion among travellers who find themselves, for instance, in the midst of what they consider a winter festival during late summer.

The Anarchic Calendar starts its year-numbering system with the year believed to have been the birth of Gon Ke Rashaka, the last known Chosen. This dating is not certain and is by no means uncontroversial. The calendar for 1791 AC (1029 in the Imperial Calendar) is shown here.

Spoiler: Anarchic Calendar

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Anarchic Calendar 1791
Ravidin	Chandin	Sheedin	Arshadin	Haradin	Jaladin
Month 1
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26 (New Moon I)	27	28	29	30
Month 2
1	2	3	4	5	6
7 (Full Moon II)	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22 (New Moon I)	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 3
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13 (New Moon II)	14	15	16	17	18 (New Moon I)
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 4
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14 (New Moon I)	15	16	17	18
19 (Full Moon II)	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 5
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10 (New Moon I)	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26 (New Moon II)	27	28	29	30
Month 6
1	2	3	4	5	6 (New Moon I)
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 7
1	2 (New Moon I)	3 (Solstice, Full Moon II)	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28 (New Moon I)	29	30
Month 8
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10 (New Moon II)	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24 (New Moon I)
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 9
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16 (Full Moon II)	17	18
19	20 (New Moon I)	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 10
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16 (New Moon I)	17	18
19	20	21	22	23 (New Moon II)	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Month 11
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12 (New Moon I)
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30 (Full Moon II)
Month 12
1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8 (New Moon I)	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30
Intercalary Week
1	2	3	4 (New Moon I)	5 (Solstice, New Moon II)

Spoiler: Money and Currency

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Although promissory notes for exchange of large amounts of money are known to most merchants in the civilised world, credit as a concept is still in its relative infancy, and for most practical purposes money is still not only backed by precious metals, but comprised of them too.

Attempts to impose a single monetary system date back to the invasion of Gon Ke Rashaka, who imposed the first standardised weights and measures on the regions under his control. Vajetamahar adopted the general system although with some revisions to make it easier to maintain supply. Over the centuries, however, these orderly systems have proven hard to maintain.

In particular, the standardisation of a single measurement across the whole continent proved all but impossible, and the idea of what constitutes, for instance, a “pound” could vary enormously between Yssa and Ynys y Corsydd and this is reflected in the size of coins produced by their mints. Rulers, no doubt under the influence of the Enemy or the Beast, have often given in to the temptation to debase the currency with copper, lead, or other non-valuable metals, leading to some coins of the same face value being worth more or less than others.

According to legend, the first currency was created by Gon Ke Rashaka after he slew a monster terrorising a local kingdom (in some stories, a Beast) and was presented by a grateful king with the equivalent weight in silver of the creature’s head. He returned one tenth part of this to the people, and then divided it twice, representing the duality of creation, then six ways, then, a further six ways, and so forth. The standard currency of the period was a rounded oblong silver coin, equal to 1/72 of the original total.

This coin proved impractical, mainly because of its size but also because of the awkwardness of the mathematical calculations required. Vajetamahar replaced it with a new system supposedly based on the original amount of silver, with easier subdivisions. The grand total was divided by twelve twice, then by ten, and finally by two. As various successors wrestled with how to turn this mathematically pleasing calculation into a usable formula, some of these subdivisions were moved or combined, and the largest abandoned altogether.

In time the standard Imperial silver-based currency developed:

1 panna = 20 silina = 240 dis

This is commonly abbreviated as P (or L)/S/D

One panna (also known as a liram) is equal to one pound of silver (the names are related). Although in practice the precise coinage used may not reflect the above neatly, this is still the base measurement used by the Church to assess and value tithes.

One pound of gold is considered equal to twelve pounds of silver. A pound of electrum is generally considered to be equal to six pounds of silver, although this can change depending on the gold content.

Of course, these strict rules do not always reflect trading reality. Coins worth more in bullion than their current face value are, sadly, frequently melted down by unscrupulous coiners for profit.

The list of coins that follows is by no means exhaustive, and there are likely countless more regional variations not accounted for here. The table shows their face value according to the Church accounting measure; in practice this value may vary rather widely.

Coin	Value			Metal	Other Names	Notes
	P/L	S	D
Talent	60-120	-	-	-		Originally 120 panna, but precise value now varies by jurisdiction. For most purposes a unit of account only.
Shiram	12	-	-	-	Astum, Cap, Bonce	For most purposes a unit of account only
Balbek	1	1		Gold		Named after Baalbek, where the gold for the first coins originated
Panna	1	-	-	Usually Gold	Pound, Libre, Liram, Funt, Pavunt, Praban, Asaredin
Kalidin	-	15	-	Gold	Sham, Kungee	Depicts a key on the reverse
Marak	-	13	4	Usually Gold	Mark	Two-thirds of a Panna. For most purposes a unit of account only.
Kavach	-	12	3	Gold	Scudo	Depicts the hexagram on the reverse.
Sukhin	-	10	-	Gold	Rashie, Choosie, Shandy	Depicts Gon Ke Rashaka on the obverse, and a sword on the reverse
Sona	-	8	4	Gold	Thos, Solide	Legacy Imperial coin, largely obsolete.
Talak	-	8	4	Electrum	Thaler, Dollar	Used as a base measurement in place of the Panna in some more barbarous jurisdictions. Depicts a bird in flight on the reverse.
Maulin	-	7	6	Gold	Half-Key
Shekel	-	6	8	Usually Gold		More common in northern Alade, imported to Celessa by merchants. Usually made of silver or electrum. Commonly depicts a barleycorn on the reverse.
Rajar	-	6	-	Gold	Gobbin, Noble, Double-Lion
Tash	-	5	-	Usually Gold	Crown, Qrona, Korunin,	So named for the crown that usually appears on the reverse
Sachin	-	4	8	Electrum	Don, Garry, Syd	Depicts a goat on the reverse
Edel	-	4	6	Electrum	Flower, Rose Crown	Depicts flowers on the reverse
Riyal	-	4	-	Gold	Freninol	Often depicts a crowned king on the reverse
Sherin	-	3	-	Gold	Half-Gobbin, Lion, Lenny	An unsuccessful and short-lived coin, depicting a lion on the reverse
Nuhar	-	3	-	Silver	Ziggurat, Larsin, Ziggy	A very large coin, depicts a ziggurat on the reverse
Yaritash	-	2	6	Electrum	Hantash, Half-crown
Dinar	-	2	1	Gold		Gold version of the Kal
Kal	-	2	1	Silver	Quarter, Bear	One quarter of a Talak. Generally depicts a bear on the reverse.
Mahangarin	-	2	-	Gold		Created in the first century to replace the Maharin; fell out of use thereafter but occasionally reissued. Commonly depicts Sud Shaheed (or other Mahangar) on the obverse and a winged mace on the reverse.
Decime	-	2	-	Silver		Largely obsolete
Maharin	-	1	11	Gold	Duq, Ducat	An old coin first issued in Imperial times. Depicts the issuing ruler on the obverse, reverse varies.
Rupel	-	1	10	Silver	Rouble, Telskov, Qopeq
Akku	-	1	6	Silver	Ginny, Owl, Helm	Depicts an owl on the reverse.
Silina	-	1	-	Silver	Saltin, Sheolin, Shilling
Disme	-	-	10	Silver	Dime	One tenth of a Talak, depicts a torch on reverse
Zuz	-	-	9	Silver		Heavily localised, six-pointed star on both sides
Ath	-	-	8	Silver	Wyrm, Prevaz, Basmin	Depicts a serpent on the reverse
Chakan	-	-	6	Silver	Chwedin, Tanner, Sixpence
Billee	-	-	5	Silver	Nickel, Kitty	Depicts an animal (usually a cat) on reverse
Motim	-	-	4	Silver	Bastem, Groat, Sişman	Often features a geometric design on the reverse
Tindin	-	-	3	Silver	Trigen, Bit, Thruppenny	Dodecagonal, often features a castle on reverse
Piast	-	-	2.4	Usually Silver	Kuruş
Diram	-	-	2	Silver	Daugen, dragon, dram, drachm, draq, tuppence	Often depicts a dragon on the reverse.
Vish	-	-	1.5	Silver	Vishanya penny	Largely obsolete.
Die	-	-	1	Usually Silver	Dinar, Penny, Cent, Satim, Paisa, Peso	The most common everyday unit of currency
Adhim	-	-	0.5	Copper or Brass	Halfpenny, Hangen
Fil	-	-	0.48	Copper or Brass	Pilin, Fulu, Folly, Fals	One hundredth of a Riyal. Supposedly known as a Folly because of its confusion with the more valuable Adhim, but this is likely a linguistic coincidence.
Chathim	-	-	0.25	Copper or Brass	Pardin, Farthing
Bais	-	-	0.05	Brass		Rarely if ever issued as an actual coin

Spoiler: Taxes and Fines

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There is no point making laws if they are not enforced. In many lands, being a watchman or tax collector is considered an honourable profession, and in some cases even seen as a gateway to a clerical career. Unfortunately, there are all too many willing to take advantage of this privileged position to make money for themselves, or to persecute the unfortunate. In some jurisdictions, there may not be much difference in practice between a tax or charge imposed on the unwary and a fine for breaking the law, and both can be equally arbitrary and in some cases retrospective. Travellers should beware.

Here follows a non-exhaustive list of taxes and fines currently in place in the city of Sarmedji, capital of the county of Sarmagalo. Note that many finable actions are also crimes and may be punished with public humiliation, corporal or capital punishment. These figures are a guideline and the precise fine awarded may be considerably higher if the justices take a dislike to the guilty party.

Charge	Amount
Import duty (wool, per sack)	13s4d (1 Marak)
Standard import charge (unspecified goods)	1/15 of total value
Acquisition of revenue and movable property	1/12 of total value
Owning a hearth (per hearth, annual)	2s
Mooring a masted ship (per week)	1s
Stabling a horse within city limits (annual)	6d
Operating a brewery (per month)	5d
Wearing shoes longer than 15"	4d
Annual charge for all able-bodied free persons (non-beggars, over the age of 14)	4d
Wearing a moustache of more than one week's growth (non-residents only)	2d
Keeping a pig within city limits (annual)	2d
Import duty (barley, per bushel)	2d
Keeping a goat within city limits (annual)	1d
Offence	Fine
Wilfully starting an uncontrolled fire or losing control of a fire	£25
Coin clipping, unlicensed minting	£15
Wilfully throwing dung into a pond, stream, river or well	£10
Adultery	1/10 of estate of each party or 1/5 of estate of richer party if one party is destitute
Concealment of a body from the coroner	£5
Use of false measurements	£3 10s
Naming an animal after the Count or Mahangar	£2
Wearing of noble garb without entitlement	£1
Wilfully throwing entrails or offal into a pond, stream, river or well	£1
Operation of a brewery without licence	15s
Making a disrespectful face to the turned back of a clergyman	12s
Theft of private livestock	9s plus return of livestock or equivalent value
Wearing of clerical garb without entitlement	8s
Conducting business in the language of Medved	6s
Hurling nightsoil from a window and striking a passer-by	6s
Unlicensed performance of a masquerade	6s
Impersonating a watchman	6s
Wounding a fellow in an instigated brawl	2s or more depending on grievousness
Swearing at a woman carrying a child	2s
Slaughtering an animal without licence	2s
Impersonating a woman to avoid conscription	1s6d
Feeding rats	1s3d
Playing of stringed instruments after dark	1s
Handling a salmon in a suspicious manner	1s
Operating as a boatman without licence	1s
Wearing of knightly garb without entitlement	1s
Instigating a brawl	2d-1s
Public fornication	8d
Unnecessarily raising the hue and cry	6d
Selling alcohol on Chanderadin	6d
Urinating in the street	6d
Dishonest consumption of part of a pie left to cool	4d
Dancing at night	3d
Failure to recompense a fellow citizen for consumption of beer purchased by them	3d
Unwanted lewdness	2d
Creating an impediment on the highway by playing with a bat and ball	2d
Impertinence towards a servant of the Count	2d
Embracing a gentleman without his permission	2d
Frivolous blowing of a whistle within city limits	2d
Gleaning fruit from common orchards without licence	1d per piece
Spitting in the street	1d

[DoomHat]

Gobsfull

Region 58

Spoiler: Goblin Kings

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Current:

Spoiler: Floyd the Harper; Reigned 1020~????

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Original Rolls
1 Diplomacy
3 Military
5 Economy
4 Intrigue
1 Faith

Past:

The Court of the Goblin King

Spoiler: Terrain

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So named because the huge stretches of arable land promised the early inhabitants that their “little gobs(mouths) would be stuffed full for all your days and your babes days and so on forever and such”.

Most of it is breathtakingly nondescript. Pasture after pasture full of goblins herding trolls tending to various grains and vegetables. Now and then one finds a massive haphazardly cobbled barn or storage silo to make one stop and gawk with wonder how long it's managed to stand on its own power. Perhaps it doesn't stand so much as fall over in every direction at once, forever. Which you might suppose works just a well boring old 'standing'.

To your horror you find that all the cities and towns(locally called warrens) are built in the same way, with roads and alleys twisting crazily into the distance. The three largest of these abominations being Bigguest'hat City (home of the kings palace and neighboring Downriver Warren which is home to the nation's spiritual center), Fandorgorph Crossroads (wherein literally nearly every standing structure at least doubles as a storefront), and Blood Port (don't ask about pirates, there are no pirates here just humble fishermen who are clumsy, ha ha, not battle scars at all because there are no pirates here back away nice and slow).

Toward the center of the region is a vast, terrifying sinkhole that yawns unwholesome into unfathomable and almost certainly unholy depths. It's a pretty big tourist draw. You can buy knickknacks to throw into it if you like. It's sort of, just, the thing to do.

Spoiler: People

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Like neighboring Jauder, the overwhelming majority of the population are Goblins.

Spoiler: Goblins

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Goblins are perhaps the physically smallest race of people in all Celessa. Averaging around three and a half feet tall, to an upper limit of four feet in the case of the comparatively larger female half of their population. Their heads are proportionally larger then in most humanoids, and their arms are somewhat elongated allowing for a greater ease of transitioning freely back and forth between bipedal and quadrupedal movement.

Their noses are broad, stubby, snout-like, and extremely sensitive. A goblin can typically identify specific people and animals based on lingering scent alone. Needless to say this grants them a significant advantage in hunting, tracking, and scavenging. They unfortunately pay a price for this in terms of a less then ideal visual acuity. They can't make out fine details, only just able to read standard sized text, and can't easily distinguish between the colors red and green.

Their ears are long, pointed, and capable of wiggling, perking, and folding expressively. Their skin and hair are a spectrum of dull green, occasionally with darker freckles, which tends to allow them to blend in well with swampy and deep forest environments.

Goblin mothers typically give birth to litters of three or so, and it's extremely rare to come across an adult goblin woman who isn't in some stage of pregnancy. This is necessary to maintain their population, as goblins are remarkable in the tragic brevity of their individual lifespans. The oldest goblin on credible record lived to be a profoundly geriatric 32 years old, with most reaching only a little over half that, primarily do to accident or violence.

Goblin sociology and psychology are highly bizarre by most standards, most likely due in large part to what might be an instinctive frenzied struggle to accomplish as much as possible within such a small window of existence.

This can take the form of hoarding behaviors, spontaneous outbursts of violence, compulsive tinkering, and many other manic disorders, usually defined by their local cultural filter. In this way goblin societies often tend to become a sort of unintentional twisted parody of their nearest non-goblin neighbors.

Historically, in the distant and ill remembered past before Ananda, goblins existed almost exclusively in the shadow of larger races. Living symbiotically (or more often parasitically) under the cracks and floorboards, or perhaps out on the thresholds, of other race's settlements and cities. These days goblin-kind stands on its own within at least two sovereign countries, but that isn't to say there aren't still some communities living as sapient vermin in the depths of other lands.

Perhaps the greatest asset of goblin-kind is their unusual, perhaps even frighting, capacity for spontaneous collaboration among large groups of themselves. Without discussion or prior planning, goblins are known to work with each other with sudden and alarming synchronicity to achieve mutual goals as they appear. Under panic conditions an intuitive consensus frequently seems to emerge among throngs of goblins. The exact means by which this works is not fully understood by scholarship, but it's an edge the allows the species to remain competitive with larger peoples.

History supports and disputes in equal measure Gobsfull's claim to being the first great civilization of Goblins in Celessa. Never the less, the kingdom's founding charter as (disputably) ratified by the Grand Mahangar of that age bestows on The Goblin King sovereign right to rule not only the land, but all goblinkind. Though no Goblin King has ever yet attempted to exert this supposed privilege outside Gobsfull's boarders.

Gobsfull's core cultural concern is an unusual breed of mercantilism, followed closely by an intimately related hedonism. The nation's economic policy has been described fairly as “a war waged on all sides with the goal of unending stalemate, to the benefit of all involved parties”. Rather then attempting to dam and levy the flow of commerce in an effort to pool resources into a monopolized static reserve, like a sane people might do, the merchants of Gobsfull take a feverish pride in maximized turnover above profit, or so goes the stereotype.

As an extension of this, the Gobsfullin tend to prefer direct barter of goods for other goods over a simple exchange of currency wherever possible. The sorts of goods and services traded in this way have an exotic history, but none more so then in the case of purchasing non-goblin infants and toddlers. The subjects of these transactions of known as “changelings”.

Due to the incredibly brief lifespan of individual goblins, households (usually called “dens”) find it advantageous to maintain a personal adviser who can easily maintain a handful of generations worth of memories at once. Any sufficiently large den is expected to own at least one changeling, to do otherwise constitutes something of a humiliation.

Despite being technically slaves, changelings are, with few exceptions, always valued and included members of their respective dens, and wield significant subtle power over their own adoptive keepers. For this reason changelings are almost always highly resistant, and frankly resentful, of attempted rescues by members of their own race or blood relations. Many an epic poem has recounted a changeling's heroic journey back to their family's den after suffering a well intentioned kidnapping to their land of origin.

Goblin fashion is appalling. By most measurements, any reasonably objective measures of taste and sophistication, simply appalling. Regarding clothing; asymmetry, crude stitching, and patchworks of wildly clashing materials and colors are common themes. Tattoos, piercings, braids, rings on each finger, ribbons, necklaces strung with baubles, bracelets, anklets, mixed belts, and of course, absurd hats are common among all social strata. Back mounted banners and pennants pass in and out of vogue every so often.

Spoiler: Government

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Largely incomprehensible to a non-goblin mind and seeming to varying wildly from one warren(town) to the next, the single meaningful constant is the prevailing position and importance of the Goblin King over it all. Who is, perhaps, for that reason, never an actual goblin themself.

The Goblin King is born from a loose linage of changelings, frequently supplemented by babies purchased from the royal bloodlines of other nations. The Goblin King is raised communally by the royal court. The size, membership content, and rules of succession among the royal court itself are seemingly quite fluid and the subject of multi-volume of manuscripts attempting to attain a baseline of understanding of its workings. So just, forget it.

What's important is that there is a Goblin King. Right over there. He's the tall one wearing the most ridiculous hat in the room. Talk to him and don't worry about it, it's just better this way.

Spoiler: Resource

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-Trolls [Great]
Trolls are utilized by goblins as household pets and beasts of burden. They come in a variety of breeds, with associated sizes, shapes, fur length, and coloration specialized to different tasks, but they're all humanoids with proportionally small heads, short legs, thick torsos, and enormous hands and forearms. They stand at heights ranging from a little under 6ft up to nearly 7ft. Most of their bodies are usually covered with short soft fur, generally excepting their face, neck, chest, and padded soles of their hands and feet. The hair on their heads and forearms tends to be longer and “floofy”.

It's not strictly fair to call trolls slaves, though it's a certainly a fair first impression. They're similar to domesticated dogs in both intelligence and temperament. Though technically capable of speech, they have no true facility with language, expressing themselves though a jumble of limited vocabulary at best, but more commonly just monosyllabic grunts simple gestures. Example; “Urrh, Eat-drink treat! Give bread give. Bread. Mmmh, mmmh! Me, me good give!”.

Mistreatment of trolls is certainly not unheard of in goblin society, but it is strongly looked down on, if not outright illegal in some of the more well to do warrens. It's a common trope in goblin stories to quickly establish a character as a villain by depicting them being purposefully cruel to a troll.

Requirement: Food
Though the country was originally named for the abundance of its crops, the wild growth in the popularity of Troll husbandry in recent decades has dwindled the usable supply of grain for the general populace.
To Quote the late Goblin King Abergef, “We use trolls to produce, churn, and spread the compost, to til the soil, and to haul the harvest once reaped... Damn it, might as well leave them the final task of gobbling it all up along the way”.

Trading Hubs
Bigguest'hat City [Control: Gobsfell]
Fandorgorph Crossroads [Control: None]
Blood Port [Control: None]

Spoiler: Faith

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The official state religion of Gobsfull is thoroughly orthodox Shishiyan, or at least makes a strong effort at trying to be. For hundreds of years the court of the Goblin King has reserved a seat of high importance for their resident Achar. However, in the view of the church's internal politics, being commissioned Achar of Gobsfull by the eastern Mahangar has traditionally been regarded as either a form of hazing, a cruel joke, or an implicit punishment.

It's a subject of intense debate as to whether Gobsfull's reputation as a seething cauldron of ecclesiastic degeneracy is due to something innate in the people, or its historic use as a dumping ground for ignoble careers in the church since time immemorial. Achars and Destars who've fallen out of favor, but who for whatever reason don't warrant outright disconnection or exile, almost inevitably find a home in Gobsfull.

From time to time a particularly zealous priest in high standing will volunteer for assignment in Gobsfull, imagining they'll be able to reverse the age old trends and redeem the realm. Without exception these brave souls have all eventually succumbed to madness or apathy.

At the level of Mobars and Hebars, temple services are frequently conducted as profoundly licentiousness affairs. There's nothing technically heretical about Gobsfull's obeisances to scripture and church tradition, but only technically. For everything a hidebound visiting outsider might find exception to, a Gobsfull priest has a record of indisputable precedent explaining and excusing it.

The devotions range from, at best, direct readings from scripture in what might be perceived as an irreverent tone for a giggling congregation, down to showings of secular theater performances tenuously claiming a pious theme, and drunken choir recitals repeatedly toasting Ananda and the Chosen's glory to excess, claiming it as a sacrament.

However, despite all of this, Gobsfull is more or less flawless in its record of consistent and appropriate tithing back to mother church. Perhaps for this reason alone the Mahangar traditionally turns a blind eye to it all. The common reasoning going something along the lines that, while surely no new Exalts will rise from the souls of this lowly place, their loyalty and practical support of Ananda's legacy has proven consistent and unwavering, and for all their faults they can be counted on to stand with The Chosen when that holy day arrives.

Spoiler: The Hidden Truth

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There's nothing accidental about the apparent “stupidity and incompetence” of Gobsfull's clergy.

While Gadists believe that the Shishiyan church is an instrument of The Beast, and Niskists believe the mortal world is a creation of the Enemy, the Vuadanists of Gobsfull agree with both, but see these things as a positive.

Vuadanism holds that the so called “Enemy” described by Ananda and those who came before them is the all powerful beneficent creator god of the universe. The Exalted and their Chosen are in rebellion against the True God, and so are the cause of all the world's suffering. The Beast will come as a great redeemer, a final punishment upon those who have turned their hearts and minds away from the calling of the True God.

It is their belief that the True God made the world as a paradise, which was then steadily brought to ruin by mortal ambition. Craving to break perfection to match their own petty whims, they stole the True God's secret words and called it magic. With magic, morals became “Exalted” and created every harm and evil that ever existed. Goblins the descendants of those who would not betray the Creator, and so were cursed and trampled forever, as the True God was driven into exile from the world of their own making.

As such it's the holy mission of Vuadanists to make the world ready for the arrival of The Beast, corrupting the Shishiya Church where possible from the inside out, and spreading its lesser sects into further and further subdivisions and pointless exhausting wars. Until the world is ready to be made right again.

The Achar of Gobsfull is only sometimes a knowing Vuadanist. Vuadanists are highly selective with those they approach with the truth. Instead they prefer to make agents out of common hypocrites. Appealing to their pawn's sense of self-interest, Vaudanists use what they see as the inherent corruption of lesser faiths toward holy ends.

Downriver Super Big Holytalker Den: {Orthodox Shishiyan}
The largest temple in the region, and perhaps even out scaling those in neighboring regions. It consists primarily of a vast and intensely gaudy amphitheater. The interior offices being the official headquarters of the Achar of Gobsfull, but one must pass through the expansive gift shop to reach the entrance.

Spugg-Spugg's Vault: {Orthodox Shishiyan}
A massive trap filled labyrinth containing somewhere at its heart a hoard of wondrous treasures, rumored to include among other things, some of the bones of the prophet Ananda. The Spugg-spugg lineage refuses to confirm or deny this, but are more then happy collect fees for aiding the church in hosting services for those who wish to venerate the hypothetical relics from outside.

The Hole: {Orthodox Shishiyan}
A sinkhole so vast and deep it is believed by some to lead strait to the realm of The Enemy. Some argue that there are passages in scripture which claim it will be the emergence point of the Beast itself. Pilgrims and holy orders come to pray for the Exalted to smite anything that might come up from it, and or to throw filth and insults down it.

[Rain Dragon]

Xin Kun
Heartlands
34

Empress Xiu

Spoiler: Terrain

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Xin Kun is an archipelago of subtropical islands located off the coast of (30), (31), (33) and Gehanna. The islands are full of life and have been for centuries despite relatively high geographical activity. It is believed the mountains on Xin Kun's three largest islands were once the largest, angriest volcanoes in the world until one day the spirits of the mountains became bored and decided to compete to see who could produce the most impressive explosion. The spirits became so carried away, everything for miles around was decimated. It was impossible for any life to survive for miles around the devastation for many years. Much of the area surrounding the lifeless volcanoes was now land. Long after the disaster, from the three islands the spirits awoke once more in the form of three legendary phoenixes. As they took flight, the first few signs of life sprung from the earth. The islands were named after the birds; Ka Xin Xuu, Mori Xima and Xui Koku. Though only legend, the phoenixes still remain important to those on the islands.

Most islands surrounding the three largest are considered part of the nearest island's state. The northernmost islands of Xin Kun mainly consist of tall, cold mountains and active volcanoes. These islands are called Sam Sa Xima and is the most sparsely populated area of Xin Kun. With snow being non-existent in other areas of Xin Kun, the area's natural beauty and abundance of hot springs Sam Sa Xima is a popular holiday destination for Xin Kun's inhabitants. Even less populated are the southernmost islands of Xin Kun called Nan Xuu. Much of these islands are wild subtropical forests and small rocky isles left largely untouched by civilization. The few people who do live there are rather different to those of the rest of Xin Kun both in culture and appearance. Many of the Xin Len are hybrids with humans as a result of the south dealing with the outside world far more often than the mainland until around 650. The Ten Len are almost entirely absent from the area and considered much less important, despite the fact Nan Xuu remains a part of the Empire.

Spoiler: People

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The people of the islands known locally as Xin Kun (Xin pronounced the same as the word 'sheen' with a high flat tone, the u in Kun as in 'cool' with a rising tone) are a curious, colourful people who aim to promote peace and prosperity with all they meet.

Physical Description

Xin Len
The majority of the population of Xin Kun are Xin Len people. Their unusual, brightly coloured hair ensures that despite their small stature, one would almost certainly stand out in a crowd. The hair of the Xin Len is typically one or two hues as bright and varied as the colours of the flowers and birds which are common throughout much of the region. Their tan skin protects them well from the tropical sunlight of the Isles, though many of the upper class strive to remain pale to differentiate themselves from the working class and appear more similar to the Ten Lin.

Ten Len
Despite the council of advisors and the title of Emperor or Empress being permanently held by the Ten Lin, they are few in number; so few that even one is a rare sight to a commoner outside special events. At first glance, the Ten Lin appear rather different to the Xin Len due to their closer to average height, pointed cat-like ears and five bushy tails. On closer inspection however, they both share the same brightly coloured hair and child-like appearance.

Culture
The culture of Xin Kun is no doubt one full of a wide array of vibrant colours. Due to easy access to a variety of flowers and fruits dyes are plentiful. Fruits and vegetables are as abundant as there are fish in the sea, which contribute to the people's healthy diets and love for food. This coupled with their natural curiosity and relatively relaxed lifestyle contribute to a relatively long-lived people. Despite this, the people of Xin Kun are behind the rest of the world technologically due to centuries of isolation until around 970. As a result, the people outside cities of Xin Kun are unfamiliar with foreign folk. Typically they are friendly and helpful on the surface, but under the surface they are suspicious and less willing to befriend foreigners in the long term. There are relatively few cities in Xin Kun, as the people generally value a sense of community that is difficult to find in a city. What cities there are are generally centres of trade.

Spoiler: Faith

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Due to its isolation, Xin Kun has remained outside the reach of foreign faiths and continues to do so. Despite this fact, minorities of other faiths do exist within Xin Kun especially in and around trading hubs. Xin Kun is typically tolerant of other faiths, even though some take a perspective which is directly counter to Che Dao's. Historically, Xin Kun has been viewed as a pagan Empire. Though Che Dao bears many similarities to other pagan faiths, it also differs in many ways. Though officially a multitheist faith, very little emphasis is placed on the deities. Much of Che Dao's teachings instead focus on the world and its spirits as well as improving oneself and working toward Enlightenment. According to some schools of thought, deities are not necessarily even 'superior' to the spirits but instead more well defined spirits who have legends surrounding them. Such thinking while not heretical is certainly still one of debate. It is unknown whether some or all who ascend to become spirits also become deities and is a difficult question many ambitious scholars and Shaman seek to answer.

The focus of much of Che Dao's teachings is on self improvement and the world rather than the divine. Its philosophies and teachings guide followers to live a peaceful life and to become one with the world around them to free themselves of suffering and become stronger in spirit. In doing so, followers believe they will fulfill a better life as well as gaining the best chance of communicating with Shaman after they have passed away. Despite spirits being a central part of Che Dao, there are few official writings on what there is after death as it is thought that focus on something that one cannot know takes away from that which one can. This does not mean however that followers are closed to new information about it if the evidence were to present itself.


Shrines

Shrines are an important part of Che Dao, being spaces designed around paying respects to the spirits and deities and meditation. They are also typically the best place to find monks and/or Shamans of Che Dao. Shrines are typically built in impressive locations where one can more easily feel a connection to the natural world around and feel a sense of peace while paying respects to the local spirits. It is also common to have a place set aside at home where one can pay respect to the spirits and meditate, though of course neither activity is limited to location. Shrines vary greatly in size and shape, typically built to compliment their surroundings. They are also carefully positioned to avoid causing harm to the environment and/or potentially offend local spirits. Many shrines are surrounded by small statues of local spirits and deities as well as some larger of important ancestors and major spirits and/or deities depending on the local history and needs. For example, a shrine in the city near a prominent university may display a statue of Ken Wu while one may find a statue of You Ou at a shrine by the sea. Regardless of their location and features however, shrines serve as a centre of faith and learning for their area. There are commonly people at a shrine whose job is solely to provide aid to the surroundings with a large portion of the yearly resources available to the shrine (much of the rest being to ensure the shrine itself is well maintained).


The Elements

Much of Che Dao centres around the world around them and self improvement. It would perhaps then come as no surprise that there are many writings on the five elements according to Che Dao; wood, fire, earth, water and metal. Many things are associated with these elements in Xin Kun, for example there are four cardinal directions and the centre, five seasons in Xin Kun's calendar (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and between the four sets of shorter transitional seasonal periods) and various medicinal practices within Xin Kun. The elements are also important in alchemy, which is a field of study that has yielded many great things though not always what the alchemists were aiming for. For example, while alchemists were trying to discover recipes for an elixir that would prolong life they accidentally created what would later become early forms of fireworks! This is however an extreme example of an accident and alchemists have been able to discover important things in the past, such as which flowers have medicinal value and which are among the deadliest of poisons and how to use them. Most shrines are constructed to incorporate all five elements, both literally and symbolically. According to Che Dao, this is the best way to aid in communication with the spirits though there are cases where only some or one element is called for. Including all five elements in a space also brings the most positive energies to that space, though most in Nan Xuu dismiss this as superstition.


Pacifism?

Though the importance of looking at things with an open mind and avoiding acts that would harm others has always existed, it was only after the decades of war around the year 600 that monks of the time began to focus on practicing and teaching the importance of avoiding causing harm to oneself and others. From this, several rules are considered essential to follow including avoiding unnecessary harm to living people, animals and plants and avoiding behaviours which causes harm to oneself and society including greed, excessive pride, laziness, selfishness and ignorance. Throughout Xin Kun, these rules are followed to differing extents. For example, only a small portion of the population abstain from eating meats entirely while most of them will only eat what meat they need to stay healthy. These teachings fit naturally in Che Dao and may be the major reason why Xin Kun has not suffered major conflict since.


Deities

Two of the more well known deities of Che Dao are the Fox Goddess and Moon God who both go by many names. Some of these names include Megine, Kin Megam and the Mystical Lady for the Fox Goddess and Tsuk, Gin Kam and the Silver Lord for the Moon God. In most texts (especially those printed for foreigners) these two deities are simply 'Fox Goddess' and 'Moon God' in the Xin Kun language. The main reason these two are more well known than others throughout Celessa is because the royal family of Xin Kun are direct descendants of these two deities. There are very few other deities which are recognised throughout Xin Kun and though these and more are part of Che Dao's mythology, due to the lack of emphasis on deities they are not necessary to followers of Che Dao. Nonetheless, the legends surrounding these deities hold important morals and philosophies. Some of the deities recognised throughout Xin Kun are You Ou the Great Dragon of the Seas, <insert deities>.


Religious officials

Over recent decades, Che Dao has undergone some very important changes which have enabled it to become one of the more unified and structured faiths of Celessa. One main change has been a basic hierarchy solely for stability and enabling of the faith's spread to foreign countries where Che Dao is either not as prominent or non-existent. Monks have always specialised in the philosophical and learning side of the faith while Shaman have specialised in the spiritual and mystical. It is rare to find a community without at least one of both types of religious official, especially the closer one gets to Xin Kun's three main islands. More recently, as a way for more distant monks and Shaman to be able to seek guidance on any Che Dao related matter some monks were selected to become 'Xin Xi' and some Shaman became Elder Shaman. Each of these were appointed to a wide area of land containing a certain number of monks and shamans and have a large number of assistants to assist in ensuring the religious needs of the population are met. In anticipation of Che Dao's spread overseas, some Xin Xi and Elder Shaman were appointed to foreign sites and even now are studying foreign culture and how best to introduce Che Dao to these locations. The Emperor or Empress is expected to act as the religious head as well as of all of their other duties and should be able to aid both the Xin Xi and Elder Shaman if they need it. In the past the Emperors and Empresses have succeeded to fulfill their role as religious leader to varying degrees, some being forced to hire staff and mentors to ensure they can fulfill the role else they may risk losing much respect which in extreme cases may lead to being overthrown. In the past four centuries, this has only happened once but it caused much chaos within Xin Kun for close to a decade.

Spoiler: Myths and Legends

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The Birth of the Three Great Phoenixes of Xin Kun
See the Terrain section

The Gift of Writing
Over two thousand years ago, Xin Kun was a place sparsely populated by various clans who spoke different dialects. Though a tenuous peace existed, the Emperor Naoki of Xiu Koku was saddened that the common people could never fully overcome the language barrier and that the three islands would never be united if the current situation persisted. His mother had fought fiercely to ensure her family finally held the throne of all three Isles as was right, but unfortunately died before she could complete her life goal of unifying the Islands. It was known after all that the three Phoenixes took flight together yet the three Islands lived apart.

Desperate, Emperor Naoki sent his most trusted warriors out in search of the Great Sea Dragon You Ou. As the seas were far less kind then, many perished before one man succeeded. Ken Wu bowed before You Ou and offered anything he could give to the Dragon in return for the answer to the Islands' communication predicament. Touched, the Dragon requested Ken Wu remain in his Kingdom until he could think of what the people could possibly offer him. The next day however, You Ou summoned Ken Wu and only asked that the answer be made freely available to all as a gift. Ken Wu swore to do all he could to ensure it is so.

You Ou pointed to a turtle and said that the answer had been in the world around them all this time and it was called 'Ji' (characters/writing). Ken Wu was confused, but the Dragon refused to say more. Disappointed, yet determined, Ken Wu traveled to a nearby island where he could think on the Dragon's riddle before returning to the Emperor. Though he believed in the Emperor's wisdom, Ken Wu also believed it must have been him who found You Ou for a reason.

After a week of staring at turtles and various things scattered around the island he noticed a pattern. Some of the patterns in the shells of the turtles were similar to the drawings occasionally used to communicate. With a stick, he drew elegant criss-cross lines and curves in the dirt. Examining the river in which the turtle swam, he eventually drew another. It was simple but time consuming, it seemed, to discover writing yet he knew it would take quite some time, refinement and many scholars. When he returned to the Emperor, Ken Wu brought with him three characters written on some bark with a stick and some berries. Emperor Naoki was so pleased with the elegance of the solution he hired many scholars to work on the Dragon's Gift.

The writing system played a part in the eventual merging of languages though not the unification of Xin Kun. It also looks quite different to the very first characters Ken Wu presented to the Emperor. In many places, Ken Wu is depicted with a large brush as the Father of Writing. Often, statues of him surrounded by turtles can be seen at shrines dedicated to You Ou.

Spoiler: History and Government

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History
Around 600, Xin Kun was almost destroyed by the largest invasion in its history. Despite having largely suffered numerous civil wars in the recent past, the people of Xin Kun repelled the invaders and retreated from the world to repair and reflect upon those dark times. Even before this war, the people of Xin Kun had little interaction with the outside world as it was. It was only 970 that Xin Kun broke its isolation and looked toward the outside world once more. Xin Kun remains wary of war, however, and determined to maintain the status quo within its borders.

Government
Xin Kun is ruled by an Emperor or Empress who is advised by a council who are in theory chosen by the people but in practice are often related to either the royal family or an important historical figure.

Spoiler: Mechanical Details

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Ruler
Emperor Lei

Diplomacy Military Economy Intrigue Faith

5 6 6 1 6

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Resources

Exports - Bamboo - Great

The Southern Trading Company - (Die Adlerfirma)

Spoiler

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One of the largest international merchant organisations in Xin Kun is the Southern Trading Company based in a few of islands of Nan Xuu a short ferry ride away from Mori Xima. They are well known for their focus on the purchase of various types of bamboo throughout the empire to sell on to foreign merchants in exchange for exotic goods which the people of Xin Kun would readily buy for a tidy sum or more money than they could otherwise get within the islands due to the ubiquity of the resource. The Southern Trading Company is also well known for being one of the few organisations with more diversity than one might expect in their membership. While it is largely unknown the specifics on how to join, it is thought that the process is a rigorous one allowing only the very best merchants to join.

The Earth, Rain and Fire Guild of Merchants of Xin Kun - (Xin Kun)

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One of the more unexpected results of the First Emperor's efforts in the unification of the three main islands of Xin Kun is the emergence of a merchant guild founded by three merchants from each of the islands. Though the tale of the foundation is well known, specific details often vary and only the guild has access to old documents detailing the truth. It is said the merchants one day met at a bar and quickly became friends over drinks of rice wine. In a display of friendship between themselves and their homelands they soon afterward formed what would later become the guild. This detail has often been questioned despite having become accepted as the truth by cynics who pointed out it would be more likely the formation of the guild was to take advantage of significantly increased trade opportunities between the islands.

unnamed - Kingdom of Neveran

Resource Requirement - Utility Metal - Adamantine from Adler

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Faith
unnamed - Che Dao
unnamed - Che Dao
unnamed - Che Dao

Head of Che Dao - Emperor Lei

Foreign Che Dao sites
unnamed - <region 29>
unnamed - Plains of Vishyanka (10)

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Military Units
Xugo Ki (2 Units)
Noble Guard (2 Unit)
Hei Nek (2 Unit)

Spoiler: Projects

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Projects
Search for the Sacred Sapling of Mori Xima - 1020-1025

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Great Projects
Xin Kun-wide roads - 1020 unfinished 2/5
Economy restructuring - 1020 unfinished 3/5
Xin Kun-wide education and shrines and temples upgrade - 1023 unfinished 2/5
Sacred Sapling Shrines on Mori Xima - 1026 unfinished 3/5

Spoiler: Game Posts

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1020-1022
1023-1025
1026-1028
1029-1031
1032-1034
1035-1037
1038-1040
1041-1043
1044-1046
1047-1049
1050-1052
1053-1055

[moossabi]

Apiasolis
Region 44

Spoiler: Current Leader

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Archduke William Vittorio
Diplomacy: 3
Military: 2
Economy: 4
Intrigue: 2
Faith: 1
Rolls; Reroll

Spoiler: History

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Spoiler: The founding of Apianopolis

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The history of the city of Apianopolis has become shrouded in legend and religious biases, but all stories agree on some facts. An unknown number of centuries ago, a group of human Kunists fleeing persecution by some radical Shishiyans of Shamaran came to the southern shores of the Sunlands in their quest for religious peace. Across the narrow channel laid an island which had not been absorbed by the people of the Sunlands, so they built a simple ferry ship with materials bartered from the locals and cast off across the channel. Unfortunately, their boat-building was not as superb as they previously imagined and it sprung a leak during the last third of the crossing. Only half of the settlers managed to survive, while the others lost much of their possessions.

The remaining Kunists set up a small village with the resources of that section of coast, sowing the soil with wheat and purchasing livestock from passing merchant ships. They erected a shrine to the Exalted and prepared to send the now-grown second generation out to build a new farming center. But one of the new settlers gazed upon the mountains of the south and was overwhelmed by their majesty. When the settlers meant to found a second settlement departed, this one lead them astray from their path and they traveled further south than they were supposed to. Eventually their supplies ran out at the mouth of what is now called Greenslope Valley and they were forced to settle there and live off of the surrounding land.

They had no time for religious affairs with their new hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and so the Exalted was abandoned by the settlers as more and more time was devoted to finding new sources of food. One day, a gathering woman strayed too far down the valley and discovered the southern coast. The waters seemed ripe for fishing, so she returned to her village and convinced them to come through the valley to the coast. They erected a temporary fishing settlement, but moved further and further east into the marsh which now holds the city of Apianopolis.

Several years passed, and as the second settlement grew the original one began to decline due to a disease growing in their grain crop. They eventually had to travel back across the channel into the Sunlands, leaving what was left of their village in ruin. Meanwhile, the second settlement had once more taken up the old Kunish ways. They thanked the Exalted for giving them a bountiful home and set about building upon that which they had until they had a bustling port town named Apianopolis.

Spoiler: The coming of the Shishiyan

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As Apianopolis continued to grow under Kunish ways, the Shishiyan Church began to find interest in the expanding port city. If it were introduced to the light of Ananda, it could be a valuable asset in spreading Shishiyan influence throughout the continent. The Mahangar dispatched preachers to Apianopolis tasked with swaying the Archduke from the Kunist way and use his influence to bring the whole city under church control.

House Geranno happened to be in power at the time, and they were very dedicated to the Kunist ways. Archduke Franco inherited his position from his father, who was initially chosen by the mysterious Apian Queen who had come to rule over the island through her archdukes. When the missionaries (under the guise of investors) attempted to receive an audience with the Queen via Archduke Franco, they were denied like all others who wish to meet the queen and thrown out of Apianopolis once their intentions of disrupting their Kunist heritage were discovered. Realizing that trickle-down methods would not work when the ruler was unreachable and her steward rooted in his ways, the Mahangar decided to take a more direct approach.

Missionaries flooded the land, preaching at every farming village and street corner they could find. Archduke Franco tried his best to remove them before their message could take root, but this only served to create sympathy within the common people. Franco passed away as the populace began moving toward revolt, and his eldest child, George, took over. Unaware of the building Shishiyan support in Apianopolis, he believed that it would be a good idea to change the policy towards Shishiyan preachers from deportation or imprisonment to execution. The Apian Queen saw that this would only throw the city into chaos and demanded that George revoke his ruling, but he believed that he was honoring his father's memory by maintaining Apianopolis' Kunist roots.

As the Apian Queen predicted, with the execution of the most vocal preacher Apianopolis erupted into a mass of Shishiyan riots calling for the blood of the Archduke and the rest of House Geranno. Several of the more opportunistic great houses began to back the rebels and the merchants whispered of an oncoming crusade meant to bring the island under total Shishiyan control. Archduke George called the Dukes remaining loyal to him to a meeting in the hall of House Martino, as the hall of House Geranno was plagued with riots being only barely held off by the City Guard. George exited through a sewer passage installed in case of situations like this and was escorted along back streets to his meeting.

The meeting was short, the Dukes brainstorming on how to escape their predicament until the Duke of House Martino suggested surrendering to the Shishiyan church and allowing them to exist safely within Apianopolis. Outraged that someone could possibly advocate surrender and confident that nobody would agree, he used his right as Archduke to declare a vote. Out of the ten Dukes present, only three voted for surrender: House Martino, House Vittorio, and House Matteo. All who voted against surrender were then executed by House Martino guards. When the sun rose, the heads of the fallen dukes were paraded up and down the main streets on pikes and all Shishiyan missionaries within the prison were released. The Duke of House Martino was declared Archduke by the Apian Queen (who some say ordered George's death) and Kunism was removed from the hearts of the populace. The first (and only) executed missionary was declared Saint Martin and a Cathedral was commissioned in his honor, ensuring that the region would never fall from the good graces of the Exalted and his true prophet.

Spoiler: Martin the Mad

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Several generations into the Martino regime, the second daughter of the Archduke gave birth to a son named Martin. Since there were about fifteen other heirs ahead of him, he was raised in a similar way to ordinary children to prepare him for his future fade into obscurity. However, House Matteo grew tired of the Martino Regime and decided to assassinate the Archduke and all immediate heirs to hopefully scare the remaining heirs into backing down from the Apian Queen's summons, putting them in the ideal position to take the mantle of Archduke for themselves.

Over the course of the next week, House Martino was slowly slaughtered until the heirs were too afraid to step up as Archduke. However, being raised with the commoners' belief that the position of Archduke is the greatest thing in the world, when the Apian Queen called upon Martin, the last in line for Archdukehood, he gladly proclaimed that he would accept her summons. House Matteo knew that Martin, raised as a commoner, would never be able to take the pressure of being Archduke and they allowed him to live for some light entertainment. Unbeknownst to them, Martin cracked the instant he met the Apian Queen. He ran out of the Queen's palace driven mad without the preparations the other heirs had. House Matteo got a massive amount of enjoyment out of the affair, but soon returned to plotting their ascension.

Almost exactly two decades from the current year, Martin vanished from the public eye for a month.The head of House Matteo was soon called upon by the Apian Queen to assume the role of Archduke, and he set off down the street towards her palace. However, Martin had discovered the perpetrators of his family's downfall, and had the wrath of a raging inferno. Incidentally, a raging inferno consumed the hall of House Matteo as soon as its head left the doorway. Fearful for his life, the head of House Matteo ran down a side street to hide himself, but was jumped and murdered by a frenzied Martin. The fire soon spread to the surrounding houses and kept growing until a quarter of the city (including the city guard barracks and all its occupants) were consumed in the blaze. Martin himself went running down the main street raving on the Apian Queen deceiving them all, the skeleton on the throne, the bees are evil, etc. He continually proclaimed that he would slay the Apian Queen to 'save Apianopolis from destruction.'

When he reached the palace, he was met with the entirety of the House Vittorio guard and its head, who immediately ran him through with their swords and threw his body into the flames. The fire raged for a few more days, but eventually it died down after consuming almost all the wooden buildings in the city. The remaining citizens began to stir into a revolutionary state and all trade had been closed down because the damage to the docks was catastrophic. The head of House Vittorio, Duke William, was promoted to the role of Archduke and charged with keeping the people in check while the city was repaired. Over the course of these twenty years, the city was rebuilt with stone quarried from the Seaward Range and Apianopolis is now ready to return to the world stage.

Spoiler: Government

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For as long as anyone can remember, the Apian Queen has held dominion over Apianopolis and the greater island of Apiasolis. She never makes public appearances, resigning herself to her palace and admitting only a select few individuals. Speculation runs rampant about her appearance, mannerisms, how good she is in bed, whether or not she's even human, and all sorts of things patrons of a pub ramble on about while drunk. While the Apian Queen captivates the public eye, it is rather difficult o govern without interacting with the city. This is why she appoints Archdukes to carry on ruling the populace while she gets to sit back comfortably. For all intensive purposes, the Archduke rules Apianopolis, managing finance, laws, and the City Guard. The Archduke may appoint sub-officials to manage lesser parts of the government, often from their own family. The other houses just take in their income and sped it on whatever seems lavish at the time, not taking an interest in politics until it begins to affect them or an opportunity presents itself.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Spoiler: Map

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The central island of Apinsula is covered by a temperate grassland with some small oak forests speckled here and there, although most of this land is now occupied by farmland meant to produce wheat and various other crops. The southern end of the island is occupied by the Seaward Range, a string of mountains ending at Mount Apia, the highest peak in the region. At the base of Mount Apia lies a small marsh on which the city of Apianopolis is built. The city is accessible from the rest of the island through Greenslope Valley, a thin river-canyon with vibrantly green grass. There are also several outlying islands which fall under the city's jurisdiction, but most of them are uninhabited except for the House Martini private island, which the remaining members of House Martino purchased with their inheritance after the downfall of their family. This island is off-limits to anyone without House Martino's invitation, leading to it becoming a discussion topic among citizens as to what goes on there.

Spoiler: People

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The initial settlers of Apiasolis were pale skinned and dark of hair like their Shamaranian forebears, however with the large amounts of trade that took place in the years before the great fire set by Martin the Mad the human population has become a hodgepodge of various skin and hair tones of other population. The highest percentage of the population have a lightly tanned color of skin and brown to black hair, while the rest of the common folk vary between many different dark and light tones. Due to strategic marriages with the other great houses, the nobles of Apianopolis have maintained some of the Shamaranian paleness alongside certain rarer traits, such as red hair and green eyes.

While a significant proportion of the population is employed in agriculture, most of the people of Apiasolis inhabit Apianopolis, the largest (and only major) city on the island. Many of its buildings are made of stone reinforced by wood, although every building that managed to survive Martin's Inferno is made completely out of stone brick. Most of the wealthy business owners and great houses own property on the marsh islands, while the middle-class and poor have houses on the mainland. Through trade, some goblins (see: Gobsful) have immigrated to the city and concentrated their population on a particularly disgusting (and therefore cheap) section of he marsh. They mostly stick to their own, and since all the land surrounding their community is already bought up they have to expand downwards. This underground real estate has, over time, expanded to encompass much of the city's area. The poorest of the poor and many criminal groups make their home down here, and even its architects have lost track of what may lurk in the darkest depths. This network is known as The Labyrinth.

The lives of farm dwellers is extremely simple, consisting of sleeping when the sun is down and working when the sun is up. They have to provide for Apianopolis, and with a deficit in food they must work extra-hard to keep everyone from starving. In the city, the people don't have nearly as much work and so have more time for things such as prayer (to this end, churches have become abundant) and entertainment (to this end, amphitheaters have become abundant). The food deficit is begining to impact the poor, causing them to be in unrest, but the rest of the population hears of it as this minor thing due to Archduke William's meddling.

Spoiler: Religion

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Ever since the fall of House Geranno (See: History), the people of Apinsula have been staunch Shishiyans. While a few still cling to the old Kunist ways, they make up such an insignificant amount of the population that people are genuinely surprised when they see a Kunist shrine in another's home. All the major Houses follow Shishiyan ways (or at least pretend to), and while the Apian Queen does not hold the faith she tolerates it if it means that she maintains her hold on the city. Recently with the rise of House Vittorio the Archduke's second son has been propped up as Achar of Apiasolis. Under Achar Alexander, the Church has become a corrupted puppet of the Archduke used to keep the people from rising up in the wake of Martin the Mad. To this end, most of the Mobars and Hebars who didn't wish to support another Archduke have been supplanted by pawns of Achar Alexander who are only in it for personal gain.

Centers:
Saint Martin's Cathedral: Shishiyan Orthodox (feigned)
Saint Martin was the first (and only) Shishiyan missionary executed by Archduke George in a last-ditch attempt to maintain the Kunist belief system in Apianopolis. Martin became a martyr and is now the patron Saint of the Shishiyan Church in the region. Upon the ousting of Archduke George a cathedral was commissioned to commemorate his sacrifice, and the people of Apiasolis poured all their resources into its construction for many years. Its stained glass windows depict the Exalted's beginning, Ananda's lifetime, the trials of Saint Martin, and the prophecised rise of the Chosen and triumph over the Beast. It serves as the focal point of Shishiyan belief in the city.

Almanac's Guild: Shishiyan Orthodox (feigned)
The farmers of Apiasolis have many city-dwellers to feed and not much land to do it, so they must carefully plan each season to avoid losing any crops. The Almanac's Guild distributes information about growing conditions in the months to come as well as any recent blights and how to avoid them. On the side they give out Shishiyan blessings and constantly hammer home the point that if the farmers are pious, they will thrive. While not as blatant as Saint Martin's Cathedral, the Almanac's Guild is a way of steadily reinforcing Shishiyan values in the agricultural business.

Ruins of the First Village: Shishiyan Orthodox (feigned)
Although the first settlers of Apiasolis were definitely Kunist, the site of their first village on the channel shared by [Region 46] now serves as a Shishiyan holy site to commemorate the struggles faced by the settlers of the island (and subtlety appeal to Kunist holdouts by showing that they 'care' about their heritage (winkwink)).

Spoiler: Resource

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Apianolis has a massive amount of bees inhabiting every nook and cranny of the island, leading many to start up apiaries to produce honey on a massive scale. This is used as a major flavoring in many Apianopolitan dishes, but with such a surplus it is easy to export as well.

Unfortunately, the limited land of Apiasolis cannot support the massive city on its southern coast, and with the continent's interest in trade with Apianopolis dropping dramatically after the fiasco with Martin the Mad, Apinsula is in dire need of some food.

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great	Need Met?
44	Honey	Api	O	O	No (Food)

(Table copied from Kythia)

[lt_murgen]

The Grasping Isles
(replacement for earlier post by Waylander)
Region 45

The Grasping Isles (Ilhas Entenderes in their native tongue), are a trade nation that has existed for quite a long time. Situated at the borders of Mar Barboleta (The Butterfly Sea) and Abismo Triste (The Sorrowful Abyss), the climate and conditions are an interesting mix. The Barboleta is a deep, cold expanse, with cold currents. The Abismo is shallow and warm at that point. It makes for interesting weather.

Spoiler: Terrain

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]The Grasping Isles are made up of ten isles, two of which are too small to house a city, although they both house one fishermen's village. The isles that make up the archipelago are named as follows (In order of size):

• Massa Massa, the largest island of the Grasping Isles by a wide margin. The country is covered with patches of forest and hills. Sweeping dunes all across its coastline make it difficult for anything other than small ships to land. In ancient times, numerous small and mid-sizes cities anchored the farming and ranching lands. Oral history records decades of battles between the cities as they vied for control of the arable land- a time known as the Otimo Incident Macarrão, or simply the Macarrão. Most cities now lie ruined or only sparsely populated by the ranchers and farmers who provide a majority of the cereal crops for the islands. The two largest towns are ComéArroz and ComéMazza roughly splitting control of the island in half.
• Favela em Torno, the second largest island. It is a steep island with numerous, deep, well protected harbors. The victor of the Macarrão, known as the Ono Infrator, forcibly moved the majority of the population to this island. Travel to the other islands was permitted, but land ownership was not. For over two centuries, towns and cities grew up on the Favela The island could be considered one huge city, separated by the sparsest geography into districts. Barrio Ladrão is a huge region of docks, warehouses, and the trading company offices which control them. Barrio Forasterio is considered the foreign quarter, and also the entertainment district. Barrio Pateta, also known as Bario Bobo, is the administrative center for the Tito Comerices. This concentration of mercantile and diplomatic functions makes this the most cosmopolitan and diverse island. 80 years ago, a plague of unknown origin swept through the islands. One out of every 8 islanders was killed. It affected the barrios of Favela em Torno greatly. Entire neighborhoods were stuck down. Many buildings were turned into makeshift mass mausoleums. They remain unoccupied today. Rumors of marespelho, dark spirits of the dead, are numerous.
• Entrada Arvore, the forested island. Entrada Arvore is home to the largest Woolboom forest on the Isles. Around 80 percent of its coast is covered with it. There is one major city here, called Veia d’Madiera, which specialises in harvesting and transporting the Woolboom fibers.
• Arrelle, the weaver's island. Arrella is home to the weaver's guild, who provide the rest of the Isles (and the ones who trade with them) with the Woolboom fabric. Fuso Maeda is the major city on this island. In a unique confluence of circumstance, it is widely believed that Fuso Maeda is the city where the preachers of the Shishiyan religion first set foot. As such, the city has numerous temples and shrines.
• Pancada Principal, the naval island. Commonly referred to simply as the Pancada, it is the main naval port of the Isles. Most of the military naval forces of the Isles are stationed here, in the city of Porão.
• Gatabarriva The smallest of the islands with have cities on them, Gatabarriva’s main point of interest are the plains that make up the island. Due to the uncontrolled predation of the islands cats, this land is devoid of any animal life apart from the cats. Even migratory birds have learned, over the centuries, to avoid the land. The people that live here are the researchers of the Isles, introducing animals and plants in a controlled manner on the island to study them in detail.
• Tomé Un and Du The smallest inhabited isles in the archipelago, they are commonly just called The Twins. Each has only a handful of inhabitants in a significant port city. However, they are of great interest of those of faith in the Grasping Isles.
  According to legend, a priest of the Shishiyan faith once lived alone upon Tomé Un as a hermit. He made his home on the top of the small island, in a small cavern. He was wise and old, and preached knowledge and peace. However, over time, the people wouldn't see him anymore. In his stead, a vulture was seen flying towards the north towards the second twin. Searchers eventually discovered the remains of the priest- a single, bloody eye resting beside his holy symbol.
  Every stream of the Shishiyan faith has its own interpretation of this legend, but to the less faithful, it's just a good story that brings in the wealthy.

Spoiler: People

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The Ilhéuso, as they call themselves, are humans of mixed complexion. Their skin-tone ranges from pale to a dark tanned. It is generally inferred that the paler the skin, the more likely that person is to work indoors in trade or weaving. Darker skinned Ilhéuso are farmers and sailors. While there is no social status or stigma attached to skin color, it is something upon which they often remark. They are raised to question everything and to be as inquisitive as possible towards the world around them. Also, due to their nature and the location of their archipelago, they strive to be friendly to everyone that comes to them with the intention of peaceful trade. However, when provoked or disruptive to trade, they can be vicious foes. They are as protective of trading partners and friends to the nation as they are to their trade routes and cargo. There is a strong underlying current of humanocentrism in the isles. Non-humans are more likely to be harshly treated than foreign humans.

Dress is similar for both men and women, for the most part. Men wear tailored breeches that tie off at the knee. Women wear skirts of similar length. Long, strappy sandals that buckled all the way up the calf provide protection, but let water drain away. In cooler climates, wolboom stockings are worn underneath. Simple linen shirts, tight at the wrist and high collared, are worn under a high-necked brocade vests. Many small buttons tie the vest in place. The Visefea is a cultural headgear. Essentially a headband with a visor, it allow the Ilhéuso to shade their eyes yet let their hear flow freely. Wealth is commonly shown through qualityt fabrics and elegant accoutrements.

Ilhéuso society is divided up into different guilds. Each young man or woman is expected to join a guild somewhere in his or her early adolescence. It starts with an apprenticeship under the guidance of an older, more experienced member of the guild, and lasts until the mentor deems the apprentice ready to leave their tutelage.
There are many different kinds of guild, but these are some of the more prevalent:

• Gilde Traficante: The Trader's Guild. These are the folks that actually go around and find people for the other guilds to trade with. They are hired to find potential buyers abroad and also often double as diplomats for the Isles.
• Gilde Fiandeiro: The Weaver's Guild. These are the people in charge of the Wolboom production. They take care of the tree orchards, are the ones responsible for the harvest and manage the distribution of labor throughout the enterprise.
• Gilde Carregador: The Transporter's Guild. This guild is in charge of actually getting goods to where they need to go. They have access to a significant number of transport ships and on land transport (although the latter only on the Isles).
• Gilde Pecuaria: The Researcher's Guild. This guild focuses on researching and documenting new information, from foreign species of plant and animal to making maps of newly found shores.
• Guile Guerreiro: The Military Guild. This guild is responsible for maintaining the fleet and taking jobs relating to escorting other nation's trading fleets and other mercenary-like work.

Family and guild are comingled in Ilhéuso society. Family homes tend to be large, multigenerational arrangements of small sleping chambers surrounding a large kitchen and common area. Family mingles with friends over communal meals of wine, cheese, and seafood-rice dishes. The largest meal is served in the early afternoon. A chance to rest and relax out of the sun, it can last several hours. For Ilhueso, marriage and love are two different things. A local phrase “marriage and love are consummated between the sheets” expresses this difference. Love is a physical thing between people. Marriage is a contract to produce and raise children. Often one party takes the offspring into their family and the other merely provides financial support. It is equally common for a man to have a children from multiple women careening about his family home as it is for a woman. It is merely a financial decision as to who can provide the best financial support and who can provide the most encompassing family environment.

One peculiarity of the Ilhéuso is their love/hate relationship with their domesticated cats. Cats are everywhere on the islands- in homes, in the streets, aboard ship, and in the halls of government. Each individual or family loves their pets, praising them for keeping their homes rodent and insect free. But centuries of prolific breeding of the little homicidal maniacs have stripped many islands of native animals- birds, bugs, reptiles, everything they can catch.

Spoiler: History and Government

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Settlement of the Grasping Isles
The Grasping Isles were settled a long time ago by explorers and fugitives, whose origins are unfortunately unknown. They first viewed the Grasping Isles as a refuge, keeping to themselves and living off the island's flora and fauna. However, when time passed on, their old thirst for knowledge and trade resurfaced. Trade started up slowly, first between the different islands themselves, but then also spreading to the surrounding lands.

Centuries ago, Sheol found the isles. THere was a long period of warfare, but eventually the islands were conquered. As Sheol empire grew, they used the islands as a gateweay for foreigners from the northern regions. As desert tribes, they desired to keep foreigners out of their native holy lands. So the islands is where the Sheol conducted business- only allowing few, select people to come to their homelands.

The Sheol bureaucracy gradually empowered the local merchants. A position on the islands was not seen as a path to power. As the Sheol empire faded, the islander merchants became the merchant princes which lead to the current government I have. A century or so ago, a significant plague came to the islands. Sheol officially abandoned them, refusing to help or allow refugees.

Rise of the Tito Comerices
The first incarnation of the Tito Comerices was formed by the 5 most powerful traders of the isles. They had long been the defacto rulers under the Sheol, but with the old empire gone, they assumed power. They held power from the amounts of trade and the trade routes they controlled. However, due to the other trader's disagreement and the eventual corruption of the Tito Comerices, this form of the central government was quickly dissolved. In its place rose a semi-democratic system where each of the islands select their own representative in a general poll. Massa Massa and Favela em Forno have 2 representatives due to their size. This results in a council of the 10 most "trustworthy" people on the Isles. They earned the title Tito, or Honored One. These 10 people would then choose a representative from outside of the group. It could be anyone. The only requirement was that they not be allowed to nominate themselves or members of their family. Multiple candidates are commonly nominated. Each candidate is allowed one opportunity to express their best arguments and ideas. The Tito cast their votes publicly, so all can see who voted for who. This vote determines the Tito Nicodemo, Honored Victor of the People.
Modern Governance
In theory, the Tito of each isle forms the council that governs the Isles. In practice, it is the guild structure that controls most aspects of daily life. Many Tito are either prominent leaders of the guilds or related to one. This interlacing of family, island, and guild can be difficult for Ilhueso-na (non-islanders) to understand and exploit.

Spoiler: Resources

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]
Produces: Wolboom fabric [Great] This substance, akin to cotton or light wool, is actually a fibrous material found on the leaves and roots of the Wolboom trees on the coastlines of the Grasping Isles. The Wolboom forests protect the Isles from severe flooding and are well adapted to withstand rough waves and large fluctuations in the water level. The fibers on the leaves makes sure the leaves are as dry as possible to help with respiration. The same fibers on the roots make sure that there are almost always air bubbles present against the root, making sure the trees are not exposed to too large quantities of seawater at once. The natural colors of these fibers is a vibrant, lime-like green, which the Ilhéuso adopted as their national color.

Trade Posts and Control

Region number	Resource	Minor	Good	Great
45	Wolboom Fabric	GPI	O	O

Needs: The people of the Isles are an inquisitive folk. Non-native animals in particular are highly sought after, both as pets and as objects for study. The more ecologically aware of them are looking for things to replace the depleted species; something cats will not hunt and kill.

Spoiler: Religion

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True to their inquisitive nature, the Ilhéuso are also quite curious of foreign belief systems. As such, they do not have an own centralised church, but they do have temples on the different islands. There is a small presence of the Shishiyan Church on the isles, as well as a small group of other unorganized religions, such as large amount of people that practice Shishiyan Kunism and a small group of Shishiyan Sarvochism.

The Isles' main capital, Bario Forasterio, has a large amount of Shishiyan Kunism followers, due to the prevalence of that belief in the lands surrounding the Isles. Control of this district means control of the religion here.
The capital of the Arrela isle and the second biggest city on the Isles, Fuso Maeda, is the main harbour used by the Shishiyan religion historically, so a large concentration of Shishiyan followers can be found there. The harbor is under control of the Shishiyan priests, and they limit access to other faiths.
Lastly, on The Green Coast on the islands of Tomé Un and Du, numerous small shrines and churches of Shishiyan Sarvochism can be found in the villages there. They are relatively sheltered here and keep to their own. The practice a rotating missionary system. So the faith that funds these visiting speakers will control this religious node.

Religious Centers
- Bario Forasterio Shishiyan Kunism
- Fuso Maeda, Shishiyan
- De Groene Kust Shishiyan Sarvochism

Spoiler: leadership

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Felipe Eusebio Ventura (1020-current)

Felipe was born in the year 977. He comes from a large family. His Father has 3 brothers and 5 sisters, and there are dozens of cousins. He grew up in a massive compound of interconnected homes on the shores of Favela em Torno. He spent endliess hours swimming, climbing, and exploring the abandoned regions. Fears of the marespelho did not deter him.
Grew up in barrios of Favela em Torno. Spent endless idle hours wandering the empty and abandoned regions. Fears of the X did not deter him. Strong swimmer, loved the water. He was apprenticed as a carregadoro and spent his teen years as a porter hauling cargo.

Life as a porter is not a mindless as many believe. Felipe came to understand the delicate balance and motion of ships and docks, barrels and baskets, men and beasts of burden. He learned to follow its ebb and flow like a maestro conducts an orchestra. He became a foreman, then a master. He grew wealthy negotiating contracts with substantial rewards for quick completion. This money he reinvested into both people and guild houses. By 43, he was well known, well liked, and had numerous business partners. He orchestrated a no-confidence vote in existing Tito Nicodemo, and ran unopposed.

Well, mostly unopposed. His latest namorada and mãe of his youngest two children refused to “live in ships and taverns.” He is currently unattached. His six children range from 20 to 2, with a set of 13 year old twin girls. They are scattered across the islands in the homes of their mothers or their masters.

He is a devout follower of Shishiyan. As a ruler, however, he prefers to allow the priests and missionaries to conduct their own business. He objects to spending precious national resources on any one religion.

He dresses simply, if elegantly. Well tailored breeches reached down to his knees, met by long, strappy sandals that buckled over his woolen hose all the way up his calf. A high-necked brocade vest with many tiny pearl buttons extended to mid calf. Underneath, a fine, almost transparent linen shirt held tight at the neck and wrist. Atop his head he sported the Ilhéuso native visefea, his long black hair cascading over it and down his sun-tanned, promontories of cheekbones. His one vanity is a half cloak of the finest silk, clasped with a gold and gemstone chain.

[Bokoblin]

The Shimmering coast

Diplomacy 2
Military 2
Faith 5
Intrigue 1
Economy 4

Spoiler: Terrain

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The Shimmering Coast was first named by adventurers and travelers who saw there nothing but a peaceful coast forever cast with a dense fog, day and night. The fog gets densest in the winter months and becomes mist in the summer time. The coast spans many kilometers and is made up of coarse brown sand and rocks. There are very rarely storms or rough seas and the coast remains a calm, quiet place all throughout the year. As one gets further inland, the terrain gradually increases and the ground becomes fertile, although the only plant life found on the Shimmering Coast are tall grasses and shrubs. The rolling grassy hills are often interrupted by large crevasses that lead deep into the ground, straight the many iron mines that form a huge labyrinth beneath the Shimmering Coast.

The majority of villages are spread along the edge of the coast, raised on pillars of wood to keep them from the high tide. The biggest settlement on the Coast is Mistdale, more a massive village than a real city. It is home to more than half of the Shimmering Coast’s denizens and is more modern than the other settlements around it, being made of wood and stone with high towers and buildings raised on thick stone pillars, partially eroded by the waves but incredibly structurally secure. Mistdale consists of small stone houses that get bigger and more luxurious as they get closer to the water. The entire town is overshadowed by a huge lighthouse built on a long stone pier that extends far out into the sea. The lighthouse serves as a church and its light breaks the constant fog to direct ships away from the vulnerable town.

Spoiler: People

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The people of the Shimmering Coast were originally humans who decided to settle there amidst the fog, in lack of any better option. Soon they found that the ground was filled to the core with thousands of rich iron veins and soon the settlers began mining for the metal. They traded and slowly but surely they built Mistdale and branched off to conquer the entire coast. Spending all their lives in the darkness of the mines and the thickness of the fogs, denizens of the coast have developed advanced vision that allow them to see much further than any regular human as well as in near complete darkness. However, dwelling in a world of mines, caves and constant macabre weather has left a mark on the people, their backs are crooked and most people suffer from depression or anxiety in their old age.
Society on the Coast is organized by roles. The leader resides at the top of the lighthouse, above the church and overlooking his people. The Miners are next in rank, having the most dangerous yet important job. Most people on the Shimmering Coast so there are few equality issues. Next on the scale are priests, who have special quarters around the church. Finally, at the bottom of the ladder is everyone else, the merchants, the laborers, the blacksmiths, etc. The current ruler is king Rauf, a gentle ruler who seeks to increase trade to improve the wealth of his kingdom.

Spoiler: Resource

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The many mines on the Shimmering Coast produce iron (Great) day and night and both the quality and the quantity of the material make the pride of the people. However, since the Shimmering coast is a coastal region and made up mostly or sandy beaches or rolling grassy hills, there is a clear lack of wood, which need to be imported from other regions.

Spoiler: Faith

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To compensate for the constantly gloom atmosphere, the people of the shimmering coast have become adepts of the Shishiyan faith, to cope with the hardships of the land. A church of the Shishiyan faith was established in the lighthouse and hundreds of people come to pray daily for the safety of the miners and the prosperity of Mistdale. All 3 nodes are taken up by the Shishiyan faith. Most, if not all citizens worship to varying degrees.

[Mary_Sue]

Allanar


Region 23

Summary

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Region: 23, Allanar
Population: Elves
Resource: Mithril
Required Resource: Food
Religion: 1) Shishiyan, 2) Shishiyan, 3) Shishiyan Anorism

People

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The people of Allanar consider themselves to be Fire Elves, or Elves with a kinship to the element of fire. The Fire Elves, or F’aasari in their native language, are humanoids who stand slightly taller than average humans, and have a slightly slimmer build. Their hair colour can vary from brown to blonde to red, though their skin is a universally tawny tanned colour and they posses ears only slightly longer than a human’s, but pointed at the tip. Like other elves, the F’aasari respect and revere their natural surroundings, striving to disrupt the native environment of their region as little as possible.

The F’aasari’s affinity to fire has resulted in a people who can withstand the sun and flames and remain unburnt, though they may still be affected by heat stroke. The people of Allanar loathe the darkness, and so their cities are brightly lit throughout the night. Their public buildings, which are grown and shaped over time from living trees and stones, often have roofs and walls which are open to the sunlight. Private homes, which tend to be more sheltered, are often built around an open inner courtyard, while the wealthy have glass skylights so that the inhabitants do not need to be without the natural light of the sun.

Terrain

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The most populous city in Allanar is the capital, Siledorei. Siledorei rests in the valley of two mountain ranges. Known to the fire elves as Dol Orod to the West and Emel Orod in the East, or the Head and the Heart. Situated in a warm rain shadow, the mountains block the passage of the rain producing weather systems of the coast. Due to this, Allanar enjoys an extended dry season with hot summers, and mild winters with a shortened rainy season.

Siledorei was built in a series of circular districts, all radiating out from an ancient central tower, Nimloth Mindon. The stone tower of Nim was built by the first ancestral elves that settled the area. Four great statues of the city founders dwell within the tower, which now serves as the home of the royal family of Allanar, who are said to be able to trace their heritage back to the original founders. The Noble District, known as Andrand surrounds Nim and houses the city elites, and foreign ambassadors.

The Holy District, or Londo Ianor, follows Andrand and is home to the city's temples and clergy. Its name loosely translates to Path of the Sun, a relic from older times when the elves worshipped the sun as a deity. The Garden District follows, usually simply referred to as Loth and serves as a buffer between the busy marketplace, known as Bagarth and the upper class districts. Beyond the market district is Maethor, home of the arena and the bulk of the city’s military forces. Beyond Maethor lies the poor regions, whose conditions worsen the further out they lie from Nim.

Religion

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The majority of the citizenry of Allanar, and certainly within Siledorei itself, are adherents to the orthodox Shishiyan faith. Their remain outlying pockets of the native F’aasari faith who worship Anor, Lord of the Sun. Shishiyan influence has spread to most areas, and even in those areas most stubbornly adherent to Anor, it is viewed as a form of Shishiyan, known as Shishiyan Anorism. Anor is seen as the principal deity, with the Exalted and the Enemy believed to be either lesser gods, or even children of Anor depending upon the local mythology. Despite this clinging to the old ways by some, Orthodox Shishiyan is recognized as the official religion of Siledorei and Allanar.
Religious Center 1: Orthodox Shishiyan
Religious Center 2: Orthodox Shishiyan
Religious Center 3: Shishiyan Anorism

Resource

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Within the mountain ranges of Allanar lies the region's greatest resource, great veins of mithril ore. The ore is mined and worked into armour, jewelry and ceremonial weapons. As bright as silver, strong as steel but unaccountably lightweight, mithril is prized for both its beauty as well as its practical applications. The royal crown, Brilri is fashioned from mithril and is said to be over two thousand years old, though bears no sign of its great age.

Allanar requires a food supplement for its booming population.

Gaethlean
Region 24

Summary

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Region: 24, Gaethlean
Population: Elves
Resource: Linen
Required Resource: None
Religion: 1) Shishiyan, 2) Niskism, 3) Shishiyan

People

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As in Allanar, the people of Gaethlean are Elves. Humanoids who stand slightly taller and more slender than average humans, and possess mildly elongated ears that come to a point. Known to themselves as the Asari, they do not hold the same affinity to the flame as do their Southern brethren. Fair of skin and mild of temper, the Asari seek to disrupt their natural surroundings as little as possible in their day to day lives. They often ornament themselves with the natural detritus of the woods. Leaves, flowers, and antlers all make their way onto the Asari’s clothing and into their hair.


Vegetarians, they eschew all meat and animal products except for eggs and honey and do not use leather or tallow in their clothing or otherwise. They are generally against killing except in self defense and strive to live peaceful lives free of conflict. Asari society places great emphasis on community and familial ties. Younger generations are expected to care for their elder family members until they pass, and often form large family units with several generations living under the same roof as the Elves are a long lived species.

Terrain

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The terrain of Gaethlean is dominated by the old-growth forest in which the Asari make their homes. The Gladwoods, as the forest is known to its inhabitants, would seem wholly wild to those unfamiliar with her veiled pathways. Small pockets of civilization exist scattered throughout the region. The largest of these settlements cropped up around natural fields of flax which the Elves have enlarged and tend to as the resource provides cloth, oil and grain for the regional population.

Nestled in the southern valley of the Borderstone Mountains, lies Ishnelenora, the largest city and region capital. Named for two famed lovers lost to antiquity, the city is home to the ruling families of the region, who claim a distant relation to the founding Elves Ishnel and Nora. The easternmost settlement of the region is the more culturally urbane Mehnor. Owing its relative sophistication to its proximity to Allanar, Mehnor serves as Gaethlean’s trade hub and wide hard packed dirt roads wide enough for wheeled wagon carts have been worn through the Gladwoods between Ishnelenora and Mehnor.

Religion

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The majority of the populace of Gaethlean are adherents of the Shishiyan faith. There is a small lingering pocket of Niskism followers who believe that not only violence and vice are the constructs of the Enemy, but the world entire and seek to distance themselves from its sinful comforts.
Religious Center 1: Orthodox Shishiyan
Religious Center 2: Niskism
Religious Center 3: Orthodox Shishiyan

Resource

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Gaethlean’s major export comes from its great fields of flax that dot the large forest clearings in which their cities are built. Linen is woven from the fibers of flax and is a lightweight and versatile cloth. Labour intensive to weave, it is an occupation the agrarian Elves of the region are well suited for. Often dyed, it also constitutes the majority material for the Asari’s clothing as well as providing the bulk of the trade coin for the region.

Ancalen
Region 26

Summary

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Region: 26, Ancalen
Population: Elves
Resource: Dogs
Required Resource: None
Religion: 1) Shishiyan, 2) Shishiyan Anorism, 3) Shishiyan Anorism

People

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The Elves of Ancalen are F’aasari, or Fire Elves. Tawny skinned and almond eyed, the F’aasari’s hair and eye colour varies throughout the ordinary human range of colour. Sharing an affinity for the element of fire, as do their eastern cousins of Allanar, the Elves of Ancalen also share their kin’s pointed ears and resistance to flame. Though they appear to have ordinary mortal skin, it appears that they can not be burned by fire, and never are seen to sunburn. As all F’aasari, the Elves of Ancalen loathe the darkness, and so their cities are brightly lit throughout the night. Access to natural sunlight is seen as a right, must be provided in public buildings whenever possible.

Passionate in both love and anger, the F’aasari of Ancalen give the impression of a bold and intensely curious people. They are a proud and strong community, who highly value honour, faith and tradition. It is these traits that have cause the Elves of Ancalen to cling more tightly to the old ways of Anor than their cousins to the East. It is believed that the ruling house of Ancalen are truly cousins of those in Allanar, as the F’aasari royal families used to intermarry during the last age of peace when realms of Elves stood unified before insular objectives, plagues and Allanar’s mass conversion to the Orthodox Shishiyan faith served to alienate the various sects of Elves from one another.

Terrain

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The coastal landscape of Ancalen is dominated by the twin cities of Melathyr and Amanthyr. Both metropolitan centers are known for their towering spires, though neither boasts heights as grand as the Nim in Allanar. Built of hewn and chiseled stone, Melathyr entirely of red sandstone and Amanthyr of white limestone, both boast bustling ports of call with vibrant markets and a xenophilic populace that enjoys observing and partaking of the exotic foods and luxuries that are brought into the trade ports.

Ancalen is comprised of a long stretch of land bordered to the west by the Firina Kalnen, or Waters of the Dying Light, roughly translated and named in honour of the sunset. Fishing the Firina Kalnen provides for most of the inhabitants protein needs, and most of the wealthier properties provide space for private vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. In less prosperous communities and small settlements, communal gardens fill this need and are usually tended to by able bodied elderly or mothers with small children.

Religion

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While the Shishiyan faith has taken a foothold in Ancalen, largely due to the outside pressures and influence of neighboring Allanar, the large majority of the population hold to the old ways and the worship of Anor, Lord of the Sun. Even in Ancalen, it is viewed as a form of Shishiyan faith, known as Shishiyan Anorism. Anor is seen as the principal deity, with the Exalted and the Enemy believed to be either lesser gods, or even children of Anor depending upon the local mythology.
Religious Center 1: Orthodox Shishiyan
Religious Center 2: Shishiyan Anorism
Religious Center 3: Shishiyan Anorism

Resource

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The main source of regional pride for the Elves of Ancalen is the domestication of the wild dogs that used to roam wild throughout Ancalen. Possessing the appearance of a small, short haired wolf, the dogs of Ancalen are intelligent, obedient and agile. They are exported chiefly as hunting dogs and personal companions, and are popular as pets in many Ancalen households.

Kumlasaf
Region 21

Terrain

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Dominated by gently rolling hills that give way to jagged spurs of rock in the north as the land rises into the mighty Iugis Ignis. Lightly speckled with temperate forests, much of the land has been cultivated or cleared in service of the agrarian villages that dot the landscape. Criss-crossed by innumerable small rivers and streams making their way to the Akkidan Sea, the heartland of Kumlasaf is immensely hospitable. This relative bounty has blunted the consolidation of the area's settlements, making the whole of the heartland sparsely but reliably populated.

South of the heartland, the terrain shifts, the grassy hills growing thick with painstaking tended hardwood forests. This verdurous ring surrounds the only city of note in the region, Ateska. Originally a fortress city built by Sheolim occupiers, Ateska has grown into the center of commerce and culture in Kumlasaf, in no small part due to the small army of dedicated glassworkers that fill its workshops. The "city craft" has left indelible marks on Kumlasaf, from the quartz quarries bored into the side of the Iugis Ignis' foothills to the singe paved road that runs straight as an arrow from mountains to coast.

People

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Kumlasaf is inhabited by humans, olive skinned and dark haired as a rule. Of average height and build, their character is one of honest labor, with every Kumlasan bearing the marks of their craft's successes and failures upon their skin. Families are large, and the isolated nature of most Kumlasan villages has lead to most thinking of their neighbors as extended family regardless of the truth of the matter. Unfortunately, this clannish nature can lead to short but violent episodes of vendetta between competing villages, the shared memories of which have only served to keep this agrarian people firmly scattered.

Only in Ateska is this sense of insular familiarity escaped. The forced melding of Sheolim and Kumlasan culture has resulted in a more stratified society that is both more distant and more ordered than the heartland. Yet even here the clans emerge, as many smaller families come together to raise up industrial legacies. Marrying vengeful pride to greed, these competing interests wage vendettas all their own in the shadows, concealing bitter hatred behind smiling masks. But despite this oft times lethal competition, the good of the glassworks overwhelms all, and any threat to their shared livelihood unites the people of the capital in bonds of iron.

Government

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The governance of Kumlasaf is theoretically centralized in the capital of Ateska, the city Mayor drawn from the powerful Glass Worker's guild and advised by representatives from every major settlement in the heartland. In practice, the Conclave Hall that abuts the old Sheolim fortress is empty more often than not, the concerns of capital and heartland so dissimilar that each trusts in the other to attend their own affairs. Only when the entire region is threatened or a vendetta threatens to spill beyond the borders of two clans does the Conclave truly convene, that they might render fair judgement under the auspices of the Mayor.

Religion

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For many centuries, the people of Kumlasaf held true to their pagan worship of a wide pantheon of earth spirits, ranging from the Mother of Mountains to the humble Reaper Goodfellow. However, proximity to the Phoenix Estates and the holy city of Shanadeer resulted in a steady influx of proselytizers from the northern faith. With no organized religious authority to oppose them, these Shishiyan missionaries converted progressively wider swathes of the heartland to Ananda's teachings. And while Kunism held strong in the capital thanks to the influence of Sheol, the departure of the Old Kingdom's governors a century ago opened wide the gates for Shishiyanism to cement its hold across Kumlasaf.

Religious Centers

1.Ateska - Shishiyanism
2.Heartlands - Shishiyanism
3.Iugis Ignis Foothills - Shishiyanism

Resource

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Available: Glass
Thanks to the abundant resources in the northern hills and well maintained fuel sources, the glass of Kumlasaf is of rare and coveted quality.

An Faetaur
Region 9

Terrain

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Struck through by alpine mountain ranges, the An Faetaur is a land of habitable valleys and inhospitable fastnesses. Rising from scrub foothills in the north, the Ardhon Rammas dictates every aspect of life in the region. Roads are little more than hammered paths through the least treacherous of the mountain range's expanses, with more than one pass memorialized in song as the site of great tragedy or great triumph. On the slopes of the more hospitable peaks, stepped villages of longhouses and barrows peek out from behind the treeline, accessible by switchback paths that are closely watched. These settlements are the oldest in the region, though their power has waned in the face of more forward thinking communities.

The communities that have grown to dominate the An Faetaur are the ones that have grown in the fertile valleys that separate the forest tribes. These oases of clear land were once the sites of frequent battle, but over the centuries a trickle of ambitious wanderers and dispossessed tribes managed to lay the foundations of civilization. Beginning as little more than vassal outposts or neutral trading grounds, the bounty of the valleys made it inevitable that their inhabitants would surpass the forest tribes in wealth and power. Soon, it was the forests themselves that choked on blood, as the inhabitants of the forests fought bitter, losing wars against the expansion of valley farmland and valley logging.

Separate from these conflicts were the people of stone, the clans that by force or by choice came to dwell atop the peaks. Here, ancient citadels have been carved from the living rock, their exteriors long weathered and rimed with frost. The mountain clans have but one power that elevates them above desperate beggary, but it is the most potent power imaginable - control of the An Faetaur's water. Both forest and field are fed by springs and rivers whose sources are found in the lands of the mountain clans, and more than once a clan has dammed essential waters in retribution for some imagined slight.

People

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The forestlands of the An Faetaur are inhabited by a branch of elves, one that holds itself close to the earth rather than the F'aasari's love of fire. Less tall than their western cousins, they are somewhat broader of shoulder and more densely muscled, though not so much as to abandon their distinctly elven grace. Most are brown skinned, with colors ranging from deeply tan to deep russet, with shadowed green eyes and dark hair.

Their long affinity with the forest has led the people of the An Faetaur to mythologize the role of hunter and protector, even in the face of their greatest industry being sedentary agriculture. Times of celebrations are always marked by a competitive hunt, while bows and arrows maintain a religious function even in the face of organized faiths. Dedicated monogamy is the norm, though it is not uncommon for unattached family members to inherit bereaved relations. The long importance of the clans has steadily waned as the valleys grew to greater prominence, with one's wider family name now being of little consequence within the wider scope of one's class of clan.

Government

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Prior to its conquest, the An Faetaur was an elective monarchy. Headquartered in the ceremonial capital of Gwaewlhoss that dominates a waterfall leading into the largest of the forest's valleys, the Lord of the Clans ruled from his living throne. With broad powers to resolve conflicts but not to initiate them, the Lord served as an essential counterweight for the internecine conflicts that periodically threatened to sweep across the region. Advised by an established Circle of elders, with four members drawn from each of the three clan divides, the Lord served as ultimate judge and ultimate protector to his people. It was a decapitation strike against Gwaewlhoss that secured the Sheolim their swift victory in the region, and the seat of the Lord of Clans and the chambers of his Circle now stand empty.

Religion

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The religious beliefs of the An Faetaur are largely dictated by where one travels. Thanks to their greater exposure to outside trade and uncommonly hospitable surroundings, the valleys proved tempting targets to Shishiyan missionaries from the north. Now, Shishiyan churches stand in most of the farming communities. Meanwhile, the clans of the forests cling to the old ways, their general isolation and hostility having rebuffed any missionaries too desperate for revelation to settle for the ease of the valleys below. This state of affairs was tacitly supported by the Lord of the Clans prior to his death, due to an open secret - the adherence of the mountain clans to the teachings of Niska.

Religious Centers

• Valley Clans - Shishiyanism
• Mountain Clans - Niskism
• Forest Clans - Pagan

Resources

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Available: Grain
Thanks to the purity of its mountains streams and the frequent renewal of the soil, what arable land exists in the An Faetaur has proven enviable farmland. While most of the limited space is dedicated to feeding the populace, a substantial minority has been set aside for the cultivation of trade crops, of which grain has proven the most popular.

Nor Tyelde
Region 22

Summary

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Region: 22, Nor Tyelde
Population: Elves
Resource: Apples
Required Resource: None
Religion: 1) Shishiyan, 2) Sarchovism, 3) Shishiyan

People

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The coastal Elves of Nor Tyelde call themselves the Nasari. Though possessed of a deep affection for their coastal lands, they can not said to have a true affinity to water, as their northern cousins, the F’aasari do to fire. The Nasari, while of generally tall stature similar to their nearby fellows, the F’aasari and Asari, are generally more robust and muscular than the average elf. Perhaps due to their rigorous coastal lifestyle of fishing, swimming and canoeing the simple but popular small ored watercraft used by the majority of the Nasari for transport along the coast and tributaries on the inland settlements. Waveriders patrol the coastal towns on swift and maneuverable sailboards, and are one of the most esteemed military groups within the region.

Possessing the same pointed ears and lightly tanned skin as their brethren elves, the Nasari’s hair colouring tends towards blondes and lighter, golden honey brunettes. Though fiercely protective of their own when a threat is perceived, they are a warm and gregarious people, quick to make friends and accepting of foreigners within their lands. This gregarious nature has resulted in some human elf interbreeding among the coastal settlements where immigrants are more likely to be found. These half-elves are widely accepted amongst the full blooded Nasari and are often admired for any traits they may pick up from their human progenitors that are unusual for a Nasari.

Terrain

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Nor Tyelde translates roughly into “Land End” in the common trade vernacular, and indeed is located on the southern shore of the mid-Celessian continent. Sheltered from extreme weather by the rain shadow of the great mountain range, named Emel Orod by the neighboring F’aasari, that divides the region from Allanar, Nor Tyelde enjoys a moderate maritime climate well suited to the outdoorsy and agricultural pursuits of the native inhabitants. Nor Tyelde is comprised of a long thin strip of coastal land along the Saintly Sea, named for its proximity to the traditional seat of the Grand Mahangar. Much of the region's protein requirements are fed by the rich sea life that the inhabitants depend upon for both sustenance and materials for building and weaving. It is also popular to fashion jewelry and art from the lovely seashells that wash up abundantly on the white sand shores of their beaches.

There are settlements every few miles along the sea, and range in size from the large, urbane trade hub of Veralasen which is the seat of power within the region, to the tiny and rustic Senarel on the very remote southern tip of the region. The architecture of the centrally north located Veralasen is of hewn basalt, built to last the eroding effects of the sea. This dark and heavy stone coupled with an enclosed wall open to the sea, lends an imposing fortress effect to the city that is rare in the normally light and airy Elven architecture of their fellows. One of the most recognizable features of Veralasen are the two tall identical stone lookout towers that flank the seagate into the harbour, the Saltspire of the northern edge and the Seaspear of the southern point. There are other stone cities within the region, though most poor settlements such as Senarel are made of simple wood and thatch.

Religion

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The Shishiyan faith has taken a strong hold in Nor Tyelde, largely due to the outside pressures and influence of neighboring Allanar and the devout across the Saintly Sea. A small following of Sarchovism has gained popularity in the region, likely brought in by influence from foreign immigrants and merchants.
Religious Center 1: Orthodox Shishiyan
Religious Center 2: Sarchovism
Religious Center 3: Orthodox Shishiyan

Resource

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Away from the oft harsh maritime winds, nestled in the foothills of Emel Orod lie the immense apple orchards or Nor Teylde. Thriving in the mild climate of the region, Nor Teylde produces many fine varieties of the versatile fruit which is a favorite of the region’s inhabitants. These varietals include the Thellan Red, the Alkmene Beauty, the Autumn Gold, the tart Green Guss, the Sweetling, the Ness Pool and the highly prized Sunrise Pink.

[Lord of Monies]

Saralyn
Region 15


Prime Minister Hadrick Brightmind

Diplomacy: 2
Military: (2+1) 3
Economy: (4+1) 5
Intrigue: 3
Faith: 1

Spoiler: People

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The Gnomish people are one of constant reinvention and creativity. As one of the smaller species on the continent, this trait was something of a requirement in order to remain and not get swept away by the rest of the world. Standing around 3 feet tall, they have pointed ears and their skin colour can range from a light tan to a more earthern brown. Males are commonly seen with some kind of short, well-trimmed facial hair while the women have longer hair that allows them to style and change it often. Attire is usually some kind of cloth or leather outfit with designs stitched into them to provide variety and status.

They are quite friendly and generally welcoming to others, but with their curiosity comes an equal sense of scepticism and scrutiny of others. This doesn't exactly make for awkward first meetings with Gnomes, but to truly befriend a Gnome and gain a mutual trust it takes more time and dedication than some might expect.

This same scepticism and curiosity has lead many a Gnome to many branches of science and the arts. People will come together for discussions on rationalism, philosophy and engineering just as much as others will turn to art, music and literature. This communal culture is the backbone of Gnomish society.

Spoiler: History and Government

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In the early years of their existence, government didn't exist on a large scale and was instead a simple matter of the smaller communities governing themselves. It being in their nature to question everything at first, it was simply easier for like-minded Gnomes to gather in smaller towns and villages. This allowed them to survive with a modicum of comfort and stability, but it also brought with it stagnation. There was little inter-mingling between the Gnomish settlements so growth as a people started to slow down.

There were several attempts made to unite the Gnomes as one, but it wasn't until the efforts of a woman called Saralyn that progress was made. She spent all of her adult life travelling the region, speaking with the people and establishing the counties that would later become the many parts that formed a whole. Her strength of will and compassion was able to recognise that power of rule should not be pre-determined like the many other kingdoms of the land. Every Gnome had a voice with opinions and ideas that should be heard, so with trial, error and refinement, the system of Democracy was formed that still stands to this day.

Saralyn never directly ruled over this new nation, she had spent most of her life putting in the work to form it in the first place, but in recognition of this work one of the first products of the democratic trials was to name their homeland after her. History looks kindly on her as the mother of their land who gave everything and asked for nothing except to work together and achieve greatness.

Due to their longer lifespan and need for some consistency amidst the chaos of new ideas and world affairs, general elections are held every 15 years. There is currently no limit to how long any given member of parliament can run for office, but nobody has ever held onto their position for more than three terms so such a matter has not had reason to become a topic of serious discussion.

Spoiler: Terrain

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Sylaran has a little bit of everything. Wide open plains for farmlands and townsteads, the occasional woodland for wildlife and lumber, and a region of mountains to provide mines with the basic necessities required. The mountains are the source of the great river Wildbank that gets its name for being a difficult river to cross. The further it progresses, however, the more stable it becomes thus able to sustain the major cities of Saralyn along it.

Belmarath is Saralyn's capital city that lies fairly central in the region with the Wildbank river running through it. The location provides equal and easy acquisition of resources gathered throughout the nation allowing for the most developed buildings in the nation. A dockyard along the river allows for trade to other cities as well as a tributary that heads north through other lands and towards the coast.

Spoiler: Resource

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Saralyn has spent centuries in the pursuit of knowledge and creativity such that now there are prestigious schools and universities producing scholars of all kinds. Technology is always progressing and the educational institutes always have room to grow so the quantity of intelligent professionals is relatively low right now. You can believe the Gnomish people when they say that this will change to someday be noticed on a global scale.

Fortunate as they are to have many of their base needs provided for them, Saralyn's luxury goods are somewhat lacking. Gemstones are highly sought after by the populace to bring a little extra shine to themselves and their homes.

Spoiler: Religion

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Not being too far from the headquarters of Shishiyan Church, it was inevitable for the faith to find them. It is accepted and tolerated, but as with all things it is also debated and questioned instead of blindly followed. Chaos and destruction are aspects of The Enemy, but often the Gnomes have found that some things need to be destroyed to make way for new and better creations. The chaos of conflicting opinions and wild experimentation can be the gateway to a fantastic new discovery.

Because of this there are Shishiyan churces that give service, but faith is not something that has become even a minor part of society. It's a thing of curiosity worth debating from time to time, but there are more practical pursuits worth striving for.

Belmarath: Shishiyan
Gowacks: Shishiyan
Palos: Open