Location/Geography

Mountains and dry highlands in the east, rolling meadows in the north and west, great oak forests in the south and wet, rocky lowlands along the coast. Leaf trees are the norm, with pines growing exclusively in the north. The Bailish get apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries and other sweet fruits during the summer months. The climate is mild and wet, with a bit of snow during the winter months. Sheep, wolves, deer, elks, bears and other such animals are common. The Daoine harvest, dry and smoke a kind of mushroom called Gneas, which causes intoxication and hallucinations.


Capital – Rithebaile
Rithebaile is the ancient seat of kings, first founded by the legendary King Aonghus himself a thousand years ago. It is an enormous city, covering most of the island it rests on at the inland end of the river Nathair. Apart from the royal castle itself it sports a grand arena, several libraries, theatres, plazas, craft halls, trade houses and a university. Located in the outskirts of the city is also the Tur Draoi – the tower of Magi.

Other Major Settlements

• Loch Dubh is an old mining town named after the lake it sits by. Most of the trade going north and west goes through here. Swords made in Loch Dubh are famous throughout the land for their durability and lightness.
• Beal Abhann is one of Bailes oldest settlements, even older than Rithebaile. Its name, literally meaning “river mouth”, is quite fitting as the entire city stretches across the old river Nathair. A masterpiece of engineering, rumored to have been built by dwarves, stands in the center of the town: a folding bridge made from stone and iron, capable of letting large ships pass the city and sail upriver.
• Cathair is originally a fort on the northern border, which stood abandoned until roughly a hundred years ago when people suddenly started settling there. It is not recognized formally as a city due to the fact that it has no lord, but it is for some reason tolerated anyway. You won’t find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy anywhere in the land.
• Compared to some of the other settlements in Baile, Cnoc Adhmad is quite the youngster. It was founded less than two hundred years ago but has grown exponentially in that time. Today it is the ocean gate to the south, and the city is famous for its wharves.

General Introduction

Baile is the very picture of a stable medieval monarchy. There is a great sense of national pride throughout the human populace, and people both high and low are pleased with their sovereign rulers. Apart from the nationalism, the Bailish are a modest lot. Luxury and excessive wealth is frowned upon, and citizens are encouraged to be content with what they have and take joy in the little things in life. They are also a religious lot, converging one day a week in the many godhouses of the land to worship a wide pantheon of angels. There is a small elvish minority living in Baile called the Daoine. They are not part of the human society, but are mostly tolerated by the people.

History

A thousand years ago the land known today as Baile was occupied by several smaller kingdoms rivalling for power. Humans were still relatively new to the region, having migrated there only three hundred years prior, and had not yet managed to unite. It was around that time when the man known as Aonghus was first mentioned. He was the first son to a queen in the north of the land and had not become anything special, had it not been for the interference of Draoi Sionnach, a wizard who became a mentor to the young man. It was Sionnach who first mentioned the principle of Ceart, Right, and Aonghus was brought up with its ideals. He didn't fully accept them, however, until much later. When his mother the queen died the crown passed to Aonghus, and he immediately set to work. During a period of twenty years the young king conquered every other kingdom in the land, and finally founded his capital of Rithebaile as a gesture or victory. In the autumn years of Aonghus' life when he had begun to fully understand and accept the ideals of Ceart he wrote the first Book of Law, a text that made all inhabitants of Baile, noble or not, subject to a governing code of conduct. The Book of Law is still used in Baile today, and although nothing in it has been changed a lot has been added.

The centuries following Aonghus' death have been filled with both war and strife as well as peace and prosperity. Baile has been in wars with other nations, has endured civil wars, has conquered or succumbed to rebellions and much, much more. Many trials and obstacles have been put before the Bailish, but they have ultimately conquered them all.


Government type: Feudal Monarchy

People in power

• Queen Cliodhna, first of her name, a fierce warrior-queen of only 25 years of age. She is a firm supporter of Cumhacht.
• Draoi Ceallach, first of the Magi and court wizard of Queen Cliodhna.
• Tiarna Faolan, lord of Cnoc Adhmad and the chief contender to the crown.
• Tiarna Emer, lady of Beal Abhann and rumored to be the wealthiest woman in the land.
• Tiarna Aodh, lord of Loch Dubh and a general of great renown.

Culture
The Bailish are a people obsessed with tales and legends. Every household worth its name has an ancestor or two known for a heroic deed or other accomplishment that the descendants keep track of no matter how long ago the ancestor lived. A skilled bard will never have to pay for his/her drink, food or lodging when visiting villages and towns. Because of this the Bailish are also keen on prophecy, the most famous one being the return of the once and future king, Aonghus.

In terms of philosophy and the general way of life, the Bailish are divided. There is a conflict of thought among the leaders of the land based around the principles of Cumhacht and Ceart, or Might versus Right. Those supporting the principle of Cumhacht believe that might, or strength, gives you the right to rule those that are weak. To them, force is justice in itself. On the other hand, those in support of Ceart believe that force, or violence, is only justified when used in self-defense. To them, the right thing to do is to avoid violence whenever possible and seek a path preferable to all parties involved.

Most people in Baile are simple, however, and are as such uninterested in the principles of power. Getting through the day and enjoying life for what it is takes precedence.

The Bailish are a religious and superstitious lot. They worship a pantheon of angels, who are depicted as winged humans. These angels are believed to have superhuman powers and sometimes visit the mundane world to answer prayers or perform miracles. Great victories in battles are always attributed to a particular angel or other.

The Daoine, elves native to the lands of Baile, live secluded from the humans and have a completely different culture. They are highly territorial, aggressive almost, and will only rarely interact with other peoples. They live in the forests of Baile and are largely left alone despite the demand for lumber. Not much is known about their religious beliefs other than that they seem to worship the stars.

Crimes
Murder, theft, assault, rape, destruction of property… all of the usual crimes of violence are punishable by fines, jail or, sometimes, death. Lying is also seen as a crime in Baile, but only if you are stupid enough to be exposed. Getting away with a clever ruse is even seen as admirable.




Baile is an industrious nation. The east mines for ores and metals, producing iron tools and weapons. In the lowlands farmers grow wheat, baking bread and brewing ales. The people of the south chop trees for lumber, producing ships of great quality. The highlanders herd sheep and cows, producing wool and dairy products, and all along the coast fish is being pulled from the sea. It is a stable country, not really rich but definitely not poor. Most people have proper housing and food on the table every day, but luxury is rare even among the nobles.

Military Overview

Baile has no real standing army. In times of war the lords and ladies of the land are charged with drafting recruits for the defense of the nation, but most of these soldiers receive no training in peacetime. One exception is the many orders of errant knights employed by the nobles of Baile. They serve as peacekeepers is peacetime and elite warriors in war. The errant knights are experts at martial arts and are a fearsome force to meet on the battlefield. Another exception is the world-famous Bailish longbow archers, used as the general defensive force of the keeps and castles of the realm.

Location/Geography

Hopefully 3

General Introduction

The Resomi are a diminutive race of avian raptors, barely reaching two feet in height. They are overall a major cultural center, creating massive cathedrals in the name of their god, the patron of arts. They have an incredible commission-based art flourishing, and many art schools can be found in the city states. The center of this conglomeration that every once and a while fights against each other is Tivoli. It is the most magnificent city, and most immigration traffic is routed to it.

History

The Resomi developed in a frozen wasteland of a land, and quickly became extremophiles designed for cold. At first, they were tribes. However, once they began to organize, they rapidly developed into towns. They managed to do this by learning to ranch the local wildlife and importing food from various nearby sources.
The city states were formed a long time ago, and were quickly turned against each other. Adversity fueled creativity, and soon they flourished into the first golden age of arts. This was akin to a classical age, and many empires conquered the other city states.
Soon it was left to two empires, whom have had their names lost to the sands of time. They created great works of arts and amazing constructions, which would influence the province for centuries to come. The province, while in a permanent winter and wracked by blizzards, would always be a nation of culture. This was their beck and call.
The empires sparred every once and a while, but by and large they mainly exchanged culture, developing incredible feats of classical art and architecture. Even to the present day, ancient and beautiful artifacts from these times can be found.
These empires, eventually, collapsed. This descended the province into city states waging war against each other. This did not stop their desire for culture, however, and while the arts and architecture took a blow from the fall, they did not stop. They devolved, but began their redevelopment once again.
This was essentially the dark ages for the province. Kingdoms eventually formed. They rose and fell in warfare between each other, before they eventually cracked once again into city states.
These city states took the idea of exploration and seized it, sailing in the name of the goddess Ariana. They traveled the world, about three hundred years before present time. They met new cultures and diffused their information into their own. Thus began the second flourishing of the arts.
The arts had finally recovered from the fall of the empires. The Resomi used all they had learned from the other cultures to cultivate their own. Architecture soon returned to magnificence and religion continued to be strengthened. The modern city states were born.
A notable event in their history that truly bore the third flourishing of the arts was the war against the Order. The Crown of Virith was attacked and the Resomi came to their aid. The pike and shot forces landed in the southwest of the Virithian mainland, and moved northwards. There, they participated in several battles.
However, the order learned that the city states were highly undefended as a result. They sent a fleet to invade, and managed to attack the city state of Sira. Despite defenses by both the Eloia and the Mystrost, the city fell. It, however, held out long enough for the forces of the city states to return and push them back. Thus ended the involvement of the Resomi in the war.
Now the Resomi are in the middle of a power vacuum, continuing to create great works of art and architecture as they war between each other.





The Resomi are a cultural people, governed by independent city states. These city states are incredibly different from one another, some being monarchies, others being republics, some being democracies, and so on. But adversity drives innovation, and so they have become a foremost cultural power in the world. Their religion, the Sect of Insight, lead by the Archbishop of Tivoli, has spread far and wide. Their fine art is heavily desired in foreign lands, and there is always plenty paintings to go around.


The City States of Brescia are varied in what they creat, but in general they create the arquebus, pikes, fine art, and architecture plus building materials. Their economy is based on fine art and banking, and the rich families get to where they are banking. There they commission and sell fine art. The church draws from the fund of rich worshipers to fund their great cathedrals.

Military Overview

The Brescian military is unique in that there is no cohesive mass. Each city state has its own army, often based off of mercenaries. This is where Tivoli comes in. They use mercenaries only as an ancillary, and focus instead of a highly trained, highly loyal militia force. This militia force is equipped with the best of the best, and like the rest of Brescia, focuses on the pike and shot doctrine.