Faction Name:
The Reformation of the Salished Dynasty

Alias:
Zoltur, the Ministry of Zoltur

Government Type:
As befits a dynasty, members of a single family lead the Reformation. Two brothers and one sister hold control over all aspects, with each assuming responsibility for certain matters, such as military, administrative or religious, and possessing a comprehensive title: 'Minister'. The siblings permit nobody else any functional control within the Reformation, due partially to a ubiquitous mistrust of others and a history of betrayals or misuses of power perpetrated by their previous confidants. Despite this isolated type of government, the siblings almost completely welcome outsiders into their jurisdiction, for the very nature of their nation is as a recreation of the former glory of the Salished Empire, with modern revisements - where members of any species or background could convene and live congenially within the walls and regulations of a strong presence. Entrants into the Reformation are greeted amiably and provided initial refreshment and shelter. They are offered to contribute by a plethora of ways to the survival and growth of the nation, to work and live under the watchful but welcoming eyes of the siblings and their militant employees.

The Reformation, led by the Ministers, functions as an open society with a logical dubiousness of newcomers, that is kept alive and dwelled in by its populace.

Faction Specie(s):
The Ministers are pure-blooded humans, having come from the Salished Empire, and belonging to its dominant species. However, any being capable of benefiting the Reformation in some way who does not possess ill intent or pose a threat to the lives of the masses is welcome.

Location:


Residing on the subtlest incline of the mountain appropriately nicknamed, 'The Isolated Mountain', stands Zoltur - the capital and sole city of the Reformation of the Salished Dynasty. It lies close to the coast, on the outer perimeter of the Rainlands, and within sight of the creeping fog-clouds of the Eastmarches. To the north-east stretches a largely uneventful plateau, though several mountains occupy the eastern edge of this land, and the looming walls of Tirak are visible in the far distance. To the west the coast embraces the land for as far as the eye can see, and a large forest stretches out suddenly a few hundred paces from Zoltur's walls. The sea begins soon to the south, and the waves and raging torrents, compounded by the all too frequent storms of the Rainlands, can often be heard even behind the thick walls of Zoltur's palace.

Faction Religion/Ideology:
[Same as the Salished Empire]

Faction Description / History:
The Reformation of the Salished Dynasty was entirely derived from the shared concerns of the Ahsor Vok family, three siblings whom lived in Nyssos as part of the Salished Empire until the Year of the Setting Sun 8,003. The three often observed and discussed emerging and burgeoning problems within the city and the very Empire, such as the diminishing authority of the ruling Priest-Smiths under the Sashul, of which the eldest Ahsor Vok sibling was a member - one with enough tenure to have noticed distinctly a worrying gradual decline in his power and a rise in civil unrest. Yet, his governing cohorts ignored or avoided him whenever he attempted to illuminate to them the potential crises that could arise from a weak ruling body and a state of lawlessness bearing resemblance to the chaos of Oskamoore.

The middle-aged sibling, a female Tyshaled Hamalvod - one of the militant orders under the Empire - was part of several expeditions to the Godsfang Mountains to the North, there finding ravenous groups of beastkin: wandering Shriekers and hordes of Gobblers included, appearing further and further south toward settled land. An aura of rejuvenation seemed to accompany the multiplying bands of dangerous enemies, and barbarians were just as present as ever, leaving the female Ahsor Vok sibling struggling through several difficult skirmishes with foes, even in areas where Ssalgad Tul still lay far to the north. An obvious threat was coming closer to becoming a disaster, but still the Priest-Smiths and the city-bound Tyshaled Hamalvod made no precautionary action.

It is important to note the pride of the Ahsor Vok family, both as prominent upholders of Salished honour and as descendants of a family integral to the settling of the Rainlands by the Saliszi forces centuries prior. The two older siblings possessing important roles in society, and the youngest sibling, just ten years old, already destined for a similar prominence after a blessed childhood and a devoted education in important subjects such as geography and crafting, outlined their obvious vast knowledge and respect for a functioning Empire. They were not without their devotees, either. The Priest-Smith in the family was at the head of a chain of command that covered the entirety of Nyssos, and while pursuing an administrative strategy disparate from the norm he had found competent figures of a like mind. The female in the family, though rarely acquiring a friend with similar social attributes, was widely respected as a knight and skilled fighter. Many whose lives she had saved or helped in the past lived within the same city walls and were constantly amiable to her cause of justice and prosperity.

As such, when the Ahsor Vok family left Nyssos - on relatively amicable terms with the ignorant Priest-Smiths and the Tyshaled Hamalvod - hushed whispers of an open nation flowed through social currents and roused some of the poor and ailing, some of the intellectuals and some of the warriors alike. The Priest-Smith of the family had been the catalyst to the exodus, after watching pirates enter the capital city unchallenged, and seeing families murdered after trying to steal food only to feed themselves, and discovering fellow Priest-Smiths broken under the weight of their own responsibility. Nyssos was a dying city. As far as he knew, the Salished Empire was similarly decaying.

A band of over three-hundred travellers could be found far south of Nyssos months later, erecting stone foundations and gathering resources from any viable land surrounding them. The Tyshaled Hamalvod female trained capable men and women to hold weapons and defend their peers from various enemies - her own soulsteel sword constantly slicing through the air or on her person as she patrolled the new city's perimeters. The men of the family worked in tandem, forming and assigning jobs to the willing ex-Salished. They made sure that word did not spread too radically of the new nation that boasted so many similarities to the Salished Dynasties in their prime, for much of the Salished people were becoming belligerent with the declining control of the Priest-Smiths. That is not to say that small groups did not often strike out from a number of Salished cities and holdings with the intention of reaching Zoltur, but their awareness of the Reformation was in most cases limited to the promises of a regulated, prosperous society and an escape from dangerous areas now abandoned by any judicial presence.

Progressively, Zoltur's land stake grew, as did its populace, until the present - whereby it acts as a self-controlling city state with a quiet existence until the day when it is prominent enough to proceed diplomatically with neighbouring nations - to open trade routes and form truces - all with the intention of making the Reformation a glorious return to what once was, what minstrels sing of: the mighty Salished Dynasty that settled the Rainlands. Walking within the confines of Zoltur today, one might hear of the Ministers' intentions to begin work on a new city further to the north, or perhaps rumours of an envoy being sent to the Sashul in Nyssos. While these whisperings are just that, it is not so far from possibility that the Ahsor Vok siblings would pursue these tactics after an unarguably prosperous two decades of existence.



Important Holdings/Territory/Possessions:
Zoltur

Zoltur is a small city by modern standards, having but three sectors and only a couple of hundred buildings. The city lies on a gradual but unremarkable slant, being on the first incline of 'The Isolated Mountain', but that does not affect structural developments. The buildings are generally made out of wood and stone, but the Ministers are laissez-faire in regard to their people's living arrangements, so more ambitious citizens might acquire reinforced stone bricks or imported sandstone to award their home a unique nature. In this way, the living sector of the city is a mishmash of colour and culture, though the populace is still restricted to pure-blooded humans, so traditional buildings are the norm. The other two sectors of Zoltur are assigned to the government buildings and the palace, and the market and occupational centre.

Zoltur's walls rise tall and are comprehensive, surrounding the entire city without fault. A huge oak gate protrudes from the western wall, equidistant from the nearby corners, and is the only entrance into the city. Outside the walls, activity still occurs, mainly by the mines that delve into the foundations of 'The Isolated Mountain' and provide Zoltur with its stone and other natural resources.

Zoltur still retains the vigour and hubbub of a child city, having only existed for around a decade, and frequent expansions are being made by the ever growing populace of the city state.

Relation to other Factions:
Largely unknown, though members of a faction may have heard of a new, rapidly expanding city state by the south coast, and they may be aware of the prominent Ahsor Vok family, especially if they had ever lived within Nyssos.

Each Island within the Islands of Thio Thijan rule themselves semi-independently of eachother, united only under the rule of the Prophet and Circle of Magi. Though neither the Prophet or the Circle of Magi administer direct rule over the three Islands, they do set certain religious laws and practices, as well as if the time comes unite the three Islands together in name of holy war. This however is a rare circumstance.

The first and largest Island named Treyc Thijan is a semi-autonomous nation ruled under and administered by the city state Oculus. A direct democracy it hold votes that each citizen is required to partake in once every other week and can include topics such as trade, taxes, and laws. Due to its strict definition of citizenship, to be considered eligible to vote you must be born in the city of Oculus, have lived in the city until adulthood (considered to be 20 years), must not be in servitude or indebted to another man. If you are convicted of a crime or enough people deem you to be unpopular enough, you may even have your citizenship revoked.

The second largest Island Triyjan Thijan is ruled under a semi-autonomous city state called Espeya. Rule is often determined by the strongest warrior, often times leading to the current ruler being challenged to single handed combat if seen to have grown weak and incapable of rule. The current ruler Stasimus was recently crowned two years ago after overthrowing the previous king Dionysius “The Strong” after challenging him during the blood games. The battle lasting only thirty seconds rumors have spread questioning the legitimacy of the match. Though their rule is often cemented once they claim victory, it is common tradition for the ruler to elect a “battle brother” one whom he sees as a worthy ally in combat and advisor in topics foreign to himself. Though technically legal, the act of challenging the current ruler as a battle brother is seen as disgraceful by the people and has only happened twice in the history of the Island.

The smallest, yet fairly populous island of Vubral Thijan is a completely autonomous island city state ruled under a republic. Each landed citizen of the city state of Stoc Prines is eligible to vote for a representative of their district, the southern district, the port district, the trade district, the north district, west district, and center district. Then each representative votes on matters they believe represent the people of the district the best, alongside a governor whom is elected by each district representative.
Though each island is autonomous in its own right, they each have a what is called “the council of three”, a fairly large body of representatives and people built to discuss trade, laws, and various other actions involving the three islands. Though their strongest symbol of unity is through the Prophet himself, the counsel of three has taken great strides towards unifying the three once separate city states.


The Islands of Thio Thijan is home to a wide variety of humans and abhumans who are willing to dedicate themselves to the old ones, along with beastkin who are commonly used as slaves. Though rare even in Thio Thijan, seeing the occasional Sphinx is not entirely impossible. Many members of the circle of Magi even carry a few themselves.





The religion of The Islands of Thio Thijan traces itself back several thousand years, to the first arrival of the old ones onto the continent of Azoth. The land was corrupt and bleeding, creatures of detestable beliefs and practices ran rampant throughout the lands and so it was conquered. It was not long before the Old Ones managed to take the entirety of the continent, though the exact date of which they reached the most northern of corners of the world is unknown to historians, what is known is that soon they settled. It was then that they began to civilize the native populations of the Nry’kiin and either introduced or created humanity. The exact details have yet to be revealed by the Prophet himself.

Soon began the time of gods. The land was beautiful, rich, man did not fear of the poison of Icor or the influence of the red gods. It was a time filled with peace and contentment. Historians place this time to have lasted almost two thousand years. However, as the peace and contentment grew, so did the sins of man. The “red gods” as many heathen refer to them, creatures of hate and suffering began to infect the world with icor, mutating and cursing the human populations.

The old ones, detested by man's addiction by such substances abandoned Azoth, returning to the land of gods, leaving behind those whom they believed have sinned. Scorning their terrible practices. However, in the year of the setting sun 7,600 the Prophet arrived and granted the Islands of Thio Thijan with the thirteen commandments of the old ones along with the promise of their eventual return.

The Commandments of the gods
Thou shalt spread the word of the gods whenever possible
Thou shalt not commit to the worship of other gods
Thou shalt not disrespect the image of the gods
Thou shalt not lie in front of the gods or their image
Thou shalt not covet another's possessions
Thou shalt not wrongfully kill another follower of the gods
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt honors ones family and name
Thou shalt not commit to the consumption of the demon's blood (raw icor)
Thou shalt defend the word of the gods in its time of need
Thou shalt remain pure of blood
Thou shalt remain pure of soul

It was when he gave these thirteen commandments that he established the Circle of Magi, a group of powerful mages who are given the authority of enforcing the word of the old ones. Those who betray the words of the gods are tried to the fullest extent, often times facing punishment such as mutilation, execution, exile, or even death.


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Oculus

The largest and most populous city in the Islands of Thio Thijan at around 60,000 inhabitants, it is located on the largest Island of the three, Treyc Thijan. Built upon the ruins of an Old One city, many of the buildings date back to times unknown and as a result gives the city a distinct beauty unseen in many parts of the world. Due to being arguably the largest and most powerful of the three factions and its religious significance, it finds itself in the rather strange position of holding the most power within the council of three. It also administers several different important locations on the Island including the Ruins of Naal Sconga and the growing port town of Eplye arguably making it the closest to a nation before the Prophet unified the three islands and established the council of three and circle of magi.

Stoc Prines

Stoc Prines is located on the smallest of the three Islands, Vubral Thijan, but boasts the second largest and most ethnically diverse populations at nearly 30,000 inhabitants. Due to its popularity as a trade city and its immense shipyard it is home to nearly 3/4ths of the entirety of Thio Thijans fleet. Due to its rather distinct culture and people, it has resisted many of the laws and pushes for unification by the counsel of three, arguing that it would diminish the great deal of wealth that they have grown over the many years as a trade hub.

Espeya

Located on the second largest Island named Triyjan Thijan is the city of Espeya. Though the city has only 20,000 inhabitants, its people are highly militarized and serve as the majority of the warriors within the Islands of Thio Thijan. The people follow what they believe to be is the honorable military tradition of the old ones. Ruled only by the strongest, becoming a warrior in their society is considered one of the greatest honors known to man, second only to becoming a general. Renown for the legendary Blood Games. A two month long tournament between the best warriors in the world to fight in the name of both honor and glory, whether they be beastkin, Nyr’kiin, abhumans, or human. One of the few traditions held on to before their enlightenment by the Prophet, it takes place in the “arena of bones”.

Agrar Fortress

A large fortress on the mainland coast of the Meridion it holds the honorable distinction of being the only locations being governed by the council of three, rather than one of the three Islands. Heavily defended by nearly 1500 Espeyan elite equipped with Archeo-tech and some 4 Varrod League cannons. It is often times considered an honor to serve within the walls of Agrar, it is certainly one of the most dangerous locations due to constantly having to defend itself against things such as hordes of Beastkin, red-gods, and other demonic activity.

Heald mostly due to it’s strategic purposes, it serves as a port for mainland expeditions to move through, as well as a location to import various native species of the Meridion, such as the Brouji, a large four legged lizard species roughly the size of a horse that feeds off small animals and birds, who are often used to carry people and goods across the wastes.

The Ruins of Naal Sconga

Naal Sconga was a large city built by the old ones, much like the city of Oculus, however it has degraded severely in comparison to its neighbor in the south. Now mostly used as a location to study by various scholars and priests who make up the majority population of the former city. It is also the location of the great library. An ancient Old One library relatively untouched by time, said to contain the text that predicts the return of the old ones.

The ruins hold the distinction of being held and controlled almost directly by The Prophet and the Circle of Magi. Though the city of Oculus officially administers it, the ruins are under the Prophet’s complete control.

The port town of Eplye

Though relatively small at only 2 thousand residents, it is a growing port city in the south of Oculus. Popular among many as being the home of Sylf, a rare spice that grows exclusively to the southern part of the island that acts as a hallucinogenic. Trade has been strictly limited in regard of selling it to outside nations. The city having been established only 20 years ago, it is believed that it was built by the City of Oculus purely to curb the desire to remain autonomous in the city state of Stoc Prines.


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