Name: Holy Zentaeri League, Sacrum Zentaurium Liguum, Heiliga Zentrar
Type: Holy League (militant theocratic empire)
Capital: Holy City of Drachefel, Reusseland, Vaerenheim
Leader: Hochmeister (governance and military), Pontifacia (ruler, religious leader)
Religion: Zentarism
Dominant Species: Hecuris (centaur)
Other Notable Species: Kobolds, Humans, Elves,
The Holy Zentaeri League is a theocratic empire driven by the need to spread Zentarism. They believe unsanctioned use of magic is evil and only through the blessings of Zentaurius one should practice it. For this purpose they launched a number of crusades and may not stop until the entire world abandons witchcraft and embrace the light of Zentarism. The Holy League is dominated by centaurs but they glad to incorporate members of all races.

History

Hecuris (centaur) as a species were first documented during the pre-imperial times, large nomadic half-human and half-horse creatures roaming Westeland in small tribes. Some claim the mysterious "night riders" from 5,000 years ago were perhaps also centaurs given that cavalry should not have been plausible at such an early date. It is uncertain where and how they were born. Unlike many primitive races their belief system had no creator god, or even anything resembling standard religions. Scholars who studied ancient centaurs also recorded that they had various sub-races with three distinct breeds: Antares (warriors), Ergates (laborers) and Cursores (runners). The social status of each breed varied by tribe but usually warriors asserted their dominance and were chosen to rule as chieftains. Hecuris raids were a reoccurring blight to Ishtar but since they were disunited they never posed a threat to Navarre. Eventually tribes of Hecuris swore fealty to the Empire and provided auxiliaries to protect the borders. Unlike their brethren at the Far West the Hecuris under imperial rule developed their own united culture, belief system and everything. Historians date Year 522 the first time records of Zentarism. With the divine entity Zentaurius as its one and only god the records mention its curious nature. This is also often cited behind the Hecuris' new name, Zentaur. Over the centuries this name slowly turns into the species' common name of centaurs, although the more official name Hecuris does not fall out of use.

In 876 the war with the beastkin ravages the entire empire. The so far splintered centaur communities unite to form the loosely defined Zentaur Confederation. Their speed allowed centaurs to evade the waves of beastman hordes and remain relatively untouched. Yet lacking strong leadership they submit to the freshly formed Orduin Empire. Centaurs played an important yet oft-sidelined role in the reconstruction efforts. They were a source of military power directly answering to the Emperor and centaur settlers helped to repopulate some of the most devastated portions of the realm. Centaurs became something akin to secondary citizens, known for their strong loyalty to the Orduin Empire. Being loyal to the imperial line the centaurs only begrudingly accepted Hesper's claim for the throne. Thus in 1247 they put all their support for Dunehelm's rebellion. In spite of that the centaurs were hesitant to offer military aid and outright fight the Empire. In the end they send 4 centaur cohorts but even that was insufficient to stop Zeralda's forces. Feeling shamed and guilty the centaur leadership willingly excile themselves from the empire and they migrate back to their home province of Vaerenheim. Unfortunately the lack of powerful leadership quickly dissolved their country into several successor states and remained as such for a long time.

In 2020 a figure under the name Militandros the Great emerges. He unites the centaurs under the restored kingdom of Vaerenheim and puts his support behind the Orduin Empire. The bloodline of Militandros rules Vaerenheim for centuries while allied to the Orduin Empire. Yet compared to the kings of Vaerenheim grow increasingly weaker as individual states earn more autonomy. When the Ordoun Empire falls so did the country of Vaerenheim within years and the nation split to subfactions once again. The Vaerenheim Confederation retained a modicum of order but something new began to emerge. In 2433 a young centaur only referred as the Saint of Gevenfels emerges. She claims to have seen visions of Zentaurius and now she can directly communicate with him. Her acts of divine miracles gained the trust of numerous towns and soon acolytes spread her teachings everywhere in Vaerenheim. This "New Zentarism" of course also garnered numerous enemies from the old order Vaerenheim soon engulfed in a civil war. Ordo Coracis and numerous other knightly orders were established, ironically by recruiting commoners. In the end old nobles and clergy were ousted and believers of the New Zentarism created a new government maintained by knights and a reconstructed priesthood. In 1448 the Holy League of Vaerenheim is formed. The Saint of Gevenfels declared Pontifacia, bridge between our world and the world of god, and she worked hard for faith and the nation's prosperity. She laid down many of the current aspects of Zentarism and personally responsible for sending centaurs on their current path. In 1477 she stepped down of their title and chose hermithood. She was never seen again. Yet successors of the Saint all bore her will and continued her grand work. Believing it's their obligation to teach Zentarism to the entire world the centaurs began their incursion into former Empire territories. Their expansionism continues even now. Since 1505 they are known as the Holy Zentaeri League.

Territory

Government

The Holy League is a theocratic military state where the various Knights of Zentar rule in the name of the Archpriestess/Pontifacia. The man with highest authority is the Hochmeister/Grandmaster to whom every knight order swears unwavering loyalty. Each Meister/Master is given a commandry to govern which can be anything from a province to a small country. Larger regions covering multiple commandries are under the authority of the Grossmeister (Great Master) who may have less direct control but could influence the Meisters underneath them. Of course with knights being militant order first and governors second the majority of the administration is shared between the members of the Zentarist Church and the appointed civil governors. In general a recently conquered region retains most of its former governance structure but under Zentarist authority. As time goes on this could and almost assuredly will transform to a system governed by the Church.

The main directive of Zentarist conquest is to spread their faith and establish order as they will hunt down magic users. Local faiths are usually made subservient to Zentarist authority, only abolished if its teachings cannot be reconciled by the core elements of Zentarism. Aside from matters of faith the Church is also heavily involved in education, scholars, book keeping and matters of culture. The Church ultimately aims to placate populations and nurture people to be loyal believers of Zentarism. Thanks to the empire's might they often have the resources to be very generous and endear people to the idea of following the Church's directions. As said magic usage is restricted in Zentarist regions. Special buildings called Spell Sanctums erected near every magic font under their control. While these can't influence the fonts directly they can be used to direct the purest streams of magic power to people who carry specific items meant to receive these. Usually looking like amulets in the shape of a cross they are frequently used by clergy, sanctioned mages and paladins. Gathering magic power from the environment is strictly forbidden under Zentarism, or even teaching it. Those discovered with such abilities are declared warlocks and witches and could very well suffer capital punishment.

Demographics

The Holy Zentaeri League is a growing empire which incorporates way more than just the former nations of Vaerenheim. As such it is little surprise that only 30% of the population are some type of centaur. In spite of this centaurs are the most dominant race of the League with all the other races being secondary. The League tends to build its administration above the day to day governance of the conquered so even after joining them the average countryman's life is hardly effected. Yet this system also naturally puts centaurs and those supporting them to the top. Elves in general have very good chances for advancement within the League thanks to their history with centaurs and of course due to their considerable magic potential. Albeit high elves are more of the extremes. Their past history of rulership and immense magic knowledge can easily put them at odds with the League. Many high elves become fugitives or migrate to other countries to escape the League's wrath. At the same time high elves who do cooperate with the League often find themselves at the same status as centaurs.

Centaurs are one of the larges if not the largest sapient species in the League. This means they require much greater amount of food each day. It also means that any building meant for centaurs have to be built with larger entrances and overall far more spacious. They also need servants for their day to day activities for which they chiefly utilize kobolds. These small reptillian creatures were enslaved by centaurs thousands of years ago and now serve them as indentured servants. They are small, merely 5 feet tall at average and weigh around 60 pounds. They are strong and tough for their childlike size but they are still weaker than the average human. Kobolds and centaurs have an unique relationship. Most kobolds served the same family of centaurs for centuries if not longer. They aren't just servants, in a twisted sense they are part of the centaur family. A kobold's prestige is determined by the prestige of the centaur they serve. Within certain limits the kobolds can choose to serve a different family but in effect this is rarely done.

Economics

The League spans for over a thousand miles and covers cultures ranging from old imperial regions to racial enclaves of more shunned cultures. They are now all united in their local flavor of Zentarism. Joining the League also connects these small states to the centaurs' extensive trade lines which is an unquestionable benefit. Lastly there are a limited number yet very effective League-wide laws which helps to maintain public order and also ensures all races treated (mostly) equally. Whenever it was reasonable the Holy League restored the old Orduin Empire's system which given the familiarity of all constituents made it all the smoother. This includes their own variant of the imperial tecks called the Stavius. Unlike past emperors though the noble metal content of gold and silver Stavius rods is constant and the League doesn't devalue their currency. This makes Stavius a fairly potent trade currency with neighbors and generally League subjects gladly exchange it for their own local currency forms.

The League's center is the Seven States of Vaerenheim, the original land of the centaurs. As the nexus of the League's trade activity the region enriched massively and its cities are famous for their industry. Vaerenheimian steel is sorts of legendary in Ishtar while mechanical wonders only considered a rare curiosity during the Orduin Empire are becoming widespread. Of course in the general sense the trade of food dominates the League's markets. Just like during the Orduin Empire a good half of the region has either limited or rather poor arable lands. As such importation of grain and other foodstuffs dominate the League's trade lines, coming from foreign lands or just from other states of the League.

Military

The Holy League is effectively an empire run by the priesthood but especially knight orders. Garrisons of holy centaur knights and their retinue are protecting the people, maintain order and stave off rebellions. Though portraying themselves as protectors of people and justice these centaur legions are effectively occupation forces and the backbone of the League's military as a whole. A lot of the League's strategy builds on these trained centaurs and their abilities. In comparison non-centaurs are viewed as local defenders or auxiliaries. Some of them are more respected while others are viewed outright as second grade forces. Of course this is intentional since their lynchpin for order is these fiercely loyal knight orders who act both as army and governors. Centaurs are large and are effectively living cavalry which does heavily influence how the League approaches warfare. They prefer to be mobile to conduct raids and skirmishes with the sheer power of their knightly charges being the heaviest hitter. Everything else exist to support their actions and enable knights in battle. Another curious factor is the League's utilization of magic. Zentarism restricts spells to specific practices and source provided by Divine Sanctums. Zenarist magic is highly potent but only as long as it's within the range of these sanctums. When the League invades they need to rely on very limited magic resources which can dry up fast since gathering magic freely from the environment is strictly forbidden. Technically there are Zentarist practices which let believers in foreign lands to practice magic without sinning against Lord Zentaurius but it's less "okay" and more considered a "lesser evil". Which is why actual true believers who can afford to receive sanctified mana from Divine Sanctums this method is amost entirely forbidden.

The Chitijianack:

The Chitijianack are the consisting peoples of the Hive-Empire. They are not and never have been native to the lands of Ishtar, having lived for eons on the continent of Lanaan, and only now live amongst the Ishtari due to their partially-successful invasion of the late Orduin Empire. While most foreigners of little knowledge of the Chitijianack see them as a single race, In truth, the Chitijianack are not actually a single-species but a family of related insectoid and arachnid species that due to the influence of certain races within this family, particularly the mixed-race Asg, have been over millennia capable of interbreeding with each other. The Chitijianack are overwhelmingly eusocial in nature, as the eusocial species within the family have spread their eusocial nature through interbreeding - however some non-eusocial sub-species still exist.

It is believed by the Chitijianack that in the ancient long-lost past, they were once a single united race ruled over directly by a ‘god-mind’, a collective consciousness that had each of their bodies as mere parts of a single whole, but some great (and to those who worship this god-mind, tragic) event caused the fracturing of their consciousness into the separate yet linked eusocial peoples of the present day.

While there are dozens of Chitijianack sub-races, the most well known and populous of these to the people of Ishtar can be categorised into the Uvi (Ant) , Asg (Wasp), Asr (Bee), Vry (Spider) and Gho (Beetle), as well as the infamous though significantly less populous Pyl (Mosquito) people. The Hive-Empire’s most populous sub-race are the Uvi, though its current God-Empress is of the Asg, as the Asg people were those who conquered the disparate colonies and hives of Lanaan’s antiquity, as well as possessed the strongest ability to crossbreed and more importantly transfer pheromonal commands across sub-races.

The Uvi

Physically, the Uvi are biped and typically possess four arms, though some Uvi sub-races possess only two arms. They are covered in strong natural chitin armour, enough so that the standard Uvi soldier is often not provided any armour at all, wearing only pheromone-drenched rags or ‘loin-clothes’ or alternatively flags, as well as their weapons and shields. The Uvi are also well known for their impressive feats of strength and stamina compared to their base size, a human sized Uvi possessing the strength comparable to a large Orc for example.

The vast majority of the Uvi consist of lower-level castes made up of infertile female drones. Males are typically winged and when not making up the harems of the ruling Gyne Caste are usually regimented into elite aristocratic air-formations, as well as occasionally filling in managerial, economic or academic purposes. The Uvi, like most of the Chitijianack are matriarchal in nature, and despite males being of an elite caste, it is the fertile reproducing “Gynes” that make up their rulers, and only those of the Gyne Caste that can transition into becoming Queens of colonies.

Some Uvi sub-species also possess ‘fertile drones’, which tend to possess more individualism and personal-awareness than regular drones. Uvi drones otherwise typically will become increasingly docile in the event of a colony’s queen’s death, to the point of not resisting someone actively killing them or simply starving to death. Drones are famous for their obedience and discipline even to the point of loss of self-preservation, Uvi drones in particular are feared for their ability to form structures out of piling on each other and linking their bodies.

Like other Eusocial Chitijianack, the Uvi suffer from ‘deviancy’, in essence a kind of mental illness that occurs in a minority of their species. Deviancy usually appears in the form of strange and usually unproductive behaviour, idleness, strange reactions to pheromones and at times self-destructive behaviour.

The Uvi are omnivorous and capable of eating nearly anything, including even dead Chitijianack. That said, the Uvi typically eat according to seasonal tastes (often set by their queens or Gyne), rotating between fruits (and other sugary substances), plant saps, and meats.

The Asg and Asr

Like the Uvi the Asg and Asr typically are bipeds that possess four arms, however beyond this they are notable for their wings, powerful stingers on their abdomens and very potent pheremones - so powerful that humans can even smell and be affected by them (but, unfortunately for the Hive-Empire’s social engineering attempts… not enough to become eusocial by any means). While known to possess weaker chitinous armour and natural strength compared to the Uvi, The Asg are renown as masterful conquerors and air-knights that through cunning, diplomacy and rapid strikes unified Lanaan, as well as spread eusociality through their ability to interbreed with their Asr cousins, and later even the Uvi and Pyl peoples.

The Asg’s abilities to interbreed with other races have also enabled them to ‘steal’ the biological traits of the other Chitijianak peoples, such as Asg-Pyl hybrids with bloodsucking probscois or Asg-Vry hybrids with spinnerets. Like the Uvi, the Asg and Asr are mostly infertile female drones led by a minority of Gyne Princesses who, one per colony, can become a Queen. Males of the Asr and Asg are less prominent than with the Uvi as all females possess wings, nullifying the males advantage as elite air-knights - as such, male Asg and Asr are typically regulated to breeding purposes, often being divided up into harems for the Gyne and Queens. The Asg and Asr peoples while similar differ in some manners.

The Asg usually prefer smaller hives to the vast Uvi-like hives of the Asr and are also more aggressive. Asr are renown architectural masters, and many of the Hive-Empire’s most prominent cities in Lanaan were built by them. The “Human Hives” that the Hive-Empire attempted to build in Ishtar for their human subjects were also built by the Asr, but these cities now are mostly half-destroyed wrecks defiled by the autonomous human governing bodies there. Asr and Asg Gynes are somewhat infamous for their tendency towards infighting - a tendency that is instinctual to the point that Larvae Gynes must be separated at birth, else they attempt to kill each other soon after exiting their Larvae-stage, and some even in the Larvae stage.

The Vry

are a centauroid-type arachnid people possessing six legs and two arms, as well as spinnerets and poison. Originally non-eusocial and mostly solitary, the Vry existed as isolationist tribal kingdoms and principalities that held off Uvi and Asr invasions for millennia in Lanaan’s hyper-dense web-invested southern jungles, until finally falling to the conquests of the Asg. Since their conquests, the Vry have been over time assimilated into the hive, and after discovering that the Asg’s cross-breeding and cross-pheromone abilities worked on even them, the Vry slowly lost their individuality and too became eusocial, even eventually gaining Gynes and Hive-Queens, something the Vry never once possessed - having once been built around small ( though mostly still matriarchal) family units somewhat similar to Humans.

While now mostly eusocial, the Vry’s caste structure is more unstable than the naturally eusocial Uvi and Asr, and their drones are mostly still reproductive and males are significantly more common. Deviancy rates amongst the Vry are also more common (cannibalism in particular is a problem amongst the Vry), and the Vry at times still have vestigial remnants of their odd practices, including at times familial bonds between smaller family units.

The Gho

are very large biped beetle-like people with two to four arms and possessing extremely thick chitinous armour. quite odd amongst the Hive-Empire in that they are both mostly non-eusocial and are very patriarchal in nature, immediately separating themselves from the overwhelmingly matriarchal nature of the rest of the Hive-Empire. The Gho are solitary in nature, sometimes forming small family-units in essence the same as a human. The Gho come from distant fortress city-states deep in Lanaan’s distant mountains or on islands, who are mostly autonomous vassals of the Hive-Empire, similar to some of the human communities the Hive-Empire now maintains in Ishtar. The Gho are mostly present in the Hive-Empire as mercenary soldiers and knights used as shock troopers, and as such are renown as a race of warrior-elites. The Gho due to being both patriarchal and non-eusocial are one of the few Chitijian races that have undergone independent communication and exchanges with humans - though most of the time they enjoy fighting the human armies of Ishtar.

The Pyl

are biped and either two or four armed and winged people with long sharp proboscis’ infamous for their diet including the blood of even sapient people, including other Chitijians and more recently, humans. Like the Vry, the Pyl were once non-eusocial, however the Pyl voluntarily joined the Asg as their first confederate early in their conquests, as the Pyl at the time were on the brink of extinction due to periodic genocidal campaigns against them by the Uvi Empires and Colonies of antiquity. While having become eusocial and gaining their own Gynes and Queens, the Pyl do not possess infertile female drones as normal, and instead are dominated overwhelmingly by males, with a small minority of females. Furthermore, the Pyl continue to possess an incredible lust for blood, particularly after they found human blood to be a delicacy. The Pyl are particularly loyal to the Asg due to their joint-history, though are adverse to the Uvi and Human subjects of the Hive-Empire. Pyl’s that have drunk large amounts of blood tend to glow brightly in the shade of the creature’s blood they sucked dry.

The Hive-Empire and the Chitijianack in general are most defined by their nature as eusocial beings. Eusociality in this context refers to the peoples of this empire being divided into biologically determined but highly cooperative castes, often built around the specialisation arising from either them being fertile or not, and built around extremely centralised, collectivised and hierarchal cities known as colonies or hives, typically ruled over by a singular fertile queen (per-colony). A significant majority of the hive-empire's populace belong to the infertile drone caste, that possess stunted awareness to such a degree that they are often considered by some non-eusocial academics to 'not actually be sapient' and more akin to very intelligent animals. The reality is more nuanced than this, particularly with reproductive-drones or deviant drones, but this is the case in summary.

Typically speaking, the caste system has three stages of determination. The first two stages are assigned at birth, where the Queen (and sometimes Gyne or Reproductive Drone) deliberately decides to birth either a reproductive or non-reproductive egg of either male or female sex, automatically assigning it between these categories. A female reproductive egg for example has the chance of becoming a Gyne - and as such eventually a Queen. After this initial birth, the eggs are sorted and then during the collective nurturing phase and education, Larvae and youths become obsessively committed to certain behaviours and activities, partially due to biological instincts and partially due to pheromones and societal education. From this obsession and teachings a 'point of no return' is reached, and the eusocial individual enters a specific behaviour-group Caste, such as Drone, Soldier-Drone, Nurse, and so on.

The 'obsession-fixation' that defines the membership of a Caste is seen with a willingness to commit to repetitive actions, lack of boredom, deriving happiness by carrying out that fixated task (e.g. a Nurse-Drone that compulsively derives happiness from feeding Larvae) or unhappiness or restlessness from not performing or accomplishing this task... or alternatively performing unrelated tasks excessively. This obsession-fixation is much stronger in the infertile drone-castes than the higher fertile castes, though even Gynes and Queens possess this tendency towards obsession and fixation to a lesser extent.

The Hive-Empire of the Chitijians can be described governmentally as a 'eusocial matriarchal feudal monarchy'. In the past, the Chitijianack typically did not have more than one queen per colony/hive, thus a single queen per nation-state. A number of Chitijianack species such as the Asg and the Uvi-Hii, a Uvi sub-species more infamously known as the "Slavemakers" became mighty ruling people because they learned how to successfully build a multi-queen empire. The current Hive-Empire while officially having a designated 'Empress' of sorts in Messaphespia-Asg-Chalayanit of the capital Chayalarajashur Hive, in reality she is actually more of a 'first amongst equals' of the various queens of the Hive-Empire, having successfully conquered the other colonies and hives but otherwise leaving the queens in charge of their colonies.

The primary original purpose of a Queen was as a breeder, long before the Chitijianack formed sapient civilisations and were still a hive-mind like swarm of creatures. Queens would, with assistance of a colony's male population, produce the vast majority if not all of a colony's offspring, usually at a very rapid rate. With the loss of the hivemind (the god-mind), the Queens achieved full sapience and intelligence, and wielding their pheromones and ability to selectively birth offspring of certain characteristics became the absolute ruling leaders of the Chitijianack races.

That said, while the Queens are now the rulers and administrators of the empire - they are also highly sedentary, both due to their size and also the fact that their original purpose as breeders has not disappeared... as such, it is left to the Gyne Caste to more practically engage with the empire's extensive borders and territories outside the confines of the colony-hive cities. Queens very rarely lead armies and almost never leave the borders of the empire (or really even their colony-hive), they do not command operations or projects so much as they can from the confines of the queens chamber in a hive and so on. As such, the Gynes are practically speaking often considered the ruling caste and face of the empire, and foreigners often see the Gynes as the Hive-Empire's leaders, particularly since very few humans or elves have ever actually seen a queen.

The Gyne Caste, also known as "Gyne Princesses" are the favoured, fertile daughters of a queen. Without the limitations of the drones and possessing considerably more individuality, but not physically limited to a single hive or colony like a queen, the Gynes are usually the primarily observed leaders of the Hive-Empire. They command the armies, represent the queens interests beyond the colony-hive, oversee developments and generally act as upper-middle managers. Gynes also act as governors and administrators for settlements that are too small to possess a queen, particularly military fortifications or trade posts of significant importance. Gynes as such while technically speaking are 'royalty' and a sister of the Gynes will undergo a metamorphosis into a queen should the queen die, are more akin the the Hive-Empires aristocracy. This is particularly the case in that often Gynes are not very familial to each-other, as Gynes often must be separated very soon after hatching and raised and educated separately, else their instinctive desires to kill their sister-Gynes get in the way. Gynes are capable of meeting together and cooperating without trying to kill each other, however this is due to lengthy education and distancing, and even still they tend to view each other with degrees of distrust.

Gynes that have been away from the pheromones of other Chitijianack for too long will, given time, begin transforming into queens - a biological instinct that has ensured the survival of their various races.

The Hive-Empire practices caesaropapism as the Chitijians are naturally inclined to view their colony’s local queen as a mother goddess-like figure regardless of institutional religion. While there have been attempts to make Messaphespia, the Queen-of-Queens of the Chitijians into a kind of God-Empress, the reality of the situation is that the Chitijians now rather venerate their local colony’s queen as a deity that exists within a pantheon of fellow queen-goddesses, with Messaphespia too distant for her pheromones to have the same impact on distant colonies as her own personal demesne. This mother-goddess queen worship is typically quite familial in nature, and is defined by the relationship between the ‘colony-children’ and their benevolent-mother.

A second and more esoteric religion amongst the Chitijians is God-Mind worship, venerating the ancient collective consciousness that was lost eons ago, and perhaps even wishing for its return. Due to the natural inclination toward Queen-worship, these God-Mind worshippers often have either deviant tendencies or otherwise go through great mental efforts to fuse their natural queen-worship with God-mind worship. God-Mind worshippers tend to practice extreme collectivism, bending their eusocial bonds and connectivity to such extremes as attempting to become ‘one’ again, and sometimes try to bend their caste roles so to form a 'single organism in many bodies'.

Finally, the Hive-Empire’s conquered non-eusocial subjects, such as its human populace, continue to worship local deities and follow native religious practices. Attempts by the Hive-Empire to spread its queen-worship to humans have mostly failed alongside the general catastrophic failures of attempts to implement eusociality on humanity. Some fragmented deities of the client Lanaanish non-eusocials, such as the Gho and Vry, also exist in a greatly reduced form. Uchitagnisk, the Ghottish war god, is still worshiped in the Hive-Empire.

The Chitijianack peoples speak numerous languages... all (except one) of which are extremely difficult for humans to understand, let alone speak. Similarly, the languages of the humans are also just as difficult for the Chitijins to speak and understand. Only a very small minority of linguistic genius' can safely claim to be able to understand and speak both a human and Chiti language, and for this reason direct spoken communication between man and bug is a tightly controlled exchange monopolised by organised translators of that very same linguistic genius. While there exists an alternative, known as agsteh, this language is actually a foot-based form of dance-like sign-language, invented by the Uvi as an early means of communicating with other non-Uvi peoples of Lanaan. While also very difficult for humans to understand, it is significantly more learnable and understandable than the inhuman chirps, clicks and buzzes of the spoken languages.

Further complications arise from the fact that until very recently, the Chitijianack did not use written language, and instead used a form of pheromone-based saturation language where they embedded scents of various kinds into woods, clothes and sponge-like stones so to convey messages akin to writing. Most of these pheromones are unreadable to the average human, with only a few very potent Asg pheromones being able to be smelt by humans. As such, the Hive-Empire to deal with foreigners or its own human subjects had to either learn existing human languages, or, more recently, experiment with the creation of a new and currently pictographic-like language that would be printed onto the pheromone-saturated messages.

Because of all these translation and communication issues, it is very common for translators, transcribers, interpreters and linguists to find employment with or concerning the Chitijians. Gho mercenaries in particular are famous for while being able to read and write in human languages, to have a human aide accompany them for the sole purpose of listening to those around them and to write messages to the mercenary so he may comprehend events.

The Chitijianack possess beliefs and world views that are at times significantly at odds with the rest of the world, if even understandable - that said, they do in fact possess moral beliefs of their own. A prime example of this clash of moral values can be seen with the Chitijianack's views of rebellion and defiance. Rebellion prior to interacting with humanity was not known to the Hive-Empire and the Chitijianack that comprised it. The idea that drones could independently revolt against their own colony and queen was simply not thought possible, until finally faced with repeated rebellions from human peasants and nobles, as well as learning of the Ishtari realms past rebellious acts of not only sworn vassals to a lord, but of children against their own parents.

Since these times of blissful ignorance, the Chitijianack now understand rebellion intellectually enough to understand it as a form of cardinal sin or great evil, a deeply immoral act rooted in what they see as a kind of matricidal treachery. Rebellion as such is seen as not merely wrong but 'morally revolting' in a way that, say, paedophiliac rape would to the average human. Because of this deep revulsion, the Chitijianack will view rebels as evil regardless of conditions or circumstances, even when a human kingdom would view the rebels as heroic. If a, to humans, virtuous prince returned from exile to slay his evil tyrant father and become king - it would be the prince that the Chitijianack view as evil. Due to this deep revulsion, human peasant rebel leaders against the Hive-Empire are punished very severely, being one of the few examples where the excruciating 'Incubation' method of execution is used.

In recent years however, there have been some developments of this moral position. Due to increased interactions with non-eusocial Ishtari through trade with the Tsardom of Karynia, some leaders of the Hive-Empire have started to develop theories of political understanding concerning acts of rebellion that are not necessarily 'Matricide-Treachery'. The growing 'legitimacy theory' have Chitiji advocates of this theory suggest that some rebellions are actually counter-coups or restorations of legitimate power stolen from past rebel acts, and therefore are not matricide-treachery. Another theory is the "Parasite theory', which suggests that certain states are in fact ruled by foreign agents that have hijacked a hive from within and are exploiting it for purposes counter to the hive, as some parasitic fauna attempt against Chitiji drones in Lanaan, and thus rebelling against these foreign influences are not matricide-treachery. A third (and highly controversial) theory was developed upon learning of Ishtari slavery, which suggests that a foreign slave captured and brought to a hive that then rebels is not committing matricide-treachery, since those they are rebelling against are not their own. This third theory is particularly controversial, as the implications would imply that the original humans that rebelled against Chitji rule were not committing Matricide-Treachery (though latter human rebellions would still be considered rebels).


Incubation is a particularly cruel form of capital punishment used by the Chitijians on those who commit what they see as irredeemable offenses. With rebellion seen as particularly immoral, human peasant rebel ringleaders have been the most common receivers of this form of punishment, though in very rare historical events - some deviant Gynes who have attempted treason in the past have also received this punishment.

In essence, Incubation is surgical insertion of a Chitiji egg or sometimes a larvae into the body of the prisoner, who is then over weeks or even months slowly gnawed away at from within, the growing Larvae eating the prisoner alive from within. Incubation is actually a natural nursing method of some Chitijianack sub-species, though typically the Hive-Empire avoids unnecessarily growing their Larvae inside sapient beings and instead using animals or corpses. The process of Incubation is extremely painful as one could imagine - and somewhat insidiously, the Larvae within following its natural instincts will actually attempt to avoid killing its host, so to maintain its food source for a longer period of time... and thus unwittingly providing a longer period of torture.

In Chitiji society, the concept of privacy is relatively limited and generally speaking it is considered questionable and anti-social. Drones have no privacy at all, always living amongst throngs of other drones. Even Gynes, while considered exceptionally selfish and self-absorbed even by human standards, are in fact quite social and are nearly always surrounded by if not other Gynes or male retinue (or harem members), at the very least they will have attending drones. Similarly, Queens have no privacy despite their full sapience, and are always surrounded by others.

Living quarters in colony-hives are extremely cramped and communal based. Drones live in small bed-capsules perfectly carved out of walls beside other capsules, with no personal rooms, usually sharing a 'common' room with their fellow working caste cohort group. While higher ranking caste members, such as male aristocrats, have their own 'apartment-like' rooms, they possess no doors or privacy measures and it is customary for Chitiji to simply walk into other Chitiji's rooms. Even Gynes with their 'private' stately rooms equivalent to a human aristocrats are in fact still communal, with a Gynes attendants living in the same room, usually in capsules built into the room's walls.

Feeding areas are large halls and common-rooms, kitchens are mass-communal areas, drones will even defecate in open view of each other (though in designated communal defecation-areas). Clothing is rare and considered aesthetic luxuries of Gynes, the 'strange human-cloths' being exotic fashions rather than means of maintaining privacy over one's form.

Chitiji that are separated from others for too long or prefer to be alone are often put under suspicion and considered potential deviants.

The Hive-Empire due to a large majority of its populace being drones with limited wants and desires and who's existence is fixated on specific tasks and goals has an economy far more centrally planned than what human economies would allow, with a closer orientation towards distributionist-type economics than even feudal-lords where resources are nearly totally gathered and used by a fully aware sapient elite (gynes and queens) and then divided up and distributed to drones with little in the realm of transactions. Prior to the gaining of human subjects and trade with foreign non-eusocial nations, the Hive-Empire possessed no form of currency. Since the need for currency was gained however to deal with species less willing to accept the hyper-unequal centralised system of the Hive-Empire, the Hive-Empire now uses 'tecks', the currency of measured and weighted precious metals of the once Orduin Empire that the Chitijians destroyed. Trade between the Hive-Empire and foreigners exist, however this trade is not performed by merchant guilds or peddlers as the Chitijianack have no real 'merchant class', and instead is performed by what the Chitiji consider 'merchants' but are in fact just diplomatic emissaries representing individual Gynes or Queens, or alternatively the Hive-Empire itself as a state purchasing foreign goods. It should further be noted, while the majority of the Hive-Empire possess little to no personal wants, this is not the case with the Gynes and Queens, the former in particular often go out of their way to personally acquire foreign luxury goods from the non-eusocials.

The Chitijianack people as a whole have little need for trade, being mostly eusocial drones - as such, the vast majority of trade performed from the Hive-Empire is transactions made from and to the Queens and, more often, the Gynes. Queens performing trade agreements and transactions are usually doing so as a representative or leader of the Hive-Empire and as such an agent of the state... however many Gynes who trade usually do so for their own personal interests, and as such the most lucrative trade of all between the Hive-Empire and non-eusocials is the trade of luxury and exotic goods, usually Gynes trading exotic Lannanish goods or some technological innovations in return for the luxury goods (what they would consider 'exotic') of the non-eusocials for their own pleasure. After luxury goods, the next primary import of interest for the Chitijianack is magical trinkets, artifacts, tomes and anything of arcane knowledge or power - as the Chitiji themselves possess little in the realm of magic or magical theory, they desire to understand and perhaps use the knowledge of others in this field.

Exports are such typically but are not limited to spices, herbs, alchemical ingredients, exotic fruits/honey/foodstuffs, incense, tobacco, (spider) silk, cocoa and dyes, plus gunpowder technology and occasionally metals/materials when in significant surplus and not in a state of war.

Imports are usually various luxury goods including wine and other alcoholic beverages, sugar and sugar-based foodstuffs, ivory, wool, furs as well as certain degrees of luxury completed goods such as furniture, jewellery, glassware, porcelain, art and so on. The Hive-Empire as a state will also collect magical knowledge and objects from those countries willing to sell magical knowledge. Similarly but more rare are the few Gynes with magical ability (or those with none but interest in the topic) attempt to travel to foreign nations to learn magical theory from mages willing to teach them.

Due to the geopolitical situation of Ishtar, despite being a vast trans-continental empire with a great deal of tradeable goods, the Hive-Empire has little in the realm of trading partners on Ishtar, as most of its neighbours are either hostile states defending their borders from the Chitiji invaders, wish to reconquer lost lands from them, or in general are either allied to enemies of the Chitiji or otherwise for one reason or another (such as the Chitiji's alien moral beliefs) have poor relations. For this reason, the Tsardom of Karynia, a nation with a uniquely neutral position towards the insectoid invaders and an openness to trade (despite the Chitijian's landbridge greatly gutting pan-Ishtari trade routes by sea) is possibly the greatest if not sole monopolist of trade between Lanaan and Ishtar, and so massive wealth flows through the Tsardom comparable to its neighbours. The Spice and Gunpowder trades in particular are well known to be controlled mostly by Karynian merchants.

The Chitijian military, despite the beliefs of most of the rest of the world - is in fact not a shapeless horde of crawling monsters. Perhaps it has been too long since the great invasion, or perhaps the poets and actors have over-stated and altered the nature of their insectoid antagonists to better pit them against the singular heroics of dashing men. The truth however, is... far, far worse.

For while the Chitijians are known for their seemingly countless number and tendency towards mass assaults, it is not in acts of animalistic fury - but organised precision, as though acting as many parts of a great organic machine. The Chitijians are in many ways, just as capable of tactics and strategy as their human counterparts. Just as willing, perhaps even more so due to their lack of magic - to innovate with technology. It was the Chitiji that brought the fear of gunpowder to Ishtar, after all. When the skies were filled with the horror-buzzing of Asg with their lances and arrows, it was not a shapeless mass of bodies in the skies, no, but carefully drilled formations formed into V-like figures, sweeping down and rising again in lightning strikes. And so on and on, man learned and tragically forgot it seems, that their foe were no mere beastman horde - it was a regimented army much like their own, just of monsters.


With horror, the human defenders of the Orduin Empire found that their bug-like adversaries were just as willing to construct fortifications as they were, revealing themselves to in fact be masters of earthworks. Trenches, ditches, ramparts, stakes and mounds - and anything else worthy of transforming the earth for. Even in the midst of battle, soldier-drones will slave away to construct defensive structures and traps to funnel the enemy while building advantageous terrain for their own forces. The Chitiji swarmed forth yes, but they constructed rapid wooden forts, even building fortifications around besieged castles to solidify encirclements and to even endure attempts to break sieges by reinforcements by creating a 'double-siege'. It should be honestly to no surprise that creatures renown for building great hive cities and for successfully building the Landbridge of Lanaan would also be experienced military engineers.


The Chitiji were the first to discover gunpowder. Always limited in their magical prowess, the Chitiji often attempted alchemy to artificially create magic without the inherent abilities. While they failed in this objective, they instead accidentally discovered gunpowder and the explosive capabilities of certain chemicals and materials... which were then applied in the great wars of Lanaan's unification, and then finally brought across the strait into Ishtar during the invasion of the Orduin Empire.

The Chitiji as such possess a number of various gunpowder-based weapons. Though mostly using the old fire-arrows, fire-lances of Lanaan's unification, the Chitiji also brought rocket-based siege engines in their conquest of Orduin, and later have started developing more intricate artillery-like engines made of bronze and some of iron, as well as carriages that carry many fire-arrows at once. Despite the Chitiji's gunpower invention, their invasion has seen the discovery of these early 'firearms' of sorts to the rest of the world, and their trade with the Karynians have facilitated the trading of gunpowder and gunpowder-based weapons and knowledge out of Lanaan and into the hands of other nations who in turn trade with the Karynians.

A particularly infamous weapon of the Chitijians is the Jiyyikvii Chariot, or simply the "Fire Carrier-Chariot", a slow (relative to horses) carriage drawn by a large Gho sub-species known as the Ghov'a, which were selectively bred into total submission/domestication by the Uvi-Hii (Slavemakers). The chariot is then armed with a small multiple-firing siege engine firing either Chitiji rockets or fire-arrows.

Region History: The region of Valanor was once a collection of human tribes, chiefdoms, and warlords that fought each other even more than they fought the Orduin Empire and the Navarros before it.

During the reign of the Navarros Empire, the elves established colonies in the region (causing the local populations to make many stories about them punishing naughty children, cursing the greedy, or being wicked tricksters). While the colonies developed into sizable cities over the decades, in the year 876, the "First War of Incursion" began, along with the subsequent Navarros schism. This caused many of the colonies to be cut off from the rest of the empire, birthing a strong sense of independence; which would create rocky relations between the colonies and the empire for years to come. It was only in the year 890 that proper connections with the Navarros Empire were reestablished, but due to it being split in two and other logistical issues, the connection would be constantly on and off.



These relations only got worse during the Pinnacle War of the year 1109, which forced the colonies to turn on their human neighbors (many of which they relied upon for trade). The colonies dragged their feet and jumped through hoops to avoid out-right conflict with the local human tribes. Most of the colonies declared independence from the Navarros Empire in the middle of the war and disappeared, hiding themselves with elven magic. These colonies became the mysterious elven cities sung about in local songs.

In the year 1210, the elven cities would resurface against their will when the Pale entered their lands with the intention of recruiting the elven sub-races in the area. These woodland elves would fight beside the human barbarians in the region and later the legions of the Orduin empire against the Pale threat. They would then play a somewhat more active role in the region going forward; however many chose to return to a isolationist and secular lifestyle despite no longer having magic to hide the cities.

Up to this point, the human scene in Valanor was mostly the same. Barbarian raids were a common hazard for those who tried their luck at the frontier regions of the Orduin Empire. During the so-called era of peace in the year 1223; the empire brought something resembling stability to the region when rather than conquering and holding the region they backed 4 of the local kings and helped them to carve Valnor into 4 puppet states that were vassalized by the empire soon after. These four petty kingdoms were Saxland, Hortshire, Gathland, and Ivenhoe.

In addition the elven woodland cities, hidden or otherwise, also swore fealty to the empire; as they were still recovering from the Pale attacks. In a twist of fate the elven cities that so loved their independence had sworn away their freedom in return for safety to yet another empire.



Many within the four petty kingdoms would join the Imperial Legions to fight in battles beyond their homeland, bringing home with them the culture of the Legions and with it that of the empire.

Cultural integration exploded during the 1253-1903 era of peace. Many Emperors decided to focus more on developing the outer regions and slowly but surely the barbarian petty kingdoms were not barbarians anymore. They became some of the most active and civilized regions of the empire for a time, serving as a bridge between the capital regions and lands of the far north.

Accord History: The Valanor Accord's formation began in the year 2424 shortly after the infestation and sacking of the Imperial Capital by the bugs of what some call "The Great Swarm".



With most of the royal family, the senate, and the highest members of nobility killed, the empire was officially in a state of crisis. The various Legions across Orduin were either already destroyed or had begun their counterattack, with plans of their own.

In this time of crisis, some of the legion generals granted themselves emergency powers to try and salvage the situation. Some went off to become warlords and kings, however a small coalition of Imperial Generals remained united and played a key role in organizing a unified effort to beat back the bugs.



In the year 2425 the Valanor Accord had partaken in the push back of the Chitijian forces. To their disappointment however, rather than the empire reuniting, it began to break apart. Many would be rulers claimed to be the new "heir to the empire" while others declared full blown independence. The Accord made attempts to exercise their authority amongst the vassals of the empire, but could not even stop their fellow Imperial's from attempting to secede or seize power. This began the 200-year era of chaos in Ishtar.



The coalition of Legion Generals refused to admit defeat and returned to the Valanor region in which they controlled. They refused to relinquish their emergency powers, which persist to the modern day. The Generals organized a coalition of vassals and soldiers who were still seen as "loyalist" uniting them into a force intending to reunite the empire. This alliance, based primarily in the Valanor region was appropriately named the Valanor Accord.



After a decade of fighting, people began to question the legitimacy of the Accord's goals, especially when other powers had actual claim to the Imperial throne (little as it may be). The now formed Legionary Council decided to find the "true" heir to the empire and swear their oaths to serve them.

A man was brought in who was the bastard of the late emperor and a concubine, but claimed that the emperor had planned to set his wife aside for his mother and him. While dubious, it was enough for the Legionary council to latch onto.

The man was married to the governess of Itillia, and his line became that of the "new Imperial line" at least as far as the Accord was concerned.

During the 200 years of fighting the Accord had changed from an alliance to what was functionally a micro empire of sorts.

The ideals of the first Legionary Council have permanently altered the way the Accord developed, and while there were many cease-fires across the years, they would never last and before long the Accord was once more attempting to wrestle control of the empire from their rivals, with the capital city being their most tantalizing prize.

In the year 2617 IC, the Free Emirates of the Northern Wastes another faction that popped up after the fall of the empire, was subjugated by the forces of the Accord, and gifted to the Petty Kingdom of Ivenhoe.

In recent years, after a short hiatus; the efforts of the Accord to take the capital have doubled, in no small part thanks to Prince Nero, bastard son of the late "Emperor" and half-brother to "Emperor" Ancel. Acting as Ancel's regent, Nero has worked with the Legionary Council to reorganize and train thier forces into a competent fighting force.

However, tensions between the council and Nero have begun to grow, both sides claim the other is using the young Emperor as a puppet. At this same time, the Cult of Dumas have entrenched themselves into the lives of the court. Even the Legionary Council itself is divided. And whispers of a new threat circle in far off villages.

The Accord must ask itself if the survival of the alliance, of what they believe to be the true empire, is worth throwing away all that made it great in the first place.

On paper the Valanor Accord claims to be the continuation of the Imperial Monarchy of the late Ourdin Empire. An Imperial Monarchy with an Emperor at its head. However, in reality, things are quite different.

The Accord itself is actually a coalition of former imperial territories, with various petty kings and governors declaring their support. The bulk of this alliance comes from the 4 petty kingdoms of Gathland, Hortshire, Saxland, and Ivenhoe. At the head of this coalition is the former Imperial province of Itillia.

The governors, petty monarchies, nobility, and other such leaders who sided with the coalition maintain most day-to-day control over their regions. However, they are utterly subservient to the Legionary Council, the true ruling body of the Accord.

The Legionary Council is made up of six generals who essentially have full authority to do as they please within the Accord. The Emperor only steps in to serve as a tiebreaker if the council is fractured down the middle on an issue or strategy.

Because of the "Emergency Powers" granted to the generals, they in turn must constantly be looking for ways to expand the Accord's territory and influence, in particularly towards taking over the capital.

There is also a royal court within the Emperor's castle. These ministers and officials are responsible for managing the Accord's capital and other policy making decisions that effect the greater realm.

This includes Imperial Chancellor, the Royal Chamberlain, The Minister of Ships, the Minister of Coin, the Arch Bishop, the Master of the Hunt, the Keeper of the Imperial Seal, and the Royal Justiciar to name a few. However, anything the royal court does that may interfere or even annoy the Legionary Council can be repealed by a majority vote amongst the Generals; essentially forcing members of the royal court to try to earn the favor of various generals in order to get policy passed.

The Valanor Accord, has a unique culture that mixes the local ways (western/central Germanic cultures) with that of the late Orduin Empire. Since the empire's fall the lands united under the Accord have become deeply militarized, and national identity overhauled in a way that makes every citizen from crib to grave believe they are the true descendants of the Orduin Empire of old.

With that said there are some differences from location to location.

Itillia: The governing region of the Accord, it is paradoxically the most contested region, and the most highly populated. Itillia is a shining example of the cultural mash-up within the Accord’s lands.


Your average Accord soldier.

Elven Cities/Elves: There are three types of elves that live in Valanor.

Wood Elves: A type of elf that lives in the forest and is in touch with nature and the physical world. Very secular.



Light Elves: A term used to describe elves who dwell within their hidden cities. They are ethnically run of the mill elves, but descend from the old Navarros colonies within Valanor. Their homes are described as giant lanterns hanging from colossal trees, cliffsides, and caves. Somewhat Secular, but will make exceptions regularly.



Man-Elves: An elf who does not live a secular life, being born and raised amongst humans or at least living a similar lifestyle to that of their round ear compatriots.



The Four Petty Kingdoms.

Gathland: The heavily wooded region of the Accord. It births skilled trackers, huntsmen, and longbowmen. It is a decentralized land with powerful barons and honorable knights.



Hortshire: A land of rain, swamp, and hills. Their castles and soldiers are often decorated with a starkly gothic design, indicative of the men and women who live there. They say a knight of Hortshire never does anything just because.



Saxland: A land of mead halls and song. Of shield walls and faithful warriors. The least “advanced” of the four petty kingdoms, and yet perhaps the one with the most heart.



Ivenhoe: A land of chivalry and courtly love. A land of famine, sand, and trial. Despite the harsh environment this kingdom manages to produce the most honorable and pious of knights. The people of Ivenhoe are also masters of theological study and scholarly pursuits. Theological debate and discussion is so engraved into the culture that a full-on heretic would be treated with more respect than most non-believers.

Church of the One: a popular religion that had been around since before the Pinnacle War, however, did not reach wide-spread prominence until the era of peace brought about by Hesper's bloodline. It follows easy to understand concepts of right and wrong, which combined with its promise of forgiveness of sins has lead to wide popularity; and makes it very easy to proselytize pagan regions. They believe there is only a single god they call "The One", "One", or "He who is he, that who is that." They believe that all other gods are simply spirits of light, order, chaos, and darkness; whom while real, are not deities.

The One, chose to be born into this world years ago, making himself vulnerable to pain by taking on a physical form of a baby. He lived a human life and died a man before returning to his heavenly throne so that people may learn that no life is more valuable than another, and cannot be determined by outward success.

Holding many similarities with Zentarism, some say it is a human/elf focused branch sect that broke away years ago, while others claim it is the other way around. However scholars argue that the modern flavor of Zentarism is too recent for this to be the case. Other theologians subscribe to the idea that the pre-Pontifacia faith as well as the Church of the One may derive from and even older religion from the pre-Navarros days or beyond. Most of the core values and stories are similar. The key differences being superficial in nature, with the only noticeable ones being the role of mages in society, and the bureaucratic structure of the church.

The Church of the One is unisex in its upper clergy, with the lower ranks such as nuns and monks being more segregated. The Church is separated into three branches called houses.

⦁ The House of Prayer, led by She who speaks.

⦁ The House of Healing, led by He who tends.

⦁ The House of Arms, led by She who fights.

⦁ Above these three is He who seeks, the leader of the church.




Whenever someone from the three houses passes, the cardinals come together to vote upon a replacement. When He or She who seeks dies, they elect a candidate from among the three house leaders.

The church also has a group of sisters, called the “Sisters of Song”, nuns that either regretted/broke their vows, or otherwise wanted to take on a more proactive role in service of the church. These sisters are exempt from the laws of celibacy and serve as spies for the church. Once one completes their service to the church they are given the option to leave or continue their work. Most choose the latter.

There is also a group known as the "Toilers" which act as a male counterpart of the Sisters of Song, however unlike the sisters they do not get to keep their title, and are not considered part of the Church hierarchy.

Slavery in the Church of The One, is seen as not only an evil upon fellow souls, but a insult to the one true master The One. As all are equal under the light of The One from prince to popper, so too are the races and peoples of the world. This anti-slavery sentiment goes further when combined with the dislike of dark magics to create a dislike of necromancers, doubly so necromancers who use living souls; as it is seen as the greatest and cruelest form of slavery, baring souls form the heavens and trapping them in the mortal realm. While seemingly cut and dry the slave/undead debate has become quite nuanced amongst the Accord and even a little bit in the clergy of the Church. Still the Accord has taken on an anti-slavery stance in accordance to their majority faith.

Mages meanwhile, are expected to use their powers for good, and while they are not caged or enslaved, committing a crime with magic always yields a heftier punishment. There are also only certain kinds of magic that is considered taboo; typically, blood, dark, and other such magics that defile the source, and/or cannot be preformed without hurting another living being (even an evil one).

While there are always exceptions, most of the high clergy are made up of mages.

Cult of Dumaus: Despite the outward support and participation in the Church of the One, the Cult of Dumaus has its talons in the royal court; whispering sweet nothings and promises into the ears of the Accord's leadership. They worship an eldritch deity named Dumas from a place they call "The Abyss" and have backed their claims with dark magics and "Signs of love" that would be described as miracles if they did not come with such a terrible price.



Unchecked magic and blood rites are commonplace within the cult, who encourage hedonism and debauchery amongst its followers, while singing that madness is the apex of enlightenment. They believe the only deity worthy of worship is one who waits on its followers like a doting parent, showering them in endless love, in return for their own endless affection. They prove their love through their dark deeds, and wicked actions.



The leaders of the Accord have convinced themselves that THEY control the cult, not the other way around. However, every day more and more nobility and ministers submit to the cult's demands while the Legionary Council do nothing, out of ignorance of the cult's actions/deeds/intentions, refusal to see the true danger they present, or fear of loosing the proven and needed support of this cult in their war efforts.




The cult was brought to court by Prince Nero, who was searching for new allies to support his own efforts of not only putting his half brother on the Imperial throne, but reclaiming control of the Accord from the Legionary council. The cult's current leader is a young girl named Luci, who has gardened Emperor Ancel's ear due to their closeness in age, and a childish desire for a friend from the young ruler.

The Valanor Accord is in a constant state of war-time economy, even when they form an armistice with larger foes it is only so they can deal with internal threats or smaller factions. It is to the point of which if they ever achieved their goal and finally reformed the empire, the economy would completely collapse in on itself. Even so, while their ultimate goal is to reform the whole empire, they are not against committing to trade with other factions in the meantime.

The Valanor Accord trades in game, furs, fish (both fresh and sault water), textiles, linen, as well as agriculture; with wheat, oats, and barley as the favored crops and sheep, lamb, and goat being of particular value in the area.

Ivenhoe offers vineyards of desert wine, while Hortshire brings plants and animals from the rare swampy regions of Ishtar.

Saxland produces honey, and mead, as well as some beef cattle. Gathland, while being head of the fur and game trade in Valanor, also produce lumber from the forest which is also processed into boards useable wood.

In order to maintain the legions, local lords employ any who are willing to work. More hands are always required, with most of the young men joining one of the legions. Thus many who previously would be passed up for work find themselves with a job available.

Iron and other metals are of the highest concern. "The Fissure" (the mountain surrounded by swamp land on the map.) provides significant sums of iron, however it is only a matter of time until it runs dry. Meanwhile the Ivenhoe river's quarry provides stone for the Accord as well as buyers beyond.

The military is almost entirely under the control of the Legionary Council. While the Accord has found itself on occasion to require the aid of levies, they much prefer the discipline and training of the Accord's legions, which trace their roots to (and are a shadow of depending on who you ask) the Legions of the Orduin Empire.



Each general on the Legionary Council is given control of a single legion. However, whether these armies are large enough to be considered legitimate legions is a whole different matter. Each general is responsible for keeping their legion feed, and taken care of. Most legions are made up of trained legionnaires however in cases of larger scale campaigns, levies from the other Accord controlled lands will be raised to join the fight.

The title of knight doesn't carry over any weight within the legion. it is possible to be an anointed knight and still be a common foot soldier in the legion's forces. However, because by nature knights are pre-trained, own their own horses and equipment, and generally have more military experience than a grunt, they rise through the ranks quickly, or are transferred to a cavalier unit if they already have a horse.



There is no laws regarding what legion you can join. A soldier of Saxland can at anytime sign up with a legion that may even be ran by foreign ruler. Such as General Hexilda.

With that in mind, there are no rules about who can become a member of the Legionary Council, so long as they are a citizen of the Accord and have earned their rank. Thus, in the case of General Hexilda, the Queen of the petty kingdom of Gathland; she was able to rise through the ranks to become a General of her legion.

Of course, while technically, anyone can become a general, those born into nobility or families with a military pedigree naturally have more training and higher educations that lead to them almost always taking higher ranks within the legion.



Included in the Legions (and the subsequent forces of other Accord member states) are a variety of more specialized troops that give the Accord an edge in battle. This includes the wolf riders, a specialized cavalry unit that has origins in old elven tradition but has now expanded to humans.



Every Legion is accompanied by a group of Imperial Battle Mages, trained in the art of combat. In order to prevent their own spells from hurting their comrades the Imperial Mages must be well disciplined and be level-headed in a battlefield situation.



Thus every group of experienced Imperial Mages are accompanied by a group of novice or apprentice mages; who play only a limited role in the battle, and mostly observe their elders, draw minor incantation circles, carry fragile magic supplies, and handling low priority grunt work. Through this, the novice mages become accustomed to the battlefield and are ready to be full-fledged battle mages by the time they become official battle-mages of the Legion.



In the Imperial Capital, there is a group known as the Royal Guard, a cohort of soldiers that serve as the Emperor's personal military force. However, it is well known that the loyalties of the Royal Guard are not something to be assumed. While many would die for the Emperor, many more obey the will of the Legionary Council.


There have also been whispers of strange and unnatural creatures taking form in the darkest dungeons of the Accord's capital. Could there be a military application to these beast of despair?

The Imperial Navy, is a decently sized maritime institution that is technically outside of the control of the Legionary Council. The Minister of Ships, is supposed to be the authority; however he is more of a bureaucrat that rarely leaves the Imperial court.

In practice most of the navy is watch over by the Master Admiral, along with the two Fleet Admirals. However, despite having no legal control over the navy, the Legionary Council has great influence on who rises through the ranks, and have no calms about getting the Minister of Ships to remove any who cause problems from their positions.

The Imperial Navy is funded and manned as a joint collaboration of all Accord members (much like the Legions). Some Accord kingdoms such as Saxland and Gathland own and maintain personal navies loyal to their lords and homelands, however they are small and pose no threat to the Imperial Navy.

Even the elven communities within the Accord provide some man-power or ships to the Imperial Navy, with some of the fastest ships being from the elven cities on the coast.



The navy itself is made up of two fleets, both commanded by a Fleet Admiral. These fleets are further separated into two sub-fleets, with both preforming a different objective.

The first sub-fleet is made up of warships and galleys, meant for fighting and sinking enemy ships, as well as launching bombardments against the coast. In addition most of these ships have a sizable numbers of warriors to serve as boarding parties or raiding bands against coastal targets.





The other sub-fleet is primarily focused around the transportation of troops, utilizing a variety of boat and ship types, big and small.




Saxland has offered much of its boat building expertise, providing many long boats that can carry a substantial amount of men great distances in short amounts of time; and can easily be used in rivers, lakes, and can even be picked up and carried on foot by legion soldiers.



Conversely the Imperial Navy also has access to large ships that, while slow, can carry a great number of troops, supplies, and resources to any destination along the coast.

There are a variety of private organizations within Valanor, most of them under the label of an "Order" of some kind. Separating themselves from the scientific and monastic orders are the militant knightly orders. There are many knightly orders; most being holy orders of some kind. Amongst these holy orders some have stronger connections to the Church of the One than others.

The Truelight Order: Is a knightly order based in Ivenhoe and the surrounding region. It has heavy connections with the Church of the One. They were once a more monastic order, however over the years they have become more militarized; which has changed the core tenets in various areas. The order believes that they must defend the Church of the One from outside threats, and must be the sheep-dogs of the faithful. It was once frowned upon for knights to have children or take on lovers, and while marriage itself is still not allowed, getting caught in a night of passion is no longer enough to get you removed from the order, in fact bastards are likely to be taken in and trained in the order's ways. The order was also once separated into two houses by gender, but this also has been phased out as the order has become less concerned with any duties other than getting boots on the ground, and occupying cities and regions of East Valanor.


The Order of Saint Justinian: Led by the Imperial Justicar Lady Zamoria, while technically a holy order of sorts, it holds a thin connection to the Church of the One, held only by its name and its willingness to work with other orders and the House of Arms. While other orders have a wide range of tasks and jobs, the Order of Saint Justinian focuses only on upholding a chaotic sense of "Justice" with the tracking, killing, and punishment of criminals being the Order's obsession.


The order believes that a heavy hand must be used to punish the wicked and scare the weak willed. Their code of absolute justice takes them all over the Valanor Accord and beyond, striking down lowly bandit and corrupt nobleman alike. Nobody is truly safe from the order's gaze. While the order has on occasion allowed a criminal to go free or didn't go after a noble of clergy member abusing their authority; it was only so that they may track down more criminals, collect evidence (or what little they need to act on), or otherwise position themselves to make their attempts at passing judgment go more smoothly.

They are mostly a nomadic order that travels often seeking new criminals to punish, although they do have a base at Castle Voldwen, a castle on the Ivenhoe-Hortshire border that belongs to Lady Zamoria and her family. Their members are said to ordain themselves in golden armor (although it usually little more than a dye).


The Dark Legion: A group founded by former imperial legionaries who were either disgraced, dishonored, or where removed from, resigned from, or failed to enter the Orduin Empire Legions. It took serious form a year or so before the fall of the Orduin Empire, and used the fall and the subsequent chaos to build up its power base. Serving as a mercenary band of sorts they fought in many battles, although the money was always a secondary concern; and many times they would fight with no reason at all.

They took over and renovated "The Eye" an old Imperial Fortress in the far northern regions, outside of Accord territory, as they continued to absorb many who fell or left the legion into their ranks. Eventually they began recruiting barbarians, bandits, elves, vaala, beastmen, and any others who could pass their tests.

They have no connection to the Church of the One in any form, and don't seem to hold any real doctrine beyond baptism by fire, love of war, and a desire to reform their own version the Orduin Empire into their ideal vision (A Orduin Empire large enough to influence the politics of other nations, but just enough so that other superpower nations can continuously rise up to fight them.)

The current leader of the Dark Legion has made increasing attempts to involve the order in politics, increasing its standing to be on par with that of similar knightly orders, if not out of respect, out of fear.

Culture:

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Long ago the northern beastmen began the formation of a great host to march southward. Sharing these frigid lands with the beasts were various tribes, clans, and chiefdoms populated with hardy human-folk. Throughout the years, since the time of even the first incursion; the wild-men of the far north would formulate an alliance to fight off the beastmen threat, failing utterly most of the time; but by banning together they were never wiped out completely. However, they were slowly but surely pushed out of the northern lands with every defeat sending them further south.

In 1901 the beastmen began another great incursion southward. The men of the north followed suit and formed their usual alliance, at this point they had already established a vast history of allying together, acting as a sort of proto-confederation of sorts. However, it would take one final push to bring them together in an official capacity.

This was the greatest horde yet, and it was the final push. Fighting went on for two long years, during which countless chiefdoms, clans, and tribes were wiped out completely; their tales lost to the whimpers of time. The northmen had no choice but to flee all the way south to the lands of Ishtar.

In 1903, the beastmen descended onto the Orduin Empire, and the rest of Ishtar from the north. Before the horde’s arrival, imperial scouts also had reports of a large nomadic warband making their way across the Empire’s northern border. The arrival of the beastmen quickly overshadowed these concerns.

The barbarians were at this point little more than glorified refugees, they spent the next 10 years wandering northern Ishtar, raiding, farming, and the odd mercenary work as they roamed the hills, earning themselves the name “The Tribes of the Roaming Hills”.



While this was happening, peasants, noblemen, and soldiers alike felt threatened by this large force of what was essentially the entire population of a displaced region dropped smack dab in the middle of Imperial territory. Many hostilities had already transpired, and the people of the Roaming Hills were dying of starvation and illness rather than the way of blades; yet not fast enough for them to be a problem that could be ignored.

In the year 1913, a deal was struck between the Emperor and the chieftains of the Roaming Hills. Knowing of their experience fighting the beastmen, he gifted them the regions on the Empire’s northern most boarder. The very region under the most threat by the beastmen. Most of the farmers and tribes local to the region had either fled, were killed by beastmen warriors, or were so few in number they were simply absorbed into the Roaming Hills community.

As part of the deal, the warriors of the Roaming Hills pledged themselves to the Orduin Empire, serving as auxiliares in the Imperial Legion. And playing a crucial role in the defense of the northern border, in which they would lose, retake, and lose again in a seemingly endless bloody conflict that lasted for almost 200 years.

Throughout these years of service, many attempts had been made to “uplift” the people of the Roaming Hills, however the constant assaults by the beastmen left few chances to build anything long lasting. Even so other tribes and pockets of those considered “uncivilized” company began making their way towards the roaming hills in search of promised free land, including elven-folk who had lost their homes to political strife and warfare long ago, or otherwise belonged to a more savage elven communes which struggled to conduct themselves in polite society.

Whatever the case, whenever civilization began to properly take root, a beastman assault would occur and subsequently set back all progress that had been made. The people of the Roaming-Hills began focusing harder on small nomadic communities and clans that could easily flee from beastmen attacks and return after they left. Many within the Roaming-Hills began resenting their Imperial overlords, feeling that they were being used as a sacrificial bufferzone to hold off beastmen attacks, among other disputes, such as perceived weakness of the Empire’s people. For now this resentment was held in check.

In the year 2103, General Keppin of the Imperial Legion began to gather up his force of five legions. One of the first groups approached were the tribes of the Roaming Hills, at this point well known for their endless feud with the beastmen.



The barbarians played a key role in the legion’s strategies serving as vanguard or shock-trooper units. With many of the chieftains and famous warriors laying down their lives in the subsequent battles against the northern horde.

This came to a head in the year 2107 when General Keppin lead his forces into beastmen territory, the original home of the roaming hills people. They managed to finally obtain victory over their ancient foe. However most of the Roaming-Hills warriors were part of the 2 lost legions, leading to huge portions of the adult population being wiped out. Those warriors who returned festered in them a reinvigorated resentment of their Imperial masters.

Some thought the tribes would return north, but after years of living in Imperial territory as well as the addition of new southern-blood kin, they no longer associated the northern lands as anything but an ancient home of ancestors from so long ago that they held little in common.

It was now the year 2108 and for a time there was some matter of peace. This is considered the cultural renaissance of the Roaming-Hills, as they told stories of their exploits during the beastmen wars and ages past.

It was at this time that many of the tribes as they are known today established themselves amongst their peers. The barbarians continued to join the Imperial Legions and pay tributes to the regional governors of the empire. This would be the most traditionally civilized the tribes would become, with some considering this the golden age of the Roaming Hills, while others felt it was an era of humiliation and degradation as the culture of the empire began eating away at old traditions, many tribes began turning on each other in small scale conflicts and the people of the Roaming Hills were no longer considered as the great warriors of days past but just another backwater people who could barely pay taxes and supply crops to their intellectual betters.

Hostilities with Orduin citizens, farmers, and nobility began to crop up more and more causing the anti-empire sentiment to spread. In addition the farmland in the northern region was ruff and difficult to tend. Hunting and fishing were also very limited, and the mines were already owned by others loyal to the empire. Still, at this time the tribes were able to enjoy some years of autonomy that was highly valued by the people.



In the year 2243 hostility between the roaming hills and Imperial Governor Asterhall, the man who presided over that portion of the frontier region erupted. Clan Breakbone, a large clan which hailed from one of the greater tribes broke away and began raiding southward, pillaging a number of farmsteads, homes, and small villages; calling like minded men and women to their cause as they went. They even ended up recruiting a large group of desert bandits from the Petty Kingdom of Ivenhoe, along with members of the Dancing Blades, a militant group of elven extremists who felt their kind were oppressed by the humans of the empire.

Having increased their numbers, clan Breakbone and their followers, split into two forces. One was sent to seize the mines, the economic heart of the region. The other made their way to the local governor’s villa, hoping to capture him and his family; along with any other important officials at the time.

The governor was warned ahead of time by informats within the tribes. He ended up abandoning the mines, calling all his troops to defend his villa. Using his forces strategically he managed to lure all the attacking forces into the villa before laying siege to his own home, trapping the attackers inside and wiping nearly all of them out. Any captured alive were executed publicly within the next few days.



He then reached out to his son, a prominent member of the Imperial Legion at the time, who arrived with a sizable force. Together they retook the mines, killing and capturing any of the remaining ring leaders. However it is said that remnants of the Breakbone rebellion survived and would reorganize in secret.



By the year 2244, the governor, rather than attempt to ease hostilities, held the entirety of the Roaming-Hills responsible for the insurrection (never mind the fact that many of his own soldiers who fought against the rebels were auxiliares from the region). He began passing policy that stripped away the autonomy of the Roaming-Hills, slowly but surely putting them under his thumb; while instituting schools of “cultural thought” a type of mandatory boarding school that youths would have to live full time, particularly younger children who didn’t have to help with farm work. These schools were presented as free education for the children of the tribes but were actually glorified prisons whose only real purpose was filling the youth’s heads with propaganda and hatred for their own people.

In the year 2248 the tribes of the roaming hills; who for years already served as a type of proto-confederation, tightened their bonds by forming a proper and legally organized moot (rather than the off the record ones they had held for years). They formulated a council of chiefs and shamans, pushing back politically against the governor.

Even within the halls of the imperial court they had supporters. With imperial officials coming out to speak and advise this council on their political endeavors. Clergymen from all the major faiths in the empire also lent their support, with local priests and abbots belonging to converted tribes even getting seats on the council.



They were able to fight back against the governor’s top-down policies, repurposed the schools of “cultural thought” for actual education (something that even many imperial villages didn’t have), and organize their own militias, rather than be at the mercy of the governors forces.

In the year 2260 the situation took a major downturn. Back at the Imperial court, the party in which Governor Asterhall belonged to had outmaneuvered their opposition; granting increased authority to the centralized government and overruling countless local government policies that the Roaming-Hills relied on to maintain their independence. Undoing years of work.

The tribes declared that they would actively and knowingly disregard the policies passed by the senate and the regional governor; claiming they showed obvious favoritism towards the more highly populated and Imperialized parts of the empire.

In response Governor Asterhall, now an old-man, led his forces into the tribal regions with the intent of arresting the council and enforcing their laws upon the people. The council of chiefs and shaman convinced themselves to make one last attempt at a peaceful resolution; however this did not prevent most of the chiefs from preparing their warriors for war.

A delegation made up of the most diplomatic of the chieftains, shaman, clergy, and what few imperial officials still stuck their necks out for the tribes, met the governor’s forces halfway. Negotiations began going south quickly, with the only form of compromise the governor offered being a different form of surrender. He then attempted to have the entire delegation arrested, but was betrayed by his own soldiers. Many in the governor's forces were auxiliaries from the roaming-hills and while they stood aside before, all it took was a handful of soldiers refusing to cause mass defection within his ranks.



However, not all the soldiers were from the roaming-hills and even amongst those who were there were many who chose to stay loyal to Governor Asterhall. A battle erupted and many of the peace delegation were killed, along with Governor Asterhall himself, stabbed to death by a mysterious elven girl disguised as a servant. Later it would become known that this girl was a descendent of the Breakbone Rebellion remnants, who combined with the Dancing Blades, as well as the Ivenhoe bandits and other sympathizers who joined them years prior to form the new Clan Breakblade.



After the carnage was over, the survivors of both sides of the mutiny retreated back to their respective sides. For the tribes it was a sign that the matter would not be solved peacefully. For many Imperials it was confirmation that the roaming-hills was a threat to the Orduin Empire. But both sides understood that conflict was inevitable.

Near the end of the year, the tribes declared that until power was returned to the hands of local leaders they would be declaring their independence from the regional government (and by extension the Orduin Empire.) The Council of Chiefs and Shaman was reorganized into the great tribal confederation of the Roaming-Hills, and the Tribes of the Roaming Hills became an official power in the land.



In the years 2261-2270 the region entered a time of conflict, later known as the Roaming Hills secession crisis. One by one the more moderate members of the confederation died in battle, and more extreme clans such as Clan Breakblade (who had rejoined the Roaming Hills shortly after the war began) began holding more and more influence amongst the people.

The semblance of civilization that had formed during the “Golden Age'' quickly melted away, and as the tribes got more desperate their tactics became more gruesome. The title of regional governor became a rotating door of assassination, with even the late governor Asterhall’s son (who had aided in ending the Breakbone rebellion) finding himself ambushed and killed while on his way to the capital to request aid from his old legion.

Both sides committed untold atrocities, and rather than the conflict causing them to grow adverse to warfare, it made them commit to win even more. Some of the Imperials burned down churches and temples filled with people. Some of the Roaming-Hills turned to the dark blood-magic of the old ways; sacrificing the elderly, and the crippled for power; while raiding and ravishing innocent imperial farmers and citizens across the land.



In the year 2270, an organized, and well supplied Legion was dispatched to finally bring an end to the conflict. The already battered and fatigued Roaming-Hills tribesmen could do little against the fresh forces of the Imperial Legion.



As one by one tribes were eliminated by the Empire’s might the chieftains of the tribes found themselves split into two opinions. One side wished to stand and fight, believing that they could easily beat those they perceived as weak cowards, or at the very least felt an honorable death was better than retreat or surrender.

The other group decided that the only way for the confederation to survive was for them to flee. To return to the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors, and create a new life on the road. In the end the confederation broke into two, and while those who stayed behind (whatever their intentions) were almost completely wiped out, it was their sacrifice that allowed for the other half to flee the lands, heading far into the west towards open land.

The time had come for the Tribes of the Roaming-Hills to roam once more.

From the year 2271-2299 the tribes of the Roaming-Hills became a nomadic people that wandered from place to place. The combined stresses of war, desperation, and a declining population (both from deaths as well as defections) drove the tribes to follow the old ways of strength and plunder. They began raiding villages in the north western region, slowly mastering the art of raiding, extortion, and the life of a truly nomadic warrior culture.



By the year 2300 they had come into their own and moved southward, becoming adventurers, mercenaries, and were paid a “protection” tribute by any who feared them, including nobility. Those who were unwilling or unable to pay such tributes would often find themselves set upon as the next target for raiding.



While they were nomadic and some owned horses they were not exactly horse-fairing people, which caused them to move slower across Ishtar than similar cultures may have. They relied heavily on specialized and honored scouts who would be almost always on the move, to keep them informed about troop movements, and the goings on throughout the land; political or otherwise.

By the year 2400 the Tribes of the Roaming Hills were a well known warband of marauders, mercenaries, and savages who reveled in combat, pillaging, and indulgent festivities. They involved themselves in countless minor conflicts across Ishtar, coming to the aid of sides that were almost guaranteed to lose, changing the political makeup of everyplace they left on the whims of the chief-moot.



They thought nothing of what became of the places they left behind, only concerning themselves with the next big payout, battle, or feast. By now countless like minded people across Ishtar joined up with them, including bandits, deserters, mercenaries without work or a company, and other undesirables who needed a place to go. These people, camp followers and fellow warriors alike were labeled clanless, and did not have the same legal protection within the confederation as those belonging to a clan did.

In the year 2423, the bug invasion of the “Great Swarm” began. The Roaming-Hill Tribes were south at the time, laying siege to the castle of Gunger; home of a southern lord who had made powerful enemies in the Imperial Court. These enemies offered the Roaming-Hills a generous amount to make the lord of Gunger’s life a living hell. They were five days into the siege, and both sides were caught completely off-guard when an endless swarm of bug-like creatures they had never seen before came crawling from the rear of the Roaming Hill forces.



The warriors of the tribe immediately began attacking the bug creatures, leading to a three way fight that ended with the castle getting taken by the bugs, and many of the Roaming Hill warriors being slain in battle.

As a nomadic people with no castle to retreat to, the rest of the barbarians who were camped nearby (children, elderly, slaves, injured, and other non-warriors) were seen as soldiers who had refused to retreat to their nest by the swarm, and were set upon.

Those who fought were killed, those who fled, hid, or begged were captured and divvied out to fates unknown.

This day would go down as the “Tragedy of Gunger” and it was only the beginning. For the first time in years, since the initial end of the Secession Crisis of 2270, the people of the Roaming-Hills were once again forced to flee.



For days as the Roaming-Hills fled their population was slowly picked off, killed or captured by the forces of the swarm.

By the time all was said and done in the year 2424 when the Orduin Empire finally fell, the Roaming-Hills had lost nearly half of their population.

Things were looking bad, but the moot came together and by the time the united counter attack began in the year 2425, the tribes of the Roaming-Hills had already began their fight, killing scores of bugs before the counter attack had even officially begun.

The Tribes of the Roaming Hills kept up the onslaught against the bugs until the year 2430. Having their fill of vengeance and becoming concerned about the growing changes to Ishtar’s political structure they set out to find new lands to raid and battles to fight.

From 2431-2621 the Roaming Hill tribes had gotten involved in countless battles and wars within the various developing nations. They enjoyed many victories, offering their services to any who could pay for them, and raiding any who could not; sometimes both.

In the year 2622, the Roaming Hill Tribes were contacted by members of the Duchy of East Orduin, an alliance of nobility who descended from members of the former Imperial Senate, and other noble families of the old empire. The so called ArchDuke of the alliance was one of many who claimed to have royal blood in his veins, and he might have been right.

The Duchy of East Orduin was locked in a constant brutal struggle with the forces of the Valanor Accord to the north as well as border hostilities with the Great Shi in the south. They had rich, fertile lands, access to one of the great lakes of Ishtar, and were seated within the halls of the former Imperial Capital, giving them the most legitimacy to any who cared for such matters; along with the infrastructure of a colossus city in which many raw materials could be produced into various goods. However, while the Duchy did have some decently trained soldiers who fancied themselves legionnaires, along with a sizable pool of levies to draw from; it mostly relied on mercenaries. They hired folk from every corner of Ishtar, even the beetles from the bug lands of the far south.

With a major company of mercenaries abandoning their contract after suffering heavy losses, the Duchy required a force to make up the difference and then some. Many knew of the Free-Roamers and their reputation; thus a messenger was dispatched, inviting the barbarians to the capital.

Unfortunately for the ArchDuke, he had not predicted the nature of newly proclaimed High Chief Ralof, who had much greater aspirations than being a lowly Warlord for hire. The former Imperial Capital would be pillaged for a second time since the age of chaos began.

The people of the Roaming-Hills live a hard life, where you are just as likely to die by the hands of a fellow barbarian than an enemy blade. Throughout their history, the more people described them as barbarians the more they felt inclined to live the greatest personification of the barbarian life that they could muster. Sex, violence, slavery, kidnapping, and even death (so long as it only happens to the right people) are treated casually by the men and women of the tribes. Of course with everything there are exceptions that only become noticeable at a later time.



Clan Affiliation: All legitimate members of the Roaming Hill Tribes belong to a subset of people called a clan. Those who did not belong to a clan or were kicked out of their clan are labeled clanless, and while a clanless person may be allowed to follow the tribes on their escapades and fight beside them in battle, they do not hold the same legal protection, nor rights, as a full-fledged clan member.

There are three ways to be accepted into a clan.
Most people are born into the clan they belong to with little fan-fair.
Others end up marrying in; as the clanless spouse (not to be confused with concubine or slave) take on the clan name of whichever belongs to a clan (male or female). In cases where both spouses belong to a clan the more prestigious clan will usually win out, although it is technically left up to the choice of the bride and groom.
Lastly it is possible for the clan leader to declare their patronage, or for patronage to be requested by any clanless person warrior or no. There is no legal binding preventing someone from inviting a clanless into their clan (however that does not mean there are no consequences in practice).

The Faith of the One has found their influence slowly growing amongst member tribes of the coalition.

Similar to the faith of the Church of the One, Zentarism has surprisingly taken roots within a small subset of clans and tribes.

While many aspects of these nomadic people’s culture have not survived the hardships of time, this ancient way of life has persisted. Rooted in old wisdom, it’s followers look upon the natural world for strength, wisdom, and guidance, even so there are two distinct ways in which practice of this ancient religion will manifest.



The way of Solas: This is the path of being intune with nature, honoring one's ancestors and respecting the land which keeps one fed. Followers of this path will often be seen engaging in forms of meditation, spirit dancing, and even the occasional pilgrimage out into the remote wilderness.

The way of Dorcha: This is the path of paying tribute to the earth, often in blood. Followers of this path are no strangers to blood offerings, ritualistic dismemberment, self mutilation, and if rumors are to be believed... witchcraft.

The Tribes of the Roaming Hills are lead by the High-Chief, who is often selected from among the Chieftains present at a Chief-moot. While the High-Chief holds the power to command the forces of the Roaming Hills and dictate their collective military actions, raiding, and foreign activities, a great deal of domestic law is still handled on a tribe by tribe basis… at least for now.

As things stand the Roaming Hills are currently being led by High-Chief Ralof of the Shiverbone tribe who has taken up residence in the newly conquered capital city.

The Tribes of the Roaming Hills, makes a good portion of their income from raiding and pillaging.

That being said, there are many among them and those they conquer who are proficient farmers, craftsmen, and traders.

On top of the barbarians who currently run the region, former imperial citizens living in and around the capital contribute to the economy of this young power. This includes the sprawling Imperial capital, which holds countless shops and businesses that provide the infrastructure to take raw materials and make processed goods.

With all these factors in mind the land produces wheat, oats, barley, wine from old Imperial vineyards, livestock such as pigs and chickens, game, leather, pottery, lumber, both salt and freshwater fish from the lake and sea respectively, textiles, processed wood and boards, along with a variety of luxury goods such as silks, dyes, fine clothes, jewelry, embroidery, tapestry, leather work, and some metal work.

The barbarians of the Roaming Hills have a very simplistic style of military organization. Each chieftain commands their own force, and the High Chief commands the chieftains, (along with his or her own tribe of course).

Likewise the clan leaders serve as sub-commanders to the chieftains, although there is more wiggle room in this regard.

These characters will be added in as they make appearances within the RP section.

-Dracis: A diminutive draconic race, they possess hair on their heads and mammal-like animal ears, with a few pronounced spots of scales on their thighs, but their hides are otherwise scaled but made to be incredibly smooth. They each have a tail as well. Their skin is dark blue in coloration, something that blends in rather surprisingly in dark areas and in the dark in general, whilst their eyes and blood literally glow a blue color. The race itself seems to be openly female to all, but in truth they are a hermaphroditic species that all possesses mammaries on their chest for feeding young. They contain both sets of reproductive organs naturally, though the ‘masculine’ set is kept hidden within an internal body pouch when not in use. When giving birth, the species will normally produce the usual standard of 4 young in a given ‘birthing’. Yet the work for the young’s care is made more manageable by both parents taking up the work of it and being biologically designed to do so.

The Dracis for the most part live underground and above, the former being more expansive and large than the latter, their hides protecting them from sunlight due to thickness and yet still naturally slick enough to slide about underground tunnels and homes even tight spaces with a flexible ease. The race itself is known for rapid reproductive numbers despite their size, and over 2 thousand years have become masters of metal-crafting, mining, minerals, and forging techniques that have made them famous around Ishtar in this respect. Even so the race can also breathe fire to a certain extent, utilizing a special but well-insulated gaseous organ attached to their respiratory system and their naturally higher internal body temperatures that make them suited to live in cold climes with a certain ease.

Dracis are known for their masterful metal crafting work and large numbers in any given settlement they inhabit, but beyond these the race has mastered the work of underground living and stone-carving/decoration. Ornate carvings decorate the interior and exterior walls of a Dracis home, and even things like air flow and stability are usually well-accounted for when they design underground spaces for practical reasons. Such has come with myriad centuries alongside much experience and learning, but in the end has produced a very stable form of home-building that they even apply above-ground as they ran into other races and learned more from them. In fact, their construction techniques and principles have come to mix with that of the Caledoni and Satyri above ground much more in recent centuries, creating a hybrid that has rapidly become popular and has been seen to be long-lasting for non-underground homes that even the Dracis use them for above-ground habitations.

Their society itself possesses a love of preserved foods, using differing methods from dry-aging in the mountainside winds to controlled spoiling to others imported or learned from external influences. Underground mushroom and snail and crustacean farms are also featured in their craft due to the presence of underground rivers and water flows in the mountains. They enjoy foods with strong flavors, spicy and earthy being their culture’s seemingly two favorite flavors to evoke, and combined with Satyri spirits and Caeldoni desert crops and such things have featured more and more in their meals over the years this has created a unique shift. Indeed the ‘new cuisine style’ has become a standard and the staple for what is by current times identified as “Thakisian Cuisine” at home as well as abroad.

(Example of the average Dracis in winter attire: i.imgur.com/BK3yxe3.jpg)

-Caeldoni: They are a humanoid race that sports a lighter shade of distinctly coal-grey skin, one that blends in rather well into the darkness of the desert’s long, cold nights, and insulates against it due to its thickness and hardiness. Members of the race each have six arms, outside of accidents or injuries that would result in arm loss, alongside a dense and packed musculature. Meanwhile the race’s members naturally average from 8’2” to 8’7” in height throughout the population, a rather tall height for a humanoid race. The race is a hardy bunch, resistant to temperature changes for the most part, building hardy homes to live in and being strong and disciplined workers no matter the trade they take on.

For their traditional homes they first make an ‘internal’ layer, composed of stones fitted so well together they don’t need cement to stay together in an airtight manner, with a proper brick exterior using a form of cement to bind them together. Some wooden beams are used internally, fitted to secure the lighter roof. As a result, heat produced within a Caeldoni home will usually be retained rather well, and such homes even include a chimney of sorts to release fumes from fires lit inside. Of course these developments are recent ones in the last few centuries, and combine Dracis principles of air flow and Satyri minimal waste style to form a hardy type of building. Indeed the Caeldoni would come to combine the best of each world into this style, which has proliferated in Thakisian territory since and become the dominant form of above-ground construction for its quality and sturdiness in the face of ill-weather incidents.

The race has long used the hardy grasses of the cold desert region as sustainable enough plants to farm, most notably: “Chirmu” (‘grainy’) plant that is a hardy analogue to ‘rice’ of some kind, and the tuber roots of the “Kibt” (‘filling’) bush. In terms of ‘farming’ they do so near certain oases, and water in some places where rock formations have been turned or carved into reservoirs for the region’s rainwater and/or for melting ice to store water. The building of aqueducts from the mountain rivers and suchs in a joint project with the Dracis has also led to a greater proliferation of water sources for use, allowing for greater food production (in some amount at least) than used to be otherwise sustainable. Further, the Caeldoni have cared for packs of very large ram/camel-like furred creatures (imagine a bulkier omnivorous camel with far less noticeable humps, a thicker and wider skull, and curled horns on the sides of their head, and greater muscle) called “Diu”. These creatures are equal parts food and efficient cold desert pack animals and cavalry mounts all, producing milk and even having warm furs to sit against when resting on a cold desert night and being fast on the charge. These beasts can live in both the cold deserts and in the mountains rather well, in fact, which has made them useful to more than just the Caeldoni in the long run.

Another thing the race has done well is the art of warfare. Discipline and strength both internal and external are emphasized among the Caeldoni, who take practice and discipline in this area seriously and apply it in other non-warfare areas during peaceful times. At least this is their general practice when being serious about things and working. Outside of work they can be a rather jovial and relaxed people, celebrating big occasions with feasts and even plenty of grain-and-starch-based alcohol called “Sakae” back in the day before other races introduced them to many more flavors and varieties.

Among the race’s other innovations, however, weaponry is something they take seriously. Whilst they pale to the Dracis’ mastery of metal and its uses, the Caeldoni have contributed weapon designs and ideas that combined with the Dracis’ skill has given them superior tools as soldiers and fighters. The “Caeldoni Blade” or “Namurer” is a unique type of blade originally of Caeldoni design and improved vastly by better metalwork. Ancient Caeldoni smiths would make a giant metal blade with a wave-like blade design to be set into a wooden/bone handle, secured with leather straps around the hilt, and it would be swung around using all-six-hands due to the blade’s size and weight. Such a weapon proved to be able to cleave through a horse and rider in one shot, and with improved metal and metalsmithing this can still be pulled off even with a standard level of armor worn on both horse and rider. In fact many old smithing bloodlines from the Caeldoni have stayed in Dracis lands (even some Satyri to boot) and continued to help bring their own influences to the table when it comes to weapon design and creation to this day.

(Male Caeldoni general appearance example: i.imgur.com/ImyXJCz.jpg

and

A Female Caeldoni general appearance example: i.imgur.com/HUneGvK.jpg)

-Satyri: As a species, they are shorter humanoids with goat-like eyes and horns that curl back over the top of their heads toward the back, as well as fur on the hand/forearms thighs/legs to keep them insulated and warm the extremities. The hair on their head is more human-like, but they also sport furry animal-like ears. Their fingernails are notably tougher, akin to claws but differing from them in shape, and finally they have a peculiar gender ratio among births that has naturally caused the vast majority of the population to be female. Meanwhile the cultural practice of polygamy has been common within their race to ensure propogation continues, usually controlled by a group of females wedding a male who will maintain the rather large household and ‘hold down the fort’ as the females perform other important external tasks such as getting food and working and fighting in wars and so forth after giving birth. The species itself gives birth to smaller batches of rather normally 2 young at a time as well, with less or more being a rare occasion akin to the trends of twins and so forth in humans.

They were originally a primitive non-beastmen race driven southwards from their tribal lands in the far north by the First Beastman Incursion, the Satyri were homeless and trying to not go extinct. Their homeland was lost, as was the remainder of its entire population due to the beastmen horde, and their people strangers in a new land, but even so these Satyr-like humanoids came as unwelcome guests at first due to their arrival coming alongside the First Beastmen Incursion. They would eventually find homes within old ruins, abandoned habitations, and so forth, and settle in these places on some occasions with other survivors as the population of the territory began to climb upwards again and a nation began to form.

At first their presence was taken as hostile by the devastated Caeldoni and Dracis peoples, who had been pushed to unite for the first time and work together closely by the Incursion and its aftermath, but this only lasted a certain time before this ‘new people’ began to finally be integrated and negotiated with by their native neighbors who were too worn out for another war at first. By the time the territory/nation of Arinynia was vassalized by the rising Orduin Empire around 1105, the Satyri were basically still ‘new’ but at least weren’t ‘enemies’ either and were considered to be among the population by this point.

The Satyri proved themselves adept in brewing myriad spirits, some kind of which had been unknown to others in the territory prior. Honey-Meads, created through Satyri bee-keeping practice, the use of the unique fruits of the region to brew various pseudo-wines and such also became popular. Minerals salts and cold desert plant juices and so forth also became incorporated, and indeed this is in part what won over the other races on the part of the Satyri as they came to touch on the tastes of other races. The bitter and sweet and even bittersweet drinks they loved would enter society as a whole in due time. Likewise what wood could be accessed from and around the mountains became subject for the Satyri wood carving methods, creating ornate totems and poles and even methods of making wood pieces fitted together so tightly that nails of metal or pegs of wood weren’t necessary for creating structures. This habit of minimal waste in building and crafting things among the Satyri would later be incorporated with Dracis efficiency-based design and Caeldoni stone-fitting and brick-make craft to create beautiful above-ground homes and designs that would begin to feature even in underground settlements back in the mountains.

(Image of a Primitive Tribal Female Satyri Warrior during the era of the First Beastman Incursion, and general example of Satyri Body shape: imgur.com/a/0PP81Vl)

-Undead: The unliving, reanimated by necromancy walking about the world of the living. Such is the nature of their existence. They are divided by sentient, semi-sentient, and non-sentient types, the first of which is by far the most common in Thakis, the middle group only being used in limited numbers for labor, and the latter being only conjured up (and in great numbers at that) during times of war. Sentient undead are just that, sentient, and in Thakis the majority are human undead with myriad others from other races having been conjured up or made use of since the Sentient Undead took over Thakis. They do not need to eat, but can, they do not need to sleep, but can rest about if they so desire, and are beings that are their core are rooted in necromantic magic. Anything short of destroying their heads, however, and they will continue to act onward and even have the potential to reassemble themselves by grabbing lost parts or the parts of other dead bodies and sticking them on themselves. This reassembling behavior, however, is not present in mindless undead but can be etched into the simple behaviors of semi-sentient undead akin to programming a computer or robot to perform a task.

Those from the lost ancient empire bring with them designs and styles and customs of their own ranging from the eating of meats marinated in juices and spices before roasting them gently to perfection all the way to unique ancient jams and preserves made to last using honey and salt. Militarily they bring a tradition of high discipline and organization, which combined with ‘modern’ arms and tactics can prove to be effective forces indeed. Their stuff is also reminiscent of greco-egyptian-persian stuff probably to some extent, the middle probably more likely than the first or the last.

(Examples of the Pharess herself in her imported-silk traditional-style nightgown: i.imgur.com/df0lYpd.png)

-Centaurs: A race that isn’t uncommon to the non-mountainous areas of Thakis, but absent in the mountains, the current population mostly consists of descendants of defectors from the Holy Zentaeri League and others settled there during the time of the Orduin Empire post-vassalization. They aren’t Zentarist on the level of current HLZ standards, but either hold other beliefs/religions or a milder/opposing form of Zentaurism branched off from the dominant current form in the HLZ.

-Elves: Elves fled from the Zentaeri, elves descended from those who hung on there from old Navarrosian attempts to colonize the area, and other refugees and migrants and such from the last 2 thousand years have themselves become a staple in some parts of Thakis. A mix of high elves and myriad others, their knowledge of magic and other matters have given them niches within the population.

-Humans: A natural result of population migration from the Empire over a very long time, they stand out as a versatile and adaptable group who have fought to survive within the cold deserts and the mountains just like anyone else.

-Other: Lingering Beastmen, exiles or refugees from other areas who became so desperate as to flee to Thakis, members of outcast groups, and other such species also live within the borders of this nation and have been assimilated over time. Whilst Humans, Elves, and Centaurs are the more notable minorities, with the ‘big four’ races being the most populous and dominant, these others exist and have a good amount of numbers of their own whilst bringing some aspects of parts of where they came from with them.



-One can call Thakis a proper and thoroughly mixed melting pot, one forged in the heat of two Beastmen Incursions, the Pale War, centuries of Orduin Empire vassalization, conquest by the Undead, and eventually the Bug War and Collapse of the Orduin Empire. From the polygamous marriages of the Satyri, to the Imperial touches of differing sorts from the Humans and Elves, to the martial discipline of the Caeldoni, to the efficiency and organization of the Undead, to even the metalworking of the Dracis living throughout the land, all have come to have some impact or effect on the population as a whole. Religious temples or shrines dedicated to various gods or traditional deities, great feasts for certain milestones in one’s lifetime or to celebrate certain times of year, unique foods developing from ancient and current cultures alike, traveling and stationary merchants spreading goods through the land, various coming of age ceremonies, and so forth are all just minute cogs in the great wheels that keep Thakis moving forward. ***(Note: Specific things for culture and religion can be added here over time, I just don’t have the capacity to go ham on this in-depth for stress reasons.)***

Yet one thing that stands out most at the core of Thakis is a certain...unspoken solidarity.

The peoples of the land have been put under the blade together or by each other, and yet in the end were forced together by hardship and a desire to survive. For generations upon generations of issues, wars, rumors of wars, civil strife, and invasions, this history has forged a diverse population whose outlook is that of unity. To invade their lands is to also invoke the wrath of angry citizens and the governors and nobles alike. This isn’t to say all is perfect, no system ever is, and internal disputes and corruption and civil squabbles and so forth are issues that have arisen from time to time among others. But as a whole this is all general sentiment that has come to exist that can be summed up as: ‘Our crap internally is our crap, so if external threats poke at us we will rally together against the external threat’.

-Thakis itself seems to push the agenda of magical learning rather hard due to its leadership. Those seen as good candidates for it are usually fortunate, as they get training at the nation’s Magic University and are guaranteed a generally good future wherever they work within the Kingdom. Of course this doesn’t mean non-mages are discriminated against, as there’s plenty of non-magical trades to be sure that have emphasis and are important, mainly that Thakis as a nation has put emphasis on training and educating mages among its population. Even foreign mages are invited occasionally, if/where they are willing, so that magical knowledge can be shared and learned about from places abroad in turn.

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Thakis is ruled by an imperial-style hand, with the Pharess at the top as the mage-scholar-ruler she is. Around her are experts, both in magic fields but also in military, land management, and so forth that compose the “Royal Council'' and advise the Pharess as well as work under her. These council members are the top officials in the kingdom as well, beneath the Pharess that is, that each oversee a set number of provinces. This is very much an ancient system that was brought back into effect from the long-lost kingdom of old, centralized and stable and powerful whilst being adapted to a new and uncertain world in some sense. New members of this council are selected by the Pharess herself.

Beneath the Pharess and her Royal Council the land is divided into provinces, each of which has a noble provincial governor which is appointed in a competitive system. This system promotes efficiency and quality of the province, ensuring that the kingdom’s higher authorities and the Pharess can and will mete out punishments up to the loss of status, wealth, and/or lives for bad performance, corruption, and other such issues. Such pressures are exerted on noble houses to also keep them in-line. Likewise such noble houses leading the provinces are expected to be educated, and are all educated at the capital in their youth in order to keep them close to the Pharess’s sway and as hostages of a sort. Then under each governor is also a Council to balance them and assist in governance of the province, this council being formed of representatives from each settlement within their province...and the number of representatives from each settlement being based on the yearly census that is taken rigorously.

Then in each province there are the divisions into the various villages, townships, and/or other settlements that exist within there. These have their governor-appointed mayors, and each mayor has a council of prominent citizens to once more balance them out.

Otherwise the Pharess is herself the chief judge of the nation, and likewise appoints judges to the provinces and settlements to act as extensions of her will in a judicial capacity.



The nation of Thakis contains within it everything from the frozen peaks of the mass mountains of the far north, all the way down through the vast cold deserts to the south of them.

A harsh array of landscape for sure, only the hardiest and most survivable of species of plant and animal life tend to live in the cold deserts. Tough grasses (including the roughly rice-like “Umoi” plant), certain kinds of small shrub, and a few small variants of tree (including the very hardy “Steelwood Trees”) grow sparsely all around the cold desert terrain, and similarly insects with tough exoskeletons and other mammals or creatures find homes in the trees, under the sand, hidden in the crevices of rock formations, and even in or upon the rare ‘mini-mountains’ or ‘big rock hills’ that are scattered about a very scant few places within the desert. Further, in myriad but highly scattered spots there features clusters of a gigantic cacti called “Fowl’s Talon”, which in reality are a single cactus whose roots produce multiple ‘bodies’ stemming from the same deep root network. Such unique cacti are great at storing water, and them being rigid and durable structures have made them great homes for certain kinds of creatures. These cacti also produce unique bunches of fruits at the top of them, fruiting bodies with seeds in them but also an incredibly sweet fruity flesh, which are called “Fowl’s Fruit” since mostly only flying creatures can get ahold of them beyond the iron-like spines of this rigid plant.

Whilst having a higher amount of rainfall and water than a standard desert, and a number of oases scattered widely about, the incredibly cold temperatures most of the year make it a place that is hard to survive or grow amidst the masses of sand and rather poor soil of the area and even the snow and freezing ice that tend to cover it at times. The harsh climate only softens some in the summers, getting up to about 70 degrees at the very most and becoming more comfortable to several local species. It is during this time that a larger burrowing creature called the “Rock Eater” will rise from their deep underground burrows and reproduce...which means knowing where to avoid them lest one provoke the anger of a hormonal monster that can swallow and chew armored soldiers whole just like it devours minerals at extreme depths and tunnels through the sand whilst passing it harmlessly out out of ‘vents’ on the sides of their many-row-of-teeth-lined mouths.

As for the mountains, the massive stretch of them is filled with barren snow-covered peaks, rocky outcroppings, high altitude trees and such life in lower areas around the mountains, and so forth that would be found in such an area. The sheer cliffs and faces that can be found at dangerous enough to scale on one’s own with the assistance of tools, much less going in bare-handed to scale and move about them as the Dracis race and Satyri race can both do with a frightening ease. Even so the dangers are never zero, even for the races best equipped for such areas, though beneath the mountains for untold kilometers upon kilometers are minerals, metals, ores, and other such underground resources richly deposited and highly valued. The likes of sulfur and such materials can also be found amidst the few volcanoes scattered amidst the swath of mountains. Even in summers these mountains are usually only ‘warmer’ to a certain yet distinct minute extent at the lowest altitudes, as at the tops and on most other parts of the terrain remaining freezing cold year-round. The air is also incredibly thin, making traversing these mountains tough for anyone not used to such a landscape.



Long ago in the cold north, there was a human nation or 'small empire' who lived among the cold sands and mined from the great mountains. In time, however, the nation itself died off and disappeared under mysterious circumstances before the Navarros Empire would rise up into power. Their ruins would be buried underneath the sands, old cities and outposts and tombs and monuments and so forth left concealed by time and lost to common knowledge. From this the Caeldoni people would move in or otherwise move in from the former fringes of the territory itself, living as tribes upon the cold desert land and subsisting for themselves. The Dracis, a diminutive race skittering about the mountains and deeps beneath, would rise to take charge of the mountains. Both races would war and trade at times in the following primitive time period, but neither would remember the old nation. All that remained in record are a few of the oldest primitive Caeldoni legends, even then with many embellishments and changes over time, but by the time the Elven Empire came knocking the old nation had been forgotten.

There would ultimately be local trouble and strife as the elves tried to stick frontier settlements in the territory and made military efforts to cull the locals back, all simply supportive measures to take the desert land from 'undesirables' and basically secure a safe trade route to the valuable mountains. Yet in due time the Navarros would fall back as the First Beastman Incursion erupted southward, turning the territory into a slaughter and a warzone. Thechaos would kill most, and force the two current local races and some portion of elven settlers together to hold up for survival. Such was the desperate nature of the times, but in the wake these groups would basically be alone for a time. The weakened Navarros left the area alone, and it took roughly ~150 years before the Orduin Empire would approach them to make them vassals. During this time period the Satyri would enter the picture, ultimately becoming one of the locals after some conflict, then some diplomacy, trade, and eventually integration.

The united peoples would use their knowledge and such the elves left behind to basically advance to something of a minor kingdom, leadership from the Incursion period basically forming the foundation for a united leadership. At least before the Orduin came along and vassalized them. The area had organized themselves similar to the old elves’ government in a sense, but under the Orduin Empire would be shaped by foreign influences in turn. Yet under the Orduin Empire the territory itself was basically just a means to get metal and precious underground resources from the mountains, all whilst providing needed trade as a means to keep the area under their thumb. It was an effective strategy, but only time would tell if it lasted.

Fast forward to the Pale War, and the events of 1204 and 1207 preceding it, that would seemingly trigger a strange ‘shift’ in the territory. 'Something' would begin to stir underneath the sands, at times sending tremors through the sandy ground of the cold desert. Undead began to rise from the sands, as well as a small number of ruins in the process, leading the locals to basically have to adapt to living with undead as a new issue. Mostly they were mindless, walking zombies that moved around in small groups or alone unless one disturbed them, though they would feed on anything living nearby ranging from plants to animals to unfortunate citizens or soldiers. The Empire during this time left the vassal state alone to handle it all, however, because they themselves were in the midst of the Orduin Civil War. By the time Hesper’s bloodline rose up to take control the area was from that time basically given minimal 'assistance' militarily. Even this, however, was simply in order to keep secure the Empire's route to resources in the mountains. Some magic charms were placed to ward these weak mindless undead, cullings of corpses were done when they wandered too close to civilized areas, roads were streamlined to create a safe network, morer ruins were uncovered by shifts in the land, and so forth during that second 'era of peace' from 1253-1903.

Eventually the Second Beastmen Incursion would strike, and this swath of death chased out Imperial Scholars and Local Scholars studying the ruins amidst the chaos. Towns and villages and other settlements would either be lost in the tide, fortify themselves simply to survive, or otherwise for the 200 years of death that would follow. Yet in the wake of so much death more would ‘wake up’ from beneath the sands, including stronger undead and far greater ruins. Upon the eventual shattering of the Beastmen homeland, though, finally whatever was stirring under the sands and in the ruins arose fully.

Old, now undead, mage-rulers from the old northern empire lost to time began to rise back up, and with the devastation around the borders and to the Empire’s military the state wasn’t fit for another war right out of the gate. In this time the locals were once again left to themselves aside from the Empire securing the road to the mountains alone this time, with the hope the issue would sort itself out. This would only lead to the area being to be conquered by the undead forces and rulers that rose up frighteningly fast, who themselves nearly fought a mini-civil war amidst internal squabbling before uniting under the banner of one of their own in the end. The wisest and greatest among the ancient rulers, a scholar-ruler of short stature, who wielded powerful magic in her own right that would make an elf blush. Yet with her rise any growing squabbles among the undead were put to rest finally, and the occupied land was now under their control as they looked toward the Empire.

Amidst this situation the Empire mediated a peace treaty for the living locals’ surrender, a humiliation the locals would not forget, but barely managing to keep the flow of goods from the mountains and that territory in their grasp. Albeit from here a tense situation with the undead would continue to persist. Necromancy was, after all, illegal within the empire for a reason. Yet another war right after 200 years of death, and under the pressing need to recover, wasn't something anyone wanted to have to put a further effort into during such a time period. In this case the justification was that the Empire might as well use the undead as a buffer, in case another northern threat emerged in the future. From here during the second longest 'era of peace’, from 2108 to 2422, would see the undead and locals have to sort things out internally.

Yet the undead weren’t just obsessed with unlife, nor was the queen a tyrant to push all to rebellion or undeath. These undead were once rulers, some wise and other conquerors among other things, and they managed to among each other sort things out to smooth over their rule over both living and dead. No great conqueror takes a land and willingly leaves it under the constant threat of revolt, nor would it be pertinent for a ruler to purge useful and hardy peoples from a land that needed citizens. Indeed the Pharess, as the ruler herself was titled, would bring an era of peace into her lands despite a myriad of little rebellions and other issues along the way. Adapting to a new world was itself already a challenge, but learning and applying knowledge was not unknown to the Pharess or her contemporaries.

Eventually the Bug War would then begin, and as a token of trying to avoid war the Pharess sent some living forces to help push back the tide as the undead kept the home borders secure. It was an effort to at least avoid war with the neighbors outright, though it wasn’t a guarantee they’d be friends either. Even so the Empire fell, the trade road was secured by the Pharess and her new people after being abandoned during the chaos of the collapsing Empire, and exposure to the Bugs during the war exposed them to ideas of gunpowder and such ilk.

By current times, with a thriving mixed kingdom that has fortified its borders, the Pharess has continued to manage, organize, and lead the people. Matters of war, trade, and so forth are as always ever-present and actively managed, but lessons from the past had to be learned to avoid another disaster as had been in the very very ancient past. Roads have been improved, settlements have been shored up with some basic defenses, and a system of tiny yet scattered border garrisons and internal garrisons have been placed along roadways to ensure internal security and keep watch. Only a limited population of undead would be used for an amount of manual labor and be used for border patrol/watch duties, as military and civilian-working mages undead and otherwise were put to use. Otherwise things have been simple. Trade is done with those who are willing or not a threat to the kingdom. Immigrants and refugees desperate enough have come to also live within the Kingdom’s borders. Peace and a sort of prosperity have even finally reigned over the territory proper for nearly 200 more years, leading to a ‘golden age’ the land is currently in the midst of.



One thing that the land of Thakis has always been able to produce, the things most valued from their territory for purposes of trade, have always ever been the bounties of treasures and wealth hidden deep within the earth itself. Metals for forging weapons, precious metals for creating stunning adornments, and great troves of gems and crystals that lie buried beneath the harsh landscape. Sulfur and gunpowder-making materials even exist in abundance between the mountains and caves and the few scattered volcanoes that lie mostly dormant amidst the great swath of mountains and hot springs in Thakis’ far north.

Indeed, such things have fueled the more recent delving into gunpowder as well as the ever long and increasing history of forges and smelteries and mines and metalwork that continues to this day to be the top industries of Thakis and its people. Thakisian metalwork is something of high and unique value, being a craft honed and forged in the fires of war and devastation, amidst the burning embers of imperial rule, underneath ancient oversight from times long passed, and among the local people who have had to rely on it for their very survival for over two thousand years. The quality of their metal, and the quality of their work in regards to things made from this metal, are notable as being high and top-tier within the continent of Ishtar and ‘made to last’ in turn. However, work in regards to the making of glass does pale more among them in comparison to the likes of the Karynia’s own skill at it. This in and of itself is mostly due to the metalwork focus within Thakis more than anything else.

Secondarily the exportation of exotic alcohols with a unique Thakisian twist or flavor have been exported, like with any other region producing its own kind of spirits, and desert honey meads and peculiar and unique cactus fruit ‘wines’ feature among other similar things. In this area the Satyri have shown to be the most involved of the Thakisian races in this craft, alongside a couple of brews of Dracis highly-spiced spirits developed in more recent centuries and increasingly popular Caeldoni-style hard vodka made from desert tubers, though the cheaper Caeldoni “Sakae” and other cheap grain or otherwise derived beers of the Undead usually only are sold locally unless requested by a trade partner. It can’t be said to be the most major industry by far, with more limited variety but unique flavors, as compared to the area’s top exports of raw and processed materials from the earth by far. But unlike that trade just ‘who’ it is traded to has far less oversight and restrictions and is much more open and free at the very least.

Other trades of local livestock and foods and more products also occur, usually selling just excess beyond what it takes to sustain the land’s own population and keep some storage, but in terms of being more or less ‘pronounced’ they can basically be glossed over as the less-than interesting stuff.



-Military units of the ancient Kingdom the undead came from were once broken down into simple branches of Infantry, Chariots, and Ranged. Each internal unit was about 150 men strong, with a pair of leaders to manage each half of these and minimal sub-commanders to assist. It was also a far simpler and less advanced time, admittedly, where such organization could be so general and fit easily enough when the mage-rulers of said ancient Kingdom were choosing all the commanders directly for the smaller amount of forces needed in that time period.

Likewise, pre-Undead occupation the Kingdom’s armies were organized in a roughly reminiscent manner to that of the legionaries of the Orduin Empire, albeit adjusted to a style fit for the levy system with the only ‘professional’ being guards of nobility. Six-soldier conteri form the smallest block of infantry, 10 conteri form an eairutae (the old local language word for ‘60’), and 5 eairutae forming a single cohan of 300 infantry. Cavalry were organized in larger conteri of 8, 5 conteri per eairmus, and 5 of these would form a 400-soldier cohasti. Mono-race cohan were standard to avoid mixed-size issues, with Dracis/Satyri ones serving on the back line. Humans/Elf ones were fewer naturally, but served in the center of the front line with the Caeldoni on the left and right sides of the formation. This created a front line that could face similarly-sized opponents evenly, whilst the larger Caeldoni would be able to push in from the flanks. The shorter back lines were simply used to support putting pressure around the flanks and from a lower angle, as they could run and move about the legs of the Caeldoni with a greater ease to get at the enemy. Ranged archers would fire from afar to soften up the enemy and skirmish prior to battle, but in turns used longer-range bows and crossbows especially alongside the likes of infantry-sized ballista and catapults from the back in a non-siege situation. Combined with cavalry (melee and ranged) use on the flanks, this formed the strategy they often used. Force the enemy to come to you or move, bring them in close, and hit them with a disciplined infantry line before enveloping from the sides and crushing with larger sub units but smaller overall amounts of cavalry.

-In the current time, however, modern tactics and organization have combined to create a new post-Orduin approach that is uniquely Thakisian. Every 10 infantry soldiers are organized into a Khayt, 10 Khayt are formed into a 100-soldier Aya’im, and six of these are formed into 600-soldier Taimla/units of infantry. Ranged units wielding larger crossbows called ‘Kha’armae” or just “Armae” as well as longbows or such ranged weaponry reduce this to 360-soldiers units called “Lamin”, which are broken down into 6 60-soldier units called “Ay’aat”, and each of these are broken down into 6 10-man “Baer” sub-units. Cavalry, aerial or land, are still broken down and organized the same way as they were in the pre-Undead occupation period.

Each of the lowest subunits splits up and carries supplies for setting camp, including a tent and preserved rations and tools and so forth. This in turn makes each larger subunit able to set up camp at a rapid pace, and everyone knows their place and what to do and where to set up when organizing a camp. Leaders of each sub-unit size are also assigned, creating a simple but effective chain of command alongside a system of redundancies for the chain of command in case of leader-sniping attempts or group leader deaths on the battlefield. Looting and raiding and gathering are organized to keep military units fed, and provisions are stretched out in portions to minimize the amount they need to gather (entirely so in a terrible pinch/situation, but not forever in such a case).

Battlemages are organized in sub-units of 5, 25, 50, and 100 respectively, and are divided up and used to both support armies medically, supportively, defensively, and offensively depending on the situation. They fall under the military, but also a special ‘magic’ wing that differs from the usually mundane forces but is designed to rapidly break down and split up and coordinate with mundane forces to facilitate whatever needs done at the time, whether it be making fortifications in a hurry or healing/restoring injured to send back to the battle’s front lines or creating advantages for the mundane forces or even counteracting enemy magic or so forth. This is an ancient tradition that has come to be combined effectively with the rest of the Kingdom’s forces.

Engineers, many of which naturally are Dracis, come along as well to direct and advise on operations such as fortifications, sieges tactics and additional siege engine creation, and so forth as the military force needs assistance with. Siege operators and equipment are also transported with the army to a certain extent, alongside pack animals and such to transport them. Similarly support staff follow the army in the back, with any land cavalry contingents placed near the front and rear of the marching army in case of ambush.

In terms of pack animals and land cavalry both the Caeldoni’s “Diu” animal (see: “Caeldoni” underneath the “Species” category) has provided much in the way of raw muscle and versatility. Hardy animals able to run over unstable or rough terrain, and large in size, they are beasts Caeldoni use as mounts. Smaller races like humans and elves and undead who are all around human-scale size can still mount and ride them quickly with practice and training that all cavalry-role riders. Plus normal horses and such aren’t as useful in the terrains, though imported ones kept since have been bred in captivity to try to create a hardier breed used as a minority among cavalry mounts. To some extent this has succeeded, especially as popularity in their smaller size and use over more level areas has made them increasingly used in foreign campaigns and trained to ride locally to a growing extent. If naught else, they more and more supplement the larger Dui land cavalry in useful ways such as being lighter and faster despite being only slower compared to the speed a Dui exerts for a charge in comparison. However, don’t think the Dui a meandering beast of burden, as its size and the ferocity of trained ones can frighten enemy horses not raised around such beats to acclimate to them. Likewise the beast’s musk does tend to unnerve creatures unfamiliar with being around them, and they can turn a bit more on the fly than others might give them credit for.

But this all simply notes the composition of the professional wing of the army, which comprises 50% of the Kingdom’s military forces and constantly trains during peacetime. It is a strong, professional, and rather well-armed-and-ver-well-trained 50% admittedly, but even with magic and preservation methods and such being used to improve the food situation in Thakis over time the cold truth of the matter is that they aren’t living in Ishtar’s massive breadbasket either. They can only support so many ‘full-time’ military forces reasonably, and 50% is the safe ‘max limit’ on that in or out of wartime.

-The other 50% of the Kingdom’s current armed forces come from temporary levies during wartime, a supporting levy system being necessary to supplement numbers and support the professional troops that are owned by the state.

During a defensive war these levies are all local, formed by local officials and lower military officials sent to each settlement to oversee such efforts and lead the levies during a defensive war. Whilst each settlement depends on size, location, and other things as they can only reasonably supply so many levies to remain stable and continue to produce needed resources. It is usually enough to help secure the interior and help push enemies out alongside the professional forces, swelling numbers and augmenting the Kingdom’s military by another 50%. Mercenaries might also be used to supplement if available in defensive or offensive situations.

During an offensive war, the levies are gathered centrally over time and drilled for a few short weeks in basic fighting and simple enough tactics by professional instructors and former veterans of the professional army. Veteran levies with more capability and experience scattered about their service in the past might be drilled in 'better' tactics and fighting, albeit as compared to the younger and less experienced levies. Such levies are organized under fitting commanders from the professional side, and once the levies have been gathered and supplies for them amassed and so forth they are deployed into battle.

Padded cloth armors, passed-down armors bought or looted by ancestors from enemies, second hand chain mail armor or other second hand metal armors bought at market, and so forth are the usual array of armors levies can get their hands on. Depending on one’s standing in society, such as common citizens vs merchants for example, standards in general for what levies must bring to war have been set and organized to be feasible and simple to understand. Men-at-arms, shielded spearmen, pike/polearm-wielding soldiers, archers/crossbowmen, simple armed cavalry, and so forth are all generated, armed, and organized by this levy system (and laws pertaining to it) for the battlefield. Yet walls of citizens with long spears or pikes with simpler shields and maybe a hatchet or small hand axe as a sidearm at the lowest and poorest levels of levy possible are also a thing, simply to illustrate the nature of the system in effect. Standards can, however, be switched to certain degrees based on the war situation within certain set boundaries. There are no levy mages, however, as any involved in war are always set to be professionals.

-The use of mercenaries by Thakis is also not unheard of, mainly to help bolster numbers if battles come whilst levies are still being gathered and prepared or otherwise to boost numbers and chances in battles overall. They are generally known as good contractors to work for given a history of doling out reliably good pay, as well as keepinng business simple, but also being rather harsh to being backstabbed by those in their employ.

-In terms of gunpowder, the Kingdom has some primitive uses that have been innovated by current times. However these are all limited in number, all limited to the professional military wing already at that (which is only 50% of the total army), and are being used by troops trained professionally to use them to boot. The majority of 'gunpowder' used in the professional wing comes in the form of large exploding fragmentary metal projectiles, tossed by either catapult or trebuchet or ballista or such high into the sky to detonate into enemy flying forces or otherwise lobbed over into enemy forces to go 'boom'. These have two kinds of ‘fuse’, one set long enough to cause it to burst in the air and one to set long enough to burst it after reaching the ground on the other side. It is simple, as each fuse has a label etched onto the metal exterior of the projectile as well to ensure ease of use for artillery crews.

The remaining uses of gunpowder among the professional troops takes the form of: Professional Caeldoni contingents with large hand cannon groups can fire shotgun-like blasts at enemy front lines before retreating safely behind their own lines, Ancient-China-tier primitive cannons, and other special gunpowder contingents of primitive ‘rocket tubes’ composed of a simple metal tube held over the shoulder that has individual exploding rockets loaded and fired by a total crew of 2-3.

-As an aside, the best military contingent in the nation isn’t even within the military. It is the Royal Guards of the Pharess, a mixture of all races in the kingdom who come from the best among the veteran professionals. Ranging from rockets to catapults to spears and polearms and swords and so forth, they are the elite of the elite, the professional professionals who can do about anything and are drilled in a range of things from battle to subterfuge and assassination and so forth. Older members are themselves even more elite, switched out in pieces over time but otherwise all being composed of un-aging undead or otherwise magic-infused living individuals whose aging has been stopped to keep them in their prime and at their greatest heights.

There are also sentient magical constructs made from the souls of enemies or dead prisoners ancient and modern placed into carefully-engineered-and-crafted construct bodies to animate them. These in particular are highly detailed, durably-build, intricately designed, and overall featured at the Royal Palace and anywhere the Pharess goes, acting as the secondary “Royal Construct Guard” that follow the Pharess. They can even be deployed militarily at her orders if the need or desire arises, just like their living/undead Royal Guard counterparts. For the most part, however, they have been hidden from foreign eyes and notice, only known to the Pharess and few who make/construct them and so forth. Over time they have been continually tinkered with and upgraded, both by the Pharess and those involved in their creation, to improve their performance and capabilities in the field.

-There also exist special regiments who create and utilize masses of raised, mindless zombies that are directed using simple magic charms and a mage/necromancer or two out in the field due to their simplicity. They are, for all intents and purposes, fodder that is sent in to attrition the enemy, kill time, absorb projectiles, attack baggage trains or supply lines, harass vulnerable back lines, and so forth. Simple, cheap, quick to make, and effective, they are an asset that only grows in number post-battle from the corpses and remains of dead enemies and animals and so forth. Their controllers/directing necromancers, however, remain secure behind lines as magic is put to use to ‘see’ the battlefield and guide them and so forth. They are also easy to chop down, and if their controllers/necromancers die they basically continue to follow the last order given or go berserk if they have no orders at the time. These regiments, however, remain inactive or their magic-users playing other roles until they are actually needed and put into action in a given battle or such.

-In terms of flying cavalry, these are an overall rather limited group whether professional or levy. All are professionals or levied nobles who are trained to fly a particularly nasty but unique beast that lives in the Kingdom’s mountains: The manticore. A flying omnivorous creature taken from the farther north, they are able to be tamed and disciplined to turn their natural weapons and the long sarissa or longbows carried by their riders into battle. The horns on their heads, the fangs in their mouths, the claws on their feet, and the disease-causing toxin-coated plethora of spikes on the end of their own tails are threats to any flying mount of creature they come across. Their bodies are immune to their own poison, but even just being hit by their own spiked tails they can hurt themselves despite their thick hide...albeit in turn these spiked tails can even puncture reptilian scales on things like wyverns and dragons due to the tail’s flexibility and reach.

However, hitting a target with those tails requires getting close, where things like size and strength also matter, and that is a double-edged sword for melee flying cavalry. For ranged it means being able to put up some fight even when brought into melee or forced into it in a pinch situation. Even so melee flying cavalry carry with them a long sarissa-style spear to break into the enemy’s mount or body on the charge, maybe even ruin someone’s shield or weight down the enemy mount’s armor by getting stuck in it as well, before switching to a shorter metal spear used to poke at vulnerable points and engage in battle in air or on ground. Among ‘levies’ only the nobility come into play with flying cavalry to show off, which is seen as a prestigious status, but are held to disciplined standards in the field by their non-noble professional commanders...though on certain occasions this can be a problem among ‘levied’ flying cavalry riders to be frank.

Otherwise, and more common than the flying cavalry during aerial battles to supplement them, swarms of undead birds and vultures and ilk can be raised or brought along and applied similarly to the mindless undead on the land, being directed by magic to harass aerial troops, tear away at their wings and riders, and even dive into enemy back lines or formations to at least distract them or buy time or frankly screen against projectiles if the need be.

-In terms of naval forces, Thakis is limited in both number and scale due to their limited space for ocean access on the western coast. It amounts to one solid port city and a few small towns or villages along that tiny stretch of coast. Even so what they utilize is itself unique-ish due to the climate.

With ice ever prevalent to block access, semi-sentient undead and willing living are used to 'carve' and clear paths through ice sheets that naturally form from the fall though early spring period. However these tend to only be used about the docks and closer to shore where it is easiest to do this.

More so thick ships called "Kapt" are used to clear paths through the ice. These have a specially-shaped front bow covered in metal, as well as thick sides and a strong bottom, combined with an egg-like shape and flush skin-planking to push through and about the ice. It's front 'plow' would help break thinner/medium thickness ice before it, but its shape and style of it below the waterline would allow for the ship to be pushed up out of the water and onto the ice with no damage if it became squeezed or pushed against by ice hard enough (rather than break or take damage or sink). Indeed it is a very resilient and efficient ship for the far north by design. Similar other measures were used in its design as well to adapt it to the extreme climate as well as to even sail down frozen rivers with some ease. Even during summers, where the ice is thinnest and waters are distinctly more open and easily to travel, these ships are still in use due to the dangers of ice. In fact the design of these hips are upsized and downsized (ranging from one to four masts depending) for general naval use since Thakis lacks far more 'hospitable' waters to navigate in general.

"Kapt-Frota" are Kapt-style ships renovated for or outright made for military use, carrying troops or artillery or so forth as the need arises. In that sense they are very versatile, able to take on multiple roles and only being really limited in use based on the particular Kapt-Frota's size. Catapults, ballistae, primitive cannonry (ancient-china tier used at sea), maybe reinforcing the bow to act as a better ram (which it already is generally effective as), and so forth are the kinds of 'weapons' these ships usually wield. Boarding hooks with rope can also be tossed and used to send marines (which do exist in the Thakisian military as levies and/or professionals as well) aboard a weakened enemy vessel to boot.

What the Thakisian Navy lacks in raw numbers and a better clime and specialized military ships and so forth they compensate for in craftsmanship, sheer hardiness, and versatility. Civilian or Mercantile Kapt ships can also be converted more easily for military use, making ditch efforts to increase numbers or replace lost vessels distinctly more accommodating and efficient.

Beyond these ships and ice-cutting crews, however, in times of war or proper need for such measures a large number of deceased sea life can be raised from the dead to harass enemy ships, dig away at their undersides, help escort allied ships, attack pirates, and even capture/drag-off or kill enemy sailors/marines and such that have fallen in the water. In a sense one can call this Thakis' potential 'trump card' navally, especially given the peculiar, dangerous, and/or mysterious life that lives beneath the ice sheets and waves. However, these measures are more so treated in application as a supplement to the small and limited navy of Thakis itself, though it remains a unique and haunting one regardless.

-Most recently experiments in Rock Eater taming/use, or raising them to kill and then re-raise as undead, have been ongoing. Groups have been formed using militarily and civilian personnel in a mix, but not proper regiments, to work on this project at the Pharess' behest and oversight. However, such a thing is an unsubstantiated rumor at best abroad, and internally is simply an experiment and exercise in testing potential civilian or military applications.



-A 'title' the Pharess has unofficially earned in her time as ruler of Thakis is "The Lich Queen". She shrugs it off usually, or doesn't bat an eye at it, which has caused a few beyond Thakis' borders to wonder if there's anything to be gleaned about her from that moniker as well. That or she is just doesn't care about a nickname, perhaps even taking a fancy to it for all anyone knows.

-There is a 'special fleet' being prepped by Thakis on the western coast, using some specially oversized Kapt and Kapt-Frota ships seemingly made to travel into waters farther south.

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Kerkians
Kerkians are a race of humanoids which highly resemble humans in many ways, being around the same height, lifespan, and shape of human beings but with some small physical differences. Kerks tend to be entirely light-olive skinned, Kerks have sunken in eyes and large noses. Kerks differ in major ways from humans in other ways, their most known features being the fact they breed in litters of children at a time, and are fiercely aggressive. Kerks are known to be unbreakable in their pursuits and violent swings of rage, often lacking in self preservation. Instead, most kerks act for the good of a group or family, and will give their own lives to save friends and family, making them by nature deeply loyal as much as vengeful. Kerks also are partly immune to disease, in which they will regurgitate diseases from their bodies by vomiting, as their bodies aggressively expunge any foreign element from their bodies. This also applies to medicine, making Kerks capable of both surviving diseases that would kill any normal person but also being near impossible to heal from diseases which affect them.

There are 3 major Kerkian cultures on Caslan; The Coladdic, Geuderian, and Landarric. Coladdic Kerks come from the original tribe of kerks who convinced their people to cross the sea to Caslan, a deeply religious and conservative clan which looks down on the others kerks as inferior. The Geuderians are a rival clan to the Coladdic which settles the north side of the isle, a clan known for its political and warrior traditions and have a deep feud with the Coladdic. The Landarric are Kerks which settled the southern isle, primarily a culture which infused itself with trade and separated itself from the feuding clans, and often intermingled with other cultures.

Okan
Okan are a Beastfolk who are native to Caslan, a mustelid race which resemble river otters. Standing around 5-6 ft tall on average, they have large tails which helps them balance when swimming, and their fur colors usually range between light grey to dark brown. Okan are natural born swimmers, although they must be taught to do so and can ‘glide’ in the water itself. Okan fur is very dense, allowing them to swim the cold waters of their homeland with little difficulty. Okan are by their nature very social and familial creatures who aggressively defend their families and homes, but are also outwardly friendly and curious.

• Ulkad - Oldest known Okan culture which primarily lives in the north-west of Caslan, the Ulkad are deeply conservative and spiritual people who view themselves as the original Okan culture, and look down on other Okan for not keeping to their old ways.
• Norad - A north-east Okan culture which lives entirely on the coast and sea. The Norad are semi-nomadic hunters, known for their autonomy and very loose clans. Norad are deeply conservative, but in their own way, and are deeply distrustful of outsiders.
• Midad - A central culture of Okan who fled into the highlands and southern mountain rivers. The Midad are fiercely independent, and are also very isolationist and generally do not like other Okan intruding on their customs and territory. While their attitudes generally come off as xenophobic, most prefer to be left alone.
• Soukad - Southern most Okan whose culture is based primarily on their naval craft and trading with other Okan, which evolved into a general mercantile culture. Soukad revolves around sailing and trade.
• Tannad - A western Okan culture closely related to both the Soukad and Ulkad. Tannad are coastal people, who are deeply religious but also infused with their craftsmanship and trade, being considered industrious.

Beurians
Beurians are a large ursine Beastfolk race native to Caslan, who resemble a mix between bears and wolverines. With short tails, normally hunched backs, large arms and short legs, Beurians are a slow but very strong people. Beurians stand around 7-8 feet tall on average, their size often matches their absurd strength, easily being able to rip limbs from their enemies. Beurians are normally nomadic by nature, and are fiercely solitary and territorial. Beurians tend to have a wide range of fur colors of brown, black, white, and gray.

Beurians would often claim their different clans represent their differing cultures, although this is not true. Most Beurian clans have the same customs, their feuds and traditions are entirely clan based rather than cultural. The biggest divide in culture is between the clans which continue their nomadic lifestyle and those who ended up being forced into being settled as slave laborers of the Kerks, who adopted the Kerkian lifestyles.

Minorities

• Havaki (Elven) - The Havaki are an high elven culture which fled to Caslan and settled and attempted to invade through the north. Although they failed, the Havaki were ultimately allowed to settle and become a powerful minority in northern Caslan and are deeply rooted in Kerkian culture, although most have kept some parts of their old customs.
• Umperai (Human) - A southern human culture which descends from the Orduin empire, a once mainland human culture which moved into Southern Caslan as refugees and adopted their own culture and customs. While very separate from the Kerks, they are a small and influential minority whose customs, beliefs, and expertise have mixed into southern Caslan over its many years
• Lun’Kerk - Lun’Kerks are half-breeds between humans and elves with the kerks themselves. Lun’Kerks tend to share most of the traits of humans and elves, with some small but key differences. Lun’kerks generally share partial physical features such as partly sunken in eyes, have violent mood swings, and generally have some strong resistance to diseases. Lun’kerk lineage is considerably strange, as eventually Lun’kerks will eventually phase out the more they marry into non-kerk bloodlines, but do not become more Kerkian the more they marry into Kerkian families. While tolerated by non-Kerks, Kerkian view Lun’Kerks as abominations and deeply distrust them.

The Lost Era (0-777)
Not much is known of the Beastfolk, let alone of the histories which proceed the first united kingdoms and tribes of Caslan. What is known is that the first kingdoms of Caslan were normally peaceful Okan kingdoms in coastal mottes and baileys, living in small earthwork settlements, with the Beurians living the middle hills and inland forests and semi-nomadic hunters and gatherers. The Okan, presumably more civilized, built the first lasting kingdoms, and discovered or traded along weak trade routes. The island was undeveloped and had its own religion, institutions, and generally was regarded with disinterest due to having supposedly few if any resources worth developing.

Beurian Kingdom (778-910)
In 778, a powerful Beurian warchief named Gasglof the Black had united the Beurian tribes into a singular entity through marriage, displays of strength, and blackmail. Gasglof, who had been envious of the Okan coastal settlements, their metal working, and their wealth decided to invade. In the 30 year long war, Gasglof achieved many victories and subjected the Okan kingdoms into a singular tribal kingdom under his rule. Rather than simply taking over the settlements, Gasglof and his descendents had their people learn metalworking for themselves and acted as a guard force in which the Okan kingdoms paid tribute to. The system eventually began to fall apart due to a lack of threats to the isle, resulting in severe corruption and discontentment, and that Gasglof ultimately failed to build his own capital settlement and have his people settle down.

Okan Sessessions (911-988)
Starting in 911, the Okan city of Astar revolted in a general rebellion against the Beurian kingdom. Although greatly outmatched and outnumbered, the Astaran Okan were able to bog down their enemies in ambushes, using a mixture of magic of hydromancery to their great advantage. The Okan king and legendary lord Ostof the Bog King of Astar defeated the Beurian forces and earned his kingdom’s independence. Okan city states across Caslan soon followed suit, with the last kingdom falling from Beurian control in 978. Although the war was a success to the Okan, the personal feud between Okan and Beurians during the war grew significantly and would come to haunt them in the next crises which soon followed.

The Kerkian Exodus (989-1023)
In 989, the Kerks came across the sea and began landing in Caslan under King Diov Geuder. Where the Kerks came from is unknown, but they landed on the eastern shores and came in droves, likely as refugees. The Kerks began settling the east, and came into contact with the Okan who tried to drive them from their lands. The Kerks fought back with brutality, enslaving the survivors, and took over the kingdom with superior weaponry, magic, and tactical skill. The Kerks were soon joined by their ancient priesthood, in which Diov Geuder bowed on the docks of his new conquered fiefdom to the lich Mel Coldfinger, who had brought the Coldfinger priesthood with him. The Coldfinger clan and its priesthood took the reigns of Diov’s warlord state and settled the eastern lands, with Mel establishing a temporary state for which he was sole ruler, much to Diov’s annoyance. Mel spent much of the years fighting back counter invasions and helping to settle the Kerks who were arriving on shores, the last ships not arriving till 1023.

Caslan Delenda Est (1024-1066)
Mel and Diov were both ambitious and skilled warlords in their own right, but they were faced with a huge and dangerous coalition of Okan states who wished to see them gone. Mel Coldfinger went to the Beurian tribes, using his magic to charm their leaders into serving the Kerks and used his legendary charisma to reignite the tribes’ hatred of the Okan. The Kerks then launched a campaign whose sole purpose was to utterly destroy the Okan kingdoms, giving them only the choice of surrender or utter destruction. While at first ignoring such threats, the combined Kerkian forces, Mel’s magic, and Beurian allies soon began to gobble up Okan cities one by one. True to their word, the Kerks butchered these cities, only sparing a fraction of survivors as slaves to serve as examples. The Okan were eventually defeated during the Battle of Faltzak, where the entire coalition army was ambushed by Diov and some Beurian tribes and were decimated. Mel’s cruelty was legendary, having the survivors charmed in front of a horrified coalition stronghold and had them walk off cliffs until the city surrendered. The last Okan city would not surrender till 1066.

Founding of the Kycer (1067)
The war for Caslan was brutal and costly, but the Kerkian victory came with both boons and problems alike. While Diov expected to be made a king of the Kerks for his efforts, he was instead shocked and horrified when Mel Coldfinger and his priest re-established the ancient Kerkian theocratic republic known as the Kycer. Diov threatened civil war, but was approached by the priesthood with an offer to give him a powerful role in the new Kycer as a founder of its new institutions. Diov and Mel gathered the priesthood in Astar, where they laid the foundations of this new Kerkian society, the rules of their senate, the rituals of their religion, and the fate of the Beastfolk thralls beneath them. The first elections were held that year, which surprised their new subjects when both free and slave were allowed to vote in the new priesthood. The Kycer’s founding celebrations lasted for over a month, with the Kerks settling down in their new home.

The Cold Age (1068-1109)
The years after and Kycer’s founding and before the coming of the elves was known as the Cold Age, which was marked by years of unrest in Caslan as well as the shaky foundations of the Kycer. The Kerks spent much of the age putting down Okan rebellions and taming the Beurians, forcing them into their society with increasing cruelty and ruthlessness. Mel and his cadre of priests stayed on the island in these years, primarily converting the natives to their faith and overseeing the construction of the first Tomb Cities. This misery of the Beastfolk ended rather suddenly and prematurely, as the Kerks began to slowly return to their spiteful feuds towards one another rather then spend their time putting the Beastfolk down, with many of the Beastfolk often taking different sides for their own survival and to return to their old social positions in some capacity. By 1109, the Kerks were permanently settled in, and spread across the entire isle.

The Elven Raids (1110-1134)
Starting in 1110, a group of elven raiders from Navarros had discovered the isle during the midst of the Pinnacle War, under the direction of an elven chieftain named Gazhain. Gazhain and his raiders had come to loot the island for the war effort, and to bring back slaves to enrich himself and his family. However, what he found on the isle surprised him, as the Kerks soon found themselves fighting the elves, and miserably failing against them. While unable to enslave the Kerks, Gazhain and his raiders were finding stashes of arcane knowledge, tomes of magic, and a lot more loot then the sea raider expected to find. The elves returned seasonally from there on, brutally raiding the island and its western settlements which only intensified in 1130 when the elves soon began threatening larger settlements and walled towns.

The Elven Invasion (1135-1172)
Gazhain and his son Dezhain had become influential enough to earn a major mission from their overlords, who wished to send them out to conquer the neutral territory of Caslan during the midst of the war to establish a naval outpost and port. Gazhain gathered a large number of mercenaries, sea raiders, and his entire tribe to this mission and set off for the campaign. When the elves arrived, they expected an easy fight against the scattered Kerkian forces, and were soon laying siege to most western settlements on Caslan’s coast. However, the sieges stalled due to the Kerks refusal of surrender, which gave time for Mel Coldfinger and the other Zupans to gather a large enough force to fight Gazhain and his armies. The long and drawn out conflict often resulted in Gazhain’s own tactical skills, as well as him avoiding the lich as much as he could, causing untold destruction to the isle with elven and kerk magic. The war would not reach its conclusion until 1173.

Battle of Light and Shadow (1173)
During the siege of Kel Dargath, the elves were able to capture the settlement but were held down by a Kerkian army. Gazhain was trapped in the settlement, but his son Dezhain was out in the field and was returning to relieve the siege. However, on the way the elven warrior spotted Mel Coldfinger’s smaller army, and it was decided to end the conflict in a risky ambush to slay the lich. Dezhain and his elite force ambushed the lich and his guards on the coast, and was quickly slaughtering Mel’s guards. Mel used his magic to freeze a part of the coastal waters and retreated onto the ice itself, in which Dezhain and his soldiers followed. Dezhain and Mel duelled on the ice for hours, but the Lich coaxed his powerful adversary further onto the ice sheet. Confident of victory, Dezhain surrounded Mel and the remaining Kerks, desperately trying to slay the lich whom they were winning against. Mel then raised the dead of the slain kerks on the beaches where he was ambushed, raising an entire division which surrounded the elves on both sides. Dezhain and the remaining elven soldiers were surrounded and killed, with Mel delivering the final flow against Dezhain. Mel and his armies then marched to Kel Dargath and defeated Gazhain, and finally putting an end to the elven invasion.

The Great Rebuilding (1174-1233)
The defeat of the elves was shocking, with the elves having had brought along many peoples under the expectation of victory against the Kerks, but instead were now their prisoners. Mel showed mercy and compassion to these elves, allowing them to stay on Caslan if they converted to his faith and integrated into the Kycer. Most elves agreed, with those who didn’t being allowed to return home. The elves had brought with them much expertise which the Kerks had generally been missing, with elven architects helping to rebuild the destroyed town and cities, refurbishing old tribal holdings, and establishing new schools of magic much to the scholar lich’s delight. The war had also taught the kerks a valuable lesson in warfare, with Gazhain’s former captains being key reformers in the restructure of the kerkian army. The Kycer would continue to rebuild and reform until the later year of 1233, where Caslan was not only rebuilt, but progressed into a stronger nation.

Travels of the Red Merchant (1234-1246)
Caslan retained its neutrality for many more years, mostly trading at first with Navarros, but it increasingly became a popular port for Orduin. An Orduin merchant by name of Kance Olstar traveled to the isle, not only to trade but to record and report. Kance and his close companions traveled across Caslan, their interviews with the Kerkian priesthood, necromancers, zupans, and the native beastfolk built an insightful journal. Kance had even been able to interview the lich Mel Coldfinger, and was present during a session of the Caslan senate where Mel declared to the assembly where he planned during the times of peace on Caslan to go out and collect books of knowledge. Kance would return to Orduin in 1244, where his presented works brought attention to Caslan.

Port Pact of Caslan (1247-1253)
Before Mel set off on his own journeys, a leader of Orduin came to Caslan with an offer to the Kycer in a meeting in Astar. During the Orduin civil war, Orduin approached the Kerks with a port treaty, wishing to build a naval base and dockyard in Caslan in return for large payments and profitable trading pacts. Mel agreed to the pact, and so did the priesthood. The port treaty brought a great deal of trade and immigration to the isle, primarily humans who settled the port and parts of the southern settlements. This intermingling was seen with increasing suspicion by the Kycer, but the development of kerkian politics resulted in many troubles to be ignored. This corruption would not become known until 1254, as Kerkian politics soon got distracted with personal clan feuds and small political disruptions.

Caslan-Orduin Pact (1254-1677)
In 1254, the Kycer was approached again by Orduin with a more powerful offer and expansion of the port pact. Having seen potential growth in Caslan, Orduin envoys wished to establish trading posts, expand and improve Caslan road networks, and establish cultural enclaves. The Kycer’s priesthood was immediately suspicious, but a substantial bribe from the envoys secured enough votes within the assembly to create the Caslan-Orduin pact. The pact effectively made Caslan a vassal in all but name, with Caslandic citizens now paying taxes into the empire to build roads and improve on the southern settlements to give larger room for imperial settlement. The Kycer originally forbid Orduin military presence on the isle, but increasingly tolerated a loophole of classifying imperial garrisons as mercenaries. Angry at the Kycer for the pact, the Geuder clan and their allied clans aggressively began to form political resistance to the pact, although this resistance increasingly became another excuse to get back at their ancient rivals.

Caslan Civil War (1678-1702)
Although peaceful for hundreds of years, the troubles of the Caslan-Orduin pact exploded when Geuder representatives in the Kycer accused the priesthood of openly taking bribes from Orduin envoys to further give away the autonomy of Caslan. Angry at the accusation, the Coladdic clan’s patriarch Margov Coladdic launched a surprise attack and raid on the assembly, rounding up Geuder representatives, and executing them. Margov’s use of imperial mercenaries during this attack only fueled rumors of conspiracy, and the Geuder patriarch Jasnick Geuder gathered his clan for war against the Kycer. The Geuders used odd tactics, not relying on magic or the undead as the Coladdic armies did, and began using advanced tactics and brutal strikes against the Coladdic armies with increasing ruthlessness. Margov Coladdic died along with a majority of his warriors during the Battle of Hynt’s Shore, a coastal battle in which Jasnick used Okan Ghilmen on ships to flank around Margov’s line and land a contingent to surround and batter the Coladdic forces. The defeat left the Kycer vulnerable.

Occupation and Annexation (1703-2108)
In 1703, desperate to not be destroyed by the Geuders, the Kycer used a spell to call back Mel Coldfinger from his trip. Teleporting to Caslan, the lich attempted to reason with the Geuders, but failed due to their personal blood feud. Mel, knowing he had no forces to spare, gathered the Kycer and fled to the empire’s stronghold in southern Caslan, and asked the empire to intervene in the matter. The empire agreed, and launched a campaign against the Geuders and their allies for control of the Isle. Jasnick Geuder died fighting alongside his sons at the Battle of Kel Loch, and Orduin took control of the isle. The Kycer were allowed to return to governance, but were put under a governorship and were forced to approve their legislation before Orduin representatives. Mel stayed for several years to make sure Caslan did not fall apart before leaving once again, but not before reprimanding his own clan by having the assembly dismissed and calling for immediate new elections. The empire’s tedious occupation of the isle was fraught with trouble, culture shock, and limited tolerance.

2nd Caslan Civil War (2109-2155)
The power struggle between the Kycer and the governorship often caused a great deal of trouble and controversy amongst the island’s inhabitants. While some sided with the empire’ governors, the increasing corruption of those governors caused discontentment. It all came to a head during the reign of an increasingly authoritarian governor by the name of Rolyan, a Lun’Kerk native and fanatical loyalist. Rolyan attempted to dissolve the Kycer by vote, but was rebuked by them instead. Rolyan eventually tried to ignore the Kycer’s role in his government, but this too failed, and eventually the Kycer tried to forcefully recall him. Kycer loyalists, under a skilled necromancer named Vadov Geuder, led a fanatical army of kerk guards into Rolyan’s estate and murdered him, sparking a brutal civil war between the governorship and the Kycer. The empire sent an expedition to put down the Kycer, and did so with increasing brutality. Eventually, Mel Coldfinger was again called back to the isle by the Kycer, but was failed to be summoned for an unknown reason. The last Kycer holdout lasted till 2155, where the last members fought to the bitter end in their tomb cities, and were eventually buried alive within them.

Age of Repression (2155-2377)
Although the Kycer as a political body was destroyed, the empire put the isle and its people under military control in order to reign in the isle’s inhabitants. Although the island was governed normally, even more merciful than others by comparison, the island was plagued with troubles and curses. Rumors of Mel Coldfinger returning to the isle was rampant, with the governorship of the isle cursed to have each governor die more undignified and crueller deaths then the previous ones. Military rule of the isle often resulted in further dissatisfaction and discontent amongst the Kerkian clans. Although the empire tried to make friends of the Beastfolk as a countermeasure to the Kerks, this also fell flat on its face, as poor policies and general incompetence on the island resulted in awkward betrayals and incidents which caused further divide. These troubles would continue for a long time, with the isle never truly being stable.

Ambitions of Simov Geuder (2378-2399)
Although the island continued to chafe under the rule of the empire, a young and ambitious captain of the Geuder Clan named Simov began his military career on the island. While well travelled and an excellent soldier, Simov had been active in not only his clan’s local politics as much as imperial politics as well. Simov was eventually assigned back to Caslan to help keep control, although his methods became more and more odd. Rather than his normally brutal attitude for a Kerk towards others, Simov became more compassionate towards his home isle, especially towards the Coladdic clan whom he would marry into. Simov began climbing through the promotions with increasing efficiency, but soon many of his internal rivals also began to disappear. Investigations were halted, and garrisons were shifted constantly under his orders, effectively staffing the entire island with younger and inexperienced garrisons from the empire. Simov eventually was able to squeeze his way into becoming the military governor of the isle, and would continue to be the head of government till 2400.

The Ferdgave Massacre (2400)
In early spring of the year 2400, Simov Geuder called for a large-scale military exercise in the city of Ferdgave, along with inviting many local governors and loyalists. While being the host of the party, Simov left and returned with a contingent of Geuder and Coladdic warriors, who descended upon the empire’s loyalists, and shortly resulted in a battle outside the city. The events surrounding Simov’s victory was relatively unknown, with rumors speculating that the disorganized imperial garrisons performing the exercise were struck down by a sudden and swift killing plague, while others would claim the necromancer priesthood arose a small undead army to aid them. Regardless of the case, the empire’s leading men and majority of their garrisons were killed or captured on the isle, starting Simov Geuder’s great rebellion for the island itself.

Simov Geuder’s Revolt (2401-2423)
With most of the garrisons and leading officers of the isle defeated, Simon’s campaign for the isle was short. However, keeping the isle was a difficult affair as the empire began preparing for a campaign for Caslan once again. The first major expedition to the isle ended in total disaster, with a storm blowing the ships off course and crashing into reefs on the north side of the isle where Simov defeated landing imperial forces in 2411. The second invasion was to be better planned, although increasing political pressures at home caused the invasion to be delayed. Simov spent much of his time preparing for defenses, up until 2422, when the bug invasion appeared and decimated the empire. Without an empire to fight, Simov had technically won, and he would use this personal glory to improve his own image.

Restoration of the Kycer (2424-2466)
Although Simov had plans of his own, they were put aside when Mel Coldfinger returned in a rather dramatic fashion, appearing to him in his court through a shroud of mist. The discussion between Simov and Mel prompted him to retire, and prompted Mel Coldfinger and the Coladdic clan to restore the Kycer under its original form. However, major differences and new rules for the Kycer was placed drastically onto it to prevent their subjugation by another power, and promoted Simov’s clan as a ‘guardian king’ to become a powerful force within Caslan to act as a military head and to restore the theocratic republic in times of trouble. Mel in this time also brought back countless new books of magical lore, and reserved himself in his study as he watched the Kycer reform itself and wiped away the last powers of the Orduin empire from Caslan.

The Dultsev Crises (2466-2487)
When Simov died around 2466, his influence was not lost fully. The Kycer held elections in 2466, but was interrupted by one of Simov’s confidants, an ambitious kerkian named Dultsev. Dultsev and his loyalists put on a populist show, decrying the corruption of the Kycer and challenged the usefulness of it. When Dultsev tried to run for the election to become the head of the assembly, he was humiliated when he lost quite significantly. Dultsev sulked in Geuder territory for years, and was delusional about his own support, and began gathering an army of loyalists to his cause. Dultsev’s conspiracy against the Kycer was reported to it by one of Dultsev’s mercenaries, and an army was dispatched to resolve it. Dultsev was killed in the fighting, but the Coladdic soon blamed the Geuders for inviting him and for harboring a traitor in their territory. The troubles restarted between the Geuders and the Coladdics, with reprisal killings stretching across much of Caslan.

The Proscriptions (2488-2534)
Although Dultsev was dead, his actions haunted the Kycer for years up until 2488 when the new electorate was called to deal with the increasing violence and instability. The patriarchs of both the Geuders and Coladdics agreed to a ceasefire between their two respective clans, but the biggest and most drastic action taken was the call for Proscriptions, or the political assassination and banishment of several influential members of the Kycer who had aided Dultsev. The killings began in 2492, when Dultsev’s entire clan was rounded up and executed, and many of his aligned clans and those who had tolerated his presence were brutally murdered. The way the Kycer handed out proscriptions created a whole new set of problems, as they Kycer rewarded the murderers with the estates and lands of those they murdered. The Geuders were especially enthusiastic with this deal, and effectively took over a larger quarter of lands, and enriched them considerably. The Proscriptions would not end until later in the years 2511, and would have lingering effects for years after.

The Slave Revolt (2535-2544)
Although the Geuders were now getting richer and even more influential than before, the clan found their new found wealth useless by their lacking influence in the Kycer and became more politically active. The Geuders took on a number of strange issues to squeeze their way into power, including servitude limits, which would have limited the years a slave could remain in servitude. The Geuders narrowly lost their election, which infuriated the slaves enough to revolt against the Kerks. Much of Caslan’s cities became internally sieged by rebelling slaves, with the biggest revolt being able to take the city Kel Gavan. Although the Kerks were preparing for a long and drawn out war, Mel Coldfinger intervened and went from city to city to speak to the rebel leaders. Through diplomacy, magic, and religion the slave revolt was mostly put down peacefully, with only the slave revolt in Kel Gavan having to be taken by force.

Current Events (2545-2622)
Following the slave revolt, Caslan entered several years of peace just as politics between the Geuders and the Coladdic began to gravely divide between the two feuding clans. Although Mel Coldfinger continues to linger on the isle for now, it is rumored he plans for a 2nd journey across the world of the ruined empires to collect knowledge and magical lore, leaving a concerned and embattled Kycer who relies heavily on his wisdom and skills. The Kycer looks out across the oceans, unsure of what to do next in the wider world.

Appearance
Kerks are a fairly simple people by nature, and this is highly reflected in how they look and what they wear. Kerks prefer comfortable and easy to slip on clothes, and have no interest in what makes them look good in the eyes of others. Kerks do not wear jewelry for these reasons, they maximum extent to what they will wear are brooches and rings, and even then these pieces of jewelry are entirely simplified. Kerkian nobility tend to wear armor and weapons, the maximum extent of their ‘formal wear’, and often simply wear more colorful clothes to identify them as a clan’s chief or the region’s Zupan. Only the priesthood and scribes wear more valued clothes, usually large and outlandishly ornate purple robes with cloth scarfs which cover their mouths. Kerkians of more notable status also wear tall fur caps, although this sometimes does not fully indicate status by default, as commoners and even slaves will wear fur caps to give off a false sense of authority and fashion. Beards are common amongst Kerks, who tend to grow out their beards into large, unshaven messes but will crop their hair short.

Craftsmanship
Caslan craftsmanship is considered almost universally poor. Kerks themselves are not good smiths, preferring quantity over quality. The best most Kerkian smiths can do on Caslan is the making of medium armor, chainmail, and the traditional flat blades. Okan and Beurian smiths do not fare much better, which is why quality smithing is handled by foreigners, and the local elven population which produces better quality equipment to nobility and elite guard. Caslan Architecture tends to be a strange mix; with Kerkian stone and brick work being fairly rare. Most structures are a mixture of wood and stone, with blacker stone used in the construction of the tomb cities and keeps. Elven, and even old Orduin imperial, styles are commonly found in enclaves across Caslan. Caslan’s Okan style of building is considered rather beautiful, often using intricate and humble round designs made of wood, often with small basements and depots, which became a common building style across Caslan.

Traditions
Kerkian traditions differ between family to family, and while the Kerks will have many respected traditions, there are few unifying and known ones. The Kerks are a deeply religious people, and are also very communal. Some families, especially the Coladdic, are known to dress their youngest in brightly colored cloaks and clothes to celebrate their lives, Geuderian Kerks are known to martial customs and will often go out on their own to raid or go adventuring on their own accord. The only real unifying tradition amongst Kerks is that when Kerks become adults, they are given the option to either serve their family and keep their surname, or to choose a new surname and leave the clan to form their own. Those who choose to stay tend to end up in the clan as laborers or militia, while those who leave are partly banished from the clan’s grounds but are ultimately still tied to the clan in many ways.

Law
To outsiders, Kerkian law is brutal, harsh, but ultimately pragmatic. Most laws are reinforced by the clans themselves, which bow to a higher religious authority which trumps their own landed laws. Those who enforce those laws are usually a part of a clan’s militia, with cities tending to have their own town guard who are also usually a part of a family militia. Larger legal battles are often presented to the courts of the Kycer itself, and overseen by a necromancer priest who decides on the value of evidence and makes swift decisions. Kerkians do not have prisons or dungeons, as Kerks often immediately turn to swift execution either by throat cutting or hanging. It isn’t abnormal for Kerks to have a special grove with a great and ancient oak where many skeletal and decaying forms of executed Kerks are guarded by their executioners to serve as warnings against criminal behavior. Kerks view throat cutting as a honored and dignified way to die, but it isn’t abnormal for the Kerkian cities to put on ‘shows’ of public torture and execution.

Rights
Rights is an odd concept to the Kerks, who are normally fairly tolerant of most except their own half-bred cousins. Kerks treat their women with equality, and tend to show some limited tolerance towards other races and their faiths. However, Kerkians exemplify the term ‘tyranny of cousins’ to the maximum degree, where the lives of Kerks and their thralls tend to live under the strict rules and restrictions of the clan, and where family has a slavish control over their own lives. The Kycer has several major restrictions on other religions, forbidding the construction of foreign temples in their lands and the general demand for respect for their clergy at all times. Those who do not bow to the necromancer when asked on Caslan soil can be subjected to the harshest punishments

Slavery
Slavery isn’t an integral part of Kerkian society, nor a backbone of its economy. Kerkia does rely on cheap and generally unpaid labor, but this comes from family peasants who work for their clan. Slaves are usually native beastfolk or those who are captured in war, forced to do manual labor and are universally treated poorly by their masters, who view them as beneath them. Slave soldiers such as the Ghilmen are trained by the clans to use them as professional soldiers in war, fighting alongside Kerkian armies or to act as bodyguards. Most slaves are identified by deep gashes on their faces, along with blue or white handkerchiefs on their necks which identifies them as personal servants. Normally, slavery is for life, with the children of slaves also being considered slaves themselves. Necromancers are known to enchanted iron collars with spells in order to control larger slaves like Beurians, who are considered popular laborers and bodyguards for the Kycer’s clergy.

Philosophy
Kerkians by their nature lack self preservation, and their attitudes towards life reflects their general offset to life. Kerkians value three things in life; faith, freedom, and merit. To the Kerks, religion is a central part of their lives, viewing that the gods who look over them and bother to guide them are worthy of respect and worship. Kerkians will say they value freedom, but truthfully value autonomy and statelessness. Kerkian Merit is a very odd term, for the Kerks value those of great skill, no matter where that skill comes from whether it be by experience or those born naturally to it. Kerks tend to be highly cynical and deeply rooted in their beliefs, but are open to new ideas if they can be proven to work for the greater good of their clan and kingdom.

Education
Due to their faith, education is considered a major facet of life for the Kerks, and works in tiers much like social status. Lower castes such as laborers, small clans, and slaves tend to rely on tutorship of their own families for education, which more specialists castes can expect monastic schooling. Most of Caslan society, at some level, can read and write, but the better one is at reading and writing, the higher one’s social status is assumed. Schools and colleges are often seen either next to or near Caslan temples, with specialized colleges in the richer towns and cities. Coladdic clans tend to have their own personal libraries and documentation depots scattered across Caslan’s mainland, some containing the ancient lore and histories of the Kerks. The most impressive educational institution in Caslan itself is Scribe’s School Gangave. The Kerks largest repository of knowledge is Mel Coldfinger’s personal library, found deep in the catacombs of his personal abode in the mountains, containing countless volumes of magical and historical lore.

Family
Kerkian family life is considered an important part to the Kerkian identity, as all things a Kerk does in their lives is to improve the status of their family and to ensure its survival. Whether it be working slavish hours farming for the clan, or dying for the clan in a brutal feud, the family’s prestige, honor, and wealth is too important to abandon. In return, these families provide work, stability, and safety to their members as well as justice and order in their lives. Clans are led by two leaders usually; a matriarch and a patriarch. Both have joint power in the clan, and usually are the most influential members of the clan who make decisions on the behalf of the entire clan. Kerkians have tiers of broods due to how they have children, with the first brood being higher and more valued then 2nd and 3rd generations. Due to the exhaustion of raising so many children at once, Kerkian families tend to be very grim, and have no real bonds which bind them together, which often results in internal family feuds and deeply rooted abuse which is passed down between family to family.

Entertainment
Entertainment tends to be different from city to city, culture to culture within Caslan. The Geuderians for instance may host blood soaked tourneys between each other, practicing full fledged battles to cheering crowds in a festival of sorts. Coladdic Kerks are perhaps more ‘nuanced’, trying to often remove themselves from their violent nature and to wind down in their libraries, play board games, or even enjoy mediation within their groves. Almost all Kerks enjoy books, and writing in books, and it isn’t abnormal for even poorer Kerks to write down journals and make observations. Festivals and clan games tend to happen seasonally, but perhaps the most obscure and unspoken love of the Kerks is tavern life. Kerks while crowd into taverns and pubs to drink and merrily sing and gamble to their heart's content.

Language
If language is a barrier, then the Kerkian language is a fortress wall, difficult if not downright impossible to assail. The Kerkian language is often described as difficult to orally speak, but easy to read. Kerkian tone can drastically change the meaning of phrases, and often it takes considerable effort to learn and fluently speak Kerkian. The native language of Caslan, spoken primarily by the beastfolk natives, is a much in the same way a opposite of the Kerkian language. Caslandic is difficult to orally speak, but near impossible to write down or read. Caslandic as a very specific structure to it, with very literal phrases and meanings. Both languages are spoken by the people of Caslan, although not always equally. The Kycer consider Caslandic a ‘slave language’, only spoken by the lower classes and by the Beastfolk themselves. The Kerkian language, although promoted, is often abandoned by non-Kerks who will often just turn to speaking Caslandic in frustration. This often results in Kerkian being a ‘court language’ in Caslan, only spoken between Kerks who wish to speak openly and mockingly of those who do not understand them.

Burial
Caslandic Burial is a difficult subject to the Kerks whose communities can produce so many bodies, which is why the necromancer faith of the Kerks so well with them. When a non-royal or important Kerk dies, their body is presented to the temple and given over to the priesthood to do as they well, although it isn’t uncommon for kerks to just leave bodies in ditches. Kerkians believe that what a body is done with in death is not of significance. Most clan bodies, especially important Kerks who the clans wish to remember, are buried in the tomb cities, which act both as respectful places of the dead as much as as depots for the necromancers. Only the beastfolk differ greatly in burial, and view being buried in a Tomb City as a terrible fate. Okan bury their dead in underwater graveyards off the coasts of their cities, and Beurians burn their dead on pyres.

Pets
To any outsider, the Kerks are considered strange for their choice of pets and companions. Kerks in general tend to have tamed and trained otters, badgers, and wolverines as pets which they use for all manner of purposes. Otters are used by Kerkian fishers, with badgers and wolverines being used much in the same way as dogs. Although dogs and cats are seen amongst Kerks, especially herders, these pets are considered weird and abnormal for the Kerks. Insects are considered ‘sacred’ and ‘protected’ animals to the Kerks who see them as holy, which is why some Kerkian clans will have ‘pet’ mayflies, dragonflies, cicadas, hornets, and moths. Richer Kerks have a fondness for shellfish, like lobsters and horseshoe crabs, which only adds to their estranged behavior.

Feuds/Retaliation
Kerkian feuds between clans are long lasting, with rivalries between clans capable of starting miniature civil war and deep instability in kerkian society with just a sheer number of Kerks and clans which get involved. Kerks tend to retaliate with violence, which often means each clan has a small but well armed host of militia which acts as guards as much as raiders. Retaliation between clans is often difficult to solve, let alone avoid, with Kerkian priests having to get in the way to force cease fires. In order to solve long standing feuds, the patriarchs of both clans often make sacrifices in the nearest temple and pray together with a Kycer’s representative overlooking them. If the feud is complex, such as unknown reasons for the feuding or land disputes, the two patriarches work out a deal in the temple to appease both parties. Kerkians are stubborn however, and will go to absurd lengths to fulfill their feud’s oaths.

Honesty
Kerkians are considered obnoxiously honest, a cultural attitude most Kerks and those in Caslan have. Kerks will in general tell each other and others harsh truths, and often refuse to lie under most circumstances. Kerkians are known as terrible diplomats and merchants, who will just often tell others their intentions. Kerkians try to get around this habit by not answering questions directly, or being not forthcoming about their direct answer. Kerkians have no trouble with lying, it's just that the Kerks see it as pointless and impractical. While Kerks themselves are honest, they often do not expect the same of others, a common trap of those ignorant of the Kerks themselves.

Superstitions
While being a very religious people, the Kerks are also deeply superstitious and have many tales, legends, and general beliefs which impact their lives. Kerks believe there is a sacred divinity in albinism, with albino animals and even humanoids being hunted for their fur. Kerks believe drinking the blood of these beings will grant strength, intelligence, or unnatural magical powers. There are hundreds of different ghosts, spirits, and vampires which inhabit Kerkian mythology, each one more grim and vile then the next. Kerks tend to avoid marching off in winter due to these beliefs, as well as avoiding the deep forests and groves beyond civilization. Kerkians also tend to believe that their gods ultimately control the outcome of battles and campaigns, with commanders and officers making offerings to the gods. These offering rituals are so often used that Kerkian campaigns have stalled for months until a good sign was had.

Okan Culture
Just as the Okan are a communal people by nature, they are also a communal people by culture. Okan are deeply family tied, with entire clans often living in single rooms and moving close to one another. Separating an Okan family is difficult, if not downright impossible. Okan are peaceful, deeply pacifistic in their beliefs, often due to their general belief that they cannot afford to fight or harm one another. Although Okan clans tend to adopt mostly Kerkian customs, the one custom which they did not abandon fully was the trading of wards between feuding clans to gain peace between them. These clan wards often grow up as adopted members of the clan. While Okan are fairly peaceful, their laws are considerably more ‘notable’ and concerningly brutal. Okan drown those who harm their clans and communities, and then have them tied down to anchors just enough for them to float slightly below the surface of the water in a morbid reminder to those entering their ports of their brutality.

Beurian Culture
Beurian society and culture is clan based, being very tribalistic and highly nomadic. Beurians do not live in settled places, instead moving with their moose herds to new lands to graze. Beurians who are born in these clans are forced into a lifestyle of constant war and training, decided entirely by their shaman. Beurians tend to be very free spirited in culture, having no love of authority over their lives, especially by their own chiefs and peoples. Hunter-Killers are Beurian rangers who separate from clans, and take on a holy vow to fight the clan’s enemies through more subtle means, and act partly as monster hunters. One of the notable parts of Beurian society is their use of cloaks and kilts to signify their loyalty to certain clans.

Recruitment
Recruitment is a difficulty in Kerkian society despite its abundance of manpower. Although there is a central government, Kerks do not have a truly professional army which allows for recruitment drives. Instead, individual Kerkian clans recruit from their own, forming larger levy warbands which then journey to a central mustering ground underneath an individual Zupan. The Kycer tends to have its own armies, normally specialized Coladdic clansmen and their undead levies which assist them in battle, who collect only from their own clan. In order to make up for their troubles, large and rich Kerkian clans and cities employ the use of Ghilmen, slave soldiers of the island which are professionally trained for war. Ghilmen are recruited from poor families or from the families of slaves from a young age, and brutally trained by Kerkian militia captains in a barrack society.

Organization
Caslan’s armies are horrifyingly decentralized, as each army is feudal in its nature which relies so heavily on the loyalty of easily angered Kerkian clans. The formal leaders of the army are the members of the Kycer who are voted on to lead the Caslan armies. These generals then are given subordinates by the Kycer who then under their own personal skill divide up Caslan’s united forces. In normal circumstances, the burden of leadership is put onto the Zupans, who have their own captains and subordinates to lead their armies. Patriarches do not lead armies, and instead will send heirs and militia captains in their place. It isn’t uncommon for clergy to also lead armies, even more successfully than their secular counterparts. Often, since Ghilmen and Bylamen are outside the absurd feudal structure of Kerkian armies, they often are the most professional armies of Caslan and thus are the most respected.

Tactics
Although poor in organization, Kerkian warfare is considered horrifying for outsiders for several reasons. Kerks in general have a hard time retreating and shrug off mortifying losses. Kerkians fight to a bitter end, a fact of their psychology which makes them miserable to fight against. Kerkian armies tend to use a mixture of spellcraft and skirmishing, trying to drastically weaken and hamper an enemy down before they engage. Kerkian commanders are quite infamous for purposefully losing battles, using engagements to grievously weaken or kill more terrifying divisions, before retreating into the arms of a friendly army where they can crush their enemy with a fresh force. Kerkians do not mind casualties very much, especially with necromancers aiding their army, who can use their own dead to swiftly reforge their ranks. Kerkian armies also do not shy away from massacring their enemies, with more infamous instances of Kerks stacking the bodies of entire cities in the commons area like a mountain.

Navy
The Kerkian navy is a weird mix of professionally built war galleys and carracks, but also an absurd amount of transport vessels. Different cities tend to have different ports, with the Okan shipbuilders primarily providing Caslan’s fleet and naval officers. However, ports and drydocks are scattered across the south and were consumed by Caslan into becoming naval bases for Caslan’s considerable fleets. Caslandic ships are built primarily for skirmishing and ranged warfare, with boarding action and ramming being avoided. This is often because Caslandic ships are very fast, an Okan design to Caslandic ships which allow them considerable maneuverability on the open waters.

Siege Weapons
Kerkian siege warfare has a strange history, as siege warfare was not a common occurence on Caslan and thus often most Kerks have little experience with sieges. However, this is not to say the Kerks have not come up with absurd tools and designs. Although Kerks do use battering rams and catapults, the favored weapon of Kerkian armies are large hurling catapults which are infused with dark magic by necromancer engineers who hurl balls of skeletons and decaying bodies over the walls of enemy settlements to cause disease (and to occasionally raise up from the dead to attack the defenders inside the walls).

Clan Levies (Basic Division)

• Units: Kerkian Clansmen (Light Axe and Shield Infantry), Kerkian Warrior (Light Sword and Shield Infantry), Kerkian Spearman (Light Spear Infantry), Kerkian Bandits (Light Archer Infantry), Kerkian Skirmishers (Light Javelin and Shield Infantry)

Clan levies are a long standing core of the Kerkian armies, which are mustered by the clans of Caslan into large warbands. Due to the sheer size of a Kerkian clan and family, each clan can provide a large number of levies. However, most levies are poorly armed, and often fight with little more than the clothes they had brought. At best, the Kycer will provide for these levies tents, meals, and weapons if they lack them. Clans, not Zupans or the Kycer, are expected to foot the bill for these levies. Levies tend to be trained in maneuvering rather than skills, making them quite obedient when it comes to complex maneuvers but are universally considered terrible soldiers.

Outriders (Cavalry Division)

• Units: Kerkian Outriders (Medium Axe and Shield Cavalry), Kerkian Raiders (Medium Sword Cavalry), Kerkian Hunters (Medium Archer Cavalry)

Outriders are a common occurrence amongst Kerkian armies, being the backbone of the mounted divisions Kerkia will field. Kerkian horses are expensive and difficult to maintain for many of the clans. This often makes riders considered a grade above that of Kerkian levies and common clansmen, their skills invaluable for the militias of Caslan. Kerkian outriders however perform almost universally poorly, being quickly to get surrounded during engagement, being the last to retreat, and the rather odd tactic of Kerkian throwing themselves from their horses and onto their enemies. Outriders primarily act in the capacity as fast, mounted skirmishers.

Ghilmen (Elite Division)

• Units: Ghilman Spearman (Medium Spear and Shield Infantry), Ghilman Soldier (Medium Sword Infantry), Ghilman Skirmisher (Medium Javelin and Shield Infantry), Ghilman Archer (Medium Archer Infantry), Ghilman Saudkar (Heavy Sword and Shield Infantry)

Ghilmen are slave soldiers who are taken from a young age, and trained into professional soldiers in the service of a specialized guild. Ghilmen are normally Okan from slave families within the cities who are sold to a Ghilman barracks. These Okan have their tails cropped and their faces permanently disfigured, but most Ghilmen are marked with special tattoos across their body which identify their status. Ghilmen are trained primarily by a Kerkian equivalent to a mercenary company, who sell the services of the Ghilmen to Kerkian clans and cities for protections, armed services, or as bodyguards. Normally grim and viciously trained, Ghilmen are well respected by the Kerks who tend to appreciate them and their services. Ghilmen who lives to an older age or perform admirably for their guild are allowed to be ‘freed’ and to start a family or business, under the contract obligation that any of their children are recruited as Ghilmen themselves and half their income goes back into their guild.

Bylamen (Undead/Elite Division)

• Units: Violet Guard (Heavy Halberd Infantry), Bylaman Rainbow Knight (Heavy Sword Cavalry), Barrow Guard (Heavy Sword Infantry/Undead), Skeletal Levy (Light Undead), Wraith (Medium Undead)

The Bylamen are the elite guard and personal army of the Kycer, whose sole duty is protecting the Kycer and its assembly. Members of the Bylamen are usually elite clansmen, but its main core is made up primarily of the undead. Most living members wear a vibrant purple or violet dress around their heavier armor, who use enchanted gear. Rainbow Knights for instance, also sometimes known as Death Knights, use runed swords with various necromantic blessings and curses. The most known and terrifying element of the Bylamen is the use and building of Barrow Guard, skeletal undead soldiers who are super charged with magic. Incredibly fast, strong, and skilled in the arts of combat, the Barrow Guard also can ‘regenerate’ in the midst of combat, often tearing their enemy’s limbs to attach it to their own bodies. Bylamen are the personal guard of Mel Coldfinger, as well as the most elite force Caslan can muster in war.

Necromancers (Magic Division)

• Units: Necromancer (Necromantic Lore Mage), Curse Bearer (Curse Lore Mage), Lich (Ice Lore Mage), Shadow Lich (Shadows Lore Mage)

Most Caslan armies in some capacity have a necromancer which follows them, or a member of the clergy. Most Necromancers are identified by their lavish purple robes, the colors of the Kycer, as most Necromancers are either members of the clergy, or have some role in the Kycer itself. While most lores of magic are practiced and studied, the most important lores is necromancery and curses. Kerkian tactics often require a drastic weakening of enemies, and high casualties in battle often requires an undead force being raised in the midst of battle to assure total victory. Every once in awhile, a Lich will join an army, but not by that army’s choice. Liches will often join the Kerkian ranks either as sub-commanders or as allied mages, and most Kerkian armies tolerate their presence.

Blackhand (Scout Division)

• Units: Blackhand Stalker (Spy), Blackhand Scout (Scout), Blackhand Murderer (Assassin), Blackhand Observer (Counterspy), Blackhand Hunter Killer (Counter-Assassin)

The Kerks do not often use their own clans to scout or spy on their enemies, as intrigue is usually handled by an old and specialized guild of assassins known as the Blackhand. Paid well for their services, the ancient order of spycraft amongst the Kerks provides valuable services for Kerkia’s armies. The most infamous groups of the Blackhand often provide counter-assassination services to their commanders, acting as hidden bodyguard who specialize in the protection of Kerkian officers and generals. The Blackhand tends to be a very diverse group, and often shadow the Kerks wherever they go.

Imports

• Meat
• Fruits
• Beer
• Copper
• Spices
• Silk
• Dyes
• Slaves
• Bones
• Peat

Exports

• Grain
• Vodka
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Leather
• Iron
• Gold
• Paper
• Stone

Taxation
Taxation is a difficult issue for Caslan, primarily due to two major issues; The Kerks and the clan structures they live in. Taxation is shaky at best, often based on the relationship between the clans and their Zupans, and Zupans with the Kycer. The Kycer does not administer their own taxes, but instead gives the privilege to guilds who bid on how much taxes they can collect. Deeply unpopular, these tax collectors have to be well guarded as they collect taxes. Kerkian clans tend to be required to give the Caslan state with about 10% of their crop, or a coin equivalent. Taxes are then stored in one of the Tomb Cities where it is counted by the undead and then spent as a budget for the coming year, with the rest being saved. Zupans and cities also pay taxes into this general treasury, but their tax bracket is much higher, usually around 20%.

Trade Policy
Kerkian trade policy is very lax, with Caslan ports being very open to trade with the outside world. Caslan authorities do not mind what is traded in their markets, so long as it makes money for them, and merchants are only subjected to the same equally lax laws of the Kerks. Caslan ports demand a moderate toll to be parked in their ports, with only some limited repair services for their stay. Caslan holds some authority to confiscate ships of merchants who had offended the Kycer. The only major restriction the Kerks have on trade is the sale of slaves to outsiders. Foreigners can sell slaves in Kerkian ports, and the Kerks will buy them, but the Kycer forbids the sale of slaves to outsiders and foreign markets. This is primarily due to the major restrictions set in place during the slave revolt.

Caslan Gold and Iron Mines
In the central hills and mountains of Caslan has an obnoxious amount of gold and iron nodes, which were developed many times over. Although the Kerks have little use for gold, they mint it into coins and sold it to Orduin for many different resources. Iron is considered more valuable, and thus the iron mines of Caslan are more valued above its gold mines. While in theory this should make the island rich, the use of gold is so poorly used amongst the Kerks that they often just sell entire ingots to other nations or store them in huge vaults. Most of these mines are controlled by mining clans who sell solely to the Kycer, who handle any and all trade of iron and gold.

Okan Fisheries and Seal Hunting
Despite being the least known, the most considerable industry on Caslan is controlled by the Okan. Okan mastered the building of fisheries, building truly impressive fish farms all along Caslan’s coastal villages, bringing a huge stock of food for Caslan. Okan Fisheries are professionally run, well stocked, and well supplied. Kerkian clans are rather infamous for trying to get into these industries by forcing Okan slaves to build new fisheries. Associated with fisheries is seal hunting, another Okan practice of hunting the native seals of the isle for meat, leather, and bones. This practice evolved into Kerkian hunting of seals, who quickly mastered the craft themselves.

Kerkian Paper Industry
Kerkian paper is highly advanced and also a core part of Kerkian society, as books and knowledge keeping is an integral part of Kerkian society. Kerkian paper is a state industry, and is thus by nature also an industry primarily used by the clergy. Kerkian paper is absurdly easy to make, and also absurdly cheap and for the most part long lasting. Paper made by the Kerks is just superior in many ways, and its production is considered as state secret. This flourishing industry is controlled primarily by the Coladdic clan, and is the primary foundation of the Kycer’s economy.

The Doil (Social Services)
The Doil is a Kycer institution which acts as a form of proto-social service to the people of Caslan. Each city has a special granary set aside to doll out grains and vegetables to struggling individuals and clans which may have fallen on hard times. Getting onto the Doil is easy, but this social service does come with consequences. Those who remain on the Doil for too long or are caught abusing it can be subject to horrifying consequences. These consequences can include being conscripted to serve the Doil in pseudo-slavery as a farmer who provides 90% of their crop to the Doil, or even being sold into slavery. The Doil has a weird way of lifting half of those put on it out of poverty, and the other half being put into further misery.

Caslan is primarily a very alpine land, with a long snowy season and is very hilly. The island is home to a wide range of wildlife, with limited fertile plains, but is home to a very vibrant amount of sea life. Normally, the island has very dense forests, but the farther south one goes on the isle, the clearer it becomes.


Caslan is divided more around generalized clans then formal realms, but a lot of the borders are also based on the old stomping grounds of Okan and Beurian kingdoms as well. Most villages may not always consider themselves in one territory or region, as clans usually build their own ‘borders’ based on clan alignment.



Necromancery and curses have a very bad habit of producing what the Kerks refer to as ‘blights’, a ceaseless array of cursed and undead creatures which arise naturally that inhabit Caslan’s countryside. Careless necromancers are often to blame for raising these abominations and not putting them down, and will occasionally cause trouble.

Coladdic Loyalists
In the Kycer’s politics, there are many political factions, but the biggest one is the conservative faction led entirely by the Coladdic clan and its aligned clans. The Coladdic loyalists are stubborn members of the Kycer, deeply rooted in tradition and religion, and view outsider influence on the Kycer with immediate hostility. Although its safe to say Mel Coldfinger is a member of this faction, his influence and interest in it is debatable. The Coladdic loyalists are more interested in keeping all Kerkian affairs under their own control and using the Kycer to better control Kerkian society. The main political avenue of the clan is encouraging faithfulness, defending the status quo, and brutally suppressing attempts by the Zupans from ruining the Kycer’s politics.

Geuder Loyalists
Opposed to the Coladdic are the Geuders, an ancient feuding family which has been both ally and enemy of the Coladdic. The Geuders may be a part of a clan opposed to the extreme conservatism of the Coladdic, but they are best thought of as the clan whose policies are more aligned solely to the ambitions of the Geuders themselves. Geuder Loyalists take on the causes of the Geuders which can change depending on the situation, their ultimate goals are to expand the influence of the Geuders and usurp control of society from the Coladdics. The Geuders take on various political causes, and have a strange melding of coalitions amongst slaves, foreign interests, merchants, and the nobility. This balancing act of the Geuders is also difficult to maintain.

Scribes of Gangave
The Scribes are a respectable group of history makers and authors who live in a college in Gangave, which set up a guild of national libraries in most Kerkian cities. The scribes take on all manner of Caslan society to serve as historians, account writers, and philosophers to better look into the world. The scribe’s greatest patron is Mel Coldfinger, who enriches the guild and often takes on their highest members as apprentices. The scribes have a very relaxed reputation as legitimate and honest historians, who will go to absurd lengths to understand every facet of history. Scribes are honest Historians however, and their works tend to be popular more amongst the Kerks then foreign courts. The scribes are also very politically neutral, and will also go to equally absurd lengths to distance themselves from the Kycer.

The Unbroken
One of the oldest organizations in Caslan is the Unbroken, a group of Okan bandits and thieves who used to resist the Beurian occupation of their cities, but became a common gang of thugs when the Kerks took over. The Unbroken are mostly a thieves guild, whose ranks are made up primarily of runaway slaves, bandits, and criminals who inhabit the underground of Kerkian society. Although most of their higher members are Okan, many poorer Kerks tend to join their ranks for quick money. The Unbroken tend to have a very negative view of the Kerks, and have little to no respect for the Kycer. Free willed, their greater goal is to free the slaves of Caslan, which makes them increasingly an ally of the Geuders and an arch enemy of the Coladdic. The Unbroken had some role in the Slave Revolt, but were uprooted by Mel Coldfinger.

The Blackhand
The Blackhand are a guild of assassins and spies who provide their services to Kerkian society for coin and tolerance, a strange group which operates underground and far away from the prying eyes of the Kycer itself. The Blackhand earns much of their income from things the Kerks consider distasteful, such as assassination. Blackhand members are brought on from only specific backgrounds, with the Blackhand believing only those born of parents with unique traits for their guild can join them. This tends to make the Blackhand very diverse in race as much as skill. Okan, Elven, and Human members are common in the Blackhand, who work alongside the sons of hunters, serial killers, and even the occasional lich. The Blackhand is deeply tied to politics, but is not a part of any faction, providing the Kycer with experienced members to help defend them against attempted assassinations and spycraft.

Archlich Mel Coldfinger

• Age - Unknown
• Titles - The Great Reformer, Cursed and Curser, Winter’s Song, Eternal Patriarch, Death Dealer, Murderer, Friend and Enemy of the Okan, Subjugator and Ally of the Beurian, Bringer of Books, Scroll Maker, Historian

Mel Coldfinger is a long standing member of Kerkian society, and the head of not only the priesthood, but also effectively the tyrant over all of Kerkian society. Mel Coldfinger is physically an undead being, mummified and clothed in an obnoxiously flowing black and purple robe, all but his hands and eyes covered in cloth, and wearing a tall cur cap. Known even for his height, he is a terrifying and studious figure, deeply entrenched in his beliefs and personal motivations. Mel is ultimately a highly pragmatic and intelligent figure, going to great lengths to not only preserve knowledge, but to also collect it. In legend, he learned how to become a lich from the god Melakos, and shared this knowledge only to those he found worthy of it. Mel is weirdly enough known for his kindness, but also his retribution. As a lich, Mel had split his soul into the very ground of Caslan, into one of his oldest tomes, and into the very bloodline of his family. This kind of lichcraft, according to Mel, was painful, difficult, and expensive.

Associates

• Naya Coladdic (Female Kerk) - Naya is Mel Coldfinger’s direct descendent and a living apprentice under him, and a member of a minor clergy. Talented, Naya is honored to serve under her ancestor, as Mel prepares her to become another important member of the Kycer. In truth however, Mel enjoys aiding his most direct descendants from his now deceased wife, who he cherishes in his immortality.
• Cragov Bystan (Male Kerk) - Cragov is the leader of the Scribes, and its head master over them. Although an older necromancer, Cragov and Mel are good friends and consider each other equals in the histories of Caslan.
• Granchkov (Male Kerk) - Granchkov is a Death Knight in the service of Mel, and is one of his favored bodyguards. He is adorned with countless cursed artefacts, his most infamous being the Sword of Exodus, whose strike against mortal flesh can rend against the spirit of its target.
• Twine (Male Undead Okan) - Twine is a nameless Okan king who had at one point insulted Mel, who cursed him into becoming his servant. Twine is an eternally reforming undead creature who is fully conscious of his existence, and teleports into Tomb Cities to warn delving grave robbers and intruders to turn back. He is also used to summon those of Mel’s interest to him.
• Gra’vyen (Male Undead Elf) - Gra’vyen is an elven lich who had been his apprentice, and showed such skill and majeststy in his crafts as a necromancer that Mel granted him the knowledge of Lichcraft. Gra’vyen has been Mel’s librarian and keeper of his vast book collection, and a powerful being who often despises the politics of the Kycer.

Zupan Dylon Geuder

• Age - 45
• Titles - Zupan of Astar, The Grim, Minor Priest, Head of the Zupan Assembly

Dylon Geuder is the current patriarch of the Geuder clan, and is a rising star politically in the Kycer. Having joined the Kycer as a reformer, he was also the head of the assembly of Zupans. Dylon is an ambitious man and a near legendary commander, having put down smaller revolts and dealt with bandits harshly, but he believes he has yet to prove himself. Dylon’s grand ambitions however hide his true motives, and that of his family. Dylon has a hateful feud with Shov Coladdic, whom he despises for his staunch and stubborn beliefs.

Associates

• Mara Geuder (Female Kerk) - Dylon’s wife and co-ruler in the family. While Dylon is in the Kycer, Mara is back in Astar ruling in his stead. Mara is a very strict woman, much like many Kerkian matriarchs, and is often ruling both her family and the region with an iron fist.
• Polchov Geuder (Male Kerk) - Dylon’s son and heir from his second brood, Polchov had proven himself when he help end a feud between several small clans on his lonesome, and oversaw the construction of a new temple. Polchov is currently in the studies to become a priest, which in turn will make him able to join the Kycer. Much like his father, Polchov is ambitious, but is less battle hungry like Dylon, and a very good friend of Zupan Hazel.
• Daygov Geuder (Male Beurian) - Daygov was found as a young wandering pup who happened upon the Geuder farmstead and was found sleeping in a shed, likely abandoned by his clan. Dylon decided to adopt the Beurian into his family, who soon became a fanatical member of the clan, being a close friend and bodyguard to Dylon.
• Uchov Geuder (Male Kerk) - Brother of Dylon Geuder, a studious necromancer and priest of the family who has considerable influence amongst them. Uchov is very centrist, much to the annoyance of Dylon, who still loves him as a brother.
• Tanya Geuder (Female Kerk) - Sister of Dylon and a captain in his family, who leads the militia into battle. Beloved by Dylon, Tanya is influential over her brother’s attitude and policies.

Zupan Shov Coladdic

• Age - 61
• Titles - Zupan of Hilgas, Head of Council

Shov Coladdic is the elder patriarch of the Coladdic clan, and the Head of Council over all of the Kycer. Shov is an old and staunch archconservative, who grew up mastering the faith even though he is not a necromancer himself. What Shov lacks in magic he makes up for in stubbornness and political mastery over the rituals of the Kycer. Shov is best described to have a very ugly set of features, and generally has a long history of denying the Geuders further political power in the Kycer. Although a Coladdic, he has a nasty and toxic relationship with most of his family, and is avoided even by Mel Coldfinger himself. Due to Shov’s age and mastery in the Kycer, most of the Coladdic faction looks up to him to lead them against the ambitions of Dylon Geuder, whom he has a vicious rivalry with.

Associates

• Taspov Beusdov (Male Kerk) - Taspov is currently the other Head of Council in Caslan who joined Shov as co-ruler on a joint ticket. Although Taspov is a skilled politician in his own right, he is considerably meek in comparison to Shov’s shadow and acts more as his lackey, a political trouble which he fears will be his legacy. Unlike Shov, he is a necromancer, but not a very good one, a surprise and disappointment to many members of the Kycer.
• Yila Coladdic (Female Kerk) - Shov’s wife and matriarch of the Coladdic clan, who also happens to be a ceremonial priest in the Kycer. Although Shov is not a mage, Yila is, and is a very good one at that. Yila, like many Kerkian matriarchs, are very brutal and cold women, something which Shov comes to love.
• Darsov Coladdic (Male Kerk) - Darsov is Shov’s son and heir from his first brood, who shares many of his father’s beliefs and convictions, but is more hot headed and spiteful towards the Geuders. Unlike other heirs, Darsov was solely trained in the Kycer’s politics in the hopes he will become the next Head of Council after Shov passes.
• Drasken (Male Beurian) - Drasken is a Beurian bodyguard and slave of Shov who follows the Head of Council wherever he goes, having been bought and trained for the sole purpose for his own protection.
• ‘Big Toe’ (Male Lun’Kerk) - Grandmaster of the Blackhand, a Lun’Kerk assassin and son of a spy. ‘Big Toe’, as he is named, does not in fact have big toes, but has abnormally smaller ones. Although skilled, he and Shov are in a deep political alliance in the hopes of bringing the Blackhand as a formal institution into Caslan society, in return for some dirty dealings.

Zupan Pelkov Elkwood

• Age - 55
• Titles - Zupan of Telgan, Minor Priest

Pelkov Elkwood is an important figure in the Geuderian faction in Caslan, and is generally considered a very divisive figure. Although he sides with the Geuderians, he is politically conservative, and also one of the faction’s richest members. Pelkov however is often described as a greedy creature, who is more interested in usurpation for his own family then actually improving his own realm, much to the dismay of his allies. Pelkov is also considered extensively cruel towards non-Kerks, and is arch enemies with the rising Hazel clan.

Associates

• Trema Elkwood (Female Kerk) - Pelkov’s wife and true power in the Elkwood clan, a cruel and brutal woman who has raised all three broods of Pelkov’s children with considerable efficiency. Trema has no love towards her husband and bickers often with him, and often rules Telgan with an iron fist while he is away in the Kycer.
• Galya Elkwood (Female Kerk) - Pelkov’s daughter and heir from his first brood, a well trained priest and upcoming matriarch with her own family. Although equal to her father in authority, Gayla does share his personality and motivations, and is more content with remaining more neutral.
• Lokov Elkwood (Male Kerk) - Pelkov’s brother and a necromancer, a priest of Telgan and a Ceremonial Priest in the Kycer. Lokov is one of Pelkov’s only true friends and companions, and both have a brotherly fondness towards one another.
• Quilkov Elkwood (Male Kerk) - Pelkov’s brother, although neither share much love towards one another. Dedicated to his family, Quilkov leads his own elite band of Ghilmen, and is highly protective of the Elkwood clan and its interests.
• Anyan (Male Okan) - An Okan slave of Pelkov and his personal servant. Although abused and meek, Anyan secretly works as a spy for the Unbroken, and in turn, the Hazels.

Zupan Duman Hazel

• Age - 24
• Titles - Zupan of Pemolas, Friend of the Okan

Dunman was not the first choice for Patriarch by his clan, but his upbringing and deeds became known after he and several members of his clan counter-invaded their own tomb city to free it from the grasp of wandering bandits, and then led impressive raids against the Elkwoods. When both the zupan and his heir died in a suspicious ambush, the clan chose Duman to lead them, and has since made strides that has impressed his allies and angered his enemies. Dunman made trade deals with Lavar Brav, reasserted the clan’s loyalty to the Geuders, and reformed their clan’s militia into a more professional militia. Duman is known for his strong sympathies towards the Okan, whom the Okan clans consider him friend.

Associates

• Ula Hazel (Female Kerk) - Ula is Duman’s wife, who is abnormal for the Kerks for being both very calm and kind hearted towards her family, even though she is by all means a matriarch of the clan. Ula continues to struggle keeping the clan in line alongside her husband, but is truly loving of Duman.
• Jaskov Hazel (Male Kerk) - Duman’s brother from the 2nd brood and his chosen heir. Jaskov had been both a great aid to Duman during their travels, but also is mostly equal in skills. Jaskov however is very hot headed, and deeply invested in the feud between the Hazels and the Elkwoods.
• Benton (Male Okan) - Leader of the Unbroken, a thief and petty thug who bribed and blackmailed his way into a position as criminal overlord of Caslan. Benton is normally spiteful of Kerks, but aligns himself with Duman out of mutual interests. Benton hates the Elkwoods in particular, as he had grown up a slave under their iron fisted rule.
• Kas Hazel (Female Okan) - Kas is a supposedly minor adoption of the clan, when Duman’s father had adopted her due to her creativity and intelligence. Kas joined Duman in his adventures, but also became influential for getting him to side more for her people due to their friendship. Her main interests have been construction and building.
• Lurchov Hazel, The Sunken (Male Undead Kerk) - Lurchov is a hermit lich who lives in the Hazel’s tomb city and struck up a friendship with Duman, and was convinced to act as the Hazel's main priest. Although still a fervent isolationist, Lurchov aids the young patriarch in his quests.

Zupan Lavar Brav

• Age - 58
• Titles - Zupan of Lowglan, Minor Priest

Lavar Brav is a very political member of the Kycer, despite the objections of his family, with his main political philosophy being the stability and safety of the republic itself. Lavar is a priest, but is very secular at heart and is more interested in mediation and pragmatic statesmanship. He is popular amongst the lower members of the house, but is unpopular for his rising stardom by Dylon and Shov. Lavar has a friendly relationship with the Hazels, an upstart family of the Geuder’s political faction, and a mentor to many new members within the Kycer. Lavar is often described as a legendary orator and writer, his seething speeches and professionalism has been the bane of many of his rivals within the Kycer.

Associates

• Lena Brav (Female Kerk) - Lavar’s wife and matriarch of the Brav clan, but unlike many kerkian Matriarches, she is far more collected, calm, and concerned for the well being of her clan. That concern often means Lavar is pushy towards her clan to better themselves and aid in the clan’s success, regardless of their own personal troubles.
• Torpov Brav (Male Kerk) - Torpov is Lavar’s son and heir from his first brood, a well learned and mercantile Kerk who travels often as a merchant. Lavar is particularly proud of Torpov for his engagement in politics and his starting job as a Ghilman captain.
• Cilov Brav (Male Kerk) - Lavar’s brother and his spiteful rival in the family, a merchant by trade and a envoy of the Kycer. Cilov despises Lavar’s political scheming and rejection of neutrality. Cilov works with other members of the family to usurp the position of Patriarch from Lavar.
• Tesner Uman (Male Human) - Tesner is one of Lavar’s friends and a merchant of Caslan, who primarily sells paper. Tesner and Lavar share many political convictions and beliefs, but also a unique taste for writing and speech. However, Tesner is not a Kerk and does not stand to get into the Kycer, but Lavar views him as equal to or better then his peers.
• Lila (Female Okan) - Lavar’s personal servant and slave, although is more treated as family. Lavar views Lila fondly for being curious and well educated, having once been a scribe before her poor parents sold her to pay off debts.