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Type: Noble Republic
The ruler, granted the title of Prince or Princess, is a member of the aristocracy who has been elected by other members of the aristocracy. Each term is ten years and there is no theoretical limit to terms. In theory the Prince has absolute power over the country; however, in practice the aristocracy holds quite a bit of power itself and is roughly on par with that of the Prince. In practice the Prince has little power in regards to domestic issues, with most of his power and influence revolving around dealing with foreign entities.
The region north of the capital Levine and city Arksale is a dry area that turns from a plains just north of these cities to a full desert the further north one goes. South of Levine, all the way to Narssis and Anssee is fairly temperate, perfect for farming. There are a number of large forests in this region. The further south one goes from Narssis and Anssee, the more humid it gets. The islands of Xoskea are tropical in climate, in large part due to the warm currents of the sea. In the west, the region by the city of Astrea is damp and cold.
Kern is known as the second capital of Cormyral, serving as its largest trade port and main route to Riawin. Southlee is the only major Kohnian city and also serves as an important trade hub, though not nearly as important as either Levine or Kern.
Cormyral possesses numerous ethnicities, the major four being the Acithans, Kohnians, Siphonese, and Xoskeans. These ethnicities are united less by similarities, although the Kohnians and Xoskeans have seen some cultural blending, and more so due to similar governance by their ruling nobility and a need for a strong defense against external threats. There isn’t a huge amount of interaction between the various ethnicities due to them occupying different regions of the country, although the Kohnians and Xoskeans do have a moderate amount of peaceful and largely beneficial interactions with each other.
The Cormyrean military has an emphasis on skirmishing and ranged combat. All Cormyrean soldiers have some capacity to fight at distance, whether they are bow cavalry or heavy infantry that use a throwing axe right before meeting the enemy in a charge. There is an especially heavy emphasis on the use of bow cavalry in Cormyral. Cormyrean soldiers tend to be lightly armored with leather lamellar armor. Heavy infantry and heavy cavalry are typically outfitted with iron scale or plated mail armor. Acithan and Siphonese soldiers can be expected to carrying arming swords, whereas those from Kohnia and Xoskea typically wield falcatas and kukris. Cormyral’s most iconic soldiers are its cataphracts, heavy cavalry that engage the enemy from afar with bows before charging in with melee weapons.
(Will be adding more detailed info later.)
Lynette "The Lioness" Langelier: A master with the sword and true leader of men, the Lioness is Cormyral's greatest hero. Once the greatest military mind of Riawin, she led Cormyral to victory in the civil war after defecting.
Aldrick Cuvier: A well known womanizer, Aldrick is highly skilled with both swords and magic. His magic is primarily used to augment his swordplay and protect him from harm.
Cedric Girard: Cormyral's greatest mage, Cedric is an expert in offensive magic.
Soraya Kazemi: A master of mounted combat, Soraya is especially skilled with the use of a bow. The accuracy and force of her arrows has many believing that she has been blessed by the goddess of war.
Cormyral was first formed roughly twenty years ago. Tired of the Riawin Empress's curtailing of aristocratic power and influence, the nobility rebelled. With inferior wealth and manpower than Riawin, the rebels were forced to turn to the aid of outside sources, namely Mycae, to sustain the war effort. Even so they struggled to hold Riawin back and very rarely took to the offensive. This all changed when fifteen years into the war the "Lioness" of Riawin, Lynette Langelier defected to the rebellion. Within five years the war ended and Cormyral was formed.
Cormyral’s one and only rival is Riawin, which it only recently broke away from during a civil war. It views Riawin as an existential threat and is more than happy to work against it in just about all matters. Dakarragord and Mycea are viewed as both potential allies and very real threats. Mycae is especially a country of concern for Cormyral, thus may become a rival in the near future. Dakarragord is viewed as barbarians with a hint of civility. In time they may become a threat, but until Riawin has been neutralized they are a natural ally. The Sakabanatu to the north are considered a nonentity; normal has no real interactions with them beyond some minor trading.
The current ruler of Cormyral, Prince Madec was one of the first nobles to rebel against Riawin. At one time a warrior of no small skill, old age has taken most of his strength from him. He is also known to be somewhat paranoid, especially when it comes to Lynette Langelier, who he believes to be a threat to his power.
Arguably the greatest military mind of both Riawin and Cormyral, Lynette was at one time Riawin's top military leader. When the Riawin empress removed her from power Lynette defected to Cormyral. A true master with the sword, few one the continent can rightfully claim to be her equal.
A well known womanizer, Aldrick surrounds himself with beautiful women. He commonly comes off as being aloof, indifferent, and not particularly bright. This is, in large part, an act. His skill with the sword is not insubstantial. He augments this with his skill in sorcery, which is primarily used to augment his swordplay and protect himself from harm. While he does have some offensive spells available, most of them are fairly weak.
An expert in offensive magic, Credric is both Cormyral's greatest mage and the head of one of its more influential families. A somewhat eccentric man, he's been known to remain in seclusion for weeks on end as he performs magical experiments. While hating to take to the field of combat as it is both "dirty" and "uncivilized", he will if asked by Lynette or Aldrick, both who are personal acquaintances of his.
A Kohnian of the almeh social class, Soraya is the only hero of Cormyral that is not somehow involved in its governance, instead choosing to travel and see the world. She is a master of mounted combat and possesses tremendous skill in the use of a bow. The accuracy and force of her arrows has many believing that she has been blessed by the goddess of war.
The Kingdom of Cormyral
Government
Type: Noble Republic
The ruler, granted the title of Prince or Princess, is a member of the aristocracy who has been elected by other members of the aristocracy. Each term is ten years and there is no theoretical limit to terms. In theory the Prince has absolute power over the country; however, in practice the aristocracy holds quite a bit of power itself and is roughly on par with that of the Prince. In practice the Prince has little power in regards to domestic issues, with most of his power and influence revolving around dealing with foreign entities.
Geography
The region north of the capital Levine and city Arksale is a dry area that turns from a plains just north of these cities to a full desert the further north one goes. South of Levine, all the way to Narssis and Anssee is fairly temperate, perfect for farming. There are a number of large forests in this region. The further south one goes from Narssis and Anssee, the more humid it gets. The islands of Xoskea are tropical in climate, in large part due to the warm currents of the sea. In the west, the region by the city of Astrea is damp and cold.
Kern is known as the second capital of Cormyral, serving as its largest trade port and main route to Riawin. Southlee is the only major Kohnian city and also serves as an important trade hub, though not nearly as important as either Levine or Kern.
Culture
Cormyral possesses numerous ethnicities, the major four being the Acithans, Kohnians, Siphonese, and Xoskeans. These ethnicities are united less by similarities, although the Kohnians and Xoskeans have seen some cultural blending, and more so due to similar governance by their ruling nobility and a need for a strong defense against external threats. There isn’t a huge amount of interaction between the various ethnicities due to them occupying different regions of the country, although the Kohnians and Xoskeans do have a moderate amount of peaceful and largely beneficial interactions with each other.
The residents of the northern region of Cormyral, Acithans are fair skinned and commonly fair haired humans. As a whole Acithans are hard working and seem to be somewhat energetic. This makes them very industrious workers. Acithans have a rich tradition of literature, music, and dance. Much of Acithan music is traditional folk music, performed throughout the countryside by famous Acithan composers. Acithan music tends to have a strong dactylic rhythm. Thousands of pieces of masterfully written literature has been written in Acithan. Many of Acitha's more prominent literary works are ancient epics written to teach moral lessons. Sadly these works are barely known outside of Acitha as most have never been converted to another language.
The descendants of pastoral nomads, the Kohnian culture is still very much a horse culture. Most Kohnians own a horse, if not more, and all Kohnians have some experience riding one. They tend to prefer living in small villages and towns, although there are a handful of Kohnian settlements that could be called cities. Interactions with Xoskeans has led to the rise of Kohnian almehs, well educated female entertainers who are trained in singing, dancing, and reciting poetry. The rise of the almeh social class has led many to believe that all Kohnian women wear skimpy bedlah outfits and belly dance, something that not even all almeh do.
The inhabitants of Cormyral’s isolated west coast, the Siphonese are well known as a people of the arts and philosophy. Philosophy has played a huge role in Siphonese culture throughout the centuries as philosophers strived to find common ground between various religions. More recent philosophers have tried to link mathematics to philosophy, forming a new pseudo-science. Siphonese literature is focused more on the translation and interpretation of works from other cultures and less on the creation of new works. The same is true, to a lesser extend, about music and dances. Most “original” works of art that come from the Siphonese are actually hybrids formed from other cultures. Racially the Siphonese are fair skinned humans with dark hair and brown eyes.
The people of Cormyral’s southern islands, Xoskeans are primarily a race of people known as lamia. Lamia are an entirely female race of beings that possess the upper body of a female human or elf and the lower body of a snake. These beings are, on average, eighteen feet long from head to the tip of their tail, although it's not uncommon for individuals to reach thirty feet in length. While their upper bodies possess the strength of a human or elven woman, their lower bodies are immensely powerful and can crush a horse sized animal if given enough time. Despite this strength, or perhaps because of it, lamia don’t have nearly the same endurance as humans; they can’t fight as long as or march as far as humans before exhausting themselves. Naturally primarily nocturnal with the coming of civilization to their lands they now prefer the daytime. Lamia have the remarkable ability to sense the heat of other beings, allowing them to even identify the being’s location in many cases even in the dead of night. Lamia retain their youth for an additional twenty years longer than humans, but have lifespans that are roughly twenty years shorter. During the last ten years of their lives they age rapidly. They are noted as being abnormally beautiful, which is a good thing as they require the use of males from other species to reproduce. Because of this they have a fairly small population.
Military
The Cormyrean military has an emphasis on skirmishing and ranged combat. All Cormyrean soldiers have some capacity to fight at distance, whether they are bow cavalry or heavy infantry that use a throwing axe right before meeting the enemy in a charge. There is an especially heavy emphasis on the use of bow cavalry in Cormyral. Cormyrean soldiers tend to be lightly armored with leather lamellar armor. Heavy infantry and heavy cavalry are typically outfitted with iron scale or plated mail armor. Acithan and Siphonese soldiers can be expected to carrying arming swords, whereas those from Kohnia and Xoskea typically wield falcatas and kukris. Cormyral’s most iconic soldiers are its cataphracts, heavy cavalry that engage the enemy from afar with bows before charging in with melee weapons.
Light Infantry: The generic light infantry of Cormyral, these troops are equipped with a spear and bow, serving as both spearmen and general skirmishers. In most cases these soldiers have simple leather armor. They are noted as being modest archers and fairly subpar melee soldiers, relying on whittling down the enemy before engaging in a charge and overwhelming them with numbers.
Archers: These soldiers are levies from across Cormyral that showed some skill in archery. In many cases hunters or peasants who wanted to ensure they didn't become melee infantry, these soldiers are somewhat more skilled archers than the levies found in other countries. They are equipped with leather lamellar armor, a recurve bow, and many carry a melee weapon such as a long knife or arming sword.
Longbow men: Highly skilled archers, these men form an almost crucial part of any Cormyrean army. Essentially better than normal archers in every way, longbow men are also fairly competent in the use of an arming sword and are protected by mail armor. Because of this they are not only deadly at range, but also able to protect themselves and important defensive positions when forced into melee combat.
Green Coats: Named after their iconic green cloaks, green coat infantry are heavy infantry that use two handed claymore swords in battle. They were plated mail armor that typically has a single large plate on the chest to protect them from the front. These soldiers are great shock troops, able to route enemy formations quickly when employed right.
Anssee Company: Originating from the city of Anssee, the Anssee company is a mercenary group of heavy infantry. These soldiers are outfitted in plated mail armor, a simple wooden shield, and carry both a throwing axe and arming sword. Common practice is for these soldiers to throw their axes at the enemy moments before meeting them in melee in order to disrupt their formations. In many cases they are also supported by archers and pikemen from the same mercenary company.
Kohnian Gallowglass: These heavy infantry are well trained and equipped Kohnian aristocrats, namely from Southlee. These troops, considered by many to be elites, can be relied upon to hold a defensive position, unlike many other forms of Cormyrean infantry. Typically they wear either plated armor or scale mail armor. All Kohnian gallowglass are skilled in the use of both a falcata sword and bow.
Northern Gallowglass: Very similar to the Kohnian gallowglass, these soldiers are made up from Acithan and Siphonese aristocrats. More numerous in number than their Kohnian counterparts, northern gallowglass make up the bulk of Cormyral's heavy infantry. These soldiers rely on plated mail armor and shields for defense. In terms of armaments they carry two javelins, which can either be used as spears against cavalry or thrown at enemy infantry, and an arming sword. Unlike their Kohnian counterparts, northern gallowglass are much more offensive oriented.
Archers: These soldiers are levies from across Cormyral that showed some skill in archery. In many cases hunters or peasants who wanted to ensure they didn't become melee infantry, these soldiers are somewhat more skilled archers than the levies found in other countries. They are equipped with leather lamellar armor, a recurve bow, and many carry a melee weapon such as a long knife or arming sword.
Longbow men: Highly skilled archers, these men form an almost crucial part of any Cormyrean army. Essentially better than normal archers in every way, longbow men are also fairly competent in the use of an arming sword and are protected by mail armor. Because of this they are not only deadly at range, but also able to protect themselves and important defensive positions when forced into melee combat.
Green Coats: Named after their iconic green cloaks, green coat infantry are heavy infantry that use two handed claymore swords in battle. They were plated mail armor that typically has a single large plate on the chest to protect them from the front. These soldiers are great shock troops, able to route enemy formations quickly when employed right.
Anssee Company: Originating from the city of Anssee, the Anssee company is a mercenary group of heavy infantry. These soldiers are outfitted in plated mail armor, a simple wooden shield, and carry both a throwing axe and arming sword. Common practice is for these soldiers to throw their axes at the enemy moments before meeting them in melee in order to disrupt their formations. In many cases they are also supported by archers and pikemen from the same mercenary company.
Kohnian Gallowglass: These heavy infantry are well trained and equipped Kohnian aristocrats, namely from Southlee. These troops, considered by many to be elites, can be relied upon to hold a defensive position, unlike many other forms of Cormyrean infantry. Typically they wear either plated armor or scale mail armor. All Kohnian gallowglass are skilled in the use of both a falcata sword and bow.
Northern Gallowglass: Very similar to the Kohnian gallowglass, these soldiers are made up from Acithan and Siphonese aristocrats. More numerous in number than their Kohnian counterparts, northern gallowglass make up the bulk of Cormyral's heavy infantry. These soldiers rely on plated mail armor and shields for defense. In terms of armaments they carry two javelins, which can either be used as spears against cavalry or thrown at enemy infantry, and an arming sword. Unlike their Kohnian counterparts, northern gallowglass are much more offensive oriented.
Cormyrean Bow Cavalry: Lightly armored and armed, these soldiers make up the bulk of Cormyral's cavalry. These soldiers are all skilled in the use of bows, although they tend to be somewhat lackluster in a melee engagement. In most cases Cormyrean bow cavalry is equipped with leather armor and a recurve bow. Many, but not all carry a sword as well. Those originating from Acitha or Siphonia use arming swords while those from Kohnia, which make up the vast majority of these soldiers, carry falcata swords.
Cataphracts: Well trained and equippped, cataphracts are some of the most elite troops available to Cormyral. These soldiers are skilled with both the bow, blade, and other weapons. Like other bow cavalry, cataphracts will harass the enemy from afar with their bows. Unlike bow cavalry, however, these cataphracts do so with the full intent of charging into the enemy ranks afterwards. In most cases cataphracts are equipped with plated mail armor, although there are some rare cases of individuals obtaining full plate armor. Naturally they carry a recurve bow, lance, and other melee weapon dependent on what region they were recruited from. Acithan and Siphonese cataphracts usually carry a mace whereas Kohnian cataphracts carry falcata swords.
Cataphracts: Well trained and equippped, cataphracts are some of the most elite troops available to Cormyral. These soldiers are skilled with both the bow, blade, and other weapons. Like other bow cavalry, cataphracts will harass the enemy from afar with their bows. Unlike bow cavalry, however, these cataphracts do so with the full intent of charging into the enemy ranks afterwards. In most cases cataphracts are equipped with plated mail armor, although there are some rare cases of individuals obtaining full plate armor. Naturally they carry a recurve bow, lance, and other melee weapon dependent on what region they were recruited from. Acithan and Siphonese cataphracts usually carry a mace whereas Kohnian cataphracts carry falcata swords.
(Will be adding more detailed info later.)
Heroes
Lynette "The Lioness" Langelier: A master with the sword and true leader of men, the Lioness is Cormyral's greatest hero. Once the greatest military mind of Riawin, she led Cormyral to victory in the civil war after defecting.
Aldrick Cuvier: A well known womanizer, Aldrick is highly skilled with both swords and magic. His magic is primarily used to augment his swordplay and protect him from harm.
Cedric Girard: Cormyral's greatest mage, Cedric is an expert in offensive magic.
Soraya Kazemi: A master of mounted combat, Soraya is especially skilled with the use of a bow. The accuracy and force of her arrows has many believing that she has been blessed by the goddess of war.
History
Cormyral was first formed roughly twenty years ago. Tired of the Riawin Empress's curtailing of aristocratic power and influence, the nobility rebelled. With inferior wealth and manpower than Riawin, the rebels were forced to turn to the aid of outside sources, namely Mycae, to sustain the war effort. Even so they struggled to hold Riawin back and very rarely took to the offensive. This all changed when fifteen years into the war the "Lioness" of Riawin, Lynette Langelier defected to the rebellion. Within five years the war ended and Cormyral was formed.
Relations
Cormyral’s one and only rival is Riawin, which it only recently broke away from during a civil war. It views Riawin as an existential threat and is more than happy to work against it in just about all matters. Dakarragord and Mycea are viewed as both potential allies and very real threats. Mycae is especially a country of concern for Cormyral, thus may become a rival in the near future. Dakarragord is viewed as barbarians with a hint of civility. In time they may become a threat, but until Riawin has been neutralized they are a natural ally. The Sakabanatu to the north are considered a nonentity; normal has no real interactions with them beyond some minor trading.
Characters
The current ruler of Cormyral, Prince Madec was one of the first nobles to rebel against Riawin. At one time a warrior of no small skill, old age has taken most of his strength from him. He is also known to be somewhat paranoid, especially when it comes to Lynette Langelier, who he believes to be a threat to his power.
Arguably the greatest military mind of both Riawin and Cormyral, Lynette was at one time Riawin's top military leader. When the Riawin empress removed her from power Lynette defected to Cormyral. A true master with the sword, few one the continent can rightfully claim to be her equal.
A well known womanizer, Aldrick surrounds himself with beautiful women. He commonly comes off as being aloof, indifferent, and not particularly bright. This is, in large part, an act. His skill with the sword is not insubstantial. He augments this with his skill in sorcery, which is primarily used to augment his swordplay and protect himself from harm. While he does have some offensive spells available, most of them are fairly weak.
An expert in offensive magic, Credric is both Cormyral's greatest mage and the head of one of its more influential families. A somewhat eccentric man, he's been known to remain in seclusion for weeks on end as he performs magical experiments. While hating to take to the field of combat as it is both "dirty" and "uncivilized", he will if asked by Lynette or Aldrick, both who are personal acquaintances of his.
A Kohnian of the almeh social class, Soraya is the only hero of Cormyral that is not somehow involved in its governance, instead choosing to travel and see the world. She is a master of mounted combat and possesses tremendous skill in the use of a bow. The accuracy and force of her arrows has many believing that she has been blessed by the goddess of war.
The Sakabantu tribes don't have anything like a city, stronghold or castle but there may be isolated incidents where a tribe built a clay fort or something for whatever reason. However protective mounds or palisades may be present around larger yurt towns or stationary craft/farmland.
Pack Animals that work in groups under two mages.
Requires seven mages to control a single one. Rare.
Another pack animal that is used by individual mages.
A creature that is used only within the forest and is never taken outside onto the open battlefield.
Used by the Sky riders as mounts to attack the battlefield from above. Agile creatures that can maneuver between trees.
