[CHAR] Forgotten Worlds

[Dinh AaronMk]

Hider

Name of nation:
Sorenio Republiqa duo Azula Coatl
or
The Flowering Republic

Name of leader:
Rodreigo Moreango Pedro duo Montagonea

Brief introduction to leader:
Rodreigo Moreango Pedro duo Montagonea, referred to as well as the Duego Rogreigo, Moreango, or Pedro is the current head – Patrico – of the Montagonea family, a wealthy family cartel trading abroad in exotic spices, porcelains abroad and salt at home. Elected as the Duego of the Republic of the Azul Coast in his fiftieth year. A coldly moral man, he presides over the Flowering Republic with an unwavering sense of what he considers to be ethical. Over his seventeen year tenure he has had three major heads of the oligarchical families put to death over perceived violations of the Republic. While this has netted him a lot of his enemies, the expansive breadth of the Montagonea family and its wealth as access to its own substantial private army has thus far retained a sense of political balance within the streets of the capital of Porto Saolo Grosso.

Name of other character:
I would really rather save this for when the IC starts. I have my reasons.

Culture:
The Sorenio Republiqa duo Azula Coatl is not also known as the Flowering Republic without reason. Nestled in the eternal summer of the south the inhabitants – rich or poor – enjoy a enriched livelihood in the fertile river valleys of its provinces and a rich abundance that makes even the poorest seem as modest merchants to many outside visitors. A culture built on a religion of festival, it is not entirely unusual to come to the Republic and find it in the midst of, or setting up for a procession in honor of one of the people's twenty-four patron Santos duo Suano, the Saints of the Sun. The festival atmosphere and the eternal bloom of its streets and countrysides has spawned a diverse and rich culture varying broadly by region to region, or in the city of Porto Saolo Grosso by district.

It is said that every morning the people are woken by song, and stimulated by coffee at a breakfast of bacon and fruit. Wine, red, rich and sweet by lunch with honeyed bread. By dinner, rich beer over beef and vegetables and rich plums.

The Republic speaks many different dialects and several languages collected almost as if by adhoc, an effect of the Republic's colonial history as its merchant and plantation families reach beyond the Republic's borders in search of unbroken earth beyond, or land to pull out from under a feudal baron's demesne to expand the horticultural and viticultural ambitions of the Flowering Republic.

Religion:
The principle cult of the Republic is the cult of the son and its twenty-four saints, each marking a beginning of and end of a month in a rally race through the years. Marked with parades, flowers, and feathers many devout worshipers use the time to clean up the homes. Celebratory dinners to the saints are often held in the home, with small portions of food set aside during the festival time for the spiritual ascendants to partake in, should their souls so choose. Doorways and landings are scrubbed clean with water, and by the end of festival all food which had not been eaten is given to the beggars.

The cult of the Sun is not the only religious entity though. Scattered in the rural highlands and valleys is a smattering of other observances to the natural world in which communities live. The cult of the fish, the tiger, the tree, the orchid, the stars, the moon. Referred to often as The Pagan Communities by the affluent of the cities where the Cult of the Sun is strong. This however overlooks the transient nature by which faith is often observed among much of the people.

Attitude to magic:
Attitudes to magic can be summarized as two competing schools of thought. Salvation of the spirit vs Salvation of the material. Magic is not looked down upon by the people of the Flowering Republic, either treated indifferently or with reverence depending on where one comes from. But the study of magic has turned less from its utility as a means to, “send up sparkling roses, like some street juggler” but more towards its implications and furthering them. There is much more in its philosophical meditations. While in the course of this the study of magic and its philosophy its worldly impact has not gone unobserved, while complicated the baubles and implements used to study or come from study have entered into private consumption by the wealthy classes of the study, such as Scopiomagio; implements for the long-distance communication between distant parties.

The attitudes towards magic are emblemized within the two major academies of the realm, the Academio duo Escolatoir and the Academio duo Importo.

Brief history:
The Republic was born out of the corpse of another, ancient Empire. When this old Empire fell, its extant governates, colonies, and subjects wrestled sovereignty from one another. The warlords that rose came to sack the capital, and stole away with its memory, its wealth, and its importance finishing any and all hope it had to march along into time. The extant territories, now sovereign coalesced into feuding baronies and minor lordships as the private villas and estates became countries unto themselves.

In this time, Porto Saolo Grosso came to think of itself as the last bastion of that old way. Renowned at the time of its empire for its vistas and rich soils it was already better placed than most and subject to neighboring jealousies. Initially itself ruled by a feudal nobility, though it would come to a bloody end. In the time of the dynasty though, the independent city was bolstered against invaders in a succession of small wars leading to great success.

These wars brought a great amount of land and wealth into it. As well as the mercenary companies formed out of the old captains and the old guard of the old Empire and their sons. In these early wars the call for soldiers turned the old noble to refer to the unemployed former military, and the income brought in service enriched the pockets of the company commanders and their leading officers. After the wars, these men were in position to take in some of the land spoils acquired and started a transition from war fighting to farming and agriculture. Their immense political clout forced an imbalance between them and the fledgling nobility that became poorly handled.

Over a century later, the Estadio Famílias – private landholders not recognized as feudal kings – embarked on a rebellion against their rulers in protest over a lack of recognition. While singly not as powerful as the king or the counts, they amassed together such an impressive wealth they were able to overthrow the feudal nobility and elected a Republic among themselves, naming it Sorenio Republiqa duo Azula Coatl on paper, but also proclaiming it the Flowering Republic.

Since then the priority of the realm has been the management of itself and its access abroad. As a Republic built on land ownership, the political pressure from rising or established families often leads to a call to acquire additional territory to increase the franchise.

Military:
Since the abolition of the old feudal order the old militia and levee system has mostly been abolished. Though with the sizable wealth many of the large families of the Republic hold it's not uncommon for them to possess even a small private armed force, the larger ones operate entire companies on their own as security against piracy or their rivals. A standing army is thus maintained as the Compativa Duego – the Duego's Retinue – to form the backbone of the army. Common levies are still often time raised, but are not considered the main body of the military force and are purely supplementary; given basic training and given the most readily usable weapons.

The filial retinues and the Compativa Duego are often more readily equipped and professionally trained at owner's expense. Armed with the state of the art arabesques and trained in swordsmanship they are the vanguard of the mercantile interest.

Government:
The Sorenio Republiqa duo Azula Coatl is by no surprise a Republic. Access to Republican politics is invested in land ownership, with the definition of land spanning from farm fields to owning a galleon of significant size. This how ever means that often the unlanded or uninvested sons of voters can not themselves vote until they inherit, and to prevent scoffing remarks of the Flowering Republic being a country of old men there is often increased pressure to find means to enfranchise the sons of voters, especially those of the strongest families.

There is no party in the Republic. Only family.

Main sources of income:
The Republic trades in many things. Southern spices including such things as cinnamon and black peppercorn or salt and sugar. The fisheries off-shore are considered rich and are of some importance with salted, preserved fish being an important export commodity for northern markets. The interior of the Republic has its gold and silver mines, which are vital for the Republic's mint and are not owned by any of the families, but strictly as an aspect of the government itself as a vestige of the feudal demesne; bonds and loans issued by the Serene Council – or du Serenado – are based off of the output of these mines, the reserve of precious metals, and current circulation.

Of other importance is the production of wine and beer in the Republic, with the vineyards accounting for a sizable total of the Republic's agriculture export. Otherwise, agriculture is primarily for sustaining the Republic itself, a blockade would not starve them as designed.

Current goal:
As needed, when called for: increase the franchise by accepted means, to retain the balance between families.

[Drunken Conquistador]

The Mighty Children

The Eternal Realm of the Zul-Agar
Broken Realms
Old Ifanen
The Golden Empire

"Far to the East lies the broken realm of Old Ifanen. Inhabited by degenerate mutants and broken slaves. Ruled by cruel and mad Sorcerer-Kings, mighty in power and lore. Their hatred for each other only surpassed by their hatred for all the other races and beautiful things of the world, which they desire to dominate and pervert for the sake of their Demon-Gods and deviant lusts."

He Who Rules us All:

"Sovereign of the World, Master of All Creatures Upon the Land and Under the Sea, Commander of all the Spirits of the Aether, Conductor of the Earthly Choir and High Priest of the Celestial Symphony, Conqueror of Ten Thousand Peoples, Champion of the Stars, Consort of the Starry Maiden, Ravager of Lesser Races and Great Warlord of All Under Heaven. Mightiest of the Children"

"Of the last man who claimed dominion over Ifanen, little is know for a fact outside of the Broken Realm itself. And even in that demon infested land, a visitor would be hard pressed to separate truth from myth and misconception. For the Sorcerer-Kings of the Zul-Agar rarely engage in idle conversation with foreigners, and even rarer are the times in which they deign themselves to indulge in the curiosity of foreign scholars."

"What we can ascertain is that the Golden King was the last and most terrible of the rulers of Old Ifanen. Sailing numerous times out of his island and into the mainland to expand his domains, enslave lesser tribes and perpetrate the will of his blasphemous gods. It was during one of the interludes of his many campaigns that the Sinking happened. Neither him nor any of his brood survived the cataclysm. Without his iron hand, the remants of Ifanen collapsed into infighting.

"These days, it's said that some of the Sorcerer-Kings still hold out hope of his return. But that's as improbable as Ifanen rising back from the sea floor. Whatever disaster created the Zul-Agar, also wiped out the royal line. If he still lived, the Golden King would have no reason to remain hidden for so many centuries. After all, the Mighty Children (how the Sorcerer-Kings refer to themselves and their kin) profess undying loyalty to him, millennia after his supposed death."

He Who Smiles And Dances:

"The Smiler, Laughing Lord, Defiler of Tellanon, Satrap of Hattarin, The Flawless One, Brother to the Neverborn. He Who Walks Among the Filth. Spawn of He Who Rolls Like the Thunder."

Grazdir-gal-Sin, Sorcerer-King of the island of Hattarin, is a of the first generation born after the Sinking. Spawned by the previous Lord of Hattarin upon an elf slave possessed by a fiend, Grazdir is one of the few Sorcerer-Kings who regularly deals with other peoples and nations with anything else than disdain and hatred. As a result, Hattarin is one of the few ports visited by foreign traders.

Though this "weakness" before the Lesser Races makes other Sorcerer-Kings disdain the Laughing Lord, one should not be foolish to think that he's a champion of the weak and downtrodden before his fellows. Grazdir-gal-Sin is as arrogant and prideful as any Zul-Agar worth the name. And his vanity is unrivaled among that cursed land. The fact his slaves are somewhat better treated on the average and that he refrains from attacking his immediate neighbors does not means his cruelty is nonexistent. One need only visit the ports during holy days, when the broken masses are gathered around the ziggurats to witness the foul rituals undertaken in the name of the Star Gods.

Or perhaps one can take the example of Tellanon, a rich trading principality in the Western shores of the world. One day the inhabitants of this land woke to the sight of the Purple Maiden banner approaching their shores. The Laughing Lord had arrived to bring ruin to their land. Why you might ask? Because 70 years before a team of "heroes" had managed to sneak into one of Grazdir's vaults. And while almost all didn't made it out alive, one of them escaped and managed to return home. And the man died, thinking himself safe, because Grazdir was dealing with problems closer to home. His grandchildren, however, would not be so fortunate.

She Who Kneels in Shame

"The Horned Goat of Lerin-Gaen, The Dishonored Maiden, Honorless Cur, Spawn of the Serpent-Lion."

Nin-Anunit is young by the Children's standards. A mere 200 years, she's the youngest among the brood of Liblut-Usur, the Serpent-Lion and Satrap of Bel-Kahir. Of these 200 years, Nin spent the last 50 as a decapitated head, buried in the Demon-infested mud of the Lerin-Gaen swamp. As punishment for not treating her mighty sire with enough respect.

With the end of her imprisonment soon approaching, she looks forward to getting away from the ever constant depredations of unhoused spirits and the insistent whispering of the Demons of Lerin-Gaen. Even if it means being brought back to Bel-Kahir bearing the stain of humiliation and dishonor. The Serpent-Lion is, after all, renowned across the land for his dutifulness and adherence to justice. Surely the rest of her punishment (for there will be a second part to it, that much was made clear as her brother hacked at her neck with his blade) will not be excessive.

The Customs of the Children:

The Zul-Agar believe themselves chosen by the Gods to be the rulers of stewards of this planet. Their very name reflects that, with Zul-Agar meaning "Mighty Children". This belief in their natural superiority stems from the early days of their existence as a people, eons before the Sinking that turned them into what they are today.

The Sinking and reduction of their home island to an archipelago somehow reinforced this belief. Before the Sinking they were men, mighty in arms and lore but men still. Now? Now the favor of the Star Gods is evident in the very land they inhabit. For even heretic slaves end up succumbing to their gifts the longer they survive the cruel toil imposed upon them by their masters. As for the Children themselves, well, one needs only to behold their holy countenance. And if outsiders shiver and cry out in terror at their sight, then this means they're unenlightened.

Control and dominance are pillars of their society. The Children are superior to all others, and the world rightfully belongs to them. And so it must be bent to their will. Either through magic or industry, not even nature should stand in their way. And as one of the primordial forces of the universe, magic should also belong to them, to be mastered and controlled like no one else can. Whether it be to summon hellish fiends from beyond the veil of the material world or perform amazing feats of alchemy, the Children are expected to excel in magic by any means necessary. Anything less would be a terrible shame.

This drive for perfection, coupled with their natural pride and arrogance makes the Children prone to infighting by default. Without the Golden King or an equally awesome figure to unify them, the Sorcerer-Kings will not fight under the same banner save to face an existential threat. While even in times of peace one should always be weary so as to not show too much weakness. For there are few things a Zul-Agar hates more than to serve someone unworthy of their talents. Though to be fair, they do hate a lot of stuff, including foreign customs and upstarts slaves (which most of them think is the rest of the world).

Religion plays a large role in their culture. The Star Gods are from whom the Children draw justification for their superiority. And to whom they credit the Sinking of Old Ifanen and their transformation from men into something greater. Due to the unsettling nature of the Star Cult, only the Children themselves are allowed to learn the deeper mysteries of the faith. And even the young and low ranked ones are limited in what they're allowed to glimpse. To learn such lore, one must prove itself, for there's little difference between religious and magical learning. The Sorcerer-Kings are as much priests as sorcerous warlods, and to learn stronger lore and spells, one must also advance within the Cult's ranks. Something that is neither easy, cheap or painless.

Slavery is also an important pillar in the society of the Eternal Realm. More than an economic practice, slavery is a declaration of their perceived superiority. All are beneath the Mighty Children and as such their place is on their knees before the chosen of the Star Gods. And inside the domains of the Sorcerer-Kings, all but his immediate family are his slaves (and sometimes not even that distinction is enough to save you).

It should be pointed out, however, that slavery tends to vary within the territories of the Zul-Agar. A mere Orc slave straight off the boat simply hasn't the same value as a Demon bound to a mortal host, or even another slave with decades of experience. This distinction is reflected in how different slaves are treated. And while as a rule of thumb, the great mass of slaves across the Broken Realms are treated as chattel, a few exceptions exist, and there are ways a slave can secure better treatment for himself and his kin. Such as entering a Children's Household or volunteering for its army. Though such fates carry their own risks.

Though the Children themselves do not need to eat like normal beings, many of them (specially those who were alive before the Sinking) still insist on holding great banquets and feasts for themselves and their retainers. These displays of power and opulence go beyond mere feasts, the Children will do anything in their power to show the Lesser Races and their own rivals just how superior they are, and enjoy themselves while doing it, of course. Because what's the point otherwise?

The Glories of the Star Cult:

The faith of the Zul-Agar is essentially a mystery cult. Participation is limited to the Children themselves and those with some of their blood in their veins, which means that most of the Eternal Realm's population don't actually know much about the gods they worship. That doesn't stops said slaves from being harshly punished if they are caught paying homage to other pantheons or faiths.

Members themselves only learn more about the Cult's lore and scriptures as they proceed through the ranks. Said advancement is also magical training, for the Zul-Agar claim to draw their magic from their celestial pantheon. Meanwhile, the policy of purposefully limiting the knowledge and power serves a twofold purpose: One, it ensures new acolytes, still too overly proud and not properly broken by the ranking priests, don't actually have the power, skill and knowledge in magic to challenge their superiors. Two, it ensures these same acolytes don't carry out any rituals to which they are mentally unprepared, for such failed ceremonies have disastrous consequences for all involved.

Rituals are a vital aspect of the Star Cult (and Zul-Agar magic by extension). A number of days through the year are particularly important for the followers of the Star Gods, depending on the positions of the stars. Hundreds or even thousands may be sacrificed by the Sorcerer-Kings atop the Ziggurat-temples to appease the gods or seek boons for their loyal worshipers. Multiple rituals are also carried out behind closed doors, with purposes as varied as their results and whose attendance can range from hundreds of acolytes and servants to the Sorcerer-King by himself, depending on the complexity and skill necessary.

Astrology and astronomy are also important disciplines within the Star Cult. For the Zul-Agar believe that their gods make their will known through the movement of the stars. And as such the faithful must keep constant watch over them to ensure that they continue to follow the designs of their celestial masters.

The Zul-Agar obsession with pomp and displays of wealth, and the fact that their rulers are also their high priests, also affects their religious practices.

To an outside observer, the Star Cult is a foul practice, the art and faith of the mad and cruel. And as much as it may be true, one should think twice before disparaging the faith and its practices anywhere within the Eternal Realm. Many an explorer and trader met a grisly end that way, even after being granted safe passage and protection by the local Sorcerer-King.

Attitude to magic: Magic, like everything else, should belong to the Mighty Children. It hails from the Star Gods and is but one of the many boons granted to the Zul-Agar. And only to them, the Zul-Agar loathe mages and wizards from other peoples, and don't even allow their bastard half-mortal children to advance too high within the Star Cult hierarchy, lest these unworthy mongrels gain more power than they deserve.

What the Lesser Races Know:

"And from the land of Ifanen rose a nation of Men mighty in arms and magic. Erecting glittering cyclopean cities of marble for their unknowable Star Gods and washing all the lands therein with the blood of slaves."

"Wherever they could reach, the men of Ifanen spread misery and cruelty in their mad drive to sate their own ambitions and please their Demons. Their cruel empire only came to an end when the Heavens themselves intervened against their malice, striking down their tyrant overlord and drowning their home island and destroying the black heart of their domain."

"The sinking of Ifanen did not put an end to the Golden Empire, or at least not immediately. A multitude of colonial governors and generals who had survived the disaster by virtue of being on the mainland claimed to be carrying out the legacy of Ifanen, even as the broken remnants of their homeland became a magic blasted no-go zone and even as they fought each other for the title of King of Ifanen."

"For two hundred years the colonies and armies of Ifanen fought each other and the world in their bid to subjugate the other survivors. A war that ultimately doomed their efforts to survive against the vast coalitions that had gathered against them."

"The first known record of the Sorcerer-Kings of the Zul-Agar comes from thirteen centuries after the Sinking. When a naval squadron was sent to investigate the sudden lack of communication from the outer islands of the..."

"It was the Sorcerer-King known as Meni-sin-Adad, four centuries after the Zul-Agar rejoined the world, who led the first conquest campaigns outside the Broken Realm. Landing his hosts on the coast of Brynern."

"Still, it should be noted that they rarely venture outside their islands and are apparently content with the disparate colonies established on the mainland. Nevertheless, we cannot allow ourselves to lower our guard. For none knows when their foul legions will once again march out to conquer..."

"I write this to you in near panic. But I have found damning evidence about the real patrons of the Church of the Solar Lion. Action must be taken at once."

The Hosts of the Children:

Each Sorcerer-King maintains its own army and navy, loyal only to itself. This means that there is some variation among the hosts fielded by the Mighty Children. Though all of them follow the same rough framework:

Slave levies: The lowest of the low, these conscripts are used as cannon-fodder and auxiliary forces. Poorly armed and barely (if at all) trained. Most levies are only kept in the battlefield because they fear their own masters more than their enemies. These wretches are commanded by other slaves, volunteers who receive a few more privileges and rewards for their loyalty.

Due to their unreliability, only the lesser Sorcerer-Kings or poorer retainers employ them in large numbers. As most others can simply rely on hordes of the Undead or other magical abominations. Outside the battlefield, they are used as city watch, to keep the other mortal slaves in line.

The Eternal Servants: Among the many magics practiced by the Mighty Children, Necromancy is a popular discipline, one that is relatively easy to master within the Broken Realm. As such, the Walking Dead are a staple of the armies of the Zul-Agar. Their quality varying greatly depending on the skill of the Necromancer who summoned and bound the restless dead. Ranging from mindless carcass with only simple instincts and no real thought and sometimes not even armed, to disciplined regiments of sentient elite soldiers with centuries of experience and the best equipment available.

The Bound Beasts: A catch all term for the many manner of beasts and monsters native to the Broken Realms or created by the hands of the Sorcerer-Kings. Harpies, Minotaurs, Naga, Ghouls and the like that infest the cursed lands of sunken Ifanen and whose survival is entirely dependent on their continued usefulness to the Mighty Children.

When not fighting for their masters, these assorted beasts are mostly left to their own devices. Living in their own little communities within the domains of their particular Sorcerer-King.

The Brazen Legion: Once, the Brazen Legion was the standing army of the Golden Empire, marching under the Starry Banner against all those who their gods deemed unfit to live and rule themselves. Today, every independent Sorcerer-King worth its spells maintains a force under this name.

Composed of the mortal children of the Mighty Children (who though not Mighty Children themselves and not nearly as powerful, still have some greater than average power afforded by the mixed blood in their veins) alongside slaves who are trusted enough to be magically enhanced for battle and commanded by those bastards with purer blood or the youngest among the Mighty Children.

The Neverborn: Demons and fiends from beyond the veil, summoned into the material world by the powerful magics of the Mighty Children and bound by pacts and deals to do the bidding of the Sorcerer-Kings, at least for a time. Whether it's possessing a weapon or using some unlucky mortal as host, the Neverborn who march into battle for the Mighty Children are a force to be reckoned with, being the mightiest among their kind. As such, their numbers are few when compared to the other sections of the host of an average Sorcerer-King. For the cost of bringing these beings into the field of battle is steep and the longer they remain unbanished in the material world, the stronger they grow. Something that even the Laughing Lord, known for his fondness for these beings, is not willing to tolerate for long.

At sea, the Zul-Agar man their fleets with slaves and Undead. Using magic and seaborne creatures to complement their naval squadrons.

The organization of the Eternal Realm:

Each reigning Sorcerer-King sits atop the pyramid (or more specifically, the Ziggurat) ruling as an absolute monarch its own sliver of land. Below him are its Spawn (created out of magic and pacts with Greater forces, who are also Mighty Children themselves and can theoretically grow to match their sire in power and greatness) who sit on his council alongside whatever other few trusted beings managed to gain its confidence (usually demons or its own mortal bastard children)

Below them are the bureaucrats and officers who take care of the day to day administration of the domains. Usually the descendants of the Mighty Children's mortal bastards, whose blood is too thinned and sparse to wield the same power as their ancestors, but who still retain a small sliver of their inborn skill. It should be noted, that from now on all inhabitants of the domains of the Sorcerer-King are considered slaves, but their treatment tends to vary according to rank.

Most Sorcerer-Kings do not engage with the outside world, and their internal deals are carried out by bureaucrats or lesser Spawn. Those who do engage in commerce with the Lesser Races, like the Laughing Lord and the Kind Lady, usually employ mortal slaves who themselves are a particular caste within their own domains, treated better than the chattel workers but still below the bureaucrats and military officers.

Then come the slaves. Miners, artisans, manufacturers, farmers and working on every other field under the close watch of others who gladly keep their fellows down for a slightly better treatment at the hand of their dread lords. The less said of their miserable lives, the better.

The most powerful Sorcerer-Kings also tend to have authority over their weaker neighbors, something akin to a feudal arrangement that lasts as long as the lesser party believes it can successfully overthrow its superior.

The Wealth of the Mighty Children:

Ifanen once ruled a sprawling Empire, extending across the whole East, all the lands paid tribute to the Golden Empire. Said wealth still remains in the Broken Realm, with many Sorcerer-Kings making the effort to rediscover and reclaim the multitude of lost vaults and troves spread over Sunken Ifanen, be it gold, magical lore or other valuables. Something that also attracted its fair share of outside explorers and treasure hunters. Much to the chagrin of the local lords.

Due to their open disgust for the rest of the world, most Sorcerer-Kings do not engage in trade with the outside world, preferring to deal only with their fellows (whenever they aren't trying to conquer each other). More often than not, they instead prefer to raid the mainland nations for whatever resources they feel they need or want and slaves, who are always in high demand among their kind.

Those who deign to trade with the outside world, however, can offer much besides natural resources and finished goods, on the rare chance a trader can offer something deemed valuable to the Mighty Children, they might part of some powerful magical artifact or rare scrap of magical lore. Or even offer their own arms as a trade good in itself.

The Boundless Ambitions of the Sorcerer-Kings:

The Zul-Agar desire the world. To rule it and bend it to their will and that of their Star Gods, this ambition has never been a secret. But as immortal and mad Sorcerer-Kings they are patient. Maybe they have long running schemes, maybe they are too busy fighting among themselves or maybe they are just waiting for the Stars to tell them when the time has come. Regardless, it's extremely unlikely that the Hosts of the Mighty Children will march out of their Broken Realm as one anytime soon.

While that day does not comes, each Sorcerer-King busies itself in pursuing its own ambitions and goals. Whether it is conquering a hated neighbor, delving deeper into magical lore, launching even greater raids against the outside world or even restoring one of the lost Ifanen colonies lost somewhere else in the world.

[Blackfridayrule]

Name of nation: Azurei

Name of leader: Kaija Tezusha

Brief introduction to leader: Known to her subjects as Kaija-Sol (with the sol suffix denoting her role as a matriarch), she is ancient among Azurei standards (approximately 300 years, the normal elf lifespan being something close to a 150-200 years. They are NOT immortal) and is thus experienced and wise. She also has a temper. She concerns herself very little with the opinions of other races and nations, except when it directly influences her or her people. She is not considered to be a gentle ruler, but is not altogether evil and merely just leads with a firm hand. Her word is law in Azurei. She keeps a council of five other sub-rulers (called Sota) that see to the needs of each individual district of Azurei. And, in general, they all understand the notion that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

Others:

Ridahne Torzinei: A poor woman from the Atakhara district, overseen by Khaltira-Sol, she makes her living either at sea in the fishing trade, or out in the Dust Sea, hunting, searching for resources of value (usually silver), or occasionally guiding the inexperienced or the foreign through the dangers of the vast desert wasteland that makes up a large portion of Azurei's landmass. Was formerly a soldier in the service of her Sota, but after a bold act of defiance, she was dishonorably removed from the ranks. She is fire incarnate--a creature of passion and determination.

Hadian Torzinei: Ridahne's older brother. If she is fire, he is stone. Of the two, he is more even-keel, perhaps even somewhat cold in comparison, though tends to be the more reasonable one of the two. He is a fisherman, and when he is not away at sea, he is working the docks...or trying to keep his sister out of trouble. The two have been orphaned due to unfortunate accidents out at sea, and for a very long time, Hadian has been the force holding what remained of their family together.

Ajoran Te'kajih: The right-hand guard of Kaija-Sol. He is her arm, he is her sword, and if need be, he carries authority when speaking with others, though he usually defers to the will of his Sota-Sol. He is considered the best swordsman in Azurei, which is no small feat. When he was younger, he served alongside Ridahne and the two had a long-standing romance. This became complicated, however, when Ridahne betrayed her Sota and was thus forbidden to marry him. They have since grown apart, though not completely. Their current relationship is bittersweet, tangled, complicated, and uncertain.

Culture: The Azurei are warriors, first and foremost. They don't necessarily go out looking for wars to start, but they ARE the type to finish them. They are HIGHLY protective of their borders and don't like the idea of other nations encroaching on their space, or trying to dictate their ways. But if made an ally, they are a fierce one. Their army, like their nation, is small. But what they lack in numbers they make up for in skill and in stealth. The most dangerous asset their army has are assassins, especially utilized when a war could be won by taking out a few key figures rather than an ongoing siege, since they are ill-equipped for the latter. Their loyalties, however, are not steadfast through time. Kaija-Sol is a firm entity and if climates between nations change, so will their loyalties, unless their allies make good effort to keep them at their side. Respect is something that must be earned, but also maintained.

They are a matriarchal culture, and women do not take the back-seat of the homestead like some other cultures. They believe firmly that if women have the ability to bring life into the world, they must also be capable of taking it out. Many are trained as warriors, and most, if not all, know how to handle themselves reasonably well. They are encouraged to be outspoken and spirited. Men are seen as protectors and defenders, and often providers as well. While women are thought of as precise and elegant, men are viewed as strong, steadfast, and bold. There is a general, unspoken understanding that both men and women have different roles in society, but both are equally as important and integral to the other's success.

Generally, Azurei value strength, loyalty to their own, honesty (this is a big one), and the honing of skills--whatever those may be. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well. They have a deep respect for nature, as their very survival in a desert climate teeters on a delicate balance, and nothing is guaranteed. They can be, however, described by foreigners as loud, occasionally uncomfortably expressive, aloof, maybe a tad uncivilized or uncouth, abrasive, and generally stubborn. Tattoos and body art are a large part of their culture.

Religion: Speaking of tats, while they find inky adornment to be attractive and honorably traditional, the tattoos on their faces are sort of in a different league. Called an Ojih, the unique patterns of indigo, black, and white on their faces denote many things about a person, like their family origin, military rank or status as a civilian, high honor, and deep dishonor. Each one is like a record of that person's life. The Azurei believe that, if one chooses to take the Ojih, they gain entrance into the afterlife. However, what someone's marks say about them will determine what kind of place they will end up in said afterlife. If someone chooses not to take the Ojih, they forfeit any entrance into any sort of afterlife, and will simply cease.

It is extremely extremely frowned upon (horrific, even) to falsify an Ojih, either permanently or temporarily. Likewise, to willingly maim someone's Ojih is a gruesome, chilling crime that most would consider to be the worst thing someone can do, for it essentially erases that person's being, and, having a false, broken, or incomplete Ojih, their spirit is doomed to neither cease nor move on, and instead they linger in agony somewhere in between. It is believed that natural phenomenons like storms, dust devils, the ocean's rage, and the howling wind are all incarnations of the spirits of those 'in between'.

Attitude to magic: It's integral to their understanding of the world. Spirits are magic, in their eyes. Magic is sort of what knits the universe together. However, it's extremely rare for an Azurei to be particularly adept at using it. Most have some inclination of extremely basic elemental magic, but Azurei has never been considered to be a nation of mages.

Brief history: I'll save this section for when I start to talk relationships with other nations, I think?

Military: Taja: the elite, or the guardians of the Sota or the Sota-Sol. They are only ever men. Eija, however, are more the general military and can be men or women. Taja have superiority and authority over them at all times. Their military is small and not conventionally powerful (they don't have the resources to lay siege to a city, for example) but they are efficient. They rely on stealth, infiltration, and assassination rather than brute force.

Government: The Sota-Sol is the main ruler, and she is supported by a council of 5 lesser rulers called Sota. They are like governors of smaller sections of Azurei. Each one of these women are guarded by a handful of elite soldiers, Taja. They are always male. The Sota-Sol's rule is absolute and treason is a crime taken very seriously.

Main sources of income: They are a coastal hub for trade and make a lot of their money off of the fishing industry, exporting silver, and also crafting with silver.

Current goal: I'm not sure yet. Generally they like to protect what they have, so maybe that's been threatened?

[Red Wizard]

The Dwarven Kingdom of Karak

The Dwarven Kingdom of Karak

Leader

King Menerak III

Menerak is considered a harsh but righteous leader in the eyes of his people. He's been immortalized by coining the phrase "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", declaring his notion of justice, and is also celebrated as a great military strategist since his victory against the hordes of nomadic ghublain that invaded Karak a decade ago. He is however without heirs, and at the soon-to-be old age of 290, speculation and rumors regarding the aftermath of his demise has begun circulating.

Played Characters

Urabad

Urabad hails from one of the warrior clans in Karak, and was as such tutored from a young age in the art of combat. He is currently supporting his family by serving as a sergeant in his lords force of retainers, and dreams of earning enough coin to buy a mine of his own. That dream is still far off, however, and for now he is content with being able to put food and drink on the table for him and his family every day.

Yereshteh

Yereshteh was born to a clan of scholars, and is unsurprisingly a scholar herself. She is learned in history and culture, both of Karak and its neighbors, and speaks a handful of languages fluently. Her skill and knowledge often earns her important work at the palace, which in turn has made her wealthy, but she has yet to find a mate and secretly dreams of leaving Karak to see what the rest of the world has to offer.

Culture

The basis of Karaki culture is their faith in the Great Architect, Munitor. Everything in the world is worth studying and perfecting. There are no taboos regarding science. As a consequence of this Karaki dwarves are often curious and inquisitive, but at the same time secretive. They want always to know as much as possible, but are greedy and defensive of their knowledge.

Law and justice in Karak is centered on revenge and balance. You pay for what you did with what you did: thievery is punished with fines, violence is met with violence and murder with death.

Dwarven society in Karak is very hierarchical. The inhabitants are divided into clans, and every clan has a specific task assigned to them; some are warriors, others are scholars, or artisans. There is a defined structure within these clans, with the oldest and most competent individuals on top, and the young and challenged on the bottom. Going against your clan is taboo and dissidents are dealt with harshly.

Religion

Above: Priests of Munitor
The dwarves of Karak believe in the god Munitor, the Great Architect who created the world and everything in it. To the dwarves, the world is a craft of supreme complexity and brilliance. The goal of their faith in Munitor is to unravel the mysteries of this masterpiece and learn to duplicate them so that they one day can become gods like Munitor themselves.

Temples of Munitor are places of science and learning, much like academies and univerities. The most competent and well renowned scholars are regarded as priests of their field, and are expected to give lectures and produce literature on their findings.

Attitude to magic

As magic is part of Munitors great creation, it must be studied and mastered. Karaki dwarves treat magic as any other science.

Brief history

Above: early dwarven nomad warrior
Karak was founded a long time ago by nomadic tribes of dwarves. During its early history these dwarves worshiped a pantheon of different deities and waged constant wars against each other for supremacy. It was only when the profet Mhaza began spreading the word of the Great Architect that the tribes were brought together to form the nation as it is known today.

Military

Above: Karaki warrior retainers
War is a science, as is studied accordingly. Karak sports a very competent, but rather small, military. Each governor is required to train and outfit a cadre of retainers, and to answer when the king calls for arms. The king is expected to field an own elite force in addition to these retainers.

Apart from lacking numbers, the Karaki military is also lacking a significant cavalry, as horses are sparse in the region. They mostly rely on infantry, artillery and siege.

The perhaps most famous unit of the Karaki military are the blackpowder bombard cannons, also known as Dwarven Thunder. These marvels of modern science are feared and jealously coveted by many other powers, and are known across the world for their terrible destructive power.

Government

Karak is an hereditary monarchy, ruled by a king or queen. Regions and cities are entrusted to loyal governors, who collect taxes from the population and in return pay taxes to the crown.

Main sources of income

Karak trades with anyone and everyone. The dwarves import whetever resources and crafts they do not possess themselves, and export their finely crafted artifices as well as their science. It is not unheard of that Karaki dwarves are invited by cities in other nations to build temples of Munitor, sometimes refered to as Munitoriums, in exchange for trade. The dwarves seldom refuse.

Current goal

To endure as a culture and reach total understanding of the world (and as a consequence of that... total dominance!).

[Letter Bee]

Name: The League of Cities of Sapientkind

Leader(s):

Isabella de Guzman, Representative of Commerce - Middle-aged, corpulent, and magnificently dressed to make up for her lack of physical attributes, Isabella de Guzman is a firm believer in the power of money and free enterprise to bind together disaprate religions, creeds, and even species. The main financier of the League's armies, Isabella de Guzman is known for hard business practices that extract maximum profit from a situation. Despite her grasping nature, Isabella claims not to pursue wealth for its own sake; she wants to use it to unify the world and end petty conflicts over matters of land and honor. And to some observers, she actually believes this.

Juan de Maldonado, Representative of Defense - Isabella de Guzman's counterpart in the army, Juan de Maldonado is proud of his accomplishments in molding a once-divided coalition into a cohesive fighting force. A better logistician and strategist than a tactician, Juan is nevertheless loath to admit that it was Isabella's wealth and actions that had made his victories possible and prevented his men from mutinying more than once, same for admitting that he owes anything to anyone other than himself. Nevertheless, these feelings rarely go beyond respectful rivalry, even as he is scornful of Isabella's beliefs.

Carol Padillia - The ideologiical heart of the League of Cities of Sapientkind, Carol Padillia is a Magus whose willpower is fuelled by her determination to secure a fairer world of less suffering. But this willpower and determination makes her more brittle as well, and less likely to compromise in foriegn affairs as Isabella and Juan. Like Isabella, Carol started off as a commoner, but she feels a stronger bond towards Juan as both are military people, and it is Juan that persuades her to adopt more pragmatic policies for now. However, her belief in the 'common soul' and 'innate rights' of Sapient Beings easily brings back her militant mood, especially when faced with atrocities occuring elsewhere...

History: The lands around the Great Inner Lake were rich and fertile, and from those lands, a civilization sprang. This civilization consisted of many cities that either formed a great empire, or were conquered by said empire; past records are murky. Nevertheless, the collapse of the Empire caused the cities to be independent again, warring with each other and outside invaders. And on the easternmost shore of the Great Inner Lake, where a river flowed from unknown lands, was established the city of Valladolid; Vallis Tolitum, Valley of Waters. This city became rich, producing glasswork and crossbows, swords and furniture.

But with wealth came peril, as a great horde from the east took the mountain passes by storm, and forced the city to pay tribute or be sacked. This horde then pressed on to the rest of the cities, extorting tribute when they can and brutally sacking those that refused. And when that horde passed, another came, and another, each army larger than before. So the cities knew that before their wealth was lost, they had to put aside petty rivalries and band together. Juan de Maldonado and Isabella de Guzman were part of those early efforts, with the latter financing an early effort to ambush the hordes of the east as they came through the mountain passes.

They failed, and Valladolid was besieged, only to be saved by Carol Padillia, a young woman who had manifested magic powers of unusual strength. Carol belived that she had gained powers from the Gods to banish the enemy, and so she did, allowing Juan and Isabella to make another try, recruiting armies from multiple cities to give battle against the eastern nomads. This time, they won, but the war that followed was long, even with the cities' new innovation; the Hand Cannon. It also didn't help that one of the Hordes brought in its own infantry recruited from vassal tribes and petty kingdoms. Stalemate loomed over the horizon.

It was Carol who saved the situation once more. She observed that the nomadic horde's vassals were 'lesser' races; Orcs, Ogres and Goblins who were treated badly by their human lieges. So she proposed that overtures be made to them, overtures of liberation and equality. It would take some time for this to be accepted by the nascent League, and even longer for the resulting proposals to be accepted by the non-human races in the enemy ranks, but in a final, climatic battle, the nomadic horde that threatened them all was betrayed by its vassals and subjects, who joined the League in destroying their masters.

Isabella and even Juan proposed betraying the agreements made with the 'greenskins' there and then, but Carol would have none of it and she had the non-humans, as well as plenty of Juan's own men who were loyal to her on her side. And so the Orcs, Ogres, and Goblins were allowed life and liberty, and in time, proved themselves to be deserving of equal citizenship in a mere decade and a half. Now, the League of Cities of Sapientkind stands tall and strong, ready to trade in gold and blood all across the world...

Location:

[DELETED32084]

Il-Kavallieri ta 'Rhaetia

Leader:
Grand Master Ġużè Muscat Azzopardi

Culture:
The Il-Kavallieri ta 'Rhaetia lie to the far west and is covered in dense rain forest supported by a rich abundance of resources that allows even the poorest to live comfortably, the similarities stop there. Festivales are common among the Island communities, all in honour of the Great Phoenix, a monstrous bird of fire, or the Delfini, a great dolphin.

Poised at the Western tip of the mainland, in a region where the warm southern currents collide with the cold northern ones to create three growing seasons that make for a rich kaleidoscope of colours and traditions as the sun warms the region. Winters here are mild in temperature and roughly three to four months long during which Rhaetians rarely see sunlight as it rains almost incessantly. The winter is also known for its heavy storms that batter the jagged coastline.

Meat is rare in Rhaetia and the locals specialize in ocean going dishes, there are few places in the world you can find such a wide and delicious variety of shellfish. Wine is popular here, grown in the rich volcanic soil that can be found all across the island.

Rhaetians' speaks one main language. The Knight-Mage and Navigator Classes are the main source of contact with the outside world as Rhaetian vessels set sail for distant lands in search of riches and adventure.

In their distant past, when the great Empire who once ruled them collapsed, The Islands suffered conquest by a race of Elves who subsequently left their mark in ship building, architecture, language, and genetics as many in Rhaetia are taller and fairer than their neighbours.

Rhaetian peoples are not ones for conquest, or even the pursuit of wealth, but rather of knowledge and freedom. They are famous for vast libraries, excellent universities, going where few others have dared to go before, and for championing the cause of the weak and helpless.

To get to those distant lands the Rhaetian's relied heavily on their Elven ancestors and their now closely guarded shipwright techniques to build the fastest vessels on the ocean. These ships, beautiful to the eye appear to skim across the ocean rather than through it. These vessels are not large however and rely on speed and the skills of their Knight-Mages and Navigators to escape danger and cross unknown stretches of ocean.

Religion:
Rhaetians worship the Delfini and the Dolphin, two mammals long associated to being the only creatures of the great oceans not out to destroy their ships. Navigators study the two species until they are able to communicate with them, via telepathy, and count on them for guidance in long journeys, knowledge of excellent fishing grounds, and warnings of oncoming storms.

The Knight-Mages worship the Phoenix as a sign of power and rebirth.

Attitude to magic:
Where the Flowering Republic has leaned toward technology, the Rhaetians could not survive without magic. It is used to protect their ships, their homes, and their islands from all comers, either through its direct use by Mages, or through powerful runes.

Places:

Il-Belt ta 'Rhaetia

Rhaetia, known locally as Il-Belt, or The City, in the common tongue, had been built around a magnificent natural harbour, called the Grand Harbour, that faces Northeast and is bounded to the north by Stallett Point and further sheltered by an isolated breakwater, and is then bounded to the south by Xabla Point. The Northwest shore is formed by the Sciberras peninsula, which is largely covered by Il-Belt and its suburb Floriana.

That peninsula divides Grand Harbour from a second parallel natural harbour, Salvaġġ Harbour. The main waterway of Grand Harbour continues inland for nearly a kilometre. The south eastern shore of the harbour is formed by a number of inlets and headlands, Three Cities: Cospicua, Kalkara, and Senglea, have been slowly absorbed by Il-Belt to encompass the whole harbour.

The Grand Harbour lies at the centre of gently rising ground and has Il-Belt grown up all around the twin harbours and up the slopes so that the whole bowl is effectively one large fortress protected by massive landward walls and three huge sea gates.

The Great Library and several of the finest Universities are here, as is the Grand Archive, a massive building made of obsidian that houses hundreds of thousands of powerful artifacts recovered in distant lands.

Brief History:
Rhaetia, like the Flowering Republic, was born of the collapse of an ancient Empire. As the Empire decayed and began to fracture, Rhaetia and it's surrounding islands were subject to invasion by a Race of Elves from across the Western Sea who ruled the islands for some 400 years, their culture, language, and magical abilities becoming an integral part of the populace. For hundreds of years the Elven ships came and went to the West until quite suddenly they stopped, and nothing was heard from the distant homeland again. Even today Rhaetian ships sail in search of their distant land of origin but have been unable to locate it. The search goes on.

Those Elves who remained in Rhaetia still hold positions of power but wisely gave up much to the local population in order to preserve their lives. Rhaetians, now more half-elf than true human anymore, showed an infinity for the sea and began to forge an unmatched exploration fleet, guided by the teachings of their sea faring Elven ancestors.

That love of the sea brought with it the knowledge of ship building and Rhaetia has became well known for its excellent fast warships, smaller than many traditional human navies, but swifter and far more dangerous. The ever present threat from their south and the Flowering Republic has kept the Rhaetians ever aware of their weakness in population to wage war should any enemy manage to defeat runes and navy.

Secure in their distant stronghold, Rhaetian's began to seek out the injustices of the world and put them to sword. A unique class was born among them, the Knight-Mages, or Paladins, who roam the world at large singularly, or with armies, searching for monsters to slay.

Military:
There are two distinct classes in Rhaetia, the Navigators, who command individual ships, and the Knight-Mages, who protect the home islands and wage war across the sea. Navigators are Mages in their own right but their skills are directly linked to the sea and the use of ships. Knight-Mages, land based, are the force that gives pause to any would be invaders.

Location:
Rhaetia lies at the Western tip of the mainland on the small island jutting into the ocean.

Post Catalogue:

[Liotrent]

Name of nation: The Dwarven Kingdom of Dunfender

Characters

Name of leader: Rorik “Ironfoot” Jorikson

Brief introduction to leader: Rorik “Ironfoot” Jorikson is a hardy, stubborn, loud-mouthed, dwarf; he, like the kings before him, earned the right to be lead his people through his actions for the kingdom and his actions in battle. He is named Ironfoot because his foot is made of forged steel; he lost his leg during the final battle with the Goblin king at the siege of Fhorn’s keep 150 years ago after beheading the goblin king.

Name of other character: Dale “Hammerhand” Thrailson

Brief introduction to other character: Dale is a shrewd dwarf who’s currently in charge of the forge works, siege works, and engineer shop. He checks the quality of the designs and tests their durability and range of use. He was the son of Thrail, the previous forge master, who passed on his knowledge and entrusted Dale with his unfinished designs.

Name of other character: Bromik “Firebeard” Grumikson

Brief introduction to other character: Bromik is just as thick headed and stubborn as the king himself, he is the commander of every dwarven division within Dunfender. He is nicknamed Firebeard, because of the goblin magic that lit his beard on fire during the fight at Fhorn’s keep. His intimidating appearance during that time was seared into the mind of every dwarf that lived through that era of conflict.

Name of other character: Fenrir “Silvertongue” Halmdirson

Brief introduction to other character: Fenrir earned his nickname through his mastery of speech, he is currently the most successful merchant master in Dunfender and is also currently employed as the emissary to the king. His shrewd use of words and his ability to read a person and use different negotiation tactics has earned him that right. He isn’t always successful, there are just some people out there that are just as stubborn if not more stubborn than he – a dwarf.

Culture

Dwarven culture revolves around their craftsmanship so much so that they would make sure that their work would endure the test of time. They have festivals celebrating creation by carving ornate statues in honor of the Craftsman god.

Their society determines where a certain individual is on the social ladder by their skill in trade, craft, and strength that is either proven through how much they earn or how they do in combat.

The highest ranked dwarves in the social ladder get nicknames such as the king, Rorik “Ironfoot” Jorikson. Dwarves that have nicknames are important, legendary figures. They lead in certain categories of strength, craft, and skill.

In regards to female dwarves, they do, in fact, exist. They are very similar to the men of their race in both height and build, the only thing that sets them apart is the diminished beard (or lack there of) and their higher pitched voice.

Religion

They believe that they were born out of stone; they believe that one god designed their world to be like this and they know him to be a master craftsman. This god is named Fhorn.

They believe that Fhorn forged the world with earth, clay, metal, water, and stone and shaped it together using a mighty hammer known as Golgir and the Anvil known as Khuzdir and to bring this world to life he put his creation through the world flame known as Vyr. This creation would come to be known as Wyrden to the dwarves.

Attitude towards magic

They see it as another tool, they use it to complete certain crafts by enchanting different items with runes. It is a difficult process therefore only the masters of their craft may have these expensive items.

They do in fact dable in the arcane arts of magic, however this is very difficult due to the low affinity towards magic among Dwarves. They have thus resorted to using enchantments to bridge the gap between them and the rest of the world, although this may not be enough.

Brief History

Dunfender is a region of forests, plains, and mountains. Dwarves found this location and fought for control of its rich resources against local goblins that made their homes in their mountain caves. It was only later discovered that these goblins weren’t acting as small individual tribes but a massive kingdom by their own right.

The throngs of goblins were pushed back by the Dwarves time and time again, but their numbers were endless, their realm impenetrable, and their king untouchable, it was impossible to dig out the goblins that have made their home on the mountain range known as “the Dragon’s Spine”. Then one King within their already entrenched kingdom changed how they fought, they dug into their tunnels and fought them from both outside and within; now the goblins fought a war on two fronts and it went on for three hundred years.

These three hundred years of war came to be known as the war of tunnels. It came to an end when Rorik son of Jorik killed the goblin king in the siege of Fhorn’s keep. The goblins were outmatched, out witted, and out maneuvered, the battle had lost them their king they were forced to retreat. The following days after the victory at Fhorn’s keep saw the clearing of all goblin camps and tunnels effectively pushing the goblins out of the dragon’s spine. The dwarves after this victory have prospered on and around the area of Dunfender.

Military

The Dwarven military heavily focuses on heavy infantry, mobile siege equipment, chariots, crossbowmen, axe throwers, chariots and goat/ram/boar riders. Elite dwarven units are called brassbeards due to the brass ranks they receive on their armor; they are drafted from the best of the best dwarven units and are tasked with protecting the king.

The dwarven armory is usually supplied with long pikes, poleaxes, polearms, war hammers, swords, axes, knives, daggers, shields of differing shapes and sizes, crossbows, bolts, throwing axes, plate armor, chainmail, gambisens, sabatons, boots, and winter clothes.

Their rations consist of dried or salted meats and fish, a canteen of water, bread, a wedge of cheese, and some vegetables.

Government

The dwarves of dunfender are reliant on a monarchial system.

Their monarch is selected by the council elders selected by the previous king or queen, the elders in turn choose the heir if there is no apparent successor or if the apparent successor is too young to rule. They choose among the swaths of dwarves and select only the dwarves of royal decent and/or have done more heroic deeds in the name of the realm itself. Dwarves of high standing are usually considered among their kin are usually considered as well.

Main sources of income: Mining, Trade, and Manafacturing

Current goal: Establish trade dominance and economic stability.

[Erik Tiber]

Gosudař Gospodin Velikij Novigrad
His Majesty Lord Novigrad The Great

Leaders

Ostap Mykhalovich Rjurikovich, Prince of Novigrad

Prince Ostap Rjurikovich of Rjurikgorod is the de-jure leader of Novigrad. Despite his supposed authority, he is heavily curtailed by the R’ad negotiated with the Veche thirty years ago, with the backing of an especially hard-nosed and popular bishop. Now that he advances in age, he is spending less and less time within the confines of Novigrad itself, leaving governing to his steward while he fends off usurpers at home in Rjurikgorod. As the last of the Rjurikovich line, he has failed to produce any heirs and will likely be the last prince to bear the Rjurikovich name. Given that Rjurikgorod is one of the main suppliers of grain to Veliky Novigrad, the coming chaos may spell lean times for the city and unpopular decisions will have to be made.

Steppenoy Posadnik Anatoliy Yaroslavovich

The Steppenoy Posadnik is an old and experienced statesman. He hails from the powerful Yaroslavovvich boyar clan, the second most powerful in Novigrad, and draws his ancestry back to the mythical warrior Yaroslav the Great. Anatoliy has spent the past ten years of his seventeen year tenure alternating in the office of Steppenoy Posadnik with Simeon Ostromirovich. Whereas Simeon is often seen as more hardline and imperious, Anatoliy is considerably more content with the status quo and is sometimes seen as a puppet for whoever is currently the strongest personality on the Sovet Gospod. Tilting with the wind, he is seen more as a tool to manipulate than a force in his own right. May god have mercy on Novigrad should it ever face a crisis during his tenure.

Vladimir Voronin "The Crow", Bishop of Novigrad and Vostochgorod

Bishop Vladimir "The Crow" is an experienced diplomat, having spent over twenty years in his position as Bishop and having overseen the massive expansion into the land Beyond the Portages in search of further fur-trade. His diplomatic experience mostly focused on negotiating land deals and protectorate status with two of the nearby tribes, offering them military protection and trading privileges at Novigrad ports in return for regular tribute and access for Novigrad’s fur trappers. As such he has made many friends in the fur trapping industry, and is the main ally of the Mekhovyye Kolpachki and other commerce-minded individuals. However, he has neglected to resolve a number of border disputes with several of the neighboring principalities, drawing the ire of many of the greater boyars who see his inaction as a stain on the honor of Lord Novigrad. Many of those same boyars also see his dealings with the pagan tribes as improper for a faithful servant of God, and would prefer a more conservative candidate as his successor.

Other Characters

Lavrenti Stanislavovich Lagounov

A prominent tradesman and a rising star in Novigrad politics, he's the founder of an increasingly wealthy fur trading company and the loudest proponent of the rights of the self-styled Mekhovyye Kolpachki or 'Fur Caps', those with the wealth to buy their way into the ranks of the nobility, so named because many of them made their fortune in the fur trade. Rumors are circulating that he plans to stand for election for the office of Tysyatsky, the traditional first step in the political careers of those boyars seeking greater political office, with some going so far as to say that he aims for a seat on the Sovet Gospod itself. His status as an upstart has drawn the ire of Ostromirovich, who sees him and the other Mekhovyye Kolpachki as mere Chernye Liundi (peasants, lit. ‘black folks’), giving them the derisive nickname of Chernye Kolpachki.


Posadnik Simeon Ostromirovich

Head of the most prominent of the noble families, he is the senior-most member of the Sovet Gospod. At the age of seventy three he is older than even Anatoliy, and is currently reaching the thirtieth year of his tenure on the Sovet Gospod, having spent most of that as the Steppenoy Posadnik. He is prideful of his noble heritage and attributes his longevity to his strong Terkhazi heritage. He is not shy about advertising his descent from the great dwarven warrior Ostromir the Clever, the former Prince of Vladimir-on-Inzho. He is considerably more hard-line than Anatoliy, and chafes under the restrictions of the Law of Aleksandrovich which granted increased autonomy and rights to the Twelve Towns and banned the practice of slavery within Novigrad’s borders.


Presbyter Kostya Bogomolov

The bastard son of a Verkhovynsky nobleman, Kostya Bogomolov has risen up the ranks of the clergy and, after his election to the position of presbyter, he is second only to the bishop himself in his influence over the church in Novigrad. He is the de-facto leader of the Verkhovnysky (highlanders), an influential faction of nobles from Rjurikgrad in the southeastern highlands that followed their prince into Novigrad. They agitate for stronger ties to Rjurikgrad and a more conservative church line, revoking some of the privileges granted to their tributary tribes and expanding the powers of the prince. As a result of their conservative outlook they are staunch allies of the price have frequently advocated on his behalf in the Veche, though the local boyars view them with intense suspicion.

Culture

The Terkhazsky culture is a mixture of old Slovjansky traditions with a number of dwarven influences. A number of old Dwarven innovations in smithing, crafting, and art have bellied their reputation as skilled artisans.

Novigrad itself is by far the most prolific source of art in the region, owing to its relative wealth and strong artisan class. This art was not limited to the boyars, as rich merchants and members of the artisan class also supported these artists. So great is their production of religious icons that even some common people can afford one for their home, and many are sent abroad for export.

Religion

The old Pre-Dvergaz Slovjansky religion holds some similarities to the various nature cults in the northern foothills of Azula Coatl. Although there are still orthodox practitioners, especially in the more remote areas of Terkhazia or in Dalekyslavija beyond the portages, they are vastly outnumbered by both the Church of Light as well as those who practice a syncretic mixture of the old ways and new.

Terkhazia is dominated by the Church of Light (Tserkov’ Sveta), a gnostic faith combining elements of the Dunfender and Kazari faiths with several native Slovjansky and Terkhazsky deities and folk heroes rendered as ‘angels’ and ‘saints’ of the great Demiurge. The church itself is divided into five tiers; the Patriarch, the 12 apostles, the 72 bishops, the 360 Presbyteres, the Elect, and the Auditores.

Attitude to Magic

The Church of Light sees the study of magic as a holy pursuit, considering its study central to the accumulation of divine knowledge. A small number of old dwarven rituals are still maintained among the more esoterically inclined boyar clans, such as runecrafting and other methods of enchanting, but many of the tomes of Dvergaz knowledge were destroyed during the fall of the Terkhazsky kingdom.

Among the merchant class magic is treated as any other commodity to be bought and sold. It is not uncommon to see items of every persuasion from the elemental to the necromantic sold in the markets of Novigrad, and the local guards are more than willing to turn a blind eye to the occasional ‘unlisted’ cargo exchange for coin.

Brief history

The people of Novigrad descend from the bands of old Slovjansky tribesmen that migrated into the land now known as Terkhazia several thousand years ago, displacing and assimilating the original inhabitants (collectively referred to as the Nemec). They lived in a tribal society, with most decision making taking place in tribal assemblies that later evolved into the modern Veche.

The Arrival of the Dwarves and the Origin of the Terkhazsky

The arrival of the Dvergaz 800 years ago spelled another chapter in the history of the Slovjansky. The Dvergaz made their living both trading with and sacking the villages and cities lining the river Inzho (the name of the river coming from the old Dvergaz word "insjo", or 'lake') as they quickly established an expansive domain over the whole of the Inzho valley and constructed a number of new fortresses ('grad' in Praslovjansky) to consolidate their holdings, including Novigrad. Within decades the Dvergaz had estabished themselves as a ruling class over the local Slovjansky, with the dwarf Hrodic the Great crowning himself king of the Dvergaz from his capital of Rjurikgrad. These dwarves came to be known as the Terkhazsky to the locals, and this name was soon applied to the Slovjansky they ruled over as they assimilated into the local populace over the course of centuries.

The Terkhazsky Principalities and the Early History of Novigrad

These original dwarven princes later developed into the noble dynasties of the Terkhazsky principalities. Following Hrodic's passing his kingdom was weakened substantially, threatened from within by intrigue and subterfuge, and without by constant raids from the goblins fleeing the mountains. The sacking of Rjurikgrad by an army of goblins four hundred years ago finally shattered the fragile kingdom, which dissolved into a number of bickering principalities. Although the goblins lost all of their gains within a mere two centuries, the damage was done, and the Terkhaztsky would remain divided into the modern day.

Novigrad was the richest of these principalities, and thanks to the political and military cunning of the legendary Vitali Inzhosky, they were able to avoid foreign domination. Over the centuries no single dynasty was able to maintain control of the throne of Novigrad, with various principalities vying for ownership of its lucrative trade routes. This allowed the local Posadnik to wrest increasing amounts of control from the Prince, eventually reducing them to a mere figurehead. The Tysyatsky became an elected office, as did the position of Bishop, and local merchants soon earned the right to enter the ranks of Boyars by virtue of their wealth.

The White Death and the Triumph of the Veche

Two centuries ago, the scourge of the White Death ravaged the Terkhazsky lands, killing commoner and noble alike. The plague began in Novigrad itself, arriving from overseas on one of the many merchant ships that made their way upriver. The plague spread through the lands like wildfire, killing a whole half of the populace and littering the streets with the ghostly-white husks of its victims.

This massive depopulation was followed by a wave of peasant rebelions that rocked Terkhazia. A number of serfs had been left entirely lordless as whole boyar families were wiped out. Many boyars responded to the massive decline in workers through increasingly ruinous taxes and entrapping those free peasants they could find. A mere twenty years after the plague's passing a great peasant rebellion arose in Volodymyr and was quickly imitated in the other principalities, including Novigrad. These rebellious peasants formed their own veches, which demanded increased rights for peasants or in some cases the outright abolition of serfdom. A handful of princes were forced to cede power to the angry mobs, granting new town charters to many of these villages and putting an end to the practice of forced impressment of free peasants. Although most of the rebellions were put down, reforms were enacted throughout Terkhazia to head off another peasant rebellion and pacify the serfs.

In Novigrad the rebellion was eventually put down through diplomatic means by Bishop Igor Aleksandrovich, who freed the few remaining house slaves from bondage, awarded over a dozen town charters to outlying villages, and formally recognized the rights of Freeholders to participate in the Novigrad Veche, allowing those newly freed towns to send delegates to represent their interests in the Novigrad Veche with the same rights as the local tysyatsky.

Military

The Prince of Novigrad is entrusted with command of the armed forces, mostly composed of a diverse (and chaotic) mixture of town militias, peasant levies, boyars, and mercenaries, with their navy composed of river-borne pirates and impressed merchant ships. Although a skilled prince is able to cajole these groups into working together, if the prince fails to constrain their troops the army will quickly dissolve into an uncoordinated mess.

The Tysyacha

The town militias are organized into a number of tysyacha (lit. "thousand"), a volunteer army of a thousand men, each commanded by the local tysyatsky (literaly "thousandmen") elected by the town veche for one-year term from among the boyars. In addition to their judicial and commercial responsibilities the tysyatsky lead the militia in times of war. Each townsman is responsible for procuring armament for themselves, with the tysyatsky assisting in paying for rations, training, and other equipment for the men under their command from their own pocket. In addition to the tysyacha of the outlying towns, each of the five kontsy (ends) of Novigrad raises its own separate tysyacha under the command of their local tysyatsky. Serving in the tysyacha is a great honor and many young men eagerly volunteer to go off to war for the glory of Lord Novigrad the Great. It is especially popular among the free rural population, which sees it as a way to advance in the urban-dominated politics of the city. Tysyacha are armed with a heterogeneous mixture of pike, spear, and bowmen, with a small corps of cavalry recruited from the free rural population, typically riding on horses supplied by the church.

Peasant Levies

The greater boyar families of Novigrad are able to call up peasant levies of substantial size, which have since come to rival the tysyacha in size as the great families consolidate their control over the countryside. These levies are typically less well-equipped and motivated than the volunteer Tysyacha and are only called up in times of dire need. Armed with a variety of improvised weapons, they are the last line of defense for Lord Novigrad.

Boyars

The boyars themselves are a different story. Forming the core of Lord Novigrad's cavalry force, they are well-trained and well-equiped, adorned in brightly painted mail bearing their family colors. Although the lesser boyars are forced to fight on foot or on horses supplied by the church, the greater boyars are able to supply their own purpose-bred warhorses, and are truly a force to be reckoned with.

Mercenaries

The merchants of Novigrad form another pillars of the city's defense. While they lack the peasant levies and stables of the landed boyars, they instead rely on foreign mercenaries to do their fighting. Novigrad's mercenary armies vary considerably, ranging from tribal horsemen from beyond the portages, to the pikemen of the Southern Lands.

Ushkuiniks

Ushkuiniks are the core of Novigrad's navy and a key tool of power projection into the interior of the Inzho river basin. the Ushkuiniks are so-named because of their flat-bottomed river boats (the Ushkui) capable of taking them over portages and between watersheds. Frequently enjoying the patronage of Novigrad's great boyar families, they are used to project Lord Novigrad's dominance into the interior, moving in squadrons hundreds or thousands strong as they raid villages along the river or extract tribute from the neighboring principalities. This has lead them into conflict with neighboring powers multiple times, such as following the seizure of a major dwarven trading post ten years ago.

Government

The government of Novigrad is, first and foremost, the government of the Veche. Although the prince has traditionally been the country's chief executive, their power has waned over the past two centuries, with most of their responsibilities outside of the military sphere being taken up by the Steppenoy Posadnik and the Bishop of Novigrad.

The Veche

The Veche is at the center of Novigrad political life. Descended from the old pagan tribal assemblies, the Veche is a common town assembly open to all freemen in the city limits as well as any free peasants that attend. The Veche votes on a number of crucial civil and legal matters, as well as directly electing most city officials from among the boyars. Although anyone can, in theory, call the Veche by simply ringing the cathedral bell, it is the responsibility of the Tysyatsky to organize meetings and chair them in the absence of one of the Posadniki. It is the Veche which nominates and approves the candidate for Prince, as well as expelling the Prince should his service prove unsatisfactory to the people of Novigrad. Despite its crucial role in the city's governance, it is not unheard of for a Veche to descend into violence, with multiple accounts of boyars, merchants, or foreigners being lynched in the square should they draw the crowd's ire.

The Tysyatsky

The day-to-day administration of Novigrad is handled by the ranks of the Tysyatsky, or "thousandmen". Originally militia commanders, it has since transformed into a political and commercial office, tasked with handling disputes between townspeople and collecting taxes and customs for the city. They are elected for year-long terms by the Veche from the ranks of the boyars and are seen as the advocates of the common people. It is not unheard of for a tysyatsky to be elected to office several years in a row.

The Posadniki and the Sovet Gospod

The Veche itself is chaired by the Posadniki. Novigrad currently has four Posadniki, each elected by the Veche from among the boyars for a life-long term. Together with the bishop the Posadniki form the Sovet Gospod, or Noble Council. Together, they run the civil affairs of the city, assigning tasks to the Tysyatsky, resolving legal disputes between the boyars, and regulating trade within city limits. Each year they elect a Steppenoy Posadnik to head the council. The Steppenoy Posadnik is tasked with keeping an eye on the prince, co-chairing any trials they sit on, and ensuring that they stay true to the r'ad they signed when they ascended to the office of Prince.

Bishop of Novigrad and Vostochgorod

The Bishop of Novigrad and Vostochgorod is often characterized as the chief executive of Lord Novigrad. The Bishop is directly elected by the Novigrad Veche (alongside all the bishops in Novigrad's territory) and sent to the Patriarch in Volodymyr for confirmation. They are the most powerful official in Novigrad and its largest landowner, with the church having a near-monopoly on horsebreeding and controlling substantial wealth. In addition to their expansive landholdings they also collect fees from local merchants for the use of weights and measures in city limits. They are responsible for conducting diplomacy and foreign affairs on behalf of the city, although they rarely make any major decisions without first gaining the consensus of the Sovet Gospod. They have the authority to draft foreign treaties and submit them to approval by the Veche, and are also responsible for the wellbeing of any foreign dignitaries within city limits, as well as maintaining embassies abroad. They also hold a number of secular legal responsibilities, overseeing legal disputes involving foreigners.

The Prince of Novigrad

The Prince of Novigrad is the city's chief military official. He is charged with leading the city's military in times of war and chairing several important trials alongside the Steppenoy Posadnik. However, most of his responsibilities are outlined in the R'ad signed with the Novigrad Veche prior to taking office, which can vary from one prince to the next.

Main sources of income

The city was founded on the Lake Inzho to take advantage of the local fish and the lake's location towards the mouth of the River Inzho. Novigrad itself stands as the primary trading hub for the river basin, acting as the mai intermediary between the people of the Inzho watershed and overseas markets.

Other large industries are apiculture (beekeeping), flax farming, other agriculture, and animal husbandry. The estates of the Bishop have become famous for their skilled horse-breeders, making them the primary suppliers of Novigrad's military.

Current goal

Secure trade dominance of the Inzho river valley. Improve the infrastructure in and around Novigrad to support the expanding population.

[Mistiel]

Treblea

Treblea

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A music-loving oligarchy of free-spirited people who don't wish to be constrained by anything more than notes on parchment.

Formation: Democratic oligarchy from a bunch of farmers who fled a tyrant's realm.
Population: TBD
Currency: Notes (little bronze music notes denoting different amounts per kind of note)
Anthem: Highland Spirit
Demographics:

• Main Cities:
  
  
  • City - Note (the capitol)
  • City - Soprano
  • City - Mezzo
  • City - Alto
  • City - Capriccio
  • City - Castrato
  • City - Etude
  • City - Rococo
• Ethnicity:
  
  
  • Race - Human
  • Race - TBD (depends who their neighbors are and what demographics venture into Treblea most often)
• Language:
  • Language - Common (As they are fairly centrally located, singing would be done in the most predominant language typically.) If there isn't a common language for their region, then it would just be a modified variant of whatever tyrannical empire, kingdom, etc. that the original Treblean farmer founders spoke.
  • Language - Sheet music / Music (instrumental music is their chief language)
• Religion:
  • Religion - Music is the purest expression of the essence of the divine and supernatural.
  • Religion - TBD (from neighbors)
  • Religion - TBD (from neighbors)
• Health: Being that this society would hold some similarities in general hygiene with Woodstock in the real world, the overall health and nutrition on average is decent, but may not win any awards among other nations. It is not uncommon for people to bathe along with their instruments in the name of finding inspiration. This of course works best if the instrument they are bathing with is not damaged by the water. For example, this is a popular tactic among Treblean drummers who find it helps them find new beats if water is in turn 'beating', swishing, or rushing over them.
• Education: Unless it's music, with a small growing community of people devoting themselves to the arts, education is rare here. Parents don't so much teach their kids as let them have free reign. Roughhousing among children is encouraged, even sexual exploration, although the ruling Council of Genre issued one of their few decrees that no one may have children until the age of seventeen years (or until both participants' bodies have reached their full height).

Politics:

• Foreign Relations: Likely allied with the Republic or the dwarves. Would dislike any autocratic or tyrannical orders that attempted to impose their will through sanctions and/or conquering (can't remember the medieval version of the word sanction. Decree doesn't seem quite right. Just "taxes" then?)
• Military: The people of Treblea don't use weapons in the conventional sense as of yet, although that is a major point of contention in the present day Council of Note and Councils of Genre meetings right now. Up to this point, even as technology has begun to evolve little by painstaking little, internal crime and border disputes have been virtually nonexistent. There has been no real governing body for other nations to dispute! The nation wants no trouble from outsiders, but sometimes wishing to be left alone when you are centrally located with goods and services people want, not to mention natural resources and land, that is usually quite improbable.
  
  If ever a Treblean citizen had to defend their homes, it was likely from a wild animal, magical or otherwise, and they did it with various bronze or wooden tools, or just various objects. Sometimes an instrument was used, or even broken over, an animal or crazy person's head. Given peoples' love of music in Treblea, hurting an instrument was akin to cutting off someone's limb. If you used your instrument to hurt another human being, you often times ended up feeling more emotionally hurt than the other person whom you had just tried to physically harm.
  
  Suffice it to say, Treblean military is in a state of basic development to put it gracefully. While they have no organized military, they have a peaceful people who are willing to use their brains and their limbs to defend their homes and peaceful livelihood. Is it a utopia? Not exactly. Does music serve as a way to communicate, not only promoting but maintaining unity? Absolutely!

Geography: Mostly grassy plains surrounding a natural, almost-perfectly round circle of seven rolling hills. In the large, seven mile wide depression in the epicenter of the seven hills lays their sprawling capital city of Note. The citizens enthusiastically refer to themselves as Noteans, and as such their currency came to be known as Notes and distributed throughout the nation as it grew. All Trebleans at least aspire to make a pilgrimage to Note once in their life from their home villages on one of the seven outlying hills. Each of the seven rolling hills are named, and they are about two to three miles in diameter. A dense forest surrounds the entirety of the seven hills and all that's in between. The folks in the center of Note rely on the Trebleans living in the outlying villages for lumber, which the Trebleans naturally also find a way to do musically.

• Land Mass -
• Terrain - Flat grassy plains, gently rolling hills that stretch for miles (also usually grassy, flowery, etc.), and surrounded by forests. Animal population is most densely located in the surrounding forests, but herbivores are relatively plentiful out on the prairies. There are two lakes, one large and one small, between Note and the outlying hills, and each lake is roughly opposite the other. The larger lake looks a bit like a shoe or a boot, and the citizens call it Lake Grazioso for its graceful waves and mild weather. The smaller lake is known fondly by fishermen as Lake Capriccio, a small, spirited body of water known to be home to several species of equally spirited, not to mention noisy, avian creatures (a.k.a birds).
• Climate - Temperate

Currency Symbols: Musical notes made of copper/bronze that are shaped like a Whole Note, Half Note, Quarter Note, Eighth Note, and Sixteenth Note respectively. The more intricate the design (the more notations) means the more that piece of currency, or Note, is worth (since it would have taken longer to forge and just looks more intricate).

Animals: Mostly herbivores, birds, and a multitude of insects. There are some carnivores and potentially magic creatures in the surrounding forests on their circular border. As a nation, Treblea might very well be mostly landlocked (GM's discretion).

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Signature

*Things the country is known for
Resource: Musical instruments
Resource: Works of art/commissions for same
Resource: Wheat and sorghum (harvesting with scythes is a form of music AND art AND sport to Trebleans)
Resource: Lumber (need wood to make some instruments)
Resource: Copper (for their currency as well as some tools).

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Government (cont'd)

Type: Democratic oligarchy (Note and each of the seven villages is divided by loose agreement into musical genres that serve them as districts of a sort. Each genre in each village elects their own representatives (Note included), and they form the equivalent of a city council. In turn, that city council, which they call a Council of Genres, elects a representative from them - although sometimes it has been a random citizen from a random genre of qualifying age so as to break a deadlock tie - represents their entire village (or Note) at the big council meeting that comes together in times of great need in Note itself to represent every village and Note itself as a united nation of music lovers.

Council of Note Leaders: Rax Coalstonn, Rex Tungsten, Lyrnia Tangstven, Svelte Langstven, Bridley Longstonn (male), Jaykob Lungstren, Alixia Garstven, and Yorny Galstven.

Naming Conventions: The last names of men typically end in -tonn or -tren while female names traditionally end in -stven or -tven.

Current Goal(s): To share their collective love of music with the world. To provide a place of refuge for those who love music and love their freedom. They are viewed like lambs in the eyes of predator countries looking to conquer it. Treblea has the misfortune of being centrally located, with multiple nations able to fabricate de jure claims against it.

As such, the "open nation" of Treblea desperately seeks to keep their freedom from tyranny while also r maiming protected against foreign invaders who see their little circular nation as a pie of resources ready for slicing.

Also, while Treblea's few mines produce ample bronze from their copper (hi hi, hi hi, it's off to work they go!), their country lacks iron or any alloys stronger than copper. This makes them dependent on trade if they want to make even simple advances in tech that enhances lifestyle (such as ovens, pots and pans, anvils, or better instrument frames.

Attitude Toward Magic: Magic near Treblea is mostly concentrated in the forests surrounding the outlying village/towns. Rumors and whispers of fantastical beasts grow with each passing day. Many a citizen is content to pay wise heed to these rumors and stay ensconced with their instruments and tools alike, whiling away the day in pursuit of musical and artistic pleasure. There are a select few people born with the wanderlust, however, and those people typically venture out into the forest as soon as they come of age to do so, sometimes earlier; although the earlier they leave, the less chance they have of surviving the presumably dangerous forest ring to see whatever lies beyond. To some in the outlying seven villages, it's almost a rite of passage marking someone as either incredibly bold and brave, or dumber than a bag of keytar picks.

Most Trebleans cannot use magic in the traditional sense. Their magic shines through in their music and works of art. It is said of outsiders who attend Treblean music festivals and concerts that the music makes the air alive, sometimes it even shimmers and/or does things to peoples' souls on an individual basis. Works of art sold or gifted by Treblean artists, sculptors, and the like are sometimes said to have strange, otherworldly properties. Whether or not these properties were an intention of their creator remains unclear thus far.
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As the nation is visited more by outsiders, magic may be practiced more often within its borders, lending itself to more and more arcane mysteries and the like!

Brief History:

Treblea was born from several honest farming folk who had frankly had enough of a tyrannical ruler. They got fed up enough to mount an escape, stole what provisions they could, including a mule-driven wagon (unfortunately driven by two mules of the same gender), and trekked across the land until finally they happened upon the miles wide depression between the seven hills. Declaring this to be a reasonably protected site, far from their old home, they set up shop - so to speak - on the very arable land that grew beneath their feet. Soon, more and more people fleeing the tyrant's lands, or others altogether, ended up there and the farms gradually got pushed further and further outwards to make room for the burgeoning clump of shacks and hovels that would eventually sprawl over into the more noteworthy capitol of Note.

Being that they came from a system of government that was extremely strict, and even had completely outlawed music, the people of Treblea decided to make music a focal point of their daily lives just to spite their old ruler. It turned out that this fad caught on, and was even lovingly embraced by their descendants. Pretty soon the old ruler was completely forgotten and an entire culture was born, led by a council system so complex that it actually turned out to be straightforward and simplistic.

Someone's brilliant idea to make seven different villages, one for each hill, to stand like sentries over the surrounding forests was met with approval, and the rambling, growing mass of Note quickly dispersed into seven somewhat organized directions to do just that. Their dialect of the most predominantly spoken language took on a musical cadence, as they essentially all taught themselves how to express themselves with musical instruments (singing caught on at first, died out for a while, then came back with a vengeance in present times). As a result of this musical focus, all of their city/town/villages - Note and even the two lakes included - were given names related to music, sometimes even words they had invented on their own.
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