The dragon has yet to be mentioned, but will be given a character sheet and a mention in the Landmarks section.
This dwarf-human Commonwealth is meant to draw themes from both Renaissance Italy and Medieval Scandinavia. I'll be adding stuff about political intrigue in this realm in the Special Information section. The idea is this: dwarves have the most cutthroat of politics, literally cutthroat politics. Assassins are going to be the norm in politics.
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The Ogdaren-Torvelli Commonwealth
Ogdaren and Torvel are two distinct city-states, one dwarven and one human, located in the mountainous region known as The Daggers. While the dwarves have built a massive fortress in the mountains themselves, the humans of Torvel have settled in the foothills, enjoying the privilege of being the main "gateway" to Ahn-Karag. A third city, the dwarven port city of Kaloch, is a vassal to Ogdaren and serves as the second entryway into this dwarven realm.
Approximately seventy years ago, the two city-states found themselves beset by invaders on all sides. After managing to repel those invaders, they have since chosen to form a Commonwealth, the better to pool their resources for defense, industry and trade.
Religion: The dwarves of the Commonwealth worship Bruen, the god of writing, law, runic magic and trade. They tout him as the father of the dwarven race, though non-dwarven sects of the religion often disagree, and use a runic writing system based around this religion.
Most humans worship the Traveler's Star, a star that serves as a guide to any traveler at night. Their legends say that the star shows the way to their homeland, long since conquered by all manner of beasts, and they will one day reclaim it. Many humans have started worshiping Bruen, however, as the years of not returning home pass on by and their homeland becomes a distant memory.
Ruled By:Merchant Republic - The bourgeois wield great power in both city-states, especially in the human land, but power ultimately rests in the hands of a number of Merchant Princes. These Merchant Princes elect a Crowned Prince, who by law must be "of dwarven blood," to rule the Commonwealth for thirty years. Thus far, two Crowned Princes have ruled the cities, one ruling for fifty years until death and the second, present ruler, Crowned Prince Amglam Forisen, is still in the midst of his rule.
Enemies/Alliances:To Be Determined Education System: To Be Determined Defense/Weapons: To Be Determined Landmarks: To Be Determined Special Information: Dwarves have three names: a given name, a last name, and a family name. Family names are carefully hidden from outsiders, and dwarves never introduce themselves to anyone but family with it. Their last name is usually a reference to their father. For example, Amglam Forisen's last name, Forisen, means "Son of Fori." His family name, which is unknown to outsiders, is a reference to the history of the family.
Religion: There is really no set religion in this kingdom, due to the species being what they are. If anyone here does have a religion, it is by choice, not set upon them like a burden.
Ruled by: The kingdom is ruled by one of the eldest vampire's around, her coven doing her tasks mainly for her, however she has the final decision. With a iron fist the women has lived her fair share of years on this earth, always making a wise decision for her and her kingdom.
Enemies/Alliances: This has yet to be decided. Anyone that wishes to be friendly with this kingdom, may be treated the same as well as the ones that prefer to start a war.
Education System: The Education System in Red River Valley is that everyone teach's the others. The elders teach the little ones in the comfort of their homes, basically, like home-schooling.
Defense/Weapons: Here in the Red River Valley Kingdom, we have no fire power. We have a very large group of Warriors that are made up of the species of Demons, Vampires, Wizards/Warlocks/Witches, and a small amount of very highly trained humans.
Any Landmarks/special information about the Kingdom: A few side notes about the Red Kingdom that you may need to know is: •Anyone is allowed here, though the main population is indeed Vampire. •The village part of this Kingdom surrounds a large, modernized and sophisticated looking castle and the only way to get to the castle is by walking over a very long bridge. No one is allowed in the castle except the Queen, her coven and the people that the Queen has ordered there on very important business. •The Kingdom is surrounded by large mountains, a Valley in the middle of them where the sophisticated society lays. Also around the Kingdom on the inside ridge of the mountains that surrounds it, there is a river that looks red in the moonlight, thus creating the name.
Age: Her actual Physical Appearance shows the age of 19, though her true age is a rough 765 years.
Species: Evangaline considers herself to the proudest Vampire Queen that you may ever meet.
Powers/Skills:Over the years of her existence, Evie has gathered multiple skills. Singing, playing just about any musical instrument there is to play, handle swords very well and train in many different aspects in physical fighting. Her powers would include Electrokinesis, which is the ability to control electricity. Along side of that, she has used this ability for so long that the weather actually changes with her mood as well as her having minor control over water.
Bio:
Evangaline was born in what is now to be considered modern-day England in the year 1250. Over the 19 years of her human life, Evie was known to be on of the smartest, kindest people of her time, but also had a stubborn side to her agile persona. Two months after her 19th birthday, Evangaline meet a man that she considered to be her possible future husband, though already considered to be over the age of marriage and out of the normality for women of her time. Her parents however, did not find the man suitable for his pale skin and weird ways. One day, the two of them decided to run away together, however things did not go as planned. The man vowed to be with her for as long as the both remained, classical wedding vows, blah, blah, blah, when suddenly he bit her on the neck without warning. Laying in pain for almost 2 weeks in the middle of no where, Evie found herself changing slowly, her body becoming stronger, a thirst in her throat that could no longer be quenched by nothing other than blood. She never seen her so called husband again. Over the next 5 years, she noticed that her appearance didn't change, she couldn't eat or drink anything other than blood and she did have the strangest feeling that she had become a monster of one of her village's legends. A coven found her, ready to rip her to shreds when she was feeding upon their lands when she explained she was a mere fledgling, and with little hesitation, they allowed her to join their ranks. There leader took a liking to her, allowing her to be a co-leader as he called her. One day another coven came upon the lands once more, only to make her current coven dwindle down to the number 3. With a grieving heart, they all decided that Evangaline was the leader of the coven. Within the next 4 years, the found Red River Valley and Established one of the largest Kingdoms known.
Other: Evangaline has a light British accent and always speaks in a sophisticated manner. She is also the Queen of the Red River Valley Kingdom.
This should be done save for the friends/enemies section, but that can't be covered without other nations floating around.
So, here it is: the Commonwealth!
The Ogdaren-Torvelli Commonwealth
Ogdaren and Torvell are two distinct city-states, one dwarven and one human, located in the mountainous region known as The Daggers. While the dwarves have built a massive fortress in the mountains themselves, the humans of Torvell have settled in the foothills, enjoying the privilege of being the main "gateway" to Ahn-Karag. A third city, the dwarven port city of Kaloch, is a vassal to Ogdaren and serves as the second entryway into this dwarven realm.
Approximately seventy years ago, the two city-states found themselves beset by invaders on all sides. After managing to repel those invaders, they have since chosen to form a Commonwealth, the better to pool their resources for defense, industry and trade.
Religion: The dwarves of the Commonwealth worship Bruen, the god of writing, law, runic magic and trade. They tout him as the father of the dwarven race, though non-dwarven sects of the religion often disagree. The dwarves use a runic writing system based around this religion.
Most humans worship the Traveler's Star, a star that serves as a guide to any traveler at night. Their legends say that the star shows the way to their homeland, long since conquered by all manner of beasts, and they will one day reclaim it. Many humans have started worshiping Bruen, however, as the years of not returning home pass on by and their homeland becomes a distant memory.
Ruled By:Merchant Republic - The bourgeois wield great power in both city-states, especially in the human land, but power ultimately rests in the hands of a number of Merchant Princes. These Merchant Princes elect a Crowned Prince, who by law must be "of dwarven blood," to rule the Commonwealth for thirty years. Thus far, two Crowned Princes have ruled the cities, one ruling for fifty years until death and the second, present ruler, Crowned Prince Amglam Forisen, is still in the midst of his rule.
Enemies/Alliances:To Be Determined
Education System: As trade comes first and foremost in the Commonwealth, the studies of mathematics, writing and foreign cultures comes first and foremost. Astronomy, calligraphy and cartography are highly valued as well, and are the subject of several higher education institutes (which, of course, are by and large only accessible to those with wealthy backgrounds). Thus, among the populations of Torvell and Ogdaren, literacy is rather high (roughly 60-70%). The port city of Kaloch is comparably uneducated (roughly 20-30% literate); fishing and hard labor come before schooling there.
Defense/Weapons: The first defensive advantage of the Commonwealth is its natural barriers. With mountainous terrain and an ocean as natural barriers, most invaders would be hard pressed to find a good foothold. Furthermore, dwarven stonework being what it is, the walls that protect the three cities of the Commonwealth are mighty and firm. Even more damning for any would-be conquerors: there are enough ranches, vineyards and mushroom farms behind the walls to keep the defenders sustained for a long time.
The real weakness lies in the defenders. While the troops are well-equipped to hold the walls for a long time, most of the professional soldiers are mercenaries whose loyalties lie with their coinpurse and their families, not to the Crowned Prince. Assassins-for-hire are also plentiful. Invading forces, therefore, might be able to exploit this lack of unity in the professional ranks and turn some of them against the city itself.
Still, the mercenaries and militiamen of the Commonwealth are not to be underestimated. Dwarven crossbowmen are said to be impressive sharpshooters, and human militia mixed with dwarven Houseguards - those who protect the wealthy merchant houses - made for a sturdy frontline.
One of the unique weapons used by the soldiers of Ogdaren is the Wyrmfire: a magical tube with a dragon's head that spews fire from its jaws when its trigger is pulled. Coupled with burning oil, ballistae, and runic enchantments along the walls, this merchant's realm is prepared for a siege.
Caravans originating from the Commonwealth typically have crossbowmen and spearmen in their employ as guards.
Landmarks: Ogdaren - An impregnable fortress-city dug into a mountain in the mountain range known as the Daggers. The populace is chiefly dwarven, though some humans and a rare few half-dwarves (derogatorily called "Halfmen") are among the populace. Its outer walls protect the ranches and vinyards this place is famous for.
Torvell - A walled, hilly human city at the base of the mountain. Streams of water from the mountain peaks flow together to form a river which sidles between the hills and down toward the forest below.
Kaloth - A rather poor port city known for its pubs and for being a mercenary hub. It has a higher crime rate than the other two cities in the Commonwealth. Surrounded by mountains and the ocean on all sides, this small, coastal port is connected to Ogdaren thanks to a well-constructed tunnel network; it is impossible to walk from Kaloth to either of the other cities without using the tunnels.
Blackfire Peak - Scorched black by dragonfire, this mountain is home to the terrible wyrm known as Vraul. Over two centuries ago, this black-scaled dragon came to the region and destroyed another dwarven city-state, a kingdom as Ulrund, and plundered it for everything it had. He has been a menace to the region ever since, burning farmlands, stealing cattle, killing peasants and plundering manors; only regular tributes of gold can stay his wrath. The Crowned Prince awaits the coming of heroes to slay this terrible beast and promises to reward such warriors handsomely.
Special Information: The politics within the Commonwealth are perhaps the deadliest within the world. There is even a saying based around this: "Never shake hands with a smiling dwarf lord." Great disputes are sometimes settled by duels, but assassinations, poisoned wine and strange "accidents" are much more common. Even the duels often have a dash of devilry to them; duelists have a habit of poisoning their swords and axes, the better to assure their victory. This may be the reason why dwarves are so resistant to poison.
Thankfully, most disputes do not require such overt acts of murder. Most are settled in the courts or with bribes and blackmail. Some Princes are prone to kidnapping the family of their rivals and using them as leverage to make another Prince vote in a way that is favorable to them. Wealthy families have adapted to this over time; kidnapping is not as traumatic to the people of the Commonwealth as it is for other peoples, and some view being kidnapped as a sort of vacation from the drudgery of day-to-day life. There is a sort of formal air to it, and the prisoners are often given reasonable quarters and a servant to assist them. Nevertheless, angering a rival may lead to the summary execution of these souls in gilded cages.
Assassins are honored members of dwarven society. These individuals do not dress in black leather and wear clothes that belong to men of the night; rather, they dress like ordinary citizens of the Commonwealth, the better to blend in with the people and go unnoticed. They are trained in the use of poison, explosives, and various forms of weaponry, especially the crossbow. Some are trained in runic or illusion magics. While their identities are secret, stories of an assassin's endeavors are spun everywhere, and it's a well known fact that the Merchant Princes employ assassins regularly. Still, some of these assassins tire of their work and become adventurers - a profession just as honored among the dwarven people, and one that lets the former assassin be adored by the public.
The bear is a favorite animal of the Commonwealth and is depicted in a great many of their works of art. They also have a fascination with keeping bears as pets and wearing bearskin cloaks.
Dwarves have three names: a given name, a last name, and a family name. Family names are carefully hidden from outsiders, and dwarves never introduce themselves to anyone but family with it. Their last name is usually a reference to their father. For example, Amglam Forisen's last name, Forisen, means "Son of Fori." His family name, which is unknown to outsiders, is a reference to the history of the family.
But yeah, if you have any requests for a type of nation, region or the like to make, I'll be happy to draft something up. I plan to create a few more things as I find inspiration.
The next thing I have in mind is the undead-infested forest I mentioned earlier, the site of a great battle between elves and orcs: The Ghostwood. ...Yeah, I like descriptive names for landmarks. The Daggers, Blackfire Peak, etc. are easier to remember than, say... "The Kithmun Wood" or "The Angarash Mountains."
As an aside, Red River Valley is a great name for that very reason. It's an easy-to-remember name that probably describes the color of the river that runs through it. Makes it memorable.
