City/Realm name: Vrent – An Ruuktor Fir (
The True Throne)
Flag/Banner: An Tzul D’Yvazgrul (
The Eye Of Yvazgrul)
Capital: Vrent – An Ruuktor Fir - Ruuktor – The True Throne
Government Type: The sole leader of all Vrentians is The Quiet One, also referred to as The Apex and Yvazgrul’s Listener and most often just as The Listener. Authority however, is not absolute and things are more intricate than they initially seem. The Listener’s power stems from his or hers ability to directly communicate with Yvazgrul itself. The validity of this claim, let alone any proposed method, has yet to be verified by any outside entity.
The broader governing system of Vrent, stems from its founding race, the Ventus, and is quite complex and difficult to condense into a single word. It has strong traces of tribal chieftanism still evident, but with a far more refined and forward thinking application. It can be seen somewhat as an archaic meritocracy, whereby each Listener is someone proven beyond capable in all fields deemed necessary by the Vrentians; war, art and academia, three tenets its beliefs tie together.
The Speakers, act as a rudimentary senate-like institution. Speakers are chosen also by merit, however, in actuality, familial influence and honor won in combat mean far more than any other factor. Therefore, historically, Speakers have often been inclined towards heavy handed judgment and action, something heavily favored by the general populace. The Speakers oversee the Vidril, which are large organizations focused each on provision of a specific aspect of Vrent life. The military, academic, magic, trade and farming Vidrils are by far the most prominent.
Expanded upon when necessary.Currency: Vrent has always had a deep and intricate economical system, using varyingly valuable carved minerals(metals), in the shape of any traditional coinage. Modern Vrent is a trading hub, as much of the traffic across the Gap begins or terminates in Vrent and despite its ferociously violent history, and the many misgivings of it from other states, it is undoubtedly an important economic centre. Albeit, much of this is due to geographical circumstance and unfettered access to balsite mines.
It's modern currency collectively called ℘ragon's Heads, is a shared system with neighbouring states, imposed and monitored in Vrent.
℘ Farthing: Lowest denomination ℘
℘ Halfshield: five farthings ℘
℘ Shield: two halves/ten farthings ℘
℘ Groat: five shields/ten halves/fifty farthings ℘
℘ Tower: two groats/ten shields/twenty halves/one hundred farthings ℘
℘ Blood: five towers/ten groats/fifty shields/ one hundred halves/five hundred farthings ℘
℘ Lily: two bloods/ten towers/twenty groats/one hundred shields/two hundred halves/thousand farthings
℘ Eye: five lillies/ten bloods/fifty towers/one hundred groats/five hundred shields/one thousand halves/five thousand farthings ℘
℘ Dragon: ten thousand farthings ℘
Vrent as a ‘city’ has rather unique geography. Rather than a dense central urban centre, the city of Vrent is composed of a daisy chain of fortress-esque installations forming a two hundred and seventy degree arc around the low slopes of the Raven’s Ire mountain range. Each of these locations is focused on one large sky reaching building known as a Citadel, a religious and political construct. These towns are built vertically, only expanding out along the slopes by a few square kilometres each. They are however, extremely dense and built up, with many towering stacks and spire. Each Citadel reaches higher than any other building surrounding it. It is also important so to note, that 'Vrent' refers both to the Citadel Vrent, the first Citadel, and to the larger Citadel network and the state itself.
Linking the Citadels are the Ard Roads, carved into the slopes and raised on mighty archways, and the Ishil roads, vast underground tunnel networks. These impressive constructs act as conduits for all internal travel and trade in Vrent.
Seven Citadels are linked by the Ard and Ishil Roads, and they are, in north facing clockwise, bottom to top direction:
Ozgart
Frelhund
Drizmund
Vrent
Auhmhaft
Solvvas
Yval’hund
Spreading out from these slopes are rolling lowlands and the farming pastures which provide the huge amount of food required to fuel Vrent’s never-ending mining operations. This terrority is all considered directly under the control of Vrent and rolls out as far as the edge of the continent where Vrent borders Sindari. Farmers of varying species work and own these lands, assured protection from Vrent, given mutual status and respect. All in return for religious conviction. To the east, and further away from the mountain range, Vrent maintains peaceful, if tenuous relations with the other city and states for the sake of trade.
Major Settlements:Sfel: Sfel is the northern most settlement which officially lays within Vrent's domain. It is a strategic port founded after the second Abelonian invasion of the Spine both to serve as a base for Vrent's newfound naval force and as a trading hub for further commerce to the east. It affectionately has gained the name Little Illy due to the large number of Illgarythe migrants who settled there to construct, instruct and generally aid the formation of Vrent's ships of the line. It is a small, but very valuable and well defended settlement.
IsthiaIsthia is the name of the river which bisects the Vrentian lowlands, and the name of a settlement which rests near the confluence of it's two distributaries. The settlement of Isthia isn't a single centralised hub, rather a network of small farming villages and and towns. Together though, they do form a fairly dense community.
The river itself has had dozens of canals and and by-ways carved to extend its lateral reach for the use of crop irrigation. Isthia is the granary of Vrent, accounting for nearly half of its total produce and livestock.
State Religion: The Red Way – The Worship of Yvazgrul. Vrent’s daily life is heavily influenced by religion. However, the Vrentians, don’t classify their own belief system as a religion. They are wholeheartedly convinced it is truth and not comparable to the fickle whims of ‘modern’ cults such as Old God worship, least of all 'Player Religion Here'. Somewhat ironic, considering the manner in which most every other states regard ‘The Red Way’.
There is an unspoken hierarchy within the way, with Followers being the common of the faith, Watchers leading local worships, Speakers overseeing all and The Listener at the throne.
Religious Information: The Red Way focuses on the truth that another world runs parallel to our, but exists within in it. Referred to as the ‘Eile’ or the Other, this world is home to all manner of immensely powerful entities. These Entities, are each individually tied to a plane of existence, according to the Way. Yvazgrul, is according to the first Listener, the original and most powerful of all Entities tied to this corporeal realm. Yvazgrul has no translation to any modern tongue as the spoken word loses much meaning of thought, but the closest interpretation provided is "Face of The Many Arms".
The Way is Yvazgrul’s will manifested in tangible form. Those who follow the Way follow a being with a rightful claim to this world, a claim made by strength.
Knowledge and the acquirement of information are core parts of the Way, due to Yvazgrul’s unending comprehension; the more one knows, the closer they are to Yvazgrul. All will eventually follow the Way either by force of strength or force of knowledge. Foreign deities are regarded among those who follow the Way, as being a lesser being from the Other, who is attempting to usurp Yvazgrul.
Relics: The Eye ~ A small, head sized orb, made of what would appear to be a metal of unkown composition. Laced patterns swirl around its exterior painting an unclear picture. In ancient times, there were many such Eyes, fragments of Yvazgrul; this Eye, grants the Listener audience with Yvazgrul. It's confirmed existence however, is a well guarded secret with few privy to it outside the Cirlcle of Speakers.
Magic: Magic plays quite a strong role in Vrentian society and is intrinsically tied to the Way and relgious practice. Those with the gift to pierce the veil that separates here and the Other and directly draw on Yvazgrul's wisdom and power are highly respected. Mages do not dominate society, nor earn merit based solely on their birthed gifts, but they do have a very decent head-start. Mages are most commonly called Seers.
Formally, any and all magic users, despite being few and far between these days, are trained and educated in Drizmund Citadel, which houses the Academy of Red, the colloquial name for the Vidril of Magics. Here Vrentian mages are given the finest opportunities available in the hopes that one day, each of them will be a glorious leader of the Way of Red; as a Watcher, a scholar or in battle.
The magic learned and employed by the Vrentians is not like the magic seen on the continent. With their power coming directly from Yvazgrul, Vrentian mages uses both the Red Entity's knowledge and strength. Enemy minds can be corrupted, mentally tortured or wiped completely. Powerful binding magic and ferocious offensive manifestations can also be conjured. Vrentian Seers though, very rarely have needed to employ their abilities in recent decades.
