@Inkarnate@Hyperdrive
Claim and Regions
In ancient days Petaxaleena was a province of the elves great domain, but from that time little has survived. The men of Petaxaleena were, and remain, hardy folk accustom to life farming soggy fields of the south; the departure of their overlords all those centuries ago meant little to them. Unlike Lorea or the many other regions both Humans and Elves elves cohabited it is largely only pure blood Humans that remain in Petaxaleena, a side effect of the harshness of the country and the rather unsettling wildlife that resides there.
However, in the north, among the warm foothills, there exists a notable exception. Nearly all the Kingdoms nobility is concentrated in its northern reaches below the great mountains that separate Petaxaleena from the rest of the east, and they have long sought to preserve the Elven blood in their veins. In most cases this has been accomplished through careful breeding, but the most charismatic of the nobility have found ways to seduce Elven brides. More than just blood, the nobility has almost nothing in common with those they rule over. The Great Lords of Petaxaleena worship the old gods Kepa and Ele, the sun and moon, whereas the common folk worship ill defined gods of harvest and the wild.
Of course the nobility might well worship the gods of the wild too, if they spent any time in the south. Among the swamps and fields of that godforsaken region there are real monsters, wicked beasts that spend their time in the water only to come up when they hunger for flesh. Every year the families of those crippled or killed by the beasts demand action from the nobles living their pampered lives in their resplendent castles, and every year they are mocked for the presumption. The monsters cannot be a problem unless the nobility says they are, of course.
In reality the nobles know they could never really end the beasts. The ancient elves doubtless tried, as did a dozen forgotten kings, none even came come to eradicating the scourge. Why waste lives more than are already lost? Peasants may be easily replaced, but to lose a whole generation in the foolish effort to extinguish the ancient beasts of the south would be catastrophic. Petaxaleena has never been rich, despite its size, to lose the workforce would be to lose the entire nation to anarchy and chaos.
In recent times though, the menace has been... Reduced. The beasts of the east, ever longing for a challenge, extended their services in exchange for a fortress in Petaxaleena and the chance to recruit a limited number of peasants, for an army it was all too easy an offer. Their valiant efforts rid the world of countless beasts, not enough, but still. For the first time in centuries the population of Petaxaleena has exploded as peasants start families without fear and clear land further into the swamps than was imaginable. The nobility knows that, in time, the beasts will replenish their numbers, but the luxury the boost in taxes has permitted them was well worth the bargain with the strange creatures of the eastern reaches.
The Illustrious Kingdom of Petaxaleena
Claim and Regions
Description:
In ancient days Petaxaleena was a province of the elves great domain, but from that time little has survived. The men of Petaxaleena were, and remain, hardy folk accustom to life farming soggy fields of the south; the departure of their overlords all those centuries ago meant little to them. Unlike Lorea or the many other regions both Humans and Elves elves cohabited it is largely only pure blood Humans that remain in Petaxaleena, a side effect of the harshness of the country and the rather unsettling wildlife that resides there.
However, in the north, among the warm foothills, there exists a notable exception. Nearly all the Kingdoms nobility is concentrated in its northern reaches below the great mountains that separate Petaxaleena from the rest of the east, and they have long sought to preserve the Elven blood in their veins. In most cases this has been accomplished through careful breeding, but the most charismatic of the nobility have found ways to seduce Elven brides. More than just blood, the nobility has almost nothing in common with those they rule over. The Great Lords of Petaxaleena worship the old gods Kepa and Ele, the sun and moon, whereas the common folk worship ill defined gods of harvest and the wild.
Of course the nobility might well worship the gods of the wild too, if they spent any time in the south. Among the swamps and fields of that godforsaken region there are real monsters, wicked beasts that spend their time in the water only to come up when they hunger for flesh. Every year the families of those crippled or killed by the beasts demand action from the nobles living their pampered lives in their resplendent castles, and every year they are mocked for the presumption. The monsters cannot be a problem unless the nobility says they are, of course.
In reality the nobles know they could never really end the beasts. The ancient elves doubtless tried, as did a dozen forgotten kings, none even came come to eradicating the scourge. Why waste lives more than are already lost? Peasants may be easily replaced, but to lose a whole generation in the foolish effort to extinguish the ancient beasts of the south would be catastrophic. Petaxaleena has never been rich, despite its size, to lose the workforce would be to lose the entire nation to anarchy and chaos.
In recent times though, the menace has been... Reduced. The beasts of the east, ever longing for a challenge, extended their services in exchange for a fortress in Petaxaleena and the chance to recruit a limited number of peasants, for an army it was all too easy an offer. Their valiant efforts rid the world of countless beasts, not enough, but still. For the first time in centuries the population of Petaxaleena has exploded as peasants start families without fear and clear land further into the swamps than was imaginable. The nobility knows that, in time, the beasts will replenish their numbers, but the luxury the boost in taxes has permitted them was well worth the bargain with the strange creatures of the eastern reaches.
