Sigma — Roleplayer Guild

Realms of Astoria

Banner  of the Protected Realms/Astorian Kingdom

Banner of the Mordrani Domain

Banners of the Paleskin Clans

Government Form: 

Astoria: Regency
Mordrani: Dictatorship
Paleskin Clans: Chiefdom.

Demographics:

Paleskin is the collective term of a several brutish races.
Grogar

Grobbet

Groll

Population: 3.8 million
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Plane Description: Astoria is a land surrounded by endless, ravenous seas, any poor soul that dared ventured past the calm waters would be taken by the Hungry Sea. The land itself is a vast country greenery, from the great forests, to great grass plains and rolling hills, to mucky bogs and lastly, to the frigid northlands. 

History:
The foundation of Astoria as we know it is stuff out of legend and myth. It all began on the final days of Gaia, an inconspicuous man would receive vivid dreams, or visions from a being not of Gaia, telling him that salvation awaits the chosen few in a plane far from Gaia. At first, he sounded like a raving mad man, telling of a new paradise that awaits the faithful for a Goddess none have even heard of. 

However, as Gaia’s twilight days approached, many became desperate and turned to the man they once scorned as mad, now their Savior. An untold number of people had amassed at the appointed location where salvation awaited them. The masses stood, waiting for a miracle, and within moments, their prayers were answered. A grand rift tore into the fabric of reality, revealing a land unlike their own. Without hesitation, the refugees all flooded through the rift, crossing over to their new home, Astoria.

The once mad prophet was now looked to as a leader in this strange new world as the humans battled and struggled against the peoples of this plane. Ranging from barbarian hordes, mad Mage-Kings, and forest-bound raiders. A particularly fierce battle would truly mark the Prophet as the Chosen One of the Goddess, as he led an army of ten thousand against a paleskin horde number triple the numbers, many had perished in the first phase of the battle.

 Little did they known, a most holy shrine to the Goddess was near, and had called to the Prophet. Without warning, he had fled the battlefield, his troops following behind as they fled deep into the forests, where the Divine Sword of Excalibis waited. Within moments, the tide of battle turned once the Prophet claimed the sword, its power overwhelming the Paleskin horde as they fled. The Astorians fought many battles over the decades as they carved their kingdom under the rule of their Savior-King, Arthan the First, Chosen of the Goddess.

Centuries pass as the Kingdom of Astoria expanded its reach to all corners of the continent, halted by the Ravenous Seas. The rule of Warlords and Mage-Kings had long past, the Royal House of Arthan overcoming the odds. 
Although peace had finally been achieved four centuries after the Gaian’s arrival, it would be an uneasy one. Many paleskin clans still refuse to bow before the Royal House, and internal power struggles within the kingdom are a common occurrence among the nobility. Such power struggles would lead down a dark path that would tear the Kingdom in two.

The House of Mordran is one of several noble houses that claim a very distant relation with the Royal Family, and often are seen as the black sheep in the Kingdom. For decades, the Mordrani had long planned their ascension to the throne, using whatever plot and scheme they could claim it for themselves, until one final plan was set in motion.

The Mordrani had approached several Paleskin Warlords with a proposition, help them kill the King, and they will be granted their own kingdom to rule as they see fit. On that fateful night, a paleskin horde besieged the capital city of Loirimont. The battle would last several days, and in the chaos, Sebastian Mordran, House Patriarch, would himself lead a group of assassins to commit the final deed. 

The throne room would be a gruesome sight as the Royal Family and their guard would be forced in a pitched battle against the Mordrani, the Queen and the children the first to fall victim, sending King Caulihem into a rage as he wielded his ancestor’s divine sword against the usurper. 

It would unfortunately end in his death as Sebastian landed the final blow, ending the Divine Bloodline of the Savior-King. In his moment of Triumph, Sebastian Mordran took the sword from his cousin’s still body, claiming himself as King of all of Astoria, what came next would baffle the survivors. Excalibis had a mind of its own and outright rejected its new master, consuming him in a blinding light as the Usurper had disintegrated where he stood, the Sword vanishing shortly after. 

Fifty years have passed since the battle, Astoria now torn in civil war between the Protected Realms and the Mordrani Domain. The Protected Realms are under the stewardship of the Lord Protector, who will guide the people in the King’s place, holding not hope that the royals may return one day. The Mordrani Domain consist of the western half of the kingdom, under the ironfisted rule of House Mordran, allied houses that joined their cause, and Paleskin Clans that swore to their new King. 

Culture and Society: 
Astoria is both a feudal and savage land ruled under Noble Houses and Warlords alike. In more civilized parts, Astoria is made up of four classes of people, the Nobility, the Peasantry, the Merchants, and the Mages. Although it can be said there is not strict adherence to any sort of class system, often one can find themselves cross over.  The lands both the Protected Realms and Mordrani Domain are managed by Noble Houses that can be trace back to the first Generals of the Founding Crusade, who became honored elders and eventually, were elevated to form the Nobility of the new Kingdom. 

Mages can find themselves crossing over class lines at times, the gift of magic caring not for one’s social status.  Knights are seen as the paragons of Astorian society, serving as her ever-resilient defenders against all that would bring ruin. Such admiration has given rise to the Chivalry code.

The Astorians are a pious people, the land filled with many different faiths and Gods. The one most revered by the Kingdom is Cliodhna, Goddess of the Cycle, of life and death. It was she who had come into contact with Arthan, helping establish the Kingdom of Astoria. As thanks, the Church of Cliodhna was founded. Along the centuries, the Savior-King had been elevated into a similar status as Cliodhna, seeing him as her First Prophet, the Messiah that led the lost herd into paradise. 
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Governance and Politics: 
Protected Realms of Astoria: The Kingdom or the Protected Realms as it now is known, is currently under the stewardship of the Lord Protector under the faint hope that the Royal Family will somehow remerge from the jaws of oblivion. Under the Lord Protector is the House Assembly, a governing council made up of various heads of the Noble Houses that remain loyal to the Crown. The Assembly often handle the day to day matters of state sharing some responsibility with the Lord Protector, who in addition to such duties, also directs the military and defense.

Mordrani Domain The Mordrani Domain functions similarly to the Protected Realms. Lord Mordran ruling his House' territory with an ironfist, leaving daily administration duties to the Houses within their borders, the "Traitor Houses" as they've come to be called by the Protected Realms.

Paleskin Clans: Each of the Paleskin Clans are ruled by their respective Chieftains and their inner circle of lieutenants, the Chieftain's rule is absolute, their word and blade law. If the current-sitting Chieftain were to meet an unfortunate fate, the selection process of succession often is done so in two ways. If the Chieftain was slain in a duel of honor against his opponent, the challenger would then by right, become the new ruling chieftain. If the Chieftain was to die of natural causes, or slain in battle, the new ruling chieftain would then be decided in a grand fighting tournament, the best warriors of the Clan would gather to battle in fierce arena combat for the right to rule the Clan.

Technology and Magic: 
Decades of civil war had accelerated minor and major technological development in Astoria, from metalworks, weapons, and armors that would be considered impossible centuries ago, the invention of the firepowder which gave birth to the Cannons known today. Magic in Astoria is a common occurrence, common enough that two major rivaling schools of magic were established throughout Astoria, from the Sacred Institute of Tymedus, which dealt in holy and elemental magics, to the Wizarding Towers of Darkwood, which dealt in more…questionable, but useful arts. In between there were minor schools that were more specialized and more easily accessible throughout Astoria.

Military Overview: 
Ever since Astoria's founding, the Kingdom mainly relied upon drafted peasant levies and a small elite corps of Knights and Guardsmen as a means of defense and offense. However, the civil war had demanded extensive military restructuring. Although peasant levies were still present in some form, a professional standing army had slowly replaced them. 

Mages also play a vital role within the military, many acting as field medics, others acting as mid-range artillery units, lobbing the elements against the enemy. In recent years, cannons had been introduced by both sides in the war, and although very effective, haven't completely phased out the more traditional siege weapons like the catapult as of yet. 

The Knightly Orders of old still linger after the centuries, and now needed more than ever in theses dark times. The various Knightly Orders serve as heavy calvary and elite infantry, their very presence inspiring weary troops to press forward.

The forces of the Mordrani Domain had gone through a similar restructuring, phasing out levies in favor of a professionally trained and loyal army. Paleskin Clans that remained loyal to the Mordrani after their coup attempt make up the bulk of their forces, and are often supported or led by the Mordrani Legions, the combined Household Guards reorganized into a proper fighting force, directing the paleskin hordes with precision.

Recently, the Mordrani had become more open with dabbling with the dark arts, enlisting the aid of Necromancers to add Undead abominations into their ranks.

The Paleskin hordes are a disorganized rabble compared to the ordered and structured armies of more civilized kingdoms, the rank beyond Chieftain being meaningless. Paleskin warriors typically are organized into Warbands, said Warbands vastly differ depending on function, a Warband making up a dozen or so warriors, to hundreds or to thousands of warriors. Leaders of these Warbands are often hand-picked by the Chieftain himself or members of his Inner Circle.

Paleskin Shamans, like their more civilized counterparts, play vital roles within the Warbands, as healers, advisors, leaders or elite warriors.

The various beasts of Astoria, both mundane and monstruous, serve a multitude of roles within the Warbands, be it as beasts of burden, food, mounts or as living siege engines.

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Additional Info: (Anything else you want to include that there isn't a spot for up there. Little factoids about your nation are both amusing and welcome.)
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