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This is sort of an example nation, but also the nation that I will put more focus on, in order to give people interested a general gist of the world an' stuff.
Races
History
Culture
Military
Government
Religion
Economy
Territory
Terrain
Factions
Characters
Kingdom of Cesia
- It is a large northern kingdom on the Stagnant Sea in Northern Kevica
- It is a large human nation, with pockets of mostly enslaved beastfolk and a dwarven minority
- It is a maritime civilization based around the Great Range Bay
- It is a Feudal Monarchy
- A person from Cesia is a Cesian
- It primarily is entrenched in the Noravar Culture, and while not a homeland of the culture, many is Cesia consider the kingdom the bulwark of their people.
- It is primarily a worshipper of Noadam, an ancient and well revered ancient religion which modernized in recent years
- It is a fairly xenophobic culture which holds very little love of outsiders
- It speaks Cesiverian, and writes in Noramad, with some regional dialects.
- Espionage - Decent
- Wealth - Moderate
- Population - 9,500,000
- Army Size - 570,000
Races
Noravar (Human)
The Noravars are a human culture which descends from the deep north of Endikigo, who were in legend a powerful group of raiders who sailed the northern sea until landing in Kevica. Noravars have a very milky white skin, and normally have black or dark brown hair, with a very uncommon amount of red hair amongst them. One of their more unique physical aspects is their short noses and thick jaws.
Nauavar (Human)
The Nauavars are a northern culture which dwells far more northward then the core lands of the Noravars. Unlike their southern cousins, their unkept traditions greatly differ, having more intense superstitions and grow out their beards far more, being a hardy folk. Despite this, there is very little physical difference between Noravars and Nauavars outside their views of Cesia, with most Nauavars believing they are the true people, and that the Noravars are simply a bunch of pretenders to their heritage.
Dwalam (Dwarf)
The Dwalam are a dwarven culture which comes from the Gray Wall Mountains, in which was incorporated into the kingdom of Cesia and became a decently sized minority. Dwalam dwarves often only stand around 4'3 tall on average, and flowing red hair. Dwalam tend to have huge round noses, which often are known to become infected which can turn them puffy, blackened, or scarred, which often gives them the insulting name 'black noses' by the Noravar. Dwalam are by their nature incredibly skilled smiths and architects.
Beryul (Beastfolk)
The Beryul are a northern Beastfolk resembling bears, standing on average 7'0 tall. Beryul, much like bears, have short ears and tails, and are covered in a deep coat of fur, and have large and powerful claws which can rend flesh with relative ease. As sentient creatures, and being rather large, their species is often few in number and are more known to live in nomadic clans which range the northern wastes. Beryul is Cesia are often brought as slaves from raiders who range north to battle them or kidnap them, often used as heavy laborers.
Tuesab (Beastfolk)
The Tuesab are a Beastfolk people who resemble humanoid walruses, with large walrus head and powerful tusks, but have a large flubber body with a large gullet. Their bodies have little hair, and can survive the intense cold of the north almost solely off their own fat, which grant the mistaken impression of a weak or even gullible state. Tuesab normally stand around 5'11 tall, and unlike their Beryul neighbors, are more inclined to swim. They, much like the Beryul, are often kidnapped or captured in battle and sold into slavery is Cesia to be used as heavy laborers.
Otem (Beastfolk)
The Otem are a northern Beastfolk people who live solely along the coasts and small islands, and are very close to resembling sea otters. Otem stand only around 3'5 Tall on average, being a small people. Yet, their size doesn't translate to their strength, having been well known to match strength with dwarves. Otem are naturally born swimmers, much like sea otters, and can hunt in the water with grace. Due parts of Cesia having been formally a Otem colony, small enclaves of Otem are found in Cesia, but are often treated as second class citizens or are kept as slaves.
The Noravars are a human culture which descends from the deep north of Endikigo, who were in legend a powerful group of raiders who sailed the northern sea until landing in Kevica. Noravars have a very milky white skin, and normally have black or dark brown hair, with a very uncommon amount of red hair amongst them. One of their more unique physical aspects is their short noses and thick jaws.
Nauavar (Human)
The Nauavars are a northern culture which dwells far more northward then the core lands of the Noravars. Unlike their southern cousins, their unkept traditions greatly differ, having more intense superstitions and grow out their beards far more, being a hardy folk. Despite this, there is very little physical difference between Noravars and Nauavars outside their views of Cesia, with most Nauavars believing they are the true people, and that the Noravars are simply a bunch of pretenders to their heritage.
Dwalam (Dwarf)
The Dwalam are a dwarven culture which comes from the Gray Wall Mountains, in which was incorporated into the kingdom of Cesia and became a decently sized minority. Dwalam dwarves often only stand around 4'3 tall on average, and flowing red hair. Dwalam tend to have huge round noses, which often are known to become infected which can turn them puffy, blackened, or scarred, which often gives them the insulting name 'black noses' by the Noravar. Dwalam are by their nature incredibly skilled smiths and architects.
Beryul (Beastfolk)
The Beryul are a northern Beastfolk resembling bears, standing on average 7'0 tall. Beryul, much like bears, have short ears and tails, and are covered in a deep coat of fur, and have large and powerful claws which can rend flesh with relative ease. As sentient creatures, and being rather large, their species is often few in number and are more known to live in nomadic clans which range the northern wastes. Beryul is Cesia are often brought as slaves from raiders who range north to battle them or kidnap them, often used as heavy laborers.
Tuesab (Beastfolk)
The Tuesab are a Beastfolk people who resemble humanoid walruses, with large walrus head and powerful tusks, but have a large flubber body with a large gullet. Their bodies have little hair, and can survive the intense cold of the north almost solely off their own fat, which grant the mistaken impression of a weak or even gullible state. Tuesab normally stand around 5'11 tall, and unlike their Beryul neighbors, are more inclined to swim. They, much like the Beryul, are often kidnapped or captured in battle and sold into slavery is Cesia to be used as heavy laborers.
Otem (Beastfolk)
The Otem are a northern Beastfolk people who live solely along the coasts and small islands, and are very close to resembling sea otters. Otem stand only around 3'5 Tall on average, being a small people. Yet, their size doesn't translate to their strength, having been well known to match strength with dwarves. Otem are naturally born swimmers, much like sea otters, and can hunt in the water with grace. Due parts of Cesia having been formally a Otem colony, small enclaves of Otem are found in Cesia, but are often treated as second class citizens or are kept as slaves.
History
Pre-History (5,500 FE)
Before men would spread across Ophad, they had appeared in settlements across the ice ridden steppes of Endikigo as a sparse nomadic peoples who dwelled in the far northern reaches. The Noravar only know of sparse legends of this past, but their people did travel the northern wasteland, hunting it's large game and worshipping around its black and white trees. The first people, only known as the Nuadar, built primitive settlements in the hills and crags of the northern peninsulas, eventually coming to chop down the ancient tall trees to built more formal settlements. It was said that dwarves taught the Nuadar how to forge tools of copper, but it was the Beryul who taught them how to make iron weapons. Their settlements covered many lands of the northern wastes, but they came into constant conflict their the Beryul and the Otem. Wars waged between the Nuadar clans, and eventually the men fell upon each other, granting room for the Beryul to expand and the Otem to build their colonies. This constant warring and need to expand drove the Nuadar to build ships and to become skilled in slaying the large bear men and the crafty otter men who dwelled near them.
Voyage of Baulfad and Sigri (4,700ish-4,600ish FE)
From the northern settlement of Bausfik, two brothers named Baulfad and Sigri were in the service of their chieftain as two warriors. The two brothers however grew tired of the tedious wars with the beastmen and sought a means to leave the service of their chieftain and travel abroad. They enlisted their many sons to help them build great ships to sail their two families across the sea, but were set discovered by their chieftain who sent soldiers to burn their ships. Baulfad drove off the chieftain's warriors while Sigri gathered the aid of other warriors who wished to leave as well. The two brothers built a fleet which sailed to a number of Otem colonies who used the brothers as mercenaries, and directed them eastward, till the fleet of growing warriors built a settlement near the Gray Wall Mountains. Baulfad and Sigri's named the colony Norava, to honor supposedly a lost wife of Baulfad who died on the journey.
Conquests of Nagaum (4,550ish FE)
The Northmen originally traded heavily with the southern tribes of Kevica's northern coast, but the poor tundra terrain and eternal winter looked less promising then the rich and prosperous lands of Kevica. Baulfad's son, Kili Baulf, led an army of the Naudar to raid and pillage along the coasts, which angered the tribes there and their patron kingdom of Nagaum. While the tribal kingdom was not a traditional monarchy, being elected to the position of king amongst the clan's chieftains, the Nagaum tribe tried to destroy Norava, but led their armies through the treacherous Gray Wall, which saw the coalition army decimated and many of it's leaders killed. Kili and his warriors used their ships and transport their own army and broke up Nagaum, taking it's people as slaves and burning their clan to the ground, with many of Norava abandoning their settlement and moving into the coastline.
Noravar Clans (4,500 FE - 1,000 FE)
The destruction of Nagaum had a long lasting impact on the north, as the Noravar as they were being called would move into the lands they conquered, spreading across the northern coast lines. While united at first, these tribal peoples grew ambitious and wished to keep a united Noravar under their own clan's rule. In order to keep the peace, Kili Baulf restructured the Noravar tribes like Pagaum did, electing a king amongst the chieftains. However, the Chieftains would simply declare themselves king and war with pretenders, specifically weaker clans, and would ultimatly end up destroying Kili's clan and absorbing it's people. Chaos amongst the Norvar would exist for many years after, with smaller warlords fighting their fellow Noravar and expanding further into the lands of Kevica. These advances were eventually contained by large kingdoms, who even began to push back the warrior peoples.
Cusivica Tribe (975 FE)
The Cusivica tribe was originally a decently sized tribe near the Gray Wall Mountains, and fell into conflict with it's neighbors of Nauric and Lefad. The Chieftain of Cusivica, Cloden Cusivica led a rather surprisingly successful campaign against both clans, having bribed one clan to attack the other while unleashing his army when both of his rivals were weakened. The tribe expanded outward rather fast, as Cusivica's armies were reinforced by a heavy reliance on ships, logistics, and archers which granted them measurable advantage over the lightly armored opponents they normally fought. Through aggressive expansion, Cloden was able to conquer 20 smaller clans and absorb them into his own, taking a wife of each of his slain enemies. When Cloden died, his empire was split amongst his 61 sons, but only his son Cloden II was able to convince his brothers through war and diplomacy to keep their father's empire togeather, forging a family tradition of Cusivica family that brought stability to their realm.
Expanding into Kevica (733 FE - 210 FE)
The tribe, while at first content with only raiding it's neighbors for loot, eventually discovered the advanced iron works of armor, capable of them fielding heavier infantry. Cloden V tasked his smiths and vassals to build armor for his armies, and 3 years he and his newly armored army was marching for conquest against the petty southern kingdoms and their civilizations. In these conquests, several nations fell, but the prisoners who were brought back to the core lands brought writing, architecture, and crafts which gave an impression upon the Noravar. These conquests continued far after Cloden V's death, but with more dimished results. Wars in the south reached far into the Great Salt Lake, and were eventually beaten back by larger and better equipped armies. This was the height of the Cusivica tribe.
Shattering of the Cusivica (200 FE)
Under the disasterous rule of Grani Cusivica, the chieftain of the tribe tried to change the succession laws. Normally, the tribe would divide up prestious but expensive farmlands to the sons and son-in-laws of the king in return for the tribe being ruled by one chieftain. Grani tried to change this so that the tribe would simply place the chieftain's eldest and strongest son as heir, removing a need to divide up farmland amongst the chieftain's other sons. This fired back poorly, as Grani was assassinated by his brothers and his seven sons tore the tribe apart over political differences and personal rivalries, which Grani refused to see. This civil war saw the shattering of the tribe into smaller tribes, with all of them claiming to be the original Cusivica tribe. These tribes would war with one another to reclaim lost land for many years, but rarely did much.
Life of Hrapp Stufsson (40 FE - 275 SE)
A druid named Nera Stufsson was tending to her flock in the highlands when she was struck into contract by the Noravar god of war, who told her she would bare a child who would built a great kingdom and live a life of eternal glory. Months later, she gave birth to Hrapp Stufsson who's legend and tales would gloss over his history. Hrapp was a legendary warrior and mage, who fell into conflict with two factions of druid kings of the Noravar, defeated a Beryul chieftain in single combat, and became a legendary mercenary who fought for the Noravar against southern foes and their gods. Hrapp outlived others, and was recorded to be involved in many divine adventuers, only being defeated while at sea, raiding villages along the western coasts of Kevica. Hrapp's own lineage was shrouded in mystery, in which he once led a cursed stag home who turned into a beutiful woman whom he married. While the woman was pregnant with his child, she was lured out by a mysterious and evil druid who turned her back into a cursed stag. Her child was found by Hrapp many years later and brought back to live with him and became his heir, and later the founder of the Stuf tribe, Hrosskel Stufsson.
Tribe of Stuf (280 - 500 SE)
Hrosskel was a wild child who eventually, under his father's guidance, formed a band of warriors known as the Jomduri, and led them to war for glory and gold, but eventually Hrosskel grew tired of war and lived with a chieftain of the Peman Tribe. The Peman chieftain insulted and berated Hrosskel and his warriors. The warriors, in the night, killed the chieftain and his wife and made Hrosskel the chieftain of the Peman. The warriors, having disobeyed the hospitality of the chieftain, were scattered by Horsskel and who trained a new army from the Peman warriors. When the rogue warriors returned with a new chieftain, Hrosskel valiantly defeated them and renamed his tribe Stuf to honor his family's surname, taking the symbol of a black stag on a blue banner as his own. The Stuf Tribe slowly expanded and survived it's neighbors advances, believing they were led by a line of god kings.
Raids of Kotkell Stufsson (490 - 510 SE)
When Kotkell Stufsson took the throne as chieftain, he was a learned sailor and raider who fought valiantly in many conflicts. He used his position as chieftain as an excuse to go into wars with other nations, mostly to siege their holdings and take their loot for his own. Kotkell eventually began to personally, and foolishly, sail his ship and a group of raiders up and down the coasts of Kevica, and raided the land indiscriminately. He invaded into the Otem city state of Kringa'Hol and nearly burned the city to the ground, while also moving more deeper into enemy lands, bringing back many kinds of loot for his tribe. This loot was put to use wisely by his councillor Maphan, who expanded the tribe's industries and invented heavily in expanding the ports. By the time Kotkell was done raiding, his tribe was very much developed. However, one large side effected was that in Kotkell's raids into Endikigo, he captured many Beryul, Tuesab, and Otem and were put to work on many of the tribe's projects or used as soldiers by Kotkell, creating a heavy reliance on filling Stuf's slave market with specifically Beastfolk from the northern wastes.
Commonwealth with Balfa (500 - 670 SE)
Kotkell's wife, fearful of her husband's foolish ventures, married Kotkell's only son to the neighboring Balfa tribe, where she was from. Vegeir Stufsson and his wife lived under Kotkell's shadow, and Vegeir wished to rule his own tribe desperatly. With his father's blessing, Vegier launched a war to take the Balfa tribe, and eventually won. However, when Kotkell returned home and died of a seaborn disease, Vegeir inherited his kingdom while also being chieftain of Balfa. Originally content with electing his wife to rule Balfa in his stead, the Balfa council of elders saw bad omens in a woman leading the tribe and elected Vegeir as their chieftain, forming a commonwealth. The Balfa Commonwealth was a successful union of Stuf and Balfa, and forged a unique bond between the two clans. Under Vegier's rule, Balfa's tribe was expanded and developed.
Fall of Kringa'Hol (674 SE)
When Vegier died, the Stuf and Balfa tribe was seperated between his sons Niesad and Alrik. Niesad Stufsson was a deeply troubled child, envious and spiteful of Alrik for his beuty, strength, and quick wit. Under his short rule, Alrik turned the Balfan tribe into a powerhouse of trade and war, battling rather viciously and unsuccessfully a neighboring kingdom in which he was felled in. When Alrik's son tried to make a allaince with the Otem city of Kringa'Hol, Niesad flew into a rage and marched his army to war against the Otem. The small but civilized city fell swiftly into the hands of Niesad's army who brutally enslaved it's inhabitants and turned the city into a fortress for which the chieftain partied. The lost trade made Niesad many major enemies amongst the Noravar and the Otem, but when a Otem army came to free their kinsmen and reclaim the city, the Noravar reluctantly came to the clan's aid to save them and to drive out the Beastfolk.
The Far Raids (711 - 932 SE)
The fall of Kringa'Hol brought a great deal of Otem shipwrights and engineers into the forced employ of the Noravar, and it was the Stuf tribe who built the first longships from a improved Noravar design. The Noravar shipwright Meninle journeyed into the coasts of the Great Salt Lake and even into the Mouth Sea as a test of his craft. As a true test of their potential, the Noravar brutally raided many Otem colonies, and later began sacking coasts all across the world, and finding new trade routes to exploit or pirate. These raids brough vast amounts of loot to the Noravar tribes, but rather ironically the Stuf tribe recieved the least amount of loot and prestige. This was mostly due to their early raid against the Otem turned into failed attempts to conquer their lands, and were humiliated by failed sieges. However, their later raids saw them bring back considerable loot and prisoners from far off lands and civilized places.
Cultural Expansion (911 - 1022 SE)
In the years following the rise and fall of the Far Raids, the Noravar saw a massive change in culture. Having brought back hostages from far off lands, this included philosophers, merchants, and nobles who taught the Noravar their religions, their customs, and advanced their works in writing and crafting. This has a profound political impact on the Tribe of Stuf, who became Kingdom of Stuf, which incorporated the Balfa tribe into their lands diplomatically. Other Noravar kingdoms followed suit, as this expansion saw a great deal of improvement to Noravar's walls, turning the wooden keeps into castles, and stone shrines into formal groves. As a new age dawned for the Noravar, their raiding traditions began to fizzle out, with the concerns of their kings focused more on diplomacy and trade rather then raids.
Reforming Noadam (1122 SE)
The Kingdom of Stuf was the birthplace of the Noadam reformation, under King Rith Stufsson. Rith was a deeply cynical man who despised the old ways and wished to embrace the religion of one of his concubines, mostly due to the fact that Rith was a strong king but he was also curious and cautious, a trait seen as weakness and as a bad omen in traditional Noadam. While other Noravar kings would convert to new religions, the council of seers and druids in Stuf began to structure their religion based on the practices of other religions, trying to prevent their cynical king from embracing a different faith. They wrote down a formal holy book, made a primitive but effective church hierarchy, and converted the king's wives to their religion. The new structured faith spread rather quickly to other Noravar realms, and brought a great deal of prestige and opportunities to Stuf. Rith soon became a pious man who built temples and forcefully converted people of his realm, free and slave alike, to this new religion to exploit it as best he could, seeing his kingdom to prosper.
Gray Wall Campaign (1201 - 1233 SE)
Following a period of peace, King Rith III Stufsson was approached by the dwarf outcast, Naili Carast, a pretender to the dwarven Kingdom of Maukshad and a traitor to the Kingdom of Fortigar. These two Dwalam kingdoms were prized riches but also near impossible to truly siege. Rith III sent Naili back to Fortigar to rally dwarven peasants to break down the gates of the fortress city and allowed a small Noravar army to rush inside, claiming it for the hated outcast. Naili, being an outcast for the hated crime of kinslaying, was assassinated by unknown means and a new Noravar supporting nobleman was put in his place. Even though Rith no longer had an excuse to lay siege to Maukshad, he claimed instead to have Naili's son, a person who did not exist. The campaign for Maukshad was difficult, but was done smartly, and eventually the dwarven grew tired of being laid siege to by the Noravar and surrendered in return for their city to not be sacked. The two dwarven kingdoms were formed into a powerful new state for Stuf, with Rith placing a sizable garrison inside of each, and collecting the sons of both dwarven noble rulers as wards to keep them in line.
The North Campaigns (1307 - 1376 SE)
When the northern end of the Gray Wall Mountains became occupied by a number of Beryul nomads, the dwarves called for aid driving them out before they would march their own armies to raid dwarven settlements. Sigemund II, who was king of Stuf at the time, saw an oppurtunity to prove his worth as a commander and marched his army against the Beryul. His wars and campagins took him all across the north in many successful battles against the Beastfolk, eventually forcing many of them to forge a alliance against the northmen, including 5 notable Beryul nomadic tribes, a kingdom of Tuesab, and two small Otem island kingdoms. This war in the north left utter devestation against the Beastfolk, who's many heroes were felled by Sigesmund II's armies, eventually burning a Beryul shrine, and taking back an even greater number of Beastfolk as slaves.
Kingdom of Causia (1401 - 1566 SE)
Sigesmund II's son, Sigesmund III ruled in peace for many years but found many problems with the Kingdom of Stuf. Having expanded many of it's lands so often, the home territory felt far less notable then the actual territories conquered, specifically along what was called the Cesian Strip. Having mangled the translation, Sigesmund III named himself the King of Causia and reorganized his kingdom. Unlike previous rulers however, Sigesmund III was considered a weak king and failed in many wars to expand his kingdom further, but his sons had more success. Causia became a powerful northern kingdom which had rivalry with it's neighbors over it's ambitions, but it became a bulwark against Beryul raids and other north peoples. The raiding cultures of Noravar had nearly died in Causia however, with only small near tribal Noravar coastal clans who still practiced raiding and were regularly punished for their piracy, evolving into a cultural debate which plagued the kingdom for much of it's life.
Causia Succession War (1566 - 1601 SE)
The reign of King Lopt 'The Unfortunate' Stufsson was a short but successful reign, but Lopt had many ambitious brothers and sons who sought his throne after his death. When Lopt died, his brother Ricarg gathered other Noravar warriors to fight Lopt's sons for control of the kingdom, leading a devastating civil war. Ricarg was a mighty and feared raider, a true believer in the old ways who made regular sacrifices to the Noravar gods and would always lead his warrior in the vanguard of his armies, legendary in both skill and strength. Yet, Ricarg's military might led to the devestation of many of the kingdom's cities and ports and made him few allies. Ricarg's unsuccessful siege of the dwarven states nearly led to them declaring their independence and his raids into the north to gather the Nauavar tribes to his armies failed miserably when he was defeated by a combined force of Beryul chieftains. Ricarg died in the midst of battle and Lopt's two remaining sons started a new civil war over the remains, which cultivated at the disastrous Battle of the Old Field. The two Noravar armies battled to the bitter end, and resulted in a stalemate and then a small victory when a pretender to the throne died in his sleep. The armies of the kingdom was utterly spent, and many of the regions in the land were devastated.
Ruination of Causia (1605 - 1733 SE)
In the years following the succession war, the kingdom entered a stagnant state in which many problems which hampered the kingdom was ignored, pushed aside, or simply left to a different day in favor of simply trying to continue life. The Stufsson kings grew weaker and weaker and more psychotic, with family feuds between which tore the rotting heart of the Noravar civilization. Small petty wars tore small chunks of land away from Causia, and many of the old cities began to rot away from lacking masons. To fix this problem swiftly, the people of Causia returned to raiding and began bringing back masons from far off kingdoms to repair their cities and towns, but also began going on small successful campaigns against the Beryul, taking their people back to their kingdom to work. This constant slaving led a diplomatic lull, as even the neighboring Noravar kingdoms considered them a rival, making Causia become a hermit kingdom. As slave populations continued to rise more and more, many younger Noravar became more disillusioned and spiteful of their own kingdom, either joining rival kingdoms as mercenaries or going off to raid to provide for their families.
Defense of Maukshad (1734 SE)
While in it's ruined state, the dwarven kingdoms prospered but still paid a 'pity tax' to their overlords, but most serious discussion of independence was squashed by merchant factions in the dwarven strongholds who benefitted heavily from their vassalage to the Noravar, since most dwarven merchants were granted hefty rewards for acting as merchants of Causia's behalf. In the deep winter of 1734, a huge Beryul army arrived in the Gray Wall Mountains looking to pillage the dwarven settlements and to carry off their weapons for other campaigns under the warlord Gamban Blacksnout. The Beryul laid siege to Maukshad, who's Noravar garrison was commanded by Herjolf Bramsson, a young but strong nobleman. Herjolf used shield walls and long spears to keep the charging and barbarous Beryul at bay, and used the chokepoints of the dwarven mountain stronghold to successfully win the assault upon the city, killing Gamban and driving the Beryul back. Even though Maukshad would eventually be sacked by the same Beryul warband a year later in Herjolf's absence, the successful defense won the young nobleman great fame and brought a sense of pride and joy to the Causians.
Kingdom of Cesia (1766 SE)
For much of Herjolf's later career, the warrior led raids and campaigns in the defense of Causia, but grew impacient with his king Skuli Stufsson. Skuli was a deeply troubled king who fought with his courtiers and regularly made a fool of himself, but more importantly had no heir and refused to marry. Herjolf became a captain of his guard through his merits, but eventually saw how far the Stufsson dynasty had fallen, and eventually due to personal drama, the warrior left the king's court and began gathering an army in his own region. Herjolf's rebellion claimed much of the northern cities and towns of Causia, and was able to bring the dwarves and their armies to his side, but was also surprisingly supported by a number of volunteer thralls, Otem mercenaries, and was even blessed by the Noadam priests, who proclaimed he had the blood of original kings which flowed in his veins. This rebellion, through sheer number, claimed a massive chunk of Causia and ceded from the kingdom, forming it's own kingdom of Cesia under the Bramsson dynasty. Under the rule of the Bramssons, much of the ruination was fixed through drastic and rather dishonorable reforms. In what would become the 'five betrayals', The Bramssons reduced the rights of Beastfolk thralls significantly, turned on and enslaved the Otem mercenaries who aided them, put more heavier merchant restrictions and heavier taxes upon the dwarven states, greatly restored the rights of raiders and gave them military offices, and raided the vaults of religious officials to pay for the growing Cesian army. With this new found wealth, Cesia fixed much of the ruination and restored their kingdom to greatness, but set a bad and resentful attitude of their factions and minorities for years to come.
Reconquest (1802 SE)
Cesia and Causia were major rivals with one another, but it was Cesia who would ultimatly lead the reconquest against a weakened Causia. Years of ruin led to the utter depletion of it's vaults, and much of the army payments vanished, with many officers and commanders fleeing to Cesia to restart their lives. Cesian armies, under the guise of reconquest to restore Causia, fought a three prong war with Causia's old rivals who did not want to see the kingdom restored under a more competent and militarily powerful kingdom. Yet, the feudal alliance with a Norvar state known as Penica led to Cesia's great victory over it's rivals and not only consumed the rest of Causia and killed the remaining Stufssons, but also reconquered a good chunk of lost territory from the ruination. Cesia dominated the northern shores and used it's spoils of war to rebuild the rest of the nation. Causia was restored under a new government, and with much of the original conquests over, Cesia lessened it's laws and made up for it's betrayals by restoring temples, lifting extra taxes on the dwarves, and forced raiding clans to accept new rules which restricted their piracy to only enemies of Cesia.
Vassalization of Penica (1844 SE)
Cesia's old ally of Penica had many failing kings but was diplomatically and economically successful, but it began to suffer major internal problems due to family feuds of it's ruler. While Cesia owed Penica's royal family for aiding them, they were not keen on bailing them out of massive loan which Penica was intent to pay on in order for them to look good in the eyes of it's neighbors. Rather then extend the loan, Penica's royal family began to debase it's currency, which was discovered and saw much of the economy in Penica collapse from it's ruined reputation. The Cesian king eventually did agree to help Penica, but in return for Vassalage, which the Penican royal family would see as a betrayal of their trust, but agreed to it anyway. With Penica as a vassal, a small coalition of Noravar states formed against Cesia for a short time, but this died down due to infighting and personal matters.
The Beryul Revolts (1899 SE)
The Beryul suffered far more under Cesian rule then Causian rule, and were in great number due to the ruination, their people having near single handedly rebuilt much of the Cesian kingdom. The Beryul, under Cesian rule, were kept less as slaves and more like very smart beasts and any semblance of a home was often a cage. Their daily miserable lives made them furious at their treatment and under a rebellious miner and a shadow shaman, the Beryul revolted against Cesia. This large scale revolt tore many cities apart and caused a near halt to the Cesian economy, in which King Svartbrand Bramsson led a army to crush the revolution. Svartbrand only slightly improved the conditions for the Beryul, but restructured much of Cesia's laws regarding the slave trade and it's reliance. In his reign, two slaver guilds tried to assassinate Svartbrand in a attempt to retain their monopolies and secure the market of raiders, but failed and only insured the king's wrath. Under Svartbrand's reign and his sons, slaves were granted enclaves that could be more easily secured if they revolted again and outlawed the use of skilled slave labor and put rules up upon how many slaves a single Noravar family could own.
Annexation of Penica (1955 SE)
Penica was kept in line as a powerful vassal to Cesia, up until a powerful Jarl overthrew its ruler and declared himself King of Penica. Penica formed a temporary independence, but was recaptured in war. King Ari II found himself ruling from Penica as a 'military governor', and had made plans before his rise to the throne to annex the region. Through a use of dubious legal jargon and immense misunderstanding of Penica's laws, King Ari declared himself King of Penica and began to deconstruct it's more unique laws and replace it with his own. Revolts were almost monthly in the region, but it was crushed by Ari personally, who used the revolts as an excuse to execute traitor nobility, which he secretly funded and coaxed into rebellion through his spies. Ari II would rule from Penica for most of his life, calling it his greatest achievement, but his iron fisted rule would not earn him much love, as his son Ari III, who had married a Penica noble woman, changed his named to Skulvic out of disgust when he became King of Cesia.
The Tuesab Raids (2011 SE)
In 2011, a young but huge Tuesab warrior became a warlord and began uniting his the Tuesab peoples and declared himself 'King under the Aura'. This warlord, named Hiji Bloodaxe, was a cultist of the Tuesab's god of death, and promoted his cult and his zealous warriors as guardians over the Tuesab tribes. Hiji and his sons warred with the Noravar pirates and the Otem city states for control and dominance in the region, eventually vassalizing and forcefully converting the Otem and slaughtering the Noravar raiders. Under Hiji, the Tuesab began massive raids into the south, and much like the Noravar long ago, began to bring back masons and engineers which improved their society greatly. These raids reached far into Cesia in which King Hodric 'The Strong' personally battled the Tuesab warlord, but was slain in battle. This caused a series of raids and counter raids between the two peoples, which only ended when Hiji was killed in battle elsewhere and his civilization fell to his sons. The Noravar in the end took their revenge when a raid ship sacked a Teusab settlement and killed one of Hiji's descendants.
Conquest of Oslak (2099 SE)
Oslak was a small Noravar kingdom which ran like a strip along the edge of the country, but was considered apart of the Noravar state which belonged to the Cesians. Oslak's king built a strong alliance with his neighbors, but fell into personal conflict with a Cesian nobleman named Juag Opresson, Juag personally blamed the King of Oslak for not cleaning up his forest of bandits, who supposedly killed Juag's youngest son. Juag and his companions eventually formed a army of adventurers and led a siege of the kingdom, but were soundly defeated by the armies of Oslak and it's allies. Juag however, in his war, had caused a great deal of damage to Oslak's armies and paved the war for the Cesian war for the territory, which was swiftly won. Cesians freed Juag from prison and made him a nobleman of the region. Many in the Noravar kingdoms suspected foulplay on the part of Cesia, who found out a conspiracy in which Cesia was funding mercenary armies and adventurers to lay claims to Noravar lands. This formed a deadly coalition of Noravar and other neighboring states against Cesia which has not ceased to be a threat to the kingdom since.
Current Events (2200 SE)
In recent years, Cesia had expanded into Endikigo, conquering a small tribal Nauavar kingdom and using it's region as a means to raid Beryul tribes along its borders, but the most pressing issues is the ascension of King Thorald Bramsson who after his father's sudden death is now faced with possible war with coalition against his kingdom, along with growing internal turmoil. Seeking allies and a better means to build his army, Thorald looks north for his answers and possible northwest, seeing opportunities to subjugate the tribal beastfolk and to create a great northern empire based around the Stagnant Sea.
Before men would spread across Ophad, they had appeared in settlements across the ice ridden steppes of Endikigo as a sparse nomadic peoples who dwelled in the far northern reaches. The Noravar only know of sparse legends of this past, but their people did travel the northern wasteland, hunting it's large game and worshipping around its black and white trees. The first people, only known as the Nuadar, built primitive settlements in the hills and crags of the northern peninsulas, eventually coming to chop down the ancient tall trees to built more formal settlements. It was said that dwarves taught the Nuadar how to forge tools of copper, but it was the Beryul who taught them how to make iron weapons. Their settlements covered many lands of the northern wastes, but they came into constant conflict their the Beryul and the Otem. Wars waged between the Nuadar clans, and eventually the men fell upon each other, granting room for the Beryul to expand and the Otem to build their colonies. This constant warring and need to expand drove the Nuadar to build ships and to become skilled in slaying the large bear men and the crafty otter men who dwelled near them.
Voyage of Baulfad and Sigri (4,700ish-4,600ish FE)
From the northern settlement of Bausfik, two brothers named Baulfad and Sigri were in the service of their chieftain as two warriors. The two brothers however grew tired of the tedious wars with the beastmen and sought a means to leave the service of their chieftain and travel abroad. They enlisted their many sons to help them build great ships to sail their two families across the sea, but were set discovered by their chieftain who sent soldiers to burn their ships. Baulfad drove off the chieftain's warriors while Sigri gathered the aid of other warriors who wished to leave as well. The two brothers built a fleet which sailed to a number of Otem colonies who used the brothers as mercenaries, and directed them eastward, till the fleet of growing warriors built a settlement near the Gray Wall Mountains. Baulfad and Sigri's named the colony Norava, to honor supposedly a lost wife of Baulfad who died on the journey.
Conquests of Nagaum (4,550ish FE)
The Northmen originally traded heavily with the southern tribes of Kevica's northern coast, but the poor tundra terrain and eternal winter looked less promising then the rich and prosperous lands of Kevica. Baulfad's son, Kili Baulf, led an army of the Naudar to raid and pillage along the coasts, which angered the tribes there and their patron kingdom of Nagaum. While the tribal kingdom was not a traditional monarchy, being elected to the position of king amongst the clan's chieftains, the Nagaum tribe tried to destroy Norava, but led their armies through the treacherous Gray Wall, which saw the coalition army decimated and many of it's leaders killed. Kili and his warriors used their ships and transport their own army and broke up Nagaum, taking it's people as slaves and burning their clan to the ground, with many of Norava abandoning their settlement and moving into the coastline.
Noravar Clans (4,500 FE - 1,000 FE)
The destruction of Nagaum had a long lasting impact on the north, as the Noravar as they were being called would move into the lands they conquered, spreading across the northern coast lines. While united at first, these tribal peoples grew ambitious and wished to keep a united Noravar under their own clan's rule. In order to keep the peace, Kili Baulf restructured the Noravar tribes like Pagaum did, electing a king amongst the chieftains. However, the Chieftains would simply declare themselves king and war with pretenders, specifically weaker clans, and would ultimatly end up destroying Kili's clan and absorbing it's people. Chaos amongst the Norvar would exist for many years after, with smaller warlords fighting their fellow Noravar and expanding further into the lands of Kevica. These advances were eventually contained by large kingdoms, who even began to push back the warrior peoples.
Cusivica Tribe (975 FE)
The Cusivica tribe was originally a decently sized tribe near the Gray Wall Mountains, and fell into conflict with it's neighbors of Nauric and Lefad. The Chieftain of Cusivica, Cloden Cusivica led a rather surprisingly successful campaign against both clans, having bribed one clan to attack the other while unleashing his army when both of his rivals were weakened. The tribe expanded outward rather fast, as Cusivica's armies were reinforced by a heavy reliance on ships, logistics, and archers which granted them measurable advantage over the lightly armored opponents they normally fought. Through aggressive expansion, Cloden was able to conquer 20 smaller clans and absorb them into his own, taking a wife of each of his slain enemies. When Cloden died, his empire was split amongst his 61 sons, but only his son Cloden II was able to convince his brothers through war and diplomacy to keep their father's empire togeather, forging a family tradition of Cusivica family that brought stability to their realm.
Expanding into Kevica (733 FE - 210 FE)
The tribe, while at first content with only raiding it's neighbors for loot, eventually discovered the advanced iron works of armor, capable of them fielding heavier infantry. Cloden V tasked his smiths and vassals to build armor for his armies, and 3 years he and his newly armored army was marching for conquest against the petty southern kingdoms and their civilizations. In these conquests, several nations fell, but the prisoners who were brought back to the core lands brought writing, architecture, and crafts which gave an impression upon the Noravar. These conquests continued far after Cloden V's death, but with more dimished results. Wars in the south reached far into the Great Salt Lake, and were eventually beaten back by larger and better equipped armies. This was the height of the Cusivica tribe.
Shattering of the Cusivica (200 FE)
Under the disasterous rule of Grani Cusivica, the chieftain of the tribe tried to change the succession laws. Normally, the tribe would divide up prestious but expensive farmlands to the sons and son-in-laws of the king in return for the tribe being ruled by one chieftain. Grani tried to change this so that the tribe would simply place the chieftain's eldest and strongest son as heir, removing a need to divide up farmland amongst the chieftain's other sons. This fired back poorly, as Grani was assassinated by his brothers and his seven sons tore the tribe apart over political differences and personal rivalries, which Grani refused to see. This civil war saw the shattering of the tribe into smaller tribes, with all of them claiming to be the original Cusivica tribe. These tribes would war with one another to reclaim lost land for many years, but rarely did much.
Life of Hrapp Stufsson (40 FE - 275 SE)
A druid named Nera Stufsson was tending to her flock in the highlands when she was struck into contract by the Noravar god of war, who told her she would bare a child who would built a great kingdom and live a life of eternal glory. Months later, she gave birth to Hrapp Stufsson who's legend and tales would gloss over his history. Hrapp was a legendary warrior and mage, who fell into conflict with two factions of druid kings of the Noravar, defeated a Beryul chieftain in single combat, and became a legendary mercenary who fought for the Noravar against southern foes and their gods. Hrapp outlived others, and was recorded to be involved in many divine adventuers, only being defeated while at sea, raiding villages along the western coasts of Kevica. Hrapp's own lineage was shrouded in mystery, in which he once led a cursed stag home who turned into a beutiful woman whom he married. While the woman was pregnant with his child, she was lured out by a mysterious and evil druid who turned her back into a cursed stag. Her child was found by Hrapp many years later and brought back to live with him and became his heir, and later the founder of the Stuf tribe, Hrosskel Stufsson.
Tribe of Stuf (280 - 500 SE)
Hrosskel was a wild child who eventually, under his father's guidance, formed a band of warriors known as the Jomduri, and led them to war for glory and gold, but eventually Hrosskel grew tired of war and lived with a chieftain of the Peman Tribe. The Peman chieftain insulted and berated Hrosskel and his warriors. The warriors, in the night, killed the chieftain and his wife and made Hrosskel the chieftain of the Peman. The warriors, having disobeyed the hospitality of the chieftain, were scattered by Horsskel and who trained a new army from the Peman warriors. When the rogue warriors returned with a new chieftain, Hrosskel valiantly defeated them and renamed his tribe Stuf to honor his family's surname, taking the symbol of a black stag on a blue banner as his own. The Stuf Tribe slowly expanded and survived it's neighbors advances, believing they were led by a line of god kings.
Raids of Kotkell Stufsson (490 - 510 SE)
When Kotkell Stufsson took the throne as chieftain, he was a learned sailor and raider who fought valiantly in many conflicts. He used his position as chieftain as an excuse to go into wars with other nations, mostly to siege their holdings and take their loot for his own. Kotkell eventually began to personally, and foolishly, sail his ship and a group of raiders up and down the coasts of Kevica, and raided the land indiscriminately. He invaded into the Otem city state of Kringa'Hol and nearly burned the city to the ground, while also moving more deeper into enemy lands, bringing back many kinds of loot for his tribe. This loot was put to use wisely by his councillor Maphan, who expanded the tribe's industries and invented heavily in expanding the ports. By the time Kotkell was done raiding, his tribe was very much developed. However, one large side effected was that in Kotkell's raids into Endikigo, he captured many Beryul, Tuesab, and Otem and were put to work on many of the tribe's projects or used as soldiers by Kotkell, creating a heavy reliance on filling Stuf's slave market with specifically Beastfolk from the northern wastes.
Commonwealth with Balfa (500 - 670 SE)
Kotkell's wife, fearful of her husband's foolish ventures, married Kotkell's only son to the neighboring Balfa tribe, where she was from. Vegeir Stufsson and his wife lived under Kotkell's shadow, and Vegeir wished to rule his own tribe desperatly. With his father's blessing, Vegier launched a war to take the Balfa tribe, and eventually won. However, when Kotkell returned home and died of a seaborn disease, Vegeir inherited his kingdom while also being chieftain of Balfa. Originally content with electing his wife to rule Balfa in his stead, the Balfa council of elders saw bad omens in a woman leading the tribe and elected Vegeir as their chieftain, forming a commonwealth. The Balfa Commonwealth was a successful union of Stuf and Balfa, and forged a unique bond between the two clans. Under Vegier's rule, Balfa's tribe was expanded and developed.
Fall of Kringa'Hol (674 SE)
When Vegier died, the Stuf and Balfa tribe was seperated between his sons Niesad and Alrik. Niesad Stufsson was a deeply troubled child, envious and spiteful of Alrik for his beuty, strength, and quick wit. Under his short rule, Alrik turned the Balfan tribe into a powerhouse of trade and war, battling rather viciously and unsuccessfully a neighboring kingdom in which he was felled in. When Alrik's son tried to make a allaince with the Otem city of Kringa'Hol, Niesad flew into a rage and marched his army to war against the Otem. The small but civilized city fell swiftly into the hands of Niesad's army who brutally enslaved it's inhabitants and turned the city into a fortress for which the chieftain partied. The lost trade made Niesad many major enemies amongst the Noravar and the Otem, but when a Otem army came to free their kinsmen and reclaim the city, the Noravar reluctantly came to the clan's aid to save them and to drive out the Beastfolk.
The Far Raids (711 - 932 SE)
The fall of Kringa'Hol brought a great deal of Otem shipwrights and engineers into the forced employ of the Noravar, and it was the Stuf tribe who built the first longships from a improved Noravar design. The Noravar shipwright Meninle journeyed into the coasts of the Great Salt Lake and even into the Mouth Sea as a test of his craft. As a true test of their potential, the Noravar brutally raided many Otem colonies, and later began sacking coasts all across the world, and finding new trade routes to exploit or pirate. These raids brough vast amounts of loot to the Noravar tribes, but rather ironically the Stuf tribe recieved the least amount of loot and prestige. This was mostly due to their early raid against the Otem turned into failed attempts to conquer their lands, and were humiliated by failed sieges. However, their later raids saw them bring back considerable loot and prisoners from far off lands and civilized places.
Cultural Expansion (911 - 1022 SE)
In the years following the rise and fall of the Far Raids, the Noravar saw a massive change in culture. Having brought back hostages from far off lands, this included philosophers, merchants, and nobles who taught the Noravar their religions, their customs, and advanced their works in writing and crafting. This has a profound political impact on the Tribe of Stuf, who became Kingdom of Stuf, which incorporated the Balfa tribe into their lands diplomatically. Other Noravar kingdoms followed suit, as this expansion saw a great deal of improvement to Noravar's walls, turning the wooden keeps into castles, and stone shrines into formal groves. As a new age dawned for the Noravar, their raiding traditions began to fizzle out, with the concerns of their kings focused more on diplomacy and trade rather then raids.
Reforming Noadam (1122 SE)
The Kingdom of Stuf was the birthplace of the Noadam reformation, under King Rith Stufsson. Rith was a deeply cynical man who despised the old ways and wished to embrace the religion of one of his concubines, mostly due to the fact that Rith was a strong king but he was also curious and cautious, a trait seen as weakness and as a bad omen in traditional Noadam. While other Noravar kings would convert to new religions, the council of seers and druids in Stuf began to structure their religion based on the practices of other religions, trying to prevent their cynical king from embracing a different faith. They wrote down a formal holy book, made a primitive but effective church hierarchy, and converted the king's wives to their religion. The new structured faith spread rather quickly to other Noravar realms, and brought a great deal of prestige and opportunities to Stuf. Rith soon became a pious man who built temples and forcefully converted people of his realm, free and slave alike, to this new religion to exploit it as best he could, seeing his kingdom to prosper.
Gray Wall Campaign (1201 - 1233 SE)
Following a period of peace, King Rith III Stufsson was approached by the dwarf outcast, Naili Carast, a pretender to the dwarven Kingdom of Maukshad and a traitor to the Kingdom of Fortigar. These two Dwalam kingdoms were prized riches but also near impossible to truly siege. Rith III sent Naili back to Fortigar to rally dwarven peasants to break down the gates of the fortress city and allowed a small Noravar army to rush inside, claiming it for the hated outcast. Naili, being an outcast for the hated crime of kinslaying, was assassinated by unknown means and a new Noravar supporting nobleman was put in his place. Even though Rith no longer had an excuse to lay siege to Maukshad, he claimed instead to have Naili's son, a person who did not exist. The campaign for Maukshad was difficult, but was done smartly, and eventually the dwarven grew tired of being laid siege to by the Noravar and surrendered in return for their city to not be sacked. The two dwarven kingdoms were formed into a powerful new state for Stuf, with Rith placing a sizable garrison inside of each, and collecting the sons of both dwarven noble rulers as wards to keep them in line.
The North Campaigns (1307 - 1376 SE)
When the northern end of the Gray Wall Mountains became occupied by a number of Beryul nomads, the dwarves called for aid driving them out before they would march their own armies to raid dwarven settlements. Sigemund II, who was king of Stuf at the time, saw an oppurtunity to prove his worth as a commander and marched his army against the Beryul. His wars and campagins took him all across the north in many successful battles against the Beastfolk, eventually forcing many of them to forge a alliance against the northmen, including 5 notable Beryul nomadic tribes, a kingdom of Tuesab, and two small Otem island kingdoms. This war in the north left utter devestation against the Beastfolk, who's many heroes were felled by Sigesmund II's armies, eventually burning a Beryul shrine, and taking back an even greater number of Beastfolk as slaves.
Kingdom of Causia (1401 - 1566 SE)
Sigesmund II's son, Sigesmund III ruled in peace for many years but found many problems with the Kingdom of Stuf. Having expanded many of it's lands so often, the home territory felt far less notable then the actual territories conquered, specifically along what was called the Cesian Strip. Having mangled the translation, Sigesmund III named himself the King of Causia and reorganized his kingdom. Unlike previous rulers however, Sigesmund III was considered a weak king and failed in many wars to expand his kingdom further, but his sons had more success. Causia became a powerful northern kingdom which had rivalry with it's neighbors over it's ambitions, but it became a bulwark against Beryul raids and other north peoples. The raiding cultures of Noravar had nearly died in Causia however, with only small near tribal Noravar coastal clans who still practiced raiding and were regularly punished for their piracy, evolving into a cultural debate which plagued the kingdom for much of it's life.
Causia Succession War (1566 - 1601 SE)
The reign of King Lopt 'The Unfortunate' Stufsson was a short but successful reign, but Lopt had many ambitious brothers and sons who sought his throne after his death. When Lopt died, his brother Ricarg gathered other Noravar warriors to fight Lopt's sons for control of the kingdom, leading a devastating civil war. Ricarg was a mighty and feared raider, a true believer in the old ways who made regular sacrifices to the Noravar gods and would always lead his warrior in the vanguard of his armies, legendary in both skill and strength. Yet, Ricarg's military might led to the devestation of many of the kingdom's cities and ports and made him few allies. Ricarg's unsuccessful siege of the dwarven states nearly led to them declaring their independence and his raids into the north to gather the Nauavar tribes to his armies failed miserably when he was defeated by a combined force of Beryul chieftains. Ricarg died in the midst of battle and Lopt's two remaining sons started a new civil war over the remains, which cultivated at the disastrous Battle of the Old Field. The two Noravar armies battled to the bitter end, and resulted in a stalemate and then a small victory when a pretender to the throne died in his sleep. The armies of the kingdom was utterly spent, and many of the regions in the land were devastated.
Ruination of Causia (1605 - 1733 SE)
In the years following the succession war, the kingdom entered a stagnant state in which many problems which hampered the kingdom was ignored, pushed aside, or simply left to a different day in favor of simply trying to continue life. The Stufsson kings grew weaker and weaker and more psychotic, with family feuds between which tore the rotting heart of the Noravar civilization. Small petty wars tore small chunks of land away from Causia, and many of the old cities began to rot away from lacking masons. To fix this problem swiftly, the people of Causia returned to raiding and began bringing back masons from far off kingdoms to repair their cities and towns, but also began going on small successful campaigns against the Beryul, taking their people back to their kingdom to work. This constant slaving led a diplomatic lull, as even the neighboring Noravar kingdoms considered them a rival, making Causia become a hermit kingdom. As slave populations continued to rise more and more, many younger Noravar became more disillusioned and spiteful of their own kingdom, either joining rival kingdoms as mercenaries or going off to raid to provide for their families.
Defense of Maukshad (1734 SE)
While in it's ruined state, the dwarven kingdoms prospered but still paid a 'pity tax' to their overlords, but most serious discussion of independence was squashed by merchant factions in the dwarven strongholds who benefitted heavily from their vassalage to the Noravar, since most dwarven merchants were granted hefty rewards for acting as merchants of Causia's behalf. In the deep winter of 1734, a huge Beryul army arrived in the Gray Wall Mountains looking to pillage the dwarven settlements and to carry off their weapons for other campaigns under the warlord Gamban Blacksnout. The Beryul laid siege to Maukshad, who's Noravar garrison was commanded by Herjolf Bramsson, a young but strong nobleman. Herjolf used shield walls and long spears to keep the charging and barbarous Beryul at bay, and used the chokepoints of the dwarven mountain stronghold to successfully win the assault upon the city, killing Gamban and driving the Beryul back. Even though Maukshad would eventually be sacked by the same Beryul warband a year later in Herjolf's absence, the successful defense won the young nobleman great fame and brought a sense of pride and joy to the Causians.
Kingdom of Cesia (1766 SE)
For much of Herjolf's later career, the warrior led raids and campaigns in the defense of Causia, but grew impacient with his king Skuli Stufsson. Skuli was a deeply troubled king who fought with his courtiers and regularly made a fool of himself, but more importantly had no heir and refused to marry. Herjolf became a captain of his guard through his merits, but eventually saw how far the Stufsson dynasty had fallen, and eventually due to personal drama, the warrior left the king's court and began gathering an army in his own region. Herjolf's rebellion claimed much of the northern cities and towns of Causia, and was able to bring the dwarves and their armies to his side, but was also surprisingly supported by a number of volunteer thralls, Otem mercenaries, and was even blessed by the Noadam priests, who proclaimed he had the blood of original kings which flowed in his veins. This rebellion, through sheer number, claimed a massive chunk of Causia and ceded from the kingdom, forming it's own kingdom of Cesia under the Bramsson dynasty. Under the rule of the Bramssons, much of the ruination was fixed through drastic and rather dishonorable reforms. In what would become the 'five betrayals', The Bramssons reduced the rights of Beastfolk thralls significantly, turned on and enslaved the Otem mercenaries who aided them, put more heavier merchant restrictions and heavier taxes upon the dwarven states, greatly restored the rights of raiders and gave them military offices, and raided the vaults of religious officials to pay for the growing Cesian army. With this new found wealth, Cesia fixed much of the ruination and restored their kingdom to greatness, but set a bad and resentful attitude of their factions and minorities for years to come.
Reconquest (1802 SE)
Cesia and Causia were major rivals with one another, but it was Cesia who would ultimatly lead the reconquest against a weakened Causia. Years of ruin led to the utter depletion of it's vaults, and much of the army payments vanished, with many officers and commanders fleeing to Cesia to restart their lives. Cesian armies, under the guise of reconquest to restore Causia, fought a three prong war with Causia's old rivals who did not want to see the kingdom restored under a more competent and militarily powerful kingdom. Yet, the feudal alliance with a Norvar state known as Penica led to Cesia's great victory over it's rivals and not only consumed the rest of Causia and killed the remaining Stufssons, but also reconquered a good chunk of lost territory from the ruination. Cesia dominated the northern shores and used it's spoils of war to rebuild the rest of the nation. Causia was restored under a new government, and with much of the original conquests over, Cesia lessened it's laws and made up for it's betrayals by restoring temples, lifting extra taxes on the dwarves, and forced raiding clans to accept new rules which restricted their piracy to only enemies of Cesia.
Vassalization of Penica (1844 SE)
Cesia's old ally of Penica had many failing kings but was diplomatically and economically successful, but it began to suffer major internal problems due to family feuds of it's ruler. While Cesia owed Penica's royal family for aiding them, they were not keen on bailing them out of massive loan which Penica was intent to pay on in order for them to look good in the eyes of it's neighbors. Rather then extend the loan, Penica's royal family began to debase it's currency, which was discovered and saw much of the economy in Penica collapse from it's ruined reputation. The Cesian king eventually did agree to help Penica, but in return for Vassalage, which the Penican royal family would see as a betrayal of their trust, but agreed to it anyway. With Penica as a vassal, a small coalition of Noravar states formed against Cesia for a short time, but this died down due to infighting and personal matters.
The Beryul Revolts (1899 SE)
The Beryul suffered far more under Cesian rule then Causian rule, and were in great number due to the ruination, their people having near single handedly rebuilt much of the Cesian kingdom. The Beryul, under Cesian rule, were kept less as slaves and more like very smart beasts and any semblance of a home was often a cage. Their daily miserable lives made them furious at their treatment and under a rebellious miner and a shadow shaman, the Beryul revolted against Cesia. This large scale revolt tore many cities apart and caused a near halt to the Cesian economy, in which King Svartbrand Bramsson led a army to crush the revolution. Svartbrand only slightly improved the conditions for the Beryul, but restructured much of Cesia's laws regarding the slave trade and it's reliance. In his reign, two slaver guilds tried to assassinate Svartbrand in a attempt to retain their monopolies and secure the market of raiders, but failed and only insured the king's wrath. Under Svartbrand's reign and his sons, slaves were granted enclaves that could be more easily secured if they revolted again and outlawed the use of skilled slave labor and put rules up upon how many slaves a single Noravar family could own.
Annexation of Penica (1955 SE)
Penica was kept in line as a powerful vassal to Cesia, up until a powerful Jarl overthrew its ruler and declared himself King of Penica. Penica formed a temporary independence, but was recaptured in war. King Ari II found himself ruling from Penica as a 'military governor', and had made plans before his rise to the throne to annex the region. Through a use of dubious legal jargon and immense misunderstanding of Penica's laws, King Ari declared himself King of Penica and began to deconstruct it's more unique laws and replace it with his own. Revolts were almost monthly in the region, but it was crushed by Ari personally, who used the revolts as an excuse to execute traitor nobility, which he secretly funded and coaxed into rebellion through his spies. Ari II would rule from Penica for most of his life, calling it his greatest achievement, but his iron fisted rule would not earn him much love, as his son Ari III, who had married a Penica noble woman, changed his named to Skulvic out of disgust when he became King of Cesia.
The Tuesab Raids (2011 SE)
In 2011, a young but huge Tuesab warrior became a warlord and began uniting his the Tuesab peoples and declared himself 'King under the Aura'. This warlord, named Hiji Bloodaxe, was a cultist of the Tuesab's god of death, and promoted his cult and his zealous warriors as guardians over the Tuesab tribes. Hiji and his sons warred with the Noravar pirates and the Otem city states for control and dominance in the region, eventually vassalizing and forcefully converting the Otem and slaughtering the Noravar raiders. Under Hiji, the Tuesab began massive raids into the south, and much like the Noravar long ago, began to bring back masons and engineers which improved their society greatly. These raids reached far into Cesia in which King Hodric 'The Strong' personally battled the Tuesab warlord, but was slain in battle. This caused a series of raids and counter raids between the two peoples, which only ended when Hiji was killed in battle elsewhere and his civilization fell to his sons. The Noravar in the end took their revenge when a raid ship sacked a Teusab settlement and killed one of Hiji's descendants.
Conquest of Oslak (2099 SE)
Oslak was a small Noravar kingdom which ran like a strip along the edge of the country, but was considered apart of the Noravar state which belonged to the Cesians. Oslak's king built a strong alliance with his neighbors, but fell into personal conflict with a Cesian nobleman named Juag Opresson, Juag personally blamed the King of Oslak for not cleaning up his forest of bandits, who supposedly killed Juag's youngest son. Juag and his companions eventually formed a army of adventurers and led a siege of the kingdom, but were soundly defeated by the armies of Oslak and it's allies. Juag however, in his war, had caused a great deal of damage to Oslak's armies and paved the war for the Cesian war for the territory, which was swiftly won. Cesians freed Juag from prison and made him a nobleman of the region. Many in the Noravar kingdoms suspected foulplay on the part of Cesia, who found out a conspiracy in which Cesia was funding mercenary armies and adventurers to lay claims to Noravar lands. This formed a deadly coalition of Noravar and other neighboring states against Cesia which has not ceased to be a threat to the kingdom since.
Current Events (2200 SE)
In recent years, Cesia had expanded into Endikigo, conquering a small tribal Nauavar kingdom and using it's region as a means to raid Beryul tribes along its borders, but the most pressing issues is the ascension of King Thorald Bramsson who after his father's sudden death is now faced with possible war with coalition against his kingdom, along with growing internal turmoil. Seeking allies and a better means to build his army, Thorald looks north for his answers and possible northwest, seeing opportunities to subjugate the tribal beastfolk and to create a great northern empire based around the Stagnant Sea.
Culture
Appearance
The people of Cesia, be they poor or rich, free or slave, generally dress the same way as they did thousands of years ago. Much of their most common wear is a cloth tunic with a fur overcoat and other small garments, normally made from walrus leather and sea otter fur, with nobility wearing the fur of stags and bears. The Noravar are a very war like people and do not believe in a peaceful coexistence with even their fellow Noravar, and prepare as such by often carrying openly their blades and even their armor to public spaces. It isn't uncommon for Noravar commoners walking around with their armor and weapons. The most interesting thing however is that most Noravar nobles can only be distinguished by their hygiene and groomed hair, because most Noravar nobility will also just wear their armor and weapons, even to court. Cesians are not a people keen to gold and silver, and most Noravar do not wear jewelry or large ornate necklaces, with most forms of jewelry of the Noravar being large ornate broaches or family rings.
Craftsmanship
Craftsmanship of the Noravar is impressive, but most forms of smithing and building is done by dwarves. Noravar structures often resemble earthen burrows or are just generally round single room houses made out of wood or stone, which is why dwarves are called in to build Cesian cities and structures. Dwalam structures are built to a high standard, being large and decorated to a very gothic stance. Since most cities are designed like dwarf cities, Cesian cities especially are more beautiful and more fortified then then other Noravar cities, and are far more closely connected to one another and also far more expensive to maintain. Most traditional Noravar cities are the wooden and stone port cities with massive long halls which act as both temple and a clan meeting hall. Smithing of weapons, armor, and tools are done with speed and skill due to the long standing traditions of both the dwarves and the Noravar, along with Beryul slaves who can also act as impressive smiths. Cesian armorments are some of the best in northern Kevica. The most common specialty of Cesian smiths is axes and throwing axes.
Traditions
The Noravar have many traditions, being a stubborn people. Noravar sons are always expected to provide for the family, and thus it is fathers who take their sons out to hunt and to teach them how to use weapons. Noravar daughters are also taught by the men, but in a different way, and are more or less taught how to skin pelts, use daggers, and to command slaves and servants. There are huge Noravar taboos against dishonoring a commanding officer, often to a point where deserters of a Noravar army are often in a serious danger of killing themselves. Noravar have many superstitions and omens, which can vary between clan to clan, but often most involve bad luck following a dark storm, unnatural weather, or specific sight of birds. Ravens are especially considered a great danger by Noravar traditions, who actively hunt them to hopeful extinction, believing they are spies of an evil god who brings them misfortune.
Family
Noravar family is a close knit group, and have very specific roles for each gender. Men are expected to become warriors and leaders of the family, with lesser sons expected to work the fields and to hunt. Noravar women are much more expected to actually craft and cook for the family, produce children, and command the slaves and servants of the household. These gender roles often, very regularly, intermix and is often at times even outright ignored, especially in dire situations. It isn't uncommon for men to learn crafts and raise children on their own, and women (provided they are strong enough) can become matriarch of the family and become warriors if need be. Both men and women are socially expected to teach children, but the responsibility often falls solely to the father. Interestingly, according to most Noravar, there is a third social role of the family, which is the slave. Children are consider null to the family, but the slave can perform all tasks of both the men and women regardless of their own gender, their own expectation is to serve the family faithfully and without trouble.
Law
Law in Cesia is a mixture of tribal and feudal, and even a little bit progressive. Cesian law has two tiers, the 'Low Court' and the 'High Court'. The Low Court is handled solely by city guards, minor nobility, and village elders who form of council of 3-10 judges who listen to evidence presented by one side over the other, the law of the court is entirely decided by these judges and is swayed in the way they think is fair. The High Court is a special court where a religious official proceeds over a court which decides the fate of a high criminal, like a nobleman or another religious official, and listens to evidence and divine omen to decide innocence. If a lower commoner feels cheated by the Low Court, they can appeal to the religious officials for a High Court hearing. Most who are found guilty are either swiftly executed, imprisoned in a castle's dungeons for a undetermined amount of time, stripped of property, or sent into slavery for a number of years.
Rights
The rights of those in Cesia is a hot issue which is likely to never be truly resolved. While Cesian nobles would brag about the freedom of their people, lawfully many Cesians are in a state of perpetual slavery or servitude. Most Cesian commoners are not allowed move away from the kingdom without expressed permission, they cannot marry a non-Noravar without expressed permission, and cannot even trade without the blessing of city guild, controlled often by nobles. Nobles are free to do as they please with very little consequence, but are very much bound to the threat of being brought to the High Court. Gender equality is dubious, but still sort of exists, in Cesia, as women can join raiding bands and mercenary groups unopposed, but cannot be called to war as levies or own certain kinds of property, such as large estates. While dwarves live in their own mostly automonous states in which their own laws supersede Noravar ones, Otem and other Beastfolk live under oppression. Most Beastfolk, even if they have their freedom, can often be re-enslaved in Cesia at any time and are not allowed to move away, marry, or even worship in Noravar temples, trampling on their fragile cultures and giving a great deal of reason for them to be arrested at any time, many being bullied to return to enslavement as a better alternative.
Entertainment
Bloodsport is a super popular and highly valued form of entertainment of the Noravar, but they do not spill blood and cheer on the name of gladiators, for a slave fighting another slave is boring and uneventful. Noravar host tourneys, massive mock battles between two opposing sides which use wooden, or sometimes real, weapons to knock and slash at one another. Each Tourney is often followed by several deaths. In their spare time, Noravar drink and tell stories in taverns, and it isn't uncommon for weaker Noravar to take up instruments and write poems and songs of mighty deeds. Being a Noravar bard is a very tipsy profession, straddling the line between being considered disgraceful and being a celebrity. Warrior Bards however is a very respected profession, with warriors who are capable of using song to tell of their own deeds and entertain their guests earns great respect amongst the Noravar.
Slavery
In Cesia, slavery is a very common trade which has a long history. One of the most common Noravar sayings is "No true king is without his army, as no true Noravar is without his slaves". The most common form of slavery, despite outward appearences, is when a Noravar sells their son or themselves into bondage for several years to pay off a debt, and are treated fairly well, normally lasting only a couple years. The most known form of slavery is the slaves brought in from raids, and the differences between enslaved beastfolk and enslaved non-beastfolk. Anything other then Beastfolk are normally slaves who are skilled and have a chance at freedom, and normally are used to teach the Noravar or to entertain them. Beastfolk slaves on the other hand have a less then fun time, being treated more like animals then sentient creatures. Most Beastfolk slaves are locked in heavy shackles and collars, and are normally used for heavy labor, with some being 'tamed' to become bodyguards and soldiers. Only the Otem have escaped this fate, but are treated often just as poorly but for different reasons, and are often more or less used as servants, cooks, fishers, and craftsmen with no chance at freedom.
Psychology
The Noravar are a xenophobic people who view outsiders with disdain and believe in the strength, purity, and superiority of their own people, clan, and nation. Cesia's long history of war and conflict with it's neighbors bore a long standing feud with the northern Beastfolk, which is often as to why they are treated so poorly. However, the xenophobia of the Noravar is not outright racism of others but rather is more closer to that of a very static indifference to their issues and concerns, and often view the plight of other nations as an excuse to invade them and expand their own domain not for the sake of freeing them, but as a reason to bring wealth and glory back to their ancient kingdom. Non-Noravar, in a strange way, have only a slightly different view. Most Otem who are born of Cevia, along with dwarves and slaves, view Cevia as a rich and strong land which while may abuse them, are ultimately destined to grow to success and hope to wait out their cruelty believing they will be treated better when they win, simply meaning they normally do not harbor ill will towards them.
Education
Education is not the most important aspect of life in Cesia, and schools and universities are simply non-existent. Most forms of education is for nobles and by nobles, who are taught normally by slaves or elders about reading and writing. Most people in Cevia's countryside are illiterate, and only a half of those in the cities can read and write. This lack of education often means that almost all forms of advancement come from raids into more civilized lands, stealing away teachers and engineers rather specifically to fuel progress. Education is neither masculine or feminine in Noravar society, and is considered more or less the job of slaves then anything else, but can be performed by anyone. The most important things learned is often the basics of family life between father and children, but nobles often are taught to read, write, and are taught about economic theories so that they may improve their lands upon ascending to the throne.
Far Raiding
The Far Raids are an ancient adventure tradition which has had a profound impact on Noravar society at large. Far raids, as the name suggests, are raids which go far into the south or west which raid the lands there for treasures and plunder to bring back to Cesia. Far Raiding is a prestigious, but dangerous, venture. Those who survive it are hailed as heroes and are greatly respected by their fellow Noravar. Far raiding however is a very dangerous matter, as sometimes unwanted attention from other nations, soldiers coming back with strange religions, and most importantly, ships not coming back at all, are all well known dangers of a far raid. Most raiders who perform far raids have to be commissioned by nobles, who earn specific individual raid captains immense wealth, fame, and prestige. This prestige can consume younger Noravar to a point where entire family lines die out going on Far Raids trying to earn wealth and honor for their noble families.
Dwarves Culture
Dwalam culture in the Gray Wall mountains evolved over many years of urban development in their city-states in the mountains, living off a very structured society. Dwalam dwarves have a huge respect for masons and administrators, with merchants and engineers often being considered equal merit to warriors and kings. Dwalam have super close family units, with kin slaying considered a crime worse then murder. Dwalam family units are so close however, that marrying within the family is often encouraged. Dwalam build their cities in a very tight place to live in, with most dwarves rarely leaving their mountain communities. These highly developed cities live and breath underground, being built smartly over thousands of years to keep the dwarves safe and happy. Dwalam dwarves rarely keep pets or mounts, which often means nearly all major pulling and heaving is done by laborers rather then beasts of burden.
Dwarven Laws
Dwarven law is brutal as much as it is necessary, as revolts can cripple a city's life and lead to a collapse of dwarven society. All disputes and crimes are brought before a dwarven ruler and it is decided upon their guilt, with or without a heed to evidence or investigation unless called for. Dwarven nobles are considered by their subjects to be an absolute authority to the law, and cannot be disputed or capable of disobeying the law. If someone is found guilty of a crime, punishments can range from public execution by being thrown into a vat of hot coals, or public torture in which victims are burned with brands and are forced to confess their transgressions against the community. A lesser punishment is considered 45 years of hard labor in a mine. Dwarves only allow certain people in their cities, such as garrison soldier and ambassadors, but there are often very special rules on slaves. Dwarves rarely use slaves, and normally any slave in their lands are personal servants or body guards. Often, it is illegal for dwarves to carry around armed guards or own their own militias, so most bodyguards are often unarmed.
The people of Cesia, be they poor or rich, free or slave, generally dress the same way as they did thousands of years ago. Much of their most common wear is a cloth tunic with a fur overcoat and other small garments, normally made from walrus leather and sea otter fur, with nobility wearing the fur of stags and bears. The Noravar are a very war like people and do not believe in a peaceful coexistence with even their fellow Noravar, and prepare as such by often carrying openly their blades and even their armor to public spaces. It isn't uncommon for Noravar commoners walking around with their armor and weapons. The most interesting thing however is that most Noravar nobles can only be distinguished by their hygiene and groomed hair, because most Noravar nobility will also just wear their armor and weapons, even to court. Cesians are not a people keen to gold and silver, and most Noravar do not wear jewelry or large ornate necklaces, with most forms of jewelry of the Noravar being large ornate broaches or family rings.
Craftsmanship
Craftsmanship of the Noravar is impressive, but most forms of smithing and building is done by dwarves. Noravar structures often resemble earthen burrows or are just generally round single room houses made out of wood or stone, which is why dwarves are called in to build Cesian cities and structures. Dwalam structures are built to a high standard, being large and decorated to a very gothic stance. Since most cities are designed like dwarf cities, Cesian cities especially are more beautiful and more fortified then then other Noravar cities, and are far more closely connected to one another and also far more expensive to maintain. Most traditional Noravar cities are the wooden and stone port cities with massive long halls which act as both temple and a clan meeting hall. Smithing of weapons, armor, and tools are done with speed and skill due to the long standing traditions of both the dwarves and the Noravar, along with Beryul slaves who can also act as impressive smiths. Cesian armorments are some of the best in northern Kevica. The most common specialty of Cesian smiths is axes and throwing axes.
Traditions
The Noravar have many traditions, being a stubborn people. Noravar sons are always expected to provide for the family, and thus it is fathers who take their sons out to hunt and to teach them how to use weapons. Noravar daughters are also taught by the men, but in a different way, and are more or less taught how to skin pelts, use daggers, and to command slaves and servants. There are huge Noravar taboos against dishonoring a commanding officer, often to a point where deserters of a Noravar army are often in a serious danger of killing themselves. Noravar have many superstitions and omens, which can vary between clan to clan, but often most involve bad luck following a dark storm, unnatural weather, or specific sight of birds. Ravens are especially considered a great danger by Noravar traditions, who actively hunt them to hopeful extinction, believing they are spies of an evil god who brings them misfortune.
Family
Noravar family is a close knit group, and have very specific roles for each gender. Men are expected to become warriors and leaders of the family, with lesser sons expected to work the fields and to hunt. Noravar women are much more expected to actually craft and cook for the family, produce children, and command the slaves and servants of the household. These gender roles often, very regularly, intermix and is often at times even outright ignored, especially in dire situations. It isn't uncommon for men to learn crafts and raise children on their own, and women (provided they are strong enough) can become matriarch of the family and become warriors if need be. Both men and women are socially expected to teach children, but the responsibility often falls solely to the father. Interestingly, according to most Noravar, there is a third social role of the family, which is the slave. Children are consider null to the family, but the slave can perform all tasks of both the men and women regardless of their own gender, their own expectation is to serve the family faithfully and without trouble.
Law
Law in Cesia is a mixture of tribal and feudal, and even a little bit progressive. Cesian law has two tiers, the 'Low Court' and the 'High Court'. The Low Court is handled solely by city guards, minor nobility, and village elders who form of council of 3-10 judges who listen to evidence presented by one side over the other, the law of the court is entirely decided by these judges and is swayed in the way they think is fair. The High Court is a special court where a religious official proceeds over a court which decides the fate of a high criminal, like a nobleman or another religious official, and listens to evidence and divine omen to decide innocence. If a lower commoner feels cheated by the Low Court, they can appeal to the religious officials for a High Court hearing. Most who are found guilty are either swiftly executed, imprisoned in a castle's dungeons for a undetermined amount of time, stripped of property, or sent into slavery for a number of years.
Rights
The rights of those in Cesia is a hot issue which is likely to never be truly resolved. While Cesian nobles would brag about the freedom of their people, lawfully many Cesians are in a state of perpetual slavery or servitude. Most Cesian commoners are not allowed move away from the kingdom without expressed permission, they cannot marry a non-Noravar without expressed permission, and cannot even trade without the blessing of city guild, controlled often by nobles. Nobles are free to do as they please with very little consequence, but are very much bound to the threat of being brought to the High Court. Gender equality is dubious, but still sort of exists, in Cesia, as women can join raiding bands and mercenary groups unopposed, but cannot be called to war as levies or own certain kinds of property, such as large estates. While dwarves live in their own mostly automonous states in which their own laws supersede Noravar ones, Otem and other Beastfolk live under oppression. Most Beastfolk, even if they have their freedom, can often be re-enslaved in Cesia at any time and are not allowed to move away, marry, or even worship in Noravar temples, trampling on their fragile cultures and giving a great deal of reason for them to be arrested at any time, many being bullied to return to enslavement as a better alternative.
Entertainment
Bloodsport is a super popular and highly valued form of entertainment of the Noravar, but they do not spill blood and cheer on the name of gladiators, for a slave fighting another slave is boring and uneventful. Noravar host tourneys, massive mock battles between two opposing sides which use wooden, or sometimes real, weapons to knock and slash at one another. Each Tourney is often followed by several deaths. In their spare time, Noravar drink and tell stories in taverns, and it isn't uncommon for weaker Noravar to take up instruments and write poems and songs of mighty deeds. Being a Noravar bard is a very tipsy profession, straddling the line between being considered disgraceful and being a celebrity. Warrior Bards however is a very respected profession, with warriors who are capable of using song to tell of their own deeds and entertain their guests earns great respect amongst the Noravar.
Slavery
In Cesia, slavery is a very common trade which has a long history. One of the most common Noravar sayings is "No true king is without his army, as no true Noravar is without his slaves". The most common form of slavery, despite outward appearences, is when a Noravar sells their son or themselves into bondage for several years to pay off a debt, and are treated fairly well, normally lasting only a couple years. The most known form of slavery is the slaves brought in from raids, and the differences between enslaved beastfolk and enslaved non-beastfolk. Anything other then Beastfolk are normally slaves who are skilled and have a chance at freedom, and normally are used to teach the Noravar or to entertain them. Beastfolk slaves on the other hand have a less then fun time, being treated more like animals then sentient creatures. Most Beastfolk slaves are locked in heavy shackles and collars, and are normally used for heavy labor, with some being 'tamed' to become bodyguards and soldiers. Only the Otem have escaped this fate, but are treated often just as poorly but for different reasons, and are often more or less used as servants, cooks, fishers, and craftsmen with no chance at freedom.
Psychology
The Noravar are a xenophobic people who view outsiders with disdain and believe in the strength, purity, and superiority of their own people, clan, and nation. Cesia's long history of war and conflict with it's neighbors bore a long standing feud with the northern Beastfolk, which is often as to why they are treated so poorly. However, the xenophobia of the Noravar is not outright racism of others but rather is more closer to that of a very static indifference to their issues and concerns, and often view the plight of other nations as an excuse to invade them and expand their own domain not for the sake of freeing them, but as a reason to bring wealth and glory back to their ancient kingdom. Non-Noravar, in a strange way, have only a slightly different view. Most Otem who are born of Cevia, along with dwarves and slaves, view Cevia as a rich and strong land which while may abuse them, are ultimately destined to grow to success and hope to wait out their cruelty believing they will be treated better when they win, simply meaning they normally do not harbor ill will towards them.
Education
Education is not the most important aspect of life in Cesia, and schools and universities are simply non-existent. Most forms of education is for nobles and by nobles, who are taught normally by slaves or elders about reading and writing. Most people in Cevia's countryside are illiterate, and only a half of those in the cities can read and write. This lack of education often means that almost all forms of advancement come from raids into more civilized lands, stealing away teachers and engineers rather specifically to fuel progress. Education is neither masculine or feminine in Noravar society, and is considered more or less the job of slaves then anything else, but can be performed by anyone. The most important things learned is often the basics of family life between father and children, but nobles often are taught to read, write, and are taught about economic theories so that they may improve their lands upon ascending to the throne.
Far Raiding
The Far Raids are an ancient adventure tradition which has had a profound impact on Noravar society at large. Far raids, as the name suggests, are raids which go far into the south or west which raid the lands there for treasures and plunder to bring back to Cesia. Far Raiding is a prestigious, but dangerous, venture. Those who survive it are hailed as heroes and are greatly respected by their fellow Noravar. Far raiding however is a very dangerous matter, as sometimes unwanted attention from other nations, soldiers coming back with strange religions, and most importantly, ships not coming back at all, are all well known dangers of a far raid. Most raiders who perform far raids have to be commissioned by nobles, who earn specific individual raid captains immense wealth, fame, and prestige. This prestige can consume younger Noravar to a point where entire family lines die out going on Far Raids trying to earn wealth and honor for their noble families.
Dwarves Culture
Dwalam culture in the Gray Wall mountains evolved over many years of urban development in their city-states in the mountains, living off a very structured society. Dwalam dwarves have a huge respect for masons and administrators, with merchants and engineers often being considered equal merit to warriors and kings. Dwalam have super close family units, with kin slaying considered a crime worse then murder. Dwalam family units are so close however, that marrying within the family is often encouraged. Dwalam build their cities in a very tight place to live in, with most dwarves rarely leaving their mountain communities. These highly developed cities live and breath underground, being built smartly over thousands of years to keep the dwarves safe and happy. Dwalam dwarves rarely keep pets or mounts, which often means nearly all major pulling and heaving is done by laborers rather then beasts of burden.
Dwarven Laws
Dwarven law is brutal as much as it is necessary, as revolts can cripple a city's life and lead to a collapse of dwarven society. All disputes and crimes are brought before a dwarven ruler and it is decided upon their guilt, with or without a heed to evidence or investigation unless called for. Dwarven nobles are considered by their subjects to be an absolute authority to the law, and cannot be disputed or capable of disobeying the law. If someone is found guilty of a crime, punishments can range from public execution by being thrown into a vat of hot coals, or public torture in which victims are burned with brands and are forced to confess their transgressions against the community. A lesser punishment is considered 45 years of hard labor in a mine. Dwarves only allow certain people in their cities, such as garrison soldier and ambassadors, but there are often very special rules on slaves. Dwarves rarely use slaves, and normally any slave in their lands are personal servants or body guards. Often, it is illegal for dwarves to carry around armed guards or own their own militias, so most bodyguards are often unarmed.
Military
Recruitment
Cesia has a rather messy, but traditional, system of recruitment for their armies. For their levies, men are gathered by captains or even just as the main army is marching among the villages. Since most Noravar already have weapons and armor, this makes the process of forming a Noravar much easier. Normally, only men can join levies, but it isn't uncommon for Noravar women to crop their hair and join the army in it's march, and they are ignored or sent home if discovered. The Maruds are often trained from skilled raiders and armored noblemen, and are much harder to gather and train. Maruds, being wayward adventurers in their own right and rich land owners, need to be coaxed to form into a elite army of Cesia. When it comes to dwarves, their recruitment is handled by a specific warrior caste which guards their mountains, and 20% of that army joins the Cesian one. The last army that is often needed to be picked up is slave soldiers, or more specifically, armored Beastfolk which are normally Beryul. These creatures from a young age are picked to become warriors and are trained in a brutal regiment to be unflinchingly loyal, stupidly brave, and intensely savage. Most of these enslaved warriors often require their own pen and are gathered by their owners to form the vanguard of their armies, if they can afford them and their care.
Organization
Cesian armies are led directly by their nobles who hold their own armies, and these armies group together along with their supplies. The top noble, or leading noble, often decides on important decisions of logistics and strategy, but in true feudal fashion, a great deal of Cesian politics and personal rivalry can enter into the camp. Cesian armies on the battlefield tend to use very basic feudal tactics, but with an added twist. Cesians rely on heavy armored units which form the vanguard, with reserves of light infantry in the back. Archers are expected to skirmish, with cavalry taking the flank for defensive purposes. Cesian tactics require their heavy infantry to break and overpower the weaker front, with light infantry or free cavalry units chasing down attackers. Heavy infantry make up the core of a Cesian army, wether they be advanced dwarven pikemen or huge armored slaves. Nobles are often expected, but are not required, to lead their armies from the front and join in battle to rally their men.
Cesian Levies
Cesian levies, like most Noravar levies, are already armed and armored the moment they are ready to join the army. Nearly all Cesian levies have axes or short hunting spears. Some levies will bring along their hunting bows, making but the core of the ranged infantry of a Cesian army. These levies often hunt rather frequently, or at some point went practiced, with no formal training that is required by the state, and it is simply expected they will do well. These levies are lightly armored, often having heavy leather jerkins and in rare cases chainmail. Noravar levies fight for personal glory and loot, and expect when a city is taken in siege, they will be allowed to sack it.
Cesian Maruds
Maruds are a strange mix between raider, adventurer, and elite soldier. Maruds are normally well off Noravar who are able to afford good armor and a shield, and either spend their days going on adventurors, going on Far Raids, or just go about doing general banditry in non Cesian lands. While brutish and thuggish by any other standard, the Noravar Maruds often have their own beer halls and personal estates which fund their activies, and train fellow Maruds into a suitable army. These Maruds normally swear their loyalty to a Noravar noble in return for their patronage and protection, and when called, the Marud will join them in war. Due to their experience, they are considered elite soldiers and skillful marines. Maruds normally have iron armor along with chainmail, helms, a colored cloak, longsword, war axes, throwing spears, throwing axes, and a large shield on their person.
Armored Beastfolk
Armored Beastfolk is a specific design of Cesia with a long history of use. These Beastfolk, either Beryul or Tuesab, or broken down at a very young age in a special prison pit. They are brutally trained by their taskmasters to fight in tense situations but are also trained to tell between enemy and friend. They are normally emotionally and psychologically broken down and live most of their lives in shackles until they come of age to receive their armor. The armor of these slave soldiers covers their entire body and are granted either a polearm or a sword an' shield. These slave soldiers are normally outfitted with large bulky collars with small inward spikes which cause create discomfort but can be pulled to cause pain to direct them. These soldiers are often very expensive to keep and to maintain, due to the amount spent alone on their special shackles and trainers, which is why only a few rich Noravar nobles have them.
Dwalam Legions
Dwalam armies are formed into a legion of only 50,000 each, who's primary purpose is defense and urban combat. Due to this, Dwarven armies are purely heavy pikemen with small short swords or axes, with only some archers who act as scouts. Despite being heavily armored, a Dwalam pikeman can move exceptionally fast with their long spears and are trained from a young age in this specific art of war by experienced tutors and their parents. Dwarven armies are made up a caste of militias who send their sons to barracks for the rest of their lives to make up the city's defenders, and are commanded by a stronghold's most war minded noble. Dwalam legions are terrifying in urban combat, and rarely break their ground unless sustaining immeasurable losses.
Cesian Navy
The Cesian Navy is one of the most powerful in the Stagnant sea, mostly due to their number of longships. Cesian longships are a mix of Otem design and the original war ships of the Nauder. Cesian Longships are crewed by mostly raiders and Maruds, and have a number of unique abilities which allows them better mobility then most other ships. Longships are capable of flowing down rivers and cross the sea, are very fast, and is often evasive enough to outmaneuver galleys. Longships are normally used for piracy, and as such, are very experienced in hunting lone ships. In the open water, if one can even hit a Longship, the moment they get close, Cesian marines tend to board enemy ships to capture them.
Cesia has a rather messy, but traditional, system of recruitment for their armies. For their levies, men are gathered by captains or even just as the main army is marching among the villages. Since most Noravar already have weapons and armor, this makes the process of forming a Noravar much easier. Normally, only men can join levies, but it isn't uncommon for Noravar women to crop their hair and join the army in it's march, and they are ignored or sent home if discovered. The Maruds are often trained from skilled raiders and armored noblemen, and are much harder to gather and train. Maruds, being wayward adventurers in their own right and rich land owners, need to be coaxed to form into a elite army of Cesia. When it comes to dwarves, their recruitment is handled by a specific warrior caste which guards their mountains, and 20% of that army joins the Cesian one. The last army that is often needed to be picked up is slave soldiers, or more specifically, armored Beastfolk which are normally Beryul. These creatures from a young age are picked to become warriors and are trained in a brutal regiment to be unflinchingly loyal, stupidly brave, and intensely savage. Most of these enslaved warriors often require their own pen and are gathered by their owners to form the vanguard of their armies, if they can afford them and their care.
Organization
Cesian armies are led directly by their nobles who hold their own armies, and these armies group together along with their supplies. The top noble, or leading noble, often decides on important decisions of logistics and strategy, but in true feudal fashion, a great deal of Cesian politics and personal rivalry can enter into the camp. Cesian armies on the battlefield tend to use very basic feudal tactics, but with an added twist. Cesians rely on heavy armored units which form the vanguard, with reserves of light infantry in the back. Archers are expected to skirmish, with cavalry taking the flank for defensive purposes. Cesian tactics require their heavy infantry to break and overpower the weaker front, with light infantry or free cavalry units chasing down attackers. Heavy infantry make up the core of a Cesian army, wether they be advanced dwarven pikemen or huge armored slaves. Nobles are often expected, but are not required, to lead their armies from the front and join in battle to rally their men.
Cesian Levies
Cesian levies, like most Noravar levies, are already armed and armored the moment they are ready to join the army. Nearly all Cesian levies have axes or short hunting spears. Some levies will bring along their hunting bows, making but the core of the ranged infantry of a Cesian army. These levies often hunt rather frequently, or at some point went practiced, with no formal training that is required by the state, and it is simply expected they will do well. These levies are lightly armored, often having heavy leather jerkins and in rare cases chainmail. Noravar levies fight for personal glory and loot, and expect when a city is taken in siege, they will be allowed to sack it.
Cesian Maruds
Maruds are a strange mix between raider, adventurer, and elite soldier. Maruds are normally well off Noravar who are able to afford good armor and a shield, and either spend their days going on adventurors, going on Far Raids, or just go about doing general banditry in non Cesian lands. While brutish and thuggish by any other standard, the Noravar Maruds often have their own beer halls and personal estates which fund their activies, and train fellow Maruds into a suitable army. These Maruds normally swear their loyalty to a Noravar noble in return for their patronage and protection, and when called, the Marud will join them in war. Due to their experience, they are considered elite soldiers and skillful marines. Maruds normally have iron armor along with chainmail, helms, a colored cloak, longsword, war axes, throwing spears, throwing axes, and a large shield on their person.
Armored Beastfolk
Armored Beastfolk is a specific design of Cesia with a long history of use. These Beastfolk, either Beryul or Tuesab, or broken down at a very young age in a special prison pit. They are brutally trained by their taskmasters to fight in tense situations but are also trained to tell between enemy and friend. They are normally emotionally and psychologically broken down and live most of their lives in shackles until they come of age to receive their armor. The armor of these slave soldiers covers their entire body and are granted either a polearm or a sword an' shield. These slave soldiers are normally outfitted with large bulky collars with small inward spikes which cause create discomfort but can be pulled to cause pain to direct them. These soldiers are often very expensive to keep and to maintain, due to the amount spent alone on their special shackles and trainers, which is why only a few rich Noravar nobles have them.
Dwalam Legions
Dwalam armies are formed into a legion of only 50,000 each, who's primary purpose is defense and urban combat. Due to this, Dwarven armies are purely heavy pikemen with small short swords or axes, with only some archers who act as scouts. Despite being heavily armored, a Dwalam pikeman can move exceptionally fast with their long spears and are trained from a young age in this specific art of war by experienced tutors and their parents. Dwarven armies are made up a caste of militias who send their sons to barracks for the rest of their lives to make up the city's defenders, and are commanded by a stronghold's most war minded noble. Dwalam legions are terrifying in urban combat, and rarely break their ground unless sustaining immeasurable losses.
Cesian Navy
The Cesian Navy is one of the most powerful in the Stagnant sea, mostly due to their number of longships. Cesian longships are a mix of Otem design and the original war ships of the Nauder. Cesian Longships are crewed by mostly raiders and Maruds, and have a number of unique abilities which allows them better mobility then most other ships. Longships are capable of flowing down rivers and cross the sea, are very fast, and is often evasive enough to outmaneuver galleys. Longships are normally used for piracy, and as such, are very experienced in hunting lone ships. In the open water, if one can even hit a Longship, the moment they get close, Cesian marines tend to board enemy ships to capture them.
Government
Cesian Martial Monarchy
Martial Monarchy is a civilized version of Noravar tribal monarchy, in which there is a much heavier emphasis on the strength of the king and his divine right to rule based on his skill as a military leader. In the current state of Cesia's feudal system, a strong king rules over his direct vassals which belong to his own personal territory. Cesia is fairly decentralized, like many feudal societies, where land is ruled by autonomous vassals who swear themselves to the king in return for protection. Unlike other feudal societies, Noravar has no class of peasants, but they do have clansmen who are more or less bound to their clans and slaves who do heavy work. Succession in Cesia is passed to the eldest son, with the capability of women having the ability to inherit if no son is available.
Dwarven City States
Cesia conquered and incorporated two powerful dwarven city states into their country and their legal status as a territory, a conquered people, and as a vassal is muddied by their apparent cultural ties with the country. Dwarves have their own nobles, their own laws, and their own tax system and are by all other means besides paying hefty taxation and providing a large amount of masons and smiths to the Cesian capital they are entirely autonomous. These city states are traditionally kept in line by a large garrison of Maruds, who more or less act as more of a reminder then an actual force. The two city states are often kept in Cesia's control through heavy trade and exclusive guild right to the dwarves, which gives them a 15% cut of money made on the Stagnant sea in Cesian ports.
Succession Moot
When the king of Cesia dies, in order to avoid a disastrous succession crises, a Moot is called involving the family of the king and the Jarls who decide who will become the next king. While lawfully, the title should pass down the line, it is often realistically passed on between brothers at the Moot. The Moot is often a perfect place for ambitious nobles to cozy up to their new king and to chose winners and losers, and once the moot is decided, it is formal law and all nobles must accept their new king under pain of death. The non eligible adult family of the previous king votes first, and their vote counts as 1, and then pretenders vote next who's vote count as 2, and then last the Jarls who vote, who's vote count as 3.
Internal Wars
Currently, under ancient Noravar law, any Noravar chieftain, noble, or king can war with cause another Noravar ruler. Noravar law recognizes 3 kinds of wars; Kin Slaying, Weakness, and Restoration. Kin Slaying wars are wars against those who kill the previous ruler who were family in order, and successfully, become ruler instead. In the eyes of the gods, this tragedy can only be avenged by another Noravar lord. Weakness wars is a war against cripples, weak rulers, and overly incompetent rulers. Restoration wars are a more common war and who's reasoning is regularly abused. In tradition, Restoration wars is a war to restore a rightful ruler to the throne who is a Noravar. While in tradition this can only be done against those who are non-Noravars, this caucus belli is abused rather regularly as an excuse for war. While there is no formal written rule on these laws, the Noravar use these excuses so regularly that most know them by heart.
Status of Clans
Cesia is a civilized civilization, but the presence of ancient tribal clans still exists even into the modern day. The status of these clans is dubious at best, and illegal at worst. Since there are so many hermit clans which are scattered across the Noravar lands, they are more or less left alone. Legally, the clans are on the same status as thanes, but the clansmen believe themselves to be Haulds. In order to keep them in line, the real Haulds pay them off or befriend them. Clans, unlike their civilized counterparts, do not own slaves and the Beastfolk they do own are in fact treated very well. Clans war with each other over various reasons, and they can devestate the countryside if not handled well. Haulds often have to be careful of their growing influence, otherwise they may revolt and kill the Hauld and his family and claim themselves as true Haulds.
Low and High Courts
The court system of Cesia is a Noravar tradition, and while the low courts are not important for most nobles, it is the high courts most have to worry about. While nobles and their families have free reign to generally do as they please, the High Court is a major detractor from truly abominable behavior. The High Court rarely, if ever, effect the king or the jarls, so most High Court cases involved Haulds and Thanes, and rarely the druids. While druids in Cesia are known to be incorruptible, the nobility do find ways to bribe them for a favorable outcome to the court. This can be done with sending the accused into the service of druids as a slave for many years, appeasing the gods, or providing blood money to the temple and the clan affected by the crime for the trouble. Normally, specialized druids work these cases, but in reality any druid can do it. It isn't uncommon for smart nobles to become apart of the priesthood and be declared a druid, and then recuse themselves from cases since they themselves can declare themselves a judge, but in doing so has them automatically banished from the priesthood.
Otem Enclaves
The Otem city of Kringa'Hol was felled and consumed by the Noravar, it's descendants having lived in what is now Cesia since in small urban enclaves. These enclaves receive no assistance, and often are only located near the coast in which the Otem fish for the only food the enclave will ever see. Smiths, guilds, and shipbuilding is illegal in the enclave, along with marriages and moving to a new enclave. Otem have their own rather destitute societies within the enclave and are given very little in terms of options, with the only real option is to sell themselves into slavery in the hopes of a better life. The Noravar allow the Otur to live mostly because many, despite their restrictions, are skilled shipwrights, scouts, and fishers who provide valuable services to the cities they dwell in, and strictly pass down their traditions and knowledge to their young.
Lesser Titles
Martial Monarchy is a civilized version of Noravar tribal monarchy, in which there is a much heavier emphasis on the strength of the king and his divine right to rule based on his skill as a military leader. In the current state of Cesia's feudal system, a strong king rules over his direct vassals which belong to his own personal territory. Cesia is fairly decentralized, like many feudal societies, where land is ruled by autonomous vassals who swear themselves to the king in return for protection. Unlike other feudal societies, Noravar has no class of peasants, but they do have clansmen who are more or less bound to their clans and slaves who do heavy work. Succession in Cesia is passed to the eldest son, with the capability of women having the ability to inherit if no son is available.
- King - The absolute ruler of the land, ruled specifically under the Bramsson dynasty
- Jarl - A large Noravar land owning noble who ruled over a large territory, with haulds who swear loyalty to him in return for protection and gather armies for the King. They are often typically the most powerful of a group of local Haulds.
- Hauld - Haulds are large landowners by the most original sense and chieftain by heritage, often owning cities, small keeps, and individual plots and have thanes who swear to them.
- Thane - Thanes are landowners, normally wealthy farmers and leaders of clans who swear themselves and their families to Haulds, Jarls, and Kings. Thanes are the most basic noblemen of the Noravars, their families and themselves being the basic foundation for new Maruds.
- Druid - The Druidry are the formal priest caste, who hold power above the common person and soldier, but are sworn to the service and vassalage of their local Haulds.
- Guard - Guards are a informal but important class, often well armored militia paid by nobles to guard cities, roads, and towns. They have the added bonus of keeping the peace, restricting access to cities at their whim, and answer only directly to the nobility.
- Clansman / Commoner - The freemen of Cesia are not bound to the land, but are rather instead bound by family, being a common folk who act as craftsmen, farmers, merchants, and other professionals. Despite the idea that they are freemen, they are still very much bound by local Noravar law and traditions.
- Slave - Another sentient humanoid owned by another, having no rights. The only restrictions on this involves non-beastfolk, where non-beastfolk cannot be murdered or sold to foreigners.
Dwarven City States
Cesia conquered and incorporated two powerful dwarven city states into their country and their legal status as a territory, a conquered people, and as a vassal is muddied by their apparent cultural ties with the country. Dwarves have their own nobles, their own laws, and their own tax system and are by all other means besides paying hefty taxation and providing a large amount of masons and smiths to the Cesian capital they are entirely autonomous. These city states are traditionally kept in line by a large garrison of Maruds, who more or less act as more of a reminder then an actual force. The two city states are often kept in Cesia's control through heavy trade and exclusive guild right to the dwarves, which gives them a 15% cut of money made on the Stagnant sea in Cesian ports.
Succession Moot
When the king of Cesia dies, in order to avoid a disastrous succession crises, a Moot is called involving the family of the king and the Jarls who decide who will become the next king. While lawfully, the title should pass down the line, it is often realistically passed on between brothers at the Moot. The Moot is often a perfect place for ambitious nobles to cozy up to their new king and to chose winners and losers, and once the moot is decided, it is formal law and all nobles must accept their new king under pain of death. The non eligible adult family of the previous king votes first, and their vote counts as 1, and then pretenders vote next who's vote count as 2, and then last the Jarls who vote, who's vote count as 3.
Internal Wars
Currently, under ancient Noravar law, any Noravar chieftain, noble, or king can war with cause another Noravar ruler. Noravar law recognizes 3 kinds of wars; Kin Slaying, Weakness, and Restoration. Kin Slaying wars are wars against those who kill the previous ruler who were family in order, and successfully, become ruler instead. In the eyes of the gods, this tragedy can only be avenged by another Noravar lord. Weakness wars is a war against cripples, weak rulers, and overly incompetent rulers. Restoration wars are a more common war and who's reasoning is regularly abused. In tradition, Restoration wars is a war to restore a rightful ruler to the throne who is a Noravar. While in tradition this can only be done against those who are non-Noravars, this caucus belli is abused rather regularly as an excuse for war. While there is no formal written rule on these laws, the Noravar use these excuses so regularly that most know them by heart.
Status of Clans
Cesia is a civilized civilization, but the presence of ancient tribal clans still exists even into the modern day. The status of these clans is dubious at best, and illegal at worst. Since there are so many hermit clans which are scattered across the Noravar lands, they are more or less left alone. Legally, the clans are on the same status as thanes, but the clansmen believe themselves to be Haulds. In order to keep them in line, the real Haulds pay them off or befriend them. Clans, unlike their civilized counterparts, do not own slaves and the Beastfolk they do own are in fact treated very well. Clans war with each other over various reasons, and they can devestate the countryside if not handled well. Haulds often have to be careful of their growing influence, otherwise they may revolt and kill the Hauld and his family and claim themselves as true Haulds.
Low and High Courts
The court system of Cesia is a Noravar tradition, and while the low courts are not important for most nobles, it is the high courts most have to worry about. While nobles and their families have free reign to generally do as they please, the High Court is a major detractor from truly abominable behavior. The High Court rarely, if ever, effect the king or the jarls, so most High Court cases involved Haulds and Thanes, and rarely the druids. While druids in Cesia are known to be incorruptible, the nobility do find ways to bribe them for a favorable outcome to the court. This can be done with sending the accused into the service of druids as a slave for many years, appeasing the gods, or providing blood money to the temple and the clan affected by the crime for the trouble. Normally, specialized druids work these cases, but in reality any druid can do it. It isn't uncommon for smart nobles to become apart of the priesthood and be declared a druid, and then recuse themselves from cases since they themselves can declare themselves a judge, but in doing so has them automatically banished from the priesthood.
Otem Enclaves
The Otem city of Kringa'Hol was felled and consumed by the Noravar, it's descendants having lived in what is now Cesia since in small urban enclaves. These enclaves receive no assistance, and often are only located near the coast in which the Otem fish for the only food the enclave will ever see. Smiths, guilds, and shipbuilding is illegal in the enclave, along with marriages and moving to a new enclave. Otem have their own rather destitute societies within the enclave and are given very little in terms of options, with the only real option is to sell themselves into slavery in the hopes of a better life. The Noravar allow the Otur to live mostly because many, despite their restrictions, are skilled shipwrights, scouts, and fishers who provide valuable services to the cities they dwell in, and strictly pass down their traditions and knowledge to their young.
Lesser Titles
- Blood Brother - A blood brother is a term used rarely and with great respect in Noravar society, in which two Noravar cut their hands with their blades and grasp each other, and by ancient rite are declared equal to kinsmen. It is considered one of the most deepest forms of respect amongst the Noravar.
- Elder - An Elder is a old man of the village, being far to elderly to fight, farm, or even perform a craft. Instead, their service to the clan is providing wisdom, performing in the Low Court, and watching over children. Their authority is often considered by many Noravar equal to that of thanes and are considered untouchable.
- Tutor - A Tutor, wether they be slave or free, is a learned person given the responsibility to raise and teach a nobleman's sons and daughters.
- Captain - Captains are a informal and empty role of command amongst guards and Maruds. Captains are normally responsible with administrative work of the army, along with marshaling troops, handling logistics, and being the voice of the nobleman when they are not available.
- Favored - Favored is a formal title, normally reserved for slaves and servants but can sometimes be granted to courtiers and trusted advisers. Favored are friends of the family, and are normally responsible acting as a guardian of the family if harm came to them. Favored are normally treated more as a part of the family.
- Spion - Intrique is a rare and deeply taboo part of the culture of the Noravar, but it does still exist. Spions are essentially spymasters in all but name, their formal responsibility is often keeping track of the courtiers and performing roll call, but realistically command the realm's spies.
- Master of Masons - A important title associated with the city, a administrator who helps with the maintenance of the city
- Master of Horses - A stable master who handles a Cesian noble's horses and keeps them well fed, but also is charged with making sure horses are always in stock.
- Master of the Hunt - A hunt master who is responsible with helping a nobleman hunt and also brings back food for feasts, normally entrusted to a skilled hunter.
- Chief of Raiders - The Chief of raiders is often rewarded to powerful and skilled Maruds who had performed great feats of raiding and piracy, bringing wealth and glory to their families. The Chief of Raiders is responsible planning seasonal raids, keeping the shipyards in check, and recruiting other raiders.
- Master of the Cages - The Master of Cages is not a honorable job, often granted to the least skilled and most cruel of the guards, who is charged with different tasks. Their main task in acting as warden of the dungeons of a keep, but also to command, train, and house servants and slaves of a nobleman. If a nobleman owns their own armored beastfolk pit, then they are often commanded to watch over this pit as well.
Religion
Noadam
Noadam is a druidic religion, with very old shamanistic roots which dates back to the Naudor who first founded Norava. As a tribal religion, it was characterized by oral legends and folk tales, often depicting kings as gods and gods as kings. The main theology of Noadam believes that all life was made by a great ice bear named Jeraog, who's droppings made the gods. These gods killed Jeraog and planted his body into the ground, and brought forth a mighty tree, with each branch a plane of existence for which the gods could rule. Olavan, chief of the gods, made the first men like wolves, but these wolves were corrupted by his rival, the witch Marava who turned them into the first men. Feeling sorry for his lost children, Olavan gifted men with technology, magic, and a will to live good lives and drink heartily. As a gift, mankind granted Olavan beer, charred meat, and iron. Since, the gods have battled the forces of Marava for the souls of men, with Olavan guarding and watching for men to steal away back to his realm, training them for the end of the world, while those unworthy of the gods are granted as gifts to Marava, who turns them into minks and adds them to her stew.
Gods
The Druidry
There is only one caste in the Noadam religion, which is the druids. However, there are various kinds of druids, but magical and non magical. Those who are gifted with magic are automatically sent, as it is a great honor, to temples of the druids to be taught their ways and tutor under them, while those of no magical talent are mostly there to learn lore and to recite history.
Views on Magic
Cesia is no different from other Noravar civilization when it comes to magic. Magic is greatly respected, especially magic in relation to their people's favored religion. While before reformation, Noadam views on magic was only out of respect, reformed views on magic has a formal canon on what is and what is not acceptable. Necromancery and magic which bend light and animals is considered abominable to the region. Magic however, even if it is abominable, is considered divine in some way or other, wether it be a evil god or some demon. This great respect of magic translates to social life, where those who perform magic and revered and even sometimes worshipped, with many believing that a mage brings good omens no matter what religion they are from. Yet this progressive religious attitude is not easy to exploit, as most Noravar believe other gods to be imitations or misunderstandings of their own pantheon in some way or another.
Druidic Magic
Druidic magic of the Noadam religion is that of a great variety, but it specializes in two schools; auras and elemental. Noadam druids can manipulate the nature around them to do great harm, or bring great prosperity to a region. Druids also perform rituals to conjure blessings, or auras, to bless their people and restore things. They can summon clouds of mists, and even powerful druids can summon storms on a region. This weather manipulation by bolts of lightning or claps of rock being hurled at their enemies. Other notable abilities of Noadam druids is their ability to translate prophesies, build golems from bark to guard their groves, and commune with the wildlife.
Druidic Curses
A lesser known speciality of druids is their ability to curse others, and are fully capable of a variety of offensive auras. Blights are a common curse, capable of turning farmland to rot through intense rituals, along with cursing woodlands to cause rabies within the wildlife. The most notable curses however are individual ones, such as Weres and Sprites. Other notable curses performed by Noadam druids are curses of fortune and weakness. Druids can curse those they despise to fumble and be unable to win for a time, or curse them to be weak and frail, and can only be dispelled at their own notice or by a mage who specializes in dispelling such things. Druids use curses defensively, but are often brought on campaigns of the Noravar to specifically perform curses on captured enemy nobles.
Weres and Sprites
Weres and Sprites are unique curses brought on by Noadam druids, especially against those they despise or consider enemies. Weres are cursed men who by day are men, but at night become animals, often depending on the choice of the druid who cursed them. Weres become feral and wild in the night, and become menaces to their communities until they are cured. Sprites are cursed men who have been just turned into a wild animal, but are fully conscious, and can be turned back into men if the druid who cursed them died or are just generally freed. Weres often are forced to seek out druids, who use them as body guards and as slave laborers in return for keeping thme uncursed, while Sprites are simply just pets which are usually prisoners of war or those who angered the druids.
Legends
Noadam has a number of legends, but none so profound or as important to Cesia's history as the legend of Hrapp Stufsson. Hrapp was a legendary forefather of the kingdom and a legendary druid in his own right, and his son was said to also be just as talented as he was. While the tales of Hrapp and his many exploits are many, other legends tell of similar heroes. Most Noravar Jarls and Kings often claim they are the descendent of a divine ancestor, so despite stories like Hrapp being important for Cesia, it is not unique. Another known legendary figure is that of Amundi Skorrisson, a legendary warrior of ancient times who wrestled the Beryul's gods and killed them in a drunken rage, but was slain by the Beryul. It is said the Amundi cursed the Beryul to always be less then the Noravar, and that their people would never rise above his own, and then chucked his spear so hard that it killed 100 Beryul clans.
Omens
The Noravar have many omens, but none so more profound and hated as the raven. Ravens are not represented to have gods, but rather they are said to be the children of the dead god of the Beryul who swore eternal servitude to the evil god Marava. Ravens who appear are said to bring instant misfortune, and it is well known soldier and nobles will actively avoid battle if ravens are flying. Omens such as these have a profound impact on Noravar society, as Noravar will cease to work if the local omens look bad. In order to keep society from falling apart due to bad omens, druids perform sacrifices by offering burnt grains at their groves to appease the gods, making all bad omens void for the day until the moon rises.
Festivals
Festivals are an important part of the day to day life of the druidry. There is a large scale feast, hosted by both nobles and druids, to commemorate the beginning of spring and the end of summer. During this time, the Druids release a Were or Sprite from their curse and a noble releases a prisoner from their dungeons to appease the god of motherhood, and in return the prisoner most make a pilgrimge to the grove and serve within it for five years as penitence. The feast is served with ale, pumpkin, wine, bread, and meat and it becomes a time of peace and kindness. Fighting is not done during either feast, and slaves are often granted their own feast and are served by their masters with ale and cheese. Often, during the feast, druids tend to frolic, dance, and carry large smacking sticks and loudly yell to the heavens to honor the gods.
Groves
The name grove is a dubious term, as a druidic grove of the Noadam religion is more close to that of a earthen pyramid, with three inner chambers, a burial tomb, and a enclosed garden for which a sacred tree lies. Groves have a barracks for which the druids and their servants sleep in, a earthen office for which the non-magical druids write down history and study, and a inner sanctum directly below a sacred tree in which the druids converse, discuss politics, and debate theology. The grove itself is mighty sacred, often surrounding a white pine tree which comes from the far western ends of Endikigo. These trees are believed to be the life blood of their gods and where they are housed, and to enter their gardens is to enter their domain. In order to enter, one much be unclothed, and shed all mortal possessions and pray to the tree for guidance in silence, to not do so, the grove's local wildlife will tear the person limb from limb.
Burial Mounds
Noravar traditions do not fully recognize a proper means of which the bury the dead, but wherever there are Noravar, their burial mounds are not far off. Burial Mounds are more of a druidic invention, as druids believe themselves to be the living tears of the gods shed in the pity of mankind. Just as they are temporary, druids will return to the earth and rejoin the form of their gods in the afterlife. Druids are wrapped in leaves and buried in the mounds, normally alongside family and nobles associated with them, with holly being planted all around the tomb to draw in the spirit of death. Normally, these tombs are often booby trapped and contain valuable but highly cursed treasures.
Noadam is a druidic religion, with very old shamanistic roots which dates back to the Naudor who first founded Norava. As a tribal religion, it was characterized by oral legends and folk tales, often depicting kings as gods and gods as kings. The main theology of Noadam believes that all life was made by a great ice bear named Jeraog, who's droppings made the gods. These gods killed Jeraog and planted his body into the ground, and brought forth a mighty tree, with each branch a plane of existence for which the gods could rule. Olavan, chief of the gods, made the first men like wolves, but these wolves were corrupted by his rival, the witch Marava who turned them into the first men. Feeling sorry for his lost children, Olavan gifted men with technology, magic, and a will to live good lives and drink heartily. As a gift, mankind granted Olavan beer, charred meat, and iron. Since, the gods have battled the forces of Marava for the souls of men, with Olavan guarding and watching for men to steal away back to his realm, training them for the end of the world, while those unworthy of the gods are granted as gifts to Marava, who turns them into minks and adds them to her stew.
Gods
- Olavan - The Wolf God, and chief of the gods. He is the god of Wolves, Knowledge, Hunting, Snow, War, Conflict, and Nobility. His Patrons are Warriors, Nobles, and Scientists.
- Margura - The Eagle God, wife of Olavan. She is the god of Eagles, Seagulls, Summer, Heat, Sand, Prosperity, and Children. Her Patrons are Mothers, Farmers, and Merchants.
- Faer Shald - The Bear God, Adopted son of Olavan, True son of Jeraog. He was eaten by Jeraog in order to prevent him from fulfilling a prophesy, but when Olavan killed Jeraog, he found Faer Shald and claimed him as his own. He is the god of Bears, the Beryul, Strength, Tyranny, Thunder, Lightning, Oppression, Guarding, Revenge, and Raiding. His patrons are Raiders, Avengers, and Guards.
- Faer Reeth - The Penguin God, son of Olavan. He is the god of Penguins, Spring, Rain, Love, Prophesy, Floods, Crops, and Luck. His Patrons are Lovers, Druids, and Farmers.
- Seei'th - The Otter God, daughter of Olavan. She is the god of Sea Otters, the Otem, Sea, Lakes, Shells, Fishing, Salt, Maelstroms, Ships, and Wind. Her Patrons are Sailors, Shipwrights, and Fishers.
- Naur Gravab - The Dark God, who is depicted as a elf with deep black skin covered in the cloak made from the flesh of fallen druids. He is a brother of Margura. He is a god of Forests, Earthquakes, Transfiguration, Curses, Fall, Color, Shade, Mist, and Candles. His patrons are Druids, The Ambitious, and The Desperate.
- Hogi and Lomki - Lesser gods with no known domains, being two boars who use to be two unknown kings of the Noadar who were tansformed into boars by Naur Gravab but were granted a place at the table of Olavan for their deeds, and are said to accompany the dark druid Naur Gravab in his journeys.
- Besa - The Cow God, prized servant of Naur Gravab. He is the god of Cows, Milk, Plenty, Sunshine, Blessings, Miracles, Hope, and Fruit. His Patrons are Ranchers, Farmers, and The Desperate
- Marava - The evil god, creator of mankind and corrupter of the wilds, resembling a woman of stunning beauty who at all times is surrounded by a palace of iron of ash filled with nothing living. She is the god of Mankind, Iron, Fire, Steel, Copper, Bronze, Emptiness, Destruction, and Foreigners. Her patrons are Ambassadors, Cultists, and Industrialists.
- Lueser - The rather ambiguous god who straddles good and evil in most Noravar myths, the Mountain Lion God and brother of Olavan. He is the god of Mountain Lions, Cats, Winter, Failure, Death, Struggle, Hopelessness, Slavery, and Kin Slaying. His Patrons are Slaves, Rogues, and Assassins.
- Got and Rogt - Two lesser gods who were in life the villains of Hogi and Lomki who sold their souls to Marva and become wild half-men half-beasts in order to slay the two heroes, but were tricked and killed. Upon their deaths, they were turned into two polar bears, and were chained to the abyssal dungeon of Marava as guards to her iron palace.
The Druidry
There is only one caste in the Noadam religion, which is the druids. However, there are various kinds of druids, but magical and non magical. Those who are gifted with magic are automatically sent, as it is a great honor, to temples of the druids to be taught their ways and tutor under them, while those of no magical talent are mostly there to learn lore and to recite history.
- Raugi Druid - Magical druids who know the ways of magic and perform magic
- Curev Druid - Magical druids, who master in the art of blessings and curses, and hold sway over Weres and Sprites
- Teniv Druid - Non-Magical Druids who tend the groves
- Knoa Druid - Magical Druids who listen for the words of their god, preach the word of their gods, and foretell prophesies.
- Kesiv Druid - Non-Magical Druids who perform court duties, study lore, and write down history
Views on Magic
Cesia is no different from other Noravar civilization when it comes to magic. Magic is greatly respected, especially magic in relation to their people's favored religion. While before reformation, Noadam views on magic was only out of respect, reformed views on magic has a formal canon on what is and what is not acceptable. Necromancery and magic which bend light and animals is considered abominable to the region. Magic however, even if it is abominable, is considered divine in some way or other, wether it be a evil god or some demon. This great respect of magic translates to social life, where those who perform magic and revered and even sometimes worshipped, with many believing that a mage brings good omens no matter what religion they are from. Yet this progressive religious attitude is not easy to exploit, as most Noravar believe other gods to be imitations or misunderstandings of their own pantheon in some way or another.
Druidic Magic
Druidic magic of the Noadam religion is that of a great variety, but it specializes in two schools; auras and elemental. Noadam druids can manipulate the nature around them to do great harm, or bring great prosperity to a region. Druids also perform rituals to conjure blessings, or auras, to bless their people and restore things. They can summon clouds of mists, and even powerful druids can summon storms on a region. This weather manipulation by bolts of lightning or claps of rock being hurled at their enemies. Other notable abilities of Noadam druids is their ability to translate prophesies, build golems from bark to guard their groves, and commune with the wildlife.
Druidic Curses
A lesser known speciality of druids is their ability to curse others, and are fully capable of a variety of offensive auras. Blights are a common curse, capable of turning farmland to rot through intense rituals, along with cursing woodlands to cause rabies within the wildlife. The most notable curses however are individual ones, such as Weres and Sprites. Other notable curses performed by Noadam druids are curses of fortune and weakness. Druids can curse those they despise to fumble and be unable to win for a time, or curse them to be weak and frail, and can only be dispelled at their own notice or by a mage who specializes in dispelling such things. Druids use curses defensively, but are often brought on campaigns of the Noravar to specifically perform curses on captured enemy nobles.
Weres and Sprites
Weres and Sprites are unique curses brought on by Noadam druids, especially against those they despise or consider enemies. Weres are cursed men who by day are men, but at night become animals, often depending on the choice of the druid who cursed them. Weres become feral and wild in the night, and become menaces to their communities until they are cured. Sprites are cursed men who have been just turned into a wild animal, but are fully conscious, and can be turned back into men if the druid who cursed them died or are just generally freed. Weres often are forced to seek out druids, who use them as body guards and as slave laborers in return for keeping thme uncursed, while Sprites are simply just pets which are usually prisoners of war or those who angered the druids.
Legends
Noadam has a number of legends, but none so profound or as important to Cesia's history as the legend of Hrapp Stufsson. Hrapp was a legendary forefather of the kingdom and a legendary druid in his own right, and his son was said to also be just as talented as he was. While the tales of Hrapp and his many exploits are many, other legends tell of similar heroes. Most Noravar Jarls and Kings often claim they are the descendent of a divine ancestor, so despite stories like Hrapp being important for Cesia, it is not unique. Another known legendary figure is that of Amundi Skorrisson, a legendary warrior of ancient times who wrestled the Beryul's gods and killed them in a drunken rage, but was slain by the Beryul. It is said the Amundi cursed the Beryul to always be less then the Noravar, and that their people would never rise above his own, and then chucked his spear so hard that it killed 100 Beryul clans.
Omens
The Noravar have many omens, but none so more profound and hated as the raven. Ravens are not represented to have gods, but rather they are said to be the children of the dead god of the Beryul who swore eternal servitude to the evil god Marava. Ravens who appear are said to bring instant misfortune, and it is well known soldier and nobles will actively avoid battle if ravens are flying. Omens such as these have a profound impact on Noravar society, as Noravar will cease to work if the local omens look bad. In order to keep society from falling apart due to bad omens, druids perform sacrifices by offering burnt grains at their groves to appease the gods, making all bad omens void for the day until the moon rises.
Festivals
Festivals are an important part of the day to day life of the druidry. There is a large scale feast, hosted by both nobles and druids, to commemorate the beginning of spring and the end of summer. During this time, the Druids release a Were or Sprite from their curse and a noble releases a prisoner from their dungeons to appease the god of motherhood, and in return the prisoner most make a pilgrimge to the grove and serve within it for five years as penitence. The feast is served with ale, pumpkin, wine, bread, and meat and it becomes a time of peace and kindness. Fighting is not done during either feast, and slaves are often granted their own feast and are served by their masters with ale and cheese. Often, during the feast, druids tend to frolic, dance, and carry large smacking sticks and loudly yell to the heavens to honor the gods.
Groves
The name grove is a dubious term, as a druidic grove of the Noadam religion is more close to that of a earthen pyramid, with three inner chambers, a burial tomb, and a enclosed garden for which a sacred tree lies. Groves have a barracks for which the druids and their servants sleep in, a earthen office for which the non-magical druids write down history and study, and a inner sanctum directly below a sacred tree in which the druids converse, discuss politics, and debate theology. The grove itself is mighty sacred, often surrounding a white pine tree which comes from the far western ends of Endikigo. These trees are believed to be the life blood of their gods and where they are housed, and to enter their gardens is to enter their domain. In order to enter, one much be unclothed, and shed all mortal possessions and pray to the tree for guidance in silence, to not do so, the grove's local wildlife will tear the person limb from limb.
Burial Mounds
Noravar traditions do not fully recognize a proper means of which the bury the dead, but wherever there are Noravar, their burial mounds are not far off. Burial Mounds are more of a druidic invention, as druids believe themselves to be the living tears of the gods shed in the pity of mankind. Just as they are temporary, druids will return to the earth and rejoin the form of their gods in the afterlife. Druids are wrapped in leaves and buried in the mounds, normally alongside family and nobles associated with them, with holly being planted all around the tomb to draw in the spirit of death. Normally, these tombs are often booby trapped and contain valuable but highly cursed treasures.
Economy
Noravar Doomade Tax System
The Doomade, or sometimes just referred as the Doom Tax, is a yearly tax which dates back to the first Noravar conquerers. Noravar tax collection is very thorough, with a noble who has a group of special administrators, normally their own family, who collect the taxes of their realms. Every beginning summer, a tax collector sends out a surveyor who goes to the clans and counts up their belongings, such as cattle or stored grain. At the end of fall, a portion of the belongings, rounded to about 0.50% is always collected and and given to the nobleman, who then can either sell the grain and cattle for a profit to fund their affairs, armies, and repairs. When taxes is collected, the local lord gives 20% to his liege lord, and this keeps going upward towards the king. The Doomade is a taxes of specifically the estates of families, and both nobles and rich land owners pay taxes equally. Foreigners and non-citizens are not taxed, which gives tax exemption to wayward communities like the Otem enclaves or freed slaves, foreign merchants staying in Cesia, and dwarven settlements. They instead pay what is known as a protection tax, in which their community forks over a 'bond of protection', normally just a large bribe, which is treated as a gift to the local chapter of the guard or the noble in return for enforcing laws, which is always collected at the beginning of every spring.
Cesian Free Trade
Cesia has no real means to keep trade profitable in their realm, despite the size and power of their nation, and thus rely on the normal Noravar trade laws. Noravar trade law is often a laughable term, as it often simply means that trade only exists between the friends of the Noravar, and in return, the Noravar do not raid their ships or country. Cesia allows traders of foreign countries into their ports, but exact a toll at their ports. In order to encourage trade, Cesia accepts large bribes from other kingdoms, and often in return Cesia warns it's raiders not to attack their ships or suffer being banished. Most merchants come from or are related to noble families, normally Thanes and Haulds who have their own personal guilds. Cesian merchants prefer to trade at home, and only go abroad to buy rather then sell.
Resources
Northern Kevica is fairly rich in a number of important minerals, and Cesia itself is a densely wooded area, but the climate is just warm enough for mass farming. Wood, and wooden products, are most common exploit of Cesia which allows them to build so quickly and so swiftly, but Iron and other metals are much harder to come by. Despite the dwarven state providing more iron then any nation could ever dream, the demands of Cesia often makes is search out for more. One resource which is certainly abundent however is slaves, mostly due to Cesia's long standing history of raiding and campaigns into Endikigo against the Beastfolk tribes and civilizations. Cesia's trade of slaves is one of their most enriching enterprises, which boosts their economy ever more so, but also pushed their need for iron into several internal problems.
Supremacy of the Stagnant Sea
One if Cesia's biggest dreams, dating back to the Kingdom of Stuf, is the supremacy of the Stagnant Sea. Trade on the northern sea is normally dominated by the maritime empires and civilizations along the coasts of Endikigo and other kingdoms of northern Kevica. Cesian dreams of owning this trade route and pushing all others off of it is often mixed with feeling of conquest, and its been the life long goal of ambitious rulers. As it currently stands, most of the trade of the Stagnant Sea flows into and out of Cesia. Despite this superiority, there major rivals include the Teuseb civilization in Endikigo who threaten trade with their raiders, and their Otem protectorate who attempt to out maneuver them.
Imports and Exports
The Doomade, or sometimes just referred as the Doom Tax, is a yearly tax which dates back to the first Noravar conquerers. Noravar tax collection is very thorough, with a noble who has a group of special administrators, normally their own family, who collect the taxes of their realms. Every beginning summer, a tax collector sends out a surveyor who goes to the clans and counts up their belongings, such as cattle or stored grain. At the end of fall, a portion of the belongings, rounded to about 0.50% is always collected and and given to the nobleman, who then can either sell the grain and cattle for a profit to fund their affairs, armies, and repairs. When taxes is collected, the local lord gives 20% to his liege lord, and this keeps going upward towards the king. The Doomade is a taxes of specifically the estates of families, and both nobles and rich land owners pay taxes equally. Foreigners and non-citizens are not taxed, which gives tax exemption to wayward communities like the Otem enclaves or freed slaves, foreign merchants staying in Cesia, and dwarven settlements. They instead pay what is known as a protection tax, in which their community forks over a 'bond of protection', normally just a large bribe, which is treated as a gift to the local chapter of the guard or the noble in return for enforcing laws, which is always collected at the beginning of every spring.
Cesian Free Trade
Cesia has no real means to keep trade profitable in their realm, despite the size and power of their nation, and thus rely on the normal Noravar trade laws. Noravar trade law is often a laughable term, as it often simply means that trade only exists between the friends of the Noravar, and in return, the Noravar do not raid their ships or country. Cesia allows traders of foreign countries into their ports, but exact a toll at their ports. In order to encourage trade, Cesia accepts large bribes from other kingdoms, and often in return Cesia warns it's raiders not to attack their ships or suffer being banished. Most merchants come from or are related to noble families, normally Thanes and Haulds who have their own personal guilds. Cesian merchants prefer to trade at home, and only go abroad to buy rather then sell.
Resources
Northern Kevica is fairly rich in a number of important minerals, and Cesia itself is a densely wooded area, but the climate is just warm enough for mass farming. Wood, and wooden products, are most common exploit of Cesia which allows them to build so quickly and so swiftly, but Iron and other metals are much harder to come by. Despite the dwarven state providing more iron then any nation could ever dream, the demands of Cesia often makes is search out for more. One resource which is certainly abundent however is slaves, mostly due to Cesia's long standing history of raiding and campaigns into Endikigo against the Beastfolk tribes and civilizations. Cesia's trade of slaves is one of their most enriching enterprises, which boosts their economy ever more so, but also pushed their need for iron into several internal problems.
Supremacy of the Stagnant Sea
One if Cesia's biggest dreams, dating back to the Kingdom of Stuf, is the supremacy of the Stagnant Sea. Trade on the northern sea is normally dominated by the maritime empires and civilizations along the coasts of Endikigo and other kingdoms of northern Kevica. Cesian dreams of owning this trade route and pushing all others off of it is often mixed with feeling of conquest, and its been the life long goal of ambitious rulers. As it currently stands, most of the trade of the Stagnant Sea flows into and out of Cesia. Despite this superiority, there major rivals include the Teuseb civilization in Endikigo who threaten trade with their raiders, and their Otem protectorate who attempt to out maneuver them.
Imports and Exports
- Iron
- Grain
- Fruit
- Salt
- Bronze
- Educated Immigrants
- Paper
- Ale
- Beer
- Horses
- Weapons
- Stone
- Fur
- Wood
- Wool
- Silver
- Slaves
- Boxes
- Ships
Territory
Political Map
Causia
Cities - Stormcod (Capital of Cesia), Aiela, Neasbrid
Ruling Family - Bramsson
The Jarldom of Causia is the traditional capital of Cesia, and it's former kingdom of Causia. The capital of Stormcod was made solely by dwarven masons, and is one of the most beloved cities of the Noravar, and seat of the Druidry. It also remains Cesia's most richest and developed lands, along with being home to it's largest orders of Maluds.
Cesia
Cities - Norgadber, Strubrand
Ruling Family - Ketilsson
The Jarldom of Cesia is named after the Cesian Strip, which Cesia and it's neighbor Polav share. Cesia is the second most richest realm on Cesia, and supports a sizable craftsman industry.
Stuf
Cities - Stula
Ruling Family - Saksisson
Stuf is the traditional capital of the Kingdom of Stuf and it's founding tribal empire of Cusivica, it's founding kingdom. However, Stula use to be the Otur city of Kringa'Hol, which was transformed into a Noravar port city. Stula has one of the largest Otem enclaves in Cesia.
Northabar
Cities - Fortigar, Maukshad
Ruling Family - Frengal (Fortigar), Brond (Maukshad)
Northaber is the the centralized dwarven state which is bound to Cesia, having been subjugated by the Noravar for centuries. The mountainous region has two important dwarven cities, where their rules and laws are above that of Noravar ones. Northabar often acts as a bulwark against northern Beryul tribes and other dwarven kingdoms.
Midim
Cities - Sturmad, Oak Loether
Ruling Family - Tolasson
Midim is heavy in trees, and many consider it the lumber heartland of Cesia. Midim is home to a great deal of dwarves who travel there to craft from wood, making them a notable minority there.
Estland
Cities - Penerest, Walamab
Ruling Family - Valbrandsson
Estland is a small county and is the least developed of the core counties of Cesia. It's cities of Penerest and Walamab are often visited by neighboring Noravar from rival kingdoms. Its underdevelopment often makes it susceptible to raids from rival Noravar kingdoms.
Oslak
Cities - Kenis
Ruling Family - Kolfinnsson
The traditional capital of Oslak, which was conquered by Cesia. It has a number of silver and copper mines within it's hilly country.
Lesser Oslak
Cities - Krenges
Ruling Family - Jonsson
Lesser Oslak was once apart of the Kingdom of Oslak before it was taken over by Cesia. The southern end of Oslak was forcefully broken apart between it's two Jarldoms. Despite Lesser Oslak having more territory and village, it is also the least developed and regularly plagued with economic stagnation.
Penica
Cities - Pervida, Aeith Naulod, Canbrard
Ruling Family - Hrollaugsson
Penica use to be a powerful Noravar ally of Cesia, before it was vassalized, taken over, and forced to join the kingdom as a state. The Jarldom on Penica is very rich and propserous, with highly urban cities and a large army. While it's automony has dwained in years, its existence has been a boon on Cesia for generations.
Granland
Cities - Ioaran
Ruling Family - Hroksson
Granland is a Cesian colony in Endikigo, and is the main trade port for recieving colonists, traders, and raid crews who help guard and attack the nomadic Beryul clans who live close by. The port of Ioaran is often called the 'Iron Port' by the Noravar due to the amount of iron which flows into the city, but it is mockingly called by the Beryul the 'Shackle Port' due to the number of their people who pass through as slaves.
Nauberad
Cities - Berdar
Ruling Family - Vogsson
Nauberad is the home territory of the tribal Nauavar and their clansmen, and use to be a tribal kingdom till it was conquered and annexed by the Cesians. Nauberad has moderenized into Noravar society, with it's settlement of Berdar having become a formal and well developed Noravar city, but the territory is still in constant unrest due to the Nauavar mutual distrust of the Noravar and the constant threat of Beryul raids.
Causia
Cities - Stormcod (Capital of Cesia), Aiela, Neasbrid
Ruling Family - Bramsson
The Jarldom of Causia is the traditional capital of Cesia, and it's former kingdom of Causia. The capital of Stormcod was made solely by dwarven masons, and is one of the most beloved cities of the Noravar, and seat of the Druidry. It also remains Cesia's most richest and developed lands, along with being home to it's largest orders of Maluds.
Cesia
Cities - Norgadber, Strubrand
Ruling Family - Ketilsson
The Jarldom of Cesia is named after the Cesian Strip, which Cesia and it's neighbor Polav share. Cesia is the second most richest realm on Cesia, and supports a sizable craftsman industry.
Stuf
Cities - Stula
Ruling Family - Saksisson
Stuf is the traditional capital of the Kingdom of Stuf and it's founding tribal empire of Cusivica, it's founding kingdom. However, Stula use to be the Otur city of Kringa'Hol, which was transformed into a Noravar port city. Stula has one of the largest Otem enclaves in Cesia.
Northabar
Cities - Fortigar, Maukshad
Ruling Family - Frengal (Fortigar), Brond (Maukshad)
Northaber is the the centralized dwarven state which is bound to Cesia, having been subjugated by the Noravar for centuries. The mountainous region has two important dwarven cities, where their rules and laws are above that of Noravar ones. Northabar often acts as a bulwark against northern Beryul tribes and other dwarven kingdoms.
Midim
Cities - Sturmad, Oak Loether
Ruling Family - Tolasson
Midim is heavy in trees, and many consider it the lumber heartland of Cesia. Midim is home to a great deal of dwarves who travel there to craft from wood, making them a notable minority there.
Estland
Cities - Penerest, Walamab
Ruling Family - Valbrandsson
Estland is a small county and is the least developed of the core counties of Cesia. It's cities of Penerest and Walamab are often visited by neighboring Noravar from rival kingdoms. Its underdevelopment often makes it susceptible to raids from rival Noravar kingdoms.
Oslak
Cities - Kenis
Ruling Family - Kolfinnsson
The traditional capital of Oslak, which was conquered by Cesia. It has a number of silver and copper mines within it's hilly country.
Lesser Oslak
Cities - Krenges
Ruling Family - Jonsson
Lesser Oslak was once apart of the Kingdom of Oslak before it was taken over by Cesia. The southern end of Oslak was forcefully broken apart between it's two Jarldoms. Despite Lesser Oslak having more territory and village, it is also the least developed and regularly plagued with economic stagnation.
Penica
Cities - Pervida, Aeith Naulod, Canbrard
Ruling Family - Hrollaugsson
Penica use to be a powerful Noravar ally of Cesia, before it was vassalized, taken over, and forced to join the kingdom as a state. The Jarldom on Penica is very rich and propserous, with highly urban cities and a large army. While it's automony has dwained in years, its existence has been a boon on Cesia for generations.
Granland
Cities - Ioaran
Ruling Family - Hroksson
Granland is a Cesian colony in Endikigo, and is the main trade port for recieving colonists, traders, and raid crews who help guard and attack the nomadic Beryul clans who live close by. The port of Ioaran is often called the 'Iron Port' by the Noravar due to the amount of iron which flows into the city, but it is mockingly called by the Beryul the 'Shackle Port' due to the number of their people who pass through as slaves.
Nauberad
Cities - Berdar
Ruling Family - Vogsson
Nauberad is the home territory of the tribal Nauavar and their clansmen, and use to be a tribal kingdom till it was conquered and annexed by the Cesians. Nauberad has moderenized into Noravar society, with it's settlement of Berdar having become a formal and well developed Noravar city, but the territory is still in constant unrest due to the Nauavar mutual distrust of the Noravar and the constant threat of Beryul raids.
Terrain
The Cesian Strip
The Cesian Strip is a long beachhead which runs from the Jarldom of Cesia to the Jarldom of Penica, and is one of the most important strips of land on the Penican coastline due to it's natural trade value, and it's access to the Polav River, which reaches down into southern Kevica. The Strip is a very clear beach, with few marshlands. What it does have however is very large dunes and a wild variety of fish, crabs, and sea birds which patrol it's shores. The Strip acts as a natural route up and down the coast since it can go on fore miles without problem. The only major geological issue of the Strip is that it recieves rather sudden and very powerful storms which form along the Stagnant Coast, which can become so powerful it can push shipwrecks to it's shore, but otherwise, it is a very calm and clean shoreline.
The Gray Wall Mountains
The Gray Wall Mountains is home to the Dwalam dwarves and is the natural barrier between Kevica and Endikigo, and is one of the most frustrating, convoluted, and frustrating mountain range to pass through. The mountains are very steep, with various ridges and sudden drop offs which only very few can master, and often the weather in the mountains makes any journey through them a dangerous one. Sudden storms can knock down avalanches, loose rocks turn into landslides, and the weather can turn from moderately warm to Antarctic cold in a matter of minutes, and stay cold for months. Only certain peoples, such as the Beryul who are use to this kind of weather, can pass through mostly alive, but even the mountains native inhabitants find it difficult to live on these mountain ranges. The mountains often lack a good variety of life, with goats, mountain lions, and eagles often valuing the lower parts of the mountain range.
The Gray Ridge Bay
The Gray Ridge Bay is a body of water which Cesia and some smaller dwarven and Beryul civilizations, are based around, which lays in the Stagnant Sea. Unlike the normal weather of the Stagnant sea, which is normally calm and cold, the Gray Ridge Bay is often cloudy and storms regularly with predictable patterns. Especially in the spring and early winter, storms churn in the sea and hit the Gray Wall Mountains, creating huge sea walls miles high. While trade is often avoided in the Bay now, it used to be a busy trade port in the old days, which is why the entire bay is covered with shipwreck graveyards. One of the most famous graveyards is the Graveyard of the Nauala, a large tribe which had over 90 ships try to move into Norava and was crushed by a storm, it's vast chain of sunken ships can be seen from the surface on a good clear day. The Bay is home to a huge number of sharks, large fish, and seals who use the bay as protection against hunters.
Canlavad Tundra
The Cesian counties of Granland and Naubered are in a region known as the Canlavad Tundra, a tundra region like many Endikigo peninsulas which team with life. Small winter forests and wildlife dot the landscape, with large moose populations which roam in the farther north. While the land is not very suitable for farming, it makes up for it with the tundra's waterways being filled with fish, crab, and clam. Sea Otters, Walruses, Seals, and Penguins all live within the same proximity of the Tundra, with polar bears wandering in from the northern wastes to hunt.
The Father Forests
The middle of Cesia has a ancient and very sacred forest to the Noravar known as the Father Forest, which is considered sacred by the Noadam druids. These forests are home to a wide variety of life, including the infamous North Kevica Ursa and the horrifying Wendigos. The Father Forests are very thick with foilage and are covered in small swamplands, shallow lakes, and misty hills, giving it a rather disturbed atmosphere. The Father Forests tends to be filled with a great deal of poisonous animals and plants, and several forms of fungus which afflicts the mind. The forests are a very small part of the terrain, but they are best identified by Black Needle Pines, pine trees with small black tipped needles which often look to the human eye to be more darker and much more taller then normal pines.
Rockwyrm Dragon
Rockwyrm Dragons is a massive creature which prowls in the Gray Wall Mountains, a apex predator which can survive the harsh environment of the mountain range. They are huge dragons, normally the size of a small keep on average, with thick long tails and wings attached their front arms. These dragons have very thick stoney hides with a huge array of stoney teeth. Rockwyrms tend to fly very slowly and hunt elk, bear, and cattle and can live for thousands of years, but often they hibernate every 30 years in order to preserve themselves. Rockwyrms can spew electricity from their mouths and noses, which single their meat and helps them fight one another for dominance. Rockwyrms breed extremely rarely and will often nest in large caves and ravines, and are rarely bothered by loud and upsetting weather. It is a well known fact that Rockwyrms, in order to help digest their food, will eat rocks and bones, and spit them out as molten clay.
Horned Druid Dragon
The Horned Druid Dragon is a dragon species which dwells near, around, and south of the Father Forest and is a regular enemy to all Noravar farmers of northern Kevica. Horned Druid Dragons resemble large green dragons, the size of a mead hall, with green scaly skin and have thin spiked tails. Their wings are fairly small for their size, but their most notable physical feature is their stag-like horns which grow upon their head. Horned Druids are scavengers, often scaring away other predators and eating carcasses of large animals like moose, bears, and mountain lions. Horned Druids are fairly active, and often steal away cattle and dogs to eat. Horned Druids act very much like stags, and will use their horns to battle each other for territory and move in large groups. They normally live in the forests, such as large clearings, but despite their sized and strength, they are often very fragile creatures and rarely fight back, and instead opt to flee whenever possible, but can still kill a fully grown man easily if cornered.
North Kevica Wargs
Wargs are very large wolves, and northern Kevican wargs are not different. Wargs are huge wolves, normally the size of bears, which huge teeth and are hyper intelligent. North Kevica act very much like wolves, and in some cases, tend to 'ally' or 'lead' wolf packs. Wargs will sometimes kill an alpha wolf and assume itself as leader of a wolf pack, and will use this wolf pack to it's advantage. Warg packs are very small and often are in constant disputes with larger animals. Wargs are often known to be hyper friendly to men, often doing services such as hunting down rodents in return for a farmer rewarding them with food. Wargs are considered more as friendlier versions of wolves and are rarely hunted by the Noravar, and are sometimes used as pets.
North Kevica Ursa
Northern Kevican Ursas are monstrous creatures which roam exclusively in the Father Forest, and are feared by the Noravar. Ursas are massive bears, often comparable to the size of small houses, which roam the inner forests looking for food. Ursas are a very rare species of bear which are often very shy and lonesome animals, but are also super aggressive. As apex predators, Ursas can go toe to toe with dragons of their size, are immensely fast, and terrifying capable of clawing away iron armor. Ursas can also grow to be intensely old, some living for over 700 years at a time. Despite Ursas being so powerful, the creatures tend to be miserable. They often smell horrific because there are no bodies of water in the Father Forest that can wash them, they can be covered with scars of previous battles, and they often find it difficult to scratch themselves, which leads to their reluctance to mate.
North Marsh Wisps
The Wisps of the northern coasts inhabit the marshlands along the Cesian Strip, and are a considerable danger to travelers. Wisps are a very strange creature, normally being a soul of a dead humanoid who had gotten trapped and drowned in the swamp, their death's agonizing release having created a partial ghostly revenant which haunts the marshland. These bog ghosts purposefully lure other sentient creatures into the marshland and begin draining them of energy in order to give them strength to return to their own bodies to become full revenants, undead cadavers which become wild murderers. Wisps are known to appear very often due to the unknown danger of marshland sinkholes. Most wisps infestations are handled by druids, who must pull the bodies from the marsh and give them proper burial rites to destroy the wisps entirely.
Drauger
Druids are not regularly known to perform necromancery, but there is the capability of the magic to implant a false soul into a corpse. Powerful druids, often seeking to protect their burial mounds, will build a Drauger from the corpse of a fallen Marud, enchanting their body to rise up from the grave to haunt their tomb if a looter gets past the traps. While they do act as tomb guardians, they can also become major nuisances, since Drauger like all wild undead, rarely stay in one place for long and venture out to kill. The making of a Drauger is considered a big sin amongst the druidry, as they believe that druids who make these guardians are stealing away the body and soul of the warrior who could have spent their time in the halls of their god.
Wendigos
Wendigos are terrifying creature which hail from the inner forests of the Father Forest, resembling bipedal stag men with huge claws, a open torso, and a rotting head. Wendigos are flesh eaters, and specifically target sentient creatures but will sometimes cannibalize themselves. Wendigos are rather tall creatures, but normally around 9'0 tall on average, but their true terrifying feature is their near indestructible skin. Despite their fur and skin look like it is rotting, most weapons shatter on their hides and can only be beaten back with fire. Wendigos have a number of terrifying abilities, such as their ability to corrupt the wombs of women to produce their 'children', the Yul'Wendigos. Wendigos can talk and communicate with one another, but often despise and hate each other since they view all others as food. Yul'wendigos, as sentient creatures, can perform magic, and their primitive religion is very similar to the tribal Beryul of Endikigo, as their mages specialize in necromancery. As an added bonus to their horrifying abilities, Wendigos are biologically immortal and can hold grudges against entire families lasting centuries.
Yul'Wendigos
Yul'wendigos are the corrupted 'children' of the Wendigos, born from the womb which was ritualistically corrupted. Yul'wendigos are born with a need to feast on raw flesh, of any kind really, and have pale skin and glowing light blue eyes. To add to their corrupted appearance, Yul'wendigos grow stag horns from their skulls and become cannibalistic, their need to feed on their own kind eventually consumes them utterly which drives them to madness till they feast. These creatures are born with incredible strength and live far longer. Yul'wendigos are naturally unable to resist the word of their 'fathers' and if they ever meet, become their thralls. Yul'wendigos are used to kidnap humanoids from their homes and hunt for their 'fathers' in return for food. Yul'wendigos who mate will always produce more Yul'wendigos, which is why many do not live to adulthood and are killed, persecuted, and hunted universally by the Noravar. Their only hope for a 'normal' life is to join a the druidry or self-banish themselves to somewhere which tolerates them.
Forest Revenants
Forest Revenants are cursed guardians which inhabit the forests and even druid groves, being built and maintained by druids. When a warlord or thane of great martial skill dies, his body is possibly taken and tested to see if their warrior soul is still intact. If their blood runs black and thick, then they are supposedly still very much alive according to the druids and his body is used to create a revenant. Magical runes are encrusted on the armor in which plants and insects infest these runes and give the body life, the runes being enchanted to grant them the ability to poison their blades, restore their wounds, and to use the insects which infest them to swarm, push, and even pull their opponents. Unlike Drauger who are said to be stolen away from their afterlife, Druids believe that Forest Revenants are warriors who willingly stay to defend the groves and the druids from the harm of warlords and evil creatures. Forest Revenants were sometimes used by ancient druids to mark roads and to guard them and their pilgrims, and lay dormant and covered in growth till they are interacted with. These abandoned creatures often point the way to long forgotten villages, or become wild and attack those who disturb their rest.
Black Rangers
Wendigo magic involves a great deal of necromancery, and their most vile creation are the Black Rangers. Black Rangers are the eyes and ears of the Wendigos, being slain and eaten bandits and hunters who's bones were charred black and raised into undeath as skeletal servants. These servants are given a number of powerful enchantments, the most common ability being the Black Rangers being capable of walking in and out of shadows. Black Rangers fire arrows from the shade and can only be identified by their cackles and thumping movement of their skeletal frames. These assassins ease the process of Wendigo necromancers to hunt for their meals, but also act as spies. Normally, their presence often means a powerful Wendigo is haunting the area.
Berserker
Berserkers are unfortunate Noravar who had fallen under a strange bloodcraze, often formed from a sudden mental illness which makes them become bloodthirsty and suddenly mad. Berserkers are murderers who kill without cause or reason, and become apex predators and slayers. These bandits become detached from civilized society and embrace the wilds as their home, often coming into odd alliances with Wendigos. The reason for Berserkers is often unclear, wether they come into existence by the means of a fungal poison in the Father Forest, or they simply become so stressed that they snap and turn on their own families, it is unknown. Most Berserkers still have a good amount of intelligence and feel regretful and sorrowful when they talk to those they cannot see, but enter a mad silent bloodlust when they see anyone else.
The Cesian Strip is a long beachhead which runs from the Jarldom of Cesia to the Jarldom of Penica, and is one of the most important strips of land on the Penican coastline due to it's natural trade value, and it's access to the Polav River, which reaches down into southern Kevica. The Strip is a very clear beach, with few marshlands. What it does have however is very large dunes and a wild variety of fish, crabs, and sea birds which patrol it's shores. The Strip acts as a natural route up and down the coast since it can go on fore miles without problem. The only major geological issue of the Strip is that it recieves rather sudden and very powerful storms which form along the Stagnant Coast, which can become so powerful it can push shipwrecks to it's shore, but otherwise, it is a very calm and clean shoreline.
The Gray Wall Mountains
The Gray Wall Mountains is home to the Dwalam dwarves and is the natural barrier between Kevica and Endikigo, and is one of the most frustrating, convoluted, and frustrating mountain range to pass through. The mountains are very steep, with various ridges and sudden drop offs which only very few can master, and often the weather in the mountains makes any journey through them a dangerous one. Sudden storms can knock down avalanches, loose rocks turn into landslides, and the weather can turn from moderately warm to Antarctic cold in a matter of minutes, and stay cold for months. Only certain peoples, such as the Beryul who are use to this kind of weather, can pass through mostly alive, but even the mountains native inhabitants find it difficult to live on these mountain ranges. The mountains often lack a good variety of life, with goats, mountain lions, and eagles often valuing the lower parts of the mountain range.
The Gray Ridge Bay
The Gray Ridge Bay is a body of water which Cesia and some smaller dwarven and Beryul civilizations, are based around, which lays in the Stagnant Sea. Unlike the normal weather of the Stagnant sea, which is normally calm and cold, the Gray Ridge Bay is often cloudy and storms regularly with predictable patterns. Especially in the spring and early winter, storms churn in the sea and hit the Gray Wall Mountains, creating huge sea walls miles high. While trade is often avoided in the Bay now, it used to be a busy trade port in the old days, which is why the entire bay is covered with shipwreck graveyards. One of the most famous graveyards is the Graveyard of the Nauala, a large tribe which had over 90 ships try to move into Norava and was crushed by a storm, it's vast chain of sunken ships can be seen from the surface on a good clear day. The Bay is home to a huge number of sharks, large fish, and seals who use the bay as protection against hunters.
Canlavad Tundra
The Cesian counties of Granland and Naubered are in a region known as the Canlavad Tundra, a tundra region like many Endikigo peninsulas which team with life. Small winter forests and wildlife dot the landscape, with large moose populations which roam in the farther north. While the land is not very suitable for farming, it makes up for it with the tundra's waterways being filled with fish, crab, and clam. Sea Otters, Walruses, Seals, and Penguins all live within the same proximity of the Tundra, with polar bears wandering in from the northern wastes to hunt.
The Father Forests
The middle of Cesia has a ancient and very sacred forest to the Noravar known as the Father Forest, which is considered sacred by the Noadam druids. These forests are home to a wide variety of life, including the infamous North Kevica Ursa and the horrifying Wendigos. The Father Forests are very thick with foilage and are covered in small swamplands, shallow lakes, and misty hills, giving it a rather disturbed atmosphere. The Father Forests tends to be filled with a great deal of poisonous animals and plants, and several forms of fungus which afflicts the mind. The forests are a very small part of the terrain, but they are best identified by Black Needle Pines, pine trees with small black tipped needles which often look to the human eye to be more darker and much more taller then normal pines.
Rockwyrm Dragon
Rockwyrm Dragons is a massive creature which prowls in the Gray Wall Mountains, a apex predator which can survive the harsh environment of the mountain range. They are huge dragons, normally the size of a small keep on average, with thick long tails and wings attached their front arms. These dragons have very thick stoney hides with a huge array of stoney teeth. Rockwyrms tend to fly very slowly and hunt elk, bear, and cattle and can live for thousands of years, but often they hibernate every 30 years in order to preserve themselves. Rockwyrms can spew electricity from their mouths and noses, which single their meat and helps them fight one another for dominance. Rockwyrms breed extremely rarely and will often nest in large caves and ravines, and are rarely bothered by loud and upsetting weather. It is a well known fact that Rockwyrms, in order to help digest their food, will eat rocks and bones, and spit them out as molten clay.
Horned Druid Dragon
The Horned Druid Dragon is a dragon species which dwells near, around, and south of the Father Forest and is a regular enemy to all Noravar farmers of northern Kevica. Horned Druid Dragons resemble large green dragons, the size of a mead hall, with green scaly skin and have thin spiked tails. Their wings are fairly small for their size, but their most notable physical feature is their stag-like horns which grow upon their head. Horned Druids are scavengers, often scaring away other predators and eating carcasses of large animals like moose, bears, and mountain lions. Horned Druids are fairly active, and often steal away cattle and dogs to eat. Horned Druids act very much like stags, and will use their horns to battle each other for territory and move in large groups. They normally live in the forests, such as large clearings, but despite their sized and strength, they are often very fragile creatures and rarely fight back, and instead opt to flee whenever possible, but can still kill a fully grown man easily if cornered.
North Kevica Wargs
Wargs are very large wolves, and northern Kevican wargs are not different. Wargs are huge wolves, normally the size of bears, which huge teeth and are hyper intelligent. North Kevica act very much like wolves, and in some cases, tend to 'ally' or 'lead' wolf packs. Wargs will sometimes kill an alpha wolf and assume itself as leader of a wolf pack, and will use this wolf pack to it's advantage. Warg packs are very small and often are in constant disputes with larger animals. Wargs are often known to be hyper friendly to men, often doing services such as hunting down rodents in return for a farmer rewarding them with food. Wargs are considered more as friendlier versions of wolves and are rarely hunted by the Noravar, and are sometimes used as pets.
North Kevica Ursa
Northern Kevican Ursas are monstrous creatures which roam exclusively in the Father Forest, and are feared by the Noravar. Ursas are massive bears, often comparable to the size of small houses, which roam the inner forests looking for food. Ursas are a very rare species of bear which are often very shy and lonesome animals, but are also super aggressive. As apex predators, Ursas can go toe to toe with dragons of their size, are immensely fast, and terrifying capable of clawing away iron armor. Ursas can also grow to be intensely old, some living for over 700 years at a time. Despite Ursas being so powerful, the creatures tend to be miserable. They often smell horrific because there are no bodies of water in the Father Forest that can wash them, they can be covered with scars of previous battles, and they often find it difficult to scratch themselves, which leads to their reluctance to mate.
North Marsh Wisps
The Wisps of the northern coasts inhabit the marshlands along the Cesian Strip, and are a considerable danger to travelers. Wisps are a very strange creature, normally being a soul of a dead humanoid who had gotten trapped and drowned in the swamp, their death's agonizing release having created a partial ghostly revenant which haunts the marshland. These bog ghosts purposefully lure other sentient creatures into the marshland and begin draining them of energy in order to give them strength to return to their own bodies to become full revenants, undead cadavers which become wild murderers. Wisps are known to appear very often due to the unknown danger of marshland sinkholes. Most wisps infestations are handled by druids, who must pull the bodies from the marsh and give them proper burial rites to destroy the wisps entirely.
Drauger
Druids are not regularly known to perform necromancery, but there is the capability of the magic to implant a false soul into a corpse. Powerful druids, often seeking to protect their burial mounds, will build a Drauger from the corpse of a fallen Marud, enchanting their body to rise up from the grave to haunt their tomb if a looter gets past the traps. While they do act as tomb guardians, they can also become major nuisances, since Drauger like all wild undead, rarely stay in one place for long and venture out to kill. The making of a Drauger is considered a big sin amongst the druidry, as they believe that druids who make these guardians are stealing away the body and soul of the warrior who could have spent their time in the halls of their god.
Wendigos
Wendigos are terrifying creature which hail from the inner forests of the Father Forest, resembling bipedal stag men with huge claws, a open torso, and a rotting head. Wendigos are flesh eaters, and specifically target sentient creatures but will sometimes cannibalize themselves. Wendigos are rather tall creatures, but normally around 9'0 tall on average, but their true terrifying feature is their near indestructible skin. Despite their fur and skin look like it is rotting, most weapons shatter on their hides and can only be beaten back with fire. Wendigos have a number of terrifying abilities, such as their ability to corrupt the wombs of women to produce their 'children', the Yul'Wendigos. Wendigos can talk and communicate with one another, but often despise and hate each other since they view all others as food. Yul'wendigos, as sentient creatures, can perform magic, and their primitive religion is very similar to the tribal Beryul of Endikigo, as their mages specialize in necromancery. As an added bonus to their horrifying abilities, Wendigos are biologically immortal and can hold grudges against entire families lasting centuries.
Yul'Wendigos
Yul'wendigos are the corrupted 'children' of the Wendigos, born from the womb which was ritualistically corrupted. Yul'wendigos are born with a need to feast on raw flesh, of any kind really, and have pale skin and glowing light blue eyes. To add to their corrupted appearance, Yul'wendigos grow stag horns from their skulls and become cannibalistic, their need to feed on their own kind eventually consumes them utterly which drives them to madness till they feast. These creatures are born with incredible strength and live far longer. Yul'wendigos are naturally unable to resist the word of their 'fathers' and if they ever meet, become their thralls. Yul'wendigos are used to kidnap humanoids from their homes and hunt for their 'fathers' in return for food. Yul'wendigos who mate will always produce more Yul'wendigos, which is why many do not live to adulthood and are killed, persecuted, and hunted universally by the Noravar. Their only hope for a 'normal' life is to join a the druidry or self-banish themselves to somewhere which tolerates them.
Forest Revenants
Forest Revenants are cursed guardians which inhabit the forests and even druid groves, being built and maintained by druids. When a warlord or thane of great martial skill dies, his body is possibly taken and tested to see if their warrior soul is still intact. If their blood runs black and thick, then they are supposedly still very much alive according to the druids and his body is used to create a revenant. Magical runes are encrusted on the armor in which plants and insects infest these runes and give the body life, the runes being enchanted to grant them the ability to poison their blades, restore their wounds, and to use the insects which infest them to swarm, push, and even pull their opponents. Unlike Drauger who are said to be stolen away from their afterlife, Druids believe that Forest Revenants are warriors who willingly stay to defend the groves and the druids from the harm of warlords and evil creatures. Forest Revenants were sometimes used by ancient druids to mark roads and to guard them and their pilgrims, and lay dormant and covered in growth till they are interacted with. These abandoned creatures often point the way to long forgotten villages, or become wild and attack those who disturb their rest.
Black Rangers
Wendigo magic involves a great deal of necromancery, and their most vile creation are the Black Rangers. Black Rangers are the eyes and ears of the Wendigos, being slain and eaten bandits and hunters who's bones were charred black and raised into undeath as skeletal servants. These servants are given a number of powerful enchantments, the most common ability being the Black Rangers being capable of walking in and out of shadows. Black Rangers fire arrows from the shade and can only be identified by their cackles and thumping movement of their skeletal frames. These assassins ease the process of Wendigo necromancers to hunt for their meals, but also act as spies. Normally, their presence often means a powerful Wendigo is haunting the area.
Berserker
Berserkers are unfortunate Noravar who had fallen under a strange bloodcraze, often formed from a sudden mental illness which makes them become bloodthirsty and suddenly mad. Berserkers are murderers who kill without cause or reason, and become apex predators and slayers. These bandits become detached from civilized society and embrace the wilds as their home, often coming into odd alliances with Wendigos. The reason for Berserkers is often unclear, wether they come into existence by the means of a fungal poison in the Father Forest, or they simply become so stressed that they snap and turn on their own families, it is unknown. Most Berserkers still have a good amount of intelligence and feel regretful and sorrowful when they talk to those they cannot see, but enter a mad silent bloodlust when they see anyone else.
Factions
Black Boots (Mercenaries)
The Black Boots are, as the name suggests, a Cesian mercenary company known for their black boots. The Black Boots are Noravar raiders formed from mostly landless Maruds and small time adventurers who hail primarily from the core lands of Cesia, with their home in the capital city of Stromcod. Originally, they were a Polav regiment of underpaid soldiers who fled to Cesia, bringing with them their pikemen tactics and equipment, and trained a new generation of Noravar Maruds. Black Boots are a mixture of polearm experts who use halberds and tower shields, but in addition have their own detachments of marines and marauders. Black Boots are known for their thuggish antics, but are also well known for their iron discipline and their utter disdain for tribal clansmen, who they consider as uncultured brutes and useless in real battles.
Hounds of Olavan (Mercenaries)
The Hounds of Olavan are a partial religious order and a very powerful group of Noravar Maruds who will take on virtually any conflict, so long as it isn't against the druidry or the Noravar. The Hounds often take only the most skilled and battle heartened, which is often why their numbers are so few. The Hounds are well known to perform religious services and have a druid within their ranks, and will offer their services for free to the Noadam druids and their causes. Maruds join this mercenary order in order to attempt to be closer to their chief god Olavan who will hopefully see their skills in battle and whisk them away to join his hall of legendary warriors. The Hounds are very well known to take slaves during campaigns, with their servants having runes burned into them like tattoos which are said to bind their soul to the Halls of Olavan, and will serve the Hounds for all eternity.
Traditionalists
Cesia have a very strong political affiliation with tradition and the old ways. When a Cesian says they are a traditionalist, they believe that Noravar traditions trumps the religions, customs, and laws of others. They believe that raids and their warrior culture is crucial and must survive, and take action by building up their clans, having large families, and fighting in wars. Traditionalists believe that war should be used as an excuse to bring glory, not gold, back to Cesia and its people. Most Traditionalists are mostly poorer clans and those who have a strong presence of raiders in their families. Traditionalists tend to have strong opinions, but not most educated ones, and believe that the traditions of Cesia is endangered by the existence of foreigners and invaders. They are strongly opposed to Reformists, who they see as petty ambitious fools trying to kill off their good traditions in favor of useless and trivial things, like education and elaborate court life.
Reformists
Reformists are the progressives and free thinkers of Cesia, a faction formed mostly to the awakening and renaissance of Noravar culture. Impressed by the cultural achievements of others, Reformists often believe that the Noravar have a primitive attitude towards change, and that Noravar laws and customs need to change to compete with surrounding nations. Many ambitious nobles who see the internal problems of their society often become sympathetic to reformists, but the biggest faction exists amongst small minorities, merchant families, and dwarves. Most Reformists are partial abolitionists, who believe in lessening the restrictions on Beastfolk in favor of incorporating them into Cesia, a idea which is not very popular. Reformists are openly despised and mocked for their attitudes towards change, but find common ground with Expansionists.
Expansionists
The attitude of a Cesian Expansionist is a mixture of tradition and progress, but most consider themselves outside the petty squabbles of tradition and change. Expansionists believe that the glory of Cesia cannot be confined to it's borders and must expand outward, it must conquer it's neighbors and unite to Noravar, subjugate the dwarves, and enslave the Endikigo beastfolk in order to great a great north empire under Cesian rule. This belief has long existed in the minds of the kings of Causia and Cesia, and still remains popular amongst nobles and their families, but often have no means to explain their desire for expansion. Most expansionists are in favor of heavy handed tactics and change in order to bring glory to Cesia, but also do not believe in abandoning what makes Cesia so powerful and great.
Maukshad Merchant's Guild
The Maukshad Merchant's Guild is one of the most powerful merchant guilds in Cesia, and is a major political power in the dwarven realms. The Merchant Guild collects tolls which come into the dwarven city of Maukshad, which provides a great deal of iron to the kingdom of Cesia, and for this trade service, they are payed in a king's ransom. The Merchants Guild has a huge presence in most ports and many dwarves as a result have influence over Cesia's tolls and even pulls strings of it's economy. In order to keep balance, the Merchants Guild is formally run by the nobility of Maukshad who paid a huge amount of taxes to the Cesian Kings. The Merchants guild's riches is very well known, who use this vast wealth to keep themselves in power in their home city, pay huge bribes to nobility to expand their reach, and generally to grow outward in Cesia.
Council of the Iron Holt
The Council of the Iron Holt is a barely legal authority of the Otem enclaves, who hold a political powerhouse amongst their people. Otem normally are a very peaceful and highly cautious people, and rarely seek to use their power to their own ends, but to help and secure their people's future. The Iron Holt holds sway in nearly all Cesian Otem Enclaves and provides guards, services, and representation on the behalf of the Otem communities. The Iron Holt normally have lengthy ties to the various slaver guild and raiding groups in Cesian ports, who bribe them in return for securing Otem who want out of their miserable lives in the enclaves to end up as servants to nobles and not end up being sold outside of Cesia. The Iron Holt is normally often trying to improve the image of their people and prove their loyalty to Cesia in order to garner better rights for their people.
The Black Boots are, as the name suggests, a Cesian mercenary company known for their black boots. The Black Boots are Noravar raiders formed from mostly landless Maruds and small time adventurers who hail primarily from the core lands of Cesia, with their home in the capital city of Stromcod. Originally, they were a Polav regiment of underpaid soldiers who fled to Cesia, bringing with them their pikemen tactics and equipment, and trained a new generation of Noravar Maruds. Black Boots are a mixture of polearm experts who use halberds and tower shields, but in addition have their own detachments of marines and marauders. Black Boots are known for their thuggish antics, but are also well known for their iron discipline and their utter disdain for tribal clansmen, who they consider as uncultured brutes and useless in real battles.
Hounds of Olavan (Mercenaries)
The Hounds of Olavan are a partial religious order and a very powerful group of Noravar Maruds who will take on virtually any conflict, so long as it isn't against the druidry or the Noravar. The Hounds often take only the most skilled and battle heartened, which is often why their numbers are so few. The Hounds are well known to perform religious services and have a druid within their ranks, and will offer their services for free to the Noadam druids and their causes. Maruds join this mercenary order in order to attempt to be closer to their chief god Olavan who will hopefully see their skills in battle and whisk them away to join his hall of legendary warriors. The Hounds are very well known to take slaves during campaigns, with their servants having runes burned into them like tattoos which are said to bind their soul to the Halls of Olavan, and will serve the Hounds for all eternity.
Traditionalists
Cesia have a very strong political affiliation with tradition and the old ways. When a Cesian says they are a traditionalist, they believe that Noravar traditions trumps the religions, customs, and laws of others. They believe that raids and their warrior culture is crucial and must survive, and take action by building up their clans, having large families, and fighting in wars. Traditionalists believe that war should be used as an excuse to bring glory, not gold, back to Cesia and its people. Most Traditionalists are mostly poorer clans and those who have a strong presence of raiders in their families. Traditionalists tend to have strong opinions, but not most educated ones, and believe that the traditions of Cesia is endangered by the existence of foreigners and invaders. They are strongly opposed to Reformists, who they see as petty ambitious fools trying to kill off their good traditions in favor of useless and trivial things, like education and elaborate court life.
Reformists
Reformists are the progressives and free thinkers of Cesia, a faction formed mostly to the awakening and renaissance of Noravar culture. Impressed by the cultural achievements of others, Reformists often believe that the Noravar have a primitive attitude towards change, and that Noravar laws and customs need to change to compete with surrounding nations. Many ambitious nobles who see the internal problems of their society often become sympathetic to reformists, but the biggest faction exists amongst small minorities, merchant families, and dwarves. Most Reformists are partial abolitionists, who believe in lessening the restrictions on Beastfolk in favor of incorporating them into Cesia, a idea which is not very popular. Reformists are openly despised and mocked for their attitudes towards change, but find common ground with Expansionists.
Expansionists
The attitude of a Cesian Expansionist is a mixture of tradition and progress, but most consider themselves outside the petty squabbles of tradition and change. Expansionists believe that the glory of Cesia cannot be confined to it's borders and must expand outward, it must conquer it's neighbors and unite to Noravar, subjugate the dwarves, and enslave the Endikigo beastfolk in order to great a great north empire under Cesian rule. This belief has long existed in the minds of the kings of Causia and Cesia, and still remains popular amongst nobles and their families, but often have no means to explain their desire for expansion. Most expansionists are in favor of heavy handed tactics and change in order to bring glory to Cesia, but also do not believe in abandoning what makes Cesia so powerful and great.
Maukshad Merchant's Guild
The Maukshad Merchant's Guild is one of the most powerful merchant guilds in Cesia, and is a major political power in the dwarven realms. The Merchant Guild collects tolls which come into the dwarven city of Maukshad, which provides a great deal of iron to the kingdom of Cesia, and for this trade service, they are payed in a king's ransom. The Merchants Guild has a huge presence in most ports and many dwarves as a result have influence over Cesia's tolls and even pulls strings of it's economy. In order to keep balance, the Merchants Guild is formally run by the nobility of Maukshad who paid a huge amount of taxes to the Cesian Kings. The Merchants guild's riches is very well known, who use this vast wealth to keep themselves in power in their home city, pay huge bribes to nobility to expand their reach, and generally to grow outward in Cesia.
Council of the Iron Holt
The Council of the Iron Holt is a barely legal authority of the Otem enclaves, who hold a political powerhouse amongst their people. Otem normally are a very peaceful and highly cautious people, and rarely seek to use their power to their own ends, but to help and secure their people's future. The Iron Holt holds sway in nearly all Cesian Otem Enclaves and provides guards, services, and representation on the behalf of the Otem communities. The Iron Holt normally have lengthy ties to the various slaver guild and raiding groups in Cesian ports, who bribe them in return for securing Otem who want out of their miserable lives in the enclaves to end up as servants to nobles and not end up being sold outside of Cesia. The Iron Holt is normally often trying to improve the image of their people and prove their loyalty to Cesia in order to garner better rights for their people.
Characters
Thorald Bramsson
Titles - King of Cesia, Jarl of Causia, The Beloved
Race - Noravar Human
Thorald is only 17 years of age, when his father had died from sickness. Thorald was the only child of Ketil Bramsson, and the succession moot chose him to be the new leader despite the pushing and urging of lesser family members who mocked him for his age. Thorald is a strong and able willed man, with a black and long beard and a skilled Marud, having journeted when he was twelve with his uncles in a Far Raid, claiming a young Beryul as his personal slave whom he befriended. Thorald, in spite of his known kindness and dutiful traditionalist ferver, desires far more from his kingdom, and looks to his neighbors to help build up his own name to become a great king.
Sindri Brond
Titles - Lord of Maukshad
Race - Dwalam Dwarf
Sindri is the current dwarven ruler of Maukshad, having ruled for 12 years since the unfortunate and accidental death of his father, Burovar 'The Strong'. Sindri, before becoming king, worked exclusively with the Maukshad merchants guild, and had helped run and administrate Noravar colonies in Granland. Upon assuming the throne, he had turned his attention far from the economics of his youth and towards the political power of his fortress. While Sindri is more known in the country and by his fellow dwarves to study hard and keep his head in books, his personal tastes is that of cruelty and drama has drawn suspicions and critics from all across his realm.
Barnolf Vogsson
Titles - Jarl of Nauberad, Bane of the Beryul, Wolf of Cesia
Race - Nauavar Human
Barnolf is the current Jarl of Nauberad, a elder man with a large family a deep sense of personal honor. As it currently stands, Barnolf is one of the most accomplished generals and warriors in all of Cesia, and has recieved many honors and titles. He, with the help of Cesian infantry, overthrew his brother for the throne of Nauberad and stopped a Beryul invasion of his territory. His bravery and skill is often a much desired trait by the people, but as a Nauavar, he distrusts and despises the Noravar and has made it clear of his disdain for their politics and ways. He is a very staunch traditionalist, but shows sympathy for various other causes.
Yaman Ledric
Titles - Druid of Naur Gravab
Race - Noravar Human
Yaman is one of thee most powerful druids to currently exist in Cesia, if not one of the most talented in the last 100 years. Yaman was a young student when he joined the tutorship of a grove of Naur Gravab, and was given a quest by his god which turned out to be a rescue of his mother from the hands of a wendigo, and was told to raise the corrupted Yul'wendigo child as his brother. Yaman in turn has become a very talented druid, and has become boon for the entire country, and is considered a friend and tutor to many of the currently nobles. His witty, charming, and sarcastic personality has made him far more friends then his overly serious peers, and many have come to believe he is the avatar of Naur Gravab.
Yulfad Stagholt
Titles - Leader of the Iron Holt
Race - Otem Beastfolk
Yulfad is the current Otem leader of the Council of the Iron Holt, a simple and honorable Otem who had tried desperately, for years, to secure his people's rights and future while also preserving their integrity and community. He had in his youth sold himself into slavery to escape the abuse of his drunken father, and lived with a noble family thanks to the Iron Holt. While in their service, he grew to appreciate their kindness and became exemplified in humility, but eventually he was no longer needed and was granted freedom and was sent back to the enclave. He has since been a vocal supporter of the Otem and became, rather quickly, and skilled administrator and patron.
Titles - King of Cesia, Jarl of Causia, The Beloved
Race - Noravar Human
Thorald is only 17 years of age, when his father had died from sickness. Thorald was the only child of Ketil Bramsson, and the succession moot chose him to be the new leader despite the pushing and urging of lesser family members who mocked him for his age. Thorald is a strong and able willed man, with a black and long beard and a skilled Marud, having journeted when he was twelve with his uncles in a Far Raid, claiming a young Beryul as his personal slave whom he befriended. Thorald, in spite of his known kindness and dutiful traditionalist ferver, desires far more from his kingdom, and looks to his neighbors to help build up his own name to become a great king.
- Gyda Ketilsson - Wife, Queen of Cesia
- Bolli Ingjaldsson - A Nauavar traveler and Thorald's Tutor who was originally a slave, and is a good friend of Thorald
- Styr Gunnarsson - Spion of Cesia
- Kodran Bramsson - Uncle and Marud raider, took Thorald on a journey to raid westward and the two have been close since
- Yulf Whitecamp - Beryul slave and Favored, a clan warrior and personal servant of Thorald. He acts as a bodyguard for the king and his family.
Sindri Brond
Titles - Lord of Maukshad
Race - Dwalam Dwarf
Sindri is the current dwarven ruler of Maukshad, having ruled for 12 years since the unfortunate and accidental death of his father, Burovar 'The Strong'. Sindri, before becoming king, worked exclusively with the Maukshad merchants guild, and had helped run and administrate Noravar colonies in Granland. Upon assuming the throne, he had turned his attention far from the economics of his youth and towards the political power of his fortress. While Sindri is more known in the country and by his fellow dwarves to study hard and keep his head in books, his personal tastes is that of cruelty and drama has drawn suspicions and critics from all across his realm.
- Myri Brond - Wife, a merchant woman
- Kian Fordad - Spion of Maukshad
- Kregan Nausit - Patron of Maukshad, a dwarven merchant who personal funds many of Sindri's adventurers for personal gain
- Silger Krepp - Captain of Maukshad, and commander of it's legions. He is a deeply corrupt officer and also is in the good graces of Sindri, the two having grown up togeather.
- Taurmak Bloodsnow / 'Mud' - A Beryul slave and bodyguard of Sindri, and also his personal enforcer. While Sindri treats him with passive disdain, Taurmak is more or less content carrying out his duties in return for good food and being kept away from his tribe, being a criminal who originally was captured fleeing from a murder he had committed.
Barnolf Vogsson
Titles - Jarl of Nauberad, Bane of the Beryul, Wolf of Cesia
Race - Nauavar Human
Barnolf is the current Jarl of Nauberad, a elder man with a large family a deep sense of personal honor. As it currently stands, Barnolf is one of the most accomplished generals and warriors in all of Cesia, and has recieved many honors and titles. He, with the help of Cesian infantry, overthrew his brother for the throne of Nauberad and stopped a Beryul invasion of his territory. His bravery and skill is often a much desired trait by the people, but as a Nauavar, he distrusts and despises the Noravar and has made it clear of his disdain for their politics and ways. He is a very staunch traditionalist, but shows sympathy for various other causes.
- Arnora Vogsson - Wife
- Mar Vogsson - Eldest Son
- Beinir Vogsson - Son
- Vigdis Vogsson - Daughter, and Youngest
- Hrok Vebjornsson - A Nauavar druid and personal friend of Barnolf and his family, who aided the Jarl with magic against various foes.
Yaman Ledric
Titles - Druid of Naur Gravab
Race - Noravar Human
Yaman is one of thee most powerful druids to currently exist in Cesia, if not one of the most talented in the last 100 years. Yaman was a young student when he joined the tutorship of a grove of Naur Gravab, and was given a quest by his god which turned out to be a rescue of his mother from the hands of a wendigo, and was told to raise the corrupted Yul'wendigo child as his brother. Yaman in turn has become a very talented druid, and has become boon for the entire country, and is considered a friend and tutor to many of the currently nobles. His witty, charming, and sarcastic personality has made him far more friends then his overly serious peers, and many have come to believe he is the avatar of Naur Gravab.
- Iric Ledric - Yaman's younger brother and a Yul'wendigo. Despite being an abomination and hated by the people of Cesia, he serves as bodyguard of Yaman in his travels and as guardian over the grove, but is rather overly reluctant, easily annoyed, and quick to anger.
- Arni Asulfsson - A non-magical druid and a recorder of history, he and Yaman were pals under the tutorship of their master, and continued a friendship since.
- Arnulfr Ketilbiornsson - A Were-Boar who is bound to the will of Yaman. He was a overly ambitious young bandit who tried to rob Yaman, but was cursed by him. Arnulfr now lives as a meager servant, and is a secondary guard of the Grove, but has a rather submissive attitude towards Iric.
- 'Gob' - A former man who wished to be turned into a Sprite, having been turned by Yaman into a chipmunk, used as in excuse to get away from a lynch mob who had been after him. Gob, as Yaman normally calls him, is often acting the eyes and ears of the druid.
- Old Willow - A rather playful Horned Druid Dragon who lives in the grove and was befriended by Yaman long ago, and acts as his mount and pet.
Yulfad Stagholt
Titles - Leader of the Iron Holt
Race - Otem Beastfolk
Yulfad is the current Otem leader of the Council of the Iron Holt, a simple and honorable Otem who had tried desperately, for years, to secure his people's rights and future while also preserving their integrity and community. He had in his youth sold himself into slavery to escape the abuse of his drunken father, and lived with a noble family thanks to the Iron Holt. While in their service, he grew to appreciate their kindness and became exemplified in humility, but eventually he was no longer needed and was granted freedom and was sent back to the enclave. He has since been a vocal supporter of the Otem and became, rather quickly, and skilled administrator and patron.
- Nala Stagholt - Wife, and secondary leader of the Iron Holt
- Pela Stagholt - Eldest Daughter
- Kith Stagholt - Son
- Nauser Waterstride - A leader in the Iron Holt and personal friend
- Hoga Stagholt - A young Teusab slave who was passed around various times and nearly ended up in the mines until he was found and adopted into the Stag Holt family, and has since lived in the Otem enclave. Despite his age, he is a skilled warrior and incredibly strong, with it being suspected he had been a deserter of the Teusab war cult.
