Taernsvwyn: The Autumn People
Long ago, there was the Van. And then they died. The exact cause is still debated to this day, as few dozen Van that still live rarely speak of these events. As well, the remaining tales are hard to interpret, for they need be filtered of propaganda, mythology and ego. Despite these difficulties, a general history has been devised.
Long ago, the Vanir, the humans and an apparently extinct race called dwarves, lived in the north, within a firmly established realm, ruled by the Old Gods. Overtime, the Old Gods dwindled, each eventually passing his or her power to the rest, until only one remained. The last, the Thundered ruled for many years, until his dominion faced a final enemy. Here, the stories diverge wildly, with claims of conspiracy and betrayal, demonic hordes and Chaos itself. However, the most likely story is that either that rival nations conspired to trick the Van into vulnerability, or schemes by everyone (including the Van) left the Van in an unwinnable war.
In truth, the why matters little, only the effect. In a final move, the death-curse of the Van, the Thundered traveled to a shrine to a now forgotten power, and used it to spill his blood: the blood of the Old to release the First. The blood that fell upon the stone became the form of the World Eater, which destroyed the both enemy and most of the Van, consuming even the firmament itself, until the land had ceased to exist at all.
The survivors fled, travelling with the humans of an annexed land, conquered by the same foe who destroyed Vanheim, led by the Lady and her champion, the Red. Eventually, they settled in their new home, Taernheim.
Taernsvwyn: The Autumn Vale of Flowers
Tarnsvwyn is a broad valley centred by the Lilies Flow, a broad, slow river named for a many lilies found growing along the edges and within the marshes flanking it. The lands south of the river is a dense mixed forest, with good soil and ample game, however the forest is fairly sparsely populated, as old taboos against cutting the trees remain as a cultural bias. It a believed by some that the forest may have been inhabited by fae or some such, but no evidence remains today. Today, the Vale lies well within the boundaries of the world, making any such encounters with such being unlikely.
North of the river the forest thins, transforming into plains cut by bands and groves of trees. This region is home to the majority of the population, mostly living in small homesteads or farming villages. The land along the river is rich and deep, however certain areas are prone to flooding. Further north, the land clear further as it rises into hills, of which only the foothills have been claimed by the Taern, and is mostly used for herding.
(If possible, I would like for my land to be near the mouth of the river, flowing into either a large lake or the sea.)
Taernheim:
The capitol and largest settlement, Taernheim occupies a rocky island raising from the centre of the river, height enough to avoid flooding and connected to both shore by a bridge that crosses the island, the Broughsvern, said to have been created by the Lady herself.
The People:
The Taern are primarily human, mostly of moderate build with brown to blond hair, with dark red being somewhat common, usually with blue or grey eyes. Only a few houndred Vanir remain, and their species is doomed. While Vanir can live centuries, and they do have some children, there simply are not enough for most to consider them a viable species anymore. As a result, most of the Vanir live in a section of Taernheim, protected and separate from the human population.
The Culture/Religion:
To the Taern, eternity through deeds is the most important value. The Taern believe that reality is shaped by actions and deeds, and that no one can truly been said to have lived without shaping reality thusly. The fame itself can vary; after all, not everyone can be a famed hero or legendary smith, but they should still strive to be known for action or event, for example, a farmer winning a vegetable contest at a fair. This emphasis on fame has had its downsides, such as people engaging in criminal acts when they feel that they have no other path to fame, but a more recent aspect of their culture has begun to change this.
The other key cultural value of the Taern is Value: the Taern often claim to know the value of every object, concept and idea. This is most heavily displayed in the legal system, where any crime must have a greater or equal compensation. An example: a man who takes a life may be punish by being forbidden from engaging in his career again, or even have his name stricken from records and culture.
The Lady
Also known as the Blessed, the Blessing, the Queen of Flowers, the Rose and Guardian, the Lady is said to have been the daughter of the Thundered, and the reason that any of the Van escaped the World Eater. The Lady is usually seen in a rather unassuming form, a human woman of somewhat short of height, with brown hair and one blue-grey eye, the other hazel. The Lady is most often associated with life and growth, but also to a smaller degree with cold, which is believed to be a holdover from the days of Vanheim.
Hero/Prophet: The Red.
The Red is a Vanir man, solid of build, but beyond that most know little. The Red is said to have once been the bodyguard of the Lady, and a loyal soldier to her father. These days, he rarely removes his armor, which, along with his sword, was said to have been forged by the master smiths of the now extinct dwarves. He is a powerful force in battle, a trait that has been displayed many times, but as has been shown in a few cases, he is still only one being, with no more magic than some simple illusions.
