I don't mind it being different, strange or unconventional, but I do want it semi-realistic. If you can think of a decent and semi-realistic reason as to how a group of merchants went elsewhere and came back, that's fine by me. Though, might I suggest an interesting option would be to have a Marco-Polo like exploratory group go out into the world abroad, come back telling tall-tales of the lands they found (true or not) and looked in a quasi-religious view, spurring on a public want for mass exploration and colonization? Just a thought. If you (Terrance), or anyone else wants to run ideas through me privately for further discussion, I'm more than open. Public discussion is fantastic as well.
Also, if anyone could provide a image of the states they claim, just so I'm positive I know where people mean, and others don't have overlap, that'd be superb.
I'd like to note that nothing thus far has been set in stone. Everything is open for debate, or discussion. You dislike aspects of LoE's Veridae Empire? Argue it, or offer suggestions. This is, after all, collaborative world-building. If you find yourself struggling to work within the confines of another players back-story or history, take it up with them/us.
Note: 't' and 'd' sound the same in original Haesterian, and use the same letter, so a native is more likely to refer to himself as a 'Haesderian'. 'Ts' is a separate sound.
Pre Imperial History
The origin of the people of the Sehurian sea are lost to myth. Each island seems to have its own story, slightly different from the one to the west. They became expert boat builders and navigators of the tides and winds. What little crops and fruit they could grow was supplemented by fish and shellfish. However, not all islands were equal. Raids were common against each other, as the people began to see this.
On one of the larger islands, Haesderia, a man named Yircch had a dream. A vision from God, or Chetsa, showing him, among other things, how the islands could exist in harmony. His words were listened to on his island, where he was quickly elevated to chief, replacing what the stories say was a weak and cowardly man.
The other islands were less inclined to listen to his wisdom, so he did something no one had done before – he invaded. Soon, very many islands were under his control, with some of the further islands joining without a fight, out of fear and respect. For Yircch had deemed it necessary to control all the boats the islands have to offer. After the first few disagreements had ended with ritualistic hangings, most people came to accept this. The best crews were inducted to become priests of Chetsa. After the main archipelago had been mostly pacified, Yircch gave himself the title of Afcindsketsich (Af-sind-ske-tsich), the Great Navigator, saying it was his duty to guide the holy fleet to where it was needed. Instead of taking by force, supplies would go where needed, as well as defending islands against raiding pirates.
Yircch eventually died, but not before saying that, upon his death, many priests would have a dream that would be Chetsa contacting them. He also said that, if many people have a dream, the priests should come together and decide amongst themselves to pick a new Afcindsketsich. Of course, this happened, but it was resolved relatively peacefully, with minimal deaths. Over the centuries, the Haesterian (the name of the largest island) nation grew, coming to encompass all the islands of the Sehurian sea. Contact was made with the small states around the bay, where canny priests found they could give those people surplus goods in exchange for things the islanders didn't have.
It appeared that Chetsa was content for his people to live on the 'wind and tide' (what Chetsa ultimately translates to), as no Afcindsketsich ever thought it important to conquer the continent. They indeed fought other nations, but it was mostly naval, and resulted in embargoing and blockading the offending port until they gave up. Afcindsketsich after Afcindsketcich grew more powerful and richer. Grumblings in the ranks were swiftly dealt with, with examples being made of every perpetrator, from drownings to hangings to exile (which usually resulted in indiscriminate pirates). But the title was quickly becoming synonymous with opulence and greed, each one forgetting a little more about their original purpose, to ensure the islands got what they needed.
Imperial History
The Haesterians knew of the rise of Veridaea. They thought that if they didn't interfere, they would be left alone. They saw city after city fall, and it became harder and harder to conduct trade, as the earliest version of the merchant guilds were backed by the church, who did not want heathens interfering. The Afcindsketsich Haxechax III invited an emissary to Haesteria, hoping to ease the sanctions, as he was noticing his profits declining as the only trade conducted was the meagre inter-island trade and the difficult trade outside the peninsula.
The Empire had other plans. It had found those priests that were silently angry at the fat, uncaring Navigator. On the day a great feast was called to celebrate friendship between the two nations, the Empire attacked, drowning Haxechax in a pool of wine. The city and the other islands, controlled by priests whose days of travelling were behind them, sued for peace. However, the attacks did not stop. Island after island fell to the might of the Veridaean army. The Haesterian navy was more than a match, but useless when the boats reached shore. In an effort to save their people, the priests converted. They said that Chetsa had revealed to them, one way or another, that he was one of the Veridaean gods, whose avatar was the Undying Emperor. This sat uneasy with the populace, but they accepted it rather than face destruction.
The priesthood too was integrated into the Empire. Some kept their priestly role, inducting themselves into the church. Some cast off their robes and joined the navy and merchant guilds, proving themselves capable at both. The merchants especially, as they could apply generations of knowledge of the Sehurian – where it was treacherous, where the best winds were, and what each province lacked and had abundance of.
While they may have had loyalty in words, some never had loyalty in heart. A significant number of priests retreated to a small island off the coast of Haesteria after Haxechax was killed, while the Empire burnt the city. They saw what was coming, and decided to make sure the traditions would be kept alive. It was hard at first finding those still loyal. But enough were found, mostly in the navy and merchants. They were helped in creating coded prayers and made shrines hidden in artwork. They would pass this on to the next generation of Haesterian sailors, people that would be seen as holy men if the old ways were kept.
But the knowledge became corrupted or lost. Too many times were the Movement of Sea and Air, as they called themselves, nearly uncovered by a traitor. The secret archives, with the only written holy texts and the translations of the codes and images, had to be moved around at least once a decade or generation, which often meant the loss of something due to the dangers of the sea. They managed to keep themselves only a mere story to most of the population, like sea elves and the Restless Isle, with the highest echelons of the Church knowing the truth of the cult that continued to defy them.
But keeping the old ways alive was the least of what the Movement was doing. The islands did not have the manpower or the weaponry to even have a hope of bringing down the Empire. But whales are rarely killed by sharks. They are far more likely to succumb to smaller things – corals or crustaceans living under the skin, causing infections. So the Movement did the same. It began small – crates of goods would move around, hidden under manifests. Provinces wouldn't get their food, outposts wouldn't get their armour. Sometimes good would mysteriously appear in the hands of enemies. Naval ships that were captained by members of the Movement were slow to help other ships under attack. Slowly, but surely, the Empire rotted from the inside out.
Post Imperial History
The Movement succeeded before the Empire fell. The islands were given back to the followers of Chetsa before the Cavharite horde descended on Uaestirmac. Loyal captains returned to Haesteria to elect the first Afcindsketsich in a very long time. They hoped that he would be more like Yircch, a guiding light instead of a parasite. A man named Thchitser was ultimately chosen, an important member of the merchant guild.
While the Empire lost a not insignificant number of naval captains and merchants, the Haesterians had lost a powerful patron. They had to build back up to their former power. They found ready allies in former provinces of the empire, often backing both sides of a border skirmish. Technology had advanced in that time, and particularly brave priests sailed beyond the bay to find fresh markets to exploit.
Relations with the Sacred Immortal Empire were never particularly warm. If a Haesterian ship comes across a Sacred Immortal ship in danger, they will usually wait until the last moment to step in, usually 'rescuing' goods for themselves. Some recent Afcindsketsiches have also come into the belief that the islands off the coast of the state of Kharritsy belong to Haesterians.
They are also having problems with the island of Darahe, in the centre of the Sehurian. It is known as a pirate and slaver haven and its own Afcindsketsich has taken two other islands for its own. They can't attack directly, as they have some powerful friends along the north and north west coast of the bay.
The current Afcindsketsich is Aurigan II. He followed through on his predecessor’s desire to expand. The first instance of this was the purchase of the city of Rudaur from the impoverished nation of Askuarren, causing some tension in the area, and giving the priesthood access to land trade routes, which they have started to exploit (and bought them further ire from merchant guilds). They've also travelled past the Ghost Sea (their name for the doldrums) in significant numbers for the first time in recent decades, setting up colonies to access those distant lands, including part of what was an actual inhabited island.
----
Really quick, potted history. Still to come is government, language and a map, which may come later today. Or later this week.
Famous throughout the known world as the greatest font of human knowledge, art, architecture and writing in history, the Veridaeans of Uaestirmac ruled the largest empire in history, comprising largely the entire known world. The Undying Emperor, who was the avatar of the gods of the Veridaean polytheist pantheon, ruled the empire from his throne in Uaestirmac, delegating provincial authority to the Undying Princes and being worshiped as a god on earth. Veridaean polytheism, and indeed much of the native religions of conquered people, was largely phased out by the Imperial Cult (worship of the Undying Emperor), which has succeeded to the present day as the Sacred Immortal Church. The Veridaean language has, some 1,500 years after Uaestirmac was sacked by the Cavharites, survived as the tongue of priests, scholars and merchants.
Uaestirmac was, during the golden age of Veridaean power, the most important city and most important port in the world. Merchants from far-off lands venerated it as one of the greatest markets for goods in existence, and even the poorest of its citizens was considered a lucky man for living so close to the Undying Emperor's court. Uaestirmac was built, over the course of many centuries, by a number of various architects and visionaries whose styles and achievements persist to the present. When the Cavharite Scourge swept across the Undying Empire, however, Uaestirmac became a city of beggars and refugees, and was eventually sacked by the Scourge and never properly rebuilt. The Undying Line ended with the Sacking of Uaestirmac, and the Veridaeans were put to the sword. Precious few escaped the plunder and pillage and murder of the Sacking, and the prior events of the Scourge, and today there are few who identify as “ethnic Veridaeans”.
The Undying Empire stands as a singular achievement not only in cultural terms but also in political; it was the single most powerful polity known in history yet, ruling the entire known world bar a few deserts and swamps, and commanding numerous disparate cultures, groups, tribes and nations. The Undying Princes, sworn to the Undying and Immortal Line of the Emperor, ruled His provinces with efficiency. The bureaucratic machinery employed by the Empire was immense and has yet to be rivaled by even the largest of existing kingdoms. The Undying Emperor's Verimasti or legions are still a respected fighting force, whose techniques and espirit de corps are emulated today by all serious armies.
Painting of Imperial Cult priests venerating the famously-mad Emperor Echetheric
The cultural and political institutions established by the Empire were and are long-lasting. The Imperial Cult was spread throughout the known world, and embraced enthusiastically by most of the Empire's subjects, as cultural assimilation was part and parcel to moving up within society. The Cavharites themselves ultimately adopted worship and veneration of the Undying Emperor, primarily in order to bolster the authority of their own political institutions and the Sacred Immortal Empire, which is considered the spiritual successor to the imperial authority which emanated from Uaestirmac.
Very few provinces and states within the empire were allowed any degree of autonomy, so wide-reaching and powerful was the authority of the Undying Princes. Significant among these were the Haesterian Isles, which were compelled to the loyalty of Uaestirmac as one of the most hard-won of the Empire's possessions. Despite this, the Undying Emperor was adept at co-opting the cultures and affectations of conquered peoples, bringing Haesterian priests into the Imperial Cult and Haesterian merchants into his court. The Meristijian tribes, though driven from Old Meristij in the Diaspora of Meristij, ultimately were resettled under the Undying Emperor's guidance in Acahurja and became instrumental within the Verimasti as a class of professional soldiers.
Verimasti footmen
For some time even the Cavharite barbarians that languished on the very edge of the Undying Empire became useful to the Uaestirmac, and were recruited as mercenaries (being a martial people as a rule) and allowed to settle on the edge of the empire. The Undying Empire came to an end for reasons which are unclear to the present day. It is generally agreed that it became too far stretched, too internally stagnant and corrupt, and too reliant on a bureaucratic and political machine that had become endemic and interested only in making money for its members. Various Undying Princes began making claims to divinity, playing games with the Undying Emperor's lineage and making arguments that they should rule from the Undying Throne in Uaestirmac. Merchant guilds began to openly refuse to comply with rules and taxes set by the Emperor. The rise of the Great Aeyur in Cavharia would lead to the great Cavharite Rebellion and set the Scourge in motion which would, ultimately, destroy the Empire in a bloodbath (or series of bloodbaths) which lasted the course of a century.
In 200 B.F. (Before Fall, as in, before the sacking of Uaestirmac) the aeyur of a the Cavharite tribe of Fisimaen was granted a vision by the gods, showing the decadence and corruption of the Undying Court in Uaestirmac, and the abuse his countrymen in Veridaea at the hands of the Verimasti. Enraged, the aeyur Gahariman rallied his aeyurlings and lead a great horde into the Uterhine (the tracts of land in the north granted to Cavharites who pledged fealty to the Undying Emperor), sparking the Cavharite Rebellion and beginning the Scourge. Gahariman was able to achieve his success by making promises of land and plunder to his aeyurlings and to other aeyurs, and exploited the disunity of the Undying Princes, making various lying promises to different important political figures in the Empire. The Verimasti, whose numbers were now largely made up of Meristijians of dubious loyalty and indeed quite a few Cavharites, became helpless before the numberless Cavharite horde.
Gahariman gave up his given name and insisted upon being referred to by his followers as the Scourge of the Gods. There survive numerous accounts of Gahariman making human sacrifices out of Veridaean governors, as well as random peasants, men, women and children alike, and then cannibalizing them. Historical account, if it is to be believed, would seem to indicate that Gahariman legitimately believed he was sent by the gods (whether they were Veridaean deities or Cavharite is unclear, in his own life he claimed both) to cleanse mankind of decadence and corruption, and ritually consumed the flesh of his fallen enemies to cleanse himself of corruption. The aeyurs apparently accepted this for the compensation of land and vassals and loose women. Few were willing to stand up to the authority and bloodlust of the Man at the Head of the Scourge.
Slowly but surely the edifice of the Undying Emperor's power crumbled. Princes deserted their posts, leaving native populations to fend for themselves, and Veridaeans became pariahs in their own empire. A great diaspora of Veridaean emigres mingled with the bloodshed and carnage of the Scourge, and many returned to Old Veridaea and the safety of the walls of Uaestirmac.
Very fantastic depiction of the Sack of Uaestirmac
Gahariman died in 150 B.F., and his Scourge was continued by his aeyurs, who gradually absorbed the provinces of the Undying Empire and forced various concessions from the Emperor at Uaestirmac, until finally Uaestirmac was sacked by the Aeyur Heilmuris, and the Undying Empire came to an end with the death of its last Emperor. There persisted for some years afterward various Undying Princes who pretended to the title of Undying Emperor, but Uaestirmac had fallen and the Princes answered to no one man or one throne.
Cavharites deliver the last Undying Emperor up to Aeyur Heilmuris
Reference Map
Spoiler:
-Aesthetically it's fair to say Veridaea was like Rome and Greece, with a fair amount of political and cultural overlap, but I think philosophically and in terms of the Imperial Court, Veridaea shares with more Mandate of Heaven, Confucian China.
-The Undying Emperor was called such because as an avatar of the gods, he and his direct descendants would live eternally as interlocutors between the gods and man
-The flag of the Undying Empire depicted a serpent devouring its own tail in order to symbolize eternity and the eventual defeat of evil
I figured I might as well lend a hand while things are slow/if they remain slow.
The Proud Gerams
Spoiler:
The Royal Standard
A popular national tale in Garem goes like this: In the waning days of the Undying Empire, several lords and nobles hurriedly left the capitol, Uaestirmac, to escape the wrath of the coming Cavharite hordes. With them, they carried emblems and artifacts of the old Empire, and spread out among the lands searching for refuge with small guard detachment, holy-men and a few lucky citizens. One group in particular, led by the nephew of the Final Emperor trekked far north, carrying with him the last standard of the Undying Emperor's Army, and himself being supposedly the last pure link to the Veridaean Throne. After months of marching through the fringes of the old Undying Empire, he and his band entered into the unknown regions of the north. Before long, the Veridaeans found themselves outside the palisades of the city of Kkaldik, and petitioned the Kkaldik nobles to allow him to establish the glory of the Undying Empire from this small outpost, so that in many years they may reclaim the empire, and push the Cavharites back from whence they came. The hardy Kkaldik nobles held a council promptly, and decided unanimously to kill the Veridaeans, and wipe out the last of the Undying royalty. The priests, soldiers and civilians were slaughtered, and the noble stuck crucified on a pole outside the capitol for several days. The final Veridaean standard was taken and placed in the King's keep, where it remains to this day, tattered and dirty.
Garem trade ship being built on the River Tion
The man who all but ended the hopes of a second Veridae was known as King Tionkaval of Kkladis, and is widely recognized as the founder of the Garemic Kingdom. Kkladis's palisades soon turned to walls, and it's situation on the river Tion (named after the King) soon made it a key trading area for the local Garem tribes. Tionkaval's son, Mikonke united the warring tribes, and established the first real Garem state. His rule was solidified when victorious Cavharite masses turned north towards the then major trading post of Kkladis and were successfully beaten by a combined Garem army.
For years afterwards, the Garem Kingdom, always led by one ruler supported by a council of nobles (his Barkkal, or Princes), expanded piecemeal, killing and absorbing all local tribes it came into contact with, before it's halt was ultimately stopped by the armies of the member states of the Sacred Immortal Empire. It's search for warmer, more fertile lands left only partially satisfied, and considered a heathen pariah by the Sacred south, the Garem Barkkal and Kings turned towards expansion of the otherwise archaic bureaucracy. Soon, portions of the Barkkal revolted, causing almost a hundred years of civil in-fighting among the Garem Kingdoms. King Trazak II personally lead the loyal Barkkal against the un-loyal ones in a sweeping campaign that not only expanded the borders of Garem, but firmly cemented royal rule from Kkladis. Trazak II, and his son, Trazak III soon ushered in years of social reformation supplemented by population growth, which caused the Great Rehabilitation to take place, leading to the birth of the modern Garem Kingdom.
The Barkkal Civil Wars
The Great Rehabilitation was a social transitional period in the Garem empire that led to the abolition of many of the smaller Barkkal Princedoms within the state, and allowed for more centralized rule to be expressed by the Garem monarch. This, in coordination with a push by Garem merchants and noblemen towards gaining a port on the much traded Sea of INSERT SEA NAME HERE, FOR WHATEVER PLAYER WANTS TO NAME IT (and the fertile land surrounding it) lead to a series of wars against it's Sacred Immortal neighbors that allowed for a Garem expansion to the region, and the eventual dissolution of the Sacred Immortal Empire.
Garem settlers building a palisade around their new town
Currently, the Garem Kingdom is an enigma on the political affairs on the known world. Without a doubt a nation of strength, it still remains second-rate in terms of artistic and scientific growth. The hardy frontier spirit has created a kingdom filled with warriors and independent minded citizens, a population that is both growing, and marching unperturbed further into the unexplored wilderness.
***
The Garem Frontier stretches from the permafrost of the northern wastes, to the far warmer southern regions around the Sehurian Sea. Small village outposts are always centered on a wooden fortress built by either the villagers themselves or whatever local military detachment has been afforded to the region. These wooden fortresses are generally two stories tall, the first one being designated both the barrack area, and a place for town meetings and gatherings (assuming no more proper town-hall is available) and the second story is generally built with small slits in the palisade for muskets to be pointed through (or bows in a pinch). Attacks from small tribes or nomads that make their homes in the unclaimed region is part of daily life for Garem settlers, many of whom are more than capable to defend themselves by either spear or musket (whichever is available). That said, trade with these nomads is part of what allows for the settlers to make a living on the frontier. Furs, pelts, and the occasional rare gems are exchanged in the village commons for Garem clothes, weaponry and food. Food, provided by Garem hunters, who flock to these small village outposts for the abundance of local game, both big and small.
Nomads Trading With an Outpost
The Garem family is centered around the central male of the family, more often than not a father (though in some circumstances a grandfather or eldest son). Women are afforded a secondary place in the household, though they are arguably in charge of much on the domestic side of things. Upon the ascension of the eldest son to manhood (with the father's judgment) he takes over the responsibilities of providing food and shelter to both his younger siblings, and older relatives, giving younger siblings a free hand in starting up their own families elsewhere. Each male is allowed to select for himself a non-blood related patron around the age of 9 years, who remains as such the rest of his life. The duty of the patron is to essentially become a second father to the young man. Patrons are picked purely on merit, and never for political means. (a true Garem male would never commit such a sin) Patrons are to be viewed as protectors, advisers, and in an almost fatherly light. Women are afforded the honor of being a patron on rare occasion, should a dearth in deserving men be noted.
The Garem are a pious monotheistic people, worshipping from the Book of Erabaek. The book, originally an oral tradition passed down by a "holy" tribe who referred to themselves as the Erabe, is of paramount importance in the Garem community. When a new community settles a location, the construction of an appropriate Erabaek temple is of secondary importance to only the protective fort the village is centered around. The first half of the Book of Erabaek tells the story of the Erab tribe, and their journey towards a harmonious society, which eventually allowed for their complete absorption into heaven. In the book, the tribe reaches a peak level of piousness, through leading both a productive but honorable society. Their nameless God is so content through the means in which the Erab's created and lead their society, that He comes down to the planet to address the Erab people, announcing that they are all welcome to join him, in his Holy Kingdom. He left behind those who committed morale wrongs with no guidance of said morals, to tell the story of their sin, and forewarn future generations of the mistake they made. In the Book, these morals are set in stone, and most basic; Murder, Theft or Greed, Selfishness, Wastefulness and Dishonor (appropriately left vague, it seems) are the Five Tenets of Sin that all followers of Erabaekism must stay away from. Tales in the second half of the book are generally eye-witness accounts to miracles being worked by Savyan (the Erabaek holy-man) or the Most Blessed Savyan, a few select prophets from the original Erab tribe sent back to the planet for both cautionary tales, and to do good deeds.
Savyan Leading a Village in Ceremony
The Deer (both Roe Deer, and Reindeer) have religious connotations in Erabaekism. Being the predominate food source for most of the Geram (and previous) tribes, it is seen as a source of life, nature's abundance, and for the more superstitious Erab worshiper, coming across a wild deer moments before undertaking an endeavor is seen as a good omen. This position in Erabaekism has allowed for Antlers to take on a religious symbolism by the followers of Erab. Small Antlers adorn the walls of Erab Temples, for they are to not be wasted when possible, and it is not unusual to find Geram hunters refusing to kill deer with particularly prominent antlers when on the hunt.
In death, deer are also used as a sort of ceremonial bearer of the deceased body. Placed upon a sled or wagon, the body is to be surrounded by it's prized positions, and a token given to God by all of the person's closet friends and relatives. The body is walked by a crew of deer to a point in the wilderness, and buried by a funeral party without marking. It is considered overtly selfish to leave graves marked for one person alone, and so after being buried the bodies of the dead are often left forgotten over-time (with an large number being dug up by accident by future peoples). In the horrible situation in which a mass grave is needed, be it due to plague, or battle, sections of wilderness can be appropriately designated a mass-grave, albeit with no particular markings for any one person. A few of the more personalized aspects of the funeral service is understandably ignored in these circumstances.
Deer are important religious symbols to the Erab Worshippers
Clashes with worshipers of the Sacred Immortal Church are common-place, with the Erab view that worshiping any mortal man as an Avatar of the Gods is overtly selfish, and the secondary worship of the Merchant class is also wildly Greedy, two of the Five Tenets of Sin. Worshipers of the heathen Immortals, are treated with almost a sense of sorrow, as their sinful ways have all but damned themselves to the Frozen expanses of Wylt, the icy plain where sinful souls are sent to suffer.
Part Two On More Culture Stuff, Legal Systems and Government, Military, Dynasty Info(?) and whatever else I can think of to Come Soon. Unless of course someone wants to take over from here.
Questions or comments are appreciated. Some things are subject to change, of course.
EDIT: @TLK: Can we add new cities? You map only has 4 major cities in my area, but for my idea to work, I need one at the tip of the island, and preferably one or two more along the coast.
Overview
Never conquered, never defeated, the Vikanze are a very pacifistic and peaceable people, until they get drunk and/or riled up. Then, pitty the fool who ends up on the wrong end of their hammer. Although many consider the Vikanze's history to be bland and boring due to the lack of conquests and invasions, Vikanze has succeeded in defending itself and its culture for centuries without failure, and is a wealthy hub of trade, culture, and manufacturing.
Government
The Vikanze are on one hand perfectly decentralized and on the other, tightly knit. Tradition rules as strongly as Law in Vikanze. Orosaku,"Inner Duty", a uniquely Vikanzek concept, states that all Vikanzek should aspire to do their best for all Vikanze with whatever talents they are born with, and abilities they develop. Matching the principles of Orosaku, the Vikanzek rarely aspire to overthrow their betters but, rather, to catch up to them as they develop their own abilities, and then honor their aging predecessors as age decays the latter's abilities even as it matures those of the former. In Vikanzek government, therefore, people who are able to speak well speak for people who are able to think well, in essense. Judgements and recommendations work better than rulings and commands. It is true that Vikanze has a Monarch over them, but only as a ceremonial representation of their people to the gods and to other monarchs. The Royal Family practice Orosaku as well, with dynasties rarely passing three generations with aging Kings often adopting and raising those they feel with better abilities to the throne.
I've gone ahead and taken the liberty of creating a labeled map with all the countries and named cities, rivers, and seas so far. The larger fonts are independent countries; smaller, italicized fonts are cities or islands if black and rivers or seas if blue. I went ahead and named Makarash and the Avaar's cities and rivers, as well. Might also do some more on the Avaar later.
EDIT: @TLK: Can we add new cities? You map only has 4 major cities in my area, but for my idea to work, I need one at the tip of the island, and preferably one or two more along the coast.
Well, I had a specific idea in mind when it came to demographics, and I'd hate to set a precedence that would cause me to rework the map at a players request, however, if you write up your story/history/culture in an interesting enough manner, I can always be persuaded to change my stance.
Before the conquest of the Free Cities, the Shattered Lands were largely uninhabited, both due to the heavy jungles and lack of resources. The members of the peninsula, largely living in tribal federations, did little except hunt and war in the steamy wilderness, their inability to unite granting the area its name. Large nations did arise, but were mostly decentralized in the classic tribal fashion and had little impact on the day to day interwarring of the constituents. Most notable of these empires was known as Lan Reiat, or Old Reiat, mostly to distinguish it from the newer city bearing the same name. The Reiati, a small tribe on the tip of the peninsulas, began their meteoric rise by conquering Weitan Island, swimming over in droves to evict the small population of natives there. Once they had established dominance, the Reiati built a stronghold on the northwestern tip, making an approaching army supremely vulnerable to the defenders. From here, they began attacking enemies nearby, finally carving out a niche for themselves.
In this niche they stayed, prospering and flourishing, becoming one of the first ‘civilizations’ (as later defined by the Imperial historians) in the region. It did not take much time before the river tribes, long the dominant powers in the Shattered Lands, turned towards the easterners, eying Lan Reiat and its myriad riches. They invaded, staying along the coasts and burning and looting most nearly everything in sight. Beaten, the Reiati retreated to Weitan, hoping the rivermen would not follow. But follow they did, and battered themselves against the walls of the fortress. Realizing complete extermination was impossible, the rivermen fled back to their cities. But the Reiati could not leave their women and children unavenged, and followed, eventually burning much of the once-proud riverlands. Not done, the Reiati imposed crippling terms on their enemies, forcing them to their knees and making them a vassal in all but name.
The Reiati never went on to newer conquests, weakened as they were by the war, and their civilization slowly crumbled, before ending shortly before the Imperial Conquest. Lan Reiat itself fell to ruins, a lonely sentinel on the eastern tip, said to be ravaged by demons evermore.
Imperial History:
When the Empire arrived, they found the Shattered Lands predictably disunited and weakened by the recent Reiati implosion. Knowing they were beaten, all bent, unwilling to risk their lives against the unstoppable hordes of the northern imperialists. And so, a new level of prosperity descended upon the people of the Shattered Lands, unmatched since the height of the Reiati. Trade flourished, and Weitan became a center of trade, controlling much of the passage between the Northern and the Southern. Moreover, being the southern reaches of the Empire, they simultaneously benefited from the protection of their overlords and relative autonomy, flourishing under the watchful, if distant, eye of the Empire.
The slave trade in particular was a valuable industry for the Reiati inheritors, as Imperial slavers raided to the south, then sold them to the Shattered Cities. There, they trained, before being sent to Weitan and, by extension, the bulk of the Empire. The trafficking, in fact, was against Reiati traditions, which stated no man could own another not taken directly in war, but the peninsula was already growing apart from the Reiati, seeing them as a failed nation when compared to their current rulers. To service this growing trade, new cities sprung up, including ones along the the coast and a thriving port on Weitan. In fact, it was during this time that Weitan was considered to be the Eye of the World by many, both due to its economic importance and its central position in the sea.
Being in the southern reaches of the Empire's grasp, they were also the first abandoned when the Fall began. Troops pulled back to defend against invading forces and the raiding hordes, and never returned, leaving watchtowers and barracks abandoned. Consequently, the cities of the Shattered Lands never rebelled, and indeed some still claim to be the Imperial successors, continuing unbroken under the Empire's rule. However, most dent such a claim, and have declared independence or recognized the end of Northern influence in their affairs.
Post Imperial History:
With the end of Imperial rule, the Shattered Lands once more fractured, even more violently than before. Many cities reverted to the old Reiati ways, breaking with the slave trade and returning to the language of Lan Reiat, but near as many stubbornly clung to the traditions of the Empire. The east, where Reiati ways were ingrained most deeply, was the stronghold of the Old Ways, while the west (mostly around the river) was full of Imperial sympathizers. Of the major cities, Xieat, Tridia and Non Reiat (New Reiat) allied, primarily to defend against the slavers of Olyiet, Marcien, Antrium and Hadreat.
The slave trade, though, was already dying. In the chaos after the Imperial Fall, no one was sparing money for dancers and artists, no matter how exquisitely trained. Only Hadreat, renowned for training warriors, flourished, but it too was slowly dying, choked by Tridia's closing of the straits to slave traffic.
Now, the slave trade is all but dead, but many of the cities live on, surviving off of trade with both north and south. War are fought over trade rights and control of strategic islands, but none have risen to the heights if the Reiati. Whenever a star seems bright, it is extinguished by its fellows, who loathe to be eclipsed. The strongest of the states is perhaps Tridia, controlled of the straits and holder of the strongest navy, a boon in the harsh jungles of the peninsula. The terrain all but forbids overland travel, making navies capable of mass landings the most valuable asset in the Shattered Lands.
For now, the cities are equal, but one may yet rise above the rest. Only time will tell.
OOC: Sorry if it's not very good. I'll make a map of my proposed new cities tomorrow, if that's okay.
Illustration of a celebration at the Court in Friedesturg
Old Veridaea, once it fell to the Scourge, fell the hardest of any of the Undying Emperor's territories. The aeyurs, disunited by this time, were quick to combine their forces to slaughter and disperse its native population. This was a mass murder which was indiscriminate in ethnicity; it was largely targeted at the rich and landholding, who were of course the pillars of the Undying Empire's state apparatus. Veridaeans certainly suffered the most, but Meristijians, Oederenes and others who had done much to ingratiate themselves to the Undying Court died in numbers just as considerable. Those that escaped the slaughter fled the land, leaving it in large part empty but for a small remainder of peasants and collaborators, ripe for the ambitions of the aeyurs. As quickly as the Cavharite hordes had joined, after the rather embarrassing catastrophes at Urdat and Quisen where Cavharite aeyurs had fought against each other, they separated once again and went to the task of killing each other.
Cavharite armies were of course, not particularly organized. The labels of horde and scourge were not applied merely for the barbarity and enormity of the slaughter the invaders perpetrated but also for the manner in which they fought. The earliest battles between the Scourge of the Gods and the Undying Emperor's Verimasti were notable in that the Cavharites fought in rags, leather and haphazardly-assembled suits of armor. The Cavharites succeeded against the Verimasti thanks primarily to turncoat regiments of Cavharites within the Undying Emperor's legions, as well as to the enormous size of the horde that the Scourge of the Gods fielded. However, by the time of the Sack of Uaestirmac, what had once been an unorganized mass of starving peasants and steppe horsemen had been drilled into an organized fighting force, if not the equal of the once-great Verimasti then the equal of what remained of professional armies in the world.
The aeyur of Prusavi, Friedestat, had become infamous in those years for the skill and bloodlust of his soldiers, which he had termed somewhat ambitiously the, Royal Prusavian Guard. By the time of Uaestirmac's fall, the Cavharite invaders had begun to prefer pretension to replace Veridaea and bring back the glory of the old Empire, rather than destroy it altogether. In the brief war that ensued between Friedestat and the other aeyurs in Old Veridaea, chiefly Heilmuris, the Prusavian Guard crushed what resistance there was. Friedestat killed Heilmuris and made his aeyurlings bend the knee. He then set about to building a great city in his honor along the coast of the Sehurian Sea, which is today Friedesturg, the capital of the Confederacy.
Friedestat sent his new aeyurlings out through the lands he had taken, buying their will with grants of land and titles, and began calling himself the Supreme Aeyur of Prusavia. Prusavia would be unique among the new Cavharite realms in that, save for Uaestirmac, what cities the Cavharites took were largely rebuilt. Prusavia, by virtue of the maintenance of Old Veridaea's great cities and thanks to the cultural diversity preserved by the surrender of Heilmuris' aeyurlings, became a settled and cosmopolitan land in contrast to the boundless and homogenous tracts claimed by other Cavharite Supreme Aeyurs.
Spoiler:
The Sacred Immortal Emperor at New Uaestirmac
This became something of a frustration for Friedestat's successors, especially his grandson Gharlemaget, who brought Prusavia into the new Sacred Immortal Empire and lived long enough to see the Empire's trade guilds rip Friedesturg of virtually all power over the other important cities in the land. Prusavia became the object of the ambitions of various other dynasties within and without of the Sacred Immortal Empire, especially as the inborn authority of Friedesturg as the successor to Uaestirmac was robbed by the building of New Uaestirmac in Gaetherstad.
Battle during the War of Imperial Succession
The War of Imperial Succession became the breaking point for Prusavia, when the different cities and aeyurs of the land took separate sides in the conflict, and the land became a significant theatre for the war. The peace at New Uaestirmac divvied up Prusavia into a number of independent states, under the guidance of the new Immortal Emperor. These Prusavian city-states were short-lived, as the war in Acahurja distracted the Immortal emperor and Friedesturg gradually reasserted its status as regional center.
Immortal Prince Siegrestamm of the Line of Friedestat ultimately fought a brief war against the Immortal Emperor in Uaestirmac and the Sacred Immortal Church to reunite the city-states under Friedesturg's leadership, creating the Prusavian Confederacy, and crowning himself King of United Prusavia.
Today, Prusavia is united, inasmuch as it has ever been. The King at Friedesturg delegates authority to a council of various princes and dukes that are largely subservient to his authority, in that the power of Friedesturg's ruler is a guarantor of local independence from the Sacred Immortal Emperor, and cultural differences between the cities are largely buried.
Perhaps the core tenant of the worship of Chetsa is that to live is to change. The difference between living and dead things, it was reasoned in pre-history, was that dead things could not change or move. Living things were infused with something that allowed them to change and move, a soul, of a sort. The sea and wind moved, and it changed, so it was conceivable that they lived as well.
But what happens to this force, this soul? The early islanders reasoned that the soul was the real living thing, merely going through yet another change. There were many beliefs about what happened to these souls. Some said they joined the sea and air, with some believing that they were the ones moving it. Others believed that the souls went into other vessels. New people, animals, plants, maybe the ocean and the air. A few believed that the rocks lived as well, just slower than we can see maybe some people became rocks.
Yircch cleared all of that up. Good human souls did become part of the tide and wind, part of Chetsa, free to travel the world and do as they please. Evil human souls would be tied to a lesser level of being. Exactly how one is punished has been a topic of debate for example, is it a greater punishment to be in a lesser creature, like a rat, as opposed to a tortoise, or would the fact that one would spend 3 years as a rat before maybe becoming human again be better than waiting a tortoises lifespan? Whatever the answer, it is generally agreed that becoming a rock or an object is seen as the very worst punishment, as it could be centuries before one is allowed to even become a simple plant, like a lichen. [Note: This has lead to a lack of ghost stories in the Haesterian isles the idea that a spirit or soul could just wonder around is quite alien. But poltergeist stories at least, angry haunted object stories are quite common.]
How can one be good then? In far fewer words than the faith actually has it, compassion and unity. The perfect person looks after the weakest people they know, and will stand by his brother or friend in a confrontation, but the loser will not be cast out, but rather, allowed in. Of course, Chetsa, in His great wisdom, knew that not everyone can do these things all the time. Thus it falls to the priests to look after the poor and the hungry, and to mediate disagreements, to find a solution that brings two sides together.
But change is still an important part of the religion. Before he died, Yircch wrote down everything that Chetsa had told him in his life, known as the Book of Tide and Wind. The original has been closely guarded for millennia, hidden by the Movement. The Book is as close to Chetsa becoming an object as it is possible to for Him to be. And the Book to must change. One of the powers of the Afcindsketsich is the ability to change what the book says, by adding passages or cross bits out and writing them in by hand. Most Afcindsketsiches change one or two passages in their lifetime, but there have been those that radically change whole chapters. What has been lost is the record of who made what changes, so it the time line of pre Imperial changes is unknown.
While I'm here, something I wrote up while in London. Apologies for its rather unedited nature.
Haesdir
It is said the city of Haesdir is a perfect example of Haesterian society today. In the centre is the palace of the Afcindsketsich, built like a cathedral. It is here the main masses are held, as well as the courts for the most heinous of crimes. It contains one the worlds biggest libraries, mostly containing shipping manifests, some going back hundreds of years. A significant section of the library is open to the public, and contains books from all over the known world. But its most significant piece is the Book of Tide and Wind, the ever-changing holy book of Chetsa. The centrepiece of the palace is the Sehurian, a mosaic on the floor of the entrance hall, where hundreds congregate daily. It is a meticulous recreation of the Sehurian, a superimposed tide and wind map swapping string and reed for gold and silver. It is said it was financed entirely by the holdings of an Undying Prince, trying to get away from the turmoil of his homeland. The rumours that some of the island mosaics contain bone fragments from the Prince and his family have been denied. The Palace contains the biggest school for acolytes.
Near the palace are the real movers and shakers of the nation. It contains the houses of the administers, the civil bureaucracy inherited from the empire, running the day to day business of the islands from this district, while the priests bring in the money. Administers flaunt their wealth, drawing on revived Veridaen styles to build their homes, with some local twists, especially in furnishing. The buildings themselves are either the same colonial buildings of the Empire, or near accurate recreations. Priest houses tend to smaller and communal, both in an effort to be humble, and because they do not hold onto their wealth as much, investing it in a new enterprise. But the higher priests are still just as important, and so live among the somewhat gaudy, perhaps to make up for the plainness of their neighbours, houses of the rich.
Much of the rest is hustle and bustle of the city. There are artisans of every stripe, converting raw materials into quality goods. Much is bought up by priests, but some are sold to foreign traders, or even sold to other natives. The 'burgher class' of other lands is only now starting to grow here, as before priests would buy entire stock for an incredibly low price. New money appearing in the Administrative district is causing something of a stir, both among the administers, who had kept an almost separate, calcified culture for centuries, and the priesthood, as they have never had the people make their own decisions about where what they make should go.
Then there are the docklands. While this is the source for the country's wealth, it is also the scene of the largest poverty. The entire coast of the city is taken up by jetties and wharfs. Below them is a large shanty town, constantly changing as the shacks made of driftwood and seaweed are destroyed. People eke out what living they can, often over looked by even the most charitable priest. Most earn their living as beach combers looking for flotsam and jetsam, precious cargo that was lost overboard. They supply the street vendors with cheap meat gulls (chicken), rats (goat), foul-smelling limpets (oysters), parasite-ridden crabs (pygmy lobster), dogs and cats (meat of the continent!). The most hardy, or foolish, souls venture underwater, cleaning the keels of boats or clearing out debris from the harbour. Most just turn to crime.
Outside the city's often ill-defined boundaries, is the rest of the island. Here, and on other islands, raw materials are collected, ready to be distributed as according to the needs of the people. Metals and minerals are in adequate supply in most places, mines gouging great craters in the earth. The soil is often too poor or not enough for non-native animals, save chickens and goats, so most animal meat eaten in the city are salted imports. The largest domesticated animals, giant tortoises, are still the delicacy due to their slow growth (tortoise cavalry has so far been a useless endeavour, and use as beasts of burden has fared little better). The suitability for plants varies far more. Many islands are terrible for crops, despite the best efforts of some enterprising souls. Sweet berries, protein-rich nuts and tuberous roots are the fodder of the day, with the hardy grasses being used for clothing and building material. Grapes have adapted well to at least one island, giving a very unique flavour to continental wine.
But it is the ocean that the nation gets its bounty. In the shallows, fishermen hunt as they have done for millennia, spearing fish and crustaceans, while women collect shellfish from the tide pools. This has mostly become a hobby, however, as it is not enough to feed a modern nation. Many creatures are partially domesticated, including tropical seals, pods of porpoises and shoals of fish and squid. This usually involves ships following large groups around, keeping them from harm, feeding them in lean times and dissuading breeding with outside influences. Shellfish and crustaceans are grown in tanks to satiate not only the food industry, but the fashion one as well. Cockles and mottled crab shell are the latest thing absolutely anyone who is anyone must be seen in these days.
Map of Names
Spoiler:
The Alphabet or Vathend
Spoiler:
I have terrible mouse writing. And this is far bigger than I thought when I made it in GIMP.
I misspelled Veridaen in that last box.
To come: The military and a story ft. the Haesterian version of chess.
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