Arcanum

Nation Name: The Most Industrial City-State of Kobraz
Capital Name: Kobraz
Location of Capital and Borders: See the map above. Borders stretching beyond the boundaries of the city are entirely for raw materials.
Flag: Three red hammers upon a white background
Dominant Species: Dwarves
Minor Species: Half-Dwarves
Government: Elective
Ruler Name: Foreman Gal Hagost
Heir Name: Supervisor Phandir Dredgneb
Background: Kobraz is an isolated city-state nestled within a mountain range, fairly ignorant of the world around it. Possibly the result of deserting soldiers coupled with ambitious industrialists, Kobraz is a city-state dominated by the worship or labor, tools, and the sweat of the working dwarf. An eager population of workers toils away nonstop in its factories and workshops, while pious "bosses" administer the tasks and projects that the workers are so thankful to undertake. These bosses risk eternal toil in the afterlife for taking positions that lack much physical labor, but somehow they endure this daunting fate... Nevertheless, Kobraz is closed off to the outside world. Outsiders are shunned, and only a small minority of humans and half-dwarves reside in the walls, working exceptionally arduous jobs in order to prove their work ethic and piety. The foremen, bosses, and supervisors of Kobraz warn of the sloth that permeates the outside world, and the watchful City Guard man the city's defenses, drilling constantly to drive off feelings of complacency.
Religion: Our god is labor, that precious process by which we get a taste of heaven on this sweet earth. Our work can never truly bring heaven to earth, but there is joy and contentment in ever labor. When every hard-working dwarf draws his last breath, his soul is whisked away and rewarded for all of the works done on earth. The slothful instead toil in the Great Foundry, where they produce the goods and services for those who toiled their fair share during their lifetime.

EDIT: Sniped by jackel. Changing location.

 

mistakes were made.

 

Spoiler Large flag is large, and indeed made by me :D :

Nation Name: New Thelian Kingdom (New Thel, alternatively known as New Kurosian Kingdom/New Kuros by its own human population, along with those disputing its legitmacy as the successor state to the Thel Imperium)
Capital Name: Lycou
Location of Capital and Borders: See Above
Flag: See above
Dominant Species: Half-Elf
Minor Species: Human
Government:Hereditary
Ruler Name: Queen Leitte I of Lycou
Heir Name: Princess Malene
Background:

Spoiler :

Since even before the Thel Imperium, the small strip of land connecting Tarinar and Moran was occupied by simple human farmers and shepherds, with very little contact with the outside world. So politically undeveloped were these lands, that when the Thel Imperium first enroached on the lands, there was no universally agreed upon native name for the land or the inhabitants. Once the elves came, however, the pointy eared invaders dubbed it Kuros, or "[the] Neck"

The Thel Conquest brought with it "civilization", as the elves called it, although one could argue the native humans were not treated civilly. New Elven cities dotted the region, displacing the few human urban regions back into the rural countryside. The most important of these new Elvish cities was Lycou, which stood lucratively in the center of the Sapphire Road; the name of the trade route which connected Tarinar and Moran. The Sapphire mines of Tarinar (where the name of the route came from) would be traded southwards with the ultimate destination back to Nalore itself. However, almost all trade had to go through Kuros to reach various ports down in Moran, and in itself almost all roads in Moran ended up leading to Lycou.

While the cities of Kuros became model Elvish lands, the Athei policy towards humans was that of casual racism. The non-magical, round eared freaks were barred from ever setting foot within the cities. The simple argicultural goods that the humans made were "purchased" by elvish entrepreneurs for exceedingly low prices (if not outright stolen through enforcers), only to be sold back to travelers on the Sapphire Road for massive profits. The traditional animistic faith of the humans, considered a symptom of their uncivilized ways, was repressed even in their own villages, with elven inquisitors stationed to "save their souls".

Human revolts against the harsh treatment of the Imperium's rules only saw themselves become virtual chattlel to newly established elven manors in the countryside when they were defeated. Through uncouth measures, these Athei started to forcefully interbeed with their human serfs, creating a substantial half-elf population.

Due to humans being worked into the ground, and the slow birth rates of full elves, half-elves became the single most populous race within Kuros. Compared to the round ears, they were considered free and could enter the cities, but their inability to fully master elven magic, along with just general racism, kept them as low class filth in the eyes of the Aethi. The cities became mostly populated by half-elves, but in dirty slums.

When the first conflicts between dwarves and the Imperium began, the half-elves of Kuros still felt some pangs of loyalty to their full blooded counterparts when compared to the completely alien subterran freaks, while the humans were too small and weak to really have a say in the matter. Thus, the cities of Kuros remained loyalist during the first hundred years of the war, and Kurosian half-elf armies fought under the Thel banner. Most notably, despite their own patriotism, Thel commanders felt disdain towards the Kurosians, and used them mostly as cannon fodder.

Mistreatment eventually destroyed the morale of the half-elves, until the destruction of Nalore finally broke the straw of the camel's back. The armies of Kuros mutinied, and forcefully freed their round eared human cousins from their aristocratic overseers. What followed was known as "the Revenge", where the humans spearheaded, supported by many half-elves, a massacre against the full-blooded elves within the cities and manors. It is said that the streets of Lycou and other cities flowed with blood for days as almost (if not completely all) the entire elven population was brutally murdered.

A terrible storm plagued Lycou for forty days, allegedly with the water tainted red, which threatened to wash away the remains of civilization in Kuros*. Only when leaders of the rebellion swore off violence for retribution did the storm (likely coincidentally) end, revealing the sun in front of a brilliant rainbow. Such became the covenant of creating a new, just order rather than simply revenge for the sake of it, and it became the start of what the half-elves called their New Thel.

Saphia, the charismatic half-elf who many considered the leader of the bunch, was proclaimed the New Queen of Thel, and an enatic monarchy (perhaps the enatic succession inspired by the Eternal Empress) was established to uphold the ideals of The Covenant. The remaining humans of Kuros, mostly limited to the southern fringe at this point, were welcomed openly as brothers and sisters of the new Kingdom, even if the round ears aren't particularly too happy at the choice of name, preferring to use New Kuros. By 1813, Saphia has since passed, and her daughter Leitte has taken the throne, equally as beholden to the same ideas of justice and equality as her predecessor.

*Elvish scholars have postulated the storm was the result of the imbalance of mana caused through the murder of so many spellcasters and other such elves in such a short period of time.

Religion:

Spoiler :

The main religion in Kuros, known as Covenantism, is considered by theologians as a recent and extremely heretical offshoot of the Mana worship in the old Imperium. In fact, it is so heretical, the actual worship of mana itself is all but gone; with all focus on a reinterpreted Ishrama.

Ishrama is no longer a physical manifestation of mana, but a more traditional goddess, one who orgionally blessed the original Thelians the secrets of magic. Magic was the great equalizer; anyone with the gift could overcome any physical shortcoming to defend themselves in the cruel and hostile world. Canon tells that Ishrama would later grow to regret this action, as her chosen people became more obsessed with the gift of magic than with Ishrama herself, letting Elven pride morph it into a cult of mana and a series of conquests which spread inequality across all the world.

Not only that, but while magic was finely tuned for elves, it did not seem to be perfectly calibrated for humans or other races, ironically actually creating a caste system of magic users and non-magic users. In every sense of the world, magic was a mistake.

Disgusted with the Thel Imperium, Ishrama did nothing but watch as she let the other races band together to overthrow it. There was no fixing the rotten empire; she simply let it have to die off and start over from scratch. But how? Who would understand Ishrama, without warping her vision in their pride?

The answer lied in the Kuros isthmus, where half-elves, rather than full blooded elves, were in an open revolt against the Imperium. The half-elves still recognized Ishrama's faith, even if they were largely atheistic and in contempt of it, and they were motivated by a sense of justice, however morphed by lust of reverge, rather than elven pride. It was almost as if the human blood tempered the excesses of the flaws of elves.

Of course, Ishrama had to first temper the Kurosians themselves, to make them swear off the entire body-for-an-eye revanchist "justice" that they abscribed to. For forty days, a torrent of rain crashed across the Kuros isthmus, threatening all form of life. Ishrama, meanwhile, whispered to whatever half elf priestesses were left her ultimate plan. On the 40th day, they managed to convince the rebel leaders to swear off the violence, and with it, Ishrama knew she found herself the people that could finally interpret her original vision.

Presenting the most magnificent rainbow, punctuated with a illuminating sun in the middle, the titular Covenant was signed between Ishrama and the half-elves of Kuros. The most common interpretation of the Covenant is a small prayer, which is also known as the Covenant, which all those of the faith are supposed to uphold:

I will be merciful, for there is no freedom without mercy
I will be just, for there is no mercy without justice
I will be egalitarian, for there is no justice without equality
I will be free, for there is no equality without freedom

As expected, the four main tenants of Convenantism is, in order of the prayer, mercy, justice, equality, and freedom. None is considered more important than the other; all four are related to each other and begets the other three (as the prayer is supposed to symbolize). That being said, equality and justice, due to the nature of its founding, do tend to be the two most emphasized by its adherents and by sermons.

 

Protect. Preserve. Prosper.

Nation Name: The Magical Kingdom of Azkarthame
Capital Name: Azkarth
Location of Capital and Borders:

Flag: <pending>
Dominant Species: Elves
Minor Species: Humans
Government: Hereditary
Ruler Name: High Queen Schala
Heir Name: Princess Ilsa
Governor Names: Gantham, Baltasar, Melchior, Oumber, Helgai, Namsan, Rashoch, Carchamu, Ahesh, Enki (Sumerian names)
Background: The Magical Kingdom of Azkarthame is a divine monarchy, whose ruler wields authority as a living icon of some greater power. In the Azkan Holy Canon, the history of the nation is described:

AZKARTHAME is the name granted to the dominions of the city of AZKARTH, greatest fortress in all the island wastes. The AZKANS who live in the city are good, noble, and pure, and work hard to improve the world. They have long revered the ways of the wise and lived in humble awe of the majestic powers of the Thel. The fall of THEL is THE GREAT TRAGEDY, the moment civilization was dealt a deathly blow. AZKANS, you good and pure, you have been CHOSEN to fight for civilization as its final guardians. Through MAGIC, RIGOR, DISCIPLINE, & STUDY, we will restore the glory of Thel and make its light to shine once more across the entire world.

Religion: The Ancient Way is the wisdom that history, decadence, vice, and sin have stolen from us, the wisdom that allowed the Thelians to invent civilization. This religion is a religion of science: through study of the arcane, uncover the secrets of the Ancient Way and restore magic to the grace of the divine. Our beacon in finding the ancient way and our leader in this mission is none other than the High Queen, whose magic is purest and best, and her daughter, the Princess, who will carry the torch of Azkan society and Azkarthamean government after her.

 

No Tolni that's not correct. In Elective Heirs act as Vice-Presidents and you can pick them.

 

Fire obsessed burninating Viking clans union with focus on individual heroism inbound

 

Nation Name: The Greater Empire of Abendresland
Capital Name: Abenkänte
Inclination: Technology

Location of Capital City of Abenkänte (in yellow) and the cities of Demokänte (in black) and Veineburgen (in black) as well as outline of National Borders:

Spoiler :

Flag:

Spoiler :

Dominant Species: Human
Minor Species: None
Government: Hereditary
Ruler Name: Keisüng Johann III
Heir Name: Keispressinne Julianna

Names
(M)
Hans
Veiner
Bertman
Maximan
Maximillian
Burkharte
(F)
Gertha
Hannah
Victoria
Lisa
Edna
Selanna

Background

Religion:

 

joining as Seygah [system of government] somewhere

 

Nation Name: The Grand Republic of Allegia
Ravéç&#322;rinn Sur xiu Aléx&#322;a

-Else referred to as:
Lord Sovereign Allegia the Great
&#321;san Isésé&#322;v Aléx&#322;a a Nod&#322;

Capital Name: Allegia
Aléx&#322;a

Other Cities:
-Magichari, Mag&#322;çar&#322;; located on the larger northeastern island (Vigir Island, V&#322;gir-çar&#322;)
-Giayrannig, X&#322;aiarann&#322;g; located on the southeastern coast of the Grand Republic

Location of Cities and Borders:

Spoiler :

Flag:

Spoiler :

Dominant Species: Humans

Minor Species: Gnomes

Government: Elective

Ruler Name: [Prince of Allegia] Inrigiu Sechov
[Féhex&#322;em Aléx&#322;énç] Inrix&#322;u Séçov

Heir Name: [Duke of the Sovereign] Giuliu Calasar
[V&#322;rst xia Isésé&#322;v] Xiul&#322;u Calasar

Names:

Background: Soon tmtm

Religion: Soon hm

 

Speaking of which, just saying: You don't have to take a minor race, although you're losing on some bonuses, but on the other side, you're starting at +3 Stability, which is pretty great.

Several of you have asked me about the scale of the map. For reference, all of the continents smoshed together would be roughly the size of Africa, while most of the isles are roughly the size of Jamaica/Cuba.

 

Ok here we are:

Nation: City State of Athica
Location: Two islands right in the middle sea
Major Race: Humans
Minor Race: Dwarves
Flag: None yet, but it will be Owl themed
Government: Appointed
Ruler Name: Grand Admiral Tsukemi
Heir Name: Admiral Tajimoto

 

Nation Name: United Gates of Revnoz
Capital Name: Gate of Scholars
Location of Capital and Borders:
Flag:
Dominant Species: Half Orcs
Minor Species: Half Elves, Humans
Government: Appointed
Ruler Name: Primarch Kuran Revnoz
Heir Name: Gu Wei Ra
Names:
Background: During the collapse of the Thel Imperium, racial conflict reached its peak. Half Orcs and Half Elves were both looked down upon as creatures of the underworld, spat upon when they were not outright lynched. They came together in outposts, learning that they must stick together if their races were to survive in this world of persecution. Soon after the fall of the Thel, a self proclaimed prophet whom many whisper was actually an elder Magistrate of the Thel discovered and began preaching of an old religion, older than any of the major religions in existance, older than the Thel, older than much of civilization itself. This religion was devoted to the manifestations of the 12 gods here on the planet, and spoke of the great power that each "Gate" gave those that worshiped them. This prophet, or as some say magistrate, was named Victus. He went about in search of the gates, and united the three cities that he discovered were already worshiping the gates. This was a loose confederation, but it would do for now. He titled himself the Primarch, and named the dynasty Revnoz, after the leader of the Gods according to the old scrolls. However, Primacrh Victus Revnoz disappeared not long after he had established the country. For the past 56 years the Primarchs have focused resources on fortifying their cities against outside attack and growing their communities, in order to better fund the search for clues as to where the remaining 9 Gates are. It is rumored the current Primarch Kuran Revnoz is on the trail, and it may soon be time to send a wave of adventurers out into the world to see if the old writings ring true.

Religion: 12 Gates. 12 Deities. 3 have been found and reclaimed. 9 remain, scattered around the globe. They must be found through tireless research and constant expeditions. They must be brought back into the fold. Each gate is the worldly manifestation of one of 12 deities that rule different aspects of the world, and each Gate reclaimed will empower us to serve their needs throughout the world.

 

Fixed some small mistakes in the rules:

 

Added Names: signup category, where you'll put in your nation's names.

 

We'd like to ask everyone to add an additional two cities to your signups, bringing up the city total to three, and also make the borders a bit bigger. Filling up all that land with city-state NPCs would have been horrible.

 

Updated claims after was nagged to make mine bigger.



Yellow is still the capital of Lycou. Red dot is Gulot (Another former elven city), and green is Takubi (a traditionally human city that has grown to prominence since their liberation).

 

Fixed an error in the unit listings. The mana cost for Runic Warriors was changed from 10 to 20 as originally intended.

EDIT: Also I fixed an error in both the Factory and Mana Spire buildings that were using old rules that were unbalanced. They have been updated to the new rules involving trade.
EDIT 2: Half-Dwarves starting bonus buffed from 1,000 extra starting gold to 10,000.
EDIT 3: Half-Orcs starting bonus buffed from level one fort in the capital to level one fort in all cities plus bonus starting units.

 

So, several of you have started in, well, Tundra. Please keep that in mind, and maybe you should switch.

 

Nation Name: Skagar

Capital Name: Valla

Location of Capital and Borders:

Spoiler :

The two cities are named Trollheim (west) and Dragrak (East).
Flag:

Spoiler :

Yes it&#8217;s the red mana symbol of Magic the Gathering, but I had to manually clone the texture downwards to extend the size of the original image, so screw you MR CRITIC, i did put work into it

Dominant species: Humans.

Minor species: Not any significant minor species however there is a slave class of performing elves accounting for <1% of the population.

Government: Appointed. Basically when the Tharl (king) dies, any soldier blessed by the Flame may declare himself worthy to be the next Tharl. Then a grand arena fight is performed &#8211; armored with wooden weapons, they rarely die &#8211; and the winner becomes the next Tharl.

Ruler Name: Hella Bane-Bosom. A particularly vicious woman, Tharl Helga is a giant 2m 5 cm muscular matriarch that was born in a storm at sea. Rumors go that at some point she crushed a gnomish merchant under her while having sex with him. She sits on the throne without shirt, showing off her large arms and huge manlike chest.

Heir Name: &#8230; Well people aren&#8217;t preselected to win the contest but I guess I have to select someone. Stonemouth Laugar. Known as Stonemouth because he tried to crunch a stone with his teeth at some point. He didn&#8217;t succeed, his teeth are a mess, but he&#8217;s really good with a battleaxe.

Names:
Male:
Ulfur
Bjernur
Thorim
Snokarl
Hallan

Female:
Frina
Silda
Ruda
Nissis
Ithis

Background:
Basically they&#8217;re a cross between stereotypes of vikings and barbarians. They worship fire and rage as it warms up the cold terrain they live in. Strength and combat prowess are both In very high regard, and they believe that if you fight well enough during your life, you will ascend to godhood in the afterlife, where you will be part of the bastion fighting night creatures during the apocalypse.

There is a very small class of half-elves &#8211; their position is quite weird though. One could call them slaves, but it&#8217;s not that simple. They&#8217;re unallowed to own property or fight in wars. Their jobs are usually in entertainment, where they work as dancers or musicians. However, they are highly respected in all layers of society and are considered spiritually elevated. Performing crimes against them is much more strictly punished than performing crimes against humans. Still they are considered property, even if fine property, of their superintendents. They often wed humans instead of elves in order to get more menial holdings, which is why their genetic makeup is a mess. A noble usually owns one to two of these slaves. They don&#8217;t perform menial work, that&#8217;s for the maids and such to do, but they perform entertainment jobs when the noble has guests. Similarly, a city usually has a small group of elvish entertainers that perform during weekends in taverns and during court meetings.

The background for these people isn&#8217;t well known. After the fall of the Thel emipre, many elves were killed, and the rise of Skagar and the Vredar faith may have costed many elves&#8217; lives. The best current guess Is that somehow the elves kept their elevated position while becoming more accusto

(will probably edit the above, I need more history.)

Also, in Skagar, they don&#8217;t really care about sex and sexuality. There have been many gay Tharls, many female Tharls and so on. There&#8217;s no word for straight and gay, no word distinguishing between a male and female position &#8211; so you are a Tharl regardless of sex.
They still have male and female names tho.

Religion: Vredar, basically they worship the fire god of the summer who&#8217;s really angry and fierce but lights the starry sky to guide the Skagar across the sea.

I&#8217;ll repost a thing from my background (eventually I&#8217;m going to edit this too)
Basically they&#8217;re a cross between stereotypes of vikings and barbarians. They worship fire and rage as it warms up the cold terrain they live in. Strength and combat prowess are both In very high regard, and they believe that if you fight well enough during your life, you will ascend to godhood in the afterlife, where you will be part of the bastion fighting night creatures during the apocalypse.

 

I haven't read enough of the rules to join yet, but if you need another player PM me and I'll find a place to start.