The Nemeri Reich
Regions 289, 288, 286, 285, 290, 291, 292, 287, 319, 342, 346, 347, 348
Andarious Brynjolf I of Nemeria, Archduke of Nemeria, Kaiser of the Second Nemeri Reich, Judge-Commandant of the Mawyn, and Possessor Of Numerous Superlatives
Diplomacy: 10
Military: 10
Curiosity: 10
Faith: 2
Luck: 12
Nemeria
Region 289
Spoiler: Terrain
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The isthmus of Nemeria, at the base of the Núrnen Peninsula, is home to lush and vibrant plains, with amber grain fields spreading across the rolling landscape. The plains stretch from the Nemerian Seaway to the north, south to the vineyard dotted hills of the Nemerian Peninsula. There trade bustles and fishing boats pull in their latest recent haul from a plentiful ocean.
Aside from the bustling Nemerian Seaway port of Caernarvon, home of the hallowed Halls of the Dead in the northeast, two other major population centers dominate Nemeria; Amarthius, the City of Wine along the Bay of Nemeria in the west, and the capital city of Nemer Nova, along Nemeria's ocean coast in the east.
Spoiler: People, society, & government
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Population: 920,000
The Nemerians are a race of tall, stocky humans inhabiting the isthmus of Nemeria. Living in a region blessed most of the year with mild weather but few trees, they have dusky, bronzed skin and dark hair.
Culturally alien to the region, the Nemerians descend from the ancient Nemer race of human raiders who made landfall on the isthmus from a realm far south centuries ago. Years of war with Nemeria's native Núrnian populations forged the early Nemerians into a race of fearsome warriors. But as those peoples broke under Nemerian onslaught and fled north and east, the Nemerians found soon themselves holding lands without foe. Blessed with abundant fertile plains and rich oceans and seas, the Nemerians soon adopted a more peaceful, agrarian existence.
Far from the martial masters of days of yore, the Nemerians still honor their great heritage. Nemerians hold their honor in highest regard, their young men eagerly pledging their service to Nemeria among the Archduke's cataphracts. Many Nemerians still hold to their ancient seafaring heritage, working as sailors and fishermen.
But times have change in Nemeria. Where once a man's prowess was measured in combat, it is now measure by the pintful. While Nemerians are astute crafters of ales, meads, and liquors, in Amarthius they hold a Festival of the Vine, a wine tasting held every five years which is a true spectacle to behold.
Spoiler: Resources
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While the Nemerian region is blessed with wide open fields, plenty of sunlight, and mild, temperate weather, which are great for growing all sorts of ingredients to make various types of alcohol, the Nemerians are famous for their fine Nemerian wine (Great), but their mineral poor landscape leaves them in need of metals for armor, weapons, tools, and various utensils.
Spoiler: Faith
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Majority: The House of the Pale Lady, Minority: The Gods of Nemer (pagan)
Missionaries of the House of the Pale Lady have made their way down the Nemerian Seaway from the north to establish a foothold in Nemeria. Due to the missionary activities of the faith, it is now a dominate religion in Nemeria.
The Nemerians generally worship the gods of their ancestors, the Nemer. Headed up by the Queen Amarth, goddess of alcohol, fertility, beauty, and festivities, the Nemer pantheon includes other members such as; Caern, the god of death, Pontus, the goddess of nature and the sea, and Solaris, god of the sun. The Nemerians also worship their greatest ancestor, Ysry, the first Archduke of the Nemeria, who they have adopted as their god of war.
Laeryn
Region 286
Ghostwritten by lt_murgen
Spoiler: Terrain
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Laeryn is a nation at the base of the peninsula of the same name. It is bounded by the Sea of Storms to the West, and the Cygnian channel to the east. Away from the rocky coast, the land rises rapidly up steep cliffs to a long, flat plain. The coasts are uniformly poor anchorage for ships. On the west coast, there exists a long channel called the Great Inlet from the Sea of Storm into the interior. It is shallow, and choked with sea kelp, but provides ample shelter from the turbulent seas. The capital city of Bayside lies along the southern end of the bay. It is an ancient, decaying city of stone and timber often at odds with the massive size of its inhabitants.
Laeyrn sees little rain, as the sea pushes most storms further north. Still, there is enough to grow vast amounts of wheat on the central peninsula. The dry weather is also a boon, keeping the moisture-loving wheat smut and blackrot out of the crops. Windy conditions are always present which help to keep the summers mild and the winters cool. The area has few trees, though brambles, thickets, and berry-producing bushes are common.
The wheat field are full of animal bounty. Greater booplesnoots, a species of large hare, consume the crops voraciously. Non-native rats are also a big problem, kept in check only by the numbers of constrictor snakes. Dozens of species of songbirds nest in the thickets surrounding the fields. A species of falcon nests along the slopes near the sea, riding the thermals into the interior to hunt the smaller birds. Coydogs, a feral crossbreed of a domestic dog and a native coyote, hunt amongst the thickets and down into the hare dens. Pigs are common- both domesticated and feral. The Great Inlet’s beds of kelp host huge masses of delicious sea snail. These, in turn, feed large populations of sea cat-snakes, a local name for a sea otter.
The interior is a maze of narrow lanes surrounded by tall hedge-rows of bramble and thicket. Between the lanes are fields and small villages. Travel through the interior is not difficult, but the passages are serpentine and the hedgerows nearly impassable.
Spoiler: People, society, & government
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Population: 819,000
Laeryn is officially known as the Laeryn Kingdom. It is populated by the Mawyn. The Mawyn are massive, hairy, bipedal weasel-folk. Their name, in their language, means “The people who can eat anything.” They stand 28-32 link (7-8 feet) tall and weight 600-800 link (3-400 lbs). They are broad shouldered with a greater range of motion than a human’s. Their shoulder structure and their webbed hands and feet make them excellent swimmers. They are easily twice as strong as two normal humans. Which is unfortunate, as their temperament is similar to their badger or wolverine cousins. They are fractious, territorial, disagreeable, and prone to settle arguments violently. Yet they do have a strong sense of personal honor and a cultural code of conduct. Fights never involve their retractable claws, and are never to the death.
Since the Mawyn are covered in fur, their clothing is limited to belts, buckles, and pouches. They have a fascination with hats even though their double-lidded eyes protect them from both sea-water and harsh light.
One oddity of the Mawyn is their cultural affinity for cats. No one is certain why, but in their folk-stories, it is always the clever cat who is the hero. The have domesticated the cats as rat-hunters and companion animals.
The Kingdom of Laeryn is divided into two main populations. The Hillfolk live in the interior. They grow the wheat and raise the pigs. They live in small farming communities arranged along family ties. The Coasters live along both coasts. They do most of the fishing and snail hunting. But they also control almost all of the threshing mills and bakeries. The two populations are always at odds, though it is impossible for most outsiders to distinguish between the two. Hillfolk say that Coasters smell like dead fish. The Coasters claim the Hillfolk smell like pig feces- even at 20 paces.
The Kingdom is ruled by King Laeryn XXVII. He resides in a castle in the Capital city of Bayside. He was a reckless child, and suffered an accident as a teen. Diving for sea-snail, he became entangled in the kelp fronds. He was rescued, but not before he suffered brain trauma. He is generally considered to be an ineffectual imbecile, supported only by his closest advisers.
This lack of governance made it easy for Nemeria to assert control. They introduced a group of judges and rangers to keep the peace. Mostly, they just officiate the brawls and make sure that they do not get out of control.
Spoiler: Resource
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The Mawyn manage two growing seasons a year, rotating fields to ensure good land management. They grow 6-8 different species of Wheat (Good), from pale white to almost black. The windy climate powers numerous wind-mill threshing facilities along the coastal ridges.
Lack of rainfall means few trees. Dried kelp is commonly used as fuel, but it is inky, stinky, and oily. The area is in need of wood for both fuel and construction.
Spoiler: Faith
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Minority: The House of the Pale Lady, Majority: Ancestor Worship
Shipwrecked sailors have brought the Pale Lady to Laeryn. The rest mostly follow unorganized forms of ancestor worship.
The Easterfells
Region 288
Ghostwritten by lt_murgen
Spoiler: Terrain
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The Easterfells have the tall canyons of the Rhunic range to the west, and a narrow isthmus as an eastern border. The land takes its name from this eastern border. Here, a series of oblong mounds rise out of the swampy ground. These mounds are rumored to be the barrows of giant were-creatures who ruled the lands in ancient times. They are perfectly aligned and run in three parallel rows north-south between the two inlets. The area is damp and prone to thick fogs. The swamps surrounding the barrows are treacherous. The area is reportedly haunted by vengeful spirits.
Beyond the fells, the land slopes upwards into the western canyons. Cool and dry temperatures prevail, and the land is bountiful, if untamed. Cereal crops and fruit bushes grow in some number. Wild birds, rabbits, and other prey creatures thrive. Wild dog and wild pig prowl the fields. The eastern bays also provide kelp and sea-snail.
Most of the population lives in villages built into fortified box canyons in the west. The Depth of Rashii is the largest of these, and is the nominal capital. It is named after the legendary hero who first explored the massive cave system around the canyon. Villages are based around a guild system, with each guild controlling all activity within.
Spoiler: People, society, & government
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Population: 820,000
The Easterfells are populated by the Mawyn. The Mawyn are massive, hairy, bipedal weasel-folk. Their name, in their language, means “The people who can eat anything.” They stand 28-32 link (7-8 feet) tall and weight 600-800 link (3-400 lbs). They are broad shouldered with a greater range of motion than a human’s. Their shoulder structure and their webbed hands and feet make them excellent swimmers. They are easily twice as strong as two normal humans. Which is unfortunate, as their temperament is similar to their badger or wolverine cousins. They are fractious, territorial, disagreeable, and prone to settle arguments violently. Yet they do have a strong sense of personal honor and a cultural code of conduct. Fights never involve their retractable claws, and are never to the death.
Since the Mawyn are covered in fur, their clothing is limited to belts, buckles, and pouches. They have a fascination with hats even though their double-lidded eyes protect them from both sea-water and harsh light.
One oddity of the Mawyn is their cultural affinity for cats. No one is certain why, but in their folk-stories, it is always the clever cat who is the hero. The have domesticated the cats as rat-hunters and companion animals.
The Easterfells are controlled by the Circlet of Iron. This is a group of the largest 8 guilds. They pass laws and make deals within their controlled villages. Most of the minor guilds lack the power to displace them.
Nemeria took control of the area easily. They allowed the guilds to maintain control of the villages, as long as they defer overall to the Nemerian leadership. In turn, they gained judges and rangers to protect and maintain the peace.
Spoiler: Resource
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Mining is a common activity, as is smelting. The canyons produce a wide variety of iron and other metallic elements. The kelp from the bays make for excellent tempering carbon sources. The Mawyn have an extensive knowledge of metallurgy and forging techniques. Strong winds from the west power windmill which pump bellows producing very, very hot fires suitable for forging high quality Steel (Good). Their steel tends to have a banded or swirled appearance, both for aesthetics and functional strength and flexibility.
The Mawyn see their steel tools, particularly their weapons, as cultural expressions. As such, decoration and adornment is highly valued. The hills provide gemstones, and the shores mother-of pearl. But the Mawyn greatly desire silver for its ornamental properties. Others want silver worked into their weapons for its supposedly mystical powers against vengeful spirits.
Spoiler: Faith
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Minority: The House of the Pale Lady, Majority: Ancestor Worship
Shipwrecked sailors have brought the Pale Lady to the Easterfells. The rest mostly follow unorganized forms of ancestor worship. These center around their ancestors keeping the evil spirits of the barrows at bay.
Nendena
Region 285
Ghostwritten by lt_murgen
Spoiler: Terrain
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Nendena is a large, high plain that has steep cliffs along the Sea of Storms and the Cygnian Channel. A single, massive mountain called Heaven’s Pillar Thrusts out to the north, dividing the Sea of Storms from Phoenix Bay. It is so tall that it has an ever-present snow cap. It also acts as a massive wind break that erodes the lands below it. The wind and rain have carved the rest of the land into numerous arroyos and gullies. The run generally eastward, fracturing into the broken lands of Harmonhen. The high plain continues across the region and southward into Laeryn. It grows more fertile as it goes south, with more trees and less deep ravines. Numerous streams and falls cascade down Heaven’s Pillar, forming a river which is the majority of the border with Harmonhen. It then takes a massive bend and heads west, joining the great inlet of Laeryn.
The land is dominated by species of feather-grass, named after the feathery flowers at their tops. They can range from a few inches tall to nearly 10 feet tall. Each species has its own colored flowers and yearly time to bloom, so that the fields are always bearing color at some time. Beyond that, there are only a few trees, predominantly willow. Animal life is wide and varied, with species found in both Laeryn and Harmonhen both present. Grass-cats are a common predator, feral descendants of the local domesticated cat.
Spoiler: People, society, & government
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Population: 803,000
Nendena is officially known as Pyramidal Authority of the Nenden. The Nenden are a particular group of Mawyn that inhabit the area. They are similar to the other Mawyn tribes in the region. However, their fur tends to be more gray tones than brown tones. Brindled fur is also more common. Still, the naturally aggressive and volatile nature of the Mawyn is present here as well. The Nenden are also the most enthralled by cats. It is a national past-time to breed, raise, and show off cats for their beauty and hunting skills. Many Mawyn have trained their cats to perch atop their shoulders, or curl around their necks, turning them into living fashion accessories.
The population is centered on three massive pyramids. They are three sided, stepped pyramids built to Mawyn scale. They are storehouses and meeting halls for the city below. The remainder of the town buildings are either slab-stone stacks or feather-grass thatched homes. One town lies to the north where river forms the border. Another lies in the south west corner, near the border to Laeryn. The last, the capital city, is precisely half way between the two. The apex of each pyramid form a perfectly straight line, with the capital exactly between the two. Such precision across such a vast distance is unachievable with modern means. The pyramids are seemingly ancient.
The main occupation of the Nenden herding cattle. They tend a species of tiny, shaggy, long-horned cattle in much the same way most humans herd sheep. Numerous herd shacks are scattered throughout the region. No one owns these grass-thatch huts, but everyone who uses them is culturally obligated to leave them in good condition. These huts are often close to narrow arroyos that can contain the herds, and built amongst the tallest feather-grass to protect them from the elements.
These small cows also play a prominent role in the government of the Nenden. Once a year, the capital hosts a livestock fair. Cows are judged and prizes awarded. At the end, twenty seven of the largest, fastest cows are put into a large pen. Ten of them have golden medallions around their necks. Anyone wanting to be a leader enters the ring and attempts to wrestle the medallion off of the cow. Broken chains are disqualified. The crowd watches and cheers, scaring the cows into a maddening stampede of hooves and horns. The winners then choose three for each city and an official chieftain to rule for the next year. Mostly, they just handle ownership disputes.
The Nemerians were able to capitalize on their smaller size and less threatening presence during the latest competition. They seized control of the local cities, and elected their own leaders
Spoiler: Resource
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The Nenden have
cattle (Good) in abundance [class M- meat & fish]. They export meat wherever they can. The cattle are too small to be beasts of burden or mounts of any kind.
The area is low in
hard metals, like iron or steel, to be used in tools.
Spoiler: Faith
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Minority: The House of the Pale Lady, Majority: the Progenitors (monotheism)
Shipwrecked sailors have brought the Pale Lady to Nendena. The rest worship the Progenitor. Their mythology tells them that this is the original homeland of the Mawyn. That their creators built the pyramids and harvested the otters and the wolverines. They manipulated and merged those creatures with humans to create the ultimate being- the Mawyn. Rumors speak of vast underground labyrinths below the pyramids, where the ancients hid their secrets. One day, they believe, the Progenitors will return and lead them to their rightful position in the world.
Western Núrnen
Region 292
Spoiler: Terrain
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Surrounded on three sides by the Nemerian Passage, western Núrnen is a sub-peninsula of the greater Núrnen Peninsula. It was in this cool, wet sub-peninsula that many of the Núrnians fled the Nemerian conquest. There, the large forested hills of the highlands provided a landscape for the Núrnians to wage a successful guerrilla war against the Nemerian cataphracts.
A hilly, forested land, the woodlands are home to numerous creatures, from large dire wolves to enormous moose and a strange race of secretive nymphs. The shores of western Núrnen provide ample anchorage for Núrnian fisherman and sailors, while the waters of the Nemerian Passage are quality fishing grounds. The interior is sparsely populated and the central polities of western Núrnen are the coastal West Núrnen Free Cities, Atoloi, Kyn, Mithlin, and Arborein.
Spoiler: People, society, & government
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Population: 793,000
The Núrnians are a race of humans who inhabited the entirety of the Núrnen Peninsula in the days before the arrival of Ysry the Conqueror. They are lithe, of average height, and light skinned with varying colored hair and eyes.
The original inhabitants of the area were the forest nymphs. Short and lithe with fiery or earthen toned hair, bright colored eyes, and eerily pale skin, the incredibly beautiful, long-lived elfin race of the central forests and their druidic culture lived in communion with the lands for generations before Núrnian settlers pushed inland. Their numbers have always been few, but their matriarchies still dominant the central forests and northernmost shores of the region. It was the nymphs who first introduced the Núrnians to the starchy tuber which has so become a staple of their diets. In the county of Arborein, many city dwelling nymphs reside.
The Núrnians populate the regions closest to the shores and maintain fortification along the southern border. They are a largely divided people, with numerous petty fiefdoms and republics vying for dominion over the region. The most notable polities in western Núrnen are the Free Cities of Atoloi, Kyn, Mithlin, and Arborein. Autonomous city-states that arose near Núrnen's prime fishing grounds, they claims political demesnes that encompass over three fourths of the region. Atoloi, Kyn, and Mithlin are republics, ruled by Doges and legislatures elected from the land-owning populous. The county of Arborein, near the end of the sub-peninsula, is ruled by a nymph Countess, who rules over a cosmopolitan city renowned for its beauty. Intracity and intercity conflicts are largely to blame for the failure of the Núrnians of the region to counter the continued encroachment by their southern neighbors.
Spoiler: Resource
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The Núrnians grow an ample surplus of delicious, starchy tubers known as potatoes (Minor), which, after being introduced by the nymphs, have become a staple of Núrnian cooking.
While the Núrnian fishing provide them with sufficient protein, it has become something of a status symbol to serve red meats. As a result of poor pastures, Núrnians need a supply of cattle to sate this demand.
Spoiler: Faith
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Minority: The House of the Pale Lady, Minority: The Great Truth, Minority: The Watchers (monotheism), Minority: Druidic Animism
The original faith of the Núrnians was largely lost under the weight of the Nemerian invasion. Now Núrnen is a land divided by religious minorities. The last true remnant of the ancient Núrnian faith is the cult of the Watchers, a monotheistic tradition dedicated to the eponymous Watcher, an enormous sea monsters haunting the Nemerian Passage. The nymphs largely retain their ancient animism, worshiping a mother earth and a father sky among other local animist deities. Like many regions in the area, small pockets to the Pale faith were founded by sea borne missionaries. Strangely, some adherents to the philosophies of the Truserchen have emerged in the major cities.
Eastern Núrnen
Region 291
Spoiler: Terrain
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Marking the eastern most end of the Núrnen Peninsula, eastern Núrnen is a land of rolling plains and sparse woodlands and is home to most of the Núrnian population displaced by the Nemerian invasion.
The nation is dominated by farmland, amber grain fields spreading across its rolling landscape. The plains are dotted by Núrnian hillforts, small agricultural communities scattered throughout. The easternmost coast south of the Bay of Llacuna is lined with massive clifffaces, providing poor anchorage. The land's northern coasts, from the Gulf of Kyn to the Bay of Llacuna, is a fisher's paradise, with many natural harbors and waters teeming with marine life. It is there that many of the East Núrnen Free Cities lie.
Spoiler: People, society, & government
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Population: 901,000
The Núrnians are a race of humans who inhabited the entirety of the Núrnian Peninsula in the days before the arrival of Ysry the Conqueror. They are lithe, of average height, and light skinned with varying colored hair and eyes.
Like in the west, eastern Núrnen is a divided land of petty fiefs and powerful city states. The Free Cities of the East, Llacuna, Llyn, Tyre, and Ur, are the dominant political powers in the region. While Tyre, Llyn, and Llacuna control the northern coast, the inland citadel of Ur, on the banks for the Núrnen River, dominants the interior. While Llyn and Llacuna are republics ruled by Doges and legislatures elected from the land-owning populous like many of the western cities, Tyre and Ur are different. Tyre is a autocracy ruled by its ironfisted Despot, who claims descendance from the ancient Núrnian kings and rightful dominion over all the other cities. Ur is ruled by a powerful Núrnian "Duke", styling himself after the Nemerians to his south. Like in the west, intracity and intercity conflicts are largely to blame for the failure of the Núrnians of the region to counter the continued encroachment by their southern neighbors.
Spoiler: Resource
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The Núrnians of the east use their ample farmland to grow hops, wheat, barley, and other grains, which they use to ferment delicious beer (Minor), which is said to rival the brews of their Nemerian neighbors.
The Núrnians of the east, however, are in need of precious metals, to use as signs of prosperity in the constant game of power played between the eastern Cities.
Spoiler: Faith
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Minority: The House of the Pale Lady, Minority: The Gods of Nemer (pagan), Minority: The Watchers (monotheism)
The original faith of the Núrnians was largely lost under the weight of the Nemerian invasion. Now Núrnen is a land divided by religious minorities. The last true remnant of the ancient Núrnian faith is the cult of the Watchers, a monotheistic tradition dedicated to the eponymous Watcher, an enormous sea monsters haunting the Nemerian Passage. The Gods of Nemer are worshiped among some, mostly Nemerian immigrants. Like many regions in the area, small pockets to the Pale faith were founded by sea borne missionaries.
Talodus
Region 290
Spoiler: Terrain
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As the plains of Nemeria move east and the plains of eastern Núrnen move south they meet among the ancient, primordial forests of Talodus. Talodus, the Nemerian occupied lands at the terminus of the Núrnen Peninsula, is the most heavily wooded region in the area, shrouded in enormous yondervoed trees, a species of long-lived, fast growing tree.
Along the eastern shore, enormous cliff faces dominate, petering off as the Talodus sub-peninsula juts south into the ocean. The shores of the south are of quality anchorage, and it is there that the naval centers of the region, Tůrsolar, Pontus, Landown, emerged. Many among the first Nemerian settlements in the region, it is there that the lumber mills turn the yondervoed trees into planks for the regions shipyards.
Spoiler: Society
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Population: 912,000
The Nemerians are a race of tall, stocky humans inhabiting the isthmus of Nemeria. They have dusky, bronzed skin and dark hair.
Culturally alien to the region, the Nemerians descend from the ancient Nemer race of human raiders who made landfall on the isthmus from a realm far south centuries ago. Years of war with Nemeria's native populations, the Núrnians, forged the early Nemerians into a race of fearsome warriors. But as those peoples broke under Nemerian onslaught and fled north and east, the Nemerians found soon themselves holding lands without foe. Blessed with rich oceans and seas, the Nemerians soon adopted a more peaceful, nearly agrarian existence.
The martial streak still lives on in Talodus' navy, a fearsome Nemerian fleet. The Nemerians of Talodus are a adventurous bunch, with sailors and raiders being envied and aggrandized. The shipyards of Tůrsolar, Pontus, and Landown produce some of the finest ships in the east, shaped from the marvelous yondervoed harvested from the regions interior. Landown, on the very end of the sub-peninsula, is the seat of the Dukes of Talodus, distant descendants of a branch of the House of Brynjolf and rulers of the region.
The region contains a Núrnian minority in the northeast, on the border with eastern Núrnen. They are generally loyal to the Duke of Talodus, but have been known to sympathize with the Duke of Ur to the north.
Spoiler: Resources
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The forests of Talodus are rich with the long live, fast growing trees known as yondervoed (Good). Massive trees which are as light as basswood but as strong as ironwoods, yondervoed is an ideal building material, especially for the construction of sailing vessels, being both incredibly strong yet incredibly buoyant. The spongey bark of the tree is even more boyant, though fragile, also serving numerous valuable purposes.
The Nemerians of the region desire cloth or other materials for use making sails for their vessels.
Spoiler: Faith
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Majority: The Gods of Nemer (pagan), Minority: The House of the Pale Lady, Minority: The Watchers (monotheism)
Missionaries of the House of the Pale Lady have made their way from Núrnen and Nemeria to establish a foothold in Talodus. The Núrnian minority follow their leviathan god.
The Nemerians generally worship the gods of their ancestors, the Nemer. Headed up by the Queen Amarth, goddess of alcohol, fertility, beauty, and festivities, the Nemer pantheon includes other members, such as; Caern, the god of death, Pontus, the goddess of nature and the sea, and Solaris, god of the sun. The Nemerians also worship their greatest ancestor, Ysry, the first Archduke of the Nemerians, who they have adopted as their god of war.
Isle of Nemer
Region 319
Spoiler: Terrain
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The Isle of Nemer is the the largest archipelago in a chain of islands in the Piliki Sea. Surrounded by the isles of Pontus, Merodus, and numerous others, the mountainous island was once home to an ancient maritime empire of the same name which dominated the local sea. Long since fallen, the ruins of ancient Nemer dot the local islands, and it is around these ruins that the contemporary Nemer live.
The isle is dominated three volcanoes, Fieras, Ruskikda, and Caern's Fist, each which contributed to the formation of the three peninsulas which comprise the island. The largest of these, Caern's Fist, dominates the northern portion of the island, still quit active and slowly creating more land, expanding the island.
The climate of the island is subtropical, possessing a generally year round warm climate with ample rain fall. The island's northern forests are are filled with a great many coniferous trees, while palms and ferns dominated the south.
The capital of the islands is the once great capital of that ancient empire, also called Nemer, located in the bay between the islands south and central peninsulas. The only remaining true city in the area, Nemer rules over the numerous villages and towns of the local archipelago. The only other polities of note are Negropontus, a notable trade hub on the Isle of Pontus, and Nassau, a pirate haven on the Isle of Merodus.
Spoiler: Society
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Population: 664,000
The Nemer are a race of tall, stocky humans inhabiting Nemer and its surrounding islands. They have dusky skin, bronzed from ample sun, and dark hair. Blessed rich oceans and seas, the Nemer make their living as fisherman, sailors, and privateers. Fishing and hunting are a favorite past time in the region, with many large festivals being held with ritual hunts and deep sea fishing expeditions. The most notable of these Nemer festivals is the Carnival of Pontus, held annually in the capital. The festival's Fishing Tourney is a huge event, both dangerous and dangerously competitive. The Nemer, like their Nemerian cousins, are an adventurous people. Bravery and physical prowess are considered of great importance, despite the fact that conflict in the region has been at a nadir.
When ancient Nemer collapsed, it's hereditary Despot retained power in the capital. The modern Despots rules from there and serve as de jure rulers over the area's largely autonomous population centers. While the current dynasty is distantly related to the Nemerian godking Ysry I, the Despots of Nemer holds nowhere near the power and control exercised by the Archdukes of Nemeria to the northwest. The weakening of the power of the Despot in recent years has lead to an increase in piracy, with many sailors turning to privateering for merchant companies to make a living. The town of Nassau, on Merodus, serves as a center for these outlaws. The brigands now hold considerable power and sway in the region, often becoming wealthy local leaders.
Spoiler: Resources
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The waters around Nemer and its companions are teeming with fish (minor).
Pirates desire plenty of rum, making alcohol a desired commodity.
Spoiler: Faith
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Sole: The Gods of Nemer (pagan)
The Nemer generally worship their ancestral gods. Headed up by the Queen Amarth, goddess of alcohol, fertility, beauty, and festivities, the Nemer pantheon includes other members such as; Caern, the god of death, Pontus, the goddess of nature and the sea, and Solaris, god of the sun.
Edessa
Region 287
Spoiler: Terrain
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As the Vale of Rhune makes its way north, it dissolves into the rocky beaches and dry plains that eventually form the lands of Laeryn. Flanked in the west by the Sea of Storms and in the East by the foothills of the mountains that break into the Easterfells, the hills of Edessa are a generally dry land populated mostly by pastoralists and fishermen.
As the sea pushes most storms further north, Edessa is a generally dry pace. The area has few trees, though brambles, thickets, and berry-producing bushes are common among the bleak hills, making Edessa a confusing maze of narrow game paths surrounded by tall hedge-rows of bramble and thicket. Numerous areas of thick, tall grass and weeds blanket areas in the hills, perfect food for the local population of woolly big horned sheep. Among the most abundant of these grasses is flax, which the locals harvest and cultivate for food.
In the mountains to the East, numerous barrows, much like those of the Easterfells, can be found, though the native Edessans give these rocky tombs ample birth.
Most polities in the area are small villages populated by pastoralists. The only large city in the region is Kydonia, a small port city nestled along the rocky coast.
Spoiler: Society
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Population: 710,000
The Edessans are the descendants of Rhunite colonists who moved into the region to escape political instability in the Vale. Tall and light skinned with dark or fiery hair and dark eyes, they are generally accepted as a remarkably handsome people by foreigners. Patsoralists, the Edessans make most of their living with livestock, like the big horned sheep, and cultivating local edibles, like flaxseed.
Even more so than their southern neighbors, the Edessans are a divided people. Most political power still remains in the hands of local leaders, the various earls of the local clans and mayors of the larger towns. As a result, they are have a robust system of militias honed by their internal conflicts. The most powerful leader in the region is the Count of Edessa, who rules from a seat of power in Kydonia. The Count's knights represent one of the only true groups of professional warriors in the area.
Spoiler: Resources
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One of the most common food crops in Edessa, flax is also a valuable source of fibrous material. The Edessans produce a considerable amount of Linen (good) from flax fibers left over after harvesting the seeds.
Possessing diets almost entirely composed of mutton, flaxseed and occasionally fish, the Edessans desire food stuffs of a more diverse nature.
Spoiler: Faith
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Majority: The Six Goddess (paganism), Minority: The House of the Pale Lady
Many Edessans worship the Six Goddesses of their ancestors, a pantheon of feminine fertility deities associated with the mysterious, monolithic statues in Rhune. Others, centered mostly around Kydonia, worship the Pale Lady.
Harmonhen
Written by lt_murgen
Region 295
Spoiler: Terrain
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Harmonhen is a rocky, inhospitable land with the Cygnian channel as their north and east border and the breaking ridge of the hills to the west. It is a land of kettle lakes and moraines, divided by sections of heather and scrub. Harmonhen sees little rain, and lots of wind. Erosion further carves the landscape, creating numerous caves and dens. The wind also causes the odd topography to moan and sing. Folklore speaks of ancient sea maidens lurking amongst the rocks, luring sailors and ships to their deaths as they traverse the Cygnian.
Brambles and berry-bushes thrive where there is enough soil for them to hold on in the high winds. Hare and rat thrive, and a few hardy songbirds and ground fowl linger here and there. Snakes are common, both poisonous and constrictor. Coydogs den in the moraine piles.
The numerous cave systems have become the homes and towns for the local population. Very few attempt to live above ground. It is simply too windy, and wood too scarce, to make traditional homes. The caves are warm and for the most part dry. Strangely, the area is devoid of bats which typically befoul caves.
Spoiler: People
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Population: 758,000
The population is entirely Mawyn, similar to their cousins in regions to the south. They live in extended clans in the cave systems scattered throughout the region. There is little formal government, and fights and clan-strife is common. No one clan or Mawyn is able to keep the peace long enough to establish anything approaching a kingdom.
The Truserchen easily took over the region. Providing judges and law-givers to keep the peace was welcome. But the knowledge of advanced silver-smithing techniques won the day. As long as their control is kept to a minimum, the Mawyn are willing to allow the little brown folk to speak for them to the wider world. Since rulership has passed to the Nemerians.
Spoiler: Resource
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The hills and caves provide significant levels of silver (Good). Turquoise is also common, but not at levels to be exported. The Mawyn love the soft metal, working it into ornate beads and weavings for their fur.
The Mawyn have sufficient animals and sea-creatures to eat. Clean water is not a problem, as many caves have clean, cool water filtered through the rocks above. They have little need for clothing and leather. They greatly desire wheat for bread and beer.
Spoiler: Faith
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Sole: Daen
Oddly, a majority of the Mawyn are followers of Daen. How or why has been lost to history. Elder Mawyn tell tales of miracles and magic that brought a human priest to the area. But the tales themselves are contradictory and lacking detail.
Re: Empire! Lands of Arandi
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