The Broken Line

Story: 
King Ulric Clarion fell gravely ill and knowing he had no time left proclaimed,  "To all whom hear or read this. Let it be known that I, your humble servant King Clarion, have chosen a successor. They shall bear my weapon in battle , hold the effects that do mark my office, and above all they shall serve you even as I have. Even in my relatively young age I go the way of all the earth. Our gods have need of me elsewhere. May they watch over you in my absence."

It wasn't much longer after that in which he did indeed pass away. It would be known that the plagues took him. He assigned his noblest and reliable servants to find suitable heirs for the throne. These men and women have come to be known as the kingmakers. With the passing of Clarion, Sturth has been left kingless. The court of Sturth has struggled to keep their governing over the people stable and to watch for the return of an heir to fulfill Clarion's proclamation. It has been two years since the king's death. Two long years without a leader. The countries to the south and north become emboldened by the day. 

Ghurmas to the north though made of divided war parties and tribes nonetheless raids Sturth's borders, stealing their goods and enslaving their people.

Oriston to the south though weak in military might invades the kingdom through political intrigue and dark influence.

Now the kingmakers are scattered. They have worked tirelessly and many have lost their hope. Some have even gone missing. Ozend finds himself in a surly mood. Efforts to fulfill the king's wishes gone awry for so long have left his countenance dark. Perhaps someone will give him a reason to grin again.

The Details

[hider=Nations]

[hider=Sturth]
 - Sturth's kingdom is made up of classic medieval European architecture. Castles of stone, hamlets and farms, wooden forts to keep many of the borders safe, cities surrounded by great walls which in turn surround a ruler's castle.

Sturth has been the nation sandwiched between the other two. Due to this wars with them stuck in the middle have been occurring on and off for ages but without a king who united the nation against their foes they fall under risk of another invasion.

Sturth is a classic monarchy with a royal, noble and peasant class system. Up until recently the peasants have actually been treated very fairly and given the rights they deserve. Yet corrupt influence has started to change the governing laws of late and the peasants aren't particularly glad for them.
[/hider]


[hider=Ghurmas]
 - Ghurmas is made up of long halls, huts and blood pits. The more wealthy are capable of making buildings of stone and coliseums through the use of their slave labor. Walls are uncommon but not unheard of, generally being made of sharpened logs pitched against the outside of a settlement or specifically used to keep slaves in.

The beastkin are native to Ghurmas. Beastkin are humanoid beasts that make tribes throughout the northern forests and snowy reaches. Many have been enslaved to the regions rulers, making their armies ever the more deadly. The warlords of Ghurmas however are unable to come together to invade Sturth. Though their forces outnumber them greatly they have never been able to conquer Sturth and rarely unite. Ghurmas united is a terrible thing to witness. Ghurmas is not a united nation.
[/hider]



[hider=Oriston]
 - Oriston lies in a heated area and have by far the most intriguing of architecture. They have in some cases large pyramid-like structures which act as of the central hub of their town. Their technology allows for world-defying weather to occur within their homes and buildings. This is referred to as arcanimus, to infuse the arcane into the mundane. It allows them to live more comfortably in the dead of the sands. Nevertheless their settlements are most often around oasis and the weather gets cold to the far south tip of the continent. Their buildings often consist of clay, mud, and in most cases in towns or cities, large stone buildings that allow most of the town to take residence within.

Oriston lives in a system of castes. There are servants, soldiers, artisan, and then there's the magus caste. Except under extremely rare circumstances the native goblinoids are always forced into the servant caste. Being inhuman they are considered trash good for nothing more than fitting in the tight spaces and mines that normal Oristonians prefer not going. The soldier's caste make up a sect of elite soldiers, though Oriston's military might is small they are very well trained and conditioned to fight. The artisan caste are inventors, merchants, craftsmen, and architects with some talent in magic that allows them to create some of the most ingenious tools and architecture. The magus caste is very small as true sorcerers are very rare in the land. They are capable of employing elemental magics and in some rare cases use arcane magic to bend the laws of reality. They make up the leadership and high councils of Oriston.
[/hider]

[/hider]


Magic
[hider=Position in the World]
 - Magic is rare in the realm. Oriston's engineered magic is the exception as it defies normal craftsmanship. Ghurmasian rulers with often take to them witches and diviners to advise them and act as their agents.

Sturthan lords with power will quite frequently take to themselves court wizards. Some of which are actually from Oriston, making for some very intelligent advisers.

Magic requires chanting or rune-carving and no human can perform magic without them. Some magical creatures are the exception to this rule and being creatures of magic can perform it without chanting or other preparatory means.
[/hider]