Demonym: Dusmaijik
Description: The Dusmaiji Empire is an union of ethnic tribes brought together by the conquest of the warlord Mubarum who lead his own tribe, the Chizu, against the others that occupied the Dusmai Desert and the encompassing lands. As strength was always highly valued by the Dusmai peoples, Mubarum's conquest was respected and honored by those who failed to defeat him and the Dusmaiji Empire was born. The tribes who submitted to the Empire were allowed to retain their lands while those who did not were exterminated. When established, the Dusmaiji Empire was intended to be a civilization "for those who roots were truly of the Dusmai Desert," as per the words of Emperor Mubarum I himself. While in the present it is unknown what exactly he meant by having roots truly of the Dusmai Desert, his great grandson Mubarum IV declared that this statement meant that the Dusmaiji Empire was only for the humans of the Dusmai Desert and thus began the marginalization of its other races such as the centaurs and more so the sand elves who always had a past of persecution by the human tribes. Even in the present non-humans (in addition to foreigners) are not allowed to own property within the Dusmaiji Empire though the Emperor can grant this privilege to those who earn his favor.

While the inhabitants of Dusmaiji vary in culture and language, collectivism is an almost universally upheld value and it is the rope that binds its different peoples together. Citizens are expected to put the good of the empire first, the good of their tribe second, and their own personal good last. To prioritize oneself is an act akin to treason and those who are found doing so are ostracized. Surnames are not used by Dusmaijik humans. Instead, they are distinguished by their community first and their parentage second. For instance, a man named Kuza of the Shali tribe would refer to himself as Kuza of the Shali. Should he come across another of his name and tribe he would refer to himself as Kuza, son of his father and mother's name. In Dusmaiji gender roles vary between tribes though the imperial dynasty has a strictly male line of succession. Therefore, is not rare to find women in positions of high esteem.

Government: The Empire is an absolute monarchy with the head of state being the emperor whose word is regarded as law. There is a feudal system in place in which tribes are able to hold and control their own territories but must supply the Empire with whatever is demanded whenever they are asked to do so. There exists a meritocracy, the Chamber of Masteries, which the Emperor can control but cannot directly assign members as its positions must be earned.





Economy: Due to its sporadic droughts and an extensive dry season, Dusmaiji's growing seasons are not as long as those of more fertile lands and there are only certain times within the year that substantial amount of crops can be farmed. Agriculture is far from the most profitable industry for Dusmaiji but they do manage to produce the minimum amount of food to survive. Whenever farming cannot be relied on meat from animals is resorted to as the primary means of nourishing the population. Therefore, additional crops are a major import of the Empire and are highly sought after.

The Dusmaiji economy places more emphasis on manufacturing. The premier export of Dusmaiji is silk and its production has led to a booming industry that has brought a population influx from rural areas to the cities. Boasting decent iron deposits, Dusmaiji is also a big arms dealer and sells affordable weapons and armor to other nations with higher quality options available if demanded. Art, while deemed not as important as the previously denoted sources of revenue, has also been a chief export for the Empire with its sculptures being highly coveted by collectors due to the unique black and purple coloration of Dusmaijik marble.

Religion: There are a plethora of animist faiths that exist within the Empire but there is only one official religion supported by the crown. Foreign religions are frowned upon but are allowed to be privately practiced.


Geography:
Savannas, jungles, and desert. The Dusmai Desert, for which the empire is named, comprises roughly 55% of the nation's land.

Population: 10,200,000
Demographics: The different races and ethnicities of Dusmaiji all speak their own language. Given the sheer amount of them within the Empire, there are well over a hundred different languages spoken across its borders. To 'simplify' communication across cultural lines, a common tongue known as Dusmaijik Tradespeak has been invented. As its name may suggest it was popularized by traders. Apart from Dusmaijik Tradespeak, the Chizu language is the most common ethnic language spoken within Dusmaiji. With a population of approximately 1,326,000 the Chizu tribe is the single largest ethnic group within Dusmaiji and its culture is regarded as dominant among all others.






Notable Locations:
There are three cities of note.



Personalities of Note:








Institutions:

• Enchanters' Guild: An order which specializes in the study and development of magically enhanced items for the benefit of Dusmaiji society.
• Sky Watchers: The astronomy guild who, as their name suggests, are responsible for watching the sky for signs and identifying constellations and other celestial bodies.
• Nokora College of Spellcraft: A prestigious school of sorcery that attracts students from all over. Nokora is difficult to both get and stay into as underachieving students are regularly dropped to make room for other applicants. As Nokora's establishment was funded by the Empire it, like most other magic schools, swears its students and staff to the military. Out of all the magic schools within Dusmaiji, Nokora is said to contribute the highest quality mages.
• Owakaya: A massive temple situated in the holy city of Kiakala and one of the marvels of the Dusmaiji Empire. It is believed to have been constructed long before the conquest of Mubarum and still stands as the headquarters of the Arafito faith and its hierarchy. Those on pilgramage seek out the Owakaya to read scriptures that can only be found within its library.
• Tontu: An order of warrior monks who strictly adhere to Arafito. The Tontu are an independent peacekeeping force who mediate any conflicts that may arise between Dusmaiji's ethnic groups. They are only permitted to act within its borders and cannot take part in conflicts on foreign soil. Any Arafitan is allowed to join the Tontu regardless of origin granted they complete the necessary training.

Military:

• Organization: Magic schools such as Nokora pledge their students and faculty to the empire's military as payment for the land they were granted to construct their campuses. This the closest to a standing army that the Empire possesses as the remainder of the forces are levied from tribes or recruited as mercenaries. The Eminent of War raises the levies whenever he is instructed to do so by the Emperor. Tribe Heads who contribute troops usually lead them in battle while operating under the Eminent of War's direct command. Mercenaries who are hired into the forces either remain under their own leaders if they are recruited as a company or sorted into the ranks of a tribe head if they aren't. Overall, the army of the Empire is commanded by the Eminent of War at the Emperor's orders. While the Emperor is the ultimate authority, The Eminent of War is trusted because of his merit and is allowed to interpret orders from the Emperor in a way that he feels will most likely result in success for the Empire.
  
  The Dusmaiji navy is organized differently from the army. As most Dusmaiji tribes specialize in unmounted land combat, there are less who are skilled in sailing and thus the navy is required to be more structured than the army to produce the best possible fleet. Unlike the army there is a clear rank division that exists within the Dusmaiji navy with the Eminent of the Sea at the top. Just like the Eminent of War he answers the Emperor and no one else. Having control of the entire Dusmaiji fleet, it is up to the Eminent of the Sea to guide it not only according to the Emperor's orders but in a way that will keep its casualties to a minimal as finding talent for the navy is harder. Besides commanding the navy the Eminent of Sea is also responsible for deciding the composition of the navy such as the amount of ships, the types of ships, and how crews are organized.
• Troop Total: 20,000 mages from various magic schools are always available. A maximum force of 153,000 (1.5% of population) can be attained through levying.
• Army: A maximum of 113,000 soldiers.
  
  Dusmaiji Infantrymen [+]

  
  
  
  Dusmaiji Skirmishers [+]

  
  
  
  Dusmaiji Riflemen [+]

  
  
  
  Dusmaiji Battlemage [+]

  
• Navy: A maximum of 40,000 personnel.
  
  Ranks and Hierarchy [+]

  
  
  • Grand Whale Lord - held by the Eminent of the Sea
  • Senior Whale Lord
  • Whale Lord
  • Under Whale Lord
  • Shark Knight
  • Sworntail
  • Commander
  • Lieutenant

  
  Beneath lieutenant, all other naval personnel are unranked and considered equal in standing as peons. They are derogatorily referred to as "snooks" by ranked personnel.
• Other:
  
  Non-human Troops [+]

  The rights of non-humans within Dusmaiji are restricted and there is little room for them to progress up the social ladder. However, the Dusmaijik military is rather non-discriminatory in comparison to its social structure. Non-humans, while they usually never achieve remarkably high rank, are respected to some degree when they join the Dusmaijik military and are supplied stable residences as payment for their services. This has prompted a considerable amount of them to enlist. However, there are many non-humans who are forcibly drafted nto the Dusmaiji military via levying. These non-humans are usually offered to the Empire by the tribe head that presides over the land which they inhabit as a tactic to conserve their own men, non-humans typically being seen as expendable by the tribe heads when levies are called.
  
  Notable Non-human units
  TBA.
  
  
  Mercenaries [+]

  What cannot be levied is made up for in the hiring of mercenaries, many of whom are foreign. While they are only as loyal as the amount of coin they are paid allows them to be, the Empire makes sure to hire those who are of commendable quality to supplement its forces. Mercenary companies which greatly satisfy the Empire are placed under extended contracts which secure their loyalty.
  
  Within the Dusmaiji military's rankings contracted mercenary companies retain their own hierarchy with their leaders being held in the same regard as tribe heads meaning they answer directly to the Eminent of War. Non-contracted companies or independent mercenaries are placed under the command of a tribe head to supplement their personal forces.
  
  Contracted Mercenary Companies
  TBA.

Strengths:

• Natural Born Fighters: The Dusmaiji infantry is renowned across Albion as tribes begin training their young to fight from the moment they are able to walk. Warriors are taught that retreat is dishonorable and that giving their lives for their nation and brethern is the best way to serve it. A one-on-one fight against a Dusmaiji pikeman will prove exceedingly difficult and a group are likely to overpower foreign troops that are not well prepared to face them.
• Elephant's Fortitude: With the Eminent of Architecture being an exceptionally qualified designer and planner, Dusmaiji structures are resilient and require additional effort to destroy.
• Heat Resistance: As Dusmaiji is a tropical country with the much of its land being desert, its natives are accustomed to high temperatures and dry weather. When fighting under such conditions Dusmaiji troops take longer than normal to succumb to the elements.

Weaknesses:

• Dangerous Wilderness: The Dusmai Desert is already tough enough to cross on its own and much of the jungles are shrouded in mystery. Though travelers must brave these untamed environments to make it to their destination it is highly probable they won't survive. Feral man-eating beasts lurk within Dusmaiji's jungles and roam its savannas while unrelenting, spontaneous sandstorms sweep through the Dusmai Desert. Travelng Dusmaiji without capable protection is suicidal. Trade and communication by land take significantly longer than they would if such obstacles were not present. Uninterrupted travel can only occur during certain periods.
• Ethnic Tension: Dusmaiji is multicultural which has added to its beauty. However, this has come at a price. Its human tribes are far from harmonious. If two tribes are allied then the third is surely a foe. Add the marginalized non-humans into the mix and feuds tend to erupt. While violence among Dusmaijik tribes is forbidden they have found other ways to spite their rivals. Internal political intrigue is detrimental to Dusmaiji's unity as just about any and everyone is seeking the next step up, even if they have to stab their neighbor in the back to progress.

Other:

Basic Demographics & Government Info
Population:
10,200,000
Territory Size:
3. Your nation is smaller than average but there's still plenty of territory to work with. While the lack of endless farmland might prove an issue, you do at least enjoy the benefits of relatively small and easily defended borders.
Technology:
4. Adequate modernization, you manage to keep pace with the rest of Albion.
Prevalence of Magic:
4. You have decent amount of magic users with a number of schools ready to teach them.
Government Type:
4. Your nation is ruled by one great emperor with functionally unlimited power. Beneath him is a large bureaucracy, but under this imperial system there is a meritocracy. Your magistrates and administrators have been tested and found competent; therefore, they earned their position unlike some noble that simply inherited it from his father.
Political Stability:
3. There's some mild urban unrest with criminal gangs and corruption, but nothing threatening to overthrow your country.

Economy

Overall Wealth:
6. Opulence and obscene wealth define your nation. Your streets might not be paved with gold, but great monuments, beautiful works of art, and a large variety of public works stand testament to your economic power. Your government of course has the funds to do almost whatever it wants.
Urbanization:
4. Your nation is decently urbanized with the fair balance of towns and rural areas
Agriculture:
4. Your nation has its farmlands, but you aren't blessed with particularly fertile land nor regular rainfall. As such, seasonal famines are a common thing.
Notable Resources:
Silk, iron, marble

Military
Military Structure:
4. A school of battlemages, but little else to serve as a standing army. Levies and mercenaries both utilized during times of war to create an army of average size.
Military Focus
7. Focus on lines of pikemen along with missile troops.
Navy:
5. Decently powerful navy with enough ships and sailors to fight as much you'd like
Military Leadership
3. Generals are pretty competent; however, they are corrupt and play at politics
Military Reputation
3. Many call your forces valorous; others say that they are brave to the point of stupidity.

Miressans

Miressa was ‘born’ as an autonomous being a century ago, though it has existed much longer, through a troubled past of glory and failure. It began as a city-state, partially autonomous from the much larger and much more powerful state known as the Khidoran Imperium. A nation founded upon securing a bastion of religious and cultural homogeneity according to their own beliefs. Other than religious presence, the Imperium left its subjugated states to their own devices for some time.

Miressa itself was a small port city on the northeasternmost area of the peninsula which comprised the Imperium’s northern border. Situated on a major waterway which connected the eastern lands to inner Albion, Miressa took the liberty of making itself rich, a trade hub from east to west. It fostered dynasties of bankers and tradesmen, merchants and artisans, all pulling strings on the city-state.

Though Miressa prospered under these relaxed policies of the Imperium, it was not meant to last. The Emperor of Khidora soon perished of age, leaving behind no successors, not even an Empress or well-known extended family. Soon, a larger conflict sparked, dubbed the War of the Khidoran Succession, with powers vying for control of the greater Khidoran lands. Though Miressa was not initially at risk, it was soon within the crosshairs of a particularly unpopular, yet powerful successor, self-proclaimed as Alfeo Khidora, true Emperor.

He began to consolidate his power in the lands in and around Miressa, tightening his grip. He demanded money from the wealthy banker families of Miressa, promising threats to those who would dare oppose him. While many heeded the warning, others bided their time, gathering support in secret, creating a network of rebels.

And on one fateful day, the forces met. The rebels had constructed a complex series of redoubts outside Miressa, creating a chokepoint at the strip of land which led to Miressa proper. A series of skirmishes ensued, which sparked into full assaults. Though peasantry manned the redoubts, they forced the enemy to turn tail time and time again as the professional knights and mercenaries contracted by the bankers rode the thick flanks with lances lowered, forcing the chokepoint even harder. By dusk, Alfeo’s forces were on the run, retreating south. Though pursuits by the mercenary knights of Miressa proved unfruitful and heavy with losses due to forced marches and ill-timed weather, Alfeo’s army was soon sandwiched, with Miressan forces to the north and opposing successor factions to the south.

Miressan forces were soon forced to withdraw due to overextended supply lines, but Alfeo’s forces were nevertheless crushed by opposing successors. The War of Succession continued, Miressa undisturbed and unmolested for the remainder, and all successor factions were weakened beyond able rulership, with most of the successors killed in battle by the end of it. The shackles of the Imperium were gone, and Miressa stood as the last remaining faction with the will and ability to rule. They extended their borders to a respectable amount of what once was the Imperium, and legitimized their rule by extending the law of the Miressa Council, which ruled the city of Miressa, to all newly acquired lands. Due to the wealth of Miressa and the sheer change of tolerance compared to the Imperium, citizens welcomed them with open arms.

The current standing government is the Council of Miressa. Elected by lottery, these thirteen men make the decisions for all of the Miressan territories. Always, these councilmen have equal power, save for the thirteenth man, which is the highest power presiding over the Council, and is installed by lottery for the purpose of breaking ties, settling arguments and bad blood affecting decisions, and being the figurehead of the Council. Each councilman has a two-year term, with their election years staggered for steady introduction of government. The head councilman, however, is generally picked by lottery from the currently reigning councilmen every six months. Often all these lotteries, both to select councilmen and the head councilman, are secretly modified in favor of influential and rich individuals and families, with the same family names of bankers and guildsmen with great wealth appearing in an almost hereditary manner, supplemented with the absence of term limits. However, there are terms to be eligible for the lottery. The person must be of 24 years or older, a member of an established trades guild, have no debts or financial instability, and be male.

The economy of Miressa is one of great wealth, booming with its trade. Though its agrarian sector is primarily subsistence farming among peasants, a growing amount of sugar seeds and opium poppy seeds acquired from the Commonwealth are being planted in the Miressan floodplains which possess extraordinary qualities for agriculture. Despite a focus on maritime and agrarian economy, amounts of both tin and marble have been found beneath the mud and sands of the floodplains. Some dare to gamble their coinage to capitalize on these valuables, and some succeed.

WIP

The capital city of Miressa itself, the heart of the Republic, is itself located out to sea. Built upon sunken marshes, it is a city of complex canals and is built only six feet above sea level. Surrounding it and spreading even into the mainland are floodplains of rich soil and washed up minerals, formed by the sea itself and tributary rivers flowing over the peninsula.

4,100,000 persons accounted for by the Miressan Census Bureau, with 86% residing in a rural environment, 14% in an urban or sub-urban environment.

89% Humans
(Rest is WIP)



WIP

The staple of Miressa is its guilds, of which 8 preside over the rest. Those thirteen are: The Guild of Merchants, the Guild of Arcane Practices, the Guild of Law & Justice, the Guild of Weaving & Clothesmaking, the Guild of Agriculture, the Guild of Mineral Mining & Sculpting, and the Guild of Exploration & Seafaring, in order of influence.

Organization:
The Grand Army of Miressa is the primary armed body of the Republic, consisting of a small, but professional force that stands year-round. It consists primarily of well-trained and hired career huscarls, serjeants, and men-at-arms, all of which generally are mounted to maximize mobility while armored, making them particularly vulnerable to polearms, though these men are trained to fight dismounted if need be, however the equestrian culture of their fighting dictates that if they cannot do it from horseback, they shall not do it at all. Despite the professionalism of their main force, the Grand Army suffers from weak leadership, with commanders often being young and naive nobles and knights from the wealthy families of Miressa, having either gained their commissions by hereditary means, or had their commissions bought for a pretty penny.

Despite the seemingly small force of predominantly cavalry, it would be foolish to conclude that the Grand Army cannot field a large force of infantry in emergencies. This is done through two primary means. Firstly is the measure almost always taken in times of war, in which ‘debtors levies’ are raised from those in particularly bad financial situations or in debt. Their service often pays off their debt if they survive, and if they are to die, their possessions being acquired by the government generally covers the difference. This often draws many, even some who are not levied, rather volunteer to cover their own debt. The second method is levy by lottery, the means not unknown to most nations with a system of levying, in which names are drawn at random for service. However, most wealthy persons avoid this by paying a substitution, which is a person willing to fill in for service for those who can pay them a lump sum to do so.

As for seafaring, the Miressan Grand Navy is a rather large one. Based out of Miressa itself, they are primarily an armed merchant marine accompanied by a sizeable escort navy of armed caravels, carracks, galleys, and other maneuverable and combat-capable vessels. The navy is primarily staffed by professional sailors and its levies are acquired the same as the army, only targeted at seafaring types such as merchants, fishermen, and explorers.

Troop Total:
Grand Total: 24,000 personnel

Long, long ago, the Egerrakh and the Lycans lived in peace in what is now exclusively the Lycan's land. To the west lied an untamed land, filled only with giant beasts. Around 1500 years ago, the Lycans pushed the Egerrakh out of their land, and forced them west, into this untamed land, expecting them to perish there. But instead, the Egerrakh formed a new school of magic, Beast Magic, used to tame these wild beasts, and they adapted to this new land.

A hundred years later, the Egerrakh had created a beast army, spearheaded by the Be'emot; the three species of massive beasts, and attacked the Lycans. The Lycans were nearly defeated, when the Egerrakh became disunified, and the Be'emot were used to turn against eachother, with their masters hungry for power. The Lycans used this to their advantage, and unified momentarily to push the Egerrakh back to their land. Because of this, a new rule was created among the Egerrakh, that only one of each type of Be'emot could be tamed at a time.

Now, the human-like Egerrakh still live in their land of Hashkorrakh (called Ascor by foreigners), unified only in the face of a foreign threat. Their primary tool, both in combat and in practicality, is the Shokhma, a machete like utensil, with each part of the weapon for a different use, such woodcutting, butchering, or carving. Egerrakh society is based around the animals and beasts which inhabit Hashkorrakh, with each tribe having a different set of animals they're traditionally allowed to hunt and tame. These animals make up their tribal totem, which, contrary to foreign belief, have nothing to do with how that tribe worships, except for in their burial ceremony. The exception to this, of course, is the Orok kingdom, which denies tribalism in favor of a semi-autonomous monarchy.


The Egerrakh are largely disunified, with most of the population seemingly independent tribes. That said, ever since the great Lycan war 1400 years ago, there has been one central warlord who maintains an army to defend Haskhorrakh from foreign threats (mainly Lycans). Who exactly the Warlord is is decided simply by who has the most support and the largest army. If a Warlord refuses to give up his position to someone with more support, they will fight a war.

Once someone becomes the Warlord, they will create a hold, the only true town or fortification in Hashkorrakh (besides the new Orok capital). From this hold, they will control their army, mainly through the use of their warchiefs, who are usually either their close personal friends or well known individuals and warriors. If the previous warlord had abdicated his position voluntarily, he will often be made a warchief by the new warlord. The warlord also has direct control of the three Be'emot.

Again, the exception to all of this is the Orok kingdom, which is a unified entity under one king, rather than many disunified tribes. That said, the Orok King still respects the power of the Warlord, and has been made a warchief, in charge of the somewhat sizeable Orok army.




Industry is largely nonexistent in Haskhorrakh, with no monetary system present. The economy, as with everything, is based on the animals of Hashkorrakh, with trade facilitated by the Marrmbakh, the mammoth riding nomads who travel the Mammoth Trails. The Mammoth Trails are the only sort of infrastructure present in Haskhorrakh, with the location of Holds and villages usually based around them. The Marrmbakh are another non-tribal group, who carry the goods of each tribe around and trade via a barter system, with they themselves creating mammoth products. They also trade with the Orok, and facilitate practically all trade with outsiders.

The main exports of Hashkorrakh are fur, meat, leather, and ivory. A capacity for a lumber industry is also existant, but at the moment is unexploited. Iron also exists in a quantity, though is not developed enough for exportation, only for domestic use. Fish and other seafood is also in abundance. While other commodities may be available, the lack of development and infrastructure in Hashkorrakh limit the amount of recources that can be utilized, although a lack of precious minerals is a known fact, as is tenable land. While the warlord has little to no control over economic activities, he does collect food from the tribes to maintain his army, though doing so is usually the responsibility of the warchiefs. As for the Orok, their livelihoods are based around the Aurochs, which they have domesticated.




Above is the belief of practically all Egerrakh, although the Orok have also incorporated some of the beliefs of their foreign neighbors. Because of the cyclical nature of this belief system, Egerrakh burial rituals are far different from any other. When an Egerrakh dies, their body is fed to a predatory animal of their tribe's totem, with mud painted over the parts of their body which should not be eaten, which are usually the genitals, hands, feet, eyes, and nipples on a woman. The Orok, who, unlike all other Egerrakh, believe in land ownership, bury their dead in a style similar to most foreign entities.

The professors of this belief system are the Shamans, who also are the main practitioners and teachers of beast magic. Shamans, though not officially organized, are who keep all tribes to their traditions, and who are centered in Khu'ege, the highest mountain in Hashkorrakh, which is seen as the place where the boundaries between the Shadow of the Fourth World and the Fourth World are at their thinnest. Shamans also coordinate the taming of the three Be'emot.




A cold land, the geography of Hashkorrakh is defined by mountains, forests, and Mammoth steppes. The southern borders of the Orok kingdom and much of the borders of the Ashberr region are defined by the Berrnar mountains, and the Ashberr region is covered with mountains indepent of the Berrnar range. The current Warlord's hold is placed on a hill in between the Berrnar range and one of the independent mountains.

The Orok Kingdom is mostly forest and plains, the grasses of which are not quite as high as the southern mammoth steppes. There are many small rivers which run throughout the Kingdom, creating an ideal environment for the Aurochs they herd.

To their northeast is the region of Yoklawo, which is mostly a Taiga forest. The very north of Yoklawo contains an ancient Ogre port city, which has since been abandoned and is now used as a Kraken hunting base. Yoklawo also contains some mountains.

South of Yoklawo is Veshan, which is varied terrain, defined by mountain, forest, and, at the southeast, Mammoth Steppe. Veshan also contains the highest mountain in Hashkorrakh, Khu'ege, which carries much religious significance.

South of Veshan is Marrmekhlon, which has the highest concentration of Mammoth in the land. The Mammoth of Marrmekhlon are a different species than those tamed by the Marrmbakh. While the Marrmbakh use the highly migratory Forest Mammoth, the Mammoths in Marrmekhlon are Plains Mammoth, which are much larger, and whose migrations are significantly shorter. South of the Berrnar mountains, Marrmekhlon also has the Tzurrek springs, a group of hot springs that are a favorite getaway for lords and warchiefs.

To the east of Veshan and Marrmekhlon is the final region of Hashkorrakh, Narbarrakh. Though it is also a Mammoth Steppe, their animal population is much smaller due to the constant state of war that exists there. Narbarrakh is home to much of the conflict between the Egerrakh and the Lycans, due to its low defensibility. The tribesmen there are war hardened, and, though the Warlord's Hold is rarely in Narbarrakh, there is usually at least one war chief there to coordinate battle against the Lycans.

As far as ecology goes, each of the biomes of Hashkorrakh contain far different animals. The megafauna of the steppes include massive herds of bison, the Plain Mammoths, rhinoceroses, cave lions, dire wolves, ground sloths, various types of oxen, and giant warthogs. Meanwhile, the megafauna of the forest include bush antlered deer, moose, saber tooth cats, regular wolves, Forest Mammoths, and giant bears. The mountains contain similar animals as the forest, in addition to the elusive Saskwakh; large, bipedal apes, who are nearly impossible to tame due to their intelligence, but can be befriended with magical assistance, and have been used in battle before. Lions, sloths, and rhinos also exist in the forests and mountains, but like the mammoth, are much smaller than their grassland counterparts. In utilizing animals for his army, a warlord has to carefully coordinate with the tribes and his warchiefs to achieve the balance of these fauna that he desires. Other animals of economic and societal importance include giant beavers and salmon of the rivers, as well as the completely untamable kraken which inhabit the oceans.


Population: 2,600,000

The sentient population of Hashkorrakh is entirely composed of the Egerrakh (Ascorians to foreigners), a nearly human people who stand a few inches shorter than the average human, and are somewhat wider and stockier. Because of this, Egerrakh are significantly stronger than the average human, and are better at sprinting, but have far less endurance. Intellectually, they are equivalent, although most humans would contend otherwise due to the seemingly primitive nature of the Ascorian lifestyle. Another major difference between humans and Egerrakh are their diet. While 80% of a human diet is plant based and 20% animal, the opposite is true for Egerrakh, who are far more carnivorous, though still consume plant matter.

Around 78% of Egerrakh hail from tribal villages which cover all of Hashkorrakh besides the Orok Kingdom, which makes up around 20% of the population. The last two percent are either Marrmbakh nomads or Kraken hunters. Surprisingly, there is a common Egerrakh language, spoken by the entire populace.













Marrmbakh: Though not an organization, the Marrmbakh carry significant authority in Ascor. People are rarely Marrmbakh their whole lives, rather, people who feel lost, rejected, or are fleeing some kind of threat, will often join a Marrmbakh band for some time, where they may maintain complete anonymity for as long as they like. Mammoth herders and nomads, the Marrmbakh, though seeming to lead them, actually follow the mammoths on their migration, meaning the Marrmbakh paths are based completely on migratory mammoth trails. While the Marrmbakh collect milk from the mammoths, the vast majority of ivory come from the plains mammoths of the steppes. Due to their frequent trade with foreigners, the Marrmbakh are more technologically advanced than most of their fellow Egerrakh, and use metal armor.


Krakaba: The most depraved and thrill seeking members of Egerrakh society, Krakaba live in bases along the Ascorian coast, and, as a livelihood, hunt Krakens. While their meat is somewhat valuable, most agree that the Krakaba simply do this for the thrill, and simply to say they did. Their, of course, is a high mortality rate among the Krakaba, and like the Marrmbakh, there are hardly any Krakaba who are such for their whole lives. Known by their massive barbed harpoons and their special canoes, the most famous and largest Krakaba base is the old Ogre port up north.

Orok Kingdom: Around a hundred and fifty years ago, many Egerrakh became displeased in the disunity and simplicity of Ascorian life. Believing that they, as sentient beings, have a right to own the land, they gathered in the west of the country, and domesticated wild oxen to create the Aurochs, which they named after themselves, the Orok, meaning "Third System", since three is seen as the number of perfection in the Egerrakh religion. They also domesticated wolves, creating a new breed of dog, something especially controversial with wolves being symbolic of evil. Turning away from traditional spear and rhino warfare that the Egerrakh usually fought, the Orok villages started maintaining specific people as warriors, armed with shields, whatever armor they could get, and a new type of axe-like machete. They would also use their dogs, known as 'Balto', in warfare.

A decade or two ago, the Orok villages, led by an Orok chief named Palo, decided that, to be truly unified, the Orok must form a kingdom. The warriors of all the villages were put together, and a new Orok capital started to be built, designated to be the first Egerrakh city, known as Ornishken. Due to the removal of all intertribal warfare, as well as a constant food source, the Orok population began growing fast, and now make up 20% of the whole population. Now, Palo seeks to form new relationships, and end the previous isolation of Hashkorrakh.



Organization: The warlord leads the army of Hashkorrakh, and does so from his hold. The recruitment and management of this army is coordinated by his warchiefs, the number of which is his decision. Money doesn't exist, so the main benefits of joining the Warlord's army are fulfilling a traditional sense of duty and food. Egerrakh warriors prefer to avoid pitch battle, and rely on ambush tactics using spears and the Shokhma, the traditional machete. Meanwhile, the Orok army prefers to use shieldwalls.

Troop Total: 10,000 tribesmen, 3,000 Orok, around 4,000-5,000 tame beasts

Army: In addition to the Warlord's Egerrakh warriors, the driving force behind the Ascorian army are the tame beasts, which are either tamed by tamers employed by the warlords and warchiefs or traded for in exchange for food and other commodities.


Navy: Little to no navy exists in Hashkorrakh. The water Be'emot, the Krakumal, is the only thing that could be used to combat foreign navies. Aside from that, the Krakaba kraken hunters are the closest thing that could be seen as any sort of navy.

Other: An extremely important part of the Ascorian military are the three Be'emot. One Be'emot lives on land, one in the ocean, and one in the sky.

The Flying Be'emot, native to the southern Berrnar mountains, is the Rok. These massive eagles will travel miles from their mountainous homes to hunt suitable megafauna, and have been known to even hunt mammoths in the past, being about twice the size of one.


The Water Be'emot, living off the coast of Hashkorrakh, is known as the Krakumal, or Kraken Whale. Though they are best known for eating krakens, which are a mainstay of their diet, they will eat practically any sea creature they can get their jaws around.


Finally, the Land Be'emot, native to the forests of Yoklawo, is known as the Taiton, or, to foreigners, the Tree-eating Rhino-Sloth. As their name implies, the mainstay of these surprisingly herbivorous creatures' diet is trees, which they crush with their powerful jaws. Because of the obvious difficulties in uprooting trees, Taitons have also been known to consume wooden structures, something which has caused conflict in the past between them and Ege'rrakh. Due to their size and thickness of skin, trees will sometimes grow on their backs, which they usually remain unaware of.


Magic is used to enhance tame Be'emot's strength, speed, durability, and whatever other traits would be helpful in combat.


One of the major strengths of the Egerrakh are their hunters. In addition to the Warlord's army, the Egerrakh hunting tradition allows for hunter militias to form if invaded, who craft their own weapons.

A weakness is the lack of any sort of monetary system. This prohibits major advancement in technology and industry. Another weakness that is tied to this is the lack of infrastructure, with the mammoth trails being the only true infrastructure that exists.

Something that acts as both a strength and a weakness are the krakens which live off the coast. While this inhibits naval invasion, it also blocks off trade, and the development of a proper navy.