[b]WIP[/b]

[b]Nation Name:[/b] Udye (oo-dyeh)
[b]Demonym:[/b] Udyeni (oo-dyen-ee)

[b]Location:[/b] The highly decentralized nation of Udye lays deep in the dark forests of the western coast. The capitol, and only city, is sheltered by the lofty boughs of Saffrongaet, The World Tree.

[hider=Regional Map][center][IMG]http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo297/wr_aaberg/Untitled1.jpg[/IMG][/center]
The frigidly turbulent waters of The Rri form a natural boundary against the wasted lands in southwestern Munacra and sharp peaks split the eastern sky to segregate the region from its larger and more organized neighbors on the greater continent.[/hider]
[b]Flag and Heraldry:[/b] Being decentralized outside of the city-state, the nation has no official flag - other nations sometimes represent their colors as a field of stars. Ancient families sometimes adopt icons as heraldry, these are exclusively unintelligent flora and fauna. Examples include the Nevec family's mistletoe and the Reichbast Clan salamander. The richer castes often use eldritch wax, a magical alloy of gaetsap and lead which creates a pattern unique to a single individual when their power is channeled in to it, to create their personal sigils when communication and identification is required.

[hider=Flag][center][IMG]http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo297/wr_aaberg/Untitled2.jpg[/IMG][/center]
In the great wars, when I'taliss the Avenging retreated to the gates of Udain and the World Tree was imperiled, the Astral Tapestry was lofted above timber battlements to rally the disparate peoples of Udye. Aoldaeny, called Petite Reign, crafted the magecloth skyscape late in the third century and some say the shifting scene was left behind for her betrothed so they could always look upon the same night sky as she traveled the spheres.[/hider]
[b]Population Size and Density:[/b] Protectorate of Udye (Large/Sparse) 800,000. City-State of Udain (Small/Dense) 5,000

Despite the large size of the Protectorate, nearly a hundred thousand square miles of woodland, the large majority of species are long-lived and have a low birth-rate. Population is further moderated by state sponsored eugenics (see Religion). While there are many nomadic tribes, villages, and smaller settlements, the only major population center is the capitol city where the eugenics are more moderate but available land is strictly demarcated (see Settlements).

[b]People:[/b] Despite occasional divinations to gather demographic regional data by independent magi, their results are rarely published and the State performs no official census. Further complicating matters; residents in the region often have little to no national identity, some enclaves are openly hostile to the Council in Udain, and opinions and allegiances can shift as quickly as the wild storms that sweep through the land without warning.

The natural, sentient population includes a lesser majority of fae and fae-touched humanoids matched by a nearly equal population of the 'lesser' humanoids (humans, halflings, goblins, etc.) with proportions similar to the other nations. The greater minority of the population is a cornucopia of disparate magic-touched races. Legends claim that The World Tree is a (if not the) source of magic in Munacra and for varied reasons many of these creatures feel more comfortable near the ancient landmark - the two most common reasons are refugees who have fled techno-centric nations because their very nature disrupted the gadgetry that drove them, and crusaders who fear that those same nations will one day decide to obliterate Saffrongaet to make way for their 'progress.' 

Magically 'awakened' animals, plants, and constructs form the the lesser minority and because of the open borders, and insignificant legal footprint, solitary immigrants and hermits from the other nations are common enough to form the smallest minority of the population.
[list]
[*]23% Faeborn (elves, gnomes, gremlins, etc.)[/*]
[*]16% Human (indigenous)[/*]
[*]14% Other Humanoid (halflings, goblins, orcs, etc.)[/*]
[*]11% Minor Magical Creatures (centaurs, elementals, undead, etc.)[/*]
[*]10% Fae (satyrs, pixies, nymphs, etc.)[/*]
[*]7% Powerful Magic Creatures (dragons, unicorns, giants, etc.)[/*]
[*]20% Other (immigrants, awakened, and unique creatures)[/*]
[/list][b]Heroes:[/b]

[hider=Rhea the Quick, Awakened Mouse, Female, 34]
[center][img=http://www.niada.org/artists/Radzat/Princess-Mouse.jpg][/center]
[i]In the distance she watched the suns collide. Colors danced like ribbons across the sky, so many she couldn’t count them much less name them. Her heart broke – she couldn’t explain why. Instead, one leaden footstep followed the other as she walked down the dusty path between the ancient mangroves. From time to time on her journey she became hungry and the animals of this quiet forest brought her sustenance. This went on for some time.

Small, glisteningly red, firm. “Cherries.” The wren proclaimed. Trodding, she ate one and then another until she stumbled. Wings buffeted the air in panicked disgrace as the small bird fled its shame. How did she come to be laying here? A fairie ring surrounded her and glistened with morning dew. Impossibly slow, as if gravity were defied in this eldritch circle, the poisoned fruit fell from her hand.

Peering at the grain of the wood she traced and traveled along its meandering, stained path. She couldn’t sit up; if she did she would see the colors had been stolen from the world. Already, in the corners of her eyes, she saw their veiled faces garbed in funerary white. Even the stark purity of the lap she lay her head upon was only marred by some stranger’s tears.

Finally, she could wait no more. She stood and walked down the center isle and each step sloshed the stream from its bank. As she reached the marble dias ascending was an effort, against the current of the water falling. Finally, she turned to look over those assembled. “Words are written, penned or scribed. Promises are never forgotten.” So saying, she sat upon the mountain. But, now, demons looked back at her from within the crowd their leerid, gaping maws ready to devour.

“No.” She stepped away. The comfort of starlight called so she sat upon the moon instead; swinging from an infinite lock of ivory hair. They danced to some eternal music, each their own ensemble – a chorus of fate spurned and hope found. If she could hide here forever everything would certainly be simpler. When she turned back from the heavens to look at the world below she saw clearly that the path she was walking was overrun with briars, beasts, and blights.

With a sigh, she let go and jumped.[/i]

---

Born a human child, Rhea was transformed by a curse into a mouse by her evil step-mother, Hedja the Fair. When a young magi slew Hedja he found and took Rhea as his familiar and so began her strange dreams. As an animal, she did not recall her past. But, as a familiar the strange memories tugged at her blind mind. Solumnus, her wizard, continued confronting evil but was one day undone - slain by a demon he used the last of his power to awaken her so she would not die with him, for such is the bond between master and familiar. Overcome by her memories as they flooded back, she fled. No matter the reason of her departure, it has haunted her and though those who are now her peers regard the unknown wizard Solumnus with barely disguised contempt she continues his mission to fight evil. 

Rhea is a master of personal teleportation, she can cross entire continents with each small step, though most other forms of magic exhaust her quickly. She has developed a martial art that combines her speed with her stature and wields an iron needle and silver thread against her foes.[/hider]
[hider=Ginger Warden, Half-Elf, Female, 17]
[i]“Why do they look at us so, mother?” The child had always been afraid of the towering Banderi. Always their eyes followed her as she passed, and not as they did the other elven women. There was a deep, primal emotion that the child barely understood simmering behind their gaze. Hate. Or, maybe fear.

“You are Seari, Child. You must become accustomed. All the world will look at you so… for all your life.” Her mother’s words were always spoken with a gentle firmness, though often (as now) slurred by drink. Even so, her voice lowered to a heartfelt growl as she assured, “Do not fret, our Father is always at our side… unseen.”

The words that so commonly reassured her only served to drive the spike deeper into her young heart. Her thoughts ran wild, ‘They hate me because I am a half-breed. If they knew our secret father… if they knew our love for Belial… it is not their fault, I must not judge them… they are what the seven foolishly created…’

The girl did not see the towering man's step falter as he grew agitated. She did not see the alarm quickly overcoming his features. She did hear him shout, “SHE WORSHIPS THE FORBIDDEN!” She did see the blood run thick upon the cobbles of the street. She felt the tears fall down her face. And, she knew why her mother had died.

‘…it is not their fault… I must not judge them… it is not their sin…’[/i]

---

Ginger is a good and pure soul, who worships the vile darkness Belial - outlawed for centuries in Bandr as the forgotten Eighth Sign of Specialty, Void. Her innocence was shattered, broken, and crushed at an early age and her twisted mind truly believes Belial is a just patron and so of course the world must be destroyed so he can create it anew. The evil, therefor, that flows from her actions is subtle and she has become a hero of the people since migrating to Udye several years ago. Even then, barely trained by hedge-mages and wasteland shamans, her power was great enough that she may have been elected to the Prime Seat if her citizenship was not in question.

She is a master of defensive magic; warding herself and others and expertly turning her enemies spells back upon their caster. Her powers in transformation and telekinesis are moderate and her other magic is novice level at best.[/hider]
[b]Government:[/b] [i]Meritocratic Magocracy - Executive Branch uses a form of Ultimogeniture and the Legislative uses Seniority Succession; both are Absolute Cognatic.[/i]

While laws and mores may be poorly developed, metrics for measuring eldritch proficiency are regimented and labyrinthine. Despite it's opaque nature to those few outsiders who encounter it, every ranked magi in Udye knows with a glance how they measure against another. Still, the nuances are many and there is more than one sect dedicated to more making the system ever more exact.

Each of the six council seats has its own measure against which candidates are compared - but in all cases the eldest candidate is most strongly favored. Councilfolk keep their seat for either one hundred years or until death, whichever comes first. Death is a final arbiter; resurrection, reincarnation, nor reanimation will retain them their seat. The six seats, in order of precedence, are: Celestial ([i]Stormane, Centaur, Male, 3c[/i]), Terrestrial ([i]Orrda Vish, Human, Male, 87[/i]), Insight ([i]Adora Raythier, Half-Dragon, Female, 6c[/i]), Hindsight ([i]Allerleirauh, Fae Lord, Female, 4m[/i]), Interior ([i]Dost of Reichbast, Elf, Male, 1c[/i]), and Exterior ([i]Ordon Phoenix, Unknown, Male, Unknown[/i]).

The Prime Seat ([i]Phaste Idarson, Cansin, Male, 22[/i]), or executive power, rules with near autocratic power. Candidates are ranked by obtaining the most arcane knowledge and power in the shortest time and thus younger candidates are favored over elder. Ideally, the younger ruler brings innovation to their people and guides them into the future while the council exerts a moderating force and preserves tradition. The Primus rules for ten years and is bound by powerful magic to existence so they may not be destroyed or perish.

No Council seat may ever serve for two consecutive terms, though if they are otherwise eligible twice in their lifetime they may be called to serve again. While candidates need not be citizens of Udye, they may not be citizens of another country.

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