[hider=The Plane of Zokution] [center] [h2][b][color=goldenrod]The Plane of Zokution[/color][/b][/h2] [color=goldenrod]Government Form[/color]: Duchy of Soshus: Composite Monarchy Kingdom of Astrad: Feudal Monarchy Driorian Confederation: Elective Monarchy [color=goldenrod]Demographics[/color]: Humans (53%): Self-explanatory, I hope. Haelfgoder(2%): The Haelfgoder are the descendants of the offspring of mortals and quasi-divine beings from Gaia. Due to a mixed mortal ancestry, they look like humans with traits of other races like Dwarves or Elves. Some of the Haelfgoder even possess angelic wings which they can use to fly. Their divine ancestry, which used to give powerful magics back on Gaia (although this is no longer possible on Zokution), causes these beings to receive powerful visions and to hear voices which guide them to greatness, as well as the capability to do most things better than humans can. It is therefore no surprise that many famous and important figures from Zokution’s history have a divine ancestry. Swamp elves (15%): Elves that live in the swamps and bogs of Zokution. The Swamp Elves are highly independent and do not appreciate strangers in their lands. Fortunately for them, the fact that they live in remote marshes and swamps has made it difficult for outside authorities to subjugate them. Haxris (30%): Natives of Zokution, the Haxris are humanoid, though that’s where the similarity with humans ends. While they have the same body plan as the humans or the swamp elves, the Haxris are far taller than your average human, though they are relatively thin, with long limbs. Their skin, which is stone-like, comes in shades of brown, grey and green, which helps to camouflage them in the forests.The Haxris are very communal, although they don’t like outsiders much. In recent times they have been willing to cooperate with the Knights of Drioria to get rid of the Vremden. [color=goldenrod]Population[/color]: 6 million --- [/center] [color=goldenrod]Plane Description[/color]: The plane of Zokution is naturally unstable and volatile. In fact, the only reason why it can be called a plane of existence at all is because of the latent rift, which through some unknown process projects a bubble of reality around itself, making life on Zokution possible. In order to do so, however, it needs to be powered with magic, and so all magic that occurs naturally or enters the plane is drained into it. This means that no magic is possible on Zokution, which has forced the former inhabitants of Gaia to adapt. The habitable area of stability, the edge of which is called the Frontier, has waxed and waned over time, and has been known to grow or shrink abruptly, sometimes in a matter of seconds. Interestingly, Zokution’s Rift can be found on the sea rather than on land, which proved to be a challenge to the first colonists/refugees. This leaves the plane’s currently habitable area to be a relatively small sliver of coastline along the north of the continent of Efora, and includes a large and a number of small islands. This small sliver of coastline is mostly made up of various types of wetland that are prone to flooding in the southeast, and large, ancient mixed forests to the northwest. There used to be more inland, but the shrinking of the Frontier has made going there impossible. Zokution is populated by a number of native creatures, many of which are eerily similar to beings that once lived on Gaia. There are giants, dragons, and many other such beings. Despite their looks, these creatures have proven to be quite indifferent to the arrival of Gaian refugees, and have not been a danger to them. The most dangerous creatures that can be found on Zokution are the Vremden. These entities are what’s left over of those who cross the Frontier. They appear as ghostly figures that glow with a white or blue light, and are incredibly hostile. [color=goldenrod]History[/color]: When the refugees from Gaia first entered the Rift that would lead them to the plane of Zokution, they found themselves not on land, but on the open sea. This proved to be a difficult challenge, and many considered giving up on the whole endeavor and going to a different Rift. Some, under the leadership of a number of Haelfgoder, decided that they’d rather risk drowning on their new plane than dying in the Cataclysm of Gaia. And so, they built small boats, carried them through the Rift, and set sail to find their new home. Many of these initial expeditions didn’t make it, but soon the island of Astrad was discovered, and it was here that the first settlements were made. Astrad was a rich and fertile land, and in mere decades the population boomed. The Haelfgoder, with their innate capabilities for leadership, became revered kings and leaders, and when the population grew too large expeditions were sent out once again, discovering the continent of Efora. Efora was a vastly different environment than Astrad. Where Astrad had rich grasslands, the Eforan coast was a confusing mixture of swamp, islands and rivers. Where Astrad had rolling hills, Efora’s northern coastline was low, flat and prone to flooding. The settlers from Astrad soldiered on nonetheless, and soon the wetlands were drained, the woods were cleared and the land was tamed. The plane’s natives, the Haxris, were soon discovered but with Astrad’s leadership a stable peace was maintained and the colonies on Efora thrived. Then, the first Waxing began, and as the Frontier expanded more of Efora was uncovered, and a new continent was discovered to the north of the Rift. This new continent, Hypugisor, was even more rich and prosperous than Astrad and was chosen to be the new home of the Haelfgoder. With Hypugisor, Astrad, and soon the entirety of Efora under control, the plane of Zokution experienced a golden age that lasted a hundred years. Great technological strides were made during this time, and the people of Zokution even tried to look into ways to expand the Frontier further. This golden age was not to last. The first Waning, heralded by the appearance of a blood-red comet, began. In mere days, the Frontier shrank drastically, cutting off more than half of the available land. The continent of Hypugisor, where most of the Haelfgoder now made their home, was lost entirely. The continent of Efora fell into chaos as mass numbers of Vremden appeared on the frontier and migrated north. A dark age descended upon Zokution. However, the might of the Haelfgoder proved itself once again, as a man named Scuvo Dubhuun proclaimed himself King of a small corner of northeast Efora and managed to reconquer the entirety of eastern Efora, an act for which he would be forever known as ‘Scuvo the Great’. King Scuvo even created a number of chivalric orders in order to combat the mass amounts of Vremden that still plagued the land. Upon his death, his kingdom was split amongst his children, and conflict and disunity ruled once more. For much time, these kingdoms, with their vassal dukes and counts, fought but also traded with and lived peacefully alongside one another. The Frontier sometimes expanded and shrank again, though never as abruptly as the First Wanining. The Eforan wetlands were drained and dams and levees were built to prevent more flooding. In southeast Efora, the House of Soshus began marrying into families that owned counties in the north, from which would eventually come the Duchy of Soshus. The various orders of knights worked together to conquer the Driorian lands and establish the Confederation. In Astrad, merchants began to venture south and trade with the Eforans once again. The center of power and trade now firmly lay in the Eforan north, which was fortunate as another Waning began. This time, however, the Frontier shrank to more than half of its radius in a matter of hours. Millions of people were unable to make it and perished. The original territories of the Duchy of Soshus were lost in the disaster, leaving only its northern possessions. The only other two states to survive were the Kingdom of Astrad and the Driorian Confederation. [color=goldenrod]Culture and Society[/color]: Kingdom of Astrad: Astrad’s society is feudal: that is to say that every social group has legal and sometimes military obligations to one another. There exists a large peasant class, part of which are serfs and part of which are free peasants, which is ruled over by a warrior aristocracy. Land is given in fief by a lord to their vassals, who are obligated to provide military service and pay taxation in exchange for the land. This system of reciprocal relationships goes all the way from the King to local lords, though via a slew of other titles like dukes and counts. Each lord has their own domain, lands they personally own, on which work large numbers of labourers who work the land to provide for themselves as well as their lord, and which can be called up to serve in the military. There is generally little social mobility, though there have been examples of individuals who were able to climb the ranks through skill, cunning and luck. The fact that it used to be the center of civilization has left quite a mark on Astrad. There are still many crumbling ruins which can be seen in the countryside, signs of a once great kingdom. The Haelfgoder are still venerated, and many find themselves pushed into positions of power even if they do not want that power. In an ironic twist of fate, this has led many of the Haelfgoder to conceal their identities. There are a great many legends, most of which are passed through oral tradition, which tell about the ancient civilization which used to be present on the island. Astrad’s economy primarily relies on agriculture, particularly wool, which it sends towards Efora where it is processed into cloth. Astrad is also rich in mineral resources, which it trades with Efora as well. Duchy of Soshus: The culture of Soshus is shaped by its geography. The maintenance of the various canals, mills, dikes and locks is so crucial to prevent flooding that everyone is forced to handle them with care. This also means that finances have been carefully controlled in order to make sure there is enough money for maintenance, which leads to a very rational and sober mentality among the people. Rules and regulations are generally adhered to very well, which also happens to be important for trade and bureaucracy. The northern lands of the Duchy of Soshus are highly urbanized, a natural result of high population growth, increased infrastructure and booming trade. As it became clear that the drained northern wetlands were not as optimal for grain production as the lands in the south, these crop fields were transformed into pasture for animals. This required less labour than farming, which drove more people to the cities. This urbanization led to increased tolerance, as many people from different backgrounds lived next to one another and realized they were not so different. Cities also need many raw goods, like grain, salt, timber among other things, and so this led to booming trade with Astrad and Drioria. This trade would lead to a mercantile, even proto-capitalistic outlook. The mercantile outlook and the need to adapt to an environment without magic have turned the Soshusians into explorers and made them inquisitive, leading to many important advances in science and technology, as well as the founding and the promotion of several universities. Lastly, while the Soshusians might overall be rational and sober, the dukes of Soshus are anything but. The house of Soshus came from the south and its members are used to lavish parties and showing off their wealth, which is directly opposite to the attitude of the common people. Numerous conflicts, especially with more autonomous towns have already happened over this and will likely continue to happen in the future. Driorian Confederation: Since Drioria is a confederation of chivalric orders, the ideals of chivalry are highly regarded there. That includes ideas like loyalty, generosity, honour and other such ideas. Drioria is also highly militaristic, which is entirely necessary due to the high concentration of Vremden which constantly pass the frontier. The knights live in stone castles, each belonging to an order, which protects the land around them, and the road between these castles is well-maintained for communication. The Knights are trained from an early age, and expected to live their lives according to the code of chivalry, as well as to maintain their physical prowess and combat skills in order to maintain combat readiness. Those are not the only things worth mentioning about Drioria, though. The majority of the Driorian population is actually Haxris, who live in small, tight-knit tribal communities. The Knights and the Haxris mostly leave each other alone, despite the latter having been conquered by the former, and have even been known to help one another out in times of need. In recent times, Haxris chieftains and chivalric orders alike have begun to invite settlers from other parts of Efora in order to colonize the sparsely populated land. This has led to the spread of particularly Soshusian culture, as well as Drioria becoming the breadbasket of Zokution, sending large amounts of wheat east- and northwards. [center] --- [/center] [color=goldenrod]Governance and Politics[/color]: Kingdom of Astrad: The Kingdom of Astrad is a feudal monarchy. While the King technically has absolute power, in reality their authority is mediated through vassals which own their own lands, and which also have their own vassals. In general (although not exclusively), the vassals perform military service to their lord in exchange for the land, although there are examples of non-military service as well. Duchy of Soshus:The Duchy of Soshus is not one singular state, but rather a personal union of different territories led by a Duke. Though the original Duchy of Soshus was lost following the most recent Waning, it still carries the same name. The provinces that make up the Duchy do not share any common legislation, although there are a number of common bureaucratic institutions that help the Duke govern their territories. The autonomy of the various territories governed by the Duke varies greatly, with cities particularly having higher autonomy. Driorian Confederation:: Drioria is really the territory of a number of chivalric orders that have conquered the Driorian region in the northwest of Efora. While traditions between the different orders may vary, the heads of the various orders form a council that runs the state. The leader of the Confederation is the Grand Master, who is elected by all members of all the different orders. [color=goldenrod]Technology and Magic[/color]: With a complete lack of magic on their plane, the peoples of Zokution have had to adapt by heavily investing into the development of new technologies. The people of Northern Efora have become masters of water management, using systems of dams, canals, dikes, water mills, windmills and hydraulics to drain the wetlands and prevent flooding. Water is also used to power a variety of industrial mills which produce goods like paper, sugar, timber and many other products. Gunpowder was invented during Zokution’s golden age, and finds important military applications as siege cannons, fire lances, fire arrows and even has limited naval use. Also of note is the use of flamethrowers on ships, which spew out a flaming liquid that is sticky and even keeps burning on water. Advanced metallurgical techniques combined with hydraulic engineering to produce metal ensure a steady supply of weaponry and armor. Other important inventions include: double-entry bookkeeping which has led to the rise of bureaucracy to govern both states and private businesses better; the movable type printing press which has allowed for a quicker and more efficient spread of information; the nautical magnetic compass, which is incredibly important for trade ships that ply the seas, and there are also other inventions like the armillary sphere. This is just a small overview of the technological advancements made on Zokution, as to give a complete overview would take up more space than necessary. [color=goldenrod]Military Overview[/color]: Kingdom of Astrad: Astrad’s army is mostly composed of peasant levies which support a small group of knights and a variety of trained men-at-arms, each of which hand-picked by their lord to suit their preferences in warfare. Duchy of Soshus: Soshus’ military is the most advanced one on Zokution. The Dukes of Soshus have managed to create a professional, well-trained standing army rather than relying on feudal levies to fight its wars. This army is mostly made up of the urban poor, who gladly join the Duke’s military in exchange for pay. Its armaments include gunpowder-based weaponry such as fire lances, fire arrows and siege artillery, though there are also the more traditional medieval weapons, as well as cavalry. Given that most of the plane is made up of water, Soshus also has a strong navy. This navy exists mostly to protect the shipping lanes from piracy. Naval warfare relies primarily on boarding, though flamethrowers for ship-to-ship combat are also used, and there are even experimental cannons. Driorian Confederation: Much like Astrad, Drioria mostly uses Knights and levies to do all the fighting. Unlike the Kingdom, however, Driorian Knights are far better trained, and there are a lot more of them, allowing them to be used as heavy infantry and cavalry alike. Driorian levies are primarily composed of the Haxris, although they generally only volunteer in times of crisis. Given that the Haxris are far taller and stronger than mortal men, they have not dared to force them to serve in the military. [/hider]