Nation Name: HelCore Flag: [IMG]http://i60.tinypic.com/24e2k45.jpg[/IMG] Capital: AshBridge ( population: 103,500 ) Other Settlements: Gundor ( population: 85,200 ) Reave ( Population: 73,000 ) Adwik ( Population: 93,000 ) Marsidar ( Population: 32,800 ) Population: 812,600 Racial demographics: 85% pure human, 15% other ------------------------------------- Social dynamics: The denizens of Helcore live in caste like system. Each member swears fidelity too one of four clans and relocates to said clans region of control after their 16th birthday. Each clan leader advises the current warchief. The people of Helcore value strength and courage above all other traits though they also believe that "your" word is binding and as such rarely lie or break an oath. They frequently take slaves from raids against unprotected villages and such. The slaves are mostly used to take care of menial tasks. Such as cleaning walk ways, taking care of the few elderly, clearing out debris from mines, runners, gladiators, and maintainers of public property Most of those viewing from the outside can easily see resemblance between a wolf pack and helcore ---------------------------- Each clan has a single purpose, though all have some military capabilities, the main resonsiblity of defence and offense falls to clan [i]GrimWrath[/I] Where the sole of each member is to hone their bodies into agile killing machines. GrimWrath is separated into two parts, Grim - which deals with close combat. Often using axes, spears and round shields that are easily inter lockable. They train day in and day out in unit combat. Though they can fight well enough on their own. Their training lasts drom dawn toll dusk and on opposite weeks dusk to dawn. ( a week being 13 days )The members of Wrath are drilled in singular combat and guerrilla warfare. Renowned Archers they Use the long bow, and a long sword though often have short swords for a reserve. They are trained to weave in and out of the forests and cliff sides firing deadly vollies down upon enemies. Often said to be ghosts of the forest as they make no sound when moving about the foilege. Their combined ability make them a formidible fighting force. [I]GreyAnvil[/I] The GreyAnvil is responsible for the crafting including but not limited too: Building housing, Smithing, Clothing and Walls for the cities. [I]TheDescended[/I] Responsible for resource gathering. Their frequent haul from the massive mines are coal, silver, copper, tin, iron, and a moderate amount of gold and very few gems. Other than mining, they also do the logging for the clans. They transport their resources to the massive hoards of either minerals or wood piles. ( wood piles located out of the inner halls ) at the end of every two weeks the minerals from ever hold is transported to the main hoard, ( located in Ashbridge ) it contains the largest smelters in all of Helcore, so massive that they if the emergency dump is activated that iwlt would cover the entire bridge leading yo ashbridge, though it can drain it would have to be cleaned from the specially designed bridge which could take months to years. [I]LowLanders[/I] They provide 100% of the food for the clans their domain is the lowest part of the mountains. They grow, raise, gather and hunt all of the food for the people. The farms produce fresh fruit and wheat. The ranches produce Goat meat, Boar hide and meat, Elk flesh and meat. They gather berries, roots and seeds. The hunters provide wild game such as rabbit, and smaller mammals. ----------------------------------------------------- Fashion: Citizens of Helcore, wear furs, or simple garmets. The people are not much for fashion, though the slaves frequently are dressed in their customary garb. Calendar: The trials ( First day of winter, where candidates fight each other then the strongest challenges the current war chief. ) Winters End ( four day celebration and the start of the gathering and growing ) Law days ( Mid summer ) Art: With almost no written history most of it is oral or depicted upon their skin. Most people if not all have tattoos covering a majority of their bodies depicting their feats of strength, their family history or stories of their clans greatness. Law: The warchiefs word is law. Every year during law days the warchief puts out the new laws, edits previous laws, or removes a former law. The laws are etched into stone pillars which are set in each town center. Violation of the law requires a trial in which the the lord of the hold hosts. He becomes the mouth of the warchief. If found guilty he issues a penalty which could range from: torture, eye for an eye, death, exile. If there is a problem between two people they can arrange a trial by combat. Where the winner takes possession of the others estate (including lands, family, and items/slaves) Education: There are few who can read and write, most see no need for it. Though the GreyAnvils are capable of math to a degree as it is taught word of mouth Type of Government: Monarchy/Caste Foreign policy: Isolation/small raids, no immigration/emigration Influence and relations: WiP Important People: Killenger (War chief) Age: 30 Kerrigore (Commander of the GrimWarth military) Age: 53 Destitor ( Leader of GreyAnvil ) Age: 18 Grak ( Leader of The Descended ) Age: 27 Vezitor ( Leader of the LowLanders ) Age: 32 Trading and tax: There is no trade which flows from the Mountains of Helcore, a majority of it is horded deep in the warchiefs main hall. The clan leaders work in a symbiotic relationship with each other. Tax is collected in the form resource and goods and distributed evenly amongst the holds Major industries: Mining, and smithing, and stone masonry, lumber, food. Major Associations: (wip) Currency: Distributed through out in thin iron bars. Which can be traded for required goods Also known as Bits. 1 bit = 1 oz of iron 10 bits = 1 oz of copper/tin 100 bits = 1 oz of silver 1000bits = 1 oz of gold 10000 bits = 1 oz of steel (Though citizens never have anything other than iron and rarely copper/tin bits ----------------------------------------- Military - 32,504 active duty military( 21,302 apart of Grim, 11,202 apart of Wrath ) Although the military seems quite small the reserves can easily bolster forces back to max numbers by using reserves. Its military renown for its gorilla warfare. When being invaded their tactic is to make the enemy bleed as much as possible. They use ambush and hit and run type moves. Often times they will devise traps normally used for the massive game in the forest Used to slow or hault moving armies. Most would call them barbaric, because of their use of scare tactics such as torture and sending mutilated bodies back to their people... Often by dropping them down from cliffs and on to passing armies. They'll string up grotesque scenes for invaders to pass by. Often times their tattooed bodies will intimidate those more civilized attacker as they look crazed and savage, sometimes like monsters. Each unit is seen as a family unit and by doing so are housed in communal houses where they share it with their brothers and sisters ( also their families ) During raids they attack at night or on holy days and holidays, swift and merciless. They kill and maim plundering goods and taking slaves. As quick as they arrive they're almost as quickly gone. Grim ( Main fighting force ) uses Iron Axes, Large Round shields made of iron and wood. And long spears/javalines. They are armored with chain mail and leather armor Wrath ( secondary fighting force ) uses Long bows, and long swords, short sword as reserve and what ever extra gear they wish to carry. They wear long cloaks, and minimal armor. For raids both units can use Trained Elk as mounts. Grim is organized from smallest to largest: 5 men ( Unit ) 20 men ( Prong ) 40 men ( wall ) 120 men ( Great Wall) 500 men ( Sparce ) 1000 ( force ) Wrath is organized from smallest to largest: 5 men ( Unit ) 20 men ( prong ) Wirrwarr ( Chaotic ) They often wield battle axes, polearms, and claymore like weapons. Their armor is often pieced together from their fallen foes. And ontop of armor they have bones of the slayen attached to their armor. Though all wear the head of a giant wolf upon their own. Their faces appearing between their jaws. Wirrwarr: The elite fighting force of Helcore. Taken from both grim and wrath they are the best fighters of each. Accomplished in killing, excellent warriors. They can start their trials as soon as they've bested a brother in hand to hand combat and came out the survivor. They immediately are sent naked into the wild to survive for two weeks time ( 26 days ) after they return they are allowed to rest for two nights before the present themselves before the clan leaders. Where they are asked a series of questions about the history of their people. After successfully answering they meet the wirrwarr where they're beaten until almost death and are left to fight for survival once more. If they survive that they are allowed to train with the runts. ( training can last from 10 hours too a full day ) learn from the best and learn from the most experienced. And after theyve completed initial training they once again set out into the forest with a short sword to slay a wolf of their own. After the brutal training Their bodies become hard and their mind slowly slips. Some are crazed, others stay in touch with reality. They're housed In a special fort on the opposite side of ash bridge. There are roughly 1000 wirrwarr in service. ----------------------------------------------------------- Landscape: Extremely mountainous, Few large trails in and out (difficult to move supply trains, large armies through.), Steep trails, with large forests pine ( Easy to get lost ). During winter impossible to move troops or supplies in and out. Incredible dangerous to navigate in cold months and night. Wildlife: Elk, Boars, Rams, Wolves, Bears, Courgers, and deer. Most of the animals tend to grow larger than average and can be quite destructive. ( some getting to be the size of a truck. ) Notable places: Ashbridge, a large city built into the cliff side. With few holes appearing from the side of the cliff for ventilation (the shafts are barred and gratted ) also good to note is that the massive smelters incorporated into the structure has am emergency release which allows the contents of its impression e smelter to pour onto the bridge ( which had a specially designed drain system.), the only other sign of human residence would be the massive stone and wood gates that bar the entrance. And a very large stone bridge that gaps a massive creavice. Gundor, built directly above Ashbridge, it squats in a densly pact corner, wooden walls blocking the sloped side while the cliffward side has thick stone blocks which block majority of the view from below. Although it is above Ashbridge it has no tunnels or connection directly too it. One would have to travel down through the morrow tunnels and across to Adwik then to Ashbridge. Summary: (WiP) --------------------------- History: The history of Helcore slowly fades, we stories lost here, others there. There are a few stories that have stood against the stream of time... Roughly 25,000 years ago at what the people assume was the start of time, the mountain people once had the ability to navigate the oceans, they traveled from a far away land, though none know where or why they left. They grew hungry, and tired they're boats worn and recked on the coast. They had no choice but to try and settle. This new land was hostile and they suffered many deaths. They found the great mountains, in which they retreated up continuously fighting the guardians of the forest they were forced into the caves where they learned to live and fight. Slowly but surely they grew and splintered into different factions.. Roughly 20,000 years ago grotesque monsters emerged on the foot steps of Helta ( what they call the mountain range ) ready to fight they were challeneged, a battle between their strongest warriors. The battle raged on for days, and before their Great warrior was about to vanquish the beast, they used scorcery to blind Glitash and he was defeated. As he begged for his life the exile removed his head. Because of the oath they showed them through the mountain passes. But soon the clans began to bicker the honorable wanted to show them through while the unjust wanted to kill them in their sleep. Soon the war of brothers broke out and many died, the tricky beasts escaped and Helta was bathed in the blood of the people. The war today is known as the thousend year war. Roughly 800 years ago, at the height of Helcore, their army had learned military tactics, they drilled day and night, every child could read, write and count to 100. It wasn't uncommon for the people to spend their days in lesuir, a silly thing, and its even said that they collected gold because it was valuable to other people's and could be traded for goods from different lands! And in their erogance they sent out armies from the lowlands and layer siege to the lands of the imperium for a year, at the end of the year the people were beaten back, bloodied and broken they retreated to the mountains, and again civil war took hold. After the bloody conflict four clans emerged and these clans are what every Helcore citizen swears fidelity too. 600 years ago, after recovering from the previous civil war, Helcore began to raid the northern lands, stealing, plundering, murdering and enslaving. So though the people of the north rallied forth and began their own raids, eventually they constructed forts along their borders hindering large raiding parties from crossing into their lands. Though still smaller parties sneak across and attempt to plunder the land. Strengths: Strong military drive, Family/unit oriented, large resource cahces Weaknesses: Lack of trade, uncultured, lack of education, lack of established religion, Constant power struggles, and new Warchiefs. ----- Name: Mountain Men (Human) Classification: Sentient Appearance: Slightly taller than regular humans. Shared traits: Natural ababilities: Cold resistant Lifespan: 50-60 years Relations with other races: Neutral-Hostile History: (Optional) Lanuages: Heltho Religious beliefs: You must live your life in service to the clan, the people have no special religious day, they believe that they are dependents of wolves, and that if they die in service to the clans they will become a wolf in the afterlife. To die in battle they reserve a spot in the upper circle of the spirit world where the gods of the world live. In that world they fight for sport, and defend the gods for all eternity. If you die without honor you live as the food for the pack where your eaten every night and reborn in the morning again to be eaten once more. It is to note that their gods have human bodies and wolf heads. Preferred occupations: Warriors Famous people: Killenger Strengths: Tough, resilient, Honest. Weaknesses: Intelligence, Oath bound [IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/2r243du.jpg[/IMG]