Name: Emperor Elendin Aventash the Innocent, Ash Varin Den Dargos Tullan (The Golden Eagle That Bows For None) Age: 11 Appearance:
Known for: Being the son of the most beloved king of all: Andèris Aventash the Beloved Dirty little secret: It is said that the boy is no real ruler and that his uncle holds most of the power. Preposterous ideas of course. Skills:
Motto: "I am but a dwarf, compared to a giant."
Name: Rurik Aventash, uncle to the new Emperor Age: 44 Appearance:
Known for: Was ever so loyal to his brother, Emperor Andèris Aventash the Beloved. Gave him useful advice throughout his entire life. Dirty little secret: The totally preposterous rumor has spread, that Rurik had something to do with the assassination of his brother! Skills: Motto: "My words are gold to the Emperor!"
Name: Andèris Aventash the Beloved, Del Vorin Darkat Denus (He Whose Words Flow Like The Stream) Age: 52 Appearance:
Known for:
Motto:
No one yet
Name of the Province: Torivian
Name of the liege: Emperor Elendin Aventash the Innocent, Ash Varin Den Dargos Tullan (The Golden Eagle That Bows For None)
Flag of the Province:
History: Torivian used to be one of many small kingdoms. But due to clever military strategies and political marriages managed to grow into a vast spanning Empire. The conquered realms weren't directly integrated into the ever growing Empire, but rather ruled by an appointed vassal. Each vassal had control over one Grand Province, as people started calling these conquered areas. Minor Provinces dot the map of Torivian as well, but play no part in the theater of politics.
Religion: The Grand Provinces were allowed to keep their own religion at first, but had to assign a leader of the Torivian Faith in their court, as to make sure that certain rules weren't broken. The religion the Province of Torivian follows, is the Faith of Man. Which basically means that great, important people, can be elevated Paragonship, so to speak.
All Paragons are equal, apart from one. There is one above all! Sindoras: Creator of Eldas (What Torivian calls Earth) No one really knows who he was or what he did, but according to the title he created the world, which raises questions for many theologians, since how can a man... create a world?
At the head of this religion stands an ecclesiarch, who, together with a lot of scribes and priests, note the great deeds of people and decide who can be elevated.
15/01/17: Added Information & Skeleton for future posting
Appearance: Gastó Canalis stands at 1.87 meters tall. He has a strong physique and body that conveys a lot of inner strength. His muscles can be seen stretching the exquisite drapes of his dress, somewhat hiding his true strength: intelligence. He has a brownish skin like the other people from the deserts of Saqquar. He also has plain brown eyes like most other Southerners, and has a similarly dark hair color to match the whole picture. His facial features cannot betray his Saqquar blood, and he is the perfect image of a strong, healthy man from the south, curtesy of the Royal treatement.
Known for: Canalis is from the royal family of the Saqquarian people, the current lineage of vassals who run the southernmost regions of Empire. Just this can be enough to give a man fame, but Canalis is known for more than his lineage. An excellent tinkerer who was teached by master smiths and artificers of the Saqquarian people, he has a certain knack for dealing with machinery and architecture. He is also regarded as the best Tarvak player in the Empire.
However, his true fame comes from the fact that he is known as an excellent strategist, as Canalis has won many battles that his brothers would have claimed lost. His cunning on the field of battle has often lead the Saqquarian division of the Empire to surprising victories in many scenarios. With a plathera of unorthdox strategies used by him, he is known as an out of the box thinker.
Dirty little secret: - There are questions and rumors circling around, that question why a royal descendant of Saqquar would visit the new Emperor as an Ambassador.
Skills: - Sword training. Skilled in swordsmanship due to royal training from an early age. While not particularly good at it, Canalis can hold itself against opponents of average skill. - Excellent strategist. When it comes to the grandiose scale of a battle, or the overarching goals of political opponents, Canalis can hardly be deceived into making a wrong move. - Tinkerer. Thought not particularly an artform of the royalties, Canalis often plays with different ideas and creates small constructs of various uses. - Rational thinker. Canalis is known as a down to the earth kind of person who uses his head rather than his heart when making big decisions. Ruthlesness is replaced with "necessity" in his dictionary.
Motto:
"Everyone has a weakness. My job is to find, and exploit it."
Liege: Weigar Canalis, Grand Duke of Saqquar
Position: TBA
Specialty: As a province ruled by arid climate, Saqquar has little in natural resources. Most of the province's population lives on the fertile riverside of the two large rivers of Ifrit and Granat, named after their unique gemstones formed in their riverbed. Though most natural resources are scarcely avaible, a plathera of exotic minerals and materials can be found in the province that catch an insane price on the global market. The province borders a small portion of the ocean to the east, where the Ifrit and Granat flow into the grand blue via massive deltas. These are busy trader ports where Saqquarian traders load up their cargo and take it to north, towards the capital and other provinces.
Despite the lack of resources, Saqquar is known to be the best at utilising the already existing ones and providing a hardy workforce for the Emprie. A Saqquarian breastplate can be trusted not to break in the heat of battle, and a fletcher hailing from the province will turn wood, not into a bow, but a piece of masterfully crafted art. The province has a long history of extensive use of siege warfare, and the province provides some craftsman and plans to create these terrifying machine beasts for the army each year.
History: Before becoming a province of Torivia, Saqquar was very similar to the empire in the way it was built up. However, decades of infighting that ruined the lives of so many, led to the people in the area becoming hardy folks that would endure just about everything that nature could throw at them. After being subdued by Torivian, the people of Saqquar welcomed the peace in their lands and became faithful subjects to the empire. Saqquarian nobility was not a commonplace visitor in the capital that lied so far north to them, but their arrival always meant news of foreign lands and gifts of exotic nature. Many folks and royalties regarded the previous emperor as an honorary Saqquarian who brought peace to the war torn nation, and the entire province mourned his death as hundreds of thousands took to the streets to honor his achievements.
Tarvak is a popular dice game that is played throughout empire. Used both in gambling due to the luck factor, and in competitions thanks to the amount of brawl it needs, the Tarvak is a game that both peasants and royals play.
Rules: Tarvak is a game easy to learn, but hard to master. Each player starts with six D8s (8 sided dice) that have the numbers 1-4 on them, with each number having two sides on the dice. Both players roll their die and then hide them from the other player, usually with their hands. Now that the dies are rolled, the game begins. The starting player states an amount of dice faces that he thinks are shared between both hands. For example, our opponent can say that "There are four 3 faces" or as we write it, 4x3. This means that he thinks that from the 12 dies, there are at least 4 that have the "3" face showing upwards. We must then decide whether we think that this statement is true or not.
In our scenario the die faces are as follows: 2x1, 1x2, 5x3, 4x4.
If we decide that the statement is true, then we must "Raise". Any statement has more value if either there are more dies involved, or if the die faces are worth more. After the 4x3 claim in this scenario, we can only say 4x4 if we wish to stay on 4 dies, otherwise we will have to state the faces of 5 dies, with any face values. Naturally this means that any statement, that says that there are x number of 4 faces, forces the opponent to raise the amount of dies that they try to guess. The only rule of "Raise" is to not lower the value, but a player can always go from 2 dies to 5, or switch from the "1" face to the "4" face in his statement.
If we decides that our opponent's statement is false, then we can "Call". When a player calls, both players reveal their hands and count the amount of faces. If there are equal or more dies with the desired face on them, then the calling player loses a dice, otherwise if there are less, then the opponent loses a dice. In our example, the opponent said 4x3 and we called, however there are 5 dies with 3 faces, 5x3. In this case we must sede a dice to the die pool for calling on a true statement. The die pool is where the lost dies are stored, and has no real impact on the game in the competition ruleset.
After a call, the round ends and the player who called will begin the next turn. Whenever a player has only one dice left, he or she will always be the one starting the round. If both players have only one die then the player who most recently lost a dice starts the turn. The game lasts until one player is out of dies, upon which the player with remaining dies wins.
It is a valid strategy to call out a true statement in a winning situation, and lose a dice in exchange for starting the next turn.
Variants:
Some variants of the game allow players to get back one of their dies if they call when there is exactly the same amount of dies with the desired faces as their opponent called. However, the tournament rulesets do not follow this variation.
Similarly, there are variants of the game where the starting player is determined by adding together the values of their dies, and the player with the higher value starts. This is usually reserved for beginners as it gives away valuable intel.
A popular variant of Tarvak is when multiple people play. In this variant the same rules apply, and the turn order goes counter clockwise.
Through the ages many other, even stranger forms of Tarvak have popped up empire wide, some of which use different dies or have vastly different rulesets or goals.
Moved this here for convenience purposes. Once I finish this and it gets accepted I'll put everything into the correct place in my NS
These are all the things that I want to expand upon or change entirely in some way, shape or form.
Architecture and Craftsmanship Since the dawn of time, Saqquar has been like a womb for scientific advancement, even if others didn't see the end results. Many new and exotic designs have been birthed in this desert region, that would seem rather unusual for an outsider. Saqquarians often have different trinkets for many different tasks, including polished gemstones that can be used as protable sundials and portable lighters which consume rare oils to ignite themselves. This may not be commonplace in different provinces, but almost every saqquarian that aren't in poverty have some basic forms of this master crafstmanship. These trinkets are often saught after and can fetch high prices in markets around the kingdom.
For generations, war has engulfed the nation, but the rich never stopped being selfish and egotistic. A result of their innate desire to show the world just how filthy rich they are, craftsman from all over Saqquar have been gathered to make the finest luxury items. Using the plathera of luxury resources avaible in the province, exotic and luxurious items were created in the hundreds, from simple polished gemstone to incredibly complex golden jewelry. In recent decades, with the peace and propserity that has come to the Saqquar, these craftsman have continued to wage a different war: and arms race between both themselves and Sinverlandian craftsman to see who can produce the most exotic piece of jewelry.
Thought Saqquar may house some of the finest craftsman, their architects should not be forgotten. Turning the desert into a luxurious paradise for the sultan and the rich is no small feat, but the architects of Saqquar can always manage to surprise the world. Not only are their siege engines works of art, but Saqquar's pursue of luxury in the recent decades has yielded in the creation of some wonderous buildings that stand a testament to the progress of the Saqquarian people from nomadic tribes, to the cultural and economical heart of the south. Many architectural wonders date back to decades, but their restoration has only been finished in recent years. However, some of the most beautiful buildings in the province have been built in recent memory, including the Temple of the Halconics.
The long history of Saqquar is one of relentless wars and ideological crusades. An endless sufferage of the people whom have survived against all odds and made an Empire that all envied for it's richness and technological advances. A story about two brothers whom started a war which would last generations and engulf the nation in flames. A fairy tale of how a war torn nation could reclaim it's former glory thanks to their strong beliefs in their gods, and the leadership of benevolent Sultans appointed by foreign powers.
Era of Beginning
Once upon a time, a group of merchants decided to settle down after a life long travel around the continent at the delta of the Ifrit, and found the earliest form of what is now Markath. They built sturdy ships from the palms around the river, and ventured north to trade gemstones that would wash up on the shore in exchange for food and supplies. Many would seek out the settlement in hope of gaining wealth from this business, and the years would see Markath become a decent sized town. At the time, the city was one of the only settlements in the Saqquar area. The original traders who have founded the city soon became known as the Merchant Kings, and Markath continued developing as a city state.
The gem of the Ifrit grew with the generations, until it would attract more people than it could hold. Soon, the descendants of the Merchant Kings, now known as the Merchant Princes would wander out into the lands nearby to find a palce to settle and form new colonies. This would lead to the founding of El Shamul, in an oasis not far north of the Ifrit. Her people worked tirelessly to make aliving from herding wild Krollans for their milk, and venturing south to the Ifrit for the seasonal harvest of wheat and reed. Most of the Merchant Princes decided to stay in Markath in the end, but some of them travelled to El Shamul to help with the developemment of the small colony.
Era of Crusade
Many years passed by, until El Shamul outgrew Markath, and became the larger city state. Thought the people of these two cities shared the same language and had similar ancestry, El Shamul was highly religious, whilst Markath was strictly focusing on wealth. A divide between these two town arose, and it would lead to the outcome humans have always resorted to in their tiemes of dofference: war.
Some of the deepest beleifs in modern Saqquar history can be dated back to this era, as the almost fanatical believers from El Shamul interconnected war and their religion. Their belief, however, is heresy by modern standards. They beleived that the path of war and forceful spreading of their beleifs was the way to go about every day life. They blieved in the ways of the dragon: a merciless rage that is within every living being, ready to be unleashed upon their foes. Heated by this divine rage, it is no surprise that the fanatical warriors of El Shamul crushed the mercenary soldiers of Markath, conquering all the settlements in between the two major cities. In the end, Markath would surrender rather than to fight a war it couldn't win, letting in the armies of El Shamul to ransack the city, and ending the conflict in favor of the attackers.
During the following decades, the El Shamul would expand along the river Ifrit, and start crusades against their northern neighbours. In these decades, they have pludnered villages as far north as the modern capital of Torivia, establishing the deep rooted traditions of cavalry tecniques in Saqquar. The earliest recordings of Ixclidis being rode to battle come from this time, where a band of incredibly daring fanatics rode nearly 20 of these lizards into battle, and becoming highly infamous as they ransacked many villages to the north.
But this raiding lifestyle wouldn't go tolerated for long, and the northern city states around Granat would form a coalition to finally end the tyrannic rule of El Shamul over the region. This was the beginning of the Great Crusade, an era of time loosely defined by more than hundreds of years during which El Shamul waged a constant war against the coalition, and the two would exchange blows from generation to generation.
This particular era defined the lifestyle of the people in Saqquar. They would make weapons instead of jewelry, and they were all trained in the arts of war. The religion of the Dragon was brainwashed into every man and woman in El Shamul, and people would willingly give their life for the ultimate victory. Those captured would commit suicide, and anyone captured by them would be executed by tying them to a pole in the desert. This blind devotion, and absolute hate against all those deemed heretics by the church led to the naming of this era full of bloodshed.
Many doubted this war would ever end, but no-one expected a religious coup from within their own borders to end the war. A prophet by the name of Inara spoke against the violent ways of the ir religion, and told the people or Markath about a more peaceful way of existence, one lead by the shifting of seasons and a man's natural desire to live a fullfilled life. One by one, towns and cities abandoned El Shamul, and left it alone to fend off the coalition by itself. Meanwhile, Markath began construction on the Temple of the Halconics, as instructed by Inara, who was revered almost as a god amongst mortals. Thought she asked her followers not to revere her, her teachings were already spreading too fast for het to not be viewed as some goddess who ended this long war.
When the coailition finally conquered El Shamul, and came to Markath, they found no army, but instead the citizens of the town following Inara into the grasslands to meet the armies of the north. On this sacred day, she would strike a deal, that would place Markath as the capital of this new coalition with the city states of the Granat. How she did it, is a mistery lost to time, but all believers are tuaght that the divine Halconics interfered to strike the deal.
Through her life, she spread the ways of the 12 Halconics through the coalition, which would eventually take in El Shamul too, and convert it to the new religion. For nearly 56 years of her life, she has achieved something no-one before her could: she united the many young towns of the Granat, and the large cities of the Ifrit under a single banner: one she would call Saqquar after a divine dream. With her death at the age of 64, millions mourned her passing as they carried her body through the streets of Markath to set her earthly remains ablaze as the last rays of the sun had disappeared over the horizon. She would not live to see the temple of the Halconics be finished a year later, and her death meant the end of the Crusade Era.
Golden Era of Saqquar
After the death of Inara, the still relatively new coalition was torn when it came to choosing a successor for the throne. There was a general fear in the air, as amyn speculated that another bloody war would break out between major figures to see who would inherit the leadership. However, such a war would not take place, thanks to some important figures who have been forgotten in the Crusade Era. The Merchant Princes of Markath held significant power in their hands since Inara made Markath the capital of the South. They held significant provinces under their control all over Saqquar, and their influence was starting to restore pre Crusa Era levels. They petitioned to the great kings and rulers that there would be an election. Each city with provincial status would automatically send their liege to the election, and public elections would be held to determine one more candidate from amongst the nobles in each city. As such, the people of Saqquar could voice their demands too.
The Merchant Princes would pay all the expenditure of setting up such a large scale event. It took 3 weeks to collect all the votes and get the chosen people to gather in Markath. Then, a week long festivity was held in the city, where people could listen to what each of the chosen representatives would have to say. Thought only nobles could vote on the successor, the common people's wishes were hard to ignore for any landlord. The festivities were also mean to cheer up the people of Saqquar, as many of the Pilgrims who decided to walk to markath would be able to rela and let go of their dreary thoughts regarding the death of Inara.
At the end of the week, all 17 Merchant Princes gathered in Markath to announce the results of the election. Many expected one of the provincial lords to win, but in a surpirse turn of events, a young boy from Tayalet was the one who won by a landslide. His name was Imam Gremik, and thought nobody could suspect it, he and his children would bring around 250 years of prosperity for Saqquar.
Imam's parents were both nobles who served the armies of the north as generals during the Crusade Era. Many acused him of cheating the polls, but since the majority of nobles who voted were from the north, they voted on the son of a well known family. To bolster his numerous talents, one major fact was playing for Imam on the elections: he had a tutor in the form of an exiled king from a faraway kingdom in the north. Thought the name of this king was lost to the ages, many attribute the succes of young Imam to this tutor.
The young leader was only 19 when he first sat on the throne, and many of the nobles refused to follow him, arguing that he was too young an inexperienced. However, the charismatic Imam was not going to sit around idly to let Saqquar fall apart. Utilizing the vast knowledge passed down onto him by his tutor, he came up with a series of acts to reform and stabilize the governement. His first act was to secure the loyalty of the nobles, thus securing the future for his reforms.
To do so, he devised an ingenious provincial system for Saqquar that would split up the already existing provinces into many smaller ones that would be all centered around key strategic locations, such as cities and fortresses. In the end, a grand total of 57 provinces were established, all with a landlord controlling them. He landed many princes and nobles to get their loyalty, and enact his system across the whole Empire.
Once he finsihed this, most of the nobles became loyal to him, but ironically, the Lord of Tayalet still refused to follow him. To combat this, he founded the Senate of Saqquar: the reigning council of advisors and lords who would be working under the Sultan to create laws. To enact this, he passed the Bill of Saqquar to all his newly appointed lords, and coined the name of the country Saqquar for ages to come. The bill was a success: with the eyes of lords set upon the position of the senate and the great power that comes with it, they all agreed to follow Imam.
However, he wished to abolish the feudalism in the country. He wished to see the rise of a Saqquar where the uttermost faith in the Sultan and the Halconics meant that there were no landlords, but servants of the ruler who fullified their duties for the people. Thought this plan couldn't be done in his lifetime, he would pass on this plan to his offsprings.
Once the issues of rowdy nobles has been deal with, Imam saw to rewarding the Merchant Princes for their loyalty. He freed them from the taxes, and gave them the rule to self govern the Markath area. They would only need to answer the Sultan himself, and the Senate would have to jurisdiction over them. This established the modern influenceof the Merchant Princes, who are now trusted friends and advisors of the Sultan.
To reform the economy, he instituted monopolies over gold and silver ore, and would pay for any landlord who would helped find a gold or silver mine on their land. With gold and silver abundant, he could mint high quality gold coins instead of the silver and brozne coins used before. This made the Saqquar market competitive yet again, and greatly boosted the trade in the region.
He also spent a lot of the money on building infrastructure in the region. He requisitioned aquaducts that would help transport water away from the rivers of Ifrit and Granat. He gave funding to landlords to make them construct better agricultural systems on their lands, and he sent people to oversee that the money was well spent. He built watchtowers alongside mayor trade routes to deter bandits, and encouraged traders to seek out more profitable trade routes by providing soldiers to defend those willing to explore.
To pay his respects to Inara, he would spend money straight from the treasury to buy resources and hire workers to speed up the construction of the Temple of Halconics. Thanks to his efforts, the temple was finsihed by the first anniversary of Inara's death, and hundreds of thousands wandered to markath to see the majestic building finished.
Five years into his leadership, Imam was overcome with and Imperialistic fervor. He knew that to unite the people of Saqquar for long after he was gone, he would need to forge a strong bond between the various cultures of the nation. To do so, he began construction on the symbol of his greatness, and the unity of the people. He began the construction if the Imperial Palace in Tayalet, and turned the city into the new capital of the country. He formed the Scalguards, the elite woman's guard divisionr ecrutied from all the various ethnic groups of the Empire who would act as the personal bodyguards of the imperial family. He held great parades through the streets of the great cities of Saqquar, and hung up banners of the Imperial Sigil all over the Empire. With this, he layed the groundwork for the national pride of Saqquar.
The Imperial Palace wasn't finished before Imam died however, and his son, Imam II took over leading the kingdom. Imam was given the title "the Benevolent", and his son viewev with great expectations. Following the wishes of his father, he too would continue to unite the people of the Empire, and would teach his kids the same.
The following 250 or so years marked the Golden Age of Saqquar. The Empire became united under the Sultan, and people of all former ethnic groups were now simply Saqquarians. Saqquar saw no major conflicts, and it's economy and trade boomed under the benevolent rulership of Imam's sons. This was an era of peace and prosperity that the region has never experienced before. Markath continued to be the religious and economical capital of Saqquar, whilst northern cities like Tayalet and Horqath were the cultural and imperial hubs. by the end of this era, the Senate was reformed to be made up of the leaders of the 57 provinces, who were now appointed instead of passed on from landlords. Otherwise, the dream of Imam the Benevolent came true in the form of a rich, loyal and peaceful Saqquar.
Era of Strife
Nothing could last forever. With the death of Imam VII, what seemed to be an endless empire was about to fall apart. Upon his death, he left behind a pair of twin brothers to lead the empire. However, none of the brothers wanted to give up their power, and both claimed the throne theirs. These brothers were named Granat and Ifrit, who would later give their names to the two major rivers of Saqquar through their ruthless actions against each other in the Endless War.
(More Coming here)
Some of these are really not important for the RP, but they still add lore and depth to Saqquar.
El Shamul Hanging gardens, finely crafted ivory statues plated with gold, and palaces with working waterworks adorn the royal district of El Shamul, the ancient capital of the province. The capital of Saqquar is an ancient town that has evolved with the men and woman of the nation, carrying their burden through rough times, but also decorating itself with the joy of her people. It lies between the two rivers of Ifrit and Granat, and has a pleasant cliamte that allowed this oasis town to become the home of the great Sultans that rule the nation. The city spans miles in each direction, with the breathtaking sight of the massive Royal Palace dominating the skyline. Sprawling urban regions dot the edges of the city, while the richer mansions and palaces are located further up the hill upon which stands the palace. A wonder of it's time, El Shamul has a functioning sewer system that uses the elevation of the terrain to carry waste water away from the city, thus greatly helping with the rapid expansion of the city.
Markath Nearing the delta of the Ifrit, travellers will gaze upon the majestic statues of the 12 Halconic Guardians as they stand guard at the gates of Markath, the gem of ifrit, the city that lies on the borders of the ocean. The Holy city of the Saqquarian people, it marks the end point of the Halconic Trail, a pilgrimage that walks believers of the Halconic gods through the lenghty riversides of Saqquar. Entering the town upon the sacred trail, the road takes pilgrims through the main street of the town, adorned with temples and lush greenery to easen the last steps of the travel. Upon their succesful pilgrimage, believers are granted access into the otherwise locked Temple of the Halconics, the spiritual center of the Saqquarian religion. This massive temple has stood the test of time, and was recently renovated after the integration of Saqquar into the empire. If one wishes to explore more of Markath, they will find a maze of docks and markets that lay beside the sea or find themsevles wandering in the rich Merchant District, where the merchant guilds house their emporiums of luxury goods, and where the rich of the town have their palaces built. Whether one comes to visit the town for its wide array of luxury goods from across the known and unknown world or to cleanse themsevles of their spiritual burden, they will surely find what they are looking for in Markath.
Horqath Bolstering the strongest fortifications in the province, Horqath was once the capital of Northern Saqquar, the kingdom which plunged the nation into a dark war for control over the scarce resources. The town lies on the river Granat, but this fact can be easely overlooked if one travels through the narrow streets of the city. The river has been funneled into a large canal running along the length of the city, actins as the beating veins of this metropolis. Smaller in size than El Shamul, Horqath makes up for this in it's grandiose nature. Slowly built into a fortress city during the eternal war, grandiose towers of dual purposes cast sahdows over the palaces that once housed the nobility and military leaders of the North Saqquar. The narrow streets run along the city in a non-uniform manner, with many small alleys and sewers connecting every parts of the city and hiding many secrets. It is a widely known secret that when one visits the black market of Horqath, they can buy just about anything as long as they have enough money. To support such an immense city, the canal contains numerous docks that are busy all around the year. Even now, decades after the eternal war, they city bears the marks of the militaristic traditions of it's former controllers.
Talayet Al Granat Talayet Al Granat or Palace upon the river Granat is a gem of Saqquar that lies in one of the most temperate regions of the province. The city which once housed the Sultans of the old saqquar empire, Talayet is a city of great importance. Lying beside the river of Granat, this carefully planned out city stands to mock and ashame all others, even in the face of it's decay during the last years of the endless war. The city itself is divided up into two halves by the Granat: the southern side which houses the Imperial Palace (not to be confused with the Royal Palace), a gargantuan building complex which once housed all the administration required to run the old Saqquar Empire in all it's might. This side of Talayet is know as the Imperial quarters: a large walled off area, with a carefully planned street layout that houses the nobility, merchants and priests of the city.
However, the northern side is quite the constrast to the souther side. Here lies even more housing, where the majority of the city lives. If one accused Horqath for having thin streets, then one will wonder how the people of northern Talayet can get around. The cityscape reaches for the skies with buildings of immense height, and unlike the southern side that is protected by a wall, the slums on the north carry on for a long time without such restraints. The long winding streets of the southern city are house to some of the most notorious criminal organizations in Saqquar. Life is very busy in Talayet due to the size of the city, and some people have taken a great interest in controlling the trade going on around here, far from the places that the prying eyes of the guards.
The Mighty Krollan The Krollan have been used since the earliest of Saqquar habitants as beasts of burden. These large quadrupedal mammals bear similarity to porcupines with their massive skeletonized extrusions on their back. They are excellent at carrying things thanks this thick layer of protection on their back: the sun can't harm them with it's rays, and the burden placed upon its back will not hurt the animal as it does with other beasts. The Krollan have adapted to desert life in many idfferent ways, but perhaps the most helpful for travellers is the spongy nature of their fur that sucks up water with which the beast cools itself in the scorching desert. However, as excellent as these beasts are, they can be a rare sight to see: the eternal war has severly dwindled their numbers, and the wild animals have taken a rather suspicious attitude towards humans.
The Swift Ixlicid Riders of the swift Ixlicid are considered the most daring in Saqquar society, as taming an controlling these beasts can prove to be rather difficult. These large lizards have grown to be abnromally big - and abnormally agile. Thought they rarely leave their nests other than to hunt at night and to find mates, they are extremely fast when traversing terrain, and their natural colors make it hard to notice them. Taming an Ixlicid is an unforgiving task where the tamers have to ride the Ixlicid and stay on it until it runs out of stamina and it cna be peacefully subdued and captured for training. However, those who have tamed an Ixlicid earn the title of "Desert Daredevlis". These tamers and their mounts are viewed highly, and there are offical games where the daredevils and their tames face off against each other in competitions to test who has the best control over their steed. Hunters who favor fast steeds but aren't brave enough to risk an encounter with this beast may have to settle for a Saqquar Throroughbred instead.
The Saqquar Rhinoceros A unique breed of rhinos only found in the Saqquar deserts, these beasts are in every way representative of the Saqquarian people: hardy and resilient, but elegant and precise in the way they do things. The rhinos of the province weren't always held in such high regards. For a long time they were viewed as pest who ate and trampled crops. It seemed like too much trouble to tame them instead of the relatively submissive Krollan. However, after some failed attempt, some cavalrymen from North Saqquar finally managed to tame some of these beasts to use as heavy cavalry. The plan worked exactly as they wanted it to, and soon the sultanates opposing Horqath had to face the charge of these heavy beasts. They became widely used as heavy cavaly during the endless war, and their status elevated from pest to royal animals. In fact, generations of selective breeding has led to the current form of the animals, which is rumored to be different from ther ancient figure. To this day, Saqquar Rhinos form the basis of the province's shock cavalry, thought in much smaller numbers than during the endless war. That said, every year during the Eternal Dawn festival, the rhinos make an appearance to vow the crowds with their elegance and strength as they travel down the roads of the capital.
The Fearsome Skarrat "Tame" is a strong words when describing the Skarrats. They are more of a "caged beasts" that are unleashed upon attacking armies to wreak havoc in the heat of battle. These large beasts are the apex predators of Southern Saqquar, and they are one of the main reasons explorers don't venture far into the Badlands. Ther are reminiscent of large dogs, thought the large bone ornaments on their heads gives them a devilish look. They were once believed to be demons unleashed upon the earth after the heresy of El Shamul during to Crusade Era, as means to punish the humans. Nowadays they are not so mystical, but their strength and ferocity are still highly feared. However, as with all wild animals, humans have managed to tame these beasts too. There has only ever been three records of these beasts being ridden, all which came from the same era. During the golden age of Saqquar, Imam II captured a baby Skarrat during a hunting trip, which would later become his loyal companion. The beast outlived him by far, serving his son and grandson, until withering away under Imam IV, having been ridden to battle by each of these 3 royalties. The saddle of this beast named "Skyla" sadly burned down along with the Imperial Palace during the age of strife, but an accurate recreation of it can be seen in Tayalet.
Appearance Afflicted with a horrible disease since the age of 22, O-Yhamu is perpetually shrouded in long robes that cover every part of his body less his eyes, one of which is clouded and half-riddled with open sores. In his youth, he was known to be particularly dashing, with dark, smooth complexion, amber eyes, and silky white hair, as well as a perfect set of white teeth.
After contracting the disease, however, in an effort to spare others from looking at the sores on his body, O-Yhamu began to wear a set of long robes, and covered his face in court.
Height: 170cm Weight: 59kg
Known for Unfortunately for O-Yhamu, where public and court perceptions are concerned, most of his achievements and skills as a strategist and a statesman are overshadowed by his being afflicted with an incurable skin disease, a fact that tends to take precedence in conversations about him as an individual (especially considering the intense stigma surrounding leprosy and other similar diseases in all levels of Galmha’s society).
Nonetheless, O-Yhamu's reputation as an incorruptible leader and a man of upright morals is never doubted, with the King of Galmha entrusting the 49-year-old general and strategist with many duties beyond those of a mere commander. As a member of the prestigious Inner Chamber, a group of the six ministers, generals, and advisors closest to the King, O-Yhamu possesses great sway over the internal affairs of Galmha, and, even prior to the death of King Andèris, also served intermittently as an envoy to the central government.
Dirty little secret While he is known to be a close personal friend of King Hhamhakhal IX, there are also a large number of rumours that the unmarried O-Yhamu is in a secret homosexual relationship with the 44-year-old king of Galmha.
Skills - Sword skills: O-Yhamu was trained extensively in the legendary Galmhese archery, but after the progression of his disease deteriorated his right eye, he was forced to switch to using a pair of swords as his main weapons. He wields two single-handed sabres as his weapons, each measuring 75cm and weighing 1kg, with long white tassels at the end. - Diplomacy and strategy: As one of the six members of the Inner Chamber, O-Yhamu is responsible for Galmha's foreign policy, as well as its relationship with the central government of Torivian. With 18 years of foreign policy experience and 10 years of service as a statesman, O-Yhamu is one of the most politically experienced members of the Galmhese King's inner circle.
Motto "Never trust a man who offers you wine and refuses to drink."
Name of the Province Galmha Hôc Daj Goh Kûu Gal Mâ
Name of your Liege HRH King Hhamhakhal IX Daj Vân Sâr Ghoch Hâm Ha Kâl Giu Taj
Position Galmha is located in the northernmost regions of the Torivian Empire, occupying a territory comprising mostly a series of harsh mountains.
Specialty - Galmha, the northernmost territory of the Empire and one comprising almost nothing but harsh mountain ranges and perpetually frozen rivers, is known for the ferocity and prowess of its elite archers, known as the Khama (Kâ Ma). Able to effortlessly hit targets despite blizzards and distance, the Khama are the most feared archers in the empire, and many other provinces frequently enlist the help of retired Khama in training their own archers. - Having existed in isolation for several centuries prior to its absorption into the Empire, Galmha possesses its own language, known as Galmhese (Gal Mâ Tel Bac). While official documents and declarations meant for internal provincial use are written in Galmhese, the vast majority of Galmha’s intelligentsia are equally fluent in the lingua franca of Torivian.
History Once a fiercely chauvinistic and closed society, the Kingdom of Galmha under King Maru-Telvhe III (Daj Vân Sâr Ghoch Ma Ru Tel Vê San Taj) pledged its allegiance to the Torivian Empire, paying monetary tributes and providing military support in exchange for better trade routes, free travel between the Northern territories and the rest of the Empire, and a voice in the central government.
716 years down the road after the death of Maru-Telvhe III, at the crowning of 19-year-old Hhamhakhal IX, the state of affairs in Galmha had changed quite a bit. Sub-nationalism had become a common problem within the Galmhese social strata, with more than a few lower and middle class leaders and even members of the intelligentsia demanding for greater autonomy from the Torivian Empire's central government, and several extremist groups even calling for secession.
Hhamhakhal IX's rule, characterised by a slow increase in standards of living but also a rise in taxes, saw greater polarisation in the people's views towards the Torivian central government, and when King Andèris died, his death was seen very differently by different groups of people.
The current Chales Copperin is the fourth in an unbroken line of Chales Copperins, but he may be the last. The good King is sterile. Infighting and political maneuvering has already begun to determine who will next claim the throne.
Sinverland guards the north-west territory of Torivian, held between the mountains and the unconquered West, just far enough south from icy Galhma to keep the Winters reasonable. It's a semi-forestal, semi-mountainous land marked by very mild heat and very snowy cold.
Note: While the Sinver live directly south of Galhma, a foreboding chain of the infamous mountains divided the two peoples, allowing them to develop separately and form disparate cultures.
Art, music and finery are the trades of the Sinver. Bright paintings and marble sculptures dance across the streets of Sinverland. The old knightly orders have long-since traded out war-ready armor for decorative bejeweled shields, and their swords have been engraved with gold. The craftsmen learn to carve intricate rings before they learn to forge horseshoes. The wealthy and royal across Torivian have taken to hiring Sinver bards to entertain their courts.
Little of what Sinverland provides is "necessary," per se, but the Sinver would argue that the world would be all the lesser without it. It is a land in a renaissance born from excess.
(That said, they do have some very strong trade routes set up to maintain all this wealth, backed by a trove of natural resources to pay for it, and the empire certainly would feel their absence.)
Ancient Times
Current Sinverland is known for it's high society. It's a place of expensive art, noble farces, and fine wine with a hint of poison. Power is divided into two sectors: money, and popularity. Knightly orders exist, yes, but only as a game for dashing young nobles to play. The Sinver do not fight with weapons, but with words and with wealth. They are the traders, noblemen and politicians of the world.
But this was not always so. Countless years ago, the men who would become Sinver were brutish invaders. It began with a small, powerful culture of warriors: the Kret. Like a lion charging at it's prey, Kret poured into nearby nations centuries ago. They ruled everything they touched.
The names of those lands they conquered are barely remembered today. Each new victim was quickly absorbed into the Kret culture. The Kret's tongue assimilated words from the languages of the same men they made war on, just as the Kret's faith grew by accepting fragments of defeated religions, and the Kret's scholars learned from foreign records. The great irony is that they accepted as much from their "vassals" as the vassals did from them. The various cultures fused seamlessly over the years. They eventually adopted a new name for themselves- Sinver, meaning "united." The conquered lands and the Kret had already merged in spirit, but the new title made it official. They were one.
The society slowly shifted as much as the name. They put down their swords, and took up their quills. Sinverland became a society of thinkers, not killers. They kept the aesthetic of knights, without the practice of violence to back it up. They learned to regret that when Torivian came.
Modern Times
The war to overtake Sinverland was long- they had become too proud to simply surrender peacefully to the growing empire. The Sinver outnumbered the Torivian troops two to one. At least, they did at the beginning. Troops in gold-painted armor lined up out in the open, wielding swords more decorative than effective, practically daring the invaders to charge in. But pride comes before the fall, and Sinverland's pride was great.
While some still hold a secret grudge for their loss, most are untroubled. The new unification has brought peace, and with peace comes trade, and with trade has come overflowing coffers. The old Kret warriors might have kept fighting, but these men are no longer warriors. They are content to continue their more modern, more civil lifestyle, now under the banner of Torivian.
Of course, it's not all perfect. With that surge in wealth and industry has risen a new class of merchants, more powerful politically than ever before. Merchant princes, as they have come to be called, are slowly amassing a treasure trove of money that threatens to rival that of the nobles. It has reached the point that the nobility is starting to look weaker than their new counterparts. Before his death, the good King Anderis was attempting to smooth things over.
Now the tension has resumed in absence of his wise council. While the Nobleman wear shining clothes and throw exclusive parties, the merchant princes counter them with even more extravagant outfits and even wealthier parties. No words are spoken openly, but in the land of Sinverland, none are needed; a war between the new wealth and the old nobles is being waged quietly, through passive-aggressive insinuations and subtle displays of superiority.
The king's sterility has not helped matters.
Inwin Selemont
Age and Appearance:
Inwin is unremarkable. His straw-brown hair is common. His flabby features are typical of a Sinver in luxury. His skin is pasty. He stands at the totally average height of 5'10 feet. His only saving grace is a bright pair of greedy green eyes, and a propensity for nice clothes.
Known for:
The Selemont family is well-known in Sinverland. They're a disproportionately powerful family of bankers, investors and- in Inwin's case- lawyers. In his youth, Inwin became known for traveling across Torivian in the service of nobles and merchants alike, working out deals on their behalf or weaseling them out of contracts they shouldn't have signed. Eventually, Inwin's reputation grew enough that- in combination with his family's omnipresent connections- he was able to secure a job with the royal family: working out a minor, insignificant trade route.
Inwin managed to transform that unimportant, low-profile deal into a massive contract. He convinced the foreigners to add on twice more than they originally agreed, and he negotiated a third-party deal for workers to pave a more efficient road along the route. All the while he made it sound like their idea, so when the bill came due, it was dirt-cheap. The King was, to put it lightly, impressed.
And when you impress a King, it shows. The entire Selemont family was elevated. In a mere few years, Inwin went from being only a glorified lawyer to becoming a negotiator on behalf of the Royal Family. He made his fame cutting golden deals with merchants and foreign princes alike. And the more he ingratiated himself to the King, the more high-profile his cases, and the more wealthy he became.
That wealth was not spent idly. He has also become known, in more recent years, as a successful business investor. In fact, before Inwin was selected as the ambassador, he seemed to be making the preliminary steps to starting his own trading company- which would have elevated him even higher on his climb to the top of Sinverland's social ladder.
Dirty little secret:
It's sometimes suspected that much of the Selemont family's original wealth comes from black markets, brothels and crooked bankers. That Inwin is so skilled at refuting these claims has helped keep their reputation mostly pure- but not completely.
On a more personal note, some of the smaller, less powerful clients Inwin has so charitably worked with have claimed that signing his deals did them much more harm than good. However, if he does have contracts bearing fine print and hidden fees, he only offers them to clients he knows won't be taken seriously when they complain.
Skills:
-Connections: not only with Sinverland, that is. Money passes all borders, and royal favor still opens a few. Inwin is that man who always "knows someone." Before he was a royal negotiator, Inwin worked with a variety of smaller clients. He still has a few old contacts in the more minor provinces and groups, who wouldn't usually get a voice in grand politics. And if push comes to shove, his family might know a man or two in the criminal underworld as well.
-Persuasion: trained and practiced in rhetorical techniques, Selemont's words flow like honey. The honey might be poisoned, but it's a very smoothly flowing poison.
-Observant: Inwin always pays attention to the little things. The details. That's more useful of a skill than it might sound.
-Languages: You can hardly negotiate with men you can't speak to.
Motto:
"'Business' and 'politics' are both words for 'war.'"
Name of your liege: King Kro of the Kenaii from Jrevik
Full name: Kro of The Kenaii, He who flies with the winds of change, wielder of the blooded spear, player of the political harp and the painted one.
Position: Valvran lies to east of the capital between Torivian and the what in their tung is called the mirror sea. De cities of valvran are positioned near the great rivers that flow to the sea.
Specialty: The Valvaran’s are proficient in the art of healing. This is because of their history with diseases and it is the bedrock of their traditions. Thanks to the fertile lands Valvran is also the provider of the majority of the food in the Torivian empire.
History: A long time ago, the people of Valvran were nomads, travelling the land. But an unfortunate event put a halt to their nomad ways. A plague swept through and killed many, young and old. They decided to stay put and with their best efforts, would try to cure the sick. Shelter was build and the sick and caretakers stayed behind, while the healthy group continued travelling. After a time, the fruits of their labour finally started to pay off. People were starting to feel better and life flourished once more. The group decided to settle down and abandon their nomad ways. The other group that had moved on, never returned. Many years passed, but to this day the people of Valvran never knew what’d happened to their ancient lost brothers and sisters.
The small village quickly expanded due to the booming population. Thanks to the fertile grounds the rivers provided, food was easy to come by. Soon it was clear to the populace, that they could only expand so much. New settlements had to be created to shelter the ever growing population. This time of migration and colonization is called the ‘Age of Expansion’ and brought a lot new land under Valvran control. Huge swaths of land, stretching from the mountains in the north to the deserts in the south. From the fertile plains around the major rivers, to the large forests providing timber and other resources. But fertile lands attract unwanted attention. The ever expanding Torivian Empire needed the fertile lands, which the Valvran people had settled so long ago. Unprepared for the professional armies of the Empire, Valvran quickly fell, becoming a protectorate under the might Empire. Relations between the Kingdoms was strained for a very long time, but efforts of both sides quickly saw them mended. Nowadays the Valvran people are a loyal subject of the Empire and relationships between the two are well.
The Empire was in a great joy when the empress of Torivian announced her pregnancy. But this also brought a fear upon the emperor’s mind. What if his beloved wife were to die? What if the delivery went wrong and he lost his new-born child? The Emperor tried to silence his angst and fears. But the months were slowly gliding by and his fears wouldn’t leave him. Finally, his despair to the better of him and in utter stress, he wrote a letter to Leiri Kro.
“Leiri Kro,
The news of my wife’s pregnancy must have reached you by now and I feel nothing but utter happiness and love for her and my unborn child. But fear has caught my mind and soul, I cannot bear the thought of losing her or the baby.
Your people’s skills in healing and helping the sick are famous in all Torivian. I hereby request the presence of you and your best healers in the capital of Torivian to help deliver my child.
Emperor Anderis“
A call of the sick and needy could not be ignored. So Kro gathered his best healers, as the emperor requested and he headed to the capital. And so, came the delivery day of the empress. Behind closed doors the empress lay in bed. The room was filled with screams of a woman in labour pain. After a while the screaming suddenly stopped and another scream emerged from the room. The scream of new life.
Kro was cleaning the little man up when the emperor came bursting in. Kro looked at him with a smile as he handed him the bundle with the child. “Your wife is remarkably strong woman, she produced a healthy baby boy. I’ll make sure she is okay. My people are cleaning her up and giving her handmaidens some advice on further care.” He walked away and then suddenly stopped looked over his shoulder turned around again and kneeled. All the Valvran’s followed his example. “LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR!”
Society: Valvran is a province that is run by three groups, these groups are not clans by blood but by age. Before the age of ten you have no political rights nor any freedom of choice. You learn reading and writing and other basic skills. After turning ten, your life truly starts:
The Magdataii When you become ten years old in Valvran you become a Magdataii. A youngling is in many ways a degrading word but not in Valvran. It means you will step into the political scene of Valvran and start making your career. The Magdataii do not have the right of calling the council together. But they can make discussion about political matters and can vote on the small matters that only concern the province itself. The Magdataii have no veto rights.
The Kenaii When you are 25 you become a Kenaii, a Strongling. The kenaii’s are called that way because mentally and physically you are on the highpoints of your life. You have trained and debated for 15 years long. The Kenaii have the right of calling the council together. From this group, a Leiri is picked. Leiri is a sort of king. It’s more like a representative and decision maker. If he fails his people a new Leiri is chosen. Furthermore, they have the privilege of helping the Valkaii in the worshipping of the Geistir. The Kenaii can call in advisors from the Magdataii and Valkaii if their own discussion fails to be fruitful
The Valkaii At sixty you become a Valkaii, A wise one. You retreat from all front seat political positions. The Valkaii have the right to worship and communicate with the Geiststir. You will start to learn this as you get older. Furthermore, the Valkaii do have the right of council and the veto right.
Soothe Sayers: A few individuals in the province of Valvaran are born with an unique ability. These people are called Soothe Sayers, and are able to remove emotions from other people, and contain them within themselves. Next to the normal things all younglings learn, these Soothe Sayers also get special training in quarantining these emotions, so that they don’t lose themselves to it. This takes a lot of mental energy from the Soothe Sayers, and even has a risk of serious injury. Depending on the emotion removed, the Soothe Sayer needs to recover, ranging from days to weeks. These Soothe Sayers are viewed with mixed emotions. One side sees them as useful diplomats, able to influence emotions during a heated debate, while the other side, sees them as dangerous and unpredictable. Who is to say if your emotions are your own when you’re near a Sooth Sayer after all?
Name: Adelaida (of the) Kenaii (from) Altir
Age: 26
((Drawing her. Picture will soon follow))
Known for: Five years ago a conflict arose in the council of Kenaii. The idea of independence from the Torivian Empire had grown in recent years and the faction had gathered supporters in the council which divided it in twain. This escalated to the point of violence in the council and near civil war on the streets. After many days of conflict the Magdataii were brought in to advice the Kenaii and bring new perceptions to the table. One off these Magdataii was a young woman named Adelaida. She was against the idea of independence and compared the Torivian Empire to Valkvrans parents.
“Was it not the Torivian Empire that helped us develop to what we now are? What kind of children would we be, to run away after all we’ve learned from them? Is it not our duty as children to help our parents in times of need?”
Parent-Children relationship is important in Valvran culture and this comparison convinced the council of her beliefs. While a large group still supported the idea of independence, the true divide was no longer and peace returned to the Province of Valvran. Adelaida had made a name for herself as a proud loyalist of the Torivian Empire and a renowned speaker in the council. It was only logical to send her once the request for an advisor came.
Dirty little secret: It is interesting to see how a young girl as Adelaide, can deal so well with the emotions of others. Something is almost mystical about it…
Skills: Persuasive: Has a way with words to get people on her side. Healing Hands: Because of her being the daughter of an exceptionally well trained healer, she has a grasp of the knowledge of first aid and concoction making.
Why would you build a kingdom in a lands that doesn't want you there? Why would you make lemon-aid if life gave you lemons? Liege: The current King Danallian The Second is a wisened old man chosen for the throne not by birth, but by brilliance in his youth. Now, his age is beginning to take over, leaving him on off days, and brilliant days. Currently, he has a series of caretakers who provide him tests to determine if he’s too dangerously intelligent to make decisions, too dull to make decisions, or if he’s in the sweet spot.
Position: The Eru Barrens is an expansive grasslands and desert spanning the lands just south of the Shiverland Kingdoms. Due to the rainshadows created by the mountains, and powerful storms rolling from west and curving south at a predictable rate and pattern most of this landscape is actually barren. Many of the fauna and plant life have adapted to the climate. Most notably, streatching from the mountains and half way across the kingdom’s landmass are large platueas named “The Looking Glass of Erudite”. This name was given for the land mas taking a near circular shape while the plateaus looks to be broken from one single long line of planes – thus shattered glass.
Structure of Cities and Towns: Due to the destructive power of the frequent storms, There are often plenty of flooding and high powered winds. On most of the plains the largest threat are the high powered winds destroying homes, removing trees, or flinging debris at speed. Within the The Looking Glass, floodings and rushing rapids become massive threats in the chasms.
Most of the cities are often built in locations where they are protected from the high winds by natural land formations, or with the construction of wind blades that break up the force and speed of winds. There are some major trading cities and towns built underground inside massive cave systems once hollowed out by the constant floods however.
Most buildings are primarily built of formed stone and cement. Should the homes be exposed to the weather, they are often built with domes or bladed roofs extending to the ground in the direction of the wind. Only the cities or towns most protected from the harsh winds use wood as the primary construction material. Capital: Home of the king and the most difficult location to siege is Lanaru, Tower of Defiance. Or Often called The Tower, Citadel of Sarcasm, or Insult to Ari and Ira (Death). This location is a marvel of engineering, and had quite literally been born from an engineer’s sarcasm taken a little too seriously. Within the center of the broken plains of The Looking Glass, there was a large plateau wedged between two of the lands highest mountains that had been rounded at all sides by weathering to form the rough shape of a cone. This mountain was between two other mounts of similar height, but had not been worn so badly. When the ancient engineer first proposed his idea, he did not have any designs, he simply jokingly told the crown amongst the arguing scholars and engineers “Why don’t we just bastardize that damned pointy hill in the middle of nowhere. We could make it a tower! Make all pretty like!”
The result is a tower of 800m in height built of ten tiers of concentric platforms with varying numbers of floors within each platform. The lowest platform is about 1.5km across and also holds several entrances into the tower proper. On the balconies where the powerful storms do not touch, there are gardens, farms, and pastures for livestock. Resident Nobility and Royalty is held on the upper most floors. Water fills reservoirs on multiple floors and uses the aid of gravity to provide plumbing. The water pumps are powered by the winds of the storms to push water up to the highest reservoir which then falls down to each lower floor till the reservoirs have been filled.
In history, the tower has been sieged a number of times by enemies testing the King’s claim. However, this quickly proved just how insanely difficult it is to siege this tower. Due to the self sustaining nature of the tower, and that the tower also acts as a city… the lands around them provide absolutely no cover. Sieging armies are exposed to siege weapon fire and archers with the benefit of high ground. There are no buildings for armies to shelter in to surround the tower. The broken plains are ravaged by powerful storms two times a month in fall and winter, and three times in spring and summer. The Chasms are subject to flooding, which have drowned numerous invading armies without notice.
Specialty: Logistics, Rhetoric, Bureaucracy, Music, and Engineering. This nation is most well-known for Bureaucracy and Law however. It will not be uncommon to hear of jokes regarding the need for forms and papers just to relieve one’s self in a public outhouse. That did actually happen in history, but it was quickly thrown out because of how inconvenient and poorly timed it was.
History: The Kingdom of the Eru Barrens was once part of the Shiverpeak kingdoms. However, infighting began between two brothers in Royalty, and thus resorted in the split. At first, the lands the brother had taken for himself were completely uninhabitable. But it did not take very long for the new inhabitants to quickly adapt to their new surroundings after observing nature’s various patterns, and discovering multiple landmarks that provided protection from the elements. Various oddities have been found, from Cave systems so large that it holds its own climate and atmosphere, to large sweeping plateaus that shields one of the major Port towns known as “Storms Breach of Aardmoedier”.
Name: Jeckle Age: 36 Appearance: A thin dark brown skinned man. His scalp is shaved clean of hair, as well as his eyebrows. The eyebrows have been painted on with the use of some makeup, as is fashionable in these lands. He wears a set of thin robes and colorful wraps of silk on his body. His left side is exposed, showing off his chiseled muscles, while the right is covered and creates a long sleeve. He wears a head dressing with bolts of cloth that extends down just underneath his rib cages. Dirty Little Secret: None. This man is way too open to actually have one. Skills: A Smooth talker, and a Bard. Motto: “All stories have been told before. The only difference are the names!”
