The State of Elweir Lotan
Alias: The Holy Land
Government Type: Theocracy. The archduke of Elweir Lotan holds secular power, but is also considered the representation of the Great God on earth.
Faction Specie(s): Humans are the majority, though only slightly. Nyr'kiin make up the rest of the population, only because they lived there before the humans conquered them. Other races, such as the beastkin or dratha, are executed on the spot if found by an inquisition patrol.
Location: On the edge of the Arm of Azoth, and the little island beyond.
Faction Religion/Ideology: The human population worship the Great God Aonem (though saying his name is a heresy), a being of supreme power. They don't worship any other Gods, but do recognize a few other deities who are servants to the Great God. They believe that their God transcend culture, so other faiths worshipping other Gods are unknowingly putting their faith in Aonem. Most of the Nyr'kiin population don't follow the same faith. They wish to set up another Hive Mother like the days of old, and keep offering up their females in hopes that one of them has the capability to tap into the minds of others, creating a new Hive Mind. So far, this hasn't happened.
Faction History: In the beginning, before the kingdom was established, the land was completely dominated by Nyr'kiin. Human settlers, escaping from the Rainlands and the scourge of the Salished, established themselves there, dominating the Nyr'kiin natives. The Aonem faith called for extermination of heretics and infidels, something they tried with the Nyr'kiin on the Arm, but eventually they realized that this unrest was not sustainable, and there simply were to many of them. So a law was passed exempting the natives. They couldn't escape the wrath of the Empire, though. A hasty truce was struck where Elweir Lotan would pay a substantial tribute to the Empire in exchange for protection. However, now the Empire is failing, and there's been talk in both the upper and lower classes about cutting away the deal.
Important Characters:
There are 105 ducal families of great prominence, each with a voice in the Grand Council of Elweir Lotan, one of which is elected archduke of the realm for a term of 14 years.
Archduke Emol Tagd - The current archduke he is now very old and nearing the end of his term. The other ducal families are already clamoring for his title.
See'iama - The New Queen, she is pampered by the Nyr'kiin population as another desperate hope for a hive mind.
Important Holdings/Territory/Possessions:
Daghdah - The capital of Elweir Lotan, located on the island of the Arm. This is the residence of the Archduke, even if they prefer their homes elsewhere. One building can be seen from anywhere in the city by design, and that is the Elweir Yokin, a large palace temple. It, and the land it rests on, is grim, located on the top of a grey cliff overlooking the sea. Moss and vines have taken over cliff and palace, but that is intentional. The inside is alive with color, the walls covered with stained glass and colored lamps. The city is built in the standard Elweir city method, with two thirds of it for the poor and one third for the rich, and a wall separating the two sections.
Medqi - A port city located on the tip of the Arm. Although the Elweir humans don't trade due to their unwillingness to speak with "infidel filth", the Nyr'kiin are eager for an opportunity to exploit their place on the Trade Road. One third of this city is sectioned off specifically for merchants of foreign places, and is perhaps one of the most diverse places in the world. This city is also important, because it links the island with the mainland. Because of this importance, Medqi is far better defended than Daghdah, with huge walls and a very sophisticated customs system.
Relation to other Factions:
A client state to the Salished Empire
Bitter, but not hostile, with the Drathan Union
Captain Uni
Shadow Dragon