Ti Linnad

Spoiler: Current Ruler

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Premier Jannellai Norraissa
Diplomacy: 6
Military: 5
Economy: 6
Intrigue: 3
Faith: 1

Spoiler: Starting stats

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Diplomacy: 5
Military: 5
Economy: 5
Intrigue: 3
Faith: 1

Rolls

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Region 21
The Highlands of Ti Linnad

Spoiler: Terrain

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Rising hundreds of meters from the waters of Uhraiya, the high cliffs of Ti Linnad are the second-lowest elevation of the region. Rocky, mostly flat terrain stretches between the mountains to the north and the sea to the south, crossed by large ravines. The soil at the ravine floors is extremely fertile, and most of the major cities in Ti Linnad are built beside or even within the ravines to take advantage of this. Patches of forest dot the landscape, sprouting anywhere they manage to take root in the harsh ground. To the far north, the frigid Callo river flows from its snow-capped sources in the Fang (the southernmost spur of the mountains), marking the border of the highlands. Snow, a rarity at lower elevations or latitudes, is common throughout the winter, and never leaves the highest peaks. Hardy mountain sheep and goats, along with a few dedicated birds, are all that move on the bare rock. A much greater variety of creatures live within the scattered groves, and pegasi soar high above all.

Spoiler: People

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Ti Linnad is inhabited mostly by the native Pylliar, with a small minority of humans, though inhabitants are usually called Linnadi regardless. The Pylliar are a small folk, standing about 3’ 2” on average. They are covered head to toe in thick white fur, helping them stay warm through the extra-cold winters, and have large, extremely sensitive ears similar to those of a rabbit or hare, along with bright blue eyes. Pylliar have a remarkably short lifespan compared to humans, reaching adulthood at around twelve years old and living for at most fifty, though the average is closer to forty years. They generally give birth to three or four children at once.

Pylliar society revolves around combat and military. They highly value unity and loyalty, and almost every village has a temple of Trodje. About half of the adult Linnadi are farmers, while many of the rest serve as soldiers, hoping for the day when they can prove themselves against their foes. Houses are usually made of wood or occasionally stone, but sometimes will be hollowed out of the walls of the ravines.

The Pylliar also have a large oral history, recounting the tales of many heroes. The biggest improvement Dejan brought for them was the Avakonian language and its writing system, which, with a little adjustment, served their language just as well. In the brief period under Avakonia, many tales were partially or completely recorded in writing, but most of these manuscripts were lost over the rather chaotic century since.

Spoiler: History and Government

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For centuries, Ti Linnad was a sporadic battleground. Tribes of Pylliar fought one another in the brief periods of prosperity, until the scale tipped back to famine, putting a stop to their campaigns. Roughly three hundred years ago, the Pylliar hero Cayi organized the first Council, bringing a semblance of unity to the various ravine villages. Over time, the Council became the true governing body of Ti Linnad. When Dejan arrived, it was quick to ally with him. Their soldiers, eager for new combat and recognizing an incredible tactician and warrior, joined his army, and the conqueror continued east with the elite Wingknights soaring high above him.

After Dejan’s departure, Ti Linnad began the fall into a state of collapse. As they had joined Dejan almost instantly, they preserved a measure of autonomy, and no general attempted to take the highlands for his own. But this freedom came at the cost of much of the technology Dejan brought, never having it thrust upon them under occupation; of a unifying purpose after Dejan's death; and of news spread along the military network. Where in other lands the ruins of Avakonian fortresses were common, in Ti Linnad they were never built in the first place.

The only other time Dejan's armies returned to the region was during the famine that began in 12 I, when a detachment under the ambitious lieutenant Neuspeh marched though from the northeast, in an ill-devised and worse-fated attempt to take Avakon. It was not until then that the Council learned of Dejan's death and the Empire's collapse, and the few Linnadi soldiers left were promptly recalled, saying that they had allied to Dejan and not to a faction that refused to aid their allies. By this time the Council had grown complacent and cowardly and the army disorganized. Order returned only twenty years ago in 83 I, when the fourth Council post-Dejan was overthrown and replaced by its last set of members, including Mynnar Ullac.

The government of Ti Linnad consists of the Council, a group of five who make major decisions, and many local deputies in villages and towns who govern them from day to day. Each Council member serves for life, and upon their death they are succeeded by their heir or, if they have none, the surviving members choose a successor. The Council is headquartered in the largest city in Ti Linnad, Cytolla, located in the deep Jorgi Gorge roughly in the center of the region. The current Council members are Synnidra Syssillo, Mynnar Ullac, Sennu Moko, and Dagi Sironne, called to order by the recently-appointed Premier Lira Jinna. They have worked tirelessly to restore the highlands to their old glory, and made it known that the Wingknights will fly again for those who are willing to pay. Their view of Avakonia is much dimmer than that of the past several Councils, believing that the Empire intentionally withheld the technology and ideas that the Linnadi had a better right to than any occupied peoples, and that they ignored the collapse of one of their truest allies to squander resources on rebellions.

In 113, when Arfordir became part of Ti Linnad, two members joined the Council: the shaman Akotro, and Synnidra Syssillo's husband Colrim.

Spoiler: Resources

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The native pegasi are Ti Linnad’s most unique creature. They are similar to small horses or ponies, but bearing a pair of large wings. “Herds” of ten or twelve pegasi are often seen flying through the skies of Ti Linnad or grazing in the ravines. The Pylliar have managed to domesticate pegasi and can ride them, their most elite soldiers being the pegasi-mounted Wingknights.

The Central Herds (TP 1): Ti Linnad
The Western Herds (TP 2): Kingdom of Whitefeather
The Northern Herds (TP 3): empty

Despite having made an incredible recovery over the last two decades, food is still in short supply, and the Council is increasingly desperate to secure another food source.

Spoiler: Religion

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The Linnadi are staunch Perijanists. Temples abound in the larger towns and cities, most commonly to Trodje (as an aspect of Coatl). Enchantments are used in battle to augment Linnadi soldiers’ weapons, armor, and combat skill, or to weaken their opponents’; farmers petition for good harvests, and merchants for favorable trades. More rarely is magic used for direct combat, though the most powerful priests (such as Necathi Tinnudoja) can wield incredible powers, at the risk of great cost to themselves. A small minority of Dejanites existed, but the Council was unsupportive of them, seeing in them the influence of Avakonia. As a result, they invited the missionaries of Coatl to convert them Dejanites, opening the doors for Coatl to spread throughout Ti Linnad.

There is, however, one differing belief held by the Linnadi: long ago, one god, his very name lost to time, horribly betrayed the others, and was banished outside the world. The Linnadi believe he will one day return and that they must prepare to defeat him again.

State Religion: Coatl Perijanism
The Great Caves (Holy Center 1): Coatl Perijanism
Cayi’s Arboretum (Holy Center 2): Coatl Perijanism
The Four Pillars (Holy Center 3): Coatl Perijanism

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Region 20
Arfordir, the Green Coast

Spoiler: Terrain

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The rolling hills of Arfordir run from the coastal shallows up to the Highlands in the north. Dense oak and birch forest covers much of the region, giving rise to its name. The trees thin out along the coast, leaving a long stretch of sandy beach broken only by one small grove. This cluster of oaks lends its name to the nearby port of Holt Selia, the largest city in Arfordir. Clearings and larger gaps in the forest hold smaller farming communities further inland, and the rockier north has a few mining towns of note. About a kilometer out from shore lies the island of Caleilen, home to its own share of shipyards and farms.

Seagulls are a common sight in Arfordir, with deer, foxes, rabbits, and Illoan sheep abundant further inland. There are two local creatures of particular note: the Porphyra snails, and the Spirit-Lights. The Porphyra are spiny-shelled snails unique to Arfordir, which are prized for their purple dye. The Spirit-Lights are fist-sized, floating balls of bright white light, which appear in the forest at nighttime. They are rarely seen to do anything but drift about randomly. Even so, many a tale has been told of lost woodsmen led back to civilization by the lights, and to have one follow you for a time is considered a sign of good luck.

Spoiler: People

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Arfordir is a primarily human but rather diverse region, home to the Jallish and the Illoan humans, along with a large number of Avakonian descendants, a Pylliar minority in the northeast and a small community of Sea Eves on Caleilen.

The Jallish are sailors and fishermen, reaching an average height of about 5' 8" tall, and generally have light to tan skin, blond or brown hair, and light blue eyes. They wear light sleeveless tunics, long pants or skirts, and sandals. Each Jallite crafts their own fishing spear when they come of age at 16, often decorating the haft with ornaments of bone, shell, pearl, or Porphyra dye. They live primarily along the coast and on Caleilen, harvesting fish, seaweed, and Porphyra snails and trading along the coast. They build houses in a variety of designs to weather the whims of the sea, from stilt-homes to low reinforced huts.

The Illoans are farmers, hunters, and foresters. They reach an average height of about 5’ 4”, with tan skin, dark brown hair, and blue or green eyes. They dwell further inland, producing most of Arfordir’s agricultural produce and all of its timber, stone, and metal. Most Illoan farmers keep sheep, using their wool to make clothing and the ornate tapestries depicting local legends or venerating household spirits which decorate their homes. Illoans value bravery and dexterity, and a skilled archer or spearman is greatly respected among them.

The Caleilen Elves are a group of Omanush who settled on Caleilen centuries ago. They are masterful shipwrights, and most trade that does not go through Holt Selia goes through Caleilen. While they have become rich off of Avakonian trade, their current leader Mallow is rather hostile to the Empire. She was exiled several decades ago in a major scandal, though she claims to have been framed.

Spoiler: History and Government

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Arfordir has a long history of trade and commerce along the whole coast. Porphyra dye was traded across the Uhraiya by the Sea Elves, who in return brought varied goods from across Emjata ranging from simple coin to pottery, clothing, tools, weapons, jewelry, or food. Barter was more common in the far past, but over the last century, Avakonian coin has become the standard of payment. The forests of Arfordir also provided ships, which the Sea Elves eagerly commissioned.

As Dejan began expansion northwards, the nobles of Arfordir called upon their people to resist. With the aid of the spirits, they said, freedom would prevail and the conqueror would be defeated. But Dejan delayed his assault, and when he finally attacked, the defenders found themselves facing enemies on all sides. When the news reached Arfordir that the Linnadi Council had allied with Dejan, the nobles surrendered after a series of brief, mostly ceremonial defenses. Dejan left a governor, Vak Brenin, in Holt Selia in charge of administration, and continued onward.

Within the year Vak Brenin had proved himself a corrupt, power-hungry tyrant. His sole goal was to “civilize” Arfordir and earn himself promotion thereby. “Civilizing,” it seemed, meant the execution of any noble or shaman who refused to swear eternal fealty to Avakonia. At first, Brenin was a reasonably competent ruler, and before Dejan’s death Arfordir seemed to return to the old role of northern trading ground. However, with the fracturing of the Empire, Brenin saw his chance for power. He realized that to keep power he must prevent his region from revolting under him, and decided that he would certainly be overthrown unless he secured his power. In his paranoia, he declared Jalyeong-Bo a force of chaos and upheaval, and ordered the massacre of every shaman and spirit his soldiers could find.

Many of his soldiers deserted, refusing to attack innocents or simply out of experience with and fear of the spirits. The shamans themselves made great sacrifices in their secret meeting-places, and three days later a rebel force of former Avakonian soldiers, shamans, native soldiers, and spirits marched on Holt Selia. Vak Brenin fell upon his sword, and the remaining nobles and shamans declared Arfordir independent once more. Since then, it has remained a center of trade on the Uhraiya, though its people still look skeptically upon Avakonia.

The local government of Arfordir is based on a strict hierarchy. A group of about fifty major nobles rule over small portions of the Green Coast, making political and economic decisions. Just beneath them in rank are the shamans, those who speak with the spirits and bargain for their aid. The shamans also act as keepers of knowledge, studying history, botany, and zoology in addition to memorizing the names of spirits and the workings of magic. Below them are the common people: farmers, hunters, woodcutters, miners, sailors, and traders. They have little regular interaction with the spirits, focusing on their day-to-day life.

Spoiler: Resources

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Porphyra snails are the most sought-after resource in Arfordir. The spiny-shelled, pale yellow snails crawl up onto the beach during high tide to feed on insects and tiny fish and scavenge food from the tide line. Jallites collect them from the shallows in large baskets or sacks. Porphyra meat is edible, though a bit chewy and very salty, and can be eaten as a supplementary food when necessary. More prized, however, is the purple liquid the snails secrete when near prey and when threatened. The liquid is a potent purple dye (often referred to as simply “Porphyra”) which becomes stronger with sunlight rather than fading. Depending on the method and concentration, it can yield a wide range of shades. Some snail farmers keep small tide pools stocked with Porphyra, and regularly “milk” the snails for this liquid, while others collect leftover snails and crush them.

Holt Selia (TP 1): empty
Caleilen (TP 2): empty

Spoiler: Religion

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While the island of Caleilen is devoutly Perijanist, due to Omanush and Avakonian influence, both the Jallish and the Illoan peoples of the mainland honor the spirits of Jalyeong-Bo. Shamans hold knowledge, consulting with the spirits to bring good fortune to the people. One to three shamans usually lead a town, with the highest in their hierarchy meeting to discuss wider areas. Religious ceremonies among the people of Arfordir are based around celebration, as the shamans allow spirits to posses their bodies for a time and experience physical pleasures in return for their aid with the shaman’s requests.
Caleilen (Holy Center 1): Perijanism
Holt Selia (Holy Center 2): Jalyeong-Bo
Redbrick Quarry (Holy Center 3): Jalyeong-Bo

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Region 19
Gelupar, the Icebound Heights

Spoiler: Terrain

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Gelupar is a land of contrasts. In the southeast, tall, snow-covered hills stretch down from the mountains, crisscrossed by small valleys. In the north, the ground rises until it reaches the frosty mountain peaks that sprawl across the upper bounds of the region. Westwards, the slopes are gentler, and the rocky plain is broken only by great standing stones reaching ten or even twenty feet into the sky. The northeast vale, nearly surrounded by the mountains, is home to the only fertile land in Geulpar and to the city of Karamak, the only major settlement in Gelupar.

Goats are the most common animal in the region, although deer and small animals such as rabbits, foxes, and songbirds are also widespread.

Spoiler: People and Government

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The people of the Icebound Heights are entirely human, but any uniformity ends there.

The Uran Tribes are a group of diverse clans, united by a lifestyle that revolves around following and herding the native goats. They travel throughout the south and west of Gelupar, keeping watch over their herds from a number of large caves used as rest stations. Each clan is led by its eldest member, who is referred to by prefixing the clan name with “High”. Uran often change between clans, either in marriage or as they learn a trade, and some may have four or five clan names.

The clans organize into tribes, which are led by a clan that takes the same name as the tribe. The tribes keep their own personal goat herds, travel separately from other tribes, and often specialize in a craft. These tribes trade amongst themselves and with the Karamaki, usually in finished goods. While an Uran’s skin is generally pale, their eye and hair color varies greatly between clans, although it is generally consistent within each tribe. The most powerful clans, and the leaders of their respective tribes, are:

• The Zura, skilled woodcrafters. They tend to have blue or brown eyes and black hair. Zura train both tool-makers and carvers, and produce things both useful and beautiful;
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• The Ontilen, masterful potters. They generally have green eyes and brown hair, though black hair is also common. Artists are common among the Ontile, and detailed works have been created by them on everything from pottery shards to cave walls;
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• The Tasuna, neutral arbiters and diplomats. Most have red hair, and deep green eyes are the usual. In exchange for remaining politically neutral unless requested, every clan agrees to abide by their decisions, and an agreement or judgement made by the High Tasuna personally is considered binding for a generation;
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• The Aizkolaria, renowned warriors and hunters. A typical Aizkolaria has brown or olive eyes and black hair, which both men and women cut short. They train in the use of all sorts of weapons, from the ordinary to the exotic;
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• The Karamaki, settled farmers of the city of Karamak. Often blond and brown- or hazel-eyed, they are rather isolationist and trade little more than necessary. Aside from their settled lifestyle, they are different from the other tribes in that, rather than being ruled by the High Karamaki alone, they have a host of nobles from all their component clans, who each hold varying amounts of power.

Spoiler: History

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Gelupar has long held a reputation as the “backwoods” of the north, having little in the way of resources beyond the ever-present goats, and a political front fractured into tiny pieces. Dejan was able to conquer the region rather easily, dealing with each tribe one-by-one and convincing the Karamaki to surrender rather than face destruction. Impressment was common during the Imperial occupation, as the Avakonian governor, Riko Dmitrov, levied taxes in the form of soldiers rather than goods. To meet his demands, some clans created or became slaver gangs, raiding other clans so that they would not have to give up their own members. On the front lines, Aizkolaria troops won a reputation as eccentric but deadly soldiers.

After Dejan’s death, Dmitrov retreated to Avakon alongside Andavent, leaving Gelupar to fend for itself. Karamak became insular, turning away merchants and traders, while the hostility bred from almost a decade of war caused many of the tribes to continue to fight each other, even after the Empire’s influence was long gone. Chaotic infighting lasted for several years longer, until the High Tasuna, unwilling to allow the war to continue, ordered a secret mission to several clan heads, the High Aizkolaria among them, to convince them to call on Tasuna for judgement in the war. Eventually, the mission was successful, and the High Tasuna declared the war ended. Although hostile feelings did not immediately end, the fighting ceased, and the tribes were eventually able to recover.

When forces from Perivan invaded Gelupar, they were only met with one major battle. While the High Aizkolaria had long studied Dejan’s tactics, he was outnumbered and outmaneuvered, and with the Aizkolaria’s defeat, few others had the will to resist Lady Selaissie. The Tasuna decreed that the Sartek was an acceptable leader, and at first it seemed Gelupar would follow his rule. However, time showed that he paid little attention to the Icebound Heights, and in 121, when Perivan was absorbed into the Empire, chaos broke out once again. Another invasion began, this time from the east, as Linnadi soldiers annexed Gelupar to quell its unrest and protect its people from the Empire. The Council has taken a notably greater interest in its peoples than Perivan did, and it seems the promised peace will come.

Spoiler: Resources

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Goats are the only major resource in Gelupar. While wood, metals, stone, and plants are all found in fair quantities, none are abundant enough. The enterprising Dirua clan has begun offering to supply foreigners with goats, hoping to attract a steady supply of coin.

Dirua (TP 1): empty

Spoiler: Religion

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The Uran are as diverse in religion as they are in everything else, with many clans, such as the Zura and Tasuna, following the gods of Perijanism, and just as many clans paying respect to the spirits of Jalyeong-Bo, including the Ontilen and the Aizkolaria. The Karamaki are primarily followers of Abhidi, and a number of shrines are maintained around ponds, where the ice is kept open through the winter so that reflections are still clearly visible.

Judgement Hill (Holy Center 1): Perijanism
Standing Circle (Holy Center 2): Jalyeong-Bo
Karamak (Holy Center 3): Abhidi

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Region 18
The Tin Coast of Wybrèz

Spoiler: Terrain

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Wybrèz is a land of low moors, covered in thick patches of grass, bracken, and moss. Brightly colored wildflowers stand out from the landscape, dots of pink and red against the yellow-green hills. Great granite tors reach skywards, cutting the horizon in two at their peak, while the sharp-eyed can discern the circular stone huts of tin miners upon their slopes. Small bays reach inland from the coast, and silver-gray seals are a common sight along the shore. Seagulls, too, are common near the coast, while further inland, a wider variety of birds can be found; plovers, skylarks, even the migratory Sokol Czarodziej or “Wizard’s Falcon”, which nests in Wybrèz in the spring and summer and flies southwards in the fall.

Wybrèz’s most important and most valuable resource is its rich tin deposits. Open pits surrounded by clusters of stone-walled shelters are scattered all throughout the region. Lake Norikstaw to the northeast provides fresh water for many of Wybrèz’s inhabitants. It is overlooked by the Skalist Tor, a great rocky peak which is surmounted by the capital of Wybrèz, Torfowisko Castle. There are two major cities in the region: Torfomiasto, a large town surrounding Torfowisko Castle, and Novo Teretos, a large port city built by the Avakonian Empire, which is the main route taken by tin exports.

Spoiler: People

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Wybrèz is diverse for Inyaka, inhabited by dwarves, goblins, and humans both native and Avakonian. The native humans and low dwarves, a group called the Cynlud, share several physical traits. Most notably, the majority have a distinctive light purple or lavender hair color which is created by a dye produced from a moorland flower, starkly contrasting with the typically blond or brown hair of most Avakonian descendants in Wybrèz. The low dwarves have light grey skin and curly hair, while the humans are relatively short, and have pale skin and straight hair. Among both groups, brown and olive eyes are most common, though light blue eyes are sometimes seen among them.

Goblins form a further contrast to the Cynlud and Avakonians. Their green skin, oddly-proportioned heads, and short stature (many are even shorter than an average low dwarf) set them apart visually, though not practically. They have a reputation as clever and quick-witted tricksters, often swindlers. Many are successful merchants, while others are known as skillful craftsmen, builders, and surveyors. No one is quite sure of their origin, but they hold that they came to Wybrèz from the far north.

The Cynlud embrace holidays. Four great week-long festivals are held at the equinoxes and solstices, celebrating the changing of the seasons with feasts, storytelling, singing, and dancing. On the last day of each of these Seasonsfests, a great bonfire is built in Torfowisko Castle at nightfall, and kept alight until dawn. This practice is also observed in many of the other large towns of Wybrèz.

A strange disease occurs within Wybrèz, one relatively unknown outside it. Called ‘tin fever’, it affects workers in the deepest parts of the northwest mines. Early symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which last for two or three days. Between one and four weeks later, the illness reappears more strongly: the afflicted become disoriented and fatigued, suffer bouts of dizziness and headaches, and often lose their appetite. Lucky sufferers will recover over the course of about a month, although they typically become infertile and lose their hair, and they are more prone to illness and injuries. The unlucky die a painful death after two or three weeks of suffering. No curative or remedy is known except rest, although magic is sometimes unpredictably able to cure it in its early stage.

Spoiler: History and Government

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In the far past, Wybrèz was part of the Kingdom of Siestok, a small but locally powerful kingdom which controlled the major supply of tin, and by extension bronze, in northern Emjata. Its seat of power was in [Region 16], far enough away that most Cynlud held greater loyalty to their local leaders than the king. When Dejan came, the palace in [Region 16] had long since fallen, and there was little organized opposition. The only major battle was the First Battle of Skalist Tor, when the deposed King of Siestok fled to Torfowisko Castle, which was besieged for thirteen weeks by the Avakonian garrison left in the region before the king surrendered.

Upon Dejan’s death, royalists moved against the Avakonian garrisons and declared Siestok independent once more, restoring the former king’s son to the throne. However, the kingdom was soon destroyed once again, as Siestok was conquered by the Empire for the second time under the first Empress, Rafæla Jenasia Zhekarus. For easier administration, she split the lands of Siestok into two imperial provinces. In the decades since, Wybrèz (Kalabreg in the Avakonian tongue) became a vital source of tin for the Empire.

In 128, Wybrèz became the first battleground in the Linnadi’s war on Avakonia. Forced to defend multiple fronts, the Empire was only able to leave a token rearguard to defend their holdings, and it was quickly overrun by the Wingknights and Skyfarers. The large stores of tin and government officials who were evacuated by sea were caught in the blockade and captured, and their guards routed.

Once an independent kingdom, Wybrèz was most recently ruled by an Avakonian governor named Jovan in the name of the Empire. Since its seizure by Ti Linnad and his capture, Colrim of Arfordir has been installed as a temporary governor while the Linnadi search for royalists who may be amenable to joining the Council.

Spoiler: Resources

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Tin is the only natural resource of particular use in Wybrèz, not that another would be necessary to attract trade. Sought after by all, the tin pits provide an export in high demand and a steady flow of income to the region. The lack of other resources, however, makes Wybrèz very dependent on merchants bringing food and timber across the Uhraiya. Several coves along the shore have been established as docks for ships from Avakonia and the Wuzei Darak.

Grado Narudar (TP 1): Avakonia
Pold Kopalni (TP 2): Wuzei Darak

Spoiler: Religion

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Most of Wybrèz follows standard Jalyeong-Bo, building relations with the spirits of the moor and honoring them in great festivals. However, many Avakonians and foreigners follow Perijanism, especially along the coast.

Torfomiasto (Holy Center 1): Jalyeong-Bo
Novo Teretos (Holy Center 2): Perijanism
Lake Norikstaw (Holy Center 3): Jalyeong-Bo

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Region 22
Lascienmo
Originally by RolePGeek

Spoiler: Terrain

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Where Gwitna meets Aniachaket, the marsh and the forest run together, the towering redcedars growing closer and closer together, interspersed with wider-canopied trees, until the sun is a distant memory seen only through occasional gaps in the foliage. The Callo river marks the northern edge of the territory, where the woods are sparse and die out into the shrubland and steppe of Hoyanuk. In the west, the trees of Ti Linnad’s ravines grow larger and more frequent as the land slopes away, soaring pegasi replaced by foraging elk and hunting wolves, woodland groves condensing to evergreen forest. Snow in Lasciemno is uncommon but not unheard of; far more common are cold rains in the winter, dripping down through the canopy. Where the region borders the Badan, the Callo river drains into marshland, though it dries and becomes merely very fertile farther south, by Gwitna. The coast is rocky where Lascienmo borders the Uhraiya, the weathered remnants of the cliffsides of Ti Linnad. The few bays and harbors protected enough to make for good ports are largely trading towns, leading to the Opal Road that stretches from the Uhraiya to the Badan. The capital of the region grew around the crossroads where the Callo River and the Opal Road meet, the city of Kryszuńow is a prosperous one, with farmlands and orchards stretching along the river in either direction. Most of the region, however, is untamed and unknown, the forests stretching for many miles before one might find civilization again. This may be why Lascienmo is sometimes called the ‘Land of Crossroads’; almost every town in the forests has at least one, if not more.

Spoiler: History

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There has not been a king in Lascienmo for over a century and a half. Its people carry a long history of trade, conflict, and religious observances, as well as several periods of unity uncommon in the area. Before the first kings, the region was largely ruled by tribal chieftains, each of which commonly feuding with the others, though now those tribes have been replaced by city-states united under a single king. The last ruler native to the area before Dejan’s time, however, lost his crown after a failed bid to take the isthmus left his army in ruins and his support decimated. When the raids came, whether from Hoyanuk, Ti Linnad, and Gwitna, king Alekzad Kryszuca could not call his men to fight them, and his hold over the other cities in the area was lost; when he died in battle a few years later, his hold over his own was lost as well. When Dejan came, he found a people who clung to independence with ferocity, but also a people eager for a leader to give them strength against the threats on every side. Lascienmo quickly become an important bastion of Imperial authority; it was the Empire that mandated the construction of the Opal Road, laying down brick and stone, sided by redcedar wood from Gwitna, able to withstand the rains of the region without being washed away.
When the Empire fell, Lascienmo remained an important stronghold, albeit not the capital, for the General who would go on to form the Mandanagar dynasty. As their reach dwindled, however, they were eventually forced to pull back to the forests, a skill in archery born from hunting to survive allowing them to defend against rebels of every sort. It was only when Jurus Mandanagar, great grand-nephew of the original general, took over that the dynasty truly fell. Over the course of a dozen years, his neglect, short-sightedness, and greed led him to be torn from his home by an angry and mistreated populace, while his warriors fought Ti Linnad to the west. When the Linnadi continued to assault their home, the people, newly invigorated by their freedom from such a tyrant, rallied behind a common swineherd, who happened to display a natural aptitude for strategy, and a fierce, protective love for his countrymen. This swineherd would go on to become Yaroslava Obrokienne, King of Obroslo, and the name of his kingdom is now interchangeable with that of the region itself.

Spoiler: People

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There are three mostly distinct populations in Lascienmo, though minorities of all sorts are commonly found due to trade passing through. The most common are human, native Lascienmici intermixed with Avakonian settlers, and most of the cities and towns are populated by them. Lascienmici tend to have wavy brown, black, or grey hair, with light olive skin, and lean, tall builds. Their dress is often Avakonian in fashion due to the prolonged rule by foreign generals, although revivals of traditional styles have made it less common in recent decades. Most of the population supports itself by farming, trading, and hunting; the forest is also ripe with berries and edible roots, if one knows where to look.
The Mallud, sometimes known as the Little Folk, are related closely to the Pylliar, albeit with shorter, darker fur that only covers some of their body, due to the gentler winters. A few inches shorter on average than the Pylliar, though with broader hands, the Mallud are somewhat less martially inclined in comparison to their highland relatives. They intermingle commonly, however, and the fur color of mixed-blood offspring is usually dependent on the climate during the pregnancy; colder and higher climates tend to result in paler and more extensive fur, while warmer and lower climates are the reverse. They still have the same dedication to family and unity, however, and often make their homes in villages or towns known as ‘burrows’, in part due to the tendency for Mallud buildings to have as much space below ground as above, often centered around larger trees where they can make use of the root systems for support.
The last group in Lascienmo are the Omubui, commonly referred to as moon elves, and are the most secretive and unknown of the lot. With long, pointed ears, cat-slit eyes, and skin the color of dusk, their features are long and thin and almost preternaturally beautiful. The Omubui make their homes in the tree tops and the wild places of Lascienmo, and it is said that they have strange and unique magics from their connection to the wilds and the deeps of the forest. There are rumors that claim they have the ability to talk to animals, which they use to spy on outsiders in the forest. Others say they can command the trees themselves to shift and move to their liking, confusing anyone who would search for their hidden villages. The truth is still unclear, even to the natives who deal with them most commonly; for the Omubui cannot make everything themselves, and so trade Moon Opals and exceptionally fine crafts for that which they cannot find or make themselves. What is clear, though, is that they prefer to keep their privacy, and when they must move without being seen (and often enough besides), they use dark cloth to bind up their hair, which is all the colors of sunset woven together. It is a rare and fortunate soul that may earn their trust.

Spoiler: Resources

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Though the region is not lacking in most resources, it is through external trade that most of what wealth it has derives. The only real export to be had is that of Moon Opals, pearlescent stones that shift color with the phases of the moon, and are useful for any number of magical rituals, beyond their rumored natural mystical properties (other than the obvious)
Upspepau Trading Camp – Minor – RGO – A general purpose camp for trading between any number of parties, it is one of the few places the moon elves keep a permanent presence in.
Vakysary Markets – Good – CAL - Metal is one of the few things the moon elves are unable to acquire for themselves, and much of the region’s trade for moon opals flows through the Vakysary Markets, so named for the copper mines nearby.

Spoiler: Religion

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Temple of Mescina – Perijanism – Built from well-kept redcedar wood and polished stone, the temple is much older than Dejan’s conquest, yet still in very good shape; in fact, if one looked carefully, you would be able to tell that the gods depicted are not precisely the same as those currently worshipped by mainstream Perijanism.
Shrine at the Pool of the Second Reflected Beauty – Lake Losczyk – Abhidi – A small lake with very clear and reflective waters, surrounded by a small clearing, with a shrine built on one end to honor the beauty in the world, reflective of Abhidi’s perfection.
The Tree of Multitudinous Blossoms Giving Joy unto The World – Abhidi (Sattyathanya) – An exceptionally massive tree, with spreading boughs and beautiful silver flowers that only bloom at night.

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