Fantasy Treblian Lore

Proletariat · Jun 24, 2018

Magic

Magic in the world of Treblian is potentially the most powerful and dangerous individual capability. Less than 5% of all sentient beings can perform magic, and most of them live abnormal and difficult lives. In some cultures magic is revered, in others, it is seen as a curse and magic users become outcasts. You will learn all of this during your time roleplaying, but it is important that you know the different types of magic users, and how the magic mechanics of this roleplay work, as these all effect how magic users operate in the world.

Look at possible spells here, you may ONLY select spells from your class list: Spells for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond
You may also create your own spells, but I must approve of them.

Magic Users:

A sorcerer is someone who is born with mana reserves in their body. They either inherited this from their bloodline or are gifted the ability at birth from a deity. Mana literally runs through their body inside their blood. Because of the hereditary nature, there are a few ancient lines of sorcerers that exist in the world today. Some of them are very powerful and are feared by both the masses and the government, others are outcasts who live in solitude, away from civilization. A sorcerer cannot hide their nature, due to glowing tattoo like symbols that appear all over their body. Sorcerers have the highest reliable reserve of mana, but a lower amount of spells they can learn. Use the list below to determine how many spells your Sorcerer can know based on age.
For more information, click here: Sorcerer
1. 18-20, 5 spells
2. 21-25, 6 spells
3. 26-30, 7 spells
4. 31-38, 8 spells
5. 39-45, 9 spells
6. 46-50, 10 spells
7. 51+, 12 spells
Warlocks are people who have "made a deal with the devil" so to speak. Warlocks make unbreakable pacts with otherworldly beings in order to borrow some of their power. Sometimes a Warlock's relationship with its being is like that of a cleric, Divinity to Priest. However, more often than not, the relationship is more like Master to servant, or Master to apprentice, with the Master being the Deity. Warlocks have the highest potential for magical aptitude, but also the least reliable source, as their power draws directly from their pact with the Deity. If they ever act outside of the pact obligations, or if the Deity is just having a bad day, the Warlock's power can be completely cut off, leaving them defenseless. When making a Warlock, consider the situation that led the Warlock to make the pact with their Deity, also consider the obligations of the pact. How does the deity communicate with the Warlock, what sort of being is the deity? Use the list below to determine how many spells your Warlock can know based on age.

Warlocks are the least prestigious class of magic users in Treblian. Even Warlocks that make noble pacts with divine deities are looked down upon as exiles who sold their souls. Warlocks are notorious for leading demonic cults and performing nefarious deeds. Generally, Warlocks are thought to misuse their powers for personal gain and to satisfy an insatiable desire for power. As with all stereotypes, many Warlocks are the exception to the rule, but the general belief exists for a reason..

For more information, click here: Warlock
1. 18-20, 4 spells
2. 21-25, 6 spells
3. 26-30, 8 spells
4. 31-38 10 spells
5. 39-45, 12 spells
6. 46-50, 14 spells
7. 51+, 16 spells
Clerics are priests who have been chosen by a divine deity to act as their mortal agents. Clerics perform the will of their patron God. It is a similar relationship that some Warlocks have with their deity, except Clerics are chosen by their God, they do not make a pact with them. Sometimes Gods speak to clerics directly, other times Gods send clerics intuitive signals to know what they want. Clerics are principled priests, usually a part of a divine or monastic order, that live by rigid codes and are expected to live with discipline. Most clerics served for many years as priests or acolytes before being chosen by their God. Clerics are universally accepted as noble and good beings. Almost every culture recognizes some form of cleric, and clerics of other cultures are often respected as men of the cloth, even if they worship a different God. Clerics are used as leaders of prayer, mediators, healers, and in rare cases, their Gods call for them to go out and brave the dangers of the world. Clerics have a strong and reliable source of mana, but their spells are mostly supportive in nature. Many clerics are also martial warriors that combine their magical abilities with physical combat. Use the table below to determine how many spells your Cleric can know by age.

For more information, click here: Cleric
1. 18-20, 3 spells
2. 21-25, 5 spells
3. 26-30, 8 spells
4. 31-38, 12 spells
5. 39-45, 15 spells
6. 46-50, 17 spells
7. 51+ 20 spells
Wizards are probably the most eccentric and diverse of all magic users. The common thread of all Wizards is their love of knowledge and academia. Wizards are people who have dedicated their lives to studying magic and developing their own abilities. Wizards do not draw from mana that exists in their body or from an outside source, instead, wizards draw from a spiritual life force that exists in every living being. Wizards rely on excess life force to be present in order to cast spells. If there is not much energy in the area, then they have to draw from their own excess. This can potentially be dangerous for apprentice users, as it is a skill to only draw from excess energy, and not from one's own vitality. Wizards can build up greater stores of spiritual energy by practicing meditation, physical exercise, and by spell casting. Wizardry has the greatest learning curve of all magical styles. Young wizards are very often apprentices who do not live outside of a wizardry school or a magical university. For this reason, most wandering Wizards are typically older, with more experience and life force to draw from. Wizards are thought of quite differently in different cultures. In most Western cultures they are revered for their knowledge and scholarly aptitude, but only hold as much prestige as they are useful. In the orcish kingdoms they usually serve as spiritual and religious leaders. Elves require that their elder council be comprised of wizards only. Depending on where one is, that will determine how society generally treats wizards. Wizards have the lowest reserve of mana, but it regenerates quickly, and they know many useful spells. Use the list below to determine the amount of spells your Wizard can know based on age.

For more information click here: Wizard
1. 18-21, 4 spells
2. 22-25, 8 spells
3. 26-30, 13 spells
4. 31-38, 18 spells
5. 39-45, 23 spells
6. 46-50, 26 spells
7. 51+, 30 spells
The bard is a master of song, speech, and the magic they contain. Bards say that the multiverse was spoken into existence, that the words of the gods gave it shape, and that echoes of these primordial Words of Creation still resound throughout the cosmos. The music of bards is an attempt to snatch and harness those echoes, subtly woven into their spells and powers. For a Bard, music and magic are the same thing. Generally bards are only a part of the Western and Elvish cultures, though members of other cultures would recognize a bard if they saw one. After all, they are most likely going to be the brightest dressed person in a crowd. They are entertainers first, and everything else second. Bards get their magic from their attunement to the vibrations and unseen energies of the world. A Bard's manapool depends entirely on the situation. In a crowded inn, full of song, drink, and potential, a Bard may be able to cast magic freely all night. In a dark dungeon with a party full of heroes in need of a motivational song, a Bard may also find their mana reserves bolstered. Bards feed off of the extraordinary and the limelight, without those things, Bards will feel less energetic and have less mana on tap. Bardic magic and skillset is jack-of-all trades, they are versatile and useful in many situations, but they excel in nothing except performing. When creating your bard, consider their favored instrument, and what led them to the poetic life of a performer. Use the chart below to determine how many spells your Bard can use based on age.

For more information, click here: Bard
1. 18-21, 3 spells
2. 22-25, 4 spells
3. 26-30, 7 spells
4. 31-38, 10 spells
5. 39-45, 14 spells
6. 46-50, 17 spells
7. 51+, 20 spells

Maps

Geographic map of Treblian:

Political Watercolor of Treblian:

Races

There are many sentient races in Treblian. Mostly the races are divided culturally and politically, but in some cities there are a diversity of beings trying to eek out a survival in the often dangerous urban settings. Races also differ in magical aptitude. For instance, the elves have the highest percentage of magic users in the world, while goblins have the lowest. Your race will determine how you are treated by strangers in almost every part of the world.

Humans are the most populous and ambitious race of Treblian. They occupy the Western kingdoms and the Sahari Empire, though human lands draw members of almost every other race due to their relatively high wealth and economic opportunity. Humans are the most tolerant race, which doesn't say much considering how poorly other races are generally treated in human lands. Human merchants are the most industrious and wealthy in the world, humans drive the international economy. The further East you go, the less humans you see, but there are even humans residing in the Jesueola desert with the lizardmen. The only place in the world that has no humans at all is the territory of the Eastern elves, who only tolerate their own kind. Humans have versatile abilities and the second most magic users of any race. Humans have an average lifespan of 50 years.
Elves are very human-like beings that hail from the Northern and Eastern elven kingdoms. Never tell an elf they are human-like though, or you might have a fight on your hands, as humans are the elves most hated rivals. Elves have lived in their ancestral lands for over 500 years. Before that, the elves lived on an island in the Elven Bay. Humans refer to it as the "ruined elven island," but elves call it "homeland," in their language. Every year both elven kingdoms cooperate to send expeditions to the island, but it is plagued by abnormal magic-thunderstorms that make it impossible to build and usually drive out or kill everyone that lands on it. No one knows why the elven island is cursed, but the elves have legends about it. Elves are usually a bit taller and thinner than humans, they are the most magical race and they excel in craftsmanship. However, elves do not trade with humans, so elven weapons and crafts are ludicrously expensive in human kingdoms. Elves are extremely proud and family oriented. They do not typically travel outside of their homeland. The magical forest that the elves live in actively works to protect them, which is one reason they've sustained 500 years of human invasions. The forest provides everything an elf needs, food, shelter, spirituality, and wisdom. Elves have the oldest libraries and therefore the oldest records of any race. The average elven lifespan is 150 years, but their bodies do not age as quickly as human bodies, so a 150 year old elf would probably be more lively than a 50 year old human.

The elves are divided into two very different cultures. Eastern elves are more isolationist and tribal than their Northern kin. Eastern elves are hostile to all outsiders and live a very hunter-gatherer lifestyle. The strongest men and women hunt and are warriors. The weaker men and women are gatherers and basic craftspeople. They rely on the leadership of wisemen, shamans, and Shikalas, or "spirit women".

Northern elves are more focused on settled society with disciplined customs, organized religion, ancestor-worship, craftsmanship, and a rigid social structure. The Northern elves consider themselves more civilized than any other race in the world, and look down on their Eastern cousins for their "primitive" ways. Northern elves are led by a council of Wizard elders, as well as female clerics from their religion.

Although they are both elves and they technically have an alliance, every year the Eastern elves and their Northern cousins drift further apart. Their people have little respect for one another's customs and their relationship has deteriorated over the years. However, both elven societies would still honor their blood-pact to defend the other in desperate situations.

Northern Elf:

Eastern Elf:
Orcs are green and gray skinned humanoids that hail from the mid-eastern mountain kingdoms and the Mononcreole Jungle. Originally, all orcs come from the Mononcreole Jungle, but about 250 years ago, an enlightened orc known only as "The Wise One," led thousands of orcs out of the jungle, across the desert, and into the mountains. Since then, the orcs have developed very differently. An orc is a physically strong, but intellectually weak being. They typically stand about 6ft tall and weigh roughly 200 pounds, though there are orcs who can get as big as 7ft tall, 400 pounds, who more resemble trolls than orcs.

Mononcreole orcs are the most savage of the sentient races. Most of the races don't even consider them to be sentient, due to their inability to organize whatsoever. Mononcreole orcs are primarily hunters and will attack anyone that enters their territory. They are viciously territorial and in fight constantly for hunting grounds. The orcs' rapid breeding and growth rate means that new warriors are constantly being raised into a military society, where the strong conquer the weak. No orc has ever united all of the tribes. Mononcreole orcs value physical strength, cunning, and brutality. Their only concept of honor is to be powerful by any means.

Kingdom orcs are the more organized and productive orcs. These orcs have adapted to mountain life, usually living in old dwarf settlements that they conquered years ago. These orcs have begun to develop their crafting ability. Although they are by far the worst craftspeople in the civilized world, their access to metal resources allows them to outproduce peoples with much higher population. Kingdom orcs typically stay in their homeland, but some will travel as mercenaries for-hire due to their physical prowess. Besides dwarves, these orcs maintain cordial relations with all of their neighbors, and they stay away from the Eastern elves. The kingdom orcs are led by ambitious and wise warchiefs who consult shamans on important decisions. Orcs have a very low potential for magic. The average orc lifespan is about 40 years.

Mononcreole Orcs:

Kingdom Orcs:
Dwarves are known to be one of the oldest races in Treblian, and easily one of the hardest to get rid of. Dwarves are short, stocky humanoids that have strong bones and thick skin. The average height for an adult Dwarf is between 3'9" and 4'4", with an average weight range of 140-170 pounds. The Dwarven people live in city-states known as Holds, which are massive underground cities inside of mountains. There are dozens of Dwarven Holds inside each of the Greater Clan's domain. The Greater Clans are the oldest and most powerful clans that have influence over all Dwarven Holds inside their territory. The Middle Dwarven Kingdoms are Velstrom, Gruzwail, and Chillabad. The borders of these domains are very informal, however, and many goblins, kingdom orcs, and other Dwarf clans constantly struggle for power inside each of the domains.

Dwarfs are master metalsmiths, rock carvers, and engineers. Dwarfen steel and siege equipment are some of the most coveted weapons of war in the world. Dwarven holds are masterpieces of rock carving. Typically the fortifications and almost all of the buildings are made completely of stone from the very mountain that they dwell within. Dwarves are the second most successful merchants behind humans, although they rarely settle outside of the Dwarven Holds. Dwarves who live outside of the Dwarven Holds are called Drummeri, or exiles. They may trade their wares outside of the Holds, but they may never enter a Hold again.

Dwarven magic is very unique. Dwarves have no inherent magical potential, they are totally mute to the spiritual and magical energies of the world. However, Dwarven craftsmanship and understanding of the physical world allowed Dwarves hundreds of years ago to find a loophole to their magical inadequacy. Ancient Dwarves discovered a special type of mineral called "Lepuli." Lepuli is a rare blue crystal that is found only in the deepest mines in the world. This highly prized mineral contains actual mana forced into the crystalline structure due to great heat, pressure, and an unknown source. Dwarves are the only race that knows how to extract mana from the crystal in order to use the magical energy to craft magical runes. Runes are magical symbols that retain magical energy in order to cast spells or to give a magical effect to an item. Runes have a limited mana source, and must be recharged by a Dwarven runesmith. Runesmithing is the most difficult and most lucrative business the Dwarves have, as they are the only runesmiths in the world. This extremely high demand means that almost every race is on neutral terms with the dwarves, except for their arch-rivals, the goblins.
The Seku'tuai are the only kin-species of human beings. They live exclusively on their home island of K'sesk'ualar. The Seku'tuai are human beings who have lived on the poisonous swamp island of K'sesk'ualar for nearly thirty thousand years. Over time the island has drifted closer to the mainland of Treblian, and nearly five hundred years ago the Sahari Empire colonized the island and entirely enslaved the local population. The Seku'tuai are adapted for the poison swamps of K'sesk'ualar. Toxins literally run in their veins, for this reason they are immune to most poison and also most disease. The Seku have yellow-brownish skin, exclusively green eyes, dark hair, dark lips, and black nails. They bleed dark green and have long, knife-like ears, even longer than elves. Their hands and feet are webbed. The Seku are considerably more agile than regular humans. Seku can climb trees as quick as a monkey and are faster than humans by far.

The Seku are very low in population. Even before the Sahari colonized them, the dangers of K'sesk' island kept down the Seku numbers to subsistence only. Generally Seku serve as labor slaves on K'sesk' for their Sahari overlords. There are rare herbs that exist only on K'sesk' that the Seku farm. In addition, some Seku are used as assassins by the Duchy of Dolmor, who are primarily responsible for overseeing the colony. Seku assassins are so few in number that they are nearly mythical, but their abilities as killers are unmatched by any other Race in the world. Currently there are no Seku in existence that are free. All serve in oppression to the Sahari Overlords.
Goblins could be classified as the scrawny, mischievous, conniving, offspring of the orcs and the dwarves. Although they are not actually descendants of either race, the goblins have the skin and the appearance of an orc with the stature of the runtiest dwarf. Goblins are between 3'3" and 4' tall. and weigh between 70 and 100 pounds. They are hardly the most renowned warriors of the sentient races. In fact, the only time a goblin kills someone of another race is typically if its target is asleep.. What they lack in strength, goblins make up for with their dexterity and cunning. The goblins may not be the smartest, but they are certainly the most innovative and greedy of all the races. Due to their stature, goblins have had to resort to alternative means to expand their power over the years.

Goblins dwell in the deepest, darkest inhabited places of Treblian. Their origins are from the depths, where there is no light and no hope. They clawed their way out into the light one thousand years ago. The little green bastards left the depths to meet their first and oldest rivals, the Dwarves. The first Holds to be overrun were surprised by the sheer number and relentlessness of the goblins. Endless streams of angry, feral green creatures toppled the thriving, unprepared Dwarves. It did not take long for the neighboring Dwarves to dig in, however, and the Goblins were held back for a few decades before the never ending Dwarf-Goblin war renewed. Dwarves and Goblins hate each other more than any other race. They will not negotiate and neither race will cease aggression until the other is destroyed. Currently, the goblin territory lies in an area high in the mountains, called Yarkand. There the Goblins plot, scheme, and reproduce their way towards reaching their ambitions.

In terms of relations with other races, the Goblins are the newest on the block and have the roughest reputation. Recently, their ability as jewelers has given them some headway in the trade department, as Yarkand is rich with jewels that tiny Goblin hands can expertly place into gold and silver. This means that the humans were the first to warm up to the goblins, with lizardmen and orcs coming after. Elves and Dwarves both want nothing to do with the creatures. Over the years goblins have become less monster like, they have developed their language and created a written script. The ruling class has paved the way in adopting human customs in order to seem more civilized and approachable, though the common goblins are slow to learn.
Called the Zenuzad in their own tongue, the Lizardmen are a humanoid race of upright, bipedal lizards. Male and female Zenuzad appear drastically differently, with the females being more rare, intelligent, smaller, and more colorful. Males are extremely large, brutish, aggressive, and unintelligent. Zenuzad reside primarily in their home of the Jesueola Desert. Males have tan or grey scales, while females can be a combination of yellow, blue, green, red, tan, white, or almost any color. The females typically serve as politicians, craftswomen, and merchants, while the males are hunters, warriors, and shamans. Female Zenuzad are between 5'-5'6" and weigh 100-130 pounds, while males are between 6'2"-6'6" and weigh 280-350 pounds.

Zenuzad males rarely possess magical capabilities, but when they do, they are always sorcerers, inheriting magic from their draconic bloodlines. Male sorcerers are more intelligent than their peers and typically serve as spiritual leaders and shamans to their tribes.

The Zenuzad are loosely united under a confederation of tribes, whose capital is a teleporting city in the middle of the desert known as "Capacudeel." Capacudeel changes locations every three weeks in a changing pattern that only the highest chieftains and mages know. Zenuzad males are renowned mercenaries and bandits, while females are savvy merchants and political leaders. Few actually travel into the barren and dangerous Jesueola desert, so other races typically get their impressions of the Zenuzad from the traveling females or the mercenary males. However, Kingdom Orcs have taken a particular interest in securing alliances with the Zenuzad tribes along their border..

Male:
Female:

Politics

The political landscape of Treblian is diverse, chaotic, dangerous, and full of ambition. Races are only loosely organized to compete against one another, almost all political intrigue occurs within countries, with races fighting against themselves. Certain nations have military alliances, but it is much more common to see trade agreements or non-aggression pacts. Most nations are wise enough not to trust one another, given that honor among states is not the norm in this world. In the tabs below, you will find information about each country by region. This will include the current state of politics, government type, natural resources, and military strength of each nation. Also, important relations with neighboring countries will be displayed.

The northern Kingdoms are the countries in the Northwestern portion of the map, to the North of the Sahari Empire. These kingdoms are primarily human and ruled by monarchies of the same dynasty, the Magnolid dynasty. Although they may be kin, the kingdoms are fiercely independent and often skirmish with each other over border disputes. One thing always manages to unite the kingdoms, and that is war. Northern Kingdoms are rivals with the encroaching Sahari to their South, and the hated elves to their east. In general the Northern Kingdoms are a dry, hilly, rugged place to live. Thhe middle kingdom of Garkand has to import food to stay alive, while Tolstar, Sevonobal, and Alton rely on fishing to feed their people. Their cultures are very hardworking, straightforward, and focused on an inflated sense of honor and superiority due to their independence. Historically, Northern Kingdoms have led the fight against the elves to the East. Northern humans despise elves more than anything, and every so often the kingdoms organize a coalition to go to war with the elves, but only if they have the support of the Sahari empire, lest their Southern border lie undefended..

Sevonobal: Sevonobal is the most powerful of the Northern Kingdoms, they have the largest army and navy in the region. Sevonobal also has a massive fishing fleet that fuels their fish export market. The terrain is very hilly and arid, with a small deciduous forest on the Southwest edge of the peninsula near the capital city of Gelluta. The largest river in Treblian, the river Pochiki, crosses through Sevonobal and empties out into the Iron Bay.

The government of Sevonobal is a despotic monarchy, with the king wielding supreme power and his oldest son inheriting the throne. The nobles beneath the king are the next on the power scale. Nobility is also inherited, and people cannot move out of the class they are born into. Sevonoballi spear men are renown for their ability to fight in formation and their discipline in war. In the Northwestern part of Sevonobal there is an abandoned city that is overrun by the undead. A special elite guard force protects the perimeter and ensures that no undead escape into the countryside. The very ground the Necropolis sits on is cursed and the king of Sevonobal has forbid anyone to enter its hallowed territory.

Sevonobal has large iron reserves, some clay pits, massive coastal fishing, a small amount of subsistence farming, and a large amount of weavers.

Being the most powerful kingdom in the North, Sevonobal leads the political sphere of the Nothern Kingdoms and many foreign dignitaries reside in the capital, Gelluta. Sevonobal generally gets what it wants out of negotiations with Northern kingdoms, but they are careful not to overstep bounds, lest the other kingdoms form a coalition against them.

Alton: Alton gets its name from the mountainous terrain and high altitude that the Altonese people reside in. Alton is one of the most difficult places to attack, due to the fact that the entire country is literally a mountain range, or in the foothills of the Cloudreach Mountains. The capital city of Kreighold is nestled beside the largest peak and is nearly invulnerable to direct attack. Alton has the lowest population of the Northern kingdoms and rightly so, almost no crops grow there. They fish and they raid shipping lanes in order to survive. Due to this fact, Alton is known for its thieving and vicious pirates. The deep fjords, rocky coast, and misty waters of Alton make it difficult for any naval vessels to track pirates back to their lairs.

The Pochiki river starts at the end of the Cloudreach Mountains, the natural mountain springs provide the Altonese with clean water to transport in aqueducts to their fortresses and settlements. The entire nation is covered in rocky tundra, only the strong and hardy survive its harsh elements.

The Altonese government is an elected monarchy among the nobles of the country. Due to the small amount of livable land, there are few, but wealthy aristocrats. The elite are the sponsors of the privateers that do all of the raiding for Alton. Therefore, they are also the commanders of the most dangerous warriors and thugs in the kingdom. For this reason, the monarchy can never have too much power over the nobles. Alton raiders are known for their fearlessness and terrifying presence on the battlefield. Although their military is the smallest in the region, they are also probably the most ferocious. Every noble is also a veteran warrior, and a warrior may claim the land of another if he kills the other in a just duel, which can only occur if one warrior has somehow committed a crime against another.

The natural resources of Alton include Iron, Pewter, minerals, stone, and fish.

Sarkaband: Sarkaband is the second largest kingdom in the North. The land in Sarkaband is suitable for subsistence crops, mining, and fishing. There are many towns in Sarkaband, as it has a very high population. The Northern and Western border are covered in the foothills of the Cloudreach mountains. To the east, the Illunar river creates the border between the human and the elven kingdoms. The Sarkabandi take their role as the border between humans and elves very seriously, and they defend the entirety of the river devoutly. Every crossing has a fortress and patrols cover the vast stretches of forest that cover the deeper parts of the river as well. The capital of Asku is the seat of power of the royal monarchy, which inherits its power by blood.

There are many wealthy landholders in Sarkaband due to its size and farming capability. There is a very feudal land management system in this kingdom, where peasants work the land for their lords in exchange for protection and paltry payment. The feudal lords are required to raise up a levy of troops for the king regularly so that the Sarkaband army remains a dangerous force to be reckoned with. This means that the army is relatively unprofessional, but their reserves are vast and their morale is high when fighting against elves. Political infighting is a major problem in Sarkaband due to the large number of powerful nobles in the realm. Sarkaband is wedged between the Sahari empire and the elves, so they focus mainly on defensiveness and maintaining numbers in the military. Their famous unit is the simple Sarkaband footman. Footmen typically wear chain mail and a simple helmet and fight with a sword or a mace and a shield. By himself a footman is a weak opponent, but the key to the footman is that he is never alone, he fights next to his comrades in arms, for the good of the nation. Swarms of footmen can hold a line for the entirety of a battle without routing, and if left unchecked, they will break into the backline of their enemy.

Sarkaband exports corn and grain. They import iron from Alton and export well crafted tools. The towns of Sarkaband attract artisans that create high quality textiles, tools, and lumber. Clay is also a popular resource in the country, potters export tens of thousands of pieces every year.

Garkland: Garkland is known as the "Middle Kingdom," due to its location directly in the center of the Northern Kingdoms. Garkland is totally landlocked and relies heavily on trade to survive. The Middle Kingdom is home to one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world, Lake Wivulum. The lake and connected River Kahur allow for a lot of boat trade with Garkland's neighbors.

Like the other Northern Kingdoms, Garkland is ruled by a Magnolid monarch. However, Garkland has a queen who sits on the throne in the capital city of Leohar. The queen holds uncontested power within Garkland and directly owns much of the land. Coniferous forest dominates most of the Garklandian landscape. The small portion of land that is arable is all used for farming, which means that rural villages are popular in the Northeast.

Garkland's military is the weakest of all the Northern kingdoms, despite their position at the border of the Sahari empire. Typically, Garkland relies on mercenaries and military allies to defend their lands. Most of the wealth in the country is invested in farming and lumber, with little left over to pay soldier's wages. However, the great lumber from the Garkland forest has led to the creation of the best human-made bows in the world. Garkland long bowmen are famously accurate from distance. The motto for the Middle Kingdom's archery corps is, "Which eye do you want out?" The heavily forested terrain combined with the hills and river crossing to their east and south led to military tactics that rely heavily on guerrilla warfare.

The natural resources of Garkland are as follows: grain, lumber, livestock, rare herbs.

Tolstar: The Tolstarans are a hardy people that live a mostly pastoral lifestyle. Tolstar relies almost exclusively on farming exports to generate income. There are very few artisans in the country, which means that almost 85% of the population is engaged in agriculture. Horse breeding is another important aspect of Tolstaran culture and economy. Nearly every Tolstaran can ride a horse by the time they are 10 years old. Tolstarans regularly hold festivals dedicated to horses and also horse racing is a pastime as well as a way to prove one's competence.

Tolstar is ruled by a hereditary monarchy, but all monarchs must be at least 30 before they can serve. This means that a council of elders has frequently ruled the country over the years in the stead of young monarchs. Typically these elders are landholders and great horsebreeders who are elected by the small landowners, such as free peasants and poor aristocrats.

Tolstar's military and navy are quick and deadly. The navy relies on numerous small, but quick ships to overrun and flank enemy fleets, while engaging in piracy when not at war. The Tolstar military is a cavalry-based force that relies on light horsemen and horse archers to constantly harass enemies while their smaller main body of foot soldiers advances. The efficiency of these tactics has earned Tolstar imperial land over the years, as is evidenced by their territory across the River Kahur.

The natural resources of Tolstar are grain, corn, fish, horses, and clay.
The Sahari Empire is the oldest political organization known to the world of Treblian. The Empire reins over the Southwestern portion of Treblian and it has existed for over 1000 years. The first Sahari came from the lands of modern day Nuezar, to the South of the other Imperial subjects. How the Sahari came to power is quite unknown, but how they have held onto power is possibly the most widely known fact among humans, elves, and dwarves alike. The Sahari Imperial Court has ruled with a merciless iron fist over its people. The massive amount of coin and endless legions of the Sahari military have ensured Sahari dominance through nearly all recorded ages. Today, Sahari is the wealthiest political entity with the most powerful military. The Court relies heavily on taxation and tariffs to fund their top heavy administration and vast military force. Every Imperial subject has an Imperial administration that either directly rules, or monitors the rulers of each subject state. Twice annually the subject states pay taxes in either cut gold, food, or raw resources to the Emperor at the Imperial Palace in Despuerto City.

The states that make up the empire are politically and ethnically diverse. The only thing that holds them together is allegiance to the Gilded Crown, which is another way to say, the position of the Emperor. Generally the states are held together through the threat of devastation at the hands of the Sahari. In addition to threats, every ruler in the Empire must send their firstborn child to the Court at Despuerto to become a ward of the Emperor. In this way, the Court has hostages and it can brainwash the future generations of leaders to be loyal to the Emperor. Currently the Empire has at least neutral relations with all states and races, although that is subject to change at any moment with the tense state of affairs in the world.

Nuezar Republic: Nuezar is the original seat of the Sahari Empire. Nuezarians are very proud of that fact, as a result these people are very arrogant, sophisticated, and have strict rules of decorum. Some of the best artisans in the world live in Nuezar, which is the "Marketplace of Treblian." Many ports line the Nuezar coast. The Empire fuels the international trade market; imports and exports change hands in record numbers every year throughout the Republic, bringing in foreign goods to be sold across the human states. The Republic also has the highest urban population of any known state, with about 30% of the population residing in urban settings. Massive and elaborate cities dot the map of Nuezar, which boasts the best architecture in the entire Western world. Despuerto city is the capital of the Empire. It is a thriving merchant city that is defended by the most elite naval and military units in the Empire.

Geographically, Nuezar is a more arid, savannah biome. Dry grass plains stretch across the open countryside of the country. Dangerous predators stalk the savannah in search of deer, gazelle, and other prey beasts. Only hardy grains grow in the parched soil of Nuezar, which means that relatively few farmers are needed to raise the sparse crop yield that comes from the country each harvest season. Gold and Diamond mines are found in the rocky hills that make up the Northeastern section of the country. A small river, the Gretarian, separates Nuezar from the Trier wasteland.

Most Nuezarians wish to be artisans, soldiers, or government officials. Service to the Empire is seen as both a duty, and as the ultimate honor. Nuezar is in fact a Republic, ruled by a Parliament and a Prime Minister. The Parliament is elected by the nobles, and the Prime minister is selected from the Parliament every five years. Many Prime ministers have accumulated great power in the nations' history, some even attempted to rival the power of the Sahari emperor. A decision that led to their downfall..

The Nuezar military is a disciplined, well-balanced force to be reckoned with. Some of the most powerful Sahari legions come from Nuezar. The armed forces of this country are known for their heavy shock troops and superiority in troop organization. Nuezar heavy infantry march in strict columns, divided up into units and organized with banners and war musicians. It is said that a single unit of Nuezar heavy infantry can withstand a tide of enemies.

Natural resources: Gold, diamonds, manufactured goods, fish, ceramics.

Bruldaw: Bruldaw is a heavily forested, hilly country in the Northern part of the Sahari Empire. The Bruldaw are an industrious, productive people. They are known for their blacksmithing, specifically their ability to make armor. The capital is a small city known as Zilqueros, which is the hub of smithing in the Empire. Most towns and villages exist in clearings in the forest or up in the hills. The population is relatively small, but hard work is part of the culture and Bruldawans produce more armor than any other state in the empire.

The Bruldaw hills are covered in brush and forest. Coal mines litter the Northeastern border, most of the coal produced is used to fire smelting furnaces. The Imperial game warden headquarters is in Zilqueros, as well as the Imperial Huntsmen headquarters. Hunting and trapping are very popular among those licensed by the Empire. Those caught with game who are not licensed hunters face a week in the stockade. The southern border of Bruldaw is a dry grassland, due to the fact that it borders the cursed Trier wasteland.

The Bruldaw government is an elected monarchy. The monarch is chosen from the nobility by the largest landholders in the realm. Peasants either work the land or become laborers. Noble third sons and beyond become apprentices, and then artisans. Bruldaw has the highest employment rate in the Empire and has a very good relationship with the Imperial Court.

The Bruldaw military uses heavy shock infantry to break through enemy lines and hold formation during the fight. Bruldawan crossbowmen provide support from range, while siege artillery can also be deployed to the battlefield for extra ranged damage. Thick chainmail coats are worn by Bruldaw infantry and expert plate mail protects the wealthiest noble soldiers.

Natural Resources: Coal, Lumber, Iron.

Dolmor: The Dolmorese are the haggling merchants of the Empire. Although they lack the wealth and status of the Nuezarians, they bring in the second most gold through trading. Political intrigue, merchant feuds, backstabbing, and power plays, are all common in Dolmor, which is a land where power constantly changes hands. Dolmor perhaps best represents the Sahari with its culture. The capital of Dolmor is the bustling metropolitan known as Juxtori City. Juxtori has some of the most beautiful gardens in the civilized world, as well as several merchant palaces. However, the city is also home to violent and impovershed slums, which are hidden away, but heavily populated.

Dolmor is ruled by the wealthiest merchants in the state. The mayor of Juxtori city is the official ruler of the country, but outside of the city, merchants compete with one another to own land and accumulate wealth. This high degree of autonomy means that the only military of Dolmor is comprised of house guards, who fight only for their employers. Dolmor relies on mercenary forces to defend its homeland, which it frequently has to do since its neighbors to the north are the aggressive Tolstarians. Dolmor bodyguards are extremely well-known fighters, since they are usually relied upon to perform duels for their employers. Merchants aren't known to be the most courageous and skilled fighters, after all. Dolmor elite guard typically wear lighter leather armor, and are very skilled swordsmen who don't worry about fighting with honor, only fighting to survive.

Dolmor is a flat grassland with wide open feudal-style farming. There are no peasants, however, only indentured servants, who work the land in order to get out of never-ending debt to the merchant-class. The southern-most portion of the country is a marshland where poor villages of freemen live together away from the greed of the merchants and slavers. The Western coast of Dolmor is home to the Great Tekan Bridge, which extends over the entire channel between K'sesk'ualar and Dolmor. The Dolmorese are primarily responsible for overseeing the colony on K'sesk', which means that there are more slavers in Dolmor than anywhere else in the Western Kingdom. The Seku'tuai slave trade is an incredibly lucrative business.

The Dolmor navy is small, but extremely powerful. Dolmor has the most high tech, powerful ships on the planet to defend their narrow strait of commerce. This means that they are the first to experiment with ship-mounted bronze mortars. They also employ flamethrowers, powder keg bombs, and mercenary marines, to make sure they have the upper hand in the sea.

Dolmor's natural resources are corn, rare herbs, slaves, and clay.

Molrico Islands: The Molrico Islands is a small chain of islands in the Sahari Bay, which is shared by Dolmor, Nuezar Rep., and the Trier Wasteland. The Molricos gained their independence as a semi-sovereign nation of the Empire fifty years ago. Originally, the islands were a colony of Nuezar that grew sugar and coffee. After the population boom 100 years ago, Molricans began to demand their independence from Nuezar. Fifty years of increasingly high tension and some violent protesting caused the Nuezar Republic to cut political ties with the Islands. Since its independence, Molrico has become the Empire's largest tourist destination. The Islands actually have only two cities, both of which are capitals. Camphoon and Yuvo. Each city is ruled by a different cartel, which is a fancy word for armed gang. The cartels make sure to pay their taxes to the Empire, but that is the extent of their legality...

Molrico Islands are a mostly tropical island chain that house many rocky alcoves, dense jungles, coastal regions, and pirate dens. The pirates of Molrico all work for one of the two rival cartels and they swear by a blood oath that they will not attack merchant traffick in the Sahari Bay area. That oath is broken occasionally, but the offenders are usually quickly killed, their heads are stuck on pikes outside of both cities. As a colony, Molrico produced a large quantity of sugar and coffee. Now that production is decreased, and most native Molricans either work as smugglers, accountants, or hospitaliers to the increasing audience of tourists.

Molrico has no military, only loosely organized gangs of thugs that are loyal to their respective crime lords. Their "navy" consists of a hodge-podge mix of privateer vessels, designed for hit-and-run tactics. Only the cartel officers have larger flagships. If need be, the houses will work together, but the uneasy alliance eventually collapses once the imminent danger is gone.

Natural Resources: Coffee, Sugar, Tourism, Fishing.

Greco Republic: The Greco Republic is a democratic Imperial nation that exists on the Southeastern Giseeni Peninsulas and the connecting land between them. The grand capital city of Greco is Auirot (why-row). The Grecians are the only truly democratic nation in the world. Their belief in the power of popular vote and the will of the people is a very unique trait that other states look upon with wariness. In the Republic, all things are voted on in Auirot. Whether or not to stay in the Empire, whether or not to execute someone, laws, officials, new city construction, all of it is decided by popular vote in the Nyx, or the raised stone platform outside of the city.

The Greco Republic is comprised of three peninsulas. Each peninsula is primarily rocky coastline and short-grass hillsides. The soil is not very well suited to farming, though the base of the peninsulas are fertile enough to grow crops to feed 3/4 of the population. Fishing is popular in the Greco Republic, and small fishing villages feed the rest of the population along with grain imports. Ports are difficult to build along the rock coast of this state, but the few that do exist are both merchant and military ports, depending on the state of warfare the nation is engaged in. The republic has three deep bays that dip all the way back into the mainland. The view is very beautiful here and many leisure ships are seen alongside of fishing vessels in the bay.

The Greco military is known primarily for its effective and disciplined pike formations. A trained Greco phalanx can hold a narrow pass almost endlessly. The only thing that could stop them is their own fatigue. This fixed style of warfare does lead to easy flanking maneuvers, but the Grecians are decent horsemen and they also employ excellent mercenary archers.

Grecians are the best architects of stone and marble in the Empire. They pride themselves in making elaborate temples with intricately carved friezes and immaculate white pillars.

Natural Resources: Marble, Stone, Fishing, Wine.

Telto: Telto is a relatively small farming commune within the Sahari Empire. Telto finds itself sandwiched between a multitude of Imperial countries as well as Sarkaband of the Independent Kingdoms. Telto is exceedingly rural, with 96% of the population living in communal villages that grow huge amounts of food. Telto leads the world in agricultural production, due to its location in a fertile valley between the Ruoii Mountains and the Middle Sahari Hills. The small capital of Telto is Bruha Magistrate, which is little more than an Imperial administrative center with stone walls around it. A couple thousand live inside the walls, but the city has none of the amenities that other capitals do.

Telto is ruled by two Elder Councilors, which are chosen at random on a rotating basis from the heads of every family in the state. Elder Councilors serve three years terms before they are kicked out of office. Elder Councilors see to the defense of the state, as well as planning agricultural rotation and trading contracts. Telto has the lowest Imperial oversight of any other state in Sahari, as its people are extremely peaceful in nature. This is partially due to a chemical found in the groundwater of Telto that pacifies ones emotions..

Telticians produce more agricultural yield per capita than any other state in the world. They are the Empire's main food exporter and they also help feed some of the Independent Kingdoms in peace time as well. Corn, grain, beans, brussel sprouts, strawberries, grapes, nearly any subtropical fruit or vegetable can be and is grown here. This means that almost all of the country is engaged in agricultural work at any given time. During the winter, when nothing is growing, the Elder Councilors hold a draft to see who will serve in the County Guard that year.

Telto only has a home-defense militia, but they can be employed offensively as well. Teltitians are miserably offensive fighters, and can only be roused into action in defense of their home. For this reason, the Empire has never employed Teltitians to the front line of any conflict, unless it is taking place in Telto. Telto's military is nearly unheard of, but when they fight to defend their home, it takes on an entirely different life. Guerilla fighting and fierce supply raids are their most successful tactics.

Natural Resources: Massive amounts of any sub-tropical food in season. Small amount of lumber.

Jiesin: Jiesin is the eastern-most nation within the Sahari Empire. They are a theocracy that is ruled from the monastery-fortress of Tsi-Tal. The Jiesenari are a very pious and disciplines people who worship the God Ulfar. Ulfar is a monotheistic God that demands loyalty, sacrifice, and service from his followers. As a result, the Jiesinari society is very much based around his religious principles. The common Jiesinari are fishers, miners, farmers, and soldiers. Family is very important in Jiesinari society, but only as a starting point for worshiping Ulfar, who demands family prayer twice a day. Nonbelievers are outcast from Jiesin, so only the pure of heart may live in Ulfar's promised land.

Jiesin is ruled by the High Priest of Ulfar, who is chosen by the Elite warrior-monks that teach and train the next generation. Monks serve as the administrative officials and wandering priests of Jiesin. They preach and teach all over the state, some of them even leave to spread the word of Ulfar outside of Jiesin's sacred borders. The High Priest dictates the holy doctrine of the Church, as well as the political affairs of the state. Jiesin is the least loyal province in the Empire. Several times in their history, Jiesin has revolted against the Empire with the aid of the Dwarves funding and arming them. It has been many decades since Jiesin's last rebellion, and they have completely restored to their prior strength..

Ulfar's Hammer is the militant order of paladins that serve as the Church's enforcers and comprise the elite corps of warriors for military actions. All Paladins must go through harsh, rigorous training in the Frozen Keep in Northeastern Treblian, on the border of the Icelands and the Jesueola desert. The Frozen Keep sits high in the Iceborn Mountains. There acolytes train to become full-fledged paladins. Paladins are heavily armored warriors that use two handed weapons, or one handed weapons and tower shields. They are supported by battle clerics always. Besides the Paladins, warrior monks serve as the light infantry of the military, with peasant levies making up the ranged and medium infantry corps. Very few Jiesinari ride horses, as they are scarce in Ulfar's sacred land.

Jiesin sits north of two of Greco's peninsulas, between the Pentor and Southern Xataki rivers. They share a border with Sarkaband, Telto, Greco, Yarkaband, and Gruzwail. For this reason their borders are tightly defended. The mountains to the North, the sea to the south, and the rivers on either side make defense relatively easy. The mountains to the North provide Jiesin with excellent sources of tin and iron, while the central country is reserved for farming. Fisherman pull decent hauls from the many lakes of Jiesin, as well as the Zealik Bay and the two border rivers.

Natural Resources: Grain, fish, iron, tin, silver.

Mahar: The Mahari are a militant warrior society that live in the Middle Sahari Hills. The Mahari are often referred to as "Highlanders" by other Sahari people. The people of Mahar rarely leave home, unless it is to do battle for the Empire. Although they are so warlike, they care not about politics or sovereignty, so long as they are allowed to preserve their way of life. This has caused them to become important auxiliary troops for the Empire in foreign expeditions. Mahari are entirely rural people who live in huge family groups called "kinsaliyk".

There is no central authority in Mahar. Each family has a head, who is usually the oldest competent male in the household. The Mahari Heads gather four times a year to discuss harvest, war games, upcoming rituals of manhood, and to settle feuds. The Mahari Kinsaliyk are free to act independently of other houses, so one house may agree to join an Imperial expedition, but others might not. This makes negotiations with the Mahari very difficult. However, their relatively useless land and difficult strategic position mean that the Empire typically leaves them to their business.

The Mahari military is comprised of all able bodied young men from the several Kinsaliyk. Their organization is poor, but over the years great Mahari leaders have united the houses in battle to make a devastating force. The Mahari rely on lightly armored painted warriors called "Chikasi" who wield dangerous 2 handed weapons and wear almost no clothing. Otherwise the military uses lightly armored spear levies, rock slingers, and short bowmen. There is also a tiny class of Mahari who choose to live as condemned, wandering Charlatans, who make terrible pacts with other wordly beings in order to serve the clan in battle when the time comes. These Warlocks are not allowed to live with their kin, but instead they hide away in the most remote hillside caves and forested grottoes.

Natural Resources: Grain, Stone, coal, zinc.

Trier: Trier is an Imperial super fortress in the middle of a cursed wasteland known as the Trier Waste. 632 years ago, a Sahari Emperor named "Godwyn the Wretched," ruled over the Sahari Empire with caprice, cruelty, and unheard of magical power. At this time, the Sahari Empire was nearly twice the size it is today. All of the so called "Independent Kingdoms" of the north were crushed beneath imperial boots, except for half of Sevonobal. Godwyn the Wretched was much hated by all his subjects, who only served him out of pure fear, for he was an incredibly powerful Warlock who made a pact with a deity both evil and immeasurably strong. An internal plot to overthrow the Emperor was supported by nearly all of his military officials, the Magus Conclave of Nuezar, and a large amount of rogue northern magic users. The Emperor's convoy was stopped outside of Trier and confronted by a massive army of rebels and rogue magic users. What happened exactly is unknown, but the results of the battle can still be seen today.

The Trier wasteland is a flat, barren field of scorched earth. The ground is literally burnt, nothing grows there whatsoever, all of the soil blows around with nothing to hold it down. The altitude of the Trier waste is estimated to be about 15-18 feet lower than it was centuries ago, due to the soil being exposed to wind erosion. The blackened ground is not the only lasting result of the battle... Periodically, the souls of those slain in the battle rise from the ground to cry out to the Gods to release them from their suffering. Some phantoms relive the same battle over and over for eternity, while others mindlessly wander, their consciousness descended into madness over all those years of being damned to that unholy place forever. Other spirits assail any mortals who would dare enter their defiled resting place. The Church of Ulfar has tried many times to purify the place and release the spirits to their fate, but they always return in a few months.
Modern day Trier is a Jiesin super fortress-monastery where Ulfar's Hammer watches over the wasteland to ensure that the spirits do not try to wander outside of their cursed home. The mortar between the stone bricks that make up the walls of Trier contains the bones of Jiesinari saints and martyrs. Every day, warrior monks walk the outside of the grounds to bless the walls, so that the undead spirits may not rise within the fortress. So far, that has worked.

The most dangerous part of living in Trier is the "Long Dark March,' which is the supply run that Ulfar Paladins make to Nuezar ever month. It is a perilous, unforgiving journey that often leads to death for many less experienced holy warriors.

K'sesk'ualar: The huge island of K'sesk'ualar is a humid land full of flooded forests, marshes, swamps, and bogs. The coast is typically a rocky or muddy beach with very little beauty to be found. Once on the island, a visitor would notice the frequent fog blankets that cover the island. The fog can become so thick that it is impossible to see anything outside of 10 feet. Typically this occurs in the morning or at night. The center of the island is home to the thickest forest, where the sun is blotted out by the huge cypress trees. This is where most of the original Seku'tuai villages are, although most of them have been forcibly moved closer to the coast, to the Imperial outpost of Harradin. Harradin is a place where no Imperial soldier wishes to spend their time. All of the deaths that occur there are from disease, and it is not unusual for soldiers to die, sick and lonely in the crowded infirmary.

The Seku'tuai are the original inhabitants of the island and the only sister species to humanity. Humans completely view the Seku as subhuman, nearly animals to be worked until they die. The Dolmor handle most of the administration and wage payment to the soldiers of the island. The original expedition to the heart of the island was hundreds of years ago. Today, soldiers know better than to stray from the fort. Although the Seku'tuai are completely enslaved, those that live in the center of the island enjoy relative autonomy, due to the infrequent visitation from imperial soldiers. Those that live near the coast work at laborers and farmers. For decades, the Empire has worked to drain part of the island so that an actual port city can be established there. Thus far, work has been fruitless, for the island is so saturated in water that all they manage to accomplish is digging mud trenches, or sacrificing coast line to the ocean.

The island possesses some of the strongest medicinal herbs, though they are horribly toxic before processing. Therefore, alchemists have to take extraordinary precautions before handling it, otherwise the Seku are the sole handlers of unprocessed herbs. Some tropical cash crops grow on the island, such as sugar cane, but typically farming is a difficult task unless one is growing rice, which is the Seku's main food source. Otherwise, they must hunt, and the hunter on K'sesk is more than likely to become to the hunted. Powerful swamp beasts live on K'sesk. In the past, the beasts left the Seku alone. Once the Imperials arrived, the predators of the bog became more aggressive towards humans and Seku. Agile swamp cats, dangerous shallow water fish, crocodiles, huge insects, and more, await the lost traveler.

Although much of the Seku's culture has been destroyed by their subservient relationship to the Sahari, some of their way of life remains. The Seku are a very spiritual people who believe in a 4th dimension, where all energies exist. Seku spirituality states that all living things emit and possess energy that affect the energies they interact with. Seku medicine people perform rituals to attract good energies and dispel bad kinds. They are a very tolerant people who have survived much. As a result they have an advanced sense of humor that is both dark and subtle. Many Seku have been flogged for their irreverent speech, although most of their jokes to one another are spoken in their native language, in hushed tones. On the mainland, Seku are not allowed to go anywhere without their masters. They must speak in the common human tongue, lest they be punished with public beatings. No more than two Seku can be owned by a single person or family. They are extremely expensive slaves and are often used as displays of wealth in the Empire.

Seku assassins are a rare breed of killers that break with their people's traditional pacifism. These dark people work for their oppressors as expert killers. They utilize traps, poisons, stealth, and their extraordinary physical capabilities to extinguish the life of their target. It is forbidden to use Seku as personal assassins, but it has been done before... Seku are so skilled at their jobs that it is typically impossible to tell if it was a slave that did the killing. However, a trained slave assassin traveling alone would not go unnoticed by anyone, and is highly illegal unless on Imperial business. Therefore, the assassins' owners have a magic user cast a high level tracking spell that can reveal the target's location on a map and allow the owner to speak directly to the slave. The slave can also speak in return, using a whisper that only the master can hear. If the master feels the slave has gone rogue, he can kill them at any time. This spell is cast using a special kind of magic that involves the use of a Lepuli stone, a magic user, and a tattoo artist. The spell is literally tattooed on the target and infused with mana. The mana DOES eventually run out, but it drains very slowly, and any master would kill their slave if it took them too long to return.
The Elven states are a pair of independent nations that are comprised entirely of elves that hail from the Ancient Ruined Island in the Elven Bay. The Western and Eastern elves have very different societies, belief systems, and values, but they are allied by blood and have always come to one another's aid in times of desperate military need. Very little is shared between the elven states, other than their bloodlines and a hatred of all things human. The humans have warred with the elves for as long as either race has a recorded history.

Ilkstropos: The Western Elves live in their homeland of Ilkstropos, which is also the name of their only major city. The City of Ilkstropos is almost entirely based in a dense cluster of hometrees, which are the largest trees in the world and can house many elven families inside and outside of the trunk. Typically the lowest class family lives in the actual base of the tree, while more prestigious branches of the same family live higher up in external, elf-made structures. There are no walls around Ilkstropos, because no invader has ever gotten past half of the elven territory before being pushed back. This is partially due to the fact that the forest that makes up most of Ilkstropos is a magical, collective entity that has a mutual relationship with the elves.

The government of Ilkstropos is comprised of two branches: the Elder Council, made up of old wizards who are the heads of the largest and most prestigious elven houses, is the political authority in Ilkstropos. They pass laws and manage the administration of the state. This branch is entirely male. The second branch is the Conclave of Nature, which is made up of dozens of female religious officials. This consists of temple-leaders, priest-poets, archivists, and wise women that are the oldest and most influential religious and spiritual leaders. All things religious and spiritual are determined by the Conclave of Nature. This government dichotomy reflects the different roles that males and females have in Ilkstropos social life. Women are spiritually revered, considered the wisest sex and also the emotional healers of the family and the state. Women are religious officials, performers, musicians, weavers, sooth-sayers, and farmer/gatherers. Men are considered the courageous and noble sex. Men are supposed to be disciplined, respectful, and brave. Men are armorers, weaponsmiths, hunters, fishermen, military officials, artisans, and performers. Popular elf proverbs "Think as a woman would, graceful and wise, act as a man would, swift and resolute."; "The sapling is flexible, it bends with whichever way the new wind takes it, but the weakest saplings bend until they break."; "Take heart, the forest guides you."; "Whichever way lies the healthiest, strongest trees, leads home."; "All things pass, we remain."

It is very complicated and mysterious, but basically the elves are all inherently magical beings. Even though most cannot tap into their mana reserves, all elves practically radiate the magical life essence. The forest passively feeds off of this energy as elves live and die within its natural limits. In exchange, the forest provides plentiful food in the form of fruits, vegetables, and prey. Additionally, the forest focuses life energy on growing hometrees in the capital so the elves can expand their population. The forest spawns spriggans and tree-ents in desperate defense if need be. Spriggans are human-sized forest spirits made of ironbark, while tree-ents are possessed trees that act as massive shock units. Spawning these natural defenders is costly, and the forest only does this in absolute necessity. The Eastern and Western Xataki Rivers come down from the Stonegrove mountains to completely outline the Ilkstropos border.

Elf culture is very rich and unique. The elves are a typically serious people, but they hold many ceremonies to honor the forest that has given them such a glorious home for themselves and their ancestors. These ceremonies typically happen once a month. On this day, regular work ceases (except for military duty) and elves flock to two main destinations, Ilkstropos City and the Old One. The Old One is a huge mushroom located on the island northeast of the capital. The stem of the shroom is easily 20 feet tall, with the cap spreading out in an uneven elliptical with a diameter of 80 yards. The spores of this mushroom are bio-luminescent and once a year they spread throughout Ilkstropos, planting baby glowshrooms everywhere. During the ceremonies, many ritual acts are completed by religious officials and performers. The performers act out the myth of arrival, which depicts the hardships experienced by the elves on their journey to Ilkstropos from the Ruined Isle. The entire performance is narrated by religious figures, who also sing the chorus. After the performance, a nationwide celebration ensues with dances, music, craft shows, and other theatrical performances.

The Elven military is controlled by the Conclave of Nature. Women and men are equally allowed to serve, however, men typically become officers. This is excluding the Conclave wise women who actually direct the military as a whole. Every elven company has a priestess who accompanies the soldiers into battle. Many strategic decisions are based off of how the priestesses read the wind. These priestesses are also impressive magic users, who can turn the tide of battle with a single spell cast. The Elven military has the most effective archers in the world. This is due to the fact that ironbark trees grow only in Ilkstropos. Ironbark is a very peculiar type of wood that makes the strongest, most long range bows in Treblian. Elven bows are specially made for each archer, the process can take up to a month. However, the time investment is worth it. A unit of Elven archers is roughly 1/3 the size of a human ranged unit. These elves have nearly 1.5x the effective range, and over 20% higher accuracy than the best human archers in the world. The elves use this to their advantage, as their military strategy is primarily based on skirmish tactics. Elven warriors wear ironbark armor, which is very lightweight, but durable armor comparably in strength to strong iron chainmail reinforced with thin plates of steel. This armor is highly flexible, but it has many weakpoints. Elves have excellent spear units, dual wielding Green Guards, elk-riding mounted bowmen, horse mounted melee cavalry, regular elven archers, and the elite Elf Ranger Corps.

The Elf Ranger Corps is the most disciplined and highly trained company in the Elf army. It started as a competitive archery club 87 years ago, but quickly became absorbed into the Elf military as an elite task force. The Elf Ranger Corps mainly does scouting for the main body of the army, but they also perform sabotage and ambushes. The most accurate bowmen become Rangers, but it takes more than a good shooting arm. Rangers must be able to move through the forest at high speeds, using the trees themselves as launch points to jump, sprint, and climb away from pursuing enemies. A lone elf ranger becomes a blur in a forested area, leaping from branch to branch with blinding speed. In addition to their ranged skills, Rangers can choose their own melee weapons, and must beat a veteran Ranger in combat to join the Corps. Because of these staggering requirements, only ninety three elves currently claim the title of Ranger.

Xetchulkai: The Xetchulkai are the eastern most elves that live in the jungle of Xetchul to the east of Velstrom and to the west of the Jesueola desert. The Xetchulkai live in a dense rain-forest full of exotic flora and fauna. These elves are kin to the elves of Ilkstropos, but their societies differ in many ways. For one, there is no central authority in Xetchulkai. There is no real governmental structure at all. Influence is extremely important, as well personal and tribal relations. These elves live in tribes ranging in size from 100-350 each. Most tribal villages are relatively nomadic, but stick to a large area that they call their home. The lack of material goods and mobile building style of the elves means that tribes can move quickly to respond to a flood, of a prey animal migrating away. Xetchulkai society hinges around the notion of reciprocity in all things. Reciprocity means that if elf A does something for elf B, then elf B is bound by obligation to return the favor in equal amount. This also works at the tribal level. Although this may seem to be relatively simple, reciprocity can be used in malicious ways. For example, if one tribe wants another tribe to aid it in raiding orc villages, they might provide the other village with great gifts, or a large hunting bounty. They would throw a large celebration for that tribe, then in front of the entire village, the lead warrior would ask for the tribe to assist them in raiding the orcs. It would be immeasurably bad form for the receiving tribe to decline the invitation, due to the great bounty that the asking tribe provided them with.

Tattoos are a significant part of Xetchulkai life and beliefs. People typically get tattoos that deal with their role in the tribe. All young ones get custom tattoos after they pass their rite of adulthood trial. The tattoos are usually symbols for what they hope to achieve in their lives. Hunters will get tattoos that tell stories about great hunts they performed, while warriors get tattoos about great raids or personal battles they've won. People with domestic duties like gathering, horticulture, alchemy, etc, get tattoos that are more decorative or poetic. Being a tattoo artist is a difficult and sacred job among these elves, so tattoo artists typically are also involved in the spiritual aspect of society along with shamans, medicine people, and seers.

Xetchulkai are extremely hostile to any outsiders, save for Ilkstropos elves. However, the Ilkstropos elves know to send messengers well in advance to alert the Xetchulkai of any meeting they would like to arrange. Wanderers and explorers rarely return from the Xetchul jungle. Either the multitude of poisonous plants and dangerous predators kill them, or the Xetchulkai do. Xetchulkai see their jungle as both sacred and entirely off limits to outsiders. They believe that they have been chosen by the great spirit of nature to defend the sacred jungle for all time. They admit that their ancestors sailed from the Ruined Island, but they have very little desire to reclaim the island. Usually Ilkstropos sends coastal tribes gifts before asking them to partake in expeditions to the marginally less dangerous side of the island.

Xetchulkai social structure mainly deals with jungle survival. Hunters are the most prestigious people in society. Good hunters that live long enough will inevitably see themselves become powerful and influential individuals that command respect from all tribes. Old hunters typically become chieftains. A chieftain is basically the most respected individual in the tribe, although he has no official power over people, they typically listen to what he has to say. Spiritual leaders also have the potential for massive influence. Seers read the messages of the great spirit and advise any who come to them for advice. Shamans are typically alchemists who create useful chemicals for cooking, healing, and rituals. Medicine men/women perform rituals to appease the great spirit and tell the shamans what to provide them with for each ceremony. Most people learn their roles early in life through dream interpretation, which is the duty of all members of society. When an adolescent or a child has a particularly cryptic or eventful dream, they tell everyone in the tribe at some point or another to help them interpret it. Once the tribe agrees on the meaning of the dream, then the young person's role is decided. Switching roles is very rare and only happens in extreme situations.

Xetchulkai warriors are typically raiders. Due to the lack of a standing army, each tribe performs its own independent military operations against outside states. There is no inter-tribal warfare. Personal duels sometimes occur to settle disputes, but it is typically not to the death, as the Xetchulkai population is sparse. Xetchulkai warriors either assist hunters on very dangerous hunts or they raid neighboring villages for supplies and for the glory of combat. This means that warrior typically have a lot of downtime where they don't do much at all, as energy and food are vital. Warriors can be seen napping, chatting up members of the opposite sex, or consulting with spiritual leaders when not out fighting. Xetchul warriors are also notorious drinkers. Xetchulkai believe that alcohol is a drug that allows one to enter into an altered reality, which they call the dream state. When in the dream state, Xetchulkai warriors are excused of any action that harms another tribe member. This is because the dream state is sacred and they can achieve much wisdom from the great spirit while in it.

Warriors are very cunning and usually use some sort of poison on their obsidian arrows or blades/ spears. Ambush tactics are heavily favored among Xetchulkai, due to their low number. Confusion, diversion, and stealth are key to any good ambush. Survivors of these raids, although there are few, have only described panic, massive bloodshed, and horrible enjoyment by the elves in causing as much physical pain as possible on their enemies. The ferocity and ingenuity of the Xetchulkai counters their low numbers and outdated technology.

Natural resources: Medicinal Herbs, Tropical fruits, rare roots, quicksilver, sugar cane, dyes, spices.

Skorge · Aug 7, 2018

is there a way to work in a nomadic nordic race of wolf people called the wolfkin?

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