Fantasy Nations RP [OOC]
- Thread starter Tirin
- Start date
I think I really just wanted to make that stupid pun, haha.
And I'll consider it, it's just that joining a game is different from GMing it since I'll be leaving for those two months. I can put a game in hibernation as a GM, but I might block up stuff as a player. We'll see.
And I'll consider it, it's just that joining a game is different from GMing it since I'll be leaving for those two months. I can put a game in hibernation as a GM, but I might block up stuff as a player. We'll see.
Nation Name: Empire Hidden in the Sand - الإمبراطورية مخبأة في الرمال
Race: Tieflings
Society/Culture:
Tiefling society follows two tenants that are represented in their government: Might and Faith. Whether it be intellectual or physical might, Tiefling seek to better themselves to achieve it. Their culture reflects the strive towards achieving it with mandatory military service for all men and women at a young age. Faith is the center of their society as it's seen as the reason for their creation. Every morning and night, Tieflings pray for the Sun's blessing and for it to rise the next day.
The majority of tieflings are farmers and miners until their mandatory military service. The profession of farmers and miners are seen as an honorable profession as it works towards their strength.
History:
Long ago, a desert tribe struggled to survive under the scorching rays of the sun. From the sky, the blood of the sun fell into the sand in front of their feet. The sand itself gave way as it formed a small pool of mercurial liquid tempted their parched throats.
"Drink and receive my blessing as the Sun's Chosen."
The brave and the desperate sought comfort in the liquid as their bodies began to shudders and twisted. Their skin changed to burning shades of red, darkened purple, and obsidian hues. Their body shifting as their teeth grew out to sharpened points and with new sets of horns and lengthy tails. Before they drank, their eyes were muddy hues of brown and black but grew to a bizarre collection of colors: White, Black, Red, Silver, and Gold.
"Arise, my chosen. Your start begins to the south. You will find water there and the start of your great kingdom."
After the mind-numbingly painful experience, the tribe arose in the arid heat of the desert unfazed by it. Their skin reflected the heat as they followed their leader south where they founded the first city and the center of the Empire of the Hidden Sand: Al'Qalae.
Al'Qalae flourished as it built from a small town under the charge of Khut. The people needed a leader and had chosen Khut to be their first Sultan. Al'Qalae grew under his rule as did his people. When Sultan Khut I had passed away, he left a son: Jalij I. Sultan Jalij I left his mark in the annals of history with the creation of Al'Khalij. His grandson, Qorv I had expanded the Empire with the construction of Al'Wahh.
By Jalij II's rule, his civilization birthed an Empire. Aside from minor revolts, there had been little bloodshed in the rule of the kingdom. Sultan Jalij II brought a growth to his people in the form of his curiosity in the north. After sending out scouts, they discovered the Eximian Empire. A trade began as precious metals and stones flowed out of the capital in exchange for strong pieces of lumber, horses, food and iron. Jalij's paranoia had gotten the best of him as the Eximian Empire grew bolder and larger. His Empire seemed like a small stepping stone compared to the Eximian Empire. Retreating within his desert, he focused on bettering his nation without the aid of trade. On his death bed, he uttered out a warning.
That warning would be ignored by Sultan Jalij the IV. Within the first grand decisions of his ascension, he declared that their Empire would explore outside of the burning sand - north to where the Eximian Empire was.
Government: The Empire Hidden Within the Sand is ruled within absolute supremacy by the Supreme Pillar: The Sultan. Following that, the Sultan is supported by the Pillar of the People, the Pillar of Might and the Pillar of Divine. Grand Vizier Zetaya is a representative of the common people of his empire, overseeing the concerns regarding Al'Qalae and bringing Jalij's attention towards particular issues within his empire. While Zetaya handles civil matters, Windweaver Sol handles the divine matters. Faithful towards the Sun, Sol was blessed for his piety with his absolute control over wind itself and dictates the faith within the Empire. Overseer Denat is the grand general within the Empire, focusing most of his attention on training and growing his army while keeping the peace is seen as an afterthought.
Representing the pillars of the West and East, Viceroy Telin and and Avat report to Zetaya on matters within their cities.
Imports/Exports:
The Empire Hidden in the Sands had an abundance of metal, gems and spices that they discovered while constructing Al'Qalae. The first mine rested near the palace as it's still being used by the Tieflings to draw up resources. With the abundance of sand and affinity for fire, the people of the sand stumbled upon the discovery of glass. The strange beasts of the desert, such as Elephants, were captured for food for the Tieflings to survive, but also to sell to whomever was interested in keeping the pet. From the vast amounts of their harvest, the Tieflings spun their flax into linen, offering their excess to trade.
While exchanging these rich goods, the Tieflings sought something simpler: vast amounts of wood and horses. The Eximian Empire rode in on those majestic beasts and Sultan Jalij II exchanged a gold ring off of his finger for two of his own. The Tieflings needed more of the beasts to tame and breed in order to fill their ranks entirely. The wood was required for their weaponry, buildings and tools.
Foreign Relations: Hidden away for thousands of years, the Empire hidden in the Sand focused on preserving their legacy and culture. Originally, they had done business with the Eximian Empire, but in fear of their size - Sultan Jalij II withdrew from the world. His focus turned towards amassing the strength of his people in the event that the Eximian Empire grew large. On his death bed, Sultan Jalij II echoed out a warning for his people: “Beware the Pale Lurkers beyond the Sand.” The warning lasted for centuries until Sultan Jalij IV took the reins of his nation and led them outside of the burning sand.
Sultan Jalij IV has been outwardly excited at the concept of trading again with the Eximian Empire. Sultan Jalij IV's Empire had grown massively since his predecessor's expediton north as it was surely capable of anything they may run across.
Race: Tieflings
Society/Culture:
Tiefling society follows two tenants that are represented in their government: Might and Faith. Whether it be intellectual or physical might, Tiefling seek to better themselves to achieve it. Their culture reflects the strive towards achieving it with mandatory military service for all men and women at a young age. Faith is the center of their society as it's seen as the reason for their creation. Every morning and night, Tieflings pray for the Sun's blessing and for it to rise the next day.
The majority of tieflings are farmers and miners until their mandatory military service. The profession of farmers and miners are seen as an honorable profession as it works towards their strength.
History:
Long ago, a desert tribe struggled to survive under the scorching rays of the sun. From the sky, the blood of the sun fell into the sand in front of their feet. The sand itself gave way as it formed a small pool of mercurial liquid tempted their parched throats.
"Drink and receive my blessing as the Sun's Chosen."
The brave and the desperate sought comfort in the liquid as their bodies began to shudders and twisted. Their skin changed to burning shades of red, darkened purple, and obsidian hues. Their body shifting as their teeth grew out to sharpened points and with new sets of horns and lengthy tails. Before they drank, their eyes were muddy hues of brown and black but grew to a bizarre collection of colors: White, Black, Red, Silver, and Gold.
"Arise, my chosen. Your start begins to the south. You will find water there and the start of your great kingdom."
After the mind-numbingly painful experience, the tribe arose in the arid heat of the desert unfazed by it. Their skin reflected the heat as they followed their leader south where they founded the first city and the center of the Empire of the Hidden Sand: Al'Qalae.
Al'Qalae flourished as it built from a small town under the charge of Khut. The people needed a leader and had chosen Khut to be their first Sultan. Al'Qalae grew under his rule as did his people. When Sultan Khut I had passed away, he left a son: Jalij I. Sultan Jalij I left his mark in the annals of history with the creation of Al'Khalij. His grandson, Qorv I had expanded the Empire with the construction of Al'Wahh.
By Jalij II's rule, his civilization birthed an Empire. Aside from minor revolts, there had been little bloodshed in the rule of the kingdom. Sultan Jalij II brought a growth to his people in the form of his curiosity in the north. After sending out scouts, they discovered the Eximian Empire. A trade began as precious metals and stones flowed out of the capital in exchange for strong pieces of lumber, horses, food and iron. Jalij's paranoia had gotten the best of him as the Eximian Empire grew bolder and larger. His Empire seemed like a small stepping stone compared to the Eximian Empire. Retreating within his desert, he focused on bettering his nation without the aid of trade. On his death bed, he uttered out a warning.
That warning would be ignored by Sultan Jalij the IV. Within the first grand decisions of his ascension, he declared that their Empire would explore outside of the burning sand - north to where the Eximian Empire was.
Government: The Empire Hidden Within the Sand is ruled within absolute supremacy by the Supreme Pillar: The Sultan. Following that, the Sultan is supported by the Pillar of the People, the Pillar of Might and the Pillar of Divine. Grand Vizier Zetaya is a representative of the common people of his empire, overseeing the concerns regarding Al'Qalae and bringing Jalij's attention towards particular issues within his empire. While Zetaya handles civil matters, Windweaver Sol handles the divine matters. Faithful towards the Sun, Sol was blessed for his piety with his absolute control over wind itself and dictates the faith within the Empire. Overseer Denat is the grand general within the Empire, focusing most of his attention on training and growing his army while keeping the peace is seen as an afterthought.
Representing the pillars of the West and East, Viceroy Telin and and Avat report to Zetaya on matters within their cities.
Sultan Jalij IV - The Supreme Pillar
Grand Vizier Zetaya - Pillar of the People
Overseer Denat - Pillar of Might
Windweaver Sol - Pillar of Divine
Viceroy Telin of Al'Wahh - Pillar of the West
Viceroy Avat of Al'Khalij - Pillar of the East
Grand Vizier Zetaya - Pillar of the People
Overseer Denat - Pillar of Might
Windweaver Sol - Pillar of Divine
Viceroy Telin of Al'Wahh - Pillar of the West
Viceroy Avat of Al'Khalij - Pillar of the East
Imports/Exports:
The Empire Hidden in the Sands had an abundance of metal, gems and spices that they discovered while constructing Al'Qalae. The first mine rested near the palace as it's still being used by the Tieflings to draw up resources. With the abundance of sand and affinity for fire, the people of the sand stumbled upon the discovery of glass. The strange beasts of the desert, such as Elephants, were captured for food for the Tieflings to survive, but also to sell to whomever was interested in keeping the pet. From the vast amounts of their harvest, the Tieflings spun their flax into linen, offering their excess to trade.
While exchanging these rich goods, the Tieflings sought something simpler: vast amounts of wood and horses. The Eximian Empire rode in on those majestic beasts and Sultan Jalij II exchanged a gold ring off of his finger for two of his own. The Tieflings needed more of the beasts to tame and breed in order to fill their ranks entirely. The wood was required for their weaponry, buildings and tools.
Foreign Relations: Hidden away for thousands of years, the Empire hidden in the Sand focused on preserving their legacy and culture. Originally, they had done business with the Eximian Empire, but in fear of their size - Sultan Jalij II withdrew from the world. His focus turned towards amassing the strength of his people in the event that the Eximian Empire grew large. On his death bed, Sultan Jalij II echoed out a warning for his people: “Beware the Pale Lurkers beyond the Sand.” The warning lasted for centuries until Sultan Jalij IV took the reins of his nation and led them outside of the burning sand.
Sultan Jalij IV has been outwardly excited at the concept of trading again with the Eximian Empire. Sultan Jalij IV's Empire had grown massively since his predecessor's expediton north as it was surely capable of anything they may run across.
Last edited:
The map has been curated, and can be found in the first post. I've removed Mythor, the Tarrowlands, the Warren, the Irian Confederation, and Rekka Mekura, so feel free to put new nations in the land that they were occupying.
When you edit the map, I'd like if everyone used this font, bolded, for the text, just so we can mostly standardize it - unless, that is, someone else can identify the font that we started with. I had no luck in doing so.
When you edit the map, I'd like if everyone used this font, bolded, for the text, just so we can mostly standardize it - unless, that is, someone else can identify the font that we started with. I had no luck in doing so.
Nation: The Haven Confederation
Race: Pale Lurkers, Fishmen, and many other names refer to the underground race known as the Vim ("The People" in their language). They are best known for their large eyes and hands which give the Vim enhanced night vision and climbing ability, respectively. While noticeably taller than humans (6 feet on average, even with their diets), they tend towards lean rather than muscular, meaning that they tend to be no stronger than a normal human. The Vim are also all bald, regardless of gender. All of the above coupled with their pale skin and a tendency to dress in layers on the surface has led to all sorts of stories about aquatic origins and such but they are merely an offshoot of humanity and can interbreed freely. Such rare children tend to deal with the surface better and tend to find careers as guides, outriders, and explorers in the Outer Lands.
History: Little is known about The People before the Fog. What the various scholars agree is that it's probable that the Vim came from the surface and adapted to their environment over time. As for actual history, one needs to start at the Fog. Something in the range of five hundred years ago the Fog crept up from the deepest parts of the Vim's caves. The Vim, at the time spread out around the underground rivers in simple fishing or farming communities, did not understand what was to come. The Fog got thicker and spread farther each year, killing those caught in it and forcing most of the rest of the Vim to flee upwards. Eventually, only those up in the highest caves stayed safe. It seemed certain that the Vim would be consumed.
One of the fleeing groups of Vim founded the settlement of Sanctuary inside of a mountain near the center of the continent. From one of the tunnels linking the Inner Lands with the Outer Lands came a pilgrim who the Vim named the Maker and is a near-mythical figure to the Vim. He gave the Vim of that cavern a small handful of crystals and knowledge on how to grow them and to use them. They had special powers and best of all, one of them fed on the Fog. These Fogdrink crystals pulled in the Fog around them and converted it to energy. When linked with other crystal with wire and cable the energy moved to the other crystals and then they could do amazing things. The Fogdrinkers and the other crystals that feed off their energy, allowed the Vim to contain the Fog and stabilize.
With the power of crystals Sanctuary flourished. The Fog, as far as the Vim can tell, is endless so the energy the Fogdrinkers create is functionally endless too, albeit controlled by the spreading speed of Fog. Sun crystals gave light and heat, allowing farming and a massive growth of population. Smaller Fogdrinkers could be worn by a man or put on a cart and that allowed travel. Dangerous travel, yes, but travel nonetheless. Expeditions following old maps led the Vim explorers to other high points in the cave network, places where the Fog probably left alone. You see, the Maker left Sanctuary with a mission. Fight the Fog, push it back, spread and prosper underground. There were humans above, they did better in the Light than the Vim, let them have the Outer Lands. It was up to the Vim to contain the Fog and to eventually stop it. The Vim of Sanctuary swore an oath to the Maker to do just that and they set out with purpose. In the high places they found struggling communities of Vim or sometimes prime places to set up communities. They gave crystals to the inhabited places, taught them the ways of growing and using them, and gave them a message of peace. In other areas they sent colonists to set up crystals and homes. The Vim became a primarily urban nation living in a small number of fortified cities, named "Havens" by the Vim.
About a century and a half ago another crystal was discovered entirely by accident. A bad batch of Suns led to a crystal of dark purple, too dim to be a blue Sun. It was an amazing oddity, as most failed batches led to cracked or dim crystals, not entirely different colors. These purple crystals were hooked up and they... moved. Further experiments found these now-called Pushers to exert force on the world around them, depending on orientation, charge, and other variables. Pushers were hard to make and slow to grow but they helped things like construction efforts, mostly. It took forty years until the King of Sanctuary at that time, King Artur the Connector, decided to find a better way to connect the then-isolated Havens. Travel on foot was very dangerous and slow and with the Pushers, a better way was possible. The entire Haven worked to create a vessel that could move through the Fog. Fogdrinkers to protect, Suns to see and stay warm, and Pushers to move, a mobile Haven. They called them "Sems", after the scholar that led the project. Sems were faster and safer than going on foot and the cargo carrying capacity revolutionized trade. In only a few years all of the Havens at that time were moving to build their own Sems and set up proper paths for them to travel. Fast forward now and each Haven of a good size has two or three Sems under it's sponsorship, trading and communicating with every Haven that Sem reaches.
Politics: At this time, all of the Havens are in a loose confederacy under the current King of Sanctuary, King Sek II. While there are internal disputes, there is no violent conflict among the Vim. The Fog and the things that reside in it require constant vigilance. You know what they say about the enemy of an enemy and each Haven is a sworn enemy of the Fog. Any altercations tend to happen within a Haven, usually mercantile or political disputes. The Vim know how close they came to extinction and that has led to a culture of cooperation that never went away with the relative safety of the Havens and the crystals.
Each Haven has it's own government, laws, and leaders, tending towards autocratic monarchies. Disputes are taken up with King Sek and violence is kept as a last resort. The Confederation really only works together when it comes to trade, research, and larger projects like Sem construction or setting up new Havens.
The Fog: The Fog. Where did it come from? The Vim do not know but they must deal with it regardless. The Fog is a magical version of, well, fog, with a few properties. Exposure will kill just about anything given the time to do so, which is determined by the Fog's concentration. Near the surface the Fog tends be thin and it would takes days of exposure to do you in while in the deeper parts of the caves it lays thick in the air, visibility is almost nothing, and death comes in mere hours. Symptoms include pain in the chest and body, coughing, turning into body weakness, difficulty talking, and hallucinations, finally ending in death due to some combination of heart attack, organ failure, or asphyxiation. Autopsies of those exposed to the Fog show a totally normal outside and an inside that steadily rots as exposure to the Fog continues. The Fog is much more than poisonous, as those that die in it seem to come back after a few hours of death. These "people" lose all sense and reason and attack anything living on sight. As they were once alive, the Vim call these monsters The Lost. To kill (or rekill?) a Lost only requires extreme damage to the head or heart, something Thudguns and simple swords or spears do admirably.
A side note: Lost attacks are constant, far more of them exist than death rates outside the Havens would explain and as such the Vim suspect there is something in the Fog supplying bodies. Every now and then a Human or an Elf or some other race of creature ends up Lost and impaled on a Vim sword so maybe there is another place where the Fog resides? The Vim do not know and the guards only care enough as to wish for less Lost to kill.
Technology/Magic: The Crystals, as mentioned above, dominate Vim technology. The majority fall into either the Fog-consuming Fogdrinkers or the heat and light producing Suns. Pushers are also around but they are rather rare. The effects of all that light and heat make the Vim far stronger than an underground nation would seem. As long as there is Fog to drink, there is light for seeing and growing and heat for forging. Specially formulated Suns that give almost no light and entirely heat make an excellent base for blacksmithing, something the Vim excel at. A sheet of the surprisingly-heat-resistant Sun crystal means that even without wood or coal the Vim can produce their metal goods. Vim steel, for example, would be renouned for its strength if anyone actually had access to it. The Vim's most powerful weapons are their "Thudguns", powderless rifles that work with the usage of small, powerful, Pushers. They are accurate and pierce armor easily at medium ranges but the long charging time required for each shot makes them fire slower than a muzzle-loading musket of Earth, about forty seconds per shot.
The Sems themselves are nothing more than metal, floating trains. Each compartment is massive, having multiple floors and usually having enough room to house multiple families. Length varies, as the Sems are modular (if one compartment fails for some reason the others are not lost). They are usually covered in Fogdrinkers and Suns, to illuminate the tracks and keep the Fog away from its passengers. Sems are transports first and foremost and most of their sections are used for storage of trade goods and other unliving cargo. Smaller Sems are used for exploration but these are uncommon. The Sems work anywhere, although the lack of Fog above ground and anywhere far from the Vim's lands makes powering one an issue.
Society: The Vim tend towards rigid hierarchy and communal living. Life is hard in an environment where the Fog resides and the Vim have adapted socially. They tend to be peaceful, slow to anger, and would prefer to cooperate rather than compete. The Vim also tend towards wanderlust, exploring caves and traveling on their Sems. A Vim on the surface would be a good ally and friend for those who respect the Vim in turn.
Economy: The Vim are self-sufficient in food, albeit with a bland diet that is almost entirely vegetarian. As for other goods their stonework is beautiful and strong and their metalwork even more so. Ore is common underground, precious metals not so much. Rare underground spices and dyes are also traded around and would make good exports to surface nations.
Exports: Metalwork, Stonework, Artwork, dyes/spices(underground varieties)
Imports: Food, wood, precious metals, spices/dyes(above-ground varieties)
Military: Small, well-trained, organized. The Confederation has no real standing army and each Haven sees to its own defense. Thudguns are uncommon, usually one per five men, and the rest fight with swords, spears, or crossbows. Armor is usually light, as Thudguns made full suits of armor a bad investment. Sems themselves are heavily armored and usually full of Thudguns, as they are the most exposed to the outside world and the Lost. To be honest, the families that run the Sems are far better shots and usually better fighters than even the official troops. Military endeavors are few and far between, as the Fog is an enemy in its own right and outside forces would have a hard time even getting to the majority of Havens.
Race: Pale Lurkers, Fishmen, and many other names refer to the underground race known as the Vim ("The People" in their language). They are best known for their large eyes and hands which give the Vim enhanced night vision and climbing ability, respectively. While noticeably taller than humans (6 feet on average, even with their diets), they tend towards lean rather than muscular, meaning that they tend to be no stronger than a normal human. The Vim are also all bald, regardless of gender. All of the above coupled with their pale skin and a tendency to dress in layers on the surface has led to all sorts of stories about aquatic origins and such but they are merely an offshoot of humanity and can interbreed freely. Such rare children tend to deal with the surface better and tend to find careers as guides, outriders, and explorers in the Outer Lands.
History: Little is known about The People before the Fog. What the various scholars agree is that it's probable that the Vim came from the surface and adapted to their environment over time. As for actual history, one needs to start at the Fog. Something in the range of five hundred years ago the Fog crept up from the deepest parts of the Vim's caves. The Vim, at the time spread out around the underground rivers in simple fishing or farming communities, did not understand what was to come. The Fog got thicker and spread farther each year, killing those caught in it and forcing most of the rest of the Vim to flee upwards. Eventually, only those up in the highest caves stayed safe. It seemed certain that the Vim would be consumed.
One of the fleeing groups of Vim founded the settlement of Sanctuary inside of a mountain near the center of the continent. From one of the tunnels linking the Inner Lands with the Outer Lands came a pilgrim who the Vim named the Maker and is a near-mythical figure to the Vim. He gave the Vim of that cavern a small handful of crystals and knowledge on how to grow them and to use them. They had special powers and best of all, one of them fed on the Fog. These Fogdrink crystals pulled in the Fog around them and converted it to energy. When linked with other crystal with wire and cable the energy moved to the other crystals and then they could do amazing things. The Fogdrinkers and the other crystals that feed off their energy, allowed the Vim to contain the Fog and stabilize.
With the power of crystals Sanctuary flourished. The Fog, as far as the Vim can tell, is endless so the energy the Fogdrinkers create is functionally endless too, albeit controlled by the spreading speed of Fog. Sun crystals gave light and heat, allowing farming and a massive growth of population. Smaller Fogdrinkers could be worn by a man or put on a cart and that allowed travel. Dangerous travel, yes, but travel nonetheless. Expeditions following old maps led the Vim explorers to other high points in the cave network, places where the Fog probably left alone. You see, the Maker left Sanctuary with a mission. Fight the Fog, push it back, spread and prosper underground. There were humans above, they did better in the Light than the Vim, let them have the Outer Lands. It was up to the Vim to contain the Fog and to eventually stop it. The Vim of Sanctuary swore an oath to the Maker to do just that and they set out with purpose. In the high places they found struggling communities of Vim or sometimes prime places to set up communities. They gave crystals to the inhabited places, taught them the ways of growing and using them, and gave them a message of peace. In other areas they sent colonists to set up crystals and homes. The Vim became a primarily urban nation living in a small number of fortified cities, named "Havens" by the Vim.
About a century and a half ago another crystal was discovered entirely by accident. A bad batch of Suns led to a crystal of dark purple, too dim to be a blue Sun. It was an amazing oddity, as most failed batches led to cracked or dim crystals, not entirely different colors. These purple crystals were hooked up and they... moved. Further experiments found these now-called Pushers to exert force on the world around them, depending on orientation, charge, and other variables. Pushers were hard to make and slow to grow but they helped things like construction efforts, mostly. It took forty years until the King of Sanctuary at that time, King Artur the Connector, decided to find a better way to connect the then-isolated Havens. Travel on foot was very dangerous and slow and with the Pushers, a better way was possible. The entire Haven worked to create a vessel that could move through the Fog. Fogdrinkers to protect, Suns to see and stay warm, and Pushers to move, a mobile Haven. They called them "Sems", after the scholar that led the project. Sems were faster and safer than going on foot and the cargo carrying capacity revolutionized trade. In only a few years all of the Havens at that time were moving to build their own Sems and set up proper paths for them to travel. Fast forward now and each Haven of a good size has two or three Sems under it's sponsorship, trading and communicating with every Haven that Sem reaches.
Politics: At this time, all of the Havens are in a loose confederacy under the current King of Sanctuary, King Sek II. While there are internal disputes, there is no violent conflict among the Vim. The Fog and the things that reside in it require constant vigilance. You know what they say about the enemy of an enemy and each Haven is a sworn enemy of the Fog. Any altercations tend to happen within a Haven, usually mercantile or political disputes. The Vim know how close they came to extinction and that has led to a culture of cooperation that never went away with the relative safety of the Havens and the crystals.
Each Haven has it's own government, laws, and leaders, tending towards autocratic monarchies. Disputes are taken up with King Sek and violence is kept as a last resort. The Confederation really only works together when it comes to trade, research, and larger projects like Sem construction or setting up new Havens.
The Fog: The Fog. Where did it come from? The Vim do not know but they must deal with it regardless. The Fog is a magical version of, well, fog, with a few properties. Exposure will kill just about anything given the time to do so, which is determined by the Fog's concentration. Near the surface the Fog tends be thin and it would takes days of exposure to do you in while in the deeper parts of the caves it lays thick in the air, visibility is almost nothing, and death comes in mere hours. Symptoms include pain in the chest and body, coughing, turning into body weakness, difficulty talking, and hallucinations, finally ending in death due to some combination of heart attack, organ failure, or asphyxiation. Autopsies of those exposed to the Fog show a totally normal outside and an inside that steadily rots as exposure to the Fog continues. The Fog is much more than poisonous, as those that die in it seem to come back after a few hours of death. These "people" lose all sense and reason and attack anything living on sight. As they were once alive, the Vim call these monsters The Lost. To kill (or rekill?) a Lost only requires extreme damage to the head or heart, something Thudguns and simple swords or spears do admirably.
A side note: Lost attacks are constant, far more of them exist than death rates outside the Havens would explain and as such the Vim suspect there is something in the Fog supplying bodies. Every now and then a Human or an Elf or some other race of creature ends up Lost and impaled on a Vim sword so maybe there is another place where the Fog resides? The Vim do not know and the guards only care enough as to wish for less Lost to kill.
Technology/Magic: The Crystals, as mentioned above, dominate Vim technology. The majority fall into either the Fog-consuming Fogdrinkers or the heat and light producing Suns. Pushers are also around but they are rather rare. The effects of all that light and heat make the Vim far stronger than an underground nation would seem. As long as there is Fog to drink, there is light for seeing and growing and heat for forging. Specially formulated Suns that give almost no light and entirely heat make an excellent base for blacksmithing, something the Vim excel at. A sheet of the surprisingly-heat-resistant Sun crystal means that even without wood or coal the Vim can produce their metal goods. Vim steel, for example, would be renouned for its strength if anyone actually had access to it. The Vim's most powerful weapons are their "Thudguns", powderless rifles that work with the usage of small, powerful, Pushers. They are accurate and pierce armor easily at medium ranges but the long charging time required for each shot makes them fire slower than a muzzle-loading musket of Earth, about forty seconds per shot.
The Sems themselves are nothing more than metal, floating trains. Each compartment is massive, having multiple floors and usually having enough room to house multiple families. Length varies, as the Sems are modular (if one compartment fails for some reason the others are not lost). They are usually covered in Fogdrinkers and Suns, to illuminate the tracks and keep the Fog away from its passengers. Sems are transports first and foremost and most of their sections are used for storage of trade goods and other unliving cargo. Smaller Sems are used for exploration but these are uncommon. The Sems work anywhere, although the lack of Fog above ground and anywhere far from the Vim's lands makes powering one an issue.
Society: The Vim tend towards rigid hierarchy and communal living. Life is hard in an environment where the Fog resides and the Vim have adapted socially. They tend to be peaceful, slow to anger, and would prefer to cooperate rather than compete. The Vim also tend towards wanderlust, exploring caves and traveling on their Sems. A Vim on the surface would be a good ally and friend for those who respect the Vim in turn.
Economy: The Vim are self-sufficient in food, albeit with a bland diet that is almost entirely vegetarian. As for other goods their stonework is beautiful and strong and their metalwork even more so. Ore is common underground, precious metals not so much. Rare underground spices and dyes are also traded around and would make good exports to surface nations.
Exports: Metalwork, Stonework, Artwork, dyes/spices(underground varieties)
Imports: Food, wood, precious metals, spices/dyes(above-ground varieties)
Military: Small, well-trained, organized. The Confederation has no real standing army and each Haven sees to its own defense. Thudguns are uncommon, usually one per five men, and the rest fight with swords, spears, or crossbows. Armor is usually light, as Thudguns made full suits of armor a bad investment. Sems themselves are heavily armored and usually full of Thudguns, as they are the most exposed to the outside world and the Lost. To be honest, the families that run the Sems are far better shots and usually better fighters than even the official troops. Military endeavors are few and far between, as the Fog is an enemy in its own right and outside forces would have a hard time even getting to the majority of Havens.
Character Name: Sultan Jalij IV, The Supreme Pillar
Position: Sultan
Description: An impish smile adorns the face of a tall devilish man while the finest white silk swirls around him. The white silk trousers billowed out from his waist as if he were wearing the clouds himself. For his torso, it was cut short above his abs and left his arms bare - a youthful display of strength. The golden color of his bangles and jewelry match the color of his eyes. His blood-red skin accommodates rippling muscles through years of training. His prehensile tail flaring out from under his cloak. Sandy blonde hair was swept back behind his curled, hardened horns.
Biography: Jalij was the sole son of his father, Sultan Kursh III. His strict upbringing was an attempt to curtail his cavalier attitude. Prayers to the Sun, training under the Pillar of Might, and witnessing the Supreme Pillar's actions. Day in and Day out, the boy was groomed to be Sultan with this rigorous schedule. An isolated boy toiled away while being showered with praises and worship for being royalty, eventually finding solace in military training and prayers. In prayer, he was subject to the Sun and in training, he was subject to his mentor. They were the closest relationships that he had to being equal.
At the age of eighteen, he was given control over a small battalion within the Empire's legions. Jalij was given an opportunity to finally socialize until he greeted his troops. Their eyes were filled with admiration and fear as they claimed it was a great honor - a false opportunity. On the outskirts of Al'Khalij, during a scouting mission, Jalij finally managed to shatter the bond between Prince and Soldiers. The rowdy group imbibed the cactus wine that Jalij had brought with him, leading to rowdy play and crude jokes. From there, nasty habits begot as Jalij became a flirtatious man that indulged in life's pleasure instead of supremacy. His stern father sought to reprimand Jalij, but it was too late. Sultan Kursh III persisted until his very last breath where Jalij was given a firm reminder of his position.
The next day, Jalij IV became Sultan and took over the duties of his father. A kind and charismatic leader that grew jaded as time went on, understanding why his father demonstrated supremacy opposed to kinship. The needs of the common people began to take advantage of his position by bribing him with kindness.
As it stands, Sultan Jalij IV is a stern ruler with a callous streak though during small social events, his impish side shines with his boisterous laugh. His violent switch between a stern ruler and a joyous imp had given him the nickname: "The Tempest King" - not for his magical abilities, but to describe his chaotic personality.
Magical Abilities: Jalij's magical prowess is a testament to his divine rule. Like all Tieflings, Jalij has an affinity towards the elements of wind and fire. With his position as Sultan, he is able to bend wind and flame to his will, allowing him to glide along the air and controlling massive flames.
Position: Sultan
Description: An impish smile adorns the face of a tall devilish man while the finest white silk swirls around him. The white silk trousers billowed out from his waist as if he were wearing the clouds himself. For his torso, it was cut short above his abs and left his arms bare - a youthful display of strength. The golden color of his bangles and jewelry match the color of his eyes. His blood-red skin accommodates rippling muscles through years of training. His prehensile tail flaring out from under his cloak. Sandy blonde hair was swept back behind his curled, hardened horns.
Biography: Jalij was the sole son of his father, Sultan Kursh III. His strict upbringing was an attempt to curtail his cavalier attitude. Prayers to the Sun, training under the Pillar of Might, and witnessing the Supreme Pillar's actions. Day in and Day out, the boy was groomed to be Sultan with this rigorous schedule. An isolated boy toiled away while being showered with praises and worship for being royalty, eventually finding solace in military training and prayers. In prayer, he was subject to the Sun and in training, he was subject to his mentor. They were the closest relationships that he had to being equal.
At the age of eighteen, he was given control over a small battalion within the Empire's legions. Jalij was given an opportunity to finally socialize until he greeted his troops. Their eyes were filled with admiration and fear as they claimed it was a great honor - a false opportunity. On the outskirts of Al'Khalij, during a scouting mission, Jalij finally managed to shatter the bond between Prince and Soldiers. The rowdy group imbibed the cactus wine that Jalij had brought with him, leading to rowdy play and crude jokes. From there, nasty habits begot as Jalij became a flirtatious man that indulged in life's pleasure instead of supremacy. His stern father sought to reprimand Jalij, but it was too late. Sultan Kursh III persisted until his very last breath where Jalij was given a firm reminder of his position.
The next day, Jalij IV became Sultan and took over the duties of his father. A kind and charismatic leader that grew jaded as time went on, understanding why his father demonstrated supremacy opposed to kinship. The needs of the common people began to take advantage of his position by bribing him with kindness.
As it stands, Sultan Jalij IV is a stern ruler with a callous streak though during small social events, his impish side shines with his boisterous laugh. His violent switch between a stern ruler and a joyous imp had given him the nickname: "The Tempest King" - not for his magical abilities, but to describe his chaotic personality.
Magical Abilities: Jalij's magical prowess is a testament to his divine rule. Like all Tieflings, Jalij has an affinity towards the elements of wind and fire. With his position as Sultan, he is able to bend wind and flame to his will, allowing him to glide along the air and controlling massive flames.
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Note: Some of this was inspired by mythology, words in brackets are to help you find what I'm referencing on google. Also I got tired of writing this so I didn't elaborate on certain things, if I need to I will. If any of my races/military are too strong just tell me and I'll weaken them.
Nation Name: Nostastone
Races:
-Tengu: Clever, audacious, and wise, the tengu communities in Nostastone date back to ancient times. With the large wings on their backs similarities are been drawn between the tengu and harpies, but a tengu's arms and wings are completely separate. In addition, tengu are much more human-like in appearance and behaviours. A tengu's appearance most resembles a tall human, but its physiology functions differently depending on the tengu subspecies. Most tengu have a few traits in common. They are a long lived race. They tend to warn against being too proud and arrogant, despite being known for these traits themselves. They are territorial by nature. However, tengu are also mischievous and fun loving.
--Crow Tengu (karasu-tengu): When tengu are mentioned, it often refers to the crows. As the most well known subspecies of tengu, they can often be seen flying over the mountains. Crow tengu have black feathers like a crow. Of all tengu the crows are most human-like in appearance. Crow tengu are the only subspecies of tengu capable of flight. A crow tengu's bones are partly hallow making them fragile, and they do not have much physical strength or muscle mass. Crow tengu are agile, having great balance and muscle control. They move at high speeds both in the air and on ground with their light body mass. Having magical potential varies among crow tengu, average tengu have a small potential for magical abilities, but for most this potential is never realized. Wind magic is easier to use for them. Crafty as crows, most prefer a diplomatic approach, and dislike bloody conflicts. Nevertheless this does not dissuade them from friendly brawls and aerial duels.
--Long Nose Tengu (hanataka tengu): Tales involving these tengu are often exaggerated. Since they are not seen as often as crows few have bothered to correct their image. Like their namesake implies, they have larger noses than other tengu and humans, but only slightly larger. The skin of a long nose tengu has a reddish tint to it. These tengu are roughly as tough as a weaker human. This causes long nose tengu have too much body mass for flight. Their wings can vary in colour, but have become vestigial. Long nose tengu do not have the agility of crow tengu and have little capability for magic. Despite this they are considered wiser than crow tengu, and live longer lives.
--Wolf Tengu (tiangou (literally: heavenly/sky dog)): Whether wolf tengu are actually tengu has been a debated subject. Wolf tengu are a subspecies of tengu that originated from the same ancestors as other tengu types, but have distinct features. Instead of human-like ears their ears resemble those of wolves, allowing for fine localization of sound. Wolf tengu have no wings, even if they did they could not fly. Wolf tengu have average toughness, with some of the dexterity and balance of crow tengu. Their biggest strength is their sharp senses. A wolf tengu has heightened senses, being able to detect motion better and having acute hearing. Wolf tengu are more attuned to magic than long nose tengu, and are suited to intricate but less powerful magic like modification and weaving spells. A wolf tengu's features depend on it's lineage, certain hair colours, teeth shape and tail fluffiness are passed down from parent to child.
A approximate population ratio among tengu is: 50% crow, 15% long nose, 35% wolf
-Elaneae: How the elaneae came to be is a mystery, all that is known about their origins is that in ancient times they were one and the same with elves. For the most part Elaneae are anatomically similar to elves. Elaneae show varying degrees of spider features (think driders but with elves and sometimes not as spider-like). The average elaneae is pale with four extra spider legs along with regular elf legs and sometimes fangs. More extreme cases have a full spider's abdomen and all spider legs or only spider fangs and no spider legs. Elaneae are dexterous but have weak bones from the lack of vitamin D and other nutrients. While there are few elaneae that can reach the level of arch mages, most have at least a little magical power. Elaneae are attuned better to water magic, but can use other types. Elaneae have web glands, but they are not connected to any external organs. Using magic an elaneae can extract it's silk from it's body.
-Nature Fey and Other races: The deep vast forests of Nostastone are home to many fey. Fey vary greatly in shape and size, but are born from an aspect or force of nature. Their physical appearance and features are often reflected in their connection to nature. The fey are magical in being and are sensitive to changes in their environment. Examples of fey races common in this category are dryads, fairies, and alraunes.
--Fairies: Fairies make up most of the fey in Nostastone, with their numbers above those of the other races. Fairies are the embodiment of nature. It is unknown if a fairy can die from old age, like nature they seem to persist even through large disturbances. Fairies have child-like minds, but have the capacity to learn. They tend to stay away from strangers, except when playing pranks on them. Their physique can range from the size of a palm to the size of a young adult. All fairies have some sort of wings, but flying relies more on magic than creating lift. Fairies age slow, ones that have lived for thousands of years are deemed great fairies and are larger and smarter. Fairies are incredibly weak physically, any human would be able to overpower a fairy. All fairies have some innate magical powers, but few have enough power to do anything more than cast minor spells. All fairies are connected to an aspect of nature, the type of magic they can use correlates with this. Anywhere from a one to two weeks after a fairy is killed any remains will disappear, and the fairy will resurrect at their link to nature or a nearby area with a large mana concentration or untouched nature. When fairies respawn their bodies have no traces of injuries and they retain no emotional scarring.
--The dark and unwelcoming parts of Nostastone are home to all manner of strange creatures who thrive in the magic forests away from prying eyes. This includes both wild beasts and civilized beings. Races common in other areas such as humans or dwarves can sometimes be found in Nostastone, but they are a minority.
Geography: Nostastone is located in a mountainous region by the western coast. It is a cool temperate climate due to the wind currents brought over the ocean. Some southern mainland regions are warmer and drier. In the Nostastone mountain range there are multiple mountains. The highest of them is red mountain, with its tallest peak standing 2900 meters above sea level. It is an ancient stratovolcano that has been dormant. The mountains are cool due to their altitude, and receive large amounts of precipitation. The mainland below the mountains has many dense forests atop magical ley lines, as well as normal temperate forests and grasslands. Some forests tree species can grow quite large. Nostastone is also home to various species of bamboo. Underground there is a massive cave network in two regions to the north. It is a natural maze that can be hazardous if one does not know what paths to take. The ground is still structurally supported, and has been reinforced by it's residents.
Society/Culture: Each race, and communities that include multiple races have their own culture and societal structure. There are some similarities shared between them. The currency used in Nostastone is the notch. Notch coins are made through casts, there are seven different coins. There are four metals used to make the coins, and each coin has a different design along with a number showing its worth. Society in Nostastone does not have a heavy emphasis on foreign trade. While there are some trade routes, and trading happens between regions, society in Nostastone is self sufficient but not a closed economy.
There are two main languages spoken in Nostastone. The tongue of the tengu called Tienyu, and the language of the Elaneae which is a modified version of Elvish. Most citizens only know one of the two.
Fighting is a large part of society in Nostastone. Although Nostastone advocates peace, non-lethal dueling is common among citizens. There are special rules for melee and ranged battles, but generally anything goes as long as it is non-lethal without any lasting harmful effects and doesn't break the preset rules.
-Tengu Society/Culture: Tengu live in settlements that they have built. Tengu have a preference to build their settlements in the mountains, but there are those below them. Buildings are made of wood or stone, sometimes implementing bamboo. The material used depends on the material's availability and quality. In certain forest settlements with giant trees buildings are made to incorporate trees, using them as walls or support. This helps to save on building costs and preserve the land. The idea was originally suggested to tengu by dryads.
The tengu calendar is a lunisolar calendar based around the seasons. The main food source of tengu is farming. Farmland is privately owned. There are fishing villages, by the coast and the lake, but fish is not commonly eaten outside of those regions. Crops often farmed are rice, tea, cotton, potatoes, various fruit, soy, wheat, and bean species. Over the years farming techniques in Nostastone have been improved to increase yield, and farm sustainably without damaging the land. Many techniques were taught to the tengu by the fey and nature deities. Although the tengu believe in preserving nature and living in harmony with it, it took a long time for the tengu to let go of their pride long enough to listen to their neighbours. The tengu have long since developed ways to craft small boats for travelling over rivers, and fishing trips. Some tengu farmers raise egg laying bird species, but most meat comes from hunting. Meat is not eaten as often, and tengu hunters are careful not to overhunt an area.
Tengu have a structured society with a focus on lineage. In all subspecies of tengu there are noble lines and lords. Regions are watched over by one or more lords that take care of smaller matters in their area. Tengu of higher status are the only ones given the opportunity to join the council as a tengu, but they still must prove themselves worthy first. A young noble must show admirable traits and gain the respect of their peers and common citizens alike to be able to join the council. While young tengu are free to pursue whatever profession interests them, it is rare for one from a non-noble line to ever reach a higher class. Everyone has a role or profession in tengu society, it is rare to see an adult tengu of lower class without some sort of job. Many professions are dominated by a particular subspecies of tengu that are innately better at it. Most messengers are crows, hunters and patrollers are wolves, and long nose tengu are stuck with office work. While these stereotypes are often true, there are exceptions. Tengu communities are welcoming to outsiders and people of different races, but wolf tengu can be territorial and patrol their land to stop any suspicious activity.
Religion in Nostastone above ground has no church or large organization. It is not a path of worship but a way of life. The teachings and ideas are esoteric, with each group having different interpretations and views, but many have similar values like helping those in need. Temples in Nostastone teach their followers to achieve harmony in body, mind and soul. Those who follow this path are devoted in bettering themselves, and living in harmony with the flow of nature and all living things. They strive to best their best selves, not harming or hurting anyone, and respecting all. There is a strong emphasis on karma, and that all actions and intentions accumulate karma. Karma is the process of cause and effect, all actions and intentions will have consequences. Good intention and proactive actions accumulate good karma, bad intentions and passive actions accumulate bad karma. Often times actions and intentions will not accumulate only one type of karma, but all actions accumulate karma. Accumulating karma in itself simply means that one has taken an action, and is not inherently good or bad. It is taught that all things have different aspects of light and dark that they are composed of. All souls also exists in a duality of light and dark, capable of both good and bad. The opposite sides clash, but without the other they cannot become whole. It is also believed that some actions will cause impurity in an object or soul, rituals are preformed to purify and cleanse the impurity. There are monks who train themselves and teach those who are willing to listen. Those truly wish to master this way may leave society for secluded locations and become hermits. For the common man these are just ideas that they try to incorporate into their every day life in what way they can.
Located around Nostastone above ground are many small shrines. Shrines are sacred places built to respect and honour gods (Not gods of creation, but creatures or people of spiritual nature that rely on faith for their power and existence) in the area. These gods are spirits created from the beliefs of the people and the land long ago when people first had thoughts. They need faith to sustain themselves, or else they will gradually become weaker (but having excess faith will not power up a god). To have faith in a god is not only to believe that it exists, but to believe that it should exist, and want it to exist. It is to respect it, and rely on it when the time comes. These gods usually represent some aspect of nature, a concept, words, a plant or animal. Gods usually have some power related to what they represent, and can cause minor miracles, however miracles are not something that should be used lightly so they are used sparingly. Gods can vary widely in temperament, ranging from malicious to kind. Some have physical forms while others are spiritual.
While shrine may incorporate some of the teachings in Nostastone, they have their own rituals and practices. While not all shrines have tengu maintaining them, those that do normally have one to six shrine keepers. There is no typical shrine keeper, most have different approaches to their jobs, but some keep in contact with other shrines. Shrine keepers offer various spiritual services and also do burials. Most shrines are maintained by tengu priests and shrine maidens, however many do not get visited often by tengu with the exception of shrines to harvest gods. Those who dedicate themselves to serving gods and spirits at shrines often live at the shrines. In Nostastone the role of shrine keeper is passed down from parent to child, but rarely a shrine keeper may take on an apprentice. A family line takes care of a shrine from the moment the shrine is constructed and a symbolic bond is formed between the family line and the god. Those that come from a long line of shrine keepers often have inherent spiritual powers, how these powers manifest themselves depends on the family line. Shrine keepers train in their own family fighting style, using a combination of physical, magical and spiritual techniques. This is because they are expected to deal with spiritual threats and keep order with the various creatures that lurk in the forests when guards cannot.
In tengu culture it is valued to be clever, audacious, and wise. While activities in the settlements are overseen by the tengu council there is a lot of autonomy in the separate regions. The general air in tengu villages is uptight, but lively as citizens go about their daily lives. Young tengu are taught in schools to learn about the world around them and how they can apply knowledge practically. Tengu while versed in the art of war, dislike conquest and bloodshed, fighting techniques are not taught to the general populous. Despite that basic magic lessons are readily available for those anyone with enough money, potential, and will to learn.
Long nose tengu dislike dueling others, but wolf tengu and crow tengu like duels both for fun and sport. Most crows take it to the air, but will ground themselves against those who cannot fly.
-Underground Society/Culture: The Elaneae live underground in large caverns around Nostastone along with subterranean fairies and other creatures. Over thousands of years Elaneae have made the caves habitable and self-sustainable in case the caverns are sealed away once more. Those underground have lived together in close knit communities since they were trapped there long ago, and continue to do so even now that they can exit the underground freely.
Society underground is peaceful in one sense of the word. The underground cities will accept anyone of any race so long as they do not cause much trouble. They focus on enjoying what they have in life. Even now that there are entrances to the surface, those underground often choose to continue living below the surface, and have no will to conquer other lands. Children are carefully raised with the help of the community to learn the values of those before them, but also to encourage individuality and self expression. Wastefulness is frowned upon. There are many resources that while not vital are in short supply, so those underground make the most out of what they have. Despite the peacefulness something is always happening underground, whether it's big or small.
There are three main cities in the underground where a majority of the population lives. The biggest of which has its own palace. Outside of the main paths the cities are maze-like and dense, filled with winding alleys and narrow passages. The cities are always alive, the bright lights and sound of carousing can be seen and heard from far away. People are always moving between the stone buildings lit by lanterns, and activity can be spotted far above the painted building roofs near the cavern ceiling.
In the underground those with power are the strong. This is not measured just in physical strength, but all aspects of being strong. Those who can gain the respect of citizens, and prove their strength often watch over their district to maintain order and stop crime. Crime rate is low in the underground cities, and this helps to lower it even further, and works against corruption. Having this social status does not come with any benefits by itself.
Water can be found from the rivers that flow in from the surface. Over time the elaneae and underground fey bred edible plants and fungi to be farmed under the circumstances they found themselves in. Surface fruits and vegetables are traded for with surface settlements, but meat is rarely eaten. Day and night are different deep underground where the sun does not shine. They have adopted the calendar and clock system of those above ground, but many have their own schedules separate from day and night.
There are no organized religions underground Nostastone. Nonetheless some practice values of the tengu above ground, and hermits may seek secluded passages in the caves to meditate. To an outsider how the underground operates can seem strange. The community as a whole comes together to make important decisions. Meetings are overseen by those in charge of a district. There is not much in the way of law enforcement in the underground, but any crimes are dealt with quickly. They do not have prisons underground, serious offenders are sent to tengu prisons above ground. Many underground enjoy fighting, but assault is not tolerated. The underground has a policy of honour and honesty. Under Nostastone when one breaks something one takes responsibility for it, and when one is helped, one always repays the favour. Those underground, especially elaneae hate lying and dishonesty.
These is one noble line of Elaneae underground that lives in the palace. The queen controls of the elaneae has power in the underground if they are respected. If they are deemed worthy they often play an important role in making large decisions. The noble's power is the only thing close to a large governing power in the underground, but it still does not hold as much power as most governing systems.
There are those underground who have more artistic pursuits. There are many smiths and crafters, along musicians and artists. Society underground is more advanced than that above ground. This is due to the wisdom and intellect of the engineers who worked to make the underground sustainable while documenting all of their progress. Geothermal energy deep down (Note: not electricity) is used in the biggest machines and systems underground. Some of their inventions are traded with those above ground, but they are not regularly produced.
-Fey and Other Races Society/Culture: The fey and other races do not have a society in the normal sense of the word. They find safety in numbers, but don't form civilizations or settlements. Fey live among nature in small homes hidden by fey magic. Other beings may have small houses built secluded away from civilization. There isn't much communication between groups. Those that need to meet the needs of survival either find a way to support themselves or make trips to the nearest settlement.
While the fey and other races can be found almost everywhere in Nostastone, most of them live in the dense forests away from civilization. These forests have giant plants that shroud the forest ground in shadows. The deepest parts of the forest are the most magical, the plants and creatures that live there strange and wild. These lands are fraught with danger, but most threats only show themselves at night. It is because of the danger that common folk stay away from these parts. Nevertheless some less dense and less dangerous forests may see travel.
The fey are passive to events around them. Being embodiments of nature they live quiet lives without caring much about outside matters. There's no coherent government system for the fey, nor do they have any chain of command. Fairies are generally too childish to bother forming large social structures, but they may be spotted playing in gangs. In fey culture authority is dictated by seniority but mostly power. Most fey do not pay attention to the of time with the exception of seasons, and thus don't know how old they are. When a fairy gets wise and strong enough it gains the title of great fairy. There are very few of these despite the fact that fairies don't seem to stay dead. Fey in Nostastone are generally more sociable than in other places due to their long relationship with other races.
Other races from foreign countries can be found in various settlements around Nostastone. Most natives have nothing against foreigners and can get along well if they hold no ill will.
History: The races of Nostastone are long lived, and have called it home for many generations. The first people who lived in the land were the fey who existed as long as nature itself. They lived in the land in peace, watching over it as it flourished. For a long time it was only the fey and the wildlife in Nostastone.
Then a cursed tribe of elves were banished into the land. The tribe and their descendants were cursed to have spider like features for the rest of their lives. How they were cursed was unrecorded, some theorize that they had earned the wrath of a god or powerful wizard. Regardless of how it happened, these elves were shunned by their peers for their appearances even though they were unaffected mentally. The elaneae tribe found their way into the Nostastone cave system while seeking shelter far away from those who banished them. The tribe stayed there but thought that they could not survive in the massive cave network for too long. When they were about to leave back to the surface, some members of their tribe got lost in the caves. The tribe decided not to leave without them, and searched for their missing kin. By the time the missing elaneae had been found the entrance to the caverns had a massive cave in. The entrances were sealed tight, and they could not escape. They tried to settle inside the caves, but faced many resource shortages. In the face of starvation they banded together and reached out to those already living in the caves. As time passed they learned how to survive in the deep caverns and built a home for themselves with their new neighbours. Once they no longer had to worry about everyday survival they became accustomed to life without sunlight. They could then dedicate themselves to other crafts and focus on new ideas.
Much later, the tengu built settlements and created their culture. The tengu lived in separate communities and made their own clans. They would sometimes interact with the fey, but the tengu made no effort to acknowledge them. When their crops would fail and the fey made suggestions to improve their ways the tengu ignored them and continued doing things their way. As the settlements grew, the lords argued and feuded. Some wanted to go conquer other lands, while others liked things how they were. Tensions escalated until one lord declared war on the others. Others used this as an excuse to declare war in turn. Soldiers were sent out to conquer the other lords' land and met on the field of battle. In the midst of the conflict many civilians were killed and the land ravaged. The fey could not stand the troops moving through their territory, and came down upon any who treaded into their land. This conflict continued for many years until the lord atop red mountain had enough with the fighting. The crow tengu Skell of the Sanfa was nicknamed the heavenly demon for his ferocity in the skies and at the negotiation table, and for his kindness and fair judgment. He was a wise and patient man, but quick to anger. He had tried to not get involved in the bloodshed, only taking the actions needed to protect his people. Nevertheless the war made it harder to produce enough food for everyone with the thread of farmland being taken over or destroyed by enemy troops. The great tengu Skell could not tell when the fighting would end, and decided to put an end to it himself. To do this he did something that was never done by a tengu lord before, he put down his pride and went to the fey for help. He went in person to negotiate with them, and possibly recruit them for his cause. The fey were reluctant to help, but Skell managed to convince them. The more powerful fey wouldn't be able to command every fairy and dryad to cease attacking trespassers, so they mapped out routes Skell's troops could take without coming under fire. Skell made agreements with the other great tengu who did not wish for war, and then made his move.
Skell's troops took the land by storm. Having acted only defensively so far into the war, his troops and supplies were still healthy. Skell commanded his troops with his advisor, they employed various tactics including guerrilla warfare and leading enemy troops into swarms of angry fairies. He was also the first to fully utilize crow dive bombing. It was a rough campaign and not without many losses, but in the end Skell was able to stop the drums of war. Many in the lands he conquered were unhappy with the outcome. Nonetheless, Skell would have his peace and he would make sure keep it. Skell did what he could to unify the tengu and ensure that war would not break out once again. He created a council to govern the land receiving input form people of all statuses and reformed the military. Later he made mends with the fey for all destruction caused by his people, and asked them to help improve their lifestyle with their wisdom.
For sixty years this shaky peace would continue until a new faction would rekindle the flames of war. Under the mountains a path had opened up and those underground and above ground would make contact for the first time. The elaneae alive had never seen the surface before. While the elaneae were accepting of the tengu and wanted to learn more about them, the tengu were not happy about what they deemed as a lesser race occupying the land below them. Tensions were rising, as a long lived race many tengu remembered the hardships of war, but did not know how to respond to the elaneae living below the nation. The tengu did not respond with outright hostility, but were on edge. Skell saw that he could salvage the situation before things got out of hand and direct the future of their land. He called for a meeting between himself, the queen of the elaneae and one of the oldest great fairies who had helped Skell in the past. There were many protests, but in the end the three met up in the Palace of the Earth within the underground capital. The three of them had entered a meeting hall and forbid any outsiders from interrupting them. For two days and nights they stayed there underground. When the doors opened the great fairy had died from some sort of poisoning, and the great tengu Skell had gone into a coma. The tengu and fairies went into an uproar upon hearing the news, they cried of foul play and elaneae trickery. It was never released to the public what went on in those two days and nights. When the great fairy resurrected and Skell was treated they quelled their people and decided to unite the three factions together under one name. This decision was not accepted easily, but with the leaders' efforts the races were unified. Roughly eight hundred years ago the new nation formed by these races was named Nostastone.
Trade opened up between the races and with time they learned to accept the other races. With each other's help society grew while preserving the natural beauty of the land. Today their peace continues as they take the necessary actions to maintain it.
Government: There is a large council that oversees major decisions for the nation. There are roughly equal numbers of the three main races in the council, but there are less fairies and dryads as it is hard to find candidates to actually join the council. How one joins the council depends on one's race. All council members vote on topics brought up by the council to make decisions. Most regions and communities have smaller scale systems to deal with local issues that are not important enough to bring up in the council.
Imports/Exports: Nostastone does not trade much with other nations, most of its trading is internal. While it does not have an abundance of rare materials, it can sustain itself with the resources it has. Nostastone has a good quality lumber, bamboo and stone but an agreement made with the fey inhabitants prevents harvesting large amounts of natural resources for the sake of trade and profit. Only the tengu trade with those outside Nostastone. The fey and underground inhabitants do not trade for resources unless it is necessary. There are those that trade within Nostastone to trade with foreigners.
The wealthier import materials not often found in Nostastone such as rare metals, and glass.
Military: Nostastone has a small military force. The military force is maintained as a group effort between the different races to keep peace in the nation and not to invade others. Most of the military is comprised of tengu. This is not caused by bias, but because the other races have low enlistment rates. There are general squads with comprised with soldiers of different races and many specialized squads for those with certain talents.
In tengu society having the discipline and willingness to join the military is a respected. The tengu troops while not the strongest soldiers are the most disciplined in the Nostastone military. There are few long nose tengu in the military, with a majority of tengu soldiers being crows and wolves. A tengu soldier can be distinguished by the variant of military uniform the wear. Along with a uniform tengu soldiers are given a special red hat (tokin) which doubles as a cup, a hauchiwa leaf fan, and tall sandals with only one slat (tengu geta). Soldiers are trained with their choice in a selection of arms such as various blades, shields and bows. Most tengu wear light armour or no armour in combat. Aerial crow units need to minimize weight to fly without problems at top speed, as such they wear no armour and cannot carry any heavy equipment with them. Crow tengu could use enchanted armour, but do not as ground units do not. Out of pride ground units do not wear heavy armour or enchanted armour either. Crow soldiers specialize in scouting and relaying messages while wolf units are geared towards combat and patrolling. There are crow combat squads, but not as many as there are for wolves.
The tengu military is not as strong as it could be. This is because many stronger tengu refuse to join the military due to a dislike of conflict and violence. In addition, the military has been unsuccessful in getting religious support. Tengu monks train in their own fighting style to improve their bodies along with their minds and are much more disciplined that normal tengu soldiers. Tengu monks do not believe in military service. Shrine keepers and priests have been uncooperative as well.
The elaneae don't have many troops, and not just anyone can sign up. The process of allowing one to be a soldier is very selective. Being underground they feel safe defending their own people in the dark tunnels and dangerous drops. In addition, not wanting to leave the underground has left them with a low recruitment rate and little motivation to increase it. Elaneae troops patrol around the caverns and cities helping those in need. Their soldiers are better equipped than the tengu as they have better access to the materials needed and have developed better smithing techniques. Elaneae soldiers are tough but undisciplined and rowdy. It can be hard for them to get along with the tengu.
Outside of several stronger alraunes and dryads fey are almost non-existent in the military. While alraunes and dryads are more powerful than fairies, they lack their resurrection ability. The council has tried to form a fey branch of the military multiple times but has given up on it for the time being. Most fey don't care about war, land or power. Fairies which make up most of their numbers are weak in almost every aspect individually and only useful in large hordes. However they can be very childish and easily distracted. While braver or foolhardy fairies may fight to the death, most will desert in the face of great danger. The military has never been able to make fairies act in an organized or disciplined manner, and eventually they get bored and leave. The most successful attempt involved giving the fairies candy along with military pay to add an incentive. It worked for a brief time, but this led them to become hyperactive. Not long later the they ran out of candy and had to cancel the project.
Foreign relations: (I'll deal with foreign relations later)
Nation Name: Nostastone
Races:
-Tengu: Clever, audacious, and wise, the tengu communities in Nostastone date back to ancient times. With the large wings on their backs similarities are been drawn between the tengu and harpies, but a tengu's arms and wings are completely separate. In addition, tengu are much more human-like in appearance and behaviours. A tengu's appearance most resembles a tall human, but its physiology functions differently depending on the tengu subspecies. Most tengu have a few traits in common. They are a long lived race. They tend to warn against being too proud and arrogant, despite being known for these traits themselves. They are territorial by nature. However, tengu are also mischievous and fun loving.
--Crow Tengu (karasu-tengu): When tengu are mentioned, it often refers to the crows. As the most well known subspecies of tengu, they can often be seen flying over the mountains. Crow tengu have black feathers like a crow. Of all tengu the crows are most human-like in appearance. Crow tengu are the only subspecies of tengu capable of flight. A crow tengu's bones are partly hallow making them fragile, and they do not have much physical strength or muscle mass. Crow tengu are agile, having great balance and muscle control. They move at high speeds both in the air and on ground with their light body mass. Having magical potential varies among crow tengu, average tengu have a small potential for magical abilities, but for most this potential is never realized. Wind magic is easier to use for them. Crafty as crows, most prefer a diplomatic approach, and dislike bloody conflicts. Nevertheless this does not dissuade them from friendly brawls and aerial duels.
--Long Nose Tengu (hanataka tengu): Tales involving these tengu are often exaggerated. Since they are not seen as often as crows few have bothered to correct their image. Like their namesake implies, they have larger noses than other tengu and humans, but only slightly larger. The skin of a long nose tengu has a reddish tint to it. These tengu are roughly as tough as a weaker human. This causes long nose tengu have too much body mass for flight. Their wings can vary in colour, but have become vestigial. Long nose tengu do not have the agility of crow tengu and have little capability for magic. Despite this they are considered wiser than crow tengu, and live longer lives.
--Wolf Tengu (tiangou (literally: heavenly/sky dog)): Whether wolf tengu are actually tengu has been a debated subject. Wolf tengu are a subspecies of tengu that originated from the same ancestors as other tengu types, but have distinct features. Instead of human-like ears their ears resemble those of wolves, allowing for fine localization of sound. Wolf tengu have no wings, even if they did they could not fly. Wolf tengu have average toughness, with some of the dexterity and balance of crow tengu. Their biggest strength is their sharp senses. A wolf tengu has heightened senses, being able to detect motion better and having acute hearing. Wolf tengu are more attuned to magic than long nose tengu, and are suited to intricate but less powerful magic like modification and weaving spells. A wolf tengu's features depend on it's lineage, certain hair colours, teeth shape and tail fluffiness are passed down from parent to child.
A approximate population ratio among tengu is: 50% crow, 15% long nose, 35% wolf
-Elaneae: How the elaneae came to be is a mystery, all that is known about their origins is that in ancient times they were one and the same with elves. For the most part Elaneae are anatomically similar to elves. Elaneae show varying degrees of spider features (think driders but with elves and sometimes not as spider-like). The average elaneae is pale with four extra spider legs along with regular elf legs and sometimes fangs. More extreme cases have a full spider's abdomen and all spider legs or only spider fangs and no spider legs. Elaneae are dexterous but have weak bones from the lack of vitamin D and other nutrients. While there are few elaneae that can reach the level of arch mages, most have at least a little magical power. Elaneae are attuned better to water magic, but can use other types. Elaneae have web glands, but they are not connected to any external organs. Using magic an elaneae can extract it's silk from it's body.
-Nature Fey and Other races: The deep vast forests of Nostastone are home to many fey. Fey vary greatly in shape and size, but are born from an aspect or force of nature. Their physical appearance and features are often reflected in their connection to nature. The fey are magical in being and are sensitive to changes in their environment. Examples of fey races common in this category are dryads, fairies, and alraunes.
--Fairies: Fairies make up most of the fey in Nostastone, with their numbers above those of the other races. Fairies are the embodiment of nature. It is unknown if a fairy can die from old age, like nature they seem to persist even through large disturbances. Fairies have child-like minds, but have the capacity to learn. They tend to stay away from strangers, except when playing pranks on them. Their physique can range from the size of a palm to the size of a young adult. All fairies have some sort of wings, but flying relies more on magic than creating lift. Fairies age slow, ones that have lived for thousands of years are deemed great fairies and are larger and smarter. Fairies are incredibly weak physically, any human would be able to overpower a fairy. All fairies have some innate magical powers, but few have enough power to do anything more than cast minor spells. All fairies are connected to an aspect of nature, the type of magic they can use correlates with this. Anywhere from a one to two weeks after a fairy is killed any remains will disappear, and the fairy will resurrect at their link to nature or a nearby area with a large mana concentration or untouched nature. When fairies respawn their bodies have no traces of injuries and they retain no emotional scarring.
--The dark and unwelcoming parts of Nostastone are home to all manner of strange creatures who thrive in the magic forests away from prying eyes. This includes both wild beasts and civilized beings. Races common in other areas such as humans or dwarves can sometimes be found in Nostastone, but they are a minority.
Geography: Nostastone is located in a mountainous region by the western coast. It is a cool temperate climate due to the wind currents brought over the ocean. Some southern mainland regions are warmer and drier. In the Nostastone mountain range there are multiple mountains. The highest of them is red mountain, with its tallest peak standing 2900 meters above sea level. It is an ancient stratovolcano that has been dormant. The mountains are cool due to their altitude, and receive large amounts of precipitation. The mainland below the mountains has many dense forests atop magical ley lines, as well as normal temperate forests and grasslands. Some forests tree species can grow quite large. Nostastone is also home to various species of bamboo. Underground there is a massive cave network in two regions to the north. It is a natural maze that can be hazardous if one does not know what paths to take. The ground is still structurally supported, and has been reinforced by it's residents.
Society/Culture: Each race, and communities that include multiple races have their own culture and societal structure. There are some similarities shared between them. The currency used in Nostastone is the notch. Notch coins are made through casts, there are seven different coins. There are four metals used to make the coins, and each coin has a different design along with a number showing its worth. Society in Nostastone does not have a heavy emphasis on foreign trade. While there are some trade routes, and trading happens between regions, society in Nostastone is self sufficient but not a closed economy.
There are two main languages spoken in Nostastone. The tongue of the tengu called Tienyu, and the language of the Elaneae which is a modified version of Elvish. Most citizens only know one of the two.
Fighting is a large part of society in Nostastone. Although Nostastone advocates peace, non-lethal dueling is common among citizens. There are special rules for melee and ranged battles, but generally anything goes as long as it is non-lethal without any lasting harmful effects and doesn't break the preset rules.
-Tengu Society/Culture: Tengu live in settlements that they have built. Tengu have a preference to build their settlements in the mountains, but there are those below them. Buildings are made of wood or stone, sometimes implementing bamboo. The material used depends on the material's availability and quality. In certain forest settlements with giant trees buildings are made to incorporate trees, using them as walls or support. This helps to save on building costs and preserve the land. The idea was originally suggested to tengu by dryads.
The tengu calendar is a lunisolar calendar based around the seasons. The main food source of tengu is farming. Farmland is privately owned. There are fishing villages, by the coast and the lake, but fish is not commonly eaten outside of those regions. Crops often farmed are rice, tea, cotton, potatoes, various fruit, soy, wheat, and bean species. Over the years farming techniques in Nostastone have been improved to increase yield, and farm sustainably without damaging the land. Many techniques were taught to the tengu by the fey and nature deities. Although the tengu believe in preserving nature and living in harmony with it, it took a long time for the tengu to let go of their pride long enough to listen to their neighbours. The tengu have long since developed ways to craft small boats for travelling over rivers, and fishing trips. Some tengu farmers raise egg laying bird species, but most meat comes from hunting. Meat is not eaten as often, and tengu hunters are careful not to overhunt an area.
Tengu have a structured society with a focus on lineage. In all subspecies of tengu there are noble lines and lords. Regions are watched over by one or more lords that take care of smaller matters in their area. Tengu of higher status are the only ones given the opportunity to join the council as a tengu, but they still must prove themselves worthy first. A young noble must show admirable traits and gain the respect of their peers and common citizens alike to be able to join the council. While young tengu are free to pursue whatever profession interests them, it is rare for one from a non-noble line to ever reach a higher class. Everyone has a role or profession in tengu society, it is rare to see an adult tengu of lower class without some sort of job. Many professions are dominated by a particular subspecies of tengu that are innately better at it. Most messengers are crows, hunters and patrollers are wolves, and long nose tengu are stuck with office work. While these stereotypes are often true, there are exceptions. Tengu communities are welcoming to outsiders and people of different races, but wolf tengu can be territorial and patrol their land to stop any suspicious activity.
Religion in Nostastone above ground has no church or large organization. It is not a path of worship but a way of life. The teachings and ideas are esoteric, with each group having different interpretations and views, but many have similar values like helping those in need. Temples in Nostastone teach their followers to achieve harmony in body, mind and soul. Those who follow this path are devoted in bettering themselves, and living in harmony with the flow of nature and all living things. They strive to best their best selves, not harming or hurting anyone, and respecting all. There is a strong emphasis on karma, and that all actions and intentions accumulate karma. Karma is the process of cause and effect, all actions and intentions will have consequences. Good intention and proactive actions accumulate good karma, bad intentions and passive actions accumulate bad karma. Often times actions and intentions will not accumulate only one type of karma, but all actions accumulate karma. Accumulating karma in itself simply means that one has taken an action, and is not inherently good or bad. It is taught that all things have different aspects of light and dark that they are composed of. All souls also exists in a duality of light and dark, capable of both good and bad. The opposite sides clash, but without the other they cannot become whole. It is also believed that some actions will cause impurity in an object or soul, rituals are preformed to purify and cleanse the impurity. There are monks who train themselves and teach those who are willing to listen. Those truly wish to master this way may leave society for secluded locations and become hermits. For the common man these are just ideas that they try to incorporate into their every day life in what way they can.
Located around Nostastone above ground are many small shrines. Shrines are sacred places built to respect and honour gods (Not gods of creation, but creatures or people of spiritual nature that rely on faith for their power and existence) in the area. These gods are spirits created from the beliefs of the people and the land long ago when people first had thoughts. They need faith to sustain themselves, or else they will gradually become weaker (but having excess faith will not power up a god). To have faith in a god is not only to believe that it exists, but to believe that it should exist, and want it to exist. It is to respect it, and rely on it when the time comes. These gods usually represent some aspect of nature, a concept, words, a plant or animal. Gods usually have some power related to what they represent, and can cause minor miracles, however miracles are not something that should be used lightly so they are used sparingly. Gods can vary widely in temperament, ranging from malicious to kind. Some have physical forms while others are spiritual.
While shrine may incorporate some of the teachings in Nostastone, they have their own rituals and practices. While not all shrines have tengu maintaining them, those that do normally have one to six shrine keepers. There is no typical shrine keeper, most have different approaches to their jobs, but some keep in contact with other shrines. Shrine keepers offer various spiritual services and also do burials. Most shrines are maintained by tengu priests and shrine maidens, however many do not get visited often by tengu with the exception of shrines to harvest gods. Those who dedicate themselves to serving gods and spirits at shrines often live at the shrines. In Nostastone the role of shrine keeper is passed down from parent to child, but rarely a shrine keeper may take on an apprentice. A family line takes care of a shrine from the moment the shrine is constructed and a symbolic bond is formed between the family line and the god. Those that come from a long line of shrine keepers often have inherent spiritual powers, how these powers manifest themselves depends on the family line. Shrine keepers train in their own family fighting style, using a combination of physical, magical and spiritual techniques. This is because they are expected to deal with spiritual threats and keep order with the various creatures that lurk in the forests when guards cannot.
In tengu culture it is valued to be clever, audacious, and wise. While activities in the settlements are overseen by the tengu council there is a lot of autonomy in the separate regions. The general air in tengu villages is uptight, but lively as citizens go about their daily lives. Young tengu are taught in schools to learn about the world around them and how they can apply knowledge practically. Tengu while versed in the art of war, dislike conquest and bloodshed, fighting techniques are not taught to the general populous. Despite that basic magic lessons are readily available for those anyone with enough money, potential, and will to learn.
Long nose tengu dislike dueling others, but wolf tengu and crow tengu like duels both for fun and sport. Most crows take it to the air, but will ground themselves against those who cannot fly.
-Underground Society/Culture: The Elaneae live underground in large caverns around Nostastone along with subterranean fairies and other creatures. Over thousands of years Elaneae have made the caves habitable and self-sustainable in case the caverns are sealed away once more. Those underground have lived together in close knit communities since they were trapped there long ago, and continue to do so even now that they can exit the underground freely.
Society underground is peaceful in one sense of the word. The underground cities will accept anyone of any race so long as they do not cause much trouble. They focus on enjoying what they have in life. Even now that there are entrances to the surface, those underground often choose to continue living below the surface, and have no will to conquer other lands. Children are carefully raised with the help of the community to learn the values of those before them, but also to encourage individuality and self expression. Wastefulness is frowned upon. There are many resources that while not vital are in short supply, so those underground make the most out of what they have. Despite the peacefulness something is always happening underground, whether it's big or small.
There are three main cities in the underground where a majority of the population lives. The biggest of which has its own palace. Outside of the main paths the cities are maze-like and dense, filled with winding alleys and narrow passages. The cities are always alive, the bright lights and sound of carousing can be seen and heard from far away. People are always moving between the stone buildings lit by lanterns, and activity can be spotted far above the painted building roofs near the cavern ceiling.
In the underground those with power are the strong. This is not measured just in physical strength, but all aspects of being strong. Those who can gain the respect of citizens, and prove their strength often watch over their district to maintain order and stop crime. Crime rate is low in the underground cities, and this helps to lower it even further, and works against corruption. Having this social status does not come with any benefits by itself.
Water can be found from the rivers that flow in from the surface. Over time the elaneae and underground fey bred edible plants and fungi to be farmed under the circumstances they found themselves in. Surface fruits and vegetables are traded for with surface settlements, but meat is rarely eaten. Day and night are different deep underground where the sun does not shine. They have adopted the calendar and clock system of those above ground, but many have their own schedules separate from day and night.
There are no organized religions underground Nostastone. Nonetheless some practice values of the tengu above ground, and hermits may seek secluded passages in the caves to meditate. To an outsider how the underground operates can seem strange. The community as a whole comes together to make important decisions. Meetings are overseen by those in charge of a district. There is not much in the way of law enforcement in the underground, but any crimes are dealt with quickly. They do not have prisons underground, serious offenders are sent to tengu prisons above ground. Many underground enjoy fighting, but assault is not tolerated. The underground has a policy of honour and honesty. Under Nostastone when one breaks something one takes responsibility for it, and when one is helped, one always repays the favour. Those underground, especially elaneae hate lying and dishonesty.
These is one noble line of Elaneae underground that lives in the palace. The queen controls of the elaneae has power in the underground if they are respected. If they are deemed worthy they often play an important role in making large decisions. The noble's power is the only thing close to a large governing power in the underground, but it still does not hold as much power as most governing systems.
There are those underground who have more artistic pursuits. There are many smiths and crafters, along musicians and artists. Society underground is more advanced than that above ground. This is due to the wisdom and intellect of the engineers who worked to make the underground sustainable while documenting all of their progress. Geothermal energy deep down (Note: not electricity) is used in the biggest machines and systems underground. Some of their inventions are traded with those above ground, but they are not regularly produced.
-Fey and Other Races Society/Culture: The fey and other races do not have a society in the normal sense of the word. They find safety in numbers, but don't form civilizations or settlements. Fey live among nature in small homes hidden by fey magic. Other beings may have small houses built secluded away from civilization. There isn't much communication between groups. Those that need to meet the needs of survival either find a way to support themselves or make trips to the nearest settlement.
While the fey and other races can be found almost everywhere in Nostastone, most of them live in the dense forests away from civilization. These forests have giant plants that shroud the forest ground in shadows. The deepest parts of the forest are the most magical, the plants and creatures that live there strange and wild. These lands are fraught with danger, but most threats only show themselves at night. It is because of the danger that common folk stay away from these parts. Nevertheless some less dense and less dangerous forests may see travel.
The fey are passive to events around them. Being embodiments of nature they live quiet lives without caring much about outside matters. There's no coherent government system for the fey, nor do they have any chain of command. Fairies are generally too childish to bother forming large social structures, but they may be spotted playing in gangs. In fey culture authority is dictated by seniority but mostly power. Most fey do not pay attention to the of time with the exception of seasons, and thus don't know how old they are. When a fairy gets wise and strong enough it gains the title of great fairy. There are very few of these despite the fact that fairies don't seem to stay dead. Fey in Nostastone are generally more sociable than in other places due to their long relationship with other races.
Other races from foreign countries can be found in various settlements around Nostastone. Most natives have nothing against foreigners and can get along well if they hold no ill will.
History: The races of Nostastone are long lived, and have called it home for many generations. The first people who lived in the land were the fey who existed as long as nature itself. They lived in the land in peace, watching over it as it flourished. For a long time it was only the fey and the wildlife in Nostastone.
Then a cursed tribe of elves were banished into the land. The tribe and their descendants were cursed to have spider like features for the rest of their lives. How they were cursed was unrecorded, some theorize that they had earned the wrath of a god or powerful wizard. Regardless of how it happened, these elves were shunned by their peers for their appearances even though they were unaffected mentally. The elaneae tribe found their way into the Nostastone cave system while seeking shelter far away from those who banished them. The tribe stayed there but thought that they could not survive in the massive cave network for too long. When they were about to leave back to the surface, some members of their tribe got lost in the caves. The tribe decided not to leave without them, and searched for their missing kin. By the time the missing elaneae had been found the entrance to the caverns had a massive cave in. The entrances were sealed tight, and they could not escape. They tried to settle inside the caves, but faced many resource shortages. In the face of starvation they banded together and reached out to those already living in the caves. As time passed they learned how to survive in the deep caverns and built a home for themselves with their new neighbours. Once they no longer had to worry about everyday survival they became accustomed to life without sunlight. They could then dedicate themselves to other crafts and focus on new ideas.
Much later, the tengu built settlements and created their culture. The tengu lived in separate communities and made their own clans. They would sometimes interact with the fey, but the tengu made no effort to acknowledge them. When their crops would fail and the fey made suggestions to improve their ways the tengu ignored them and continued doing things their way. As the settlements grew, the lords argued and feuded. Some wanted to go conquer other lands, while others liked things how they were. Tensions escalated until one lord declared war on the others. Others used this as an excuse to declare war in turn. Soldiers were sent out to conquer the other lords' land and met on the field of battle. In the midst of the conflict many civilians were killed and the land ravaged. The fey could not stand the troops moving through their territory, and came down upon any who treaded into their land. This conflict continued for many years until the lord atop red mountain had enough with the fighting. The crow tengu Skell of the Sanfa was nicknamed the heavenly demon for his ferocity in the skies and at the negotiation table, and for his kindness and fair judgment. He was a wise and patient man, but quick to anger. He had tried to not get involved in the bloodshed, only taking the actions needed to protect his people. Nevertheless the war made it harder to produce enough food for everyone with the thread of farmland being taken over or destroyed by enemy troops. The great tengu Skell could not tell when the fighting would end, and decided to put an end to it himself. To do this he did something that was never done by a tengu lord before, he put down his pride and went to the fey for help. He went in person to negotiate with them, and possibly recruit them for his cause. The fey were reluctant to help, but Skell managed to convince them. The more powerful fey wouldn't be able to command every fairy and dryad to cease attacking trespassers, so they mapped out routes Skell's troops could take without coming under fire. Skell made agreements with the other great tengu who did not wish for war, and then made his move.
Skell's troops took the land by storm. Having acted only defensively so far into the war, his troops and supplies were still healthy. Skell commanded his troops with his advisor, they employed various tactics including guerrilla warfare and leading enemy troops into swarms of angry fairies. He was also the first to fully utilize crow dive bombing. It was a rough campaign and not without many losses, but in the end Skell was able to stop the drums of war. Many in the lands he conquered were unhappy with the outcome. Nonetheless, Skell would have his peace and he would make sure keep it. Skell did what he could to unify the tengu and ensure that war would not break out once again. He created a council to govern the land receiving input form people of all statuses and reformed the military. Later he made mends with the fey for all destruction caused by his people, and asked them to help improve their lifestyle with their wisdom.
For sixty years this shaky peace would continue until a new faction would rekindle the flames of war. Under the mountains a path had opened up and those underground and above ground would make contact for the first time. The elaneae alive had never seen the surface before. While the elaneae were accepting of the tengu and wanted to learn more about them, the tengu were not happy about what they deemed as a lesser race occupying the land below them. Tensions were rising, as a long lived race many tengu remembered the hardships of war, but did not know how to respond to the elaneae living below the nation. The tengu did not respond with outright hostility, but were on edge. Skell saw that he could salvage the situation before things got out of hand and direct the future of their land. He called for a meeting between himself, the queen of the elaneae and one of the oldest great fairies who had helped Skell in the past. There were many protests, but in the end the three met up in the Palace of the Earth within the underground capital. The three of them had entered a meeting hall and forbid any outsiders from interrupting them. For two days and nights they stayed there underground. When the doors opened the great fairy had died from some sort of poisoning, and the great tengu Skell had gone into a coma. The tengu and fairies went into an uproar upon hearing the news, they cried of foul play and elaneae trickery. It was never released to the public what went on in those two days and nights. When the great fairy resurrected and Skell was treated they quelled their people and decided to unite the three factions together under one name. This decision was not accepted easily, but with the leaders' efforts the races were unified. Roughly eight hundred years ago the new nation formed by these races was named Nostastone.
Trade opened up between the races and with time they learned to accept the other races. With each other's help society grew while preserving the natural beauty of the land. Today their peace continues as they take the necessary actions to maintain it.
Government: There is a large council that oversees major decisions for the nation. There are roughly equal numbers of the three main races in the council, but there are less fairies and dryads as it is hard to find candidates to actually join the council. How one joins the council depends on one's race. All council members vote on topics brought up by the council to make decisions. Most regions and communities have smaller scale systems to deal with local issues that are not important enough to bring up in the council.
Imports/Exports: Nostastone does not trade much with other nations, most of its trading is internal. While it does not have an abundance of rare materials, it can sustain itself with the resources it has. Nostastone has a good quality lumber, bamboo and stone but an agreement made with the fey inhabitants prevents harvesting large amounts of natural resources for the sake of trade and profit. Only the tengu trade with those outside Nostastone. The fey and underground inhabitants do not trade for resources unless it is necessary. There are those that trade within Nostastone to trade with foreigners.
The wealthier import materials not often found in Nostastone such as rare metals, and glass.
Military: Nostastone has a small military force. The military force is maintained as a group effort between the different races to keep peace in the nation and not to invade others. Most of the military is comprised of tengu. This is not caused by bias, but because the other races have low enlistment rates. There are general squads with comprised with soldiers of different races and many specialized squads for those with certain talents.
In tengu society having the discipline and willingness to join the military is a respected. The tengu troops while not the strongest soldiers are the most disciplined in the Nostastone military. There are few long nose tengu in the military, with a majority of tengu soldiers being crows and wolves. A tengu soldier can be distinguished by the variant of military uniform the wear. Along with a uniform tengu soldiers are given a special red hat (tokin) which doubles as a cup, a hauchiwa leaf fan, and tall sandals with only one slat (tengu geta). Soldiers are trained with their choice in a selection of arms such as various blades, shields and bows. Most tengu wear light armour or no armour in combat. Aerial crow units need to minimize weight to fly without problems at top speed, as such they wear no armour and cannot carry any heavy equipment with them. Crow tengu could use enchanted armour, but do not as ground units do not. Out of pride ground units do not wear heavy armour or enchanted armour either. Crow soldiers specialize in scouting and relaying messages while wolf units are geared towards combat and patrolling. There are crow combat squads, but not as many as there are for wolves.
The tengu military is not as strong as it could be. This is because many stronger tengu refuse to join the military due to a dislike of conflict and violence. In addition, the military has been unsuccessful in getting religious support. Tengu monks train in their own fighting style to improve their bodies along with their minds and are much more disciplined that normal tengu soldiers. Tengu monks do not believe in military service. Shrine keepers and priests have been uncooperative as well.
The elaneae don't have many troops, and not just anyone can sign up. The process of allowing one to be a soldier is very selective. Being underground they feel safe defending their own people in the dark tunnels and dangerous drops. In addition, not wanting to leave the underground has left them with a low recruitment rate and little motivation to increase it. Elaneae troops patrol around the caverns and cities helping those in need. Their soldiers are better equipped than the tengu as they have better access to the materials needed and have developed better smithing techniques. Elaneae soldiers are tough but undisciplined and rowdy. It can be hard for them to get along with the tengu.
Outside of several stronger alraunes and dryads fey are almost non-existent in the military. While alraunes and dryads are more powerful than fairies, they lack their resurrection ability. The council has tried to form a fey branch of the military multiple times but has given up on it for the time being. Most fey don't care about war, land or power. Fairies which make up most of their numbers are weak in almost every aspect individually and only useful in large hordes. However they can be very childish and easily distracted. While braver or foolhardy fairies may fight to the death, most will desert in the face of great danger. The military has never been able to make fairies act in an organized or disciplined manner, and eventually they get bored and leave. The most successful attempt involved giving the fairies candy along with military pay to add an incentive. It worked for a brief time, but this led them to become hyperactive. Not long later the they ran out of candy and had to cancel the project.
Foreign relations: (I'll deal with foreign relations later)
Well, you may want a character who can represent your nation abroad, and who you can thus play and put into a lotta places. You could also make a more "specialized" character who fits in with some of the plots currently running, or design a plot or two of your own (preferably by communicating with other players, or it'll end up really masturbatory) and make a character who fits that one. In the end you can put your character just about anywhere that's mapped out, and so long as you make an effort to RP with other players you'll get some stuff to do.