Geography
Gray skies perpetually hug the rolling fields of Drolund, as tall wheat fields run the landscape as far as the eye can see. The hardy climate that sits at a cool temperature year round provides a decent amount of rainfall for this province of the Venerated Republic, the large stocks of wheat grown by the Drodain people feeding them for eons. The region is almost split in two as a saddle forms off the Godspine and cuts right through the heart of the province. On Drolund’s easternmost edge is the beautiful and vast Good Sea, the largest body of water on the continent of Vitaveus.
History
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Historically, the Drodain people were farmers first and foremost. The large swaths of land provided them with an ample bounty of wild grasses, that over time, they had learned to cultivate and germinate through ancient methods of agriculture and horticulture. To this day, Drolund breads are prized throughout the Republic, as their stocks of wheat and grains have brought a vast bounty of sweat and delicious breads to all corners of the known world. This reputation Drolund possessed in its’ early years had not been to it’s benefit, however. Ostenam, a neighboring region and long time bitter rival, spent much of its formative years raiding their neighbor Drodain of their hard earned cultivation.
Due to the constant threat of the Osteins, the Drodain of the Drolund Plains were forced to take up martial practices to defend their farmlands. Initially their efforts yielded armies of impressive size. When the legions of the Venerated Republic arrived within Drolund when the Reckoning had finally reached their lands, the Drodain were no match for the overwhelming might that the Decusian faith brought to bear upon them. In defeat, the Drodain surrdenders to the Decusians after only two years of resistance, solidifying their position as a major grain production power to feed the well oiled Republican war machine.
Torment
The Torment is in a frenzy within this region, and the Venerated Republic along with the Apothecary Corps is doing everything it can do to stave off the threat of losing one of its largest grain producers for its Empire. Those of the Drolund fields that still inhabit the region have moved most of their efforts to the Eastern edges of the territory, taking shelter around the Good Sea and the Bloody Basin. It is within these areas one will even find whispers of anti-Western rhetoric, with some whispering about the sudden and violent spreading of the Torment being a plot of the Osteins to try and remove their ancient and long-time rivals without fear of being branded as seditionists to the Republic. For it is quite curious that the Torment is so deeply entrenched within Drolund as opposed to its neighboring territories, a fact that leads many to believe foul play beyond that of normal means of the plague spreading. Due to the violent outbreaks of Torment across Drolund, Westerners who sometimes make it safely through the Godspine find no quarter within these foul lands. Some are even hung along the winding roads of Drolund as warning to other foreigners and wayward migrants that the Torment is at a fever pitch within Drolund. Yet others interpret this message as something else; perhaps a warning to the Osteins that the Drodain trust none but their own in these trying times.
Points of Interest
Bloody Basin
This large body of water is home to a peculiar site for many to witness for their first time. Eden itself is molded around it as though a massive object once fell here, but what is more intriguing is that the rich iron deposits and minerals deep within the hard stone floor of the basin cause a bleeding effect of rust to emerge at the edges of the water where the rock and lake converge. This effect is where its namesake takes place, as the shores look like they run red with the blood of thousands.
Kaduraas Pass
This pass that breaching from East to West is a major point of traffic for those who official pass through the region on the good graces of the Republic. It is famous in modern times for being one of the last places that the legendary Resolve and their forsaken followers were observed before disappearing into the Western Territories nearly thirty years ago. The pass is lined with outposts and towers that are manned by Legion forces, and of late, have become bolstered as the efforts to beat back the Torment into the Western Territories have failed. People who pass through the checkpoint must reach the next in a series of stops within a specific allotted amount of time stamped on their passage writ due to the area being notorious for illicit activity such as smuggling, human trafficking and more; not to mention the specter of the Resolve. If these times are found to be forged or altered, travelers are often simply executed in the street, with Republic forces citing the offender of having been in league with the Resolve. If times prove to be tardy by an unreasonable amount, the offending traveler traditionally would be set back to Antongrad for questioning and interrogation. However, in such dark times as these, these offenders are often executed as well, solely due to hysteria involving infiltration by loyalists to the Resolve. It is for this very reason many colloquially call this place, the “Mad Dash Pass”.
Inspirations and Influences
Midwestern United States. Traditional example names such as Colborn, Cade, Kimberley and Nara are common for those hailing from Drolund.
Geography
Those who have traveled the Shimmering Plains of Virrenul will tell you that the grasslands go on forever. Indeed, whether on horseback or foot it is hard to imagine the sprawling plains coming to any sort of end. Yet end they do, as does Virrenul, when it runs up against the Broadwater, which at over 500 miles in length approaches even the mighty Red River in length. If you should chance to cross the river, as the pioneers did long ago, you will find yourself in Ghaenthgrand, the territory which lies at the center of Vitaveus. The Shimmering Plains may end at the Broadwater, but the majority of Ghaenthgrand is dominated by such grasslands and prairies. Save for the west and the south, most of the territory is a vast expanse, broken only sporadically by rivers and forests. This abundance of land only makes what lies further into Ghaenthgrand more breathtaking.
Situated along the northern border of the region rests Goodsea, which is Vitaveus’ largest inland body of water. It is fed from sources all over central Vitaveus but within Ghaenthgrand the greatest of those sources is the Broken-Hearted River, one of Vitaveus’ great rivers alongside the Red and Broadwater rivers. Goodsea is composed of freshwater and the lake is approximately 38,0000 square miles in surface area and is a central feature of not only Ghaenthgrand but the entire region. Amidst Vitaveus’ flatlands it must seem unique, but the truth of the matter is that while it may be the largest inland body of water, it is not the only one within Ghaenthgrand’s borders. One-hundred miles to the northeast one may also find the Lake Volg, another large lake in central Vitaveus. Lake Volg is the terminus of the Broadwater and connects to Goodsea via the Wise Canal, the longest of three channels connecting central Vitaveus’ four largest lakes.
Despite these features it would be fallacy to claim that Ghaenthgrand is all plains, rivers and lakes. The Godspine Mountains, Vitaveus’ tallest range, compromise the western border of the territory, and along with the Godspine comes foothills and boreal forests. Southern Ghaenthgrand is also bordered by rocky highlands; Roenhelm’s Valley (better known as the Cauldron) is the southernmost point of Ghaenthgrand and a part of the Eternal Range, a sprawling series of mountains which continues for over 800 miles to the southeast.
As is the case with most of the territories in central Vitaveus, the majority of Ghaenthgrand’s citizens live near the lakes. There are certainly towns and even small cities in the foothills and backlands, but the northeastern portion of the region is far more densely populated than the southwest. Those settlements that aren’t near the lakes or the fertile midlands are nearly always a stones throw from the banks of the Broken-Hearted River or one of its tributaries. One such town, perhaps the largest of all the backland towns, is Raven’s Bridge. It is opportunely located at the fork where the Broken-Hearted River is joined by Katrina’s River, one of its many tributaries. Roughly 300 miles southwest of the Goodsea, Raven’s Bridge (and indeed all the settlements in the southwest) are considered off the beaten path. Still, the placement of Raven’s Bridge makes it something of a regional capital for the villages and hamlets in the area. Such a designation has brought prosperity to it, and along with that prosperity Raven’s Bridge has steadily grown over the years.
While Raven’s Bridge may indeed be the central town of the southwest, Hegvard is the true territorial capital of Ghaenthgrand. The largest settlement in the territory, Hegvard lies on the shores the Goodsea. Citizens of the eastern territories might share a good laugh when the people of Ghaenthgrand call Hegvard a harbor town, but the truth of the matter is that the title is every bit deserved. Goodsea is perhaps the best source of transportation and food in the region and allows the residents of Hegvard to do business with both Drolund and Ostenam. Access to Volgen via the Wise Canal and Lake Volg further supplements Hegvard’s mastery of the region. Hegvard also sees a fair amount of traffic from travelers; the road west leads through Drolund to the Angelspire Traverse, making the settlement a prime stopping point for both those on their way to the western territories or those heading back east.
Depending on their journey, those same travelers often pass through Steelferry as well. Situated some 250 miles east of the capital, this tiny town rests along the banks of the Broadwater at the edge of the Shimmering Plains. The town gets its name not only from the lumbering chain ferries which it operates for those crossing the Broadwater, but also for the majority of its clientèle; Steelferry’s barges are often frequented by fresh Legion platoons on their way west. Though the ferry may be what the village is known and named for, in truth it survives off of what most towns in northeastern Ghaenthgrand survive off of; miles and miles of fields. Perhaps the best of such fields can be found in the Rathyn Expanse, the fertile tract of land between Goodsea and Lake Volg. Some 160 miles northeast of Hegvard across the waters of the Goodsea one can find the town of Fieldstone, the seat of power in the Rathyn. Though not as large as Hegvard, Fieldstone served as the capital of Ghaenthgrand until the road west was forged through the territory. Soon after it was outgrown and replaced, though it still likely holds honors as the wealthiest town in Ghaenthgrand due to the value of the surrounding land. Its counterpart, across the Expanse on the shores of Lake Volg, is Tills.
History
Ghaenthgrand is unique to Decusian culture, as it is a territory that was sparsely and thinly populated by native peoples upon the arrival of Decusians to Vitaveus. When the first explorers set foot in what was to become Ghaenthgrand and made their way to the shores of Goodsea, you can imagine their incredulity. The year was 477 AS and Arkhess was being settled, while intrepid sailors were already mapping out the meandering shores of the northern Yultac territory. The Goodsea was unexpected, unplanned for, and many had no explanation other than the fact that they were standing upon the beaches of Vitaveus’ west coast. It was a rumor dispelled with further exploration, but the seed had already been planted and already people were talking about the sea in the west.
And so came the pioneers, slowly at first, and then in droves. By 525 AS a full-fledged settlement effort was underway. Those with nothing to lose crossed the Shimmering Plains in Virrenul, which at times proved rather inhospitable, but the majority came from Volgen to the northeast. Many settled on the shores of the lake there, and it was these people who gave the Goodsea its name, claiming it held all the benefits of the Pearl Sea to the east with none of the dangers. One such group was led by Martus Rathyn who, newly wealthy from his land in Volgen, led his family southwest in hopes of even greater success. He discovered it on the shores of the Goodsea when, in 528 AS, he founded a settlement he would call Fieldstone. Drawing others to his banner, Rathyn’s town grew and soon became the defacto provincial capital of the Ghaenthgrand region. Eventually all the surrounding lands came to bear his name as well, and the Rathyn Expanse was heralded as a success that many pioneers of Vitaveus hoped to emulate.
Still, some were not content simply to reach the lake and pressed on into the territory, following the shores of Goodsea and eventually the banks of the Broken-Hearted River southwest. Perhaps the best known was Katrina Yudoras, who in her youth had been a High Deacon of the Decusian Church and a member of the Circle of Illumination. Though she had since retired from the clergy she continued with the research that had propelled her through the ranks of the church, convinced that the mountains to the west held religious relics from centuries past. Along with a contingent of pilgrims she followed the Broken-Hearted River southwest until, in 542 AS, reached the confluence of the Broken-Hearted River and what would come to be know as Katrina’s River. There she died of natural causes. Without her leadership the pilgrims faltered. One half of the group decided that with Katrina’s death so ended their mission and at that site they founded the town of Raven’s Bridge. A smaller second group, led by one of Katrina’s outspoken pupils named Walther Roenhelm, continued south along Katrina’s River and up into the mountainous valley which came to bear his name. Roenhelm’s Valley would eventually take his life and the lives of many of his followers, and though it still draws adventurers those in Ghaenthgrand have all but written it (and Walther Roenhelm) out of history.
The latter portion of the 6th century brought a radical shift in population to Ghaenthgrand. Many of the territory’s current towns were already in place, but settlers were also startling to look west to Drolund. Though it was many years before passage through the Godspine Mountains would be opened the Republic was already thinking of such prospects and in 568 AS started their work on the road west through Ghaenthgrand. Nearly every settlement on the great road grew as a consequence, including a well-to-do town called Hegvard on the banks of the Goodsea. The road proved so prosperous that Hegvard soon became the largest town in the region. Still, most states and districts within the territory continued to operate independently for the next 180 years as the Republic spread throughout Vitaveus. What few decisions concerning Ghaenthgrand as a whole continued to take place in Fieldstone until the official proclamation of the Republic in 749 AS. With Ghaenthgrand’s declaration as a territory the capital was moved to the more centrally located Hegvard.
Aside from some mild rivalry between Rathyn and Hegvard, Ghaenthgrand has continued to prosper throughout the years.
Torment
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Ghaenthgrand has been spared many of the horrors of the Torment, undoubtedly due to most of it’s territorial holdings consisting of powerful Prelacy Parish estates and baronies of whom had been able to weather the initial outbreaks with ease. Ghaenthgrand continues to remain stalwart in the face of the Torment, although since the 1320s, numerous patches it’s sprawling grasslands have been claimed by new construction – namely in the form of temporary camps, settlements and relief villages for displaced Republic citizenry from both overcrowded Municipalities in the Baronies as well as evacuated Townships in the Midlands.Points of Interest
Chapterhouse of the Knights of the Walls
Throughout history the prosperous and fortunate have always had a desire for exclusivity, and in Ghaenthgrand those men are found in the Rathyn Expanse. Amidst the sprawling crops and field walls there is a fort where, for all practical purposes, none has a reason to exist. This is the Chapterhouse of the Knights of the Walls, the headquarters of a fraternal organization comprised of influential Prelacy men from all over central Vitaveus.
Such chivalric orders have existed in many different forms all throughout the Republic. Though holding no power in any official capacity, they tend to draw membership from powerful people in society and in that regard the Chapterhouse of the Knights of the Walls is no different. The group claims to have been founded by Martus Rathyn himself in 530 AS, though due to their unnecessarily secretive ways this cannot be confirmed.
Much of the clubs traditions and practices are a secret, members rarely speak openly of their involvement, and access to the Chapterhouse is forbidden to anyone but full members. Still, it is hard to point to anything malicious about the group and indeed “the Walls”, as they are colloquially called, are often associated with charitable works in central Vitaveus.
Principle Falls & Katrina’s Tears
The Principle Falls can be considered the headwaters of the Broken-Hearted River. At the falls three rivers which flow out of the Godspine Mountains come together before plunging over a sheer cliff face in a 75 foot drop. Though quite a site, the falls are rarely visited due to their secluded nature. Evidence suggests this may not always have been the case; rough stone steps have been carved into the cliffside leading from the base of the falls to the peak. Who did this or why remains a mystery, but they seem to predate any settlements in the region.
Stranger still are the similarities they bear to other stone carvings that can be found some 220 miles to the southeast. Katrina’s River is not the only geographical feature to bear Katrina Yudoras’ name. On its way out of the foothills to join the Broken-Hearted River in the north, Katrina’s River passes through a series of lakes that have come to be known as Katrina’s Tears. The lakes, collectively much smaller than Goodsea or Lake Volg, are serene, out of the way places that are rarely visited. Again, this was not always the case; stone steps can be found carved into lakeside bluffs and many of the lakes even possess wreckage from what might have been crude stone tables. That such remnants can be found without any trace of actual settlements is a perplexing mystery and one still unanswered to this day.
Roenhelm’s Valley
High up in the Eternal Range, at the northernmost tip of the mountains, there is a place that few venture. It is a valley, some 3800 miles square in area, secluded by a craggy rim encircling it. It is called Roenhelm’s Valley, though Ghaenthgrand locals who speak of it (if they speak of it at all) simply call it the Cauldron.
Though rumors passed on by explorers and scouts had circulated, the area did not truly come into focus until 542 AS, when Walther Roenhelm led a group of pilgrims up into the Eternal Range and then down into the auspicious valley. There was no word for several months until a quarter of Roenhelm’s party returned, bringing with them morbid tales of the valley. It was a wonder some of them had made it out alive, for nearly all of them seemed to be afflicted with some type of unknown flux. Fatigued and weary, they took as many as three months to recover from the strange sickness. Though those who tended to the refugees never fell ill, their patients were clearly afflicted with something; in addition to more common symptoms such as headaches and nausea, many lost hair, fingernails and teeth. Even more had strange rashes or discolorations near their armpits, throats and groins.
Perhaps more disturbing than their unusual malady were the stories they told of their journey into Roenhelm’s Valley. With their words they painted a picture of a dusty basin hardly able to sustain life. The plants that grew in the rocky soil were withered and stunted. They had seen no animals save for the dogs and mules they had brought with them. And as they traveled deeper into the valley they claimed Walther Roenhelm himself became more and more disconnected from the reality of their situation. He claimed that Katrina Yudoras was speaking to him from beyond the grave, leading them onward to the site upon which they would build a monastery and unlock the secrets of Ascendance. Unwilling to follow Roenhelm’s apparent delusions any longer, the small splinter group left in the night. They were not pursued.
Despite the ill portents, the tale of Walther Roenhelm and his Decusian monastery live on, drawing desperate men and women from all over Vitaveus to the Cauldron. The Venerated Inquisition Corps has organized missions in 591 AS and 688 AS to put an end to the persistent sacrilege, though each group eventually returned empty-handed.
The valley remains unsettled and any who venture into it seem to contract the strange malady that afflicted the original refugees. Most recover, though some die suddenly years later to a vicious wasting disease with symptoms identical to the original flux. The Church has quietly declared the area forbidden, though there is no effort in place to stop people from entering. Even if there was, it seems to be a moot point; most who enter seldom return.
Inspirations and Influences
Anglo-Saxon, Camelot – Arthurian Legend. Traditional example names such as Theobald, Baldric, Bella and Anabel are common for those hailing from Ghaenthgrand.
Geography
Heston is nestled between some of the most vibrant and beautiful Provinces within the Midlands and Eastern Baronies, which in turn forms a interesting and breathtaking array of landscape features that bring Heston its unforgettable charm. Large yew trees encroaching from Athaerun, the rolling hills of poppy flowers from Virrenul, and some of the beautiful freshwater springs that run from the Godspine itself all lend themselves to the splendor that Heston claims dominion over. The dales of Heston are something to be admired in the summer and the fall, as the colors change and the vegetation is still in full bloom. The largest quantities of exports such as potatoes, cabbage, onions and tomatoes come from the various agricultural Townships and occasional Municipalities of Heston, which makes the territory critically important to sustaining the Republic with fresh food supplies.
History
Heston is a region that has long been settled by some of the first men to walk Vitaveus. Although the region is named Heston, the people from the region do not call themselves in some sort of variation of the name, as Heston simply implies “from the bushwood enclosure”. They are in essence like the Republic itself, a melting pot of mixing cultures from the surrounding regions, which in part played a vital aspect in their assimilation to the Venerated Republic at the time of the Reckoning. Natives of Heston are often known for their reserved but tempered response, while some may argue that their mannerisms border on the behavior of laziness and lackluster enthusiasm, especially when it comes to the hustle and bustle of cities such as Greatport.
Historically, the peoples of Heston showed an affinity and admiration of the natural world, and as such some of the more rural areas of the territory had been rife with all manners of paganism and earth-based worship. When it came to the Reckoning however, Heston was conquered in but a few short months. So notorious was the quick assimilation of the region into the Decusian empire that tales still speak of the weak-willed nature of the native peoples, with sayings such as “people from Heston have yellow bellies and lead in their shoes” being commonplace. These sentiments are easily misguided and far from the pulse of what the people of Heston are like in reality – for many rumor that the pagans of Heston were such in tune with their earthly roots, they had foreseen the arrival of Decusians long before they ever stepped foot upon Vitaveus. For this reason, they opted to preserve the beauty of their lands rather than stain them red with the blood of the fallen in a futile attempt to resist the inevitable; indoctrination by the Decusian war machine.
People from Heston look like an amalgamation of Aedaens, Easterings, Virrenians, and Athaerians; their skins ranging from sunkisses to pale, brown eyes to light blues and greens, and even blonde hair to raven black. Their settlements were typically small and built in naturally open spaces as to bring little disturbance to the natural world; using mud and stone to erect buildings with thatched roofs. In modern times, however, sprawling development of large cities has taken rise, yet a consideration to aesthetics as well as impact on the local environment has always guided any sort of development within the territory. Inexplicably, Heston has retained much of its’ grandeur while also bearing home to some of the largest populated areas west of the Baronies.
Torment
Paganistic groups from the dales have made public attempts to thwart and push back the efforts of the encroaching Torment from more caustic and problematic Provinces like Aedenshyr, Virrenul and even Redholme. However, these practitioners of the Old are no members of the Consortium, and as such are deemed apostates, no matter what good intent them seem to serve. Consortium Circle members have been operating within the dales for a while now, and suspect that these apostates were supported by the Moorwick circle in Virrenul, which subsequently saw to the destruction of its members by the Church and its more devote Auditorii. This in turn as made the pagans who are trying to stem the tide of the Torment hostile to Republic interference, afraid that they may do more harm than good in trying to bring them to the Flame, as the world around them is coming closer to going up in flames itself. Do to this flagrant disregard to Decusian laws and culture, as well as the significance of the territory in terms of pure agricultural worth, the Church has focused a significant effort into flooding Heston with Legion and Templar forces; not because of the Torment, but to systematically eradicate any and all whom would promote or harbor the pagan groups and their wicked magics from the face of Vitaveus. Much to the dismay of many in the higher echelons of the Legion and Church leaderships, tens of thousands of soldiers have been committed to chasing down what amounts to less than a few thousand practitioners, and as a result, has turned Heston into a modern-day witch hunter’s paradise.
Points of Interest
d’Abre Cour
The manor of a once wealth and powerful Prelacy family who held large dominion over Heston, d’Abre Cour sat amidst the rolling poppy fields as they breached out of Virrenul and into the dales. The owner of the manor, a Prelacy family with the surname of Comberstack, began to make attempts to tax goods both exported and imported into the region to assist with the efforts of the Republic in keeping order within the post-Torment territory. However, these efforts were a front, and the Comberstacks were funneling the money to pay for their lavish tastes in heretical literature. When a local Templar Chapter heard word of the Comberstack’s deceit, the Chapter seized their lands, and executed all those even associated with the Prelacy family, to include hundreds of serfs.
Coquelicot
A small but bustling city resting halfway between the border of Redholme and Keluben, Coquelicot was named after the rolling poppy flower hills that reach into the Province and part around the settlement in a beautiful perimeter display. This settlement is well defended compared to many of the much smaller hamlets that dot the landscape, as the people of Heston make every attempt to not disrupt the growth or natural beauty of Eden; a view expressed very differently from their neighbors to the South in Aedenshyr, who pride themselves on modern advancements in machine and steel.
Inspirations and Influences
Celtic and Gaelic. Traditional example names such as Bryn, Rowan, Gwyneth and Morgan are common for those hailing from Heston.
Geography
Coniferous trees paint the landscape of Ostenam, with rocks and the forest floors covered in thick coats of lichen. The air is thick with fog that rolls through almost year round, only breaking when the Flame reaches the highest points in the sky. The landscape of the region begins to slope into a lowland when pushing further East away from the Godspine Mountains and the Galehorn Mountains that give Ostenam its sturdy Western backbone. Strong waterfalls off the Godspine fall into the province and form the many rivers that cut through the middle of Ostenam, making their way South by Southeast and forming many of the lakes on their Southern border, including the famous Lake Volg. While mostly unsuited for large-scale agricultural use, the region of Ostenam is important to the Republic primarily for its’ mass production and easy transportation via. waterways of lumber. The majority of Ostenam’s population hubs are situation around the shores of Lake Volg, but other notable cities can also be found at the base of the Godspine as well.
History
Ostenam is one of three nations that, until the arrival of the Decusian Faith and the Venerated Republic, was embroiled in constant skirmishes and raids to establish itself the rightful power within Vitaveus among its rivals: Volgen and Drolund. Though not concerned with establishing an outright Empire, the nations of Ostenam, Drolund and Volgen all conspired to exert exclusive rights of rule throughout the region, with their key goals being to establish a form of taxation for both currency and valued good, along with rights to land claims and wild game within the regions. This drive originates from an ancient period of warring tribes that once converged to a singular people, and for many who first visit each of these Midland provinces, the vestiges of these ancient cultures seem one in the same at face value.
The ancient people of Ostenam were a pale skinned and dark of hair and eyes folk. They remain among the tallest people within Vitaveus, and their frames are usually bulky and big boned, and native Osteins still retain much of their pale skin and dark hair identifiers. Their size however should not dismay someone from thinking they are no more than mere cumbersome bulls, as the people of Ostenam have a rich history of being some of the best hunters and trackers to stalk Eden. Their ancient culture is one of seldom words, and to share such tongues with folks even if a mere single word is a sign of respect in their eyes; “No prey hears its stalker,” as the Osteins (Aws-tee-nhs) say in regards to their shortness from outsiders.
When the Republic entered the Ostenam during the Reckoning, they had their hands full in dealing with the local populace as their guerrilla tactics proved to be a nuisance to their larger forces and their garrison positions, harassing them at every cost. What seized the region for them was not just their enduring presence or their might in large scale battles, but a single military stroke of luck that saw the thane of an area known as Tills brought to the sword by a small group of Legionnaires who sought revenge for their brethren in battle after being displaced from the bulk of the Legions forces in Ostenam. By breaking through the sentries in the dead of night and slaying the thane in his sleep, the Osteins took this as a sign that they had become prey to an apex predator, the Republic, and agreed to bend the knee to the conquering Decusians on their war path. To this day, the near mythical tale of how Ostenam’s armies of thousands were brought to heel by but a handful of Legionnaires is cited ad nausea in basic training of all the branches of the Republic’s military programs.
Post-assimilation, Ostenam found a niche within the Empire quickly. Their capability for conducting quick and brutally effective raids, along with their gifted talents in tracking, saw to their people as being highly regarded among the Legion and Templar. Ostenam itself never possessed a true religion of its own, and thus were able to be adopted into the Decusian faith with little resistance. As such, little of traditional Ostenam beliefs remain today.
Torment
The Torment is an interesting beast when it comes to the territory and provinces of Ostenam. On one side, the fringes of the territory are being slowly encroached upon by its manic death and destruction from the farmlands of Drolund. On the other, near Volgen, the Lake is showing signs of Torment, where schools of fish are washing ashore in malformed and misshapen husks. Tills, for example, is now being supplied most of its waters through aquifers produced by runoffs of the Galehorn Mountains, however, the disease has shown up in pockets around Tills, where some of the outlying villages have been quarantined or outright eradicated. Despite this, Ostenam remains strong and more than 80% of the region is still inhabitable. Yet while the Torment does not claim this land, another menace does. Reports of neopaganistic activity, situated mostly in the western edges of Ostenam, are commonplace. Some even believe that the uncanny prosperity Ostenam has seen in resisting being wholly consumed by the Torment is due to the dark and ancient magics perpetrated by these blasphemous heathens.
Points of Interest
Tills
Along the rivers that feeding into Lake Volg and the Goodsea, Tills is a major logging and ferry junction for the bulk of the Republics lumber production throughout the Midlands. Along with serving as the home to countless lumber mills and ferries, Tills also claims to be the base of operations for one of the most important military academies for the Venerated Republic, the Republic Citadel. It is here that many of Inquisitor and Templar forces whom operate in more clandestine operations on behalf of their Empire hone their skills and temper their wit, far from the distracting influences of the Eastern Baronies. The training here is brutal, and it is not uncommon to hear of countless deaths occurring due to it, as troops here can often spend years within Tills and the surrounding regions learning advanced survival skills and training in tracking techniques often taught by the descendants of local Ostein peoples.
Inspirations and Influences
Tarkine Forest, Australia. Traditional example names such as Isaac, Arlo, Harper and Evie are common for those hailing from Ostenam.
Geography
Volgen is a moorish highland with barren crag-like hills that roll into the Freemantle Range, where the breathtaking Prelate’s Peak resides. It is butted up against the First Province, along with the mountains that border it and Arkhess; to its Northwestern border is Ostenam, along with ones of its largest exporters, Yultac, where most of their wool trade is sent. Within Volgen are a few streams and rivers, but Volgen boasts some of the largest and most abundant bodies of water throughout its Province, the largest of these being Lake Volg.
History
Volgen is one of three nations that, until the arrival of the Decusian Faith and the Venerated Republic, was embroiled in constant skirmishes and raids to establish itself the rightful power within Vitaveus among its rivals: Ostenam and Drolund. Though not concerned with establishing an outright Empire, the nations of Ostenam, Drolund and Volgen all conspired to exert exclusive rights of rule throughout the region, with their key goals being to establish a form of taxation for both currency and valued good, along with rights to land claims and wild game within the regions. This drive originates from an ancient period of warring tribes that once converged to a singular people, and for many who first visit each of these Midland provinces, the vestiges of these ancient cultures seem one in the same at face value.
The Volgen people, once known as the Volgs (Vol-g-z) were a chiefdom clan based group of people who have established their presence within the crag-like highlands on the Eastern end of the Midlands. This region gives little in the form of fertile soil, and as such, most of their harvests come from much more heartier plants that are indigenous to the region and wild growing. Their main form of nourishment that provided them with sustenance were the moor-headed sheep that are still abundant throughout the region. The Volg throughout ancient history, well before the arrival of the Decusian faith, began to domestic these sheep for their benefit. What ancestor they may have shared with the common sheep in the Eastern Provinces today is no doubt lost from breeding, but none the less, Volgen remains known for it’s livestock.
Due to the nomadic needs and grazing patterns of these sheep, historically Volg people could not pen them in and thus, early Volg developed a nomadic lifestyle solely; many of the herdsmen and rangers of the Volg spent months away from their hearth and home just to maintain their flock. It is a lonely business for such folk, but they were not without the faithful company of some notoriously famous companions: the Volgen Retriever. This stout and wire-haired beast with a broad but short snout was undying in its loyalty to its handlers, who had grown up along sides these four legged hounds since man the first men walks Vitaveus. They make for great flushing dogs and hunt in packs that seem to indoctrinate their handlers into the pack hierarchy at the apex position. Today, they are not only used to help range in the sheep, but also as Legion sentries, guard dogs and even as pedigree show dogs among aristocratic Easterners of the Prelacy.
When the Reckoning took hold of the territory of Volgen, the men and women of the Volg quickly became favored for their extensive knowledge in animal breeding and herding techniques, their hounds becoming quickly integrated into the Legion and Templar forces to act as force multipliers. This importance laid upon their prized hounds brought the Volg people a greater sense of purpose, and hopes to eventually crush their rivals, which became a reality as they bent the knee in homage and absolute fealty to the Venerated Republic without so much as a few months worth of resistance
Torment
The Torment remains a major issue within the region, which isn’t anything new for those living in these dark times. However, the Volg people are beginning to become restless. When The First Province fell, many of it’s former inhabitants had begun to flock to the other territories within the Baronies. However, many chose to evacuate further west, namely to that of Volgen. This influx of refugees has put a damper on the herds of sheep the territory is famously known for, as poaching has become a rising threat to the herdsmen and their flocks. The final nail in the coffin for many within the territory has been the contamination of Lake Volg, where many Municipalities and townships are seated around. Thus, many whom reside in these affected cities and villages have begun to blame the refugees that have flocked to their cities and towns for spreading their sickness to the waters, tainting their fish and soiling their water – resulting in a very xenophobic and sometimes violent reaction to newcomers.
Points of Interest
Lake Volg
This lake rests as a natural border between Ghaenthgrand and Ostenam, on its westernmost limit. Many of the settlements and cities that the Volg people inhabit are dotted around these lakes; the harsh terrain of the region makes it hard for transporting goods, particularly their prized wools to surrounding nations of the Republic. These lakes and their waterways allow for the Volg people to transport their stocks by boat, however, the trip has become tumultuous, as Lake Volg has become contaminated with the Torment. Fish wash ashore in amalgamated husks, and ferrymen have reported seeing large creatures surfacing from the watery depths to swallow men whole.
Inspirations and Influences
Yorkshire Moors. Traditional example names such as Albert, Victor, Brea and Fiona are common for those hailing from Volgen.
Geography
Yultac is beautiful in all measure of the word; lush green rolling hills, ancient birch trees, and bountiful waterways feeding into the Caddoch Sea from both the Galehorn Mountains and the Lake of Volgan all bring out the natural beauty that Yultac has to offer. This highland territory offers steep plateaus that cut down into valleys and rolling hills that increase in scale as they move Westward against the Galehorn Mountains. Settlements and trade posts litter the countryside, and all roads lead to the North, where the Port of Dwindain resides, the beating heart of the territory proper.
History
The Yult people of the Yultac highlands were traditionally a pale flesh people with lighter colored hair and eyes of blue and greenish hues. Compared to the size of other Midlanders, they were slightly shorter build with a coarse hair. Many joke of their excessive body hair, and a common phrase in the Midlands is “a Yult would sell you the hair on his back if it meant an extra copper.” The Yults were a people gifted in trade and commerce, and the early development of their written and spoken language which spread like wildfire throughout the Midlands pre-arrival of the Decusian war-machine is indicative of this.
During the Reckoning, some resistance was give among the Midlands to the conquests marching upon their homes. The ancient Yults, however, saw the invading Decusian forces as an opportunity to bring about wealth and prosperity to their fiefdoms by opening their borders freely to the Imperial machine, welcoming it with open arms, unlike many other early peoples of Vitaveus. The Yults were also a faithless lot, and as such, had no qualms with taking on the religious and ritual practices of an invading force if it means that further trade can be conducted to better suit their needs. As such, the Decusian faith was embraced with open arms, and all effigies to paganistic practices within less-enlightened provinces of the territory were toppled with little more than a stifled yawn.
Due to the historical wealth and abundance associated with the region throughout history, many members of the Clergy lavish the opportunity to be sent to the region, as it is far from the eyes of Redholme and Tor, and the Yult traders have no issues with lining the pockets of established church officials in order to get extended favors and indulgences.
The Yultish Language
The Yult people were one of the first to develop a standardized writing system along with a pattern of speech that borrowed from many of the surrounding Midland tribal groups and fiefdoms. Due to their extensive trade networks and this development of a common writing system, their language began to spread to the surrounding territories; those who wished to trade with them found the language similar in ways to their own, and quite easy to pick up, borrowing on a similar lexicon of tones and patterns. Furthermore, as many of the surrounding fiefdoms lacked a writing system, relying on oral traditions and recollection, picking up the Yultish writing system only bolstered the capabilities of communication within the Midlands; for both its own politics and religious practices, but also its trading efforts with surrounding regions.
Torment
The Torment is beginning to make its way into the Northern reaches of the Midlands, and even though these cases are few and far between, what has hurt Yultac most is that the other surrounding regions are suffering heavily from the Resolvist plague. This has placed a heavier burden on their trade routes, having to take extra measures to protect their traders, caravaneers, and any perishable imports they’ve come across. Provinces like Ghaenthgrand have all but cut trade ties with the Yultian border cities, as their plight with the Torment on the Western front has brought them on the brink of calamity and destruction. Due to all this, many less reputable or skilled traders have been forced to uproot their shops and coteries for better commercial opportunities elsewhere in Vitaveus.
Points of Interest
Port of Dwindain
Resting on the Northern edge of Yultac, this port city is the major economic seat of the Yult people and the Republic efforts in the Midlands. During the Reckoning, Port Dwindain was used as a staging point for Imperial forces, as it is the last port on the route West along the Caddoch Sea and its deadly squalls that capsize smaller vessels.
Edring’s Monolith
A large black obelisk that stands almost squarely in the middle of the Yultac province, Edring’s Monolith has been given its moniker for its unfortunate circumstances. Many Inquisitors who have actually looked upon the stone have felt a sense of dread and unease, claiming it something foul from a time long forgotten. However, as legend and folklore may have it, a foolish and shrewd trader by the name of Edring held no belief in such preposterous things many years prior to the Decusian assimilation of Yultac. As the stories say, to show those in his employ that there was little to fear of such a stone, Edring attempted to carve his name into the obelisk, cementing a message that it was his shrewd trading prowess that should be feared and whispered about, and not some old rock. Those who watched said that when Edring hit his chisel and hammer against the smooth stone, the man turned into a cloud of red mist, never to be seen again. To this day, the Monolith remains untoppled, seated squarely in the middle of a ridiculously large and walled-in containment area that has been patrolled and guarded by Inquisitor Clergies for centuries.
Galehorn Mine
The Galehorns provide the Midlands with an extravagant amount of minerals and metals that prove vital to both trade and the lifeblood of the Venerated war machine. The Galehorn Mines, named after the very mountains they plunge deep into, have long been abandoned, ripped of any value that Eden once provided. It is now home to many Western refugees, forced to live within the abandoned passages as they’ve little elsewhere to go. Due to this, crime has spiked dramatically along the Galehorn, and thus, many have begun to cite further anti-Western sentiments.
Inspirations and Influences
Ireland. Traditional example names such as Maxwell, Douglas, Ainsley and Kenna are common for those hailing from Yultac.