Geography
What was once a land of towering trees and fertile soil is now a landscape brought under flame and blade. Kaduraas now exists as a desolate land, a scar upon Vitaveus and a reminder to its people. Kaduraans huddle to the husk of a few standing outposts under the purview and ever watchful eye of the Venerated Republic, yet to do so is futile – Kaduraas is nearly completely lost to the horrors of the Torment. One of the last of these veritable bastions for humanity found within this once beautiful land is Antongrad. All roads from the West lead through Antongrad, and it acts as not only a beacon of hope from those trying to escape the hellish expanse, but also as a reminder that the Venerated Republic will stand in defiance of even overwhelming odds, until the very last man alive.
History
Kaduraas was one of many territories under the ancient rule of the Collatian Dynasty, standing tall for centuries before the might of the Venerated Republic struck down its heretical teachings and those who would spread them in the hearts of men during the Reckoning. Much of the teachings of the Kaduraan people have been put to the flame, as many of their works were deemed blasphemous and highly heretical by the Clergy of the Decusian Faith. Due to this, what little has survived the flames is solely found in the form of oration and the memory of the spurned. One rather infamous tale that is often shared is the betrayal the Kaduraans suffered at the hands of the Teramer people. For it was the Teramerians who gave the Republic safe passage, fed and armed their Templar with Collatian iron, and allowed them take to blade and flame to the Kaduraan people completely unhindered. Because of this wretched betrayal, Kaduraan and Teremerians still hold ill will against one another, despite such treachery having been wrought centuries ago.
Kaduraas had once been a fertile land, settled between Teramer and Collatia proper, with abundant forests ranging from taigas to wet tropical uplands. However, the once-bountiful territory has been reduced to ashes in many places, the ending years of the Reclamation having used it for countless front-line battles and skirmishes. In many places, even hundreds of years later, the earth itself is still scorched for miles upon miles, with vegetation, trees and plant-life seemingly refusing to grow back in silent protest of the thousands of gallons of blood spilled upon the cursed soil. In modern times, the concentrations of population in Kaduraas spotted the map of the territory, namely settled around it’s various rivers and waterways where at least a semblance of nature has been able to grow back.
Traditional Kaduraan people are a lithe and wirey bunch, with dusky skin and darker pigments of hair, with brown to green colored eyes. However, many of the Kaduraan people are of mixed blood, interbreeding with those from the East that now occupy their once proud nation; a nation that was reduced to nothing more than ash and dried blood long before the Torment ever came to be. The few larger Municipalities that existed in the territory prior to the Torment were merely alive due in part to their Republic garrisons they held, of which were heavily fortified with the means of sustaining themselves inside. Everything from crops and livestock were often grown and raised within these walls, while metals, medicinal supplies and religious goods were brought in through heavily guarded caravans. Life was uncomfortable even within these walls, as everything was rationed to its registered citizenry. Those wayward fools who passed through such garrisons often had to give up a great deal of wealth to even purchase a mere piece of stale bread from those who already have too little to even feed themselves; thus, Kaduraans are often looked upon with a sense of scorn in these modern times.
Prior to the Torment, magical practice was heavily conducted by the Consortium in Antongrad, one of Kaduraas’ largest cities. Antongrad Auditorii are considered to be some of the most blood thirsty and unwavering representatives of their cause in the entirety of Vitaveus, and many believe that the recruits that the Consortium melds into these battle-mages were sent to Kaduraas as their power, temperament and sheer natures would lend them to be executed in any more civilized areas of the Republic. Local Templar Chapters and Legion cohorts within Kaduraas were extremely distrustful of this Circle, believing such wildcard magi could easily stray from the Flame and bring about their ruin from the inside on behalf of the Resolve, yet the Church’s power within this blighted territory has never been anything more than a fleeting presence. Due to this rather unique circumstance magi of Kaduraas find themselves within, a certain sense of infamy is enjoyed for any that claim to hail from Kaduraas, for magical users hailing from territory are often considered extremely well versed, practiced, powerful and above all else, dangerous. Of special note is the rather peculiar tendency of these infamous magii and magickin to adopt the ways of the sword as well, which had led to the concept of the Kaduraasian Warlock – a terrifying stereotype of a well-versed mage of whom is also adept in sword-fighting.
Torment
The current hellscape that is Kaduraas now lends itself to have been scorched not once, but twice, due completely to the spread of Torment and early efforts to control it. Kaduraas has now been literally brought to the Flame; for it is here that the Republic had tested many of its’ newer technological achievements, to include artillery, cannons, and heavy ordinances in an effort to rate their effectiveness against the Torment. Currently, the Torment is at a critical apex in Kaduraas, with less than a dozen strongholds and Municipalities of Republic forces standing firm against the plague.
The only true portion of Kadurass that is firmly held by the Republic is that of Antongrad and the road to it. A fortnight’s ride into Kaduraas from it’s southeastern borders, Antongrad stands as an island within a veritable sea of madness and chaos. Somehow, against all odds, Antongrad still stands, and currently represents the only known habitable stretch of Eden within the Blacklands of Kaduraas.
Points of Interest
The Murderfields
The fields between Antongrad and the Godspine are known as the Murderfields; a vast expanse of charred nothingness. The road Eastward from Antongrad to the Midlands cuts right through the middle of this desolate and macabre plain, leading those who have made it this far out of the West and further into the arms of the Republic. It was here that the Venerated Apothecary Corps, backed by the Templar and Inquisition, took to their prototype use of pyrotechnics and flamethrowers, setting ablaze every settlement and village from the Godspine to the walls of Antongrad – infected or not. Even today, as the winds sweep the charred hills of the Murderfields, they at times still carry with them the ashes of the dead, choking the air from the lungs of those who would dare walk its wastes.
Antongrad
Surrounded on all sides by ruin and scorched earth, Antongrad acts as the passage and last checkpoint before reaching the only path safe enough through the Godspine, of which is heavily guarded by Legion forces. Those who make the journey to the City of Skulls as it is colloquially referred to as are greeted with the visage of all those who have attempted to befoul and curse the last bastion of the Empire. Piles of skulls flayed of their flesh line the sturdy and foreboding walls of this city and serve to cast their judgemental gaze upon those who dare enter. Westerners must pass through Antongrad if they are to attempt the roads eastward into the Midlands. Of recent note is that these travelers must be ever mindful of their possessions, as many are searched for any heretical material that they may smuggle East into the Imperial heartland – no doubt due to orders of traumatized Legion officiants whose grips on reality are beginning to fade.
Inspirations and Influences
Bulgaria, Romania. Traditional example names such as Naiden, Ignat, Rada and Lyubov are common for those hailing from Kaduraas.
Geography
Nestled between the Tempest Ocean and the Eternal Range lies a land full of dense, tropical forest and murky swamps known by the indigenous people as Murandesh. This region is roughly 200,000 square miles in size, kept fed and lush by the many rivers and deltas produced by runoffs from the imposing mountains. The 3,000 miles of coastal territory that is plagued by many ships brought to ruin by the unwavering storms and hurricanes of that given credence to the Tempest Ocean’s namesake.
Due to the hostile environment brought on from the Tempest Ocean, and the lowland climate of Murandesh, the only true season within the Western Province is hot seasons and hurricane season, forcing many of its native inhabitants to reside on the Eastern side of the Amawrak River.
History
The Murandai is a name given to the indigenous people of Murandesh by themselves as a whole, and the only translation Decusian scholars can assert it to is simply: “The People”. These people, although slightly different from one another in their sub-cultural ways, hold very similar appearances anatomically, and also see themselves as children of a single set of gods; due to this they trade openly with one another, at least until recent times. Due to the invasion of the Venerated Republic, the relationships between the various cultural groups that make up the whole body of the Murandai have been in a hard place, due to each group having their own political views on the encroachment of Republic on their long held lands.
As a collective whole, the Venerated Republic view the inhabitants of Murandesh as primitive sacrilegious creatures, due to their lack of developed city infrastructure, primitive beliefs in paganistic entities, the lack of written lore, and finally the open practice of cannibalism as a societal right. Many people from the lands East of Prodai and the Eternal Range view the indigenous people from Murandesh as just above the status of animals, useful for nothing more than manual labor.
However, upon closer review, these people have a rich culture that is unique to its people and not experienced elsewhere in Vitaveus, or in Watanga, the turtle whom we live on the back of, according to the Murandai.
Torment
The Murandai simply view the torment as an “outlanders curse”, a boon of their false man god and his conquerors to bring the true people to their knees, as they are forced to harken the calls of the grand witch, Decus. Due to their cultural views on magic, they see no difference in the Resolve and the Republic, to them, they are one in the same, both figuratively and even culturally. As many in Murandesh only speak local obscure languages and dialects that vary between tribal bands, they have no true grasp of the “common tongue”, therefore, Republic and Resolve even lexically sound the same, therefore are in context, the same. This is further supported in their eyes as members of the Consortium, bearing numbered robes and the Venerated banners of the Republic utilize the evil of magic at their very whims, against the indigenous people of Murandesh.
The VIC have made numerous attempts to seize the region and to purge the more nomadic bands, however, due to the harsh environment, weapons and armor made of iron are highly susceptible to rust, along with the difficult terrain in which the Republic has struggled with topographically mapping and developing a sound large scale assault on such a mobile, reclusive and minimalistic group. As the VIC struggle with these indigenous people, they also have to battle the efforts of the Torment; the Du’Mela and Lani tribes view this as the Republic is losing its control over its magics, and the Mother Goddess turning their physical embodiments of witchery and sin, against their creators.
Points of Interest
Amawrak Rainforest
The Amawrak Rainforest, named after the great river which runs through it, covers most of the Amawrak Basin in Muradesh. This tropical rainforest holds the most-varied species of plants, animals, and insects found within Vitaveus. It is so verdant with undiscovered life, that explorers may easily walk from their expeditions with a new creature or plant named after them.
The dense foliage of this rainforest hides many secrets, and it is unwilling to give them up. Ruins of ancient civilizations lay buried beneath silt and tangled vines. Great deposits of precious minerals hide beneath the trees. This rainforest also holds the highest number of unindoctrinated tribes throughout Vitaveus; a number estimated to be about 67. Many Decusians have attempted to bring our faith to these heretics, but none have ever returned.
Amawrak River
The Amawrak River is the greatest river of Muradesh and the largest drainage system, by volume of its flow, of Vitaveus. The total length of the river, measured by its headwaters in Sulastas to the Tempest Ocean, is at least 4,000 miles. The vast basin it runs though holds the most tributaries and widest floodplains of Vitaveus.
According to heretical tribes of the Murandai, Murdadesh was once as dry and arid as its neighbor Prodai. During a particularly dry season, these ancient people prayed to whom they believed to be their great creator, known as Whakikoero, for relief. Their prayers were answered by the appearance of the great serpent Amawrak. The serpent burrowed into the earth, causing great tremors, and created passageways to channel rainwater from the raging storms of Sulastas. From these crevices sprung a deluge of freshwater, which gave rise to the fertile marshes and forests of Muradesh.
Inspirations and Influences
The Amazon Rainforest. Purutu, Taruca, and Amaru are common for those hailing from Murandesh
Geography
The vast swamps of Niunas stretch seemingly without end, from the western deltas of the loosely labeled province to the Eastern end pressed against the Godspine mountains. There is little variation in the terrain as you enter Niunas and walk its expansive floodwaters and murky bogs. For most of the summer, Niunas is ravaged by hurricanes from the Tempest Ocean. During this terrifying season, the entirety of the region is flooded well past the point of being remotely habitable, uprooting most of the swamps vegetation and trees out into the rolling waves of the Tempest Ocean. Nemus, one of the only infamously known provinces in the entire territory, is situated geographically in an area that is able to endure the seasonal storms, but at a cost to those on the outermost fringes of the province.
History
Niunas isn’t a land of any particular people, cultures or creeds, mostly due to it’s inability to be fully habitable. It does however boast a curious bit of trivial history, as it is named after the Old Collatian word for rage. Due to the terrifying storms that plague most of the warm months that Niunas experiences, along with the lack of any formidable soil to build upon as the deltas quickly give away from the hurricanes, this territory has never truly been a place for a people to reside for any permanent stretch of time. However, if someone is attempting to flee the efforts of Republic law, Church agents or everyday rivals and loan sharks, Niunas represents something of a hidden gem, as many of its habitable areas are in fact nigh impossible to reach without a bit of luck and a whole lot of nefarious know-how.
The province of Nemus, home to a city sharing the same name, rests against the Godspine Mountains and is a hotbed of criminal minds and scoundrels avoiding the oversight of the ever-watchful Church. Its original inhabitants and founders are thought to have been Collatian dissidents who sought to escape the potential persecution of their native homeland and the Collatian Dynasty, and to do so, threw caution to the winds and attempted to hide within the treacherous Stormborne Swamps. Due to this shared ancestry and ancient hatreds, traditional Nemus culture is a haphazard amalgamation that combines aspects of the Old Dynasty with common practices passed down from thieves and cutthroats who’ve historically dealt in some of the most illegal acts throughout Vitaveus. However, due to the literal erasure of any vestige of Old Dynasty culture from the face of Vitaveus by the hands of the Republic, it is seemingly impossible to separate customs and traditions derived from ancient Collatia from that of the practices and culture passed down by the criminal element that has permeated through its’ society. For this reason, Niunasians as a whole are considered the worst of the worst in terms of Decusian ilk, and are detested, distrusted, and considered tainted from birth.
The city of Nemus itself is pieced together by countless hundreds of docks branching out from a central focal point, colloquially known as “The Heart”, where the first outlaws established themselves against and alongside the mountain face. The further one finds themselves from The Heart, the newer the inhabitant most likely is, and their knowledge of the inner workings of the city and its unspoken rules more apparent. Newcomers to Nemus rarely last long, and those that do survive only because they listen and adapt to the terms of the cities people quickly. As a city of thieves, miscreants, and human trash, Niunas’ economy provides no real commodities or resources for trade, and thus, the people of the city often reach out into the East towards territories such as Ghaenthgrand for precious resources and at times, luxury goods.
Torment
The Torment exists in small pockets throughout Niunas, however whatever creatures that may be affected by the horrifying disease are usually prone to the elemental forces that continually besiege the territory and its’ peoples. Due to the storms continuously sweeping in from the coast, much of the Torment blight is quite literally sucked out into the Tempest Ocean. Therefore, much of the territory, especially around Nemus, is largely unaffected by the disease. However, despite the relative safety one may find from the Torment, Niunas is absolutely rife and rampant with its own threats, of which that have only increased exponentially since the arrival of the scourge. Decusian presence has been completely and thoroughly pulled out from all but the fringe borders of Niunas, resulting in the traditionally lawless territory sinking further into decadency. Niunas is therefore a territory nearly completely devoid of the Republic’s influence, and thus, is considered one of the most dangerous places in all of Vitaveus.
Points of Interest
Stormborne Swamp
The thick ichor of this swamp’s bogs and marshlands cover the entirety of the territory for countless hundreds of miles. For a decent part of the year, the swamp itself is a dangerous trek through predatory waters too dense from algae, vegetation and swirling mud. However, in the last months of summer, the storms of the Tempest Ocean pick up to cataclysmic levels and flood the swamps of this region; any poor soul caught between Collatia and Nemus best pray to Decus, for their chances of surviving are negligible at best.
Nemus
Pushed deep and back into the Eastern edge of the Province, nestled up against the Godspine, lies the notorious city of Nemus. It is home to the offspring of Collatian dissidents and outlaws who found the natural protection of the swamp from justice. In modern and recent times, much is unchanged, as those who choose to live in Nemus are nearly all criminals or ne’er do wells who fled their respective homeland territories for the “don’t ask, don’t tell” mentality of the famed criminal city. It is said that those who don’t wish to go through Antongrad and the Kaduraan Pass for legal reasons opt for guides and routes from Nemus smugglers in dangerous expeditions through the Stormborne Swamp. However, word to the warning, you may lose your coin or your life just as quickly on this route as any other out of the West, for these folk are a conniving, wicked lot.
Inspirations and Influences
Brazil, Rainforests, Everglades. Traditional example names such as Itzcali, Cadmel, Eadrich and Ctialee are common for those hailing from Niunas.
Geography
Prodai, though a desert climate, once held a wealth of forested lands that hugged the southeastern edges of its mountain barriers. However, over the generations of expansion on behalf of its ancient priest royalty and their great architectures to venerate their wretched, pagan gods, they had exhausted these natural resources completely, which resulted in many of their civilizations and cities to become empty husks where life once thrived. The sweltering desert landscape has swallowed up these ancient places, burying them beneath the hot Prodain sands as time has taken its toll. The Prodai region is predominantly flat at its center, becoming more pronounced as you reach the foothills along the mountains that encompass almost all of its border. Almost in the center of this barren waste is a massive scar that plunges deep into Eden and stretches further than the eye can see; its depths craggy and torn, and one false step could be the undoing of any mere mortal foolish enough to get close to its edge. Boasting the largest territorial claim of any region within Vitaveus, Prodai’s legacy is as lengthy and large as it’s vast, rolling deserts.
History
Historically speaking, Prodaen people had been long isolated due to the lack of horses or mule-like animals in their region to help them overcome the vast and towering mountains that surround their desert lands. Due to this, ancient Prodaen society had to internally rely on their own lands to further their development of civilization. Initially, this was not of concern to the Prodaen people, as their populations were easily manageable; however, as population levels grew, the demand for more resources grew in tandem. Herein lies the conflict that slowly reduced by all accounts a once thriving empire into a ghost of its former, ancient glory.
The ancient rulers of the Prodaen people, considered “God Kings” by divine right and mandated as such by the priesthood of their society, sought to expand their cultural influence by building over their predecessors and erected great architecture that would stand well beyond their reign. These grand projects, which served as vain tributes to themselves, saw to a mass commitment of an already dwindling supply of natural resources and manpower. For every one of these towering effigies built, a ritual of sacrifice would be conducted, taking the labor-force who were conscripted to build such marvels and murdering them en-masse as a tribute to whatever mad machinations the God Kings had worshiped.
The laypeople of Prodaen society eventually revolted against their God Kings, resulting in a bloody coup that would last years. In the midst of this violent and prolonged rebellion, the Venerated Republic visited its war machine upon the territory’s borders, bringing with it their Holy Reclamation. Like a hot knife carving through butter, the Republic made quick work of those who would stand against them, be it those loyal to the God Kings, or the revolutionists who see to overthrow their former rulers. Hundreds upon thousands of Prodaen people were slain in the conflict of subduing Prodai, and the Reclamation efforts within the territory would last nearly a decade – the longest sustained campaign of Reclamation the Republic would ever wage. When the dust had finally settled in Prodai, those who would remain were brought to heel before the Venerated Republic, either working predominantly in the countless salt mines that would later become the primary export of the region, or becoming conscripted into the vast armies of the Legion to replenish the staggering losses it sustained in attempting to subdue the region.
Torment
Since the emergence of the Torment, Prodai has become embroiled in a separatist movement founded on ancient cultural beliefs that have become reinterpreted by the indigenous people. Technically, the Torment has not overtaken Prodai in earnest, mostly due to the natural borders that block easy travel as well as the sprawling deserts that are the hallmark of this territory.
Curiously, for many true-blooded Prodaen people, the Torment isn’t looked upon as a plague that affects them, but one that has been called forth by the old, dethroned God-Kings to plague the Decusians and their false angelic God. They believe that the Torment to be retribution for the subjugation of Prodai. As such, numerous pockets of the territory has become unsafe. Public executions, murder mobs and lynching have all become commonplace in this region, and have only been exacerbated due to the dwindling Republic presence in the form of Legion and Templar military units. This separatist movement, formally known as “The Luella”, has now reached a level of organization and sophistication previously thought impossible for a rebel group operating within Vitaveus, and has amassed a large guerilla force that has repulsed many of the smaller Legion outposts of the region due to their inability to guard the Province as the Torment threat calls their attention elsewhere. Content on simply keeping the region contained as of the present, the Republic has thus declared Prodai as Blacklands, despite that it is lost more to revolution rather than the Torment threat.
Points of Interest
The Great Maw
This scar into the depths of Eden is revered by the people of Prodai, but for what reasons has been lost to time. Up until the arrival of the Venerated Republic, Prodean God Kings would ritualistically sacrifice one of their children into this large canyon-like crater upon their ascension to the throne. Today, many Decusian followers left abandoned in Prodai, particularly members of the Clergy, have been executed by being tossed into the Maw as an homage to the Old Ways.
Kobo
The largest city in Prodai, Kobo is positioned at the eastern end of the Great Maw, nestled against one of the few freshwater sources in all of Prodai. It is here where the heart of the territory was founded and built, with countless temples spanning the desert, all stained in a rust-like color from ages of shedding blood upon their sandstone bricks. Nearly all of these temples were brought to utter ruin by the Venerated Republic after the conclusion of the Recalamation, with churches to Archangel Decus having been erected in their place. In proper cyclic form, the Luella have now taken to dismantling these Decusian churches and cathedrals as well, working to reestablish the horizon of Kobo with the silhouettes of countless dozens of temples to the old God Kings.
Inspirations and Influences
Ancient Persia. Traditional example names such as Ahman, Srivan, Aida and Shana are common for those hailing from Prodai.
Geography
The southwestern territory of Sulastas is nestled between uninhabitable Niunas and the ravenously tribal province of Murandesh. On its Eastern edge, the Godspine begins to taper into a large pass leading into Ghaenthgrand; this pass, known as Roenhelm’s Gap, has been the site of many conflicts through the centuries by both the Sulastains and the Ghaenthens. The region is filled with vast jungles with thick canopies made primarily of Kapok trees, which produce a plant fiber that is highly regarded for its ability to be weaved into tapestries and other materials that need to be light, yet durable. The raging storms from the Tempest Ocean only really impact the coastal region, making travel through the interior of Sulastas less hostile than its neighboring territories. Yet make no mistake, Sulastas is a dangerous land even before the onset of the Torment, mainly due to threats of all kinds hiding within the thick canopies of the vast jungles that make up the majority of the territory.
History
Sulastas was the second to last of the Collatian Dynasty territories to fall during the Decusian Reckoning, and held some of the largest hold-fasts within the western territories. The natives to the region, known as Sulastains, primarily built their settlements among the faults of the Godspine Mountains. Though most Sulastain lands are dense jungles, very few ancient people inhabited them, instead opting for settlement in the Godspine faults. These uninhabited jungles did serve a purpose to early Sulastains however, acting as a major source for cotton, lumber, and exotic animal products ill found anywhere else in all of the Old Dynasty – and thus making the territory keenly valuable to the Collatians. Apart from that, Sulastain ancient society was primarily agrarian, with their peoples having developed a terrace farming technique to utilize the mountains and their exposure to the sun to cultivate plants such as corn, squash and wheat.
Traditional Sulastains themselves are a short and lithe people, and number among the shortest people in all of Vitaveus. Their skin is of a deep brown complexion and their eyes boasts a wide range of greens and browns. They often dressed in fine loose garments, made from the fiberr of the kapok trees, and wore thick coats and hats to keep warm at the higher altitudes of their homeland. Sulastain people also boast a wide array of body modifications, taking bones, rocks or precious stones, and placing them through their nostrils, ears or even their foreheads. Sulastain society was caste-based prior to the Reckoning, with a scholarly caste at the top of the food-chain, followed by the warrior caste, the trade caste, and lastly, the bound caste.
Sulastas at one point boasted the largest slave market in all of Vitaveus, and settlements and villages from territories such as Ghaenthgrand made up a large part of their ancient slave force. Before the Reckoning and their eventual downfall, Sulastas really consisted of one export: slaves. It is for this reason that the Republic had taken a rather violent and prejudicial hand to Sulastas during the Reclamation, wholly in part to the Decusian belief of slavery being a cardinal sin. It is estimated that less than fifteen percent of Sulastain bloodlines survived the Decusian Reclamation
Torment
The Torment has fully consumed this province in it’s entirety. Pockets of Tormented cysts have been reported throughout the jungles, which has put a stop to the fiber production from the region since early 1320. Roenhelm’s Gap has become a massive quarantine point as of 1340, when a anarchist plot to bring the disease further into the heart of the Midlands was thwarted; however, these diabolic agents in a last ditch effort brought damnation upon the pass, spreading their sickness and infecting the surrounding area. Due to this, Sulastas is considered through and through Blacklands, and little effort has been made to reclaim it in the near thirty years since the emergence of the Torment.
Points of Interest
Itzamaatl
One of the largest cities in Sulastas, Itzamaatl was a hotbed for trade and cotton production in per-Reclamation times. At one point, due to its central location along the Godpsine in Sulastas, Itzamaatl acted as the trade center for the entire territory’s slave markets, with travelers from all over what would later become known as the Western Territories traveling there to take part in the auctions. Upon the arrival of the Decusians during the Reckoning, these slave markets were razed to the ground and turned into nothing more than piles of rubble. Nearly all of the former slave masters of Itzamaatl were systematically rounded up and ritualistically executed by Decusian forces following it’s capture by Templar forces. Due to this, Republic sentiment amongst the laypersons of Itzamaatl, which consisted mostly of the ancestors of freed slaves, had tradtionally been exceptionally strong for a Western Territorial holding. Unfortunately, this good-will and sentiment was not enough to keep the city safe, and since as early as 1322, Itzamaatl has been lost to the Torment, with tens of thousands of Afflicted that still roaming it’s streets to this day.
Chat’tumal
Once a large slave territory, Chat’tumal is now a ruin reclaimed by nature, and haunted by those who died there long, long ago. During the final days of the Reckoning, a slave revolt took place within the territory, the enslaved seeing the Decusian invasion as an opportunity to strike out against their retreating and weakened masters, in an attempt to free themselves from their wretched bonds. When the slaves revolted, they took to slaughtering everything in their sights that was not bound in irons, killing everyone in their path in so that none were left alive to raise a hand upon them again. Upon the arrival of Decusian forces to Chat’tumal, some of the most battle-hardened commanders of the Republic forces were even left in awe from the savagery they had witnessed upon entering the territory, and had immediately declared Chat’tumal to be uninhabitable for future Decusian purposes. Many to this day think Chat’tumal to be haunted, believing that the foul souls of the slavers still roam its’ ruins, looking to exert dominance over the living once more.
Roenhelm’s Gap
Named after a famous Ghaenthgran hero of ancient lore, Roenhelm’s Gap is the only passage through the Godspine into Sulastas from Ghaenthgrand. At one point this pass held impressive fortifications that near-rivaled that of the Angelspire herself, however, today it stands a shadow of its former glory. It is the only element of Republic power within the entire region, and serves solely to protect entry into Ghaenthgrand from the ruined territory of Sulastas.
Inspirations and Influences
Peru, Tropical Rainforests. Traditional example names such as Xoc, Akna, Ah-mun and Nakon are common for those hailing from Sulastas.
Geography
Teramer lies against the Northwestern edge of Vitaveus, butted up against the cold and dreadful Caddoch Sea and the Tempest Ocean. Its shores are an anomaly to many that first land upon them and gaze towards their ebony colored sands. The most devoted of Decusians believe that these sands are stained with the sins of Teramer’s inhabitants, of whom taint the very lands they walk upon. The winds from the Caddoch Sea, coupled with the currents of the Tempest Ocean bring with forth a harsh and perpetual rain that turns to ice and snow from Warmwind to Dewfall. Trees are minimal in the lands of Teramer, and thus, wooden effects and trinkets are prized as gifts strictly for those who bear a higher status amongst Teramerian society. Most of the settlements, cities and villages within Teramer are nestled within the Southern reaches of the province, pushed up against the Godspine Mountains. Teramer is a brutal, unforgiving land, and its’ spawn possess personalities much the same.
History
Historically speaking, the people of Teramer, known as Teramerians, are a stout and hearty people of light colored hair and very fair skin, with shorter limbs and stocky frames. As a whole, their communities were nomadic with centralized settlements that they had gravitated towards during the harsher snow seasons. Their clans and tribes had taken to herding elk and reindeer, of which provided them with a vast quantity of hides and meats, and are the main resource they thrived off of alongside mining communities that exist along the southeastern borders and the Godspine Mountains. Teramer’s hills are still rich with iron deposits, and as such, most of their settlements were formed out of rock and iron, as the scarcity of wood is saved for more ceremonial effigies and for people in positions of power and recognition. Trade in the past was conducted with the people of Kaduraas prior to the Reckoning, but now, post-Torment, the landscapes of Kaduraas are a ruin and its surviving people now despise those of Teramer for imagined betrayals.
Traditional Teramerians remain closely knit in modern times, with a singular cultural identity, no matter how far away its members may travel from the Southern settlements. Be it of their own devices, or to simply lead the herds further north in the warmer months, Teramerians are still a part of the Clan no matter how far they may travel from Teramer’s black sands. They are a matriarchal people, their clans structured around the All-Mother, the eldest woman in the clan who also bears the longest lineage of Teramerian offspring. A common Teramerian saying is “From the womb bears our lineage, and to it we give homage”. This simple phrase sheds light upon the Teramerian stance of the All-Mother and her importance to the Clan’s wellbeing; acting as both the giver of life and the rule of law for the clans as they interact with one another.
While largely independent in the years leading up to the Reckoning, Teramer fell for a time under the purview of Collatia, acting as one of many subjects that greased the cogs of the ancient Western power. Due to their smaller population they were easily routed and brought into the heretical dominion by the larger and more imposing nation. Due to their limited natural resources, Collatia demanded exorbitant amounts of hides and pelts from the Teramer herds, along with working some of the Southern settlements into exhaustion for their iron deposits to fuel their city-state. At times, Teramerian settlements would act as the scapegoats for the Collatians, of whom would reave and raid these settlements of their livestock, iron stores, and even of women if they felt their demands were not being met to fuel the already engorged bellies of the Dynasty. These acts, of which compiled over many generations, would leave a lasting impact upon the Teramerian people, of whom would ultimately look for any opportunity to see themselves one day looking down upon Collatia as it fell into the sea.
When the Reckoning began and the armies of the Decusian peoples descended upon the lands of the Collatian Dynasty, a better staging point for their naval forces was sorely needed. Traversing large cohorts and legions across the Godspine would have seen a vast number of their forces dwindled before setting down upon Collatia due to its hazardous peaks and harsh winters. Teramer offered a place for the Decusians to sweep down upon their heretical foes in the name of their God and Savior, and to do so from a staging point that offered little resistance to their efforts; for small bands of nomadic people such as the Teramerians would be easily quelled if they attempted to rise against the Republic. What the Decusians had not been prepared for was that the fact that the Teramerians quickly, and almost fervently, warmed to the Decusians occupation and arrival of their massive armies.
For the Decusian invaders were not seen as enemies to Teramer, but as royalty blessed themselves by the Gods, for they sailed upon large ships far beyond anything the Teramerians could have ever imagined. Instead of rebuking these conquerors, they instead opened their lands to them along with their mines, offering the Republic a means of supplying itself on the front-lines of its Holy War as well as providing a vital staging point that would play a pivotal role in striking down the Western Collatian serpents. As the Western nations fell under the Legion’s and Templar’s swords, many of the Collatian Old Dynasty vowed to pay vengeance upon the Teramer people for their insolence and perceived betrayal.
In more modern history, the Venerated Republic would continue to maintain its outposts and over-watch of the province, taking full use of the mines and the deep reserves they offered in iron and precious minerals. Due to the region being home to the Warbishop Naum Alexandrov himself, Teramer boasts a large Inquisition presence within the capital city of Aleksandrov, named after the Bishop himself. In fact, Teramer is responsible in providing to the Republic upwards of twenty-five percent of the Inquisition’s yearly recruits, whom are regarded to be some of the most physically conditioned and imposing men and women throughout the entire known continent of Vitaveus. Due to Alexandrov’s ascension to one of the highest stations in all of the Republic, Teramerians regard him as a figure of high regard (and at times, even legend). Because of this fanaticism, Teramerians are fiercely dedicated to serving the Church in whatever martial capacity they can, be it through the Inquisition, Templar, or even the Apothecary Corps. It is said that nearly all of Teramerian youth culture is fixated upon this facet of life, so much so that formal education in Teramerian is often neglected to favor that of physical conditioning, martial training and other related disciplines.
Becoming One with the Flame
The introduction of burning the dead is something new to most inhabitants of Vitaveus, however, its roots stem from Teramer culture long before the time of the Torment. Due to the permafrost that takes to most of the soil in Teramer, bodies were ill suited to be buried, due to inevitably being summoned forth from the cold ground within a couple years of being interred. This natural act of resurfacing the dead no doubt brought many contagion and disease upon the locals in Teramer. As such, no one is buried in the entirety of the territory, their bodies are burned en-mass when enough of the dead pile up within their honored walls to offset the cost and rarity of lumber; coal is often used to propel the flames where wood may be in short supply, or the dead number many lowborn or criminal folk.
As of late, this practice is now widely used to dispatch the dead in other parts of the Republic, and given a much more symbolic meaning as the fallen is said to be returning to the Flame from which man once came.
Torment
The Torment is a problem for all, and although it is not as prevalent within the settlements dotted about the landscape in Teramer, it has however seeped within the soil and the wildlife, where droves of reindeer herds and elk farms have been brought to disease and ruin. Farming and the impact to the Teramerian wildlife has left an impact on the already small population of Teramer, and due to this rampant and deadly disease, many have taken to becoming refugees in other lands, daring to trek over the Godspine and the Republican ramparts that dot it to find safety within its embrace. The people of Teramer believe the Torment is a curse placed upon them by the Old Dynasty of Collatia for their role in their ultimate demise at the hands of the Decusians, however, those Teramerians who leave their homelands to other parts of the world are quite shocked to see that this sentiment is also shared by others outside of Teramer’s lands, albeit somewhat rarely.
Logistically speaking, nearly 70% of Teramer is currently considered Blackland and lost to the blight of the Torment. Only the most southeastern villages of Teramer that line the foothills of the Galehorn mountains, along with the mega-city of Aleksandrov, remain “held” by the Republic, and only because of the fierce fanaticism of the zealot Teramerians that still serve the Republic. Venturing any farther than a day’s ride from the Galehorn is a fool’s errand, with those embarking on such a quest never being seen nor heard from again. The remaining holdouts of Republic power within Teramer suffer from nightmarish conditions, and are subjected to constant and harrowing battles against the afflicted and Tormented whom roam the Western Territories in great, unmitigated hordes. Not surprisingly, however, is the unbridled and near-psychotic lust that many Teramerians hold in regards to their current forsaken predicament.
Points of Interest
Muldr Mine
A large mine within the Galehorn Mountains, Muldr Mine was a major excavation site known for its mineral deposits that became a vital operation for the Republic post-reckoning. The mine however became abandoned sometime after 1313, when the Torment began to ooze forth across Vitaveus, bringing death and suffering to all it touched.
Aleksandrov
The largest Municipality within Teramer, Aleksandrov is home to the largest Decusian Cathedral and subsequent Templar and Inquisition garrisons in the entire region. Due to being built into the face of the Galehorn peaks, it remains a vestige of power within the Western Territories and Blacklands of Teramer proper. Of particular interest to those from both Teramer and tourists is that it is also the birthplace of Naum Alexandrov, Warbishop of the Venerated Republic, hence the origin of this impressive stone and iron city’s namesake. His prestige is so well regarded in Teramer that many large wooden statues are erected in his honor and image along the rolling hills and in town squares.
Inspirations and Influences
Black Sand Beach – Iceland, Siberia, Russia. Traditional example names such as Artyom, Konstanin, Sasha and Nikita are common for those hailing from Teramer.