Post by Kenneth New on Jan 31, 2015 23:02:49 GMT -5
Tyrathis
The region known as Tyrathis lies in the north on the continent of Dheona. Its borders are the Essa River in the east, the Bay of Cimber in the north, the Rhona River to the West and the Nivalian Highlands to the south. The region is roughly 300 miles from north to south and 500 miles from east to west. The southernmost parts of Tyrathis lie in the shadows of the Nivallian Mountains, but the latitude drops at a gentle pace as you head north. Most of the region is even, forest covered plains.
The oldest human inhabitants of the region are the Cimbrians, and they are still the most numerous people in the countryside and villages. Their largest communities are found along the Bay of Cimber in the north and especially on the Isle of Cimber which sits in the bay.
About 700 years ago, the Livonian Empire conquered Tyrathis as they pursued the withdrawing Sygoreans. This struggle brought two new peoples into Tyrathis, the devil worshipping Sygoreans and the Livonians. The Sygoreans are much like other men, save that some among them bear the mark of their diabolism on their faces and bodies in the form of horns, hooves, claws or other inhuman features. While the majority of them were driven out of Tyrathis, traveling eastward and then south into the lands of Acheron, a few of them spread throughout the region and disappeared into the vast wilderness.
The Livonians had a more durable presence in the region. The empire wished to keep the northern trade routes open, so they built a road and string of fortifications (praedisia) at 50 mile intervals along the road. This string of fortifications continued even past the Essa River all the way to Castra Nova on the Sea of Endymion. For nearly 300 years, the legions of Livona were stationed in the region and many of the soldiers stayed on and settled in the land surrounding the praesidia, turning them into proper Castella (the Livonian word for fortified towns or cities). Many of the Cimbrian peoples in the region moved to these towns as well and took up the Livonian way of life. When the empire withdrew its legions, they left behind a population of Livonians and Livonianized Cimbrians. The people who live in these Castellae and the area immediately around them still retain the Livonian language and culture.
A fourth human group also lives in the region, mostly in the easternmost areas near the Essa River. Known as the Alans, these horsemen conquered Pontessa, the Castella that guards the bridge over the Essa River just over a century ago. They had been allies of the Livonians and many of them served as auxiliary cavalry in the Livonian legions throughout the Sea of Endymion. The Alans of Pontessa speak the Livonian language and have adopted some of their customs, but still retain much of their own culture.
Elves
The Boreal Forest, lying in the northwestern area of Tyrathis, is home to many small athamel (wood elf) communities. Once they had a prosperous city on the Bay of Cimber known as Elathrimmon, so important that the Livonians constructed the Northern Road to connect it to their trade routes. Today the city lies empty. No one knows what happened to the people of Elathrimmon. No survivor has ever come forward to explain. Later expeditions have have braved the city, finding houses with food still on tables, treasure and personal possessions still lying around as if the inhabitants had merely stepped out for a moment and never returned. The city seems safe enough in the light of day, but no expedition that has dared to remain after sundown has ever survived to tell the tale.
The athamel of the Boreal Forest call themselves the Elathrimmel. With the fall of Elathrimmon, they lost their college of magic and much of their lore. Since that time, they’ve been locked in a life or death struggle with the goblins of the forest.
Many elves of Elathrimmel heritage can also be found outside the Boreal Forest, scattered in small communities. These elves often refer to themselves as Adrellathim. Their communities tend to be small and are often located in the smaller forests of the region. Most Adrellathim live in isolated communities, but some live in mixed race communities in the countryside.
The last group of elves in the region is the Sylarean elves (Sylareth) who came from the south with the Livonian legions. Sylarean elves live in cities. Their culture is nearly indistinct from that of the Livonian humans, which makes sense as Sylarea was a province of the Livonian empire. They have a reputation as artists, scholars and mages. Many of their ancestors came north with the legions as mage auxiliaries in the army. These elves are those most likely to be found in the cities and towns, the most likely to fully participate in human culture, and the most likely to intermarry with the humans. In fact, many of the important families in the Livonian castellae are of mixed human and Sylarean culture.
Dweir
Two groups of dweir live in Tyrathis. The Zrakhun (Zeracnians) trace their ancestry to dweir from the far south who came north through the Ombra mountains. They live in the Nivalian highlands in numerous scattered mountain holds. They are aloof, seldom trading with lowlanders. The Zrakhun religion (like most dweirish cult) is based on worship of the Great Maker, but also incorporates several lesser figures who may be demigods or saints depending on the interpretation of any given scholar. Some of these figures, such as Krangur the Hammer, seem almost as important as the Great Maker himself.
The Andurian dweir came north with the Livonian empire. Many of them served as engineers or artisans (metalworkers mostly) in the Livonian legions. Another group came north specifically to find and exploit metal resources for the empire. They live in the foothills of the Nivalian Highlands in small mining communities or in Livonian cities or towns. Andurian dweir follow the Great Maker, but include dweirish versions of the Lords of Light as well.
Like most dweir, the Andurians tend to retain their own culture and traditions, borrowing very little from those around them. However, they are much more likely than other dweir to borrow customs from others and even to intermarry. Some of the important artisan class families among the Livonians have mixed human and dweirish ancestry.
Kith
The halfling kith are relatively common on the roads and riverways of the region. They dwell in small communities, raising shaggy goats that are large enough for them to ride. Most of their communities were traditionally located along waterways, and their superior boating skills connected these far flung communities into a widespread kith cultural zone. Kith have a reputation for sneakiness and trickery, due in large part to the fact that their cultural heroes tend to be tricksters rather than warriors. Nonetheless, the kith communities work together in the face of enemies and they produce their fair share of doughty warriors. They prefer goat mounted archers and fleet-footed slingers to infantry. They also prefer ambush and hit and run tactics.
When the Livonians built their famous road through the region, the Kith viewed it almost as a stony river. They spread out along the road in the same way they had earlier spread along the rivers.
Kith gleefully partake in Livonian and Cimbrian culture, preferring to keep their own language for private communication among themselves. They are religiously synchretic, paying homage to the Lords of Light, the Great Maker or the Triple Goddess and the Horned God depending on where they may be. In private, most Kith are animists, honoring the spirits of the world and their own ancestors.
The region known as Tyrathis lies in the north on the continent of Dheona. Its borders are the Essa River in the east, the Bay of Cimber in the north, the Rhona River to the West and the Nivalian Highlands to the south. The region is roughly 300 miles from north to south and 500 miles from east to west. The southernmost parts of Tyrathis lie in the shadows of the Nivallian Mountains, but the latitude drops at a gentle pace as you head north. Most of the region is even, forest covered plains.
The oldest human inhabitants of the region are the Cimbrians, and they are still the most numerous people in the countryside and villages. Their largest communities are found along the Bay of Cimber in the north and especially on the Isle of Cimber which sits in the bay.
About 700 years ago, the Livonian Empire conquered Tyrathis as they pursued the withdrawing Sygoreans. This struggle brought two new peoples into Tyrathis, the devil worshipping Sygoreans and the Livonians. The Sygoreans are much like other men, save that some among them bear the mark of their diabolism on their faces and bodies in the form of horns, hooves, claws or other inhuman features. While the majority of them were driven out of Tyrathis, traveling eastward and then south into the lands of Acheron, a few of them spread throughout the region and disappeared into the vast wilderness.
The Livonians had a more durable presence in the region. The empire wished to keep the northern trade routes open, so they built a road and string of fortifications (praedisia) at 50 mile intervals along the road. This string of fortifications continued even past the Essa River all the way to Castra Nova on the Sea of Endymion. For nearly 300 years, the legions of Livona were stationed in the region and many of the soldiers stayed on and settled in the land surrounding the praesidia, turning them into proper Castella (the Livonian word for fortified towns or cities). Many of the Cimbrian peoples in the region moved to these towns as well and took up the Livonian way of life. When the empire withdrew its legions, they left behind a population of Livonians and Livonianized Cimbrians. The people who live in these Castellae and the area immediately around them still retain the Livonian language and culture.
A fourth human group also lives in the region, mostly in the easternmost areas near the Essa River. Known as the Alans, these horsemen conquered Pontessa, the Castella that guards the bridge over the Essa River just over a century ago. They had been allies of the Livonians and many of them served as auxiliary cavalry in the Livonian legions throughout the Sea of Endymion. The Alans of Pontessa speak the Livonian language and have adopted some of their customs, but still retain much of their own culture.
Elves
The Boreal Forest, lying in the northwestern area of Tyrathis, is home to many small athamel (wood elf) communities. Once they had a prosperous city on the Bay of Cimber known as Elathrimmon, so important that the Livonians constructed the Northern Road to connect it to their trade routes. Today the city lies empty. No one knows what happened to the people of Elathrimmon. No survivor has ever come forward to explain. Later expeditions have have braved the city, finding houses with food still on tables, treasure and personal possessions still lying around as if the inhabitants had merely stepped out for a moment and never returned. The city seems safe enough in the light of day, but no expedition that has dared to remain after sundown has ever survived to tell the tale.
The athamel of the Boreal Forest call themselves the Elathrimmel. With the fall of Elathrimmon, they lost their college of magic and much of their lore. Since that time, they’ve been locked in a life or death struggle with the goblins of the forest.
Many elves of Elathrimmel heritage can also be found outside the Boreal Forest, scattered in small communities. These elves often refer to themselves as Adrellathim. Their communities tend to be small and are often located in the smaller forests of the region. Most Adrellathim live in isolated communities, but some live in mixed race communities in the countryside.
The last group of elves in the region is the Sylarean elves (Sylareth) who came from the south with the Livonian legions. Sylarean elves live in cities. Their culture is nearly indistinct from that of the Livonian humans, which makes sense as Sylarea was a province of the Livonian empire. They have a reputation as artists, scholars and mages. Many of their ancestors came north with the legions as mage auxiliaries in the army. These elves are those most likely to be found in the cities and towns, the most likely to fully participate in human culture, and the most likely to intermarry with the humans. In fact, many of the important families in the Livonian castellae are of mixed human and Sylarean culture.
Dweir
Two groups of dweir live in Tyrathis. The Zrakhun (Zeracnians) trace their ancestry to dweir from the far south who came north through the Ombra mountains. They live in the Nivalian highlands in numerous scattered mountain holds. They are aloof, seldom trading with lowlanders. The Zrakhun religion (like most dweirish cult) is based on worship of the Great Maker, but also incorporates several lesser figures who may be demigods or saints depending on the interpretation of any given scholar. Some of these figures, such as Krangur the Hammer, seem almost as important as the Great Maker himself.
The Andurian dweir came north with the Livonian empire. Many of them served as engineers or artisans (metalworkers mostly) in the Livonian legions. Another group came north specifically to find and exploit metal resources for the empire. They live in the foothills of the Nivalian Highlands in small mining communities or in Livonian cities or towns. Andurian dweir follow the Great Maker, but include dweirish versions of the Lords of Light as well.
Like most dweir, the Andurians tend to retain their own culture and traditions, borrowing very little from those around them. However, they are much more likely than other dweir to borrow customs from others and even to intermarry. Some of the important artisan class families among the Livonians have mixed human and dweirish ancestry.
Kith
The halfling kith are relatively common on the roads and riverways of the region. They dwell in small communities, raising shaggy goats that are large enough for them to ride. Most of their communities were traditionally located along waterways, and their superior boating skills connected these far flung communities into a widespread kith cultural zone. Kith have a reputation for sneakiness and trickery, due in large part to the fact that their cultural heroes tend to be tricksters rather than warriors. Nonetheless, the kith communities work together in the face of enemies and they produce their fair share of doughty warriors. They prefer goat mounted archers and fleet-footed slingers to infantry. They also prefer ambush and hit and run tactics.
When the Livonians built their famous road through the region, the Kith viewed it almost as a stony river. They spread out along the road in the same way they had earlier spread along the rivers.
Kith gleefully partake in Livonian and Cimbrian culture, preferring to keep their own language for private communication among themselves. They are religiously synchretic, paying homage to the Lords of Light, the Great Maker or the Triple Goddess and the Horned God depending on where they may be. In private, most Kith are animists, honoring the spirits of the world and their own ancestors.