UnhappyUnion
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Setting Synopsis: The Calling Wood Forest is set in a greater world merely known as the Expanse, or the equivalent thereof in various native tongues, that is primarily set on one major continent that is roughly L in shape. There are three major regions to this L shaped continent: The Northland, Midland, and Eastland. The Northland and Eastland have rare interactions with one another, while the Midlands is characterized by being a very chaotic shifting land that both the Northlands and Eastland interacts with.
Broadly speaking, technology has not pushed past what one would consider 'Renaissance Era' technologies both in war and culture. The Northlands is the most primitive in terms of technologies and cultural systems, while the Eastlands is broadly the most advanced technology wise. The Midlands coastal region, which is one of the only areas that has remained stable, is a flourishing place of both cultural advancement and technological innovations.
The Calling Wood Forest is located in the Northlands past a region known as the winding pass which is a land that remains unclaimed, with the remnants of ancient pathways said to have been laid out by the fabled human ancestor known to the north as 'elf-kin.' It is a region plagued by bandits, cultists, and all manner of trouble that has ended many summoned people's journeys before they ever reached The Calling Wood. Naturally, those summoned by The Calling Wood in the north have the easiest journey, while those in the Midlands or Eastlands who are not wealthy enough, or connected enough, to afford a trip by boat are in for a dangerous journey before ever stepping foot into the cursed forest.
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The People of the Northlands:
The Northlands are divided into three primary types of people: The remnants of the Theocracy of Truth, feudal warring kingdoms, and the black eye'd tribes of North Men.
Broadly speaking, technology has not pushed past what one would consider 'Renaissance Era' technologies both in war and culture. The Northlands is the most primitive in terms of technologies and cultural systems, while the Eastlands is broadly the most advanced technology wise. The Midlands coastal region, which is one of the only areas that has remained stable, is a flourishing place of both cultural advancement and technological innovations.
The Calling Wood Forest is located in the Northlands past a region known as the winding pass which is a land that remains unclaimed, with the remnants of ancient pathways said to have been laid out by the fabled human ancestor known to the north as 'elf-kin.' It is a region plagued by bandits, cultists, and all manner of trouble that has ended many summoned people's journeys before they ever reached The Calling Wood. Naturally, those summoned by The Calling Wood in the north have the easiest journey, while those in the Midlands or Eastlands who are not wealthy enough, or connected enough, to afford a trip by boat are in for a dangerous journey before ever stepping foot into the cursed forest.
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The People of the Northlands:
The Northlands are divided into three primary types of people: The remnants of the Theocracy of Truth, feudal warring kingdoms, and the black eye'd tribes of North Men.
Overview:
The Theocracy of Truth, or rather the remains of which, was one a mighty empire that one time controlled all of the Northlands barring the northernmost forest containing the North Men along with a large swathe of the Midlands. The Theocracy of Truth now is a shadow of its former self, controlling the western most coast of the Northland stretching to the east about about 400 kilometers. At the end of this expanse to the east, is a wide mountain range known as the Eyes of God which acts as a natural defense against further invasion from rival Northern powers.
The Theocracy of Truth is characterized by two things:
i. Absolute authority by the Church of Eternal Light.
ii. All things done must be done in the name of Light (sometimes referred to simply as God)
These two universal truths about the Theocracy manifests differently in different locations of it, but remain lifelong principles to abide by. The coastal towns of the Theocracy are expected by the church to utilize their naval vessels to send out missionaries to spread the gospel of light, while also providing a flat ten percent of their income from trade to the church. Those born deeper inland, near the Eyes of God, are expected to turn themselves over for military service due to the lands further in being unsuitable for much farming outside of more durable crops such as potatoes.
Culture:
The Theocracy of Truth was once a multi-racial, diverse empire with all manner of people beneath it, but broadly speaking two main racial groups remain:
A large swathe of people with white hair, pale skin, and pale blue eyes that are features of those born near the mountain lands typically.
While on the coast, a dusky skinned appearance of people with brown hair is the common features.
The variation in appearance has given rise to two major cultural groups in The Theocracy of Truth: coastlanders (dusky skin and brown haired) and outlanders (pale skin and white haired).
Coastlanders and outlanders do not hold animosity towards one another in an outright manner, but they will not marry with one another due to a cultural divide in faith and perspective on life. The coastlanders are not xenophobic and believe the Eternal Light's salvation is for all people. On the other hand, outlanders are a fanatical group that believes only those born into the light are saved and conversion is not possible. Naturally, this makes coastlanders excel at trade, while outlanders make for vicious soldiers.
There exists a third culture, being The Church itself that resides over all, that maintains peace between the two distinct cultures. Members of the Church are carefully selected by the Church itself, vetted and trained through an extensive process, thus either coastlanders or outlanders are recruited, but the amount of brainwashing they are subjected to typically sees either group not resembling their previous culture outside of a few key personality traits.
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The Theocracy of Truth, as it stands currently, has both clamped down on the severity of religious law and customs, but loosened up in other areas. The seventh day of every week is a day of rest, violating this outside of sanctioned reasons is punishable by forced labor. Slavery is no longer practiced within The Theocracy of Truth, but the greater empire use to have a thriving slave market at one time. As a result of this, some unofficial forms of slavery remain such as forced labor for those who violate religious law. Coastlanders typically have more lenient sentences for violating local law, while outlanders treat their own local trade laws and what not as extensions of religious law, making forced labor imprisonments much more likely if one was to commit a crime among the outlanders.
Men and women are regarded as equals within The Theocracy of Truth which was a radical concept when the empire came to fruition, but has since become a natural thought among the people of the Theocracy. Although, this is to not say that gender roles do not exist within the Theocracy. Coastlander women are broadly expected to have many children and live with their father until they are married, and even then some men move in with their wives family. The Coastlander generally feels that a woman's place is at home, helping her husband or father in their trade or business, perhaps learning about it, avoiding setting out on their own. Some local laws go a step further and do restrict property rights from being passed down to a daughter, favoring the sons, but this is not the norm among Coastlanders. One major taboo that is rarely breached is a Coastland woman enlisting in military service to the church despite the Theocracy historically having never a law against this - if a Coastland woman enlists in the military it is largely reflected as a failure upon their family.
Outlanders have a very different view on gender. A woman is typically expected to bear three children, one to replace the father and mother, and another to add another head to the overall population. Once she has done this, then she is expected to either enlist in general military service, or enlist in the Sisterhood of Light. The tough, fanatical people, have a very practical view that goes only skin deep most of the time. The belief is that all souls are one in the same, only judged by faith, so other restrictions on one's service to God are blasphemous. However, outlanders do hold close to a belief that man's lot is to take life, while a woman's lot is to create life which has altered some roles in how they manifest in the military. Women usually fill out non-combat roles, but do travel with the military, and will fill in should numbers require it, and men serve on the frontline to fight and die. Some women break the mold, but only if they excel as exceptional warriors.
Outlander women who wish to seek the thrill of battle in the form of hunting religious heretics would be better served volunteering for the Sisterhood of Light, which sees one of the rare examples of both runaway Coastlander women defying their own gender roles, and Outlander women joining in harmony under one banner.
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The various major orders that exist within the Theocracy are: The Church, Shipwrights Brotherhood, Coinage Guild, Sisterhood of Light, and The Theocratic Military.
The Church: Simply named, but notoriously complicated, this organization is the acting government with the Grand One reigning supreme. The Church holds absolute authority in law making overriding local mayors and governors. The Church tightly controls the Theocratic Military and to a lesser extend The Sisterhood of Light. Within The Church, only a select few know the identity of the currently acting Grand One. Some heretical murmurs theorize the Grand One is not even human given no signs of election ever taking place despite it being an elected role, but others claim that the elections are simply kept secret and only high-ranking officials get a vote.
Shipwrights Brotherhood: An all male organization that acts as the navy, albeit loosely. The Shipwrights Brotherhood is an attractive option for young men due to the promise of adventure that sees them sailing out to distant lands to conduct trade, transport missionaries, and the like. Although, the side effect of this is many men leave faithful sailors, but return wild and rowdy, having laid with exotic women and learned of exotic faiths. This is why the Church has recently declared all returning vessels from trips longer than six months must spend one-month at port to be lectured and reconditioned back into the proper ways. Failure to do so will result in forced labor.
Coinage Guild: The Coinage Guild is the framework that keeps the Theocracy afloat as much as The Church would like to claim responsibility for that. This guild has been entrusted with mandating internal trade, internal coinage, and managing currency conversion. This is considered a major organization due to the fact that they also act as a secretive policing force, while also acting as ambassadors to foreign powers. One can expect to find a few people of foreign blood also being employed within the Coinage Guild.
The Sisterhood of Light: To all people of the Theocracy, even the Coastlander who would want anything other than their daughter volunteering for the sisterhood, this order are considered local legends and paragons of virtue. The Sisterhood of Light excel at hunting heretics, while also spreading charity and aid in not only The Theocracy, but also surrounding regions and lands, sometimes even sailing with Shipwrights Brotherhood to foreign lands to spread the good word, offer charity and healing to the sick, and to hunt heretics. They are rarely used in conjunction with the military as a frontline force, instead being used more akin to a policing force.
The Theocratic Military: A one time legendary military force to be feared, now a shadow of its former self. But that is to not say they cannot hold their own still. The Theocratic Military still remains a disciplined, stalwart force that were among the first to adopt muskets outside of the Eastlands, but now that their power has declined instead they utilize fast reloading crossbows in conjunction with large shields and spears. Unlike the Sisterhood of Light, no such merger between the two cultures of coastlanders and outlanders has been achieved, and the two groups are rarely in the same units.
The Theocracy of Truth, or rather the remains of which, was one a mighty empire that one time controlled all of the Northlands barring the northernmost forest containing the North Men along with a large swathe of the Midlands. The Theocracy of Truth now is a shadow of its former self, controlling the western most coast of the Northland stretching to the east about about 400 kilometers. At the end of this expanse to the east, is a wide mountain range known as the Eyes of God which acts as a natural defense against further invasion from rival Northern powers.
The Theocracy of Truth is characterized by two things:
i. Absolute authority by the Church of Eternal Light.
ii. All things done must be done in the name of Light (sometimes referred to simply as God)
These two universal truths about the Theocracy manifests differently in different locations of it, but remain lifelong principles to abide by. The coastal towns of the Theocracy are expected by the church to utilize their naval vessels to send out missionaries to spread the gospel of light, while also providing a flat ten percent of their income from trade to the church. Those born deeper inland, near the Eyes of God, are expected to turn themselves over for military service due to the lands further in being unsuitable for much farming outside of more durable crops such as potatoes.
Culture:
The Theocracy of Truth was once a multi-racial, diverse empire with all manner of people beneath it, but broadly speaking two main racial groups remain:
A large swathe of people with white hair, pale skin, and pale blue eyes that are features of those born near the mountain lands typically.
While on the coast, a dusky skinned appearance of people with brown hair is the common features.
The variation in appearance has given rise to two major cultural groups in The Theocracy of Truth: coastlanders (dusky skin and brown haired) and outlanders (pale skin and white haired).
Coastlanders and outlanders do not hold animosity towards one another in an outright manner, but they will not marry with one another due to a cultural divide in faith and perspective on life. The coastlanders are not xenophobic and believe the Eternal Light's salvation is for all people. On the other hand, outlanders are a fanatical group that believes only those born into the light are saved and conversion is not possible. Naturally, this makes coastlanders excel at trade, while outlanders make for vicious soldiers.
There exists a third culture, being The Church itself that resides over all, that maintains peace between the two distinct cultures. Members of the Church are carefully selected by the Church itself, vetted and trained through an extensive process, thus either coastlanders or outlanders are recruited, but the amount of brainwashing they are subjected to typically sees either group not resembling their previous culture outside of a few key personality traits.
--
The Theocracy of Truth, as it stands currently, has both clamped down on the severity of religious law and customs, but loosened up in other areas. The seventh day of every week is a day of rest, violating this outside of sanctioned reasons is punishable by forced labor. Slavery is no longer practiced within The Theocracy of Truth, but the greater empire use to have a thriving slave market at one time. As a result of this, some unofficial forms of slavery remain such as forced labor for those who violate religious law. Coastlanders typically have more lenient sentences for violating local law, while outlanders treat their own local trade laws and what not as extensions of religious law, making forced labor imprisonments much more likely if one was to commit a crime among the outlanders.
Men and women are regarded as equals within The Theocracy of Truth which was a radical concept when the empire came to fruition, but has since become a natural thought among the people of the Theocracy. Although, this is to not say that gender roles do not exist within the Theocracy. Coastlander women are broadly expected to have many children and live with their father until they are married, and even then some men move in with their wives family. The Coastlander generally feels that a woman's place is at home, helping her husband or father in their trade or business, perhaps learning about it, avoiding setting out on their own. Some local laws go a step further and do restrict property rights from being passed down to a daughter, favoring the sons, but this is not the norm among Coastlanders. One major taboo that is rarely breached is a Coastland woman enlisting in military service to the church despite the Theocracy historically having never a law against this - if a Coastland woman enlists in the military it is largely reflected as a failure upon their family.
Outlanders have a very different view on gender. A woman is typically expected to bear three children, one to replace the father and mother, and another to add another head to the overall population. Once she has done this, then she is expected to either enlist in general military service, or enlist in the Sisterhood of Light. The tough, fanatical people, have a very practical view that goes only skin deep most of the time. The belief is that all souls are one in the same, only judged by faith, so other restrictions on one's service to God are blasphemous. However, outlanders do hold close to a belief that man's lot is to take life, while a woman's lot is to create life which has altered some roles in how they manifest in the military. Women usually fill out non-combat roles, but do travel with the military, and will fill in should numbers require it, and men serve on the frontline to fight and die. Some women break the mold, but only if they excel as exceptional warriors.
Outlander women who wish to seek the thrill of battle in the form of hunting religious heretics would be better served volunteering for the Sisterhood of Light, which sees one of the rare examples of both runaway Coastlander women defying their own gender roles, and Outlander women joining in harmony under one banner.
--
The various major orders that exist within the Theocracy are: The Church, Shipwrights Brotherhood, Coinage Guild, Sisterhood of Light, and The Theocratic Military.
The Church: Simply named, but notoriously complicated, this organization is the acting government with the Grand One reigning supreme. The Church holds absolute authority in law making overriding local mayors and governors. The Church tightly controls the Theocratic Military and to a lesser extend The Sisterhood of Light. Within The Church, only a select few know the identity of the currently acting Grand One. Some heretical murmurs theorize the Grand One is not even human given no signs of election ever taking place despite it being an elected role, but others claim that the elections are simply kept secret and only high-ranking officials get a vote.
Shipwrights Brotherhood: An all male organization that acts as the navy, albeit loosely. The Shipwrights Brotherhood is an attractive option for young men due to the promise of adventure that sees them sailing out to distant lands to conduct trade, transport missionaries, and the like. Although, the side effect of this is many men leave faithful sailors, but return wild and rowdy, having laid with exotic women and learned of exotic faiths. This is why the Church has recently declared all returning vessels from trips longer than six months must spend one-month at port to be lectured and reconditioned back into the proper ways. Failure to do so will result in forced labor.
Coinage Guild: The Coinage Guild is the framework that keeps the Theocracy afloat as much as The Church would like to claim responsibility for that. This guild has been entrusted with mandating internal trade, internal coinage, and managing currency conversion. This is considered a major organization due to the fact that they also act as a secretive policing force, while also acting as ambassadors to foreign powers. One can expect to find a few people of foreign blood also being employed within the Coinage Guild.
The Sisterhood of Light: To all people of the Theocracy, even the Coastlander who would want anything other than their daughter volunteering for the sisterhood, this order are considered local legends and paragons of virtue. The Sisterhood of Light excel at hunting heretics, while also spreading charity and aid in not only The Theocracy, but also surrounding regions and lands, sometimes even sailing with Shipwrights Brotherhood to foreign lands to spread the good word, offer charity and healing to the sick, and to hunt heretics. They are rarely used in conjunction with the military as a frontline force, instead being used more akin to a policing force.
The Theocratic Military: A one time legendary military force to be feared, now a shadow of its former self. But that is to not say they cannot hold their own still. The Theocratic Military still remains a disciplined, stalwart force that were among the first to adopt muskets outside of the Eastlands, but now that their power has declined instead they utilize fast reloading crossbows in conjunction with large shields and spears. Unlike the Sisterhood of Light, no such merger between the two cultures of coastlanders and outlanders has been achieved, and the two groups are rarely in the same units.
Overview:
The Warring Kingdoms describes a region that formerly were holdings of The Theocracy of Truth that have found independence after the decline of The Theocracy. With their independence came several "kingdoms" with their own rulers, some still worshiping the same Light that the Theocracy enforced worship of, with others falling into the worship of pagan religions, and some have even attempted to established bulwarks of logic who hail no higher power and worship reason alone. Despite 'kingdoms' being included in the moniker to describe the region, many of the powers are akin to city-states, or a collection of smaller powers ruled over by a warlord.
Although, a few characteristics unite all the various powers of The Warring Kingdoms.
i. All of the powers are centralized, lacking intricate systems of mayors, governors, and other signs of imperial rule. Broadly speaking, many of the powers resemble or practice the feudal system with knights pledging their allegiance to a lord in exchange for land and serfs. The notable exceptions, such as The Bulwark of Reason, still have a very centralized and contained set of power. Some alliances, or protectorates have popped up, but still have not afforded any one power any greater sway to escape the endless war.
ii. The powers of The Warring Kingdoms have abandoned notions of equality that they were once religiously held when they were portions of the Theocracy. People have fallen into rigid rules that see women being considered at best a protected class of people and at worse second class citizens outside of a few small exceptions. These rigid rules are not necessarily the result of a malicious take over, but rather an unfortunate result of life declining into day-to-day toils to survive. Women, generally speaking, cannot hold positions such as knighthood, own property, or in some cases learn how to read due to the fear that some might try to flee west to the Theocracy of Truth, or perhaps even to midland seeking empowerment.
iii. Sporadic technological advancement and decline is another detail of The Warring Kingdoms. Many war profiteers from outside powers have made fortunes from selling muskets, cannons, gaseous bombs, and other technological terrors. The Warring Kingdoms is willing to trade any number of things, even trading off large swathes of women to eastern slavers, just to get any edge over their opponents. However, almost all of The Warring Kingdom powers have no means to consistently produce intricate creations such as muskets, leading to spontaneous declines in technology when their muskets have been rendered useless beyond repair, or their reserves of powder and shot have been exhausted. Some war profiteers even use the Warring Kingdoms as a testing ground for their creations.
Culture and Powers:
The Bulwark of Reason -
Background: The Bulwark of Reason is a city-state that is a protectorate of the Kingdom of Wessile that is an anomaly among the rest of the Warring Kingdoms being a pacifist power only breaking this sentiment when forced to either by a call to war from their protectorate, or an attack from another power. The Bulkwark of Reason is a ivory colored fortress of lost architecture from the Theocratic era that is suffering from ill-repair. Surrounding the core portion of the Bulwark, being the ancient fortress that houses roughly fifty thousand people, are shanty towns and farmlands.
There are two primary classes of people within the Bulwark: citizens and dwellers. Citizens are the fifty-thousand people who live behind the ivory walls, while dwellers are the people who live outside of the walls in hastily constructed huts.
Most citizens are pale in skin color, variations in hair ranging from dark to blonde, with a subsection of them sporting minor to major birth defects due to the isolated and limited population to intermarry with.
On the other hand, dwellers outside of the wall have a diverse range of appearance ranging from dusky skin, with some even having brown skin due to Midland influence, to lighter skin darkened by tanning.
The relationship between the two classes is largely one-sided, with dwellers typically working hard producing goods for the citizens in hopes that they will be allowed to live within the Ivory walls once day, or if they have grown old perhaps their children will be able to. Dwellers are not held to much in the way of norms outside of laws mostly concerned with when and how often they are allowed past the ivory walls to conduct business making life as a dweller a rare exception of equality between gender within the Warring Kingdom region.
Citizens on the other hand see dwellers as an inferior class of people tainted by war and irrationality. All people within the walls follow a particular code of conduct - male citizens are expected to learn a trade, master said trade, and venture out to generate revenue with their trade during the summer seasons. It is encouraged that men travelling during the summer season collect books, tomes, and knowledge to give to the Archives further increasing the collective knowledge of The Bulwark. Women who are Citizens are viewed as superior to the likes of dwellers, but inferior to the male citizen. A woman is expected to educate children in how to read, write, and so on, but she is not allowed to learn trades that would further empower her. Finally, a female citizen travelling beyond the Ivory walls is strictly forbidden and is punishable by death.
The lack of religion within the Bulwark is a religion in of itself known as 'The School of Reason.' It teaches that the only thing that is real is what one can see, perceive, and create. Men are taught to be skeptical thinkers, but are also taught to be talented debaters. Within the 'School of Reason' a man can carve out an entire living based on debating alone if he proves to be talented in such an area. The School of Reason is adamantly opposed to the Church of Light (or Way of Light outside of the Theocracy) believing that its philosophy of all souls, a thing that does not exist, being equal in the afterlife is detrimental to society. Men are taught that women are irrational and must be kept under control. Although, this notion was famously tested when foreign powers were invited to debate and Yamatan women, later found to be sorceresses, debated circles around the 'rational' men concerning various subjects. This amended that not even foreign women are welcome in the halls of debate, believing their 'irrationality' can effect men.
The Bulwark relies on the neighboring kingdom Wessile for protection, who in a great show of hypocrisy on The Bulkwark's part, practice a variation on the 'the way of light' as their faith. In return for protection, The Bulwark facilitates and offers technology and talented craftsmen. This sudden need for protection arose when famously the "ever-so-wise" men of the Bulwark were humiliated when a force of northmen, consisting of mostly women, breached what they thought to be unbreakable walls with mysterious explosives and kidnapped hundreds of citizens.
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Wessile -
Background - Wessile is the largest of the powers within the Warring Kingdoms running up and down the length of the mountain range, The Eyes of God. It is a kingdom constantly in war, able to keep up with various other Kingdoms to the east conducting skirmishes along its borders, and notably the Theocracy of Truth to the west waging vicious holy wars against them, along with the Ironmaw Tribe of northmen pillaging their lands. The reason for their success is due to a thriving mining industry and talented craftsmen from their protectorate, The Bulwark of Reason, providing them with the materials and talents to be one of the few powers who consistently utilize firearms.
Wessile's culture is feudal, as are many of the Warring Kingdoms, but Knights take on the role of people entrusted with a length of land to defend rather than being granted the privilege of land. These lengths of land are manifested as trenches, battlements, and other structures that allow them to defend key position. This has led to a heavy stagnation in expansion as they fight a war to simply keep their large territory. Men who were not born into knighthood, or in a rare circumstance earned it, are expected to spend half of the year on the frontlines, musket in hand, repelling invaders and raiders, and the other half in the central territories of Wessile mining primarily in the winter, or farming in the summer-seasons.
The men of Wessile tend to live short lives, so they act accordingly. Wessile has very little laws or restrictions in terms of marriage and men can lay with as many women as they would like without consequence unless the woman is married and the husband pursues damages, which is often not the case. Those men that do survive to the age of forty are granted retirement, or sometimes referred to take up knighthood.
Another aspect of Wessile is their faith which is the same, yet different than The Theocracy of Truth. The brutality of war, toils of day to day life, and such are reflected in their take on the Church of Light. It is taught to them that men are innately without light in them and earn it through service to their king, and by extension, the light. It is also taught that women are born as beacons of light and must be protected at all cost from the toil and harm because it would only serve to dampen their light. This makes for all the men-at-arms and knights of Wessile being excellent defenders, almost never breaking, even when things have fallen apart. Notably, Wessile lacks a church, claiming that every man is a church in of himself, which many scholars point to the initial divide between them and the Theocracy of Truth.
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Ravenkroft -
Background: Ravenkroft is a small, concentrated power, built over the Swallow Maw River that flows through the territory of the northmen passing down south before ending in the Murkvow Lake that rests a short way to the south. The people of Ravenkroft have an alliance with the Ironmaw Tribe of northmen. Formerly, when they were a power within The Theocracy of Truth, they maintained a lengthy wall that has been since reduced to rubble which acted as a means to guard against the northmen. Now, without the oversight of The Theocracy of Truth amendments to their relationship had been made to preserve themselves.
The first change they underwent was the destruction of all manner of iconography of Light, which they replaced with icons of The Maiden who is worshiped by much of the northmen. Secondly, they pledged themselves to the Ironmaw Tribe as an ally. Finally, as an ally they have fell into a niche of sending out small scouting parties throughout The Warring Kingdoms and even further south into temperate areas of the midlands that the northmen can tolerate to look for raiding targets. At first, these changes were done out of self preservation, not wanting their women to be taken as treasures and men used for forced labor, yet the years changed the people of Ravenkroft into a hybrid group possessing aspects of their formers selves, along with the tribal ways of the northmen.
Militarily, Ravenkroft is nearly non-existent relying on northmen who use their kingdom as a staging ground. What military they do possess are private guard, mostly talented mercenaries from afar, or perhaps defectors from nearby kingdoms, that act as enforcers and protectors of their king. The king rules over his immediate realm of Ravenkroft, but takes orders from the chieftain, or in the present year, chieftess of the Ironmaw Tribe.
Those born in Ravenkroft are subject to harsh gender roles. Men are to serve as owners of property and decision makers. Women tend to personal domestic matters, remain mild mannered in opinion. Their own worship of The Maiden has taken an alternative take on the earth-mother, seeing her more so as a universal bride to men, rather than a guide that the northmen see her as. It is ironic, and a subject of much mockery from neighboring kingdoms, that despite their traditional and maintained gender roles - many of the northmen soldiers protecting Ravenkroft are in-fact women. However, this is excused by those of Ravenkroft who hold the typical belief that the northmen are a separate species, thus they have different social standards.
Ravenkroft has developed over the years making an entire hidden school of espionage, assassination, and rumors suggest that those within the school that show exceptional talent even begin to learn pagan sorceries to aid in their particular job. This school is almost entirely men, but very rarely women are taken in to act as specialized spies, but never assassins. Initially, the kingdom of Ravenkroft was nothing more than a sort of indentured servants of The Ironmaw Tribe, but they took to their place of acting as scouts and excelled. Spies and assassins from Ravenkroft fight a war to destabilize kingdoms, sewing turmoil, or aiding in locating raid targets. Their influence has spread even further and they have undertook jobs for other kingdoms discretely.
Beyond their duties of espionage and scouting, they have a thriving fishing industry and keep the bellies of the northmen full and themselves well fed. Many of their celebrations and local traditions incorporate fishing from competitions to worship of The Maiden's gift to them that manifests in the form of fish. It is an easy going life for the Ravenkroft fisherman and is somewhat envied by those of other Warring Kingdoms. The Ironmaw Tribe do well to protect these non-combatants - the protective and animalistic nature of the northmen serving these people quite well.
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Skyloft -
Background: Skyloft is located upon the rolling green plateaus that border upon the Winding Pass. It is a rather extensive, albeit loosely built kingdom that is dominantly concerned with honing and maintaining a large cavalry force. They are an expert at mounted combat, excelling in the use of all manner of weapons from horseback, but even then they can dismount in a moment's notice to take to the ground. The term 'knight' within Skyloft is a loose term, lacking much of the greater meaning other powers might hold for the term, and simply refers to their mounted soldiers.
The people of Skyloft are notorious for never have lost a battle within their home territory that is flat, lacking much tree cover, but this more-so a legend rather than a truth. It is true they have never experienced a true crushing defeat in their own territory, but they are more prone to retreat on horseback than remain if the odds tip against them. Much of their armor is leather due to the lack of metals to make plate or chainmail being in abundance, but they occasionally commission sets of plate armor from distant lands for their best knights, which is passed down and reshaped for the first son of said knights.
Skyloftians are an honorable folk who conduct themselves with restraint and precision. When they conduct raids on kingdoms and smaller powers, they do so with restraint and precision only taking what they need and never inflicting severe damage. However, if one does attack their territory of Skyloft, they will pursue a 'righteous grudge' as they put it and be allowed to inflict all manner of atrocities upon their people to grant them 'absolution.' The stories and consequences for failure have turned away many attackers from attempting to attack Skyloft leaving them mostly as a force of attackers.
The people of Skyloft maintain a loose church, which their king lords over and controls, that hails the Light. It follows much of the traditional teachings, believing all people are equal in soul, but they have made an amendment that the flesh has principles, limitations, and rules - thus, women while being granted some autonomy in taking up trades and educating themselves maintain a domestic role by law. However, one avenue exists for women who seek to take up more active role: The Sisterhood of Light which resides in The Theocracy of Truth.
Skyloft sees itself as a long lost friend of The Theocracy, separated by countless kingdoms and feuds seeing that they are on the opposite sides of The Northlands. This sees Skyloft being a destination for The Sisterhood of Light when they travel afar spreading charity and hunting heretics, a sort of resting place and safe haven to reward their efforts halfway through their journey. The Sisterhood of Light are welcomed by the distant, non-affiliated Church of Light with open arms, alongside the people who take great interest in hearing their stories. Many families nearly have arguments in who gets to host Sisters when they arrive and they challenge one another who can treat these holy pilgrims to the best treatment. Many Sisters complain, albeit playfully, the journey back to The Theocracy is a greater challenge due to the pampering weighing at their fitness. Some women of Skyloft are welcomed and encouraged to join the Sisterhood of Light when they arrive and return to The Theocracy of Truth, but they require the blessing of their father to do so.
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Other Kingdoms:
Throughout the central, landlocked regions of the Northlands are numerous other warring kingdoms of varying sizes and beliefs. Many of them are small, only lasting perhaps for a decade before collapsing, while a few have maintained their reign for decades.
The Warring Kingdoms describes a region that formerly were holdings of The Theocracy of Truth that have found independence after the decline of The Theocracy. With their independence came several "kingdoms" with their own rulers, some still worshiping the same Light that the Theocracy enforced worship of, with others falling into the worship of pagan religions, and some have even attempted to established bulwarks of logic who hail no higher power and worship reason alone. Despite 'kingdoms' being included in the moniker to describe the region, many of the powers are akin to city-states, or a collection of smaller powers ruled over by a warlord.
Although, a few characteristics unite all the various powers of The Warring Kingdoms.
i. All of the powers are centralized, lacking intricate systems of mayors, governors, and other signs of imperial rule. Broadly speaking, many of the powers resemble or practice the feudal system with knights pledging their allegiance to a lord in exchange for land and serfs. The notable exceptions, such as The Bulwark of Reason, still have a very centralized and contained set of power. Some alliances, or protectorates have popped up, but still have not afforded any one power any greater sway to escape the endless war.
ii. The powers of The Warring Kingdoms have abandoned notions of equality that they were once religiously held when they were portions of the Theocracy. People have fallen into rigid rules that see women being considered at best a protected class of people and at worse second class citizens outside of a few small exceptions. These rigid rules are not necessarily the result of a malicious take over, but rather an unfortunate result of life declining into day-to-day toils to survive. Women, generally speaking, cannot hold positions such as knighthood, own property, or in some cases learn how to read due to the fear that some might try to flee west to the Theocracy of Truth, or perhaps even to midland seeking empowerment.
iii. Sporadic technological advancement and decline is another detail of The Warring Kingdoms. Many war profiteers from outside powers have made fortunes from selling muskets, cannons, gaseous bombs, and other technological terrors. The Warring Kingdoms is willing to trade any number of things, even trading off large swathes of women to eastern slavers, just to get any edge over their opponents. However, almost all of The Warring Kingdom powers have no means to consistently produce intricate creations such as muskets, leading to spontaneous declines in technology when their muskets have been rendered useless beyond repair, or their reserves of powder and shot have been exhausted. Some war profiteers even use the Warring Kingdoms as a testing ground for their creations.
Culture and Powers:
The Bulwark of Reason -
Background: The Bulwark of Reason is a city-state that is a protectorate of the Kingdom of Wessile that is an anomaly among the rest of the Warring Kingdoms being a pacifist power only breaking this sentiment when forced to either by a call to war from their protectorate, or an attack from another power. The Bulkwark of Reason is a ivory colored fortress of lost architecture from the Theocratic era that is suffering from ill-repair. Surrounding the core portion of the Bulwark, being the ancient fortress that houses roughly fifty thousand people, are shanty towns and farmlands.
There are two primary classes of people within the Bulwark: citizens and dwellers. Citizens are the fifty-thousand people who live behind the ivory walls, while dwellers are the people who live outside of the walls in hastily constructed huts.
Most citizens are pale in skin color, variations in hair ranging from dark to blonde, with a subsection of them sporting minor to major birth defects due to the isolated and limited population to intermarry with.
On the other hand, dwellers outside of the wall have a diverse range of appearance ranging from dusky skin, with some even having brown skin due to Midland influence, to lighter skin darkened by tanning.
The relationship between the two classes is largely one-sided, with dwellers typically working hard producing goods for the citizens in hopes that they will be allowed to live within the Ivory walls once day, or if they have grown old perhaps their children will be able to. Dwellers are not held to much in the way of norms outside of laws mostly concerned with when and how often they are allowed past the ivory walls to conduct business making life as a dweller a rare exception of equality between gender within the Warring Kingdom region.
Citizens on the other hand see dwellers as an inferior class of people tainted by war and irrationality. All people within the walls follow a particular code of conduct - male citizens are expected to learn a trade, master said trade, and venture out to generate revenue with their trade during the summer seasons. It is encouraged that men travelling during the summer season collect books, tomes, and knowledge to give to the Archives further increasing the collective knowledge of The Bulwark. Women who are Citizens are viewed as superior to the likes of dwellers, but inferior to the male citizen. A woman is expected to educate children in how to read, write, and so on, but she is not allowed to learn trades that would further empower her. Finally, a female citizen travelling beyond the Ivory walls is strictly forbidden and is punishable by death.
The lack of religion within the Bulwark is a religion in of itself known as 'The School of Reason.' It teaches that the only thing that is real is what one can see, perceive, and create. Men are taught to be skeptical thinkers, but are also taught to be talented debaters. Within the 'School of Reason' a man can carve out an entire living based on debating alone if he proves to be talented in such an area. The School of Reason is adamantly opposed to the Church of Light (or Way of Light outside of the Theocracy) believing that its philosophy of all souls, a thing that does not exist, being equal in the afterlife is detrimental to society. Men are taught that women are irrational and must be kept under control. Although, this notion was famously tested when foreign powers were invited to debate and Yamatan women, later found to be sorceresses, debated circles around the 'rational' men concerning various subjects. This amended that not even foreign women are welcome in the halls of debate, believing their 'irrationality' can effect men.
The Bulwark relies on the neighboring kingdom Wessile for protection, who in a great show of hypocrisy on The Bulkwark's part, practice a variation on the 'the way of light' as their faith. In return for protection, The Bulwark facilitates and offers technology and talented craftsmen. This sudden need for protection arose when famously the "ever-so-wise" men of the Bulwark were humiliated when a force of northmen, consisting of mostly women, breached what they thought to be unbreakable walls with mysterious explosives and kidnapped hundreds of citizens.
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Wessile -
Background - Wessile is the largest of the powers within the Warring Kingdoms running up and down the length of the mountain range, The Eyes of God. It is a kingdom constantly in war, able to keep up with various other Kingdoms to the east conducting skirmishes along its borders, and notably the Theocracy of Truth to the west waging vicious holy wars against them, along with the Ironmaw Tribe of northmen pillaging their lands. The reason for their success is due to a thriving mining industry and talented craftsmen from their protectorate, The Bulwark of Reason, providing them with the materials and talents to be one of the few powers who consistently utilize firearms.
Wessile's culture is feudal, as are many of the Warring Kingdoms, but Knights take on the role of people entrusted with a length of land to defend rather than being granted the privilege of land. These lengths of land are manifested as trenches, battlements, and other structures that allow them to defend key position. This has led to a heavy stagnation in expansion as they fight a war to simply keep their large territory. Men who were not born into knighthood, or in a rare circumstance earned it, are expected to spend half of the year on the frontlines, musket in hand, repelling invaders and raiders, and the other half in the central territories of Wessile mining primarily in the winter, or farming in the summer-seasons.
The men of Wessile tend to live short lives, so they act accordingly. Wessile has very little laws or restrictions in terms of marriage and men can lay with as many women as they would like without consequence unless the woman is married and the husband pursues damages, which is often not the case. Those men that do survive to the age of forty are granted retirement, or sometimes referred to take up knighthood.
Another aspect of Wessile is their faith which is the same, yet different than The Theocracy of Truth. The brutality of war, toils of day to day life, and such are reflected in their take on the Church of Light. It is taught to them that men are innately without light in them and earn it through service to their king, and by extension, the light. It is also taught that women are born as beacons of light and must be protected at all cost from the toil and harm because it would only serve to dampen their light. This makes for all the men-at-arms and knights of Wessile being excellent defenders, almost never breaking, even when things have fallen apart. Notably, Wessile lacks a church, claiming that every man is a church in of himself, which many scholars point to the initial divide between them and the Theocracy of Truth.
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Ravenkroft -
Background: Ravenkroft is a small, concentrated power, built over the Swallow Maw River that flows through the territory of the northmen passing down south before ending in the Murkvow Lake that rests a short way to the south. The people of Ravenkroft have an alliance with the Ironmaw Tribe of northmen. Formerly, when they were a power within The Theocracy of Truth, they maintained a lengthy wall that has been since reduced to rubble which acted as a means to guard against the northmen. Now, without the oversight of The Theocracy of Truth amendments to their relationship had been made to preserve themselves.
The first change they underwent was the destruction of all manner of iconography of Light, which they replaced with icons of The Maiden who is worshiped by much of the northmen. Secondly, they pledged themselves to the Ironmaw Tribe as an ally. Finally, as an ally they have fell into a niche of sending out small scouting parties throughout The Warring Kingdoms and even further south into temperate areas of the midlands that the northmen can tolerate to look for raiding targets. At first, these changes were done out of self preservation, not wanting their women to be taken as treasures and men used for forced labor, yet the years changed the people of Ravenkroft into a hybrid group possessing aspects of their formers selves, along with the tribal ways of the northmen.
Militarily, Ravenkroft is nearly non-existent relying on northmen who use their kingdom as a staging ground. What military they do possess are private guard, mostly talented mercenaries from afar, or perhaps defectors from nearby kingdoms, that act as enforcers and protectors of their king. The king rules over his immediate realm of Ravenkroft, but takes orders from the chieftain, or in the present year, chieftess of the Ironmaw Tribe.
Those born in Ravenkroft are subject to harsh gender roles. Men are to serve as owners of property and decision makers. Women tend to personal domestic matters, remain mild mannered in opinion. Their own worship of The Maiden has taken an alternative take on the earth-mother, seeing her more so as a universal bride to men, rather than a guide that the northmen see her as. It is ironic, and a subject of much mockery from neighboring kingdoms, that despite their traditional and maintained gender roles - many of the northmen soldiers protecting Ravenkroft are in-fact women. However, this is excused by those of Ravenkroft who hold the typical belief that the northmen are a separate species, thus they have different social standards.
Ravenkroft has developed over the years making an entire hidden school of espionage, assassination, and rumors suggest that those within the school that show exceptional talent even begin to learn pagan sorceries to aid in their particular job. This school is almost entirely men, but very rarely women are taken in to act as specialized spies, but never assassins. Initially, the kingdom of Ravenkroft was nothing more than a sort of indentured servants of The Ironmaw Tribe, but they took to their place of acting as scouts and excelled. Spies and assassins from Ravenkroft fight a war to destabilize kingdoms, sewing turmoil, or aiding in locating raid targets. Their influence has spread even further and they have undertook jobs for other kingdoms discretely.
Beyond their duties of espionage and scouting, they have a thriving fishing industry and keep the bellies of the northmen full and themselves well fed. Many of their celebrations and local traditions incorporate fishing from competitions to worship of The Maiden's gift to them that manifests in the form of fish. It is an easy going life for the Ravenkroft fisherman and is somewhat envied by those of other Warring Kingdoms. The Ironmaw Tribe do well to protect these non-combatants - the protective and animalistic nature of the northmen serving these people quite well.
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Skyloft -
Background: Skyloft is located upon the rolling green plateaus that border upon the Winding Pass. It is a rather extensive, albeit loosely built kingdom that is dominantly concerned with honing and maintaining a large cavalry force. They are an expert at mounted combat, excelling in the use of all manner of weapons from horseback, but even then they can dismount in a moment's notice to take to the ground. The term 'knight' within Skyloft is a loose term, lacking much of the greater meaning other powers might hold for the term, and simply refers to their mounted soldiers.
The people of Skyloft are notorious for never have lost a battle within their home territory that is flat, lacking much tree cover, but this more-so a legend rather than a truth. It is true they have never experienced a true crushing defeat in their own territory, but they are more prone to retreat on horseback than remain if the odds tip against them. Much of their armor is leather due to the lack of metals to make plate or chainmail being in abundance, but they occasionally commission sets of plate armor from distant lands for their best knights, which is passed down and reshaped for the first son of said knights.
Skyloftians are an honorable folk who conduct themselves with restraint and precision. When they conduct raids on kingdoms and smaller powers, they do so with restraint and precision only taking what they need and never inflicting severe damage. However, if one does attack their territory of Skyloft, they will pursue a 'righteous grudge' as they put it and be allowed to inflict all manner of atrocities upon their people to grant them 'absolution.' The stories and consequences for failure have turned away many attackers from attempting to attack Skyloft leaving them mostly as a force of attackers.
The people of Skyloft maintain a loose church, which their king lords over and controls, that hails the Light. It follows much of the traditional teachings, believing all people are equal in soul, but they have made an amendment that the flesh has principles, limitations, and rules - thus, women while being granted some autonomy in taking up trades and educating themselves maintain a domestic role by law. However, one avenue exists for women who seek to take up more active role: The Sisterhood of Light which resides in The Theocracy of Truth.
Skyloft sees itself as a long lost friend of The Theocracy, separated by countless kingdoms and feuds seeing that they are on the opposite sides of The Northlands. This sees Skyloft being a destination for The Sisterhood of Light when they travel afar spreading charity and hunting heretics, a sort of resting place and safe haven to reward their efforts halfway through their journey. The Sisterhood of Light are welcomed by the distant, non-affiliated Church of Light with open arms, alongside the people who take great interest in hearing their stories. Many families nearly have arguments in who gets to host Sisters when they arrive and they challenge one another who can treat these holy pilgrims to the best treatment. Many Sisters complain, albeit playfully, the journey back to The Theocracy is a greater challenge due to the pampering weighing at their fitness. Some women of Skyloft are welcomed and encouraged to join the Sisterhood of Light when they arrive and return to The Theocracy of Truth, but they require the blessing of their father to do so.
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Other Kingdoms:
Throughout the central, landlocked regions of the Northlands are numerous other warring kingdoms of varying sizes and beliefs. Many of them are small, only lasting perhaps for a decade before collapsing, while a few have maintained their reign for decades.
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