Nindir
The kingdom of Nindir, the birthplace and ancestral homeland of the Sha, consists of the three large islands within the Iyassian Ocean that are divided by a narrow stretch of sea called the Dragon's Strait.
In clockwise order, the islands are, Alysea, Brycova, and Eurion. Each island has its capital city: Arrowwing on Alysea, Kirines on Brycova, and Rulthan on Eurion. The Royal Court that rules all of Nindir holds the seat in Rulthan.
Sha is far more common in Nindir than any other region on Ianna or Terria, and many clans travel in large caravans from city to city. Despite the large percentage of wandering Sha, most of the cities of the kingdom are home to humans and dragonkin. Sha that choose to live within the city walls finds themselves part of a minority. Although several Sha villages exist on Nindir. They are semi-permanent and often hidden from sight to protect its occupants.
Several years previous the Sha found a need for this secrecy after the Sha-King Orien died of old age. Although Sha has ruled the kingdom for ages, the human Arthur Stokys became chosen to replace the deceased king. Although the kingdom did not expand under king Orien's rule, every inhabitant was well-fed, and life was simple but fair. King Stokys, on the other hand, wanted the kingdom to flourish like the neighboring kingdom of Aldriel, and he set changes into motion in the hopes of increasing the flow of money to the crown. One of his plans was to tax traders and visitors coming to the kingdom. The tax came down to only a small fee, but the traveling Sha saw it as a personal insult. With the many clans traveling the world and eventually returning home to Nindir, they felt unfairly treated. Also, with the number of clan members running up to 100 Sha, a simple fee of 5 gold pieces per person, could become a hefty sum for a single caravan.
Their unrest lingered on for years, until the unthinkable happened: without warning, the king banished all Sha councilors from the royal grounds and prohibited Sha from holding any official function within the kingdom. A year later king Stokys announced the installation of the Dragoon Army: a secretly trained army of dragonkin and humans tasked to keep the king's peace. Fearing for their safety, many Sha left the cities to join caravans and fled the kingdom, abandoning crafts and trades vital to the kingdom's prosperity. Noticing the economic collapse within the kingdom, king Stokys ordered that all remaining Sha were not to leave the cities and – aided by his Dragoon Army – forces the Sha to work for the crown.
Those Sha trapped within the cities still try to escape with help both inside and outside the city. Many wish to travel to a safer haven for Sha: one of the rumors going around the cities tells of a place called “The Refuge,” which is said to offer a way to leave the islands to any Sha that wishes it. Although the Dragoon Army is searching, king Stokys has yet to find this Refuse.
Villages: Beelure, Brickwain, Feyglade, Limeroot, Plowmound, and Sabretown.
Special Places: Bleak Rock, Exiles' Isle, House Orien, Standing Stones of the Beasts, Shrine of the Four Elements, Sleeping Dragon Monastery, the Refuge, and Wightqueen.
Geography: Forgottenhorn Crest, Sabrewoods, Shieldleaf Glade, Songrain Forest, Spiderbranch Hills, Orien Woods, Wiselon Forest, Wolverine Gorge.
He retired soon after that feat and took the village under his wing. Although the Dragoon Army constantly tries to remove him from his seat as a local hero – being a Sha – but he has so far sent them all back to their barracks with bruises, black eyes, and a couple of broken arms and fingers. He is still running his inn.
During this period of civil unrest, many Sha tries to find refuge within their ancestral home, hoping the woods will protect them from the Dragoon Army or trying to find their way to the legendary Refuge to escape the kingdom. The Refuge can be found in the north-western part of the forest, hidden within a cove. So far, the forest has protected and hid many of the villages from the Dragoon Army. The army has destroyed only those on the border of the forest and the farmlands.
In clockwise order, the islands are, Alysea, Brycova, and Eurion. Each island has its capital city: Arrowwing on Alysea, Kirines on Brycova, and Rulthan on Eurion. The Royal Court that rules all of Nindir holds the seat in Rulthan.
Sha is far more common in Nindir than any other region on Ianna or Terria, and many clans travel in large caravans from city to city. Despite the large percentage of wandering Sha, most of the cities of the kingdom are home to humans and dragonkin. Sha that choose to live within the city walls finds themselves part of a minority. Although several Sha villages exist on Nindir. They are semi-permanent and often hidden from sight to protect its occupants.
Sha Caravans
Sha caravans consist of 30 to 100 individuals, families, and animals. They travel the lands, stopping at cities and mystical places to gather and trade goods, information, and services to any who wants it. To Sha, the caravan is a means of life and not a way to make a profit. They live with the land, not from it. As a custom, any Sha who wants to be called an adult must travel with a caravan for one year, offering them his or her services. Teaching them not to be a mouth to feed but contributing members of the community as a whole.Several years previous the Sha found a need for this secrecy after the Sha-King Orien died of old age. Although Sha has ruled the kingdom for ages, the human Arthur Stokys became chosen to replace the deceased king. Although the kingdom did not expand under king Orien's rule, every inhabitant was well-fed, and life was simple but fair. King Stokys, on the other hand, wanted the kingdom to flourish like the neighboring kingdom of Aldriel, and he set changes into motion in the hopes of increasing the flow of money to the crown. One of his plans was to tax traders and visitors coming to the kingdom. The tax came down to only a small fee, but the traveling Sha saw it as a personal insult. With the many clans traveling the world and eventually returning home to Nindir, they felt unfairly treated. Also, with the number of clan members running up to 100 Sha, a simple fee of 5 gold pieces per person, could become a hefty sum for a single caravan.
Their unrest lingered on for years, until the unthinkable happened: without warning, the king banished all Sha councilors from the royal grounds and prohibited Sha from holding any official function within the kingdom. A year later king Stokys announced the installation of the Dragoon Army: a secretly trained army of dragonkin and humans tasked to keep the king's peace. Fearing for their safety, many Sha left the cities to join caravans and fled the kingdom, abandoning crafts and trades vital to the kingdom's prosperity. Noticing the economic collapse within the kingdom, king Stokys ordered that all remaining Sha were not to leave the cities and – aided by his Dragoon Army – forces the Sha to work for the crown.
Those Sha trapped within the cities still try to escape with help both inside and outside the city. Many wish to travel to a safer haven for Sha: one of the rumors going around the cities tells of a place called “The Refuge,” which is said to offer a way to leave the islands to any Sha that wishes it. Although the Dragoon Army is searching, king Stokys has yet to find this Refuse.
Region
Cities: Athhan, Arrowwing, Kirines, Rulthan and Varlar.Villages: Beelure, Brickwain, Feyglade, Limeroot, Plowmound, and Sabretown.
Special Places: Bleak Rock, Exiles' Isle, House Orien, Standing Stones of the Beasts, Shrine of the Four Elements, Sleeping Dragon Monastery, the Refuge, and Wightqueen.
Geography: Forgottenhorn Crest, Sabrewoods, Shieldleaf Glade, Songrain Forest, Spiderbranch Hills, Orien Woods, Wiselon Forest, Wolverine Gorge.
Arrowwing
Arrowwing is a small city inhabited by many of the Sha nobles of the kingdom, which were robbed of power by the new king. Many of the human population in this city still view the Sha their friends and kin and have a hard time accepting the king's edicts as a result. This close friendship between humans and Sha may be due to the influence of the nearby House Orien. Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that the city acts unruly and defiant towards the new king. Recently a part of the Dragoon Army has been stationed within the city to ensure its loyalty.Varlar
As the poorest city in the kingdom, Varlar was forced to accept the rule of neighboring Kirines. Most of Varlar's inhabitants work the fields and provide food for the rest of the kingdom. Varlar also has another problem: dragons. Regularly, the boldest dragons from the Wolverine Gorge come to the city to dine on its livestock, food stores, and inhabitants. In response to the attacks, some dragonkin and humans have formed the Oaken Shield, a force meant to defend the city – so far with little success.House Orien
House Orien is a large mansion in the southern part of the island of Alysea. With all its chambers and buildings, the mansion is easily as big as a village. It has a small port and was mainly used by the former royal family of house Orien. The house is currently occupied by two families, each led by one of king Orien's sons. So far King Stokys hasn't taken any action against this formerly royal family, because that would risk the loyalty and support of the nobles within the kingdom that are still fond of the members of House Orien. House Orien still uses Sha as its guards and has sent the dragonkin that king Stokys sent as replacements away, frustrating the new king.Orien Woods
Orien Woods is the hunting ground of the Orien family and is part of the domain granted to the Orien family by king Stokys.Eight Wine Blades
The Eight Wine Blades is a famous inn on the road between Athhan and Rulthan, located in the village of Brickwain. The inn is run by a famous Sha Hero, who – according to his own words – defeated a dragon with his bare hands.He retired soon after that feat and took the village under his wing. Although the Dragoon Army constantly tries to remove him from his seat as a local hero – being a Sha – but he has so far sent them all back to their barracks with bruises, black eyes, and a couple of broken arms and fingers. He is still running his inn.
Sleeping Dragon Monastery
The monks of the Sleeping Dragon Monastery refrain from interfering with the kingdom's politics and once swore to protect the island form any evil. When the king gave the order to ban the Sha from the royal palace seven years ago, the monastery closed its doors, and so far, those doors have not opened again. Any divinations that have tried to decipher what is going on inside the monastery have failed. Many suspect that, when those doors open, the fate of the kingdom will change.Shrine of the Four Elements
On the road between Arrowwing and House Orien lies a ruined building holding a large standing disc representing the four elements. The shrine is tended to by a half-mad woman called the priestess of Flowers, as she tends the large flower garden that has almost completely devoured the building. Ancient texts claim the shrine was once as a gateway to the four elemental planes, but the ritual to open the gate has long been lost.Standing Stones of Beasts
Thirteen stones are standing in a circle, each resenting one of the Sha races: badger, bear, boar, goat, bunny, wolf, eagle, cat, fox, rat, raven, salamander, and snake. It is a holy place for many of the Sha shamans and clerics. Throughout history, 4 of the Sha races have disappeared from the world – badger, eagle, raven, and salamander – although many believe that as long as their stones remain standing in the circle, they might return.Bleak Rock
Bleak Rock is a desolate island with a single broken tower on it. It was the home of a powerful wizard who likes the solitude for his experiments, but now it has long been abandoned. Fishermen claim that the wizard's experiments still roam the island at night.Exiles' Isle
Criminals and other unwanted people that are unsuited for work in the mines of Forgottenhorn Crest are sent to the Exiles' Isle. The ones that survive the harsh volcanic environment become little more options than savages preying on the next exile sent to the island.Wight Queen
This old watchtower was once as a lighthouse but now remains in lonely solitude. Queen Iondora ordered the building of the tower ages ago, to prevent the fishermen from crashing on the reefs and sandbanks within the Dragon's Straight.Sabre Woods
Sabre Woods lies between Kirines and Wolverine Gorge. Home to numerous creatures driven out Wolverine Gorge by the dragons that terrorize these mountains. They constantly pose a threat to the Kirines and its farmlands.Forgottenhorn Crest
The Forgottenhorn Crest is the kingdom's source of iron, copper, and silver. Many slaves, convicts, and unwanted toil here in one of its many mines.Shieldleaf Glade
The Shieldleaf Glade is a sacred place to countless Sha and considered by many scholars to be the point of origin for their culture. Many villages are scattered throughout the forest: some brimming with life, others mere ruins of what once was.During this period of civil unrest, many Sha tries to find refuge within their ancestral home, hoping the woods will protect them from the Dragoon Army or trying to find their way to the legendary Refuge to escape the kingdom. The Refuge can be found in the north-western part of the forest, hidden within a cove. So far, the forest has protected and hid many of the villages from the Dragoon Army. The army has destroyed only those on the border of the forest and the farmlands.
Songrain Forest
Songrain forest is famous for its trees, which each gives a different soft and subtle note or tone whenever it rains, filling the woods with a piece of mysterious, entrancing music. Because of these qualities, the woods have attracted may fey creatures, like pixies, dryads, nymphs, and satyrs.Spiderbranch Hills
The Spiderbranch Hills gets its name for the wide variety of spiders that make this forest their home. These spiders don't stop explorers, miners, and adventurers hoping to find gems and other precious stones in the hills. Some claim the Queen of Spiders, a kindred spirit, has taken these woods as her home.Wiselon Glen
The Wiselon Glen also named “Sha's Wisdom” because every king of Nindir traveled to the forest within this valley to receive a blessing from the land. Even king Stokys is said to have received the blessing from the glen. Currently, the forest is cut down as a source of lumber.Wolverine Gorge
The Wolverine Gorge is a volcanic active mountain range on the eastern part of the island of Brycova. The mountains spew ash and magma and, from time to time, make the island tremble. Many dragons make this place their home as the heat from the lava streams, and magma pools keep unwanted guests out. It's not a rare sight to see a dragon flying around the mountains looking for a meal.
Free Lands of Nindir Banner by Martijn Donker
Maps
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Nindir: Ancestral Homeland of the Beastmen
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Alternative Names
Ancestral Homeland of the Beastmen
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Palace economy
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