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The History
The Free Lands of Muria have not existed as they currently are for as long as some of the other nations of Ashiel, but it is claimed that the Capital city of Equilibria has existed since a few hundred years after The Breaking. If this claim is true, then Equilibria is the oldest city in the world still standing. The Free Lands have grown into what they now are based on the ideals and values held by those who founded Equilibria. The oldest accounts, already fourth and fifth handed, speak that Equilibria was built into the bedrock of the land itself. Carved out of stone by the hand of Muria to serve as a shelter for the people the Gods had saved from the great storm. The people lived a meager existence for some time, but all too soon those who rose to power took advantage of those beneath them. Corruption floated to the top and those in power took steps to ensure they maintained power. It was not until one such man dared to call himself king that these things changed.
There are conflicting accounts as to whether the Founders were born within Equilibria or came from without, braving a world still beset by chaos to find a place of stability. Regardless of which, what is known is that five men and women revolted against the man who would be king and destroyed him for his hubris, tearing down those who supported him as well. These men and women became known as The Founders, for it was under their leadership that Equilibria truly began to thrive and grow. Many stories about The Founders have been passed on throughout the centuries and have survived to this day, in no small part by the actions of the Five Clans. Some claim that the Founder were the first Heroes, though some stories claim that there were other Heroes before them, but they are not named and the stories about them have been lost to time.
The leader of the Founders was Rurik Stoneforge, a dwarven warrior who devoted himself to S’erris, the Goddess of Justice. In most of the stories he is the one inciting the others into action against the corrupt would-be King. Valanna Nightblade while never being named as such in the stories, descriptions of her appearance paint her as a High Elf. She was an accomplished, and highly lethal, fighter with any sort of bladed weapon in her hand. Doran Pureheart was a cleric and healer who worshipped Seram, the Goddess of Life. It was by her blessing that he lived for as long as he did, but he was the first of the Founders to pass on. There is a story that despite no evidence supporting it, does lay out a conversation that happened between Doran and Xistan. Those who worship the God of Death, or the Goddess of Life, accept this story as truth. Hishkan The Arcane was a dragonborn wizard, a man of staggering intellect and devious wisdom. Of all the Founders, Hishkan is the one who has returned to the world time and again, showing up in places where something can be learned or discovered. Lastly, Leika Stormshard was a powerful sorceress and a stormborn as well. She often shows up in stories about the others, but there are few stories of her and those that do exist are told only within the Clan she founded.
Once the tyrant was defeated the Founders set about restoring order and making the lives of the people better. Their power and influence grew to the point that they had groups of like-minded people helping them. This was the beginning of the Clans. It was quite naturally the suggestion of Stoneforge that each Clan undertake the Oath of the Contract of Blood so that each member of one clan would be as kin to their fellows. While the Clans were instrumental in both building and running the city, the Founders ensured that when the time came the clans would step to the side, while still maintaining a presence, and allow the people to govern. They had seen first-hand the rule of a tyrant and none of them wished to allow such a thing to happen again. Eventually the city outgrew the tunnels and spilled onto the surface world, growing, and growing as time passed. The tunnels remained in use for many centuries until the outside world became calm enough to allow for a true beginning to start. It was long after the Founders had all passed on, the city had grown, and its influence was felt over a larger area of land. Exploration began and those drawn to adventure headed out into the wilderness to see what could be discovered. What they discovered was that they were not alone in the land they called home.
As explorers ranged far, they came across other settlements that had been built recently, yet the inhabitants were unable to remember how they had gotten there. Other settlements were discovered well established and it seemed improbable that the two places had not known of each other before. Towards the night they found shires of halflings and a city. Towards the day they discovered thick forests and wide-open plains both populous with many tribes of orcs. Slowly as time moved on these other places became small nations, their names recorded in history books or perhaps merely in a city or town still bearing the name. These new nations dealt with what the Founders had built, sometimes in peace and fairness, other times in violence and war. When the option was warring the Clans, which had grown larger and more powerful, mobilized their forces. They often proved to be more than up to the task, and the area of influence Equilibria held sway over grew. The only time the outcome was in doubt was during the Passiflora War when the various tribes of orcs all allied together against the various peoples of Equilibria. While the war did eventually end in peace talks (and directly lead to the founding of the city of Wildrider), it remains one of the greatest conflicts in the history of Muria, second only to the later conflict known as The Year of Famine.
The Year of Famine began several hundred years later following an unusually mild winter and a drier than normal spring. It was after the crops had been planted and were beginning to grow that the unthinkable happened. A mountain deep within the Stonepeaks exploded with such force that the mountains immediately around it shattered and crumbled as a geyser of lava soared into the sky. Dark ash filled the skies and began to rain down on much of the land and it did not stop raining ash for a full fortnight. The people did their best to salvage the crops, and some managed to saved, but so many more perished beneath the ash that coated the land. The people ended up resorting to small gardens which yielded little in the way of vegetables and hunting down game that year. The winter came strong and cold, and many died from simply not having enough to eat. This, however, was only the backdrop for the actual conflict. Immediately following the eruption, a group of men and women were put together to go and investigate the site of the volcano and attempt to determine what had caused this. They were also tasked with seeing if the dwarves or the orcs or the dark elves that lived within those mountains has any knowledge or anything to do with its violent awakening.
This group ventured off deep into the mountains, questioning the dwarves, orcs and dark elves, but none of them knew the cause of the mountain’s eruption. The group acquired a dark elven guide to take them through the tunnels and caverns of the mountain range to the site of the volcano. By the time they arrived it was to find the now lone mountain standing still and silent surrounded by a cooling field of lava that reached all the way to the slopes of the mountains that were not destroyed. The journey to the volcano was dangerous but at the summit they found someone waiting. It was one of the aspects of the Goddess of Nature, specifically Shiel. She charged the group with the eradication of the taint she had felt spread about the land. There had been a strong source of it nestled in the very mountain they now stood on, but Shiel had taken care of that one. If the rest were not dealt with in a timely manner, then Shiel promised she would see to it herself. The clues this group found pointed them in the direction of the city of Greystone. It was there that the group first ran into the doomsday cult known as The Day of the Eaten Sun. They were the ones responsible for the taint both within the mountain and within the city as well. And they were not working alone, other cells of this cult existed and had spread across the land.
The Year of Famine is the name for the covert war that was waged between this cult and the Founding clans of Equilibria. Despite its title, the conflict was waged over a span of fourteen years. It was only revealed to the people at large when the last of this cult, the taint they caused, and the artifact behind it were all dealt with. It was the most bitter of wars leaving relations between the Founding Clans strained, as well as the relations between them and the people forever damaged. In order to mollify the people and cement their good will, a new system of government was devised. Each area of the land would have its own representative on a ruling council. The Founding Clans would also serve on this council, but there would always be more regional representatives than Clan representatives, and to help with this the Stormshard Clan would abstain from voting unless needed to break a tie. From that point on the future of the Free Lands was all but set in stone. The regions were codified, the laws were hammered out and agreed upon. Due to the manipulation and the use of force, coercion, and magic during the Year of Famine, it was decided upon that while the actions were necessary to tackle the unique and pervasive threat of the cult, such must be guarded against in the future.
The people already worshipped Murien more than most of the other Gods, naturally looked to her priests for assistance on ensuring a fair and balanced set of laws. One of the first laws to be demanded was that all people be free. So loud and so numerous were the voices calling for this, that by the time the politics was done, the land had adopted the name it would be known by forever more: The Free Lands of Muria.
The Land
The Free Lands of Muria are considered to be mostly on the one large landmass, along with two small islands, within the Grey Sea. Other settlements have been built on a couple of the larger islands which are only reachable by airship, and both belong to The Collegiate State which will be detailed below. The land of the Free Lands is not as fertile as that of Merjoux, there are some crops which simply won’t grow there for long, and other places where the soil is either too rocky or too sandy to be usable. There is still much in the way of good farmland, and much more in the way of decent farmland with some effort put into it. The Stonepeaks mountain range and the sprawling foothills around most of it, dominate the landward side of the Free Lands only giving way before the very end of the land. The Plains of Raktar spread out on the dayward side of the Stonepeaks and are home to several large clans of orcs. Only a few days ride nightward from Equilibria sprawls a dense swamp known as the Nightglades. Thick forests make up the remainder of the land, several of which are home to the forest dwelling clans of orcs. The Free Lands get more rain, and snow, than most other lands in Ashiel, save perhaps Azura on the snow. They are also recipient to perhaps more echo storms than besieges other lands, though tracking where and when an echo storm will happen is nearly impossible and the frequency with which they appear is equally a mystery. The few beaches and natural ports within the Free Lands are rocky and will almost always need a dock built to accommodate a ship. Equilibria is the largest and safest port, which is the reason for the city’s success and growth. The rest of the perimeter of the Free Lands are cliffs and bluffs overlooking the Grey Sea, some dipping to within a hundred feet or even less, but most reaching at least three times that height.
There are six provinces and two additional territories within the Free Lands of Muria. Each of the six provinces have a representative on the ruling council alongside the heads of the Founding Clans. The two additional territories are special areas that are technically a part of Equilibria and are beholden to its laws, but also act autonomous with regards to their people. The provinces and territories of the Free Lands are as follows:
Hearth Hallow
The first province and the one in which the capital city of Equilibria resides. Hearth Hallow contains farmland and a forest along with Breaker's Bay and Bulwark Isle out within it. The towns of Voste, Joldin and Dawn's Glory along with the Ransom Woods and a pair of military fortresses are within this province. The mayor of Equilibria also acts as the representative of Hearth Hallow.
Sunstead
Along the border of Hearth Hallow stretching all along dayward side of the Free Lands is the province of Sunstead. Sunstead contains vast tracts of both farmland and forests, both the Zol Woods and the Windsong Grove, as well as the supposed cursed Gloaming Woods. Also within this province is the city of Zolar at the dayward most end. The Traveller's Rest is an Inn and a tavern just off the main road which leads both to Zolar and the College of Lore and is a frequent stop for any on the road. The villages of Klypsel, Fenthall and Lyton are also found within Sunstead.
Ishvale
Next is the province of Ishvale which is dominated by vast plains of grassland known as the Plains of Raktar. The Iron Forest, a large wooded area and a source of iron wood, and a large part of the Stonepeaks mountain range also resides within this province. Tribes of Steppe Orcs roam the plains along with their herds of horses and out on the plains are their settlements, named after the individual tribes; Riders In Mist, Riders In Fire and Riders In Darkness. Also on the plains, near to the mountains, is the site known as The Great Drove, the meeting place of all the Orc tribes for commerce and talk of war, but also is a place where the other races most often due business with them. Also of note on the plains is a line of obsidian standing stones, between which the grass does not grow. The Orcs believe to cross the line of stones will bring bad luck and usually avoid the area. Above the line of stones, standing off on its own is a tall tower known as Hishkan's Tower, built by magic by the Clan Founder, Hishkan the Arcane. There is an entrance to the underdark within the mountains which will lead to the dark elven city of Whisperift. In the center of a ring of mountains is a wooded valley at the center of which rests a long dormant volcano known as Shiel's Wrath.
The Stonepeaks
The next province named after the mountain range that makes up the bulk of it, is the province of Stonepeaks. This province is mostly either foothills or mountains, and there are a number of settlements both in the hills and within the mountains themselves, populated by dwarves and orcs for the most part. The cities of Elderstone, Skyreach and Deeproar are found within the mountains of this province. While these cities are first and foremost dwarven cities, there are many clans of sierra orcs who live within them, including the Delvers-In-Light, the Delvers-In-Silence, the Delvers-In-Laughter and the Delvers-In-Fear. Even though most maps only show the rough locations of the three main cities, there are numerous smaller outposts and mining camps scattered both on and within the Stonepeaks.
The Bastion
Next is the province known now as The Bastion, the smallest of the provinces it is home the villages of Thas, Gopa and Erost, and a number of smaller hamlets. It is most notably known for the headquarters of The Discordant Legion within Beran Keep. Also considered part of The Bastion is Erostar Isle off the coast. The Isle is a dangerous place where monsters roam. There is a barracks of the Discordant Legion upon the Isle where newer recruits are sent to test their mettle against real monsters.
Capricia
The last province is known as Capricia and within it sits the city of Cheval, right upon Lake Chavelia which itself is within the swamp known as The Nightglades. There is another city known as Olana and the towns of Forrton, Alfar and Elyas. There is much fertile farmland as well as the forests of Elyas' Weald, the Runal Woods and the Seabreaks. Capricia Keep lays to the landward and nightward side of the province, a hold over from hundreds of years ago when there was much civil war within the Free Lands. A road journeys through The Nightglades but it can often be treacherous due to the creatures that live in the swamp, but it does pass close by an old ruined keep in the middle of the swamp. Rumors abound that something is hidden within.
The Compact of Free Peoples
The first of the two territories are located far to the landward side of the continent. It is separated from the rest of the continent by the Stonepeaks and the heavy foothills surrounding them. The shoreline in the Compact is entirely high cliffs overlooking the Grey Sea. There are a dozen small towns within the Compact and each one is its own little kingdom in a way. No two of these towns are run the same way, nor is this ruling consistent or continuous. The only laws you will find within the Compact are the ones which the people currently in charge can enforce. While much of the Free Lands is considered a shining jewel and a beacon of morality, the Compact shows the darker side of freedom. The Compact exists as a place that people who chafe under the laws of the Free Lands can go, though most people do not so much go there on their own as they are sent there. When someone proves too much of a danger to those around them, or simply too much of a troublemaker for the law to deal with simply and easily, they are sent to The Compact.
Those who do get sent are often marked with a harmless but persistent magical tattoo. The creation of such is done by a multipart artifact gifted to the Free Lands by the Arcanum. This tattoo can only be removed by the same part of the artifact that made it in the first place. Some of these tattoos are designed to fade over time, as one’s sentence runs out. When it is gone the person, if they so choose, may make the long journey back into the rest of the Free Lands. Anyone bearing one of these tattoos who attempts to cross the foothills, or scale the mountains, will be sent back as soon as they are discovered. While it does not bear the name, The Compact of Free People is, for all intents and purposes, a large prison run by the very inmates within.
The Collegiate State
The territory known as The Collegiate State began during the year 3,143 AB when a group of seven bards, the leader of which was also a noble and a merchant on top of that, arrived within the Free Lands. They approached the ruling council and inquired about buying land from the for the purpose of building a College. As the story goes, and keep in mind this story is often told by bards, these seven men and women haggled a good deal on the land and though it was far away from the main port of Equilibria, they set off at once and took control of the land. As the years went by the small settlement of Bards grew and grew, and the College of Lore slowly was built. Songs of it were sung and those songs spread far and wide, drawing in many who heard the call of bardsong. As the years passed more settlements came to be founded, the town of Barda grew into a city that supported the College, and the College did likewise for the city. While the Collegiate State is technically its own small nation, it still upholds all the laws of Muria. Though if perhaps the Deans of the College decide to be a little more lenient now and then, word of this does not travel very far at all.
The State has expanded by the present day to inhabit a decent sized chunk of the main continent, but also parts of two of the floating landmasses nearby. The city of Barda and the College of Lore share the cost in maintaining an airship dock just outside the city. The dayward island is home to the city of Verage, which contains a smaller College of Lore who will often send prospective talents to the mainland for training. Verage is also home to an outpost of Helixia Prima, a guild of adventurers which is based out of the Fellowship of Bata.
The People
The people of the Free Lands are some of, if not the most diverse people in all Ashiel, both physically and culturally. Over the centuries people have come to the Free Lands in search of what they so proudly proclaim to offer: freedom. Established within the Free Lands are bloodlines of all cultures, stretching back generations. It is not uncommon to find those with parentage going back to Azura or Isenfeur or anywhere else for that matter. As such, it is well within the realm of possibility for a Freelander to display not only mannerisms and traditions belonging to another culture, but also physical traits from such places as well. In fact, The Free Lands is one of the nations of Ashiel with the largest number of people who can be considered *hachure*. This is not unsurprising in a place with a city named after a famous Orcborn hachure. The only other nations to come close to having as broadly diverse of a heritage in this regard are Isenfeur and, naturally, Merjoux.
Due to this when it comes to the look over the people of the Free Lands, pretty much anything and everything goes. Skin tones, hair color, eye color and other traits based on specific heritage, such as scales, tails, longer ears and so on, are all on the table and run the complete scale from one end to the other. Despite the seeming majority falling to only a handful of the various races, the actual rough breakdown of the Free Lands is a little more evenly spread than it might seem at first.
- 14% Humans
- 13% Dwarves
- 13% Orcs
- 12% Halflings
- 9% Dragonborn
- 8% Dark Elves
- 7% Stormborn
- 6% Light Elves
- 6% Tieflings
- 5% Gnisse
- 4% High Elves
- 3% Other
The 3% listed as Other are mostly made up of a number of so-called monstrous races, the majority of which here are doppelgangers.
The Culture
It is said of the Free Lands that one may go there and be truly free. Being truly free, however, is often a mixed bag and most people do not think and understand what that actually means. Muria is a land of opportunity, a place in which you can build a new life for yourself or those you care about. Slavery, indentured servitude, coercion of any type, in fact anything which infringes upon the freedom of another person is likely to get you arrested, if not executed. People are free in Muria, free to live their lives as they please, within the necessary confines of the law; free to make their own way in the world. They are also free to make the wrong decisions, free to fail and to suffer for their failure. Free to lose everything. All people are welcome within the Free Lands regardless of race or culture, so long as the laws are abided and followed. While the major laws may seem like they curtail liberty in some respects, there is always the undercurrent of protecting the freedoms of the most people, this is the foundation of not only the justice system within Muria, but also the founding principles of Equilibria itself. Over the years it has become a beacon for those who wish to start over, to have a new life.
The Free Lands are a melting pot of people and ideas which have spread and filtered through barriers, mixed, and mingled in new and different ways. Traditions have been upheld or altered, changed here and there as time has gone on. New traditions have been born from the mingling of cultures and peoples. While in their homelands, people from various cultures may find the old ways and old traditions being more restrictive than they are used to. This is perhaps why; the Free Lands seem to keep those who spend much time there. The lure of being free brings people and the reality keeps them.
At the core of their culture, Freelanders value the right of personal freedom. If what you are doing brings no harm to another, or infringes upon their personal freedom, then everything is fine. Freelanders have a very live and let live mentality to them, in general, and are for the most part open-minded. They are welcoming and proud of their hospitality and the communities they have made. Entwined with the ideal of personal freedom is the equally lofty ideal of personal success. Freelanders believe that while all people have a fate and that good or bad luck will fall upon them from time to time, one’s success is truly measured by their own abilities, strength, and determination. If you are not succeeding, then you are not trying hard enough, or seizing the opportunities that come your way. While the government in almost all places within the Free Lands supports this, Freelanders uphold the values of a meritocracy. This seems like a perfect solution to a land that value freedom as much as it does, yet a meritocracy relies upon everyone playing by the same rules. This has proven time and again to not be the case.
While many of the people of the Free Lands will espouse a common ideology, there are some regional differences which crop up when one has been raised in a certain province. Those who call the province of Hearth Hallow home will likely have grown up in the shadow of both Equilibria and the Founding Clans. This has led them to see both the best and the worst that the Free Lands has to offer. This has led people to patriotism and jaded cynicism, and everything else in between. Capricia, located to the nightward side of the Free Lands, is known among the other provinces for the people being more cunning and sly. Sunstead, located to the dayward side of the Free Lands, is the province where the legendary Hero of Keth Wildrider grew up. As such many stories about him, and other heroes, are often told there. The people of Sunstead are known to have a strong sense of justice to them. Ishvale is largely made up of the Plain of Raktar where a great many of the orc tribes live. It is also within the underdark of this province that the dark elven city of Whisperift lays. As such the people from Ishvale tend to be very curious and driven, never backing down from a challenge or a mystery. The Stonepeaks house a large percentage of the dwarven population of the Free Lands along with many more orc tribes. The people from this province tend to have a strong work ethic and a penchant for upholding the law. The Bastion, a province bought from the Free Lands by The Discordant Legion, is a place that has naturally fallen under the sway of the Legion’s god. The people who are from this province are known to be unpredictable and potentially troublesome. The Collegiate State, a province run by the bardic College of Lore, is know for its people being both quaint and rural, but also dramatic and urbane. Lastly The Compact of Free Peoples, located to the far landward side of the Free Lands, is a place where the people are considered dangerous and troublesome.
The Government
The Free Lands are governed over by a Council made up eleven members. Six of those Councillors are democratically elected representatives. There is one for each of the six provinces within the Free Lands, except for the Compact of Free Peoples and The Collegiate State. These elected representatives serve a term of five years before another election is held. The other five Councillors are the Heads of the five Founding Clans and while each Clan chooses who will be their Head, that decision is completely internal. Each Clan Head also serves until their death, or until the Clan determines they are unfit to serve. The Councillors reside within Equilibria during their terms, making frequent trips back to their provinces to keep abreast of situations. It is the job of the Council to review issues brought before it, dealing with land usage, matters of law, taxation, national security, and other such matters.
The Five Clans are as follows:
The Stoneforge Clan
The Stoneforge Clan was founded by Rurik Stoneforge and at its inception held only dwarves as its members, and only those whom Rurik trusted implicitly. As time passed the clan slowly grew with more dwarves, but also other races as its members took spouses or someone proved themselves worthy to be invited to join. This clan is the most openly influential of the clans, holding much property and having also founded the Forger’s Local #1, the artisan’s guild which all lesser guilds are a part of within the Free Lands. The current head of the clan is Vargas Stoneforge, a blunt dwarf who does not mince his words and often only speaks when he has something to say.
The Nightblade Clan
The Nightblade Clan was founded by Valanna Nightblade, but unlike the Stoneforge Clan, the Nightblade Clan accepted anyone that Valanna deemed fit to serve the clan. While it has not happened in years, there are old stories that say some members of the clan were invited in solely to provide a single service or favor before they were removed again. It is believed that this clan hold much influence in areas of society best left in shadows. Some rumors claim that the head of this clan oversees the local Copper Blade, the thieves’ guild found all over Ashiel. These rumors have never been proven, nor has any head of the Nightblade Clan ever been brought before a justiciar. The current head of the clan is Pendras Nightblade, a half-elf who is known to be very charming and pleasant and who often enjoys the company of several ladies.
The Pureheart Clan
The Pureheart Clan was founded by Doran Pureheart, and out of all the founding clans, it was the largest initially due in no small part by the quiet and gentle force of personality that it was claimed Doran possessed. Those of good nature and pure soul flocked to his banner. Even though it has been many, many centuries since its founding the Clan have stayed true to the cause of its founder. They are the clan most beloved by the people for their charity and assistance in helping those who need it. The current head of the clan is Lorranna Pureheart, a human woman in her old age, very quiet and sweet, yet behind that demeanour lurks a shrewd mind.
The Hishkan Clan
The Hishkan Clan was founded by Hishkan The Arcane, and for a great many years Hishkan was the only member of his clan. It is recorded by the clan that the arrival of his kin came some seventy years later, as during that time the world was still less stable than it currently is. These kin formed the early clan and while all were dragonborn and to this day most of the clan remains dragonborn, there have been some non-dragonborn members who have swelled the ranks. Of all the clans they are the ones who tend to get involved whenever powerful magics are needed or been used. The current head of the clan is Dreshkarn Hishkan, a dragonborn man with blue coloring and a fierce visage, yet despite this he is exceedingly friendly and will gladly talk with anyone, no matter who.
The Stormshard Clan
The Stormshard Clan was founded by Leika Stormshard, and as a clan it has slowly grown over the years. Unlike all of the other clans, the Stormshard Clan takes particular care in who it allows in. To a man, woman and child, all members of the Stormshard Clan are stormborn. Those who are born of stormborn but are not stormborn themselves will be kept and raised to adulthood and then must make their way in the world themselves. It is because of the presence of this clan that The Free Lands has the largest percentage of stormborn compared to any other nation. Many stormborn will flee other lands where they are often persecuted and seek out the Stormshard clan for shelter. The current head of the clan is Shara Stormshard, an aloof seeming woman who never reveals more than she wishes to and often seems to know things she should have no way of finding out.
The Free Lands, while not as aggressive as the Azurans or as regimented as the Isen people, do possess both a military and a navy. Given that Equilibria is one of the largest ports in the world and the only real port, the naval might of Muria far outweighs their army might. There has not been a war worthy of the name in Muria for nearly a thousand years. Most of the men and women who make up the various Watches that patrol the cities and towns and keep law and order are reserve troops if needed. The Navy is by far the stronger force, both on sea and in the air as well. They not only defend the city and the merchant vessels who make port at Equilibria daily, but also search the waters for pirates.
The Laws
The Gods
The Dangers
Justice, Freedom, Balance.
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Government System
Democracy, Representative
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Mixed economy
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