Arakhor: A People of Stories and Thieves

Arakhor. As one of the few ancient civilizations of Ashirma, it is said to be built on the memory of its people. Through its history and it’s endurance it has cemented itself as a hardy nation

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Capital City

Owl's Crest, the central commune of the Storied Land. While the whole nation specializes in the gathering of information, only here can the greatest of bards and performers fully realize their experiences before an enraptured people. Here, the people rose up to fell the brutal King. Here, the Living Archive houses the greatest tales of generations past. Here, the ancient memory of its civilization endures.
As with the rest of the peaceful communes of Arakhor, a great story makes a fair trade for goods as well as gold does. Though the quality of these stories are on a different scale than seen anywhere else. These stories and experiences help shape Owl's Crest reputation as a juggernaut in the creative culture, producing printed works based upon real lives that find their way onto even the most remote farmer's shelf. Independent artists and collective firms tend to establish themselves where the trends are set first-the daily fashion sightings are not merely outrageous, they are innovative, dangerous, and certainly new. Else, invite the scorn of other talented artists. Even the construction reflects the city's nature: Ornate and heavily gothic architecture with towering abbeys and flying buttresses offset by neon-colored arcane signage. However, such a diverse and festive environment was not fostered in peace. The shadow of war stretches over Arakhor into this Age of Prosperity, as the descendants of the old monarchy still seek to establish the old ways.
Owl's Crest was once the seat of power for the Dolmin: a long line of Celestial lords who invoked the will of Tempus. Inter-familial plotting and a fatal betrayal within the Dolmin led to Arakhor appointing a monarch: King Grygir the Grim, a burly and brutish aasimar who'd won his right to rule through sheer conquest. Under his brutal, oppresive reign, the people were conscripted into his engine of war, with which King Griygr planned to run roughshod over the whole continent. But beneath his feet, revolution was brewing.
In the sewers and shadows, spreading hope and talk of 'freedom', the Talon Thieves Guild was founded just prior to the fall of the Dolmin Empire. A lack of trust in the governance of Arakhor by the Dolmin, left to grow under centuries of serfdom and aristocracy by King Grygir and his court. The Talon Thieves waited patiently for the right moment to strike; and with the rise of a young, fiery new leader, the revolution had finally arrived. That year, legends were made of Arner Dolluck and the Talon Thieves as they usurped the power of the throne. Owl's Crest-and greater still, Arakhor-was wrested from the grip of the King, given to the people, and his court dispersed or killed by the Talon Thieves.
Now, the descendants of King Grygir's old court, those with even the faintest ties to the Celestial line of Dolmin, are a spotted blight upon the Nation of Arakhor. Though the majority of the land is composed of peaceful communes-fostered by the Talon Thieves to be self-sustaining, collective, cultured communities-the remainder is claimed, fought over, and claimed again by entrenched Warlords. Powerful figures who demand a return to the monarchy, when the peasants knew their place and disobedience would not be tolerated. These Warlords rise and fall amongst themselves like civilization playing out over decades, finding conflict with all nearby as they desperately seek power to fulfill the legacy of their bloodline. Though the Talon Thieves Guild work feverishly to root out this remaining weed of the past, they spring up just as quickly as one falls-collecting mercenaries, wielding powerful divine magic, and trampling over the peaceful communes of Arakhor unless somebody stops them.

Culture & Values

The culture of the city is one of camaraderie and cooperation even as a place run by thieves, greed is seldom an issue. Charitable giving of hearth and home is not uncommon.
While gold is still widely used, for a good story you can find many discounts for whatever you may need. Many in Owl’s Crest, especially tavern owners and shopkeepers, will carry journals to write down stories told by patrons or passers-by. Once these journals are full they are brought to the Living Archive, to allow even just one memory from every patron to be remembered.
Personal accountability is also a very strong pillar of the people of Arakhor. Being held responsible for your actions since they can have immense impact within the peaceful communes. Since the nation is citizen-policed, it stresses a greater importance of knowing the gravity of your acts and what they might do to affect the greater whole.

Geography, Flora, & Fauna

The wilds of Owl’s Crest are a mix of lush and desolate. Along the coasts and around the Grip cliffs are plentiful tropical species of flora and fauna.
Heading further inland you’ll still find tropical areas, intermingled with harsh sands and deserts, seemingly a constant fight between the two biomes.
Much of the fauna in Arakhor is what you would find in the savannah or the Amazon. Various species of reptiles, large cats such as leopards and lions. Insects and birds of paradise are common, as well as herds of grazing mammals from tapirs in the rainforests and elephants in the grasslands.
What you may also encounter are various monstrous entities and undead, given its history and various events of arcane catastrophes. Open rifts in secret portions of the jungles and ruins of old kingdoms that had been once under the rule of the old king. As can be expected, exploration is at an all-time high due to these conditions. Many adventurers dream of what’s hidden in the dense jungles or buried beneath the sands.

Political Structure & Economics

The political structure in Owls Crest is an Anarchic democracy. The entire population is able to vote on legislation news laws and government policy. The Prime Minister is voted for by the nation by popular vote, in order to be their voice on the world stage and help establish connections between nations.
Owl’s Crest is the leading provider in a number of goods:
Entertainment:
Due to the focus on one’s own freedom, many pursue their passions of music and performance. This means that most of the acclaimed artists known around Ashirma were Arakhor (specifically Owl’s Crest) natives.
Fish:
Due to the nation having a vast coastline and a symbiosis with the local griffin populations, fishing is a booming industry in Arakhor, the main provider on the Eastern seaboard.
Tropical fruit:
Among the more lucrative industries in Arakhor, the trade of tropical fruit native to its rainforest is one of the oldest. Before means we’re found to help non-native vegetation bear fruit in new locals, royalty and nobility were rather fond of acquiring these rare and delicious fruits.
Even as the monarchies of Ashirma were weeded out and died off, tropical fruit became a much more valuable commodity with some of the more wealthy common folk who wanted to taste what they could not grow. For this reason, the mango tree is the national plant of Arakhor.

Populace Information

The populace of Owl’s Crest and Arakhor are as diverse as their origins. All races are welcome, all creeds are commended, and the differences are what help make Arakhor strong and plentiful. Owl’s Crest is the messy younger twin of its sister city of Sylvatica and it does not apologize for it.
The total population of the nation is close to 32 million densely populated in the few cities it has but far more spaced out across the massive expanse of land.

Important Organizations & Figures

The Talon Thieves Guild:
The Talons are a group of assassins, spies, thieves, and historians that are currently under the employment of the government of Arakhor. They are the liberators of Owl’s Crest and Arakhor from the Grigyr Monarchy, as well as known for their humanitarian and aiding efforts in other nations and kingdoms. They specialize in exposing corruption, as well as removing that corruption with whatever means required. The talons make up for a third of the total population of Owl’s Crest.
Arner Dolluck:
Current Prime Minister of Arakhor and Archive Guardian of the Talons. Former leader of the revolution against the Grigyr monarchy (dudded The Fall Of The Vulture). A very verbose character with a flair for the dramatic. A bard of legendary caliber, he’s made a name for himself in the history books, even finding himself among The Council of IX. (See Arner Dolluck)