The Vetarin Covenant: A Cause Most Righteous
"Before Vetarin we were nothing but fools without meaning, warring over scraps of territory and resources, all to be the dominant force over this land. Our lady came and fixed our broken minds and gave our bodies purpose. In her name are lives are sworn, and our souls are owed. We will break the fiends of the north together and bring peace in ouir time, by any means necessary" Vordorim Vanic, On the formation of our covenant.
Before the year 934 A.B, the land now known as the vetarin covenant was a land of war and constant conquest. The races of Dragonborns, Dwarves and Goblinoids were constantly warring with one another with each believing they were the only ones capable of lawfully rulling over their realm, ironically creating pure chaos through their constant waring. Each of these peoples had incredible power individually. The Goblinoids were unmatched in martial and tactical prowess with a near unstoppable sea of Hoplites in a phalanx formation boosted with arcane magics combined with war beasts such as Mammoths, Rocs, Hydra and many more. The Wise Dawrves were known for their elaborate and incredible constructions of metal and stone, which they would use to make towering golems and war machines on wheels, as this is added their military might and strategy. Contrasting this was the Draconian Tribes, a sea of barbarians and sorcerers reinforced by wyverns, drakes and some dragons, who would tear up the battlefield with elemental prowess. The three factions fought constantly, forging temporary alliances which led to betrayals and further conflict, and assassinations and retribution assaults. One creature would look upon such chaos and feel sadness, but yet through the cloud of chaos and battle, she would see a glimmer of potential. This creature was named Vetarin, and she was one of the first born of the dragonblood and possibly largest, Her bronze scales worn down through her many battles and hardships.
Being a dragon would mean she could take a form much smaller than that of her true likeness, and most often chose to appear as a human woman with illustrious bronze hair in a long orange robe with a black cape. She would often take to walking through the ruined battlefields where a conflict once took place, using her near godlike power to resurrect the fallen and award them with a rejuvenated life in exchange for service to her cause. And her cause was thus, uniting the three kingdoms beneath one banner, a force capable of bringing the land to a new era of peace and prosperity through the complete and entire annihilation of the evil forces to the north. Over time her armies would grow, each soldier willingly serving the cause of uniting their people underneath the banner of Vetarin. Those who refused to adapt were dispatched or exiled far from the lands. Eventually, through the sheer amount of soldiers Vetarin had amounted, All three Kingdoms would come to surrender to the cause.
Each leader of the former kingdoms would take part in the unification ritual, bringing forth a length of a rope each, which would be tied together forming a triple knot, which vetarin would place a greatsword through, forming the Crest of the newly formed nation, a combination of different people with their bitterness placed aside in the pursuit of one task most righteous, The complete annihilation of all evil and the succession of the good, by any means necessary. And thus the Vetarin Covenant was born.
The Covenant is place of honor and justice where evil is sought out and quelled. While the covenant is a host of great armies, most are sent north to the blackened wastes as to combat the ever growing threat, and not every creature can be tamed as a war beast. As such the lands outside of the undercities can be a dangerous place. Early on in the covenants lifespan, they found themselves needing more efficiency per soldier they could muster in name of defending their homelands. As such they sought to take in the monsters they had found around them, forming decoctions from their magical ability and monsterous blood. Such decoctions were offered up to those unfit of military service, prisoners, and the orphans created by the war. Such people had their bodies and minds broken, leaving many dead, but those who survived became the first of the blood hunters. Several orders were established across the covenant, which in time would seep into the other surrounding nations of Bavelion. In modern times these blood hunters are a separate body from the covenant, and are for the most part a neutral group who maintain themselves by hunting down the many monstrous creatures of the continent of T'sulva. While these monster hunters are common in the Covenant, they are not restricted as the only monster hunters. Any person with martial or magical prowess and a mind for hunting many of the nations unique and terrifying monsters, and can live long enough to enjoy their winnings, may find themselves earning a fortune.
While the Covenant has a very established plan as to its goals of purging the Demon wastes, its goals afterward are rather unclear. Some believe Vetarin will turn her eyes toward the other nations she deems have evil rulers or goals, and wont stop until she rules over the continent by herself. Many are fearful of her victory through absolute good as such a thing is very subjective, and what were to happen if indeed all evil was purged from the land, who would become the new enemy she has chosen? Where is the Line drawn? Such questions have little answer. For the Time being it would seem she is only interested in the purification of the Blackened wastes, and all other Demonic beings, which of course brings its own problems, as if the armies of the abyss are indeed quelled, what is stopping a full fledged incursion on behalf of the Devils of the 9 Hells? Vetarin herself often hosts grand debates on her own beliefs with many of the worlds greatest minds who are skeptical of her exact goals and purpose, and such debates are held within her grand palace in the under city of Aresphia.
Such debates are irrelevant to the loyalist of her followers, who follow their every order to the T. It is even believed that through many years of service to the Dragon, that a soldier may gain a resistance to mental control effects. The exact reason for this is unknown. Family life can be quite hard for the people of the the Covenant, as not much emphasis is placed upon the relationship between parent and child, because of the most often fatal end for their job. Instead the Children of the Undercity are raised by a Heart. Hearts are the specially chosen followers of Vetarin, who are gifted Divine ability by Vetarin. Hearts are believed to be the souls of people who ascended to Elysium returned to the material plane to raise a new generation of the covenant. Typically 8-12 children are assigned to a single heart, and are raised and taught until adulthood.. Hearts appear as a tall angelic like being, can have male or female features, and have a bronze skin tone and long golden locks and often wear black or grey robes. The Children spend most of their time learning the basics around combat and swordsmanship, as well as basic strategy and siege weaponry. If a child proves to be exceptional in one or more ways they are taken from their unit and passed onto a more specialized one.
Tradition is important for the covenant, as all of the previous traditions were wiped from the records upon the formation of it, and instead each culture had desirable or pleasurable traditions and laws mixed together within the Covenant. For example conflict is an important part of life, but one can receive just as much honor if not more through making great constructions, or uncovering ancient knowledge or making discoveries. As taken from Dragonborn culture, the upholding and creation of oaths is very important to the covenant. If someone worthy of your trust gives their word to you, it is among the greatest honors a person of the covenant. Such people who are outside the covenant but swear allegiance to one of its people, and that oath is upheld for the appropriate amount of time, that person is eligible to be recognized as one of the Oath-kin. Becoming an Oath-kin fully is very rare, and the title is not thrown around very often. It is unknown fully how the process of becoming an Oath-kin takes place, however those who become fully recognized Oath-kin are granted longer lives, as well as a sliver of divine power from the bronze queen herself. In contrast, one should never break an oath or betray the word of a person of the covenant, depending on the severity and importance of the oath such an action may be treated as a crime worthy of deadly punishment. It is rare a person of Vetarin would lie or deceive you, and if they would it is rarer so that the person telling the lie would take any joy from such an act. The only exception to this are the iron shadow spies, who's purpose is believed important enough to make them allowed to lie and break their word to their enemies for the greater good.
Any race is welcome to join the covenant, even Drow and Duergar, if they abandon their past beliefs and can do their part to uphold the covenant. Those outsiders who wish to join must go through a process called the screening, which even children must make. This process takes several months and involves many spells and magics being used to discern the true intentions of the individual. If the individual can prove themselves completely unbound by the tethers of their past olives and devote themselves entirely unto the covenant they may join its ranks, should someone show signs of treachery or deceit through this process however, the consequences can be and very often are fatal.
Demography and Population
The Nation of Vetarin is a cold and mountainous region. As such the people primarily live in the Dwarven Built Undercities, Colossal fortress like cities which are located deep within the tall mountains of the country. The majority of the populace resides within these Stone forts, which are well protected from outside incursion. However the people must still eat, and as such the landscape is dotted with farms on the fertile farmland they can find, as well as giant animal farming, as to increase food production. Often these colossal cities find themselves neighboring the strongholds of giants, who may live right next to them if they are fire or storm giants, or far above if they are storm or cloud. Depending on how well the giants goals align with Vetarins Ideals, their relationship can be symbiotic or aggressive.
Territories
The covenant occupies the ancestral homelands of the former nations of the Dwarf, Hobgoblin and Dragon-born peoples. A mostly mountainous region with the tallest peaks on the Continent, snow and ice cover these mountains which are now the dormant volcanoes of a time long since past.
Military
The army of the Vetarin covenant is perhaps its greatest asset, featuring Huge rolling war machines, seas of Phalanx and occasionally a Giant or Dragon whose alliance was bought or persuaded. Where its army lacks in numbers, it more than makes up for in its brutal efficiency and unmatched tactical brilliance. The Hobgoblin Generals are some of the best strategists on the face of Bavelion, and the structure of its military is adapted from the hobgoblin system. The ranks go as follows:
1st rank: Chosen
2nd rank: War Priest
3rd rank: Captain
4th rank: Shield
5th rank: Spear
6th rank: Forged
7th rank: Soldier
The higher ranks of the covenant have access to its arsenal of magically enhanced weaponry. Such magical weaponry is typically only uncommon, or rare at the most but provides an excellent tactical advantage in battle. Such troopers are often given specific names based on their weaponry, for example those given Pyroconvergers are referred to as the torch bearers, those given shatter-spikes are known as the Bulls. Typically a single Phalanx will contain within it 7 lines of soldiers that are 8 troopers deep, sometimes having mage support towards the rear. In a large battle there may be many phalanx deployed to protect a war machine.
The covenants mighty war machines are colossal metal constructions on top of many sets of reinforced wheels. They carry cannons, fire catapults, force ballistas, acid sprayers, elemental deployers and are usually captained by an artillerist artificer.The crews on these is most often around 12 on the average one, with a section used for carrying troops on the larger one. The most common of these are about the size of an adult dragon, However a small number are the size of small cities which can teleport from one battlefield to another in an instant. These are known as Steel Castles, can occupy the land or water, and can hold within it entire legions who can be housed within for extended periods of up to months on longer expeditions. Such creations are much slower than more common war machines, and require a very experinced mage at the helm to even move it at all.
Religion
The people of Vetarin believe their ruler to be a god made flesh. Her ancient divine power is further bolstered by the worship of her people, making the claim of her possessing godlike power not entirely untrue. This claimed divinity may have been cause for an Albian crusade in times past, however in this age of war neverending, their alliance is forged through the necessity for the victory of good. As a being of such power, Vetarin can place a portion of her power onto her loyal followers, who can vary from clerics, paladins and warlocks in her service.
While military service is important to the nations people, any role in service of vetarin is seen as a glorious task. Those who die in service of Vetarin or in her name in battle, are promised that their souls will reach a plane of everlasting beauty and harmony, Elysium. This belief ensures absolute loyalty in battle and in service of all other tasks deemed worthy of the cause.
Agriculture & Industry
The covenant prides itself on its industrial prowess. Deep below its tall mountains is buried the newly uncovered fuel material known as Xeber Crystals, a material unique to only Xoravia and the covenant. Xeber crystals are highly dangerous and extremely volatile florescent magical material of unknown origin. If someone were to attempt to mine one improperly, the magic inside will warp and devastate the creature, and the landscape around causing a chain reaction between the stones.The material also can cause the appearance of sorcerer bloodlines around areas of high concentration. This material powers many of the covenants colossal magical machinery and great care is taken to avoid such Disasters. As of yet Xeber Crystals can only be mined using secret dwarven techniques, allowing the stones to be carefully isolated and harvested with no danger. It is used to power the Dwarven rolling war machines, Airships and factories. The material also can cause the appearance of sorcerer bloodlines around areas of high concentration.
Trade & Transport
The Covenant takes after its dwarven side and primarily uses underground tunnels to transport goods to and from each other, with formerly little risk of any assault. The ones dedicated to guarding these tunnels are the stone wardens, typically stone sorcerers or geomancers with great control over the earth and stone they occupy. Those who dare attack a trading caravan within one of these tunnels may find their flesh being turned to stone, or being absorbed into the walls. Such a cruel fate leaves many underground bandits to stray far away from the common watching places of the Stone wardens. However there are not many stone wardens remaining within the covenant with the intensity of the war continuing to grow, and as such traders are often left to organise their own protection or hope a warden will be there in time to help them evade the under bandits. This is where many Red legion Guards are employed to help, as well as any other mercenaries hoping to make a tidy profit.
These tunnels are host to a feral peoples who's mind has been warped by life underground, and perhaps even a primordial power. These people are known as the dirt folk and rarely show any signs of being civilized life forms, attacking anything in sight. Dirt folk are most commonly human but can be any race, the most terrifying of which are lycanthrope like creatures whos appearance has been warped the most, becoming horrific humanoid/mole hybrids. Those attacked by dirt folk are not killed, but are dragged into the caves adjacent to the tunnels, from which their screams can often be heard echoing for many hours. Thankfully Dirt-folk are disgusted by the light and Stone wardens terrify them, so a prepared trader can avoid them rather easily if the precautions are taken.
Typically these caravans are brought along by deep rothes, occasionally bulletes, or any creatures capable of being tamed or persuaded by merchants into assisting with the deliverance of goods.
Education
The average intelligence level of a covenant citizen is much higher than most other places on the Continent, with most people being able to read, write and speak Draconic and common. Education begins as a child, and is taught by a Heart. Subjects are taught across a large spectrum of subjects and topics, which allows children to learn what interests them the most so they can better prove as a service to the covenant. Students are taught that every role is important for the sustaining of the covenant.
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Common Currency, formerly Vetarin coin
Major Exports
The Covenant Exports many of its precious metals and diamonds to the other nations of Bavelion, as well as magical weaponry and many other high valued items such as tamed beasts or quite rarely if they are willing to sell a war machine.
Major Imports
The Vetarin Covenant has very little farming land of its own and as such imports much of its food and crops from Albion merchants. Despite Relachia being as close and with bountiful harvests of food, they are unwilling to trade for any amount. The covenant is known for hiring the most well taught mages of Zilyagi to come and serve after their tuition has concluded, with the promise of filled pockets.
Legislative Body
Typically the rules are written by the Bronze Lords, The Direct servants of Vetarin. These are people chosen and deemed worthy of a purpose greater than themselves. Typically these are clerics or paladins of immense power and knowledge, and may not even by citizens of vetarin, though this is an uncommon decision.
Judicial Body
The Ebonguard are the Judges and Executioners under Vetarin and typically accompany a bronze lord wherever they go to carry out sentencing. However more commonly the Covenants home guardsmen carry out justice on a smaller scale.
Divines
Neighboring Nations
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