History of Kerismattia

Kerismattia, those born to rule (2500-2000)
In the beginning over Delvatoria, a mote of light was said to have appeared on the skies of the western coast. It was there that the Lady of Light, Erathis herself stepped onto Caelos for the first time since the plane’s inception. She saw untamed plains, black mountains with cavernous maws delving beneath the earth and into the Underdark, as well as glowing red peaks, towering above the land, breaking above the clouds. This new place was missing something; it was missing order. A guiding hand to make it into something beautiful, something that could be useful to the rest of the multiverse. It was after only a short while there that she placed her servants upon the land, the Aasimar. These were select individuals gifted with the blood and heritage of angelic servitors. They’d each been given a guide, their fathers. There were no female angels to guide these new creations, as Erathis was the only mother that any would need.
And so the great work of conquering and reclaiming wild and untamed lands of Sacer’asim began. Of the Aasimari, one individual was chosen to lead his brothers and sisters above the rest; Adriel. He was strong, charismatic, and truly noble in heart, striving after the intentions of his divine mother as best he could in all he did. As with the other divine beings making their way into Caelos, the other end of the spectrum also made its way to meet with Erathis’ desires to see law and order wash over the land. A friend for millennia, Asmodeus made his way onto the scene of southern Delvatoria. He brought with him a contingency of his devilish legions and began work right away. He always admired the work Erathis would do and often thought she was simply too gentle her followers. Law and Order must be made to follow, otherwise there would be consequences, dire ones at that. He wanted to see who’s children would be better suited to rule, and so he set them upon the task of claiming this new land, what he would name as Kerismattia.
It wouldn’t be for 150 years before the children of Asmodeus and Erathis would finally meet around the upper middle of Delvatoria. Asmodeus’ chief servant Vezrorik was a mighty wielder of magic. He didn’t make it a goal of his to ever meet Adriel in direct conflict as it would likely not turn out well for him, and so he schemed and made deals and worked every advantage he could for his people and himself against his Aasimari adversaries. The next 350 years would be filled with numerous instances of trade deals, followed by swift betrayal and bloodshed resolving finally inevitably in a blood filled war.
As both Asmodeus and Erathis made their leave of Caelos, the border between Kerismattia and Sacer’asim was formed and keeps erected on either side of it, establishing the scene for the next 2,000 years. Both the Aasimari and Hellborn were similar in their differences from the other races of Caelos in that they were intensely focused on destroying the other. Eventually dwarves, humans, elves and the like found their way into Sacer’asim entranced and enchanted by the angelic Aasimari. Many took it upon themselves to serve these beings as they couldn’t help but believe that there was something unique or special about them; some quality that just made them better. This practice began a precedent early on in the culture of Sacer’asim that the Aasimari were creatures to nearly be worshipped and that every other race had its purpose somehow tied into service of them, and to the greater cause of Erathis in the end. Within the borders of Kerismattia the denizens and creatures who’d come from the Nine Hells were no stranger to subservience and slavery, and very quickly established a society where those same principles carried over. Tabaxi, Grung, Half-Orcs, Lizardfolk, as well as most other intelligent creatures make up the primary force under the rulership of the Tiefling Hellborn.
Kerismattia (2000-present)
As Asmodeus was preparing to leave his faithful to their task of conquering this new land to eventually create followers for the ever-pressing conflict, The Blood War, he gave them several tenants to guide their efforts:
1. All beings have some inescapable desire to follow something larger than themselves. Even the gods created alliances amongst themselves, not always standing alone. Your purpose is to seek out what the inner desires of creatures are and to lock them into contracts, binding their souls to me. I will give them the purpose they desire.
2. Every creature has its strengths and weaknesses. Use your knowledge and own abilities to discern these and put each into the arena they’re best suited for, whether or not they agree with your determinations.
3. Do not be told what to do by the weak-minded or the weak-willed. It is not only the strongest that survive, but the most intelligent often fair even better. Don’t forsake the utility of magic or mortals who are exceptional magicians. New spells could be created each and every day if the desire existed amongst them.
With these guidelines (referred to as The Trinitum) to inform their decisions, Asmodeus’ chosen set out in all directions to make the will of their fiendish lord evident across this new land. Native to Kerismattia were several races:
• The Tabaxi were a loosely migratory culture that traded mostly silks, fine linens, and agricultural goods amongst themselves and the others. Theirs was a culture of sharing and nurturing one another, raising the idea of community above that of the individual. They had leaders, known as Khals, who were really more of a figurehead than actually commanding power. They were among the oldest and wisest of the clans, but they often made decisions by council as the value of many opinions was set high on the minds of all Tabaxi. Their main city was Dawnshire, near the center of the continent. In the heart of a small localized forest, it was from there originally that all the other Clans began and set out to embark on their own journeys, carving out a piece of Kerismattia for themselves. They lived in mostly harmonious peace, avoiding conflict amongst themselves at almost any cost, only contending with the denizens of The Whispering Swamp when aggressions were made against them.
• The Grung were an entirely different story for Kerismattia. Hailing from The Whispering Swamp, one had to be strong in order to survive amongst the many terrible threats that lurked throughout the trees, murky waters, and bushes. The sentient race that arose from developing in such an environment were a collection of colored, frog people, known as the Grung by the Tabaxi and eventually the Kerimas Empire. They were not too unlike the devils that eventually enslaved and brutalized them in that they thought that there were some among them born “better” than the rest. You see, each Grung was born of a certain color which had a role associated with it:
1. Green – Warriors, hunters, laborers
2. Blue – Artisans, Domestic workers
3. Purple – Supervisors of the Green and Blue below them
4. Red – Scholars and Magic Users, known as Wildlings they were superior to Purple and below.
5. Orange – The elite soldiers and magicians amongst the Grung, with authority over Red and below.
6. Gold – Those lucky enough to be born with Golden hues in their skin were at the pinnacle of power in Grung culture. Trained with either magic or a weapon, they were the master of some form of combat and flouted such power and ability to let all others below them know who was in charge.
They were renowned slavers and enemies of the Tabaxi as they’d often send hunting/war parties out of the swamp or near its periphery to capture unwitting or weaker prey, taking them back to their new home to begin new life as a slave. Though the Tabaxi outnumbered the Grung perhaps 3 or 4 to 1, they were a peaceful race looking only to live out their days in community while the Grung were ever hungry to conquer and continue building their kingdom. Grakelstaag was the home of the Grung people, serving as the base of their culture and heritage for millennia.
As Lord Kerimas and his fellow servitors began their sweep over the continent, every major settlement of the Tabaxi was found, burned, and desecrated nearly beyond recognition. These ancient cities still stand today as a testament to the power and will of Kerimas and the desire to achieve Asmodeus’ goals for them. The Grung fell in similar fashion, though it was harder fought as they were better prepared for war, and the swamp being their territory, it was a bloody one. Eventually though, just as Dawnshire had fallen, Grakelstaag became a ruin in the same fashion, ending the era of those who called Kerismattia home natively, and truly beginning the Kerimas Empire as we know of it today.
The Northern Reaches
To the northern reaches of the Kerimas Empire stands Blackbend and Losterest Keep, watching over The Black Peak, Hag’s Fen, and Shattered Hand Keep to the east within The Marrow Wood. Sacer’asim is the Empire to the north, run by Aasimari who are completely against the Kerimas Empire and are the greatest enemies that they have to face. Many beasts and creatures live within the Marrow Wood and there is often work to be found at the Keep or at the behest of the Empire within Blackbend. South of that region is Direstar, another settlement of the Empire and one a little more loosely kept, known for its “opportunities” as they’re called, being far enough away from the rest of the authority of the Empire, there’s often room for more unsavory folk to find refuge there, if they can pay well enough.
The Wildlands
Across the heart of Kerismattia are the great plains known locally as The Wildlands. There are great beasts and creatures that roam the grass fields, and hills of the region and so travel along the road is certainly recommended. Bandits occasionally have been known to make attempts on travelers at certain points when trade was booming across the Empire and so it is common to see caravans with hired escorts or guards accompanying them. Brazenstone sits to the northern edge along the sea, housing a decent sized port and a contingent of military personnel, they watch those waters for assaults from the north if Sacer’asim would every dare to make an attack against the Empire. Laverhill mine also sits at the base of the Obsidian Peaks and was once a good supply of the aforementioned material, but has been closed due to some mysterious attacks and accidents occurring at the job site. Netherspire is a more religiously focused city, sitting at base of The Heart, or the river that runs through all of Delvatoria. They house a rather large boating house that can send bouts down along The Heart for more expedient travel, for a cost of course. There also sits there a structure, known only as Zadis Gate that the Empire has been building for many years now, nobody knows too much about it, but it is well guarded and constructed out of Obsidian and other expensive materials. The Ruins of Dawnshire sit at the center of a small forest near a lake, and is considered haunted as many who go there either to seek out lost treasures, or adventure often don’t come back. At the bottom of The Wildlands is the city of Port Astrasar, there is a sizable slave force here and military that keeps tabs, as well as welcoming new “recruits” from slave ships or caravans from the south.
The Divide
Running through the center of Kerismattia is a region filled with manifold dangers. Bisected by The Heart, there are two separate portions; to the south is The Whispering Swamp where a guerilla force of Grung still exist, fighting and killing any Kerimassians who find their way into the area, as well as beasts, and monstrosities that are always looking for a meal; to the north is the mountain Codosa’s Rise surrounded by a region of dense forest known as The Blinking Forest for one always feels eyes upon them when walking through. Very little is known of this region as many who venture within do not find their way out. Those few who’ve made their way back out of the forest don’t speak of it and often go mad or isolate themselves from others. There is reportedly a massive, beautiful waterfall at the base of the rise where a handful of survivors report having met with “god”. This region is where the Ebon Enclave is believed to be centered at and has long since been an area of interest to the Empire at large. It's almost as if the forest itself is against those who enter it, and on many occasions an Emperor or Empress of Kerismattia has attempted to infiltrate and destroy these foes; always to no avail. Travel along the road through The Divide is very dangerous and it is recommended that one always carry the means the protect themselves on the way through, as many caravans have been looted or destroyed reporting hit-and-run guerilla tactics by their assailants. West Watch stands as a long tower over the cliffs of the sea, and with no road or reason to go there, mostly nothing is known of its inhabitants or its construction.
The Heartlands
Below The Divide is the rest of the Kerimassian Empire and where the bulk of trade and policy are determined. Angel’s Reach is an ironically named military compound off limits for any civilian or even lower ranking soldier to go to. Not much is known about it other than the droves of slaves that come up through The Bay of Chains that are led along the road northward there. Crimsonwalk sits at the heart of the Crimson Grasslands and was built in recent years as the population of Kerismattia had grown and more places were needed for the common people to go and live. Illmoorisan is the capital and heart of the Kerimassian Empire hosting a gladiatorial complex where slaves are often pitted against one-another for entertainment. The wealthiest and most influential have homes here as well as thousands upon thousands of common folk who live along the perimeter of the city, beneath the shadow of the onyx structures towering above them. A similar structure to what is in Netherspire exists here as well, known only as the Tepid Gate, it is also extremely well-guarded, and made out of normally prohibitively expensive materials. Korima sits north of The Golden Slopes and is the agricultural center of the Empire, boasting well over one hundred fields of varying crops. There is a massive slave base here who do most of work in the production and harvesting of the crops. Sitting at the base of The Golden Slopes is the mining town of Ostridia. The mountains are so named due to the large number of gold deposits that exist at varying levels throughout the mountain. There is also a substantial slave force that exists here supporting the immense physical labor and effort required to mine out the gold. These slaves are mostly dwarves and duergar stolen from around Caelos. At the base of the Kerimassian Empire stands the second largest city, and largest slave trading center on the place, Port Dinassi, the city of Comforts. This is a massive port city sitting along the massive Bay of Chains, where 4 other keeps were built and constructed to house specific types of prisoners based on their race and skill sets, so that they can be funneled to the most optimal place within the Empire.