Shield of Life

On the far side of the Straits of Heredia from the Unmade Empire of Ethorian lies the Shield of Life; humanity’s first and greatest bastion of defense from the Unmade threat.
The Shield of Life is populated primarily by the descendants of human and dwarven refugees who fled from the Unmade expansion. Led by the aged Field Marshall Kinev E'honend, the people of the Shield of Life maintain an unending vigilance on Ethorian, guarding against the incursion they know is coming.

Culture

The mainly human population of the Shield of Life is a combination of the darker-skinned indigenous Sirji natives of the region and the fairer-skinned refugees from the Karpathia continent now inhabited by the Unmade Empire of Ethorian. The two cultures have blended very well, due in large part to the welcoming and peaceful attitudes of the indigenous Sirji people, and the fact that the Karpathians had nowhere else to go.
A few dwarven clans have also taken service in the Shield of Life for the sole purpose of having a chance to battle their Unmade foes. Several halfling gangs, of course, infest the large urban cities of Solitar and Keep Dramorgia. The remaining races are primarily pilgrims and adventurers looking to make a difference on the borderlands of civilization.

Demography and Population

The Shield of Life's population is approximately 1,175,625 persons. Approximately 22,500 residents are isolated or itinerant, 1,001,250 residents live in 22,250 villages, and 67,500 residents live in 135 towns, 28,125 residents live in 24 cities, and 56,250 residents live in 2 large cities.
The average distance between villages is 4.3 miles. The average distance between towns is 56 miles. The average distance between cities (including big cities) is 400 miles.
The population density of the Shield of Life, due to factors such as climate, geography, and political environment, is approximately 26 persons per mile².

Jeevan Ka Pyaar

Maps

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  Solitar

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  Area Map of Castle Blackfist and Os Gulch

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  Os Gulch

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Training Level

Elite

Veterancy Level

Veteran

Demonym

Shielders

Leader

Kinev E'honend

Head of State

Kinev E'honend

Official State Religion

Church of the AllFather

Subsidiary Organizations

• Army of the Shield of Life

Official Languages

• Sirji Language

Controlled Territories

• Castle Blackfist
• Moat Drac'Lorien
• Os Gulch
• Rappan Athuk

Neighboring Nations

• Ethorian
• Ishta

Notable Members

• Kinev E'honend
• Scholar Harod Listun

Related Species

• Dwarf
• Halfling
• Human

Related Ethnicities

• Desert Dwarf - Dwarf
• Karpathian - Human
• Sirji - Human

Related Historical Events

• 985
  Regular patrols of elite commandos and spies are dispatched from the Shield of Life to monitor developments in Ethorian. Despite heavy losses, the patrols are continued as the threat of the Unmade is felt to be growing.
• 983
  Shield of Life commandos report hostilities between the giants of Gaulm and Ethorian inexplicably cease.
• 931
  An attempted assassination of High Priest Berengathron of the Church of the AllFather in the Shield of Life by followers of Orcus is foiled by the archmage Tersoul.
• 909
  Field Marshall Udarmir's wife Lucinda is killed by assassins from Ishta targetting the Field Marshall of the Shield of Life.
• 851
  The followers of the AllFather in the Shield of Life resort to fighting in the streets of Solitar in a bid to gain control of the advisory role to the Field Marshall.
• 832
  A cell of spies from the Theocracy of Thadis are discovered to be selling military placements in the Shield of Life to Ishta.
• 706
  Landis Tower is constructed to improve the defense of the central coastline of the Shield of Life.
• 639
  Shield of Life commandos sabotage several lava tubes below Ethoria to collapse, destroying large portions of the city.
• 614
  The priesthood of the AllFather in the Shield of Life move into the role formerly held by the Druids of The Mother as advisors to the throne. The worship of The AllFather in the Shield of Life grows in importance.
• 536
  Settlers of the northern portion of the Shield of Life formerly of Ishta begin creating civil unrest. Villages settled by people formerly of Ishta begin raiding neighboring villages of Shield of Life residents, claiming moral superiority.
• 527
  A settlement treaty between the Shield of Life and Ishta is broken. Troublemakers linked with Ishta are killed or exiled back to Ishta.
• 508
  A Settlement Treaty is reached with Ishta, allowing settlers from Ishta that settled in the northern region around Os Gulch to stay in the Shield of Life, provided they keep the peace.
• 506
  A detachment from Castle Blackfist and a collection of adventurers destroyed the main Temple of Orcus in Os Gulch
• 493
  Military campaign is launched by the Shield of Life against Ishta, resulting in the border reestablished to former point with Ishta. Castle Blackfist is constructed near Os Gulch to aid in defense of border.
• 487
  Bandits begin to plague villages in the Solitar region of the Shield of Life. Suspicions that they are guerilla soldiers from Ishta are never confirmed.
• 434
  Ishta, wary of growing population of Karpathian refugees and dwarven warriors, attempts a pre-emptive strike to take the rest of the Shield of Life. The campaign is successfully stemmed, and the border is maintained.
• 419
  An earthquake in the central portion of the Shield of Life results in the area around Moat Drac'Lorien sinking slightly. The once-lush Einus orchards are drowned out, and the area turns to swamp.
• 364
  Priests of AllFather from Thadis are implicated in an unsuccessful conspiracy to convert the Shield of Life into a Theocracy of the AllFather.
• 325
  Bazish and Keech are conquered by Unmade forces. Ethorian is established. Karpathian human and dwarven refugees land on the coast of the Shield of Life in droves and are readily welcomed by the people of the Shield of Life.
• 317
  The High Druids of the Shield of Life suddenly leave the capital city Solitar and forsake their position as advisors to the throne, citing the increasingly urbane lifestyle of the populace as going against The Mother's wishes.
• 291
  Rural warriors of the Shield of Life rebel against the ruling nobility in frustration with the ongoing invasion by Ishta. The peasant hero Celebor seizes rule, enjoying the support of the masses.
• 285
  An invasion of elephant cavalry and foot from Ishta into the Shield of Life results in loss of territory to Moat Drac'Lorien. Moat Drac'Lorien itself is nearly destroyed, but Shield of Life forces are successful in counter attacking and stemmng losses
• 166
  House of Einus, a respected family of nobles and the builders of Moat Drac'Lorien in the Shield of Life, are bankrupted by a gnome merchant house following an aggresive move into fruit marketing to Ishta
• 147
  The ruling House of Celevorn of the Shield of Life is overthrown amidst allegations of treason. House of Finnaeas succeeds in taking the throne.
• 93
  The High Druids of The Mother become the official advisors of the ruling House of Celevorn.
• 44
  The Shield of Life ruler and hero Celevorn is killed by giant raiding party while protecting a coastal village. Celevorn's son Amrond is crowned.
• 11
  Shield of Life nationalized by former tribes uniting under the hero Celevorn. Solitar is chosen as the capital of the Shield of Life.

Cold war on the verge of being a hot war

Shield of Life

-100

Ethorian

-100