Zaratka (zah-RAHT-kah)

73% Humans, 12% Firbolgs, 5% Goliaths, 10% Other Races

---

Zaratka was once a powerful empire; its hardy people held their cultural traditions close as they assimilated Gorich, Iskirthos, and parts of Irithal and Tvetchla. Now, it is a territory nestled in the north, trying to rebuild itself after the fall of its government.

Assassination in the Mereziev House

For centuries, Zaratka was ruled by the Mereziev line. It was one of their ancestor kings that began Zaratka's military triumphs with the bloody conquest of Iskirthos hundreds of years ago. His kin carried on his legacy with their patriotism within the nation, and their iron fists outside of it, until half a century ago, the aging, militaristic king Nikandr Mereziev was slain in his home, and his family was exiled. A lord of his house, Rostalv Petrovich took Nikandr's place, but his adamant belief that the only way to progress their great nation was to relinquish some of their strongest traditions caused terrible uproar within the country, and Zaratka was greatly weakened by its sudden dissension. This disorder gave rise to rebellions within Zaratka's territories, beginning, as it did generations before, with Iskirthos.

The Restoration

Zaratka never truly fell apart, but it is a shadow of the empire it once was. Rostalv died a handful of years ago of a sudden and mildly suspicious illness with no heirs to claim the throne, and when the court had to instate another ruler, they chose Nadeyatsya Mereziev, Nikandr Mereziev's granddaughter. She is one of the youngest monarchs Zaratka has ever had, and there is a lot in Zaratka to repair. She has not taken any strong stances as a political figure, except to promise her people that she loves Zaratka as much as they do.

Seidhric Tradition

One of the cultural pillars that Zaratka holds so dearly is a practice of magic they call seidhr. Some foreign scholars believe it to be based in druidic tradition, pulling at the weave through the ancient magic of Kairos itself, while others believe it to be closer to wizardry, based in study and the conduct of arcana. Seidhrics insist it's something else entirely, pulling from the arcane, the natural, and the spiritual all at once. These arcanists wield their craft like a religion, spending great periods of time communing, connecting themselves to the raw elements of the world and the life that it holds and once held. Zaratkans are not hostile toward people wishing to study seidhr, but scholars attempting to unravel its mysteries are met with resistance; there is a lingering wariness to let the outside world interact with seidhr after Petrovich's attempts to push the Zaratkan people away from it.

Those who practice seidhr are met with a reverence like clerics might be met in other places. They are considered to be channeling the divine, the world, and the spaces between life and death. This practice of magic is kept far away from their military tradition. Seidhrics work with Kairos; warriors deal with mortal affairs. Seidhrics are not expected to take lives of anything more than beasts or monsters, and if it comes to that, a seidhric might spend years in isolation realigning themselves with the balance of nature, or undertake a pilgrimage outside of Zaratka to find a new point of contact with Kairos itself.

Pictured: A Zaratkan settlement in winter.

Demonym. Zaratka

Languages. Common, Zarakt (A language with roots in Draconic, Giant, and Dwarvish. Uses the Draconic script.)

Government. Zaratka has a strong monarchical history, and although some of its citizens may want to change it, the peace in Zaratka is tenuous, and the nation can hardly afford more political upset at the moment.

Demographics. The majority of Zaratka's people are human, as it's always been, but the people the empire assimilated over the years have blended into Zaratkan society. Firbolgs and Goliaths are not a strange sight, nor are people who may have giant blood somewhere in their heritage.

Military and Defense. Zaratka's army used to be stronger, but what they lack in numbers and organization they make up for in zealotry. Contrary to outside belief, Zaratka does not push its people into military training. It is considered a very honorable thing to dedicate one's life to battle, but that is a decision that must be made individually, without influence from family, peers, or government.

Economy. Zaratka sustains itself mostly on hunting. There is very little agriculture because of how short the growing season is. Weapons are generally imported, although many Zaratkan warriors prefer to import metal to forge their own weapons. Settlements in Zaratka are almost entirely made of wood from the coniferous trees in their taiga forests.

Characters with Seidhric origins
While Seidhrics believe in the honor of warriors as much as any other Zaratkan, Seidhrics themselves are forbidden from killing under any circumstance, even in self-defense or defense of innocents. It is considered a sacrifice that they make in order to practice their magic. Taking a life will always throw a Seidhr out of balance. For this reason, Seidhr is not conducive to a player character in a campaign environment. You may play a character with origins in Seidhric magic, but understand that if your character is not already exiled, a Seidhric will always be exiled for taking a life or participating in taking a life. Also keep in mind that practicing Seidhrics know how difficult their path is; anyone trusted enough to learn the craft may begin learning Seidhric magic and stop before committing to it without being shamed.