Malfastar
Overview
After humanity escaped from the slavery of the high elves, they were cast to the main continent of Plimia from Larevin Island. The majority of humans spread across the central lands, meeting with elves, dwarves, tieflings, orcs, and everything in between. Though there were scuffles, the majority of these first contacts were peaceful and eventually led to the formation of the great country of Uma. Many people who lived under the enslavement of magic were wary of aligning with elves to form a new country. Though the vast tribes of wood elves and gnomes showed no interest in established governments, many humans still didn't trust them. They had lived through some of the worst of the slavery, and those memories were still fresh.
Thus, shortly after the formation of Uma, the country of Liberthom was formed by thousands of humans seeking total freedom from elves and magic. Though there were tribes of wood elves and gnomes in Liberthom, the humans built their towns and cities far away from their forests and warned them to stay away. The other races did not quarrel with this; they didn't want to interact with the humans anyway. For a time, Liberthom stood as a beacon of freedom from magic, a simpler way of life, and a safe haven for all humans. Elven refugees from the 100-Year War took shelter in Liberthom and were even given food and escorted to other elves. Liberthom became known as a land of freedom and care.
It is unknown when the White Star Conclave appeared inside Liberthom. They began as a small religious group, hosting small meetings in the country's quaint capital of Sires. Liberthom was a small nation; it only had two large cities, and even these paled in comparison to Everglen's cities. As such, it was easy for the White Star Conclave to spread its word around the country. Men dressed in white and red robes brought messages of magical conspiracy as foretold by the deity they referred to as "God." Slowly but surely, the Conclave began to amass followers with messages of refugees stealing human resources and elves planning a mass magical genocide of humans. The king of Liberthom was forced to recognize the growing influence of the Conclave and took a few representatives into his court.
How the rest happened has been interpretedin many ways by poets and historians alike. Political assassinations? Blood magic used by the Conclave? After accepting the Conclave into the royal court, the king and all the leaders of Liberthom went missing for months. The people grew restless, and Everglen sent an envoy of Emerald Guardsmen to investigate. The envoy never came home. Some say they converted on the spot, others claim they were killed as blood traitors. The Conclave claimed that the elves had infiltrated their pure nation and killed the king. Several half-elves were publicly executed for conspiring against the country. With no one to succeed to the throne, the Conclave took total power and renamed the nation to Malfastar.
What followed was a series of genocides that still haunt the world. First, the half-elves were removed from the country. Next, Malfastar began building up its military. They were able to round up entire tribes of elves in mere days. Elves were given no trials and were burned and hanged. Most gnomes escaped the inquisition, but the ones that didn't were killed on the spot. Malfastar began rapidly expanding its borders, taking land from Everglen and moving all the way to the southern tip of Plimia.
The world watched in horror, and Everglen was demanded to act. A war broke out between the tw,o and Everglen regained its lost land but couldn't remove the Conclave from power. Though the zealots were overthrown after the war, they quickly came back to power. Every attempt to remove them only deepened the belief of the religion in the country. Everglen ceased military operations directly and instead covertly funded groups of displaced peoples from the genocides in the formation of a southern nation known as Xenex. Malfastar, a human-first nation devoid of magic, began an endless war against its new southern neighbor, Xenex, a multicultural land built purely off magical freedom.
After the Mark appeared, the vast battlefields separating Malfastar and Xenex became far too dangerous to inhabit. Trenches were overcome with the spirits of the dead, and the craters left behind began glowing with intense magical force. Malfastar believes the elves and Xenex are responsible for the appearance of the Mark. They pulled their forces back to their walled cities and became complete isolationists. Few know what happens inside Malfastar anymore. No representatives from the Conclave attened international conferences, and those who go into the country rarely comes back.
Geography
The geography of Malfastar is quite similar to that of Everglen. It is covered in dense forests and is quite hilly in the north. The western coast is humid and warm. Before the fall of Liberthom, the forests were kept in check and groomed to be traversible for wagons and the like. After the appearance of the Mark, the woods have grown into twisted reflections of their past selves, overgrown and home to all sorts of monsters. With no elves or fey in the wilds to combat the usual monsters, the forests of Malfastar are the most dangerous in the world.
Near the south, the land becomes flat and rugged. On the border of Xenex stands a miles-long battlefield that has become inhospitable even for monsters. Glowing magic scars taint the land, spell storms wreak havoc across the barren soil and stone, and undead wander the endless trenches and ghost towns in packs.
Demography and Population
Malfastar was originally built to be a nation for humans who wanted to escape magic and further elven enslavement. The population has always been nearly all human, but after the fall of Liberthom and the rise of the White Star Conclave, this became exclusive. People of other races aren't allowed entry into Malfastar, and people entering are tested for magical ability before they can come in. Anyone not following the strict religion of the White Star Conclave is tried and executed, and all non-humans are either enslaved or killed.
Other nations have tried to invade Malfastar and free their people, but the wars are often too bloody and long. Anytime change comes about, the Conclave finds its way back into power once again and kills any remaining forces from foreign countries. The people of Malfastar seem entirely loyal to the Conclave, though there are plenty of humans who have escaped the country and speak the truth of the horrors that take place behind its walls.
Territories
The borders between Xenex and Malfastar change by the day. Sometimes, a scout can move his nation's flag a mile forward through the endless magical storms and armies of undead. The next week, a concentrated push leads to a hundred more deaths and the removal of one flag for another. Yet no ground is truly ever gained. Malfastar believes that the entire southwestern corner of Plimia belongs to them, and they continue to wage war for it. Malfastar will at times encroach into Everglen's woods in an attempt to kidnap elves, but strong military presences of the Emerald Guard have put those operations to a halt.
Technological Level
Malfastar is far behind the rest of the world in technology, science, and quality of life. Though one could claim that life in Malfastar is "simple," they would be lying if they said that life was good. The church constantly checks on citizens to ensure they're religiously correct, speech and writing are heavily censored, and access to basics like food and water is limited in many places. That said, the Malfastarian military managed to capture arms from Empiredon and study them. They have developed firearms of their own based on the designs of the Empiredon magic rifles.
Public education, like everything in Malfastar, is controlled by the church. As such, young people can only be as educated as the church desires them to be.
Government Structure
The First Chapel of God
Malfastar is led with an iron fist by the White Star Conclave. The seat of their power is in the First Chapel of God located in Sires. The First Chapel is Malfastar's crowning architectural achievement and stands opulent and imperial on a hill above the capital city. The goings on of the Conclave are a secret to the world, but it is the goal of every young person in Malfastar to serve them. If you reach the highest ranks of the church, you're guaranteed a life of comfort... Compared to regular life in Malfastar.
Major Cities
- Sires (Capital)
- Eller
- Davidic (Border town with Empiredon)
- Freestone (Main city of the south)
Malfastar's capital, Sires
Capital
Sires
Government Structure
Total Theocracy
Neighboring Nations
- Xenex
- Everglen
- Empiredon
A bordertown of Xenex
A church of the White Star Conclave
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