Union

The Union is the culmination of the coalition between the 700 houses of the sun. It is the human realm where almost all of humankind lives, ruled by the Great houses with the House of Victorious Sun as the highest authority.
It is 1 of the 3 world powers that established themselves in Latebra. While surpassed in special areas the union is overall the leading power concerning the arcane arts and magic as a whole.

History

The Humans of latebra had one of the worst lots of all the races of Latebra. With their magic powerless, their technology gone, and their numbers small, humanity was scattered. With all their strengths denied and confronted with all their weaknesses, they had a long time of suffering were life meant struggling to survive one day longer. But Humanity did what there were best at and after bounding together under the name of “The 700 houses of the sun” they survived and overcame their difficulties. When a learnt person died their students continued the work. One soldier died the next one took the empty place. A parent succeeded by a child. Humans lived bleak lives but by banding together and doing what had to be done they managed to save their race, and every generation lived better than the previous one. The biggest turnaround was when the first magical gifted children appeared. The mana spark had appeared and with its appearance Human made leaping progress in re-learning magic. Finally, they managed to carve out their kingdom and the have since become the leading race of latera when it comes to magic, much to the disgruntlement of the elven empire and the eternal Empress in specific. The 700 houses of Sun Is the union of the localized Human noble houses. The number 700 no longer has meaning as the name was decided upon the founding and has since then fallen from their peak. Even of the remaining houses there no longer remains the selfless cooperation the Humans houses had back in their time. Nowadays noble houses have expanded far over the continent and many don´t even hold onto contact with other houses besides small alliances and trade. Only the 7 great houses located in the capital and a dozen minor houses still hold strongly onto their traditions. Nevertheless, the core beliefs are still there and not a single house has forgotten their humble origins as helpless refugees which had nowhere to call home. The union holds onto their honor and duty to protect mankind from any invader, and while every spectrum of human personality exists from kindness to cruelty, greed and selflessness, humans will still hold together in case of an enemy and will postpone their intrigues and wars for the sake of survival. they managed to carve out a place in the world and have managed to hold on to it stubbornly.

Science / Magic Development

The Sevens

The Seven, as they are known, are the most powerful arcane spell casters in this region of the world. Often rivals, each has strived to obtain power at the others' expense. From time to time, however, they find common ground. One such instance was the Summonstone; as each had set up wards to prevent any other wizards from reaching the summit of the Summonpeak and activating the Summonstone before it was ready, ultimately ending in the release of the Merdrun
• Dread Shender: Shender is an old, desiccated necromancer who has lost all bodily appetites. His only motivation is a lust for power and the desperation to gain enough of it to extend his life, which is drawing to a close. Many a military has hired him to reinforce their ranks with legions of undead soldiers. Stationed at the Tower of Bone(made of marble).
• Elanor Kurr: A former apprentice to Shender, she is a young, small arcanist with a chip on her shoulder, which manifests as a ruthless streak. Charming and the most likeable of the seven, she is a natural summoner and crafter. Formerly an assassin, her name is still spoken with fear for her ability to summon demons to devour her targets—–even when those targets have set up wards and barriers to prevent her from doing so. Stationed at the Tower of Scale.
• Horzard: The youngest of the Seven, Horzard is a machine man, a brilliant maker and user of magical devices. He is a megalomaniac and a narcissist who wants it all, needs no one, and cares about nothing but himself. His art in forging magical weapons and mechanical guards has placed powerful rulers and noble houses in his debt. Stationed at the Tower of Metal.
• Lozard: This geomancer is a round-faced fellow, with a stringy beard, and popping grey eyes. His symbol is five concentric silver bands swirling around a golden globe. He is famous for having moved an entire army behind enemy lines. Stationed at the Tower of Stone.
• Zervial: An illusionist, she is austerely beautiful but seldom relies on her natural appearance. She often disguises herself as a beardless, acne-scarred boy because she loves to be underestimated – and to strike without warning. She builds herself up by putting others down, and is feared for having convinced an invading army they were transported into another plane of existence, desperately trying to build rafts from imaginary trees. Stationed at the Tower of Rainbow.
• Axiom: Axiom is an accomplished battle-sorceress. For years she served as a Warmage, devastating opponents with spectacular magic. She is creatively brilliant but emotionally needy. She is full of malice and bitterness towards everyone except her lover, Enigma. Stationed at the Tower of Blood.
• Enigma: Enigma, the Diviner, feared for his mental abilities, as he is also a psychic, and can read the minds of everyone he meets. He is cool, calculating, and relatively unemotional, the exact opposite of his lover, Axiom. Stationed at the Tower of Moon.

Topography

Government Structure

The House of the Victorious Sun

The House of the Victorious Sun is the formal appellation of the house that is currently in the dominant position over all its peers. This is a great honor and privilege, and all the Great Lords swear fealty personally to the Lord of the Victorious Sun. Every year during the Festival of the Sun, the Great Houses gather at the Tomb of the First House for the Festival of the Victorious Sun. At noon on the solstice, the Rite of Victory is performed. During this ceremony, the six current Great Lords may stand and proclaim for one of them to be elevated to the Lord of the Victorious Sun. If four Great Lords agree, that house ascends and becomes the House of the Victorious Sun. The previous house with that honor takes the vacated Great House's position. Typically, the next ruler is decided well before the votes are cast, as each house has been working relentlessly towards strengthening their position and claim through military might, subterfuge and assassination, control of resources, and often sheer financial power. In other cases, the Rite of Victory comes down to the very last hour as each house maneuvers and schemes. Most years, especially in times of peace and order, no change takes place at the Festival. Some Houses of the Victorious Sun have ruled uninterrupted for as many as thirty to forty years. In more turbulent periods, however, the title has changed as many as nine times in a single decade.

The 6 Great Houses

Every Great House was once a Minor House. They rise to this elevated station through the ancient tradition set forth by the First House to consolidate power hundreds of years ago. The Festival of the Moon is held during the last visible moon before the long Dark at the Tower of the Sun. The Minor Houses pledge new allegiances to one another, honor the dead, and hold solemn ceremonies to appease the gods. At midnight, the Rite of Ascension takes place. The Minor Houses vote to put forth a candidate to join the Great Houses. The five current Great Lords may stand and proclaim that house. If three Great Lords do so, the Minor House becomes a Great House, and the Great Lords choose one of their number to descend into Minor rank. In the event of a tie or deadlock, the Lord of the Victorious Sun makes the choice. A change at the Rite of Ascension is rare, and usually happens when one of the Great Lords angers his or her peers.

"Elves live for the long con but we human are much craftier.
While a long lived elf waits years for a target to fall into its trap human intrigues can end families in days or weeks.
Human nobles think that a plan which takes longer than a year is a failed one.
While elves consider themselves masterminds because their victim made a mistake after 10 Years.”

- Gilbert Cornelius Snakeoil, after the “Noble Puppetdance”

Demographics and Population

Religion

Military

Relations

Economy

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom