Uaithne
Pronunciation: OO-nya
Uaithne is a landlocked, humid nation covered in deciduous forests and meadows. It is situated between the primary mountain ranges in the region; the main route to pass between them is located within its borders. The area receives moderately heavy rainfall and borders one of the largest rivers on the local map. The region collects most of its water through the Uignare river and its many tributaries and streams.
Lochairt, the capital city of Uaithne, is a large castle town surrounding the Queen’s castle. The castle itself touches the lake it is built next to. There is a small port on the lake’s shore with a ferry that allows travel between Lochairt and Caelynn or Melwig, two cities in Sivellian that are also built on the lake.
Dídine is a very young settlement located in-between Delaney Pass and Flùrmòran Meadow. The settlement is built in a flat open area with tall grass, copious wildflowers, and the occasional oak tree dotting the terrain. Dídine was recently founded by the Queen, for her son, as a refugee settlement. Thus, the majority of the town’s population are outerplanar.
Sìthglen is a large, fortified city located in the middle of Delaney Pass. It is a relatively condensed city, fitting as much of their population into a highly fortified wall. The city itself is elevated to stand tall over the oak forest that makes up Delaney Pass, to enable lookouts for potential attacks. It see’s the most direct warfare out of any settlement in Uaithne due to its location and Uaithne’s general stance on the war; both sides of the war consider Sìthglen to be a safehouse for war criminals, and thus target this city if they are looking for someone on the run.
Rathnait is the busiest settlement for trade in Uaithne. It is situated at the thickest part of the Uignare river, in the highest elevated position on the riverbank. Rathnait avoids most of the flooding that this area sees due to this position. The city is half-composed of ports for the various ships that travel up and down the river, and has a sizable stable for carts to take ship-brought goods to the rest of the country. Although it is not the closest riverside settlement to Delaney Pass, it is by far the most stable, so it also sees a lot of foot traffic from foreign merchants who seek to take goods on foot through the pass.
The flùrmòran meadow is a grassland filled with hundreds of different kinds of wildflowers and grasses. This stretch of grassland covers a mid-sized chunk of the lower-middle section on the local map. The area is filled with typical grassland wildlife and flora, but is most notable for its fields of colorful flowers that overtake the green grasses as the landscape’s main colors.
Linwood forest is a mid-sized deciduous forest located near the bottom middle of the local map. It is the most humid deciduous forest on the local map, and bleeds into the Phela Hua jungle to the east. The area is filled with typical oak forest wildlife and flora.
The Silas forest is a large deciduous forest located in the lower-middle region of the local map. The area maintains average humidity and temperature despite its large size, only fluctuating in temperature when it begins to bleed into a different landform. This is largely due to its contact with the Gamun and Kidemónas rivers, as well as consistent rainfall flowing through Delaney Pass.
Delaney Pass is a section of Silas Forest that rests between the Kravkenrov Mountains and the Yōseiyama Mountains. The two mountain ranges are likely composed of the same massive stone deposit, since the soil and stone found within Delaney Pass are also found in both mountain ranges. Delaney Pass is the main place where rain and humid air passes from the east to the west, allowing for some of the central-western regions on the local map to maintain some humidity.
The Uignare river is the widest shore-to-shore river on the local map, stretching from the melted runoff of the Kravkenrov mountains down to where it splits into the Yuva and Vayask rivers. The eastern shore of the river is composed of flooded grasslands, where the line between river’s shore and the land itself is blurry at best. The western shore is solid and more well defined; this shore is at a slightly higher altitude compared to the eastern shore. This river is the source of most of Uaithne’s fresh water and the majority of the nation’s trade.
Viviane lake is a large lake sustained by melted runoff from the Yōseiyama Mountains. There is a substantial dip in altitude at the base of the mountain, which allows for the lake to persist without forming surface rivers out to sea. It is the largest lake on the local map.
The Kravkenrov Mountains are a rugged mountain range with jagged peaks and karst formations, interspersed with deep gorges and ravines. This landscape is purely alpine, being cold year-round and the higher altitudes experiencing persistent snowfall throughout the year. Common natural phenomena in the Kravkenrov Mountains include sky-rings and sundogs (rings of light around the sun) caused by the presence of ice crystals in the atmosphere.
The Yōseiyama Mountains are a rugged mountain range with jagged peaks and karst formations, interspersed with deep gorges and ravines. This landscape is purely alpine, being cold year-round and the higher altitudes experiencing persistent snowfall throughout the year. The Yōseiyama Mountain range is much wider than the Kravkenrov mountain range, but the two ranges are otherwise nearly identical.
The vernal equinox is the day in the middle of spring where the length of daylight and nighttime are mostly equal. The day itself represents the epitome of springtime, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the equinox, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
The summer solstice is the day in the middle of summer where the length of daylight is the longest it will be for the entire year. The day itself represents the epitome of summer, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the solstice, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
The autumnal equinox is the day in the middle of autumn where the length of daylight and nighttime are mostly equal. The day itself represents the epitome of autumn, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the equinox, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
The winter solstice is the day in the middle of winter where the length of nighttime is the longest it will be for the entire year. The day itself represents the epitome of winter, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the solstice, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
Since Uaithne is a melting pot of religions and cultures, no one New Year’s celebration reigns supreme. Still, since most cultures celebrate the new years to some capacity, most groups come together and decide on a day and time to celebrate with one another. If specific towns have a dominant religion, the celebration will be for that religion; otherwise, Uaithne’s general New Year’s celebration falls on the first day of the year, and includes the midnight celebration the night before.
Current State
Demographics
The three most populous races that inhabit Uaithne are elves (mainly eladrin) at 40% of the population, lepali at 30% of the population, and humans (mainly urban, forest, and grassland) at 10% of the population. Around 10% of the population consists of refugee communities.Trade and Relationships
Uaithne primarily deals in farming exports; they have land that can support large scale farming, allowing them to export a variety of fruits, vegetables, grain, and animal products. Of these, animal products are their largest exports. Uaithne has a self-sufficient supply of lumber, most non-edible plant products, and magical luxury goods. They mainly import worked iron goods (such as weapons, armor, tools, building supplies, etc) and mundane luxury goods. Uaithne has good trade relations with Sivellian, Sambal, Trianta, and Hiyami. Sivellian exports large quantities of grain, which helps Uaithne support their large livestock product market. Both Sambal and Hiyami are large merchant nations with river access, which makes for easier importing and exporting of all kinds of goods between these nations. Trianta imports many goods from Uaithne and provides much of Uaithne’s worked iron goods. Uaithne has good social relations with Sivellian, Trianta, and Paumérre. Sivellian and Uaithne have a long standing partnership through several treaties; they assist Uaithne in refugee efforts, trade goods with minimal tax, and share information freely. Sivellian is against the war but does not put resources towards actively or openly ending it. Both Trianta and Paumérre are actively against the war and make efforts against it. Uaithne has bad relations with Addolorata, Makami and Ochny. Addolorata and Makami are the main forces in the war, and Ochny is an active and aggressive participant. Uaithne is large enough that it can afford not to trade with Addolorata like many other otherwise war-opposed nations. Uaithne has strained relations with Hiyami and Sambal; both nations are contributors to the war, but are passive enough and valuable enough trade partners that Uaithne maintains a cordial relationship with them despite their actions. Uaithne is neutral in the war. Uaithne is one of very few nations whose citizens are informed about the true nature of the war; still, many citizens of Uaithne think the war between Addolorata and Makami is purely mundane. Unlike most neutral nations, they make an active effort to stop the war and are considered enemies of both sides of the war.History
Long ago, Uaithne was the largest daughter kingdom of old Sivellian; before this, the land that would become Uaithne was occupied by a collection of eladrin, lepali, and dryad clans. In its early years, Sivellian was a conquering nation that claimed ownership over several surrounding nations and smaller kingdoms. Proto-Uaithne defied their rule at first, leading to war with the local clans, the destruction of several dryad Hearths, and the deaths of most of the dryad population. The remainder of proto-Uaithne clans surrendered to old Sivellian and remained as a daughter kingdom for many hundreds of years. Ever since the current High Queen came to power, Sivellian has granted several of its daughter kingdoms their own independence, including Uaithne. Since its independence, there have been three generations of monarchs ruling over the nation. Though Sivellian itself is a matriarchal monarchy, Uaithne abandoned the strict gendered limitation of ruler succession when it gained independence.Culture Overview
General Culture
Uaithne is most similar to druidic gaelic and medieval gaelic cultures. They have deep cultural roots in natural and seasonal magic, driving their culture to rely on arcana more than many nations on the local map. Notably, most of the lepali cultures within Uaithne do not have last names. They are a soft-individualist society and are generally focused on personal ownership and achievement, but do not put it far above their communities and the collective. Entertainment in Uaithne is mostly centered around festivals, art, and music, often using magic as a medium of expression. Children are taught in group schooling from a young age. The most common career in Uaithne is farming or herding of some kind, but there is a sizable portion of the population dedicated to refugee assistance and war efforts.Religion: Agnostic - No dominant religion
Uaithne is a melting pot of religious influences. Since many citizens are educated on the planes and the nature of domains, most do not see these topics as religious and instead view them as facts of life. That being said, the majority of the nation still directs their worship towards something; one of the two central deities, animism, or some other form of faith. Uaithne is one of the few nations on the local map that is generally agnostic.General Government
Uaithne is a feudal monarchy. The King or Queen is the highest authority that oversees the affairs of the nation, currently Queen. The oldest child of the King or Queen inherits the throne when the current one dies. The Queen divvys up the land between dukes and duchesses, who further divide the land under them.City Politics
Dukes and duchesses are regional authorities that oversee the legal processes of their lands. Beneath them are general noble landholders with large land grants, keeps, or individual cities and villages. The rest of the noble class is made up of non-landholding nobles that either act as marshals, judges, or the lower gentry. There is a sizable middle-class made up of artisans, teachers, aristocrats, and guildsmen. The rest of Uaithne's citizenry are considered commoners.Major Cities
Lochairt
Pronounced: LOCK heartLochairt, the capital city of Uaithne, is a large castle town surrounding the Queen’s castle. The castle itself touches the lake it is built next to. There is a small port on the lake’s shore with a ferry that allows travel between Lochairt and Caelynn or Melwig, two cities in Sivellian that are also built on the lake.
Dídine
Pronounced: DEE (like “see”) dineDídine is a very young settlement located in-between Delaney Pass and Flùrmòran Meadow. The settlement is built in a flat open area with tall grass, copious wildflowers, and the occasional oak tree dotting the terrain. Dídine was recently founded by the Queen, for her son, as a refugee settlement. Thus, the majority of the town’s population are outerplanar.
Sìthglen
Pronounced: SHE glenSìthglen is a large, fortified city located in the middle of Delaney Pass. It is a relatively condensed city, fitting as much of their population into a highly fortified wall. The city itself is elevated to stand tall over the oak forest that makes up Delaney Pass, to enable lookouts for potential attacks. It see’s the most direct warfare out of any settlement in Uaithne due to its location and Uaithne’s general stance on the war; both sides of the war consider Sìthglen to be a safehouse for war criminals, and thus target this city if they are looking for someone on the run.
Rathnait
Pronounced: RAH netRathnait is the busiest settlement for trade in Uaithne. It is situated at the thickest part of the Uignare river, in the highest elevated position on the riverbank. Rathnait avoids most of the flooding that this area sees due to this position. The city is half-composed of ports for the various ships that travel up and down the river, and has a sizable stable for carts to take ship-brought goods to the rest of the country. Although it is not the closest riverside settlement to Delaney Pass, it is by far the most stable, so it also sees a lot of foot traffic from foreign merchants who seek to take goods on foot through the pass.
Notable Geography
Flùrmòran Meadow
Pronounced: flur (like “mur”der, with an fl) MORE anThe flùrmòran meadow is a grassland filled with hundreds of different kinds of wildflowers and grasses. This stretch of grassland covers a mid-sized chunk of the lower-middle section on the local map. The area is filled with typical grassland wildlife and flora, but is most notable for its fields of colorful flowers that overtake the green grasses as the landscape’s main colors.
Linwood Forest
Pronounced: LIN (like “lint”) woodLinwood forest is a mid-sized deciduous forest located near the bottom middle of the local map. It is the most humid deciduous forest on the local map, and bleeds into the Phela Hua jungle to the east. The area is filled with typical oak forest wildlife and flora.
Silas Forest
Pronounced: SIGH lus (like “lust” without the t)The Silas forest is a large deciduous forest located in the lower-middle region of the local map. The area maintains average humidity and temperature despite its large size, only fluctuating in temperature when it begins to bleed into a different landform. This is largely due to its contact with the Gamun and Kidemónas rivers, as well as consistent rainfall flowing through Delaney Pass.
Delaney Pass
Pronounced: de (like “did”) LAY kneeDelaney Pass is a section of Silas Forest that rests between the Kravkenrov Mountains and the Yōseiyama Mountains. The two mountain ranges are likely composed of the same massive stone deposit, since the soil and stone found within Delaney Pass are also found in both mountain ranges. Delaney Pass is the main place where rain and humid air passes from the east to the west, allowing for some of the central-western regions on the local map to maintain some humidity.
Uignare River
Pronounced: wig NAH rayThe Uignare river is the widest shore-to-shore river on the local map, stretching from the melted runoff of the Kravkenrov mountains down to where it splits into the Yuva and Vayask rivers. The eastern shore of the river is composed of flooded grasslands, where the line between river’s shore and the land itself is blurry at best. The western shore is solid and more well defined; this shore is at a slightly higher altitude compared to the eastern shore. This river is the source of most of Uaithne’s fresh water and the majority of the nation’s trade.
Viviane Lake
Pronounced: vi (like “video”) vee (like “bee”) ANNViviane lake is a large lake sustained by melted runoff from the Yōseiyama Mountains. There is a substantial dip in altitude at the base of the mountain, which allows for the lake to persist without forming surface rivers out to sea. It is the largest lake on the local map.
Kravkenrov Mountains
Pronounced: CRAWV (like "crow" and "raw" with a V sound at the end) ken rawvThe Kravkenrov Mountains are a rugged mountain range with jagged peaks and karst formations, interspersed with deep gorges and ravines. This landscape is purely alpine, being cold year-round and the higher altitudes experiencing persistent snowfall throughout the year. Common natural phenomena in the Kravkenrov Mountains include sky-rings and sundogs (rings of light around the sun) caused by the presence of ice crystals in the atmosphere.
Yōseiyama Mountains
Pronounced: YO say YAH maThe Yōseiyama Mountains are a rugged mountain range with jagged peaks and karst formations, interspersed with deep gorges and ravines. This landscape is purely alpine, being cold year-round and the higher altitudes experiencing persistent snowfall throughout the year. The Yōseiyama Mountain range is much wider than the Kravkenrov mountain range, but the two ranges are otherwise nearly identical.
Major Holidays
Vernal Equinox
Pronounced: self-explanatoryThe vernal equinox is the day in the middle of spring where the length of daylight and nighttime are mostly equal. The day itself represents the epitome of springtime, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the equinox, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
Summer Solstice
Pronounced: self-explanatoryThe summer solstice is the day in the middle of summer where the length of daylight is the longest it will be for the entire year. The day itself represents the epitome of summer, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the solstice, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
Autumnal Equinox
Pronounced: self-explanatoryThe autumnal equinox is the day in the middle of autumn where the length of daylight and nighttime are mostly equal. The day itself represents the epitome of autumn, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the equinox, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
Winter Solstice
Pronounced: self-explanatoryThe winter solstice is the day in the middle of winter where the length of nighttime is the longest it will be for the entire year. The day itself represents the epitome of winter, and is celebrated by the numerous season-dependent ethnicities and cultures throughout Rubicon. Many cultures throughout Uaithne have a specific name for the solstice, but almost all groups celebrate it to some degree.
Collective New Year’s Celebration
Pronounced: self-explanatorySince Uaithne is a melting pot of religions and cultures, no one New Year’s celebration reigns supreme. Still, since most cultures celebrate the new years to some capacity, most groups come together and decide on a day and time to celebrate with one another. If specific towns have a dominant religion, the celebration will be for that religion; otherwise, Uaithne’s general New Year’s celebration falls on the first day of the year, and includes the midnight celebration the night before.
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