Luraid

Luraid is a theocracy with a powerful belief in divination, cosmic study, and the furthering of the arcane.

At night, all the big cities look like a shiny reflection of the night sky, like lakes somehow built to touch the sky. The silver, black, and gold dance with the cosmos, and lets the stars see how beautiful they are.

Luraid is a nation that has struggled with it's own identity, desires, and long term goals as Astro-Chancellors have come and gone, each with often conflicting ideals.

History

Luraid was one of the few nations that arrived in Sinstram fully fledged and ready to go. The particular plot of land they arrived with had rivers important to their religion, resource rich mountains, and several large cities firmly rooted in the land. Already a Theocracy, they simply had to assign a new leader, adapt some stories of the past, and meet their new neighbors.

The largest issue for early Luraid was infighting however. With the new plane of existence they found themselves on, many sought to explain that it wouldn't be required for them to follow their old religion.

Geography

Windari has gotten it's name from a few different sources, but the main inspiration for it is the constantly windy flatlands that make up the majority of it's landscape. As you go further north, the constantly snow covered hills that gradually turn into the Kettlethorn Craig become more and more inhospitable, typically only holding dragons and giants and a few scattered villages. In the heart of the Kettlethorn Craig lies a mostly dormant volcano, so called the "Smoking Mountain" by those that first witnessed it. As a direct result of the volcano, hot springs are commonly found in the mountain range, but are often seen occupied by wildlife and giants.

To the northwestern coast, a large craggy chain of raised, storm battered sea cliffs protects Windari's capital of Kirov. While safe passage is possible, taking the long way around the constantly churning and foggy pass, it takes nearly 3 extra days. Rumors persist of a massive sea creature that lives in the pass, though survivors have given conflicting accounts of hydras, wurms, and a shelled dragon.

Central Windari is a large and flat, and mostly clear collection of unchanging terrain that lacks clear landmarks. While the occasional forest may grant a break the in the unchanging expanse, it is mostly a long trek fraught with roving wild animals, both dangerous and skittish. It is rumored that in winter, windspeeds can reach up to 60 miles per hour, and the terrain offers little hope of finding shelter.

As you get to lower Windari, you'll find the Worldbeard Mountains, which is a collection of low but rough hewn mountains littered with stony cliffs and pine trees. It is a rich collection of iron, which is used by both Windari and it's neighboring country of Kalzarum, for mining, despite the drakes and large birds of prey that live there.

Stemming out of the Worldbeard Mountains, a major river simply called "The Riverway" provides an obvious and direct trade and travel route from the outlying and unnamed villages that decorate the lowlands of the range. As you follow the Riverway, you eventually find yourself in the Tiderun Strait, a major travel hub that connects both the Porpin Ocean and the Shield Sea.

Politics

Windari, as previously mentioned in the history section, was formerly a tract of land of the same name, occupied by various tribes that often fought with each other, as well as raided and traded with nearby nations. After The Mournfrost War however, First King Trok, united the tribes under the promise of bringing Windari to a place it could work stronger together. He assigned each of the Tribal leaders the title of "Jarl", in which they were the local rulers of law makers for their particular cities and swaths of land. Each Jarl was expected to assigned any amount of Hersirs', or "Dignified Landowners" that would assist in enforcing laws, protecting the land, rallying troops in times of war, and so on in exchange for political power and land. In time's of war, it was common for Jarl's to leave their towns and villages, leaving a select group of Hersirs' in control until they returned from war. Should a Jarl die for any reason, it is common for the King to choose a new Jarl from the Hersir's the deceased Jarl picked.

When First King Trok was on his deathbed due to an effort to push back giants, (an effort later to be known as the Marched Giant Migration), he took wounds that caused compilations that would eventually take his life. Seeing the end of his reign, and fearing that Windari would again regress into warring tribes, he hosted an event still celebrated to this day. Now, the Cronwick Festival is a rare, but celebrated gathering of people across Windari, meant to remind them of the former warring but now united people they once were.

As time has gone on, various king's of Windari have loosely followed this guideline of Jarls picking their own Hersirs. While some King's have dictated both Jarl's and Hersirs soley, others still have neglected to even give each town it's own Jarl, allowing small local councils to dictate their own laws and order.

Demographics

Windari is primarily Humans, but it has a healthy population of dwarves, goliaths, and orcs.