Valadia

Valadia is the largest continent on Dulūn, covered in a wide variety of biomes and people. The northern and southern areas of the continent are separated by a vast, rocky desert bordering a dangerous and dragon-ridden mountain range. The common language of Valadia, known as Valadian, can be separated into northern and southern dialects that are only barely mutually intelligible. Aside from humans, the most common species found in Valadia are maceli, feline folk that are primarily concentrated in the heavy jungle coating most of the southern half of the continent. Valadia and Vehasi are close enough together that travel between the two is not too dangerous, and there are a number of trade routes facilitating the exchange of goods between the two continents.

Natural Resources

There are a number of natural resources that can be found exclusively in Valadia, some mundane and some of magical origin. These resources are primarily mineral, though there is some fauna that cannot be found elsewhere.

Mineral Resources

The mountain range located on the southern portion of the continent's eastern coast has a treasure trove of naturally-forming minerals that grow within. This includes crystals infused with magic, such as vocivicite, as well as nonmagical ores and gemstones that are used to craft armour, weapons, and building material, or used as decorations and on jewellery. The trouble with collecting these, however, lies in the fact that the majority of the mountains are within dragon territory, making mining expeditions range from tricky to risky. The desert has an abundance of sandstone which is used commonly as a building material close to where its found, and likewise the southern cliffs contain multiple different types of stones that are sturdy enough to form homes and monuments.

Plant Material

The forests and jungles of Valadia are incredibly biodiverse, and many of the flora within them are useful for a variety of uses. Twine and rope is made from plants both domesticated and found in the wild, fabrics sewn and woven from plant-based material. Valadia is also home to many edible crops, a wide selection of which have been domesticated by and are grown in Fvauha.

Wildlife

There are a large number of domesticated farm animals in Valadia, especially in the northern regions, concentrated in Leseth. Inhabitants and trade partners of such areas enjoy a generous selection of meats and animal products, which appear in many traditional dishes and delicacies cooked across the continent. The mouth-watering cuisine of Valadia can be found in the southern regions of Vehasi as well.

Geography

Countries & Nations

There are ten major nations in Valadia. In the northern portion of the continent lay Strabar, Fvauha, Xondurua, Leseth, and New Vredhoval. It south is composed of Hadhoval, Askathi, Grdhevi, New Ravli, and Zhresoma.

Strabar

Strabar is one of the two northernmost nations of Valadia, situated on its western side and closest to Vehasi. It borders Fvauha and Xondrurua, the former of which it has tense, but not unfriendly, relations with. The majority of trade with Vehasi goes through Strabar's waters, making it unwise to make an enemy of the nation, lest travel and trade be cut off. Strabar is a largely seafaring nation, full of sailors, fishermen, shipbuilders, and even pirates.

Fvauha

Fvauha is a nation with the majority of its exports in agriculture, having domesticated many of their native crops and taken advantage of the fertile grasslands in its southwest territory. Fvauha borders Leseth to its south, which it is strong allies with, Xondurua to its southwest, which it does regular trade with, and Strabar to its west. The people of Fvauha are often thought of as overly kind and polite folk, a stereotype only partly rooted in fact.

Xondurua

The majority of Xonduruan territory is desert, so the majority of its population is concentrated to the north near the border with Strabar, or to the east near the shorline of Lake Angaleth. Most of its population is hardy and skilled in stonework, which leads outsiders to believe the dwarven population is much larger than it is. In reality, the majority of the Xonduruan population is composed of humans, skalarans, and halflings.

Leseth

Leseth is a nation located on a large peninsula-like area of land separating it from its neighbours. It is allied with Fvauha, the only nation with which it has a land border. Much of the population are shephards or animal farmers. The nation is known for its myriad animal byproduct exports, as well as its drawling accent. People with these accents are often considered unintelligent and only good at hard labour, though this is hardly the case.

New Vredhoval

New Vredhoval is located in the hottest and sunniest region of Valadia, the desert to its north and a mountain range to its east. Many of its inhabitants prefer this heat, and it is home to many nomadic communities with a decentralised government. As such, it does not have many large settlements. The few it does have act as trade centres for the country's citizens, as well as areas of slight respite from the burning heat of the desert.

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Hadhoval

Hadhoval is located entirely in mountainous regions, inhabited by dragons and other draconic species well before humanoids ever settled there. The dragons protect the nation, but require much from their residents. Every major settlement in Hadhoval is within the territory of a dragon. This does a wonderful job at dissuading potential invaders, though does have the setback of making relocation a pain, as the dragons do not want to give up parts of their hoard.

Askathi

Askathi is the largest nation in Valadia, encompassing the majority of the rainforests in the south of the continent. It is one of the very few nations on the entirety of Dulūn where humans are not the majority of the population, that title instead taken by the maceli, who are better suited for the heavy vegetation and humid climate. Askathi is known for its textiles, carpentry, and clothing, made by the expert craftsmen that make up a decent portion of their populace.

Grdhevi

Grdhevi is located on the two large peninsulas to the south of Hadhoval. Its soil is nutrient-poor and rocky, making it a less-than-ideal location for any kind of agriculture. As such, the nation relies on mining and fishing for much of its industry. Grdhevi was once very militaristic, though is much more peaceful and collaborative in the modern day. However, the nation's societal systems and cultural attitudes still very much reflect this period of their history.

New Ravli

New Ravli is an island nation off the southeast coast of the continent, once a vassal of Grdhevi that has since gained independence. The nation is very isolationist, distrustful of its neighbours and minimising travel to and from its very few port cities. Its citizens have the best quality of life in the continent, and New Ravli has very low rates of violent crime - New Ravli is often considered one of the most progressive governments in the world.

Zhresoma

Zhresoma is an outsider's term for a large independent area in the south of Valadia. The fully-forested territory is home to multiple independent settlements that form a federation of city-states flying the same banner that each trade with one other and defend each other from threats. To the people of the region, these threats also include unwelcome visitors, an attitud which has made it difficult for the other nations of Valadia to form a relationship with Zhresoma.

Maps

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  Valadia

Type

Continent

Included Organizations

• Askathi
• Fvauha
• Grdhevi
• Hadhoval
• Leseth
• New Ravli
• New Vredhoval
• Strabar
• Xondurua
• Zhresoma

Related Traditions

• Atheism & Agnosticism in Dulūn

Related Myths

• The Abomination

Valadia

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Major Locations

Ro-Durua Desert

The Ro-Durua Desert is a rocky desert filled with mesas, buttes, gorges, and escarpments that make it incredibly difficult to traverse for those not familiar with the landscape and climate. It is the hottest part of the continent during the day, though the winds funnelling through its many rock formations make it uncomfortably cold at night. These winds, regardless of day or night, kick up many sandstorms and blow dust and sand everywhere, hindering visibility for travellers. The desert constitutes the majority of both Xondurua and New Vredhoval, and is home to many nomadic communities. A few cities exist within the cliffs of the desert, buildings carved out of the vertical faces with pathways connecting them to each other. Sandbrisk is the largest of these cities, a Xonduruan city just above the border with New Vredhoval.

Dhrovian Mountains

The Dhrovian Mountains are a large mountain range on the eastern side of Valadia, making up Hadhoval's territory. Colloqually known as the Dragonpeaks, these mountains are home to a large number and variety of dragons, wyverns, and other draconic species, many known for their incredibly territorial dispositions. This makes life somewhat difficult within the mountains, many cities finding themselves paying tithes to their resident dragons in exchange for protection. The mountains combined with the expansive Ro-Durua desert make land travel between the northern and southern parts of the continent treacherous.

Minor Locations

Skarothian Rainforest

The dense Skarothian Rainforest covers much of the southern part of Valadia. The warm and tropical climate is often far too intense for most visitors, though the goods made by its residents are popular exports. There is a wide variety and large number of maceli living in and around the region, outnumbering even the human populations in these areas. Cities and villages within the Skarothian Rainforest are build around tall and sturdy trees and branches, the primary building material the abundance of wood and fibers available. A portion of the forest in southern Askathi is barren, a scar left from the God War.

Araval

Araval is the large island to the southeast of the continent upon which New Ravli sits. It is believed to have split off from the rest of the continent during the God War, providing the then-vassal of Grdhevi the chance to rebel and gain their independence. The island is now heavily defended by New Ravli, who remain wary of their once-conquerers. Travel to and from the island is extensively monitored by the government of New Ravli, and shipments are thouroughly investigated before being allowed in.

Lake Ostarov

Lake Ostarov is a large lake between Strabar, Xondurua, and Fvauha that constitutes some of the major trade routes in northern Valadia, especially those with Vehasi. The lake is known for its almost always clear and smooth waters, in part due to the water elementals who have made their homes at the base of the lake. The lake connects to the ocean primarily through the Syeban River, which marks the border between Strabar and Xondurua, the latter of whom's capital city is positioned on the shore of this lake and near the mouth of the river. A few islands exist near the edges of the lake, formed by abberant elemental magic.

Fvauhan Prarie

The Fvauhan Prarie is a moderate and mostly flat grassland in the southwest regions of Fvauha and reaching into the northern areas of Leseth. It is valuable farmland, and there are few settlements larger than the size of a small town within the region. However, it is where the most developed and advanced routes of land travel in the continent exist, and is one of the few land areas that is regularly and routinely travelled. These paths facilitate trade between Strabar, Xondurua, and Fvauha.

Lake Angaleth

Lake Angaleth is the second major lake in northern Valadia, its shores bordering Leseth, Fvauha, Xondurua, New Vredhoval, and Hadhoval. Both Leseth and New Vredhoval have capital cities located on the shore of this lake, which is the most abundant source of freshwater in Valadia. The lake is not used for trade with Vehasi as often as Lake Ostarov, as the river connecting it to the ocean empties on the eastern side of Valadia. However, it is often used to circumvent travel through the dangerous Dragonpeaks, a popular route for travel and often trade between the northern and southern nations of Valadia.

Grdhevh Cliffs

The Grdhevh Cliffs are the monumental cliffs in the south of Grdhevi, separated by narrow fjords fed by rivers flowing down from the Dragonpeaks. The two peninsulas that Grdhevi comprises are of much higher elevation than the surrounding area, and have significantly less vegetation than the surrounding Skarothian Rainforest. The cliffs are constantly humid and misty, a result of lingering planar energy from the now-closed rifts into the elemental plane of water that had caused the formation of the fjords.