Perevada (Pair-uh-vah-da)
In all of the March, no nation puts as much fear into outsiders as Perevada, the Eternal Kingdom. A quiet nation on the southwestern coast of Xianshou , Perevada is not feared for the size of it's army, the ambition of it's leaders, or for the strength of it's magics, though it is respected for all of these. Perevada is feared and reviled because it is the land of the Undead.
For all of known history the people of Perevada have been ruled by the undead, and the nation is an epicenter of necromantic magics. Scholars believe the land itself is shrouded in death, lying naturally close to the underworld, and all who visit attest to feeling the chill of death in the air. Everywhere the shadow of the underworld seems to loom. But the people of Perevada do not see themselves as cursed. The nation is ruled by a Council of Liches, but the people here worship the undead and believe undeath to be a blessed state. The greatest heroes of the nation are undead, or were rewarded with eternal unlife for their accomplishments. The mindless undead are used as labor and as guardians.
Perevada has a contentious history, and many of the undead leaders have been expansionistic. Long at odds with both Xian and Retto, the Council allied with the Drachenkaiser of Helgest, pulling Xianshou into the Dragon War. For the first time in a century the undead armies marched, claiming new lands to the north, half of which they still possess today. Though the war is ended, the peace with Xian and Retto is tenuous and guarded. One of the Lich Council is dead, replaced for the first time with an outsider, the former Chancellor of Necromancy for Draiden Cully University. There is a push from the council that the Eternal Kingdom must finally modernize, joining the rest of Errath in the modern post-war march of progress. Now factories appear, manned by zombies and skeletons, new ways are explored to blend necromancy with the art of artifice. New rights are extended to the living citizens and diplomats are being sent out to the rest of the world, seeking to bring the Eternal Kingdom into the growing world of nations.
It is a time of unprecedented change in the Eternal Kingdom, and as with all such times it is wrought with problems. The undead are not a people given to embracing progress and new ideas, and there is great pushback. The placement of an outsider on the council has angered many. Some worry that the council is fracturing, and civil war could result. Others worry that the cracks in the Kingdom may unleash the power of an even more ancient enemy hidden within the shadows.
Culture
The Living and the Dead
Despite some of the stories, the vast majority of Perevada's citizens are living. While the undead form the upper class, most of the country's functions are attended to by normal living people. For most of the living, the undead are a revered nobility, blessed by the gods of the underworld and brought into an eternal state of being, free from the corruption of the hells or the grasp of oblivion. There are only a few liches, but they are considered the highest caste. The southern jungle coast is dominated by the Krasue clan of vampires. The council of liches raises the greatest warriors as Death Knights, who led the Perevadan armies in the Dragon War, mixing their undead power with the ancient Perevadan styles of armed and unarmed combat.
There is a sharp distinction in Perevada between the undead and the dead. Only corporeal undead are revered. The way of Shukotay teaches unity of spirit and body, and it is thought that one without the other is lost. Corporeal and sentient undead are blessed. Mindless undead are nothing more than tools, and incorporeal undead are dangerous creatures often driven insane by the loss of their body. Ghosts are attempted to be laid to rest if possible, or contained if not.
Magic and Necromancy
There are multiple strands of magic in Perevadan folklore, but nothing approaches the study and tradition of Necromancy. Wizards who practice anything other than the School of Necromancy are rare. Other practitioners work necromantic styles into their practice, and warriors and rogues tap into the power of death in ways found nowhere else.
Warriors of Shadow
The proximity to the underworld and the shadows lands has allowed for the creation of unique martial styles. The Way of the Shadowed Fist is a violent form of martial combat native to Perevada. Practitioners channel the negative energy of the land through their bodies, using it to aid in vicious kicks and strikes. Most can't tap into this energy, but become vicious unarmed fighters never the less. But for those able to connect with the powers of death that infuse the land, the style gives supernatural aid to their attacks, hides their forms, and tightens their bodies to receive incredible punishment with little effect.
Religion
The Way of Shukotay
Eternal
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Alternative Names
The Eternal Kingdom
Demonym
Perevadan
Government System
Thanatocracy / Necrocracy
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
The Baht - Equivalent to 1 silver
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Addam has denounced Perevada
Addam sees Perevada as a cold war opponent to be defended against. Perevada doesn't consider Addam much at all, beyond concerns of retaliation.
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