The Estelands

Although protected from the constant wars in The Bloodlands by a small mountain range, the people of the Estelands tend to live small, heavily-defended, walled villages; not to protect themselves from other human beings, but to protect themselves from the many dangerous animals that make this region their home. Although the Estelands are sparsely populated and provide no major trade goods to the rest of the Empire, their uniquely indoor lifestyle has proven to be perfect for the cultivation of scholarly pursuits, with most of the population taking some amount of interest in the natural sciences, philosophy, or simply storytelling. In fact, it could be said that the Estelands' primary export is Books of Law, who are trained in the profession from a young age and who then travel all across the Empire for employment by various noble houses and wealthy merchants, carrying the ideas and stories of the Estelands with them. As such, the culture of the Estelands has an outsized impact on imperial culture at large.