Ormstberg
A nation in decline. Several years back a great earthquake shook much of the nation, killing more than half of its population through landslides, collapsed buildings, and a plague that followed in its wake.
The land was never all that fertile as much of the land is dominated by low craggy mountains, and much of the water that falls in the Jaws flow towards Mistshores in a series of canyons. The capital is situated in a wide valley that nestles between two canyons in each end and sits atop a hill that lifts it above the floodplains. Each year at spring the valley floods with meltwater from the Jaws, the flood is so strong that anyone trapped on the valley floodplain is assured to die, either by drowning or crushed in the waterfall that marks the end of the valley and the beginning of the second canyon. Despite this dangerous seasonal feature, people settled the valley for its rich soil and ease of farming.
Herding of sheep in the mountains is one of the lifelines of the nation. In lack of farmland outside of the flood-valley, the people have had to rely on livestock to get through the winters. Omrstberg’s sheep are renowned for their excellent wool and the gamy meat. They are stout and steady on foot, rivaling the mountain goats in their skill.
Ormstberg only sees a trickle of trade from Irrstland. The roads are bad and the trails long and winding along cliffs and gorges.
The people believe in their ancestors and the Dragons, two powerful elements of their past. The Dragons are gone, but they have written lore and a rich oral tradition that claims they still live in the jaws of the sky. That said, access to the Jaws is nigh on impossible and non one venture into the wildlands and return.
Structure
Ormstberg is organized around the monarchy with great houses electing the ruling monarch. A lot of cheks and customs are in place to ensure hereditary rulership does not arise. With a superb defensive position in the mountains, but limited agriculture, the focus of the ruling houses has been the stability and defece of the realm.
Culture
One notable difference with Omrstberg from Irrstland to the southeast is that a small population of faelings is living in peace within its borders and they are respected as opposed to persecuted and shunned as in other nations. More than a few noble families now have sylvae blood in their veins. This has lead to a kind of romanticizing of faelings and their lore. Thus in spite of its being a small and secluded nation, it sports a lot of complexity and richness in culture.
Assets
The nation is also rich in minerals, sporting both valuable metals like gold, silver, and iron, as well as precious gemstones like diamonds and sapphires, but the stone is hard and mining slow. With the decline in population, several mines have fallen out of use, with a distinct shift towards Darwen control.
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Alternative Names
Wyrmstberg
Demonym
Wymer
Leader
Location
Related Myths
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