The World of En'tharion

En'tharion. We know little of this world beyond Nerathania, a large continent at the northern side of its planet, surrounded by water on three sides and mountains on its north with little knowledge of what lies beyond.   The power over the continent is divided between several powers, however, a majority of the said power - lies with a single great central Realm - The Empire of Nerathania. It holds the western shores of the continent and stretches almost along the full north-south length of the continent. It has granted stability and safety for much of the continent and maintained a peacful trading relationship with its eastern neighbours.   There are two Dwarven realms. The City-State of Khol-Burimm holds the mountain range at the north of the southern wasteland and maintains few relationships outside a trade into the Empire and the less-orderly relationship with the Barbarian Clans around the Wyvernskin-City of Ragh. The other realm is Kvar-Doroll on the northern edge of the murky mountains . A realm of mostly mountain dwarves who traditionally trade their goods across the Fe'al with cities like Eichea Leigg and Ear Cunneagh, the dwarves here produce some of the finest steel and cooper, which they even occasionally trade with Rincal.   Rincal is the Feal trade port of the council of Fir Naigire, an Elven Realm that maintains trade routes with nations across the Eastern Sea, but keeps a transactional relationship with its neighbours as well as a small population in Kara-Me-An   Towards its south, beyond The Old Eastwatch, an ancient outpost of the Empire, there is the Barbarian realm of Ragh, where tribes compete and cooperate in the rich hunting grounds in the southeastern corner of the continent. While mostly self-sufficient, they are famous for leading expeditions into the Winding Hills to hunt Wyverns for their eggs, scaled leather and their fire bladder. The Southern Wastelands are sparsely populated, with a few clay-mining villages, some nomadic groups of salt-seekers and some coastal fishing communities.   The great central Realm - still referring to itself as the Nerathanian Empire - has had its glory days long years ago, and while most attribute that to an unspoken battle, which left wounds that never fully healed, the decline had started much in advance of the great maelstrom event. The current emperor, a Vacaryn of about 35 years, is trying to live up to the incorruptible legendary legacy of his ancestors and has so far managed to keep the peace in the realm, despite declining trade, wealth and natural-magical stability.   Effectively, on a day-to-day basis, the peace is kept - on the one hand - by the careful political balance between the other powers in the realm, which is managed largely by the young emperor and his staff; and - on the other hand - by aahttps://www.worldanvil.com/epic/4MrtYtT9Gwwn0Dn1rJpqYvLyOGwgjVn order of knights who have sworn an oath to the emperor or his predecessors.   This order of knights - commonly referred to as The Guardians or sometimes The Old Older used to have garrisons all over the old empire, but - like much of the empire - they also have fallen to decay and disorder outside of the core realm of the 'Old Kingdom' of Nerathania. Most of their once powerful and numerous keeps and strongholds are abandoned by them and either empty, taken over by chaotic creatures or have fallen from the world's memory entirely. They do, however, still hold a traditional respect with the people, and are often consulted by those in power, be it for access to their libraries, or their extensive, albeit now thin network of people and places across the empire, and sometimes beyond.   There has, however, been growing discontent in the Nerathanian Empire - some open, some less so - by some of the provinces north of the Rostpass, where life has become much less safe, and trade a lot less reliable. Due to increased dangers from, Trolls and other Giantkin, Orcs, Goblins and other, less intelligent - but no less dangerous - creatures, it has become difficult keep control of the lands, and some provinces have started wondering, why it is they pay taxes to the empire, if it cannot even maintain the peace against such "base creatures".