Cirithas

Summary

Cirithas is an Kingdom in Northern Laivra. It is ruled by an almost exclusively Elvish aristocracy with mostly Halfling, Human, and Gnome subjects. The Kingdom is ruled by a high king whose ancestors united the once disperate kingdoms between Parthil and Dohir into a powerful, if unstable, political force. Under the rule of the high kings, Cirithasi society has become increasingly patriarchal, economically stratified, and obsessed with social rank.

Adventuring

View: The Cirithasi have a generally positive view of adventurers. Many of the great stories and myths told in Cirithas focus on the deeds of great heroes from humble origins, and the Cirithasi revere bravery and self-sacrifice as the highest virtues. As a result, Cirithas is more saturated with adventurers than perhaps anywhere else, and all cities and towns can be expected to have the basic services and supplies that adventurers need. Employment: The easiest way to find a job in the countryside is to enter the service of a local noble or join The Messenger's Guild. In cities, there are often competing adventurer's guilds, some of which also have chapters in nearby towns. Classes: Most classes are well-represented in Cirithas with the exception of Artificers, who are exceedingly rare due to local superstitions about Machines. Paladins and Bards are particularly common.

Geography

Regions:

Enelduine. Royal Seat: Celonar. Extends south between the Edrain and Entyaduin rivers to the bridge near Suinya and to Narmaith in the east.
Angandor. Royal Seat: Daer Ethir. Includes all Cirithasi territory north of the Entyaduin river’s northern branch except for Daer Ethir and its environs. Ruled directly by the High King.
Gwestor. A free city administered jointly by representatives of the high king and the Council of Dohir. All territory within 65 miles of the city, the extent of the anti-magic field around the city, is included in its environs.
Foramanth. Royal Seat: Tacaras. All areas of the Ramanthi Woodland not included in Ingolod.
Ingolod/Forvod Zhicham. Duchal Seat: Naulos. A semi-independent Duchy ruled by Gnomes that encompasses the mountainous Southeast region.
Porëyanda. Royal Seat: North of Holannun. Encompasses the particularly fertile land between the Southern Edrain river and the mountains to the west, excluding Holannun
Malthermas. Royal Seat: Artië. Includes Raiqa Ihun. Southern border at the Malthen river.
Ithron. Royal Seat: Ithron. A relatively new kingdom currently ruled by Gamorn Vistacan that voluntarily submitted to the high king in 3129. Encompasses the hilly territory around the capital city of Ithron and includes formerly Athradan territory on the southern border as well as the small city of Holannun to the north.
Úrëfalma. Royal Seat: Vakeltaer. Includes the city of Locë.

Population: Human-Like People native to this region most commonly have olive skin and a rare predominance of blonde hair. The most notable exception is the Wood Elves of Tacaras, who usually have black hair. The most prominent ancestries in order of population are Halfling, Human, Elf, and Gnome. There are also notable minorities of Half-Elves, Dwarves, Half-Orcs, and Dragonborn. Climate: Cirithas has a temperate eastern Climate. It rarely snows and the weather is neither particularly wet nor dry. Mountains: All of Cirithas' mountains run through the far eastern part of the kingdom. Most of the Sentilias Range and a small portion of the Dohir Mountains fall within its borders. Water: Though there are many small lakes within its borders, the most striking water features in Cirithas are its many rivers. The three largest are the Edrain, which meets the sea at Qilora the Entyaduin, which ends at Daer Ethir and the Malthen, whose mouth can be found in Locë. Forests: The northeastern region is covered by the Ramanthi Woodland, which is populated primarily by Forest Gnomes in the south and Wood Elves in the north. Islands: Cirithas controls the twin islands of Henor and Onor in the Northern Deep, as well as several other minor islands. Major Cities:

Loce: Cirithas’ stop for the sea trade along the Dohirin Coast. It is the largest and wealthiest city in the kingdom.

Daer Ethir: The traditional seat of the high king and the largest trading port along the Northern Deep. The city is one of the largest centers of magical crafting in Laivra.

Tacaras: The seat of the self-styled “Woodland Prince” who rules the semi-autonomous Wood Elf kingdom of Foramanth. Much of the city is built on platforms well above the forest floor.

Yanta Fas: A city along the Malthen River. It was founded on the site of a major battle in the distant past, and to this day it has a reputation for being rough-and-tumble and sees more than its share of military conflict.

Celonar: A lightly fortified hilltop city a day's travel from the Edrain river. The city supports a smaller population than the other cities on this list, but is positioned at the intersection of many trade routes and is known as a producer of fine food and textiles.

Ithron: Ithron is administered by a powerful Wizard named Gamorn Vistacan who took power in the region using his magic.

Society

Language: Though Elves maintain control over political power, the land is most influenced by the majority Halfling culture. As a result, most non-Elves in the countryside speak both Common and Halfling, though common is still the most-spoken Language. Food: The Cirithasi commoner diet consists of bread, rice, meat, and cheese. More prestigious foods include fish, white bread, and waterfowl. The local specialty alcohols are hard cider and various fruit meads like sima, a kind of lemon mead. Clothing: Clothing in Cirithas is analogous to late medieval attire in Western Europe. Lower-class people wear wool and roughspun tunics while wealthy Elves wear dresses and fancier tunics with breeches. Art: Music is the most popular form of art in Cirithas across class and location. Among Humans and Halflings in particular, tavern Music is played with flutes, lutes, and occasionally Dwarvish guitars. Among the noble class, songs, poetry, and literature are the most common artistic forms, with viols and shawms being quite popular. Entertainment: In Cirithas, high society parties are refined affairs and more a chance to show off wealth than actually have a good time. Peasants, by contrast, throw wild parties to celebrate birthdays, holidays, a good harvest, or nothing in particular. A weekend that comes and goes without a party somewhere in a rural settlement is exceptionally rare. Team sports are the in Cirithas, though the Halfling game of golf is popular in the grasslands. In the cities, jousting and other martial games are the most played. Gender: Male heads of household have an outsized influence on the affairs of the rest of the family. Though High Elves can invoke the blessing of Corellon to change their sex, there is a movement to limit this practice to priests of Corellon and to define a person's rights in society purely based on their birth sex. That said, the fluidity of sex and gender among High Elves gives non-normative gender identities more of a place in Cirithas than elsewhere. Priests of Corellon use they/them pronouns and present in a genderless manner, though they are still legally and socially recognized as belonging to one gender or the other. Sexuality: Casual sex is as common in Cirithas as it is anywhere else, though it is looked down on and is nominally forbidden for worshippers of Corellon. Homosexuality is also looked down on in Cirithasi society, and High Elves are expected to resolve such attractions by ignoring them or changing their sex to become compatible. Education: Most Elves and Gnomes in Cirithas are expected to complete both basic and higher education. Humans and Halflings usually only receive a rudimentary formal education if any because they either lack the resources or prefer a hands-on education in the family craft. Literature has existed for some time in Cirithas, but it is only popular among scholars. The preferred method of preserving history in Cirithas is through epic song and poetry. Holidays: The most important annual state holiday in Cirithas is Coryale, the mid-year festival devoted to Corellon. The Tolta Coronar, which occurs once every 8 years, makes up for its lack of frequency with the scale of the festivities, particularly in major cities. The festival has become secularized in most of the rest of Vrashyn, but in Cirithas it maintains much of its traditional religious significance.

Politics

Rulership: In Name, Cirithas is ruled by High King Lalfelwen Uiretarion from the royal city of Daer Ethir. However, Cirithas' history as a group of disunited kingdoms has never been entirely left behind, so the individual monarchs have a great deal of power and independence. The fact that each High King is only allowed to rule for a century is due in part to the influence of the lesser kings. Despite inconsistent political influence, the Uiretarion family's stranglehold on the priesthood of Corellon makes them religiously powerful and makes others loathe to become enemies with them. Class Structure: The western grassland region is governed by a feudal aristocracy with High Elves at the top. In these areas, owning property is a prerequisite for having any legal rights and there are limits to the property that women can own. The eastern woodlands region is administered on a town-by-town basis by a professional bureaucracy of Wood Elves and Forest Gnomes. There is greater gender equality and economic mobility in these areas. Along the coast and in larger cities, the more powerful merchants have long-standing privileges and wealth that rivals lesser noble houses. Diplomacy: Cirithas has good relations with most of the countries around it. It has the strongest diplomatic ties with Athrada, conducts most of its trade with Dohir, and is in an on-again-off-again war with Ramanthas. Despite a history of border skirmishes with Parthil, the two are currently at peace. Information: The larger cities get information through the The Messenger's Guild and through private Sending services, while the rural towns typically hear the news from traveling Bards. However, it is strangely easier to get information from outside Cirithas than within due to the fractured political system. Military: Cirithas has the largest standing military in Northern Laivra, most of which is stationed near the border with Ramanthas. The Cirithasi are known for their skill at archery. The other signature weapons of its military include the longsword, rapier, and pike. Legal System: The legal system in Cirithas resembles that of Parthil. Nobles and others with property have the right to rule in all criminal cases in their domain, and those with means can appeal to a higher feudal authority if they feel the judgment was unfair. There is little incentive to rule fairly, so money usually determines how these cases go. Due to the lack of centralized authority in Cirithas, there is rampant criminality in both the cities and the countryside. Notable Laws: In Cirithas, experimentation with or use of machines is outlawed. The penalty is never lethal, though Artificers who break this law can expect exile and/or a lengthy imprisonment. Artificers from Byrla have an exception to this law so they can maintain the giant dam to the town's north. There is also significant prejudice against Half-Elves in Cirithasi society. The law bars anyone with less than 7/8ths Elvish blood from inheriting property from their Elvish parents or serving as part of the priesthood of Corellon.

Economy

Trade: Cirithas trades extensively with the Dwarves of Dohir, primarily out of the border city of Gwestor and the sea trade along the Northern Deep. They also export a significant amount of food and textiles to the Dohirin Coast in return for luxuries and finished goods. Cirithas mints Platinum coins, and foreign Electrum is spendable in all cities and some towns. Industry: Cirithas grows cotton and hemp in the west while the Edrain River region near Parthil boasts numerous silk farms. Together, these underpin the large textile industry of Cirithas. Most of the work is done by Gnome and Human women living in the larger towns in the kingdom’s core. Agriculture: Cirithas is one of the most agriculturally productive areas of Vrashyn. They grow rice, wheat, sorghum, and are also known for their fruit orchards. The fields also host a number of horses, cows, lambs, and Architecture: The architecture of Cirithas closely resembles the style of medieval Western Europe: square wood or wattle and daub homes with thatched roofs, occasionally surrounding castles or cities. Churches of Corellon and many city buildings are made out of stone quarried in Dohir. Transportation: Though many of its roads have started to fall into disrepair, the kingdom is still connected by roads built during its golden age in past centuries. Horses are common and can be found in most towns and villages. Though there are few passenger ships along the northern coast, the southeastern city of Loce is one of the busiest ports along the Dohirin Coast. Science: Of the large kingdoms, Cirithas has done the least in terms of scientific advances. Their biggest contribution has been in the area of medicine and potion-brewing, both of which are popular across both educated and common society.

Religion

Major Religions: The state religion of Cirithas is the worship of the Elvish creator god Corellon. All Elves are expected to participate in worship, though many are skeptical of the religion. The church of Corellon is responsible for the healing of the sick and injured and is connected with various monastic groups across Cirithas that extend its reach to the countryside. The more numerous Humans and Halflings in the kingdom worship the Inland Gods, sometimes sharing temples due to the similarity of their worship and pantheons. Other Religions: The Satyr Gods are worshipped in small communities of Satyrs in the southwest but have yet to gain prominence among any other groups. The southeastern cities of Loce and Yanta Fas host growing cults of Mithras, a localized version of a Southeast Laivran sun god. Taboo: Research into machines is banned by decree of the high king, though some local leaders are more thorough at reinforcing this law than others. The Church of Corellon says that they harness powers that rightfully belong to their god. Additionally, many non-Elves believe that they gain their power from demons and are extremely distrustful of them.

Ancestries: Halfling, Human, Elf

Languages: Common, Elvish (prestige)

Religions: Inland Gods, Church of Corellon (official)

Government: Monarchy

Ruler: Lalfelwen Uiretarion

Capitol: Daer Ethir

Demonym: Cirithasi

Allies: Senlimas, Dohir*

Enemies: Ramanthas, Vishaam, Rohiz

Included Locations