Wesrino (Wes-Re-No)
The Jewel of Tonad
Built on the ruins of ancient peoples, the Jewel of Tonad has historically been surrounded by enemies, forced to become insular, defensive, and authoritarian. However, the newly risen God-Queen, Palletia, has opened the country's borders to those it once called enemies, brokered an uneasy peace with Riek'Dahn, emphasized the independence of Wesrino's provinces, and invested heavily into presenting open arms to the rest of the world. This has rapidly transformed Wesrino into a cosmopolitan nation, a haven of diverse peoples and their ways of life. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these rapid changes in policy and culture have lead to heightened tensions between both Wesrinans of different traditions and completely foreign races that are becoming more and more common sights. These clashing groups now introduce conflict into a nation that was once unified, conflict that threatens to explode into the violence Wesrinans are all too familiar with..
Historically, Wesrino has been a strictly authoritarian state, with nearly all power being centralized within the throne of the singular monarch. While much of the land under the Wesrinan control was managed by the Archdukes and their subordinates rather than the current monarch, most major decisions still required approval from the throne, limiting their power. However, since Palletia's ascension to divinity and to the Wesrinan throne, the Archdukes have been given much greater independence, acting more as united individual nations than territories of a kingdom.
The greater sovereignty of the Heralds was but the first of Palletia's sweeping changes to Wesrino. Historically, the kingdom had a fiercely defended land border with Riek'Dahn as well as minimal overseas trade from Kraal, Iorst, and the Poles. However, on the day of her crowning, in a bid to end the cold war that the kingdom has long been in with the denizens of the Badlands, she opened the borders of Wesrino for the first time in centuries. This, in conjunction with the creation of the 12-Hued Star, has attracted previously unthinkable numbers of immigrants from all over the world. The once-homogenous populace of the country has suddenly been inundated with migrating Drakken, displaced Dvallin, Fey-kin, and Elves of all stripes. Most importantly, a considerable number of Ogrish have come to the nation, drawn by the 12-Hued Star and the promises of peace, opportunities, and exotic cultures of their neighbors.
While these directives have succeeded in breaking the cultural and technological stagnation the kingdom has suffered from for centuries, they have not been positively received by all. The violent birth of the country, coupled with its previous militant isolationism, resulted in a large, powerful military and a culture molded around it. However, as an attempt to make Wesrino more inviting to the outside world it formerly disdained, Palletia has largely reduced the strength of the country's army. Most controversially, she has almost totally defanged the Aetherguard; once the elite ley-line walkers that enforced Wesrino's borders for centuries, they have been reduced to little more than Palletia's honor guard as a show of good faith to those they once kept out of the kingdom.
In place of the vast military and cloistered society the Wesrinans had known, Palletia has ushered in a cultural revolution. Where dull, practical stone once stood, stained glass and marble now invite observers to marvel. Cobblestone roads are repaved with colorful, smoothly-hewn brick. Barracks and militia-houses are torn down in favor of brothels and museums and monasteries in the name of the new patron deity of the realm. Where unity, the collective, and the importance of modest living were once encouraged and enforced, personal liberties and indulgence in the finer things of life are deemed most important by the new God-Queen.
In the wake of these sweeping changes, much unrest has arisen in spite of her grand gestures. If it were just the staunch traditionalists and those who deify the Crusader Queen Wesri herself, Palletia would not lack for enemies. Her staunchest opposition, however, lies in the supporters of the country's once-great military. Between the disgruntled Aetherguard, those whose livelihoods depended on a constant preparedness for war, and the scores of men and women discharged from the army and lacking prospects, the lands of Wesrino have become intimately familiar with rioting and banditry from those who know only violence and cannot survive without it.
Though much has come from an open country and a livelier cultural scene, Wesrino rests on a precipice. As the foundations the country has been built upon are hewn, the structures built upon it shake with them. Racial hatred going back centuries, the rampant shucking of tradition leading to the discontent of large swathes of the populace, and the complications of being ruled by a living goddess have left the country more divided than ever before. Many have come to fear that rather than the unshakable base they have been accustomed to, they now live atop a keg of dragonsalts awaiting a spark.
Historically, Wesrino has been a strictly authoritarian state, with nearly all power being centralized within the throne of the singular monarch. While much of the land under the Wesrinan control was managed by the Archdukes and their subordinates rather than the current monarch, most major decisions still required approval from the throne, limiting their power. However, since Palletia's ascension to divinity and to the Wesrinan throne, the Archdukes have been given much greater independence, acting more as united individual nations than territories of a kingdom.
The greater sovereignty of the Heralds was but the first of Palletia's sweeping changes to Wesrino. Historically, the kingdom had a fiercely defended land border with Riek'Dahn as well as minimal overseas trade from Kraal, Iorst, and the Poles. However, on the day of her crowning, in a bid to end the cold war that the kingdom has long been in with the denizens of the Badlands, she opened the borders of Wesrino for the first time in centuries. This, in conjunction with the creation of the 12-Hued Star, has attracted previously unthinkable numbers of immigrants from all over the world. The once-homogenous populace of the country has suddenly been inundated with migrating Drakken, displaced Dvallin, Fey-kin, and Elves of all stripes. Most importantly, a considerable number of Ogrish have come to the nation, drawn by the 12-Hued Star and the promises of peace, opportunities, and exotic cultures of their neighbors.
While these directives have succeeded in breaking the cultural and technological stagnation the kingdom has suffered from for centuries, they have not been positively received by all. The violent birth of the country, coupled with its previous militant isolationism, resulted in a large, powerful military and a culture molded around it. However, as an attempt to make Wesrino more inviting to the outside world it formerly disdained, Palletia has largely reduced the strength of the country's army. Most controversially, she has almost totally defanged the Aetherguard; once the elite ley-line walkers that enforced Wesrino's borders for centuries, they have been reduced to little more than Palletia's honor guard as a show of good faith to those they once kept out of the kingdom.
In place of the vast military and cloistered society the Wesrinans had known, Palletia has ushered in a cultural revolution. Where dull, practical stone once stood, stained glass and marble now invite observers to marvel. Cobblestone roads are repaved with colorful, smoothly-hewn brick. Barracks and militia-houses are torn down in favor of brothels and museums and monasteries in the name of the new patron deity of the realm. Where unity, the collective, and the importance of modest living were once encouraged and enforced, personal liberties and indulgence in the finer things of life are deemed most important by the new God-Queen.
In the wake of these sweeping changes, much unrest has arisen in spite of her grand gestures. If it were just the staunch traditionalists and those who deify the Crusader Queen Wesri herself, Palletia would not lack for enemies. Her staunchest opposition, however, lies in the supporters of the country's once-great military. Between the disgruntled Aetherguard, those whose livelihoods depended on a constant preparedness for war, and the scores of men and women discharged from the army and lacking prospects, the lands of Wesrino have become intimately familiar with rioting and banditry from those who know only violence and cannot survive without it.
Though much has come from an open country and a livelier cultural scene, Wesrino rests on a precipice. As the foundations the country has been built upon are hewn, the structures built upon it shake with them. Racial hatred going back centuries, the rampant shucking of tradition leading to the discontent of large swathes of the populace, and the complications of being ruled by a living goddess have left the country more divided than ever before. Many have come to fear that rather than the unshakable base they have been accustomed to, they now live atop a keg of dragonsalts awaiting a spark.
Structure
Wesrino is headed by a singular, absolute monarch known as the Crown. These lifelong sovereigns are elected rulers, voted in by everyone who has served their local or national military for at least 5 years. The Crown's will is carried out by their Magistrates, the term for all those who wield even the most petty of political power. These Magistrates are sorted by semi-informal ranks, the greatest of which are the Lord Magistrates. These four Magistrates act as the Crown's handpicked council of advisors and are considered the highest authority on all subjects they preside over, though their wider political power varies according to their specific responsibilities and the will of the Crown that appointed them. As a collective, however, they are second only to the Crown itself, and so important that several candidates for their positions must be kept in reserve in the event of an impromptu death.
The Magistrate Commandant is the highest general, most skilled combatant, and greatest military asset of Wesrino, directly commanding the armed forces that serve the country as a whole rather than an individual province, and responsible for communication and coordination between Provincial Guardians. The powers and respect wielded by the Commandant are typically the greatest and most stable of the Magistrates as is their influence, especially amongst the Border-Marchers.
Often Border-Marchers by birth, potential future Commandants are hand-selected from local militias and the Provincial Guard by incognito agents of the current Commandant. Once one hundred such candidates are selected, or the office of Commandant is empty, they are brought to the Crucible; Wesrino's great academy-arena where promising candidates are either forged into the greatest military minds and warriors of their generation, or break under the pressure. For 12 years the initiates spend 12 hours a day studying the usage of wide varieties of weapons and martial arts, military theory, tactics, and strategy, as well as the creation and maintenance of arms and armor, logistics, leadership skills, and many other topics.
This process is incredibly strenuous and most candidates are simply unable to handle the extreme stresses of the process. While technically having failed, surviving the pressure of the Crucible for even a year marks one as a skilled, competent individual worthy of respect. These so-called "Burnouts" are usually proud, not ashamed, of their experience and often go on to have successful military careers.
For those few that make to the end of their 12 year ordeal, a final series of trials awaits them. Created by Wesri and her circle of military advisors, the details of all but one of the Refinements are kept from the public. The final and most spectacular of them, the Refinement of Adamant tests nearly every skill relevant to a promising Commandant. Upon the magically-charged plains just outside of the Crucible itself, crowds assemble for days on end to observe and cheer on the (up to 10) remaining initiates as they arm, command, and fight alongside spectral armies conjured from the power of the nearby Ley-Node. From individual duels to small scale skirmishes to full scale battles and sieges, every aspect of the remaining initiates' martial skill and knowledge is tested against that of their peers.
At the end of the month long festival of combat, the initiates are scored in both individual attributes and overall by the Crown, the current Commandant, and the Commandant's circle of advisors. The overall scores determine the line of succession in the event of the Commandant's death or resignation. In the meantime, these successful Aspirant-Generals are assigned duties based on their individual aptitudes. Regardless of their personal scores and proficiencies, each and every Aspirant is, without exception, a nearly unparalleled master of all military and martial topics. Even the weakest Aspirant of a given generation in single combat is an expert martial artist, and their least talented generals are intimately familiar with the ebb and flow of a battlefield.
The 2nd Lord Magistrate is the Magistrate Heiron; the living spiritual and cultural bridge between Wesrino's numerous, diverse, and conflict-prone cultural groups and religions. Originally, this was accomplished by attempting to assimilate as many distinct cultures into a broader, singular heritage that all Wesrinans could identify with above their individual, fractious cultures. To this end, the Heiron was once the highest religious authority of Wesri's church, helping to spread unity through piety. However, under Palletia's rule, the Heiron's practices and requirements, if not their purpose, have changed.
Though Heirons are not scholars as a rule, a level of intimate understanding or academic knowledge of and respect for the customs, traditions, and beliefs of Wesrino's various Provinces is by far the most important factor. This leads potential Heirons to often be selected from those prone to travelling and/or of moderate authority within a broadly-accepted religious organization; the greater responsibilities and biases often found in those with greater power in such institutions rarely lend themselves to understanding those in other groups.
Potential Heirons are offered to journey across Wesrino, during which they will learn about and partake in the innumerable customs and ways of life of Wesrino's peoples. Once this tour is done, the Heiron-to-be comes before each of the Archdukes, attempting to display their knowledge and care for their peoples in whatever way they choose. Once each Archduke is satisfied, the Heiron-to-be undergoes the Rite of Silver Haze. This ritual, essential to crowning a Heiron, culminates in a mask being placed on their face, erasing all knowledge of the Heiron's past life from themselves and all others.
These anonymous sages work to foster understanding between Wesrino's often fractious peoples, serving as an unbiased arbitrator to cultural and religious conflicts and encouraging understanding of and participation in the practices of others. With little time (and often, care) for politicking, a Heiron is usually found wandering the land, mediating conflicts as they encounter them. Itinerant as they are, Heirons are still the living representative of Wesrino's divided unity and thus usually make a point of being present for nearly all major decisions and negotiations between provinces, weighing in with tempered words and compromissory solutions.
If the Magistrate Heiron is the voice of unity within Wesrino, the Magistrate Nuncio is the hand extended to foreign powers, either in cooperation or (more commonly) confrontation. Often considered the least of their peers, the purpose and necessity of the Nuncio has been called into question numerous times over the course of its existence; Wesrino's nature as a nation surrounded by historical enemies with whom meaningful diplomacy was long considered a pipe dream has left the position of Nuncio not far from a ceremonial position. With cooling tensions between Wesrino and Riek'Dahn, however, the Nuncio's role has had a new pressure and importance placed on it, influencing the future of both groups.
A Nuncio is rarely born of the Border-Marches, biased as they are from dealing with raids from the badlands. Instead, the more genteel customs of the inner provinces lend themselves well to defusing the often volatile conflicts with those from Riek'Dahn. This often earns them ire from the Marchers, who are rarely content with their defense against badlanders being dependent on a pampered fop from the inner provinces. A Nuncio (especially one from the inner country) that is unpopular in the Border-Marches are often referred to as "Pureblade", a term once used by a previous Nuncio to describe their sword, now used by Border-Marchers to mock those unfit for or that think they are above the violence needed to defend the border.
The Nuncio has authority over all communications and dealings with those that reside beyond the Web, as well as sharing responsibility for guarding Wesrino's borders with the Commandant. Given the traditionally hostile relations between those within and without the Web, the latter of these responsibilities has historically been significantly more relevant than the former, giving the Nuncio the questionable honor of being dubbed "Commandant's Assistant" by some. Despite this, the Nuncio has grown in power dramatically in recent years. Easing tensions with Riek'Dahn natives has offered previously nonexistent opportunities for trade and access to valuable resources that once required braving the harsh conditions and harsher inhabitants of Riek'Dahn; all of these are now under the Nuncio's purview, granting the office much greater power than any other time in history.
The Magistrate Wazir is the Crown's advisor on all mystical topics and overseer of Wesrino's ever-growing magical phenomena. A consummate archmage by definition, Wazirs have touched the minds of the Aeons and were left with their sanities (mostly) intact. This has granted them both unparalleled mystical power and knowledge, but at a price. Having been in touch with such eldritch minds, their perspectives and mindsets become warped and alien, difficult to be related to by their fellow mortals. These changes are insidious and dangerous; only by incredible willpower and mental strength does a Wazir prevent themselves from becoming Consumed.
As those most attuned to the natures of the Aeons, the Wazir is jointly responsible for the maintenance and creation of Wesrino's ley-lines, along with the Aetherguard. Not only an important military asset, these lines of eldritch power allow for the rapid communication and transportation that allows Wesrino to prosper. As such, the Wazir is rarely in one place for more than several hours, constantly skating along the ley-lines to their next project.
Even when the Great Web is stable enough to be left in the care of the Aetherguard (who are often guided by illusory duplicates of the Wazir) the Wazirs often spend time attempting to touch the minds of the Aeons, not only to grow their magical abilities, but also to monitor their how roused they are. As some stir and others rest, the ley-lines must be prepared for the new patterns of activity. On occasion, entirely new nodes have been formed either naturally, or as a precaution before a tumultuous period of activity.
Equal to the Lord Magistrates are the Heralds; highest representatives of each of Wesrino's provinces. While the powers, term lengths, modes of selection, and official titles of each position vary from province to province, they are each charged with managing the province they rule. Before Palletia's rise, this functioned more-or-less as a lord-serf relationship; the provinces each belonged to the crown, the Archdukes merely managed the land and collected tax. As with so much, however, this has changed dramatically in recent years.
Now the Heralds are the heads of state of the provinces, which now function as semi-autonomous regions united within the Wesrinan federation. As such, the Archdukes act with more sovereignty than ever before. While still ultimately subservient to the Crown, the provinces now act as mostly independent nations, with all the intrigue and (small scale) conflict that implies.
Beneath the Lord Magistrates and Archdukes serve the Governor Magistrates. These officials rule directly over land within provinces and/or answer directly the Lord Magistrates about matters of their concern. Subordinate to the Governors are those simply known as Magistrates, working as local mayors, commanders of militias, and maintainers of local strips of leylines.
Culture
As a kingdom born from war, Wesrino's native populace are a hardy sort and all too used to violence. Most children are born with a weapon in hand, almost literally; it is traditional for a weapon to be made for or passed down to a newborn child to be hung over their cot until they are trained in its use at the age of 13. A large fraction of young adults end up enlisting in the nation's armed forces; from the village militias to the Provincial Defenders to the illustrious Aetherguard, Wesrino has never lacked for willing protectors. Even those that either will not or cannot join the military often make careers out of supporting it in some way. Blacksmiths, physicians, and even humble cobblers are afforded nearly as much respect as proper soldiers. This respect does not stop at strictly physical professions either; skilled alchemists and war-mages of all kinds are held in high regard as irreplaceable parts of the nation's defense.
The expectation of discipline, unity, and self-sufficiency has long since permeated into civilian life, so strong is the influence of the military. All, from individual families to the provinces, are expected to be co-operative but fully self-sufficient. Internal problems are to be solved internally and without aid from others, but a united front must be presented to external scrutiny and issues; to do otherwise would invite weakness and ruin to both the individual and the whole.
The nation's respect for warfare is born as much from it's constant need for defense as it is from reverence of Wesri, the nation's founding Crusader-Queen and patron deity. Most native Wesrinans, pious or otherwise, says a few words of prayer to Wesri before heading off to combat. Famous battlefields have chapels of Wesri built atop them and attract warrior-pilgrims seeking blessings from the Lady of Valor. The power of the Hands of the Steel Lady (perhaps unsurprisingly) permeates the military more strongly than all else; every commander and general is, at least nominally, a member of Her clergy and endowed with the powers thereof. Historically, the Hands have had little competition for influence across the country. However, like so many things in Wesrino, this has rapidly changed with the rise of the Order of the 12-Hued Star.
Palletia's nature as both a living, present goddess and a herald of change has swept much of the population into her worship, desiring an end to Wesrino's stagnation and to experience the finer, luxurious things in life that they had been denied before. Her rejection of of the strict utilitarianism enforced by previous rulers in favor of artistic pursuits and luxuries for all succeeded in appealing to both the high royalty who were previously denied the indulgences they felt entitled to and the peasantry, enticed by the idea of living like their rulers. Fine art, wine, and entertainment in lieu of the cold practicality of yesteryear have been embraced by those seeking a change from the norm.
In addition, she has encouraged the populace to embrace Wesrino's varied individual cultures rather than superseding them with a singular national identity. While regional differences in culture, infrastructure, and practices have always existed, it was expected that they were to be put aside in favor of a united, homogenous Wesrino. Under Palletia's rule, however, the Provinces have given much more political and economic independence and have had their unique cultures highlighted and encouraged by the Palace of the Arts. To compound this, the 12-Hued star creates bridges made from Palletia's own divine essence that reach distant lands across the globe, drawing people from around the world to Wesrino with varied races, backgrounds, practices, and beliefs. While this has caused no small amount of strife from a wide variety of clashing mores, many have enjoyed this new diversity.
However, despite much support from the populace, Palletia and her new ideals have not been accepted by everyone. While many a staunch traditionalist protests Palletia's sweeping changes, the greatest opposition comes from the Hands of the Steel Lady and, by extension, the military and its dependents. The Border-Marchers, those who live on or near Wesrino's oft-threatened borders, are particularly incensed by the scaling back of Wesrino's military despite Palletia's promises that their safety would be assured.
This has all culminated in a large schism within Wesrino between those willing to follow Palletia and adapt to Wesrino as the open, cosmopolitan nation she wants it to become, and those who wish for a "return to form", doggedly sticking to the traditions that formed the foundation of Wesrino during Wesri's Crusades. Peasants, nobles, and provinces alike sign their allegiance either openly or tacitly. Regardless of personal beliefs, however, nearly all agree that this tension will tear Wesrino apart from the inside if it is not rectified (preferably with the dominance of their preferred ideology).
History
While the Wesrinan federation is often seen as the proof of humanity's greatness, especially amongst the more conservative groups, it belies the humble origins of man. Many centuries in the past, there existed two great civilizations. While their true names have been lost to history they are most commonly referred to as The Seers of Jadeglass and The Brimstone Despoilers. Little is known of them, with most of their records either destroyed or rendered indecipherable, either by time or by the collapse of their empires. Despite this, what mundane records remain from the time before Wesrino's founding suggest that they were the dominant powers of Tonad. All of humanity was contained in a handful of scattered tribes around Tonad, oppressed and exploited by the Seers and regularly raided by the Despoilers. Until the ascension of a girl named Wesri.
Born in a (relatively) prosperous human settlement in a magically active region that would come to be known as Goldreed, Wesri was a skilled warrior, insightful thinker, and above all, ambitious. She lamented the state of her people, living in terror of the Seers, the Despoilers, even the very land they lived on, magically active as it was. In time, The latter of these would reveal itself as the solution; she eventually discovered that the leylines that ran across Tonad could, at great risk, be used to transmit objects, information, and even people.
Armed with this knowledge, Wesri united the disparate human tribes despite their distance. Men, weapons, supplies, and information were shared as needed to fend off raiding parties from the Seers and the Despoilers and dealing with regional famine, drought, and other disasters. For the first time, humanity was united and even (relatively) thriving, but this was not enough for Wesri. Seeing humanity enjoying untold prosperity only stoked the flames of her ambitions, now confident in mankind's destiny to break the chains of terror that kept them beneath the Seers and Despoilers. Still, organization, ambition, and confidence could only go so far; the Elders still had an iron grip on all of Tonad, their mutual enmity being all that stood between upstart Man and their obliteration.
What was once seen as a danger would once again prove itself Wesri and humanity's greatest boon. The war between the Seers and Despoilers had split Tonad in twain as long as any mortal could remember. Their clashes were frequent and destructive, changing and destroying the very landscape in the wake of their armies. If their destructive capabilities were this great, even while being restrained for the sake of the land they fought over, what could be accomplished if... unrestrained?
The Musubi Well was a leyline nexus in eastern Tonad potent enough to spawn scores of Kami, slivers of extradimensional power crystallized into conscious forms. These spirits could not stand up to an army of Seers or Despoilers, but the cost associated with destroying them to harness the Well's power was prohibitive outside of extreme circumstances. But if Wesri could trick each of the Elders into thinking that the other was intent on securing it, they would surely go to extreme lengths to prevent it. A few carved obsidian sigils and "lost" missives written in aether were enough to instigate both sides into deploying overwhelming force.
As each army marched upon the Well, the local Kami fought savagely to defend the source of their being. Soldiers clad in volcanic glass were rent asunder by blades of sterling light as the ethereal forms of the Seers were discorporated, subsumed into the overwhelming consciousnesses on the other side of the Well. Had only one of the armies arrived, the Kami may well have turned them back with their seer ferocity. Alas, the Kami were slowly overwhelmed by the separate forces of the Elders, beaten back ever closer to the Well.
As the Elders approached the Well, they began to suppress the extradimensional force that sustained the Kami, sealing the Well's power within itself, unable to escape into the environment. This further weakened the already ailing spirits, allowing the Elders to destroy what resistance was left and providing access to the Well itself. Here the Elders' wrath was unleashed upon each other; the Despoilers raised pillars of dark, jagged obsidian from the very earth before shattering them, drowning the battlefield in black-and-purple glass. Seers extended milky tendrils from the soul-stuff that composed their bodies, reaching into and shattering the minds of those that stood before them.
As the battle raged, both sides moved towards the Well, intent on gaining control over it's power to end the fight. Wesri saw her opportunity unveil itself. She instructed the small, elite group of mages she had brought with her to pervert the Elders' magic as they drew upon the Well. With the amount of power lying within the Well, further enhanced by the energy the seal had prevented it from discharging, the arcane backlash ought to destroy both armies. This same power could be used to shield Wesri and her magi from the brunt of the blast.
Alas, it was far, far too much to ask of these men and women. As the Elders broke the seal, every mage on the battlefield attempted to synchronize their minds with those of the Aeons on the other side. However, the proximity of the Aeons to the Well was greater than most ley-nexi; this, combined with the accumulated energies and mass-tapping of their power, brought the bodies and minds of the Aeons into contact with our world for a fraction of an instant.
The results were immediate.
The very world descended into fundamental chaos. All rules of reality as we knew it were obliterated, replaced with the pandemonic whims and contradictory laws of beings whose sheer scale could shatter the minds of gods. A shockwave exploded outwards from the Well, changing the world in incomprehensible patterns. It screamed into the minds of those who were deafened and was silent to others. Trees in the area were cut from their pulverized stumps by a gale sharper than any blade. Some fell as sanity said they ought, but they were vanishingly few. Many flew off into the horizon, others ascended into the heavens as gravity's effects were turned on their head. Most fell, but not in any direction; a few fell cold, others fell purple, or masculine.
Every mind seeking to synchronize with the powers within the well was irrevocably shattered. The fortunate were killed outright, psyche and body alike obliterated under the strain of an uber-consciousness. The rest, those with wills and minds strong enough to resist total destruction, were instantly Consumed. These newly made eidolons of aeonic will immediately began to sink the fabric of our reality ever closer to the Aeons, their very presence eating away at the barrier between the Well and the god-minds.
Only Wesri, saved by a premonition of danger just before the seal was opened, survived attempting to tap the Well. As a second shockwave began to disintegrate the world neighboring the Well, Wesri heard the remnants of the Kami whispering in her ear. Born of the Aeons as they may be, they had no desire to allow a hole in Yernal to be torn. They told her that they could lend her what remained of their power, enough to seal the wound in the world if she could but touch the Well. Here, Wesri's martial and magical skill, combined with the power of the Kami, transformed her into a silver-wreathed sliver, racing against the third shockwave that threatened to plunge this section of the world wholly into the being of an Aeon.
Pushing through air thick with insanity, Wesri grasped at the core of the Well. Even as her very being began to dissolve, both what remained of the Kami's power and her own will were channeled toward sealing the Well once again. Just as the third shockwave began to erupt, its ruinous power imploded, collapsing back into the Well as the breach in reality was closed. Wesri had but a fraction of a second to appreciate her success before the energies of the God-Realms fell upon her.
By all rights, Wesri ought to have been obliterated; her form and ego utterly destroyed, warped into another Consumed, or simply subsumed by the ur-consciousnesses of the Aeons. And yet, she remained. The semi-divine nature of the Kami, the newly forged seal upon the Well, the Well's own power, the strength of Wesri's will and quintessence, and the simple magnitude of her deed transformed her. While her mind was intact, her body became a mutable, protean thing, formed wholly of her elevated essence and bound only by the laws of her will. Stepping out of the Well, empyrean eyes scarcely glided over the Consumed that wandered the fields around before they were struck down, almost unconsciously, by argent blade, blunt, or bow. As the field was cleared of the abominations and what few Seers and Despoilers remained, humanity's leader was not lost, but replaced with their first true goddess.
After Wesri's apotheosis, humanity no longer hid in the shadows, spurred to open action against the Elders by the example of their goddess. While the Iron Lady did not yet desire open war against the Elders, dangerous as it was for her mortal followers, she knew that this furor could not be quenched by anything short of Seer and Despoiler blood. As such, she declared the first of many Crusades, reforming her peoples' wild belligerence into a focused, unrelenting zeal. As her warhost swept to Tonad's southwest, the Seers stood little chance of stopping them. Those Seers that chose to fight found their glass spires overrun by men and women who fought as if possessed. When force of conviction and mortal arms were not enough, the arrival of one of the 8 Vindicars often was. These blessed lieutenants were Wesri's enforcers, generals, and one person armies; Their mere presence was enough to inflame the zealous rage that burned in the hearts of their soldiers and, being imbued with a fraction of their goddess' own skill and power, could clear a fortress on their lonesome, if the need be.
As the Crusade quickly approached its goal of exterminating the Seers, the spires and citadels of the Seers were more and more often found empty, with no signs of violence. Even the legendary Viridescent Plain, an open field filled with plants and animals made of living jadeglass, was bereft of all signs of life. As the last Seer hold was found to be absent of any defenders, the crusaders did not revel in their victory; their hatred was quickly turned to the Despoilers in the northeast, intent on wiping out every one of their former oppressors.
The Second Crusade was less grandiose. Few of the Despoilers' imposing fortresses of black obsidian were garrisoned , even fewer than than the Seers, but those that were fought with the fury of the magma they drew their strength from. Lava gouts and obsidian hail frustrated any offensive not lead by one of the Vindicars. The last bastion of the Despoilers repelled siege after siege, drowning in molten rock any soldiers not cleaved or crushed by supernaturally potent weapons of volcanic glass.
Seeing her soldiers fighting and dying for nothing spurred Wesri to take to the battlefield personally. Even as a goddess (of war, no less), Wesri was loath to fight her people's battles for them, believing that it was needed to keep them strong and capable even in her absence. Still, she could not stand idly by as her people died fruitlessly for their well earned vengeance. She thusly stormed the Bastion of Jet on her lonesome, intent on finally claiming the last bastion of her people's oppressors. Befitting the skill of a battle goddess, she was a quicksilver razor, slicing through all opposition without any meaningful resistance. As the black-clad head of the last Despoiler fell from the ramparts, contemptuously tossed by the nascent goddess, so too did the Age of the Elders.
With this, Tonad was in human control for the first time. Peace and prosperity were foreign concepts to most and, combined with the presence of a goddess of strife, left humanity a pugnacious mess. Concerns that no longer had an existential threat to mollify them rose again; land, resources and cultures began to divide mankind against itself almost in defiance of what should have been an era of tranquility.
Wesri would not stand idly by as her people turned upon one another. She rallied her loyal followers to her banner, promising the formation of a great human nation spanning from sea to shining sea. Few rebelled against such an idea and those that did were swiftly crushed beneath the boot of loyalist might. Use of the now-free-to-use leylines allowed for rapid development and communication between the once-disparate communities. Innovations and useful resources and knowledge were shared nearly as soon as they were discovered. Under the watchful guidance of their goddess, rather than the oppressive hand of the Elders, the newly formed queendom of Wesrino flourished.
This golden age, while prosperous, was but temporary. Barely a century after the last of the rebels were brought to heel, Wesri vanished without a trace. While her blessings on people, places and items remained, the goddess herself was nowhere to be found. Even more strangely, new races of mortals began to appear across Tonad; strange, ethereal humanoids whose bodies and minds changed with their environment appeared in lands once held by the Seers while myriad rugged creatures began to inhabit the eastward wastelands.
These simultaneous crises threatened to tear Wesrino apart at the seams. Only the dogma of Wesri's cult prevented the country's utter collapse. They asserted that Wesri's disappearance was not her forsaking her people nor was it the result of her death - this was but a challenge, a test to see if her people could survive the inevitable tribulations that a nation shall face. These elves and ogrish, as they came to be known, were made by her in the image of the Elders. They were to be adversaries that Wesrino's resolve would be tested against and sharpened upon; why else would they bear resemblance to hated foes of a past era?
Humanity once again took up arms to destroy these outside threats. An unstoppable wave of hatred and zeal cleansed the Elves from western Tonad, driving them across the seas or into lost corners of the continent. The ogrish were rather more resilient, the unstable and dangerous conditions of their ruined lands proving difficult to survive, let alone fight, within. Similarly, the more controllable power of the leylines provided a near impenetrable defensive web protecting Wesrino. With neither side able to make decisive progress into the other's territory, the war devolved into a slow, grinding bloodbath in the lands between Western Tonad and Riek'Dahn - a conflict that has survived until very recently.
Despite the inconclusive result of the 3rd crusade, Wesrino's unity and stability was assured beneath the watchful eye of the Hands of the Steel Lady; the name of Wesri's now-officiated clergy. Once again the now-theocratic nation could prosper, if not peacefully so. Towns and cities were built, leyline nodes were erected, and even the far northern, frigid lands of Nortanna were settled successfully. Even the eternal war with Riek'Dahn proved more of a boon than a hardship, keeping goods and trades of war in high demand and giving everybody a reason to remain loyal to Wesri and, by extension, the state. Despite this uneasy balance lasting for over a century, it only took the actions of a small group of Elves to nearly destroy it once again.
A small group of the, usually peaceful, Wavetender elves known as the Red Riven were well known for harassing naval vessels and coastal settlements in Tonad and Riek'Dahn alike. While not a great or existential threat to any, their piracy and occasional acts of violence could not be tolerated for long. The Crown of the time, Giriard Valter, could have left it to the coastal Archdukes to deal with the issue themselves; pirates were an age-old concern with age-old answers. However, Giriard saw an opportunity in this nuisance; if he could strike a deal with the Riven, perhaps an alliance against their mutual enemies in Riek'Dahn could be struck?
After brief, tense negotiations, it was agreed that Giriard and an entourage of bodyguards would meet with Rejian, the leader of the Riven, in the newly founded (and well inland) settlement of Yanshu. Lacking an immediate source of water, Giriard was convinced that, should negotiations devolve into violence, the settlement would prove disadvantageous for the belligerent Riven. As the parley progressed, terms that began agreeable slowly became more unfeasible, culminating in the Riven's demand for their own province within Wesrino's borders. This impossible request proved intentional, however, as Giriard collapsed on the spot, his lungs inundated with water from a previously-unknown aquifer deep below the hamlet.
Over the coming weeks, Wesrino would descend into outright civil war. Factions lead by upstart peasants, vengeful demihumans, and ambitious nobles broke into violence against one another, each claiming to be the rightful ruler. Numerous and divided, most of these groups would be destroyed or assimilated into the followings of either Palletia's revolution or Konrad's enforcers. Palletia, a noblewoman (in)famous for her rejection of Wesrino's martial culture, rallied disaffected nobles and war-weary peasants alike to her banner. Promising an era of peace and prosperity, her primary opponent was Konrad of Goldreed, most honored of Heralds.
Having earned his place as Herald of Goldreed with his skill and wits on the battlefield, Konrad was loyal firstly and only to Wesri's cult. While "merely" an Executor within the Hands' ranks, the blessings Konrad received far outstripped his position, no doubt in part due to his near-fanatical acts of devotion, greatest of which having been the transmutation of his heart into one of living silver. By nullifying his emotions in this way, Konrad could fully dedicate himself to Wesri, without the biases and fetters that petty feelings could entrap him with. With the church's favor, Konrad rapidly amassed political power, resources, military might, and even a personal cult of his own. Possessing such boons, it is little wonder, then, that he remained firmly dominant in the civil war. Even as Palletia assimilated smaller factions, the blessings of the Hands and their followers' martial skill and knowledge consistently proved greater than the support of the gentry and loyalty of the peasants.
On the 14th of Jor, Palletia, her support dwindling and on the back foot, invited Konrad to peace talks. Confident that this was but a desperate ploy to maintain some power after the war, Konrad agreed to meet her for discussion. Konrad shut the doors behind him with stoic confidence as Palletia entered, fraught with nervous anticipation. The man without emotions left the room a sobbing mess, he and his guard unable to articulate what had transpired. They walked onto the balcony together, Konrad weeping and shouting the praises of the goddess that stood before him.
As the new Crown and patron goddess of Wesrino, Palletia's penned a slew of decrees meant to bring Wesrino into a "new era". Amongst the most tangible of these changes were the increased freedoms given to the provinces; while still ultimately beholden to the will of the Crown, they were made more like united, independent nations than territories of an empire, free to trade, politick, and even make (small-scale) war amongst one another. Even greater than that, however, were the truces negotiated with the tribes of Riek'Dahn. While violent hostilities persist even in modern days, some groups of Badlanders were convinced into peace talks, much to the outrage of many a Border-Marcher. With lessened (though not absent) violence on the border came a lessened need for Wesrino's formidable military might and Palletia saw fit to begin dismantling much of it.
With curtailed spending on the nation's military, Palletia dedicated the excess resources towards renovating Wesrino's neglected civilian infrastructure and providing once-rare amenities to all; temple-museums, exotic psychedelics, and environmental art have become ubiquitous on the streets of all but the most backwater cities. While many of those even outside of her cult have come to appreciate this change in direction, just as many have seen them as undermining Wesrino's very soul and an attempt to steal away the church's authority, leaving those dependent on the military for their lives or livelihoods without recourse.
In recent years, this divide between those loyal to the Hands and Palletia's followers has come to a head. Vandalism and violence have come to define relations between supporters of the two cults. While the Hands' Justiciars officially acknowledge Palletia as a "person of great power and ability", they do not recognize her as divine nor do they see her worshippers as anything more than misguided. On the Cult of Color's part, they consider Wesri's worshippers as backwards, belligerent yokels, unable to appreciate the finer points of life and good only for waging war. While tensions have not yet boiled over into Wesrino's 2nd civil war, many predict widespread violence to break out sooner than later.
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