#The Continent of Vaqone | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: The Continent of Vaqone

Unlike previous posts in this compilation/reorganization series, only some of this next series of posts will be rewrites at first. Others will essentially be glorified masterlists, allowing me to do some organizing and put a bandaid fix on the disaster that is the current “Foreign Lands Beyond Duilintinn” masterlist. My goal is to create true compilation posts (or perhaps series of posts) for all of these countries, but for now, this will have to do.

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension • Vaqone’s Soul-Bearing Beings

In This Post:

Summary

Foreign Relations

Administration

History

Geography

Ecology

Economy

Culture

Trivia

Additional Art

Concepts in Development

Bard’s Note: @theshapeshifter100 is the primary creative force behind the foreign continent of Vaqone. All I’ve contributed are a few ideas and the bit of lore that’s tied up with the lore of other continents. I know very little about the majority of the youtubers that these countries are based upon in the meta; the vast majority of this is @theshapeshifter100‘s work, so please, give her all the credit!

Summary

Vaqone is a continent in the northern hemisphere of the Mortal Realm.

Foreign Relations

The eastern part of the continent is mostly civil with Tirónar, with the exception of the territory beyond the mountains, which have had issues with Borrike in the past. However traders from the main continent do come to Tirónar, and leaders from the Random Encounters country has worked with and collaborated with various leaders in Tirónar, including King Mark, King Sean, Admiral Matthew, and Nathan of Fasithe. The western countries don’t really affiliate with Tirónar on account of distance, but traders looking for adventure make the trek.

There are four major southeastern islands that are considered part of Vaqone, and a couple of them have worked with the Grump Council of Halennor, Princes Dan and Phil of Lantraeth and King Sean.

The southwestern regions of Vaqone also have a trade relationship with the northeastern half of the Unnamed Continent, which has existed since the days of the Waldren Occupation.

Known Allies

Haneul, Duilintinn, Fasithe, Leyfel, Lantraeth, Halennor

Public Opinion

Generally positive or neutral in Tirónar. Still some issues with the T Series territories in Borrike

Administration

System of Government

Varied, mostly single leaders, with several kingdoms having joined in marriage to form one kingdom. The RandomEncounters country has a council, but it is very clear that AJ is in charge. In the north west where Tom Fawkes holds sway now used to be held by a combination of Chuggaaconroy, ProtonJon and NCS, then Tom gained enough power to hold what became enough land for his own kingdom, curtesy of three other leaders. NCS, Lucajin’s and ProtonJon’s territories have shifted a bit over the years to compensate for Jon and Luca’s union.

Currently FamilyJules and Adriana are interesting, since they are in a relationship, but their countries are split from each via the lake! It’s not common to see vessels from their countries going back and forth across it.

Military

Varied, some don’t have large armies, some do. Coastal countries and the countries bordering the lake have decent boat craft and navy. The countries surrounding the forest have excellent archers, as do the countries surrounding, but not in, the desert. They have more of a cavalry and mounted archers while the forest archers are on foot, or in trees.

Education

Varied. As a general rule history, performing arts, storytelling and music are all taught, but obviously not everyone goes for it. Various levels of intensity across the continent, some have formal schools, others learn as apprentices, all depending on where you are and what you are studying.

History

Vaqone’s history has not been elaborated upon in full yet in canon. However, a few details are known:

Cerca the year 0 on the Duil-Feadhainn Calendar, a large fleet of ships from islands north of Tirónar found themselves stranded in southern Vaqone after attempting to explore the Borrian Ocean. The languages and cultures of these people groups would combine with the native tongues and traditions of southern Vaqone to influence the region’s modern language and culture.

At some point during or prior to the mercantilist conflict between Senfara, Iontassia, and the southwestern regions of the Unnamed Continent, ships from southwestern Vaqone and ships from the northeastern Unnamed Continent encountered each other and began trade relationships between the two regions.

In the early 1610s, a nation on the eastern coast of Vaqone began expanding dramatically to cover the entire region east of the mountains and several of the islands east of Vaqone. In 1613, this expansion accidentally resulted in a territory dispute with Borrike of Tirónar over several of these islands. Though tensions were high for a time, the conflict was resolved within a year.

Geography

Major Geographic Features

The Desert:

Not so much sand as low precipitation. Dry baked earth with the odd oasis and high winds. The closer you get to the middle the hotter it gets and the stronger the winds become, kicking up dust and making it hard to see. It’s said that some of the oasis’s don’t stay in the same place, that they shift and move. People do live there (OSP): they tend to be focused on older myths and history, with a strong focus on education. It’s said that ruins and powerful creatures can be found under the dust and earth. Giant sand snakes, creatures made of rock, living cacti. No luck finding anything in the ruins so far though, every time a ruin is found it can’t be re-found.

The Lake:

It’s almost like another sea inside a continent, only the water is definitely fresh. There are marshes, fens and bogs all around the lake and populated islands inside it. These islands are mostly focused on story analysis, theories and rewriting. It is said powerful creatures sleep beneath the water.

The Forest:

There are definitely creatures in the forest. Whether of magical origins is uncertain, but forests that big attract stories anyway. People live in and around this forest anyway. Given it’s large size there is large shift in species and climate, moving from a roughly temperate forest in the north, to downright tropical in the south. The people who live here (8bitgaming and Dawko) have a specialisation in scary stories and horror. Which is interesting given that they are surrounded mostly by musicians.

The Mountains:

The range has various passages for traders and other travellers to go through. Other than the mountains are generally impassable. The temperature varies on either side of the range. The north is colder and gets more snow, the south more temperate and warm.

Islands:

To the east towards Tirónar are three islands who have ties to both Vaqone and Tirónar, the Jaden island being one of the closest to Tirónar, the other being the KickthePJ island. Jaiden’s island also has rich bird life and thick jungles while PJ’s is a bit more urbanised, but really embodies the storytelling that Vaqone loves. The middle island (Odd1sout) is more agriculture based, the closest to Vaqone island (BrizzyVoices) is known for mimicking voices, either through mundane skill or magic or both.

Climate

Variable. Colder in the north, warmer in the south. More specifically, the north west is on the same latitude as Tirónar so similar to western continental Europe (Italy, Spain etc). While as you move south it becomes much warmer. The desert is the first real heat spot, and while it does get warmer in places further south, there is more rain. Beyond the mountains it is generally colder than the rest of the continent.

There is an annual monsoon season that hits the south east and travels west as much as it can before petering out around the lake.

Ecology

Wild Species

Snakes. Snakes everywhere. Burrowing snakes, swimming snakes, gliding snakes. If you’re afraid of snakes, Vaqone is not for you. Although to balance it out, there are plenty of mongoose, no flying ones though.

There are various species of wolves, some can be found mostly in the north and along the mountain range, while a smaller, lighter variation can be found in and around the desert.

Tigers and similar large cats can be found in the south, and the further south you go the brighter the wildlife becomes.

Foxes and deer are common, along with small cat species, monkeys, penguins along the coast. Parrots, cockatiels, racoon dogs, giant squirrels (ratufa genus (bicolour, affinis, macroura, and indica) specifically), large birds of prey

Domestic Species

Pigs, ducks, dogs, cats, small horses, rabbits, silkworms. Silk is a popular export in some regions.

Economy

Agriculture

Dependent on location, rice can be grown around the coast, the lakes, and rivers, wheat, buckwheat and soy most other places. There’s fruit like peaches, plums and cherries in the north, pomegranate, lychee, and mangos in the south. Seafood and fish. Desert is a tricky place to grow things, they rely on the areas of their country furthest from the desert and imports from other countries for food. Duck and pork are common sources of meat.

Trade

Silk, rabbit angora, gemstones, dye, rice, spice, pepper, and peppers are popular exports from Vaqone. Coffee is also a thriving product grown in the far south. Vaqone has trade relationships in the northern half of the Unnamed Continent

Culture

Language

Common is spoken, especially along the east coast, but it is not the predominant language. There are a mix of languages across the continent, with a French like language in the northwest, with some Latin like based in there. Around the rest of Vaqone I would imagine languages similar to the variety in our East Asia would be found. This came about from the northern Tirónar islands in approx. Feadhainn year 0 decided to make the foolhardy journey to Vaqone and became shipwrecked there, and a version of their language combined with the native language of the time persisted in the southern regions of Vaqone.

Cultural Highlights

An imaginative and artistic continent, some focus more on art, some more on various forms of music and storytelling. Some countries have a louder population, some quieter, there’s no real directional shift, it really depends on the country. Attacking Tucans is particularly loud.

The Western half of the continent every year has a Coliseum, which is a weekend straight of events around storytelling, music, competitions, comedy. Stephen and Mal have another annual similar event. All of these events are in aid of raising money for worthwhile causes.

There are many stories that have common threads that persist across the continent, although no one telling is exactly the same. Common threads include giant spike turtle monsters, a reincarnating hero, princess and villain, doomed to battle throughout generations again and again, sentient weapons, and enlisting fae and magical creatures to battle in your stead.

The latter is so popular that there is a physical token and card game around it, most popular in the northwest, but has pockets of fans elsewhere. The leader of the Chuggaaconroy country has his own large collection. Some of these creatures are based on dragons fleeing the Dragon War who made it to Vaqone.

Perspective on Magic

Vaqone is the third most magical continent in the world, likely due to its proximity to Tirónar. However, this magical activity is not evenly distributed across the continent. Magical ecosystems and Fae Gardens tend to be more common in and around the forest, lake, and desert, so those bordering countries tend to have more Fae activity.

As a result, belief in and perspectives of magic vary heavily by region. Some believe it exists, some don’t. As a general rule, the closer you are to the desert, lake, or forest, the more likely you are to encounter magic. There are mages, and in working with the rest of the continent usually use it for performance, art and storytelling, but of course not everyone’s focus lies there.

The Fae are fairly common sights in the magical environments of Vaqone, under the right circumstances. However, they have a wide range of appearances, and it can be difficult to distinguish them from native, non-sentient magical creatures living in these same areas. One of the more well known forms taken by the Fae in Vaqone is that of a Baku, which is similar in appearance to a tapir and is said to eat nightmares.

Non-Human Soul-Bearing Races

See this post

Trivia

At one point, the tentative name for Vaqone was Muetju. That name will later be used for a country within this continent.

Another old tentative name for Vaqone was Keirfell. That name will probably end up as either the name of the currently Unnamed Continent or a country in Senfara

Additional Art

The following are a series of rough concept sketches of the layout of Vaqone. This continent is still very much under development and all of these images are likely some form of non-canon and/or subject to change.

Concepts in Development

@theshapeshifter100 is still developing some aspects of this continent. Here are some of the general ideas and meta info it will be based upon.

Meta List of Countries

A list of youtube content creators who the countries of Vaqone will be based upon:

Let's Play half:

Chuggaaconroy

ProtonJon

NintendoCapriSun

Luchajin

Tom Fawkes

StephenPlays (and Mal)

AttackingToucans

MasaeAnela

JoshJepson (and Brooke)

Marriland

Donnabellz

SuperJeenius

ACFan120

Ari Zona

Music Half

Adriana

Caleb Hyles

Peter and Evynne Hollens

Family Jules

Lindsey Stirling

Jonathon Young

Ellie Monty

Elsie Lovelock

Chris Holfelder

8-Bit Drummer

Random Encounters

CG5

Andrew Stein (Mando Pony)

Smooth McGroove

Seth Everman

In the Forest

8-bitGaming (8-BitRyan and Bazamalam)

Dawko

In the Desert

OverSarcasticProductions

In the Lake

SuperCarlinBrothers

Wotso

The Islands

BrizzyVoices

Odd1sOut

JaidenAnimations

KickthePJ

General thoughts and random lore

Most of the kingdoms with two names are ruled by a married couple, each have their own channels but for the sake of the AU they have mostly been combined. First we have Peter and Evynne Hollens, who were married in 2007, Stephen and Mal were married in 2011, Josh and Brooke in 2015 (1580*), Jon and Luchajin in 2018 (1611*). Because their marriage was so recent the kingdoms have not merged yet.

*Bard’s Note: I did look up the exact dates of each of these anniversaries to determine the correct AU date. However, we aren’t sure yet on how the first two dates will convert to AU years. If we go by the system established pre-December 1613 (AKA time moves 10x faster), that puts 2007 at the year 1498 and 2011 at 1537… which might not work, given the current year is 1616.

ProtonJon's kingdom will probably get the name Muetju, since I based that on the French language and he's Canadian. This is the same reason he's got the mountains.

Chuggaaconroy has mostly lived in desert or otherwise southern states throughout his life. He and MasaeAnela are irl in the same state, and are good friends. Naturally people ship them, although they have denied constantly they are a couple. This is my reasoning for them to be on opposite sides of the desert.

Stephen and Mal both live in a seaside city. No more explanations needed.

Chuggaaconry, ProtonJon, and NintendoCapriSun are the founding members of a group called TheRunawayGuys. They've had many guests (and not all of them are on this continent), but they are the core trio. Tom Fawkes did some animations for them and now he does stuff for them (I don't know exactly) So his kingdom exists as a sort of republic state between the three of them. A mix of TRG fans and Tom Fawkes fans that Tom has been put in charge of.

Tom Fawkes is possibly the only one in this lot I know of with an Ego of sorts. Lord Donator, an 'ego' who appears during the Coliseum and is basically Chaotic Good. He'll kidnap Lamp and hold them hostage so people will donate more to charity.

The only other person I can think of with an 'Ego' is MasaeAnela, with Chibi Masae. She may serve as her second in command, and the Chibi's violent urges have to curtailed every now and again.

Mases has animals from across the continent as her pets (IRL sugar gliders, ferret, dog and bird)

Masae and Jon both do streams, and sometimes those streams are raided, both have countermeasures. So this could translate to a friendly testing of each country's defences.

Chuggaaconroy is notoriously innocent and a bit frustrating sometimes. It is said in their get togethers that you can hear King Jon scream "EMILE!" from the other side of the continent.

AttackingTucans and JoshJepson are close together because they have a competitive Versus channel.

Marriland has helped out Chugga a lot, but is still very separate, hence why opposite him.

Stephen's parents feature prominatly in his vlogs, as do many of his friends. His friends I will probably cop out with and have them as a court of some sort. His parents were the previously rulers who abdicated, because that makes more sense honestly. That way the can still provide advice.

Every year the entire east side of the continent will stage a Coliseum event to raise money for charity. Other kingdoms will have their own fundraisers, but the Coliseum is a massive event that many people get involved with.

FamilyJules and Adriana have also appeared on Coliseum so that's why they're so close to the Let's Play half. 8BitDrummer has also appeared, I was just a goof about remembering which is why he's so far away right now.

Chris and Peter have collabed, which is why they're nearby.

Caleb and Jonathon often collab as well.

I tried to put people who have collabed with Random Encounters near them, as well has having RE on the coast because people off continent have collabed with them too.

Caleb's kingdom was once plagued by a Phantom of the Opera like figure, who kidnapped Caleb at one point to forcibly train him to be a better singer (this happened on the channel in 2015, before any serious ego stuff from Mark or Sean) (5, 6). He appears to have deleted most of the videos around this except from the two linked, the beginning and the end.

Proclamations in the East in general would be educational, since the style of Let's Play here is more walkthrough than reactionary. This is not always the case, but is a general rule.

In the West, mostly musical performances, big focus on the arts.

Stephen and Mal are kinda interesting, since they do daily vlogs, lps and Mal has an art channel (Mal Makes). Masae is also artistic, so art is often coming out of those kingdoms too.

As of the 19th April 1615, the third Coliseum, the Lamp commonly associated with Lord Donator appeared in Stephen and Mal's kingdom, lighting itself after being blown out, or when deprived of fuel, glowing red of it's own accord (7).

09.09.20, 9th September 1615, Emile posted his first video talking about his extensive Pokemon card collection (8), which I reckon can be transplanted to the AU. Pokemon can be Fey like creatures that appear on this continent, or at least, some of them.

#The Continent of Vaqone #Lands Beyond Tirónar #The Lands of The Watch #submission #seriously most of this is word for word holly's work

2 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Vaqone’s Soul Bearing Races (Plus Dragons)

Bard’s Note: One last post (for now) regarding Vaqone from @theshapeshifter100! Everyone give her a huge thank-you for her incredible creativity and dedication to this AU, as always! For reference, this link is currently the most efficient way to find lore on Vaqone until I finish overhauling the lore organization on tumblr (although it may not be up-to-date at time of posting), and this post has everything you need to know about the concept of soul-bearing races and changelings.

Summary

In addition to humans and human changelings, there are six (currently, could change) known soul bearing sentient races that populate the continent of Vaqone:

The Kokkil and their changelings, the Baem

The Eopsin and their changelings, the Naga

The Kirin and their changelings, the Kirae

(Descriptions of each race below the cut)

Kokkil and Baem

The most well-known beyond Vaqone, the Kokkil and their changelings the Baem are the most recognizable beings with souls in Vaqone.

Name Origin:

The name Kokkil is the Common name for them, not their native name, and is similar the Haneul (cough, Korean) word for elephant, since that is what they resemble.

Kokkil Changelings are called Baem in Common, again from the Haneul word for snake and is vaguely similar to the Common word bone, if you squint.

Appearance:

They have a wider variation in colour and patterns to irl elephants, from pale yellow to black to dark green, with dappling and striped patterns, more obvious in young Kokkil. Their size varies depending on their common stomping grounds, those that live near forests are a little smaller for example. They tend to range between 8-11 feet tall at the shoulder.

The Baem look rather like snakes and are more solitary than Kokkil. They however aren’t quite as flexible as snakes and don’t move as quickly. The tusk makes up most of their body, the broad end having the head and the narrow end the tail. The head pokes out the end with a covering of tusk over the top of the head. The body is segmented to allow movement.

Social Behavoir:

Kokkil are prolific travellers and wanderers, and don’t really care about human notions of borders, they will go where they go. They keep to large family groups, with a matriarch leading the way. While very secretive regarding their magical records (described below,) they do offer their services as history and lore keepers with other races, in exchange for unusual food and interesting goods. They’re pretty self sufficient and rarely need to trade with other races.

Baem are usually found among the Kokkil, having different roles among the groups. Kokkil are good at heavy lifting, some delicate tasks, and remembering. While Braem are good at organising and retrieving, they all work together. Elder Baem aren’t so easily found on the surface, it’s rumoured that they go to where the records are stored to act as librarians of sorts, but since no one but Kokkil and Braem go there, no one else can confirm.

Magic:

Their tusks are their physical magical focus, so when their Changelings come about, that’s the base of their form. They tend to use their magic to mostly keep magical records, which are stored in a location that Kokkil know but aren’t willing to share, even with the most earnest of human scholars. It has been theorised to be in the desert somewhere, given the nature of ruins being impossible to find again.

Eopsin and Naga

Eopsin and their changelings Naga aren’t as widely seen or open with outsiders.

Appearance:

Eopsin look almost entirely like large snakes of various colours, easily the size of an irl anaconda. The only clear difference between them and mundane snakes are human like ears, which can be folded back against their heads for ease of movement.

Naga are consistent with many of their modern iteration, lower half snake, upper half human, with scales going up their arms and onto their face. Variety of colours, tend to be somewhat solitary or in small family groups. Usually there only one or two Naga young to a couple at a time, and they remain with their parents until adulthood.

Social Behavoir:

The Eopsin tend to be solitary and avoid other races, the only exception being when they hatch. They hatch in large nests where a parent will bring food and teach them magic for the first few weeks. They don’t have a physical focus, but most of them having a decent focus before they leave the nest. They mostly use their magic to act as their fine motor function and branch out from there. Eopsin are most commonly found in the forest and in the desert.

Naga are found in roughly the same place as Eopsin, with appropriate colouration and adaptations, although the two rarely cross paths. Many Naga use magic, quite enjoying the mysterious nature it gives them. They enjoy illusions especially, but are more mischievous than malicious, be a good sport and they’ll be fine with you.

Naga are somewhat reverent of Eopsin, the latter being closer to nature than the former can be.

Kirin and Kirea

While Kirin tend to keep to themselves, their changelings the Kirea are one of the most commonly sighted non-humanoid soul-bearing races seen in Vaqone.

Appearance

Kirin stand around 150-180cm at the shoulder, with the body shape of a deer, but instead of fur, they have scales in a variety of colours. Some are big and bold, the colours of gems and precious metals, while some are more natural colours. They can enchant their own scales to change colour. They have a ruffed mane like a lion, mostly fur but they tend to put feathers in them. A tail like a lion, cloven hooves and a pair of curved antlers, which branch out into two points and are a physical magical focus.

Kirea are their Changelings, and look like small dogs with a neck ruff of fur. The antlers tend to cover the fore and hind limbs and torso, so new Kirea tend to move stiffly and have bare antler as a form of exoskeleton, with a head sticking out. As they get older the antler begins to break and shift, revealing skin and flesh, and bright fur growing up in the new gaps. They tend to only reach a metre or so in height.

Social Behavoir

Kirin are considered wise and knowledgeable, and they like to cultivate that reputation. This also makes them rather haughty and aloof to other races, but they will happily work with someone in a tit for tat kind of way. I do this for you, you do this for me.

They tend to be in large herds, but anyone deliberately seeking them out will usually only find the leader or the wisest. They tend to have ranges in the countries along the southern and western coasts.

Kirea are less haughty and very playful, more than happy to venture into human settlements, Naga nests, or Eospin nests, or otherwise follow Kokkil to play and rough house. Older Kirea tend to be a bit calmer, but still tend to embody ‘here for a good time’

Kirin, being as haughty as they are, generally pity their Changelings and look after them. Kirin will let them ride on their back, although the phenomenon has rarely been seen. It messes with the wise and mysterious image after all.

Dragons

During the Dragon War some dragons fled in the direction of Vaqone. However, dragons are not built for that kind of long distance travel and most of them would not have made it. The ones that did would have left quite the impression on the collective psyche of the people of Vaqone. Massive creatures no one had ever seen before flying over and crashing spectacularly. Given the rumours and legends, it’s assumed that a couple of dragons got as far north as the lake and even desert, before crash landing. From there they most likely died of mostly exhaustion, combined with injuries of crash landing, and the one that fell in the lake probably drowned.

That said, the modern depiction of dragons in Vaqone is vastly different than the ones that originally flew from Tirónar. This is likely down to a number of factors, including:

The prominence of snakes in the continent.

Oral storytelling and the natural variance that comes with retelling.

The wing bones of found dragon skeletons are likely damaged irreparably or so crushed that they couldn’t be found.

The most similar creatures to dragons in Vaqone are Kirin.

Thanks to the combination of these factors, dragons depicted in Vaqone are much more serpent like, either lacking wings or having small wings, with manes or ruffs of feathers like Kirin. Additionally, they are more often associated with water rather than fire, possibly because the dragons may have arrived on the continent around the same time as the annual monsoons.

However, because of all this, there are a handful of King’s Eyes roaming around, although with a different name. There’s definitely one in and around the lake, somewhere. It remains elusive, sparking rumours when glimpsed. Other King’s Eyes may also be on the coast or on the coastal islands. Additionally, while most sentient races of Vaqone are completely unaware of its existance, the Kokkil and Baem know of a specific King’s Eye that resides where they store their records.

Trivia

Kokkil, Baem and Kirae are beings that I ( @theshapeshifter100 ) completely made up, Naga, Eopsin and Kirin are all mythological creatures and beings that exist in our word.

Kokkil is a slight change from the anglicised (from google translate) Korean word for elephant, which is anglicised as Kokkili. Baem has not been changed from the google translate anglicisation.

#submission #Souls #Vaqone #The Continent of Vaqone #Lands Beyond Tirónar #Diversity in The Watch #Changelings

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Photo

Maps of Vaqone

Author’s Note: A terrible, terrible map of Vaqone, would you believe that this is the 6th iteration?

Bard’s Note: Shh, it’s not that bad. Anyway, as always, all lore regarding Vaqone has been largely created by @theshapeshifter100; I mostly just help with reconciling worldbuilding concepts and with the occassional brainstorming session as needed, and then prep the final posts. For more about Vaqone, check out this link (although it may not be up-to-date at time of posting).

For reference, this is the continent’s location relative to the rest of the world (it’s the one on the far right). Like most maps, Vaqone’s shape has evolved over time, leaving the one depicted in the map below slighty wider than the real thing.

#submission #Vaqone #The Continent of Vaqone #Lands beyond Tirónar #Diversity in The Watch

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

The Continent of Vaqone: Summary

Bard’s Note: We interrupt your regularly scheduled lore overhaul content for some brand new lore, from @theshapeshifter100 regarding the foreign continent of Vaqone! While this continent has been in the works for ages now, no “official lore” has been posted about it beyond this post showing the locations of all continents in the Mortal Realm. I know very little about the majority of the youtubers that these countries are based upon in the meta; the vast majority of this is @theshapeshifter100‘s work, so please, give her all the credit!

Author´s Note: This is covering an entire continent, the detail here will be very broad and focused on large regions rather than individual countries. It will also be heavily based on their relationship with Tirónar. Also none of the countries are named, so they will be referred to by the Youtubers they’re based on.

In this post:

Foreign Relations, including major exports, known allies, and public opinion

Administration, including government, military, and education

Geography, including major features and climate

Ecology, including wild animals, domesticated animals, and Fae presence

Culture, including language, cultural highlights, food, and perspective on magic.

Foreign Relations

There are four major southern islands that are considered part of Vaqone, and couple of them have worked with the Grump Council of Halennor, Princes Dan and Phil of Lantraeth and King Sean.

Major Exports

Silk, rabbit angora, gemstones, dye, rice, spice, pepper, peppers, coffee (in the far south)

Known Allies

Haneul, Duilintinn, Fasithe, Leyfel, Lantraeth, Halennor

Public Opinion

Generally positive or neutral in Tirónar. Still some issues with the T Series territories in Borrike

Administration

System of Government

Military

Education

Varied. As a general rule history, performing arts, story telling and music are all taught, but obviously not everyone goes for it. Various levels of intensity across the continent, some have formal schools, others learn as apprentices, all depends on where you are and what you are studying.

Geography

Major Features

Desert-Not so much sand as low precipitation. Dry baked earth with the odd oasis and high winds. The closer you get to the middle the hotter it gets and the stronger the winds become, kicking up dust and making it hard to see. It’s said that some of the oasis’s don’t stay in the same place, that they shift and move. People do live there (OSP): they tend to be focused on older myths and history, with a strong focus on education. It’s said that ruins and powerful creatures can be found under the dust and earth. Giant sand snakes, creatures made of rock, living cacti. No luck finding anything in the ruins so far though, every time a ruin is found it can’t be re-found.

The Lake-It’s almost like another sea inside a continent, only the water is definitely fresh. There are marshes, fens and bogs all around the lake and populated islands inside it. These islands are mostly focused on story analysis, theories and rewriting. It is said powerful creatures sleep beneath the water.

The Forest-There are definitely creatures in the forest. Whether of magical origins is uncertain, but forests that big attract stories anyway. People live in and around this forest anyway. Given it’s large size there is large shift in species and climate, moving from a roughly temperate forest in the north, to downright tropical in the south. The people who live here (8bitgaming and Dawko) have a specialisation in scary stories and horror. Which is interesting given that they are surrounded mostly by musicians.

The Mountains-The range has various passages for traders and other travellers to go through. Other than the mountains are generally impassable. The temperature varies on either side of the range. The north is colder and gets more snow, the south more temperate and warm.

Islands- to the east towards Tirónar are three islands who have ties to both Vaqone and Tirónar, the Jaden island being one of the closest to Tirónar, the other being the KickthePJ island. Jaiden’s island also has rich bird life and thick jungles while PJ’s is a bit more urbanised, but really embodies the storytelling that Vaqone loves. The middle island (Odd1sout) is more agriculture based, the closest to Vaqone island (BrizzyVoices) is known for mimicking voices, either through mundane skill or magic or both.

Climate

Variable. Colder in the north, warmer in the south. More specifically, the north west is on the same latitude as Tirónar so a similar so of western continental Europe (Italy, Spain etc). While as you move south it becomes much warmer. The desert is the first real heat spot, and while it does get warmer in places further south, there is more rain. Beyond the mountains it generally colder than the rest of the continent.

There is an annual monsoon season that hits the south east and travels west as much as it can before petering out around the lake.

Ecology

Wild Species

There are various species of wolves, some can be found mostly in the north and along the mountain range, while a smaller, lighter variation can be found in and around the desert.

Tigers and similar large cats can be found in the south, and the further south you go the brighter the wildlife becomes.

Domestic Species

Pigs, ducks, dogs, cats, small horses, rabbits, silkworms

Fae

Fae Gardens tend to be more common in and around the forest, lake, and desert, so those bordering countries tend to have more Fae activity. The Fae also have a wide range of appearances and appear openly in some cases. That said they can be different to separate from some of the native magical creatures that are not Fae.

One of the more well known forms of Fae in Vaqone takes the form of a Baku, which is similar in appearance to a tapir and is said to eat nightmares.

Culture

Language

Common is spoken, especially along the east coast, but it is not the predominate language. There are a mix of languages across the continent, with a French like language in the northwest, with some Latin like based in there. Around the rest of Vaqone I would imagine languages similar to the variety in our East Asia would be found. This came about from the northern Tirónar islands in approx. Feadhainn year 0 decided to make the foolhardy journey to Vaqone and became shipwrecked there, and a version of their language combined with the native language of the time persisted in the southern regions of Vaqone.

Cultural Highlights

There are many stories that have common threads that persist across the continent, although no one telling is exactly the same. Common threads include giant spike turtle monsters, a re-incarnating hero, princess and villain, doomed to battle throughout generations again and again, sentient weapons, and enlisting fae and magical creatures to battle in your stead.

Food

Perspective on Magic

Some believe it exists, some don’t. As a general rule, the closer you are to the desert, lake, or forest, the more likely you are to encounter magic. There are mages, and in working with the rest of the continent usually use it for performance, art and storytelling, but of course not everyone’s focus lies there.

#submission #Vaqone #The Continent of Vaqone #Lands Beyond Tirónar #Diversity in The Watch

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Tirónar: The Unnamed Continent

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

Name Origin

History

Geography

Culture

Summary

The Unnamed Continent is located in the southern hemisphere of the Mortal Realm, to the east of Senfara and Iontassia and west of Vaqone.

Name Origin

“The Unnamed Continent” is currently a placeholder name and will likely not be the official, canonical name of this land mass. However, the final name may end up bearing some relation to this long-standing placeholder.

History

Very little has been established about the Unnamed Continent beyond its history in relation to other continents in the Mortal Realm.

At some point prior to the year 1000 on the Duil Calendar, Senfaran nations began to launch trade expeditions to other surrounding continents. When the nations of Iontassia, Senfara, and the Unnamed Continent were officially introduced through these trade ships from Senfara, the results were not always friendly. Senfara was deep in its mercantile age as its nations raced for new resources and territories, prompting several attempts to take over parts of both continents. However, the nations of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent stood their ground, and after several years, Senfaran nations switched to inviting the nations of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent into profitable trade relationships instead. This would pull both Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent into Senfara’s power race, prompting a similar push for power among their own nations to keep up.

While both the Waldren Trade Enterprise of Senfaran origin and then later the Iontassian Union from the eponymous continent are both well-known and prominent players in this shared history, no lore has ever spoken about what groups rose to power in the Unnamed Continent during this time, or how else this power struggle affected the continent. It’s likely that it’s ships were somewhat affected by the surge in piracy at the time, although not to the extent that Waldren and the Iontassian Union were.

It should also be noted that, unlike Senfara and Iontassia, only parts of the Unnamed Continent were involved in this power struggle at all. Only the southwestern half of the continent took part in this mercantile era. The northeastern half, divided from the southwest by a large, impassible mountain range, had an entirely different history. All that is currently established about this part of the Unnamed Continent is that it was very isolated and primarily traded with the people groups on the southwestern coast of Vaquone, if anyone.

Geography

The Unnamed Continent has a mountain range dividing it roughly into a northeastern and southwestern half. These two halves of the continent have very different histories. The southwestern half was engaged with the trade and power struggles taking place in Senfara and Iontassia prior to and during the Waldren Occupation. Meanwhile, the northeastern half was more isolated from that conflict and instead primarily traded with the nations of Vaqone, if anyone.

It’s northern half has a tropical climate due to its location on the equator. It’s southern half is likely to have a similar climate, but slightly milder due to its distance from the equator.

Culture

Little has been established regarding the culture of the Unnamed Continent. It is likely that the southern half is more influenced by the mercantilist cultures of Senfara and Iontassia, while the north is more isolated.

Magic

It has been canonically established that the Unnamed Continent has a slightly more magical environment than that of Senfara. While not nearly as magically infused as Tirónar, the peoples of the Unnamed Continent could recognize magic for what it was. Obviously, different people groups in the continent would perceive magic differently.

However, at least one prominent people group (or several people groups) in the southern half of the Unnamed Continent used or spoke of magic enough that it would be used to further nationalist sentiments in Senfaran nations who believed the magic of both Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent was mere superstition.

It’s very likely that there are at least a few Fae Gardens scattered throughout the Unnamed Continent.

One undeveloped idea that I have for the Unnamed Continent is to explore a perspective of magic that is distinct from that seen in Tirónar’s history.

The narrative of magic in Tirónar and, by extension, Senfara, primarily plays into the ideas of “skeptic versus believer,” “good versus evil,” and “nature versus corruption.” Effrens and Fasithe play more heavily into the chaotic neutral way that magic can take over every aspect of a culture.

For the Unnamed Continent, however, I want to explore a more undefined relationship with magic, in which magic is neither fought against nor particularly acknowledged. Magic isn’t seen as “magic” at all, but simply something so subtly incorporated into one's way of life that most of the time, people don’t even realize it's there. Most mages would probably have magic that is subconsciously unlocked, and explained as talents or blessings rather than a supernatural force. Some people may even believe that “magic” as they define it isn’t real, not realizing that there are elements within their own society that people in other lands would define as magic in its own right. Whether or not one believes in magic would be less of a charged issue, but more of a philosophical point of discussion.

Of course, this is all very vague and very generalized. As mentioned above, every culture within this large continent would have different perceptions of magic. However, they’d all be located in the same region with it’s low-level magic levels in its environments, so it makes sense that many of these different perceptions of magic would evolve around this more subtle version of magic they experience.

#The Unnamed Continent #Lands Beyond Tirónar #History of Duilintinn #Magic of The Watch

5 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: The Continent of Iontassia

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

History

Geography

Culture

Summary

Iontassia is a continent along the equator of the Mortal Realm, and also includes a large segment of the islands to its northeast. The vast majority of the continent is under the authority of the Iontassian Union.

History

I have done very little so far to flesh out Iontassia’s history before the mercantilist period that dominates the part of its history relevant to this AU.

At some point in Tirónar’s Ancient History, several ships from the southernmost nations of the continent (modern-day Grancinco and Tandeli) attempted to sail beyond the Southern Sea and washed up on the northeastern islands of Iontassia. The people group that resulted spoke a language extremely similar to that of Grancinco and passed down generations of stories about the magic found in Tirónar.

It seems unlikely that the northernmost regions of Iontassia were not at least semi aware of the people groups across the northern channel in Senfara, but the two continents didn’t seem to acknowledge each other officially until Senfaran nations began to launch trade expeditions to other continents. When the nations of Iontassia, Senfara, and the Unnamed Continent were “officially” introduced through these trade ships from Senfara, the results were not always friendly. Senfara was deep in its mercantile age as its nations raced for new resources and territories, prompting several attempts to take over parts of both continents. However, the nations of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent stood their ground, and after several years, Senfaran nations switched to inviting the nations of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent into profitable trade relationships instead. This would pull both Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent into Senfara’s power race, prompting a similar push for power among their own nations to keep up.

In Iontassia, this would lead to the rise of the Iontassian Union, a nation-state that slowly took over most of the eponymous continent and many of its surrounding islands, including those populated by the descendants of stranded travelers from southern Tirónar. All territories controlled by the Iontassian Union were heavily encouraged to focus on trade and seafaring, especially once Waldren’s “discovery” of Tirónar gave several Senfaran nations a near-overnight surge in power. Even piracy was subtly encouraged by the Iontassian Union, so long as it targeted Waldren ships.

However, Waldren’s political manipulation for its own benefit would eventually draw Senfaran nations into a far more internal struggle against each other, leaving Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent at a long-term advantage. By the time Waldren abandoned Tirónar in 1500, the Iontassian Union had been the leading power among the three central continents for at least a century and controlled nearly all of Iontassia and its northeastern islands.

However, this period at the end of the Waldren Occupation seemed to be the peak of the Iontassian Union’s complete power over Iontassia. Cracks began to show soon after Waldren’s fall from grace when the pirates- previously endorsed by the Union’s government- started identifying Iontassian ships as the new most profitable target on the seas. This piracy issue continues to this day.

In addition, many of the people groups who had been taken over by the Iontassian Union took inspiration from the eviction of Waldren from Tirónar and began pushing against the empire’s control. Since Iontassia is a huge continent, the Union was already stretched thin, and had little choice but to allow these groups to assert their own authority. Many did this in the form of establishing local governments while still reporting to the Iontassian Union in name. Others established independence entirely.

One of the most well-known examples is the islands of Las Buscadoras, the islands where people from southern Tirónar had been stranded so many centuries before. It declared its independence in 1611. Oddly enough, this kingdom took more inspiration from Leyfel than the countries of Tirónar where its people originated, likely due to Leyfel’s affinity for both seafaring and mysteries. This is one of the more high-profile departures from the Iontassian Union, and will likely inspire other groups to break away from the empire over the next several years, or possible decades.

Geography

Iontassia is located in the southern hemisphere of the Mortal Realm. It lies to the south of the continent of Senfara.

The western coast of Iontassia and its many islands are bordered by the Southern Sea, which is characterized by summer tropical storms that travel north along Iontassia’s coastline between April and October. These storms usually hit the islands the hardest before passing further north to cause the rainy season in southern Tirónar and then fizzle out somewhere along Tirónar’s western coast.

Culture

Language

The Common Tongue is spoken as a trade language in Iontassia, but it is not the primary language of the continent.

The official languages of most Iontassian people groups have never been officially described in canon. Only the island of Las Buscadoras has a canonically established language - that being a variant of the Spanish-adjacent language spoken in Grancinco and Tandeli.

Magic

Iontassia has a much higher amount of magic in its ecosystem compared to Senfara, although it's nothing compared to the amount of magic found in Tirónar. Magic is a generally accepted fact of life, and Fae Gardens can appear anywhere on the continent.

#The Continent of Iontassia #Lands Beyond Tirónar #The Lands of The Watch #iontassian union #las buscadoras #Land of Grancinco #The Land of Tandeli #History of Duilintinn

5 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: The Continent of Effrens

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

Name Origin

History

Politics

Geography

Flora and Fauna

Economy

Culture

Trivia

Note: Effrens is the creative brainchild of @shamrockace, who has been working on this continent on-and-off for at least a year now. None of this lore has been posted “officially” before now, though those of you on discord are probably familiar with many of these details. My role was primarily as a reference to provide context for how Effrens would fit into the greater framework of the AU as a whole; all creative credit (including this INCREDIBLE map) goes to Shams!

Summary

Effrens is an archipelago in the southern hemisphere of the Mortal Realm. It is categorized as one of the seven continents of the Mortal Realm.

Name Origin

“Effrens” comes from the Latin Efferus, meaning “wild, savage, crazed.” The name was given to the continent by foreigners. It’s also referred to as the Death Archipelago, due to both how dangerous the waters around the archipelago are and the themes of death that are central to the region’s cultures.

The native peoples of this region refer to the archipelago as Na hoileáin Draca, which means “The Dragon Islands.” The main island is called Báskellig, from Bás meaning Death and Skellig (like Skellig Michael), whilst also being a play on the word Basilisk.

History

Ancient History

According to Effrenian folklore, the archipelago was formed during a fight between a huge sea dragon called the Mester Stoor Wyrm and beings known as Fae Touched Warriors, who were granted powers from the Fae Folk to slay similar giant beasts (known collectively as Great Evil entities). In this battle, known as the Great Seal Calamity, the Fae Touched Warriors were unable to kill the Mester Stoor Wyrm forever, but instead, succeeded in trapping it under the sea by driving a giant pillar of bone and metal through the wyrm’s skull, imprisoning it permanently beneath the sea. Most historians believe that this conflict took place cerca the year 300 on the Duil-Feadhainn Calendar, placing it in the same time period of the Ancient Era of Tirónar.

It is believed that the top of the pillar used to trap the wyrm remained above sea level, forming the main island of the archipelago. The pillar is still blessed by the magic of the Fae who supported the Fae Touched Warriors, which is why the region is covered in magical ecosystems, Fae Gardens, and magical flora and fauna with powers over rot and plague. The smaller islands of the archipelago are said to be the broken scales, claws, horns, and bone plating of the Mester Stoor Wyrm that floated to the surface after its defeat and were transformed into islands by the Fae Folk.

For approximately 200 years, the civilizations of Effrens lived in relative peace and prosperity on the newly transformed landmasses of the archipelago. However, in the early-500s of the Duil-Feadhainn calendar, a new threat emerged in the form of dragons, who had desperately crossed the sea in the wake of the Dragon War that had begun to consume the continent of Tirónar. While non-sentient draconic animals were native to the archipelago, the soul-bearing dragons of Tirónar were entirely different. Panic from both the dragons and people groups of Effrens caused significant losses on both sides. Eventually, the conflict waned, and with time, the surviving Effrenians and dragons learned to coexist and, in the case of the latter, slowly evolved to adapt to the environment of the archipelago.

This history plays a significant role in the current culture and worldview of most Effrenians. Living on top of a giant, catatonic sea dragon means the constant threat of its eventual revival. Many believe that if they do not appease the local Fae, the Wyrm will escape it’s undersea prison and rise once again to bring plague to the world. The impact of the Dragon War in Tirónar would further reinforce this mentality.

Not-Ancient-but-still-older History

Most of Effren’s history before the year 1100 (Duil Calendar) has been lost to time, and what records remain are spotty and conflicting at best.

As such, it’s extremely unclear who first “discovered” Effrens and gave it a name meaning “savage.” Like the continent of Tirónar, the waters surrounding the archipelago were dangerous enough to prevent any foreign entities from encountering the landmass for centuries.

Most scholars believe that the first contact with outside people groups took place in the early days of the tri-continental mercantilist era, when the nations of Senfara began a race to expand their territory for economic power. While most of Senfara’s records of this time focus on the conflicts between the people groups of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent, a few also mention a dangerous cluster of islands to the far southwest.

Most of these are the accounts given by sailors who, due to storms or other factors, got lost in the waters of the Southern Hemisphere and found themselves shipwrecked and stranded in the dangerous waters of the archipelago. Upon seeing the strange and dangerous-looking magical creatures on the islands (including dragons, changelings with intense fae-like features, and the Fae Folk themselves), the ethnocentric and magically-ignorant foreigners immediately drew the conclusion that these islands were “wild, savage, crazed,” etc. Those who managed to return to Senfara (either with the help of local Effrenians or by making a deal with a member of the Fae) would go on to write these reports.

Most tales of Effrens were deemed nonsense until cerca 1000 (Duil-Feadhainn calendar), when Waldren’s success in Tirónar prompted some of its competitors to look at this “savage” region to the southwest in a new light. However, the waters around Effrens are even more dangerous than those surrounding Tirónar, and the few ships that returned to the continent would reinforce the idea of this “savage” land. Presumably, this is the origin of the name “Effrens” given to the islands by foreigners, although the exact originator of the term is unknown.

Modern Era

Effrens used to be way more populated and cover far more area. However, less than five hundred years ago, multiple devastating disasters hit the archipelago in relatively quick succession. As a result, all civilizations outside a few small areas were all but wiped out, though plenty of ruins remain.

In modern day, Effrens is still working to recover from this devastation. As a result, there has been little work done to reclaim the history and culture of these previous civilizations. However, some of the ruins play a role in Effrenian culture, such as the remains of burial cairns and pyres built with pale white stone, which, in Effrenian folklore, are believed to be made from bones due to their coloration.

Politics

Effrens is ruled by a powerful Fae being called Jim Pickens, who typically takes on the form of an elderly human man and is referred to in Effrens as the Fae God of Destruction and Death. This fae being is worshiped as a deity by most of the population of Effrens.

However, Jim Pickens rarely interacts directly with the mortals of Effrens except when he pleases to. Instead, the High Augur of Jim Pickens, a mortal man named Kevin, is the primary conduit between the Effrenians and their god-king. Mortals who seek advice or wish to voice concerns will speak to the High Augur, rather than risk the unpredictable wrath of Jim Pickens.

Unlike the Fae Cults of Fasithe in Tirónar, which are typically based around the acquisition of knowledge, power, freedom, etc. with a calmer, more serious tone (until you get to the Imagination Dimension), the Fae cults of Effrens are far more chaotic, focusing almost entirely on the concepts of death, decay, and destruction.

Sacrifices (both human and other) are extremely common in multiple aspects of Effranian culture, including the legal system, entertainment, religion, and beliefs on magic and the Fae. Predominantly, they are used as a means to appease the Fae folk, particularly Jim Pickens.

Geography

Effrens has a strange mixture of ecosystems due to its unique geography and the influence of magic on its environment.

The main island can be divided into three sections: the desert, which takes up the entire southern half of the island; the mountains, which arc southeast from the island’s northwestern corner, then veer north again to cover the entire northern “spike” of the island; and a combination of tropical jungle and temperate grassland tucked within the valley created in the far north of the island.

Despite their proximity to the tropical and temperate ecosystems of lowland Effrens, the mountainous regions of the main island are extremely cold due to their altitude. Adding to this ecological chaos, at least one of these mountains is an active volcano, yet is still covered in ice and snow for the majority of the year.

Climate zones of Effrens.

Effrens is, to this day, significantly unexplored and unmapped. The majority of the archipelago is covered in dangerous Fae Gardens, equal in danger to the Western Forest of Tirónar. Moreover, the desert ecosystem is practically a deathtrap. Most inhabited areas are located in the temperate grasslands in the northern valley between the mountains.

The waters surrounding Effrens are fairly tropical and extremely dangerous. Traveling between the islands is risky; traveling beyond the archipelago even more so. As a result, Effrens is extremely isolated from the rest of the Mortal Realm to this day, both due to the hazardous conditions and the sheer distance from other continents.

Flora and Fauna

For reasons not fully understood, an abnormal amount of the flora and fauna in Effrens have some relationship with poison, venom, rot, plague, and decay, which can manifest in both magical and mundane traits and abilities.

In the warmer areas of Effrens, birds called Superb Fairywrens (based on the real-world species of the same name) are an extremely common sight. They are primarily known for their courtship displays, in which the male fairywren picks yellow flower petals and gives them to their chosen female. This behavior has heavily influenced the romance culture of Effrens (see Culture).

Another animal that’s well-known in Effrens are Caer-bannogs, vicious rabbits that attack on sight and can leap as high as eight feet into the air to kill their foes. It’s unclear whether these are Fae Folk taking on the guise of a harmless creature in order to toy with the hapless mortals who pass, or if this is a naturally occurring magical or mundane creature in the wild. For obvious reasons, no one has gotten close enough to study it in detail.

Finally, in a stunning example of convergent evolution, there are two types of draconic beings in Effrens: the sentient descendants of Tirónar’s dragons, and non-sentient magical animals with draconic features.

The sentient dragons that exist in Effrens have evolved over time to look extremely different from their ancient ancestors from Tirónar. These dragons are said to breathe poisonous mist of venomous liquid, rather than fire. While these dragons began with wings similar to those of Tirónar's dragons, with wings made for height and maneuverability, as time went on and more dragons were born and getting territorial, it's likely that dragons with coastal territories would probably survive better if they could take long trips off over the ocean and then dive to catch fish for food instead of trying to grab goats and stuff from the mountains. Eventually, these would have evolved to the point where they could probably cross the ocean and a group would have likely left in hopes of finding new territory. In their modern, evolved state, these dragons have the wingspan to body length ratio of 2:1.

Non-sentient dragons in Effrens are smaller, but similarly built to their sentient brethren. They often bond with sentient beings as a familiar. In comparison to the sentient dragons, the smaller non-sentient dragons also seem to have a wider variety of forms. Some don't grow larger than 10cm, whilst some easily grow to the size of a horse, with the largest being the size of a moose, and the most common size being roughly between the size of a cat and large dog. They also have a wider variance in features; they may or may not have horns, wings, or legs, or may have multiple sets instead of the typical one or two. Some are amphibious or fully aquatic (particularly those that were initially descended from the sea dragons like the Mester Stoor Wyrm), while others are completely terrestrial. There's even been a few cases of "desert dragons” or "sand wyrms" that swim through the sand as if it’s the sea. Some even have stingers at the end of their tails, not unlike scorpions, though this is usually only found in the smaller variants that live nearer the desert.

Economy

Effrens exports gunpowder made from the sulfur harvested from the region’s active volcano. Since gunpowder is too expensive to import in large quantities, fireworks are the primary reason most foreign entities import gunpowder. Rumors say that the people in Effrens discovered gunpowder’s firework properties when someone accidentally laced their funeral pyre with gunpowder.

However, there are cases when gunpowder is imported for other reasons. At some point in the Occupation Era, Effrens exported gunpowder to the forces of Waldren in southern Tirónar, which was used primarily for demolition and construction before being used by revolutionaries in Tandeli to earn their independence. In the Modern Era, Effrens continues to have a trade relationship with Tandeli, exporting gunpowder for the purpose of defense, construction, and, of course, fireworks.

Culture

Death Themes

As mentioned above, the interconnected themes of death, Fae worship, sacrifices, and fire are extremely prevalent in the culture of Effrens. Many death-related establishments double as methods to worship the Fae Folk through sacrifices. For example, Effrens employs the death penalty, both as a punishment for crimes and as a human sacrifie to appease the Fae Folk. Similarly, death arenas are a common form of entertainment, in which the losers are considered to be sacrifices to the Fae, and the winners are blessed by the Fae. Even traditional funeral rites for natural deaths are considered a final sacrifice to the Fae folk, typically featuring funeral pyres. There are also sacrifices that serve no other purpose than to appease the Fae Folk. For example, heretics (people who don’t worship Jim) are sacrificed to appease the fae leader of Effrens. In coastal towns, people who fail swimming lessons are often left to drown as a sacrifice to the “sea goddess.” Non-human sacrifices of goods such as food, livestock, statues, jewelry, weapons, and other offerings typically offered to the Fae are also used to appease the Fae Folk. Perhaps due to the dissonance a law against murder would cause in a culture that is so wrapped up in human sacrifices, murder isn’t actually illegal in Effrens. So fun fact, if you want to murder someone without consequences, go to Effrens. On a less death-related note, body modifications that imitate the inhuman traits of the Fae Folk are extremely popular in Effrens. Cryptic tattoos, talon nails, sharpened teeth, surgically pointed ears, dramatic piercings, etc are all common ways to try to gain the blessing of the Fae. Finally, in a region that is so heavily populated with wildlife pertaining to venom, poison, rot, and decay, fire is both a practical and symbolic purifier and sanitiser. As a result, many traditions in Effrens pertain to fire, including the use of funeral pyres, love for fireworks, and fire-related sacrifices and rituals.

Romance Culture

Many of the romantic traditions practiced in Effrens are heavily influenced and inspired by the courtship behaviors of the region’s tropical birds. In particular, Superb Fairywrens are well-known and associated with romance for their courtship displays, in which the male fairywren picks yellow flower petals and gives them to their chosen female. As such, Effrenian romance culture is very flamboyant, featuring colorful clothes, natural gifts (flowers, crystals, etc), and dancing. Gifts of weapons (usually fancy daggers) and sparring matches are also considered romantic in the right contexts, as is cooking together and sharing special foods.

Unsurprisingly, there are also a few traditions related to fire rituals and sacrifices to the Fae that correspond to different stages of a relationship, usually to petition the Fae Folk for good relationship health, luck, and all that usual stuff.

Magic

Effrens is the second most magically infused continent in the Mortal Realm. It is second only to Tirónar in the sheer amount of Fae Gardens, magic in its ecosystems, and Fae activity in general. One could even make the argument that it should be considered the MORE magically potent than Tirónar, simply because of the all-encompassing cultural impact this magical environment and proximity to Fae Folk has had on the continent’s people groups. For obvious reasons, these “rankings” of magical ecosystems are extremely vague and difficult to categorize.

Unlocking magic is seen as a Fae blessing and an honor in Effrens culture.

Fae are super important to Effrens culture. Unlike the Fae Folk in Tirónar, the fae folk in effrens fit very nicely into the tropes of Seelie/Unseelie courts

Changelings

Due to the sheer amount of magic and massive Fae Gardens in Effrens, changelings are commonly born, but rarely survive the dangers of Effren’s most magical regions. Those that do survive often build a life in the strange, unpredictable ecosystem they first appeared in, granting them extreme strength and adaptability, but little inclination to settle with the established people groups scattered throughout the islands. Nearly all changelings that have survived have unlocked their magic and use it with incredible skill and power.

In addition, due to the lack of corpses in Fae gardens, changelings in Effrens often have multiple inhuman traits. Due to all of these factors, local people groups tend to view changelings as more Fae than human. Many cultures worship changelings as demigods, believing that the more inhuman they look, the more power they possess.

Trivia

Effrens is based on the youtuber Call Me Kevin.

Effrens has been called “the Australia of the Mortal Realm” due to its crazy wildlife and history.

The history of Effren’s creation is actually based on a couple of Orkney/British Archipelago myths. Mainly the Mester Stood Worm and the Nuckelavee myths merged together for this one.

The changelings of Effrens are somewhat based off of the Tuatha Dé Danann, which are a supernatural race in Irish mythos which represent most main deities (hence the demigod stuff).

#The Continent of Effrens #Effrens #The Lands of The Watch #Lands Beyond Tirónar #submission #sorta #close enough #dragons #fae folk #fae gardens #changelings #dragon war #History of Duilintinn

4 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: The Frozen Wastes

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

History

Geography

Culture

Summary

The Frozen Wastes is a continent on the southernmost pole of the Mortal Realm.

History

The Frozen Wastes were probably first discovered by ships from the continent of Iontassia soon after the year 1000, when Waldren first stumbled upon the continent of Tirónar and immediately began profiting off of it. Nations of Iontassia, particularly the Iontassian Union, were seeking similar power during this time, and would likely have been inspired to send ships to “discover” new lands as well after Waldren’s success. This led to the discovery and attempted annexation of the Frozen Wastes. However, with little knowledge of how to survive in such a desolate tundra, everyone sent to colonize the Frozen Wastes from Iontassia died before any meaningful foothold was established. Soon afterwards, the Iontassian Union gave up on turning the Frozen Wastes into a source of power and, to save face, began pretending that they had never tried to do so in the first place.

To date, no one has attempted to reach the Frozen Wastes since the Iontassian Union’s failed takeover. In the nearly six centuries since that time, the waters around the Frozen Wastes have grown more dangerous to traverse, mostly due to increased amounts of ice and storms due to natural climate change.

Geography

Despite the name, the Frozen Wastes are not entirely barren. The continent is divided into two concentric circles with different ecosystems; the interior polar desert and the coastal tundra.

The central region (furthest south, directly atop the southern pole of the Mortal Realm) is a polar desert, consisting almost entirely of ice sheets, ice caps, and ice fields. The few areas that aren’t covered in a layer of permanent ice are still largely barren, due to the lack of flowing water needed to sustain the vast majority of flora and fauna.

The coastal regions of the Frozen Wastes are slightly more hospitable in comparison, featuring a tundra ecosystem that is based upon real-world Antarctic tundra. Instead of ice fields, this region has rocky soil that is able to support plant life, which mostly consists of lichens, mosses, and algae. This allows for some hardy fauna to survive in the region as well, particularly migrating birds and aquatic species. The temperature typically rises just above freezing during the summer months, which typically lasts from November to February, but still drops significantly during the winter.

Culture

We have no idea how much magic is in this ecosystem, nor whether there are any sentient beings or Fae Folk living somewhere on this icy continent.

#The Frozen Wastes #The Continent of Iontassia #iontassian union #History of Duilintinn #Lands Beyond Tirónar #The Lands of The Watch

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: Las Buscadoras

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

History

Geography

Economy

Culture

Trivia

Summary

Las Buscadoras is a group of independent barrier islands in northeastern Iontassia.

History

Pre-Iontassian Union

Rise of the Iontassian Union

During Waldren's rise to power, the Iontassian Union was also colonizing the northeastern islands of Iontassia, including the islands that would eventually become Las Buscadoras. This mercantilism and imperialism was the result of a race among global powers on Senfara, Iontassia, and the Unnamed Continent for land, wealth, or just power in general. Trade companies like Waldren and state powers like the Iontassian Union were competing against each other to amass as much land and influence as possible, resulting in the latter’s conquest of the islands.

During this period, the islands that would eventually make up Las Buscadoras were annexed by the Iontassian Union. Initially, this alliance was a mutual agreement for protection and trade partnerships. However, as the Iontassian Union grew in power, it eventually became clear that it ruled the islands in all but name, and even that degree of separation would only remain for another decade or so. While no exact canonical timeline has been established for the Iontassina Union’s rise to power, the isles of Las Buscadoras would have been first officially considered part of the Iontassian Union sometime between the year 1000 and 1200.

All territories controlled by the Iontassian Union were heavily encouraged to focus on trade and seafaring, especially with Waldren’s “discovery” of Tirónar cerca 1000 granting several Senfaran nations a near-overnight surge in power. Even piracy was subtly encouraged by the Iontassian Union, so long as it targeted Waldren ships. Centuries later, when Waldren’s political manipulation for its own benefit began to pit Senfaran nations against each other, the nations of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent were left at a long-term advantage. By the time Waldren abandoned Tirónar in 1500, the Iontassian Union had been the leading power among the three central continents for at least a century and controlled nearly all of Iontassia and its northeastern islands. Throughout this entire period, the islands that would eventually become Las Buscadoras were participants in the trade enterprises of the Iontassian Union, particularly in shipbuilding.

Decline of the Iontassian Union

Tirónar’s eviction of the Waldren Trade Enterprise in 1500 would also begin to inspire several people groups in Iontassia to desire independence from the Iontassian Union. In addition, the same pirates that were originally hired by the Iontassian Union began identifying the Union’s trade ships as the most profitable vessels on the seas and targeted them accordingly. Combined with the size of the Iontassian Union’s domain, the Iontassian Union was unable to exert its authority everywhere at the same time, leaving these new ideas of secession more or less unchallenged.

By the mid-1500s, ships from the nations of Tirónar began to make their way to the shores of Iontassia, especially those from Leyfel, the last island to be vacated by Waldren in 1500. This connection with Leyfel likely had a role in the development of Las Buscadoras’s seafaring and mystery-confronting culture, or at least the form it takes in the modern day.

In addition, during this period, the sea-based economy of Las Buscadoras and the export-heavy economy of Grancinco would lead these two groups to interact. While obviously Las Buscadoras had its own culture and language after centuries away from Grancinco and its own unique history in Iontassia, the reunion between these people groups prompted a surge of interest about the islands’ history apart from the Iontassian Union.

Independence

All of these factors would eventually prompt Las Buscadoras to establish its own local government in 1611, distinct from that of the Iontassian Union, though with some Iontassian influence. While Las Buscadoras was still technically part of the Iontassian Union at this time, most people consider this to be the date of Las Buscadoras’s founding.

Soon afterwards, the islands began pushing for true independence from the Iontassian Union. As one excerpt from a 1613 proclamation states:

“In a surprising turn of events, a string of barrier islands off the coast of Iontas has ceded from the greater Iontassian Union to form the Las Buscadoras Federation. Rebellion had been brewing since the islands’ founding, with demonstrations like the famous “Goatman’s Bridge Incident” causing the movement to gain traction. Rather than deal with an all-out war, the Iontassian government allowed the leaders of Las Buscadoras- Lord Ryan Bergara and Lord Shane Madej- some sovereignty in exchange for peace.”

With peace achieved, the Iontassians left Las Buscadoras to their own devices, ushering in a peaceful time.

Lords Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara of the island Las Buscadoras officially announced their secession from the greater Iontassian Union in December 1614, announcing a new government that will be headed entirely by the Lords, along with their associate and fellow former Iontassian Lord Steven Lim. This new government was very similar to the one previously established in 1611, barring the addition of a third lord and the complete removal of all authority from the Iontassian Union.

The secession was officially finalized in January of 1615. While the official split was somewhat messy, the aftermath has been relatively smooth. Las Buscadoras continues to trade heavily with the Iontassian Union in order to maintain a good relationship with the much larger country, but now has a wide network of other trade partners around the Mortal Realm with whom they thrive.

Listed below are some reports regarding the modern history of Las Buscadoras:

Independence Announcement

Geography

Las Buscadoras is found on three barrier islands off the western coast of Iontassia; from north to south, they’re called Isla Punta, Isla Pantano, and Isla Mirada. Isla Mirada is the largest of the three islands and features Las Buscadoras’s capital city, three naval bases, and three lighthouses. Isla Patano features one naval base and one lighthouse, while Isla Punta only features one lighthouse.

These islands are surrounded by the Southern Sea, which is characterized by summer tropical storms that travel north along Iontassia’s coastline between April and October. These storms usually hit the islands the hardest before passing further north to cause the rainy season in southern Tirónar and then fizzle out somewhere along Tirónar’s western coast.

Economy

Las Buscadoras specializes in trade. As such, they have a major pirate problem. Their economy is also based on fishing and boat building, with many lighthouses dotted along the islands to grant safe passage to those ships.

Culture

Perhaps because of the pirates, or perhaps because of the difficulty of navigation around the barrier islands, Las Buscadoras has entered local legend as cursed land. More ships disappear here than in any other part of the ocean. Local culture thrives on ghost stories, and many young sailors dream of traveling the world in search of adventures like those they grew up with.

The more recent connection with Leyfel likely had a role in the development of Las Buscadoras’s seafaring and mystery-confronting culture, or at least the form it takes in the modern day. The crucial difference is that Leyfel likes to uncover these mysteries, while Las Buscadoras prefers to leave some things unclear. In addition, some of these narratives are likely a defensive tactic that allows Las Buscadoras to pursue their own seafaring endeavors without outside interference. While Leyfel was abandoned by their “mother country” and doesn’t have to worry about their return, Las Buscadoras still lives under the shadow of the Iontassian Union. The curse narrative is likely, at least in part, a tactic to discourage an Iontassian attempt to reclaim the islands.

Magic

In addition, it’s likely that Las Buscadoras features several aquatic fae gardens. Las Buscadoras has a mixed opinion on magical matters, far more accepting in comparison to the nations of Senfara, but less universally accepting of magic’s more supernatural elements compared to Duilintinn. Therefore, I doubt that all of these strange occurrences are due to magic; otherwise, the other non-magical perspectives found on the isles would be less convincing or realistic. That being said, it would make sense if there were at least a few marine Fae Gardens contributing to these strange circumstances around the islands.

Language

The sea-based economy of Las Buscadoras resulted in some cultural diffusion between the seafarers of these barrier islands and the export-heavy economy of Grancinco. As a result, the Spanish-based language of Grancinco is also spoken in Las Buscadoras. In fact, this language difference between the islands and the mainland became almost a symbolic distinction between Las Buscadoras and the Iontassian Union; hence why they chose to name their newly independent region in this language.

Trivia

Las Buscadoras was created by @marginmaster87, based on Buzzfeed Unsolved and, later, Watcher Entertainment. The Iontassian Union is a reference to a larger power, based on the entire Buzzfeed conglomerate.

#las buscadoras #Lands Beyond Tirónar #The Continent of Iontassia #iontassian union #The Lands of The Watch #fae gardens #History of Duilintinn

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: Haneul

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

Name Origin

History

Government

Foreign Allies

Major Cities/Powers

Geography

Economy

Demography

Culture

Summary

Hanuel is a kingdom in Tirónar to the north of Duilintinn on the coast of the Eastern Sea. It is ruled by King Mark.

Name Origin

Haneul is a roughly anglicized spelling of the Korean word for sky, heaven, and/or destiny. I thought it would be appropriate since Mark’s love of space is what inspired me to put the high, treeless plateau in his kingdom. The amazing view of the stars from this region would have naturally inspired the kingdom’s name. In addition, “destiny” matches quite nicely with Mark’s constant drive to be more and do more with the abilities and platform he has.

The actual spelling of Haneul looks like this: 하늘

History

Ancient Era

In Haneul, the time period before the Dragon War was mostly driven by a careful balancing act. Dragon culture originated in the rocky plateau of Haneul around the same time humans began to live in the region. The good news is that the dragons never considered their ground-based neighbors to be threats to their rapidly developing territorial culture, and often protected the humans living within their territory. The bad news is that land disputes between dragons were usually sudden and destructive, albeit short-lived.

The humans living in close proximity to these disputes soon developed contingency plans to protect themselves from their effects. Not only was this likely the origin of the "ready-for-anything" culture we see in modern Haneul, but these defenses allowed the people of this region to survive the Dragon War and rebuild in time to fend off the Waldren Occupation centuries later.

During the Dragon War, ships from the Island League sailed directly to the coast of Haneul to offer aid. While every offer was refused, the people of Haneul never forgot the daring, bravery, and selflessness of these acts.

After the Dragon War, the peoples of Haneul immediately began to investigate what remained of the devastation with paranoid determination. In addition to discovering that the dragons were seemingly extinct, they also found new people groups who were equally paranoid after decades of destruction. These encounters usually went the same way; after a brief stalemate where both parties would wait for the other to make a move, there would be an attempt to communicate with the other group. After quickly realizing that both parties spoke the language of the dragons, a truce would be called and the groups would immediately bond over the strange, dragon-less situation they found themselves in. There would still be plenty of tense moments where someone presumes a member of the other group has bad intentions, resulting in another standoff, but the destruction of the Dragon War had left everyone in a state of crisis. Most groups were not willing to risk a fight with limited resources and fighters that could wipe them out after surviving a century of fire from the skies, so these encounters usually ended peacefully, and often with agreements to help each other rebuild.

The results of this alliance between entirely disparate peoples, united only by a shared language and the question of "what the heck is going on?" are visible to this day. With conflicting government factions that simultaneously work together while clearly also out for their own ends and a king who either has no control over his subjects or the ability to herd them like sheep, it's only the ancestral awareness that danger could strike from the skies at any moment that prevents the insanity that is Haneul from falling into civil war.

In addition, during this cultural expansion, the people of the Island League had begun to return to the islands closer to the coast, where the Haneulians welcomed them with open arms out of respect for their past deeds. The Haneulians still bore an inexplicable aversion to the sea, while the sailors had no desire to be absorbed into a chaotic mainland culture, so the two "cultures" (i.e. two groups of a bazillion different cultures) instead became close allies. The newfound unity between the distinct cultures of the islands would set the stage for the creation of a confederation known as the "Island League," while the friendship with Haneul would ultimately prevent both groups from falling to the imperialism of the Waldren Occupation.

Occupation Era

Haneul was mostly left alone by Waldren in the early days of the Waldren Occupation. This changed when, in 1227, after amassing an insane amount of wealth and spending large portions of it on ships, soldiers, and weaponry, Waldren finally attempted to take over Haneul.

Needless to say, it was a mistake.

As Waldren had initially feared, Haneul kicked Waldren's butt onto the curb. To make matters worse, Waldren's ships approached too close to the Island League during this invasion attack, prompting the pirates of the League to rob and torment the imperialist trade ships at every turn, both out of respect for their allies in Haneul and for some consistent profit and sport.

In response, Waldren attempted to take over the Island League. However, the merfolk of the Eastern Sea, who themselves were strong allies of the Island League, began to take issue with the swarms of boats coming through their territory up and down the coast. The nuisance that the merfolk made of themselves, combined with the superior seafaring abilities of the Island League and the military support from Haneul, ensured that Waldren wouldn't take over the islands and would remain easy pickings for the pirates.

Waldren was extremely stubborn and proud, refusing to admit defeat against both nations for nearly a century. This period was full of back-and-forth naval skirmishes, as the pirates of the Island League targetted Waldren ships and Waldren attempted to take one of the islands in response. With the maneuverability of the Island League's ships and the military prowess of Haneul, few of these skirmishes ended in "defeat" for Waldren. Instead, these battles resulted in a frustrating stalemate in which Waldren found themselves unable to catch the ships of the Island League, nor break through the defenses of Haneul.

When Halennor rose up against Waldren in 1445, Haneul and the Island League both lent their aid to the resistance movement. Despite its inability to defeat Haneul and the League in the past, Waldren spent several years depleting its ships and manpower in Lantraeth to the west and Duilintinn to the south in an attempt to quell this rebellion. Eventually, in 1453, Waldren was forced to admit defeat and retreat to its southern holdings. By 1500, Waldren had left the continent entirely.

At some point during the Occupation Era, the AU version of the events of Who Killed Markiplier took place. For more information, see this post.

Modern Era

Haneul is currently led by King Mark. Listed below are reports on current events that have taken place in Haneul:

Current Events, March 1614

King Mark and Cults (September 1614)

Chaotic Giving

Current Events, October 1614

Follow Up to October 1614: New Lords!

News in Haneul (April 1615)

King Mark and Captain Ethan Visit Merfolk (June 1615)

Strange Tidings from the North (August 28, 1615)

Government

Politics

Feudalism. There are at least eight major nobles/noble families, each of which contributes a service or good to the king. Three of these nobles stand above the rest as the most powerful and influential in the kingdom. Though some of King Mark's vassals will attempt to take power from the other nobles, and many consider the nobility of Haneul to be a constantly rotating list of new leaders and positions, the tension between these lords checks the power of anyone who might seek to take power from the king himself. For information about the current ruling powers in Haneul, see the region below on Major Cities/Powers.

Military

The military in the kingdom is absolutely all-encompassing. Everyone is trained in some sort of combat from childhood and weapons are common gifts during rites of passage. The nobles are supposed to organize these armed commoners into civilian militias during the times of war and chaos, but few actually do so. In most cases, the masses are let loose upon the most recent threat at the urging of King Mark, to astonishingly consistent success. Masked monsters, kick cult, that one time some maniacs staged a battle to the death that encompassed the whole kingdom (jury's still out whether that was actually a threat or a weird flash mob), and many more fiendish invaders have all been pushed back and survived by the chaotic might of King Mark's military kingdom.

King Mark of Haneul has a very unique polearm. For those of you who don’t know, a polearm is any type of weapon with a pointy bit at the end of a long shaft, such as lances and spears. It’s extremely versatile, able to be used in close quarters combat while providing the user with more range than the average swordsman. In large groups, polearms can be used in formation to great effect in both offensive and defensive scenarios. King Mark’s polearm is particularly unique, as is his fighting style. No one is entirely sure just how many different ways one could wield the Haneulian King’s signature weapon, but King Mark seems to find a new way to fight with it with each new battle (all hail the wielder of the tactical shovel). Most of Haneul’s army utilizes the normal variants of this weapon as well, although in a much more typical context.

Foreign Allies

Known Allies

Duilintinn, Borrike, Grancinco, The Island League, and Halennor are all allied with Haneul.

Public Opinion

Many people have a positive opinion on King Mark and Haneul. However, some wonder if he has allowed the chaos of his realm to go too far.

Major Cities/Powers

The Manor

The Manor is led by Lord Dark. He took the role under mysterious circumstances and his true name is a closely guarded secret. He contributes physiological warfare techniques and espionage intel of the enemy's weaknesses to King Mark's military. Often uses the Jim family to his advantage, with or without their knowledge. The Manor is one of the oldest powers in Haneul, with some rumors and myths dating back generations. It’s said that a lovers dispute and fae interference generations prior led to the power held by Lord Dark today, but the truth is largely a mystery.

For more information on how the events of Who Killed Markiplier fit into the AU, see this post.

The Arsenal

Led by Lord Wilford Warfstache, formerly Lord William Barnum, The Arsenal contributes weapons and unpredictable field strategies to King Mark's military. It strikes first and asks questions later as a necessary counterpoint to the patient, calculating strategies of Lord Dark and the Lords Google.

The Council

The Lords Google, a band of nearly identical brothers, lead their fiefdom in complete unison. The Council contributes scientific, technological, and tactical advantages to King Mark's military. The Council believes the other two major nobles of King Mark's military are redundant, unnecessary, and underfoot.

The Crevasse

The Crevasse is named for the ravine in which it is located and is largely considered to be one of the safest, most consistent parts of Hanuel. Many who desire security from the chaotic nature of Mark's Kingdom take shelter in his land. The Crevasse maintains the massive dungeon facility for the many strange threats that attack Mark's Kingdom.

As of October 1614, the Crevasse has been led by a scrappy fellow by the name of Yancy. A previous inmate of the region’s dungeons who refused to leave after serving his time, King Mark deigned to grant him a leadership role instead. While the previous leader, Lord Harold Darrensworth, had not been officially relieved of duty, he had not been seen in over a year by the time of Yancy’s appointment, and some suspect he may have died. Unlike Lord Darrensworth- who ruled his fiefdom with an iron fist as the sole judge, jury, and executioner and whose agents would contain any hint of the chaos that sweeps the remainder of the kingdom by any means possible- Lord Yancy maintains a more open-handed approach to preserving the peace in the region, primarily focusing on maintaining the region’s isolation from the chaos outside of the ravine.

The Jims

The Jims is led by the Jim family dynasty. They provide scouts, reconnaissance, and general information in wartime and civil contexts. They're everywhere, know all, and see all. However, they rarely interpret and/or share their discoveries in a coherent manner. Whether this is a chaotic form of data encryption or general incompetence is up for debate, but the people of Mark's Kingdom have grown accustomed to reading between the lines of these strange reports. Few secrets are safe from their investigations, often preventing ambitious nobles from plotting against the others.

Despite being the leaders of a distinct region of Haneul, no one is actually sure where the Jim family lives. Or who the head of their family is. Or how many members of the family there even are. Of course, you can see a Jim around nearly every corner in the city itself, but there’s no evidence of an estate where the large family would live. Rumor has it that the Jim family lives in an underground tunnel system with innumerable secret entrances and exits. This would explain why the Jims seem to be everywhere all at once, but the reason this rumor took hold was more due to the mental image of the Jims popping out of the grasslands like rabbits rather than any logic behind the theory.

However, the rumor isn't entirely wrong either. There are tunnels underneath Haneul, just like those found in Tandeli. These tunnels are dwarven in origin and were originally an extension of the dwarven cities that exist deep beneath the large mountain range in the center of Tirónar. However, the Dragon War that decimated the continent had a literal impact on those underground as well. As a result, the tunnels closer to the surface (i.e. those without mountains acting as insulation) suffered a number of cave-ins. In the aftermath, the dwarves sealed off any tunnels that weren’t directly beneath the mountains. Of course, humans would later discover these tunnels, sometimes expanding them through mining or general curiosity. However, these tunnels are completely unmapped, theoretically crisscross beneath the entire continent, and are now home to many wild animals, so explore with caution.

In October 1614, an adventurer named Illinois was appointed a lord... but no one is entirely sure what his job is. Everyone agrees that Lord Illinois’s new duties have something to do with the secret tunnels populated by the Jims, but that’s all we know for certain. Rumor has it that Illinois simply stumbled upon the secret tunnels, and was given a title and the ability to explore them in exchange for his silence...

The Warehouse

The Warehouse is led by the Derekson family dynasty, even after most of the family line was killed in a horrible tragedy. Their primary duty is managing international and internal trade within Haneul. The family patriarch has a tight hold on both his trade monopoly and his remaining heir. Many other nobles will find underhand ways to trade without the Dereksons' involvement. The remaining Derekson boy is far better liked than his father, though few expect him to take up the family legacy.

In recent years, the Warehouse and the Dereksons have lost most of their power and authority over Haneul’s international trade. Though still a ruling force in name, most of the kingdom’s international trade has been taken over by Captain Magnum, a new lord appointed over Haneul’s waters in October 1614.

The Crash

The Crash is led by Lord Bing and is named for the waterfall nearby. This small fiefdom is generally derided as weak and immature by the other nobles, in part due to Lord bing's overbearing desire for the popularity and his unabashed interest in using magical sciences to reach the same power command by the other fiefdoms, especially the other Lords Google. He mostly provides entertainment to the kingdom (sometimes unintentionally), though his awareness of the more trivial aspects of the kingdom's culture makes his advice useful at times. Not that the other nobles would ever admit it.

The Great Tree

The Great Tree is led by a man called "King of the Squirrels" by his vassals; nobody knows his real name, or even if it exists. In formal settings, he's known as Lord King, but considering the chaos in Mark's kingdom, that formality rarely exists. He manages the agricultural and animal husbandry pursuits of Mark's kingdom and is arguably the least ambitious and/or power-hungry than the rest of King Mark's vassals.

The Great Tree itself is literally a massive, petrified tree on the eastern edge of the forest. The main halls where the “King of the Squirrels” holds his court are built and carved into the ancient, hardened bark of this huge tree. The major population center of Lord King’s fiefdom is built in a half-circle around this tree, spreading outwards towards the coast before spreading out into small villages and towns. The tree itself has been dead for centuries, if not longer. It was most likely petrified under the eroding sediment that created the plateau, uncovered by wind, rain, or bodies of water thousands of years later, and then surrounded by the new forest that grew up around the region. The tree itself is larger than any other tree in the forest, and bears little resemblance to its living, deciduous neighbors. Other petrified logs and stumps have also been found scattered throughout the forest, but only one intact, standing tree.

The Sea

In October 1614, a new government position was made with jurisdiction over the seafaring affairs of Haneul, most likely due to the growing alliance between Haneul and the Island League. This role was given to a ship captain named Captain Magnum and has largely taken over the trade authority previously held by the Derekson family of The Warehouse.

Geography

The kingdom has two major regions; the highland plateau to the west and the lowland coastal plains to the east. Three rivers divide the kingdom; a fast-running one cutting a ravine in the north, a slow-moving one fed by dozens of small streams in the center, and one in the south that flows steadily towards a forested water basin.

In the northwest, dozens of small streams and rivers have carved the Gyedan (계단) Mountains (in the Common Tongue: “The Edge”), the Yong Sanmaeg (용 산맥) mountains (in the Common Tongue: “The Winged Peaks”), and parts of the plateau of this region into a maze of sharp crags and ravines. The Manor can be found near this region. Slightly further south, King Mark's capital city lies in the well-irrigated region where many of the streams meet into the central river that flows through the kingdom. Just downriver, The Arsenal sits at the edge of the plateau. This region was the original native habitat of the Dragons before their expansion and eventual extinction.

In the northeast, a rapid river has carved a large ravine out of the rocks before the Winged Peaks to the north. The Crevasse and its impenetrable dungeons are shielded within. Along the coast, windy plains with scruffy plant-life and a few stubby trees contain The Jims. These plains are pasture grounds for lowland sheep and goat herds.

In the southwest, the beginnings of a ravine are slowly being worn away by the river traveling down the Gyedan (계단) Mountains (in the Common Tongue: “The Edge”) and over the plateau, but the rest of the area is far flatter and less eroded than in the north. Lots of moss and lichens grow here, and The Council holds court near the ravine. The Crash sits downstream, just before the river flows down a waterfall into the plains to the east. The flatter highland plains are home to multiple species of highland sheep and goats.

In the southeast, a deciduous forest grows in relative shelter from the ceaseless winds of the plateau and coastline. The area is full of diverse forest life, all managed by the leader in The Great Tree. Slightly to the north, The Warehouse sits at the wide banks of the central river, close enough to the coast that ships can still travel up the river before it becomes to shallow. Most of the non-forested region is similar to the northern portion of the coastal plain, with trees growing thinner and sparser the further north you travel.

There’s a mountain pass into Haneul through the Dungjisan (둥지산) mountains (In the Common Tongue: “Northern Mountains”) by the source of Duilintinn's Pa'Gille River and Agrona River, accessible via Duilintinn's Agrona Bastion. It’s incredibly difficult to navigate, especially with any sort of heavy cargo. Only messengers between the two kingdoms consistently use this route through the mountains, and even then, it’s usually still more efficient to travel by sea like everyone else. However, during the winter, when the coast of Duilintinn is wracked with devastating storms that prevent any ships from leaving or entering the harbor without serious risk of being dashed upon the rocks, the mountain pass is actually a safer route between Haneul and Duilintinn, despite the snow and hazardous conditions.

Climate

Cold to mild highland climate in the west, with slightly warmer temperatures in the east. It is very windy. The climate as a whole gets colder the further north one travels, but the wind chill will fool many into thinking the entire kingdom is the same temperature.

Flora and Fauna

Haneul and Duilintinn share a lot of mundane fauna, especially in the Southwest region of Haneul, due to animal migration over their shared mountain border. The paths between Haneul and Duilintinn over the Northern Mountains were discovered when people noticed these animals were somehow getting over the mountains, sometimes migrating back and forth.

Similarly, many varieties of magical fauna have crossed these mountains from Duilintinn into Haneul; a phenomenon that has likely contributed to Haneul's chaotic, paranoid culture of constant vigilance for strange and unnatural threats. The most well-known example of this phenomenon is Haneul's mimic population. These creatures were almost definitely an invasive species at one point, most likely coming from Duilintinn in the south. However, today they are a recognized element of Haneul's ecosystem. King Mark even keeps a domesticated mimic, affectionately nicknamed "Tiny Box Tim."

Economy

Haneul exports military goods or services, as well as extremely capable experts in a variety of niche fields, and various textiles.

Agriculture

The winds that blow over King Mark's kingdom make agriculture difficult, but not impossible. The strip of land running from the north to the south immediately before the land rises to form the plateau is the most fertile; the plateau's slope actually shelters it from the wind, allowing cereals like wheat and barley to grow. The southwestern forest extended further along this region before large swaths of it were cut down for lumber. Hunting is a major part of the kingdom's food production. In the highlands, falconry is a common method of hunting the small game hiding amidst the shrubs. Crops such as peanuts, corn, upland rice, and beans are grown in the highland region to the west. Seafood is also common along the coast.

Science and Technology

All of the nations of Tirónar are at a relatively high level of ship tech due to the nature of the Eastern Sea. Namely, the fact that it's full of islands and weird storms and stuff. The reason that Tirónar went undiscovered for so long is that that's how long it took for other continents to figure out how to make boats that were maneuverable enough to navigate that part of the ocean! Since then, the ship tech that Waldren brought to Tirónar has been expanded upon enormously and, in some cases, adapted to fit other pre-existing ship tech in places like the Island League. This has allowed for trade between the nations of Tirónar to thrive, especially since it's incredibly difficult to cross between the mountains that form their inland borders (and even more difficult when you've got a lot of goods in the back of the cart!). While Haneul's shipbuilding skills are not on par with that of the Island League or Leyfel, their close alliance with the former more than makes up for it. Haneul's ships usually feature more weaponry and military capabilities than ships from other nations, most closely resembled by the similar features in Tandeli's navy.

Transportation and Travel

Traveling internationally to and from Haneul is intense, but fairly simple. Haneul has an in-depth interrogation process you have to go through upon arrival to be vetted for entry. However, it's very rare that anyone gets turned away. It's just a lot of "WHO ARE YOU WHY ARE YOU HERE ARE YOU TRYING TO MURDER US ALL" and then when the person says no it's just "okay then... I trust you..."

Since the mountain path between Duilintinn and Haneul is formed and preserved by the annual migrations of animals over the mountains, this route is dangerous for different reasons depending on when you travel. You could either travel at the same time these animal migrations tend to happen, giving you a clearer path but more risk of wild animals, or avoid that time of year and the animals but have the path be less distinct.

Demography

Language

The common tongue is spoken throughout the kingdom and almost wiped out the ancestral language and script of the land entirely. Thankfully, recent trends are starting to bring back the use of this older language, especially the script, which resembles the real-world Korean script.

Most surnames in Haneul are a combination of two different words, i.e. Wren BaceSpider

Education

The education is incredibly rigorous, second only to military training. King Mark wants his people to be ready for any sort of threat that might be lurking over their shoulders, including those that require more brains than brawn to defeat. Education covers a wide variety of specific topics, allowing scholars to pursue niche interests from an early age. This provides the kingdom with an array of experts in every field imaginable. Mandatory education ends at age 16, slightly older than that of Duilintinn.

Culture

Architecture

Most populated areas in Haneul are organized around these big super strong fortresses, surrounded by smaller towns in a sort of urban sprawl. Each town has an academic school and a small training field with dedicated teachers for both. As the sprawl continues outward, you get a lot of random training camps and outposts scattered around the edge.

The closer to the fortress you are, the higher the population density. People gravitated towards these fortresses because "oh these are the safe spots I want to be near here when stuff goes down,” causing communities to grow around them and spread outwards. Those who wanted the taste of chaos and adventure but also wanted to stay close to home and family and protect them will gravitate towards the edges of these sprawls, where they'd see more of the action and simultaneously form a sort of defensive perimeter for those seeking calm.

One of the notable aspects of Haneul's architecture and structure is how it's been cultivated specifically to fit Haneul's age-old chaotic tendencies, and these fortresses and the towns built strategically around them are one such example. This is very different from Duilintinn’s architecture, which features a bunch of smaller, isolated towns and communities that join together in name and identity but not in terms of physical location. Haneul was a kingdom that planned it's architecture/town layouts to reflect its culture; Duilintinn was a kingdom that adapted to an existing layout.

The architecture itself is very brutalist for the most part, built with precision and for strength, simplicity, and defense. Things get destroyed so often you want to have an architectural style that prevents that where it can and makes things easy to rebuild when you can't. Nothing too fancy because odds are that fancy architecture will be destroyed and all that work will be irreplaceable.

“Storming the Forts” is a Haneulian idiom meaning “to worry” or “to hide.” It’s a reference to the big forts in the center of most Haneulian population centers for when things get really crazy. It’s basically their version of the real-world English idiom of “bunker down,” which is a reference to waiting out dangerous situations in bunkers during wartime.

Values and Worldview

King Mark rules a military kingdom fundamentally oriented around vigilance and preparation between intermittent periods of pure chaos. One has to be smart, strong, and fast, because one never knows when chaos is about to break loose within the land. After all, while Duilintinn has to worry about the threat of a single, well-defined enemy stalking their borders, the dangers that haunt Mark's land are part of a very different ball game. In order to handle the chaos and paranoia that these threats cause, Mark's kingdom has developed a sort of cultural paradox.

In times of peace, the land is focused, strategic, prepared, and vigilant. Military training is part of everyday life for adults and children alike, with gifts of a weapon at almost every rite of passage. Citizens stay alert through constant reminders to not look over their shoulders. Academics are rigorous, all-encompassing, and mandatory until at least age 16 to prepare students for every possible situation. Dark humor and sarcasm combined with goofy levity in the face of danger are a cultural staple to cope with the impending doom and chaos the lurks around every corner, waiting to pounce upon anyone in order to bring death and destruction and demons and more death-!

In times of war, Mark's kingdom reacts with the chaotic force of a drunken bear. Except that bear has the advantage of advanced combat training, adrenaline built up from constant paranoia, and heaps of knowledge that may or may not be absolutely useless. There is no "watching" in King Mark's kingdom, only waiting and screaming. When the threat vanishes or is defeated, the kingdom returns to its vigilant muttering as if nothing had ever happened. Indeed, threats that break against the might of King Mark and his kingdom rarely return for a second round.

Although these conditions sound terrible, many citizens have taken it in stride and even thrive in the chaos of Mark's land. Others will seek refuge during times of danger and chaos in fortresses built throughout the kingdom. There, they will take comfort in the presence of their saner companions and wait until the threat passes, as the citizens believe it always does in the end.

More importantly, King Mark's passion to protect his people isn't always channeled through this chaos. Oftentimes, it's simply seen in the honest, genuine, and serious way he speaks to them. King Mark sees his people as equals who are all worth and able to take up arms and engage in dialogue amidst the sea of chaos that consumes his kingdom and the world as a whole. Much has been made of the differences between the leadership styles of King Mark and King Sean. King Sean sees a problem and says, "We'll get through this," while King Mark sees a problem and shouts incoherently while setting it on fire to assert dominance. Ultimately, however, both kings lead their people into a better an brighter future. For this reason, King Mark and his kingdom are staunch allies with King Sean and Duilintinn, and vice versa.

Magic

While there are a fair number of Fae Gardens in Haneul and magic itself is considered one of the factors in the constant chaos of the region, attempting to study and understand magic, especially for personal gain, is deemed ridiculous. Accidental magical powers that you just so happen to have can't really explain are fine; weirder stuff happens here all the time. This is why magical abilities of Lord Dark (who doesn't act like it's abnormal) and Lord Wilford (who clearly has no clue what he's doing half the time) are fine and acceptable, but Lord Bing's attempts to use magic are viewed as almost pathetic. Most mages in this kingdom are people with intense forces of will to begin with that unintentionally form into a magical focus. There are many unfocused mages in the kingdom as well, which simply adds to the madness.

Haneul’s stance on magic is intentionally disconnected with its stance on most other military and academic matters. With King Mark’s kingdom so focused on being prepared for any danger that crosses their path, between military training and rigorous academics, you’d think intensive magical studies would also be a natural highlight of Haneul’s culture, right?

And yet, that’s not the case. People who study magic are seen as ridiculous and compensating for something, while mages with powers they can’t really explain or control all the time are fine. It seems counterintuitive at first… but it actually makes a lot of sense.

In many ways, the culture of King Mark’s kingdom is all about believing in your own abilities and refusing to let anyone curb your style. This is a big reason why most of the nobles are allowed to do what they do and why the chaos of Haneul is the stuff of legend. The only reason it works is that the variety of chaotic natures inevitably balance each other out. For example, Lord Wilford forces Lord Dark and the Lords Google to take action instead of sitting on their butts, while Lord Harold’s chaotic obsession with The Law balances out the significantly less legally-inclined obsessions of literally just about everybody. That sort of thing.

This is a carefully maintained balance of disarray; too regulated and it will lose all of its character, but left completely alone, it would fall into destruction. Since the study of magic would inevitably lead to rules, laws, and greater administration on the matter, Haneul avoids such research like the plague. Scholars know about it, of course- information gets around in a vibrant trade network whether you like it or not- but they’re generally ignored and laughed at if they try to bring it up. Most people of Haneul just assume that, for every mage with unpredictable or dangerous abilities, there’s another mage out there who can repair or mitigate the damage. After all, that’s how most of their culture works; chaos balancing out chaos.

#The Kingdom of Haneul #The Continent of Tirónar #holy cow this post is long #so much LORE

4 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Watch AU Fun Fact #153

The Unnamed Continent has a mountain range dividing it roughly into a northeastern and southwestern half.

These two halves of the continent have very different histories.

The southwestern half was engaged with the trade and power struggles taking place in Senfara and Iontassia prior to and during the Waldren Occupation.

Meanwhile, the northeastern half was more isolated from that conflict and instead primarily traded with the nations of Vaqone, if anyone.

#watch au fun facts #Lands Beyond Tirónar #The Mortal Realm #History of Duilintinn

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: Leyfel

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

History

Government

Foreign Relations

Geography

Economy

Demography

Culture

Summary

The Isle of Leyfel is a country in Tirónar, on the coast of and within the Eastern Sea. It is run by Admiral Matpat.

History

Ancient Era

According to the accounts left behind by the settlers from Waldren, the island of Leyfel was completely uninhabited when their ships arrived in Tirónar. It's hard to say how true this is. Waldren could have easily lied about this, hiding their hostile takeover of the island's previous peoples from history. On the other hand, Waldren was not ashamed of their campaigns for land in other parts of Tirónar, so perhaps they were telling the truth. Regardless, if such a culture once existed, Waldren's takeover would have been swift and genocidal. Unlike Lantraeth and Halennor, which still bear faint, decrepit evidence of past civilizations, the island of Leyfel was either completely untouched by human hands before the Waldren Occupation, or all signs of the past inhabitants were systematically wiped from the island soon after Waldren's arrival.

Waldren Occupation

Waldren first landed in Leyfel around 1000, where they immediately established its first of many colonies. From there, the imperialists traveled north, where they quickly and easily took over the forested regions of Lantraeth and the rocky coast of Halennor, both of which were almost completely empty and practically defenseless after the Dragon War. With a source of lumber, mining opportunities, and tropical produce, Waldren was drunk on success and decided to seek more profit further inland.

Fast forward to 1495. With their navy almost completely decimated by their failures in Halennor and Tandeli, Waldren attempted to retreat back to Leyfel to nurse their wounds and continue profiting from their remaining holdings in Duilintinn and Lantraeth. However, by this point, Lantraeth had quietly been forming its own factional governments, and Waldren was in no position to bring the northwestern region back in line. Meanwhile, Duilintinn's rocky coastline, variable climate, and the factional chaos that had grown in Waldren's absence had all been written off as more trouble than it was worth.

On top of everything else, there were stirrings of unrest among the people of Leyfel, who were getting sick of being nothing more than a launching point for a company that playacts at being a government, yet doesn't use its tremendous profits to actually support the people they supposedly "ruled." With the writing on the wall, Waldren decided to cut their losses in 1500 and return to their home country of Senfara, leaving Leyfel to fend for itself.

Modern Day

When the Waldren Occupation ended, the people left behind in Leyfel continued managing themselves with the same corporate power structure. Over time, this administration evolved into an entirely unique system of government divided between seafaring citizens and land-based ones.

Government

Politics

The government of Leyfel is an odd one, specifically because it didn’t start out as a government. Instead, it was the hub of Waldren, which controlled settlements and trade posts around the coast of the continent. Eventually, these settlements broke off and formed their own nations (specifically Tandeli, The Island League, Halennor, and Lantraeth). When the Waldren Occupation ended, the people left behind in Leyfel continued managing themselves with the same corporate power structure. Over time, this administration evolved into an entirely unique system of government. Since such a large portion of their population is constantly at sea, there are two major levels of government; the land-based government described above and the crew hierarchy of individual ships. The captain of each ship is the primary contact between citizens at sea and the national government. It’s common that at least a third of the population will be completely oblivious to new laws or decrees until they return home after months at sea. The head of state is called the “Admiral” to reflect the impact of naval power structures within their government.

Military

The military is entirely naval-based. The infantry is kept to a minimum, and the calvary is more or less nonexistent.

Foreign Relations

Known Allies

Leyfel is allied with Haneul, Borrike, Halennor, and Duilintinn.

Public Opinion

There are mixed views on Leyfel. Some believe Admiral Matpat and his fleet should have more respect for the places, cultures, and events that they explore, research, and publish on. Others find the discoveries and pamphlets that come out of this land absolutely fascinating and think critics are overreacting. Admiral Matpat has addressed these claims and has enacted policies towards ensuring no disrespect is given, unintentionally or otherwise.

Geography

Major Regions

The "Isle" of the title is actually a misnomer; Leyfel also includes a portion of the mainland. The mainland is where most administrative and publishing work is done, while the island is where the voyages are prepared and set sail. Farming also happens here. There is a small port by the southern coast of the mainland for emergencies and/or inland trade with the countries to the south.

Climate

Leyfel is hot in the summers, but with milder winters than in Duilintinn. However, while the cove where Admiral Matpat's capital can be found is shielded from much of the wind that plagues the coast of Duilintinn in the winters, but the rest of the coast and the island itself still have to deal with them. The western side of the island is shielded from these winds by the island itself, so most ships are kept there when not in use. While the mainland is fairly dry in the summer, the island is very humid and gets significant rainfall, especially on its north-eastern side.

Economy

Leyfel exports research, exploration, maps, and knowledge from all corners of the world.

At sea, they mostly eat preserved meats and crackers made, salted, and dried out on the mainland. At home, they feast on fruits and vegetables native to the island, along with more of the food they eat at sea, though thankfully not as dry or stale.

Technology

All of the nations of Tirónar are at a relatively high level of ship tech due to the nature of the Eastern Sea. Namely, the fact that it's full of islands and weird storms and stuff. The reason that Tirónar went undiscovered for so long is that that's how long it took for other continents to figure out how to make boats that were maneuverable enough to navigate that part of the ocean! Since then, the ship tech that Waldren brought to Tirónar has been expanded upon enormously and, in some cases, adapted to fit other pre-existing ship tech in places like the Island League. This has allowed for trade between the nations of Tirónar to thrive, especially since it's incredibly difficult to cross between the mountains that form their inland borders (and even more difficult when you've got a lot of goods in the back of the cart!). Leyfel as some of the best ships, second only to the Island League. They're the two nations with sailing-related stuff in their culture that isn't just for trade and travel.

Transportation

Leyfel doesn't have open borders, and instead requires visitors to be invited to enter. However, invitations are sent out regularly to academics and their peers/students by various Leyfel institutions. If you ask one of their passing ships, they'll give you an application you can fill out requesting an invite and send it back with them. The island and mainland strip are too small to sustain consistent tourism, which is a shame because it's really gorgeous. Immigration to live there permanently is discouraged for this reason, but this is balanced out with a strong immigrant integration program where those coming to seek a new life or asylum can work on the crew of one of Leyfel's many, many ships.

Demography

Language

The language of Leyfel is mostly the common tongue, but there are some scattered influences from various other languages.

Education

The education is very interactive and focused on training young minds to formulate new ideas and think outside the box. Not everyone will become an academic, but even the most mundane layperson has the ability to come up with new ideas that will make their job easier and/or more efficient. Being a sailor, explorer, researcher, scholar, or author are all extremely desirable careers.

Sentient Species

In addition to humans, Merfolk are a sentient species in Leyfel.

Culture

This nation has built its niche around exploration, discovery, and ingenuity; three values which permeate almost every aspect of their culture on both land and sea. Making new discoveries through the reevaluation of existing information or through exploration and research is considered the ultimate life goal. To accomplish this, scholars are constantly pouring over research in the mainland cities, while ships full of explorers and researchers are constantly setting sail from the island’s many ports. These voyages will go anywhere and everywhere around the continent; from familiar kingdoms to unexplored wildernesses. Some will even travel beyond Tirónar itself, seeking the mysteries of the rest of the Mortal Realm beyond the ocean horizon. The results of these explorations are published in regular pamphlets which are then sold all over the world. It’s estimated that nearly half of Leyfel’s population is at sea at all times, sometimes for months or even years.

#The Isle of Leyfel #The Lands of The Watch #Tirónar #The Continent of Tirónar #Eastern Sea #Merfolk #History of Duilintinn #Waldren

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: The Island League

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

History

Government

Foreign Relations

Geography

Economy

Demography

Culture

Summary

The Island League is a collection of Islands to the northeast of Tirónar in the Eastern Sea. It is ruled by Captains Wade, Bob, Ethan, and Tyler.

History

Ancient Era

During the Ancient Era, the myriad of people groups living on the islands in the Eastern Sea perfected ship making and sailing techniques for quick, maneuverable sea travel faster than any civilization in the Mortal Realm. While the Island League as we know it today wouldn't come together until the Waldren Occupation, these separate cultures were constantly engaging in cultural diffusion (either through alliances or rivalries) and all shared a general love for sailing. While the first wave of destruction during the Dragon War nearly obliterated the ships and infrastructure of the islands closer to the mainland, the islands further off the coast quickly united in the face of a greater danger to evacuate and retreat to islands further off the coast. Ancient records confirm that some ships even sailed directly into the flames in order to rescue the stranded survivors of the initial attacks. Others even sailed directly to the coast of Haneul to offer aid, and while every offer was refused, the people of Haneul never forgot the daring, bravery, and selflessness of these acts.

As a result, the ancient peoples of the Island League survived the Dragon War with a greater appreciation for both the sea and each other. While many decided to rebuild on the islands far from the coast of Tirónar, many ships returned to the coastal islands, where they found Haneul in the middle of its great cultural expansion and were welcomed back with open arms. The Haneulians still bore an inexplicable aversion to the sea, while the sailors had no desire to be absorbed into a chaotic mainland culture, so the two "cultures" (i.e. two groups of a bazillion different cultures) instead became close allies. The newfound unity between the distinct cultures of the islands would set the stage for the creation of a confederation known as the "Island League," while the friendship with Haneul would ultimately prevent both groups from falling to the imperialism of the Waldren Occupation.

Waldren Occupation

After amassing an insane amount of wealth and spending large portions of it on ships, soldiers, and weaponry, Waldren attempted to take over Haneul in 1227.

Needless to say, it was a mistake.

Waldren was extremely stubborn and proud, refusing to admit defeat against both nations for nearly a century. This period was full of back-and-forth naval skirmishes, as the pirates of the Island League targeted Waldren ships and Waldren attempted to take one of the islands in response. With the maneuverability of the Island League's ships and the military prowess of Haneul, few of these skirmishes ended in "defeat" for Waldren. Instead, these battles resulted in a frustrating stalemate in which Waldren found themselves unable to catch the ships of the Island League, nor break through the defenses of Haneul.

By 1334, Waldren had stopped attempting to fight against Haneul and the Island League and was giving the northeastern coast a wide berth, even sailing around the opposite side of the continent to pick up their goods from Lantraeth and Halennor. In an attempt to make up for their losses in this war and the rapidly falling profitability of Duilintinn, Waldren's remaining colonies were aggressively exploited for goods and resources.

Modern Era

The Island League has thrived in the Modern Era, each island growing in population and prosperity. During this season of growth, the individual captains of the islands have taken unique paths in how they lead their people, all while maintaining their alliance of defense and trade support. Even in that, they usually act more like individual nations, conducting their own trade individually and mediating amongst themselves when mutually beneficial. They also maintain a thriving relationship with Haneul, each engaging with the neighboring kingdom in a variety of ways.

News in Island League (April 1615)

King Mark and Captain Ethan Visit Merfolk (June 1615)

Strange Tidings from the North (August 28, 1615)

Government

Politics

There are four islands, each with an independent culture and government. A singular ruler, called a “captain,” runs everything on their respective island with the help of ranked “officers.” These captains have all sworn to work together in matters of foreign affairs: namely trade and war.

Military

The military is entirely naval-based, and an exceptional navy at that. One won’t find a better ship or sailor than one raised in the Island League.

Foreign Relations

Allies

The Island League is allied with Haneul and Duilintinn.

Public Opinion

There is a generally positive point of view of the Island League.

Geography

Major Regions

The Island League consists of four volcanic islands, all of which are presumed to be dormant. By nature of being volcanic islands, the lands of the Island League are very fertile.

Climate

The lower two islands have a mild climate. The upper two islands, however, catch the winds of the north and are significantly colder as a result.

Economy

Their main exports are high-quality ships for sale or rent, as well as their services as middlemen for sea trade are the exports of the Island League. They import goods from other nations to supplement the food grown in the volcanic soil. Instead of directly trading for these items, they keep part of the goods they ship for others as a sort of “tax” during their middleman services.

Technology

All of the nations of Tirónar are at a relatively high level of ship tech due to the nature of the Eastern Sea. Namely, the fact that it's full of islands and weird storms and stuff. The reason that Tirónar went undiscovered for so long is that that's how long it took for other continents to figure out how to make boats that were maneuverable enough to navigate that part of the ocean! Since then, the ship tech that Waldren brought to Tirónar has been expanded upon enormously and, in some cases, adapted to fit other pre-existing ship tech in places like the Island League. This has allowed for trade between the nations of Tirónar to thrive, especially since it's incredibly difficult to cross between the mountains that form their inland borders (and even more difficult when you've got a lot of goods in the back of the cart!). I'd definitely say that the Island League has the most advanced ship technology, followed closely by Leyfel. They're the two nations with sailing-related stuff in their culture that isn't just for trade and travel.

Demography

Language

A wild mixture of almost every language spoken in the surrounding kingdoms. As usual, the common tongue is most prevalent.

Education

The education system is very hands-on. Most young people are brought on the job at a young age and learn to help in various ways, eventually growing up to be very familiar with their craft, if not an expert. Skill is far less valued than self-awareness; if you are bad at something, but recognize and own up to it, no one’s going to blame you. Cooperation is crucial to surviving life on the sea, and pride will destroy a team effort far faster than incompetence.

Sentient Species

Besides humans, sentient species in the Island League include merfolk.

Culture

At one point, the people of these islands were just a bunch of pirates who preyed upon the settlements of Waldren along the coast of the continent. Eventually, as the Waldren Occupation ended and independent kingdoms and confederations began to form from these settlements, piracy fell out of style. These gangs of seafarers eventually formed territorial clans and tribes on the islands, before finally forming the Island League. While each island has a very different subculture, each echoes the islands’ common history of piracy.

#The Island League #The Continent of Tirónar #Tirónar #yes i skipped tandeli #i'll get to it later that one is gonna be a monster of a post #Merfolk #Lands of The Watch #Merpeople #Eastern Sea #Waldren #History of Duilintinn #Dragon War

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: Borrike

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

Name Origin

History

Government

Foreign Relations

Geography

Economy

Demography

Culture

Summary

Borrike is a country on the west coast of Tirónar. It is ruled by Emperor Felix.

Name Origin

Borrike is a slightly misspelled combination of the Swedish word for “brother” and the Norse suffix -rike, meaning “kingdom.” It’s technically supposed to be Brorrike, but somewhere along the line I lost an “r” and decided I liked it better that way once I realized. It’s based on the common name for Pewdiepie’s fanbase, aka the “bro army” (at least, according to Wikipedia). Since Swedish is part of the Old Norse language tree, I figured it would be appropriate to use a Norse suffix instead of hunting around for a Swedish one.

In-universe, Borrike was originally the name of the huge plains that dominate the western half of Tirónar, before being adopted by the empire that eventually filled the region.

History

Ancient Era

Borrike’s ancient history prior to the Waldren Occupation is defined by a wide diversity of unique individual cultures, too many to be described here. The Dragon War did have disastrous effects on those living north, closer to the Winged Peaks, but for those living further south or closer to the coast, the Dragon War only had a minor impact.

Waldren Occupation

Frustrated with Duilintinn's waning profitability, in 1325, Waldren sailed to the opposite side of Tirónar in hopes of snatching up Borrike. Rumors said that this region had massive forests and wide, sweeping plains of untilled land ripe for the picking. However, these rumors forgot to mention that Borrike also had giants. While Waldren was able to wander into the region without much opposition, they quickly decided that the western coast of Tirónar was too far away to profit upon after less than a decade of trying in 1334.

While other parts of Tirónar were going through the Waldren Occupation and Interim Years, many cultures in Borrike began to merge into units of city-states, either by choice or force by more powerful neighbors. Eventually, one city state in particular began to annex more and more city states into its own authority, forming the beginnings of a large empire overseen by a ruling government but primarily managed by local governments left largely to their own devices. The empire was named Borrike, the same name as the plains it occupied, and it would continue to grow into the Modern Era.

Modern Era

In modern day, Borrike has continued to grow, though at slower rates.

In 1613, a number of skirmishes took place between Borrike and the easternmost nation in the continent of Vaqone, which had encroached upon island territories of Borrike. This “war” was slightly sensationalized; neither power seemed eager to escalate the fighting to a full-blown invasion. At most, a few island territories found themselves under a new sovereign when the dust settled, and by mid-1614 the war was long over.

Government

Politics

Borrike is a vast empire, led by Emperor Felix with the help of various municipal governments. The lands controlled by Borrike were acquired over a long period of time as surrounding villages were annexed into the empire. As a result, there are no distinct geopolitical or economic regions in Borrike like those of Duilintinn, Haneul, Tandeli, and others. Local governments run almost independently, enforcing any policies or laws enacted by the emperor. Trade is almost exclusively internal and handled by local governments except for Borrike’s three main exports: grains, alcohol, and lumber.

Military

Borrike's military is infantry-based and large. Their main strength is their sheer numbers. Known for their enthusiasm on and off the battlefield and in positive and negative contexts. On average, these troops are passionate and willing to charge into battle without a second thought, but at least half the taverns in Borrike have a “no armed or liveried soldiers” policy for a reason.

Foreign Relations

Allies

Borrike is allied with Duilintinn and Haneul.

Public Opinion

There is a heavily mixed opinion on Borrike that veers towards the negative in many circles. It’s indisputable that Emperor Felix has a brash attitude towards leadership and has publicly said and done some horrible things during his reign. While some have decided to accept his apologies and later philanthropic efforts as evidence of change, many others continue to hold Emperor Felix accountable for the prejudices reflected in his past actions.*

*I am not going to share my personal opinions on this matter, nor plan to answer any asks about it, in order to avoid discourse. These kingdoms will only feature occasionally in the background of other events, and I don’t want to start drama over such a minor detail in the grand scheme of my plans for the au. However, it would be foolish to pretend controversy doesn’t exist.

Geography

Major Regions

The vast majority of Borrike is grasslands, similar to the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. It consists of three regions: The Dry Plains, the Fertile Plains, and the Forest.

In the south, the Dry Plains are exactly what the name implies- dry and hot- but as you travel north, the region gets more temperate and humid. This region is mostly used for pastures and dry farming. Though this region bears a marked similarity to the climate of House Jackie in Duilintinn, agriculture is significantly easier in this region thanks to the two rivers that run parallel through the region from the Jättensbord (In the Common Tongue: “Edge Mountains”) and the benefits of a less magical ecosystem.

As you travel north, the plains will become slightly more temperate and a whole lot more fertile, transitioning into the region called the Fertile Plains. Regular precipitation allows grains and cereals such as wheat, barley, and rye to grow in absolutely staggering numbers. This is the source of Borrike’s major grain export. However, the plains turn dry once again in the shadow of the Draksköld (In the Common Tongue: “Winged Peaks”), which prevents very little rain from falling in the northernmost part of the region. Despite this, the entire northern half of the grassland is still called the Fertile Plains.

Finally, a huge swath of trees, even larger than Duilintinn’s western forest, fills the entire northeastern portion of the empire. Borrike’s prolific logging industry has barely made a dent in its depths, and it’s thought that the large numbers of Tree-Giants in this ecosystem help facilitate a faster growth rate compared to other forests.

Climate

Humid Continental/Humid Subtropical, with patches of semi-arid land to the southeast where the rain shadow would most likely be the worst.

Economy

Borrike exports grain, alcohol, and lumber.

Agriculture

So much grain is in Borrike. So much that they have excess so large that the normally-hands-off government has to manage how it’s traded internationally. Meat is obtained by keeping livestock or hunting.

Science and Technology

All of the nations in Tirónar are at a relatively high level of ship tech due to the nature of the Eastern Sea. Namely, the fact that it's full of islands and weird storms and stuff. The reason that Tirónar went undiscovered for so long is that that's how long it took for other continents to figure out how to make boats that were maneuverable enough to navigate that part of the ocean! Since then, the ship tech that Waldren brought to Tirónar has been expanded upon enormously and, in some cases, adapted to fit other pre-existing ship tech in places like the Island League. This has allowed for trade between the nations of Tirónar to thrive, especially since it's incredibly difficult to cross between the mountains that form their inland borders (and even more difficult when you've got a lot of goods in the back of the cart!). However, beyond this baseline shipbuilding advancement, Borrike's navy is average at best.

Transportation

Borrike is massive, people are constantly coming, going, and moving around, and there's too much coastline anyway. So tbh I don't think anyone really monitors those borders.

Demography

Language

A germanic-sounding language similar to real-world Swedish is spoken prolifically in this empire. However, like the rest of the continent, the common tongue is often used as well. Most people in Borrike are bilingual.

Education

The education is managed on a local level and therefore far too varied to describe accurately.

Sentient Species

Giants are the other sentient species besides humans in Borrike.

Culture

Loud, enthusiastic, bold, and self-assured, sometimes to the point of recklessness.

Perspective on Magic

The people have a very nonchalant view of magic. In an empire this large, no one really cares what tools you use to get the job done, so long as you don’t hurt anyone. If Duilintinn’s academic and balanced treatment of magic was one end of a spectrum, and Haneul’s chaotic, outright discouragement of studying or regulating anything about magic was the other, Borrike would probably fall somewhere in the middle.

#Empire of Borrike #Tirónar #The Continent of Tirónar #The Lands of The Watch #Waldren #History of Duilintinn #Giants #Tree-Giants

3 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 3 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: The Iontassian Union

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

History

Geography

Culture

There’s no official map marking the borders of the Iontassian Union, but since it takes up most of the continent of Iontassia, here’s a pic of the continent:

Summary

The Iontassian Union is a large empire on the continent of Iontassia which rules the vast majority of the mainland continent and a large number of the islands.

History

All canon lore about the Iontassian Union begins around the time of Senfara’s mercantilist age, when nations of the northern continent engaged in a power struggle amongst themselves. One of the means through which Senfaran nations tried to establish power was through economic and trade superiority, resulting in the “discovery” of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent. This initial introduction between the three continents was hardly friendly, as Senfaran nations attempted on several occasions to take over parts of both continents in their race for new resources and territories. However, the nations of Iontassia stood their ground, and after several years, Senfaran nations switched to inviting the nations of Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent into profitable trade relationships instead. This would pull both Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent into Senfara’s power race, prompting a similar push for power among their own nations to keep up.

In Iontassia, this would lead to the rise of the Iontassian Union, a nation-state that slowly took over most of the eponymous continent and many of its surrounding islands, including those that would eventually become Las Buscadoras. All territories controlled by the Iontassian Union were heavily encouraged to focus on trade and seafaring, especially once Waldren’s “discovery” of Tirónar gave several Senfaran nations a near-overnight surge in power. Even piracy was subtly encouraged by the Iontassian Union, so long as it targeted Waldren ships.

Early in this push to imitate Waldren’s success, Iontassian ships discovered the Frozen Wastes, an icy continent on the southern pole of the Mortal Realm. The Iontassian Union immediately attempted to annex this territory. However, with little knowledge of how to survive in such a desolate tundra, everyone sent to colonize the Frozen Wastes from Iontassia died before any meaningful foothold was established. Soon afterwards, the Iontassian Union gave up on turning the Frozen Wastes into a source of power and, to save face, began pretending that they had never tried to do so in the first place.

Despite this, Waldren’s political manipulation for its own benefit would eventually draw Senfaran nations into a far more internal struggle against each other, leaving Iontassia and the Unnamed Continent at a long-term advantage. By the time Waldren abandoned Tirónar in 1500, the Iontassian Union had been the leading power among the three central continents for at least a century and controlled nearly all of Iontassia and its northeastern islands.

Other people groups established independence entirely, including the recent secession of the island nation of Las Buscadoras. While Las Buscadoras was not the first time a group in Iontassia got independence from the Union, it was one of the more high-profile instances, and will likely inspire other groups to follow suit. As a result, the Iontassian Union seems likely to slowly shake apart into several separate nation states over the next several years, or possibly decades.

Geography

The Iontassian Union covers the majority of the continent of Iontassia, which is located in the southern hemisphere of the Mortal Realm. The western coast of Iontassia and its many islands are bordered by the Southern Sea, which is characterized by summer tropical storms that travel north along Iontassia’s coastline between April and October. These storms usually hit the islands the hardest before passing further north to cause the rainy season in southern Tirónar and then fizzle out somewhere along Tirónar’s western coast.

Culture

The Iontassian Union is made up of dozens, if not hundreds of unique cultures that populated the continent of Iontassia. Like many empires, the Union had a policy of absorbing local cultures into its own cultural identity, allowing the annexed people groups to keep their traditions while retaining a sense of unity and allegiance.

Language

The common tongue is spoken in the Iontassian Union as a trade language. The primary language of this nation has never been established in cannon. However, due to the amount of diverse cultures within the empire, it’s unlikely that any “official language” would be the only tongue spoken in the empire, or even the most common one.

Magic

Due to the diversity in the Iontassian Union, perspectives on magic vary heavily from place to place. Iontassia is a relatively magical continent compared to Senfara, with the potential to infrequently manifest Fae Gardens anywhere on the continent. As a result, the existence of magic is a widely accepted fact, and mages are fairly common. However, different cultures will have different perspectives on how magic should be used, its origins, and whether it's a force to be feared, worshiped, studied, embraced, etc. Historically, the official state policy of the Iontassian Union has been to encourage any form of magic used to grant them an advantage in the tri-continental power struggle, but otherwise remain silent on the more nuanced, culturally dissonant perspectives of magic that might upset the people groups it ruled over.

Trivia

The Iontassian Union is loosely based around the irl entertainment company, “Buzzfeed,” which manages several diverse content creators under its umbrella and has a reputation for taking content from other sites for its articles without proper sourcing or permission.

#iontassian union #The Lands of The Watch #Lands Beyond Tirónar #las buscadoras #The Continent of Iontassia

2 notes · View notes

thewatchau · 4 years ago

Text

Lands Beyond Duilintinn: Fasithe

Other Posts in this Series:

The Mortal Realm as a Whole •

The Continent of Tirónar • Duilintinn • Haneul • Halennor • Lantraeth • Borrike • Grancinco • Tandeli • The Island League • Leyfel • Fasithe •

The Continent of Effrens •

The Continent of Iontassia • The Iontassian Union • Las Buscadoras

The Continent of Senfara •

The Continent of Vaqone •

The Frozen Wastes •

The Unnamed Continent •

Souls and Magical “Energy” • Magic in Nature • Fae Folk, Fae Realm, Fae Gardens, and Imagination Dimension

In This Post:

Summary

Geography

Government

History

Foreign Relations

Culture

Summary

Fasithe is a region of the Western Forest in Tirónar that functions as the semi-permanent residence of a group of Fae Folk and their human following in the Mortal Realm, which goes by the same name. Fasithe is run by a fae being known as Nate.

Geography

Major Regions

Fasithe is deep in the western forest, but there is no hard-locked location for Fasithe, since the people are semi-nomadic.

Government

Fasithe isn’t even a “country” by mortal standards at all, but a colony of Fae Folk who have decided to make their way as permanent or semi-permanent residents of the Mortal Realm. Such decisions are not unheard of- the Ocean Man of Loch Domhainn is another example- but Fasithe is different in a way that is both fascinating and mildly disturbing. Fasithe may be a Fae colony, but the vast majority of its population consists of humans who have pledged themselves to the Fae that founded it. Fae worship isn’t uncommon, but when people from all over the continent start disappearing into the forest/mountains and tales of a cult begin to spread… it’s a whole ‘nother ball game. As far as we are aware, no other Fae worship instance in known history has ever resulted in an independent state-like entity like this.

How Fasithe’s government works is unclear. A fae being named Nate is definitely the primary leader and official representative of the group, but little else is known to outsiders.

History

Before the Modern Era

Little is known about the origins of Fasithe or their history prior to the Modern Era. Waldren had no interactions with the group, and it’s hard to tell whether ancient records of Fae Folk are directly related to this specific body of Fae.

Modern Era

In the aftermath of Waldren’s departure from Tirónar, Fasithe slowly began to make itself known to other nations. Its leader, who refers to himself as Nate, has expressed a desire to coexist peacefully alongside human kingdoms. Despite the rumors, the Fae being who runs this so-called “cult” is very amiable. By his own account, Nate had always been fascinated by humans and their customs, especially around the art of music and singing, and decided to create a place where he could take part in this mortal tradition. Of course, being Fae, Nate’s singing has a bit of an… effect… on people- the old tales would probably consider him a siren- and he rapidly gained a following of mortals who were passionate about the music he created alongside them.

However, despite the creative intentions of Nate himself, a dark influence began to grow on the sidelines. Two other members of the Fae were jealous of the influence Nate had in the mortal realm and decided to steal his followers for themselves. One called himself Natemare, in mockery of Nate himself, and desired a group of mortals to torture and toy with for his own entertainment. The other was known as Phantom, and simply wanted followers, slaves, worshipers… you get the idea. These two have formed a symbiotic relationship to prey on Nate’s followers and get the power they desire.

Little is known about how this scheme works, as few have returned to tell the tale and those who do die shortly afterward. However, we do know the basics:

Phantom promises his followers the power to have anything and everything they desire. This is the true cult of Fasithe. These people will follow him everywhere, convinced that someday, if they are loyal enough, he will give them what they seek. As a member of the Fae, such promises hold extreme moral weight, and indeed, Phantom follows through with his promise…

…by eventually trapping his followers in a weird, intermediate dimension between the Fae Realm and the Mortal Realm that no one really understands. Our best guess is that these dimensions are somewhat like Fae Gardens, but somehow closer to the Fae Realm than the Mortal Realm. Mortals can’t die within this dimension, but time, space, and basically all of reality is absolutely screwed in there. This dimension is so inundated with magic that the people trapped within have powers far beyond what is possible in the Mortal Realm. In this way, Phantom does keep his promise and gets a cult full of loyal followers to boot.

Meanwhile, Natemare uses this dimension as his personal plaything, toying with the souls inside and turning their greatest desires into a slow descent into madness. He plants ideas of power into the heads of some of his victims, causing them to use their powers to harass the others trapped with them. Apparently, this megalomania manifests itself in a massive murder maze, which these souls control to make the lives of their companions a living hell. Others, Natemare kites around with ideas of hope, freedom, power, only to laugh as it leads them into another trap. According to the few who have escaped, it’s impossible from within to discern his influence at work. To most of the people in this dimension, this insanity is simply normal.

This partnership works brilliantly for these two Fae. Natemare gets a plaything to toy with within the dimension, while Phantom gets a cult following outside of it.

Thankfully, another member of the Fae, going by the name Paultin, has joined Nate in an effort to stop Phantom and Natemare’s schemes. As a member of the Fae, he can pass back and forth between these dimensions with ease, heroically attempting to aid or rescue the mortals caught within Phantom’s trap. Sometimes he brings other Fae Folk with him to help! However, anyone who escapes from Phantom’s cult, either before or after they’re trapped, will die soon afterward under mysterious circumstances. After all, Fae folk are particularly nitpicky about keeping promises and agreements, and the death penalty would probably be considered an appropriate punishment for breaking one.

And then sometimes, Natemare decides to go after Paultin himself…

Foreign Relations

Many people believe that all of Fasithe is a cult, which gives them a bad view of the place. And, of course, there ARE dark influences in Fasithe. Unfortunately, there’s next to nothing any of the other kingdoms can do about this situation. Fasithe is located deep within the unexplored reaches of the Western Forest, and if that wasn’t enough, they’re semi-nomadic, traveling from place to place within the trees. It’d be nearly impossible to track them down, and definitely impossible to do anything about the cult if we did. What are we gonna do? Stab the beings of pure magic and hope they go away permanently like mortals do when their fleshy soul-container breaks too much?

Plus, Phantom and Natemare only prey on Nate’s followers, so the entire conflict is fundamentally internal, and therefore, not our problem. Especially when something else trying to prey upon the people beyond the forest has been threatening Duilintinn for the past two decades…

Culture

Sentient Species

Obviously Fae are in Fasithe.

Cultural Highlights

There is an emphasis on the arts.

Language

Fae can speak all languages, so I'm assuming there is a very mixed language basket.

Food Source

Whatever you can find in the Western Forest.

#Fasithe #Fae Folk #Fae Realm #The Western Forest #The Mortal Realm #Fae Gardens #Imagination Dimension #The Continent of Tirónar #Tirónar #The Lands of The Watch

2 notes · View notes