Creative Exercise--Aleasana

[MavrickWeirdo]

The present conflict has its roots in an earlier war. A war fought with sound.

Temples of Dar, or their remains, are found throughout Aleasana. A schism within church was blamed for the fracturing of the once great nation. Few these days openly practice the churches teachings.

 

[Tonguez]

I like your name better. Urukh it is. And I'd say that as in low regard as the Aleasani hold the Northerners, they still recognize them as more human than the Urukh, who--well, are clearly something very different...

In historic Japan you had the Ainu (an indigenous mongol people) and the Eta (probably descended from Korean populations) the Ainu though obviously different were accepted as people and citizens (although still discriminated against) whereas the Eta, although physically similar/identical to Japanese were despised and officially declared to be worth 1/7 of a person (in a court ruling during the Meiji era)

Same could apply to Northerners and Half-Orcs, the Northerners although racial identical suffer racist stigma that the half-orcs don't

and actually Urukh is derived from Uru - a legendary barbarian tribe of ancient india

 

[Rhialto]

Iron is rare in Aleasana, and has anti-magical properties. [Assume all weapon and armor stats are for bronze items. Iron items are treated as Cold Iron, and grant a +1 bonus to damage inflicted on spellcasters and any non-human intelligent races (with the exception of orcs and/or 1/2 orcs?). Any spellcaster or non-human wielding an iron item is Sickened (-2 on attack, saves, damage, skills and ability checks).]

Ownership of iron items requires a permit in Altania, whereas the king of Cassant has just discovered the existance of a rich lode of iron ore from a dwarven tribe he conquered, and is planning to enslave the tribe to mine it for him (at their own peril).

According to the Dvergar, all iron comes from the blood of their grim, grey god Koschei the Deathless, a gift to his children as he was driven away from the land by the other gods. While this does explain while dwarves are unaffected by iron's special qualities, it does nothing to explain human's resistance to the metal...

(Just thought it made more sense for the mystical race known for its metalworking to be immune to iron...)

 

[Andor]

The Shay are reguarded as uncanny warriors know for wielding magic as well as bronze. arcane archers, spell swords, and eldritch knights are all common amoung the elves, but the most feared is the Order of Ghost Warriors. The Ghost Warriors focus their magical training on enhancing their stealth and are well known for their use of poison. While some claim they are dishonorable, they argue that a warriors honor come from success, however achieved.

(Half-Orc monk vs Elven Ninja)

 

[Arkhandus]

You mean half-orc ninja versus elven ninja. :^D

Contribution:

The Black Fist Brotherhood dislikes magic, looking down on it as a crutch used by only those who are too craven and weak-willed to use the power of their own body effectively. Black Brothers are particularly good at dispatching spellcasters, because they enjoy showing the cravens just how flawed their reliance on magic is. Members of the Black Fist Brotherhood view their own fantastic abilities as the simple advancement of their physical prowess to metaphysical levels of perfection.

 

[Tonguez]

Kidnapping for ransom, Prostitution and slavery is quite common between the various city states and the nubile daughters of wealthy merchants are a common target. The most infamous of these kidnappers/slavers is the Vermillion Lotus Society obstensibly a guild-merchant engaged in Apothecary supplies, wines, spirits and Brothelkeeping and based in the 'wiked city' of Barizar.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Because of the high mountains and harsh climate, population levels are lower on the whole in Aleasana--cities have 30% fewer people than more fertile regions would, making each each man's skill count for more, and keeping city size under control, thus Aleana's lack of metropolises.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Aleasana is very mountainous with the city states occupying the narrow valleys between the high mountain divides. These mountains can be inhospitable and wracked by snowstorms however it also means the valleys are well watered and temperatures warmn in summer though icy cold in winter.
Control of the mountain passes often means control of Aleasana

Old-timers claim that, back when they were young, the mountains were not as tall as they are now. There were more passes and easier travel, when Aleasana was a single nation.

 

[Conaill]

The eastern ocean is known to most as the Olden Sea, as most of Aleasana's peoples sailed here centuries or millenia ago from the east when their homeland was ravaged (by what, few know). The Aleasani displaced many lesser peoples when they arrived, forcing some northward into the tundra and south into the desert, most of whom have not been seen or heard from for quite a while. The vast Olden Archipelago fills part of the Olden Sea southeast of the Aleasana mountains.

Whereas the Eastern coast of Aleasana is rocky and rather inhospitable, in the West the mountains descend down into a dense forest, which gradually turns into a marsh, and then breaks up into an infinite number of islands. This is Faegrim, the realm of the Fae. No accurate maps exist, and it is said that the geography keeps changing day by day. All manner of fey abound, and although most are not openly hostile to intruders, they do prefer to be left alone, and can have a truly vicious sense of humor. Beware of Fae hospitality, because nothing is ever given for free. You are expected to know the rules, but none will explain them (and who knows they won't have changed the next day).

 

[Rhialto]

Whereas the Eastern coast of Aleasana is rocky and rather inhospitable, in the West the mountains descend down into a dense forest, which gradually turns into a marsh, and then breaks up into an infinite number of islands. This is Faegrim, the realm of the Fae. No accurate maps exist, and it is said that the geography keeps changing day by day. All manner of fey abound, and although most are not openly hostile to intruders, they do prefer to be left alone, and can have a truly vicious sense of humor. Beware of Fae hospitality, because onthing is ever given for free. You are expected to know the rules, but none will explain them (and who knows they won't have changed the next day).

The Shay, if the stories are true, came to Aleasana from the West, exiled by their kin for some mysterious reason. The Shay speak little on this subject, while the Dvergar speak a great deal on it, as it was largely their excuse for their enslavement of the elven people. Still, the truth remains obscure.