Providence
“While the world fought over freedom, Providence was imprisoned in ice.
When the children played under the sun in summer’s days, Providence was frozen.
And when the all the sentient beings of the world are dead, forgotten
and remembered by none – Providence will still be as it has always been.. cold.”
Overview
Seated upon the top of the world, the inhospitable land of Providence has been encased in a blanket of snow, ice and blizzards for thousands of years. It is a land elevated far above sea level, for Providence consists mostly of towering mountains and rocky plateaus. Inbetween them lie narrow valleys with frozen forests and iced-over lakes. Few creatures make this land their home, there are the great ice bears and pack wolves, all tougher and hardier variants of creatures and animals you would find in any climate. But there are savage beings in these lands that none see twice, and who exist only in the exiting tales of warm-blooded southerners – or so they think. The most known of these are the Trolls, the ancient feral enemy of the people of providence. Most of the humans that inhabit these cold mountains are of the @Ashmari bloodline, although a number of regular humans and other bloodlines have found their way to hamlets and settlements near the fringes of Providence. Most people, however, simply don't have the stomach for the cold and harsh weather.Geography
Providence’s land consists mostly of massive mountains, with wide-stretching plateaus, narrow valleys and frozen lakes. Some rapid rivers dot the land, connecting several lakes and leading to the surrounding oceans, hundreds of miles away, the streams combining into the Phelgim river ending up in Moshabar. Much of Providence’s landscape consists of enormous amounts of steep cliffs and rocky crevices, making the land difficult to navigate. The outskirts of Providence are ever-changing, with massive islands of moving ice; thousands of miles of coast that changes almost from day to day. Providence’s lakes are unbreakably frozen, showing water only for several weeks during the region’s ‘summer’. The landscape is littered with hidden volcanos, populating the landscape with the occasional geyser or hot spring. Small "oases" form around these warmer locations, with lush forests in stark contrast with the otherwise barren, snowy, landscape.Climate
Blizzards, ice winds, sub-zero temperatures and little to no sunlight. Providence is situated well in the Arctic circle of the world, giving the region precious hours of sunlight every day. The region’s winters remain dark for several days at a time and throw the temperatures well down to minus forty degrees; summers aren’t that much better; giving the land a mild minus twenty. Providence’s weather is unpredictable and fierce, and massive blizzards often keep parts of the region in its grip for weeks.Inhabitants
Providence is home to a secluded race of humans known as the Ashmari. The Ashmari settled the lands of Providence roughly three thousand years ago, when they were driven from their southern homelands. The Ashmari have always been akin to cold and icy regions, which allowed them to adapt to their new lands fairly quickly. Preferring isolation over oppression, they welcomed the lonely lands that few of their other humanoid brethren ever travelled. Here, the Ashmari build their empire over the thousands of years, never fearing invaders, never urging to invade – the ice was their home – they needed nothing more.Culture
Despite the difficulties of travel in the area of Providence, it's inhabitants have a rich and varied culture. Due to the small amount of daylight and the relative scarcity of fuel, most of their culture is based on songs and tales. Especially the Ashmari have elevated these arts to a new and unparalleled level. Hospitality is strongly embedded in Providence culture, and the Ashmari will grant every soul, even their enemy, a peaceful audience if they wish. Ashmari women are renowned for their patience and skill at diplomacy and duplicity. They are widely sought after as neutral mediators between the warring factions of the world.Culture
Despite the difficulties of travel in the area of Providence, it's inhabitants have a rich and varied culture. Due to the small amount of daylight and the relative scarcity of fuel, most of their culture is based on songs and tales. Especially the Ashmari have elevated these arts to a new and unparalleled level. Hospitality is strongly embedded in Providence culture, and the Ashmari will grant every soul, even their enemy, a peaceful audience if they wish. Ashmari women are renowned for their patience and skill at diplomacy and duplicity. They are widely sought after as neutral mediators between the warring factions of the world.Religion
Almost every religion practiced in the Providence region is somehow centered around the area’s extreme climate. Most rituals and blessings are out of respect to the lands harsh weather. More and more of the Ashmari pay their respects to the Allmother and some of them go as far as to count themselves part of the Earthborn religion. Before the first Aether storm, many religious practices were mostly tribal - but in recent times even the respect towards the tribal spirit and the blessings toward the Providence climate are counted as being part of the Earthborn religion. Many Ashmari, and the Providence Conglomerate, have accepted this. The Coven of Hoof and claw is popular amongst the Ashmari, as well as the Coven of stone and sand.Government
The Ashmari were, for a long time, nomadic and tribal people, living in small groups and traveling around their lands. Roughly a hundred years ago, in the year 2964 (Ashmari count since the original settlement of Providence) the first real government took power, known to the world as the Providence Conglomerate. The Conglomerate united all the tribes and factions of the Ashmari, allowing autonomous rule. The Conglomerate was founded for the security and safekeeping of the Ashmari people; its only rule is Providence’s defensive and logistic-related issues. The Ashmari people saw the need for a unified army and logistics corporation in response to the increased military threat from the various warring nations in the south. Over the hundred years, since its founding, the Conglomerate has constructed a vast defensive network of citadels, watchtowers, and fortresses amid the snowy mountains.Politics
Providence’s internal politics are mostly handled by the Council of Tribal Affairs, which house the three primary founding tribes as permanent members. Other, smaller, tribes are elected and re-elected into the council every five years. Foreign politics are handled by Conglomerate Command, consisting of various high-ranking military officials who are also elected into this command every five years. The Council of Tribal Affairs usually fills an advisory role in foreign politics. It is highly unheard of that a member of the Conglomerate Command also holds a position in the Council.Economy
With the founding of the Providence Conglomerate, trade has taken a new form in the region. Tribes no longer trade with each other, but buy stock straight from the Conglomerate’s Trading Company; nationalized in conjunction with the Militia. The Trading Company, in turn, makes inventory by buying and selling from within and beyond the borders of Providence. This has guaranteed the continuous supplies for cities in Providence, without having to rely on their own farming, hunting – and thus the climate. The Trade Company has made sure that Providence’s cities are well supplied and can keep a steady warehouse throughout the region’s long winters. The Conglomerate Trading Company mainly exports furs, musical instruments and various other wood-craft over its borders. The unique interaction between Aether-fueled Geysers and woodworking allows for master crafted goods that are highly sought after in the rest of the world. The Trading Company also exports the region’s bards by helping them make coin on tales and sagas.Magic and Aether
Due to the scarcity of Aether, the Providence Conglomerate has incorporated very few of the precious element into their defense force. Widespread application, like in the southern regions, will probably not happen in the Conglomerate for several more years. Conglomerate Command has dispatched several envoys with ample coin to the south to acquire far greater amounts of Aether to be researched and studied for the citizens of Providence. Some of the larger cities in Providence have started to invest in schools of Spelunking, so-called Seekers, to explore the treacherous mountains and glacier caves for more of the precious material. Despite the lack of easily accessible Aether in Providence there is no lack of magic. Most tribes build a permanent shelter around one or multiple geysers or hot springs. Because of the large concentration of Aether in these springs, they provide the tribes with illumination, magical components and much needed warmth. The warmth and water are used to grow imported plants and trees, from which highly sought after medicines and bardic instruments are created.
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
One of the many unique looking geysers that the Ashmari build their cities around.
One of the safe havens built and maintained by the conglomerate
The landscape of Providence, beautiful and deadly