Hierophancy of Tvor

Once part of the ancient Carentan Forest, the Hierophants of Tvor have ruled the region for 900 years.

Table of Contents

About the Hierophancy of Tvor

The Hierophancy of Tvor is a part of the Kingdom of Dvin, which is itself a part of the High Kingdom of Nymera. Dvin is made up of Tvor, the Druidic Principality of Escatonah, the Grand Protectorate of Rhomaneser, the Archbishopric of Kvas, and the Magocracy of Quossa.
Tvor is bordered by the Carentan Forest and the Principality of Mogham to the west, the Nymeran Kingdom of Vishayn to the south, and the other Dvinish provinces to the north and east.
For most of its history, the Kingdom of Dvin was the easternmost fringe of the enormous and ancient Carentan Forest. That changed a thousand years ago when the elven supremacist Empire of Halaan invaded the southern caishenic kingdoms.

History

Free People of the Carentan Forest

The early history of Tvor is the history of the Carentan Forest. Until a few thousand years ago, Tvor and the rest of what would become the western part of the Kingdom of Dvin were part of Carentan.
Dvin has been a kingdom for less than a thousand years. Before that, it was part of the sprawling Carentan Forest. Just under a thousand years ago, in the wake of the Halaanic Wars, the Dvinish formed an independent kingdom.

The Halaanic Wars and Independence

Until the Halaanic Wars of 223 to 297 A.C., the Dvinish people lived as they had always lived in the Carentan Forest. Halaan's invasion early in the war forced many of the eaestern forest's residents to flee. At the same time a massive influx of Feanese refugees from the north disrupted the well established societies of what would become Dvin. It was at this time, for instance, that the Cinarians of the Eastmarches founded their city of Maergoth deep in the Forest west of Dvin.

Independence

At War's End, the old Tvorish clans joined with allies across the eastern Carentan Forest (as well as more recent Feanese refugees) to declare their independence. They crowned the wise old lizardfolk chieftain Quchuan as the first King of Dvin. King Quchuan had no living children after the war, and upon his death the Dvinish chose the half-giant general Rhomaneser as king. Rhomanseser's descendants have ruled Dvin ever since (with the exception of the Calaraster Dynasty which ruled from 582-735 A.C.).

High Kingdom of Nymera

When General Ameshra Calaraster overthrew the corrupt King Halla IV Rhomaneser in 582 A.C., he was quickly crowned King of Dvin and found a dynasty that would rule for 150 years. After almost a decade on the throne, Dvin was threatened by colonists from the Magisterium of Fealand to the north and woodland monsters from the Carentan Forest to the west. King Ameshra I Calaraster and his advisors decided to join the High Kingdom of Nymera as its eighth Kingdom. With the military support and trade routes opened up by the merger Dvin flourished.

The Restoration

Due in large part to the support of the Hierophant of Tvor, in the 720's A.C., a movement began to restore the Rhomanesers to the throne of Dvin. The Calarasters had become cruel and distant, rarely interested in the welfare of the kingdom. In 735, the druids of Tvor and their followers marched on the Dvinish capital of Bassam. The royal family abandoned the capital, fleeing north to the Magisterium of Fealand. That day, Hierophant Tentassan IV crowned the half-elven Arina Rhomaneser as the new Queen of Dvin .

Government

(see Hierophant of Tvor and Hierophant Oshenda III.)
Long before the Halaanic Wars and the Dvinish independence movement, the region of Tvor had been governed by a council of archdruids led by a Hierophant. With Dvinish independence about 800 years ago, this druidic council was formalized as the Conclave of Tvor and the Hierophant became a more political office.
Tvor is divided into thirteen provinces or aroats. The word comes from the Old Sylvan irho, meaning 'home'. Each Aroat is governed by a hereditary 'Arotha', who is usually (but not always) a druid.
Each aroat has a Conclave made up of every druid in the Aroat. Every decade, each Conclave elects an archdruid to represent their Aroat in the Court of the Hierophant at Cthenra. Known as the Conclave of Tvor, these archdruids are the political and spiritual leaders of the Hierophancy.
The most important duty of the Conclave is to elect a new Hierophant when the old one dies or abdicates. Each Hierophant serves for life and must be an archdruid to be eligible for the office. While the Conclave often chooses one of their own to serve, they are not required to.
The current Hierophant - Oshenda III - is close friends and allies with two powerful figures: the Witch Queen of Astrin (in the Nymeran Kingdom of Baijan) and the Matriarch of Callan (in the Nymeran Kingdom of Baerwen). World famous for her wisdom and power, the Hierophant of Tvor is often called on to resolve political and spiritual disputes throughout the world.

The Thirteen Aroats

Aroat of Aöna Arotha: Sashena Paar, male water-genasi druid/warlock (The Genie - Marid) Capital: Town of Kvashri
Aroat of Bothra Arotha: Corissa Ashaan, female wood-elf ranger Capital: Town of Hosca. One of three towns on the border with the Grand Protectorate of Rhomaneser. Situated where the Bothran River enters the Halesian River. Hoscan rangers are very well respected, having trained patrolling the dark and dangerous Bothran Forest. Other Locations: Haunted Ruins of Mons Besica (see "Notable Places")
Aroat of Czern Arotha: Ancastor Beran, male cheetah-tabaxi bard/druid Capital: Town of Essenia. One of three towns on the border with the Grand Protectorate of Rhomaneser, Essenia is also one of the few Tvorish towns not in the forest. It is home to a small but reputable bardic college.
Aroat of Dothrein Arotha: Pesha Nahl, female tortle archdruid Capital: Town of Teneska. Teneska is a large, bustling trading port upriver from the capital at Cthenra. Most of the rivers that drain western Tvor flow to the Toltethra River, which meets the Entrin River at Teneska. The merchants of Teneska mostly process raw materials from the four nearby forests as well as the Aranacathra Mountains.
Aroat of Estregoth Arotha: Liara Tenflowers, female centaur archdruid Capital: Town of Rhenethryn Other Locations: Village of Chandaur
Aroat of Kir Arotha: Tian Sharein, female goblin druid Capital: Town of Khiroa. One of three towns on the border with the Grand Protectorate of Rhomaneser. Khiroa sits at the confluence of the Tamur and Halesian rivers.
Aroat of Magratha Arotha: Pashalla Bhrën, female werebear druid Capital: Village of Basureska Other Locations: Temple of the Fifth Sister (see "Notable Locations")
Aroat of Mani Arotha: Cassian Stonedelver, male rock gnome archdruid Capital: Hathránna Other Locations: Hidden Caverns of Barashedu (see "Notable Locations")
Aroat of Mháro Arotha: Niara Rhoston, female mammoth-loxodon archdruid Capital: Cthenra, capital of Mháro as well as the Hierophancy itself. Cthenra is Tvor's only city, with a population of about 20,000.
Aroat of Neroa Arotha: Tensen Falkenwood, male foxfolk druid Capital: Town of Amaraster
Aroat of Ohr Arotha: Fálan Rhesca, female otterfolk archdruid Capital: Town of Othrin. The town of Othrin sits on the Tamur River where the Oc River enters it. It lies close to the border with the duchy of Tamureska in the Nymeran kingdom of Vishayn. The clay found near Othrin is of particularly good quality and Othrin pottery is found throught the southern caishenic kingdoms.
Aroat of Othroska Arotha: Kessan the Spellmaker, male awakened crow druid Capital: Salmanethra. A town deep in the foothills of the Anacathra Mountains. A mining community that relies on druidic magic for much of their excavations.
Aroat of Trenier Arotha: Aranna Rosegrower, female half orc druid Capital: Town of Ethressa. A particularly old and large town, Ethressa traces its roots to a well known ausranic winter camp. Rumored to be the birthplace of the legendary archdruid Caishen.

Factions

Circle of Brea The Circle of Brea is widespread in Tvor, as they are everywhere. Most Tvorish druids are of the pragmatic, Brean tradition.
Circle of Hieronius The Circle of Hieronius is relatively small in Tvor, with a few thousand adherents mostly concentrated in the capital city of Cthenra. Despite the size of their sect, Hieronians are often found in position of leadership in the Conclave and Hierophancy.
Circle of Silentus The Circle of Silentus has a strong presence, especially in western Tvor. Several Silentan druidic sects argue for the dissolution of Tvor and a return to the political control of the Carentan Forest.
The Hierophancy The Conclave of the Druids of Tvor and the Hierophant of Tvor which the Conclave chooses are collectively known as the Hierophancy.
The Kindred Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the Kindred were an army of giants and treants fighting off an invasion of dragons from another world - one army of many. When the dragons and their humanoid armies won, the Kindred went underground and helped lead the resistance. Today the Kindred are a worldwide secret society of all kinds of people dedicated to protecting Ancathra from otherworldly incursions.
The Taltona The Taltona are specialized Dvinish units trained to monitor the western border with the Carentan Forest. Composed of warrior-druids mounted on awakened armored bears, the Taltona patrol the western forests of Tvor and the Druidic Principality of Escatonah.

Notable Locations

Haunted Ruins of Mons Besica This massive abandoned fortress dates to the Halaanic Wars a thousand years ago. Built by the armies of the Southern Covenant around a popular Tvorish sacred grove and stone circle, it was intended to defend the South against an invasion by the Empire of Halaan.
Hidden Caverns of Barashendu Legend says that deep in the Aranacathra Mountains there is an ancient sacred site dedicated to the Old God Barashendu the Righteous, trickster god of hunting anfd just war. Inside these certain cave can be found the oldest temple still in existence dedicated to the celestial white sabretooth. Long abandoned, over time the knowledge of its location was lost.
Temple of the Fifth Sister The clergy of Temsin the Fifth Sister, Queen of All Stars is purposefully decentralized. The goddess of change, death, magic, prophecy and the stars prefers temples found in remote locations. This temple (while large and important) is relatively new, having been built only thirty years ago. It is found where the Jesrean and Gholoa rivers join to form the headwaters of the Toltethra.

Forests

Bharyan Forest Bisected by the Ilman river valley - the longest occupied part of Tvor -- the Bharein Forest often feels more like a preserve than a wilderness.
Bothran Forest The Bothran Forest in the northeastern corner of Tvor is one of the most dangerous places in the Kingdom of Dvin. Rangers from the Tvorish town of Hosca have built a reputation as relentless, fearless hunters by spending generations seeking out and destroying the most dangerous monstrosities in the wood.
Falkenwood Forest The Falkenwood can be parklike forest near capital of Cthenra and the trading center of Tenressa. It can also be wild, dangerous and full of monstrosities and it is where it blends into the Bothran Forest to the northeast.
Kthrein Forest
The Nymphwood

Rivers

Entrin River The Entrin is one of two major rivers that flow south out of the Anacathra Mountains. It is large enough to transport raw materials and other cargo from the mining town of Cairciran south to the merchant houses of Tenressa and beyond.
Bothran River
Halesian River
Manishan River The Manishan is one of two major rivers that flow south out of the Anacathra Mountains along with the Entrin River. While longer than the Entrin, there are no major settlements in the Manishan Valley. However, it is large enough to transport raw materials and other cargo from the tiny hamlets along it s shores south to the merchant houses of Tenressa and beyond.
Octha River
Tamur River
Toltethra River The most important river in Tvor, the Toltethra watershed drains most of the Hierophancy. Eight Tvorish rivers join the Toltethra at some point. The Toltethra is home to many awakened fish and other intelligent aquatic species.
Ilman River The Tvorish capital city of Cthenra lies at the confluence of the Ilman River and the much larger Toltethra. The Ilman river valley has been continuously inhabited longer than most places in Tvor. Between 20 and 30 miles long, the Ilman's riverbanks become clustered with buildings as one approaches Cthenra. Farther upstream beyond the riverside mansions and estates, the river turns wild. The Ilhan's headwaters are found in the hills on the southern edge of the Bharein Forest. The Forest itself is bisected by the river.
Yano River

Other Features

Aranacathra Mountains
Essenian Plains

Structure

The Hierophancy of Tvor is divided up into thirteen territories called aroats. Each aroat has a Conclave made up of every druid in the aroat. Every decade, each Conclave elects an archdruid to represent their aroat in the Court of the Hierophant at Cthenra. Known as the Conclave of Tvor, these archdruids are the political and spiritual leaders of both their aroat and the Hierophancy as a whole.

Demography and Population

Tvor and western Dvin are the epicenter of the experiments undertaken by the legendary archdruid Caishen. Caishen unlocked the secrets of cross-breeding humanoids with awakened animals  - a secret long since lost. For this reason, relatively large numbers of all imaginable combinations of humanoids and animals are found in Tvor. Caisheni such as were-creatures, shifters, tabaxi, kenku, and other crossbreeds are commonly encountered in Tvor. 
There are two exceptions to this. One exception are the descendants of the families who fled to Tvor to escape the horros of the Halaanic Wars a thousand years ago. The other are the descendents of the families who emigrated to Tvor from the more coastal-oriented kingdoms of Nymera to the east. These peoples, while including large numbers of caisheni were made up of a majority of ausrani. Even today, being elfkin, humankin, and/or orckin in Tvor means many assume you are a 'newcomer' -- you family having only been in the Hierophancy at the most for a thousand years.

Territories

The southwestern part of the Kingdom of Dvin, which is the northwesternmost kingdom in the High Kingdom of Nymera.

Military

Nymeran military recruiters periodically visit the major Tvorish towns to enlist soldiers.

Technological Level

Arcane medieval.

Religion

Druidic traditions worshipping the Old Gods.

Foreign Relations

Tvor, in the Kingdom of Dvin is allied to all seven other constituent kingdoms of the High Kingdom of Nymera.
Because of the reputation of the Hierophant, Tvor is almost universally respected in the caishenic kingdoms of the Southern Covenant.

Priesthood

People of many faiths live in Tvor, though most priests are druids of the Old Gods. Most places have a village or regional druid they turn to for their wisdom, healing and magic. Clerics of the Old Gods are less common. Clerics of the Fey Gods are encountered, but rare. Clerics of the the Draconic or Ausranic Gods are few and far between. Only the Old Gods and occasionally a Fey God have established temples. 
All three major druidic Circles are found in Tvor: the Circle of Brea, Circle of Hieronius and Circle of Silentus are all found in large numbers in the Hierphancy. Like most places, the Circle of Brea provides the backbone of the druidic orders. Working in small territories or individual towns, Breanic druids serve as protectors and healers. They commonly ensure bountiful harvests, convince predators to ignore their flocks and assist in other ways. 
The Hierophancy of Tvor is divided up into thirteen territories called aroats. Each aroat has a Conclave made up of every druid in the aroat. Each Conclave elects an archdruid to represent their aroat in the Court of the Hierophant at Cthenra. These archdruids are both the political and spiritual leader of their aroat and serve ten year terms.

Oshenda III Barantha, beloved Hierophant of Tvor since 1123 A.C. (84 years)

Khorsa Maershan - naturalist, ranger, and operative of The Kindred.

The Ragatheren Sisters (Eliana, Niallia, and Opheria) work at the Manticore Inn and Tavern in the Tvorish capital city of Cthenra. The Manticore is a well-known hiring hall for adventurers, explorers, and salvagers.

Maps

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  Tvor (ecological boundaries)

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  Tvor (political boundaries)

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  Village of Harpentha

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  Tvor (nested maps)

Founding Date

312 A.C.

Capital

City of Cthenra

Training Level

Professional

Demonym

Tvorish

Leader

Oshenda III Barantha, Hierophant of Tvor

Head of State

Oshenda III Barantha, Hierophant of Tvor

Head of Government

Oshenda III Barantha, Hierophant of Tvor

Government System

Theocracy

Legislative Body

The Conclave of Tvor, which is composed of every archdruid in the Hierophancy.

Judicial Body

The Conclave of Tvor, which is composed of every archdruid in the Hierophancy.

Executive Body

The Hierophant of Tvor and the Conclave of Tvor.

Official State Religion

The Old Gods

Parent Organization

Kingdom of Dvin

Deities

• Adana the Watersister
• Antu, Shepherd of the Forest
• Barashendu the Righteous
• Brea, Mother of All
• Chan the Earthsister
• Eanna the Windsister
• Findra the Prophet of War
• Maeslyn the Firesister
• Temsin the Fifth Sister, Queen of All Stars
• Uluaan of the Sea
• Yamana the Huntress

Neighboring Nations

• Druidic Principality of Escatonah
• Grand Protectorate of Rhomaneser
• Kingdom of Vishayn
• Principality of Halesia
• Principality of Myaneska