Umbralta
Demographics
Nested at the center of the continent of Arkanis, Umbralta was a center for trade and diplomacy. The Umbralti people were ethnically their own, although the multicultural nature of the capitol city of Umbralta, Nymaara, led to considerable diversity the likes of which was not yet seen in the other capitols at their founding.
Though each queendom was established by uniting various tribes under a singular banner, the founders of Umbralta wanted to retain their sense of independence and democracy within their country. Thus, they removed any sort of class system, opting instead for an elected Council. Most Umbraltans lived comfortable and often wealthy lives as craftspeople, merchants, holy people, and diplomats, even sending their educated people to serve in the other queendoms. Masters of trade by land, the Umbralti military acted more as a civil police and were often tradesmen themselves when not on active duty.
Magical Population
Anyone who was discovered to be blessed with Chosen shadow power was deigned a civil servant and sworn to duty to the Queen and the Umbralti Council. This was perhaps the strictest social structure imposed by the queendom and was enforced in each respective queendom as a means of balance and control. Being Voidine was seen as a divine ordainment, and each Chosen person was then trained by priestesses in the art of using the power of the Void to replenish the environment, heal the wounded, divine the future, travel far distances in an instant, turn invisible, and much more. Those who were more martially inclined (using shadow for attack and defense) were sent to the military, whereas those who were adept at shadow scrying, puppetry, teleportation, and dreamwalking were often trained as priestesses, healers, or spies. Others split into the various artistic endeavors of Court life, spreading their gifts as entertainment or peddling them in diplomacy.Government
The Umbraltan Council was an elected group of six diplomats and the Queen. The six were elected in public elections held every seven years, where each citizen of Umbralta could cast their vote.
Since each of the First Queens was blessed with profoundly long lives - outliving their peers by almost a century - Umbraltans saw their democracy as a way to check the near unlimited power of the Queen and ensure the ever-changing needs of the people were always met.
Being the first and only one of its kind, Umbralta's government was heavily scrutinized by the other queendoms. While they kept their sovereign Queen, Umbraltan diplomacy and democracy was seen to "weaken" the power of the crown and thus put a target on their backs.
Yet despite their misgivings of how Umbralta ran things, the Council acted as a mediating force for conflict between any and all of the other queendoms, stepping in to act as a "supreme court" and "neutral" party to determine compromise and fairness in legal dealings.
The Umbraltan Council
Queen of Umbralta:
sovereign ruler of the country and the only non-elected position
Master of Coin:
Responsible for managing the country's finances
Master of Masonry:
Responsible for infrastructure and weaponry
Master of Sight:
Divination priestess of the highest order, responsible for interpreting visions of future events; the only position elected solely by priestesses
Master of Peace:
Responsible for peacekeeping efforts and military organization during wartime
Master of Diplomacy:
Responsible for engaging with the other queendoms in peacekeeping and trade negotiations
Master of Plenty:
Responsible for food and water growth and distribution
Infrastructure
Umbralta's infrastructure resembled much of the other queendoms but was unique in its transportation systems. Through the power of umbrys, teleportation was made possible, allowing Umbralti to transport large goods and even people across great distances in a matter of minutes. These transportation hubs, or "void ports", were used all throughout the city, monitored and maintained by Chosen workers and their wealthy patrons; some void ports could even be used to travel to another queendom entirely (although the amount of power it would take to transport would require highly skilled - and expensive - Chosen).
The scientists of Umbralta were studying the vode crista and its smaller crystal counterparts to try and find a way of keeping the portals open indefinitely without needing a Chosen worker standing by. Unfortunately, this transportation research was lost in the Solassi conquest and fall of Nymaara, the capitol city where the research was taking place.
Ouside the city center most Umbralti settlements came in the form of small towns of wood and stone structures of varying size, ringed by cobblestone roads and rudimentary ignys lamps (an import from Aftara). Most citizens inhabited what would be considered the "middle" or "merchant" class of other queendoms, engaging in the fine arts and architecture. Thus smithys, kilns, mead and ale distilleries, and paint factories abounded in the verdant landscape of Umbralta's hills and forests.
Assets
The primary asset of Umbralta would be its knowledge. As a center for scientific and philosophical study, Umbralta stood as a bastion for the history and wisdom of all Arkanis. The university in Nymaara and the enormous Koos Library stood as bastions of learning, inspiration, and peace, open to all and second to none.
RUINED SETTLEMENT
200 - 500 years ago
Founders
Type
State
Inhabitant Demonym
Umbralti people / Umbraltans
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Comments