Jorven

Demographics

While most linages could theoretically chart their roots to the lands in the far east, past the endless waves of sand and heat that make up the Zerathian Desert, these lands are not the womb of humanity. Mankind's history extends farther than the comparatively recent exodus of the east. So far in fact, that when the travelers crossed the desert and first set foot into the new lands of the west they found that the lands weren't as unknown as they'd thought. There were no signs of life across the continent, yet the scattered ruins and monuments painted a different picture, a picture of an ancient civilization lost to time. This history to their continent is forgotten by most within the Empire and across most of West Uros, for what importance is there in the corpse of a dead society? 

However, in Jorven these remnants of this long-forgotten society are everywhere one looks. For despite the eons that separate them, the qualifications for habitable land have nary changed. So it only follows that around some of Jorven's largest settlements and cities, modern settlers had been beaten to the punch countless centuries earlier. Given the herculean task of dismantling such structures, early settlers found another solution, learning how instead to build around, or in some cases off, the ruins while developing their architecture. Bringing forth a strange union of old and new that seemed almost impossible to pull off, yet here Jorven stands. Ancient and everlasting.

Government

Control over Jorven has shifted hands countless times over the decades, as despite the regions famed resilence those who rule over it can hardly be said to share the same constitution. While frequent shifts in power are far from uncommon in the position of the provincial lord, Jorven's most recent administration have all shared an exceptionally short tenure. Whereas the most common entry point for an aspiring house to climb up and snatch control away from the incumbent house is during the death of the house leader when the unproven nature of his successor can be easily twisted to cast doubts upon where his loyalties will lie once he gains power. In recent years Jorven seems to have all but forgotten this polite ritual of usurpation,

While things have yet to escalate to the point of direct coups, several transitions of power have occurred under the implicit threat of violence if the incumbent house refused to cede. As such, it seems to many to be little more than a matter of time before simple threats cease to be enough. This is a reality few wish to see come to pass, least of all the current provincial lord, Kenrith vus'Uthur.

It would be hard to pindown any point that this escalating trend was first set in motion, as it is likely individual grudges with the state of governance could be traced back to the very foundation of the region. However, the catalyst for recent events is almost undeniably the massacre of House Lucius on the orders of the Black-Briar. While Jorven wasn't the only province left scarred after the tyrant's rule, the merciless slaughter of their ruling house shattered an illusion. This idea that those appointed held the favor of the crown and were thus virtually untouchable, that the status of Provincial Lord of Inner and Outer Provinces were in any way equivalent. Yet whatever force kicked off the bloody state of affairs that has become the hallmark of Jorven governance, it's a simple matter of time before the powers that be have had enough of the constant turmoil within their borders and resort to something drastic.

Assets

Like most other regions, while the majority of Jorven's labor and manpower is focused on generating the resources required to sustain themselves, the existence of the Empire and the trade routes it enables allows the province to purchase what they have great difficulty producing themselves so long as they can market what goods they can effortlessly provide. For Jorven, this has always been the growth of unique medicinal vegetation and spices. The primary reason for this is the fact that the temperament and soil of the region prove all but ideal for the cultivation of most of the herbs and spices needed by the Empire. Allowing even common farmers to set aside patches of land or dig out small caves to grow specialty crops. A phenomenon that has resulted in even the simplest Jorven meal possessing a greater depth of flavor when compared to a similarly cost meal from any other province, making it a favorite for travelers and merchants crossing through the Outer Provinces.

Yet there is more to Jorven's ability to produce than simply a favorable environment. For the ideal nature of their climate was not a boon that went unnoticed by the land's ancestors. In fact, it was this climate that prompted most of the construction that Jorven built itself around. With the buildings serving as something akin to ancient greenhouses, rudimentary technology to be sure, yet not entirely lacking in merit. It was the realization of the true purpose of these ruins that prompted Jorven to look into fusing their techniques with some of the more inspired ideas of those who came before them. The process of collaborating with a long-dead civilization could only be described as endlessly frustrating, as the lack of any written language or clear instructions combined with the dilapidated state of the structures left the Jorvens with very little but the rough outlines to work with. In many cases, all that could be done was make an educated guess on the nature or operation of a structure and wait to see the results during harvest. However, in time, most of these hurdles were overcome and the art of modern Jorven farming was born.

Alternative Name(s)

The Ancient Bastion

Type

National Territory

Location under

The Outer Provinces

Owner/Ruler

King Evric vus'Byron

Owning Organization

The Empire of Bryonsworth