Escar (ESS-car)

Of course Escar is a place of rot, how do you import the world's garbage without inheriting its stench?

Origins & History

Escar is a hard and scarred land. Wedged between two mountain ranges and the Northern Seas, it is a cold land that is said to be accursed by its own claim to fame. In the Illimyrian Dynasty, King Aeron Illimyra commissioned the building of the Prison of the Dead in Talenbai. Following the dissolution of the Estian empire, the prison became a target of control, and the plains south of the city became a blood soaked battlefield. In the end, the prison could not be breached and the Warden became the first governor of Escar after striking diplomacy with the attacking armies and Talenbai it's defacto capitol.

Industry & Trade

Trade Routes

Being surrounded by two mountain ranges, the vast majority of trade for Escar comes via the Northern Sea.

Currency

Escar uses all typical forms of currency in copper, silver and platinum. It's also very easy to barter with Escar locals for hard-to-get luxuries like wine, beer, spices and foreign foods.

Prisoners

Escar's largest and most well known import is prisoners. Escar has trade deals with nearly every country in Estia to take the worst of the worst of their offenders and Escar is paid to take the prisoners and house them indefinitely in their prison. This import ends up making up the majority of Escar's income as a nation, and allows them to fund a strong and totalitarian state run by the Warden. Escar's military is focussed on mountain forts and the countries main ports with the prevention of escape from the country. While local citizenry isn't technically disallowed from leaving the country, the idea of prisoners escaping the country is too risky to its reputation to allow. Additionally, Escar has brokered deals with its immediate neighbors to return any individuals who are found passing through the mountains into their countries illegally back to Escar.

Goatherders

The plains in Escar are rocky and don't grow many crops well. The plethora of weeds also makes raising many types of animals difficult, save for goats. While this doesn't play well for Escar's stigma worldwide, Escar makes the most of it. From goatskins to milk, cheese, horns and meat; No part of the goat goes to waste. Goatherders have also cultivated over two hundred unique breeds of goats including a handful of giant goat breeds to maximize certain products.

Herbs, poisons and potions

The rocky ground prevents the cultivation of crops, but strong, cold-hardy weeds take over which the goats can thrive on. The other benefit is that many weeds have various properties that make them ideal for various brews. Those who collect and brew the weeds into various solutions are called 'Widow Brewers' because of how common poisonings are, despite the fact that most brew potions and medicinal salves. Brewing poisons is mostly illegal in Escar, with a few licensed brewers who brew poisons for specific purposes in research or militarily or for the prison.

Mountaineers

While Escar is surrounded on two sides by mountain ranges, they are mostly absent of Escar citizenry. The mountains are mostly occupied by a handful of monastaries and as if travel over the mountains wasn't difficult enough as it is, all the major mountain passes are well fortified by Escar forts that are not forgiving to travellers. The few Escarians who break this norm are known as mountaineers, and they primarily hunt and scavenge the mountainsides for goats and hidden treasures, but they risk their life and freedom if mistaken for an escaped prisoner.

Culture

Mixing Pot

Escar is mixed pot when it comes to culture. The closer you get to Talenbai the bigger the variety of races, ethnicities and religions. While historically Escar was part of the Estian empire and still maintains many elven names and undertones, the country has become a home of the outcasts. While humans still make up the majority of the citizenry, the country is home to more Tieflings than any other country in Estia.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Talenbai

Tales of Escar

A good story is just as good as a gold coin to me.