Judera
Geography
Judera is bisected from north to south by the Emerald River, which is a wide and fast-flowing river, named for its unmistakable green hue caused by mineral deposits along the riverbed. Its source is in the Araumorndin range in the north of the continent, and it flows west and then south all the way to Krelp Bay. The river has two major splits: the first occurs just east of Red Hart Woods, where it flows north to Quartz Inlet and south past Starhaven until it turns abruptly west and splits once more, creating the Hebterre River, which flows south to Krelp Bay, while the Emerald continues west to Druk Bay.
In the north, Judera is dominated by the Araumorndin, the dwarvish name for the mountain range which cuts its way from west to east and splits near the middle of the continent to travel further north to the coast. The largest and most well-known mountain in this range is Splendarrmorndin, which is well known as an ancestral home for dwarves in the Jade Sea region and is the setting for a popular myth surrounding the deity Xitos and his vast treasure stores.
South of these mountains lie foothills rich in clay and metals like iron, which mark the transition to the wide, grassy expanse of the Eastern Plains. These plains are well watered by the tropical rains of the Jade Sea region, and are lush with flora and fauna. They stretch south and east to the coast, and west to the banks of the Emerald River.
The western banks of the Emerald River mark the edge of the Red Hart Woods, a vast deciduous forest. Some say one could travel from edge to edge of the woods and never see the sky, as the trees in this forest are densely packed and tangled together. Many species of wildlife live within the trees, from deer to birds to frogs and lizards. The Red Hart woods stretch northwest to the coast and end with the Western Plains to the southwest. The Western Plains are much like the Eastern Plains, albeit far smaller and with marshier ground.
To the south of the Western Plains and Red Hart Woods is the Hotort expanse, a vast tropical savannah with limited water resources. It is separated from the Eastern Plains by the floodplains of the Hebterre River, which creates fertile land perfect for farming, practically the only area of Judera which is naturally suitable for such a purpose.
The northernmost reaches of Judera are quite conspicuous, as they are covered in snow despite Judera's location in a warm climate and close to the equator. This is known as the Cold North to Juderans, and is said to be the result of a millennia-old curse. The Cold North is bisected by the northern spine of the Araumorndin, and the two regions are vastly different in appearance. The western region is known as the Frozen Wastes, an apt description for this barren stretch of frozen land. Hardly anything can grow here, excepting small plants such as the ice blossom and hardier grasses. The eastern region shows far more signs of life, containing the Carnett Forest which dominates most of the land. This is a coniferous forest, and its near-constant blanket of snow makes it impossible for many plants to sprout outside of the short growing season in late spring and early summer. It is bordered to the north by the Crystal Tundra, and to the east by Vintygg Ice Field.
There are several large bays and inlets along Judera's coast, alongside countless smaller ones. The most prominent are Krelp Bay, bordering the Hotort Expanse and the Skolian Peninsula - a long strip of land in the southeast - and Druk Bay, which is fed by the Emerald River and pushes between the Hotort Expanse to its south and the Western Plains to its north. Quartz Inlet snakes its way inland between Red Hart Forest and the foothills of the Araumorndin, creating a sheltered harbor for the nearby city of Westport, while Crystal Bay sits between Vintygg Ice Field and the Crystal Plains in the Cold North.
Countries
Before the Skolian War of Succession, Judera was divided amongst two countries: Oflij and Skolia. In the years following the war, Skolia was fractured into three countries: North Skolia, South Skolia, and Streyburg. Additionally, Splendarrmorndin in the Araumorndin claims its own sovereignty as the ancestral home of Jade Sea dwarves and a self-governing city-state.
Oflij
The country of Oflij claims the entirety of the Cold North, its borders ending in the middle of the east-west Araumorndin. It has adapted to its unnaturally cold climate and indeed seems to thrive there. It is a republic led by a legislative body and one premier, who is the head of the country. Oflij is militaristic and has played a role in many wars, including ending the Skolian War of Succession in AV 1292. Oflij has an often-disputed draft policy, which is seen as controversial by other countries, and includes the institution of a Registry of Magic Users so that it can better make use of its resources. The country's capital is the city of Kjarra, located on the edge of the Carnett Forest. Oflij has a booming timber industry, and also sells ice to other countries in the Jade Sea region, as in a hot climate ice is seen as a valuable commodity. The Frozen Wastes are considered a territory of Oflij and has liberty to govern itself so long as it complies with decisions made at the federal level.
Skolia (until AV 1292)
The kingdom of Skolia once dominated the entire remaining land of Judera. It was a monarchy which gave its rulers absolute power, and more focused on its economic prosperity than on military activity. Unfortunately, this economic prosperity only extended to the aristocracy and middle class, leaving a glaring income gap and many starving and homeless. This created many internal social problems and led to several uprisings. Its court was also rife with corruption and on several occasions the sitting monarch would die in a so-called accident and a different House would come into power. Under the rule of its last royal House, House Mossforge, however, the kingdom had slowly begun to change as its kings and queens introduced more and more progressive measures designed to close the income gap and reform the royal court. Tragically, however, the last king of Skolia, Alberich Mossforge, was killed after being thrown by a horse. He had failed to name a successor before his untimely death, and the kingdom was suddenly fractured as his children and rival Houses began to scramble for power. This ultimately led to the Skolian War of Succession, which left Skolia divided into North and South Skolia.
South Skolia
South Skolia was founded in AV 1292 at the end of the Skolian War of Succession by the daughter of Alberich Mossforge, Raina Mossforge. Unlike its mother country, South Skolia is now a democratic republic and is led by a three-branched government. Its executive branch is led by the premier, who must obtain consent from the country's elected representatives before taking action. South Skolia is comprised of the Hotort Expanse and a small, southern portion of the Eastern Plains. Its capital, Silvercross, is a coastal city at the end of the Skolian Peninsula. South Skolia depends on its agriculture and a well-to-do fishing industry for most of its production, as its borders encompass the best farmland on the continent and the Eastern Plains provide ample land for cattle, sheep, and horses. Silvercross is also a hub for trade between other cities on the inner coasts of the Jade Sea region.
North Skolia
North Skolia was also founded in AV 1292 by Alberich Mossforge's son, Dietrich Mossforge. It began as a militaristic oligarchy, headed by a circle of Dietrich's most trusted guards. North Skolia's capital was Starhaven for the first few decades of its existence, but its government had learned no lessons from the faults of the original Skolia, and grossly neglected its common people until tensions erupted into a civil war in AV 1306. This war, known as the Autumn Rebellion - or the Liberation of Skolia to today's North Skolians - resulted in the government's relocation from Starhaven to the port town of Westport, where it soon became the capital of a new, far smaller country, the kingdom of Streyburg. Present-day North Skolia has developed into a semi-direct democracy, where all its citizens have direct legislative power over its laws, while elected officials handle more day-to-day duties. Its borders currently reach south to South Skolia, and north to the Araumorndin, excepting the land on the western side of the Emerald River, where Streyburg is located. Its capital is Starhaven. Like Oflij, North Skolia enjoys a fluorishing timber industry thanks to the Red Hart Woods, as well as livestock on the Eastern Plains. It does not have many opportunities for trade with other continents, however, and only serves as a middleman for trade between the other countries of Judera.
Streyburg
The kingdom of Streyburg is the smallest and youngest of the Juderan countries at only just over three hundred years old. It is also the only remaining monarchy on the continent. After the Autumn Rebellion, the oligarchy of Dietrich Mossforge lasted only one generation. Dietrich's son, Ulrich Mossforge, removed the power of his father's old circle and created with the help of new advisors a constitution by which he and his successors - still monarchs - would be bound. This secured Ulrich's popularity as a monarch despite the historical failings of such a system, and ensured House Mossforge's succession to the present day. Streyburg has few natural resources, and its main exports are copper and clay products from the foothills of the Araumorndin. Its capital, Wesport, sits in the Quartz inlet on the western coast of Judera, and its advantageous position on the outer coast of the Jade Sea region has allowed it to dominate the shipping and trading industry between Judera and the rest of the world. It has an enormous shipyard and uses imported lumber from North Skolian and even Oflij to create masterful cargo ships that are sold to merchants across the globe.
Splendarrmorndin
Splendarrmorndin is unique in Judera as the only city-state on the entire continent. It is a city built entirely in and on a sinle mountain peak, the peak from which it gets its name. It is the ancestral home for dwarves across the Jade Sea, and is a popular destination for dwarvish pilgrimages. It is governed by a council of elders selected by the residents of the mountain. According to legend, the mountain city was founded when the deity Xitos, father of dwarves, went searching for a place to hide his vast wealth. The caves were created by Xitos's hammer as he created a maze of tunnels and caves designed to trick any would-be robbers. It is said that the treasure is guarded by a great mechanical dragon and warded by many layers of protective spells. In this legend, the dwarves were asked to guard the treasure and in return given access to the vast quantities of precious metals and gems found within the mountain. Indeed, Splendarrmorndin's main outputs and major source of wealth is precious gems, refined minerals, and all manner of metalcraft. It is a city of craftsmen and miners and thriving industry.
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