Obuzan
A part of Udynea before the empire, now known for its fanatical anti-spellster stance.
Geography
The Country of Obuzan is a region sitting centre-west on the continent of the Known World. A medium-sized realm, it is protected by a strait cutting through a cliff in the northern border and a towering mountain range covered in dense jungle foliage along much of the east. The lowlands are a mixture of rolling fields and isolated farmsteads, whereas the highlands are largely left to the wild save for a few mining villages.
Climate
Sitting squarely in the temperate zone of the continent, much of Obuzan experiences very little in terms of harsh seasons. The exception being the summer dust storms coming off the southern desert. That doesn't absolve the western-most land from coastal disasters as the winds coming off the Endless Sea are cold and often result in many a storm.
Natural Resources
After centuries of being plundered by her own people, Obuzan isn't terribly rich in many sought-after resources, save for the copper-rich deposits in the southern mountains. Whilst it may lack these rarer materials, the country is largely self-sufficient, with the climate giving them fertile land practically year-round. The jungle region is an especially prosperous place, growing not only all manner of tropical fruits and nuts with ease, but fast-growing wood and bamboo for structures.
History
From its very inception, Obuzan has been a country perpetually at war. Whilst the country itself touts as having kicked the Udynea Empire from their lands, the truth of it is that they were the invaders. The country began as a subregion in the north of Udynea, centuries before the latter became an empire. As Udynea took over lands beyond the western mountains, thronging to places rich in resources, Obuzan came up from behind and effectively cut off the invading forces from returning and setting the two lands in an endless cycle of Udynea trying to reclaim their ancestral home and Obuzan pushing back the spellster invaders.
Magic Free
Despite the land once being a part of Udynea and soaked in magical influence, Obuzan is one of the few places devoid of spellsters. Having been this way for centuries, it has produced a populace who have never witnessed any magical feats. That isn't to say the idea of magic is entirely unknown. Obuzan routinely engages in skirmishes with both the Niholian and the Udynea empires, two of the three realms with whom it shares borders. Even with their inability to combat magic directly, the small country holds its own, and is even treated with a great measure of wariness from udynean warriors. This is due to the fostering of guerilla warfare within the kingdom. A method of fighting not found in many human armies throughout the continent's known history. These battles have only led to magic being increasingly vilified by the priests of the Great Judger. Any spellster found within Obuzan's borders is to be burnt at the stake, regardless of their origin.A Devout People
In stark contrast to the bright, lively realm they had once been a part of, the people throughout Obuzan lead simple lives according to the code of their deity. This often means devoting daylight hours to everyday tasks and their evenings in prayer. With a third of the population inducted into the army and a far smaller portion in the clergy, the remainder is left to spend its energy on insuring they are able to constantly offer a steady stream of goods to either the front line or the priesthood. The inability to provide for either is considered a moral failure. Travel is rare outside of joining the army or the clergy. One large exception is in those who take pilgrimages to the north where the original temple of their deity resides. This journey is not known to be a dangerous one, save for any that must venture through any jungle regions, but rarely do any who aren't desperate or seeking to take clerical vows dare to leave the place of their birth.The Faith of Obuzan
Where many of the continent's realms have an entire pantheon as their primary focus of faith, Obuzan has a monotheistic religion that also controls the country. Their deity, known as the Great Judger, is considered a stern god who insists on duty, loyalty and piety, with the good of the country, and the clergy, above personal gains. Many work tirelessly to preserve this public image, regardless of personal feelings, as failure to do so can cast them under the priesthood's eye where the risk of being accused as a spellster grow with every infraction.
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