Nuashal
This article is a collection of the information known about the land of Nuashal to the scholars of the Empire in Tolhera. As such, many parts of it are not fully known, or make conclusions from an imperial perspective.In the Material Plane, there are two large continents divided by two vast oceans. Tolhera is the central point of the world, ruled by the Empire, with Demons Devils and more descending on her to predate on her people. However, Nuashal is also a large area, that has been largely overlooked by the Empire Gods and the invaders of the material plane. Nuashal is much less dense in population and history, and has retained many of the primal elements that are native to the plane, which were exterminated in Tolhera by the First Crusade, Second Crusade and Great Hunt.-A humble Scribe
Many Giants still inhabit the continent and are not outwardly hostile to the mortals, who in turn interact with them diplomatically, unlike the exterminations perpetuated by the Empire. The same is true for Dragons, many of whom call the continent their home, having fled there from Tolhera, or originating there. Large parts of the continent are also unexplored, which has allowed nature and the primal magics of the plane to deeply take root. This is a result of the far fewer population of Mortals in Nuashal, and the lack of industry in the same scale as seen in the Empire. There are much fewer large population centers in Nuashal than in Tolhera, and those that do exist are smaller and less dense. The people that inhabit them are also less religious than the zealous folk in their sister continent, due in large part to the Gods attention being elsewhere.
Primal, wild, untamed, that is the promise of Nuashal, the land we call home. Here you will find not the large imperial structures of the people across the ocean, nor their scoured lands, walked by thousands of armoured feet, and cleared of all their mysteries long ago. In this unforgiving land, we have those that flock pointlessly under small warlords, and those that live their lives in nature, free, as we were intended to be.
Iasmalen Vorit, Archdruid
History
During the days of the Holy Crusade, many powerful dragons and giants fled Tolhera to Nuashal, from the genocidal onslaught of the Gods. There, the conflict between the two primal races died down, as they licked their wounds and regrouped. As the Holy Crusade ended, and the Gods took permanent residence in Tolhera, and shaped the Mortals to their will, the Dragons and Giants bode their time, and allowed them to exert their control over Nuashal as well, knowing that they stood no chance against the united front of the Gods. During those times, mortals expanded into Nuashal, but not in as high numbers as those in Tolhera, and without the direct help of the Gods.
Iasmalen Vorit, Archdruid
During the Schism, the giants and dragons diverted. While the giants had gotten used to their new lives, the Dragons were ready to rise up and enslave the mortals, or at least, the Chromatic Dragons did, who had grown resentful after a millennia of hiding from the Gods. The Metallic Dragons on the other hand empathised with the Mortals, who were caught in the middle of a titanic conflict once again. The leaders of each faction, Tiamat, the Dragon Queen, and Bahamut, The Platinum Dragon engaged in a fierce battle, and eventually, the Dragon Queen was victorious.
This led to the creation of the Dragonborn Empire in Nuashal, which saw the Dragons as its leaders, the Dragonborn as the population, and all other races as slaves and servants. As the Empire tried to expand, it saw fierce resistance from Giants and Metallic Dragons, as well as human Leaders and Warlords, that united their people against the Dragonborn. The Metallic Dragons could not rival their chromatic counterparts, so they took mortal forms, and walked amongst them, leading and guiding them against the dragonborn, in an undercover organization that would later be called the Metallic Order, led by Bahamut from Mount Celestia.
This expansionary conflict would be cut short however, as Tiamat, the Dragon Queen had accomplished her ulterior purpose, and using the Dragonborn Empire, had achieved Godhood for herself, with the domain of Chromatic Dragons. As an unintended result however, Bahamut, The Platinum Dragon was also granted godhood with the domain of Metallic Dragons.
Tiamat did not however consider how her newly acquired Godhood would be effected by the The Divine Seal, and as soon as she arose from her ritual, she was shunted away from the The Material Plane and into the Astral Sea. The loss of their divine and powerful leader in the moment of her triumph shattered the Dragonborn Empire, and many of the powerful Dragons that led her Army and Cities immediately broke off, forming their own kingdoms. In the end, it was the Chromatic Dragons greed and vanity that led to the downfall of their Empire.
Organizations and Structures
The once mighty Dragonborn Empire was shattered centuries ago, and what was once the beating heart of the Empire, in the north-east of Nuashal, is now just its remnants, clutching to whatever power they have left. While they are still a powerful force, and maintain their worship of Tiamat, the Dragon Queen, they are no longer a large threat to all others, and have not significantly expanded in much time, and have lost most of the territory they had when she was leading them directly. The Dragon Queen herself has had multiple homes, but currently resides in Avernus, The First Layer of the The Nine Hells. There she plans to reclaim her dominion in the Material Plane and regain the servitude of the Chromatic Dragons.Bahamut, The Platinum Dragon still guides the Metallic Order from his lair in Mount Celestia, where he has formed a friendship with Vitaria, Empire Goddess of Life. The Metallic Order itself still exists, and mainly concerns itself with trying to stop whatever schemes Tiamat is working on, as well as stopping any rampant Chromatic Dragons that are terrorising the mortals, and to a lesser extent, keeping in check any mortal warlords or kings that are especially brutal.
The Warring Kingdoms is a term used by the scholars and nobles of the Empire to describe the dozen or so kingdoms, city-states and confederations that exist in central Nuashal, and battle for dominance. In general, there are some areas which enjoy relative peace, and some that are plagued by eternal strife, but most that live there enjoy a reasonable standard of life, as long as they do not anger their local leaders. For the average person, life here is a little worse than the Empire Folk, as they do not have the population, or infrastructure needed to ensure that most villages are protected from the effects of a blight, terrible hunger, disease, etc. They do however, enjoy much greater freedoms than those who live under the watch of the Inquisition, and religions are free to rise and fall as the rulers and environment change.
The total population is much less than that of Tolhera, which is what dissuades Demons and Devils from exerting much of a presence there. There is however some corrupting influence by extraplanar beings, as well as the Gods of the Schism, and in remote and cut-off communities, there are some that still worship Osryx, Bearer of Plague and Famine or Zaberon, The Beheaded Betrayer.
The Giants that live there have formed a small community in the Molten Peaks mountains, where all species of Giant work together. This is similar to their organization structure before the Holy Crusade, though in a smaller scale. While they enjoy their isolation, they do not bear a grudge against the mortals, and are willing to trade, and conduct diplomacy with the rulers of surrounding territories.
To the South of Nuashal, in the dense and ancient forests, live the Druidic Clans. They are nomadic hunter-gatherer people that roam the forests and live off of them. They are led by Druids, people that are in tune with the magic of nature and the land, and venerate the primal magic that has grown and bloomed in these forests. Their lands are untouched by civilisation, and they have lived there for many generations, giving rise to traditionalist beliefs, and cautiousness when dealing with outsiders. Their tribes are made up of many different species living together, such as Humani, Elves, Dwarves and more.
There are many legends and tales about the lands of Nuashal, told by those that inhabit them, and the people of the far-away Empire. Ancient and deep magics have had milenia to seep into the land, and with no The Empire to clear them, there are many magical and strange creatures that live there. Some prefer to keep to themselves, but others come out of their lairs to hunt the unwary. There are a few scholars and wizards that study Planar Separation, how the magic of other planes can slowly seep into the Material Plane. For them these enchanted lands are a place of exploration and wonder. For most however, the untamed wilds are a place of cautious reverence, and some dread.
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