Abeir’s history is a mostly peaceful one since the events of the Great Calamity. It is marked by growth and a new sense of freedom of movement. Historically the humans, trolls, and giants shared the fertile lands of the Greycloak Highland and Eck River Valley; the Dwarves made their homes in the Dragons Teeth Mountains and the Ice Dale Glade beyond; the Gnomes maintained small villages within the Lurking Forest; the Halflings made a home of the plains and lowlands of Ze’nelta. The elves were the most adventurous of the species of Abeir though not by choice, their lush valley was destroyed during the Great Calamity and turned into an expansive desert. In the centuries since the Great Calamity many elves and other species have found their way back to rebuild their homelands. As Abeir aged and the events of the Great Calamity faded into myths, the inhabitants of Abeir enjoyed the prosperity of a youthful continent. The only plague on this peaceful and serene existence was the monstrous species of the Barkmire Swamp and Osheeygow Jungle. These monstrous species such as: Orcs, Goblins, Gnolls, Lizardfolk, Ogres, Bugbears, Hobgoblins, Centaurs, Cyclopes, and Yuan-ti would often launch raids on other towns burning and killing the citizens. Other than these raids most towns only other conflict was minor disputes with a neighboring city over territory or farmland. These conflicts never amount to much more than small skirmishes on the fringes of society.
The True War changed all of that.
It was the first time that any squabble had such a great effect that it spread throughout the continent. The True War started around 1289 AC and lasted for a little over a century. Historians to this day are not exactly sure what started the war. The currently accepted cause is that the monstrous species of the Barkmire Swamp and Osheeygow Jungle banded together with the people of the Scorched Valley in an attempt to conquer the fertile and arable lands of the north. The True War lasted for 100 years and was marked by shifting alliances, with years of stalemate interspersed by periods of intense battles. The True War left deep scars on the land and the people but the worst was yet to come. On 21 of Flamerule 1394 AC, the continent was devastated by a magical cataclysm known as The Omega Event. The cause of The Omega Event remains a mystery; many fear it was caused by unbridled use of magic. Scholars believed it to be the start of another Great Calamity whatever it was the fear imposed by it brought the major players in the war to the negotiating table. The three megacities, Sunhill, Corvair, and Eck-Ta’Quay along with the neutral healer towns of the Uxangard Gnomes decided to meet on the Isle of Thune. It was on this island that in the year of Spruce and Fig 1395 AC that the representatives for the megacities began to detail out what a peace treaty would look like. Upon agreement, the Abeirian Alliance, as they took to calling themselves took the treaty back to their cities for approval. It wasn’t until 4 years later that the Alliance was reconvened on the Isle of Thune and the Treaty was signed bringing the True War to a formal end.
Treaty of Thune -
The Treaty was drafted during 1395 AC after the event sof the Omega Event It was signed into accord by the Megacities in 1399 AC. The treaty divided the continent into five territories—The Merchant States of Eck-Ta’Quay, the Sunhill Principality, the Corvair Providence, the Free Consortium of Uxangard, and the Wild-Lands. After the establishment of New Suutwood in the Osheeygow Jungle a protocol to the Treaty of Thune was ratified by all members of the Iberian Alliance. The Suutwood Protocol established a sixth territory known as the Suutwood Regency in 1406 AC.
Merchant States of Eck
Capital City: Eck-Ta’Quay
Commerce center of Abeir the capital city of Eck-ta’quay is actually three cities that unwittingly grew into each other. It is said anything can be bought or sold with in the city of eck. And if it can’t be found then it doesn’t exist.
The city is the import and export hub for all of Abeir after the establishment of the 4 Roles by the Abeirian Alliance during the Treaty of Thune
Eck is also responsible for food production and supply to the rest of Abeir after most of the fields throughout the continent were destroyed and even today remain infertile except those located to the far north in the Greycloak highlands.
The merchant states are finally beginning to rebuild out around Eck after the events of the True War. Slowly reclaiming villages and towns that encompasses the areas north to the Greycloak Highlands to the northern edges of the Lurking fForest as its southern border. West to the coast and east to the dragons teeth pass. During the true war most of the civilians moved into the city of eck for protection. Those that didn’t most likely perished. Some were able to survive who continued to run small businesses within many of the abandoned towns offering supplies to soldiers and adventures as they traveled the waring lands.
Sunhill Principalities
Capital City: Sunhill
Military might of the Abeirian Alliance. The principalities role in the 4 Roles was to produce and train and provide protection for the other members. This is partly due to their long storied tradition of military academies as well as the fact that they are a Stratocracy. They also were partially the ones responsible for the True War spreading as far as it did.
Each of the other territories sends a class of soldiers yearly to be trained by the military schools of Sunhill. These classes are often in the hundreds and cover a variety of disciplines: be it magic, battle tactics, espionage, cavalry or foot soldiers, and they are even rumored to train special forces units.
They are also responsible for producing most of the armor and weaponry for the Abeirian Alliance. Though smiths can be found throughout the continent the best smiths and metal forgers known as masters of their trade will have worked for the Sunhill Principality at some point during their storied lives.
Once a great sprawling forested valley cut in half by the Scythe River. Today the Principality is a desert land full of small forts and tent cities most of the people here fled to the safety of Sunhill during the True War. The God Scar marks this land as a stark reminder of the Great Calamity. It is an open gash on at the base of the mesa atop which sits the city of Sunhill. While most openings on the continents of Rüt would open up to the Salt Rüt this one is different it instead is a black abyss. When one stares down into it a strange sense of ones own mortality consumes their soul. Many who have stared into the abyss have been lost to it mysterious depths. This territory has changed hands many times over the ages. And it has the battle scars to prove it. The Grand Duke General of The Sunhill Principality hopes that the Abeirian Alliance can prove useful in restoring the Principality to its former glory.
Free Consortium of Uxangard
Capital City: Uxangard
The Free Consortium of Uxangard is made up of the former neutral villages of the gnome healers of the Lurking Forest. Though they were not considered a megacity they were afforded the status of nationhood for the noble work they performed healing wounded and dead from all sides during the True War.
The Healing Capital of Abeir. The free consortiums role in the 4 Roles is to train medics and research and provide medicines to the people’s of the Abeirian Alliance. Though its biggest export is healers of all kinds the consortium is making a concerted effort to expand their Role within the Alliance to encompass the training of all magic users. With some success.
They have spent most of their time since the True War not attempting to rebuild what was lost but to establish new schools and academies to all sorts of healing arts. Most of the citizens of the consortium agree with the leadership board in that this is the right path to take. They know they are seen as the weakest of the alliance members with the smallest territory and have on more than one occasion felt like the big three were trying to push them out.
Mostly made up of small villages of hovels and other naturally built homes and buildings. The people of the consortium didn’t attempt to shelter during the True War. Instead they stayed in their villages and attempted to heal the wounded and sick and dying of both sides. Though a noble deed it has contributed to them being viewed by the other three members of the alliance as a weak link willing to help those that wished to destroy peace and prosperity. As a result many villages were raised during the war when it was discovered that a high ranking officer may be healing within said village. And sometimes the intel was correct.
It is here that House Jorasco along with the guidance of House Charivar were able to build a machine known as a creation forge. In these creation forges the two House of Making began to produce a new species—Warforged. At first the two house attempted to make these war forged from the soldiers that had died during the war. However these war forged were mindless drones with little control of their bodies or ability to think for themselves. The two houses alongside the healers of Uxangard eventually would come to the conclusion that the process would only work on those whose souls remained and had not yet passed on to an afterlife. T The new results were better than they could have hoped. Not only did it allow the Warforged to function efficiently but it gave them sentience and individualism as well. House Jorasco began to target soldiers of the True War who would not make a full recovery or be able to live a fulfilling life as the subjects for Project Creation.
Corvair Providence
Capital City: Corvair
The manufacturing capital of Abeir. The Corvair providence stretches west from the dragons teeth pass and is surrounded by the Ice Dale Glade a forest that houses a secret, a special wood known as Soarwood. This is one of the key materials required for the manufacture of airships. The newest invention of the factories of Corvair. If it can be made it’s made in Corvair. The providences have shared a strong alliance with the Ecktian Merchant States and were eager to be able to bring their manufacturing to the other members of the Abeirian Alliance. They have already set up production lines for the Sunhill Principalities weapons and armor production.
The True War was Least devastating to the providences due to their natural protections from the Dragons Teeth Mountains. the capital city has continued to grow up while many of the surrounding lands are occupied by small noble families and other folk who prefer to live in mostly seclusion. The capital city Corvair didn’t offer much to it surrounding providence’s before the True War but during the negotiations of the Treaty of Thune. The Lord Mechanic decided it important to provide a unified front to have more negotiating power during talks.
Regardless of the nature of the providences relationship with one another within the territory it is important to note that almost all of those that live in small towns or villages within their own providence work or visit Corvair on a weekly basis if not daily.
Corvair is a.k.a the city of towers; a.k.a Stack City has a unique and bloody history. It was originally a dwarven city, Ja’CAARAT home to the Dhakaani empire. During the Dhakaani Demisethe dwarven population was enslaved and the city destroyed by an army of elven invaders after the Great Calamity displaced them from their homes. The city was then conquered by humans arriving from the east before their leader a man named Malleon rebuilt the city with the help of the broken dwarves who had remained hidden underground after the elves destroyed the city. He renamed the city Caaravagh. A warlord from Eck named Bragger conquered the city after a long and destructive battle. He was the one who gave the city its current name of Corvair. Each factory has been built on top of the previous one with bridges spanning the tapes between the wards.
Suutwood Regency
Capital City: New Suutwood
The jungles are home to many exotic beasts but also great riches. Both of these factors make it a very dangerous place to live. The establishment of New Suutwood, in 1396 AC by the famed adventurers Mirt and Durnan set the stage for the proliferation of Suutwoodology (archeology focused solely on the ancient civilizations of the jungles of Abeir). Imp y Celyn the first of the Suutwoodologists. The colony was not formerly recognized by the Alliance until the Suutwood Protocol in 1406 AC. New Suutwood maintains a strong sense of control over who can and cannot make expeditions into the dense and dangerous jungles to the old ruins.
Little is known about this mysterious land. Adventurers will often make treks into the jungles. Most are never seen again. Those that come back often bring with them riches and rewards never before seen. Others come back with new mysteries and questions. However a good many of those that have returned have also suffered a tragic end.
An ancient civilization is rumored to have lived here many ages ago with advanced technology. It may even be home as rumors suggest to primordial magic.
New Suutwood was established as a small old west style town set in the heart of the jungle. Over the last 30 years the area has grown into a blossoming city of research and expedition. The ruins to the south have provided the city with many generous benefactors. It has embraced its role as a jumping off point for many adventurers. The city also provides a large research and museum for use by the many Suutwoodologists. If you visit you must stop in and have a drink at the oldest and most famous tavern of New Suutwood, The Closeted Quasit Saloon.
Wild-lands
Capital City: Barkmire
Not a member of the Abeirian Alliance and instigators of the True War. The Wildlands have become home to most of if not all of the monstrous races after the True War. Many who were from farther north but fought against the Alliance during the war were exiled here.
Life is extremely rough in the Wildlands. Most of the swamp is uninhabitable. Their are villages built within the trees of the marshlands with wood plank swing bridges connecting most of it.
Barkmire is a large sprawling city the spans a large swath of the swamp and acts as the capital city for the Wildlands. Or what can be considered a capital City for mostly lawless tribes of folk.
They are cut off from all benefits of the alliance and were not given a role. The treaty stated that they would be relegated to the swamp for their role in the True War until they can manage to prove themselves to the rest of Abeir.
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