Laros

Laros - the country at the westernmost tip of Meraqia known due to its essential position at the crossroads of most major trading routes as the 'cork-of-the-world.' Called Thuria, in the Larosi language, which like it's Gylarusian name 'Laros' translates to the 'Red Place,' the unique reddish clay soil of Laros presents a striking image from its lengthy coastline, to the rocky upswell of the Tarragon's Ridge mountain range that acts as a border between Laros and its neighbour, Umqher.   Called the 'birthplace of magic,' Laros is famous for its founder Eufer Lightbringer's role in ending the Thousand-Years War, and the legend that attributes his successful search for the Creator as the origin of humanity's ability to utilise Ink, an unconstricted form of magic.  

History of Laros

  The country that is now called Laros is comprised of settlements founded by a variety of cultures and peoples over the centuries. Archeological excavations suggest that the first human settlements in the country originated in around 6000 BGK, as the result of the transition from hunter-gathering to agriculture, when the climate changed from a milder savannah to a more arid desert landscape. Analysis of bones and artefacts found in Stone-Age Larosian settlements connect the peoples of Laros to the tribal people of Umqher and Yagoye, suggesting that the first Larosis were part of nomadic tribes originating from east Umqher and Yagoye who migrated to the western coast.   In approximately 1500 BGK, the arrival of Gylarusian ships along the western coast of Laros, and the establishment of Gylarusian cities marked the beginnings of the Gylarusian Empire, a huge naval empire built by the ancient civilization originating on the island of Gylarus established when Gylarus' population grew too large for the island to sustain. Lasting until around 400 BGK, Gylarusian culture and language remains hugely influential to the countries of the Toreworld, with old Gylarusian cities in Laros such as Burnomanis, Victia or Meronacovia still remaining relatively unchanged in name and architecture in the modern country.  

Geography of Laros

  Laros is a diverse country geographically, with a long coastline, home to tropical forested areas in its south, the arid deserts to its north and the mountainous regions of its north-east. Its proximity to the Midline means it sees a warm temperature most of the year round, reaching an average of 24 degrees Celsius on average. Precipitation is heavier towards the coastal areas, creating the coastal tropical forests and inland desert plains. The country was desertified by intensive agriculture during its occupation by the Gylarusian Empire, though it originally featured a more shrubland-like savanna pre-historically.  

Geology of Laros

  The part of Western Meraqia home to the country of Laros consists of bands of intrusive metamorphic and extrusive igneous rock formed by ancient lava flow extending out from the collision of the two tectonic plates Northern Meraqian plate with the Iasrumi Plate which formed the Tarragon's Ridge mountain range and the Iasrumi Archipelago respectively. Bands of pink granite, sandstone, quartzite and red seretite make up a large proportion of the landscape, which accounts for the reddish/golden tone common to Larosi architecture and masonry.  

Politics of Laros

  Since the Samstradian Invasion of Laros, the country has been ruled by a member of the Samstradian House of Vringfeuer as a front-hold for the Nei Samstradian Empire. Vasilyan III Vringfeuer became the country's first Imperator, a title taken from the ancient Gylarusian Empire by the Vringfeuers, to signify its place as the frontier state of the Nei Samstradian Empire. Since the time of the Godling Knights, Laros has been a country with a heavy magical influence on culture politics and society. When the Samstradians invaded, they brought with them a hatred and fear of magic that saw them clamp down on every magical aspect in Larosi during the Larosi Magic Purges, which saw almost a third of the population killed or displaced, with those who were not able to flee held in specially built prisons or forced to hide their magic. Due to the almost complete immersion of magic in Larosi society, the Vringfeuers eventually gave up on attempting to dismantle most of the titles and practices that were considered magic-aligned, and instead enforced the de jure practice or use of them, while removing as much influence and ideological meaning from them as possible. The governmental department the House of Illustry and the title of its leader, the Warden of Illustry is an example of this. Though it remains in name, any powers or resources it once had have been stripped. The Ritual of First Light, an important rite in the Euferist tradition that sees the Ascendant, the head of the Euferist church, usually its sovereign, and the Highpriest light a great wheel that symbolises the changing of the seasons in the country's largest church, the Temple of Saint Serevinis in Burnomanis, to mark that start of a new year is done with candles post-invasion, and not Illustry as it is traditionally done.  

Economy of Laros

  Since the time of the Gylarusian Empire, Laros has been a hub of agriculture and trade. It's position at the tip of the Meraqian continent bordering the Sky ocean meant that it soon became the meeting-place of civilizations from southern Meraqia and those of the Sky Islands, and later even Meddlemark, building it into the bustling trade hub it has been for thousands of years. The Pilgrim's Road that stretches from Azendipan all the way through the countries that border the Sea of Alfabr to Burnomanis has long been a conveyer of exotic goods, religion, knowledge and of course, the Illustrial Pilgrims that the road is named for. Often the first port reached after travelling the Long Sea, Laros has remained famous for its diverse cuisine and fashions, exotic goods and marketplaces, and vast wealth, with a reputation for producing merchants and world-class storytellers. Due to the diverse geographical landscape of the country, and its position on the coast, since Gylarusian times, Larosi agriculture has flourished, with fibre crops like wheat and barley grown along the rivers and floodplains using basin irrigation in the north, and luxury beans such as coffee and cocoa being grown in the southern rainforested areas towards the Gulf of Thiathi.  

Science and Technology of Laros

  With plenty of world class research and academics working out of historical institutions like the Burnomanis Lighthouse, for centuries the wealthy country of Laros under the Tayyad-Kharthemion Empire remained at the forefront of science and technology in Meraqia, specialising in magical and natural sciences. After the Samstradian Invasion, the country's scientific institutions were reconfigured towards a war focus, with explosive chemistry and weaponry being prioritised by the country's new government.  

Demographics of Laros

Laros is a populous country, with most of its citizens living to the west, along the coast. Made up of descendants of settlers from the Iasrum and Sky Islands, and the ancient tribes that migrated from Yagoye, Laros has a very diverse ethnic mixture, similar to that of its neighbours in Jastel and Umqher. Laros has traditionally had a rich history of magic use, which became fundamental to religion, culture and language. The magic purges had an incredibly destructive impact on all aspects of Larosi society, from national politics to the nation's cuisine. It has since incorporated many Samstradian cultural, linguistic and other features, as well as those from other Meddlemarkian cultures. Larosi is the most common language, but most citizens in trading settlements are fluent in those languages of its neighbours, with Umqherese, Iasrumi and Jastelese being common. Farunnism is the official religion of the ruling house and aristocracy, and there are Farunnese churches built in most cities, however Orthodox Euferism, which the country has followed for centuries, remains a fundamental part of common Larosi society.  

Culture of Laros

  Larosi culture is greatly influenced by the Larosi temperment - joyful and loving of leisure and luxury. Traditions such as the Ghamiyah Tea Ceremony celebrate Larosi pastries, good tea and good gossip, as well as having a sacred religious meaning - another thing fundamental in Larosi culture. Known as the 'Country of Gold,' due to the prolific use of gold leaf in Larosi art and design thanks to the large gold veins found in Larosi mines, Larosi art, fashion, and architecture tends to be like its citizens - bright, flamboyant and luxurious. Larosi music and literarure is greatly influenced by the bardic folklore tradition, brought to the country by many Wyrdsmiths along the Pilgrim's Road. Common themes include treachery or heroism, thought to be inspired by Larosi history - especially the Thousand-Years War. Larosi heroes maintain the highly praised traits in Larosi society - wit, cunning, joviality and love of a good time, while Larosi villains usually exhibit stereotypically Meddlemarkian traits, such as coldness, lack of humor, and dumb brawn.