Marka
Marka was the Human micro-state at the west-central portion of the Astaguan continent. Its borders stretched from the western banks of the Seneng River to the eastern slopes of the Cairnbrow Mountains, all the way south to the coast of the Crossroads Ocean.
Unlike the other states of Astagua, or even the rest of the world, the humans of Marka cannot trace their history back to the dawn of the Vals'kar. Rather, their history books begin just over 300 years after the Great Sacrifice. Whether or not that history has simply been lost or if there is a magical or divine reason for their late arrival to Vals'kar is still a mystery.
When the first iteration of Highburg was built at the beginning of the 2nd Era, it was designed as an impenetrable stronghold. The unique canyons which formed on the slopes of the Cairnbrow Mountains meant attacking the city from the west was impossible, which meant the massive walls designed to keep its citizens safe needed only cover the eastern flank.
But the region was bountiful; the soil was fertile, the fauna abundant, and whatever evils the rest of the world faced didn't exist in the Seneng river valley. The population grew far faster than anticipated, and by the time the walls protecting the eastern flank of the city were complete, the city was nearly bursting at the seams; so the people of Highburg moved outward from the city to explore the rest of the continent.
At first, none of the Marka explorers attempted to cross the Seneng River due to its size and power; instead, they traveled everywhere they could within the confines of the mountains and the river. When they had mapped the region and began utilizing the most beneficial resources, they took a closer look at the Seneng and found a couple of small, well-constructed bridges spanning it. Such exceptional engineering was the work of the Gnomes of the Doma Region, across the river, which Highburg befriended quickly.
Marka's relationship with Doma was immediately amicable. The Humans shared their food, drink, and legends while the Gnomes shared their engineering expertise. Marka made several pilgrimages to and through Doma, learning what they could from the cheerful inventors and applying it to the second iteration of their city's walls. The other bit of knowledge the Gnomes shared with their new Human friends was that of their other neighbors; namely, the Halflings of Etxera northeast and the Elves of Nivasa to the northwest.
With a curiosity impossible to satiate, the Humans began branching out further and further across Astagua. Unlike each of the other races they met, they kept expanding and consuming. The bountiful reserves of Astagua would take some time to be affected by the Human presence, but it was an inevitable outcome.
Over the next couple decades, the Humans made contact with the Elves of Nivasa, the Halflings of Doma, the Goliaths of Karinga, and to a lesser degree, the Tieflings of Dhacha and Orcs of Aymaq
Marka befriended each of these city-states, sharing their culture and goods in exchange for the unique perspectives, outlooks, and skills of their cultural customers.
Until the start of the war with Vescania, Marka existed as something of a utopia. It acted as a cultural hub for the various states of the continent and its capitol, Highburg, was more welcoming of visitors than the capitols of the other nations.
At the start of the war, and throughout, Highburg was the bastion of Astaguan hope. It provided protection for displaced populations and the chance to start anew with the newfound brothers and sisters in war. Tragically, when the war came to an end, the massive influx of wounded, homeless, and poor damaged the infrastructure and society of the city. Though beautiful, it now harbors several criminal organizations.
Despite its fall from grace, Highburg still offers a lot of unique services and fascinating locations to discover. What it lacks in perfect lawfulness it more than makes up for in character and intrigue.
History of Unified Council Delegates:
758 2E - 779 2E: Koldvar Omal 779 2E - 831 2E: Ler Hawkfyre 831 2E - 856 2E: Tai Min 856 2E - Present Day: Elvric Emberbasher
Founding Date
~300 1E
Type
Geopolitical, Archduchy
Demonym
Markan
Leader
Notable Members
Related Species
Comments