V'eand

V'eand is the most prominent northern range of the rathari in Aquanius. The range extends from the savanna that borders G'huis to the wetlands that mark the Ravain River Valley. The lands are more heavily forested than other rathari ranges, which has in turned changed the culture over the years. V'eand is ruled by a non-hereditary Monarchy elected by the Queen-Mothers of the most prominent families.

V'eand has not only defended their range over hundreds of years, but has expanded their wealth during that time. They have traded with the goblin tribes who inhabit the same region and expanded over time to the city-states of Theodova. They have sent their scholars to Theodovan cities and even those gifted in magic to the Irillian Collegia Arcanum.

• Capitol: Warshorn

  • Major Cities: Janton
• Official Languages(s): Ratharian

  • Regional Languages(s): Theodovan
• Official Religion: Breath and Bough

  • Minority Religions

    • The Wind
• Ethnic Minority Groups:

  • Blue Fist Tribe, 20,000, Goblin tribe
  • Marain, 8,000, Women only
• Demonym: Veasender
• Government: Monarchy
• Area: 75,000 sq. km (~29,000 sq miles)

  • Approximately size of Panama, larger than Ireland
• Territories:
• Population: 240,000

  • 80% Rathari
  • 12% Goblin
  • 7% Human
  • 1% Other
• Military:

  • 1,500 Standing Regulars
  • All able males serve four years in militia
  • All females serve two years when they reach the end of their child-bearing years
• Structures:

  • 18 Towers still active
  • 2 Towers in ruins or abandoned
• Currency:

  • Foreign only

The original settlers to this rich land came from Y'bome, the mountains where the ysh'nan still live. They settled into these lowlands not because they turned their back on The Wind, but instead to provide for a better life for their families. Life in the mountains was difficult and as the families grew they needed more resources. The several hundred years the goblins in the lowlands had fought the rathari, but several families acting together struck a deal beneficial for both.

In Y 957 AE the families faced a crisis. More humans, fleeing troubles in the north or seeking their own future began to take over sections of their range. The lowlands were more difficult to protect and the agriculture provided by the goblins meant the rathari usual tactic of retreating to their mountains would cause great hardship. Instead the women of the most prominent families elected one of their own to drive the humans out.

She was given near absolute authority to do whatever was needed to restore the sanctity of the range. Her title was the First-Among-Equals, but in all manner she ruled dictatorial power. The experiment was a success and after the crisis passed she gave up her title. Multiple attacks occurred in the decades that followed. Each time a dictator was selected to defeat this challenge to their range.

In Y 1131 the dictator refused to step down. This caused a crisis as the Elderwomen did not provide for a means to strip the power from the dictator. When the dictator was nearing death she passed her title unto her eldest daughter. With each succession their control became more steady. The rathari adapted to this new life and the Elderwomen lost power.

In Y 103 AH the dictator had become a drunken mockery of life. A group of rathari banded together and overthrew the dictator - killing her, her family, and her sycophants. These warriors reestablished the law under the religious tenants under the Breath and Bough, which had expanded in secret among the families. They worked over the years to establish a system of rule where one Monarch would speak, but there would be a check on her power.

All of the Elderwomen would be elected by the religious leaders. The Elderwomen would then elect a single female monarch who would rule the range. The Monarch would have wide authority, but it was not absolute as she could be overruled by a majority of the Elderwomen. The Monarch would select a single male consort from the religious leaders to serve as her moral authority and advisor.

Along the southern border of the range is a band of savanna that stretches northeast becoming wider as it moves southwest. The majority of the range is dense tropical rain forest. The goblins have clear cut large sections for growing crops or herding, but the majority of the land is wet with a dense canopy. The far northern region of the range is the large wetland of the Ravain River Valley.

The Ravain River Valley is a slight depression in the north-central area of the continent that extends all the way to the sea. The many rivers that run through the rain forest eventually lead them to this depression and the river that winds through it. The land itself is consistently drenched with many rivers flattening out rather than running in defined beds.

See also: Dakarian Fiefdoms, Dakar Shires

The Monarch of V'eand still wields near absolute power; although now she can be checked by the council of Elderwomen. Given that the religious leaders determine who sits on the council and the council chooses who becomes the Monarch the leaders of the Breath and Bough actually indirectly control much of the politics. The council itself engages in healthy and often head-strong political maneuvering, but among the religious leaders their efforts are amateur. The factions with in the religion would not allow a woman to serve on the council unless they are suitably controlled. Of course, once elected to the council or Monarchy it is a position for life, so each religious faction weighs heavily each selection.

The goal of all but a few Monarchs the goal of the leaders of V'eand has been to heavily negotiate trade and peace treaties. Unlike the expansionist goals of the G'uis or the isolationists of Y'bome the Veasender desire to grown in wealth and soft power. They do not seek war, but will vigorously defend their range. Should the opportunity present itself they will grow their lands, but are unlike to do that by conquest.

Blood has been spilled on both sides and peace treaties that ended wars have been torn up. In the foreseeable future there will never be a lasting piece between these ranges, but they have reaches a Cold War mentality. Each side has built larger and more defensively strong towers along the border. Several times per season raiding groups will cross the border, but never inflict enough damage to start a direct war. Each side knows how far and where to push things to get a response, but avoid outright war.

A large trading through passes through V'eand and then G'huis before ending in the lands of the Children of the Sun. It is far from the busiest trade route, but rich caravans still make the trek. It has always been in the best interests of both veasender and huis'nan to see the route is safe.

A strong working relationship has built over the years - mostly centered on defending their territory against G'huis. Most of the rathari population now worship the Breath and Bough, but the relgiious minority that follows The Wind is not persecuted and harassed. Both ranges work together to allow the free passage of religious pilgrimage to the homelands. To maintain this goodwill the leaders of V'eand have negotiated trade terms that greatly benefit Y'bome. There is not enough trade that it would disruptive to the V'eand economy, but it provides goodwill to a near isolationist society.

In addition to the two trading towns located near the western border of the range, the large trade route that passes through the range provides opportunity for both countries to seek mutual benefit. The relationship is somewhat strained by the extensive support the Sunna provide to G'huis, but recent negotiations have provided new incentives to improve this relationship. In addition to trade many rathari sign up to serve, sometimes several years, and Sunna ships. The Sunna try to hire as many magicians as they can for the command they have over the wind is near as good as the hashan over the seas.

There is not direct border between the range and Theodova, but there exists many diplomatic and economic connections. In addition to the trade route that begins in several Theodovan cities, rathari merchants purchase large quantities of steel tools that would otherwise be difficult to make. In trade the Veasender have cornered the market on several very expensive dyed wools. The materials used in these dyes are secrets with the range with most dyers having their own “special” formula. The exceptional eyesight of the rathari mean that individual batches arrive with superior quality.

During the reign of the dictators a private soldiery was created that served at their personal behest. A combination of loyalist, sycophants, and hostages made up this army. Half of them were stationed at all times to protect the dictator while the rest were broken in groups lead by a loyalist - careful never to have the hostages their their home region. These soldiers were less military and more secret police. They watched the people and themselves.

When the last dictator was overthrown the members of this secret police either killed themselves, went into hiding, or rounded up and had their wings removed. In its place a new soldiery was created. Volunteers and decently paid. Leaders rose through the ranks; although there still exists proper religious piety for the upper ranks. They can be dispatched to different parts of the range and if a serious threat arrives they serve as veteran leaders for the militia.

The grey guard are the most elite unit and solely answer to the current Monarch. Normally comprised of 56 members (5 squads of 10 led by a sergeant, plus a captain leading the unit). The Grey Guard are never divided up among the militia or other units, instead they maintain cohesion and their chain of command. At least two squads maintain a guard near the Monarch at all times, at least two guarding her person.

The V'eand have a vibrant economy. They export some of the most expensive dyes and wool in the realms, along with artistic goods. There are many woods in their range that fetch a high price in the various human markets, but rathari foresters keep control over logging. Trees are far too important a resource to let anyone cut them down. Illegal lumbering is a winging, which is when they cut off the wings and cauterize the wound.

They import some steels, fine vellum, along with quarried stone. In the case of stone they routinely hire stone masons to construct the buildings as well as acquire the stone. The sharp eyes of the rathari means there is little room to cheat them in quality or craftsmanship.

Abroad the Veasender tend to be more outgoing and adventurous that most of their cousins. Hiring on for a few years abroad, especially aboard ships, is often seen as a rite of passage into adulthood. These “ruffle flights,” as they are commonly called, bring new stories and wealth to the range.

The two largest groups inside the range are the rathari and the goblin Blue Fist tribe.

The Blue Fist Tribe is a small tribe of goblins whose territory falls completely within the boundaries of the range claimed by the rathari. The goblins were there long before rathari arrived. They fought for decades, but in time a lasting peace was formed. The rathari preferred to live in the canopy and their towers, while the goblins rarely ventured that high among the trees. The rathari help in the defense of the goblins and the goblins watch the rathari herds and work their fields.

The rathari have helped the Blue Fist on several occasions over the decades. They have not only defeated their enemies, but worked with them to drive out competitors.

Veasender speak the language of their ancestors which is unique in the world. There is a runic written part of the language but it encompasses less than half of the words of the oral language. The language is incomplete and has difficulty with new works and experiences. The Breath and Bough have refused all advances to add new words or sounds, instead the rathari have borrowed words and made them fit into their language. This pigeon-speech contains enough Theodovan or Sunna words to be slightly recognizable.

The goblins speak Fak, which is a language used by many of the tribes in Aquanius. Over the years they have added foreign words and sounds so much that nearly nothing remains of the original language.

The Breath and Bough is the official religion and sole religion among those who rule - Elderwoman or Monarch. Originally a splinter branch of The Wind it divided centuries ago and has proceeded along its own path. The Wind is still practiced and its followers are free to follow its tenets, even when they conflict with the Breathe and Bough. Each religious order considers the other to be a faction of its own that is seeking its own truth. This comradely has not always been so friendly, but it has held in most cases.

Worship other than these accepted is generally cause for social isolation, but rarely outright persecution. However, should a practioner violate any of the core tenets of the Breath and Bough or The Wind judgement will be swift and final. A person would be lucky to simply be cast out. It is more likely they will be missing parts of themselves when it happens.

The magic of the wind and earth are natural and recognized among the Veasenders. The magic of wave is tolerated, but seen as a very strange bordering on the heretical. Those other magics of man or elf be they destructive or illusive are on account of a rathari gone astray. maybe they drunk too much goblin gut rot or simple spent too much time away from family, but such things are simply seen as madness or a cautionary tale for the children.

Those practicing fire or any of the darker arts will find themselves imprisoned and killed in pretty short order.

The Veasenders are merchants, adventurers, craftsmen. Their culture is vibrant and fills the trees with color and music. A very outgoing and natural people they have many common stories of opening their doors to strangers and receiving the blessings of the wind. The evils of their past under the rule of a string of ever more depraved dictators is still sung in their songs, but these are meant to frighten and remind with the dictator always failing in the end.