Welcome to the official website of Thira! 🌒

Please know that this website is very much under construction!
There's plenty of unfinished articles and links that lead to nowhere. Lore might change as we continue writing.

Thira is our own fantasy world, our personal worldbuilding project.Thira is not an RPG and it isn't open.
While it's something we hold dear and are very passionate about, it's still just a hobby for us. Our activity in this might vary greatly over time.
Our plans are vague so far. We like the idea of writing a book one day, but that is a huge commitment and we want to keep this as a fun project we work on purely for enjoyment. Please feel free to explore around and follow if you are curious about this world, though!

NEWEST:

29/08/2024 Races updated
14/04/2024 World map updated
29/01/2024 New lands added
28/01/2024 Lands updated
24/01/2024 World article updated
23/01/2024 Races article updated
15/12/2023 Races article updated
10/12/2023 Growth charts added
27/11/2023 Authors page updated
21/10/2023 Magic and law added
19/10/2023 Languages added
18/10/2023 Professions added
15/10/2023 Lands of Lykon added
13/10/2023 Races added
5/10/2023 New articles added
4/10/2023 Creation of this website!

CHARACTERS

This is a list of Thirian characters thus created in an alphabetical order. Links lead to their files in Sta.sh on DeviantArt.

A

  • Adira, house of Sixten

  • Alessia, house of Sixten

  • Anella Ness, house of Sixten

B

  • Barillien, house of Virallt

  • Bleko of Stillwater

  • Boron from Kigra

  • Bonra from Kigra

C

  • ...

D

  • Damon, house of Sixten

  • Dhumas, house of Virallt

  • Dubnir of Stillwater

  • Dyrunn, house of Rouwen

E

  • Ebon from Riverside

  • Edessa, house of Sixten

F

G

  • Ghia from Helmoor

H

  • Hannes the bloodless

I

  • Imith from Myr

  • Inga from Velbrunn

J

  • ...

K

L

  • Leon from Brazen

  • Lex from Brazen

  • Liron from Mensir

  • Liron jn from Mensir

  • Lovisa, house of Valos

M

  • Magnuz from Mensir

  • Mandus the bloodless

  • Mara from Mensir

  • Marielle Neth, house of Jailes

  • Meyra

  • Miramis, house of Sixten

  • Montez

N

  • Niilo, house of Sixten

O

  • Oliwia, house of Sixten

  • Ossian, house of Sixten

  • Otulia, house of Skaldor

P

  • ...

Q

  • ...

R

  • Ragnarr from Galter

  • Rejka from Riverside

  • Rouwen, house of Sixten

S

  • Sabrine Frey, house of Gerich

  • Serena, house of Virallt

T

U

  • Ulla

  • Ulfkil, house of Sixten

V, W

  • Validi, house of Virallt

  • Vinius, house of Elandor

  • Viola, house of Elandor

  • Verner, house of Elandor

X

  • ...

Y

  • Yara from Velbrunn

Z

  • ...

STORIES

This is a list of stories in an alphabetical order. Links lead to DeviantArt.

Chapters:

One-offs:

Guides:

Comics:

LORE

Thira is a dark, icecold fantasy world of sapient were-races set in prehistory, with some nordic, religious, and horror themes.Storywise, Thira is a freezing ice world similar to Earth during the last ice age. Its vast lands are mostly wild, but there are two intelligent races which managed to tame local nature and build civilization; a canine species from Lykon, whose appearance could be compared to the common werewolf we know from our folklore, and a feline species from Sebral, a were-sabercat similar to the werewolf in its upright posture. The level of advancement in individual parts of Thira varies greatly, from primitive tribes to sophisticated settlements. The basic requirement to be considered civilized is for the society to possess and maintain its own fire, a rare and cherished commodity in these snowy lands. The most advanced settlements have a forge, and their influence reaches far beyond the borders of their own territory, creating global connections and relations.

MAGIC

Magic in Thira is considered an inseparable part of the world. In fact, it is its very foundation, described as a sort of “lawbook” of the Totality, the matter that makes all matter, the mover of worlds, the ever-changing constant. It is not spell-casting or wielding the elements, but rather manipulating the world around. True magic can only be performed by the gods, the divine deities that were born out of it. Mortals inhabit bodies made of Thira’s flesh, and are therefore bound to it, without godly abilities or knowledge of the worlds beyond. However, mortals can call to those gods for their magical skills, and some mortals are even gifted a fraction of this power. This divides magic into two main categories: passive and active.

Passive magic

Passive magic is the kind of magic mortals request from the gods, but otherwise have no control over. It is fully up to the god to accept or refuse the mortal’s pleas, and to fulfill their part of the bargain. Most common things mortals plead for are signs, guidance, insight, or divine interruption.
Passive magic further divides into 4 subcategories: ceremonial magic, ritual magic, mysticism, and divination.

Active magic

Active magic is the kind of magic where mortals do have at least some control over its properties, and exert their own effort to reach their goal. The role of the god is still great here, but the mortal is doing most of the work.
Active magic divides into 3 subcategories: natural magic, apotropaic magic, and blood magic.

Another common way to categorize magic is to separate the so-called white magic, grey magic and black magic. While white magic is used for good and usually involves healing or guidance, black magic is used for evil and selfish purposes, wreaking havoc or causing pain to others. Grey magic is neutral and mainly includes any kind of divination.

CALENDAR

Currently, Thira is in its 10th age of the 5th era.
1 day in Thira is roughly 18 hours. 1 year in Thira is roughly 914 days.


Year & Seasons

While the concept of a year does exist in Thira, the most common way to divide time is into seasons. Even when talking about years, Thirians usually use winters instead (e.g. 2 winters ago).
Thirians recognize only 2 seasons: summer and winter. When necessary, summer is further divided into early summer, midsummer, and late summer.

  • Summer and winter are distinguished by whether the ground is fully covered in snow.

  • Early summer (spring) begins when snow starts melting, grass is peaking, flowers are blooming.

  • Midsummer (summer) is the peak of the warm season, when temperatures are at their highest.

  • Late summer (autumn) begins when temperatures start dropping and the snow slowly returns.

Many coastal settlements also incorporate the ocean ice into their imaginary calendars. For Northern Andersoll, melting of the icy layer on the Melemor sea (where overland travel on the ice becomes too dangerous) marks the beginning of summer, and freezing of the sea (where sea voyages become too dangerous) marks the beginning of winter.


Months

Instead of months, they use moon phases to talk about time. 1 year has 18 full-moons, 2 small moon convergences and 1 great moon convergence.

  • New moon phase 🌑

  • First quarter phase 🌗

  • Full moon phase 🌕

  • Last quarter phase 🌓

  • 1 full-moon (or just moon) = 51 days

  • 1 half-moon = 25 days

  • 1 moon’s quarter = 13 days

  • 3 moon’s quarters = 39 days

The moon that is used for this indication of time is the two small moons Nyra and Karn. They align 2 times on the night sky throughout 1 year.
The bigger moon Yskyre indicates the time of the year, as it travels on the sky slower. It aligns with Nyra once in 914 days, marking the beginning of a new year.


Dates

The Welkez Calendar divides history into two distinct time units: eras and ages.
An era is the larger unit, consisting of thousands and even millions of years.
An age is the smaller unit, consisting of a thousand years.
Each thousand years, the calendar starts a new age from year 1. Each era also starts with its first age, just like each eon starts with its first era.Since Thirians rely on seasons rather than years, dates are being written like this:
> Summer 662 3A (where A stands for age)
Or alternatively:
> S662 3A (where S stands for summer, and W stands for winter)
For most cases, this will suffice. If a date has to be extra specific, one can write it like this:
> 49th day of the 3rd last quarter, summer 662 3A
Or alternatively:
> 49/3/S662/3A
If the date falls outside of the current Neoteric era, the age is replaced with the abbreviation of the corresponding era.

There are nations with a different kind of calendar. For example, Oghir distinguishes between dynasties depending on which family ruled over the empire at the time.

TIMELINE

There are various different calendars in each part of Thira, depending on the local history and events that molded the culture of the natives. It’s been only recently that some individuals made first attempts at a unified timeline of the entire world, based on the records collected in the Great Library of Welkez (aka the Ghalorian Athenaeum). Though not as detailed, it is considered the best historical compendium to date, and gained popularity especially among scholars and travelers. It became known mostly as the Welkez Calendar due to its origin, but is also often called the World Calendar or the Calendar of Calendars. Its importance only grew over time, and is now considered the primary format of documenting historical events.


The Welkez Timeline

The Welkez Calendar divides history into 5 distinct eras (technically 6 eras), with the last era further divided into ages. An era is fully determined by significant societal developments and world-changing events that can span many millennia, whereas an age as a smaller time unit usually ranges from 500 to 2,000 years.

Preliminary Era
Also known as the Genesis and the Dawn of Time. This era consists of the early times of the world after its creation, when it looked nothing like the Thira we know today. Full of barren wastelands, scorching wildfires and freezing blizzards, there was no place for life to take hold, let alone flourish. It is not certain how long this era lasted, and the era is usually not considered part of the calendar as it technically precedes it.

Early Era (EE)
Also known as the Root Era, First Generation, or the Era of the First Moons. The beginning of this era is marked by life’s birth. The moons brought balance to the chaotic world, allowing life to put down roots. The ancient progenitors roamed the world at this time, with one massive continent surrounded by the sea. It is estimated that this era lasted millions of years. It ended when Kar-Gouleth created his meat eating children to preserve the natural balance and established his pantheon of Huntlords to oversee this balance.

Wild Era (WE)
Also known as the Era Of The First Hunts, the Era Of The First Nations, the Era Of The First Wars, or Kar-Gouleth’s Era. This era is marked by the world being ruled by the simple order of Kar-Gouleth: the most capable survives. In Kar-Gouleth’s domain of the wilderness, anything goes. The very best of the best were then chosen by Kar-Gouleth himself, who elevated them to divine positions of his loyal Huntlords. Those Huntlords then claimed hunting grounds in Thira where they had influence, and battled between each other for more. During this era, the world changed drastically and constantly due to the wars, with some Huntlords trying to tear away their hunting grounds from the others in order to keep them safe. It is said the first races came to be formed through the children of these holy Huntlords, although many have perished in the first wars. Only the strongest lineages would prevail to see the beginning of a new era roughly 10 millennia later, marked by the end of the Crepolessean war after which the feliforms and caniforms emerged victorious.

Stone Era (SE)
Also known as the Clannish Era, Tribal Era, or the Era Of The First Songs. The children of the remaining Huntlords settle down, growing their numbers large and dabbling in simple craft and art. First complex tribes and clans start to form, while the Huntlords pull most of the remaining islands together to expand their territory. Two continents are created, today recognized as Sebral and Lykon. Both wolve and cathe start to use primitive tools and build basic shelters. The oldest dolmens and menhirs are from this time. The era lasts roughly 7 millennia, and ends with the rise of the Tymer.

  • ca. 400 – The first clans slowly start forming into tribes

  • ca. 1000 – First tribes begin to establish their influence

  • The wolve of Mhere expanded their territory that now encompasses the entire Golden Weald in central Lykon, pushing out lesser clans. The tradition of religious ceremonies being held in sacred groves takes root.

  • The Corinians settle by the stream of Ilves in the Avalon Forest, digging complex dens within the cliffs by the Avalonian Peaks.

  • The Ithirians adopt the worship of the seventh Nightlady Ith.

  • The Ourocs in Venfir start using clay.

  • The Helions begin to experiment with using stones and sticks for hunting the megafauna found in their plains.

  • The Avanians discover paint.

  • Numerous mountain clans, the names of which were long lost to time, fight over the control of the Tibherian Mountains.

  • The Dhars subjugate a large number of southern clans.

  • ca. 2200 – The Hundred Battles: wolve of Mhere clash with the southern Dhars

Red Era (RE)
Also known as the Cardinal Era, the Bloody Era, the Era Of The Red Kings, the Era Of The Tymer Domain, or the Slave Era. The construction of the Great Temple of Shyr in Meines is considered the beginning of this era, as it symbolized the consolidation of the Tibherian tribes into the unified Tymer who later found and started smelting copper. The nation would grow to dominate over most of Thira, and held their power for over 4 millennia. During the Tymer’s reign, every other feline race was enslaved and mistreated, and the canine races were mostly targeted for extermination. The tensions between the Red Kingdoms eventually destabilized the domain, which was the perfect opportunity for enslaved races to rebel. The war raged in several parts of Thira, and lasted almost 2 centuries. The fall of Meinessian and the desecration of its Great Temple of Shyr in 4164 is considered the end of the Red Era.

Neoteric Era (NE)
Also known as the New Era, the Young Era, or the Recent Era. It is the current era that is further divided into ages. Its end is yet to come.

First Age (1A)
More commonly known as the Dark Age or Clan Wars. There is very little information about this age. The violent fall of the Tymer Domain was followed by worldwide famine and decline, perpetuated by the surviving tribes now fighting to gain control in this new power vacuum. The age lasts for roughly 1,200 years and ends with the great wildfire in Venfir.

Second Age (2A)
Also known as the Age Of Crowns. After the great wildfire in Venfir that engulfed most of the land on the western side of river Tidas, the world suffered an extremely long and harsh winter. With many of the clans and tribes at the brink of extinction, some came to unite their forces and establish new territories together, choosing teamwork over rivalry. Those tribes would be the ones to pull through the world crisis, and once the climate normalized, finally started to thrive. The first new kingdoms were founded. The end of this era in Lykon is marked with the death of the last Melvarionic king in W1774, which fragmented Mel Varion into smaller territories that clashed for power. In Sebral, it is marked by the rise of Wärheim in S2100 that sought to rule over the continent and establish a new order.

Third Age (3A)
Also known as the Oghiran expansion in Lykon and Wärheimic repression in Sebral. Thira would yet again be torn by numerous wars, as the newfound kingdoms and empires expand their territories. In Lykon, it was Oghir that captured the majority of the northern and central lands. In Sebral, it was Wärheim that subdued the western coasts and pushed east. Oghir was eventually overwhelmed by the Western Coast Coalition, a loose alliance of several lands that would later form Andersoll. Wärheim was defeated by Kyrkje, a legendary warrior from the north.


LAW

Each land of Thira has its own unique laws and punishments, but many share similarities based on which we can generalize. As a rule, the law of the land is contained within it; crossing the borders means crossing to a different law system that you are subjected to. The government’s authority and power only goes as far as the territory. That does not mean each land is free to handle outsiders however they deem fit without any consequences though – this is where international relations come into play. A land that is hostile to outsiders is a land nobody will want to support or even trade with.


Crimes

Felonies
A felony is a serious crime, usually with an evil intent behind it. This includes murder, assault, rape, or any kind of grievous bodily harm. It also includes things like selling harmful substances, arson, piracy or kidnappings for example. The culprit was fully aware of their actions, and was at least partially successful. Treason also falls in this category.
In lands where trials are upheld, failing to appear in court when summoned is considered a felony in and of itself, and the culprits are charged for contempt of court.
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is less serious than a felony, and also covers accidents or passion-driven crimes. It includes battery, minor bodily harm (due to a brawl for example), bribery, larceny (theft, embezzlement, burglary, robbery), fraud, tax evasion, extortion, solicitation, vandalism or damaging of property.
Infractions
Also called violations, infractions are the least serious crimes that include minor offenses.


Punishments

For felony
The concept of a prison is nonexistent in Thira. Prisons would require a vast amount of resources to build, maintain and guard – resources that no one is willing to spend on criminals. The closest Thira has to prisons are dungeons in castles, but these are a merely prolonged death sentence as there is no food or water served, and are most commonly used as torture chambers for interrogations before execution.
The highest possible punishment in most Thirian lands is outlawry; putting the offender “out of the law”, meaning that the law no longer protects them. This is seen as a fitting penalty – if you cannot abide by the rules of society, you are no better than the beasts in the wild, and shall be therefore treated as such. Killing outlaws is considered noble and many seek to grasp this opportunity of glory for themselves, making outlawry just another form of capital punishment. For starting mercenaries, killing a dangerous outlaw is a sure way to get noticed, and to have their skills acknowledged. Somebody who is exiled is not necessarily outlawed however – these are two different punishments of different meanings and consequences.
Some lands in Thira also carry out executions, though this is surprisingly rare. Most common forms are beheading, immolation and poisoning. Some of the southern cultures in Lykon also perform a ceremonial stab in the heart.
For misdemeanor
Instead of imprisonment as a punishment for less serious crimes, the sentence of exile is usually carried out. Similarly, an exile can be either a certain period of time or indefinite based on the severity of the crime. Once the exile period is over, the offender is free to come back if they choose. There are two categories of an exile: a deportation, in which the offender loses all of their property, and a relegation, in which the offender retains their citizenship and their property, and is merely not allowed to remain on the grounds of the land for the designated period of time.
Another common way to punish misdemeanor is by large fines, forced labor, forfeiture of estate, or severe lashings. In some lands, dismemberment is also practiced, usually depending on the nature of the crime – a thief might lose a hand, for example.
For infractions
Infractions are trivial violations, and are most usually handled at the spot by paying a fine, or receiving a whipping if one is not able to pay. A continuous recurrence of the same infraction can however add up to a misdemeanor, and be treated as such.


Outlaws

In Thira’s vast untamed wilderness, bandits and outlaws came to thrive. Many form clans and groups that settle in caves or old ruins for shelter. The smaller groups usually prey on traveling merchants, while bigger groups might come together to attack and raid small settlements. Each poses a threat to the civilisation in the area.
The most common way of dealing with bandits is mercenary work – the government of the region puts a bounty on the outlaw’s head, which mercenaries and bounty hunters can claim as a reward if they bring the outlaw in. Since prisons are not a thing in Thira, there is no use for having the outlaw be brought in alive, and so the outlaw is usually decapitated upon capture, with only the head being brought in as a proof. The bounty is paid out from the government’s treasury.
The government is bound to protect and defend all settlements in its territory that pay taxes, no matter how small or important the settlement is.
Traveling merchants often pay skilled mercenaries to protect their wares from lurking bandits. High-ranking merchants and officials dealing with important matters can be even accompanied by guards or soldiers, who are appointed to the task and paid by the government itself.

RELIGION

The gods of Thira are numerous, and most Thirians are polytheistic in their worship. Omnitheism is also present. There are well over 100 documented deities, and roughly 50 of them are currently revered. Atheism as a concept doesn’t really exist here, as no one denies the existence of gods, but there are individuals who simply do not worship any. While details greatly differ from culture to culture, there are many similarities shared across the world, hinting at a singular primeval source. One can find the same gods in different pantheons under slightly different names, although there are plenty of deities that are unique to certain cultures. It is important to note that not all gods are equal; they are distinguished by the order of their creation, which also determines the extent of their powers. There are gods so high and almighty, they do not care for the lives of mortals, and so there is no incentive for mortals to worship them, outside of acknowledging their existence. However, the lower gods and demigods that were created out of Thira’s souls are bound to the world and its inhabitants. Their power and their life essence fully depends on the size of their following. The gods which have been completely forgotten are gods with no power, and therefore are considered dead.
In their worship, Thirians build temples and shrines dedicated to their gods. These temples and shrines are said to be the strongest connecting points between the mortal plane and the divine plane, bringing mortals and gods closer to each other. It also strengthens the god’s power over the mortal plane in the area, allowing mortals to rely on them and call upon them even outside of the temple or shrine. This is why many consider desecrating the enemy’s temples and shrines as an important part of every conquest, to break this bond and to establish the rule of their own gods over the land.
The planes of gods are not other worlds per se, but different “versions” of this world, although it is not clear what exactly connects them and separates them, whether it is space or time or something else entirely. What is certain is that the bodies of mortals are physically bound to Thira, and their spirit will be able to traverse the divine planes only once it leaves the body after its demise.


Syncretism

Interpretations of the creation of the world vary depending on the culture, but they do have similarities based on which one can generalize the Thirian religions. At its core, each culture tells a story of two opposing forces – fire and ice, light and dark, chaos and order, something and nothing – in the Totality, infinite space beyond the firmament. The two are often personified, though there is an unanimous understanding across cultures that they have no intrinsic form, as they transcend such a uniform concept; they are everything and nothing, existence and non-existence itself.
Some believe that the former is the first and the true state of the Totality, called Siriel – a burning sea of chaos that’s constantly flowing and changing, expanding and contracting, never staying the same. The latter, called Antheris, formed as its hungry shadow, swallowing the sea. Others believe the opposite is true; it’s Antheris, in this version known as Nepthis, who is the primordial state of being, while Siriel, in this version Anepth/Aniel/Anul, came to be from its eternal constant as a spark of chaos, growing and melting the monolithic sheets of ice that cracked around it. These two forces are the two primordial and fundamental forces that battle for dominance over the Totality, and birth everything else through their interactions. Some mixtures create water, others create air, some even create stone. The tiniest of changes can birth significantly different elements, enriching the Totality with a plethora of diversity.
This battle went on for many eternities and a fraction of a second simultaneously, as time itself was caught between them, erratic and fluid. At one point, a thought was born in this never ending struggle, and thus came the first god Tiraz (Tyr), the All-God. Time collapsed underneath its weight and started pouring in one direct line, becoming as we know it today. In some cultures, this is signified by Khrón, a twin-god of Tiraz, who started running away from him upon their birth and never stops to catch his breath. In others, it is said that Tiraz himself took the thread of time and untangled it so that he may sort his mind, forcing time to pass linearly from then on.
From Tiraz’s observations, the first order of gods was born. They saw the sea of mass around them and started interacting with it, taking a form. They are the world-builders, the divine makers, shaping their surroundings. Then, from Tiraz’s thoughts, the second order of gods was born. These gods were shaped by Tiraz’s mind, and continue to uphold their prime essences.


List of Lykonian gods

Kar-Gouleth, meaning the Great Hunter in the ancient tongue, is the old god of the hunt, the guardian of natural balance, and a thirian version of the Grim Reaper.

  • Recognized in: everywhere.

  • Depiction: a tall were-elk with carnivore teeth and red eyes, wielding a spear or a bow. Many also portray him wearing all kinds of pelts of various animals, the trophies of his fabled Wild Hunts.

  • Bestows: one of the 7 qualities of a good hunter – strength, speed, perseverance, endurance, stealth, ferocity, or ingenuity. He also turns the very best hunters into his champions that accompany him on his Wild Hunts.

  • Divine plane: the Hunter's Shelter.

Maghora, also known as Majora in the west, is the god of might and war, the father of conquest.

  • Recognized in: most of Lykon, actively worshiped in Oghir. The Sebralian equivalent of Maghora is considered to be Shyr.

  • Depiction: a large wolf with a coat as black as the night and two burning eyes, often with a dagger in his snout. Sometimes he is also portrayed as a black werewolf with two spears and a thorn crown.

  • Bestows: strength and cunning. He is also associated with health, vigor, and physical size – qualities that can be used to bring one to a position of power.

  • Divine plane: Maghora’s Hold, an inconceivably large castle full of luxuries where Maghora himself sits at the throne. Makkut’s kin believe that once they pass, they will come here to share Maghora’s comfort, though others believe they will be turned into Maghora’s slaves rather than his guests.

Ghoriol Faes is the god of destruction, upheaval and change, the lord of revolution and the father of torture.

  • Recognized in: most of Lykon, worship is forbidden in the majority of lands, and so is actively worshiped only in secret. The Sebralian equivalent is Fanghor.

  • Depiction: an angry bull on fire. Alternatively, he is depicted as a black skeleton that has a burning fire within, scorching the ground wherever he steps.

  • Bestows: N/A

  • Divine plane: the Charred Plains. A wasteland that, in some parts, is still burning. According to the legends, those Charred Plains undergo a never ending cycle of burning and flourishing.

Hil Maul, also known as Hilas Mal or Maulius, is the god of secrets and knowledge, the herald of truth and the guardian of lies, and the patron of all seers, soothsayers and oracles.

  • Recognized in: most of Lykon, actively worshiped by arcane devotees. The Sebralian equivalent is Mesbest.

  • Depiction: Often portrayed either as a spider on a cobweb with poison dripping out of its fangs, or a werewolf with two faces and eight arms, each holding a thread and a needle.

  • Bestows: Divine Sight. Only his most loyal disciples are rewarded with this gift, but at the cost of their own sight – forever bound to see only through the eyes of others.

  • Divine plane: the Undercroft. Endless halls filled with cobwebs and scrolls that contain infinite knowledge on the world and all its alternative versions, including the past, the present, and the future.

Kireth, aka Kinna or Kirethea, is the goddess of thunder and lightning, and the patron of Fallenmark.

Vearunn, aka Veyran or Feyr, the god of battle, the keeper of honor.


List of greater saints

Makkut, the son of Maghora, prince of war, and the tutelary god of Oghiran nobility.

  • Recognized in: Oghir

  • Depiction: Large black werewolf.

  • Bestows: His divine protection and guidance, as well as portion of his father's strength and health.

  • Divine plane: Maghora's Hold.


List of Sebralian gods

Shyr, also known as Shier or Sheyer, is the god of stoneworking and metallurgy, the father of mountain werecats and the patron of snow werecats.

  • Recognized in: most of Sebral.

  • Depiction:

  • Bestows:

  • Divine plane:

PROFESSIONS

~ S U S T E N A N C E ~

GROUP HUNTERS


• Hunt Leader
Huntlead, Lead of the hunt

  • They lead and officially represent the hunting group, make the final decisions both in hunts and in formal matters, recruit novices and promote to higher positions.

  • Only an older hunter with seasons of experience is usually promoted to this role.

  • Coordinates the hunts, his role in a hunt itself is a chaser.

  • Only 1 per group

• Chaser

  • They are involved in the first part of the hunt, their goal is to chase the prey in the right direction and tire it out.

  • They have to be fast and have good stamina, so they hunt without any weapons or clothing, which leaves them vulnerable to attacks from the prey. That is why the hunting groups need the strikers too.

  • Min 2 per group including the hunt leader, usually 4 or 5.

• Striker

  • Come in for the second part of the hunt. They go in for the kill with a special weapon, commonly a spear.

  • Since these werewolves carry a weapon, they are not so fast, and need chasers to slow down the prey first. They need to be strong, accurate and at least somewhat experienced with their weapon.

  • Min 1, can be up to 3 for a big or tough prey

• Hauler

  • They take care of the quarry once hunted down and bring it back to the settlement after the hunt. If the animal hunted is large, they will cut the animal at the spot, so the meat is easier to carry.

  • The number of haulers in a group depends on the animal hunted and force needed to pull it home. Some groups don’t even have haulers, as the hunters themselves can carry the meat back.

  • Usually where young apprentices start to watch and learn before getting a position involved in the hunt.

Hunting groups usually have between 5 to 10 members.
Private hunters prepare and sell what they hunt. They are Thira's butchers. Common ways of preparing meat are smoking, drying and curing. They also make sausages, hams, and soups to sell.


SOLO HUNTERS


• Falconry
Falconer, austringer

  • Specialized in getting rid of rodents that feed off of crops and food stocks, thanks to trained birds of prey.

  • Most commonly kept birds are falcons, hawks and an eagles, but also ravens.

• Hunter of predators
Stalker, prowler

  • Specialized in tracking and handling bigger predators picking off the cattle, like wild wolves or bears.

  • Usually work in well organized groups.

• Fisher
Fisherman, angler

  • Fishing techniques include hand-gathering, spearfishing, poisoning, angling and trapping.

  • Can be done on land or on ships.

• Archer

  • Hunts with a bow. Often uses poisoned arrows to bleed the prey out and then tracks it down the second day to finish the job.

  • Can be part of a hunting party.


NON-HUNTERS


• Tracker
Gamekeeper

  • Specialized in tracking game for hunts, but also oversees the state of the local wildlife and reports back to the authorities.

  • Not only can they track by the smallest of things and faintest of scents, but they can also tell a lot by it (e.g. the species, age, health, gender, if the animal is pregnant, if it's nursing etc). A good wolven tracker can track a scent that is several days old.

  • They can lead the hunting groups to the scent trail of an animal that was picked for the hunt, but don't partake in the actual hunts so as to not get injured.

  • Thanks to their mastery of scents, they often help out tracking criminals as well, and are Thira's "investigators" of crime scenes.

  • There's usually just 1 main tracker for one hunting ground (commonly it's a senior and an apprentice who's learning, since this profession takes a long time to learn properly).

• Sower

  • Farms crops and vegetables, either on his own land or on the land of the settlement.

• Cultivator

  • Cultivates their own fruits, vegetables and spices. They are usually called by whatever they are cultivating.

• Shepherd

  • Owns and takes care of their own livestock. Mostly for milk, fleece, hide and meat. Fowls are kept for eggs as well.

  • Common livestock animals are goats, sheep, chicken, ox, yak…

• Beekeeper

  • Goes out to collect honey from various bee hives to sell it for profit.

• Brewer

  • Brews and serves alcoholic drinks, most common are beer and ale.

  • Often works together with an innkeeper.

• Baker

  • Specializes in baking goods and selling them for profit.

  • Often works together with an innkeeper.

• Herbalist

  • Has knowledge on local herbs, where they grow and how they look, which parts are edible and which are poisonous, but also their use and their properties.

  • Goes out to gather herbs on their own.

  • Specializes mostly on spices, but in primitive settlements can also make simple herbal medicine (teas, balms, food supplements).


~ C O M M O N ~

HARD LABOR


• Miner

  • Mines ores in a mine, either to sell or directly for the settlement’s government.

  • A job that is fairly profitable in some regions (e.g. Heiran fully depends on exporting ores for its existence), and a slave-job in others (e.g. Oghir sends criminals to mining camps as a punishment).

• Mason
Stonecutter

  • Cuts and polishes stone for its intended purpose.

• Logger

  • Takes down trees and cuts them into logs.


ARTISAN


• Tanner

  • Tanns skins and hides to produce leather and glue.

• Currier

  • Applies techniques of dressing, finishing and colouring to a tanned hide to make it strong, flexible and waterproof

• Smith
Blacksmith

  • Treats metal by heating, hammering and forging it on an anvil.

  • Works in a forge. Can be his own, or the settlement’s main forge.

  • Smiths are highly valued throughout Thira, and a forge is a sign of a highly developed and civilized settlement.

• Jeweler

  • Smith that specializes on working with precious gemstones and makes jewelry.

• Woodworker
Carpenter

  • Works with wood. Cuts and polishes wooden planks, creates wooden furniture and wooden tools.

• Potter

  • Works with clay to make pots, bowls and other containers.

• Ropemaker

  • Specializes in making ropes.


SERVICES


• Merchant

  • Trading is their only income. Buys a variety of goods from several sources and then sells them with a surcharge.

  • Are usually restricted to operate their business only in the market, a special place in the settlement designed for them.

• Wayfaring merchant

  • A merchant traveling around Thira to buy and sell their goods in several different settlements.

  • They usually have special goods from far away to offer, and so are highly welcomed in most settlements.

  • While being a very lucrative profession, it is also very risky due to wildlife and bandits.

• Innkeeper

  • Manages their own inn.

• Coachee

  • Has their carriage pulled by animals and offers traveling long distances for profit.

  • Usually accompanied by a footman, who handles any incidents beyond the coachee’s control.

• Sailor
Seafarer

  • A broad term for anyone who travels on water.

  • Can be transporting goods or individuals for profit.

• Supplier

  • Is paid for delivering goods and materials to a settlement or an individual.

• Alchemist

  • Someone who makes complicated substances out of many things, most commonly herbs, but also other materials. Has special tools to work with.

  • Deep knowledge on how things react together and what they do in one’s body.

  • The source of the only medicine available in Thira.

  • Can also be a herbalist, but it’s not necessary. Alchemist’s work is in a laboratory, he usually buys needed herbs from merchants.

  • A wayfaring alchemist travels to gather his materials himself, and offers his services around all settlements on his way for the time he’s resting there.

• Scribe
Scrivener

  • Since it’s not so common to be literate in Thira, scribes are needed for writing things down as well as to read them.

• Courier

  • Delivers documents, usually letters that have no higher classification.


SPECIAL


• Coinsmith

  • Specialized occupation for nations using coins as their currency.

• Firekeeper
Coallier

  • Someone who’s only job is to keep the fire in a settlement alive. They tend the fire in firepits by adding in more wood or coal, and are trained to ignite it again if the fire dies out.

• Mercenary
Bounty hunter

  • A private soldier or a guard who’s being paid for his work by a private person. They answer to no higher authority, and they work only for money. They can be, however, contracted by the government if needed.

• Bounty hunter

  • A special kind of a mercenary, focuses on hunting down criminals and lives off of the coin they make from the bounties.


ART


• Painter

• Sculptor

• Clothier

• Bard


OTHER OCCUPATIONS


• Apprentice, novice

  • Is learning a skill from their master.

  • Tenderpaw = hunter novice

  • Softnose = tracker novice

• Journeyman

  • Learned a trade and works for their master, helping in their workshop and selling their finished pieces as well as taking orders.

• Master

  • Learned a trade and works in their own name, might take on apprentices.

• Guildmaster

  • Leads a guild.

• Student

  • Is learning theory from their teacher.

  • Mostly religious or official (e.g. scribes).

• Erudite

  • A well educated individual with great knowledge in a particular field.

  • Often make a living out of teaching.

• Recruit

  • Is a beginning soldier or a guard, learning fighting tactics and weapons depending on which position they aim for.

• Rogue, vagrant, wanderer

  • Basically a non-citizen, a traveler without a home or a job.


~ A D M I N I S T R A T I O N ~

GOVERNMENT


Each nation has its own system.
For aristocratic nations, the hierarchy usually looks as such:

  • Emperor, High jarl

  • King, jarl, grand duke, grand prince

  • Duke, prince, landgrave, count

  • Lord, baron, thane

Other common titles include:

  • Chieftain

  • Elder

  • Overlord

Some nations are governed by a council rather than one or two individuals. In that case, titles include:

  • Chancellor

  • Council member

  • Senator


OFFICIAL


• Notary

  • A scribe working for the authorities, has certain privileges in his work.

• Envoy
Herald

  • A messenger bearing important and classified information, usually from a leader of a settlement to another leader of another settlement.

• Delegate

  • Sent as a representative of the authority for important meetings.


~ M I L I T A R Y ~

WATCH


• Guard

  • Watching over the settlement, keeping peace within and enforcing the law. In case of an invasion, the guards are bound to defend and protect the settlement.

  • They guard in an assigned sector or a district, and answer to their captain.

  • Escort is a guard watching over someone’s well being while outside of their home territory. Is paid by the officials (for diplomats etc).

• Patrol

  • Watching over the entire territory, outside of the settlement itself.

  • They patrol in an assigned sector, region, or a county, and answer to their commandant.

• Border patrol

  • Watching over the borders of the territory.

  • They answer to their commandant.

• Sentry

  • Standing and keeping guard at one specific place, mainly the entrances to the settlement, the market, and residences of importance.

  • They answer to their captain.

• Commander
Watch captain, patrol commandant

  • The leading position of the watch in a given part of the settlement, commanding guards and scheduling shifts, recruiting newcomers and passing on information higher.

  • Watch captain commands over one assigned fireside, patrol commandant commands over one assigned sector, region, district or a county. Answers to their high commander.

• Deputy

  • Second in command after the high commander.

• High commander

  • The highest rank in the watch, representing it officially, makes sure the settlement is safe and the watch in order, has the last word in internal things. Deals and talks with the authorities.

  • Is promoted directly by the settlement’s leader.

• Warden

  • Oversees a dungeon, applies torture if need be.


ARMY


Military units:

From the smallest to the biggest.

• Cohort

  • 10 to 25 troops

• Company

  • 2 to 7 cohorts, 20 to 200 troops

• Unit

  • 10 to 20 cohorts, 100 to 500 troops

• Division

  • 100 to 400 cohorts, 1000 to 10000 troops


Ranks:

From lowest to the highest.

• Recruit

• Chief

• Second commander

• First commander, major commander

• Divisional general

• Commander general

• General of the army


Special:

• Scout

  • Goes out alone to map the terrain or gather information on the enemy forces.

• Navigator

  • Navigates the army to its destination, helps choosing the best routes and terrain.

• Messenger
Runner

  • Delivers messages between the government and the army on the field.

• Squire

  • A servant of a high ranking military officer. Helps them in armor if they have any, carries their weapons and shields.

  • Carries a flag.

• Firebringer

  • A soldier wielding fire as their weapon.

  • This form of warfare is widely frowned upon today, due to the extent of damages and the fact that the fire, once spread, is uncontrollable.


~ R E L I G I O N ~

COMMON


• Seeker

  • Any newcomer to a temple or an order.

• Spiritual erudite

  • An individual with great knowledge on the gods.

• Templar

  • Anybody who works and/or lives in a temple.

  • Takes care of those who need it. The elderly, sick and injured, all who reside in the temple to heal.

• Custodian

  • Preserves and passes on the knowledge kept within the temple, guides seekers and teaches pups.

  • Takes care of the temple and maintains its fire.

• Cleric

  • The leader of a temple or an order, usually also educated in the arcane arts.

• Elder
Grandsire

  • A status of an older individual who already spent their years learning and teaching, has plenty of experience. They’re roughly around 60 seasons old when they gain this status, but they can also be younger.

  • The elder is the highest rank within a temple, and they usually have a judicial power, if said power isn’t entirely held by the leader. In some parts of Thira, they even rule over the settlements (The White North, Kyrellion). In those cases, they are called the Elder College.


ARCANE


• Sage

  • An individual with great amount of knowledge about the gods and anything divine.

  • Can read signs and interpret omens.

  • Is often also a healer, and uses medicinal herbs and spiritual rituals to heal sickness.

• Clairvoyant

  • Those who managed to "clear their mind" through meditation, and feel things that are beyond the comprehension of a mortal.

  • They see past anything superficial, right through to the core. Thanks to this ability, they can easily tell if one is lying or telling the truth.

  • They can feel emotions from others, and can even feel remnants of these emotions left in a place from ages ago. For that reason, this profession is often very tough on the individual's mental health.

  • Most clairvoyants work as a Thirian version of a therapist. They offer guidance and clearance to those who seek it, and are usually found in a temple. Others help in court trials, and work for the government directly.

  • They are not capable of telepathy, nor can they read one's thoughts in detail, although some claim to have such powers.

  • One can become clairvoyant without divine help, but it is hard work.

• Mystic

  • Those who can clear their mind and establish a connection to oneself, or even a god in rare occasions, through hallucinogenic substances. This is called a trance.

  • They can surpass the years of training and meditation with the help of special substances called elixirs, but that also greatly limits the extent and time of their connection.

  • It is said the elixirs take out the "raw", the "real", and the mystic then analyses the meanings.

  • The best mystics are even capable of establishing a connection to a god, manifesting itself as the god speaking through them as a vessel.

• Oneirocritic

  • Those who practice oneirocriticism, the interpretation of dreams.

  • Master oneirocritics can also influence the dreams of others and even visit them.

  • They operate underneath the influence of the Night Lords.

• Seer

  • Those who can predict the near future thanks to their inner attunement to the divine and the world around them.

• Soothsayer

  • Those who can interpret the near future through various practices, such as scapulimancy or pyromancy.

• Oracle

  • Those who can establish a connection with the divine and seek their advice or guidance.

  • Thanks to their closeness with the divine, an oracle is also capable of giving blessings.

• Prophet

  • Those who can predict world-changing events in the distant future.

LANGUAGES

Thira is a huge world full of different nations that naturally speak different languages. However, since all languages came from the same precursor, one can usually still communicate with their close neighbours without issues despite the notable differences. The further one goes, the less they will understand. Language and dialect are the easiest way to tell one's true origins, as it is impossible to learn a language of another nation without spending an extensive amount of time within its lands. There are some individuals who are willing to teach a language, but they are extremely hard to find and their service is remarkably expensive, making this a matter of kings and governments who find great value in knowing their enemy's tongue.


Ancient althirish

Ancient althirish is the present-day name of the first language spoken by mortals, and the foundation of every Thirian language today. It is also called the ancient tongue or Lai's tongue, for it was the god Lai who allegedly gave up his own tongue to gift mortals the divine ability of speech. As the mortals simplified the language through time, each nation eventually developed its own unique version of it, resulting in current diverse variations. However, the original form of the language got preserved in religious scripts, and is still used today for any formal documents. It is the god’s divine language after all, and thus seen as the purest form of speech, best to convey meaning and to describe complicated concepts. There are few nations that have their own so-called demotic writing system based on their colloquial language, but even there, the demotic form is considered inferior and secondary to ancient althirish. Knowledge of this language is often expected in high-ranking positions, and is indispensable to scribes.

RACES

There are two sapient species in Thira:

While they share a common ancestor, the two species have evolved separately through the course of history: wolve in Lykon, and cathe in Sebral. They've grown to be so genetically different from each other over time, they are not able to produce offspring together anymore. However, there still remains a fair amount of resemblance between them, both in body and mind – it is not only possible, but even normal for a canine and a feline to find each other attractive. Interspecies relationships are surprisingly common, and so couples consisting of a werewolf and a werecat are not so rare to see in areas where the two species coexist. Of course, the pair will never be able to conceive any children together, and those that wish to raise children either adopt, or get help from a donor. Unfortunately, just because those mixed relationships are not so strange in certain parts doesn't mean they are accepted in others. Some parts of Thira see this as an abnormality, and the couples there face contempt at best, exile at worst.Given that both species are carnivorous, majority of their diet still consists of meat. Hunting and husbandry are the basic pillars of Thirian society, and a good hunting ground is often a deciding factor of whether or not a new settlement can grow in the area. Many settlements also rely on fishing, mainly in the northern and coastal territories. No matter the animal, werewolves and werecats are not picky eaters – meat is kept for proper meals, organs are considered a delicacy, and bones are eaten as a snack. Other than that, they enjoy all sorts of berries, vegetables and fruits that complete their meaty diet.
Ever since the fire has been tamed, civilized settlements started to tackle the complexity of processing food; cooking and baking intricate meals, smoking and curing meat for longer shelf-life, churning cream into butter, curdling milk into cheese, and even brewing beer or fermenting wines. Spices especially are a highly valued resource, and fruity alcohol drinks an expensive luxury.
Clothing in Thira is uncommon for many reasons. Since the werefolk grow a furry coat that naturally acclimatizes to its surroundings and serves as both protection and insulation, there was never an environmental push for Thirians to dress. Because of this, the concept of nudity never developed, and the idea of a bare body being shameful is noticeably absent in Thirian societies. An outfit also impedes one's movement, making it unpractical in daily life and most professions. Lastly, the necessary materials for textile are hard to come by and the manufacturing process is laborious, which drives the prices of dresses way above what a commoner could afford. As such, clothing is reserved for special occasions and high ranking individuals whose work does not require flexibility.

THE WOLVE

Races

Thirian werewolves (alternatively the wolve, adj. wolven) are huge beasts of strength unmatched within the canine family. The only bigger and scarier predator in Thira is the werecat and the bear, but even here the werewolves often have the upper paw thanks to their swiftness, stamina, and unprecedented teamwork. A single werewolf is dangerous, but a whole pack is deadly. For fighting, they developed long arms with thick claws that can tear flesh apart, and strong jaws with teeth that can easily crush bones. Even civilized werewolves prefer their natural weapons over the metal ones in many cases. The main disadvantage of carrying metal tools is hindered movement – a werewolf is far more efficient when able to shift between upright and all-four posture freely at any time, especially since their speed is their main advantage over other large predators. Another thing that would make this difficult is clothing, something werewolves do not need due to their thick furry coats, and so the concept of clothes was never invented in Thira. On the first look, you wouldn't be able to tell a wild and civilized werewolf apart, unless the civilized one wears metal adornments.
As explained on the visual sheet, thirian werewolves have several different subspecies that vary by size, color and coat. However, these differences are relatively minor, and all wolven races of Thira fit the same picture except for the race of Varden, one that cannot stand upright. All other races are fully capable of walking on two legs and use their front paws as hands, though they tend to support themselves on their front paws a lot while moving, and always go down on all four when breaking to a run. That's also why it's still common for civilized werewolves to use their mouths when holding objects, as a feral animal would do. Hygiene aside, werewolves use their mouth and their paws for most things, including fighting, working and eating. Tools are saved for special occassions in which they're necessary to acquire the desired result.

Habitat and diet

Werewolves, much like their feral counterpart, are facultative carnivores, meaning that while they mostly rely on meat consumption, they also supplement their diet with plants, fruits, and vegetables for necessary nutrients and vitamins. Since the werewolf usually preys on large hoofed animals, most werewolf species occupy lowland regions and open plains that fit their hunting methods. Some of the common animals the werewolf feeds on are elk, deer, wild boar, moose and bison.
Werewolves are pursuit predators, so they rely on stamina and endurance in a hunt. They actively trace their prey, and once found, they chase it in order to tire it out. Hunts can go on for days as the hunting group tracks the game across the land, which is why plains and lowlands suit them best. For this reason, the werewolf developed an especially strong sense of smell, and is able to track a scent that is several weeks old. Their eyesight is surprisingly poor, and so they fully rely on their sensitive noses and ears. Smaller animals like hare or fowl are also on their diet. However, these animals are usually not worth to hunt due to how little nutrition they offer in return, and are rather kept and bred as livestock, making them a cherished delicacy among the Thirians. Many also grow crops and cultivate fruits.

Birth and upbringing

Females are monestrous, and the gestation period lasts roughly 3 full moons. The average litter for a young mother is 1 or 2 pups, for an older mother up to 5. The pups are born blind and deaf, and their coats will always be in shades of grey for better camouflage. They fully rely on their parents for warmth, food and protection in the first days. They begin to see after 30 to 35 days and grow quickly from there. Their milk canines start erupting 20 to 35 days later, which is also the time their mother will start weaning them off milk and encourage the transition to solid food. 2 full moons old pups can already walk on all four and explore their surroundings, albeit their balance is still unstable. Their true coat colors and markings start to come in. At 5 full moons of age, they can already run and jump with relative ease, and start play-fighting with their siblings and parents. Around 1 season, the pups already mumble their first words, and at around 2 to 3 seasons, the pups should be able to understand and answer simple sentences. Pups usually don't try to stand up on two feet until their 5th season, and rather focus on mastering movement on all four. When reaching 10 seasons of age, they are fully capable of conversing, walking upright and using tools with their hands. Sexual maturity is usually reached in about 14 seasons, and adulthood in 20 seasons – however, this is highly individual.
The usual age at which a werewolf commits to a mate varies greatly, but is at least above 22 seasons old. Young adults usually stay with their parents and help nurturing younger siblings, in order to learn how to care for their own pups in the future. Wild or civilized, most werewolves are monogamous just like feral wolves, and once committed, the pair stays together for life. As the wolven society developed, these pairs do not have to leave their families to find their own territory anymore, and rather just find their own home in the same settlement. Some individuals never show any interest in having children or even a partner, however this is frowned upon by the society, and those who refuse to marry or reproduce are often ostracized.
Wolven societies are heavily collectivistic and family-oriented, and view independence as a weakness. For werewolves, their pack is everything.

POLAR WEREWOLF

Other names: White-Northern Werewolf, White-Northerner (Lykon), Whitemane (Sebral, later adopted in Lykon)
Species: thirian werewolf
Average height: 230-240cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: the White North
The true children of the White North, the land of never-melting snow and ice, have stayed true to their roots and never moved out of their home ever since their presumed creation. They learned the ways of their remorseless homeland and to this day rely fully on hunting and fishing, just as their ancestors. With food being the most precious resource in the harsh conditions, many of the white-northern tribes constantly move after their prey. Some tribes managed to partially tame reindeer herds that they shepherd, and have a designated path that they travel each cycle to keep their herds well fed. Others settled at the coasts and live off of fishing only, traveling inland to trade said fish for meat and hides from the hunter tribes.

Lore bits:

  • The giants among the canines, polar werewolves can be as tall as a sabercat, up to almost 240cm.

  • Out of all wolven races, the Whitemanes are the least colorful; every polar werewolf has a pure white coat with dark eyes and dark skin. The slightest deviation from the norm proves a mixed bloodline.

  • They have extra fluffy and wide pawpads to help traverse snow.

  • The white-northern tribes, despite leading primitive lives, are known to be very friendly and hospitable, going out of their way to help out strangers.

  • Fishing is the only source of food for many in the White North, and the white-northern tribes the Andersollian colonists met have been known to trade in "fish". This led to polar werewolves being stereotyped as the simple but kind fishermen (and most do, indeed, fit this stereotype).

  • For their primitive lifestyle, they are often considered slow-witted. However, they are not any less intelligent than any other race.

WESTERN HIGHLAND WEREWOLF

Other names: Corinian Werewolf, Goldmane (Sebral, later adopted in Lykon)
Species: thirian werewolf
Average height: 210-220cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Tharron, Northern Andersoll & colonies in the White North
First western highland werewolves lived on the shores of northwestern Lykon, a land they called Corrion. During the Red Era, most of these werewolves were pushed out from their homeland by new intruders coming from the west; Gilimundians, a clan of snow werecats. Those who stayed or returned to Corrion eventually learned to coexist with the werecats, and later formed first mixed communities of both species working together. The biggest tribe of Tharrs fled east to the Elden Forest instead, where they settled and built a new home in a territory they named Tharron – land of Tharrs. However, to keep this territory, they had to fight off the Ithirs, a clan of eastern highland werewolves that claimed the Elden Forest earlier. The Tharrs managed to conquer most of the land and remain in power to this day, turning Tharron into one of the most progressive civilizations in Lykon.

Lore bits:

  • Their nickname, Goldmane, is based not only on the bright colors of their coats, but also their mercantile history. In fact, there are rumors that the vast amounts of glittering gold they amassed during their history imprinted on their coats.

  • Their fur is long but not as thick as that of a polar werewolf.

  • Much like the Motley, the Goldmanes shed during the early and late summer. Some might even have different coat colors for each season.

  • Those who live in northern Andersoll with Tibherian werecats have learned to braid their neck fur.

EASTERN HIGHLAND WEREWOLF

Other names: Ashen Werewolf, Graymane (Sebral, later adopted in Lykon)
Species: thirian werewolf
Average height: 210-220cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Ithiron, Oghir, Yira, Ashmore, Heiran
On the eastern side of the Great Berfalls, a population of hardy werewolves came to thrive in the harsh northern conditions of the Elden Forest. Those werewolves, although not as tall, are just as burly as their cousins of the White North. They were pushed out of their homeland by the Tharrs from the west, and the remaining societies are fragmented over Lykon today. Most known are the Graymanes of Ithiron, who are fully devoted to their goddess Ith and infamous for their dislike of outsiders. The others fleed further east, and are settled on the eastern coasts by the Wolderian Sea. Many also found their new home in the territory of Oghir, especially in the outer region of Ormes. Lastly, a small clan of eastern highland werewolves moved south to the Kyshtyr Mountains, where they rule to this day from the seat of Silverkeep. All of the werewolves who did not join their kin in Ithiron are said to be forsaken by Ith, and so do not venerate her.

Lore bits:

  • The Graymanes share a lot of traits with the Whitemanes, the polar werewolves.

  • Seeing an eastern highland werewolf out of its homeland is incredibly rare, as these werewolves tend to be reserved and their communities isolated.

  • Thanks to the reputation of the Ithirs, all Graymanes are considered religious fanatics with extreme worldviews.

COMMON WEREWOLF

Other names: Midlander (Lykon), Motley (Sebral), Medley (Sebral)
Species: thirian werewolf
Average height: 190-200cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Southern Andersoll, Roam, Aghalia, Kroll, Jeramell, Thyel, Lindor, Wermoss, Volungard, Shpenn, Pellore, Waleria, Verkroth, Ninis, Yarlov
Some say this race is the predecessor of all the other werewolves in Thira. Others believe the opposite - that this race is the melting pot of all other races in Lykon. For sure, it is this race that largely dominates Lykon today thanks to its adaptability and versatility, although it steers clear of the colder regions.

Lore bits:

  • The midland werewolf is the most colorful of all canines, with barely any limitations to the colors and markings on their coats.

  • They are known to shed a lot during early summer, so much so that many completely change the appearance of their fur.

BLACK-MOUNT WEREWOLF

Other names: Black Werewolf, Imperial (Lykon), Darkmane (Sebral, later adopted in Lykon)
Species: thirian werewolf
Average height: 165-175cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Oghir, Gmav, Menes, Tallos
The black-mount werewolf has always dominated over the swampy lands in northeast of Lykon. The local tribes used to be very secluded, which led to the culture being very withdrawn and distrustful of outsiders. Despite that, the tribes were peaceful and posed no threat to their neighbors, as they lived their primitive nomadic lives within the plains. That changed when Makkut, still a youngling at the time, took over the Hrezish tribe in the east and vowed to bring a better life to his people. His ambition was to rule over the world – ambition that no other leader before him shared, yet his charm and determination convinced the tribe to believe in his cause. Makkut has led numerous conquests during his reign; he subdued and united all black-mount werewolf tribes underneath his rule, creating the first Empire of Oghir. As its emperor, he brought great prosperity to the land, and made sure his genius and might will continue to do so – one of the laws Makkut made during his reign created a division between the common folk and his descendants, who share his divine blood and are therefore fit to rule. Thus, the idea of nobility was born. His great-great-grandson, Kazan, led the highly trained army of Oghir to take over neighboring territories, and towards the end of his life, controlled almost half of Lykon. After his death, the Empire crumbled, with only the original Oghir remaining intact. However, all of Makkut's descendants inherited his hunger for power, and while that brought many bloodsheds between the royal families, it also brought new ambitious emperors who continued to try and conquer their lost territories. Some more successful than others.

Lore bits:

  • Black-mount werewolf is the smallest canine race, reaching only 205cm at most.

  • The ancestors of black-mount werewolves used to be solid black, but eventually mixed with other races during Makkut's reign, leading to more variety in colors and markings that we see today.

  • The culture of Oghir puts a huge emphasis on bloodlines, and believes in "natural order", with royal-born werewolves being at the very top, commoners being in the middle, and outsiders being at the very bottom.

  • While there's a considerable amount of imperials who truly uphold and believe in this mindset, many common imperials despise the aristocracy, and some have fled the territory to find a better life elsewhere. Those individuals are viewed as traitors, and face capital punishment if captured.

  • Due to their history, black-mount werewolves have a bad reputation outside of their homeland, and individuals are often met with scorn.

VARDIAN WEREWOLF

Other names: Vards, Vardenians, beasts of Vardenvar
Species: thirian werewolf
Average height: 130-140cm at the withers
Average lifespan: 60 seasons (90 seasons top)
Territories: Vardenvar
As the only feral race of its upright standing family, many myths and stories surround the strange Vardian werewolf. Other nations tend to view them as savage beasts, cursed by their equally savage gods to forever live their lives as simple animals – a belief supported by the fact that Vardian werewolves truly embrace their wild side, and that Varden is a war torn land, with several different clans constantly fighting for territory and dominance. For the Vardenians themselves, however, this is nothing bad. They feel exceptionally connected to the wilderness and accept its brutality as part of life, a path of their gods that they willingly follow. They can struggle with speech and tend to only speak in simple child-like sentences, further denoting a lower intelligence, although those who truly got to know them fiercly deny this notion. Some even speak in third person.

Lore bits:

  • There are many of those who do not accept the life of their kin, and flee Varden in hopes of finding a better place. Some Vards even join feral wolf packs, to spend their life in peace and quiet.

  • While most Lykonians view Vards as savages, many also see opportunity in this perceived lack of intellect, and seek to take advantage of them. Many Vards who left their homeland live in poor conditions due to these prejudices.

  • In the more progressive socities of Lykon, Vards make great scouts, as they easily blend in the wilderness among their truly feral cousins.

THE CATHE

Races

The thirian werecats (alternatively the cathe, adj. cathean) are large, robustly built predators with exceptionally strong forelimbs and long upper fangs that protrude from the mouth. Although they are related to other feral species of the machairodont subfamily, the thirian werecat stands out by its unique ability to walk on two legs, and use its developed front paws as hands. However, there is a rare mutation that can occur in which the werecat will be born into a feral body. For attacking, the thirian werecat developed large paws with sharp, curved claws, fitted to grapple and maul with ease. This, together with their heavy body build, makes the werecats tough close-combat opponents and formidable warriors. They are known to favor blunt weapons over melee weapons as they better utilise their strength, even though they are more than capable of using spears as well. Most common weapons are maces, war axes, and war hammers.
The thirian werecat hails from the forests of central Sebral, and today dominates over the entire continent.
Sexism is hardly present among werecats, as sexual dimorphism is minimal and both genders share the same duties – hunting, fighting, protecting their young and leading the family together as a team. A nursing mother is prioritized when it comes to eating, but beside that, there's barely any difference in treatment, which holds true to civilized settlements as well. A female soldier is no more rare than a male cubsitter. In fact, the female ferociousness is rather infamous among the feline kind, and female warriors are not underestimated in the slightest.

Habitat and diet

The werecats are one of the few obligate carnivores, meaning that their diet consists purely of meat and other organic matter, such as skin, organs, and bones. Today, this also includes various dairy products and eggs. While the modern werecat races did evolve a longer digestive tract that can absorb certain nutrients from plants, they are not an essential part of their diet, and are rather used in meals as flavoring additives.
Much like other saber-toothed cats, the thirian werecat is an ambush predator, using the moment of surprise and its massive weight to quickly overpower unsuspecting prey and stabilize it for a final, deadly blow. While its saber fangs look formidable, they are relatively fragile, and are used only if the prey is already secured in place – otherwise, the teeth could easily break. Given that the lethality of its fangs lies in their size, the werecat doesn't need such a strong bite force. Instead, it prides itself over a different kind of feat; in order to utilise its long fangs to the maximum, the werecat developed an ability to open its jaw over 110 degrees.
Due to its robust physique, the werecat relies less on stamina and more on sheer force and tenacity, which is suitable for hunting big prey like elk, deer, muskox, rhino, bison, and even mammoth. As an ambush predator, it occupies territories that are full of things one can hide behind; dense foliages, forests, cliffs or rocky terrains, all are suitable as a werecat's hunting ground, as long as it can get close to its prey undetected. One should not underestimate the werecat's agility and swiftness however – after all, it has to first catch its prey in order to bring it down. What is especially impressive are their fast reflexes and highly attuned senses. While their nose might not be as powerful as the nose of a werewolf, they have a much better eyesight and see perfectly clear in the darkness of the night. For this reason, most werecats are nocturnal.

Birth and upbringing

Females are seasonally polyestrous, meaning they have multiple cycles during a specific season, usually in the late summer. The gestation period lasts 5 to 6 full moons. There can be up to 4 cubs in one litter, but 1 or 2 is more common. Cubs are born blind and begin to see only after 40 to 50 days. Their eyes are blue at the time, and their coats are mostly monochromatic, with only faint hints of future markings. Milk teeth erupt after a full moon. This is when the mother will start encouraging her cubs to lick and chew meat. At the age of 3 full moons, the cubs are fully weaned and are capable of moving on four paws, albeit clumsily. Slowly, their markings are starting to be more defined and their coat colors more vibrant. At 1 season of age, the cubs have fully mastered walking, running, jumping and pouncing on four feet. They are also starting to talk, practicing speech with their first words and simple sentences. When reaching their 3th season, the cubs will be able to hold a conversation with an adult. At 4th season, they will start practicing walking on two feet, although it can take up to 4 seasons more for cubs to truly walk upright with confidence. This will also be the time when cubs will start losing their milk teeth and gain a new set of adult teeth instead, though their saber-fangs will still grow for almost 15 seasons more. At 10th season of age, cubs are already considered adolescents, and should be fully capable of everything an adult can do.
Sexual maturity is reached between the 12th and the 15th seasons. Females start ovulating, and both genders will slowly begin to show interest in each other. However, they do not commit to a mate until at least 20th season, when they are considered adults. Most do not seek out a long-term partner until their 25th season. Majority of werecats are monogamous, and stay with their partner for life, although polygamy is more common with the cathe than it is with wolve. This is mostly caused by their different life styles; the Sebralic societies are individualistic, and value personal freedom and autonomy.

SNOW WERECAT

Other names: Northerner, Snow-Dweller
Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 250-260cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Nornova, Valyssar, Myrad, Fellrun
The snow werecats hail from the lands of the Northern Star, the territory of today's Nornova. They had a humble start, living as simple hunter-gatherers for several millenia. After their lands were taken over by the Tymer, majority of the tribes were assimilated into the progressive society, where they learned new language and skills. Eventually, this became the Tymer's downfall, as these snow werecats pushed their overlords out of their ancestral home. Over time, they spreaded through the entire continent, and clashed with the clans of the warm-region races. Through bloody battles, they managed to capture many lands, and even reached the southern parts of Sebral where some clans of snow werecats are found to this day.

Lore bits:

  • The only race that can roar properly.

  • Some snow werecats have ear tufts. This indicates the individual has a mountain werecat in their lineage. The ear tufts and a longer mane are the only mountain werecat features that still survive among the snow werecats to this day.

  • They strive for a chubby figure instead of a lean figure; their hunting methods rely on strength, and reserves of fat ensure a better chance of survival in case of a harsh and long winter. Skinny individuals are therefore less capable hunters, and are more likely to freeze and starve. Evolution has made it easy for snow werecats to put on weight for this very reason.

  • Despite their huge and bulky stature that can be intimidating, most snow werecats are surprisingly gentle and soft-hearted.

  • The northern culture can seem rough and unwelcoming to outsiders, but in reality, the communities are tightly intertwined and exceptionally accepting.

PLAINS WERECAT

Other names: mammoth hunter
Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 220-230cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Leyon, Westgard
The plains werecat evolved for the life on the vast Mammoth flatlands, where they most commonly hunted the migrating mammoths. They are the most similar looking race to the Tibherians, although it is not certain whether they have a shared ancestor, or whether they mixed so heavily with the Tibherians during the Red Era that most of their traits were replaced with the new genes.

Lore bits:

  • Plain werecats are similar to lions in their appearance and vocalization. They can't roar like the snow werecats or purr like the coastal werecats, but can bellow. Most common noises are huffs and hums.

  • Given that their pelt has very little markings, the old cultures of the plain werecats often used paint to decorate themselves.

  • It is said the plains werecats were the very first to start using spears and other tools for hunting mammoths.

COASTAL WERECAT

Other names: Ral's cathe
Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 210-220cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Ralstedt, Telgar, Oucrest, Southern Andersoll
The coastal werecat has evolved side by side with its cousins from the plains. Over time, as the clans grew, the coastal werecat has been pushed out of its territories, and in many places even eradicated completely. Today, the race holds its ground on the north-western coast of the Tanassian bay, in the heartlands of Sebral. It is in constant war with its eastern neighbor, the plains werecats from Leyon, and its southern neighbor, the Wärian werecats of Eisenhall.

Lore bits:

  • Together with the marbled werecat, the only race that can purr. They cannot roar or bellow, but rather hiss and "snort" when agitated.

  • They were the first in Thira to discover dye and start using it as war paint. They traded this to both snow werecats and plains werecats.

ANCESTRAL WERECAT

Other names: giant werecat
Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 190-200cm at the withers
Average lifespan: 50 seasons (70 seasons top)
Territories: N/A
The ancestral werecat resembles a wild beast in its looks, but don't let that fool you; these individuals are highly intelligent, just as any other of their kind. They are held in high esteem in most werecat societies, for they are believed to be the result of ancestral intervention, or in some cases, reincarnated ancestors themselves. As they cannot hold tools in their paws, they usually take on roles of priests, guards, or soldiers. Their beastly appearance is caused by a rare genetic mutation, which can emerge in any werecat of any race. An ancestral werecat has a higher chance of passing its ancestral gene to its offspring, but still, the chance is fairly low. Even if both parents are ancestral werecats, their children will most likely be bipedal. This has only further fed the idea that these werecats are "chosen" or otherwise unique in their spirit.

Lore bits:

  • On top of their beastly appearance, they are also exceptionally large in size.

  • Perhaps due to their size, the ancestral werecats have a shorter average lifespan, merely a half of the norm.

  • Unlike the bipedal werecats, the ancestral werecats have fully retractable claws.

  • Legends tell stories of Kyrkje, the hero of Nornova, as an ancestral werecat who was chosen to protect the Iron clans of the north, and put a stop to the expanding threat of Wärheim. Indeed, almost all statues dedicated to Kyrkje in Nornova portray him in a quadrupedal form. However, given how inconsistent and even contradictory some of these tales are, this should be taken with a grain of salt.

MARBLED WERECAT

Other names: Elfin Werecat, Elfin
Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 140-160cm upright
Average lifespan: 60 seasons (90 seasons top)
Territories: Old Norion, Vesymir
The marbled werecat is by far the smallest feline and the smallest were-race of all. Due to their size, they are often belittled by the other cathe, although the marbled werecat has proven itself to be a fierce warrior regardless. They keep tight relations to the nature and the forest they live in, isolating themselves from the outside world, which brings many to view them as primitive barbarians. They are nocturnal predators, and stalk their prey either from the branches or long patches of grass, always shrouded in darkness. The few marbled werecats that live outside their homeland mostly work as assassins due to their size and nature.

Lore bits:

  • The most common prey of the marbled werecat are all kinds of birds, rodents, rabbits, fish and small deer. On special occasions, they also hunt boars, which is a group activity.

  • The marbled werecat can purr, but not roar or growl as its large cousins. Instead it hisses and yowls when agitated, much like a domestic cat.

  • The only feline race to have sharp ears and retractable claws to help them climb trees. Also one of the two feline races that completely lack saber fangs.

WÄRIAN WERECAT

Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 230-240cm upright
Average lifespan: 70 seasons (100 seasons top)
Territories: Wärheim, Rothmore, Eisenhall
The Wärian werecat, named after its homeland, is said to be a descendant of the northern snow werecat that adapted to the warmer climate. Their coat is shorter, but they have a stripe of long fur that can stretch from the forehead all the way to the tail – a relic of their northern ancestors. They rivaled the iron clans during the dark age, and eventually managed to take over most of Sebral. However, their rule was relatively short-lived, at least in comparison to the Iron empire. The Wärians were always known as simple brutes, mainly due to their culture. For example, anyone is allowed to challenge their current leader for the throne. Strength and endurance are the main traits the Wärians look for, although they also value honesty and honor.

Lore bits:

  • The Wärian werecat can roar.

MOUNTAIN WERECAT

Other names: Cave Lion, Arrian (Lykon), Tibherian (Sebral, later adopted in Lykon), the Tymer (old, now derogatory)
Species: thirian werecat
Average height: 230-245cm upright
Average lifespan: 80 seasons (120 seasons top)
Territories: Northern Andersoll, Versen, Island Of Gilimund
The mountain werecat came from the Grand Tibher Mountains, and was the very first to learn the mysteries of metallurgy – a knowledge that, according to legend, was gifted to them by their god Shyr. With their new weapons, the Tibherians became the most fearsome race on the continent. They conquered all of Sebral, and even reached the territories of Lykon during their golden age, now called the Red Era. However, their domain eventually crumbled due to internal conflicts, and were eventually completely annihilated by the enslaved races. Today, the only remaining population of pure mountain werecats is found in Northern Andersoll and Versen. A considerable amount also still lives on the Island Of Gilimund, although most individuals on this island are already deeply mixed with snow werecats.The mane has always been a very important part of the mountain werecat's culture. Long, lush locks of fur are an indicator of good health, and therefore one of the main features a mountain werecat assessed when looking for a suitable mate with strong genes. Over time, this resulted in a feline race with almost human-like hair around their neck, paired with fluffy cheeks and ear tufts. Some even grow long fur underneath the chin with age, resembling a beard of sorts. Naturally, as the civilization progressed and individuals started to express themselves through various decorations and accessories, the mane became a target number one, further uplifting its significance in the werecats' lives. They took great care of maintaining their manes to the best of their abilities, and were the very first to craft combs and lotions. Already during the first clashes of clans, the mane secured its status as a symbol of their identity, both tribal and their own. Cutting one's mane was among the worst punishments a mountain werecat could endure, a humiliation on par with incarceration. Now that the werecats have grown wiser and choose their lifelong partner based on their shared bond rather than appearance, the mane lost its primary function in attracting a mate, but continues to be a cultural centerpoint. Some even came to prefer a shorter mane, though they remain a minority in a society that still views a long mane as the beauty standard.

Lore bits:

  • The mountain werecat can roar, but its roar is shorter than that of a snow werecat. They usually growl and bellow.

  • The mountain werecats enjoy to decorate their long mane, with braids being the most common.

  • Females also have a mane, although it tends to be shorter.

WORLD

Civilization

The development highly varies between regions, but also between individual settlements. A settlement is considered civilized if it possesses fire, otherwise they're seen as wild clans or tribes. The most developed region in Thira is Andersoll, settled in the very center of the two continents. They grew their communities large, tamed the land, mastered the crafts and figured out how to smelt iron. Other regions remain mostly wild, or they harbor small settlements living in the ways of the Stone Age or Bronze age. The most simplistic communities usually reside in huts or natural caves, more developed settlements then carve their homes in cliffs themselves, and some werecats build homes out of wood. Cultures don't differ as much – all Thirian races have built their beliefs and religion on the same foundation, and all Thirian languages developed from the same precursor. So while the differences between cultures are notable, they usually aren't big enough for races not to understand each other at all.


List of universally recognized nations (9A NE)

of Sebral

of Lykon


Explanatory notes:

Fireside = settlement that possesses a fire,
Main fireside = the main settlement of the land, centre of the government,

Civilization

Uncivilized = no settlements and no fire, locals live as feral animals,
Primitive = bare-bones settlements have a fire but no forge, locals use simple tools, largely nomadic society of hunter-gatherers,
Advanced = elaborate settlements have a small forge, locals can craft and use various tools, farming and husbandry is developed,
Highly advanced = sophisticated settlements have a large forge, locals mastered craftsmanship and art, the law system is robust, farming and husbandry thrives.

Relations

Allies = will support and defend each other in battle,
Positive = good relations and tight communication,
Neutral = nor good or bad relations, but trade together,
Negative = bad relations, but still respect each other and maintain trading,
Enemies = highly hostile or at war, no connections are kept,
= relations are currently getting better,
= relations are currently getting worse.

GEOGRAPHY

  • Surface temperature:

  • −122,70 °C (min)

  • 4,52 °C (average)

  • 30,1 °C (max)

  • Predominant geographical zone: subarctic

  • Predominant biome: boreal

Thira is a terrestrial planet very similar to Earth, albeit a little smaller. It's technically one of the 6 moons of an ice giant Yskyre, which can be seen on the night sky as the largest astronomical body. The other two moons that are easily visible with the naked eye are Karn, the second biggest moon, and the smallest Nyra. The three moons play a major part in Thirian religion and serve as an indicator of time.


Geography

Thira is a cold world that resembles Earth during its ice age. In its vast ocean sits a supercontinent that is usually separated into two parts: Sebral in the west, and Lykon in the east. The large body of water in between the two continents is the Abysmal ocean, crucial for trading. In the north, where the ever-present ice begins to take over, the Abysmal ocean turns into Far Waters. Around the supercontinent are then Outer Waters, which remain a mystery to the Thirians due to their unimaginable expanse. While it is technically possible to sail around the globe from the western side of Sebral to the eastern side of Lykon, the ocean there is so large and so wild, no sailor has ever dared to make this journey as of now.Far up north and south begin the glacial belts, where the ocean remains frozen over throughout the entire year. The permafrost reaches even further into the heart of the mainland – in Sebral, the icebound islands are known as the Lands Of The Northern Star, whereas in Lykon, the widespread frozen desert is called the White North. The low temperatures permeate the entire world, making most of Thira's climate fall in the polar and boreal categories by Earth's standards. Only few parts that lie at the equator get to enjoy the warmth of a temperate climate. There is no place in Thira where temperatures would ever reach past 30°C, with temperatures above 20°C already being rare and present only in the short period of midsummer. The average temperature of Thira is close to 0°C, and the planet spends most of its time way below this median.One of the factors keeping the average temperature of Thira so low are the numerous mountains and mountain ranges that dot the continent. Most of the land is therefore mountainous or hilly, with plenty of valleys and glacial troughs. The largest lowland is found in the middle of the supercontinent, where Sebral and Lykon meet. The locals named the individual territories as the Fervid plains on the western side of the river Tidas, Antholia in the eastern side of the river Tidas, and the Mammoth flatlands in the very west, after the migrating mammoth herds found within the territory. Another large lowland is found in Oghir, Galmorass. The southern parts of Lykon are also relatively flat compared to the rest of the continent, much like the western shores of Sebral.As a source of fresh water is essential for the growth of any civilization, it is no wonder that most settlements are found on the banks of rivers and shores of lakes. Rivers are especially considered important, since it's much quicker to travel by water than by land, and so many trading routes are established through them. The river Tidas, which flows through half of Lykon as it begins at the Hallagar Mountains and flows into the High Seas, is considered the longest river in Thira. The second longest river is Monau in southern Sebral, and then Edessa in northeastern Lykon. The largest lake is Vamyr in southwestern Lykon, the second is Nither in the north.

ANDERSOLL

General:

  • Adjectival: Andersollian

  • Demonym: Andersollians

  • Language: Gilimundian 39%, northern Tanassian dialects 32%, Venfirish dialects 18%, Tharrian 8%, old Corinian 3%

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: N/A

  • Currency: gold

  • Exports: salt, wheat, rye, oil, sugar, honey, wine, textiles, silk, spices, stone, ivory

  • Imports: tin, zinc, nickel, coal, peat

  • Natural resources: timber, iron ore, gold, copper, arable land, clay, stone (gravel, granite, marble, sandstone)

Relations:

  • Allies: Westgard, Kroll, Aghalia, Lindor

  • Positive: Nornova, Eisenhall, Jeramell, Myrad

  • Neutral: Roam, Heiran↓, Versen, Oresh↓, Telgar, Thyel, Valyssarꜛ, Weldyn, Waleria

  • Negative: Leyon↓, Ralstedt, Tharron, Ithiron, Belevud↓, Näiwall

  • Enemies: Oghir, Gmav, Varden, Fellrun, Yarlov, Mjorgen

Andersoll, also known as the Lands of Fire from the ancient tongue, is the largest territory unit in Thira, and the most populous land by far. It’s an alliance of 12 individual lands spreaded on the coast of the Abysmal Ocean. They act as one when dealing with outside affairs while keeping integral autonomy, allowing them to exploit advantages of both. For easier administration, Andersoll is further divided into a southern and a northern region; the northern region rules over taigas and tundras of northwestern Lykon, while the southern region spans from southwestern Lykon all the way to eastern Sebral. As such, Andersoll has the entire Abysmal Ocean under its power, and controls the majority of its shore. From the west, Andersoll neighbors Westgard, Leyon and Ralstedt. In the northeast, it shares borders with Ithiron, Tharron and Belevud, and beyond the Tidas river lies Kroll, Roam, Aghalia, Jeramell, Thyel and Lindor. Though Andersoll has one common spoken language, the regional dialects vary a lot – for example, the northerners might have trouble understanding the southern dialects and vice versa.
Andersoll also owns 8 colonies in the White North that, while not technically Andersoll, are part of the Andersollian alliance. Each colony is ruled over by a so-called white jarl. White jarls usually have local elders as trusted advisors that form a small council of their own.
Since Andersoll is located in the middle of Sebral and Lykon, it hosts a great variety of races. Both werewolves and werecats inhabit these lands side by side, though werecats still tend to keep to their western side, while werewolves populate the eastern areas.
Andersoll is one of the most developed civilizations in Thira, with monumental architecture, densely populated settlements and robust law system. It became well known throughout Thira for quality products, and its citizens are known to be hardworking and just. In the eyes of their enemies, Andersollians gained a reputation of heartless but honorable warriors who excel at using fire as a weapon. For those seeking safe shelter and a good home outside of their own homeland, Andersoll is usually the place to go.


Northern Andersoll

Northern Andersoll consists of 4 provinces: Dunnurwald, Raugrov, Rilion and Melisse. They are all located on the coastal side of the Great Berfalls, with only Melisse slightly peeking out east to cover the entirety of Small Berfalls. All four provinces used to be the land of Arrion before the founding of Andersoll, and still mostly keep to each other today. They are largely inhabited by werecats, although at this point, many werewolves found their place here too. Despite its cold temperatures, the region of northern Andersoll is no less productive or rich than its southern allies. Local conditions allow growing winter crops such as wheat, barley or potatoes, though most of the food eaten here is still meat. Northern Andersollians are mostly known for their beer, smithing and woodworking.

Dunnurwald
Dunnurwald directly borders Lott in the south, though the border on land itself is tiny. The river Alyone and lake Lujal create a border with the eastern Belevud and Tharron, and in the north lies the province of Raugrov. The land is buried deep within its thick rainforest and wooded hills, which provide a natural protection against the harsh oceanic weather. Dunnurwald is Andersoll’s biggest supplier of softwood timber, and the main fireside of Tall oversees all logging and trading of lumber within the area. Beyeros in the north is Dunnurwald’s only mining settlement, and the remaining three serve as trading posts; Tendant Harbor in the southwestern tip, Ferrier’s Port directly south from Tall, and Lummon by lake Lujal at the eastern border. Tendant Harbor especially sees a lot of movement due to its location, peaking out of the mainland and into the Abysmal ocean. Lummon, on the other hand, became famous for its brewed ale; Lummonian brands are said to be exquisite, and are sought after across Lykon.
Raugrov
Raugrov looks very similar to Dunnurwald by their shared border, but as one travels further north, the now boreal forest starts to noticeably thin out. By the river Fallel, which represents a border between Raugrov and the northern Rilion, the trees become rather scarce. The province is largely dominated by the mountain range of Great Berfalls on its eastern border, towering over the landscape. Due to the high mountains that trap rain clouds coming in from the Abysmal ocean, Raugrov sees heavy precipitation, putting the area at risk of frequent floods and heavy thunders.
The main fireside of Raugrov, Telmerel, lies by the foothills of the Sheltered Mountains southwest. Most of the iron and copper mined here is already processed by the Telmerelian forge, renowned for its quality armor and weapons. The rest is sent to Velbrunn, a settlement further down the river Ilves, which then trades them via the Abysmal ocean. Furall, another mining settlement located on the other side of the Sheltered Mountains, can trade its ores by the river Telga. The other two mining camps are by the Great Berfalls – Feargus and Erber. Erber uses the river Fallel as its trading route, while the southern Feargus has to travel by land, usually to the aforementioned Erber. The last fireside of Raugrov, Penburg, is settled in the northern plains, where the locals focus on hunting game, farming crops and breeding livestock. Raugrov is a truly versatile land with many natural resources, including ores, timber, and game.
Rilion
On the territory of Rilion, the rich taiga of Northern Andersoll slowly turns into a freezing tundra, until there's no more trees left on the northern borders with Melisse. The main fireside, Shida, is settled upon the hills in the center of the land, where it oversees the rest of the province. More than anything, it is simply a connection between Andersoll and its colonies in the White North, much like the rest of the settlements here. It focuses on food production that supports the rest of the settlements in the area, by the rivers Wedra and Kalbe. Merria’s Port and Aven, both harbors located in the north – on the southern coast of the Melemor sea – mostly transport both goods and individuals to and from the White North. Kallgor is Rilion’s only mining settlement by the Great Berfalls, and Mellow down the river Fallel acts as a trading port for both Kallgor and Erber. It is also the last waterborne station during early and late summer for all those who travel to the White North, as the Melemor sea begins to freeze over. On the eastern border with Ithiron lies Maugrenz, one of the headquarters of the Andersollian border watch.
Melisse
Melisse is the smallest and the northernmost province of Andersoll. As such, it is an extremely cold and harsh land with barely any life. It rules over the mountain range of Small Berfalls, and keeps watch over the eastern border with Oghir. The main fireside, Melisse, lies on the western side of the mountains, and controls the only land route to the White North. Eastwatch, a fireside further in the east, then guards the border from any trespassers, but also watches over Oghir and reports on its activities. It is the poorest province of Andersoll by far and administratively falls under Rilion and its jarl, despite being treated as separate in many other ways.


Southern Andersoll

Southern Andersoll is much more widespread, with 8 provinces in total. From the northeast to the west, it’s Lott, Vayamma, Arlos, Ghalore, West Antholia, Verion, Gesper and Ysbad. The eastern and central parts are dominated by grasslands and shrublands, with the only exception of West Antholia that has a mixed forest in the southern parts. The western provinces, Gesper and Ysbad, are more wooded, but still remain open in comparison to northern Andersoll. Southern Andersoll is mostly inhabited by werewolves, although the western regions have a lot of werecats too, after the werecats pushed out werewolves to hunt the local mammoths.
Southern Andersoll is one of the richest parts of Thira. Its soil is fertile, it sees frequent rainfall, the temperatures mild and perfect for farming. As such, it's no surprise that southern Andersoll gained its fame for its luxury wines, liqueurs and a colorful cuisine full of various fruits. However, most of southern Andersoll’s wealth comes from trading – southern Andersoll is the center of the main trade routes of Thira, both on land and sea.

Lott
Lott is one of the northeastern provinces of southern Andersoll, bordering Dunnurwald in the north, Belevud past the Lujal lake, Vayamma in the east and Arlos in the south. It is one of the more wooded provinces, especially near the border with Dunnurwald, although the difference between the two provinces is striking in this aspect. Most of the land is covered in shrubs and tall grass. Its lush meadows are full of various colorful plants and flowers, many of which have great value to herbalists and alchemists. Most of the territory is used for farming crops and breeding livestock. Lott also controls the entirety of the eastern coast of Grappling Bay – Easthaven, the main fireside of Lott, is its second biggest harbor. Then there’s Bornley, a smaller harbor further south, and Oleg’s Post by the hills in the east.
Vayamma
Vayamma is one of the northeastern provinces of southern Andersoll. It borders Arlos and Lott in the west, Belevud and Kroll in the north, Roam and Aghalia in the east, and lastly Jeramell and Thyel in the south. It is a lowland full of far-reaching meadows, with a few trees here and there. Almost half of Vayamma’s entire border is made up of river Tidas which floods each early summer, creating a sort of seasonal wetland in the area (flood-meadow). Brinat, Vayamma’s main fireside, lies on its banks, and is built on high foundations to counter this flooding. It is Vayamma’s biggest harbor, and its main trading port. Carol, a smaller port located further south, mostly serves as a resting stop for seafarers going down and up the river. Lastly, there’s the fireside of Jaylow by the lake of Nermund, which functions as the headquarters of the Andersollian border watch in this area. Much like the rest of southern Andersoll, Vayamma’s main focus is food production via fishing and farming.
Arlos
Arlos is an eastern province of southern Andersoll, unique in that part of its territory actually lies past the river Tidas. The port of Pezial aligns itself with Andersoll, and thus the land around was claimed with it. Thanks to this, Arlos controls a huge portion of the river, to the dismay of Thyel, its eastern neighbor. Aside from that, Arlos is in good relations with its southern neighbor Lindor, and the rest of the Andersollian provinces; West Antholia, Ghalore, Lott and Vayamma. The main fireside and a harbor of Valat is located near the northern border, and functions both as a trading post on water and on land. The port of Ill Omen is on the other side, at the southern border, and the aforementioned Pezial is in between. The fourth harbor of Calhorn is actually not on the river Tidas, but by the coast of Grappling Bay, to which the Arlos territory extends – allowing Arlos to trade by both the Abysmal ocean and the Alterian sea. The last fireside, Selden, is settled in the middle of the Arlian meadows. It takes advantage of the fertile soil and farms crops, but also functions as a connecting point between the rest of the settlements. Selden is mostly known for its vineyards, and the Seldenian wines are especially popular.
The sight here is similar to most other provinces of southern Andersoll; meadows and sparse woods dominate this lowland, with marshes by the banks of the seasonally flooding river. The temperatures are mild with medium rainfall, although the oceanic weather can be awfully unpredictable.
Ghalore
Lying in the very center of southern Andersoll, the bustling Ghalore is undoubtedly the busiest land far and wide. Thanks to its favorable location, it became the trading center of both continents, which in extension makes Ghalore the wealthiest province. Barroth, the main fireside of Ghalore and the biggest settlement in Andersoll, is settled on the coast of Grappling Bay, overseeing the ships coming in and out together with the Tendant Harbor of Dunnurwald. The fireside is an impressive sight, with monumental architecture and buildings made by the very best artisans Thira has to offer. Coust, lying further west, controls the mouth of the Carissian gulf, while southern Mercia focuses on fishing and trading with other harbors in the gulf. The only inland fireside of Ghalore is Welkez, big on farming crops, vegetables, and fruits, as well as cultivating grapes and olives. Timmel is a port on the lake Gokall, and sees travelers that come by land. Lastly, Mons and Colpire are smaller harbors on the eastern coast of Grappling Bay, connecting points between Ghalore and the eastern provinces.
West Antholia
West Antholia is the southernmost province of Andersoll. It borders Verion in the west, and Arlos with Lindor in the east, beyond the Tidas river. Its territory stretches out from the Gokall lakes to the Tidas delta. The northern parts look similar to the rest of central southern Andersoll; mostly grassy meadows and shrubs. However, as one travels south, the plains slowly start to transform into woodlands, which finally become a thick deciduous forest in the southern parts – a rare sight in this area. West Antholia is Andersoll’s biggest supplier of hardwood timber, though its export is not as great as Dunnurwald’s. The rest of its economy is made up of farming and livestock breeding.
The main fireside of West Antholia is Velkhien, a port at the southern tip, on the shore of the Tidas delta. Apart from fishing and trading by the river and the Alterian sea, its economy is largely supported by logging. Further north lies a small settlement of Ley, that utilizes the fertile soil around for farming. In the very north, by the Small Gokall lake, is the fishing and farming settlement of Aleghor. Lastly, the port of Almay’s Grace is settled by the shore of the Howler gulf, by the western border with Verion.
Verion
Verion is one of the western provinces of southern Andersoll. It borders Ysbad and Gesper in the west, then Ghalore and West Antholia in the east. Its biggest advantage is that it has access to both the Abysmal ocean through the Carissian gulf, and the Alterian sea through the Tanassian bay. The harbors of Verion, Thedey on the coast of Carissian gulf and Garnial on the coast of Tanassian bay, focus on fishing and trading by water. The main fireside of Verion, the Verion Post, lies in the center of the two. It serves as a trading hub and a resting stop for travelers who come by land. Lastly, there’s the fireside of Colodien, lying by the western borders. Just like Verion Post, it’s a connection point between the settlements around it, and mostly focuses on trading.
Verion, much like the rest of southern Andersoll, is a lush grassland. Its uniqueness is found in its fauna rather than flora – Verion spreads on the Mammoth flatlands, and as the name already implies, hosts great numbers of mammoth herds. Werewolves used to thrive on these open plains, but once werecats of Sebral figured out how to hunt down the wooly giants, they largely took over. The two species didn’t clash as one would expect, however, quite the opposite; the two were targeting different groups of prey, meaning that each opened more space for the other’s target group to flourish, which benefited both parties. In fact, the two found each other’s hunting methods impressive, and it is said it was here in the territory of Verion that first mixed clans of werewolves and werecats came to be.
Gesper
Gesper is a westernmost province of Andersoll, and one of the biggest in size. It borders Westgard and Leyon in the west, Ysbad in the south, and Verion in the east. Given that most of its border is an open plain and therefore not strictly drawn, it was a subject of many disputes in the past, which led Gesper to join the alliance of Andersoll. Today, the border is marked by menhirs and actively guarded day and night. The settlement responsible for watching over the frontier is Torral, found roughly a day or two from the closest point where Gesper meets Westgard. The other one, Galaz, lies by the river Akatyr, where it oversees the better protected border with Leyon. A third settlement used to be near Ysbad, back in the day when the two were independent nations, but this settlement has since fallen in disrepair since it is no longer of use. The rest are all harbors; Kirmer and New Everon, the main fireside of Gesper, lie on the coast of the Carissian gulf, with Llefes settled in the northern tip of the Abysmal coast.
Ysbad
Ysbad is the westernmost province of Andersoll, controlling a huge portion of the Tanassian bay coast. It borders Ralstedt and Leyon in the west, past the river Akatyr, and Gesper with Verion in the east. Since its outer border is marked by a river, it is safer from its potentially hostile neighbors than the northern Gesper, but on the other hand has to worry about its long coast in the south. Both Versen and Telgar already attempted to take over the land in the past, and the last war was won only thanks to Ysbad joining forces with Andersoll. Nirven, a port in the south, is Ysbad’s main fireside, while the smaller Agonis in the east supports it. Western Nirven is a settlement by the river Akatyr.


Administration

There is no single main fireside of Andersoll, as Andersoll is an alliance of individual lands with their own government. Each land has its own jarl, with all jarls together forming the High Council. Each Andersollian province has its own ways of choosing their jarl. Some have their own council that votes for a new jarl, some have the title hereditary. A jarl can be however dismissed by the High Council if they’re not fulfilling their duties, or if they’re found to be susceptible to corruption.
Each jarl then has several counts underneath him, those who overlook individual settlements. They guarantee each citizen to be fed and to be safe from harm – failure to fulfill these duties is punishable by death, in extreme cases. They are responsible for managing the settlement’s ground and supplies, resolving disputes, collecting taxes, and paying tributes to the jarl. They pledge loyalty to their lord and swear to defend him and the land with their own soldiers in times of war. The counts can also appoint their land further to barons and thanes, who hold small pieces of land they can manage in return for the same services.
Andersoll also has a constitution of sorts, a set of supreme laws that override any other laws. These were the first laws written and signed upon the founding of the alliance. They define the relations between the provinces, the basic rights and duties of its citizens, and also the power of any high-ranking officials. For example, it states that a jarl is subjected to law as any other; this cannot be circumvented by any law the jarls or even the High Council could write. It also states that each Andersollian province commits to support and defend another Andersollian province if necessary.
The High Council
The High Council is technically the government of Andersoll as a whole. Its power is highly limited, as each province of Andersoll maintains its autonomy, but it does have a number of privileges. A so-called high jarl is chosen each year from the current jarls, who then presides over the council. The high jarl makes final decisions in case of any otherwise unresolvable disputes – decisions every Andersollian land is bound to honor. To keep it fair, the provinces take turns in this order: Gesper, Rilion, Ysbad, Raugrov, Verion, Dunnurwald, West Antholia, Ghalore, Arlos, Lott, and Vayamma. Melisse falls underneath Rilion in administration, and the colonies in the White North are not considered provinces in their own right. A jarl has the right to postpone their chairmanship if necessary, but this practice is discouraged, as it can be quite difficult to track each land’s turn over time otherwise.
The High Council mostly functions as a way for each province to keep in touch – to discuss problems and plan strategies, both economical and militaristic. Every province, though largely autonomous, should be on the same page when it comes to the general idea of where the alliance is heading. The High Council does have some juridical power to write laws applicable to every province, but this power is quite limited, as each jarl has the right of veto and can technically modify the law to fit their own land. The council also has the right to dismiss a jarl from their position if the jarl is found to be incapable of fulfilling their role, or if they’re evading the law.
The seat of the High Council is in the settlement of the province whose jarl is currently presiding over the council. It’s the high jarl’s responsibility to host the other jarls during this time, as it is the duty of the jarls to be present at each meeting, or at least send a delegate. The meetings of the High Council are often taken as an opportunity to show one’s wealth in opulent banquets, especially since jarls can and often take their advisors and family with them.
Each meeting of the High Council is transcribed by an appointed clerk, who passes the transcript further to the Central Library in Ghalore for safekeeping. Here, the transcript is copied by other scribes, and the copies are then sent out to the jarls for their own records. The Central Library is one of the most important places in all of Andersoll, for how many important documents it stores. It is managed and overseen by a principal, a high-ranking official who guarantees for the quality and the correctness of the duplicates, and also the preservation of the scrolls.
The High Court
Every province of Andersoll usually handles its own trials, either by their own courts or by the jarl themself. However, by joining Andersoll, the lands swore to acknowledge the High Court of Andersoll as the supreme judicial power, and to fully respect its judgments. Every Andersollian has the right to appeal to the High Court if they feel hard done by the provincial court, and every province is bound to provide this opportunity to its citizens without exceptions. The High Court is made up of judges, whose only job is to settle legal disputes and to preside over court proceedings. They are to be impartial and unbiased, and are bound by an oath to be just and fair to all. The law also requires them to be educated in law.


Military

Andersoll is the biggest military power in all of Thira, up to 100,000 strong. The nobility and mercenaries, around 20,000 in total, are also highly trained and well equipped with quality weapons. Still, the biggest strength of the Andersollian army is its versatility – both werewolves and werecats fight side by side, meaning that no matter the enemy, they will have an advantage. Andersoll largely relies on conscription in times of war, but also upkeeps a small standing army of its own, the border watch. Besides that, the jarls only keep a fairly small group of personal guards and outsource the protection of the land to their vassals. Each bigger settlement in Andersoll has its guards that keep the peace within the settlement, but also defend it against any bandits or pillagers. Those guards are the first to be called into arms when necessary.
The border watch consists of roughly 5,000 soldiers whose main duty is to guard the outer borders of Andersoll, and keep track of all those who leave or enter the territory. It is made up of 5 classes in total, each stationed in one of the outer provinces. A class is divided into 10 companies, a company comprises 5 cohorts. A cohort is a group of 20 to 25 soldiers, commanded by a chief. The chief answers to the commander, who leads a company, and the major commander, who leads the class. The entire border watch is directly controlled by the High Jarl, whose second in command is the commander general – the one who carries out the High Jarl’s orders. As they are the main wall of defense in case of an attack, the watch has four headquarters positioned near the biggest weak points of Andersoll’s borders: Torral in Gesper, Jaylow in Vayamma, Maugrenz in Rilion, and Eastwatch in Melisse.


Worship

Andersoll, as in many things, is one of the most open and accepting lands in Thira when it comes to spirituality. The people worship various deities, deities that accept new disciples outside of their own sphere of influence – something very untypical in Thira. Gods like Almay and Berethia value mercy, compassion, and understanding. The general focus is on thriving as a society, to help one another, but also to protect the good from evil, the weaker from the oppressors. To become a true Andersollian citizen, one must renounce their old gods if they had any, and instead accept the Andersollian pantheon as their own. However, it is not required to practice one’s beliefs. In fact, there is a considerable amount of those who do not actively worship any deities, and live their lives without depending on their divine help or guidance. These people are in no way ostracized in this society.

OGHIR

General:

  • Adjectival: Oghiran

  • Demonym: Oghirans

  • Language: Oghiran dialects 81%, Kalmenian 13%, Ithirian 6%

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: Morkall

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: coal, zinc, tin, silver, timber, wool, peat, fish, gravel, slate

  • Imports: salt, sugar, gold, copper, textiles, wine, spices

  • Natural resources: coal, timber, iron ore, tin, zinc, silver, slate, peat

Relations:

  • Allies: Gmav

  • Positive: Heiranꜛ

  • Neutral: -

  • Negative: Waleria, Kroll↓, Menes, Tallos

  • Enemies: Andersoll, Tharron, Ithiron, Verkroth

Oghir, also called Ognir or simply the Empire, is a vast empire covering the whole northeastern side of Lykon. It’s currently the second biggest territory unit of Thira, although a big portion of its territory is uninhabitable. It's divided into Higher and Lower Oghir, according to the history and the position of the lands, with Higher Oghir ruling over the rest. The land’s terrain is diverse – from the permafrost of Hrez, through the marshes of Galmorass, to the forests of Darkwood, each region has its own unique look.
It’s a militaristic state, priding themselves on their might and numbers. Today, Oghir is only half of the size it used to be at its peak, and eaten by corruption. The royal family rules over the empire with an iron fist, and is mostly detested by its citizens.
Oghir has several mining colonies in the White North. Most of them act as labor camps for prisoners, where they waste their lives in service to the empire. Being sentenced to hard labor in those mines is the second highest punishment in Oghir, with the highest being a death sentence – both on par with what awaits the convicted in the end.


Higher Oghir

The inner region of Oghir is called Higher Oghir. It consists of two Grand Duchies: the southwestern Galmorass and northeastern Hrez. These two Grand duchies were the very first allies to found the Oghiran Empire and today enjoy a lot of its riches and power, as well as relative safety thanks to the border regions surrounding them.

Galmorass
Galmorass is the largest Grand Duchy and covers mostly tundras and bogs. Its main fireside is Rottorn by the Morjut lake, and its current ruling house is Bloodcrown. Given its location in the heart of the land, Rottorn serves as the center of Oghir. One could even say it is the true main settlement of the empire. It also functions as the headquarters of the Royal Army, and trains new soldiers on its ground. Near Rottorn lies Argyr, a mining settlement up in the Black Mountains that supplies Rottorn with iron, coal, and silver, in return for provisions. Southwest of Argyr lies Khul, another mining settlement. The other three settlements of Galmorass all lie on the river Edessa: Moustovor, a mining settlement in the very north, ships its ores to the smithing settlement of Meldyr, where they get processed and traded further. And finally, further down the river lies Helmoor, the center of trade between the southwestern and northeastern Oghir.
Hrez
Hrez, though small and permanently frozen over, is of the utmost importance to the empire. In the Hil Maul valley lies Morkall, the main seat of the Oghiran emperor. It is the biggest stronghold of the empire, impenetrable as it is protected by a great number of guards, but also mountains and treacherous terrain. Current ruling house of Hrez is Darrhor. The only other settlement in the area is Stillwater by the lake Tallys, which supplies Morkall with food via fishing, and functions as a trading post between the rest of the empire.


Lower Oghir

Lower Oghir is the outer region made up of four Grand duchies: northwestern Ormes, southwestern Darkwood, central Goron, and eastern Fallenmark.

Ormes
Ormes is a small region at the northwestern border, settled in between the two rivers Angessi and Helga. Due to how many Oghirans defected to the western lands in the past, it is a restricted area that’s highly guarded, leaving little to no space for commoners to live here. Sorrel in the north is a large fortress, overlooking the enemy’s lines and any potential runaways. The southern settlement of Kriga acts as the main fireside of the region, supplying Sorrel with necessary resources and provisions for the soldiers by the river while also guarding the southern parts.
Darkwood
Darkwood rules over the thick forest and swamps around the Nither lake, and is better off than its neighbors when it comes to the empire’s treatment. The timber from this region is a highly valued resource in the otherwise treeless land, and the area is teeming with large game. The Nither lake provides water and fish to the locals, while the river Edessa is used as the main trade route within the empire, making Darkwood’s main settlement, Vieldorn, one of its most important trading hubs. Vieldorn is also where Darkwood’s ruling family resides, the house of Boldheart. On the southern coast of the Nither lake lies a settlement of Uharsk, a fishing port that further secures Vieldorn’s food supply. The fireside of Brazen is mostly a logging settlement, but the money from selling lumber has brought it wealth, allowing its citizens to explore different fields and take on new crafts. Today, Brazen is mostly known for its brass jewelry, one of the most expensive kinds right after gold. Further southeast lies Longrun, settled by the pass between the Bararus Range and the Black Mountains. The settlement also owns a few ore mines in the area, selling copper and zinc to Brazen, but mostly works as a traveling post between the western and the eastern part of Oghir.
Goron
Goron, separated from Darkwood by the Bararus range and from Fallenmark by the Silver river, is mostly grassland and woodland. The temperate climate makes the land arable, allowing Goron to farm crops for the empire – a quite unique role among its northern-sitting neighbors. It’s also where most of the herbs and flowers come from. Its main fireside is Goron, and both the settlement and region are ruled over by the house of Rosethorn, a name gained thanks to their cultivation of roses. Tilarg in the north is another mining settlement, while Galter in the east is a harbor, fishing and trading with other lands by sea.
Fallenmark
Lastly, the poorest land of Oghir, Fallenmark, covers most of the Black mountains and eastern coast. Its main fireside is Skral, a mining settlement, and the current ruling house is Stonewill. Skral is the biggest mining settlement of Oghir, and is the main source of the empire’s iron and coal. It is a truly cold place, lying only slightly more south than Morkall itself. Close to Skral lies the port settlement of Gelon, shipping Skralian ores and coal further south. The Port of Myras used to be the connecting point between Oghir and its two islands Menes and Tallos, but is mostly just a fishing harbor today, and a resting stop for sailors. Going south into the deeper woods of Fallenmark, there’s Highrock, a settlement focused on logging, hunting and trading their goods for the northern ores. On the Silver river, appropriately named after the silver ores transported through here, are the last two firesides: Mghar the mining settlement, and Myr, the port on the coast.
The reason why Fallenmark is the poorest region by far is due to its past; Fallenmark used to be an independent land called Kalmenia, but was conquered by Kazan during his reign in the 2nd age. The culture here remains different from the rest of the empire to this day, and the two nations largely detest each other. Goron, a region that was also part of Kalmenia, used to be pillaged by the clans from today’s Fallenmark, and is grateful to the empire for putting a stop to these brutal raids. It is also favored by the empire for its arable lands. Fallenmark on the other hand has always been rebellious, leading the royals to mistrust the locals and leaving the land deprived in order to keep it in check, which only further fuels the already present defiance. Fallenmark has successfully separated from Oghir in summer 92 of the 4th age, but was later annexed again after the Great Flood of 558 in the 5th age.


The mining colonies

Oghir owns 4 mining colonies in the White North that work as labor camps for prisoners. A sentence of hard labor in these mines is the highest possible sentence in Oghir right after an execution, although the former is way more common than the latter. Once there, the prisoners have no hope of escaping, as certain death awaits them should they run into the frozen desert unprepared – forcing them to slave away in the mines if they wish to be fed, and survive another day. The meal portions are intentionally insufficient; starvation is a tool used to exert control over the prisoners, while malnourishment keeps them too weak for any effective revolt. Inmates starve or die of exhaustion regularly, and getting rid of the bodies is part of the daily program. This is not regarded as a problem, since there will always be new prisoners to replace them – and if the quota is not met for the given period, the emperor will simply give out more hard labor sentences, no matter if the crime actually warrants it or not.
The job of a guard at one of these camps is also viewed as undesirable, for the same reasons. The conditions are exceptionally harsh, the weather treacherously cold, the camps are somber and mucky, and there’s the omnipresent danger of a cave-in. The only redeeming quality is the high pay and the respect that comes with such a position. To work as a guard in the northern mines is regarded on the same level as military service, meaning they will get to enjoy the same privileges.
Grimma and Dirn at the Poor Mountains are supported by the camp of Solitude, which lies past the Hil Maul valley – roughly 5 days of travel from Morkall in good conditions, and another 4 days of travel from Solitude to Grimma. The other two, Perien and Farr, lie at the Kunam Mountains and are supported via the port of Dimos. Solitude and Dimos were founded for the sole purpose of maintaining the northern colonies, and as a second layer of security. They deliver provisions while collecting the ores, but also transport new prisoners to the mines. Dirn is the northernmost colony and considered the worst of them all, with Farr closely after. Grimma is a little better, as it is usually the colony where lesser criminals are sent. Lastly, Perien is arguably the best out of the four colonies. It lies further south, and many prisoners here take on the tasks of fishing for the two colonies rather than mining ores.


Administration

Oghir is ruled over by a royal family, with the highest authority belonging to the sovereign monarch – an emperor or an empress. The throne is hereditary and holds absolute power. The emperor is the empire, his word is law. The title of the monarch’s spouse is a consort, and they’re below the reigning monarch, especially if they’re not noble. By tradition, the eldest of their children will be the heir, although the reigning monarch has the power to choose another if they deem it necessary, granting them the title of a crown prince, or crown princess. The rest of their children have the title of a prince or a princess, a title they keep throughout their life unless crowned or disowned. The children of princes and princesses, unless they gain a higher title of their own, will be merely royal lords and ladies – a rank on the level of a duke. This hierarchy is kept so that it is clear who has the highest right for the throne. If the ruling family is overthrown, however, they will lose this title and become only a lord or lady.
The Oghiran nobility follows a strict hierarchical order, much like the rest of the common society. The main distinction between the nobility and the commoners is that noble blood, according to Oghiran beliefs, has the intrinsic right to rule. Every Oghiran noble is a descendant of the very first Oghiran monarch, Makkut, who seized power over the lands and passed it onto his own children. Only those children used to be royal and considered noble, as they owned the land, but the bloodline greatly expanded and diversified over time, growing into what is today a large nobility class of different names and origins.
The empire is divided into 6 Grand duchies ruled over by a Grand duke or a Grand duchess. The crown of a Grand duke is the second highest title in Oghir and is likewise hereditary, although it is not completely uncommon for Grand dukes to choose an heir outside of their own offspring. They look over their given land and enjoy a level of autonomy in ruling, but they are bound to report to the Royal castle of all matters, and are bound by a sacred oath to serve and defend his Majesty with their own life. In the end, the monarch is the highest authority.
Each Grand duchy also has several duchies ruled over by dukes, who rule over specific settlements and their close areas.
The emperor is the one who crowns a Grand duke. They can also dethrone them at any point, and appoint a new one in their place if they deem it necessary. They do hold the power to dethrone dukes as well, although this is more rare, as that is the duty of the Grand dukes. During the coronation, every duke must pledge undying allegiance to the monarch, and in return, they are granted ownership over a piece of land. The ducal duties involve collecting taxes, solving minor disputes in the area, paying tributes to the royal family, and to gather an army for defending the royal family in case of war. Dukes also have the power to elect their viscounts and barons, low non-hereditary titles usually given to high-ranking officials and advisors for their service. Finally, the lowest possible title of nobility is a lord or a lady – the sole purpose of the title is to simply be a reminder of the individual’s noble ancestry that separates them from the common folk (not to be confused with royal lord/lady, a title of the direct descendants of the current ruling family).
A noble family has the power to disown their children. Disowned individuals fully lose their noble status and their title, as well as their connection to the family.
The Royal Assembly of Oghir
Since each noble family of Oghir technically has a right to the Oghiran throne now, the ruling house is often changing, depending on which house gets to power if the current ruler dies without any heirs. This led to brutal battles for the throne, in which many noble families were completely wiped out. That's why Aghen I. founded a so-called Royal Assembly of Oghir, a council where every noble house of Oghir has a seat and a vote. The eldest of the members would traditionally act as the chairman. The main purpose of this council was to elect the next emperor peacefully and to strengthen the bonds among the nobility, but the Royal Assembly of Oghir had significant power in other departments as well, particularly in jurisdiction. Being a member of the Royal Assembly used to be a great honor, and the title of a royal elector was highly respected. However, as time passed, each new emperor pushed the power of the Royal Assembly to minimum, until it became just a mere formality that it is today. The monarch still regularly convenes the Royal Assembly and discusses state affairs with its members, mainly just to please the other influential houses of Oghir, but they are no longer required to act upon the Assembly’s decisions. The only remaining power the Royal Assembly has is electing and crowning a new heir in case the monarch is no longer able to do so.
The emperor also holds the ultimate judicial power, although the Grand dukes and dukes share this power as well. Usually dukes deal with the matters of their subjects. Grand dukes take over bigger disputes, and if necessary, take it to the emperor who makes a final decision.


Military

As a militaristic land, it is no surprise the army of Oghir is the second largest in the entire Lykon, right after Andersoll. With around 60,000 wolve to be deployed when necessary, Oghir is a force to be reckoned with. The Royal Army, consisting of roughly 6,000 soldiers, is highly disciplined and loyal to the empire. When not in war, the Royal Army acts like the monarch's police force, and oversees the order within the land. Its main duty is to defend the empire, whether that is from the enemies on the outside or inside. The Royal Army is called to subdue any revolts or civil unrest, and is tasked with carrying out punishments as well as hunting down lawbreakers. Besides that, the soldiers are stationed in each Grand Duchy to watch over the territory alongside the guards. Every second summer, the soldiers rotate to switch places with the next Grand Duchy. This is done for several reasons: to keep the soldiers in their peak condition so they’re always ready for a march, to help them memorize the terrain and landscape of each region, and of course, to prevent them from forming any bonds to the wolve of a particular place.
The army consists of 6 divisions, each made up of 5 units. A unit is further divided into 10 cohorts, each of them seeing 20 to 25 individual soldiers. A cohort is led by the second commander, a unit is led by the first commander. A division is then led by a divisional general, a subordinate of the commander general. The commander general is second in command to the general of the army, the highest military position, and usually a relative of the royal family. While the emperor does have the final say, they rarely interfere, leaving the management and most decisions to their entrusted general of the army.
Just like in the aristocracy, there’s a strict hierarchy to be followed in the army, and promotions are reserved only for the best – and the most devoted. However, all royal soldiers are well paid and taken care of, to make them less likely to mutiny. In fact, the upkeep of the Royal Army costs the royal treasury a lot of coin, but for the monarchs, it is a necessary sacrifice to secure their position and power. Even so, coups are not uncommon in Oghir, and many ruling houses were dethroned by their own army.
Military service is important and highly esteemed in this society, and the government awards their soldiers adequately – soldiers who served the minimum of 10 winters in the army can look forward to pension, for example. Their housing will be provided for both them and their families in each Grand Duchy, and their children will be educated at the imperial temples for the first 4 winters completely for free. In case a soldier is killed in action, their spouse will also be reimbursed.
Once enlisted, soldiers have no way to quit and must serve in the army for at least 10 seasons. Leaving service before those 10 seasons pass is against the law, and if caught, the culprits will be forced to serve the empire in a different way – for failing military service, convicts are sentenced to hard labor in one of the mining colonies in the White North instead, since the empire fears they would otherwise compromise the army's combat capabilities.
Royal Guard
The Royal Guard is an offshoot of the Royal Army, soldiers who underwent rigorous training from a very young age in order to shape their minds to be utterly obedient and devoted to the monarch. Only the very best will be picked, while the rest will be placed in the regular Royal Army. To be chosen for the Royal Guard is the highest honor. It is about 600 soldiers strong, and its sole purpose is to protect the royal family at any cost. Only males are accepted here – they are made eunuchs before entering service, to further ensure their loyalty is steadfast and their interests not misplaced. Upon the completion of their training, when they are roughly 15 seasons old, a ceremony is held during which the guards are castrated, and each swears an oath where they devote their life to whichever family member they are to focus on. If this family member perishes by the hand of another, their appointed guards will be promptly executed for failing their duty. Likewise, if a Royal Guard was to abandon their duty, the same fate awaits them. Those who manage to flee are hunted down and brought to justice like any other criminal.
Colonial Guard
The colonial guard, while also technically part of the Royal Army, is completely separated from it. It is collectively led by the colonial governor, the head of everything relating to the colonies in the White North, and the one who makes major decisions. The colonial governor is rarely ever present in the colonies themselves, and instead resides in Morkall where they keep in touch with the royal family. From here, they communicate with their appointed wardens, who directly supervise their given colony. The warden’s duty is to ensure the colony runs smoothly, while also overseeing its security. For this, they have a group of trained guards underneath their command who help them with these duties.


Worship

Oghir is the domain of several deities. Most of these gods are reserved, and only rarely welcome any outsiders among their ranks. They are neither good nor evil, as they simply wish to extend the extension of their power through any means necessary, rewarding those who follow their command and who spread their preaching.Maghora
The most prominent is Maghora (aka Majora), the god of might, the father of conquest and warfare, and the patron of Oghiran nobility. He is usually depicted as a large wolf with a coat as black as the night and two burning eyes, often with a dagger in his snout. Sometimes he is also portrayed as a black werewolf with two spears. He gives strength and cunning, and is also associated with health, vigor, and physical size – qualities that can be used to bring one to a position of power. While brute force is preferred, anything goes so long as the goal is reached; traits that stand in the way of success are seen as weak and unworthy, including honesty and honor. His realm is called Maghora’s Hold and is said to be an inconceivably large castle of luxuries, where Maghora himself sits at the throne.
The common belief is that Maghora is the father of all black-mount werewolves, whom he created when he shook his fur. The ground trembled violently underneath him, erecting the Black Mountains, while some of his coal hair that fell down turned into the first black-mount werewolves. According to legend, those werewolves slowly lost interest in the worship of his spirit, weakening the god. And so Maghora gave a son of his own blood, named Makkut, to the young Eydis. Some accounts tell of Eydis falling pregnant despite never being with a male, attesting Maghora’s divine intervention, while others claim that Maghora descended onto the mortal plane in the darkest night to lay with Eydis, leaving her with a child in her womb. Either way, Makkut proved his divinity by conquering all tribes in the area and uniting them under his reign, a feat no one even imagined reaching before. In return, Maghora swore that as long as it is his divine blood passed from Makkut that bears the crown of Oghir, the empire and all its citizens shall be underneath his divine protection. Those children are not safe from the savagery of Maghora’s competition however, as Maghora is quite picky even with his heirs; he is known to intervene in the issues of heritance and even rewards familicide as a way of rising to power.
Hil Maul
The second most revered god in Oghir is Hil Maul (aka Hilas Mal or Maulius), Maghora’s younger brother, whose sphere of influence is secrets, knowledge, and the intricate web of fate. The herald of truth and the guardian of lies – a dichotomy often portrayed in his depictions, either as a spider on a cobweb with poison dripping out of its fangs, or a werewolf with two faces and eight arms, each holding a thread and a needle. In fact, spiders are considered his creations, and are believed to follow his command directly. He is also associated with history and fortune-telling, he is the patron of all seers, soothsayers and oracles. The god who shrouds things in mystery, but can also reveal them to those who are willing to listen, and who are willing to pay the price of his divine knowledge. His devoted disciples are Hil Maul's seers, able to see glimpses of the future, but at the cost of their own sight. It is said Hil Maul uses their lost senses to observe even the darkest and remotest corners of the mortal realm, and so with each disciple, his powers grow stronger. His realm is the Undercroft, with endless hallways full of books and scrolls describing every single possibility and outcome of the past, the present, and the future. The incredible span of the knowledge concealed within those scriptures is too much for a mortal mind to handle, and indeed, a few of the seers who managed to cross into the Undercroft during their lifetime were driven to insanity. That is why it’s rare for individuals to pursue this field, as their entire lives will revolve around tiptoeing on the edge of madness, on top of losing their sight and hearing.
The lesser gods
The lesser gods of Oghir hold lesser power over the land and its people, and are not worshiped as extensively, usually only at home or at a special occasion. Kireth, a goddess of thunder, is a patron of the Fallenmark wolve and is worshiped exclusively in this region. Her realm is the Deepsea, a never ending sea the passed mortals traverse on large magical ships, although they are fully capable of breathing underwater and feel no cold. Vearunn is the goddess of battle, or rather the aftermath of it, as she picks the fallen to guide them to her realm of Vearunn’s Hall where she hosts a never ending banquet in their honor. Kar-Gouleth, the divine hunter, rewards the most agile and steadfast by an afterlife in his eternal hunting grounds – a forest of tall trees, and a never ending supply of fat game to feast on.

GMAV

General:

  • Adjectival: Gmavian

  • Demonym: Gmavians

  • Language: Gmavian (a mix of Mhorian and Oghiran dialects) 68%, Oghiran dialects 32%

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Vlasteros

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: fish, peat, clay, wool, gravel

  • Imports: salt, coal, iron ore

  • Natural resources: peat, clay, arable land, gravel

Relations:

  • Allies: Oghir

  • Positive: Heiranꜛ

  • Neutral: Roam, Waleria↓

  • Negative: Tharron, Kroll↓

  • Enemies: Andersoll, Verkroth

Gmav is a medium sized land located in a valley between the Hallagar Mountains, Kyshtyr Mountains and Bararus Range. It neighbors Tharron and Heiran in the west, Waleria in the south, and Oghir in the east. Its main settlement, Vlasteros, lies on the northwestern border, by the Hallagar Mountains and the Nither lake. This allows the locals to mine ores for trade, but also support themselves by fishing. Bekyr, a smaller fireside in the east, is settled on the banks of the river Roväll by the Bararus Range, and the fireside of Lumiera in between connects these two settlements. Lastly, the fireside of Kuten lies further south, close to the Kyshtyr Mountains.
The main portion of this land is made up of swamps and woodlands, naturally protected by the Nither lake and the mountain ranges on its borders. Even though its location offers a lot of advantages and opportunities, Gmav was largely exploited by Oghir in the past and was left in a poor state that still lingers on today. The current ruler of Gmav continues in Oghir’s footsteps, and keeps a lot of the remaining riches for himself and his nobility. Some wolve even speculate that Oghir still controls Gmav from the outside, and is the true source of the government’s corruption.


Administration

Gmav didn’t change much ever since it was occupied by Oghir. The land is ruled over by an archduke or archduchess, who is the supreme leader with absolute power. The crown is hereditary, and the heir to the throne is chosen and crowned by the current monarch. The spouse gains a title of a consort upon marriage, but the title itself holds no authority. The consort usually takes care of the royal castle and overlooks the royal treasury, while the monarch rules the land and commands the army.


Military

The army of Gmav is about 45,000 soldiers strong, but very poorly equipped and of low morale. It comprises 15 divisions, each made up of 15 units. A unit is a group of 10 cohorts, where one cohort consists of around 20 soldiers. The army itself is used more as a way to threaten and scare the citizens of Gmav into obedience, rather than defending the land from outsiders. However, that does not mean Gmav is completely defenseless – with Gmav having tight relations with Oghir, the land has a guaranteed protection from its eastern neighbor that has more than enough means to protect both territories.


Worship

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MENES

General:

  • Adjectival: Menes

  • Demonym: Menes wolve

  • Language: Oghiran dialect of Menes

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: New Hagenfall

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: salt, slate, coal, iron ore, copper, precious gems

  • Imports: timber, sugar, leather, wool

  • Natural resources: slate, coal, iron ore, copper, precious gems

Relations:

  • Allies: Tallos

  • Positive: Yira, Ashmore

  • Neutral: Mjorgen, Ninis

  • Negative: Oghir, Gmav, Verkroth

  • Enemies: -

Menes is a large island on the eastern side of Lykon, separated from the mainland by the Wolderian Sea. The first inhabitants to settle in Menes were noble wolves of Oghir, who pledged loyalty to the emperor. However, the society became largely self-sufficient over time, which eventually led to Menes declaring its independence. Tallos followed suit, and the two united together to repel the army of Oghir that tried to take over control of the two islands again. After three seasons of lengthy war, the three parties finally agreed to a peace treaty - Oghir will respect Menes and Tallos as independent lands, but Menes and Tallos promise to not meddle with the mainland politics, and keep trading with Oghir for favorable prices. While the main fireside used to be Gormer in the northwest, the settlement got destroyed during the war and now lies in ruins. The current main fireside of Menes is New Hagenfall, found further south on the western coast. Termia, a mining settlement, lies in the centre of the island, by the Acrops. Mistfall is another port, at the southernmost tip, and mainly trades with Tallos through Fezier.
The entirety of Menes is very similar to the other Lykonian lands of its latitude, with a subpolar oceanic climate. Most of the land is covered by a mixed forest, and in the center stands a small mountain range, the Acrops. Menes has many resources and the inhabitants utilize them all, but they mainly rely on mining ores in the Acrops, processing wood from the forest, and fishing in the sea.

Administration

During the reign of Oghir over the island, Menes belonged to the Empire as one of its Grand Duchies. The land used to be ruled over by an archduke or archduchess, who answered to the Oghiran monarch. Menes was doing quite well, but saw very little wealth despite its natural riches as it was forced to pay high taxes; repaying the royal family and the nobility on the mainland for their investments in the island. Due to this, the locals eventually revolted and lynched the noble family of Menes. The response was swift - the royals called to arms and made it their number one priority to subdue the rebellion. After many winters of bloody battles, Menes and Oghir finally signed a peace treaty. This peace treaty gave Menes full autonomy, which meant the locals were free to choose their own leaders. Today, Menes is governed by a council of 21 elders, who choose their new members.

Military

Since Menes is an island, its focus is turned to the seas. They are remarkable seafarers and have a strong navy, both in numbers and expertise. With the omnipresent threat of its former master looming over the island, the wolve of Menes take defense very seriously, and make sure they are always ready for war. Younglings are trained in combat from a young age, and all adults have the responsibility to protect their homeland with their lives if it's ever attacked. The land also maintains large supplies of food, materials and weapons. The pact with Tallos also ensures Menes will have the support of its southern neighbor in case of any danger.

Worship

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TALLOS

General:

  • Adjectival: Tallonian

  • Demonym: Tallonians

  • Language: Tallonian (Oghiran dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Akela

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: salt, sugar, fish, wool, leather, granite, marble, wine

  • Imports: coal, iron ore, copper

  • Natural resources: granite, marble, arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: Menes

  • Positive: Yira, Ashmore

  • Neutral: Mjorgen, Ninis

  • Negative: Oghir, Gmav, Verkroth

  • Enemies: -

Tallos is a medium-sized island on the eastern side of Lykon, south of Menes. The island is separated from the continent by the Wolderian Sea. Much like Menes, Tallos used to be a wild land for most of its history, before the Oghiran wolve came to conquer its fertile grounds. First settlements were built for the sole purpose of exploiting local resources and bringing them back to the Empire. However, as the settlements grew and the wolve stayed longer, the local society eventually got to a point where many felt more Tallonian rather than Oghiran, and the continuing exploitation started driving a wedge between the two cultures. When Menes declared its independence, Tallos was already at the brink of a revolution, and immediately took the opportunity to join Menes in their fight for freedom. The war ended with a peace treaty, one which bound both Tallos and Menes to political neutrality that they maintain to this day. Its main fireside is Akela, located in the centre of the island by the Stray Mountain. Close to Akela is Fezier in the north, a port that focuses on fishing and trading with Menes through Mistfall. The second biggest port of Tallos is Wolderan in the very south of the island.
When it comes to geography, Tallos is actually a very rich land thanks to its location, even if its shores are ravaged by the sea wind and salt. The climate is mild and humid, and the land is relatively flat, creating the perfect conditions for farming. Even though Tallos has no ore deposits, it has plenty of fertile soil to take advantage of instead, and gains other resources by trading.

Administration

In its old days as one of Oghiran Grand Duchies, Tallos was governed by the Oghiran nobility. A Grand Duke or Duchess ruled over the island, with the monarch of Oghir as the supreme leader of all. During the revolution, the Tallonians got rid of the noble family, and instead appointed their own Lord of the isle who rules the land together with their partner, and who shares a lot of their power with the court advisors.

Military

The Tallonians might be farmers, but that does not mean they are not capable of warfare. Their experience with Oghir taught them the price of freedom, and they are more than ready to fight for it again shall the need ever come. Every adult can be called to arms by the Lord, and every adult is responsible for obtaining their own weapons, mostly made from whatever farming tools the family had on hand. To make sure the wolve of Tallos are not taken by surprise, the isle is guarded day and night by scouting ships and by towers built on the shores. On top of that, Menes and Tallos are sworn to support each other in war as allies.

Worship

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WALERIA

General:

  • Adjectival: Walerian

  • Demonym: Walerians

  • Language: Walerian

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: Galion

  • Currency: bronze

  • Exports: hardwood timber, honey, leather, antlers, honey, limestone, copper, tin

  • Imports: softwood timber, iron ore, coal, salt, sugar, zinc, gold, silver, dimension stone

  • Natural resources: hardwood timber, limestone, copper, tin

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Heiran

  • Neutral: Andersoll, Gmav, Roam

  • Negative: Oghir, Verkroth

  • Enemies: Oren, Pellore, Shpenn

Waleria lies in central Lykon within the Golden Weald, and reaches from the lake Spill in the east to the Kyshtyr mountains in the west. It shares borders with Shpenn, Delion and Roam in the west, then Heiran and Gmav in the north, Oghir in the east, and Verkroth, Oren and Pellore in the south. Waleria is well known for harboring the largest part of Lykon’s only deciduous forest, the Golden Weald, and offers quite remarkable views of brightly colored tree tops, meadows full of flowers and many streams flowing through the area. The architecture of its main fireside, Galion, also stands out in the landscape, with walls made of white limestone towering over the river Tensys. However, Waleria is mostly known for its high quality woodworking, mainly bows and arrows that are said to be the best in all of Lykon. Walerians are very proud wolve, and the country is as developed as the northwestern nations. At the source of the river Tensys, by the Kyshtyr Mountains, lies the fireside of Valmaen – one of the three mining settlements in Waleria. Arthione at the southern border mines ores in the Mountains of Nystall, and Marolov has its mines in the Bararus Range. Slightly east of Marolov is Held, a smaller port at the lake Spill. Finally, the last settlement found in the centre of the land is Feallon that focuses on logging and hunting.

Administration

Waleria is a kingdom, ruled over by a king and queen. The crown is hereditary, and traditionally goes to the eldest child, who holds the title of a crown prince or princess until coronation. Other children of the ruling couple have the title of a prince or princess. The king and queen share the same amount of power once married and crowned together, although in case of disputes, the monarch of the blood will have the final say. The two monarchs also have an appointed royal advisor, a great sage, to help with making decisions. A Prince of the Castle is a special title given to an official who takes care of the castle where the royal family resides, most often a relative.
The land is divided into 9 principalities, governed by Grand princes and princesses. The Grand princes can also appoint their Thanes, who pledge service to their Grand prince in return for a piece of their land – thanage.
Waleria, as one of the few lands in Lykon, has a fully independent court and a form of constitution. The two monarchs have no say in the matter of justice, however, they themselves cannot be tried or punished. They are considered too good and too noble to commit crimes, whether that is actually true or not, and having them be tried by a court is considered an offence.

Military

The Walerian army is the fourth largest army of Lykon, closely after Tharron, with roughly 110,00 active soldiers. Waleria is well known for its excellent archers who make up a huge part of its army as a special unit. The infantry is also exceptionally skilled and trained in combat and strategy, making Waleria more than capable of taking on a larger army than its own – together with the terrifying stories of its past cruelty in battle, the Walerian army is a truly fearsome enemy.

Worship

Most Walerians venerate Vearunn, the goddess of battle, and Kar-Gouleth, the god of hunt.

ITHIRON

General:

  • Adjectival: Ithirian, Ithironian

  • Demonym: Ithirians

  • Language: Ithirian

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside: Anora

  • Population: 8,900

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: N/A

  • Imports: N/A

  • Natural resources: iron ore, tin, copper, granite, slate

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: -

  • Negative: Andersoll

  • Enemies: Tharron, Oghir

Ithiron is one of the northernmost territories of Lykon. Despite being fairly small, it managed to hold its ground between the three giants: Andersoll in the west, Tharron in the south, and Oghir in the east. Conditions in the local tundra are quite harsh, but the hardy Ithironians prosper within it. Anora, Ithiron’s main fireside, is located near the Great Berfalls on the river Yensen, which represents the southern border. Anora as a place goes far in history, and is deeply valued by its citizens. Despite being considered Ithiron's main fireside, it is only its second biggest settlement, with the biggest being Rhedon in the centre of the land. Rhedon is a livestock settlement, breeding and keeping large herds of reindeers as cattle, which the open plains are perfect for. Last one is Noss, a fishing port settled at the conjunction of the rivers Yensen and Angessi.
Ithirians are a reserved kind and hostile towards strangers. They fiercely protect their territory from any outsiders and do not hesitate in using extreme violence in such cases. There are tales of some who were tolerated and even accepted in the Ithironian society despite their foreign origin, but if these tales are true, such instances are incredibly rare.

Administration

Ithiron, unlike its neighbors, has no concept of a noble blood – all Ithironians are the children of the land, and therefore equal in the eyes of their goddess Ith. Instead, they follow priests, who are all trained by the Anorian Circle of the Wise Ones, a group of around 10 to 20 elder sages who speak to the goddess. Her approval is a must before any decision is made or any action is taken. The eldest of the Circle is usually the representative of the entire group and speaks on its behalf. To become a member of the Circle, one must be a sage of a certain age and experience. Only then will they be considered, and it’s up to the goddess if they will be accepted or not.
The Circle also acts like a court, and has the right to issue punishments in the name of the goddess. There is no concept of prison in Ithiron, much like the rest of Thira – small crimes are usually punished by materialistic penalties or public service, while bigger ones might be punished by amputations. Ithiron is not shy in issuing death sentences as well, with executions being fairly common.
The residence of the Circle is in the lower chambers of the Grand temple of Anora, the ancient place of Ithirian ancestors. The upper chamber is fully dedicated to worship and religious rituals. The goddess Ith has allegedly commanded the Ithirs to build her temple on this spot, and promised to continue providing guidance and protection shall they do so.

Military

Each Ithironian settlement has a warchief who leads the citizens into battle if necessary. The warchief is elected by the goddess and appointed in her name by the priests, both to whom they pledge allegiance. Ithiron does not have an army per se, instead there’s a form of conscription – every adult of Ithiron is expected to defend their homeland in times of war. Younglings are trained in combat at a tender age, and the skills they learn are strengthened by annual ceremonies, in which all adults partake in feigned fights. However, each temple does have its specialized guard that consists of highly trained soldiers. Especially the Grand Templars, guarding the Grand temple of Anora, are renowned for their skills and their ruthlessness.
During peace, warchiefs take on the roles of mayors of their settlements, overseeing the safety, training of the younglings and dealing with disputes. Every warchief is however subordinate to the Goddess and so subordinate to the priests, who have the right to strip the warchief of their title upon any signs of insubordination.

Worship

The Ithirs have always worshiped their only goddess Ith, the “light in the darkest darkness”, usually depicted as a silver werewolf with the two moons in her hands and the third moon in her snout, or alternatively on her head. In other cases, she is portrayed as the head of a wolf with three eyes, the third one being on her forehead. She is the 7th lady of the night, and rules over when all three moons are shining brightly in the sky. For Ithirs, she is their mother, their protector, and their guide. They are fully devoted to her, and lead their lives according to her preachings: humility, modesty, respect, discipline.

THARRON

General:

  • Adjectival: Tharrian, Tharronian

  • Demonym: Tharrians, Tharronians

  • Language: Tharrian 83%, old Corinian 17%

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Setten

  • Population: 52,200

  • Currency: gold

  • Exports: timber, iron ore, gold, wool, leather, antlers, granite

  • Imports: salt, coal, copper, wine, textiles, spices

  • Natural resources: timber, iron ore, gold, precious stones, granite

Relations:

  • Allies: Waleria

  • Positive: Belevud↓, Kroll

  • Neutral: Heiran↓, Roam

  • Negative: Andersoll

  • Enemies: Ithiron, Oghir, Gmav

Tharron is a large territory in the northern part of central Lykon. It's naturally protected from its neighbors by surrounding mountain ranges and water areas. The only neighboring land with an open border to Tharron is much smaller Belevud in the south. Heiran lies beyond the river Tidas and Gmav is past the Hallagar mountains. The Nither lake in the east creates a border between Tharron and Oghir, and the Yensen river acts as a natural border between Tharron and Ithiron. The entire length of the Great Berfalls then separates Tharron from Andersoll in the west. Main fireside of Tharron is Setten, located in the foothills of the Hallagar Mountains.
Most of Tharron’s territory is shrouded in a huge coniferous forest named the Elden Forest. Tharrians make use of all their natural resources: the settlements of Allmeran and Pein process the wood from the Elden Forest, Tilflyn has mines in the Great Berfalls, and Setten together with Magjorn mine ores in the Hallagar Mountains. Temper in the very west lies on the river Alyone and mainly trades with other lands. Finally, Pallow in the east is Tharron's only port, and supports itself by fishing in the Nither lake. Tharron comes very close to Andersoll in its level of civilization, and the land is known to be good to live in.

Administration

Tharron is ruled over by a noble family, with a king and a queen as the highest authorities. Their children are princes and princesses, and the heir to the throne is chosen among them by the parents. Princes and princesses keep their title for the rest of their life, but it is not hereditary; children of a prince or a princess will be considered noble, but will not hold any titles. In general, the noble family here is not viewed as the untouchable autocrats as they are in Oghir, but rather representatives of the land who are fully responsible for its welfare. Accordingly, the nobles are quite in touch with the citizens, and are thus beloved by many as the protectors of Tharron.
To ensure that the ruling family will not abuse their power, Tharron has a code of Tiraz – a set of laws adopted from Mel Varion, that must be followed by all no matter the title. On top of that, there is also the Council of Tharron that works closely with the king and queen, and that has many special rights. Among them is the power to depose the ruling family if the members deem it necessary, and the right to choose and crown a new heir when the throne is empty. It also holds a great deal of judicial power, so that the court remains objective. Lawmaking is fully in the hands of the monarchs, however the council has a right to veto a law if all members agree to it. The council is made up of 36 members, all of whom must be past a certain age and educated. New members are accepted by the council itself, but are ceremonially appointed by the king and queen.
Both the noble family and the council members reside in the royal castle of Tharron, situated in Setten. They live here together with a chamberlain, a high-ranking official in charge of the finances and royal treasury, and several servants who cook and keep the living quarters tidy. In the underground of the castle is a dungeon overseen by a warden. This dungeon is the last destination of the worst criminals in the land.
Tharron is further divided into smaller sections governed by landgraves, so-called Landgraviates. Underneath them are burgraves – officials ruling over a castle and its proximity, called Burgraviate. Landgraves are appointed by the ruling monarchs, although at this point, the title became hereditary. The responsibility of landgraves is to watch over their land and report to the king and queen. The responsibilities of burgraves are administrative, military and jurisdictional.

Military

The king or queen by blood also acts as a general of the Tharronian army, though they rarely go out to the battlefield themself. It’s the captain general, second in command, who leads the army in battle. The army of Tharron has about 130,000 active soldiers, making it the third largest army in Lykon.

Worship

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HEIRAN

General:

  • Adjectival: Heirish

  • Demonym: Heirish

  • Language: Heirish (Mhorian dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Silverkeep

  • Population: 13,700

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: iron ore, silver, zinc, dimension stone, precious stones

  • Imports: salt, sugar, timber, gold, copper, tin, meat, wheat, rye, barley, fruits, leather

  • Natural resources: iron ore, silver, gold, zinc, dimension stone (granite, gravel), precious stones

Relations:

  • Allies: Gmav

  • Positive: Tharron↓

  • Neutral: Belevud, Roam, Oghirꜛ, Waleria

  • Negative: Kroll↓

  • Enemies: -

Heiran is a small and sparsely populated territory that encompasses the territory north of the Kyshtyr mountains. It’s a young land that only recently separated from the western Kroll. Centuries ago, the territory of Heiran belonged to the Thar-Mhorian monarchy, which had great interest in Kyshtyrian ores. Heiran’s current main fireside, Silverkeep, was built at the time as a mining settlement. Due to Heiran’s soil being mostly mountainous and infertile, the inhabitants still largely rely on trading their ores to this day. Its neighbors are its biggest trading partners: Kroll in the south, Tharron in the north, Gmav and Waleria in the east. Heiran also technically neighbors Andersoll in the west and Roam in the south, but the border is minimal and Heiran is fully separated from Roam by the Kyshtyr Mountains.

Administration

Heiran is a Grand principality, with a Grand prince or a Grand princess who holds absolute power. They rule with the help of their spouse, the prince or princess consort, and a royal advisor. They have 5 Thanes and 18 Barons underneath them – lower nobles who manage smaller sections of the territory.

Military

Heiran does not have an army per se, and rather relies on the ability to call all capable adults to arms if needed. All Heirish are bound to heed this call and protect their homeland. Considering this, Heiran is roughly 5,000 wolve strong, although the experience and equipment of these wolve is certainly not up to date.

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KROLL

General:

  • Adjectival: Krollan

  • Demonym: Krollan

  • Language: Krollan (Mhorian dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Nirna

  • Population: 19,100

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: grain, sugar, spices, fruits, vegetables, honey, silver, stone, alcoholic beverages

  • Imports: salt, coal, copper, zinc, tin, wine, silk

  • Natural resources: iron ore, silver, arable land, clay, dimension stone (granite, gravel), precious stones

Relations:

  • Allies: Andersoll

  • Positive: Belevudꜛ, Tharronꜛ

  • Neutral: Roam, Waleria

  • Negative: Gmav↓, Heiran↓

  • Enemies: Oghir

Kroll is a small land in central Lykon. It’s found within Vervale, a lowland spreading from the western side of the Kyshtyr Mountains and in between the rivers Ladena and Kalbe, making it an exceptionally well protected territory. Indeed, throughout history, the first wolven tribes that settled in this part of Lykon have stayed here, only lightly mingling with some of the other tribes over time. During the golden age, Kroll grew in importance as it became a highly respected and valued part of the old Thar-Mhorian monarchy, with its main fireside being the center of culture and education in the region. Unfortunately, the nation found itself in a tough position since its dissolution following the Oghiran invasion, with Kroll falling behind its neighbors regarding progress and the quality of life. Kroll also recently separated from its northern region, Heiran, which claimed independence only 2 generations ago. This meant that Kroll lost most of its silver mines, yet another blow to the already struggling princedom.
In the north, Kroll borders the aforementioned Heiran across the river Ladena. The only two other lands that Kroll shares a direct border with are Andersoll in the west and Roam in the south. Nirna remains Kroll’s main fireside to this day, and its prestigious university is one of Kroll’s main sources of income, as many nobles send their own children to study here. However, Nirna is not the biggest fireside of Kroll – that title goes to Mensir, a sprawling trading hub settled at the conjunction of the two rivers Ladena and Kalbe. The river Kalbe is also a connection between Mensir and the fireside of Kolen, lying further east. Lastly, there’s Sheolith, a stronghold built by the foothills of the Kystyr Mountains back in the old days of Thar-Mhor.

Administration

Kroll is a Grand principality, ruled over by a Grand prince or a Grand princess who holds absolute power. They rule over the land with the help of their spouse, the prince or princess consort, and a royal advisor. They have 4 Thanes and 15 Barons underneath them – lower nobles who manage smaller sections of the territory.

Military

Kroll has no standing army, but in case of war could amass an army of roughly 12,000 soldiers.

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BELEVUD

General:

  • Adjectival: Belevudian

  • Demonym: Belevudians

  • Language: Belevudian (Tharrian dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Delhate

  • Population: 16,400

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: wheat, barley, rye, oats, berries, clay, leather

  • Imports: salt, sugar, coal, copper, iron, tin, spices

  • Natural resources: timber, clay, arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: Tharron↓

  • Positive: Krollꜛ

  • Neutral: Roam, Heiranꜛ

  • Negative: Andersoll

  • Enemies: Gmav, Oghir

Belevud is a smaller land lying in the lowland on the western side of Lykon, by the northeastern shore of lake Lujal. Most of its border with Andersoll in the west is made by the lake and the river Alyone. The river Tidas marks the border between Belevud and Kroll in the south. Tharron in the north is the only land that Belevud has a fully open border to. The territory of Belevud is entirely shrouded in the woods of the Elden Forest. Its main fireside is Delhate.

Administration

Belevud is governed by a marquess or marchioness, from the old times of Mel Varion's administration of the empire. Their spouse has the title of a consort, but they share some level of power as well. The territory is further divided into 4 counties, overseen by counts.

Military

Belevud has no standing army, but in case of war could assemble an army of 8,000 soldiers.

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THE CROWN OF ROAM

General:

  • Adjectival: Roaman

  • Demonym: Roamans

  • Language: Marissian 53%, Venfirish dialects 27%, Tharrian dialects 16%, Oghiran dialects 4%

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: Roam

  • Population: 33,200

  • Currency: gold, silver

  • Exports: sugar, spices, wine, honey, fruits, textiles, iron ore, gold, dimension stone, precious stones

  • Imports: salt, zinc, copper, silver

  • Natural resources: timber, arable land, iron ore, silver, dimension stone (granite, sandstone, gravel), precious stones

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: Andersoll, Belevud, Tharron, Kroll, Heiran, Gmav, Waleria, Aghalia, Jeramell, Volungard

  • Negative: -

  • Enemies: -

The Crown Of Roam, usually shortened to just Roam, is a territory in the valley Vervale, between the Kyshtyr mountains and the confluence of river Ladena and river June. It’s a well protected land with natural borders on all sides, together with good soil and plentiful resources. Thanks to its favorable location, Roam enjoys a lot of independence, and always acts in its own best interest alone. This approach granted Roam a lot of freedom, and also quite a lot of wealth. The only allies Roam has are trading partners down the river Tidas; namely Andersoll in the west, and Aghalia with Lindor in the south. Kroll, lying beyond the northern river Ladena, is also on good terms with Roam. Its other neighbors, like Heiran in the north or Waleria in the east, are beyond the Kyshtyr mountains and are harder to reach. Roam’s main fireside, which bears the same name, stands in the foothills of the Kyshtyr mountains.
Due to its neutrality and good defense, Roam managed to avoid a lot of invasions throughout history, and became known to be a safe haven where many look for shelter to this day. Although some lands envy Roam’s advantageous neutrality stance, many lands also frown upon it; Roam is not a reliable ally, and on top of it all, it’s known to accept any kind of deal as long as there’s money involved.
The land of Roam is full of lush greenery, temperate forests and open meadows, with the tall Kyshtyr Mountains embracing the territory from the east. The climate is mild with moderate rainfall, and the average summer temperatures are one of the highest in Thira. The soil is exceptionally fertile, making good grounds for farming, and the forests are teeming with wildlife.

Administration

Roam is fully governed by a senate, a council of 45 high-ranking elders who make decisions by casting votes. The senate holds both jurisdictional and legislative power, although smaller disputes are handled by smaller courts in each settlement. The senate also chooses and appoints a consul for the period of 4 seasons, whose duty is to represent the land and to lead the army.

Military

Roam, despite its relatively small size, maintains a standing army of 2,000 soldiers. The army is led by the current consul, who can be appointed for a longer period in times of war to ensure unity and stability. The soldiers of Roam are well trained and equipped with quality weapons, and although its doctrine is mainly defensive, Roam is seen as a respectable land that shouldn’t be messed with. In case of war, Roam can assemble an army almost 10,000 strong.

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AGHALIA

General:

  • Adjectival: Aghalian

  • Demonym: Aghalians

  • Language: Aghalian (Marissian dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Deavon

  • Population: 11,400

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: sugar, wine, spices, honey, wheat, barley, rye, fruits

  • Imports: salt, timber, iron ore, silver, gold, dimension stone, precious stones

  • Natural resources: arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Belevud, Kroll, Heiran

  • Neutral: Tharronꜛ, Roam, Waleria, Lindor

  • Negative: Andersoll, Jeramell, Thyel

  • Enemies: Volungard

Aghalia is a medium sized land on the southern side of river Tidas. Its northern neighbors are Andersoll and Roam, Volungard in the south and Jeramell in the west. Aghalia’s main fireside, Deavon, lies on the river and is one of the many points of the important trading route there. Aghalia, despite its size, is a quite influential nation in the area, and has most control over the Antholian lands.

Administration

Aghalia is a fairly simplistic nation, with the Count as the head of state. However, he shares a lot of his power with his mother, who acts as his advisor and also manages the finances. The title of a count is hereditary, but each wolve of Aghalia is free to challenge the current ruler for their throne. The count also has several lords and ladies underneath him, who help him manage the territory, taxes, and all the different fields of jurisdiction.

Military

Aghalia has a small but well trained standing army of 1,000 soldiers. The military structure is also more simplistic, with a single warchief and several auxiliaries leading the entire army to battle. Due to its location and fertile ground, Aghalia has been fighting with the southeastern Volungard for decades. Volungard also wants the territory to gain access to the Tidas river, and by extension the High sea.

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JERAMELL

General:

  • Adjectival: Jera

  • Demonym: Jera

  • Language: language of the Jera (Antholian dialect)

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside: Lonnhir

  • Population: 9,100

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: sugar, wine, honey, spices, wheat, fruits

  • Imports: salt, timber, iron ore, silver, dimension stone, precious stones

  • Natural resources: arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Belevud, Kroll, Heiran

  • Neutral: Tharron, Roam, Waleria, Lindor

  • Negative: Andersoll, Aghalia↓, Thyel↓, Wermoss, Volungard

  • Enemies: -

Jeramell is one of the small territories in the Antholia region, in southwestern Lykon. It shares borders with Andersoll in the north, Thyel and Wermoss in the west, Barull in the south, and Volungard with Aghalia in the east. Jeramell is mainly an agricultural land, growing crops and fruits. The thing Jeramell has become most famous for is its luxury wines.

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THYEL

General:

  • Adjectival: Thyelian

  • Demonym: Thyelians

  • Language: Thyelian (Antholian dialect)

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside: Thyel

  • Population: 8,500

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: sugar, spices, wheat, fruits

  • Imports: salt, timber, iron ore, dimension stone

  • Natural resources: arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Belevud, Kroll, Heiran

  • Neutral: Tharronꜛ, Roam, Waleria, Lindor↓

  • Negative: Andersoll↓, Aghalia, Wermoss↓, Volungardꜛ

  • Enemies: -

Thyel is a small land located in the Antholia region, southwestern Lykon. Most of its northern border is taken by Andersoll across the river Tidas, but Andersoll also occupies a piece of the southern shore on Thyel’s western side, together with the fireside of Pezial. This has been the subject of many conflicts between Andersoll and Thyel, but thanks to the Rivershore pact, these two neighbors are mostly tolerative of each other today, although the tensions around the borders remain high. Still, Thyel is more focused on keeping its other neighbors at bay - Lindor and Wermoss in the south, and Jeramell in the east.

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LINDOR

General:

  • Adjectival: Lindorian

  • Demonym: Lindorians

  • Language: Lindorian (Antholian dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Lindor

  • Population: 12,000

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: fish, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables

  • Imports: salt, sugar, timber, iron ore, dimension stone

  • Natural resources: arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Andersoll, Kroll

  • Neutral: Belevudꜛ, Tharronꜛ, Roam, Telgar, Leyon

  • Negative: Aghalia, Thyel↓, Wermossꜛ

  • Enemies: Varden, Versen

Lindor is a territory in the southwest of the Antholia region. It controls the eastern side of Tidas Delta, and the northern coast of the Tidan Bay. As such, Lindor mostly focuses on trading and fishing in these waters, but also grows a lot of crops on its land. Its most important trading partner and neighbor is Andersoll, with which Lindor shares friendly bonds and the entirety of its western border. On the other hand, it has a violent past with the two other Antholian lands, Thyel in the north and Wermoss in the east. And lastly, there’s Varden in the south, the most vulnerable border of Lindor that is thoroughly guarded at all times.

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WERMOSS

General:

  • Adjectival: Mossmerian

  • Demonym: Mossmerians

  • Language: Mossmerian

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside: Oskov

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: fish, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables

  • Imports: salt, sugar, timber, iron ore, dimension stone

  • Natural resources: arable land

Relations:

  • Allies: Andersoll

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: Volungard

  • Negative: Jeramell, Thyel↓, Lindorꜛ

  • Enemies: Varden

Wermoss, the smallest of the Antholian lands, lies in the southwestern Lykon by the northern shore of lake Vamyr. The floodplain is difficult to utilize for growing crops, and so the community relies mostly on hunting and breeding livestock. The main fireside of Wermoss, Oskov, is the only settlement that farms crops and vegetables. The land is noticeably poorer than the rest of its Antholian neighbors, but it maintains tight bonds with Andersoll and thrives thanks to the trading. Lindor in the west, Thyel in the north and Jeramell in the east are tolerative of the land, as it keeps Varden in check on its southern borders, as well as Barull in the east.

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VOLUNGARD

General:

  • Adjectival: Volungardian

  • Demonym: Volungards

  • Language: language of the Volungards (Marissian dialect)

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Close Run

  • Currency: copper

  • Exports: softwood timber, iron ore, silver, coal, dimension stone

  • Imports: hardwood timber, copper, tin, salt, sugar, crops, fruits, vegetables

  • Natural resources: softwood timber, iron ore, silver, coal, stone

Relations:

  • Allies: Shpenn

  • Positive: Andersoll

  • Neutral: Roam, Wermoss, Lindor

  • Negative: Jeramell, Thyelꜛ

  • Enemies: Aghalia, Varden

Volungard lies in the northern side of the Sarfall mountains. It borders Jeramell in the west, Aghalia in the north, and Delion in the east. On the other side of the Sarfall mountains lies Shpenn. The territory of Volungard covers a small coniferous forest named Halven Forest, which is, together with the Sarfall mountains, the origin of most of Volungard's valuable resources. The land has plenty of wood, ores, prey and even its own lake to fish in. Volungard is best known for its well trained and surprisingly large army, and the nation is considered brave and great-spirited. Volungard is a highly valued ally of Andersoll and southern Shpenn. Its main fireside is Close Run.

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SHPENN

General:

  • Adjectival: Shpenn

  • Demonym: Shpenn wolve

  • Language: language of Shpenn

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Worish

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: softwood timber, iron ore, silver, coal, dimension stone

  • Imports: salt, sugar, crops, fruits, vegetables

  • Natural resources: timber, iron ore, silver, coal, stone

Relations:

  • Allies: Volungard

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: Wermossꜛ, Lindorꜛ

  • Negative: Pellore↓, Waleriaꜛ, Yarlov

  • Enemies: Varden

Shpenn is a territory on the southern side of the Sarfall mountains. Beyond these mountains lies Volungard, Shpenn’s close and trusted ally. Then it’s Delion and Waleria in the north, Pellore on the eastern side of the river Anhoran, and Varden in the south, beyond the Medrivan quaqmire. Shpenn’s main fireside, Worish, is on the western side of the land, by the Vamyr lake.

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VARDENVAR

General:

  • Adjectival: Vardenvarian, Varian

  • Demonym: Vardenvarians, Varians, Vards

  • Language: southern wild dialects

  • Civilization: uncivilized

  • Main fireside: N/A

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: -

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: timber

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: -

  • Negative: -

  • Enemies: Lindor, Wermoss, Yarlov, Shpenn

Vardenvar, often shortened to Varden, is a collective name for a large territory in southwestern Lykon, kept from the Red Era. It’s mostly a wild land, and the nation itself leans more towards a wild life rather than civilization. Varden sees the biggest population of the Vardian werewolf. The werewolves here still live in packs that follow the old order. Each pack holds and defends its hunting grounds, creating the various hegemonies of Varden. The current ones are Dun, Rizir, Ukranndal, Dabir, Pein, and Rithan. The packs are incessantly fighting for power and more ground, and Varians themselves are known to be highly aggressive towards anyone who isn't their packmate. However, they came to tolerate the borders of the neighboring lands after the recent lost battles: Lindor and Wermoss in the west, Shpenn in the north and Yarlov in the east.

Administration

Due to the constant battles, the Varian wolve never outgrew their early traditions, and to this day prefer to live in pack communities with a simple hierarchy. Each family is led by the oldest living relative, with the most powerful and numerous families earning the rank of a pack. A pack owns a territory, which means it controls its hunting ground – the most valuable resource of them all. The pack acts as the supreme authority in the area, and rules over the other families found within it. It is possible to "dethrone" a pack by eliminating its members, something that is fairly common in Varden, hence why it is essential for a ruling pack to maintain its numbers and combat capability.
According to the ancient customs, it is the female that carries the bloodline. This is why males usually marry into the family of the female, and pledge their loyalty to her bloodline during the wedding ceremony. This oath is not taken lightly, and its breach is viewed as a treachery, one of the highest crimes. Exceptions include trouble conceiving and partner's death.

YARLOV

General:

  • Adjectival: Yarlovian

  • Demonym: Yarlovians

  • Language: Yarlovian

  • Civilization: uncivilized

  • Main fireside: Forrov

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: -

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: timber, iron ore, gold, coal

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Ninis

  • Neutral: Shpenn

  • Negative: Pellore, Grallow

  • Enemies: Varden, Mjorgen

Yarlov is a land in southern Lykon that is still ruled over by the wilderness. It borders Varden in the west, Pellore and Grallow in the north, and Ninis with Mjorgen in the east. The inhabitants here keep to their wild side, and they are open about their worship of the shunned gods. However, unlike their close neighbors, Yarlovians are exceptionally friendly and eager to create friendly bonds with other lands. Alas, most of the civilized world prefers to steer clear of these nations, seeing them as barbaric primitives and witches. Its main fireside is Forrov, lying at the foothills of the Mountains of Dhars, between the river Lykran and Grief. It is the only settlement of Yarlov that has a forge, though it's a simple one. The locals still mainly focus on hunting. Hirrov, sitting at the banks of Lykran Delta, is the second biggest settlement in the area, and supports itself by fishing - much like Grief's Post in the east, situated by the river Grief, which also trades and maintains connection with the other settlements of Yarlov. Finally, Nelis in the north lies in the open plains, and is doing a bit of farming on top of breeding livestock.

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PELLORE

General:

  • Adjectival: Pellorian

  • Demonym: Pellorians

  • Language: Pellorian

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside:

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: spices, vegetables, crops

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: arable land, timber, fish

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Ninis

  • Neutral: Shpenn

  • Negative: Pellore, Grallow

  • Enemies: Varden, Mjorgen

Pellore is a smaller territory in the south central part of Lykon. It neighbors Shpenn in the west, Yarlov in the south, Grallow and Oren in the east and Waleria in the north. There’s a chunk of neutral ground in the southwest between Pellore and Varden, a land of no one that all sides vowed to respect and use for only diplomatic reasons. Pellore is situated in a lowland with fairly open fields, making the inhabitants mostly rely on farming, hunting and keeping livestock. The main fireside, —-, lies close to the shore of lake Draul, offering a good fishing place to further support the local wolve. Pellore got known for the rare spices that are being harvested here and exported to all corners of Thira. The Pellorians are said to be very welcoming and peaceful, although the ongoing feud with Grallow, Oren and Waleria keeps them on guard.

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NINIS

General:

  • Adjectival: Ninian

  • Demonym: Ninians

  • Language: Ninian

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside: N/A

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: -

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: timber

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Yarlov

  • Neutral: Grallow

  • Negative: Mjorgen

  • Enemies: Ashmore

Ninis is a fairly small territory in the southeastern part of Lykon. It neighbors Yarlov in the west, Mjorgen in the south, and Ashmore with Grallow in the north. The entire land is shrouded in a coniferous forest so thick, many travelers get lost while trying to cross it. However, the local Ninians know the forest like the back of their paw, and are said to often help out weary travelers if they happen to find them. The nation of Ninis keeps to their wild roots when it comes to their lifestyle, and the society still operates on the hunter-gatherer principle. The Ninians and Yarlovians are not exactly allies, but they do hold a healthy respect for each other, as their way of living is the most similar out of all the surrounding lands.

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MJORGEN

General:

  • Adjectival: Mjorgen

  • Demonym: Mjorgen wolve

  • Language: Mjorgen dialects

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside: N/A

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: -

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: timber

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Yarlov

  • Neutral: Grallow

  • Negative: Mjorgen

  • Enemies: Ashmore

Mjorgen is the name of the southeastern region of Lykon, hilly and windy. The boreal forest of Ninis and Yarlov continues past the borders to Mjorgen in the north, but gradually thins out as tundra takes over the landscape. The land is vast and empty, given how harsh the local conditions are for life. Still, a hardy race of werewolves managed to settle here and claim the area. The land is now divided into 4 separate territories; Western Rivenbul, central Norvind and eastern Kylanos all harbor werewolf society. The fourth territory in the south, the so-called Frozen plains, remains uninhabited due to the permafrost rendering the soil completely barren. Each werewolf territory is ruled over by one supreme tribe, and the three ruling tribes of Mjorgen don’t see eye to eye. The clan wars here lasted much longer than in the rest of Thira, and while the three tribes came to tolerate the borders of Yarlov and Ninis, the tensions between themselves continue to be sky high.
Rivenbul’s main fireside, Bärhemm, sits on the shore of river Ona in the north. The settlement has a source of water for drinking and fishing, but also mines valuable ores in the Kronian mountains. Central Norvind currently covers the biggest part of the area, and rules over it from their main fireside Timnud, settled by the river Denden, on the foothills of the Todan range. Timnud has a similar amount of resources as Rivenbul’s Bärhemm, and the two forces are consistently met with equal power. The last one, Kylanos, is the smallest territory of the three, but has its own advantage; the northern coast. While Rivenbul in the west neighbors with wild Yarlov and Varden, the eastern Kylanos is surrounded by allies that are always open for trading and that can be easily reached over the sea - Ninis, Ashmore, Yira and even Tallos. For that reason, the main fireside of Kylanos - Marm - lies right on the Denden delta.

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ASHMORE

General:

  • Adjectival: Ashmoran

  • Demonym: Ashmorans

  • Language: Ashmoran (Ithirian dialect)

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: Alpine

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: -

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: timber, iron ore, silver, tin

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: Mjorgen, Menes, Tallos

  • Negative: Ninis, Oghir

  • Enemies: Grallow, Yira

Ashmore is a land on the eastern side of Lykon. The territory covers the entire northern shore of the Ashen bay, and the locals exert control over the coast to the fullest. The climate is oceanic and humid. Ashmore is known in Lykon as one of the most rainy regions. Its northern border directly copies the Fordoll range, beyond which lies most of Ashmore’s neighbors: Grallow and Oren in the west, Verkroth and Yira in the north. The only open border is with the southwestern Ninis. Thanks to this, Ashmore managed to hold its ground against Oghir during the Oghiran expansion, despite being a much smaller land. Before the Oghiran expansion, Ashmore and Yira were one land, but the two separated due to internal disputes. While the chieftain Jowan V. refused to give up his throne and bow to the imperials, his brother and rival Ives III. was promised by the Oghiran emperor that if he make his wolve surrender, he will be crowned as their Grand Duke. He was partially successful, as the northern part was peacefully annexed, but since the southern parts were still ferociously defending their chieftain and their territory, the deal was called off and Ives was disposed of. Today, Ashmorans are trying to take back the fertile soil of their northeastern cousins, one that they believe is rightfully theirs.

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YIRA

General:

  • Adjectival: Yiran

  • Demonym: Yirans

  • Language: Yiran (Ithirian dialect)

  • Civilization: primitive

  • Main fireside:

  • Currency: N/A

  • Exports: sugar, honey, hardwood timber, crops, spices, fruits, vegetables, saltwater fish

  • Imports: salt, coal, silver, tin, zinc

  • Natural resources: arable land, hardwood timber, iron ore, stone

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Oghir, Menes, Tallos

  • Neutral: -

  • Negative: Verkroth

  • Enemies: Ashmore

Yira is a small land spread on the northern side of the Ulferan Coast, by the Wolderian Sea. Its neighbors are Verkroth in the west and Ashmore in the south. It lies directly on the equator, and enjoys a temperate, oceanic climate. Thanks to this, Yira has a very fertile soil and exports a lot of crops, trading significantly with all the lands of central and eastern Lykon. It also keeps good connections to Menes and Tallos, with the two islands being Yira’s most important trading partners. Its main fireside, Ossos, is situated on the coast of the Vistyrr bay in the north. Down the coast lies Tathen's Harbor, a trading port. Bale, Yira's biggest mining settlement, sits in the mountains of the Fordoll Range.

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History

The Ulferan Coast was thought to be populated by wild wolves in the early days of Thira. There are rumors that the land used to be one with Tallos and Menes, now separated by the Wolderian Sea, which is supported by the fact that both environments are strikingly similar. Not much is known about why the flourishing land remained unclaimed for so long.During the Tymer invasion of Lykon in ca. 3400 RA, the northern tribes of Ithirians were pushed out of their homeland, and travelled east in search of a safe haven. Majority of them settled on the eastern coasts where they found the Ulferan Ascendancy, which would later give a name to the region as a whole. The wolve prospered in their new home, lush and abundant, and quickly grew in numbers. When the Tymer occupation followed only 500 years later, the Ulferans managed to hold their sanctuary in the mountains. The Ulferans would be among the first to successfully push the feline colonizers out of their land once the dominion shattered, and one of the few nations that didn't struggle with famine during the upcoming dark age.The Ulferan Ascendancy continued to thrive through the ages, unmatched and undisturbed. The first trouble arose during the Oghiran expansion in 240 5A, when the Oghiran monarch laid claim to the territory of the Ulferan Coast. While the chieftain Jowan V. refused to give up his throne and bow to the imperials, his brother and rival Ives III. was promised by the Oghiran emperor that if he makes his wolve surrender, he will be crowned as their Grand Duke. He was partially successful, as the northern part was peacefully annexed into the Oghiran region of Yira. However, since the southern parts were still ferociously defending their chieftain and their territory, the deal was called off and Ives was disposed of. The Yirans were not happy with his replacement – the young duke Tathen II. of Lophos was a pureblood Oghiran, and had nothing in common with the wolve he was meant to rule. Unfortunately for the Yirans, it was too late to voice their disagreement, and anyone who dared speak up was quickly silenced. Perhaps surprisingly, Tathen would come to prove himself as a worthy duke nonetheless, and he eventually earned the respect of his subjects through his rule, during which he poured a lot of money and resources into the land. Yira became one of Oghir's richest and most influential regions, and the wolve finally accepted their place in the ever-expanding empire, with many starting to feel more Oghiran than Ithirian.The relations between Yira and the Empire suffered when Tathen's line ended with the strange deaths of his only three direct descendants in 803 5A, and the Oghiran monarch appointed his close friend to sit on Yira's throne instead – Makula VI. of Sylventher. Makula was more interested in enjoying Yira's riches than in ruling, and his lavish lifestyle cost the treasury a lot of coin. Taxes were raised while citizens were restrained, all to satisfy the family's desire for the utmost luxury. The Yirans grew resentful of the noble family as well as the monarch, but the region would be governed by the Sylventher house until the desolution of the Great Oghiran Empire in 1147 5A, when Yirans saw the opportunity to retake their freedom and declared independence after they dethroned the current duchess.Today, Yira scrambles to regain its wealth and good name. The relations between Yirans and their former brothers, now called Ashmorans, are still sour after the rocky split, and neither wishes to be connected to the other. Only recently did the rulers of Yira and Ashmore agree to a trading deal that allows merchants to transport and sell their goods within the two territories regardless of nationality.

VERKROTH

General:

  • Adjectival: Verkrothian

  • Demonym: Verkrothians

  • Language: Verkrothian

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Yavrov

  • Currency: copper

  • Exports:

  • Imports:

  • Natural resources: timber, iron ore, zinc, coal

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: Ashmore, Oren

  • Negative: Yira

  • Enemies: Waleria, Oghir

Verkroth is a territory in the eastern side of Lykon, stretching out from the lake Spill and Fordoll mountains to the coast of the Wolderian Sea. It neighbors Oghir in the north, Waleria and Oren in the west, Ashmore in the south and Yira in the east. A small part of the Golden Weald continues past the border to the southern region of Verkroth, but most of the land is mountainous and swampy. There are high tensions between Verkroth and Oghir, as the Empire is still bitter about its loss of control over the Verkrothian territory, and believes Verkroth should belong to Oghir. Despite its much smaller size, Verkroth endures the Empire’s pressure thanks to the river Ferra creating a natural border, and thanks to Verkroth’s strong alliance with Waleria, as well as Menes and Tallos over the Wolderian Sea.

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MEL VARION

General:

  • Adjectival: Melvarionic

  • Demonym: Melvarionians

  • Language: Venfirish dialects 22%, Tharrian 20%, Antholian dialects 18%, Bremmonian dialects 16%, Mhorian dialects 15%, Marissian 9%

  • Civilization: collapsed (highly advanced) – 2A

  • Main fireside: Nirna

  • Currency: copper

  • Exports:

  • Imports:

  • Natural resources: timber, arable land, iron ore, silver, zinc, coal

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: Arrion

  • Negative: Oghir, Kalmenia, Leyon, Ithiron

  • Enemies: -

Mel Varion used to be a large kingdom in the second age of the Neoteric era, spreaded over western and central Lykon. One of the very first monarchies to form, and the largest empire Lykon has seen to this day, Mel Varion had majority of the land fully under its rule for roughly 12 hundred winters. It collapsed when the last king passed without any heirs to bear the crown, which prompted its provinces to battle for the throne.

Administration

Due to its immense size, the kingdom had to be divided into 8 individual provinces ruled over by grand princes and princesses. The westernmost Venfir is today's Ghalore and Arlos, while the province of Vayamma was later separated into Lott and Vayamma. Antholia, the southern province lying beyond the Tidas river, encompasses 5 different lands today: Lindor, Thyel, Wermoss, Jeramell and Aghalia. Further east was Mariss, today called Roam, that also included today's Shpenn. Waleria, the southeastern province, used to control the now independent territories of Pellore and Volungard. Gmav is the only melvarionic province that remains largely unchanged to this day, with its sphere of influence being only very slightly larger back in the times of Mel Varion. The province of Thearron, today called Tharron, had Belevud underneath its reign too. And lastly Mhor, province that included today's Kroll and Heiran.

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NORNOVA

General:

  • Adjectival: Nornovan

  • Demonym: Nornovans

  • Language: Northern dialects

  • Civilization: advanced

  • Main fireside: Tiber

  • Currency: silver

  • Exports: tethonic iron, silver, gold, coal, salt, fish

  • Imports: sugar, tin, zinc, grain, fruits, wine

  • Natural resources: softwood timber, iron ore, silver, gold, dimension stone, salt, coal

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Mayro, Rothmore

  • Neutral: Weldyn, Myrad, Andersoll

  • Negative: Valyssar, Näiwall, Westgard

  • Enemies: Wärheim

Nornova is the largest territory unit of Sebral that controls the entire northern part of the continent. This encompasses all the lands of the Northern Star, including the islands and the southwestern Ketha region, that came together to create a tight alliance of sorts. Nornova directly neighbors Wärheim, Mayro and Valyssar in the south. While technically considered one nation today, the cultural differences between the inhabitants are still evident due to the fragmented terrain, which is also the main reason why Nornova was divided into 9 largely autonomous regions: North-Grimen, South-Grimen, Ketha, North-Tethon, South-Tethon, East-Tethon, Arthyr, the Island of Gilimund, and the northernmost islands. The tribes of the Tethon peninsula, also known as the iron clans back in the day, are the most populous and advanced of them all. The fireside of Tiber on Arthyr is considered Nornova’s main fireside due to its location in the center of the lands.


Regions

North-Grimen
The region of northern Grimen peninsula includes the surrounding islands, namely the Giant’s Island in the north, the lesser islands in the west, and the Bespern Islands in the east. This region has more land than its southern counterpart, but has less than a half of the population due to the extremely low temperatures in this latitude. About 75% of the soil is permanently frozen over, and therefore infertile. The local tribes live off of by fishing and hunting mostly, as well as trading with the rest of the tribes. Amaren, a port settled on the southernmost tip of the region, is the main fireside of North-Grimen. Shelmark, the second port of North-Grimen, is situated on the eastern shore. In between them lies the fireside of Rewan’s Song, a post that connects the two ports together. There is also a small fireside on the Giant’s Island, Argent.
South-Grimen
The southern region of the Grimen peninsula is one of the smallest regions of Nornova. The land sees heavy precipitation as well as heavy winds coming from the sea, making the weather too harsh and the soil too salty for most plants. Much like their northern neighbors, the tribes of South-Grimen focus on fishing and hunting, further supporting themselves with trading as well. They also have more softwood timber at their disposal, and are in general better off. The main fireside of this region is Hebra, a port on the northeastern tip and the second biggest harbor of the Arthyric bay. Continuing down to the southernmost shores of the Lachrymose gulf, there lies another port of Iskran, and even further south is the fireside of Brumes by the border with the Ketha region. The other two ports of South-Grimen are Alkarian and Feurunn, both by the Gulf Of The Dragon’s Tail.
Ketha
The Ketha region is the southernmost region of Nornova, with a thick coniferous forest and a tall mountain by the eastern side. Ketha utilizes its favorable position for farming crops and keeping livestock, which they trade with the northern tribes. They also engage in logging and mining, though their softwood timber is their biggest source of income. Ketha is the only region that shares a direct border with three different nations: Wärheim in the south past the Meldrak river, and the smaller Mayro with Valyssar in the east. For this reason, Ketha is being heavily guarded. Hallberk, the main fireside by the northern side of the mountain, is a huge fortification that is always ready for a siege. The western Vehlin and the eastern Medilan are also fortified, and overlook the lands from a high point in order to spot any incoming danger. Lastly, the two harbors, Keiron in the north and Lynbehr in the southwest, mostly function as trading posts.
North-Tethon
The region in the northern part of the Tethon peninsula is very similar to North-Grimen in its nature: freezing cold and largely covered in permafrost. North-Tethon is split in two halves by a huge mountain range, called the Iron Mountains. It is said to be the source of the iron from which the god Shyr made all snow werecats, and is therefore deemed a sacred place. The iron mined in these mountains, the so-called tethonic iron, is the most valuable kind of iron in all of Thira to this day. The settlements of Kyrkje, considered to be the second main fireside of Nornova due to their history and size, spread on the southern side of the mountains right by the stream of Leaden. Down this river, on the coast of the Arthyric Bay, lies Shyr’s Port that acts as a connection between the settlements and the other regions. Other mining settlements by the Iron Mountains are the Northern Mines and Ironreach on the eastern side, with Ironreach trading its ores by the Honor river through the port of Arnest. Lastly, there’s the port of Meural in the very north, that connects the mainland with its northern islands across the Northern Sea.
South-Tethon
The southern region of the Tethon peninsula is slightly smaller than North-Tethon, but thanks to the warmer temperatures has better conditions for living. Together with Ketha, it is the largest region of Nornova by the size of its population. The entire region is hidden within a deep coniferous forest, from which only few hills and little mountains peak from. Logging is the main focus of this region, and South-Tethon supplies most of Nornova with softwood timber from its forests. Otherwise, the locals live off of hunting, fishing and breeding livestock. The main fireside, Tengrim, is situated in the center of the region, by the tallest mountain of South-Tethon and the river Cerulean. In the south lies a smaller fireside of Weyland, and on the eastern border with East-Tethon is the port of Kiriv.
East-Tethon
On the eastern side of the Tethon peninsula is the East-Tethon region. The northern parts are reaching far enough to be permanently frozen over, but most of the region is otherwise in the same latitude as South-Grimen and South-Tethon, enjoying slightly warmer temperatures and better conditions. The border between East-Tethon and South-Tethon is marked by the Ferrous river, while the border between East-Tethon and North-Tethon is created by the Iron Mountains and the Honor river. The small Island of Lucien is also considered part of East-Tethon. The main fireside, Norhold, is found on the northeastern side of the mainland, close to the island. On the island itself lies the small port of Oudes. Kolten, a mining settlement close to the western border with South-Tethon, was built by the stream of the Ferrous river. The logging camp of Vinst is well hidden in the woods further south, and the port of Morose is settled on the shores of the Seas of The Great Claw, where it mostly oversees the waters and watches for any intruders that would take this route.
Arthyr
Arthyr is an island in between the Grimen peninsula and the Tethon peninsula, within the Arthyric Bay that bears the same name. In the past, it used to be a buffer zone between the iron clans and the Grimen clans. The terrain is hilly and the weather is known to be exceptionally harsh, which ironically makes it one of the most protected places among the lands of the Northern Star. This, along with its location between the regions of Nornova, was the reason why the stronghold of Tiber was ultimately chosen to contain the seat of the sovereign, and therefore function as Nornova’s main fireside. The smaller port of Khiza in the south of the island acts as a trading connection between Arthyr and the rest of the world, and is one of Nornova’s biggest trading hubs.
The Island of Gilimund
The Island of Gilimund is found on the northeastern side of Tethon peninsula. It is the second biggest island of Sebral. The position of the island means it is entirely covered in permafrost, and relies heavily on the rest of Nornova regarding timber, ore, and food. The locals feed themselves by hunting and fishing, though trading is the main source of income for most. The main fireside, Garaul, is settled on the southern coasts of the island, only about 2 days away from the Island of Lucien. It is a surprisingly large harbor with a population similar to that of the settlements of Kyrkje. There’s also the smaller camp of Victoriel further north, but that is mainly used by hunters and reindeer shepherds.
The northernmost islands
The northernmost islands are all of the islands beyond the Northern Sea, including Nyra’s Haven and Mordin. While technically part of Nornova, these islands are so far up north and so desolate, that they are of no use to the people. There are small camps found on the shores for fishermen to stop by for a rest, but they’ve been otherwise ignored.


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WÄRHEIM

General:

  • Adjectival: Wärian

  • Demonym: Wärians

  • Language: Wärian

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: Gongor

  • Currency: copper

  • Exports: copper, tin, clay, wheat, barley, sugar, wine

  • Imports: silver, gold, salt, coal

  • Natural resources: arable land, hardwood timber, clay, dimension stone

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Versen

  • Neutral: Telgar, Valyssar

  • Negative: Norion

  • Enemies: Nornova, Mayro, Rothmore

Wärheim is among the largest lands of Sebral, situated on the western side of the continent. The entirety of Wärheim is one big flatland with lush meadows and deciduous woodlands, with the Roaring river passing through the center from the eastern mountains to the western shores. The river Meldrak in the north creates a border with Nornova, while the river Veshona marks the southern border with Rothmore and Norion. In the east, Wärheim neighbors Mayro and Telgar. The main fireside of Wärheim is currently Gongor thanks to its favorable position by the foothills of the Grand Akurals.


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TELGAR

General:

  • Adjectival: Telgarian

  • Demonym: Telgarians

  • Language: Telgarian

  • Civilization: highly advanced

  • Main fireside: Kathal

  • Currency: copper

  • Exports: copper, tin, coal, clay, sugar, salt, fruit, vegetables, grain

  • Imports: silver, gold, zinc

  • Natural resources: arable land, hardwood timber, clay, dimension stone

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: Mayro

  • Neutral: Ralstedt, Andersoll

  • Negative: Weldyn, Eisenhall, Versen, Wärheim

  • Enemies: Leyon, Orull

Telgar is the biggest land within the heartlands of Sebral, nestled between the Grand Tibherian Mountains and the Tanassian Bay. The territory is made of deciduous woodlands, marshes and rocky cliffs. The main fireside, Kathal, is an old stronghold originating from the Red Era. It sits by the foothills, near the stream of the river Tarus. Down the river lies the port of Lepos, at the shore of the Tanassian Bay. The two other settlements are Houle, found near the river Emden in the south that marks the border with Orull, and Charron in the north. Charron overlooks the Passway, a valley between the two Tibherian Ranges that Telgar controls. It is Telgar's only weak spot, and beyond this valley lies Mayro and Weldyn. To the east, the river Glimmer separates Telgar from the territory of Leyon. Telgar also technically neighbors Central Myrad, Wärheim and Old Norion, but the Grand Tibherian Mountains are too tall and too vast to be crossed.


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THE TYMER DOMAIN

General:

  • Pronounciation: ˈtaɪmɘr

  • Adjectival: Tymeran

  • Demonym: the Tymer

  • Language: standard Tymeran, high Tymeran, Tymeran dialects

  • Civilization: collapsed (highly advanced) – Red Era

  • Main fireside: N/A

  • Currency: copper

  • Exports: -

  • Imports: -

  • Natural resources: arable land, hardwood timber, clay, dimension stone, copper ore, coal

Relations:

  • Allies: -

  • Positive: -

  • Neutral: -

  • Negative: -

  • Enemies: -

The Tymer Domain, also known as the Tymer Agglomeration, the Red Kingdoms or simply Tibheria, was a domain of the One-Mountain tribes (Ty-Mer) from the Tibherian Mountains that expanded over Sebral and eventually came to dominate over the entire world. Although the individual Red Kingdoms were never technically united underneath one ruler, they all followed the Great Temple of Shyr, which was the highest authority even the Red Kings bowed down to. Moreover, their elaborate organization and close cooperation could be compared to an alliance that certainly gave the impression of one single power, which came to be known as the Tymer Domain after its overlords. This feline civilization was the pioneer in many different fields; they were the first to master metalworking and start smelting copper, they were the first to found large kingdoms with complex hierarchy, they started writing first laws and, during their golden age, even developed science, philosophy, and art. However, all this progress had its price, and the price was bloody; the Tymer were also the first civilization to exploit what they saw as lower races for slavery, and maintained a very strict caste system in which these races were doomed to hard labor for their entire life. For this reason, the Tymer are also known as "Slavemasters" and the "Bloody Lords", especially in those places where the Tymer were exceptionally cruel.


History

According to their beliefs, the mountain werecats were made from the Tibherian stone by their god Shyr, who had given a piece of his own spirit to bring his work to life. As such, this race inherited a natural affinity for stoneworking, and soon began building their own monuments in their rocky homeland. Massive temples, sprawling tombs, sky-scraping towers, imposing pyramids, all decorated by intricate ornaments carved into their walls with exceptional attention to detail. While other races were still digging in the dirt for morsels, the Tibherian tribes were building communities as large and strong as the rock beneath their feet. As time passed, the mountain werecats have grown to dominate the grand mountains of Sebral, and as a reward for their mastery and reverence, Shyr has blessed them with a brand new skill – metalworking. With this newfound knowledge, the cathe descended from their tall towers to the underworld, excavating mines deep into the ground that seemingly reached out to eternity. Here, they encountered a new material that came to be known for its typical red color: copper, also called the red stone or the cardinal metal, proved itself essential to the progress of the Tibherian civilization. As the cathe explored and unraveled the secrets of metallurgy, copper started to be used extensively. Practical tools, gleaming jewelry, durable weapons, but also the first currency was made from this precious element. The communities were thriving, and when the population slowly began outgrowing its current space, the cathe naturally turned their gazes to the lowland that stretched out underneath their home mountains.Armed with their signature red copper spears and axes, the Tibherians plunged into the neighboring territories, capturing new lands. These lands were full of game and fertile soil that the Tibherians were missing in their mountains, but also full of other tribes that weren't so eager to share their grounds with strangers. Since these tribes still lived in primitive ways, the Tibherians quickly began to view them that way – simpleminded primitives that are clearly below them in every sense. This marks the beginning of one of the darkest ages in Thira, as the Tibherians began to enslave the natives they considered lower species, utilizing them for free labor. On the backs of these unfortunate cathe, the power of the Tibherian tribes grew even stronger, and eventually, their territory encompassed the entirety of Sebral, until they came to dominate the whole world. The First Red Kingdoms were found, and they ruled over Thira for many generations, diligently maintaining the class stratification throughout their existence. On one hand, the kingdoms presided over a strict and unjust caste system that put the lower races into miserable living conditions and forced them into back-breaking labor, with acts of cruelty being a commonplace. On the other hand, the kingdoms thrived greatly thanks to this cruel system, and the Tibherians laid the first foundations upon which the later civilizations would be built. The mountain werecats developed art as well as science and philosophy, but also created the first written language, wrote the first laws, instituted taxes, minted the first coins for trading, and much more that the next civilizations would later adopt and adapt.But it would be this insatiable gluttony that would one day lead to the collapse of the age of the Red Kings. It is not certain what exactly stood behind this downfall – some say the late Red Kings have achieved godly powers that drove them insane, some say the gods themselves feared for their place and cursed the Red Kings with insanity, while others say it was the power struggle that festered between the rulers for many centuries which weakened the empire. Whatever the cause, the enslaved races took their opportunity for freedom when the first cracks started to show, and the Tibherians were completely annihilated in a massive globalwide revolt. The great power that held the entire world in its grasp for millenia was now reduced to nothing but a memory burnt in the minds of those that suffered underneath the weight of its glory. The only Red kingdom that survived the onslaught was Arrion, the land in northwestern Lykon that saw the very first wolven queen rise to the throne by the side of a Tibherian king, and that was spared for its exceptional kindness in the recent years. Today, northern Andersoll remains the only place that still harbors the race of the once great and powerful Tymer, with numerous ruins from the Red Era still scattered around Thira for everyone to see.


Administration

The name Tymer Domain simply translates to the domain of the One-Mountain cathe – the various and numerous tribes from the Tibherian Mountains that united underneath one leader to conquer new territories outside of their homeland. Unfortunately, the names of these individual tribes were lost to time. Their administration was quite basic at its beginnings, with a chief leading the tribe and a high priest acting as his advisor. However, as they continued to grow and spread over the continent, their lands became far too vast for one ruler to keep under control, and so new kingdoms were born. Those kingdoms were intertwined and relied heavily on each other for trade and military support in case of insurrections, which were common.While the Red Kingdoms were fully autonomous and independent from each other, they all had one thing in common – the worship of Shyr, whom they believed to be the highest authority that surpasses mortal kings and queens. Each kingdom had its lesser temples, but all were subordinate to the Great Temple of Meines and its priests, said to be in direct contact with the divine. Although purely judicial, the Great Temple of Meines held a great deal of power over the Red Kingdoms, crowning new monarchs and settling international disputes. Their word was the word of Shyr, and therefore decisive. Whenever a king or queen refused to respect the judgment of the Great Temple, it was considered a betrayal of Shyr himself. Such "rogue" rulers were not tolerated, and it was the duty of their subjects to dethrone them and bring them to justice. Other kingdoms could also be called to subdue any growing revolts, for which they were compensated. Later on, the Great Temple would adopt a preventive measure of sending its own acolytes to assure the lesser temples are in line with their teachings, as well as inspect the true state of the kingdom. Those acolytes would then report back to their priests in Meines, who could take action if necessary. This made the domain surprisingly stable despite the tensions between the lands.The kingdoms kept each other in check, but that doesn't mean there were no conflicts between them – while the kingdoms were all equal to each other in the eyes of Shyr, they were certainly not equal in power and influence. Tensions were often high, and there were plenty of cases where disputes between the kingdoms were settled through battle. In the end, there was usually one kingdom that technically ruled the others for a certain period of time. While usurpers were rarely ever recognized by the Great Temple as the rightful kings, one could potentially bribe their way to ascension, and likewise, the kingdom that paid the biggest tributes to the Great Temple was the kingdom the Great Temple tended to side with the most.Slavery
The Tymer society was divided into three distinct classes: the high class, the low class, and the curs. One's class was fully determined by their race, and so there was no social mobility. The Tymer believed each race had its own place within the world, and the Tymer society only reflected this natural order.
The high class consisted of pure mountain werecats that were considered the kingdom's true citizens, free individuals who belonged to no one. As the children of Shyr, they had plenty of rights, such as the right for shelter or access to education. They could move freely, own land and work for themselves, and even participated in the government – the settlements of the Red Kingdoms were managed by the settlement's so-called aggregate, where each citizen had one vote and could choose to influence the administration. Their freedom couldn't be taken, and so they could never be sold into slavery. Instead, common punishments were monetary fines and lashes. They also had the right to marry whomever they choose and could marry into a noble family, but they couldn't marry anyone of a lower race. For a high citizen to be in a relationship with a lower race was a disgrace, though it was fairly common for masters to be intimate with their slaves.
The low class consisted of all the other feline races of Sebral. They still had some rights, but were seen as objects by the Tymer, and were treated as such. Every low class citizen had to have their master, although over time, the rules of the Domain softened and it became possible for a low class citizen to own themselves if their master freed them. Nonetheless, they were still subjected to injustice, as they had no right to participate in voting and saw much harsher punishments for lesser crimes.
The last class, the curs, were a later addition – the canine races that inhabited the newly conquered lands of Lykon. There were a few Red Kingdoms of Lykon that treated the wolven races better, but for most Tymer this species was nothing but vermin, and the curs were brutally massacred and enslaved. In these kingdoms, curs were viewed as the lowest of low, had no rights, and would be killed on sight if not in the presence of their master.
During its peak, the Tymer Domain consisted of 21 Red Kingdoms in total. The kingdoms of Sebral were Agoth-Gora, Caris, Leyr, Meinessian, Shauroffes, Velethorn, Versen, and Wetherland. The kingdoms of Lykon were Albenine, Arrion, Breman, Cyrme, Goelhorn, Meritheria, Mjorgen, Mouress, Nephalia, Termerien, Thaurun, and Yalaphes.


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The Tymer worshipped Shyr, the god of stone and metallurgy.

AUTHORS

We are a married couple, known on the internet mostly as Kajirra & Tomoe.
She's his smoll snowfloof who does the artsy stuff + wiki, and he's her big wolfo (now cat) who helps out with brainstorming and storywriting!

Hey, Kajirra here!
Thira is my own fantasy world and the biggest personal project I ever worked on. Inspired by numerous ARPG groups on DeviantArt and private RPs with friends online, I started dabbling in the idea of creating my own world somewhere around 2013. It was around this time that Thira got her name and the first visions slowly took a form, but the project underwent several major changes since then. For example, while Thira was always a frozen world, it was firstly populated by feral races of dogs! It was stylized as your typical medieval fantasy with castles and kings, even proper magic. I was never satisfied with the idea though, and kept tweaking things to no avail. Last major change happened in 2021, when my wonderful man inspired me to start working on it again after I lost interest and almost gave up on it in 2020. It's our project now. We completely revamped it and we're working on things from scratch, making it much better and more us!
Even before we started working on our own fantasy world, we were both interested in the genre, especially in The Elder Scrolls games. I was completely enthralled by Oblivion as a kid, and Tomoe got similarly engulfed in Skyrim upon its release, spending thousands of hours - not exaggerating - in the icy land of the Nords. In fact, the Khajiit lore was one of the very first things we chatted about! Back in the day, Thira was hugely influenced by Cyrodiil in particular, and while that was a helpful guide for the beginning, it inevitably became Thira's biggest downfall. As long as I was trying to create a second Cyrodiil, the original one would always be better. After years of never being fully satisfied with what I had, I lost my passion for the project, and slowly began to abandon it. That's when I met Tomoe, my wonderful soulmate, who took immediate interest in Thira. It was his enthusiasm that inspired me to continue working on it, and his new captivating ideas that brought Thira back to life, better than it ever was. After spending years on a project that I was never pleased with, I can finally say that I absolutely love and adore Thira now. A world that is unique and just so us, full of things that genuinely fascinate me, it breeds inspiration on its own!Today, Thira is very different from what it used to be. Instead of the typical fantastical version of medieval Europe with feral dogs in place of humans, it is a wild world more similar to the prehistoric times of Bronze age, full of beastly looking werecats and werewolves; creatures that are still very much animals, but are physically capable of using their front paws as hands. I can finally say that Thira is unlike any other fantasy world I've personally seen, and that's something I take pride in!

If you wish to follow us on social media, take a look below :)