Difference between revisions of "Salvar"

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Salvar, known for its wastes and blizzard covered climate, is the Northern most [[regions | region]] of Althanas.  After a terrible civil war between the Church and the State, the lands of Salvar have been torn apart and sent into an unstable feudal system of government. The differences between the Northern and Southern portions of Salvar are diverse, extremely differing in climate, and allow for limitless possibilities.
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Salvar, known for its blizzards, frozen wastes, jagged mountains, and powerful church, is the northernmost [[regions | region]] of Althanas.  Stretching across the harsh and frigid northlands, this vast, mighty kingdom still reels from years of civil war between its Church and State. The clash of steel has quieted and the two sides have finally reconciled, though both reduced to shadows of their former power. Anarchy and chaos now grips this once proud nation as its people struggle to survive.  
  
  
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|'''Ruler(s)'''
 
|'''Ruler(s)'''
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|None
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|King Bratus Kutzovich; Highborn Oligarchy
 
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|-
 
|'''Legal System'''
 
|'''Legal System'''
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|Feudal Law
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|Feudal and Religious Law
 
|-
 
|-
 
|'''Official Language(s)'''
 
|'''Official Language(s)'''
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|-
 
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|'''Population'''
 
|'''Population'''
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|Approximately 800,000
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|Approximately 17,000,000
 
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|-
 
|'''Religious Type'''
 
|'''Religious Type'''
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|No organized religion
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|Church of the Ethereal Sway
 
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|-
 
|'''Literacy'''
 
|'''Literacy'''
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|-
 
|-
 
|'''Technology level'''
 
|'''Technology level'''
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|Early Medieval
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|Mid-late Medieval
 
|-
 
|-
 
|'''Major Imports'''
 
|'''Major Imports'''
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== Geography ==
 
== Geography ==
  
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While a foreigner’s stereotypical view of Salvar is that it is a frozen, snow-laden wasteland, this view does not hold true for much of the country. Southern Salvar, which runs along the Kachuck Mountains that mark the border with Alerar, has a mild climate and is dominated by rolling hills and agreeable farmlands. The Testhan River Valley which harbors the capital city of Knife’s Edge are particularly fertile.
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Most foreigners stereotype Salvar as a frozen, snow-laden wasteland, and this holds true for considerable portions of the kingdom. However, southern Salvar, which runs along the Kachuck Mountains that mark the border with Alerar, enjoys a more mild climate, rolling hills of golden grass, and agreeable farmlands. The Testhan River Valley, cradle of the capital city of Knife’s Edge, is particularly fertile.
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To the north, the weather turns much harsher. River-lands and hills give way to ancient pine forests and rugged steppes. Further north, the land turns harsher and wilder still. Few humans inhabit this endless, untamed expanse of icy tundra and towering, jagged mountains. Trolls, giants, and tribes of feral humans and Orcs prowl this wilderness, as well as other dangerous creatures. Even further still, beyond the Frozen Sea, lies Berevar. This mysterious and uncharted wasteland is inhabited by only those as harsh and unyielding as the land itself. Few have ventured there and returned to tell of it.
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== Religion and Magic ==
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'''Church of The Etherial Sway'''
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As the official state religion of Salvar, The Church of the Ethereal Sway once held nearly unchallenged authority over the country's people. It was once perhaps the largest and most powerful religion in the known world. However, when the Church and Salvar's king, Iorlan Rahaxea, began to squabble, civil war between the factions broke out. This conflict resulted the death of the monarch and the weakening of both the aristocracy and the church. The two sides have since reconciled and the Ethereal Sway works to steadily recover and rebuild. It remains the official and most widely practiced faith in Salvar.
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The religion itself centers on worshiping a pantheon of mysterious spirit-beings, the Ethereal Sway. Religious texts state that they traveled to Salvar from another world and guided its early rulers along the path of greatness for their fledgling country. After leading Salvar to a golden age of peace and prosperity, the Sway vanished. No one has had direct contact with them for a thousand years. The Church itself formed to continue guiding the kingdom according to the tenets of their divine benefactors. They claim that by upholding the proper laws and moral values and living righteously, they will prove themselves worthy and the Ethereal Sway will return to guide them once more.
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The official head of the Church is known as the Justice. Historically appointed by the king, the Justice is now elected by the League of Nobles as part of the peace agreement between church and state. The position currently remains empty, with the elder clergy leading the Church for the time. The last Justice, Lev Testhan, was slain by Ashiakin and his cohorts during the civil war.
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The Church was a law unto itself during the height of its power, trying and executing traitors, witches, and heretics for a wide variety of crimes, perceived or otherwise. These included witchcraft, corruption, demonology, and heresy. Some of the more radical agents even spoke out and acted against non-humans (though Dark Elves and Dwarves seemed largely exempt due to a long-standing Salvic alliance with Alerar.) The fearful image of a black-robed witch hunter brandishing a torch and the emblem of the All-Seeing Eye remains a common nightmare to this day -- a story that mothers often tell misbehaving children. Large-scale witch-hunts rarely happen anymore, due to the terrible losses that the Church suffered during the civil war. Still, they were once commonplace enough to perpetuate fear, just as the Church leaders wanted.
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Despite their dark stigma, the Ethereal Sway performs many good works across the region. Their witch hunters root out infernal forces, necromancers, and other very real threats to civilization. The power of faith once maintained order and internal peace in the kingdom, and even after the civil war, it provides a bastion against chaos and bloodshed. Their holiest saints perform great and mysterious miracles. Their missionaries feed and clothe the poor, and help rebuild villages after natural disasters, and their churches always welcome weary travelers and the homeless.
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The Ethereal Sway's core doctrines and tenets include nationalism, selflessness, devotion to duty, and submission before authority. They encourage daily prayer so that individuals may attempt to communicate with their missing gods and seek guidance and visions. Its most revered saint was Denebriel, a nationalistic and seemingly immortal woman who would vanish for centuries and reappear during times of need. She last returned to lead the faithful during the civil war, but was allegedly killed near the war's end. Many now view her as the holiest of martyrs and others believe that she will return again in a future century.
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The faith also preaches purity of body and thought, which includes alarmingly anti-magic rhetoric. Most scholars point to the War of the Tap as the reason for this condemnation. The Ethereal Texts, the Church's holy documents, contain pages upon pages of historical tales supposedly told by the spirits of the Ethereal Sway themselves. Many of these records described the ancient war and the catastrophic destruction wrought by magic run wild. Other accounts tell of demonic influences and claim that magic can corrupt the mind and scar the soul. The Sway prophecies even say that the world will end in sorcerous fire, and as such pyromancy is especially hated and feared.
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While magic itself is not fully illegal, it remains sanctioned, supervised, and controlled by the Church. The most notable arcane agents of the Sway are the Empowered Priests, robed men and women armed with unique iron spears who command wind, lightning, and ice, and the Aeromancers, high in their towers using magic to tame the region's harsh weather. Even after the civil war, witch-hunters still venture across the countryside and through city streets to hunt warlocks, rogue sorcerers, and those believed to consort with demons. Meanwhile, other agents hide within secret dungeons, studying and experimenting on sorcerers, shamans, and other arcane practitioners.
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Even in its diminished state, the Church remains vigilant, doing its best to stamp out any magical influence not under its control before it spreads like an infection. The age is changing, however. The resources of the Church have been stretched thin as it struggles to recoup its losses and reassert its authority. Will magic surge back to prominence or will the Church eventually regain its hegemony in the kingdom?
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== Government ==
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For much of its history, Salvar's government has been a Theocratic Monarchy. Though the King was the highest power in the kingdom, the Church of the Ethereal Sway maintained a great deal of influence over him with numerous advisors and their control over the common citizens and many lords. For the most part, the monarch and faith worked together. With the backing of the powerful church, the King wielded nearly autocratic power, directing foreign and domestic affairs and the military. Beneath the king ruled the lords of Salvar's many fiefdoms, who upheld law and order within their domains' borders. Local lords were responsible for punishing any "minor" crimes (theft, murder) that occurred within their fiefdom, while the Church prosecuted those guilty of treason, heresy, and other crimes against the state.
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The civil war shook Salvar's government significantly. The previous king, Iorlan Rathaxea, was born of a bloodline that began with the marriage of a Salvic princess and a retired Coronian Assemblyman four generations prior. He met his end to an assassin's blade during the war, and when the League of Salvic States and the Church of the Ethereal Sway finally reconciled, they agreed that the people would more readily accept a new ruler of pure Salvic lineage. Bratus Kutzovich, distant cousin to the late Iorlan and one-tenth shareholder in the Vogruk-Stokes Trading Company, was chosen. On the one-year anniversary of the peace signings that ended the civil war, the high priests of the Sway and the Salvic nobles crowned him king on the steps of the newly-rebuilt Saint Denebriel's Cathedral.
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The new Salvic government takes the form of a Theocratic Oligarchy, with most power currently held by a council of Church leaders and Salvic lords. Unlike his predecessors, King Bratus Kutzovich possesses more limited authority. He oversees the council meetings, arbitrates disputes between lords, and holds the additional title of Baron over the river lands surrounding Knife's Edge. While the political climate seems to have stabilized, chaos and anarchy still grip much of the war-scarred kingdom.
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The Salvic Council consists of ten highest lords in Salvar, known as Boyars (some send representatives in their place rather than attending personally), and the ten High Priests of the Sway. The council meets twice a year to discuss affairs with the king and vote on pending issues. The king presides over the meeting and casts the tie-breaking vote when needed. It remains unknown whether King Bratus will toe the line or use his considerable financial backing to grab more power as time goes on.
  
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It is when traveling further north that the weather becomes harsher, with the landscape dominated by chilly pine forests and jagged hills. Further north of even that are lands that the government only nominally lays claims to—snowy plains, towering mountains, and dense forests, all dominated by tribal bands, giants, and many dangerous creatures. Berevar, a mysterious and uncharted arctic area, lies beyond that, though few have ever seen it and returned to tell of it.
 
  
 
== Places of Interest ==
 
== Places of Interest ==
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'''Knife's Edge'''
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'''Knife's Edge - The capital city'''
  
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Knife's Edge is both the oldest and the largest city in the Kingdom of Salvar, with a history dating back over three thousand years and a population just shy of two hundred thousand. It is located in the Testhan Valley area of the western Ahyark Mountains, a region noted for its relatively mild temperatures and plentiful resources, despite the harshness of most of Salvar. Its formidable defensive wall has three sides, with two gates on each side--a river gate and a gate opening onto land. Guard towers line the walls at regular intervals and soldiers can always been seen walking along the ramparts. Ever since the bloody Civil War, Salvar's once prestigious capital has deteriorated into chaotic urban wasteland.  
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Knife's Edge is one of the oldest and certainly the largest city in Salvar. Its history dates back over a thousand years, to the founding of the Church of the Ethereal Sway, and with a population exceeding 400,000, it is the third largest city in the known world (behind Ettermire and Radasanth). Despite the destruction wrought against Knife's Edge during the civil war, it remains a thriving city, and after only a year, much of its critical infrastructure has been rebuilt and repaired.
  
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Its defenses once underwent regular inspections and repairs and the land outside the city was kept barren for several miles, except for the mounds of bones that lie at the bottom of the city's walls--the corpses of criminals, traitors, and foreign invaders that broke themselves on the defenses of Knife's Edge. The wall is now a pile of ruble at some points. Beyond this barren land, on the river plains and in the mountains, there are countless ruins, level towns, and charred estates that once acted as a military buffer to the city. Also, a strange flickering can be seen above the skies of the city from time to time, what rumors say are part of a project of the aeromancers, though none know what it may be.
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Built along the southern banks of the Testhan River, the capital city enjoys a fairly mild climate compared to the rest of the kingdom. Its winters are still harsh, but the rainy springs and warm summers make it the bread basket of the region. Its position along the wide, slow stretch of the Testhan River also makes it the main stopping point for the hundreds of river barges floating east toward Tirel. Several tall towers surround the city, home to the church's Aeromancers. These powerful holy mages use their magic to push back the harsh northern cold and keep the river valley mild and fertile.
  
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At the northern banks of the river lies "Old Knife", an ancient town that predates the capital by well over a thousand years. Nobody knows for sure why a new city was built on the other side, rather than expanding the older town -- the only records exist in religious texts, stating that Saint Denebriel commanded the first Ethereal Sway cathedral to be constructed south of the river. "Old Knife" remains though, home to about a thousand farming serfs and a few inns for travelers hoping to avoid the bustling capital city.
  
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Knife's Edge is a very formidable and intimidating city, surrounded on all sides with a tall and sturdy stone wall. Each side as a large iron gate, including the northern wall's "River Gate" that allows barges and ferries access to the city.  Water flows through the River Gate and into a series of canals and sewers networking the entire city. There are a number of notable areas within the city.
  
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Saint Denebriel's Cathedral: Named after the Church's most beloved saint, who allegedly died during the civil war, this cathedral is a huge, towering structure of granite and obsidian, stained glass, and leering gargoyles. As much a fortress as a place of worship, it served as a bastion for Sway forces during the war. It sustained major damages when royalist troops laid siege to it, but much has already been repaired. Its interior awes most visitors with rows of statues, golden candelabras, chandeliers, and vast paintings of saints and the Ethereal gods themselves. Said to be as large below ground as above, Saint Denebriel's Cathedral sports vast dungeons and networks of tunnels that hide many mysteries.
  
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The Castle: Formerly known as Castle Rathaxea, that name has been removed since the former king's death. Simply called "the castle" by most Salvarians, it serves as King Bratus's throne, the High Counsel meeting place, and the last fortified bastion in the city. It rivals Saint Denebriel's Cathedral in size, and its palisade walls and study keep make it even harder to attack.
  
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== Religion ==
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Rubble Town: Taking up the southern quarter of the city, Rubble Town (as many now call it) still lies in ruins in the civil war's wake. Few structures remain fully intact and no concerted effort has been made to rebuild the section, mostly due to the anarchy and lawlessness rampant there. It is the wretched hive of Knife's Edge, haven to the city's criminals and most desperate.
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'''Church of The Etherial Sway'''
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'''Archen - Gateway to the north'''
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Resting at the southern base of the Sulgoran Steppes in central Salvar, Archen is known as the "gateway to the north". With rugged wilderness to its north and gentle grassy hills to its south, the kingdom's third largest city (home to almost two hundred thousand) rests between two different worlds. Viewed as the last bastion of civilization by many in southern Salvar, Archen serves as a vital trading post in the kingdom's heart. Lumber mills process the great pine logs brought from the highlands and tailors ply their trades on hundreds of animal pelts. Caravans carrying ore and other raw materials travel south along the ancient cobbled road affectionately nicknamed the "wolf trail", guarded by Vorgruk-Stokes mercenaries.
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Though rather austere compared to Knife's Edge, Archen still exemplifies the traditional look and feel of a Salvic city, with its timber houses and meed halls, grey granite towers, and domed roofs on its churches and central castle. An old stone wall surrounds the city to deter bandit raiders and warlords from the north. Its people are hardy and proud, charitable with their own countrymen and shrewd with everyone else.
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During the civil war, Archen was a Sway bastion for much of the conflict. Its access to raw materials, strategic location, and vast grain stores gave the church an upper hand for the war's first two years. It came as a great surprise when the city rose up against the Ethereal Sway, ransacking its churches and executing any priest that did not flee in time. Though the church's forces eventually retook the city, the battle cost them dearly and marked the turning point against them -- one that eventually forced them to accept peace terms with the Salvic nobility.
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'''Tirel - The eastern harbor'''
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Nestled within the Gulf of Scales, Tirel is, despite its young age, the fourth largest city in the kingdom and its busiest port during the spring and summer. As one of the few places in Salvar mostly untouched by the civil war, the eastern port remains a thriving center of commerce, with ships traveling to and from Corone, Raiaera, Scara Brae, and even distant Fallien. It also serves as the staging area for Salvar's small but growing eastern war fleet. It boasts a population of just over one hundred thousand people, many of them foreigners. Coronian merchant families and a fair number of Dark Elves call the city home, as well as a surprising number of High Elf refugees fleeing the undead hoard that so recently ravaged their homeland. 
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Due to its unique origins and large foreign population, Tirel possesses milder Salvic influences in architecture and culture. Red-brown brick buildings with tiled roofs stand in place of the traditional timber structures and grey granite seen in other cities. A few Thayne temples exist in the foreign districts, seemingly exempt from the Ethereal Sway's purges.
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It was originally founded two hundred years ago by early Coronian colonists seeking access to region's rich natural resources. This venture did not survive long, however. Within six months, the king's agents discovered this new settlement. The monarchy and church declared the eastern shores part of Salvar by right and demanded that the colonists depart. When they refused, the armies of the kingdom fell upon them in the only known war in history between Salvar and Corone. The conflict was short and bloody, ending with the Coronian colonists fleeing back to their ships. Salvar took control of the settlement and ruled the eastern shores without contention ever since.
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'''Pestovo - The western port'''
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Pestovo, the main port on the western coast, is the second largest city in Salvar (population of approximately 250,000). Believed to predate the Ethereal Sway by several centuries, it is also perhaps the oldest. Despite its vast sailing distance from most other countries compared to Tirel, Pestovo remains an extremely important port for two reasons. First, it sits very close to Salvar's closest trading partner, Alerar. Ships constantly sail away laden with raw materials and return with holds full of quality steel, tools, and even rare and valuable firearms. Second, warmer currents flow along the western seas. Whereas ice chokes much of the Gulf of Scales during the winter months, Pestovo enjoys clear waters year round. Therefore, many merchants choose to do business in Pestovo, even when sailing all the way around the continent to Corone or Scara Brae.
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Most of Pestovo is made up of old timber structures, lacquered and tarred to preserve the wood. Every few decades, the city's shipwrights and carpenters band together to rebuild a section of the city. Therefore, despite the city's age, most of the buildings are fairly new. Only the shops in the city square and the central keep, built from stone above a series of ancient ruins when the city was founded, remain.
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'''Skavia - The rugged wilds'''
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The infamous mountains and tundra for which Salvar is known all over Althanas, Skavia covers the country's northern and central lands. Frozen wastelands, vast pine forests, and rugged mountains compose a landscape ravaged by the harsh winter elements. Skavia is constantly slammed with blizzards, scouring icy winds, and avalanches that could bury an entire city in an unmarked grave. The wasteland is peopled by proud, hardened tribes of barbarians, orcs, and other throwbacks to previous eras of Salvar who fight both Nature and the ferocious beasts that prowl the Skavian wilds. This unforgiving wilderness promises adventure for those with the courage and ability to survive its trials. In Skavia, survival is a gamble and death is the only sure bet.
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'''The Kalev Highlands'''
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Far to the northeast of Salvar, deep within the Gorrum Mountains, lies the Kalev Highlands, a plateau forming the highest point in the kingdom and perhaps the world. The highlands sits atop the broken remains of the massive and ancient Mount Modhgar, which was shattered during the War of the Tap. These highlands see the coldest, harshest weather in all of Salvar (not counting Berevar), bearing the brunt of terrible northern storms that can bury the land in twenty feet of snow and ice in a night. Yet, surprisingly the spring and summer sees the land thaw, revealing grasslands and scattered groves of trees. The Kalev Highlands are a place of wonder and the stuff of legends, home to most of Salvar's giants and minotaur, and a plethora of other fantastic creatures thought to only exist in folktales.
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Two unique groups inhabit the highlands, the orcs of the Black Eye Clan and the small human nation of Andvall. The orcs occupy a series of caves and large wooden forts on the northern edges of the plateau, extending further north into the Gorum Mountains. They are ruled by mighty chiefs who lead their warriors on raids across the northlands of Salvar, bringing slaves and plunder back to their homes each year. The people of Andvall, keeping a dozen fortified holds build around ancient ruins across the highlands, are direct descendants of a band of knights and nobles who separated themselves from Salvar's monarchy and church hundreds of years ago. They are considered traitors and deserters by the Salvarian government because do not recognize the kingdom's sovereignty. Though benevolent, fairly peaceful, and accepting of outsiders, the people of Andvall are hardy and strong, adapted to the harsh world they live in. Their strength and determination has earned the grudging respect of the Black Eye orcs, and the two groups have maintained a truce for generations.
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'''Berevar - The frozen north'''
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An uncharted, arctic wasteland that lies north of the Gorum Mountains and the frozen seas, Berevar stretches beyond the reaches of Salvar's power. Though home to many hardy, savage orc clans and a plethora of other terrible creatures, Berevar is considered largely uninhabitable to those who can't stand up to its horrible conditions. Rumors have circulated for years that Berevar is also where the Old Gods of Salvar retreated after the fall of their paradise thousands of years ago, before the rise of the Ethereal Sway. But, whether you're looking to explore the wastes or uncover the mysteries of the past it's best to be wary and well prepared for everything this savage region has to offer.
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== Economy ==
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'''The Vogruk-Stokes Trading Company'''
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Leader: Yorgei Vogruk and Edgar Stokes
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Base of Operations: Stokes's Estate, just south of Archen
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Description: "Where there's coin, there's Vogruk and Stokes."
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The saying could not be truer. The Company, starting just shy of fifteen years ago, has blossomed in Salvar, growing deep roots in both the community and the land itself. It was started by two unlikely business partners, an amoral business man from Corone named Edgar Stokes and a charismatic peasant from the Salvic city of Archen named Yorgei Vogruk. With the Coronian's business savvy and Yorgei's ability to draw in other Salvar natives to do their bidding, it was only a matter of time before this company took off. Conducting most of its operations across the country, the Trading Company has its hands in all sorts of business, ranging from sea trade to mining and lumber, and even slave trading. The goal for Vogruk and Stokes is not just profit (which it makes plenty of), but to help bring Salvar forward and help its people prosper.
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The Company supplied workers and financial backing for Alerar's good will gesture of running a railroad from the Dark Elf capital of Ettermire to Knife's Edge. This project brought both countries a great deal of new trade and commerce, helping to cement their friendly relations. The Trading Company remained neutral during the civil war, selling weapons and supplies to both Church and State forces.
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Often at odds with both the government and the Church of the Ethereal Sway due to their idealistic views and formidable financial power, the company relies heavily on both private armies and modest fleet of warships to protect their interests. In just fifteen short years, this company and its founders have expanded not only across Salvar, but to other countries as well. They have stakes in various business ventures in Alerar, Corone, and even Fallien. Because of this, Vogruk and Stokes possessed both the coin and the territory to weather the civil war and emerge even stronger.
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== Population ==
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'''Salvarians'''
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As seems obvious, most humans in Salvar are Salvarians. These men and women are known for their fair hair and skin, physical bulk, and fortitude. 
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'''Urodins'''
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This comparatively small population of humans inhabits the southern river lands of Salvar and trace their lineage back to the tribes that were driven from Raiaera by the elves thousands of years ago. Most have dark hair, brown eyes, and slender builds, and are stereotypically known for their shrewdness.
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'''Skavians'''
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The natives of Skavia, the rugged northern wilds of Salvar, the Skavians are thought to be the first humans to inhabit the region. These humans are feral and tribal, known as large hairy barbarians by many Salvarians.
  
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Once the state church and the official religion of Salvar, The Church of the Ethereal Sway held power over the country's people for decades. Its doctrine and tenants may hold some truth to its followers but to the outside observer it seemed to be just a way to hold people in check. Through influence and cold manipulation the Church ruled over Salvar and answered only to the monarch himself. However, the Church started this war with the Crown for control of the country and things changed.
 
  
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The known leader of the Church was the Justice and was appointed by the monarch himself. The Justice had the power and authority to lead the Church in whatever way he chose. He or she answered only to the King or Queen and held the Clergy as advisors. This title only existed by name since the last Judge Lev Testhan was slain by Ashiakan and his cohorts. Saint Denebriel returned to take charge of the Church only to fall at the end of Salvar's bloody Civil War.
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'''Orcs'''
  
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== Government ==
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Nobody knows whether these strong, savage green-skinned people hail originally from Berevar and have expanded south, or if they originally inhabited much of Salvar and got driven north. One this is certain, though: the Orcs are some of the fiercest, hardiest warriors in the known world. Their greater physical bulk and iron constitution makes them well suited to survive the harsh Salvic winters.
  
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Ever since the end of the Civil War, Salvar has fallen into anarchy, but before that time the country existed under a Theocratic Monarchy.
 
  
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The most powerful figure in Salvar’s government was the monarch, who had near-autocratic control over the country, directing the military, foreign policy, and domestic policy with absolute power. Additionally, he had much influence over the powerful state religion, the Church of the Ethereal Sway. All the nobles who ruled the myriad fiefdoms that made up Salvar were sworn to carry out the monarch’s will.
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'''Dark Elves'''
  
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The monarch of Salvar ruled from Knife’s Edge, one of the realm's few large cities. In addition to acting to as King or Queen of Salvar, the monarch also ruled as the Grand Duke/Duchess of Knife’s Edge, which put him or her in direct control of much of the populous, prosperous river-lands around the Ahyark Mountains.
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The Dark Elves living in Salvar typically hail from Alerar, setting up shop in their northern neighbor for various reasons.
  
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Law and justice in the kingdom were overseen and carried out by the noble rulers of individual fiefdoms and by the officials of the Church of the Ethereal Sway. While the nobles tried to punish criminals for any petty crimes (theft, rape, murder) that occurred on their lands, it was the Church of the Ethereal Sway that dealt with crimes against the state (treason, assassination, conspiracy.) The noble rulers of the fiefdoms that made up Salvar may ruled as they pleased over their territory, as long as they obeyed the orders of the King and the Church of the Ethereal Sway.
 
  
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'''Dwarves'''
  
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Much like the Dark Elves, the Dwarves usually immigrate from Alerar. Many make excellent livings smithing arms and armor in Salvar.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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'''Time Immemorial:''' Bands of nomadic hunter-gatherers migrate into Salvar from Berevar and its connections to other continents. They roam the northern expanses of the continent ceaselessly, and cross into the southern half of the continent, settling in small chiefdoms. Some move to the coast and create a nascent fishing and shipping community.
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'''The War of the Tap'''
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At first the small band of rogue sorcerers were like any other, a minor inconvenience that was dealt with by the only world super-power, Raiaera. Stopping the challenge to their authority, the usurpers to civilized life, was merely a trivial dispute handled by the bards and bladesingers. As the small group grew, extended their claims and undermined cultures, the threat stopped being an underground movement and grew into an expansive dispute, which would later become a full-blown war. This war, between The Forgotten and the rest of the world, continued for what most assume was close to a century.
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Denebriel was the Forgotten that pulled the winter cold out of Berevar and swept it across Salvar, but also created the “Cult of the Ethereal Sway”. She was remembered throughout the years to follow by the native population through religion. The Sway became a religion passed from native to future populations that came to Salvar, and the Forgotten was remembered as a savior, becoming St. Denebriel. Xem'Zund attempted to overtake Raiaera, the only super-power of the time, by creating hordes of undead to walk the world.
  
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'''Between 12048 and 10048 years ago [c. CE 2060 - c. CE 4020]:'''  Salvar remains a primitive and largely unpopulated continent, and therefore a choice battleground for the magical campaigns on all sides of the Wars of The Tap. Various magical enchantments and weaponry are scattered throughout the continent as part of the destruction, which scatters the natives and leaves an indelible print on their common mythology. Many deserters of the war join the remaining natives in Salvar
 
  
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'''Between 7,500 and 2,000 years ago [CWD 2,548 – CL 3047]:''' Various lords and rich merchants from the other continents begin to land on Salvar's mountainous southern and eastern shores, founding small trading colonies and resupply ports. Some whaling and seal hunting establishes itself around the continent. The colonies are usually not much more than a few huts or a fortified cove, but one or two good harbors are built up into small settlements, largely populated by male mariners and without any autonomous governing bodies. Ships slowly begin to make it up the western side of Salvar, landing in the much more welcoming shores there and founding a major city at the mouth of the River Salvar (later "The Knife").
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'''The Era of Building Nations'''
  
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These colonies slowly grow in population and prosperity as people migrate into the vast plains, pushing far inland. The natives in the path of the colonizers are pushed ahead of them and into the northern wastes, which are largely ignored for settlement. The plains of Salvar are unforgivingly lonely but fertile, and using the river system around the Knife, a shipping industry is built up that keeps Salvar well off and well fed. No central government exists, however. Each colony has titular ties to the nations on other continents in Althanas but they exist in name only.
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Salvar, having been devastated by the warring civilized lands of Raiaera and The Forgotten, was even sparser in population than ever before. Merchants, would-be kings, social deviants, and expeditions by the budding nations slowly expanded into the territory. Rich sources of ore lured the dwarves, arable land to the south provided incentive for the humans of Corone to spread into the territory, and the previous encounters with Salvar gave little reason for the elven people to have interest.
  
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'''Approx. 2000 years ago [CL 3047] [1 DW]:'''  The Demon War Begins. Initially the Demons do not attack in Salvar, but the war cuts off all remaining ties with other nations as trade basically dries up. About halfway through the conflict, a demon army attacked Salvar from the west. A flood of refugees fled to the far interior, huddling in the shadow of the furthest mountains. To combat the Demon Menace, the notables of the largest colonies group together and form government with which to raise an army. The government is an oligarchy under the direction of the important merchants and tradesmen of the Knife’s Edge. The demons are held at bay by this force for several years before shamans from the native population banish the demons by use of powerful, esoteric magic. The demons flee through the northern wood to Berevar and disappear entirely. The remaining government in the south encourages the resettlement of the rest of Salvar.
 
  
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'''Approx. 1780 years ago [CP 21] [221 DW]:''' The oligarchy of Salvar is overthrown by a former solder in the anti-demon army. This general, Corin val Neestor, installs himself as dictator and sends military emissaries to the largest settlements to take control of the entire continent. Most of the cities are placed under the control of the military, but a few of the outlying colonies on the south and east coast remain free.
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'''The Demon Wars'''
  
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'''Approx. 1766 years ago [CP 35] [235 DW]:'''  The first ship from the other continents of Althanas lands on Salvar since the Demon War. This resurrects Salvarian trade, but also alerts the rest of Althanas to the independent status of their former colonies.
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Nearly a century ago, the second greatest war of Althanas tore across the world. It was an age of darkness, where infighting amidst races was pushed aside in favor of survival. The Demon Wars raged, and humanity was powerless to stop it. Where the demons suddenly arrived from is a mystery. The only guess as to their appearance is by way of the portals to Haidia created by the Forgotten, nearly completely forgotten after millenium.
  
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'''Approx. 1761 years ago [CP 40] [240 DW]:'''  Battleships from the rest of Althanas begin to escort their nations’ ships to and from Salvar, some of them seizing Salvarian ships and impressing their sailors into naval service.
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The heaviest fighting was done in Corone, the initial assault of the demons taking Teria by storm. Overrun in a single day, the dwarves and humans of the plains retreated to the defensible fortresses built into the Comb and Jagged mountains. Unlike the humans and dwarves, the elves of Concordia had nowhere to run and hide, instead seeking solace within the forests and surviving in the depths of their domain. Two years after the initial surge of the demonic horde, Aroen the Lightforger the leader of the elves and the leader of the human tribe Gerth of the Crying Wolves united in a stand against the invasion. The single army met the power of the Haidian spawn on the fields of Gisela. A massive battle ensued. Though the power of the elves and the strength of the humans were great, they were gravely outnumbered. Gisela became soaked in the blood of both sides; two massive armies waged war for days on end till finally the remnants of the united force was forced to retreat. As had happened in the initial assault on Corone, the dwarves opened their gates and allowed all manner of refugees and defeated soldier into their underground habitat. The demons roamed the lands of the island freely for nearly 200 years, leaving the former denizens of the resource rich island to starvation and meager aide from other nations.
  
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'''Approx. 1745 years ago [CP 56] [256 DW]:'''  A small army of mercenaries, bought by a consortium of rich merchants, lands on the west coast of Salvar and seizes control of several colonies, establishing a small kingdom ostensibly under the suzerainty of Corone. The next year, the Dictator of Salvar, the third since the Coup of Year 21, launches an attack on this Kingdom of New Corone, destroying its army and executing its titular king.
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Salvar, likewise, was struck by the demonic forces. The barely settled and unorganized lands were unable to combat the initial assault due to lack of organized forces. Knifes Edge, the largest of the merchant created cities, became a fortress for the territory. Merchants, settlers, soldiers, and all manner of people banded together to continue to keep the invasion at bay. It was not until almost a century later that the native tribes of Salvar were able to use their powerful and esoteric magic to drive back and eliminate the organized demonic forces. Though, organized government was not established even after the demons were eliminated.
  
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'''Approx. 1741 years ago [CP 60] [260 DW]:'''  After hearing of the destruction of their client state, the consortium of Corone merchants raises the issue with the government of Corone, gaining enough leverage with the mildly concerned ruling classes to construct a far larger navy and army with official support, and launch an attack on Salvar. They land on the west coast and march inland, capturing and gaining the defections of others. The Kingdom of New Corone is rebuilt, this time controlled by an official Viceroy from Corone. The Dictator of Salvar fights the invaders to a standstill but is unable to push them to the sea. A peace is forged, with the Kingdom of New Corone essentially taking up the southwestern quarter of the continent and the Dictatorship of Salvar taking up the southeastern quarter. The signing of the peace fragments the Dictator’s control, and he soon only has sway over events in the Knife’s Edge, while the local governors take control of local affairs.
 
  
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'''Between 1741 and 1601 years ago [CP 60 – CP 200] [260 DW – 400 DW]:''' The Kingdom of New Corone booms into a military and economic power as it lays large levies on transport down the Knife and carries out raids into the small governates on the outskirts of Salvar. The increase in wealth is felt in the capital, Coronia, at the mouth of the Knife, but is also pronounced in the other settlements, where important merchants and landowners establish themselves in pseudo-governmental positions as “interlocutors” between the Coronian government and the locals.
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'''The Era of Salvar’s Foundation C.P. 1 – C.P. 1709'''
  
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'''Between 1741 and 1253 years ago [CP 60 – CP 548] [260 DW – 748 DW]:'''  The second invasion of Salvar is successful and the kingdom of New Corone is established. While the new realm thrives, the old Corone is being divided in layers. Rich merchants and royalty with land in the newly conquered lands becomes richer by the day, while the common folk are being tormented by the ever rising taxes that the greedy ministers set. Politicking becomes more important then industry, and the gap between the layers of the society grows larger. The army is kept at bay with large paychecks and the constant battle in Salvar. These years are also called the Ages of Decay in Corone.
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Corone (rebuilt by the hands of man, elf, and dwarves) turned the destroyed town of Teria into a massive town that could be viewed by all as a true capital of a unified Corone. Formerly a city of the dwarves, the indestructible building (later renamed The Citadel) became the center of the town and a symbol of strength. This city was renamed Radasanth, after the great hero that had liberated the island nation. After 50 years of service as the first Steward, Radasanth stepped down and disappeared into history. It was a century later that Corone turned its eyes on the bitter lands of Salvar, and the true story of the Northern lands began.
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The history of Salvar has always been a record of strife and struggle. Native people keep their own records, most of which are passed by word of mouth instead of written down. However, the non-native population after the Demon wars, kept meticulous records according to the Raiaeran calendar that was adopted by the rest of the world for time keeping per year. The records have shown that the Forgotten known as Denebriel, as well as internal strife have long slowed the expansion of the region and eventually what became the country itself.
  
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'''Between 1601 and 1401 years ago [CP 200 – CP 400]:'''  A period of restlessness builds in New Corone as a series of weak, young kings take the throne and are unable to deal with the local notables effectively. As a result, tariffs go without enforcement and Salvar slowly begins to regain some of its former glory.
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After the Demon Wars, with Salvar relatively unexplored and controlled by a conglomerate of merchants, an oligarchy almost by way of government. The first form of government came from a form of dictatorship, lead by Corin val Neestor; the leader of the coup was a former soldier that served in the defense of the territory against the demons. Within years, the majority of the territory had been brought under a single leader. The simplistic government created allowed for an expansion of trade with other nations. In response, Corone’s government saw the weakness of the nation and began to trade with the territory, though also began to impress members of the meager navy of the new king into service. It was a means by the government of Corone to “establish firmer trading routes”. Within twenty years, C.P. 55, Corone sent a small “exploration” expedition to the west coast of the territories and quickly overran multiple cities and areas along the western side of Salvar. From the seat of power, the third dictator since C.P. 7, launched war immediately and defeated the titular king appointed by Corone which was not won. The colony of New Corone was officially established after only a year of struggle and a forced treaty with the dictator.
  
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'''Approx. 1403 years ago [CP 398] [598 DW]:'''  King Willow IV comes to the Viceroy’s seat in New Corone, and by the end of his reign becomes known as Willow the Munificent. Willow regains control over local notables by constructing a hierarchy of nobility that the restless governors buy entrance into in exchange for various assured rights. The ultimate seat of power in New Corone, however, is solidified as the viceroy through a fealty oath taken by the nobles upon their purchase of their rights. The power of New Corone waxes as the viceroy uses this new central control to finance construction and technological projects throughout his domain.
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For the next 550 years the feudal system of Salvar was officially established. Dictators slowly lost control of Knifes Edge, whereas the power of the appointed Viceroy (officially called the “king” of the Corone colony) slowly grew in power. By the end of the colonial age of Corone, the Viceroy of the colonies is seen as the most fit to rule. He is crowned “King of Corone” in an elaborate and grand celebration in Horaria, the former capital of Salvar. Eventually the seat of power was moved away from the colonial area to Knife’s Edge, uniting both halves of Salvar but reducing the power base of the King after hundreds of years of rule from the same capital. Corone’s disgust and anger over the power-hungry appointed Viceroy is contested, however, the united power of Salvar is enough to expel the “foreign” power and the territory becomes a country of its own by C.P. 700.
  
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'''Between 1401 and 1301 years ago [CP 400 – CP 500]:'''  Seeing the success of New Corone, local governors in Salvar begin designating themselves dukes or princes of their governates and establishing their own fealty systems. As a result, the dictator in Knife’s Edge entirely loses control of his realm, and the capital city is integrated into a surrounding duchy. With this the history of the Dictatorship of Salvar ends.
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Before the country was established completely, under one rule and became a nation to itself, the Church of the Ethereal Sway was established by the Viceroy’s of the colonies as the only religion accepted in the territories. This established religion was put in place as the official religion of the nation until the modern age of Althanas.
  
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'''Approx. 1253 years ago [CP 548] [748 DW]:'''  A disagreement over trading rights with Corone, and over the power of the Coronian government to replace Viceroys that it sees unfit, leads to a split between Corone and its colony, which declares itself the Kingdom of Salvar. The Viceroy crowns himself king in an elaborate ceremony in Coronia, which is renamed Horaria, the native word for “splendor.” Although Corone and Salvar teeter on the verge of war, cooler heads prevail, assuring both kings that subterfuge, rather than outright war, will soon bring the enemy to heel.
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Over the following millennia, Salvar continued their monarchy. The rulers, always kings, became weaker and weaker until the feudal system of government could no longer be relied upon to offer protection or assistance. Self appointed dukes, counts, barons, and even a few princes demanded the construction of the Council of States. This council removed the absolute power of the King, placing him as a mere head of the Council, and began to use their new legislative establishment. Territorial pacts, conflicts, disputes over trade rights and lands were all discussed through the Council. Declarations of war between the feudal lords were settled through warfare as they always had been up until the end of the era.
  
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'''Approx. 1222 years ago [CP 579] [779 DW]:'''  One of the western dukes of east Salvar pledges fealty to the King of Salvar, and then claims a border dispute with another duchy as grounds for war, and the king responds by aiding him in a conquest of the duchy.
 
  
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'''Between 1222 and 1101 years ago [CP 579 – CP 700]:''' Seeing the success of the aforementioned duke, the rest of the duchies and principalities in Salvar either swear fealty to the king or are consumed by those that do. By 700 CP, the entire southern half of Salvar is under the control of the king.
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'''Rise of the Forgotten C.P. 1705 – C.P. 1709'''
  
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'''Between 1101 and 801 years ago [CP 700 – CP 1000]:'''  A period of relative prosperity and quiescence in Salvar.
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Salvar has fought through a civil war between the state and the Church. The former noble leaders, including King Iorlan, have all either been killed, gone into hiding, or self-exiled to other lands. At the end of the war, the valiant efforts of those who seemingly were little more than foreigners to Salvar destroyed the Church of the Ethereal Sway and the Forgotten Denebrial herself.
  
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'''Approx. 780 years ago [CP 1021] [DW 1221]:'''  In celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the Coup of Year 21, the scholarly King Mustaga the Wise declares that the new capital of Salvar shall be the Knife’s Edge, its historic capital. Taking advantage of the death of the Duke of the Knife’s Edge and one of his father’s marriages, he claims issue to the city and gains its title. He moves his court there, but finds himself alienated from the king’s traditional power base, the western seamen and merchants, while mired in the relatively alien eastern duchies, who have little association with the king beyond the fealty oaths that are part of their coronations. Rather than admitting his folly, Mustaga remains in Knife’s Edge for the rest of his woefully long reign. When he dies, his infant great-grandson is placed on the throne and a series of weak Regents are unable to assert the power of the king in east Salvar or resurrect his authority in the west.
 
  
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'''Between 701 and 301 years ago [CP 1100 – CP 1500]:'''  A period of continuing disintegration of the king’s power, characterized by sporadic attempts by kings to regain authority, most of which fail miserably.
 
  
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'''Between 301 and 1 year ago [1500 CP – 1800 CP] [1700 DW – 1900 DW]:'''  A system of parliamentary government over Salvar slowly emerges, as the scores of fiefdoms and duchies in the kingdom construct a Council of State as a legislative basis for countering particularly uppity kings. The Council system does little in the way of governance, but cements the idea of the individual rights of local nobles in the minds of the Salvarian peerage.
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== Credits ==
  
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'''Present C.P. 1705 – C.P. 1709:'''  Salvar has fought through a civil war between the state and the Church. The former noble leaders, including King Iorlan, have all either been killed, gone into hiding, or self-exiled to other lands. At the end of the war, the valiant efforts of those who seemingly were little more than foreigners to Salvar destroyed the Church of the Ethereal Sway and the Forgotten Denebrial herself.
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The following members contributed material to this Wiki: Saxon, Christoph, and Ashiakin

Latest revision as of 17:31, 21 August 2012

Salvar, known for its blizzards, frozen wastes, jagged mountains, and powerful church, is the northernmost region of Althanas. Stretching across the harsh and frigid northlands, this vast, mighty kingdom still reels from years of civil war between its Church and State. The clash of steel has quieted and the two sides have finally reconciled, though both reduced to shadows of their former power. Anarchy and chaos now grips this once proud nation as its people struggle to survive.


Salvar
Capital Knife’s Edge
Form of Government Feudal
Ruler(s) King Bratus Kutzovich; Highborn Oligarchy
Legal System Feudal and Religious Law
Official Language(s) Tradespeak (Common)
Population Approximately 17,000,000
Religious Type Church of the Ethereal Sway
Literacy 23%
Technology level Mid-late Medieval
Major Imports Luxury goods, grain
Major Exports Skins, furs, ore, lumber
Natural Resources Forests, Minerals, whales and fish




Geography

Most foreigners stereotype Salvar as a frozen, snow-laden wasteland, and this holds true for considerable portions of the kingdom. However, southern Salvar, which runs along the Kachuck Mountains that mark the border with Alerar, enjoys a more mild climate, rolling hills of golden grass, and agreeable farmlands. The Testhan River Valley, cradle of the capital city of Knife’s Edge, is particularly fertile.

To the north, the weather turns much harsher. River-lands and hills give way to ancient pine forests and rugged steppes. Further north, the land turns harsher and wilder still. Few humans inhabit this endless, untamed expanse of icy tundra and towering, jagged mountains. Trolls, giants, and tribes of feral humans and Orcs prowl this wilderness, as well as other dangerous creatures. Even further still, beyond the Frozen Sea, lies Berevar. This mysterious and uncharted wasteland is inhabited by only those as harsh and unyielding as the land itself. Few have ventured there and returned to tell of it.


Religion and Magic

Church of The Etherial Sway

As the official state religion of Salvar, The Church of the Ethereal Sway once held nearly unchallenged authority over the country's people. It was once perhaps the largest and most powerful religion in the known world. However, when the Church and Salvar's king, Iorlan Rahaxea, began to squabble, civil war between the factions broke out. This conflict resulted the death of the monarch and the weakening of both the aristocracy and the church. The two sides have since reconciled and the Ethereal Sway works to steadily recover and rebuild. It remains the official and most widely practiced faith in Salvar.

The religion itself centers on worshiping a pantheon of mysterious spirit-beings, the Ethereal Sway. Religious texts state that they traveled to Salvar from another world and guided its early rulers along the path of greatness for their fledgling country. After leading Salvar to a golden age of peace and prosperity, the Sway vanished. No one has had direct contact with them for a thousand years. The Church itself formed to continue guiding the kingdom according to the tenets of their divine benefactors. They claim that by upholding the proper laws and moral values and living righteously, they will prove themselves worthy and the Ethereal Sway will return to guide them once more.

The official head of the Church is known as the Justice. Historically appointed by the king, the Justice is now elected by the League of Nobles as part of the peace agreement between church and state. The position currently remains empty, with the elder clergy leading the Church for the time. The last Justice, Lev Testhan, was slain by Ashiakin and his cohorts during the civil war.

The Church was a law unto itself during the height of its power, trying and executing traitors, witches, and heretics for a wide variety of crimes, perceived or otherwise. These included witchcraft, corruption, demonology, and heresy. Some of the more radical agents even spoke out and acted against non-humans (though Dark Elves and Dwarves seemed largely exempt due to a long-standing Salvic alliance with Alerar.) The fearful image of a black-robed witch hunter brandishing a torch and the emblem of the All-Seeing Eye remains a common nightmare to this day -- a story that mothers often tell misbehaving children. Large-scale witch-hunts rarely happen anymore, due to the terrible losses that the Church suffered during the civil war. Still, they were once commonplace enough to perpetuate fear, just as the Church leaders wanted.

Despite their dark stigma, the Ethereal Sway performs many good works across the region. Their witch hunters root out infernal forces, necromancers, and other very real threats to civilization. The power of faith once maintained order and internal peace in the kingdom, and even after the civil war, it provides a bastion against chaos and bloodshed. Their holiest saints perform great and mysterious miracles. Their missionaries feed and clothe the poor, and help rebuild villages after natural disasters, and their churches always welcome weary travelers and the homeless.

The Ethereal Sway's core doctrines and tenets include nationalism, selflessness, devotion to duty, and submission before authority. They encourage daily prayer so that individuals may attempt to communicate with their missing gods and seek guidance and visions. Its most revered saint was Denebriel, a nationalistic and seemingly immortal woman who would vanish for centuries and reappear during times of need. She last returned to lead the faithful during the civil war, but was allegedly killed near the war's end. Many now view her as the holiest of martyrs and others believe that she will return again in a future century.

The faith also preaches purity of body and thought, which includes alarmingly anti-magic rhetoric. Most scholars point to the War of the Tap as the reason for this condemnation. The Ethereal Texts, the Church's holy documents, contain pages upon pages of historical tales supposedly told by the spirits of the Ethereal Sway themselves. Many of these records described the ancient war and the catastrophic destruction wrought by magic run wild. Other accounts tell of demonic influences and claim that magic can corrupt the mind and scar the soul. The Sway prophecies even say that the world will end in sorcerous fire, and as such pyromancy is especially hated and feared.

While magic itself is not fully illegal, it remains sanctioned, supervised, and controlled by the Church. The most notable arcane agents of the Sway are the Empowered Priests, robed men and women armed with unique iron spears who command wind, lightning, and ice, and the Aeromancers, high in their towers using magic to tame the region's harsh weather. Even after the civil war, witch-hunters still venture across the countryside and through city streets to hunt warlocks, rogue sorcerers, and those believed to consort with demons. Meanwhile, other agents hide within secret dungeons, studying and experimenting on sorcerers, shamans, and other arcane practitioners.

Even in its diminished state, the Church remains vigilant, doing its best to stamp out any magical influence not under its control before it spreads like an infection. The age is changing, however. The resources of the Church have been stretched thin as it struggles to recoup its losses and reassert its authority. Will magic surge back to prominence or will the Church eventually regain its hegemony in the kingdom?


Government

For much of its history, Salvar's government has been a Theocratic Monarchy. Though the King was the highest power in the kingdom, the Church of the Ethereal Sway maintained a great deal of influence over him with numerous advisors and their control over the common citizens and many lords. For the most part, the monarch and faith worked together. With the backing of the powerful church, the King wielded nearly autocratic power, directing foreign and domestic affairs and the military. Beneath the king ruled the lords of Salvar's many fiefdoms, who upheld law and order within their domains' borders. Local lords were responsible for punishing any "minor" crimes (theft, murder) that occurred within their fiefdom, while the Church prosecuted those guilty of treason, heresy, and other crimes against the state.

The civil war shook Salvar's government significantly. The previous king, Iorlan Rathaxea, was born of a bloodline that began with the marriage of a Salvic princess and a retired Coronian Assemblyman four generations prior. He met his end to an assassin's blade during the war, and when the League of Salvic States and the Church of the Ethereal Sway finally reconciled, they agreed that the people would more readily accept a new ruler of pure Salvic lineage. Bratus Kutzovich, distant cousin to the late Iorlan and one-tenth shareholder in the Vogruk-Stokes Trading Company, was chosen. On the one-year anniversary of the peace signings that ended the civil war, the high priests of the Sway and the Salvic nobles crowned him king on the steps of the newly-rebuilt Saint Denebriel's Cathedral.

The new Salvic government takes the form of a Theocratic Oligarchy, with most power currently held by a council of Church leaders and Salvic lords. Unlike his predecessors, King Bratus Kutzovich possesses more limited authority. He oversees the council meetings, arbitrates disputes between lords, and holds the additional title of Baron over the river lands surrounding Knife's Edge. While the political climate seems to have stabilized, chaos and anarchy still grip much of the war-scarred kingdom.

The Salvic Council consists of ten highest lords in Salvar, known as Boyars (some send representatives in their place rather than attending personally), and the ten High Priests of the Sway. The council meets twice a year to discuss affairs with the king and vote on pending issues. The king presides over the meeting and casts the tie-breaking vote when needed. It remains unknown whether King Bratus will toe the line or use his considerable financial backing to grab more power as time goes on.


Places of Interest

Knife's Edge - The capital city

Knife's Edge is one of the oldest and certainly the largest city in Salvar. Its history dates back over a thousand years, to the founding of the Church of the Ethereal Sway, and with a population exceeding 400,000, it is the third largest city in the known world (behind Ettermire and Radasanth). Despite the destruction wrought against Knife's Edge during the civil war, it remains a thriving city, and after only a year, much of its critical infrastructure has been rebuilt and repaired.

Built along the southern banks of the Testhan River, the capital city enjoys a fairly mild climate compared to the rest of the kingdom. Its winters are still harsh, but the rainy springs and warm summers make it the bread basket of the region. Its position along the wide, slow stretch of the Testhan River also makes it the main stopping point for the hundreds of river barges floating east toward Tirel. Several tall towers surround the city, home to the church's Aeromancers. These powerful holy mages use their magic to push back the harsh northern cold and keep the river valley mild and fertile.

At the northern banks of the river lies "Old Knife", an ancient town that predates the capital by well over a thousand years. Nobody knows for sure why a new city was built on the other side, rather than expanding the older town -- the only records exist in religious texts, stating that Saint Denebriel commanded the first Ethereal Sway cathedral to be constructed south of the river. "Old Knife" remains though, home to about a thousand farming serfs and a few inns for travelers hoping to avoid the bustling capital city.

Knife's Edge is a very formidable and intimidating city, surrounded on all sides with a tall and sturdy stone wall. Each side as a large iron gate, including the northern wall's "River Gate" that allows barges and ferries access to the city. Water flows through the River Gate and into a series of canals and sewers networking the entire city. There are a number of notable areas within the city.

Saint Denebriel's Cathedral: Named after the Church's most beloved saint, who allegedly died during the civil war, this cathedral is a huge, towering structure of granite and obsidian, stained glass, and leering gargoyles. As much a fortress as a place of worship, it served as a bastion for Sway forces during the war. It sustained major damages when royalist troops laid siege to it, but much has already been repaired. Its interior awes most visitors with rows of statues, golden candelabras, chandeliers, and vast paintings of saints and the Ethereal gods themselves. Said to be as large below ground as above, Saint Denebriel's Cathedral sports vast dungeons and networks of tunnels that hide many mysteries.

The Castle: Formerly known as Castle Rathaxea, that name has been removed since the former king's death. Simply called "the castle" by most Salvarians, it serves as King Bratus's throne, the High Counsel meeting place, and the last fortified bastion in the city. It rivals Saint Denebriel's Cathedral in size, and its palisade walls and study keep make it even harder to attack.

Rubble Town: Taking up the southern quarter of the city, Rubble Town (as many now call it) still lies in ruins in the civil war's wake. Few structures remain fully intact and no concerted effort has been made to rebuild the section, mostly due to the anarchy and lawlessness rampant there. It is the wretched hive of Knife's Edge, haven to the city's criminals and most desperate.


Archen - Gateway to the north

Resting at the southern base of the Sulgoran Steppes in central Salvar, Archen is known as the "gateway to the north". With rugged wilderness to its north and gentle grassy hills to its south, the kingdom's third largest city (home to almost two hundred thousand) rests between two different worlds. Viewed as the last bastion of civilization by many in southern Salvar, Archen serves as a vital trading post in the kingdom's heart. Lumber mills process the great pine logs brought from the highlands and tailors ply their trades on hundreds of animal pelts. Caravans carrying ore and other raw materials travel south along the ancient cobbled road affectionately nicknamed the "wolf trail", guarded by Vorgruk-Stokes mercenaries.

Though rather austere compared to Knife's Edge, Archen still exemplifies the traditional look and feel of a Salvic city, with its timber houses and meed halls, grey granite towers, and domed roofs on its churches and central castle. An old stone wall surrounds the city to deter bandit raiders and warlords from the north. Its people are hardy and proud, charitable with their own countrymen and shrewd with everyone else.

During the civil war, Archen was a Sway bastion for much of the conflict. Its access to raw materials, strategic location, and vast grain stores gave the church an upper hand for the war's first two years. It came as a great surprise when the city rose up against the Ethereal Sway, ransacking its churches and executing any priest that did not flee in time. Though the church's forces eventually retook the city, the battle cost them dearly and marked the turning point against them -- one that eventually forced them to accept peace terms with the Salvic nobility.


Tirel - The eastern harbor

Nestled within the Gulf of Scales, Tirel is, despite its young age, the fourth largest city in the kingdom and its busiest port during the spring and summer. As one of the few places in Salvar mostly untouched by the civil war, the eastern port remains a thriving center of commerce, with ships traveling to and from Corone, Raiaera, Scara Brae, and even distant Fallien. It also serves as the staging area for Salvar's small but growing eastern war fleet. It boasts a population of just over one hundred thousand people, many of them foreigners. Coronian merchant families and a fair number of Dark Elves call the city home, as well as a surprising number of High Elf refugees fleeing the undead hoard that so recently ravaged their homeland.

Due to its unique origins and large foreign population, Tirel possesses milder Salvic influences in architecture and culture. Red-brown brick buildings with tiled roofs stand in place of the traditional timber structures and grey granite seen in other cities. A few Thayne temples exist in the foreign districts, seemingly exempt from the Ethereal Sway's purges.

It was originally founded two hundred years ago by early Coronian colonists seeking access to region's rich natural resources. This venture did not survive long, however. Within six months, the king's agents discovered this new settlement. The monarchy and church declared the eastern shores part of Salvar by right and demanded that the colonists depart. When they refused, the armies of the kingdom fell upon them in the only known war in history between Salvar and Corone. The conflict was short and bloody, ending with the Coronian colonists fleeing back to their ships. Salvar took control of the settlement and ruled the eastern shores without contention ever since.


Pestovo - The western port

Pestovo, the main port on the western coast, is the second largest city in Salvar (population of approximately 250,000). Believed to predate the Ethereal Sway by several centuries, it is also perhaps the oldest. Despite its vast sailing distance from most other countries compared to Tirel, Pestovo remains an extremely important port for two reasons. First, it sits very close to Salvar's closest trading partner, Alerar. Ships constantly sail away laden with raw materials and return with holds full of quality steel, tools, and even rare and valuable firearms. Second, warmer currents flow along the western seas. Whereas ice chokes much of the Gulf of Scales during the winter months, Pestovo enjoys clear waters year round. Therefore, many merchants choose to do business in Pestovo, even when sailing all the way around the continent to Corone or Scara Brae.

Most of Pestovo is made up of old timber structures, lacquered and tarred to preserve the wood. Every few decades, the city's shipwrights and carpenters band together to rebuild a section of the city. Therefore, despite the city's age, most of the buildings are fairly new. Only the shops in the city square and the central keep, built from stone above a series of ancient ruins when the city was founded, remain.


Skavia - The rugged wilds

The infamous mountains and tundra for which Salvar is known all over Althanas, Skavia covers the country's northern and central lands. Frozen wastelands, vast pine forests, and rugged mountains compose a landscape ravaged by the harsh winter elements. Skavia is constantly slammed with blizzards, scouring icy winds, and avalanches that could bury an entire city in an unmarked grave. The wasteland is peopled by proud, hardened tribes of barbarians, orcs, and other throwbacks to previous eras of Salvar who fight both Nature and the ferocious beasts that prowl the Skavian wilds. This unforgiving wilderness promises adventure for those with the courage and ability to survive its trials. In Skavia, survival is a gamble and death is the only sure bet.


The Kalev Highlands

Far to the northeast of Salvar, deep within the Gorrum Mountains, lies the Kalev Highlands, a plateau forming the highest point in the kingdom and perhaps the world. The highlands sits atop the broken remains of the massive and ancient Mount Modhgar, which was shattered during the War of the Tap. These highlands see the coldest, harshest weather in all of Salvar (not counting Berevar), bearing the brunt of terrible northern storms that can bury the land in twenty feet of snow and ice in a night. Yet, surprisingly the spring and summer sees the land thaw, revealing grasslands and scattered groves of trees. The Kalev Highlands are a place of wonder and the stuff of legends, home to most of Salvar's giants and minotaur, and a plethora of other fantastic creatures thought to only exist in folktales.

Two unique groups inhabit the highlands, the orcs of the Black Eye Clan and the small human nation of Andvall. The orcs occupy a series of caves and large wooden forts on the northern edges of the plateau, extending further north into the Gorum Mountains. They are ruled by mighty chiefs who lead their warriors on raids across the northlands of Salvar, bringing slaves and plunder back to their homes each year. The people of Andvall, keeping a dozen fortified holds build around ancient ruins across the highlands, are direct descendants of a band of knights and nobles who separated themselves from Salvar's monarchy and church hundreds of years ago. They are considered traitors and deserters by the Salvarian government because do not recognize the kingdom's sovereignty. Though benevolent, fairly peaceful, and accepting of outsiders, the people of Andvall are hardy and strong, adapted to the harsh world they live in. Their strength and determination has earned the grudging respect of the Black Eye orcs, and the two groups have maintained a truce for generations.


Berevar - The frozen north

An uncharted, arctic wasteland that lies north of the Gorum Mountains and the frozen seas, Berevar stretches beyond the reaches of Salvar's power. Though home to many hardy, savage orc clans and a plethora of other terrible creatures, Berevar is considered largely uninhabitable to those who can't stand up to its horrible conditions. Rumors have circulated for years that Berevar is also where the Old Gods of Salvar retreated after the fall of their paradise thousands of years ago, before the rise of the Ethereal Sway. But, whether you're looking to explore the wastes or uncover the mysteries of the past it's best to be wary and well prepared for everything this savage region has to offer.

Economy

The Vogruk-Stokes Trading Company

Leader: Yorgei Vogruk and Edgar Stokes

Base of Operations: Stokes's Estate, just south of Archen

Description: "Where there's coin, there's Vogruk and Stokes."

The saying could not be truer. The Company, starting just shy of fifteen years ago, has blossomed in Salvar, growing deep roots in both the community and the land itself. It was started by two unlikely business partners, an amoral business man from Corone named Edgar Stokes and a charismatic peasant from the Salvic city of Archen named Yorgei Vogruk. With the Coronian's business savvy and Yorgei's ability to draw in other Salvar natives to do their bidding, it was only a matter of time before this company took off. Conducting most of its operations across the country, the Trading Company has its hands in all sorts of business, ranging from sea trade to mining and lumber, and even slave trading. The goal for Vogruk and Stokes is not just profit (which it makes plenty of), but to help bring Salvar forward and help its people prosper.

The Company supplied workers and financial backing for Alerar's good will gesture of running a railroad from the Dark Elf capital of Ettermire to Knife's Edge. This project brought both countries a great deal of new trade and commerce, helping to cement their friendly relations. The Trading Company remained neutral during the civil war, selling weapons and supplies to both Church and State forces.

Often at odds with both the government and the Church of the Ethereal Sway due to their idealistic views and formidable financial power, the company relies heavily on both private armies and modest fleet of warships to protect their interests. In just fifteen short years, this company and its founders have expanded not only across Salvar, but to other countries as well. They have stakes in various business ventures in Alerar, Corone, and even Fallien. Because of this, Vogruk and Stokes possessed both the coin and the territory to weather the civil war and emerge even stronger.

Population

Salvarians

As seems obvious, most humans in Salvar are Salvarians. These men and women are known for their fair hair and skin, physical bulk, and fortitude.


Urodins

This comparatively small population of humans inhabits the southern river lands of Salvar and trace their lineage back to the tribes that were driven from Raiaera by the elves thousands of years ago. Most have dark hair, brown eyes, and slender builds, and are stereotypically known for their shrewdness.


Skavians

The natives of Skavia, the rugged northern wilds of Salvar, the Skavians are thought to be the first humans to inhabit the region. These humans are feral and tribal, known as large hairy barbarians by many Salvarians.


Orcs

Nobody knows whether these strong, savage green-skinned people hail originally from Berevar and have expanded south, or if they originally inhabited much of Salvar and got driven north. One this is certain, though: the Orcs are some of the fiercest, hardiest warriors in the known world. Their greater physical bulk and iron constitution makes them well suited to survive the harsh Salvic winters.


Dark Elves

The Dark Elves living in Salvar typically hail from Alerar, setting up shop in their northern neighbor for various reasons.


Dwarves

Much like the Dark Elves, the Dwarves usually immigrate from Alerar. Many make excellent livings smithing arms and armor in Salvar.

History

The War of the Tap

At first the small band of rogue sorcerers were like any other, a minor inconvenience that was dealt with by the only world super-power, Raiaera. Stopping the challenge to their authority, the usurpers to civilized life, was merely a trivial dispute handled by the bards and bladesingers. As the small group grew, extended their claims and undermined cultures, the threat stopped being an underground movement and grew into an expansive dispute, which would later become a full-blown war. This war, between The Forgotten and the rest of the world, continued for what most assume was close to a century.

Denebriel was the Forgotten that pulled the winter cold out of Berevar and swept it across Salvar, but also created the “Cult of the Ethereal Sway”. She was remembered throughout the years to follow by the native population through religion. The Sway became a religion passed from native to future populations that came to Salvar, and the Forgotten was remembered as a savior, becoming St. Denebriel. Xem'Zund attempted to overtake Raiaera, the only super-power of the time, by creating hordes of undead to walk the world.


The Era of Building Nations

Salvar, having been devastated by the warring civilized lands of Raiaera and The Forgotten, was even sparser in population than ever before. Merchants, would-be kings, social deviants, and expeditions by the budding nations slowly expanded into the territory. Rich sources of ore lured the dwarves, arable land to the south provided incentive for the humans of Corone to spread into the territory, and the previous encounters with Salvar gave little reason for the elven people to have interest.


The Demon Wars

Nearly a century ago, the second greatest war of Althanas tore across the world. It was an age of darkness, where infighting amidst races was pushed aside in favor of survival. The Demon Wars raged, and humanity was powerless to stop it. Where the demons suddenly arrived from is a mystery. The only guess as to their appearance is by way of the portals to Haidia created by the Forgotten, nearly completely forgotten after millenium.

The heaviest fighting was done in Corone, the initial assault of the demons taking Teria by storm. Overrun in a single day, the dwarves and humans of the plains retreated to the defensible fortresses built into the Comb and Jagged mountains. Unlike the humans and dwarves, the elves of Concordia had nowhere to run and hide, instead seeking solace within the forests and surviving in the depths of their domain. Two years after the initial surge of the demonic horde, Aroen the Lightforger the leader of the elves and the leader of the human tribe Gerth of the Crying Wolves united in a stand against the invasion. The single army met the power of the Haidian spawn on the fields of Gisela. A massive battle ensued. Though the power of the elves and the strength of the humans were great, they were gravely outnumbered. Gisela became soaked in the blood of both sides; two massive armies waged war for days on end till finally the remnants of the united force was forced to retreat. As had happened in the initial assault on Corone, the dwarves opened their gates and allowed all manner of refugees and defeated soldier into their underground habitat. The demons roamed the lands of the island freely for nearly 200 years, leaving the former denizens of the resource rich island to starvation and meager aide from other nations.

Salvar, likewise, was struck by the demonic forces. The barely settled and unorganized lands were unable to combat the initial assault due to lack of organized forces. Knifes Edge, the largest of the merchant created cities, became a fortress for the territory. Merchants, settlers, soldiers, and all manner of people banded together to continue to keep the invasion at bay. It was not until almost a century later that the native tribes of Salvar were able to use their powerful and esoteric magic to drive back and eliminate the organized demonic forces. Though, organized government was not established even after the demons were eliminated.


The Era of Salvar’s Foundation C.P. 1 – C.P. 1709

Corone (rebuilt by the hands of man, elf, and dwarves) turned the destroyed town of Teria into a massive town that could be viewed by all as a true capital of a unified Corone. Formerly a city of the dwarves, the indestructible building (later renamed The Citadel) became the center of the town and a symbol of strength. This city was renamed Radasanth, after the great hero that had liberated the island nation. After 50 years of service as the first Steward, Radasanth stepped down and disappeared into history. It was a century later that Corone turned its eyes on the bitter lands of Salvar, and the true story of the Northern lands began. The history of Salvar has always been a record of strife and struggle. Native people keep their own records, most of which are passed by word of mouth instead of written down. However, the non-native population after the Demon wars, kept meticulous records according to the Raiaeran calendar that was adopted by the rest of the world for time keeping per year. The records have shown that the Forgotten known as Denebriel, as well as internal strife have long slowed the expansion of the region and eventually what became the country itself.

After the Demon Wars, with Salvar relatively unexplored and controlled by a conglomerate of merchants, an oligarchy almost by way of government. The first form of government came from a form of dictatorship, lead by Corin val Neestor; the leader of the coup was a former soldier that served in the defense of the territory against the demons. Within years, the majority of the territory had been brought under a single leader. The simplistic government created allowed for an expansion of trade with other nations. In response, Corone’s government saw the weakness of the nation and began to trade with the territory, though also began to impress members of the meager navy of the new king into service. It was a means by the government of Corone to “establish firmer trading routes”. Within twenty years, C.P. 55, Corone sent a small “exploration” expedition to the west coast of the territories and quickly overran multiple cities and areas along the western side of Salvar. From the seat of power, the third dictator since C.P. 7, launched war immediately and defeated the titular king appointed by Corone which was not won. The colony of New Corone was officially established after only a year of struggle and a forced treaty with the dictator.

For the next 550 years the feudal system of Salvar was officially established. Dictators slowly lost control of Knifes Edge, whereas the power of the appointed Viceroy (officially called the “king” of the Corone colony) slowly grew in power. By the end of the colonial age of Corone, the Viceroy of the colonies is seen as the most fit to rule. He is crowned “King of Corone” in an elaborate and grand celebration in Horaria, the former capital of Salvar. Eventually the seat of power was moved away from the colonial area to Knife’s Edge, uniting both halves of Salvar but reducing the power base of the King after hundreds of years of rule from the same capital. Corone’s disgust and anger over the power-hungry appointed Viceroy is contested, however, the united power of Salvar is enough to expel the “foreign” power and the territory becomes a country of its own by C.P. 700.

Before the country was established completely, under one rule and became a nation to itself, the Church of the Ethereal Sway was established by the Viceroy’s of the colonies as the only religion accepted in the territories. This established religion was put in place as the official religion of the nation until the modern age of Althanas.

Over the following millennia, Salvar continued their monarchy. The rulers, always kings, became weaker and weaker until the feudal system of government could no longer be relied upon to offer protection or assistance. Self appointed dukes, counts, barons, and even a few princes demanded the construction of the Council of States. This council removed the absolute power of the King, placing him as a mere head of the Council, and began to use their new legislative establishment. Territorial pacts, conflicts, disputes over trade rights and lands were all discussed through the Council. Declarations of war between the feudal lords were settled through warfare as they always had been up until the end of the era.


Rise of the Forgotten C.P. 1705 – C.P. 1709

Salvar has fought through a civil war between the state and the Church. The former noble leaders, including King Iorlan, have all either been killed, gone into hiding, or self-exiled to other lands. At the end of the war, the valiant efforts of those who seemingly were little more than foreigners to Salvar destroyed the Church of the Ethereal Sway and the Forgotten Denebrial herself.


Credits

The following members contributed material to this Wiki: Saxon, Christoph, and Ashiakin

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