Corone
Coronè (Core-oh-nay) is one of the major regions of Althanas. Corone has a rich diversity of cultures, with a racial breakdown of 50% human, 25% elves, 10% dwarves, and 15% other races. The overall geography of the island ranges from the depths of the Concordian forests and the unknown that lives within, to the heights of the Comb Mountains, and the plains of southern Corone. Natural disasters such as floods and sea storms are not uncommon.
| Corone | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital | Radasanth | ||||
| Form of Government | Republic | ||||
| Ruler(s) | The Assembly | ||||
| Legal System | Civil Law | ||||
| Official Language(s) | Tradespeak (Common) | ||||
| Population | Approximately 2,500,000 | ||||
| Religious Type | No official religion | ||||
| Literacy | 45% | ||||
| Technology level | Late Medieval | ||||
| Major Imports | Ore. Spices | ||||
| Major Exports | Lumber, Grain, Pearls | ||||
| Natural Resources | Forests,farmlands,mineral/ore | ||||
Contents
Geography
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Starting from north, the Jagged Mountains descend to the shores in a series of sharp outlets and capes that made many a sailor lose their vessels. The Jagged Moutains stretch to the east shores as well, where they are brought to an abrupt end by countless fjords that are inaccessible and deadly for all that try to venture into them. However, once beyond this thick outer shell, the land of Corone unrolls like a fresh parchment. Beyond the Jagged Mountain range is the valley of the Niema river on which banks the capitol of Radasanth is erected. Contrary to the belief of most foreigners, Radasanth is not situated on the delta of the Niema river, but rather a couple of miles inland. The mistake is an honest one because the delta is so wide and littered with docks that one easily mistakes the docking area as the city limits itself since it stretches down the river all the way to the city itself. The valley itself is tame and well irrigated, but mostly used for orchards because the majority of farming is done further southwards.
The Comb Mountains are a mere crease in the parchment. This mountain range is nowhere near to the Jagged Mountains in height and inaccessibility, but rather a set of hillocks and elevations that separates the valley and forms the border of the Radasanthia barony. Beyond it lays Concordia forest and the barony that bears the same name. Claimed by some (mostly locals) to be the largest most magnificent forest in all the known world, Concordia is a place of serenity and bliss. The forest itself is less than two thousand years old, but the ruins within it date as far as the island itself. The capitol of the Concordia barony, the woodsman’s town of Underwood, is situated in the middle of the forest and is the center of the woodcutter industry that is the very foundation of Corone’s economy. Two rivers are notable in Concordia forest; the Firewine river that flows through Underwood itself, and the Bradbury river a little further to the east.
Towards the southwest is the barony of Yarborough, a flatland as far as the eye can see, littered with farms and green pastures that put food to the mouth of the Coronian people. Its capitol is Gisela, a city built as a celebration of the first union between the local men and the foreign elves at the site of one of the greatest battle that the Corone ever witnessed. Ironically, it is the place where the generals from all around Althanas come to play their wargames and compete under the enchantment of the illusionist that allow them such battles. As often as possible, a grand tournament is held to honor the fallen from the past; these wargames are called the Gisela Open.
Towards the southeast is the barony of Tylmerande that despite its lack of major forests or flatlands is considered to be second richest barony in the land of Corone. Most of the bridge building takes place in this barony and the gentle warm shores are perfect for pearl foraging. Given the time that was needed for the pearls to become, it is no wonder that it was the elves that took upon themselves this line of work. The capitol of the barony is Serenti, yet another place in which warriors come every year to cross their blades and take the title of the champion.
Places of Interest
Racial Structure
Though the diversity is the word most commonly associated with Corone, humans are still the dominant race by a rather large margin. They form around sixty percent of the local population, the half-breeds not included. Elves are the second most dominant race with some twenty-five percent of their kin living on the surface of the island. The dwarves are small in number and mostly keep to their mines, but with their ten percent, a person is bound to run into one, especially in Radasanth that is close to the mines. But as the racial percentage shows, there are other races in Corone as well, which is one of the charms of the realm because people are used to the strange creatures and mostly hold no prejudice against any race.
Economy
While there are several economic branches in which the realm or Corone excels, there is one paramount to them all and that is trading. Being an island nation forced the Coronians to seek the market for their goods beyond the seas and soon after the commencement of the Age of Resurrection, Corone ships spread across the known realms almost like a plague. One of the largest one is the ferry called “The Juggernaut” that constantly travels between the mainland and the island. Buying cheap and selling expensive has become an art for the merchants of Corone.
However, without the solid industry that is the foundation of every healthy nation, the trading would be pointless. Rye, corn, wheat and pretty much every other edible plant from the barony of Yarborough that is the surplus, is being traded to the less fortunate lands that are willing to buy... with a minor profit of course. Concordia forest is a seemingly bottomless source of wood that is being sent down the Firewine and Bradbury river to the mills. Some are sold as raw wood, some are turned into glorious ships, while others are used as firewood, but the common denominator is that they all bring profit. The mines of the Jagged Mountains aren’t too shy either as the dwarves still carve new halls beneath and produce more ore and metal from the bowels of the earth.
All in all, the economy of the Corone is flourishing, making it one of the richest nations in the known world.
Religion
Apathy is probably the best word that describes the nearly non-existent relationship that Coronians have with the known deities. The most prominent of all religious groups in Corone are probably the Clerics of Draconus that have a temple in every larger town on the majestic island. They offer their services to the common folk, preaching of their Dragon Lord, but most of their words fall on deaf ears. Some say that’s mostly because the very nature of Draconus whose mannerism is known to be depicted with a rather slow reaction time. This is probably the reason why the clerics accepted a handful of demi-gods as well, most of them drawing roots from the tribal worshiping back in the Age of Commencement, making the religion somewhat polytheistic. Three of these half-deities are most common amidst the common folk.
Wyron – The deity of harvest, mostly worshiped in the Yarborough county, but it is not rare that people in Radasanthia are caught with an idol of this deity in their homes. Usually depicted as a reaper with the head of a bull and a tail of a dragon. By his blessing the crops grow and the trees bear fruit.
Am’aleh – The deity of the sea, worshiped in most of the coastal areas, especially in the Tylmerande area where the seashell crops supposedly rise and fall by the desire of this deity. Am’aleh is also the idol to which most of the sailors tell their prayers if facing a tremendous storm, and to which most fishermen thank for their catch. Though gender of this deity is unknown as of yet, it is mostly described as a creature with a lizard’s head and the tail of a tail of a fish, holding a pitcher of water.
Trisgen – A demi-god of strife and war. Most soldiers of the Royal Armed Forces have a minute idol of this god around their neck just to stay on the safe side of this deity. It is said that when the humans and the elves rode against the massive force of the demons, Trisgen rode with them, wreaking havoc amidst the demon lines. While there was an unknown hero during that strife, it was never confirmed that it was Trisgen himself. The figure of Trisgen mostly resembles a gallant warrior, mounted on a back of a winged lion, holding a hammer or an axe.
These three are the most known, but by no means the only ones that can be heard throughout Corone. It is said that there is a god in Corone for pretty much anything and that is the thing that angers the Y’edda Druids the most.
Though the druids remain hidden in Condordia, mostly around the town of Ruild, both the druids and the fabled town are ever elusive to the outsiders. It is suspected that this town stands on the back of something known as the Rootwalker, but nobody got more information about this to make it anything more than a rumor. Their enmity towards the clerics is not an open one, but if a wandering druid meets a Cleric of Draconus, there is a good chance he would give him a piece of his mind. The druids think of the polytheism as heresy and they remain loyal to Y’edda despite the fact that the goddess gives them little in means of presence and blessing.
For more information on Draconus and Y’edda, please consult the Book of Thayne.
Government
Due to the civil war that has broken out across the nation, absorbing so many in its wake, the government of Corone is in shambles. What was once an organized and resolute system of power controlled by The Assembly, The Ministry, and The Baronies is now a split and anarchic land. Only Akashima's structure remains in one piece, the rest of the island is torn and divided.
The Corone Empire
Borne out of the ashes of the millennia old Corone Republic (with no small aid from the Coalition), the Corone Empire is still the dominant faction in the Corone today. The three remaining members of The Assembly (Emien Harthworth, former Master General; Sivien Arundiel, former High Baron; Atherny Sergio, former Revered Congressman) wield almost absolute power in the Empire, despite the fact that none of them is officially crowned as an emperor. The vast majority of the Corone Armed Forces and the Corone Navy is under their command, and their ranks are constantly being replenished by the forced recruitment, which makes them the most likely contenders to prevail in the present bid for power. The Corone Empire is a well organized government, relying heavily on the military, and will be hard to overthrow. Martial law is proclaimed in all areas under Empire’s ruling. Radasanthia, Tymerande and several fortresses in the Yarborough County are under their control, as well as most of the naval routes. Radasanth remains their capitol.
It is also important to point out that, though the Coalition orchestrated the rise of the Corone Empire and the two factions are seemingly in secret alliance, the Empire is trying more and more to distance themselves from the Coalition as of late. Several important personnel in the government with known ties to the Coalition were released from the service (under charges of incompetence) to diminish the grip the Coalition has on the Empire.
The Corone Rangers
Once a mere branch of the Corone Military, the Corone Rangers transformed into tireless defenders of freedom during the Civil War. Partially due to their natural connection to the land now suffering under the foot of the tyrants and partially due their lawful leadership, these freedom fighters are the only thing that stands between the Empire and complete dominion over the land. Led by none other than the famous Letho Ravenheart, they scored a number of victories against the Empire using their superior training and guerrilla tactics. Concordia and most of the Yarborough county are under their control, with their headquarters being in the newly conquered Gisela.
Despite being widely known as the Rangers, there is actually relatively small number of actual rangers within their ranks. Their numbers are mostly comprised of militiamen, gathered in small, mobile units under the command of one or several Rangers. Still, a combination of strict discipline, periodic training and constant battling created a force of reliable soldiers more than capable to stand up to the empire on land. And with a small fleet of warships armed with the latest batch of Alerar cannons, they are getting closer to being able to do the same on the sea as well.
However, recently the very symbol of their resistance, legendary Letho Ravenheart, has mysteriously disappeared, leaving the Corone Rangers in disarray. The aged Marshal Edward Stormcrow is currently in charge of all operations, but so far he is failing to achieve the same success as his predecessor. These brave rebels now need to find new strength in order to defeat the growing power of the Empire.
The Coalition
Not much was known of this mysterious organization prior to the Corone Civil War. Its name was spoken in hushed whispers, weaved into rumors that never had an ounce of solid proof behind them. However, they came out from behind the curtain during the War and more information became available. It is now known that the Coalition is a congregation of the wealthiest men in Corone: merchants, moneylenders, entrepreneurs, landowners, lords, blue-bloods. Their massive financial power allowed them to buy their way into every branch of the Corone government, creating a net that could influence the politics of the Republic itself. But soon partial control wasn’t enough. Using a combination of bribes, threats and blackmails, they took control over the three members of the Assembly, turning them against the Steward and the Grand Marshal, the two that couldn’t be bought of coerced. Furthermore, they gained control of the most lethal weapon in the land, the Scarlet Brigade. With the Assembly and the Brigade under their control, they planned to destroy the Republic and create an Empire that would be completely under their control. They would’ve succeeded if not for the two factors.
The Corone Rangers turned out to be more persistent than they initially anticipated. With their guerrilla tactics and deadly battle prowess, they not only controlled Concordia, but successfully campaigned in the west, taking over Gisela and most of the Yarborough region. And with the free people of Corone mostly siding with the rangers, they soon turned into a real threat to the Empire. The fragmentation within the Coalition didn’t help much either. Some of the members of the Coalition disagreed with the cutthroat tactics used to form the Empire and tried to leave the organization. Most were dealt with in an appropriate manner, but there were some who survived to side with the Rangers, offering further insight into the inner workings of the Empire and the Coalition to their enemies. Some say this was the prime reason that the tides had turned in the Civil War that had been quite one sided up until that point.
Still, nobody truly knows the intentions of the Coalition and their actual role in the greater scheme of things. Even though they still seem to be in bed with the Empire, they do not take fondly of the Empire's dismissal of several of their members within the government and are likely to take action against both the Rangers and the Empire they seemingly support. Their ultimate goal could be weakening both sides in order to take them both out and claim complete dominion over the land of Corone.
Military
- Corone Armed Forces
Led by the Master General, the Corone Armed Forces (CAF) are the main bulk of the Coronian military power. Holding a garrison in every larger town, they are the prominent law enforcement that is supposed to wrestle any and all disturbance, foreign or domestic. However, during the times of peace, only the very essential were kept garrisoned while the rest are reassigned to more mundane duties. Still, once every year they are called back to receive one month of training in order to keep them on the edge. While their uniforms vary of their service within the ranks, they all bear the official insignia of the CAF, a feather and sword crossed on a scarlet background.
- Corone Rangers
Unlike the bulk of the CAF, the rangers’ duty is full time. Their offices are carefully strategically positioned so that no part of Corone is left without their presence. They are hardy folk, stern in posture with incisive eyes, and they overlook everything that goes on in their dominion. Their skill with arms is only comparable to their trekking abilities and the nature knowledge, and though they often carry no armor, they are a force to be reckoned with, surpassed only by the Scarlet Brigade. The hierarchy in their ranks is a bit different from the usual military ranking, consisting of Marshals and Deputies that each oversee their county. They have no official uniform, but their insignia is a rifle crossed with a sword. Chances are if you are looking at this insignia that you are already in more trouble then you can handle.
- The Scarlet Brigade
The Scarlet Brigade is where the best of the best go. Chosen from the finest that the Corone has to offer, regardless if they were rangers, mercenaries or just mere grunts, the Scarlet Brigade takes them under its wing and trains them even further. Though basically their task is to protect the Assembly, the Scarlet Brigade is in fact an intervention crew that is called when all other choices were exhausted. The identities of the members are unknown, they bear no insignia save for the crimson capes, but what is beneath them none lived to tell. The Brigade is not under the command neither of the Master General nor the Steward and it is unknown to the public who stands behind the elite warriors. A veil of secrecy is only amplified by the rumor that the final test of joining the Brigade is to cut your own tongue out. None can join the Brigade because it is the Brigade that chooses its members and not the other way around.
- Corone Navy
As an island nation, it is no surprise that Corone has a strong navy, especially since the Tylmerande barony makes good use of the Concordia wood in building vessels and great magnificence and durability. War galleons with dozens of guns constantly patrol the seas around the Corone shore, although they too, in the time of peace, are mostly docked and maintained. The dispute with Antioch made a rather large gap in their ranks, during the last seventy years the number of the galleons is replenished and doubled.