Alerar

Alerar (Al-uh-rar) is one of the major regions of Althanas and is also the largest.

Alerar
Capital	Ettermire
Form of Government	Aristocratic Monarchy
Ruler(s)	King Edari'axa, High Graf Schynius
Legal System	Private Law
Official Language(s)	Aleraran/Drow-Primary, Common-Secondary
Population	Approximately 16,000,000
Religious Type	Secular
Literacy	94%
Technology level	Early Industrial
Major Imports	Food, Textiles
Major Exports	Rare Metal, Ore, Manufactured Goods
Natural Resources	Rare Mineral/Ore, Coal

Geography

Alerar is a vast continent with very diverse landscapes. This will be a brief area by area overview of the continent.

To the north, Alerar shares it's border with Salvar. This is the mountainous region which contains Kachuk. There are a number of passes in these mountains which lead into Salvar, but none are easy as this is some of the harshest mountain terrain in all of Althanas.

Just to the south of these mountains is L' Renor Harlilen, or The Black Steppe. This is a mostly deserted region between the central plains and before the Kachuk Mountains.

To the east lie The Mountains of Dawn/Mountains of Twilight (depends on which side your on) and the border with Raiaera. These mountains are mostly easy to pass, mainly along the Valinatal Pass. In the northern reaches of these mountains where they merge with the Kachuk mountains also lies the portal to Haidia.

The southern and central regions comprise the Fields of Khu'fein, the large flatland that comprises the majority of Alerar's area. It is here in the south-center of the continent you can find Ettermire, the capital, and Etheria Port in the south, Alerar's only major port on it's limited southern coasts.

To the far west and southwest are yet more mountains, with the border to Antioch in the southwest. These mountains are entirely unpassable with the Tomb of Fallen Kings preventing passage into Antioch.

Demographics

Alerar has two dominant races, the Dark Elves, and the Dwarves. They both often call themselves the “Alerodias” which translates to “Aleraran” as their national identity is considered just as important as their racial identity. All citizens of the county, whether Dark Elf, Dwarf or even Human are encouraged to use this term. It is a term that shows loyalty to the nation.

The Dark Elves

The Dark Elves sometimes refer to themselves as “Sel Darthirii” or the “New Elves” in an effort to separate themselves from the Raiaerans. In Common tongue they will refer to themselves as Dark Elves or Aleraran Elves, but rarely will they call themselves Drow. This is not necessarily a pejorative term, but it is not considered politically correct. They also refuse to call Raiaeran Elves “High Elf” just as the Raiaeran Elves refuse to call them “New Elf”. Dark Elves compose about 75% of Alerar’s population.

The Dark Elves have pointed ears just like their Raiaeran cousins, but that’s where the similarities end. They are a hardier people than even the wood elves of Concordia. It is rumored that a Dark Elf’s potential muscle mass is almost as great as a Human’s although this is rarely seen. Their features are more rounded, and are considered somewhat exotic by other races. Their eye and hair color run the gamut of Human range but extend into the neon color range. Thick Dark Elf hair may be silver, and far seeing eyes may be neon green.

Their skin pigmentation is by far their most notable feature, and stems from their common ability to quickly accumulate melanin to cope with the harsh sun of their humid subtropical climate, and their ability to absorb the ash and soot of their highly polluted urban areas. The majority of Dark Elves pigmentation ranges from olive to an almost pitch black cocoa. This being said, there are Dark Elves with skin just as pale as a High Elf’s, and the stereotypical ashen skinned, silver haired, wiry lurker of the darkness does exist, but is a rarity. This distinctive and intimidating image is easy for uneducated foreigners to feed off of, and it is an easy target of Raiaeran propaganda.

The Dark Elves’ life expectancy is significantly shorter than that of the Raiaerans’, ranging from 3900 to around 4000 years. Aleraran Alchemists posit that this isn’t because the Raiaeran Elves’ Song Magic extends their lives, but because the pollution from their technology shortens their own. Unlike the Raiaeran’s, Dark Elves that reach the end of their lives end them surprisingly peacefully by going to sleep and not waking up again. They are buried with ceremonies much like a Human’s, but without the coffin, as discovery of the decomposition process in nature has led Alerarans to believe that contributing one’s body back to the land will contribute to future generations.

The Dwarves

Dwarves, although present in small numbers around all of the known world are most present and acknowledged here in Alerar. They refer to themselves as the “Khazad” which translates directly to their namesake in common. They compose about 15% of the population.

Short, gruff, stocky, unkempt; the dwarves are the butt of almost every racial joke. Simply take a Human, stretch its width an extra shoulder length, compact its height two to three feet, and add a stone of muscle or fat, and you have a Dwarf. Their voices are just as gruff as their appearance.

Humans

Man and other sentient species compose the rest of Alerar's population.

Government

Alerar is ruled by an aristocratic monarchy, in which the monarch (Edari’axa with his top advisor, High Graf Schynius) hold absolute power over the land and consult a panel of high ranking nobles. These nobles are called Grafs, who trace their lineage back to the land owners, entrepreneurs, and generals of Alerar’s early days. The legal system of Alerar is a peculiar combination of common law and private law, in which citizens are able to wager everything including their personal rights so long as it doesn’t contradict one of the common laws – which are mostly meant to maintain order. These matters will be discussed later.

Here is a list of the noble titles in Alerar, from highest to lowest.

The Sovereign: (King or Queen) - This is the highest rank in all of Alerar; and it is only obtainable by birthright or conquest. The Sovereign has final say in all matters, but being only one person has its limits. A King or Queen could spell prosperity or ruin for the realm; depending upon their abilities to rule.

People of Note: *The Late Queen Valsharess

*King Edari'axa

The Freigraf: (Or High Graf) - The top adviser to the Sovereign, this title is obtainable from the rank of Graf. It is a level of high importance and only the cleverest and resourceful Graf can hope to achieve it.

People of note: *High Graf Schynius

The Prince/Princess: The title of prince or princess does not always denote a direct line of parent to offspring connected to the reigning monarch. Many who have this title owe it to the reigning sovereign being an uncle or granduncle, and most are charged with the task of enforcing common law handed down from the Sovereign to all of the land. Even siblings and cousins to the current ruler are considered prince(sses), although they can hold dual titles (like Graf, high Graf, etc.) if earned.

People of note: *Formerly Edari'axa

*Other various distant cousins, though few are in the public eye.

Graf: The highest title of nobility below the sovereign or their family, and of course below the High Graf, the Grafs of Alerar are a small elite who make up the ruling councils to debate and put forth issues for the High Graf, who then directs these issues to the King. Grafs are most often equated to company owners, land owners, and generals in other countries. Once earned this title is hereditary, but passed down to only one child to encourage healthy competition. Grafs are given titles that are indicative of their businesses or military achievements. For example Graf Martel Tilmora was the chief financier of Alerar’s rail system (aside from Schynius), and thus is called ‘Graf of the Rail’.

Burgraf: These are lesser Grafs, who deal more intimately with the land and soldiers (as officers) of the Grafs above them. Just another link on the chain downward, the Burgrafs are always second to those higher ups. Most Grafs have a conglomerate of properties and businesses under their control and thus one Graf often has multiple Burgrafs under his command. These are often sons and daughters of a Graf who have seek to create their own legacy in this world, and most prefer to work under someone other than their parents for the same reason you would.

Freiherr: A step down from Burgrafs are the Freiherr. However, these nobles seem to have more freedom, as they are not so directly controlled by their superiors. The chain around their neck is loosened when compared to how much control the Grafs have over their Burgrafs. They are the advisors, assistants, and the mid level officers who work for Burgrafs. Ambitious commoners and foreigners often occupy this rank.

The Ritters: This rank can only be earned through military achievement, and one must be a registered soldier with Alerar to earn it. Simple, subtle, with little in the way of sway or power, this title is purely aesthetic. It's an honor, a badge, and one that goes from father to son/mother to daughter. The Ritters are knights of Alerar, non-birthright captains who lead their soldiers by example, and not by coin purse.

The Edler: With the Queen dead, King Edari'axa found his Kingdom in shambles. But always with the plan, Schynius quickly found a solution. Throughout the land, elite guards and scholars were sent to find the best and brightest to hold a new noble title that was only held by one person and that could not be passed down from father to son/Mother to daughter. This was the Edler, the bureaucrats of the empire. Through tests and training, new plans were devised by these men to help organize the rubble of Alerar. From city planning and civil service, to military organization and supplement, the Elder make sure the cogs of Alerar run as smoothly as possible. Despite the insinuation of the title, Elders come in all shapes, sizes, races, and, yes, ages. The youngest is reported to be a mere twenty years old. Elders also have special rights within Alerar that essentially make them masterless men save for the King. The King often jokes that they have more freedom than he does. Nauplez is home to the most Elders in Alerar.

Culture

Aleraran culture began long before the exodus from Raiaera. The sect of elves that became the Dark Elves began to form their independence even before they solidified it. Many millennia ago, when they served as second class citizens on the frontlines against the Forgotten Ones during the War of The Tap, they underwent a massive exodus into the land that is now their own. They became obsessed with science and all things opposite Raiaeran, but came into their own to be the proud citizens of Althanas’ most powerful nation. Often accused of an evil nature, many of their ways do not fit comfortably within the typical alignments, which often lead to grave misunderstandings from other races. Modern Aleraran culture is also considered an amalgamation of Elven and Dwarven influences. The nation has become known as the land of discovery due to its scientific accolades.

Philosophy

Alerar’s collective way of thinking can be traced back to its origins in Ancient Raiaera, where a focus on Bardic Magic and other forms of evocation struck a sour chord with the Dark Elves’ ancestors. The resentment of such disciplines, which relied heavily on personal talent and lineage, can be traced back to the revolutionary literature of those times. These simple poems and small books are credited for the exodus that brought them to Alerar. Once having left, they found kindred spirits among the Dwarves of the land. They too were never particularly talented with magic. They introduced the practice of Alchemy to the Elves, who would eventually make it their greatest asset.

Alchemy was the milieu in which modern science would arise. It was so greatly expanded under the Dark Elves that it is now broken down into into many natural sciences in their infancy such as chemistry, astronomy, biology etc. The related decline of religion raised a series of questions, which recur throughout Aleraran philosophy, concerning the relationships between knowledge and faith, reason and emotion, and scientific, ethical, and artistic ways of seeing the world. Alchemy demanded neither bloodline nor innate talent. The Alerarans, with their class suppression at the hands of the Raiaerans still fresh in their minds, interpreted many of the principles of Alchemy as sanctifications of individuality.

Religion

The handful of Kings and Queens in Alerar’s history have taken differing views on religion, but for the most part have never attempted to press their own views on their people, who mostly identify themselves as Agnostic. This position is often credited to Alchemy, which encourages an open mind. There are some Thayne worshipers among the population, and most of them naturally focus their devotion to Khal’jeren, the Elder Thayne of Wisdom and Knowledge. In fact, Alerar’s current King, Edari’axa is an open worshiper of Khal’jeren, and plans to restore the Elder Thayne’s place of worship in Raiaera’s Black Desert. Most other religions are apathetically passed over by Alerarans.

Education

Alerar proudly boasts Althanas’ first, and so far only, public education system. Education is provided mainly by the government and the nobility, and is mandatory for every citizen. It focuses on elementary physics, chemistry, biology, grammar, astronomy, mathematics, and geography. Even a significant portion of the slaves (particularly those in Nauplez) have been educated to necessary degrees varying on an individual basis. A common Aleraran insult touches on this – “My [i]slave[/i] is smarter than you!” It’s a particularly overplayed zinger aimed at foreigners.

Higher education is also offered in Alerar in varying degrees, provided by the crown and blue bloods, but not mandatory. The renowned library of Ankhas in Ettermire houses a small college.

Architecture & Art

The Aleraran architectural style places emphasis on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the regularity of parts as they are demonstrated in the architecture of Raiaera. Orderly arrangements of columns, pilasters and lintels, as well as the use of semicircular arches, hemispherical domes, niches and aedicules replace more complex proportional systems and irregular profiles seen in medieval styles seen in Corone. Prominent features of modern Aleraran architecture combine the aforementioned style with brass, clockworks, and several other technological features that support their lifestyle.

The visual art of Alerar is considered the most realistic in Althanas. Portraits and murals are often mistaken for reality from afar. Busts and statues are accurate to the minutest detail no matter how unflattering. Artists are now exploring a brand new frontier, photography in its infancy.