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Aurun
The Kingdom of Aurun is also sometimes referred to as the "Arcane Empire"
because of the many wizards and sorcerors that reside there. The majority of Arcadia's academies are located in Aurun, making
its citizens some of the most learned on the continent. The gnomes have helped advanced Aurun's technology greatly, especially
the art of alchemy. Gnomes have an aristocratic status in Aurun and hold many government positions.
Females hold a slightly higher position in society than in Celestia but are still
forbidden to join the army. They can hold government positions however. Gnomes hold most of the governmental offices, but
very few enlist in the military. Military recruitment is generally frowned upon as an alternative to join the acadamies, and
most enlistees are those who do not fit the criteria to attend schools or were expelled, with the exception of officers. Every
citizen is required to at least be taught at home until their tenth birthday, and if they do not meet academy requirements
they can then enlist in the army after six more years of homeschooling. This means Aurun's army is better educated than most
others and allows the widespread use of advanced military technology such as alchemical explosives. What Aurun's army
has in intelligence is dampened by their lack of armor. Most soldiers are light infantry, eschewing plate mail for more flexible
armor. Much of the army consists of spell casters, partially the reason for the lack of heavy armor. The only
heavy infantry are Eldricht Knights.
Notable NPCs of Aurun:
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Reginald Foxberger III: The current king who is well-liked because
of his compassion and great intelligence.
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Theodore Foxberger: The prince of Aurun who is known for his poor
health. He is rarely seen in public.
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Anne Foxberger: The princess of Aurun who is popular because of
her compassion, but resented by her family for her disdain of Aurun's reliance of magic.
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Archibald the Wise: The bishop of Aurun who is admired for his
profound wisdom.
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Riadoc Wange: A prominent gnomish noble who discovered ancient
ruins when expanding his mine.
Other notes: The capitol is Aurunshire, and the names are late 19th
century English in style due to mingling with gnomes. The kingdom is loosely influenced by 15th century Italy.
Population estimated at 1.5 million, with perhaps 500,000 of that including gnomes.
Edenia
Edenia is sometimes referred to as the "Pabulum Empire" because of the greaty many
farms and plantations that make up the kingdom. Edenia has few large cities like Celestia or Aurun and instead is dotted with
numerous small towns and villages that usually have a keep where the local lord manages the land. The few forests that cover
the landscape of Edenia are usually inhabited by elves, who have a close relationship with the people of the kingdom.
Most of the heavy work is done by males. Females usually just tend to the
household or become clerics in the church. Edenia has few academies, and the ones that are built are located only in
the capitol. Most schooling is offered onlyto the privaleged, while the rest plant seeds or watch over flocks to feed and
clothe Arcadia. The rest of population makes up Edenia's army, which is primarily calvary. The army is not as standardized,
however, and the armaments of the soldiers can vary from village to village but they all do follow a common theme. Most of
the army is armed with spears or short swords because of the plentiful amount of horses; these weapons work well from horseback.
Much of their elite equipment is made by elves due to their lower population of blacksmiths and arcane spellcasters.
The few learned spellcasters that graduate from their academies usually spend their time fortifying the crops to prepare
for the growing season and creating new types of seeds via alchemy.
Notable NPCs of Edenia:
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Ethelbert Wyman VI: The current king of Eden who makes frequent
trips around the kingdom to keep the local lords in line. He is most famous for his gluttony and sense of justice.
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Megan Wyman: The princess of Edenia who shares her father's passion
for food. Unlike her father she has a cruel streak and is often the butt of a serf's joke.
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Wallace Archerd II: The bishop of Aurun. His absentmindess
leads some to believe he gained the Pope's favor through sheer luck.
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Elendila Thala: Considered to be the leader of the mainland elves
and has a harsh sense of justice.
Other notes: The capitol is Eden, and the names are Anglo-Saxon in nature due to
mingling with elves. The kingdom is influenced by feudal Danes. Population estimated at 850,000 (excluding elves).
Celestia
Sometimes referred to just as the Empire (or by locals as the Holy Empire), Celestia was the
name of the ancient human empire before it was split into three parts. Celestia is also the most populated of the human
sovereignties and is filled with many large cities. The forests it still retains hold few elves compared
to Aurun and Edenia and this is thought to be because of the citizens' disdain for the elves. While poverty exists in
the other human kingdoms, it is uncommonly rare in Celestia. Many attribute this due to the fact of abundant gem mines
in the Diamond Mountains, the only place gnomes are forbidden to mine- much to the gnomes dismay- as well as the low tax rate.
Celestia holds the headquarters of the church: the great Catheldral of Simulacrum. The
headquarters of the wizard and sorceror guilds are also located here and serve as the main academies for Celestia. Like
Edenia, men do most of the work while women usually tend home and hearth. Females seeking anything else (besides cleric
work) are usually laughed at, patronized, or scorned. They are not strictly forbidden from seeking male-oriented jobs,
but they should consider themselves lucky if they get hired and extremely fortunate to advance in positions outside
of the church. Many of the population has access to schools, although like with jobs, females are discouraged from attending
school.
Most of the military is made up of infantry and advanced siege weapons. Most of those
infantry are heavy infantry supported by warpriests. The army maintains a prescence in every town to keep
peace instead of relying on local militia. The capitol is the exception, with its own elite force collectively called
the Sentinels. They also double as guards of the path to Mount Celest, of which the only way to reach is through
the castle. The castle is the largest structure known in Arcadia and is thought to be impregnable to all but the Brothers
themselves.
Notable NPCs of Celestia:
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Adamus Cornelius X: The Emperor of Celestia, whose power only rivals that
of the Pope. He is sometimes called Adamus the Pious because of his deep devotion to the church and prays frequently
throughout the day.
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Eva Cornelius: The Empress of Celestia. While her title is Empress,
she holds no real power other than that of giving advice to her husband.
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Felix Cornelius III: The prince, also known as Felix the Devout because of the
way he takes after his father.
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Andreas Avitas: The bishop of Celestia who is disliked because of his very austere
nature.
Other notes: The capitol is Celestius, and the names are Latin or a deriviate of Latin.
The kingdom is influenced by the Byzantine Empire. Population estimated at 2 million.
Miscellaneous NPCs of Note
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Benedictine Gratia: The Pope of the Church of Simulacrum. None question
the Brothers' decision of choosing him to lead the church. It is said his only fault is being perfect. He is the
most powerful cleric currently known.
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Edmondus Grimbold: Thought to be the leader of the Black Knights, none who
have seen him face-to-face have lived to tell about it. He is considered almost as a demi-god.
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Mycaelis: His full name unknown, he is the most powerful warlock in all of Arcadia. Campfire
tales claim that even the demons fear his might, and he shares Edmondus' status as being referred to as a demi-god.
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Constans Mortus: Thought to be the leader of the pale masters and Edmondus'
partner in crime. Many stories abound about his finding a way to shed his living flesh and achieve true lichdom.
If true, he will be the first lich ever known.
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Carol Catus: The most famous of the so called Dark Knights (fallen paladins).
He is a favorite of the serfs and commoners due to his extreme altruism, despite his title as a dark knight. Travelling
nobles and affluent merchants fear his uncanny ability to transfer their gold to the peasants. He is usually accompanied
by fellow Dark Knights.
Minor Races and Sovereignties
Angarok Barbarians
Not officially recognized as a sovereign nation, the Angarok plateau is an arid region of Arcadia
in the Diamond Mountains home to what the other humans call barbarians. Little is known since the natives are unfriendly
to outsiders as a rule. What is known is that there are some small cities, ruled by chiefs who in turn are
lead by a Sultan.
OOC note: If you plan to create a character from this culture the best comparison is to
medieval Middle East, such as the Turks.
Dragons
Viewed mostly as legendary, they are listed because in the legends the dragons were known to
speak the common tongue in addition to their own language. The most famous legendary dragon is the prismatic dragon
Xtianus, thought to guard the summit of Mount Celest.
Giants
The giant race is considered a minor race, but they are probably the most dangerous inhabitants
of Arcadia and the most influential evil race. The hill giants, ettins, and ogres are mostly just a nuisance
because of their stupidity, but the "noble" giants are feared in every kingdom, named so because of their intelligence.
In the Diamond mountains live frost giants. Their cities are mostly just fortresses housing a few dozen giants, but
they are still very dangerous. They occasionally send raiding parties into Celestia, much to the annoyance of the Emperor.
In the south live the fire giants, named so because they live in the northern rim of the Halo of Fire. They
are more numerous than frost giants and raid the southern parts of both Aurun and Edenia and generally live in underground
complexes carved into the bases of volcanoes. They are a constant source of annoyance for the gorgo and they consider
each other arch-enemies.
Monstrous Races
Monstrous races are called such because of their evil and cruel nature. They include, but
are not limited to: trolls, gnolls, orcs, lizardfolk, goblins, and bugbears. Many can understand the common
tongue, but few exercise its use. Most "conversations" are done at claw and spear point.
Fey Races
Little is known about fey besides the fact they are peaceful and reclusive. The
known fey races are fairies (otherwise known as pixies), dryads, and nymphs. They are only found in forests or lakes and
the vast majority reside on the elven isle.
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