novite states update

Novite States, AR 999 (TA 3308)
-Almareni reckoning was founded in the years when the Free Alliance defeated the last members of the Pentarchy in the War of the Magi. That war ended 999 years ago and it’s completion heralded the supremacy of the new Nordeskai culture and the rise of the modern Almaren. The great kings who participated in the War of the Magi inherited the lands they had won. It has been 532 years since the founding of the Empire of Tescelin (which in turn became the current states of Eusdria and Mormelar) and the beginning of a new Almareni civilization.

-The Tyran Empire became the mightiest state in the world during the early years of the Third Age. But around TA 1000 they began to wane as hordes of Amazo-Sakari peoples colonized the heart of the empire and it became a decadent plutocracy. Many of the Aryan Tyrans moved to the northwest or across the sea to escape the corruption and growing danger (these people added to the other Aryan population that already had existed in Cylonuvia since the Elder Days). The Tyrans who settled in present day Allon founded the realm of Laugris and those who settled across the sea founded the Second-Wave Aryan realms of Annuvia that exist to this day. In TA 1296 Ambarlach of Aquilonia overthrew the near-defunct Empire and his armies destroyed Tyr (though the modern city of Cyrisa is founded on it’s ruins). Soon after, concurrent Koreldani plots toppled the other lands of Almir and the Pentarchy was declared. Many tumults occurred throughout the reign of the Pentarchy including the forcible relocation or even extermination of populations of Novani and others who did not consent to the Pentarchy’s dominance. The Pentarchs declared themselves Gods and demanded worship and tribute. Few lands held out against their might until the Free Alliance was organized by a coalition of the diverse peoples of Almaren (a unity of men, elves, dwarves, and hin). The challenge to the Pentarchy’s might resulted in the War of the Magi which devastated the continent. The upside of the War, which ended lasted ten years and ended in the spring of 2309, was that the Pentarchy had been toppled by the Free Alliance and other peoples of Almir. Out of the Free Alliance sprang the new Nordeskai Kingdoms. The Nordeskai were a people who occupied the northern lands during the Tyran Empire. During the Pentarchy many of their tribes caused trouble and were known as agitated and dangerous. After the fall of the Pentarchy it was discovered that the Nordeskai were now the most numerous group of Aryans that remained in western Almaren. The tribes founded kingdoms that became the basis for the current feudal states of western Almaren. The other groups of Aryans that had lived in the lands (Tratians, remnant Tyrans and Westerendi) mostly assimilated to the new Nordeskai culture and were absorbed. The realms of Eusdria, Allon, Mormelar, Limellia and Old Tyr and the smaller Novani principalities arose from this. Of the Eldani realms, the only large ones that remain are Beretaur in the north of Almaren and Taur Pelanna and Taurangel in the west central area known as the Old Kingdoms. For Omikhani realms, there is Grindenwald in the northwest and Kenax and Ulvarin in the Old Kingdoms. The Milenian Empire was founded in the east in the spirit of the Tyrans, spurred on by a migration of three tribes to the area (two Tyran, one Nordeskai).

Western Almaren

Kingdom of Allon
Type: Feudal monarchy. The king has very strong authority and his barons are discontented. There are currently 10 major Allonian duchies as well as 9 duchies outside of Allon and the duchies are in turn divided into other smaller partitions.
King: Ademar I (House of Angelon) disposition: short-tempered. He is known for fair justice and sound administration but is ill-humored and intolerant of opposition. Some citizens feel he overtaxes as well.

Kingdom of Eusdria
Type: Feudal monarchy. The king has strong authority but is checked somewhat by his nobility.
King: Lothair II (House of Verend), disposition: aggressive. Lothair is a consummate politician as well as a now-legendary warrior. He embraces realpolitik wholeheartedly, with his nation’s interests at the core.
-Lothair views Calamar and Seremon as his personal fiefs. They don’t agree. Lothair also would like the lands once part of Old Eusdria now possessed by the royalty of Allon.

Duchy of Calamar
Type: Feudal magiocracy. Only mages are allowed to rule in this realm and this decree has the consent of the Mormelari Emperor.
Duke: Reimar I (van Vlaardoen), disposition: reclusive. He is a strange and reclusive fellow but is known to be married and with children. He spends much of his time in contemplation of magic.

Duchy of Seremon
Type: Oligarchy. Mages and merchants compete for power in this chaotic northern realm.
Duke: Gervase III (Aellebold), disposition: cautious. He answers to the Guild Consortium’s board but has considerable wealth and influence of his own. Gervase is conservative for the most part and goes along with the mercantile establishment for the most part. He is a trained and capable military leader however.

Four Kingdoms of Limellia
Type: Alliance of four feudal monarchies. They are influenced by lobbies of mages and peasant herders.
Kings: Erdinande V, Conrade II, Eligion IV, Romelion I.

Forest See of Beretaur
Type: Religious bureaucracy, each district ruled by a high priest. There is an archpriest who governs the entire structure. It is the only large Eldani state in northern Almaren, save Wendar in the northeast.
Archpriest: Hallon. Hallon’s leadership has been trusted for 436 years since his predecessor was slain during the Lajakan Orcish Crisis. He is always clear-headed and dispassionate in his dealings.

Kingdom of Grindenwald
Type: Monarchy, with strong religious overtones among the royalty. It borders Allon to the west.
King: Storlock.

The Old Kingdoms
Type: 4 independent realms. Taur Pelanna and Taurangel are Eldani homelands and Ulvarin and Kenax are Omikhani homelands. They have been occupied by their respective peoples since the Elder Wars (which decimated most of the once dominant Eldani and Omikhani civilizations of Almaren). The dwarf lands are kingdoms whereas the elvish realms are ruled by clerics.

Western Empire
Type: Empire, ruled by a strong High King. There are also 9 kingdoms total plus other colonial holdings.

Empire of Mormelar
Type: Decentralized feudal empire. Economically it acts as an empire but it is comprised of many smaller and often nearly autonomous territories. All together it is larger than Allon, a large kingdom in itself.
Emperor: Contested. The two contestants are Sigeric of House Scilder (hm knight-6 ln – possessions-Rehburg) and the sixth son of the previous Emperor, Lammert of House Holvanner (hm knight-6 lg). Sigeric (and his allies including Archpriest Beringaer of Koeren) began the war with an aggressive assault from the north but was unable to defeat Lammert’s forces. Last year, Lammert took the fight into Sigeric’s territories but has not won any decisive engagements yet. The Patriarch has not declared who he supports to be the Mormelari Emperor, which complicates matters somewhat.
Terrain: Diverse, but generally flat plains and occasional forests in the north turning into mountains with some thick forest in the south. The border with the Holy States is past the Tyran spires, but the empire does not control the city-states of Alvaron, Almadil, or Margand.

Tyran Peninsula states (these are the ones independent of the Empire)
Duchy of Almadil
Type: Absolute monarchy. The duke promotes literacy and commerce enthusiastically. It is a major seaport and merchants are granted extensive rights in exchange for revenues and other favors for the duke.
Duke: Rabel II (hm noble warrior-17 cg)

Republic of Alvaron
Type: Oligarchy. It is ruled by chairmen elected by the voting citizens of Alvaron, about 10-20% of the population. There are twenty chairmen, one from each district of Alvaron. This board oversees most policy and appoints an executive, the Prince, who governs the city for life. Most voters and officials are quite wealthy or otherwise connected.
Prince: Fortunatus of House Caprene (hm rogue-17 ng)

Principality of Margand
Type: Oligarchy. There is a duke but he is influenced by a merchant oligarchy known as the Council of Margand which is comprised of the wealthiest merchants in the land. The duke has power because of his connection to the people, but most policy must be approved by the oligarchy.
Duke: Osvald III (hm paladin-15 lg)
Council Chair: Raimond of House Alecco (hm trader-12 n)

Kingdom of Paragon
Type: Monarchy ruled by feudal aristocrats from the Duchy of Nordens in the Angelon Empire. The peasantry is of diverse racial stock due to the long history of mixing in the area (the people have Tyran, Milenian, Heratian, Alasiyan and some other heritage).
King: Ercanbald Raganhard (Ercanbald II) is too young to rule. It is held in regency by Sumar von Draachen (hm knight-15 lg).

Sultanate of the Alfaris
Type: Dictatorship with religious overtones. The Sultan is at the heart of the bureaucracy which administers the realm.
Sultan: Arith, son of Aknin (hm warrior-12 ln). Arith is a Kalimite fanatic and does not tolerate non-Kalimite intrusions into his lands.
-The lands of the Alfaris reach from northern Amazulia to southern Limellia. They were once part of the great Caliphate of Kalim.

Eastern Almaren

Kingdom of Megara
Type: Feudal monarchy. The king was once near absolute but now his power is waning (somewhat) in the face of noble ambitions and changing economic conditions (i.e., revenue from crown lands not keeping up with the rest of the kingdom).
King: Alvian I
-History: Megarans are of similar origins to Karjalans – they are Aryans perhaps from the Great Central Range. They were originally warrior nomad/farmers but they became settled in AR 800 (TA 3100-ish) by the decree of the Patriarch after they agreed to follow the Pantheon’s teachings. The heartlands of this realm are broad plains.

Kingdom of Netavia
Type: Monarchy. The king has virtually absolute authority in this realm.
King: Sinisa I

Kingdom of Vineskaja
Type: Monarchy. The king depends on the support of his sizable feudal aristocracy.
King: Razimir II

Ruthinian City-states
Type: City-states with surrounding feudal tributaries. Typically ruled by Kings.
Notables: Valisuav II of Belomir-Vasil is a powerful



Branches of Humanity

Aryan (Indo-European)
Amazo-Sakari (Afro-Asiatic), includes modern Yazham who were anciently Aryan.
Almoran (Turkic)
Korave (Caucas peoples)
Zorian (Indic hybrids)
Zuli and others (Bantu)
Tangor and others (Nilotic)
Aericans and others (East Afro hybrids)
Soldunians (Abbo)
Khar Zin (Proto-Mongol)
North Kharlakan/Isles of Night (refined Mongolid)
South Kharlakan (Indochinese and island hybrids)