Darthuria
The Kingdom of Darthuria (most commonly referred to as simply Darthuria) is the name of an island nation off the coast of the Meledere mainland. Despite recent civil wars, coups, and sickness, its population of xxx million have come to the forefront of the world stage, creating an impressive culture and amassing a top tier navy.
Darthuria is ruled by a feudalistic society. Its current monarch is Queen Alluviel, who took the throne in 1356. Through the monarch, Knightlords are made rulers of major cities from Altonia to Capro. They oversee and protect their respective cities in day-to-day affairs, while the monarch tends to national matters.
The country has a moderate temperate with vast tracts of plains land and forests, with a range of mountains called the Vast Divide running through the middle of the country. The western half of the country is a very rural area, with many farms dominating the land.
Darthuria can be divided in three separate social areas: Western Darthuria, Eastern Darthuria, and the Three Northern Kingdoms. Western Darthuria is very agricultural and is remarkable for the swamplands in the southwestern corner, which holds Moorside, the base of the Royal Darthurian Navy. The eastern side holds the capital city and many fortresses that house the Darthurian Infantry. The Three Northern Kingdoms are notable for having their own distinctive society and for launching a civil war in the fourth decade of the 13th age.
History
The kingdom of Darthuria was originally a collection of separate states. In the face of an invading force, these states bound together to repel their enemies and keep their land free. The man who lead these defenders was then named king and his family name became the name of the country we know today, established in the later part of the 10th age.
In the middle of the 13th age, the country was plagued by a terrible sickness, which lead to mass graves and loss of a sizable portion of the population. It was eradicated by priests of the temple of Bahamut in 1341.
In 1345, tension between the Darthurian throne and the Three Northern Kingdoms were at an all time high. The crowned prince fell in love with the daughter of a Knightlord in Alghena. King Tristram forbade their romance, not wanting the blood of a Northern Kingdom knightlord to taint the throne. Furious, the prince defected to the Northern Kingdoms and gathered the knightlords of Capro, Feltra, and Alghena into an alliance that was to be a new nation.
A terrible civil war ensued when the King sent his armies to recapture the Northern Kingdoms for the crown. The war ended in early 1347 when the last knightlord of the Northern Kingdoms was killed in a siege in Capro. The prince, along with his wife, was also killed during the civil war.
Doubts as to the continuation of the dynasty of Darthuria lingered as the King grew older with no suitable heir to take the throne after his passing. However, a political alliance of many knightlords was forged against the King's rather old fashioned ideas of economics and politics. This alliance was called the Golden Way was its main beneficiary was Alluviel Radcliffe, a noble woman of immense wealth. The Golden Way promised the people of Darthuria a golden age that would push Darthuria from mediocrity and into a great and sustainable empire.
The beginnings of this strife began within the confines of the annual Councils, when all of the knightlords would gather with the King to address grievances and plan agendas. However, a campaign was formed to bring these ideas of a 'new way' to the public. Racliffe became the face of this political party and soon gained favor of the public. However, in September 1356, Radcliffe launched a military offensive from within Darthuria City, taking sick King Tristram prisoner and crowning herself Queen. Since then, the knightlords have sworn fealty to the new queen and in return, she has set aside money for their use in rebuilding the infrastructure of the kingdom.
Geography
Darthuria is blessed with a moderate climate that's a boon for agriculture in the western side of the kingdom. Temperatures stay mild throughout the year, though occasionally have vicious cold fronts in the later half of the year.
The kingdom is split down the middle by a large mountain ranged, aptly named the Vast Divide. This range holds a bountiful amount of iron and coal veins, allowing the population of Darthuria a bountiful career in mining.
In the western side lies a natural anomaly called the Autumnal Forest. Regardless of the time of the year, the forest's trees boast a beautiful array of colors that seem to be better suited in autumn. No one is sure why this is, but the area is said to be the home of elves, pixies, and other feyborn creatures.
Demographics
Darthuria harbors a population of roughly 10 million and the majority population is human. Aside from the Northern Kingdoms, Darhturians have a pale complexion with dark hair typically. In the Northern Kingdoms, the population has an olive tone, with sharper features that their brothers south. Families of halflings are situated in the western half of the kingdom, living side by side without much animosity between them and their human neighbors. The Vast Divide, however, holds a large kingdom of dwarves, Dulgarad. Seeing a dwarf outside of this kingdom is rare.
Cities and Settlements
Altonia
Altonia is the largest city in western Darthuria. Its situated on a strait between the western ocean and the inland sea to the east.
Ashtol
More on Ashtol is available here. Ashtol is a small dwarven village, nestled in a cluster of mountains in the middle of a lake. Otherwise unnotable, Ashtol is now stretching its legs into the possibilities of what it could become. After being rescued by the Heroes of Ashtol (Donovan, Malachor, Nika, and Rhiannon), the town is only now becoming aware of what they could become.
Blood Ridge
No one knows much about Blood Ridge. They just know that the cliff face underneath their small village is stained with blood. They say that the barbarians up there tie ropes around their victims and toss them off the cliff so they'll splatter against the cliff face. Gross stuff. Moofi lives here.
Casderry
Casderry is a city in the middle of the valley west of the Vast Divide. It acts as a hub for the farms in the area.
Darthuria City
The capital city of the kingdom is Darthuria City, located in the eastern half of the country along a river. Its the most populous city in the kingdom and is the seat of the monarch. The Council takes place here when it is called.
Dulgarad
Dulgarad is a city on the southern region of Darthuria, lead by Harrik Farmaker. It sits at the foot of a large range of mountains. It is also the home of two brothers who have figured out firearms and gunpowder. It is also the home city for the settlement of Ashtol.
Dorsen's Port
Dorsen's Port is a small village that sits at the end of the Aron River. Its used by passing sailors as a breath of fresh air before a long and tedious voyage. It is also home to river sailors, which go up and down the Aron River in search of treasure. The townspeople in Dorsen's Port are reasonably well-off; they've all taken up trades that are beneficial to the sailors coming through and demand for those trades are neverending.
Hargate
Hargate sits along the road that leads to Dulgarad.
Lucan
More on Lucan can be found here. Lucan was a village at the peak of the main northern road in western Darthuria. Offering no real exports or serious trades (except for the blacksmith Derrick Mattson), Lucan kept to itself. It is the birthplace of the majority of the party in Simple campaign. It was destroyed by powerful shadow magic on October 16th.
Meridell
Meridell is a small city within the Autumnal Forest.
Midvale
More on Midvale can be found here. Midvale is a town in between Lucan and Newkeep. Known mainly as an adventurer's hub, it has plenty of services and goods that a band of adventurers need to do their job. For adventurers in the western Darthurian region, it is hallmarked as a "rite of passage" for beginners. Plenty of potential clients come to Midvale to hire adventurers.
Moorside
Moorside, also known as the Murky Jewel, rests on the southwestern corner of Darthuria. It is the main base of the Royal Darthurian Navy.
Newkeep
Newkeep is a destroyed town on the western half of Darthuria. It was sacked by Kursa, a warlord under the employ of the Society. Its population was taken as slaves initially. Some were taken to the party in Ashtol, where they were put through terrible and unspeakable trials. Others were kept within Kursa's fortress. In the end, they were saved by the party.
The Pit
The Pit is located in western Darthuria, near Altonia. It is a well known gathering of bandits, slavers, and other unseemly types. It is named because of the gladitorial matches held in dug out pit, stained with years of blood and sweat.
Silvercoast
Silvercoast was the gleaming gem of the western coast (as opposed to the murky jewel that is Moorside). It was destroyed by a mysterious storm of shadows in 1355.
Government
As stated before, Darthuria has a feudalist monarchy. At the very top, one person holds the crown of Darthuria and acts as king or queen. The monarch then grants land to a selected few called knightlords. These knightlords are rulers of their given region and when the time comes, they pledge their armies to the service of the crown. Every year, a Council is called where the ruling monarch, the knightlords, and their advisors gather in the capital city to discuss the state of the kingdom and plans for the future. The monarch or any of the knightlords may call for a gathering of the Council at any time to discuss immediate (or possibly growing problems).
Technology and Magic
Darthurian magic tends to incorporate more rituals than other nations. The two largest arcane academies are maintained in Moorside and Darthuria City. However, the kingdom does not boast many established mages in its population. The majority of magic users in the country use their magic to help with the agriculture in the western half of the country. The priests of the temple of Bahamut (situated in the southern mountains of the Vast Divide) are credited with the eradication of the Plague in the 1340's.
The eastern peoples have a larger population of alchemists than anything else and a well developed alchemist school is located in Meridell.
Technology is not a very well established field in the kingdom, but the majority of artificers live in Dulgarad. Two dwarven brothers are said to have created one of the first modern firearms, but they're far from introducing a battle efficient model for a while.
Culture
The western and eastern regions of Darthuria have similar cultures, in that they share similar tastes in food and mannerisms and celebrate the same holidays. The western side is much more rural than the east and the people there are often characterized as being 'the salt of the earth.' The eastern half derives much of its manners from the noble culture of the Darthurian capital.
One of the more distinctive traditions in eastern Darthuria is the Wine Negotiation. Its a battle of wits with unspoken rules. The offerer supplies the drink (its age, the money spent, and origin of said drink is said to set the tone of the negotiation) and his 'opponent' replies in kind, either sipping the drink or ignoring said drink. The rules of such an engagement are too numerous or meticulous to note in such a concise volume, but it typically ends with the two finishing their drinks together or one side dumping their's on the floor unceremoniously.