This thread covers the history of Aquilae in general and the Western Realm specifically.  This exists mostly as a reference, and shouldn't be considered vital information for character building.  This is a game, not a test.

Most of this information was copied directly from the Western Realm sourcebooks.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:16, Fri 12 May 2023.

The Short Version

• Gods came to this Realm, and lived among people.
• Conflict resulted in a great war, which nearly killed out all life on Aquilae.
• The gods departed, and have not been seen since.
• As a result of all of this, all citizens of the Realm give a portion of their wealth to the gods as Tribute.
• This system is managed by a supremely-powerful mortal organization called the Ecclesiarchy.

The world's history can be broadly categorized into three periods: the Origin Times, the Godswar, and the Present Time.

The Origin Times
Thousands of years ago, the gods came to Aquilae. Historians and theologians disagree as to how long ago this was. Some say tens of thousands of years; others claim merely the span of a dozen centuries. Accounts also differ as to whether the gods created sentient peoples, or merely discovered them. It is generally agreed upon, however, that gods and mortals co-existed for a time, and there was peace between and amongst them.

The Godswar
But of course, such paradise was not meant to last.

As mortal tribes and factions spawned and fought amongst themselves, so too did sub-groups of the gods. The animosity between various peoples of Aquilae was echoed in the growing disparity between god-tribes. Eventually, the mortals rebelled against the gods, attacking them outright. At first, it was viewed as a one-off and misguided event; increasingly, however, the war was revealed to be what it was: an orchestrated, coordinated, and rage-fueled nightmare.

The resulting war lasted for decades; some claim that it raged for centuries. The bloody conflict saw the vast majority of mortals slain, and a few gods as well.

The Departure
Realizing that this strife could only end in the one-sided obliteration of mortal life upon the Realm, the gods withdrew.

Nobody knows where the gods came from originally, but stories converge upon the notion that wherever that was, that is where they returned to upon leaving Aquilae.

No record of the Godswar suggests that any of the violent mortal factions involved had plans to relent. It was a conflict toward which all were committed, even to the point of genocide. Many make their our heads in disbelief at this perspective, the moreso because so many writings from this time were destroyed or lost, it’s not even entirely clear what the motives were for the hatred and rebellion against the gods even was.

The Present Time
Following the Departure, mortals claimed victory. They were convinced that despite immeasurable losses, they had forced the gods themselves into hiding, and had therefore won the Realm of Aquilae for themselves.

There was a period of rejoicing, celebration, and feasting that lasted for years. Although growing conflict of various natures had led to the Godswar, all sentient mortal peoples had banded together against the incredible might of the immortals.

As time went on, however, the nature of all sentient races once again revealed itself. Factions, fighting for power, and general hostility once again pervaded life upon the Realm.

The First Mortal Wars
A few decades after the Departure, the first massed armed battles took place between nations of mortals. These sprung up in the span of a few weeks, almost simultaneously, and encompassed nearly every nation in the Realm.

These are referred to as the First Mortal Wars, as they were the first major conflicts on Aquilae that did not involve or include the gods in any way. Mortal against mortal, without spiritual aid or guidance or influence; it was a bleak and dark time.

The Reminder
Within a few years, it seemed clear that the First Mortal Wars were on track to be as bloody and as suicidally-resolute as the Godswar had been. Losses counted in the hundreds of thousands, and no nation seemed to be better off than any other; each country was no closer to victory than they had been at the outset.

Ten years—to the day—into the First Mortal Wars, there was a spiritual event the likes of which has never been recorded before, and has not been seen since: The Reminder.

One morning, the sun itself turned black. A grim dusk descended universally upon all life in the Realm, forcing the attention of all who lived. Shields were lowered, visors lifted, and swords sheathed, even in the most heated of conflict zones. For the gods had returned, if only to deliver a brief message.

Accounts of the Reminder
Firsthand accounts of The Reminder vary greatly.

Some bear witness to a glowing pantheon, floating amidst the gloom and communicating telepathically. Others record that they sat down at their parchment, and wrote, controlled by others, as if in a dream, coming to hours afterward to realize they had run out of ink and had written an entire testament. Some, afterward, claimed that they had been taken over by a great spiritual force, which made them speak unto others in a godly proclamation. Still others blacked out, to awaken hours later from a trance that saw them travel a great distance, the events of which remained a mystery to them.

Written accounts of The Reminder exist in every known language that was used at the time. For every culture, custom, and faith that persisted despite The Departure, there is an account of The Reminder that includes references to elements of that background.

Thousands of such accounts exist still, scrawled or dictated. Many historians, immediately following and since, have attempted to gather the most verifiable and serious accounts; these have taken the form of religious scriptures in many temples.

Patterns of the Reminder
Varied though they may be, most accounts of what happened during The Reminder have the following elements in common:

• For a period of 21 hours, nobody can recall precisely what they did, saw, or heard.
• After this 21 hour period, everyone woke up as if from a trance, sleep, or other unconscious effect.
• While most people woke up where they were initially, about a third of people woke up somewhere different than where they were before The Reminder. These people do not remember where they were in the interim, or how they came to be where they ended up.
• All claim a loss of control, of not being able to perform actions intentionally.
• About half of such accounts reference some force or factor which dictated their behavior: made them speak, made them walk, made them write, and so on.
• About a quarter of those affected by The Reminder report a physical result from their events: they wrote something down, they now held an item, they have a tattoo, and so on.
• Everyone reports feeling touched or affected by the gods, or having received communication from the gods by way of another. Most do not have a memory more specific than this as to the form of the contact.
• Each person received a message from the gods, but none recalls tone of voice, which god it was, or other aspects of the source of the communication.
• The message’s wording is similarly fuzzy: specific phrases were used, how long the communication lasted, and so on.
• The message itself was: “We Remain, We Observe, and We May Yet Return in Judgment”.

Historians and those who have studied The Reminder extensively also agree on the following:

• During this 21 hour period, nobody died from natural causes, and no armed conflict took place.
• Some deaths did occur, but these were from seemingly natural causes: a boulder falling, an avalanche, that sort of thing.
• Most monsters seem to have been under a similar effect, but fish and animal-intelligence wildlife continued much as it had during this period.
• It seems that pretty much every creature with some form of intellect and self-awareness was affected.

Interpretation of The Reminder
There is, naturally, a diverse range of more complicated interpretations of The Reminder. Most of these are combative in merely a scholarly manner; some disagreements over the finer points have led to the formation of differing faiths altogether, and even (ironically enough) to war in some cases.

At its core, however, there is universal agreement as to what it was, and to its intended purpose, which can be summarized as follows:

• The gods may have left Aquilae proper, but did not cease to observe it.
• Wherever they are now, they can see what we do. Wherever they are now, they can still interfere, and make their will known.
• The First Mortal Wars were becoming so heated and intractable that civilization was on a path toward extinction once again.
• The gods concluded that sentient life had learned nothing from The Godswar, and had on their own not truly benefited from The Departure.
• They made clear that they will return and judge us all if we continue to screw things up and fight.

There are thousands of more nuanced lessons that various faiths profess to interpret from the accounts of The Reminder, but the above list is a concise summary of the points on which all agree.

Immediate Effects of The Reminder
War stopped, immediately. Armies returned to their lords. Treaties were signed, agreements made, and marriages established and celebrated.

Peace reigned.

And although the natural behavior of sentients is to be combative, and to fight and squabble, and although conflict and even wars have of course taken place in the centuries since, peace writ large, as a Realm-scale notion, has endured since.

The First Mortal Wars - the bitter strife that embroiled the entire Realm, and saw its entire population caught up in self-destruction - were also the last.

Lasting Effects of The Reminder
Whether The Reminder was a call for attention from a concerned parent, a corrective action from a calculating logician, or a dire warning from a vengeful adversary, the ultimate message was received loud and clear.

The Reminder served to significantly form life in Aquilae from that point up to the present day.

Soon afterward, every faith in the Realm seemingly independently instituted the concept of Tribute. Once they compared notes on having done so without coordination, they agreed that the notion of Tribute was a theistic universal, and part of the lingering intended effect of The Reminder that the gods wished to be imposed upon sentients in Aquilae.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:54, Fri 12 May 2023.

Overview
Tribute exists throughout the entire Realm of Aquilae. Every citizen must give a percentage of their wealth, every year, either to a specific religious organization, to the Ecclesiarchy directly, or to a faction.

You can think of it like a god-tax, and you can interpret that both ways: it is a tax believed to have been imposed by the gods, and it is a tariff inflicted so that you may pray to the gods. The default is 1% of one’s wealth, either individual or as an organization, though you may contribute more than that.

Even those who want no part of the gods, who are agnostic, or even atheistic, must nevertheless pay: you may pay to a secular Faction if you prefer, or to a government, local or national. Such tribute still, however, ends up in the hands of the gods, since those institutions must also tithe their percentage.

Tribute is kept in caches and vaults located throughout the Realm, but how the gods  receive them is unknown.

Motivation
Even the most agnostic historian recognizes that hatred and outright warfare against the most powerful beings in the Realm was probably not the smartest thing to undertake.

Even the most atheistic, secular historian will concede that although the thought of open warfare against the gods may even have seemed like a good idea at the time, assuming certain motivations, to continue the conflict once it was realized how poorly mortal forces were faring must have been an insane perspective.

And even the most cynical, show-me-proof disbeliever in whether the gods give a damn about life in the Realm doesn’t refute the fact that The Reminder did occur, or that its fundamental message was meant for all life.

Simply put:

• It’s a bad idea to fight gods.
• But continuing to do so is suicide.
• And they told us so themselves.

The Thanks
It’s universally agreed that the Departure saved all sentient races from certain destruction. Had the gods remained on Aquilae, there was no version of the Godswar where mortal forces were not annihilated; it was simply a question of how long such an extinction would have taken.

Following The Reminder, there was a universal desire to demonstrate thankfulness toward the gods. Regardless of what one believed prior to the event, or what one might wish for afterward, it was indisputable that the gods existed, can and did affect life in Aquilae, and that they had acted to save civilization from itself. Saving all known life in the entire Realm sort of seems like it deserves a thank-you.

Structure of The Thanks
At first, each major religious faction performed its own rituals, sacrifices, and devotions to the gods by way of thanks. These were elaborate, outlandish, and in some cases even bankrupted the entire region.

It was this excess that caused civilization as a whole to take pause. The gods enjoyed thanks, as do we all, but did they really mean for us to slaughter all of our livestock in sacrifice? That seemed contradictory to the message of The Reminder.

Several regional conclaves of religious officials met over the course of a year. And though most did not convene with others far away, every single faith came up with the same approach, seemingly on their own.

Tribute.

Tribute
Tribute is the notion that we each owe something to the gods, and the mechanism by which we make payment on that debt.

Some of us owe something very directly to the gods, by virtue of the rewards we receive from them regularly. Clerics and those of divine faith and practice fall into this category. As do many who receive generosity or salvation from temples, churches, or representatives of faiths.

Others may have a less every-day, and more conceptual, debt. Those who attend temple intermittently or only for major holidays, those who may still remember the chants and rituals from their youth but who have not practiced them in quite a while.

Still others may deny the role of the gods in their lives at all. Agnostics, atheists, and those favoring a secular approach fall into this category.

In all these cases, there is nevertheless a debt to thegods. What one owes to the divine is not a function of what one feels in the moment; it is a generations-long contract that connects each and every sentient being in Aquilae back to that 21-hour pause in history that saved civilization from its own evils.

The Reminder happened, and the resulting centuries of prosperous life in the Realm happened, regardless of what one’s day-to-day interactions with and beliefs about the gods are.

And so, we all must pay.

We may each choose to do so in a manner that reflects our personal views. We may steer our tribute this way, or that way, as befits our goals and objectives and preferences. We may even elect to contribute more than is strictly necessary, as an additional appreciation of the role of the gods in our lives.

But we all must still pay, nevertheless.

Structure of Tribute
Formally, every citizen of Aquilae must contribute 1% of their wealth each year. "Wealth" is its own complicated sub-topic, but generally speaking, one’s currency, and the value of one’s possessions and property are considered to be wealth.

This contribution can be to any combination of factions, both religious and secular. For example, one could contribute 1% to a Thieves’ Guild, or 1/2 a percent to each of two temples.

One can give one’s Tribute to representatives of a faction, a religious institution, or directly to the Ecclesiarchy or its officials.

Conventions of Tribute
Contributing more than 1% is optional, but in many cultures, nations, factions, or faiths, electing to give more is less of a choice and more of a peer-pressured informal mandate. For example, in a given society, giving less than 5% may be entirely optional, but this figure is assumed as the standard, and giving less is looked upon very poorly.

Enforcement of Tribute
The Ecclesiarchy doesn’t use words like "penalty" or "punishment" or "enslavement" in relation to the process of tribute. Rather, they prefer softer terminology like "enforcement" and "consequences".

A large part of the Ecclesiarchy’s day-to-day work is making sure that citizens pay, and that they pay the necessary amount.

Adding to the complexity is the fact that records are handwritten, and in many cases, the Ecclesiarchy must take someone’s word for it that tribute has been made, or that a total is accurate.

The Ecclesiarchy
One over-arching organization manages the system of Tribute in Aquilae: The Ecclesiarchy. This mammoth and pervasive institution is the largest single faction in the Realm, and its power dwarfs that of all queens and warlords. They act upon the will of the gods themselves.

Great may be their power, they are extremely limited in how they exercise it. Their purview is the collection, storage, and conveyance of Tribute to the gods—nothing more. They cannot and do not wage wars, though they have been known to enact vicious justice on those who withhold their godly contributions.

Tribute Magisters
There’s no sense sugarcoating it: These are divine tax collectors. Their duty is to enforce the mechanism of Tribute, and to make sure that people pay, and that they pay the correct amount.

Most in this position are precisely what you might expect: abusers of power who prey on the innocent and over-extend their authority to gain far more than may legitimately be owed. They typically justify such over-collection by pointing out that for those who pay what they should, as they should, Tribute Magisters will never bother them to begin with.

Excessive collection is the penalty one pays for not abiding by the law in the first place.

Will Enforcers
These are the goons and muscle behind the collection process. Though most citizens feel that the sheer volume of Will Enforcers is far beyond what could possibly be necessary to perform collections, the Ecclesiarchy would point out that a show of force is its own tool in the fight against negligence and lax contributions.

Will Enforcers are, therefore, both collection tool and deterrent for those who would shirk their duties.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:32, Fri 12 May 2023.

Arvadarre
Arvadarre is a rich and large land, strategically positioned in the center-west of the continent, and vital to trade all around.

The people are friendly and welcoming, though not typically without an air of superiority, which in their minds is well-earned.

Culturally, it’s a mixture of many backgrounds: as wealth is assumed to be a measure of competence, anyone with coin earns respect in this country.

Adventurers are always welcome, so long as they are successful in their endeavors, helpful to the populace, and recognize that they will generally be second-tier citizens until their plunder grants them a permanent residence here.

Bynithe
The oceanic nation of Bynithe consists of a few somewhat small islands in the extreme west of the Realm.

Though their landmass may be small, their positioning is crucial to sea-based trade amongst the nations all along the western edge of the continent.

Despite its size, Bynithe offers a great deal to adventurers seeking their fortune, or hoping for an out-of-the way base of operations from which to conduct further journies.

Cyasinth
Cyasinth is at the southern tip of the western arm of the continent. Despite its enormous frontage of sea coast perimeter, it is only one among many naval forces at play in the southern entrance to the gulf.

Cyasinth is wary and welcoming, but fiercely protective of its borders.

Adventurers and travelers are commonplace, but natives will brace those they do not recognize for their purpose in their lands.

Of note, Cyasinth breeds an almost cultlike mentality amongst its natives and diaspora. In particular, it might come as a surprise to visitors that women rule and dominate in most social and business circumstances; men are at a disadvantage in these pursuits typically.

Drandull
Drandull is an archipelago that sits squarely between the western and eastern continents of Aquilae. Throughout its storied history, it has been neutral in great wars, and has been at times punished by both sides for this stance.

Their neutrality is far from peaceful, however: their naval dominance in the region has meant that they can extract tariffs and tribute from anyone who passes through, regardless of affiliation or purpose.

Today, tension persists throughout the region, as Drandull continues to attack and tax ships in its purview as one would expect of a schoolyard bully.

Drandull’s position, influence, and prosperity stem directly from its navies. Its power in the region is unmatched, and it knows this, wielding the might as pretty much its sole weapon of influence.

Elphae
Elphae is a vast expanse of desert and badlands. Though it enjoys rain at times, the sands and rock of its parched surface are incredibly permeable; moisture soaks instantly through the terrain here.

Elphae is a land teeming with adventuring opportunity; by its nature, it harbors far more beings monstrous than friendly.

Venturing from city to city without a guide, ample provisions, or at least an excellent map is almost assuredly a one-way trip that culminates in yet another addition to the legends of what might be discovered amongst the dunes and waste.

Foquadu
Foquadu boasts a truly vast amount of territory, but it’s some of the most sparsely-populated in the Realm. Jungles, swamps, and mountains combine with lethal and unique threats, including the most impressive array of megafauna and dinosaurs to be found in all of Aquilae.

Monsters, extreme conditions, and death by environment are all likely unless you’re extraordinarily well prepared.

Foquadu holds more prisons, slavecamps, and slavemarkets than any other nation in the Western Realm. Their concepts of justice is hard and immutable, and their approach to its execution is brutal and swift. The laws governing one region of the territory versus another are different, and in some cases, it can be impossible to know the laws until you are encountered by a guard. Foreigners are typically given a bit of leniency, perhaps because they don’t last very long on their own; natives are punished severely, on the general assumption that they should know better than to run afoul of the law.

Galvadros
Galvadros is a strange sliver of a country, sandwiched between two larger rivals and containing mostly mountainous landmass.

Their claim to fame and prominence is twofold: gorgeous vistas, and a winning neutrality whose diplomatic power is unrivaled.

Unspoken explicitly, but whispered often, is the true, third reason for the nation’s significant influence: one of the largest and most important Tribute Vaults in Aquilae can be found here.

Galvadros is neutral and peace-loving by nature, getting along with all and any. Their land is some of the most beatific in all of Aquilae.

Perhaps moreso than in any other nation in the Western Realm, visitors should feel at home, and are welcomed with open arms, no matter their purpose in or though this land.

Despite its peaceful nature, it is a deeply religious state, ruled as a theocracy and suffering no slight against the divine.

Glothar
Glothar is a unique land, in that nearly all of the terrain it claims is largely impassible and inhospitable.

If Galvadros to its southeast is a narrow strip of land to the north of a huge swath of mountains, then Glothar is that notion taken to an extreme.

Glothar is fine. Just fine. Its people are increasingly complacent, happy to simply be. Nobody despises Glothar or its people, but so too, few truly like them or seek their company.

Glotharns are used to people coming and going, and are taken aback by any who choose to stay for more than the minimum time required to traverse their lands or seek adventure in the mountains to their south.

Grakke
Grakke asserts near-total control over the entrance to the Great Gulf with its imperious navies. Though quite small, there is much to see and do here, and anyone wishing to pass by, enter, or leave the gulf for parts beyond must in some manner answer to Grakke.

Grakke is ruled by an ever-squabbling council, and that sets the tone for pretty much all dealings here. Its people and attitudes are honest to a fault, but the fierceness of the manner in which they defend their territory borders on barbaric.

They view outsiders as intrusive, unnecessary, and to be fought. Nobody comes into this land from outside and profits from it, not if the people of Grakke have anything to say about it!

As a result, adventurers must make plain their purpose, reflect the honesty they will find here in abundance, and leave as soon as their dealings are completed... or else they will find themselves beset on all sides by natives only too willing to help them depart by force.

Honnopps
Honnopps is a vast desert wasteland, in that regard similar to Elphae to the northwest. However, whereas Elphae is possesses wide vistas of dust and dunes, Honnopps is characterized by hills, crags, and wasteland interspersing the stretches of sand and rock.

An extensively-traveled cartographer once remarked that Honnopps “is as Elphae, were the gods to grab hold of each end, and smush together the land in between their palms”.

Magic rules, here in Honnopps.

Nowhere else in Aquilae are the schools, forces, and backgrounds of magic so in harmony than here. Arcanists of all stripes enjoy privilege and deference here, and wizards of great renown flock here to craft fantastic items and enact incredible deeds.

Much of magic that has been discovered or born anew over the millennia come from here, and the land itself exudes arcane power.

The divine is acknolwedged, rather than respected, in Honnopps. It is not that Honnopps think ill of the gods, or do not believe in them; rather, this attitude is born out of a sense of threat: divine magics, after all, often compete for power and prominence with arcane abilities.

Joquill
Joquill is a cluster of islands comprised of many peoples, cultures, and interests. The nation is noteworthy in that they have figured out how to take competing priorities and disparate groups amongst themselves, and present a cohesive outward view despite the variety of interests.

Joquill is navally superior within its waters, and conducts a great deal of trade in the area. To outsiders, their politics and power structure are labyrinthine and impenetrable, and ultimately make no real sense.

And yet even the most cynical foreigner is forced to reckon with the product of all of this chaos: a singular power with the wherewithal to war outright with Arvadarre, while allying itself with Wruthfell: two giants local to this region.

Klovarrth
Klovarrth is a cold, barbaric land, much feared by others. It occupies the northernmost part of the Realm, but its enormous stretch of landmass extends southward to Wruthfell.

Though it’s known and thought of for its tundras, cold pine forests, and treacherously icy waters, its southern portions are warm deserts. It even encompasses the largest interior lakes in the continent.

This makes it one of the most diverse territories in the Western Realm.

Klovarrth are slow to react, but decisive when they do. They suffer no fools, stomach no intrusion of their realm, and wish for little interaction in the ways of the outside world around them. Their vast lands provide everything their people require.

It’s not that they are isolationist, or even nationalist; it’s just a simple, straightforward, and rational approach to the many battles that have been fought over their land. For although much of it is bitter and brittle, the southernmost parts are lush and vibrant, and their extensive mountains and hills are some of the most mineable in the Realm.

The vastness of their territory also means that a thorough policing of it is next to impossible, meaning that it’s very likely that at any given moment, invaders are within their borders.

Klovarrths are ever vigilant.

Levopp
Levopp is the northernmost of the trio of island nations that occupy and dominate the icy sea on the western edge of Aquilae. Any passage that involves Klovarrth and points south must pass through its waters.

Levopp is ruled by a council of three equals, and that democratic approach to things extends to all levels of the nation. Disputes are often settled, informally and in the moment, by an odd-numbered gathering of onlookers or stakeholders.

Those who arrive from outside will rarely be met or approached by a single Levopp native; rather, an odd-numbered group of residents will greet newcomers.

Nearly all of Levopp makes their living in trade, as there is little tourism to be found here. Between this reality, and their physical positioning relative to other nations in the area, they are well used to foreigners, and are amiable with them until given a reason to behave otherwise.

Traders and merchants in particular will always find a berth in their ports. Leaving, of course, might require some business dealings before the harbormaster will be satisfied that you have been of sufficient use or value to their country.

Lyothor
Whereas many coastal and island nations vie for the claim of naval supremacy, there is but one dominant force upon the mainland: Lyothor. Its armies are numerous, its might supreme, and its long history distinguished with military victory after military victory.

They retain their precarious geographical position through a combination of mountainous terrain features and battle prowess.

Lyothor is a military establishment, and this mindset permeates through every aspect of its society. Martial characters are welcomed openly here, particularly those who have served in militaries of their home nation.

Clerics and wizards are viewed poorly here; magical powers of any nature are viewed as an easy way out from the only true and fair test of mettle and might: mundane land combat.

If magic-wielders are second-class citizens in Lyothor, then non-magical classes that aren’t fully “militarized” are looked upon as wasted talent. These types are gutter-caliber members of society, unfortunately necessary for some applications, but are generally barely recognized as members of civilization.

Foreigners who have served in their militaries are viewed as brothers, and if they enter Lyothor as their own people rather than as part of that military, they are welcomed to the country very nearly as warmly as natives of Lyothor itself.

Despite its militarized nature, Lyothor is not blind to its adventuring opportunities, and tolerates a certain level of tourism to its points of interest as well. A watchful eye is kept on such people, however.

Nemmestarr
Nemmestarr is perhaps the most mysterious and dark nation in the Realm.

Foquadu boasts impenetrable forests and swamps. Glothar natives live in utter ignorance of the vast majority of their country’s territory. And Honnopps has largely ignored the entire southern tip of blighted earth that used to be Nycarrad.

But Nemmestarr, tiny though it might be geographically, is the least understood nation as a whole. Its politics, its people, its objectives, and its history are opaque to the rest of Aquilae.

Nemmestarr is an isolated cluster of islands south of Rellys. Its waters are perilously frigid, and aside from a fairly straightforward sea lane that connects to the southwestern peninsula of their northern neighbor, these waters are almost entirely uncharted.

If you have goods to trade, connect to the nearest port and conduct your business. If you come here from any other direction, or for any other purpose, you will be questioned.

If your answers do not satisfy, you will likely be reminded that due to the vacant and dangerous nature of these seas, nobody likely saw your ship sail this way... and so nobody will know if you never return.

Rellys
Rellys is the oldest of the nations in Aquilae. Legend tells that it is the place upon which the gods themselves first made landfall from the Outer.

The dense mountains that occupy the center of the island hold many secrets. Generous sprinklings of tribute-related architecture and some of the most massive and secretive Tribute Vaults may also be found if one hunts the spires and fields of jagged volcanic rock.

Rellys is a welcoming, rich place in which to live and do business. They embrace visitors and trade, and treat foreigners well. They’re important in their own right, and on the way to and from a great deal in this part of the Realm.

Between these present-day attributes and the legends that tell of their origins, Rellys feels as though it is special in a way unapproached by all other nations in the Realm.

Unduru
Unduru has a “dynasty of monsters”. Other nations use this phrase as a derogative, but Unduru is unashamed and in fact quite proud of the accuracy of the label.

Three main islands, three medium-sized islands, and scatterings of tiny islands make up the nation that occupies the very mouth of the great bay to the north. Fiefdoms upon each landmass are governed by largely monstrous races and lineages.

Despite the monstrous nature of nearly all noble houses in Unduru, they are indeed noble houses, structured and functioning identically to those of more common lineage across the rest of the Realm.

Given their makeup, Unduru is welcoming and accepting of all backgrounds and histories. They recognize that greatness comes from an undefinable variety of possible starting points, and here upon the islands, they have living proof daily that it doesn’t matter what one was or is, it matters where one is going.

Slavery is not practiced in Unduru, but its laws say nothing as to how those outsiders who do practice it are to be treated. Trade is conducted with slavers, and slaveships are allowed to pass through these waters unmolested... but heavily taxed.

That said, they have short tempers, and long memories, of injustices practiced by other nations against their people and fiefdoms. Just as it’s hard to find a monstrous or bestial race that’s not represented in Unduru, so too is it sadly hard to find a noble house without an attempted genocide or war based solely upon intolerance or hatred in their history.

Forgive, but never forget, is a common saying amongst the Unduru people.

Venudra
Venudra is perhaps the most complicated nation in the Western Realm: allied to few, neutral to many, and in outright conflict only with its nearest neighbor on the sea, Venudra occupies an enormous swath of territory that touches upon nearly every nation on the eastern half of the continent.

They would have grander opportunities to trade directly with the Eastern Realm, and greater naval strength in the sea that separates the two continents, were it not for the true power in these waters, Drandull to the east.

Venudra is welcoming of outsiders, mainly because they have little alternative. Their borders are too extensive to patrol to any reasonable degree; the western and northern borders with Lyothor and Elphae in particular are permeable and flexible.

It’s a massive land, and easy to get lost in: natives will happily part for coin with a surprisingly welldocumented and complete map of their country, or sell their own services as a guide in the immediate vicinity.

The land is big and long enough, and on the way to enough other places, that it can be difficult to determine who is a native, versus who is simply taking a great deal of time to traverse the land. Nomads and hermits, and those who simply travel often between major regions or settlements, are commonplace, which generally shocks and astounds foreigners.

Adventurers are welcome and frequent, though almost all of them congregate around the mountains in the south portion of the country. The outskirts of these mountains have been mapped quite extensively, but the volcanic interior with its icefields is a mixture of undocumented and ever-shifting, leaving a great deal of opportunity for explorers to succeed in uncovering riches... and risk at failing to do so.

Vylanne
Vylanne is the smallest nation in the Western Realm by landmass. It consists of a small handful of tiny islands, located just off the northeastern coast of Arvadarre.

It may, however, have the largest ratio of [Strategic Importance] to [Landmass in Square Miles]. From its location, it unequivocally controls the waters within the great bay, and by extension, all sea travel within the entire Western Realm’s interior.

Vylanne is a naval nation. As much of its people live upon the waves as do on their tiny landmass. Every single Vylannite is a sailor, raised from a young age to the sea and its traditions.

There is neither much room, nor much tolerance, for foreigners upon its islands, and the only acceptable role for outsiders upon the waters it patrols and claims as its own is as a trading partner who recognizes Vylanne’s authority and pays accordingly.

Wruthfell
Wruthfell is a land of magic, ruled by magic, and filled with magical points of interest. Arcane power floods through this diverse and lush land; monsters flourish, and it is to the delight and demise of both native and foreigner alike that much of the territory in its mountainous northeast remains unexplored.

Wruthfellians embrace all those who harness the mystical powers. They also welcome those who relish what their land has to offer.

The land itself invites challenge and change; all those who dwell here by choice have a passion for adventure and exploration. The pursuit of dangerous opportunity, especially the unknown, is relished here; adventurers are perhaps more welcome and celebrated here than in all the Western Realm.

For an adventuring party, no matter where they hail from and what their capabilities and experience, there can be little more to wish for than such a land, and such a people.

Yvethorre
Yvethorre is at the edge of the world, yet sees much. A calmer, more balanced military dictatorship you are unlikely to find, at least in Aquilae. Though might rules here, it is at least a well-intentioned brawn that sits the throne.

Yvethorre is the easternmost of the western nations, to the point where it is technically speaking over what is commonly used as a longitudinal dividing line between the continents. From its vantage here, it oversees much, particularly as it resorts to magical means to scry upon neighbors east and west, far and near.

Yvethorre is wary of outsiders from all quarters, knowing its position does not lend itself to idle visits.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:44, Fri 12 May 2023.

This is a brief overview of the deities worshipped by the people of Aquilae.  This is not intended to be detailed information, but rather a starting point for deciding what deity your character might worship, if any.

Gods
AKUTERA, The Great Shelled Turtle, He Who Carries The World.  Ceaselessly crawls through the universe, carrying Aquilae on its back.  No actual portfolio, but does grant divine abilities to clerics.

ARAKNIA, Mother of Spiders, The Lady of Silent Sacrifice.  Goddess of vermin and the unwanted.

BURBABOLG, The Warty King, The Great Slimy Amphipole.  Lazy god of amphibians and marshlands.

CLORG, The Mud God, His Exalted Muckiness.  God of muck and stagnation.  Possibly even lazier than Burbabolg.

CTHULHU, High Priest of the Old Ones, The Great Dreamer Beneath the Waves, The Dread Sleeper in R’lyeh.  Probably doesn't require an explanation.

DRYAS, The Beast Lord, Keeper of the Fey Realms.  God of nature.

LUNARA, Her Majesty, Queen of the Moon, The Shining Huntress.  Benevolent goddess of knowledge and the moon.

LUREBUS, The Dark Trickster, The Vision in Shadows.  God of darkness and secrets.

LUX, The Highest Roller, The Splendid Spender. God of luck and gambling.

NEVARIEL, The Autumn Queen, Lady of the Fallen Leaf.  Goddess of autumn and the twilight of life.

OUROBOROS, The Ringed Serpent, The Eater of Time.  God of time.

RAVINICA, The Demon Princess of Crows, Our Lady of Merciful Death.  Goddess of mercy killing.

SAINT AGNOS, The Magebane, The Patron Saint of Disbelief.  Hates arcane magic.

SOLARION, The All-Father, The Keeper of the Covenant.  Highly popular god of sun and family.

TOGAMATU, Chief of Stormy Seas, The Vigilant Angler.  Primordial, half-crazed god of the seas.

Demon Lords
In addition to the above gods, some mortals choose to worship one of the six Demon Princes of Zibalga.  This worship is generally not public, as it tends to get one killed.

ASHAAR KAI: Demon lord of rage with a throne of iron blades.

BARUUN'RATH: Demon lord of gluttony with a throne of bones.

SHEEOKK: Demon lord of fear and trickey, who sits on a web of shadows instead of a throne.

VARZUUTH: Demon lord of grief and despair, endlessly weeping on his bed beneath an eternal rain cloud.

XETHERANE: Demon lord of pain and misery who eternally bleeds acid.

ZOAFANT: Demon lord of disease with a throne of wailing lepers.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:48, Sun 14 May 2023.