The United Principalities of Tyrvold

Government Type:

Theocratic Feudal Confederated Principalities

Geography:

The UPT is a nation of rivers and mountains, bordered virtually on all sides by water and rock. The Nation itself is similar in shape to a lop sided hammer. The shaft is formed between the twin mountain ranges of Silver and Gold as well as Eadhaolin to the south, and the mallet is framed on both sides by the Ocean of water where Atimar once was. The predominate number of rivers within the Principalities' borders have earned it the nick name, 'The Land of the River Princes.'

Climate:

Wet...misty, and very very rainy. Generally temperate for most of the year, save for the winters which are generally fierce in the shade of the northern mountains.

Economy:

The UPT is very trade oriented, both internally and externally, and the mastery of their respective water ways expedites this exponentially. They are primarily a nation of blacksmiths and miners, harvesting ores from the earth, refining it themselves, and smithing it themselves. Truly the best blades the world over are often birthed in the fires of a Tyrvold forge, in fact they supply the blades used by THE Blades of the Inquisition, a special arrangement with the Conclave, swords for sorcery as it were. Swords are their major export, along with other metal works, and raw materials, very few are the farmers in their country and so they trade with Eadhaolin for food, save for the north whose fishermen harvest the bounty of the sea to sustain their people.

Culture:

The United Principalities...were not always as such. In truth they are merely seven sovereign states united in rule by the High King. The seven princes have free reign to rule their state as they see fit, but are ultimately subservient to the High King, his rules, his laws, and his decrees. Indeed the only rule higher then that of the High King, is the rule of the blade.

A sword is a scared religious symbol in the Principalities, universally respected as the ultimate authority on the right or wrong of any matter. Indeed the law is enforced through this belief, by the Knights Judicator, the keepers of law and order throughout the kingdom proper. One part detective, two parts swords master, their job is too find the accused of any crime perpetrated, and bring them to trail by fire, by which I mean a duel, often to the death.

The duel is fought before a body of the accused peers, and is fought until anywhere between first blood or death...although in some rare cases it goes beyond even those stakes to include the accused, or challenger's family and friends. In any event the winner of the duel is the one universally accepted as in the right. If the Judicator wins the accused is taken before the prince he owes his allegiance too, assuming he survives the duel, who then decides upon his punishment. If the accused is the victor, assuming the Judicator still lives, the accuser makes a formal apology to the accused in a public forum of the accused's choosing...and then retires his post forever. All Tyrvoldians are beholden to this system, not even the princes are above it...in fact in one legendary encounter the Prince of the sovereign state of Rushcilion was accused of murder, and only after a brutal duel that lasted no less then 2 days was he able to 'prove' his innocence. As it is, the crime rate in the Principality is...relatively low...

At the opposite end of this system, rests the Knights Praetoria, Guardians of the Principalities, and leaders of her armies. While the Knights Judicator protect from threats within the Knights Praetoria protect from threats without, operating under the direct order of the High King these twin castes of Knights are the warrior priests of the religion of the Principality, acting with it's ultimate authority sworn to protect the union no matter the costs.

In fact the only thing the nation respects as much as how well one wields a sword...is how well one crafts it. To this end, miners and smithies have a respected place in Tyrvoldian society, as a middle class of sorts united under rule of the Craftsman's Guild. Headed by the Royal Smith, the guild is a political power of sorts, that has the ear of the High King, backed by the industry of the whole of the country. Membership to it almost universal among miners and smiths, as in no other country can the will of the common people be heard so well by it's leader. Which isn't too say that all of the smith's and miners work together in harmony...indeed many smith families pride themselves on their forging secrets and techniques, there's a uniqueness among every family about how to properly make a blade, made apparent by those with a keen eye...and people aware enough to notice the unique family crest imprinted on each blade.

As it were, the average man of Tyrvold is either a miner, a smith, or a soldier. He is also fiercely nationalistic, and maybe a bit haughty. And he probably knows how to use a sword...very very well...

Significant Settlements:

Rothsguarg:
The most northern principality Rothsguarg is the home of the twin trading ports of Krais, and Trais as well as the great northern fortress of Kara`Tris. Acknowledged as the most seafaring state of the Union Rothsguarg boost a trading fleet and naval power few can match and many envy. But perhaps what it's best known for is the legend of the Beast of Hollow Mountain, a myth of sorts known the world over used by mothers to scare their children into obedience.

The story changes based on who does the telling, but the basic premise is the same, something was haunting the mountain side, killing miners, and wiping out entire camps. The marks and tracks left at each murder sight were the same, and obviously inhuman in nature. So Aldin the then Prince of Rothsguarg, being a good man who loved his people, gathered together a hunting party of 20 good men, and Gregor, a Knight Judicator who had been stalking the beast sense the killings began, and endeavored to capture or kill this...thing...

The party rode froth form Kara`Tris...and were never seen again...save for Gregor who wondered into the Fortress days later, bloodied and raving mad, clutching the blood stained Prince's sword. He described the events the best he could, which isn't saying much because the man was crazed beyond recovery at this point, he spoke of the horrendous nature of the thing they encountered, how it wiped out the men by looking at them, how they exploded into gore under it's gaze...how the prince fought the beast with his rune sword, how he smote blows upon it...and was smote in return. He spoke of the prince's fall, how he fell upon the beast, and dragged it screaming off the of the cliff and into the black below, of his own climb down to retrieve the body of the prince and his sword, of his unspeakable horror to find not but the sword implanted in the ground...and a bloody trail leading back into the mountains...

The Judicator died shortly after telling the tale, pleading it's truth, begging those gathered about his dying body to believe him. Some did, most didn't...all spread the tale...Either way the killings stopped after that day, and the miners went back about their business as they always did...but occasionally, on moon lit nights gathered about the camp fires...they can hear the horrible low howl of a beast...hungry, always hungry...

Rushcilion:
The Eastern most state and the only one universally surrounded by water on all sides, Rushcilion is a boggy land, of marshes and rivers. The people are a somber and stoic lot, living along the rivers in small communities etching out a living by harvesting the bounty of the wide twin Vold rivers. The rivers are both the life blood of Rushcilion, and it's greatest defense, natural parapets manned by the River Wardens of Karrontune, the Fortress at the mouth of the Southern Vold river. From Karron, the River Wardens can harness the speed of the current itself to rapidly respond to any incursion, a sizable force can traverse in hours a distance that would take any other army days to cross.

Indeed, what Rushcilion lacks in mountains and mines, it makes up in undisputed mastery of the waves, and while Rothsguarg can easily boasts more ships, a good Rushcilion sailor is worth three times as many other such boat men, as he lives most of his life on the water anyways.

As such the Capitol, and port city, of Trevus is the single largest and most active port in the union, importing and exporting good from within the Principalities and with far flung Kirath and to a lesser extent Atimar. The city itself is famously without walls, instead protected by both the traditionally stubborn might of the River Wardens, and the great sea fortress of Dunoth...

A secondary base of the River Wardens, Dunoth serves as protection for Trevus against threats from the sea, and as a place of refugee for it's people in dire times. Rarely has such times come upon Rushcilion...but it's rulers have traditionally been a...paranoid lot, and the great towers of Dunoth have ever served as a comfort to the people it was built to protect.

Donolith:
The middle of the eastern states, Donolith has long been the Union's breadbasket, a land of fertile plains and gently rolling hills. It is the least militant of the Union, a rarity among the states in that it favors farming over swordsmanship...a very queer country, to the rest of the Principalities at any rate, but useful to have around, if only to discourage Eadhaolin from price gouging their goods. Which isn't to say they don't have a fair share of miners staking their claim along great stretches of the Hollow Mountains, but is to a noticeably lesser extent...

The irony of their lack of a significant military is the many famous Pre-Union battles that were waged upon Donolithian soil...they weren't actually active participants in said battles of course, but the battles were fought on their lands all the same. It's the price you pay for being the red headed step child of the family...many a skirmish between the rival states of Rushcilion and Rothsguarg has been settled on the plains of Donolith.

Indeed, the only reason the state maintains it's sovereignty is by sheer virtue of how...insignificant their lands are...their are many better ore deposits to exploit, and their verdant fields are only good for farming, and they're the only ones who know how to do that anyway.

Which isn't said to discredit the traditionally shrewd diplomatic nature of Donolith's Prince's past and present...Indeed many attempts to invade the Kingdom just to get rid of the buffer between rivals have been averted by a few choice and well timed words.

As if being a nation of farmers wasn't bad enough Donolith is to date the only Principality to have ever been led by a Crowned Princess...and they've had more then one sense then. In fact their current leader, Princess Andrushka, is a particularly nasty piece of royalty, often seen flirting and playing her male Royal Counterparts in Rushcillion and Rothsguarg against the other. Indeed her greatly renown beauty is perhaps her greatest asset in securing a place of honor for her traditionally frowned upon people. One she uses to it's fullest extent...while still maintaining something of a royal air about her...if only barely...

A rumor spreads that she is in talks with the craftsmen guild in an attempt to convince them to count the farming folk among their number...some even say that she'll get her way.

Be warned however, don't let her diplomatic demeanor fool you, she is a warrior Princess to the core...how do you think she came to sit on the throne in the first place...but then again...how do all Prince's earn their thrones?

Kurgoria:
The Westernmost, and largest, state of the union and the greatest of the seven, or so the average Kurgoian would have you believe, and arguably they'd have reason enough to do so. With the widest track of mountain and the most self sufficient lands Kurgoria is a land renown for it's steadfastness, strength, and mostly their arrogance...Arrogance well earned in some respects, at least 35% of the Union's main armies hails from Kurgoria, and they'll take every opportunity they get to remind you of that fact.

Kurgoria is defined by three physical features, and two political boarders. The river Tyr dominates their eastern boarder, the Gold mountains make up half their western boarder, and the sea makes up the rest, save for the two stretch of land that was once claimed by The Atimarian Imperium, although the rights to the southern lands have been in dispute between them and Eadhaolin (with whom they share a southern boarder) sense the end of the Great Invasion.

Of the seven states Kurgoria was the one most...affected by the invasion, specifically the last 20 years or so, save perhaps Tripohlia, but that's another story entirely. During the war, they had denied the Atimarian's overland advance again and again from their great fortress of Kerioth, and it was they who led the charge, and besieged the Atimarian's northern colony, confident that the unclimbable cliffs that made up their sea board would prevent the Atimarian's from landing anywhere north of Kerioth...until the Atimarian's climbed them...

Outnumbered, outflanked, and under assault from every direction the Kurgorians did something they had never done before, and would never admit to having done in the first place...they called for aid...but that, is another story.

Kurgoria either has three or four cities to be especially proud of, depending on who you hear the story from. The northern most city, their capitol, and the sister city to the capitol of the Union, is Kurgone. The home of the Praetroian Academy, is a sprawling city of great towering walls, and greater towering spires, perhaps in a attempt to outdo their neighbors across The Eternal Lake, an attempt that failed if you asked anyone outside of Kurgoria...and maybe a few more honest Kurgorians.

South of that is Gondolia...Gondolia's ownership is under a certain amount of...dispute...you see it has traditional been a city of deep seated conflict, always balancing on the tip of a blade between Kurogia and their bitter rivals across the river, the Stralinoths...It wasn't until the fated Duel of the Seven, that Kurogia was forced to relinquish all claim to the city, which was a...hearty blow to the nation, for indeed Gondolia was a particularly great diamond in the rough...short squat and rather ugly and bland in comparison too Kurgone, impressive fortifications aside, one would have to wonder who if anyone would find such a place worth much of anything...until you considered two things...

First, it's strategic location at the heart of the river Tyr, with it one could effectively control, and get hands into, the flow of imports and exports flowing both up and down the river, giving it a booming trade quarter. Second, and most important, Gondolia is...special...

You see, Gondolia is the central position, the most important part and main component of the Locke System, a wonder of the modern world, and a rare leftover from a time before the Great War, kept in tune only by the grace of the Smith Gods of Tyrvoldia, and a highly trained specialized team of engineers. To this day they aren't entirely sure HOW it works, but they know how to make it work, and repair it if necessary.

Control Gondolia, you control the river.

And as such the Kurgorians have never fully let go of the city, and to this day Princes wage bitter, utterly meaningless duels, over rights to the Central Locke.

Fruther south of that is Granger, a smithing town outpost that turned into a capitol in exile during the great war, gradually growing in scale to meet the needs of the currently deposed people of Kurgoria. It has sense fallen somewhat out of grace, having more houses then people to live in them, but with their traditional arrogance Kurgoria refuses to let it go down any further, least it become a monument to their own past failures.

South of that is Gongarg, the southern most Locke, and the southern most fortress city of the Union. Control of Gongarg is split between Kurgoria and Stralinoth, each of them controlling the opposites half. A proposed system of both mutual trust, and if necessary mutual destruction, enstated by the first High King after the third time the Princes of the fiercely adverse peoples fought for control of the city.

Divided as it is, each side would have to rely on the other for commerce, supplies, and protection...any betrayal of that trust would mean destruction of both parties...and inevitably war.

It is a very...tense atmosphere, and only the very brave, or very stubborn, elect to live there, most others consist of soldier and the miscellaneous people needed to keep an army going. After all, only such people could reasonably live in a city where one false move could lead to your death, and the dissolution of a confederation that has been in power for 300 years.

Stralinoth:
Kurgoria's neighbors/ancestral enemies across the river Stralinoth is a land of stubborn, devout, hardy salt of the earth people, who may or not exist technically speaking depending on who you talk too...

Perhaps I should clarify, you see before the union as it is now known existed, at some point during a lull in the times of the Great War, the lands of Stralinoth, and indeed much of the land north of it, proudly flew the Kurgoian flag, or at least the more archaic version of it.

As the story goes the then Prince of the land had perished, in battle or otherwise most stories fail to elaborate, and the whole of the land were in morning. In such a time wrecked by war, before the properly established and well ordered days of the Union, determining proper lines of succession could often prove tricky for a nobles survivors, but in this case it seemed remarkably cut and dry, the Prince in question had but a single son, a seemingly well kept will, and no enemies bold enough to openly challenge the lines of his lineage.

That is until the situation became quite...complicated, as a young man made himself known before the court, carrying with him a blade that was fair far beyond his apparently lower middle class means. He identified himself as a bastard of the dearly departed ruler, and carried with him his supposed father's true last will and testament to support his claims.

As it were the Kurgorian cartographers were not able to fully verify or nullify the validity of the document, but there was no mistaking the seal burned into the corner of the paper. That, and the very idea that the document could be as it was claimed, decided many perhaps more biased minds right then and there.

Of course once the legitimate heir heard that he would be inheriting his father's lands sans a not inconsiderable stretch of land along the rivers and mountains to the south, the present day Stralinoth, he flew into a great rage and ordered the death of the upstart.

An order he had no proper authority to make as it were, seeing as he had yet to preform the ritualized 'Duel of Succession' he was still just a Prince-heir, and thus held no real power.

Gnashing his teeth, and determined not to have what was rightfully his stolen so easily, no matter how comparatively insignificant it was to the grand whole of Kurgoria, under advisement from his stewards he threw his gauntlet down before his rival, challenging him to prove his ancestry with the sword as well as the pen.

The resulting duel was one of the earliest ever properly recorded, and probably one of the most butchered by time and constant retelling. Indeed to this day few facts of the duel are certain, weather or not it lasted hours or seconds, or weather or not it was fought under entirely legitimate means...

One indisputable absolute however was the end result. Stralinoth's existence is proof enough of that.

His lands his own, the bastard son swiftly went about insuring the independence of his fledgling Principality, winning the hearts of the peasants with his origins, and winning the minds of the nobles with his swift and competent reforms, or in some cases ensuring their honor bound loyalty with his swifter blade.

In a month's time he had marshaled an army to repel the inevitable incursions of his half brother.

Three months after that Gondolia fell under his banner, fortified and reinforced to a nigh impregnable fortress, he left his boarders well and thoroughly secured, the still young prince introverted his focuses, seeking to build something his people could be proud of...

And what he built was Krandur, the fortress capitol of Stralinoth, connected to the base of the river Tyr and the silver mountains at first glance seemingly just a well designed well built fortress protecting a rather squat and ordinary city.

Until a closer look was taken, and then the true beauty of the city became apparent, the immaculate and smooth stone work murals, the elegant archways, the silver lining along every street.

Truly a sight to behold, and the pride of Stralinoth, his city built, his country secure, and his subjects, noble and peasant alike, content it seemed a bright future lay ahead for the this new Principality, until the great bane of all empires set in...stagnation.

You see as surely as the Kurgorians could not make significant gains into Stralinoth...Stralinoth could not make significant gains into Kurgoria. And so a stalemate that lasted centuries was established, feeding a hatred and resentment between the two people, once united, that grew and grew and grew.

All the while the Stralinoths, knowing nothing but what the had before them, grew more and more sedentary and set in their ways, becoming slow to do much of anything, save fight and mine.

As it is now, the Stralinoths are an almost introverted society, loyal to the union as any other, in fact perhaps more so then others, but ultimately more concerned with itself, and spitting the Kurgorians.

Decatham:
The Central most State and the whose boarders touch more states then any other. There is little wonder as to why Decatham is the single strongest supporter of the Union save perhaps Tripohlia, and long and hard have they striven and struggled to make the first High King's great dream a reality.

Home of the Craftsman Guild Headquarters, Decatham is a smith state among smith state, and you would be hard pressed to find higher quality metal work and goods outside of their boarders. Indeed Darrow, their capitol, is a testament to their peoples skills with hammer, having been cut into sides of the Silver mountains, it is both home to their people, and their greatest collective masterpiece, each new generation spending at least one decades of work improving or adding to the grandeur of the city in one fashion or another. In fact he greatest reason way there was never a siege of Darrow, was simply that no one dared to jeopardize the beauty and purity of the stone work engraved into every pious inch of the city.

And Darrow is a pious city, if Tripohilia is the heart and mind of the Union, then truly Darrow is the Soul of it, many are the pilgrims that travel there in search of the enlightened teachings of the smith priests of the Craftsman guild, or who seek to endear themselves to the artisan citizen of Darrow in the vain hope of being awarded the almost holy position of Smith Apprentice.

Perhaps the greatest evidence of Decatham's love of the hammer over the sword is the manner in which their Prince's gain their thrones. Indeed at some point they are to Duel to show their worthiness, but of all seven states Decatham is the only one that requires their leader to forge the blade they would use during their duel, and during their reign.

With exceeding rarity has there not been a Prince of Decatham that has not been of the highest quality.

On the opposite ends, and to the west, of Darrow's aesthetic and holy city, sits the practical and militant fortress of Derak`Den. Known simply and menacingly as The Den, it is quite possibly the single most unassailable mound of rocks in all the known world. Five redundant layers of fortifications, not including the central Keep, a series of ingenious traps manned by a dedicated team of Craftsmen, streets organized to a proverbial maze of death littered with strategic choke points, dead ends, and pitfalls with every angle calculated to provide no viable cover from the archers on the next tier of fortifications raining arrows down upon any foolish attackers. Built in early days of Decatham by their greatest Smith Prince for the express purpose of denying the raiding parties from the Wastes access to the Voldia Gap. Every royal generation sense has added too, and refined, it's fortification as the threat of the wastes grew more and more dire.

Some of the mightiest struggles in the history of the Union, and the world, have been decided on the Ramparts of Derak`Den. Indeed, many historians agree that it was there, not on the slopes of the Hallow Mountains, that Kain the First High King, truly forged his Union.

Tripohlia:
Also known as the center of the Universe, Tripohlia is the name of both the City and the state. Easily the single largest city in the union home of the High Throne, the Royal Palace, and the Judicator Temple. It competes with Imperia in fortifications and actual size, and with Karak de Monutem in majesty and beauty.

One glance of the landscape and it becomes easy to understand how such an idyllic land could bread such an idyllic people. Grand vistas, and verdant green forests, tranquility peace and a true sense of harmony seems almost within grasp to even the most jaded and weary travelers as they catch sight of the Towers of Tripohlia, reflected again by the eternal lake, offset by the Hallow Mountains, and framed by the glow of the rising sun. It is almost as if a picture of a City of Myth and Fantasy had life breathed into it by the Gods themselves.

Truly it can not be more disheartening to the unwary traveler to know that almost illusion of life...is in fact only an illusion. Tripohlia itself has long stood a ghost town, a faded shadow of it's former self , inhabited by a mere tenth of the population it was meant to hold. Suddenly the tranquility is far more understandable...and all the more haunting.

During the peak of the Invasion of Atimar, forces of the 5th Legion crossed the Eternal lake under the cover of dark, and fell upon the city in a great massed amphibious assault that caught all but the most alert guards by surprise. As fate would have it, only a token force defended the city then, the main army of the Union under the command of the Third High King Kandor, had been called to Eadhaolin to repel the main Atimarian advance.

But no city of the Union is ever truly left unguarded, and the citizens of Tripohlia, a strong and noble lot, took up their swords in defense of their home.

And thus the edict was given amongst the men of the 5th, that any man women or child who took up swords against the Imperium, would be put to them...though some scholars still argue weather or not all the bodies found were truly even capable of holding a sword.

Brave, but unorganized, valiant, but foolhardy, many, but all too few, what was too be a defiant defense ultimately became a massacre, as the too few actual Union soldiers could not cope with the new recruits so thrust upon them.

Blood ran in the streets like rivers for days and nights, and Tripohlia resisted, a slaughter unlike any before, and Tripohlia resisted, from house to house, street to street, until a city of thousands became a city of the dead...

A week came and went before the High Prince returned to relieve his beloved homeland, only to find it an already festering corpse, stained with so much blood to this day one can see the marks of it in the cracks of the city streets. He flew into so great a rage then that alone he charged into the city, the defenses unmanned by the thinly stretched Atimarians, his men lost sight of him as he slaughtered his way into the city, the God sword of his Ancestors cutting down all in his path as he killed his way to the steps of his palace.

The Highmaster of the Praetorian Knights found him curled up with two pale grey corpses, days dead and frozen in rigor mortice. A women of once beauty...and a small boy...all that was left of his immediate family.

No news ever came of the fate of the 5th legion, though it is apparent that they were embattled too deeply into the city proper to retreat to their boats fast enough. Queries about the 5th to Tripohlian soldiers present at the action were answered with a single word.

'Justice.'

After the Massacre, 'The Rape of Tripohlia' so called, recovery was slow in coming, the few battle scarred survivors were in little position to begin rebuilding as you understand. And the now broken nature of their Prince did little to hearten the people.

But they are strong, few but strong, it was they who forged the union, and it is they who now keep it together, even as Kandor the third High King earns the moniker 'The Half Man' the spare few of them hold onto hope that the Union shall prevail...

Religion:

The common religion of Tryvoldia is known as The Way of the Blade, a rich, deep, and complex faith of many God's and Goddess. Chief among them are the High Three of Thanious, Kaine, and Arionos.

First of the Three Thanious, was Lord of All, God of Mountains, Rivers, and the People. His wife was Lerium, the First Mother, Goddess of Hearth, Home, and all things that grow. Myths and Legend often depict the corporal incarnation of Thanious as a cloaked old man, seen wondering the rivers edge and the base of mountains, offering wisdom and hospitality to any who happen upon his path. It is said that it was he who crafted the first hammer, and with it forged the first sword. Lerium looked up on her love's creations and smiled upon them, gifting with the names of Arionos and Kain respectively, and embracing them as her sons.

Arionos, the first of the Godkin, is Lord of the Forge, God of Craftsmanship, and Master of all things Metal. His wife was Keva, Goddess of Beauty, Piety, and love. Arionos' physical reflection on the mortal plane is said to be the hammer Clervic, Forger of Gods, the very same used by the High Smith and head of the Craftsman Guild of the Union. All hammers today are similarly the physical reflections of Arionos' children, and thus claim Godhood through his lineage.

Kaine, second son of Thanious, is the God of the Sword, Warriors, Battle, and Honor. His wives are twofold, though theologians debate for and against the inclusion of one over the other. Teresa, his first wife, is the Goddess of Truth, Justice, and Order. Maria, his second wife, was the first High Queen of the Union, and the wife of Kain's mortal incarnation. Again that's just a common consensus, not quite the official standpoint of the Smith Priests of the Craftsman Guild.

While the listed above are the main deities all swords, hammers, and through certain interpretations bladed weapons (Spears, Knives, Arrows, etc...) forged by a fully sanctioned smith priest are entitled to a full name, and Godhood amongst the Tyrvoldian pantheon. A full list of such deities is of course understandably hard to come by, partially due to impracticalities, and partially due to theological differences between the majority, Blade purists, whom think only swords and hammers are the true reflections of the Gods, and the minority, Blade Partisans, whom believe all steel forged bladed weapons as worked by smith priests deserved to be honored as Gods.

In fact the most complete record of Gods in the union, and possibly it's most holy text, is 'The Book of the Blade' a massive tome located in the heart of the Temple Capital of Darrow. It is roughly the size of the foundations of a small house, and about as thick as four grown men, is the meticulously maintained and honored record of virtually every sword, and hammer, that has ever been forged by smith priests in the Union, sense before The Great War. The records list the name of the craft, the name of the forger, a very brief description of the blade, and a summary of it's history stared with when it was forged, who wielded it, what battles it saw, and when it was broken. Only Blades that have been broken are allowed into the tome, as it indeed serves more as a history of the Gods then a proper list of swords.

As there are many Gods, and indeed many States, in the union there are many holy days within the Union many in conflict, and only one held as Holy before all. The Festival of the Forge, a three day long day of rest and recreation celebrated by Tyrvoldians the Union over during the Spring Solstice. During this festival competitions are often held, of swordsmanship, and craftsmanship, with glorious prizes and titles to be won, and much feasting to be had as always. Many are the plays preformed, but tradition places emphasis on the performance of excerpts from the Holy play 'A Dance of Blades,' which is the theological history of the Pantheon, dating from the before the Great War. A full performance of the play would require a total of 7 days, and is only preformed in Darrow once every decade or so. It is considered a great honor for non Tyrvoldians to be allowed admittance into these plays.

History:

Of the Time Before Kings: Little is known of Tyrvold before or during the Great War, well little that is not contradictory anyway. Few records of the time survived the chaos, and destruction of that wretched time. Indeed it can be said, only the Way of the Blade survived the great war, as the fact that it existed before that conflict, to what extent is unknown, is the only thing most documents and historians can agree on. This knowledge coupled with the fact that it is an almost universal custom amongst Tyrvoldians suggests that at one time the land was united in some fashion... Perhaps similar to the modern day Union, perhaps not.

Of the Coming of Kaine, and the Birth of the Union:

Of the Second High King, and the Damned Crusade:

Of the Third High, and the Invasion of Atimar:

Of the Fourth High King, and the End of the Line of Kaine:

Of Civil War, and the Fragmentation of the Union:

Of the New High King, and the Dawn of a New Era:

I like it, and it supports why it has such a large tract of land. My major problem with it is the map which I already discussed with you (the unconventional symbols and such). Sounds good, looking forward to more.

The unconventional symbols are mostly because I don't have the proper skill set to make a good star...or a triangle...

So I made my own impromptu system as a guideline for future reference.

It goes as such.

A Square = A Fortress

A Circle = A City

The X = The Capital

Other then that the cities already on the map are good where they are. If you can't distinguish which one is which I'll be glad to clear that up. I also drew up the boarders of the seven principalities, just so I can remember where they are exactly.

If you notice at the bottom of the image you hosted there are symbols that you can copy and paste. I was unaware that I uploaded that part of the map, but I suppose it's useful for those that don't have photoshop. Just highlight, copy, and paste (select the box in the toolbar that doesn't make it have a white background), and then you can place the triangles, stars, and whatnot where you like.

It's also difficult for me to find all 7, but that's fine.

Ah...

Well, I shall endeavor to rectify that then...give me a bit...

Updated!

This is actually kind of perfect because your outline fills right next to where I had planned the borders of Eadhalion to end as far as its progression east. Bitchin.

P.S

Could I suggest the nickname Sword States for other people to reference the UPT?

Go for it, and I figured that would be the case with Eadhaolin from your descriptions, also worked to fill the gap in your lore that says something about them importing their arms from other nations.

Still got a lot more Lore to work through though, I'm really proud of what this one is gonna be...can't wait to get it all down.

See that's working together! I kind of had Imperator sent up as a raw materials, manufacturing, arms dealing country so this will add a nice balance as far as alternative arm sales. I imagine this is where Peril could probably get a lot of arms from.

Good work so far MN, looking forward to more. Keep in mind that you're perhaps a tad city-heavy there, although it's logical considering it's 7 separate nations bound together.

I think that it should be universally recognized that most "cities" aren't really that large only encompassing populations in the tens of thousands with a few exceptions being made for true sprawling cities such as Krak de Monutem which specifically is described as being big.

I was more or less pointing out that no one else has that many cities.

Well it's seven city states. How can we have seven city states without seven cities?

Just to keep track, let's properly count this out.

Cities = 14 (Including the Capitol)
Forts = 6
States = 7

So that's 2 cities per State, 0.86 (rounded up) forts per state, and one capitol.

Maybe a bit much, but all things considered not too bad, especially considering the over all industrious nature of the nation as a whole.

Which state/s is lacking a fort?

Yeah, they add up, so it's not really a problem.

The one in the middle of the eastern states.

It's actually comparatively bare bones...

Not sure what I'm going to do with that one.

You'll think of something I'm sure.

I'm open to suggestions at this point

Updated!

Nice story. I really love it when people add culture to our world and that is just another nugget to go with it. I do see one issue with the "trading fleet and naval power few can match and many envy". I totally get if we are just using flowery language (god knows I do) or perhaps speaking in comparison to the other sword states but I find it hard to rationalize how a single state could really have a fleet capable of competing with entire nations (or super organizations) such as say Eadhalion, Weisshupt, Conclave, Atimar ect. Sorry if I'm being too literal here MN.

It's mostly just flowery language and comparatively to the other states.

I was thinking of doing a proper piece about the Prince and the Beast of the Hollow mountains, although I really did just about cover there now that I think about it.

Just to clarify that was a...minor monstrous creature the Prince fought, which probably explains why it stayed under the Spirit's radar...and why the Prince had a chance at all against it.

Cool. Well I'm going to finish up the last two last city/ruin for Eadhalion and that means when sword states are finish we'll have the entire center of northland RoKK completely populated.

Rushcilion added, as well as another fortress, should be the last one I think...give it a look over and tell me what you think.

I like it. I also really appreciate less emphasis on "my nation is all powerful" and more reasonable sort of stuff. I think it will make a more enjoyable place to roleplay in. I'm trying to focus on that for the nation/s I have planned for the forest after the whole Eadhalion thing.