Light Lands Map:

A map of the Light Lands [https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/331541133362724884/525543890485248020/Screen_Shot_2018-12-20_at_9.23.30_PM.png]

^Here’s our current map of the Light Lands and all the countries therein (plus a little bit of the Dark Lands and Sun Lands). Drawn by Red; it’s not that great, but I tried.

Nations and Regions of the Light Lands

Naloriva: Also known as the Timberlands; home to the Forest Temple and many, many, many trees, Naloriva is an odd nation in the sense that it’s not really a nation at all. Due to being one of the prime targets of invasion for any aspiring Demon Lords, the region has basically lost every central authority it has ever had. Mainly because they were murdered/massacred/assassinated, though some just outright abandoned the country.

As a result, Naloriva is more like a collection of city-states and independent towns that are loosely connected through a similar cultural identity; as a direct result of that, more than a few people view the dominion as “up for grabs”. At the current moment, the closest thing to a leader the country has is the Archdruid of Chlora; however, since the druids know that not everyone within Naloriva is of their faith, they mainly keep to their own to avoid accusations of forcing their faith on others.

Despite all of those detrimental factors, Naloriva still continues on as a region, if just through inertia keeping the broken nation from falling apart entirely. No one knows how long that’ll last though.

Trivia

* Has a very high population of Wood Elves and Satyrs; believed to contain more ‘hidden villages’ than any other Light Land nation.

* Home to the Forest Temple (also known as the Plant Temple, the Grass Temple, and the Wood Temple) and has a very strong druidic tradition that varies in intensity depending on location.

* Holds the record for ‘Most Invasions from the Dark Lands’.

* Primary exports include lumber, various fruits, and carved trinkets.

* As there is no central authority, and most nobles ran from the country due to the various invasions, the majority of the people in charge are, in fact, elected mayors who work with one another for survival.

* Common stereotypes for Nalorivans include: flighty and unfocused nudists, nature-loving lumberjacks, and overly aggressive and paranoid archers.

* Despite frequent invasions from the Dark Lands, caravans of orcish and goblinoid traders can occasionally be found in the region, and are noted for being excellent trade partners.

Tramontava: The Northern Nation; a rather interesting country in the sense that their leader is of Divine descent. Or so the rumors go, since it is believed the current Royal Bloodline of Tramontava, the von Sorafin family, are directly descended from the God of Air, Kataba, or perhaps just one of his Angels. Due to the fact that the Royal Bloodline is still alive despite these potentially blasphemous claims, it is generally accepted as truth.

Despite their natural longevity, the leaders of Tramontava do not rule for an exceedingly long time, due to a limit law put in place by one of the first rulers of their nation, supposedly to avoid letting a near-immortal ruler from running the nation for too long. Rumor has it that this was done because said ruler did not wish to be in charge, but was unable to step down, but that is mere speculation. Regardless, abdication in favor of a younger ruler is one of the traditions of Tramontava that has persisted even through changes in dynasties, though whether certain abdications were entirely willing is a matter of some debate. Still, the throne has remained largely stable in the old nation’s long history, so the practice continues.

Culturally, Tramontava has a rather interesting emphasis on air-based transport, frequently referred to as the ‘Destiny of Flight’, due to the prominence of harpies and various winged animals living within its borders. As such, the nation has an odd history of forming a variety of ‘air forces’, with many of their attempts involving the taming and riding of dangerous creatures like gryphons and the now-extinct Giant Wyverns, along with cross-breeding programs between human and harpy citizens, though such efforts have gone down as a black mark on the country’s history.

In the modern era, Tramontava is still said to retain its obsession with flight, but is generally less aggressive in its attempts to achieve those dreams, and has a far better relationship with the Harpy Queens of the Mistral Mountains in the nation’s northernmost territory. Some rulers are noted to have somewhat obsessive tendencies though, and their own efforts have led to common jokes about Tramontan nobles having a ‘wing fetish’, particularly in regards to harpies and dragons. Recent developments, however, appear to have finally gained the nation its dream of flight, and the proliferation of ‘skyships’ have already had a very drastic effect on the future of the Northern Nation.

Trivia

* While no evidence exists to support this claim, the initial obsession with flight originated an instance where one of the nation’s former rulers supposedly claimed to have seen a ‘flying island’ that soared high above where any harpies could reach.

* As one of the few countries within the lightlands to reside near the Frost Lands to the north, Tramontava often sees many travelers from there, but it's citizens rarely travel there in return due to an aversion to the cold.

* Air Angels, the servants of Kataba, are occasionally spotted throughout the region performing odd tasks for unknown reasons; frequently, they are seen in the company of Kataban Clerics, who appear to act as minders.

* Home to the Wind Temple and the Air Shrine, the latter of which is a place of worship directly established in the nation’s capital, Stenistrata.

* Stenistrata itself is also home to a number of universities and libraries, and is regarded as a center of magical learning in the nation; it’s also very well known for its towers and the bridges leading between them, which is commonly known as the “Upper City” to denizens.

Rosiava: A rather recently formed nation, Rosiava is a border country, much like it’s neighbor to the north. However, since the mountains to the east lack the natural openings Naloriva is unfortunately rife with, the “Rose Lands” are not as big a target as their neighbor in terms of initial invasion.

One of the most interesting aspects of this country is their ‘Rose God’ a former hero who not only managed to unite the country as one under her mercenary group, but also sacrificed her life to take down the invading Demon Lord of the age. Sadly, despite her sacrifice, the leaders of Rosiava barely maintain a semblance of civility with one another, as without a central unifying leader, they all have their own ideas on how the country should be ran.

To elaborate further, Rosiava is a nation of five factions, three of whom were formed from the original kingdoms that once held territories in the area (Kalaveva, Sinava, and Violorva). Said territories are now referred to as ‘states’, and their names have been changed to the original capitals of each area. Similarly, the leaders of each faction are referred to as ‘Governors’, though they tend to lack the democratic system such a title implies.

Ultimately, “the Rosian Union” is a strange nation with a somewhat fraudulent presentation of itself, but it still stands as a pinnacle of industrial advancement on the continent, and is noted for having ‘artificer festivals’ wherein smiths and inventors are both praised and given active encouragement to put forward their best efforts, often in hopes of gaining funding and sponsorship from one of the factions. Whether that happens to be a good thing or a bad thing is a matter of opinion, and, either way, the Steel Rose of the West seems to be here to stay.

Trivia

* Commonly regarded as the only oligarchy in the Light Lands.

* Holds the record for most political figures assassinated within a year’s time.

* Sometime after her deification, ‘Rose God’ memorabilia was created, ranging from toys for kids, to replica armor for collectors and adventurers alike.

* Due to the influence of industrialization and the invention of the printing press, newspapers and tabloids have become very popular in the region.

* Has a high population of City Elves, formerly known as “dark elves”, and is known to have a number of dwarvish immigrants living within its borders.

* Trades most frequently with the nation of Bolero in the Sun Lands; chiefly exports metals, textiles, and salts, and primarily imports spices and sugars.

* Home to the Metal Temple and the Rose Shrine.

Luceneva: “The Hero’s Country,” as it's so often called, is where the first hero of the Light Lands was chosen; despite that fact though, Luceneva has an odd reputation of being the least interesting of the Light Land nations, to the point of being known as the “Plain Lands”, though it should be noted that the country does consist largely of flat plains and savannas, so the name is applicable.

In many ways, Luceneva is an odd contradiction of a nation; the country has a very long history of “heroism” and warriors that fight against the Dark Land invaders, but its general reputation is as a calm, peaceful, and almost lazy dominion. Part of that reputation may simply come from the regions distance from the Ebkai border, meaning it often avoids being a direct target of eastern invasion, but its propensity for aiding others in conflicts and the longstanding practice of its armies directly taking up the fight against invaders lend a confusing rebuttal to this common stereotype.

In addition to its peaceful reputation and tendency to involve itself in conflicts in aid of others, the land of Luceneva is known most for having the longest running royal dynasty within the Light Lands. In legend, the founder of Luceneva, referred to as “The First Lucene” or “Lucene I”, was said to have been a stalwart supporter and defender of the Faith of Light, and a skilled general that drove the occupying forces of the Pahseinalan Empire of the Sun Lands from the Light Lands. As such, Lucene the First was granted a throne said to be “forever bound to the name Lucene”; one that only members of his family could ever hold.

Intriguingly, this legend appears to be a factual one, as attempted usurpers throughout the centuries frequently find their reigns to be swift, short, and bloody. Also interestingly, the “blessing of Lucere” doesn’t seem to account for blood relation; both adopted children and the spouses of royalty have held the throne at various points without issue, though any ruler (blood-related or otherwise) who has taken the throne through assassination, deception, and/or bloodshed also falls prey to the “blessing”.

Despite said blessing, however, the nation of Luceneva has largely strayed from the Faith of Light over the centuries and, in the modern age, has severed ties entirely with their founder’s initial support, due to a severe schism following the “Barren Land Debacle”, otherwise known as “The Exile War”and “The Ruined Invasion”. Oddly, this appears to have been to the country’s benefit, as its more peaceful reputation, based on sources, appears to have arisen after it finally decided to stop fighting the Light Faith’s wars.

Trivia

* Has a high population of halflings; also home to a variety of races from both the other Light Land countries, as well as the Sun Lands.

* Used to be home to the Water Temple, but conflicts with Rosiava and the eventual declaration of independence from Orindaco resulted in its loss.

* Following the schism with the Faith of Light, the Faith of the Three Divine Matrons (not to be confused with the Dark Lands’ “Church of the Three Matriarchs”) has risen as the most popular religion in the region.

* The capital, Queenshill, is named for Lucene the Second, the daughter of The First Lucene, who is credited with establishing the infrastructure of the newly formed nation.

* The name Lucene is believed to directly derive from Lucere.

* Due to the wide expanses of flat plains within the region, it’s common for lone houses and farms to plant trees around their properties as natural walls to prevent windstorms from damaging their abodes.

Gorokiva: Nicknamed “The Land of the Outworlder” due to how it's culture came to be, Gorokiva is an odd country in a great many ways. According to legend, in the distant past of what would become the “Gorokivan Empire”, one brilliant leader was said to have an odd, almost obsessive fascination with outworlders and the world they came from.

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As such, the ‘First Emperor’ supposedly ordered that any that were discovered within the borders of his nation be brought to him. Over time, as he learned of the world beyond his, he grew enamored with one country in particular called “Nihon”, which was said to have an oddly large amount of outworlders that come from it. So with his influence, he began to spread the culture of that land to his own.

Despite his attempts, Gorokiva is not a 1:1 representation of the country due to already having its own culture and different resources. Such as, despite admitting their weaponry was impressive with the shoddy iron they had, the various swords of Nihon are considered ornamental at best, though some have attempted to improve on the style. Interestingly, this has resulted in cutlasses and similar sabers becoming very prominent in the region, especially among young adventurers looking to appear impressive, with rapiers in particular attaining a status of a “noble’s weapon”.

While not originally being part of its land, Rainfall Island and many of the surrounding islands fall under the protection of Gorokiva, and, as such, also share the culture of the country. In addition, politically, Zemava is officially a monarchy, though it’s more of a diarchy consisting of the “Tenno”, or Emperor, and a “Shogun”, who is elected from a council of twelve “Daimyos”, who each hold land and authority within the nation and are hereditary positions.

Trivia

* Despite ruling the second smallest dominion of the Light Lands, rulers of Gorokiva are traditionally referred to as Tenno, which means Emperor; this is a holdover from the cultural exchange and comparing them to the Emperors of the Sun Lands and the Frost Lands is inadvisable.

* The title “Daimyo” is equivalent to the “Duke” title commonly used in other Light Land nations, while the title “Shogun” appears equivalent to the “Viceroy”, meaning “appointed ruler”, title used by some Sun Land nations, though the Shogun position appears to hold only slightly less authority than the Tenno themself.

* Holds the record for most outworlder immigrants.

* Despite there officially being twelve “Daimyo families”, there are rumors of a “Thirteenth Family” that supposedly reports solely to the Tenno and acts as their direct agents.

* Due to its odd status as a diarchy (that calls itself a monarchy/empire), the nation actually has two capitals: Shiomi, the “Emperor’s Capital” (or “The Coastal Capital”) at the southwest coast, and Fujimi, the “Shogun’s Capital” (or “The Mountain Capital”) further to the northeast and set on a mountain. Neither is pictured on the map above because meh.

* (Shiomi is on the coast, nearby Rainfall Island, and Fujimi is where the ‘a’ in Gorokiva is)

* Home to the Lightning Temple, in a sense.

* Has a high population of tigrithropes, a race of tiger-like beastfolk, and thunderdrakes, a gold-scaled variant of drakinoids.

Sollamava: As the only country with no temple within its borders, Sollamava stands out among its fellows in that it lacks a direct connection to a particular Rakuli god. As such, due to Zemava's spreading of its faith, the country has a rather prominent following of the “Triarch Faith” in the northern parts of the country, while most of the rest of the population isn't a devout follower of any faith. Still, the nation has developed a reputation as the “Triarch’s Protector”, and is extremely close to its direct northern and southern neighbors in terms of trade and alliances.

Home to a very martial culture supposedly inspired by its large population of minotaurs, tournaments and festivals based around testing strength and skill are commonplace in the warm country, which is home to a set of deserts stretching through the middle of the nation. As such, a great deal of the population is set near the coast of the nation, and much of its architecture is designed with the intent of avoiding overheating. Curiously, such architecture has been said to look a great deal like “Ancient Greek” buildings by outworlders, who ascribe the resemblance to the amount of marble used in construction.

Politically, Sollamava, much like Tramontava and Luceneva, is a monarchy with an aristocracy, though it more resembles Tramontava with how different royal families have held power throughout its history. In fact, power changes far more frequently within Sollamava than any of its neighbors through the “Trials of Succession”, a competition in which the eligible members of the “Archon Families” perform a variety of tasks ranging from rhino wrangling and boxing matches to giving speeches and outlining law proposals to demonstrate their ability for the position. The most capable in all tasks in then chosen from a council of both “Archon elders”, meaning elder members of the Archon Families who are ineligible to participate in the competition, and local Clerics of Judgment, to remove the issue of potential bias.

While there are some concerns of corruption in the competition, there are a number of safeguards included that prevent cheating, one way or another, and the penalties for interfering are exceptionally severe. As such, it has remained as the deciding factor in establishing royalty, though, notably, it has also resulted in a lack of a consistent “Royal Family” within the nation.

Trivia

* Most buildings and other such amenities within this country are created with the minotaurs size and weight in mind, so they often appear quite large and heavy when in comparison to an average person.

* Alongside this meals for an average minotaur is around enough for two people.

* Despite the “Greek”-like nature of the country, some outworlders have taken to calling the citizens of the southern part of Sollamava, where ranching is quite common, cowboys, due to similarities between their profession and an apparently common outworlder one; some Sollamavans find this nickname odd as the country does not have many cow ranches.

* The Heads of each Archon family (usually referred to as just Archons) are also typically referred to as Archdukes, a position traditionally held by independent city-states and commonly held to be a step directly below a king.

* Has a surprisingly rich history of fishing and maritime sports

* Is an exceptionally popular location for both resorts and hunting lodges, due to the large amount of lakeside and beachside towns, and the large variety of dangerous animals within the region.

* Entirely lacks a Divine Temple, but does have a well-known, lakeside resort town named Rodoa near the northern border, which is surprisingly popular with Zemavans and sees a great deal of foreign traffic.

Zemava: “The Shining Light of the Light Lands”, Zemava is home to the “Faith of the Triarch”, a religion consisting of worship directed towards the Elder God of Light, Lucere, and two of her sons, the God of Judgment, Iudex, and the God of Purity, Purus. As a result of this religion’s influence, the lands of Zemava exist as the Light Lands sole theocracy, wherein the Pontiff of Light, the highest mortal authority within the faith, acts as the outright ruler of the nation

Similarly, while most other nations have “noble families” as members of their aristocracy, Zemava instead has appointed members of the faith as their nobles, often called Paladins. While becoming a paladin is not an impossible task for anyone interested, it is certainly an arduous one, given that a prospect need not only be vouched for by two already residing paladins, but must also already be a part of the faith for twenty years. Due to this system, Zemava notably lacks “noble” families in favor of Paladin Orders, though there are some complaints of these orders acting exactly like noble families, down to showing favor to those directly related to their members.

Interestingly enough, it is not uncommon to see the Cardinal Guardians, a team of four Angels of Judgment, within the country. The reason being that, even though angels are only allowed within Estus for a brief period of time, the Pontiff resummons them whenever strife against the Dark Lands begins in order to protect the city. These angels are most commonly seen around the capital city, Divica, though they act as protectors throughout the region and are venerated as guardians of the populace.

Different regions of Zemava also tend to emphasize different parts of the Triarchy; while all show worship towards Lucere, certain parts promote greater worship towards either Iudex or Purus, depending on their values. There are occasional conflicts between these groups, though they never turn to outright violence, instead focusing more on theological arguments, to the point that some believe an eventual schism in the Faith is almost inevitable.

Trivia

* A majority of the populace is High Elf.

* Holds the record for lowest number of leaders due to the natural longevity of high elves.

* Shares some aspects of its architecture with Sollamava, such as it's abundance of marble. Though where Sollamava uses colored marble, Zemava prefers to use plain white marble.

* Due to its theocratic nature, members of the clergy known as Priests hold the position most nations refer to as Mayors within most towns and cities, acting as both administrators and proponents of the Faith, though some have been noted to focus more on administration than proselytizing.

* Judges within Zemava are required to be ordained by a Cleric of Judgment before being allowed to oversee cases; a similar ordination is required for both attorneys and prosecutors seeking to practice, though it is less elaborate.

* Sprites, small creatures resembling winged balls of light, are a common sight in the region, and are believed by some to be the source of legends referring to a winged race known as “Furies”, said to be winged beings composed of either fire or lightning.

* A “Fourth Rank” in the Faith of Light (the other three being Clerics, Priests, and Paladins) known as Inquisitors was once said to exist within Zemava, but any mention of their order and activities appears to have been sealed and/or destroyed following the years after the “Barren Lands Debacle”.

* Home of the Temple of Light.

* While the Cardinal Guardians, otherwise known as the Guardian Angels of Zemava, are primarily regarded as holy figures, toys and dolls based off of them are immensely popular among children and collectors.

Ebkai: The mountain range acting as a natural border between the Light Lands and Dark Lands, which is also home to a number of mountain-dwelling monsters, animals, and people. For much of its history, the region has remained as an independent area lacking in any central authority and staying unheld by any nation, though it was, at one point, the home territory of Xelok the Earth Lord, who attempted to conquer bot the Light and Dark Lands while using Ebkai as a staging ground.

His efforts failed miserably, of course, so the region has lacked a central authority until the rise of the North Ebkai Trading Company, which, despite being a trade company, now acts to maintain order within the region.

Trivia

* Home to the Fire Temple.

* A majority of the population consists of Drakes, otherwise known as "drakinoids" or "lizardfolk", a reptilian race of mortals said to be the natural followers of dragons.

* While most Ebkaians (people of Ebkai) live on the mountains themselves, there are several significant towns that instead lie in the valleys between the mountains; one significant example is the border-city of Surton, otherwise known as “The Monster Town”. It's name appears to come from the fact that while the city is technically within the Light Lands, it plays host to a large number of darklanders, including full citizens within the town. The mayor of the town is also rumored to be some type of powerful being.

Orindaco: “The Dock Land”; a city-state within the Light Lands that gets a place of significance mainly because it’s the location of the Water Temple and it’s status of being entirely independent of the two far more major nations directly west and east of it. While Orindaco is merely a city-state in the grand scheme of things, albeit a large one, it does have a few small towns along the coast that regards it as an authority, and it has retained its independence for almost a thousand years, though the actual rulers of the city have changed a number of times, usually through violent means.

Trivia

* The rank of Archduke tends to be used for male, female, and non-binary rulers of the city-state, despite variations of the title like Archduc and Archduchess existing, for some odd reason.

* Holds the record for most criminal organizations in a single city.

* Has a high population of Nereids, otherwise known as Sea Elves.

* Is a very major port in the Light Lands and tends to be heavily involved in smuggling goods that are otherwise illegal in other nations.

* Has legalized prostitution and gambling.

* Home of the Water Temple, which is set on a nearby island known as Mesa Island.

* Has a rather high population of darklanders living there that immigrated by ship, usually secretly.

* Is supposedly a very popular meeting place and hideout for pirates, though such rumors are actively denied by most rulers.

Important Places!

Chloraton and the Forest Temple

Xelsha and the Fire Temple

Orindaco and the Water Temple

Stenistrata and the Wind Temple

Hulthemia and the Metal Temple

Rainfall Island and the Lightning Temple

Divica and the Temple of Light

Also these (Included because they’re on the map)

Sun Lands: The continent directly south of the Light Lands, separated from the smaller continent by the Orisalic Ocean. It has its own stuff going on and the current nations of the Sun Lands don’t really like to get involved in the conflicts between the Light and Dark Lands.

Dark Lands: Formerly known as “The Demon Lands”, the Dark Lands are the Light Lands’ direct, eastern neighbor, and the only continent to hold a direct connection via land to the nation. They have numerous cultures, regions, and nations going on in their own borders, along with a long and rich history for all of them, but the main significance they hold for the Light Lands are as the primary source of aggressive invaders seeking to take control of/devastate their continent for numerous reasons.