The Continent of Elibe

[WyvernSlayer]

Stick tap to Hystrix and Velyoukai for the awesome world map!

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Ostia – The largest territory of Lycia, and the home of the Lycian Emperor. The castle and its surrounding village are completely surrounded by the Great Ostian Wall, a terrifying example of what humanity could be moved to do when motivated by fear. It has been said that any common folk who enter Ostia never leave alive. The Emperor of Lycia is also Marquess Ostia, and up until the invasion of Etruria had kept his subjects in strict subservience. Since turning his attention to Etruria, however, the Emperor has entrusted the care of his own people to select delegates from the Elite Ostian Guard, his personal bodyguards and enforcers of the north Lycian border.

Predictably, this has resulted in an almost archaic scene in Lycia's largest province. Only the most devoted (and/or foolish) citizens of Lycia reside in Ostia now. Expect no quarter for mages, dissenters, or foreigners.

Araphen – Araphen is rivaled only by Laus as one of the most hostile Lycian hubs – people live here in a state of almost constant fear and suspicion. It also boasts a sizeable portion of the Lycian Imperial Army, although they are mostly scattered throughout southern Etruria.

Thria – Once known only as “that place next to Ostia,” the province of Thria has become a deranged Mecca of sorts under the new Lycian rule. The Church of the Preservation of Sanctity originated in Thria, which also contains the headquarters of the Keepers of Sanctity. Many devout followers of the church reside near here, and the overwhelming hatred for magic users has resulted in many Lycian “witch hunts” in the area.

Badon – The port province of Badon has maintained its importance as a bustling trade center. Strangely enough, prejudice against magic-users is practically non-existent in this region of Lycia, perhaps due to the wide variety of people who come and go. Badon has no marquess.

Pherae – The easternmost province of Lycia is overseen by a marquess whose moral boundaries have been sorely tested since the occupation of Etruria. The most recent in a long line of rulers who share this trait, the Marquess of Pherae has adopted a carefree attitude toward Etrurian refugees, as well as being non-committal toward addressing the resistance movements in Bern. His is the most frequent voice in opposition to the Emperor, but is still held in high regard by the majority of his fellow marquesses.

Santaruz - Santaruz is intent on waiting out this war. Its elderly Marquess participates nominally in Imperial affairs, and officially supports the witch-hunting campaign, but beyond lip service he does little to actively involve himself in anything. These days, the people of Santaruz are wildly isolated. Despite not actually closing its borders, crossing through the mountain passes is almost impossible for anyone not bearing proof of residence. Travelers that manage to get through are relatively free to pass, but hospitality is rare – if it exists at all. (Stick tap to Crimson Flash for the contribution.)

Etruria – Since the Lycian occupation, Etruria is in complete turmoil. Martial law has been declared in places under Lycian control. Countless magic practitioners have either fled or abandoned their studies. There have been rumors of attempted resistance movements in Etruria, but all outward attempts since Day Zero have been quashed by the Lycians. Native Etrurians who remain are fearful and despondent.

Bern – Led by its noble king and in a previously unconceivable twist of fate, the nation of Bern stands as the only opposition to the Lycian Emperor. Although the King of Bern has made no statements publicly denouncing Lycia, it is no secret that he is a sympathizer to the Etrurian cause. In the months following the invasion of Etruria, Bern has become a melting pot of Elibian culture. Scholars of the age predict that the eventual demise of Lycia will start with Bern, with the weight of oppressed Lycians and Etrurians alike supporting them.

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Other areas of Elibe (Roleplays cannot be held in these areas at this time.)

Sacae - Following the War of Seals over one hundred years ago, Sacae was largely left to recover on its own by the rest of Elibe. While Lycia flourished and Bern and Etruria struggled to retain what remained of their power base in the world, Sacae's remaining tribes found themselves staving off the remains of armies and bandits without assistance. Though the tribal people of Sacae survived, they did so through the skin of their teeth, forced into giving up their western territories and confining the various remnants of their shattered tribes together.

Faced with a no man's land wasteland of hostile bandit forces to the west, and with an apathetic or helpless rest of Elibe around them, the tribal people of Sacae desperately held themselves and their tribes' cultures together for nearly a century, losing more and more of themselves with each passing year. This changed with the uprising of Yul, the Steel Wolf, who proved his might and cunning by conquering the remaining tribes and bringing their chieftains to his side.

Under Yul's leadership, the Sacaen Tribes have waited patiently for the moment to reclaim their lands and power, quietly fending off the bandits to the west as well as any scouts from Lycia or Bern. With the Lycian invasion of Etruria, Yul and the bandit scumlords have temporarily struck peace, long enough to herd fleeing Etrurians across their lands to Bern and guaranteeing that their backs would remain safe in case Lycia's attentions drew north. (Stick tap to Velyoukai for the contribution.)

Ilia - Ilia has been and still is largely cut off from the outside world. The freezing cold, unforgiving blizzards, and huge line of mountains along the southern border have discouraged immigrants from both sides. Natural selection has compensated, however, making Ilians some of the toughest people in Elibe.

The lack of outside connections other than some trade routes on the border mean that Ilia is mostly unaffected by the outside world. Yet, in the hundred years since Roy’s trek through Ilia precluding his invasion of Bern, Ilia has still changed greatly.

After King Zealot and Queen Yuno united all of the lands, trade routes were formed between the inner workings of Ilia. Despite being the most unforgiving country in Elibe, the Ilians had always survived. This was now made easier by the ability of each town to trade their produce for what they needed. Surpluses and shortages became much, much less of a problem.

The military was greatly restructured as well. After noticing herself, her two sisters, and numerous other knights struggle to lift the very weapons meant to be used for mounted combat, Tate, Captain of the Ilian Air Force, instituted reforms to impose stronger training regiments and redistribution of weapons used by Ilian knights. They followed the example of Ilia’s cavalry, which had no problem said weapons. This led to a very significant increase in the quality of the Ilian air force, causing the average soldier to be a match for even a Dragon Knight of Bern.

Keeping with their mercenary army policy, Pegasus Knights were sent out to other countries as soldiers for hire. This allowed them to broaden their horizons on the outside world and allowed them to learn foreign fighting styles. Most importantly, it allowed them get money. Though King Zealot may have passed, the Ilians continue to grow stronger. The war has been nothing but a boon for them, giving the air force a hefty amount of work. As an unintended side effect, the Ilians are now slowly becoming less secluded from the outside world as the units of their air force spread throughout the continent unlike ever before. Whether this is good or bad, who can say? (Stick tap to Breadophile for the contribution.)