Continent of Veoh;
The continent of Veoh is split into several providence’s, all of which will be referred to in their Imperial names followed by their local names. The continent is roughly 4,400 miles across and 10,780,000 square miles. Veoh is home to around 32 million civilized peoples spread across various nations and city states. It is currently the year 4,511.
Curonia (Crusader States)
The Crusader states (Curonia in Ennespiek) is a large area of land located in central Veoh. The southern part of Curonia is of a Mediterranean climate while the northern and western part are humid continental climates. The area is divided into five seperate crusader kingdoms, the Free City of Cordiz, Protecturate of Nurao, County of Valence, Kingdom of Castleon, and the Kingdom of the Outremer. The borders of the crusader kingdoms have shifted wildly over the years as battle between the eastern crusaders and western barbarians rages on. Origonally this area was populated by dzens of small goblin kingdoms and additionally held one of the highest populations of humans in all of Veoh. Currently the area is mostly populated by elves as many goblins have been forcibly removed by the invaders or killed in the decades of conflict. A significant number of goblin converts remain along with growing population of dwarves moving in from Uldrak. Dragonborn can also be found in significant numbers often plying their trade as mercenaries.
Kingdom of Castleon
The kingdom of Castleon is a border state and in constant danger from goblins to the south and dragonborn from the west. With crusaders hailing from the nation of Lamera, Castleon is the buffer that assures the safety of Cordiz. Due to this a high importance is placed on keeping the nation alive and hundreds of knights journey there every year to fill the roles of those lost in battle. The city of Castleon itself has become extremely fortified over the years and now boasts a significant navy as well. Even with the constant warfare Castleon has grown into a major city and eleven colonists do populate many coastal towns. While many of the smaller border villages and towns have changed hands in the past few years the city of Castleon itself has not fallen in two decades under the skilled leadership of General Immanuel van Heigel.
Free City of Cordiz
Taking after the nation of Lamera, the free city is a trading hub located mostly upon the coast of the crusader states. The city of Cordiz itself is a major trading hub and has a great deal of influence from Lamera, having been founded by crusaders hailing from there. The free city has mstly stable borders, being guarded on all sides by other crusader states or the ocean itself allowing it to grow in size swiftly over the years. The free city boasts a large population of gold dwarves and the Mediterranean climate has fostered the growth of large manor estates growing anything from wine to olives for trade with the east.
Protectorate of Nurao
Administered by the Knights Justicar, the protectorate is the oldest of the crusader states and long been the safe entryway for caravans arriving from the east. The protectorate maintains most of its forces in the city of Nurao itself with several smaller forts scattered across the land. Due to the relative safety of the protectorate it has over the past few years become alive with trade and colonizers and now elves have become more common than goblins within the protectorate. The protectorate has long been aligned with the Empire of Aion and is a fierce stronghold of orthadox aionism, leading to occasional conflicts with the free city to the south.
Kingdom of the Outremer
Located the furthest north among the crusader kingdoms, the kingdom of Outremer is an alliance of fortified towns that faces constant threat from the goblins to the north. Morso than any of the other kingdoms the Outremer sees constant fighting. The borders of the kingdom shift every year as crusaders push into the goblin kingdoms and are swiftly pushed back. The nation of Kharev in particular makes life hard for the people who stay in Outremer.
County of Valence
Divided into Somershire in the north and Angless County in the south, the County of Valence is the holding of the nation of Albany. With dragonborn tribes to the west and goblin kingdoms to the north, Valence is directly on the border of the crusader states. On more than one occasion the city of Valence itself has changed hands but supplies and troops sent from the homeland of Albany have kept the state from completely dissolving. Valence is easily the most contested of the crusader lands in addition to the newest and recent stirrings of a new Khan in the west have prompted a new wave of castles across the county.
Frisia (Lamera)
A fertile and forested nations leading into a warm Mediterranean climate at the northern and western coasts, Lamera is a trade centric elven nation. The Mediterranean climate allows for the cultivation of many unique foodstuffs highly sought after across Veoh, Lameran wine is famous throughout Veoh for is rich flavor. It is a powerful nation even though it is only a fourth of the size of its neighbor Albany. Lamera boasts the largest and best equipped navy in all of Veoh and this sea dominance has been a significant factor in its recent growing strength. Lamera is dominated by rich merchant houses who wield as much power, if not more, than the local nobles. Lamera is ruled by an oligarchy of nobles who vie for power against the merchant lords in a seemingly never ending underground war for power. Lamera is also the home of the reformist sect of Aionism which has been aggressively spread throughout Lamera and into neighboring Albany. This sect has found a strong foothold in Lamera where the merchant lords and nobles have often vied with the Orthadox leaders further east. Currently the Hanseata family leads the noble oligarchy but the familie power has been in wane as its personal fortunes have slowly dwindled. Lamera, Maast, and Uchrect are the three largest cities in Lamera and boast vibrant markets along with quickly growing populations. Maasspek is the most common language spoken in Lamera, and offshoot of Ennespiek and mutually intelligible from its parent language.
Gældal Islands (Crusader States/Vjömaar)
Located in the far north-east, the Gældal Islands are separated into two parts, the Principality of Öselwiek and the Moredre Clans. The bulk of the island chains, split geographically into the main island of Uist, the minor islands of Eilean, and the southern islands of Firth, are a temperate and forested land but the northernmost reaches of the islands begin to turn into a cold taiga climate. The native dragonborn peoples of the islands, all hailing from the Moredre clan, have fought hard against the invading crusaders and the dragonborn warlords have made life hard for the invaders.
Principality of Öselwiek
The principality of Öselwiek is a crusader state established by the Empire that currently holds the western part of Uist. Mostly located around the city of Hynn, Öselwiek has often had trouble maintaining its boundaries due to the native dragonborns familiarity with the massive creatures that inhabit the island along with their knowledge of the land. Even so Öselwiek manages to for the most part hold everything west of the river Ettwick and the kingdom is firmly established requiring massive effort from the native peoples to possibly remove it.
Moredre Clans
The clans of the Moredre are mostly unaffiliated with one another, living a life of minor skirmishes for centuries, slowly the clans began to develop and towns began to form, with the cities of Inverden, Lunstad, and Marnoth of particular note. With the invasion of the elven crusaders the clans have unified greatly and keep the invaders at bay and unable to spread out further from what they have already taken. A handful of powerful dragonborn warlords have grained great power in recent years and rumrs have spread of a growing dragonborn army.
Graufen (Norgrost)
Located in the far western part of Veoh, the nation of Norgrost is a grey dwarf nation currently embroiled in the bitter everwar. The everwar has been the focal point of the grey dwarves life for the past hundred and thirty years, having fought against the kobolds nestled deep underneath Norgrost tooth and nail for the very fate of the kingdom. The kobolds arose from underneath Norgrost one hundred and thirty years ago, swarming up from the bowels of the dwarven mines and almost taking the entire city, since then the dwarves have been fighting a war of reclamation seeking to not only take back their city but to continue on and destroy the kobolds dwelling underneath. At the current stage of the war the dwarves have finally made a foothold into the kobold city underneath Norgost though the fighting is still violently fierce. Grey dwarves from all over Veoh have been traveling to Norgrost for over a century breeding them into a war focused people. The city of Norgrost itself is built almost entirely around the everwar, smiths work around the clock to forge new weapons for the war while supplies funnel in constantly to support the massive armies of the war focused nation. There is serious concern by the non-dwarven nations about what the result of the everwar could be, a kobold victory could usher in a powerful beast nations to spread across the land while a dwarven victory will result in a society completely geared for war with no one left to fight.
Holstvien (Tellgost)
A gold dwarven nation to the north and west of the empire, Tellgost controls the other land route to and from the empire and also serves as a buffer to the goblins tribes of the Northern Highlands. The northernmost plains of the nation are a cool taiga but it moves into a temperate rainforest in the southern and eastern parts of the nation. Normally on extremely good terms with the empire, the recent crusades have created a tense relationship due to the existence of the Principality of Asclion. Tellgost not only has the traditional mountain and hill towns of the dwarven people but additionally dozens of mixed elven and dwarven villages in the northern part of its territory. The nation of Tellgost is a close ally of Uldrak and maintains close ties with Weld and because of this the dwarven nations manage to have a unified front against the elven peoples to the east and the barbarians of the west making them the essential doorkeepers of Veoh. This position has made both Tellgost and Uldrak exceedingly rich.
Highlands, Lower (Goblin Kingdoms)
The lower highlands are a temperate rainforest populated by goblins and controlled by five major kingdoms. The kingdoms of Arsza, Bialstok, Kiel, Pazyryk, and Rybole hold the power in the lower highlands and before the crusades were constantly warring with each other. Since the crusades the kingdoms have been mostly in a state of careful truce as they send forces to fight the invaders from the east. Origonally the goblin kingdoms were expected to be overrun in less than a decade but the truce between the nations has slowed and in some cases stopped further elven incursion.
Arsza
The city-state of Arsza holds a small part of the highlands and is bordered by Bialstok to the north and Pazyryk to the east. Arsza boasts the strongest navy of all the southern goblin nations and because of this has managed to resist extensive raiding from the dragonborn kingdoms and their dreaded black ships. Under the command of the great general Chernyshev Zakhar a strong Arszan naval force raids and pirates Lameran ships sending troops and supplies to the crusader states and because of this Chernyshev has become somewhat of a folk hero to the free goblin peoples.
Bialstok
A city state boarding the dragonborn kingdom of Hjaltgar to the northwest, Arsza to the south, and Pazyryk to the east, Bialstok is a military focused state which has done well keeping its boundaries safe from its many enemies.
Kyiv
Based out of the capital city of Kiel, the nation of Kyiv was once locked in a decades long war with Halich-Volyia but now is its greatest ally, sending troops to help guard the border against crusaders and additionally gathering large armies to attack the state of Castleon any chance they get.
Pazyryk
Originally formed as a union between several villages, Pazyryk managed to not only keep the original villages safe but expand its power soon solidifying itself as an oligarchy that could take on any of the larger kingdoms. Pazyryk is currently one of the only places in Veoh where some semblance of democracy can be found.
Halich-Volyia
Once extending as far east as the city of Cordiz, Halich-Volyia is a shell of its former self having been decimated by costly wars with Kyiv, Crusaders from the east, and dragonborn expansion from the west. With the fall of its capital Chekov (currently known as Castleon) the nation of Halich-Volyia regrouped around the city of Rybole and quickly fortified Gorzolsk. Making peace with Kyiv as soon as possible, the nation now seeks a way to once again gather its former empire together and maintains pressure on the Kingdom of Castleon.
Highlands, Northern (Goblin Kingdoms)
The northern highlands are a group of goblin kingdoms with the two kingdoms of Odetsk and Kharev holding the most power and the rest of the territory being populated by small petty kingdoms. In addition in the far eastern part of the Highlands the Principality of Asclion holds power mostly around the city of Albace. Recently the kingdoms have banded together to fight the crusaders and Odetsk in particular sends its troops to prop up the border kingdoms.
Principality of Asclion
In the far east of the Highlands located around the city of Albace is the Principality of Asclion founded by crusaders from the Empire. The Principality is the only incursion through Tellgost into the Highlands and it has proven to be a tough land to hold. The petty kingdoms manage to best larger and better trained armies while the Kingdom of Przemysk has beaten the crusaders on more than one occasion.
Odetsk-Wislia
Founded as a union between the cities of Wislia and Odetsk, Odetsk-Wislia is now a powerful kingdom upon the northern coast of the highlands. The harsh cliffs and mountains waters near the coast of the Kingdom have mostly protected it from dragonborn raiders while petty kingdoms to the south and the kingdom of Przemysk to the east have protected it from the crusades. Regardless of the seeming safety of their position the Kingdom of Odetsk-Wislia is a large backer of the petty kingdoms sending money, supplies, and troops to help defend them against crusader excursions.
Przemysk
Centered around lake Gluszynskie, the nation of Przemysk is one of the most powerful goblin nations in Veoh. Przemysk has been at the front lines with the wars against the crusader states funneling money and troops into the petty kingdoms and defending its own borders against the nation of Outremer.
Petty Kingdoms
The petty kingdoms of the northern highlands are dozens of small kingdoms and villages that used to constantly war with each other but have recently banded together to keep the advances of the crusader states at bay. Fueled by money and troops from the two larger kingdoms of Odetsk-Wislia and Przemysk they have managed to stop and even push back the advances of the crusaders.
Hochrecht (Hazadün)
Nestled high in the Raum mountain range, the highest mountains in Veoh, the nation of Hazadün is almost completely safe from all outside attack. The dwarves of Hazadün build their cities mostly in the open unlike other dwarves with the buildings carved strait into the stone and descending into deep mines and underground fortresses. The thick jungle of the mountains and the fortified roads leading to each of the stone carved villages and towns have kept the extent of the dwarven cities unknown. In addition to the dwarven peoples located in the mountains there are also wild bands of goblins and tribes of beastmen, but they know well enough to stay away from the dwarves. Since the fall of the human empire there have been humans living among the dwarves as well and even a handful of human villages, having learned from the dwarves, have been founded in the mountains. Hazadün is the only place in all of Veoh where humans can feel safe, though their knowledge is not well known outside of the reclusive mountain nation.
Ludowe (Hassik)
Located in the far east, Hassik is a goblin nation situated next to the Empire. Unlike the goblins to the west, the goblins of Hassik are part of one unified nation and all profess belief in Aionism rather than the polytheistic gods of the western goblins. While the goblins of Hassik are considered of equal status to the elevn people officially, tension still exists among the common people of the Empire. The goblins of Hassik speak Azyakh which is similar but distinctly different from Ennespek and Khrezya, its parent languages. Hassik has been a part of the crusades, particularly in their mission to convert the polythiestic goblins to the west towards Aionism.
Levanmaar Islands (Crusader States/Goblin Kingdoms)
The Levanmaar Islands have traditionally been divided into the two island kingdoms of Ryzan and Rostov neither of whom could take total control of the islands, recently thought the two kingdoms have put down arms against each other as crusaders from Lamera have founded the Kingdom of Syrea and the Principality of Maarcao. The islands are mostly covered in temperate rainforest although manos and towns have been carved out, some of them farming precious goods such as sugar for trading with the rest of the world.
Principality of Maarcao
Located in the south-east part of the main island of Ryzan, the principality is a reformist crusader state funded by Lamera. The principality has had little luck in pacifying the mountainous villages of the goblin peoples and guerilla movements plague the tiny nation. Even with the constant guerilla fighting the constant arrival of fresh troops and resources from Lamera keeps the principality from falling.
Rostov
The island nation located on the smaller southern island of the Levanmaar, Rostov has not been touched by the crusades as of yet. The ceasefire between Ryzan and Rostov has let the island repair the damages of the long war and prepare for a possible invasion. Although Rostov has not sent troops to aid the northern island, pirates that attack Lameran ships are given free anchor in the nation and the crusaders know taking this island will require attacking a much more prepared and entrenched force.
Ryzan
The larger and northernmost island of the Levanmaar, Ryzan has lost a third of its territory to the attacking crusaders and its capital of Syric under great threat of attack. Having been in a decades long war with the island of Rostov , Ryzan was terribly unprepared for the invasion by the crusaders. Before the forces of Ryzan could be recalled from Rostov the crusaders managed to take a third of its land and even now the nation is in great danger of collapse.
Principality of Syrea
Located in the north-east of the main island of Ryzan, the principality of Syrea has had more luck than its sister principality and has violently pacified the countryside to the east of Syric. Founded by reformist crusaders, the principality has been gathering troops and resources for the past year in preparation for an invasion of the Ryzan capital of Syric.
Rothaar Pass (Uldrak)
A large mountain pass between the Rothaar Mountains and the Gladebach Mountains and home to the Dwarven stronghold of Uldrak. The dwarves of Uldrak control the whole of the pass with dozens of Dwarven fortress-villages creating a stable trade road from the elven lands of the east to the crusader states and kingdoms of the west. Even with the relative stability of the area, the pass is still frought with danger as Ogres, Giants, Beastmen, and Bandits populate the pass. The fortified dwarven villages allow for safe haven at night for travelers and because of this the dwarves of the pass have become quite wealthy. The land between the two mountain chains is hilly and dry and because of this many dwarven villages in the area rely on herding and crops such as potatoes over wheat. Food is one of the largest imports into the mountain nation while, particularly from Uldrak city, exports of fine weapons and armor along with precious metals bring in a great deal of wealth.
Shaufen (Kelgrim)
A grey dwarf kingdom south of Norgrost, Kelgrim is deeply involved in the everwar being a funder for the Norgrost armies in both goods and manpower. Serious concerns of a kobold victory have driven the people of Kelgrim to lend massive amounts of assistance to their northern neighbors. Kelgrim has the luxary of not being under constant assault like their northern cousins and because of this their returning troops have turned the Kelgrim army into a fierce and well trained one, causing much concern in the nearby dragonborn peoples.
Skalvia (Finnmarken)
Home to the Aadjar and Alheim clans of the dragonborn peoples, Finnmarken is populated by small ever changing dragonborn kingdoms. Skalvia has no major permanent kingdoms and most clans of Aadjar are still nomadic, renowned for their horsemanship. Some tiny Aadjar villages exist with a handful of their clans finally becoming sedentary and small kingdoms beginning to form. The Alheim on the other hand have taken to the sedentary lifestyle somewhat better with roughly half of the population living in small villages and forts scattered across Skalvia. The dragonborn of Skalvia have been known to on more than one occasion gather large forces under a powerful leader and strike deep into the east, having made it as far as Uldrak more than once. The majority of Finnmarken is steppe, leading to a nomadic horse people leading their herds accrss the steppes when not in times of war.
Skanelaan (Ahazad)
The dwarven land of Ahazad is home to the oldest settlements of the dwarven people and is one of the most powerful nations in Veoh. Ahazad has stood for centuries without being conquered and stands as a testament to the fighting prowess of the grey dwarves. The dwarven nation has remained neutral in the battles between the crusaders and natural residents, selling goods to both sides fairly equally. It is because of these open trade policies that certain dragonborn tribes have gotten so well armed and that crack troops from Odetsk-Wislia can match knightly orders on the battlefield. Ahazad has grown immensely wealthy due to this war profiteering and uses some of this wealth to back its brothers in the everwar underneath Norgrost. The non mountainous parts of Ahazad are filled with great broadleaf forests dotted by various mixed villages of dwarves, elves, dragonborn, humans, and goblins. In many ways the non mountain villages and towns of Ahazad are the most multicultural of all the places in Veoh.
Umbria (Albany)
Umbria is mostly flat, tree spotted hills on the outskirts of the nation become more and more flat eventually becoming the large prosperous plains dotted by groves of trees and villages. Fed by a handful of powerful rivers the plains of Umbria are rich and plentiful, easily able to feed the whole nation of Albany. Located to the south of the Empire, Albany is the second largest nation in all of Veoh and a strong supporter of the Orthodox Church. Albany is split into ten different counties each ruled over by one of the Lord Knights of Albany. Additionally there is the Kings county which is wholly ruled over by the king of Albany.
Argyll County
Briwic County
Haleshire
Ipsforth Kingship
Kent County
Lancaster County
Leckshire
Northhampton County
Perth County
Selkirk County
Wiltshire
Volkelund (Holy Empire of Aion)
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
The largest and most powerful nation in Veoh, the Holy Empire of Aion has spread its influence across the whole continent. Being the home of the leader of the church of Aion and also a militarily powerful nation, the Empire is truly a force to be reckoned with. The farmlands of the Empire are thought to be the richest in Veoh while outside of the scattered cities and towns are great swathes of broadleaf forest, creating a nation that is both scattered and unified. Numerous powerful noble families hold varying degrees of power in the nation. The emperor himself holds little power as the various noble families have almost complete control in their respective territories. Infighting between these noble houses is thought to be the main factor preventing the kingdom from swallowing up all the territory surrounding it.
Bærdlun
Ennëlun
Hidelun, Upper
Kleis
Lucheim
Norrlun
Prieg
Rochlun
Sudenlun
The southern border of the Empire, Sudenlun maintains the border with the nation of Albany and serves as a trade route between the Empire and the outside world. Three noble families hold power in Sudenlun, the Burcadanver, Kleist, and Wittsbach families. Sitting on the seat of the province is the Kleist family who hold the most sway and control the largest city in the province. The Burcadanver focus on trade particularly between the Empire and Albany while the Wittsbach family gets most of it’s wealth through silver mining, forestry, and some farming. Recently the Wittsbach family has become weaker due to meddling by the Klein family and bandit activity.
Üntyer, Lower
Üntyer, Upper
Weslund
Protectorship of Weld
Westerlands (Rjutlaan)
Home to the Halaargrund and Vjerfold clans of the dragonborn kingdoms, Rjutlaan is more stable than Finnmarken and the kingdoms there oftentimes last for several generations. The kingdoms of Rjutlaan oftentimes depart on the legendary black ships to raid coastal villages all across veoh, sometimes raiding coastal cities as far east as Albany. Split into two halves with the Halaargrund in the north and the Vjerfold in the west, the westerlands are populated by five major kingdoms and two groups of minor kingdoms. The northern parts of Rjutlaan are a frigid place where only the tough dragonborn of the Halaargrund seemingly able to survive there. The southern and western parts of Rjutlaan are part of the great southern rainforest although the northernmost parts can be quite barren as well.
Agder
Jorvik
Hjaltgar
Skiangver
Trondhjem
Halaargrund Minor Kingdoms
Vjerfold Minor Kingdoms
Dragonborn
The Dragonborn Peoples are divided both by their clan and by individual alliances to their local kingdoms in Finnmarken and Rjutlaan. Dragonborn are often found all across Veoh serving as mercenaries to various local armies due to their tenacity as warriors.
Clan Aadjar (White)
Often found in the hilly regions of the Jotunheim Mountains, clan Aadjar is separated into dozens of small petty kingdoms in the southern and eastern parts of the Finnmarken.
Clan Alheim (Black)
Once the most powerful of the five clans, clan Alheim has fallen out of power in the last few centuries as the crusades erode their traditional homelands. The people of the Alheim have small kingdoms throughout Skalvia along with Curonia sometimes mingling with clan Aadjar.
Clan Halaargrund (Red)
The current powerhouse of the five clans, Clan Hlaargrund controls much of the northern parts of the Rjutlaan. Three major kingdoms have sway over the Halaargrund clan with dozens of smaller kingdoms having swaying alliances to the larger ones.
Clan Moredre (Green)
Also known as the lost clan of forgotten ones, Clan Moredre is located in the far east in the Gældal Islands. The Moredre are a shadow of their former selves with most of their remaining territory confined to the outer reaches of the Gældal. The Moredre have significant populations in the elven empire and are the only clan to speak a language different than Djargaan, speaking Isærdjen instead.
Clan Vjerfold (Blue)
The second most powerful of the clans, Clan Vjerfold controls the southern part of the Westerlands in two major kingdoms with several smaller ones surrounding them.
Dwarves
Their are four different sub-groups of the dwarven peoples spread across the mainland of Veoh. While all of the dwarven people are physically the same, there are pronounced differences in culture and language between them.
Hill Dwarves
Hill dwarves are the dwarven clans and kingdoms spread across Curonia and the Northern Highlands, they tend to be considered of lower class than the other dwarves as they lack any claim to one of the great halls. Hill dwarven kingdoms and clans have been in the middle of the crusades, mostly ignored by the elven crusaders which has given them great opportunity to expand their power during the constant war between the elves and goblins.
Gold Dwarves
Being found in the east among the elven nations, the gold dwarves are the most business focused of all the dwarven peoples and oftentimes merchant houses rival the power of traditional clans. The language of the gold dwarves, Khazad, has become the de-facto trade language for much of the world due to their proficiency as merchants.
Grey Dwarves
Located in the far west, the grey dwarves are located in the westerlands and Skalvia along with the nation of Ahazad. The grey dwarves are currently embroiled in the Everwar underneath the hold of Norgrod which over the past two centuries has drawn most of their attention. Grey dwarves tend to be the most dour and violent of their people as they have spent the last few centuries embroiled in constant conflict. They keep their language of Khalas a tightly guarded secret which they refuse to teach to any non dwarves.
High Dwarves
Located in the south-west in the Jotunheim Mountains, the high dwarves are so named for the extreme elevation they make their home. The Jotunheim are the highest mountain range in all of Veoh and are surrounded by the jungles of the lower highlands. The high dwarves maintain a large network of interconnected mountaintop cities located anywhere from half a mile to three miles above sea level. They maintain ties to the grey dwarves to the north and the gold dwarves to the east but otherwise tend to keep to themselves, only interacting with the nearby goblins and dragonborn when they have to defend their territory. Centuries ago the high dwarves maintained a fair relationship with the human peoples and after the fall of the human empire some human settlements appeared within the high dwarven settlement, many of which still exist today.
Elves
The elven peoples are split into three very related but distinct groups. To the east lie the Imperial elves who populate the Holy Empire of Aion, to the south are the Umbrian elves who populate the kingdom of Albany and to the west are the Frisian elves who populate the kingdom of Lamera. Additionally significant populations of elves can be found in Curonia populating the myriad crusader states all of whom hail from one of the three elven kingdoms to the east.
Goblins
There are three significant populations of goblin peoples, the Ludowe, Lower Highlands, and Northern Highlands goblins.
Ludowe Goblins
Considered by the elves to be the “civilized” goblins, the Ludowe goblins control the nation of Hassik and were one of the few groups who resisted the Holy Empire of Aion in it’s glory days. The goblins of Hassik long ago converted to the Church of Aion and these goblins can now be seen as far from home as Uchrect
Lower Highland Goblins
The goblins of the lower highlands are split into dozens of city-states and minor kingdoms who have recently been assaulted by the Elven crusades into their lands. The goblins of the lower highlands tend to be cruder and more violent than other goblins and their loyalties are usually much more questionable due to the chaotic nature of their homeland. The goblins of the lower highlands fiercely reject the Church of Aion and it is here more than anywhere else where the fiercest resistance against missionaries comes from.
Northern Highland Goblins
The goblins of the northern highlands appear to be a mixture of their cousins to the east and the south. Although not considered quite as civilized as the goblins of Hassik, the kingdoms of the Northern Highlands have been much more stable and effective at resisting the advances of the elven crusades. Unlike their cousins to the east they still worship their polytheistic gods and defend them proudly.
Humans
Humans long ago lost their homeland and have been relegated to being spread across the lands of Veoh. Human enclaves can be found from Hazadun all the way to Freibeck and everywhere in between. The human peoples have done their best to retain their religion and culture and because of this there is a very large rate of travel between the different human communities. Large human settlements can be found in every major city in the elven kingdoms but particularly in Emerdyn, Nurin, Uldham, Prieg, Lamera, and Uchrect. With the crusades some humans have been moving westwards in an attempt to reclaim their ancient homelands.
Other Races
Other than the “civilized” races there are a handful of other races which populate the lands of Veoh. Beastmen roam the forests and hidden mountain caves while underneath the earth kobolds build unholy mockeries of cities and occasionally ogres and even giants destroy hamlets or even whole keeps. Dragons roost in high mountains and their fickle tendencies sometimes ally themselves with the civilized people and sometimes result in them destroying whole cities. There are forces beyond knowledge, demons summoned to the material realm by cults and spirits of legendary power. As hard as civilized nations strive all it takes is a powerful unnatural force to realize how tenuous hold on life these nations truly have.
Beastmen
Lizardmen and Gnolls, the beastmen are perverted humanoids with little intellect and a large passion for cruelty. Lizardmen are rumored to be Dragonborn who have forsaken their pagan gods and fallen to worshiping Aegjar, the mad demon lord. Gnolls on the other hand dwell in the deep forests, whole tribes of the beastly creatures rule in the deep darkness of the forest and are rumored to worship the demon lords. The gnoll tribes have on more than one occasion banded together and attacked the civilized peoples, and even in calmer times the smaller and more remote villages can disappear to these marauding monsters.
Constructs
Crafted by wizards and other powerful magics, constructs are semi-living creatures. Golems, Gargoyles, and Homunculus all walk the land, sometimes in service to powerful mages and other times guarding ancient fortresses.
Demons
Ruled over by the nine princes of hell, demons have been summoned to Veoh on more than one occasion and oftentimes turn a demon cult from a worrysome trouble to a major threat. It is not unknown for the occasional cult to summon a demon so powerful that crusades must be taken to send them back from where they came.
Dragons
The most powerful and most mysterious of the non civilized creatures, dragons populate the world of Veoh serving only themselves. Dragons of the most ancient varieties have been known to awaken and destroy whole cities or even sometimes ally themselves with nations for their own hidden purposes. The Emperor of Veoh himself is personally allied with a small cadre of dragons who serve Imperial interests. The dragonborn in particular have been known to align themselves with dragons and oftentimes the most devastating raids have been led by powerful dragons themselves.
Elementals
Powerful beings of pure elemental power, elementals are tied to particular locations of power but have also been known to serve powerful wizards or other magically inclined beings.
Fey
Powerful forces of nature, be they treants, dryads, or other beings of the feywild, these creatures serve nature before anything else and have been known to aggressively defend the land they call home. It is not uncommon for small copse of forest to be made entirely of treants who guard the surrounding forest as only living trees can.
Giants
Large, powerful, creatures who dwell among the hills and mountains, giants have been known to rarely join forces with armies as mercenaries, but more often they are known to lead small armies of bandits and other creatures in raiding and destroying border villages.
Kobolds
Living in the deep realms under the earth itself, kobolds are tiny creatures that have had little contact with the outside world. Only occasionally do the kobolds make themselves known, and when they do it is often devastating as they emerge from the earth in huge swarms that sweep across the land. More than any other civilized race the grey dwarves know of the kobolds as they have been embroiled in a centuries long war with them under the great keep of Norgost.
Minotaur
Powerful beasts that inhabit the lands west of the great pass, minotaurs have been slowly civilized and are now often treated as powerful brute warriors for great merchant houses and can be seen in dozens of arenas. There are still minotaur tribes that wander the plains but more and more minotaurs have made their homes in the cities.
Ogres
Akin to giants but far more common, ogres are a common problem to civilized nations and it is not uncommon for local nobles to organize ogre hunts when the creatures begin to act too deadly.
Spirits
Powerful natural beings that can inhabit forest animals or even the earth itself, spirits are powerful semi-divine creatures often worshiped by the humans in their remote nature shrines.
Trolls
Hideous and powerful creatures known as trolls wander the marshlands and the far northern regions, trolls are often featured in the tales of the dragonborn. Trolls, while mostly unknown to the elven nations, are immensely powerful and regenerating beasts that are not to be underestimated.
Undead
Oftentimes found in the lesser form of raised skeletons or zombies, occasionally more powerful creatures such as wights or ghouls, or sometimes even Vampires or Lich make themselves known. The undead are hated by all the civilized races and any trace of them often results in a swift destruction of such abominations.
Languages of Veoh;
Veoh is the home to a handful of different languages divided into two main writing styles and several different dialects. Aside from the dwarven languages all written language is based upon the Volkspiel written language of the elven people, brought by them when they arrived on Veoh centuries ago. The other main writing style is that of the dwarven languages utilizing the runic writing system and split between a handful of dialects.
Ennespiek
Spoken in the holy empire of Aion and using the Volkspiel writing system, Ennespiek is the most widely spoke language in all of Veoh.
Umbrian
A dialect spoken in Albany, it is almost identical to Ennespiek in all ways but has slight differences in spelling or pronunciation.
Maasspek
Spoken in Lamera, Maasspek is an offshoot of Ennespiek and mutually intelligible with it after only a few weeks of study. Reformist church members in overally Orthodox areas sometimes use Maasspek as a way of communicating without fear of reprisal.
Khrezya
Used in the highlands by the native goblins there, Khrezya also uses the Volkspiel writing system but is a distinctly different language from Ennespiek.
Azyakh
Based on both Ennespiek and Khrezya, this is the language used by the goblins of Hassik. Azyakh is distinct enough from both languages that it takes some study to learn it, but not so different that it makes it extreamly difficult.
North Draconic
West Draconic
Khazad
Umë
Uldik
Dazik
Religion in Veoh;
The gods of Veoh are an active force in the world with the faithful calling upon there patrons to help in all things, from farming to war. There are five major religions in Veoh,
Church of Aion
The largest of the faiths, the Church of Aion worships the supreme deity Aio and is found largely in the east among the elven peoples and the goblins of Hassik. The church is split into two major groups, the Reformists and Eucumenist’s. The Eucumenist branch is by far the largerst holding sway in the Empire and most of Albany having been the original Church of Aion. Reformists on the other hand are found mostly in the citites and larger towns of Lamera. The Church of AIon is divided into Bishoprics with the majority aligning with the Eucumenist sect and a handful in Lamera aligning with the reformists.
Eucumenist Church of Aion
The Eucumenist church was originally the only church of Aion until the Reformation of Churches led by Adelf Maarten. After the reformation several bishoprics in Lamera either cut ties from the church or established new rules. The immediate reaction to this was the second Albian-Lameran war of 4422 which lasted until the eventual victory of Lameran troops over the joint Imperial and Albian forces at the battle of Lüüdton in 4443. The loss of the war for the Eucumenist factions established the Reformists as a legitimate denomination of Aion and in 4445 peace was declared between the two sects. As an alternative to war with each other the two churches now seek to expand their faith outside of the traditional elven lands and the crusader states now all hold an alliance to one of the two sides. The Eucumenist crusader states are;
Principality of Asclion
Principality of Oselwiek
Protectorate of Nurao
Kingdom of the Outremer
County of Valence
The Eucumenist Church has three main holy locations located in the cities of Emerdyn, Köln, and Freibeck. The Temple of Light located in Emerdyn is the home of the High Priest and is the center of the church. The Temple of Light has grown from the original altar dedicated to Aio to a massive complex with libraries, dormitories, schools, and the temple itself. The Golden Tower located in Köln is the seat of power for the Knights Justicar and the Sword of Aion who is the greatest knight in the service of the church. The Grand Citadel located in the city of Freibeck is a massive monastery-fortress that is the center of training for Clerics and Invokers in the service of Aion.
Reformation of the Church and Allied Denominations
Founded by the cleric Adelf Maarten, the reformists are a splinter group from the Eucumenist church. Mostly located in the larger towns and cities within Lamera the Reformists are a much loser and divided group than the Eucumenist church. With the peace treaty made in 4445 the reformists have begun expanding their faith in the crusader lands with their states being;
Free City of Cordiz
Kingdom of Castleon
Principality of Maarcao
Principality of Syrea
The reformist church doesn’t place a large focus on holy locations and does not have a set leader like the Eucumenist church and bishops are the most powerful figure in their respective bishoprics.
Dragonborn Mythology
The dragonborn clans worship a pantheon of deities who each control a specific aspect of the world and life. Dragonborn deities are unlike the deities of the goblin peoples as they have no true sex instead taking whichever form they please. There are nine greater deities in addition to four lesser deities and four outer deities who hold special places in the mythology.
High gods;
Aesyir Lord of the Sun and Dragons
Forsyr Ruler of the Afterlife
Ingeld Master of Nature
Mjorr Lord of the Oceans and Seas
Njor Master of Storms and Seasons
Tyr Patron of Nobility and Leadership
Veylar Crafter of Magic
Vjarr Patron of Honor and Vengeance
Vjorgar Patron of War and Strength
Lesser gods;
Baeldar Traveler and finder of Hidden Things
Hoednir Master of Ice and Winter
Lodurr Patron of Farmers and Fertility
Sarnjot Lord of Cities and Hills
Outer gods;
*Aegjar The insane master of demons and all things warped
*Perun Creator of the Goblin peoples
*Kjorboll Master of shadows and eternal enemy to Baeldar and Aesyir
*Ullyr Creator of the dwarves and patron of smiths and weapon spirits
*The outer deities are rarely, if ever, worshiped by the dragonborn but are recognized as existing and holding some place in the mythology. In particular Kjorboll and Aegjar are particularly disdained by the Dragonborn people even though a handful of cultists may follow them. Miniature shrines to Ullyr can be found in larger smithies and Perun is often invoked when among the goblin peoples.
Dwarven Thanism
Considered to be the oldest religion by several scholars, Dwarven Thanism is the worship of the All Father and his seven sons, the great thanes. The great thanes are supposedly the first members of the dwarven race and each created a certain aspect of the dwarven culture. The thanes are universally revered by all dwarves, but usually a patron is chosen based upon the gift they gave to the dwarven people.
Thanes;
Dorn Giver of Earth and Stone
Fargrim Giver of Safety and Travel
Khondar Giver of Justice and Law
Orsik Giver of Trade
Thorik Giver of Crafting and Creation
Ulgar Giver of Honor and Vengeance
Ulric Giver of Strength
Goblin Mythology
Similar in some ways to the beliefs of the dragonborn peoples, goblin mythology has thirteen deities of varying power. At the top is the god Peryn who is unrivaled, under him are the three lesser gods and under them are the nine minor gods. All goblins pay respect to Peryn and to the three lesser gods but additionally many goblins choose one of the minor gods as a daily patron.
High god;
Peryn Lord of lightening, storms, and justice
Lesser gods;
Daz The sun and patron of warriors
Suzdav The moon and patron of thinkers
Triglav The earth and patron of creators
Minor gods;
Bozhic Son of Daz, master of light and truth
Flins Son of Triglav, lord of smiths and items
Krsnik Son of Daz, patron of leaders and honorable deeds
Ladya Daughter of Suzdav, patron of secrets and deception
Marowit Son of Triglav, crafter of boats and bridges
Pelenca Daughter of Suzdav, patron of knowledge
Sizniez Son of Triglav, patron of walls and protection
Voytek Son of Daz, spirit of warriors
Zorya Daughter of Suzdav, mistress of oceans
Kashrut
The religion of the humans, Kashrut is an immensely complex pagan religion which reveres thousands of minor gods in addition to family spirits. To the followers of Kashrut thousands of spirits and deities watch over the world. There can be deities of groves of trees, rovers, oceans, fields, hills, mountains, and dozens of other things. Together they serve the overall Masorti which is the great flow of life. In addition to these spirits and deities, Kashrut places a heavy importance on family lines and spirits, some human lines go back thousands of years and have great spiritual power. The longer a family line is and stays unblemished the more weight the family spirits are said to have in the Masorti. Kashrut shrines can be found throughout Veoh, particularly in the original homeland of the human peoples. In the current human Diaspora Kashrut shrines have been built all over the continent. Kashrut shrines are unlike most religious temples as they are often left unattended and serve as a place for the faithful to make offerings and pray rather than for dedicated services. Kashrut has no official clergy but clerics and even paladins exist within the religion. Oftentimes they are guardians of sacred spots or scholars and they often see to the creation of new shrines and the renovation of old ones.
` Outer gods and the Princes of Hell
There are in addition to the major religions of Veoh additional beings of divine power. The primordial’s are ancient beings long thought to have been slain or banished by the gods of modern times while the nine princes of hell reign over their infernal kingdom often granting boons to cultists and seeking to undermine the very foundation of the world. Both the primordial’s and demon princes are despised by all the gods across every pantheon and every sign of them found is swiftly destroyed. It is rumored the beastmen still follow the primordial’s deep in their wild homelands.
