A collection of rugged islands of grim and cruel rocky highlands infested with a plethora of small hunter / warrior hill tribes and clans, strange beasts, and abandoned daemon-infested Dwarven halls from a bygone era. EditMap
EditArtificeThe default Artifice level is Low. EditNations- Linnoria: Proto-Saxon Warriors of the Rugged Highlands
- Cymthoniaid: Ancient descendants of lost Atlad
- Durok: Insular Dwarven Kingdom Under Daemonic Seige
- Baem: Highlander Fire-Worshipers
Of Interest:
- Karadakana: The Ruins of Dwarven Glory
- Wicta: Sub-human relentless savages bent on destruction
Albizia is a collection of large and small islands. The largest island, from which the region derives it's name, is called Alba by the Linnorians and Alb by the Cymthoniaid. The next largest, to the northwest of Alba, is called Aval by the Linnorians and Atla by the Cymthoniaid. Northeast of Alba is a chain of smaller islands called the Wooster Isles, and to the southwest is a chain that is collectively called the Rydd Isles which are home to two smaller Cymthonic nations. There are also numerous other tiny coastal islands off lying larger bodies.EditRegional Politics
The Linnorians and Cymthoniaid are the two dominant powers of this massive island-bound region. Though they share common origins in the storied long fallen nation of Atlad, these peoples underwent cultural drift thousands of years ago (however, the Cymthoniaid remain closer to their Atladian heritage than the Linnorians do). Their mythology has common roots, and their languages have similar grammatical structures and a few cognates and borrowed words but are otherwise incredibly different and separate, and the peoples ways of thinking are as well.
The Linnorians dominate the northeastern half of the region while the Cymthoniaid dominate the southwestern half. The Linnorians are more aggressive than the Cymthon and also often employ or ally with fiefs of their Anornian cousins (though they sometimes also fight with Anornians as well), which gives them a decided edge.
Alba was once the center of the Dwarven Commonwealth of Karadak and the ruined daemon-infested halls of Karadakana dot the hills and mountains of the island. The Dwarven nation of Durok survives, but the hardy Dwarves are far too invested in their continued battle against the daemons that bedevil them to have much time, resources, or inclinations to turn their attentions outward very often.
The upstart nation of Baem is a thorn in the side of the northern Linnorian nations of Wesserlond and Northerlond. Concentrated efforts would doubtless rout the Baemish out with some effort, but the fractious Linnorians can't seem to align around the issue.
Small pockets of Wicta survive in the hinterlands of Albizia, particularly along the southeastern edge of the main island of Alba. They are a fractured remnant and generally only pose a threat to small outlying settlements and travelers.
EditLinnorians and the Cymthoniaid
The story of these two peoples is like one of two brothers. To outsiders both cultures appear pretty similar with a shared pantheon, general appearance, and economy. But ask a Linnorian or a Cymthon how they are not the same and either would regale you with a litany of differences.
In truth, they are both descendants of one unified nation once known as Atlad, which crumbled into ruin three millennia ago. Several successor states rose and fell in the interim, but the Cymthonic dynasty arose over two thousand years ago and became the dominant power in the region, ruled over by a powerful nobility claiming direct descent from both ancient Atlad and a goddess.
The line of Cymiddor did a pretty handy job of conquering a good share of Albizia, spreading their religion and assimilating other successor states of Atlad. However a number of these proto-nations formed alliances, rebelled, and generally found common cause against the Cymthons. Over the course of several centuries and several wars what is now thought of as a Linnorian people emerged from this mess. Over the ensuing centuries the scale of balance has slowly swung towards Linnorian advantage.
Culturally, the Cymthon claim greater connection to ancient Atlad as the ruling class has long held onto the history and mythology of their glorified past. Some of the old Linnorian families can also trace their lineage all the way back to Atlad and similarly retain some sense of heritage and cultural rooting, but the average Linnorian is unaware or cares little about such things.
Across almost all levels of their respective societies, Cymthons tend to be better educated and more artistically inclined, while Linnorians tend to be more practical, harder working, and more tractable to leadership. These traits extend into the realm of warfare as well; Cymthons make great warriors and poor soldiers. The more disciplined, regimented Linnorian battle hosts have won out over the Cymthonic penchant for individual heroism more often than not.
The Cymthoniaid are an oddly non-linear people and are often considered to be mildly insane by their Linnorian neighbors. Vice versa, most Cymthons think of Linnorians as dim witted, bull headed, and uncreative swine concerned only with luchre, land, and lust.
Unsurprisingly the Linnorians and the Cymthoniaid regard each other as their natural rivals for land and resources, and there is much fighting between them with the exception of the Linnorian nation of Avalond which has had a long peace and even some intermingling with the Cymthonic nation of Gynydd with which it shares the large Aval / Atla island.
The Linnorian kingdom of Barwilond is relatively new, having been founded only sixty years previously by a particularly bold warlord who pushed over the natural border of the river Twydd and carved out a narrow fiefdom. This landgrab has been the cause and locality of almost constant small scale warfare between the Linnorians and Cymthoniaid in the ensuing six decades.
EditLinnoriansThe Linnorians are very territorial and some groups of them often wax aggressive with their neighbors. Wesserlond and Northerlond in particular have frequently been at odds and their shared border has moved one way or another from time to time. Wesserlond is currently dominant, having a greater population, but Northerlond has a very strategic alliance with some of the communities of the Wooster Isles (ostensibly to prevent further Anorian incursions such as Wellund). It is largely due to this animosity that Baem has managed to carve out and retain their dominion between Wesserlond and Northerlond without meeting organized resistance.
EditCymthoniaidThe Cymthon spend most of their energies defending themselves from Linnorian aggression but are seemingly in a slow slide into darkness. If their fortunes do not improve, at the current pace of things Cymthon will likely dwindle away to nothing over the next few centuries, crushed under the slow inevitability of Linnoria.
The one real advantage that Cymthon holds over Linnoria is the sense of shared heritage and brotherhood Cymthonic demesnes feel towards each other, while the Linnorian fiefs are fractious and often fight amongst themselves.
EditDurok
Durok is effectively a non-player in this region due to the constant pressures the Dwarves are under in their endless struggle against the Daemons. However, worthy of note, they do often hire brave mercenaries from both the Cymthon and especially the Linnorians to employ in their forever war. The survival rate is bleak, but the pay for the survivors is handsome; some even emerge from Dwarven service with runic tattoos or items gifted as part of their payment.
Historically, the Linnorian culture includes some elements gained from Dwarven culture; most notably the basis of their alphabet and Runeforging. For their part Linnorians hold Dwarves in a kind of mild superstitious awe, and even included a version of the Dwarven patriarch god Kadrin in their own mythology as the doughty stalwart and skillful smith god Kadri.
EditBaem
Baem is a relative upstart and has thus far managed to survive largely due to its ideal geo-political position, resting between two Linnorian fiefdoms with a long history of aggression with each other (Wesserlond and Northerlond). However, the Baemish depredations are approaching the point where one or the other fief or both will have to take action despite the potential consequences.
Regions of Barbarica
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