Asvaran Confederacy

The Asvaran Confederacy is a union of small cities formed by colonists of the Azan Empire, which sailed down south long ago. While each colony is nominally loyal to the Emperor of Azan and occasionally sends gifts to the North, for all intents and purposes they have been independent almost since their creation.
The cities of the Asvaran are small and mostly around the southern coast of the Peninsula, where the sea is relatively calm. Here the largest city (though still quite small by the standards of the northern empires), and de facto leader of the confederation, Last Redoubt, can be found. The northern coast is much colder, and the northern winds are so strong that navigation is impossible in the winter months. Only one notable city is in the southern coast, aptly named Coldshore. The interior of the peninsula is quite mountainous so there are only small villages.
The citizen-militias of the coloneis man the Eastern Wall, to protect the cities from the savages and monsters that dwell in the Zulutaur Steppes.
The economy of the Asvaran cities relies almost entirely on the sea (great whale fishing and commerce with Dsrvyth, Lorient, Azan, Changrila, etc...) and the extraction of it's famed azure diamonds in it's mountains.
== History ==
The Diwi people have lived in the region as far back as anyone can remember, though racially they are likely a mix of the Horse Nomad and Southerner racial groups.
The Azan Empire has had colonies in the region on and off for millennia, but it wasn’t until the late 7th dynasty (roughly two thousand years ago) that large scale colonization efforts began in order to support the new southern trade empire it was forming around the city of Moridan. Most of the colonists were from Gvilderstaaten, Siuverland, North Scimitaria, and Wanaidheain (now the Isle of Wizards) due to political and economic reformations that were occurring there at the time. 
Perhaps as a result of being initially settled by peasants who were kicked off their land, the Asvaran Confederacy was never particularly loyal to the Azan Empire, and became less so over time as the governing class became increasingly mixed in with local bloodlines.
However, the Confederacy never rebelled, perhaps due to their dislike for Changrila, and remains technically a part of the Azan Empire to this day, even as the rest of Azan's southern holdings broke off into independent nations.
== Government ==
The Confederacy has half a dozen small city-states, each with its own government, plus a few independent townships. Each government is known as a colony, and has a governor appointed by the Azan Empire, though in truth some governorships have long been hereditary positions held by locals, while others are figurehead positions for local councils. Many are both. 
== Economy ==
The backbone of the local economy is trade. Asvarans are known throughout south and east for their skill as mariners, and more than a few sailors and ships working the routes between North Scimitaria/Zapalovach and the Blind Bastard’s Domain are Asvarans. Asvarans are also dominate the whaling industry in the region, and have plenty of fishing boats as well.
However, despite their maritime reputation, most Asvarans live on shore as farmers and herders, though neither is a major source of income at a national level. On the other hand, the azure diamond mining industry is nearly as important as the whaling industry, though it employs only a relatively small portion of the population. There have also been a few gold rushes, though there are no major mines at the moment.
== Foreign Relations ==
=== Azan Empire ===
The Confederacy is still a part of the Empire, and still pays yearly tribute, though is politically very independent. No one in Azan cares too much though as long as the Confederacy remains a friendly port.
=== Azan Empire, Dsrvyth, Changrila, Blind Bastard’s Domain, Lorient ===
The main trading partners of the Confederacy.
=== Zulutaur Steppes ===
The Confederacy built a large wall to keep out inhabitants of Zulutaur Steppes, but also trade frequently with the Zulutaurs themselves and certain other friendly tribes. The wall is mostly for pig men, eight legged lions, ostrichfolk, orcs, and other hostile races and monsters living in the Steppes. An old Azanese canal that crosses a southern part of the Steppes and allows access to the Sea of the Void is heavily used by the Asvarans, though is officially not affiliated with any nation.
=== Mona Ki Ngi Xica Savannah ===
Major land trade routes cross this region to reach the Sea of Fog and from there the Domain. Asvarans are frequent visitors to ports on the west side of the Savannah run by the Domain, but rarely travel further east themselves.
=== Maneater Islands, Ortuga, Nasr Satrapies ===
Asvarans have a strong dislike for pirates, and are often targeted by them, though ironically, many pirates themselves are Asvaran.
=== Tuarapon ===
Occasionally Asvarans will visit to search for rare plants and animals.
=== War-Wel, Eldritch Jungle, the Maelstorm, and Moreaux Island ===
The Asvarans generally avoid these places.
== Geography ==
The northern shore is subtropical, though large portions of it have been cleared for grazing land. The southern shore is cooled by a poorly understood ocean current, and has a temperate climate that seems positively frigid compared to the steaming jungles that ring the nearby Sea of The End. In between the two shores are a small but steep mountain range that is frequently covered in snow.
Azanese Heartland architecture tends to dominate in urban areas, but in rural areas buildings tend to be simpler structures of painted wood, half-timber, or stone.
== Demographics ==
=== Human ===
Most of the population is human, but of several different ethnicities. The Diwi people are the original inhabitants, and despite partially assimilating into the dominant culture, still often wear traditional garb and keep live in separate villages, though they are common enough in cities and on ships as well. The settlers are often of Westerling origin from North Scimitaria, North Azan, Wanaidheain, etc., but some are also from south or west coast Azan Empire, Changrila, or a number of other places that were a part of the Azan Empire at the time. In more recent times, there has been some immigration from seafaring nations like Zapalovach or Hithlone.
=== Hobbits and Dwarves ===
A few of these races settled the area alongside human settlers. The burrow style houses of the hobbits sometimes become local tourist attractions.
=== Orcs ===
A few orcs still live in the wilder parts of the Confederacy, though they are more common in the Zulutaur Steppes. Academics have yet to decide whether the west coast or the south coast of the continent is the original orc homeland, but now they can be found on both in certain areas.
=== Beast Races ===
Small tribes and raiding parties from the so-called beast races of the Zulutaur Steppe can sometimes be found in the Asvaran Confederacy including zulutaurs, ostrichfolk, man-beasts, and pig men.
== Religion ==
The New Azan Faith is dominant in the Confederacy, though a few other religions can be found as well including the Northmen Pantheon, assorted Westerling faiths, the Divine Light, and Avestanianism.
Although most of the Diwi people have converted to the New Azan Faith, aspects of their old spirit worshipping religion still survive. Like certain other religions in the south, it doesn’t distinguish between gods, demons, fey, and spirit animals, seeing all as spirits to be placated, though certain regional spirits get most of the attention. 
== Military ==
During the initial colonization, the region was fairly dangerous, and as a result, most communities were walled. These days, only the large stone walls of certain older cities and towns still survive, as the region has largely been pacified except for the occasional pirate raid or harassment from beast races or orcs.
A large wall along the border of the Zulutaur Steppes helps keep most of the more feral beast races from easily entering the Confederacy.
Asvarans are too independent minded to maintain a large army, but there is an Azanese Legion, plus dedicated city watches and town guards in the larger communities. Most of the actual fighting gets done by the colonial militia regiments though. Often fighting as light cavalry, they are well adapted to the sunny hills and steppes where they often see action.
The Confederacy doesn’t have its own fleet, but Azanese Navy detachments sometimes deploy in the region, and the Asvarans have a reputation for heavily arming their merchant, whaling, and fishing vessels.
Category:Nations
Category:Giantstep