Auralauria

Capital: NonePopulation: 251,000 (47 % elf, 38% human, 10% half-elf, many others)Government: No national government, different factions control territory, each with their own leadership.Allies: Varies according to faction.Rivals: Pretty much everybody on some level.Religion: Varies, the forest is the home to a few sects persecuted elsewhere.Exports: Revolution, mercenaries, crafts associated with different factions.Imports: Arms, armor, metals, military equipment.Alignment: Chaotic Neutral.Language: ArumelianSlavery: Differs according to faction, though overall it is quite common and brutal.Centuries ago, when the First Empire of Trynser was still young, the Arumelian Empire was at its height. Racial tensions developed between the humans that ruled that empire and the elves that were native to the lands that they expanded to. One nearly inpenatrable forest on the Arumelian Empire’s frontiers was the home to three distinct elven cultures that the empire never was able to subdue.Rather than try, Emperor Manarg XVII decreed that troublesome elven populations within Arumelian borders were to be relocated to the Auralauria Forest. Of course, the elves being displaced made this most difficult, and Arumelia wasn’t always successful. Still, many elves were forced to take the long journey to the unfamiliar forest. The Arumelian policy of relocation was in effect for much of three centuries. In following centuries, the forest was used as a rubbish bin for other factions that were undesirable to the Arumelian throne. Criminals and persecuted factions fled to the forest to escape imperial justice or prejudice. In years that followed, undesirables from all over Western Crytha hid out in the forest, except for the monsterous humanoids that infest the region, they were met with bow and sword. In time, the population of human undesirables came to rival that of the elves.The native elves united and struck back in retaliation for the dumping of the undesirables, but when they left the forests to strike the Arumelians, they ran into a wall of defenses the empire had built to keep the elves in. The fighting power of the native elves was broken right when they could have had an influence on the incoming population. Instead, they were forced to lick their wounds and salvage whatever they could of their situations while watching the newcomers pile in. While none too keen to be the choce hiding spot of criminals, the elves of the Auralauria Forest figured that anyone Arumelia didn’t like might be useful. Of course, the worst offenders were usually eliminatedThere were many different factions that ended up in the Auralauria Forest, many of which didn’t really like each other. Occasionally one would be eliminated by its enemies, including one of the three original elven cultures. But they all realized that they were in the same situation, and they were all united by a dislike for Arumelia and other local realms that had forsaken them. Therefore, when Tezist revolted from Arumelian rule during the Great Western War, warriors from Auralauria struck hard at the Arumelian soldiers that were rushed to the scene and supported the revolting realms that forced Arumelia out of the war. When Tezist’s rulers declared the Auralauria Forest a part of the new independent state of Tezist, the Auralaurians dared them to try to take control. To this date, the Auralauria forest is formally claimed by Arumelia, and Tezist, but the region swears fealty to no foreign rulers. Rebels fighting every country that borders the forest skulk between the trees, often supported by other neighboring nations or organizations hostile to those the rebels are fighting. The forest is rife with intrigue and conflict.Settlements:Baustark’s Crossing: 15,000 (50% Arumelian human, thousands of elves of different nationalities, hundreds of gnomes, halflings, centaurs, assorted humanoids).The Smoking Bones tavern in this town is the de facto meeting place for all factions within the Auralauria Forest. Not only do different rulers or representatives of the factions meet here to iron out differences or make policy, but traders, mercenaries, rebels and all sorts of people meet here making this small town a hotbed of intrigue.Riverport Molgin: 23,000 (40% Arumelian human, 40% elves of different nationalities, thousands of Rhie dwarves, a vast collection of other races).The port on the Amethyst River of the Forest, goods shipped to a number of factions pass through here on to whatever hands they end up falling into. Though many factions have agreements of neutrality regarding shipping to this town, one doing business here had best watch his back.
Characters:Natives of the Auralauria Forest come from many different sources.