Astedia

10% Half-Elves

8% Elves

7% Dwarves

4% Halflings

4% Vedalken

4% Goblinoids

5% All Others

Electrum Pallux

Gold Helias

Platinum Lunos

Manufactured Goods

Heavy Industry

Weapons & Armour (Including Coghearts)

Astedia was one of the Realms of Ahlus, known more so following its ascension and expansion as the Astedian Empire.

## History

In 414AG, the half-elf Cadyr Claxinns grew disenfranchised with the ten established Magical Guilds of Ahlus, and so set out to establish for himself an eleventh, his views shared with a small collection of novices and acolytes. Seeking guidance via his talent with divination magic, he settled the lands to the north of Ester Bay in southwestern Ahlus. In time, his teachings and that of those that followed him would grow in popularity and find itself tied to the minor realm of Astedia. Astedia came from (and maintained) a humble status for much of its existence. Built up around the isolated College of Claxinns, the first true Astedians were guides that walked the roads between Inverden in Gawylthlan, the various towns of the Duchies of Tynd and the dwarven fortress-city of Mol Boramm. Sharing the northern shores of Ester Bay with the researchers, they lived a mainly subsistence-orientated existence for generations, tredding out into the surrounding lands to farm, hunt and on occasion aid in the navigation of caravans passing through. The residents and visitors to the College required resources for their experiments and studies, and so the small village soon established itself into a notable tradepost between the major settlements surrounding it. Guided by envoys from merchant guilds operating in the Duchies of Tynd the settlement expanded to that of a moderate town over the course of the next century as the local population swelled with the flow of goods, coin and trade.

By the turn of another century, Astedia comprised of a small realm comprised of the central settlement of Estertan and a collection of smaller villages, largest amongst them Highholt, Taswoth, Sunford and Hazelcrot. However, the people of Astedia found their fledgling nation catching the eye of the residents of the Ironfangs to the north, with raiding parties of orogs, trolls and the occasional disturbed stone giant prowling the periphery and descending upon trading wagons. Following the theft of a convoy of precious metals from Mol Boramm by the red dragon Naavugrux, the need for militarisation was made plain to the Counts of Astedia and so they turned to their neighbours in the Dwarves of the Ironfangs and the Kingdom of Gawylthlan, as well as that of the College of Claxinns. After a series of hunts were commissioned, Naavugrux retaliated by burning down Estertan and much of the College, although was slain in the attack by a wood-elf artisan called Luqen Liatumal. Granted lands to the north, the Liatumal family would build an estate from which they would go on to create some of the most acclaimed pieces of art in Astedia, although would become more famed for the actions of Luqen's great-grandnephew Virric in the centuries to come.

Estertan would be rebuilt in time, renamed Esterving for the new fortifications created to protect it. With the town completely enveloping the remodelled College of Claxinns following its expansion, Count Daydraft would order the creation of the Moonwatch, a dedicated army and guards to patrol the territories beyond as well as the streets within. Despite these increased precautions, this expansion would generate the stirring of conflicts between the Count of Esterving and the College of Claxinns, who felt that they were in reality more than capable of defending themselves with the new wards and other abjuration-magics weaved into the walls of their new construction. Believing that the town of Esterving was now positioned to impose restrictions on their own actions and interests and subsequently fearful that they would be forced to pay tithe to prevent this, animosity between the two organisations grew. Nonetheless, for a time both existed in unison as traders and merchants continued to pass through Esterving and scholars and acolytes alike came to study at the College. The inevitable would happen at the celebration of a century passing since the rebuilding of the city, when the new Count Daydraft announced new taxation laws - laws from which the College was no longer exempt. The Inner Sanctum of the College were quick to remind the new Count of the history of Astedia, formed as it was around the College, not the other way around. Defiant, the Count sent the Moonwatch to stand guard outside the College, preventing all entry and exit, as well as providing the same courtesy to those passing through the town gates with intentions to visit. After the impromptu siege continued, the Inner Sanctum unleashed their wrath - targetted at the Count specifically. Under the guise of parley, they met with the ruler of the city, imprisoning him by means of *Minimus Containment*. The pale corundum gemstone in which he was trapped was turned into an arcane focus by the College, wielding it as a sign of their power. From henceforth, Esterving was ruled by the College and after a brief campaign the other settlements quickly fell into line behind it. The College would update their nomenclature, declaring themselves the High College of Claxinns, hiring a number of individuals from the Duchies of Tynd to aid in the administration - although they would all serve under the High College's specific instructions. With the town under their control, the Inner Sanctum would continue to expand unfettered, drawing further interest from the surrounding nations.

The King of Gawylthlan was loathe to allow this growth to extend any further, spurned into action by the counsel provided by his Court Wizard, a member of Guild of the Seventh Lily. When reports of the preparing invasion force reached the College they ordered the town to prepare for a siege by drawing their armies and villagers back behind the walls, knowing they had not the strength to face the neighbouring Kingdom in the open field. The lands surrounding the town were pillaged and claimed for the Kingdom of Gawylthlan, returning Astedia once more to a realm based around a single settlement. The siege would finally break a year and a half later, and Esterving would capitulate to the Rose Throne, an eastern settlement near the newly-founded border with the Duchies of Tynd. Esterving would exist in this form for just over a century.

With the fall of the Empire of Raq, central Ahlus collapsed into chaos. The newly-formed mountain realm of Nidaynia, having thrown off the chains of both the rule of Raq and the Tulisian occupation now sought to expand their territory, pushing south and coming into conflict with the forces stationed on the northeastern fringes by the Rose Throne. Elsewhere, the realms that would eventually become Ra-Larara and Ra-Galthe would war with each other, while the Duchies of Tynd attempted (and largely failed) to tame the jungle lands that would come to be known as Tviatin. At the Battle Of White Mountain in the southeastern Ironfangs the strength of Nidaynia would find themselves at an impasse with the Gawylthlian armies, before finally achieving a pyrrhic victory against the soldiers of King Tawnbert. The conflict drained both armies, allowing the people of Astedia to rise up once more. By the start of the Ninth Century since Aita's Gift Esterving existed once more as a minor city-state, the land around it contested with the Kingdom of Gawylthlan.

The true turn of fortunes for the people of Astedia would come three decades later. Deep within the mines of the Spirit Caverns under the southern Ironfangs a curious discovery was encountered by the dwarven colony of Mol Boramm. After miners reported their companions vanishing for days at a time, only to return raving of places fantastical, horrifying, mystical and abyssal alike, they discovered a mighty cache of what would be eventually refined into Wayfinder Stones - the novel substance refined, amplified and seemingly perfected by the efforts of Virric Liatumal and the Inner Sanctum of the High College of Claxinns. In research expedited by the unexpected malleability of the unrefined ore that would form the Wayfinder Stones and the extensive investments into the research projects by the Mulford, Veron and Darkmere families, Virric Liatumal succeeds in his efforts to create a long-term stable connection with another plane - in this instance the Plane of Earth. Set into an apparatus of his own design, the Wayfinder Stones not only facilitate the creation of the Waymark, but allow the operator to control who and what passes through. An army of indentured servants were sent shortly after preliminary tests came back positively, and so the collection and pillage on the near infinite wealths of non-precious and precious ores alike began - confident that no vengeful Dao could give chase back to the Material Plane through such a gateway.

With such power, the Council of the Moon would form, and with it the Astedian Empire.

## Structure

While ultimately ruled by the Increscent Six of the Council of Moon, Astedia was officially headed by an Emperor. Chosen by the Council to act as a figurehead through which they could channel their own laws, decrees and desires, the Emperor serves traditionally for a decade, although could be replaced sooner if such an act would be considered favourable. Should public dissent grow at the announcement of a new tax or edict, a small uprising would be staged to remove the current Emperor, and replace them with a new folk hero or the sort to placate the public for a while. Such an occurrence has happened twice in the history of the Empire for overall public sentiment remains openly positive - although this was most likely influenced by the magical and military power wielded by the state.

The rule of the vassal-states that were claimed by the expansion of the Empire brought more variety to the organisation of the Empire. Following capitulation, the matter of rule would be decided quickly, largely influenced by the level of co-operation of the now vassalised realm. A defiant ruler might find their dynasty stripped from them and in their place a steward from within their household chosen or, more commonly, a loyal noble from within the Empire itself selected by the Council. Regardless of whether the new governor is a Astedian-born or a nationalised citizen through matter of capitulation, they were granted the title of Ethnarch. Beneath them, most vassal-states persisted in their traditional organisational structures - be it feudalism, elective democracies or tribal form. Above them however ruled the Ethnarch, making mockery of most of these existing set-ups.

## Assets

Holding control over the continent's supply of ore used to create further Waystones ultimately facilitates a near infinite source of resources - although certainly not an easily attainable one. It would take several years of experimentation to establish the most predictable ways to harvest these assets, but in time the pillaging could begin.

* Plane of Air - The focus of the research of Asher Sung who was fascinated by the Earthmotes of this Inner Plane, seeking to recreate them for the expansion of the Astedian Empire to the skies. Asher Sung took part in five failed expeditions to find the Wind Dukes in the realm of Aaqa, though achieved much nonetheless during his adventures.
* Plane of Water - The endless ocean was initially seen as a bountiful resource by the Council of the Moon, primarily as a way to feed the citizens with an infinite supply of seafood. After the failure of three separate fishing colonies, this plan was eventually scrapped.
* Plane of Earth - Few planes were pillaged from so zealously as that of the Plane of Earth. Stone, metals both precious and otherwise, even gemstones. Conflicts with Dao were initially common, but after a series of expeditions safer territories were eventually discovered to facilitate more predictable mining, utilising local populations of Pech and Galeb Duhr to help them in this. Although inspired by the Plane of Fire, it was with brass made from veins of copper and zinc that the Imperial city of Esterving was constructed. After tales of the supposed treasures in the Swamp of Oblivion reached the ears of the commonfolk, many signed up for the failed expeditions.
* Plane of Fire - The Plane of Fire served to be a largely uninteresting location for the Council of the Moon, save for two features. Islands of obsidian in the Sea of Fire were pillaged, and the City of Brass on its shores were the basis of the latter architecture of the Imperial City of Esterving.
* Ysgard - It was hoped that the residents of Ysgard would be able to be rallied by the envoys sent to fight on behalf of the Astedian Empire, but such plans were eventually put on hold as the battles of Ysgard served as infinitely more interesting for the inhabitants and naught that was offered could dissuade or draw them away.
* Limbo - Short-lived and often disasterous, the Astedian Empire would benefit from their explorations into Limbo greatly. Brought together by the great mind of the Gnomish Tinkerer Kevmorn Milltall, the creation of firearms for use by the Empire would come from the chaos of Limbo.
* Pandemonium - Similar to the Shadowfell, the plane of Pandemonium was utilised only for the exile of criminals for which death was consider too merciful.
* The Abyss - Beyond during the event known as the Feast of the Eclipse, long-term connections with both the Abyss and the Nine Hells were banned by the Council of the Moon.
* Carceri - Explorers were sent to Carceri in an attempt to learn the magics of the plane for matters of warding around the prisons and dungeons utilised by the Astedian Empire on the Material Plane. When they found themselves trapped, the Waymarks were closed and naught has been heard of them since.
* Hades - The plane of the Three Glooms proved to be of little interest to the Council of the Moon, although some experimentation on the larval occupants was sanctioned.
* Gehanna - The land of the Yugoloths was treated much the same as that of the Nine Hells and the Abyss. Expeditions were few and far between, and usually ill-fated.
* The Nine Hells - Beyond during the event known as the Feast of the Eclipse, long-term connections with both the Abyss and the Nine Hells were banned by the Council of the Moon.
* Acheron - Similar to Ysgard, it was hoped that the residents of Acheron could be utilised as shock troops for the Astedian Empire. Equally similar to Ysgard, such plans fell through as naught could be done to persuade the warring armies away from their realm of bloodlust and conflict.
* Mechanus - Kevmorn Milltall spent much time in the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus, marvelling in the refined complexity of its locations, constructions and residents. Inspired by the sights, he would return to the Material Plane and begin work on his newest creation, the entities that would eventually come to be known as the Warforged.
* Arcadia - Similar to Bytopia, there were attempts to colonise Arcadia although these proved conflicting with the designs of the four allied demigods watching over the plane. The Kings of Cloud and Lightning and the Queens of Wind and Rain forced the colonists out, assisted by the celestial dwarfs that resided beneath the mountain peaks.
* Mount Celestia - Wary of the wrath of its divine residents, the Council of the Moon strongly warded against incursions into this plane.
* Bytopia - A number of settlements were created on the plane of Bytopia, exploiting the sense of productivity carried in the very aura of the domain. Desir, Lerance and Ambis served as centres for the cultivation of grains, fruit and all manner of cattle, sheep and other grazing beasts. Wine from Ambis would become highly sought after over the Empire.
* Elysium - Expeditions into Elysium were largely discontinued after the baseline urges to return left its visitors inhibited in matters of normal life.
* The Beastlands - Similar to the Plane of Water, it was initially thought that the Beastlands would serve as a source of game - supplying meat, furs, ivory, bone and all manner of other organic resources. The adventurers were quick to discover the strange magics that transformed those that slayed the occupants into the beast they had killed, promptly dissuading further escapades in this manner.
* Arborea - The elves of Arborea were a militant sort, tied to their ancestors by means of an arcane bond to their patrons. With double-bladed scimitars, they staved off attempts to explore this realm, but in time a few would enlist in the wars of Astedia as they expanded their borders. In time, all were taken by a yearning to return to Arborea.
* The Feywild - Due to the lack of predictability in the passage of time in the Feywild attempts to establish holdfasts were largely dissuaded against.
* Shadowfell - Utilised as a prison realm for criminals sentenced to a term of despair, the Shadowfell was generally avoided for large-scale processes, although bold adventurers sometimes went forth seeking adventurer.