Aros

It is said, in classroom all across the red plains, that the people of Aros were born from the breath of the Shadow Peak. From rivers of fire, ash and the dark depths of the land came the infernal, the demonic and dark. Society emerged, the people connected by a vast underground system, and a desire to thrive in the harsh environment that was their home. The black castle of Raven Ridge sits in the shadow of volcano, so the men and women of the Voltai Houses can look out at the Ash Expanse and rule their people fairly. In recent years, the city of Raven Ridge has closed its walls, law and command passed through to the lips of the Ash Knights and their Guard.

### **The Voltai Houses**

The ruling body of Aros, the Voltai sit in council within Raven Ridge Keep, and discuss matters of the continent. Each house is a powerful family within the nation, various branches of those families maintain order in their assigned cities and providences.

* The Mining House
* The House of War
* The House of Culture
* The Trade House
* The Land House

### **Black Powder:**

Mined from the Ash Expanse and the underground tunnels of Antevaskar, black powder spent a thousand years as a simple, and abundant construction material, until a wayward spell by an overeager wizard killed a hundred people in a single moment.

The power of combustion revealed to them, the Voltai ordered it not be used, for fear of its destructive nature. It was the orcs of Krag's Hold who broke the commandment, and created the first firearms, the first explosives, the first machines of war. The prohibition of black powder was enforced swiftly, but not before the weapons were spread across the borders and the sea. The war over black powder began.

### **The Ash Knights:**

The ruling military of Aros, they are an elite group of warriors based out of Fort Silver. A hundred years ago, children who wished to serve and protect their homeland would travel to the mountains for training, before returning to their villages and cities to join the guard. Now at war, children are evaluated and placed in specific training groups at a young age, forced from their homes for the good of the nation.Those with inherit magical or martial abilities are sent to Fort Silver, conscripted into the war effort as young as twelve. The punishment for fleeing conscription is death by your fellows. Knights and Warmages become executioners, sometimes forced to kill their own friends. The Ash Knights are lead by the Ash Keeper, who has final authority on matters of war, above the Voltai.

### **Raven Ridge:**

Home of the Voltai Houses, the ruling body of Aros, it is believed to be constructed entirely of black powder. In reality, it is a fortress of obsidian, carved into the side of a mountain, overlooking the Ash Expanse and protected by walls a thousand feet tall.

Since the construction of its walls, only those of power and wealth are allowed inside. Rumor and gossip tell of the vast wealth accumulated behind the walls, while the rest of the nation struggles to survive the demands of war. Heavily taxed, forced to construct and grow crops for the military and not themselves, those not selected for the Ash Knights live impoverished. Few complain about conscription, the violence of war seemingly preferable to starvation and squalor.

### **Religion:**

There are only two legal gods to worship in Aros, the God of Mercy and the God of Death. The schools in Aros teach that The Black Mother is the mother of all of Aros’ children. She made the Shadow Peak erupt, and from the ashes created the Tielfings and Dark Elves in her image. The God of Death, she is to be feared, worshipped, respected, as she is one of the few forces of the universe that is inescapable. Her symbol is a pair of hands bent in prayer, cradled by a pair of black wings.

In counter to the God of Death, the people of Aros also worship the God of Mercy, the Stoneheart. Believed to live inside the Shadow Peak, he keeps the volcano dormant, the ultimate mercy to his worshippers. His symbol, a heart carved from a chest, is required in every home.

### **Culture:**

Despite the harsh realities of their war torn homeland, the people if Aros are generally exuberant and full of celebration. They spend long days creating weapons, mining black powder and farming the fertile volcanic soil of the land, and then they spend their nights together in revelry. Because children are taken away and forced to live where they can be most useful, young children are often raised by their community. Most are born out of wedlock, for few on Aros believe in marriage. Often forced to move without choice, families are regularly split apart, so traditional family models do not make sense.

The fertile volcanic soil produces a great many crops, and fruits, though its farmers rarely get to consume their own produce. Instead they often cook large servings of rice, laden with root vegetables and spices, flavor and the company of others making up for the lack of variety and substance.

The people of Aros are huge fans of dance and music, coming together as communities to enjoy the stars whenever they can. Homes are often small, because most prefer to spend their time outside, the warm climate and lack of rain making a breeze preferable to a roof.

### **Primora****:**

Beyond the mountains, on the other side of the Shadow Peak, lies the nation of Primora. Primarily human, the Primorans began invading Aros in search for black powder. The barricade at Fort Silver, and the sentry points guarding every passage through the mountains have been a frontline of violent conflict for a hundred years. The ports of Aros are carefully regulated, and shorelines monitored, preventing infiltration from the warring nation. Designs for firearms and explosives may have escaped the nation’s borders, but as long as Aros controls the black powder supply, there is no threat.

### **People of Aros:**

#### **Tielfings and Dark Elves**

The primary races of Aros, the infernal and dark peoples are neither subjugated or feared. Though a fleet of dark elves left several hundred years ago to find a new home for a colony, most choose not to leave. Fear the nature of their birth would prevent them from existing peaceful elsewhere, they stay on Aros, despite its it's current condition.

#### **Orcs:**

Orc kind are infamous for their colonization all over the world. The city of Krag’s Hold is one such colony, settled long before the nation of Aros developed into a society with borders and laws, they still worship and live the way they did back in their Kals. The Voltai allow them to live as their own people and society within the Aros borders, so long as they do not openly thwart Aros law. The creation of firearms resulted in the genocide of 74 orc citizens, at the hands of the Ash Knights, the conflict lasting 3 days.

#### **Humans and Half Races:**

The ports of Aros did not use to be closed, and a number of other races traveled to and settled within its boards. Even still, they remain mostly within the port cities, uninterested in assimilating to the cultures of the inland towns and cities, instead creating new ones, the way melting pots seem to do.