Saeras

Situated on the southern reaches of Thyrin, the
Primarchy of Saeras (SAIR iss) is a land of rolling plans, jagged moutains, and
thick forests that range from heavy undergrowth to mucky swampland. Nonetheless
beautiful in its own way, Saeras is a hardier land for a hardier stock of
humanity. Cities of sandstone and shale with fortifications of granite and
steel stand strong along the courses of the river Rolmeas and its tributary
Resmea.

The
population of Saeras proper, primarily of human stock, is ruled by a hereditary
leader known as the Primus, who is advised by the Tricaea. The three-person
advisory council is composed of the heads of the three ruling houses, which are
in turn advised by the Populari, a body of politicians elected by the nations
many guilds. The guilds and related merchant houses, however, hold the most
direct power over the populace day-to-day.

The
Saerasi people are proud and athletic, raised to enjoy contests of strength,
athleticisim, and martial prowess. They are also students of history and war,
recently fascinated with the new histories available now that free
communication has been established between the continents of Thyrin and Ceilar.
The Saerasi believe that the key to victory in the contests of the future is
knowledge of the strategies, victories, and defeats of the past.

The
only long-term diplomatic relationship that Saeras has maintained over the
centuries is with the Thuirzar "cloud dwarves" of the Noble March
Mountains to their east. The Saerasi admire the ability of the Thuirzar and
their "Thunderous Duke" to reside and work among the electrical
storms and static-charged clouds that surround the peaks of the Noble March,
and the Thuirzar admire the Saerasi's strength, stamina, and willingness to
leave them more or less alone except for occasions of trade and commerce.

The River Gnomes that reside in the far western
reaches of Searasi along the Whispering River where the human nation borders
the Murmuring Forest are, for the most part, left alone by the Saerasi. They
are not recognized as citizens of the nation but neither are they seen as a
threat, and because of their size and stature, most of the Saerasi see them as
insignificant... and the River Gnomes like it that way. They maintain trade
relations with Saeras, but have little more in the way of a formal
relationship.

Saeras
was perhaps the nation most wounded by the rise and fall of the archangel Az
during the Third Incursion of Kaos. Their people had been misled by Melaryss
man Ullaryen into near full conversion to his worship, and the loss of their
primary deity affected the morale of the country greatly. Worship of the storm eidolon
Eshara, first brought to the Primarch's attention by the Thunderous Duke of the
Thuirzar, has grown to fill much of that void as the Saerasi desperately seek a
god or goddess that will help them reunite as a people after the betrayal of
their false god.

With
the fall of Az, the Primus was forced to admit that Saeras should be more aware
of the happenings outside of its borders. In response, the Saeasi government began
to pursue diplomatic relationships with the outside world, sending ambassadors
to the Seawn, Kæryn, Korvis, and the Rakastani Imperium. The Imperial Rakshasa,
having few such overtures and fewer allies, were quick to open talks with such
a strong, militaristic nation.

There
only real success in establishing a diplomatic tie to a human nation in Ceilar,
however, has been with Korvis, who were also quick to seize the opportunity to
gain allies on Thyrin. That allegiance has in turn undermined any chance they
had of establishing solid diplomatic ties to Kæryn and to a lesser extent the
government Seawn, which was already hesitant because of Saeras' growing
relationship with the Rakshasa of the Imperium.

The resistance of other human nations to
agree to an alliance has, to some extent, given the Primus the excuse he heeds
to belay such efforts and turn the main focus of his attention towards
rebuilding his country's infrastructure and military. After all, if such
efforts are more trouble than they are worth, why bother? Nevertheless, the Saerasi
guilds and merchant houses continue to reach outside of their borders looking
to improve their commercial relations with the rest of the world.