The Stormlands

**The Stormlands** are a Human-inhabited universe in the Anima Project series. They are known for their simplistic lifestyle, dedication to the magic arts, and open doors to non-human immigration from other worlds.

## Other Universes

The Stormlands hold a very impressive resume with its forged relations between other universes. While it seldom roams to other worlds save for Amni for political good will visits, it holds open doors to what it views to be 'favorable' universes. This has been picked up by multitudes of universes such as Vrchol, Argent Mer, and Zeitlos, but has earned ire from worlds such as Vestimor and Terse.

## Structure

The Stormlands earned their name from the empire which holds a choke hold on the entirety of the continent on which they reside. The royal Callaghan family holds the highest authority on all regions on the continent, though they have resigned control to affiliated leaders out of good will to the local settlements of Kamen and Stromlos. They have also long since forfeited possession of the lands north of the Imperial Ridge to the Northern Legion as well, in order to prevent turning the Stormlands into a greed-driven world or an easy target for stronger worlds.

## Countries & Features

The Stormlands are composed of numerous vaguely divided regions, with the only true explicit barrier being the Imperial Ridge forming the border between the Stormlands and the territory of the Northern Legion.

### The Callaghan Empire

The actual empire itself is a relatively small region bordering the Callaghan Keep, which rests carved into the side of the Imperial Ridge. Despite being easily the smallest region in the Stormlands, the villages tightly clustered in the vicinity of the keep compose almost fifty percent of the human population. The Callaghan empire maintains direct control over the dense woodland in the heart of the continent, though it is technically recognized as its own region.

### The Heartlands

The forests which compose most of the wilderness which separates the actual Callaghan empire from its neighboring countries. Numerous human settlements have spread out from the keep itself in order to establish farms and druidic sects throughout. It is considered a more lawless land than the immediate area around the keep, largely enforced only vocally by the Callaghan family but instead policed by mercenaries from the Stormlands, Amni, and Argent Mer who patrol the wilderness in order to watch over the widespread populace.

### The Kamen Settlement

Far to the southwest of the Heartlands rests one of the two largest settlements of immigrant races to the Stormlands. Serving as one of the few major Kamen settlements outside of Vrchol, the Kamen settlement operates under its own independent system from the Callaghan family's politics. However, they hold the royal family in high esteem as a result of the respect shown to them both in their ample land and political freedom, and the druidic presence in the Heartlands. They are willing to aid the otherwise lacking imperial army when in need. However, they are overwhelmingly neutral to the nearby Stromlos settlement.

### The Stromlos Settlement

Led by king Urs Atzend, the settlement within the once frigid desert east of the Heartlands operates in a hive-like setting not unlike what is present in Zeitlos. The deserts are cultivated from the ant hill-like fortress deep within the sands, and the sand and stone are regularly transported back to Zeitlos for the creation of additional towers within their homeland. The Stromlos are overwhelmingly ignorant of external issues, and are also shown to be willing to do anything they please under Urs' orders due to his imposed disdain toward humans. However, they remain an officially recognized settlement due to their cooperation with Heartlands mercenaries and technical obedience in the face of direct decrees from the Callaghan family.

### The Northern Legion

The most recently founded region, the Northern Legion is a single group of exiled native mercenaries who strive to protect the wealth hidden beneath the ice of the frozen north beyond the Imperial Barrier. They were the original slayers of the ice dragon Molan, whose bones ended up trading hands from the Legion to the royal family to king Urs in repeated shows of good faith between countries.

## People From The Stormlands

Alistar Callaghan - The Knight of Amarandos. An acolyte and king of the Stormlands.

Finn Callaghan II - The Black Cloud. An acolyte and king of the Stormlands.

Taranis Callaghan - The Stormcaller. An acolyte and king of the Stormlands.

Byrne Callaghan - The Bearer of Light. An acolyte and descendant of Taranis.

Briant Grada - The leader of the Northern Legion who restores unity to the Stormlands after the fall of the Callaghan family

Lugh Grada - The son of Briant Grada who would eventually awaken as a descendant of Amarandos.

Marcas Grada - The son of a political marriage between the daughter of Amni leader Dante Alvisio and the son of Stormlands leader Briant Grada.

Nicholas Wilkin - A member of a travelling druid group.

Fergus Brennan - A blacksmith from the heartlands who aids local mercenaries.

Molan - An ice dragon who hatched and lived within the icy north of the Stormlands.