Oweib

Oweib human Magocracy with subterranean ruins

Thwidu, Hundo, Nexda

Oweib lives in the shadow of Gesurb, and the long shadow of the endless castle is one that causes darkness to pool in the strange nation. Oweib is a nation defined by its ruler, the Autocratic Ibid the Avowed. Other than ‘the Avowed’ Ibid has no official title as lord of Oweib, and as such he is sometimes referred to as The Ibid. Seemingly a thin human male of average height, records of Ibid stretch back to founding of Raggnloth, ten times over the normal lifespan of a human. We can assume that Ibid the avowed left the far southern coast, stopping in yoluger and announcing he was on some mission to Gesurb, but settled beneath the castle, supposedly Crafting the Hundo castle and town with his magic alone. These records are seemingly purposefully vague, censored and restricted across the cog. The facts that are irrefutable are that the founder of Oweib is still the ruler of his nation today, and the nation is hostile and restrictive to outsiders and its own citizens.

Hundo was the name of the castle that appeared in the wastes outside of Yoluger. A twisting palace of thin towers and lacking many physical defences, it was a confusing sight for those in the area, arriving overnight on the edge of the Merec wilderness. The young sorcerer who lived there seemingly did so alone for almost a century, until the gates of Gesurb opened and the humans that lived in the ruins of the ever spiralling dragon castle began to populate the land. At first they met resistance from spells and bizarre creatures that seemingly materialized to stop this immigration. Eventually, if the histories of the halflings of Saihal can be trusted, an empty village appeared around the new walls of the castle. Unfurnished stone buildings, a windmill, a pond and even a structure resembling a tavern just materialised, looking as if they had been abandoned but without a hint of decay. When this town was discovered, records indicate that the people of Hundo knew what their town was to be called, that this grassland was called Oweib, that they lived near the sorcerer Ibid the avowed and even which houses were theirs. This village lived in peace, and after coming to terms with the strange circumstances, prosperity. This was until the day a Dwarven Priest of the five goddesses called Noe Nicklebriar began consecrating the grounds of his building to make the first temple in Hundo. As the statue was put into the place of the altar, it was struck by an eldritch lightning storm and the building burst into blue and red flames of unquenchable heat. While the surrounding buildings where unharmed and the sculptor, workmen and assembled crowd were unharmed, Father Nicklebriar was burned to ashes in a matter of seconds.

Two days after the temple incident, a new village appeared in the land of Oweib called Thwidu. It was much the empty in much the same way as the Hundo village but built more orderly, around a library that was already filled with books, scrolls and reference materials from the cog, and beyond. The chief librarian arrived from zuge, already appointed on the paperwork. He was an Aasimar called Phillip Lightborn who had been terribly injured in the Ragnnloth war against mages, losing use of his legs and left arm. The other difference between Hundo and this new Thwidu town were the tall stone Golems that stood motionless at the corners of most of the neat intersections across the town. The Golems would answer questions posed to them, assist in injuries and accidents, prevent crime and other such municipal tasks. Although no unexpected disaster occurred, after seven cog years of Thwidu and Hundo, a third town appeared. Called Nexda, much of the buildings were already populated by goblins when the other Oweib citizens investigated them. Nexda also produced the first minted coins of Oweib, Electrum lightning bolts and the golems positioned in all three towns informed all residents that any previous gold or silver currency was no longer valid within Oweib. Nexda had a considerable underground tunnel system beneath it, chambers and sewers and most notably the enormous undernexda market, a bazaar with some of the strangest stalls found on the cog. Sellers include devils, demons, fey, oozes, djinn and all manner of otherworldly travellers. These increasingly bizarre developments disquieted many of the inhabitants and many began to question why they had settled in a suddenly apparated village to begin with.

On the eve of the Hokekaso festival a cog year after the appearance of Nexda, the golems announced that there would no longer be a permitted celebration of the five goddesses anywhere in Oweib and that any discovery of religious activity would be strictly punished. This and increasing discontent lead to a full riot, in which many marched on Hundo castle itself and take their almost entirely absent leader to task. While the rebellion only inflicted cosmetic damage upon Hundo castle before it was dispersed by the un-aged avowed himself and his powerful magic, it changed how Oweib was governed by Ibid. Mere mention of the goddesses and their holidays were outlawed. The stone golems were joined by iron golems that patrolled Hundo castle, and stranger constructs that flitted between the towns completing tasks for Ibid. A ring of standing stones augmented with metal were placed around the boarders of his land, and at the key locations across all three towns. While these are certainly are some sort of surveillance, these have inconsistent reports of activity when they are activated. Some dispelling or countering magic, some attacking in response to danger and some seemingly whispering to themselves in the voice of Ibid. Along with the stones, Ibid the avowed began recruiting for town guards that keep more of an eye on his subjects than outside threats. Officially known as the ‘Abundance Defence’ they are more commonly known as the dogs. While records of their involvement in the last great war are clandestine, there appears to have been some considerable effort by Ibid the Avowed alone to attack his magical enemies while they dealt with physical threats. It is only known that they were forced to surrender their invasion of Saihal, and shortly thereafter resigned from the army of the ‘allied’ that they had been a part of.

Modern Oweib is one of the least welcoming places in Maligon. Most inhabitants have facial tattoos, clearing marking them and differentiating them from outsiders. All the businesses only trade in Electrum lightning bolts and require a presented pass paper authorised by the Abundance Defence, including the singular inn in hundo: ‘Glory to the Avowed’. The Hundo castle never entertains guests and dignitaries, and seemingly has no staff inside. Rumours of things within Ibid’s castle abound, many being passed down from the earliest days of the village. A portal to the vertical cog, teleportation circle to Verennicicpt, a chunk of an Elven city suspended in time, a devil bound to his bidding and perhaps most worryingly, some wonder if Ibid has imprisoned Sixir and presented an imposter to the cog.

Thwidu still has its library, again requiring the strange enchanted paperwork to enter. attached to the library is dark building known as the institute. any magically gifted or interested children are taken from their families and placed in training within the institute, and many are never seen again. The books in the library are unable to be removed from the building by any known means, those spirited away dangerously destroy themselves after a certain distant and rematerialise in their position on the shelf. Almost half of the books kept in Thwidu are not from the cog, Speaking of realms beyond. Suns, vessels that travel through space, lands after a cataclysm and potential mirrors and futures of the cog. Phillip Lightborn is somehow still alive, and still the chief librarian, having adopted a star tattoo on the centre of his forehead to express his continued loyalty to Ibid.

Nexda has grown as the busiest town of oweib, with most immigrants who pass the strict tests set by the dogs and golems settling here. Undernexda market has grown even more spiralling and drawn even more bizarre clients and sellers, a nexus point for magical creatures across both cogs. In the last twenty five years, Visitations of Ibid the Avowed to the undernexda have become a regular occurrence. Always alone, still looking like a youthful sorcerer, but with varying styles of dress and cosmetic touches. Those who have met the illusive tyrant there have concluded differing things about his personality, but all have considered it a life altering experience.

Dating back to when Hundo Castle was the only civilization, Oweib has a problem with magically summoned creatures as invasive species. Many curtailed from invading neighbouring borders by the standing stones placed after the festival rebellion. Fey creatures, demons, devils, aberrations can be found just stalking the plains. The unique creature of Oweib is known as the Gremishka, magically unstable tiny monstrosities that cause havoc wherever they appear.