Sotenheim

### History:

During the great punitive war, many people lost their houses, their lands and their families to the dragons. One of the 5 heroes, Soten just could not stand idly by while he saw so many people lose everything, having nowhere to go. So, he took action, he joined a group of refugees and took them to where the dragons would not reach, to where they could safe from the war. To this place the first settlers called Sontenheim in honor of this great hero.

Soten helped the people settle but he could not stay, he knew he belonged in the war front and so with a heavy heart he left.

The settlers started to build and to explore this new land, building statutes and temples to Soten and waiting is return. Slowly but steadily the settlement grew, first a city, then another and another.

The initial band of refugees consisted of elves,humans and gwarfs. But the centuries of race mixing and the weird ancient magic that permeated this continent morphed them into something different. With ears and hair reminiscent from elves, the beards and brawn of gwarfs and glowing magical tatoos that cover their skin. This new race thrived in this new land.

Building a religion around the return of Soten their savior.

### Capital

Hensk. The place where the first settlers arrived at Sotenheim. The city gradually grew from a settlement to a big metropolis. The city itself is organized in rings as all the cities in Sottenheim, with the larger outside rings being the fields and the poorer zones and the most inner being ones the richer zones. Hens is also the biggest port in Sotenheim, where the raiding ships and ships from other cities port to trade goods.

### Other cities

Terun is the biggest underground city in Sotenheim, being descendant of gwarfs as well Sotensons have no issue with living underground, creating great cities inside the mountains. Terun and the other underground cities are the main source of metals and minerals for Sotensons.

### Colors:

Red-the blood lost in the war.  Blue-the ocean they crossed to get to Sotenheim

### Governament:

Every 4 years all individuals that deem themselves fit compete in a series of games called the Trials of Fog. These games test the mind, body and soul of the participants with the emerging victor being deemed the King. The king approves the laws nominates the ministers and is advised by them; they also take hold of the smaller tasks. There are 7 ministers in honor of the first seven.

### Resources:

Fish/ whale hunting

Metal mined in some areas

Raiding other ships occasionally

### Major Citys

Hensk (capital)

Terun

### Quote:

“May Soten guide you”

“Fight the fear” battlecry

### Stances on:

Magic: Its cool

Necromancy: Professionals only

Blood Magic: Ok

Outsiders: Distrusted

Neighbouring nations: They usually raid other shores and ships but prefer to not interact further.

War: They are ready for it but dont desire it.

Other Races: No

Slavery: No

Diabolism: No

Prostituition: Allowed

### Leisure:

Organized fights

Rock climbing

### Festivals:

Soten day The day Soten saved them from the dragons and took them to Sotenheim. It is celebrated with a feasts, games, and songs. The most important part of this however is the Tournament. In this tournament, combatants are pitched against one another in 1v1 fights, the objective is to draw first blood or make the other yield. Th winner of the tournament gets granted the Title of “Chosen of Soten”, there is no monetary prize the winner however may ask any one thing of the king and the King must concede withing reason. People have asked for places in the minister council, fortunes, wives, houses and all manner of things.

Trials of Fog- The Trials of Fog are held every 4 years in order to pick a ruler. They are grueling challenges used too root out the best among the best. The winner is crowned king. The longest ruling king wont the Trials five times in a row finally deciding not to participate in the 6th trials.

#### Religion:

Soten is worshiped like a god, having churches and statutes. Warriors pray to him for strength, farmers for good crops and mothers for healthy sons. It is believed he will return one day from the fog bringing the news of victory.

### Army:

The king is the supreme ruler of the army being considered the best warrior. Men and women can join the army and it is divided into 2 sections the protectors; who stay in Sotenheim and protect the cities, and the raiders who explore and raid some ships and shores.

### Weapons and Armaments:

Medieval, preference for shield and spear formations.

### Rituals:

The children are bathed in ocean water in the first full  moon after their birth. In the case of cities far from the ocean there is usually a storage of ocean water brough by traders for such purposes as ocean water is considered sacred since it was the ocean that first brought the Sotensons to Sotenheim.

### Education

The children of the wealthy are instructed from young age in battle tactics history and magic. When they reach 14, they can choose their field. Poorer families may put their sons under a tutor to learn a trade or enroll them in the army. If a poor child shows magic promise, he is given the choice to be taken from is parents to learn or stay.

There are a variety of magic academies in Sotenheim each one focus on a different aspect of magic.

The Erudites study the deep secrets of Sotenheim’s inherent magic and seek to learn what is its origin as well as the arcane origins of the magic in the Sotensons themselves.

The Specialists are a special rank of the army where students are taught magic as well as learn the way of the axe, sword, and spear. They are the strongest of the Sotesons army and elite warriors who wiled both immense arcane power as well as battle prowess.

The Experts focus on magic for more practical purposes, they use magic to build and repair. Among them are smiths, wood workers artists and all variety or artisans who use magic to achieve results beyond the human hand. Non-magic artisans still exist and are the go-to for mundane works, however when something big needs to be done the Experts are called into action.