Derioch

Leader
 Capital
 Largest City
 Militia
 Population
 Language

Derioch is the land of the Xeren. It is an island north of Karandia.

## Geography

Derioch is the largest island in the Spreean Sea dwarfing even mighty Dana. It is the only known land to which the xeran species is native. It is divided into areas under five major cities. These five cities are each a base for one of the five different Xeran sub-types.

* Dax-al the city of the Tele-Dominant (TD)

* Esan-xi the city of the Tele-Empathic (TE)

* Ki-xial the city of the Tele-Kinetic (TK)

* Para-xian the city of the Tele-Pathic (TP)

* Sen-ial the city of the Tele-Sensory (TS)

### Natural Geography

Derioch is rocky with the  dense circular range of mountains in the north and another in the east. They have little woodland and what there is, is sparse and and spindly compared to the forests of Wargak, Hardbark, Oakland or Karritan. Their shores are rocky and often straight cliffs. Ki-xial has a deep protected harbour and no cliffs which is why it is the port of choice for outsiders coming to trade with Derioch.

## Demographics

Xeren dominate **Derioch**. Everyone else is an outsider and access beyond the ports is strictly limited. Almost no aliens are allowed beyond the dockside without escorts and access to the central hub of the land is heavily restricted. The xeren are somewhat xenophobic and most openly consider other races inferior. Vhentra are forbidden to even approach the island on pain of death.

Derioch has very concentrated population. The five cities containing over 80% of their population. There are at any given time some foreigners (Non-Xeren) on Derioch but never more than a couple of hundred at most and almost always limited to the city of Ki-xial. The Xeren are fairly balanced in their numbers except that TDs are low and TPs are high. Consider the ratios as follows TD:TE :TK :TP:TS  1:2:2:3:2.

### Organisations

There are various important organisations that apply to the whole of Derioch rather than to a particular town. The:

* Academies

* Conclave

* Savants

* Triempathic

### Important Characters

* Derioch

* The Televerant

## Culture

Xeren extol art, craftsmanship and research. They are not much for fiction, economics or storytelling.

### Language

Xeren are capable of speaking Common and usually do in interactions with outsiders. They also have their own language which is called Deren after their homeland. Deren is interesting however as it has distinct dialects based on the discipline of the speaker. In each of the main cities it is spoken differently and the TP version is almost completely unspoken.

There are also some key terms that mean something different when used by a xeren.

* Breaking - destroying the ability to use psionics through relentless mental assault.

* Sealing 1 - To link two or more xeren together to use their powers in concert using a TP.

* Sealing 2 - To seal a xeran's power and prevent him using psionics. Usually done through intense mental distraction, direct mental attack or overwhelming physical pain. This merely contains the psionic's powers it does not destroy them.

* Refusal - the shutting down of the mind in response to unacceptable input either in amount of intensity.

* Go Live - The effect of a TS empowering all five senses at once in a burst.

* Deaden - The effect of a TS shutting down all five senses.

### Religion

The xeren are Avatar worshipers and scorn any who worship merely their aspects. Religion has become the domain of the Empaths some of the most powerful of whom, claim to be connected to the feelings of the avatars themselves.

Prior to the Avatar's return the xeren were oddly considered atheists by some.

## Politics and Government

The xeren consider themselves above or at least apart from the rest of Tal and its races. Their politics therefore are isolationist and occasionally invasionist.

Their system is a power driven democracy. Out of the four Tiers of Power you must be Tier 3 or higher in order to vote. This includes most but by no means all of the adult population. The voting is used to elect Witnesses to the ruling body, the Conclave.

To stand for election as a Witness you must be Tier 1. This group is ruled in turn by a group of nine Savants. The First Savant is most politically powerful individual on Derioch, yet he is not a king or an Emperor in the Karandian style. He must have the support of his Savants and/or the wider Conclave to create law and implement policy.

### Economy

Derioch trades with the outside world very carefully but frequently. It has a monopoly on psionic goods and uses this to charge exorbitant rates however this is balanced by their need for things that are common enough on the main land but rare in Derioch itself especially wood and food stuffs.

## Military

It is based primarily on the Tele-Kinetic and Tele-Dominant subgroups and lead theoretically by the First Savant. However on a day to day basis it is led by the Chancellor of the Exterior.

Under him/her the Xeren have their own career military commanded by the Vortex Marshals. The ranks work as follows:

* Vortex Marshals

* Lord Commanders (Leading Command Groups)

* Scions (Leading Web Commands)

* Commanders (Leading any smaller groups called cells or units)

Though there are several Vortex Marshals most live in semi-retirement completing civil tasks such as law enforcement or working in the Academies. Only 3-5 Vortex Marshals will actively hold that rank during peace time. However should Derioch go to war and general mobilisation commence, 30-50 more can be called up without difficulty. The rank Lord Marshal can be invoked to give some of the Marshals precedence as needed.

TK units are the most prolific in the army. They are self sufficient, hunt carry equipment, build armour, protect or attack. They can move at great speed and prepare the terrain for larger groups who may follow. most carry psi-Blades, psionically carved blades of crystal or metal and some projectile weapons.

Some specific units types are listed here Xeran Military

## History

Time on Karandia and for simplicity on Tal is determined by the existence of the dominant human Empire or Auria. So years from before the Empire are annotated BE those after it or Post Empire are annotated PE. (eg 'Jomark came to power in 10BE' means Jomark gained his power 10 years before the founding of the Empire)

In 10BE Jomark rises in Aurian Empire|Auria

0PE Creation of Aurian Empire

1259PE: During the reign of the Aurian Emperor known as the Warmaker the Blue Protectoran were sent to execute what was later called the Derioch Foray. An attempt to land on Derioch and force trade concessions by use of force. It failed.

1898-1900PE:Second Dragon Army Invasion The War of the Stars of Destiny.