The Countries of the World

Raniroc is a snowy island country, inhabited by the Ranirocans. Ranirocans are similar to real-world Vikings. Their country is based around raiding, killing, personal strength and warrior spirit.

Ranirocans are famous for their seafaring ability and their viciousness in battle. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Ranirocan on the seas that doesn't know his way around several different ships. They're very popular as hired crewmen for privateers and pirate hunters, but there's more than one pirate out there with a shipful of Ranriocans.

Raniroc is ruled from the capital city of Frostfangs, a city surrounded by ancient, fang-like spires. Worshippers of a variety of lesser storm and ocean gods.

### Gronmir

(Gron-meer)

Gronmir is a mountainous country, and the ancestral home of all dwarves. The hulking Gronmir mountain range makes up the majority of this country. The dominant population here is dwarven.

Gronmir is ruled by one High King of Gronmir. The High King is elected from one of several kings, one for each mountain range in the world. Below the High King and the lesser kings there are the clan lords.

Dwarven clans are largely independent and left to do whatever they please, unless they are rallied by their High King. Prominent Clans include Stonehand, High-Az, and Ironheart. The current High King is called Old Iron Eye, for a siege engine rod rammed into his skull that was unable to put down the strong Dwarf king.

### The State

The State is the area taken over by Count Arnon when he fled to the Old World. It is currently a wealthy, pseudo-democratic nation.

The State is ruled by King Arnon I. Arnon, however, holds council with the State Congress. The Congress is made up of 5 delegates from each county, which amounts to roughly 120 or so at any given time. The other level of government is the Provincial Senate, with 3 delegates from each Province, Chevlais and Rangal.

#### Rangal

(Ran-gall)

Rangal is the former seat of the Imperium, and home to its massive capital, the White City. Rangalians are predominantly human. Currently, Rangal is under control of The State, and the White City serves as the capital of the State as a whole, and is King Arnon's seat of power.

#### Chevlais

(Shev-lay)

A very wealthy country, currently under control of the State. Its culture is similar to that of feudal France. The dominant population of Chevlais is human, and it is led by King Leonhardt Bastonne, who recently seized control of the country and personally maintains and leads its armies in the State's name. With Dumonte's return as a Living Saint, the future of the country's leadership is at question.

### Brightwoods

The massive forest that is home to the Wood Elves. The forest is comprised of massive trees, hundreds of feet tall. Worshippers of Deum Lucis, primarily, they avoid world politics as a general rule and typically keep to themselves.

The Brightwoods is ruled by the Star King, and his seven Constellation Kings.

### Praia

(Prey-ah)

A coastal country, until recently dominated by the O'Patrick criminal syndicate. The culture is similar to Industrial Revolution-era Ireland.

Praia's monarchy has been seen as weak, corrupt, and a puppet for the O'Patrick crime family. The true ruling force in Praia was the O'Patrick family, a massive crime family that is lead by Cormack O'Patrick and his two bothers. However, recent events have seen a change in power dynamic, as King Bruce took up the legendary Brightsword and Broken Crown, and begun systematically destroying the O'Patricks.

### Ismire

(Iss-mire)

A desert country, home to Ismirians. The desert is said to be endless to those who do not know their way.

Ismire is ruled by the Sultan and his Sharifs. The Sultan is rumored to have two djinn enslaved to him, thus granting him six wishes -- although some rumors further elaborate that he's already used one, for some unknown purpose.

### Auslands

(Ous-lands)

A plains country, inhabited predominantly by humans. Well-known for its prime horses and cavalry.

The Auslands are ruled by the Kaiser, Wilhelm Godfried II. Kaiser Godfried also rules over the New World country of the New Auslands since reclaiming the Auslands from the Imperium.

## Prog

(Proh-g)

Prog is an island nation, home of the militant Progans.

Prog is ruled from its capital fortress-city of Ravenloft. The Hafenrichter family has ruled Prog for as long as it has existed, until leading up to the last Hafenrichter, XXI, who was rumored to have been infected with Living Ice. Despite that, he seemed in complete control of himself, and ruled his country with the same iron fist as his predecessors. Hafenrichter XX was resurrected to lead his people once more, following his son's death without an heir.

## Kraetia

(Krae-shuh)

Kraetia is an island nation, home to the giant Kraetians.

Kraetia is a warmongering nation. Kraetians are famed as mercenaries and blacksmiths all around the world. Typically, Kraetians are wanderers, returning to Kraetia only in times of strife or when called to war.

Kraetia is made up of a series of Clanlords, ruled by their one leader, the Warlord of Kraetia. The position of Warlord is one earned through blood--the sitting Warlord must be killed in single combat. His vanquisher claims the title. Currently, Kraetia is ruled by Ulrich Blackblade, after the death of former God-King Deyrin Blackblade, at the hands of Rex Victor, Weaponmaster of Prog.

## Dominatus

Dominatus is an island nation, inhabited by both Kraetians and Progans. After being conquered by the Champions, it is now used as a military island. Rumors say that it's used as a housing facility for the sort of experiments that neither Kraetians nor Progans would like to have happening on their own soil. It was formerly led by Deyrin's brother, Kalain Blackblade, before Deyrin slew him. Dominatus is no longer an independent nation, and is simply a satellite of Prog and Kraetia.

## Draconia

Draconia is an island nation, home to the Draconians. Draconia is culturally similar to Ancient Rome. Worshipers of Draconis Rex, the great god of Dragons, the Draconians have split themselves into Houses based on the dragons they believe they should reflect -- for example, the Red house believes that power is everything, and are extremely martial and wealthy, whereas the Brass house are largely historians and diplomats -- although not every child of a House follows the House's tenets as much as their elders would like, as they are only human. Currently managed and kept in check by the Neutral Houses; Colorless, Purple, and Orichalcum.

## The New World

### Tundra

The Tundra is, as its name implies, a tundra. This is largely inhabited by Monstrous races. Leadership in the Tundra is a fickle thing. Recently, a powerful orc known as Urim, the Burned King, has been claiming a large portion of the Tundra. Urim is a self-proclaimed hand of Krae, the patron god of the Kraetians.

### Wildwoods

The Wildwoods are the massive forests of the New World, made up of trees hundreds of feet tall. The area is highly dangerous and home to dozens of bandit camps/

The Wildwoods are ruled and watched over by the Fae King. It is with him that all sylphic pacts are made. He holds total control over the massive forest, seeing with every animal's eyes and feeling with every plant's roots.

### Coastal Territory

The coastal territory is not claimed by any one country, and is instead home to trade ports of all nations.

### Marshlands

The Marshlands are home to Monstrous races as well, and are notoriously dangerous to move through due to bandits.

### Saerus

Saerus is a coastal, mercantile nation. It is well-known for its fleet of trade ships. Originally having been a Kraetian subsidiary, it has since gained a good deal of independence and even a bit of land, through bargaining rather than direct force of arms.

### New Chevlais

(Shev-lay)

New Chevlais is the territory claimed by Duc Gaston Dumonte after he and his people fled the Imperium, from Chevlais.

New Chevlais was ruled by Jacque Gaston Dumonte, after his father was killed in the Liberatus uprising. At present it's a relatively stable and wealthy nation, but has little to do with the original Chevlais and its new government. With the return of Duc Dumonte, Jacque has ceded power to his unliving father.

### New Auslands

(Ous-lands)

New Auslands is the territory claimed by Wilhelm Godfried II when he and his people fled the Imperium from the Auslands.

The New Auslands is ruled directly from its capital of New Kriegburg, by Krieger Schletz. It is also ruled indirectly from the capital of the old Auslands, Kriegburg. Krieger Schletz is the personal defender of and best friend to Wilhelm Godfried II.

### Black Lake

The Black Lake is a seedy area of the New World, infamous for its criminal activity, centered around the large freshwater Black Lake. Pirates, bandits, and all manner of criminals can be found here. Much like Praia, it's mostly run by the O'Patrick crimelords, although in recent years it has devolved into a street war between rival gangs making a bid for power.

### Avaliara / The People's Conglomerate

(Ave-all-e-are-a)

Avaliara was originally part of the Feudal territory, until Gladios Magnus invaded with his army from the Frontier, claiming this territory for himself.

Avaliara has gone through many changes of leadership in its relatively short life. After being conquered by Liberatus, it was ruled by the Council of Liberatus. When Gladios Magnus returned from death, resummoned by close friends, he retook the entire country with the help of Godfried of the Auslands, re-naming it the People's Conglomerate.

### Slade's Territory

The territory claimed by the necromancer Slade. Characterized by polluted air and seemingly zombielike people, not much is known about the inner workings of this area. After Slade made his final push on the New World, leading his immense army of mutated undead and ghouls, he was narrowly defeated and destroyed. A recent crusade by Dumonte into Slade's land cleansed it of many of his lieutenants and allies, and destroyed his castle, though the land is still polluted and unsafe.

### The Bleak Mountain Range

A mountain range ruled by the dwarves. Divides the Frontier from the rest of the New World. The current king is Baldric Stonehand the Wise, King of the Bleaks..

### The Frontier

The Frontier is a massive area of rainforests, swamps, and jungles. Extremely dangerous, this area is inhabited by beasts and monsters of epic proportions. There is no true rule of law here. It is a wild and untamed land, where the only rule is the gun and the sword.

### Chromatic Lands

The Chromatic Lands are home to the Chromatic Dragons, and the lizardmen loyal to them. Headed by an ever-changing council of backstabbing, treacherous, and powerful warlord dragons who through political cunning or personal strength have gained a following, all serving the strongest King who can unite them. The current Chromatic King is Caesar, an immense magma dragon, who took power after the former king, Aklauthe, was killed.

### Great Chasm

The Great Chasm is a massive, deep valley, separating the Chromatic and Metallic lands. An area of constant war between the two nations. Dragons feared flying over it for millenia, some believed out of mere superstition -- however, after King Aklauthe broke this tradition and flew above the Chasm, throwing a foe into the darkness below, the reason was discovered; and massive, mysterious Colorless dragons woke for the first time since the world dawned.

### Chasm Mountain Range

A mountain range ruled by the dwarves. The King of this Range is known as The Giantslayer. The Mountains run along the Chasm, between the Dragonlands, and are thus a somewhat contentious territory; Dragons have, however, historically avoided these mountains... for the most part.

### Metallic Lands

The Metallic Lands are home to the Metallic Dragons, and the lizardmen loyal to them. Unlike the Chromatic lands, the Metallics are much more unified; however, their republic-style government is sluggish, and their former Monarch, Aelinor the Blessed, was regarded as kindly but somewhat ineffective by his peers. It's too early to tell whether the newer, younger King Selinor the Bright will change things.

### Aznor

(Azz-noire)

Aznor is an island nation, connected to the New World by a great bridge. Aznor is a land of order and militarism, where even simple crimes such as petty thievery are punishable by death.