Cidarn

## Inhabitants

### Species

Human 61%, elves 4%, dwarves 12%, dragonborn 14%, other 9% (shifters, hobgoblin, gnomes, genasi)

Cidarn is a nation in Reth'car. It was recently united from three nations in order to resist the expansionist threat from it's southern neighbour, The Notharian Empire. Its ruler is a silver dragon, Karnaxios.

It is a dangerous nation, where only experienced adventurers can travel safely.

Cidarni people.

Cidarn related articles.

Cidarn map.

The themes of the nation are questioning the royalty(The people doesn't trust the newly added parts of the nation that were their neighbours before, and some can't find it in themselves to trust a dragon) and being scarred by history(In how the nations grounds themselves are forever reshaped by the elemental upheaval).
The source of the elemental upheaval is the Heavenly pillar.

## History

Hundreds of years ago, the lands where ravaged in a rampage by air elementals which created large areas where unnatural rocky formations was created. This was called the Elemental upheaval.

The nation is young, united to resist the expansion of the Notharian Empire. It consisted previously of Holy Cidarn, The Eminent Concord och Pillos Cairn.

### Na tisų

The capital, and home to the temple Drapasna.

### Iškrovimas

A central city which lies in the middle of the road connecting the north to the south.

### Volynsky

In the eastern mountains, the cities are fortified strongholds. While they resemble the strongholds of Baltharn, most of them are built by dwarves and are built deeper into the ground as a result. Also in this region are the two small ziggurat cities, created by dragonborns who settled in Cidarn. There is a single dwarven fort, Fort Hidzed.

In the western woods lies the forbidden village Blogiausia, where those who have been cursed by lycanthropy are sent to live out the rest of their days.

In the west-central region are The floating islands, which has several genasi villages built upon them.

### Buildings

Buildings in villages and on the outskirts of cities rarely have one more than one floor due to the structural instability of the ground. They are commonly made out of wattle and daub and has triangular, long shape.

When more expensive buildings are made, new cracks are made and large ammounts of dauble is used to fill in those and any connecting cracks which gives greater stability. These buildings are made from snecked masonry.

Due to the large ammount of monstrosities, there are few villages in Cidarn and the few there are have thick walls accompinied by watchtowers in order to defend themselves from attacks by monstrosities.

## People

People from Cidarn are called cidarni.

A stereotypical Cidarian is independant, practical and hardworking. They value family ties  and tend to have few children, 1 to 3. The elder generations are considerably more conservative than those who grew up in this new era of reformation.

It's people are diverse in culture but united in their trust of eachother against outside threats, and the monstrosities within it's own borders. The people have three major groups formed from the old nations. The three groups are the True Cidarians, Condordions and Cairners.

Cidarn does not have a typical army. Instead of having a large mass of soldiers, the train a small force called Karnaxios Road Rangers. They are drilled in environmental tactics to single-handedly hold back larger forces using the rocky terrain and are well-trained in guerilla fighting. Since they rely on traps and causing landslides, part of their duties includes maintaining mechanical setups during their patrols.

Their most elite troops ride dragonnels, bred and tamed in the eastern area.

The chaotic landscape is a representation for the cidarni of the rough lives that they have to live. As such, landscape paintings tend to favor views found near the less affected Galing or from other nations.

## Geography

Cidarn is located south of Baltharn, north of The Notharian Empire, north-east of Lahal and west of Tir Bor La.

Cidarn's terrain is commonly divided into the west, center and east. The western area is where Holy Cidarn previously existed. It is defined by its uneven terrain, created when the earth was sundered by elemental forces ages ago. The central area, previously the Eminent Condord, has similar terrain but has managed to conquer it and build stable roads which stretches from Cidarn's northern border to its southern. At the east, the rocky terrain becomes even more uneven and is defined by its large mountains. These grounds are barely traversible by common travelers and the bridges that help are still dangerous for the unprepared.

Cidarns grounds are difficult to settle for farming but once accomplished are great for growing produce, requiring less work than other nations. This combined with the irrigation techniques brought from the dragonborn people have made it easy to start and run farms, but the people instead have to live with the fear that a sudden monster attack may bring destruction to it. Monsters of many kind are a constant threat, having kept the previous nations from expanding due to the need for internal upkeep.

In the west-central plains are the most magical and mysterious area of Cidarn, the floating plains. Several large chunks of rock floats high in the air above the ground, only gently affected by even the harshest of storms. Like much else, this is a remenant of the elemental upheaval and the greatest proof of Cidarn's strong connection to the elemental planes.

Due to the well-maintained roads The Eminent Concord built, wagons are well-suited to travel within in Cidarn's central region alongside suitable protection against monstrosities. These roads are made cheap by flattening the ground with large beasts, as a measure to easily rebuild them when the need arises.

There are two major rivers that run through the central and eastern areas respectivly. These are Kuznetsov(Commonly called the Kuzne) and Perkūnas. Kuznetsov has been connected to a smaller river close to Sakudski to facilitate transportation.

In the eastern mountains lies the largest volcano in the land, Pillos pot.

Due to the large ammount of overturned terrain there are plenty of large cavernous areas, many of which have become interconnected due to tunneling monstrosities.

In the south-eastern mountains lies a large, crater like area with a lost city in the middle commonly known now as Gravel city Skaidrīte. It was a victim of the elemental upheaval and is very difficult to explore due to being largely buried in boulders and gravel.

### Minerals

It is rich with silver, zinc and copper. In deep caverns, Flat bisque can be found.

## Relations

Cidarn has a pact with Baltharn, in which they won't provoke Baltharn since the northern nation acts a bulwark for the world against Vasheedas.

Cidarn has little trust for the Notharian empire. While it maintains trade, it is never certain if the aggresive nation known for conquering will turn their blades northwards.

Cidarn is neighbouring to several nations, giving it a good central position to be able to trade with several nations. It is trading partners with Baltharn, the Notharian empire, Yuan and Viiher. It trades occasionally with Lahal and Tir Bor La.

When Tir Bor La fell, it was considered a just repercusion for putting so much trust into magic and especially necromancy. Due to the distrust of elves the Cairners has, few refugees managed to find sanctuary in Cidarn.

## Culture

### Religion

Bahamut is the most commonly worshipped deity. While outsiders would make the assumption that it is a nation of fanatica due to their draconic leader, inside the nation there remains rifts from the unification of the three nations. Besides Bahamut, other deities worshipped includes Fharlanghn and Olidammara. Olidammara is most commonly worshipped by merchants in a celebration of the freedom wealth brings.

### Names

Last names are either the name of a noble house, or the home from which the person originates. For example Garok iš Upe samai, or Linna iš Galing.

### Food

Common ways of preserving food including milled grains, smoking, honey stored, pickling, cheeses and fruit preserves (Commonly berries such as currants and raspberry).

## Internal threats

Known active monsters are hags, hobgoblins, undead, monstrosities, elemental creatures and lycanthropes.

The lycanthropes are the remenants of a lycantropic outbreak. While the majority of the outbreaks victims have found a village which they plan to live out their reminder of their lives without descendants in, some lycanthropes remain a threat due to either pride in their abilities, or having lost their senses due to the curse.

The main hogoblin threat is a large cell who migrated to avoid becoming intergrated into the Notharian empire. They revere Vuldrad Wormlord and the stoic structure he established. These hobgoblins raid for resources while struggling to settle on a plan for expansion and conquest.

The hags of Cidarn are several covens, united once a year to revel and exchange tales. They plague the innocents of the nation, seemingly directionless. While they enjoy tormenting the weaker, if the tides turn they are quick to retreat rather than facing death.

It has recently had attacks from undeads from an unknown source.

Cidarn has always had strong connections to the elemental planes. Destructive forces of the elements causes elementals to appear, or creatures from the respective planes. While few remain, those that do tend to lash out in their confusion at anything that moves. Others with more sentience may find a new place until an oppertunity arrives to return home.

Monstrosities breed easily in Cidarn, and the nation has long struggled to protect travelers from these threats. Monstrosities here includes displacer beasts, dragonnels, manticores, owlbear, stirge swams, trolls and death dogs. While experienced rangers may have techniques to reduce the threat of some of those, travels always has to take sudden attacks of any one of these into account.

A notable location for owlbears is a western area called The owlbear court, consisting of a long-abandonded castle and its surronding lands. Several of the monsters gathers there prevent anyone from reclaiming the ruins.

## Notable cidarni

Karnaxios, the silver dragon ruler of the nation.

Madir Metscu, a human adventurer who is helping Nyx Shepard travel from Baltharn to Lahal.

Vytautè, The copper lord, a gnome merchant lady who is the leader of the richest house of the former merchant lords.