Iyora

By Robin Hang on Art station

Iyora is an Asarean continent located in the eastern hemisphere. The first campaign of Epic Dicebag takes place here.

## Geography

Iyora is split into eight different provinces, each ruled by a person, or people of power that was selected by the Queen.

### Ashil Highlands

The highlands are covered with endless verdant hillsides abundant with farm sheds, fence posts containing all sorts of livestock, rows of wheat that look like pure gold, and many other kinds of vegetables. Ashilians are proudly responsible for the majority of Iyora’s supply of fresh produce and livestock. A feat they make known to just about everybody especially when Harvest Tide is near.

* Calamere

### Iegril Woodlands

A dangerous and unrelenting woodland that's trees tower thousands of feet in the sky. It is inhabited by many dangerous beasts and monsters that lurk in the shadows. Ala'Shaio, which means Guardian Tree in Sylvan, is home to the wood elves of the Iegril Woodlands. But there are other smaller settlements and outposts littered throughout the forest that belong to individual clans.

* Ala'Shaio
* Aethas

### Askan Tundra

A harsh and unforgiving frozen wasteland that has been overrun by raiders, pillagers, and bandits ever since the Cataclysm. However, a new port city was constructed recently by an Ashilian noble, who plans to bring political stability to the divided northerners for this first time this aeon.

* Lastholm
* White Harbor
* Coldtown

### Shadow Marshes

A dark, tangled, and thick swamp located on the southern point of Iyora. Sailors, pirates, and merchants tend to avoid the area entirely due to the high probability of them being attacked by drowners, yuanti, or other damned creatures. The natives of the Shadow Marshes are an incredibly adaptable and survivalist people who look out for their own and are weary of outsiders.

* Moat Pirie

## Society

Askan Tundra (The Northerners) - Many Iyorans hate the Northerners for their part in the war. However, those responsible for aiding King Astavon III were either killed by Emperor Qrille or have fled the kingdom altogether after the war. While there are still many criminal families in the north, there have also been great strides of political stability since the construction of White Harbor. The new capital city was constructed by Lord Demrok, a businessman from Calamere who saw the barbaric province as an opportunity for good and profit; much to the disdain of Coldtown and Dragshallow. White Harbor now attracts the merchants of the Northern Realms which are a mere week of sailing away.

Ashil Highlands (Ashilians) - Since the fall of Calamere, Queen Solanna has ordered the reconstruction of the capital which took nearly twenty years as the scope of the city is grand. Outside the metropolis are vast expanses of farm land among its many hills, which provides the rest of the kingdom with the majority of its livestock and fresh produce due to its ever-fertile soils. Ashilians typically are hardworking people, and are skilled tradesmen. Since King Astavon’s demise, the Ashilians are now ruled by House Partford; the current lord is Talison Partford. The son of the original Sotol sellsword who helped Queen Solanna secure her victory during the war.

Karnath (Karnathi) - Deep underground, the Karnathi Dwarves thrived in their sprawling metropolis of a city that is Kaldun, also known as the Shining City. The Karnathi are the oldest denizens of Iyora, even older than the Elves, and only built towards the surface after the Cataclysm. During the catastrophe, about 70% of the city was destroyed but the remaining 30% is still larger than any other capital. Nowadays, the Karnathi scholars continue to work on discovering what caused the Cataclysm. The city is ruled by the Iron Congregation, a council consisting of eight Dwarves, each belonging to a noble house. Each council member is keen on continuing to search for the lost remnants of their city that was destroyed during the Cataclysm.

Above ground, Karnath is mostly grasslands and forest that have been cultivated by their kinsmen, the Hill Dwarves, Halflings, and Gnomes; As the Iron Congregation cares little for what happens above ground.

Karnathi are a varied bunch. Depending on if you are a Dwarf of Kaldun, people may be surprised to see you on the surface, for example.

Iegril Woodlands (Woodmen/Woodwomen) - Many children’s tales talk about the reclusive woodmen of Iegril Woodlands; those who venture into the forests are never seen again. In truth, the natives of the forests live far above ground, in the massive trees. Those who wander there usually get lost by design, and unless they are hunters - they become prey to the savage wildlife who has hunted in the forests since the Primal Aeon. The Iegril Woodlands is a hostile and dangerous forest where only the versatile can survive. The woodmen/woodwomen are naturally gifted hunters, and often lack charisma as they rarely speak to the other races. They are ruled by Sylvan Court, a council of four elders of their own individual clans.

Eldenrath (Eldar) - Eldenrath is a pine forest that is thought to be a magical land due to sheer amounts of fabled creatures who happen to live there. Werewolves, vampires, fey, and others are scattered among the forests. It is thought by Iyorans that those born in Eldenrath are half bloods, and belong to an ancestral line of demons or angels. Arosa is ruled by Lord Zegrath, though he usually stays in his castle unless he is needed.

Runica (Runicans) - Known to be the hottest region in Iyora, Runica is a distant cousin of the rest of Iyora. It is the only province that is not under the rule of Queen Solanna, and is instead ruled by Emperor Qrille; who has lived nearly his third century, which is incredibly peculiar for an Aarakocran lifespan. Runica is a peninsula that is split about 65% savannah and 35% desert.

The northern region of Runica is a vast savannah, where there are plenty of game to hunt.. If you are a skilled enough hunter that is.The Runic Desert consists of red and white sand but is an arid wasteland until you reach the lush oasis that is their capital, Zagash.

Runicans are hot-blooded, prideful, and have an expensive taste. They worship no gods, but profess their adoration for their Emperor. Their exports to the rest of Iyora are considered exotic, and consists of olives, lemons, pomegranates, plums. silks, spices, and blood oranges. Their wine is uniquely sour and is as dark as blood.

Shadow Marshes (Shadowmen/Shadowwomen) - The swampland rainforests of the Shadow Marshes are filled with a vast amount of waterways that are used by the natives to move around the region in minimal amounts of time. That and the fact that the region is covered by impenetrable swamps makes the Shadow Marshes nearly impossible to invade. Luckily for the crown, the Shadow Men of the Shadow Marshes have blood ties to Queen Solanna’s ancestors.

House Iarrel sailed from their homelands to the south and found landfall in the Shadow Marshes. There, they found the lizardfolk enslaved by an ancient black dragon named Irselth. The dragon torched the Elven warships at night which stopped their escape, so the Elves decided to fight. The many clans of the Shadow Marshes rallied behind House Iarrel and together they defeated Irselth; as prophesied by the soothsayers of the Shadow Marshes.

In the present day, the Shadow Marshes are ruled by the Hist clan, specifically the Hist-Mother. Every one hundred years, the clans fight for the right to rule the Shadow Marshes, and war will soon be coming to the marsh once again.

Auril’Dorei (Aurilions) - The beautifully golden forests of Auril’Dorei live in a perpetual autumn-like season; an enchantment on the land that is powered by a Fragment of Creation. Erelion is the capital of Iyora and Auril’Dorei, and is an illustrious city and a nexus of politics, industry, and education.

The capital is ruled by Queen Solanna Iarrel, but there are many noble houses that work under the Queen’s nose for their own personal gain; knowing that her only heir was killed during the war.

## History

### War of the First Crown

* The war took place between the years of 685 PC to 691 PC. 59 years prior to the events of Campaign 1.
* Before the war, each kingdom governed themselves and worked with each other by exchanging resources and supplies.
* One day, King Asatavon III of the kingdom of Ashil raided Cresterfall, a farming town that acted as the primary trader of Karnath to Ashil. He stopped all supply caravans from moving to and from Karnath’s capital, and essentially locked the Dwarves of Karnath in their underground keep. All while his archers shot down any ravens trying to fly to their neighbouring kingdoms for aid.
* Soon after, Karnath was completely under the control of King Astavon.
* Aimon Iarra, the prince of Auril’Dorei and son of Queen Solanna, frequently visited Kaldun to train in blacksmithing. Aimon and a small escort of guards journeyed to Kaldun for their usual visit but were stopped and captured by the Ashil vanguard.
* King Astavon made his conquest public and offered Aimon’s life for griffons, mages, and other valuable resources for war. Queen Solanna refused, and the boy was decapitated publicly.
* After this event, Queen Solanna called on their allies, the Wood elves of the Iegril Woodlands and the Beastial races of the Shadow Marshes to commit to the war effort. And later sent requests of aid to the distant kingdoms of Runica, Eldenrath, and the cutthroat families of the Askan Tundra.
* Eldenrath sent a well sized army. Runica sent a small battalion of a mere 20 soldiers. The Northerners joined King Astavon and the Ashilians.
* Queen Solanna and her allies were known as the Righteous Concord, while King Asatavon and his allies were known as the Warbound Syndicate.
* As Eldenrath sent their army into Karnath, the cutthroats of Coldtown invaded their capital, Arosa, and seized the castle while their army was met by the Ashilians.
* Runica was invaded shortly after this by the Northerners and the Eldar army, but they were not accustomed to the deserts and savannas. They had no idea how to find the Runicans, as their cities were built to be hidden in order to wait out any invasion as no other army was trained to fight in such hot climates.
* Enraged by the invasion, Emperor Qrille (the ruler of Runica) sent his sand soldiers to deal with the invaders, causing them to flee back to Arosa. The siege of Arosa lasted months and the army inside starved to death, and Qrille secured the capital for the Righteous Concord.
* Meanwhile, Queen Solanna noticed the majority of Ashilians were occupying Karnath and suppressed the Karnathi army in Kaldun. She sent her most trusted general on a ship under the guise of a merchant ship to Sotol,  A small community of criminals, addicts, and opportunists in the Askan Tundra to find a small army of sellswords who have not declared a side.
* The sellswords along with Solanna’s general assaulted the Ashilians from the north, cutting off their supply lines. As King Astavon sent a portion of his troops to defend their homelands, Solanna and her allies sent the bulk of their armies to retake Karnath and liberated Kaldun.
* At the end of the war, King Astavon and his men retreated to Calamere while the Northerners fled back north. As the Concord sieged Calamere, Solanna, still enraged by her son’s death, called for her men to raze the city, a decision that was opposed by her allies.
* Solanna awarded the kingdom of Ashil to the leader of the sellswords who helped defeat the Warbound Syndicate. She sent her own masons to rebuild Calamere.
* The provinces, minus the Northerners, all signed a peace treaty to avoid another war.
* Solanna declared herself as the ruler of Iyora, which was unanimously accepted by the Ashilians, Shadowmen, and Woodmen, and the Karnathi as long as they could send emissaries to be a part of her council. Emperor Qrille opposed this stating that “Runica knows no king or queen.” Solanna allowed Runica to rule themselves, as long as they are still a part of the provincial treaty.