Dsrvysth Peninsula

The **Dsrvysth Peninsula**, located south of Furlaniya and west of the handprint desert is a land comprised of 56 principalities, 23 autonomous sovereign regions, 12 neutral zones and at least one land whose posession would void any claim in two different islands on opposite corners of the peninsula.

The inhabitants are well known for their proud culinary history, comprised of no less than 100 traditional kinds of garlic soup claimed by every single town to having originated there, to the exclusion of every other town, as well as its impressive linguistical and cultural variety, despite the false perception of many foreigners.

Of these lands, the most important kingdom is that of **Ceri**, due to their strategic position controlling the straits of Orm and Vests and trade with Furlaniyan kingdoms. That puts them at odds with **Susar**, who are vying to gain control of the entire sea but whose navy cannot travel from one land to the other. They in turn have extensive trade networks with the Zulutaur, as they have southern ports.

The land is also famous for their metallurgy, their mounting swords, their historical castles and their fierce resistence against the Azan empire in the past.

## History

The lands of Dsrvysth encompass a great variety of territories, unified mostly by economic and historical reasons rather than cultural. The region is home to nearly twenty different languages, each one with only a couple thousand speakers, and while they are similar enough to be able to understand each other with relative ease, the different groups have kept their distance through most of their history. Previous to the azanese conquest, the only power that swayed its authority over most of the land was the **Kingdom of Ertusia**, and even then it is believed that, at the height of its power, it controlled about half of what Dsrvysth is today. The first fights between Ertusia and Azan began around the early 17th Century BBE. Fresh from their conquest of the Ögchuk, Azan began expanding south of the Handprint Mountains, since at the east of the Niimiis River there lied a path to the at the time legendary Zulutaur Steppes. However, the Kingdom of Ertusia was keen to accepting the offerings of annexation by the Azanese Empire, and thus, war ensued. Azan used the great divisions in the area to great effect, as the extensive schisms and disagreements between the local powers allowed for plenty of political maneuvering. The conquest of the land itself took less than a few decades, being, for all intents and purposes, a lightning run. The problem begun when trying to turn the region into a cohesive and unified imperial province. Not only did the language barriers and different customs of each individual region cause a lot of problems to azanese lawmakers and administrators, but the guerrilla movement that was born immediately after the conquest saw bloodshed for nearly three centuries before it was considered pacified.

After the pacification, Azan developed a long campaign of cultural assimilation. While the overarching administration of Azan brought a lot of development to the land, since the different components of the province of Dsrvysth (which means “home” in most of the local languages) weren’t fighting each other anymore, the groups fiercely maintained their identity against the azanese efforts to assimilate them. The only real successes of this project were imposing the azanese language as the main idiom for politics and trade and the spread of the azanese faith over the population. The growing interest of Azan to expand either south or east put Dsrvysth in a perfect position for economic growth, with many ports popping up at both sides of the Sea of the Dead Pirate. The advance towards the east allowed Azan to take a hold of the southern parts of the Meiel U’ush and the Great Salt Lakes, beginning the prosperous business of the salt trade. However, this brought Azan into contact with the growing Gökmavi, and tensions arose from there. As the Dsrvysthians were the closest to the steppes, they formed the bulk of the colonies in the region, and thus were the group with the most relations with the nomadic Gökmavi. This would develop into a long-standing rivalry between the two groups, which in many aspects lasts to this day. The arrival to the Strait of the Dead Emperor and the creation of the Kingdom of Nosso Lar became an absolute boon to the Dsrvysthians, bringing the profitable treasures from the east to Azan, having to go first through their ports. This was the point of highest loyalty of the region to Azan, and many castles and palaces were built during this period. Cities were covered in luxurious buildings and civil works, close to the standards of the capital. The rivalries between the different groups also pushed the different cities to try to upstage their neighbors, and this period turned Dsrvysth into the architectural center of the empire.

The region initially suffered little damage from the wars against the witchelven and the drow. Outside of a couple of daring drow sea raids, which brought more panic than actual damage, the region was simply too far from the frontlines to see combat. Many dsrvysthians did enlist into the azanese armies to fight against the enemies of Azan. Just in case, the azanese administration recommended the construction of castles and fortifications, in case the witchelven managed to move across the mountains and reach the Sea of the Dead Pirate. A ludicrous assumption by any metric, but still, the damage the war was causing to the Azanese Empire could not be understated, and since the estate of the economy was critical, many of the architects living in the region began working in the construction of fortresses, walls and other strongholds. This precaution would turn out to be quite fortunate at the start of the Azanese Civil War. The changrilese rebellion was catastrophic for Dsrvyth, as not only the war was at their doorstep, but the changrilese were threatening to cut them off from the rest of the empire. Wanting to restore normalcy after decades of war, they sided with Azan against the rebels. The population in Dsrvysth put a lot of effort into the war against Changrila, keeping the fight going despite the numerical advantage of Changrila. The fight against the rebels became even more bloody and frenzied once the changrilese allied with the Gökmavi for control of the lakes in the Red Land Steppes, not only cutting them from the salt trade, but also the trade with the east. This was a seemingly crippling blow for the region, but the dsrvysthians still believed they could recover from the losses eventually.

The longer the war went on, however, became clear that the stalemate between the two powers was only bleeding the region white. Many cities had burned and many lives had been lost, and the dsrvysthians began accepting that the losses to the east were not going to be retaken any time soon. Thus, the dsrvysthians joined with Lemonaint and Lorient and rose up in rebellion in 2.081 ABE. The fights with the gökmavi continued, recovering part of the territory lost, but they couldn’t actually reclaim the salt lakes, since they couldn’t fight the nomad raiders without the aid of Azan that far from their lands.

At the time, the **Kingdom of Dsrvysth** dedicated to rebuilding their economy. Trying to present itself as an inheritor of the ancient Kingdom of Ertusia, the leaders of the newly born nations actually occupied way more land than what old Estusia claimed. However, despite the attempts of the crown to mobilize the population to reactivate the economy and rebuild the region, the simple truth was that Dsrvysth had suffered a mortal blow with the loss of the easter territories. More and more, the crisis caused inner rebellions within the territory, fracturing the king’s authority and transforming the centralized kingdom into a feudal society, as divided as it had been before the azanese conquest. Without azanese influence, there was little in the way of unifying elements outside what had been brought from outside (even the Ertusian resurgence failed to unify the land, as some parts of Dsrvysth did not even like the concept of a resurrected Ertusia, having never been part of it). In 2.501 ABE, a fight between the members of the royal court devolved into a conflict that utterly shattered the royal family, been killed by the population in a frenzied event that was halfway political disarray and halfway personal family feud. Having lost the last unifying element, the Kingdom of Dsrvysth ceased to exist right there, with the city princes and nobles taking control of as much territory as they could afford. The more time it passed, the more the land fractured, until creating the chaotic scenery one can see nowadays.

The last time the region acted in full, complete unison was during the Changrilese Civil War. Many refugees from the Red Lotus (either accused of having been part of the cult or actual cultists) tried to seek refuge to the east, ending up in dsrvysthian lands. Having learned what the Red Lotus was and what it had caused to Changrila, all regions effectively accorded to unite to coordinate for the hunt and the execution of the Red Lotus. Thousands were burned at the stake or were beheaded, accused of trying to expand the illegal faith of the "Great and Holy Celestial Father of All", effectively cutting off the expansion of the Red Lotus to the east before it could start.

## Society and Culture

Trying to identify a singular, overarching cultural identity to all the populations in Dsrvysth is a near impossibility. After the independence from Azan, the ties between the different populations have eroded and gone back to their initial state of disunion and strife with each other. Still, while trying to present the region’s socio-cultural image in general terms is pretty much pointless, we can try to identify certain population groups who share many elements with each other. Azanese is still the language used for diplomacy and trade between the different populations, and the old azanese faith is still very well regarded, though it has been somewhat distorted by local customs, which never really went away despite the azanese efforts. Many of the different provinces tend to keep as good relations with their neighbors as possible, and political marriages are the norm. However, the lands split apart with as much frequency as they unify, especially those with noble families in charge. Wars are frequent, with relatively small but well trained armies trying to make each other surrender instead of bleeding each other dry. Bloodbaths can occur, but they are the exception and not the rule, since they tend to cause scorn in other provinces, losing potential allies and trade partners. Dsrvysth is a great market for guns and weapons, since they are free from the vigilance of authorities like Azan or Changrila, and thus one can find pretty much anything if they can pay enough. A lot of it stolen or repaired so many times it’s more of a threat to the user than to the target, but sometimes one can find a gem in the rough.

We can try to identify certain groups that share many similarities. The first group we can find are located near the Strait of Aria, at both sides of the sea. In general, the populations of this area were, during ancient times, fishermen, traders and pirates. After the azanese conquest, this region became highly advanced and developed, reaping many profits from the salt trade and the routes to the east. They were badly damaged during the Azanese Civil War, with some of their cities razed to the ground, and lost quite a lot of their population. Nevertheless, their key position in the Sea of the Dead Pirate allowed a relatively quick recovery, though many palaces and castles never recovered, being hastily repaired and showing the scars of war to this day. The different princedoms and regions in the area tend to be some of the most populated in all of Dsrvysth, due to them receiving many refugees from the Gökmavi expansion towards azanese land in the salt lakes. This has provoked no small amount of tensions with the Gökmavi, since the gökmavi traders need to cross the Strait of Aria to sell their salt, and frequently stop in these ports, with the locals bitterly remembering what they lost to them during the war. However, many gökmavi serve them as mercenaries, in particular when they have to fight their neighbors. The region lives from trade still, though in a more limited scale. They also developed a lot of their agricultural sector, which occupies most of the population. The most important city of the region is **Susar**, which is one of the two cities currently fighting for the right of unifying Dsrvysth once again.

The other region of note is also near the Sea of the Dead Pirate, this time closer to the Strait of Orm. A much more military driven region than the east, as the door to the entire sea it was filled with fortifications and castles of great might, with much less interests in the arts and architecture of their neighbors. Many of them served in the azanese navy, something essential to keep the pirates at bay. However, these precautions served them well during the war against Changrila. Despite being nearer than the rest of the province to Changrila, they were much more prepared, and avoided the brunt of the destruction to their cities, though their battlements and castles took an absolute beating. Because of this, even though the region did enjoy a more modest artistic and cultural development compared to the rest, it has actually managed to maintain most of its patrimony. This “success” has made them double down on their militaristic way of life, but with the growing tensions between the different noble houses in the area, the traditional monopoly on war by the nobility has been lost. Instead, the cities now recruit their soldiers from their own population, following a military system reminiscent of old Azan. However, despite their apparent strength, their economy is more fragile, centering around herding and agriculture. They lost long ago their leadership in the sea to their eastern neighbors, but neither side has enough strength to outright block the other. They have asked for aid to the Ögchuk multiple times to try to break the stalemate, but this has not bore fruit yet. The most important city of the region is **Ceri**, which wishes to unify the region of Dsrvysth under their rule.

The rest of the region is extremely diverse, with fractures and unions appearing every decade. While the conflict between Ceri and Susar is the most well known by outsiders, less than a third of the provinces actually participate in it. The remainder of fiefdoms, principalities and other domains are content to maintain their grasp on power, with some of them isolating themselves as much as possible, while others try to restore trade with the outside world. In particular, the western coast is trying hard to present itself as a good option to participate in the trade routes that go through the Zulutaur Steppes, as points of resupply. The inner lands are much more backward, and are mostly occupied by isolated, self-sustained cities and nomadic herders. In particular, the lands around the Bribhash Mountains are notably poor and of little interest to anyone, only surviving by selling their agricultural produce to the cities to the west and north.

Of particular note are the two islands at the mouth of the Strait of Orm. The two islands near the Ögchuk Peninsula are the Principality of Twinstones, a relic of azanese organization and civilization within the lands of Dsrvyth. While just as independent of Azan as the rest of the region, the control of the Twinstone dynasty over the islands has managed to maintain a stable microstate, far from the fights between Ceri and Susar. Traditionally, the Twinstones Princes have been fierce combatants, using powerful gunpowder weapons to keep their islands free from all interference, something the population wholeheartedly agrees with. In the past, the islands were fortified as a matter of safety to keep the entire Strait of Orm protected from piracy, and were reinforced yet again during the Azanese Civil War, as the changrilese fleet mercilessly blockaded them. After the islands fell to the changrilese, they installed their own dynasty on the region, though they weren’t able to add it to their domains. The Hanna-Piri dynasty lasted for around three centuries, until a troll invasion managed to expel them from the lands. It wouldn’t be until much later when the Twinstones family led a counterassault against the trolls, regaining human control over the islands. Nowadays, the head of the Twinstones, Lutor Twinstones, is famous for his fights against the trolls outside of the islands. While the Twinstones have managed to keep the principality far from the chaos of Dsrvythian politics, he has developed a bloody taste in warfare, specifically fighting trolls. Despite his tremendous success in this endeavor, many within the nation have publicly demanded him to stop this activity, as it puts the Principality’s neutrality in danger. This seems to have very little effect, as Lutor Twinstones has ordered to change the family name for “Trollsbane”, something that does not bode well for the islands’ inhabitants.

## Government

Dsrvysth is comprised of 56 principalities, 23 autonomous sovereign regions, 12 neutral zones and at least one land whose posession would void any claim in two different islands on opposite corners of the peninsula. Between those, a dozen government types can be found - from traditional principalities, to Kingdoms, baronies, duchies, some forms of oligarchic republics, theocracies and more, most following a traditional feudal system.

Certain regions and cities in Dsrvysth have changed hands between many dynasties and waning powers over the centuries.

## Geography

Dsrvysth is a land whose geography and nature is as diverse as its people. The northern part of Dsrvysth, bordering the Handprint Mountains, is home to many valleys, cloud piercing peaks and glaciers, which makes the area underpopulated.

The northwestern coast of Dsrvysth is home to a temperate and nice climate, ideal for agriculture, making them popular for travellers and merchants, save for the occasional pirate from the Maneater Isles.

The further one gets inland, the more he is likely to encounter dry shrublands and forests, while some places in the far south being more tropical and rainy. On the far eastern part of the Sea of the Dead Pirate, the coast is filled with mangroves, swamps and marshes.

## Religion

Like with languages, Dsrvysth is home to more than a religions and gods alike. The most widespread religion, more likely to be encountered across Dsrvysth than any other, is the Old Azan Faith, with traces of local customs and religions embraced. By numbers alone, the Azaneese faith is possibly the third most popular in Dsrvysth.

The most popular religion, however, and by quite a large margin, is the one known by outsiders simply as "Dsrvysthism", which is in reality a diverse system of thought marked by a range of philosophies and shared concepts, rituals, cosmological systems, pilgrimage sites, and shared textual sources.

These philosophies can range from beliefs and practices concerning ethics, morals, the cycle of life and death, karma and ascension. Dsrvysthism is not universal across Dsrvysth, with each region and realm having its local variance. A myriad gods and goddesses (most of them unique to a specific area) are worshipped as well, with some even tracing their origins before the advent of Dsrvysthism itself (which was before Azan's conquest of the region).

Another religion fairly popular in Dsrvysthism is Avestanianism, a monotheistic faith that originates in the Nasr peninsula. It arrived in Dsrvysth in the latter half of the last millenium, spread by Nasr merchants and corsairs, and is mostly present in the larger coastal cities, as well as the swamp people of Eingyi in the northeast.

Other faiths, although in a much smaller scale, are present in Dsrvysth, such as the religion of the Ögchuk, the worship of the God Emperor of Changrila, the Cult of the Great and Holy Celestial Father of All and other smaller, insignificant polytheistic religions, mainly with either immigrants or foreign merchants.

## Demographics

The people of Dsrvysth are humans, with varying appearances and customs. The northwestern inhabitants are similar in looks to the Ögchuk and the Changrilese, the people of the coasts are more tanned and in line with the looks of people from Azan and the Nasr peninsula, while the people living inland are even swarthier. The people of the "Great Swamp" - as it's known - that live in the further end of the Sea of the Dead Pirate - are more queer in appearance, and are looked down upon by the rest of Dsrvysth, also due to their heretic approach to magic and pyromancy.

Apart from the locals, one can also find many merchants and other settles from all around southern and western Giantstpe. Descendants of Azaneese settlers, Ögchuk and Gökmavi merchants, pirates from the Maneater Islands, Changrilese envoys, sailors from Asvaran, Azhar Nar and Nasr can all be encountered.

Non humans are rarer to go by, and are usually found in the form of Trolls and Goblins living in the mountains and other isolated areas, or non humans, such as Drow and Orcish corsairs raiding from the Maneater Isles.

## Foreign Relations

While the lands of Dsrvysth are incredibly fractured and disunited, their position grants their inhabitants a great deal of advantages. Controlling the near entirety of the Sea of the Dead Pirate, Dsrvysth are a key point for the salt trade, with many gökmavi, azanese and changrilese ships resupplying on their ports. Dsrvysthian ports are very cosmopolitan places, with many foreigners buying and selling their products, even after the loss of the monopoly of the trade with the east. In many cases, the dsrvysthian coast cities have better relations with the outsiders than with their neighbors, since the outsiders’ business is essential to keep the remaining luster of their homes. This means that the dsrvysthians need to take good care of their trading partners, showering with presents and praises, while trying to make other cities look bad in their eyes. This has led to no few wars between the dsrvysthians, but these affairs are generally short-lived, as war gives a bad image to potential business partners.

The ties with Dsrvysth and Azan are still strong. After the initial period of cutting most ties with their old lords, the dsrvysthians opened themselves up to more trade and political relations with Azan. Back when they still were the Kingdom of Dsrvysth, they maintained a great deal of treaties, to keep Azan’s influence south of Changrila strong, both to keep their affairs towards the Zulutaur Steppes in good shape and in case that there was renewed conflict with Changrila. Azanese influence in Dsrvysth is still very strong, since the longer the fracturing of Dsrvysth went on, the bigger the need of an unified element for social cohesion became. And since Azanese faith and culture was the one element keeping the region in one piece in the first place, it makes sense to see Azan’s influence still capable of arbitrating between the different populations. Many dsrvysthians trust in their azanese counselors to work as diplomats, since they are seen as neutrals in their affairs. Many have even outright asked for a return to azanese rule, but these groups are the minority, since most dsrvysthians are too confortable with their independence. Azan never managed to convince the dsrvysthians to switch to the new azanese faith, keeping the old faith strong in the region, though heavily influenced by local cultural quirks.

Dsrvysth’s relations with Changrila are similar, though considerably colder. Despite the decades of warfare between each other, the need for rebuilding and business after the conflict meant that changrilese business could not be rejected. Their relatively proximity has made changrilese traders a common sight in the region. However, Changrila’s more expansionist attitude do worry the dsrvysthians, especially seeing the interests of Changrila over their neighbor in the Ögchuk. The small bit of dsrvysthian land that borders Changrila is quite well guarded by the ancient fortresses, still active just in case. After all, it was through this spot where the refugees from the Changrilese Civil War arrived into the region, with the dangerous risk of spreading the cult of the Red Lotus. Having them enter Dsrvysth is not acceptable, and thus they still guard the borders with zeal, despite the changrilese guarantees that the cult has been taken care of once and for all. The periodical resurgences of the cult deep within Changrila makes dsrvysthians doubt these claims a great deal.

Dsrvysth’s ties to the Gökmavi are mostly out of self-interest, as there is little love between the two groups. The Gökmavi cities need to cross the sea to sell their goods, crossing the Sea of the Dead Pirate, controlled by Dsrvysthian ports. And the dsrvysthians need the Gökmavi to attract trade to their region. However, the dsrvysthians are painfully aware of what they lost to the gökmavi in the past, many claiming that their own downfall is the gökmavi’s fault. Still, there is little they can do, as the Gökmavi, despite having unity problems of their own, are leagues more united and capable of coordinated military action. Thus, there is little to no interest in challenging their dominion over the salt trade, despite many wishing to do so. The gökmavi also serve as mercenaries in the myriad of local feuds of the dsrvysthians.

The dsrvysthian realms hate the inhabitants of the Maneater Islands. Filled mostly with criminals, outcasts and malcontents from all over the region, they are a constant source of piracy, bleeding their trade. Back in the day, the province of Dsrvysth held sway over the islands, and kept it once they became independent. However, they were the first territory that separated from the Kingdom of Dsrvysth once it began crumbling down. While pretty much everyone in Dsrvysth would love to dispose of these outlaws, the truth is that they are well fortified on their islands, and the potential damages to the fleet would be severe. What’s more worrying, many use these criminals as cheap mercenaries and corsairs against their rivals, something that’s looked upon badly, but it gets considerable results.

## Network of alliances and known pacts

***Network of alliances and known pacts in the realms of Dsrvyth, part I.***

*"On the 27 year of king Frse Aturbravshsupe of Susar the great, scion of the Uharar and inheritor of the Ertus Empire, the land is so divided between allies of Susar, Allies of Crii also called Ceri and lands that have no taken side.*

*As alies of Susar the great can be counted the lands of Brsis of the southern coasts, Fasha by the lake Fashar, Abator and Urvadas on the mountains of the hand, the isles of Acres and Olis on the Troll sea and the 7 tribes on the strait of Atria, all of which recognize the titles so held by the king of Susar the great.*

*Honor is also given by the nomads in the east, of which there are many peoples and nations, and the herders of the south whose skill with sling and arrow there is like none other on this earth.*

*Trade across the zebra coast comes from the land of the zebra, carrying with them cinammon, tinctures, powders, hides of greater and lesser beast of the land and seashells of all hues and sizes. Trade from the emerald sea comes from the northern steppes, bringing salt, desert flowers, gems, milk and hides, silk and fruits from the land of the river zeifa. All these lands trade for grains, flour, horses, scribes and architects, metal swords and lances and wood."*

***Network of alliances and known pacts in the realms of Dsrvyth, part II:***

*"I, Caucylus, sovereign of the kingdom of Ceri and prince of the realms of Arta and Uvmada, can account the nations of Rska and Pita as loyal allies of the highest virtues. For 15 years have we waged war against Susr and Fasr in a bid to break their hold on the eastern side of the emerald sea. The cvar raiders of the north and the vtali realms of vti and adural have recently joined forces, in exchange for trade and promises of help against the vkichene who they hate.*

*The mountain regions of Buriara, inhabited by ferocious beasts have also pledged aid, but their land is poor and depopulated by prevous conflicts.*

*The blockade on the emerald sea continues strong, despite the recent raids by barsiar pirates and the lost of the city of Ivrne. Trade from Ogchu and the far away lands of Fiorlania keeps our coffers replenished, and there has not been bad harvests this decade.*

*Our castles hold strong, wizards from far away kingdoms can attest to their age and might. Neither the Surs dogs nor the hordes across the sea have yet designed a way to breach them, and so our with the blessing of the holies our heartland remains untouched."*

***Network of alliances and known pacts in the realms of Dsrvyth, part III:***

How to travel in peace across the southern coast, by Utr Barsare. Page 13, on Disirvuitte

*"Dear traveller, if you have read this far it means my auspicious councel has served you well. You have come to the land of castles, the last remnant of old Ertusia, land of great heroes and delicious food.*

*By this point you must be aware that Ceri and Susar, the wealthiest principalities of the land don't like each other very much. But do not worry! Not every land is mired in their unending conflict.*

*First of, if you come from the west you most probably are in a nice hotel in Viti, eating emerald oysters and drinking a nice cup of grape beer. Your question is, how do I get to Susar from here? That's where the neutral lands come in.*

*First, if you are dressed like a Vitian the cuvare will probably have no beef with you. The nations of Vree and Uraste treat visitors with kindness, and they can travel to the island of Orbota.*

*Now if there's a 3rd wheel in the war between Ceri and Susar, that is Orbota. A sea fortress like no other, they have maintained neutrality on their island for hundreds of years at this point. From here, you can catch another boat to the first neutral zone, the coast of Cofere. The traders here travel from the coast all the way to the city of Er, currently part of Fasha. You can get to know Uvira, Grsos, Ytite, Ertar and Hicca, if you follow this route you should stop at that last one.*

*There is no neutral route from Hicca to Zebra, as both Buriara, Davrast and Fasha block the way. But travel from Hicca to Susar through the south road should be easy enough, if you buy the local clothes at the city of Aru.*

*From the southern road you will arrive to Susar, home of the most beautiful buildings and woman in this land! Now, dear traveller, is up to you to travel east and south, as Susar has extensive ties with both."*

***Network of alliances and known pacts in the realms of Dsrvyth, part IV:***

On the Central Mountains, by Patriarch Ilico the Elder. Page 2.

"*The land of the central mountains shall be divided as follows: In the south, where the giants roam, between the river First and the river Second the land will be called Detia. Here the tribes who speak that language will inhabit, they will offer tribute as established in the law of foreign territories and and administrator will be granted to them.*

*Below this line the land will be divided in three parts, around the lake inferior. The eastern half, from the lake to the Burial mountains will be given an administrator, as rumors would have it is rich in mineral resources. The western and south parts, likewise limited by lake Second and the western mountains will both be administered by a military council until the local tribes are pacified.*

*South of this region lies the Zute peninsula and surrounding flatlands; they will be regarded as allies, for the tribes here have offered their land as corridor to disembark on their coasts.*

*North of the line, the cities of Irsha and Keres will be rebuild and colonists will be send to repopulate the land. Agricultural self-sufficiency should ideally be archieved in 14 years, and the garrisons will be stationed near these cities. Farmland will be gifted to the soldiers involved in the northern campaign as payment.*

*The eastern herders beyond the mountains will be left alone, as they have alliance with Atamar and our own forces are depleted.*

*Editor note: the original land divison included areas of modern Ceri, Buriara, Pita, Atria, Bersis, Fashar, Grsos and others. From here the origin of the modern tribes and regions of the central mountains can be attested, as well as the pastoralists that make the territories of Ursuk and Oblida near Susar.*"

## Monarchs

In the northern lands of the Shattered Realms of Dysrvyth, governor Telek of Pueil rules over a province in the petty kingdom of **Yvruin**, but he aspires to more, he wants to be more than a mere governor. He will manufacture crises to solve, making friends with the king (a blunt instrument, but not without use) and earning respect as he does so, in his goal to unite the realms of Dysrvyth and all the Dysrvya people with him as their emperor.

In the eastmost regions of the realm, petty king Thyldesir of the **Erukyr** musters his armies to seek war with the duke Kanymyr of **Olaener** for a slight upon his family name (the capture and execution of his fathers uncle 90 years ago) by house Olaener. Only once his great-uncles crown is reforged, and his realm with it, can he truly be a king.

On a lonely island, barely more than a rock with a shack, sits the former swordmaster Takal of **Dyneu**. He has considered his predicament for many long months, and now has made a plan. He shall meet with the king of Yvruin, apparently a cunning man and a master diplomat, and seek to join his knights so that he might atone for his failure at the battle of Ernim-Baru against the forces of the warmongerer Thyldesir.

The two little islands of Dsrvyth in the Troll territory are called The Principality of **Twinstones** or just Twinstones for short, led by Prince Lutor Trollsbane, a second son of a dishonored and displaced mainland human house who mounted an expedition to the islands to start a principality of his own. Over 15 years now, he has so far been able to repel every invasion by trolls and other ambitious fortune seekers looking to make a name for themselves, which led to his nickname. Prince Lutor and his followers have taken up residence in and begun to rebuild the old castles on the island from a time long forgotten and have found considerable wealth hidden away while doing so. The remaining members of Prince Lutor's family have moved to the islands and changed their surname to Trollsbane, choosing to forget their former house.