Vakasi-Ya

Vakasi-Ya is a dark, apocalyptic fantasy world, created by author Nate Sugar from a hospital bed, over the course of several years. It could be described as "Middle-Earth by way of H.P. Lovecraft," further influence by the *Malazan* and *Black Company* series of works. Vakasi-Ya is a world in trauma. As a TTRPG setting, it is a land desperately in need of its few and dwindling heroes. Despite this, stories in Vakasi-Ya as a setting for TTRPGs (specifically, via *Dice Imitate Life*) are about hope. Cosmic horror, gritty conflict, and survival are merely the framing device for a focus on survival, endurance, and the stubborn presence of hope in the darkness.

## Races of Vakasi-Ya

*The sentient beings of Vakasi-Ya are collectively known as "the Kind." Human-Kind, dwarf-Kind, gnome-Kind, et cetera. On the continent of Kutan, where the campaign will begin, there are several distinct groups.*

### Human-Kind

Humans are the most populous race in Mavarin, a large southeastern portion of Kutan bordered to th e north and west by a perilous mountain range known as The Hags.

### Gnome-Kind

Gnomes and humans generally exist in peace and cooperation, though cultural differences can cause misunderstandings or other social tension.

### Halfling-Kind

In Vakasi-Ya, a "halfling" is actually the product of a cross between human- and gnome-Kind.

### Dwarf-Kind

The Dwarves of Vakasi-Ya are lost to the world.

### Elves

Found only in the vast and treacherous Neversung Forest, the Elves are a secretive, withdrawn, and deadly race.

### Half-Elves

The union of any member of the Kind and an elf is exceedingly rare.

### Tieflings, Warforged, & Other Races in 5E

Vakasi-Ya was not originally created for 5E, and even the existence of the races listed above are hybrid concessions to a more alien lore.

### Orcs

Orcs are scary, but don't really do much more than skirmish if Mavarin encroaches too far over the Hags.

### The Tainted

Any member of any race may have become Tainted.

## The Lands of Mavarin

Mavarin was once a petty cluster of warring "kingdoms," before finally being united roughly three centuries prior to the current day.

### Sekkast

Named for its ruling family -- the longest traceable lineage of rulership in all Mavarin -- Sekkast thrives on its proximity to the capital, and its position as a primary thoroughfare to northern trade.

### Hasper

Citizens of Hasper boast that their ruling family is the most honorable, benevolent, and beloved in all Mavarin.

### Rille

Rille is the smallest of the Baronies, but among the wealthiest.

### Bount

Bount is the largest province in Mavarin, and its primary agricultural "bread basket."

### Dol'Mir

This midland barony is the most fiercely and overtly independent. Their culture is militantly defensive, built upon a long history of protecting their territories.

### Sulthen

At the southern end of the Hags where it disappears into the dreaded Neversung -- where dwell the elf-Kind -- Sulthen's borders shy from several miles of no-man's-land.

### Sickle

Hooking like its namesake along the southeastern corner of Ku-Tan, Sickle is a rocky and forbidding province largely pushed from the center of political play for most of its history.

## Life in Vakasi-Ya

### Culture of Mavarin

Depending on location within Mavarin, the Kind have the hardest British accents up north, and then as you move south it fades into a sort of neutral American accent, then more southern. It's all quite a bit scrambled after a couple of centuries of everyone sort of intermingling and former borders becoming softer.

It is very common for the Kind to be named the world around them - Surnames of "Woodsman", "Smith", or "Featherlight" are very common; first times often follow this same theme.

For correspondence there is a Crown Courier network, though only through major settlements -- and typically only delivered month to month at best. There are also people who make their living carrying correspondence, mostly for merchants and such. Knights in any city could use their position to send anything via messenger (irrefusable), with a promise of pay on delivery (typically much higher than whatever market value might be at the time). Knights commonly travel on expeditions with a trained crow that can be used with limited transport capacity.

### Interpersonal Culture

There is definitely a criminal underworld, but it's nonexistent in Throne, and *heavily* buried elsewhere. Not a lot of surface-level info available unless you're from the sovereign free city of Oth-Amon, where basically the entire governing structure is an open mafia. Err, *cough* "Merchant-Princes"

Sexuality, gender identity, and all similar issues are not stigmatized. Places might have gendered traditions -- and clothing is roughly analogous to our period-relevant fashions with the typical fantasy slack -- but no one is getting liquor bottles thrown at them for holding hands with the wrong person. It's a relatively recognizable fantasy world, but one that a person of any identity is able to roleplay a romantic arc with their chosen love interest with just as much viability as anyone else.

Knotting your hair is a cultural symbol for being uninterested in romance. Instead of braiding, think of a line of simple knots. You’ll find this primarily around the elderly, but also among the ace population, or someone grieving. It’s just a clear signal that someone does not want to be courted, for whatever reason.