The Great Plains

**Summary:** A center of commerce and trade ruled by a council of representatives from each of the major artisan and merchants guilds.

Nowhere else in the world is as wealthy or as driven by trade as the Free Republic of Ruud. Built by diaspora of the Ruudian Empire when it fell two 9 years ago, the Republic has slowly grown to be one of the great powers in Avemoria. The true strength of the Free Republic is that that entire realm is governed by a council composed of representatives from every artisan and merchant guild which has over five hundred members. The more members a guild has, the more representatives it has in the council, but every major guild has fair representation and its rights are respected. Since the Republic is ruled by representatives of artisan and merchant guilds, the state’s policies are those that most benefit trade, the economy, and the arts. This has proved to be an extremely successful set up for the Ruudians, making them wealthy beyond compare and a great cultural center.

The Free Republic has several cities and many settlements within its borders, but none can compare to the size and splendor of the oddly named capital, Dock. The city got its name from the fact that when diaspora from the Ruudian Empire first landed at the location, all that was there was a large dock and a small fishing village. From those humble beginnings, Dock has become a sprawling and bustling center for trade, progress, and culture. Though some foreigners may mock the odd name, the Ruudians wear it with pride as a symbol of how much they can accomplish. One of Dock’s most impressive features is the Palace of Commerce. While not a palace for any royalty, as none exists in the Free Republic, the Palace is nonetheless a grandiose and lavish building where the council members live and discuss matters of state. Next to the Palace of Commerce is the actual council chambers, a building with a circular and tiered interior where the councillors meet to discuss important matters and vote on proposals. There are even five levels of balconies overlooking the chamber, open for public viewing - for a fee of course.

While the Free Republic’s true power lies in its wealth, it is a very strong military naval power as well. Its navy is rarely all in one place, as the ships are needed to protect trade from pirates. When a majority of it does come together though, for purposes of war or blockades, it can be a formidable sight. As magic based guilds are also considered artisan guilds, the council has made it so that there are also a large amount of roles for magic users in their military. The main bulk of the Free Republic’s manpower though, comes from mercenaries. While many realms employ mercenaries, there are few more lucrative employers for one than the Free Republic, who will ensure that their trade routes are well secured at any cost.

### Inhabitants

Humans, Halflings

**Summary:** A diverse and expansive land with agrarian communities, small cities, trading outposts, and a few independent baronies and counties.

The Central Great Plains is traditionally a very peaceful and quaint land. The halflings in the western area have no interest in violence or politics, and the various villages and agrarian communities of humans likewise wish to live a rather peaceful life. Small feudal baronies and counties are around, with petty nobles ruling over a decent amount of villages and land in exchange for protection from the tribes from the Northern Great Plains that may come down and raid. Trading and hunting outposts are the other type of settlement that is commonly found in the region. The rivers provide a great way for transporting goods, and if one knows where to look there is plenty of wildlife to be found.

The decentralization and general pacificism of the realm does have some unfortunate consequences for the people living there. Orcs, tribal humans, and bandits can frequently raid the settlements of the Central Great Plains, and unless there is a large militia or group of soldiers to protect the people, there is little that can be done to stop these attacks. Some villagers in the southern regions have pledged fealty to the Free Republic of Ruud, whose ability to pay large amounts of mercenaries and give tribute to the warlords in the north can protect many of the people. Another issue that crops up as a result of the culture of the region is that from time to time practitioners of dark magics, necromancers, and similar can practice their evil crafts without much more than an angry mob to stop them.

Ruins of great castles and cities dot the lands of the Central Great Plains as well, remnants of an ancient kingdom that ruled over the realm until the fourth era. The Kingdom of Trestium was a prosperous and stable feudal society with dwarves, elves, humans, and even halflings and dragonborn all equally represented in their nobility. It was considered the hallmark of cooperation between the races, and a shining beacon of what the humanoid races could achieve. This all came to an end a thousand years ago, when devils working for Varda, goddess of tyranny and dominion, corrupted the King, a human named Cornelius IX. The corruption was slow, and by the time the rest of the nobility had noticed King Cornelius IX had grown cruel and tyrannical he had already consolidated much of his power and had grown strong. Many of the nobles pledged themselves to Manwe, hoping for him to remove the corruption present. Others though sought out demon worshippers and pledged themselves to Lorien, who was all too happy to help the mortals fight a puppet of his sworn enemy. Thus, a war between three gods, Manwe, Varda, and Lorien broke out on the material plane. Lorien had won in the end, when the Kingdom of Trestium became too fractured to stand any longer.

### Inhabitants

Humans, Orcs

**Summary:** A savage and lawless frontier, where large hordes of orcs call home. Humans also live here as bandits and in tribes, or as civilized outposts trying to establish order.

For many people, the Northern Great Plains are a dangerous area that is best avoided. The only truly established governments in this region are those of the orc and human tribes, largely considered uncivilized by the rest of the world. The human tribes are few and small, and are generally hostile to outsiders and warmongering, but a couple are considered peaceful. The orcs, similarly, are divided into separate tribes. The main three orc tribes are the Sharpspears, the Redfoots, and the Bloodmoons. The Sharpspears are the fastest growing tribe, lead by the infamous warchief Gerlok One-Eye. They are bold and dangerous, and have incorporated a few other orc tribes into themselves in recent years. The Redfoots are considered the most vicious and savage of the orcs, frequently enslaving humans, goblins, and halflings. A warrior who has faced a horde of Redfoots is said to be able to face anything. Finally, the Bloodmoons are the most religious of the orcs. The Bloodmoons worship Tulkas, the god of war and destruction, and Lorien, the god of debauchery and greed. For this reason, orc magic users such as paladins and clerics are used in the Bloodmoons, while being oddities in the other tribes.

While orcs do raid and pillage lands all over the Great Plains, and the nearby lands of Gondolin and the Confederacy of Korilla, they are also known to trade frequently along the major rivers and roads of the Great Plains. Most of the items traded were originally stolen during raids, but the items they’ll sell are often valuable enough that this is overlooked. Even when some refuse to do business with creatures as savage as orcs, there is nearly always a person willing to overlook this. The Sharpspears, being the least extreme of the main orc tribes, even has a small trading outpost located in Dock, the capital city of the Free Republic. The most valuable treasures from the Sharpspears’ raids are shipped to the outpost to be sold there, and realms that may want to pay tribute to Gerlok One-Eye can pay directly there to avoid being raided. The Free Republic in particular has taken advantage of being able to pay tribute with their vast amounts of gold, and has remained free of raiding for decades.

While many people stay away from settling in the Northern Great Plains due to the orc and human tribes, there are some who have set out to try and tame the frontier. Chiefly an order of paladins following Manwe, god of law and justice, and an order of rangers, the Cheerful Archers, have been setting up outposts in the realm. The paladins of Manwe have been predominantly attacking the Bloodmoons, trying to stop the worship of Tulkas and Lorien at all costs. The paladins hope to one day rid the area of orcs and civilize the human tribes. The Cheerful Archers take a less offensive approach, and predominantly occupied with protecting the settlements in the Central Great Plains. They work to contain the tribes and halt their advances, but will seldom launch a direct attack on them.

### Inhabitants

Dragonborn

**Summary:** The homeland of the dragonborn, composed of various clans who are all loosely ruled by a High Chief.

Zaneduulo is a name given to the area of the Western Great Plains that is inhabited by the dragonborn. Though the dragonborn can be found in other areas of the world, it is only in Zaneduulo that they have a large presence. The realm itself is in reality a very decentralized network of clans that all pay homage to, and follow the leadership of, a High Chief. The High Chief is chosen every time the previous one dies, or falls incapable of ruling. The new High Chief must already be the chief of one of the clans, and is chosen by a council of elders. The position is largely ceremonial during peacetime, but if a war or crisis breaks out, then the High Chief is responsible for marshalling the troops, leading his people into war, and doing whatever it takes to maintain the prosperity and stability of Zaneduulo. The current High Chief is High Chief Kriv.

Ancient legends passed down orally by the dragonborn claim that they live in the western Great Plains because that’s where the first dragonborn came from. The dragons of Drakeheimer, according to the legends, came down westward and met humans. Some dragons supposedly fell in love with these new beings, and became humanoid and bred with them. The result of this was the dragonborn. Though outsiders disagree on whether this story is at all possible, it is certainly believed to be true among the dragonborn. While some dragonborn view this as a sign that they are human-like and should travel around Avemoria and live with humans, many feel that their kind should stick together in Zaneduulo.