The Great Northwest

Talos

Honest

Crockett

Snark

Lance

Atlas

Pershing

**The Great Northwest** is one of the six countries of Halintar, home to the Dragon-God Ester Pyx and the massive fortress known as the Whiteshock Citadel. The silver deity rules alongside the Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent, who have a strict code of law and honor to protect their home and it's people.

A majority of those who live in this country actually live within the capitol, which spans over a hundred miles in length and overlooks a vast swath of farmland protected by an arc of mountains called the Silver Moon. Outside of the capitol, towns and cities are far more sparse, with wilderness plagued by monstrosities and hordes of undead.

## History

### Prehistory

Before the Insurrection, Ester Pyx and her brood of silver dragons made their homes in large, well-fortified cities scattered throughout the mountains. What they lacked in quantity they made up for in sheer defense, as these forts were practically impossible to invade from land or sky. Though almost all dwarven documents and relics were destroyed in the anti-dwarf frenzy that followed their betrayal, what remains reveals that the relationship between the silver dragons and the dwarves was immensely contract-based, with agreements between the races based upon many in-depth laws they both contributed to.

### The Insurrection (3,000-2,000 years ago)

*(See: The Insurrection)*

A major turning point in the history of this country is that of the Insurrection, the event in which the humanoids- dwarves- that Ester Pyx and her silver brood trusted for over a thousand years chose to betray the dragon's trust. Reports of what caused this betrayal have been muddled over the thousands of years that have passed since the event itself, but after it occurred a violent civil war broke out between the dwarves and the Dragon-Gods. Ultimately, Pyx and her brood chose to ally themselves with the nomadic humans, who before this event did not call any particular country their permanent home. Pyx blessed them with her powers, and in their union they were able to drive the remaining dwarven forces out of the Great Northwest entirely. These were the first Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent.

After the dwarven forces were dethroned from the capitol city, humans took their place there and began establishing more permanent humanoid settlements there. Countless dwarven artifacts and monuments were destroyed or melted down to create new things in their stead, leaving little more than reports of their previous existence in history books.

Though it could infect and kill silver dragons as much as any other species, the Dragonsbane mortality rate of their kind was relatively low compared to that of the other bloodlines. This is presumably due to their lower levels of socialization as well as their meticulous cleanliness habits, as well as the many precautionary measures they took when the disease first began it's spread.

### The Age of Ardence (2,000-905 years ago)

After the Dragonsbane purge there were very few silver dragons remaining, leaving country-governing and protecting duties to Ester Pyx, the human descendants of the original nomads that assisted during the Insurrection, and the kobold population that had remained in the cities before and after the dwarven betrayal. It was a time of construction, fortification, and development of traditions, many of which are still observed in the present day.

Despite it's title, this was also a time of heavy strife and rivalry between Ester Pyx and Tephra. Their forces often clashed against each other, fighting for resources, territory, and sheer pride.

### The Metier Era (905 years ago to present)

Upon the reveal of other continents existing on the Big Stretch, the Whiteshock Citadel soon became a major site of visitation for foreign merchants and tourists. With their visitations came even more rules and regulations about who and what could enter, but otherwise was a source of great wealth and commerce for the country.

During the Queen's Inquisition, a lot of territory was claimed by the invading Kaiken forces- however, between the monster infestations and the impenetrable fortresses that the populations called home, the opposing troops didn't have much to work with. It was largely a feat of endurance moreso than combat that kept the invaders out, until they were expelled completely due to the Conflux. Soon after the reveal of their homeland's destruction, the Crusaders mounted a vicious counter-assault, expunging all Kaikenese forces and purposefully deconstructing all evidence of their occupation in their Great Northwest entirely.

## Geography

### Landmarks

The Whiteshock Citadel is the peak of the country both physically and in terms of civilization- it's the highest point in all of Halintar, rivaled closely by Cataclysm, Tephra's volcanic home in the Southern Mantle.

The Colossal Covert, though not technically under the government of the Crusaders, is also a very notable location. It is the most vast forest in all of Halintar, spanning hundreds of miles. It's the birthplace of all Plantfolk.

### Climate

Snow is commonly seen almost year round throughout most of the country, absent only in the hottest months of the Equinox of the Sun. Blizzards, hail, and snowstorms are frequent, making travel between cities and towns difficult without the proper equipment, magical or mundane.

### Fauna & Flora

*(See: Fauna and Flora of the Great Northwest)*

All life in the country must be able to fend off both the cold tundra weather and the many monstrous beasts which roam them. Among them are many evergreen trees, some of which predate even the oldest of the dragons other than Pyx herself. Thick-furred beasts as well as magical creatures such as Felidars also roam these parts, often becoming food for the monsters or flesh-seeking undead that crawl across uninhabited grounds outside cities and towns.

## Demographics

### States

Though the bulk of the country's population and therefore it's power is maintained in the capitol city of the Whiteshock Citadel, the country itself is broken up into a handful of states. These are assigned moreso as a general dictator of location for dispersal of troops or resources, rather than an actual individually acting/serving space for leadership.

#### The Whiteshock Citadel

*(See: The Whiteshock Citadel)*

The capitol city of the Great Northwest, where the majority of the country's population lives. This immense fortress is well-protected by the Crusaders and the silver dragons, whom make their home bases here as well. Ester Pyx herself lives at the highest peak of the Citadel, keeping a watchful eye on her domain below.

#### Trinity

The farmlands directly to the south of the Citadel. They are guarded on almost all sides by the Silver Moon, the large crescent of mountains that form a natural wall around them.

#### Talos

This state is comprised primarily by vast fields, with some edges of the Colossal Covert in it's easternmost border. The towns that are settled within this state often rest along travel routes that connect the capitol city and it's farmland to the rest of Halintar.

#### Honest

A smaller stretch of land that hosts a large chunk of the Colossal Covert as well as the Darlin River, upon which many ships sail south from when departing the northernmost reaches of the country. Many small fishing towns stake their livelihoods on this fertile, fast-flowing river.

#### Crockett

A shallow canyon and long winding river cuts it's way through the heart of Crockett. These canyons are excellent for dragons, and many who wish not to live in the crowded citadel choose to make their own small families here instead. Some towns also dare to be settled in this space, but the lack of good fortification in terms of mountains or walls makes them vulnerable to the roaming monstrosities that are also attracted to the river's fresh water.

#### Snark

This state is mostly made of the wide valley known as the Quiksilver Pasturage and the Yoarali Plains, the natural "ditch" that guards the capitol from the outer mountains of the country. Despite the difficulty that Crusaders and dragons may have accessing this space, some hardy humanoids have set up a few tough towns in the area, with high walls and intense training allowing them to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

#### Lance

Lance houses two major mountain ranges- the Riparare Range & the Bouclier Ramparts. A small number of mountain passes have been carved through these ranges, which house secluded towns and cities- many of which were once dwarven civilizations that have been repurposed for their new residents.

#### Atlas

Scattered, remote mountain ranges are the heart of Atlas, the state that acts as a shield and guardian against the outer-Halintar forces that would hope to invade the country through the sea. Dragons and humanoids alike tend to avoid living anywhere within the state, but the Bahumic tribes of humans that did not join Pyx during the Insurrection live here in relative solitude from the rest of Halintar. It's rumored as well that there are some pockets of original dwarves within these mountains, but either the rumors are tall tales or the dwarves are too well hidden to be smoked out even by the Crusaders and violently angry silver dragons.

#### Pershing

Bold independent humanoids make their homes in this out-of-the-way strip of land on the westernmost edge of the Great Northwest, where assistance from the capitol can take days or even weeks to arrive on the scene. Many undead enjoy the rotting things that perish in the mountains or are washed up on the cold shores. It is protected on it's eastern edge by the Vekikra Highlands and the Vekikra Lowlands, and at it's southern edge before the beginning of the Fringe's borders is the Dedcolm Fjord. It's body is composed primarily of the Bergamaschi Borderlands.

This is also the location of Tower Larimar, which is nestled far from any major point of civilization directly inbetween the Vekikra Highlands & Lowlands.

### Ethnic Groups

Humans are the most populous ethnic group, with the largest bulk of them living in the Whiteshock Citadel and the surrounding farmlands. Followed close behind them are kobolds, who have lived in the country since the age of the dwarves and take great pride in their extended lineage, which can be traced far back into the annals of the oldest libraries.

Due to their dwarven origins, many old cities built into the mountains have dwarf-sized buildings and structures. This is frustrating to the larger humans, and many either reconstruct appropriately sized buildings or steer clear of the ancient settlements entirely. Kobolds, however, have no issue fitting into these spaces, and there are a handful of these cities and towns that few humans or larger humanoids choose to live in.

Silver dragons take great pride in their country of origin, getting quite upset if they hear slander or even disinterest in their domain. Many dragons of Pyx' lineage rarely ever leave the country itself, choosing instead to dedicate their lives hunting down the many monstrosities that plague the vast countryside.

### Language

Common is the most prolific language here, allowing dragon and humanoid alike to speak to each other with ease. However, all legal citizens of Pyx are given schooling so that they may speak Draconic just as easily. Yipyak, the kobold language with roots in Draconic, is the third most prevalent language, practiced primarily by the kobolds who created it.

### Religion

*(See: Ester Pyx, Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent)*

Religion is a major part of the culture and government of the Great Northwest. The Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent are Ester Pyx's most dedicated followers, and are the country's primary governing body. Worship and respect are expected from all permanent residents of the country, as in turn the silver dragon and her followers ensure that civilization is kept civil, as well as safe from the many dangers of the vast wild threats beyond it.