Republic of Vilga

In the southernmost horned ogre island is Devon Island, where the **Former Republic of Vilga** - named after the largest, and only city of the island - used to rule.

Vilga is split equally by the river of Lazeuka that runs through Devon, with a small island in the middle of the river and its two districts, where the Palace of the Thousand Thrones is built.

## Geography

### Borders

Avangar Empire (North), Okhelian Ocean, (East), Elanxan Empire (South)

## History

The Vilgans have always occupied the island of **Devon**, with **Zeresh** being settled much more recently, around two to three hundred years ago. Their origin is unknown, although some oral stories claim the Vilgans came from the south and settled the island of Devon.

Vilga was actually the name of the first kingdom that was established in Devon, hundreds of years ago, appropriately taking its name from the city of Vilga, which was just a village back then. The Kingdom was eventually split up because of infighting between three Houses; **House Tanjona**, **House Medane** and **House Utkus**. The three Houses, facing threats from Elanxa, eventually established the Tribunal, a joint alliance between them.

The Tribunal included members of all the houses, from merchants, nobles, knights and mages. After repelling an invasion attempt by Elanxa, the Tribunal gained more political power within Devon.

The Tribunal members that were not blood related to each house planned to overthrow those that were, and using their dastardly schemes they succeeded at that. The power once held by members of House Tanjona, Medane and Utkus was now much less, and most of their land and estates were taken by them following a bloody civil war. After it, the Tribunal was mostly constituted by members of many different "lesser" houses, as well other influential citizens. Devon was united once more, under the name of the "Republic of Vilga". Four factions were distinguished within the Tribunal.

These four factions included the **Bisons**, the **Pangolins**, the **Owls** and the **Gryphons**. These represented the nobility, the merchant class, the priesthood and the wizards of Vilga, respectively.

### Invasion by Avangar

The Devonese -or Vilgans, as most refer to themselves nowadays- had built a prosperous nation, relishing in the trade between the Silver Kingdom, the Platinum Princedom and the Elanxan Empire. However, that all changed when the Elyrians attacked.

Their fleet, despite its bravery, was defeated by Avangar when they were tricked and outmaneuvered. They soon submitted to them, turning into a pseudo-shell of a puppet nation.

The **Gryphons** were by far the most distrustful of their new masters. Despite being warlocks themselves, they detested the impunity of use of the arcane in Avangar, and resisted the most out of all against the invaders. They were kicked out of the Tribunal, and the Elyrians made sure they would be forgotten and mistrusted by the general populace. Their propaganda stated blamed them for the invasion, condemning them as traitorous warlocks that sided with the Elyrian mages.

Some Gryphons fled to Elanxa. Others were burned in the stake, while others got impaled by the crossbow bolts of the dedicated witch-hunters. But little do the councils know that some warlocks disguised themselves, gathering their own following in Vilga.

The Gryphons, under disguise, are constantly preaching to the masses against their rulers and the corrupt priesthood, while the Civic guard are cracking down any sign of insubordination.

The Quamona Tong, as they call their group of resistance, meaning "the correctors of errors" are fiercely opposed to any foreign presence whatsoever on Devon, and all its schemes are designed to get rid of the Elyrians. The Quamona Tong, spearheaded by the former Gryphon "Tuaron Olgiers" mostly tries to put their own supporters in the council, all while gathering the support of local businesses. In one ruthless undertaking, the Quamona Tong kidnapped a horned ogre from the hills, gutted its belly and flung its corpse into the Lakeuza river, framing a group of young Elyrians for the murder.

## Government

Traditionally, rule of the city and the island boils down to four factions. One, the **Bisons**, are the nobility of the city, consisting of many families. They descend from the first rulers of Vilga, when it was but a small village, before even the three great Houses ascended to their position. They mostly are in control of the Civic Guard and the fleets that roam the Labyrinth Sea.

The **Pangolins**, on the other hand, are the merchant ruling class of Vilga, and consist of many merchant groups. Spice merchants compete with silk merchants, incense merchants compete with silver merchants, and so goes on. The Leopards are in charge of, well, preserving trade and the merchant fleet of Vilga.

The priesthood of the city is represented by the **Owls**, consisting of the priesthood of the city, who are responsible for mantaining religious order, as well as tending to the poor. They have fallen in hard times, since by being invaded by Avangar, the Elyrians have imposed their own religion on the Vilgans, their own religion undermined.

The last faction, the **Gryphons**, are all but forgotten by the ruling class and the history books, thanks to the Elyrian propaganda and the pogroms they deliberately caused, due to their resistance against the invasion.

The Gryphons once had their own council, with their own representantive in the Palace of a Thousand Thrones. However, their prestige and power has waned over the years. Their own palace has been reduced to no less than a ruin.

The three current ruling factions form their own councils, constantly competing with each other and infighting, and they all choose one representative every two years. The three representatives get to co-rule Vilga from the Palace of a Thousand Thrones, although the faction councils have been dilluted by spies and bribesmen from Avangar for years.

## Geography

Devon is mostly a flat island. The river Lazeuka runs through Devon, with most of the island's settlements being built alongs its course, or at the island's coast. The generally mild summers and springs of Devon and its flat terrain makes it ideal for growing crops and trees of all kinds. The shore is mostly rocky, dotted with large, granite cliffs.

Zeresh is more hilly and mountainous, which explains the fact that the few villages are built on the islands shores.

## Locations

Vilga is by far the largest city of the Republic. It's built along the course of the Lazeuka river, near the western part of the island. The city's two districts are separated by the river. In the middle of Lazeuka lies an island, on which the Palace of the Thousand Thrones is built. Vilga is infamous for its plantations, its opium dens and its Quamona Tong infested sewers and catacombs.

Other settlements in Devon include the towns of Altman and Evander, as well as the eastern settlement of Marro on the eastern coast. The castles of Lorvingen and Aunkere are the ancestral homes of House Medane and House Utkus, respectively.

The only notable settlement in Zeresh is the village of Donaires on the northern coast. It's where a Quamona Tong base is established, with a smuggling operation being run from there.

## Economy

Thanks to its rich waters and plentiful arable land, large part of Vilga's population works in fisheries or in farms, cultivating crops such as carrots, potatoes, wheat and radish. Vilga's main export is wine, with its vineyards producing the most popular wine in the East, the Devon White.

Apart from agriculture and fishing, the opium trade plays an important role in the Vilgan economy, as thanks to Avangar's invasion the Devil's Poppy has found itself on the streets of Vilga and beyond. The Quamona Tong controls most of the opium trade, and produce most of their wealth by smuggling it into Vilga and other cities of the east. Its distrubtion has led to the appearance of many opium dens in Vilga.

## Religion and Culture

The Vilgan faith revolves around the worship of various pagan gods, saints, as well as ancestor worship. Patron gods differ from community to community and from house to house.

Family plays an important role in the society of Vilga. Each family buries their dead in their own catacombs, and defiling their resting place can be punished by death. Necromancy is shunned and explains why many Vilgans, and especially the Gryphons disdain the invading Elyrians so much.

As with all conquered regions of Avangars, the Elyrians have tried to enforce their own religion upon these lands. Fire temples have been built in the name of Avangar, and some members of the Tribunal have paid tribute to them, although the native Vilgan populace have been oblivious to the Elyrian faith.

## Demographics

Vilga's population is almost exclusively human, and majority native at that. Sometimes traders from , the Kingdom of Silver, Gold, the Platinum Princedom and the Kingdom of Tarot can be found in the city of Vilga. In recent years, some Elyrians have moved to Devon, mostly religious authorities, millitary commanders and civil enforcers, as well as other foreignborn wizards.

There is a small enclave of Horned Ogres on the eastern part of Devon, living in caves near creeks and small hollow hills. These Ogres stay far away from civilization, and are generally left undisturbed by the Vilgans.

## Foreign Relations

### Avangar

Vilga remains a vassal of Avangar. Although the general populace - and especially those loyal to the Gryphons and the Quamona Tong - feel hatred towards Avangar, the Elyrians have done a good job at controlling the Tribunal, as well as cracking all sorts of political opposition. Avangar uses the farms of Devon to supply their army. The Elyrian treatment of the Belizians who fled to Vilga has instilled fear in the hearts of the Vilgans.

### Elanxa

Elanxa has been Vilga's primary trading partner throughout the years, alongside the Belizians of Stor Kartoflu island. Relations were always good, and Vilga were hoping for Elanxa to intervene when Avangar declared war on them. This help never came, however, as the Emperor decided to preserve Elanxa's neutrality, a stance that is still retained to this day. Most of the Gryphons who were ostracized fled to Elanxa, and were accepted with some reluctance.

The clergy aren’t as oblivious though, and have used the past two decades to stockpile massive amounts of magical weaponry and recruit agents, in order to aid the Quamona Tong and the exiled Gryphons.

### Kingdom of Poker

Another nation conquered by Avangar. The Quamona Tong have friends in their court, and try to sway any enemies of Avangar towards their cause.

### Kunt and Nerega

The red pirates of Kunt used to raid the coastal Devonese and Zereshian towns and villages, although these raids have now stopped as these pirates are fearful of the Elyrian patrols in the Labyrinth Bay. The Dreaded Wharf in the island of Nerega used to be a Vilgan colony, although now it's been overrun by pirates and repurposed into a bustling pirate town. The Quamona Tong's influence runs deep between these two pirate factions, who serve their smuggling operations.

### Platinum Princedom, Aine Saevherne, Kingdom of Silver and Gold, Fyrd and Golden Sea of Wheat

These nations are one of the main trading partners of Vilga, and have been since antiquity. The Platinum Princedom is the primary funder of the Quamona Tong and the pirates of Labyrinth Bay, as they remain the primary enemies of Avangar.

### Kingdom of Tarot and Realm of the Harmony Goddess

Trade occurs regularly between Vilga and the Kingdom of Cups, as well as the pilgrims that make their stay at the temple of the Tempered Body.

### Blackstone Prison Islands

The Vilgans used to throw their most wicked criminals at the hands of the Wardens, but now this proccess is controlled by Avangar, who choose to recruit the dark mages who rot in the dungeons of Vilga.

### Tower of Insanity

Vilgan sailors avoid this place, and for good reason.