Havenlyn

Havenlyn is a very damp and humid area filled with plant life of all sorts. It’s proximity to water on pretty much all sides of the country has allowed life to flourish and thrive there. Large expanses of grasslands and thick swampy forests make up much of the wilderness here. Many of Havenlyn’s plants are green or brown, making them very distinct from other areas of the world.

The most notable feature about Havenlyn’s geography is the Fathomless Sea which borders much of its north western side. This sea intertwines with one of Mirror Domain’s oil oceans, making aquatic life much less abundant. Because of this, Havenlyn has largely turned to agriculture in place of fisheries or water trade like most countries with large water sources. Most of Mirror Domain’s plants have adapted to survive with large amounts of oil surrounding them, so the oily water of the Fathomless Sea doesn’t have any ill effects on production.

Weather in Havenlyn is more variable than most places. They have three notable seasons; those being hot, wet, and dry. During the wet season the country sees an increase in rainstorms and heavy fog. Humidity is at its highest during this time. It’s also the time of year where Havenlyn sees the most travel. People from all over the world come here to witness rainstorms in person. The economy in many places relies on tourism.

As stated, Havenlyn is built around agriculture. They’re able to grow so much food that exporting it to other countries is their main trade. It’s access to water makes growing plants in abundance fairly easy. Many higher scale farms are near the borders. A lot of them have some sort of irrigation system in place that’s connected to the nearby bodies of water. Their irrigation systems are some of the most advanced in all of Mirror Domain, and many countries are scrambling to get a hold of this information so they can use it for themselves.

Not only does Havenlyn have a lot of farms, but ranches are commonplace as well. The vast majority of animals found here are livestock or work animals, as most native species have been driven out due to expanding farmlands. Stray cats and dogs are known to wander the fields, and several species of small birds have made their homes near the farms because of the abundance of food. There’s also the occasional large rodent, such as rabbits and squirrels.

One of Havenlyn’s defining features is it’s diversity. Havenlyn is a very open and welcoming kingdom. It’s often considered the melting pot of Mirror Domain, as there’s no one dominant species. It could be argued that Elves or Drexel are highest in numbers, but this has yet to be proven. Even if it is true there’s so many other species that it doesn’t really have an impact on Havenlyn’s culture. This country’s bountiful access to water has allowed it’s people to move away from survival and focus more on the pursuit of knowledge.

Technology and magic has advanced greatly because of Havenlyn. Many of its citizens have some sort of higher education, Magic or otherwise. It was the first country to have a stable teleportation system established. Magic Circles can be found scattered all throughout the country, making most travel within its borders trivial. Portal travel is heavily regulated, but people like it as it’s a safer and faster means of travel than Mirrors or caravans. Some of their bordering countries have started adopting this means of travel as well. The system isn’t perfect, but it’s better than the alternatives.

Havenlyn doesn’t shy away from sharing it’s knowledge. All of their information and technology is up for grabs, for the right price. They believe that what they do will better Mirror Domain as a whole, and that the price of this knowledge is just their “reward”. It’s an incentive for the people of Havenlyn to continue their pursuit of knowledge and not just take their ideas somewhere else. The lucky few people who’ve managed to sell this information are pretty much set for life. Others follow in their footsteps, hoping to someday get lucky. It’s a war between knowledge and greed in many cases.

Havenlyn’s pursuit of knowledge has caused some tensions between it and other parts of the world. Many countries see them as money hungry and selfish people. The citizens here are also more likely to question the existence of the Gods or denounce them entirely. Countries that have a heavy focus on religion see them as blasphemous heathens. Aelvale is a prime example of this. It’s one of the contributing factors to the ongoing war between the two.

The war between Havenlyn and Aelvale started once prince Terro Walker mysteriously disappeared. Many people believe that assassins from Havenlyn snuck into Aelvale disguised as diplomats as a means of war. The story lined up, seeing as Havenlyn had had diplomats in the country at the time. All of the accusations angered Havenlyn’s monarchs, and tensions only rose from there. Because of the war Lesser Dragons have begun to exit the country, making them one of the only species not welcomed there.