Leastrune

## Description

**Leastrune** is an ancient oasis that appeals to scholars, students, and adventurers alike who wish to study in the most exemplary archives or attempt to unravel the mysteries of nature. This humid coastal nation is a nexus of philosophy, religion, and arcana that has served as the model for many burgeoning polities led by the ancestral elves who ascended from the unchartered cave systems. Leastrune’s reputation melds arcane mystery with technological advancement-- A land where Gods carved of stone watch the sunset and the erudite assemblies grow to multitudinous power.

## Geography

A tropical trove of biodiversity located off the western coast of Auldenon, Leastrune is one of the land's most ancient established civilizations. From rousing everyday life stirring within the cities to the calls of fauna and echoes from still-untouched caverns within the encompassing rainforests, Leastrune is constantly buzzing with sound. Almost harder to ignore than the noise within the land, the deities of the local faiths carved out from natural bright rock formations, leaving an impression of their perpetual watch and ancestral divinity within the landscape.

Leastrune has a humid, stormy climate year-round, largely due to oceanfront winds and tides. It's known for its rocky coasts with pure white sands and a stretch of platform stone formations called The Alabaster Steps, where many port towns and cities dwell. As the rocky coast gives way to thick rainforests, it's been rumoured that heavy rains and fogs have recently settled indefinitely, making the traditional trade routes toward the shared borders treacherous.

The cities are marvels of technology. A nation that's advanced arcana, astronomy, mathematics and the sciences throughout its established history continues the tradition within its large universities where students come from across the continent to study, and scholars gather to defend their theses. Once an idea of mythology, and often spread as such, Leastrune's most researched domestic theory includes their aggregate cavern systems and the hypothesis it was the location of their advent.

## Government

Leastrune is a modern republic with a filtered democracy, ruled by twelve council members representing branches of the nation's governance and symbolically representing the twelve provinces of Leastrune. Before Leastrune was a republic, the previous ruler, a long-lived elf, sat in power for many lifetimes. Despite being well-loved and respected, he dissolved the single seat of power and abdicated his position entirely, citing power imbalances and the toll it takes on a single person to rule in entirety. In his place, he asked his advisors to create a council and rule as a triumvirate. Eventually, the seats expanded to twelve as Leastrune gained more provinces, and the College of Euasteros was ultimately established to help create a class of electors and councillors.

### College of Euasteros

Euasteros is where future generations of representatives go to gain a specialized education in the ways of politics and diplomacy. Each student often has a specialized area of study that gears them towards a branch of the council's positions: commerce, treasury, environment, law, foreign affairs, information, education, transportation, defence, faith, arcana, science and development. They spend their time from age thirteen to twenty perfecting their skills while fulfilling the compulsory studies expected of all students. Those who successfully graduate from Euasteros become part of a larger assembly that holds power to nominate candidates for Leastrune's council, vote/propose general elections, act as liaisons between the people and the council, and often oversee municipal governments.

At twelve years old, all children partake in a national test that spans a broad range of skill checks to narrow down the pool of people who will eventually enter the collegiate if their families can support the endeavour. Most children fail the first phase of written tests. At the same time, those who exemplify exceptionalism according to the archaic standards of the mostly unchanged trials are offered a position within the academy for future councillors. The old test has not seen updates or malleability in ages and speaks to a relic of their history and a fault line within the otherwise erudite and serene culture of Leastrune.

### Elections

The graduated assembly gathers in its entirety once a year to share news, hold debates, and canvas for future positions. At this time, any member may propose a vote for a general election. If successful, the graduated assembly then nominates candidates for new appointments, holds their own ballot to narrow down nominees and begins the general election process with Leastrune's populace. Once a general election has occurred, there's a five-year block where members must allow the council to serve Leastrune before proposing another election.

### Law and Order

Magic use in Leastrune and its research is highly lauded, but only insofar as it’s through the proper channels and permits managed by the academy network that oversees magical practice and law. Leastrunites tend to have a positive overview of magic as a whole, so it’s easy for one to slip past this regulation unless they are performing clear malicious acts.

The graduate assembly of Euasteros has a sect under the councillor of law that oversees the law-bearers and justice system of Leastrune. All cities are patrolled by the Stewards in their unmistakable blue and silver uniforms, who take their duties two-by-two and watch over the streets to prevent chaos and strife from breaking out. The patrolling Steward of any Leastrune city is equipped with a basic mage hunting understanding, polished scimitars, and two glass vials that, when smashed, emit a sleep-inducing substance into the air.

### Crime

Leastrune suffers from pirating along the seaside as well as revolts along the Ghul Inan border. The nation is often seen as easy pickings by underground crime rings, trafficking schemes, and mage hunters who are willing to enter the territory due to such a high populace of magic users who seek their training from the colleges.

Housing endless archives of important information and knowledge that many would genuinely kill to get their hands on, special focus is put on the larger cities for grand larceny and enemy espionage acts. Meanwhile the smaller ports are left to the violence and pillaging of coastal raiders and pirates.

## Trade

Leastrune is one of the regions of the continent that focuses on sculpture, transportation, mathematics, astronomy, and arcana. It boasts a thriving fishing industry, one of the oldest airship docks on the continent, and active markets that scrawl all across the coast. Aside from what the populace may offer in terms of knowledge and technology, Leastrune calls to many for its natural landscape and ancient statues that loom across the region.

## Culture

A land with an ancient history now denoted by the expansion of scientific and arcane theory and the valued act of recording history and cultivating knowledge. Leastrune’s culture heavily emphasizes the pursuit of erudite endeavours. This general theme of scholarship has dictated a broadly literate society. Museums, libraries, observatories, judicial courts, archives, colleges and universities are highly regarded.

But many mysteries of nature and celestials still confound Leastrunites. The gods above, endless forest fogs, and seemingly untraceable caves lead to questions unanswered by even the brightest scholar. Modern culture in an ancient land-- religion and philosophy have their place, holding a stony vigil and fulfilling the need for hope and explanations where science and arcana still fall short.

Overall, the way of life exemplifies more revolutionary democratic values. But even in the pursuit of scholarship and equality, there’s an elite and competitive temperament among the educated classes that belies a crack of disparity within the serene and idealistic reputation Leastrune holds across the continent.

### Fashion

Fashion in Leastrune is made to endure the weather. The fabrics and layers of the average working-class person are chosen to wick the daily rainfall while remaining breathable in the storms and humidity. Due to trade with many nations across the continent, Leastrune imports many fine fabrics. However, Leastrunites forgo the extravagance associated with such materials for the utility and longevity of a finely manufactured piece.

In line with the scholarly temperament, garments are well-engineered and create clean, manageable shapes. Drapery and layers are left to utility and the weather forecast instead of elegance and grandeur. High-waisted trousers or shorts, breathable tucked-in or wrapped shirts, sensible tunics, and ankle-length or shorter skirts are often paired with tall boots or well-drained sandals. White, cream, green, blue, and brown are staple dyes. The working class has been historically banned from wearing the colour blue due to its association with scholars, councillors in session, and law-bearers.

### Religion

The main religions in Leastrune are Tresceia and Eth-a Ghul.

The deities are part of everyday life in Leastrune. Their edifices have been carved into the land for centuries, holding ubiquitous vigil over the prosperous land and acting as shrines for whoever passes them by. For many, the sanctuary, opportunities, safety, and generally tolerant society currently presiding over the land is all due to the favour of the Tresceian gods. Leastrunities typically hold silent predispositions to believe their land is blessed, although the modernization associated with arcana and their astronomical studies tends to overshadow this historically innate view.

Eth-a Ghul is also practiced in Leastrune, although it opposes the grander and pervasive veneration of the Tresceian practitioners as it’s by far a more private and personal affair to be had. Family homes that practice Eth-a Ghul revere a particular Dhelgol and often work their worship into the estate’s adornment and personal garments.

Ritual and temple adherence is more prevalent within the practicing Eth-a Ghul communities- holy grounds can be found in almost all major cities, and even some smaller ports and towns have a place of worship. However, many of the old temples of the Tresceian faith have become dilapidated, and only the major cities continue to fund upkeep. The statues of the Tresceian deities are of a higher reverence and value to the followers; they’re often maintained by pilgrims and those who come to worship at the shrines dedicated to the statues.

## Defenses

Leastrune largely depends on geographic isolation. With many buildings carved directly into waterfall cliffs and along the rocky coastline, the nation comes naturally fortified against attacks. Some of the local cave systems have been well-travelled and understood for many years- those mapped out are considered emergency safe zones by the council should the nation’s naval force and magical siege defences falter.

Leastrune employs the use of both martial and arcane tactics to keep their nation safeguarded. Details on their defence systems across the continent are often fabled and obscured via the sands of time. Since Leastrune has not provoked war or supported intercontinental conflict in many of the passing years, much of Auldenon is left to speculate what destructive or protective capabilities they bear. Do they still hold claim to the continent’s ancient magic, or do they squander their resources on scholarship?

## Transportation

Sea ships and airships are the most common ways to reach the coasts of Leastrune and often the most favoured way as the land stretches with fog-laden jungles, making it hard to traverse by foot or cart deeper into the east. Leastrune's population skews heavily along the coast and within its reach, leaving little means of infrastructure for travelling deep into the lands unless it's by one of the few long trade routes constructed to reach the shared borders of Ghul Inira and Yueh-Rautha.

Leastrune subsequently hosts a long history of coast travel, which is marked by maintaining one of the oldest running airship docks on the continent. Aerie's and shipyards are neatly aligned along Leastrune's coast, standing out with thoughtful design exemplifying the prevalence of air and ship travel in the day-to-day life of any Leastrunite. Air and ship ferries bring people and goods up and down the coastal cities daily. However, one may substitute land travel just as readily along the coast as it demands additional channels to keep the dense populations connected.

## Notable Locations

The capital of Leastrune: Luvine. The city itself is architecture, science, arcana, transportation, and philosophy coming together on a grand scale to create a primary nexus for the nation. Residing along the coast, Luvine is where most temples, shops, and theatres are located, along with the main airship port. The Council of Leastrune meets in Luvine when called to session.

A prominent city along the coast, Cipha is home to the nation’s main fishing port and is a bustling hub of entertainment and criminal activity. Sailors, travellers, merchants, and thieves pass through often or make permanent residence here. Although the Council oversees Leastrune, many claim no law or commission outweighs that of money in Cipha.

Deity landmarks are carved into the natural land formations, often representing the gods in a scene related to their patronage. A deity associated with hunting or the forests may be depicted in an isolated statue keeping vigil over the secluded parts of the deep woods, while a deity of the sea might be built into the harbour, rising from the ocean sediment. These landmarks propagate their own myths and have led to many stories of statues moving of their own volition or speaking to the devout through their stone channel.