Sunflower Valley

Sunflower Valley is a coastal nation in the northeast of Kashar-Maht.

## Etymology

Sunflower Valley is named for the multitude of asteraceae species found in the vast grasslands, especially helianthus species. The name was adopted by the original settlers of the region in reference to the majestic sight of these wildflowers in spring. In native sunflowerese the nation is known as 'Aśhemvél' also meaning 'Sunflower Valley'.

## Religion

Valley Folk Religion, or VFR, is a unitarian polytheistic and pantheistic religion, containing a wide range of rituals, beliefs and practices based on the traditional ideologies of the people of Sunflower Valley. Traditionally there is no single name for the belief system, VFR being an umbrella term encompassing all denominations. There are two major branches of VFR, urban VFR and rural VFR. Urban VFR is practiced along the coast and in the major cities while rural VFR is practiced in the countryside and smaller agricultural communities. The church and state are inseparable within Sunflower Valley, religion pervading all aspects of daily life. Prayers to the gods are offered before major events and priests are consulted before major decisions.

Practiced in urban centers and along the coastlines, urban VFR is the dominant denomination of VFR within Sunflower Valley and officially state-sponsored. Urban VFR is know for having grand temples, elaborate rituals and a strict religious hierarchy. Urban VFR also claims the king of Sunflower Valley to be the god of the sun incarnate, deifying the monarchy and providing legitimacy to the royal claim to the throne. Officially urban VFR is known as 'War n'Tähivé', or 'Way of the Gods', but is often referred to as simply 'VFR' among foreign scholars. The primary texts of urban VFR are the books of 'Origins', 'Law', 'Stories', 'Letters', 'Empires' and 'Prophecies'. These five books make up the official canon of urban VFR.

Rural VFR is an unorganized folk tradition, rarely worshipping in temples or consulting priests. Instead practitioners of rural VFR may gather to worship in sacred natural spaces such as groves, mountaintops, caves etc. Instead of priests rural VFR has respected elders and shamans who lead their communities in accordance with the natural order. There is no official canon in rural VFR, with sacred texts varying by province, county and village.

Both urban and rural VFR teach that all of reality is merely the dream of a great unnamed cosmic being. Each aspect of reality is a reflection of an aspect of this cosmic being, and all of creation stems from their thought. The dreamer has no conscious effect on reality however, and worship is instead directed at lesser spirits or aspects of reality. Directly beneath the great dreamer are three great spirits, two of which are cosmically entwined while the third observes their struggles. VFR recognizes twelve primary deities or aspects although in rural VFR many more are venerated. In urban VFR the king of Sunflower Valley is substituted as the first god and king of the gods, legitimizing their rule over the mortal citizens. Beneath the primary gods are a host of lesser spirits of varying importance. Many of these spirits are central to sects of rural VFR but hold almost no importance in urban VFR. In addition, since all of reality is merely a reflection of the great dreamer, both denominations recognize that everything in the world contains a spirit, including everything from grains of sand, to abstract concepts, to entire continents. This instills in the people of Sunflower Valley a great respect and wonder for the world surrounding them. Life is held sacred in VFR as all things are manifestations of the dreamer, and to harm another would be to harm oneself.

## Flora and Fauna

The flora and fauna of Sunflower Valley is representative of the nation's location in temperate latitudes. There are many rare and unique species of plants and animals, including several endemic species.

The flora of Sunflower Valley is quite varied, boasting almost 10,000 species of vascular plants and several thousand species of fungi. Sunflower Valley contains several floristic regions, including beaches, temperate coastal forests, temperate grasslands, temperate shrublands, and boreal forests.

Most large mammals were hunted to extinction in prehistory, but many smaller species remain. Sunflower Valley also boasts a multitude of birds, reptiles, fish and several amphibians.

Along the Western coastline of Sunflower Valley, coastal coniferous forests dominate. The forests are warm and dry in summer and cool and wet in winter. Many species of trees inhabit these forests including pine, cedar, fir, spruce and cypress in addition to several broadleaf species such as aspen, birch, elm, oak and poplar. The understory is dominated by herbs, wildflowers, grasses and ferns. Coastal mammals includes a few native mustelids, a single mephitidae, and several rodents and chiroptera. There are over 100 birds native to the coastal forests, and many hundreds of reptiles including various lizards, snakes and pond turtles. Amphibians are relatively rare but frogs and salamanders may be found near freshwater sources such as creeks or ponds.

In the grasslands, dominant plants include grasses, sedges and herbs. In the smaller eastern grasslands, many species of wildflower may be found, especially asteraceae with over 300 native species. Nearer the more forested regions, the grasslands may turn into shrubland. The transitional shrublands are well adapted to wildfires. Grasslands mammals include gazelle, deer, and native jumping mice, with most larger species having been hunted to extinction. Passeridae and Icteridae are common birds in the grasslands as well as vultures and hawks and falcons. Reptiles are represented by several snakes and lizards and a species of burrowing tortoise. The only amphibians are burrowing frogs and caecilians.

The southern boreal forests are characterized by larch and spruce woodlands but also contains birch, willow and aspen. Precipitation is high and the understory is lush and diverse, containing many shrubs, ferns, mosses and other bryophytes. Berries of various species are very common. Fog is common in the mornings providing additional moisture for native vegetation. Waterfalls are common in the higher elevations and liverworts thrive in the spray zones. The only large mammals are deer and black bear, but smaller mammals such as mustelids and rodents may also be found. Many birds may be found, especially passeriformes, however most species migrate during the colder winter months. Reptiles are less common but a few snakes and lizards may be found among rocky outcrops during the summer months. The montane creek systems however, contain the nations highest density and diversity of both fungi and amphibians. Salamanders are extremely common, especially around waterfalls, although a few species are also known to inhabit cliff faces.

In the higher elevations the main aquatic species include salmononids and cyprinidae. Lower elevations are more diverse, with several other cypriniformes as well as siluriformes, perciformes, and a freshwater eel species. Crayfish are found at all elevations as well as a multitude of aquatic invertebrates.

There are many interest marine species native to the waters of Sunflower Valley. Many species of sharks and ray may be found as well as many teleost fish. Deepwater coral reefs are common further from shore and support many fish and invertebrate species and sponges are found nearby. Invertebrate species include echinoidea, cnidaria, asteroidea, molluscs, a multitude of marine worms, and several crustaceans, mostly crabs and shrimp near shore and isopods and shrimp in deep water.