Lagyre

The royal symbol of the Lagyre royalty.

> *"We Shall Stand."*
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The kingdom of Lagyre is one of the realms that exist on the eastern continent. It is composed of sturdy folk that seem to hold a certain disdain for outsiders, due to the constant incursions and attacks from outside.

## History

The theocratic kingdom of Lagyre was established roughly 1200 years before the death of the Sage. It is unclear what bound the people of the region underneath the priest-kings that since then have proclaimed themselves the rulers of Lagyre. From the sources that exist from Lagyrian historians, it is the combined threats that surrounded the people of Lagyre. The constant incursions from neighbouring realms forced the establishment of Lagyre to secure their sovereignty.

In early history, the Lagyrians were forced to face a multitude of foes. To the south, Sevudian forces tried several times to invade their country. To the east, the Lagyrians had to contend with the armies of Onmos - sometimes with the Lagyrians sending an invasion force of their own. But throughout the later part of their history, the Lagyrians had to suffer raids from the Sanosuke clans and clans of the Sky country. This constant strife developed a militant and quite xenophobic attitude within the Lagyrian subjects.

During the time that Rong was established, Lagyre was experiencing a time of stability. They were capable of holding the status quo with their neighbours, not interested to pay the price to expand their dominion. Things only dramatically changed when the armies of Rong reached the border of Lagyre.

Being used to the disciplined forces of Onmos or the large hosts of Sevudia, the Lagyrians were surprised by the hordes of Rong. While the first few battles were victories for Lagyre, Rong's constant pressure and relentless attacks started to crack the Lagyrian defences. Desperate measures were taken but were nothing more than temporary solutions for the advances of Rong. Eventually, Rong managed to smash through the border defences and flood the centre of Lagyre - sacking and burning many of the Lagyrian holy sites and cities.

This forced many of the Lagyrian people to seek refuge in the various fortresses, where they started to form a resistance against the Rongese military. From these places, the Lagyrian people desperately cling to the dream of obtaining their independence and restoring their realm to its proper place.

## Holy Spears

The military of the Lagyrian people is far from impressive. They lack the equipment to compete with the heavy infantry or cavalry from the western continent. And they lack the means to field impressive mounts of war. However, the Lagyrian military is far from incompetent.

With a preference to strike from afar, they are masters of the bow - utilizing horses to increase their mobility. Avoiding key-battles, the Lagyrians are masters of guerilla warfare and defending their homes in perilous sieges. Their disdain often creating brave and angry souls, willing to sacrifice their own lives to make the lives of their enemies as harsh as possible.

An interesting fact is that many leaders within the Lagyrian military are priests, that don't preach order and stability - but use their influence to recruit fellow Lagyrians into the fold as damning their foes. Sometimes in the same sentence and breath.

## Important Sites

#### Kurokotan

The capital of the semi-nomadic Lagyrian people, Kurokotan, is not a sprawling urban centre, and it is the largest fortress found within the realm of Lagyre. While it is the political centre from which the rulers of Lagyre have governed their people with an iron fist, it is also from where the Lagyrians continued to resist Rongese rulership.

Various essential ceremonies are held within Kurokotan, but not many foreigners are welcome, let alone invited, in the fortress. The Lagyrians widely believe that as long they can fend out any foreign influence of their ancestral fortress, the Lagyrians will remain free.

## Demographics

### Population

The populace is by large Rénese. A small portion of people from Taika descent resides in the western portion of the country - though they consider themselves more Rénese than Taika.

### Language

Rén is the dominant language within Lagyre. A very small portion is capable of understanding and speaking Taika.

### Religion

Interestingly enough, the Lagyrian people follow a religion of their own. They worship a pantheon of gods, each dedicated to a certain aspect of the Lagyrian's lives. They even acknowledge that the gods of other religions exist but with a dreadful twist: that they may be defeated upon the destruction of their most holy of sites.

## Political Structure

With Lagyre being a kingdom, it is often considered that the king upholds the most political sway. However, the Lagyrian king is nothing more than a figurehead and a military leader. The politics of Lagyre are being dominated by the clerics and priests, that dedicate their lives to various administrations - both civilian and militaristic.

The Lagyrians do have various families that are considered noble and of ancient descent. These nobles often play only a part in the military, capable of fielding more professional forces that are better equipped.

The common folk, however, have barely any rights. Even before the drastic measures and edicts that reigned in their freedom, the Lagyrian people are subjugated to follow the orders of their clergy to the letter. Or else suffer. This has led to some turncoats within the Lagyrian populace, that believe a foreign power will allow more lenience and freedom. But only a very small number is willing to admit it, whereas many are simply willing to endure the harsh rule of their countryman than to suffer the occupation of a foreign invader.