Holy Empire of Men

A once great human civilisation sapped and brought low by
constant civil war; the war is rumoured to have stemmed from the death of a
previous emperor without naming a successor. The nation was then plunged into
chaos, powerful figures emerging from the shadows, each with distant ties to
the throne. fortunately for the rest of Arcadia, the country as of now seems to
be too disorganised to formulate a direct plan of attack. The once perfect and
absolute rule of the empire’s past was a mere notion of history, for a new way
of life had become apparent to the denizens of the empire, one of endless
conquest and bloodshed…

The holy empire of man is currently split into several
factions, each taking a different role and could be seen to be supporting each
other in times of dire crisis and catastrophe. Though this situation could
change at any time: the scholars guild has seen fit that I create this record
as of now… though I  take utmost pride in
my work, I fear it will be in vain as a new wave of uncertainty seems to be
taking the nation by storm, seemingly ushered in by an unseen force. Though I
will keep my peace, a scholar such as myself… relishes the thought of more
tales to be told, hidden behind the very horizon itself.

## **Neherlandstadt**

Roughly translating to ‘low lands’, the landscape itself is
largely composed of a single shallow valley that runs through the centre of the
region. It’s exact origin unknown, many have speculated that a magical
disturbance that could have occurred thousands of years ago had been to blame
for the impacted earth, for now the area has been deemed habitable.  The resident population of the lowlands are
mostly composed of westerners, though the country is connected to Welthafen so
the occasional demi-human isn’t uncommon. Not even war can stop the constant
flow of migration, the people of Neherlandstadt however tend to throw
themselves into the war effort in any way they can, by practising simple mage
craft and smithery they can hope to join up with the military as either guards
or join their brethren on the front-lines.

## **Hoherlandplatz**

Roughly translating to ‘high lands’ and resting atop a steep
incline, the fertile plateau known as Hoherlandplatz is resident to a dying
breed of nobility… held upright, by only a decaying militia that shifts
uneasily like a snake, trapped within it’s own coils. Here, the remnants of an
ancient lineage plot and scheme, toying with a dream of reclaiming dominion of
the land they once lost. The population are mostly made up of easterners,
though the bloodline themselves hail from the north. The exact circumstances of
their fall from grace still lies hidden, perhaps the rulers of old sought to
hide their weaknesses and ordered for all records of the event to be destroyed.
Whatever the case, their presence is being made known more and more upon the
battlefield… it’s only a matter of time before they reveal themselves to the
common eye.

See Northerners in Humans for more info

## **Feldhausen**

Roughly translating to flatlands, the Southern side
feldhausen is made up of vast plains which stretch out for miles in either
direction. Once the fertile farmland which fed the empire in it’s prime, now
the area has gone fallow, years of neglect has allowed wildflowers and herbs to
bloom and run rampant among the crops. Strange, after so many years the earth
still rejects crops of any kind, the curse seems to hang over the land, in a
similar fashion to the fog which wreaths the barren earth like phantasmal cloth
that shrouds the spectres of the night.

The residents of the land work with what they have, doting
over sickly cattle and near skeletal poultry.
On the northern side of Feldhausen however the landscape starkly
contrasts it’s southern counterpart, the vegetation lush and full of life. The
locals here have allowed themselves to get drawn into the power struggle at the
empires heart, the prospect of providing support to those in the south pales in
comparison to the possibility empirical rule.

## **Welthafen**

Welthafen is a maritime state, though they are responsible
for a large part of trade across the nation means they are slightly
disconnected from the heart of the fighting, but not completely so. The
population is mostly made up of westerners who excel at manual labour and show
some resistance to the elements. For the most part, the residents of Welthafen
stay out of the fighting and only truly involve themselves when the situation
truly becomes dire. The matter of who rules is no concern of theirs, only that
their fragile way of life isn’t disturbed.

See Westerners in Humans for more info

## **Pfalzgraf**

The locals living in these parts are stubborn, having lived
through multiple threats in their time they are indifferent. At this time the
area is composed of a single small village on the outskirts of a vast forest
that was rendered but a shadow of it’s former self.

In ancient times past, the holy empire was under threat from
a different sort to the one that rages within. The land of Pfalzgraf were
subject to numerous dragon attacks, the normally serene and tranquil forests
blackened and scorched by dragon fire creating a barren landscape, devoid of
life. The locals, a mix of southerners and westerners banded together in order
to raise some coin that could entice a highly skilled magic wielder. With some
luck they managed to draw in a druid by the name of ‘Agnorak’, not much is
known about the circumstances of the failure… only that it had quite unintended
effects, ash and other mundane particles were transformed into spores of
unknown origin.  These spores took root
in the soil, taking full advantage of the little nutrients that the fires had
left. Given time to sprout, these fungal blooms emerged. Vibrantly coloured
dappled caps breaking the soil and mycelium stretching far underground, showing
through the crusted earth in places like the roots of a great and pale, albeit
spongey tree.