Daenibir

> "*Of our bones, the hills!*"
> ― Birian Warcry
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Daenibir is a major land within Dawnforge, regarded as a confederation of nobles and barbarians both. To which is more savage is something of a mystery.

The basic premise of Birian law is that every mortal is lord of their own destiny, as long as they conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and pay their dues to the Council of Steel. This approach results in a progressive society maintaining peace despite the religious divide of the New and Old worlds.

Daenibir is known for toppling the Askarian Empire, their masterwork craftsmenship and the land's rare minerals.

## Geography

Daenibir is uniquely safeguarded by its geography. Open sea to the north, forest to the east and mountain borders south and west.

The coast of Daenibir faces the northern reaches towards the Abyssal Rift.

Within Daenibir are aptly named highlands and lowlands, each full of bustling trade-towns, mines and fortresses of warlords.

## Government

Daenibir has ruled with minimal governance for centuries, no doubt resulting in their prosperity.

It is currently ruled by Queen Wendolin Gryphenos, but she is joined by a council of other nobility, tribesmen and non-humans. Together they form a unique empire of humans, non-humans and wildmen. This fellowship is known as the Council of Steel.

## History

> "*Daenibir is a country of rebels. Conflict is in its blood. Who are we to call it anything but a thin barrier away from anarchy?*"
> ― Margrave Aedin daer Cairn
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Always a land of savages, the Birians are descendants of several tribes who migrated to the region and warred for decades. Over time a combination of traders and adventurers migrated, forming diplomatic alliances with the local barbarians and tribes, creating a violent yet mercantile society.

Daenibir suffered the most of any people under the Askarian Empire; their people used as slaves for the mines across the land, the Birian Rebellion wouldn't have occured without the Wrath of the Mad King.

With the recent collapse of the Askarian Empire, Daenibir's tribes took it upon themselves to claim as much land as they could. Their once tiny nation has since exploded, their barbarian armies and merchant warlords now the lords of their own castles, universities and forge-cities.

## Trade

The mountains of Daenibir hold many unique minerals, crystals and ores. These unique minerals seem to fuel the mad Birians in creating strange weaponry that they are exceedingly proud of.

## Locations

### Towns and Cities

* Blacksmoke
* Dunclaven
* Dunglanys
* Lonelywood
* Mason
* Undbrig
* Verna
* Volgen
* Vissegrad

### Regions

* Cymrua
* Dunmigln
* Udorott
* Wrede

### Places of Import

* The Cold Road
* Dunrock Mountains
* Moonshame
* The Yellowfang

## Inhabitants

### The Birians

The inhabitants of Daenibir fall into one of two broad categories; tribesfolk and city-dwellers. Almost everyone on the shores or under the mountains has reason to fear the Birians dark furs and bloody axes. They've toppled tyrants, sacked cities, ruined kingdoms and taken the coffers of the weak for themselves. Compared to most Dawnforgers, the average Birian is incredibly strong and tireless, still feared today as reavers and warlords. Their disgust and hatred of liars makes them reputable merchants however.

Comprised of myriad tribal nations that form the Birian people, these distinct ancestries intermingle into a diverse population. Most Birians tend to be of descent from one of the larger nations; the Ab-Turakh, the Dunmaglas, the Kurgan, the Saburov and the Vaskani.

To many outside of this land, the Birians are known as the Iron Ones, perhaps due to their dark features or their masterful metallurgy skills.

### Tribes

* Ab-Turakh - Butchers of the flesh, the Ab-Turakh are an ancient clan of shamans and healers.
* Dunmaglas - Giants who call the Dunrock Mountains their home.
* Kurgan - Sea raiders and explorers, they who conquered the Abyssal Rift and found Aerrune.
* Saburov - Warriors who are never seen out of their saddles.
* Vaskani - Wandering nomads regarded as flamboyant tricksters and charlatans.

### Factions

* The Bloodsgrove - The most fearsome mercenary company in the world. Their chapterhouse is located in Udorott.
* The Crucible - Blacksmiths and artificers based in Blacksmoke, they are a unique order of paladins.
* Dundyr Row - The intelligence agency of the Council of Steel.
* The Hoardmen - A thieves guild who deal in things you cannot steal.
* Vandelimon Merchant Trading Company - One of the mightiest mercantile guilds in the world.

### Notable Inhabitants

* Trustvald van Verna - Known as Trusty the Fool, a bard whose exploits are widely known
* Margrave Aedin Stonehand daer Cairn - Current Margrave of Daenibir
* Queen Wendolin Gryphenos - The Warrior Queen of Daenibir
* Margrief Umali daer-Croÿ Volgrave - Lady of Volgen
* Battle-Saint Aldinyth - Saint of Commotion and Order, High Justice of the Crucible
* Father of Knives Auldnic - Saint of Thieves and Priests, leader of the Hoardmen

## Culture

> "*In the bones, for the blood and beer!*"
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### Society

The Birians value self-reliance, strength and courage above all else. Anything that is a product of their own labour is a fine thing, while anything else is treated with a healthy dose of skepticism. At best they are a proud, passionate, pragmatic people and their loyalty is fierce once earned. At worse they can be violent and hot-tempered as the old guard of Daenibir believe recklessness to be a virtue. They are self-reliant, and a Birian woman knows just as much as a man in matters of hunting, duelling and marksmanship.

Daenibir is a kingdom famed for its brave soldiers and proud lords. The people of Daenibir live free in tribes across its landscape and within its cities, each unique yet loyal to the Council of Steel.

### The Old versus the New

This divide is a concept primarily existing in Daenibir. This is the religious and metaphorical divide between those who retain the wants of Daenibir versus the wants of Dawnforge. This extends to religion as many knights and nobles either keep the New or the Old Gods.

Those who keep the Old Gods regard the church of the New Gods as "weaklings, mewling for their mother's milk." Whereas those nobility who keep the New Gods regard their opposing nobles as "animals in fine clothes." It would seem that this divide could destabilize the region that has existed for centuries, once surviving through cooperation and mutual tolerance.

### Imperial yet Wild

Much of the Askarian Empire faded into the richer countries of Dawnforge; Ostora, Aldwynn and Stygia. The tribesmen of Daenibir had only their small land, but their anger was much, much larger.

The Four-Crown War led to Daenibir claiming a huge swath of land, and with it came forge-towns, universities and cities under the rule of the wild Birians. Now the remnants of Askaria have a new empire to respect. Stern and proper, central Birians who come from the Highlands are merchants, craftsmen and traders of infamous reputation. From the Lowlands and the Cold Road are the barbarian tribes, not much better than outlaws, but they are the strong-arm of the country.

Daenibir is essentially a confederation of tribes whose newfound wealth has rocketed them to the forefront of Dawnforge society.

## Notes

* "van" is the preposition for "of" used by many to designate what town they're from
* "daer" is the preposition for "born" used by nobility to show their lineage
* Daenibir roughly translates to "Born from Bones"