Agartha

Agartha is a temperate farming culture that is descended from the House Arienthiel. They are good-natured people who seem willing to accept strangers into their midst. They make their homes in towns called Commons, where a duke will tend to the people’s everyday affairs. In turn, the dukes are responsible to the barons, who in turn answer to the King and Queen. At present, the ruler is Queen Banbha, the II, a queen of great strength and calm in spirit, capable of great leaps of logic. Both rulers have a great love of their people, although they also recognise how tempting their land is to their enemies, in particular the roaming Fomori and the constant threat of Uskain in the north, with whom they share their border.

### **Society**

Agartha follows the matriarchal lineage of families, with the king as consort to the queen, who maintains political dominance. Should the queen die with no daughters, the queenship is passed to the closest female relative, who will then decide on whether she wishes to keep the current king as consort or retire him in favor of another. Prior to the queen being able to claim her title, she must be acknowledged by the council of five, representatives from each of the mystic orders of Agartha, whose wisest represent the orders interests within the kingdom. The counsel also represents the will of the people, many who communicate their needs through its members.

The communities in Agartha are broken into towns called commons in which a duke is tasked with overseeing the communities. The duke primarily will maintain law and order in the commons and will also take on the role of a judge in any crimes committed by the people. The duke is also charged with raising a standing militia should the need arise in defence of the region. The militia consists of everyone over the age of twenty years old and under thirty five. People in the commons will engage in regular training every third week of a given month.  Not all commons have a duke. Smaller commons are often placed under the protection of the duke of a larger commons who will often divide time between each area under their leadership.

In turn, when the militia needs to be raised, they are placed under command of the brigadier, a soldier that has proven himself over multiple engagements and skirmishes along the border of Agartha. The brigadier is secunded a battlemage, who will provide magickal support through a division of counsel members that act as artillery for the infantry. In turn the brigadier and the battlemage have a team of junior officers that command the individual detachments that make up the standing army. When not engaged in commanding the militia, the brigadier holds a title of duke and is responsible for their commons.

Nobility in Agartha is not a birthright, and instead is merit based. For one to become a duke, they are required to demonstrate their ability as leaders, warriors and in learning. They must accomplish tasks for the betterment of the society and gain renown. If the Queen deems them to be worthy of leadership, they are elevated to the rank of duke and placed in charge of a small commons, there to prove themselves and if they do, they will be given greater responsibility.

All people that live in the commons have equal status below the duke. Individuals are judged on their contributions to their commons, and given responsibilities accordingly. Those who have served for two years as part of their militia on the line earn the right of citizenship, which allows them to begin the path to dukeship if that is what they wish. The guilds have a great deal of influence in most commons with small representative guildhalls often found in the bigger areas.

### **Rulers**

Queen Banbha the II, is the matriarch of Agartha was born during the Great Wall Breach, when the Uskain 5th and 16th regiment, with the assistance of sleeper agents that had been placed in small towns near the Stonewall. Uskain Mar, having spent years inscribing runes of destruction into the wall finally let that magical build up loose tearing a great rent in the mighty wall. The regiments of Uskain poured through, heavily armored giants, upon demonic steeds that spoiled the earth they thread upon. Led by Orodeth Orrabein, The Tyrant of the Frozen Grave, he laid waste to all around him, bathing in the blood of his enemies.

Banbhas mother, Dáirine the First, Firebringer, Angel of Agartha marched out at the head of her army with her consort Deasmumhnach to face their enemy. Both armies clashed, and a much younger Banbha marched with her mother to battle the enemy. The war was fearsome, the losses decimated both sides but slowly, ever so slowly Orodeth was pushed back toward the wall. The battle moved from months into years, the attrition grew terrible, until Orodeth met Dáirine on the field of battle. Their swords clashed, and the battle between these great heroes, lasting days. It was as the moon was high in the sky that Dáirine was hit with the arrow, a momentary distraction that was enough for Orodeth to take advantage. Driving his sword through her heart, he gave a cry of triumph gloring in his victory, and the tides turned. The regiments pushed hard and fast, catching the demoralised Agarthan military as they reeled from the loss of their queen. Deasmumhnach did his best to organise an orderly retreat and stayed at the rear to keep the enemy from encroaching further. That was the last that was heard of the queens consort.

Banbhas, holding herself together at the shocking death of her mother, began to gather her brigadiers to her, taking advantage of the time that her father had bought them to help reorganise her militia units and call upon assistance from the other commons. Slowly she kept pulling back, fighting only when necessary. Every commons began to harass the enemy, destrony crops, attacking from the forests and mountains.

In the meantime Banbhas hid with the militia in the huge Raling Wood. There she sought the assistance of the Sidhe Draoi, and with their assistance, began gather her response to the Uskain invasion.  Having reorganised her troops, she let her anger fuel her need to win and pushed back against the Uskain regiments hard. The Uskain were not expecting the sudden response from Agartha, and after months of dealing with hit and run guerillas, and empty commons with no food, their transports constantly being destroyed by the mages that were hidden amongst the people, the counter attack was brutally effective. Slowly but surely, Banbha drove her enemy back. Inch by inch, Agarthans regained their land. Where the fighting was heaviest, Banbha would be found, inspiring her troops with examples of bravery and compassion. Her unit, The Grim Blades, became legendary as the months dragged on, and Orodeth placed a huge bounty on her head in the hope of at least being able to pinpoint where she was. However, he could not account for the portal ways that the Sídhe Draoi opened to allow her to move with ease.

At last Orodeth was forced to recognise that he could not continue this campaign and was forced to retreat, his hopes of taking the capital, mere kilometers from the 5th regiment, was dashed when his Poruchik, Mór Borradh Cogaidh the Butcher of Amram, was killed by Banbha in a bloody battle. Banbha took Mórs head and displayed it at the front of her unit.  The 5th Regiment crumbled with the loss of Mórs leadership, and gave Banbha the opportunity she needed to make that one final push that drove Orodeth out of Agartha and back to the other side of the wall.

Now, twenty years later, the wall rebuild and the great fortress Stonewall Keep was built to watch the wall and garrisoned by the Grim Blades who keep a constant vigil on the wall and those that live in the villages nearby. With the end of the Great Wall Breach, Banbha turned her experience as a warrior to that of rebuilding Agartha. Over the course of twenty years, Banbha rebuilt her regions economy, and expanded the commons and worked with the counsel, formed at the end of the war of the most learned magick users in the region to assist with the rebuilding. Now Agartha is one of the more powerful regions in Undriel, under the watchful eye of Banbha and her consort Arnethiel.

### **Law and Order**

Law in Agartha is based upon the precepts of the counsel. These precepts form a doctrine from which extends the common law of the region. The counsel apports courts in each of the commons that assists the duke in making judgement on the people in the commons that break the laws. Agarthat extends a common law to all commons, which means that there is no difference between different towns, which makes it quite unique in Undriel, matched only by the laws of Caer Wyde. Some argue that the common law itself stemmed from Caer Wyde and was adopted by the counsel of Agartha.

Crime in Agartha is based on a scale and the opportunity for redemption. Minor crimes such as petty theft are treated with 5 lashings and a fine that is repaid to the individual who has been stolen from. Crimes like assault get a harsher response, of ten lashes and six months in the stonewall mountains. Greater crimes like murder or rape result in execution or exile into the broken east. Each month those who have been imprisoned for these crimes are gathered together, branded and brought to the border of the Broken East. There they are cast out into the wastelands beyond that act as a buffer to the great mists beyond.

The policing of the commons is left to the militia. All citizens are required to participate in the watch as part of their training and will serve  a minimum of six months in that role. Some citizens enjoy the position or take a liking to the role and as a result will often stay on after the six month mandatory time is over. Those who stand out as leaders are given the rank of sergeant and will be given command of a guard house. In turn those who serve their commons with distinction will be given the rank of captain by the duke and placed in charge of all the watch houses in the commons. For smaller commons, the captain is from a bigger township and will regularly travel throughout the different watch houses under their command to review the watch officers and their sergeants to ensure that they are fulfilling their duties appropriately and to review their arrests.

The captain will report back to the duke every month with an update in relation to the arrests in their commons and the types of crimes being committed. Any areas where there are problems or risks the captain can request additional watch officers to assist. However, the final decision of that is left with the duke.

### **The Counsel**

The counsel was formed not long after Agartha came into existence. They greatly assisted the monarchy in the early formation of the region, helping to guide the monarchy through the difficult formation and conflicts with Uskain in the north. The counsel’s leadership is made up of five of the eldest and wisest representatives of the five Orders of Magick. However, the counsel is actually a much larger organization that is spread across Agartha. Representatives of the counsel are found in every commons throughout the land, and act as both advisers to the duke and will also listen to the concerns of the people. In turn they bring these concerns to the dukes so that they can respond to them.

The five orders of Magick is something that is particularly unique to Agartha. The five orders assist in regulating the magick users in the region, ensuring that they are trained appropriately. Agartha is particularly notorious for the rich veins of pure essence that run through the region which in turn makes magick users particularly dangerous to both themselves and others. The unpredictable surges of power can make even simple magick use a risk. To protect practitioners, the counsel formed the five order of Magick, focusing on tapestries of magick that were safer and more predictable. Magick users are trained to weave their tapestries of magick through specific patterns and rituals that will channel the magick effectively and avoid any catastrophic unravelling of magick around them. It is not unheard of for untrained magick users to injure or kill themselves and those around them as a result of the unpredictable waves of magick in the region. As such, magick users that enter the region are cautioned against using their magick while there until they have been trained properly.

The Order of the Flame is probably the most popular of the orders. Their magick is focused on a searing intensity as they weave the tapestry around them, burning away the loose threads and stopping their magick from unravelling around them. The order uses sources of heat and fire as conducting rods for the raw magickal energy, ensuring that their spells are cast effectively. The Order of the Flame is particularly popular amongst younger magick users given the simplicity of their method. However, the Order also has greater difficulty dealing with more powerful magick, and focuses instead on simpler patterns.

The Order of the Moon is a particularly smaller order. Believed to be originally an order dedicated to the worship of Arawn by the near mythical Cú faoil, it has maintained a constant presence in Agartha. The order focuses on more subtle magicks, powers of suggestion, obfuscation, and manipulation. Their focuses are simple items that reflect the light, and focus on casting the fraying edges into the shadows, where they disappear into the darkness. There are times the order has been treated with suspicion given the focus of their magick, but at the same time are seen as essential to the running of the region.

The Order of the Wolfhound is the preferred order of those who wish to protect the land. The order uses the sword as a focus to cut away those frayed ends of the tapestry maintaining its integrity.  The order grew in popularity a great deal during the Great Wall Breach as a bastion of defence against the warlocks and magi of the Uskain regiments. Their magick lacks the subtlety of the Order of the Moon, but at the same time uses the fluctuations in the magick for destructive purposes. The deeper magick is often ignored by this order in favour of the sheer destructive power that it can wield.

The Order of the Harp has a great deal of influence over those who embrace the art of mystical performance, whether through music or words, they gather the loose weaves of the tapestry and through their harmony and reweave them back into the fabric of magickal stability once again. The focus of the order is their instrument of choice, whether it is their voice or musical. The Order is popular amongst those who wish to perform and lead.

The Order of the Grey holds influence over the sphere of entropy and resurrection. They control the flow and ebb of the very life energy and allow entropy to wither the loose threads of the tapestry until they realign with the harmony of magick. The Order of the Grey is one that is championed by both healers and necromancers alike which often leads to the order either being received with enthusiasm or with great suspicion. The focus of the order is normally related to the area of the art that they wish to specialise in, whether ingredients for healing or the rune bones from an ancestor.

### **The Great Wall**

The Great Wall runs from the Stonewall Mountains to the Sea of Tamrain and separates the northern territory of Agartha from Uskain. This towering structure reaches almost 1000 meters into the air and dwarfs Stonewall Keep, a huge fortress that stands directly below the wall and is the barracks for the Grim Blades, the elite force of Banbha. Their task is to patrol the perimeter of the Great Wall and to watch for spies and the shadows, the spies that are planted in the region by the Uskain intelligence. The wall itself has an entire regiment of infantry that are dedicated to watching the enemy region beyond.

The Great Wall is several meters of solid rock combined with an extensive network of rooms and corridors that spread from the Sea to the Mountains themselves. The Order of the Flame has been given dispensation to headquarter their leaders inside the wall in return for their oath to assist in its protection from the enemy.

The Grim Blades have evolved a great deal in the last few years from when they fought under Banbha in the Great Wall Breach. Their role as an elite guerilla unit that Banbha needed ended and they were reorganized into a flexible specialised fighting force that has slowly but surely expanded over the intervening years to become a mobile fighting force capable of adapting to the changing tactics of the enemy. This has resulted in the development of several different divisions that specialise in different fighting styles. Each division is assigned to the protection of one aspect of the wall.

The Builders maintain the integrity of the wall itself, they work with the counsel in ensuring that the physical structure is protected from both physical and magical assault. They ensure that all materials for the upkeep are maintained and protected, should they be laced with anything that will potentially damage the wall. The Builders are also masters of siege warfare and are known for their skills in tunnelling under fortifications.

The Maor are the rangers of the Grim Blades and have a dual role as both spies and orienteers, keeping watch on Uskain along the wall itself and through the mountains. They act as guides to maneuver rapid response units that are placed in the mountains, ready to move should Uskain attempt to bypass the wall again. The Maor are considered strange by their comrades, often aloof and preferring to travel alone or in small groups. They generally form loose units that don't follow any particular chain of command outside of obeying the commands of the Maor Spor.

Finally the Falang are the guardians of the wall itself, trained to spend long hours in watch upon the great heights of the wall. They are specialised in fighting not only on the wall but also from the great owls that nest in the mountains and on the edges of the wall itself. Reared by the master keepers, they are reliable and brutal mounts whose claws can rend their enemies to pieces quickly and efficiently.

### **Capital: Finias**

Finias, the capital of Agartha, comprises three towns with Finias Keep overlooking them all. To the west of the town stands Orudin forest and to the north of the keep, the legendary Everlasting Fields span out as far as the eye can see. To the east lie the Cajaerbarad, ancient ruins behind which stands the great tower of magic. Finias Keep watches the coast of Hastapaere Waters for potential threats from Uskain privateers and pirates from the Raging Isles, waiting to prey on the shipping out of the capital. To that end, Agartha has built one of the largest fleets in Undriel to patrol their coast and protect the shipping lanes. The fleet, known as Fand’s Wrath is led by the infamous commodore Bébhinn Eyverska, the Talon of Banbha.

### **Colmara**

Colmara is one of the major port towns that dominate Finias. Originally it was a small village but as time went by, the people of the village made pacts of friendship with the Sidhe Draoí who in turn supplied those of their clan that passed on in the cycle to be turned into wood for the great ships and incorporated with the wood that is traded from the trees of Ornduin forest. In turn Éimer Óngull of Colmara made a pact with Sacros Cloch adhmaid, the clan chieftain to help protect their forest from those that would seek to do it harm. Over time the clan has intermingled with the people and so a unique sidhe has come about, known as the summer folk, these sidhe has lost some of their more tree like appearance, but retain the natural greens and browns and golds of their cousins and their skin is somewhat akin to the stem of the beautiful wild flowers that grow throughout the Ornduin. Indeed, their affinity with the land allows them to shape wood with no tools, naturally coaxing the natural materials into the shapes they desire. Every year they gather together to grow the mighty ships from the wood gifted to them. The great druí, known as the Adhmad Ceannródaí, gather and perform the rituals with their sidhe draoí cousins who gather at the beach and together over the day and late into the night form twenty ships ready to set out to sea, each with the spirit of one of the sidhe imbued in it.

The great lighthouse towers over the village, its light reaching out into the darkness to warn ships of the dangers that lurk along the coast. The tower is a marvel of engineering, rising up into the sky. Indeed, to reach the top, one has to climb the stairs for almost ten minutes. The great light that shines out is a further wonder, the magick used to construct it a speciality of the Uisce Mages that watch over waterways and ships in the area. The light only shines out into the sea, and does not disturb the people of the village at night. The Lightkeeper, Líadan Téigh sa Tóir ar Fada, a Milesian and a kind and quiet woman who has a great deal of love for the solitude her role as keeper brings with it. She tends to the great light regularly and will speak enthusiastically to anyone who wishes to learn more about the magick involved.

### **Craigmúr**

Craigmúr sits above Rosanaig and is one of the larger towns on the coast in Finias. This town is a rather unique community, with a remarkably high number of Milesians making their home there. The Milesians have worked hard to integrate into the surrounding community, and while initially greeted with a degree of suspicion, they have become welcomed members of the community, who now hold them in incredibly high regard. The Milesians have actively contributed to the growth of Craigmúr, including creating a unique market that supplies many beautiful pieces of Milesian art and construction.

The Milesians are a particularly gifted seafaring race and they put their skills to good use as part of the Agarthan fleet, with many of them holding the rank of captain. It is not uncommon to see the great galleys of war anchored just outside Craigmúr, providing a steady stream of custom for the many simple but beautiful inns that populate the coastal region. In addition, a great temple to the goddess Fand, with many of the sagart holding dual position in both the temple and also on board the ships as chaplains.

The current Canónach of the temple is Mochta Askasmiðr, a greying and charismatic Milesian who gained great renown as the chaplain on board The Nights Rift, which was captained by the legendary Eadan Gjallandi, who was responsible for the rout of the Uskain expeditionary twelfth fleet during the legendary engagement known as the War Of Gold. Now, however, he spends his time tending to his flock in the temple, his wars long behind him. He rarely discusses the wars, but often uses them as examples of the kindness of his deity. Mochta is most often found sitting near the harbour watching the ships sail in and out, a smile on his face and a far away look in his eye, but seems to radiate contentment.

### **Rosanaig**

Rosanaig is a small bustling fishing community that caters to the smaller ships that dock in the region. As a result, a great deal of the more specialised and highly sought after items are often brought to this port of call. There is also talk that Rosanaig is the source of a great deal of smuggling that goes through Agartha proper. Those that have the right connections and are able to connect with the thieves guild found here have an opportunity to make a great deal of ór, provided they are not caught by the navy and suffer the wrath of the patrols.

Smuggling is a constant problem in Agartha. Despite the many patrols and customs checks at the harbour, Uskain has worked hard to undermine the country and part of their attack is through the smugglers that they assist in bringing illicit goods and people into the country. A breakaway of the thieves guild known as the Shadow of the Serpent, are deeply intertwined with the Uskain special branch, known as the Order of the Amber Fang, a sinister group of individuals who are set on the continued expansion of Uskain and the destruction of Agartha.

The Shadow of the Serpent has gained a great deal of infamy in the region, and as a result, port towns like Rosanaig have garrisoned by the Agartha Customs Support, a group of magick users and marines who work hard to keep a close eye on any suspicious ships or boats that come into the port. Despite their continued vigilance, the Shadow still manages to slip through their patrols.

The current lord of the Shadow is simply known as Nathair. No one knows his true identity, only that he is the mastermind behind the smuggling into the region. Some argue that he is in fact not a single person, but a group of people. Whoever he is, he has been the bane of the Customs Support for the best part of two years now. The agents that have infiltrated the Shadow are often found dead, strung up by the piers in a gruesome warning to those who would be so bold as to attempt such a thing. There is a bounty of Nathair of a considerable amount but few are willing to risk the horrors he will inflict on those who go searching for him.

### **Ornduin Forest**

The great Ornduin forest is the largest forest area in Agartha. Encompassing acres of land, the forest is the home to the major Sídhe Draoi clan that resides in the area. The mighty trees have been formed into beautiful homes that house the members of the clan. The Sídhe Draoi and the people of Finias have formed a deep bond, coinciding peacefully together for generations and sharing their wisdom and skills to help create the city as it is now.

The Sídhe Draoi have over time helped build the mighty navy that now patrols the coast and sea around Agartha. It is not uncommon for the ship to have a woodshaper as part of the crew, often that woodshaper being a relative to the ship or having taken part in the shipforming. These woodshapers will often be responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of the ship, especially in combat where their skills keep the ship afloat and in a constant state of regeneration as their opponents' ships crumble around them. A sídhe draoi on board any ship that sails in Agartha is considered good luck.

On the edge of the forest lie the ruins of the decayed temple, a cursed place that is avoided by the local people. It is a cold place, dark and grim, exuding an aura of menace that is enough to keep most away. Adventurers have disappeared into the depths of the temple, never to be seen again. It is such a place that the Sídhe Draoi have taken to guarding it, hoping that they can keep those outside from further harm, and ensuring that whatever is within will stay there.

The current elder of the Eikikrókr clan is Gobán, a wise and cautious leader who has taken his place as the chief guide to the clan for the last one hundred years. Gobán is a friendly and calm sídhe, slow to anger, but also slow to act. Many have voiced frustration at his slow deliberation when action is needed but he constantly is considering the best for the whole clan. Gobán is known to regularly visit the queen, and their friendship has played a major role in developing the positive relations between the sídhe Draoi and the people of Agartha. Gobán can be found often wandering the forest he loves so much, communing with the spirits and the denizens that cohabit in the forest.