Acadia

Acadia, also known as "The Northern Shield" or "The Last Line", is a city-state located in the northeastern Highlands, along the Neiyar River. The capital has a population of roughly 30,000.

## History

### The Iskrill Hordes

At first the Iskrill were little more than a nuisance. But as their numbers grew, they became increasingly dangerous, until eventually they began to overwhelm entire settlements. The disunited tribes and villages in their path quickly chose to flee rather than fight.

All except one. Remembered to history as the Skono Tribe, they chose to make their last stand on a hilltop. For five days they held, building barricades and fortifications, but each day more and more iskrill came, while their numbers shrunk.

Then a legendary sorceress known as Simain Flameweaver arrived. Wielding powerful magic, she turned the tide, and for another day, the tribe held.

Then on the seventh day, reinforcements arrived: no individual mage or hero, but multiple tribes. Cadien had taken notice of the iskrill, and he had seen his creations flee. Irritated by their cowardice, he reached out to their priests, shamans, and chieftains, and ordered them to turn around. To take the fight to the enemy, or die in the attempt. And they did. These new tribes took the iskrill host in the flank, forcing them into a retreat.

And as the days went on, more allies arrived.

### The First Crusade

It was not enough to simply halt the Iskrill. They had to be exterminated. So, under the leadership of Simain and the guidance of Cadien, the now-unified tribes of the Highlands went on the offensive, in a war now known as the First Crusade. Casualties were high, but they were supplemented by additional arrivals soon after, for Cadien's call to arms had been heard far and wide.

Gradually, the Iskrill were pushed back, until their backs were to the sea. But humanity was not the only species Cadien had turned to, for a host of Merelli emerged from the sea, and struck the Iskrill on sea.

Attacked on both sides, the Iskrill were cut down.

### The Founding of Acadia

By roughly 900BA (Before Antiquity) he Iskrill had been defeated, but they were not destroyed. Survivors had fled east, into the Aberrant. And more awaited on the other side of the Neiyar River, in greater numbers.

Simain and her followers had no illusions on the matter; the Iskrill would return. But they could not march both east and west at the same time and hope to achieve victory. Nor they could they focus their efforts solely on one, for the other might strike them in the rear.

So instead they founded settlements, meant to serve as outposts against future iskrill incursions. The greatest of these settlements was Acadia, named after Cadien himself. Founded by Simain herself, with a mixed population of humans and Merelli, it quickly became the dominant power among these fledgling settlements, and the one lesser freeholds looked to for instruction and guidance. As time went on, Acadia became the seat of a kingdom in its own right, and some say it rivals even Ketrefa.

## Government

### The King and the Queen

The King and the Queen are the two dominant political figures in Acadian politics. The first thing that needs to be pointed out is that they are not married, nor are they from the same role, but they do fulfill the same role: the leadership of Acadia's armies. The only difference is that the King is a human male, while the Queen is a merelli female. While one leads the armies on offensive campaigns, the other is tasked to stay behind and defend the city.

### The High Council

While the King and the Queen lead Acadia during times of war, it is the High Council that leads the city in all other matters: foreign policy, trade, laws, the allocation of resources, and more. The Council has seven members, consisting of five Councillors, who are elected by the Assembly, as well as the King and the Queen, who each hold a seat.

### The Assembly

The Assembly consists of every adult within the Warrior, Mage, Scribe, and Priest Castes. They are responsible for the election of new councilors, and any peace treaties or declarations of war require their approval.