Bogden Vel

## Geography

Bogden Vel rests along the southern coast of Altrinue, with large regions of sandy coastlines, and swamps and further inland. Being near the ocean, it is subject to hurricanes and similar weather patterns, with most seasons staying near the same, warm temperature.

## Cultures

**Imperials:** Imperial culture often focuses on the values of the past Inori Empire. They often hold value in things such as hearth and home, in morality and law, and of course around the Iron Legion, the old order established by the Emperor himself. Despite being refugees of an empire long dead, they have a standing military that works to clear the land of anything they deem foul and evil. The Remnants of the Iron Legion preside over the force, training them and thus continuing their order and mission to serve the Emperor’s will, as well as make his dreams for the world a reality. They, although a small people, intend to make great strides in this strange new land.

**Naturae (Primal Humans):** The Naturae, initially named “Primal Humans” by the Imperials, are a nomadic society. They have a light brownish-red skin, making it seem as if they were formed from clay and given life. Their eyes are everything from brown, to grey, to orange, yellow, and so on. They are the descendants of those blessed by various fae over the years, thus why the Imperials call them “Primal Humans”. They often work closely with the Imperials, despite their belief as the “chosen” humans. They are determined to annihilate all threats to their people, namely the witches of Bogden Vel and the Ash Paw gnoll tribe.

**Gnolls (Bloodmanes and Ash Paw):** Gnolls are the more monstrous individuals of Bogden Vel. They are borne from canines, originally hyenas, by the demon lord Baal during his great rampage across the old world. After Ormon’s blessing of the savage gnoll, giving them mortal intelligence and feelings, they split up, some settling in the hostile swamp of Bogden Vel. They, despite their new found intelligence,  often keep their old traditions as a people. The only change being the intensity in which they enact these traditions…

## Government

### **Government Type: Theocracy**

**Acting Ruler(s): Bishop Timus (Retributivist)**

**Parties:**

* The Retributionists are an elitist political faction within Bogden Vel that desires human sovereignty over all races and lands, and a glorious home cleansed of all demonic and extradimensional taint. They are militaristic, preferring divine wrath over diplomacy, and are quite isolationist as well. They claim that they follow the will of the old Emperor of the Empire, who tried to safeguard humanity. They consider themselves the last remaining servants of the empire, and try to honor the Emperor’s memory to the best of their ability.
* The Settlers are a party of the people, one that desires peace and an actual home in which they can settle. They revere the Emperor, but they believe that he would want them to trudge ahead, and forge their own future. They have no qualms towards diplomacy, and wish for a future in which they can make partnerships with other races and cultures as well. They wish to make the world in their own image, to convert it willingly rather than through conquest.

**Laws:**

* The Wandering Gaze: Restrict the Wandering Gaze that looks hither and yonder for some flashing thing that easily catches a man's fancy in one moment, but brings calamity in the next. For the eyes are never tired of seeing, nor are they quick to spot illusion. A man whose gaze is corrupted is like a warped mirror that has traded beauty for ugliness and ugliness for beauty. Instead, fix your eyes to what is edifying and to what is pure, do not fall to temptation.
* Snake’s Tongue: Restrict the lying tongue that is like a spark in a man's mouth. It is such a little thing, yet from one spark an entire city may burn to the ground. The father of a lie will suffer a punishment compounded by each person relayed it. Better to live a life of silence than unleash a stream of untruth, to not fall to lies.
* Black Hands: Restrict the wandering hand, for it can quickly turn to heresy. Unfettered by honest labor, they rush to sordid gain, vain pursuits, and deeds of violence. Of what value are the hands that steal and kill and destroy? Instead, put your hands to the plow, the fork, and the spade. For even the lowliest labor that is rigorous squeezes the muscles as a sponge, rinsing impurities from the mind and body, do not fall to greed and impulse.
* Roaming Feet: Restrict roving feet that love to trespass. They pay no heed to the boundary stones of other men's fields. They wander into foreign lands, only to return with their soles blackened by iniquity. Where have you strayed that destruction now comes behind you? Would you walk across burning coals or broken glass? Then why do you prowl into the homes of the honest, or into the dens of hidden things, for the result is the same, do not fall to unclean curiosity.
* Poisoned Gut: Restrict the Rampant Hunger or the intemperate will rise up among you like a virulent swarm, devouring everything wherever they go, even filth. For what goes into your body, poisons you, and if you eat filth, filth is what you will vomit up. Surely the glutton will sell away birthright, family, and friends for a morsel of meat, do not fall to gluttony.
* Laws: Finally, there is a code of law, outlying normal crimes such as murder, theft, heresy, etc.

**Judicial System:**

* High Justice- The judge, or “justice”, of the courtroom in Bogden Vel. They serve as the judge and jury of the courtroom, with paladins as the courtroom enforcers. Only those who are a part of the Emperor’s Clergy may be a high justice.
* Normal citizens are to be judged by the High Justice under the “Emperor’s” holy gaze. Lesser crimes such as trespassing, verbal misconduct, excessive public intoxication, etc are to be judged outside of court. Greater crimes such as heresy, murder, theft of valuable items, etc are to be held in court and be judged in person.
* Any members of the Emperor’s holy legion are to be judged in person in court. This includes clerics, paladins, crusaders, and their servants. In the event of such a court of law, the High Justice will no longer serve as the sole member of the jury. The jury will be selected from trusted members of the holy legion.