Name: United Stormriders of Dragosia
Population: 11,623,020 (Human 77%, Duladim 10%, Havadim 6%, Balpura 4%, Chiryu 1%, Furaladim 1%, Shiira 1%)
Government: The stormlord has full authority over military and civil matters. He is elected by popular majority from amongst the stormknights every ten years.
Ruler: Stormlord Gareth Tryamon (human male Avg17, Good)
Capital: Brightstone (58,000)
Major Cities: Forgehold (43,500), Gatefall (39,000), Northhold (32,000), Passhold (35,000)
Language: Mandurian
Religion: The Church of Dragos, The Temple of the Preserver, The Hallowed Hall of the One.
Currency: Adamant ishvar (10 pp), platinum vask (1 pp), gold sona (1 gp), silver chain (1 sp), copper pit (1 cp)
Resources: Lumber, beef, pork, juice, wine, cotton cloth, leather, stone, adamant armor, quality gems & jewelry.
Allies: Kendron, Vronai, Pradohj, Hamurk, Auraheim, Gadorak, The Chiryu Empire
Enemies: Ras Shamra, Urumas, Nasivar, Kadasham
Dragosia stands out as a symbol of hope for humanity as it struggles against the azhra and would-be tyrants of the world. To all threats to humanity the land is a blight that must be wiped out.
Dragosia's history dates back to almost two thousand years before the Elemental Deluge when in 4900 HR the kingdom of Mandur decided to expand their territory into the western side of the Galdrian Alps. There they found virgin lands and mountains rich with gems and precious metals.
After more than six hundred years of exploiting the wealth of the land the Mandurian Empire rose to power and conquered the lands east of the Galdrian Alps. While the geography of Mandur certainly played its part in their rise to power it is believed the the discovery of adamant ore in the area now known as Dragosia led to their true rise in 5500 HR.
In 6000 HR the shunyadim, though distant from the Mandurian empire, had a tremendous impact on the area now known as Dragosia. In the war against the azhra the shunyadim summoned the Ninefold Dragon – a vast and legendary creature composed of all the elements. Though summoned in the heart of the shunyadim lands it was said that Mandurians in the Alps could see the Dragon from its heights. When the Ninefold Dragon ended the war against the azhra it flew into the void and then plummeted into the Galdrian Alps. This cataclysm killed thousands and empires crumbled.
In 6210 HR a paladin of Vro'kahn appeared who claimed descent of the people who settled in the alps. His name was Mychael Kendros and when he returned to the lands east of the newly renamed Fallen Mountains he formed the country of Kendron.
Over 250 years later as the county of Brightstone, as Dragosia was known then, flourished and prospered a number of azhra began to appear from within the mines. The land had been so secure before that Kendron had not placed many knights within the county. Count Dinas Balen ordered the mines shut down after the miners were brutally slain but soon after he was murdered as well. Genealogical records indicate his death was in 6475 HR. With no leadership the people of Brightstone banded together and rigged the mines with explosives. The azhra were stopped at the cost of the brave sacrifice of the county's people.
In 6740 HR Vladimar Dragos was granted the county of Brightstone. Vladimar Dragos, who flew the silver dragon Valborg, wielded the holy blade Drassgil, formed the Avengers of Vro'kahn, found the Rod of Building, and blessed his most humble priest with the Libram of Scales, seceded from Kendron and formed the country of Dragosia!
Vladimar Dragos left such a strong legacy that in 6850 HR Dragosia was considered to be at the peak of its golden age. The highest quality weapons and armor were all being imported from Dragosia. This year is recorded as the official deification of Lord Dragos.
The Elemental Deluge tested the wills of the Dragosian people just as it had tested the wills of people all across Novendragos. The stalwart people who survived the Deluge called themselves the stormriders and their kings were no longer kings but Stormlords. In 6960 HR Dragosia began to see a number of migrations into the country as other lands struggled harder to cope with the loss of civilization. The Stormlord welcomed them with open arms.
By 6980 HR the country of Dragosia had heavily repopulated and so the people moved northward in the hopes of colonizing new territory. There they established the colony of Northhold which would flourish into a large city.
Eventually Dragosia became the target of periodic raids by the kalagiri. These raids became a full-on invasion in 7000 HR when the kalagiri formed an army known as the Crimson Fist. The invasion swept through the country from west to east and nearly reached Brightstone. However with the aid of the duladim of Kadasham they were able to drive the kalagiri back. However what the Dragosians did not expect was that the kalagiri would change their plans and conquer the severely unprotected duladim capital in Kadasham. This led to the Stormlord agreeing to accept duladim refugees which helped form the city of Forgehold on Dragosia's western border with Kadasham.
Feeding off the fear of future kalagiri invasion a mandurian from Kendron appears in the city of Gatefall calling himself Alric Aylmar and claiming to be a disciple of The One. By 7010 HR Aylmar and his aylmarites found the Hallowed Hall of the One which claims Vladimar Dragos is The One True God and that all other gods are merely a reflection of him. While both the Church of Dragos and the Temple of the Preserver claim heresy Aylmar's disciples have already gained enough support from the commoners that to force him out of the country would have dire consequences.
Huge scandal erupts in 7020 HR when Stormlord Engres Modron declares that he is a recent convert to the Hallowed Hall of the One. Statues are erected to Dragos that depict him above the other gods. Laws are passed granting more power to the church and its Radiant Invoker. Ultimately Engres' reign as Stormlord ends with his assassination. However fearing the public outcry his successor is hard-put to reverse all of the previous stormlord's decisions.
By 7034 HR Dragosians have become so enamored with their new religion that they truly feel that they are the chosen of Dragos and that they can do no wrong. The country lapses into a period of decadence characterized by lust, sloth, and gluttony. As this decadence builds so too does the strength of the azhra who feed off those sins. The new Stormlord elected in 7040 HR launches a campaign to reinvent Dragosia as a country of service. Mandatory military service changes the poor habits of the citizens while filling the army with enough ranks to stave off severe azhra invasion.
Miners, realizing they have nearly exhausted the precious metals of the Fallen Mountains, discover a fresh vein of adamant ore where they had already mined. This discovery in 7053 HR leads the Hallowed Hall of The One to claim that it is a gift from Dragos himself and that the people again have found His blessing. However the wizards of the Advanced Arcanists and Diviners discover instead that Dragosia is situated at a point that is coterminous with the elemental plane of Earth and that the elemental plane has simply shifted.
Due to an unexpected abundance of precious metals Dragosian engineers with the aid of the duladim develop a superior minting process thus raising the value of Dragosian currency in 7065 HR.
In 7078 HR Dragosian growth and expansion has risen so rapidly that it catches the attention of the enigmatic chiryu. Their emperor Drac'sla XVIII enters into an agreement with the stormlord and a trade port is opened between the two nations. The chiryu build an air tower from which their airships can come and go and in return the wealthy of Dragosia are allowed access to the ships for travel throughout Novendragos.
War strikes Novendragos in 7092 when Dragosia is besieged on the west by the kalagiri who are now aided by the azhra and in the northeast by the barbarian tribes of Urumas. The chiryu and duladim immediately come to the aid of Dragosia while parties are sent to the Furaladim, the dragons, and Kendron to seek aid. Kendron enters the fray first only to be blind sided by the azhlorn of Ras Shamra. The Furaladim aid against the barbarians of Urumas and gain victory quite handily. However the kalagiri seem to be on the verge of winning before at last the dragons appear from the Fallen Mountains. With their aid the azhra are driven back. The victory is hollow though for the losses suffered by the allied forces are heavy indeed. The chiryu use this opportunity to branch out their air towers to other cities and neighboring countries so that they will be more ready in the future.
The First War of Succession began when favored stormlord Lionel Rivalen was apparently slain by poison and there seemed no clear successor other than his Private Secretary Seguine Angharad who was both female and an aylmarite and was definitely not an Avenger. The Avengers, led by Druas Caliborn the Chief of Armies and Calles Arthgallo the Head of Intelligence, staged a coup de tat in 7106 HR. The coup failed when acting stormlord Seguine gathered the support of her family guard, the chief of defense, and the chief of police. Caliborn and Arthgallo were later hanged after trial.
Laws set forth during Seguine's time as Stormlord had far-reaching consequences. In 7120 some of her more flexible trade laws were used by merchants to usher in a time of great prosperity and trade. Chiryu airships saw far more flights during this time to areas like Pradohj and Hamurk that had otherwise been off-limits for trade in the past.
Alas in 7130 began the Second War of Succession. Again the chiryu remained enigmatically absent from the conflict. However this war began when it turned out that an azhra cultist had infiltrated the inner circle of Avengers and Stormknights. Had the proper intelligence not been mysteriously received by the Head of Intelligence it would not have been discovered until too late that Marrok Gorre was an occultist who worshiped Ghorus.
Recent history has not been kind to Dragosia either and many are thinking that it is a sign of the times. Incursions of kalagiri and azhra have occurred significantly in both 7132 and 7133 HR. Adventuring parties were instrumental in solving both issues.
In 7135 HR Stormlord Jaric Arendragh died of old age and a special election was held. The impassioned speech by Gareth Tryamon wins him the election and giving several cause to question whether or not he is the reincarnation of Vladimar Dragos.
The churches, halls, and temples nearly fall into all out war during the year 7137 HR when the aylmarites commit further heresy showing proof supporting the fact that Gareth Tryamon is indeed the reincarnation of Vladimar Dragos. However the feud ends when the charismatic Stormlord rallies the Dragosians together, denounces dogmatic practices, and suggests that the right or wrong of a religion won't matter in the end. This speech wins him great favor among pragmatists and aylmarite numbers dwindle slightly.
In 7138 HR kalagiri raids begin again in earnest. This time it is guerrilla warfare and adventuring investigators are hard-pressed to find the source of the attacks. Caravans hire more guards. The cities young men are conscripted early and trained harder. To this day the source of the kalagiri raids is not uncovered.
Gareth Tryamon not only delivers a stirring speech speaking to the heart of the Dragosian nation but he delivers action too when he leads a personal counter-raid against kalagiri guerillas with minimal losses to his own forces. This helps him retain his seat as Stormlord in 7140 HR.
Today Dragosians live their lives as they always have – cheerful towards their fellow man and willing to take risks to protect those they love. Gareth Tryamon remains in power and that has the people hopeful that the raids by the kalagiri will soon end.
Dragosian geography keeps the land well defended. As such the fertile heartland can grow and feed its people relatively unmolested while the same holds true for the mines in the mountains.
On Dragosia's east side late the Fallen Mountains which help cool and dry the winds coming from the ocean. The western side of the country, near the Bladewind Desert, is lush and fertile providing excellent game and choice cotton. Trouble treads closely in the west though which shares borders with the harsh Bladewind Desert and the kalagiri occupied Kadasham.
The heartland of Dragosia is full of rolling red hills, sub-tropical forests, and plenty of rain. While the country is small in comparison to other countries it is still large in terms of sheer size and therefore there are still plenty of wild areas outside of the farming communities.
Dragosia is a relatively small country on a large world with no seasons and a hot sun. As such the only thing marking a change in temperature are the Fallen Mountains to the east.
The dry mountain regions are home to a variety of animals that prefer high altitudes that include mountain goats, sheep, marmots, and wolverines. However the greatest predator of them all is the rare albino chasmodon. Its thick hide protects it from all but the most lethal blows and when it is hurt it becomes ferocious. The most important plant growing in the mountains is the mudberry vine. While its fruit, the mudberry, has the appearance of mud the fruit actually contains a great deal of nutrients and water. Wine made from this fruit is not only mildly intoxicating but somewhat restorative as well.
Because the humid air of the coast dries as it comes over the Fallen Mountains the rolling hills of central Dragosia are home to a drier heat where cotton grows in abundance. The parachen stags are wild game and a favorite among hunters for their meat provides an excellent source of protein and their horns can be fashioned into a great deal of items.
The eastern forests of Dragosia bordering on the Zangaji River teem with life and are an excellent source for lumber, trade, and the various fruits used to make Dragosian juice and wine. The khun tree is the most populated tree in these areas and grows to at least 100 feet. Its thick red canopy provides plenty of shade and the fruit it bears, called bloodfruit, is a hot citrus and many Dragosians laugh at newcomers who wince at their first sip of bloodwine. The ornorat makes its home in these forests and blends easily with the foliage in the tree tops. While it is only the size of a large pet and appears weak it tends to travel in packs and can easily ambush the unwary traveler.
In general the Dragosians are a friendly people who form strong friendships. They enjoy a good laugh, drinks with friends, and protecting their families. For a Dragosian family often extends beyond blood to their close families as well. While they are not quick to judge and they will listen fully to whatever anyone says to them they are not quick to share their own pains even with their friends and families. They value self-determination above all things and only truly look down on beggars and thieves who do nothing to better their lot in life.
Dragosians carry the features common to most Mandurians. They have gold to light tan complexions and features that are long and angular. Their hair ranges from dark brown to sandy blonde.
From the upper class down to the lower class Dragosian dress is rather spartan and utilitarian. Commonly you'll find men wearing an off-white loose cotton shirt with brown baggy pants while women wear similar colors but wearing dresses. The middle class will look much the same but will have an open vest over their shirt and a cap on their heads. The upper class takes the middle class one step further and adds styled embroidery to their clothing and wear accessories as well such as earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. When asked about his clothing a Dragosian may respond, “I dress for the occasion.”
While there are duladim spread throughout Dragosia the majority of them live in Forgehold. In fact in Forgehold the duladim outnumber humans and they hold the seat of government there. The duladim of Forgehold value work ethic above all else but are still much more optimistic than their brothers and cousin in Kadasham. While native Dragosians may think the duladim far more dour and taciturn than they themselves are, outsiders will be hard-pressed to see the differences in personality between the two.
Vladimar Dragos I
M
b. 6698
d. 6760 at the age of 62
m. Elizabeth Kendron 6740 at age of 42
Personality:ISFJ
(Guardian/Protector)
Annaliese Dragos F lived 6740-6758, passed at the age of 18. Personality:ISFJ (Guardian/Protector)
Vladimar Dragos II M lived 6744-6802, married in year 6771 at age of 27, passed at the age of 58. Personality:ESFJ (Guardian/Provider)
Gregor Dragos M lived 6749-6803, married in year 6777 at age of 28, passed at the age of 54. Personality:ENFP (Idealist/Champion)
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