Kingdom of Vanigar

"God, I hate those Jungle Monkeys" - Kingdom of Vanigar

The Kingdom of Vanigar is, as you would have guessed, ruled by a monarchy with it's current King. The territory is separated into Baronies who, for the most part, govern themselves but have similar laws and ultimately answer to the monarchies jurisdiction. They are medieval in nature, distrustful of races outside of the norm, even Elves are somewhat distrusted, but still accepted, due to their affiliation with magic. Monsters wouldn't be especially well received here, and most of them would be seen as abominations. Driven out of towns & cast out from modern society. Magic is not entirely common practise here, there are various magic schools around the country but some small villages and towns not accustomed to modern life would still be apprehensive at magic users. Trade here is mostly farming exports and timber.

The region itself mostly takes it's most prominent inspiration in the form of Medieval Fantasy. But also loosely borrows from The Witcher in some aspects of life.

Government
The current Kingdom of Vanigar is ruled by a descendant of Hadden Vanigar I, Holger II, but he is old, frail and heavily adored by the population, so nobody has come to claim his throne. In Vanigar every citizen has the right to challenge the King for his throne, should they so desire. In a Duel of Honour, where the 2 combatants battle to the death with nothing but their swords. The Vanigar Dynasty has ruled for so long, and cared for their citizens that rarely anybody has even decided to attempt to claim the throne. Instead wishing that Holger II passes away peacefully, allowing the crown to be passed to his son. Some have tried to take the crown in Holger's younger days, but he was a very capable warrior and cut them down easily. In more recent times, to challenge the King is seen as disrespectful to everything he has done during his reign.

Magical practice in Vanigar has been allowed since the reign of Holger's Grandfather, they knew that they would have to adapt to the ever changing world and embracing magic was a way to allow their economy to grow & their defences remain intact in case of an invasion through The Dead Man's Pass, the thin mountain road that splits The World Spine. Separating the Kingdom of Vanigar and Ladror.

In recent years magic users are trained at various schools across Vanigar, but they are not amongst the best and some in the country are still distrustful of magic, believing that it brings nothing but problems and grief. Most mages would find themselves leaving to pursue further knowledge amongst other countries that have more developed magic schools. However it is not uncommon for the King and his Barons to find counsel in mages as they have proven themselves useful at times, in certain conflicts and tribulations.

History
In 1769 AU, the King Holger died of old age, making his grandson - the crown prince - heir to the throne. However, the crown prince had not yet come of age, creating great concern over whether he would accept the crown or if a reagent would lead in his stead until he came of age. When the prince disappeared, rumor and worry gripped the baronies, with some remaining loyal to the prince, while others saw this as an opportunity to advance their positions and take the throne for themselves.

Local Lore and Culture
The Kingdom of Vanigar, the land of the King, Knights & Barons. More commonly referred to as Vanigar. In the beginning it spanned the entirity of Southern Cidir, emcompassing the lands of Varos, Ladror and the then land of Contro. United under King Hadden Vanigar, otherwise known as "The Conquerer" he bought peace to the jungles of Ladror and the penincula of Varos. His dynasty would end up lasting for millenia, with the plans to conquer the rest of Cidir.

Eventually the dwellers of Ladror wanted to secede from the union, and so they did. Starting a bloody war that has now lasted for nearly a hundred years. The state of Varos, unable to be directly controlled by the now threatened Kingdom of Vanigar, also decided to leave and form their own country. Declaring themselves as individual Lords of their cities. But their departure was more fruitful than that of Ladror, they would still trade with the Kingdom and were still open to negotiations from their emissaries.

Temples and the Gods
Vanigar does not rely on magical healing. Services offered at temples are always based first on traditional medicines, resorting to magic only as necessary (and only with sufficient donations). Temples in Vanigar are more willing to serve those who proudly display their faith, especially if that faith matches with their own.

Gods worshipped are typically those representing Good, Honor, and Justice - such as Tyr and Helm. Towns outside of the major cities might have shrines to other Deities, such as Chauntea.

Races
The most accepted, and common, races in Vanigar are Humans, Half-Elves, Halflings, Gnomes, and Dwarves. While the Barony of Ravenswood is ruled by, and home to, Elves, outside of there they are generally regarded with a level of distrust.

Minotaurs are, surprisingly, well accepted in Vanigar - seen as reliable and strong for the work they are able to do.

All other races are looked upon with varying degrees of distrust - the further away from ‘human’ one gets, the less they are trusted. Tieflings - with their often devilish appearances - are perhaps the most feared and misunderstood race.

The Undead
Vanigar has a rather peculiar problem with undead. Those who die but do not have rites performed typically come back as undead - perhaps right away, perhaps years later - but they will come back. Some are just slow, shambling mounds that simply resemble who they were in life, while others become much more dangerous creatures who may look nothing like they once did.

The result is that death in the countryside is a very serious matter - and no settlement exists without a wall of some kind and at least one priest to sanctify land. While rare, entire hordes of undead that swarm the countryside have been reported - and the appropriate Vanguard (typically with additional troops - blood hunters especially) in the barony are sent in to deal with the threats.

Laws of Vanigar
While each Barony can have their own laws, regardless of what Barony you are in Vanigar has eight ‘universal’ laws that are expected to be upheld by all - citizens and visitors alike. These eight laws are: It should be noted, however, that the last one - use of magic - is often seen as an act of aggression even outside the city walls. Those using magic should:
 * One shall not murder one another.
 * One shall not attack one another.
 * One shall not steal from one another.
 * One shall seek to put a body to rest in an honourable way.
 * One shall respect the Barony and, most importantly, the Kingdom.
 * One shall endeavour to assist those in need.
 * One shall endeavour to protect those which cannot protect themselves.
 * One shall not use magic within the confines of city walls.
 * Be of an ordained faith (such as Helm or Tyr) and have a symbol of devotion to said faith within plain sight, or
 * Be of an accredited university with papers to prove loyalty.

The Bloodhunters of Vanigar
Out in the wilds of Vanigar, there are a few keeps dedicated to training the various orders of Bloodhunters. These men and women walk a thin line within the Kingdom - seen as a necessary evil to maintain order in the wilds, but also hated and feared for their abilities. One such keep is Cargást Benn, located in the World Spine about halfway between Dawnpeak and Vago, where the order of Ghostslayers are trained.

Bloodhunters in Vanigar typically operate in small groups of no more than 2-3, though they do on occasion work with the Vanguards as necessary. Each group of Bloodhunters operates independently are allegiance only to the Crown itself - no baron can command them - though they are required to report their presence to the local authority of any town or city they enter.

The Shrouded Dagger
A mysterious group of assassins that operates throughout the Kingdom of Vanigar. Members have a special tattoo, recognizable only by other members of the Shrouded Dagger (or the few who know what to look for). Recruitment is very selective, and their operations even more so.

Barony of Blackshore
Blackshore is the massive northern port - and one that is well defended from the sea. Featuring tiered layers designed to drain the stamina of any army that might come from the sea… Assuming they get past the many fortifications with trebuchets.

Barony of Brithone
Covering the northwest of the Kingdom is the Barony of Brithone, governed from the main city of Cheabury. Brithone features many farms and caves - caves that contain rich minerals, making them a prime source of metals within the Kingdom. The people of Cheabury are particularly paranoid, however, of any non-human race - especially tieflings, who are typically hunted down and killed on sight.

Barony of Dawnpeak
The Barony of Dawnpeak rules the center most southern portion of the kingdom, and they are the most militaristic of all the baronies. Guarding the infamous Dead Man’s Pass - a place that one hundred years ago became cursed and is now infested with fiends and devils - they are on constant vigil against threats both from the pass and from Ladror beyond it.

Barony of Harconvale
A central trade hub in the northern part of Vanigar, Harconvale controls the riverways leading to the Capital City of Contro, as well as the main roads leading that connect it to Blackshore and Brithone. A veritable plethora of goods pass through the city, and it is home to many lesser nobles.

Barony of Ravenswood
Located in the Rottwood - an area of land once thought cursed due to the red soil and white, leafless trees - the Barony of Ravenswood is controlled via the central city of Moonbarrow. Ravenswood is unusual in the Kingdom of Vanigar in that Elvish, and not Common, is the default tongue - and speaking in any other language is not only considered rude, but suspicious.

Barony of Senda
A very unusual Barony in Vanigar, it boasts no crime and no ‘punishments’ in the typical sense. Home to the famed academy Anoron en' estela, or ‘The Dawn of Hope’, where the brightest and most sought after diplomats and mediators are trained under the guidance of a rather tall moon elf named The Soothing Breeze at Dawn. Despite not having any military presence to speak of, Senda is respected and feared by the other Baronies - even the King pays Senda an unusual level of respect.

Barony of Vago
Vago is the port located in the southeast of Vanigar. It serves as a receiving point for all trade and negotiation with Varos, as well as receiving goods from Eris Olen. Much like Blackshore, Vago is a fortress - designed to make any attempt at taking the city from the sea as difficult as possible.

The Vanguard
Each Barony has a specialized military group that patrols the roads, keeping the peace and helping to ensure the safety of those not within the mighty walls of the cities. These groups are called The Vanguard, and report directly to each Barony. A standard Vanguard patrol consists of two dozen armored men, one captain, and two clerics, all on horseback. They have wagons for supplies, prisoner escort, and caring of any special guests they might have with them.

Biome
Vanigar has a generally moderate/continental climate, though it can get warmer in the southern parts of the country - particularly close to Dead Man’s Pass.

Dead Man’s Pass
What exactly happened at Dead Man’s Pass remains a mystery. What is known, however, is that prior to Ladror ceding from Vanigar, the pass was a primary trade route. Once the war started, however, it quickly became one of the bloodiest places on Averoth - with sides having to call temporary truces from the number of dead.

Perhaps this is what attracted the devils and fiends, or perhaps some other force was at work. What is known today however is that the entirety of the pass is now cursed - cutting off all land access between Vanigar and Ladror. Any who approach the gates on either side is killed on sight - no exceptions, no questions asked.

The World Spine
A massive chain of mountains that spans from the west of Cidir to the east, blocking all land access save through Dead Man’s Pass (see above).

These massive mountains are treacherous, and no safe passes are known to exist anywhere within them. If the extreme cold from the heights, sudden ravines, sheer cliffs, and deep gorges don’t kill a person, the native fauna most certainly will. The natives of the mountains are violent and do not accept outsiders.