The Realm of Arlandria
 | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Type | Nation |
| Status | Active |
| Established | 700s |
| Areas | Capital Fort Urosil |
| Organizations | Arlandrian Council |
The capital of the Arlandrian Realm, established in ~700AC, is buried impossibly deep in the furthest corner of a forest like no other. Hidden as it may seem, however, the influence of Arlandria stretches far, touching the minds of many just as its founder would have desired. Where Arlandria falters in technological prowess, Arlandria inversely excels in magical connection. No other city is as deeply and intricately woven into the heart of Rhyst, and should anyone go under tree canopy, they would be correct to assume that those of the realm are carefully watching from above.
The People
Arlandrians are derived chiefly from Vaien and Hysen of centuries past. While the racial features of either have whittled down over the years, they have nonetheless persisted as one of the most present forces on Rhyst. Initially, this was merely a noble goal of Felsen Skarn; a desire to see the weak protected and the strong maintained. Since then, though, the motive has expanded, and Skarn's death heralded in a higher degree of cautiousness never before seen in Arlandrian citizens. Over the past century, the number of conflict interferences by Arlandria's guard has increased vastly.
It's the theory of outsiders that Arlandria has grown to an extent that requires more territory, but that they similarly do not wish to resort to conquest. As such, an odd mood has buried itself in the mind of thousands of their citizens. Many believe it is Arlandria's responsibility to look after the world, while others believe their nation oversteps its bounds with every aforementioned interference. In either case, one fact always remains: every passing year brings with it a new level of protection, and Arlandria bears no evidence of slowing down.
In the year 1000, Arlandria sent and expedition to the isle of Sarea where they established Fort Urosil.
The Council
For information regarding the Council of Arlandria, please view the Arlandrian Council.
Seers
Among the many druids and Hedera born to Arlandrian soil, none are as profoundly connected to the world as the Seers. While they only infrequently meet and converse with their peers, they nonetheless serve as some of the most powerfully nature-aspected mages created as-of-yet. Seers bear the unique responsibility of cultivating Hederan Groves into towns or even cities, and to connect them to the World Tree, Yggdrasil, in Arlandria's capital. In this endeavor, they are known to fend off crowds of bandits, rogue elementals, and even foes from within their own faction.
Hedera are, as one might assume, quite well-adapted for the job of Seer. They must prove themselves even still, as the position is one above the head of just any Hedera- but their skills align with those required to grow nature, groves, and Yggdrasil nonetheless. Hederan Seers are sometimes misaligned with Seers of other origins, as the Hedera tend to prioritize the spread of Yggdrasil above all else... whereas the rest of their peers fixate on the spread of Arlandria's influence. It's a point of mild contention.
The Magic
The Arlandrian Realm is renown for its use of druidic magic for almost every purpose imaginable. While it's been many years since a true Archdruid has risen, the number of druids per capita has nonetheless skyrocketed since the days of its founding. Together, their natural magic has seen Arlandria grow, literally so, to double or triple its initial size. Roots extend even further beyond what the public understands as their boundaries, with mile-high treetops clouding all but the most obvious of structures from outside viewing. This dedication to druidry has forged Arlandria a supreme fortress of wood and leaf.
Unfortunately, their extreme prowess with elemental and druidic magic has left some prejudice against the other forms of magic in its wake. This prejudice is doubly as prominent for those who would wield arcane or sorcerous powers with no respect for nature. It has led to turmoil among their citizens, some of which believe tradition and global health shouldn't outweigh the personal freedoms of an individual. Still, this is merely a political issue, and while it is an important one, it has yet to halt or even slow Arlandria's long history of prioritizing nature above all else.
Hedera
Born in Felsen Skarn's early years, the Hedera are a race of dryadic creatures that live and die by nature's hand. They are born from groves formed from a dying Hedera. As such, it is very rare for their race to bear a surplus of numbers- more often than not, they're constantly battling extinction, though recent years have thankfully shown them good fortune. Their latest population boom even caused continent-wide strife, as the spreading Hedera made groves in unowned lands, leading to Arlandria's involuntary claiming of thousands of square miles of new territory.
Regardless, those issues impact only a minority of Hedera. They must make the active choice to die and turn into a grove, as most are functionally immortal and cannot die of old age or anything similar. While they are heavily drained by hostile climates, fatigue rarely afflicts a healthy Hedera, and years pass for them as seconds would for a human. Some even still exist from Skarn's era, though few of those elders are willing to do much more than tend to their gardens. Of the Arlandrians, many wish to worship Hedera, especially ancient ones, but refrain on orders from their founder from oh so long ago.
The Ugly
It's easy to compare the nature-loving, world-appreciating, spirit-worshipping Arlandrians to Isegrád and claim one is morally superior to the other. In truth, however, Arlandria has caught considerably more flack over its existence than its twin empire, and for good reason. While Isegrád has taken from the world only a desolate desert (then a desolate tundra, when it froze over), Arlandria is constantly expanding and constantly claiming new stretches of fertile forest and plains for its own use. It does so whether or not it desires to, as dying Hedera plant groves in areas without them... leading to incessant pressure in all directions.
Seeing as how Arlandrians view Hedera and Hederan groves as something adjacent to divine or holy, one can imagine the pressure to then maintain said groves. The Hedera must die and spread, but to do so is to steal land from other factions. Then, to destroy a grove to reclaim your land is sacrilege or heresy- almost a declaration of war. Do you give up your land to this growing power, or reclaim it despite the atrocity it'd take to do so? This question has been pushed on many factions, many of which no longer exist. Arlandria has noble goals, but reaches them without compromise.
The Culture
“It’s like... the moment you take a step into Arlandrian territory, the air just feels different. No matter how hot it got out, each breath I took tasted so pure, so refreshing, and I was just in the middle of the town square! And the town itself, you can’t believe how nice everyone is. There I was caught in the rain, just some drenched idiot trying to find the nearest inn, when: get this, an Aurien guy sprinted up to me and shielded me from the rain with his umbrella! You’d never see something like around here; all the pointy eared guys just give us dirty looks on the street. But that’s not all! The guy even--”
-An Impressed Traveller
Present Day, Present Time
The Realm of Arlandria is big, spanning from the oceans, to the mountains, and all in-between. Cartographers once had always struggled to keep up with the rapid and inconsistent land claims during the peak of Arlandria's expansion. The silent plains became groves and micronations were swallowed whole into the belly of the whale.
Because of Arlandria's breakneck pace of claiming land and peoples, the state of The Realm as a whole has always been volatile. Mages battle on multiple fronts against wayward monsters, brigands, and even warring countries through ‘mediation’ backed by force. All factions who wish are taken in by Arlandria regardless of culture clash, intrusion on The Spirits’ domain, messy borders, and past grudges. Population multiplies with Arlandria’s bountiful resources, but with slowing land growth and lack of technology, the outlook of The Realm’s future begins to look unsustainable.
In a (conscious or subconscious) response to the fragility of their paradise, Arlandrians formed a culture of cooperation. Unlike Isegrad’s emphasis on individual achievements and self-realized godhood, Arlandrians tend to focus on the well-being of a collective, may it be a friend group, their family, guildmates, their hometown, or even the entirety of The Realm. They rely on their fellow man to maintain the peace between all races and cultures, (while always, always ensuring Arlandrian culture still dominates.) They rely on their fellow man to do their part to cultivate the careful balance between human prosperity and nature’s well-being. They rely on their fellow man to not die to the great, unknown dangers of the forests.
Many Arlandrians tend to define themselves and their worth by their closest relationships, their social standing, or the whims of Spirits much more than their own self. However, the extent of Arlandrian attitudes vary wildly by a person’s station, the influence of their native culture, their birth inside or outside The Realm... as many factors as there are people.
It is not uncommon for Arlandrians to strike up friendly conversation with enemies or foreigners. After all: today’s stranger may be tomorrow’s (Arlandrian) friend, but so too will rejection come just as swiftly for violating one of their many social or moral taboos. Yet, the consequences for doing so when one is within Arlandria are both much more severe, and harder to avoid through Arlandria’s stringent, citizen-based self-policing.
Ordinary friends, family, and neighbors alike keep a watchful eye out for any disruption of their community, extending to even potential disruptions. Even if no actual crime took place, individuals can still be deemed guilty of a great wrong in the minds of others. Any stain to a person's reputation takes a long time to scrub away, and gossip travels aplenty. Individuals that are judged and rejected by an Arlandrian collective face punishments ranging from loss of opportunities, to public admonishment and coerced apology, and even bullying and abuse in private spaces. There are still the sympathetic and the nay-sayers all over, but it would take great strength and numbers against the pressure of a frightful majority. Whether or not the most powerful figures within Arlandria are held similarly accountable is still uncertain.
Faerla and Hedera are treated both better, and worse than the other races. These rare peoples are often given more patience toward their mistakes and faux pas, but once a line deemed uncrossable such as major crime or betrayal has been crossed, corporal punishment, banishment, reconditioning, and other extreme ends are not off the table. Faerla, for their perceived ‘debt’ toward the younger Realm of Arlandria taking them in, and Hedera, for the high and religious standards oft lifted upon them: their birth coming from sacrifice of previous Hedera.
Despite how gloomy a place Arlandria may sound from this, remember that even the sunniest of paradises has its rain. The day to day life of an average, ordinary citizen is a happy one. Few places can boast the love of The Realm of Arlandria!