The Free State of Vresia
| Languages: | common; dwarven |
| Biome: | seaside cliffs, young forests, wetlands |
| Allied with... | some, but not all, Free States |
| In Conflict with... | Arshakan Empire |
The Free State of Vresia rests on the northwestern border of the Arshakan Empire, along the ever-contested Frontier. It is an unappealing place to invade. Rolling swaths of wetlands slow supply carts to a crawl, and freezing nights sap soldiers of their strength. And all the while, shadows circle high above, waiting to pick off any stragglers. These are the dark wingbeats of the Vresian's pride and joy: monstrous birds called strix which the locals have tamed and turned to battle mounts.
Over the years, the Buzzards grew fat from tithes and trade. They stopped raiding in wars and learned to become a mere nuisance, a threat at the peripheral. The Arshakan Empire picked more appealing targets for its conquests, and in turn, the Free State of Vresia ignored the legionnaires marching through its back yard. Neutrality was maintained to the benefit of both.
That is, until a stray pair of legionnaires kidnapped Vresia's darling princess, and woke the sleeping Buzzards.
Cirene, the capital of the small state, the closest they have to a city. The city is built on a plateau which sees less flooding than the wetlands which surround it. The influence of Imperial architecture seems to have not touched the place. Squat, single-story buildings sprawl out in conflicting arrays, the only place with any austerity being the castle that sits upon the hillock above town.
The current ruler of Vresia. She is known for her neutrality in the skirmishes between the Free States and the Arshakan empire. Queen Adrith commands the largest guard of strix outriders, and keeps the best warbirds in her aviary. Her warriors rarely see battle, however. They have earned the name of Buzzards, flying high above a conflict, until the fighting is over and corpses can safely be picked clean.
Princess Lyra
The bride of Queen Adrith's only heir. The young woman is beloved by the populace, exemplary in her charm and skill as a strix rider. Her sudden disappearance, with Arshakan soldiers to blame, has stirred anti-imperial sentiment.
Bad Blood
Before there was the City State of Vresia, there were the Buzzards of Vresia: a bandit clan of strix riders. The Buzzards fought under the banner of another Free Lord during the Unification War. For their service, the chief of the Buzzards was crowned nobility, and given land to rule over. Everything that ranges between the cliff sides of the Boiling Sea to the vineyards of Enegal, now belongs to the Buzzards.Over the years, the Buzzards grew fat from tithes and trade. They stopped raiding in wars and learned to become a mere nuisance, a threat at the peripheral. The Arshakan Empire picked more appealing targets for its conquests, and in turn, the Free State of Vresia ignored the legionnaires marching through its back yard. Neutrality was maintained to the benefit of both.
That is, until a stray pair of legionnaires kidnapped Vresia's darling princess, and woke the sleeping Buzzards.
Culture
The people of Vresia are shepherds and hunters, relying on livestock for food and clothing. Settlements are small in population, and far flung from each other. The Vresian homeland may look wild and untamed, but the hills and wetlands are pastures which have been mapped and maintained by their tending families for generations. Besides, one's neighbors do not feel quite so far away when a rider is going as the crow flies.Cirene, the capital of the small state, the closest they have to a city. The city is built on a plateau which sees less flooding than the wetlands which surround it. The influence of Imperial architecture seems to have not touched the place. Squat, single-story buildings sprawl out in conflicting arrays, the only place with any austerity being the castle that sits upon the hillock above town.
Strix Riders
The great birds known as strix were originally bred and trained to help herd livestock across steep terrain, where horses could not go. Shepherds still use them for this purpose, but it did not take long for mercenaries and bandits to figure out the advantages of long-clawed, razor-beaked flying mounts. Now a number of strix breeds exist, all specialized for their line of work.Notable Figures
Adrith, the Buzzard QueenThe current ruler of Vresia. She is known for her neutrality in the skirmishes between the Free States and the Arshakan empire. Queen Adrith commands the largest guard of strix outriders, and keeps the best warbirds in her aviary. Her warriors rarely see battle, however. They have earned the name of Buzzards, flying high above a conflict, until the fighting is over and corpses can safely be picked clean.
Princess Lyra
The bride of Queen Adrith's only heir. The young woman is beloved by the populace, exemplary in her charm and skill as a strix rider. Her sudden disappearance, with Arshakan soldiers to blame, has stirred anti-imperial sentiment.
Contributors: bees?
Art Credit: Alex Alexandrov;
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