Editing Breoa

[[File:Breoa Nation Map 702 AR.jpg|thumb|Breoa]]Breoa is a frozen land. Most of its land is covered in permafrost and grows no crops. The people are tough but not exceptional at any type of artistry. Only two things keep Breoa afloat: its secret technique of harnessing elemental magic and its people’s unique talent for raiding. Breoan boats fly across the waves and through the rivers of Ramesh hunting for targets. The raiders strike like lightning before leaving just as quick. For centuries, raiders have brought treasure from all over Ramesh back to Breoa. Their plundering keeps the country stable.

But Breoa’s way of life has drawn enemies. People from all over the continent grimace at the mention of the nation. Now, after the capture of Kaldr from Kovorov, the plundering of Flovios, and the sinking of multiple ships from Aquar, the noose is tightening around Breoa’s throat. It is now up to [[Brekendahl|Brekendahl,]] his many Saints, and the Jarls of Breoa to somehow maintain their country or die with it.

==== Terrible Land ====
The land of Breoa is borderline inhospitable. Its soil barely grows even the heartest crops. Harsh snow buries the land for most of the year. Large stretches of open plains are speckled with rocky outcroppings making large scale farming operations incredibly difficult. In addition, mountains trisect the land. Kvef is almost completely cut off from the rest of the nation by them and the Fangelsi mountains to the South prevent Breoa from expanding its borders. That is not to mention the creatures. Ravenous beasts prowl both the plains and mountains.

The Fangelsi mountains swarm with dire griffins. These griffins have a particular taste for humanoid flesh. They swoop down from the high peaks to pick off isolated travelers on roads. Giant birds known as Rocks also make their living on the Fangelsi mountains hunting griffins and people alike.

To the North is not much better. There it is giant country. Near Kvef, the giants have made their strongholds in the mountains, hills, and deep underground. There is thought to be no greater hotbed of giant activity than the Risi Mountains near Kvef. Normally, relations are peaceful. But every now and then, tensions will flare between the two groups. When this happens, the population of Kvef is often reduced by a fourth.

==== Harnessing the Elements ====
Two hundred years after the founding of Breoa, a great discovery was made in the capital. Druid figured out how to draw out elementals from the [[Prime Ring]]. These elemental spirits could then be housed and have their power used to create many new inventions. This relationship is symbiotic. The elementals in captivity have means to use and grow their power while the people harnessing the elements can perform feats of magic that have not been seen since the times of [[Caerwyn]].

Mostly, the Breoans have used these elementrix (originally called element tricks, before moving to element trix, and eventually the two words combined into elementrix) on their ships. With a sufficient number of elementrix, a ship can fly a few feet over the ground for short periods, submerge itself underwater with a bubble of air, shoot streams of fire from special cannons, or even summon small patches of earth for a ship to anchor to in the night. A Breoan ship with elementrix is easily the most advanced ship sailing around the continent of Ramesh (apart from Astral Sailers).

Many have tried to learn the secret of the elementrix. However, [[Brekendahl]] has woven a powerful spell around the knowledge behind the elementrix. No person of Breoan birth can have the secret of the elementrix leave their mouth or mind. Only through a special ritual conducted by a Saint or [[Brekendahl]] himself can the secret of the elementrix be spread.

Once a group from the Ard Magos attempted a spell to allow them to bypass the curse. Nearly 400 dead Ard Magos later, one dead Saint, and an enraged Brekendahl, the Ard Magos swore to never attempt such a ritual again. Now they even openly advise against trying to learn the secret. This has not stopped many would-be scholars from trying to seek the truth. However, only morticians and graverobbers have benefited from these efforts.

== The Raider’s Way ==
For many in Breoa, raiding is a way of life. It does not matter a person’s race, gender, class, or any other factor besides how well they raid as soon as they step aboard a longship. Those who become a raider face both a life full of adventure and incredible tragedy. One in three do not survive their first raid. There are few old veterans aboard a raiding vessel. However, many a raider will say that no matter how much gold they earn they will never retire. The thrill keeps them plundering. Perhaps it always will...

==== Death Before Failure ====
One of the most important parts of the raiding life is the mantra “death before failure.” Most raiding expeditions have enough resources to be away from port for two or three months. During this time, there are only a few viable raiding targets that might be seen. With so few chances, failure could mean the entire expedition makes meager or zero profit. Therefore, even when things look dire, Breoan raiders will continue to fight. They require all the values they can pillage and more in order for their families to eat during the harsh arctic winters.

==== Tactics ====
Raiding parties usually set sail with elementrix loaded longboats. These boats have high floating hulls that when mixed with elementrix allow them to sail across nearly any body of water including shallow rivers. Breoan raiding vessels have been seen sailing up rivers deep into the jungles of [[Arket]] (although this was one documented incident and it was thought that the crew was trying to resupply for the long journey back to Breoa).

Raiders are usually armed with a battle axe, throwing daggers, an icepick, rope, and fur armor. They are built for speed. Raiders usually begin to engage from afar with their daggers before moving into melee range with their axe. Their arsenal allows them to hack through chests, doors, and walls as well as people. No fortification can stop a Breoan raider for long.

However, the raiders often look for soft targets. Merchant ships, lost travelers, or the poorly guarded caravan are all favorites. With long periods of time between resupplies and limited medicine, raiders try to limit casualties. Although, many still do occur. Veterans have learned to stay back while the young, naive, recruits rush forward. Many will die but will leave openings for the veterans to rush forward and take the leftover riches.

==== Peace Amongst Cousins ====
The Breoans have an understanding between them: peace amongst cousins. In essence, a Breoan raiding party will not attack other Breoans. Due to their harsh way of life, all Breoans recognize each other as family (albeit distantly related). A party that has been found guilty of violating this peace is usually brutally tortured before being thrown in a prison cell for the rest of their days.

==== Looking the Part ====
Many raiders take pride in how they dress on a raid. They braid their hair, comb their beards, wear custom face paint unique to each person, and adorn themselves with charms dedicated to their favorite Saints. This adds to their mystic amongst non-Breoans. The unintentional branding of the raiders has for centuries worked in their favor and many scholars agree that it is unlikely to stop.

==== Training ====
Raiders usually enter the life in one of two ways. Either a raider is a person who could not make it in the Breoan military or they joined the Raider’s Guild in Vangen. Vangen is the primary starting point for raiders. The city of thieves takes pride in housing most raiders within Breoa. In fact, the city is built on raiders.

Training in Vangen usually takes three months. During this time the guild hones a recruit’s body and mind. Grueling twelve hour days drag on in mold covered warehouses. Yet, by the end, a recruit is a fully capable sailor who any raiding expedition can feel confident in collecting.

Dropouts from the military are hired too but at a much lower fee. These dropouts usually need to prove themselves on an expedition before they get regular pay. This is difficult and many face a harsh learning curve on the job. Yet, the military training they received, no matter how brief, usually makes the dropouts who survive into excellent raiders who become veterans.

==== Are You Good At Raiding? ====
Unlike much of Ramesh, the raiders do not care if a person is a child of Sin. They do not care about past crimes (except the truly horrific). The only thing that matters is a person’s ability to plunder. In a strange way, the raider’s society is the most egalitarian in all of Ramesh.

==== For the Community ====
Raiding expeditions are partially funded by local communities. While ship captains and crew receive a portion of the bounty, priority goes to the people. Breoa sustains itself off the efforts of the raiders. And while the life of a successful raider can yield a grand fortune, it is never lost on those who plunder the seas who helps to finance their endeavors.

It is the community who tends to the raider’s sick. The community who gives supplies to repair a broken part of the vessel. At the end of a career, it is the community that provides a retired raider (however few they may be) a weekly allowance of coin and food. Therefore, the raiders always give the people their due. Those who do not face the rather of not only those they betrayed but also other raiders. Without a doubt, the economy of Breoa would not function without the raiders supplementing it.

== Land Worth Less Than Dust ==
Many say that the land of Breoa is worth less than dust. An acre that could feed dozens in Doz might only be able to feed two or three in Breoa. Everyone lives on a knife’s edge. Without the steady supply of food brought back by the raiders, it is almost certain the land would enter a famine.

==== Arctic Land ====
Breoa is well within the arctic of Ramesh. During the winter months, like in [[Kovorov]], the sun disappears from the sky creating the polar night. In addition, the mountains have created areas known as arctic deserts. Very little precipitation falls. Not even snow blesses Breoans who usually melt snow into water for drinking. If there was ever a place not to live, it would be Breoa.

==== Breoan Beekeeping ====
Surprisingly, the Breoans have found a way to improve their crop yields, create a tradable item, and make sweet mead all with one industry: beekeeping. The beekeepers of Breoa mostly operate near Razzia. With elementrix to aid them in keeping the bees warm in the winter, the beekeepers travel in great caravans across Breoa during the spring, summer, and autumn months.

These bees pollinate the meager crops of Breoa allowing them to create yields two or three times what is expected (and yet the yield is still far lower than anywhere else on the continent). Family history and tradition, passed down orally, is how the new beekeepers are taught. There is a beekeeping guild in Razzia but they do not teach new keepers. Instead, the guild helps regulate crop production and makes sure the bees are being kept in safe conditions. Every family of beekeepers has different methods. 

Those families with stellar methods have survived generations. Families with poor skills either starved or moved to raiding. Because of this, it has become difficult to replicate the techniques of the beekeepers in other areas around Ramesh. Many master beekeepers have their students simply observe over decades. No scholar has been able to wait with a single family for decades yet to learn their secrets...yet.

A new beekeeper is considered an apprentice. This apprentice helps the master beekeeper of a family until their death. When the master dies, the apprentice becomes a full beekeeper. One of the regular beekeepers of the family then rises to the rank of master beekeeper and takes new apprentices.

Sometimes, thieves from outside Breoa will attempt to kidnap a master beekeeper. This is devastating for a family. Ransoms can climb as high as ten thousand gold pieces. However, powerful or rich beekeeping families might hire a group of raiders to get their family member back. The raiders, who understand the need for Breoan bees, are usually happy to oblige. Woe to those who kidnap a master and are not prepared for the onslaught that is about to befall them.

Finally, in the winter months, the beekeepers harvest honey from their bees. This honey is used to make the legendary Breoan mead. During a time when the sun does not rise and the raiders are stuck in port, nothing lifts the spirits in a Breoan tavern than when a keg of newly made mead is broken open. This mead, spoken about mythically around Ramesh, is Breoa’s one true export.

==== Harvesting the Elements ====
Across Breoa there are areas of strong elemental magic. These places are searched for by element hunters. The hunters find the elements and then lead a crew with an elementrix back to the location.

To be an element hunter requires an incredible understanding of nature, toughness, and perseverance. Places with a high concentration of elemental magic might be weeks from civilization. An element hunter must be self-sufficient and able to handle the harsh arctic environment. Not only this, but they then must lead a team back into the wild to coax out the elemental.

The person who is responsible for getting the elemental into the elementrix is known as a Menfi or an element tamer. These individuals, told the secret of element taming usually by a Saint, are some of the most powerful people in Breoa. It is after being led to the elemental that the Menfi follow their training and coax the creature into its new home. This process is draining. Most Menfi wait at least twenty-four hours before exerting themselves again after housing an elemental.

==== Dangerous Creatures ====
Many dangerous creatures stalk the lands of Breoa. Giants reign in the Risi Mountains to the North. Griffins make their home in the Fangelsi Mountains to the South. In between, large mammoths roam. While gentle, a startled mammoth is certainly a handle full. Hunting mammoths is all manor of large predators. Saber tooth cats, snow bears, wyverns, rocks, and even the occasional yeti all hunt the arctic wastelands searching for mammoth or humanoid alike.

The native Breoans do not hunt mammoths. This is for a simple reason; decreasing the mammoth population means the predators get bolder. Villages can become a ghost town in the night if the mammoth population drops too low. A hungry yeti can easily eat a dozen humanoids in a single night.

== Government Structure ==
The government of Breoa is a fractured mess. Brekendahl spends most of his time out at sea while the power brokers of his nation fight with each other as much as with Breoa’s enemies. With this as a foundation, it is thought by many that political unity is impossible. Only via [[Brekendahl]]’s strength is Breoa held together.

==== Konungur, the Ice Lord or Lady ====
The Konungur, also called the Ice Lord/Lady, is the head of the Breoan government. They hold vested within them the executive, legislative, and judicial powers of the government. Their word is considered law.

Upon the death of a Konungur, the Jarls of Breoa meet in the palace in Razzia. There, the Jarls elected a non-Jarl to be the next Konungur. This is usually a member of the Jarl’s own family. After thirty days of deliberation, the Jarls vote. If a person gains a majority, they become the next Ice Lord or Lady. Or, if no one person gains a majority, [[Brekendahl]] arrives. He then proceeds to give three tests to the two potential Konungurs with the most votes.

These tests are usually based around sailing, combat, or feats of leadership. Whichever potential Konungur performs the best in the trials gains the title. However, usually if by the last trial the two potentials are tied in the eyes of [[Brekendahl]], the final test is a duel between the two for the right to become Konungur.

As of the year 701 AR, the current Konungur is Ivar Freydris. Ivar is a Hobgoblin man with tattoos covering his crimson skin. While Ivar is only forty-one, he has sat as Konungur for nineteen years. It is said there is no better ship captain in Breoa than Ivar Freydris. Under his watch, the Breoan navy has tripled in size.

==== Jarls ====
A Jarl is the head of a Breoan clan. The title of Jarl is bestowed on the person who oversees a hamlet, village, or city. One Jarl can manage more than one population center but this is rare. Only the most powerful Jarls are given the opportunity to rule more than one place.

Most clans have a line of succession. Each clan has their own unique aspects to their succession but usually the eldest child of the previous Jarl is first in line for the position. This is unless a member of the clan challenges the eldest for the position. A challenge can come in the form of combat, a game of wits, or another trial that the majority clan finds acceptable. Being a Jarl is not only about a person’s ability to fight. A challenge should test the Jarl’s best quality. No leader leads alone and every Jarl has an entire clan to help them make decisions. Therefore, only what a Jarl excels at should be tested. If a Jarl is not best at something, then they should not be Jarl.

Challenging is considered dangerous. If the challenger loses, they are likely to be exiled from the clan by the new Jarl. Therefore, a new Jarl might expect only one challenger and many instances have occurred where the new Jarl is not challenged.

==== Clans of Breoa ====
Before [[Brekendahl]] came to power, Breoa was ruled over by warlords. Those warlords came from ancient families. The families that survive today are known as the Breoan Clans.

A Clan’s power fluctuates over the generations. Most clans hold some sort of authority in Breoa whether that be ruling a population center, managing a guild, or leading a raiding company. However, a Clan can lose their power through the normal political means (assassination, backstabbing, etc.). Sometimes if a Clan’s enemies wish it, they will wipe out a Clan and end a bloodline stretching back over seven-hundred years.

New Clans can also arise. This is a rare feat usually done through the acquisition of incredible wealth, unparalleled combat prowess, feats of heroism, or becoming favored by the Konunger. These Clans often start by managing a small village and growing their strength over successive generations. Infighting

Open conflict amongst the Clans is rare. With this being said, the Clans fight with each other constantly. Spies disrupt supply chains while soldiers clash in back allies. It is a never ending struggle for each Clan to maintain their political power and an even greater struggle to rise through the ranks.

The Konunger does not see this as a problem. It is widely known that Breoa is most stable when the Clans are at each other’s throats. This is because only through unity can the Clans exert control over the Konunger. Therefore, the leader of Breoa works diligently to in secret sow seeds of discord amongst the Clans. Shifting control over a village, increasing the yearly taxes, or even falsifying intelligence are all tools in the Konunger’s toolbelt. Those Knoungers who refuse to set the Clans against each other are usually ineffective or do not survive long.

The secret for Breoa’s success lies in the Mefni. This means they hold a considerable amount of political power. A Mefni is one of the few people who can defy the order of a Jarl without fear.

Although they are paid thousands of gold pieces a year, a Mefni rarely needs to spend them. Any merchant or tavern owner will often give the Mefni what they ask for without charge. A traveler wandering through Breoa should take note not to anger a Mefni. They hold more power over the land then one might expect.

== Razzia ==
Razzia is the heart of the Breoan nation. Politics, culture, and ambition collide in its bustling streets. More than half of Breoa’s population lives in Breoa. This is not surprising since most merchants bring their wares to only this city. With most activity happening in or near Razzia, this is the quintessential Breoan city.

==== Capital City ====
This is the capital city of Breoa. Within the limits of Razzia sits all the government and administrative buildings within the nation. Razzia is the beating heart of Breoan political life.

==== Binder’s Circle ====
Just outside the city sits the Binder’s Circle. This channeling circle, made of bronze and marble, was the site where the first Mefni coaxed an elemental into a proto-elementrix. Particularly powerful elementals are sometimes moved into larger elementrix here due to the robustness of the channeling circle.

==== Heart of Beekeeping ====
Beekeepers surround the lands around Razzia. The widespread use of elementrix allows for easier beekeeping. This has led to a rise in mead making within the city. A few blocks on the western side of Razzia are completely dedicated to the making of mead. With new barrels of mead being sold around the clock, the desire for more honey never stops. Merchants buy what little mead is left after the Breoan people have bought to their fill and then transport the mead back along their trading routes.

==== Military of Breoa ====
The military is stationed in a fortress within the city known as Jotunn’s Spear. Here the Konunger’s personal army awaits. Every Konunger keeps their army at least three times the size of any individual clan. The current Konunger Ivar Freydris’ army is thought to be one of the largest in Breoan history, with more than five thousand soldiers.

==== Hednar ====
Amongst the regular soldiers are the Hednar. These are the elite soldiers of the Breoan army and act as the Konunger’s personal guard.

There is no standard training for a Hednar. Some are master archers while others are dedicated clerics of Brekendahl (or sometimes other gods). The only similarity between each Hednar is their armor, which is covered in griffin feathers, their skill in combat, and their loyalty to Breoa. It is thought that the best warriors in Breoa are within the ranks of the Hednar at any given time.

==== [[Brekendahl|Brekendahl’s]] Hold ====
At the center of the city, amongst the administrative buildings, lies the palace of [[Brekendahl]]. Although this is technically Brekendahl’s home, the Konunger’s have traditionally used it as their palace and the seat of the Breoan government. They have free reign of the seven story tall marble fortress except for the seventh floor. That floor is reserved for Brekendahl, Saints, and invited guests.

== Hafnar ==
Hafnar holds the southern border of Breoa. Its positioning near the Fangelsi Mountains, with their plentiful ore reserves, allows the city to be the industrial heart of the nation. However, Hafnar routinely turns its prowess towards making the weapons of war. To the south, beyond the Blædir Pass, lies the orc city-state of Hope. This city has blocked Breoa’s southern advance into the Unclaimed Lands for centuries. Now the two cities are locked in a never-ending war where both sides have lost tens of thousands of lives.

==== Forge of Breoa ====
The Fangelsi mountains, although swarming with griffins, are filled with iron ore. Miners extract the ore from the [[Prime Ring]] and then transport it to the many smelting facilities within Hafnar. Then, one of the more than one-hundred factories within Hafnar shapes the ore into something new. Most metal items, which were not originally plundered, are created here.

==== Blood Feud ====
The blood feud with Hope started more than four-hundred years ago. After the traitorous three broke away from Breoa, armies stationed in Hafnar marched south through the pass to retake the cities. A winter storm blew through and stranded the army for a month. Once the snows had melted, the Breoan army stopped at the gates of Hope asking for supplies. Hope gave some aid but refused to let the army within its walls. At risk of starving, the Breoan Jarls pleaded with Hope to give them more food. Hope refused and when the Breoan Jarls attempted to storm the walls, Hope fought back. The Orcs repulsed the attacking Breoans but not before they stole enough food to get them back to Hafnar. Since then, both Hafnar and Hope have remembered each other’s foul deeds. The people of Hafnar will never be satisfied until Hope burns to the ground and Hope will never allow a Breoan army to march through the Blædir Pass until they receive their reparations. Currently, the leaders of Hope calculate the cost of the reparations to be thirty-two million gold pieces. This is thought to be more gold pieces than is contained within the entirety of Breoa.

==== Home of the Stone Reavers ====
The miners of Hafnar need protection from the creatures prowling the mountain sides. This is the job of the Stone Reavers. Once considered a clan but now an order of warriors, the Stone Reavers use elementrix containing earth elementals and their unique training to wield the earth as a weapon. Stone Reavers have been known to hurdle boulders bigger than a mammoth through the air. Master Stone Reavers are said to be able to create small earthquakes. No one exactly knows the Stone Reaver’s base of operation. They live within the sewers of Hafnar, using their powers to carve out homes. Whenever their base is discovered, the Reavers simply move and start anew.

==== Death from Above ====
Griffins cover the peaks of the Fangelsi Mountains. Its blustering winds and harsh slopes provide a safe nesting ground to raise their young. This is to the disliking of the locals who are routinely attacked by hungry griffins.

Yet, griffins are not the biggest problem or predator on the slopes of the Fangelsi Mountains. Rocks, gargantuan eagles with some having wing spans greater than one-hundred feet, feast on anything their massive claws can carry. Stone Reavers will not engage a Rock if it decides to attack a mining operation. The only sane thing to do is hide.

== Vangen ==
Vangen used to be the primary home for raiders, thieves, and other cuthroats. The city, while crime ridden, was home to the Raiders Guild. A glimmering beacon of wealth and prosperity. During a bout between titanic forces and a random private investigation organization the Lich Asphyxia destroyed the city and fled to the Dark Ring to be with [[Calamity|Fenrir]].

== Kvef ==
At the edge of the continent lies Kvef. It is the northernmost city on Ramesh. Sitting at the edge of an icy sea, Kvef’s port is the home of Breoa’s navy. Although the port completely freezes over during the winter, this prevents any attack on the port. However, many question why Kvef continues to exist. Its freezing temperatures have necessitated biological adaptations from the populace and Giants continue to clash with the local population. Yet the people of Kvef stay. Many say they will stay until the world eventually freezes over and the city is buried beneath the snows for good.

==== Alone at the Edge of the World ====
The people of Kvef are isolationists. They keep to themselves. For them, being alone at the edge of the world is perfect. What few people they have to endure are mostly like them. This makes dealing with others more tolerable. To some Kvef is a frozen nightmarish place but to its residence, Kvef might just be paradise.

''“Leave”''

-the only words spoken to an [[Arket]] diplomat in their two month stay in Kvef

==== Home of the Navy ====
The navy of Kvef sits within the port. Most of these ships are outfitted with elementrix to give them an extra edge in combat. Additionally, the Breoans have begun adding a new type of ship to their navy. This ship has a top deck covered by a reinforced wooden dome. Using a plethora of elementrix, the ship, known as a Penguin, can submerge itself below the waves at a depth of one-thousand feet for up to a week. This ship is top secret and has not seen combat. Yet, the generals of Breoa are sure that their Penguins will allow them to succeed in any naval campaign. 

==== Raiding to Survive ====
During the spring and summer, raiders operating out of Kvef work overtime. The city cannot grow its own food. Therefore, the raiders must plunder enough in the warm months before the port freezes over and Kvef is trapped for the winter.

==== Frost Rat Rangers ====
There are many dangers out in the arctic wastes. Therefore, Kvef fields a force of three-hundred rangers known as the Frost Rats. It is the job of these rangers to protect Kvef from any threats that might wander near the town.

Hunting giants is the specialty of the Frost Rats. To many, the Frost Rats have giant hunting down to a science. During times of conflict with the giants, many believe that Kvef has only survived due to the Frost Rat’s efforts. In the last thirty years the Rats have begun documenting every giant they have killed. The current tally stands at over four-hundred dead giants. Bones of some of the biggest hang above the Frost Rat’s base.

==== Masters of Ice ====
Ice is the most abundant resource in Kvef so they use it. Food is stored in ice boxes, houses are reinforced with snow and ice to keep heat in during the winter, and the populace has become especially adept at using their elementrix to shape ice. They have built walls twenty feet high, full houses, and even a ship out of ice. Every year, the people of Kvef keep pushing the envelope of what they can create out of ice.

==== Altered Physiology ====
The weather has forced the people of Kvef to adapt. Those born in Kvef are born supernaturally resistant to the cold. Scholars can only assume that the people of Kvef, given enough time, will evolve into entirely new races.

==== Kvef Physiology ====
A person born in Kvef is resistant to the cold . They can tolerate temperatures as low as −30 degrees Fahrenheit without any additional protection. If you wear heavy clothes, you can tolerate temperatures as low as −70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, they are also vulnerable to fire damage and gain one point of exhaustion every hour they are in an area above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

== Hope ==
Built around the core virtue of Hope, this orcish city state dates its origin back to the original diaspora of the orcish race. From those beginnings, Hope has grown into a mighty city state. With eyes turned toward the future it is likely that Hope will remain until the end of Ramesh itself.

==== Unmoving and Undefeated ====
Currently, Hope has been engaged in a four-hundred year long war with Hafnar. Despite odds being stacked against them, the orcs refuse to yield. They are as unmoving as stone and unshakable as the midday sky. The orcs of Hope have said many times that they will never surrender to Hafnar.

==== Core Virtue ====
The core virtue is the founding principle of any orc city state. Hope’s core virtue infuses the people with a radical optimism toward life. Within each and every person who resides inside the city is the belief that life will improve. Because of this Hope has an extraordinary ability to tolerate turmoil in any form.

==== The Martyr’s Tithe ====
Many in the Unclaimed Lands recognize the service that Hope provides holding back Hafnar. If the Breoan city were to destroy Hope, it is likely Breoan raiders would swarm south and plunder the chaotic lands. So other cities within the Unclaimed Lands send soldiers to Hope. These soldiers are called the Martyr’s Tithe. Upon arrival they fall under the Grand General of the Hope Armies and begin their three year stay. After three years, the soldiers under the Tithe are sent home while new recruits replenish the ranks. One in three never head home.

==== No End in Sight ====
The orcs will never surrender to Hafnar, that much is clear. However, they also do not have the soldiers nor training to strike at the city of Hafnar itself. All raiding attempts have been met by fierce resistance. The forging city remains an unassailable jewel. Thus, the orc simply wait,biding their time until an opportunity arises.

==== Festival of Hope ====
Every five years during the summer solstice, the Festival of Hope occurs. This grand celebration draws in visitors from all over Ramesh. Food, alcohol, and friendship is abundant. The yearly festivities are so magnificent that people as far as [[Nation of Zell|Western Bospora]] have been known to make pilgrimages to attend. All are welcome to the orcs at this time. They view it as spreading their core virtue to the world and the many gifts and influx of foreign gold never

== The Traitorous Three ==
In the year 298 AR, the young nation of Breoa was struggling. The new Konunger had attempted to decrease the importance of raiding in the country. Because of this, famine had struck. In this time of suffering, three cities south of the Fangelsi mountains decided that it was time to become independent. They executed the Breoan loyalist during an event known as the Fracturing of the Way. From then on, the cities of Jordur, Halda, and Pakra were independent. Known back in Breoa as the Traitorous Three, the three cities have stood in defiance for another four-hundred years.

==== Breaking Away ====
The ties were cut sharply during the Fracturing of the Way. Thousands of people were executed during one night. This and the city’s renouncing of [[Brekendahl]] has kept the ire of Breoa on them even after so many centuries.

==== First Battle of Jordur ====
After the armies of Hafnar were stopped by Hope, Brekendahl ordered that his armies march through Vangen and attack Jordur. Due to intelligence relayed by Pakra, a coalition of Jordin, Haldin, and Pakyral troops waited in a nearby forest. They surprised the advancing Breoan army in the night. After a night of butchering in which the Breoans stood no chance, the coalition found itself victorious. The Breoans retreated and the first battle of Jordur was won.

==== Second Battle of Jordur ====
Six years later in 307 AR, Breoa launched another massive invasion. Seven-thousand troops and an additional two-thousand raiders surged toward Jordur. The coalition prepared for a siege. However, they knew that the Saints and Brekendahl himself would be joining the fray. The three cities sent out a cry for help across the Rings. Adventurers and heroes arrived in the hundreds to aid the coalition in its darkest hour. Yet, many believed that it would not be enough. The day of battle arrived. With a divine ease, the Saints brought down the walls of Jordur allowing the Breoan army to charge inside the funnel. Despite the best efforts of the defenders, the Queen of Jordur, Kerrian the Rose Warrior (named after her iconic rose patterned greatshield), ordered a retreat into the city. Fighting was fierce, filled with heroic efforts and last stands. Yet, as the sun began to fall, so did the city.

It was in that moment, during the twilight, when some Breoan soldiers noticed the dead begin to rise. Jordur had sent out a secret order during the call. Any necromancers who answered Jordur’s cry for help would be given sanctuary and protection within Jordur’s walls. Kerrian had orderedthose that answered to wait until sunset. Now, thousands of undead blocked the escape of the Breoan soldiers.

[[Brekendah]]<nowiki/>l and his Saints moved to help the army but were blocked as portals began to open around them. Devils poured through, surrounding the Saints and Brekendahl. Pakra too had given a secret order. The King had his clerics contact the devils of hell. He had signed a contract saying that in exchange for the help of the devils, henceforth the devils could walk freely, in peace, throughout Pakra and make deals as they pleased. The devils quickly accepted. Then, during the perfect moment, launched into the battle.

In the end, the critical moment came when an exhausted [[Brekendahl]] fought Queen Kerrian in the breach. The soldiers watched as the two traded blows. Sensing victory, [[Brekendahl]] plunged his axe into Kerrian’s neck and then her heart. However, this was part of Kerrian’s plan. It left her an opening to plunge her longsword into Brekendahl’s eye. The god screamed in agony as Kerrian died. Devils, undead, and heroes attacked the wounded god. It was in that moment that [[Brekendahl]] was forced to retreat as his Saints pulled him from the fray and the Breoan army broke. Fourteen thousand lost their lives during the second battle of Jordur.

After the battle, the necromancers gathered around the body of Kerrian. They performed their vile magic and raised the Queen as a Death Knight. As her skin became a slate gray, Kerrian was given a new name, the Twilight Rose.

==== A Bloody Peace ====
Since the second battle of Jordur, no Breoan army has marched on Jordur again. Groups of soldiers conduct operations and blood is still spilt, but total war has not been declared again. Yet, all wait for the day Breoa grows strong, or desperate, enough to try to reclaim their ancestral lands a third time.

==== Jordur ====
Kerrian still rules the city of Jordur. Under the protection of the Twilight Rose, low magic is practiced freely. Some refer to Jordur as the Dead City. However, the people of Jordur do not seem to mind the necromancy. Undead take care of all menial labor. The residue left behind with low magic is highly regulated and controlled. Jordur has developed devices that can drain small amounts of low magic from a surrounding environment. With responsible necromancy, the people of Jordur have begun to create an entirely new type of civilization.

==== Halda ====
During the second battle of Jordur, Halda was the only city to not reach out for dark powers. Therefore, the people consider themselves to be pure. The city itself is the pinnacle of cleanliness. Streets are scrubbed daily, people practice absurd levels of hygiene, and the ruling council in Halda is said to never allow dirt to touch their bare skin. 

In addition, the people of Halda after the battle of Jordur began domesticating griffins. After mixing them with horses and creating hippogriffs, the Haldians have centered their military around hippogriff knights. They flying warriors control the skies around Halda and have been known to menace Breoan troops hundreds of miles into the heartland of Breoa.

==== Pakra ====
Known by some as the Devil’s Tongue, Pakra is swarming with the infernal. Hundreds of portals to Hell exist within the city. Despite the monarch’s best efforts, hundreds of people sign fiendish contracts every year. Most of the city is under contract with one devil or another.