East Emperor Island - Main

[JCFarnham]

A Problem of Geography

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Eastern Emperor Island is cut almost in half by the Abban range of mountains, incidentally the source of most major water ways in the region. The mountain range reaches just shy of the coast to both the north and south and is itself cut in twain by the Abbanfahr; the pass of least resistance, and a natural choke point into the region beyond.

In the lush, often forested and well irrigated land to the east of the Abban Range stretching all the way to the far eastern shores lays Auberyth a nation ruled from the capital Cabhairau.

To the far south is the region's largest bay, home to a group of islands (the Sinsar Boch) which a loosely organised tribal people call their home.

Finally the steppe and rolling plains to the west, bordering on Emperor Island's central desert, play host to the Lasuech, the "People of Lasuell".

Inspite of the three nations being legitimately separated by geography--The Sinsar Boch from the main land, and Lasuell from Auberyth by the Abban Range--the city of Cabhairau remains by tradition a sort of feudal seat of power.

While it would be nigh impossible and incredibly foolish to attempt such total rule, the Lord of the Auberyth often retains the region's choke points (The Abbanfahr and the Waters of the southern bay) in an attempt to impose a measure of control.

Needless to say the effectiveness of this pursuit ranges from pointless and needlessly time consuming, to actually fairly successful... depending of course on the current state of trade negotiations between nations, the state of the army of Auberyth, and the morale of the people the Lord believes he rules. The people would revolt if they could amass an army to rival Auberyth's... or if they cared.

Case in point: the Lasuech are little put off by the Lord Cabhairau's obsessions as they could easily trade via Kilvikasa and the coast instead. Additionally, most settlements within either of the two larger nations remain mostly autonomous of any outside influence (aside from when Auberyth decides to impose troops upon them, or demand tribute).

 

[JCFarnham]

Assorted Tales of Auberyth
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The Mad Lord Cabhairau
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Alwin, the Lord Cabhairau (between 137-142 ASF) was an elderly tyrant, ruling from his city seat. While he was said to be able to trace his lineage to ruling kings of pre-cataclysmic Emperor Island, many disputed the claim. At one point his ancestors were indeed the emperors of a large portion of the region and much of their residual power remains still. After the cataclysm, the people fought to retain their former way of life where possible, the Lords of Cabhairau merely played into it.

While the people under the Lord Cabhairau's rule were usually of low morale, Auberyth's large, professional-but-paid-in-food-and-lodgings army dissuaded any kind of revolt. Being that Alwin was not long for this world, the people rarely made a fuss. Better to put up with his idiosyncrasies than argue and ensure his wrath.

A time of revolt did come in the waning years of Alwin Cabhairau's life, but not from whence he feared. It wasn't the people he ruled who wished to over throw him, but his own council. Given a figure head for their grievances the people of Auberyth joined forces with the council, ousted the supporters of Alwin in a bloody civil war and ushered forth a new era in their own vision.

From Alwin Cabhairau's death in 142 ASF, the Lords title still remained but not as held by one man. "Lord Cabhairau" became synonymous with "the Council".

The Great City

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[To be continued]

 

[JCFarnham]

Assorted Tales of The Sinsar Boch
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The Three Tribes and the Rise of Ainngai
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In the BSF era when their lands were far reaching, the Tribes of Sinsar Boch were one simple, supersitious people with a semi-nomadic life style (moving their settlements when the lands became over worked).

The Fall killed many, leaving only the separated inhabitants of the high lands. The high lands became the area's signature island group, and the survivors became the three tribes each with their own land.

By 13 ASF, a religion had grown from the largest tribe's supersitions, headed by the prophet Ainngai, the man of the rivers. He preached the good life, rules meant to ensure the Gods did not rain any more vengence upon them, and made the pursuit of convertion noble. The river became a sacred symbol, a place of worship, the place of the ancestors. (It is common practice to dispose of the dead by covering them in regalia and floating them down the rivers and out to sea. To disturb the dead found at sea or washed up else where is considered a crime punishable by death and only a priest of the order may intervene.)

In death, his religion became known by his name. Needing something, anything to unite them, the people took to Ainngai like wild fire. By 38 ASF (after war) it had spread across the entirety of the Sinsar Boch and became one and the same with the notion of government.

While the Priests of Ainngai allow the three tribes to exist as they always had they millitantly pursue complience with their order. It is considered a great honour to be chosen to become a Priest of Ainngai and travel to lands unknown on the sacred mission. By necessity therefore they are master shipsmiths and though this should make them known across the Archipelago their numbers have always enough--by the nature of geography more than anything--that any major civilisation would have no trouble in disposing of them.

It is not unknown to find the followers of Ainngai on the main land, amongst the people of Auberyth and Lasuell alike.

 

[JCFarnham]

Assorted Tales of the Lasuech
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