New Turath

The rich lands of Turath have been a haven for many 'civilised' folk for generations. Though the great kingdom of Bael Turath is no more, a large group of city-states have united under a confederation and commonly go under the name of New Turath.

A civil war has broken out recently, when Elos and Chelias came to blows over shipping. Borion soon joined Chelias, after Elos tried to hinder trade between the two. At this stage, the other four city-states have not been dragged into the conflict.

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COMMON KNOWLEDGE

Bael Turath was once an ambitious kingdom that waged constant war with the dragonborn of Arkhosia. Almost 400 years ago, the ruling humans made a pact with devils and the tiefling race was born and come to rule over the kingdom. In time, Arkhosia and Bael Turath destroyed each other.

Now New Turath is a vibrant, mercantile nation undergoing a kind of renaissance centered around seven large city-states. The people are very accepting of a variety of races where staying ahead of the competition is the sole concern. Each city-state has their own form of government, but each is typically made up of a complicated, multi-tiered bureaucracy. Although anyone is free to apply for government jobs, a vast majority of important positions are filled by human and tiefling females (a hangover from the matriarchal empire of Bael Turath). Females are also the typical heads of the powerful houses. Turathi society is ruled by various Houses that are essentially large organisations that act as part guilds, part noble/merchant family, and part business, depending upon their specialty.

The Turathi still value the arcane arts over other forms of magic, especially the divine. Most Turathi oppose any form of deity worship with five of the seven city-states having laws forbidding it. They do not believe in a deity's right to one's soul either. These two points of view have combined to result in a situation where undeath is not seen as horrific, but often a sought-after 'afterlife'.

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REGIONAL FEATURES

Most of civilised Turath lies along the coast where rain forests meet the calm shores of a coast protected by many sounds and atolls. Further inland, farming communities tend to vast orchards whose fruit see the markets of Gyria, Arkhosia and even distant Elsir Vale. Jagged, tiefling ruins of old dot the landscape and provide endless opportunities for treasure-seekers wishing to discover ancient magical secrets from the time of Bael Turath.

Most inhabitants dwell within the seven large cities; five of which lie along the coast, with Ialorus inland on the Ithenios River and Teresemos on the island of the same name.

Aegantos

Aegantos (City-State)

The 'Sea City', Aegantos, is spread across eight small islands.

The silver dragon of the Wyvernwatch Mountains, Sallahtuwlishion, used to run the Silver Goblet Inn here, but she has not returned from one of her 'visits to the relatives' in a couple of years and the people of the city fear her dead.

Aegantos has a noted eladrin population and a gate to the Feywild.


Azure Bay

Large, mostly calm bay around which several city-states sit.


Borion (City-State)

Borion also has a permanent gate to the Feywild and a good relationship with the eladrin on the other side, many of whom now reside in the city.
Borion is one of two city-states that does not have laws forbidding the open worship of deities, so many pilgrims and religious refugees have made their way to this city.


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Chesia (City-State)

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Doraza (City-State)

Doraza is one of two city-states that does not have laws forbidding the open worship of deities, so many pilgrims and religious refugees have made their way to this city.


Elos (City-State)

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Ialorus (City-State)

Built over the cascading falls of streams running off the mountains into the Ithenios River below, Iolarus rivals the Gyrian City-States for beauty. It is the only Turathi inland city-state. Underneath are buried ruins of an ancient dwarven hold. It was also the seat for the capital of the minotaur Kingdom of Thraxor and the horned gates of the city pay homage to this heritage.

The lich queen Silvara Deathshrowd has ruled over the city for 100 years.

Iolarus has an unfriendly rivalry with the nearest other city-state, Chesia, but as of yet has not been drawn into the civil war - Borion being its best trading partner and closest ally if a likely reason.


Toresemos (City-State)

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PEOPLE OF NEW TURATH

Humans and tieflings make up the majority of the population in New Turath. They work alongside each other and share a common culture that is competitive, business-savvy and mystical. The humans here are of the same racial stock as the Gyrians to the north: fair-skin, light hair, eyes of any colour with hazel and green being the most common.

Minotaurs from the region were subjugated centuries ago and now live as equal citizens. Many find employment as soldiers, guards and marines for the many merchant houses or the government.

Eladrin arrived just after the great war (with Arkhosia) and initially they came to stop tieflings fleeing to and causing trouble in the Feywild. Today, two of the city-states (Aegantos and Borion) have portals connecting them to eladrin realms in the Feywild, so eladrin are a common site in these two cities, and others roam throughout New Turath.

As in Arkhosia, halflings have long been plying the waters of Turath. Many here have taken to the seas and settled the numerous small islands of the sounds and atolls. Others live as they always have on their barges and rafts along the region's rivers and lowland waterways. Above all, the halflings of this region are very musical. Bards and performers are honored in their tribes and many a halfling entertainer is hired by the tiefling and human nobles.

In the southern rain forests, shifters have risen in number. In typical Turathi tradition, rather than being fearful of these spirit-touched beings, the shifters were welcomed and trade for the meat they hunt and hides they gather has become an industry in itself.

The human-like xeph are also found in the southern tropical regions of Turath, but many have become integrated into Turathi society and have moved to the northern cities.

Also in the north, the red-skinned verrik live autonomous from the city states. Many believe the verrik are an offshoot of the xeph (though the two do not get along). Relations with the verrik for most of Turathi vary, but rarely escalate into open warfare.

Varag tribes are the most common humanoid trouble in rural areas, but many tribes have been paid-off by the local rulers. In this agreement, the varag are to leave merchant caravans and farmer's orchards alone. Varag typically live in the hills and badlands on the edges of society, but are absent in the southwest.

The strangest folk one might find walking the streets of Turath are not the living residents, but those that have been risen from the dead. Undeath is not seen as a repulsive rite in New Turath. In fact, those that can prolong their life by mastering such mystical rites are often looked up to. In a similar way, lower class citizens see honor in being raised to continue to serve their House. So mindless undead often perform a lot of the menial labour in the cities and even some orchards. Other intelligent undead are as free as any other citizen to hold positions of importance. (Of course those that create undead are responsible for them, just as they would be a pet or employee, so savage undead, such as ghouls, are not encountered on the streets).

Sebeccai live in the dry interior of the region (bordering on the Golden Plains), especially in the rifts that cut through the dry land. They are mostly known as tomb-robbers and bandits and are one of the few races not accepted into Turathi life.

ADVENTURERS

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GROUPS & ORGANISATIONS

Society in New Turath is centered around a house. These houses operate like guilds, each specialising in their chosen area. Houses are not usually established along racial lines and most see it as important to have members of a variety of races. having foreigners join your guild is a sign of esteem.

House typically identify with a colour or colours rather than symbols, though the main trade of a house often is looked at like a house symbol by many anyway (such as potions and House neriax).

House Carandax

An arcane house specialising in necromancy, including the creation of undead soldiers and labourers. House Carandax is a powerful house headquartered in Chesia, but also with academies or guildhouses in Ialorus, Elos and Teresemos.

House Iadmos

A house founded on arcane experimentation and engineering that has a presence in four of the city-states: Aegantos, Borion, Chesia and Toresemos. House colours are blue and black.

House Lytharos

An arcane house specialising in mind and portal magics, as well as ancient ruins. They have academies in Ialorus and Doraza, the two cities with easiest access to the ancient ruins of northern Turath.

House Neriax

A house founded on alchemical studies and commerce. They have a major foothold in the potion trade and have recently branched out in to bio-chemical infusions and ways of altering the living. House colour is green.

House Verdana

A merchant house that sends caravans far and wide including into the Elsir Vale.

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(CNote: Using a combination of Aundair and Karrnath (undead stuff especially) from the "Eberron CS" and the wizard cities of "Jarkandor" for ideas if I need to detail this region further. The city of Lesh from Magic the Gathering - Shandalar would be a good match for one of the cities too).

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