Indoria

Brief Overview
Indoria is a land of sun-kissed savannas, rolling hills rich with gold and iron, sand dunes haunted by wailing ghosts, and winding canyons that transition into the mountains which mark the border between Indoria and Castia. Those mountains are known as Karden’s Spine, with roaming griffons, tribes of giants, and predatory wyvern flocks common throughout the region. To the southeast of Karden’s Spine lies the vast desert of Khara, stretching almost to the eastern coast and bordered by savannas and rolling hills rich with silver and iron. The Khara Desert extends halfway down the continent before it meets the river Naiya, where life returns to the land. The river Naiya reaches from the heart of central Indoria to the southeastern tip, a strip of lush and fertile land whose flooding is too frequent for all but the most desperate of farmers. To the south and west of Indoria lies wide savannas and verdant rain forests, stretching to the rocky coastline in the northwestern lands.

Indoria is bordered to the north by Castia, to the west by The Blood Sea, and to the east by The Alagon Ocean.

Culture
The collection of dwarven holds known as the Bharum States are the bastion of civilization in Karden’s Spine. The nation holds most of the mountain passes between Castia and Indoria, keeping the Indorian Empire from expanding their conquest into Castia.

Their hippogriff riders and ranger corps are the mainstay of Bharum’s military, supplemented by the inventions of their warsmiths and the mage academies founded by refugees they have taken in. Their culture is deeply practical, with little time for the traditions of their ancestors or pointless manners, and they often seem brusque or rude as they speak their mind freely. They are willing to welcome all who can contribute, and appreciate the talents of any person, regardless of race, creed, or nationality.

Important Locations

 * Dhunr Hold (The western breadbasket)
 * Aesir's Stand (The southernmost hold still standing against Indorian aggression)
 * Khuram Bastion (An eastern notable refugee sanctuary)
 * Citadel Balun (A famous militarized hold on the northern border)

Local Tensions
In recent times, some desperate holds have been rumored to seek out... unsavory solutions to the armies on their doorstep. Additionally, the duergar below have been raiding in force, with strange noises coming from mines thought abandoned. The Whispering Tyrant, an ancient red dragon who has not been seen in living memory, yet to whom the giant tribes which hold the easternmost pass into Castia swear fealty, has grown ambitious. His slaves roam further abroad, seeking conscripts and resources to fuel their growing army, and some fear he may even leave the ancient dwarven ruin he is rumored to have made his lair in, taking wing to conquer once more.

Government
A loose confederation of independent holds for mutual protection, the Bharum States each sends a Hold Chieftain to the city selected as the current meeting ground for the Council of Hammers. The current Council is deeply fractured, with many chiefs calling for an end to their isolationist stance, while others are demanding they close off the mountain passes and wall themselves in.

Culture
The Empire of Indoria began in the desert of Khara, and their expansive realm extends across almost the entirety of it, and well beyond. They were founded by the legendary Gavrash of ancient Khatran, who returned from the Feywild when they were on the brink of annihilation by the legions of the undead. Believed to have made a pact with the Autumn Court to preserve the bodies of his parents, Gavrash brought both powerful allies and a forceful intellect to the task. Not content to merely destroy their foes, Gavrash used the opportunity to unite the disparate tribes and establish the Empire of Indoria, named after his father, Malthad Indor. Through Indoria, Gavrash sought to honor his parents’ legacy by creating a worthy successor to his mother Mirrash’s empire and preserving the principles of his father Malthad: Honor without Arrogance, Unity through Diversity, and Growth Eternal.

They have aggressively expanded through conquest and diplomacy since their inception, with each emperor advised by Zyrsia the Imperial Dragon, the Gale of Indoria, and founder of the Maldori Cabal. With her knowledge they have managed to incorporate each conquered people into their empire with ease, growing both the diversity of their culture as well as binding them in unity with the twin backbones of the Indorian Empire: The Imperial Legions and the Golden Couriers. While mandatory service in the legion instills discipline and loyalty into Imperial citizens, the famously swift courier service connects each end of their vast empire, from the eastern capital of Al-Gavra to a village at the base of Karden’s Spine, in an incredible network of information, allowing the farthest corners of their territory to communicate with ease and at almost no cost. This system of communication is frequently utilized by Imperial citizens to maintain distant friendships, negotiate trade between regions, and even to satisfy mundane curiosity about the lives of folk in seemingly alien parts of the Empire. Under this system humans, dwarves, hobgoblins, centaurs, minotaurs, rodentfolk, and myriad other minor races live and work together for the good of the Empire.

Important Locations

 * Al-Gavra (The capital)
 * The Tomb of Malthad (Ancient burial site holding powerful relics)
 * In-Vadra (A vital eastern port)
 * Almadaya (A university city in central Khara)

Local Tensions
The empire faces countless threats to its order: dissident groups and rebels plague the border regions, the desert’s restless dead have grown violent, and liches seek power among the ancient ruins buried beneath the dunes.

Government
A Republican Empire, the Imperial Family rules with almost total authority in most circumstances. Though the Senate which governs most mundane or localized administration may overturn their decrees with a 80% majority, this has only happened thrice in history. The current Empress, Altira of the Thanta Family, has begun to establish diplomatic ties with nations beyond feasible conquest.

Kulinda
The nation of Kulinda sits on the southwestern coast of Indoria, bordering the Indorian Empire as it stretches beyond the river Naiya.

Culture
Founded by loxodons on the principles of community and the sanctity of life, Kulinda has been forced to defend itself against Imperial aggression for centuries. Their military specialty is in defensive warfare, taking advantage of long trench lines and colossal fortresses, yet they can take more aggressive or mobile action when needed, as the various smaller nations along the western coast of Indoria often call on their aid against the advances of the ravenous Indorian Empire. Their member races include the founding loxodons, the nomadic centaur clans, zealous minotaurs, and seafaring tabaxi.

Each of these unique communities and subcultures contributes to the complex web of wider Kulindan society and is deeply valued thereby. Though each race has a variety of roles within Kulinda and is not locked in place by anything so rigid as a caste system, most Loxodons tend towards professions of community service and craftsmanship such as carpentry, masonry, or the priesthood. The centaurs of Kulinda are rural herders, merchants, and performers. They are also the historians and storytellers. When a centaur clan enters a town, it is a festival of cultural legacies and family histories as well as a market of foreign curiosities, wool, and cattle. The minotaurs of Kulinda are mostly cityfolk, their innate sense of direction is the reason for the maze-like design of Kulindan cities, to confuse invaders and bemuse tourists. Proud and industrious, minotaurs form the core of the Kulindan military as well as dominate more peaceful pursuits such as smithing and mining. The tabaxi of Kulinda are world renowned sailors and fearless explorers, bringing vital trade, strange magic, and brilliant inventions from all parts of Solan to fuel the land to which they always return. For the Kulindan tabaxi, experiencing the world’s wonders enhances the beauty of this verdant land they call home.

Important Locations

 * Rhamanda (The port city and capital),
 * Khadama (The great fortress on their northeastern border),
 * The Ghilu Gardens (A garden tended by both fey and mortals),
 * The Kifasa Hills (An ancient giant ruin, still protected by their magic).

Local Tensions
Even Kulinda’s idyll is marred as of late. A blight has begun to spread in the western jungle, arcane and malevolent in nature, twisting both plant and person into murderous abominations. A great sea serpent and her brood have terrorized their sailing ships, and many fear it may bring an early end to this age of exploration and trade. Even in the cities, strange cults have begun to crop up, with whispers of blood sacrifices and dark powers being summoned.

Government
A democratic republic with even temporary residents allowed participation in most votes. The Conclave of Voices has a representative from one of each town in Kulinda.