Ourworld:Laideann
Contents
Laideann Northern City States
The Northern City States are a loose collection of states covering a geographically small but politically and economically powerful area. As the name suggests, they are a group of city states. They are clustered around the banks of the White River, so named for its dramatically swift currents at the eastern estuaries. The states manoeuvre and fight amongst themselves constantly and always vie for the upperhand in their endless trade wars and political dealings. They are an old people and some would say past their time on this realm for they are decadant in their ways and somewhat cynical in their outlook.
History
The remnants of the Laideanns who were displaced by the Keltoi almost a thousand year ago fled north and settled on the banks of the White River where they built a series of villages that over time developed into small cities surrounded by farmlands. They each lie between 50 and 100 miles from each other and between them lies relatively untamed wilderness that is largely uninhabited and often quite dangerous. The river is primarily used for trade and travel between cities since they all lie next to the great river. While culturally similar (a culture which was essentially wiped out in the Keltoi invasion and only now begins to flourish again), the city states enjoy total autonomy and possess different laws and traditions, though their roots are the same.
The Laideann People
An older, and according to themselves more noble and worthy people, the Laideann are the remnants of the once great Laideann Empire which was destroyed by the Keltoi when they invaded centuries ago. They enjoy a refined sense of the aesthetic and are great hedonists. They promote art and music and philosophy but there is always a faint sense of the decadent surrounding everything they do. They have been called lazily callous and immoral but the Laideann folk see this merely as the hallmarks of a more advanced civilisation. Physically, they tend towards slender, almost noble features; high brow and cheekbones, fine features and sharp profiles. They tend towards dark hair, usually curly and dark eyes with slender fingers and lithe frames. They have a great love for wine and narcotics and for the pleasures of life. Their religion is that of Talus, but outside the theocracy, few follow it with much ardour.
Laideann Names
http://www.babynamenetwork.com/baby_names/origin.cfm?origin=Latin&gender=Male
Yes, I'm lazy.
Laideann Religion
Laideanns follow a monotheistic and enigmatic god named Talus. He (though actually the god is seen as possessing both male and female traits) is a distant and non-interventionist deity who speaks solely through intermediaries, i.e., the clergy. His dicta and laws are not overly strict, though they have been construed as such, most notably by the Knights of the Gallows. Their holy writ, a code called The Dictates is a weighty tome barely understood by anyone outside the Laideann lands, and not all within as it is written in Old Laideann and has never been translated. This of course is where the vast majority of misunderstandings and misapplications stem from. Still, most Laideanns follow the rituals and pay them the required lip service for tradition's sake more than anything else.
Principal Cities
Talic Theocracy
The Talic Theocracy is a small nation state that includes the city of Talus, Port Ceseric and Tripontium. It is the largest and most powerful political entity in the city states. Led by the High Priest Lucius, the Theocracy dominates the Law and culture. There is significant prejudice against people who are not of the church and priests are given fair leeway in their activities, e.g., they don’t pay taxes. The Knights of the Gallows are the military arm of the church and where their influence is strong, you can find their outposts.
Talus, the City of Ten Thousand Domes
The City of Ten Thousand Domes is the nickname given to Talus due to the shape of their temples and while it doesn't exactly possess that many, there are entire districts devoted to their beloved deity. The layout of these temples is on an odd concentric circular pattern and when viewed from above, one can see a surprisingly complex network of circles within circles made entirely of the roofs of domed temples. It is a conservative and sombre city, but there are still plenty of places to enjoy yourself, though the entertainments tend to be more refined (read: expensive).
Port Ceseric
A stinking pit of cutthroats, villains and thieves, Port Ceseric is famous for its slavery, wine and drinking holes. The Steep Streets District is an infamous dive for people who wish to peruse illegal and unwholesome fare. The town is officially in the control of the Talic Theocracy, however the law is so loose here, it might as well be controlled by the various pirates and thieves groups. The Gallows knights do have a presence here, but even they seem to be somewhat looser and more relaxed than usual.
Tripontium
Tripontium is the breadbasket of the Theocracy. Disparagingly referred to by the more urban cities in the region as Tripontium Village, it is nonetheless a peaceful and rather laidback rural city. It is a place of farmers and laborers with little of the decadent delights Talus or Ceseric offers.
Key Figures in the Theocracy
Lucius is the High Theocrat is a relatively conservative, academic, reasonable man with no head for politics and intrigue, preferring to delve into complex issues of doctrine, which is precisely why the Council of Priests elected him. He does not rock the boat and generally agrees on whatever the Priests put forth.
Father Talis is the head of the investigation into church corruption and is a dour, soft-spoken and introverted fellow. He is quietly ruthlessly efficient and has enough ‘information’ on various priests and lay officials to keep them in line, whether it’s true or not. He of course justifies this for the ‘continued stability of the church’. He is capable of quite monstrous acts in the name of his faith and continues his crusade against corruption and evil with a kind of calm and calculating fanaticism. Even when directly ordered not to do something, he will twist the intent and do it anyway, completely convinced that he knows better. He never loses sleep over his deeds because of his utter conviction of his beliefs. He has never been implicated in his deeds because of his scrupulous and almost anally retentive planning, though many people have a vaguely uneasy feeling about him.
Alignment
Laideann have often been called unprincipled or amoral. However, they are a varied people and don't really dominate one alignment, though they tend ever so slightly towards neutrality.
How the Laideann see the other races:
Ailokim: Odd little creatures that are useful for trade of knowledge and obscure unguents and spices. The Laideann feel the Ailokim are freaks and find them aesthetically displeasing but don't actively persecute them unless.
Dwarves: Purely a financial agreement, the Laideann don't have strong opinions about the Dwarves; they find them dull.
Goliaths: Very few Laideann have seen one, but they find them brutish and ugly things, barely considered sentient in the true sense.
Lizardmen: Horrid beasts that are only good for extermination, though some of their glands make excellently aromatic perfumes.
Summer Islanders: For peoples who share a love of pleasure, the Summer Islanders and the Laideann couldn't be more different culturally, though they at least treat them like second class citizens instead of persona no grata. There is lively trade of exotic luxuries between the cultures, though.
Teleri: The Laideann have a history of trade with the Laideann and find certains aspects of their culture fascinating, though they don't really take them seriously and refer to them disparagingly as 'Sea Elves'.
Umberkim: The Laideann have almost no contact with the Umberkim and since they don't fight the Ailokim, have no general opinion of them.
See Also
| Ourworld | ||
| Societies | Keltoi, Laideann, Ailokim, Teleri, Goliaths, Goblinoids_and_surrounds, Dwarves, Orcs, Ashlands | |
