Lore topic

[Himo]

The setting uses the Forgotten Realms pantheon.

Austeria:
Government form: People's Democracy (every citizen can vote)
Population: 12,000 (10,000 in Austeria City, 2,000 in surrounding villages)
3 days long, 3 days wide (day = one day of walking or roughly 40 km = 25 miles)
Trades primarily in salts and crafting services, but it's good climate allows it to grow many fruits like apples, figs, grapes and olives.
- 144 years old, previously a dictatorial kingdom with several fiefdoms where common people were merely serfs. A revolution made quick work of that king and lords and established the new state on top of the ruins of the old capital.
- Day to day business is run by a senate of 10 men and women (9 men/1 woman). These are elected once per 5 years. The office is very prestigious and almost guaranteed to make you rich because of lobbyists trying to gain your favour. Yes, the city is slightly corrupt, but not that the common man really suffers. It's more of a cultural thing. Money always makes things go faster.
- There is no nobility, but rich merchants and senators act like they're de facto nobility.
- Women are allowed to vote and hold office, but rarely hold office due to society expects them to work. They do vote though for the most part.
- Voting on new laws (if the senate deems a law worthy of a vote) can only be done in the capital, so villagers tend to vote less.
- The capital has a court with a jury for felonies. Misdemeanours are handled by local magistrates.
- As a trade city the capital is hosting a lot of foreigners. Around 10% is not an Austerian citizen. Most of them are dwarves from Valess or wood elves/halflings from Gardenia (which crazy customs may lead to some situations) and even a few ambassadors and traders from the Gilded Empire.

Valess:
Government form: Confederacy (tribes that meet sometimes, but often war for top dog)
Population: 5,000 (divided in 9 tribes)
9 days long at least, 3 days wide
- Most tribes consist out of half-orcs, humans, dwarves, few dragonborn and tieflings.
- Has slavery, but usually only take people from other tribes as slave and don't trade them
- The hills in the north are rich in minerals, but these are mostly mined by hill dwarves on the west side that are not part of the tribes, but rather fend for themselves.
- Moderate to dry climate, tribes live off livestock and small scale farming (mostly wheat)

Great Gardenia:
Government form: kingdom (currently ruled by Pimwrick Springet)
Population: a thousand halfling burrows (1,000 - 4,000) + many fey creatures (pixies, faerie dragons, centaurs, dryads)
Covers the entire southern continent. Larger than a week's travel on both sides.
- Known for its leather-working and woodworking skills
- Violl's Garden is used as a trade post (ruled by madam Violl Timswiddle)

Gilded Empire:
Government form: Empire with large imperial family (Current Empress is Vish'nak)
Population: 100,000's (exact numbers not given by the empire)
Spans the entire western continent as far as explorers can tell
Trades primarily in jewelery and have large deposits of gems and gold. Knows the arcane secrets to golem creation.
- Has all kinds of climates across the continent with a tropical south and a more moderate to cold savannah up north.
- Is very isolationist and only allows foreigners into their trade ports. This makes exploring the continent very hard.
- They speak an entirely different language
- Use exotic beasts of burden like a donkey with humps and grey beasts at least 3 men high with tusks.
- Are a militaristic culture. Every man is forced to serve in the military for some time.
- Tempus is the state religion
- They extensively use sapphire and lapis lazuli in buildings
- Has existed for at least a thousand years