Duranti

Once the Duranti Empire was mighty, stretching from ocean to sea across the Duranti continent. Millions of people lived under the command of the Emperor who stretched his hand even further, across the Spheres. Then came the Third Nexus War and it all fell apart. Since then, people have been picking up the pieces.

Arguably one of the most influential Spheres, the Duranti language — Duranish — formed the backbone of Nexus Mercantile's grammar, their education system influenced most of the other Spheres, and their political structure became the basis of the Nexus Accords shaping politics across the Dancing Spheres.

Regions

Alusien Plain

Dominating the western end of the Civilized lands the Alusien Plain stretches out from the foothills of the Korvelen High Plain, bordered by the Kellreach Range to the south, and the Northern Wilds to the north. Three rivers run the length of the plain, eventually joining in the Delvent Ocean.

Dolveen

The northern most kingdom of the Alusien Plain. It acts as a bulwark to the wild lands to the north. With Tanair isolating it had control of the only road and river that stretched east from the Korvelen High Plain through the Duranti Republic. However Kalderath opened a road through the Kellreach Range, triggering The Road Wars.

Duranti Republic

Once the Duranti Empire stretched across the continent and to the Spheres beyond. Now the Duranti Republic has collapsed to control just the western end of the Alusien Plain north of the Kellreach Range. Holding the Nexus Golden Path it maintains it's relevance through its stranglehold on off-sphere trade.

Kalderath

The breadbasket of the Alusien Plain they rely on trade of their food to the Duranti Republic, Dolveen, The Hundred Kingdoms and on to Nexus and Korvel. In an attempt to increase their economic power and take a dominant standing in the region they cut a road through the Kellreach Range, triggering The Road Wars. It was once the seat of power for the Duranti Empire before the capital moved after the First Nexus Wars.

Black Sea

Acts as the border to the Civilized Lands in the South East of the Duranti continent. A remarkably deep inland sea full of sea monsters and other aquatic creatures it's harsh environment severely limits trade.

Delvent Ocean

Stretching along the western shore the Delvent Ocean is the western border of Civilization. While the coastline is dotted by islands from an ancient mountain range sunk beneath the waves, there is little sea traffic beyond sight of the shoreline as the deeper ocean has little to draw the attention of the Duranti people.

Kellreach Range

An ancient mountain range that has been ground down over the centuries running east to west from the Korvelen Highlands to the Delvent Ocean it bisects the continent. It forms the border between the Alusien Plain, the Tanahelen River Basin and the Salusen Basin.

Korvelen Highlands

A high desert plain that holds the Korval Golden Path. Generally lightly populated, the people of the Highlands eke out a living through herding, mineral extraction, and trade with Korval. Some of the Hundred Kingdoms are located here.

Northern Wilds

Untamed lands north of the Alusien Plain, the Northern Wilds held very little interest to the Duranti Explorers. Alternating high desert and dry forests full of terrible creatures, the Northern Wilds generally remain untouched. From beyond the Northern Wilds, the Inhuman Legions periodically emerge, ravaging the countryside and unifying the kingdoms to push them back.

Salusen Basin

Bordered by the Black Sea, the Kellreach Range, the Korvelen Highlands, and the Toxic Southlands, this expansive river basin holds Most of the Hundred Kingdoms.

The Hundred Kingdoms

A collection of interrelated kingdoms that used the chaos of the Third Nexus War to break away from the Duranti Empire. They were able to leverage their continued military support for independence in the face of the Dwarven threat.

Tanahelen River Basin

A river basin bordered to the north and west by the Kellreach Range, the Toxic Southlands, and the Delvent Ocean to the west. Once a fertile land, since the Undying Tyrant' rule it's productivity has been declining.

Tanair

The largest of The Breakaway Kingdoms, Tanair was the last to declare independence. Ruled by a line of hereditary monarchs, recently the line was broken as the Undying Tyrant took power. To protect his rule and prevent invasion, the Undying Tyrant seeded Tanair with undead armies to defend against anyone foolish enough to cross the Kellreach Range.

Toxic Southlands

A remnant of the Godswar, the Toxic Southlands is an expansive territory where the land is poisoned. Little grows in its fens and scrublands and it acts as a natural barrier to the south. While rarer than in the Northern Wilds, the Inhuman Legions are known to march across the Toxic Southlands.

History

The Dragon Tyrants

The Duranti continent was dotted by five Tyrannies. With no known curse the Dragon Tyrants' grip on the populace was weak compared to other Tyrannies. The Grand Rebellion was started and organized in the Duranti Tyrannies and spread to others.

The Isolation

With the destruction of the Tyrannies the people spread out creating 5 large kingdoms each led by a charismatic leader of the Grand Rebellion. These kingdoms were hereditary monarchies that lead a loose feudalism where those who held territory were courted by the kings.

Durath Ascendant

Influenced by the Philosopher Adherents of the growing pantheon of Gods, Durath was able to grow in power and territory. Key to this success was the Ecclesial Bureaucracy, a merit based system of tests that qualified individuals for places in the Bureaucracy and eventually in society. Because of the hierarchy from the Imperial Examination, Durath was able to out compete their neighbors. Led by competent generals, merchants, and administrators, Durath was able to dominate the Civilized lands. Rechristened the Duranti Empire as their influence spread, the Celestial Throne was founded from which the emperor ruled. Within two centuries the Duranti Empire annexed, absorbed, or conquered their neighbors, unifying the Sphere under one banner.

Imperial Colonies

During this period the Golden Paths to Nexus and Korvel were discovered. These Spheres became home to the Imperial Colonies, lands under the direct authority of the Emperor that were focused on resource extraction. These colonies had little political power and were seen as a dumping ground for undesirables and those who could not advance due to poor performance in the Imperial Exams.

The Imperial Period

By the time the Civilized lands came under Imperial rule, the Ecclesial Bureaucracy had spread to all levels of society. Even the Emperor or Empress had to have achieve a minimum level in the Imperial Examination before taking the throne.

Supporting the throne was the Governors' Senate, the collection of all the imperial governors who legislated on behalf of the Emperor and was responsible for choosing the next Emperor when one died, retired, or was forced out. Even with this limited democratic rule, bloodlines were still sacrosanct, so only one of the Imperial Bloodline was eligible for the throne. This meant that any Imperial heir, legitimate or otherwise, was eligible for the throne based on their testing and their personal charisma.

During this time the Imperial Colonies expanded as new land on Nexus was cultivated and the Golden Paths to Burning Sands, the Broken Plains, and the Thousand Seas were discovered. Expansive plantations were created on Nexus and trade outposts on other Spheres fed the Empire. It was a golden age of exploration, growth, and intellectual advancement.

The Second Nexus Wars

The cracks started to show as the Second Nexus Wars began. As the Empire expanded on Nexus they came in contact with the Baeon settlers, Elves, and Orcs. Wars over territory sprang up as these four nations pushed and tested each others borders. As well, periodic revolts against Imperial rule on the Broken Plain, Burning Sands, and Korvel led to instability in the Imperial core. While the Empire was generally successful in their bids for control, the wars were a destabilizing influence. On top of that corruption was growing in the Empire. Factions in the Governor's Senate emerged and broke cohesion. Bribery of the philosopher adherents to cheat the Imperial Exams by the nobility and the wealthy to maintain or improve their position was on the rise.

The First Rebellions

In the Salusen Basin discontent was fomenting. The people were seeing little benefit from the colonial expansion of the Empire and their taxes of food, labor, and soldiers grated on them. Whispers of rebellion spread, but rebel groups were disorganized and independent of each other. As the Second Nexus Wars flared up, the Empire was having to spend more and more resources pacifying the East.

The Third Nexus War

With the Dwarves discovering Nexus and beginning the Dwarven March, the Duranti Empire — who's Nexus holdings were most threatened by the Dwarves — immediately took on a war footing. All resources of the Empire was dedicated to slowing or stopping the Dwarves' inexorable advance. To bolster the war effort, the Empire gave up it's other military ambitions and instead focused on diplomacy, bringing as many other nations into the conflict on their side. Their off-sphere holdings became core to the war effort, and to maintain their contribution the people of these colonial holdings were able to negotiate for more local autonomy in exchange for arms, soldiers, and other materiel.

These semi-autonomous colonies developed in unique ways according to their dominant local cultures. Burning Sands was renamed Yash'helenu and Ibzzar'Yashen was developed from a trading outpost into an independent city state. The Protectorate and Imperial Navies were founded on Thousand Seas. The Broken Plains Trade Consortium was founded, as was the East Korvelen Company before taking over colonial administration on those two spheres.

The Second Rebellion

With the off sphere colonies gaining independence, the people of the Salusen Basin made a bid for similar independence. Draft and tax rebellions flared and were left to the Governors to resolve, as the Empire was occupied elsewhere. But the Governors of the Basin's administrative districts would not work together and made separate deals with the Imperial Throne for increased autonomy. They were played off each other by the Emperor, preventing them from developing a unified front.

The Nexus Accords

Of all the off-sphere powers hurt by the Nexus Accords, The Duranti Empire was hit the worst. Their economy and population ravaged by the war and lacking direct control of the colonial holdings, the power of the Emperor faltered. Losing exclusive trade with off-sphere holdings and with masses of unemployed soldiers returning the economy crashed and banditry ran rampant. From this many governors and ex-soldiers emerged as warlords, protecting lands from banditry and deprivation in exchange for power.

The Eastern Shattering

Already precariously controlled by the empire, the districts in the Salusen Basin and the Korvelen Highlands openly rebelled. Generations of being played off each other by the Emperors left them disunited and suspicious of each other. Unable to bring them into line, these territories broke off into pieces and within a half-century became known as the Hundred Kingdoms.

The Imperial Sundering

As the Eastern Shattering raged the Emperor Faltered. Corruption in the Imperial Examination and conflict in the Governors' Senate led to a series of weak and unqualified emperors. More qualified heirs that were barred from the throne began to plot, each trying to raise a power base outside the imperial court as warlords. Three Warlords emerged over the following century, Dolvinit, Rath, and Tana. Each was able carve off their own territories through force of arms and political wrangling.

The Republic Period

A shadow of its former self, controlling only the lands around the Nexus Golden Path, and led by what remained of the Governor's Senate and a weak Emperor, the Senate was able to take power from the Emperor. Following the example of the Nexus Accords, the Senate created a written constitution that outlined the Senate's and Emperor's authorities. Now a figurehead, the Emperor became the conductor of the Senate, with only the power to break stalemates and provide judiciary functions.

Though diminished politically and territoriality, the Duranti Republic's soft power still influenced the spheres. The Governor's Senate and Ecclesial Bureaucracy acted as a model for other governments. Though few governments maintained the Imperial Examinations, the Empire's robust education systems were maintained. And Duranti culture formed the backbone of Nexus culture, and the cultures of many of their previous colonies.

Tanair Alone

As past of a succession crisis the Crown Prince of Tanair was killed and his cousin seized the throne setting himself up a Tyrant. Later in an attempted reconquest to unseat the Tyrant backed by the Duranti Republic, he died and came back as a lich. Now dubbed the Undying Tyrant, he ordered the closure of Tanair's borders, cutting it off from the rest of the Sphere and enforcing their isolation with an army of undead.

The Road Wars

With Tanair closed the only path from the east of the continent was the roads and rivers through Dolveen. Through tariffs and tolls Dolveen was able to become rich at the expense of Kalderath and the Hundred Kingdoms. After years of this, Kalderath had enough and invaded Dolveen. With the assistance of Expelled Dwarves, they cut a new road through the Kellreach Range straight through to the Duranti Republic. Facing the loss of their revenues Dolveen invaded and tried to take the new road. Ever since then both nations have fought over road access in a series of conflicts known as the Road Wars.

Second Reconquest

With the assistance of high ranking nobles in the Duranti Republic, Mueranites, and independent adventurers the granddaughter of the Tanair Crown Prince was able to defeat the Undying Tyrant in the Second Reconquest. But taking and holding the throne are two different things, and living the life of an adventurer did not prepare the new Queen of Tanair for the position. To assist in consolidating power and maintaining control she created the Queen's Hand, a collection of adventuring compacts empowered to travel the kingdom, solve problems, and bring the nobility to heel.

The Hidden Scions War

The child of the Undying Tyrant, having been secreted away in a remote Wizarding College. Rallying their father's remaining allies and the largest army of wizards ever assembled, they attempted to retake the throne of Tanair.

Government

The Duranti Republic

Directed by the Republic Senate and managed by the Ecclesial Bureaucracy, the Duranti Republic is a shadow of its former glory. Relying on tolls and tariffs of the Nexus trade and tithes from petty nobility who pay to maintain their family titles, the Republic putters on. No longer the center of power bestriding the spheres, it maintains its limited relevance through soft power.

Dolveen

A military dictatorship led by descendants of Dolvinit, the warlord who carved Dolveen from the Duranti Empire. It relies on its military strength to maintain control of east-west trade.

The Hundred Kingdoms

Each kingdom has its own government structure. While many are hereditary monarchies that trace their family line to a Eastern Shattering Warlord, there are many oligarchies, military dictatorships, republics, and pure democracies.

Kalderath

The cradle of the Duranti Empire, their government is became the example that the Republic replicated. A constitutional republic led by a Senate who elects the Dominous that leads them and shares power with a Tribunate holding veto power elected by the populace.

Tanair

Tanair is a feudal society made up of varying levels of nobility with a pyramid of fealties leading to the hereditary Monarch who rules by their blood connection to Queen Tana, founder of Tanair. Outside of the structure is the Queen's Hand, a para-military force of adventuring compacts who enforce the Queen's policies, act as traveling magistrates, and try to solve problems that arise.

Religion

All cultures on Duranti worship the Gods and Saints of the Celestial Bureaucracy. In this philosophy, all God, Saints, and Spirits have a place in the pantheon, regardless of origin. Some embody philosophies, other places, still other have dominion over certain deeds. As new divinities are discovered much debate, deliberation, and investigation takes place to organize them within the hierarchy. This omnitheist syncretized view leads Duranti derived cultures to generally be accepting of other faiths since they are inevitably a part of the Celestial Bureaucracy. The importation of Gods and Saints from other cultures is common and some notable deities without Duranti equivalents may share Duranti temples with native Gods.

It is said there are thousands of Gods and Saints waiting to be entreated. Some are directly entreated by commoners, others are solely entreated by adherents. And others are only entreated by other Gods and Saints in the Celestial Bureaucracy and must be prayed to through another god who would entreat on their behalf.

Notable Gods

That being said there are gods who are worshiped across Duranti influenced lands. While the names may be different, depending on culture, the epithet tends to remain the same.

August Emperor

The head of the Celestial Bureaucracy, as with the mortal Ecclesial Bureaucracy, the August Emperor is only petitioned by other Gods in the Bureaucracy, not mortals. To reach the August Emperor prayers must be passed through intermediary Gods up the hierarchy. Unlike other gods, the August Emperor has no Adherents, or other direct divine connections to mortals.

Babbling Brook

Goddess of springs and clean water

Black Soil

God of fertile land

The First Stoke

One of the oldest Duranti Gods. God of writing and record-keeping they are the patron of scholars and philosophers. Their Adherents administer the tests for the Ecclesial Bureaucracy.

General Fist

One of the three war Saints, his domain is martial prowess. For without prowess the battle cannot be won.

General Spear

One of the three war Saints, her Spear's domain is strategic skill. For without strategy the battle cannot be won.

General Cart

One of the three war Saints, their Cart's domain is logistics. For without food and weapons the battle cannot be won.

Gentle Lady

Goddess of death, syncretized to Muerana Deis, but not directly worshiped by anyone but the Mueranites.

Icy Depths

Terrible and feared Goddess of the Black Sea.

Keeper of Names

This Goddess maintains the list of bloodlines. She doesn't differentiate between legitimate or illegitimate, birth order, or gender. All who carry blood that have received the Mandate of Heaven, are eligible to rule in her eyes.

Scythe Bearer

God of harvest and grain. They are commonly entreated by commoners across the Sphere.

The Warming Hearth

Hearth goddess at the center of each home. She is entreated by commoners across the Sphere.

Geography