Northwest Region: The Raven Empire
The northwest mountainous area of Picmac is occupied by the Raven Empire, a refined, aesthetic society built on the back of hereditary and captured slaves. The Ravens generally live a peaceful, idyllic life, fishing, foraging, and making arts. Slaves are treated well for the most part, but punishment for trying to escape may be harsh and other offenses may result in sale to the Vaquerians, who are not kind to slaves. The Ravens lead a dualistic existence, placid and contemplative at home, but brutal and merciless in their semi-annual slave raids against the Wolf and Coyote peoples.
Raven architecture varies by clan, but always tries to fit in to the surrounding environment. Burrow-style houses are common, as are treehouses. Most intellectual effort has been put into philosophy and art. Most clans get by with about the same technology as of the people they raid, and more of their food is produced by hunting and gathering than by agriculture; a few of the clans maintain orchards and plantations. Raven Lake forms the northwest edge of the Empire and provides the bulk of food for half the clans.
The Ravens do little trading with their eastern neighbours, whom they mostly only engage with for the sake of capturing slaves. They do a lot of trading with gnomes, dwarves and the Vaquerians.
Races: Human, Hengeyokai
Common Tongue: Gongan
Classes:
Citizens: Mounted Constable, Fighter, Ranger, Survivalist, Minstrel, Merchant, Thief, Assassin, Shaman (Witch, Warlock, Oracle), Sage (Scholastic, Mentalist, Magician)
Slaves: Sylvanean, Skald, Medicine Wo/Man
Structure
Several clans united under an appointed Emperor. The Emperor is chosen by a council of Elders from all clans. Usually the new Emperor is chosen from among the clan chiefs, but in theory the Elders could pick anyone. The clans operate largely independently of one another, but come together for slave-harvesting and war. Any relations with parties outside the Empire are subject to the scrutiny of the Imperial Diplomatic Lodge, which is concerned with preserving its relationship with the Vaquerians while preventing its own merchants from being exploited.
Assets
Locally available gear:
Knuckledusters: Iron Knuckles, Spiked Knuckles
Fighting Rings: Iron Rings, Chakram, Wind and Fire Wheels, Deer Horn Knives
Push Blades: Punch Dagger, Katar
Knives: Knife, Throwing Knife, Kerambit
Daggers: Dagger, Throwing Dagger
Spikes: Spike, Judge's Brush, Horn Dagger
Shortblades: Short Sword
Midblades: Backet-hilted Broadsword, Sword-Club
Rapiers: Rapier, Lancetta, Smallsword
Backswords: Basket-hilted Backsword
Cleavers: Machete, Kitchen Cleaver
Sickle-Swords: Chicken Sickles
Sickles: Sickle, Throwing Sickle
Axes: Battleaxe, Light Battleaxe, Handaxe, Horseman's Axe, Tomahawk
Bigaxes: Longaxe
Picks: Light Pick, Heavy Pick, Judge's Pick, Pickaxe, Mattock
Bludgeons: Light Mace, Ball Hammer, Solid Tessen, Small Club, Heavy Club, Tonfa
Hammers: Warhammer, Throwing Hammer, Light Hammer, War Mallet
Bigbludgeon: Greatclub, Wolf-Toothed Club, Ostuchi, Spear-Mace
Shortstaves: Jo, Baston, Tambo
Walking Sticks: Da Mo Cane, Support Stick, Guidestaff, Support Crook
Staves: Bo, Quarterstaff, Longstaff
Whip Sticks: Lashing Staff
Spears: Spear, Hewing Spear, Sabre Spear, Boar Spear, Longspear, Spetum, Hooked Spear, Double-Hook Spear, Double Spear
Lances: Hooked Lance, Light Lance
Javelins: Javelin, Harpoon, War Dart
Forks: Trident, Military Fork, Flying Fork, Pitchfork
One-Handed Forks: Jitte
Rakes: Pole Talon, Rake
Catchpoles: Catchpole, Mancatcher
Restraints: Lasso, Net, Bolas
Pikeaxes: Halberd, Voulge, Ji, Fang Tien-Ji, Shuang Ji
Polepicks: Peck, Brush Claw, Dagger-Axe
Poleswords: Glaive
Polescythes: Bill, Bill Hook
Spades: Crescent Spade, Lajatang
Flails: Horseman's Flail, Farm Flail
Flail Staff: Pole Flail, Sling Staff
Whips: Whip, Flagrum, Cat-o'nine-tails
Grapples: Grappling Hook, Flying Talon
Weighted Line: Rope Dart, Flying Weight, Meteor Hammer
Throwing Spikes: Dart, Uchi-Ne
Bows: Daikyu, Longbow, Shortbow
Crossbows: Light Crossbow, Hand Crossbow
Firearms: Musket, Longrifle
Fans: Tessen, Sharpened Tessen, Gunbai
Shields: Buckler, Small Wooden, Medium Bark, Medium Leather
Ultralight Armor: Cloth, Light Leather, Wicker
Light Armour: Leather, Padded, Bark
Medium: Leather Scale, Studded Leather
Heavy Armour: Lamellar
Elaborate Armour: O-Yoroi
Knuckledusters: Iron Knuckles, Spiked Knuckles
Fighting Rings: Iron Rings, Chakram, Wind and Fire Wheels, Deer Horn Knives
Push Blades: Punch Dagger, Katar
Knives: Knife, Throwing Knife, Kerambit
Daggers: Dagger, Throwing Dagger
Spikes: Spike, Judge's Brush, Horn Dagger
Shortblades: Short Sword
Midblades: Backet-hilted Broadsword, Sword-Club
Rapiers: Rapier, Lancetta, Smallsword
Backswords: Basket-hilted Backsword
Cleavers: Machete, Kitchen Cleaver
Sickle-Swords: Chicken Sickles
Sickles: Sickle, Throwing Sickle
Axes: Battleaxe, Light Battleaxe, Handaxe, Horseman's Axe, Tomahawk
Bigaxes: Longaxe
Picks: Light Pick, Heavy Pick, Judge's Pick, Pickaxe, Mattock
Bludgeons: Light Mace, Ball Hammer, Solid Tessen, Small Club, Heavy Club, Tonfa
Hammers: Warhammer, Throwing Hammer, Light Hammer, War Mallet
Bigbludgeon: Greatclub, Wolf-Toothed Club, Ostuchi, Spear-Mace
Shortstaves: Jo, Baston, Tambo
Walking Sticks: Da Mo Cane, Support Stick, Guidestaff, Support Crook
Staves: Bo, Quarterstaff, Longstaff
Whip Sticks: Lashing Staff
Spears: Spear, Hewing Spear, Sabre Spear, Boar Spear, Longspear, Spetum, Hooked Spear, Double-Hook Spear, Double Spear
Lances: Hooked Lance, Light Lance
Javelins: Javelin, Harpoon, War Dart
Forks: Trident, Military Fork, Flying Fork, Pitchfork
One-Handed Forks: Jitte
Rakes: Pole Talon, Rake
Catchpoles: Catchpole, Mancatcher
Restraints: Lasso, Net, Bolas
Pikeaxes: Halberd, Voulge, Ji, Fang Tien-Ji, Shuang Ji
Polepicks: Peck, Brush Claw, Dagger-Axe
Poleswords: Glaive
Polescythes: Bill, Bill Hook
Spades: Crescent Spade, Lajatang
Flails: Horseman's Flail, Farm Flail
Flail Staff: Pole Flail, Sling Staff
Whips: Whip, Flagrum, Cat-o'nine-tails
Grapples: Grappling Hook, Flying Talon
Weighted Line: Rope Dart, Flying Weight, Meteor Hammer
Throwing Spikes: Dart, Uchi-Ne
Bows: Daikyu, Longbow, Shortbow
Crossbows: Light Crossbow, Hand Crossbow
Firearms: Musket, Longrifle
Fans: Tessen, Sharpened Tessen, Gunbai
Shields: Buckler, Small Wooden, Medium Bark, Medium Leather
Ultralight Armor: Cloth, Light Leather, Wicker
Light Armour: Leather, Padded, Bark
Medium: Leather Scale, Studded Leather
Heavy Armour: Lamellar
Elaborate Armour: O-Yoroi
Mythology & Lore
Deities:
Raven - chief god, god of creation and the sky
Dzalarhons - goddess of frogs and volcanos, wife of Kaiti
Hastsetzini - god of fire
Heng - god of rain and thunder
Hotoru - god of wind
Kaiti - god of strength and bears
Gyhldeptis - goddess of forests
Napioa - god of the sun
Shakak - god of winter
Ta'xet and Tia - god of violent death and goddess of peaceful death
Thunder Bird - god of omens; Tobadzistsini - god of war
Tulok - goddess of the stars
Type
Geopolitical, Empire
Demonym
Ravens
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Beads, Metal Chips, Precious Stones, Jewelry, Dwarven and Vaquerian Coinage
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