Irithal (EER-ih-thal)
62% Humans, 38% Other Races
Irithal is an old nation that, despite its hardships, has maintained its independence through diplomacy and its control over the skies.
Griffon Riders
Irithal has maintained its hold in its precarious position between two empires with its masterful griffon riders, who are held in immensely high regard. Their training requires them to raise a griffon from an egg, so most griffon riders begin training when they're teenagers. The griffon and the warrior grow together, first forging their bond and training individual skills—hunting for the griffon, and longbow training for the rider—then, when they're both ready, they begin training their skills together. Many don't make it through this process. If the beast and the rider can't work together, one or the other dies, or they don't complete their training, the process is halted. A rider and a griffon only bond with one partner their entire lives, and it's rare for a griffon rider to retire at old age. Either the griffon or the rider usually dies before they become too old to work, and they never forge another bond. Riders who don't complete their combat training, lose their griffon, or age out of the practice often become griffon breeders, spending the rest of their days caring for eggs, elder griffons, and assisting in training riders and griffons to work together.
The Rimeward Contract
Dalthraine has not figured out how to take control of the skies in the way that Irithal has, and if Zaratka was trying to, their empire collapsed before they solved that problem. However, Irithal came close to loss when about a century ago, Dalthraine and Zaratka were pressing in from the east and west, and the clans of Novorosk began to raid the northern border. Novorosk was also being invaded, and they were running out of resources. To defend both of them, Irithal proposed The Rimeward Contract. Irithal and the Novoroskian clans each sent a representative to draw a border for Novorosk, and they combined their militaries to drive out the invaders in both nations. After the borders were reinforced, Irithal opened their borders to Novoroskians, allowing the two relatively weak nations to exchange goods, knowledge, and soldiers. Most of the time, they don't work together on a government or military level, but the contract allows people to move freely between Novorosk and Irithal, although they must have a writ to settle permanently.
Pictured: griffon riders in the skies of Irithal.
Demonym. Irithali
Languages. Common, Giant, Goblin
Government. Irithal is a monarchy with a very old family line. There are many dozens of lords and ladies who make up the court, and each city is ruled over by a viscount appointed by the king. Most of them are related to the monarch in some way, but some are simply lords and ladies held in high esteem.
Demographics. Irithal is historically a human nation, but since the Rimeward Contract, goblinkin, goliaths, and firbolgs from the clans in Novorosk who want to find their fortune travel south to Irithal. For a time, there was anxiety around the influx of new people, but as the generations have passed, it's become plenty normal to rub shoulders with all kinds of folks from outside Irithal's historically human heritage. Some young clanfolk from Novorosk travel south to work, but still consider themselves residents of Novorosk, traveling north with crafts and luxury goods from Irithal when they can get home.
Military and Defense. Irithal has a small navy, army, and city guard, like any coastal nation, but when people talk about Irithal's military, they're almost always referring to the griffon riders that hold their borders.
Economy. Irithal is, next to Toralaithe, Dalthraine, and Celschön, rather unimpressive economically. They've carved out an existence for themselves in their part of the world, but they have very little economic power. They hold their own well enough, and its people are more or less happy with their smattering of imports from across the continent, but there are very few Irithali exports that are held in esteem in global trade. They produce most of their own food from fishing and farming.
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