Korth'an Conclave

A loose confederation of different species native to the lands surrounding the Korth'an Forest , the Korth'an Conclave serves to keep peace across the southeast corner of Lasair while also protecting the area from external threats. The Conclave is unique on Lasair both in its diversity - no other known organization has as many different types of people working together - and its somewhat democratic nature. It stands as a contrast to the more autocratic nature of the City-States Region and the control the Mages hold over that area while also keeping the people of the region safe from attacks out of the north and west. Meeting in the multicultural city of Conclave, the regional council limits conflicts and fosters safety.

A Land Recovered From Cataclysm

In the age before the Dragonscourge , the land in this area was an Imperial hinterland. Sparse human settlements dotted the coast, usually supplying lumber from the rich forests to the core of the Empire across the water to the north. The non-human species were generally kept on the fringes and either ignored or hunted depending on their perceived threat to those settlements. The Imperial attitude towards these species was mostly to keep them marginalized rather than any organized extermination, but it still fostered a high degree of resentment among the Centaurs , Felidasi , and others.

When the apocalyptic events of the Dragonscourge occurred, the area was only lightly touched by the war. The Dragons did not directly attack the human settlements here, but the limited Imperial garrisons that protected them were withdrawn back to the core of the Empire. This left those settlements undefended and the more violent species - especially the Lizardfolk , who consider their ancestry to be draconic in nature - attacked them. The humans were either slaughtered or fled.

The outcome of these skirmishes, however, were moot when the war was brought to a violent end. When the dragons pulled the fragment of the small moon from the sky to impact the capital of the Empire, the world was shaken to its core. Imperial lands were utterly broken - leaving The Desolation and surrounding lands - and the side effects washed over the neighboring lands. The forests of the southeast were inundated by enormous tsunami; millions of lives ended in a violent wave of destruction. The sky was filled with ash. Life was nearly entirely extinguished over the eastern continent.

The land that would eventually grow back into the Korth'an Forest took centuries to recover, but slowly and surely, life found its way back. The trees of the region - now reshaped from the waves and fall of debris - filled the land once more. And the survivors of the cataclysm slowly repopulated and found their niches once more.

After these centuries of recovery, and centuries more for populations to become large enough, conflict would occasionally occur between the different species of the area. The tales of the war, however, had been passed down via oral keeping (in extremely vague ways as the terror of the time transitioned into myth). Other than the lizardfolk, most of the sentient species of the area had formed traditions of non-aggression. With these peoples speaking together they were able to build strong relationships, diplomacy, and eventually formalize their ideals into what would become known as the Korth'an Conclave.

The Role of the Conclave

Today the Korth'an Conclave serves three primary roles, each maintained through the efforts of various member species. One of the primary goals of the Conclave is to foster participation from all that live within or near it, and the leadership works to find ways that all can work to support it.

Protection

Mutual defense was one of the first ideals that the founders of the Conclave worked to establish. The people of the Conclave face threats from multiple sources. None of them are particularly organized so there is no need for a standing army, but they do have a volunteer scouting troop (the Korth'an Wardens ) and militia that works to keep the Conclave safe. Felidasi find particular joy in serving as scouts, as those duties let them wander the edges of the forests, indulging their curiosity while also watching for threats from outside and within the forest. Centaurs make up another part of the scouts and a large part of the militia as their natural speed allows them to cover lots of ground to both spot and respond to potential problems. Others such as aven, river goblins , and even the occasional human find roles in these organizations as they are able.

The threats faced by the Conclave are vastly different depending on where they come from. To the north lay the Horned Peaks , home to several tribes of Minotaurs . These large bovine humanoids have shown little interest in trading with the Conclave, instead preferring to raid them for resources. The distance between the mountains and actual settlements within the forest usually allows for plenty of warning time, but a band of minotaurs that reach any homes without being stopped can cause heavy damage or hurt to the families that live around the edges of the forest.

From the east, in the sea, there can be far more frightening things. The cataclysm that was the Dragonscourge broke the lands to the northeast, but the magical nature of that war left many lasting effects. Most commonly there can be Elementals ranging down from the Boiling Deep , but stranger and more dangerous things will occasionally make their way down.

Human Interactions

There is also the human element. While the conclave will occasionally welcome humans into their lands (they hold a soft spot for Sorcerers on the run from the Sentinels ) they hold an extreme distrust for any associations with the Mages and the City-States Region . Trading occurs sometimes with caravans that come overland through the Southern Wastes bound for Mina'Satie Bay but these are viewed as potential interlopers. Any humans wishing to interact directly with members of the Conclave are carefully watched at all times - often without their knowing. While there is no direct military threat from the City-States, the Mages are known (outside of their lands) to be highly xenophobic - to say nothing of their obsession with hunting down Wurmborn, whom the Conclave values for their potential power.

The traders of Almina are a different story. They visit from the southern continent via Mina'Satie Bay - a small port and outpost - and rarely leave the edges of the bay. The southerners are generally interested in things they say are rare in their own lands: spices from the forest, exotic wood, and trinkets created by certain types of Mages. They don't express any interest in allowing anybody from the northern continent to join them when they return home, with the explicit exception of Sorcerers . Wurmborn that wish to leave the continent entirely (rather than finding a home within the Conclave) are eagerly welcomed into the traders' vessels. What happens to these beings when they reach the south is unknown.

Fae Friendship

Somewhere in the northern reaches of the forest - the geography of that part of the woods is weird - lays an entrance to The Fae Realm . The southern Fae are known to be the most curious and interested in mortals, often exploring outside of the realm as well as inviting mortals within. The interest of the fae is not something most mortals necessarily desire but it is also difficult to avoid when one catches a faerie's eye. The people of the Conclave know that such dealings are extremely dangerous and fraught, but the allure of the Otherworld is nonetheless hard to refuse.

The fae do not hold an official position within the Conclave, though they will occasionally send a representative to offer insight, to make requests, or to simply enjoy the company. These emissaries are always treated with the utmost respect and courtesy (as most are taught as children) but it is rarely possible to know exactly what their motivations are.

Meeting of the Conclave

The Korth'an Conclave is not strictly a government. It does not place restrictions upon individuals, does not grant itself powers, does not claim land. Rather, representatives of the various intelligent species in the region meet and within the conclave reach agreements upon how they will all divide up resources as well as work in supporting the Conclave. The ideals of the Conclave are to allow for individuals to live as they always have, to limit conflict between the people within the region, and to maintain a semblance of common defense.

Formally speaking, the Conclave meets twice a year: once in spring and once in the autumn. Any species can send as many representatives as desired, but each group only gets one vote on any matters placed before the Conclave. This has sometimes led to conflict within a delegation, for example when multiple Lizardfolk villages sent elders and they could not quite agree how they would vote on how fishing grounds along a major river would be divided. In the end, Testudana spiritspeakers helped them find common ground, and the vote proceeded without violence.

In practice, the city of Conclave is active year-round, with different representatives coming and going through the year. Over this time, smaller agreements are reached, factions negotiate on upcoming votes, and conflicts are resolved peacefully.