Veritan

Every time you travel along the roads in Veritan, you'll swear you took a wrong turn. The landscape changes so rapidly that even Ehrillian traders that go the same route year after year have to remind themselves not to stray from the roads. The forests of Veritan are alive and wish to spread. Tree's from the forests grow on average 10 times faster than a standard tree grows. Because of this, any forest left unchecked will overtake the land in a matter of years. A rancher once ran to the closest city in Order to report they'd lost their entire herd to a forest that appeared on their land overnight. They were smart to go for help...

The forests conceal dangers and secrets. Travelers hear songs coming from deep in the woods. Sometimes calls for help. Children can be seen playing just inside the tree line, when approached they run deeper into the forest as they giggle. The people of the forest are the fairy tales told to children. Warning them from entering these forests, not to trust their eyes or ears if they dare to enter the dense woods.

Due to the rapid expansion of these forests, logging is not only a lucrative but necessary business in Veritan. Crews of lumberjacks work tirelessly to cut back the tree lines away from the roads and towns across Veritan. These woodsman and women keep good spirits, smiling even while their eyes relay the sights they've seen at the edge of those forests. They are celebrated by the people, the admiration they are given drives them back to the woods to fight against nature's threat.

Veritan is also home to one of the best Academies on Olivaan, second only to the Union's when it comes to training Dust manipulation. The Academy is said to be blessed by the Shard of Power. Alumni of the Academy are some of the most renowned Evokers in Miramai. Many graduates spend time with the lumberjacks, wielding powerful magics to eradicate the most overgrown forests. Though they've begun to find the forests don't take kindly to such aggressive methods...

The history of Veritan is one of conflict, often begun by them. Rarely the victor. While invasions against them have also proven unsuccessful. Once invaders reach the forests, they quickly cease their efforts and come to a compromise with Veritan leadership.

The northern tip of the nation is also home to the only connection between the continent of Olivaan and Jek. The city of Hashin at the tip of Olivaan is the entry point to the massive bridge that crosses the ocean to Jek. The bridge that predates Veritan's centuries of history. It requires no maintenance. and seems to grow every year to accommodate shifting in the continents. To say that the bridge belongs to Veritan would be incorrect though. It's western entrance belongs to Veritan, however the bridge is a city state all it's own that belongs to neither Jek nor Olivaan. A city is constructed at the apex of the bridge. The people are very protective of their unique home and will not allow anyone to cross without paying tribute to them.

Geography

Veritan is a large nation, much like Timoria it spans from the equator to the more northern reaches of Olivaan. Their forests are alive and ever expanding. Due to the huge amount and variety of wood, buildings are almost exclusively built of wood across Veritan. Some of the trees are even Dust Evolutions that make them as strong as steel. Building support beams, walls, etc. out of this wood is common place. Some expert crafters of Veritan though have learned to further refine and shape the wood into armors, weapons, and trinkets. Idiir researchers have even worked with these expert crafters to make Armor class Generators. Lumberjacks have even taken to carrying these weapons and armor, claiming it offers some benefit over metal weapons when working in the forests.

Veritan also has a massive coast line. Fishing and whaling is a common profession, especially for those that make the island chains off the coast their home. A common home for Orcanines who enjoy making their homes nearby large bodies of water.

Veritan also has access to one of the great freshwater lakes of Olivaan and their border pushes against Timoria along the rivers that run north to the oceans. Lumberjacks will be deployed in in the weeks leading up to Ehriil passing by the rivers mouth to work over the edge encroaching on the river. Then the logs are sent up the river to be traded with Ehriil as they pass.

Government

Veritan is an Oligarchy, lead by the heads of several major families and organizations. The director of the lumberjacks and the head of the Academy are two of the members along with a member of the once royal family from centuries past. These leaders remain in regular contact and have meetings throughout the year to cover pertinent national concerns. Local government is lead by a chosen noble, usually noble families will push to gain favor with the people of their city leading up to governor consideration. Though public perception is a major factor in the selection process, ultimately the governor is chosen by what the leaders of the nation feel is best for the nation.

Society and Culture

The people of Veritan tend not to stray far from their homes. Navigating the nation off the main roads can quickly confuse the average person. Special navigators who know the stars and with special tools can travel off the roads relatively safely. However the forests remove much of what they need to determine location. So going around them is often the only choice. Most citizens of Veritan live their entire lives without traveling to another town or city because of the shifting landscape. They grow with a healthy fear of the woods and a questionable distrust of outsiders. Simply because they do not know outside cultures.

The drive to stay to their home towns lends their admiration for those who break this mold though. The lumberjacks are revered and rarely pay for a drink in any tavern, as long as they are willing to share stories of their adventures to the forests. Sailors receive a similar greeting in the coastal towns. Those who would benefit from training at the Academy are often picked out and recommended by their teachers at a young age. Navigators are sent to help guide them to the Academy when they reach their teens. Many cease contact with friends and families once enrolled in the Academy. Sometimes by choice, sometimes it's a task set by professors to remove their bonds to the past.

Economy

Varieties of lumber are the largest export of Veritan due to it's explosive plant growth they deal with. Their farmland is also particularly fertile and known for growing some of the largest versions of any plants. Ranches have taken to breeding larger herbivores in Order to help combat encroaching forests naturally. They still have to manually cut away at the edges of the forests, but their massive cattle enjoy an endless supply of saplings for their diet.

Veritan's Academy also makes a substantial income from enchanting items. Their blessing by the Shard of Power leads many to seek weapons enchanted by the students and faculty of the the Academy.

Military

Veritan keeps a dedicated military which typically cycles between border and road patrol, city and caravan guard duty, and lumberjack reinforcement. Though the lumberjacks tend to feel the Veritan military simply gets in their way more than anything. More tales are told in taverns of a lumberjack dragging their guards out of the woods than the other way around. Any guard that comes away with a story that they saved a lumberjack quickly finds themselves employed as a lumberjack.

Allies & Enemies

Veritan's desire to have safe land free of the forest's constant threat drives them to push at their borders. Constantly butting heads with Timoria, often for reasons that are just long seeded disdain for them. Veritan in the past has tried to invade Kentrid, Timoria, Hashin bridge in Order to reach Gorek. Before the Union Judgement they were the most notorious for making large pushes for territorial control, only to be pushed back time after time.

Still, even with their nature, they are on decent terms with the other Union Nations, and they have ceased attacks on the Hashin Bridge. They do most of their trading with Timoria thorugh La'Collet now to avoid further conflicts. Though their soldiers can still occasionally be caught in the grasslands of northern Timoria before being chased back across the border.