Vuruesis (ver-you-sis)
The First Kingdom
Before the Great Slumber, there were thirteen kingdoms of Great Eethill. Nine became corrupt and fell into the Abyss, Three were destroyed in the crossfire of war, and one, Vuruesis, survived. They were saved by a renegade angel named Eld-Zelppin, a renegade not because it betrayed the Heavens and joined the forces of Hell, but a renegade because it betrayed the Heavens to protect Vuruesis from both sides of the war. It slayed demons and angels who wished to take the land, created mountains and ravines to make it difficult to enter, and storms that disrupted both angelic and demonic magic. His sacrifice brought Vuruesis to have the bizarre worship of angels but not the Heavens.
Even if the people of Vureusis hated the idea, at some point they had to give up hope in their land and run into caves like the rest of the mortals. Eld-Zelppin promised to keep watch of the kingdom in their slumber, and before they awoke, it chose one of the sleeping mortals to be the next to rule Vuruesis by placing a golden mark on one of their hands. The mortal chosen was Vernan, he was given the title of the Angel Marked, which was eventually shortened into his family name: Anglmarked. When the mortals awoke, Vernan heard a voice echo in the back of his mind. Eld-Zelppin had given him his first instructions, to travel east until they find the ruins of an ancient city called Massane, the old capital of Vuruesis, and make their home there.
The mortals traveled for eighteen days when they found the ruins. It was surrounded by mountains, tall and thin like a natural wall, a lake formed in its center with water fresh enough to drink and bathe, a forest with trees to make homes of, caves to mine in, and fields so fertile that the plant life would grow in half the time. They began reconstruction, and after a year, the Capital of Massane was completed. Massane would stay as the capital for decades after its restoration until the reign of Tiamat.
In 12 A.G., Vernan died at the age of 29 leaving the throne to his daughter Angelica Angelmarked. After he died, the mark was removed from his hand and was used to forge a golden ring large enough to fit over one's head. The ring was placed on Angelica's and because of her blood ties to Vernan, she was able to obtain the powers of the mark.
At the peak of Vuruesis' development, a new enemy had appeared. Tiamat, the queen of dragons attacked Massane, killing Gregory Angelmarked (Angelica's grandson) and many members of his court. Vuruesis fell into chaos, and so did much of Great Eethill as more dragons began to invade taking the land and claiming it as their own. Eventually, a group called the Knights of the Round Table used the power of the Holy Grail to defeat the draconic invaders and start a new country south of Vuruesis called Camelot. After Tiamat's reign and once Vuruesis was able to bring order back to their chaotic home, a new leader was chosen since there was no heir to King Gregory's throne, the leading priest of the Temples of Eld-Zelppin Father Greyhound.
After the country's reconstruction, King Greyhound gathered up his most powerful clergies, knights, and paladins to begin a crusade to purge all those who worshiped Tiamat and served under the dragons. Though many cultists, Dragonborns, and followers were slain, the destruction of villages and towns killed many innocents as well, and those who were forced to swear loyalty to their devout families for their own protection. Vuruesis murdered the hostages the enemy had taken in confusion for them. Some Crusade Leaders were hanged for their careless strategies and many knights were denounced leaving this era of Vuruesis the darkest one, and the one everyone wished to forget.
During the events of Campaign 1: Fate's Warriors, angels invaded the Mortal Realm to slaughter as many people as possible in an attempt to lure Fate's Bane back to the realm where they could be harmed. The angels brought a lot of destruction which of course broke the people of Vuruesis's trust in them. The temples of Eld-Zelppin have taken a hit, worshipers have given up hope and left, patrons wishing to profit off the temples broke deals with them, and the people who lost their families to the angelic forces attacked the temples. The relations between the temples, the royalty, and the people of Vuruesis are now in shambles.
Factions, Groups, and Guilds
The Iron Feathers
Vuruesis is ruled by two bodies, one is Eld-Zelppin's chosen, the royalty chosen by the Angelbrand crown. The other, is the Iron Feathers, worshipers of Eld-Zelppin and the faction that manages the temples of Eld-Zelppin. Because only the King or Queen can hear the voice of Eld-Zelppin, the Feathers are there to make sure that the ruler's command really was the wish of their beloved angel, and not a lie made to benefit themselves. Casual (and the most common) worshipers are only required to do two things: A) to not speak ill of their savior and give it thanks whenever the opportunity presents itself, and B) to thank Eld-Zelppin on every new moon by attending temple services. Clergies of Eld-Zelppin are more extreme, giving their lives and souls to thank their savior, they fight to protect the temples with divine power. The leading temple is located in the previous capital of Vuruesis, the Iron Wing Tower of Massane.
The Royal Paladins
Eld-Zelppin rejoined the heavens after the Great Slumber began, and was tasked to choose warriors to continue to protect the Mortal Realm while they were gone. Because there are none left, new champions must rise to take their place. It's believed that the power Eld-Zelppin gave the warriors was able to pass from person to person, so the Iron Feathers decided to find the ones who inherited their power, making them join their ranks as worshipers and train them as the Royal Paladins of Eld-Zelppin. These paladins are tasked to protect the Mortal Realm at any coast, traveling across continents if necissary.
Cities, Towns, and Villages
Massane, The Ruined Capital
The first capital of Vuruesis was Massane, until the end of Tiamat's Reign (see below) when it was changed to the port city of Glesa. The city has walls under its natural mountain walls, containing the hundreds of buildings meant for the population before the Great Slumber, a population perhaps quadruple the size of the current. The imposing cathedral-like buildings are placed incredibly close together, creating very narrow roads that cause foot traffic. To combat this, vacant buildings and towers were changed to crossroads that connect to each other via bridges. The high and low roads cause a divide for the city, the shadowy low road is excellent for the scum, placing hideout entrances beneath bridges and using the foot traffic to lose pursuiters. The high road is for the busy folk who need to go back in forth for business, needing the more clear pathways to get where they need to be going. In the center of the city's crescent moon shape is Iron Wing Tower where the King once ruled the kingdom.
Glesa, The Port City
The new capital of the kingdom, Glesa stands on the oceanside to provide docks for explorers and merchants alike. It's from this port that the famed adventuring ship, the Jondowe, took off before it found the continent (now archipelago) of Novus. Unlike Massane, this city was built from the ground up by the awakened Vuruesians that needed the docks to escape Tiamat's reign. But what was seen as an escape, is now seen as a comfortable home for Vuruesians. Although during its development the dragon invaders were no more, the city still was constructed around defense for dragons, which really helped them out later when the dragons escaped the vault they were trapped in (Fate's Warriors Episode 29: Battle of Bergstadt Part 2).
History of Vuruesis
0-2 A.G., The Restoration of Massane
Even if the people of Vureusis hated the idea, at some point they had to give up hope in their land and run into caves like the rest of the mortals. Eld-Zelppin promised to keep watch of the kingdom in their slumber, and before they awoke, it chose one of the sleeping mortals to be the next to rule Vuruesis by placing a golden mark on one of their hands. The mortal chosen was Vernan, he was given the title of the Angel Marked, which was eventually shortened into his family name: Anglmarked. When the mortals awoke, Vernan heard a voice echo in the back of his mind. Eld-Zelppin had given him his first instructions, to travel east until they find the ruins of an ancient city called Massane, the old capital of Vuruesis, and make their home there.
The mortals traveled for eighteen days when they found the ruins. It was surrounded by mountains, tall and thin like a natural wall, a lake formed in its center with water fresh enough to drink and bathe, a forest with trees to make homes of, caves to mine in, and fields so fertile that the plant life would grow in half the time. They began reconstruction, and after a year, the Capital of Massane was completed. Massane would stay as the capital for decades after its restoration until the reign of Tiamat.
In 12 A.G., Vernan died at the age of 29 leaving the throne to his daughter Angelica Angelmarked. After he died, the mark was removed from his hand and was used to forge a golden ring large enough to fit over one's head. The ring was placed on Angelica's and because of her blood ties to Vernan, she was able to obtain the powers of the mark.
50-67 A.G., Reign of Tiamat
At the peak of Vuruesis' development, a new enemy had appeared. Tiamat, the queen of dragons attacked Massane, killing Gregory Angelmarked (Angelica's grandson) and many members of his court. Vuruesis fell into chaos, and so did much of Great Eethill as more dragons began to invade taking the land and claiming it as their own. Eventually, a group called the Knights of the Round Table used the power of the Holy Grail to defeat the draconic invaders and start a new country south of Vuruesis called Camelot. After Tiamat's reign and once Vuruesis was able to bring order back to their chaotic home, a new leader was chosen since there was no heir to King Gregory's throne, the leading priest of the Temples of Eld-Zelppin Father Greyhound.
68-71 A.G., The Crusades
After the country's reconstruction, King Greyhound gathered up his most powerful clergies, knights, and paladins to begin a crusade to purge all those who worshiped Tiamat and served under the dragons. Though many cultists, Dragonborns, and followers were slain, the destruction of villages and towns killed many innocents as well, and those who were forced to swear loyalty to their devout families for their own protection. Vuruesis murdered the hostages the enemy had taken in confusion for them. Some Crusade Leaders were hanged for their careless strategies and many knights were denounced leaving this era of Vuruesis the darkest one, and the one everyone wished to forget.
100 A.G., Post Angelic Invasion
During the events of Campaign 1: Fate's Warriors, angels invaded the Mortal Realm to slaughter as many people as possible in an attempt to lure Fate's Bane back to the realm where they could be harmed. The angels brought a lot of destruction which of course broke the people of Vuruesis's trust in them. The temples of Eld-Zelppin have taken a hit, worshipers have given up hope and left, patrons wishing to profit off the temples broke deals with them, and the people who lost their families to the angelic forces attacked the temples. The relations between the temples, the royalty, and the people of Vuruesis are now in shambles.
Type
Geopolitical, Theocracy
Government System
Monarchy, Theocratic
Major Exports
Being the oldest kingdom of Great Eethill, and known to be the holiest, Vuruesis is blessed to have divine power in the Iron Feather's hands who would gladly create spiritual and demonic wards as well as divine scrolls if it means it'll spread the appreciation of Eld-Zelppin's protection.
Major Imports
Vuruesis is prone to disease because of its people's constant travels and adventures, which isn't helped by the narrow streets of Massane and the crowded ports of Glesa. To combat this, Vuruesis receives remedies and medicines from the continent Ravinrane.
The Angelbranded
The King or Queen of Vuruesis is given a golden crown that allows them to receive messages from Eld-Zelppin. It's the ruler's duty to interpret its messages and accomplish Zelppin's goals for it.Iron Feather Charm
Every worshiper of Eld-Zelppin is required to wear a necklace with an iron pendant in the shape of a feather at all times to show their dedication to their faith.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments