Post by Fallen Nation of Esdara on Aug 7, 2016 22:34:07 GMT -8
History & Location
For a thousand years, Esdara was cut off from the rest of the world, its existence unknown to those of the lands below, and the citizens themselves believing they were alone in the world. Hovering over a massive crater valley in a high, far-flung mountain range on the southeastern side of the Overworld, the Island of Esdara is consistently covered by gentle, pleasing clouds. The valley below was blighted eons ago by Mysts so thick that they completely obscured the land they covered, and none knew what laid within them, the valley unexplored by the world and unreachable by the people of Esdara. Until a creature emerged from the valley and drew the attention of the world at large by attacking the Land-Tiller's Expanse. With the defeat of the Behemoth, the valley was cleansed and given to the Land-Tillers who headed the offensive, turning it into a lush paradise. This valley was once believed to be where the souls of the wicked go after death, and was known as Vothiea, although the truth of its origins were long ago lost to legend. Criminals who were executed were cast over the edge of the island into the valley, and those undeserving of the punishment of immediate death were sent there via the Door of Vothiea, which all good Esdarans avoided, until the truth of where it went became known. Now known as the Door to the Lowlands, this archway actually connects to the Sky Portal, which had been forgotten in Esdaran lore for centuries.
Less than a year after the destruction of the Myst Behemoth and the revelation of Esdara hovering in the skies, a secret Cult of Xoilun which had been operating within the nation struck its blow. The power of their belief in Xoilun permitted the evil being to exert its power, pulling Esdara into the space between worlds, where its powers and minions of darkness were strongest. Fearing for their lives, most Esdarans pretended to swear allegiance to Xoilun and join its cult just to survive, but many joined the secret resistance. The High Priest and High Priestess ended up veritably imprisoned in the very heart of their palace, struggling just to keep Xoilun and its creatures at bay. It is in this state of affairs that Esdara mysteriously reappeared in the skies above the Shaded Valley some years later.
Deity
Esdar, Winged God of the Winds and Skies
Hierarchy of Government
Deity
High Priest & High Priestess
Council of Winds
Priesthood
Military
The High Priest & High Priestess
The High Priest is called the Winged Blade of Justice, the High Priestess is called the Winged Crown of Grace. The High Priest deals in the meting out of justice and the interpretation and creation of divine law; the High Priestess handles the entreaties of the public, making sure the populace is well taken care of, as well as dealing with the more spiritual aspects of the church. As a result of this, the Orders of the Priesthood are split between the two: The Order of Caerleis Caphriel is under their joint direction, whereas the High Priest has sole dominion over the Orders of Caerleis Telantes and Caerleia Naya’il; the High Priestess has dominion over the Orders of Caerleis Erelim and Caerleia Anael. They are the voices of their God, serving both aspects of his Will - two sides of the same coin. They dwell in a shining white castle - called the Palace of the Skies - toward the outskirts of the main city, up on its own little plateau, with extensive grounds where the animal herds of both Priest and Priestess can coexist with plenty of room to avoid conflict. They are also married -- often a purely symbolic political union of their two sides of government, and to further the impression of them being two facets of the same divine will, the marriage can, and often does, become of a more personal nature. The only true stricture to this marriage is that they must be faithful to each other, and take no lovers.
The Council of Winds & The Priesthood
The Council of Winds is comprised of the leader of each Order of the priesthood. The priesthood is the buffer between the High Priest and High Priestess and the common man, as well as being the governing force behind the military during times of peace, with military officers being drawn from among the ranks of the priests. The priesthood falls under the jurisdiction of the High Priest during war times, and any and all capable of using holy magic are conscripted into the military, serving as magical strike forces and healers. Those who can’t use holy magics serve in the more practical aspects, keeping the troops properly clothed, fed, and otherwise tended to.
The Regions, Peoples, & Creatures of Esdara
The island itself is composed of a multi-leveled chunk of floating rock that once resided in the crater above which the nation hovers, most of which is covered by trees, mountains, and large pools of water, what of it isn't occupied by buildings or land for growing crops. There are three areas where people tend to gather: The main city of Esdar’ai (Which translates to The City of Esdar), that is the political and theological heart of the nation; the far-flung village of Cyrili where the farmers dwell; and the fortress-city of Zanora'si, near unto the eagle eyries, where the eagle riders live and train.
Native to the island and descended of the first mortals who were in the city-state when it ascended from its Myst-blighted former home are the Esdar’ial (which translates to The People of Esdar). Unlike the Esdarans (which is simply the name for those who dwell upon the nation of Esdara), the Esdar’ial are those who, upon the city’s being raised from the tainted earth by their god’s hand, were touched with his divine essence. It was only the current High Priest and High Priestess and the most virtuous of the nobility, but these few were graced with a great gift, and the sign of Esdar’s favor: Wings. This gift began to spread slowly through the populace, becoming less frequent as the generations pass. Those few who bear the wings of Esdar’s grace in the current day and age are seen as holy, and are treated with great reverence; it is from among this number that the next High Priest and High Priestess are chosen, both by their predecessors and by the divine guidance of Esdar himself.
The island is populated by three animal species unique to their borders. The Nimuar, the gentle winged deer, the herd of which is under the protection of the High Priestess; she tends them and will often ride the leader of the herd when out among the people. The Sokeli, winged lions who are under the domain of the High Priest; they are trained to guard the Holy Palace, and will fight alongside the High Priest in the event of war. And last, but most certainly not least, are the Zanora, the fierce giant golden eagles whose eyries inhabit the peaks of the island's small mountains. Unlike the Nimuar and Sokeli, who are sub-sapient but incapable of any sort of bonding, the Zanora are extremely intelligent but unable to speak, and are each bonded to a specific denizen of the island, as they serve as the city-state's cavalry; they share a powerful empathic link with their chosen rider that, in strong bonds, is nearly telepathic.
For a thousand years, Esdara was cut off from the rest of the world, its existence unknown to those of the lands below, and the citizens themselves believing they were alone in the world. Hovering over a massive crater valley in a high, far-flung mountain range on the southeastern side of the Overworld, the Island of Esdara is consistently covered by gentle, pleasing clouds. The valley below was blighted eons ago by Mysts so thick that they completely obscured the land they covered, and none knew what laid within them, the valley unexplored by the world and unreachable by the people of Esdara. Until a creature emerged from the valley and drew the attention of the world at large by attacking the Land-Tiller's Expanse. With the defeat of the Behemoth, the valley was cleansed and given to the Land-Tillers who headed the offensive, turning it into a lush paradise. This valley was once believed to be where the souls of the wicked go after death, and was known as Vothiea, although the truth of its origins were long ago lost to legend. Criminals who were executed were cast over the edge of the island into the valley, and those undeserving of the punishment of immediate death were sent there via the Door of Vothiea, which all good Esdarans avoided, until the truth of where it went became known. Now known as the Door to the Lowlands, this archway actually connects to the Sky Portal, which had been forgotten in Esdaran lore for centuries.
Less than a year after the destruction of the Myst Behemoth and the revelation of Esdara hovering in the skies, a secret Cult of Xoilun which had been operating within the nation struck its blow. The power of their belief in Xoilun permitted the evil being to exert its power, pulling Esdara into the space between worlds, where its powers and minions of darkness were strongest. Fearing for their lives, most Esdarans pretended to swear allegiance to Xoilun and join its cult just to survive, but many joined the secret resistance. The High Priest and High Priestess ended up veritably imprisoned in the very heart of their palace, struggling just to keep Xoilun and its creatures at bay. It is in this state of affairs that Esdara mysteriously reappeared in the skies above the Shaded Valley some years later.
Deity
Esdar, Winged God of the Winds and Skies
Hierarchy of Government
Deity
High Priest & High Priestess
Council of Winds
Priesthood
Military
The High Priest & High Priestess
The High Priest is called the Winged Blade of Justice, the High Priestess is called the Winged Crown of Grace. The High Priest deals in the meting out of justice and the interpretation and creation of divine law; the High Priestess handles the entreaties of the public, making sure the populace is well taken care of, as well as dealing with the more spiritual aspects of the church. As a result of this, the Orders of the Priesthood are split between the two: The Order of Caerleis Caphriel is under their joint direction, whereas the High Priest has sole dominion over the Orders of Caerleis Telantes and Caerleia Naya’il; the High Priestess has dominion over the Orders of Caerleis Erelim and Caerleia Anael. They are the voices of their God, serving both aspects of his Will - two sides of the same coin. They dwell in a shining white castle - called the Palace of the Skies - toward the outskirts of the main city, up on its own little plateau, with extensive grounds where the animal herds of both Priest and Priestess can coexist with plenty of room to avoid conflict. They are also married -- often a purely symbolic political union of their two sides of government, and to further the impression of them being two facets of the same divine will, the marriage can, and often does, become of a more personal nature. The only true stricture to this marriage is that they must be faithful to each other, and take no lovers.
The Council of Winds & The Priesthood
The Council of Winds is comprised of the leader of each Order of the priesthood. The priesthood is the buffer between the High Priest and High Priestess and the common man, as well as being the governing force behind the military during times of peace, with military officers being drawn from among the ranks of the priests. The priesthood falls under the jurisdiction of the High Priest during war times, and any and all capable of using holy magic are conscripted into the military, serving as magical strike forces and healers. Those who can’t use holy magics serve in the more practical aspects, keeping the troops properly clothed, fed, and otherwise tended to.
The Regions, Peoples, & Creatures of Esdara
The island itself is composed of a multi-leveled chunk of floating rock that once resided in the crater above which the nation hovers, most of which is covered by trees, mountains, and large pools of water, what of it isn't occupied by buildings or land for growing crops. There are three areas where people tend to gather: The main city of Esdar’ai (Which translates to The City of Esdar), that is the political and theological heart of the nation; the far-flung village of Cyrili where the farmers dwell; and the fortress-city of Zanora'si, near unto the eagle eyries, where the eagle riders live and train.
Native to the island and descended of the first mortals who were in the city-state when it ascended from its Myst-blighted former home are the Esdar’ial (which translates to The People of Esdar). Unlike the Esdarans (which is simply the name for those who dwell upon the nation of Esdara), the Esdar’ial are those who, upon the city’s being raised from the tainted earth by their god’s hand, were touched with his divine essence. It was only the current High Priest and High Priestess and the most virtuous of the nobility, but these few were graced with a great gift, and the sign of Esdar’s favor: Wings. This gift began to spread slowly through the populace, becoming less frequent as the generations pass. Those few who bear the wings of Esdar’s grace in the current day and age are seen as holy, and are treated with great reverence; it is from among this number that the next High Priest and High Priestess are chosen, both by their predecessors and by the divine guidance of Esdar himself.
The island is populated by three animal species unique to their borders. The Nimuar, the gentle winged deer, the herd of which is under the protection of the High Priestess; she tends them and will often ride the leader of the herd when out among the people. The Sokeli, winged lions who are under the domain of the High Priest; they are trained to guard the Holy Palace, and will fight alongside the High Priest in the event of war. And last, but most certainly not least, are the Zanora, the fierce giant golden eagles whose eyries inhabit the peaks of the island's small mountains. Unlike the Nimuar and Sokeli, who are sub-sapient but incapable of any sort of bonding, the Zanora are extremely intelligent but unable to speak, and are each bonded to a specific denizen of the island, as they serve as the city-state's cavalry; they share a powerful empathic link with their chosen rider that, in strong bonds, is nearly telepathic.