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worldofbalanceUnfortunately not set to a possibly recognizable tune.
A Note About Race: On Libra, the only fully sentient race is human. While elementals can gain intelligence over time, they lack true sentience. Ethnic appearance is also not limited by national borders. It is not uncommon to find a wide variety of skin tones in people, even within the same family line. National identities are based on mutual goals and attitudes, not skin. Likewise, sex, gender, sexual identity, and gender identity are also not sources for division, but instead for unity. There are plenty of reasons for people to dislike each other on Libra, but race, gender, and sexual identity are not among them.
Nations
The nation of Natathan occupies a large, rocky island in the southwestern part of the world. As an Earth-aligned nation, Natathan's weather is violent, unpredictable, and extreme, and is battered by constant storms. As such, the Natat are somewhat wild and reckless, embracing the odd weather with whole hearts. Its buildings are secure, and often found inside the ground or within the thick, craggy cliffs. Natathan's capital is called Underhold, and it is a large series of carved out caverns below the island's surface. Many of these old caverns were part of older societies, devoted to mining out the earth in an effort to prevent the build up of heavy elemental forces.
The nation of Synadoc occupies the northeastern part of the western continent. As a Fire aligned nation, Synadoc's weather is extremely cold and inhospitable, particularly since the majority of the Synod live in settlements carved out of the mountanous peaks that form the core of Synadoc's populated areas. The Synod are a hearty people, resistant to most of the cold weather they are surrounded by, and for the rest use their advanced sense of innovation to create mechanical wonders to combat the cold, and in fact are the most technically advanced nation, though they primarily rely on steam power and magic to fuel their creations. No settlement emphasizes this trait more than Synadoc's capital, Automatica, which is a marvel of brass, steam, and steel.
The nation of Illyanol occupies the southwestern part of the western continent. As an Air aligned nation, Illyanol's weather is fairly stagnant, with prolonged, mild seasons. While some Illyan choose to farm, many are nomadic, following various herd animals across the plains and riding horses. As nomads, they live in large tents and easily collapsible buildings, and they carry little with them other than their homes, their food, and their weapons. There are a cluster of settlements near water sources which allow the nomads to resupply, though nothing that can be considered a true city.
The nation of Vanik occupies the the southwestern part of the eastern continent. As a Life aligned nation, Vanik is a large, almost desolate nation with vast sections of seemingly unoccupied land. It possesses several large temples, including the Temple of Ruin in the southernmost tip of the nation, in an area designated the Adylan Scrublands. This place was the location of a famous Necromancer's seat of power. Such is its power that it has drained Life from all around it. While the vast lands of Vanik seem barren, in truth they are given to the dead. The living occupy massive cities – such as Vanik's capital, Cyllae -- consisting of brilliant, opulent pavillions draped in silk, viciously guarding the pure, unspoiled land that remains. The Vanya are obsessed with prestige, power-plays, and politics, enjoying a seemingly endless game of maneuvering, manipulation, and deception.
The nation of Yoraelle occupies the northeastern part of the eastern continent. As an Ice aligned nation, Yoraelle is almost entirely desert, with the only green spots surrounding the various thin rivers that span the continent. Its capital, Yora, straddles the great Yorael River, feeding into dozens of tributaries where the Yorae build their farms. It is only here that many precious kinds of spices and dyes can be created, making the highest courts of Yora extremely wealthy. Wealth and material gain have made the Yorae ambitious, and they seek to occupy an important, and in fact, essential, portion of the world's scene, much to the disgust of older, more experienced politicians. Yoraelle once was two nations, north and south of their great river, which still leads to some amount of tension.
The nation of Zerator occupies a series of small islands in the middle of the Yora-Vanik, Illya-Synad, and Natathan continents. As a Death aligned nation, Zerator is a vast, lush series of jungles, broken up only by stone ruins of ancient origin. The Zerath live in small groups, normally in and around these ruins, reluctant – or perhaps, unable – to cut down their jungle homes. It is said that this is where the war against the Elementalists began, with the execution of a Death-Priest, the original Zerator, sparking off decades of violence and world-changing elemental storms. While Zerator died a thousand years ago, the consequences of his passing are still felt by the nations that sometimes struggle to understand why their world shifts, changes, and grows. The Zerath dedicate themselves primarily to healing, protecting, and sometimes, using the vast knowledge of the jungle to poison those who refuse to keep the balance.
A Note About Race: On Libra, the only fully sentient race is human. While elementals can gain intelligence over time, they lack true sentience. Ethnic appearance is also not limited by national borders. It is not uncommon to find a wide variety of skin tones in people, even within the same family line. National identities are based on mutual goals and attitudes, not skin. Likewise, sex, gender, sexual identity, and gender identity are also not sources for division, but instead for unity. There are plenty of reasons for people to dislike each other on Libra, but race, gender, and sexual identity are not among them.
Nations
The nation of Natathan occupies a large, rocky island in the southwestern part of the world. As an Earth-aligned nation, Natathan's weather is violent, unpredictable, and extreme, and is battered by constant storms. As such, the Natat are somewhat wild and reckless, embracing the odd weather with whole hearts. Its buildings are secure, and often found inside the ground or within the thick, craggy cliffs. Natathan's capital is called Underhold, and it is a large series of carved out caverns below the island's surface. Many of these old caverns were part of older societies, devoted to mining out the earth in an effort to prevent the build up of heavy elemental forces.
The nation of Synadoc occupies the northeastern part of the western continent. As a Fire aligned nation, Synadoc's weather is extremely cold and inhospitable, particularly since the majority of the Synod live in settlements carved out of the mountanous peaks that form the core of Synadoc's populated areas. The Synod are a hearty people, resistant to most of the cold weather they are surrounded by, and for the rest use their advanced sense of innovation to create mechanical wonders to combat the cold, and in fact are the most technically advanced nation, though they primarily rely on steam power and magic to fuel their creations. No settlement emphasizes this trait more than Synadoc's capital, Automatica, which is a marvel of brass, steam, and steel.
The nation of Illyanol occupies the southwestern part of the western continent. As an Air aligned nation, Illyanol's weather is fairly stagnant, with prolonged, mild seasons. While some Illyan choose to farm, many are nomadic, following various herd animals across the plains and riding horses. As nomads, they live in large tents and easily collapsible buildings, and they carry little with them other than their homes, their food, and their weapons. There are a cluster of settlements near water sources which allow the nomads to resupply, though nothing that can be considered a true city.
The nation of Vanik occupies the the southwestern part of the eastern continent. As a Life aligned nation, Vanik is a large, almost desolate nation with vast sections of seemingly unoccupied land. It possesses several large temples, including the Temple of Ruin in the southernmost tip of the nation, in an area designated the Adylan Scrublands. This place was the location of a famous Necromancer's seat of power. Such is its power that it has drained Life from all around it. While the vast lands of Vanik seem barren, in truth they are given to the dead. The living occupy massive cities – such as Vanik's capital, Cyllae -- consisting of brilliant, opulent pavillions draped in silk, viciously guarding the pure, unspoiled land that remains. The Vanya are obsessed with prestige, power-plays, and politics, enjoying a seemingly endless game of maneuvering, manipulation, and deception.
The nation of Yoraelle occupies the northeastern part of the eastern continent. As an Ice aligned nation, Yoraelle is almost entirely desert, with the only green spots surrounding the various thin rivers that span the continent. Its capital, Yora, straddles the great Yorael River, feeding into dozens of tributaries where the Yorae build their farms. It is only here that many precious kinds of spices and dyes can be created, making the highest courts of Yora extremely wealthy. Wealth and material gain have made the Yorae ambitious, and they seek to occupy an important, and in fact, essential, portion of the world's scene, much to the disgust of older, more experienced politicians. Yoraelle once was two nations, north and south of their great river, which still leads to some amount of tension.
The nation of Zerator occupies a series of small islands in the middle of the Yora-Vanik, Illya-Synad, and Natathan continents. As a Death aligned nation, Zerator is a vast, lush series of jungles, broken up only by stone ruins of ancient origin. The Zerath live in small groups, normally in and around these ruins, reluctant – or perhaps, unable – to cut down their jungle homes. It is said that this is where the war against the Elementalists began, with the execution of a Death-Priest, the original Zerator, sparking off decades of violence and world-changing elemental storms. While Zerator died a thousand years ago, the consequences of his passing are still felt by the nations that sometimes struggle to understand why their world shifts, changes, and grows. The Zerath dedicate themselves primarily to healing, protecting, and sometimes, using the vast knowledge of the jungle to poison those who refuse to keep the balance.
