VALTERRA (MEDIEVAL WORLD)

There have been several major and minor wars in the past; currently, however, of all the countries, only Ishtor and Avanor are united by a religious and trade alliance. All other countries, nations, and tribes are rivals. Thus, new alliances or wars may be in the making.

The Northern Territories are ruled by several Jarls, each with their own domain; however, two Jarls possess significantly larger territories than the rest, and the cities belonging to these two Jarls and their families are designated as the capitals of the Northern Territories. One city is Valorheim; the other is Frostgrad.

The capital of Aldermark is a large, walled city named Arastil.

The capital of Avanor is carved partially into the side of a mountain and surrounded by sturdy stone walls; the city's mines contain the region's largest deposits of gold and gemstones. The city is named Hexanor.

The Rox Alliance is a confederation of capitals situated across seven distinct territories within its borders. Their names are derived from gemstones, reflecting their immense wealth: Shappirea, Rubynus, Emeraldin, Amethystor, Zirconia, Jadea, and the largest and wealthiest of them all, Diamondor.

The capital of the Ishtor Theocracy is Heavenburg. A massive, ornate cathedral stands at its center, serving as the residence for the Pope and other high-ranking ecclesiastical dignitaries.

The capital of the Jin Empire is Nichiyang. It features a grand imperial palace at its center.

The Khanates have no capital city. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, they live across their own territories and grazing lands.

The Northern Lands lie to the north; the Kingdom of Avanor is their neighbor to the southwest, the Kingdom of Aldermark to the south, and the Rox Alliance to the southeast.

The Kingdom of Aldermark is situated in the center of the continent, surrounded by every country except the Jin Empire. It borders the Northern Lands to the north, the Kingdom of Avanor to the west, the Rox Alliance to the east, the Ishtor Theocracy to the southwest, and the steppes and plains of the Khanates to the south.

The Kingdom of Avanor is located in the west. It borders the Northern Lands to the northeast, the Kingdom of Aldermark to the east (separated by a mountain range), and the Ishtor Theocracy—its ally—to the south.

The Ishtor Theocracy is situated in the southwestern part of the continent; it borders its converted ally, the Kingdom of Avanor, to the north, the steppes and plains of the Khanates to the east, and the Kingdom of Aldermark to the northeast.

The Rox Alliance is found in the eastern part of the continent. Its neighbor to the northwest is the Northern Lands, and its neighbor to the west is Aldermark.

The territories of the Khanates are located in the south of the continent. Aldermark is their neighbor to the north, the Ishtor Theocracy is their neighbor to the west, and they border the Jin Empire to the east. The Jin Empire lies in the southeastern part of the continent; its only land neighbor to the west is the territory of the Khanates.

A territory dominated by many tribes, consisting of steppes and grasslands. There is no unified leader or king; the land is ruled by minor khans and khaganates that are often at war with one another. They frequently raid neighboring nations as well. Like the Northerners, they are viewed as barbarians, yet they possess a level of organization and hierarchical structure just as developed as that of the Northerners.

A wealthy, fertile, and stable country. The ruler is Emperor Minato Ouyang; revered by his people as a demigod, he wields absolute power. The land is fertile and suitable for producing all kinds of food, though the cultivation of rice and millet stands out. In addition, the people are skilled fishermen and artisans. Their army consists of highly trained warriors who excel in the use of swords and polearms. They possess a large fleet of ships that are fast but not particularly heavily armored. Their faith centers on the Emperor himself, as well as on various deities and spirits associated with specific professions or regions.

The Rox Alliance is composed of wealthy cities, each governed by a governor. While a governor's family may rule a city for generations due to their aptitude, every city also possesses a council of wealthy merchants empowered to freely elect a new governor whenever they deem it appropriate. The governors themselves form a higher-level council alongside the governors of the other cities. Their military forces and fleets consist of a mix of their own troops and mercenaries. The cities sustain themselves by trading in virtually every type of good. They do not have a unified religion.

Their state is led by Pope Louis IV; instead of nobles, cardinals, bishops, and archbishops govern the various territories. The military is commanded by a holy knight chosen by the Pope, who leads the paladins (elite knights) and the inquisitors. The theocracy harbors strong ambitions for proselytizing, though their geographical location makes this difficult. Their territory is well-suited for production, fishing, and livestock farming. They are monotheists. They provide significant support to the Kingdom of Avanor, a realm they have converted to their faith. They generally trade foodstuffs for gemstones, precious metals, and forged goods.

The Greystone royal family rules over Avalon. Their kingdom is ill-suited for agriculture; most of the territory consists of hilly, rocky terrain nestled between mountain ranges, with little arable land. Consequently, they rely almost entirely on the Ishtor Theocracy, with whom they share a religion. Their strengths lie in mining, blacksmithing, and jewelry making. Their warriors are well-equipped but primarily suited for defense.

The Arden royal family rules over the kingdom. The country possesses fertile lands suitable for producing a wide variety of foodstuffs. However, the kingdom suffers from corruption. It boasts excellent heavy cavalry and spearmen. Although they have access to the sea, their fleet is suited primarily for defensive roles. They are also advanced in horse breeding, focusing mainly on large warhorses. Aldermark does not share a unified faith. Freedom of religious practice exposes the region to various influences: the belief systems of northern peoples and khanates from the north and south, the religion of the theocracy from the west and southwest, and—alongside these—Aldermark’s ancient primary religion, which venerates a goddess.

The North has no king; it is ruled by Jarls who often vie with one another for power. Northerners are skilled fishermen, seafarers, hunters, and warriors. Most of the northern territories are unsuitable for cultivation. The population is largely concentrated along the coast and in the arable areas, though there are also small, local mountain tribes that sustain themselves through hunting and goat herding. Mining is active; like the people of Avanor, the northerners extract ores and gemstones, but logging is also carried out on a massive scale due to their endless forests. They are not as skilled at jewelry-making as the Avanorians, yet in certain parts of the north, the quality of their forging is considered miraculous even by Avanorian standards. Though labeled barbarians, they are surprisingly organized when led by a powerful Jarl. Their belief system is shamanistic in nature, centering on the worship of ancestral spirits and other spirits connected to the natural world.

Valterra is a living continent where every nation has its own politics, economy, culture and history.