Kaelyn Dragon Fodder Karma: 80/19 2264 Posts
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Albadia
Some information for you, written and uploaded via my phone during graduation lol forgive typos
Albadia
Albadia was once a flourishing kingdom filled with the hearty Horse Lords of the north, with sprawling white limestone walled cities, a successful economical center as well, the. The Divine War happened, and Albadia was all but eradicated from the face of Ghelspad and reduced to little more than a frozen wasteland.
Despite overwhelming odds, the strength of the Albadian spirit would not be crushed underfoot, and the scattered remnants of the proud people turned to nomadic settlements, forming tightly knit tribal communities, traversing the tainted lands and surviving the often uninhabitable regions through sheer grit and fervor.
Without heraldry or defined inter-regional borders, the Albadian tribes took up clan standards and began tattooing tribal symbols and marks of valor or honor upon their muscled flesh. In reverse the dreaded "Brakh No'ra" brand, was forcibly bestowed upon any who would betray the tribal community or jeopardize their already harsh way of life.
The "Brakh No'ra" is the forceful subjugation of the indivudual, where an iron brand is heated over hot coals, and then slowly, painfully pressed into the guilty's flesh, typically upon the forhead or somewhere else difficult to hide their shame. The brand is shaped like a horseshoe bound in barbed brambles. A symbol of slavery or a lack of freedom, one suffering the "Brakh No'ra" is considered an exile not protected by tribal law, and may only seek salvation through rite of combat, the open challenging of the clan leader or opposing clansmen who sought the branding in the firstplace.
There are dozens of scattered clans across the region, though there are three noticable tribes of significant size in which notoriety has been established.
There are the Winters Fang, a fiercely competative tribe of warriors known for their taming of exotic and fierce monsters, adding them to a menagerie of beasts and slaves. They believe that combat and war are true signs of strength, and that peace leads to apathy and weakness, and they are typically resistent to deal with anyone outside of their tribe, as they are firm in the belief that if you have something they truly desire, it is their right to simply take it from your lifeless corpse lest you possess the strength to deny them, and perhaps gain a modicum of respect in the process.
The Winters Fang, are lead by a fiercesome warrioress named Grundle Chillbane, a woman of incredible strength and prowess. She is rumored, though it is unconfirmed, to be not entirely human, and tales range from troll blood, to being born of a frost giant, to even being partially dragonborn. Suffice to say this far noone has grown close enough to verify the claims and survive to tell the tale.
Next there are the nomadic people of the "White Stallion". The most approachable of the three tribes by far, the White Stallion tribe abides more closely to the gypsy way of life than their war like brethren. When the Divine War destroyed their homeland, many people were left homeless and scattered, and month after month they were picked up here or there under the watchful hand of a former Horse Lord. Lord Alexandyr Cormyr, formerly a Count, now just a leader of men without a real home, runs a caravan of carriages and carts, a mobile convoy constantly on the move scavenging what they can where they can, favouring watering holes and natural refuges over a permanent settlement. The White Stallions still hold the secret breeding traditions which lead Albadia of old to foster the world's best thuroughbred horses. They are fiercely protective of this secret, for their horses are their protection, and their salvation. Their mobility keeps them able to avoid most conflict, just the way they like it.
Big on tale and folklore, the White Stallions are not opposed to trade or commerce with outsiders, and generally show good will to those who happen upon them though they are superstitious and wary of all strangers.
Alexander Cormyr is said to be extraordinarily handsome, glib and skilled at both song and swordplay.
The final Tribe is known as the Frostguard. In this tribe, magic runs deep, and even though the titan's have been removed from power save Denev, it is evident their power still permeates the lands. The Frostguard are ruled by a triumverate of three sisters, hags, witches, heretics against the Gods, but incredibly powerful just the same.
This clan is secretive and always scheming, working from frozen caves and within the chill of shadows to further their own nefarious agendas. It is said the Frostguard are bound by their faith in the old Gods (titans) that they shall make a ressurrection and bring a reckoning against all who abandoned them. Unabashedly utilizing necromancy and a twisted mockery of druidic form the Frostguard are the living embodiment of the blighted land.
While it's been 154 years since the victory for the Divine races over the titanspawn and the world has made considerable advancements towards trying to regain some semblance of it's former glory, it still has a long ways to go, and countries like Albadia, do little to further that goal, as infighting and dissemenation amongst the clans and tribes leave any unification seemingly impossible.
Posted on 2013-06-07 at 18:51:25.
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