Moar

Out of time forgotten the ancient peoples of Moar have struggled to maintain peace and prosperity in this vast land of hills and forests. Through the age of the Rycerz, the glory and downfall of Rona, and now in the wake of the rising power of the wizards, the Moarik people have not only survived, but thrived. Moar has quickly replaced Rona as the greatest kingdom in the world, and one can only hope that it doesn’t see the same disastrous fate.

Continent: Verosia
Banner: Two silver Moarik Stallions rearing to face each other over a golden crown and sword, against a green field. Three hills to the left and three hills to the right.
Capital: Tharthin
Government: Monarchy
Ruler: King Loch Moarlinder of the Moarlinders
Religions: The Ronan Church, The Moarvik Pantheon
Population: Medium Realm; Near Tharthin - Heavily Populated; Moarik Hills - Moderately Populated; J'Miran Peninsula - Lightly Populated; Southern Marches - Sparsely Populated
Races:
Major: Duneimen-Verosians (Moarik, Ronan, J'Miran)
Median: Duneimen-Verosians (Parthans, Ganniards), Folkin
Minor:Duneimen-Kamorans, Duneimen-Mikanians, Bamorians (Damorel, Kalamak), Duervar (Bormdravar, Duumdravar), Gelvani (Que), Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Orcs
Cities and Towns: Acari, J’admir, Pyrus, Tharthin
Trade: Seafaring Merchants along the Sylvarin and the Bay of Brynlinia from Rona to J'admir, especially with the Gelvani through Everport and Silverport. Caravans come up from Kal-Mikan through Acari and others travel from Tharthin down through the Dark-Fold Lands into southern Moar.
Products:
Primary: Horses, Livestock (Cattle), Mining Products (coal, copper, gold, iron, lead, precious stones, silver, tin, zinc), Agriculture (tallow, timber, honey, wax),
Secondary: Food Items (salt, wine) Textiles & Fabrics (cotton, linen, wool; embroideries, tapestries, velvet), Manufactured Products (armor, art, paper, clocks, dragon’s-breath, jewelry, weapons)
Aristocratic Titles: King/Queen, Prince/Princess, Baron/Baroness, Lord/Lady
Allies: Sora, Kal-Mikan, Mirivia
Neutrals: Kamora, Metanmyr, Rona
Enemies: Gand, Parthus, Keirakar

OVERVIEW

….. Moar, land of a thousand hills, is a human realm named for the ancient people that once rode its verdant hills and plains with their mighty steeds. Moar is a Monarchy, and the King, who rules over Tharthin, is served by three Counts who rule over each of the other major cities within its borders; Acari, J’admir and Pyrus. The Counts have nearly autonomous power over their domains though they must enforce the King’s law. Lords are many but hold little influence. Instead, it is the Towers of the Celestial Orders that dominate the political landscape. The Mages of the Celestial Orders are as powerful as any lord and demand even more respect in this realm. There are also many other wizardly orders, but few hold such command.
The Ronan Church is very large, in Tharthin particularly, but has little influence. The General of the Holy Crown answers to the The High Lord of the Holy Crown of Thamor, who rules from Sora, but must also answer to the King.
….. Moar is a strong society with long-lived cities. Having been a major portion of the now deposed Ronan Kingdom, Moar has a great deal of modern conveniences and technology to offer its denizens. Located at a major trading point, its cities are centers of commerce and thus the kingdom prospers.
….. Being the last haven for Wizardly Orders, though, Moar has found itself becoming more and more influenced by these organizations. Already many of the streets of Tharthin are magical illuminated, and it seems the Arcane Orders have their hands in all aspects of mercantilism.
….. Moar has a significant naval fleet, but it is their sea merchants who are without match. Most other realms easily outmatch its armada of war ships but there are twice as many J’miran Merchant Marines as the total that any other human realm can claim.
Despite its prominent position for trade, Moar is in many ways self-sustaining, with a significant portion of land devoted to agriculture and a thriving mining complex in its mountainous forests. What more, due to its vast Silver Mines, Moar is one of the wealthiest realms in the world.
….. With its huge capital city, and proximity to so many realms, Moar has developed a very diverse population. Humans from all corners of Verosia have come to settle here, even Parthans. The Duervar, who trade their iron and steel with the Moariks, have been in these parts for so long that some have set up homes and even come to live within its borders. The Folkin find its lush hills and great cities to be very welcoming and quite a few settlements have formed in and around Tharthin. The Gelvani, too, particularly the Que-Gelvani, find Tharthin to be a fascinating place and some have made temporary homes in its smaller districts, to enjoy the atmosphere of the city. Unfortunately, as of late, many Gelvani have left the kingdom to return to their homeland.
….. As with any seafaring people in good standing with the Bamorians, there is a significant population off Damorel who have made their home here. What more, some Kalamak have even been drawn to the mountains south of Moar. In fact three mountains were given to the Kalamak in reward for their service to Moar during the Great Verosian War. Finally, there are small populations of many other races within Moar, and though they aren’t significant in number they have an influence upon the feel of the realm, giving it a broader wordlier ambience. There are a some Half-Elves and Half-Orcs, and even some Gnomes.
….. Moar is long withstanding the tides of time. A last pinnacle of light in a darkening world, it is a reminder of what wonders the world once held and a hope for what it might be once again. Still, it is not without its own dangers. Trolls wander its swamps, orcs lurk in its forests, and some even say dragons roost within its dark mountains.
….. No longer held back by the greedy goals of Ronan Kings, Moar has blossomed into one of the greatest realms in the world. Still, long wars with Parthus have left it poised for another battle, and thus there is always a small sense of foreboding in the air. No one wants to see this paradise burn, but war seems inevitable. No matter what darkness may come, though, Moar is most likely to shine through.

A BRIEF HISTORY

….. Over a thousand years ago Moar was nothing more than a great stretch of land with only a few major towns. Ja’dmir was the greatest of those towns, and its denizens were and still are, great seafarers. However, it is the Moarik people themselves that claimed the land as theirs. The Moariks were a Verosian people, tall and dark, who lived in small villages and hill-top forts all over this realm. Horses were their greatest trade, breeding and training Great Verosian War-steeds, quarter horses, and even draft work horses. It is said there are no better steed in the world than a Moarik Steed.
….. The Moariks lived in relative peace with most of their neighbors, only occasional fending off or raiding the settlements of Parthans to the far south of their lands. They traded regularly with the Duervar and their greatest enemies were the orcs, ogres, gnolls and other such monsters of the dark forests and ancient mountains. Moariks built fortresses on high hills, surrounded by tall wooden walls and most of their denizens lived within those walls. Agriculture was tertiary, after the breeding of horses and the raising of cattle.
….. It wasn’t long after the Ronans arrived in the east that they began trading with these humans from over the sea. The two cultures quickly found allies in each other and within a few hundred years the Ronans had mingled into the Moarik culture. It wasn’t long after that the first Ronan city began to rise up on Moarik soil, Tharthin. It’s sister city, Kurath, was built upon a river at the edge of the forest Metanmyr.
….. Rona eventually grew in glory and the Moarik people seemed to vanish into their culture. Their gods became part of the Ronan pantheon and their culture fell aside for the thriving trade and mining businesses the Ronans pursued.

THE FORCES THAT RULE

….. Moar is primarily a Monarchy. The last Duke of Tharthin, Loch Moarlinder, became the first King of Moar. The monarchy was given divine ascension through High Lord of the Holy Crown William Greyven, during the schizm of the Ronan Church. With the support of the Moarvik noble families and the power of the wizardly orders, the Duke was named King and thus this Ronan Duchy declared its independence as a sovereign kingdom. The right to rule was decreed to pass blood line to the eldest male hei, as was traditional for Rona. Unfortunately the king had no sons, only three daughters. The eldest married the Duke of Farrel before the Duke became the King of Gand, and they have one son who is the heir aparent. The second daughter married a J'admiran Noble but had three daughters of her own. The youngest married a Ronan lord who left her a widow only a few years later and without children. King Moarlinder is getting very old now (born in 1225 N.C.) and there is much speculation on exactly what will happen when he dies. For more information on this famous family, see the Moarlinders.
….. King Loch Moarlinder studied wizardry in his younger years and the Moarik people respect this noble art. Thus the Wizards have a place of particular power within Moarik society. The King is served by an advisor of wizards and the wizard schools are very wealthy. They own large amounts of land and many businesses and merchant fleets. Some speculate that the King is only a puppet of the Wizards, but in truth he has a great deal of rule over them.

Current Ruler: King Loch Moarlinder,

Major NPCs: The name, description and breif detailing of the current major people in the realm.

PEOPLES OF THE REALM

A short decsription of the different cultures and races within the realm, how they vary from those met in other realms, and anything uniqut about them.

RELIGION IN THE REALM

A short write up on how religion is treated within this realm, and the major religions that exist.

MAGIC IN THE REALM

A short write up on how magic is treated within this realm, and the major organizations, if any, that exist.

The Wizards of Moar

CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES

The Moarvik Lands:
Major Cities
Tharthin

Minor Cities
King's Cross
Silverdeep

Towns
Dargathin "Dargathin"

Villages
Arkelin'Gard "Arkelin"
Banikov "Banik"
Barkain'Gard "Barkain Keep"
Burzen'Dolna (the bottom) "Burzen Bottom"
Drazna'Gorne "Drazna"
Frasnobod "Frost Wall"
Gatton
Hadenfield
Janow
Jaragard
Kaczkgard "Kakzyk Keep"
Kalisk'Gorne "Kalisk"
Karnikov "Karnik"
Katinakov "Katina"
Komontow (by the mountain) "Ko Town"
Krazgard
Krobinow
Karvin'Gorne "Karvin"
Lanshire
Ligora'Dolna "Logora Down"'
Lukovingard "Lukov"
Magiermontow "Mage Town"
Markain'Gard "Markain"
Morawikov
Morag
Moringard "Morin's Keep"
Narok
Ninastow
Novagard "New Keep"
Nurzakov
Orgard
Ozarakov "Ozar"
Piastovnovgard "Prince Town"
Piotrinov
Radomeinin "His Red"
Skalakov
Skarizgard
Skavingard "Skavin"
Smierca
Stromgard "Storm Gard"
Szablagard "Sword Gard"
Tarnagard
Tarnokov
Tharthingard "Tharthin"
Torunagard "Torik Keep"
Torvakov
Turekain
Walichov
Wazgard
Wolkagard
Zagorva'Gorne
Zarthingard

The J'Miran Penninsula

Major Cities
Ja'dmir

Minor Cities
Marsania
Pyrus

Towns:

Villages:

The Savannah
Major Cities
none

Minor Cities
Acari

Towns:

Villages:

GEOGRAPHY

….. Moar rests on the North Western corner of Verosia, from the end of the borders of Keir in the south west, to the borders of Metanmyr in the north east. It is dominated by two major features. The J’mir Peninsula juts into the northern waters of Vas-Morda, forming the Bay of Brynlinia in the east. A great dark forest covers most of Moar, and rises into the mountains to the south of Tharthin, eventually meeting the borders of the Duervan Kingdom of Tharaduum. Different parts of the forest are given different names, such as the Griffonwood and the Shadewood.
….. The forest and mountains make up the heart of Moar, but it is from the edge of those woods that the famous Moarik Hills roll out from, broken only by winding streams fed by rains and melting snow off the mountains, forming lakes and ponds in the far stretching plains. Eventually the hills descend towards the coastline, where the streams empty into the Bay of Brynlinia and the Sea of Vas-Morda. Moar has over a thousand miles of coastline, some of it rocky, some beaches, but all of it bristling with sealife.
….. Finally, the King’s Way, a great road begun by the Emperor Urthaine hundreds of years ago, has opened the way for trade between all Verosian Realms. Though it was also used for war, the King’s Way has proven a valuable asset to the Moariks who now have a means to avoid the long travel by sea and the dangerous travel through troll infested swamps and orc trodden forests to reach their other cities and realms. The King’s Way divides west of Tharthin, going north towards Ja’dmir and south towards King’s Cross. The Southern Road was built long ago by the Duervar and was incorporated by the Ronans into their great project. It is often called the Iron Road because it is along this road that the Bormdravar of Bormfeld transport their iron to Tharthin.

Islands A listing of islands near this realm that either consider themselves part of that realm or are closely tied to it.

Landmarks A listing of significant geographical landmarks within the realm.

The Volstadt Mountains: At the northern edge of Tharaduum lay the tall dark Volstadt, a range of 10 mountains surrounded by dense forest. A black wall upon the southern horizon, the name Volstadt is ancient Moarvik for "Storm Front." The Moarvik people believe that in those mountains the Thunder Birds roost and amidst their crags lay the ruined bodies of many titans felled by Torvik. Stretching from their feet are the dark fold lands. The westernmost of these mountains are lower and more managable, but the rest are steep unyielding stone barricades through which only a few safe passes are known. Four of these mountains were granted to the Ronans in The Border Treaties with the duervar. Since the fall of Rona, who now can lay claim to those mountains is at contest. One of those mountains was granted to a clan of Kalamak Bamorians by the Ronans, who settled in and around its heights and the valley beyond. The duervar have not stopped the Bamorians from moving into other adjacent mountains and fertile hills, and often trade with them. To the far east of the range is the tallest peak, Stalgora (The Steel Mountain) which is said to have once housed a mighty duervan stronghold which fell to ruin at the onslaught of a mighty dragon. Its southern slope is a sheer cliff leading down into Deepening Lake, water that is said to go deeper than almost any other in the world. A clan of Keldravar live on the shores of that lake and fish its depths. Following is a listing of those mountains:

Srebrnygora (Silver Mountain, Mt. Conmairth, Thaladrim's Forge)
Zimnagora (Cold Mountain, Kolvaduum)
Czarngora (Black Mountain, Maratduum)
Noctzgora (Night Mountain, Dimraduum)
Droga Zmarlych The pass between Noctzgora and Koscgora, and leads to Abadorel
Koscgora (Bone Mountain, Garnokduum)
Karzalgora (Dwarf Mountain)
Lodagora (Ice Mountain)
Stalgora (Steel Mountain, Styladuum)

Ruins A listing of ancient ruins of note upon the realm.

Map A thumbnail of the map for this realm, linked to a larger map.

Moar%20realm%20map.jpg

DETAIL

Moarik Tribes and Clans:
….. Early Moarvik tribes were a collection of clans held together by a religious unifying cult. At first they were ruled by the Wiec, an assembly of Starosta, who were the elder tribesmen of each clan who held religious authority. In time, though, war between tribes meant that strong leaders were needed and so each tribe would select a single man to rule. He was usually the greatest warrior of the greatest clan, defined by who owned the most horses and won the most battles. This Piast, or Prince, was chosen by the Wiec to lead the tribe. His clan became the noble clan of the tribe, or Gerschlect, and all his family and descendants received noble titles due to this. However, he could be usurped if a better war leader ever took his place. Thus, in time many noble clans existed amongst each Tribe.
….. The Tribes built great strongholds atop the highest hill in the land of the ruling clan. These were called Gards, which is the origin of the term “Guard”. The Prince and his noble warrior kin were responsible for the defense of the tribe and would therefore employ warriors of other tribes to assist in this duty, by granting them noble titles and land.
….. Each clan was expected to support the Prince with a force of armored mounted warriors he could call upon as needed, the Rycerz. These chevaliers spent much of their effort in proving to the Prince their worthiness. They often held contests to prove their skill in battle. Over time a code of chivalric tradition arose from these early knights.
….. A warrior’s greatness was primarily measured by his skill in battle. Noble warriors challenged each other to single-combat in a test called the Chezivor (battle of honor). In this challenge each warrior faced each other mounted on their greatest steed across an open field, with only their armor, lance and sword. They then charged each other at full gallop. When they met the battle ensued and it did not end until one man admitted defeat, or died before doing so. Before the Chezivor began each would name his prize, and upon victory the winner claimed his prize. This may have been the defeated’s land, his home, or his wealth. It may even have been his woman, which is why many women gave their husbands tokens of luck to take onto the field. Primarily, though, the victor would take his opponent’s horses, since they were such a strong symbol of wealth and status. Thus, a man’s greatness was measured by the number and quality of the horses he owned and bred. For a layman success in the mundane aspects of life may have been valued, but honor was the virtue of the nobleman.
….. Bearing a Moarvik Clan name did not always connotate consanguinity or even territoriality, but refers to the fact that member families belong to the same heraldic clan. This is why hundreds of different, sometimes unrelated, families are to be found within the same clan. They all bear the same coat of arms, an important symbol of the power of a clan. Thus within each Tribe there were various coat of arms, but each clan and all families within that clan used the same coat of arms. A clan Coat of Arms held a proclamation of the family’s creed or war cry. When the full coat of arms depicted this creed beneath it, the image was described as a “Proclomatio-Arms”.
….. For hundreds of years before the coming of the Ronans, these Moarvik tribes fought one another for control of these vast lands. Their chivalric code held that if one Piast should defeat another, either in battle or in single combat, the tribes would merge under the rule of the victor. If the Piast who lost had lived he must swear allegiance or be put to the sword. His clan, however, would remain noble, thus in time there were various Gershlect within each tribe, and each Piast had a huge army of Rycerz to call upon.
….. Unfortunately not all followed through with the tenants of this code. There were some Piasts who, upon defeat, fled with those Rycerz most loyal to them. At times these rogue forces combined and returned to defeat the very tribe who conquered them.
….. What more, some Rycerz freed themselves from their Piast, and established themselves as freemen. Their leaders called themselves Yeomen.
….. About 80 O.C. two tribes were rising to power in the north; the Thariks, who held dominion in the west and the Kuraks, who held dominion in the east. The southern Moar-lands were still controlled by various smaller tribes. Both tribes had attained their right of rule in the traditional way, conquering the Gards of Piasts in the surrounding lands. Finally there were only a few powerful tribes in the north that had yet to be conquered by one or the other.
….. During this time Parthus was building strength in the south and west, extending its territories further north along the coast. The Tharik Piast, Prince Bortasz, foresaw a coming war with these invaders and believed that the Moarvik tribes must be united to face the challenge. He understood, though, that the few tribes holding out were proud and conquering them may be more costly. With what was a significant decision that changed the very nature of the Moarvik people, he sent envoys to each remaining Piasts. These envoys were chosen from the most charismatic and well spoken men, not renowned for their skills as warriors, but for their eloquence and diction. Most were heralds, the men who presented the titles of nobles during formal meetings. These envoys would eventually become very important to communication between the tribes (later they took up the name, Bard, from the Ronan Bardos, an old camus word that meant to “lift up the voice, shout out”. Prince Bortasz offered the other Piasts a chance to declare their loyalty to him and yet retain dominion of their tribe. A few refused the offer, but most saw it for a way out of a hopeless situation. They could retain their honor and yet save their people from pointless deaths. Thus Prince Bortasz chose a Parthan title, Dux, which meant "war leader", and hence became the first [Duke of Moar, and established himself as ruler over the various Magnates (erstwhile Moarvik tribal chiefs). The title of Piast was in time replaced with Count (taken from the J’amiran), which became a title of almost greater importance amongst the noble families, because the Duke had set up a system by which it was possible for the children of any Count to eventually become Duke.
….. Duke Bortasz spent the next thirty years trying to organize the remaining Moarvik Tribes into a single State, but there were too many discontent Starosta who refused to see the need for change. The best he could accomplish in his lifetime was to establish his own Gard as a central point of government, which he called Tharthin. The size of the town was enlarged dramatically, the wooden walls were replaced with stone, and a great stone sanctuary and keep were built on its zenith. As a symbol of his wealth and power the Duke had constructed a magnificent gate crested by two cavaliers carved in golden sandstone, The Golden Cavaliers. Each cavalier was mounted on a rearing steed, with their hooves touching the keystone and their lances rising towards the sky to bear the Duke’s Coat of Arms on flapping banners. From within these walls he was able to command an elite host of Rycerz, several thousand strong.
….. The Duke also maintained all other Gards, rather than razing them as had been traditional. He divided the realm into provinces, with an administrative setup similar to the older tribal pattern. Instead each Count continued to hold dominion over a specific territory, a County, and only answered to the Duke, serving as his local regent. They held power over all local issues of state; military, judicial, fiscal and administrative. The Duke surrounded himself with those Magnates he trusted the most and commanded a strong centralized power. High social position during these early stages transitioned from tribal ownership and personal wealth, to having a share in the power and rights bestowed by the Duke. The Duke also employed free Yeomen whenever the need arose, recognizing their importance in the overall defense of Moar. Yeomen were non-noble men who led other free-men as mercenary forces. They were allowed to maintain their independence so long as they paid a fair levy to the state. Finally, the duke also saw to it that all soldiers of the State were well armed. Before now individuals were required to equip themselves and that meant that only the wealthy and successful were well equipped, such as the Rycerz. Now, any man could be a well armed solider.
….. Moar’s greatest enemy remained the Kuraks. The Kuraks had their own great Gard, called Kurath, set on the edge of a dark wood to the east. They controlled the eastern lands from north to south between the Sylvan River and the savannahs just north of the desert of Vas-Meknor, where tribes of another race held control. Prince Magniard (meaning strong and hard) had been the fierce ruler Kurath and dominated all other Moarvik tribes in this region. He ruled as a typical Moarvik tyrant, razing the Gards of other Piasts he conquered and asserting control by might alone. Still, he couldn’t hold back the changes being made in the rest of the Moarlands. Those Piasts who swore allegiance to him began calling themselves Counts and Vis-counts, and referred to him as Duke. Despite these feign titles, he gave them very little power, preferring to have a direct hand in the rule of every aspect of his realm. As expected this didn’t prove an effective method, and his ability to expand his realm was limited by his own lack of charisma.

Thariks Vs. Kuraks
The War of Rycerz

….. In XXXX N.C. Duke Bortasz of Moar died, passing his throne to his second son, Piast Jarovald (meaning Fierce Ruler), who became Duke Jarovald.
….. Around XXX N.C. the Ronans began moving into the territories neighboring the Moarlands from the east. Their boats often sailed the Sylvan River and they had many settlements along the coasts. Rona was powerful and growing more powerful each year. They were a people of honor and virtue, and their religious order of knights held to a code that in many ways mimicked the Chivalric Code of the Moariks. Duke Jarovald, knew that the Ronan religious zeal was a force to be reckoned with and saw no reason to antagonize such a growing force. The Ronans had superior armor and though their cavalry wasn’t as great, their skill at war definitely exceeded that of the Rycerz. Both peoples recognized their common moral grounds and so struggled to find a peaceful coexistence. Unfortunately, the Kuraks stood between these two countries and would prove a driving wedge in Moarvik-Ronan relations.
….. Duke Magniard of the Kuraks saw the expanding Ronan colonization as an invasion and acted with typical brashness. He set his own Rycerz upon the Ronan colonies, burning many to the ground and capturing thousands of Ronan settlers. When their local Lords and religious leaders refused to swear allegiance to the Duke, the Kuraks were confused and insulted. They killed many and enslaved the rest. Rona’s retaliation at this unprecedented violence was swift and harsh. The Ronans mustered a huge army, crossed the Sylvarin and marched along the northern coast of the dark wood (Metanmyr). They were led by their religious leader, the High Lord of the Holy Crown and his knights, the Order of Thamor. When the war began, the Ronans immediately began to drive back the Kurak hordes. They had far more trained warriors, superior armor, and a better understanding of formations. They had been a warring people long before coming to Verosia. However, it didn’t take long for Duke Magniard to learn his mistakes and soon he began organizing massive forces of Rycerz to deal with the Ronan lines. The heavy cavalry cut through the Ronans with ease, and soon the tide of war began to shift in his favor.
Duke Jarovald of the Moarviks stayed out of this war at first, though many Moarvik Yeomen from the south were hired by the Ronans. Still the Kuraks were fierce horse masters and proved a greater force. Finally Duke Jarovald, seeing the possibility that the Kuraks would gain dominion over the free Yeomen if victorious, joined forces with the Ronans. He provided the northern Ronan forces their own Heavy Cavalry and taught the Ronans how to deal with the Rycerz tactics. This war thus became known as the War of the Lances.
Though the war was long and bitter, eventually the combined Ronan-Moarvik forces defeated the Kuraks. It was Duke Jarovald himself who called out Duke Magniard at the gates of Kurath and in a traditional Chezivor the Kurak duke went down on the field of battle. Duke Jarovald ordered the Gard of Kurath razed, but the Ronan General wouldn’t hear of it. Instead they took dominion over Kurath and most of the lands east of Moar. This would eventually become the city of Kurthain. Still Duke Jarovald returned as a hero to his people and was named Arch-Duke of all the Moarvik Lands.

The Parthan Threat
….. Meanwhile the Parthans continued to expand their territories in the south. The pressure from both sides began

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