Nations

Though there are many nations across the world, only four major powers remain, all others can be relegated to single towns and communities that are often paying taxes or made of members from the greater empires.

Major Powers

Onokrin Empire

Cities and Towns

Name: Daggard Keep
Empire: Onokrin
Local Lord(s): Crassus the Unbroken (male ogre), Bagman Herod (Formerly)
Layout: Fortress City
Economy: Daggard Keep is largely supplied by trade routes passing through from the Warren Federation, benefiting from taxes and tariffs for all cargo and people entering empire territory. The local industry caters to the soldiers positioned here as the first line of defense against potential raiders and elven incursions. This locale largely focuses on leisure activities and tourist industries that attract even those merely passing through to other empire towns. Actual production is small, with only modest non-empire recruits being trained to later become mercenaries or join federation forces further south. While it contains other forms of minor industry, none of it is truly notable.
Crime: Daggard Keep has an incredibly thriving black market that is largely run by the various caravans seeking to move dangerous, illegal, or simply tax-exempt goods through the empire. This criminal syndicate is largely controlled by multiple competing cartels always seeking to provide various services in an uneasy peace with each other. Despite brutal competition, each various criminal enterprise has an agreement with local law enforcement, keeping their dealings out of the public eye and not letting it spill over to threaten citizens or the status quo.
Population: Daggard Keep is incredibly multi-cultural due to its geographic position as the crossroads between all empires. As a result it is one of the most common place to find members of the Warren Federation or Steel Legion who have taken up permanent residence. While still a minority, these residents are considered a core aspect of the city life and are just as respected as regular citizens.
History: Daggard Keep was first formed as a military bastion to deter gnoll raiders coming north in search of new targets. This fortress served both as a ward and vigil against outside attackers and was positioned on the commonly accepted empire border. Being the last of the great towns to form but the second largest city has positioned it as being far more modern than other areas due to much of its infrastructure being built to current-day standards rather than updated over the centuries. Though less common after the wider spread use of firearms raids and attacks on the keep while it was in construction saw the rise of many famous and legendary lords who cut teeth in these early raids before moving on to new territories. The current lord of Daggard Keep is Crassus the Unbroken, an ogre battle mage renowned for his indomitable presence both on the field of battle and within the courts of nobles, being as much a diplomat as warrior he is often credited as the greatest ally to the rodentfolk, as it is his shrewd negotiations that saw the railroads being built to connect the two world powers more directly.
Ecology: Daggard Keep is a massive city covering a wide swathe of territory surrounded by massive stone walls lined end to end in gun turrets, canons, and munition stockpiles to defend its large population. Much of the keep is practical and functional erring on the use of space and building for economy over comfort. As a result the city is separated into three primary districts. The trade district where much of the tourism and leisure activities may be found. The bastion district which store houses of munition stockpiles and warehouses filled to the brim with trade goods remain under heavily armed guard. Then the sprawl district where housing is largely delegated, separated into its own sub-districts based on economic class."

Name: Barncowl Hold
Empire: Onokrin
Local Lord(s): Emperor Lucius Aratus (male human)
Layout: Castle City
Economy: The economy of Barncowl Hold is primarily supported by the lavish spending of aristocrats and nobles who make up the primary number of citizens. Barncowl is considered the seat of the empire, the bastion of leadership among the empire and, to many, where the true decisions are made for the fate of the Empire, Federation, and Legion. While lavish villas and lush gardens manicured for novelty and beauty are of the most valued industry, the most common job among the middle and lower class is that of clerks, bureaucrats, and otherwise middle management for the rest of the empire. The hostile nature of the world requires an efficient and effective bureaucracy, and the emperor spares no expense in ensuring all taxes, materials, and budgets are balanced daily. Those who are not civil servants are often actual servants, working with independent business making use of all the money coming in from wealthy families, guilds, and companies taking up residence in Barncowl to be adjacent to the emperor, often at the behest of lords whom these sycophants are employed by.
Crime: Next to non-existent, even by the nobility and potential criminal markets. Emperor Aratus is a firm believer in Baitaal and utterly loathes all form of crime, even sanctioned rackets or quasi-legal black markets. As such, enforcement of laws and regulations are paramount and often over staffed and given multiple layers of redundancy to curb potential corruption. Potential criminals in Barncowl do not consider if they can get away with their misdeeds, but can they accomplish them and disappear before the hammer of the law comes down.
Population: As the seat of the empire and with the emperor residing in his castle bastion petitioners from all walks of wealth and life come to take up residency in the hopes of currying favoror having laws and edicts passed that favor them. As a result much of the hold is of wealthier stock and somewhat diverse, as some of the most powerful federation families and legion clans have holdings to function as liaisons and diplomats. Though this remains an exception, rather than the rule, most of the hold retains citizen populations as humans, orcs, goblins, and ogres.
History: Barncowl Hold, despite its status as the seat of the empire, once came from truly humble origins as an overly large farming village. It was where the first alliance and subsequent peace between the early human farmers and orc tribes was brokered to ally against encroaching gnoll raiders. Being the first to take this stance the village of Barncowl quickly grew in size and wealth as rumors came that it was one of the safest villages to live. The then clan elder Aurian the First assumed leadership of the steadily growing village, establishing the first kings and noble families by offering his son in marriage to the tribal orc chieftains daughter. This lineage of kings can be traced all the way to the current emperor Lucius, whose family has maintained the growth and unity of all other surviving villages who brokered similar peace with any orc tribe willing to come to mutually beneficial terms.
Ecology: Barncowl Hold is a city fortress, protected by multiple layers of walls that separate the city into two districts. The velvet hold where castle Barncowl resides along with the houses of the nobility and the silver quarter where much of the luxury, bureaucracy, and other necessary holdings for operating the empire reside. While much of Barncowl can be considered modern the hold is ever under construction as its prior existence as a farming village lends it to a labyrinth maze of streets and buildings that did not come to be with much long term planning. While rare, some buildings can be said to have been built upwards of two millennia ago that still remain standing due to constant repairs and upgrades. Barncowl is also the only empire city to boast having a power grid that offers every building electricity, a fact that lends to what visitors describe as an enchanting colorful landscape day and night."

Name: Far Water
Empire: Onokrin
Local Lord(s): Maelstrom Krakus (male orc)
Layout: Port Town
Economy: The economy of Far Water is mainly one of trade in raw materials and magical reagents brought in by Steel Legion merchant ships seeking to sell them in empire territory. As such, Far Water has a thriving economy that depends mainly on the transport of goods from imports to exports. Secondarily, Far Water is known as the town of weavers, as a select few Legion clans have set up shop offering services to humans seeking to be weaved into whatever takes their fancy or what will aid them in their chosen professions. Finally, in addition to their imports, Far Water hosts an extensive fishing trade, collecting food and hunting large ocean dwelling creatures for bones, meat, and blubber.
Crime: Crime in Far Water is extremely high but largely unknown save for select nobles, merchants, and the syndicates running various operations. Though smaller in scale than its parent syndicate in Daggar Keep operations here run under the same principle of smuggling and local enforcers will look the other way as long as crime remains out of sight and the proper bribes are paid. Unlike Daggard Keep however Far Water specializes in moving dangerous or illegal magical materials, ranging from corpses to necromancers in need of bodies to more questionable materials used to produce dangerous magical items. As such, Far Water syndicates keep a much tighter control on their members and can be considered quite ruthless.
Population: Far Water's population is largely human and deerfolk, though those that wander the streets would be hard pressed to consider it truth as much of the port town has been weaved into \various forms and bodies that rarely resemble humans. While boasting a modest population of other races, the amenities available to humans and provided by deerfolk, who live far better lives \in Far Water than within the Steel Legion, sees a steady influx of both races who come for work, weaving, or to take up residence.
History: Far Water began as a modest fishing village, one that had a degree of isolation from most raiders compared to other empire towns in its formative years of development. As the first king Aurian began to grow his influence and unite the struggling human realms Far Water was the first to join. The locals then saw it as only a boon that would benefit the newly formed empire far more than anyone at the time was aware. Far Water was the first town to discover and make contact with the steel legion, whose clans saw them as an opportunity to one up their rivals through trading weaponry, in particular firearms. By luck of circumstance, this grew Far Water into an extensive and wealthy trading port town who grew rich on trading weapons for materials and magical items brought to them by the steel legion.
Ecology: While on the cusp of being considered a city in its own right, Far Water is still classified as a town, with a large port that makes up most of its coastline and numerous dwellings trailing alongside the many docks. Due to its nature as being so openly spread out along the coast, Far Water is considered a quite open and “breezy” town where the quality of life is higher due to a more careful approach on aesthetic life, made all the more impressive by the artistry of deerfolk whom come to reside in the city in its later years, bringing with them their distinct designs from the Steel Legion."

Name: Pernith
Empire: Onokrin
Local Lord(s): Melanie the Verdent (female goblin)
Layout: Farming Town
Economy: Pernrith, also known as the Verdant Spring, is the primary source of agriculture through out the empire. It boasts miles of fields in its nutrient rich soils that offer incredible crop yields which are harvested and shipped all over the empire and beyond. Much of this cultivation makes up its economy, but Pernrith also supports a great number of guild halls and mercenary companies who are employed to protect the expansive reach that could not be as easily walled off as other holdings. Despite this Pernith is considered the prime location where most fresh recruits from soldiers to mercenaries alike can be trained, combating dangerous local fauna and the occasional bandit.
Crime: Crime is relatively low in Pernrith, often having petty and non-serious offensive such as theft being the most common form of banditry. As a result, Pernrith is considered quite peaceful and desired place to live, in particular among low skilled and lower class citizens looking for a simple life to ply simple trades. Much of Pernrith's guard works with local mercenaries and soldiers, trading years of experience from long term enforcers for the extra man power.
Population: As Pernrith is not considered a particularly desired locations by nobility or outsiders it can be considered an empire town through and through, boasting a populace of families who've lived in the realm since the first buildings were constructed. It's relative separation into countrysides also provide the ideal isolation that salamanders and trolls enjoy, leading to a number taking up residence in the more fringe areas.
History: Pernrith has a long history as an agriculture town that parallels the long lineage of the lord family that has ruled over it since time immeasurable. The current lord Melanie the Verdent is said to have an almost magical understanding of agriculture and plant life, and through her guidance has grown and cultivated the land to the pristine nature it is now, just as her father and grandmother before her. Pernrith was, however, the site of an almost civil war with the burgeoning empire as they had refused to join willingly and were forcefully annexed. This had lead to a long history of contention until the last turn of the century, when a series of elven sabotages strengthened Pernrith's loyalty and desire for protection from the empire.
Ecology: Pernrith can be considered largely decentralized, with the main town surrounded and supported by miles upon miles of country homes where farmers tend to wide swathes of fields with legions of farmhands and workers whose own homes dot the country side, ranging from communal work houses to cottages. The lack of centralization prevents the building of much needed walls to keep out potentially dangerous wildlife, so the borders of Pernrith often have military garrisons and naturally stronger species daring to live on the cheaper but more hazardous borders."

Name: Crullfield
Empire: Onokrin
Local Lord(s): Bonecaller Magnus Souldour (male ogre) Layout: Industrial Town
Economy: Crullfield was once an agriculture center much like the neighboring Pernrith before the passing of its former lord Angor the Titan several decades ago. The new lord to take his place was Bonecaller Magnus, the first necromancer to become a lord and first of the priests of Xaal to become begrudgingly respected by the nobility. He has since turned Crullfield into an industrial powerhouse through the use of raising mindless skeletons to perform menial factory work in conditions no sane living creature would ever work in. With the worst and most hazardous jobs handled by the dug up graves of the former buried the strata of locals improved vastly, as Magnus was a forward thinker, allowing even the most simple minded of living people to find employment in jobs that largely worked with maintaining the skeletal hordes whom kept the factories and smoke stacks running day and night. This has severely polluted the land and nearby lakes but brought with it fantastical wealth and Crullfield is the manufacturer for most of the empire. From guns, rail lines, armor, weapons, if it can be mass produced it can be found here, skillfully made by the mindless dead.
\ Crime: Crime is a strange thing in Crullfield, as a black market exists but is at constant odds with local enforcers, many of whom are necromancers themselves who employ undead and sometimes even daemons to combat criminals, as few criminals will allow themselves to be captured and fight tooth and nail to avoid being potentially executed and added to the legions of mindless workers. As such, crime is few but what exists is brutal and volatile, as enforcers and criminals are always seeking to increase their ruthless methods to protect both themselves and what they see as their livelihood.
Population: Crullfield is primarily ogre and goblins in population, as goblins are well suited for industrial and skilled labor that undead workers cannot handle, while ogres are prized for their magical skills and are often selected among those looking to become necromancers. The harsh living conditions and pollution also lead to most resident being of hardier stock, leading to a small population of orcs, minotaurs, and rodentfolk who can live in relative comfort despite the state of the environment.
History: What Crullfield was before lord Magnus took control hardly matters, it is the current history that most known the town for. Crullfield is at odds with the rest of the empire, being too useful and too wealthy to be easily sanctioned for its flippant and open use of necromancy. While not exactly illegal, most outside who do not reap the benefits and easy, if unclean, living that the citizens of Crullfield have often condemn it as a sick perversion and insult to the dead. This fact is not improved by the likes of Magnus, a necromancer of immense power who has been challenged by multiple lords whom he has killed and turned into his mindless champions. Though the emperor subtly disproves of the current lord's methods by withdrawing militarily aid and heightening taxes, Crullfield can more than make up for it with its wealth and dead legions, making it as fortified and well defended as any other empire town.
Ecology: As an industrial town Crullfield is a dense urban sprawl of tightly packed homes, smoke stacks, and ever pollutant spewing factories that dot the landscape. What little plants grow around the city are pale and deadened with only the hardiest of weeds surviving in the barren conditions. Even the nearby lake is heavily polluted, its fish all but gone and only scum suckers and bottoms feeders left among the muddy and fetid waters. Despite this, even the poorest citizen of Crullfield can be considered wealthy by the standards of other towns and most live quite well if one can ignore the ever present smog."

Name: Laketown
Empire: Onokrin
Local Lord(s): Bloody-Hand Krenthis (male orc), Sad King Briareus (Formerly)
Layout: Unsurprisingly, a Lake Town
Economy: The economy of Laketown can be considered 'balanced' compared to other towns more specialized resources. From fishing, farming, industry, to the production of magic materials. It's idyllic nature has attracted a large swathe of ogres and mages seeking to hone their craft and laketown boasts one of the largest institutions of magi that can be found across the empire. It is here where most mages first receive their rune lanterns and subsequent training.
Crime: Laketown has a moderate level of crime, mostly done by mages and smugglers who work in tandem to research magic unsanctioned by the local institutions or deemed to dangerous for active study. Magi seeking to progress in these fields of magic often require rare, hazardous, or difficult to obtain materials that smugglers are all to happy to provide for the right price.
Population: Laketown has a largely balanced population, with all walks of life within the empire represented, though it has a large amount of ogres and humans thanks to its emphasis on magical studies. Due to its relative distance to both the federation and legion, it is quite rare to see residents from their respective factions within Laketown's borders, but not unheard of. Most however are temporary residents, seeking training in the arcane arts before returning to elsewhere.
History: Laketown, a modest realm of modest means with supported an even more modest life until ogres had officially joined the empire. Though the ogres had split themselves among much of the empire, those that held themselves to be the most adept mages chose to settle in Laketown at the behest of the emperor so that they may create the same institutions that to this day produce the powerful mages the empire relies heavily upon. Though a peaceful town, the current ruling lord is anything but. When the former lord passed lordship was awarded to Krenthis the Bloody-Hand, a military general who had seen exemplary success fighting against the elves in numerous conflicts. This change in leadership lead to growing conflict between the local mages and Krenthis, who despised them and has been slowly trying to shift the local enforcers and people to adopt ballistic weaponry entirely over what he sees as unreliable and dangerous magic.
Ecology: Laketown is, unsurprisingly, a lake town. It's primary strata located on a large lake where fishermen ply a bountiful trade further supported by external farms beyond the city walls. Laketown supports quite a few factories and guilds as well, leading to a local industry that, while nothing special, boast a modest level of production. Finally you have the various mage institutions, a handful of esteemed and wealthy colleges whom indict and train mages within the empire and beyond."