The Regalian Archipelago is considered, in many ways, to be the center of Aloria. Because the archipelago is the capital of the Regalian Empire, it has experienced many changes and turns over the years as the Empire grew in size and power, leading to an influx of migration into the continent. People from Daen, Essalonia, The North Belt and Oldt Era, and more all flock to Regalia's lucrative wealth and security, all eager for a piece of the plentiful pie. From its inception to its current status as home to perhaps the most powerful empire of Aloria, Regalia is home to many, whether they are advocates for the empire or criminals hiding in plain sight.
Calderliga: The homeland of the Calderligan Culture, Calderliga itself has a far greater impact on the wider Regalian Archipelago than its small territorial reach might suggest. Run by merchants and bankers, this region operates the Calderliga Union, a trade web across the entire Archipelago which is responsible for the trade and transport of thousands of goods every day, over land, sea, and most experimentally, air. The region itself is mostly flat, with some hills, and largely made up of closely-packed islands, with dense mercantile cities resting among relatively unspoiled nature.
Regalia: Regalia, also called the Crown Isle, while among the smallest territorially of all the distinct regions in the Regalian Archipelago, is by far the most significant. Resting at the very heart of the Archipelago in The Regal Sea, Regalia has been a seat to leadership for centuries, going back into the days of the Regalian Kingdom which existed before the Regalian Empire known today. As a result, while the island does possess farms and other minor industries across much of its surface, it has largely geared itself toward the City of Regalia, the core of the entire Empire which rivals most Altalar cities in Daen with its sheer size and massive population. Vast and advanced works of technology have been constructed and now sit maintained to help fuel this city and ensure the majority of its inhabitants live in amicable conditions to help facilitate their service to the Empire’s capital. People of every Race and Culture fill this city and occasionally filter out into the surrounding countryside, all there for some reason, some purpose, whether it is aiding one of the most powerful nations of Aloria or hindering it. Its population sits at over a million people, and its terrain is varied, from small forests between broad agricultural areas to a few peaks in the northeastern corner of the main island.
Kintyr: One of the oldest areas of the Regalian Archipelago, Kintyr is a dark, stormy, mystic-filled land for generations. Its origins are as intertwined with myth as the Imperial Culture’s origins are with modern politics. The territory has been the homeland of the Breizh Culture for all of that time, and while not part of many political actions, they played one key role three centuries ago. Their soldiery, making up the elite army of the Regalian Kingdom, did nothing when the Five Family Rebellion broke out, which allowed the rebellious Houses to easily win. When the Regalian Empire arose, Kintyr joined the wider state, and soon accepted Unionism, but its original beliefs and local customs have remained strong. Breizh Unionism emerged from this region, and the Breizh remain devoted to the art of war to this day. The territory is a region filled with dense, misty woodlands, dark swamps, and broad open orchard and farm fields while the Twyntyr and Machyntyr Mountains sit along their western border. Their northern islands sit well within The Frozen Flats, a territory where the sea water freezes for much of the year, making it impassable for ships, and only melts or recedes in the depth of summer.
Anglia
Middle Anglia
Angelland: The picture of an agricultural region, Angelland is home to a mix of Akkerman and Axelland Anglians who populate the fields and major urban cities. The territory is a divided one, but one that largely exists in peace, with Dragon Worship in the north, Dogartan Unionism in the west, and Dogmatic Unionism covering the rest of the landmass. Angelland’s terrain is rich with grain fields, few forests remaining (save in the north, where the ancient Nort Beesterwald stands thick and dense) and is also dotted with swamps and rivers, with the beginning of the Axel River found here.
Hartenland: Hartenland is the true heartland of the Anglian people. Home to their most ancient cities, among them Axenfoord, and the majority of the most traveled waterways like the Axel River, Hartenland’s entire focus is on agricultural production much like its sister regions. It is dominated by Akkerman and Axelland Anglians, and has an intense loyalty to House Kade. The terrain is much like neighboring Angelland, only more sophisticated in its land reclamation, the swamps peeled back for farming regularly, and not the wild, savage expanses they used to be.
Door-Inner: Also called Dorinn by outsiders, Door-Inner is the homeland of the theatrical and artistically inclined Door-Inner Group. Formerly led by House Lo, the region was heavily overseen by House Kade following the mental snap of the House’s matriarch, and Imperial Culture came to dominate the urban heartland of the territory as a result. The Door-Inners remain notable in Aloria for their actors and playwrights, rivalling the distant Arvost Republic in their experimentation with form and style. The territory is also known for its alchemy and brewing facilities, converting the bounty of those around them into tonics, potions, and alcohols consumed Empire-wide.
Hoogeland: Hoogeland has long benefited from its proximity to Merredweg, and the ease of trading opportunities offered by the fairly routine draining of The Inner Angle Sea. The territory was once a march-land, established to serve as a buffer against conflict with tribal Ailor in the north, but the birth of the Caeren and later Dunbrae Cultures greatly calmed these raids. The region is now a religious battleground, Unionism long encroaching on the Dragon Worshipers of the region and violence between the two parties has only grown with the reemergence of many Dragons across Aloria. The region is highly hilly, with light mists similar to the moors of the lands to their north.
South Anglia
Eldringen: Eldringen, also called the Lakeland, is a relatively isolated region dominated by Dogartan cloisters along with a minor population largely made up of Lower-Heeres. The territory is filled with freshwater lakes and surrounding swampland, being home to skilled fishermen and aquaculturists rather than farmers, as land reclamation efforts are slow with the Dogartan faith permeating so deep into the surrounding region.
Lokkenland: Homeland of the Zuidvelde Group, Lokkenland has been a political hotbed in recent years due to the notoriety earned by House Harhold, a significant local presence. Possessing a few freshwater lakes to call their own while sharing others with Eldringen, Lokkenland is instead an industrial region heavily focused on agricultural products to drive the major cities, producing an array of goods to send elsewhere. Unfortunately, it has also been a point of harsh anti-non-Ailor and anti-non-”pure”-Ailor sentiment due to Harhold’s rise, and it was at their hand that political affairs like the expulsion of Old Gods Anglians occured in neighboring lands.
Shierenland: Shierenland is much like Waddenland to its north, with the benefit of the Waddenzee to its east. However, much like Erlen, a significant part of the local populace is invested into the position of marchers, guarding Anglia from attacks that can be easily perpetrated across the Waddenzee given the right planning. The region has a similar geography to Waddenland, though its treeline is more dense.
Verreland: Verreland, another Lower-Heerse Anglian region, was recently the site of several noble conflicts. Spurred on by a swell in anti-Old Gods sentiments, as much as a third of the populace, all of that faith, fled to escape the wrath of Unionists. Unionism has since taken over the territory, and has replaced its missing populace with other Anglian subgroups, forming a united, Unionist, Anglian region. Unlike the other western islands, Verreland is also densely forested by the Westwall Forest along its western coastline that borders the Bastarian Sea.
Solleria
North Solleria
Erlen: A region largely inhabited by AnglianAilor, Erlen was relatively empty for decades before waves of migration beginning in 160 AC populated the area. It is dominated by the Lower-Heere Group, who follow Dragon Worship, and has a longstanding march tradition in standing against rogue Velheim raiders who seek to reave Anglian lands, but also out of a fear of the SolstitharKathar to their south. The regional geography is hilled and rocky.
Anchal: Anchal is a territory dominated by Solstithar Kathar, migrants who came decades ago and spread their Race through both Dread Rebirth and natural procreation. The Kathar locals worship the Faith of Estel and the Cult of Evolution, but the peace they have stuck with the Dragon Worshiping Anglians along their eastern coast and more stringent Estellians among the Solvaan is commendable. The region is best known for its Grey Regiments, whole units of soldiers specially trained, but also for their gladiatorial arenas, widely lauded as some of the best in the Empire. Anchal’s terrain is varied, but temperate.
Calleïa: The last settled province of what is widely called Solleria, Calleïa is dominated by Solvaan Altalar but is overall lightly populated. The territory nowadays is a mist-filled moorland, like its neighboring southern territories, and holds little of significance.
South Solleria
Milaaneia: Milaaneia is also part of Solleria, but is similarly lightly populated as its northern neighbor. Instead, much of the terrain is dominated by large plantations producing teas, Tabacca, wines, and indigo. The territory is just as misty as Calleïa, but possesses a series of wide open land dominated by the aforementioned plantations.
Valei-Maan: Valei-Maan, or the Estel Gift-lands are a more heavily populated region of Solleria. It is said the land’s dense woodlands were the result of a priestess’ use of Valei long ago to bring life to a barren, hard place. Regardless of this truth, the forests of Valei-Maan are well preserved between the developed cities, and are commonly Imperial hunting grounds, with the region rich in animal life as a result. The territory is also just as misty as the rest of Solleria.
Essaleia: First-Land of Solleria and the most densely inhabited province, Essaleia was the site of the first Altalar settlements in Solleria. Besides the native Solvaan Altalar, the region also plays host to small numbers of Ithanian-cultured residents and large numbers of Tolonne Ailor in its northeastern reaches. The territory is also home to the tomb complex of the Unwritten God and Unionist HeroSinavaal, and many ancient towers rise out of the thick mists.
Westmark
Basta: Basta is a religious heartland of the Regalian Empire, covered in temples to the Divine Beings and a site for multiple colleges, academies and training camps for various Unionism-focused organizations. The territory was once the seat of the trade-focused Iltar Kingdom, but it was one of the first regions to be incorporated into the growing Regalian Empire, though through wholly peaceful means. The region’s territory is rocky and heavily hilled, resulting in divided but largely co-operative cities whose status as bastions of faith (giving that term its origins in the Common tongue) has long meant they are independently minded.
Wysland: Unquestionably an urban-focused, industrial state, Coal is said to grow in Wysland, which is of course incorrect. The territory has mined the Lyds Mountain Ridge extensively over the past several decades, while also using local rivers to power the first in a series of fabric-production facilities thanks to the use of waterwheels. There is also an outpost of Imperial Culture on the northwestern peninsula, being influenced by both nearby Basta and its own trade connections.
Callas: Callas is the homeland of the Burdigala, a Culture formed from a blend of Heartland and Ithanian values, alongside a dash of cloister life. Once depopulated due to a plague, the region is now a vibrant, thriving land, beautiful rivers feeding vineyards and farms to produce some of the most beloved wines and cheeses of the Regalian Empire. The territory has also been highly independent and insular, avoiding surrounding calamities and thoroughly embracing the Calderligan Union to spread their goods with ease and speed.
Dragenthal
Drixenhal
Steerland: One in a series of primarily rural and Heartland Ceardian-dominated regions at the core of the Archipelago, Steerland is in the process of having its lands Imperialized given their extreme proximity to the Crown Isle, the seat of this new Culture. Steerland is a major cattle-producing region, and it also gets its name from being the first location to help steer goods down the Schönn River into The Riverlands.
Ceardenland: Ceardenland is widely considered the “homeland” of the Heartland Ceardian Culture. It is here that the Ceardian migrants who would one day become the Heartlanders settled here alongside the Velheim already present in The Schönn Riverlands. The dense riverlands based around the Lutton River (which leads to the Lutton Strait) has also given rise to many aspiring naval recruits for the Regalian Empire. Alongside this, its notability as a cultural region has led to many archeology excavations in recent years since the loss of Old Ceardia and a critical link back to the earliest Ailor.
Southwynd: Home of the Wynderwald, Southwynd is a lightly populated region with little of note about it. However, the Wynderwald is a strange forest, portions of it made into Imperial hunting grounds, but seemingly absent of most animals. There is little knowledge of just what the Imperial Family has hunted in the region for decades, but a common claim is that the forest is merely the surface of a grand cave network holding many sorts of unique animals.
Dragenwall
Aexe: Aexe rests across the water from Steerland, and serves as lumber hub, cutting down the fringes of the vast forest infamously known as Drachenwald which crosses through many regions. Here, the forest has long been cut back and pruned, where once it reached as far as The Schönn Riverlands, and that lumber travels south and north to fuel the shipyards of the Empire. The region’s territory is also dense with rivers, in addition to the light forests.
Mansfield: Relatively unremarkable compared to the other Heartland Ceardian regions, Mansfield is notable for its academic focus more than anything else. The territory has produced some of the finest historians and linguists of the Regalian Empire, many of whom now find themselves keeping close to home by working in neighboring Ceardenland. Mansfield is also known for its charitable nobility, with many of those educated in its schools orphans or paupers, unable to normally enter institutes like Eaton Academy, instead being sponsored to attend. The territory is criss-crossed by various rivers as well, many spilling down from nearby Genevaud and its high mountains.
Genevaud: Home of the Genevaud Culture, this same-named region is nestled in the Genevaine Alps and was long a bastion of independence. Hard to reach, the Ailor tribesmen within the mountains only warmed to outsiders thanks to the prothetizing of Unionist Celates and lay-priests, becoming dedicated to the Regalian Empire soon after. Their society is well known for staying neutral in the affairs surrounding them, focused on internal affairs, but their mercenary bands of pikemen and constant supply of young men and women to Basta’s various combat academies make the region a silent powerhouse. It is ruled through a unique local system, called the Cantons, and its mountains are a source of freshwater few surrounding regions can live without. The territory is also bordered by Lake Langthal.
Pays Sud
Tuillère: The colony-region of the Tolonne Culture, Tuillère is at the axis of trade and travel through many areas of the Regalian western-half of the Regalian Archipelago. Its people are devoted to the Tolonne way, and their nobles are fierce enough to keep others from meddling in their local affairs. It is from here that many Tolonne cooks and musicians travel, able to reach the southern lands with ease, move into Solleria with swiftness, sail north into Anglian or Imperial lands, proceed up through neighboring Ithanian regions on land or use The Schönn Riverlands to reach the capital and Heartland territories. Tuillère itself is relatively diverse, with open plains, some humidity in the southern lands making arid, rocky terrain, and forests sitting to the east on the bordering with neighboring Pays Vert.
Pays Vert: A lush and verdant territory, Pays Vert is considered by many to be a minor cousin of the Forriesta Natal, and a forest fully in a temperate zone. Indeed, the region as a whole is vastly green, with the thick Vertenne Forest covering its western half while in the east, thick hills are snaked through by rivers from Lake Alais reaching The Bastarian Sea. Unlike its neighbors, Pays Vert’s nature is largely, with Imperial hunting grounds resting in the Vertenne Forest, and orchards, not plantations, provide the majority of the area’s economic wealth.
Pays d’Or: The epicentre of the Ithanian Gem Boom, Pays d’Or is a densely populated area of the Ithanian territorial strip across the southern reaches of the Regalian Archipelago, Once land empty of major settlements, Ithanian merchants both prospecting and then speculating caused thousands more of their brothers and sisters to migrate from Ithania, filtering into all surrounding areas while also boosting the Regalian economy through their excavation of the region’s natural wealth. While gems were certainly of greatest note among those treasures found, the region is still known for its Gold mines, which have yet to run dry unlike most of the mineral veins in the river-streaked region. Pays d’Or also sits at the end of The Schönn Riverlands and its control over regional islands is essential for trade.
Vixhall: Widely considered the heartland of the Ithanian presence in the Regalian Archipelago, Vixhall has an ancient history. Once part of the Hecarian Kingdom, and then the successor Hacarian Kingdom, this region was the first to face the expansion of the Regalian Empire, with much of its land laid aside for House Ivrae de Sange, then not Ithanian, but still the Imperial Family of the Empire. However, following the Gem Boom and due to prior trade contacts, the region was successfully Ithanianized along with the Imperial Family. While the Ivrae are no longer Emperors, their House is still strong, and their vineyards produce wines to rival that of distant Ithania and neighboring Callas. Vixhall is covered in fertile soil, grand rivers and opulent estates. It is often considered to sit in the Vixhall Riverlands, an offshoot of The Schönn Riverlands.
Coutance: Coutance is the least notable of all the Ithanian-heavy regions in the Regalian Archipelago. Crushed between Dressolini, Heartland, Genevaud, Burdigala and other Ithanian lands, it has kept its Culture intact through strict adherence to Ithanian values, and is largely considered unfriendly to all other regions save its Ithanian sisters. Its land is fertile, and it is largely focused on grain production, with freshwater delivered by Lake Langthal and the rivers that flow down from the Monts of Montania.
The Warm Lands
San Girobalda: San Girobalda is the heartland of the Daendroque and former seat of the Sudlander Principality, a trading nation which rose to fill the void of the Iltar Kingdom’s fall, and later willingly joined the Regalian Empire. Despite the Daendroque characterization as disloyal and rebellious, San Girobalda has long remained very loyal to the Empire, though crime has often been an issue in the region. The territory is arid and rocky, but it's lifeline is the coastline, with the baronies that hold the Girobalda Shipyards being bastions of Imperial Culture and churning out dozens of ships a month for both state and personal uses by a variety of clients. It is also the traditional homeland of House Anahera, and the Anahera House of Trade which regulates Opium within the Empire. It, along with all other San regions, borders The South Regal Sea.
San Mataverda: Called San Verdant by some outsiders, San Mataverda is a lusher, less arid than those areas around it but with the same humidity factor as much of the south. Its plantations grow an assortment of herbs (most notably rosemary) and of course, Poppies, for culinary dishes of numerous regions across the Archipelago but also refinement and shipment into Anahera-controlled warehouses.
San Selin: San Selin is often called the “dark underbelly” of the Daendroque-controlled south, as it is here that slavery fuels the economy. The region is also the most criminally controlled, the last bust of a major crime ring dating back to shortly after 250 AC, showing the deep-seeded nature of the local syndicates. The area is also home of the Monzon Order, a Knight Order focused on service to the criminals around them who are often also as close to nobles as possible. The terrain is relatively flat with several lazy rivers drifting through the air, though the water is cloudy and often needs to be boiled to remove the diseases which fester within. The territory has recently seen its smooth, sandy coastline extensively converted to Imperial Culture.
San Dirva: Sometimes called the Spicerack of the South, San Dirva continues the verdant nature of nearby San Maraverda but is instead influenced by a near equal populace of Suvial Altalar to Ailor. These Suvial were once part of a limited mission to distant Solvaan, but chose to settle nearby due to economic draws. As a result, San Dirva’s plantations contrast well with those of San Mataverda, instead growing plants like Dragonflower and other spicy vegetation for themselves and trade abroad. The region is rather hilled, which lends itself well to beautiful views, while much of its coastline is cliffed.
The Tropic Lands
Natal: Home to perhaps the oldest forest in the Regalian Archipelago, Natal is a region largely cleared of its population due to the sin of xenophobia and also heresy against Unionism. When Unionism came to the Forriesta Natal, a deep-growth humid forest, it is believed to have combined with the anti-Nelfin mindset of the Daendroque who dominated the area as well as a dark cult who sacrificed blood in the name of perpetuating the world and growth of the Forriesta. The Diviner Sect that emerged was soon declared heretical and survived multiple efforts to purge it. At last, the transposition of the Holy Herebrand Order from New Regalian territory in 308 AC into leadership of the region saw the Diviner Sect chased into San Girobalda, where they were then finished off. Natal has devoted itself to loyal service and continues to log the region’s forest for lumber to send to San Girobalda for its shipyards.
Bragas: Alongside Essaboa and Alveriade, Bragas is part of a trio of Bragacao Ailor-dominated regions of the Regalian Archipelago. Bragas was the first region to be settled, a series of trading outposts established along the coastline which still give the modern baronies their name. However, following the lead of the nearby Sudlander Principality, after the Bragacao population grew, they broke control from the distant Kingdom of Lusits and swore fealty to the Regalian Empire before 150 AC. Since that time, Bragas has largely served as a mining territory, quarrying various types of sought after stone for travel down its regional rivers, spilling forth from Lake Alais, and to the coastal cities where it is transported elsewhere.
Essaboa: Alongside Bragas and Alveriade, Essaboa is part of a trio of Bragacao Ailor-dominated regions of the Regalian Archipelago. Essaboa was settled last, the gap between the two other territories made up by treks inland through the hilly, rocky local terrain where settlements were established which are now largely inhabited by Daendroque Ailor. Arid and limited in population, the region is only notable for its Daen workforce, who often travel for seasonal work in the nearby Forriesta Natal, found to the region’s east.
Alveriade: Alongside Essaboa and Bragas, Alveriade is part of a trio of Bragacao Ailor-dominated regions of the Regalian Archipelago. Where the other two are labor focused, Alveriade is heavily commercially focused. It’s trading cities, strewn on local islands and down the coastline, are prime locations for training the sailors of the future which is exactly what many do. The region also claimed cultural continuation from the Sudlander Principality, and its mercantile focus, as it was closest to the original state. It borders The Rivel Sea found to its west, as do all three Bragacao regions.
The Island Chains
South Kassar Isles: The South Kassar Isles are often compared to Rivel, unfairly in many cases, given the wide array of non-Ailor who reside there. But in fact, many Ailor do live there, Etosians in background, who have learned to get along with the Asha, Qadir, and Songaskian minorities who have gradually migrated to the region over the decades. Of course, the Qadir and the Songaskians do not get along whatsoever, but they have learned to avoid one another in their settlements and traveling. Many of the Songaskians formerly living in Rivel were forced to move here after the end of the First Songaskian War, many innocent of any treasonous actions yet still forced out by their neighbors and zealous local governments. The Isles are all arid, desert regions, with only some having lush surroundings thanks to oases or minimal Asha technology used to help make life easier.
North Rivel: North Rivel has often been a backwater in the mind of the wider Archipelago, and for good reason. Found in the south, the region is a transit point for distant or foreign travelers to stay, exchange their coinage, and ideally book passage to elsewhere in the Archipelago. Unfortunately, like most fringe lands, Northern Rivel’s population has become a refuge for such groups rather than a true transition point in their life, and they find their lives better there than elsewhere. The region is home to the remains of the Eerstwald Kingdom, a territory gradually gobbled up by the Regalian Empire decades ago. It was in North Rivel that the First Songaskian War saw its first clashes, major conflict happening across the central landmass of Parapola before it was successfully taken, and used to launch the Songaskian Masaya up The Schönn Riverlands. However, following the conflict, the Songaskian presence here all but vanished, leaving the melting to consist now largely of Daendroque Ailor, Allar, and Asha though with a notable Sihai minority thanks to the former rulers, the Fong family. North Rivel faces The Rivel Sea to the east and The West Regal Sea to its northwest and west. The islands feature a generally tropical climate, with the notable Ferreira-a-Nova Atoll sitting in the north while in the south, Parapola and its surrounding islands have light jungles and mudflats bordered by rocky coastlines.
South Rivel: South Rivel has often been a backwater in the mind of the wider Archipelago, and for good reason. Found in the south, the region is a transit point for distant or foreign travelers to stay, exchange their coinage, and ideally book passage to elsewhere in the Archipelago. Unfortunately, like most fringe lands, Southern Rivel’s population has become a refuge for such groups than a true transition point in their life, and they find their lives better there than elsewhere. The region is home to the remains of the Eerstwald Kingdom, a territory gradually gobbled up by the Regalian Empire decades ago. South Rivel has long been an Allar-dominated part of Rivel, though just like the North, Asha, Daendroque and others make up part of the local populace. It was from South Rivel though that the Mai-Allar tribes who helped the Songaskian Masaya invade came from, resulting in them being chased off in the following years. The territory faces The Rivel Sea to the east, The West Regal Sea to its northwest and west, and possesses a similar tropical climate to its northern neighbor. However, it’s geography is largely arid rock, sand beaches, dense coral reefs and a few, far smaller, atolls dotting the area.
Vultaro-Montania
Etna: Etna is one of the least populated parts of the Regalian Archipelago, almost rivaling distant Drixagh in its entirety for one simple reason: the volcanoes. While most Regalians do not know it, there are still active volcanoes in the world, and several sit within this vast territory. The “Terre di Fuoco” or “Land of Fire” as it is known is the epicenter of these active peaks, sitting in the region’s northwestern half. It has been well over a century since one of these peaks erupted, at the edges of the territory, and now its eruption-spawned fertile soil is put to good use by the native Dressolini lower-classmen, some of whose families have lived here since from before the Cataclysm and know the Land of Fire like the back of their hand. Then, there is Vulcano Etna, a separate and highly active region which is home to one of the largest volcanoes in Aloria, the same-named Vulcano Etna. It last erupted some 200 years ago, but when it did, the ash fell so far it reached Drixagh, and many other strange things occurred. Luckily, while both areas are active, they are calming down, though many towns around these peaks still practice drills for evacuation.
Montania: The homeland of the Dressolini people, Montania has been through hell and back several times in its history. Inhabited by simple tribes of Ailor, the arrival of escaped slaves of the Allorn Empire helped imbue the region with a vaguely Daendroque identity. However, following the birth of the New Regalians, the Dressolini emerged as well, schooled in military strategy alongside a focus on music. However, the region has recently fallen into the control of the Half-Eronidas Ryker Lampero, the bastard son of the last living Lampero heir, himself an outcast due to his blonde hair and huge stature among a sturdy yet short, olive-skinned and dark-haired people. Montania is now part of the Vultarin Hegemony, and while initially fearful of the Eronidas military presence, the territory now has a huge contingent of Ailor soldiers working alongside these outsiders, and the region has remained loyal to the state. The regional geography is heavily mountainous, filled with valleys and coastal lowlands. Montania is also home to the impressive Lake Isseo.
Vultaro: Considered Montania’s “sister state,” Vultaro was often treated like a younger sibling, bullied and kept subservient to its high-culture-focused neighbor. It was in Vultaro that much of the mining was engaged in, with vast amounts of Coal being sent northwest and out through the region’s ports, particularly Lampeport. It was from here that House Lampero ruled, until the local populace rebelled against the rule of Tristan Lampero, causing massive instability that Montania moved in to try and fix. House di Alan, long Lampero rivals, succeeded in crushing the revolts, only for Ryker Lampero to step in and bisect all male heirs to the House in a duel they agreed to before breaking the terms. With di Alan’s line extinct in the patriarchal Dressolini society, Ryker has since taken his family birthright and neighboring Montania. While the locals were initially fearful of the Eronidas military presence, the territory has since formed a huge contingent of Ailor soldiers working alongside these outsiders, and the region has remained loyal to the state. Vulturo is also the origin point of Vultragon Unionism. The regional geography is heavily mountainous, filled with valleys and coastal lowlands, pocketmarked by the damages of the revolt and its crushing, but also heavy mining while drains the mountains of their valuable base elements. Vulturo gives its name to The Vultarin Sea that sits off its western coastline, and has The Vixerrois Sea off its eastern coastline.
Chiaria: Homeland of the Azzizzari, Chiaria is a region based around the three main islands of Salerma, Syran, and Casicillis, alongside a number of smaller regions. Originally Daendroque in population much like the mainland, the region’s culture diverted to a more relaxed society thanks to Dressolini input, though few converted fully to this other Culture. The region is now a land of relaxation and enjoyment, with the sun shining down on a lush landscape of plantations growing tomatoes, coffee beans and other exotic goods used in the region’s legendary cuisine. The region also has heavy criminal ties to the nearby San Strip, it’s local criminal Aziendas dominating much of the smuggling across the area. The territory is bordered by The Vultarin Sea in the east, and The South Regal Sea in the south.
Waldmark
Treppewiss: Treppewiss is best known as the home of the successful von Treppenwitz family, heads of a New Regalian marshal-focused nobility ruling a split Heartland Ceardian/New Regalian population. The southern corner of the area is covered in the Drachenwald, and its people are best known for hunting birds, alongside their industrial cities which help produce the machinery of war alongside many excellent soldiers.
Waldmark: A troublesome region only recently declared separate from neighboring Opper Calem, Waldmark is home to House von Drachenberg, notable New Regalians much like the von Treppenwitzes. Unlike that other House, the von Drachenbergs have fielded a Chancellor to the Regalian Empire, and while the family has successfully retired from political life, their funds have been used to promote many New Regalian projects in the capital and wider Greater Calemberg political block of which it and Treppewiss are members (though it is no longer considered to be geographically linked to the Calem regions). The region is also home to a significant portion of the Drachenwald.
North Wessink: North and South Wessink were once one, and represented the heart of both the Drachenwald and House van Sherburne territory. North Wessink was by far the most industrial of the two, chopping the forests down to fuel the creation of multiple high and low quality wooden goods destined for lands across the Regalian Empire, alongside sustaining a forager diet supported by external food shipments. Its urban settlements boomed during the last years of van Sherburne control, but that control ultimately became too much. The Drachenwald Crisis that broke out across the eastern Heartland Ceardian territories was particularly focused in what is now North Wessink, and today, the territory maintains its wood goods focus, though its populace has substantially shrunk over the years.
South Wessink: North and South Wessink were once one, and represented the heart of both the Drachenwald and House van Sherburne territory. South Wessink was home to a limited population, and a lighter fringe of the Drachenwald, with a series of natural hot springs and rocky terrain making the area more suitable for mining. Various base metals, alongside some precious materials were extracted, while the wealthy lounged in bath houses built around the hot springs. The Drachenwald Crisis that broke out across the eastern Heartland Ceardian territories was devastating to South Wessink, many of the spas being raided and the luxury estates of the van Sherburnes destroyed by looting or just plain arson. The territory today has returned to its mining roots, but some of its spas have since been rebuilt, and are now greatly enjoyed by the wealthy of Heartland society.
Haltover: Literally a travel holdover for many merchants, Haltover is a region of broad cattle fields, well-maintained roads and market-towns rather than cities. Unlike Sterrland though, Haltover’s cows and goats are not explicitly for slaughter, but are instead used to make a range of relatively inexpensive cheeses alongside supplies of milk and other dairy goods sent to the capital and surrounding areas.
Greater Calemberg
Calemberg: Calemberg, the heartland of Greater Calemberg, is one of the oldest regions in the Regalian Archipelago. Long held by the Wirtemcaller Kingdom, the region’s ancient cities and fortresses survived the collapse of the wider nation, and from those survivors emerged the New Regalians, stringent allies of the Regalian Empire. Calemberg, ever since that time, has been a major proponent of conservative Unionism and similarly conversative ideals, while also heavily supporting the Regalian Military. The Vierzehn Sect of Unionism was born here, and New Regalians have widely opposed the inclusion of other Races into the Empire. Calemberg was once controlled by House Cadar before the family went extinct, with House Typhonus stepping in to fill the void, ruling the territory from the City of Calemberg. The region has experienced multiple major political changes over the past decade. The region’s terrain is heavily forested by the Calderwald, while the northern fringe, once an open stretch of plains and light forests, is now bordered by Hadrian's Mountain Chain, a new and massive mountain chain risen through mysterious means that extends across the entire border between them and Drixagh, in the place of a fortification called Hadrian's Wall (after a Typhonus patriarch).
Opper Calem: Part of Greater Calemberg, Opper Calem was once part of the Wirtemcaller Kingdom but became a battleground in the final decades of the conflict between them and the Skagger Horde. Local lords were essentially sacrificed by others in the south, forced to go it alone with limited supplies and manpower while what is now Hinter Calem shifted their defenses to the coastline. After the birth of the New Regalian identity and the end of the conflict, Opper Calem turned into the military heartland of Greater Calemberg, its people hardened and finding those to Hinter Calem and nearby Calemberg “soft.” Opper Calem now produces huge amounts of swords, shields and more for the Regalian Military alongside training vast regiments of Tenpennies. Opper Calem’s interior is forest covered, the Opperwald layered around the low-lying Ringenvorn Mountains.
Hinter Calem: Hinter Calem is the last of the traditional parts of Greater Calemberg, and also the last region extensively settled by the Wirtem in their time. When conflict with the Velheim began, they ultimately became the only coherent holdouts, existing behind the frontlines as they allowed those in what is now Opper Calem to be the rock upon which the savage waves would crash. However, they were forced to divert themselves to defending their coastline from Skagger raiding parties. Once the war was over, Hinter Calem turned to trade and religion to provide them security, sending huge quantities of ore to Opper Calem to fuel their foundries while their population anointed a formerly pagan site into the modern Seven Holy Hills, completing their conversion to Unionism. Following the birth of the Culture, Colonial Ailor moved into the region primarily out of religious devotion. Hinter Calem is home to the Opperwald Forest along its eastern coastline, has the Mittelwald Forest to its south and along the border with Carpenmark, and is also home to Mt. Erzberge, a huge peak that has been mined for centuries for a variety of strong metals. The middle of the region, south of Mt. Erzberge, is open and covered in plains, with the Seven Holy Hills residing there. Hinter Calem borders The East Regal Sea off its eastern coastline, while the southern coastline borders The White Sea.
Brissiaud
Osteiermark: Considered half of the dual regions that make up the birthplace of the Leutz-Vixe Culture, Osteiermark shares this honor with Lorenthaus. Unlike Lorenthaus though, Osteiermark has remained close to its cultural influence, the New Regalians, and is widely viewed as the heartland of the Culture. It’s dense, dark forests, frequent rain, and muddy terrain gave rise to a dour, martial society skilled at hiding or subduing their passions until later, but also notable game hunters. The land was politically run by House Ravenstad, who achieved much by their former leader’s close ties to House Kade, but they have retired from politics, leaving the region instead largely united by other Empire-loyal families.
Tirgunn: Where the Leutz-Vixe of Lorenthaus and Osteiermark are notable for their hunting of animals, those in Tirgunn are notable for their hunting of Aberrants. Covered in dense, dark forests often plagued by Vampires and Werebeasts, the territory was once part of the Dvala sphere of influence before that Culture’s empire was dismantled by the Regalian Empire. In its place rose modern Tirgunn, home of the Darkwald Order, a group designed to hunt down such threats alongside any other Aberrants. As a result, Tirgunn has a fearsome reputation, and its people are some of the most fervent Unionist hardliners. The Vixerrois Sea sits off its western coastline.
Lorenthaus: Considered half of the dual regions that make up the birthplace of the Leutz-Vixe Culture, Lorenthaus shares this honor with Osteiermark. But, unlike its sister region, Lorenthaus has always leaned with a minority influence from Ithania, several of its western lands are largely inhabited by that Culture. The territory is made up of river-crossed lowlands, fed by surrounding mountain ranges, with light forests dotting the area.
Baldmark
Baldmark: Baldmark is a melting pot of multiple ancient Cultures that have long been minor players focused only on their local surroundings. The Dvala and Byala are historical rivals, while the Ânia are newer, emerging from liberalized Vladno who traveled south from Vladnovolgar. Baldmark is also home to the Szabadok, transported from Etosil decades ago during the Regalian Pessimism who caused quite the chaos when they initially arrived. However, the Balaurs, Ânian rulers, crushed their reign of terror, only to begin their own. Believed to be Vampires, and since their deaths, Vampirism, Werebeastism and other occult activities have exploded across the area, seeing many label the territory a lost cause. The region is covered in mountainous or rocky terrain with dense forests, with isolated mountain valleys the place where communities thrive. The open territory of the region is gentle, rolling hill country, only some of which is held by the horse-lord Szabadok, as they were chased out of other gains by the Balaurs decades ago and seek to never return.
Carpenmark: Carpenmark is widely considered an unofficial part of Greater Calemberg, as it is so far south from the traditional strip of Calem lands, and its politics are so singularly geared toward purpose. That purpose is containment, as Carpenmark is essentially a cultural marcher region of New Regalians attempting to keep back the wave of southeastern “crude” Cultures packed into Baldmark. These efforts, which began in earnest after the arrival of the Szabadok and saw the current New Regalian populace move in to take control, has largely been successful. However, Ânia exist in large numbers along the coastline. Carpenmark is hilled and forested, with the Mittelwald dominating its southeastern reaches.
The Etosian States
Hellatos: The home away from home for the Etosians, Hellatos is a second homeland for their kind. After being confined to Etosil for well over a century, the region was opened up by the Regalian Empire as a place for the former exiles to be allowed to move to should they wish, and those few wanderlust-filled or adventurous Etosil left their homeland for this one. Hellatos has a climate almost identical to that of Etosil, with an arid, mountainous climate and poor soil seeing most communities built close to the sea. The territory is also a major outpost of Evintarian Unionism within the Regalian Archipelago, the mountain cloisters of Athaus and the seaside temples of the Eight Holy Evintar Isles well known in even the wider Unionist world for their sophisticated construction and long-standing status. The region borders The Ionos Sea, which divides it from neighboring Kappados.
Kappados: Kappados is a strange land, much more arid than nearby Hellatos and likely one of the most ancient parts of the Regalian Archipelago. But unlike those other areas, the remains of several societies exist in the region, but the people largely did not. The Tsaiqvanes and Krakimardik may claim descendance from those lost groups, but the truth of this is hard to confirm. Kappados’ terrain is covered in mountains and dense rock formations unique in Aloria known as chimney rocks, with whole towns and small cities found carved into these natural formations by what are assumed to be Ailor hands. However, many are uninhabited, even by the modern Etosians, who consider the sites haunted. The rest of the territory is arid flatlands or desert. It borders both The Ionos Sea off its western coastline, and The White Sea sits off its northern coastline.
Rustvani: Rustvani is the homeland of the Tsaiqvanes and Krakimardik Cultures. It is highly mountainous, with coastal lowlands, and borders The East Regal Sea off its eastern and northern coastline, and The White Sea off its western coastline.
Drixagh
North Drixagh
Vikofoten & Viksalbard: Isolated in the furthest reaches of Drixagh, these dual regions share a lot in common. Their histories are intertwined, holding some of the oldest remnants of Velheim and Proto-Velheim Culture, as these areas were settled as part of the great Velheim trade network. From these islands, the rest of Drixagh was settled, but following the network’s collapse, Vikofoten & Viksalbard were largely abandoned by traders. Instead, came the Skagger Horde, who flourished in the region, and following the Skagger Wars, a minor portion of the Horde stayed on these islands. Some were pushed out by migrations of mainland Drixagh Velheim, and attacks by the Regalian Empire on those seen as pirates and rogues in the Tvål Treaty. However, over time, these people abandoned their violent-warrior bend, though they remained rugged and pious to the Old Gods. Today, the joint regions are still populated by these people, but it has also been infiltrated by a number of Cahal and northern-relevant Aberants, far from Regalian oversight which has allowed them to flourish. Both regions are covered in jfords, wind-swept cliffs and little arable land, but fishing and mining provide livelihoods to the locals. Additionally, Vikofoten is more forested than Viksalbad, which itself is half-covered in glaciers and more mountainous terrain than Vikofoten.
Bergelan: The last of the Velheim regions in the Regalian Archipelago, Bergelan was extensively settled as part of the Velheim trade network, the same as Fjordenlan. Unlike that region though, Bergelan took longer to be cut off from the trade network given its greater proximity to The North Belt. It was also through Bergelan that the Skagger Horde invaded, the first of their conquests being the local, less extreme Velheim who soon followed their example. When the Wars were over though, Bergelan violently kicked the last of the Horde out, and turned toward peace and healing for its people. The territory holds many notable sites to the Velheim among its geography. The Frondenstog, a vast forest, covers much of the north and eastern regions, while The Fjordbends sit to the east, and serve as another major production and population area for the Velheim in the area. However, by far the most important area is the interior where among the snow-white tundra and lichen-covered taiga are the Throatcap Mountains. It is here that the fifth Julvin Gate, Femana, is found, drawing in hundreds of Velheim youth every year completing their Rite of Julvira. Bergelan was unfortunately the most severely devastated by the Burning of the North. Its southern and western regions were heavily sacked, with an effort even made by some drunk soldiers to blast down Femana through the use of a cannon, though this was halted by more disciplined officers. Bergelan has rapidly recovered, though its Skagger warrior population remains low.
Central Drixagh
Fjordenlan: Fjordenlan is what many consider as an epicenter of traditional Velheim life, as many local families have resided in this area for centuries. Fjordenlan was originally a series of minor fjord outposts as part of the Velheim trade network that existed before the Cataclysm, with the island of Norrlan a windswept yet populated region at the forefront of these efforts. However, following the Cataclysm and the arrival of the Skagger Horde, The Drixefjords became a military production hub, crafting Longships that sailed out and attacked hundreds of towns and cities over the course of the Skagger Wars. But when the Tvål Treaty was signed, these fjord production centers were instead turned toward fishing crafts, and mining enterprises. Fjordenlan was relatively unaffected by the Burning of the North that reached Drixagh in 305 AC, though its fringe territories were depopulated. Today, Fjordenlan continues to steadily thrive. The region’s climate is cold, frequently snowing from fall to early spring before rains take over. While the mainland is largely hilled and rocky forests (called the Throatcapstog), its eastern reaches have the start of some open taiga or tundra-like terrain. The region’s heartland is The Drixefjords, fjords dense with trees between rocky terrain which is home to dozens of communities. Norrlan, the long northern island also part of the region, has these fjords on its south-facing coastline but its north-facing coastline is windswept and barren like much of the interior, and faces The North Regal Sea. The region’s western reaches also sit within The Frozen Flats.
Heikelan: Homeland of the Tarkkin Culture, Heikelan is a mix of terrains which has supported its local population for many years. Made up of a union of Reindeer-herding forest dwellers and mountain-dwelling pastoralists, the Tarkkin were conquered by the Skagger Horde before they could unite themselves, but came together to secretly plan and then execute a revolt against their violent overlords. Since that time, the Tarkkin and their unique brand of Old Gods faith have dominated the central lands of Drixagh. The region’s mountains exist in a U-shaped ridge, a barrier between easy access to The Balt Inland Sea (which sits in the region’s south) and the central, light forests. The north of Heikelan is home to tundra, snow covered and open, and it was here that the Burning of the North raged through, killing Velheim and some local Tarkkin allies though the heartland of the Culture remained uninvolved.
Ȧgerik: The first of several regions considered part of Drixagh, Ȧgerik is the most diverse part of the region with three Cultures forming the basis for its local society. The first and most long-lasting are the Velheim, who reside in the north and west of the territory, and have been in the region since well before the Cataclysm. The next group are the Fridurfolk, peaceful and isolated to one small region on the region’s southwestern coastline. They long suffered at the hands of more militant Velheim, especially the Skagger Horde, but emerged after the Skagger Wars to now thrive in the local economy as artisans and fishermen. There are also the remains of Wirtem fortresses stewn across mountains on the southern border. Ȧgerik is largely forested, with a ridge of mountains along their eastern border, which is where The Balt Inland Sea can also be found.
The Eastwold
Vladnovolgar: Called the Dark Land of Drixagh, Vladnovolgar is a vast territory in the northeast of the Regalian Archipelago seized by questionable means. Once inhabited by Velheim, as the Skagger Wars were coming to an end, Vladno troops and generals suddenly appeared to “aid the Empire” and rapidly pushed into Drixagh from the coastline. However, at a certain point, Regalian officials began to see their efforts as a land grab more than anything else, causing the Vladno to be just barely restrained and made to sign the Tvål Treaty at the appropriate time. Since then, the region has remained in their deathgrip, with the interior tundra and frozen forests holding much of the civilian populace while the offshore islands are slave markets, trading in all sorts of Races allowed under Saffran Law, though rumors persist of illegal Ailor slaves also held in some of the worst of these areas. Vladnovolgar is led by a cabal of princes, who control their territory through fear, and openly covet other lands surrounding them. However, the great material wealth of their nation in lumber and ore means they are largely left alone to their own affairs, so long as Regalia gets its dues.
Ostfriedland: A region divided, Ostfriesland is the “colony region” of the New Regalian Culture. It is here that the Zvorun originated, being suppressed for well over two centuries by the then Wirtem Ailor to their south led by the Holy Herebrand Order and their predecessors, pseudo-knights who fought in the name of the ancient gods the Wirtem followed. But from this came Zvorun who gradually adapted to life among the Wirtem, the Wraclav, who exist in the region’s eastern half. When the Wirtem became the New Regalians, the Zvorun continued to suffer, but recent political actions both removed the Herebrand Order from the region, and also erected the Mountain Chain, cutting a section of the region off from the rest. Those local New Regalians on the other side of the mountains are leaving in droves, while the Zvorun and Wraclav only continue to recover and thrive without the heel of New Regalian authority on their throats. The territory is vast, open, and hilly, with a chilly to temperate climate and strong winds thanks to Ostfriedland bordering The Balt Inland Sea to its north and northwest.
The Highlands
Sinnedh: Sinnedh was originally a lightly populated, minor island off the coastline of the Regalian Archipelago which had a light Caeren presence in the region. However, after the Aontaithe came into contact with the Regalian Empire, Sinnedh was a settlement point for those of their society who wished to join and aid the Empire. It helped that the territory was already similar to the climate of their homeland, The Emerald Isles. Sinnedh has in recent time become an epicentre of “escaped” Aontaithe, as the Isles was clumsily freed of its ties to the Regalian Empire allowing the Allorn Empire to sweep in and claim the territory. Sinnedha is thus now the hub of those Aontaithe who view Regalia as better for their homeland’s future. Sinnedh has dense pine and boreal forests alongside heavily hilled terrain, which can sometimes be quite open and misty, though mists also cling to the forests. The region even has an inactive volcano, its caldera low and practically flat, and Sinnedh is also frequently lashed with rain carried in from Archipelago-external weather fronts. It sits in The North Regal Sea.
Mannadh Alba: The wilder of the two Albas, Mannadh Alba has a long history of resisting change, though such resistance has come to a rather crashing stop in recent years. The region long resisted Velheim incursions along their coastline, but could not stop the building of trading outposts, as well as the enslavement of locals into Velheim service, that continued for decades before and after the Cataclysm. However, when the Skagger Horde overextended itself, those Hordes in Mannadh Alba were thrown out, and their sites sacked by the victorious Caeren. The region then resisted the cultural change that overtook its southern sister, Clannadha Alba, which saw the Dunbrae Culture emerge. The two territories fought on and off over the years, but this conflict gradually calmed, though this did not stop Url from moving to the area to serve the conflict but also hunt the local moors. The results of allowing their arrival were unforeseen by the Caeren however, as The Horopadosi Sect soon followed, and Urlification grew in significance. The Url population is now large enough that Mannadh Alba is almost their second homeland, and they have entered into a united tribal alliance with those around them in the territory much to the discomfort of the Dunbrae next door. Mannadh Alba is heavily mountainous and grass hilled, with deep, cold lakes peppered between these mist-layered peaks and rises. The region also shares half of The Alban Glenns, a dense riverland of swamp and forests which comprises over half the border between it and Clannadh Alba. The region borders The North Regal Sea to the north.
Clannadh Alba: Clannadh Alba was once of Caeren Culture, its locals largely feuding with the nearby Breizh and Anglians to their south. However with time came change, and while the locals initially helped their sibling territory to the north, the expansion of the Regalian Empire and Clannadh Alba’s proximity to more “civilized” areas saw their people alter into the Dunbrae rather than remain of their original Culture. This sparked a series of conflicts that ended in a stalemate and much like nearby Gallovia, saw an unsteady peace established between the two groups. Clannadh Alba has since watched with discomfort as the Url presence so near to their shared border grows, but the peace has lasted, for now. Clannadha Alba is heavily mountainous and grass hilled, with deep cold lakes peppered between these mist-layered peaks and rises. However, it also has swampy riverlands across the generally flat central area of its territory. The region also shares half of The Alban Glenns, a dense riverland of swamp and forests which comprises over half the border between it and Mannadh Alba. It borders The Frozen Flats, impassable much of the year off its eastern coastline, and controls a quarter of the shoreline of the Inner Angle Sea, which has given it decent levels of contact with the Eronidas found there.
Waddenland: An arch of sparsely populated islands dominated by the Lower-Heere Group of Anglian Culture, Waddenland is a bastion of Dragon Worship much like other Lower-Heerse lands. Waddenland also gives its name to the Waddenzee, a region of water south of its islands which becomes walkable at low-tide. The islands themselves are windswept with few trees, and broad sandy beaches.
Merredweg: Located east of Waddenland, Merredweg is a unique region of Anglia in that it is not heavily dominated by Anglians. It is the site of a significant Eronidas population, the group reaching the islands sometime around 100 AC and being allowed to stay there given their ease of combating the Velheim raids that were such a problem at the time. The region’s Eronidas population has always gotten along well with the Lower-Heere around them. The island-dense region arches around an area very similar to the Waddenzee found to its west, known as The Inner Angle Sea, which empties at low tide and can be walked through unimpeded. The wider island group is also a mix of hills, boreal forests, and swampy ground.
Trivia
Archeological evidence suggests the Ailor and even the Altalar may not have been the first people to occupy the Regalian Archipelago. In fact, it is clear from the City of Regalia that that site in particular has been built on by at least three prior civilizations.
The Regalian Archipelago was once covered in Ailor nations and states which the Regalian Empire conquered. The ruins of these different groups can be found scattered across the Archipelago, particularly in the dense forests.
The Regalian Archipelago has such a large population because of its relative stability compared to the wider world. It did not suffer the Cataclysm, the Wildering, the Great Storm, or any other freak world events which all damaged the populations of foreign lands.
