Aistoria

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Aistoria is a continent in the northern hemisphere, west of the Vaenaic Ocean. While a mixing pot of old world ethnicity, it maintains many of the trappings of European society. Aistoria is comprised of seven territories and former countries, as well as the Papal Territories of the Nuev Vatica which form the Aistoria Combine.

History

The majority of Aistorian history is currently best covered in The Timeline Write up, which is very Aistorian centric currently.

Aistoria Combine

The Aistoria Combine encompasses the whole of Aistoria. It is a tentative alliance held together by the Holy Aistorian Catholic Church. While the Pope is does not rule the seven kingdoms of Aistoria the influence of the Church is strong, though the full extent of its power has not been tested in recent time (say, 400 ACE).

The Church too has it's own struggles, having to remain flexible enough to be compatible with the diverse and culturally robust interpretations of spiritual believe within Aistoria. The Church will do progressive things and support trends like gay marriage in the south while ignoring those points in the north. The Church, with little direct power of it's own, relies on other nations of Aistoria to back up their edicts.

But because the war torn continent desires the stability the Combine gives them, all yield to the Church to try and maintain that peace.

Bherigan

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Early in the history of Aistoria, Bherigan was among the most war torn. Despite it's size, Bherigan has historically been plagued by poor farmlands and limited natural resources, leading to a strong warring and raiding culture early in it's life.

During the War of Hundred Kings, Bherigan was dozens of tiny kingdoms, constantly squabbling with each other. Bherigan's constant war with itself lead to a reputation for fierce, effective troops and more peaceful times, many young men find themselves joining overseas mercenary companies rather than farming sheep for a living.

Bherigan formed as an alliance to stop the growing, ambitious advances of Esperada and Connatia. After much infighting, House Lang, rulers of the Bheriga plains came out as the ruling family.

Bherigan culture to extend into the northern most Free Cities and the border between the two entities have always been fuzzy at best. Parts of Bherigan are becoming highly industrialized and "modernized" due to Free City influences, though most of it is empty plains.

• The symbol for Bherigan is the Chimera, made up from many bits of animal heraldry from the reason. A beast amalgamated together, fighting with itself to even move
  • Steier is the only one defined currently, whose heraldry contains The Lion
• Bherigan imported a lot of iron from Golgia.
• They export lots of meat.
• Bherigan has some Slavic cultural influences from the old world.
• Regions near water tend to be less extreme.
  • Like Stenin isn't that much different from Esperada in the modern day.
  • Eisenbran is also a beautiful, well off lake side city.
  • But most of it is plains and mountains soooo yeah.
  • Like the Brandts, despite their reputation for being great fighters, were looked at like rednecks but Vannaleona when Victoria married Edwin.
• Shiv hires and trains Bherigan mercenaries for when they need ethically dubious troops.
  • Bherigan soldiers aren't inherently ethically dubious, but they do follow orders, and more importantly, word won't get back to Shiv.
• Like a lot of Southern Aistoria, magic is slowly interfering with imported technology less.
• Religious adherence tends to be high. The Church definitely helps keep Bherigan together.
• Bherigan was originally settled by survivors of the Old World from cental Europe and China. There is a strong Slavic bend.

Danere

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Danere is the most independent region of Aistoria. Separated from the rest of the continent by the Sayadic mountains, hands on control by the Church is impractical at best. Many Danereans do not even consider themselves a part of Aistoria, having joined the Combine symbolically, while under duress.

Danere it's self is even colder and more hostile than Birschmark, deep in the polar twilight. Originally surviving through raiding and fishing, Danere now relies on magic to create underground caverns for farming. Due to the hostile environment and logistics of farming, Most settlements (mostly centered around Bekwai) exist as communes. Danere trade centers around the Eisig sea and the isolated coastal areas of Birschmark.

By edict of the church, House Kimathi is the official head of Danere, though they present themselves only as speakers for the decisions made by the various Danerean councils.

• Bekwai is very developed and beautiful. While even simple technology fails, magic is so unusually common that of a lot incredible construction and artistic work can be done.
• Originally targeted by Birschmarkian raiders, every able person is trained to fight and defend themselves. Otherwise, there is no standing army.
• Not really a NATION in their own mind. They're a culture. Individual cities and villages are not ruled by the capital. The capital is such by decree only.
• Southpoint is a city in Danere, but not a "Danerean City". It's an Aistorian city symbolically in Danere.
• Danereans are largely descendants of old world Sub Saharan Africa.

Esperada

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Esperada, along with Vaniway and Connatia, was one of the 'Great Conquerors' of The War of a Hundred Kings. Esperada's conquest is most famous in the Lion War, playing the then kingdoms of Leone and Steier against each other until it could slide in to snatch up Leone and with it, gain control of the Vatican. In response, King Riyan cede a large part of Leone to the church before surrendering the rest to Esperada. Esperada was prevented from achieving its full ambition, but still managed to conquer one of it's strongest rivals.

• Esperada has three distinct areas, separated into duchies.
  • The opulent, beautiful lands of Madeira.
  • Goa, which culturally is much closer to Vaniway.
  • The hot, humid lands of Leone, which mixes of the two.
• Esperada has the third strongest navy in the region.
• Esperada has more armies and infrastructure than its naval rivals
• Spanish and Latin American influences are stronger in the south and the east. Indian influences are stronger in the north.
• Leone took on more of Madeira's stylings once conquered. Goa didn't change as much.
• Leone was the strongest country to fall at the end of the Aistorian Warring State period.
• Leone is ruled over by the Cruz family so of course it's more developed than anywhere else.
• Madeira has a lot of bored aristocracy hanging out and throwing parties, where Leone, while now peaceful, still has a lot more military cultural undertones.
• Leone is historically very religious and aligned with the church. Even as it "modernizes", most of it's progressiveness is put in religious terms.
• Madeira is indifferent. It wanted the Vatican for the power, not religion.
  • Various Belarose monarchs have been very religious or not religious at all.
  • In contrast with the Cruz family where if someone isn't religious, they sure try to not show it. (Hi Naomi)

Golgia

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Golgia is considered the most industrious region in Aistoria. With their mountainous territory, Golgia mines, refines, and exports tons iron, steel, gold and precious gems. The borders of the industrious region is littered with stark, stone fortresses, towers and walls, protecting them from Bherigan intrusion or from Birschmark raiders. Golgia expanded to it's natural boundaries and then mostly stayed, untouched.

The Brendalmoore's hold a fierce grip on Golgia and strictly enforce order. Golgia operates as a finely oiled machine, though one with little regard for those who are weak or without talent, trying to produce as much wealth for the Golgian Aristocracy as possible. While much of Golgia is plain, Golgian castles and manors are excessive shows of wealth.

• Golgia is easily the least developed place in Aistoria, lore wise.
• They're kinda just in their own comfy pocket.
• Bherigan doesn't have anything they want, and while they HAVE pushed north on multiple occasions when the north has seemed vulnerable... it's still cold and empty up there.
• Golgia dug the canals to link Lake Ortega and the Valis, giving them a route out to the open seas at all times of year.
  • One of the pushes north was to take over the wetlands between Ortega and Valis
• Vaniway probably takes the hell out of the route.
• Golgia stays on the Church's good side and pushes the Aistorian Catholicism on it's people.
• Work hard, make us rich, and you get to go to heaven, it's great. God doesn't like whiners.

Connatia

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The biggest naval trading powerhouse in Aistoria. House Ramos grew powerful trading out of Porto Verde along the Altinian sea. Protected by the mountains and forested land behind them, Connatia traded until they grew powerful enough to start marrying into pre-Bherigan land, gaining valuable farmlands that the eventual Bherigan would desperately need.

• Connatia is very rich and house Ramos is a relatively small family
• Connatia isn't the richest nation, but the Ramos might be the richest family.
• They moved the capital to Kipsi as the region was a little politically unstable. If they weren't around, Bherigan might try and get the land back.
• While the Steier region of Esperada was their classic rival, Connatia is Esperada's modern rival.
• Their flag and heraldry is so dumb and annoying like god you guys.
• Snoodiest nobles by far, unlike the rest of those barbarians in Aistoria.

Birschmark

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Capital:
Ruling House: House Darya

While the largest region in Aistoria, Birschmark is a cold, mostly barren land, with most towns and cities existing in near isolation. As such, Birschmark has little consistent culture. Each town exists, in practical terms, as a city state under their own rule.

Birschmark is made up of three former kingdoms, that came together to fight off the advances of Vaniway and Golgia.

• The name Birschmark was chosen by the Sigurd family who was based between Lake Ortega and Lake Valis and who had to fight Vaniway and Golgia at the same time.
• Eventually the Sigurd family fell, and House Darya of the persian based east took the crown.
• The Northwestern area is mostly Scandinavian in origins. Though like all things in the New World, cultures are still very mixed.
• Stolheim was the former capital. It was captured by Golgia for a period of time, leading to the deaths of the royal family at the time.
• Stralvarre produces almost all the pre-magicked iron ore in the North of Aistoria
• Birschmark tends to be very religious but the exact expression of "Aistorian Catholicism" changes wildly by region and the Church just kinda accepts that.

Vaniway

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Vaniway is known for it's large coasts and many sea ports, frequently in a naval rivalry with Connatia. The south west of Vaniway is noted for it's elegant cities and palaces, constructed without warfare in mind, as no opposing army as even vaguely approached the Western Peninsula.

While a lot of their current income comes from trade and overseas empire building, during the War of a Hundred Kings, Vaniway rapidly pushed east, extending far north and even biting into Leone for awhile and forming the region that would eventually form Goa in Esperada.

• Carries themselves as the post powerful Aistorian nation.
  • They're probably right but it's hard to tell.
  • They're the most global, for sure, though they interact/trade with Shiv less than the other nations.
• Went quickly with the Combine as war was no longer in their advantage.
• Their northern mountains are an important mining location for them
• Taxes all river travel out of the Valis and into the sea.
• Shares a lot of culture with northern Esperada, but Southern Esperada kinda hate their guts.
• Controlled Lyse until the Southern Valis Coast fell to wild magic.
• Culturally very Indian and South Asian but with some UK vibes.
  • British survivors settled first before more displaced people popped into existence.
  • Landaanpur was like New London City and the name just got corrupted and replaced as the british population became more culturally irrelevant.

Related Articles

Flag Worksheet

Heraldry Worksheet

Aistorian Holidays and Festivals

Aistorian Heraldry

Aistoria Timeline

Saint Alistair girls in BEP

Flags of Aistoria

Holy Order of Saint Alistair Ranks

The Twin Cities of Vannaleona and Stenin

Old Page - Old version of this page which might contain useful details to re-integrate later.

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Categories: Geography