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| The West: Medahlon | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 4 2010, 02:49 AM (508 Views) | |
| Davick | Jun 4 2010, 02:49 AM Post #1 |
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Squire
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(Written and created by Davick) Introduction: Medahlon The west stretches both far and wide across the rolling plains, only to be cut off by a perilous cliff line that plunges deep into the roaring Western Seas. The Kingdom of Medahlon was established centuries ago, and the people whom reside there know little to nothing of the outside world. It is known, however, that it has been thousands of years since the people of Medahlon had contact with any other civilization within Alnoroth due to an enormous, mountainous terrain separating the kingdom from all others. Only a few passageways have been carved through the thick stone, and because of this, Medahlon has been heavily fortified since. No army could brave the cavernous labryinth within the mountains and would eventually become lost. As for the people of Medahlon, they still dwell, to this day, within the tall and ominous towers of stone and earth that seem to reach the clouds. Economically, Medahlon is mostly contingent upon grains such as wheat and rye. They gain meat through fishing upon the coastline, both difficult and dangerous due to the daunting cliff that delves directly in the thriving sea. Mining specifically served the people of Medahlon well for years, and thus, technologically, they've been able to produce both strong, durable weapons, and efficient tools to assist them in the excavation of the mountains upon their border. Small towns and dwellings litter the plains, yet the more central one travels, the more overwhelming and magnificent architectural cities and buildings become. Blessed with an unusually strong and sturdy white ore called Estheline from the mountain-sides, the medium-sized army of Medahlon is known for their strangely coloured swords and arrowheads; the core of which is a bright white, surrounded by steel-like silver, sometimes dark enough to be grey. Within the very center of the kingdom rests the most magnificent of castles ever made by the people of Medahlon, created solely from Estheline. It is almost crystalline in appearance when the sun shines directly upon its tall spires. The seven layers of the castle are filled with courtyards and gardens. Deep within the very center of the portentous structure lies the court of the King. A golden throne stands erect far in the room, directly facing the thin archway leading into the atrium. About the throne rests an array of chairs, all situated for the King's seven advisors. Upon the center of the floor is an intricately designed ring symbolizing unity. Seven white scales point towards the innards of the circle to an oil painting embedded into the floor of the black mane of an Iradae, one of the most respected animals among the plains of Medahlon. The Dahroshma To describe the men and women of Medahlon would prove to be a difficult task, for they vary in personality, though hold a few joining characteristics. They are large, strong, value a strict code of honour, and their very stature is intimidating - to say the least. Both men and women are known to grow well over six feet tall, even reaching seven foot. The only exception being the royal line of Kings, all known to have risen to lengths up to seven feet, four five inches. Most are born with piercing green eyes and hair ranging from blond to pitch black. The Dahroshma are categorized as thus: the Mas-lon (war-caste), Ilvaelon (river-men/fishermen caste), Sivellon (woodsmen caste) Maer-lon (herdsmen caste ), and lastly the Baravlon (mountain-men/craftsmen caste). The Maslon At first glance, many would believe the Dahroshma to be great armsmen, wielding blades with breath-taking skill. Surprisingly enough, however, it is the very opposite. Medahlon has not seen war in thousands and thousands of years, and thus very few of its people are trained to fight. Those who are, must go through rigorous physical labour to prove themselves on several different tiers of skill. Men and women who are to fight must master every weapon that is presented to them. Should they fail, the young women are returned to their mothers and continue to be apprenticed in her profession, as the men return to their fathers to do the same. Those who succeed become esteemed warriors, their families given prestige along with land and livestock. To symbolize ranking, the warlords are branded with tattoos to their face while younger warriors are gifted with pierced lobes adorning a silvery ring. The Ilvaelon The fishermen of Medahlon are most often found within the small market province of Nalem, located upon the very northern edge of the plains. Though some have been known to live a nomadic existence out in the plains, mastering the rivers of their country. Out of convenience, the town was built at a less endearing portion of the cliffside, where Ilvaelon can easily climb down to where the Western Seas lap at the rocky thresholds. It so happens to also rest at the crossing of several prominent rivers. These streams pour down from springs along the mountainsides and open up into the sea through cascading waterfalls. The Sivellon and the Ilvae have developed a strong bond over many years, the Sivel crafting finely woven ladders to aid in the fishermen's descent, along with fishing nets, and fishing rods from the lumber of their woodland dell, while the Ilvae provide them fresh fish meat during the colder seasons. The younger and less experienced Ilvaelon tend to frequent the rivers, while the accomplished fishermen brave the climb down to the rocks. The Sivellon The woodsmen of Medahlon reside in a very secluded forest entitled 'The Vale', having been given the name by the small ravine one must traverse in order to reach the town of Harlith. Where the plains cease and the grass becomes short and far more greener, this is where one will find the Sivellon, woodworkers and huntsmen. Their homes differ from the others found inland, made of nothing but wooden logs strewn together. Over hundreds of years, the Dahlon of Harlith have come to respect nature deeply, borderline worshiping it. This nearly sparked a civil war over eight decades ago, for many believed they should give such admiration to Alsorna only. The matter, however, ended peacefully when the Sivellon explained to the King that they, in fact, do not worship nature, but only care for it. Still, hushed whispers of ridicule are not uncommon among the other people of Medahlon - especially from the Baravlon. The strong relationship between the Ilvae and the Sivel still holds strong, however, for not only do they trade their woodwork, but salves and poultices learned by study within the small haven of Harlith. It is only convenient, as 'The Vale' is but a few leagues west of Nalem- only during the yearly festival do all people come together within the capitol for festivities and bartering. The Maerhlon The most common and important people of Medahlon are those who live upon the endless sea of plains. The Maerhlon are known to be traders and merchants, and are the most frequented market at the capitol's festival every year. They are, first and foremost, the herdsmen and the farmers. Along with growing crops and herding cattle, the Maerhlon are more in touch with the Iradae ('great dogs' in common tongue) than any other people of Medahlon. These beasts are the most respected of all animals upon the grasslands; to hunt and kill one of these faithful companions would be punished with death almost immediately, without thought or regret. These creatures are known for their thick mane about their collar, which breaks off at their spine and runs down the length of their back as a rigid tuft of black fur. The remaining coat is the color of the plains; a light golden, and a dark sienna as it trails closer to their neck. Iradae choose their companions and, over the course of time, share a strengthened bond with them. They are not treated as labourers or servants, but friends and allies. Only aggressive to that which they hunt, the Iradae have protected, aided, and lived alongside the Dahroshma since the end of the First War. The Baravlon Those who dwell within the mountain halls are known as the Baravlon, great craftsmen who are notable for their skill in shaping Estheline, along with their devout faith to the God Alsorna. These are the men who crafted the capitol of Medahlon, along with its magnificent castle. Though they are the masters of the labryinth within the mountains, even they have not mapped and explored all the tunnels that run through the towers of stone. Within these dark corridors are where scholarly pursuits are kept; ancient texts from years past reside deep inside several libraries etched into the underground city of Ulorven. With the aid of much study, the Baravlon have come to be the only members of society with the means to create the tools to once again open the Dalgavorn (dark passage), which leads to the other side of the mountain range and into the rest of Alnoroth. It has been said that some explorers have unearthed several scales of the beast in which Alsorna is said to appear as, all of which now lay within the court of the King. Thus, the Baravlon are the most adherent to their God, praying more often than any other of the Dahroshma, even erecting the greatest temples within their mountain homes. Religion, The 'God' Alsorna And when the world has grown withered and old, our land ripe with famine, our livestock sick and diseased, our pain and suffering unfathomable - she will come. Alsorna. Our God. Our savior. She will tear this land asunder with fire and ash. Cleanse us of our sins. Save us from our torment. Then, we shall rise again in her kingdom, loved and nurtured by her warmth and divinity. - The Prophet Saerif Alsorna has said to have watched over Medahlon for centuries upon centuries, having born them as her children in a Time Before Days. She is the creator of all things; the earth, the sky, the water, the sun and moon. In the canticles of the Dahroshma, Alsorna appears as a winged behemoth, swooping down from the skies to grant her children the gift of fire, far before the time in which she conjured the sun. Some of the Dahroshma believe she chiseled her children from her claws, out of the purest of Estheline, and then granted the stone life. Others have seen her take the form of a beautiful woman, lithe and fair of skin, adorning nothing more than a pure white dress with an arrangement of ravishing white flowers in her long locks of silver hair. In such a form, she has been known to be called Alsorna the Benevolent, walking the plains of Medahlon and healing those wrought with sickness and disease. At the end of the First War was the last in which she was seen in this embodiment, shortly before the Iradae emerged from the smoldering fields to aid her children. In the Beginning of All Things, she lived amongst her people, teaching them an ancient language of her own design. In her death by savage barbarians from other lands, however, the tongue was lost and even less is remembered now, thousands of years later. Swept away by the ebb of time. A Brief History When the world was young, before there were kingdoms that ruled the lands of Alnoroth, there were tribes of primitive men. For the Dahroshma, however, there was the beautiful Alsorna. She was a just, fair, wise, and deserving leader. Under her guidance, the youthful Dahroshma prospered. She was the one who taught them how to communicate, forging instinctive barbarians and beasts into civilized men and women. With her tutelage, they learned to craft and fish and grow crops. Flawlessly, she swayed the hearts of her children and gifted unto them all manner of things. After many years, other men from the east learned of this divine 'chieftain'. In hopes of learning, they tread through the passage of the mountains and into the lands soon to be dubbed Medahlon. A poison of the soul eventually gripped their hearts and jealousy saw to the end of an already strenuous pact of peace. Curiosity led to disbelief, for a woman could not lead men. For women were too frail, too easily broken. It was when these men began to burn the fields that war first brought its iron grip upon the young people of Medahlon. Men and women and children were slain, captured, and mutilated for several years. The eastern barbarians enroached upon the land, setting up camps along the mountain sides, wreaking havoc with numbers as they grew closer and closer inland. A final battle ended upon the fields of Medahlon, where the great capitol of Alsoriath would reside decades later. The eastern men crushed any resistance, killing those determined to fight to the death and finally torching the fields with wildfire. It was then that Alsorna revealed herself to these people, and spoke. Her words still heard in this day and age. "Know the blood you have shed in this war was needless. For I did not turn you away - nay - I embraced you with open arms. At one time, both you and my children could have led a peaceful existence here, but your sins have been far too great and you disregarded our gift, favoring dishonor and jealousy. You are fools to believe my death will signify an end, for in truth, it will only bring about a beginning. I shall be born again, and my wrath will churn a flame unimaginable. Heed my warning or be burned by a righteous fire." - Alsorna It was then that the men of the east slew the Dahroshma's God and the hearts of hundreds cried out in anguish upon learning of her death. The fields were left to burn, and the man travelled back to their camps - victorious, taking no heed to the God's warning. And as it was prophesied, a fortnight passed before Alsorna's wrath came into being. An enormous winged beast swept through the lands, and was said to have breathed fire from its enormous maw, burning every eastern barbarian in a great blossom of flame. As a last act, the creature sealed off the mountain pass, later named the 'Dalgavorn', thus blocking off Medahlon from the outside world completely. Those who survived were later killed by the remaining Dahroshma, who had learned to endure with the aid of the Iradae; arriving shortly after Alsorna's death, saving many from the smoldering fields and overseeing the renewal of the land. From then on, a new age passed into being. A King, supposedly born of Alsorna's womb, helped bring the people of Medahlon back onto their feet. He decreed that none were to speak the ancient tongue, save only for worship to Alsorna and to name themselves. They learned the common language after hearing it spoken by the eastern men during the years of the First War. It was then when the line of Kings began. From that day forth, a new era had arisen. One of prospering. One of peace. Cities, towns, and provinces Many villages and settlements litter the plains of Medahlon, though the most prominent are listed below: Alsoriath - the largest city, and the capitol of Medahlon, named after the God Alsorna. This is where the castle of the King resides, crafted of solely Estheline. The walls are so aged, the once glistening white ore of the fortifying walls has dulled to a dark gray. Ulorven - the halls of the craftsmen are where the blacksmiths and architects of Medahlon reside, along with the few scholars who oversee the libraries etched deep within former mines below the city. It is an enormous dwelling, and by far the loudest. Harlith - the small province within 'The Vale' is a quiet and peaceful village, nestled in a glade at the very far end of the valley. Home to the Sivellon, the dens within Harlith are built from unfurnished logs of wood. The people who reside there are very fond of nature and tend to take care of their woodland dell the best they can. Nalem - a small, market city at northernmost area of Medahlon. River-men fish here and tend to sell what they can, whether it be small perch from the rivers or much larger delicacies from the sea. Government The government of Medahlon is a simple monarchy in which has had a single line of Kings in its entire reign. All decisions are made within the courts. The throne is situated in an ornate atrium, surrounded by seven other chairs for the King's advisors; all of which have been picked from each province littered across the plains of Medahlon. The King - First - Second - Third - Fourth - Fifth - Sixth - Seventh - |
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