Erivale

Erivale is a land of enchantment and adventure. It is home to great heroes and monstrous beats. The region is comprised of two continents known as East and West Oria. East Oria is home to three kingdoms as well as many tribes of nomadic druids and shamans. West Oria is mostly arid desert, and is presently under the control of the Zombie King.



History
Legend has it that the God Erivan created the land of Erivale so that she would have a place where she could freely create the creatures her mind conjured up. Eventually she spawned companions, a race of nomadic Druids said to be the ancestors of the present-day Erivan people. Around 42 AR, the Wizard Roth Koria stumbled upon the land in his search for a peaceful place where he could retire from a lifetime of adventuring. Koria was revered across many lands, having several times put down the Prime Evil, saving all of creation. Many sought his tutelage and wisdom, and a community of followers developed around his home near the present-day Roland Sea.

A few centuries after Roth Koria's death in 67 AR, adventurers began reporting that existence of exotic creatures in the forests of East Oria. This attracted many adventurers, who hunted the creatures for sport and sold their hides, scales, and bones at a high price. More settlements began to form, and eventually trespass on land inhabited by the Erivan people. The conflict with the Erivan grew until all out war was fought between the Erivan and a coalition of settlements in 812 AR. This conflict drove the Erivan north of the Stoneback Mountains, where they have remained ever since.

In 946 AR, travelers had made their way to Nighland's Cove and West Oria, where rich deposits of gold and mithral were found. Word of these deposits quickly spread, bringing Erivale both great wealth and a rapid increase in its population. Thousands of years of mining have still not depleted the region of its resources, though the the level of production has declined significantly since its peak.

For centuries Erivale remained a land of outlaws, treasure seekers, and those seeking thrill. In 2904, however, the first attempt at uniting the people of Erivale under a single banner was made. The conqueror Devenicholus Roland marched his army from Blyth to Roth Koria, capturing all that was in between. During this time, however, the cities of present-day Gelphoria banded together, with the exception of Belesia, and stopped the advancement of Roland's army. In 2911 AR, Roland sailed his fleet of warships from the Rockwell Islands to Belesia, and triggered a 34-year war between Roland and King Horitus Wynther of Belesia. Eventually, in 2941, Rockwell's son Feriphor took the throne and accepted the help of Gelphoria, who had reached a stalemate with Roland on the northern front. The conflict ended with the signing of the Treaty of Belesia in 2945, establishing the united Kingdom of Delmoria and the confederacy of Gelphoria.

The second Great War took place between 3821 AR and 3833 AR. This time, the advance was made from a unified and strong Gelphoria, which had united peacefully under the banner of a single king. The armies of Gelphoria managed to claim Belesia, along with East and West Saven, which had been lost to Delmoria late in the first Great War. Roth Koria was temporarily under Gelphorian control in 3829 and 3830, but the Gelphorian armies did not advance much further than that. By the end of the war, Gelphoria managed to keep control of Belesia, but Delmoria remained mostly intact.

In 3912, wisespread protests began in Belesia. Through mostly peaceful resistance, Belesia managed to secure a great deal of independence from Gelphoria. The Belesian Accord allowed the establishment of a seperate government that merely had to accept the advice of Gelphoria.

Over the next millenia, an era of peace and prosperity began to reign. Centuries of investments made from the discoveries of gold yielded high rewards and the nations set aside their past disagreements in favor of trade and commerce. A new merchant class began to grow, and greater wealth allowed the population to swell even higher.

Beginning around 4702, however, reports from West Oria began to speak of rising dead. Eventually, these accounts were documented more reliably, and events over the next few years made clear the rise of the Zombie King. A powerful necromancer, the Zombie King razed Os-Kalol with his undead army, raising those his forces killed. Ruling from this ruined city, the Zombie King has amased a large force of undead soldiers in Skelectady, where he has launched small guerilla attacks against the nothern part of East Oria. Some reports claim larger attacks have been made against the Erivan in the Nomadic Highlands. In the past year, King Basitor of Delmoria has convinced the other leaders of Erivale that the Zombie King poses a threat to them all, and has amassed his own army to defend against an all out assault.

The year now is 4707.

Demographics
While Erivale's exact population is unknown, scholars estimate there are around 200,000 humanoids living in the region. Humans are the most prominent race, comprising roughly half of the population. The remainder is composed mostly of Elves and Dwarves, with sizable populations of Gnomes and Halflings. Around 10% of Erivale is of mixed races, the bulk of these being Half-Elves and Half-Orcs.

In On the Foundation of Populations and Peoples, Sthoma Smalthu compiled census information from 17 of Erivale's most populous cities. He estimated a total population in these cities to be 166,587 as of 4704 AR. His analysis concludes there are roughly 250 small encampments throughout the land each home to an average of 100 humanoids and estimates a population of roughly 8,500 Erivan living north of the Rift Mountains. While Smalthu's conclusion that the population is double the sustainable level for Erivale's resources is widely debated, most scholars accept his population estimates. Source: On the Foundation of Populations and Peoples, Mendelay Press, 4704 A R

East Oria
East Oria is split between three major kingdoms: Delmoria, Gelphoria, and Belesia. North of the Rift Mountains are highlands that are home to the land's native Erivan population. While this region is claimed by Delmoria, it's only presence in the region is Fort Renner, a military outpost.

West Oria
West Oria was once a lawless region with several encampments that served prospectors on their way to the western coast in search for gold. Around 4702 AR, reports of the rising dead began to spread through the region, and eventually made their way to the eastern continent. Many thousands of adventurers and settlers were never heard from again, and are assumed to now be under the control of the Zombie King. Reports from survivors suggest that the Zombie King attacked the settlement of Os-Kalol and now resides there with much of his undead army.

Nighland's Cove
Somewhat isolated from the rest of Erivale, Nighland's Cove has long been a place of legend and is said to be a safehaven for pirates and mauraders.