-Author-
Jim Clougherty
Federland
A large country to the west which is a federation of many settlements. Each settlement is governed in their way of choosing, but they must adhere to some of the rules that the country enforces. Individual settlements are represented by one person of their choosing to make decisions about the country as a whole, and they are overruled, but not often, by the Grand Chancellor, whose duty it is to oversee important decisions regarding the country.
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The overall safety of the country is all that the representatives and Grand Chancellor have control over. One exception to this rule is when they are involved in a war, in which case, the Grand Chancellor must lead the army in battle. The minimum requirement for a representative is that they have served at least two years in the Federland army. For the Grand Chancellor, the requirements are even stricter: They must have at least five years of experience as a high-ranking military official before they’ll even be considered for the position.
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The hands-off approach of the Grand Chancellor means that settlements are generally on their own when solving internal problems. A settlement like Faiwell, for example, has to come up with solutions by themselves if they are struggling to obtain precious metals for trading.
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Since the landscapes of Federland are vast and varied, settlements tend to be quite different, culturally and visually. One could be forgiven for thinking that two different settlements were from separate countries entirely.
Settlements
Faiwell
A village in the northeast region of Federland. The trading of precious metals is what their economy thrives on, and thus, the Miner’s Guild is its driving force. The village itself is surrounded by a five-meter high stone wall with only four entry ways in and out for travelers and residents alike. The Faiwell territory extends all the way out to mountains in the north, the plains of the east, the woods to the south, and Mt. Couture to the west.
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Five Village Elders act as council for important decisions to be made in regards to Faiwell. They are typically old, wise, and in good standing with the general public. Decisions they make include tax rates, tariff rates, law enforcement, trading partners, and much more. If a guild or association is to make a big change which would impact the workers, the heads of those guilds or associations would need to go through the Elders, first.
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The mentality of Faiwell is that working one’s way up is a must. The young men usually find themselves living in shacks, but through years of paying their dues while mining, may just get to own one of the finer houses up north, one day.
Landmarks
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Dead Woods – A large stretch of woods to the west where the trees are all leafless and lifeless, yet stand tall. Mischievous creatures roam in the thick of the trees, and so it is advised that travelers stay on the path and in packs. Nighttime is when its worst residents come out to play, but they are rarely bold enough to attack large groups.
Frez Pond – A pond just outside of Mt. Couture. The underground river which flows through the mountain is what supplies it with water. The overgrown riggits of Mt. Couture call this place home.
Grimrock Plateau – A huge plateau with a single path carved through the middle of it called Allie’s Pass. Inside the path are warnings drawn on the walls; warnings to steer clear of Mt. Couture; warnings about the black gold.
Mt. Couture – A large mountain in the west-most territory of Faiwell. Within it lie a series of connected tunnels and caves, dug out long ago by the Ancient Ones. It is thought that many valuable treasures and ores can be found within its shafts. However, it has been abandoned for thousands of years, as what lurks within is not worth the torment that it welcomes: It is the site of the black gold and many deadly creatures that the outside world has not yet had the displeasure of dealing with.
Port City
A city on the east coast of Federland. As the most common place for ships to come and go in the country, it is a great hub of activity. It is just north of the Bird Lands, so there are many avian coming and going in more peaceful times.
Victoria
The Capital of Federland, where the settlements officially joined forces to push back the invading Turnersia many years ago. Out of the ashes of that battle came victory and a new country. As one of Federland’s largest cities, it houses the representatives of each settlement, the Grand Chancellor, and the reserves of the military.
Other Landmarks of Federland
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The Great Chasm – A massive fissure in the ground with mysterious properties. It is said that those cast into the pit cannot die or use magic. They are doomed to an eternity of pain and suffering. The most powerful and feared Dark Wizard in recent history, Wilhelm the Oppressor, was thrown into the chasm hundreds of years ago in order to stop him from reviving.