# Dayrin League Annis Dayrinbelieved in equality and fairness, thus it was that the lands settled by her followers were founded upon these principles. After the Parting of the Saints, Annis sailed East. She beleived herself following the divine guidance of Amangyr, who had promised a bountiful land for her and those under her guidance. She landed on the continent of Narrin, and exhorted her followers to colonize there. Her faith had rewarded her and her people with a veritable paradise. Narrin was hospitable, fertile and bereft of the monstrous terrors that plague much of Temnia. Time passed and the people under Annis Dayrin leadership knew peace and prosperity. When she died, the Trade Assemby established itself as the governing body of the various cities, and formally established **the Dayrin League**. Through the years, the people of the Dayrin League grew powerful and famous, and the wealth of their textile mills and the wonder of their arts drew many to them. Eventually, Vathker became a center for art and culture, and many aspiring artists and writers travelled to the League to learn learn from the masters, or to give greater visibility to their works. The Seer of Vathker recognized an opportunity when it presented itself, and in the tradition of Saint Annis, Lady of Peace, the Seer convinced the Trade Assembly to make Vathker more than the apex of art, but a pinnacle of peace and harmony as well. The League then constructed a new annex to the city of Vathker called the **Conversance District**, and invited the representatives of all of the nations of Temnia to occupy embassies therein. Many nations accepted the invitiation, and Vathker has become not only a hube of trade activity, but an important political stage for a number of the world's civilizations. Because of their wealth, their position as a global political theatre, and their broad alliances with most of the largest civilization of the world, few would have reason to threaten the safety of the Dayrin people, or the Sovreignty of the League's borders. Vathker is the hub of commerce and axle upon which the wheel of peace turns. ## Government ### The League Assembly Like the Confederacy, the League is a collection of member states (or in this case city-states) that meet in common council. This council was originally the "Assembly of Trade Guilds and Merchants," who were focused on the maintainence of economic ties between the various citystates. With the guidance of St. Annis, the Trade Assembly became an instution of public good, and eventually of governance. When Annis Dayrin died, the Trade Assembly renamed itself the **League Assembly**, and established the position of the Seer of Vathker, who would act as an advisor, head of state, and an executive of governance. The League Assembly is ostensibly a colletion of guildmasters from recognized trade guilds from various city-states, though in reality the Assembled are representatives chosen by the guild and who have only token memberships for the purpose of representing the guild's interests. Each representative serves a term of one to four years (as determined by their guild). Each year, the assembly chooses a president, sets and agenda and goes about the buisiness of governance, advised by the Seer of Vathker through the Seer's Voice. Unlike the Confederacy's Conclave, the League Assembly is not an ineffectual mess of self-serving nobles obstructing legislation to maintain their own power base. The Assembly has a history of cooperation and comprimise, working to find solutions to complex issues and ensuring the prosparity of the League as a whole.  ### The Seer of Vathker The Seer of Vathker is a powerful diviner elected to their post by vote of the Assembly. The term is lifelong, though the Assembly can vote the recall the existing Seer. Seers are usually chosen from the leadership of the Church of St. Annis Dayrin, but the council is empowered to elect anyone capable of passing the Rite of Selection. Practically speaking, this requires the ability to magically divine the past, the present and the future.  Upon election, the Seer undergoes the ritual of sealing, which permanently renders the Seer blind. No mortal magic is capable of restoring a Seer’s vision. The Seer witnesses things only second hand, relying upon his magics and his agents to report to him. The Seer’s primary duty is to maintain the peace and neutrality of the League. However, they are also the head of state for the league, entrusted to negotiate with foreign leaders on the League’s behalf. The Seer is also responsible for arbitration of Dayrin law. It is exceedingly rare for the Seer to render judgement personally, but it is they who sets forth the Arbiters who hear such matters. By law, the Seer is forbidden to speak (or communicate by writing) to the Assembly. Instead, the Seer has proxies speak on their behalf to the Assembly. Gydion Zarse is the current Seer of Vathker. This crafty old man has been the longest sitting Seer in the history of the League, having held his post for nearly fifteen years. Much as a spider sits in its web and watches the strings, so too does Zarse sit and maneuver his agents and “watch” as events unfold. The Seer’s agents pervade the society of the Dayrin League, and rumors abound that there are even agents in the various embassies, a gross violation of protocol if true. Gydion understands the need for these protocols, but feels that maintaining the balance of trade, peace, and prosperity is his sacred duty, and he cannot allow formalities to tie his hands. The Seer has a number of agencies at this disposal to discharge his duties. **The Zolagna**, the Eyes of the Seer, is a collection of anonymous individuals who actively acquire important information for the Seer. The eyes ensure that whatever the Seer wishes to know, the Seer knows. While they typically operate in the confines of the league, the Zloagna are not bound to borders. They will cross the widest seas and climb the highest mountains to learn what the Seer wishes to know. **The Rushoi**, the Ears of the Seer, is a more passive means of gathering information the Seer needs. They are a collection of informants, plants and well-informed citizens who allow the Seer to keep abreast of events in the League. Unlikes the Zolagna, the Rushoi almost never operate outside of the League. That doesn't mean that the Rushoi do not have their own sources beyond Dayrin borders. **The Nozhivetz**, the Blades of the Seer, is primarily responsible for maintaining the Seer's personal safety. They are also responsible for the execution of duly convicted criminals, sentenced to die for their crimes. Occasionally, with the guidance of the Seer, the Blades will pass sentence on dangerous criminals without the entanglements of arrest or trial. This reality is not publically acknowedlged by the Seer or the Assembly. The current leader of the Nozhivetz, known as the Left Hand of the Seer, is Penta Harker. **The Gyrdruka**, the Shields of the Seer, is the civilian guard of the League. They are, by a wide margin, the largest force of people who answer to the Seer. Each settlement has at least a small collection of Gyrdruka to keep the peace. Because the force is so large, regional jurisdictions have been established to ensure the appropriate dispersion of guards are available to maintain the peace. The current leader of the Gyrdruka, known as the Right Hand of the Seer, is Garev Kreel. **The Vespoka**, the Voice of the Seer, is a collection of diplomats and arbiters who render judgement in criminal matters, and negotiate on behalf of the Seer or of the League. The Vespoka is broken up into four tiers, referred to as octaves. The leader of the Vespoka, known as the Heart of the Seer, is Lyrin Mesenna.  ### Foreign Relations The Dayrin League has installed itself as a central figure in Temnian politics. Their vast trading empire, resource independance and philosophical disposition towards peace have made them ideal mediators in international disputes. The Dayrin are particularly well regarded by the Aldwara, who share the vision of a unified worldwide community. They see the Dayrin as their counterparts among the human race, and have afforded them a degree of respect rarely seen for the younger races. Yelin are less impressed with the Dayrin, seeing their desire to sew peace as an unwillingness to fight against the evils of the world. The league is home to the largest Dwarven enclave outside Antaris, which oddly enough, makes them one of the least respected of the human nations by dwarven reckoning. The acceptance of Inkrahan exiles speaks poorly of the Dayrin people, and their philosophy of peace and unity reeks of people sheltered from the harsh realities of the world. Of the Miryag nations, the Karrak have the strongest ties to the Dayrin. The Karrak do a brisk trade of raw material which flows through Vathker. Atvarans view the League and their egalitarian ethos as either a dire threat to their collective sovreignty, or a doomed fad poised on the brink of catastrophic failure. A collection of jumped up pig farmers and silk peddlers pretending to be statesmen. As the Atvar see it, only the good fortune of Narrin’s bounty allows Dayrin League to survive. Merlani have a distaste for the Dayrin desire to "bring all peoples together," and this effort is often a source of a variety of strange conspiracy theories within the free cities. Polimoni resent that many see the Dayrin as the foremost of the Miryag nations, a title to which they believe they are the entitled. The Dayrin in turn see the Polimon and their philosophy of Miryag superiority as divisive and destructive. The Varyag’s largest collective presence is in the Dayrin League, and specifically Vathker. There isn’t a clanship in the fleet the doesn’t anchor down for at least once a year. As a people that make their living transporting goods and people from one side of the world another, the Varyag have found the Dayrin to be an essential ally. Tyrennhians see the Dayrin as the leaders of a growing anti-imperial power bloc. They steadfastly reject Dayrin overtures of alliance and cooperation in favor of “continued imperial sovereignty.” The Shi’ruul, having spent most of their history huddled within Valparyllo, had only two points of contact with the wider world. One was the Aldarwa, the other was the embassy in Vathker. The enigmatic avian race felt that the Seers of Vathker possessed an insight they could make use of, and thus braved the dangers of the outside world to maintain a presence within the Conversance District. Now that they have decided to integrate themselves with the wider world, the Dayrin League is a natural ally and point of first exposure for many Shi’ruul. Dayrins tend to dislike Orcs. To them, Orcs are a symbol of everything wrong with the world. They are a people driven to warfare by poverty and starvation. They perpetuate the divisions and petty rivalries that stand as a barrier between the people of Temnia and the golden era that St. Dayrin foretold upon the founding of the Dayrin League. Despite this philisophical difference, the Orcs maintain an embassy in Vathker. The access to potential clients is an invaluable opportunity. For thier part, Dayrin people will hirw War Bands to hunt monsters, brigands and other enemies of civilization. >[!hidden] >### Industry & Trade >The Dayrin League is considered to be the center of fashion for much of the human world. In addition to its strong artistic presence, the lands it occupies are home to a variety of plants and animals that make for quality silk, wool and cotton. Narrin cotton is legendary for its durability and its ability to retain color. Dayrin Weave is an alchemically treated cotton that functions as a form of armor that doesn't impede spellcasting. The specifics of its creation are a tightly held secret, but Dayrin cotton appears to be integral to the proces. ## History ### Foundation Soon after the Ritual of the Landing, fractures within the shared Miryag Nation began to show. Each of the Saints had their own vision of their people's future. Personal and political disagreements drove wedges between the five, and it was clear those loyal to Annis Dayrin were not going accept rule by Rhynnis Polimon, not would Polimon's faithful accept Dayrin rule. Annis Dayrin began preaching of a promised land set forth by Amangyr for his people, a vision having come to her of fertile planes and a peaceful valley and an existence free of want or sacrifice. Rhynnis Polimon condemned the notion, stating firmly that Ysaldin was the promised land, for this was where light of Amangyr was rekindled. Any notion of a 'foreign' promised land was at best a delusion, and at worst a ploy of Ma'ar Leyna. Annis beleived that Rhynnis was consolidating power, and sought to name himself as the sole ruler of the Miryag people, and so she lead her followers on a pilgrimage to find _Eshad Inya_, the promised valley. Guided by her vision, St. Annis Dayrin lead her people to the Southern shores of Narrin. There was founded Vathker, the first city. The Dayrin people set about buiding their settlement, and exploring their newfound home. The first people they ecountered on the Island was a small settlement of the Duriem, Dwarven worshipper of Inkaraha and exiles from the Darsun Kingdom. The Duriem aided Dayrin's people in their efforts to establish their new home. The Dwarves had little interest in the lands north of the Uldarson mountains. If the human occupied it, then there would be another buffer between them and the fell creatures who occasionally wandered in from the North.  ### Rise of the Seer Annis' people grew and propspered under her leadership. The Assembly of Trade Guilds and Merchants was established, and shaped into an effective force of governance. Settlements spread throughout Southern Narrin. The nation built upon her vision and would bear her name was on track to flourish. When Annis Dayrin died, the Trade Assembly established itself formally as the governing body of what was now the Dayrin League. Each of the established cities signed the Dayrin Accords, which guaranteed guild representation within the League Assembly. The League's first act was to establish the office of the Seer of Vathker, who would act as an advisor, an executive and a head of state for the league, a role that St. Annis herself had dedicated herself to during the formative years of the league. As the Dayrin people expanded into and beyond the Eshad Inya, it became increasingly clear that their promised land was not promised to them alone. Gargoyle lands inhabited the northern Mountains, expiditions into the Tavkorash Forest met with failure or ruin, and another kingdom was already established on Narrin's Western shore.  ### Zantulian Wars As Annis Dayrin herself passed from living memory, her control over the instituions of the Chruch, the Assembly and the Seer of Vathker waned. As it did, the insututions of governance became less civic minded, and more self-serving. The Duriem's status faded in the eyes of the Seer, from Dayrin vital allies to friendly advisers to to well-meaning outsiders. As the Dayrin's league prosparity grew, so too did their appetites. It was in this context that the Dayrin discovered the existance of the Kraldom of Zantul. The first years of conract between the Dayrin League and Zantul were peaceful enough, but self-serving members of the Assembly and the beligerant Seer that was placed into office by them lead to increasingly aggressive behavior by the Dayrin, which eventually lead to armed conflict. The Zantul proved to be a tenacious foe, and fairly quickly pushed the Dayrin invaders out. A plaque of night pox further ravaged the Dayrin people, and the war was lost. Terms of surrender kept the loss of territory to the Tsargin Highlands. Invasions of the Obaran and an attempted annexation of the wild territory between Obaran and Kal'sam also ended poorly the for the league. Conflict arose again as the Dayrin sought to recaputre their lost territory, but that too, was rebuffed. The defeat was so demoralizing that the League Assemby discharged several of its memebers, and recalled the Seer. After several changes of leadership and years of diminished trade with the Zantulians, an invasion of Narrin by the Urian Union gave the League its chance to recapture their lost territory. While the Zantulains and Urians fought, the Dayrins and their Orc mercenaries swept in an liberabated the Tsagrin Highlands from Zantul. The Kraldom, eager to quickly stop the lesser of the two threats to their borders, signed an accord with the Dayrin League settling their borders. The victory was short-lived for the Dayrin, who soon found themselves in the throes of a wide-spread famine that affected many of the western nations. The Dayrin were forced to decide between feeding their own people, or rengeging on their contract with the Orcs, and fighting against the largest army in the Northern Hemisphere.  ### Conversance Facing a starving nation, a beligerant orc army, and a crippling level of debt, and a people on the edge of rebellion, the Dayrin League was at risk of falling apart. Just as the League Assembly was debating which of several dangerous paths to take, the Seer of Vathker suffered a delibilitating stroke, and was no longer able to serve. Some within the assembly wanted to proceed with out a seer for the first time in the League's history. Others wanted to risk the disaster of inaction while a new Seer was chosen. Ultimately, the Assembly risked the later, and quickly decided upon Shelton Kovek, the youngest Seer in Atvaran history. Merely 23 years old, and unknown by the Church of St. Annis, many have wondered if Seer Kovek was ever able to pass the Rite of Selection. Historians beleive that the Assembly nominated and approved Seer Kovek to silence the contingent that did not want to act alone, and would simply recall the boy as soon as the crises had passed. Little did they know what a transformative figure Shleton Kovek would become. Under his Seership, the League was pulled from the brink of oblivion. This took a few years of uncertainty and termoil but with careful negotiation, smart planning and good fortune, the League was once again able to stand on its own. By the time Shelton Kovek saw his fourth Assembly come into session, his reputation was unassailable, and anyone with thoughts of recalling him from his position, or attempting to govern without the participation of a strong Seer of Vathker had been discredited, become destitute, or had been run out of office. Saving the Dayrin League was not to be Seer Kovek's legacy, though. Instead, he would begin the construction of what is now the Conversance District. In addition to being a vibrant economic hub, the Dayrin League would also be the central political theatre for people of Nothern Hemisphere of Temnia. Representatives of every nation would come to Vathker to sew for peace, martial allies against common foes, grandstand and intimidate their rivals, and create alliances for mutual protection. Selton Kovek did not live to see the conversance district come into being. ## Inhabitants ### Dragonborn The collapse of the Dragonborn civilization in the wake of the great cataclysm has left a number of dragonborn scattered throughout the Narrin continent. Some made the journey back to the Dragonborn homeland on the Manim Islands, others chose to remain and rebuild their way of life. Dragonborn can be found in scattered outposts on the edge of Dayrin lands. Their reaction to the encroaching Dayrin settlers varies. Those who see the Dayrins as invaders or infestors have responded with hosility and aggression, leading to enmity between outland Dayrins and Dragonborn people. But this conflict usually seen only in the far reaches of the League. Those dragonborn inclined to cooperation with Dayrin neighors find acceptance, and a number have naturally emmigrated deeper within the League's holdings, often congregating in larger towns and cities. The invasion of the Tyrennhian Imperium and the conquest of the Dragonborne's home islands has resulted in a number of Dragborne refugees coming to the Dayrin League. Some fled from conquest, others are liberated slaves that escaped their Imperial captors. These often cogregate in the largest and Southernmost Dayrin cities.  ### Dwarves The **Duriem**, **Inkarha** worshipping dwarves who were exhiled from the Darsun Kingdom in the days of the **First Brimstone War**, found a people willing to accept them among their people. As word spread of the League's acceptence of the Inkarha worshippers, more and more came to settle within the League. The Duriem established their own settlements in the souther mountains of Narrin, in a region known as **Uldarson**, which roughly translates to "not home." Because of the Dayrin's open acceptance of the Duriem, dwarves of the Darsun Kingdoms are mistrustful of the Dayrin, and do little business in Vathker. None of the Darsun Kingdoms maintain an embassy within the Conversance district.  ### Halflings Perhaps the largest population of Halflings on Temnia can be found in the Dayrin League. The prosparity of the land and the bredth of trade make for bounty of the Blessing of Siriven. Others have simply given up on the idea of reclaiming their homeland, and instead elected to embrace their newfound home. The discrimination and distrust that trundlers seem to harbor for smallfolk are far easier to bear than the dangers and hard labor of the Underhome. Those who have decided to embrace their Dayrin home tend to travel North into the Eshad Inya Valley, or West into Tsagrin highlands, as they less likely to clash with those still dedicated to the Underhome.  ### Human, Corsuan The people of the **Urian Union** had long traded with the Dayrin League, and many had established perminant homes in Vathker and other coastal settlements. When the Union fell to Olidarus' revolution and the Tyrennhian Imperium rose, those who feared for their lives and livlihoods either remained in or emmigrated to the Dayrin League. These Corsuan expatriats have established the **Baltas Enclave** as a home in exile. Tyrennhians care little for the petty betrayals of the Urian Collaborators, and beleive firmly in their vision of human unity, but the Baltan maintain an animosity toward the "Imperials" who have stolen their homeland.   ### Human, Antaran Trade with the Zantulia was a small but steady presence in the early days of the Dayrin League. This naturally lead to some cross immigration between the Zantualian and the Dayrin peoples. The Imperial annexation of Zantulia has largely ended trade between the two nations, but did create another wave of immigration, from those afraid of what Imperial rule would mean for their homeland. Few of the Bashkuar have travalled as far South and East as the Dayrin League, but despite their reputation as "beast-men," the Bashkaur are as human as their Dayrin or Zantulian counterparts.  ### Human, Miryag The bulk of the people of the Dayrin League are Miryag, descendants of the follower of  [[Saint Annis Dayrin]] who established her nation on the southern shores of Narrin. As the largest trading city in the Northern Hemisphere, travel and immigration is fairly commonplace, so descendants of other Miryag nations are not uncommon within the league, though such people tend to congregate in trade cities in the South.   ### Ylvani Both the Yelin and Aldarwa maintain a presence at their embassies in the Conversance district, but the Aldwarwa are the most numerous in the Dayrin population. The Istima are an enthusiastic supporter of the Dayrin peace effort, and have established a lasting presence in the forests south of Vathker. The Erume have little trade presence and have a powerful aversion to oversea travel. The Yelin typically prefer cooler climates, though trade, travel and political engagement have brought some into the league. ## Society and Culture ... ## Faith and Religion ... >[!hidden] >## Geography > >### Astava Outlands >The far reaches of Dayrin territory, the southern lowlands are dominated by a large wetland plane. The largest settlement, Gulshker, is a small town near the mouth of the Gulsyhek river. As one travels North, the terrain transitions into a series of low hills that lead into the Tavkorash forest, seen as the border of the League. Beyond the forest lies the lands of the @Obatan Matriarchy   > >### Baltas and outlying islands >There are a number of islands in the Promov Sound, the most populous of which is Baltas.   > >### Eshad Inyva Valley >...  > >### Tsagran Highlands >... > >### Uldarson Mountains >... >  >### Vatha Plane