Welcome to my fantasy world, Eca
Eca is a land mass roughly the size of South America on a world similar to earth. It is one continent on a word that is mostly unexplored by its peoples. The races of Eca are your typical fantasy species. Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, the lot. But most of that work hasn't been developed yet. I'm going to be honest, the vast majority of Eca hasn't been developed. But I've started this community with my cousin and I want to develop fantasy worlds like we did when we were teenagers, so it will be updated fairly regularily as I flesh out all the different aspects of the world. From how many moons there are to which race prays to what gods. It should be a fun ride.
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Eca
7 Countries, 4 larger, 3 smaller
The two larger northern countries, eastern Paka Lanpau and western Totiva are defensive/peaceful and protect the 3 small countries, eastern Zithio, Neti along the north coast and Lygeniana in the northwest, from the middle country Walfa.
Walfa is militaristic, attacking other countries at random, yet like clockwork. They have a massive population that prevents anything but quelling the violence. The peace of which never lasts for long.
Sebi, the southernmost country and is in a perpetual war with Walfa, they are loose allies with the northern kingdoms taking supplies from them in exchange for doing battle with the Mids to help occupy their anger. The war is kept at a simmer just to occupy Walfian forces.
The Lygenians are masters of trade and almost anything coming into the continent has them involved. This has made them very rich.
Zithio is a self-sufficient kingdom. They are aligned with their neighbors as well as the small country of Neti. They pay for their alliance by holding no army of their own but draft and ship soldiers to Paka Lanpau to help keep their lands free and safe. They got peasants out the wazoo.
The same goes for the Neti, but they also align with the merchant country Lygeniana and rely on exports/imports to sustain themselves, being larger in populous, but with less land. Crafters love this kingdom as their taxes are extremely favorable to the black collar crowd.
Totiva
Western large country above Walfa. Run of the mill monarch system led currently by King Kassaran. The country is split up into 12 small counties ran by 12 Lords chosen by the king himself upon coronation. This can lead to small civil wars when a new King is crowned, but over the past 5 generations, there’s been an unspoken agreement to keep the Lords titles hereditary as long as the King remains Hereditary.
The lands are mountainous in the south with a long but narrow plateau near the borders of Walfa and Paka Lanpau. From there going north it becomes dense forest yielding to meadows and farmland further north. The capital, Valenci, is roughly in the center of the country surrounded by farmland with woodlands nearby to its south.
The people are farmers and foresters as well as part-time soldiers in the service of their local lords who are in turn in service to their King. They are serfs who rent the land they work, but the Lords are fair enough and rebellions are far and few between.
They export grains to the people of Lygeniana in exchange for spices and fabrics, as well as exporting some metals and precious gems.
Their constant enemy is Walfa. Every five or so years they start an incursion into Totivian territory in an attempt to take over lands they felt were rightfully theirs due to the wars of kings long forgotten.
Paka Lanpau
“Home Land” is what the city name means. It was the cradle of civilization in this corner of the world for the elven population and remains their home although you can find elves in all the countries of the world. The ancient capital Paka is nestled deep in the center of a forest located along the northeastern coast. A sprawling metropolis of many different trades and lifestyles. It's one of the few cities where it is possible to find the other races inhabiting this country living in harmony with the elves. Racism and persecution run rampant in the rest of the countryside, especially against the “less refined” cultures of the world.
Neti
If you want a finely crafted sword or a delicate and elegant ring you are probably buying Neti goods. The craftsman from this small country are among the most talented tradespeople in the entire world. A hefty population of dwarf smiths, human jewelers, and elven carpenters create a wonderful power vacuum for ingenuity, quality, and speed. Making the Neti people vast amounts of wealth while having very little resources of their own. The secret key to creating the continent’s finest economy?
Fair and moderate taxation. The government of Neti takes only what they must to ensure the nation continues its upward momentum, creating vast networks of well-maintained roads and canals to facilitate the transportation of their fine cargo. The government is run by a council of 51 nobles who own or run large trading companies or extremely profitable businesses. Admittance to the council is based on yearly earnings.
Zithio
Zithio is the result of a three-century-old peace deal between the former kings of Zithio and Paka Lanpau. Four hundred years ago the two nations warred endlessly as the smaller Zith nation fought to gain land in order to sustain its growing population. While the vast and sparsely Paka fought to keep a buffer zone between the powerful enemy army and any of their home cities. The resulting stalemate lasted for twenty-five years before the two kings agreed-upon terms for peace. The Zithian army would fight alongside the Pakan army as one in defense of both nations against the greater threat of the growing menace that is Walfa. In exchange, the Zithian people would be given ample room as well as trade to keep their population thriving for years to come.
Having lived for three centuries in what could be considered peace, the Zithian are often regarded by other countries as soft and lazy. The people that utter such words often haven't faced the modern Zithian army on the battlefield, where their cold, disconnected relationship to their opponents allows for uncontrolled brutality.
Lygeniana
The Lygenian symbol is a merchants scale. The Lygenian currency is weight calibrated gold of any shape and size. Only one thing matters. Total purity. To be caught misrepresenting the quality of one's gold is grounds for death within the fortnight.
The Lygenian people regard gold above all else for gold has made them more wealth than any one kingdom should be able to attain. It all started with one small gold mine that produced the largest nugget deposits known to man. The dwarves of Lygen were known to toss fist-sized chunks of pure gold into the slag pile in favor of the human-sized boulders.
The funny thing about mining gold though. Eventually, you mine it all up. Thousands of centuries later all the gold in Lygeniana sits below castles rather than mountains. The Lygenian merchants use this wealth to buy, move and sell goods all across the land. Most often to their two closest allies, Zithio and Paka Lanpau.
Walfa
The vast plains of Walfa are hidden to the rest of the world behind a ring of mountains that protect them. Or rather, the mountains protect the rest of the world from Walfa. These crude barbarians think very little of the refined tastes of Paka Lanpau and Totiva. They long for the music of battle.
Don't let the moniker of crude barbarians confuse you. The people of Walfa are farmers, blacksmiths, shepherds, and scholars. They can sustain themselves very easily and needn't fight the other nations if they so choose. But war is like a sport to them.
They raise their children from a young age to be fierce warriors and every person is expected to be ready to fight and die for the kingdom at a moment's notice. The problem for the other nations is that while Totiva may tell it's farmers to be ready, Walfa ensures every man, woman, and child is equipped at all times with a spear and a dagger. Ready for battle.
When the individual clans that make up Walfa start to war against each other the tribe leaders get together to form a war party to take their collective rage and violence outside their borders and into the hearts of their true enemies. This curse upon the other nations is also a blessing in disguise because the Walfans aren't coordinated enough to capitalize on their overwhelming power. Once the initial hammer blow is dealt, they end up fracturing into splinter groups that don't take much work to mop up.
Sebi
The southernmost country, Sebi is really a conglomerate of 4 nations. The Suli people of the island chains to the east. The Erivel in the northern mountains. Bulomeni people dominated the geographical feature known as The Fingers of the Gods in the southwest of the country. The Ireni are the least populous of the people but control the most territory. Living in the vast rainforests along the south and center of the country.
Each state within Sebi works together, favoring the strength of many over the strength of one. For example, when it comes to crafting tools, the Erivel state mines the ore from the mountains, while the Ireni gather timber for various building materials. Both states ship their resources to Bulomeni where it is crafted into useable equipment and good. It is then given to the Suli for trade.
The Sebi people are at constant war with Walfa generally situated in the mountains of Erivel. The constant war is a result of alliances with the northern kingdoms of Paka Lanpau and Totiva. War on the Walfa and trade will flow.