The Barony of Elion
Elion is known first and foremost for its peace. From its relaxing brooks to its rolling green mountain ranges, everything about the land exudes tranquility. For all of its outward exposition of being a place of Virtue and Truth, rumor, speculation, and parables run rampant among the people of Elion. Nothing happens without some greater meaning attached to it, whether the rain is from a curse, or the great fishing haul is the work of a contract with some being of power, the people of Elion are quick to belie their education by assigning meaning to everything most often with great gusto and little proof. Tall tales and loose fables are almost a game to the people of Elion.
Wild game in the area has been sparse for as long as any can remember and most blame the blighting of the Dreamwood. What was once an area of plenty is now just a memory. Animals coming out of the forest that are not corrupted in some way hasn’t happened in the last couple of years. This is always an issue on the first of each month when the villages of Elion hold a simple dinner for anyone around. It is a chance to come together as a community, discuss what is happening, as well as a chance to get to know any travelers passing through. While no dinner is mandatory, lack of attendance is usually a reason for people to come investigating why you couldn’t make it, and as such it is often just easier to go and make an appearance rather than not. In recent years however vegetables, grains, and fish have taken the place of meats and breads which once covered every table.
Elion truly is a melting pot of races due to the draw of the Schools of Insignia as well as being the home of the Earth Guild. On any given day you can find most any race walking the streets of the larger cities, and often the towns will have one to three prominent familial or factional groups within them. Due to this very cosmopolitan living, a couple of smaller factions have recently risen to prominence within the lands.
Insignia
The Capital of Elion
The Universities of Insignia is also the capital of Elion and where The Baron Sekshem calls home. Insignia attracts aspirants from all over Chalameria, as well as Fortannis, as the schools there are among the best in the known world when it comes to producing nobles of strong virtue and character. Quiet halls, serene walkways, and hearths of contemplating scholars are easy to find throughout the City.
Noteworthy Places
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Irenhome
Irenhome is the seat of the Earth Guild of Chalameria. The healing waters of Irenhome attract those who wish to pursue a life of service as a healer, as well as those who wish to be healed. With a strong military presence of those who have come from afar to learn to deal with the blights of Necromancy it is also one of the safest places in all of the Kingdom. Peace and serenity are easily found among the lush plains and rolling meadows. Salvewater cove is a primary source of food thanks to the abundance of fish, and many of the surrounding villages work on producing paper, oils, tinctures, and ink.
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Phoenix Glenn
In the Southeast of the Barony of Elion is the Phoenix Glenn. An immaculate forest which is flash burned every few years to wipe away debris and allow for new life to grow from the forest floors. Maintained by small tribes of those who prefer the wilds to the city it is a haven of living hand in hand with nature. Communication throughout the glen is done via scouts amongst the tribes within the glen, and would be poachers or those who would defile the sanctity of the forest are met with swift retribution, but then a return to the status quo. It is rumored that a live phoenix lives deep within the woods, though due to the nature of the tall tales of the Elian most outsiders may never know the truth.
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Abatton
Abatton resides as the last stop on the path between Laurentium and Elion through the Dreamwood. It is primarily a military fort which serves a dual purpose of protecting the people of Elion from invastions from the unkown to the north, as well as from the denizens of the Dreamwood who would venture out. Abatton is also known for its Scouts and Travelmasters who have made a life traversing the dreamwood as safely as possible. While not nearly as serene or as calm as any of the other major cities, the people of the fort often find ways to express their thanks and appreciation to one another, as the frequency of danger has steadily increased over the years, and the Abatton as a whole has become far more transient as a result.
Elians of Note
Famous, infamous, noteworthy, or otherwise – these Elians are widely known throughout Chalameria for one reason or another, but note this is not an exhaustive list.
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Sekshem is the Baron of Elion as well as the primary administrator for the schools at Insignia. Sekshem is an Elf of roughly 150 years who has always lived in Elion and is known favorably throughout. Sekshem was made Baron five years ago by the Concord after the previous Baron died permanently at the hands of riders from the Dreamwood
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Current head of the Earth Guilds of Chalameria – Lady Elari is a dryad of unknown age, having only recently awoken in the last 10 years Lady Elari was quickly recognized for her wisdom and understanding of the natural order of things. After graduating from the schools of Insignia Lady Elari was assigned as Lady of Irenhome. Within two years of administering the lands the then current Guild Master knew what her calling truly was and convinced Elari to take the mantle from them. Elari is loved far and wide throughout Elion as well as Chalameria, and often will write letters of encouragement and progress on the nature of the blight of the Dreamwoods.
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A current professor of Insignia, Commander Mardane has been a royal advisor for centuries. A human who was cursed via a ritual gone awry, the Knight Commander has been making the most of the extended time by giving back wherever he can. When he is not teaching at Insignia it is usually because he is running a campaign in defense of Chalameria or leading a diplomatic adventure to far off lands. KC Mardane is well known, and widely respected amongst the nobles of Chalameria.
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While never making a scene out of it, telling a reasonable sounding farce with a straight and calm demeanor is prized amongst the people, and none are better at it than Elt Namon a Stone Elf bay steward of Irenhome who has helped to ferry people across Salvewater Cove for the last century, no one is ever truly sure if his tales are false, no matter how farcical they may seem.
Views on Other Cultures
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On Maram
The capital city of Maram is where all of the education of Insignia wears off. While it is absolutely necessary for the kingdom as a whole, you will often hear heated arguments of what is “right” vs. what is “correct” when people of Maram and the people of Elion come together. At the same time, many of the highest ranking officials within Maram, if not all have been through the schools at Insignia, and are well versed in the status quo. Due to this there are often those who routinely correspond via hand delivered letters between Maram and Elion.
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On Laurentium
The barony of Laurentium feels far from home. Conversations about the wizards in the west are often either leaning towards them making things worse by experimenting on who knows what, or the key to restoring the lands and ending the blights. There are horror stories and rumors about what kind of things roam the pass, and whenever anyone comes to Elion from Laurentium they are the talk of the town, until everyone realizes that they are just another Chalamerian. Most of the art within Insignia comes from the artists of Laurentium, and so those who have been through the educational system of Chalameria will often be able to spot the handiwork of a particularly well known artist or two.
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On Wincor
The people of Wincor are well loved by the people of Elion. From the Boggarts in the east to the people of the Steppes, the tales of struggle and overcoming adversity are the favorite of the people of Elion, and those arriving from Wincor often have great tales to this effect just from the way they live their lives. It is often said to children within Elion, act right or I will send you to live with your cousins down in the Oubliette! Though it is also well known that no people of Elion are actually in the Oubliette. Being able to look at others adversity and be thankful for all you have is a fond past-time of those from Elion.