“Hush, Don’t let the order find you, lest you be brought to their halls of purity. Outsiders go in, but rarely come out.”

-Anonymous Tiefling Stowaway

In the south of the continent of Domus lies a country between two mountain chains. The isolationist country of Ardahl is secluded from the outside world thanks to their natural mountainous walls. Their populace has an undying devotion to the gods and practice their religious beliefs almost fervently.

The countryside is dotted with cloisters and convents. The farms along the Großlek being worked by folk who have never left their homestead, for The order of Tranquility will come to collect and dispense the food to the needy.

Though at peace, Ardahl has its struggles with the outside world wanting to peer inside. Outsiders are not welcome, and other races than humans are persecuted out of superstition by the Order and the common folk.

Yet there are still good folk who remember what Ardahl used to be, and would like to see it return that way.

“Purity before the gods”

-Ardahl Motto

Ardahl is about 450 miles north to south and 1100 miles from west to east. The country features one major river, Großlek, splitting the country and splitting a part of the continent. Ardahl lives in the shadows of two mountain chains protecting both north and south borders; The Giant’s Teeth in the north and the [X] in the south. The country is for the majority made up of highlands, dominated by the mountainous terrain from the northern and southern borders. The Großlek and the Zwergetraur form the deep river valleys where more conventional life thrives.

Climate

The land of Ardahl consists mainly of Savanna around the major rivers, Steppes, and deserts due to the country living in the shadow of their mountain chains. The deserts consistently found a short distance from the mountains as the rains are foremost kept from falling in the large valley. Coniferous forests are found alongside the mountainous hills and mountains themselves, as snow provides the little water needed for the trees to grow. Most flora is found around the river floodplains in the center of the country. The Großlek and the Zwergetraur provide the water to sustain a more livable space in the central valleys.

Biosphere

Ardahlian biospheres are varied due to the different available climates and terrains within the country. Most wildlife has adapted to shifting between these climates. The more agile and lighter sand wolves compared to their mountainous brethren.

The population of Ardahl is relatively small but densely populated. Their population is almost exclusively human. Due to their religious and societal beliefs, other races are persecuted, though you might find the occasional rare elf or perhaps a dwarf. They are, however, the exception to the rule of humans throughout the land.

Due to the majority of the land being rather inhospitable for direct living, most of the farming folk are confined to the floodplains of the Großlek.

Major Settlements:

• Königskröne (Capital)

• Drokfeld

• Röseträne

• Eisedämme

• Hogheveste

• Merhportz

Founding

In 127 AC, the founding of the Ardahl Theocracy started as the Ardahl Kingdom by the first king Ardahl of Stahlford. His rule lasted for a good 50 years until he passed in his sleep at age 74. He was succeeded by his son Ardahl II at an age of 36.

Most of the history of the monarchy has been kept from the public by the Order of tranquility in order to keep their foothold as the ruling body of the country. The theocracy came to be over time as the temple order of old Ardahl ran more of the country through their bureaucratic function within society. As their influence and numbers grew, they overthrew the monarchy by slowly dissolving it by removing rights from the monarch.

Now reduced to a figurehead, the monarch now bears the title of High noble. Since that change in 761 AC, the Luminarch, the leader of the Order of tranquility, rules the country.

The dance of death

“Purge the infected homesteads, burn the corpses and pray to Cessation he doesn’t knock on our doors!“

-Luminarch Eustace IV

After the ascension of Luminarch Eustace IV as head of state in 761 AC, the country was shortly under fire by a deadly plague that ravaged the country starting in 764. The outbreak of this disease started in the Ardalhian breadbasket on the floodplains. The farmers were unprepared for what was to come. Dysentery and bloating of the guts, followed by an abdominal rupture upon the expiration of the victim. The sickness was at first contained to a few cases on the outskirts of the country, however, a panic quickly took hold of the country as the disease started to pop up in the densely populated cities of the country.

Besides the disease, famine also ruled over the population as the farms were unattended due to the major amount of deaths of the farming class. Where this disease hadn’t taken lives, famine would. During the dance of death, as it came to be called, Ardahl’s society shifted towards a xenophobic view on the other races besides humans. The other races were rarely affected by the disease, this made the human population superstitious of the disease and perceived the other races to be the cause of the disease. The tension rose over time and was released in the night of exile. During that tragedy, humans drove out most of the other races living in Ardalh by violent means.

After the 6-year reign of terror the disease now known as “Bellypop” the country had on the country, the land was left in shambles by losing three quarters of its former population. The societal shift left the country in its current xenophobic and isolationist views. The Order of tranquility has used this period named the dance of death as a means to solidify their hold over the country’s politics.

The binding of magic

Once the dance of death had passed over the country, the use of magic was lawfully limited by the Luminarch in accordance to religious dogma. Young magically inclined folk have since been force to attend the clergical college. The school where the religious teach the arcane to control their innate powers, afterwards they join the arcane convents of the order. Providing the magical services of enchanting and potion brewing to the members of the order.

However, as is to be expected, this change was not warmly welcomed by the magical populace of Ardahl. Knowing how the order deals with rebels, refugees of this change went underground to find a different way of practicing their magical skills. Branded as apostates, they work with the Ardahl monarchists to regain the freedom of their magic and country.