Eryndor

Eryndor stands as a bulwark between the horrors of a haunted forest and the rest of the nations of Gathandia.

Eryndor’s military maintains a massive wall that runs from north to south. East of the wall, Nachtskog - the Black Forest - spawns all manner of nightmarish monsters, which Eryndor’s valiant knights turn away time and again.

Eryndor’s climate includes mild summers and snowy, long winters. While the nation is reasonably prosperous, Roshallan has made no effort to conquer Eryndor, for it serves as a buffer against the haunts of Nachtskog.

Academic.

Brightguard has a sizable university, and several of Eryndor’s notable towns and smaller cities have formal academies as well. Most small towns have a local teacher who tutors children, but formal education is not structured as rigorously as it is in larger towns or in Brightguard. Eryndor readily accepts international scholars to reside at its schools when such opportunities arise.

Aristocratic and Political.

Eryndor uses a republic as its governing system. A chancellor is elected by representatives who must vote in accordance with the wishes of their constituency. The chancellor then works with legislators from each of Eryndor’s districts to pass laws and maintain social order. Chancellors rule for eight years at a time and can be reelected. Eryndor’s current chancellor, an earth elemental named Bismarck “the Boulder” Densworth, is in his fifth term as Chancellor of the nation. While he lacks charisma, he is a decisive military leader and has kept the Great Wall very well maintained.

Mercantile and Trade.

Eryndor generally does not concern itself with international trade, making an exception for Ruptaea as a reliable overland neighbor that has not exhibited aggression towards Eryndor or other nations. Eryndor’s forests and pastures produce bountiful crops, livestock, and timber.

Militant.

Eryndor has a large and disciplined military. Some of the military occupies the southern border to guard against aggression from Roshallan, while most of the rest maintain the Great Wall to Eryndor’s northeast. This wall predates the nation, built in a previous supereon, but the Eryndorans obsessively maintain the wall. Nightmarish monsters from Nachtskog lead regular, vicious attacks against the fortification with utmost hostility to the country’s citizens.

Eryndor’s military often coordinates with Skavr’s, as the two nations both suffer from the monstrous attacks that come from the haunted woods.

The Knights of Eryndor are the military elite. Skillful both on the battlefield and as rangers in the woodlands, the Knights train rigorously and are inspirational to all who fight beside them.

Religious.

Viewing themselves as the last line of defense against the horrors of Nachtskog, Eryndorans view themselves with a sense of holy pride. Their patron goddess, Rasheen, is believed to prowl the planes of existence to vanquish burgeoning threats. The Eryndorans often lead military expeditions into the woods near Nachtskog, which takes on religious significance for many soldiers and their families.

Social.

Most Eryndorans are earnest, duty-oriented folk. From farmers to soldiers to politicians, the average Eryndoran views their job with a seriousness that other nationalities might find excessive. To the Eryndorans, each person offers an important contribution to the fight against the horrors of Nachtskog.

Underworld.

While most Eryndorans view their place in the world as valiant knights against the forces of darkness, there are some who - for any number of reasons - are disillusioned with Eryndor or the world at large. These folk often form secretive cults that declare the glory of the monsters from Nachtskog and try to undermine the defenses of the Great Wall.

Brightguard

Eryndor’s shining capital city, Brightguard is a thriving port city built on the mouth of the Eryndor River. A sizable port

allows for trade with other nations in the Inner Sea, though Eryndor’s merchant vessels are not heavily armed enough to safely sail into Renden waters.

Brightguard’s Republic Palace is a large, fortified building made of fortified stone and military buildings on the outside and plush, luxurious trappings deep in the interior complex of buildings. From this building, the chancellor guides the nation.

Points of Interest

The Great Wall. Nobody has yet discovered who built the Great Wall, but Eryndoran soldiers maintain it religiously. They believe that one day the wall will fall, heralding the end times, and the Knights of Eryndor must be ready to raise their swords one final time when this day comes.

Nachtskog. Stretching for scores of miles beyond Eryndor’s wall, Nachtskog is a swathe of blighted and haunted woodlands. Home to hag covens, fiends that made it through portals from inferno, and all manner of horrifying creatures, Nachtskog is a deadly place and its savage progeny often rush forth to attack the Great Wall. With gnarled branches black against the sky, Nachtskog’s world- tree is a twisted and hideous facsimile of the lifegiving world-trees found in other nations. Like the world-trees in Muskshir and on the border of Sozein and Tafunga, this world-tree’s roots connect back to the original world-tree: Starborea in Doshairiel.

Quest Ideas

• The Knights of Eryndor have lost one of their respected commanders who ventured east of the Great Wall. Will the heroes lead a rescue mission?

• Roshallan’s war drums beat again, and Eryndor’s southern border is under threat. Can the heroes shore up Eryndor’s defenses?

• Eryndor’s current chancellor is corrupt and cruel. Many in Eryndor wish to see them removed from office; using legal or revolutionary means, can the heroes enact such a change?

• Cultists near the Great Wall are planning something terrible. Can the heroes find the cultists, unearth their plan, and prevent it before they open the floodgates to the horrors of Nachtskog?