Yaele

Culture and Locations

Umberia is ruled by a grand duke and has the Red Temple (Prielic Creed) as its state religion, which believes in a dichotomy of powers -- of good versus evil forces -- and this belief mostly originates from the fact that Red Temple was the heart of early Vastion culture after the Darkness. They are seen as self-reliant and very traditional, and their capital is Yaele Heights.

Yaele sits in a mix of temperate and montane forested regions with some mediterranean coastline. It occupies the southern end of the Senyn Ranges, and its eastern border meets the Shard Sea.

Demonym: Yaelen, Yaelens

Population: 1,500,000

• Grand Duchy of Yaele
  • Yaele Heights, capital, 31,000
  • Ponte, 15,000

History and Relations

Yaele was a part of the Vastin kingdom around 850AL, but gained independence and broke away due to manipulative political pressure from the Oolu Empire. They have historically been illegally enslaved by nearby peoples, but this practice stopped when Yaele gained independence and took control of its borders. Relations with the Vastin Kingdom are tense and uneasy due to the nature of their breakaway, but relations with the Surutes people to the south are neutral, as the two tend to leave one another alone. Yaelens are mostly Nor and mainly export marble.

Military and Art

The most prominent military feature of Yaele are heavy leoknights who ride liogons through the skies, making them one of the few places in Riiga to utilise flying mounts. They are stronger and faster than the leoknights of Vastin, but cannot fly as far or as high. In Yaele it is expected that everyone capable of taking up arms learns to do so, and guerrilla tactics have been historically employed, taking advantage of mountainous terrain to get the best of their enemies. Architecture in Yaele is often tall and foreboding and focusses on protecting the people and land, and common artforms include songs and social dances.