Cartavareian

The Red Banner Dominion is a proud nation that exists on the Eastern Continent of Vondros. Founded in the late 3rd cycle by the roving human tribes along the southwestern coast of the continent, Red Banner is one of the most geographically diverse places on the continents. The south-eastern part of the country is enveloped in thick forests that rain nearly year round. North-west of the forests exist a wide desert that leads into the Abandoned Lands. Most of the cities in Red Banner are located in the rolling hills and mountains exist to the north of the forest and desert. Some of the most notable cities in Red Banner are Farcrest, Juntier, Gravesent, Poltus, and the capital city of Dew.

A council of nobles and the royal family serve the rule the country, with the Capital of Dew serving as the seat of government, as well as the home of the royal family. There are over thirty-six noble families within Red Banner. The king, his royal Majesty King Hutten Gravesent Dewtrebenerivian, currently heads the royal family, which carries the name Dewtrebenervian. The noble families of Gravesent and Juntier have close ties with the royal family as they have provided the previous and current queen. His Majesty currently has three children, their royal Highnesses, Prince Hutten, Prince Rinner, and Princess Yewqueene.

Red Banner, like many other nations across Vondros, worships the three progenitor gods: Solis, Terra and Luna. Of these three, like the other nations across the Eastern Continent, Solis is held in the highest esteem. While none of the cities in Red Banner can claim to be the holy city of any of our gods, Dew is the center of Solis worship within Red Banner. Additionally Farcrest serves as the center of Terra worship and Poltus serves as the main place of worship for Luna. Red Banner is unique as one of the few countries to be currently home to one of the God-Blessed Priests, in this case the Solis-blessed Priest Ulgrave. Ulgrave was born in the city of Juntier, and lived in Red Banner for three decades before departing on his pilgrimage in Red Banner’s honor. Recently, Ulgrave has returned to the capital to teach swordsmanship to the princes and princess, as he did for the king before them.

Red Banner has been blessed with peace for the last two decades, despite the tensions that exist between Red Banner and the Ashen Blooded Empire despite the peace accord that followed the War of the Statue. The Bloody Mountain still exists as a piece of contention, with the eruption seven years ago reinvigorating the mines that exist within the mountain’s direct area of influence. However, as the mountain was listed off-limits during the Ninth War of the Mountain some seventy years prior to now, the only ones mining the mountainside are those who dare to break the law, and more often than not executed on site by Empire patrols. The Bloody Mountain did invigorate some mines that lay outside the mountain’s border, but many of them have been mined out, regardless of the country in which they have resided. Scholars have predicted that the mountain will erupt again soon, but the exact date has been argued.

Due the greatly varied geography of Red Banner, the agriculture and economy the country possesses can vary greatly depending on the location. Cities like Farcrest that are located in the forest to the east tend to lack agriculture due to the density of the trees, which makes them uncut-able and thus it is impossible to clear land for farming. Instead, they focus on foraging and hunting from the forest, and the production of merchandise from local products and imported materials. Many cities in the mountains, where most of Red Banner’s population is located, focus on terraced farming and mining, although animal herding is common, although often confined to goats and sheep. The only Red Banner City to exist in the desert to the west is that of Gravesent, which surrounds the Clearwater Oasis. It is mainly a trading city, with connections to the Kingdom of Illia, and Luna’s Fingers to the north. Most of the trading that exists with the Empire takes place in Poltus, Red Banner's major port city. It is an important strategic location, both for trading with other nations, and as one of the major ports with connections to the Western Continent. Finally there is Juntier, which is the city that exists at the highest elevation in Red Banner, and has a grand view of the Bloody Mountain. It is also one of the most heavily fortified cities in Red Banner on account of its perilous location, due both to it's relative location to the Bloody Mountain and the Ashen Blooded Empire.

The wildlife in Red Banner is varied as well. The wildlife in the mountains have mostly been pushed out by farming and herding, however the occasional mountain drake has been known to go after goat and sheep, although their numbers have fallen due to the farmers hunting them due their perceived threat. While there have been attempts within Red Banner to tame drakes, they have been largely unsuccessful. There is a small, breeding population of Lesser Sandstrider Drakes in Gravesent, but aside from that, seeing domesticated drakes in Red Banner is rare. The forest is home to a wide variety of wildlife, ranging from many types of deer and birds, to creatures of a more magical variety. There are rumors of unicorns residing within the forests there, but there have never been confirmed sightings. The desert is mainly home to animals of the reptilian variety, although it is arguably one of the most dangerous places in Red Banner due to the heat in addition to the presence of Lesser and Greater Sandstrider Drakes, as well as Desert Wyrms.

Chapter 1 will go over . . .