Felera

UNOFFICIAL | PENDING REVIEW

"I had expected my stay in Vanirhalla to last until the summer, thinking the ports of Felera would be inaccessible during the winter. However, I was then informed that the waters there never unfroze, and waiting would do nothing. The ship I ended up boarding was far slower than any I had been on before, but it punched through the ice floes without losing even the slightest bit of speed.

''The port city we arrived at was... Imposing. The buildings there were of a style both familiar, and strange. Very little in the way of decorations adorned them, and there was a distinct lack of color. Everything seemed muted and drab. I certainly stood out there.''

''The people were mostly uninterested in chit-chat, their heads bowed low as they hurried off to whatever errands they had. I got the impression they all knew their place in the world and accepted that fact. Did they look happy? Not particularly. Were they productive? Very.''

The taverns were certainly bustling and raucous at all times of the day, however." - Zoldak of Thalassia, 1481 AC.

Felera is a land perpetually frozen in ice, located in the far north of the Britannian continent. Ruled by the Ice Queen Deirdre for over a thousand years, life there is harsh not only due to the unforgiving environment but also from the heavy-handed and orderly rule imposed on the bulk of the population. Fortified city-states dot the forested, snow-covered landscapes, ruled over by oscuri Grand Princes or Pureblood earth drakanites. A form of Azraelism distinct from that practiced in Valmasia is the state-religion, focused on preservation and the prevention of death. Most foreigners are familiar with Feleran mercenary companies, hardened by both their icy homeland and the endless wars waged between the Grand Princes over petty disputes.

Terrain
Even with Felera being to the far north, it is much colder than one would expect. Even neighboring Vanirhalla has a warmer climate, and actual seasons. Meanwhile, the temperature in Felera never seems to change. It is always winter. Even so, the south of it has less of a biting cold, the coastal flatland tundra there allowing a few types of hardy crops purchase in their soil, which is why the bulk of the population resides there. The interior is an almost endless expanse of untamed pine forests, broken only by the occasional shifting glacier. The northern edge, however, contains nothing but rocky, ice covered mountains, an arctic hell which even the most tenacious forms of life struggle to survive in.

An extensive cavern network stretches across subterranean Felera, rich in the minerals which make up the bulk of the nation's exports. However, mining there is often a dangerous task, due to the risk of digging into patches of the ancient, corrupted earth sealed away in the distant past. Enacting quarantines and cave closures is one of the most important tasks for the Pureblood earth drakanites that oversee these mining operations, and it is said there are far more abandoned mine-cities than all the current standing settlements of Felera combined.

History
Felerans claim that their homeland was originally lush and verdant, but during the Divine War a rot infested the land, spreading out and threatening to consume everything. Through the sacrifice of Bhaldraithe, an angel who was part of Azrael's rebellious host, this corruption was sealed away under layers and layers of ice. Whether they were devout followers of the fallen angel prior to this is hard to say, but the work of Deirdre, one of Azrael's generals during his great crusade, ensured that any who weren't didn't live much longer.

The history of Felera is very much the history of the Ice Queen Deirdre. Setting herself up as ruler of the now icy kingdom, her position has often been challenged, but the tyrant still enforces loyalty even to this day. An undying lich taught the secrets of necromancy by Azrael himself, she commands legions of undead, hundreds of thousands of which are kept frozen solid in her castle to keep them from decaying until they are needed. As a skilled Rift magi as well, rebellious settlements which oppose her eternal order will find themselves greeted to the sight of the lich's immense temple-castle hovering over them. While Deidre's actual body is hidden deep within her castle, a shriveled old woman with skin barely attached to its skeleton, she has a method of exerting her influence directly when necessary. Every oscuri noble family hopes for the chance to be graced by the lich's messengers, to receive both honor and wealth in exchange for one of their young daughters. Inserting her phylactery into the tribute, she takes over the body, able to experience sensations as if it were her own flesh. These bodies slowly wear out every few years, leaving them a husk, its mana circuits shriveled and the body rapidly aged to dust.

Even over hundreds of years, very little has changed in Felera, frozen in time as much as its frozen lands.

Demographics
Felera is made up of five main races: Oscuri, Ookami, Nanookami, Earth Drakanites, and Humans. A minority cyclops and sirenian population is present as well.
 * Oscuri - Much like Valmasia, oscuri are considered part of the noble class. Unlike their distant neighbors, however, Feleran oscuri remain relatively isolated from each other. The bulk of the fort-cities are ruled by a single extended oscuri family, who primarily enforce their will through violence and fear. Feuds between rival families often lead to full blown war between their cities, and oscuri born outside of a city's ruling family are either torn from their parents and forcibly adopted into the family, or disposed of.
 * Humans - The humans of Felera are split into two distinct ethnic groups; the Kazy in the north, and the Fianna in the south. Both have extremely pale skin, sometimes bordering on translucent. However, northerners are often taller with features of albinism, white hair and red or pink eyes being common, while the southern group have darker hair and eye color. In areas with admixture between the two groups, grey or silver are the predominent hair color.
 * The Kazy themselves are split into two groups as well. The majority of Oscuri family lineages hail from this bloodline, so in a sense they can be considered more prestigious than their ethnic counterparts. At the same time, Kazy families without Azrael's gift often barely scrape by. They either gather in isolated, self-sufficient communities in the frigid mountains of northern Felera, or eke out a living as nomads. The nomadic Kazy often fare much better, however, traveling the unforgiving wilderness between fort-cities in large caravans to ply their trades.
 * The Fianna are the most populous, forming the bulk of the population in the fort-cities that dot Felera's southern half. Hard work and honesty are integral to them, sometimes to a fault. As most in Agartha have likely already noticed, Felerans have no qualms openly speaking their minds, even when it is in their best interest not to. They are also highly resistant to the effects of alcohol, which is quite a boon given their proclivity for it.Icy outpost by whatzitoya-d77994a.jpg
 * Earth Drakanites - Taller and wider than the drakanites of Valmasia, earth drakanite are wingless, but their shifted forms do grant them large tails, curving horns, and powerful claws. They also possess a resistance to cold, making them quite comfortable in Felera's ever-present chill. Originally hailing from Vanirhalla, these descendants of Garjling mostly eschew the savagery of their cousins, the Purebloods carving out great underground kingdoms and exploiting the rich mineral wealth of Felera. The entrances to these dens are often impenetrable, fortified with earthen defenses built by their mastery over rock and stone. They have a slower mindset than most, never jumping to quick decisions and taking a careful approach to everything. Their heritage also gives them a penchant for collecting and hoarding just about anything, although it is just as likely for an individual to give their wealth out to those in need as it is for them to jealously guard it.
 * Ookami - The great forests of Felera are teeming with packs of nigh-feral ookami, sustaining themselves with the abundant game present within. Those that frequent settlements often do so to sell the meat they've hunted, or join with one of the many mercenary companies. They are larger than their Valmasian kin, and although the bulk of them are uncivilized, their strong pack mentality allows them to easily integrate into orderly Feleran society, with those raised in the cities being reknowned for their discipline and loyalty.
 * Nanookami - Made by their patron Urisone, these beast folk take on the attributes of bears. Often solitary hunters, they are noted for their besrerker rages when threatened but are considered one of the foremost protectors of the forest. (RESERVED FOR AN ACTUAL BEAR)
 * Cyclops - Much like earth drakanites, many cyclopes wandered into Felera from nearby Vanirhalla over the centuries, although unlike the drakanites, very few of their number are considered part of the society as a whole, instead roaming in small family units across the vast wilderness. Those that are usually perform physical labor such as mining or foresting, although Feleran mercenary companies are always want for the extra muscle they can provide.
 * Sirenians - With the bulk of the fort-cities lying across the warmer southern coast, and fishing an important industry to keep the populace fed, cold-water sirenians often come into contact with Felerans. A few do settle in the coastal settlements, their families gradually becoming integrated into Feleran society over time.

Religion


Feleran Azraelism places a great deal of importance on preserving the world as it is and maintaining the status quo. Even the endless conflicts between its city-states is seen as maintaining the state of the world. Their foremost belief is that only Azrael can fix the world, and it is their duty to keep it as close as the fallen angel left it for his return. Many of the Feleran mercenary companies operating in foreign lands aid the losing sides of conflicts despite them not being able to offer as much coin for this very reason.

Preservation of bodies is done through the use of occult-infused ice magic, which traps the soul within the icy prison, assuming it hasn't already departed. This is done in order to make for more complete undead, keeping the body from rotting and attempting to keep as much of the soul intact as possible.

Unlike Valmasian Azraelism, progress and the changing of the world are not seen as righteous actions. It is believed that any attempt to work towards Azrael's promised utopia themselves is doomed to fail, potentially making things worse, and that they are destined to merely suffer in a flawed world until the day of his return.

The Dreamer is also not seen as holy in any way, with some of the more extreme devotees considering the being to be a false prophet, and their children to be abominations. Even so, co-operation with what they perceive as heretics is preferred in order to spread the gospel of Azrael to heathens.