Di-Gata Defenders - Provinces of Rados

Provinces of Rados

Ogama-Gor:

Constantly at war with the tribes of Dakor, Ogama-Gor is the most unified, organized and urbanized of all the eight provinces. Made up of dozens of feudal-style city states, Ogama-Gor is ruled by a confederacy called the Omegar. Heavily militarized and xenophobic, Ogamans are naturally distrustful of all the other Sigils and provinces except for Infinor, with whom they have a shaky alliance.

Ogaman military decisions are made on behalf of the civilian government by a council of generals called the Ogamarat. Even though the vast majority of the rank and file Ogaman military are levies and conscripts, the core of Ogaman military structure is the “Knights of Ogama-gor”, a hereditary class of men and women who serve as a reservoir of military knowledge.

Dakor:

Mountainous and cold, Dakor is the home of the hearty Dakorian tribes. These tribes are in an almost constant state of war with each other and with their neighbours. Dakorians are very fraternal and bond together in closely knit familial tribes. Even within the tribe, conflict and challenge of authority is looked upon highly, and tribes form Di-Gorums to make decisions. Di-Gorums are essentially assemblies of a representative from each household getting together around an Obelisk and shouting at one another. As people agree with each other, they try to push one of their number to the top of the Obelisk while knocking opponents off. The first person to the top of the Obelisk makes the decision for the tribe.

Needless to say, Dakorian development is erratic and their forays into Ogaman territory to raid and pillage are constantly breaking down into petty squabbling and chaos.

Nega-La:

The least populated of the provinces, Nega-La is mainly arid desert and wetlands with the exception of the Binn Yati mountains. Communities in Nega-La are nomadic by nature, and many ply the trade routes that run to the oasis of Maudata in the south, trading in Dakorian Stone, Yantos mystical-technology, and Sumos wood. Actual urban centers are scarce, the largest being the trade capital of Maudata which surrounds the Oasis of NegLa. Maudatan stone carving is highly respected and sought after. Some of the most rare and legendary stones in Rados are carved in Maudata.

The Binn-Yati Mountains are unusual in that they house the Monks of NegLa, who legend says traveled from Maudata in the time before the Wizards and settled on Mount Yati to “watch over the Realm.” Unlike the Gata-shin monks, the monks of Negla keep to themselves and do not tamper in the affairs of the world. Many pilgrims make the treacherous trek to the Monastery of Mount Yati to study with the Monks and learn the way of the sigils.

Yantos:

The most mystical of all the provinces, Yantos is the seat of the Gata-shin monks. Closely allied to the Wizards of Yan and the Di-Gata Defenders, the Gata-shin monks are all that remains of the structure of that old regime. Yantos is punctuated by towns built around various Monasteries who provide spiritual and physical protection. As a result, Yantos has become the reservoir of knowledge and wizard power in the Realm.

The North Veltlands are where the great herds of Yan-on graze, shepherded over by the Yantan herdsmen. Raids by Dakorian tribesmen are regular, but the natural barrier of Lake Di-Gata, Yi-maki and the Bridge of Yan prevent many of them from doing any lasting damage.

Sumos:

Sumos is a wild overgrown wilderness of ancient ruins and temples to long lost Sigils. Home to bandits and brigands, there are no known settlements in this area. This is exactly the reason that the monks decided to place the infant defenders in this province, hiding them away from prying eyes until they were ready to reshape the realm.

Of the many dangers that lurk in the woods of Sumos, the Rock Serpents are by far the most lethal. Very territorial, a rock serpent that feels threatened can level many Yantars of woods in an attempt to destroy its perceived challenger. The Serpents originate from the Ban-Gafi Rift and few travel near here.

Altamor:

Also known as the ghost province, Altamar used to be almost completely covered by the wizard city of Altamar. Completely destroyed by the Spell of Binding, all that remains of a once beautiful and mystical city is a series of blackened, burnt earth and smoking, charred craters. Some burnt ruins remain to testify to the grandeur and beauty of Altamar, but in essence all that remains is a wasteland. Only the truly desperate or insane spend any time in Altamor as it is widely seen as haunted.

When the Spell of Binding was cast, four great rifts in the earth spread out from the center of Altamor and now serve as great breaks that divide families and tribes.

Infinor:

Seat of the ancient Bakkorian kingdom, Infinor’s geography is defined by the Rift of Yiman, which divides the province into Bakkor in the north and Nord-Binn in the south. Bakkor is the home of the dreaded thieves' guild, which controls much of the Black Vine forest and blighted swamp. In Northern Bakkor, many towns on the bay of Tantar thrive trading with Ogaman towns, despite the constant threat of large scale thieving and protection rackets.

Nord-Binn is mainly made up of farming and herding of the plentiful Yin-on, a close relative of the Yan-on. Direction and guidance is provided by the Elders of Arboth, a mining town in the Binn-ar woods that digs out the most precious and rare stone in the realm. It is said that the stone for the pure stones came directly from Arboth. Attack stones carved from Arbothian stone help defend the Binn-yama bridge from thief incursions.

Yin-tos:

Yin-Tos is a very militarized and technologically advanced state like Ogama-Gor, but it lacks the maturity and tradition that the Ogaman military states have. Yin-tos armies are led by a warlord (Brackus currently) who has absolute and dictatorial power. Yin-tos military structure is based on who is the most brutal, ambitious, and cut-throat person amongst them all. The geography of this province closely reflects the nature of its people, made up of mainly barren rock and rotten forests; the land is hard, unyielding and cruel. A large ridge called The Barrier defines the boundaries of Yin-tos; it is said that the ridge is the remains of a once palatial string of fortresses that Yin-tos used to dominate the Realm beyond.

Yintos is despised by the rest of the provinces because of its history of brutality and authoritarian use of power. Before the Wizards of Yan and the Di-Gata defenders reordered the Realm, Yintos held sway through draconian laws and brutal use of military power. When it was defeated by the defenders, Yintos went into a period of almost self-imposed exile from the Realm. When Nazmul betrayed the wizards, he found a very compliant conspirator in Yin-tos and their warlord Brackus. The armies of Yintos marched on Altamar and were all but destroyed in the congflagration of the Spell of Binding. Now rebuilt at great expense to the civilian population, the Yin-tos Armies and war machines are ready to once again claim their former glory. They were known to use carborad tanks.

Extending to the east of the province of Yin-Tos is a large expanse known as the 'Blasted Flats.' Essentially, it is a plain that seems to be made of glass and is uninhabitable. No one has ever traveled to the end of the Blasted Flats, but there is a legend that it was made by the ancient Bakkorians, presumably to keep something out of RaDos.