Clerics of the Southlands

The faiths of the Tirin Peninsula are diverse, and the enmities and allegiances between them are many.

While divine spellcasters and spiritual leaders certainly exist within the Dellumean tribes, most are not clerics as such.

In Kalretia, faith is as divided as the culture. Amareth and Ki'ahaara command the most reverence among the civilized islanders. In the swamps, by contrast, worship—or at least lip service—is most commonly paid to Juratei.

The faiths in Ta'Araen are incredibly diverse. Some clerics pay homage to deities found nowhere else. It is unknown whether their magic is provided by the greater deities, or if they have actually tapped into divine sparks that have not yet been fully stoked.

Ravana dominates Tahvaair. While Dejunath has a small but loyal following, no other cult has been able to assert itself in the face of the Tyrant's.

The churches of Surya and Sulaudhra are the most common, or at least the most widely acknowledged, among the human population in Velakhura. The turéhu usually follow Khernos or Arevashti.

Bards of the Southlands

Bards in the Southlands are as diverse as they are versatile.

In Dellumea, tribal skalds keep histories and legends alive.  In Kalretia, a reliable courier is often needed—by islander and swamper alike—to carry messages between the islands.  In Tahvaair, a neutral party is often needed to negotiate between rival nobles or those seeking allegiances.  The bards of Ta'Araen and Velakhura may be entertainers, messengers, spies, or any combination of the above.

Barbarians of the Southlands

When most people of the Southlands hear the word "barbarian," they inevitably think of the tribal peoples of Dellumea. While many Dellumeans do take up the path of rage and power, they are not the only ones.

In Taahvaair, the half-ahvaiyru feiyin typically serve as warriors of varying kinds. Whether they are janissaries in the ahvaiyru armies or gladiators in the arena, fighting is often a way of life for these half-breeds. While some gladiators fight with skill or cunning, there are those who channel their anger and frustration at their captors into a powerful fighting form.

Barbarians also exist among the swampers who call Kalretia home. These powerful warriors face the harsh environment head on rather than learning to cooperate with it as rangers and druids do. Among the pirates and scoundrels that raid on the Velakhuran coast, there are a number of them who display astonishing power and incredible ferocity in their attacks on other ships. In Ta'araen, there is a saying that goes "You can accomplish more with a big stick and a kind word than you can with a kind word alone." However, there are some in that country who forgo the kind word altogether and simply wield very big sticks.

Lands of the Tirin Peninsula

Dellumea is the name given to the lands of the antarctic continent, separated from Ta’Araen by a mountain range. It is generally cold and inhospitable, and inhabited by tribes of varying degrees of friendliness.

Kalretia is a large island off the northeastern coast of Velakhura. Approximately half of it is forested; most of the rest is brackish swamp or salt marsh. There are two different distinct cultures: “islanders” (based out of Natira, the capital city) and “swampers.”

Ta’Araen is nearly landlocked and mostly grassland. It is probably the most diverse nation of the Tirin Peninsula.

Tahvaair, to the far west, is the homeland of a race of tall, arrogant, magically-adept fey.

Velakhura was settled by the migratory Dellumean tribe whose name it bears. As its coastline is mountainous, flight is commonplace. The human population have a truce with the turéhu and are ruled by a singularly long-lived king.

The Scar is not so much a region as the fallout from the ancient war between the Tirin humans and the Tahvaaiy. From above, or from outside, it appears to be a roughly circular desert; however, the entire area is actually a huge dimensional gateway.