General: Thisbē (pronounced thizz-bee) is the southernmost realm on the continent, bordered by Vanyar to the north.
Major Features: The gently rolling plains of Kal, the rivers Tinfy and Kyjah, The Great Hills of Rorin and Paeyr, mount Ythok on the Isle of Damakos, numerous forests in the north and west, and tropical landscape covers most of the south.
Major Cities: Historically, Thisbē was home to three great cities: Orric, Farringor City, and Eumdaran. Orric, now the capital of Thisbē, is the only prospering city remaining in the state. As a result, the city's limits cover almost the entirety of the province in which it is located. While Farringor City still exists, at present it is largely abandoned and has been in steady decline for decades, primarily due to resource depletion and severe droughts. Eumdaran, now only known as the lost or ancient city, has long since been destroyed after a costly war with the Naturals.
Rorin: (roar-inn) Located on the windward side of The Great Hills, this region receives plentiful rainfall and serves as a highly prosperous agricultural province of the realm. A wide yet shallow river, called the Tinfy, cuts through the middle of the province. The Tinfy has a very large flood plain, making the soils exceptionally fertile. Lush deciduous forests litter the landscape, becoming denser further north.
Paeyr: (pear) Once part of Rorin, the Paeyr province was carved out of the fairly empty piece of the Rorin territory to settle a religious-political dispute. Initially, the small province once acted as a strong power within the kingdom. However, over time the leaders in Paeyr fell into irreparable conflict and their power was eventually lost. At present, the province serves as a holy place, filled with temples of many religions. The oldest and grandest temple, belonging to the now-extinct Pirulma Elves, resides on the highest peak in The Great Hills.
Sounnah: (soo-nuh) Though fairly small in terms of actual territory, Sounnah is by far the largest in terms of population. Settled largely on the coast of the continent, this province is especially prosperous in commerce, fishing, and seafaring - among other trades. The capitol, Orric, is home to a great diversity of people, and primary residence to the ruling family.
Kal: (kale/kail) The largest of the Thisbēan provinces, Kal is located in the northeastern portion, making up the border to the Vanyar lands. The land is fairly flat with tall grasses and some gently rolling hills. Though the soils are rich, few people choose to reside in Kal permanently due to frequent (yet mild) wildfires and the large, aggressive grazing mammals that populate the plains.
Farringor: (fair-in-gore) Located on the leeward side of The Great Hills, the lands of Farringor are quite arid. Farringor is something of a transitional region between the rich, semi-arid prairie of Kal to the semi-tropical coasts of Sounnah. The land itself is largely unoccupied due to increasing droughts and poor/rocky soils. Despite the Kyjah river's course through the area, this is not an ideal place to settle. Those living outside of Farringor City (once renowned for their metalworks) are typically poor farmers and miners.
Lamshi: (lamb-she) Though not recognized by the rest of the world, Lamshi is actually its own state, carved out of ancient Thisbē in an agreement with many groups of the Naturals (tribal peoples/natives) of the land. Outside of Thisbē it is recognized as a large province of the realm. Within the realm, however, Lamshi is viewed as a separate entity that is merely protected by Thisbē, with no political power and only historical connection to the realm. Lamshi is widely regarded as a wild and dangerous place, where outsiders are met with grave unwelcome. The ancient city ruin of Eumdaran and its surrounding forest of Hanithor are considered part, or at least, bordering the Lamshi territory, and as such, few travel through the forests to see the ancient city.
Damakos: (dam-uh-co-ss) Often referred to, simply as "The Island", Damakos is a largely unpopulated, strategic piece of territory that grants Thisbē full control of the Kiserian Channel. The Island is of volcanic birth, and although the last eruption was many centuries ago, the constant smoking of mount Ythok tends to deter most long-term, civilian settlements.
General: The overall population of Thisbē is in the realm of 18.5 million, almost a third of which is concentrated in Sounnah and the surrounding areas. The population is highly heterogeneous, with more than half having immigrated to Thisbē within the last few generations.
The Naturals: These are the first inhabitants of Thisbē, whose cultures and traditions span the ages. They are tribal peoples with an affinity for magic and astronomy. The Naturals are incredible warriors, truly formidable even in the face of the technological advancement of weaponry among the Invaders. They have no interest in dealing with outsiders, nor are they like to show mercy to anyone that dares enter what little territory they still hold dominion over. Likewise, under all but the most special of circumstances, leaving their borders is seen as a betrayal to all of the tribes and means never coming back.
Elves: Despite all that happened with the ancient Elves, Thisbē is still home to more purebloods than anywhere else in all of Giralda. Most can be found making a living in the marketplace, while others have dedicated much of their lives to studying what remains of their ancestors. Lately, however, there have also been rumors of a colony formed deep in the forests of Hanithor that surround the ruins of Eumdaran. Little to nothing is known whether these claims are true, and none have laid eyes on said elven colony.
General: When Elves ruled over the lands of Thisbē (then called Túrindië) it was very much monocultural. The strength, power, and obsessive reverence of their ancient traditions had been so great that they fell into tyranny, leading to political isolation and eventual downfall. With the following ages, and in recent decades especially, Thisbē has become quite the cultural mosaic; attracting people from all over the world looking to find wealth in the market trade.
Language: The official language of Thisbē is the common tongue, though the diverse population certainly lends the land an equally diverse range of languages. Most long-term citizens -- particularly in the middle and upper classes, and those living in closer proximity to the capital -- are, in some capacity, bilingual or multilingual.
Economy: At present, Thisbē's economy is at an all time high. Relations with trading allies have never been better, particularly with Tharsis after both countries agreed to utilize the same form of currency. Traditionally, the marketplace had been almost entirely dominated by men as a matter of law, but in recent generations (namely under the rule of the Rivenn's), women have been given equal property and trading rights. This has greatly changed the way the Grand Marketplace of Orric operates, increasing commerce greatly in both quality and quantity. Most importantly, however, this change has created exponential growth in the middle classes and severely decreased poverty rates in Sounnah.
Religion: During the reign of Queen Zarrah, some centuries after the fall of the Elves, it became increasingly clear that as more people flocked to Thisbē and the population grew exceedingly varied, recognizing only one religion made less and less sense. She abolished the status of the old religion in spite of the controversy it spurred. The realm has been better for its lack of favoritism in that regard -- though there are still some that disagree.
Magic: Unlike most of Giralda, magic and magic users in Thisbē go largely unregulated. Mages are not required to undergo a formal education, nor are they required to carry special identification. Only a select few places within the realm have laws protecting them from open magic use, but the majority of those are rarely enforced unless such actions are considered aggressive/hostile.
Historical: Without written records, little is known about how the land was governed by The Naturals. Scholars largely agree, or rather assume, that things were much the same as they are in present day Lamshi -- only with perhaps fewer tribal conflicts since the rivaling groups would have been more spread out. The Elves, however, kept very detailed historical records. While a significant portion of these records were destroyed in the rebellions, the surviving documents offer great insight to the path that led to their demise.
Current: Presently, Thisbē is engaged in the third generation of the Vorgny-Rivenn feud. While tensions throughout the realm still ran high only a few decades past, most citizens have lost interest in actively supporting one side or the other. The families themselves are still very much involved into all manner of aggression toward one another, but unless the Vorgny are successful in their attempts to eliminate the Rivenn line entirely, little will come of the feuding.
Prince Kristophr "Isto" Rivenn represents Thisbē on the High Council and acts as foreign liaison on behalf of Giralda.
Organization: The key to Thisbē's military is light, mobile troops, who are able to fulfill multiple roles. Being such a warm country, much of the troops do not wear anything heavier than studded mail armor. This affords them a great deal of agility as well as avoiding the strains of heat fatigue. Thisbē is also equipped with a sizable navy of Galleys, allowing them to easily navigate the shallow waters and complex reef systems of the coasts without running aground.
Troops: Archers - Bow. Leather Armour. Short Sword. | Able to pepper the enemy troops with arrows and retreat away with ease, Thisbē is well known for their skilled archers.
Light Infantry - Javelins. Leather Armour. Short Sword or Axe. Light, round shield. | Used to harass enemy formations and weaken them without getting stuck in a drawn out fight. The Light Infantry fights in waves, attacking and withdrawing to weaken the enemy.
Pikemen - Studded Leather armor. Pikes. | The key defensive force for Thisbē, the Pikemen are able to hold the enemy at bay with their long weapons.
Heavy Infantry - Chain mail armor. Large shields. Short spear. Heavy Axes. | Typically reserved for use at the end of a battle, when the enemy has been worn down by successive waves of Light Infantry and Archers, the Heavy Infantry are sent in to smash through them and mop up the mess. When attacking, they typically use heavy axes -- often swung with both hands -- but they also carry spears and shields for defense.
Marines - Leather armor. Swords. Boarding axes. | Serving on the Galley's of the Thisbēan navy, these hardy troops are trained to board enemy vessels, protect the ship (should the enemy try the same), and to successfully assault defended coastlines.
Cavalry - Studded leather armor. Spear. Sword. Horses. | Using the speed of their mounts, these mounted horsemen are used mainly as scouts, or to pursue broken enemies.
Heavy Cavalry - Studded leather armor. Bows. Kaimma. | The use of Kaimma (war elephants) has a long history in the realm, dating back to early Elven rule in the First Age. Their main use was to charge the enemy, trampling them and breaking their ranks, and instilling terror. However, the mere presence of Kaimma is highly effective against enemies that rely heavily on cavalry, as horses tend to be terrified of the enormous creatures.
Tactics: Using the much higher mobility of its troops, Thisbē will typically set up a defensive position well back from the opposition, and then send light troops and archers to advance, taking the fight to the enemy. Arrows will shower them, forcing them to take cover. The fire only lets up as the first waves of Light Infantry rush in, throwing javelins and fighting for a few moments, before breaking away and retreating towards the archers, who check any attempts to follow them with fresh volleys of arrows. Using this tactic, the enemy can be worn down while the Thisbēan troops remain relatively fresh. This will typically continue until the enemy is weakened, or arrows run out. At which point, the Heavy Infantry will be sent in, with other troops on the flanks to smash the tired and weary foe.