Northern Federation

History

At first glance Northern Lands look enchanted. Meadows that can feed numerous herds, forests full of game and sturdy trees, nuts, berries of great variety as well as tea farmed, sea giving so much fish that the surplus is used as fertilizer. However there is a catch, no form of grain grows due to the unique climate and soil.

By the time Agnon made contact with the Northern People they were surprised that the simple gift of grain and bread earned them an outpost. The first settlement started as a simple port inside a wooden fortification and was named Port Norton. Port Norton quickly became the region’s trade hub and the Northern clans welcomed the trade and joined the Agnon League. Their loyalty to the League’s cause is described as “They were loyal long before they knew us, they just didn’t know”.

After Separation Northern Lands became a hub for refugees following the Dragon Wars and Empire’s Occupation. Lord Gulake vowed to never return to the Port until Sorad was defeated and mustered his best fighters and marched to a campaign for guerilla warfare. Although he was incinerated by Sorad, his persistent activity in the South was an act of great heroism for the Northern People.

When the Empire’s advance on the Republics reached Port Norton, heads of the Clans gathered in Zoria and promised that they and all their descendants would fight until the occupation ends. Yarg Blun proposed to construct a fleet of nimble ships and use the defensive geography of the port to harass the Empire. Strategy was harming the Empire's logistics and the Occupation Army mustered the Imperial Navy for a campaign on Port Norton. Blun cornered the Imperial forces and gave them a chance to lay down their arms and join the Northern People. Many accepted. Fearing that the Occupied lands will be forever between two unruly powers, Soradin and Northern Lands. The Empire launched another naval attack on Port Norton, the far weaker threat compared to Soradin, this time even stretching the occupation forces thin on the southern parts, hoping for a quick victory. Yarg’s descendant Fuchba Blun lost Port Norton to the initial forces and used scorched earth tactics to lure the Imperials to the inner parts. Fuchba was eventually captured and burned at the stake. However by the time the Empire crippled the resistance, news of rebellions from the South started to reach the North. They were in control of a no man’s land in the North and left some forces to claim the rest of the peninsula. Some of these forces also settled the region instead of retreating. The Empire did not know this series of rebellion’s was the Start of the Great Reclamation.

By the time the Empire occupied a reasonable part of the Northern Lands they also started to withdraw in order to reinforce the southern lands. However this brief occupation period scarred the memories of Nortoners and led to a nationalistic zeal. Agnon gave them bread and Soradin gave them freedom. They knew who to follow.

Political Structure

Every 5 years leaders from each town gather in the Zoria to elect their Paragon. Only five elector Lords; Gulake, Manorburn, Blun, Watery, Alemai; vote for a candidate and the one with the most votes represents the Northern Lands in the Federation. The title has no administrative power over the population however is considered a great honor. Paragon mostly spends their term resolving internal disputes since they are the only figure the populace respect.

Internal affairs of the Northern Federation are simply messy. Bad temper and the unruly, individualistic character of the population often leads to violent disputes sometimes even leaving great figures on the fatal end. Once spending enough time here one might understand the romantic ideals of their ancient heroes while declaring war on the Empire.

Northern Population always resists taxation which makes it even harder to form a local government. Chapters of Federation companies or guilds are marked and their members wear Soradin’s colors in order to prevent any suspicion.

Culture

Living in a land of unique geography, the Northern Federation has a unique style. Instead of  clustering and forming towns every small family builds their house on the land they owned and form dispersed villages. Even Port Norton’s denizens are deeply tied to these rural communities and often boast about their backgrounds.

Northern Lands are home to many coastal villages housing fishermen. Although the region provides natural born sailors to the Federation, they are not preferred as Navymen due to their famous bad tempers. Balbettons often joke about Nortoners’ being Imperials and Nortoners often stab them in response. Settlers from the Imperial Army are a tough subject for Nortoners and even the slightest mention can sometimes escalate into violation. However during the past wars many from the region served in the Navy and their sense of duty overcame their bad temper.

Public life is dominated by the working seasons. Fishing season starts in the Autumn and ends in the Spring. Coastal villages repair and prepare their boats in the summer and literally do nothing in the spring. Nut harvests are held during late summer and usually sold to merchants during early autumn in Port Norton. Inner villages also maintain herds apart from waiting for the Nut Season. Fishes, nuts, berries, tea and timber are the main exports of the region. People often call their received payment “Bread Money” since grain is expensive and always an import in the region.

Woods of Zoria are considered a holy place by the population and druids of the region guide people during times of crises. Influence of this region leads to a somewhat-druidic religious practice in the Northern lands. Gwynzyl Druids sometimes welcome practitioners of any form of magic as long as they are respectful to their lands.

Notable Places

Port Norton

Northern Federation’s gate through the civilized world, Port Norton is basically ruled by two families, Waterys and Manorburns. Watery Inn has a misleading name since the building is rather a complex with streets of its own. Built by the Admiral of the Pirate Navy, Lord Watery, the building is still expanding and housing every form shop imaginable inside. Most of the chapters of Federation guilds and companies are situated in this complex. Manorburns control the outskirts and residential parts of the city. Their trade network reaches even to the furthest part of the Norton and they simply own the monopoly on the export goods.

The city of Port Norton is not walled since they do not expect any threat from the land. The port however, founded in the middle of a U-shaped bay, is fortified on the edges of the bay. Unique geography of the port allows nearly no winds making it harder for both approaching and leaving ships to move. The sun hardly shines on the city and the weather is often rainy if not cloudy.

Woods of Zoria

Considered holy by Nortoners, woods of these parts have no unique features. Some visitors claim that even the druidic order is just a fraud. Yet the druids have magical powers to back them up and the center of woods is clearly magical. They say an uninvited person can never reach the center meadow however this also needs proof.

Only public festival of Norton roots back Zoria. During Golondor people from all over the land gather near Zoria and celebrate the start of Spring. Even towns and cities attend this festival from far away by organizing dances, feasts of their own.

Alemai’s Sanctuary

Alemai was a simple farmer family however their welcoming attitude towards refugees during Dragon Wars, Imperial War, Great Reclamation and Elven Genocide grew their land into a into a hub of well educated and hardy folk. Lady Alemai is also a member of the Magocracy. People from all over the land sometimes visit this place to see their unique sense of magical item creation and barter on the products.

Fort Gulake & Fort Blun

Serving mainly as lighthouses during peacetime, these two forts guard the edges of Port Norton in case of a naval attack. Each fort is manned by their naming clan.