Leonay is one of the most populated countries in Arrea. More information will be found below.

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More Information

Leonay

Capital: Lyon

Population: 4,005,528 (humans 81%, elves 8%, dwarves 6%, half-orcs 3%, halflings 1%)

Government: Theocracy (Dragon-dukes of Arthom)

Religions: Ahrlin, Arthom, Alanna, Noldur, Oldarin, Rendolar. 

Imports: Armor, cloth, metal, weapons.

Exports: Fruit, grain, horses, livestock, mercenaries, vegetables.

Alignment: LG, NG, CG.

Surrounded by enemies, Leonay is a country that somehow perseveres against all odds.  There always seems to be a secret plan to overthrow the government or a not so secret invasion on the doorstep. To the east, the lords of Lifeswallower are constantly testing the eastern border; in the south, the Anasazi are always up to some plan to reclaim Katay, which they see as their city. The humanoids from Malek raid the countryside; and from the north, through the Brayton corridor, the Tekkans constantly attempt to subvert the good works of the people of Leonay.

Leonay is ruled by a theocracy with feudal tendencies. The church of Arthom provides the leadership of the country. A council of nine High Priests of Arthom rules Leonay’s capital city of Leon. They, in turn, appoint rulers for each of the six counties that make up the country. These lords, or Dragon-Dukes, can be chosen from any branch of the church, but are predominately paladins. As a Dragon-duke, the lord of the county is practically a monarch; however, the Council of Nine may remove them at their discretion. No Dragon-Duke has ever been removed in Leonay’s history.

 LIFE AND SOCIETY

As in any theocratic society, religion plays a major part in the lives of the people of Leonay. In addition to the usual governmental roles in legislation, law enforcement, civil defense, and infrastructure, the church of Arthom has its hands in the nation’s economy, magic, arts, and entertainment. To any visitor from another nation, the degree to which the church involves itself in the affairs of its citizens would seem stifling and meddlesome. Despite this seeming micromanagement, the machinery of Leonay’s government runs more smoothly than any other nation on (or below) the surface of Arrea. Taxes are fair and their collection efficient. An overwhelming majority of citizens are educated and literate. Hunger and poverty are practically nonexistent. What little crime exists is met with swift justice. All non-evil religions are welcome. All persons, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic station, are recognized as possessing a fundamental right to personal freedom and fulfillment. Overall, citizens of Arrea enjoy a standard of living unmatched the world over.

MAJOR GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES

Leonay is a country with rolling farmland, beautiful pastures, and several forests. Most of the forests are relatively safe, with only the occasional monster or bandit.

Ash Swamp: The Ash swamp is a large swamp between the city of Ash-Melin and the Dead Wall. The swamp is growing slowly as Lifeswallower attempts to envelop the countryside. Dangerous creatures often take residence within its borders. The Ash Swamp and the bordering Black Forest are the most dangerous areas within the borders of Leonay.

Black Forest: Just to the north of the Ash swamp and named for its large amount of black-barked duskwood trees, the Black Forest is an overgrown wood with old growth trees. The forest and bordering swamp have a large population of trolls. No one knows where the trolls come from, but some think that there is a portal in the forest or swamp.

Forest of Veras: To the southwest of Ravenna is a large forest named for a self-proclaimed bandit-king that claimed the forest as his own. Somewhere in the forest is his stronghold, which is rumored to hold his spoils. For 30 years Veras terrorized the Leonay countryside and whenever the Raven Riders were mobilized he disappeared into the forest. One day, Veras and his small army of bandits disappeared and were never seen again.

South Forest:  The south forest is a small, relatively safe forest to the east of the Forest of Veras.

Stirge Wood: The Stirge Wood is a small forest to the north of Star. It is known for its large population of stirges.

Wyvernwood: This wood, to the west of Star, is named for its former inhabitants, a large family of wyverns.  The wyverns that lived in the wood were hunted to extinction in the year 1062. Periodically, creatures migrate from the Eareth Arm to this wood, but they don’t survive long because the local adventurers try to keep the Wyvernwood clear.    

IMPORTANT SITES

Alranda (Metropolis, 48,796): Alranda is Leonay’s trade hub and the nation’s most populous city. Because of its geographically advantaged location, tremendous volumes of merchant traffic pass through the city every day. The paladin Roman Steelside is Alranda’s Dragon-Duke.

Alranda is also home to the Midnight Watchers, Leonay’s only thriving thieves guild. Because of the guilds ability to stay one step ahead of the country’s theocratic government, it is suspected that they have operatives within the church’s hierarchy.

Ash-Melin (Small City, 8,404): From its location on the shores of the Dead Mere, Ash-Melin struggles against an ever-present threat to the public safety. Lacedons and other evil aquatic creatures raid the city often, forcing the town’s inhabitants to adapt their lifestyles to the constant threat. Nights in Ash-Melin tend to be quiet and still, as residence lock themselves up within the relative safety of their homes.

The architecture and civil engineering of Ash-Melin are unique. A web of wooden pier-streets connects the small islands on which the city’s buildings are constructed. Some sections of the city are built entirely on docks, as the marshy ground is insufficient to support construction. The city’s eastern ward has fallen into ruin and is gradually being reclaimed by the adjoining swamp. The ranger/paladin Danier Bloodstone governs Ash-Melin.

Brayton (Large City, 14, 040): Brayton is Leonay’s northernmost city. Most of the overland trade traffic from the Drakken sea area, Tekat, and the western nations passes through Brayton. Brayton’s Dragon-Duke is Rex Ranier. Ranier is Leonay’s chief diplomat as well.

Drondar (Small City, 6,500): The frontier city of Drondar is protected by a woodland-based organization known as Woodwatch. This group of fighters, rangers, and druids protects the city from the dangers of the nearby Deepwood. Dragon-Duke Cey Hecron, the only Duke that isn’t a paladin, rules Drondar. Hecron also acts as the head trainer for Woodwatch.

Elf Friend (Village, 414): Elf Friend is a village founded 96 years ago by a visionary former adventurer named Darolar Trelk. Darolar was a ranger that, in his travels, had befriended the current regents of Eareth. After retiring from adventuring, he used this friendship to forge a strong trade agreement with the elves.  Now the Trelk family enjoys a virtual monopoly on elven goods. The current trading contract was signed for 100 years, so the elves are currently negotiating with several different merchant groups to see who is going to get the next contract when it is renewed.

Out of all of the Leonese towns, Elf Friend has the largest elven and half-elven population. Nearly a quarter of the village has some amount of elven blood running through their veins. Elf Friend is a refuge for half-elves 

Fork (Small Town, 966): Fork is a favorite stopping point for travelers in Leonay’s eastern region. The small town is also a rural vacation spot for the country’s wealthier citizens. Well known for its charming architecture and friendly citizens, Fork enjoys an unusually strong economy for such a meagerly populated settlement.

Katay (Large City, 14,707): Katay is a source of conflict between Leonay and Anasazi. The two nations have fought repeatedly over control of the city. As such, Katay’s architecture and culture show both Anasazi and more northern influences.

Harold Steelside, High Master of the Order of Keledran (an elite group of agents that police the country), and hero of the third Anasazi War, rules the city.

Deep below Katay, in the recesses of the Underdark, are some of the richest veins of ore and gems known. These mines are the main source of contention for the Leonese and Anasazi. The third and most recent Anasazi War was specifically fought over the mines. The Anasazi were using slaves to man the mines and the rulers of Leonay couldn’t allow it, especially so close to home. 

Lyon (Metropolis, 26, 980): Lyon is the capital of Leonay. This city more than any other embodies the ideals that Leonay represents. Large middle class neighborhoods feature their own schools, libraries, museums, and shops. Medical services are available to all citizens, and a public welfare system ensures food and shelter for each family. Bordered on the east by Lifeswallower, Lyon repels frequent attacks from the swamp’s undead armies. Though filled with beautiful public buildings and elegant homes, the city’s most prominent architectural feature is the tremendous wall that protects the metropolis’ eastern border from the dark forces within Lifeswallower. As the nation’s capital, Lyon acts as Leonay’s seat of government. Many powerful political and religious figures call the city home.

Unlike Leonay’s other cities, no duke rules Lyon. The church itself governs the city, passing laws through a council of elder church officials. The Hellbenders, an ancient order of religious warriors, police the metropolis, though a city watch does function to protect the citizenry.

Ravenna (Metropolis, 34,523): Ravenna, a sprawling metropolis of single story buildings, is the country’s largest city in terms of area. Its location at the heart of the nation eliminates the need for a defensive wall. A small wall does, however, protect a small section of the city. Ravenna sees a fair amount of merchant traffic, but few travelers in the country have a need to visit the town. The majority of Leonay’s agricultural products are grown on the farms that surround the nation’s largest city.

The holy cavaliers known as the Raven Riders are based in Ravenna. Lance Wildride, the Dragon-Duke of Ravenna, leads the Raven Riders and as such leads the cavalry branch of the nations military.

Star (Large Town, 4,835): The township of Star gets its name from the roadways that merge at the center of the small city. Year round, travelers from all over the nation stop here to enjoy the comforts of a hot meal and soft bed before returning to the more mundane existence of life on the road. Because of this heavy traffic from travelers, Star is home to Leonay’s most well known inns and taverns.

Star is rapidly growing to the size of some of the smaller cities, and there is a growing sentiment among the population that the town and surrounding areas should be elevated to full county status. The close proximity of Ravenna is the probable reason that Star hasn’t been elevated. 

South Point: South Point is a large citadel protecting the Malek Pass.  A contingent of approximately 300 military personnel patrols the area against orc incursions, Anasazi war parties, and any other danger coming from the southwest.

South Point is one of the least prestigious posts for members of the military. Fortunately, only the leadership stays for more than six months at any time, with the rank and file troops getting transferred in and out on regular cycles.

REGIONAL HISTORY  

Leonay is a very old country, founded shortly after the Ches Cataclysm by a faction of victorious Larylanites forces. After the Ches Imperium was destroyed and Arthom was deified, his followers settled in the resource rich area now known as Leonay. 

Astrinades, a gold dragon, had claimed most of Leonay as his domain, but he quickly found that he enjoyed scrying on the humans that had settled on his land. He watched their petty squabbles, the love affairs, and their politics. He even began to sneak into the cities as a human. After watching for 30 years, the rumblings of war were heard in the north. 

To the north of Leonay the decadent Talaxian empire was enveloping its neighbors. Arthom saw this and decided he wouldn’t let his followers fall to the decadent empire. He visited Astrinades in his lair in the mountains of Ronsym and asked him if he could unite the people of Leonay so they could repel the Talaxians. Astrinades agreed, polymorphed into human form, and went to the human leaders of the church of Arthom. Astrinades took the name Auron the Dragonduke, and under this name he united the people and they were able to stop the Talaxian advance. 

From that point on, the church of Arthom through their appointed Dragondukes has ruled Leonay. Leonay is a strong country that has survived plagues, invasions by the undead of Lifeswallower, the Anasazi, as well as the Knar.