Brightmarch

Brightmarch
Capital	None
Ruler	Various
Government	Various
Demonym	Marcher
Adjective	Brightmarch
Languages	Various; Aserdian and Elven especially
Religions	Aserdian pantheon; Elven pantheon; other deities and faiths

In rotten wood there dwells a light, a dream of a new world growing from what came before yet not beholden to it.

—Teaching attributed to Tidelord oracle Aide to the Eyes and Ears

Brightmarch is a fluid and ever-changing region between the Gulf of Aserdus and the Laqto Rainforest. Aside from a handful of city-states with long histories, most of the region is inhabited by small communities and nomadic peoples that are significantly more transitory.

Geography, flora, and fauna

Located along the southern coast of the Gulf of Aserdus, Brightmarch is geographically quite diverse. The coastline along the gulf is generally tranquil, a combination of beaches, mangroves, reefs, and barrier islands. Inland, forests mix with wet grasslands, marshes, and fern prairies. The single largest forest in Brightmarch, the Shaushkan Forest, is located in the north, though most of the south and east is covered by woodlands that eventually become more dense and turn into the Laqto Rainforest. Much of Brightmarch is quite hilly, especially in the west and south. Salt marshes are common along the Aserdian coast of Brightmarch.

The region is warm year-round and receives a large amount of annual rainfall. Weather in Brightmarch is relatively mild, as the area is sheltered from the typhoons that sometimes strike other lands at similar latitudes.

Many rivers flow through Brightmarch, though most of these are so small that they only have names to those that live nearby. The Yarma, Mezulla, Platinum, Zaliyan, and Ikena rivers are the largest and most significant of these.

To the north, Brightmarch becomes somewhat drier, separated from the desert of the Sangora Desolation itself by the arid grasslands around the Fangs of Khurazar.

In the west, the Kiyashe Peninsula is littered with cenotes. These cenotes are connected by complex networks of watery cave systems, some of which eventually connect to the Gulf of Aserdus or Mhasmuth Ocean. In addition to containing their own unique biospheres, often highly unusual due to their relative isolation, these cenotes have been repurposed as homes by some aquatic peoples that would otherwise rarely be found so far inland.

Animal and plant life in Brightmarch is highly varied. Both mundane and magical creatures abound, including many that are found in few other places worldwide. Dinosaurs, lions, elephants, and other large creatures are commonplace in Brightmarch.

History

In the days of the Kingdom of Eita, Brightmarch occupied an important place within the elves' sphere of influence. Small colonies set up amongst the forests, marshes, and grasslands provided the Cradle with much-needed supplies to support the ceaseless development and magitechnical innovation of the time. Lightspires were built across the region to guide the flight of the aeroliths. At Eita's zenith Brightmarch became a popular place for elven scholars and elites to establish private estates, from which they could enjoy the beautiful natural landscapes while continuing their research away from the bustling scholar-halls.

Eventually Eita's days came to an end, but Eitan influence in Brightmarch declined long before the kingdom itself collapsed. By Y6000^* the kingdom was functionally no longer a factor in the region even while elves remained behind. Rather than depart for Hinthial like most of their brethren on the Cradle, a significant proportion of the elven inhabitants of Brightmarch chose to instead integrate into the many communities and nomadic groups that had already existed long before their arrival. Old elven settlements still dot the landscape in parts of Brightmarch, though most have been left to decay. Likewise, though multiple aeroliths came to the ground in the area, they are largely left alone in modern times.

Aside from the elves, the history of Brightmarch is too varied to easily summarize. Each community has its own long history, tales of which are usually eagerly shared with any new arrivals who ask. These histories tend to be highly interconnected - aside from the major cities of Xelas, Teshub, Sharruma, and Yarma, each of which has existed for millennia, it is not unusual for populations to move comparatively frequently, leaving old towns and locations behind in favor of something new.

Demographics

The peoples of Brightmarch are highly diverse, with no ancestry accounting for a majority of the population. Humans are widespread in Brightmarch, and the region has one of the largest populations of elves and half-elves around the world. Catfolk, anadi, kobolds, gnomes, leshies, goblins, grippli, shisk, and others all live in Brightmarch. Communities tend to include individuals of all ancestries and backgrounds. In the southwest, some aquatic peoples live in the cenotes of Kiyashe.

Culture

Religion

Religious beliefs in Brightmarch vary. The Aserdian pantheon is widely followed, as are the aspects of the divines in the Elven pantheon. Gods whose faithful are concerned with with arts, freedom, and creativity are usually the most widely worshiped. Many Marchers prefer other forms of religious expression besides the worship of conventional deities. Animism is widespread, as are ancestor worship and other varieties of faith.

Society

Multiple ethnic groups call Brightmarch home, each itself split between many tribes, settlements, and communities.

There are few traits that are shared between each and every of the many societies and cultures in Brightmarch. Nearly universal, however, are the beliefs in personal freedom to which almost all Marchers hold dear. Most Marcher societies are highly egalitarian, sometimes without any official leaders at all. Individuals that would seek to restrict such ideals are shunned, and those that do manage to gain power over others without consent usually find their erstwhile subjects soon gone. It is not unusual for Marchers to simply pick up and move to a new community if they dislike the direction in which their current one has gone. In such scenarios, Marchers generally prefer to peacefully relocate rather than fight, as they know their one-time leaders will soon find themselves powerless. Community is strongly valued in Brightmarch, even if one's community grows, shrinks, and morphs frequently.

Marchers tend to have a long view of history. They are well aware of the ages of the relics from past societies that surround them, and stories about past peoples and events are widely remembered and retold. Ancient beings like Anlabban and the elven colossi of the Idrimi, known collectively in Brightmarch as the Survivors of the Epochs, are respected by all. At the same time, Marchers would rather enjoy the present and prepare for the future than dwell on the past.

Languages

Aserdian is by far the most widely-spoken language in Brightmarch. Common is significantly less frequently used, mostly heard in the larger cities and especially in the north. Ancestral tongues are widely used in Brightmarch. Elven in particular is spoken across the region, including by a great many non-elves.

Names

It is not uncommon for Marchers to choose their own names, or to change their names over the course of their lives. In many cultures of Brightmarch, names are seen as a reflection of the self, not simply an identifier. If one's personality changes significantly, due to life experiences or other circumstances, it is considered perfectly natural to choose a new name accordingly - in fact, it's often viewed as somewhat strange if one does not.

Timekeeping

Though other systems are used as well, most inhabitants of Brightmarch rely on the Marcher calendar to mark the passage of the year. This calendar revolves around the region's wet and dry seasons.

Architecture and urbanization

Most inhabitants of Brighmarch live nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles. Permanent settled communities, while not uncommon, tend to be spaced quite far apart.

Government

There is no unified government in Brightmarch. The inhabitants of the region highly value their freedom of movement and generally refuse to live under systems that would restrict such ideals. Most communities and groups in Brightmarch are democratic though there are exceptions. The city-state of Sharruma, notably, is led by an authoritarian monarchy, and the settlements built into the cenotes of Kiyashe are ruled in similar manners. In general, however, even larger cities like Xelas and Teshub are direct democracies, or at least something close.

Economy

The economy of Brightmarch is quite varied. By and large the region does not have significantly well-developed industries, and most communities are either agrarian or foragers. Still, enough trade is conducted between the towns and peoples of Brightmarch to support a vibrant network of merchants. Many trade goods from Brightmarch eventually end up flowing north to Yarma, where they are then carried farther afield on the trans-Sangora trade routes. Other trade links exist with Okoton and the Broken Traverse in the Laqto.

The hills around Sharruma contain a relatively high concentration of platinum ore, something the rulers of the city-state have been eager to capitalize on.