Magnia (pronounced MAG-nee-ah) is the northernmost of the nations of Hellea, nestled against the southern foothills of the Sentinel Peaks. Its high population of fey and other protectors of the wild have shaped the region's history and culture for many centuries.
Geography, flora, and fauna
Magnia lies between the mountains and the sea, with the Sentinel Peaks in the north and the Sea of Ersas and the Gulf of Teneucia in the south. In the west it stretches into the foothills of the Greenwall, while to the east its border with Viridia is defined only by the infrequent patrols of the Viridian legions of the rough landscape west of the Dragonpeak River. With much of its landscape covered by dense forests, Magnia remains less developed than most other Hellean nations, especially as one moves north and away from the sea. The climate of the region is generally cooler than Hellea as a whole; weather patterns off the Sentinel Peaks are a strong influence on precipitation and temperature.
A number of rivers, fed by melting snowpack, flow from the northern mountains to the sea and gulf in the south. The largest of these are the Drosera, Hagno, and Maera rivers, but they are far from alone, as they are joined by countless smaller streams and rivers that all make the winding journey through the hilly landscape to the lower elevations.
Much of the Magnian woodlands are old growth oak forests, expansive stretches of primarily broadleaf oaks. Other types of trees can be found in these forests as well, such as apples, walnuts, and laurels. These forests have been cleared around some major cities and waterways, largely to aid in more productive agriculture, but remain as strong as ever across most of the kingdom. Smaller wetlands are interspersed among the forests as well.
The odontotyrannos is an almost mythical creature said to live in remote parts of the forests of Magnia. A three-horned, horse-like creature the size of an elephant, there are few credible reports of its sighting. It is not even known if it is a singular animal or an entire species. Regardless, large tracts of destruction through the oak forests - felled trees, trampled underbrush, gored animals - are widely claimed to be the doing of the odontotyrannos.
When the mines in the Sentinel Peaks were still highly productive, miners were known to fear the myrmekes that frequently set up their homes in the mines. Giant ant-like creatures, the myrmekes seem to have a fascination with precious metals and seemingly stake claim when they find any. The myrmekes are still present in the foothills of the Sentinel Peaks, but with most of the mines abandoned they are far less of a threat to the citizens of modern-day Magnia.
Arboreals can be found throughout the Magnian forests where they act as guardians for their local landscape. Magnian druids often form alliances with the arboreals to share knowledge and jointly protect the region's flora and fauna.
Fauns, nymphs, naiads, dryads, and other fey can be commonly found in the old oak forests. Generally peaceful and amenable to visitors, these fey can nonetheless be territorial and protective of what they view as their domains, and will not hesitate to act if their woodlands are threatened.
In addition to the dragons of the Sentinel Peaks, some linnorms are also known to reside in and near the mountains.
History
Old Magnia
Magnia was for millennia a turbulent and wild land, home to countless tribes of humans, half-elves, centaurs, minotaurs, goblins, and others, all of whom thrived in the vast woodlands. Even great conquerors like Eurykrates struggled to subdue Magnia, the determined independence of its peoples bolstered by its rough terrain. While still distinctly Hellean, Magnia has long been somewhat separate, culturally and historically, from the rest of the peninsula, its societies defined far more by local spirits and tribes than by hero-gods and city-states.
Despite their long-standing insistence on living their lives on their own terms, and their willingness to push back with force against interlopers, by the early ninety-eighth century the inhabitants of the region found themselves drawn into the strife between Iaramnae and the Halakran League nonetheless, forced to adapt to a world that had once again turned hostile. Influence from the east and south has slowly transformed Magnia but to a significant degree the old ways remain.
Viridian alliance
Since ancient times, Magnia has kept a tradition of electing a high chief from amongst its tribes - even when the tribes began to settle into towns and then cities, with the old distinctions between peoples gradually falling away, they still maintained this practice. The role, despite officially including the ability to bring all peoples to war, was never more than ceremonial. This changed drastically in Y9712* when the high chief at the time, Talar, invited Viridian diplomats to his court. Fearful of the ongoing provocations and ambitions of Iaramnae, including their brief conquest of Helike, he entered an alliance with the Dominion, allowing the legions to be stationed in Magnia in return for their protection against the other nations of Hellea.
There was much furor at Talar's actions, with many cities, communities, and tribes immediately denouncing him and even threatening war to remove him from his position. Ultimately, however, all were brought in line, as the more level-headed pointed out his negotiations would prevent further Iaramnaen incursion and that by their ancient laws he was in fact permitted to make such arrangements, even if this privilege had not been exercised in centuries.
Largely as a side effect of the Viridian arrangement, the role of Magnian high chiefs began to shift as they began using much of the authority that was always theirs in name yet never in practice. Their direct influence spread from only affecting their own city or people to those of others, and so too did the title itself, as the term "high chief" began to be discarded for "king" - many claim this shift to be an attempt to gain more legitimacy in interactions with the Dominion. Some in Magnia, the more traditional, adamantly keep to the old name, but their numbers are slowly decreasing.
While the presence of the Viridian legions in the major cities of Magnia has deterred the majority of aggression from the south, some subsequent high chiefs and kings have attempted to limit their actions or reach, often with mixed success, as Iaramnae and the Halakran League have both further militarized and the legions are one of the few bulwarks that keep the peace. A common boast in Magnia even to this day is that they have never been subjugated for long and will not be again - none wish to see the violence keeping such pure independence would entail, however.
Trouble in the north
The northern city of Nysa was destroyed in an attack by a pack of white dragons in Y9955*. While white dragons are not uncommon in the Sentinel Peaks, for them to directly attack such a large city is unusual. Attempts have been made to rebuild the city but it is still far from its former size and population. Across Magnia, discontent towards Viridia increased following the failure of the Legion of the West to protect the city.
Periodic attacks by white dragons continue. The dragons seem strangely well coordinated, leading many to wonder if some ulterior motive lies behind their actions.
Demographics
The population of Magnia includes individuals of a number of ancestries, including humans, half-elves, naiads, dwarves, and sylphs. Magnia also has an extremely high goblin population. A sizable percentage of the region's fey population is integrated into broader Magnian society.
Historically Magnia was home to some of the largest and most noteworthy centaur tribes, but today relatively few remain. Many minotaurs still call the region home, however.
Small villages of kabandha cyclops live in particularly remote parts of Magnia, where they guard the intersections of ley lines and other magically important places. Unlike other cyclops, kabandhas have no head, with their face instead located in their upper torso. Kabandhas are highly reclusive and, if not provoked, are content to leave others alone.
Culture
See Hellea for more information on culture, geography, and history that is common to the nations of the peninsula.
Religions
The hero-gods are important figures in Magnian religion, but less so than in much of the rest of Hellea. At present, no hero-gods are known to reside in the kingdom.
While the people of Magnia worship the gods of the Hellean pantheon, Ananke is especially emphasized above the rest. Temples to the deity in Magnia often resemble overgrown gardens more than traditional places of worship, as their open-air designs are believed to bring one closer to the goddess. Some Magnians have also taken to worshiping certain powerful fey creatures, though those that adhere to this practice see the fey less as unerring divines and more as capricious figures, just as liable to help as to hinder.
Society
Historically Magnia was strongly tribal, with the divisions from these tribes and their clans defining Magnian social lines. While the majority of the tribes now only exist in name and shared traditions, the influence of them remains, even as many of their peoples live in large cities and towns across the region. All still know their tribe, even if now it may mean little more than an additional name and an assurance that, if one travels to a far-away town, they will find friendly faces willing to share food and a roof.
Traditionally Magnian tribes were defined by their relationship to local fey and nature spirits. Each made alliances with these entities and protected them, and in turn received powerful boons. Yet all understood well the often capricious nature of the fey and never underestimated them, even while they were treated as esteemed figures within the tribe. It was typical for tribes to dwell within the lands claimed by their patron fey.
As cities grew in Magnia, beginning on the southern coasts then slowly expanding inland, the tribal lines gradually came to mean less and less, while at the same time the traditional nomadic ways started to be replaced by sedentary lifestyles. The reverence for and connections with the fey did not falter, however, but merely shifted over time as alliances changed.
A small number of Magnian tribes continue to keep their old nomadic ways, especially those who live in the hinterlands between Magnia and Viridia.
Languages
Hellean is by far the most frequently spoken language in Magnia, followed by Common. Ancestral languages, especially Elven and Dwarven, are also widespread. It is not uncommon for Magnians to understand Thadrian as well, especially in the east, due to their close proximity to Viridia. Sylvan is the primary language of Magnian fey, and others in the region have found it useful to learn this language too.
Arts
Magnian music is similar to elsewhere in Hellea, but with a fairly distinct set of instruments that are especially emphasized. In particular, woodwinds, pan flutes, and drums are the most characteristic of Magnian music, reflecting the traditions of the dryads, naiads, and other fey.
Food and cuisine
Magnian agriculture reflects the climate of the region; Magnia is somewhat colder than Hellea as a whole, so the crops grown in Magnia are generally those better suited to more seasonality. Otherwise, Magnian food tends to be similar to traditional Hellean cuisine. Many farmers work with local dryads and other fey to tend groves of fruit-bearing trees, with minimal damage to the surrounding forests. Especially in the north it is not unusual for Magnians acquire much of their food from hunting and foraging, yet today they rarely rely on these methods as their sole sources of food.
Architecture and urbanization
Much of Magnia is sparsely populated, especially in the north and west near the mountains. Most of the cities and population are in the south and along the Inachos River, as well as on the shores of Lake Kardia. The inhabitants of Magnia mostly live in smaller towns, with relatively low urbanization by Hellean standards.
Quite similar to elsewhere in Hellea, Magnian architecture takes a variety of forms, depending on the purpose of the building. Most immediately striking are the palaces and temples, with their tall marble columns, grand arches, gabled roofs, and detailed reliefs carved in the walls. More mundane buildings are usually built of stone, brick, and stucco. Whether buildings are ceremonial or domestic, Hellean architecture emphasizes open space - tall hallways, paths, and courtyards are all common. Floors are commonly made of polished stone or mosaics. These mosaics generally depict something related to the purpose of the building. An apothecary’s shop, for example, might have a mosaic showing plants sold there or the owner of the shop tending to them.
Travel
Travel in Magnia is done using the rivers first and foremost, though a network of roads cross the region. These tend to not be very well maintained, and travelers are advised to keep an eye out for dangerous creatures along their route.
Magic
Magical practitioners in Magnia include those of many types and schools, but the region has a disproportionate number of druids compared to elsewhere in Hellea. Magnia is also the birthplace of a large number of oracles, relatively speaking. Most arcane practitioners in Magnia are self-taught.
Government
Magnia is ruled by a monarch, a king or queen once known as the high chief of the tribes. They are bound by ancient covenants and are by no means absolute rulers, as ultimately they rely on the other chiefs of Magnia to govern. Even as the tribes slowly lose distinction, their hereditary chiefs remain powerful, able to theoretically draw their people together towards whatever aim they may desire. The monarch themself is elected by the chiefs from amongst their own whenever the previous monarch dies or steps down.
As of Y9976*, the king of Magnia is Archelaos Amyntas.
Economy
Magnia does not have a great many exports - while its people are happy to trade for goods they cannot get locally, they generally lack the culture of commerce that long ago took root across Hellea and do not prioritize the acquisition of vast wealth. Mines in the Sentinel Peaks were once the source of a great quantity of precious ores, particularly sunsilver and gold, but all material that could be easily extracted has been gone for millennia by now.