Almantiando

History
The land of Almantiando was not always called by a tiefling name. Prior to rampant settlement and widespread consumption of its resources, the peaceful island nation was known by the name Sayasti, which, roughly translated, means “forested haven.” As far back as written history can trace it, the region was inhabited primarily by the peaceful githzerai -- an ascetic race of people who lived through the land, not off of it. They hunted and gathered, slowly establishing their own temples and villages, giving the land its name and surviving as they always had. Their lives were disciplined and isolated from the temptations and conflicts that ebbed and flowed elsewhere in Meredun. Four hundred years ago, however, new settlers came. Comprised mostly of humans and tieflings, the invading force claimed the land and sought to settle it. The mainland (what is now The Holy Kingdom of Cambria) had become overcrowded, or so the invaders claimed, and they simply took what they needed. This way of life was not compatible with that of the githzerai, who revered and respected the land, never dreaming of uprooting or taming it. Diplomacy was attempted, but soon the giths found their land being developed and plundered, and their numbers dwindled. A significant native shifter population soon made themselves known as well, and they were not so diplomatic in their countermeasures. The ensuing battles were bloody, and both sides lost many warriors in the chaos. Ultimately, the shifters -- almost entirely without the aid of the gith -- were defeated, and the land was developed even more quickly than it had been before the uprising.

Topography
What now remains is an overcrowded, noisy desert. The six major cities -- called Greyhill, Fort Abner, Round Town, Six Tree, Aubrey's Port, and Great Weston -- are packed, with builders only having space to expand up or down, and that is assuming that they can afford to import the necessary resources. With the land being all but empty now, the trade routes to the mainland are both flourishing and extremely necessary. Only the wealthy live in dwellings that don’t share a wall with another; usually a foot or two in between is all that can be hoped for. The outermost edges of the nation still have some semblance of wilderness, but these are in the process of being settled by ambitious trailblazers. Tiny traces of aboriginal life remain, but without a voice in government or society at large, the giths and shifters cannot hope to maintain even these landmarks for long.

Citizenry
The current inhabitants of Almantiando come from incredibly diverse backgrounds, racially and otherwise. As a result, the atmosphere is chaotic, unorganized, and unpredictable. The politics reflect this, and most power is gained through coup or blackmail rather than an organized system like elections or bloodline. In this region, nothing speaks louder than money, and such a thing is easy to come by but hard to keep. It is all but impossible to make a living in Almantiando unless a person is savvy, streetwise, and self-reliant. There are many ways to support oneself if one has these qualities, however. Legitimate business thrives; trading, crafting, building, guarding -- all are viable trades in the region. Equally prosperous, though often more dangerous, is illegitimate business. Thieves and charlatans are able to take hold of entire city districts due to the constant lack of oversight by any authorities. If there is one guiding principle that all Almantiandoans know well, it is that power is a fluid currency.

Back to Nations