The Lore of the West

Subject: The Lore of the West Wed May 31, 2017 9:18 pm

Many generations ago, the West was ruled by a legendary king, only referred to in records as "The Dragon". Why this nickname was given is a mystery, as there are only myths of dragons, and no actual proof of the beasts, and it is also known that this king was indeed human. It is unsure of where this king came from, or where he went, for it is claimed that one day, he simply vanished.

Many stories claim that he was the greatest king to ever rule, and brought all of the known lands into a time of peace, and spread knowledge of magic and runes throughout each city. Yet, after the reign of The Dragon, this knowledge faded, and humanity reverted, and magic became a subtle trick once more, and runes became things of the North.

The West is well known for its metal works, and superior technologies. Because of these, the West has the most advanced army to walk the known lands.

Due to the Iron Mountains, Iron Hills, and the large forests that cover the land, only roughly half of the Western continent is inhabitable, but despite this, it still has the third largest population, only surpassed by the South West, and the East.

Traditionally, the entire Western continent is ruled by a single king, stationed at the capital of Kastshore, though before the time of The Dragon, the throne was north a significant amount. Under the king, there are three lords, who each govern one third of the capital city. It is to each of these three lords that the lords of each other city in the West report, and these three lords report to the king.

Although the North is a colony of the West, there is no lord that governs it, and the kings have all respected this, so long as the taxes and runes are collected on time and in full.

The majority of the West's metal comes from the Iron Hills, hence the name. There have been many attempts to establish mines in the Iron Mountains, however, any that are higher than the base of the towering peaks have failed. From this metal, the Western knights have become legendary, and many of its blacksmiths prize themselves for their work.

The Western forests are significant for multiple reasons. One such is that for the most part, they are uncharted, and un-traversed, save for by the Rangers. Another reason is the Rangers themselves. The Rangers are a small group of people, usually traveling in groups of three or less, who live solely off the Western forests. They are often titled the best archers of the known lands, though they only use their skill for hunting. Many of the upper-class frown upon Rangers, for they are stronger magic users, but again only use it for the woods, and thus are seen as taboo.

Apart from the royalty, healers are respected by all throughout the West. It is believed that a strong healer is a gift from the gods themselves, and the healing magic is one of the few to have never been labeled as witchcraft.

The Map of the West:

» The Lore of the South West
» The Lore of Midergern
» The Lore of the East
» The Lore of the North
» The Lore of Magic