Kanka is built by just the two of us. Support our quest and enjoy an ad-free experience — for less than the cost of a fancy coffee. Subscribe now.

Across the northern frontier of the River Kingdoms runs a hinterland not even the most brazen bandit lords dare to claim, called the Stolen Lands. Sharing borders with strange barbarians and political enemies, this wilderness invites few intruders, out of fear of provoking the ire of empires.

Recently, a band of adventurers were commissioned to attempt just that - to create a nation centered in the midst of this chaotic mess of land. Although settlers from Brevoy have previously made attempts to colonize the land, there was little in the way of economy in the Stolen Lands. The wilderness is waterlogged and provides a limited supply of arable farmland.

Pyria, the nation in question, is centered around the Stolen Land's central forest and bordering eastern mountains. The capitol, Hearthstone, as well as it's defacto wing-eared queen is located along the shores of Tuskwater Lake. It is a Chaotic Good nation governed by a council of 'champions' - government officials selected by the people who each retain an equal amount of power together with the elected ruler, so that no one individual has total control - or can easily take control - over the entire kingdom.

The current ruler and the one who instituted this government, Linette, has a rather incredibly negative view of nobility and their treatment of the commonfolk thanks to her upbringing. Having been born to peasants and actively fearing her position's power over it's populace, she actively refuses to consider herself anyone important, and tries to not impose herself on her people - actively taking a step back in order to let the people to be in charge of themselves, acting more as it's caretaker or guardian than it's leader..... much to the detriment of the councilwoman who makes the laws.

Thankfully, said councilwoman is a cleric of the god of fair trade - as well as a member of an organization specifically centered around creating and enforcing fair laws and deals - so even with their leader's hands-off approach to ruling, the council as a whole has a fairly good grip on making sure the country runs smoothly, and is well equipped to handle when someone may try to take advantage of their leader's incredibly lackadaisical approach to written law.

Because of the nature of the lands in which Pyria was founded, the kingdoms which are not part of the River Kingdom's boundaries tend to look down on it - as well as the other river kingdoms - considering them more akin to countries lead by bandits and warlords. It's not entirely a wrong assessment, and it's not one which Linette will deny either for the kingdoms as a whole. Though she will deny Pyria itself being a country of bandits - none of it's founders were of that history or mentality - she cannot deny that those who flock to the land are the sorts who are not likely to make it in the more ""civilized"" kingdoms, and that it makes it's culture a bit rowdier than others would find acceptable.