by Esper the Bard•
Updated about 1 month ago
The Burnt Realm
Demonym: Jaí
Geographical Position: Southwest, South
Relation to the Bazagonian Empire: Outside, with the exception of Hebutown, the Ammal Jaddi colony, and Port Paelios on the Isle of Bakketra.
Historical Inspiration: Various (more Eastern than Western), though no single inspiration is prevalent throughout
Jaia is a realm of desolations and wastelands. Life was largely wiped out in the War of Three Dooms, during which mass-scale magical weapons known as allabons were deployed. There are pockets of life here and there nowadays, and wasteland creatures prowl most regions, but the Three Kingdoms of old were annihilated and fell to ruin. Hebutown is the only large Jaí city that still exists, and it is populated by monstrous folk. There are other existing settlements scattered across the realm, such as the Chaste Redoubt, Blackhold, Scornhold, and the Ammal Jaddi Colony (established by the Bazagonian Empire). Underworld settlements can be found below ground in certain areas, such as the dark elf city Gholacia Bay, but it is debatable if such places can properly be considered Jaia. Multiple expeditions are being carried out in Jaia, with scouts, explorers, and relic hunters of all kinds seeking any potential remnants of allabons or texts that describe their construction. Imperial law dictates that such findings must be delivered to Bazagonian authorities for destruction.
Jaia is one the most extreme and hostile realms in the known world. It is largely composed of blight wastes, deserts, and mountains. In some places, residual effects of allabons still torment the land. Historically, it was fertile or even lush in most regions, but the high number of allabons deployed during the War of Three Dooms eradicated most forms of life. It tends to be very warm and arid, though certain places differ from this.
The standard races of Ichoros are not native to Jaia and have no historical presence there. It is highly unusual to come across a human, dwarf, elf, or halfling outside of Port Paelios on the Isle of Bakketra or the Ammal Jaddi colony.
*Not a player-character option
Esper's Emporium of Esotericaᴱᴱᴱ
Monstrous Heroesᴹᴴ
Gauntlet Runnerᴳᴿ
Each GM’s region can have race restrictions.
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Arachnirᴹᴴ: Rare
Bugbear: Rare
Cyclops*: Very rare
Dark Elf: Rare. Seeing a dark elf on the surface is exceedingly rare, as their populations keep to the Underworld.
Dragonᴹᴴ: Rare
Dragonborn: Very rare. Dragonborn were once the predominant folk in Chokra-Kath (eastern Jaia). Most of them died during the War of Three Dooms.
Duergar: Rare. Most duergar live in or near Blackhold in the Ash Wastes. They have larger populations in the Underworld.
Ettercap*: Rare
Giant*: Very Rare. True giants were once the predominant folk in Gorthael-Kath (western Jaia), and other giants dwelled in remote areas throughout the realm. Almost all of them died during the War of Three Dooms and its aftermath.
Gnoll: Very Rare. Small bands of gnoll scavengers can be found in pockets. They trace ancestry to a Zilleesi gnoll horde that was unleashed upon Jaia centuries ago.
Goblin: Uncommon
Grimlock*: Rare. Seeing a grimlock on the surface is exceedingly rare, as their populations keep to the Underworld.
Gullchᴳᴿ: Very rare
Hagᴹᴴ: Rare
Hobgoblin: Uncommon
Ichoriiteᴱᴱᴱ: Very rare
Kobold: Uncommon. Kobolds historically were much more populous, particularly in Albali-Kath (central Jaia), where they served the nagas. Many of them died during the War of Three Dooms, though their numbers in Hebutown are growing. There are also a few small kobold tribes dispersed throughout Jaia, struggling to survive and rebuild.
Lizardfolk: Very rare
Lycanthropeᴹᴴ: Very rare
Minotaurᴹᴴ: Rare. Minotaur populations have dwindled over time. Nowadays, most dwell in Brasshorn Canton of Hebutown.
Naga*: Very Rare. Naga were once the rulers of Albali-Kath (central Jaia). Almost all of them died during the War of Three Dooms and its aftermath.
Nefarixᴹᴴ: Very rare
Ogreᴹᴴ: Uncommon
Oni (Ogre)ᴹᴴ: Very rare
Orc: Uncommon
Ousiaᴹᴴ: Very rare
Paracosmaᴹᴴ: Very rare
Proteanᴹᴴ: Very rare
Sahuagin*: Rare
Tiefling: Very rare. Some tieflings came to Jaia during the Infernal War (either to serve in Nergoy’s forces or to escape Bazagon).
Trollᴹᴴ: Very rare
Vampireᴹᴴ: Very rare
Vivilithᴹᴴ: Very rare
Yadiraᴹᴴ: Very rare
Jaia has no overarching authority structure, as it is a realm in ruins. Individual locations have their own systems of governance (or none at all). The only highly-populated area is the Seven Cantons of Hebutown, which formally is part of the Bazagonian Empire, however in practice, only Ferron Canton abides by this.
● The Ancient Ones. The mysterious and reclusive masters of the Chaste Redoubt (Kaharraia). They have existed for longer than anyone knows and even created the naga race at the end of the Age of Cataclysms.
● Exaír-Sarx. Minotaur Lord of Brasshorn Canton (Hebutown); extremely strong, battle champion. He leads the minotaurs in what remains of their barbaric society. The Hebutean minotaur population shrank as a consequence of the Infernal War, for they sided with the archfiend Nergoy and lost many of their warriors.
● Ferron Steelwind XXVII. Hobgoblin chieftain of Ferron Canton (Hebutown); callous, intelligent, collected; a descendant from Ferron Steelwind I, the first chieftain of this canton. He took power after the previous chieftain Wylus Steelwind committed ritualized suicide in order to reclaim his honor for siding with Nergoy the Devil-King and for losing the battle of Hebutown against the Hands of Mitra.
● Gorrog the Brave. Orc Cantonmaster of Vila Magmus (Hebutown); appointed after the end of the Infernal War, credited with protecting Vila Magmus during the conflict.
● Jáyavos. Naga Master of Hakaar in Medicus Canton (Hebutown); vile, bitter.
● Mogus Megalo. Human Prefect of the Ammal Jaddi colony (Broken Hills). While he is not a warrior or spellcaster, he is an intelligent and resourceful leader with a local force at his command. Furthermore, as a prefect of the Bazagonian Empire, he has many powerful connections.
● Ruespike and Scorcha. Dragonborn King and Queen of Dragus of Dragus Canton (Hebutown). These dragonborn and their subjects are unwilling to accept the Bazagonian Empire and its dragon god Mitra-Satsil. They resent the sacrifice of their cultural hero Grey Wind, which was orchestrated by the Keepers of the Silver Flame and brought about Mitra-Satsil’s reincarnation. The population of Dragus Canton keeps to their traditional worship of the Jaí dragon goddess Kaimaria the Mother of Wind and Sea.
● Sukagrot. Ogre chieftain of Cinderwing Canton (Hebutown); priest of Errras; his name means “Devourer of Goblins”; megalomaniac, yet passionately loyal to Cinderwing. Beyond the typical oafishness of ogres, Cinderwing is still reeling from nearly three centuries of fiendish leadership. The current chieftain Sukagrot vows he will return the canton to the glory of its roots. The hobgoblins of Ferron Canton (who are in alliance with the Bazagonian Empire) are pressuring the ogres of Cinderwing to put their demesne in better order.
● Syl’kyllil. Naga Mistress of Aliok in Medicus Canton (Hebutown); righteous, dutiful. Medicus Canton is also home to the Bastion of Day and Night, home to the singular Jaí Teleportation Circle.
Religion in Jaia has a very complex history due to its amalgamation of cultures. Since the dawn of time, elder gods and regional Jaí gods have been worshipped in various forms by the different peoples of the realm. This is echoed in the religious variety found throughout the Seven Cantons of Hebutown: Jaí pantheism, single-deity cults, Enosi, Mithralianism, Shrenthata, titan worship, archfiend worship, even small sects of Bazagonian pantheism. Vera Via is extremely rare, and the few veravians who have come to spread their messages in Jaia have either been shunned or martyred.
Only Hebutown has the population and the means for anything beyond small-scale commerce. Its inter-realm impact is quite limited, consisting of what trade goods Ferron Canton puts to market. Imports from the Bazagonian Empire are somewhat regular, and generally more commonplace goods such as grains, seeds, lumber, oils, honey, fabrics, and small-to-medium animals.
The distinct cultures of the Three Kingdoms of old have been reduced to mere fragments. Hebutown has a variety of cultures throughout its cantons, some of which are more homogenous and traditional, others are more patchwork and malleable. Outside of Hebutown, cultures are reduced to pockets of grim survivors and wastelands tribes. The exception is Ammal Jaddi, which is a Bazagonian colony and thus has an imperial culture combined with the gusto of adventuring companies.
The Three Kingdoms of Jaia, before the destruction wrought by the War of Three Dooms
