Narthus

A land bordering the eastern half of the Neutral Lands, it is broken into many towering spires of pure rock formations, the people live inside the rocks and build cities in it, it is also known to encompass a legendary mating ground for the Sky Whales.

Introduction
Narthus is a sparse land with only a few major cities. Unlike it's cousin, Carnelia and it's bothersome neighbor, Willowscent, the land is relatively dry, as the plateaus wreck havoc on matters concerning oragraphic precipitation and weather in general. Cities formed near the few rivers that ran through the country. Historically, Narthus has been it's own nation, though much smaller than its current form, due to the interference of ancient Valencia.

History
The Narthus we know today was created after a massive expansion into lands formally held by Valencia, which sank into the sea. Previously, they had been a land-owning tribe that maintained its independence through a diplomatic policy referred to as guerrilla warfare. The tribe had migrated out of Willowscent several generations earlier. Sadly, records as to why are fragmentary, but scholars believe that there was some scandal involving the death of a great chief.

After Valencia's fall, Narthus took charge of the area, even taking over much of the southern area of the The Periphery. It was forced to end it's expansion due to a lack of funds. They did not side with either the Jaedinar empire of the day, nor with the new Arcadian dynasty centered around House Delphine. In fact, they maintained closed borders and refused entry to dignitaries, while secretly trading with them both.

After the two empires fall, Narthus stayed quiet. During the Column Wars, the nation flipped around a bit, but ultimately worked against Navroth. They benefited from the Columns, and may have built the most extensive Linear Train System next to only the Arcadians. They then sent out airships during the finale of the First Faceless War, and fought in every Faceless war since.

After the Sixth Faceless War, their troops destroyed a town thought to be harboring a sky pirate involved with the death of the Grand Judge. This was a Carnelian town. There was a brief war between them known as the Thirteen battles. It was a technical defeat for Narthus, despite winning eight of the battles.

During the

People and Culture
The people are distrustful of most foreigners, but accepting of various species. The majority are workers in farms or in the few industries found in their plateau cities. They are very accepting of slavery, and no stigma is attached to buying or selling slaves, unless you are selling your own family.

After a child is born, they are put in their mother's care until - depending on the tribe - six or ten years of age. From there, they are put under the elders of the village (or teachers in the city) care. The elders teach them reading, writing and skills that are needed for proper life in their village. Both Male and Female learn Archery, Horseback riding (if the land permits), lore and field cooking. Girls learn the crafts of sewing, advanced cooking, an art skill and song. Men learn a second weapons skill, farming, a mechanical skill and oratory.

After the age of fifteen, they are apprenticed. If it is a factory town, boys join their fathers in their labors. Mothers and daughters will similarly pair up. In more rural areas, boys will follow their fathers, but may be apprenticed to others within the larger families. Many times, it is not so much that they are apprenticed, but rather work the trade in tandem with the older men. Women form larger groups than then men do within the family, and generally work together in their projects.

Because of their strong culture that revolves around family life, they put a great deal more work into their crafts. They expect many generations to live together and to value what the family values. Even in the modern era, they do not live too far advanced from their origins during the time of Valencia. Their clothes are traditionally among the most ornate of the nations' clothes. Their embroidery, even what to them would be called mundane, is highly prized by other nations, where even the least skilled may earn a living.

Even when the government put in one of the most advanced Linear Rail Systems, only overshadowed by Carnelia's, this only served to move goods faster. It also had the added benefit of allowing families to send out further afield for both brides and grooms to increase the family's blood and prestige. Even though the other nations classify much of the nation as 'poor', they do not understand why and actually chafe in the other, more urban nations.

Abroad, there are two types of Narthans, the urbanites who live in the large 'plateau cities' enjoy the great cities, especially in Sabbatholm and Arcadia. The rural members of society, if they leave Narthus at all, will enjoy Carnelia, Cameo or the more desert regions of Jaedinar. These people, however, are limited to diplomats, businessmen and elites of society.

The normal member of society will usually take a train ride to the city or certain rural areas that have rentable vacation homes. A few amusement parks in the capitals and a few certain strategic areas, as well as a great love of plays, ballet, long operas and orchestras, which rounds out their professional entertainment. More common entertainment includes contests, horse racing, archery, cooking, story telling and embroidery.

Geography
Narthus is one of the more geographically diverse regions. The plateaus are famous for they have little precedence in geography. They restrict actual migration of the people, while allowing them the resources they need to survive. Most time they live in the multitudinous shallow caves that pepper the region. They turn them into cliff dwellings.

The northern regions are inhabitable, but mostly good for herding. A family may monopolize a square of four plateaus, and vary their herds between the four, so that they are not exhausted. Larger families get more land as needed. So far, it was been around two hundred years since any major conflict between families over land.

In the middle, there is a much wetter area that includes the capital and most of the major cities. The middle is also the most resource rich, which combined with the excellent rail system, makes for their most heavily industrialized region. There is still much agriculture, but it is much more established. Less herd and more grain, especially wheat and corn.

The south is much more varied. There is a tourist industry, as both Sabbatholm, the Neutral Lands and Arcadia do not have excellent beaches. Outside the beaches are more rural towns, usually smaller factory towns or more 'established farmland. The edges of this part of the land have a little large animal herding, mostly cows.

The edges of the southern third of the land are less restrictive, and the people live in yurts. They have a slow circuit of migration that they follow, so that towns have spread to certain key points.

The majority of the population lives in two general areas, the middle section, which is called the 'Narthus Belt' and the coast region. The rest of the population lives very scattered. The largest town in the north region, Bargut merely has roughlyt four hundred thousand lives in it. It is also a military industry town.