Athaerun

Geography

Athaerun sits atop some of the most magnificent bluffs along the Pearl Sea, providing it a natural defense from any possible seaborne invasions upon its borders.  Thick yew forests with and heavy mossy underbrush cover the landscapes subtle hills that rest atop its impressive cliffs overlooking the Pearl Sea. Due to the idyllic vistas and landscapes Athaerun boasts, this Province is home to some of the largest monasteries ever built, looming over the cliffs in impressive displays of architecture and veneration to their God, Decus.

History

The first tribes of Athaerun were primarily of a sedentary lifestyle, living in small communities that relied heavily on hunting wild game, particularly the stags in the region that have become well known for their beautiful coats and succulent meat.  Athaerians were well prized for their excellent craftsmanship with wood and their ability to make some of the finest bows in all of Vitaveus; a large part of this specialty developed no doubt due to the abundant yew trees that cover the region. These once tribal groups of people were brought under the might of the Venerated Republic through the sword and might of the Decusian war machine.

During the Reckoning, as the Legion began its assault from the northeastern shores of Athaerun, they found themselves at a disadvantage being on the low ground overlooked by the impressive cliffs that hug almost all of Athaerun’s coastal border. Besieged by Athaerian archers whom would rain down volleys of arrows upon their heads, the Decusian war machine had fallen prey to the defenses of these tribes who rallied together to push back the red tide of the Legion. For this reason, Athaerun remains rooted in military history as being an infamously costly region to have taken so early during the Reclamation efforts.

As the Venerated Republic moved through the countryside and into the interior of the province, they began erecting effigies and monoliths to the Archangel Decus, establishing a firm rooted iconography that painted the landscape of Athaerun and still does to this day.  When the tribes conceded defeat to their invaders, they were put to the task of building some of the most marvelous monasteries and educational centers for religious philosophy in all of Vitaveus, taking their expertise in working wood and creating artful inlays that told visual tales of Decus and his gift to mankind.  Through decades of working on the Empire’s singular artistic identity through religious iconography, many of the Athaerians began to convert fully to the religion, taking up positions within the clergy as the faith grew throughout the Eastern province. Today, many of the Decusian high clergy can trace their bloodlines back to Athaerian ancestry, and those that cannot undoubtedly had spent a good deal of their academic years within the Province studying at one of the hundreds of monasteries that dot its landscape.

Torment

The monasteries of the Decusian faith, in more modern of times, have evolved to become the learned centers of both the philosophical and medical. However, during the beginning stages of the Torment, little in the way of protective equipment was developed and as such, many of the medical personnel became infected with the wretched disease. The Alftwyn Monastery, one of the largest epicenters for medical research was a tragic loss to this plague on humanity, as its patients began to turn horribly against their caretakers, and in a single foul swoop, all inside were claimed by the terror that is the Torment. The sprawling monastery has since been walled off, and Templar with the purview of the Apothecary Corps have been maintaining a watchful gaze over its once beautiful architecture, now marred by the screams and blood spilled by these amalgamations that were once the faithful. There is concern however that even the walls and pyres built by the Church to keep the disease at bay are not working, as the lush wilds around the monastery have begun to turn dead and blackened, with sightings of sickly stags and dead birds throughout the forests have become talk among the common folk.

Apart from this sole exception, Athaerun has remained a strong and stable element in post-Torment Vitaveus. Situated between the historically significant territory of the First Province and the epicenter of Republic power, Redholme, Athaerun has benefited from a strong and measured response from Decusian forces whenever even a hint of threat emerges. The numerous dozens of Municipalities and hundreds of Townships that litter the Athaerun countrysides are some of the most safest places for residential living outside of Redholme; this is undoubtedly due to the staggeringly large presence of clerical estates and Prelacy mansions and manors and keeps that call Athaerun home. Athaerun is further considered one of the most wealthy Territories of the Baronies, falling only behind Redholme – this is undoubtedly due to the massive presence of Prelacy bloodlines and houses that call the territory home.

Points of Interest

Alftwyn Monastery

One of the largest monastical compounds ever constructed, Alftwyn was dedicated to the understanding of medicine. This once proud monastery was heralded as the East’s epicenter for those who wished to learn the practices of Allopathy in an effort to better the lives of those who lived beneath the merciful gaze of the Venerated Republic.  Recently, Alftwyn has become home to nothing more than the living dead and the Tormented, forever locking its doors off to anyone who would have once sought enlightenment from its cloistered walls.

Varo Monastery

Due to the fall of the Alftwyn monastery, Varo has become a replacement for what knowledge was lost at the large monastery no less than a fortnight’s ride away.  It has been highly fortified as of late, and many of the local citizenry who once entered its sprawling grounds to hear sermons of the Clergy or gain an education there have all been turned away. This has sparked great concern among the numerous local communities whom utilized the campus in times prior to the Torment.

Monument of the Legion

A large black slab of granite naturally formed along the bluffs of the Athaerun cliffs has been turned into a massive mural of dedication to venerate the Legion of the Republic for its heroic sacrifices in the Reckoning.  This mural is a massive 60 feet in height and 300 feet in length, and depicts Legion soldiers valiantly marching into battle under the hail of a sky of arrows. The name of every Legion Cohort to have fought and died during the Reckoning within Athaerun has been carved into the side of the mural, paying homage to the sacrifices the faithful gave in the name of their God.

Inspirations and Influences

Scottish Highlands. Traditional example names such as Camdyn, Glenn, Isla and Finella are common for those hailing from Athaerun.