Agregia [Ah-gre-zhuh]
“Gateway to the heavens”
Alignment: LN
Population: 5.2 million (24% are slaves)
Capital: Tivenus (pop. 789,200)
Notable Settlements: Visander (pop. 233,000), Yut (pop. 97,700)
Rulers:
- Triumvir Kylas, Tribune of the People’s Voice, Speaker of Tivenus
- Triumvir Shan, Tribune of the People’s Strength, Speaker of Visander
- Triumvir Tor, Tribune of the People’s Faith, Speaker of Yut
Government: Agregia is a republic, run by a chamber of forty-five councilors, each with a six year term. Councilors are elected by the common people: fifteen from the people, fifteen from the military, fifteen from the Conclave of Clergy.
Leading these councilors is a triumvirate, ordained as speakers for the Three Fathers, each serving three year terms. One triumvir is replaced every year, and fifteen councilors are replaced every two years. Triumvirs are elected by the councilors. Councilors and triumvirs must be pure-blooded humans.
The Tribune of the People’s Voice represents the people, guilds and commerce. The Tribune of the People’s Strength represents the army and militia. The Tribune of the People’s Faith represents the Conclave of Clergy. Agregians believe that divine and arcane abilities are deific blessings. Those practicing arcane arts without sanction of the Conclave of Clergy are branded heretics.
Legend: Tivenus the Elder and twin brothers Visander and Yut were the first three humans, given life by Agregia, mother of creation. Before leaving the heavens, she left her finest creations, the brothers, a gift: her hammer and chisel.
Honoring their mother, the brothers began working on humankind. Tivenus, wise and even-tempered, gave them form and free will. Visander, brash, yet protective, gave them strength and tenacity. Yut, gentle and inquisitive, gave them intelligence and curiosity.
Jealous of the gift, Agregia’s other creations – immortals representing the other races – sought to steal the hammer and chisel. Fearing their intent, Tivenus threw the hammer and chisel down from the heavens. Upon impact, a valley was created, but the hammer and chisel shattered across the continent. This valley was named after Tivenus, and humankind was born. As a result of the hammer and chisel shattering, humans were cursed with mortality. The immortal brothers became known to the mortal humans as the Three Fathers.
Their jealous cousins left the heavens and scoured the continent in search of the shattered pieces. No trace of their cousins has been seen or heard for several millennia. The Three Fathers, fearing what may have become of their immortal cousins, instructed humankind that, should the immortal cousins be found, they should be embraced, forgiven, and granted safe return to the heavens. If evidence is found that a cousin has been ill treated, then punishment must fall upon those responsible.
History: One thousand years ago, in 1233 AP (Age of Prosperity), Agregia, occupying the southwestern peninsula of Iblis, was declared a nation at the Treaty of Kings. Propped upon high cliffs and covered with fertile land, Agregia enjoyed isolation and self-sufficiency. There was a semblance of government at that time, as the humans of Agregia were simply content to farm their lands and pay homage to their deities.
In 1571 AP, war broke out across Iblis as countries vied for absolute control. Isolated in the corner of the continent, Agregia believed it would be spared involvement. Unfortunately, dwarves from the Lrokan Hills crossed into Agregian lands, sacking Yut. Agregia spent the next two years at war with Lrokan, but was defeated in 1573 AP.
The Agregians spent the next two hundred years under dwarven control learning about politics and the dwarven pantheon. When the atheist dwarf king, Thalrin, took control in 1798 AP, the Agregian people started a rebellion, which grew into a war. After four years of fighting under the banner of their Three Fathers, Agregia was reclaimed. Lessons learned from the Lrokan monarchy spurned them to form their own government: a republic.
The Agregians immediately set their sights on the Lrokan Hills. Tharlin’s atheistic beliefs catalyzed the Agregian doctrine of manifest destiny, thus provoking their expansion. For the next five hundred years Agregia continued its expansion of Iblis. Faithful nations were absorbed, non-believing civilizations were exterminated or enslaved, and Agregia’s pantheon grew.
Now, in 685 AC (Age of Conquest, 2256 AP), Agregia controls the southern half of Iblis. In the last seven centuries of war, Agregia has welcomed many people as citizens. Most of Agregia is now comprised of half, or mixed breeds: human, dwarf, orc, goblinoid and halfling.
Religion: Religion dictates Agregian motivations. When a faithful nation is conquered, Agregians accept their enemy’s deities and people as their own. This is the will of the Three Fathers. Temples to the new deities are erected, and homage is paid to the immortal cousins of the Three Fathers. Agregians believe that this will ultimately lift their mortal curse.
Diplomacy: Agregia offers identical terms to every nation, “Submit to the will of the Three Fathers, and allow their deific kin to return home. Do this and we will welcome you into our land as brothers and sisters. Deny us, and your homes will burn, your lives will be forfeit, and your children will be eternally bound to our wills.” If a conquered nation is found lacking in faith, then punishment, as deemed by the Three Fathers, is exacted.
DM Secrets:
- The human race is slowly becoming extinct after seven centuries of intermixing races. The Agregian government is scrambling to find a solution. It estimates that within the next century only 6% of Agregian citizenship will be full-blooded humans.
- The recently elected Triumvir Shan is a descendant of the dwarf king Thalrin. Centuries of his family intermixing that bloodline with human blood has helped him mask his dwarven features.
- The Conclave of Clergy has ratified an arcane inquisition. The public believes this is being done for their safety, since renegade sorcerers have led more than one rebellion. The truth is that the triumvirate has deemed it necessary to “cleanse” the noble houses of their half or mixed bloodlines.