Altas Verde

Altas Verde
Ruling House	Feyal
Capital	Algieri
Borders	Adela, Ravensway, Tirial
Ethnic groups	75% Serenian, 22% Adelan, 3% other

Altas Verde is the southernmost of the provinces in Serendipity, and home to the largest population of Adelans in the kingdom.

Geography

As the name suggests the land in Altas Verde primarily consists of rolling forested mountains and hills with very little in the way of flatlands. With its close proximity to Adela the soil in the majority of the province lacks the necessary nutrients for growing wheat and grain. As a result very few crops are actually grown here, and what is grown is usually consumed internally by the locals. Most of the grain farming in Altas Verde is done toward the northeastern end of the province where the soil isn’t as bad, and when additional crops are needed they are usually imported from the other provinces.

Because very little is grown in the province the locals to tend to rely on the natural vegetation a bit more than in other areas. Foraging wild fruits and mushrooms is quite common among the natives. The province also is one of the few places where it is legal for peasants to hunt game for food. There are restrictions on what can be hunted however. Only rodents, like squirrels and raccoons, and certain birds can be caught legally by anyone without noble status. The only exceptions are those that belong to one of the local hunting guilds. Guild members have special permission to hunt larger game to sell, but are bound by strict quotas on the number of animals they are allowed to capture per month.

Settlements in the province tend to be on the small side and designed to take full advantage of the natural terrain for defensive purposes. Villages and roads are notoriously difficult to spot from the high ground, hidden beneath the natural canopy as very few trees are cleared away and homes are built around them instead. Larger settlements on the other hand are usually consist of old fort towns and cities high in the mountains, ones built during the time when the Adelan people first succeeded from the kingdom and the land was torn by war. Most have undergone renovations over the years to give them a more elegant look, but to this day have retained their high walls.

With the wealth of gold and silver that was found Falliel and Tirial it was only natural for the early settlers to seek the same in Altas Verde, and while they did find a bit of both neither was as common as they were in the other two provinces. However what they found instead was a wide variety of precious stone deposits, attracting many jewelers and craftsmen to the area. Some stone and metal work is also done in the mountains, and Altas Verde is one of the few places in Serendipity where iron is mined. The mining of iron ore is overseen by a noble family of Adelan origin, and the iron they produce is typically used to make handcuffs and various forms of shackles meant to hold rogue mages.

The People

Like most Serenians Verdans are the descendents of fae, the greater majority of them being able to trace their lineage back to elven clans residing in the Niahi Woods. As a result pointed ears, delicate features, and slender frames are exceptionally common among its residence. They also tend to be on the tall side when compared to the citizens of other provinces, males typically standing in the six foot range and females being only a few inches shorter.

Due to its relatively high Adelan population skin tones in the province can vary greatly from person to person, easily ranging from the pale complexions of pure blood Serenians to more bronzed ones resulting from mixed heritage. Even a few nobles, despite typically having more strict breeding practices, have been known to come in darker shades, though most attribute this to having Wood Elven blood flowing through their veins as opposed to Adelan blood.

As with the rest of Serendipity a Verdan’s hair can come in a wide variety of colors though darker shades tend to be more prevalent. A rare few are also born with multicolored hair, usually consisting of a mix of a dark and a light shade. Most choose to wear their hair long and out, the average hair length being just beyond their shoulders for both men and women.

Society and Culture

The local culture in Altas Verde is perhaps one of (if not) the most unique in Serendipity due to both the elven and Adelan heritage of the locals. Where most Serenians value academics and the magical arts over everything else Verdan culture is much more widespread and diverse. Society is also usually a bit freer and more fluid than in other provinces, and it is a lot easier for the lower and middleclass to garner the respect of nobilities.

The most notable of the Adelan influences on the local culture is that martial prowess and strength is valued very highly by residents, surpassing even Northwatch in this respect. Unlike in other provinces soldiers are not only well trained in weaponry, but in true Adelan fashion they are educated in the art of war as well as a smart soldier is a good one. Of course with Adela to the south and the Terrin Mountains, the actual military presence in Altas Verde is smaller than the ones in the northeastern provinces, but the one is does possess is not one to be trifled with when compared to those in the more central ones in terms of size and power. Its Ranger Core in particular is well respected both in and outside of the province, and the Feyal family has been known to export soldiers to the other provinces when they have a surplus of recruits. Altas Verde is also famous for being home to the elven arts of swordsmanship and archery “Blade Dance” and “Wind Walking” respectively, though study in both is restricted to residents with “sufficient elven blood” by tradition.

While warriors are held in a particularly high regard that isn’t to say that education and the magical arts are undervalued by the locals. In fact the opposite is true. Both play an important role in Serenian culture after all. Education in the province is subsidized, making it fairly affordable for merchants and the middleclass, and crafts like jewelry making, smithing, and enchantment are usually passed down from parent to child. Though the province tends to put out fewer mages than other study in the magical arts is also subsidize as well. Scholarships are also often offered to children of peasants and the lower-class born with the potential to learn magic, though they are usually expected to work for the lord or lady who offered it to them afterwards.

One of the most noteworthy things about Verdans is their honor and community. The capable are expected to step in and help someone when they are in need, and to refuse to do so is usually considered shameful. Locals are generally expected to have an active role in society as well, and those who prefer to keep a low profile are often viewed with suspicion. This is true even for most nobles, who typically subscribe to a form of ‘noblesse oblige’ viewing duty and service between them and those under them as a two way street. Also while most follow the Serenian religion and pantheon in some capacity there are a few remnants of Adelan animism have remain present in the local culture to this day, as have several of the superstitions.

Local Nobilities

House Feyal

It is said that the Feyal name is not inherited at birth but earned through service, and in many ways this is very true. Ever since the province was founded by them all those years ago the House has strongly believed in serving their country and its people, and no member of it may rightful call themselves a Feyal unless they do so in one way or another. This is especially true for the heir apparent who must do so if they wish to claim the title of High Lord or Lady when their mother or father dies. Laziness has never been something they tolerated from themselves or the noble families that serve under them. Among the locals they are generally well liked for their dedication and compassion, and it isn’t uncommon for Feyals to be seen riding through villages and the poorer areas of the cities speaking directly to the peasants and helping to address their concerns.

Notable Locations

Emerald Hills County

Naturally Emerald Hills was named for both the beautiful green hills that surround it and the bounty of precious jewels that lie within them. As a result a great deal of mining is done in the surrounding hills, and some of the best jewelry makers in the province call it home. Historically this county has always been held directly by a member of the Feyal family, and is currently overseen by Evangelus Feyal.

Algieri

A gorgeous mountain castle city located near the center of Altas Verde Algieri has served as the home for the Feyal family ever since it was completed. Named for a former High Lady of the province the city strikes a good balance between beauty and practicality. Its walls, while not particularly tall blatantly take advantage of its surrounding geography by extending directly into the steep inclines on three of its four sides. As a result the only safe route it can be approached from by land is through the mountain pass to east.

The exterior of the castle is home to a wide variety of carved statues, the most notable of these being of a large salamander that proudly stands between the gates and the main structure. Also on the north western end of the grounds there is an elegant garden with a small pool at its center, a gift from the second High Lord to his mother. The soil of the garden is said to be enchanted, and that almost anything that is planted there will grow and flourish.

Wyrm Mountain

The tallest point in the province, and easily the most perilous. Few have attempted to reach the summit, and even fewer have actually made it up there. This is due to the fact that the remains of a powerful drow queen are said to have been laid to rest there, sealed away by the province's first High Lord. The gravesite is also said to be cursed by the spirit of her former pet wyrm who still watches over her even in death, hence the name.

Wyrm mountain is also notably home to cyathil, a rare bluish green metal which is almost as sturdy as iron despite being a lot lighter. Very little is mined however, and when it is done it is usually closely overseen by the Feyal family as miners have been known to disappear without any form of explanation.

Guilds and Organizations

• None

Characters

• Ivrias Feyal - High Lady