The Twin Nation
The Northlend
The Frozen north. The lands of magic and superstition. Arcana, spurtialism, occult pratice, scolorly persuit. To the people of the north these are all one. The country is a blending of the lucan vikings in the east and the western Oku samurai. Their Alliance is long standing and neither claims rule over the whole of the northlends. Their regions are one nation with two leaders.
While Southern nations might be confused by this Northmen calim “It only makes us stronger” and think little more of it than that.
The Northlend is home to two lords, The High Jarl of Lucanford and the Kozo of Okugai
Okugai
Okugai is a eastern influenced region ruled by the Emperor, called a “Kozo”. The Kozo acts as the emperor of the all the lands west of the Tundra and Commands three Shogan generals each ruling the regions Three major cities, Bohai, Saiichuu, and Yasumasa. While outwardly the Empire project order and stability within the borders of the Nation of Okugai the truth is The Shogans are embroiled in a long and bloody dispute over their territory and battle eachouther with the entire military force of the Empire leaving nothing for the Kozo to reign them in with or broker any kind of lasting peace.
The Shogun and their Daymio march their Samurai armies up and down the legth of the nation warring always and creating chaos for their own ends.
Kozoyari, Capital of the Northlend
The City of the Kozo, Seat of the Empire and gateway into the rest of the country. The city stands as the focal point for much of the limited cultural exchange that happens in Okugai. Houses the embassy of collora, Dawnfire, and grand nostridan. The lands of Okugai are united under the kozo, the emperial ruler of the north-west but that call to banners dose not stop the regional Shogun and there samurai from fighting in constant small border wars among themselves.
The 6th Shogun war is tearing apart the countryside but all of that is a public secret here at the capital city. The Gateway into the nation of Okugai where foriginers first enter and where all trade into and out of the country is handled.
It is here that strength is projected outwardly as publically as possible to keep outside nations from knowing just how small the Shogun wars have dwindled their strength.
Oniglade
A sacred forset of towering, colorful cherry blossom trees that rest in the vally south of the Aarosh mountains and nother of valley of Echos. this region is home to, and protected by the Ogre-like Oni and their less monstrous decendents, the Pale Tiefling.
The Oniglade is considered sacred and forbidden. Set aside by the Mushi guardians and the Kozo strictly for the Spirits from Nocturne and the Oni. A single Marble Road travles through the center of the Forest that mortals are permitted to traverse but always in the company of a Mushi.
The Oni, whail usually completely monstrous have accepted this forest as their own as a peace offering from the 19th Kozo in the age of Myth. Legends talk of the unbreakable magic of a promise made to an oni ever since. Forginers have ventured into the oniglade many times, and most have been returned unharmed. But never before has a non-oni blooded being made it to the rocky fortress at the forests heart... The Birthplace of the Pale Tiefling, Those mortals with Oni blood in their veins.
Yasumasa tin city
the Eastmost city of Okugai Yasumasa is a center of Industry rising from deep chasam mines that run like the rivers of venice all throughout the city. Settled north along the Arrosh mountains with the discovery of the Rich mines filled with Amber Soulstones, A rare one of a kind material capable of capturing the enrgy of a dying soul.
However the extracting of these stones is dangrous as the mines are dep and the rock is brittle. Additionally dying in the mine means being with souls will be trapped in the stones and likely lost in the vast debths never to be found or move on to anykind of after life. Becuase of this the Yokai Tabashi, native to the spiritlands, who do not posses souls as the likes that can be captured in soulstones have become the primary laborors in Yasumasa.
Aarosh mountains
The arrosh mountains are a range of peaks to the furtherst north mortal humanoids can go in Crudilex. Marking the border between the Waking World and the dreaming realm of Spirits, called Nocturne. In the mortal realm south of the mountain things are fixed and logical, however in Nocturne the Ninoten, spirits without mortal bodies who encompass ideals, control the lands surrounding them. Rivers jump their banks when they are sad, Mountains walk for miles when they feel angry. The lands themselves change and respond to the aspects of thier residents.
The Mountains serve as the final boundry between these to oppisite lands. Named for Aarosh the queen of griffins who reigns over the skies above and perhaps the most advanced intelligence in all of crudilex. Under her guidance the mushi guardians, a clan of investigators who work around these mountains, keep the peace between the volatile unpredictable spirits and the mortals south of the mountains.
Bohai, The Kozo’s Fortress
The lands north of Bohai fortress are a vast hillside sculpted into great steps each full with large pools of rice fields. these fields are garded zealously since they supply much of Ohkugi with food. It is this same reason that the Ming outriders often attack and raid the edges of the farms in quick bloody stampedes of horse mounted archers. The battles are so common that the pesentry that tends the farms have moved much of there crop up the hill closer to the fortress.
Chasm of Chains
The north road out of bohai and mark's the edge of the city state's lands is the Chasm of chains. A 1000ft mile deep canyon which gets its name from the thousand ton chain that connects in crisscross sections up and down the chasms length. The stories as to where and why these chains are countless, buty the most common held belif is that the old spirits in the age of myth forged the chains to keep the tear in the earth from continuing to tear open.
himwari no sarkura
A valley south of Fo'dalk high, at the edge of the chasm of chains. The vast green hills are covered with huge sunflowers. the land is well known to be a sacred location of a spirit of sunflowers who is being is tethered to this place.
bastion of moki the dustbeast
A long time ago a spirit named Moki lived in a vast desert beyond the mountains of Aarosh. The spirit was enamored with mortals when they first arrived at the mountains. it tried to follow them back over the mountains. But Moki had lived in the desert for so long the land had fallen in love with him. when he crossed the mountains the entire desert rose as a massive dust storm and followed. everywhere the spirit walked the desert soon followed, It decimated crops and dryed out woodlands.
Unable to stop the desert from its yearing for him, Moki found a land devoid of mortals and now lives a lonely life, held prisoner by the valley of dust. to this day it is found north of the Chasm of chains in a land called the cation of Moki.
zaru village
Munky
Dawl Roots
In the opening of chasm in the center of Ohkugi growns the Dawlifel, a large tree with roots that span across the ponds and glades of the valley there. It is home of and the birthplace of the Dwaler a spaling spirit much like a dryad who can cross between mortal and spirit as naturaly as one crosses a bride. They venture the world as horizonseekers and bring there finding, knowladge and meories back to the roots to share with the others of there king.
Foodak high
Home of the Ohku dwarves and the murderous outriders who attack as a horde of orginized horse archers all across ohkugi. There city is built into the cliffside of the dwalifel root valley and is something of a unique entity in that the kozo of ohkugi publicly demonizes them yet has never outright attacked or arrested any of its bandits. The reason is a grate mystery that those who speak aposed the kozo love to delve into.
The forbidden valley of Shi
Just north of the capital city above the foggy mountains floats the valley of shi. where spirits of death linger. A mote island where Oni guardians house dead mortal souls and help them assume a form for there spirit lives. Its something of a hotel and a temple.
Kawa Riverpass
A bridge under which the waters from the mountains feed Ohkugi. A kapa rests in it's waters and speaks to those who pass over it's bridge.
saiichuu, stilt city
A city build high upon stilts above a lake who's debts constantly changes
sanduree of the owls
Religious circle of Kenku owls who practice pantechnicon worship. There influence over Ohkugi is present but not extreme, They work hard to convert the world to there style of worship in secret.
Shogun’s
Watch
A massive statue of the archer hero of Ohkugi Tokuta
Iceblood Burrows
The southeast border of Ohkugi houses a Glaser that presses agisnt a cliff face. It is home to the murading lizardfolk known as the icebloods.