Chamlek
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History
Chamlek is an ancient nation that was founded in the dim ages of the past, during the years before the Alfar Empire was founded. Many believe that Chamlek was the birth place of the Dryads or something called them there long long ago, as Dryads (regular Dryads not Iron Dryads) are rarely found outside of Chamlek save for a few small pockets. But the Dryads have ever been a secretive and insular group, and they had little to do with the Alfar Lords save for some minor trade.
This relationship, such as it was, continued under the Lord of Dar-Gorath and his Alfar Empire. While the Dryads did defend their borders and land they were not a warlike race, and the Emperor and his descendants really had no reason to bother them. There were some Dryad adventurers who fought for the Emperor as part of his legions, though they were most often found working as scouts or in similar positions.
The third emperor of the Five Good Emperors actually issued a decree closing the borders of Chamlek to outsiders from the empire, save those with the permission of the Dryad's High Council. This decree helped to release certain tensions and keep the peace, though it was later revoked by the Tyrant. Trade and the like was still conducted, though never in any large capacity, by trusted traders who were allowed into the forests or by Dryads who would travel to the cities outside of Chamlek.
The exact specifics have been lost to history, and if the Dryads know they are not talking, but sometime during the Tyrant's reign there was a disagreement and falling out between the Dryads and the Alfar Empire. The earlier emperor's decree was revoked and the Tyrant sent two legions into the dryad forests with orders to capture the High Council.
Not a single member of either legion was ever seen again, though there are historical records of a burial mound with their standards stuck in it just outside the forests of Chamlek. Perhaps luckily for the Dryads the Tyrant was murdered/assassinated soon afterwards and his less able successor was caught up with other matters and unable to take any real action regarding the incident. There are some legends of secret negotiations of some kind between the High Council and the Tyrant's successor though.
Regardless of what actually happened the Dryads turned inwards and became even more insular as the Alfar Empire began to collapse. While they still conducted some trade etc for the most part Chamlek simply fades from the history books for next several hundred years, until the 4980's (by the Imperial Calendar). The most significant thing that involved them during this period was some tension with the Orthodox faith, caused by a few missionaries who did not understand that no means no and were turned into pincushions by the rangers when they kept trying to enter Chamlek.
In the 4980's (Imperial Calendar) the new king of Utrim, a mostly human kingdom that bordered part of Chamlek, was facing significant internal discord and divisions between his people. He felt that he needed an external threat of some kind to rally his people against, a tool to unify the people of his nation pretty much. One of the targets this young warrior king chose, his first target in fact, was the so called 'monstrous' Dryads of Chamlek. In 4984 he sent an army against Chamlek, but while his army outnumbered the Dryads it was ill prepared to fight the Dryads on their home ground – the forests. The Utrimite army managed to capture a few border forts and similar positions but was soon defeated.
Later in 4987 the Utrimite king personally led a second smaller army to attack Chamlek. However the Rangers ambushed his army at night while it was encamped several leagues away from Chamlek. The King was forced to retreat in shame with his remaining disorganized forces. By the early 4990's Utrim had erupted into a multi-faction civil war that would not end until the Necromantic Wars.
As is traditional for them the Dryads remained neutral and fairly aloof at the beginning of the Necromantic Wars, despite serious misgivings by some including the High Ranger. But by the middle of the war Chamlek could not continue it's neutral stance. The Dryads are tree spirits, nature spirits, despite having physical bodies. In certain ways they were effected by the Necromancer Lords' use of the Tower of Life far more then other races as they are more sensitive and connected to nature then nearly any other race. Finally one of the Necromantic hosts attempted to march through the edges of Chamlek in order to flank a major Alliance army.
They underestimated the Dryad's willingness to fight as well as their resolve, figuring they could march through before the Rangers could respond in force. They were wrong and the Dryads were drawn into the war on the side of the Alliance of Light. Among their other contributions, military and otherwise, several detachments of Dryad Rangers worked with other nations as scouts and skirmishers.
Chamlek and the Dryads remain insular, secretive, and isolated but the ties forged during the Necromantic Wars have remained to a certain degree.
Government
Meritocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy are all words that could be used to describe Chamlek's system of government.
Every twenty years the Festival of Trees, one of the Dryads most sacred and hallowed religious ceremonies/festivals, is held. Every Dryad that can return does so for the festival, which thanks and celebrates the Dryad's partner trees. During the festival they cast their votes for the next High Council, the leaders of Chamlek and the Dryad race. Any Dryad that has not been branded as a criminal may vote in the election. Outsiders, aka non Dryads, are not permitted to vote and have no say in Chamlek's government.
The High Council consists of twelve members, formally referred to as Elders in the common trade tounge, as well as the Warden of Chamlek (who is considered an Elder but is always called Warden, not Elder). Technically any Dryad of Chamlek can run for the position of Elder. However it is pretty much impossible to win without being a well known warrior, mage, artist, etc etc. Most Dryads who become part of the High Council are elders in age as well as position. The chairman of the council, which is the senior most elder, is given the title of Speaker – and in some ways she could be viewed as the Empress or Queen of the Dryads.
The cities and towns of Chamlek are ruled under a similar system, with those local councils answering to the High Council. Their is also a position on the High Council known as the Speaker for the Outsiders. This person, who has voice but no vote on the High Council, is elected by the few non-Dryads living in Chamlek to represent them.
Race
The Dryads are an all female race of Half-Human/Half-Plant tree spirits, who are known for being long lived. They are among the strongest and toughest of the mortal races. Most Dryads live between 500 to 600 years, and are considered mature adults around 100 years old. Some dryads who are especially in touch with their tree and nature can live to be around 800 years old, and are highly respected.
Dryads do not generally discuss their reproduction process with outsiders, but from what can be gathered they reproduce via a semi-parthenogenetic system. Every once in a while, at least two to four times over her lifespan if not more, a Dryad will become pregnant and her partner tree will produce a seed – the baby's partner tree. After twelve months of gestation an infant dryad is born and is introduced to her tree in a special religious rite, during which the seed is planted. As the Dryad grows the seed, her partner tree, will sprout and grow right alongside her. She is actually the spirit of her partner tree. This process can happen to any mature dryad, but having sex (with a male or a female) greatly increases the chance of it occurring. It is uncommon for the process to occur in a dryad who is not yet a hundred years old but it does happen from time to time – especially depending on what kind of tree she is a spirit of. If a dryad remains fairly celibate then the process will usually only occur once or twice a century.
The religious rites and ceremony surrounding the introduction and planting of the seed is considered to be a very private matter. One of the highest honors a Dryad can pay to another person (another Dryad or an outsider) is to invite them to the ceremony. Knowingly crashing one of these ceremonies is taken extremely seriously and could very well start off a blood feud.
Interestingly enough the Dryad's are often uncomfortable around Iron Dryads. Dryads are a part of nature and can sense/feel other Dryads through that link. They can also feel Iron Dryads through this link but it's a strange, twisted, and unsettling feeling that most Dryads dislike.
Domains/Income
Income:
- Food: 4
- Gold: 1550
- Mana: 2475
- Books: 170
- Drafts: 15 C, 1.5 N
- Beasts: 50 beasts
1x Elven Wilds
- City (Arbor)
- Keep
- Wood Node
1x Elven Wilds
- Town (Borea)
- Wizard's Towers
1x Elven Wilds
- Town (Kyrian)
- Wizard's Towers
1x Elven Wilds
- Stockade
1x Underhaven (associated with the above wilds)
- Stockade
1x Elven Wilds
- Town (Tyra)
Military
- 90SP For Military
- Total Upkeep: 388 gold, 932mana
Chamlek has a small but elite military under the command of an elder with the title Warden. The Warden is the only member of the High Council not elected by the other Dryads, instead she is chosen from the senior Rangers by the High Council on the advice of the previous Warden. Generally it is one of the previous Warden's seconds/lieutenants, a senior and experienced Ranger-Captain.
Dryad soldiers are known as Rangers, and are well trained fighters who use their knowledge of and ties to nature to aid them in combat. They are not the soldiers you would want to use for a siege but they are masters of the wilds and wilderness fighting, be it forests or other kinds of wilderness. They are generally deployed in small 100 man units called bands, which are led by a Ranger-Captain. When more then one band works/fights together then overall command rests with the senior-most Captain, or whoever the Warden appoints. Officially Chamlek's military is not organized any further/deeper then bands. However most Ranger-Captains will take senior and experienced Rangers from their band and give them responsibility over nine or so less experienced Rangers, as the bands don't always move or fight as one entire group. They are simply called Senior Rangers or Seniors. Ranger recruits are trained at a training camp near Arbor, and then assigned to a Ranger Band where they are taken under the wing of an experienced ranger for some final on the job training.
The Dryad language is a complex one and is difficult for outsiders to understand, and it is rarely taught to outsiders anyway. So when dealing with outsiders the Rangers typically borrow from the Alfar Legions for rank titles. A Ranger-Captain would be called a Centurion when dealing with outsiders in such a way, and the Seniors are known as Decurions.
Weapons:
- Dryad Thornbow - The famed Dryad Thornbow is a hand crafted masterpiece in the style of well known Alfar Longbows. Despite being made of wood the heavily enchanted bow is as a strong and tough as if it were made out of admantium. The arrows, known as thorn or Dryad's thorns, are equally masterpieces. Each arrow is enchanted to pierce armor, bodies, and similar things and then unleash a deadly poison or spell. Soldiers and adventurers who have faced the Dryads speak things like the arrow turning into a plant that grows inside of the person hit, among many other things. The Thornbow is the primary and favored weapon of the Dryad Rangers.
- Dryad Warblade - The Dryad Warblade is actually part of the longsword family of weapons. They are best known for their distinctive leaf shaped blade and for being made out of some strange treated and polished wood. Though it is not as heavily enchanted as the Dryad Thornbow is, the wooden blade is still as strong and hard as if it was made out of admantium. Not to mention the keen edge these swords can carry. Dryad Rangers are taught to channel their inner magic and link to nature through these blades and they tend to crackle and glow with a strange lightning that is the green of a forest.
The Chamlek Army:
- 20x Rangers (Common Magic)
- 4x Light Artillery
- 1x Treeship
- 1x Sage (Ether)
- 3x Druids (1x Life, 2x Ether)
- 8x Shamans (4x Life, 4x Ether)
Regular Troops
Chamlek Rangers
Type: Men At Arms
Weapon: Alfar Longbow (Sorcerorous Arms, Brute Force, Explodium, Admantium)
Weapon: Long Sword (Admantium, Alfar Blades)
Armor: Skirmisher Armor (Barrier Jacket)
Training Cost: 290 gold, 340 mana
Upkeep: 10 gold, 20 mana
Additional Equipment: 5 books, Common Magic
Chamlek Light Artillery
Type: Concussion Bow
Carriage: Small Artillery Carriage
Armor: Battle Plate
Training Cost: 210 gold, 200 mana
Upkeep: 40 Mana
Treeship
Type: Skyship
Armor: Wood Cladding and Buffer Cladding
Weapons: 2x Culverins, 1x Concussion Bow
Enchantments: 2x Admanitum Casing (Culverins), Admantium Armor
Construction Cost: 790 gold, 1540 mana
Upkeep: 60 gold, 76 mana
MAGES
All Dryads are tree spirits, aka nature spirits, and have a spiritual and magical link to nature and life. This bond or link is stronger in some Dryads then in others, and those with the strongest bonds to nature will often find themselves called to walk the path of the Sages - the magic users and nature speakers of the Dryad race. Once they have finished their apprenticeship (which can last for well over seventy five years) they are initiated into the Third Circle and given the title of Shaman. If they feel the call and wish to they may undertake the trials to enter the second and first circles of Dryad magery - the Druids and Sages. The Dryad's magic is a actually a mix of life magic and ether will working that is unique to them. Rangers are trained in the basics of this art or science during their basic training and are capable of minor magics that aid their travels, help in combat, etc.
Sage
Type: Archmage
Magic Sphere:
Construction Cost: 200 Books, 500 Mana
Upkeep: 20 Gold, 80 Mana
Druid
Type: Master
Magic Sphere:
Construction Cost: 40 Books, 300 Mana
Upkeep: 20 Gold, 40 Mana
Shaman
Type: Adept
Magic Sphere:
Construction Cost: 10 Books, 100 Mana
Upkeep: 6 Gold, 12 Mana