This week – a quick overview about the races & cultures of Easthalen.
The vast majority, something like 95%, of the population of registered citizens are human. That’s not to say other races are not around, but they tend to be in The Bleed and other areas where normal people do like to go. Elves, dwarfs and the like DO exist but are very rare.
[Note : In the full game only humans will be allowed to be a starting character. The other fantasy races will either be NPCs for the most part or there will be no real benefit to one of the other races. A third option will be that the other races will have a lot of disadvantages outside the Bleed]
The fact that there is very little racial variation has led to a wealth of cultures. There are , in effect, 12 major kingdoms/empires, each tied to one of the Great Houses, with numerous independent kingdoms and empires dotted around the world. Each of the Great Houses has one of the major gods as their patron or chief deity. This has led to 3 natural power blocks being formed, although, there is nothing to stop a GH allied to a dark god from being trade partners with one allied to the light, the negations tend to be wrought with shenanigans and hard diplomacy. These alliances would end quite quickly if their gods decreed it to be so.
Many of the smaller countries have treaties and pacts with the 12 GHs. This works as a semi-feudal system with the GHs at the top and their vassals serving them and paying the taxes or goods they require.
The variety of the cultures found in Easthalen varies, from a benevolent dictatorship, to a true democracy, to senate and more.
