Fiction:Refuge Union

The Refuge Union is a confederacy of twelves city states found on the south central desert peninsula of the continent [PLACEHOLDER]. They were formed from Refuge's fleeing the rise of the Oragru Empire but their numbers have expanded since then. The Union is rather egalitarian in its ideals and hold to a democratic form of government. The city states of the Union are considered prosperous places, centers of magic, science, technology, art, and trade (with trade routes stretching across the whole of the planet). However, they are also fearsome warriors who maintain a sizable and professional army and navy supported by elemental spirits and dragons.

History
The Refuge Union was formed from the races known as the Shedim, Lilin, and Ishim who fled from their old homes around the inland sea of the continent [PLACEHOLDER] to escape the rise of the Oragru Empire. Fleeing over the mountains they eventually came to desert peninsula and able to run no further with the sea before them and no boats they were forced to settle down. Thus they became divided among each other in four city states who warred endlessly with one another. This all changed when the Oragru began to make their way over the mountains.

A group of wisemen called the Magi came before the leaders of the city states and told them that they had displeased their gods with all their in-fighting and that if they united then the Magi could call upon the gods to assist them. Seeing no other option the city states agreed and joined together to battle the Oragru invasion. The Magi were then able to summon a host of elemental spirits to assist the city states in repelling the invasion. The city states after that chose to form a confederacy afterwards to protect themselves from the Oragru and other threats thus birthing the Refuge Union.

Society
The Refuge Union is a confederacy of twelve different city states who make their home on the south central desert peninsula of the continent of [PLACEHOLDER] brought together thanks to shared history, culture, and religion. The city states largely rule themselves with little interference from the others with contact between the city states being largely held through trade and monthly meeting between their leaders. All city states though are held to binding agreements of law that demand they trade with one another and provide soldiers to protect one another in times of war. This code of laws also exists to ensure that the city states do not make war on one another through bonds of trade and a unified armed force of magically enhanced soldiers known as the Immortals.

Being descended from exiles of their old homelands and onto Graennarune the Union is known for being rather egalitarian in its ideals. They care very little for race or where one comes from and are instead united by their veneration of three great gods of the earth, sea, and sky. The various city states of the Union are democracies electing a council of magistrates to manage the day to day running of the city, managing relationships with the other city states, and keeping security.

The city states of the Union are all rather advanced and prosperous with the vast majority at least knowing how to read and write. A great promotion of the arts and sciences has lend to the city states of the union being considered places of exceptional beauty and the union possessing a strong and highly sophisticated magic tradition. The Union is well known for its tendency to travel far and wide across the world bringing trade. Outsiders are usually welcome within the walls of the Union's city states but many find them unsettling places to be with building made of equal parts stone and plant shrouded from the harsh light of the sun in magical mists.

Religion
The Union worships a trinity of deities related to the earth, sea, and sky which they rule over as their domains. The first of these gods is the god of earth and mercy Bahamoth, a great armored rhino with a spiked whip-like tail, clawed feet, and heavy set jaws filled with flesh rending teeth. He watches over the beasts and planets of the earth, and rewards the righteous of the land. The second is Levaton the goddess of the sea and severity, a great whale with a serpentine body, spiny sails across her back, and long crocodilian snout. She guards the creatures of the sea, and brings punishment down upon the heads of the wicked. Finally there is Ziuhk the androgynous god of the sky and mildness, a great featherless bird with bat-like wings and a great crested beak filled with teeth. It looks after the wildlife of the air and keeps balance between its siblings. The gods of the union exist in a state of balance with one another which is seen as the highest state of good to the Union's clergy with imbalance between the three resulting in terrible disaster and tragedy.

There are three fates for those who have passed on from the mortal coil depending upon their actions in life. Those who were neither righteous or wicked are sent to Ziuhk to be reincarnated into a new form in the mortal life. Those who are righteous are sent to go live with Bahamoth to live in a garden paradise. Finally those who were wicked are sent to Levaton who sends them into a volcano at the bottom of the ocean to be burned of their sins. Once their sins are burned away they are sent to reincarnate and try again.

Magic
Union magic is referred as Evocation and its practitioners are known as Magus, who also serve as the priests of the Union's religion. Evocation relies upon calling up energy from the land and celestial objects for a variety of powerful effects. In its most raw form Evocation can be used to command the elemental forces of nature bending them to the Magus' will. Fire is the easiest element to summon but the hardest to control while earth is the opposite with air and water falling in between the two. Evocation can also be used to summon elementals to do the Magus' bidding. Summoned elemental must come willingly and cannot be forced into service.

Territory
The city states of the Refuge Union make their homes in the southcentral region of the continent [PLACEHOLDER]. They are found scattered throughout the desert highlands, lowlands, coasts, and islands of the continent's south. The city states Aster and Nyph make their homes in the highlands; Zil, Isah, and Masis in the lowlands; Dor, Eyphis, Gram, and Jainn along the coasts; and finally Raphab, Silom, and Juhruk upon the islands of coasts of the south central peninsula.

Native Species
The Refuge Union is filled with many species from all over the world thanks to the Union's multicultural and tolerate attitudes towards others. However, there were three species who were the first to migrate to the lands were they would build their new civilization and found the Union. These three species were the Shedim, the Lilin, and the Ishim. The Shedim are draconians known for their tall, gaunt frames, goat-like horns, and their fire breath. The Lilin are an all female species with the lower bodies of serpents, the upper bodies of elves, horns, and bat wings. While the Ishim are avian beastmen who are utterly featherless other then their wings and have rather fetal facial features. While these three tend to be the dominant races in the Union they are far from the only with others having immigrated in from all over after the Union's founding.

Quotes

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