The Evermarch

A desolate, tundra nation, the Evermarch is nominally ruled by, as it has been for nearly three-hundred years, the Vampire-King Grigory Valov from his throne in Makovni. Though its territory is vast, the Evermarch has little wealth and fewer people. It is a lightweight on the world stage due to its lack of resources and fertile soil, inhabited by a variety of races, all suited to the cold, bitter climate. The Evermarch barely qualifies as a nation-state, and though it boasts a king, the rule of law exists only within the walls of its most populous cities. The greater extent of the Evermarch is effectively controlled and governed by regional warlords, some of whom pay tribute to Vampire King Valov when it suits them. The Church of the Almighty holds little sway in the Evermarch; most of its peoples follow the Northern Pantheon.

In an age predating that of the Wizard-Kings, elves were the primary race to call the region home. Few records exist from this time, but the few that do speak of an empire that spanned all Esoa, and of a great cataclysm that brought it to ruin. Although the nature of this cataclysm is unclear, what is clear is that at one time, the heart of this elven empire lay in the Evermarch. Numerous ruined cities are strewn throughout its frozen wastes, several of which have come to be inhabited by those who ultimately inherited the land: barbarian humans, elves, dwarves, and most notably, vampires. The Evermarch is the one realm in all Rhodenia where vampires are not killed on sight.

The Evermarch is noteworthy for its large population of snow bears. Snow bears are hunted for their pelts, and the hunt for them serves as an important rite of passage among its peoples. Dwarves in particular are known for their ability to tame snow bears, and often use them as mounts. Although no one flag unites the Evermarch, most of the region’s many banners feature the snow bear in some form or another.

The Black Ice Wasteland
Although how it came to be remains a mystery, the Wasteland is a vast sheet of onyx and blue-veined ice spanning much of the Evermarch. Seemingly capable of transforming virtually everything it touches, the black ice has consumed the lands of the far north, twisting forests of great furs into claw-like trees devoid of foliage. Vampires are believed to originate from the Wasteland, and the only “settlements” here are their castles. In time, all that ventures into the Wasteland becomes subject to cold death.