Politics - Doramor

Basic Info

Population: Approx. 8 million

Founded: AF 192

Government: Hereditary Diarchy
King: Tinamer VIII
Queen: Ariel II

Capital: Doramor City

Symbol: A deep-rooted tree with equally large branches

Language: Dorlish

Local currency: Gold piece

Religious makeup: 63% Ascensionist, 24% Universalist, 8% Druid, 5% Other/None


Origins

The Diarchy of Doramor has perhaps the most unusual origin of all the nations of Terranis. In the late 2nd century, northern Orius was a largely lawless land, ruled by numerous barbarian tribes and demon lords squabbling for power. The survivors of the destroyed Duchy of Versans had been fighting a losing guerilla war for nearly twenty years to reclaim their lands, but the foes arrayed against them seemed to be endless.  

Into this desperate battle arrived Lucilia Doramor, a traveler from Saniel across the sea. Her origins seemed almost too fantastical to believe: she was the adopted daughter of the warrior Doramor, given to him by the angel Nephilis at age of 13 [10], to be raised in the mortal realm and make her mark on history.  

Regardless of whether or not the survivors believed her, she met with their leader, a knight named Tinamer, and the two agreed to work together. Their camp was attacked soon after, giving Lucilia a chance to demonstrate her skill and resolve. The result eliminated any doubt. Although she was only 24 [18], she single-handedly reaped a toll of monsters greater than the rest of the survivors combined.  

Between Lucilia’s martial skill and leadership, and Tinamer’s strategy and local knowledge, the survivors’ campaign saw unprecedented success. Within three months, they had secured dozens of victories, and were poised to march on the Lustlord Lucifon, the most powerful demon warlord in the region. Luring the monsters and their human allies into a trap, Lucilia battled Lucifon in personal combat. This match was especially personal, as Lucifon was the same demon lord the warrior Doramor had defeated almost a decade prior to break the siege of Varennes.  

The result this time proved no different, and Lucilia’s blessed sword banished the Lustlord once again. With the barbarians and monsters completely broken and scattered, the survivors began to rebuild. Within a year, a new city had been built, named for Lucilia’s adoptive father. Realizing how formidable of a pair they made, Lucilia and Tinamer were also soon wed, becoming the first diarchs of Doramor, ruling with equal power.


Later History

Although Doramor's immediate future had been secured, their long-term survival was still not guaranteed. Most of northern Orius was still untamed wildlands, with only a few scattered settlements or small countries as islands of civility in a sea of barbarity. Only taking enough time to turn the original refugee encampment into a more fortified city, the forces of Doramor began what would ultimately be several generations'-worth of campaigns to not only expand their territory, but aggressively purge as much of the surrounding lands of any trace of monster presence or those humans who would not join them.

Once Doramor was large enough to establish relations with other nations, they were happy to work alongside those powers they saw as civilized, but their proactive sense of self-defense and continual expansion has, at times, drawn accusations of both cultural and political imperialism. Certainly the nation is not shy about aggressively defending itself from any threat, real or perceived. Although the nation's lands have been relatively peaceful for the last several generations, the prevailing attitudes of its birth have not diminished. Indeed, that spirit of expansion was a large motivation behind Doramor's involvement in the Bastion Wars, keeping them motivated even after the devastating losses from the Battle of Frostrock Pass. They were also the last nation to sign the Treaty of Daeldren.

After the Bastion Wars, however, King Tinamer III dedicated himself to improving relations with the other nations. The largest action he took towards this goal was to commit nearly all of Doramor's military might to defending Saernis and Poltika during the Dragon War of the late 4th century. Unfortunately, the losses sustained during that bloody conflict left Doramor weakened, and slow to respond to the outbreak of the Second Barbarian Wars several decades later. It was not until the entire southern regions of Doramor were being invaded that it finally committed itself to that conflict, and the backlash over the loss of innocent life sparked a renewed surge of “aggressive self-defense”.

While the notion of diarchs ruling as equals has generally worked out for Doramor, there have been instances in its history where the unity of the diarchs was less than perfect. The worst example of this would be the War of the Thrones in the 6th century, when King Galdrin I and Queen Mei-Ling I brought the country to outright civil war.  The conflict lasted several months, leaving thousands dead across the nation, before the Order of Light intervened and forced the diarchs to abdicate, dissolving the conflict.

Doramor was one of the first signatories of the Terranis Union in the late 8th century, perhaps in no small part due to the political foundations for it being laid by several of its diarchs in the centuries prior. These new bonds would be sorely tested during the Unity Wars of the 10th century, as the Five Powers all aggressively battled each other and those Lesser Powers that had not yet been absorbed or destroyed.

After King Tinamer VIII, the current King, ascended the throne, he began to scale back Doramor's involvement in the Unity Wars. Having seen how the stress of prolonged conflict had devastated his father's health, to the point of forcing an abdication, he felt far less need than his advisors to continue aggressive action against Saernis and Korneth, especially since all other challengers on Orius had been subsumed or destroyed, leaving Doramor in full control of the northern third of the continent. Doramor's disastrous defeat at the Battle of Noswitz in 990 was the final cementing of Tinamer's resolve to end the conflicts, and his efforts at peace resulted in the Armistice of 992. After the Armistice, Tinamer worked tirelessly to strengthen the Terranis Union.

Tinamer's reign has also been met with internal challenges. Throughout the 10th century, a rising movement calling itself the Independent faction has been pushing for reduced power of the diarchs, shifting responsibility to a more local level, or even with the people. The Narseim Raids of 996, though deemed necessary to purge the Shartu infiltration there, remains controversial to this day, and is still used as a prime argument by the Independents.

In 1012, Saernis requested formal aid from Doramor to help curb the rising incidents of violence among its population. In response, Doramor dispatched the bulk of its military to aid Saernis, a move that has grown increasingly unpopular among the people of Doramor as its military remains in distant lands year after year. One of the factors for this sentiment is the increased rate of monster attacks across the country. Even so, fearing total the total collapse of a vital ally, the diarchs have thus far refused to bring the armies home. A combination of mercenaries and citizen militias have made gains in safeguarding some areas of the country, but this is likely a temporary measure at best.


Culture/Economy

Even in times of peace, conflict is never far from the collective mindset of Doramor. Its first few centuries of existence were a continual struggle for survival against monsters, barbarian tribes, and other nations, and this wariness still permeates the culture to this day. It is not unusual for casual clothing to include elements of armor or considerations that may aid in labor (such as wide belts to support the spine), even if there is no real expectation of such. Even the nobility will sport wide belts, metal bracers over their coats, or heavy boots instead of more comfortable shoes.

Also as a result of the general wariness, the Dorlish may act cold or distant towards foreigners (or “outlanders” as they might call them), but this is less genuine xenophobia and more pragmatic caution. Most Dorlish will be perfectly friendly towards outlanders once they become more than strangers.

Conversely, Doramor's agricultural exports also see a lot of its culture come alongside it. Nearly a third of all the food produced on Terranis comes from the fields of Doramor. As merchants and diplomats around the globe learned Dorlish to better interact with Doramor traders and curry their favor, the practice spread, and today Dorlish is the closest thing to a common tongue that Terranis possesses.

In addition to its massive agricultural exports, Doramor also boasts a healthy industrial sector. Mining operations are common around the country, as are workshops that produce a variety of goods used both within and without the country. Many technological innovations of the last century have come from Doramor, such as the crossbow, water pumps, and the first successful instance of nano-forging.

The current diarchs are King Tinamer VIII, and Queen Ariel II. Their eldest daughter, Princess Lucilia, is currently 27 [21], and has already begun to live up to her namesake, as she is one of the most powerful mages to emerge in centuries. Likewise their younger son, Prince Reiner, is nearly ready to graduate from Doramor's finest military academy at the top of his class.

​
Sources:

• Doramor Census Report - (Office of Census, 1010)

• Collected Observations of the Early Years of Doramor - (Brandon Forfield, 312)

• Notes and Journals of the Bastion Wars - (Assorted, various)

• Interviews with Citizens of Doramor - (Self, 1014-1015)

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