City of Light
National Symbol: Golden Sword with Angel Wings
National Colors: White and Gold
78% Human (French Ethnic Backgrounds)
12% Hight Elf
8% Halfling
2% Dwarf
100% Religious
(Ethical Theocracy System of Government) The Theocracy of Vespa is a higjhly organized religious state centered around a supreme ruler called the Grand Hierophant. This individual leads a council of priests and paladins who then in turn run the government. Every decision is made with fanatical devotion to the Light and goodness and from the top all the way down to the lowest peasant devotion to the Light is mandatory. Laws are strictly enforced by the priests and paladins, and in exchange for good behavior and strict devotions the quality of life of the average Vespan is significantly higher than anywhere else in the world.
Badlands: Hostile
Cenovia: Friendly
Commonwealth of Dail: Neutral
Eldarian Union: Friendly
Elven Triumvirate: Friendly
Empire of Grundar: Neutral
Golden Dwarves: Friendly
Grand Duchy of Montia: Friendly
Granelian Protectorate: Friendly
Hassarian Oligarchy: Neutral
Highlands: Neutral
Ichi Shogunate: Neutral
Idelan Republic: Neutral
Iron Dwarves: Neutral
Kingdom of Aldania: Friendly
Naga’s Landing: Hostile
Orc Horde: Hostile
Sahalan Sultanate: Hostile
Shaneier Elves: Neutral
Steel Dwarves: Friendly
Taisan Khanate: Hostile
The Dark Covenant: Hostile
Undying Lands: Hostile
Wolven Marches: Hostile
Currency is minted with a Sword with Angel Wings icon on it
Gold (gp) is used to buy luxury goods and high-end services
Silver (sp) is used to buy common quality goods and skilled labor
Copper (cp) is used to buy basic supplies goods and food
Average costs
Basic Food items: 1-3 copper
Luxury Food items: 10-15 copper
Basic Drinks: 1-3 copper
Luxury Drinks: 5-10 copper
Basic clothing: 25-50 copper
Average clothing: 25-50 silver
Luxury/High End clothing: 10-15 gold
Basic Lodging (Common Inn): 5-10 silver per night
Comfortable Lodging (High End Inn): 20-25 silver per night
Luxury Lodging (Private room with bath): 50-100 silver per night
Opulent/Noble Lodging (Private suite with multiple rooms): 10-15 gold per night
Transportation (Rented wagon/carriage): 10-15 silver per km
Weapons and Armor: Use Item costs
Vespan architecture is a complex, layered collection of styles, predominantly featuring Renaissance grandeur and Baroque theatricality, with roots in early Christian and Romanesque styles. All structures include mirrors and lots of glass windows as sunlight is very important to the culture. At night heavy use of lighting is also built into the designs. White marble, granite, birch wood, and light-colored tiles are the favored building materials with white being the favorite paint color.
Vespan clothing is elegant but not to the point of vanity. They prefer simple robes, dresses, tunics, and pants usually lightly colored or white and simple in design. Silk, cotton, and leather are the primary materials used in the clothing. The wealthier citizens incorporate more gold jewelry into their fashions but they are careful to avoid too much of it so that they do not appear to be opulent or vain.
Typical Vespan cuisine includes richly seasoned livestock meats, vegetables, breads and seafood. Cooks from Vespa are world renown for their ability to craft flavorful dishes and many Vespans consider cooking to be an art form all on its own. Drinks are usually fruit or tea leaf based. Alcohol while not restricted, is limited to mostly just white wines and alcoholic ciders.
Music: The arts are very important to Vespan culture since they view it as an extension of the Light’s grace and creativity. Music is no exception and Vespans will use all forms of instruments and singing to create it. Concert halls and street corners are all filled with musicians creating some of the most beautiful pieces of music around.
Literature: Much like music, literature is an artform to Vespans. However because of the religious fervor the nation possesses almost all of the literature in the country is ecclesiastical sounding and can be a little difficult to read to outsiders who may struggle getting through the art into the heart of the text.
Entertainment/Theater: Vespans view the performing arts with equal reverence so plays, musicals, dances and other such forms of entertainment are very popular. Festivals are also a big part of Vespan culture, and the largest being the Festival of Light that takes place in the middle of summer. They also host a single tournament each year where the champion is awarded a decorative sword representing chivalrous virtue. Vespans are also fans of board games, and dice and card games, however gambling or forms of entertainment that can be considered sinful like prostitution are completely outlawed. The priests and paladins ensure that it is non-existent in the country.
Technology in Vespa is Medieval however gadgetry and machinery are not banned. Engineering is considered another form of the Light’s creativity and so it is treated as such. Magic is woven into the very fabric of Vespan society, especially the healing arts. Healing magics, or magics that enhance creativity and goodness are all treated as holy representations of the Light and are commonplace.
Of the elemental magics in the world, Light magic holds domain over everything related to healing, life, and goodness. Derived from the Sun itself this powerful cosmic force manifests itself in many different ways, but in the hearts and hands of humans, it has become a very powerful religion. The Theocracy of Vespa is the result of what happens when Light worship reaches organized and often times fanatical scales on a national level. In the aftermath of the great war between the elves and the dwarves, a small town in the far east of the continent began to prosper amongst the now large areas of land no longer populated by decimated elven and dwarven populations. A peaceful people, this town held strong to the belief that goodness and wholesome traditions were pivotal to how people should conduct themselves. As time went on and the town eventually became more prosperous, it grew into a large city. Within the city, several small religions of Light worship began to crop up, and various places in the countryside also began to cultivate Light magic into their daily lives to help with the crops. This collective gathering of light worship is affectionately documented in the history books as the “Sparkling” and it is the root of what would eventually become the Theoracy. As Vespa continued to grow the various religions organized together, and formalized their worships into more ritualized and structured ways. Centered around an individual who is both the steward of goodness and light, and typically the most powerful magic user. Called the High Hierophant this person is both the spiritual guide, and ruler of Vespa. Unlike most other nations almost the entire population of Vespa lives within the city, which they renamed from Vespa to the City of Light. At its heart the Theocracy of Vespa wants to spread the Light to all corners of the continent, but they haven’t always done so in peaceful ways. With religious fervor also often times fanatical devotions, and throughout periods of Vespa’s history there were several inquisitions launched to purge the lands of heretical and hedonistic taint. They also launched a Holy Crusade against the Sahalan Sultanate over the differences between the religious beliefs. In recent years, these tensions have been tempered by the arrival of the evil races. The Dark Elves and Undead threats have given the Theocracy a very real, and very tangible threat to the Light. So now most of their efforts are focused on putting an end to that evil and darkness, and many of the Paladins and Priests choose to go on missionary missions or holy quests out into the west. The Theocracy of Vespa as it stands today is a large metropolis city state, filled with religious devotion to Light magic, and bringing goodness to the world.