ladark pete Ladark, (nation, city, culture. pop 800 000, year Eighty-Five estimate)... A city located in the centre of the continent of Algin. It has had a turbulant history, punctuated by violence between the two dominant social groups: the Houses and the Nordya. On year One of the current reckoning (CR) the Nordya toppled and destroyed the rule of the House Ni'ya, launching the city into a bloody series of wars the ended only with the voluntary razing of the city in year Ten CR... Founded in the Four Hundred and Seventh Year before the current reckoning (BCR), Ladark is best known for its art and weaving. Even after its unfortuanate destruction these two features lived on. It is said the Siobhan the Destroyer organized a campagain to save Ladark's most famous pieces of art, including a number of novels and musical scores, before she lay the first torch... In recent years Ladark has been under increasing preasure to reurbanize. The Houses of the nieghbouring nations of Salim and Hawkli have been encroaching on Ladark for the past five years. In year Eighty-Four CR the Hawk Counties were burned, and one hundred and twelve Nordya were killed by Hawkli raiders seeking to annex the territory... Sidrok the Nordya is the best known figure of the Revolution of Ladark. He is said to have chronicled his roles for family records in the great Epic Poem "The Rise of the Sha'noon," which has since its publishing in year Thirty CR become the national story of the Nordya. Also "Of Blossoms and Darkness," written by a cryptic historian somewhere between the Fifth and Sixth decades CR is believed to be atleast based upon interviews with Sidrok. It first circulated in the lonely city of Nirbariuk in the year Sixty-Two CR... All military actions of the people of Ladark is determined by a consensus vote. For this reason it has not been involved in a war of aggression since the fall of Li Ni'ya's crown in the year One CR. Commanders are picked by lot, though in the case of emergency the Council of Matyrs always has one commander per County preselected to be called on if need be. The last war the Nordya of Ladark fought was against the nation of Salim in the year Seventy-Two CR. The Nordya quickly defeated the armies of House Mal'lil, and a coup in Salim followed... No religion is practiced by all Nordya. Although some still stick to the archaic Moon and Sun cults of the pre-Sha'noon era, most hold a secular religion. The belief of catasterism is wide spread, as are a few animistic interpretations of the passing of Sidrok. Miranda of Ladark is said to reside in the South-Eastern sky, and Sidrok is believed to be the whispering winds that blow out of the Forest of Baruk, where he was last seen entering. Also many Nordya believe in the rebirth of souls, though mostly through means of cell memory. This complex belief is criticized by the sun cult of nieghbouring regions, though they have no more validity than the Lardarkian religion... The oldest citizen in Ladark is Corigan. He is one hundred and eight years old and can remember the bloody battles that lead up to the Forth Dawn. At twenty he took part in the Fourth Dawn, and claims to have killed a House himself. When the Rose of Ladark bloomed, killing thousands in an instant, he was in the Forest of Baruk hunting to take care of his father, who perished in the blast. Corigan will turn one hundred and nine years old next Thermidon... (excerpts from the Almanac of People and Places, year Eighty-Eight CR) 040427 what's it to you? who go blather from