Ygg d'Razhuul
Ygg d'Razhuul (pronounced: yig dah-raz-OOL) is an expansive region that stands to the west of the city of Valkyrja, over the bridge known as the Razhuul Pass, which connects the western branch of the continent of Dwilight to its eastern half. Traveling through Ygg d'Razhuul is the only way to enter the westlands from the east, and as such is immensely important to intercontinental trade and commerce. Ygg d'Razhuul is also an important gateway region to both the townsland region of Aquitain and the outskirts of the massive city of Gelene.
Climate
Ygg d'Razhuul is a rural area of beautiful land and wild animals and plants. The climate of the region is rather mild, but it does occasionally have extreme weather. The climate is typically insular, and as a result of the moderating moist winds which ordinarily prevail from the north-western great sea, it is temperate, avoiding the extremes in temperature of many other global areas sharing similar latitudes.
Precipitation falls throughout the year, but is light overall, particularly in the east. The west, however, tends to be wetter on average and prone to the full force of northern-oceanic storms, more especially in the late autumn and winter months, which occasionally bring destructive winds and high rainfall totals to these areas, as well as snow and hail. Ygg d'Razhuul has a higher incidence of lightning than many of the northern regions of Dwilight. For all its moderate climate, Ygg d'Razhuul does experience a large amount of snow, though the accompanying temperatures are typically tolerable.
Inland areas of Ygg d'Razhuul are warmer in summer, and colder in winter than the coast - there are usually around 40 days of below freezing temperatures, but only 10 days at the coast. Ygg d'Razhuul is sometimes affected by heat waves as well.
Native Plants and Animals
Ygg d'Razhuul is also popularly known for it's diverse wild life. With long rolling prairie fields, the wild horses of Ygg d'Razhuul run wild and free, considered by many to be one of the strongest and most graceful creatures of the land. One of the more unique oddities of the land are the many kinds of small creatures that make Ygg d'Razhuul home, such as prairie dogs, which have found this region to be quite hospitable, much to the disdain of the local farmers. They only make one other area home, and that is the neighboring region of Aquitain.
The plant life of Ygg d'Razhuul mostly consists of fields of produce from the native farmers. However, Ygg d'Razhuul also provides perfect conditions for the growth of herbal remedies and it's grown to be a very profitable and useful business for the locals.
Trees are not in over abundance, rather the rolling hills and prairies rule the landscape, offering a visual delight to those who reside there. The peasants of the land especially love the soil of Ygg d'Razhuul, which is perfect for the cultivation of wheat, barley and several other crops which feed the people of the realm.
Trade through Ygg d'Razhuul
As Ygg d'Razhuul was the first region part of the major western continent of Dwilight, it was an immensely important region to continental trade. There is only one way to pass from west to east in the north of Dwilight, and that is through Yggdramir into this region.
That fact made the rural region of Ygg d'Razhuul a highly trafficked are, which housed many ports and harbors which took in merchants, traders and sailors alike. It has been said that Ygg d'Razhuul is, together with Yggdramir, "the gateway to the west" - when settlers, priests, traders and others came from the more established east to the untamed west, many came through this region.
When Everguard took control of this region, they, under command of the Count, created a large series of trade routes and constructed many wayside inns close to the ports and harbors of the region for the merchants to travel through.
Ygg d'Razhuul was one of the main sources of culture in the area. People from both sides of the island visit often and many have begun to migrate to the land. Under the supervision of the Count, Ygg d'Razhuul slowly but surely became a major player in the merchants cards.
Ygg d'Razhuul is currently under the control of Astrum, and the population is quite content.
Religion
The current religion of the region is Sanguis Astroism, which is also the State religion of Astrum. All former faiths have been wiped out during the religious re-education that came with the conquest. Former Major religions can be found here
Military Culture
The people of the region are civilized and kind by nature, given to farmwork rather than fighting, but outsiders should be warned not to see this as a sign of weakness, for when the community is threatened a strong militia tradition exists, dating back centuries. While lax compared to a professional army, every adult male is required to posses a weapon (usually a mace, spear or bow) and practice every 7th day, along with the other men of his community. Many raiders have been surprised to find an organized resistance where they thought would be only farmers.
Given the merit based system of the militia, soldiers from the Ygg d'Razhuul tend to be more individualistic problem solvers than simple grunts following orders. This has caused problems when a new Lord finds his orders questioned by a common soldier, but successful Lords have learned to listen to the advice, even if they do not follow it every time.
The militia system also fosters a sense of pride and involvement with the larger community, and as a result people in the Outskirts are remarkably close to towns distant from their own, because of this shared identity.
Politics
Lords who have ruled Ygg d'Razhuul
- Count Astoc Burgundy of Everguard - Ruled March 26, 2008 - April 15, 2008 - April 19th
- Anarchy - Peasant revolt and control - April 15, 2008 - April 19, 2008
- Count Raziël Thor of Everguard - Ruled April 19th, 2008 - May 2nd, 2008
- Anarchy - Peasant revolt and control - May 2nd, 2008 - May 4th, 2008
- Count Markyr Hereford of Everguard - Ruled May 4th, 2008 - ???
- Anarchy - Peasant revolt and control - May 4th, 2008 - September 7th, 2008
- Count Fisc Arylon of Everguard - Ruled September 7th, 2008 - September 21st, 2008
- Count Necroid Frolancer of Everguard - Ruled September 22nd, 2008 - December 11th, 2008
- Anarchy - Peasant revolt and control - December 11th, 2008 - June 19th, 2010
- Count Nuori Naseva of Astrum - Ruled June 21st, 2010 - March 25th, 2011
- Count Hugh de Croy of Astrum - Ruled March 27th, 2011 - July, 2011
- Countess Mazverena Demandred of Astrum - Ruled July, 2011 - August, 2011
- Count Hugh de Croy of Astrum - Ruled August 14th, 2011 - Present
- Count Hengist DeLacy of Westgard - Ruled April 13, 2020 - June 19, 2021
- Senator Hengist DeLacy of Westgard - Ruled December 13, 2022 - present