Editing Gloria-Etalia (section)

=== Sisilia Citystates ===

Population: 96% Westrasi Human, 4% Other

Capital: Sisilia

Government: Five Counties, each ruling over a small city.

====Culture:====

The Sisilia Citystates, also known as the Sisilian Counties, or simply Sisilia, is a region of contrasts. Within it's five moderate sized cities, wealth is tied to social status and therefore flaunted. Nobles dress in expensive but practical clothing that is inspired by fashions all around the world, with constantly changing trends. Deep in the forests however, the simple hunters and subsistence farmers stick to their superstitions and barbaric practices. Between the two extremes, the farmers who make up much of the population tend to have more in common with the city folk, but retain some wildness to them.

Social classes are seemingly straight forward in this nation. Nobility enjoy wealth and deeply entrenched legal privileges, while the common folk theoretically don't. However, unofficially, wealth, proximity in blood to clan leadership, clan membership, race, and bloodline are also very important. Despite the power of the nobility, the common folk are well organized into clans, allowing them to exercise far more rights than found in Belara, and in some cases become quite wealthy.

One of the most noteworthy social traits of the region is that everything is organized by clan rather than family. Both noble and common clans exist, and within both these groups there is an unofficial pecking order. The clan leader has final say on who is an isn't a member of their clan, and both men and women frequently marry into other clans.

Although slavery is outlawed in the Sisilian Counties, impoverished foreigners are often badly exploited and have none of the unofficial protections that natives have from their clans. Foreign merchants and mercenaries are generally treated with respect however.

====Religion:====

The Wild Lord is hugely popular in the more remote stretches of forest, while a watered down version of his worship is fairly common in the farmlands and cities.

Gloria-Etalia only enjoys moderate support in the region, mostly from newcomers.

Sailors and fishermen sometimes worship nautical gods of other religions on the basis that they are servants of The Wild One.

Several other minor religions exist, but they are poorly understood by outsiders. Many believe they are just subcults of The Wild One's worship.

====Organization:====

The Five Counts, representing the most powerful noble clan of each city are the theoretical leaders of the region, but many of the clans, both noble and common, pay only lip service to their supposed leaders. Violence between clans is surprisingly rare however, thanks to a mutual paranoia that one of the stronger neighboring nations will try to take advantage of any excessive infighting.

====Origin:====

Much like other nations in the region, what is now Sisilia was once part of the Belarian Empire prior to the Civil War. It was part of the Morloux Republic prior to the second commoner revolution, but democracy never appealed much to the clannish Sisilians, thus allowing the local Duke and his Counts to keep their positions. It was only a century later that the Counts forced the existing Duke at that time to abolish his position, leading to the current decentralized governments that exist today.

The peculiar worship of the Wild Lord and the oddities of the clan structure have been around as long as anyone can remember, despite many attempts to suppress it prior to Sisilia becoming its own nation.

====Diplomacy:====

Despite some similarities with Belara and Morloux, the Sisilians value their independence too much to enter full alliance with either group.

They are somewhat sour on the Sarkation Empire due to past attempts by the Church of Gloria-Etalia to suppress their culture.

The relationship with The Vesterlands, Lahaila, and Lazari is largely friendly, though rivalries between trading companies sometimes lead to localized violence.

Sisilians find the Jorivaki way of life strange, but that doesn't stop Sisilian nobles from sometimes hiring Jorivaki mercenaries.

Sisilians regard Tautoburg as a vassal kingdom of The Wild Lord, and generally avoid it, believing the strangeness of that nation to be a sign that the local vassal of The Wild Lord does not wish to be disturbed.

====Geography:====

The Sisilia Citystates region is generally flat and temperate, though foothills can be found in the northeastern portion of the nation. Thick forests cover most of the region, but pockets of farmland can be found near the coast, and along river valleys.

====Economy:====

The Sisilia Citystates are largely self-sufficient, but alchemist concoctions and enchanted goods produced in the cities fetch a high price in neighboring nations. Wealthy nobles sometimes enter trade partnerships with merchants and nobles from neighboring nations.

====Plot Hooks:====

Where the wild things are: The deep forests of Sisilia have a certain supernatural wildness to them. Many fey creatures, both friendly and otherwise, can be found in the deepest parts of the forest. Some creatures can be encountered randomly, while others can be deliberately summoned by desperate PCs or NPCs in order to take advantage of their peculiar magic. Among the many types of fey that have been encountered in the forests are: nymphs, hags, bad shadows, will-o-wisps, redcaps, dryads, treants, necro-treants, harpies, satyrs, dark satyrs, minotaur, fairies, sprites, mushroom men, tree spirits, river spirits, vine zombies, changelings, fey trolls, the stone men, soul snatchers, fish men, glow wolves, boggles, kelpie, not to mention various unique individuals, some of considerable power.

Snack time!: Occasionally PCs will simply get unlucky and run into one of the few monsters in the area who see a small group of humanoids as valid prey. Certain large species of wyvern, as well as both non-sentient and sentient fey creatures, fall into this category.

Tomb raiders: Countless barrows, ranging from one room chambers, to large necropoli, dot the Sisilian Counties. Most of them have been looted long ago, but some are home to undead, dark fey creatures, bandits and outlaws, or occasionally even law-abiding citizens (if the barrow is empty anyways, why let a good structure go to waste?)

You picked with the wrong clan: Rural common folk in the outlying areas tend to rely on their clan to protect them when law enforcement can't be bothered. Commoners tend to not be particularly well equipped or well trained, but most have access to sword and bow, militia training, and sometimes pacts with fey creatures of varying degrees of power. Killing or harming a clan member, whether for good reason or not, is bound to lead to some fights, particularly since the NPCs are probably outlanders.

Goon squad: Cities, towns, noble clans, and merchant companies/clans rely on hired muscle to look after their stuff, bully commercial rivals (particularly foreigners), and uphold the law/"law". They usually go for quantity over quality, but there is typically a few heavy hitters in a large group. Veteran melee fighters often augment their abilities with potions and enchantments, while arcane and druidic magic users are more common here than many other parts of Westrasi. Despite their modern, civilized appearance, even urban dwellers sometimes can call on ancient pacts with the fey. Most goons are local, but foreigners are occasionally used, particularly Jorivaki.

Dark Agendas: Although often just seen as a backwater wedged in between more powerful nations, Sisilia is bustling with intrigue. Dark fey frequently make pacts with humans here, and desperate souls are often looking for slaves, souls, victims, and odd items to meet their end of the bargain with their whimsically cruel fey patrons. More mundane intrigue is common as well. Noble, merchant, and even commoner clans sometimes engage in low key power struggles, while foreign agents occasionally enter the region looking to stir up trouble.