Arad-qur (Country)

The stretch of land known most commonly as Arad-Qur, is a country in the central area of Exorterra, it stretches from North to Southeast and is the largest country on the continent. It is also the eldest surviving country on the continent and once spanned most of its land. It is the home of the Dark Elves of Exorterra.

Though most outsiders identify it as one country as it has a central government in the form of the Council of Great Houses, most Dark Elves claim it is a confederacy of independent states ruled by the leaders of their corresponding great houses.

History
Arad-Qur hosted many settlements by the Realm Empire, much like the rest of the continent. When St. Valyn led an exodus of Dark Elves to Exorterra, much of the Realm's presence on the continent, and consequently in Arad-Qur, was greatly diminished. The Realm focused less on overseas colonies during this time, which greatly aided the dark elves in making Arad-Qur their own.

Districts/Geography
Most of the countries in Exorterra have a system of a series of sections all governed independently, but in turn ruled over a major leader. This trend was started by the Dark Elves, with their noble Houses and their Overking. The Noble Houses were formed and named after the four greatest distinguished Dark Elves to settle the land.

House Valyn District, Sunshade
The Noblest of the Houses named for the great St. Valyn. This district encompasses Fungalshyr, The Dark Parsol, and its seat; Necros. It also holds the area around Redmeet Border, adding a fair population of Dustmen from Coyote Crossing to the local visitors. This district is largely covered in stone, mycelium grass, and the ashfall from Balon Fel.

House Odys District, Ashunkha
When one pictures Arad-Qur, Ashunkha is generally the realm one pictures. Dotted with mushroom forests, covered in ashfallen mountains, rivers of lava meeting rivers of water to create obsidian peninsulas, and the gothic trade city of Madris, the seat of Noble House Odys.

House Mornt District, Frore's Kiss
Frore's Kiss has readily been compared to the Northern region of Dwarrow Crossing, if not said to top it. Where most of Arad-qur is kissed by ash this land is kissed by ice and snow, earning the district its name. It is home to frozen earth, pine forests, and the town of Northmeet. It also hosts the mysterious seat of House Mornt, Last Hold. It was the final fort built during the original colonization of Exorterra, and it is said to be built in honor of the ancestors who led the Dark Elves to victory over the land. It is the biggest castle in the country, hosting a garrison of 5000 Dark Elves, built atop a sturdy mountain, and it is said to be near impregnable.

House Eldra District, Rysh
Rysh is a swampland, it is coated in mushrooms from head to toe, and hosts the country's largest mushroom forest. It is one of the larger districts due to House Eldra being one of the larger factions when the borders were drawn. On top of the seat of Candletower, a city of massive basalt towers reaching into the sky, each one enveloped in fungus, vines, and ivy, the district is also home to the nameless keep, Greatbay Watch (which is technically maintained by House Mornt), and the Ruins of Zergal; one of the two Precursor Ruins on Dormunyr.

House Gnyn District, Fanewing
Originally the heavily religious House Gnyn only controlled the island of Fane and the massive fortified Temple that sat in the center of it. However, after House Feth was abolished and their lands became forfeit, what of them was not turned into the Borderlands was bought by House Gnyn. This included the fishing town of Hookfast and the fort of Bellstead, which now has a small village around it. Fanewing has very little to it, it is for the most part a grazeland with patches of mycelium here and there, what makes it significant is the structure known as Fane, the religious capital of the Dark Elves.

Flora/Fauna
As far as flora is concerned Arad-qur is fairly diverse, though it is famous for the alien and unsettling



vegetation in its central swampland and ashland regions.

These strange and alien plants include: The Dark Elves also grow and farm a variety of vegetables, grains, and fruits, some native, some imported from the other countries on Exorterra. These include:
 * Ash Parasol Fungi; Massive mushrooms that make up massive fungal forests. They are famed for alchemical properties and their maleability when it comes to arcane influence.
 * Gasbladders, Small bush-like bubbles of translucent fungus holding compressed natural gasses. They are known to sometimes be explosive, making them a deathtrap for foreign invaders or those unfamiliar with the region.
 * Earthpikes, Earthpikes are spikes of rough plant material that erect out of the ground in odd patterns.
 * Glowbud, Glowbuds are large flowers that have a structure similar to IMG_0507.jpg of a firefly on their buds, creating bits of light. Sometimes they are artificially planted in Dark Elven settlements to work as substitutes for lanterns.
 * Grape Tendril, Plants similar to grape vines, except that they erect out of the ground independantly and grow exclusively in the ash-kissed swamps of Rysh.
 * Rice
 * Yams
 * Potatoes
 * Carrots
 * Dragonfruits
 * Pumpkins
 * Gourds

Fauna
The Fauna of the country of Arad-qur, much like it's Flora is fairly alien. Various species of lizards, massive insects, magical creatures, and reptillian birds inhabit the wilds of the country.

It is a common rumor that a humanoid race of reptiles known as Draiths used to inhabit the land, but these creatures may be stories, or may have been lost to history.

Dark Elves farm few animals, however they do heavily fish, and they also domesticate Ash-Pigs, a large carniorous insect with highly nutritious meat and docile tempers. In addition the Dark Elves domesticate two lizard creatures. One is about the size of a pony and is known as a Hauryt, they can be used for transportation and carrying goods. The other is called a Hauchyn, a bipedal swift creature capable of transporting warriors or messengers across short distances.

One of the most famous (and confirmed to be real) magical creature inhabitting the land is the Gas Mound. It is a series of orbs and tendrils that seem to levitate about, expelling a semi-toxic gas wherever they go. They seem to eat small insects.

Wyverns
After the War of Dwarves and Dragons a few Dragons pressed South to Exorterra. Rather than killing these beasts, the Dark Elven people rangled them using magic and massive chains. They Dark Elves beat them into submission and eventually bred them with Hauchyn, giving birth to a bipedal draconic creature known as a Wyvern. These creatures are strong, quick, stupid, and breath a flammable gas they can spark with their teeth. They are few in number, often owned by Great Houses and used during wartime.