Theocracy of the Jade-Souled

The Theocracy of the Jade-Souled is a small land on the Western slopes of the Fire Mountains in the Southern Threshold, south of Blood River and east of An-Teng. Its borders are uncertain, the state existing in a rough triangle of land between the start of the Sea-Greeting River, the start of Plum Nectar Spring, and the beginnings of the Blood River's southern branch.

The Theocracy has its origins in An-Teng, amongst a group of noble families from the Middle Land who had come to believe that the Dragonblooded were not just rightful imperial masters of An-Teng but deserving of outright worship. The traditionalist and nationalist ruling line of the Middle Land had little patience for such a notion, and moved to purge the nobles. The Imperial Satrap of the time was a strict Immaculate adherent and refused to support the Terrestrial-worshipping lines, forcing them and a number of allied common families to flee into the mountains where they established the Theocracy.

Their land is not fertile, and has few developed mining resources, though there are stories that gold has been found amongst some of its creeks.

The religion of the Theocracy is not Immaculate nor traditional Tengese... the residents do not worship gods, nor even the Elemental Dragons. Rather, they worship the Dragonblooded, praying to them for blessings and aid. They have little actual exposure to the Dragonblooded, however, and their prayers tend to be directed towards those whose names are known to them: the Scarlet Empress, prince Ragara, and the satraps and Imperial garrison commanders of An-Teng.

Some in An-Teng, particularly the Middle Prince, would like nothing more than to crush the nobles and annex their lands, but the political situation has changed so that the Dynastic residents of An-Teng might object to such a move. Officially the Theocracy is not a satrapy, paying no tribute and having no representatives from the Thousand Scales, but the Realm considers the land and its politics an internal matter for An-Teng, under authority of that land's satrap. This has kept other nearby factions, such as House Trung of Blood River, from interfering with the Theocracy... but as the present age becomes more chaotic, more overt interference is predicted.

Ruler: Matriarch-Priestess Slender Leaf