Difference between revisions of "Pulchritudinous Mountain"

Latest revision as of 21:21, 8 August 2014

Pulchritudinous Mountain is a small state in the Hundred Kingdoms on the eastern end of the River Province, a member of the Confederation of Rivers. It is a flat land, stretching around the ‘mountain’ which gives it its name (in fact a low, gently sloped hill), filled with small farming villages and fields of Corn.

For the past hundred years, Pulchritudinous Mountain was a theocracy ruled by the Cult of the Corn God Maizemasa. The priests of Maizemasa, and sometimes the god himself, directed the population to devote their time to the planting, harvesting, drying, and grinding of corn, exporting to market in exchange for silver that was spent on temples and mercenaries to defend the land against its neighbors. Every subject in the land was required to offer several prayers each day to Maizemasa, and to his cult-claimed parents Gaia and the Unconquered Sun. To keep the people from distraction and engaged in as much prayer & agriculture as possible, the priests enforced bans on intoxicants and leisure activities.

Recently in RY767, amidst growing popular unrest, the Solar Exalt Gentle Pork Belly emerged at the head of a rebellion which overthrew the harsh rule of the priests. The cult of Maizemasa was forced from power, replaced by cooperative councils of villagers after Gentle Pork Belly himself declined to accept rulership of the land.

The year that followed the rebellion was one of constant celebration in Pulchritudinous Mountain, but as time wears on difficulties are beginning to mount for the country. Without the harsh discipline of cult rule, the population has spent less time in the fields and more on enjoyable pursuits, reducing the harvests which once funded the realm. At the same time, The Guild, kept out by the priesthood of Maizemasa, has pushed into the land bringing a slew of once-banned drugs such as Alcohol and Heroin, whose abuse is becoming increasingly widespread amongst the populace (draining away the silver that still flows into their purses).

Perhaps worst of all in the oft-voilent relations of the Hundred Kingdoms, Pulchritudinous Mountain’s neighbors see its ability to hire mercenaries and champions diminishing, and have begun to gaze upon its fertile lands with greedy eyes…