Terra Duchy

Terra is the Earth Elemental capital of Lucandria. It was set up in a way to help balance the elements and bring a sense of 'Telrunya' to the Miaki's new home in Aynurlet. Though all Miakis, and now Mika, hail Aether as the greatest element, they still understand the need for the balance of the other ones. Here, the Earth Element is on display in the way they speak, build their infrastructure, and every day worship.

1. General Information

Name of the Duchy: Terra
Ruler’s Name and Title: Daeron, Duke of Terra
Motto: "Steady as a rock, where greatness is built upon a solid foundation."
Coat of Arms: A brown bear on its hind legs, standing in front of a green stylized tree and blue sky in the background
Flag: Two-colored background divided in half, green at the bottom, blue at the top with the brown silhouette of a bear on all fours in the center

2. Geography

Location

Southern section of Lucandria

Cities

• Terranovia: The capital city, known for its grand architecture and extensive gardens. The Duke's home, the Verdant Palace, is located here, closest to the Queen's tower at the center of Lucandria. The homes around the Palace are where the noble elite live, those with the most magical affinity and influence. They possess all the most modern conveniences, from electricity and lights to running water and refrigeration. As one moves further out towards the edges of the city, the homes become a bit simpler; still possessing all the basics for civilized living, but perhaps without all of the same extraneous luxuries. Mika with less magical affinity live in these areas, making up the commoner level of the Terran Mika. Terranovia is home to the royal gardens, which are beautiful gardens open to all city residents displaying the most lovely and picturesque floral displays the duchy has to offer. This is also the location of the Terran Academy, an educational institution specializing in forestry, botany, and earth magic. The university's home is here, however, much of their hands-on research and study is done at the Sylvan Sanctuary further south. Terranovia Museum of Natural History nearby documents both the flora and fauna of the duchy, as well as the history of Terra and Lucandria as a whole.

Villages and Territories

• Sylvanus: Renowned for its forestry and connection to nature, Sylvanus is home to both the lumber yards as well as the Sylvan Sanctuary south of the village proper. The Sanctuary is a protected location where rare and important species of flora and fauna are raised so that they may thrive and also be studied by academic researchers.

• Florania: Florania is famous for its agricultural output and floral beauty. The important duty of providing the rest of Lucandria with most of their grown food supplies falls on their shoulders. In addition to providing the land with nutritious food, they also provide the land with beauty in the form of many rare and colorful flowers, some for decoration, but others with beneficial purposes.

• The Wilds: The area of untamed space in the woods and fields of Terra where Mika have not settled to practice their crafts to send back to the capital. This is where the Wildkin are allowed to run free and make their homes where they will. While not necessarily enslaved in other parts of Terra, they are not allowed to own land in the City or Villages and are usually only seen working as servants or manual labor in other locations. They are looked down upon by the Mika, who tend to view them as primitive and lesser.

Major Land Features

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   Landscape:
       Mountains: None
       Forests: Lush, temperate forests, with some sub-tropical jungles in the southeast
       Rivers/Lakes: Gaian River flowing into Lake Tierra, formed by the Tierran Dam
       Coastline: Gaian Riverbanks and the shore surrounding Lake Tierra
       Plains/Farmlands: Fertile plains ideal for agriculture
       Other Notable Features:

Climate

General Climate: Mild and temperate, but humid with frequent rains. Breezehaven and Aquilaris ensure that Terra receives the proper weather for their crops, sending either sun or rain towards the areas that need it most.

Seasons: Artificially controlled by Breezehaven to simulate warm and wet summers, then mild and slightly drier winters.

3. Economy

Primary Industries

       Agriculture: Fruit orchards, vegetable and grain fields, lumber industry
       Mining: Clay
       Manufacturing: Handmade wooden furniture and other goods, raw textiles
       Trade: Food, textiles, lumber, medicinal herbs
       Other Industries: Tourism

Major Exports

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Grains

• Medicinal Herbs

• Lumber

• Textiles

• Handcrafted furniture and other wooden goods

Major Imports

• Seafood

• Pearls

• Metal

• Gems

• Mana stones

Currency

Quartz Crown

Trade Routes

• Land Routes: Well-developed road networks connecting Terran cities and towns, as well as to the other duchies

• Sea Routes: Some trade done on the waterways between duchies where goods are carried by boat

• Trade Partners: All duchies, floating markets

4. Society and Culture

Population

• Total Population: Approximately 450,000

• Major Ethnic Groups: Mika, Lycan, Sphynx, Selkie

• Languages Spoken: Ancient Miaki/Lucandrian (common tongue), Terran dialect which is a guttural-sounding language with deep throat sounds (think similar to Irish/Scottish Gaelic in our world)

Religion

• Dominant Religion: Worship of earth spirits, ancestor worship

Education

Literacy Rate: High for Mikas; Wildkin is questionable; Terranovia is outfitted with multiple schools to educate the Mika children, with smaller branches in each of the outlying villages, Sylvanus and Florania to cover the basic skills they need in life. Once their basic education is complete, they can choose to start their work or go for higher education. Terra has one dedicated university, or they can be sent to Apión to pursue higher learning.
Major Universities: • Terran Academy: Located primarily in Terranovia, the Academy is an educational institution specializing in forestry, botany, and earth magic. Classes and basic instruction are held here, while field research and long-term graduate study is done at the Sylvan Sanctuary to the south.

Cultural Heritage

Festivals: • Harvest's Bounty:; • Spring Planting:; • Sun Solstice:

Traditional Music/Dance

Tribal in nature, featuring prominent drum beats and accompanied by pan flutes or other woodwinds; dances are used to tell stories, history and myths, as well as celebrations of great deeds

Cuisine

Fruit and vegetable salads, baked grains, and rarely venison or pork, usually for important celebrations or hearty stews in the chill of winter

Art and Architecture

Wood carving, paints made from natural dyes, and clay and stone structures; architecture is inspired by nature, so homes are built into the trees, connected by walkways overhead in the canopy, or homes on the plains built out of hardened clay and stone

5. Governance and Law

   Government Type:
       Monarchy/Feudal System: Feudal system under the Queen of Lucandria
       Administrative Divisions: Divided into several inland provinces, each ruling over different areas, such as agriculture, lumber trade, conservation, and natural sciences
       Local Governance: Provincial governors
   Legal System:
       Common Laws: Laws protecting the forests, fields, and other natural resources
       Notable Laws and Regulations: Strict regulation on lumber harvesting and replanting
       Judicial System: Local courts, overseen by the Duke's appointed judges
   Military:
       Army: Powerful land forces, including an active standing army
       Navy: Limited aquatic presence, primarily only patrolling the river and waterways, as well as the lakeshore
       Other Forces: Ground forces, including powerful earth mages specializing in geomancy
   Alliances and Rivalries:
       Allies: Water Duchy, Air Duchy
       Rivals: Fire Duchy (occasional tensions)

6. History

   Founding: Established as one of the original duchies of Lucandria
   Major Historical Events:
       Event Name:
       Description:
   Notable Historical Figures:
   Historical Conflicts:
       Wars/Battles:
       Rebellions:

7. Infrastructure

   Transportation:
       Roads: Some of the best maintained roads in all of Lucandria
       Bridges: Simple, yet functional bridges over the main river, as well as to other duchies to facilitate trade and the transportation of food and other goods
       Ports: 
       Other Means of Transportation: Deer-drawn carts for transporting goods as well as merchants along trade routes
   Public Services:
       Healthcare: Advanced healing magic as well as extensive research into natural herbal curatives
       Education: Public schools, specialized forestry and botany academies
       Security: Trade route patrols
   Communication:
       Postal System: Efficient, using both trained birds as well as swift deer
       Telecommunications: Magical communication devices, with the backup method of coded messages sent via birds/deer if there is ever doubt that the magical means could have been compromised

8. Notable Landmarks

   Castles/Palaces:
       Verdant Palace: The residence of the ruling Duke or Duchess, surrounded by lush gardens
   Monuments:
   Natural Wonders:
   Museums:
       Terranovia Museum of Natural History: The Capital city museum that documents both the flora and fauna of the duchy, as well as the history of Terra and Lucandria as a whole
   Other Points of Interest:
       Sylvan Sanctuary: A protected area for wildlife as well as rare plants, some of which grow nowhere else in Lucandria and are necessary for certain medical purposes

9. Miscellaneous

   Local Legends and Myths:
   Famous Personalities:
       Duke Daeron: Current ruler, known for his stoicism and resilience 
   Recent Developments:

10. Notes

       *Notes
       *Notes

11. Racials

    Strength
       Terran Mika are naturally physically stronger than their form might imply.  Not enough to perform crazy supernatural feats like lifting mountains or houses, but more that they have a natural strength that makes simple lifting, carrying, and certain fieldwork easier than one might think for such lithe, delicate looking beings.
    Green Thumb
       Terran Mika also have a natural affinity for growing plants and flowers.  Even if the soil conditions are not ideal, somehow they can manage to coax beautiful blossoms and bountiful harvests from the soil, given the barest of necessary resources.

12. Mana Stones

    Force
    Gravity