Varisia

Varisia

While the other realms of the Saga Lands may have longer histories as established nations, the stories of recent years have catapulted the wilder reaches of Varisia into modern awareness. Much of Varisia’s ancient past, when it formed the bulk of the empire of Thassilon, has only recently been rediscovered by modern historians and scholars. And while Cheliax toyed for a few years at expanding its reach into this land, today Varisia is largely in the control of three other groups. The most widespread of these groups is a motley collection of pilgrims and travelers from all corners of the world, resulting in a wide diversity among the cities in Varisia. But while many of these relative newcomers have dwelt in Varisia for several generations, they are still regarded at best as “new blood” by the land’s indigenous Varisian and Shoanti people. For Varisians, the integration of the newcomers was marred by numerous clashes between cultures, with prejudice and misunderstandings making initial attempts to live and work together choppy, but when compared to the Shoanti experience, the Varisians’ interactions seem almost idyllic. The Shoanti had always had a smaller footprint in their ancestral lands than the Varisians, and while Varisians are traditionally nomadic, the Shoanti were more prone to settling down, living in clan-based groups known as quahs. When Cheliax founded a colony named Korvosa along a large bay in the heart of Shoanti lands, which contained a strange and ancient pyramid sacred to the Shoanti, violence erupted between the Chelish colonizers and the displaced Shoanti. After a prolonged and bloody conflict, the colonizers ultimately won; the bay is now known as Conqueror’s Bay, and Korvosa is the largest city in Varisia. The Shoanti of the region were forced to abandon their homeland and relocate to the north, into the harsh wilds known as the Cinderlands. Prejudice against Shoanti is rife in Korvosa to this day, and the displaced Shoanti have not forgiven the Chelish invaders.

Geographically, Varisia is divided into two distinct regions. The northeastern portion is plateau, and the southwestern portion is lowlands, consisting of a mix of forested mountains, lush grasslands, verdant forests, and sprawling swamps. In the eastern lowlands, the city of Korvosa is by far the largest settlement. The city has proudly clung to the traditions of its Chelish founders, but those traditions were challenged recently when Queen Ileosa Arabasti gained control after the sudden death of her husband. At first, the people of Korvosa worried that she was ill-equipped to rule, but soon they learned quite the opposite: Ileosa was filled with ambition equaled only by her cruelty, and she proved to be a deadly tyrant indeed. Her rule was relatively short and ended violently, but her time in control has changed Korvosa forever. Thousands died during her regime—many to the ravages of a disease known as bloodveil, a disease Ileosa helped to spread—and her one-time guards, the Gray Maidens, fractured into competing mercenary bands after her defeat.

In the western lowlands, the greatest city is Magnimar, founded by expatriates from Korvosa at the site of an ancient Thassilonian monument—a crumbled bridge known as the Irespan. Well to the north of Magnimar, the region’s third-largest city is a haven for pirates and other scoundrels: Riddleport.