Ciradel
- Area Square Miles: 82,500
The rough area in square miles of that nation. - Population: 90,000 (1.1/sq mile) The total population, including all significant humanoid races, plus the average population per square mile.
- Racial Balance: Halfling (87%), Gnome (8%), Elf (4%), Other (1%) The details of all the major races of that country, as a percentage of the total population.
- Capital City: Haighfain (pop. 2000) The capital city of that country, if it has one, along with its population.
- Government: Democracy The political structure for that nation, if any. This will be one of: autocracy, confederation, democracy, despotism, dictatorship, imperial, monarchy, oligarchy, republic or tribal. By far, the most common form of government is monarchy.
- World View: passive / agricultural The attitude of each nation toward its neighbors (passive, defensive or aggressive) and a number of terms that best sum that nation up (ie agricultural, nomadic, seafaring, wild, etc). Each nation can have one or more such terms, but will only ever have one attitude.
- Religion: Thim, Olgden; Gungorn, Firngald; Tannun Maruth, Fyfreyn, Ky, Ney Allond The main gods esteemed by that nation. The list reflects the racial balance statistics (see above); so if humans are the largest racial group in that nation, followed by elves and dwarves, the list of deities follwed by humans will be first, then elves and dwarves. Within this context, they are listed alphabetically. No deity is listed more than once, even if more than one racial group prays to that god (for instance, both elves and gnomes are likely to follow Ky, but it will only be listed once nonetheless).
- Languages: Halfling The main languages spoken by the people of that nation, listed alphabetically.
- Climate: Subartic The climate of that nation, from: arctic, continental cool summer, humid subtropical, subarctic, subtropical, temperate, tropical, warm temperate.
Overview
The small nation of Ciradel is nestled amongst The Great Northern Hills and isolated from much of the rest of the world. It is home to a large number of halflings - the largest number anywhere in Arrasia - and has good relations with the dwarves and gnomes that can be found in the hills, as well as the people of The Northern Territories, with whom it has found a reliable trading partner. Small communities can be found dotted around the land, where the halflings tend their farms and live, on the whole, peaceful lives.
Being isolated from much of the rest of Arrasia, Ciradel is considered backward even for a halfling nation. Until the coming of Tharg and the emergence of what was then called The Kingdoms of Tharg, but which is now known as The Northern Territories, they had little contact with humans and their experience of the outside world was almost entirely through the dwarves and gnomes of The Great Northern Hills, with whom they have had good relations for as long as they can remember. The land is almost entirely dominated by it's halfling population, who make up over 85% of the population, though some gnomes can be found living alongside them.
Significant Trade Export
Grain and Foodstuffs: Being an almost entirely agricultural nation, the halflings of Ciradel have found a ready market in The Northern Territories, who often ship the food on further afield to The Savage Coast and The Badlands.
Brief History
Although Ciradel can trace itself back for hundreds of years, it has very little in the way of history, for little of note has taken place. There have been no civil wars or political upheavals and their general isolation has kept the affairs of the rest of the world at bay. The halflings are content with their simple lives and few ever feel the desire to leave their homelands or seek adventure further afield. What they can't do for themselves, they trade for or go without.
Although Ciradel is regarded as a single national identity, the small communities are mostly autonomous. A local mayor is elected to rule over the people and although each mayor votes for a president, the president has very little political control, being more of a figurehead. It is a loose political structure that has worked well for them and although the president has on occasions called for assistance - most notably during the Ogre invasion against Haighfain, when assistance was called for in the form of armed halflings - there is generally very little for a president to do, as nearly all issues are sorted out at a local level.
The Major Towns and Cities
Haighfain: (pop: 2,000) By far and away the largest concentration of halflings in Ciradel, Haighfain is the unofficial capital of Ciradel. The roads are mostly mud tracks and the small houses nestled amongst the hills. It is a sleepy and quiet place, where very little of note occurs.