Three nations rule in Dustworld: Dredge, Radia, and Astora.
Dredge rules the smaller continent of Durim. A martial society, the first rule in Dredge is that the strong rule. Now that is not to say that Dredge is a lawless society. Indiscriminate murder is punished perhaps even more harshly in Dredge than anywhere else--and theft is almost not to be countenanced. The reason for this however is very specific. The strongest in the land is known as the Warlord--or sometimes Warlady--and by ancient law, basically everything in Dredge belongs directly to them. Most Warlords don’t exercise this power too often--recognizing that it is in their best interest to keep their subjects pleased with them. For every year at the height of the new moon, at the darkest time of year, a challenge is held. The reigning Warlord enters a ring, and for the space of one hour, challenges all comers to single combat. The reason it is so important for the warlord to be well-liked, is that any subjects may bring him weapons, armor, spells, healing, or whatever other assistance they wish, provided they do not directly interfere with the duels. Challengers may choose to fight to the death, or they may accept offers of quarter levelled by the warlord. The Warlord has no such option, he fights against his death in every duel. Those challenging the warlord in the duels must overcome him with no assistance at all. Should they do so, they prove to all that they are more worthy of the mantle, and take it up. However, they must finish their time in the ring, the warlord must take all challengers for an hour.
Once the hour of challenge is over, the second challenge of the night comes for the warlord. To even be present at the Warlord’s challenge, one must be armed and ready to fight, and it is because of this second challenge. The warlord plants his banner upon a crag of rock worn smooth by countless feet over countless years. All who support him gather round him on the crag, while any who would challenge him plant their own banners in the field. After half an hour, a horn is blown, and the gathered forces clash. The challengers must topple the warlord’s standard in one hour, and the warlord must defend it. The challengers in this combat are not limited in their actions in any way, and neither are those that fight them directly. For all others in the trial however, the combat is more ritualistic. Very few deaths or even injuries tend to occur because of the trial, as it is seen as wasteful of the Warlord’s armies. However, the challengers are free to be fought blood for blood and steel for steel. Should a challenger be felled, any he rallied to his standard must depart the field in dishonor. Each challenger must strive to claim the banner for himself before the hour is up. At the end of the hour, if the warlord still stands with his banner, he has held his mantle. If a challenger has taken it, then they are the new Warlord.
The warlord may enact almost any law he wishes, or strike down any law that has been enacted before.
There is however a stone tablet of laws which may not be revoked or altered. These laws describe the purpose of the warlord, the trials, and the extent of his powers. The Laws of Stone, as they are called, dictate several things which the Warlord may not do, or else he dies.
This is no idle threat, as the tablet itself is an artifact of great power, and ever warlord swears in his own blood to uphold them. Failure to live up to that oath, in even the smallest respect, causes the tablet to burst out in angry fire and consume the erring warlord. If such a thing happens, the trial is held as normal, and the Warlord’s appointed second begins the hour trial. The second is under no restriction to fight to the death, and may surrender to the first challenger if he so wished, though it has never happened so easily.
Nearly the entire population of Dredge could be considered the Warlord’s army, which has caused the nations of Radia and Astora no small amount of worry. There are several reasons that Dredge rarely bothers its neighbors. The first is that Dredge has a very small number of vessels at its disposal, and not enough woodlands to make more. The second is that much of Dredge’s landmass is little better than desert. Most of the population scrapes by on living, and the Warlord frequently must go to great lengths to ensure all his people are simply fed and clothed, much less fit to march to war. And lastly, even though the warlord really does rule with an iron fist, there is a hard limit to how much he can exert that power before challengers arise and begin to usurp his dominance. Any who publicly announce their intention to challenge the warlord in the next Trial are protected from his interference by the stone law until the trial has been transgressed. And the more enemies a warlord makes, the harder it will be to hold onto his life for more than a year. For that reason alone, most warlords shy away from starting anything with their wealthier neighbors.
Dredge rules the smaller continent of Durim. A martial society, the first rule in Dredge is that the strong rule. Now that is not to say that Dredge is a lawless society. Indiscriminate murder is punished perhaps even more harshly in Dredge than anywhere else--and theft is almost not to be countenanced. The reason for this however is very specific. The strongest in the land is known as the Warlord--or sometimes Warlady--and by ancient law, basically everything in Dredge belongs directly to them. Most Warlords don’t exercise this power too often--recognizing that it is in their best interest to keep their subjects pleased with them. For every year at the height of the new moon, at the darkest time of year, a challenge is held. The reigning Warlord enters a ring, and for the space of one hour, challenges all comers to single combat. The reason it is so important for the warlord to be well-liked, is that any subjects may bring him weapons, armor, spells, healing, or whatever other assistance they wish, provided they do not directly interfere with the duels. Challengers may choose to fight to the death, or they may accept offers of quarter levelled by the warlord. The Warlord has no such option, he fights against his death in every duel. Those challenging the warlord in the duels must overcome him with no assistance at all. Should they do so, they prove to all that they are more worthy of the mantle, and take it up. However, they must finish their time in the ring, the warlord must take all challengers for an hour.
Once the hour of challenge is over, the second challenge of the night comes for the warlord. To even be present at the Warlord’s challenge, one must be armed and ready to fight, and it is because of this second challenge. The warlord plants his banner upon a crag of rock worn smooth by countless feet over countless years. All who support him gather round him on the crag, while any who would challenge him plant their own banners in the field. After half an hour, a horn is blown, and the gathered forces clash. The challengers must topple the warlord’s standard in one hour, and the warlord must defend it. The challengers in this combat are not limited in their actions in any way, and neither are those that fight them directly. For all others in the trial however, the combat is more ritualistic. Very few deaths or even injuries tend to occur because of the trial, as it is seen as wasteful of the Warlord’s armies. However, the challengers are free to be fought blood for blood and steel for steel. Should a challenger be felled, any he rallied to his standard must depart the field in dishonor. Each challenger must strive to claim the banner for himself before the hour is up. At the end of the hour, if the warlord still stands with his banner, he has held his mantle. If a challenger has taken it, then they are the new Warlord.
The warlord may enact almost any law he wishes, or strike down any law that has been enacted before.
There is however a stone tablet of laws which may not be revoked or altered. These laws describe the purpose of the warlord, the trials, and the extent of his powers. The Laws of Stone, as they are called, dictate several things which the Warlord may not do, or else he dies.
This is no idle threat, as the tablet itself is an artifact of great power, and ever warlord swears in his own blood to uphold them. Failure to live up to that oath, in even the smallest respect, causes the tablet to burst out in angry fire and consume the erring warlord. If such a thing happens, the trial is held as normal, and the Warlord’s appointed second begins the hour trial. The second is under no restriction to fight to the death, and may surrender to the first challenger if he so wished, though it has never happened so easily.
Nearly the entire population of Dredge could be considered the Warlord’s army, which has caused the nations of Radia and Astora no small amount of worry. There are several reasons that Dredge rarely bothers its neighbors. The first is that Dredge has a very small number of vessels at its disposal, and not enough woodlands to make more. The second is that much of Dredge’s landmass is little better than desert. Most of the population scrapes by on living, and the Warlord frequently must go to great lengths to ensure all his people are simply fed and clothed, much less fit to march to war. And lastly, even though the warlord really does rule with an iron fist, there is a hard limit to how much he can exert that power before challengers arise and begin to usurp his dominance. Any who publicly announce their intention to challenge the warlord in the next Trial are protected from his interference by the stone law until the trial has been transgressed. And the more enemies a warlord makes, the harder it will be to hold onto his life for more than a year. For that reason alone, most warlords shy away from starting anything with their wealthier neighbors.
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