Chivalrous and bold...

The seat of international law...

A festering plague within...

Races

Humans

The Brave Mediators

• The highest good is order

• The ideal person is the one who maintains order

• The most sacred life is law

• The most sacred duty is the adherence to duty

• The most wicked evil is lawlessness

• The most heinous crime is slander of the king

Overview

  The mega-continent of Sembre is divided into North, Middle, and South by the biomes that differentiate the regions from one another. While South Sembre is characterized by its barren deserts and sparse population, North and Middle Sembre on the other side of the mountains enjoy much more temperate climates. The human-dominated region of Middle Sembre boasts many rivers and waterways that meander through the highlands and lush valleys of Sembre. A ring of mountains called the Crown protects the Ensembre Lake Valley from the lawlessness of Sembre's western coastal towns. Far to the north, the half-elf communities that formed after the Great Elf Exodus are nestled into the glens and wind-swept cliffs of Ëobol Province.

  Though Sembre technically includes the entire continent, the name most often refers specifically to Middle Sembre. Thus, when the human king declared himself Sovereign of Sembre, few ever moved to correct him. Next to the Chīali, the humans of Sembre have the most civilizations throughout their region, an acclaim ironically owed to the chain of port towns that crowd the western shore of Sembre.

Religions

  The prosperity and security of the human kingdom attracted citizens from across the globe, and thus boasts the widest diversity of cultures and faiths. But in the Empire of the Rising Sun, the primary religion of the state is that of the Virtuous Gods

Virtuous Gods - 70%

The Way of the Sea - 12%

Great Beasts Zodiac - 7%

Serpent Sands - 5%

Orcish Pantheon 2%

The Essen Stair - 2%

Sacred Island Pantheism - 1%

Cults and New Religions - 1%

Cities

Ensembre: the Soul of Humanity

  Humans believe - above all - in the core of every living thing. All of creation has an individual soul, not in a relation to any particular deity, for religions of all flavors abound in Sembre, but a soul in relation to itself: a deep, central identity from which a thing derives all its facets of personality, appearance, even ideology and fortitude. This concept of the driving soul is manifested in everything humans create, including their country. That is why the capital of the continent of Sembre is named Ensembre for it is the soul from which the nation must derive its government, its culture, and its sustenance.

  And if the name does not give it away, the capital city's grandeur its design certainly will. Ensembre is the seat of the ruling monarch, and he would like you to be awed by and appreciative of that fact. Humans were unique in the formation of their civilization in that they recognized their need for a centralized government much quicker than any of the other races (probably as a result of their fervent belief in the Soul). Order is of highest value in Sembre, and the king is granted all authority to maintain the Order of the kingdom. 

  While the entire valley within the boundaries of the Crown is regarded as being collectively Ensembre, the capital city itself resides in the center of Lake ____ and prides itself on its control of all trade movement along the River Superior. All movement out of the Lagos Lake Valley - whether by land or by river - is directed through the capital. 

Stormhenge

  The city of Stormhenge is regarded as the safest port in the six continents. Under King Travian II, the SeaWall City was constructed to serve as a symbol of authority and security to the citizens of Sembre who were cut off from the Ensembre valley  by the Crown. After many years - and more gnomish resources than the humans would care to admit - the city was complete and quickly rose in status until it was the most frequented port in Amaura, second only to Asah'Ibolim. 

  After the end of the Nautilus Crisis, Pax was able to use his authority as a hero of the Continental Alliance to leverage the reigning King Travian the Third's dream for international law across the continents. In Stormhenge, the Par-Amauran Charter was signed by representatives from Asah'Ibolim, Vilensîr, and the Dûrdn Peaks to establish the world's first transoceanic executive organization - the Oceanic Guard. 

  Despite this boost in law-enforcement presence, Stormhenge still remains one of the most dangerous cities in all of Amaura. This can be attributed partly to its extensively diverse mixed-race status but also to the toxic levels of corruption within its walls.

Favish, Wrecklage, Boar's Mouth, and Bottletown

   The decrepit towns littering the coast of West Sembre - sometimes called the Wrack Line. They are nothing to look at as they are always buried in a layer of refuse and halflight. These towns are the scum of the state and they know it. Thus, they maintain a certain inebriated indifference to the world that manifests as a sort of joyful stagnancy. Where Stormhenge may be the seat of sophisticated crime, the four Wrack Line port-towns are the stools of the drunk and disorderly sort of activity: lousy but harmless. The main activities of the city are boozing and brawling as seen below. 

  But despite their groveling licentiousness, these four towns managed to make their mark on history when they became infamous for hosting the Harvest Massacres in Sembre. When the identity of Seafolk Draught was revealed to the world, the citizens of the Wrack Line wasted no time in rounding up the local Seafolk and collecting their blood. When Isle Pyros was destroyed, the towns suddenly became fearful for their lives and pleaded to their lawful neighbors for protection. King Travian III used this as an opportunity to bind the towns again under Ensembre jurisdiction. In exchange for "protection"  (because what protection can a king offer against the Sea?) the towns of the Wrack Line were required to become subjugated to military governance under the Sembren military. They reluctantly agreed. 

 The law lasted only for a little while in the Wrack Line. Soon, the governors and directors appointed by the Sembren Navy became fully infected by the lawless company they kept and fell also into the bright and brawling trap of degradation and crime. Today, any who make the mistake of traveling to the Wrack Line will have the full opportunity to experience the filth and squalor of this blemish on Sembren society.

Rydeltown

  Standing in warm contrast to the boisterous and rancid Wrack Line is the quiet city of Rydeltown.  Nestled in the wide arms of Haven Cove, this is the only major town on the eastern edge of Sembre. To the North, the high-backed ridges of the Lonely Peninsula embrace the edges of Rydeltown with gentle foothills before scooping upward into the wind-washed mountains of the Ridge and unwinding into the meandering glens of the half-elfs. The sun always rises on Rydeltown and sets on Stormhenge: and there is no truth lost in that metaphor. 

  The town was founded by Edmund Rydel - a gentle knight in Ensembre. Before the Oceanic Guard, the most coveted positions of selfless honor and service was to a Knight of Ensembre. While Rydel cherished and excelled in his work in the king's court, he  found himself often frustrated by the single-mindedness of his politically ambitious city. Seeking an escape, he petitioned the king for the opportunity to tame the wild Eastern coasts of Sembre. And he was granted his wish.

  Rydel set out across the eastern ridge of the Crown with a collection of hopeful serf families, determined to guide them to a new life outside Ensembre. The journey was arduous, and often required Rydel to be more a pioneer than a knight - foregoing the sword for the axe and the familiar weight of his armor on his shoulders for the weary weight of the weak. When they finally arrived at the shores of East Sembre - the light of dawn broke over a transformed collection of humans. No longer were they knight and peasants. They were friend and family. Rydel's ability to lay aside is status for the sake of his charges and his determination to protect and provide led him to establish and govern the first town on the Eastern seaboard - Haven. 

  The town experienced a period of peaceful prosperity with Rydel as governor. In a magical turn of events, he fell in love with and married a mermaid of the local pod - uniting land and sea in that region in peace (the mermaids and humans have been good neighbors ever since).  Though Haven experienced great freedom from its scarce communications with Ensembre, Rydel insisted that his people retain their love for king and country. So, he commissioned the construction of a Garrison to train the young adults of the city in combat should they ever serve in Ensembre: either willingly or at the bequest of their king. Even when the citizens forced the name of the city to be changed from Haven to Rydeltown, the humility of the governor persisted as he refused to allow his family crest to be flown above the king's. 

  "Though a man may search from sky to sea, there is no greater joy than in serving the king."  --a common children's rhyme

  Today, the citizens of Rydeltown still celebrate the life of their idol and ancestor, Edmund Rydel, and continue to supply some of the best new recruits to the Ensembren Knigths and the Oceanic Guard.

History

 The Oceanic Guard

  The Oceanic Guard can best be understood as privateers charged with keeping the Code of the High Seas. Under the Par-Amauran Charter, they are given authority to detain and board ships at land or sea, inspect cargo, and make arrests as necessary to protect the law and order of the transoceanic trade routes. Despite their implementation, piracy has managed to survive, especially in areas surrounding the treacherous and mysterious Westling Archipelago. 

  It is important to recognize that the Oceanic Guard is in no way affiliated with the Sembren Navy. The Oceanic Guard is proudly sponsored by the contributions of multiple continents and races. In the prime of its reign, the white wings stretched across navy blue sails were welcomed as a sign of security and authority over a sea that had been wild and hostile. After the mythos and fear of the Seafolk sank into history, the reverence toward the Oceanic Guard began to disappear as well. The sea was no longer a dark and terrifying place, so what need was there for an oceanic task force? Despite their decrease in popularity, the Oceanic Guard still maintains full authority in the realms of nautical law enforcement. 

champions of sembre

Pax the Magnificent

(Born in the the year of the Third Age, Prince of Sembre, Tamer of the West, Savior of the Three Seas, The Child of Peace, 

  Hero of Heroes. Prince of Sembre. Tamer of the West. Savior of the Three Seas. Pax wore many titles. Pax was the firstborn son of King Travian III at the peak of the Age of Exploration. While he would have been named Travian IV, legend has it that a prophet of the royal court divined that the child should be named Pax because he would "pursue peace with ferocity and boldness."

  The kingdom was overjoyed as this fortune unfolded in the life of the young Pax. He began training as an Ensembren Knight as soon as he was of age, and even without the assistance of his father, rose quickly through the ranks of the Knights - completing his paladin training faster than any candidate to date. By the age of seventeen, he was commanding a detachment in the Lake Valley to maintain peace and order within the the boundaries of the Crown. But as Pax' knowledge of the world beyond the mountain range increased, his heart of gold and prophetic calling began to urge him to fight for balance and order throughout Sembre. He asked his father for orders to Stormhenge.

The Taming of West Sembre

  As a member of the royal family, Pax had never left the safety of the Lake Valley, and it took much cajoling on his part and that of his mentor, Melach Rydel, to convince his father to allow him journey to the lawless cities of West Sembre. But Pax was determined to fulfill his destiny as a harbinger of peace, and eventually, his father consented. 

  When Pax finally crossed the Crown mountain range, his small cohort of Ensembren Knights faced overwhelming challenges in bringing the devolved realm of West Sembre back into order. Corrupt leadership in Stormhenge, wanton lawlessness in the Wrack Line, and monster threats in ever corner of the untamed plains - Pax and his Knights were almost consumed by the darkness of West Sembre, but by his cunning strategy, unwavering determination, and glorious charisma, Pax overcame all these challenges presented to his Knights and was able to accomplish what the Kings of Sembre had failed to do for generations. Pax tamed West Sembre. 

Diplomacy

   At the end of this seven year campaign across the continent, the prince was made governor of Stormhenge. During his service, Pax became well acquainted with the various continental dignitaries who ventured to the newly revitalized Port of Stormhenge to meet this new Tamer of West Sembre. Chīali chieftains, dwarf lords, even the elf Galymbrilis of the Pristine Council came to pay their respects to this glorious liberator. Of all his exotic guests, though, Pax was most enthralled by the gnomes of the sandy city of Asabh'Olim and became a close ally of Gildeerius Nakhada. After setting up the next governor in office, Pax departed with Gildeerius on an ocean voyage inspired by the Halfling's Odyssey to traverse the realm and discover all her wonders.

The Continental Alliance

   Other than a small brush with pirates every now and then, Pax and Gildeerius had a rather uneventful journey, returning to Sembre after an illuminating voyage of one and half years. But as they returned, all Sembre fell into chaos. In his absence, Gildeerius' company had conducted wicked experiments on the Seafolk and discovered the origin of the Seafolk Panacea, information that incited Seafolk massacres in South and West Sembre. In the catastrophe that followed, Isle Pyros was dragged into the sea, gripping the world in a panic. Pax returned immediately to Ensembre and called immediately for a continental alliance. Because of his time spent with each of the races during his Odyssey, the other Terra peoples were more than willing to look to Pax as a beacon of hope in the rising terror of the Nautilus Crisis. At Pax' request, heroes were chosen from the various continents and sent (or collected by the Sembren Navy) to Pax in Stormhenge. Under the new title of the Oceanic 8, these heroes set forth with Pax as their leader to put an end to the Seafolk's vengeful strike against the continents.

The Oceanic Guard // Pax Rising

  After the Nautilus Pieces were taken from the Seafolk and the crisis dispelled, Pax returned to Sembre and immediately began assembling the first organization dedicated to the execution of international law. Desperate to restore order and punish the genocidal, many of the continents agreed and ratified the creation the Oceanic Guard, with Pax as its leader.

  The process of fully organizing and outfitting the guard would take years to complete, but at the request of his friend, Sirena, Pax took a break from his duties and made a voyage to Dysmiridia to check on his old friend Matthias. It was there that Pax learned the Nautilus Pieces would poison the minds of those who held them. When Matthias disappeared, Pax began an immediate mission to use his new Oceanic Guard to round up the cursed pieces and lock them away in forever. Thus did Pax set out on his last and most noble errand: to free the world of the Nautilus Pieces. 

Corruption of the Soul

  For three years, Pax hunted the Oceanic 8 and the Nautilus Pieces. When he finally returned to Sembre, he had succeeded in arresting the crazed dwarf lord, Noldür for withholding his Nautilus Piece, yet failed to secure any of the Nautilus Pieces aside from his own. With a heavy heart, Pax secluded himself in Ensembre Castle where it is was said he dove into a maddening despair inflicted upon him by his Nautilus Piece.

   Truly, Pax was being infected by another artifact - Galymbrilis' Casket. The nihilistic High Elf had given Pax his Casket during their time together in the Oceanic 8 as a simple of friendship, Pax was enamored with the vast stores of knowledge, art, and introspection the Casket contained, but was completely unaware of the Casket's secret stores: Gal's poisonous emotions. Every time Pax opened the Casket, he was infected with the deep, nihilistic despair of the High Elf. By the time the Oceanic 8 had finished their mission to save the world, Pax was as vain as any elf, and when he was began his collection of the Pieces, he was as power-hungry and arrogant as any High Elf, and when he locked himself in his tower in Ensembre, he became as bent on the world's apocalyptic rebirth as Galymbrilis himself. 

The Death of a Prince

   The official declaration of Pax' death was that he was ambushed on the road to Stormhenge, while trying to deliver his Nautilus Piece to Galymbrilis. But Pax did not at the hands of highway. He died at the hands of a friend.

   Pax did not have long to brood in his solitude, for Sirena L'mey arrived at his doorstep shortly after Pax sentenced Noldür to death. Pax welcomed her company, hoping she had come to resume her role as his confidant and counselor as she had been on their voyage during the Nautilus Crisis. When he opened the door, he embraced her, and she blasted him through the wall. 

  The duel between these two titans is the stuff of legends, yet was concealed for generation by the royal court. Such repression has consequently led to exaggerations of the event. There are some who claimed they fought all through the night and into the next day. Others claim the two made three laps around the crown before finishing their fight. What is undeniably true is that Pax' and Sirena's duel reached the Border Embassy on the southern edge of the crown before Sirena finally struck him down. 

His Legacy

   How does a young man, named the "child of peace" by prophets, fall to such dark depths as Pax, Prince of Sembre? What happened in that man's soul and where did it begin? These are the questions that haunt the soul-obsessed humans of Sembre to this very day.

   Sirena L'mey - the most empathic and intuitive of the Oceanic 8 - sensed the darkening of Pax' soul early in their time together. She had monitored his condition from afar while Pax created the Oceanic Guard, but when Pax declared his mission to seek out and forcibly collect the Nautilus Pieces from his old shipmates, she went into brief hiding to store her piece safely away from his schemes. 

  When she returned to the world

Augustus Sheppard

(Born in the year of the Fourth Age, 3rd Fleet Officer in the Oceanic Guard, 

   Augustus grew up in the tension of wanting to please his parents while at the same time yearning to become his own man. He charged through Garrison then the Academy with flying colors, but lacked the familial connections to pull him into the higher ranks of the Oceanic Guard. And when his unwavering sense of duty displaced him from his corrupt counterparts in the Guard, Augustus cast out of the Guard.

   This dismissal proved to be the best moment in Augustus’ life, for it entangled him with the heroes of the Apocalyptic and launched him on an adventure of loss and self-discovery. When the endeavors of the Apocalypse came to a conclusion, Augustus returned to Ensembre where he was knighted, regaining all the honor he had lost and more.

   Augustus immediately put his new powers to work. With King Willisander, Augustus purged the Oceanic Guard of its corrupt leaders and its ties to T’samaan Investment Corporation. The organization (for that was all it really was at that point) was bankrupted in repaying its debts to T’samaan, and in the end, Augusus allowed the King to absorb the entire fleet and all her crew into the Sembren Navy. Within a year, the Oceanic Guard was whittled down to almost nothing. But Augustus had already known that place and was not afraid.

   Though the Guard lied in shambles, its charter persisted. Augustus rebuilt the Oceanic Guard in accordance with Pax’ original vision but with submission to the God of the Sea. Augustus never raised the Guard above twelve members at a time, but these twelve brought Amaura to her knees. The Oceanic Guard became a moral compass to the nations and were more often called into international disputes to provide wisdom and morality guidance rather than physical authority.

   In spite of shame and confusion, Augustus Sheppard persisted in the guidance of his friends and mentors to become the man who baptized a hopelessly corrupt organization in the restorative waters of the God of the Sea.