The Trifecta
The northern province of Vabbi is famous for its great wealth and refined culture. Merchant princes pride themselves on their large estates, prosperous businesses, and patronage of the arts. Its provincial government, the Grand Forum of Vabb, is a plutocracy: only the wealthiest princes in the land have the power to make laws. Their legislature is openly democratic, but secretly, a merchant with influence has more power than a councilor with the legal right to cast a ballot.
Three great Vabbian princes rule the land: Prince Ahmtur the Mighty, Prince Bokka the Magnificent, and Prince Mehtu the Wise. Most plutocrats sponsor great festivals and celebrations to display their importance and influence. Celebrations in Vabbian estates are true wonders to behold: Dancers flourish in their elegant fashions, gourmands sample cuisine, revelers consume epic quantities of alcohol, and cultured citizens enjoy great works of drama and poetry. Heroes are welcomed and often featured at these festivals, where their exploits are celebrated in songs and stories.
The Vabbi are effusive in displays of self-importance, but also keenly aware of how much they depend on other Elonians. The guards of Vabbian estates watch the mountain range to the north, while citizens on the province’s southern border depend on neighboring Kournans to keep them safe. Outside the walls of the grand estates, danger is everywhere. Raiders know secret passes through the mountains and mines and monstrous creatures roam the landscape.
Fortunately, every generation of Vabbi includes idealists who dream of adventurous journeys across Elona. New tales of adventure appear on the shelves of Vabbi’s libraries each year, as actors portray new heroes on the stages of Vabbian theaters.
Most Vabbians worship Lyssa, the patron goddess of the province. The Vabbian military is not a united force but rather guards of individual estates and of princes, most of which are led by or affiliated with Pince Ahmtur.
Foes and Monsters
In the rock-strewn deserts of Vabbi, natural and magical creatures both present danger to those seeking to travel. Djinn prey upon the foolish and the jealous, harpies descend from the skies, and the frog-like heket drag their victims to their watery nests. Within deep mines of the surrounding mountains, it is rumored that even stranger creatures lie in wait.