Southern Sellederre Empire

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"Give me a hundred slaves, a dozen carts, and ten pickaxes and I'll give you back a king's ransom in gems, a dozen carts, and a half-dozen half-alive slaves."
 * - Ushindath Yaili, in Making your Fortune in the Southern Reaches.

Region
The Southern half of the Sellederre Empire encompasses all mainland south of the Wall of the Gods, the immeasurably large mountain range which splits the northern and southern sections of the Sellederre Empire.

The exact eastern and western borders have never been determined, but are loosely considered to reach the Sea of Sand to the West, and the southern coastline of the Scattered Bay in the East.

Terrain
Consisting mostly of lush mountainous jungle and deep valleys of sand, this region is typical of newly formed deserts. Unlike its northern counterpart, sporadic low-lying mountainous areas mean that this region has easy access to large quantities of water in some areas, allowing for the growth of immense jungles hiding away pre-ruination cities and ruins.

Climate
Similarly to its northern counterpart, this region is exceptionally hot during the day, and in some places can be exceptionally cold during the night time. Seasons pass much the same as elsewhere in the world of Varia, and the cycles of the moons of unaffected.

Hazards
This region is significantly less well settled than its northern counterpart, meaning that many non-human tribes wander the land. Some of these tribes are peaceful, others are not.

Additionally, the hot climate and moist jungles mean that both disease and disease carriers are rife.

Cultures
The majority of people in this region follow similar cultural and religious trends to that of the rest of the Sellederre Empire, however there is a significantly more isolationist and ruthless attitude present here owing to the more hazardous nature of the region. As such, corruption is rife, and slavery is more common that elsewhere in the Empire. Furthermore, court disputes are less likely to be resolved in a lawful manner, often times escalating to assassinations, riots, and unlawful imprisonment.

Travel
Travel is extremely dangerous across the majority of this region. If the sheer heat does not kill you, then disease might. Where disease fails, it's highly venomous animal and monster carriers might succeed. Rocky falls, hidden quick sands, and extreme weathers all battle to murder you - and to top it off, the local inhabitants are as likely to cheat, enslave, or imprison you as they are to trade with you.

Diplomacy
Diplomatic relations are tense in the southern regions of the Sellederre Empire. Alliances are commonly formed, betrayed, and broken - both within, and without the region. However, the further east of west one travels within the Southern region, the stronger diplomatic bonds are considered to be, and the less corrupt they are likely to be. This is likely a result of strong cultural influences along the Western border, and a strong need for consistent trade along the Eastern border.

Ancient
The mountains of this region are rumoured to have been formed during the Period of Ruination when the Wall of the Gods rose up out of what was at the time lush islands in a shallow sea. Certainly, the mild sloping of the southern Sellederre Empire, and rich mining sources indicate that this lore may be true.

Since the period of ruination, the land was mostly unsettled owing to its intense natural danger.

Recent
Over the past three hundred years or so, settlers from the North, and East of the Sellederre Empire have begun moving into the Southern region in order to take advantage of its rich natural resources. With little overarching government so to speak, these settlers have resorted to brutal and unethical means of maintaining control, resulting in a very different cultural growth to the rest of the Empire.

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