The Nircotian Wilderness is a vast area of land composed of two mountain ranges with hills at their feet and a plain in the middle. Living in this region is a group of people known as the Nircoti. This story tells the tale of how a guide from the Nircoti surpasses her own past to help a child reach her own future.

Warning: The Nircotian Wilderness series may have a high rating for violence. You have been warned.

Respect: The setting and culture are the work of maidenroseheart, aka Mindy, and should not be used without permission and citing. These stories are also mainly between Tachigami and maidenroseheart. Only those invited, having shown desireable taste to both these parties, may join on invitation only.


On the west side and east side of this region are two mountain ranges. Each tower so high that almost two-thirds up their steep sides, a human can barely breathe due to the thin oxygen that exists. Often the tops of these ranges have massive clouds that float north, snowing on the peaks and raining in the mountains. Each of these two mountain ranges have their own pass. A sharp, V-shaped valley leading down to a single trail. These are located in the center of each range. What trails exist on the outsides of these mountains - and outside of the Nircotian region - are rocky, treacherous trails. The inner sides of the mountain ranges that overlook the hills and plain are heavily forested below the tree line. The almost constant rain in the mountains make for a very slippery surface composed of pine, moss, and fast-pasted streams filled with rapids and waterfalls. Gold and gems can be found in these streams. Coal can be found in any of the rare caves that exist in this hard blue rock.

At the base of each of these mountain ranges outside the valley are settlements. Each with its own garrisons, trading posts, and simple towns. Different races vie for the chance to be influential in the area. At the base of each of these mountain ranges, in the Nircotian Wilderness, are the foothills. Wonderful green hills with gentle rivers and groves, it provides the balance of life. Silver can be found here.

The plain is in the middle of this region and is almost circular in design with the hills framing it. The plain at the outmost part drops down in a steep slope, resembling almost a crater. The entire plain is tall dry grass except for the area in the center. The very center, for a mile or so wide, is pure desert. Nothing but hard dirt exists there. A rare element known as Nirc can be found here, named after the people who guard it. It is strong, silvery beautiful with a silver glow at night, and said to have more properties to it than can be imagined.

North side of the mountain ranges extend so far north that the climate is bitter and cold. Even with the inventions in recent years, no one has been able to find a way to travel the region without meeting a cold fate. Those who have insisted on going have never been seen again. What's more, there are tales of large, white creatures that resemble wolves but are as large as grizzlies that inhabit that region. It is supposed but not proven of their existence with a hypothesis out there that if they did exist, they can't come south for lack of cool weather, snow, and ice.

South of this area is just as treacherous. The mountains and hills end in steep cliffs at the ocean. Large waves and typhoons swirl this ocean area like an epidemic. Ships who dare to blunder into these water meet with large sea creatures, maelstroms, and waves that dwarf most buildings. The moisture provided by the ocean travels north providing the mountains with their constant rain. Storms that reach the hills, and rarely the plain, tend to have become gentle rain showers compared to their original forms.


The abilities of the Nircoti are legendary. They are known for their training of eagles and hawks, Nirvan horses, healers and their own warriors. These four groups are known as the "four strengths."

Abilities: Scouts - Their scouts are composed of their swiftest runners. Men and women who wear leather armor, are the top sprinters in their villages, and have raised and trained their own scouting bird. The birds tend to be eagles or hawks. They use Nirc, worn in headbands that are attached by the healers, to mentally view together what the bird sees. However the birds, though intelligent, are in the end just superbly trained birds. They are loyal to their owners, but no foreigner can come near them without sustaining serious injury. No exceptions. Scouts are trained in archery, short-swordsmanship, daggers, and throwing knives. They patrol the plains and the mountain passes, keeping an eye out for invading forces in the latter or the entrepreneur in the former. Traditionally they wear a combition of greys and browns to blend in.
Abilities: Mounted Riders - There are several tribes that specialize in the breeding, raising, and training of their horses. The horses are large, muscular creatures that can endure the mountain trails and hold their own in fighting. They are loyal to their trainers and to those that the trainers personally give them to. They fight, guard, and respond via verbal and physical signals. Those who ride them for life must also be able to fight bareback if need be using sword, lance, and archery. They generally patrol the mountain ranges, northern wilds, and southern boarders. The riders were colors of browns to better blend in with their horses.
Abilities: Healers - The healers are those who have devoted their lives to studying herb properties and Nirc. Common knowledge is that they are the only ones able to use Nirc for more than artistic purposes. Large enough quantities have never been collected or taken out of the valley for experimentation or mass weapon use. Healers are known for their generous souls. They generally wear a white thin robe with a blue outer coat. If not this precise outfit, then a combination of blues and whites of some sort works.
Abilities: Warriors - These are the strongest of the Nircoti. They are excellent at use of the sword and shield of varying types. They regularly practice drills, mock battles, and discuss scenarios with possible outcomes. They are hardened into their skills by venturing into the wilds of the mountains where creatures of claw and tooth live. They practice survival in every climate their region holds. They are the ones who repel invading forces that attempt to navigate their mountain passes. On call, each village is responsible for supplying their quota of warriors at the encampments that are set at the base of each mountain range. They wear heavy armor and anything of color has been fitted and decorated to help them blend in with whatever environment they are stationed at.
Abilities: Misc - There are many other stations of life in the villages that are not represented here. Farmers, herders, artisans, small government leaders, scientists, and so many more. Whatever the employ of the people, they tend to have strengths in one of the four major areas as well. Everyone contributes to the well-being of their society.


The settlements are composed of a central meeting hall, the healing school, and various buildings of different trades. They are formed in a large circle with the homes in several smaller circles inside the main circle. Inside the ring of houses is a single circle of gardens, each with their own type of vegetable, herb, or flower. Then there is a single circle of fruit trees. In the center is a dependable well that survives drought. In this way, if attacked, they can sustain the people.

Surrounding the entire village is a large wall with platforms around it. Originally built out of wood, it was then covered in clay to protect from fire. Outside the walls are the large fields of those settlements that farm. Other settlements have herds of various lifestock. The only settlements that require trading for food are those that raise horses and birds. They can trade easily within their tribe for what is lacking. Each settlement also has their own weave and color combination within that weave. The Narcoti are as adapt at reading the weaves as you are at reading this text. Duplicates and disguises are easily seen through by them, though foreigners cannot distinguish the difference between all the colorful fabrics. Each settlement flies their weave above the well and above their main buildings of the four strengths that they might have in their settlement.

There are numerous small settlements scattered throughout the hills. Each settlement is restricted in size from 100-500 people. When it grows large, the most numerous small families as decided on by the settlement move out to create their own. Narcoti do intermarry between settlements, but carry as their last name the family name that belongs with the settlement that they live in currently. If they move, they join a willing family in their new settlement. Despite this, detailed family origins are kept in embroidery in the settlements. Every year the historians gather to update their collection of family historians. If one settlement is lost, the history is kept.

Though most of the settlements are in the hills, a precious few have devoted their existence to the protection of the Narcoti by living in the mountains. They generally are warrior settlements that learn to live off the land they are surrounded by. Even fewer are in the plain, and generally hold more healers. The healers of these settlements go to assist in times of war when foreigners invade or plague breaks out. There are always the nomad groups as well that drive large herds of the Nirvan horses between the hills and plain grasses in order to avoid overgrazing an area, which could lead to desertification.

Culture

Music: - Flute music is their main source of pleasure. Songs that are created either are done in worship or as a way to pass on their history.
Food - They live on vegetables and grains that are grown. Fruit is considered a desert as is apple cider. Generally they drink tea. Poultry is the main meat, but not eaten every meal. Sheep and Cows are eaten only at feasts.
Religion - They believe in a Creator God who cares about them and loves them. Worship for them is singing songs of praise to him, writing poetry, or going out in nature to reflect how He has blessed and taken care of them.
Clothing - They wear pants with loose long shirts that are belted. Only the healers wear robes. Most wear leathers of some sort as added protection: jacket, vest, bracers, shin guards, etc.
Transportation - Horses.
Language - Nar is their ancient language. Though they know Nar in the settlements in the plain, it is rarely used as much as the common language is.
Character/Values - They have a huge respect for life, duty, working hard, good deeds, honor, reputation, morals, excellent manners, and integrity. The Narcoti do not particularly value magnetic personalities, being fascinated or entertained, the stunning, the attractive, or the glowing. They are not fond of domineering, forceful, or overly energetic personalities. These qualities to them are that of the foreigners when foreigners want the precious Nirc.
Recreation - Mock battles, cooking contests, and art.
Education - Every child receives a basic education in reading, writing, and arithmetic. They are grilled in history from childhood. During the years of basic education and survival skills, they also are trained in the basic elements of the four strengths. At age 10, they are assigned to the one that they are strongest in for further learning instead of all four. From age 12-15 they are apprenticed to three different career areas gaining skills in those areas. Once they have reached the age of 15, they get a year off from their studies and work to travel the Nircotian Wilderness. At age 16, they are considered responsible and pick up the career they plan to have for life. Age 22 is when they are done with apprenticeship and what would pass as a somewhat formal education. They begin to work as full adults.

History

The plain is the center of their world. It wasn't always this way though. A long time ago, the people they call The Foolish Ones had lived in a large beautiful valley with gentle mountains. It is said that there was a lake in the center where Nirc was a liquid instead of a metal. Some may call it magic, science, or divine work that the Nirc creates. The Nircoti don't really care. It is what is is. The Foolish Ones misused the Nirc and disaster ensured. An explosion of horrendous proportions created the plain. The shock waves pushed the gentle mountains out into the mountain ridges they are today, though why they are straight lines north to south is a mystery. The rebound shockwave allowed the gentle hills to form. This is the tale that the Nircoti are raised with.

Nirc is a rare metal that can be found in bits and pieces in the plain. It is more common towards the center. What the Nircoti protect is the dry, desert center where huge pieces of Nirc rock lay buried. It is believed that if used, greed will corrupt those in leadership or those who want leadership. Avoiding another horrible fate that The Foolish Ones were dealt is their goal.

Foreigners

The Nircoti lived peaceful lives for many years slowly developing from nomads that wondered the hills into the culture that they are today. Their first true exposure with a large group of foreigners was a thousand years ago with the Brittca empire. The Brittca empire was at the time a trading empire that wished to trade for the plain colored cloth, non-war trained horses, and smallest bits of Nirc the Nircoti were willing to trade. However the Brit people betrayed this trade alliance in their greed for the multi-colored clothe, war horses, and more Nirc. This led to the first major war the Nircoti every fought. They learned from it.

The Nircoti were not prepared for the onslaught that had entered their valley or the trials that constant war forced them to face. So after 200 years of small fighting, they gladly accepted the outwardly friendly offer of help from the other side of the valley by the Romettian empire. Again they were betrayed and again another large war was fought. This time, with all foreigners being banned from the Nircotian Wilderness. Occasionally small groups or simple individuals are allowed access across to the other side, but the betrayals run deep in the history of the Nircoti.

Since then both empires as well as the nobility and leaders of the Span people have attempted raids into the Nircotian Wilderness to no avail. Over the last 800 years, the Nircoti have slowly strengthened their protection of their region as well as solidify their culture. It is dangerous to enter the mountains at all, much less with the Nircoti standing guard as well.

Races - Human

Cobi: - They are a small group of people who are nomads. They are very private people who do not intermingle or marry outside their culture. They seem to have a certain joy in caring for the animals they herd. They also seem to have no fear of the possible monsters of the north that sometimes seem to migrate south during the winter months. In contrast to that, they fear the southern ocean and avoid large lakes. They show no desire or interest in the Nircotian Wilderness nor wish to even see much less touch or use Nirc. They seem to prefer stringed instruments of any sort. They are firm vegetarians and would rather die than ever kill an animal in order to live. They won't even take advantage of another's work in preparing meat, such is their firm belief in the value of life. Much about them is unknown. SPOILER: Outside of the story, you the reader, are allowed to be aware that they are the descendents of The Foolish Ones. Do not allow this knowledge to affect your characters unless they themselves are Cobi. If they are, remember that this is knowledge they take with them to the grave.

Their history that is known only to them is limited. Here is the basic structure. They used to be a society of castles owned and lorded by warband leaders. Their warbands fought around and around the Nirc lake with no care for life. Many innocent people living in the surrounding villages were killed and economy was barely existent. Then one day, during a particularly horrible battle, somehow the liquid Nirc was used directly from the lake. No one knows how this was done, but it cost the life of an unknown creature that had secretly lived in the bottom of that lake. It's mate in grief flew up to the surface and into the air before some sort of explosion was created. This is the explosion that formed the Nircotian Wilderness as it is known to this day. Since then, the creatures in the ocean to the south have been extremely violent in the waters that are below but between the two mountain ranges. This happened so long ago that the history of it is mostly forgotten except for what is written here. This history is kept secret in the mourning of the Cobi. They to this day are trying to repent of their ancestors sins by caring for the life of the most defenseless creatures of all: grazing and herbivore animals.

Rom: They are probably the least tolerant of others out of all the difference races of humans. Despite their strength in military and conquest, they also have become very adept at managing and organizing skills. They are a very unified empire that has made allowances for other races to live among them. They desire the Nirc in order to strengthen their own weapons. Nirc's reputation as a strong element that can hold a sharp edge is legendary to them.

The Rom people were once warloads with fortresses to the far west. They migrated across the their region and soon started their own advanced civilization, pushing the Brit people onward in their expansion.

Brit: The Brit people were forced to migrate from the west to the east when the Rom people were expanding. That is how they discovered the Nircotian Wilderness and the element Nirc. They are aware that military-wise, they are not the strongest people out there, especially after the devastating war a thousand years ago with the Nircoti. Never fully recovering nor being able to retake any ground, they have settled to focus on economy and scientific invention. Due to this decision, their civilization has gained it's worth in the masterpieces that they create as well as being the holder of the currency that is now commonly accepted in the known world. They enjoy the finer things in life such as proper etiquette and complicated mannerisms. Their society is hierarchical with the levels of nobility, artisan, commoner, and laborer in that order of importance. They are tolerant of foreigners in that others wouldn't be able to keep up with some of their culture. However they can be still somewhat arrogant and pompous in attitude, a leftover trait from the less glorious earlier years. They view Nirc as the future of modern technology, invention and a good basic for any solid economy.

Span: These people were already living in the east when the Cobi migrated there. They generally left the nomads alone. They didn't clash and lived in the same territory without really interacting for many years. So when the Roms migrated over, they expected the same peaceful relationship. It didn't happen and they were forced to live as foreigners in their own land. They still worry about the military background and desires of the Roms, but make due. They don't miss the Brit people that had fought back and therefore forced to migrate on. These people are a very religious people who believe in one God. Beyond that, there are many sects that all argue different points on what to believe. They hold a distrust of science as being a means to fight their religious convictions. Despite this distrust, they are a very communal type of people who make sure that everyone is cared for. Kind-hearted people who often focus on ensuring everyone has the basic needs of life: food, shelter, medical care. Feel a bit of anger towards the insensitivity of the Brit's ancestors. Think Nirc is the answer to all their prayers much like the Holy Grail was to Catholics.

Nations

Romettian - composed of Rom people with the Span and Cobi living with them. East.
Brittca - composed of Brit with some Rom living with them. West.
Span don't like Brit. Too scientific and proper-acting.
Cobi don't like Brit. They don't value life as much as they should, having allowed thousands to die in senseless battle before migrating on.
Rom don't like anyone. They are the current major influence. They view other cultures as sub groups in life and do not understand why other cultures do not adapt their own ways.
Brit don't like anyone. They are the second major influence. They view other cultures as sub groups in life and do not understand how they are not more respected. They don't seem to realize that they are respected enough for being non-allies.

Places' Names and Major Identity

Passes
Eastern Euphoria: the pass of the eastern mountain range
Western Wiles: the pass of the western mountain range

Forts

Settlements/Towns
Jimnae - The settlement at the base of the path that leads into the Eastern Mountain range to Eastern Euphoria.
Sinmae - The settlement at the base of the path that leads into the Western Mountain range to Western Wiles.

Cities

Port Cities and Harbors

Regions
Nircotian Wilderness - The large expanse that is in the middle of the known world.
Winter's Palace - The cold northern region.
Highlands - The eastern side of the Nircotian Wilderness.
Steppes of Song - The western side of the Nircotian Wilderness.
Murray Ocean - The ocean to the south of the known world.