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Cheliax

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Cheliax
Chelaxian flag
(Nation)
Alignment Lawful evil
Capital Egorian
Ruler Queen Abrogail II
Government imperial bureaucracy

Cheliax is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful nations on Golarion, and it maintains naval control over the profitable Inner Sea. As important as the nation may be, it pales in comparison to its former Imperial glories. Today, Cheliax suffers from extreme diabolism and a tyranny which prevent it from truly achieving its full potential.

Contents

[edit] Government

Cheliax is currently ruled by noble houses of diabolists, led by the ruling House Thrune. Much of the power of House Thrune is gained through arrangements with Hell. Currently Queen Abrogail II rules Cheliax with her infernal regent General Gorthoklek.[1]

Many of the policies of Cheliax are placed to quell dissent and encourage fellow citizens to turn those in that they suspect as traitors to Imperial Cheliax, for the perceived promise of wealth and advancement. The fear caused by this causes many to keep quiet of their suffering from the infernal regime. Officially the state sanctions the worship of Asmodeus. The capital of Cheliax is located in Egorian.[2]

[edit] Noble Houses

House Thrune may currently be the most powerful of the noble houses, but it is certainly not the only one. Some of the more powerful houses are:

  • House Charthagnion: This house made a supernatural pact with infernal powers giving their members superhuman wisdom. Because of this, House Charthagnion can look forward to centuries of servitude to the powers of Hell.[3]
  • House Henderthane: The house of Henderthane has been supplying and manufacturing weapons for a thousand years, and currently is the chief weapon supplier to House Thrune.[3]
  • House Jeggare: The Jeggare family is one of the wealthiest not just in Cheliax, but in all of of Avistan.[3] Member of the house, for instance, are one of the ruling families of the Varisian city of Korvosa,[4] where there are rivers[5] and streets named after them.
  • House Leroung: A house of prominent academics and arcanists, House Leroung is widely respected for their impartial and unbiased pursuit of knowledge.[3]
  • House Narikopolus: This family is known for their superb archers which they begin training from an early age.[3]
  • House Sarini: A family of cruel jesters, this house is sometimes referred to as the "Fools of Thrune", or the "Lapdogs of Hell".[3]

[edit] Geography

Cheliax takes up most of the southwestern end of Avistan, and though it is less than half its former size, remains one of the largest nations in the region. Its capital, Egorian, rests near the center of the nation on the banks of Lake Sorrow.[6] North of the lake stands the Barrowood, and the River Adivian flows south from the lake, past Westpool and East Rikkan, into Gemcrown Bay past Westcrown.[7] Cheliax maintains a foothold in Garund as well, holding the southern end of the Arch of Aroden (the province of Kharijite) and thus controlling access to the Inner Sea. Some of its Imperial holdings remain under Chelaxian control as well, including Nidal. It's more distant holdings are the Garundi colony of Sargava (although Sargava has escaped from Chelaxian rule, at least for the moment) and Anchor's End in far-off Arcadia.[8]

[edit] Settlements

[edit] History

Cheliax was founded as a western frontier province of the Taldan Empire in 3007 AR. More than a thousand years later, and two years after Qadiri forces invaded southern Taldor, King Aspex the Even-Tongued declared independence from the nation's parent state in 4081 AR. As Taldor struggled through what would become a five-century-long war with Qadira, Aspex seized the territories of Andoran, Galt, and Isger in what would become known as the Even-Tongued Conquest.[9]

Chelish expansion continued in 4305 AR with the launch of the Everwar in the north. The empire annexed lands in Molthune and Varisia, completing its conquest of Nidal in 4338 AR. Shortly before the Everwar ended in 4410 AR, Chelish forces founded Fort Korvosa in 4407 AR.[10]

In the last decades of the Age of Enthronement, many of the seeds of Cheliax's present were laid. The first Hellknight order, the Order of the Rack, was founded in 4576 AR in the capital, Westcrown. In 4605 AR, King Gaspodar began the preparations for the prophesied reappearance of the god Aroden.[11]

When their patron deity Aroden instead died, some say the soul of Cheliax perished with him. The once mighty empire tore itself apart, and only through the power of three noble Houses, each steeped in deviltry, was order restored. The empire runs on the backs of fiends now, a perfect machine of hellfire and blood, where morality surrenders to the needs of law and order. It's easy to curse Cheliax as a nation of devil-lovers, but few can argue with the results of their fiend-binding craft. House Thrune, the greatest of its diabolic noble families, has brought the empire under control once more. Cheliax rises like a dark star, as strong as ever, despite the recent losses of Galt and Andoran to rebellious forces.[citation needed]Asmodeus proves as powerful a divine patron as Aroden ever did, shepherding his people toward glory and dominance of the Inner Sea. His plans reach eons into the future, and the minor setbacks of yesterday are all factored into the cost of doing a devil's business. The Chelish always plan for a long campaign, and never trifle over today's skirmishes. In the end all will burn in hellfire. It is only a matter of time and calculated conquest.[citation needed]

[edit] People

Chelish treatment of non-infernal clerics

Three-quarters of Cheliax's human population are ethnic Chelaxians [12], and the pale-skinned Chelish believe themselves superior to all other peoples. Their compact with great devils gives them power beyond measure, and no other nation of the Inner Sea can compete with their summoners and warlocks when it comes to trafficking with dark forces. These devils require payment for their service, often offered up in the form of tender flesh and boiled blood. Tieflings enjoy an unusual status in Cheliax, often seen as subordinate to humans by the Chelish diabolists.[12] Slaves are an important resource of the Chelish as are artifacts of ancient power whose secrets are revealed to them by their timeless patrons. Even as Andoran revels in its newfound freedom, the tendrils of Cheliax's empire continue to expand. Arcadia lays open before them and Sargava is ready to fall under their hellish sway.[13]

[edit] References

  1. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 70. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  2. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 68-70. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 71. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  4. ↑ Tito Leati. (2008). Crown of Fangs. Crown of Fangs, p. Inside front cover. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-109-1
  5. ↑ James Jacobs, & Mike McArtor. (2008). Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide, p. Inside back cover. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-087-2
  6. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 69. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  7. ↑ James Jacobs, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber Scott, Hank Woon. (2009). Council of Thieves Player's Guide, p. 11. Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  8. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 68. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  9. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 202. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  10. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 203. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  11. ↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 203. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 James Jacobs, F. Wesley Schneider, Amber Scott, Hank Woon. (2009). Council of Thieves Player's Guide, p. 4. Paizo Publishing, LLC.
  13. ↑ Joshua J. Frost & Nicolas Logue. (June 5, 2008). Exploring Paizo's Pathfinder Society Organized Play, Part 2, Paizo Blog.


Nations of Avistan

Absalom • Andoran • Brevoy • Cheliax • Druma • Galt • Hermea • Hold of Belkzen • Irrisen • Isger • Kyonin • Lastwall • Lands of the Linnorm Kings • Mendev • Molthune • Nidal • Nirmathas • Numeria • Qadira • Razmiran • Realm of the Mammoth Lords • The River Kingdoms • Taldor • Ustalav • Varisia • Worldwound

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