The land of Ehris: Protected Cities

A stalwart adulation for the Queen, an unflinching dedication to the law, and an unfaltering devotion to the Arlith are the core requirements of Ehrisian society. These guiding principles act to insure the safety and survival of the people, and are perhaps most realized through a few far-reaching rituals that dominate the lives of the inhabitants of the land.

One such ritual is the Great Migration, a massive worldwide pilgrimage to sanctuaries strategically placed throughout the land. These havens act as the cities of Ehris, and are referred to commonly as Sanctum (or Sancta, pl.).

Created by the Queen, sanctified by The Arlith, and attended to by the Dom’ae, the Protected Cities stand as bastions of hope and strength for the good people of Ehris. They are the one place in all the land where they can be assured protection from the atrocities of Nhal’riun.

This is due to the fact that the Protected Cities have The Arlith’s Blessing, a revered status that permits the Templars to promote the will of The Arlith and perform the Observance of Canon.

The Observance of Canon is a ritual of great power and importance. It acts as a reaffirmation of the might of The Arlith, and of its unlimited beneficence in protection of its people. The Observance allows the Templars to create fantastic barriers that surround the city and keep out the horrors of the Great Dying.

The Protected Cities are few in number, especially when compared to the myriad of smaller towns and villages scattered about the landscape. They are treated more as holy sites, and only the most prominent members of the Calaaron, the Ærium, and the Dom’ae are allowed permanent residence within their walls. For everyone else it is a pilgrimage taken once every era where they are granted temporary asylum for the duration of Nhal’riun.

The Protected Cities of Ehris are as follows:

• Amandros - Province of Nar'Amandros
• Thalador - Province of Nar'Amandros
• Kur - Province of Ahnarison
• Xar Talus - Province of Naeha
• S'sran - Province of Mae
• Bermald - Province of Khl'an Nhar