The Viridis

Overview

Established in late 2466, the Viridis refers to several small realms located on the borders of the Wasteland. The largest concentration of these lands lies on the eastern edge of the Southlands, reaching into the Wasteland past Bahard - though other such fiefdoms lie to the west of Teht and to the north of Imas’hi. These realms are a grand experiment of the Hegemon’s in the large-scale use of Dionae for Wasteland reclamation, and are perhaps the largest and most influential Diona population in the Izweski Hegemony.

In a controversial decision by the Hegemon, these realms are ruled by Dionae - though still answerable to the rule of Governor Aeikuzo in Lazhi. Each of these noble gestalts, collectively nicknamed “the Lords Verdant” by their subjects, is carefully cultivated for capability as a ruler and loyalty to the Hegemon. They are allowed to operate with a fairly free hand, responsible for the growth and distribution of common gestalts in order to orchestrate large-scale reclamation of the Wasteland they preside over. Though they are permitted to split, or to form new noble gestalts, these gestalts are considered lesser nobility, with no inherent claim to the title of their progenitor. Many of these lesser gestalts have been sent to work elsewhere in the Hegemony, assuring that the Lords Verdant can gain greater influence outside their own territory.

In addition to the common gestalts of their lands, many Unathi workers have also traveled to the reclaimed Wastes - work remains a precious commodity in the Untouched Lands, and many have seen the new project as their chance to seize fortune from the ruins of the pre-war world. These Sinta will usually dwell side-by-side with the common gestalts of the region, assisting the Dionae in their growth and working to rebuild and reclaim the ruins that dot the Wasteland.

Culture

The Viridis is a melting pot, with workers from across the Hegemony traveling to the new frontier to seek their fortunes. Unathi of all backgrounds and cultures can be found here, but these disparate peoples are united in the overarching goal of the project - the reclamation of the Wasteland. In one way or another, every citizen of the Viridis works towards this goal, which has rapidly taken on a near-religious significance to many of them - often referred to as “The Great Work” among both Unathi and Dionae.

Due to the large Diona population, and the many gestalts dwelling within the region, the Unathi of the Viridis tend to have a positive outlook on Dionae - they are the means by which the Great Work is possible, after all, and many of them spend their days working closely with Diona gestalts. To some, Dionae are viewed as sacred or blessed beings, while others view them merely as an alien race who have lent their unique gifts to the Hegemony’s service. Close friendships between Unathi and Dionae are common in the Viridis, and the practice of symbiosis is more common there than anywhere else in the civilized Spur.

Though there are many Wastelanders among their number, the Sinta of the Viridis have developed a hostility towards many of the Wasteland factions, particularly those which have proven troublesome or hostile to the Great Work. To many in the Viridis, those Wastelanders who refuse to pledge themselves to the Lord Verdant are sabotaging the healing of Moghes out of their own pride, while those who raid or pillage Viridis settlements are viewed as barely-Sinta, savages who would despoil Moghes’ great hope just to prolong their own wretched lives. Though the Lords Verdant do not have a policy of open aggression, many of their subjects wish for a firmer hand in dealing with troublesome or defiant Wastelanders.

Though opinions on the Lords Verdant themselves vary from territory to territory, the Viridis as a whole is ruled by Lady-Governor Zhelmi Aeikuzo, whose enigmatic and disturbing reputation has become a popular subject of idle gossip through the rest of the Hegemony. In the Viridis, these tall tales are still told - but curiously, many of the locals speak them differently, using her moniker “Lady of Thorns” with something approaching pride. Monster or no, she is the one who began the Great Work, and that fact alone has inspired deep loyalty among many of her subjects.

The Viridis has come to appeal deeply to exiles, refugees, and Guwan - it is a new frontier, with the promise of new work and great fortunes to be made for those who do their part. Many Wasteland refugees have flocked to the lands of the Lords Verdant, seeking to reclaim their own homes or to escape the crowded slums of the Untouched Lands. Though it is a young region, it has rapidly amassed a large population, with many among the nobility viewing it as a perfect opportunity to get rid of unwanted mouths to feed.

Faith

Sk’akh is the most common religion within the Viridis, largely brought by workers from the Untouched Lands. The Church has established a substantial presence in the region already, and some have even called on High Priest Azandar to raise a new Archpriest to serve the spiritual needs of the region. This request has not been granted, however - likely due to Lady Aeikuzo’s troubled past with the Church, and her unorthodox interpretations of Sk’akh doctrine. Though her proclamation as a heretic was withdrawn following the dissolution of the Maraziite Order, it has still made many among the priesthood wary of the Viridis, and the future that the Lady of Thorns would bring. Their concern is only warranted by how many among the faithful in the region have proven open to Aeikuzo’s interpretations, and her ideas as to the transformation of the Unathi form. Though this has yet to become a major issue for the Church, whispers in the corridors of the Great Scept claim that the Viridis could become the birthplace of a schism if left unchecked.

Though outnumbered by the Sk’akh population, many Th’akh Unathi also dwell within the Viridis, coming from a thousand divergent faiths. Shrines to all manner of spirit can be found in the Viridis, though the locals tend to favor spirits of growth or life - befitting the Great Work. Many of the Th’akh beliefs in the Viridis view Dionae as holy, particularly those which came from the Wasteland - a fact which the Lords Verdant have been happy to encourage. These Th’akh beliefs have been instrumental in the growth of the Viridis, often successfully used for the peaceful absorption of Wasteland communities - and a major positive factor in negotiations with the Clan Dorviza.

So far, there has been no sign of an Aut’akh presence within the Viridis - those in the undercity communes are reluctant to abandon their communities, and the faith is practically nonexistent among Wastelanders themselves.

Si’akh is also rare in the Viridis, though it has a small following among those Wastelanders who have chosen to be absorbed into the growing realm. The Prophet himself has commented on the project, stating that the Viridis is “a noble effort to alleviate the suffering of Moghes, but true salvation shall only come from Sk’akh”. Si’akh missionaries are generally permitted to preach in the Viridis - though some among the Lords Verdant have refused to allow them, particularly those surrounding Ihaliz.

Notable Locations

Lazhi, City of Ten Thousand Blossoms

The de facto capital of the Viridis is Lazhi, located in the southern Zazalais north of Bahard. Destroyed during the Contact War, Lazhi was left an uninhabitable ruin for decades. When Lady-Governor Aeikuzo was granted her position, she began focusing on the reclamation of Lazhi as her new capital - a grand initial victory for her efforts. Most of the lingering fallout had dispersed, and Aeikuzo’s use of Dionae ensured that the remainder was eradicated.

Since then, Lazhi has become a city unlike any other - many of its buildings still stand as ruined monuments, but where they were once desolate and lifeless they are now overgrown, with both Diona gestalts and specially-modified flora granting the city its namesake. Taking inspiration from Diona architectural styles found in the Commonwealth of Hieroaetheria, Lazhi is both city and garden. It has rapidly become a site of curiosity among xenobotanical scholars both within the Hegemony and from further afield, with human, Skrell, and Vaurca scientists having found positions in the Lady-Governor’s service.

The vast work of reclaiming a city is nowhere near done, and the project has only grown in its enormity. Thousands of laborers have come in the employ of Hephaestus Industries, working to rebuild the city’s infrastructure, and it will likely take years until the scars of the city’s devastation are fully healed. To those who have only ever known Lazhi as ruins, however, the progress already made is astounding - with some even describing it as the Hegemony’s first true victory against the Wasteland. At the heart of Lazhi lies the Governor’s palace - nicknamed “the Garden” by locals due to Lady Aeikuzo’s work. On the occasions that the Lords Verdant gather, this is where they are summoned to - and from here, all their work to reclaim the Wasteland is coordinated. Though Overlord Hutay’zai bears the informal title of “Lord of the Wastes”, the work done in the Garden has led many to whisper that the Lady-Governor is more deserving of such a title.

Though Aeikuzo rules Lazhi, the area of the Viridis surrounding it also has a Diona lord - the Argus gestalt known as The Silent Friend Embracing The Weeping Souls In A Blanket Of Purity And Love. This gestalt, often known as Taarazi, is a rarity - one of the few wild Dionae to have become one of the Lords Verdant, and the only one to have been grown entirely outside of Lady Aeikuzo’s careful cultivation. Taraazi was recruited early in the establishment of the Viridis, to provide the Lady-Governor insight into the culture and mentality of Wasteland Dionae. It has served as an emissary and advisor, working to bring Wasteland communities and wild Dionae under the Viridis, and many of the gestalts in the area owe their origins to Taraazi.

Ihaliz

Located to the west of Teht, Ihaliz is a small settlement serving as the center of reclamation efforts in the west. Rather than reclaimed ruins, Ihaliz is a new city, resembling a bustling and overgrown frontier town - though one which still lies well within the reach of Izweski authority, in no small part due to the proximity of Camp Izweski’s Honor. The settlement has become something of a hub for countless smaller reclamation efforts in the region, with the intent of reclaiming all the land between Teht and Camp Izweski’s Honor - ensuring that the Southlands are protected against Wasteland banditry in future.

Ihaliz is ruled by Steadfast Guardian of a World Reborn - a Competence Choir gestalt grown in Lady Aeikuzo’s garden, and educated by the genetic material of many skilled warriors. It is known to be an orderly and martial-inclined ruler, cultivated to assist the soldiers of Camp Izweski’s Honor in dealing with the dangers of Gawgaryn and other raiders which have plagued the region. Though most of the warriors under its command are Unathi, with Dionae largely serving in logistical or support roles, Ihaliz itself is largely defended by Diona practitioners of the Divine Mandate.

Since the establishment of Ihaliz, many local Wasteland groups have found themselves faced with a simple choice - to submit to the rule of Steadfast Guardian and the Hegemony, to depart their homes, or to be driven out. Though most of the local Wastelanders have chosen to reintegrate into the Hegemony, seeing the improvements that the reclamation program can bring to their quality of life, others have chosen to leave or resist - which has been met with stern reprisal by their new lord. Though it is not by any account a cruel ruler, it has been cultivated with a belief in the importance of maintaining authority, and those Wastelanders who have refused to kneel have found themselves driven out, fleeing deeper into the desert. Many of their lands have since been resettled by workers from the Southlands or by newly-grown common gestalts - ensuring that the great work of reclamation cannot be slowed by a few stubborn holdouts.

Hephaestus Industries has a substantial presence in Ihaliz, having been contracted for the building of the settlement. As the town grows, Hephaestus has also begun work on railroad lines to Teht and Camp Izweski’s Honor, ensuring that the reclaimed region can remain well-supplied and well-defended.

Rehus

Located in the mountains north of Skalamar, Rehus is the largest settlement of the northern Viridis, stretching its expanses of reclaimed land towards Camp Modesty. The site was chosen due to a subterranean aquifer nearby, and mining operations rapidly led to the excavation of the vast underground water reserves. This has led to the city’s nickname of “The Pit”, as it extends deep into the earth, in caverns lit by an odd mix of ordinary light and bioluminescent Dionae growths.

Rehus’s mining industry has led to a rapid population boom, as Hephaestus Industries has rapidly invested in the area’s development, setting up extensive industrial projects via the Miners’ Guild. The city’s true value, however, is in the aquifer - the merchants of Rehus have rapidly become some of the most prominent water traders in the Northern Wasteland, only rivaled by those of the still independent Canyon City. The water supplies of Rehus have led several Wasteland communities to abandon their independence and join the Viridis, swearing allegiance to the Lords Verdant and the Hegemon.

Though there are few Gawgaryn bands in the Northern Wasteland, the reclamation efforts of Rehus have led to tension with the Reclaimers, who on several occasions have clashed with warriors or salvagers seeking to restore ruins that the crawlers wished to salvage. Though this has never broken down into large-scale hostility, many among the northern Reclaimer clans worry that the reclamation projects mean there is little future for their way of life. The city’s water reserves have also led to difficulties with the people of Canyon City, which previously served as the center of the water trade - now, its significance is challenged, and the resources invested in the Viridis are far greater than those that the clans of the Canyon can bring to bear. Though so far the leadership of Rehus has been open to negotiation, Canyon City is reportedly gripped by internal conflict over how to deal with these new developments - and whether their importance will be sustained if the Wasteland grows smaller every year.

Rehus is ruled by Ephemeral Connections Formed Upon Silent Shores, a young Emphatic Echo gestalt. So far, it has taken a conciliatory approach to diplomacy, preferring to negotiate with local Wastelander communities without the use of force. This has led to the gestalt generally being well-liked by its people, though some others believe that Ephemeral Connections is too passive and inexperienced to deal with the challenges of its position.

Other Realms

Though the Viridis project is still in its infancy, many smaller communities have been established across the borders of the Wasteland under Aeikuzo's guidelines. The Lords Verdant of these realms are usually younger or less experienced gestalts, most commonly offspring of other noble Dionae or grown in the gardens of Lazhi.