The ver Hermes Territories

The largest territory within the Holy Solarian Empire is that which is under the control of Emperor Illivan ver Hermes, either directly or through his loyal vassals. These territories remain primarily agrarian, with small villages of subsistence farmers making up the majority of its population centers.

For most villages, life is simple if challenging, and little has changed over the centuries. While some pioneering nobles have attempted to modernize their lands, to varying degrees of success, most are comfortable to leave their lands to their own devices so long as the rent comes in on time.

As a result, little has changed for the rural peasants over the centuries. Mild improvements to infrastructure have allowed new and some innovations to reach them, but many of the modernities that other cultures take for granted remain curiosities.

These regions of the nation are majority Human, though other races such as Elves and Dwarves make up respectable minority groups. Within the cities, numerous races intermingle freely, though the backwater ways of Solarians can sometimes mean tensions run high. For the peasants deeper in the countryside, their communities are far more insular and distrusting of outsiders, which applies to members of their own race as much as others.

The end result is a culture that is fairly monolithic and rooted in tradition. Many within these territories are comfortable with the norm, and with remaining beholden to the traditions that have guided their communities for generations. When these villages do find a need to change, a conclusion they often only reach after much argument, their attempts to do so are often slow and clumsy.

Most people within the the territories under the control of the ver Hermes family are monarchists, and genuinely support Emperor Illivan ver Hermes. Many are traditionalists who feel the monarchy has served their communities well through the generations, and they see little reason to doubt the crown now. However, this goodwill toward the monarchy itself often does not extend to the lesser nobility that rules each community.

Those in the cities may be more divided, though support in the capital is still quite high. For those who live within its walls, the emperor is far more visible, and they are better able to see the efforts he makes to improve the nation. These individuals can often also see the squabbling of petty nobles, which are only stopped from running the nation into the ground due to the guidance of Illivan.

The ver Hermes territories of Solaria are typically seen as the most underdeveloped, with only its cities known to approach the standards of the modern world.

Königspfalz is the largest city in all of Solaria, and acts as the capital of both the Empire and the ver Hermes lands. As a result, it is often the first stop for visitors from other lands. Its architecture is ancient, with some of its buildings having been raised only just after the Cataclysm.

Also of note is the city of Heilrode, a former mining town that nearly became a ghost town once its ore veins ceased to produce. According to rumors, a mysterious benefactor by the name of Nevik has partnered with the Mayor of this city, Magdaline Siegal, and has begun to invest a fortune into restoring it to its former glory. Why he is doing so is unknown, but the recovery of the city is undeniable.

The city of Heißenpfeil is also a curiosity to many who seek a more adventurous experience. Being quite close to one of the few openings in the Dragonspine mountains, a location known as Dragonmaw, allows expeditions into the farthest fringes of the desert region. For those willing to risk injury, the locale contains wildlife unseen anywhere else in the world.