User:Paleomancer/Arcanos Campaign Setting
The League of Races
Info: The principal ruling body of Arcanos, composed of representatives of most of the major and minor nations.
Elder Council
The principal ruling body of Arcanos, composed of five permanent members and two elected observers.
Permanent Members:
Drakes: The mysterious, powerful Drakes were once the slaves of true Dragons, and like the Orcs, are a relatively new player in world politics. Their affiliation with the Elves is not due to any great love or respect, but to opportunity, since they have more room to maneuvar as an Elven ally than as an Orc one.
Dwarves: The dedicated, stoic Dwarves were amongst the first to call for the formation of the League after the Planar Wars nearly destroyed Arcanos, and retain excellent relations with the otherwise haughty Elves and to a degree with the Giants as well, although the latter's affiliation with the Orcs has soured relations.
Elves: The proud, arrogant Elves were among the founders of the League, and retain a major share of power in its decisions. They are rivals of the upstart Orcs, and have formed a tenuous alliance with the Dwarves and the Drakes against them.
Giants: The noble, warlike Giants possess one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and were at the forefront of the Planar Wars. They have long held a grudge against Elvenkind for perceived and real atrocities in past conflicts, and sided with the Orcs when the Elves tried to weaken the rising nation's power.
Orcs: The savage, disciplined Orcs are the newest permanent council member, and seek to increase their hold in world affairs. Their ambitions have made the Elves rivals, and the Orcs have sought the alliance of the Giants in countering the Elven power bloc.
Current Observers:
Humans: A surprisingly ancient and ambitious species, Humans have long been under the complete sway of other powers, and only recently attained any kind of nationhood. Their recent ascendance, as well as their affiliation for the powerful marine empire of the Naga, has alarmed the Elder Council for some time; the only reason the Council even supported human candidacy as an observer was to rein them in.
Naga: The secretive, mysterious Naga are masters of Arcanos' vast oceans, and are equal in power to the five main Elder Council members combined. Fortunately for the rest of the world, the Naga seem uninterested in terrestrial expansion or even in becoming a permanent member of the Council itself, although their many economic, military, and political treaties with the upstart Humans has generated concern, especially amongst the Elves and Orcs.
