Vass’kaal
Continent: Morwen
Primary Inhabitants: Drasshka
Government Type: Oligarchy
Capital: Ssa’Ruun (25,000)
Population: ~200,000
Symbol: A coiled serpent spiraling inward
Motto: “All life turns within the Coil.”
Vass’Kaal is the ancient and enigmatic homeland of the Drasshka, a jungle-bound race of scaled folk who thrive in harmony with the dense, living forests of southeastern Morwen. The nation stretches from the foothills of the Ashen Marches and Dun’Rhael in the northwest to the eastern coasts and river deltas bordering Vardessa. Its southern waters encompass a small, forested island that serves as a refuge and training ground for bonded pairs.
The lands of Vass’Kaal are alive, both feared and revered by its inhabitants. Cities are grown from the jungle itself, rivers and canals serve as highways, and the canopy is as much home as the earth below. Outsiders rarely navigate its twisting waterways or thick mangroves, for the Drasshka maintain both secrecy and dominance over their environment.
History
Vass’Kaal has existed for centuries, its origins lost to memory. The Drasshka claim descent from the earliest jungle spirits, and their cities have grown alongside the forests, not over them. The Ashen Marches and Dun’Rhael have long regarded Vass’Kaal with suspicion, wary of its potent guardianship of reptilian magic and the Great Coil, the jungle’s spiritual essence.
Conflict with neighboring human and Emberborn nations is rare, as Vass’Kaal relies on secrecy, cunning, and the jungle itself to deter invaders. The small island to the southeast was colonized centuries ago as a sanctuary for the youngest bonded pairs and remains a sacred, protected land.
Geography
Vass’Kaal is dominated by dense tropical jungle interspersed with meandering rivers, swamplands, and jagged cliffs along the coast. Seasonal rains flood the rivers and carve the forests into labyrinthine waterways, making inland navigation difficult for outsiders. Its southern island is thickly forested with mangroves and serves as both a training ground and refuge for the Drasshka.
The terrain to the northwest rises into foothills bordering Dun’Rhael and the Ashen Marches, where the forests thin into sparse highlands. These lands are heavily fortified with natural defenses, including cliffs, chasms, and predator-filled marshes.
Economy
Vass’Kaal’s economy is intertwined with its environment. The Drasshka harvest jungle fruits, medicinal plants, and valuable timber while maintaining balance to preserve the Great Coil. Trade with neighboring nations occurs primarily through river and coastal ports, exporting exotic herbs, poisons, silks from scaled hides, and skilled bonded warriors.
The Drasshka also cultivate amphibians, reptiles, and other magical creatures used in labor, defense, and bonding. Coastal towns provide limited maritime trade, but the jungle remains the heart of production and cultural wealth.
Demographics
Vass’Kaal is almost entirely Drasshka, with humans and a few other minor races making up no more than 5% of the population, usually as traders or envoys. The population is concentrated along rivers, coastlines, and elevated forest cities called Rootspires.
The total population is roughly 200,000, with major settlements such as Ssa’Ruun, Hisskaar, and Vash’tel holding the largest concentrations of people. The southern island maintains only a few hundred Drasshka at a time due to its role as a training and sacred sanctuary.
Culture
Drasshka society revolves around the Great Coil, a cyclical philosophy of growth, consumption, and renewal reflected in all aspects of life. Cities are constructed in harmony with the jungle, using living trees, woven vines, and naturally occurring stone. Leadership is organized around the Scale Council, consisting of the eldest bonded pairs who guide the spiritual, social, and political life of the nation.
Bonded pairs are central to society; every citizen learns the ways of animal companions, primarily reptiles and amphibians, as a rite of passage. Magic and environmental stewardship are inseparable, and the Drasshka view those who exploit the land or its creatures as sacrilegious.
While aggressive diplomacy is rare, the Drasshka can unleash devastating defense through jungle manipulation, ambush, and trained beasts. Outsiders speak of the Drasshka as patient, secretive, and deadly — a civilization that strikes only when necessary, letting the forest itself conceal their intentions.
Major SettlementsSsil’ka
| City Name | Population | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ssa’Ruun | 25,000 | Capital and great seaport of Vass’Kaal. A vast city built on canals and elevated walkways that wind through mangrove-choked deltas. The royal brood of the Drasshka resides within the Shellspire Palace — a living coral fortress that grows each generation. |
| Hisskaar | 18,000 | Inland trade city and spiritual center where the Drasshka shamans commune with the jungle spirits. Known for its great ziggurat covered in glowing moss. |
| Vash’tel | 17,000 | Industrial hub deep within the tropical interior. Ironwood and stone are shaped here into the towering architecture found throughout Vass’Kaal. |
| Ssil’thar | 14,000 | Jungle city built into cliffs above a mist-filled gorge. Famous for its venom brewers and alchemists. |
| Kaassha | 13,000 | River city known for breeding giant amphibians and scaled beasts that serve as steeds and guardians. |
Notable Locations
- Southern Island Sanctuary — Sacred island used for training young bonded pairs and protected rites of passage.
- Coilheart Basin — A vast sacred wetland considered the spiritual center of the Great Coil. Bioluminescent reeds and ancient serpent totems mark where the jungle’s spirit is said to have first stirred.
- Temple of Ssa’Vora — A vine-grown temple dedicated to renewal and spiritual guidance. Its living “scale tapestry” shifts patterns to reveal omens interpreted by the Scale Council.
- The Verdant Maw — A colossal sinkhole descending into a subterranean jungle illuminated by glowing fungi. This dangerous realm hosts rare reptilian species and is protected by elite jungle wardens.
- The Shrouded Causeway — A mist-covered arboreal road connecting several major cities. Formed from shaped living trees, it serves as both a trade route and a defensive network that can be sealed by the forest itself.
Relations
Allies
- Skarhold — The Drasshka value Skarhold’s ancient forests and the mysteries within. Shared reverence for nature has cultivated a rare, genuine alliance.
Enemies
- The Ashen Marches — Emberborn attempts to burn jungle territory throughout history have sparked enduring hostility. Border clashes and scorched incursions keep tensions high.
Neutral
- Drenvold — A distant maritime nation with which Vass’Kaal maintains limited but steady sea-based trade.
- Dun’Rhael — Though bordering nations, their cultures clash deeply. Mutual respect exists, but understanding does not.
- Njorath — Too far and too isolated for meaningful contact; the two have no ongoing relations.
- Supremacy — Geographic and political distance results in minimal interaction; neither nation prioritizes closer ties.
- Vardessa — Cordial trade flows through coastal routes, fostering polite but shallow diplomatic relations.
“Ssee the treesss curl, feel the watersss coil — all life bends to the rhythm of the Great Coil. Walk lightly, vissitor, or the jungle will remind you where you belong.”
— Drasshka elder of Ssa’Ruun