Abalus Vastitas

The Dustland Archipelago

Pronunciation: Ah-BAH-luss vahs-TEE-tas

Term for People: Ablian, Dustlander

Names for Groups: Phalanx, Nisos, Cohort, Lochos

Masks: Gladiator Helmets, Stiffened linen masks, Ceramic masks, Drama Masks: Thalia & Melpomene 

Most Popular Event: Nythian Games

It is said that Abalus Vastitas is the land of Gods, where deities have many names or faces – upon meeting a stranger, you have as much chance of confronting a deity as you might a hierodule. Most Ablians choose a Patron God to worship and dedicate shrines to, with much of their wealth upholding grand dilapidated temples, decrepit art and centuries of tradition. 

For glory and catharsis, an Ablian will do anything. Riches and ownership mean nothing here – hoarding is punished. Only those that can touch true greatness, even a momentary one, are written in the stars. Gladiators, Craftsmen and Philosophers vie for splendour with peers, Hierophants specialise in sacrificial rituals and Bandit Cohorts are a regular occurrence. Elemental magics are not prized and are often chalked up to be the minor blessings of Demi-Gods – a drachma a dozen, as far as a Dustlander is concerned.  

The majority of Ablian city-states are ruled by a Triumvirate – The Centurion, The Senator and The High Priest. Each Nisos, or island, has its own way of conducting affairs – and wars are commonplace and fierce between the different cities, seeking glory and the blessings of the gods for their victories. An individual has a far higher chance of being a collateral bloodstain than achieving the Gods’ Glory, and yet, ever the Ablians strive upward.