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 +====== Riedra ======
 +Riedrains / Riedrainnes
 +{{:riedra_seal.png}}
 +**{{:Sarlona_map.jpg?332|4TH Edition rendition of Sarlona}}Riedra** is a vast empire, encompassing much of the continent of [[Sarlona]]. It is ruled by the [[Inspiré]], mortal vessels for the sinister [[Quorien]]. The only opposition to Riedra's supremacy over Sarlona is the small mountain enclave of [[Adar]], a stronghold of the [[Kalashtar]].
  
 +====== Histoire ======
 +The land of [[Sarlona]] was once a collection of different nations like [[Khorvaire]]. The [[Quorien]] invaded the dreams of the land's leaders and pushed them to conquest or defeat as matched their plans. 1,3000 years ago most of the nations were brought under the government of [[Riedra]] which was subsequently led by the [[Inspiré]]. Today, the former nations are provinces within Riedra which are maintained by Inspiré governors and inhabited by loyal and docile citizens. While there are pockets of rebellion, and corners of Sarlona remain outside of Riedran control, most in the Land of Unity are zealous worshipers of the Inspiré who follow them without question.
 +
 +======Geography======
 +The land of Riedra contains a huge variety of environments and features. In the south are jungles including the [[Shanjueed]] which straddles the border with [[Adar]], and other stately pine forests in the north such as the Worm Wood. Mountain rangels form the border between Riedra and the [[Toundra de Tashana]], specifically the Frostblade and Frostwall Mountains which cut through Dar Maleer. In the southwest, the Andnemun Desert marks the fluid border with [[Syrkarn]].
 +
 +The eastern shore of Riedra is made of the islands of [[Ohr Kaluun]] which enclose [[Koralandaluun Bay]]. There are also two inland seas, the [[Kelneluun]] and the much larger [[Rhialuun]], which break up the drier lands to the west.
 +
 +=====Provinces=====
 +  * **Borunan:** The nation of Borunan was once a strong nations of [[ogre|ogres]], but now that powerful race and the [[ogre mage]] lords that ruled them are tools of the [[Inspiré]].
 +  * **Corvagura:** The most populous of Riedra's provinces, Corvagura also has the largest number of building of [[http://eberron.wikia.com/wiki/Hanbalani_altas|Monolith Quorienen]] (ovoid monoliths).The cities of Corvagura, nestled among the wet southern jungles, have some of the most loyal citizens.
 +  * **Dor Maleer:** The northern province of Dor Maleer is the most independent, inhabited by woodsmen and hardy folk who have only a tentative connection to the [[Inspiré]] rulers of the nation.
 +  * **Khalesh:** The ancient nation of Khalesh was a theocracy devoted to the couatls. Today, the people know only that the land was once ruled by Démon and their ruins still dot the landscape.
 +  * **Nulakesh:** This province was once a large empire in central [[Sarlona]] dominated by Humain Maîtres Démoniaques, and that legacy has led to one of the most intolerant province in the nation.
 +  * **Ohr Kaluun:** Before Unification, the arcanists of the eastern islands were powerful but they too fell to the [[Inspiré]]. A legacy remains but it is hidden in Ombres and practiced by criminals.
 +  * **Pyrine:** Thought by many to be the source of worship of [[La Légion Souveraine]], this province has now turned whole-heartedly to worship of the [[Inspiré]].
 +  * **Rhiavhaar:** This coastal nation is the homeland of [[Lhazaar]] and includes important Riedran ports like [[Dar Ulatesh]], the major western port with voyages to [[Khorvaire]].
 +
 +======Government======
 +The [[Inspiré]] are unquestionably the rulers of Riedra and they have their sights set still on the rest of [[Sarlona]] and on [[Khorvaire]] and [[Xen'drik]] across the sea. Though only those inhabited by [[Quorien]] spirits are truly [[Inspiré]], even those from [[inspire|Chosen]] families are favored over other [[Humains]]. Elfes and Nains are not tolerated within the borders of the nation, branded as dangelrous because they are less susceptible to quori influences, and [[Kalashtar]] are executed right out. [[Changelins]] are a step above [[Humains]], however, as their changelable form is seen as an expression of their spiritual nature. [[Férals]] and [[Ogres]] are an important part of Riedran society even though they are thought of as lesser being in the hierarchy of the [[Chemin de l'Inspiration]].
 +
 +=====The Unity=====
 +The central government of Riedra is split into several important branches, each with its own purpose.
 +  * The **Bountiful Horn** oversees production and distribution of food to the people of Riedra.
 +  * Industry and manufacturing in Riedra is overseen by the **Industrious Forge**.
 +  * The **Sturdy Wall** maintains the roadways and construction projects of Riedra, including the building of the [[Monolith Quorienen]].
 +  * Healing in Riedra is found through the **Healing Hand** which focuses the gifts of the [[Inspiré]] to repair their people.
 +  * Injuries to the mind and spirit are helped through the **Sheltering Hearth** with the nebulous task of coordinating the well-being of all Riedrans.
 +  * The **Guiding Path** is the priesthood of the [[Inspiré]] and assists in the education and upbringing of Riedran children so that they follow the [[Chemin de l'Inspiration]].
 +  * Foreign affairs are overseen by the **Iron Gate**, which stands by its imposing symbol as a force to keep foreigners out as opposed to negotiating admittance.
 +
 +=====L'Unité=====
 +Le gouvernement central de Riedra est divisé en plusieurs branches importantes, chacune ayant son propre objectif.
 +   * La **Corne d'Abondance** supervise la production et la distribution de nourriture aux habitants de Riedra.
 +   * L'industrie et la fabrication à Riedra sont supervisées par la **Forge industrielle**.
 +   * Le **Mur solide** entretient les routes et les projets de construction de Riedra, y compris la construction du [[Monolith Quorienen]].
 +   * La guérison à Riedra s'obtient grâce à la **Main Guérisseuse** qui concentre les dons de l'[[Inspiré]] pour réparer son peuple.
 +   * Les blessures à l'esprit et à l'esprit sont aidées par le ** Foyer Abritant ** avec la tâche nébuleuse de coordonner le bien-être de tous les Riedrans.
 +   * Le **Chemin de l'Inspiré** est le sacerdoce de l'[[Inspiré]] et aide à l'éducation et à l'éducation des enfants de Riedran afin qu'ils suivent le [[Chemin de l'Inspiration]].
 +   * Les affaires étrangères sont supervisées par la ** Porte de fer **, qui se distingue par son symbole imposant comme une force pour empêcher les étrangers d'entrer au lieu de négocier l'admission.
 +   
 +=====The Harmonious Shield=====
 +The armed forces of Riedra are garrisoned across the nation and are divided into a number of different organizations.
 +  * **Stone Soldiers:** The shieldbearers and infantry of the Riedran armies, these warriors focus on durability and defense.
 +  * **Fire Soldiers:** Fast and skilled soldiers often used for special operations against [[Adar]].
 +  * **Water Soldiers:** Stealthy scouts and reconnaissance specialists who inform the rest of the army so that it can do its best.
 +  * **Bastion Guard:** The soldiers at the disposal of the Thousand Eyes, tasked with maintaining order in the cities.
 +  * **Edgewalkers:** The wilds of Riedra are marked with planar vortices that these independent operatives maintain on behalf of the [[Inspiré]].
 +  * **Harmonious Sail:** These naval forces patrol the shores of Riedra, including the inland seas in the west.
 +  * **Horned Guard:** This elite corps of ogre mages serves as a major weapon against the enemies of [[Inspiré]].
 +  * **Savage Legion:** Though they are considered little more than animals by the Chemin de l'Inspiration, Férals are useful warriors for the [[Inspiré]] to send against their enemies.
 +  * **Sleeping Sword:** Unknown to most Riedrans, the Sleeping Sword agents are utterly loyal and amazingly skilled. They are charged with tasks that require ruthlessness and discretion.
 +
 +====== The Thousand Eyes ======
 +A group of [[Changelins]] and psionic spies that watches the people or Riedra for internal dissension. Few Thousand Eyes agents operate outside of [[Sarlona]] but some [[Inspiré]] recognize that traitors can be everywhere.
 +
 +To a Riedran, no one in his right mind turns against the Inspiré. Those who do are clearly victims of altavar influ­ence. Someone has to help these victims if possible, or do whatever is necessary to ensure that they do not threaten innocent souls. Those tasks fall to the Thousand Eyes.
 +
 +The Thousand Eyes administers justice across Riedra and maintains the reclamation centers. Public agents of the Thousand Eyes—easily identified by their green uniforms and golden badges of office—can be found throughout any bastion, and people take comfort in knowing that these guardians are watching. Far more dangelrous, however, are the secret members of the Eyes.
 +
 +Nearly anyone in Riedra could be an agent. Furthermore, even when no one is around, remote viewing allows the Eyes to see the deeds of malefactors. Agents of the Thousand Eyes are typically Humain, Chosen, or changelin. The bulk are simply observers, 1st- or 2nd-level experts who have maximum ranks in Disguise, Hide, Listen, Gather Information, Knowl­edge (local), Move Silently, Sense Motive, or Spot, along with a Craft or Profession skill used as a cover. More capable agents tend to be rogues or monks, specializing in observation and stealth. Chosen and especially honored changelins are trained in the psionic arts—seer, nomad, telepath, and lurk are the most Commun paths within the Thousand Eyes. When force is required, the Thousand Eyes calls on bastion guards or the Sleeping Sword, but it also maintains a covert corps of changelin masquers, psychic warrior/monks, and soul­ knife assassins.
 +
 +The city of [[Dul Zeer]] is the Thousand Eyes' greatest stronghold. Here, a network of remote viewing crystals allows agents to scry across the continent, and teleportation circles let them dispatch forces to any bastion or kintam. Agents in villages can be alerted through dreams. In an emergency, nomads can teleport forces to the site of a disturbance.
 +
 +The high minister of the Thousand Eyes is [[Lady Sharadhuna]] (LE female kalaraq Inspiré telepath 20).
 +
 +======The Rêve Obscur======
 +Not really a part of the government of Riedra, the [[reve_obscur]] is the organization behind all of the [[Quorien]] machinations in the [[Monde d'Eberron]]. The agents of this organization operate across all continents and are some of the most daunting operatives of the [[Inspiré]].
 +
 +Three thousand years ago there were a dozen kingdoms in Sarlona. Today there is only one: the empire of Riedra. The change began some fifteen hundred years ago, when the quori first came to Sarlona. Initially, the quori spirits could not completely dominate their hosts. Instead, they could only whisper into susceptible minds, fanning ambitions and aggravating existing feuds. Within two centuries, Sarlona had collapsed into chaos and war. By this point, the quori had full control over a handful of hosts, enabling them to produce the first of the Inspired. These psions and psychic warriors stepped into the political void, using their mental powers to systematically seize control from the weakened warlords.
 +
 +They proclaimed themselves to be souls inspired by divine forces, sent to guide Sarlona to a new age ofprosperity and glory. All they required was absolute loyalty. It took another two centuries of mental manipulation, military conflict, and pure guile, but when the battles finally ended, the Inspired held sway over all of lowland Sarlona. They named this empire Riedra. For the next thousand years, the Inspired consolidated their power, strengthening their hold on the people of Riedra. They purged the land of any traditions that could be a threat to their power—notably any form of magic, which could provide the people with a counter to the natural psionic powers of the Inspired—and hunting down the kalashtar, who had unwittingly shown the quori the path to Eberron. Some of their enemies took refuge in the mountains of Adar; others fled to Khorvaire, settling in the kingdoms of the Five Nations or establishing new colonies in the Shadow Marches or the Demon Wastes.
 +
 +For the past thousand years, the borders of Riedra have been closed to foreigners. Even today, the Inspired have no interest in allowing the people of other nations to spoil their terrestrial paradise. But after centuries of scheming and planning, the Inspired are finally beginning to turn their attention to Khorvaire, and Riedran ambassadors can be found in courts across the continent.
 +
 +The Inspired hide their secrets well. Those who have managed to breach the borders of Riedra speak of titanic monoliths that lie within. The sages of the Twelve believe that these monoliths enhance the psionic powers of the Inspired, drawing on the mental energy of the populace in order to supply their masters with vitality. The Inspired have been studying ways to use Eberron dragonshards. No Eberron or Siberys dragonshards can be found in Sarlona, and what Khyber shards exist below the surface are hard to come by.
 +
 +The people of Riedra believe that the Inspired are divine avatars, sent to guide and protect their nation. Most are willing to die for their Inspired lords. Most communities are agricultural villages, designed to be as self-sufficient as possible. Inspired overseers manage the work force. A vast fortress-metropolis at the center of each web of villages is home to the bulk of the armed forces of the region and the high-ranking Inspired nobles.
 +
 +Riedra is a strictly feudal society. The humans serve the Inspired, who in turn protect and care for their loyal subjects (or so the theory goes). The Inspired, highly evolved humans with a touch of elf and fiendish blood, have been bred over the course of a thousand years to be perfect hosts for quori spirits.
 +
 +The Dreaming Dark: The members of this sinister network serves as the eyes of Dal Quor, the Region of Dreams. They are spies, saboteurs, and psychic assassins. The Dreaming Dark receives its orders directly from the quori on Dal Quor and has considerable authority among the Inspired.
 +
 +The Thousand Eyes: Where the Dreaming Dark works to undermine other civilizations, the members of the Thousand Eyes protect Riedra itself. They observe the people of Riedra, seeking any sign of internal dissension or outside infiltration. Any time a threat is identified, the Eyes strike without warning or mercy.
 +
 +The Inspired are the living deities of Riedra, and the practice of any other religion—especially the Path of Light—is punishable by death.
 +
 +
 +**The Reach of Riedra, Part One**   \\ //By Keith Baker//
 +
 +Mysteries surround the nation of Riedra. Most people of Khorvaire have heard only vague and contradictory stories of Riedra: All wizards and sorcerers are put to death. Sorcerers rule the land. Démon rule the land. Gold covers the streets and no one ever goes hungry… or the people starve in huts of mud and straw.
 +
 +
 +**First Contact**
 +
 +| \\ **What Do You Know?**  \\  \\ **Knowledge (geography)**  \\  \\ **DC 10:** Riedra is the largest nation on the continent of Sarlona. Riedra is a sprawling realm that includes all types of terrain.  \\  \\ **DC 15:** The Riedrans are xenophobes who avoid contact with the outside world. Riedra has recently sent ambassadors to Khorvaire, but foreigners are still unwelcome in Riedra.  \\  \\ **DC 20:** Members of the ruling class of Riedra are known as the Inspiré. The Riedrans believe that the Inspiré are guided by divine powers, and these princes are treated as living gods.  \\  \\ //This information is also available with a DC 25 Knowledge (nobility and royalty) check, which will also reveal the name of the local Inspiré ambassador.//  \\  \\ **Knowledge (history)**  \\  \\ **DC 15:** Humain civilization began in Sarlona. Humainity began to explore Khorvaire approximately three thousand years ago, led by the pioneer Lhazaar.  \\  \\ **DC 25:** Many kingdoms and empires once covered Sarlona. About 1,500 years ago, the Inspiré unified these warring states.  \\  \\ **Knowledge (Psioniques)**  \\  \\ **DC 10:** The continent of Sarlona is the center of psionic knowledge. Both the kalashtar and the Inspiré have a natural talent for Psioniques, and many of the psions of Khorvaire have learned the art from a Sarlonan teacher.  \\  \\ **DC 20:** The Sarlonans use relatively little magic in everyday life, but Psioniques are used to accomplish many of the same tasks that magic is used for in Khorvaire.  \\  \\ **Knowledge (the planes)**  \\  \\ **DC 15:** The quori are the natives of Dal Quor, the Region of Dreams. Quorienen spirits cannot manifest physically on the Plan Matériel.  \\  \\ **DC 20:** Quorienen spirits typically possess mental powers relating to a specific emotion, such as fear or rage. They can interfere with the dreams of mortals, creating horrible nightmares.  \\  \\ **DC 25:** While quori spirits cannot manifest physically on Eberron, they can possess willing Humains.  \\  \\ **DC 25:** The Inspiré have a strong connection to Dal Quor. Some believe that they deal regularly with quori spirits – or even allow these spirits to possess their bodies in exchange for power.|
 +
 +When the Inspiré rose to power in Riedra, they cut off all contact between Sarlona and Khorvaire. For a thousand years Riedra has been hidden from the outside world. To this day, most civilized regions are shielded from divination. An adventurer who researches the matter will find that a surprising number of wizards and détectives who sought to pierce the mysteries of Riedra have gone mad – typically driven to distraction by terrible nightmares. Ships that sought harbor at Riedra were turned away. Explorers who sought to pierce the veil of secrecy never returned. The Riedrans took no aggressive action, but they wanted no part of the outside world.
 +
 +Centuries later, ships of Maison Lyrandar and the Galifar navy encountered Riedran vessels in the Mer du Tonnerre and the Mer Aride. The Riedrans established settlements on Xen'drik long before the people of Khorvaire, and the pirates who built the foundations of Cap-Tempête preyed on Riedran shipping. Through Cap-Tempête, they established the first basis of trade, dealing in spices, alchemical solutions, fine textiles, and other exotic goods. Foreigners could not set foot in Riedra, and the Inspiré did not send ambassadors to the court of Galifar. But a few small Riedran communities appeared in the major port cities of Galifar, managing the shipping trade for their homeland.
 +
 +It took La Dernière Guerre and the fall of Galifar to bring the Inspiré to Khorvaire. When the war had passed its first decade, delegations of Inspiré appeared in the courts of the newly independent Cinq Nations. Beautiful and charming, these stRangers offered their aid to the war-torn kingdoms. The medicines supplied (for a fair price, of course) by Riedra helped to ease the strain on Maison Brunet. The Inspiré often served as neutral mediators, impressing kings and queens with their wisdom and charisma. Foodstuffs from Riedra helped limit the impact of Karrnath's famine. Slowly but surely, the Inspiré and their servants spread across Khorvaire.
 +
 +**Riedrans in the Modern World**
 +
 +Today, Inspiré ambassadors live in every metropolis and in many of the large cities of Khorvaire. Most ports have small Riedran communities. Cityfolk see Riedrans on the streets and the docks, dressed in the simple clothing of their homeland and speaking in the Riedran tongue. As a rule the Riedrans are quiet and insular, keeping to themselves and abstaining from most vices. Riedran goods are becoming more Commun on the streets. Virin is a beverage made from Sarlonan roots that eases fatigue. Brunet houses often make use of Riedran healing herbs. And on the more sordid side of things, the sale of dreamlily – an addictive narcotic originally brought over for medicinal purposes – has become a major industry in the underworld of Khorvaire.
 +
 +In the upper echelons of society, the Riedrans have been gaining influence. The Inspiré have access to vast mineral and agricultural resources, along with the prosperity that comes from a thousand years of order. The Riedrans have been providing generous material aid to all of the Cinq Nations, helping repair the terrible damages of La Dernière Guerre. This also allows the rulers of the nations to maintain their pride: It's easier for Kaius to get grain from the Inspiré than to have to beg Aundair for assistance. King Sebastes of Q'barra is currently receiving military support from Riedra; the Inspiré have established garrisons in the region around Nouveau-trône to help defend the settlers from Homme-lézards attacks. Other leaders may be considering this; if war looms anew, Aundair could seek Riedran aid to defend itsElfe from the larger armies of Thrane or Karrnath – a desperate move, perhaps, but Aurala may be swayed by dreams of the power such an alliance might bring!
 +
 +Kings and queens are not the only people who deal with the Inspiré. While the Riedran community tends to stay out of sight, Inspiré ambassadors and their staff are active in their communities; exotic and clever, these beautiful stRangers fascinate the upper crust of Khorvaire. In the city of Sharn, Ambassador Jorasesh often gives impromptu lectures at Université Morgrave; both Jorasesh and his aide Helkashtai attend all of the major galas and social events of the city. The Inspiré are seen as impartial outsiders, but also respected for their apparent wisdom and empathy, and they often provide advice or serve as mediators in local disputes.
 +
 +**Next:**   So what does this mean for you?
 +
 +**Riedra and Adar**
 +
 +Most citizens of Khorvaire know even less about Adar than they do about Riedra. Adar is only loosely a country, and it does not maintain embassies. Adaran communities exist in many of the major cities of Khorvaire, but the typical Brelon Communer can't tell a Riedran from an Adaran – or potentially, an Adaran from a citizen of Thrane. The people of Khorvaire first came from Sarlona, and with the many different environments found across the continent there is no uniform appearance for Riedrans. Accent, dress, and mannerisms are the keys to identification, and without Knowledge (geography) or experience with the culture, a normal citizen of Khorvaire can't tell the difference between the people of the two nations.
 +
 +This is exacerbated by the fact that the Adarans are just as insular as the people of Riedra. It may seem strangel that they aren't calling for aid against the Rêve Obscur in all the courts of the world, but they believe that the fight with Dal Quor is their personal battle; this is discussed in more detail in //[[http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/eberron/177450000|Races of Eberron]]//.
 +
 +If an Inspiré ambassador is questioned about the ongoing siege of Adar, his answer is simple. The people of Adar are guerilla warriors who are fighting a war against Riedra. The Adarans have dangelrous supernatural powers and have used them against Riedrans in the past. The "siege" is a defensive measure to ensure the stability of the nation. All of these things are perfectly true – if severely slanted for the benefit of the Inspiré – so this will hold up against //zone of truth //or //detect thoughts//. The kalashtar //are//   fighting the rulers of Riedra. If the kalashtar are successful in their goal, they will destroy the Inspiré and thus the system of government of Riedra. The Inspiré are (in their words) seeking to maintain order and preserve the traditions of their nation.
 +
 +And if a kalashtar PC does breaks ranks and trumpet the existence of the Rêve Obscur to the world . . . who's going to believe him? The Riedrans are strangel, but they have never taken any sort of aggressive action against Khorvaire. On the contrary, they're helping rebuild the shattered nation. They're friendly, charming, and generous. Why should a king take the word of some strangel peasant mystic over that of a close political ally?
 +
 +Of course, some people may be wiser than this. Initially, that's the role of the PCs – to be willing to consider the possible threat, to act where a king might not. And if a PC becomes a legendary hero, perhaps the rulers of the land will take her words more seriously. That's what adventuring is all about!
 +
 +**The Rêve Obscur**
 +
 +The average Riedran has never even heard of the Rêve Obscur and knows nothing of Dal Quor. Riedrans believe that their leaders are vessels for the enlightened spirits of the past – that there is a cycle of life and reincarnation, and that the greatest and most noble spirits transcend the flesh and guide the Inspiré.
 +
 +For that matter, the Inspiré – that is to say, the leaders of Riedra and those who hold official posts, such as ambassadors – generally have no direct ties to the Rêve Obscur. Their administrative duties are enough to keep them busy and serve the interests of Dal Quor in their own way. An agent of the Rêve Obscur can demand help from an Inspiré embassy, but more likely than not will do this telepathically or in Dal Quor. So the embassy itsElfe cannot be directly linked to local Rêve Obscur activities, and the ambassador can't reveal anything if probed.
 +
 +This level of subtlety does make the Rêve Obscur one of the more difficult villains to use. The Rêve Obscur use //mind seeds //and possessed Humains. Their agents may be followers of the Griffe Émeraude or the Cultes du Dragon d'En-Dessous, who don't realize the true nature of their masters. The party could foil a dozen schemes before they find out that all twelve were part of a grand scheme organized by the Rêve Obscur. And even when the PCs have the big showdown with the Inspiré mastermind and bring him down in a blaze of psionic power, that doesn't implicate Riedra as a whole, any more than fighting a Humain would implicate Khorvaire. It tells people that there //are//   evil Inspiré; but the ambassador can go under a //zone of truth //and say that the villain had no ties to his government and that he knew nothing of his plan. Compartmentalization is key!
 +
 +While most Riedrans know nothing of the Rêve Obscur, Riedran agents who serve the darkness do exist. Just as the Inspiré ambassadors keep their distance from the cabal, these Humain agents have no connection to the Riedran government or embassy. While these agents do not have the full powers of the Inspiré, they can serve as willing hosts for quori possession (see page 296 of the //Eberron Campaign Setting//). Seeing as how they are Humain, this power can come as a surprise to unwary adventurers!
 +
 +**Riedrans in the World**
 +
 +Anyone traveling through the docks of a large city could stumble across a Riedran community. Characters may end up dealing with Riedran merchants, or run afoul of a Riedran community militia seeking to defend their community from the criminals of Khorvaire. PCs may run into an Inspiré ambassador giving a speech or a mediating a dispute. And if the heroes perform a particularly impressive task, they may be invited to a gala in their honor at a Riedran embassy!
 +
 +Describing all the cultural differences between the people of Khorvaire and those of Riedra is a subject for a sourcebook. But here are a few points with which you can play:
 +
 +  * Riedrans speak their own language and must acquire Commun as a bonus language or by spending skill points. Merchants must learn Commun to perform their work, but a Karrn who walks into a Riedran watering hole may find that no one speaks his language.
 +  * Work is everything to the typical Riedran. This is both a point of personal pride and a form of religious duty. Riedrans have little time for leisure pursuits or interest in such things. What little time they take from work is typically devoted to religion: group meditation, ritual storytelling, or community service.
 +  * Work is everything to the typical Riedran. This is both a point of personal pride and a form of religious duty. Riedrans have little time for leisure pursuits or interest in such things. What little time they take from work is typically devoted to religion: group meditation, ritual storytelling, or community service. Vice is hard to find. Riedrans are strictly monogamous. They avoid the recreational use of alcohol, dreamlily, or similar substances. They do not gamble, though they do play a game called Path – a strategy game using round stones, which can be played on any flat surface.
 +  * Riedran priests are rarely spellcasters, though a few are telepaths or seers. The role of the priest is to provide spiritual guidance, to remove doubt, and to aid and inspire the people. If outsiders are causing trouble in the community, it falls to the priest to gather the people and confront the problem.
 +  * Honesty and community are critical values. Riedrans will always band together to help one another, and anyone starting a brawl in a Riedran community should be prepared to take on everyone on the street. And aside from agents of the Rêve Obscur, Riedrans are scrupulously honest.
 +  * An average Riedran dresses in black, white, or brown clothing. While basic designs are simple, Riedrans often use embroidery as a form of meditation, weaving complex designs along the hems of clothing. The colors blue and red are reserved for the Inspiré, and the robes of Inspiré lords are covered with Labyrintheine patterns of color.
 +  * Riedran cuisine uses simple base materials, but flavor is enhanced by combinations of spices. Gluttony is frowned upon, but there is nothing wrong with enjoying good food after a long day's work. Riedrans typically drink fruit juice or hot spiced water.
 +  * Finally, Riedran body language is somewhat different from that of Khorvaire. Riedrans are raised not to fidget, and they stand perfectly still when talking. It is considered a token of respect to meet the gaze of someone you are speaking to. Riedrans will never verbally interrupt a speaker, but they indicate intent with gaze – looking down if they have a comment to make, or looking to the side if they disagree with the speaker or are not interested in what he has to say. The degree of motion is as expressive as tone of voice. Thus, Riedrans often maintain an outward appearance of calm – while in fact, a sharp turn of the head can be the same as a yell.
 +
 +These are just a few examples of Riedran customs, which further vary by province and individual; but hopefully, this provides you with something with which to work.
 +
 +Riedrans are neither monsters nor slaves. Riedra is a foreign culture, and the mannerisms of a Riedran may seem strangel to most inhabitants of the Cinq Nations. But the Riedrans and their Inspiré lords are not feared in the Cinq Nations; if anything, they are being welcomed by a continent in need of assistance, and people find the beauty and exotic nature of the Inspiré to be intriguing.
 +
 +**Playing a Riedran**
 +
 +Riedra is an unusual choice for a region of origin. Most Riedrans consider their homeland to be a paradise, a peaceful realm free of crime and doubt. The people of Khorvaire are misguided and chaotic, prone to violence and undisciplined behavior. Some must come to Khorvaire to serve the needs of the Inspiré, conducting trade and doing what needs to be done, but this is a dreaded fate. So why would a Riedran join a party of barbarians and live the unpredictable life of an adventurer? Consider the following ideas.
 +
 +**The Rebellious Exile.**   The Inspiré have woven a masterful weapon of propaganda and manipulation. But there will always be those who discover secrets they weren't meant to know, a few who believe the kalashtar, or who otherwise come to despise the lords of Dal Quor. Are you a psion? Perhaps you were recruited to serve as a Humain agent of the Rêve Obscur, but turned against your new masters once you discovered their true nature. You can never convince your countrymen, and if you try, they will assume that you are possessed by a fiend and are trying to seduce them away from the path of righteousness. But if you were wrong about the Inspiré, perhaps you're wrong about the people of Khorvaire. Perhaps nobility is hidden within them. And perhaps you can find allies in your fight – a battle that will continue until your death.
 +
 +**The Spy. **With the permission of your Dungeon Master, you could be a sleeper agent for the Rêve Obscur. You are Humain, but you have a patron – a quori spirit who visits you in your dreams and gives you instructions. The Rêve Obscur is interested in the player characters; it has seen their potential. For now, you are simply to cement your bond with them and to build your skills. As time passes, you receive instructions – some clear, some cryptic. Perhaps you can steer your group to serve the greater goals of the Rêve Obscur.
 +
 +This option should be used with great care; if you are ordered to fight your companions, you might be forced to leave the group. Discuss things with your DM and make sure that you have the same vision of your future. One possibility is that you will learn more about the Rêve Obscur as you adventure – and that you will become a rebel in time. The second possibility is that you will never be ordered to do anything that directly conflicts with the goals of the group. Depending on the plans of the DM, the Rêve Obscur could intend to wait for centuries before moving against Khorvaire: In the meantime, it has no love for the Seigneurs Des Cendres, the Order of the Griffe Émeraude, the Cultes du Dragon d'En-Dessous, or any of the other forces that threaten the world. Thus, it could be that the enemy of an enemy can serve as a friend.
 +
 +**The Evangelist. **Riedra is helping Khorvaire recover from the war. In addition to providing material aid (for a reasonable price), they have sent a number of agents of goodwill. In contrast to many of your countrymen, you are outgoing and willing to talk to stRangers. You pity the people of Khorvaire, who lack the guidance of the Inspiré. Search for ways to help the people around you. Inspire them with your actions. Help them defeat criminals and establish order – all the while explaining how such problems would never arise in Riedra. Perhaps, with guidance and discipline, some of your companions will be reborn as Riedrans!
 +
 +Whatever your path, when playing a Riedran keep the following things in mind.
 +
 +  * **Khorvaire Is a Land of Savages. **War. Organized crime. Fire-worshiping churches. Greedy Maisons Marquées Du Dragon, thirsty for gold. Whether you revere the Inspiré or have turned against them, you'll still consider Khorvaire to be a land of chaos and misery.
 +  * **NonHumains?**   Riedra is largely populated by Humains. If you're from Riedra, you'll naturally view nonHumains as strangel and untrustworthy – especially shifty creatures like changelins or magical things like the Guerrier de Fer. Worst of all are the kalashtar. As a Riedran, you know that the kalashtar want to destroy the Inspiré. The kalashtar are dangelrous and deceptive creatures touched by Démon. Don't trust anything a kalashtar says, and oppose them when you can.
 +  * **Magic Is Dangelrous. **Psionic abilities come from within, channeling the power of will and imagination. But arcane and divine magic are the result of trafficking with fiends and Démon. Even if the spellcaster doesn't know what she's doing, she is placing her soul in jeopardy by channeling these forces. You can remain in a party with a wizard or cleric, but be sure to express your concern and to warn her to be cautious in the use of her powers.
 +  * **The Inspiré Are the Repositories of Wisdom. **Other people know nothing about the Inspiré. Unless you're a rebel, you will not even listen to any attempt to malign your leaders. Your faith is absolute. The Inspiré are guided by the brightest souls of the past. They brought your nation out of war and revealed the path to peace. They have made your world a paradise. The people of Khorvaire traffic with fiends on a regular basis; any such claims concerning your leaders are clearly deceptions.
 +  * **Follow the Path of Discipline and Virtue.**   In Riedra, all forms of vice are strictly discouraged. Such things are certain to harm your spiritual evolution, and what fool would sacrifice eternity for a few hours of physical pleasure or the empty pursuit of wealth? The greatest virtues in life are to assist others, to serve the Inspiré, and to fulfill your role in society. Needless to say, if you're a spy for the Rêve Obscur, you'll have been taught to deceive (and likely be quite good at it). But the typical Riedran is honest and hard-working, placing duty and the needs of friends ahead of personal comfort.
 +Native Riedrans speak Riedran instead of Commun; however, most Riedrans who come to Khorvaire learn the Commun tongue, either as a bonus language or by spending skill points.
 +
 +**So What's So Bad?**
 +
 +Reading this article, you might be left with the impression that Riedra is a utopia. The people are honest, content, and hard-working. War and crime are virtually unknown. So why don't we want the Inspiré to take over Khorvaire?
 +
 +The Riedrans don't believe that they are slaves or subjects of a tyranny, but that doesn't make it untrue. They live in a cage with bars made of tradition and propaganda, reinforced by psionic manipulation and a religion designed to serve the needs of the Inspiré. There's no crime, because most people can't even conceive of committing a crime – and those who can quickly vanish, though any Riedran will see this as being for the good of the nation. There's little room for advancement or changel: You expect to earn changel in your next life through your hard service in this one. The words of the Inspiré are not to be questioned by those below them, and you take comfort in having this divine guidance. A world under the Inspiré would be stable and peaceful, and the people might even be happy – but they wouldn't be free.
 +
 +{{tag>["Sarlona"]}}
 +{{tag>["nations"]}}