I haven’t departed Warcraft entirely with my interpretation, though it’s definitely not something you’ll find as is.
Nation/Kingdom Name: Annihilor
Government Type: Totalitarian Autocracy
Coat of Arms or Banner: A twisted crown enraptured by green flames, set on an ashen background.
Capital: Incinerath, the Burning City
Ethnic Groups/Species: ~40% demons of various kinds, the rest mortals - either residents or labourers.
Religions: None. Annihilor is where faith comes to die.
Imports: Mortal labour, magical and/or rare materials, rare beasts and wine.
Exports: Soul shards and, rarely, adepts of the Fel to spread infamy and renown.
Hallmarks: Known as a place where virtually any outlawed or reviled magic may be taught, learned and practiced. Those too weak to handle such tend to… disappear.
Signature Weapon: The finest of life-devouring emerald flames.
National Dish: Consuming magic is considered a luxury, if not outright a dish.
Interesting Things About Annihilor
- Outcast spellcasters and those with dangerous ambition are drawn to Annihilor like moths to a flame. Profane magic saturates the black stones of Incinerath as surely as the air itself, making it the perfect location for spellweavers of all kinds - though dark ones especially.
- Due to the above, Annihilor is also infamous for the short life-expectancy of its mortal inhabitants. Those who rise above the odds and achieve excellence, however, may rise to great wealth, societal influence, and access to secrets jealously hoarded by the demonic upper-caste.
- Annihilor is the nation that (accidentally) invented “pulled gnoll”, a delicious meat dish involving the hour-long cooking of a gnoll within a furnace.
Characters of Annihilor
- Annihilor has ceased its role as an expansionistic, militant nation in the world. Never the less, its foreign policies remain virtually non-existent, and it is rare indeed for diplomats to ever reach the ear of a demon. Only the most tenacious and even violent of such ambassadors ever seem to manage, which is why an Annihilorian “diplomat” is more akin to a warrior-poet in this day and age. Anything less simply won’t work.
- Being practically immortal, demons may consolidate their power and position for centuries at a time. This equilibrium is frequently challenged by their Dread Queen however, who, seemingly at random, will invoke the Rite of Contest between individuals and their power bases. Within a given period of time, one power base needs to topple the other. Should neither manage, both will be unmade by the armies of the nation. Feeling motivated yet?
- Annihilorians speak a dialect derived from Eredun and Thalassian. The resultant language is broadly considered “beautiful, yet clearly profane” by first-time listeners.
Places of Interest:
- Incinerath. Known also as the Burning City, the black-stoned capital is one of twisting spires and rivers of molten rock. Dark Iron visitors have noted a passing similarity to the depths of Blackrock Mountain, though the architecture is more akin to a twisted reflection of Argussian cities.
- The Seat of Desolation. A grand palace of black and red marble, it is where the upper echelon of demonkind meet and discuss matters of the realm. With these discussions often being (literally) quite heated, a central space has been added as a makeshift arena in which to settle matters. Anything of modest importance, or less, is often “settled” by mortal servants however.
- The Ren’talar Markets are renowned, and reviled, for their trade in virtually anything. If you can think it, chances are that you can find it in the ever sunless tunnels of the Ren’talar marketplace. Buyer beware however - demons have a way of phrasing the terms of purchase in insidious ways.
Politics And War
- The Dread Queen. Rarely seen in public, hers is never the less the taloned hand that shapes the fate of Annihilor from her black throne.
- Diverse and deadly. Comprised of demonic warriors and warlocks, undead fodder, and even mortals seeking to improve their standing through martial means, the armies of Annihilor can be counted upon to bring horror whenever marching to war.
Inspirations/Cultural Analogues:
High Fantasy, Gothic, Anti-Gnoll