Chuno

Chuno is a province in the Antaran Empire in Betrayal in Antara. It is first visited in Chapter 4.

History and Geography
Formerly the home to an agrarian human population, Chuno is a territory reclaimed by humans after the Grrrlf War. At the end of the Age of Magic, a magical cataclysm annihilated much of Old Chuno and its civilization, creating the Waste and leaving scars both psychological and genetic on those who survived the edge of the blast. The seat of Chunese government was moved to Grandeur during that time, and traditions of tree-reverence arose, symbolizing strength, growth, and renewal of the devastated people. The healing abilities of the Sisters of Senaedrin also played a large role in the rebuilding of Chunese life.

After a period during which mages were abhorred and hunted in human lands due to the magical nature of the Waste disaster, then-King Valorian of Antara offered them amnesty and began to use them to absorb other kingdoms and provinces, creating the Antaran Empire. Despite the involvement of mages, Valorian I's assurance that the Church of the Triune would be able to better spread its faith in peaceful, secure territories doubtless played a role in Chunese integration into the Empire.

Today, Chuno lies east of Antara and west of Ghan and Januli. It includes the cities of Grandeur, Eastbank, Camille, Durst, Friole, Torlith, and Darvi. The Waste lies north of Durst, though the only reliable access to its canyons rests in Januli. The Ridgewood, populated by Grrrlf traveling southward and by Lord Sheffield's trappers, can be reached north of Darvi or west of Grandeur.

Three Imperial bridges lie in Chuno: west of Durst, west of Grandeur, and east of Friole. There is a Temple of Senaedrin in Grandeur and a Temple of Henne in Durst.

Government
Grandeur is still the seat of Chunese government, and an Imperial Consulate is stationed there, to be consulted in case of disputes, crimes, or municipal issues.

Culture
Maria Liana considers the area a cultural desert, despite the "mystique" of the Waste, mentioning that there isn't a proper theater in all of Chuno.

Population
Chuno's population is mostly human. Although the deformed or disabled descendants of Chunese who survived the Waste disaster are often feared for their physical differences and have a reputation for being unbalanced, such Chumen and women have resided in several Chunese towns for generations and are accepted in their communities. Grrrlf can be found in the vicinity of the Ridgewood, and TrKaa messengers are used here as throughout Antara.

Bands of hostile Chunese, including men, women, and mages of both genders, may be found on Chuno's highways. This is the only province in which women are found attacking strangers on the road. During the Wraith incursion in the Ridgewood, the wood is also haunted by maddened humans and Grrrlf deprived by the Wraiths of their souls.

Tree Reverence
Chunese ancestral tree traditions developed as the shattered population began to heal after the creation of the Waste. The custom of tree reverence is not worship, but is deeply tied to the honor and soul of Chunese families who tend their "family trees" for generations. The Chunese protect their trees no less assiduously than their families or their lives. No Chunese would cut down a family's tree, and a tree lost to fire or outsider destruction is considered a cause of grief and a blight on the family's spirit.

Wildlife
Wildlife is scarce in Chuno, but Crabs may be encountered near rivers and Fire Wolves gather near the Waste.

Trivia

 * The miner of Quigley Castle in Aliero recounts several digs in the region, finding minerals such as gabbro in Chuno, rutile in Camille (as well as Teal), diamonds in Durst, mercury in Darvi, and fluorite in Friole.
 * "CHUMEN" is the answer to a trivia chest found in the swamps east of Torlith: "Sad twisted people / Born of disaster and shunned / By others."