Mr. R

3 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

 

I remember an old episode of Dr. Who which included a medieval knight in modern times. The night was picked up on the road and given a lift by a rich socialite in her limousine. She remarked about having come to that location from Point X, and the knight observed, "A full day's ride." The socialite replied, "Well, it did take us forty-five minutes by car."

Years ago I was crossing Canada by train and staying in Youth Hostels.  I met a young man from Scotland who was crossing from Halifax to Vancouver.  I met him in Edmonton and asked him what he thought of my country.

"Honestly mate.. its bloody huge!'

"Some of us were talking of going to Calgary for the day!  The way they were talking I thought it was a short jaunt.  Its FOUR bleedin hours!

"Back home that gets me off the island and on the Continent!"

Conversly here in Canada we can't seem to think OLD

I was in Stratford at a small shop that was a converted house.  I asked how old was the house?  Her answer..

"Well this is the new part of the house, its only 300 years old.  The back part is the old part, its over 400 years old!"

I come from a country where over 150 years old is ancient!

30 minutes ago, DShomshak said:

Congratulations! You have learned a Great Truth of setting design... by critiquing the work of someone who apparently didn't know it.

 

 

 

Dean Shomshak

Part of the reason I am posting here is to get feedback.  Are my ideas sound, OR are they so out of bounds as to make no sense.  As a teacher I still have people proof read any papers I am writing and welcome those big red marks.

PS I loved your comment of where is 1000 miles a small country?  I live in Canada, in the Far North.  The next closest major city is 1000 km by air or 1400 by land [we have to go north to get around a huge lake] and ALL of our food stuffs have to be brought up overland.  Until recently this involved using a ferry to get over the Mackenzie River.  Well twice a year that river was uncrossable for about six weeks.  And you could see the shelves in the grocery store going bare.  And this is with modern semis and refrigeration units.  

1 hour ago, Old Man said:

 

Late response, but I note that pirates rarely confine their operations to a tight patch of ocean.  Those in the Golden Age of Piracy were active throughout the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and pretty much the entire eastern seaboard of the U.S.  They base themselves in a city state that tolerates them and go where the plunder is.

Seriously the way y/they wrote it originally, there are NO coastal towns/settlements/cities ANYWHERE on the outside coast of the continent.  Except for one city on the west side (home of a mercenary company that have no idea of logistics) and two on the east side.  Sorry but even the best sailors/merchants/pirates won't sail THAT far without some sort of gain.

As a result this merchant island will have as contacts:

1--- the cities on the Mountain coast

2--- the new cities springing up in the three bays area including one at the top of the first bay.

3--- The city of Chioko in the Divided Plains.  (Considering this is the only place where they will deal with outsiders, this is to their benefit)

4--- The Far Islands (Not yet described, but an archipelago of islands forming a circle around the Black Sea of the east.  Think a combo of Caribbean and Philippines)

5--- The cities on the Eastern side of the continent!

Before I post my next area, I want to comment on how a supplement certainly needs an overview editor to make sure that certain ideas that SOUND good, really DON'T work.

Case in point the west coast of the continent.  As I have mentioned, it is south of the equator, so south is colder, north is jungle.  Also unlike NA which has a lush west coast, it is more like SA with a dry coastal plains.  Please remember this.

No 1

We'll create an island off the west coast.  It will be the home of merchants/privateers, who sail up and down the coast maybe into the Three Bays area.  OK.  Are there any cities along the way?  Nope!  So they are merchants, right!  Who do they trade with?  Well the cities of the Gefting Sea, you know that Basin area with all the cities.  Which also happens to be 1500 km inland from where they are!  Oh, add the fact that there is no major city on the west coast to load and unload goods.  Oh and even if they bought good to the west coast, where would they sell them?

No 2

There is a city state on the west coast, BUT it is not a port.  You people are going to love this.  It was founded by a mercenary commander to be his base far away from the Basin Area.  The focus exclusively on selling their services as Mercenaries.  They do have a side gig as glass makers, but otherwise everyone dedicates themselves to training and practice.  Sounds cool, sort of like the Swiss Mercenaries that dominated warfare in Europe.  Hold on, what's this?  There are NO non soldier professions at all!  No farmers.  No Herders.  No fishermen.  Only professions that help equip a soldier.  They get all their food imported, from that Basin area, over 1500 km away.  As one poster stated above even 300 km was a serious overland journey.  You're telling me they are going to ship perishable food items overland, across those plains controlled by the nomads, across one of the few passes of THE tallest mountains (think Andes here) then down the other side.  And this will serve to feed a city state of close to 50000 people?  I know this is fantasy, but really!

So basically my next two areas are going to be almost total reworks.

For this area I am taking some inspiration from Al-Qadim with the Cities of the North and the Corsair Isles.  

4 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

It might make for some interesting scenarios if Kulaki-Ummar was pro-active in its anti-slavery stance. The Kulaki (I'm going to use that name for convenience) may send their operatives to neighbouring lands to smuggle slaves out of the country and to their city; raid slaver caravans and ships; perhaps even agitate slaves to revolt. They'll take anyone to help grow their population, but particularly emphasize freeing and recruiting slaves with useful skills, e.g. farmers, craftsmen, scholars, and trained fighters.

I have thought of that.  But the difficulties of establishing itself along one of the most useful trade routes going north south right now will take all their time.

But a few well placed PCs can always be useful (IMF Fantasy Hero Style!)

Next up a slave free city... Yes I am ste..err borrowing from Turakian Age.

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Kulaki-Ummar

This is the newest city located where the Kulana River empties into Hogen Bay, which leads later into Fragmor Bay and Elgin Bay, then the open ocean.  The name means Refuge of the Free.  It is the result of numerous escaped slaves from Imperial slaver raids who banded together and began a long term effort to disrupt the slavers from the south.  Eventually they had enough people that they took over the largest camp/settlement of slavers and established a new, slave free, city.  At first it was tough, but the slavers were used to dealing with small tribes, not a well organized city with soldiers, mages and an entire population that hates them.

 

Eventually, it was realized that this city would have to be dealt with if they wanted to access the riches of the jungle.  As people explore the jungle, they are finding ruins of older settlements and cities.  

 

Kulaki-Ummar is a monarchy with an advisory counsel.  It has a well trained army and is in the process of building up its navy, both military and trade branches.

On 10/16/2022 at 7:41 AM, LoneWolf said:

Unable to cast Spells: (Infrequently, Fully) the character cannot cast spells at all.  The character still has a magic roll but cannot cast spells.  This complication is designed for characters that can create magic items, but not cast spell.  This is worth 20 pts.

 

I like this idea.  The blacksmith who can make magic weapons, the seamstress who can create outfits that act as armour, the jewel crafter who can make a broach that detects poison.  YES!

1 hour ago, DShomshak said:

The nomads don't bother the rivrside farmers? That's something that needs explaining, IMO, as Real History includes so many instances of hostility between pastoral nomads and settled farmers. (OK, hostility between everyone and any neighbors, but still.) Farmers take the best land that nomads would like to use for grazing animals; but being immpobile, it is sooo easy for the highly mobile nomads to rob them and retreat. And settled folk tend to have stuff worth stealing, too.

 

Call me cynical, but I think any case of enduring peace between peoples requires more explanation than cases of enduring, or at least episodic, war.

 

Dean Shomshak

That is why I post these.  To either re-enforce an idea, or discard it for something better.

I am taking a page from the Valdorian Age book, a nomad culture that considers the river totally sacred.  As long as you are within about 1 km of the river you are safe.

Same idea.  River is neutral territory.  

Also I like 

16 minutes ago, assault said:

The nomads and the river people are kin. They have a division of labour, with the nomads being the shepherds and cattle herders, and the river people being the farmers.

Depending on the climate, the nomads might graze their flocks along the river at certain times of year (coincidentally manuring the fields).

It sort of reminds me of Mercedes Lackey and the Hawkbrothers / Plains riders divide!

North of Bola is a plains/ grasslands area and home to an interesting land!

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The Divided Plains

North of the Bola Desert and east of the K’Srondi Jungles are the Divided Plains.  These plains go right to the Dark Ocean and the Far Islands. The reason for the division is very simple: a river runs down the middle.  Starting at the edge of the Bola Desert, this river heads north to a large bay on the coast.  Society is split into three parts, the nomads who range their herds on one side or other of the Divider River, the farmers who work plots along the river and finally the priests who administer the river plots and settle disputes between the nomads.  

 

The nomads on either side have their differences.  Those on the east side are close to the Bola Desert people, and will trade with them and even take some in to help teach and improve their lot.  Those on the west side are close to the K’srondi Jungle people and will get woods and exotic items from there.  The River is neutral ground, and the river people are never bothered by either group as a result.  

 

At the mouth of the river is the only major city, the port of Chioko.  This is where any major trades will happen.  Any trade caravan from the south must come here to sell and buy.  They refuse to do it anywhere else.  Naturally this is a great expense for the traders, but the convenience of a central market is worth it.  As well, some of the people from the Far Islands will come here as it is the one of the few safe harbors along the coast and the only one with a settlement, food and water. 

 

Over on RPGnet there is a thread about a game called Fabula Ultima.  It has a luck point mechanic where.... here:

Quote

You earn Fabula Points whenever you Fumble a roll (roll two 1s), whenever a Villain appears in a scene (even if it's a cut scene where the PCs aren't present), whenever you Surrender in combat (this earns 2 points), or whenever you invoke a Bond or Trait to deliberately fail a roll.

So it's really in the players' hands how often Fabula Points are earned, though the GM can influence that by having Villains show up more often.

One thing I love is that the system encourages you not to hoard Fabula Points. The more you spend in-game, the more XP you earn at the end of the session. You take all the Fabula Points spent at the end of the session, divide that by the number of players (always rounding down) and then that amount gets added to the XP you earn. It's pretty clever. I'm going to encourage my players to freely spend their Fabula Points.

So I was thinking, we have a Luck Point System (optional).  encourage the use of the luck points by tying it to PC development.  

What do you think?

So anything about Trammel Highlands?

Now we head to the frigid south (The continent is south of the equator)

Quote

Trammel Highlands

Located south of the Elfhost Forest, the Highlands are the most southerly inhabitants of the continent.  The highlands go south all the way to the southern coast.  East to west, they go from Moreg’s Brow, the mountain chain that runs along the south coast to The Jomoloto Mountains that run north-south along the whole western part of the continent.  Their only link is a pass that leads, eventually, to Rasul.

 

There are many physical similarities between the Highlanders and the Forbek Nomads, as well as a similar language, but distance and differences in terrain have developed differences.  Highlanders still herd, but mostly sheep and goats.  As well, there are places where farming can occour, and it is around these five cities at the center of the highland that the government occours.  It is also here that learning takes place, including all the types of Magic.  

 

Government is feudal in nature.  The High Lords are caretakers of the land and bequeath it to Earls and Dukes, who then bequeath it to farming families.  In each case obligations from both sides need to be observed, and if one is broken, then any agreement is nullified.  Appeals can be made, all the way to the High Lords.  But their decisions are final in any deliberation.

 

18 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

It strikes me that you have a good setup for intertribal trade here. The mountain people have access to water and the products of Kerq, while the desert folk have the lost cities and their artifacts.

 

I was hoping for that.  There are three ways for people to get into the Bola Wastes:

1- The Corridor, a grassland area controlled by nomads, but leads to the Wastes and the Plains area after it.

2- The Wyrmian Pass, fastest way, but threatened by goblyns

3- The Eastern Shore, used to be favoured as it had a river on it, a good city state, led to Feydor, and possibly the Far isles.  Now that area is overrun with goblyns and the trade is totally disrupted.

18 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

The attitude of the tribes toward those cities intrigues me, because you imply they're a potential source of rich treasure for adventurers. Are they willing to guide PCs to them, and allow they to take what they choose (past traps and other dangers, of course)? Or are they considered sacred sites that they guard against outsider violation?

 

I'm also curious as to the war that devastated this region. Who fought it, and why? Are there survivors from the conflict, e.g. super-weapons, or hidden enclaves of the ancient civilizations?

 

 

I am going with the former, not the latter.

As far as the devastation, it was attributed to a mage war, where one mage in particular launched some fire magics, and slowly the grasslands caught fire, and it has been a wasteland ever since (the original booklet had this happening 6000 years ago and no change taking place. 

I need to come up with a slightly different explanation for the original war, and why after 1000 years it is still a desert.

Ideas welcome!

17 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

For your cultures, rather than sticking with the later Apache/Navajo, you might look at their predecessors in the regions they occupied, such as the Ancestral Puebloans. The American Southwest produced several similar but distinct cultures, with a variety of architectural styles. For your mountain dwellers, you may find inspiration from another major pre-Columbian cultural region, the Andean civilizations of South America.

 

I am actually planning an Andean type for the far West Coast, which is dominated by a continent spanning north south mountain chain which has a jungle environment on the far side (Yes it is too easy to see the parallels)  I plan to have rivers from the mountains to the ocean through plains area.  Each river will have a settlement, which leads to trade.  The original booklet left this whole region empty, but then placed an island of merchants and pirates off the coast... say what?  Who do they plunder/trade with?

2 hours ago, Lawnmower Boy said:

"

Koy is a smaller city located 160 km north and east of Aerelios on the banks of the Lost River.  Its actual location is actually about 300 km inland up river.  The reason for this placement is that it is right next to one of the passes that lead into Kerq through the Shattered Hills.  Both the river and the hills start north in the Wyrmian Mountains.  As such it makes an ideal spot to get items from the mountains and the hills as well as trade goods from Kerq.  

 

Most of its items are shipped overland (200 km) to Aerelios for refinement and distribution. "

 

This is far too great a distance for an economical point-to-point trade with medieval technology. It is perfectly practical, but implies the transhumant herding of livestock, usually sheep. This further implies a textile industry, a seasonality of pasture, and an order of political organisation to make these transhumant movements safe and stable. (That is, no-one squats your pastures while you're on the other end of your range. It isn't much consolation that you can kick them out when you return if the grass is already gone.) I'm having difficulty visualising the geography, but transhumant movements often link uplands with lowlands subject to seasonal flooding. The mountain pastures are green in the summer, while the flooding has to recede in the winter. 

Good Point.  Ok, so it is the clearing house for any trade coming down river, which it then ships by boat to Aerelios.  This actually makes sense as you can just go with the river's flow to the Gefting Sea, hug the coast, head up the Kulana River a bit and you're in Aerelios.  

I keep forgetting that overland travel is very much a modern (ie 1850's +) idea.  Also as a North American (Canadian) we tend to see long distances as common place.  I am reminded of a conversation with a Scotsman visiting Canada.  I asked him what he thought. "Its so bloody HUGE.  You talk about going to Calgary from Edmonton as like a small day trip.  Its four bleedin hours mate!  Back home that gets me onto the Continent!  For us anything more that 100 kms is overnighting!"

Next up a desert region, very sparsly populated.  But with many an old ruins in it.  Can we say Ancient Desert City?  Knew you can.  

I am almost making this up whole cloth, but I do not want to do an Arabian type society.  I was thinking more Apache/Navajo with a little of the Fremen maybe!

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Bola Desert

As one heads through the Corridor, on one side can be seen jungle.  On the other is a sandy waste called the Bola Desert.  Burnt out by a long ago war that burned all the vegetation, it is slowly being reclaimed.  And even in this harsh environment life exists.  This is the home of the Bolan Peoples.  

 

The Desert itself runs north to the Divided Plains, south to the Wyrmian Mountains, and East to the Dark Ocean.  Most people wander the desert, from water hole to water hole.  The only permanent settlements are along the mountains, where water is more plentiful, especially at the Wyrmian Pass, which leads to Kerq.  

 

There is no common government.  Tribes and tribal loyalties are paramount.  But there are many ruins deeper in the desert, including the City Which Storms, that lead many to try and find artifacts, magical and mundane, to sell to outsiders.

 

8 hours ago, Lord Liaden said:

A conflict-resolution mechanism could be applied to PCs coming into the grasslands and inadvertently offending the Nomads. But perceived wealth disparity between groups is a classic source of resentment, which your PCs could find themselves in the middle of.

 

A common attitude/prevailing wisdom about the Nomads among those outside the grasslands could be useful to establish, either to prepare your PCs for dealing with them, or to show them it isn't accurate. The reverse might be fun to play with, too, if they run into prejudiced Nomads.

 

BTW I doubt the Nomads call themselves "Nomads." They probably have their own name or definition for themselves. Ignorance of that could be a point of friction in itself.

Well said!

1 hour ago, Lord Liaden said:

Any conflicts between clans? If so, how are they resolved?

 

What's the Nomads' attitude toward "outsiders," and how are they viewed by their neighbors?

Good points.  Since a trade route to the Jomoloto (Western) mountains and the Western coast exists, I will say they favor trade.  But clans closer to those routes are becoming richer, while others are seemingly being left behind.  

I envision some sort of ritual combat, as open warfare will weaken them as a whole.  Whether this is weapon combat/HTH wrestling OR some sort of contest like a horse race or footrace, I am not sure!

I am also thinking that as long as the outsiders stay on their paths and don't roam the plains, it is fine.  But roaming around... Well to paraphrase Yosemite Sam "Someone getting footy prints all over my grassland!"

So outside the Basin states are other lands.  I am keeping this simple, as the aim is that these are places to visit, but not set a campaign in.  

BUT any suggestions or ideas will be welcome!

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Forbek Steppes and the Corridor

On the borders of Danica run a set of grasslands that run from the far western mountains called the Jomeloto, north and west of the city, crossing the Kulana River and continuing north and east until it runs up against the Bola Desert.  A small stretch of this grassland runs north until it reaches the Divided Plains.  This whole area is home to the Nomads of the Forbek Steppes.  

 

The nomads are divided into clans and guard their territory from all outsiders.  Accomplished riders, they tend to their herd of cattle.  If approached respectfully, they will guide outsiders to the large tent city that acts as a capital.  Here all the clans can come to air their grievances and seek compensation, either monetarily or by blood price.

 

Many members of the clans practice Totemic Magic, mostly shamanism, but some do practice beast mastery.  Fewer practice Runecrafting and even fewer practice Metier, but in both cases healing and support powers are favored.

 

Government is run by clan leaders.  Every year, the leadership can be challenged which leads to a three day competition to prove which is more physically and mentally fit to lead.  If there is an issue large enough, then clan leaders elect one as Master of the Clans, to lead them as a whole.

 

1 minute ago, Duke Bushido said:

After which, you just handwave that "we all talked and we understand each other (because I have no hair left to tear out) or demand they buy a common language on loaned experience points against their next EP earnings.

 

Remember That this common tongue dowsnt have to be the universal common tongue understood by a few people in every major city, either.  If you prefer it, it can be just some simple regional  language that they all happen to have in common, meaning they can still get value for any language that they spent points on.

 

As for language charts?

 

       

 

I mean, umm...  No; I don't bother working that out.  I am not the oldest guy here, and I started gaming with Traveller in '77.  To this day, no player has ever actually cared how many points of similarity his language has compared to another.  It boils down to "well, I can speak X, Y, and some Z.  Is his langaue similar enough to one od those that maybe we can kind of get some simple quesrions and were?"

 

at which point I can make a quick dexision based on the needs of the moment, make a note, and move on.

 

I dont even use the one 4e gave us, doe just the same reason: no player has ever fone out of his way to put 3 pts into Click or,any other language without knowing what might have some overlap anyway, even then, he has precious little clue how much, so I end up having to make that quick decision anyway.

 

So, briefly:  standing rule: all PCs have a common tongue, and that is the default against which they call other languages 'additional.'

 

A language chart has never once proven to be of any value (other than slowing the game down repeatedly) in any game I have ever played.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good points all of you, thank you.

Looks like I am going with some local languages, but a trade lingua franca that all know to some level or another!

As I develop my world I came to the idea of Languages.  Some background:

The main area is a Basin Lake 1000km by 200km (about) that long ago was conquered fully by one state, and that language was imposed on the populous.  But now 600+ years later and the fall of the empire and the fracturing of the area, I can't help but see a parallel to Old Rome.

In addition there are areas never conquered by the empire and so their language development was different.  

Now in my experience differing languages were a PITA.  five players who could only communicate with two others at any one time for example.  

So do you make a detailed language table, where knowing one language gives you help with understanding a second or third?

OR

Do you go all hand wavium and make a Trade Tongue as it were, a language everybody uses?

And we finish the last two cities on the south coast.

Next up a primer on outside the Basin States!

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Diltren

At the midpoint along the southern coast line is the Thrubben River.  At one time this was the border between the former states of Moregador and Thosque, but with the break up of those states after the results of the last years, the  cities along the river have banded together.  As a result they have been better able to weather the last few years.  The main city is Diltren, called the City of Bridges.  Though most trade follows the coast, some is shipped overland and has to cross the river.  The city makes good money charging a toll.  As well it has docking facilities for boats that need to stop before continuing onward.

 

As well, Diltren makes good money as its farms are still producing.  The city leaders know they will not be a major power on the Sea, but still wishes to be more than a border city where the money goes elsewhere.

 

Government is by the Prince of the City.  This is a hereditary position. With an advisory council made up of nobles and merchants who chose their successors based on ability, supposedly.  Recent events have dealt a council that is not as capable as before.  Fortunately the current Prince is capable, but some fear for the next in line.  Many still remember being a border state with feuding governments.

 

Rasul

Located at the lower west corner of the rectangle that forms the Gefting Sea is Rasul, along the Sandine River.  Rasul has a reputation for having the best merchants in the Basin area, which is not far from the truth.  Toubaris, God of Commerce, holds a special prominence in the city.  As a result, merchants hold special prominence in the city.  As a result the city holds a dislike for Aerelios as it feels it should be the preeminent city in the basin.  As it is it also is doing well, but some problems still plague it.  Goblyn raids from the Elfhost forest and from Moreg’s Brow still occour, and trade routes to the Trammel Highlands continue to be attacked.  But areas to the east are still producing and so it still has a viable economy.

 

Government in Rasul is run by merchants. They form an assembly with a small group forming the ruling council.  Any merchant in good standing in the city may vote.  Any merchant outside the city may not.  Thus merchants tread a fine line as they must continue to be viable (ie travel), but be present for crucial votes.  This results in a chaotic system at times, but it seems to work.  The other change going on in Rasul is the decline in slavery.  With the sourse of slaves cut off, more freeborn people are being forced into the menial positions and demand at least a small wage.  This is cutting into the bottom line of some merchants and more graft and corruption than usual occurring.

 

We now are on the Southern Coast of the Gefting Sea

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Thomar 

As the Gefting Sea’s Coast now goes West we come to the next major city!  Thomar is a leftover from the former state of Moregador.  Near the end of the Compact Wars, Moregadar was already fracturing.  Ruthless politics and backstabbing made it that in many cities there were new rulers every 3-4 months.  In fact the head of the country was usurped five times in a period of two years.  But between the stress of the Compact Wars, the Goblyn attacks, and the seven years of drought, the country fractured.  Thomar Is one of those cities.  Located near the mouth of the Nacha River that ran down from Moreg’s Brow in the south. It benefits from a secure anchorage and access to the Onel Islands.  Also it has a trade deal with Ixon for selling and buying products as they are so close.  Thomar’s greatest asset though is that it controls one of the largest fleets of merchant ships in the Gefting Sea, a left over from the former state of Moregador.  They are not the best merchants, but they do make excellent sailors, such that most trade on the Sea is carried on Thomar ships.   However, Thomar has lost easy access to the Hrange Forest for replacement wood and her ships are starting to age.  

 

Thomar’s government appears unstable as before, with people vying for power and still engaging in pointless games.  What few realize is that a VERY well trained bureaucracy runs everything and the leadership are just for show.  They have no real power, the achievement of office is all for bragging rights.  Those in the know head to the chiefs of various departments for anything official.  Some are wondering when the “supposed leaders” are going to realize they have been played.

 

Speaking of play, there is one group from the former Moregador that still has an affectionate part in many Thomarian hearts, The Players.  The Players are devotees to Chast the Goddess of Chance and Trickery.  They go about vying to do amazing feats, and taking amazing chances, all for the bragging rights.  At the moment, for many, the great feats are freeing some of the Southern parts from the goblyns as well as reestablishing a presence near the Hrange Forest to help reinvigorate Thomar’s Navy!

We continue our voyage across the Basin States!

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Ixon

As the Gefting Sea turns south, it is framed by the Wyvern Hills to the east.  Finally at the bottom of the eastern corner the Sea turns to the west.  Here the Onel Hills start in the Hrange Forest and head east/west with some of it going into the Gefting sea as a small chain of islands.  Just north of the hills is the only city on the Sea that is not tied to a river.  This is Ixon.

 

Ixon exists because it is the representative city of Feydon.  As the Wyvern Hills decrease and before the Onel Hills is a flat plains area that Feydon has claimed.  Feydon has most of its cities on the Eastern Coast, but realized that having an outlet for its goods, and a presence in the Basin was good business and politics.  Thus a road was built from Ebon Bay the capitol to the Sea and a city was founded just at the north of the Onel Hills.  

 

Ixon is also called the Cliff City, because it is literally built into a cliff.  The top of the cliff has the city, and the base of the cliff was hollowed out to form a small harbor and anchorage.  Ixon is not very large, but happens to be the clearing house for Feydon made magic items as well as Reuchian weapons and armor (More on Reuchia next) as well as items from Ebon Bay and the Far Islands.  As a result the city is VERY well defended.  During the Compact Wars, it remained neutral.  

 

Feydon is a Magocracy, and Ixon is no exception.  Only those who practice magic (Metier, Totemic, Runecrafting, Clerical Alchemy) are allowed to vote.  The current High Mage reports to the High Mage in Ebon Bay.  Currently the High Mage is a Totemic Shaman from the Far Islands, who was elected by those who thought she was easily led.  Now many are regretting their decision as she has proven to be a fast learner.

 

Ixon today is surviving well, but goblyn raiding parties from Moreg’s Brow and the southern part of the Hrange Forest have been raiding caravans coming from Ebon Bay. Also the problem with Reuchian refugees continues to plague the northern border.

 

The failed state of Reuchia

Reuchia was at one time a feared state amid the Basin States.  Famed for its weapons and armor, as well some of the best trained soldiers anywhere.  But this was built on a fooundation of slavery.  The warriors were able to learn and practice because a large population of slaves did all the menial jobs.  But Cramlyk from decades ago hit the whole population hard and the proportion of slaves to slave holders was becoming harder to maintain.  Then the supply of northern slaves dried up, and though Reuchia tried to find another sourse, it was difficult.  The thought of having to change never entered their minds.

 

It did not help that Faydon to the south was a meritocracy with no slaves, and Kerq, just on the other side of the Wyvern Hills had a very limited type of slavery, didn’t help matters.  Some slaves even prefers escaping into the Bola Wastes.  Then the Compact Wars occurred and many Reuchian left to make their fortune.  When the Goblyns attacked, the Reuchians left were sadly insufficient and pushed to the coast.  Most slaves took this opportunity to leave their farms and head south to Feydon, or take their chances throught the Wyvern Hills to Kerq.  What is left are the cities of Corisar and Jerayn, both on the Far Coasts at the mouths of the Dragonsblood and Breath River’s respectively.  Just south of Jerayn is the Faydon border.  The former capital, Dragon City, located inland on the Breath River at the foot of the Wyrmian Mountains is now a Goblyn Stronghold.  

 

Many former Reuchians dream of the day they may go home, but many wonder what kind of Reuchia they are going to make after it is done!

We are going to go clockwise, and so we go east.

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Koy

Koy is a smaller city located 160 km north and east of Aerelios on the banks of the Lost River.  Its actual location is actually about 300 km inland up river.  The reason for this placement is that it is right next to one of the passes that lead into Kerq through the Shattered Hills.  Both the river and the hills start north in the Wyrmian Mountains.  As such it makes an ideal spot to get items from the mountains and the hills as well as trade goods from Kerq.  

 

Most of its items are shipped overland (200 km) to Aerelios for refinement and distribution.  

 

Government is by a local hereditary ducal family (the current leader is the Duchess of Koy) and is passed to a family member that is judged to be the most qualified.

 

Koy has had it hard as of late.  Goblyns control the hills and River to the North, and the other two river towns are goblyn occupied ruins at this time.  Thus most of Koy’s source of income has been cut off.

 

Kerqod

Is located on the upper east corner of the rectangle that is the Gefting Sea.  Located at the mouth of the Tamed River, which is the major river that drains most of Kerq.  Between the Tamed itself and the smaller rivers that drain into it, almost all the goods in Kerq end up in Kerqod.  

 

Kerq itself is almost self contained.  It comprises most of the northern coastline of the Sea and the southern part of the mountains.  East to west it has the Shattered Hills to the Wyvern Hills.  

 

Kerqod was hit hard by the Cramlyk plague years ago and almost all the noble family was killed.  Those that remained were in no shape to govern and so the local craft guilds began to run things unofficially.  Eventually it became official and has worked well enough ever since.  Every craft guild (and yes this includes Runecrafters and Cleric Alchemist) elects one of their number to serve on the city council.  Once there, the council elects one of their members to serve and Prime Councillor. This happens every five years.  

 

Kerqod has weathered events pretty well so far, but goblyns still control most of the northern and western sections.  Of prime concerns are the incursions into the Goddess Wood (Scared to Mareleea) and the danger of cutting off the Bola Pass, one of the only passes through the Wyrmian Mountains into the Bola Wastes to the North!