by Carteeg Struve

Capital: Sharathen
Population: 182,222 (Human 98%, Hartdar 2%)
Government: Monarchy
Religions: major – Tashrama (green branch), Tashrama (black branch), minor – Tao-Shin
Languages: Common, Dwarven
Trade: Leather, horses, olive oil, fish
Legions: Road Watch, Court Swords, Mounted Cavalry of Sharathen, Watch of the Sea (navy)
Alignment: All

Drejor (Drey’-jor) is the sister nation to Trejor and one of the Midland Sovereignties. Also a portion of the nation is under the control of the green Elder Dragon Glastious. The majority of the country is under the direct rule of Queen Luminecei Heymelion.

Life and Society

The population of Drejor outside of Glastious Forest is almost completely human with only some coin dwarf influence. The population inside the forest is impossible to get an accurate count of and is therefore ignored.

Drejor has extensive trading with the Coin Dwarves to the north in Kedaltol, and Trejor to the west. Also Drejor is widely known for the high quality of its horse breeding stock. Until the Falecohvo Ranch in Mauritand gained dominance, Drejor ranches were used to supply the Midland Guard with much of its stock. Although the loss of business with the Midguard dampened part of the economy, demand for the various Drejoran breeds still remains high throughout the lands.

Coastal fishing and the olive oil industries also make up a major part of the nation’s economy. In the city of Gray Drethen, Behsatin Markoinyo is known as one of the land’s more expert leatherworkers. Even with the Midland government’s shift towards Mauritand for horses, Markoinyo still has a lock on leathering.

Although society is well developed throughout most of the country, whether in the large cities in the west near the shore or in the sparser towns in Drejor’s heartland, towards the east much of the style of living is different. In Glastious Forest, the Green Elder Dragon who gave the forest its name hides within the trees. Animals, mobile plants, fey, and other races including humanoids take shelter under the canopy. However it is not a peaceful existence. The towns living near the forest experience a constant watch as Glastious’ followers raid them and travelers of the neighboring roads. Locals of the towns refer to themselves as the borderlands, making a parallel between their own existence stopping the forest from spreading with those who live on the borders of the north and south of the Midlands, on the edge with barbaric creatures who wish to harm the stability of Midland society. As time has gone on, that view which likely had been born as a simply point of irony is now seen by many as a reality. Both sides of this conflict realize one thing however. The state of small continual raids by both sides into the others cannot go on forever. Soon major war will break.

Religion

With Glastious’ forest dominating the eastern landscape, the Tashrama has a heavy presence in Drejor, but with no method available to safely or accurately count the population living within the woods, gauging its strength is difficult. Outside of the forest, there are scarce few who have begun to preach the return of the “true gods.” This Tao-Shin faith is very small currently, and many see it as a variation on the practices of the Church of the Divine Ladder (Tashrama) although those of the Tao-Shin claim to be reviving a faith of old.

Government

Excluding years when nobles war over a vacant throne, the monarchy of Drejor has a long-standing chain of kings and queens that go back to long before the Drowning. Queen Luminecei (LG female Midlander human noble 12/sorcerer 1) rules both Drejor and the capital city of Sharathen. All other towns and cities elect their own mayor by whatever method that settlement sees fit for itself. City and town issues are supposed to handle local affairs by themselves, but Luminecei has developed a habit of micromanaging things that catch her attention, believing her can solve problems faster on her own than those more directly affected by the situation. Much to the frustrations of many mayors, the Queen has proven herself to be very effective and capable of doing just that.

Military

A standing army is made of up a purely volunteer force, however in the past there have been cases where a draft was imposed during times of crisis. The last time this occurred, during the anarchy following the Days of Darkness, foreigners passing through Drejor were also impressed into service. Since then, the draft has never been imposed. Most who enter the service simply enlist, but for wealthier families, military training is available at several schools. Those who graduate with high enough marks are instantly given ranks as officers.

Several special branches within the army also exist. The Road Watch keeps Stonewatch Road, the major route between Sharathen and the east, clear of the expanding Glastious Forest. The Court Swords act as her own personal bodyguards and agents. The Mounted Cavalry of Sharathen is a large force of mounted soldiers who receive as much praise from the local population as the Midland Guard. The Watch of the Sea is the naval force that protects the waters off the Drejori shoreline. Of these branches, only the Road Watch and the Watch of the Sea allow newly enlisted soldiers into their ranks.

Magic and Mysticism

Those who practice arcane arts are seen by many in Drejor as useful, but their help is as often accompanied by a gnashing of teeth as often as praise. To many Drejori, magic is a venture into the unknown and the unknown is not to be fully trusted.

Opinions of divine magic vary widely. There are some who see the black branch of the Tashrama to the west as a group willing to assist others in need, but then they see the creeping threat of the green branch’s forest within their own borders. Most Drejori look at the newly energized Tao-Shin as a fringe cult not worth their attentions, but lately many herbalists have been slowly turning to the Tao-Shin for guidance.

Major Geographical Features and Locations

The largest feature noted by most in Drejor is the Glastious Forest. In earlier days, the Stonya Woods was much smaller and safe to walk through. Now with the Elder Green and his followers, only those who desire to serve the dragon may enter safely. The forest also expanded greatly in size after the Days of Darkness when Glastious struck back at the minions of Chaos by literally re-growing the forest from dust and rock. As of 421 AD, the forest takes up almost a fifth of Drejor’s area with smaller but still sizable parts in neighboring Guiteger. Many servants of the queen spend their time along Stonewatch Road doing what they can to keep the forest from overtaking the major traffic route between Drejor and Guiteger’s capitals. Often military patrols accompany tree trimmers and animal hunters in efforts to keep the trade route safe.

Regional History

Deep in the early times of Adlatum, the nation of Trejor stretched from what is now Sakkaras down to Drejor. But that time was short lived. Before the unified period, the land was divided by a variety of warlords. A few years after the fighting was quelled, Drejor succeeded into its own nation. The reason for the division is know only known as a legend whose authenticity is questionable at best. A short summary of story is as follows.

In the ancient days before the Drowning, Trejor was originally covered by a number of warlord led tribes. This warfare lasted for centuries as the ground continued to soak in the blood. According to legend, the son and daughter of the Roanj Tribe chief came upon a sinkhole in the middle of the night. Both were swallowed up. When they came to, they found themselves in an old temple long buried beneath the earth. Before them stood three figures: an older man in armor of unknown design, a scribe with a closed tome, and a beautiful woman with eyes of a serpent. They brought before them a bow and arrow made of a strange metal. Even the string of the bow itself seemed to be made of this brilliant substance, yet it was shown to bend but never break.

“These are yours to forge a nation and unify these lands,” said the scribe. “But you each have a choice.”

“We three represent three paths you may walk, and may guide your people by,” said the armored man.

“Not one of us will lead you to a life of ease. No such path exists,” said the woman. “But great things may be had still.”

The scribe stepped forward and gave the boy the bow and the girl the arrow. “If you both choose a single path, then in time peace will reign for Ages in the manner for which you set. One for the good of all, one for the strength of your own aims, and one to allow each of your nation to choose and live as they see fit. But if you choose differently, then division will be had and nothing can be promised.”

The girl made to confer with her brother, but the boy had made his mind. “I choose the good of all,” he said, and the armored man gave a warm smile to him. “Nothing can be more important than that, even if the individuals, even I, must share hardship.” The eyes of the gods turned to the girl.

After a moment of thought, she said, “I choose the fourth path. It is not right for gods to force mortals to chose only between them, whether for all, for self, or for freedom. To do so is a detriment to all three. I will accept your gift to help my people, but my path is chosen.” And she turned and walked away.

The brother was dismayed, but in his heart he believed he had chosen what was best. He learned the path of the armored man, and met up with his sister at a tunnel’s opening. Hurt was felt between them, but they put it aside for the betterment of their people. However the divide did not ever heal completely.

In time the two came to lead their tribe as one, but often disagreements arose. Also never was the starmetal arrow fired from the starmetal bow. He used his own arrows, and she used her own bow. Never did the bow break, and always the arrow was retrieved. In time, through both war and wisdom, the warring people were unified. But only for a short while.

There were times where she believed that under specific circumstances immoral acts which only resulted in a better end were justified. He disagreed and believed it soiled the ideals they were aiming for. As disagreements continued, the people began to divide with them. The new nation swiftly split into two, Trejor and Drejor, as the sister took half of the country east.

Although forever divided, the nations of Trejor and Drejor remained surprisingly close. With the ability for each country to choose its own way, the disagreements that divided the people as one were no longer. Respect for each other continued, but the ability for each to make up their own laws appeared key in their sustained peace. In the following centuries, Drejor took Trejor’s lead and started heavy trade with the Hartdar dwarves of Kedaltol to the north. In time, the dwarves were even hired to build the royal palace in Sharathen.

Throughout the centuries, a number of royal families took power. Sometimes the succession of dynasties happened when one line perished without successor. Other times there were political coups. But even in the worst cases where civil wars erupted, the nation always healed.

The bloodiest conflict for the royal throne lasted for a full century from 112 PD to 2 PD. The war began when King Rodeli was murdered by a masked assassin. When his son Phinio was in the middle of his own coronation, the capital of the Court Swords Logusha Heratecin noticed Phinio was sporting an injury to his arm in the identical location where he slashed at the assassin before he escaped. Enraged the capital ran the traitorous son moments before the crown was placed on his head. Immediately, Heratecin was killed by his own men, but not before he could explain his actions. With reason or not, Drejor’s throne was without heir. The noble families began to ally with each other into multiple factions. When no one family gained majority support, secret plots began to remove competition. When the plots were no longer secret, skirmishes broke out in the streets. After the span of three years, full civil war took the nation. The War of Houses had begun.

As time went on the list of houses vying for control shifted. Those who controlled each noble house changed, and even minor houses that supported another changed allegiances. As the Canon War raged over the same period, Drejor assisted where it could. But most houses kept their best fighters in Drejor for the War of Houses. Even away near the front against the minotaurs, it was not unheard of for soldiers from different houses to attempt to kill each other while in the midst of a battle with the bull-men. For that reason many commanders in the Canon War did what they could to keep Drejorans from enemy houses apart.

The last seven years of the War of Houses was a period of cohesion for the country. Only three contenders remained. In 4 PD, the field narrowed further when agents working for one of the other two houses murdered house matriarch Lady Vivaya Quiral. With only two contenders remaining, Drejor at last had a prayer the conflict would end.

And end it did when in 2 PD, when contenders Lord Madred Heratecin and Lady Emecia Heymelion agreed to a compromise. Both of older years, neither expected to win the throne for themselves. Instead the Lord and Lady agreed to marry their respective granddaughter and grandson. Any resulting child would then be the ruler a reunified Drejor. The fighting stopped for the first time in over a century, and the celebration like no other was planned.

The ceremony and the celebration covered all of Drejor and even some of the neighboring countries who were sometimes affected by the nearby fighting. The wedding of Roric Heymelion and Pharaceilia Heratecin spanned the entire day, and it also lasted into the later hours when the greatest tragedy of Drejor befell them.

The great wave of the Drowning struck Adlatum.

Most of those at the outside celebration were swept away in the currents. Several noble houses that had spent 110 years trying to survive the war were wiped out. Roric himself was killed, and Pharaceilia was lost. Even the great arrow of legend Faithfinder could not be found although the palace suffered less damage than most. After the water receded, the land was in ruin. It is said that not a single surviving Drejoran capable of speech refuse to curse all gods of the heavens. But slowly, the people tried to rebuild.

Luck came to Drejor five years later when Pharaceilia was found wandering the land. She awoke from the devastation with no memory of herself or who she was. Once returned to Sharathen, she confessed some time after she began her wanderings she had given birth to a child, but being poor with no way to care for the boy she put it up for adoption. Believing that Pharaceilia had an affair with Roric prior to the wedding, a search was conducted to relocate the nation’s rightful king. In the meantime Pharaceilia was declared Regent, much to the young girl’s dismay for her memory never healed. It would be fifteen more years before the boy was tracked down to a family who had traveled into the mountains to the southeast in order to escape the possibility of more waters. The young man, named Solios by his adoptive parents, was already wed and father of twins. Soon he was returned to Drejor and crowned king.

The nation continued to rebuild, and relations with neighbors were restarted. The old alliance with Trejor was rekindled when in 53 AD, a blood tie between the lost Trejoran royal family of Durandae and the Drejoran noble house of Durde was found. Count Kalis Durde departed his beloved homeland for its neighbor and changed his name to Kalis Durandae prior to becoming Trejor’s new king.

When word of the Tashrama faith grew in later times, the Heymelion line chose to give the faithful the benefit of the doubt unless trouble began to brew. It was soon learned that a powerful spirit connected to the faith resided in the forest, and it appeared to hold the forest completely in its control. It would be decades before they learned the spirit was bound in the form of a statue. It was decided that people have the right to worship as they will, and they let the followers of the Tashrama free pass into the wood to live as they wished so long as the people in the nearby towns were allowed to live their own lives. And although occasional stories of odd happenings stirred about from time to time, not much heed was ever given to the forest. In truth, the spirit was the Green Elder Dragon whose soul was bound inside of a stone statue in the forest. Although unable to move, he could project his will throughout the trees. Only those who were the most faithful came to learn the truth.

During the Days of Darkness, everything was put into a state of panic and high tension. It is known that the king himself had apparently launched an assault against the invading forces of Chaos during the conflict. Unfortunately all memory of this ruler of Drejor was destroyed. Even the entire army launched against the evil was wiped out. All that remained outside of the capital was a far-reaching field of armor, horse equipment, and the royal crown. By some cruel act of Chaos, even all written records of the king who ruled from 374 to 383 AD were wiped clean. Three months later, after swiftly descending into madness, Queen Lenyan took her own life. A regent would be appointed to run matters for the next decade as the young Luminecei Heymelion grew from a newborn into a beautiful young woman. On her nineteenth birthday, she was crowned queen.

During the period of unrest and rebuilding from the attacks by the Chaos creatures, new problems arose. Several towns and a small city were swallowed up by Glastious Forest. During the Days of Darkness the forest exploded in size and took over much land previously settled. In the towns newly bordering the forest, people began to cut the trees down in order to build new homes for the homeless refugees trying to begin their lives again. The followers of Glastious responded by openly attacking the settlements. Regent Moresi, Luminecei’s second cousin, tried to stop the conflict by sending representatives into the forest to negotiate with the cult. The lead negotiator returned with his fingers cut off and a message. “Whatever the circumstance is for your kind, it matters not to me. Trim back the forest, and this is what I feel. This forest is not of Drejor. Remain distant and live.” These words did not sit well with either the representative of Lord Montegron, who was in the process of unifying the Midlands and was present to advise the regent on matters. Still, both in the end recognized the lack of strength Drejor had in its current state and chose to heed the green’s words.

The situation changed when new trees began to grow near the border, expanding the forest. The nearby towns took this as a slow incursion by the dragon and hacked the forest line back. Every so often during the night other beings would raid the towns, and so the fighting continued, albeit sporadically.

As Montegron’s power in the region grew, the Lord Sovereign suggested Drejor post a strong line of sentries within and near the towns, and also along the roads running abreast of the forest leading east to their trading partners in Guiteger. Over time incidents occurred: men venturing only a short way into the wood and disappearing, animal raids, etc. But also there were responses: tree clearing, forest fires, and also massive hunts just within the woods.

Queen Luminecei is keeping a very close watch on the forest, and she sends periodic updates to the Great Lord Sovereign Montegron in Karsuhon on the situation. She had heard the spirit of Glastious was insane and recognized that trying to predict the being’s actions would be an effort in futility. She has set up a horse mounted segment of the military known as the Road Watch to keep the major road route between the capital Sharathen and the east clear of the expanding forest. After Montegron exposed the power of Tashrama to be the Elder Dragons, she is also wary of the Black Elder Dragon residing across the border in Drejor. The Black Elder Xyvren was now known to have been helping the people of her sister nation, especially in economic affairs, but she has grown to distrust the Elder Dragons. With King Tojra of Trejor seeming to be taking a more pro-Tashrama stance in the recent years, she has begun to worry. She herself has long since cast her nation’s lot in with the Sovereignties, and she is well aware of the mounting friction between the two powers.

Current Events

• A group of nobles worry that Luminecei has not yet married or had an heir yet, even though she is nearing forty-years old. Their Queen seems more concerned with political affairs rather than that of bloodlines and families. Unless they find a way to convince her to beget a child, the line of Heymelion will end with her, and the potential for another noble war will dramatically increase.

• Two men from Gray Drethen visiting Sharathen were all too happy to oblige a woman they did not know who told to them to “go jump off of a cliff.” Their bodies were found in the rocks near the Trejor border.

• Several horses used by the Road Watch had spontaneously thrown their riders and fled into the woods. Three caravans have since claimed wild horses of monstrous size had attacked them on Stonewatch Road.

Major Settlements

Glastious Forest (Population Unknown): The massive forest is made up of wild and enormous trees that take up almost a fifth of the nation’s land. Effectively outside of Queen Luminecei’s jurisdiction, the forest is ruled by the green Elder Dragon Glastious. The dragon is frozen in the form of a green tinted statue in the center of the woods, but he also has the ability to control the land, the trees, and maybe even the inhabitants himself. It is known a wide variety of creatures worship the dragon and attack the nearby populace on his orders. Many believe the dragon to also be insane.

Gray Drethen (or Grey Drethen) (Small City 10,034): South of the main trade route cutting across the middle of Drejor, Gray Drethen is a small city nestled in the rolling misty hills of the heartland. Ever since the Days of Darkness, a soft light fog has covered the meadows and the hills in the region. The sun has been partially obscured, but the diffuse light and the moist air continues the land to prosper as it had when the sun was able to shine strong. Since then Drethen has been called Gray Drethen, although the mood of the people does not seem to match its new name. In fact over time, the city’s people have been proving themselves to be more and more generous to both each other and to those from other places.

Mainly arcing through a winding valley, the small city is home to many businesses and even a school of research. Two businesses stand out with the most renowned. One is that of Behsatin Markoinyo, master leathersmith. The half-dwarf master is known for his skills, especially in armor and horse accessories. Queen Luminecei herself has been a client of his. The other business is the Ifama Olive Oil Co. owned by Evereyen Rogosh. Rogosh is also owner of many of the olive groves scattered across the country. His business is extensive enough that he even ships to Etlarn on rare occasions.

Sharathen (Metropolis 46,642): The capital of the nation, Sharathen rests on a hillside that sweeps down and away towards the distant shoreline. When the city was destroyed in the Drowning, the only building to survive with minimal damage was the dwarven made structure that was the royal palace. The large edifice of a building was made of strong stone similar in appearance to marble, but with the exception of having a light violet sheen to it. After King Solios came to power, he hired the dwarves once again, but this time to rebuild the entire city. Honored by the offer, and the promised funds, the Hartdar set to work joining human masons already in progress. By 98 AD, Sharathen was a city of strong stone and skilled artistic craftsmanship. A common jest among people says “If the Drowning comes again, Sharathen will either stand or be washed into the sea as one whole solid piece.”

by Carteeg Struve

Capital: Zmeineturu
Population: 100,372 (Human 87%, Adlar 5%, Corinesti 5%, Gildanesti 2%, Other 1%)
Government: Monarchy
Religions: major – Tashrama (blue branch), minor – Adlarism, Moanalosha.
Languages: Common, Hudieran, Elven, and Dwarven
Trade: Artifacts, Shrimp, Clams, Whale Oil, and Diamonds
Legions: Imperial Navy
Alignment: All

Dhu (Dhoo’) used to be a much larger nation before the Drowning. About 90% of its land was swallowed up by the Sargassi Sea during the Drowning. In present times, Dhu is a relatively minor human nation that has great amounts of trade items, that brings in much needed treasure to the Midlands. Its major contribution to the cause of the Sovereignties stems from its diamond mines.

Life and Society

The small country had two major assets, the diamond mines in the tall hills of Munest and ironically the ocean waters that had long ago destroyed the Dhu Empire. Much of the population lives off of the sea. Fish, shrimp, and clams are important parts of the economy, but the highest amount of income from the ocean comes from the whaling industry. Whale oil is a valuable commodity for Dhu since the southern parts of the Sargassi Sea and the South Tabaran Ocean are teeming with a wide variety of whales.

More inland, Memorance Lake is also used for fishing. Another use of the lake is that often explorers and researchers dive into the waters to search the towns and cities resting deep beneath the lake’s surface. Memorance Lake was formed by the Drowning, and vast numbers of highly populated settlements were lost. The hunt and recovery of lost artifacts is a common practice in Memorance. A tourism business was even begun to encourage foreigners to come and explore, for a price. More times than not, the casual vacationers only get a small amount of time to see the lost ruins before they need to resurface. But the awe the ancient structures give is more than enough to satisfy them. As such, true searches into the cities are done on a less condensed schedule and with much more preparation.

In the spire-like hills of Munest in the southeast, the excavation of diamonds has become a full time business. Discovered shortly before the Days of Darkness, Dhu at last found a method to pull itself out of the period of suffering that begun from the Drowning up to that day. In following decades, Lord Montegron of the Midland Sovereignties would extract much of the diamonds in order to help fund his methods to unify the Midlands. However this industry hit a major setback a few years ago when the local Elder Dragon Seresayon flooded much of the mines in a plan to extract the diamonds for her own needs. Even now many of the caverns are still in the process of being drained.

Religion

In the southwestern parts of the Dhu near the Holy Land of Heaventide, many follow the practices of the blue branch of the Tashrama. This branch promotes the concepts of ideal living through hard work and persistence. After the revelation that the church was run by dragons, many departed the lands around Heaventide to live near the capital. However the weakness portrayed by King Luciten has resulted in many moving closer to Heaventide in hopes of living under the strength of a mighty beast. How many of them will truly convert to the church’s ways is unknown at this time.

The Adlar working on continuing the Path in the Heskeram Desert often come to Dhu for trade and supplies, using metals they find during their excavating in order to pay for it. A small but suitable number of Adlar have found it most useful to live in Dhu and man a constant supply chain of goods and services from Dhu to the Path. Although these Adlar are distant from home, they believe they are doing their part for Reorx’s plan.

Over the years, many heathen faiths based off of tales of the sea have come and gone. With the recent return of the Tao-Shin, some people are merging these myths with stories about some of the sea-gods on the various paths to enlightenment. The result is a small population whose faith is an odd mix of actual faith and heathen practices and customs. This bastardized hybrid religion has been named Moanalosha (roughly translates to “Pull of the Sea” in Hudieran) and is rarely heard of outside of Dhu and the surrounding waters.

Government

The authority of Dhu has been weakening for years. Although on paper King Luciten (CG male Midlander human noble 3) is in control, his inability to take decisive action has allowed Montegron to insert men and women into the Dhu government and military who answer to the Great Sovereign Lord instead of the king.

Also in the city of Emperium Gate, a man by the name of Troverhon Keelright (LE male half-dwarf fighter 4/rogue 6/inquisitor 2) has been building a national navy that may be under Keelright’s control more so than Luciten’s or Montegron’s. Rumors are circulating that Keelright may be planning a coup in the future, but without evidence Luciten has been afraid to act. Furthermore, the king is also worried by possible actions that may be taken by the Blue Elder Seresayon if conflict between the Sovereignties and the Tashrama break out.

Smaller towns existing outside of the capital and away from Heaventide or Emperium Gate are run on their own with almost complete independence from larger governments. Only the settlements near the mines are in constant contact with the government in Zmeineturu.

Military

The Dhuish military is extremely weak, and Montegron has assigned several of his own people to both advise Luciten directly in how to handle situations and to build a stronger standing army. This army is growing in strength but is more an extension of Montegron’s power rather than an army loyal to Dhu.

A navy fleet named the Emperium Navy is also under construction and is near completion if not already done so. The fleet was constructed under the direction of Troverhon Keelright, a sailor who had lived with pirates and smugglers since birth. Most of this navy is populated by former pirates who wish to unify their strength under Keelright’s direction. Whether this navy is loyal first to Keelright, Luciten, or the Sovereignties remains to be seen.

Magic and Mysticism

Divine magic is often more trusted in Dhu than arcane. Often port towns will have a healer-woman (ironically named the Moon-Listener) who uses poultices, chants, and meditation to heal wounds and aches of all sorts. Most Moon-Listeners have joined the cult of Moanalosha and say they pull healing from the life-giving force of the waters in the same manner the moons pull the waves. To them the moons represent three gods of the sea. In truth, many Moon-Listeners are simply highly skilled herbalists, but there are others who are mystics, using their own power. A few may even be true clerics of the sea-gods, even if they believe they are praying “to the moons.”

Arcane magic is scarce in Dhu, but it does exist in subtle fashions. Some sorcerers and wizards work on ships helping pirates, treasure hunters, and smugglers. These “wet-wiz folk” (as many teasingly refer to them) tend to keep their magic use subtle and unnoticed by most others beyond whoever has hired them.

Major Geographical Features and Locations

The first Major Geographical feature of Dhu is the Sargassi Sea and the South Tabaran Ocean. Located on a corner where the sea meets the ocean, Dhu has the ability to interact with both sea life and ocean life. Trading with the Corinesti elves is a high priority and the ability to conduct their own trades through ocean ready ships is vital to keeping Dhu’s monetary flow alive, especially with the diamond market recovering from disaster and recession. For these reasons Dhu is rebuilding itself as a sea bound state first above all else.

Memorance Lake with the vast number of cities laying in a blue rest at the lake bottom takes up a fifth of Dhu’s current area. All around it fishing villages and rest spots for tourists have taken root. Beneath the lake, a large collection of stone buildings constructed during the early days of Adlatum’s civilization stand quiet as if the lack of people and the surrounding water was natural to their being. Unlike most of the cities destroyed in the lands that became the new sea, the land had buffeted just enough of the waves in order to let a majority of the buildings stand. The ancient designs of towers, palaces, manors, amphitheaters, stone roadways, aqueducts, and other marvels are now seen as things of beauty, rather than a reminder of the horrors of the flooding. Some also see the cities as potentially hiding treasures and relics of much worth. Others believe that lost knowledge useful in Dhu’s redevelopment may also be hidden below. Although too numerable to fully list, major lost cities and towns include Aldayn, Bahnd, Lemoss, Renmal, Voen, and Zomahkaesta.

The Munest is a chain of tall hills that rise up from the ground in the southeast regions of the country. Under much of these hills are mines loaded with diamonds. With much of this region off-limits to travelers, security is very high. Montegron has stationed several members of the Midguard in Munest in order to help insure the supply remains steady, which it has not. Seresayon flooded many of the tunnels and had many more cut off from the Dhu miners in order to let her own people gain access to the diamonds. Slowly the caverns are being drained, and the rightful owners of the mines are regaining territory. However it is unknown how much of the diamond supply Seresayon was able to take a hold off and how many of the mines she is keeping well protected.

Regional History

Prior to the Drowning, Dhu was a sizable power whose influence was largely felt in the region, even as the Canon War threatened its existence. At its own high point in the war, the nation’s territories extended from the edge of the Heskeram Dessert to lands now deep within the southern half of the Sargassi Sea. Even a small strip of the lands now in eastern Adlatum was within the Dhu border. Now Dhu is but a small fragment of the old power.

Being on the southern end of Adlatum, the Empire of Dhu took the grunt of a large portion of the wave. The low lying tropical jungles that covered most of the nation were leveled and lost as the Sargassi Sea was formed. Cities and towns were lost, either erased completely or partially sustained to become rubble for Corinesti to clean up. The capital Yuan was one of those cities lost. Although the national weapon of power, the trident Springlife, vanished when the capital was destroyed, Dhu was lucky in the fact that their king and his family survived the destruction. Before the wave hit, the court mage teleported the royal couple and their children outside of time, returning to the moment when the waters had receded.

The empire was gone. Only a corner of the territories remained above the waters, and a large portion of that was now a giant lake. The king chose the location of one of the devastated villages to be their new home, and so Zmeineturu was made the new capital.

The level of destruction was hard on the survivors even more than most other locations. No major city in Dhu had survived, and it would be generations before the shoreline was cleared enough for fishing ports to begin construction. The development of the new capital was also hampered. Although fishing in the newly formed Memorance Lake supplied food, it would be a long time before trade routes would be rebuilt and income from the fishing industry would assist in the reconstruction. Even the royal line would live in a large wooden structure for over a century before a stone manor would be made. Famine and disease was common, and many escaped by being lured into the servitude of the now-dead blue Elder Dragon Almissaive.

Civilization initially began to coalesce on the shore near the Sargassi Sea and the South Tabaran Ocean. It was not the gift of fish, shrimp, or even the whales at first which made this possible but ill defended foreign vessels. Piracy allowed the poor people of Dhu to leach off of the other nations and people who were fairing better than themselves. When pirates from other regions began to attack the Dhu fishing vessels, the local pirates came to their defense and made clear who owned the waters that used to be the Dhu Empire.

During the conflict, one pirate named Gussun gathered a fleet of seven ships run by seven competitive sea captains. The families of the sailors constructed a town under his direction, and Gussun’s Port became their base of operations. Soon dozens of Dhuic pirate ships fall under the command of Gussun, now known as “The Admiral.” After the conflict was resolved, Gussun’s Port became a major seafaring stop for those traveling the Sargassi.

In 368 AD, a group of adventurers ventured into Memorance Lake and retrieved several artifacts from the lost city of Voen. Since then both researchers and adventurers have traveled to the lake bottom to investigate the settlements of the lost empire. Some Corinesti even assisted in the restoration of several of the structures by removing the dirt, coral, and vegetation covering the buildings. However it was soon discovered that although the fish had no problems with the Memorance waters, Corinesti can only breathe it for hours at a time before feeling ill and needing to retreat. A reason for this reaction has never been found. Still, the allure of traveling underwater to see ancient ruins began to attract travelers. Business around the lake finally began to boom. The capital finally began to attract a larger population. A decade later, diamond mines are discovered beneath the Munest Hills. Hope for Dhu blossoms.

During the Days of Darkness, Dhu was hit hard. Being close to where the Adlar dwarves were digging the Path, a larger swarm of Chaos’ creatures swept into and over the land. Several of the cities founded after the Drowning were wiped from existence and memory. Not even their locations were recalled. Villages and towns were similarly erased. Only the three major settlements survived: Zmeineturu, Heaventide, and Gussun’s Port.

Gussun’s Port had the greatest losses as they were attacked both from the swarm over the land and the monsters from the sea. Only a united defense of the people prevented the port’s destruction. Many living around the lake or elsewhere inland fled to the capital for protection, and due to the increased concentration of forces the capital was able to hold the line against a variety of giant rat-like bears whose fur bled poison upon the ground along with a number of dark dragons that breathed the Void itself. The city survived, but both King Fozrok and Queen Helliena were killed. The young Luciten, only fifteen years old and witness to his parents’ murder, was forced to take the crown.

The Blue Elder Dragon’s lair Heaventide also put up a strong defense against the assault. Their casualties did not compare to those above ground, but the Church of Tashrama suffered a massive blow. The Blue Elder Dragon Almissaive was slain. However Almissaive’s mate, Seresayon, succeeded her lover as the new “god” by unknown means.

After the conflict, many in Zmeineturu chose not to leave and remained in the capital. Those in Gussun’s Port spread out to some extent, building new ports a short ways away, but they remained relatively close. Mining for the diamonds begun again, and it looked as if Dhu would recover much faster than it had from its last tragedy.

When the Great Lord Sovereign Montegron began to pull the Midland’s together, he saw a great asset in the Munest Mines. He lent his followers to assist in the clean-up and met with King Luciten. After that meeting a large portion of the extracted diamonds when to help Montegron in his cause for unification and stabilization. During this period, Seresayon also sent representatives to Luciten. Not only did they attempt to forge good relations with Luciten but one of the followers attempted to seduce Montegron himself. Under pressure from Montegron, Luciten ordered the representatives slain.

Montegron saw other sources of potential for Dhu. Seeing the growing line of ports he ordered Luciten to begin construction of a naval port. Troverhon Keelright, Gussun’s descendent, accepted this charge and changed the town’s name to Emperium Gate. This new city also enveloped several of the newer neighboring port towns. Secretly, he began to use the money to also build up the whaling industry, the fishing boats, and also the pirate fleet that had been paying Keelright off for years. Still, the shipyard was completely rebuilt with the funding, and new ships were brought into the fleet. Keelright had concluded one thing in regards to the naval plan. Experienced sailors would be needed, and most of them whether honest seamen or criminal pirates were subservient to him.

Since then Luciten has lived in fear of both the dragon and the Lord Sovereign. Feeling lost without the additional training that would have come from his parents, the king has proven himself to be easily influenced by those around him. As such, the Sovereignties decided to help Luciten by stationing several members of the Midland Guard along with one of Montegron’s personal mages in the capital. Many in the city’s patrols now report directly to the Guardsman, actually putting the true sovereignty of Dhu in question.

Seresayon decided to strike back for her followers’ executions by convincing many of the small villages and towns loyal to the Tashrama to not pay taxes to Luciten and thus Montegron. This quickly resulted in a military escort for the tax collectors and vast number of arrests. Homes and businesses were burned as examples. Many of those arrested were taken to Karsuhon for imprisonment, removing them from the influence of the blue dragon.

The blue responded by having her followers alter the tunnels underneath the Munest Mines and allowing millions of gallons of sea water flood in. The miners were forced to evacuate and the mining stopped. In the meantime, Seresayon’s followers moved into the flooded and isolated tunnels to mine the diamonds on their own. With this new source of income, she used bribery to free her followers in Karsuhon.

In late 420 AD, as the Midland Guard was still reeling from the death of its founder Jermon Cavlin, Seresayon was able to bribe enough people to allow her faithful in the Karsuhon dungeons to escape. The plan did not work perfectly as Jermon’s successor, Noragaen Veliya was able to sound an alarm. In the resulting conflict Seresayon lost half of those trying to escape, but those who returned were forever grateful.

The blue also has a large number of Corinesti followers living both in Heaventide and the sea. With these Corinesti attempting to sabotage sea trade and keep the flooded tunnels from being drained, Seresayon hopes to force the king into a polite conversation without the influence of Montegron hanging over their heads. She hopes to forge some type of connection with the nation, but is truly unsure how. The king is also terrified of the blue, likely as much as Seresayon fears Montegron. It is not widespread knowledge above ground, but under the cave of Heaventide, Seresayon’s eggs are close to hatching. An invasion at this point is a threat she does not want to deal with, especially if it threatens her children’s lives.

King Luciten has additional problems. Without the diamond mines operating at full capacity, funding for other projects, including building a second naval port, was scrapped. Luciten is becoming more and more worried about the sway Keelright has with those in Emperium Gate. Not only did he think the port would rebel, he is becoming convinced Keelright means to depose him. Unfortunately with the plans of a second naval port outside of Keelright’s hands scrapped, Luciten has lost his one chance to economically undermine the man. Luciten’s worry has become public knowledge, and those loyal to the king are hoping the Midlands will step in to solve the situation. Others are beginning to move to or near Emperium Gate, figuring it more stable and to be the growing power. A few others are even heading to Heaventide, wishing to subject themselves to the power of a dragon living in an underground paradise rather than put up with military and noble politics.

Current Events

• The noble families who used to advise King Luciten are no longer allowed to see the king. Instead Montegron’s own advisers have taken their place. One of the noble families suspects these new advisers may be arcane spellcasters, using their shadowy practices for dark purposes.

• The body of an assassin was found outside of Keelright’s own home. Nobody knows who hired him or who killed him. Half of the city thinks the Great Sovereign Lord wants Keelright dead in order to secure Luciten’s position as a weak puppet, and the other half thinks an agent of Montegron killed the assassin in order to insure Keelright becomes the next strong king of Dhu (under his own rule, of course). Keelright simply wants to know what happened.

• A strong earthquake out in the Sargassi Sea opened up a chasm on the seabed. Flotsam from a long lost city of the pre-Drowning Empire floated up to the surface, and a few of the items look to be in relatively new condition. Treasure hunters are flocking to investigate.

Major Settlements

Emperium Gate (Large City 24,984): Located on the shores of the Sargassi Sea, this port city also has direct access to the South Tabaran Ocean. Originally named Gussun’s Port when it was constructed after the Drowning, the town was begun as a combination whaling and pirate cove. According to many, it still is. Run by Gussun’s descendent Troverhon Keelright, the city’s name was changed when it was decided that the national navy would be built here. With King Luciten being viewed of by many as a weak ruler frightened by both the Blue Elder Dragon and Montegron’s own shadow, Keelright has been proving himself a dedicated and hard-nose leader to the people who work for a living near and on the sea. With the knowledge that the naval forces will have to be manned by those locals experienced with life on the ocean, there is brewing question as to who the forming navy will truly follow in the future, Luciten or Keelright?

Heaventide (Small City 6,010): Immediately to the west of Munest and even partially beneath the hills, the blue Elder Dragon Seresayon has her lair. Named Heaventide, the lair is an almost entirely enclosed paradise of trees, grass, and water, all surrounded by rock. In Heaventide is a large bay of water that interconnects through a long passage known as the Seapass to the ocean. The Seapass also travels directly under many of the mines in Munest, and it is now believed that Seresayon used the Seapass to flood many of the mines’ tunnels, cutting off the Midlands’ ability to use it. Other tunnels also branch up to the surface, which Seresayon and her followers call the Abovelands. Only those loyal to the Tashrama and the Blue Elder are allowed in Heaventide.

Zmeineturu (Metropolis 39,512): The lakeside capital of Dhu is clearly the single major population center in Dhu, containing 40% of the national populace. The manor that acts as the royal palace is located directly on the water’s edge and even has its own docks. The city was a small village prior to the Drowning, but afterwards its site was chosen to be the new government center. Unfortunately reconstruction of Zmeineturu was slow. Not until the discovery of the diamond mines in Munest would enough funding be available for a proper city to be built, but further reconstruction was slowed when Great Lord Sovereign Montegron redirected much of the funding to rebuilding the Midland infrastructure. Although a popular travel location for those who wish to see the ruins beneath Memorance Lake, the capital is in a period of uncertainty. Since the last census many people have moved to Emperium Gate in hopes of having a more stable life. With the future of King Luciten’s reign in doubt and believing he is only in place because of the Lord Sovereign’s will, several are looking elsewhere for stable leadership.

by Carteeg Struve

Capital: Charant Degalos
Population: 297,199 (Human 85%, Dwarf 5%, Gildanesti 5%, Corinesti 2%, Gnome 2%, Other 1%)
Government: Monarchy
Religions: Tao-Shin, Tashrama
Languages: Common, Dwarven, and Elven
Trade: Wool, leather
Legions: The Distant Shout
Alignment: NG, LN, N, CN, and NE

The second largest of all the nations of the Midlands, the nation hasn’t seen a lot of the border fighting that has gone on in the other nations. Situated between many of the other nations, the people of Charant Aros (Chah-rant’ ah’-roce) have capitalized on this and are a prime trading nation of the west. Most human merchants that work in other nations come from Charant Aros.

Others can easily pick out human families with deep roots in Charant Aros since they tend to sport a slight green hint to their otherwise human-pigment skin. Many believe the humans of Charant Aros may have a connection to Corinesti blood from centuries ago. Other common traits of an Arosan are strong red hair and sometimes freckles. There are a few local tales that suggest the traits may be a blessing, but from who and for what purpose varies from storyteller to storyteller.

Life and Society

Unlike most other nations in the Midlands, the Charant Arosan society is heavily dominated by the women. Women hold almost all of the government positions, and many run the businesses throughout the country. Men tend more often to jobs such as farming, soldiering, and other physical labor where women focus on both family and administrative matters.

Although the Arosan population is one of the highest in the Midlands, the people are spread out, leaving few major population centers. Charant Aros is known for its large rolling green hills and beautiful rivers and lakes. Even in the dead of winter the land seems to keep most of its color. In these lands, farms cover large quantities of acres along with cattle and sheep ranches. The meat of wild boar is a minor industry in Charant Aros.

Hunters and other folk who prefer the bustle of the villages also tend to live on their own in isolated houses either in the hills or in the vast areas of forest. Others live in trading posts at advantageous locations on often-used trade roads, doing what they can to make a living for themselves.

Upon reaching adulthood, most young Arosans choose to either work to dedicate themselves to a family business or strike out on their own, traveling to another town to try to start up a new life.

Religion

Charant Aros used to be a highly spiritual land both prior to the Drowning and the Starfall. Since then, the practicality of needing to survive and build a land founded on peace has become more important. Still, respect is given to the old gods of the Tao-Shin even if they were no longer present. Many of the old holidays and religious practices had been continued straight through the years after the Starfall without fail, although their methods of observance has often been seen as odd and strange by foreigners.

The Tashrama used to be popular in Charant Aros until the existence of the Elder Dragons became known. Since then the number of open supporters of the church has fallen more than 40%. Many were angered and have openly declared support for the Sovereignties in the coming war in response to the deceit.

With the recent return of the Tao-Shin, a spiritual spark has been rekindled in the Arosans. A segment of the population here appears to be rushing to the Tao-Shin faith, but others, scorned by the Tashrama, are very hesitant to put their trust in another church so quickly.

Government

Issues of national importance are dealt with by the Ci’tec. The title is a holdover from Charant Aros’ elder days, but it is viewed as an equivalent title to Queen in terms of rulership in the Midlands.

Each town runs its own affairs without interference from the Ci’tec unless specific crimes or grievances are brought before her. She is also a master of ceremonies at many of the national festivals and traditional events. If the Ci’tec wishes to make a change of law for a particular town, she must go to the town personally in order to deliver the proclamation herself. The law and traditions ingrained into the country prevent her from “ruling afar by messenger.”

The Ci’tec is selected by an assembly of town elders from across Charant Aros, and the Ci’tec rules for life. There is no process to remove a Ci’tec once she is installed unless one wills to commit the act of murder and accept its harsh penalties. No man may become Ci’tec under any circumstances. The Ci’tec is also seen by many as a leader of people’s faith, although she is not tied to any religion or church.

The current Ci’tec, Orla Mievley (N female Midlander human druid 13/hierophant 5), was a hard woman for Montegron to convince when he tried to bring Charant Aros into the Sovereignties. The country was in complete ruin, but yet she refused to accept his aid under the terms he proposed. Eventually, she did accept his proposal (with many stipulations, public and private) and agreed to “entertain his decrees” delivered from FyxZharar. Since then, Montegron has helped Mievley rebuild her nation and develop it into a modern trading community.

Up to this point, Montegron has not had any open trouble from her, but it is rumored that Mievley had attempted to force Montegron into a wedding with herself. It is also rumored she is continuing her attempts, even as he is in his later years.

Military

Most men in the nation are brought up knowing how to fight, usually with fists. When a town or business needs protection, they don’t look any further than their own local men. If a group of towns come under threat, then these men group together and quickly form a makeshift army on the spot. Pecking order of who orders who is determined mainly by the women running the various towns, usually the larger towns are given more of the officer positions than the lowly villages and hamlets.

If a dispute arises, usually the men will have their own appointed leaders fight each other to determine who is the stronger and thus the better leader. The women orchestrating the militia often let that method stand in order to quickly move on to dealing with the main threat. The Ci’tec appoints a single man to be her Lu’dyn (lead general) when she directs what she wants the army to do.

This ramshackle way has long frustrated the Great Sovereign Lord, and he has been in talks with Mievley, trying to get her to form a standing military. A small contingent of two hundred men named “The Distant Shout” has been formed with the purpose to become the officers of tomorrow. It is not clear how serious the Ci’tec is in developing this band further.

No woman may join any fighting force in Charant Aros under any circumstance, just as no man may enter a position of leadership.

Magic and Mysticism

Magic and mysticism is seen by most in Charant Aros as wonders to behold, awed, and kept away from unless it was in the will of the gods for one to meddle with. Rarely will a Charant Aros purposefully seek out magic. Many fanciful children’s tales involve people who came in contact with magic in one form or another and ended up the worse for it.

There are those who are faithful to the gods, and because of their pious natures are gifted with magic. These men and women are people of great respect among the people. Many will see the most righteous women as close to the gods themselves (men may rise to great renown and ability within the church, but they are forbidden by local custom to take an office of importance within the borders of Charant Aros).

When the Tashrama was exposed as a fraud, many Arosan faithful left the church in disgust, convinced that the magic must be a hoax of sorts, possibly arcane magic made to look like the blessings of gods. A few others are recognizing mysticism as a divine magic of its own right and are trying to determine its own place in the scheme of things, whether related to the Tashrama or not. As for the Tashramadic mystics, one elder has suggested in passing that the Elder Dragons may be land-bound spirits in the process of rising up to become gods themselves. She has also made clear the statement was only conjecture.

Practitioners of the arcane are a puzzle to the eyes of most Arosans. Sorcerers are seen as foolish folk who willingly walk into the torrents of non-divine magic and will end up ruined by it. Wizards are a contradiction to them. They pay respects to a few of the gods but don’t worship them, and yet they are gifted with magic. To many Arosans, the arcane is too much of a confusing and dark art for anyone to wisely deal with. No malice is usually directed toward arcane spellcasters, but no respect is beheld at best and fear is given at worse.

Major Geographical Features and Locations

Loec Lieva: This large fresh water lake was formed outside of the capital during the Drowning and was viewed by the survivors as a promise that the gods’ love would return. No rivers run into Loec Lieva, but many flow outward in all directions, yet the lake’s water level barely changes, even as the moons pull the tides. The lake is always a strong dark blue, except during the Festival of Rebirth, where tens of thousands of red lily flowers are lain out over the surface. The number of days it takes for most of the flowers to be emptied out via the rivers is said to determine the number of births in the coming year.

Mogana Cave: Located on the thin treacherous peak of Kareen Hill, this small cave is a famous location overlooking the Sea of Tears. A legend says that during the early days of Krynn, when the gods warred with each other, one of the gods fell onto the ledge outside of the cave. A mortal traveler fended off beasts to protect the injured woman and brought her into the cave to shield her from the elements. The man, Arosamma, tended to the woman until she was well and only then learned of her divinity. He was blessed by the goddess and promised many children. He pledged his life to serve her, and left the cave a holy man. Many believe this man is supposedly the founder of Charant Aros, and this story dictates why the genders are separated in their duties as such.

Heeden’s Wretch: Buried under the hills of southern Charant Aros is a tunnel leading to a ruined city. Many of the superstitious believe the city to had been one run by heathenish witches and unnatural demons a thousand years ago. Exactly what befell them is unknown.

Regional History

Ancient history suggests that the lands that later became Charant Aros were filled with feuding clans, possibly separate fragments of a forgotten religion. In time they came to a period of peace orchestrated by the first Ci’tec, a woman whose name has likewise been forgotten. Each clan ran their affairs on their own, but the Ci’tec guided all of the clans.

As history marched on, internal wars did break out, sometimes with sides going against the will of the Ci’tec. Sometimes the clans united, whole or in part, against other threats. These periods were not as well documented, but many Arosan legends were born during this time. The earliest well-documented history of Charant Aros began thousands of years ago when migrating dwarves passed through the region heading southeast towards their own religious calling of the Path. Many dwarves recorded their dealings with the Arosans, wondering how a people so withdrawn (at the time) came to have subtle Corinesti traits. Not all of the interaction was peaceful, as some of the Arosan humans did not care for the strange people traveling through, but a majority of the dwarven travelers were left to their own devices. Later on, when the clans began to divide, a few dwarves returned to Charant Aros, leaving their clans, in order to make a new home in the beauty of unspoiled land.

For most eras, the Arosans have had little interaction beyond occasional trade. Most humans had seen their mannerisms and habits as odd and strange, and so they left them alone. This changed when news of the Canon War spread. Ci’tec Glamduin Oenley left the lands of Charant Aros with a vast army behind her. She believed a “Goddess of the High” came to her and said that Charant Aros would fall to great ruin if it did not join the fight against the minotaur threat, and that if it did join, a great gift would be given to her people. The warriors of Charant Aros were considered some of the fiercest fighters in the human-dwarven alliance, fighting under the banner of Charant Aros’ starmetal claymore, The Wrath of Light. Charant Aros’ involvement in the war only ended when the Drowning came.

The waters rushed through the forests, and uprooted most woods. The Wrath of Light was reportedly swept away, but some storytellers say the massive sword was lost in battle almost forty-years earlier. In the centuries of healing that followed the Drowning, grasslands replaced the scarred land. The survivors replanted many of the forests, but the forests that grew were in vastly different locations. War was no longer the Arosans’ concern. Rebuilding the land as it was took precedence. The faith of the people returned to worshipping the gods as a whole rather than individually. The “Goddess of the High” who came to Oenley was now believed to be a deceiver. The people of the land continued to practice their faith, but for many the gods seemed quiet.

What had been rebuilt over almost four hundred years was destroyed in a matter of hours during the Days of Darkness. Corrupt creatures swallowed towns and villages and beasts made of nothing. Yet the people fought bravely, and many survived. Eventually a man by the name of Montegron came and promised to help in the reconstruction of the land in return for a promise to join in his cause to unify the Midlands under a secure rule. Ci’tec Orla Mievley eventually agreed, but only after Montegron conceded to a multitude of conditions, many of which Mievley did not let the public become aware of. Since then, many Arosan men have gone off to join the military might of the Sovereignties, but the formal armies of Charant Aros remain purposefully weak. Some say that Mievley, for all of the grief she gives the Great Sovereign Lord Montegron, is secretly infatuated with him.

Current Events

• The Ci’tec has declared that she is going to sort out “the mess” between the Great Sovereign Lord and the Tashrama. She plans on visiting Glastious Forest in Drejor in two months to communicate with the Green Elder Dragon first.

• More and more Corinesti traders are no longer venturing out to sea. Along one stretch of shoreline to the north, a new settlement is being constructed both on land and in the lakes by Corinesti declaring they refuse to return to the waters.

• An unnamed woman and man have journeyed out of one of the mountainous hills proclaiming that the gods had spoken to them. This thrilled the local town until they learned that the gods made the woman a paladin and ordered the man to found his own temple.

• The Ci’tec’s son, Gornintom Mievley, has fallen gravely ill. Rumor is running rampant that his illness is a punishment for turning away from the “true gods” of Krynn, the Elder Dragons.

Major Settlements

Charant Degalos (Metropolis 59,643): The capital of Charant Aros is a vast district of open land and sparse houses. A consistent spread of homes stretches out from the eastern shore of the lake Loec Lieva, heading further eastward. A traveler entering the Charant Degalos will be hard pressed to believe it really is a city, and it can be debated that it isn’t. With such a low population density, it does not have the bustle and clutter of most large towns. But due to the consistency of the construction, there is no clear way to define a border. So the land is considered a single settlement even though thousands of square miles are included.

Dirt paths wind between the hills and trees, and many use horses in order to travel from one part of the city to another. Trading houses line sections of the main roads, and property owners tend to the grassy fields on their land. The Ci’tec lives in a modest home near Loec Lieva, and often conducts her affairs outside under the trees and sun.

Several families are donating land for the cause of turning the homes into a temple for the Tao-Shin. This is not widely popular to many of the local residents.

by Carteeg Struve

Capital: Tavlanor
Population: 183,937 (Human 79%, Sakkaran 8%, Hartdar 6%, Half-Dwarf* 5%, Other 2%).
Government: Monarchy
Religions: Sects dedicated to Nairsaif (Kiri-Jolith), Melik Suud (Reorx), or Alnath (Sargonnas).
Languages: Common, Dwarven, Trejori
Trade: Grains, Leather, Seafood, Slaves
Legions: Border Watch, Protectors of the Sheriff
Alignment: LG, CG, LN, CN, LE, CE

Before the Drowning, the lands of present-day Bhadlum (Bahd’-luhm) were nothing more than open plains and some farmland resting between the major settlements of the Hammervald Empire. Following the Drowning, the empire was weakened enough that the minotaurs entered the region relatively uncontested. Decades later displaced humans moved into the land, establishing larger towns and settlements. This resulted in the minotaurs being pushed from the area.

In later years, Bhadlum benefited from increased trade with the dwarves to their west, but with the minotaurs to the north life is hard along the border. The best warriors of all the Midlands come from this nation. Lord Montegron came from Bhadlum along with Second Protector Jermon Cavlin.

Life and Society

There are not many settlements in Bhadlum that qualify as cities with the exception of the capital, Tavlanor. However, with few exceptions, even the smallest villages have tall wooden stockades constructed around the homes and businesses. A series of towns along the northern border are close enough together to stop massive groups of minotaurs from crossing the border without being seen. Unfortunately, small minotaur raiding parties do occasionally slip through, attacking border towns. Even the settlements in the southern half of the country are struck by minotaurs hoping to hit those who believe themselves the safest.

Inside the walls, people tend to have normal lives, yet many of those same people are trained to fight when the security of their homes are threatened. Often the young, who are able-bodied, are encouraged to spend a few years in the town guard if not the national militia. A few years ago, the High Sheriff and nobles debated whether or not to make such service legally mandatory, however the numbers of volunteers was so high the king determined there was no need.

The only towns that have issues in contributing to the national forces are ones under the control of bandits who attempt to do business under the noses of national authorities. Since a variety of these towns are behind fort walls, rooting them out is a massive undertaking. Also, a number of these organizations are in competition with each other as often as they are doing business. Sometimes the job of removing these criminals from positions of power is done on their own.

Travel is a major point of concern in Bhadlum. Extra guards and weapons are taken when people venture outside city walls going from one place to another. Closer to the northern border, families may organize their travels together in order to form a larger and more well protected caravans.

Fishing is another major industry in Bhadlum. Small fishing villages dot the southern coast, and Tavlanor has a port on Lake Borlesko.

Religion

With this being the home country of Lord Montegron himself, along with the founder of the Midland Guard, the nation of Bhadlum gives massive support to the Midland Sovereignties and a very cold shoulder to the Tashrama. As such most of the population views religion as a crutch. Lately there are minorities who privately worship those gods who honor combat and strength such as Nairsaif (Kiri-Jolith), Melik Suud (Reorx), and Alnath (Sargonnas).

Government

Officially labeled a monarchy, the label of King or Queen gives the wrong impression of the job held by the person in power. Where other nations may have royalty that must consider all avenues of politics and economy, the Bhadlum ruler must remain focused completely on the details of security. He is head commander of the military, and it is his job to keep the border of the Midlands safe. If the economy weakens or issues of political manipulation arise, it is the royal seat’s job is to ignore those matters and let others handle it. Many in Bhadlum do not refer to their king or queen by those titles either. The nickname for the seat that has taken a strong hold is “High Sheriff.” The position is often passed from parent to child, but when incompetence in the seen by those around the High Sheriff, there is precident for the current ruler to be pressured out in favor of new blood. So long as a man or woman is a Bhadlum citizen from birth and had begun official military or weapons training by the age of five, that person is eligible for the seat. Due to the respect the position receives, many parents send their sons and daughters to train at such young ages in hopes to keep them available for the post in the future.

A Fortmaster, one who leads the military forces of a fort town, officially heads each town and village along the northern border. The local populace of each town appoints their own Townsman to run non-military affairs, but the Fortmaster has final say on issues. Either the High Sheriff or an appointed advisor of the High Sheriff selects all Fortmasters. Many of the towns and villages in the Bhadlum interior have also begun to follow the Fortmaster/Townsman governing structure, but those towns more under the hold of bandits or criminal elements are run independently of those in Tavlanor.

The current High Sheriff of Bhadlum is Jessup Haeg (LG male Midlander human noble 7), son of Mendel Haeg. Mendel Haeg was appointed High Sheriff after the Days of Darkness under the strong suggestion of then to-be Great Sovereign Lord Montegron. Jessup is young, but he has so far proven himself his father’s son by being a strong and imposing figure of determination and assurance. He is also skilled in a variety of weapons. The public’s general view is that so far Jessup shows much promise and potential.

Military

The military presence in Bhadlum is apparent any time one walks in or out of a town. Fortified walls surround almost all settlements, and every wall is manned by those trained to take down a hostile enemy. Many of the regular citizens have severed with the military or with local town guards. The national military openly supports citizen groups made up by those who had previously served. These groups aid in city and town defense in times of need. Odds are that if a traveler entered a small tavern in a random Bhadlum town, the barmaid would be formally trained in defend her home. This is the frontier, and those who live here know it.

The official national military serves under the command of the High Sheriff (the king), and each settlement is headed by one of two people: a Fortmaster who runs the town and the stationed military unit, or a captain who acts as advisor and go-between for the local guard. Each captain or Fortmaster also has a collection of personnel meant to protect the lands surrounding their stationed settlement, but in those areas where the towns are sparse, little can be done to protect it.

Minotaurs taken prisoner by the military are immediately sent to slave auction.

Magic and Mysticism

Magic of any short is not well trusted in Bhadlum, but in the rare occurrences where it comes to their benefit, they will not begrudge it. People here trust the solid chops of steel or the piercing tips of an arrow. Even with the popularity of the Tashrama gaining up until recently, the people of Bhadlum had more trust in herbalists. Some mages and mystic healers do have work in Bhadlum, but they are few and far between. Sorcerers are more readily accepted, even if the populace believes more in work done by hand and not magic. Clerics and Tashramadic mystics both are not well received at all. “Why does a man need a god when his own two hands will do?” is a very popular Bhadlum saying.

Major Geographical Features and Locations

Most of Bhadlum is covered in plains and low rolling hills. Sparse forests dot the land, but they are few and far between. The low-lying cliffs on the southern border have been cut into to allow fishing villages to access the waters below. The winters are long and harsh here, and the last winter was one of the harshest. There have been a few recently discovered caves in the northeast that may interconnect to the hills and mountains in Sakkaras, but they have not been fully explored yet due to the threat of the minotaurs.

Regional History

Long before the Drowning, the land that would make up Bhadlum was populated by only a few sparse villages and farmlands part of the dwarven Hammervald Empire. The Drowning changed that, but not immediately. Within the first two years after the Drowning, the minotaurs were able to claim the land uncontested. However their hold on the region was only secure for two generations. Soon the Midland humans came.

In the earliest years after the Drowning, the region was called the “Bad Lands” by both minotaur and human alike due to the lack of vegetation in most of the region. Bone-biting cold winters combined with the land being torn up from more than a half-century of battle taken place here made much of it a harsh place to live. However it had become a hotly contested region, and only the Drowning put an end to most of the conflict.

Although held primarily by minotaurs for the first half-century after the Drowning, more and more people from the southeast arrived moving away from where the destructive wave had hit. Over time and over much strife, the Midlanders began to push the minotaurs northward. Soon a defensive line of towns was constructed from the hills in the northeast to the southern tip of the lake in the west. The nation received its name from a bastardization of the Trejori words for “Bad Lands,” and the first High Sheriff, Morgan Degentry, was appointed to keep the area settled.

Many battles with the northern minotaurs were fought over the centuries. Often the intensity of these attacks and counter-attacks reached the severity of full-scale wars, but to the people of Bhadlum, the combat was always taken as a matter of course. Although the severity of the Days of Darkness was far worse than any invasion from Sakkaras, many walked away after the Starfall seeing the events as just one more conflict.

The people of Bhadlum are a hardy folk, and when native Lord Montegron began to preside over the entire Midlands, his home officially stated its support for him. High Sheriff Mendel Haeg stated in a public address, “If the Midlands needed a protector to guard everyone’s back and front, who better to do it than one of us.” Haeg was appointed to the position of High Sheriff after the Days of Darkness when the previous king was slain by a minotaur who used the chaos as a cover to sneak across the border and murder his enemy’s leader. The minotaur escaped, and his identity was never discovered. Montegron led an assault of three hundred and fifty men into Sakkaras for retaliation. Two thousand minotaurs were killed in the attacks. Only twenty-eight men were slain. Along with his efforts during the Days of Darkness, these attacks helped propel his name from a living legend in Bhadlum to being heard of across the Midlands.

One year ago, High Sheriff Mendel Haeg was killed after a card game. He had disguised himself in order to merge in with the common crowds and see if he could learn more about their concerns in an unofficial capacity. Unfortunately a drunkard named Philan Tel lost too many hands in the game and too many coins. He followed Haeg out of the tavern and shot him in the back with a crossbow bolt without realizing that the man he thought of as Joandale Hollansh was in fact his own king. Tel was hung in a public square execution two weeks later screaming in madness that the Gray God of the North demanded the royal blood of Bhadlum.

Since then, Mendel’s son Jessup has been ruling Bhadlum and doing what he can to insure its safety.

Current Events

• Farfor Hornwell, one of the more influential bandit lords in Bhadlum, was found murdered in a small hut inside of Medren. He and four bodyguards were slaughtered during the night of a massive snowstorm. None of the local guard can remember seeing anyone come into town during the night, nor did they notice anyone leave. Many local folk are not sure the guards on duty are telling the truth.

• A number of the Midland Guard came to visit High Sheriff Jessup Haeg around the same time High Cleric Oryno left the Trejori Holy Land to see the High Sheriff as well. None seem sure of the significance. The talks the High Sheriff had with both parties were in private and what was said is being held in confidence.

• Several barbaric humans were seen in some of the minotaur raiding parties venturing in from Sakkaras. No one can figure out if these men and women are slaves of the minotaurs or are willfully fighting with them.

Major Settlements

Gef-throth (Small Town 1,976): The most northeastern settlement in Bhadlum, it is also one of the poorest border towns in the country. So poor, Gef-throth is not fully surrounded by a stockade wall. Instead only the northern side of the town is walled, and the men and women of the militia guard it day and night. A few years ago a family of minotaurs from the north warned the town of an attack coming from the south. A number of minotaurs had found a cave linking Sakkaras to a cavern south of the town. Fortmaster Yoheshi (LN male Nordar fighter 7/dwarven defender 5) turned his forces around and wiped the invading force away. The father of the minotaur family, Merius (N male Sakkaran minotaur barbarian 9/fighter 2), is an honored member of the town who was recently elected Townsman by the people. He is often referred to as “The Blessed Traitor.” Yoheshi is still not certain of the minotaur’s loyalties.

Groston (Large Town 4,230): A common example of a town in Bhadlum. The tall stockade wall surrounds the town and is manned day and night by members of the national force. Fortmaster Ronvar Syus (LG male Midlander human fighter 7) runs the settlement’s military needs while Townsman Felis Harthon (NG male Midlander human commoner 4) deals with more mundane matters. Still, most in the town are well trained, and if the need arise the civilian populace is ready to take up arms for themselves and Bhadlum.

Medren (Large Town 3,921): Was one of the bandit-held towns in Bhadlum up until recently. Self-proclaimed Bandit Lord Hornwell used to visit this town of his on occasion to do business with the locals and other criminal patriarchs. For any traveling through the town appears the same as any other in Bhadlum. Local forces man the high stockade fence, and the people seem well prepared for wild on the frontier. Only when prolonged business is conducted does the underside begin to show itself. Just this last winter Hornwell was found dead with four of his bodyguards. None yet know who committed the crime. Whether Medren will be fully reclaimed by the High Sheriff or if another of Hornwell’s kind will step in to fill the void is unknown.

Tavlanor (Metropolis 29,472): The long stockade wall of the capital stretches around the city from the coast to the coast. Instead of it being one continuous stretch of wooden posts, the wall is segmented by numerous stone towers, which allow the guards a much better view of the surrounding lands and the great lake. Many of the buildings within the capital are made of stone with wood only used to give a warmer feeling on the inside. Roofs are tiled here, as opposed to the thatched roofs common in the rest of the nation. The High Sheriff, King Jessup Haeg, lives however in a large wooden fort-like manor positioned in the center of the city on a tall hill. The manor differs from most other homes in the city by being one of the few buildings with a wooden exterior. The lesser structural protection on the manor is said to mean that if the city fails to defend itself to their king’s walls, then it desires to fall the rest of the way. So far, since the city’s construction, the city has yet to have taken massive damage in any conflict.