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The Splintered Kingdoms
Sable Wyvern:
I'm bored, and this forum is too quiet. Have some world background.
A Brief History of the Splintered Kingdoms and Surrounding Lands
Primitive humans have lived in the region for longer than anyone can recall. Some say the Sprikkas had an empire here even before then but, if so, there is no record of it left anywhere.
At some point, maybe a thousand years ago, the elder men came to the shores of the Parshenian Ocean and formed their first colonies. Some claim the very first colony was at Xamiqand, others that it was Myarfin. Whatever the case, they came in numbers, and kept coming for hundreds of years.
With them, they brought written language and the first secrets of metal work, agriculture, architecture and sailing, which were all unknown to that point by the native humans. The elder men soon ruled a great empire, known as Nar Darsurion, that encompassed what is now Vegatis, Saragenta, the Splintered Kingdoms and Parshenia, but they owed allegiance to a homeland somewhere far across the vast oceans.
Eventually, however, ships from their homeland ceased to arrive, and those who sailed away never returned. It is said that, after years of isolation, King Alnemenoris built the Armada, a thousand fine ships, and a full fifth of the elder men set sail to discover what had happened to the homeland.
Three years later, with no ship of the Armada returned to report, another fleet was raised, this one consisting of only one hundred vessels, grouped into Flotillas of five vessels, with each Flotilla given a different destination, seeking news from any other land.
Every year thereafter, another Flotilla departed, but no fleet or flotilla or ship returned. Eventually, the Flotillas that departed each year became four ships, then three, and then one lone vessel per year until, perhaps one hundred years after the Armada had left, a single ship from that original, vast fleet sailed silently into the harbour at Larmercel.
The Glory of Melicinia, she was, and of her crew the only sign was in the sails, which were now made of human skin, and the captain’s freshly flayed body as a figurehead upon the prow. It is said that she reeked of death and loss and doom, and with her arrival the elder men knew that their own doom was upon them.
From that point on, their numbers dwindled. A few, boldest of heart, still set out to find their lost home, but no longer did the people sponsor an annual ship, and none held any real hope of learning what fate had befallen their kin across the seas.
Intrigue, infighting and betrayals thinned their numbers and, in the south, an outright rebellion of the desert tribes saw the great Bey Mohemis overthrow the ruling lords and name himself Parshenshah of Xamirqand and all Parshenia.
Eventually, those few elder men that were left had their ancient, noble bloodline slowly thinned, until the Last True Emperor, Naurinelian, who barely claimed any elder blood himself, was betrayed and murdered by his grand-nephew Arlex, leading to a confusing and complex civil war.
Eventually, the north stabilised into a new order, with the Emperor ruling from Lamercel, but with little real authority over the various Kings and Princes that became known as his Vassals. There was, however, relative peace and stability for several generations, a period that came to be known as the Peace of Arlex (conveniently ignoring the fact that Arlex instigated the brutal, widespread bloodshed preceding the peace).
Then, maybe one hundred years later, around three centuries before the present day, the region experienced its greatest upheaval since the original arrival of the elder men, as a vast horde of hobgoblins, boggarts and goblins appeared without warning in the far north. They emerged from the Great Boundary Range, despite the fact that all efforts to penetrate those great peaks had proven them to be utterly impassable, and they spread across the lands with shocking rapidity.
The northern regions of Nar Darsurion were overrun within a matter of months, and by the time the southern cities had raised armies to counter the invasion, the sarag armies had already begun to consolidate their positions. After three years of constant conflict, it became clear that the hobgoblins would not be driven back, but also that they seemed satisfied with holding the land they had taken.
Just as the situation settled into an uneasy peace, the invaders were afflicted by a terrible plague. As word of the internal chaos reached south, new armies were raised to march north once more, However, the armies of Chelt and Irus marched east instead, besieging Raul and Eisir while their own armies were in the field.
The Emperor declared this betrayal treason, and called upon the other lords to come to the aid of Raul and Eisir – then used the proclamation to march his own armies west in an attempt to secure more territory from lands of the Prince of Eisir.
With the southern part of the empire suddenly embroiled in civil war, the opportunity to seize back the northern lands slipped away, and the hobgoblins were able to maintain control of the lands they had taken. They were no longer united, however – separate hobgoblin kingdoms eventually emerged to the east and west, while Olvar became an independent city that eventually shared government between human and sarag.
The former heartland of the empire no longer retained even a semblance of unity, and became knowns as the Splintered Kingdoms. Although the Emperor of Lamercel continues to this day to claim all the lands of Nar Darsurion, including even Parshenia, no other city or kingdom acknowledges the claim.
The Elder Men
The last of the true elder men have been gone from the lands for five hundred years, and much of what people believe about them is bound up in myth and legend. This makes the truth hard to determine at times.
They are said to have been taller, stronger and more pleasing of appearance than common men, wise and cunning, with knowledge of magic and gods and demons that was unknown before their arrival.
The statues of their kings and heroes certainly show them to have often stood nearly seven feet tall and broad of shoulder but, on the other hand, it is a conceit of the rich and powerful to this day to have statues of themselves or their ancestors made to similar sizes, and doing so does not actually make the subjects taller.
It is generally believed that they were a bronze age culture when they first arrived, and that the secrets of steel arrived on these shores only a century later, developed in the homeland or elsewhere. This certainly explains the early importance of Chelt, with its nearby tin mines, and thus is generally accepted as fact.
They worshipped a number of gods, exalting a sun god above others, a tradition continued by the Aharzab Ahaz. Most of the gods followed by the cults of the Splintered Kingdoms were inherited from the elder men, although the Elemental Cults only became established during the reign of Arlex.
They are said to have feared the night and the darkness, and made great efforts to light their homes and palaces. They are also thought to have been extremely long lived, generally fit and hale into their eighties and regularly living well beyond a hundred.
Their funerary customs were elaborate and sophisticated. In the south, they practiced embalming and mummification, which some of Parshenian nobles still do, while in the north they were often laid to rest in great barrows. Considerable wealth was regularly buried with them, and although many of their barrows and tombs have been raided, many more are thought to still lie lost and hidden beneath sand and earth.
Their artwork, sculpture and architecture is still evident throughout the lands, as are many of their great works, such as aqueducts, the Great Tombs of Xamiqand and the remaining High Roads. Their written works are harder to find, although private libraries in Lamercel, Myarfin and Xamiqand are said to still hold many important works of poetry, history, science, myth and magic.
The elder men are frequently held in myth and legend as exemplars that were in every way superior to the common men and the hobgoblins of today, but there are a number of scholars that suggest modern cultures have in fact surpassed the achievements of the elder men, pointing to such thing as the great modern smiths who are able to work white and black alloys, or the mighty Asharak constructs of Saragan.
As to where they originally came from, or what happened to their homeland, the Armada or the Flotillas, we are left with nothing but wild supposition – although, stories purporting to tell the truth of the fall of the elder men are as numerous as there are bards and tale tellers.
Sable Wyvern:
The Sarag Kingdoms
Saragenta and Vegatis, the two northern nations, are each ruled by a small but firmly entrenched aristocracy of hobgoblins, the remnants of the armies that invaded the region several centuries ago with their armies of boggarts and goblins.
The sarag armies initially secured the entire region as one empire but, just as their invasion was nearing completion and they had begun to consolidate their power, a plague struck, slaughtering two in three of their number.
Their human subjects, who were not afflicted by this disease, took the opportunity to rise up against their would-be conquerors. In the end, two separate sarag factions each ended up securing one portion of the region, each claiming to be the rightful rulers of the entire realm.
The Eastern and Western Kingdoms have diverged culturally since that time, and are locked in a perpetual state of near-conflict that occasionally rises to the level of full-scale warfare.
Both nations retain a strongly militarised and religious aristocracy and make use of soldier-slaves for a reasonable proportion of their military forces.
Each udun sarag is allocated to one of three castes upon reaching adolescence – military, religious or ruling. While their parent’s caste affects this decision, the individual’s skills and potential is carefully considered, and allocation to a caste is by no means hereditary. Movement between castes is also possible after this point.
Hobgoblin society is extremely meritorious, with advancement based to
a significant extent on proven ability, although nepotism is not completely unknown. Some capable humans are admitted to the military and religious castes, although advancing in authority is extremely difficult for them, and they can expect to be forever excluded from the highest echelons of power.
In the Western Kingdom, there are few moral strictures on relationships, but strict guidelines on breeding, which is limited to unions between a member of the ruling caste with a partner from the religious or military caste. Breeding within one’s own caste is strictly forbidden, as are breeding unions between the religious and military castes. Conversely, for the Eastern Kingdom, both breeding and relationships are allowed only within one’s caste. Illicit relationships are not unknown in the East, but are a cause for shame and controversy if attention is brought to them. Illicit breeding is a serious crime in both regions.
In the East, relationships tend towards monogamy, and homosexuality (while not strictly forbidden) is considered distasteful at best. In the West, where emotional relationships and breeding are not typically associated with each other, both polyamory and homosexuality are far more accepted.
Both regions have considerable numbers of boggarts, goblins and humans, who make up the lower classes, the military slaves, the farmers, the artisans and all those who ensure the day-to-day chores of society are carried out. These individuals, if skilled and/or fortunate, can live fairly prosperous lives, but may not own land and are ultimately at the mercy of the udun castes for their lifestyle. Common law provides free men with a number of basic rights, but these exist primarily to keep the peace and prevent cause for rebellion. Any udun sarag can do what they will to the lesser castes, being answerable only to their own kind. If an udun (or a human of the military or religious castes) can show just cause to their peers, no action taken against the lower classes is illegal. In general, however, most individuals can feel safe that their rights under common law are unlikely to be impinged without consequence.
The northern mountains are home to number of tribal societies, primarily consisting of boggarts and goblins, with a number of hobgoblins amongst them. These tribes claim independence from the Sarag kingdoms, and mostly date back to the period of the great plague and the immediate aftermath thereof. They are fiercely independent, and enjoy raiding south into civilised lands.
Climate and Terrain
The Sarag Kingdoms have cold climates with long winters in the north, warming to a cool temperate norm in the south. The northernmost regions are wide areas of coniferous forest, with fertile farmlands further to the south.
In the far north lies the Great Boundary Range, a massive mountain range running thousands of miles from east to west, filled with sheer cliffs, year-round snow and numerous active volcanoes. A number of sarag tribes live along the southern edge of the range, raiding down in to civilised lands as the mood takes them.
Towns and cities lie primarily along the rivers and High Roads, with large expanses of semi-wilderness outside these civilised belts.
More details on each of Saragenta and Vegatis still a work in progress.
Sable Wyvern:
The Splintered Kingdoms
The Splintered Kingdoms were once the heartland of Nar Darsurion, before Parshenia was lost to rebellion and the northern reaches to the sarag invasion.
Now, they consist of seven independent city states (or eight, if still counting Fallen Irus), separated by hundreds of miles, with each city maintaining real control over little more than a hundred miles in any direction.
Between the city states, there are still towns and villages and farmland, but also trolls, giants, dragons, beasts, bandits, ruins, haunted tombs and secretive sorcerers.
With the decline of Nar Darsurion and the elder men, the lands were ravaged by war, famine and disease. While the great cities retained their lore and technology, the countryside fell slowly into wilderness. Many migrated to the cities, seeking protection and stability, but many hardy souls rejoiced in the absence of lords and taxes, and set about working and protecting their land.
Along the High Roads and the trade rivers, small villages and hamlets still dot the landscape here and there but, within a day’s ride of such thoroughfares, one finds true wilderness.
Wars between the cities rarely reach each other’s walls – to assault or besiege another city would require a great muster, leaving one’s home undefended. Instead, military conflict generally involves raiding into enemy farmland, looting and burning crops, pillaging the smaller outlying towns and then attempting to return to safety before the enemy can muster forces in defence.
The greatest damage in such conflicts is often done to the independent villages between the cities, whose fields are taken for forage and women for soldiers’ pleasure. The easiest way for villages to limit the damage is send their able-bodied folk along with the army, bolstering numbers in return for having a township to return to.
Small raiding parties are more common than whole armies, and cities in conflict also like to fund banditry close their enemies. Of course, once paid, bandits have little incentive to actually carry out their employer’s wishes, and may choose at any time to move on to a location where they suspect they can find easier prey.
Chelt
Population: 28,000
Averius: 7,200
Other outlying population: 52,000
Human: 85% Goblin: 8% Boggart: 4% Hobgoblin: 3%
Chelt was initially established due to the tin found in the nearby Chalrasi Hills. Some tin is still mined in the area, along with silver, gold, iron and a number of precious gems, although the largest export is now porcelain and pottery. Although no longer required for tools and weapons, the city has maintained a tradition of quality bronze work, and exports tin to Raul in exchange for copper.
Most citizens have farmland north of the city, with families allocating some time to the land and some to their crafts. Further north, more farmland is serviced by outlying towns and villages. Sheep, wheat and rye and are the primary agricultural products, along with fish from the Colchest.
Chelt is ruled by a hereditary King, but the monarch has only token authority, and most of the real power is invested in a council made up of half-a-dozen aristocratic merchant lords and a dozen more representatives elected by the citizenry of merchants, tradesmen and freeholders. The right to vote or stand for election is open only to those who have served in the military or in a select few other public roles.
Large parts of the city have running water, supplied by aqueduct from Lake Chelt to the north, with an extensive sewage system as well. Traditionally, the richer houses, built on higher ground, required water tanks filled partly by rainwater but predominantly by the constant labour of servants, but many of them are now serviced by the Mintivalus pump (aka, ram pump).
Standing near the southern edge of the Chalrasi Hills, the city has impressive natural fortifications, reinforced by stone walls. Massive ballistae line the ramparts, for there is a constant fear that the Dragon of Irus may turn its attention towards Chelt at any moment.
Chelt also controls the important port town of Averius, which straddles the Colchest River eighty miles to the west, where merchants can make use of river boats instead of the old High Road.
With the fall of Irus, Chelt now stands at the western edge of civilised lands, and is the last place of safety and rest for those planning to head west to explore the Wildwoods and other regions beyond the frontier. Bandits, trolls and other threats to civilisation roam freely in the west, preying on those unable or unwilling to migrate eastwards, and the local authorities are happy for treasure seekers and adventurers to thin their numbers. However, it is illegal for anyone within the territory controlled by Chelt to make plans or conspire to attempt to slay the Dragon of Irus, thanks to the fear that it may seek revenge for any failed attempt.
Very few crimes in Chelt carry a death sentence; instead, almost all serious crimes result in hard labour in the mines. Minework is also available to the poorest and most desperate and, despite the dangers, there is rarely a wont for workers.
Relationships with the local Daveshti tribes are generally good and, given the distance to the nearest neighbouring cities of Raul, Samara and Eisir, Chelt rarely has to deal with any external threats other than banditry.
The Cult of the Nameless Dark operates openly in Chelt, and the Patrician Demankate, one of the hereditary members of the City Council and owner of city’s largest mines, is a high-ranking member of the cult. Although slavery is illegal in Chelt, it is an open secret that much of his workforce are impressed labourers, and that he is more than willing to pay those who can bring him more. The cult at least conducts their human sacrifices behind closed doors, except on their celebration of the autumnal solstice, when a victim is publicly flayed before the front of the temple.
Senior members of the cult are generally of high standing in the community, although quite a few members keep their identity secret, wearing black masks when appearing in public in their robes. Common citizens and foreigners are also welcomed, but many who join are never seen again.
Beserion and Telserius also have strong followings and large temples in the city, while Maukus and dozens of smaller cults have their own small temples and shrines. Only the cultists of Beserion dare to speak loudly against the Nameless Dark, although the cultists of Telserius also have no love for servants of the Darkness.
The Oracle is situated to the southwest, where she acts as high priestess to small cult of virgin priestesses in service to the goddess Illiniria. Many visit the Oracle in the hope of guidance, wisdom and knowledge of the future; many believe that the Oracle is the most potent astrologer in all the lands. The priestesses are guarded by a number of eunuchs, with the priestesses and the eunuchs all taken in as orphans.
The Elemental Cults are well represented in the city, with Earth, Ice and Light the strongest in the city.
Chelt boasts no universities or schools of magic; instead, almost all spell users are either members of a cult or are apprenticed to masters. A number of informal societies do exist, where given professions lean on each other for support and assistance.
Arcane magic is illegal, as it is most places, although Chelt is not known to have any significant resources dedicated to the hunting of Arcanists.
Both the Western and Parshenian Schools of martial arts are well represented by a number of dojos.
Sable Wyvern:
Eisir
Population: 36,000
Eserus: 5,200
Meska: 4,800
Other outlying population: 86,000
Human: 92% Goblin: 5% Boggart: 2% Hobgoblin: 1%
Eisir sits at the junction of the Colchest River and the High Road linking Chelt and Irus to the coastal cities of Lamercel and Myarfin.
The triangle of land between the Colchest and the River Raul further north is one of the most fertile regions in the Splintered Kingdoms, and the source of much of Eisir’s wealth. Barley, rye, wheat and hemp are the main crops, and the area is also known for its honey.
The Sorrows just to the south provide ample lumber, and the river banks of the Chelt provide clay; Eisir is lacking in little other than raw mineral wealth.
Eisir also controls the smaller fortified cities of Eserus and Meska that straddle the Colchest, enabling them to tax merchants heading to or coming from the north along the Raul, and providing a buffer against any armies marching from Lamercel or Myarfin.
The city is ruled by the Eternal Sorcerer King Venarius, a former member of the triumvirate of ruling princes, who murdered his fellow triumvirs when seizing absolute power nearly eighty years ago.
The Sorcerer King has rarely been seen for the past twenty years, appearing only occasionally on the grand balcony of his palace, and admitting almost no one into his presence. The day-to-day tasks of managing the city are left to the Royal Chamberlain, Orifelle Nairus, a mentalist of significant power, who heads the city council and speaks with the full authority of Vernarius.
Of equal stature to Orifelle is Traiger, the Royal Blade, who is thought to be a magent. Traiger commands the Eisir Guard, a group of mute, elite soldiers raised from infancy as a personal and palace guard for the Sorcerer King. The Royal Blade is responsible for rooting out treason and maintaining the Sorcerer King’s security.
Rumour upon rumour can be found regarding the unspeakable things that go on deep within the royal palace, of the sacrifice of infants, of demons and fouler things stalking the halls, and of the dark rites and rituals that have enabled Venarius to find such longevity, and how Traiger, also, does not appear to have aged a day in the last decade. Such rumours are spoken about only in hushed tones, however, ever with furtive glances about, lest the Royal Blade’s many ears overhear.
Despite this, Eisir is in many ways an enlightened city, where knowledge and science is encouraged. The city’s university teaches magic of many kinds, and encourages the study of magic, philosophy, science and the arts. Students that question the status quo and who can create cogent arguments in favour of alternative ideas are encouraged and are provided with opportunities to advance their studies, regardless their financial or social status. All citizens have access to at least basic education, and foreign, fee-paying students are welcomed as well.
In alignment with this open attitude, Eisir is the only city of the Splintered Kingdoms where Arcane magic is not explicitly forbidden, although there are still no open practitioners of the Arcane arts, and rumours circulate that students who ask the wrong sorts of questions about Arcane magic tend to disappear.
The city is also open to any and all religious beliefs. The Elemental Cults flourish in Eisir, as they do across the Splintered Kingdoms, and both the Nameless Dark and Beserion have large temples in the city.
A multitude of other cults are also well represented, and almost every day is a holy day to some god or another. Every street corner in the marketplaces has a priest ready to sacrifice to some god or demon in order to bring about prosperity, or revenge, or love … for a fee, of course. Shrines dot the streets, and the Great Temple of All is home to one hundred and twenty-one shrines to various entities.
The darker cults are allowed to conduct human sacrifice, but are required to pay a fee to the Registrar of Cults when they do so, and need to be at least somewhat careful in those they choose for their rituals. The standard practice is to find those who do not have influential friends, to bring them into the fold through various forms of manipulation, and then, when it is clear to all that they are there willingly, to drug them and have them agree to their own murder before neutral and respected witnesses.
Fifteen years ago, Malrean, high priest of the Cult of the Nameless Dark at the time, chose to ignore the accepted norms of sacrifice, and ritually murdered thirty virgins in the square before the temple in a display of power.
The following day, the Sorcerer King, in his enclosed palanquin, proceeded inside the temple, where many believed he was going to kneel to Malrean and cede power to the cult. A short while later, members of the Eisir Guard, who had waited outside, proceeded within, and then emerged with the corpses of the high priest and other senior officials of the cult, who were hung from the ceiling of the narthex, and hang there still to this day, for the Sorcerer King has forbidden their removal.
Dojos of all three major schools of martial arts can be found in the city.
About thirty miles south of the city, within the Sorrows, lies a large clearing in which stands a squat, circular, stone bunker three hundred feet across, known as the Citadel in Sorrow. Within this structure lie the breeding pits where the Sorcerer King spawns his war trolls. It is thought that the initial experiments were conducted on forest trolls captured deeper within the Sorrows, but Venarius soon moved on to working with hardier breeds. Those who can bring him live specimens are still paid well for their services – 5gp for a stone troll, 10gp for a hill troll and 30gp for a mountain troll. Currently, Eisir has about sixty adult war trolls, half of which guard the Citadel in Sorrow and the remainder of which are stationed in the city itself.
Overall, the Sorcerer King actually rules Eisir with something of a light touch. There are few laws, and little is explicitly forbidden. However, those who cause significant disturbances to the peace are typically dealt with swiftly and savagely, creating a clear example for others as to what is and is not acceptable behaviour. Petty theft and the odd murder or ritual sacrifice is overlooked. Burning down stalls in the marketplace, gangs or cults brawling regularly in the streets, or a demagogue trying to raise a riotous mob, is something else entirely.
The Sorcerer King can call upon his war trolls, the Eisir guard or the Royal Blade to deal with most serious threats, or the city watch for lesser ones. He also maintains the White Guard; a small, secretive cadre of warrior mages, mentalists and magents, and some say this group also contains a few wizards and mage hunters. These various assets rarely need to be deployed however. A quiet word from the Royal Blade or one of his adjutants, or a functionary speaking on behalf of the Royal Chamberlain, is normally more than sufficient to make any cult or society rethink any plan to stir up unwanted trouble.
Theories about the true nature of the Sorcerer King are nearly endless, and are fed by the fact that he has not been seen in public for decades, other than distant glimpses from his Royal Balcony, where he always appears in heavy robes and a deep cowl.
It has been suggested that he is a vampire or a liche, or that he is simply a human spell user of great power that has found a way to extend his lifespan unnaturally. Others suggest he was never human at all, and is instead a demon or other alien entity from realms far beyond our own. Some have suggested he is the Nameless Dark incarnate. Others claim he died decades ago, and that either the Royal Chamberlain or the Royal Blade, or both together, are the real rulers. Others suggest that he died and has been replaced by a demon or other alien entity from realms far beyond our own. The truth, however, remains a mystery.
Hurin:
Sounds fun. I often wish I could play in the campaigns of some of our forum posters; the worlds sound great.
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