The Marches of Andalusia1182 Fd – On the second Markttag of Tieregrun, a peddler arrives in Merchiston carrying the plague. Clerics of Iraeal are rushed to the scene, but little headway is made in combatting the disease. The town is almost completely abandoned as the residents and garrison flee to Lowergate. Only quick action by the Margrave of Lowergate and Iraeal’s clerics prevents another catastrophe.
1182 Fd – Margrave Polenov learns of the humanoid forces amassing on his eastern border and begins to gather his forces at Osoerde to attack in the spring.
1183 Fd – The Witchlord uses hired boatmen to bypass
Osoerde and overruns the rest of the country before defeating the army at
the Second Battle of Lowergate.
The Marches were divided into Margravates, each ruled by a descendant of the original leaders in the Two Mountain War. The Margraves were fairly independent but realized that, in the harsh climate over which they ruled, they needed to occasionally band together. The Marshall-Warden of the Lenindral was the Margrave elected by all of the Margraves to lead the Marches' military forces. This system suited the Marches needs until the Dark Wars, when the lack of a quick centralized response lead to the downfall of the Marches.
Since Andalusia is on the frontier of the civilized world, the country is thus mostly known for its secure prisons and dislike of strangers. Incidents of elf-hunts have been reported repeatedly, though firmly denied by Andalusian authorities. The criminal system is basically Cassenddian, with a few rougher additions. Torture is used regularly and evidence given while tortured is accepted. Any commoner can expect to be tortured if accused of a serious crime. If the crime is grave, even possible witnesses are not exempt from torture. Of course, all remains of the justice system collapsed when the country was invaded.
After the fall of Velikye Dansk, the only nobles who could escape were Heimbold, Polenov’s son, and Karsily, Margrave of Osoerde, who fled the country half a step ahead of the Witchlord. These two nobles, along with a small number of countrymen, are planning the reconquest from Freuhaven. In Andalusia, a hill giant by the name of Orofarne the Stonethrower occupies the throne in Velikye Dansk. The Witchlord owed Orofarne a favor for raising some troops but could not grant him a valuable position due to his less-than-spectacular intelligence. As Andaulsia was fully taken with no established resistance, he stuck the hill giant there and left the necromancer Resren Dorsal to watch from the background.Deathwaste – This land was the site of the final battle between Wilamyrand and the Black Eagles and became a large wasteland in the forest full of ruins and unburied skeletons. It is very dangerous, with tar pits, poisonous gases, quicksand, as well as "vampiric" plants, not to mention the many undead that still wander the ruins.
Lowergate - town located 50 miles upstream from Osoerde; next river crossing south; current pop. 1,920;
Dorsal, Resren – the real power in Andalusia, Resren is a cruel, darkly evil mage kicked out of Cassenddy 10 years ago for the study of necromancy. He settled in southern Andalusia and immediately joined with the Witchlord upon his arrival.
Krasily - Margrave of Osoerde; quickly left town as the Witchlord’s forces approached and fled to Freuhaven.
Orofarne the Stonethrower – a hill giant of less-than spectacular intelligence who currently occupies the throne in Velikye Dansk. He is armed with a club of bone crushing that he is very proud of, and
Praty, Venin - lumber merchant from Velikye Dansk;
Rogr of Osoerde - famous traveling bard who recently completed his A Traveler’s Companion to the Northlands;
Smerdyn - Margrave of Lowergate who was killed outside his town by one of Resren Dorsal’s undead. Resren ressurected the late Margrave as undead and set the half-crazed zombie on the helpless countryside for some amusement.
