Population: 106,410
Capital:Marblehead (pop. 43,230)
Government: monarchy
His Radiant Highness, Guardian of the Winds, Protector of the Cape, Duke Loren the Younger National Alignment: Lawful Good
Languages: Kingdom, Karmani*, Stykllian* (*=minor)
Marblehead is a small but wealthy nation sepereting the Marvent Sea from the Endless Ocean. As Marblehead straddles two major oceans and many shipping lanes, it is an important port and has grown rich from the shipping trade.
Geography: Marblehead is fairly flat for the southwestern third of the nation, but it gets more hilly inland up to the Diatheron Mountains in southern Abbysinia. In addition, the easternmost parts of the country are covered in the thick forests of the Nabeull Forest.
History:
610 Fd - Marblehead breaks away from the Karmani Empire. The stronger Karmani forces are only defeated by the superior Marblehead mages. Henceforth, Karming has outlawed magic.
796-818 Fd - infamous reign of Morgen as Archmage of Marblehead.
1107 Fd - War of the Rangers where Marblehead is soundly defeated in the Nabeull Forest.
Politics: Marblehead is a limited monarchy, but the powerful merchants' cartels and guilds of the capital constitute much of power behind king. In the capital, the Lord Mayor takes care of the day-to-day affairs but the laws are passed by a guild Senate and Guild Courts pass much of the justice. Marblehead is a major trade rival of Freuhaven.
Military Units: The Civil Phalanx is the city's main police force and it numbers 300. Marblehead maintains a strong naval force, third in power on the Marvent behind Zakhar and Karming; the navy is about 1,500 strong. The standing army is about 4,500 spread throughout the country, but an additional 10,000 Marbleheaders throughout the country serve in the militia, as best exemplefied by the capital's Civic Legion, which practices with typical Marbleheader single-mindedness.
Major Cities:
Avenwell - small town in northeastern Marblehead at the northern terminus of the road from Yardleybridge;
Dorien - town on the northern part of the western coast; pop. 1,000;
Longstrand - town on the eastern coast of Marblehead; pop. 660;
Pontylver - major city east of Marblehead on the coast;
Thromfair - provincial market center in middle of Marblehead; nestled in the Carpentian Hills; pop. 4,020;
Important People:
Bastable, Kelvin - Prince of Marblehead;
Bastable, Loren - Duke of the Marblehead, Guardian of the Winds, Protector of the Cape, High Seat of House Bastable; Kelvin's father;
Enge, Per - Head Merchant of the Union of Merchants and Tradesmen; very powerful man in Marblehead politics;
Fledger, Smiflin - gnomish Royal Scribe to Duke Loren; writer;
Gant, Berner - Lord Mayor of Marblehead; a bumbling old gnome; infamous for falling asleep in Council sessions;
Hankel, Ellom - Lord Archmage of Marblehead; member of the United Sorcerers of Marblehead;
Hapley, Dor - Royal Chancellor;
Jeorasul - Lord Archmage of Marblehead, 926 - 1047 Fd; vanished in his birthplace of Rockport when it was invaded from the south; built Stormwall in Medinine before he became Archmage;
Melantho - High Priestess of Zerys; the main temple in the Northlands is located here;
Morgen of Canterbury - Lord Archmage of Marblehead, 796 - 818 Fd; died 818 Fd; known as a practical joker;
Orville, Honest - proprietor of Honest Orville's House of Magick and Chemicals; many a strange concoction can be found here;
Tirahn, Lady Tyar - Knight-Lieutenant of the Swords; leader of the Swordslands delegation to the Duchy;
Vlarzahask - previous Lord Archmage of Marblehead who retired in 1167 Fd; very powerful magician who is in the Dodecadrate;
Duchy of the Marblehead
