Population: 76,400
Capital: Quedlinberg (pop. 21,350)
Government: monarchy
His Magnitude, Herzog Reydrick of Medinine National Alignment: Neutral Good
Languages: Elven, Haakonian, Common and High Karmani
If there is anywhere in the Northlands that racial cooperation is best evident, then this small Duchy on the Marvent
Sea and Raxel Bay is the place. Dwarves, gnomes, humans, and the last remaining elves all live together in apparent harmony, although recent upheavals in the Northlands have shaken the fragile coexistence here.
Geography: Medinine is bounded by the Diatheron Mountains to the north, which are lightly populated by dwarven clans. To the west is the Nabeull Forest on the Marblehead border; this forest is usually safe and well patrolled near the roads and foresters' villages but the northern reaches are still unexplored. A thin strip of farms seperates Raxel Bay from the Forest, and the valley of the Immerflow also contains good farmland. A low range of hills crowns the peninsula between the Marvent and Raxel Bay. These hills stretch west to the Nabeull Forest and are home to many gnomes and humans farming and prospecting for occasional gemstones.
History:
1107 Fd - War of the Rangers:
Tensions over banditry, Marblehead logging of the Nabeull Forest, and trade restrictions in both countries boiled over into a small war. Several Marblehead-owned caravans were massacred by Medininian elves who took matters into their own hands. In retaliation, units of the Marblehead army crossed the border and naval units swept past Stormwall after a brief battle and took up positions off Quedlinberg and Arkenstone. After slogging through mud, rain and elven arrows, the Marbleheaders were decisively defeated by regiments under the Count of Carmarthenshire at the battle of Yardleybridge. Medinian ranger units moved through the Nabeull Forest towards the Marblehead side. Longstrand was taken and trade on the Freuhaven-Marblehead highroad was harrassed before priests of Ravenien could step in and negociate a peace. Longstrand was returned to Marblehead and one-third of the Nabeull Forest officially belonged to Marblehead, although Medinine truly retains control of the entire wood with the exception of a few Marblehead woodsmen.
Politics: Medinine is divided into twelve Counties: Aldershire (Quedlinberg and the southern Raxel coast), Arken (Arkenstone and surrounding region), Barovia (west of Boldavia County, very remote and Lovecraftian), Boldavia (between Umberland and Barovia County, centered around Bridgend), Carmarthenshire (the westernmost county, centered around Chancyford), Chetrandy (north of Carmarthenshire, centered around North Abbey), Immersea (the western Raxel coast, centered around Eveningstar), Lothlorien (the foothills north of Umberland County), Outer Lorien (the foothills north of Arken County and the northeastern Raxel coast), Stormshire (the southeast Marvent coast), Umberland (the middle valley of the Immerflow, centered around Ravensheim), and Wolvershire (between Carmarthenshire County and Stormshire County).
Military Units: The Royal Dwarven Halberdiers are a very unusual group of dwarves who serve as the Herzog's personal bodyguard. To serve in it is a great honor, and any dwarf that shows the least skill in halberd use (and there are not many!) tries to get in.
Major Cities:
Arkenstone - port on the mouth of the Immerflow; second-largest city in Medinine; 14,360 inhabitants; home of one of the three Bardic Colleges in the Northlands; a very old city that predates Quedlinberg and has some underlying evil (very Lovecraftian);
Benmore Castle - castle in foothills of Lothlorien County;
Bireon - County Seat of Outer Lorien County; even smaller and more remote and Lovecraftian than Arkenstone because it is so close to the Metacryst; pop. 230;
Bridgend - County Seat of Boldavia County; pop. 2,320;
Chancyford - a small town on the Quedlinberg-Marblehead crossing of the Chancy River; the base for Medinine's operations within the Nabeull Forest; pop. 1,150; County Seat of Carmarthenshire County;
Eveningstar - town on the western end of Raxel Bay; pop. 5,610; County Seat of Immersea County;
Hadley Keep - County Seat of Barovia County; just a castle with a tiny village next to it; pop. 60;
Market Sheran - County Seat of Stormshire County; on Marvent Coast almost directly south of Quedlinberg; pop. 970;
Metacryst - the region affected by the upheavals of 7 Pd, including eastern Medinine and Gran Lausanne and everything in between.
Middleford - County Seat of Wolvershire County; pop. 1,120;
North Abbey - Count Seat of Chetrandy County; in forest west of Eveningstar; pop. 130;
Quedlinberg - capital of Medinine; built on an island with one tall hill in Raxel Bay with a causeway connecting it to the mainland; home of such taverns as Happy Saturday's and The Commodore Wilikson Tavern;
Ravensheim - dwarven stronghold on banks of the Immerflow; pop. 3,980;
Stormwall - fortress in the mouth of Raxel Bay; built by Jeorasul; it incorporates an innovative design of circular walls to protect against the waves of the Marvent;
Stormshire - populated extensively by gnomes and divided into townships;
The Shires - the four southern Counties of Medinine, Aldershire, Carmarthenshire, Stormshire, and Wolvershire. These Counties are more settled, civilized, populated, and flatter.
Important People:
Grenoble, Sir Sebastien - Knight-Lieutenant of the Swords; head of the Knights of the Swords in Medinine;
Starcoate, Warnes - Grand Master Bard of the Arkenstone Bardic College; keeps an eye on the underlying evil in Arkenstone;
Wilikson, Commodore - dwarven Commodore of Medinine's small navy; a crusty old short dwarf with a peg leg, who has a penchant for looking in his scope the wrong way;
Yommler, Remmi - current Chancellor of Quedlinberg; dwarven cleric;
Grand Duchy of Medinine
