Populace: Dwarves, Humans; 56,980 people
Capital: Nasper (pop. 5,120)
Government: theocracy
Archbishop Kem Randerberg, Shepherd of Llaren National Alignment: neutral evil
Languages: Southern Ullysian, High Uhlmanite, High Ullysian* (*=minor)
Llaren, in southern Cassenland, was the last and northernmost nation to succumb to invading Uhlmanite Church forces from the far south. Previous to its fall, the former Duchy had enjoyed good relations with Seagate to the northeast.
Geography: Llaren is a small country, with the bulk of the lands formerly controlled by the Duke consisting of a thin strip of farmable land between the coast and the foothills.
History:
731 Fd - Great Desert War where the Duchy of Llaren receives its independence from Ullysia
838 Fd - founding of the Southern League
1168 Fd – Within one week Llaren fell; not by armies or civil unrest, but through ignorance. The people of Llaren were so focused on the enemy they had fought for ages that they never noticed a more insidious one that whispered into their ears. Llaren like no other member of the Southern League fell to the wiles of the Uhlmanite Church. The story of Duke Andrevan’s
own ignorance is the most telling. Coriell had known the Church was not to be trusted, but the chance to defeat the Ullysians drove Andrevan to accept the 'advisors'. Even as West Avallon was collapsing, Andrevan was given information that reported that a great army from the north was moving against Llaren. In haste Andrevan led a force to the defense of Canthar. When he reached the border, he found nothing and the defensive keeps on the border reported no such army. In the meantime, troops from Watersdowne effectively wrested control of Nasper and the southern counties and forced the duke to flee to Seagate.
Politics: Llaren is now a theocracy run by the Uhlmanite Church of Tabolport.
Military Units: Llaren has a small standing militia of 1,750 plus about 5,000 Knights of the Holy Shielding and retainers throughout the country. The bulk of the Archbishop’s forces are stationed on the border with Seagate. There is also a small naval fleet in Narleon, one that has been growing of late.
Major Locations:
Canthar - a small village near the border with Seagate; base for the Church's operations against that city; pop. 450.
Gurmor - small town in the foothills along the Rorienda Stream NW of Nasper; pop. 140.
Narleon - a major town and Llaren's only big port SSE of Nasper on the highroad to Rockport; base for a small fishing fleet and an even smaller navy; pop. 3,040.
Nasper - capital of Llaren on the banks of the Rangree River in north-central Llaren; first primary target of the Ullsyian attack; well-known for its fine woolen products, from wool which comes from sheperds and flocks in the foothills to the west; pop. 5,120.
Populace: Dwarves, Humans; 78,600 people
Capital: Rockport (pop. 18,790)
Government: theocracy
Archbishop Turen O'Toole Inquisitor General Lyam Merker National Alignment: lawful evil
Languages: Southern Ullysian, High Uhlmanite, Dwarven*, High Ullysian* (*=minor)
Once a regional power in southern Cassenland, Watersdowne succombed to the forces of the Uhlmanite Church of Tabolport in 1047 Fd, after all of the Masters of Watersdowne died mysteriously. Watersdowne's roots go back before the colonization by Ullysia, as evidenced by the strange baths at Pontypools in the north.
Geography: farmland around Rockport, which is a very heavily-defended port; mountains to the north
History:
731 Fd - Great Desert War where Watersdowne receives its independence from Ullysia
838 Fd - formation of the Southern League
1183 Fd - the ruling Masters of Watersdowne all drowned in a freak accident, sparking off a civil war between differing factions
1184 Fd - Watersdowne, which was in the midst of a civil war, was the next nation to fall victim to the armies of Tabolport. The new Master of Treft was finally getting a handle on the fighting when the army of West Avallon joined up with insurgents in the west to attack. Naval forces blockaded Rockport and prevente vital aid from Llaren and Seagate from reaching the besieged Prince. Uhlmanite forces took control of the entire nation in a matter of days, much to everyone's surprise. Traditionally, Watersdowne had been southern Cassenland's strongest nation, both commercially and militarily. The Uhlmanite authorities made Rockport their base in the Northlands.
Politics: Watersdowne is a theocracy run the Uhlmanite Church of Tabolport. Additionally, the Inquisition is a Church-sponsored hunt for magic-users, which are considered heretics according to Church law.
Military Units: Knights of the Holy Shielding number approximately 2,250, including retainers and men-at-arms. Additionally, the authorities can raise about 3,000 militia and have substantial naval forces and about 500 marines stationed in Rockport.
Major Locations:
Andever - major town on the border with Llaren; pop. 5,600
Figham - in NW Watersdowne; pop. 2,520
Pontypools - By day, this fog shrouded community in the hills of northern Watersdowne seems to be a typical southern city. By night, this impression changes radically, as the city's true rulers make their presence known: The Court of Shadows, a powerful group of fey creatures. Anyone caught in the outside becomes their plaything, and no matter how desperate the plea, no citizen of Pontypools will unlock a door or open a window after nightfall. The town was originally founded close to the headwaters of the Voldau River but now serves as the actual headwaters themselves. Elemental magic draws up great streams of water from underground aquifers and powers the fountains and waterwheels which in turn power the mills of the city. Four large pools of this water are set at the four cardinal points on a compass, just inside the city walls. Most of the water is removed from the city through great ducts to form the headwaters of the Voldau, but some is forced upward by magical means so that the battlements of the city walls have powered water streams running their full length both in carved channels and in pipes built into the walls. The latter can be accessed through valves, and if the city were to be attacked its defenders can, in effect, use high-powered water cannons to assault attackers getting too close to the formidable walls of the city. This powerful complex of water magic was built into the city by the mage Raldenranov about 350 years ago. Statues of the mage can be found in many places in Pontypools, and he is almost a local saint, in spite of Uhlmanite theology. pop. 8,210
Treft - other major Waterdowne port and major naval base; pop. 4,550
Important People:
Borluc - Bishop of Pontypools
Cluvy - Bishop of Andever
Hodelwyn, Yvette - Papal Representative to the Northern Colonies
Merker, Lyam - Inquisitor General for the Northern Colonies
O'Toole, Turen - Arch-bishop of Watersdowne; wants to break away from Tabolport and form his own empire in the north
Rabb, Dayen - leader of the Defenders of the Faithful in the Northlands; hates mages with a passion
Populace: Dwarves, Humans; 36,190 people
Capital: Starn (pop. 4,120)
Government: theocracy
Archbishop Nithral Vespian National Alignment: neutral evil
Languages: Southern Ullysian, High Uhlmanite
A remote nation located between the western slopes of the Needles and the Sea of Storms, West Avallon shared the fate of its southern neighbor Watersdowne, falling to the Uhlmanite armies in 1183 Fd. No one is sure anymore where East Avallon was.
Geography: West Avallon is very hilly down to the coast and sparsely settled. The country gets mountainous and difficult to traverse as you move to the west.
History:
731 Fd - Great Desert War where Watersdowne receives its independence from Ullysia
838 Fd - formation of the Southern League
1183 Fd - West Avallon is captured by the Uhlmanite Church
Politics: West Avallon is a theocracy run the Uhlmanite Church of Tabolport. Additionally, the Inquisition is a Church-sponsored hunt for magic-users, which are considered heretics according to Church law.
Military Units: 150 Knights of the Holy Shielding and retainers are stationed in Starn. The local towns are mostly left to their own defenses; they could raise probably 750 militia in emergencies.
Major Locations:
Casp - town south of Starn along the Coastal Road to Watersdowne; pop. 890
Glarsaft - town south of Starn along the Coastal Road to Watersdowne; pop. 1,490
Rampling Steeps - town north of Starn where the mountains meet the ocean and further travel north is very difficult; pop. 80
Starn - capital of West Avallon and only town of any consequence in the country. Home to the The Wayfarer's Lay Inn; pop. 4,120.
Important People:
Nithral, Vespian - Archbishop of West Avallon; dissatisfied with being placed in the farthest backwaters of the Uhlmanite Empire; plotting a revolution
Archdiocese of Llaren
Archdiocese of Watersdowne
Archdiocese of West Avallon
