Welcome to the Halmae (updated 2/27/07)

Sidebar - The Darine Confederacy

Yes gentle readers, it’s that time again.

Have you ever wondered why everywhere in the campaign seems to be called “Dar something?” Does it seem a shocking lack of creativity in an otherwise novel narrative?

Don’t answer that.

This is your handy guide to the cities of the Darine Confederacy. Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask.

--The Management

The Darine Confederacy

The Darine Confederacy, one of the major “kingdoms” of the Halmae, is a loosely affiliated group of city-states, first founded 150 years ago. The Confederacy is composed of 7 separate city-states, each pledged to a series of treaties with one another. Most treaties are designed to encourage favored, low-tariff trade with each other. There are also provisions not to war on each other, though there is no provision for mutual defense. Each city-state sends two representative Senators to a Confederate Senate. These Senators vote on any issues that require the assent of the entire Confederacy, including decisions on whether or not new city-states shall be admitted.

The Confederacy is composed of:

Dar Darine
The oldest city-state on the Darine peninsula, and the originator of the idea of the Confederacy. Because of its role in the founding of the Confederacy, Darine considers itself the premiere city-state. They are a very advanced culturally, much more so than many of the other city-states. Art, literature, and philosophy achieve their highest peaks in Dar Darine. Darines are also somewhat snooty and superior about themselves, not unlike many modern day New Yorkers. Dar Darine is a democratic city-state (in the sense of Greek democracy).

Dar Henna
Dar Henna is an affluent city-state, seldom concerned with the affairs of others. Given their position in the middle of the Darine Peninsula, they only joined the Confederacy to gain non-aggression treaties with all their neighbors (though they don’t object to the trade benefits). Hennans are more obsessed with internal status and power than what the outside world is up to. The power brokers of Dar Henna wage a constant war of backroom politics. Dar Henna is ruled by a Doge, elected by the nobility from their own ranks.

(Dar Henna is also Lira’s hometown. Really, is it a wonder she has a weasel familiar?)

Dar Karo
Karonians are focused primarily on external trade. Their craftspeople are the best in the Confederacy. Anything legal can be found in the markets here, and you’ll never find it finer made anywhere. Dar Karo is the only place in the Halmae where double masterwork items can be purchased. It’s the newest city-state to be admitted to the Confederacy. Dar Karo is ruled by a monarch.

Dar Und
Though once a thriving city-state, Dar Und has come upon bad times. It is now a sham of a city. The proper government, overrun with crime and corruption, effectively collapsed almost twenty years ago, leaving the city-state to be ruled by the crime bosses (as much as anyone is in control at all). There is little in the way of public services, and the outlying lands are rife with banditry. The only reason anyone still does any business at all with Dar Und is because of its strategic position on the major river on the Darine Peninsula. River piracy is seldom worth the cost of “protection.”

Dar Aego
Dar Aego is a decadent city-state, a hedonistic oligarchy where the rich do as they please, and don’t give a damn what the poor do as long as they stay out of sight. The inner city is built entirely of marble and gold, in which each manor tries to be more opulent and ostentatious than the next. The outer city, the poor quarter, is a grotesque shantytown build of wood and dirt. The only rule in Dar Aego is the Golden Rule—whoever has the gold makes the rules. Dar Aego is ruled by a monarch.

Dar Thane
Dar Thane is a militaristic city-state, far and away the most stringent of the Confederate city-states. It is ruled by a General who appoints his own successor. Thaneans have a very rigid, martial philosophy. Discipline, order, bravery, and physical prowess are their chief values and their chief virtues. Dar Thane is located at the very tip of the Darine Peninsula, close to the Empire of Ebis, with whom they have frequent clashes.

Dar Pykos
Dar Pykos, the central principality of the campaign, is a fairly typical fantasy medieval city-state. It has the full range of social classes: nobles, freemen, merchants, craftsmen, mercenaries, beggars, etc. It is ruled by King Orin and well civilized. Dar Pykos is the great melting pot, where people from all over the Halmae (even elves and dwarves), can be found living in relative harmony. The Great Library is located in Dar Pykos, as well as the only Mages Academy in the world.

(Although Dar Pykos is the campaign “home base” for all of the characters, Anvil is the only PC actually from the city. Thatch, Reyu, and Hue all hail from outside the confederacy.)

If my city were the Darine Confederacy, I'd be hailing from Dar Car Fixer, er, Dar Goodwrench. I swear to God, nothing but auto body shops and mechanics where I live.

So correct me if I'm wrong, but the decadent, corrupt city-state (Aego) is the place where slavery is still rampant. Humh. Makes sense.

More Update! for Justice!

dpdx said:

So correct me if I'm wrong, but the decadent, corrupt city-state (Aego) is the place where slavery is still rampant. Humh. Makes sense.

Click to expand...

Dar Aego is indeed the place the PCs went to buy back wrongly enslaved people. However, slavery is legal in most of the Confederacy. Dar Aego, Dar Henna, Dar Und, and Dar Thane all practice slavery still, as do some of the other kingdoms. There are more places that practice it than don't.

New update tomorrow, I think. Kettenek rewards the faithful.

Part the Very Seventh
In which: someone fails a whole lot of Bluff checks
(as recorded by Fajitas)

A few quick questions asked in the right places reveals the location of Amos’s paramour, the woman Kashan. “She is the daughter of a wealthy Thanean Captain, Kuros Hemlek,” Anvil informs the others as they make their way to the Hemlek residence. Reyu glances up at the sun. It is mid-day. Just under 18 hours left to prove their innocence before she and Thatch are enslaved. Somehow, she thinks that this is not what her grandmother had in mind when she sent her off to learn about human culture.

The Hemlek estate is nowhere near as opulent as the Missola estate, but it is virtually the same size. The guards initially balk at granting the PCs entrance, but Anvil’s brief yet vivid description of the fate that awaits those who obstruct Kettenek’s Justice changes their minds. The PCs are ushered into a waiting room. They ask to see Kashan, and are told to wait a moment.

A short time later, a stern, swarthy, well-muscled man with dark hair and a full beard descends the staircase. He is Captain Kuros Hemlek. “Well?” he demands. “What is your business here?”

Anvil, Thatch, and Reyu look at each other. “Um. Actually, our business is with your daughter, Kashan,” Thatch offers. Then, belatedly he adds, “Sir.”

“She is indisposed. We are leaving for Dar Thane the day after tomorrow, and she is making necessary preparations. I will speak for her.”

“Um. It’s really kind of, um, private business,” Thatch tries again.

“Her business is my business. I will speak for her.” Hemlek seems calm, but his eyes flash dangerously.

Again, the heroes look at each other. How much should they reveal?

“It is a… delicate matter. Perhaps we could--” Reyu begins, but is interrupted.

“Then speak of it to me delicately,” Hemlek responds. The only delicate thing about him appears to be his patience.

Against his better judgement, Anvil relents. “It relates to a matter of your daughter Kashan and a young man named Amos--"

But another voice interrupts Anvil. A young woman’s voice. “Father? What is it? Did I hear my name?” And down the stairs comes Kashan. She is in her late teens, swarthy as her father but far more attractive, her hair cropped close in military style. And, oh yes, she is six months pregnant.

Tumblers suddenly begin to click for Thatch and Anvil. Pregnant daughter. Overbearing father. Suddenly they have both a motive and a suspect for Amos’s disappearance, which means they may have a direct connection to the mysterious scarred man (Reyu, of course, does not make this same leap of reasoning. Biological paternity is unimportant to elves).

Meanwhile, Captain Hemlek attempts to dismiss his daughter. “Return to your room, Kashan. I will handle this.”

But Anvil leaps in. “Captain, as your daughter is surely more familiar with the man Amos than you are, she will be more valuable in helping us investigate his disappearance. Unless,” he adds, carefully watching Hemlek’s reaction, “you believe you know more about Amos’s disappearance than she does.” There is a hint of warning in Anvil’s voice.

And Hemlek’s manner suddenly changes. His eyes dart around quickly, looking at all three of his visitors. His feet shuffle on the floor as he says, “Amos? I don’t know anything about a man named Amos.”

(GM’s Note: This is why it’s important not to roll a 3 on your Bluff check when nose to nose with a Justicar.)

“Really?” Anvil asks. “We were under the impression that he was the man who had impregnated your daughter.” Anvil turns his attention to Kashan. “Is that not true?”

Kashan shifts guiltily and looks at her father. She opens her mouth but Hemlek cuts her off. “I will speak for her!” he snaps, but there is a shrill edge to his voice that wasn’t there before. “I-I did not realize you spoke of that man. I was simply…unaware of his name, you see.”

“Of course you were,” Anvil replies as condescendingly as he can (GM’s Note: This is why it’s important not to roll a 1 on your Bluff check to recover from the 3 you rolled on your Bluff check when nose to nose with a Justicar). He addresses Kashan again. “When was the last time you saw Amos?”

Kashan looks to her father before answering. “Several weeks ago. I tried to see him to ask him again to marry me, given…” she gestures vaguely at her condition. “I’m sorry, did you say Amos is missing?”

“He is,” Anvil responds. Hemlek shifts nervously again. “Did he agree to marry you?”

Kashan wipes at her eyes. “No. He still wouldn’t.”

“The dog,” Hemlek spits, with real venom. “No Thanean would behave so disgracefully. In Dar Thane, such a man would be executed for cowardice and dereliction of duty.”

Thatch blanches at that. Reyu looks at him, puzzled. “Why does he place such… importance on who conceives the child? Is it not the mother’s choice who will be the father?”

“Um. I’ll explain later,” Thatch responds. The young man is still reeling at this new, previously unconsidered consequence of sex. Reyu, meanwhile, mentally notes that there are human cities with stranger laws than Dar Aego and returns her attention to the conversation at hand.

“You are not in Dar Thane,” Anvil is saying, and Hemlek agrees. “No, we are not,” he snarls.

“And did you take it upon yourself to enforce the laws of Dar Thane while here in Dar Pykos? Perhaps you hired a man of poor character to knife him in the back in a tavern?” Anvil demands.

Hemlek face goes pink. “Absolutely not!” he insists. “I find this questioning an insult to my honor. This interview is over! You will leave my estates now!” He motions for his guards.

Anvil resists. “Kettenek’s Justice has not yet been fulfilled.” But Hemlek doesn’t care. “You are merely a First Order Justicar. I will not tolerate such insults from a subordinate. Out! Out, I say!” Hemlek’s voice nearly squeaks as he screams at them. Not wishing a fight, Anvil, Thatch, and Reyu allow the guards to lead them out of the house and back to the street.

Once there, they look at each other. “Um,” Thatch begins, “maybe it was just me, but I don’t think he was telling the truth.”

The others agree. “I believe we should return with a writ and search this estate. Especially if they are planning soon to leave,” Anvil says.

“What good will that do?” Thatch asks. “If he hired someone to kill Amos, he probably wouldn’t leave evidence of it here.”

“I am not certain he had Amos killed,” Reyu adds. “His indignation when Anvil suggested he had done so seemed quite… genuine.”

“Regardless, I believe we must press on him harder. Your time is short, and we have no leads left to us beyond those we can find inside that estate.”

And at that, the side gate of the estate bursts open and a wagon charges out, careening wildly as it turns a sharp corner. Captain Hemlek has the reins. And the wagon races down the street…

Next time: Answers! Wagons! And we finally enter combat time!

Aw, man. Piratecat's penchant for cliffhangers, too.

Still, good update. Hurry back!

dpdx said:

Aw, man. Piratecat's penchant for cliffhangers, too.

Click to expand...

You don't know the half of it.

Fajitas also likes to end game sessions with cliff-hangers. And this is all well and good, except for the infamous case where there we were, standing in horror at the evil mess which had just been unleashed before us...

And it took us two months to get our schedules coordinated to play the next session.

He claims it was agony for him too, because he knew what was going to happen and couldn't talk about it with anyone.

Uh-huh. Sure.

It's this sort of thing that leads to players taking their subtle revenge by demanding the name of every NPC we encounter. Ever.

spyscribe said:

It's this sort of thing that leads to players taking their subtle revenge by demanding the name of every NPC we encounter. Ever.

Click to expand...

You've got to take it where you can. Thanks, by the way, for the background posts detailing the campaign setting. Very helpful for story immersion.

spyscribe said:

It's this sort of thing that leads to players taking their subtle revenge by demanding the name of every NPC we encounter. Ever.

Click to expand...

LOL!

Loved the update - it's great to have the little GM's notes in the margins, and the action is good, too. The background updates are also very appreciated. Thanks!

spyscribe said:

It's this sort of thing that leads to players taking their subtle revenge by demanding the name of every NPC we encounter. Ever.

Click to expand...

Fortunately, one of my kind-hearted PCs took it upon herself to buy me a book of baby names. Of course, she did that the week before my parents were coming to town. Had to make sure it was well hidden by the time they arrived. That's grief I don't need...

Part the Very Eighth
In which: wagons careen, pedestrians scatter, Anvil demands, and someone gets their legs broken. All this, plus a new PC!
(as recorded by Fajitas)

The man on the horse is named Cyrus Pentaskae.

Cyrus is a holy warrior of Kettenek, one of the Guardians of the Barrier, a sect that reveres Kettenek as the Lord of the Dead. The Guardians are fierce hunters of the undead who seek to ensure that those who pass into the earth stay there. Cyrus is always quite zealous in ensuring this.

Cyrus has worked with Anvil in the past, prosecuting those who practice Necromancy within Dar Pykos. So when a sticky legal question arose for Cyrus (a technical distinction between “Breaking and Entering” and “Reasonable Suspicion of Unholy Activities”), he decided to ask Anvil about it. But when he asked at the Temple of Justice, he discovered that Anvil was off somewhere working. Cyrus was unwilling to wait.

So now Cyrus is on his horse, searching for Anvil and look! There he is, at the end of the block, with a tall man and an elf. Except Anvil is, for some reason, looking down a side street. And now he is staring in utter disbelief. And now he shouts something that sounds like, “Hey!” And now he takes off down the side street, running full tilt, waving and pointing and shouting, the elf and the tall man right along side him.

“Hmmm,” says the man on the horse, and he trots to catch up.

*************

Hemlek’s wagon hurtles down the street. Hemlek drives, while in the back are two guards flanking Kashan, along with several trunks and a large barrel. Anvil, Thatch, and Reyu stare in stunned silence for a moment. Finally, with uncharacteristic brevity, Anvil shouts “Hey!” and he takes off after the wagon. Thatch and Reyu are right with him.

The wagon is much faster than they are, and careens around a corner before they can overtake it. With little choice, they pound down the street in pursuit.

Suddenly, there is the sound of hoofbeats behind them. “Anvil! Need a hand?” a voice asks. Anvil risks a quick glance over his shoulder. He is surprised to see Cyrus, but not about to complain. “Yes!” Anvil pants. “Stop that wagon! Kettenek’s Justice deman--"

“Right,” Cyrus responds, and gallops past them and around the corner.

Anvil, Thatch, and Reyu reach the corner and turn. They find themselves in a wide avenue, one that leads directly to the East Marketplace. And the avenue is full of wagons laden with goods, moving at a leisurely pace in both directions.

“Um,” Thatch says. “Which one is—"

“That one!” Reyu says, and points. Sure enough, one wagon is racing down the road, weaving in and out of the other wagons. They take off in pursuit.

Fortunately, traffic on the avenue slows the wagon down. Running for all they’re worth, our heroes are able to gain on the wagon. Cyrus is already galloping next to it. “Stop this wagon! Pull over!” he shouts, but Hemlek, at the reins, shows no sign of slowing. Instead, he jerks the wagon to the side, trying to force Cyrus into oncoming traffic. Cyrus manages to avoid the wagons coming at him, but loses ground in his pursuit. Thatch, racing along behind, reaches out to try to grab the back of the wagon and jump on, but Hemlek’s weaving makes it difficult to get a grip and dangerous to get too close. Thatch grits his teeth and runs harder.

“Hurry!” Anvil pants. “He’s almost reached the Marketplace…”

**********

It is a glorious day in the East Marketplace, thinks Neville the Watchman. The sun is shining, the produce smells fresh. Yep. This is the assignment. He takes a bite of his fresh sausage in a bun, and chews happily as he takes in the sights around him. Funny, that wagon there, he thinks, as he glances down the street. Seems to be going awfully fast. Maybe I should have a word with the driver. Might not be safe, driving like… good gods, he’s going quite fast, isn’t he? And weaving a lot. Could he be drunk? Well, as long as he slows down before he hits the Marketpl… hang on. He’s not slowing down at all. In fact, he—

Neville drops his sausage in a bun and dives out of the way as the wagon comes hurtling at him. Somewhere in the Marketplace, someone screams. Heads turn, and people dive left and right, trying to get out of the way as the chase barrels its way into the Marketplace.

Neville looks up from the ground, just in time to see a Justicar running past him, in pursuit of the wagon. He hears “…stop, I say! Kettenek’s Just…” as the Justicar charges by.

Right, thinks Neville, and joins in the pursuit.

***********

The wagon skids as Hemlek turns into the market. Thatch and Reyu take advantage of the skid to close in on it. Thatch leaps for the side, getting a grip on it, but one of the guards in the wagon knocks him off before he can get over the edge. Thatch rolls out of the way of the wheels as the wagon thunders past.

Reyu aims for the horses instead. She grabs for the reins just as Hemlek gets the wagon back under control. He jerks the wagon to the side, slamming it into Reyu. She falls to the ground hard, and there is a sickening crack as the wagon crushes both her legs. Reyu screams.

Hemlek spurs the horses on, heading for the East Gate. But suddenly, Cyrus gallops in from out of nowhere. He grabs at the harness on Hemlek’s horses and jerks it back as hard as he can.

With a whinny, the horses rear up and come to a dead stop. But the wagon, already moving fast, jackknifes completely out of control. WHAM! It slams into a vendor’s cart, spilling fruit everywhere. Cyrus is thrown from his horse, but safely rolls with the fall. People scatter in a frenzy as the wagon and the wreckage slam into another cart! Someone on the wagon screams, and it might just be Captain Hemlek himself.

Finally, the wreckage comes to a halt. There is a moment of complete silence, during which everyone breathes loudly, just to make sure they’re still alive. And then the silence is broken by a loud voice. “In Kettenek’s name, I demand that you surrender yourself!” It is Anvil, now flanked by six Watchmen from the Marketplace. None of them look happy.

Hemlek, panicked, motions to his guards, who jump down off the wagon to defend them. But the guards are easily subdued by the Watchmen. Anvil and the Watchmen surround the wagon. “You will now surrender yourself to the proper authority of Dar Pykos,” Anvil informs Hemlek.

Hemlek glances around like a caged animal. “My family name will not be dishonored in this manner,” he practically shrieks, and lightning fast, he whips a knife to his own throat. “Permit us to leave, or I will end my family line with honor.”

Anvil’s brow furrows. He is about to shrug and say, “Sure, go ahead” when Thatch taps him on the shoulder and points to Kashan. The six-month pregnant woman also holds a knife to her throat.

Anvil studies her closely. There is resolve on her face, clearly, but also… fear? She looks like this is something she’s willing to do, but really really doesn’t want to.

“Um. Um. Um. Okay. Look. We can work this out or something, right? Um. You don’t have to…” Thatch is saying, trying to calm the situation down.

But Anvil merely looks Hemlek right in the eyes and speaks a single word. “Surrender,” he says, and his eyes flash.

And Hemlek drops his knife and puts his hands up in the air.

No one seems more surprised than Hemlek at his actions, and as he looks at his raised hands in shock and horror, the Watchmen leap forward and grab him.

“Um.” Thatch says. “How did you…?”

“Kettenek sees fit to bless me with a spell of Command that I might better see his Justice done,” Anvil replies, and turns his attention to Kashan. There are tears in her eyes, but she still holds the knife to her throat.

“I… I will do it,” she says, but not very convincingly. “I will defend my family honor.”

“Come,” Anvil says. “You do not wish to do this.”

“I do not,” Kashan says, “but I will. Do not dishonor my father, and I will surrender to you.”

Anvil sighs. “Kettenek’s Justice demands consequences for your father’s actions. However, assuming that no further wrongdoings by him are uncovered, your father need not be imprisoned. Justice will be satisfied if your father forfeits all his property remaining in Dar Pykos and vows never to enter our city again. Is that acceptable?”

With a look at her father, Kashan nods and drops her knife.

Order is slowly restored to the Marketplace. Reyu seems to be injured worse than anyone, but with a mystical chant (through her gritted teeth) she heals herself. No one else is hurt, though many people are frightened and angry. Anvil and the Watchmen help restore calm.

Thus, it is Thatch who notices the bumping sound coming from the barrel in the back of the wagon. *bump, bump* He listens more carefully. *bump* Slowly, he draws his greatsword and, using the tip as a lever, he pries the lid off the barrel. He looks into it.

A very frightened young man looks up at him from inside, tightly bound and gagged.

“Um,” Thatch says. “I guess you must be Amos.”

To be continued…