Hyberiae Peninsula
The Hyberiae Peninsula is a hotbed of conflict. The Ruins of Astinian is where the region's original capital was, but it fell into decadence and was destroyed by a curse from the Gods of Chaos. Due of the curse, the lands of the Hyberiae Peninsula were laid to waste causing the badlands and swamp to form. The swamp is haunted and only the brave or foolish enter it. The Ruins of Astinian are controlled by powerful undead that regularly send their minions against each other and the cities of the peninsula.
The lands around the City of Parch are drier than one would expect with a river flowing through them. This is part of the curse, as well. However, the waters of the river are clear and pristine until it reaches the swamplands. (The river runs through a gorge from when it enters the badlands to when it empties out into the swampland.) Parch is ruled by a council of peers, called the Parched Council, who aren't much better than the warlocks (see below). They control every aspect of the city including who gets access to the river.
The City of Ubaay is the main city in this region and its ruler, a
beholder only known as
The Orb, considers the entire Hyberiae Peninsula as its dominion. The truth is that the beholder ruler can't control much beyond the Cities of Telay and Ferilian. The beholder is an iron-fisted ruler, which rubs the chaotic denizens of the region the wrong way. They don't care for his ideas about law and order. Two barons control the cities of Telay and Ferilian.
Baroness Sayinia of Telay is loyal to the beholder, while
Baron Fulk Gutwretch of Ferilian is not.
The other cities on the coast of the Hyberiae Peninsula are chaotic places with a bent towards wickedness. Arcanists, known as Warlocks, control the Cities of Ariskal, Hulay, and Yulia. The
Witch of Ariskal, a powerful
human (vampire) wizard, is trying to make the undead of the swamplands submit to her. She is the only female and undead ruler in the region but is just as power hungry and cold as the other warlocks.
The
Madman of Hulay is mad as a hatter, to say the least. He is a
human wizard and often releases dangerous monsters into the city for fun. Hulay is not a safe place and its citizens are forced to live there, as the other options in the region aren't any better. The city pays to keep powerful adventurers around to handle the monsters released by the Warlock Freak, as he is sometimes called (but never to his face). The Madman never gets involved in local politics and the citizens have free reign to live anyway they want.
The
Dominator of Yulia is a
human wizard/monk who rules his city with an iron fist, much to the annoyance of the city's populace. He is obsessed with finding the broken shards of an ancient magical gem, which is said to grant the possessor the ability to become a god. It is whispered that he has put together nearly half the gem and that his life has been extended by the power it gives him. Those, in the city, that talk to loudly about the gem disappear without a trace.
The Cities of Fort Shore and Fort Sand are the bastions of good in this region. They are the foothold cities of a distant land to the north, past the Low Shores. Travel and trade to and from the north is perilous, but the rich iron, copper and natural glassteel deposits of the Gray Desert and the Turill Gorge are too much to pass up. Governors appointed by the people rule the cities. The governor of Fort Shore is a
human rogue/fighter, while the governor of Fort Sand is a
dwarf knight.
In the Darkland Mountains are two cities. The City of Fellridge is full of vile, twisted dwarves, while the City of Blackhope is home to righteous dwarves, gray elves, and orcs. The city of Blackhope wishes to align itself with Fort Shore and Fort Sand, but pressure from The Orb has put them off aligning with the two cities.
Two other cities are on the map. The City of Belthi is a dark, vile place where devils walk openly in the street. Half of its citizens are native outsiders such as genies, half-fiends, and a few fallen celestials. Its ruler is a massive, mysterious, unnamed
pit fiend who controls the city without question. The city has permanent gates to the Infernal Hells, but they are rarely used anymore, as the devils of the city of Belthi have been forgotten by the Infernal Imperium. The pit fiend likes it that way, as it strengthens its hold on the city. (The denizens of the city worship the pit fiend as a god.)
Opposite of Belthi is the City of Sharis. In Sharis, good rules. A quarter of the city’s citizens are half-celestials, as well as few native angels. Another quarter is made up of elves, half-elves, and a few goodhearted drow. The remaining citizens are human for the most part. An ancient being of epic power known as
The Elf Lord rules the city. He is a
elf paladin and he has a powerful Council of Patriarchs, made up of celestials and other powerful city natives that help him govern the city and protect The Shining Forest from the machinations of evildoers. The Elf Lord has had contact with The Orb, but the two cannot seem to come to terms for a peace alliance, due to differences in philosophy.
