gothwalk
Explorer
On the Border Lands; Their Geographical Features, Cultures, and Some Interesting Notes
Sir Eskil Daridron, Haelthannic Explorers Guild
Autumn 738 RT
First, of nomenclature; the Border Lands are the continental masses of Calhelandon and Selleas, to the south and west of the Middle Kingdoms, excluding the Archipelago enclosed on three sides by Selleas, which is considered seperately.
Second, of gross geographical features; Selleas is domainated by the forested mountain ranges called the Helean Peaks, Istanuan Mountains, and Alkamar Mountains. The highest peak on Davon is Wen Heles, in the northern reaches of the Helean Peaks. There is an extensive area of flat highland between the northern end of the Istanuan Mountains and the Alkamars; this is known as the Hiem Plain. Calhelandon is dominated in the south by the Cermeun Desert, in central regions by an area of swampy flatland, mostly covered in forest thick enough to qualify as the more strictly Norvadi jungle, and in the north by a peculiar interspersal of desert and grasslands, the grasslands on the eastern sides of the many long, low north-south ridges, and the deserts on the western sides. The monotony of these ridges is broken only by the complex, laddered structure of the Barovar River and its many tributaries.
We will now note the more important cities and nations of the Border Lands, noting that we cannot in an essay of this size deal with all of them.
Pardel is a city of some three hundred thousand people, built around a natural oasis which has been extended and sustained by magics, somewhat north of the centre of the Cermuen Desert. It is built in a low style, except for the towers which jut from it at irregular intervals. It is for the most part a city founded on trading, and has an enlightened and free culture.
Niso is a larger city, home to almost five hundred thousand people. It is built on three steep hills on the west coast of Calhelandon, only a matter of a score of miles south of the jungle edge. Most of its wealth comes from the surrounding nations in trade, although it is to be noted that its own farms and plantations are extremely fertile. The architecture of the city is based for the most part on sloping, spiralling curves, which vary from gentle inclines in the roads and paths to sharp rises along the edges of higher towers. The culture is a considerable mix, but is liberal in most aspects except that of the punishment of theft, which is extremely severe.
On the northern coast of Calhelandon, in a fertile area around the delta of the Barovar River, is the city of Tchalmar. Parts of the city are built on the islands of the delta, and are built for the most part of reeds and wood, some of which is still growing. The majority of the economy of the city is based on fishing, pearls, and the making of armour and shields from the shell of a local form of giant lobster. Tchalmari culture is quite strict in permissions and allowances, and the city is ruled firmly by a hereditary matriarch. The population stands at approximately one hundred and seventy thousand, although with a high birth rate and frequent virulent plagues, this varies wildly from one decade to the next.
The juncture of Selleas and Calhelandon, on the northern coast, lies some distance west and south of the city of Wullam. The Kingdom of Feleam, of which it is the capital, stretches right to the far side of Selleas, north of the Archipelago. Wullam is the site of the Throne of Ice, from which King Murdruk rules. Murdruk appears to be some kind of celestial, or possibly a powerful form of ice para-elemental; why he chooses to rule a city in one of the warmer parts of the world is a continuing paradox. Wullam's wealth is derived from the farms and industries of its kingdom, and from the power of its navy on the large bay between Calhelandon, Selleas, and the Middle Kingdoms. The population of the city fluctuates between two hundred and fifty and three hundred thousand, with most of the fluctuation being seasonal. The architecture varies from baked brick to glass and metal, and can be quite alien in aspect.
Tlemaprasion is on the border between Selleas and the Middle Kingdoms, on the west coast. It is a sprawling city of almost a million people, as such the largest city on Davon, exceeding even Norvad City. Its rulership has been in slow debate for over a century, with differences between the various factions rising into civil wars from time to time, and then dying away again without the differences being settled. The main factions are those of the Pharom, a dwarven people, the Kheroboan, a dark-skinned human people, the Felshard, a pale-skinned human people who have many fire genasi among their number, the Muradi, descendants of refugees from the city of Ralhi Murad on the south coast of the Old Lands, and the Temerod Alliance, originally a group of merchant companies. There are some three to four score minor factions, any of which may rise to prominence over the next few decades. The city is not hugely wealthy, but survives on trade, small farms surrounding the walls, and extra food grown inside on roofs and in gardens.
Giforjhak is an ex-Norvadi colony near the east coast of Selleas. It is similar in many aspects to Norvadi culture, architecture, etc, except that the ruling class here are almost exclusively dwarven, over a larger population of humans, elves, and half-elves. The city is built in the foothills of the Alkamar mountains, and is linked by roads and canals to the clifftop port of Semorjhak.
Finally, Marrodras, on the tip of a peninsula extending into the Archipelago from Selleas, is a crossroads of the many Archipelagan cultures, while remaining firmly Sellean itself. The architecture is notably tall and slender, with a good deal of building underground; indeed, most of the major thoroughfares are below the surface. This, together with the careful positioning of wind tunnels and ventilation spaces, renders the inside of the city much more cool and pleasant than the outside. The city is ruled by a trade council, which is in almost constant session – when a member of the council retires, they nominate three possible successors, and the council votes on these. There are thirty members of the council, and retirements happen almost every six months, so the council is in constant flux. Much of the city reflects this chaos, except for the Builders Guild and the Armsmen's Guild, both of which are extremely stable, and thence possibly the real powers.
The Major Arcana Campaign is set in the same world, but as yet has only visited Pardel: http://www.badgerofthelord.net/
Sir Eskil Daridron, Haelthannic Explorers Guild
Autumn 738 RT
First, of nomenclature; the Border Lands are the continental masses of Calhelandon and Selleas, to the south and west of the Middle Kingdoms, excluding the Archipelago enclosed on three sides by Selleas, which is considered seperately.
Second, of gross geographical features; Selleas is domainated by the forested mountain ranges called the Helean Peaks, Istanuan Mountains, and Alkamar Mountains. The highest peak on Davon is Wen Heles, in the northern reaches of the Helean Peaks. There is an extensive area of flat highland between the northern end of the Istanuan Mountains and the Alkamars; this is known as the Hiem Plain. Calhelandon is dominated in the south by the Cermeun Desert, in central regions by an area of swampy flatland, mostly covered in forest thick enough to qualify as the more strictly Norvadi jungle, and in the north by a peculiar interspersal of desert and grasslands, the grasslands on the eastern sides of the many long, low north-south ridges, and the deserts on the western sides. The monotony of these ridges is broken only by the complex, laddered structure of the Barovar River and its many tributaries.
We will now note the more important cities and nations of the Border Lands, noting that we cannot in an essay of this size deal with all of them.
Pardel is a city of some three hundred thousand people, built around a natural oasis which has been extended and sustained by magics, somewhat north of the centre of the Cermuen Desert. It is built in a low style, except for the towers which jut from it at irregular intervals. It is for the most part a city founded on trading, and has an enlightened and free culture.
Niso is a larger city, home to almost five hundred thousand people. It is built on three steep hills on the west coast of Calhelandon, only a matter of a score of miles south of the jungle edge. Most of its wealth comes from the surrounding nations in trade, although it is to be noted that its own farms and plantations are extremely fertile. The architecture of the city is based for the most part on sloping, spiralling curves, which vary from gentle inclines in the roads and paths to sharp rises along the edges of higher towers. The culture is a considerable mix, but is liberal in most aspects except that of the punishment of theft, which is extremely severe.
On the northern coast of Calhelandon, in a fertile area around the delta of the Barovar River, is the city of Tchalmar. Parts of the city are built on the islands of the delta, and are built for the most part of reeds and wood, some of which is still growing. The majority of the economy of the city is based on fishing, pearls, and the making of armour and shields from the shell of a local form of giant lobster. Tchalmari culture is quite strict in permissions and allowances, and the city is ruled firmly by a hereditary matriarch. The population stands at approximately one hundred and seventy thousand, although with a high birth rate and frequent virulent plagues, this varies wildly from one decade to the next.
The juncture of Selleas and Calhelandon, on the northern coast, lies some distance west and south of the city of Wullam. The Kingdom of Feleam, of which it is the capital, stretches right to the far side of Selleas, north of the Archipelago. Wullam is the site of the Throne of Ice, from which King Murdruk rules. Murdruk appears to be some kind of celestial, or possibly a powerful form of ice para-elemental; why he chooses to rule a city in one of the warmer parts of the world is a continuing paradox. Wullam's wealth is derived from the farms and industries of its kingdom, and from the power of its navy on the large bay between Calhelandon, Selleas, and the Middle Kingdoms. The population of the city fluctuates between two hundred and fifty and three hundred thousand, with most of the fluctuation being seasonal. The architecture varies from baked brick to glass and metal, and can be quite alien in aspect.
Tlemaprasion is on the border between Selleas and the Middle Kingdoms, on the west coast. It is a sprawling city of almost a million people, as such the largest city on Davon, exceeding even Norvad City. Its rulership has been in slow debate for over a century, with differences between the various factions rising into civil wars from time to time, and then dying away again without the differences being settled. The main factions are those of the Pharom, a dwarven people, the Kheroboan, a dark-skinned human people, the Felshard, a pale-skinned human people who have many fire genasi among their number, the Muradi, descendants of refugees from the city of Ralhi Murad on the south coast of the Old Lands, and the Temerod Alliance, originally a group of merchant companies. There are some three to four score minor factions, any of which may rise to prominence over the next few decades. The city is not hugely wealthy, but survives on trade, small farms surrounding the walls, and extra food grown inside on roofs and in gardens.
Giforjhak is an ex-Norvadi colony near the east coast of Selleas. It is similar in many aspects to Norvadi culture, architecture, etc, except that the ruling class here are almost exclusively dwarven, over a larger population of humans, elves, and half-elves. The city is built in the foothills of the Alkamar mountains, and is linked by roads and canals to the clifftop port of Semorjhak.
Finally, Marrodras, on the tip of a peninsula extending into the Archipelago from Selleas, is a crossroads of the many Archipelagan cultures, while remaining firmly Sellean itself. The architecture is notably tall and slender, with a good deal of building underground; indeed, most of the major thoroughfares are below the surface. This, together with the careful positioning of wind tunnels and ventilation spaces, renders the inside of the city much more cool and pleasant than the outside. The city is ruled by a trade council, which is in almost constant session – when a member of the council retires, they nominate three possible successors, and the council votes on these. There are thirty members of the council, and retirements happen almost every six months, so the council is in constant flux. Much of the city reflects this chaos, except for the Builders Guild and the Armsmen's Guild, both of which are extremely stable, and thence possibly the real powers.
The Major Arcana Campaign is set in the same world, but as yet has only visited Pardel: http://www.badgerofthelord.net/
