CINDERMOUNT
Proper Names: The Dominion of Cindermount, Realm of the Silver Hand, The Silvergate City, Theocracy of the Orphan King; Ketalstad (archaic)
Ruler: The Arch-Magus, Hezekiah Grofus, Lord Mayor of Cindermount, The Orphan King
[LN male human Wiz20]. Hezekiah's ethnicity is unknown since comes from a different world.
Government: Feudal Republic;
slowly moving towards becoming a Monarchy.
Capital: Cindermount
Communities: Arabellan’s Crossing (pop. – 55), Ashinn (roadhouse; pop. – 60), Aslaksen Manor (estate; pop. – 15), Bredleder House (estate; pop. – 20), Brolene’s Bridge (pop. – 105), Cindermount (pop. – 9,250), Duvik’s Pass (pop. – 925), Em Iren [Charbarrow] (pop. – 230), Emyja’s Heart (camp; pop. – 110), Fisher’s Bridge (pop. – 25), Greenbottle Steading (pop. – 15), Hades’ Wealth (mining camp; pop. – 210), Handle Mill (pop. – 200), Hissing Dragon (roadhouse; pop. – 20), Ialin (pop. – 720), Lakehollow (pop. – 530), Lamphill (pop. – 2,875), Qallar Manor (estate; pop. – 25), Seggr’s Den (pop. – 40), Snakehollow (pop. – 2,975), Stoutfeld Ranch (pop. – 20), Twilight Hollow (pop. – 450), Warden’s Bridge (pop. – 85), Westvein (pop. – 1,790), Windhaven (pop. - 1,520), Wizardly School of Magickal Reflection (arcane school; pop. – 900), Yarrin (ruined), etc.
Fortifications: Bast Keep (fortress; pop. – 1,100), Bloodsun Tor (tower; pop. – 180), Castle of the Silver Hand (pop. – 3,000), Crookwatch (tower; pop. – 120), Hezekiah’s Tower (wizard tower; pop. – 55), Hollow Watch Tor (tower; pop. – 100), Jalivier’s Stronghold (fortress temple; pop. – 1,300), Lightgard Tor (tower; pop. – 50), Passgard Hold (fortress; pop. – 1,500), Valewatch Tor (tower; pop. – 70), etc.
Provinces: City-state that controls the surrounding communities. Each community has a mayor, bailiff, and captain of the guard that run the day-to-day operations of the community and each community pays a stipend to Cindermount on a yearly basis.
Resources: Dyes, gems (agates, cabarnite, lapis lazuli, and obsidian), grain, metals (copper and silver), and textiles.
Coinage: Manus (pp), Caldera (gp), Smoke (ep), Silver Lake (sp), Cinder (cp).
Population: 460,045 – Human (Anorian) 47%, Human (Denilan) 11%, Halfling (Hairfoot) 9%, Dwarf (Hill) 7%, Human (Ruelian) 3%, Elf (Urbanite) 3%, Kitt 3%, Half-Elf 3%, Dwarf (Sundered) 2%, Elf (Forest) 2%, Elf (Other Origins) 2%, Human (Minari) 2%, Gnome (Ketalstaden) 1%, Half-Orc 1%, Human (Shaulite) 1%, Human (Silvester) 1%, Other Harqualian Origins 1%, Other Transformation Origins 1%.
Languages: Anorian, Dwarven, Duergar, Elven, Halfling, Harqualian, Kitt, and Orc. Gnome is spoken by the Ketalstaden gnomes of Em Iren, as well as among the poor and homeless.
Alignments: All; the dominant alignment is Lawful Good with Chaotic Good and Neutral Good being a little less common. Lawful Neutral and Neutral are uncommon and Chaotic Neutral is rare. Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil, and Chaotic Evil are all very rare. Those found to be CE are either exiled or imprisoned.
Patron Church: Church of the Silver Hand.
Major Religions: Adralin, Arabellan, Aviaja, Bast, Drace, Calphas, Cull, Celendine, Gerra, Hades, Kodbok *, Krardrael, Inanna, Jalivier *, Larea, Mayela, Ramara, Tazelia *, Tiius (restricted), the Trúa (sect), Yolanda *, Zoara.
Minor Religions: Adorellan, Anubis, Apollo, Bivack, Brenna, Brolene (sect), Casiia, Colvian, Dike, Draven, Erizic *, Hak, Hendomar, Issek *, Kuil, Mielikki, Ogma, Ordana, Ptah, Ranaeril, Rel, Riordan, Ryllae, Sanh, Tilla, Vexacion, Wotan.
Shrines and Cults: Anon, Cronn, Damhán, Dionysus, Eachann, Faunus, Gnevenglan, Hansa, Isdite, Jaeger (sect), Lokun, Mahridaar, Mussin (hidden [actively hunted]), Narvi, Sa, Saint Hubert, Sigyn (LN sect), Sylvain, Tamara, Tevar, Thuvmes, Truce, Tudsara, Ullr, Vali, Zaphion (outlawed [actively hunted]).
Alliances: City-state of Cirrus (religious/trade [strained]); Diabolic Enclaves (non-aggression [fractured]); Duchy of Minar (trade); Holds of Kul Moren (military/trade); Kingdom of the Greystones (trade [limited]); Onan Territories (limited military/trade); Principality of Pretensa (trade); Principality of Shaule (trade); and Verdalf Forest (tentative).
DM’s Note: *All of these deities are part of the Church of the Silver Hand. The worshippers of Kodbok and Tazelia are considered to be part of unique LN/NG and LG/NG sects respectively.
The Dominion of Cindermount. The mountain country has been through a lot. The machinations of the Shadowbrands nearly plunged the dominion into utter darkness. The heroes that saved its citizens are looked on as living saints. The members of the Order of the Silver Hand became famous and beloved almost overnight.
Then, Anoria (backed/forced by the Diabolic Enclaves) invaded and conquered the dominion almost overnight and forced the order and its allies into the wilds of the mountains of the dominion. However, in 752 N.C., the order gathered a massive army, and they liberated the Dominion of Cindermount from Anoria (and the Infernos agents secretly controlling its government). The war was quick and brutal. It ended with the Order and its allies destroying the First Tier of the City-state of Flamerule.
Since the end of the war with the Diabolic Enclaves, the Dominion of Cindermount has changed a great deal. The members of the Order of the Silver Hand have shifted from being heroes of the people to becoming important leaders for all in the dominion. The new Lord Mayor, Hezekiah Grofus, was the group’s wizard while Cindermount’s new Warden, Karr’Toomba, was the group’s bowman. The new Captain of the Guard, the young frost giant named Shötte was one of the many allies and followers of the Order.
The group’s renown cleric and devoted follower of Jalivier, Argo Flameheart, is now the spiritual leader of the Dominion of Cindermount. The Church of the Silver Hand is the new state religion, but, in truth, all of the North Gods have a place in the new Cindermount, as well as followers of Interloper Gods willing to accept the restrictions placed on their faiths by the Church of the Silver Hand. (The followers of the evil deities listed under “Shrines and Cults” are constantly hunted and rooted out.)
While several of the old merchant and noble houses of Dominion of Cindermount have been swept away, the Houses of Aslaksen, Casterelli, Herdove (elven), Mooncomb, Ravenward, Tâcher, Understone (dwarven), and Venneiros (elven) still have a presence in the dominion. However, the old guard of those families are either no longer alive or allowed in the dominion (with a handful of exceptions). Several new noble houses have found solace in the dominion: Bairge, Bougaisseau, Braiccird, Drekan (elven), Greenbottle (halfling), Grofus, Haljan, Iannan (elven), Linbak (halfling), Mévouize, Oham (dwarven), Qallar, Rochethier, and Silar (halfling).
It is important to note that some of the new nonhuman noble houses are exiles who fled Anoria after the Diabolic Enclaves took over that city. Since the Diabolic Enclaves still rule over Anoria, they cannot go back and most of them now prefer living in Cindermount. Most of the dwarves who fled Anoria chose to relocate to the Holds of Kul Moran instead.
Houses Greenbottle and Grofus were granted nobility when the new Lord Mayor took office (by his decree). Amaryllis Greenbottle is a well-respected member of the Order of the Silver Hand and is the leader of the Halfling Syndicate in Cindermount. The various nonhuman Houses have more of a voice under the watchful eye of the new Lord Mayor and the Order.
Note that Cindermount’s non-aggression treaty with the Diabolic Enclaves is completely fractured, at the best of times. The Order of the Silver Hand would like nothing better than to destroy the Diabolic Enclaves and free the subjugated Domain of Anoria, but it is believed that the cost in lives would be too high, for now. Lord Mayor Grofus has asked the Queen of Izmer for help in this matter, but, so far, she has denied his requests. Luckily, the lord major has the support of the High Prince of Pretensa, Tiberiu Cojocaru, for trade of needed goods, and the dominion has a strong military alliance with Kul Moran.
To the west, the denizens of the canyon known as Sallmozon Rift continues to be a problem for the citizens of Cindermount, as the Demon Lord Tazzaran wishes to sweep away both Cindermount and Kul Moren and claim the entire Kul Moren mountain range for itself. A new religious order known as the Disciples of the Bloodsun are all that stand between the demons of the rift and the communities of Cindermount. These devoted servants of Argo Flameheart will fight to death to protect their home.
Rumours abound that the dominion is moving towards a hereditary monarchy with Hezekiah Grofus being named the realm’s first king. He is already known as the Orphan King by some of the populace, especially among the poor people and lost souls that were displaced by the war.
(It's a nice name, though, I just don't want it in my English game.)
