REVISED MAP: The Eastern Shores
I decided this map needed a better look. It now matches the format of my "Overview of the Great Forest" map.
THE EASTERN SHORES
This is where it all started. Harqual began in this region. In fact, the world began here as well even though Triadora existed long before Harqual and Kulan did. However, that's another story...
My 2E campaign began in the Eastern Shores in the Duchy of Minar (then called Mulcrow). The heroes of that campaign are now known as The Companions — Bactra Redwind, Dabuk Tigerstorm, Jeddar Silversun, Dvalin Thunderstone, and Mesik Tindertwig. Those were the original members of the adventuring group.
Since the end of that campaign, I have expanded the region by leaps and bounds and it remains one of my favorite regions for the Lands of Harqual. Minar, Stonn, Thallin, and Wolffire are still the cornerstone "kingdoms" of the Eastern Shores, but the other lands of the region have become important as well. I will go over each land in brief.
Ambra
The Principality of Ambra is small kingdom that sits on the very end of the Jagged Peninsula. Its capital city is Sunwater and its ruler is
Princess Ionela Sandulescu [LN female human, Ftr10]. The principality only has three other towns of note, so it barely qualifies as a true kingdom. Regardless, its strong ties with the Kingdom of Stonn keeps it from being preyed on by larger lands in the region. Pirates are a bit of an issue for Ambrans, however, since the coastal land is so close to the pirate havens on Athien Island, Blackhound, and the Samuanel Islands.
Ambra came about after I decided to place a homebrewed version of Castle Amber on Harqual. Castle Ambra will be based on the old school module (I need to reacquire a copy) but it will likely be changed significantly for my world.
Highborn Lands
Long before there was the treaty that formed the Eastern Council, the High Forest was the demesne of the elves and fey of Artesia. For centuries, the denizens of the High Forest have remained aloof from the surrounding lands. Only when human expansion threatened to fall every tree surrounding Lake Thallin did the Highborn become more involved in the politics of the region. In recent years, the leader of the Highborn,
Emninrieman [N male treant, Drd10], has agreed to a military alliance with the citizens of The Highlands to the north. Relations with Minar are cordial but unofficial, and the Highborn remain isolated from Stonn and Wolffire. While the Highborn are mainly elves and fey, there are halflings and humans living in this forested land.
Highlands
The Highlands is a land in turmoil. Ruled by a clan council, this rough and tumble collection of communities is growing rapidly. Since the end of the Thallin Civil War, the Highlands has seen an influx of new citizens. Several of Thallin's westernmost communities, including the city of Cabaret, seceded from the kingdom during its civil war and petitioned to join the Highlands. At first, the Highlands Clan Council rejected them, but as the war progressed and King Varath Dragonguard's evil and madness became apparent, the council soon realized that if they didn't help the rebellious communities then King Varath would likely turn his evil hordes on the Highlands next, regardless. The town of Aurora remains the land's capital even though Cabaret is larger by over 1,000 souls. The Highlands population is mainly human but there are an increasingly number of demihumans living in the region (i.e. refugees).
Besides the military alliance with the Highborn Lands, the Highlands Clan Council has struck a trade alliance with Minar.
Minar
Back in the day, Minar was known as Mulcrow. That name was from a
DUNGEON Magazine adventure called "Rudwilla's Stew." I built Minar from that adventure and the duchy has been an obsession of mine ever since.
Minar is ruled by
Duke Jace Brookwater, The Singing Monarch [NG male human. Brd8/Lyric Thaumaturge10]. The duke's title is dependent on his ability to continue to win The Tournament, which is held every five years.
However, life has become a lot more complicated in Minar after the recent war against the bugbear tribes of the Sunus Mountains. Minar, with the aid of Wolffire, won the war but the scars the conflict left on the duchy are significant. The Tournament feels outdated to many and there is a growing movement to have the Brookwater Family officially made the Royal Family of Minar. As to be expected, this new idea is causing some inner turmoil.
Minar is mixture of many races including elves, halflings, and dwarves as well as humans. The capital is Minar City and more than a dozen other communities including the City of Tian. With the sundering of the Eastern Council as an official alliance, Minar has tuned to other regions for allies. The duchy has a military alliance with the Strandlands to the south. However, the Barony of Wolffire, on the other side of the Sunus Mountains, remains a strong military ally, as well. Relations with Stonn remain cool and relations with Thallin are volatile.
Qualitian Belt
If Ambra is small then the Belt is tiny. Yet, the Belt (or Qualitian Belt) has some of the most fertile lands in the Eastern Shores. Farming is the way of life in the Belt. Raln is the capital and the only city. A ruling council of clan and racial leaders control the Belt but the true power resides with the clergy of the Daghdha. (The Nature Lord is the patron god of the Belt.) In truth, this rural land is a protectorate of the Duchy of Minar. (In the past, the Belt suffered under the predations of bandits and warlords.)
Shadow Magocracy
The Shadow Magocracy is a mystery. It is a vassal state of the Kingdom of Stonn and its capital is the hidden forest fortress known as Asantyl. Its leaders are known only as the
Quinate of Shadow. It is a land shrouded in magic and shadow. Outsiders who are not from Stonn are almost never welcome and even those from Stonn tread carefully here.
There are rumors that The Five have created several permanent magical portals that lead directly to the Plane of Twilight, to an unknown outer plane, or even to Sigil. It is whispered that they wish to resurrect a powerful Old God.
Stonn
The Kingdom of Stonn is now the powerhouse of the Eastern Shores after the fall from grace of the Kingdom of Thallin. This suits the citizenry of Stonn just fine. They have always considered Thallin to be a land of upstarts and rogues even though they respected Thallin's former king, Travaithian Dragonguard.
The Silent Lady [LN female human, Clr10 (Inanna)/Wiz10], on the other hand, sees the corruption of Thallin as a great loss to the stability for the region.
Relations between the two kingdoms is overtly hostile. Thallin is waging a clandestine war against the citizenry of Stonn and many believe it is only a matter of time before war is declared. The Silent Lady knows she needs allies beyond the shores of the Jagged Peninsula and has made offers of friendship to the rulers of the Highlands, Wind Cities, and the Kingdom of Navirosov. So far, she has had little luck beyond the well wishes of her peers.
The kingdom's capital is Stonn City, and its official state deity is Inanna. However, the Church of Inanna doesn't hold as much power over the country as it once did. Yes, the kingdom remains a Feudal Theocracy, but it isn't an oppressive theocracy. All of the North Gods are honored in Stonn (especially Cull and Hades) and many of the Interloper Gods have gained a strong following in this kingdom (especially Dike).
Stonn is the oldest existing kingdom in the Eastern Shores.
Thallin
The Kingdom of Thallin recently went through a bloody civil war after the death of King Travaithian Dragonguard. His son, Varath, ascended to the throne and quickly outlawed demihumans, worship of the North Gods, made Nether (the Sword God of Hate and Tyranny) the patron deity of the kingdom, and proceeded to commit genocide against demihumans both inside and outside of Thallin's borders.
Chaos ensued. The populace rebelled.
King Varath [NE male human, Ari5/Clr15 (Nether)] reorganized the military to include evil humanoids and giants. Ogres, in particular. His actions tore Thallin apart and dissolved the Treaty of Lake Nest amongst the member states of the Eastern Council. The city of Cabaret (and its surrounding communities) seceded from the kingdom. The king marched his forces against the rebellious city and laid siege to it for the duration of the war. In the end, the kingdom's forces were unable to win and hold the insurgent region. The war ended and the expatriated communities joined the Highlands.
For King Varath, however, the war never ended. He simply withdrew so that he could rebuild his forces and find a more productive way to conquer his enemies. Now, he has begun a battle of wits with The Silent Lady of Stonn and looks to gain new allies in his fight for the glory of The Black Tyrant. He has already struck a bargain with the Black Kingdom of the Thunder Orcs.
He is mad.
Thallin's capitial is the City of Fruen. The kingdom's population is now dominantly human as demihumans have fled the region rather than risk facing the Fury of the Dragon (the new elite soldiers of Thallin) as well as the priests of Nether's Deathtide. The rest of the population is made up of goblins, ogres, tri-clops, and a growing number of half-fiends. Half-ogres are slowly becoming more common in Thallin.
All of the Sword Gods are worshiped in Thallin now. The North Gods and many of the good- or neutral-aligned Interloper Gods are outlawed.
Wind Cities
The Lands of the Cities of the Wind dominate the Wind Plains that divide the Eastern Shores from the Greystone Mountains and the Lake Gem Region to the North. The Wind Cities are an alliance of city-states that form a loose confederacy. The region is ruled by a council made up the rulers of the city-states and headed by a chancellor. This man or woman is elected every five years; however, since the events of The Transformation, there hasn't been a chancellor who has lived through the full term. They keep getting assassinated and no one knows by whom. Many suspect the backbiting rulers of the Kingdom of Jewels but no proof has been able to be divined. Others suspect a cult dedicated to the Dead Sword God, Vespin.
The region's capital is the City of Alavar. The population is very mixed and religion varies from city-state to city-state. The Wind Cities have a non-aggression pact with the Kingdom of the Silver Leaves (elves) and a military alliance with the Kingdom of the Greystones (dwarves). There is also a tentative alliance with the Free Lands of Arkhangel, however, leaders on both sides aren't sure it will last.
Wolffire
The Barony of Wolffire is a land of contradictions. It is a monarchy but it is also a land of barbarians. It is a growing civilization restrained by traditional teachings that insist the people live as one with the land. Its ruler,
Lord Baron Recmair Hault [NG male human, Bbn14] is a hero of the Second Ogre War. He is known as The Wolf Lord to his people and they love him dearly even when he teaches urban progress as a means to survival for his young country.
The Barbarian Lands of the Fiery Wolf didn't exist before the Second Ogre War began. Many of the communities did exist, but they were not allied to each other. Blood feuds and skirmishes threatened to tear the region apart. Then the war came and Recmair Hault rose to lead his people as a champion and a leader. He defeated many monstrous enemies and found new allies for the Tribes of the Fiery Wolf amongst the lands of the Eastern Shores. He fought alongside a group of renown heroes that fought to protect the entire region from the ogre scions and their evil hordes.
Now, he is happily retired and works towards growing Wolffire into a land as great as Stonn but still dedicated to the more "traditional" teachings of the North Gods. Cronn is the patron god of the Barony of Wolffire and all traditional worship of the Pantheon of the North is welcomed amongst the Tribes of the Fiery Wolf. The barbarians of this land fought alongside the citizens of Minar against the Sunus Bugbear Tribes when those tribes invaded Minar. The war has brought the two lands closer together even with a range of mountains between them. The Lord Baron has also agreed to a non-aggression pact with the rulers of the Strandlands.
Wolffire's capital is the coastal City of Falcûne. The rest of Wolffire's communities are either scattered along the eastern shore of Harqual or located on Farion Island. The communities on the island are more traditional than those on the mainland.