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World of Kulan
[v.3.5] Kanpur: The Ancient Lands
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<blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 8286497" data-attributes="member: 2012"><p><strong>THE HORSE LANDS</strong></p><p><em>A lot of what appears on this map is inspired by the 2e FORGOTTEN REALMS boxed set known as The Horde. Cemphar is one of the most obvious re-skins from that boxed set. Another recognizable name on this map is Dragon Mountain.</em> -KF</p><p></p><p><strong>SUBREGIONS OF THE HORSE LANDS</strong></p><p><strong>CARDAY</strong> (City-state | [Elvenblooded Hittite mythology. There could end up being one god known as Corellon-Wurrukatte (a Cardayan war deity) and another god known as Hasameli-Larethian (a deity worshiped by crafters and metalworkers). The options are limitless since there are tons of elven gods and even more Hittite deities. The Cardayans aren't 100% elven, however. They would be considered half-elves by the elves of the western lands, and their game statistics will reflect that opinion. Of course, culturally, they are strongly Hittite-like, and their warriors ride war chariots and use traditional Hittite weaponry. Cardayan weapons and armor aren't made of bronze, however. Their smiths work with the best materials available, and the elven aesthetic of their ancestors can be seen in their work.</p><p></p><p><strong>CEMPHAR</strong> (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set)</p><p>This land is going to be my version of Semphar. While I'm going to use The Horde boxed set as the basis for what I create, I might look for more details online — like on the <a href="http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page" target="_blank">FORGOTTEN REALMS Wiki</a>. While there isn't a lake on the map, I will create my own version of Brightstar Lake, which will sit in between Cemphar and the City-state of Yhimir. <a href="http://www.dragonslayers-society.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Shalhoond" target="_blank">Shalhoond</a> won't exist on Kanpur since I already have my own forested lands north of Cemphar. Of course, a lot of influences from The Horde boxed set are likely to be added to the Horse Lands region, especially anything centered around Murghôm, Semphar, and Raurin.</p><p></p><p><strong>CRIMSON OASIS</strong></p><p>There are many examples of oases located in the Raurin of the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting. I don't believe that this name came from that setting, but I could be wrong. Regardless, the Crimson Oasis will be my own creation and if I discover that I did borrow the name from Toril, I will change the name. (I think I was more inspired by the name I came up with for the expansive desert of The Horse Lands — the Red Sand Wastes [see below].)</p><p></p><p>The Crimson Oasis is the most infamous of the oases that exist in the Red Sand Wastes. It is controlled brutally by a trading house that controls the safest trade routes through the desert (especially between Cemphar and Ang-Lat). West to East trade tends to travel through the Center Lands to the south, so the Red Lords work to control all trade moving from the northern lands to the south. The Red Lords often play at politics in the southern lands, and they have gained significant financial benefits in Ang-Lat and Tumnor.</p><p></p><p><strong>DRAGON MOUNTAIN</strong> (AD&D 2E Dragon Mountain boxed set)</p><p>I needed a remote locale to place Dragon Mountain, and I wanted it to be close enough to the western lands of Kanpur so that it can be found by curious adventures. My version of the old 2e boxed set will be influenced by a lot of 3e-isms but kobolds will remain as important to the adventure locale as before. I'm going to replace the named red dragon in the boxed set with Ashardalon, which means that characters can expect to run into dragonblooded minions of the great red with levels of the Disciple of Ashardalon prestige class.</p><p></p><p><strong>DRAKHORN CITY</strong> (Dragonblooded races [Far East | High Fantasy])</p><p>This large desert city-state is dominated by the dragonblooded races of Kulan. The dominant race will be the dragontouched, which are humans with the draconic creature template added on — a standard race for my world. There will also be dragonborn and kobolds living here. Drakhorn City will be a placed steeped in the mythic traditions of the Far East. Therefore, the D&D Oriental Adventures book will be the primary sourcebook for its characters. However, I'm going to excise the Rokugan influences from that book. Kanpur's Far East will be influenced more by the FORGOTTEN REALMS Kara-Tur campaign setting. I foresee Drakhorn City being more of a border city than a true Far East city, however. It will be influenced by The Horde boxed set, D&D Dragon Magic, D&D Races of the Dragon, and my own twisted imagination. :twisted:</p><p></p><p><strong>ENHGIR</strong> (Eldred elves and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ket_people" target="_blank">Kets</a> [Siberian taiga])</p><p>The forest known as Enhgir is home to two different civilizations. First, there are the Eldred elves that live in the deepest parts of the taiga forest. The forest gained its name from these elves, and they claim it as their own. The Eldred are a well-known race in Kanpur's Far East. The Eldred of Enhgir are a bit different, however. Their society is a blending of elven and oriental culture while the Eldred living in the Eastern Lands consider themselves completely oriental.</p><p></p><p>The Eldred are not alone in Enhgir. There is also a nomadic human culture — the Ketto — living in the forest. They are hunters and fishers, and they have been known to breed reindeer. Their society is patriarchal and their holy men are spirit shamans. (Deers and bears are sacred to them.) They respect and fear the Eldred. The elves, in return, are very protective of the Ketto, although they won't intervene when it is nature that threatens the Ketto. Outsiders, on the other hand, will face the wrath of the Eldred if they harm the Ketto.</p><p></p><p><strong>ICEWALL</strong> (Frostfell city-state)</p><p>I wrote this name on my map after watching the free online preview of the new "A Game of Thrones" HBO series. While what I saw inspired the name, D&D Frostburn and The Horde boxed set are more likely to inspire what I create for Icewall.</p><p></p><p><strong>KAN-SHUL</strong> (City-state | <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocharians" target="_blank">Tocharians</a> [Korobokuru | Highly Mystical])</p><p>The city-state of Kan-Shul sits on the northern edge of the Kar Mountains. To the north is Drakhorn City, to the southwest is the city-state of Carday, and to the southeast across the mountain range is Kingdom of Karshat. Despite the proximity of these various lands, Kan-Shul has always stood alone. It is a mystical place known for its peaceful, yet powerful, korobokuru monks. Outsiders are allowed to visit a nearby outpost in the hills but very few non-korobokuru have ever seen inside Kan-Shul.</p><p></p><p>The korobokuru have remained isolated due to the powerful mystical energies that protect Kan-Shul. Only once, in the distant past, has the city-state fallen to a foreign force. It didn't go so well for the invaders. Kan-Shul is considered a holy place by mysterious, planar beings. The invaders were cursed for their crimes — none survived. It has remained isolated to this day based on the perceived might of these planar beings.</p><p></p><p>While the korobokuru do not talk about these beings to outsiders, a few facts have been discovered. Ancient pictographs near Kan-Shul in the mountain range depict two beings related to a sun and a moon. Scholars wonder why there isn't a second moon pictograph since Kulan has two moons. Could Kan-Shul originally be from another world? Or, in the distant past, did Kulan once have only one moon? Only the natives of Kan-Shul know the answer and they tell no one.</p><p></p><p><strong>KARSHAT</strong> (Nonhumans [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Bactrian_Kingdom" target="_blank">Greco-Bactrian Kingdom</a>])</p><p>The kingdom known as Karshat is ruled by a massive half-goblin named Friblord Jubirmianus. The kingdom is comprised of four small city-states that exist in a semi-mountainous region between the Red Sand Wastes and the Forest of the Golden Sun. The kingdom is blend of western and eastern traditions, although its ruler prefers to focus on the worst aspects of Kanpur's western and eastern traditions. He is a brute who wishes to expand Karshat's borders by any means. His subjects are somewhat more neutral in their outlook and many believe that Karshat is on its way to revolt. Karshat and Carday are bitter enemies. Friblord also has his sights set on Kan-Shul, but he is wary of the mystical abilities of the korobokuru.</p><p></p><p><strong>MOUNT RUIHR</strong> (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set)</p><p>Mount Ruihr is Kulan's version of the structure known as 'Raudor' from the FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign setting. I wasn't sure where I got the name, but I did see the name on one of Markustay's maps on DeviantART. I confirmed with him that the Raudor ruins on listed on pp. 98-100 of The Horde boxed set. (My gut told me that Mount Ruihr was based on something Realmsian.) The ruins are that of a destroyed city built during a previous age. The ruins are not a safe place for travelers, as it haunted by ancient horrors and deadly traps. Locals who live in the surrounding desert never venture near Mount Ruihr, although the insane often flock to it like moths to a flame. There is a powerful aura of magic that infects every stone, every building of the ruins. Mad wizards have often tried to gain control of the twisting passages that exist under the ruined city. Alienist, in particular, are attracted to the place and those that survive Mount ruihr's depths often come out more crazed and definitely come out more powerful.</p><p></p><p><strong>QUAI</strong> (City-state | Spiritborn <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evenks" target="_blank">Evenks</a> [Siberian taiga])</p><p>The City-state of Quai will be based on combining the cultural background of the Evenks — a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungusic" target="_blank">Tungusic</a> people of Northern Asia — with the D&D <a href="http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Spirit_folk" target="_blank">spirit folk</a>. Now, that's the easy explanation. In truth, the Quais will be less pastoral than the traditional culture of the Evenks. Their connection to the Spirit Folk is based on their religious beliefs (see below).</p><p></p><p>Quai is a founded city-state, although it is small city. Its people highly respect the Eldred elves of the Enhgir Forest, and they have begun to adopt the lifestyle of the elves, especially the oriental aspects of the elves' culture. They have started referring to themselves as the <em>Èlqüaì Zú</em> in homage to the elves who they see as their teachers. (Note: There are other Quais who continue to live more traditionally, but they are becoming rare.) Quai is laid out very differently than other human cities. The Èlqüaì Zú build simple conical homes based on the designs they once used for their traditional tents. They also use a crude form of the traditional styles of the Eldred elves. The resulting architecture is often strange to outsiders. There aren't any true inns or taverns in Quai. Visitors must either live as a guest in the home of a local or build their own tent/hut in the Outsiders District. Elves (even those not born of the Eldred) are always offered lodging in a home of an important Èlqüaì Zú family.</p><p></p><p>The Èlqüaì Zú, much like the Ketto, breed reindeer. They use them for mounts and they drink the milk of the animal. Hunting is still a important aspect of their lives, and they often go after large game. The Èlqüaì Zú do not eat their domesticated reindeer, but they will hunt wild reindeer. They never hunt for sport, which endears them to the Eldred. Èlqüaì Zú traditional religion is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animistic" target="_blank">Animism</a>. Spirit shamans are their religious leaders; however, some Èlqüaì Zú have begun to worship the deities of the elves. These highly spiritual people have the blood of the spirit folk running through their veins; however, they are not true spirit folk. The correct term is 'spiritborn', which gives them a strong affinity for the natural world. (I'm not sure how I'll work this in game terms, yet.)</p><p></p><p><strong>RED SAND WASTES, THE</strong> (Mythic Mongolia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia" target="_blank">[Anatolia- and Eastern-style influences]</a>)</p><p>The name I gave to the desert is directly inspired by the maps in The Horde boxed set. I've always loved the reddish look of the deserts on those maps. I'm sure that I'll use <a href="http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Raurin" target="_blank">Raurin</a> locales for the Red Sand Wastes as well as a few of the more intriguing places of note from the Quoya Desert (i.e. Merket Despression).</p><p></p><p><strong>SHAYUNG</strong> (Mixed races in an independent city-state [Russian-Far East Mix])</p><p><em>Still to be written.</em></p><p></p><p><strong>SOGUKOL</strong> (Mythic Mongolia [some Western-style influences])</p><p>Sogukol isn't so much a place as a way of life. The people who refer to themselves as Sogukols are a Mongolian-like people who live by the horse. They are warriors and raiders who war amongst themselves as often as they do other peoples. They are a resilient folk who live in some of the worst conditions imaginable. There isn't a single tribe of Sogukols. There are half-a-dozen tribes that live in the Red Sand Wastes and each has its own leadership. Alliances between the tribes are uncommon, but these people will band together when threatened. Endemic warfare is a common practice of the Sogukol peoples.</p><p></p><p><strong>SOLOMIR</strong> (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set)</p><p>This city-state is another renamed locale swiped out of The Horde boxed set. It is my version of Solon. Solomir is an ancient city that has had conflicts with the lands of Kanpur's Far East as well as Cemphar and Enhgir. In ages past, the city's rulers have controlled large portions of the Horse Lands. Now, however, the city is a shell of its former self and rumors abound that its current leader either has made pacts with evil outsiders or is an evil creature himself. It is whispered that he may even be a demigod. Travelers in the Red Sand Wastes are advised to avoid Solomir.</p><p></p><p><strong>STARMEET</strong> (SPELLJAMMER port [High Fantasy])</p><p>Once I'd added Dragon Mountain to the range of mountains that forms the western border of this region, I knew I wanted something just as cool for the southern half of the mountain range. And, I'd been thinking about placing a sky port somewhere on Kanpur with strong ties to my version of Spelljammer. Thus, Starmeet came into being. The name sounds vaguely elven to me and perhaps this Spelljamming port is controlled by the elves of Kulanspace. I haven't decided yet. What I have decided is that it will be the largest Spelljamming port in the northern lands. It's going to be a metropolis, but it isn't going to be well known amongst the groundling nations of Kanpur. Sure, the citizens of Bluffside to the west and Sharn to the south have heard of it, but since those two city-states are also destinations for Spelljamming vessels, it's easier for the knowledge of Starmeet's existence to spread to Bluffside and Sharn. Plus, it's not a hard-fought secret.</p><p></p><p><strong>STONEBRIDGE</strong> (Stonebridge: City of Illusion [d20 Sourcebook])</p><p><em>Still to be written.</em></p><p></p><p><strong>YHIMIR</strong> (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set)</p><p>This name came about as I was trying to rename Murghôm from The Horde boxed set. Therefore, it will be based on that small region although it might end up being a combination of Murghôm and Mulhorand but less grand. I don't know yet. Wikipedia notes that Murghôm has been compared to several real world civilizations/cultures including Canaan, Cossack culture, and Turkish culture. I think I'm leaning more towards Cossack culture since Yhimir is close to Torassia. Turkish influences are possible, I guess, but I won't be using Canaan for the city-state since I already have a Canaan-inspired city-state (called Caanid) on the southern edge of the Red Sand Wastes.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>RACES OF KANPUR (cont.)</u></strong></p><p><strong><u>Part Six: The Horse Lands</u></strong></p><p><em>Still to be written.</em></p><p></p><p><strong><em>The List</em></strong></p><p>● Alcor</p><p>● Bronth †</p><p>● Dwarf, tiger</p><p>● Elf, Eldred †</p><p>● Fezroki</p><p>● Giant, cave</p><p>● Giant, taiga</p><p>● Gnome, Stonebridge</p><p>● Goatfolk [Ibixian]</p><p>● Gronk</p><p>● Gulgar</p><p>● Hagspawn</p><p>● Half-Bugbear</p><p>● Half-Goblin</p><p>● Half-Orc</p><p>● Hobgoblin, Dazlak</p><p>● Hengeyokai</p><p>● Khesta</p><p>● Korobokuru</p><p>● Kreen, Jor</p><p>● Lizardfolk, blackscale</p><p>● Ogre</p><p>● Orc</p><p>● Orc, black</p><p>● Orc, blood</p><p>● Orc, ghost-faced</p><p>● Rakasta †</p><p>● Reigon</p><p>● Rgulbuk</p><p>● Taer</p><p>● Titanite, Mammuth †</p><p>● Troll</p><p>● Troll, crystalline</p><p>● Trollborn</p><p>● Uldra</p><p>● Volodni</p><p></p><p>† Homebrewed racial traits.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Knightfall, post: 8286497, member: 2012"] [B]THE HORSE LANDS[/B] [I]A lot of what appears on this map is inspired by the 2e FORGOTTEN REALMS boxed set known as The Horde. Cemphar is one of the most obvious re-skins from that boxed set. Another recognizable name on this map is Dragon Mountain.[/I] -KF [B]SUBREGIONS OF THE HORSE LANDS CARDAY[/B] (City-state | [Elvenblooded Hittite mythology. There could end up being one god known as Corellon-Wurrukatte (a Cardayan war deity) and another god known as Hasameli-Larethian (a deity worshiped by crafters and metalworkers). The options are limitless since there are tons of elven gods and even more Hittite deities. The Cardayans aren't 100% elven, however. They would be considered half-elves by the elves of the western lands, and their game statistics will reflect that opinion. Of course, culturally, they are strongly Hittite-like, and their warriors ride war chariots and use traditional Hittite weaponry. Cardayan weapons and armor aren't made of bronze, however. Their smiths work with the best materials available, and the elven aesthetic of their ancestors can be seen in their work. [B]CEMPHAR[/B] (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set) This land is going to be my version of Semphar. While I'm going to use The Horde boxed set as the basis for what I create, I might look for more details online — like on the [URL='http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page']FORGOTTEN REALMS Wiki[/URL]. While there isn't a lake on the map, I will create my own version of Brightstar Lake, which will sit in between Cemphar and the City-state of Yhimir. [URL='http://www.dragonslayers-society.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Shalhoond']Shalhoond[/URL] won't exist on Kanpur since I already have my own forested lands north of Cemphar. Of course, a lot of influences from The Horde boxed set are likely to be added to the Horse Lands region, especially anything centered around Murghôm, Semphar, and Raurin. [B]CRIMSON OASIS[/B] There are many examples of oases located in the Raurin of the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting. I don't believe that this name came from that setting, but I could be wrong. Regardless, the Crimson Oasis will be my own creation and if I discover that I did borrow the name from Toril, I will change the name. (I think I was more inspired by the name I came up with for the expansive desert of The Horse Lands — the Red Sand Wastes [see below].) The Crimson Oasis is the most infamous of the oases that exist in the Red Sand Wastes. It is controlled brutally by a trading house that controls the safest trade routes through the desert (especially between Cemphar and Ang-Lat). West to East trade tends to travel through the Center Lands to the south, so the Red Lords work to control all trade moving from the northern lands to the south. The Red Lords often play at politics in the southern lands, and they have gained significant financial benefits in Ang-Lat and Tumnor. [B]DRAGON MOUNTAIN[/B] (AD&D 2E Dragon Mountain boxed set) I needed a remote locale to place Dragon Mountain, and I wanted it to be close enough to the western lands of Kanpur so that it can be found by curious adventures. My version of the old 2e boxed set will be influenced by a lot of 3e-isms but kobolds will remain as important to the adventure locale as before. I'm going to replace the named red dragon in the boxed set with Ashardalon, which means that characters can expect to run into dragonblooded minions of the great red with levels of the Disciple of Ashardalon prestige class. [B]DRAKHORN CITY[/B] (Dragonblooded races [Far East | High Fantasy]) This large desert city-state is dominated by the dragonblooded races of Kulan. The dominant race will be the dragontouched, which are humans with the draconic creature template added on — a standard race for my world. There will also be dragonborn and kobolds living here. Drakhorn City will be a placed steeped in the mythic traditions of the Far East. Therefore, the D&D Oriental Adventures book will be the primary sourcebook for its characters. However, I'm going to excise the Rokugan influences from that book. Kanpur's Far East will be influenced more by the FORGOTTEN REALMS Kara-Tur campaign setting. I foresee Drakhorn City being more of a border city than a true Far East city, however. It will be influenced by The Horde boxed set, D&D Dragon Magic, D&D Races of the Dragon, and my own twisted imagination. :twisted: [B]ENHGIR[/B] (Eldred elves and [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ket_people']Kets[/URL] [Siberian taiga]) The forest known as Enhgir is home to two different civilizations. First, there are the Eldred elves that live in the deepest parts of the taiga forest. The forest gained its name from these elves, and they claim it as their own. The Eldred are a well-known race in Kanpur's Far East. The Eldred of Enhgir are a bit different, however. Their society is a blending of elven and oriental culture while the Eldred living in the Eastern Lands consider themselves completely oriental. The Eldred are not alone in Enhgir. There is also a nomadic human culture — the Ketto — living in the forest. They are hunters and fishers, and they have been known to breed reindeer. Their society is patriarchal and their holy men are spirit shamans. (Deers and bears are sacred to them.) They respect and fear the Eldred. The elves, in return, are very protective of the Ketto, although they won't intervene when it is nature that threatens the Ketto. Outsiders, on the other hand, will face the wrath of the Eldred if they harm the Ketto. [B]ICEWALL[/B] (Frostfell city-state) I wrote this name on my map after watching the free online preview of the new "A Game of Thrones" HBO series. While what I saw inspired the name, D&D Frostburn and The Horde boxed set are more likely to inspire what I create for Icewall. [B]KAN-SHUL[/B] (City-state | [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocharians']Tocharians[/URL] [Korobokuru | Highly Mystical]) The city-state of Kan-Shul sits on the northern edge of the Kar Mountains. To the north is Drakhorn City, to the southwest is the city-state of Carday, and to the southeast across the mountain range is Kingdom of Karshat. Despite the proximity of these various lands, Kan-Shul has always stood alone. It is a mystical place known for its peaceful, yet powerful, korobokuru monks. Outsiders are allowed to visit a nearby outpost in the hills but very few non-korobokuru have ever seen inside Kan-Shul. The korobokuru have remained isolated due to the powerful mystical energies that protect Kan-Shul. Only once, in the distant past, has the city-state fallen to a foreign force. It didn't go so well for the invaders. Kan-Shul is considered a holy place by mysterious, planar beings. The invaders were cursed for their crimes — none survived. It has remained isolated to this day based on the perceived might of these planar beings. While the korobokuru do not talk about these beings to outsiders, a few facts have been discovered. Ancient pictographs near Kan-Shul in the mountain range depict two beings related to a sun and a moon. Scholars wonder why there isn't a second moon pictograph since Kulan has two moons. Could Kan-Shul originally be from another world? Or, in the distant past, did Kulan once have only one moon? Only the natives of Kan-Shul know the answer and they tell no one. [B]KARSHAT[/B] (Nonhumans [[URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Bactrian_Kingdom']Greco-Bactrian Kingdom[/URL]]) The kingdom known as Karshat is ruled by a massive half-goblin named Friblord Jubirmianus. The kingdom is comprised of four small city-states that exist in a semi-mountainous region between the Red Sand Wastes and the Forest of the Golden Sun. The kingdom is blend of western and eastern traditions, although its ruler prefers to focus on the worst aspects of Kanpur's western and eastern traditions. He is a brute who wishes to expand Karshat's borders by any means. His subjects are somewhat more neutral in their outlook and many believe that Karshat is on its way to revolt. Karshat and Carday are bitter enemies. Friblord also has his sights set on Kan-Shul, but he is wary of the mystical abilities of the korobokuru. [B]MOUNT RUIHR[/B] (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set) Mount Ruihr is Kulan's version of the structure known as 'Raudor' from the FORGOTTEN REALMS campaign setting. I wasn't sure where I got the name, but I did see the name on one of Markustay's maps on DeviantART. I confirmed with him that the Raudor ruins on listed on pp. 98-100 of The Horde boxed set. (My gut told me that Mount Ruihr was based on something Realmsian.) The ruins are that of a destroyed city built during a previous age. The ruins are not a safe place for travelers, as it haunted by ancient horrors and deadly traps. Locals who live in the surrounding desert never venture near Mount Ruihr, although the insane often flock to it like moths to a flame. There is a powerful aura of magic that infects every stone, every building of the ruins. Mad wizards have often tried to gain control of the twisting passages that exist under the ruined city. Alienist, in particular, are attracted to the place and those that survive Mount ruihr's depths often come out more crazed and definitely come out more powerful. [B]QUAI[/B] (City-state | Spiritborn [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evenks']Evenks[/URL] [Siberian taiga]) The City-state of Quai will be based on combining the cultural background of the Evenks — a [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungusic']Tungusic[/URL] people of Northern Asia — with the D&D [URL='http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Spirit_folk']spirit folk[/URL]. Now, that's the easy explanation. In truth, the Quais will be less pastoral than the traditional culture of the Evenks. Their connection to the Spirit Folk is based on their religious beliefs (see below). Quai is a founded city-state, although it is small city. Its people highly respect the Eldred elves of the Enhgir Forest, and they have begun to adopt the lifestyle of the elves, especially the oriental aspects of the elves' culture. They have started referring to themselves as the [I]Èlqüaì Zú[/I] in homage to the elves who they see as their teachers. (Note: There are other Quais who continue to live more traditionally, but they are becoming rare.) Quai is laid out very differently than other human cities. The Èlqüaì Zú build simple conical homes based on the designs they once used for their traditional tents. They also use a crude form of the traditional styles of the Eldred elves. The resulting architecture is often strange to outsiders. There aren't any true inns or taverns in Quai. Visitors must either live as a guest in the home of a local or build their own tent/hut in the Outsiders District. Elves (even those not born of the Eldred) are always offered lodging in a home of an important Èlqüaì Zú family. The Èlqüaì Zú, much like the Ketto, breed reindeer. They use them for mounts and they drink the milk of the animal. Hunting is still a important aspect of their lives, and they often go after large game. The Èlqüaì Zú do not eat their domesticated reindeer, but they will hunt wild reindeer. They never hunt for sport, which endears them to the Eldred. Èlqüaì Zú traditional religion is [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animistic']Animism[/URL]. Spirit shamans are their religious leaders; however, some Èlqüaì Zú have begun to worship the deities of the elves. These highly spiritual people have the blood of the spirit folk running through their veins; however, they are not true spirit folk. The correct term is 'spiritborn', which gives them a strong affinity for the natural world. (I'm not sure how I'll work this in game terms, yet.) [B]RED SAND WASTES, THE[/B] (Mythic Mongolia [URL='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolia'][Anatolia- and Eastern-style influences][/URL]) The name I gave to the desert is directly inspired by the maps in The Horde boxed set. I've always loved the reddish look of the deserts on those maps. I'm sure that I'll use [URL='http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Raurin']Raurin[/URL] locales for the Red Sand Wastes as well as a few of the more intriguing places of note from the Quoya Desert (i.e. Merket Despression). [B]SHAYUNG[/B] (Mixed races in an independent city-state [Russian-Far East Mix]) [I]Still to be written.[/I] [B]SOGUKOL[/B] (Mythic Mongolia [some Western-style influences]) Sogukol isn't so much a place as a way of life. The people who refer to themselves as Sogukols are a Mongolian-like people who live by the horse. They are warriors and raiders who war amongst themselves as often as they do other peoples. They are a resilient folk who live in some of the worst conditions imaginable. There isn't a single tribe of Sogukols. There are half-a-dozen tribes that live in the Red Sand Wastes and each has its own leadership. Alliances between the tribes are uncommon, but these people will band together when threatened. Endemic warfare is a common practice of the Sogukol peoples. [B]SOLOMIR[/B] (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set) This city-state is another renamed locale swiped out of The Horde boxed set. It is my version of Solon. Solomir is an ancient city that has had conflicts with the lands of Kanpur's Far East as well as Cemphar and Enhgir. In ages past, the city's rulers have controlled large portions of the Horse Lands. Now, however, the city is a shell of its former self and rumors abound that its current leader either has made pacts with evil outsiders or is an evil creature himself. It is whispered that he may even be a demigod. Travelers in the Red Sand Wastes are advised to avoid Solomir. [B]STARMEET[/B] (SPELLJAMMER port [High Fantasy]) Once I'd added Dragon Mountain to the range of mountains that forms the western border of this region, I knew I wanted something just as cool for the southern half of the mountain range. And, I'd been thinking about placing a sky port somewhere on Kanpur with strong ties to my version of Spelljammer. Thus, Starmeet came into being. The name sounds vaguely elven to me and perhaps this Spelljamming port is controlled by the elves of Kulanspace. I haven't decided yet. What I have decided is that it will be the largest Spelljamming port in the northern lands. It's going to be a metropolis, but it isn't going to be well known amongst the groundling nations of Kanpur. Sure, the citizens of Bluffside to the west and Sharn to the south have heard of it, but since those two city-states are also destinations for Spelljamming vessels, it's easier for the knowledge of Starmeet's existence to spread to Bluffside and Sharn. Plus, it's not a hard-fought secret. [B]STONEBRIDGE[/B] (Stonebridge: City of Illusion [d20 Sourcebook]) [I]Still to be written.[/I] [B]YHIMIR[/B] (FORGOTTEN REALMS The Horde boxed set) This name came about as I was trying to rename Murghôm from The Horde boxed set. Therefore, it will be based on that small region although it might end up being a combination of Murghôm and Mulhorand but less grand. I don't know yet. Wikipedia notes that Murghôm has been compared to several real world civilizations/cultures including Canaan, Cossack culture, and Turkish culture. I think I'm leaning more towards Cossack culture since Yhimir is close to Torassia. Turkish influences are possible, I guess, but I won't be using Canaan for the city-state since I already have a Canaan-inspired city-state (called Caanid) on the southern edge of the Red Sand Wastes. [B][U]RACES OF KANPUR (cont.) Part Six: The Horse Lands[/U][/B] [I]Still to be written.[/I] [B][I]The List[/I][/B] ● Alcor ● Bronth † ● Dwarf, tiger ● Elf, Eldred † ● Fezroki ● Giant, cave ● Giant, taiga ● Gnome, Stonebridge ● Goatfolk [Ibixian] ● Gronk ● Gulgar ● Hagspawn ● Half-Bugbear ● Half-Goblin ● Half-Orc ● Hobgoblin, Dazlak ● Hengeyokai ● Khesta ● Korobokuru ● Kreen, Jor ● Lizardfolk, blackscale ● Ogre ● Orc ● Orc, black ● Orc, blood ● Orc, ghost-faced ● Rakasta † ● Reigon ● Rgulbuk ● Taer ● Titanite, Mammuth † ● Troll ● Troll, crystalline ● Trollborn ● Uldra ● Volodni † Homebrewed racial traits. [/QUOTE]
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[v.3.5] Kanpur: The Ancient Lands
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