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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 7301661" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Steeldragons' World of Orea: Realms & Nations, Part III (all of this was already written out in a blog here, btw. But then, at some point or crash the blogs all disappeared. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> )</p><p></p><p>Aside: Hoping to knock these out now and be able to move to stuff like persons and organizations of interest. Mythic places, more thorough religious write ups, various species' societies, etc... /aside.</p><p></p><p><strong>Grinlia </strong> (part II, it's a big place), crossing the Arm of Tyris to the northern realms of the Great Kingdom, one is most likely to head straight to Aberol, fortified citadel of the King/Queen, the royal seat, atop a promontory. Sloping down toward the shoreline, the city is cram packed with artisans and merchants, noble townhomes, and inns/taverns of all social strata giving way to the "wharf town"-port part of the city. Sloping down away from the citadel inland are lavish palaces, estates, gardens orchards and vinyards of Grinlian noble families from across the realms. Aberol is noted throughout Grinlia, at least, if not farther, for its spectacular array of foodstuffs and skilled chefs, the amazing skill and feats of the Queen's cavaliers - the Starsword Knights, and of course, its current sovereign, the much beloved and beneficent widowed queen, Baradith. It is the "capitol" of the Grinlian realms and sits within the otherwise quite rural Duchy of West Embrar with the only other major population centers being the relatively large town of Bellpoint (on the western coast at the maw of the Arm of Tyris, where it meets the Ossaeal ["OH-say-all"] ocean) and the somewhat amazing-though-remote small city of Towerton. </p><p></p><p>The latter most notable, and fabled across many realms, due its floating chunk of earth and rock atop which sits the town's namesake, the tower of "the Wizard of Towerton." Originally the area's only resident, in the troubling times since the Godswar, the then-resident wizard used an ancient artifact of great power to lift his tower (and surrounding personal land) some hundreds of feet into the air to escape an invading army (some tales say it was the Zealotry, some say it was goblins or orcs, one even supposed it was a disgruntled tribe of centaurs come all the way up from the Kiari Hills...which would, naturally, be ridiculous). Many farmers, timberworkers and other borderland types flocked to the shadow of the wizard's tower for their own safety at various points of trouble throughout the years, and a permanent settlement/community was bound to arise over centuries. So nowadays, the Wizard of Towerton (currently the tenth to hold the title, a mage of some considerable power named Urellon, among the top ten of the current world) is the titular ruler of Towerton, being awarded a the surrounding lands as a county by the crown some centuries past, though a town council makes most decisions with the wizard rarely taking a personal interest in the city's administration. </p><p> </p><p>Also of note one day's ride from Aberol, set in the lush plains betwixt the rivers Tyrilith and Whiteway, is "the White City" of Sanctum, also called the "Shining City" for the constant layers of whitewash applied to the city's walls and towers, causing it to gleam in the sunlight on the small hillock where it sits. The religious seat for the three major religions and temples, Astar, Celradorn, and Gilea, though orders, temples, and organizations of varying size to all of Orea's deities of good and most deities of neutrality are to be found behind its gleaming parapets. The city, technically under the authority of the crown, is essentially ruled as a sovereign state by the head cleric of the Astaran Church, the Cleris Suprima, and a council of top-ranking clerics of the Astaran, Gilean, and Celradite temples, and a secondary body of high-priests from all other temples that wield very little political power.</p><p></p><p>Aberol and Sanctum are viewed by those within the kingdom and across the known world as the very font and beacon of "Good/Order/Justice" on Orea. As with all places of espoused goodness, the forces and agents of evil are ever-lurking, scheming, tempting, and corrupting to bring it low.</p><p></p><p>The other realms and areas of note considered within the hold of the Grinlian crown, briefly as a full elaboration would take up far more space and time than we have here, are:</p><p><strong>The Duchy of Embrar:</strong> called "East Embrar" by Westembrarians, a point of some contention as the house and territory of the Duke of Embrar is one of Grinlia's oldest and most noble houses...i.e. they were the Embrars before there was a "Grinlia" or "West Embrar." Along the inner eastern coastline of the Arm of Tyris, at the mouth of the great Tyrilith river that runs down from the Skyface Sea, Embrar houses north Grinlia's second most populated city, next to Aberol, and third in the whole of the western realms, behind Brightmoon, the shipping and trading hub of Bluside. Trade in all manner of goods and services is abundant, with the duchy itself providing great amounts of grains, cattle and sheep, timber, metals and stone. Yes, Embrar is, perhaps, the wealthiest noble house in the whole of Grinlia. The Duke's preferred past time is hunting. His estates, gardens, and hunting grounds are prized throughout the Grinlian realms and beyond. Invitations to travel with or visit or hunt with the Duke Embrar (and subsequently any of his close relations) are much sought after and his halls are often used as a center of...discreet...diplomacy -out of Sanctum's more imperious sight.</p><p></p><p>Also within east Embrar, and another claim to its fame, skirts the northern edges of the Dragonreach mountains in ancient boughs, the second of Mistwood's druid holds, Starglen whence, it is sung, the druids of the Ancient Order of Mistwood revealed the legendary Gift of Doron, the Starsword, to the adventuring warrior/mercenary, Elibon L'Lorn, to become one of the great Heroes of the Thorn, fighting back and defeating the forces of the Scourge, Aishapra, and unifying the disparate realms and peoples of Grinlia into the great single kingdom it is today.</p><p></p><p>Embrar is, perhaps, less known for the spreading rumors of the Duke's vassal, Seraina, the Countess Karlith, currently ruling the earldom of that name. The region of Karlith has always been somewhat harsh and rocky terrain, good for mining ore and precious stones in the roots and slopes of the Dragonreach mountains. In the past decade (or so) it has acquired something of a reputation for ever stranger goings-on in its villages. Many travelers and merchants share tales of unnatural creatures, moving through the hills and hamlets, slaying with abandon. Entire populations disappear without trace -leaving behind meals and fires, untended animals, as if swept up by the hands of the gods. Even, some tell, demons and devils prancing through the woods. A pallid shadow lays across the land. Some say the whole of the county is infested with lycanthropy. Some even say the Countess, herself, is a queen of werewolves...or worse.</p><p> </p><p><strong>The Duchy of O'Douhn:</strong> an expansive northern territory, mostly wooded (covered in the ancient O'Douhn forest) and green, famously home to the organization called "The O'Douhn Rangers" who patrol the northern reaches of the kingdom, loyally, for the crown, sussing out and fighting evil wherever it is found; also home to several tribes of Kantiiri elves and a few Miralostae; some large daelvar communities skirt the edges of the southern wood where they meet the Kiari Hills. Several centaur tribes call the western O'Douhn Wood and Kiari Hills their ancestral home territories. Of course, to its north, O'Douhn is guarded by the massive Naradun range, housing the ancestral realm of the king of all Naradun dwarves, the legendary Forges of Boromdal, and the mythic Giras Thor -"the greatest of all dwarven craft"- which bars and guards the entrance to the Underworld, stopping the endless evils therein from ascending to destroy the world.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Archbarony D'Ensior:</strong> composed of the baronies of D'Evon, D'Arongil, Farreach, and ruled over by the Archbaron of D'Ensior (proper) is the kingdom's most northern and remote realms, surrounding the north edges of the Skyface Sea and abutting the expansive plains and tundra of the Gorunduun barbarian clans extending to the east in the shadows of the Worldcrest Peaks. Viewed by O'Douhn and Resahd as villains and potential traitors (who conversely vilify the O'Douhn rangers as spies and outlaws), but accepted if not hailed by the southern duchies as the crown's loyal defenders against any "invading barbarian hordes," the Archbaron does, indeed have designs on the usurping the throne and the majority of his underling-lords are similarly greedy, corruptible, if not outwardly criminal (as the Baron D'Arongil's "privateers" who "patrol" the Skyface as their own waters, often coming into conflict with Resahd's own ships or Embrarian merchant vessels).</p><p></p><p>Also, technically within D'Ensior's borders, but not held nor claimed is the ages-old cursed land and -originally ShiStaliiri elfin-made- stronghold of Nor Tyrilith. The land is eschewed by all living and mortal creatures, even the wicked agents of the Archbaron, as overrun with undead, dark magic, and unspeakable horrors.</p><p></p><p><strong>The Duchy of Resahd:</strong> along the eastern coast of the Skyface Sea, at the northern edges of the Dragonreach range, and abutting the wide open spaces of the Orean Plains is Grinlia's smallest territory ruled by the deceased high-king's sister who married the Duke, the much beloved Princess Annaline, Duchess of Resahd, now also a widow and one of the Queen Baradith's truest allies and most trusted confidantes. She rules the edges of the kingdom with the grace and compassion and prosperity espoused by all the realm, renowned across the kingdom and to its allies, as just and beautiful. To D'Ensior they are an unwanted rival and meddlesome political opponent. Most notable element, other than its wondrous duchess, of the realm of Resahd is the ancient battlefield and ruined fortress of Bastion at the duchy's south eastern edge, and long-cursed former druidhold now called "the Bloodwood." Both places the sites of gruesome conflicts and horrible losses during the Scourge War, for both the allied forces of Grinlia and the Miralostae, and the orc and troll armies of the demonic warlord.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 7301661, member: 92511"] Steeldragons' World of Orea: Realms & Nations, Part III (all of this was already written out in a blog here, btw. But then, at some point or crash the blogs all disappeared. :( ) Aside: Hoping to knock these out now and be able to move to stuff like persons and organizations of interest. Mythic places, more thorough religious write ups, various species' societies, etc... /aside. [B]Grinlia [/B] (part II, it's a big place), crossing the Arm of Tyris to the northern realms of the Great Kingdom, one is most likely to head straight to Aberol, fortified citadel of the King/Queen, the royal seat, atop a promontory. Sloping down toward the shoreline, the city is cram packed with artisans and merchants, noble townhomes, and inns/taverns of all social strata giving way to the "wharf town"-port part of the city. Sloping down away from the citadel inland are lavish palaces, estates, gardens orchards and vinyards of Grinlian noble families from across the realms. Aberol is noted throughout Grinlia, at least, if not farther, for its spectacular array of foodstuffs and skilled chefs, the amazing skill and feats of the Queen's cavaliers - the Starsword Knights, and of course, its current sovereign, the much beloved and beneficent widowed queen, Baradith. It is the "capitol" of the Grinlian realms and sits within the otherwise quite rural Duchy of West Embrar with the only other major population centers being the relatively large town of Bellpoint (on the western coast at the maw of the Arm of Tyris, where it meets the Ossaeal ["OH-say-all"] ocean) and the somewhat amazing-though-remote small city of Towerton. The latter most notable, and fabled across many realms, due its floating chunk of earth and rock atop which sits the town's namesake, the tower of "the Wizard of Towerton." Originally the area's only resident, in the troubling times since the Godswar, the then-resident wizard used an ancient artifact of great power to lift his tower (and surrounding personal land) some hundreds of feet into the air to escape an invading army (some tales say it was the Zealotry, some say it was goblins or orcs, one even supposed it was a disgruntled tribe of centaurs come all the way up from the Kiari Hills...which would, naturally, be ridiculous). Many farmers, timberworkers and other borderland types flocked to the shadow of the wizard's tower for their own safety at various points of trouble throughout the years, and a permanent settlement/community was bound to arise over centuries. So nowadays, the Wizard of Towerton (currently the tenth to hold the title, a mage of some considerable power named Urellon, among the top ten of the current world) is the titular ruler of Towerton, being awarded a the surrounding lands as a county by the crown some centuries past, though a town council makes most decisions with the wizard rarely taking a personal interest in the city's administration. Also of note one day's ride from Aberol, set in the lush plains betwixt the rivers Tyrilith and Whiteway, is "the White City" of Sanctum, also called the "Shining City" for the constant layers of whitewash applied to the city's walls and towers, causing it to gleam in the sunlight on the small hillock where it sits. The religious seat for the three major religions and temples, Astar, Celradorn, and Gilea, though orders, temples, and organizations of varying size to all of Orea's deities of good and most deities of neutrality are to be found behind its gleaming parapets. The city, technically under the authority of the crown, is essentially ruled as a sovereign state by the head cleric of the Astaran Church, the Cleris Suprima, and a council of top-ranking clerics of the Astaran, Gilean, and Celradite temples, and a secondary body of high-priests from all other temples that wield very little political power. Aberol and Sanctum are viewed by those within the kingdom and across the known world as the very font and beacon of "Good/Order/Justice" on Orea. As with all places of espoused goodness, the forces and agents of evil are ever-lurking, scheming, tempting, and corrupting to bring it low. The other realms and areas of note considered within the hold of the Grinlian crown, briefly as a full elaboration would take up far more space and time than we have here, are: [B]The Duchy of Embrar:[/B] called "East Embrar" by Westembrarians, a point of some contention as the house and territory of the Duke of Embrar is one of Grinlia's oldest and most noble houses...i.e. they were the Embrars before there was a "Grinlia" or "West Embrar." Along the inner eastern coastline of the Arm of Tyris, at the mouth of the great Tyrilith river that runs down from the Skyface Sea, Embrar houses north Grinlia's second most populated city, next to Aberol, and third in the whole of the western realms, behind Brightmoon, the shipping and trading hub of Bluside. Trade in all manner of goods and services is abundant, with the duchy itself providing great amounts of grains, cattle and sheep, timber, metals and stone. Yes, Embrar is, perhaps, the wealthiest noble house in the whole of Grinlia. The Duke's preferred past time is hunting. His estates, gardens, and hunting grounds are prized throughout the Grinlian realms and beyond. Invitations to travel with or visit or hunt with the Duke Embrar (and subsequently any of his close relations) are much sought after and his halls are often used as a center of...discreet...diplomacy -out of Sanctum's more imperious sight. Also within east Embrar, and another claim to its fame, skirts the northern edges of the Dragonreach mountains in ancient boughs, the second of Mistwood's druid holds, Starglen whence, it is sung, the druids of the Ancient Order of Mistwood revealed the legendary Gift of Doron, the Starsword, to the adventuring warrior/mercenary, Elibon L'Lorn, to become one of the great Heroes of the Thorn, fighting back and defeating the forces of the Scourge, Aishapra, and unifying the disparate realms and peoples of Grinlia into the great single kingdom it is today. Embrar is, perhaps, less known for the spreading rumors of the Duke's vassal, Seraina, the Countess Karlith, currently ruling the earldom of that name. The region of Karlith has always been somewhat harsh and rocky terrain, good for mining ore and precious stones in the roots and slopes of the Dragonreach mountains. In the past decade (or so) it has acquired something of a reputation for ever stranger goings-on in its villages. Many travelers and merchants share tales of unnatural creatures, moving through the hills and hamlets, slaying with abandon. Entire populations disappear without trace -leaving behind meals and fires, untended animals, as if swept up by the hands of the gods. Even, some tell, demons and devils prancing through the woods. A pallid shadow lays across the land. Some say the whole of the county is infested with lycanthropy. Some even say the Countess, herself, is a queen of werewolves...or worse. [B]The Duchy of O'Douhn:[/B] an expansive northern territory, mostly wooded (covered in the ancient O'Douhn forest) and green, famously home to the organization called "The O'Douhn Rangers" who patrol the northern reaches of the kingdom, loyally, for the crown, sussing out and fighting evil wherever it is found; also home to several tribes of Kantiiri elves and a few Miralostae; some large daelvar communities skirt the edges of the southern wood where they meet the Kiari Hills. Several centaur tribes call the western O'Douhn Wood and Kiari Hills their ancestral home territories. Of course, to its north, O'Douhn is guarded by the massive Naradun range, housing the ancestral realm of the king of all Naradun dwarves, the legendary Forges of Boromdal, and the mythic Giras Thor -"the greatest of all dwarven craft"- which bars and guards the entrance to the Underworld, stopping the endless evils therein from ascending to destroy the world. [B]The Archbarony D'Ensior:[/B] composed of the baronies of D'Evon, D'Arongil, Farreach, and ruled over by the Archbaron of D'Ensior (proper) is the kingdom's most northern and remote realms, surrounding the north edges of the Skyface Sea and abutting the expansive plains and tundra of the Gorunduun barbarian clans extending to the east in the shadows of the Worldcrest Peaks. Viewed by O'Douhn and Resahd as villains and potential traitors (who conversely vilify the O'Douhn rangers as spies and outlaws), but accepted if not hailed by the southern duchies as the crown's loyal defenders against any "invading barbarian hordes," the Archbaron does, indeed have designs on the usurping the throne and the majority of his underling-lords are similarly greedy, corruptible, if not outwardly criminal (as the Baron D'Arongil's "privateers" who "patrol" the Skyface as their own waters, often coming into conflict with Resahd's own ships or Embrarian merchant vessels). Also, technically within D'Ensior's borders, but not held nor claimed is the ages-old cursed land and -originally ShiStaliiri elfin-made- stronghold of Nor Tyrilith. The land is eschewed by all living and mortal creatures, even the wicked agents of the Archbaron, as overrun with undead, dark magic, and unspeakable horrors. [B]The Duchy of Resahd:[/B] along the eastern coast of the Skyface Sea, at the northern edges of the Dragonreach range, and abutting the wide open spaces of the Orean Plains is Grinlia's smallest territory ruled by the deceased high-king's sister who married the Duke, the much beloved Princess Annaline, Duchess of Resahd, now also a widow and one of the Queen Baradith's truest allies and most trusted confidantes. She rules the edges of the kingdom with the grace and compassion and prosperity espoused by all the realm, renowned across the kingdom and to its allies, as just and beautiful. To D'Ensior they are an unwanted rival and meddlesome political opponent. Most notable element, other than its wondrous duchess, of the realm of Resahd is the ancient battlefield and ruined fortress of Bastion at the duchy's south eastern edge, and long-cursed former druidhold now called "the Bloodwood." Both places the sites of gruesome conflicts and horrible losses during the Scourge War, for both the allied forces of Grinlia and the Miralostae, and the orc and troll armies of the demonic warlord. [/QUOTE]
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