Another view of the world
The Sankei Caliphate. 800 PL. AL: N, CN, LN, NG. Humans, Half-elves, Elves, (Baghdad Caliphate late 800s)
The second greatest empire of the main continent and far more cosmopolitical than Rokugan, The Sankei is a powerful cultural and economical influence on the central and western areas of the continent. Their merchants can be seen in any of the major cities from the icy shores of the Weganart to the mountain halls of the Niebelungen Dwarves and their culture is making itself known in all the courts of the west, copied or combatted, but never ignored. The many and diverse peoples of the Caliphate are, mostly, coexisting peacefully, held together by strong commercial and military bonds. The society is surprisingly secular and tolerant of different religions, though one monotheistic faith is by far the most dominant.
Four powerful armies guard the borders (75 PL), directed by the intrige-ridden Council of the Sorcerers (75 PL) in the capital city of Laramun.
Even though the caliphate is tremendously powerful there are an increasing number of signs that it may well be past its peak and heading towards a rapid decline. Recent incursions by the halflings of the Southern Sands and their demonic allies have put a great strain on the military supply structure in the south east and though the raids should have been easily defeated stopping them was both difficult and expensive. The society shows increasing tendencies of decadence and indifference both in the ruling classes and the general populace.
5*(75pl:10ir), 10*(20pl:10ir), 45*(5pl:1ir)
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17) Ilaver Forest. 550 PL. Al: All, mostly chaotic. Elves, Seelie, Unseelie, Goblins, Humans, Hags, Monsters.
This temperate and sub-arctical forest is the largest woodland in the world, covering almost three times as much land as Rokugan. Even though it is sparcely populated this vast forest still provide a huge number of species and individuals with a home. The terrain is unsuited for large empires and with a few exceptions the people here live in tiny, isolated tribes and villages without much, or any, government above the local chieftain or village-council.
Two neigbouring Seelie and Unseelie countries (55pl:10ir / 50pl:8ir) are locked together in an ancient but relatively unbloody war. Constantly shifting alliances with Elves, Humans, Goblins, other Humans and Hags makes the situation impossibly chaotic for outside observers.
Some 200 000 elves (40PL) live in the impressive Suerovlinan Fortress and its surrounding lands at the mouth of the Iceflow River (the large river flowing into the inner sea on the map). United for mutual protection and the preservation of the forest they have repeatedly blocked attempts from the civilizations to the south of exploiting the forest, though that has greatly strained their resources and cost then casualties they can ill afford in the face of increasing raids from savage Humans and Goblinoids
A powerful group of Hags of high level, calling themselves The Coven (99PL), cast their dark shadow over the western parts of the forest. All beings not bonded to them have their dreams haunted by nightmares if they sleep within 200 miles of the Hags' terrible fortress, a disgusting Palace of Sculpted Flesh capable of attacking any enemy of the Coven who enter it (it is 50PL and fights at +2/+2, its obcene pseudopods have a considerable range). Four times a year, on every solstice, the Hags sacrifice a particularly powerful or good enemy to the fortress, adding his flesh and soul (and PL) to the terrible construct.
Elves are also affected by the nightmares during their reverie and even the seelie are not unaffected, all beings except Undead, Demons and CE Oni find themselves unable of memorizing (or eqv.) spells within 150 miles of the place. The nightmares are increasingly severe the closer one travel to the fortress and also get worse every night one spends within the nightmare forest. Every night spent within the zone one must succeed a Will save, the DC based on time and distance, or go irreversibly insane.
4pl, 12*2pl (the Thirteen Sisters), 50PL (the Palace), 15pl:15ir (the junior sisters), 6pl:6ir (slaves and constructs)
The remaining inhabitants of the forest are disorganized and weak. 50pl:5ir (The Goblin tribes), 15pl:3ir (the Human tribes (Siberian and iron-age Finnish)), 20pl:3ir (The Free Seelie), 30pl:5ir (The Free Unseelie), 11pl:2ir (The Free Elves), 180pl:18ir (misc. monsters)
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18) Poison Isles. 200PL. AL: LE. Gold Elves, polynesian Humans. 5th Rank Biology and Medicine
The home of 412 kinds of venomous serpents, 593 kinds of venomous spiders, 15 kinds of venomous insects, 57 kinds of poisonous plants, 5 kinds of venomous birds, 39 kinds of venomous lizards, 14 kinds of poisonous mammals and a countless amount of poisonous lies makes these islands into an assassins candystore. Not even the Goorwood is the source of this many potent toxins.
These islands have long supplied the armies and assassins of the eastern half of the continent with agents of chemical warfare, and though the majority of the population are farmers and fishermen the poisons are the source of the nation's wealth. The hierarchy of their society is quite simple, the population is divided by racial and familial lines into a number of castes with a rigid set of responsibilities. The lower castes, labourers of all kinds working and living under the harchest possible conditions, are all composed of Humans (except for the occasional elf who is demoted as punishment for a capital crime, prevented by magic from commiting suicide). The elves are the educated classes. They are the managers, engineers, soldiers, mages, government officials and the all-important alchemists, refining natural poisons and enhancing their potency with magic.
20*(10:2)
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19) Kapey g'rak. 170PL. AL: CE, NE, N. Orcs.
Also known as the Pirate Isles, Kapey g'rak is infamous amongst the merchants of the southern seas, but their reputation is worse than the truth. A powerful fleet patrol the waters between the isles and the mainland, intercepting and capturing any vessel that seems worth the effort but most of the population is peaceful farmers, minding their own business trying to survive in a hostile world. The islands have a rich, volcanic soil but the bountiful harvests have led to an ever increasing population and gradually the spice-plantations have been converted to food-production to prevent starvation. This have decreased the production of spices, the islands main source of income and since the islands are the main producer of spices in the world this will have severe repercussions for Kapey g'rak.
Whilst millions of poor and starving orcs are desperately trying to survive by any means, causing widespread rioting and looting that's increasingly difficult to contain or control, distant eyes have set their sights on the islands. Spices are of immense value to the merchant princes of the far west and the islands will have to be dealt with in any case because of the piracy and the heretical nature of the Orcs. Though the orcs don't realise it, their situation might soon be a lot worse.
50pl:0ir (pirate fleet), 12*(10pl:1ir)
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25) The Ivory Kingdoms. 300 PL. AL: N, CN, CE. Humans, Ogres, (West Indies, West Africa)
Fertile plantations, ricefields and orchards line the tropical coastline, long ago having replaced the ancient tropical rainforest that once grew here on what is probably the most productive farmland in the world. The ebony humans of these tiny countries are quite wealthy, relying on domesticated ogres and awakened trees to perform most of the heavy labour in the fields. Druidism is the most prominent form of magic here, but the druids here place less importance on serving nature than having nature serve them. The terror spread by the undead spirits of the razed jungle have caused a large part of the population to turn to a dark kind of woodoo, narcotics and human sacrifice.
A vast savanna occupies the northern highlands of the confederated countries and continues all the way to the western foothills of the darkspire mountains. The warlike tribes in this region supplies a huge amount of elefant- and monster- ivory to the traders from the south.
10*(30:10)
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26) Yabany. 50 PL. AL: N, CN. Humans (early Iron-age Japan)
Warlike tribes who spend most of the time fighting against each others occasionally raid across the border into the northern lands of the Phoenix. Even though they are often at war amongst themselves they have enough cultural bonds and loyalties to unite against an invading enemy.
5*(10:1)
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27) Kanogor Savanna. 100 PL. AL: N. Humans (African plainsmen, Turk nomads), Monsters.
This geographical region serves as a buffer-zone between the Ivory Kingdoms in the south and the Sankei Caliphate in the north and as such is under heavy pressure from two very different and advanced cultures. Merchants and armies have marched into this region from all directions, the merchants have passed, the armies have not. The Humans of the savanna are organised into tribes, clans and city- or rather village-states. For centuries they have honed their skill with weapons and tactics against each others and the dangerous beasts and monsters of the savanna and grown into highly effective warparties. However, the lack of unity between the tribes makes sure that they are little more than a nuisance for the surrounding nations.
12*(5pl:1ir) (humans), 40pl:0ir (monsters)
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28) Drakar. 500 PL. AL: N, LN, CN. Gem Dragons.
In the beginning there were Dragons... Then the lesser races were created... And the Metal and the Chromatic went to war... We were pulled in, on both sides, and we died while the bipeds prospered... We died, but we were mercenaries... The opposite aligned, they had passion... Passion burned and they burned... They are ashes... We still live.
There are still dragons in the world, Oriental Dragons, Occidental Dragons, Dragons of all colours, but they are but insignificant remnants of what they once were. The only nation of Dragons remaining in the world, except the pathetic Kacheri(talevianteru)'s Empire, is this and even mighty Drakar is fading, dying. The Dragons of Drakar were cursed by the last breath of the last Queen of the Gold Wyrms and the last Queen of the Red Wyrms as they died biting one anothers throaths, both blaiming the neutral Gem Dragons for their defeat, and ever since then they have been infertile. The Dragons of Drakar can not afford a single death, for every casualty brings them closer to oblivion, so they spend their long lives carefully protecting their great hoards, and though they will not admit it they are afraid.
Nevertheless, their power is unquestionable and few would dare to challenge them, so their country is secure. Occasionally a group of powerful adventurers seeking to make themselves rich and famous will attempt to penetrate the border defences and travel into the mazelike trapped lairs of the Great Wyrms (because of their age they are all ancient Great Wyrms). Most of them will perish but sometimes they are successful and the number of Dragons is reduced again, irreversibly. Every few decades or centuries a Dragon, of CN or N alignment, will go abroad in frustration or boredom, and eventually they too will perish.
Effectively, Drakar serves as a buffer-zone between the Ivory Kingdoms and the Suel Empire. They are unlikely to ever involve themselves in the outside world to any significant degree.
500pl:0ir
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29) The Suel Empire.
Mr. Draco-Land...
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