Kulan World Journal

[Scott DeWar]

Is the space between the foreests to the noth a trade route between the coast and lands south of the forest, such as the Choikon Mountains?

 

[Knightfall]

Is the space between the foreests to the noth a trade route between the coast and lands south of the forest, such as the Choikon Mountains?

While I didn't design it that way on purpose, yes, the space between the Orochen Forest and Enhgir Forest would likely be used as a trade route between Cemphar and lands on the extreme northern coast. Icewall, in particular, would likely rely on this trade as it isn't a major port like both Quai and Haaphánskal. (Note that those two cities aren't strong allies and neither controls Icewall.) There aren't true roads this far north. Well worn trails, yes, but true "roman roads," no. The unforested corridor would be safer than traveling through the forests, but it will have its own hazards. For example, the freezing wind blowing in from the north would be a real danger during the winter. Plus, raiding humanoids know to prey on travelers there.

Note that each hex is 216 miles, so there is a significant amount of space between the forests even though the map makes it look like they were connected in the past. Were the forests once connected? I haven't decided that yet. Of course, there would be outposts and few towns along the way. It is roughly 3,240 miles from Ffelsal to Icewall if travelers avoid the forested lands. Cutting through the forest would be shorter (roughly 648 miles less) but way more hazardous.

As always, feel free to ask more questions.

 

[Scott DeWar]

That is interesting! Thank you! There just might be some helpful humanoids hiding in the shadows too?

 

[Knightfall]

That is interesting! Thank you! There just might be some helpful humanoids hiding in the shadows too?

There is a write up on The Horse Lands region over on The Piazza, which isn't 100% finished yet. Enhgir is detailed there while Orochen is detailed under the section for The Far North. The Far North section is posted here on EN World too.

I've cut and pasted both section here for your convenience...
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ENHGIR (Eldred elves and Kets [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.

OROCHEN (Orochs)
Orochen is a large taiga forest that spans the northern coast from Bard's Gate in the west to the edge of the Iceshield Lands in the east. However, it is also the name that outsiders give the denizens of the forest. Torassians call them Orochs or Orochis, but in truth, that is only one name for the various tribes of this expansive region. The tribes living near Bard's Gate usually refer to themselves as the Oani. They are hunters and fishers, for the most part, and live a settled lifestyle. There are exceptions but those tribes usually live deeper in the forest and are less civilized. The Oani are a spiritual people; their religious leaders are shamans.

There is also a race of feral elves that live in the western half of the Orochen Forest. They are called Liget elves and dislike intruders in what they consider their homeland. (This includes everyone else except the Oani.) Liget elves worship spirits of the land and revere the forest's powerful fey creatures as quasi-deities. Those fey lords, in return, protect the Liget from the machinations of Torassian expansionists and Sogukol raiders. The forest is home to other, more dark, denizens as well. Monstrous vermin, cannibalistic frost ghuls, and several tribes of evil humanoids living in underground caves.
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The Liget elves wouldn't be inclined to help travelers while the Eldred elves of Enhgir would be more helpful, as long as travelers don't prey on the Ketto. The tribes of Orochs could be helpful or not.

Of course, beware the frost ghouls of Orochen!

 

[Scott DeWar]

What's a Ketto?

 

[Knightfall]

What's a Ketto?

The Ketto are based off the Ket people. From Wikipedia: "Kets are a Siberian people who speak the Ket language. In the Russian Empire they were called Ostyaks, without differentiating them from several other Siberian peoples. Later they became known as Yenisey ostyaks, because they lived in the middle and lower basin of the Yenisei River in the Krasnoyarsk Krai district of Russia."

 

[Scott DeWar]

Ah. Do you use very much real life to base you world on, this being an example of that?

 

[Knightfall]

Ah. Do you use very much real life to base you world on, this being an example of that?

Kulan is a mix of standard fantasy ideas (from D&D and many d20 sourcebooks) with real world information gleaned from Wikipedia. Of course, the Wikipedia stuff might not be 100% accurate but it suits my purpose for a roleplaying world just fine. The Ketto are, indead, an example of using (or re-skinning) the real world for the setting.

There is a lot of that for Kanpur, since it is meant to be a mythic mix of Europe, Asia, and Africa. However, I've placed Al-Qadim on Kanpur instead of a real world equivalent, as well as lots of other D&D material from many editions. I don't know if you saw it, but Dragon Mountain exists on Kanpur in western mountain range on the edge of The Horse Lands. As well, a lot of The Horse Lands is based on material from The Horde boxed set.

 

[Scott DeWar]

What kindof people on the horse lands? Attila the Hun or Ghengus Khan?

 

[Knightfall]

What kindof people on the horse lands? Attila the Hun or Ghengus Khan?

I would say its more like the Huns, but it's not written in stone.

The area named Sogukol has both Western influences and Mongolian influences. The hordes once rode west or, at least, that is how westerners tell it. The many tribes of the horse can be found not just in Sogukol but the bulk of the Red Sand Wastes. A civilization like that of Khan's might exist farther east in the region known as The Iceshield Lands (northeast of Drakhorn City) or in the Taishui Steppes. Most of the names on the right side of the map don't have real backstories, yet.

I have decided that Ameatotruc is a ruined korobokuru city-state and that Shadgho is an Asian-style orc city. Javga will likely be an independent city-state -- another border city like Drakhorn City. But that's all I have.