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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5254120" data-attributes="member: 92511">The FreelandsEast of the river Adrigol and south of the Thelitian  dessert are the realms that were the  first and hardest hit by the forces of the Demon godson, Aishapra in the  conflict that became known as the Scourge Wars. The people of these  realms, then considered subjects of Mostral, were left to defend  themselves for the most part. After Aishapra’s defeat the kingdom of  Mostrial no longer possessed the strength to enforce its reign across  its former territories, and those realms that it did try to exert  authority resisted. They followed the example of Andril, a free-city  since its establishment, and began lives of self-rule. These realms have  collectively become known over Orea as the Freelands. Over the centuries, the Freelands have achieved a  relative stability, each individual area, mostly city-states, promoting  its own specialty goods and services, and the larger communities  overseeing the defense of their smaller neighbors. Still, the lack of an  overall coherent military force has made those more rural or unsettled  areas ripe for any and all sorts of creatures to flourish. Banditry, by  goblinoids and humans alike, is a constant concern for those traveling  the Freelands’  extensive trade routes. The need for swords-for-hire is abundant,  particularly around the larger cities.    [SIZE=+1]Andril[/SIZE]The “Jewel of the East” or “Eastern Star of Orea” has been a  free-city since the days of the Selurian and Tanku Empires. The city  began, in the First Age of Men before the Empires, as a simple  port-town. One day, atop the highest hill overlooking the town, a great  deep blue crystalline shard appeared. The crystal shard was actually a  tower, housing three immortal sorceresses who quickly became known as <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/sd_org.html#oracles" target="_blank">the  Oracles of Andril</a>. With the godlike powers of the Oracles,  Andril quickly grew as the Seluria-Tanku wars spread across the  continent. The two Empires also became great supporters of the Oracles,  seeking to harness their power to sway the conflicts or deliver  favorable visions. The Oracles would not be swayed and used their powers  to protect the common folk of the growing city. When the Godswar fell on Orea, the powers of the Oracles  protected the city from destruction by the massive tidal waves that  assaulted the rest of the Orean coastline. In the Godswar’s wake, as the  Mage Wars swept across Orea, the Oracles disappeared from public view,  but none of the free-city of Andril would dare assault the tower of  their ancient benefactors. As such, Andril became one of the only  bastions for magic-use and study outside of the newly created region of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/rhath.html" target="_blank">R’Hath</a>. The Oracles returned, albeit briefly during the Scourge Wars,  again to defend the city, now grown to a huge metropolis that surrounds  their crystal tower. With Andril as a center of resistance, the forces of  the Freelands battled with the Scourge’s armies, eventually beating  them back, lending to the  attitude of self-rule and the dissension  towards the Mostralian monarchy, who did little to help with the realms’  defense. Today, Andril is the largest city in the realms of Orea. Andril  is miles in diameter, composed of dozens of sections, some of them  virtual towns of their own. The Crystal Tower of the Oracles, once set  atop the hill overlooking the port, now sits within a city block, though  it is still visible from almost anywhere in Andril. As Andril grew, additions needed to be made to its  fortifications. Andril is now composed of three distinct sections, each  with its own battlements and series of gates. These are referred to,  generally, as the Port City (the original city at the base of hill where  the Oracles appeared), the Old City (those areas built up between the  Godswar and the Scourge Wars), and the New City (those areas built up  and enclosed following the Scourge Wars). Andril’s harbor and wharfside  is immense, practically a city in itself. Among the numerous  marketplaces, goods and services from the most mundane to the rarest  arcanum are available, for the right price.  There are temples and shrines to practically every known deity of  the realms, save Karos or any of his demonic minions. But be assured in  a city Andril’s size, Karos’ minions are there. Representatives from  most of the known realms keep embassies in Andril, to beseech the  Oracles as necessary for their lords. People of almost every race, size,  and species (except for the ShiStaliiri and Selurians) can be found  living or doing business in Andril. There is a saying that “If it can’t  be found in Andril, it can’t be found on Orea.” The city is administrated by a Council of Lords. This is a group  of the most powerful and influential individuals from the various  sections and guilds in Andril, not including the Oracles who basically  keep to their own mysterious affairs. Though membership supposedly  changes every 5 years, and individuals come and go within that time,  repeat terms are common. The Council is believed to be composed of 2  members from each of the city’s “quarters”, approximately 30 members.  The Council elects a Speaker who is the public face for  proclamations, public relations, and acts as the city’s lord-at-arms in  times of war. The Lord Speaker is able to serve repeat terms at the  request of the Council (based mostly on the opinion of the masses). The  Lord Speaker of Andril for the past 12 years has been Granion  Trueblade, a former captain of the Blue Guard, Andril’s law  enforcement organization. He is very popular with the citizens of Andril  and its surrounding territory.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Threeways[/SIZE]Threeways has been a center of trade since <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html" target="_blank">Mostrial</a>  still possessed the Freelands. Its position at the junction of the  trade routes from <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/thelitia.html" target="_blank">Thelitia</a>  to Mostrial and the ancient road from <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#andril" target="_blank">Andril</a>  to <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#lindril" target="_blank">Lindril</a>  made Threeways a very wealthy community. Since the emancipation of the  Freelands, the town has grown to a city of some opulence. Threeways  boasts some of the most varied and exotic pleasures of the known world.  But these, like everything else in Threeways, are big business. Next to Andril, Threeways has one of the largest selection of  goods in Orea, possibly even rivaling <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/grinlia.html#Brightmoon" target="_blank">Brightmoon</a>.  Much of Threeways’ goods are en route to somewhere,      however, so there is always a need for adventurous types looking to  make a buck protecting a caravan. As such, Threeways is also a  crossroads for adventurers of all types, and the tales and rumors  they’ve accrued in their travels. So much so that information has become  one of Threeways’ greatest assets. From artifacts to zebras, if you’re  looking for it, the merchants of Threeways can find it for you, for the  right price. The city has a mayor but is almost under the complete control of  the Fathen Brotherhood, the most powerful merchants’ guild in  Orea. With their wealth, the Fathen Brotherhood control nearly all  politics for Threeways and have a strong hand over relations with  Thelitia, <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#isthian" target="_blank">Talas  Isthian</a>, Lindril (which now marks the route to the realms of  Grinlia), and the dwarves of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/dwarfrealms.html" target="_blank">Daegun.</a> Another attribute of Threeways, unique among most of the realms,  is the presence of temples to gods of evil, along with the gods of good  and neutrality. Supposedly, they originated as a mark of the neutrality  of the city (to do business with everyone) beginning with three temples  to the three Elder deities that survived/remained after the Godswar:  Arinane, Sorilorr, and Karos. During the Scourge Wars, more temples to  evil deities cropped up as a way to appease the evil forces that flooded   through the realms. They’ve stayed standing out of fear and necessity.  Making sacrifices to the goddess of disease is a good way to cure that  peculiar burning sensation you acquired. The god of dominance, Do’am,  the Dark Helm, has developed a particularly large following in  Threeways.  With the rise of Threeways’ power and influence since the  Scourge Wars, temples to most of the other gods of good and neutrality  have also established themselves there. The temples to the gods of  Neutrality have the largest amount of followers and the most support  from the Brotherhood, at least publicly.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Lindril[/SIZE] and Talador’s PassIn the first age of men, when the lords of men and dwarves and elves  worked together to bring order to the chaos that swept the world, many  alliances were made and many enduring works of the races were  constructed. Among these was the alliance of the lord of the human  realms of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html" target="_blank">Mostrial</a>  and the lord of the dwarves of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/dwarfrealms.html" target="_blank">Daegun</a>.  To this alliance, as a watchpost for their realms, the dwarves of  Daegun constructed the stronghold of Lindril. The fortress’ most notable  feature was the forked tower that split halfway up its base into two  separate towers, one for the dwarven forces, one for the human, who  manned the base together for centuries. In this time, the Daegun gleaned much of humans and their ways and  developed a great deal of respect for the short-lived creations of the  elder gods. After order was bestowed to the realms, the nations of men,  dwarves, and elves began to fight among themselves, seeking possession  of the mythic Gifts of Doron, nine artifacts of diverse and incredible  power. War broke out and the stronghold of Lindril became a focal point  of battle being repeatedly conquered and reconquered, claimed and  reclaimed, by the humans and the dwarves. With the rise of the Tankuan  Empire, humans eventually forced the dwarves back into the Daegun  mountains, where they were glad to be when the Godswar fell. Much of the old fortress of Lindril was destroyed and rebuilt  over the centuries, but the forked tower endured and to this day is the  symbol of the city. As stability returned to the lands of Mostrial,  trade began again, and Lindril again slowly saw an increase in its  prosperity. Though not with the stubborn and longlived dwarves, many of  whom still lived who remembered the battles for control of Lindril.  During the Scourge Wars Lindril’s population surged with refugees  fleeing the encroaching armies. When the city was taken by the forces of  Aishapra, the heroes of the Thorn fled to the Daegun mountains in  search of a legendary pass that led through the mountains to the realms  of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/grinlia.html" target="_blank">Grinlia</a>.  After many adventures and dealings with the dwarves of Daegun, the  heroes found the mountain corridor. Then the heart of men was redeemed and the fire of respect flared  with great bellows in the eyes of the dwarves when a hero of the Thorn,  the cavalier Talador, fell in defense of the pass, and  the dwarven forces therein. The dwarves dubbed the corridor Talador’s  Pass and granted the men of Lindril free traffic through the  mountain road. From this time forward, dwarves would begin to again be  seen in the Freelands (nee Mostrial). Now, Lindril stands just a league from the entrance to the pass,  close enough that the town that has grown there is sometimes called  "Talador’s Pass". While on the major trade route, Lindril is more of a  supply station, a secure jump-off point for those travelers and caravans  that plan to move through the Pass, and a welcome respite for those  arriving from the west. The town is governed by a Mayor. Second in power  to the mayor is the Captain of Lindril, commander of the forces  of the Forked Tower. A good-sized contingent of the <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/sd_org.html#Other" target="_blank">Knights  of Celradorn</a>, as well as a temple to the god of guardianship,  reside at Lindril. Talador’s Pass itself, while still monitored by the dwarves of  Daegun, is far from secure. Raiding bandits, goblinoids, trolls, even  giants and the occasional dragon find easy pickings and lay in ambush of  all but the largest and most heavily protected caravans. The dwarves  themselves are often too busy warring with the giants and trolls that  infest the mountains north of the pass, to be of any real aid to  travelers.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]The Grenmoors[/SIZE]South of Lindril along the eastern side of the southern Daegun Mountauns  is a large region of marshes called the Grenmoors. The marshes are  formed around and among the lowlands surrounding the multiple streams  and rivers that combine to form the river Adrigol that forms the border  of the Freelands and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html" target="_blank">Mostrial.</a>  The 'Moors are known to house a number of dangerous creatures and  pitfalls including trolls, orcs, will o’ wisps, kelpies, sinking sands,  flaming gases, even carnivorous plants. Still, many expeditions have  dared the perils of the Green Moors hunting for lost strongholds and  ancient temples of Mostrial and Tanku alleged to have fallen beneath the  swamps during the Godswar. Not the least of these was Adrigol’s own  hall, called Iiril in bardic song that was swallowed by the  swamps as part of Adrigol’s punishment/disgrace. The treasures within,  which at one time included the now legendary Hammer of Bors, are  said to be as powerful as the Gifts of Doron, but since the heroes of  the Thorn and the Scourge Wars, Iiril has never again been found.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Hawkview[/SIZE]The city of Hawkview was the outer most point of the former kingdom of  Mostrial. Little more than a walled town with a castle, Hawkview quickly  fell when the armies of the Scourge first invaded. After the Scourge  Wars, Hawkview rebuilt and its position on the White Gull Bay and access  around the sands of the Thelitian desert soon gained Hawkview the  reputation as a safe haven for travelers journeying from the Freelands  to <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/rhath.html" target="_blank">R’Hath</a>  or northern <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/grinlia.html" target="_blank">Grinlia</a>.  Hawkview also developed friendly relations with the new elvin realm of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/elfrealms.html" target="_blank">Miralosta</a>  and became the first human city to deal in elvin goods. Hawkview has grown to a city of moderate size that has all of the  amenities and services of a port city. Castle Hawkview was rebuilt and  still stands watch over the goings and comings at the mouth of the  Whitegull Bay. Hawkview’s proximity to R’Hath also makes it a high  traffic spot for magical goods and beings seeking to get into or out of  the mystic principalities. Hawkview is also the port of call for Tanku  merchants who seek to get their goods to Grinlia and R’Hath, since most  Tankuans  will avoid dealing with R’Hath directly. Hawkview also is the stop for  minor Thelitian traders who wish to do business with the Mage–Princes or  Island Kings, closer and less dangerous a trip than reaching <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#andril" target="_blank">Andril</a>. The city is ruled by a lord, the descendant of the aristocratic  family of the Mostralian lord, though Hawkview as the rest of the  Freelands no longer holds allegiance to the highking. This is Lord  Coren Riorn. He is a just and well-respected ruler who keeps  Hawkview running smoothly and vigorously hunts down any crime or evil  that attempts to mar the city’s past few centuries of prosperity.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Mistwood[/SIZE]Since the birth of the races of Men, one of the Five Tribes of Men was  taken into the bosom of the elder goddess <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/gods/gods.html" target="_blank">Llyndra  the Green</a>. These people avoided the fighting of the rest of the  tribes and withdrew to the forest named Mistwood. They learned to  commune with the woods, command the elements, and became one with the  natural energies of Orea, making them extremely long-lived by human  standards. Over time, the original tribe ascended into the planes beyond  Orea, being sure to pass their teachings to their descendants and those  they found worthy of their wisdom. Following the ascension of their  elders, the students established <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/sd_org.html#Mistwood" target="_blank">the  Ancient Order of Mistwood</a> and became known across Orea as  "Druids". The ancient forest of Mistwood has been the main hold of the  druidic order for the entirety of Orean history. As the order grew and  their understanding of the realms expanded, the order has stationed  representatives around the continent in great woods and special places  of natural power.The wood itself once covered most of what are  now called the Freelands, Balwood and Ef’thriel were once part of  Mistwood, but has been chopped away bit by bit over the countless  centuries. Still, it is one of the largest forests on Orea. Mistwood  lines roughly half of the eastern shore of the river Adrigol, along the  sea coast to the hills southwest of the free-city of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#andril" target="_blank">Andril</a>.  The forest turns at the hills and runs northwest for their length. Few  outsiders of any race have been allowed to move deep into Mistwood or to  the mythic meeting place of the Ancient Order’s  ruling body, <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/sd_org.html#grove" target="_blank">the  Grove</a>, or met their enigmatic Lord of Oaks.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Ef’thriel[/SIZE]In the northern regions of the Freelands, almost directly between <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#andril" target="_blank">Andril</a>  and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#threeways" target="_blank">Threeways</a>  there is another ancient forest, though much smaller than <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#mistwood" target="_blank">Mistwood</a>,  from which it was spawned. This wood is called Ef’thriel, "Elf Home",  and is tightly protected and guarded by the tribe of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/people/people_elf.html#kantiiri" target="_blank">Kantiiri</a>  that lives there. There are also a number of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/people/people_elf.html#shicynallae" target="_blank">ShiCynalla</a>  to be found and a small community of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/people/people_elf.html#miralostae" target="_blank">Miralostae</a>  who stayed there during the time of the Scourge Wars, when the  Miralostae nation moved through this region. The forest has a long  standing reputation as a faerie wood and several types of faeriekin can  be found within the elvin realm (if they chose to be) including sprites,  pixies, brownies, and nature spirits of various kinds. The Kantiiri of  the wood have longtime relations with the druids of Mistwood. One of the  Ancient Order has been stationed in Ef’thriel for centuries. The druid  "Keeper" is the Lord or Lady of Rowan and is viewed by all  of the wood’s inhabitants as the “ruler” of the forest. Though not a  human realm, per se, it is within the Freelands and is a part of that  realm’s human culture and history.   <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#hollow" target="_blank">[SIZE=+1]</a><a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#hollow" target="_blank">[/SIZE]</a><a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#hollow" target="_blank">[SIZE=+1]The Hollow Hills[/SIZE]</a>Near the northern borders of the Freelands, west of the city of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#hawkview" target="_blank">Hawkview</a>  lie a series of farm rich dales and rolling fields called the Hollow  Hills. The hills are home to some  communities of men and gnomes, but they are more known for the halfling  communities that were founded and flourished there, hidden and  undisturbed, since the years following  the Godswar. The largest and  best known, now, of these is the Free Hollows. From time to time,  the mayors and governors of the various farming villages and dales  beseech the lord of Hawkview for protection or defense from goblin  raiding parties or a wandering ogre, but all in all, the Hollow Hills  are a region of peaceful green tranquility.</blockquote>

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