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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5254138" data-attributes="member: 92511">Kingdome of MostrialThe ancient fortresses of Mostrial are the stuff of song and  legend as is the nobility  of its warriors and kings. Following the devastation of the Godswar,  Mostrial was the first realm to achieve order. The stability bred growth  and soon Mostrial, under the legendary highking Adrigol,  spread across the entire breadth of the Orean continent south of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/elfrealms.html" target="_blank">ShiStaliir</a>  and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/thelitia.html" target="_blank">Thelitia</a>.  Mostrial became known for its great shipbuilders, minstrels, and  horsemen. Mostrial developed the first large scale naval force of any of  the human realms. Since the Scourge Wars, Mostrial proper no longer extends  east of the Adrigol or north of the D’Larial rivers. A fraction of its  former power, the Kingdom of Mostrial is still a highly respected nation  and strong ally to Grinlia. They trade freely with <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/tanku.html" target="_blank">Tanku</a>,  <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/grinlia.html" target="_blank">Grinlia</a>,  Thelitia, and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html" target="_blank">the  Freelands.</a> Mostrial is broken into regions, kingdoms, each ruled over  by the lords of the ancient Tali, built with the aid of the ShiStaliir  in the First Age of Men. Each province consists of one or more  Thanedoms. The Thanes are regional chieftains, close friends or extended  family of the Lord that act as his advisors and serve as warlords as  necessary for the ruler of the province’s Talas (elvin for “tower”). The  Tali have been recreated and imitated by humans, with the aid of the  dwarves over the years. The collected kingdoms heed a highking who rules  from the greatest of the ancient citadels, <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#pelor" target="_blank">Talas  Pelor.</a>   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Talas Eoril[/SIZE]The citadel of the Sea-king, is Mostrial’s most famous province and  Thanedom, owing mostly to their proximity to Grinlia and the legendary  hero of the Thorn, Talador, who was a prince of Eoril. The  ancient citadel is built off the mainland at the end of a great  causeway that is washed away at high tides when the greater moon is  full. Eoril is one of Mostrial’s largest shipbuilding centers and acts  as the ocean entrance to Mostrial. The Tali is supported by a bustling  city on the mainland surrounding the causeway that is simply called  Eoril. Talas Eoril is the stopping/resupply center for all trade and  water traffic from Tanku, the Freelands, even sometimes <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/rhath.html" target="_blank">R’Hath</a>  to <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/grinlia.html#Brightmoon" target="_blank">Brightmoon</a>  and the rest of Grinlia. The Lord of Eoril, referred to by most as the  Sea-king, is still the line of Erodrin, since the days of Adrigol,  the family line of Talador, hero of the Thorn, and one of the most  prestigious in Mostrial. The current Lord of Talas Eoril is Ardwin  Eth Erodrin. He also holds the title of Thane of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#arlith" target="_blank">Arilith.</a>   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Arilith[/SIZE]Arilith is the western province of Mostrial, ruled from Talas Eoril. The  realm of Arilith extends from Talas Eoril in the west to the north  Mostralian border at the edge of the <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/elfrealms.html" target="_blank">ShiStaliir</a>  forest and the D’Larial, and along the sourthern coastline to the  eastern edge of the hills of Morok. The Morok hills have housed, from  time to time, various tribes of goblinoids that raid into the Mostralian  realm. But these have been few and far between in recent centuries.  There are some mining communities around the hills in Arilith, but many  of these are in decline as much of the hills’ ore has been taken. Also  in Arilith is the Hirial forest. This mysterious place is rumored to be  enchanted and few dare to delve deeper than its borders. Most  communities of Arilith are coastal fishing and shipbuilding villages.     [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Hirial Forest[/SIZE]Contained within Arilith’s borders, west of the Morok hills, is the  mysterious and ancient forest of Hirial, elvin for “Windsong”. It is  rumored that a contingent of the Star elves still inhabit Hirial though  it has never been verified. Countless stories of people disappearing for  years, heroes led astray by beautiful women who disappeared into mist,  and mysterious elvin artifacts being retrieved from the woods go back to  the youth of Mostrial’s history. Some of the learned of Orea say that a  great evil lies beneath the Morok hills and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/sd_elves" target="_blank">the  ShiStaliiri</a> laid powerful enchantments on the woods to defend  against it. There are tribes of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/sd_elves.html" target="_blank">Kantiiri  elves</a> within Hirial, but they do not profess to have any knowledge  or interest in this rumored evil, even less of the supposed magics that  surround it. Druids of the <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/sd_org.html#Mistwood" target="_blank">Ancient  Order of Mistwood</a> have made themselves known in Hirial from time to  time, adding to the mystery of the wood’s reputation.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Talas Isthian[/SIZE]The eastern gate to Mostrial is watched over by the ancient Talas of  Isthian. This citadel was the first of the Tali built and subsequently  the first to undergo additions and expansion under human and dwarven  hands. As such the elegant grace of the elvin construction has been  somewhat diminished but the  fortifications of Isthian rival any in the known world and have  defended the realms of Mostralian against many attacks. The fact that  the forces of Aishapra were not able to decimate the whole of Mostrial,  the reason for Mostrial’s current borders, is due to Talas Isthian.  Isthian sits on the fork of the river Adrigol, not far upriver from <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#mistwood" target="_blank">Mistwood</a>.  The province of Isthian extends down the Adrigol to the southern sea  and up river to where the <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html#grenmoors" target="_blank">Grenmoors</a>  begin. The northern half of the Hills of Calidwyn are also considered  part of Isthian. Its position on the border gives Talas Isthian a heavy  traffic flow for goods coming out of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/thelitia.html" target="_blank">Theiltia</a>  and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/freelands.html" target="_blank">the  Freelands</a>. The current Lord of Talas Isthian is Eothil Arascor.  He rules over the Thanedoms of Balidwyn (the north and west of Talas  Isthian) and Wastrath (south of the Talas).    [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Hills of Calidwyn[/SIZE]These hills are named for the hero of the Thorn, the half-elvin bard, Calidwyn  Spellsinger. It is said that following the final battle with  Aishapra, and the loss of his love, the forlorn half-elf returned to his  homeland of Mostrial and wandered the grey misty dales of these hills  in a timeless lament. Eventually, the bard settled in the southernmost  hills overlooking the South sea. Over time many minstrels and student  bards traveled the hills hoping to find the great master hero who had  gained such fame. One or two actually succeeded, though many more make  the claim. Over the centuries, the House of Calidwyn grew through  reputation and wealthy benefactors into Orea’s foremost bardic college.  It is said that after decades of teaching and mournful solitude, the  Master Bard wandered into the morning mists of the hills and  disappeared, never to be heard form again. So the House that bears his  name carries on his legacy of musical spellcraft.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Talas Pelor[/SIZE]The greatest of the Mostralian Tali and the largest territory in the  kingdom is Talas Pelor. Pelor is the second of the ancient citadel’s and  the grandest in every respect. The Talas sits on an ancient mound that  rests in the center of the great Fields of Mostrial (formerly Darathas  Ariniir, the Healing Fields), The Talas itself is little more than  rounded with high towered walls and parapets. Around the tower itself  lies the city of Pelor. A second wall has been built around the city,  but these are standard 20’ battlements, not nearly the fortifications of  the Talas itself. Thankfully, no invasion force has been able to  penetrate far enough into Mostrial to test these battlements for the  past two ages of Men. But the craft of the Talas is dazzling. The tower itself rises  nearly 200 feet into the air. Gleams of white marble, veined with  emerald green. Great sculptures stand five men tall (nearly 30’ each) of  the great lords of Men and Elves from the Age of Order ring the base of  the structure. These are ornamented with silver and gold accents. About  half way up the tower, huge pillared arches split the tower so that one  can look out over the Fields of Mostrial in all directions. At the  pinnacle of Talas Pelor, a great crystal sits in another open aerie.  When light is shone through the crystal, it can be seen in nearly every  corner of  Mostrial, even to <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#eoril" target="_blank">Talas  Eoril</a> though faintly and into the woods of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/elfrealms.html" target="_blank">ShiStaliir</a>,   serving as beacon or a summons for aid from the other lords of  Mostrial and its allies. The Highking of Mostrial, Kelethon Eth Keleodan IV,  rules from the great throneroom of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#pelor" target="_blank">Talas  Pelor</a>, and his ancestral home of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#kelethon" target="_blank">Kelethon  Keep</a> in the southern Thanedom of Kelet, When not at residence in  the Keep, Kelet is ruled by his brother, Karimor. The Knights of  the Grey Tabbard, defenders of the realms Mostrial, use Talas Pelor as  their homebase.   [SIZE=+1][/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Balwood[/SIZE]Whereas the forest of <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#hirial" target="_blank">Hirial</a>  in Arilith has an air of enchantment and mystery about it, the forest  of Balwood in the thanedom of Kelet is wrapt in a cloak of sinister  creatures and dark magic. It is believed that the sorceress Carianne  has a stronghold in the Balwood and from this hidden fortress schemes  to increase her magical power and assume the Mostralian throne. She is  blamed for the seduction and destruction of several of Mostrial’s  heroes. Aside from the sorceress, goblinoids and giantkin (ogres and  Hill Giants mostly) assault the surrounding realms from the forest,  using it as cover to get from their hidden lairs in <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#calidwyn" target="_blank">the  Hills of Calidwyn</a> farther into the realms of Mostrial. Those that  have traveled through the dark forest also return with tales of spirits  and spectres, if at all.   <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/kelethon" target="_blank">[SIZE=+1]Kelethon Keep[/SIZE]</a>This is the ancestral home of the family of Kelethon I, highking  of Mostrial following the fall of Adrigol. The Keep is situated on the  southern sea, west of the <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#calidwyn" target="_blank">Hills  of  Calidwyn</a> and <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#balwood" target="_blank">Balwood</a>,  where the coastline turns north towards <a href="http://file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Gene/Desktop/OREA/Steel%20Dragons%20website/realms/mostrial.html#pelor" target="_blank">Talas  Pelor</a>. From this great fortified hall the family of Kelethon has  kept watch over the thanedom of Kelet for centuries. The current lord of  the keep and the thanedom of Kelet is Karimor, brother of  the high-king.</blockquote>

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