Knightfall's World of Kulan Campaign Maps (Updated: July 2022)

[Knightfall]

Teverroot Island Region [Updated Map]​

TEVERROOT ISLAND REGION: The island of Teverroot is dominated by two evil kingdoms. The first is The Dark Kingdom of the Jealous Arcane, which is a theocratic monarchy dedicated to the evil Sword God known as Xuar. This evil kingdom is dedicated completely to the Jealous Arcane and his teachings. Only the worship of the other Sword Gods is tolerated here.

The kingdom is ruled by a powerful family of cleric/necromancers and it is divine law that only a member of said family can occupy The Jealous Throne. The current King is Mitica Popescu II, The Voice of Xuar [NE male demigod (divine rank 1) Clr10 (Xuar) / Wiz10 (Necromancer)]. King Popescu II's title is literal as well as spiritual. He is Xuar to the world, and the Dark Kingdom is physically linked to Xuar's godly realm, Dark Rite, in the Grey Waste.

The second evil kingdom on Teverroot Island is the the land known as The Gray Mountains of Duergold. The Gray Mountains are completely dominated by the duergar and they live in an uneasy peace with the citizens of the Dark Kingdom. This peace is due more to the threat of the morlocks of the Underearth, to both kingdoms, than to any mutual appeal to each other, however. The gray dwarves of Duergold dream of a day when they can destroy the morlocks and spread their kingdom back into the depths of the Underearth.

The current "Priest-King" is Lord Morkus Zolavar [LE male duergar Clr8 (Laduguer) / Ftr8], and he rules Duergold absolutely in the divine name of Laduguer. Lord Zolavar doesn't suffer fools around him and is ruthless to his enemies both external and internal. Many in the kingdom wish to forego the idea of returning to the Underearth, en masse, to wage another war against the morlocks, and there have been several attempts on Morkus's life. None have ever come close to succeeding, as the Priest-King is as paranoid and he is powerful.

The map of this region also shows another "vile" kingdom known as The Kingdom of the Vicious Wave. This island kingdom controls the entire chain of islands known as the Vile Islands, and the denizens of this thalassocracy live up to their kingdom's name in every sense of the phrase "vicious wave". They are ruthless pirates and scallywags both above and under the sea.

The kingdom is dominated by humans and evil aquatic races such as kuo-toa, merrow, sahuagin, etc. They consider all outsiders to be their enemies, even the citizens of the Dark Kingdom. The Vile Wavites, as their often called by outsiders, have several communities along the southern coast of Teverroot, but these fortified communities are always under attack by the soldiers of the Dark Kingdom. This war of evil vs. evil is the only thing keeping the Dark Kingdom from dominating the entire lowland region of the island, and from spreading their evil to the mainland.

Beyond the Gray Mountains, there are two other distinctive areas worth noting on Teverroot. The Hills of the Dead is where the citizens of the Dark Kingdom go when they die. Most are simply entombed, but the blessed few are granted undeath and set as guardians of said tombs, and other things in the hills best left unsaid.

Truly powerful servants of Xuar are granted "true death" in the Order of the Undead, which is made up of powerful death knights, liches, and vampires. These knights of pure evil are charged with protecting the kingdom from servants of gods of light and the like. The followers of the North God known as Jalivier are particularly hated by members of the Order.

The other major natural feature is the region known as the Plains of Clay. This region is where most of the Dark Kingdom's more "neutral" citizens are forced to live and work. The region is known for its ruddy soil and harsh conditions. It is also where the Kingdom of the Vicious Wave is trying to sow dissent. It is hoped, by the Vile Wavites that the City of Juitia will secede from the Dark Kingdom and join The Vile Thalassocracy.

So far, the Order of the Undead has retained control of the disgruntled city, but some believe it is only a matter of time, as the Vile Wavites continue to invoke dissent amongst the populace of said city.

Cheers!

KF72

 

[Knightfall]

NEW MAP: The Onan Region​

THE ONAN REGION: This region is named for the City-state of Onaway, The City of Tangles. Onaway is a previously ruined city-state built on the remains of a city that was destroyed during the Second Ogre War.

The city is ruled by the Onan man known as Than LaMarche [LN human male Ftr11/Clr9 (Aegir)], although he must share power with a senate. Onaway is a republic and its senators have a great deal of influence.

Only in the last decade has the city expanded beyond it's walls. The Town of Onaco was founded in 745 N.C. and and the Villiage of LaMarche soon after that. Lord LaMarche considered it vital to expand The Onan Territories to include the light wooded area near Cear Viron, and, thus far, the town named after him is successfully challenging the evil denizens living in and near that ruin. The Villiage of Kalie is also part of this growing land.

There are several other power centers in this region, which spills over into the area known as the Savage Hills. This includes The cities of Metan, Nikel, and Steins, as well as the town of Heth Hold.

Steins is the capital city of The Lands of the Jovian Alliance, and is ruled by Catalina Maddalena, The Conquress [NE female frost jovian Bbn7/Ftr7]. The Jovian Alliance is a feudal confederacy, but is slowly moving towards a feudal monarchy, as Catalina recently took the title of Baroness.

Metan is known throughout this region as The River City, and is ruled by a powerful group of oligarchs known as The Twelve. These twelve men and women, of various races, are devotees of the Interloper Goddess, Persana, as well as powerful merchant lords.

Nikel is the capital city of the Domain of Shadows, and is known as The City of Shadows. Basically, Nikel is going to be my version of the city of Istivin, as described in DUNGEON Magazine #117, combined with what I had originally planned Nikel to be -- an oligarchy with a small council of rulers (instead of a monarchy). As there isn't any drow in the world, that part of Istivin's history won't be a part of my City of Shadows. I'm not sure what I will be replacing the drow with, but it will likely be abyssal.

The Town of Heth Hold sits on the edge of the chasm known as Bird Canyon. Heth Hold is controlled by a clan of hill dwarves that have allied with several clans of humans of Onan descent and hairfoot halflings. The citizens of Heth Hold are strongly neutral and guard their independance with much vigor. The town is built half on the surface above the canyon and half along the canyon's walls. It's citizens often trade with the few good aligned denizens of the Underearth. The canyon is named for the flocks of ravens, hawks, and other birds that nest throughout the canyon.

 

[Knightfall]

NEW MAP: Savage Hills Region​

SAVAGE HILLS REGION: This region is dominated by, you guessed it, the Savage Hills. This cluster of divides the Hawk Plains from the Wild Plains and stretches from the edge of the Great Forest to near the Town of Scandt just south of the Domain of Shadows.

Near the Great Forest, the Savage Hills are dominated by the communities of a magocracy, which has existed in this region since before the time of the First Ogre War. The City-state of Halandra survived that war, as well as the Second Ogre War, and it is one of the pillars of civilization in the western lands of the Sword Gulf.

The city-state is known as The City of Sorcerers, although its citizens aren't only sorcerers. All types of arcanists are welcome in Halandra, even those from other regions of the continent. However, finding the city-state isn't as simple as walking up to the city's gates. Arcanists are viewed with suspicion or outright fear in many of the western lands of the Sword Gulf. Thus, the city is magically hidden from any who would come to destroy Halandra and its citizens.

The magocracy's other communities are not warded, but it is widely known that these communities are under the protection of the Magus Concilium. Plus, many a powerful arcanist has "retired" to a smaller community withoin the Magocracy's border. Also, many powerful faiths dedicated to the arcane have temples spread throughout the Savage Hills.

Another noteable feature on this map is the network of rivers that radiate out from Silver River, which comes down through the Great Forest from Lake Silverleaf (not shown). I've been asked several time why it looks like the rivers are flowing the wrong way, and have to admit, I was in error when I drew them. However, instead of redoing all the rivers for Harqual, i came up with an in-game reason.

That reason, was the death of the North God known as Tulle.

Tulle was killed during the Divinity War, which ended over a 1,000 years ago. Tulle was the North God of Rivers, Lakes, and Fish, and his death sent the waters of Harqual spiraling into chaos. No where is this more evident, in the North, than throughout the lands of the Sword Gulf. The rivers' paths would seem odd to someone from another continent, but it is commonplace for rivers and lakes to defy logic, to the peoples of Harqual.

This makes traveling these waterways treacherous, to say the least, and most prefer to travel overland. Magical flight isn't recommended, over these waterways, as Tulle's death left many Legacies, which are wild magical zones and/or Loosed Divinity*, which can have dangerous effects for magical flying, or water breathing, travelers. Most that refuse to give up the benefits of aerial travel often prefer to ride winged mounts such as griffons and hippogriffs.

Note that the arcanists of Halandra don't control the entire cluster of hills that make up the Savage Hills. In the east, they must share the hills' resources with the elves and fey of the Wild Treelands. And in the west, the range of hills are dominated more by the citizens of the Domain of Shadows and the Barony of Poli. (Poli will be described in more detail under the Nomad Lands post, see below.)

KF72
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* See page 22 of Malhavoc Press's Requiem for a God for more information on Loosed Divinity.

 

[Knightfall]

Nomad Lands (Revised Map)​

THE NOMAD LANDS: If there is one area of the western lands of the Sword Gulf, that epitomizes the legacy of the Second Ogre War, it is the Nomad Lands. This region has never been the same, after that war.

The denizens of this ruined frontier are a hardy lot, and tend to be insular. They do not tolerate opinionated outsiders who wish to retame these lands. In ages past, even before Halandra rose from the ashes of the Black Wars, the Nomad Lands were dominated over half-a-dozen independant city-states and castles.

These neighbours rarely got along and when the First Ogre War came, they did not stand together. Only the intervention of the silver and forest elves of the Great Forest and the Cadra Forest saved them from annihilation. When the war was over the city-states went back to backbiting each other.

When the Second Ogre War broke out the elves did not come to the aid of the city-states, which now are now lost ruins. Only two of these ruins have been rediscovered, in the 40+ years since the end of the war — Caer Myria and Caer Ruel.

Caer Myria sit on the edge of the Great Forest, southeast of the Savage Hills. It is believed that the ruins of Myria were one of the first locales to be destroyed near the beginning of the Second Ogre War, as the ruins appear to be more than 65 years old. The ruins are being excavated and explored by a small group of adventurers known as the August Trio (and their cohorts).

Caer Ruel sits east of The Barony of Poli and the mud flats surrounding the magical monolith known of the The Stormmarker. (This monolith is sacred to the worshippers of the North God known as Sanh.) Ruel was one of the more powerful city-states of the region. Its ruins were uncovered by the Baron Father of the Poli, Lord Dagnos Cardonia [NE male human Ari7/War6], 20 years ago.

Lord Cardonia wishes to deny anyone else access to the ruins, but his forces aren't strong enough to keep "independants" from entering the ruined city and looting its many riches. Getting out of the city, past the patrols of the Poli, isn't as easy, however. Lord Cardonia rules his lands from the Town of Scandt using both guile and treachery.

The barony is one of two "kingdoms" of the Nomand Lands. The other is The County of Valeny, which is a polar opposite of Poli. For while Poli is dominated by orcs and goblinoids, in addition to many black-hearted humans, Valeny has a very mixed population of forest elves, hill dwarves, hairfoots, and good-hearted humans.

Valeny is ruled by The Wealdedge Count, Renvan Oakenleaf [NG male half-elf Ari3/Ftr7]. Since the demon/blood elf troubles in The Knotwood began, in 749 N.C., Valeny's elven population has nearly doubled. This has swollen the the streets of every community in the county. As well, many forest elves have taken up residence on the border with the Knotwood, in order to better battle their former kin, the blood elves.

It is rumored that dwarven miners in the Hollow Hills have uncovered a ruined dwarven citadel from before the time of the Black Wars. It is said that the citadel is unusual, in the fact that it doesn't conform to the traditional dwarven architecture of the dwarves of Harqual. It is said that the ruined citadel could be as old, as the time of the Divinity War, or maybe even older.

Beyond Poli and Valeny, the Nomad Lands don't have much in the way of civilization. In between Poli and Valeny, there is little more than wild tribes of humanoids and clans of nomadic humans. The most powerful of these nomadic groups are The Lawless Camps, which are made up of giants, goblins, gnolls, orcs, and the worst of the region's human population.

The area west of Caer Ruel, known as The Ruined March, was, up until several years ago, trying to bounce back from the destruction wrought during the Second Ogre War. Several clans of humans banded together and began to restore the defiled land. In the Year of the Dawn, several hordes of ogres systematically moved through this region and wiped out everything that moved. The carnage was unusual, even for ogres, and the region is considered cursed by those in Valeny.

Note: The Cadra Forest and the Crystal Cairns are to be detailed in post #70, which will describe the Cadra Forest Region.

KF72

 

[Knightfall]

NEW MAP: Arkhangel Region
This new map depicts the section of Northern Harqual I have dubbed the ARKHANGEL REGION.

(I have two other maps, which partly show the region around the City of Arkhangel but not the entire region unto itself. Plus, it has allowed me to expand further north, near the coast, then I've maped before in this region.)

The Holding of Acheos is home to barbarians, icefoot halflings, elves, and centaurs. Acheos is known for its stout warriors and powerful shamans (an adapt/witch). It is ruled by a council of clan leaders and guild masters.

The Principality of the Shining Stones, or simply The Shining Principality, is one of the few lands in this region not overly affected by the events of The Transformation. The Shining Principality has existed, quietly, in this region for nearly as long a the Kingdom of the Greystones, to the west, and longer than The Free Lands of Arkhangel, to the southeast.

It's strongest allies, in the past, have been the dwarves of the Kingdom of the Greystones and Arkhangel, but since The Transformation relations with the dwarves has deteriorated, due to the influence and location of the newly formed Kingdom of Jewels around Lake Gem (directly to the west of the Shining Principality).

Cheers!

KF72

 

[Knightfall]

A new dungeon map created in Dungeon Crafter...

 

[Knightfall]

Minar City Redux! Closeups to come tomorrow.

 

[Knightfall]

Minar City Closeup Map #1

Haven't decided what all thes locales are yet, although some are obvious.

Cheers!

KF72
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Eastward District
1. Ducal Storehouse
2. The Red Letter
3. Legion House
4. The Shippers’ Crest
5. The Guild of Shipwrights
6. Fisherman’s Craw
7. The Lucky Lake
8. The Thunder of Sanh
9. The Lodge of the Dead
10. The Longhouse
11. Willow’s Works
12. The Leaping Lion Inn
13. Shandy’s Pastries
14. Granok’s Anvil
15. Henry’s Mounts and Stables
16. The Four Foxes
17. Wilderman’s Emporium

 

[Lalato]

The level of detail in your world is astounding. SWEET!

--sam

 

[Knightfall]

The level of detail in your world is astounding. SWEET!

--sam

Yes, you too can have an amazing amount of detail, my friends. Just BELIEVE in the power of Campaign Cartographer 2.

Heck, I don't even have the Dungeon Designer 2 add-on yet, and I'm blown away by the features the program has overall.

There will be more later, but right now I'm busy playing the Imperium Galatica 2 demo.

Cheers!

KF72