Kingdoms & Cities of Rathe

From Rathe

Alabaster

A city on the Areopagus which had been overrun by the undead. They were controlled by the Amulet of Alabaster, in the possession of the Mountaincrag. However, the amulet was destroyed, freeing the undead from control and leaving the city in utter chaos.

City-State of Ebheim

Religion Focus: 70% Brunswien . 5% Pymma, 5% Farwien, 15% Wuwyn, 5% Sevyric

Society Focus: Trade, historical heritage (many refugees came here from a major war a few centuries ago and settled down in the ruins of an older empire to escape persecution)

Government Focus: Trade, establishing safety from natural disasters Government Structure: Council elected by the rich, not necessarily composed of the rich.

Society Structure: Tiered society: merchants > craftsmen/service providers > fishers/hunters > farmers

Societal Composition: 89.8% human, 4% half-elven, 3% Halfling, 3% Dwarven, 0.2% other

Magic Level: Locally, up to 5th level spells; imported, up to 7th level spell items, but at +20% to cost.

Population: Total is 60000, 35000 in major city; dense in major city but sparse (farmers, fishing villages) elsewhere

Territory: Along upper peninsula around the eastern lake. About 100000 mi^2

Contact: Very well connected with trading partner across the neck of the lake, some contact/trade with half-elves in forest to the north.

Foreign Relations: Buys peaceful relations through trade, but is not approving or disapproving of far away wars (decrease stability, but war is good for the weapons trade).

Legal System: Detailed tax/import/export laws. Similarly for fishing/fishing territories. A highly regulated economy with the rich doing the regulation. Penalties for economic crimes approach those for violent crime (theft is as bad as murder in some cases). Also, there are many public health and disaster response laws.

Legal Enforcement: If the victim or parties involved are rich, stringently enforced. At that point, it does not necessarily favor who is richer unless one is a council-member or has bought a council-member. Interactions between the poor not strictly enforced. Public health and disaster response laws are very stringently enforced, regardless of societal tier.

Reaction to Outsiders: Welcoming of visitors, hard to actually immigrate. One of the more elf-friendly places as it has trade with younger elves and half-elves to the north.

Troubles: Being near a forest and swamp, as well as on the coast of a large agitated body of water, Ebheim suffers all manner of natural disasters. Floods from the central crater-sea, plagues from the jungles and swamps to the north, and the occasional bout of toxic runoff from the ashen rocks to the east. In response the council has levied laws requiring visitors to submit to examination and those showing signs of disease are turned away, and laws about minimum building heights and structural stability. However, recent complete and utter annihilation by a superior and merciless force seems to make these other problems appear rather insignificant. Funny that.

Military: Decently strong navy, but not much in the way of ground troops. Military is not a strong focus of this society.

Wealth: Highly stratified. The rich are extremely rich merchants. The poor are fishermen and farmers who can barely scrape together a few coppers.

Idea: A society perfectly positioned for trade that in previous ages had been wiped out by plague.

Important Sites: The major city in this region is where all trade passes through on its way across the neck. That city is named Ebheim, and the surrounding areas are filled with minor fishing villages and farmland.

City of Cest

See Cest

The Grand Caravan

About 20 years ago, a moderate sized group of merchants was driven out of the major trade city of Prant by intense civil strife. Most rational merchants would have relocated to another trade city and resumed business as usual. However, after several years of searching for a new home, these merchants struck upon a different idea. They realized that their entire business was in travels and that every day spent in their hometown was money lost. Further, they realized that resources spent protecting real estate and vying for city positions were also a waste. Instead, they took the lead of traveling circuses, even merging with one, and decided to call the road their home. They've since grown to a sizeable convoy known as The Grand Caravan.

The Grand Caravan maintains a 5-year circuit throughout the civilized lands from one edge to the other. In the fall, the Caravan stocks up enough food to last at least a year and generally they try to keep a full circuit’s worth on hand. Their regular schedule makes it possible for each region to prepare for their arrival, thus trade is always quite plentiful. And while the Caravan's primary purpose is trade and commerce, it has grown into much, much, more.

The years of business and the growth of reputation and prestige has attracted all manner of peoples to join the circuit. The only rule is that you must provide a service that is needed. The Caravan retains warriors sufficient to dissuade all but the largest militaries from direct raids.

The use of more practical aspects of magic has lessened many of the traditional plights of the average merchant. Extra-dimensional spaces make it possible to carry vast amounts of supplies in virtual stasis. Travel transmutations make it possible to repair roads or even forge new ones as needed in a relatively short amount of time. Divination makes it possible to determine where it is best to winter and when it is best to alter the route. Long distant communication with major ports of call is even possible, thus allowing cities to prepare for the Caravan's arrival.

Heildregch

Starting point for many adventureres, including the Swiss Ninjas, the Enemies of the State, and the Shining Lions. Heildregch is a small hamlet ruled by Lord Rober D'Venssi Heildregch. The town includes residences, small shops, and a temple to St. Jason (Legelican). The high cleric of the temple is Zarod Grandrig Heildregch.

Religion Focus: Legelican (St. Jason 50%), Meroc (Revistus 35%), Dromm (Hinobi 10%), Other (5%)

Society Focus: Agriculture, trade

Governement Focus: Expansion, trade, and regional security.

Government Structure: Kingdom

Soceity Structure: Familial, by farmlands

Societal Composition: Human 90%, Other 10%

Magic Level: Low/medium

Population: ~1100

Territory: ~625 square miles

Contact: well connected through the government and trade caravans

Foreign Relations: Security alliances and defensive treaties

Legal System: mostly unwritten traditions with major elements codified

Legal Enforcement: through the court of the nine and local guards

Reaction to Outsiders: friendly/neutral

Troubles: recent immigration influx, Bonegnasher loyalist raids, threats of war

Military: very small, militia

Wealth: medium/ most held by the king

Idea: This area is at the center of a hub of roads and is a friendly haven for travelers in the region.

Important Sites: Coppertop Plateau, the Mizeri Shaft, Bulgoths Verna, The Deep River, D'Venssi Keep, Temple of St. Jason

Lumcrox

A city with a tyrannic ruler, Michael Marcellus Akragas. War seems to be on the horizon between Lumcrox and some nearby cities.

Lyn Morat

Lyn Morat is also known as 'Fortress' to those who have visited it. It is a city shaped into layers, with the uppermost layer being a fortress which oversees the hill from atop a 20 foot high mot. The city has multiple layers of concentric walls and fortifications, and is ruled by twins borne of the previous ruler and head of family Morat: the brother Mathus and the sister Glisna. The kingdom had been beset by raids, during the last 200 years and had grown exceptionally paranoid, maintaining much of its supporting farmland within walls of stone. The people have as such grown very secure and overconfident in their fortifications, but Mathus and Glisna are aware of the kingdom's history and retain their vigilance.

Barbarian raids are not unusual for the last 200 years in almost any kingdom, but Lyn Morat in particular is besieged by strange beings from a nearby patch of corrupted land, a desert of grey ash which is stirred up by vicious choking wind storms. The raids against the kingdom have come from within the desert, perpetuated by beings whose skin is so covered in ash that it is impossible to judge their race. They fight to the death, almost to the point of insanity, sacrificing their own to cause another casualty on the people of Lyn Morat.

Monosa

Religion Focus: Edomith (Calvus 50%), Dromm (Hinobi 20%), Leadda (Quarbor 20%), Other 10%

Society Focus: Artworks, hearding, and glassmaking

Government Focus: isolationist, social stability Government Structure: Matriarchy

Society Structure: crafts based houses

Societal Composition: Human 75%, Elf 10%, Dwarf 6%, Halfling 6%, Other 3%

Magic Level: Low/Medium

Population: 1,110 (Urban)

Territory: 157 square miles

Contact: decent connections in the Matriarchy, but otherwise limited

Foreign Relations: mostly cut-off, minor alliances

Legal System: unwritten, treatises on this are available in the library

Legal Enforcement: by family and neighbors

Reaction to Outsiders: cool/ neutral-unfriendly

Troubles: various humanoid raids from the hills, undead from the desert east.

Military: small militia

Wealth: medium/ well spread out by houses

Idea: A town nestled in the hills nearby some plains, deserts, & mountains

Important Sites: The Library of Monosa, the ancient tower of Harbikail, the sandstone mines, and Monosa Commons

Neithem-Keroi

This kingdom lies at the foot of the Pikes, a mountain range to the southeast of Jasconius Bay. Eleven months out of the year they are friendly and outgoing, welcoming visitors and giving them the benefit of their hospitality with aplomb. The kingdom is supported by farmers and exports wood to others nearby. They also have decent relations with the dwarves, and the humans of Iron Center. However, during the second month of summer the kingdom suddenly shuts down, closes its borders, and bunkers. Citizens don't leave their homes during this month and subsist on stores they've harvested.

The citizens are rather close-lipped about this phenomenon and will not explain it or even acknowledge its existence to travelers and the like, until a few days before the second month begins, at which point they will quickly rush visiting dignitaries, guests, travelers, and so on from their homes and insist that they should leave the city.

Nessus, the Necropolis of the Blasted Plains

Religion Focus: None, the State Religion is ancestor worship, the Gods of Rathe are not welcome, and their missionaries are persecuted

Society Focus: Establishing a society independent of the gods

Government Focus: Keeping the city running smoothly, expanding the city's influence Government Structure: Classical Democracy (i.e., excludes slaves and resident aliens)

Society Structure: Democratic, though only undead may vote or own property or slaves (i.e., be citizens)

Societal Composition: various sentient undead, the majority of which are necropolitans

Magic Level: High, with a focus on Necromancy

Population: 30,000 citizens

Territory: 4 square km for the city itself, unknown underground holding

Contact: All commerce with foreigners is conducted through the Guild of Commerce

Foreign Relations: Borders are open to converts, garlic and silver are considered contraband

Legal System: Inquisitional

Legal Enforcement: Usually done in house by the appropriate guid, though there are Watchmen for dealing with non-guild business

Reaction to Outsiders: Apostates willing to undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration are sought after, Traders are tolerated, necromancers are welcome, other inhabitants of Rathe require work visas to enter.

Troubles: Discrimination against undead from the outside world, unlicensed commerce with mineral reserves

Military: Undead Hordes

Wealth: Mining

Frustrated by the manners, morals and trigger-happy nature of the Gods, an ancient group of necromancers chose to reject Them by putting their souls forever beyond Their reach. The necromancers renounced life and embraced undeath in a special rite called the Ritual of Crucimigration (one's type changes to undead). While the movement initially gained popularity with the humanoids of Rather, the Avatars saw them as a threat to the Temporal power of the Gods, and under their influence, converts (those who undergo the ritual are called Necropolitans) were feared and hunted like common monsters.

Desperate to practice their life-style free of persecution, the necroplitans fled to the poisoned blasted plains where they were unlikely to be easily followed and founded the city-state of Nessus. Necropolitans do not breed true and any offspring produced are mortal. At the age of majority (usually 18 ) any living humanoid or monstrous humanoid can petition the city council for consideration to undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration and become full citizens with the right to vote and own property. Only those of sufficient experience (Level 3) can survive the transformation (lose a level plus an additional 1000 xp), so petitioners must first be examined to determine their worthiness.

Necromancers, Dread Necromancers, True Necromancers, Pale Masters, Masters of Shrouds, Diresingers, etc.. also practice openly. Garlic and silver are considered contraband and city will not do direct business with foreign merchants unless they agree to undergo the ritual.

New Doarg

Religion Focus: Legelican (St. Richard 45%), Farewien (Namnet 15%), Meroc (Sirmio 30%), Dromm (Hinobi 7%), Other 3%

Society Focus: Mining, Herding, Hunting

Government Focus: Redevelopment, holy training, magical training Government Structure: Custodial/ Hero-Lords

Society Structure: communal/ lax

Societal Composition: isolated, Human 87%, Elf 7%, Dwarf 3%, Other 3%

Magic Level: Medium

Population: 1166

Territory: 170 square miles

Contact: well connected at government, decently connected through caravans and trade at lower levels

Foreign Relations: friendly (w/ treaties), wary otherwise

Legal System: codified by law, fair

Legal Enforcement: town guard and holy guards of St. Richard

Reaction to Outsiders: neutral - friendly

Troubles: the Hero-Lords have been missing for nearly 15 years, recent tensions between allies and nearby neighbors

Military: small, militia

Wealth: medium/low, much is held in the upper levels of society

Idea: Old Doarg was destroyed, New Doarg was re-founded by two adventurerers about 20 miles from the original site

Important Sites: Stronghold of Auzmanus, The Matron's Housing Extraordinaire, The Code of St. Richard, The Methanus Arcane Tower, The New Doarg School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Western Mines

City of Prant

On the southern side of the [Freshwater Lake] sits the city of Prant. The Royal Family makes claims of royal lineage back to the Emperors of years past, and this plays part in the royal family’s imperialistic dreams. To those who live in Prant, exposed to years of early and persuasive propaganda, they view the royal family as the rightful heirs of the empire, and view other kingdoms as illegitimate. As a result of these desires, the royal family attempts to weaken rival kingdoms, they take taxes out of trade, encourage less-than-honest business practices with outsiders, and warn that certain things must be kept from outsiders to ensure that Prant comes to power.

Merchant emissaries from Prant are sometimes rumored to be members of the “Guild of Fair Trade,” a secret group trained by the Royal Family to spy on those they trade with. Even among the natives the rumors are vague, and the only real knowledge about them is that they are not listed among the official Prant organizations.

Kingdom of Royvik (Towns of Bildyr and Sorns)

Royvik is a kingdom focused upon the pursuit of the fine arts, poetry, and song. Having seen the result of past kingdoms, the people of Royvik attempt to prevent the violent mistakes of the past by focusing on those crafts that are least likely to be used to kill – intellectual aesthetic pursuits. In fact, they follow this craft to such an extreme that often function is sacrificed for aesthetics: carpentry will be fancy, beautiful, but fragile. Craftsmen will build flaws into otherwise excellent pieces of work as an aesthetic statement and social commentary on the past.

Unfortunately, one of the neighboring kingdoms to Royvik has taken to commissioning artwork from this kingdom that is then modified for propagandistic purposes and as inspirational materials for their army. Royvik, as it currently stands, is unaware of these actions, and those who might be within the kingdom are silent about such occurrences.

Ralphoeus

Ralphoeus is a kingdom of plenty. Early on in the re-growth, after the fall of the empire, the people of this region discovered a valley shrouded in mists and teeming with life. For whatever reason, raiders seemed to avoid the valley or be unable to find it. Though Ralphoeus is located in a fairly dry plains area, this valley seemingly cut out of the flatness has plentiful water, in the form of underground springs.

It is hard for people to find the valley, but Ralphoeus sends envoys out to trade and bring in visitors. With a native guide, the journey is easy and safe. However, a strange property is noted of native Ralphoeans. Aside from their cultural eccentricities (of which they have several, being fairly isolated from the rest of Rathe) every Ralphoean has eyes of such light blue it is almost cyan, with huge irises and very small pupils. The Ralphoeans do not think this strange, and it does not confer any game-mechanical effects.

Beneath the valley lies a convoluted system of underground streams and caverns which carry the water of the valley's springs.

Xaister

A town to the south of Heildregch that has recently suffered major losses after an attack by a band of orcs.

Zetari Citadel

A city in Dheub Gherno populated by Azer, named for the temple at its center.