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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:44:46 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:44:46 GMT -5
Acheron - the Weeping Land
North of the Kingdom of Morava along the western shores of the Sea of Endymion sits Acheron, which stretches from the Hylas River in the south to the Great Northern Forest. This land was once the heart of Greater Morava. The Witch Queen conquered Greater Morava in the year 1094 and made the great city of Midian her western capital. With her defeat in 1200, the region was left to the tender mercies of rival warlords. Before the people were able to overthrow the warlords, disaster struck. Sergalla tribes swarmed out of the Great Northern Forest led by Bloodfang, favored of Grrgauh (possibly demogorgon).
By the time the sergalla were stopped at the Hylas River by Duke Belis of Belstraznya, ten thousand of them had swarmed over the Plains of Acheron, scattering the warlords' armies and the locals as well. Since that time, the land has been known as Acheron the Weeping Land. The few secure communities live close to their walls to avoid the brigands, sergalla, orcs and minotaurs that roam the land taking whatever they can.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:45:50 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:45:50 GMT -5
Athercast (Acheron)
When the nation of Greater Morava was first formed in the wake of the Livonian withdrawal, Cormac Athering made his capital on the island of Stergis where the Livonians had built a fortress. He named the new city Athercast after his family. The fortress controlled all of Acheron Bay.
During the reign of the Witch Queen, Athercast was reduced somewhat in prominence, but it played host to what little navy the Queen had at her disposal. After her fall, a scion of the Athering family led a revolt that took back control of the city. From time to time, the Atherings have made forays into Acheron proper, but they don't have the resources to effectively take back the country.
Seventy years ago, Delwin Athering left Athercast to find his fortune. He returned a changed man. He'd been turned into a vampire in his travels. Over time he turned several of his companions. More vampires flocked to the fortress city to serve him. He came to rule Athercast from the shadows, but seventy years ago he had the power to rule openly. Since that time Athercast has been a city run by vampires.
Lord Athering keeps them in check. They don't feed on the locals and they protect them from gnoll incursions. For this reason, the people of Athercast follow their vampire overlords. They may not like it, but they appreciate the protection.
Athercast holds about 10,000 people - 6000 humans, 2000 atryans, 1000 half-elves, 500 half-orcs, 300 lupari, 200 mixed elved, dweir, therans, etc....
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:46:42 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:46:42 GMT -5
Originally Posted by John Niska
Are the lupari shifters? Is Athercast close enough to Elocia to have trade interests/diplomatic ties? What does Athercast do for trade and income? Is it known for any products or crafts?
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:47:35 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:47:35 GMT -5
There is considerable trade between Athercast and Elocia. Athercast survives on trade and fishing (much like Elocia), but it has ties to many smaller communties inside Acheron. Because of its position, it controls access to the Acheron river. Trade between Midian and the smaller human communities along the Acheron river passes through Athercast. It also controls trade with the Lupari and the Haldreth River Kithauri.
Athercast itself is a well known source of pearls, clams and oysters, all of which dwell in the shallow waters of the Salt Mouth Bay to the north. They are also a source for furs from the interior of Acheron and the Lupar forest. Amber from the lands of the Vanir and the Cymbri far to the north also passes through their hands. Raw amber is carved into beautiful shaped by the skilled craftsmen of Athercast.
The merchants of Elocia are trepidatious about the Vampires of Athercast, but there are few incidents. Lord Athering wants the trade and keeps them in check. House Korakis (the only tiefling family of the Archonate) has considerable trade concerns in Midian and Athercast.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:48:53 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:48:53 GMT -5
The Lupari are the beastfolk of Rhiada. They belong to tribes based on totem animals, such as the Puma Clan, the Wolf Clan, the Bear Clan, the Fox Clan, the Badger Clan etc....
It's said that they are tribes of humans who've become animalistic through close association with their primal totem spirits. On the other hand, there is another theory that they were created in the form they now have by a mysterious cabal of druids as a way to escape an imminent threat thousands of years ago. One final theory is that they are the descendants of lycanthropes. No one knows for sure.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:56:22 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:56:22 GMT -5
Midian (Acheron)
The largest city in Acheron is Midian, a fortified city surrounded by high, thick walls. It sits on both sides of the Acheron River and controls a massive stone bridge that spans its 1000 foot width. The river is deep enough for keelboats to come safely to dock. It is the only easy crossing of the Acheron River along its entire length.
In the days before the Livonian conquest, Midian was the capital of the Kingdom of Lasky. Many Atryans sought refuge in Midian, fleeing the Livonian conquest of their homeland. It was their support for Atryan terrorism that brought the Livonian legions to the Sea of Endymion. It was the last Moravan kingdom to be conquered by the Livonians. And after the Livonian withdrawal it was the last part of Morava to join the kingdom of Greater Morava. Once Xandia had defeated the Moravan army, the nobles of Midian opened the gates allowed her into the city. For this reason, the Witch Queen made Midian her western capital. After her fall, the nobles of the city declared independence and prepared to fight for control of the region. When the gnolls invaded, they were able to keep them away from the walls of Northern Midian. According to the tales, wave after wave of sergalla broke against the walls of Midian. In the end, the sergalla used canoes to cross the river downstream from the city. Since the sergalla incursion, the territory within 50 miles of Midian south of the river has never been pillaged.
Midian is the safest territory in the Acheron River Valley. The serfs of Midian may be oppressed by their tyrannical overlords, but they don’t fear being devoured by sergalla. They grow food, most of which they trade to Athercast, and fish the river. Furriers bring their wares to Midian to sell, as do the more adventurous farmers from the surrounding area. Many apple, pear and plum orchards abound in the region. Those brave enough to harvest the fruit bring it to Midian to be milled, dried or fermented.
Midian is governed by the Tyrants, powerful nobles who owe their position to their power rather than their genealogy. Most Tyrants are pact mages, priests of the Nine Citadels, sorcerers, wizards or great tacticians. The most powerful Tyrants are the Warlock Lords, the nine most powerful pact mages in Midian. They control the nine wards of the city and form the core of the government of Midian. All of the Warlock Lords are atryans.
The city of Midian holds 20,000 people – 7000 humans, 5000 atryans, 3000 half-orcs, 2000 half-elves, 1000 kithauri, 1000 dweir and 1000 mixed (lupari, elves, minotaurs, scatha and therans).
The countryside is filled with serfs and their Tyrant overlords, while more than 20% of the urban population are slaves. In general, the people of Midian are oppressed, but grimly resigned to it in exchange for their safety.
The Korakis family of Elocia, the only atryan household in the Archonate, originally comes from Midian and maintains strong ties to the Warlock Lords. They have a trade concession in both Athercast and Midian. Lady Azeira Korakis (wife of Archon Rathgar Korakis) is the daughter of one of the powerful Warlock Lords of Midian.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 16:58:23 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 16:58:23 GMT -5
Gandry (Acheron)
This walled town of 5000 inhabitants sits on the northern edge of the Hylas forest near the coast of the Sea of Endymion. It was freed from the rampages of gnolls in the year 1346 by a group of mercenary adventurers. Since that time it has been safe from predation.
The adventurers share power. They live a good life, but aren't just living the life of luxury. Sergalla are an omnipresent danger and they have to train the local militia. The wizard Sidenko has even begun training a few apprentices.
The Queen's Highway stretches from Elocia into the Petty Baronies and curves around the Hylas wood to run along the coast. Gandry is the first real city on the Acheron side of the border. It continues along the coast to the River Acheron and then heads upstream to Midian.
Gandry has no deep water port, but it does have a long pier at which fishermen dock their boats. The community is too small to be a major fish trader. Most of its product is eaten locally. The city is self-sufficient and doesn't really engage in trade.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 17:00:04 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 17:00:04 GMT -5
Trebica (Acheron)
Off the coast of Acheron sits the island of Trebica, a small piece of land 2-3 miles wide and 10 miles long. It survived the sergalla incursions due to its relative inaccessibility. It was a land of shephers and fishers, until a Karthian merchant convinced the local lord to allow them to build a trade gate. Since that time, Trebica has been slowly assimilated by the Karthians.
They've used magic to excavate a deep port on the north end of the island. They also constructed ships to carry Karthian goods to other cities including Elocia.
The current lord of Trebica is a doddering old man who's lost control of his domain to the Karthian Trade Legate. It's this man and the Merchant Guard who actually control the island.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 17:02:01 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 17:02:01 GMT -5
Originally Posted by John Niska
There is currently no trade gate in Elocia, right? Have the Karthians tried to get a gate established in Elocia? It could be exchanging a monarch for a different type of ruler but it could also strengthen Elocia.
My Response
The Karthians will only establish a trade gate if they can be guaranteed extraterritoriality.
The Elocians will not allow a Karthian Trade Gate to be established because the Karthian Gate Directorate requires that all Gate Complexes have extraterriality. That is, they are part of Karthis - not part of the nation in which they are situated. The Dukes of Elocia will not allow a foreign power a back door into their city.
When Xandia used the teleport circle in Athercast to invade the city, the Elocians destroyed their public teleport circle. Now all of the teleport circles in the city are tightly controlled. The public teleport circle is located in a secure bailey in Black Rock tower. The Magisterion maintains one for the use of its members and the Temple of Light maintains one for its own use. It is widely suspected that there is one in Thalusa tower.
The PCs know this to be true as well as knowing about the one in the hidden Kaldrimmon Tower. You may remember that the new Duke entered Kaldrimmon Tower so that the Circle at Thalusa Tower could pull him through (a much higher level ritual than the linked portal ritual).
The Karthian Trade Gates are different from Teleport Circles, in that they are magic items. Anyone who knows the correct coordinates can activate a Trade Gate with a difficult arcana check. They are not teleport circles and cannot be used with the Linked Portal ritual. They only connect to one another and to any surviving ancient Theran gates. They are an arcane knock-off of ancient Theran Psi-Gate. The only know Theran gate to survive is located in Pthallo in the Niemocrands.
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Acheron
Jun 12, 2011 17:13:25 GMT -5
Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 17:13:25 GMT -5
North Acheron
The northernmost regions of Acheron, north of the Acheron River, consist mostly of flat plains that stretch to Halueth Bay in the east, the Great Hyborian Forest to the North and the Northern Plains to the west (Tyrathis), leading directly into the Old Atryan heartland. This region is heavily populated with sergalla tribes. Most of the citizens of Greater Morava were killed or driven south of the Acheron River during the incursion. The primary exception are the Alanish horsemen.
In the northern reaches of the Somber Mountains, in the northwestern limits of Acheron, is the Sevalic Pass. High in the mountains lies the Vale of Barovy, led by the Zerovic family, descendants of the great Count Zerovic who held the sergalla at the pass. This land has been cut off from the rest of civilized Acheron since the incursion.
The northern plain is the pathway that Atryan refugees used to enter Acheron, and the pathway the Livonians used to follow them into the Sea of Endymion. The Alanish horsemen are a group of nomads who dominate the northern plain. Ethnically, they’re related to both the Moravans and the Sugda nomads of the Sea of Grass. Although primarily human, some clans of kithauri, elves and half-elves are also counted as Alans.
The Alans were allies of the Livonian empire and provided auxiliary cavalry for their legions. They were never incorporated into Greater Morava or into Xandia’s Empire. During the reign of the Witch Queen, the Alanish clans absorbed many refugees from her rule. Most of the Alanish clans retain their worship of the primal spirits and of their ancestors, but a minority are adherents of the Church of Light.
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