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| - | ==The Stone Lair (Kobolds)== | + | ==Kobolds== |
| - | According to commonly held historical views, the Stone Lair is the second state to be created, shortly after the Orcs got one. Sheltered by the mighty peaks of the Greyjaw mountains, the Stone Lair civilization formed as an alliance of individual warrens ruled by a patriarch loosely subject to the Supreme Matron. These positions can be quick to change hands due to various violent reasons, so to maintain the appearance of an uninterrupted royal presence, each patriarch wears metallic armour of a unique colour. The Matron’s armour is said to be an elaborate iridescent pearl design that represents her dominion over all the colours. As only patriarchs are permitted to even know the location of the Matron’s warren, very few kobolds, and no outsiders, have seen her in person.<br>
| + | [[Crucible:Kobolds|Kobolds]] |
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| - | A patriarch is required to maintain a royal guard of at least fifty master swordsmen, and a contingent of spellcasters that make up the administrative branch of the patriarchy. Typically, a patriarch will also command several legions of warriors, depending on the patriarchy’s budget and the necessity of such a force.<br>
| + | ==Orcs== |
| | + | [[Crucible:Orcs|Orcs]] |
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| - | A new patriarchy can be formed by either a binding decree from a Matron or a coalition of patriarchs that willingly pledge some of their soldiers and citizens to form the royal guard and administrative office of the new settlement. The prospective patriarch must, however, pay for his own armour and construction labour, and so must be extremely wealthy in addition to his talent.<br>
| + | ==Dwarves== |
| | + | [[Crucible:Dwarves|Dwarves]] |
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| - | Until recently, the Stone Lair was the only nation without a southern frontier, as they were cut off from development in that direction first by the terrain and then by the dwarves. That, combined with the strength of the Lair’s warrior caste, guarantees stability for the lower classes of koboldkind (and whatever other races – usually gnomes and dwarves – choose to live in the Lair). Anyone with any connection to the nobility, however, is soon drawn into a subtle war, with patriarchs jockeying for position, wealth, and influence against one another, as well as against neighbouring states. The losers of this struggle that are deemed likely to make a comeback are rarely killed or imprisoned, but either exiled or posted to the Tail.<br>
| + | ==Humans== |
| | + | [[Crucible:Humans|Humans]] |
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| - | The Greyjaws are both a blessing and a curse to the kobolds. While their narrow passes and treacherous slopes deter any would-be attackers, the high altitude and cold climate of the mountains has always made food difficult to find. Kobolds developed advanced weaponry largely as a result of this scarcity, climbing up the food chain with impeccably constructed hunting tools. It is said that skilled weaponsmiths became the first patriarchs, gathering warriors to them with the promise of the best tools with which to fight. <br>
| + | ==Elves== |
| | + | [[Crucible:Elves|Elves]] |
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| - | The Lair has mostly good relations with orcs, going back to their shared history. Orc shipping along Clearwater Lake and Silver River provides the Lair with a lifeline of trade and markets for its rich natural resources and locally produced weapons. They are less friendly with the elves, admiring their crafts but being generally distrustful of their lack of organization. They have no problem with gnomes, as they have no sovereign territory, and even permit them into positions of authority, as the gnomes don’t play the kobold game of power. Kobolds see dwarves as manufacturing and trade rivals and often try to undermine their mining operations, and view humans as immature savages.<br>
| + | ==Gnomes== |
| - | | + | [[Crucible:Gnomes|Gnomes]] |
| - | ====Adventuring in the Stone Lair====
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| - | There are few monsters in the region, and it is exceedingly difficult to so much as draw a weapon without having to get eleven different permits first. There is, however, demand for pawns to be used in the political game. Mercenaries, especially non-kobold ones, are often kept on retainer for an indefinite length of time, after which they receive orders to go and do a seemingly inconsequential thing without being told why. Those adept in social graces, on the other hand, will find it more profitable to enter the game as players instead of pieces. Alliances with other players are possible as long as you only seek to obtain resources, but the moment someone thinks you're making a grab for power, prepare to meet some of the mercenaries from earlier in this paragraph.
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| - | ===Stone Lair Culture===
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| - | '''Casus Belli:''' A method of planning initially developed by kobold nobles to draft attacks on elven and human holdings turned into a game after a general peace was reached, and embraced by many of the other races (including the very same elves). Over time, it has developed into a competition of historical knowledge as well as strategy, and includes complicated combinations of cards, pieces and dice.<br>
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| - | Play requires at least two parties of any size. Every round, each member makes three of the following checks (chosen by party consensus), and the party uses the highest result in each: Bluff, Diplomacy, Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty), Sense Motive, Survival. If the party got the highest result for that skill, they gain a token (unchallenged rolls must still exceed DC11 + the number of objectives). Subsequently, parties may use the tokens they have to make double blind bids. The winning bidder gets to claim an objective on the board. It is possible to take an already claimed objective, but you must win the bid by more than the objective’s bid was originally won by. Once all objectives are gone, the game ends.
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| - | ==The Tail (Kobolds)==
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| - | Nominally a colony of the Stone Lair, the Tail is a small stretch of land in the Greyjaw mountains bordered by the Deeplands to the north and frontier land to the south. Though it is ruled by a patriarch, he is not expected to remain in contact with his equals in the Lair due to the foreign lands separating the two. Etiquette demands that he make no attempt, allegedly because of risking intelligence leaks but in actuality because the leadership of the Stone Lair uses the Tail as a dumping ground for dissidents more than anything else. The Tail is formally known as the White Patriarchy, both for the colour of its patriarch’s armour and the snow that blankets the area most of the time.
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| - | Rivers to the east and west allow the Tail to maintain trade with humans, dwarves, and orcs, and thereby ensure a continued survival of the colony. Racial prejudice is all but forgotten in the face of adversity, and for this reason, the Tail is the best springboard for an expedition into the unexplored South due to its considerable goblin population. Likewise, there is no tolerance for the political games of the Stone Lair here, and few even make the attempt, because being even the patriarch of the Tail is not worthy of very much respect by the standards of the Lair.<br>
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| - | ====Adventuring in the Tail====
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| - | Dragons and goblins are a constant source of problems for the local administration, which is generally much more open about its affairs than the Stone Lair's various patriarchies are. There is very little crime here, mostly because there is nothing to steal. It is understood that trade is the lifeblood of the Tail, and all efforts that do not go towards fighting off monsters from the south go into securing trade routes, scouting for new trade routes, arranging more trade, reclaiming lost supplies, and more trade-related things.
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| - | ==The Great Host (Orcs)==
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| - | The Host was the very first civilization, a confederation of small nomadic tribes banding together at the dawn of history to defend themselves against attacks by elder beings and elves. Since the first orcish town of Spearpoint was built on the coast of the Inner Sea, the orcs have relentlessly expanded both east along the rocky shore and south into dense forests and fertile flood plains.<br>
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| - | Orcs have a very strict social hierarchy, a relic of the days when disciplined armies made the difference between life and death for the race. Military rank is equated with social standing, and tightly woven into the responsibilities of citizenry. The lowest class, apprentices and students, are relegated to militia status, expected to learn their trade first and foremost, for in times of war they will have to manage things at home while the skilled warriors fight for their country. They do not have the right to self-enterprise, and must work under a master. The next step up consists of professionals of their craft. They must maintain a passing acquaintance with the art of war in addition to their work, and are permitted to labour for their own profit. As an orc’s ranking increases (through achievements on the field of battle as well as in his craft), he is expected to spend more time practicing combat, and less on his work, which is why experienced orcs usually take on apprentices and underlings to perform time-consuming tasks (without sufficient rank, no orc has the right to do this). The orcish nobility trains regularly, convening rarely to make general decisions that are then passed down the chain of command for execution. It is said that the greatest of orcs are so skilled with the blade that they are tireless and can move through the motions of their training while asleep. The high marshal of the Host certainly conveys that impression, as he has a habit of shouting orders to his subjects while in the heat of mock battles.<br>
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| - | This combination of martial prowess and skill in their craft has allowed orcs, among other things, to build and man the best ships of all the races, and use them to establish trading outposts along the coast of the Inner Sea and the Tusk Islands. With trade comes piracy, and orcish buccaneers often venture as far as human and elven shores to plunder and pillage.<br>
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| - | The majority of orcish trade exports go to the kobolds, in exchange for weapons and minerals that the orcish lands are poor in. They grudgingly maintain trade with dwarves as well. Elves have little to offer the orcs, who hold an ancestral grudge against them. Orcs are perhaps the only race to dislike the gnomes, seeing them as little different from elves, and thus suspicious at best. As the only nation that does not border human lands, orcs are largely indifferent towards them; they see humans as hardy, resourceful, and dependable, and will often hire them as sailors.
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| - | ====Adventuring in the Great Host====
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| - | By the most part, the Host is too well policed and too far from the frontier to experience many problems that can be solved by violence. Due to the age of local settlements, it is one of the few places where one can actually expect to find abandoned ruins - fortifications destroyed or fallen into disuse after shifting borders, or testing facilities abandoned by the army and not covered up well enough. Nearer the Greyjaws, where mines bite deep into the earth and lumberjacks mow down forests, it is possible to find rampaging primordials awakened from their slumber. To the west, nearer the border with Brinkwood, escaped feral elves sometimes threaten the populace.
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| - | The one place in Host lands where adventurers can distinguish themselves is further south along the shore of the Inner Sea, where the Host has expanded to cut dwarves off from the sea. The large distance from the orc heartland makes it difficult to provide consistent supplies and reinforcements to the area. Supply lines both by sea and along the narrow strip of land that separates the Deeplands and Windgrove from the shore are constantly being raided by pirates, bandits, and the occasional monster wandering in through Windgrove. Many of the locals are of the opinion that the Host has overextended its push into the frontier lands, as the lack of supplies often means that the authorities cannot even pay those adventurers that come to their rescue.
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| - | ===Spearpoint===
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| - | Jutting out above the Inner Sea, the 200-year-old orc fortress of Spearpoint stands at the tip of the eponymous peninsula, and is considered the oldest settlement in the world. It is practically the symbol of the Great Host, as orcs all over know it for its history and significance to orc culture, and others are treated to a sight of its mighty walls as they sail into port. Orcish coins are stamped with the image of Spearpoint, so that even those who have never seen it in person at least know what it looks like. Since its original construction, repairs and additions have greatly expanded the fortress. The original site is now surrounded by three walls, each named after the marshal who commissioned it.
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| - | The outer wall, separating adjoining farmland, peasant dwellings, and slums from the merchant quarter and docks, cannot be seen from the sea, because it does not go around all the way. This was a calculated effect, as the wall is made of wood due to its great length, which would have made other materials more expensive. While it is constantly patrolled by guards, fires from the slums occasionally set sections of the wall alight, and as a result, there is usually at least one section of this wall that is under repair at any given time. Officially named after the late Marshal Rasheg, this wall is colloquially known as the Warning Wall - both for the heavy guard presence here that warns would-be criminals of the rule of law, and the head spikes mounted above each gate for more serious offenders. The zone beyond is named the Golden Ring, for its mercantile activity.
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| - | The middle wall is made of white stone, beyond which lie the barracks of soldiers, training grounds, armories, and other army installations. Outsiders are rarely permitted here without an escort, though during tournaments, melees, and other such events, all are welcome to attend or even try their luck and fight. Citizens (though not foreigners) are permitted into the stables, which double as a zoo and contain many exotic mounts, monsters bred for fighting, and dangerous beasts used for miscellaneous purposes. The white wall is named after Marshal Algarak, and the section it surrounds is known as the Steel Ring.
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| - | The final wall is comparatively small, and made of solid adamantine. This wall surrounds the city's administrative section and the housing of high-ranked officers. No outsiders are allowed in, and even visitors to one of the residents are treated with great suspicion and are never without an escort of elite soldiers. This section of the city is littered with monuments to great victories and fallen heroes. The wall is named after Dormannul, the very first Marshal of the orcs, and the sector beyond it is referred to as the Parchment Ring, for nowhere else in the Great Host is the pen actually mightier than the sword.
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| - | Beyond lies the original Spearpoint. Though its fortifications are diligently maintained, they were never particularly impressive, and the site is not that defensible in case an attacker breaches the other walls. The fortress is still the seat of the marshal and his closest circle, and many of its rooms, no longer necessary for their original functions, have been refitted as museums.
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| - | Currently, the orcs are constructing a fourth wall, meant to encompass the slums. Officially for protection, it is well known that the new wall is supposed to stop trafficking of contraband into the city.
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| - | ====Adventuring in Spearpoint====
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| - | The sheer weight of military presence makes crime beyond Algarak's Wall a non-issue; while there are investigations into corruption and the occasional tribunal for dereliction of duty, the orcs don't let outsiders participate, or even gather evidence. The only exception is when an envoy of another nation is the victim of a crime, in which case that nation is usually permitted a small contingent to work with the local investigators. Since these affairs are mostly paperwork, nobody really tries to help except some particularly misguided gnomes.
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| - | The Golden Ring and slums, though, are rife with smuggling activity, as merchants are unwilling to pay the steep tariffs levied on goods that pass through Rasheg's Wall. There are many rival trafficking gangs, each with their own secret tunnels, guardsmen on the take, and unhinged dwarven artificers trying to knock together a device for passing through walls or flying over them or some such. The thieves of Spearpoint may not all be the best at thieving, but the ones that are still alive are definitely the best at not being caught. These smuggling gangs also invest heavily in enforcers who tactfully remind merchants about their debts, and duke it out with other gangs over territory and clients. While the guards may be able to keep roads into the city secure, few dare to dwell into the deeper portions of the slums.
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| - | Dock workers have their share of trouble, too - both with the smugglers and with various nasty beasties that roam the Inner Sea. Though sahuagin rarely make attacks on population centres, the large concentration of fish on the docks makes them a tempting target for aquatic beasts up to and including krakens. Young and reckless orcs often buy fish by the boatload and take it back out into the ocean in an attempt to lure out one of these leviathans and then defeat it.
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| - | ==Tusk Islands (Orcs)==
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| - | In addition to the contiguous territory controlled by the Host, it also claims the Tusk Islands, a chain of nine islands that defines the boundary of the Inner Sea to the east. Gradual expansion has added small areas on both continents to the Tusks, as the colonies are informally known. Each island is ruled by a knight-captain of the Host, who must pay an annual tithe of goods to the high marshal, as a demonstration of administrative competence, in order to retain the position. Unlike all other high ranks in the Host, other races have earned the rank of knight-captain in the past, mostly human sailors or mercenaries taking the initiative after their employers were killed or abandoned their posts. Most Tuskers (permanent residents of the Tusk Islands) consider themselves a separate nation and people from the far-off Great Host.
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| - | ====Adventuring in the Tusks====
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| - | Remote and surrounded by the sea, the Tusks are not a place for the weak to gather. To the north, giants are a constant problem - though they are often friendly with the orcs, these relations are often fragile. To the south, continental monsters are always a threat, and along the islands themselves, sahuagin raiders are never far away. The need for powerful warriors is so pronounced that many sea captains, when given the choice between hiring sailors or paying more for brutes that wouldn't recognize a main-mast unless you nailed a goblin heart to it, will always choose the latter. Law in the Tusks is more often than not the will of the man with the most swords. That man is usually the knight-captain in charge, but not always, especially when some of those brutes come into port.
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| - | ==The Deeplands (Dwarves)==
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| - | The appearance of the dwarves into a more or less organized society that was familiar with the idea of record-keeping gave scholars an insight into the formation of the other races. Not a lot of insight – kobold scouts reported seeing glimpses of short, bearded humans far east of where humans were supposed to live, and within days, bands of these creatures were spotted wandering the mountains. A platoon ordered to capture all humans in the mountains returned in tatters with reports of a fortified mountain pass, staffed by these humanoids. Within a year, several of these fortifications had developed, some seized from the kobolds or orcs and others constructed in the stone cliffs. It took somewhat longer for these strongholds to become aware of one another, mostly because they were besieged by kobolds and orcs seeking to destroy this new enemy.<br>
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| - | The current borders of the Deeplands were established only after a series of brutal wars against the kobolds and orcs. The dwarves had poor weapons, few numbers, and no resources, and managed to grab a foothold only through the element of surprise. Certain dwarves quickly emerged as inventors, cobbling together weapons and magical rites that were as powerful a they were unstable, and the remaining population of the strongholds eventually aligned itself into three castes – those that use the weapons, those that try to make them explode less, and those that make sure everyone else doesn’t starve. The genius inventors, and those military dwarves willing to use their weapons, gradually all blew themselves up, leaving the dwarves as a cautious race that emphasized safety and order over flashes of individual genius. The social structures of the old order remained, however, with each dwarven stronghold resembling a research institute more than a city. The scientists are indisputably in charge, led by a rector who has oversight of the chief warriors and administrators in addition to his researchers. The rectors of each city form a national council with a rotating chairmanship called the Lord Rector. <br>
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| - | Dwarves do not settle new land much mainly because this arrangement results in resource allocation that benefits technological development and education more than it does any competent organization and expansion outside of the labs. Only when new resources or testing grounds are needed do dwarves actually start caring about that stuff. Dwarves that are not happy with this arrangement (i.e. the dwarves that would have blown themselves up building cool stuff) usually join merchant caravans as guards or traders, and leave in search of new resources to tap for the Lord Rector – a government contract is a very lucrative thing even for an adventurous dwarf.<br>
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| - | Though the populations of dwarven strongholds have a low opinion of kobolds and orcs, their historical enemies, trader dwarves have let bygones be bygones. Gnomes and elves, with their decentralized and “primitive” lifestyles, have very little to offer to the dwarven culture. Dwarves dislike humans the least of all the great races, though the mountain range separating their lands makes any military assistance unlikely.<br>
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| - | ====Adventuring in the Deeplands====
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| - | There is no shortage of artificers wanting to test out some golem or explosive in the Deeplands, which creates a reliable market for well-armed "research assistants". All the mining going on is also a surefire way to enrage some earth primordials, and the mountainous region combined with a high concentration of gold mines attracts dragons like few other things can. The Deeplands do not have a large frontier territory, but the insular dwarves very rarely bother to scout it, and will often delegate it to either adventurers or their machines (which sometimes go rogue and need to be put down). Their absent-mindedness and propensity for experimenting often results in magical caches and laboratories being abandoned to the elements without so much as putting up a warning sign...which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on who you ask.
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| - | ==Brinkwood (Elves)==
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| - | Brinkwood is the ancestral homeland of the elves, insofar as a race like theirs can have one, and lies to the west of the Great Host, nested between the peaks of the Greyjaws and the waves of the Inner Sea. It was here that the first elves appeared, clashed with orcs and kobolds, and then retreated into heavily forested areas to hide when it was clear they would lose that war. The sudden appearance of elves continued elsewhere, but for a very long time, it was only here that they would make it to maturity, and then organize themselves to push back against the orcs and kobolds. Brinkwood is still the most civilized of all elvish lands precisely for that reason, and it is usually here that traders come when seeking their goods. Even gnomes tend to stay away from other elvish lands, as their interests in mortal societies are not piqued often by this race of ageless loners.<br>
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| - | When the humans appeared, driven west through Brinkwood by orc attacks, they naturally came in contact with the elves. There was no love lost between the tired humans and paranoid elves. Many of the fortifications and other settlements built during the war against the orcs were destroyed when elves discovered that humans tended to hunker down in these places and try to use them, instead of continuing their journeys. Thus developed the notion of “elvish hospitality,” meaning that the host would readily burn down his own house if it meant inconveniencing his guest. Eventually, humans left the elvish lands, mostly by dying, though many made it to the west and created their own kingdom. <br>
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| - | As they do not need to eat, elves never went through the hunter-gatherer stages of society. All that they required for survival was not being killed by anything, including other elves, which encouraged a more individualistic lifestyle. Groups of elves are usually formed during their feral stages, with a pack leader ruling largely by force. As the elves mature and get stronger, their need for protection declines along with their respect for the alpha, and eventually the group will disperse completely. The long memories of elves help them remember this stage of their life for a long time, so it is not uncommon for an elf to recognize the passage of a former pack-mate that he has not seen for decades. They often communicate this way, by leaving messages woven with plants that other elves will recognize, and can organize themselves quickly without having to speak a single word.
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| - | ====Adventuring in Brinkwood====
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| - | Skirmishes between the humans and the elves still happen from time to time, and pirates raiding along the Inner Sea sometimes think that the ungoverned elven lands are ripe for the picking. The lack of large concentrations of people and abundance of wilderness makes this an ideal place for beginner adventurers just learning the difference between the two ends of a spear. There are also many opportunities to hunt exotic game here, as the elves themselves rarely bother, and sometimes even defend their wildlife against hunters if the fancy strikes them. The individuality of elves makes it difficult for any one of them to have a good idea of what's going on in every corner of the region, so there may well be many mystical and incredible places in Brinkwood that nobody cared about enough to map.
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| - | ==Shadowvale (Elves)==
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| - | Though elves had established a land of their own in Brinkwood, their wanderlust and need for excitement resulted in many elves travelling outward, through the lands of other races. As they did so, they discovered feral elves pretty much everywhere, though most were hunted as vermin by the locals. Determined to create a place for these elves, the wanderers banded together and, through a mix of negotiations and military action, won a place for the elves of the south-west to congregate. Shadowvale, so called because it lies in the shadows of the Greyjaws, is surrounded on the other three sides by human colonies. The only thing separating it from frontier regions is the concentration of elves – Shadowvale contains some of the deadliest monsters known to anyone. Many adventurers, mostly humans, dwarves, and kobolds from the Tail, come here to test their mettle, hoping that the large elvish presence makes the enterprise somewhat less risky than delving into uncharted territories. Two rivers bordering Shadowvale make it easy for traders to service the area, but human control of the sea shores to the west into which these rivers drain gives them a tight stranglehold on what actually gets to its destination. It is common to find goblins in this land, fleeing the mountains for any number of reasons, from rival clans to attacks by primordials.<br>
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| - | ====Adventuring in Shadowvale====
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| - | Many adventurers are attracted to Shadowvale due to its solid dragon population, mostly because the thick forests provide good cover when the fight turns against you and you want to escape. The goblin presence is a boon for adventurers - sometimes they need killing, and sometimes they come asking for help, but there's usually a reward just around the corner as soon as you see a goblin shamble into your line of sight. Many criminals attempt to evade justice by heading into Shadowvale, but they rarely make trouble once they actually get there. The bounty hunters coming after them, on the other hand, are a constant problem.
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| - | ==Windgrove (Elves) ==
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| - | Just as travelling elves from Brinkwood that headed west, east-bound travellers discovered many feral elves throughout orcish and dwarven lands. Unable to extract any concessions from either race, these elves merely headed further south to establish their sanctuary. Like Shadowvale, it is bordered by rivers that make it easy for adventurers and supplies to come in, but as these rivers drain into the Inner Sea, the amount of traffic that Windgrove receives is far larger. Most of that traffic is because orcs control that shore, and trade with the Tusk Islands brings in many ships riding in on the constant winds that give the area its name.<br>
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| - | Bordered by orc colonies to the north and east, and dwarven lands to the west, Windgrove’s remaining border is with the frontier lands. Mottled Lake stops many of the continent’s nastier monsters from wandering into Windgrove by accident, and orcish colonies further south-east draw the attention of the rest. This makes Windgrove an ideal place for many beginner adventurers to acquaint themselves with the frontier without the risk of being overrun by a large number of foes.
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| - | ====Adventuring in Windgrove====
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| - | Bandits plaguing orcish supply lines that run along the shore of the Inner Sea usually make their camps in Windgrove, taking their plunder to the Deeplands for trade. Mottled Lake is also a common route for those who think they can get away with raiding the Great Host and then disappearing back into the forests. Many of these pirates have grown wealthy through their work, and it is not uncommon to have a bounty for the capture of a pirate be considerably smaller than the fee paid by that pirate for helping them traverse the riskier monster-ridden routes.
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| - | ==Terminus (Humans)==
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| - | Driven from their original homes by raids from orcs and kobolds, and given no hospitality from the elves, humanity came to a shore beyond which they could go no further, and this was where they made their first home. Largely safe from foes that dwell along the Inner Sea, humanity began expanding along this coast, guided first by trial and error and then by the gnomes that discovered them here. Having an accessible sea route to ferry troops and supplies made this position easy to defend against kobold invaders, who had to move their own supplies through mountainous terrain.<br>
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| - | Terminus is a land rich with trouble. Many predators such as harpies make their homes among cliffs on the shoreline, harassing shipping and settlements. The weather is prone to hurricanes, tides behave erratically, and the open ocean is a home for many gigantic monsters. Many dragons also make this place their hunting grounds, swooping in from the Greyjaws and taking advantage of sea winds to cover large distances looking for prey. To the south, past Shadowvale, a day where there was only a goblin raid is a good day – humans have made it further into the frontier lands than anyone, and pay the price for their temerity daily.<br>
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| - | For this reason, humanity has a strange relationship with many of these monsters. Seeing no need to bend down before a ruler that can’t personally beat up them and their entire clan, most human settlements are actually ruled by monstrous creatures – most commonly dragons in the south and giants on the foothold on the northern continent and islands. Thus, one of the duties of the royal court is to periodically sweep the land to put the fear of the King into said monsters. That title is not entirely accurate, as Terminus is a theocracy, ruled by the pantheon of humanity’s gods. These gods tolerate the presence of monstrous rulers in their kingdom because they are so short-staffed, but in reality would like nothing more than to wipe out every single non-human creature in Terminus, and often secretly sponsor would-be monster hunters to take on some ruler or another that has annoyed them without officially breaking any laws.<br>
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| - | Terminus maintains terse relations with its former enemies. What trade comes from the islands to the north is usually sent to other settlements in Terminus rather than abroad. Due to the ambassadorial influence of its significant gnomish population, some lines of communication are maintained with kobolds (mostly for teaming up on dragon hunts), elves of Shadowvale (to combat frontier threats), and orcs (to coordinate fleets against pirates). Terminus trades often with the Deeplands, however, and human travelers wishing to head east often wisely choose to brave the mountain passes rather than take the sea route.
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| - | ====Religion in Terminus====
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| - | As previously mentioned, the pantheon of Terminus doubles as its executive government. The one in charge, the god Cain, is officially referred to as the First Citizen, which is no modest title as he is literally the very first human to have come into being (at least, insofar as anyone has been able to determine). Cain's portfolios are plentiful - he is the god of Humans, Domination, Survival, and Strife. His right-hand man, Memitim, controls the portfolios of Vengeance and Zeal, and is usually the one tasked with eliminating threats to the stability of Terminus. These two rarely participate in the actual day-to-day administration of Terminus, this duty generally delegated to Malkira, goddess of Sacrifice and Hope. While many offer their prayers directly to these gods, they each have their own retinues composed of minor gods and powerful mortals. Cain's honour guard of five hundred elite warriors is known as one of the fiercest fighting forces in the world and usually spend their time training, dispersed among the realm's urban centres. Occasionally, they are called under Cain's personal banner, usually used as a hammer against denizens of the frontier lands to shatter initial resistance and establish a beachhead. The gleaming armours and curved sabres of these warriors are regarded as the symbols of Cain. The representatives of Memitim are black-cloaked inquisitors and assassins, loved by none but feared by all. For one to reveal himself as a member of Memitim's retinue is a significant thing, as they usually work in deep secrecy - and often means that those around to witness the declaration won't be alive for much longer. Malkira's most trusted servants are no warriors, and many of them have no combat training to speak of. They are all, however, fanatically devoted to ensuring that Terminus runs along the course set by Cain (or, as dissident factions often imply, the course chosen by Malkira herself). If a Terminus citizen is in desperate enough straits to directly appeal to a member of the ruling caste, they will turn to Malkira's administrators who, in turn, constantly demand favours of the other retinues.
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| - | Where minor gods are concerned, every single position of importance in Terminus is usually filled by one. Even some especially popular monstrous mayors have been known to find themselves gaining divine powers, though the shadowy men of Memitim are usually quick enough to put a stop to that sort of thing. A show of devotion is expected from everyone who is anyone in society, and humans living outside Terminus are expected to make a pilgrimage to "their" country every few years, tithing goods or knowledge to the gods. Through the tithe, they maintain a sort of social standing - a man gone for years at a time who brings back something of value from each trip is considered of more value to the community - and thus higher in the pecking order - than someone who hangs around at home but doesn't have much to offer. For this reason, just about every wealthy family in Terminus has held on to that wealth through adventuring or trade; those who built up a stack of cash and retire often find themselves on the wrong end of an angry mob seeking to divest that treasure from someone who, in the eyes of society, is no longer worthy of possessing it.
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| - | ====Adventuring in Terminus====
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| - | While there is no shortage of monster-hunting edicts issued by the ruling gods, outside of population centres there is not very much law in Terminus. Smuggling and piracy are more common than legitimate shipping, bands of rebels congregate in the wilds and plot attacks against anything from the nearest hamlet's ogre chief to the pantheon itself, and many a farmer with an infertile plot of land has turned to banditry as a way of making ends meet. Shadowvale is also a constant thorn in the side of Terminus, and many border rulers take every opportunity to push the extent of their holdings further east into elven lands.
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| - | In the north, the island colonies of Terminus are constantly feuding with giants, and also experience the same sahuagin and sea monster problems that the orcs to the east face. With a much smaller navy and a plethora of problems at home, the rules of Terminus mostly leave it to the colonists to defend themselves, and experienced adventurers looking for some status could do worse than appointing themselves as sheriff after the current one bites it and then not dying for as long as possible.
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| | ==The Great Cities== | | ==The Great Cities== |
