Geography - Building a Home

The kingdoms of the known world cover an area approximately 1500 north south and 500 miles east west. The northern kingdoms are much colder than the south although occasional snow is known even in the south. A mixture of different types of terrain can be found throughout the different kingdoms although some or dominated by only one or two.

The known world is bounded in the north by a large area of inhospitable tundra believed to be inhabited by hostile ice demons. To the east is a trackless desert inhabited only by tribes of goblins. To the west is the endless ocean which has never been successfully crossed. Finally to the south are the barrier hills beyond which are presumably the home lands of the Orcs although none who have sought to find these lands have returned.

The only intelligent race found in the kingdoms is humans although various types of animals and monsters can be found throughout the lands. Many different races of human are found throughout the world such as the barbaric orcs and goblin, the short Durgar of Ironforge and the Elmen of Summervale.

The kingdoms of the known world are as follows: -

Dark Lands

The dark lands are less a kingdom more of a region. They are the lands to the far east of the known world adjacent to the eastern wastes although its exact climate varies from north to south in all parts this area is characterised by low rain fall. The dark lands have no central government and the inhabited by wandering tribes of barbarians known as the half orcs or goblins due to their similarity to the orcs of the south. These tribes frequently war amongst themselves for access to the few water holes in the desert and are also know to raid the more civilised lands when times are hard. Although their numbers are few the goblins are known to be a hardy breed and are often recruited as mercenaries by the other kingdoms particularly Kimbala and Southron.

Frizia

Frizia is the most varied of the countries geographic wise containing, large lakes, high mountains, deep forests and open planes. Its climate is likewise varied but tends towards cold and wet. Its population is scattered throughout the country in a number of large cities. The country is known for its large number of monster lairs particularly dragons and it has many monster hunters who make a living hunting down and killing these creatures for their body parts which can be used to make powerful magic items. The people of Frizia are known for their aggression and border conflicts with its neighbours Tombia, Kimbala and Kislev are common.

Galea

Galea is a large country in the south of the known world with varied climate and geography. The people are known to be hardy and somewhat insular, it is seen as uncivilised by many of the more northern states. Much of the fighting in the orc wars took place within Galea’s borders and its capital also called Galea was besieged twice during the war. Unlike Southron it was not totally depopulated by the Orcs although much of the south of the kingdom was raised and many of its people forced to flee. Its king Meradoc is known to be bitter about the losses his kingdom suffered and may be looking to make territorial gains against his neighbours although his forces have been much weakened by the war.

Ironforge

The kingdom of Ironforge is set into a mountainous area in the south west of the known world. It is home to some of the most populous cities in the world mostly built into the mountains itself. The people of Ironforge, often referred to as Durgar are unusually short and stout. The mountains of Ironforge although infertile are rich in minerals such as iron, copper, lead and gold. Much of Ironforge's population are employed mining these minerals, smelting the ores and producing manufactured good from them. In fact over half of the world’s weapons are produced by Ironforge. The kingdom profited significantly in the recent war although several of Ironforge’s cities including the capital were besieged by the orcs.

Katham

Katham can hardly be considered a unified kingdom. The country is strongly split into many smaller baronies with conflicts between the different lords very common. Each year the various barons meet to choose, and quite often fail to choose, one among them to be king for the year although the king’s orders are rarely followed. This constant conflict has led to many permanent mercenary armies wander the kingdom looking for new employer and often pillaging for themselves. The land itself is quite fertile and good for farming although it is poor in usable metal which is often imported from Ironforge. Katham is also famous for its sailors and pirates who trade up and down the western sea. During the orc wars many of the barons used the opportunity to send their troublesome mercenary armies far away.

Kimbala

If Royal Meath is the political centre of the known world, Kimbala is the religious and cultural capital. It hosts more temples and works of art than the rest of the world combined. In fact the political and religious authorities are intertwined, Kimbala has a king but it is mostly a ceremonial position with most of the power held by the church and the Hierophant who acts as its head. The land itself contains mostly hilly planes with numerous small farming communities although it becomes more dry to the far east.

Kirin Tor

The Kirin Tor is not truly a kingdom but part of Royal Meath although it has wide ranging powers to govern itself. Kirin Tor is a citadel set atop a high spire of rock offering a view of much of the countryside around it. The Tor is said in legend to have been formed at the time of the empire of Meath when the emperor granted a boon to his court mage that he would be given ‘As much land as he could see’ to form a school to train his apprentices. The mage was said to have raised the tor using his powers to provide himself with a small country and ever since the Kirin tor has been a school for the majority of the mages in the known world although with the rise of North Tombia it star has started to wane.

Kislev

Kislev is an inhospitable land in the north east of the known world. It consists mostly of open tundra and thick evergreen forests. Its population is low and mostly concentrated in the south of the country with only a few logging camps found in the north. The people are known to be very superstitious and insular rarely leaving their own kingdom. The country is a major exporter of wood and imports food and metal from its neighbour Frizia.

North Tombia

North Tombia is the youngest of the kingdoms formed less than 40 years ago due to a civil war which split the country of Tombia into North and South Tombia. North Tombia was formed by renegade magic users who were attempting to escape the inquisition and is still ruled by them and their descendants. Several mage and sorcerer schools have been formed in the new kingdom and it is starting to eclipse Royal Meath as the primary source of magic users. Although formed 40 years ago it has never been recognised by South Tombia and a state of war still exists between the two states although it is currently limited to small but regular border skirmishes between them. The lands of North Tombia are generally barren and covered in snow and ice for much of the year, its minimal population depends on imports from other countries to survive which it pays for by exporting magical materials and skills.

Royal Meath

Royal Meath is one of the smaller countries of the known world being little more than a city state which only controls the countryside immediately around it although these lands are very fertile and rich in resources such as iron and silver. Royal Meath was previously the capital of the empire of Meath and held much of its status even after the fall of the empire. Royal Meath acts as a meeting point and power broker between the various other countries. In order to organise the recent war against the orcs a council of kings was formed in royal Meath with King Julian of Meath at its head. Since the war came to a close other countries have questioned if the council is still needed by Julian has been unwilling to relinquish his powers.

Southron

Southron was the southern most kingdom in the known world on the border of the barrier hills and beyond them the orc lands. The regular invasions by the orcs led to the people constantly being on the defensive and their cities being built up into strong forts. When the orc attacks ceased the people relaxed and turned their efforts into developing their country as it had previously been seen by the rest of the world as full or barbarians hardly better than the orcs or goblins. Unfortunately this left the kingdom poorly defended when the orcs did return and the country was ravaged. The capital city was destroyed and the surviving population fled north leaving the country mostly empty. With the defeat of the orcs some of the surviving populous has started to return home to rebuild. The country itself is hilly broken up with a number of large valleys which make excellent choke points to stop invading armies. Some areas are highly fertile farm lands and there are some limited mining areas as well.

South Tombia

South Tombia is a large and populous country found on the banks of the western sea. It consists mostly of large plans suitable for cattle grazing as well as some scattered forests and farmable lands. The people of South Tombia are characterised by their extreme distrust and in many cases hatred of mages and sorcerers as well as hard work and innovation. The reason behind this attitude is not entirely known but there are tales that at some point in the past Tombia was ruled over by a powerful necromancer who blighted the land for many years before being overthrown. In order to discover and destroy magic users a power organisation known as the inquisition was founded, although technically subservient to the nobility of the kingdom it is an open secret that the inquisition runs the country. 40 years ago the northern provinces of Tombia rose up in revolution against the inquisition lead by a powerful cabal of magic users which formed the country of North Tombia although south Tombia does not recognise this country. Although its forces were driven back during the original rebellion South Tombia still intends to take back its lost lands and now that the war against the orcs has ended and its forces are returning home it has become and question of when the war will restart.

Summervale

‘As lazy as a Summervalian’ is a common saying throughout the known world. Although not entirely true the people of Summervale do seem blessed. Their land has a balmy climate with little change throughout the year and is richly forested and home to many fruit trees. The people rarely go hungry and are a major food exporter to their neighbours Kimbala and Galea with some of their fruit going as far as Kislev and North Tombia. The people of Summervale are unusually tall, slim and graceful with and unearth aura about them, they are sometimes referred to as Elmen. Several times other kingdoms have attempted to invade Summevale to take its natural resources but they have found the Summervalians to be unexpectedly tough opponents although the Summervalians seem to have little interest in expanding their borders. During the wars with the orcs much of the south of the country was burnt sending many refugees north.