Southern Elyntia

(A larger version of this map can be downloaded here)

Map of Southern Elyntia, showing the Duchy Of Dran and Huldre Forest.

The Duchy of Dran, and surrounding areas, are civilized — but neither populous nor especially advanced. Elyntia and its neighbouring kingdoms are still recovering from a devastating war that ended two hundred years ago, and much of the land is wilderness. Its folk are mostly human, though orc, halfling and dwarf communities exist.

Southern - or Lesser - Elyntia is about a third of the entire country, with Greater Elyntia located north of The Bleak Wastes, the east-west desert that gives the Duchy of Deseret its name.

Bordre

Bordre is the second city of the Duchy, with a population of about 7,000. It was originally a fort built to guard shipping along the Evenflow and to keep an eye on Kel and Deseret.

The Bright River carries half the commerce of southern Elyntia. Since it flows very slowly for most of its length, and the prevailing winds are from the southwest, ships work upstream as well as down on the Bright, King Ater, Trassy, and Lesser Trassy.

Canigli

Canigli is a town of about 2,000; its population is mixed human and goblin, with a little of everything else thrown in. Its lord, who holds the rank of Count, is an old goblin-warrior — still robust in his early 80s. He, his son and heir, and his eldest grandson are all totally loyal to their liege lord the Duke, though there is constant intriguing against both Count and Duke among those goblin-lords who have not given their pledge of fealty. Home of the legendary Goblin Market.

Dranning

Dranning is the capital city of the Duchy and the seat of the Dukes of Dran. It has a population of about 15,000 (roughly 50% propertied and 50% impoverished). Slavery is illegal in the Duchy of Dran except as a punishment for capital crimes; slaves may not be privately owned.

Dundraville

Dundraville - a small town, next to a dried out lake bed (Lake Dundrae), known primarily as the home of Berkclay Brothers' Brewery.

The road into the town is actually the old riverbed that once ran into the lake and a rickety bridge still stands near the lake bed across the dead river.

The town has been on its uppers since the river and lake vanished and if not for the trade the brewery brings would probably have died soon after.

Elfwood

Elfwood does, indeed, contain a small population of elves, as well as a tribe of centaurs.
 

Gargoyle Mountains

The Gargoyle Mountains, as their name implies, are full of gargoyles — as well as other creatures. Once - about two hundred years ago - home to The Duvan'Ku, an evil death cultwhich spread terror throughout southern Elyntia from its secluded base. Even after the cult suddenly vanished the mountain where it was thought to have been located, Frost Mountain, remains shunned by all right thinking people.

Huldre Forest

Huldre Forest is not a large wood, by Cidri standards — but it is very old, and there are frightening stories about its southern parts.

The Fortress-Cathedral Kel

Kel is the capital of the Duchy of Kel, to the west of Dran. It is slightly smaller than Dranning, but is a single, sprawling, fortified cathedral-fortress. Kel and Dranning were allies in a conflict several hundred years ago against The Duvan'Ku. Eventually, the cult disappeared but this conflict had already forged Dranning into a major martial power. However, the people of Kel turned to their religion, the worship of the Mnoren Pantheon, for their strength. The duchy became a theocracy and since then the Duke - or Duchess - has also been head of the region's church. Themost recent duchess was the aged Lady Zadell, who has now passed. Several families are feuding over who should take control of the duchy now.

Littlehill

Littlehill is an ordinary farm town in all ways save that its people are halflings.

Podliforku

Podliforku is a fishing town grown up alongside an old fort. The southern most point of civilsation in the land of Elyntia. It is also — in its small way — a notorious pirate base.

Entrance To Rubydelve

Rubydelve, dug into the eastern slopes of the Gargoyle Mountains, is a dwarven town of 2,000 or so. Its chief industry, of course, is mining. Occasionally rubies are found — mostly, though, the dwarves dig for silver and iron.

Tanander was once a kingdom. Its southern parts are now a squabbling jumble of counties and city-states; the northern reaches have no organization at all, and few folk venture there. Elyntia honors the Bright River as the old border — so south of the Bright, force is the only law.

Thargi Swamp is a fell place, indeed - though fortunately the really bad parts lie in the Duchy of Bolors. It harbours octopi, wild saurians, and less nameable terrors. Merchant craft plying the Trassy and Lesser Trassy carry armed crews ... and a few ships vanish every month.

Revoreesh

The Tower of Revoreesh

The Tower of Revoreesh lies on the foothills of the Gargoyle Mountains. Revoreesh is probably the most powerful wizard in (at least) the whole Duchy. He is an adept, preferring the company of his books. The people of the countryside believe him to be quite mad, and never see him, but hold him in great respect due to his advanced age and the fact that (as they will be quick to point out) he has never harmed anyone except intruders.

Tro is a port city — population around 5,000.

Area around Winterhome

Winterhome is the only city in the western part of the dusty Duchy of Deseret. Razed during The Secession Wars, this was once an oasis metropolis and winter capital of a great empire, it has now shrunk to a town of 1,000 souls living amid buildings that could house ten times as many.

BRIEF HISTORY

The orcs were the first inhabitants of what became known as the continent of Tekralh (and now includes the kingdoms of Elyntia, Tanander and others).

Then almost two thousand years ago, shortly after the Abdication Of The Mnoren, the First Men arrived in boats from the continent of Sevled, captained by King Ater, wielder of the legendary magic sword Caliburn (He was accompanied by his sons, the Princes Evets Of The Silver Hand and Retep The White-Haired)

The First Men brought with them their dwarven kin, halflings and the Huldufolk - "the hidden people" (elves). Some scholars suggest that the elves may have already existed on Tekralh - but the Huldufolk aren't saying.

At first, the orcs welcomed the new arrivals, but soon the First Men became greedy for land (and resources) and inevitably war soon followed in the year 861. This war is referred to as both The Forever War and The Thousand Year War.

Eventually the orcs consolidated their forces in Tanander, but that kingdom collapsed after a couple of hundred years and is now a lawless jumble of feuding warlords and minor city-states.

The major conflict between the descendants of The First Men and the original inhabitants of Tekralh only really petered out about in the early 1800s.