Lets not forget the Atlas!
Seriously, if someone ever wants the enormous color map companion to this atlas, just let me know. It is quite large (43MB) so I would have to upload it to a public server for convenient downloading. I found a cool site called Zazzle which is printing an actual 36"x48" poster of the map that I will then have shipped to Anton, my son. I am posting the Atlas just to share adventure ideas, as I consider area descriptions to be little idea kernels for adventures.
Enjoy!
Phil
Geography of the OnderlandThe Onderland is the only land known to most of its peoples. They know that there is another place to the Northeast and beyond the mountain pass, called the Moon Gate, from whence come the Wild Men. But the inhabitants of the Onderland aren't much interested. As mentioned above, they aren't a folk overly given to exploration. The Onderland is their home and what else could a man expect in life?
No one knows how large the Onderland is for no one has thought to try to map it all. During the Age of Lords, the Onderland is a patchwork of feudal states set amidst great swathes of wilderness only fragilely connected by the ancient Wissen road network. Maybe the Old King knew how large his realm was; the Ondermen don't.
The climate is fierce, given to heavy snowfall in winter and only moderate heat in the summer. Large areas of the land are covered in deciduous forests, such as oak, black alder, ash, and rowan, as well as some evergreens, such as pine and yew. Few of these woodlands have been cleared for farming except those areas immediately surrounding the cities of the region. The northerly forests give way to moorlands and eventually frozen tundra.
The Old Kingdom built great cities across the face of the Onderland and connected them with a network of sophisticated roadways. The King's Highways were a wonder of the time, allowing for movement of people and goods so swift and efficient as to seem magical during the Age of Lords. But the fall of the Old Kingdom brought about an end to all that.
The Ondermen were neither city-builders nor great travelers. When the Ondermen began to settle down and build new towns and hamlets, they often used pieces of the Highways for their expertly crafted stone. Many a fortress now bears the old stones of the King's Highway. Yet the old roads still remain in some form or another across the land. In some places the Highway shave been stripped bare leaving only a path.
Adam's Foot - This peninsula extends down along the Widow’s Bay and is characterized by treacherous mountains and large stands of forest. Several towns and hamlets lie on the old coastal road leading to the city of Port Nargoth, located at the heel of the “footâ€.
Allanelle - Surrounded by mountain ranges and home of the largest fresh water lake north of the Frostreach forest, the Allanelle is a wild and beautiful place. Along the lake shore the eerie silence is broken only by the sound of the wind upon the lake. While the fish are quite edible, they have a strange sweetness which while not disagreeable, can be discomfiting to those not used to it.
On the northern shore of the lake lies the most distant outpost of Carse; the heavily fortified trading town of Fort Defiance. As of late many Wild Men have been drifting into the region from the east. With small grievances growing between the barbars and the Ondish, most feel that it’s only a matter of time before the region explodes into mayhem.
A notable landmark of the area is the great circle of standing basalt stones twenty miles southeast of the lake. Magic functions strangely at this location; during the day, spells dwindle in potency, finally dying out altogether around noon. Yet on clear nights, spells discharge with spectacular effect and sorcerers report elemental and spiritual powers wildly expanded.
Ashantra – Ashantra was once a booming metropolis fringing the area now known as “The Sea of Dustâ€. Specializing in salt production, the town collapsed when the region’s rains tapered off and a thousand square miles of land were reduced to a dust bowl.
The town's slow decline caused most of its inhabitants to migrate elsewhere. The few stubborn remaining denizens descended into chaos, unable to endure the loss of their birthplace. Ashantra is now a ghost town, with whispered stories of weary travelers who unwittingly stumble upon the town, never to be seen again. Though many wink and assure that these are just ghost stories meant to frighten children, still, none willingly come near Ashantra.
Bernewood Forest - Full of horrors including cannibalistic Peche, this place is feared by all forced to journey near its dark reaches. The trees here have a foul odor and fog, mists, strange sounds, and whispers permeate this dark place. A single road leading to distant mountain mines wends through the heart of the wood, with only large well armed caravans winning free of the forest.
Borfen River - Cascading down from the White Knuckle Mountains, this river feeds a number of communities including fast growing Tulan. Known as the Wyndemeer near Tulan, the river is a gateway to the region, to distant villages, and to the all important trade road over the mountain range.
Carse - The Crown of the Onderland. Ruled by Jarl Bogardis IV, Carse is a major metropolis and hosts merchants, travelers, and traders from all the known lands. Massive, ugly fortifications ring the city, but a beautification program has been instituted by the Jarl, and Carse boasts over forty percent of its streets are now paved. The court of the Jarl is a hotbed of intrigue as the wily ruler plays a dangerous game that pits one House against another; desperate to both strengthen his hand and hold the Ondish together against the Tsurani threat.
Chalm - Chalm is a conservative fortified border town under the rule of city-state Mertron. Laws are strict and the Plaza of Grand Judgments is active every other week when criminals are exiled into the nearby hills or hung. Most buildings are made of dressed stone and the streets are very dusty. Heavy fortifications exist, but the town aggressively patrols with light cavalry to keep brigands far away from the town’s walls.
Comorreste River - Drifting down from the White Knuckle Mountains, the Comorreste River passes through the Wellgriss Highlands, home to many clans of Wild Men. The river is the chief source for crop irrigation in the region and is famous for its unusual clarity and crispness. The primary source of drinking water for Carse, it is the gateway from Carse to Wellan’s Keep and beyond.
Darkwater River - Flowing through the eastern reaches of the Khellamora Forest, the Darkwater flows placidly through magnificent stands of Black Oak trees. Light has difficulty piercing the top branches of the Khellamora here, giving the forest a sense of perpetual twilight. Recent reports from trappers in the area describe unnerving encounters with spiders of astounding size. Quite ferocious, they display an unnerving intelligence and will stalk men for miles through the wild.
Dorfingle Marsh – The marshes are a perilous place for inexperienced travelers. There is only one completely dry path all the way through the marshes, known only by a few. The fog and the drooping moss makes everything look the same and it is easy to get lost, go crazy, and circle for weeks before the end comes…usually a grisly one. One who does know the way is a loner named Olaf Garton, known in the village of Upstanton for his furtive and sometimes peculiar behavior. Secretive Olaf, who often acts violently around the time of the full moon, once broke a man’s neck in a brawl at the local pub. He is
very willing to hire out as a marsh guide.
Eslatarr – Eslatarr, once a very pleasant port, has become rife with lower class elements. The people in the countryside are farmers and fishermen and are usually more hospitable than those in the port (See Gartsdottar Isle entry).
Estrakk – Estrakk is a busy city-state port ruled by Lord Kandal Hafrung. Kandal Hafrung’s forefathers earned these lands by right of steel and blood. The current master of the castle is a worthy successor– he was a mercenary captain, a slave, a hired murderer and a merchant before he retired to actively rule the city. He will listen to wild, almost insane plans and join improbable struggles, no longer for wealth but fame and entertainment.
Fort Defiance - Ruled by House Sturla, this fortified town serves as an Ondish trading post for the region’s trappers and hunters. It also does a brisk business essaying ore brought down from the Maganoth Range.
Frostreach Forest - A massive stand of evergreens and oak, the Frostreach covers hundreds of square miles. While the trade road linking Gisli to Nythoria is well travelled, few enter the forest itself. Druids within the southern reaches have of late been assisting trade road travelers against attack by creatures drifting in from the nearby hills.
Gartsdottar Isle – With a total population of 4080, Gartsdottar Isle is ruled by Lord Hugo Klomft of House Ozurr. Lord Klomft keeps two small pirate ships in a well hidden cove, gathering information about likely targets by requiring an inspection of the manifest of every ship which docks at Eslatarr. He blames these attacks on the Tsurani, and initiates many “sweeps†for those hated foes.
The island is a common stopping point for ships which ply the waters between the Isle and Seddamorra. A cobble road built in a time beyond memory climbs into the heights that dominate the island. At its end, towering over a great ravine, is an ancient, abandoned stone tower. Reputedly, the tower was built by the Wissen as an outpost against the Alvar in one of their long forgotten wars.
Long years passed and the watchtower fell to ruin. Today, the ravine is overgrown with vegetation. The ground slopes upward from the base of the ravine at a 25° angle and a fast moving stream cuts across the floor during the rainy season. The top of the ravine is choked with impassable rubble.
The ruined watchtower overlooks the top of the ravine. It is octagonal and stands 30 feet wide and 60 feet tall. Fashioned from large blocks of grayish blue stone, it is a shade of its former self. A single battered door provides entrance to the place, while numerous arrow loops and dim windows stare from above. No one knows what fate befell it.
Inside, narrow spiral stairs connect the floors. The timbers of the topmost 4th level are rotten and its roof opens to the sky. The stairs ascending to this area are rubble-choked and neigh impassible. The stairs descending below ground level are obstructed by an impenetrable gloom, with no torch staying lit while upon them. Island wisdom has it that they lead to a vast tomb of the Wissen sorcerers who ruled this isle long ago,
Gife Forest - This forest contains the ruins of many ancient Alvar structures; most were temples where the Elder Folk paid homage to their gods. Today, the wood is full of hostile humanoid tribes, poisonous reptiles, and the malevolent magic of the ancient Alvar, still lurking in the depths of their crumbling, overgrown temples.
Goats Gate - A solitary route that leads through the mountains to the lands beyond. The pass cuts across the mountains at their narrowest point, between two impossibly huge peaks. Known as the Fangs of Yilthak, these sharp peaks cast a long shadow over the pass.
Those traveling this route would do well to take care, for the going is both treacherous and steep. Travelers will be under constant threat of attack, as there is a seemingly endless supply of savage Wild Men and wolves in these lonesome peaks. Accordingly, a series of fortified watch towers has been constructed along the route to protect the vital caravans that travel to and from Seddamorra.
Garrisoned by stalwart soldiers, these towers provide some recompense from the savagery of the region. Alas, not all towers are manned year round, especially during the long winter months. Worse still, it is during these times that the pass frequently becomes impassable due to heavy snowfall. At the head of the pass is the great Ondish mint controlled by House Osk.
Gulf of Adagarr – Tales of Mermaids, Kraken, Sea Serpents and Water Harpies are common from ship captains passing through these waters. A great castle and fortified town once stood upon an island which provided protection for weary sea merchants and travelers. It was sunk by a gargantuan Kraken ages ago...
The Isles located at the mouth of the gulf are infested with pirates. Noted also for frequent water spouts, treacherous shoals and whales.
Hartmund – This fortress town hosts the southern battle of House Dagr’s famed Border Legion.
Hrothgar’s Razor – A forbidding range of mountains ranging in elevation from 10,000 to 25,000 feet. Many Wild Men clans live in the range. A source of coal and iron ore, these mountains are frequented by prospectors from many regions. Rocs and Giant Eagles are rumored to nest on the highest peaks and are best granted a wide berth. Overgrown ruins at the base of the mountain next to the river were once a citadel destroyed by a landslide centuries ago and travelers often use it as temporary shelter. A hermit with a vow of silence lives in the peaks at the site of one of the ancient Moon Gates. Some claim he is as old as the mountain itself. He is simply known as the Holy Hermit.
Inworld Sea - Spanning across thousands of miles, the Inworld Sea is a sailor’s delight with its pleasant sailing habits. It connects the city of Jonril to its motherland, the Tsurani Empire.
Jonril - The Jewel of Northern Empire. The Empire lays claim to all of the Onderland and Jonril is its gateway city to the north. In fierce competition with Ondermen for the raw materials of the north, Jonril (Ruled by his magnificence, the Bey of Jonril) has had some minor successes with pacifying bands of Wild Men near the city. With Jonril in a state of undeclared war with other cities of the Onderland, warships of the empire prowl the waters off the coast alert for either Ondish ships or the dread Pirates of the Yellow Sail.
Kage – This trading town is well known for the tastiness of the variety of crops raised ranging from corn, wheat, and orchards full of apples. Local ranchers also raise livestock for the isolated farmsteads in the surrounding areas. Kage’s market was once the grand hall of a Wissen villa – as evident from the colorful terracotta tiles and ruined columns. The mill is often filled with students as the well travelled Miller Athelstan loves to share his lore and relate his adventures. A cobble-paved road nearby leads to an ancient Wissen fortress.
Kern - This fortress town hosts the northern battle of House Dagr’s famed Border Legion.
Khellamora Forest - Spanning hundreds of miles, the Khellamora is one of the larger forests of the Onderland. Home to many groups of Wild Men, the Khellamora is rich in natural resources. Rare woods, herbs, hides, and extracts are among the many prizes that send traders and trappers back to the forest year after year. Here, Ondermen contend with Wild Men, monsters, Ogres and other such beasts.
Korrigan – This dwindling mining town colonized by Snadlund weathers attacks from the Ogres of the nearby hills. Talk has arisen about abandoning the area and moving back to the coast. Korrigan’s Lord Galan wants his people to stay, but it will take a great victory against the Ogres to get them to listen. The citadel of the town was built by the Alvar over 1,000 years ago, as a gift to the Peche of the region.
Lake Abernoche – The lake has a diameter of approximately 30 miles and is easily 2000 ft deep in some areas. The lake teems with all sorts of wildlife mostly of the normal variety, but often visited by strange creatures drifting in from the forest. Fishermen and merchants ply the waters of the vast lake in various craft from long boats to merchant ships.
On the largest island in the center of the lake is the ancient Wissen city of Damkfir. The approach is littered with obelisks decorated with reliefs and inscriptions in ancient Wissen. The reliefs depict strange scenes of reptilian sex and death. The inscriptions recount the conquests and glories of a fallen empire of these reptilians. The place gives off an air of great antiquity, and at the same time, one of dread.
Broad avenues of steps ascend to platforms where yawning black portals lead to the city’s great temple. Within lies a seemingly endless array of unlit vaults and passageways. Deep within the cryptic gloom lay vast underground vaults. According to the Tablets of Urutau, the place is haunted by the degenerate remnants of a once great race know as therapsidians. The tablets also speak of a nexus of gateways located deep within that lead to the manifold dimensions.
Lake Kestrell - This lake is an important highway for river trade to and from the fortress town of Kern. The lake’s largest island is a nesting ground for many water fowl as well as a favored fishing area, said to contain huge clam beds. A standing stone carved with ancient letters of the Wissen language says Meridian Stone of the Leys. Though studied by many scholars, no one has yet determined what this means. The most common theory is that this is the final resting place of the famous Lady Lyn of the House of Leys.
Lake Runden – The lake is a dangerous area; heavily armed merchant ships are found in large groups, protecting the silver they transport to trade. Thieves and brigands roam the southeastern
banks and areas south along the river while pirates skulk in hidden coves waiting for their next victim.
Landscop Hills – The hills are noted for the mad Wild Men tribes living within. Occasionally, travelers can spot the reddish rocks of small, ruined and overgrown amphitheatres, built by the ancestors of the tribesmen.
A day’s ride north of Chalm is the site of an ancient ring of 32 stones. Each of the massive granite stones are covered in runes of religious and magical nature. Strange lights dance above the stones when seen from far away. An ancient cave and carved passage leads beneath the ancient monoliths.
Some 60 meters from the stones, the blackened cave mouth yawns against the backdrop of the windswept southern escarpment. Just outside, a trio of grotesque statues perch upon a rocky terrace, casting their baleful gaze across the approach. The statues appear to be demons of some sort, but it is hard to say, for they have been disfigured by the winds of countless years. The vaults concealed within are said to cause madness to those foolish enough to venture within. It is just a rumor, though, as none who have ventured forth have ever returned.
Leodegrund – The townsfolk here are cheerful despite the deadly disease that has stricken many in the region. Healers and clerics may cure the disease, but it strikes again soon after they leave. The mountain fed stream and local mill are essential to the popular ales brewed. The Top Knot Tavern is a lively stopover for travelers journeying on to Nevitarrin, but all must pass inspection at the fortified gate to enter.
Maganoth Range - This massive span of mountains has only been but poorly explored. A few scattered areas of the northern expanses have been crudely mapped, while the central reaches are slightly better known. Winters are particularly harsh, and the mountains are well known for the fierce Giants and Trolls that make these peaks their home.
Meldin – This fortress town is home to the northern branch of the Order of Artegris, the military arm of the Hexadic Church. The Order has held the town for over 50 years, keeping Wild Men, bandits, monsters, and most recently the Tsurani, at bay.
Mertron - This large theocratic city-state divided by the river Isen is the center of clerical studies devoted to the Hexadic Church. To supplement income for the school, the church operates an open air market where it rents stalls to local farmers and merchants selling their wares. A paved road follows the river into the sea, and can be seen meandering down into the murky depths. A local legend (claimed false by the church) states that one day, an army of the dead will march forth from its watery grave to attack the city.
Novice scholars wear white robes and seniors wear red.
Mistalle River – Rushing down from the mountains, the Mistalle’s swift currents make for spectacular rafting experiences. Sand Bars, snags, extraordinary twists and turns, make this wild river difficult to use as a trading highway with the constant danger of capsizing. However, the swift, powerful currents do reduce attacks by aquatic creatures on Ondish rivermen traders. Polling up river is a long arduous task, again, only made feasible by the safety from attack that the river’s current affords.
Mistspire Mountains – Unusually chilly year-round, these peaks are always covered with snow. Mountain sheep of the peaks provide the warmest wool available. It is quite valuable. They are hard to catch and shear and impossible to tame. Sapamas and alpacas, easier to catch and tame, are more numerous and their wool is light and soft. Mountain men trade these products in Chalm for staples.
Mount Yemsha - Extremely rough country of brambles, ravines, clefts and caves of rock, loose rubble, and towering peaks, Mount Yemsha is the ancient home of Balor demons. There are many here still, it is said, though one is more likely to encounter demonic activity in the mountains further southeast which are said to be the home of many evil temples. The Black Seer’s of Yemsha also call this mountain home. Other reported denizens are strange half-man, half-yak creatures, but no firm evidence of their existence has yet been obtained.
Noraska Wastes – A harsh land of frozen tundra, not much is known of the Wastes, except for the fierce creatures it breeds. It is said that somewhere in these vast reaches lie the ruins of an ancient city built by a race unknown to man. According to legend, these ruins are guarded by fierce multi-limbed white apes.
Nevitarrin - Located on the fringes of the Noraska Wastes, Nevitarrin (“Life rockâ€) was so named because of the hard mineral laden waters in this part of the land. Over the years large deposits of mineral salts have formed from evaporating pockets of water. The salts are supposed to have curative properties and brave travelers from near and far come here for the greatly prized salt baths. Small bags of mineral salt may be purchased at any Inn of the town. This old Wissen town is surrounded by a massive stone wall since Ape-Man attacks are common.
Nythoria – Located on a bluff on the western edge of the Frostreach forest, Nythoria was founded some 100 years ago on the ruins
of what is believed to be the ancient capital of the long gone
western empire of the Wissen. Nythoria is one of the great cities of the Ondish and its importance is perhaps exceeded only by Tulan the city of gold, or the great trading city Seddamorra. Much of the resources wrested from northern Onderland pass through Nythoria destined for sale in the cities of the south.
Independently ruled by “Jarl†Osmutt Ornstaadt, the city maintains a strong army and navy. There is a loose alliance maintained with Fort Defiance and Gisli, with each sharing responsibility in keeping the trade roads clear of bandits and monster-kind.
Port Kabir – The Ondish are hard-pressed to keep peace in this port due to blood feuds which have arisen among the island’s leading families. The source of the feuds is the assassination of various members of the families, with evidence incriminating other families at the scene of each murder. The tension arising from these murders has caused great unrest amongst the population, and production of salt and weapons, the island’s primary exports, are far below average. All strangers are highly suspect and subject to mob action. The lands of the island are dotted with villas and small, fortified manor houses, each the home of a family and its slaves.
Port Nargoth – Largely reduced to a backwater by the rise of mighty Jonril, Port Nargoth is now considering an alliance with Carse. Some 60 miles upriver is the Monastery of Ishap, which is notable for the wonderful flavor of its winter wines.
Quidden – Quidden (“Black Goldâ€) is appropriately named, for it is home to large iron deposits that miners bring from mines deep within the nearby mountains to smelters, where it is forged into large bars of iron. Indifferently ruled by House Ozurr, at various times of the year wagon trains and ships arrive with merchants bringing in goods needed for the coming season, and hauling out large loads of iron. With House Ozurr’s indulgence, all retired miners vote on day-to-day city affairs – each owns a seal which are pressed into the clay tablets for important decisions.
Rhiems – This bustling caravan town ruled by House Kollr is well known throughout the area for its horses raised on the surrounding plains. People from around the region come to see the races each spring and the large auction the following two days. Needless to say, one has to be careful as the annual events are notorious for graft and corruption. A few local hedge-witches sell potions for exorbitant prices. Gamblers short of funds (beware of pickpockets!) are sold as slaves. The town’s seediest section is the “Drop,†a shantytown built around (and inside) a deep sinkhole.
Runden – Ruled by Lord Granbrita of House Dagr, this town on the banks of Lake Runden is home to a small number of pirate ships that attack shipping in this region. If the unfortunate prey are unwilling to pay tribute, their ship and cargo are confiscated. The crew is sold as slaves at the market and the captain is held for ransom. The pirates often fill vacancies in their crews with bludgeoned patrons of Otho’s Alehouse. The town is the only source of Pyrmantic Granite, granite-hard reddish clay used to fashion earthenware jugs, pitchers and cups. The open air mine is guarded day and night by Wild Men mercenaries. Lord Granbrita forces the pirates to carry the output from his kilns to distant markets for providing them a safe haven. He constantly holds one of the pirate captains hostage, rotating them each month.
Runden River – This narrow, deep river flows from Lake Kestrell to the Inworld Sea. Periodically, gold is found in the shallows, triggering gold rushes every few years.
Sea of Dust - None still live who can call this region by its ancient name: Mittelleben, which translates roughly to “The Sea of Sustenanceâ€. Though in a region that would normally be temperate, the terrain of the Sea of Dust is unbearably cold, dry and uninviting, ravaged by bitter winds and foul weather year round. Only especially tough humans and creatures can survive here. The reason for this anomaly is not yet known, though theories range from magical curses to aberrant weather patterns. The rest of the surrounding regions are temperate, with normal climates in the surrounding lands.
Deep within the Sea of Dust, far beyond where any caravans dare, broods a demon-haunted ruin. Crowded with obelisks, broken and askew, the place radiates an unwholesome sense of despair. From the side it has the look of a giant skeletal hand, upturned and clenching as dust eternal runs through its bony digits. Long shadows fall as the lonesomeness of day gives way to the chill of night and strange creatures stalk the broken wastes.
It is said that the monuments are all that remain of ancient Llar, a trading city from millennia past. Legends relate that the Wissen destroyed it during one of their many incursions. As the citadel convulsed in its death throes, the fabled sorcerers of Llar unleashed their final fury: the opening a gateway to the Nullity. The ensuing chaos saw everyone—the Wissen and the sorcerers—destroyed by the demonic host. The citadel and its fate faded from memory, swallowed by the elements…
The obelisks that remain standing are covered in ancient glyphs, their edges worn smooth by the relentless pummeling of dusty grit. The glyphs are of no known or recognizable language and all efforts at translation have been met with futility. As if the impenetrable nature of the glyphs weren't warning enough, the place bristles with unseen energy, causing the hairs on one's nape to prickle.
At the center of the ruin, just beneath the surface of the shifting silt, is a huge slab of stone, measuring over 50 feet from end to end. Every square inch of the slab’s surface is covered in yet more incomprehensible glyphs. The titanic slab radiates strongly with primeval magic and resists opening by normal means. It is unknown what is imprisoned beneath its unyielding bulk.
The King’s Millpond – Named after a jest about the ancient Wissen King, this is a natural stopping area for ships traveling to the Onderland. Carse is one of the busiest ports in the region, and a large naval force makes sure no pirates disrupt its trade.
Seddamorra – Throughout the Onderland, no city is half so notorious. Blackened by fire, soiled by pestilence, and scarred by war, its collection of spider-webbed tenements and rat-ridden bazaars have birthed some of the worst rogues and villains to ever stalk the storied thrones of the north.
But Seddamorra is also a city of chance and adventure, where fortunes are won in a night and lost before dawn. Where gems glint and flare in the lamplight, and a warrior's quick blade and shirt of mail are his best defense.
The great southern trading city of the Ondish, Seddamorra flourished for 100 years. Nine years ago the current Jarl's Reeve, Boscomb Leopold, used the threat of a citywide labor strike as an opportunity to consolidate all power to himself by dissolving the city council and declaring martial law. This was a disaster for the city. With the powerful merchants withdrawing their contributions to the city's payroll, city services began to be neglected. And after many months of irregular pay, the city guard disbanded in protest. Out of desperation, Leopold put out a call for mercenaries to restore order in the now lawless city.
With their intervention for a time a measure of order did return. Paying out of pocket, Leopold quickly cobbled together an ad-hoc group of street toughs and swore them in as city guardsmen. Thus strengthened he then ordered the mercenaries out of the city. But by then the die had been cast. The unemployed mercenaries were not inclined to leave such easy pickings and soon the streets ran red as guardsmen battled the many gangs now sprouting up all about the city.
At last a truce was called and the fighting ended. The current state of affairs is a stand-off. Leopold does not have the personal finance and manpower to expel the gangs but will not countenance restoring the council of merchants and sharing power once more.
Nor do the gangs have the power or unity to overthrow the Jarl's Reeve and his guardsman.
Silver Bay - Famous for the immense variety of fish that inhabit it, Silver Bay has enormous potential as a port area that could expand Ondish influence north of the Frostreach forest. But for the present, Silver Bay’s Potential is enjoyed only by smugglers hoping to avoid Ondermen tariffs. Several campaigns have been launched to eliminate this nuisance, but the canny smugglers have proven too wily to completely wipe out.
Snadlund - A prosperous town of House Ornstaadt built up around their renowned gems and jewelry and reliable fish market. Snadlund has recently become a target for pirate raids. Jarl Bogardis has assigned Lord Guntar Banton to hunt down the pirates. It is rumored that a vampire stalks the streets of Snadlund during moonless nights. Overlord Leodons’s wife, Dryerda, is a former slave girl from Jonril.
Sortella Nivall - This is a two hundred-mile-wide swath of grassy steppes sparsely interrupted by small copses of wind-stunted trees. It is ideal country for cavalry and horsed nomads, and is widely renowned for the availability of expert horsemen as light cavalry mercenaries. Many battles have been fought on these plains, as hordes of nomads periodically sweep down from the northeast to challenge Ondish rule. At its eastern end are several sites of row upon row of skulls, human and otherwise, all facing east. It is said that they form a part of some religious ritual.
The Black Oaks – Dark twisting trees and vines with a life of their own gave this place its name.
The Cold Marshes - Disease infested wetland, these bone-chilling bogs are home to the wicked Swilon trolls. Legend has it that within the marshes are cached the famous magical Windrider Bronze Horse, statues of gold, and other ancient art of the Wissen King Dellar. The region is treacherous and its terrain constantly changes. Many a once-living beast and human are perfectly preserved in the tricky, shifting peat. A single lonely road links the cities of Gisli and Tulan.
The Fastness of Emirikol – The home of the ancient Wissen sorcerer Emirikol. Emirikol’s fanatical warrior-priest worshipers inhabit the fortified monastery below the great citadel. Every day, they engage in mock combat to show devotion to Emirikol, and every week, a special duel is staged between the two most skilled combatants. Lower levels exist under the citadel, the remnants of old fortifications, but they are mostly flooded with sea water and perilous.
The Glimmerdarke – Haunted woodlands, full of many magical plants and animals that can be used by as spell components. Normally avoided by all except Wild Men who travel to Lake Kestrell. As All Hallows’ Eve draws near, many witches traveling to the annual ritual in the Witches’ Court stop for several weeks in this wood to harvest the plentiful mandrake root and other herbs and creatures that are usable as potion ingredients. The leaves of plants in the deepest regions of the forest fetch high prices for their
hallucinogenic nature.
The Grogenfelle - The home of the Archdruid, the Grogenfelle is an almost sentient forest. Extremely dense, creatures move through its growth all but invisible to non-natives. Rainbow flowers, renowned for their great beauty and life giving nectar, grow in secluded glades. A savage group of Hags have been plaguing travelers along the road to the lake. It is said that the Lord of Estrakk would pay very well for their heads.
The Rimsfell - This black tangled forest on the eastern shore of Widow’s Bay is home to many undead. Wights and Specters are quite common here. The upper canopy of foliage does not allow light to illuminate the paths of the forest. It is said that in certain portions of the woods if anyone sleeps they are subject to confusion when they wake lasting a full day. Many small lakelets are found in the woods, some rumored to have magical properties of healing, possession, mesmerism, petrification, etc.
The Ruined City of Ostlund – Nurenthane is a frontier town built on the ruins of the fallen Dvergar city of Ostlund. Townsfolk excavate the gigantic marble blocks and statues with primitive tools, ship them to Estrakk and sell them to foreign merchants. Nurenthane is home to outcasts and exiles, and all are welcome who can do something worthwhile, none need suffer for want of food.
Nurenthane’s success is viewed with horror and revulsion from the Dvergar of the Stelthrane (see below entry) who consider the ruins a tomb. There are stories of some “Gnawing Evil†hidden in the ruins, but no clues have been found yet.
The Stelthrane - The Dvergar of fortress Stelthrane delve deeply beneath the mountain, using the fortress as a trading post with the upper world. They are content to ignore the forests and marshes to the west, but incursions of malignant creatures, many of which are clearly fiendish in nature, make the fortress a vulnerable target. Travelers of interest may be invited to stay overnight in the great hall of the citadel.
The Woldfir – Dark, dank forest region, the Woldfir is home to many humanoids. Dire and Winter Wolves prowl the banks of the river. It is known to contain a number of trees of giant size, as well as exceptionally large Wolves and other mundane creatures grown to gigantic stature.
Tulan of the Isles - Tulan is the rising jewel of the Onderland. Established on the eastern banks of the Borfen and on one of several isles in the river, Tulan has exploded in size with the discovery of gold in the nearby mountains. As cosmopolitan as its mother city Carse, Tulan benefits from brisk trade from the Khellamora to beyond the mountains to Seddamorra.
Van Lasa Isle - This isle is the ritual graveyard of a long dead race. What now appear to be rolling hills are actually unopened burial mounds with unexposed entrances. This island is overrun by Ghouls and other undead who have managed to defeat every attempt to clear them out. They build small rafts, using them to swarm over ships that pass too close.
A strange chapel at the center of the island is the source of the infestation. The chapel acts to permanently desecrate the area of the island and concentrations and numbers of Ghouls and their strange kin double in the vicinity of it. An unbearable stench hangs over the chapel ruins and its nights are pierced by wild, inhuman screams.
Brooding megaliths guard the approach to the chapel. Standing askew, they lend an otherworldly air to the place. Among the stones are a number of cairns. At their center is a large statue. Ostensibly a man praying to the heavens, the statue has been worn down and pitted by harsh island winds.
The walls of the ruin are windswept and riddled with holes, and the roof has collapsed. The great statue that stood next to the porch is now a jumble of rock. Narrow slits peer out from the remains of the chapel’s singular tower. Only the lower level still stands, the upper floors having collapsed long ago. Choked with rubble, the place hides a secret trapdoor beneath the paving stones of its ancient floor.
Within the chapel, broken statues line the nave, defaced by countless claw marks. Of the altar, there is no trace, but amidst the rubble of the chancel is a yawning black pit. Deeply gouged steps descend into the darkness. Who or what dwells in the depths beneath this accursed place?
Wellgriss Highlands - Home to many Wild Men and divided by the Comorreste River, the Wellgriss does well agriculturally with hardy winter grains. Communities here are fortified with sturdy log walls and homes tend to be of the longhouse variety. Raiders make routine forays for tools, grain, slaves and other plunder.
Wellan’s Keep - Built by the famed trader Brosco Wellan, the keep is actually a trading village surrounding a fortified manor house. Directly straddling the river route from Tulan to Carse, the keep is well situated to prosper from the mountain trade. Attacks on homes in the area are common and only the stoutness of the village defense prevents disaster.
White Knuckle Mountains - Home to ferocious mountain Wild Men, the White Knuckles span across over seven hundred miles of territory, making it the largest mountain range of the Onderland. A breeding ground to many horrors, the range lies under perpetual mist along its western reaches above the Khellamora.
Widows' Bay - This body of water connects House Ozurr’s city of Quidden to the rest of the world and has been the site of several recent naval battles between the Ondish and the Empire. These waters are rife with pirates and privateers who have joined in the undeclared war between the two powers.
