A sub-setting for The Fractured Kingdoms gestalt campaign setting, created by Michael Martin.
For generations uncounted the land of Meropal had known peace and prosperity, under the benevolent rule of the Hassanid Empire. The enlightened emperors encouraged trade and scholarship, built massive highways that spanned the continent, sailed the mysterious Western Ocean and even explored the lands south of the Great Erg. They built grand cities, exquisite temples and even the great Universities.
Under the rule of the Hassanid Sultans, the dwarves of the Northern Mountains traded their steel and adamant, the reclusive elves of the Great Forest and the Western Coast were regularly seen attending at the Court, and even the northern barbarians and eastern steppe raiders paid regular tribute out of fear of the legendary Legions. Under the protection of these mighty soldiers, the ordinary people lived lives of peace and contentment. It was said that at the height of the Empire’s power, any ordinary citizen could travel unarmed into the depths of the wilderness, and face no trouble from brigand or even Goblin, simply by announcing, “I am of the Hassanid.” No one would presume to interfere with an Hassanid citizen.
These were the times of legend. For of course, the Hassanids, like all great empires, have their times of ascendancy and decline. For the Hassanids, the rise to ascendancy was long and lost to history, the rule was long and peaceful, the decline gradual and the end sudden.
With any long-established dynasty, the decline begins with the rulers and gradually spreads. The Hassanids forestalled this for generations by the Sultans taking the effort to adopt promising men into the family, even to the extent of designating these adopted sons as heirs to the throne. By such effort, new blood would strengthen the Imperial lineage, ensuring for generations that the Sultans would be wise and vigorous men. The Sultans also ensured that men of the Imperial line would be raised in a hard school of discipline, undergoing rigorous military training as well as education in history, politics and theology. All young men of the Imperial House knew that the throne would go to the most worthy, the strongest, wisest, most just. All knew that true merit would result in the greatest rewards.
No one knows when this practice ended; the records are long lost in the depths of history. What is known is that after centuries of ensuring the most fit successor possible, succession became a matter purely of primogeniture. The eldest would inherit, and all others would find their fortunes dependent upon his whim. Eventually, of course, ambitious younger siblings would hit upon the obvious strategy to compensate for a lower ranking in the birth order. As the Sultans traditionally kept harems, the plots and bloodshed could become extreme. The Hassanid Court became notorious as a cesspit of plots and stratagems. In the year 3527, the Sultan Ahmirr III was the first ruler recorded (in the surviving records) to order the executions of all his brothers and half-brothers on accession to the throne. From this time forward, the succession battles became protracted and even more bloody. However, as the Legions and the bureaucracy stayed neutral in these conflicts and simply maintained the governance, the decadence of the Imperial Court did not impinge on the peace and prosperity of the populace.
The first glimmer of change came during the reign of Aziz XIV (3721-3733), known as Aziz the Zealot. A devout Shiite, during his reign an Imam known as Mahmet the Dervish came to have great influence in the Court. Many historians see him as the true power behind the throne. In the 12 years of Aziz’ reign, many of the long-standing laws regarding the treatment of non-Muslim citizens changed irrevocably. Almost overnight non-Muslims became second-class citizens subject to increased taxes and special tariffs on the construction of non-Muslim churches and temples. Land ownership became much more difficult, and many long-held estates defaulted to the Crown as the owners became unable to pay the increased land-taxes. Elves and dwarves found their presence less tolerated. The elves withdrew to their enclaves, rarely seen from this time forth. The dwarves increased the prices on their trade goods in response to the increased tariffs, and flat refused to part with adamant for any price.
This action led to the Dwarven War of 3732-34. Aziz marched into the Dwarf-held Northern Mountains at the head of the Cougar Legion. Neither Aziz nor his legion returned. Sporadic struggles followed until Aziz’ successor, Achmet XX, sued for peace and ended the Dwarf-tax. Dwarven trade resumed, but never to the previous levels. The elves never returned.
Nahroon the Ill-Starred (3984-4004) began his reign auspiciously enough. In 3986, in response to a series of attacks by the Sharranese (desert nomads of the Great Erg) on the lands of the southern provinces, Nahroon took the Legions into the south and fought a series of campaigns against the raiders. He inflicted a number of stinging defeats on the desert tribes, forcing them into submission once more. One of the critical results of the southern campaign – Nahroon took for his fourth wife Meleia, eldest daughter of the pre-eminent shaikh of the region. In 3988, Meleia gave birth to Nahroon’s first son, Yistvann.
Nahroon’s troubles began almost as soon as he returned with his new bride. Many of the northern nobles took umbrage at the foreign wife. For the first time in centuries, an emperor was forced to use the Legions to quash internal dissent, fighting several brief campaigns against the retinues of the northern lords. By 3990, all dissent was stifled, both by the presence of the Legions and by the birth of Nahroon’s second son, Alim, born to the second wife, the daughter of an influential northern amir.
Then, in 3992, disaster struck. The histories call this time “The Year the Sun Died.” Exactly what occurred, no one knows. What is known: in 3992, a light appeared in the sky above the Imperial Academy, the headquarters of the Imperial Guild of Mages. For months afterward, the Sun was literally blotted out by smoke. Later, when the skies cleared, only a deep lake was found where once stood the vaunted Academy. The lake, known till the present as Lake Omen, has a dark reputation as a haunted locale and den of aquatic monsters.
The disaster, whatever the cause, wreaked havoc on the Empire. For three years, the harvests were minimal at best. Starvation ravaged the populace. In the wake of the food shortages came plague. The peasantry rose up against the nobility, seeking the ever-decreasing food stockpiles. The Legions were sent out against them, and brutally suppressed revolt. As the crisis worsened, one of the Legions, the Dog Legion, joined in the revolt, sacking the keeps of a number of noble households before being annihilated.
In 3995, a new figure emerged out of nowhere: Mahmet al-Rasoul. Claiming to be the sole survivor of the Imperial Academy, he swiftly rose in prominence as he used an array of potent magics to alleviate the crisis. Before the end of the year, Nahroon appointed him Grand Vizier, the chief advisor to the Emperor. Soon after, came the Great Rain, a fortnight’s worth of downpour. After the rains ended, the Sun was again visible, the dust rinsed out of the skies. Al-Rasoul coordinated the rebuilding of the Imperial holdings devastated by the crisis, while Nahroon rode at the head of the Legions, fighting a constant battle against incursions by Mountain People, trolls and goblins, whose numbers had multiplied as the northern provinces were devastated. Added to the mix was a new threat – the Reivers. Inhabitants of a chain of islands off the northwest coast of Meropal, in 3997 they began to raid the western coastal provinces, engaging the Imperial Fleet in a series of victorious naval battles. Eventually, the superior numbers of the Fleet would drive them off, but they would always remain a serious threat.
In 4004 came word of a new foe – an invading horde of barbarians from the Eastern Wastes. The Torregs, as the invaders were known, swiftly overran a number of border forts and laid waste to the surrounding countryside. Once again, Nahroon rode out at the head of Legions to face the new threat. The two armies met at the Gallian Plains. For three days the battle raged. The Torreg horse archers proved a match for the slower but more powerful Legion Cataphracts. At the end, however, the Empire proved victorious and the Torreg forces scattered. However, the Imperial victory also carried tragedy: as the Imperial forces began the final charge that routed the Torregs, a stray arrow pierced Nahroon’s visor, killing him instantly.
Upon hearing of the death of his father, Yistvann prepared to assume the throne as the eldest son. However, the vizier, Mahmet al Rasoul, convinced the nobility to support the younger son, Alim, whose mother had been the daughter of a northern amir. Alim ordered the palace guards to seize Yistvann.
Yistvann, though, was not without allies. Palace servitors and guardsmen loyal to the elder son spirited him out of the palace and brought him to the south, where he found loyal Legions. The resulting civil war lasted almost five years. In the end, Yistvann’s forces were unable to resist the potent sorceries of Mahmet al Rasoul. The southern Legions were eventually shattered, but Yistvann and a small group of loyalists escaped into the Southern Erg. They were not pursued.
Alim VII (4005-15) would not be remembered as one of the great emperors. Essentially serving as the puppet of Mahmet al-Rasoul, he spent his years on the throne in a drug and sex-filled haze. He died unremarked and without issue. After his death, Deregar, commander of the palace guard, initiated a coup. With the backing of several Imam’s he was able to block the sorcery of Mahmet al-Rasoul, though the vizier would escape. The generals and nobles, weary of civil war, were willing to accept a strong personality as the new emperor. Faced with a decimated army and surrounded by enemies, he made peace with the Torregs and allowed them to settle the northeastern provinces, to serve as a bulwark against the goblins and any new barbarian incursions. Deregar ruled for 20 years, rebuilding the weakened empire and assimilating the new settlers.
Though the Empire once again knew peace, it was an uneasy one. The Sharranese became an ever-increasing threat as Yistvann and his descendants welded the tribes into a united foe. The goblins increased in numbers, as did the eastern barbarian raiders. The destruction of the Imperial Academy meant that very few mages existed to serve the Empire. The memory of the vanished al-Rasoul ensured they would forever be objects of mistrust when recognized. The role of the conservative Imams in Deregar’s coup meant that the more radical, fundamentalist Shiite version of Islam assumed a more prominent role. Non-Muslims found they had fewer and fewer rights under the law. There were times, in fact, when non-Muslims would be the subject of “random” attacks, spurred on by the newly influential Imams. Deregar’s successors found it necessary to raise more troops, most of whom would not measure up to the training standards of the Legions. To pay for the military expenditures, taxes were raised, especially among the non-Muslims. The Hassanid Empire was a powderkeg waiting to explode.
In 4215, the spark ignited. At the centre were twin brothers, William and Henry Albadon. Sons of a minor noble household descended from the Torreg settlers, they were visited by an Imperial tax collector accompanied by a small troop of soldiers. The tax assessment for the year had been increased threefold. The tax collector insisted on full payment despite the poor harvest. As the brothers were unable to pay, their lands, manor and all chattels stood forfeit to the fisc. In a fit of rage, Henry killed the tax collector. In the ensuing battle, the brothers slew four of the soldiers before escaping with little more than the clothes on the back, weapons and a pair of horses. They fled into the foothills.
Under ordinary circumstances, the brothers would most likely have ended up eking out a bare existence as brigands until the Imperial forces eventually found them.
However, a chance meeting in a tavern in a village at the borders of the Dwarven territories would prove to the single most dramatic turning point in the history of Meropal. Also in that tavern that day was monk named Brother Thomas (no other name is known). A member of a small monastic order called the Order of Saint Simeon (within the – at the time – minor persecuted sect known as Christianity); Brother Thomas was a noted mystic, believed to have possessed the gift of prophecy. On seeing the brothers, he was said to have had a vision showing them to have a destiny. He befriended them, and connected them with others who would have a crucial role in subsequent events: Barrish a’Dell, a dwarf clan-leader, Taryn Quenitell, a relative of the Elven King of Quenitell (the northern Elven forest kingdom), and Aeryn Grenville, a mage (thought by many to be part of the Great Council, a secret organization that arose after the destruction of the Imperial Academy in 3992). Together, this group would form the Grand Alliance as each individual recruited and trained followers over the next several years.
In 4218, another civil war broke out as the Sharranese seized control of a number of southern provinces. The predominantly Sunni residents of these provinces were, for the most part, glad to cooperate in overthrowing the Shiite ruling class. The revolt was helped by the defection of three Legions. The Emperor, Selim XVII, swiftly mobilized and began a massive conscription drive. He also imposed an additional War Tax.
The war dragged on for four years, as both sides proved evenly matched. A number of regions were almost completely deforested to build fleets, as the Middle Sea lit up from the flames of burning war galleys.
Then, in 4222, came two hammer blows that would settle the fate of the Hassanid Empire. In the Northwest, a great fleet of Reiver warships landed a massive invasion force. In the East, a new tribe, the Kharras, led by a warlord named Harza Khar, flooded the eastern provinces in wave after wave of mounted archers born the saddle and bow. On the Plains of Gallios the Imperial Legions met the Kharran horde and suffered the worst defeat in recorded history. Ten Legions, the heart of the Imperial army, were slaughtered to the last man.
The Kharran horde sacked the Imperial capitol of Babylia. Selim XVII fled west, moving the capitol to the fortified city of Dareen, which he renamed Selimdar. The southern provinces named Ali, leader of the Sharranese forces and a descendant of Yistvann, king of the new nation of Soorjyn. The Reivers carved out a new kingdom in the Northwest, which would later split into the Six Kingdoms after several rounds of internecine fighting.
In 4225, the Grand Alliance met the forces of Harza Khar in battle at Breaker’s Ford. William and Henry had built an army of the people of the Torreg regions, trained by veteran Elf and Dwarf armsmasters and equipped with weapons and armour made from Dwarven steel. The battle raged for hours, both sides evenly matched. The light cavalry of the Kharran horde could not easily be brought into close contact with the heavily armoured Torreg army, but when contact was made, the lighter Kharra troops were no match. However, the composite horse bows of the nomads could easily kill the heavy destriers of the Torreg knights, and at close range could even punch through Dwarven steel.
After four hours of intense fighting, the battle stood balanced on a razor’s edge. Then, William led a small group of knights on a suicidal charge against Harza Khar’s standard. The Elven allies used their longbows to punch a hole in the Kharran line. William led the knights through. As the knights died one at a time at the hands of the superior Kharran forces, William cut his way through to face Harza Khar in single combat. With several Kharra shafts buried in his breastplate, William still managed to slay Harza Khar with a single blow that cleaved through his light steel cap left his brains dashed out on the ground. Bereft of their leader, the nomad forces were scattered in disarray. While the bulk of the horde scattered back into the Eastern Wastes, some of the remnants settled near the Plains of Gallios, forming the Kingdom of Gallios.
In wake of the stunning victory of Breaker’s Ford, William and Henry founded the Twin Kingdoms of Eregos and Varanor. William became king of Eregos, Henry of Varanor. In the reckoning of these kingdoms (and eventually much of Meropal except for Soorjyn and the remnants of the Old Hassanid Empire) the year 4225 became Year 1. The new Calendar would divide the year into 13 months of 28 days based around 13 major constellations, with the anniversary of Breaker’s Ford serving as Breaker’s Day, a day outside of any month, a day set aside for celebration by all non-muslims, a day that signifies the end of the Empire and its tyranny.
Over the next few centuries, the new nations formed in the wake of the Hassanid collapse stabilized their borders. The most significant event in this time was the formation of Kingdom of Beriquel in the fertile delta of the Alivere River on the western coast. This area was settled in NR 25 by Elves from the Isle of Beltheria, reclaiming territory vacated in 3733 OR during the reign of Aziz the Zealot.
On the Plains of Gallios, the nomadic Khar settled down, built cities, and imported horses from Soorjyn, which they crossbred to create the famed Galliosian steeds. The cities of the Tongue peninsula and along the northern coast of the Middle Sea grew into independent city-states. Eregos and Varanor gradually increased their borders to their present size. Christianity spread throughout the continent, displacing Islam as the dominant religion in the former Hassanid provinces. During this time of relative peace and prosperity, populations grew.
Population pressure would eventually lead to the next great conflict: the Crusades. The spark that would light the conflagration was ignited in NR 357. A missionary monk named Brother Thomas was preaching in the Hassanid city of Labail, attracting crowds of interested listeners. As successful missionary efforts will do, Brother Thomas met opposition from Shiite extremists, who incited riots to accompany his preaching efforts. During one of these riots, city guards came to break up the conflict. During the struggle, Brother Thomas was shot and killed by an arrow. No one knows who the archer actually was. The Patriarch (senior archbishop) accused the Hassanids of engineering the assassination. He called on the forces of Christendom to avenge the insult.
The Patriarch’s call was all the excuse needed for thousands of younger sons of Eregossian and Varanese nobility, plus pure mercenaries from the Six Kingdoms as well as a veritable horde eager young volunteers from all stratas of society to march. The Crusades would last for over two centuries as a series of invasions.
The First Crusade was the most successful of the invasions. A Crusader army, led by Count Geoffrey d’Auberge, a younger son of the Duc d’Auberge, one of the most senior nobles of the nation of Varanor, defeated a Hassanid army at the Alivere River. They then crossed the river into Soorjyn and won a series of victories from 358-362. The Crusaders carved out a pair of kingdoms, Acrean and Outremont. To the east, the Patriarch, from the holy city of Barnait (the site of Breaker’s Ford), would use the First Crusade to expand the power and influence of Barnait to fill the lands known today as the Patriarchy.
In the wake of the spectacular victories of the First Crusade, the Templar Orders were formed. These Orders were formed by knights sworn to monastic vows of poverty and chastity. The largest and most powerful of these orders was the Order of St. Thomas, named for monk killed in Labail. The other major order was the Order of St. George, named for a legendary dragonslayer from the deepest reaches of antiquity. The Order of St. George would build their main chapter house on an island in the Middle Sea, which they renamed Templar Isle. The chapter house, called Karbanek, was built in 385, and to this day is famed as the most impregnable fortress in the known world. From this Isle, the Order would provide elite soldier-monks to protect merchants and pilgrims. Over the centuries, the Order would expand its mission to harry the nomads of the east and seek out and destroy the monsters and barbarians of the north.
The kingdom of Outremont would last over a century. In the end, however, it would fall, reconquered by Soorjyn. In 475 the Sultan of Soorjyn, Alim, invaded Outremont, whose forces had been decimated after a dynastic struggle. With Alim rode his vizier, a man named Haroun. Haroun was a powerful sorcerer, and his magic would create disaster for the Outremont armies. After taking Outremont in a lighting-fast campaign, Alim turned his attention to Acrean. By this time however, King Philippe had had time to gather his forces and bring in allies. The massed troops of the Orders, plus the Elves of Beriquel, with a contingent from Eregos, stood together to repulse the armies of Soorjyn. During the final battle of the Appian fields, several Elven mages countered the dark magic of Haroun. At the end of the arcane duel, there was a blast of green flame that seared the Soorjyn host. When the flame subsided, Haroun was gone. Alim led his army from the field, and would soon sue for peace.
The last campaign of the Crusades was the most regrettable for the hosts of Christendom. Over the centuries, the Plainsmen of Gallios, situated between the Christian kingdom of Varanor and the Muslim kingdom of Soorjyn, abandoned the shamanistic polytheism of their nomadic ancestors and converted to monotheistic belief – Judaism. This decision would anger extremists on both sides. In 587, zealot monks would stir the desires of ambitious younger sons of the nobility to invade Gallios. However, as the Crusade lacked the competent leadership of the First Crusade, the invasion would end in disaster, accomplishing nothing save the slaughter of innocents.
In the wake of the Crusades, the borders of the nations around the Middle Sea would o0nce again stabilize, as outright warfare ceased, interrupted occasionally by sporadic border clashes.
In the Eighth Century, the Patriarchy again attempted to expand its borders by annexing the city-states surrounding the Tongue Peninsula. They were thwarted due to the intervention of both Gallios and the Dwarven kingdom of Zeled on behalf of the city-states. Galliosian troops patrolled the borders while Dwarven merchants supplied materiel and engineering specialists. This included the first supply of dwarf-wrought cannons outside the Dwarven realm. The Patriarch withdrew, having no support from other kingdoms, all of which wished to maintain the trade routes.
One of the hallmarks of the New Reckoning period was the long-term alliance of the Twin Kingdoms of Eregos and Varanor. The two kingdoms maintained a close friendship throughout the centuries, often intermarrying the nobility and royalty. In 834, the friendship shattered over a dynastic dispute. The king of Eregos, William VII, died without a direct heir. There were two major candidates for the throne: John O’Connell, Duke of Northaven and husband of Eleanor, William’s younger daughter, and Geoffroi d’Anglere, a younger son of the king of Varanor and husband to Helena, William’s eldest daughter. While the Eregossian Parliament determined that Geoffroi had the stronger claim, the Succession Council, composed of the most senior Eregossian nobles, selected John as the new King.
Insulted by this rejection, Geoffroi appealed to his father, Henri V, for assistance. Henri sent the Varanese army into Eregos for the first time in the history of the two nations. The blame for this decision can be laid on the council of Henri’s chancellor, a man of mysterious origins named Alastair Tarabon. As it turned out, Tarabon was a necromancer of no mean ability. As the invasion progressed, the Eregossians discovered that Varanese troops who had been killed would return as zombies to rampage the battlefield. The Eregossian forces retreated, defeated.
The Eregossian forces were later bolstered by the addition of dwarvish and elvish troops, as well as contingents from the Order of St. George. Other monks would counter the necromantic enchantments of Alastair Tarabon through particularly efficacious prayer. Mages, both elven and human, would also come to stand by King John and would eventually defeat Tarabon. With the defeat of the necromancer, Henri stopped the invasion and offered apologies, paying restitution for the damage caused by the invasion. It was revealed that Tarabon had ensorcelled the king to stir up conflict between the two nations. Scouts also discovered a horde of goblins, trolls and other monsters massing in the northeast to attack the vulnerable kingdom. The combined armies of Eregos, Varanor, Zeled and Quenitell would rout the new threat.
In 1232, the Kharran horde again attempted conquest of the rich lands of the western realms. They launched a massive assault on Gallios, accompanied by goblin and other monstrous allies. They were also bolstered by the assistance of evil mages, as magics of the darkest sort ran rampant over the battlefields. The Galliosian troops retreated in disarray, shattered by the sudden stroke and dark enchantments. The other nations rallied to assist, mobilizing to meet the new threat. Both Christian and Muslim rulers saw the evil at the heart of the Kharran invasion force, and moved their troops to support the beleaguered Galliosians.
The invasion force was delayed by the siege of Barnait. It took them three months to overcome the stubborn resistance of the capitol of the Patriarchy and raze the city. The horde then moved on Babylia, principle city of the Maritime Confederacy, the loose association of city-states. At the gates of the city, the horde met the massed troops of every nation. The Legions of Soorjyn fought alongside the chivalry of Eregos and Varanor. Elven bows and Dwarven axes lashed the invaders. Berserkers from the Six Kingdoms met the ferocity of the invaders with a matching savagery. Imams, Bishops and Rabbis raised up their voices united in prayer against rampaging demonic spirits. Mages of every stripe emerged from lives of secrecy to counter the dark sorceries of the horde. In the end, the Kharran forces and their dark allies were annihilated.
Since the battle of Babylia, Meropal has mostly been at peace. No major war has been fought, although desultory border clashes are not uncommon. Trade and exploration has flourished, as have art and culture. All is quiet. For now.
Capitol: Galandia. Located at a major junction of the Steel and Mear Rivers. Critical trade city. Population: 150,000.
Major Cities: Northaven (45,000), Southaven (85,000), Easthaven (43,000) and Westhaven (52,000). Originally designed as fortresses. Now end points on the Eregossian Great Highway system. Also significant: Shewford, the University town.
Climate: temperate mostly, cooler in the North. Plains east of the Spine Range are the most fertile part of the country. Agricultural. The northern areas are rougher, foothills country. Inhabitants are herdsmen more than farmers.
Government: all nobility of the rank of Baron or higher hold fealty directly from the king. Two Houses of government: House of Great Lords, composed of the highest nobility (earls, marquis; and duke). There are four Royal Dukes, ten Dukes, 5 Marquis’ (Lords of the 5 major cities) and twenty two Earls. The Parliament is composed of the lesser nobles (barons) and selected gentry and commoners; there are always 201 members seated. Parliament can propose legislation, the Great Lords will debate and either reject the proposed legislation or refer it to the King for final determination. If the Great Lords reject a proposal, Parliament can, if 75% of the seated members agree, appeal directly to the King. Also, Parliament is always consulted before major decisions, such as war. Parliament will also set taxation rates, subject to Royal Assent.
Military: the heart of Eregossian military is the knight. Born of the nobility, they are trained almost from birth in horsemanship and weaponry. All knights owe military service, and are expected to furnish a lance (squire and 3-5 men-at-arms) when called to war. Knights ride heavy destriers in battle, trained warhorses that are weapons in themselves.
Men-at-arms are mounted fighters as well, though more lightly armoured. They fight either mounted or dismounted. They serve as shock troops, armed with sword, mace or other melee weapons.
The northern regions of Eregos produce the famed Eregossian longbowmen. The yeomen of this region are expected to train from youth in the use of the longbow And serve at need. The best of the northern archers have even been known occasionally to win archery competitions against Elves. Occasionally. The remainder of the military is composed of peasant levies modestly trained in a variety of polearms.
Special unit: Eregossian Rangers. An elite group drawn from the ranks of yeoman farmers. In addition to their archery skills, members of this unit are highly trained in melee weapons and horsemanship, as well as woodcraft, hunting and tracking. They are among the few commoners who can actually ride horses without being arrested on suspicion of horse theft. They have the job of patrolling the hinterlands in the north, west and east, hunting for brigands, dangerous beasts, goblins and monsters.
The defining characteristic of the Eregossian people is independence. As the nobility hold fief directly from the king, and the yeomen farmholders can bear arms (i.e., longbows), the Eregossians tend to exhibit a more independent spirit than the normal feudal society. Apart from this, however, there is a fair amount of regional variance among the people. The westerners, for example, tend to be extremely insular, superstitious and wary of strangers. In the north, the people are less dour, more inclined to cheerfulness and welcoming. In the east, people tend to dour and serious. In the south, more formal, reserved.
Capitol: Par Valen. Population: 175,000. Other major cities: Par Derisol (75,000), Par Dellan (45,000), Par Gelien (55,000) Par Malett (42,000), Par Velerien (63,000) and Par Elis (64,000), Breasil (23,000).
Climate: temperate to warm, mostly. Extremely rich farmland, mostly flat. In the south, the lands produce orchards and vineyards, to make exceptionally good wines.
Government: somewhat similar to that of Eregos, except that the barons mostly hold fief from their liege-lords, the greater nobles, rather than from the king directly. There is a Dumas, or Parliament, but it has powers and responsibilities of a lesser degree than that of Eregos. Also, no commoners sit on the Dumas. There are no Royal Dukes, but 15 Dukes, 8 Marquis, and 25 Counts. Also unlike Eregos, the greater nobles hold contiguous lands, rather than holdings parcelled out in several locations.
Military: like Eregos, built around the mounted knight. Knights are bound to provide military service and a lance of followers. Men-at-arms serve more as dragoons than cavalry, tending to ride to battle but dismount to fight (though they will fight mounted as well). Varanor has no longbowmen, but uses crossbowmen as missile troops. The bulk of the infantry again tends to be peasant class, but have more standardized equipment, having several units of highly trained pikemen.
The Varanese are also noted for their Engineers. Trained in construction and sapping, road-building and bridging, the Engineers have built some renowned castles, particularly on the eastern frontier and along the southeast border.
The Varanese tend to be very formal people, extremely conscious of class differences. The nobility hold quite tightly to their perquisites, as do the higher class commoners. As part of their formality, Varanese are unfailingly polite, at least among the more genteel people. The lower stratas of society, can be either extremely friendly and welcoming, or superstitious and vicious.
Capitol: Mountaindale. Population: 25,000. No other major cities. Dwarves tend to live in smaller communities.
Climate: as a mountainous country, Zeled tends to be cold. Not a great deal of agriculture, although the dwarves do herd some sheep and goats.
Government: dwarves tend to a loose, clan-based style of governance. There is a king, but he tends to be more of a chief of clan-chiefs, a senior leader rather than an absolute monarch. Outsiders have tended to describe dwarvish government as barely-controlled anarchy, but it works.
Military: dwarves are pure infantry, heavily armoured infantry. Dwarf-make weapons and armour are known as the best. And the dwarves do not export their best work. Dwarves tend to use axes and war hammers as opposed to swords, as well as crossbows. Repeating crossbows.
The other truly significant dwarvish military equipment: cannons. Dwarves invented gunpowder, and control the only significant source of sulphur. Dwarvish artillery is feared and respected. There are even rumours, unproven, of cannons that move by themselves.
While Zeled produces little agriculture, it is extremely rich in minerals. In addition to sulphur, Zeled has major deposits of iron, coal, silver, gold, gems, copper – a virtual cornucopia of mineral wealth. And the rarest prize of metals: dwarfsilver. This metal, while it can be worked easily in its raw state (given the right treatment by a Dwarven smith-mage), can be made into items of extremely potent hardness and lightness. Weapons made of this material take a sharp edge that never dulls and can cleave through almost anything. Armour made of this material, while almost as light as ordinary clothing, will be impervious to almost any blow.
Dwarves have an undeserved reputation for taciturnity. Much of this is due to the fact that few visitors are allowed past the border. The dwarves have set up a number of borderland trading posts where merchants will gather to trade for Dwarven steel and other dwarf-make products and raw materials. In reality, dwarves are full of life, rejoicing in a good meal accompanied by a huge quantity of Dwarven ale and can be extremely gregarious.
Capitol: Oakvale. Population unknown. No other major cities known.
Climate: despite the northern location, Quenitell is reputed to be a lush, green forest.
Government: while there is king and Council, not much else is known of Elven governance. Elves do not allow visitors into their lands. It is presumed that elven government is minimal at best – nearly immortal, elves tend to solitary by nature and reluctant to be ruled.
Military: elves are famous as masters of the longbow. In addition, elves are highly skilled as infantry with melee weapons. As forest dwellers, elves use little cavalry.
As one might expect from such a long-lived race with a low birthrate, elves can tend towards being formal and reserved. They do not often leave their forest. Many find elves difficult to deal with, as everyone knows are incredibly wise and have greater knowledge than most. Also, elves have magic. While not all elves have the full talent required in a mage, most will be able to practice magic. And, after spending several centuries studying magic, elves can quite formidable mages. They can have a remoteness born of age and a near eternity of experience, but are invariably polite and will prove to be true friends.
Elves are also noted as craftsmen of superior quality. Elven made items, as the product of centuries of experience and care, are much prized as luxury goods. Of course, few can afford elf-crafted work, and the elves find little need to export.
Capitol: Remarqual. Population 45,000. Other cities: Baraque (65,000), Lamarque (53,000), and Trebizand (23,000).
Climate: warm and dry. Flat terrain. While there is some agriculture, the emphasis is more on herding, cattle and horses.
Government: the head of the government is the Khagan, head of the most powerful of the clans of Gallios. Clan chiefs are generally chosen by election, the clan warriors selecting the senior warrior they consider to have the greatest wisdom, experience and prowess. When a Khagan dies, the clans gather to choose which of them will assume the title. This makes for a chaotic, somewhat anarchic and occasionally ineffective government that yet manages to function despite its flaws.
Military: apart from city garrisons, Gallios uses no infantry. Mounted archers equipped with powerful composite horse bows, atop the famed steeds of Gallios make for a devastating military presence. Galliosians are practically born on horseback, and are trained from youth in horse archery and fighting. Though they are lightly armoured and therefore have little shock impact in battle, their devastating archery combined with fluid and disciplined tactics make Gallios a foe to be reckoned with.
While Gallios has fewer settlements than most countries, and have none of world’s largest cities, they nonetheless do have economic power. A significant result of their conversion to Judaism was the migration of Jews to Gallios by the thousands. A previously landless people, most Jews were merchants, craftsmen and scholars. Many jumped at the opportunity to become landholders in a new realm, and brought to Gallios a core of trained and literate professionals.
While there are those who consider the Plainsmen to be simple barbarians as well as pagans, they have a great deal more shrewdness than many realize. They are a people with a great capacity for hospitality, and can be quite friendly, so long as their customs and faith are respected. [There have been occasional clashes between Gallios and the Patriarchy due to the actions of the Office of the Holy Inquisition.]
Capitol: none. A loose association of independent city-states. Major Cities: Babylia (175,000); Valecia (83,000), Baralia (79,000), Firenze (82,000), Adalia (67,000), Salerio (72,000) and Polacia (87,000). This is the most densely populated area of Meropal. Rich croplands, marine food sources and access to trade goods has made this region wealthy.
Climate: warm. Extremely rich soil. Regular rain and access to fresh water allow for two crops a year, even with proper crop rotation.
Government: each city is governed by a council of powerful merchants, headed by a chief official. The nobility control large merchant operations. Each city controls a section of countryside. The cities, or more specifically the major noble houses, have long-standing rivalries over the control of agricultural areas and trade routes. The rivalries often turn violent, breaking out into rounds of assassinations, sabotage and even military skirmishes.
Military: the military forces of the Maritime Confederacy are primarily composed of mercenaries. Natives of these cities serve in the navies or as city garrisons and engineers. In particular, native soldiers serve the artillery on the walls. The mercenary condottiere forces serve in the field. These armies tend to be a mixture of whatever can be hired. Primarily they are composed of infantry (polearms and crossbows mostly) and light cavalry with a small number of heavy cavalry or infantry hired from the Six Kingdoms.
The Maritime Confederacy is one of the few nations that actually use cannons. They have cannons on the walls of their cities and their warships will also mount a cannon or two. The Maritimers also are the only people who make use of personal firearms. However, as the cost of gunpowder can be quite prohibitive (a single shot worth of powder will cost as much as a quiver of arrows), they are very much a toy of the wealthy.
The cities of the Maritime Confederacy are full of life, and the people have a matching attitude. The attitudes of the people are extreme. If they like you, you are the best friend they have ever had. If they dislike you, they express dislike in a loud voice, perhaps even accompanied with a punch. The people are boisterous and loud, confident almost to the point of arrogance.
Capitol: Barnait (population 97,000). Other major cities: St. Barnabus (72,000), St. Viviane (64,000), St. Miriam (58,000), St. Timothy (37,000), St. Gracchus (48,000), St. Eustis (61,000).
Climate: mostly flat and warm. Somewhat hillier in the northwest. Good agricultural land, some good wine country.
Government: the head of state, the Patriarch, also happens to be the spiritual head of the Christian Church. The temporal rulers of the territories are bishops and abbots, all reporting to the Patriarch. All bishops and abbots are appointed by the Patriarch. When a Patriarch dies, his successor is elected by the bishops in council. Interestingly, bishoprics and the office of the Patriarch tend to remain in the hands of certain powerful families.
Military: Similar to the nations of Varanor and Eregos, the military is built around the mounted knight. The most important part of the military is the cavalry – knights and men-at-arms. They will also have a corps of crossbowmen and peasant levies armed with a mix of polearms.
The most interesting military unit would be the Patriarchal Guard – this unit is composed of mercenary axemen from the Reiver Islands taking service with the Patriarch. Though they guard the Patriarch, as a rule they remain unrepentantly pagan in their beliefs.
Though the Patriarchy is governed by clergy, the people of the nation are perhaps the most cosmopolitan in outlook in Meropal. Perhaps the constant sight of the results of power in the hands of men theoretically devoted to the service of God has made the people naturally cynical in nature, or perhaps the constant exposure to other cultures through their position on the trade routes has made them less superstitious and more tolerant. As a general rule, the people of the Patriarchy are less actively religious than others – though of course they are most observant.
Capitol: Dar’al-Salaam (population 135,000). Other cities: Dar’al-merala (62,000); Dar’al-pakala (58,000); Benali (38,000); Ba’al-eral (43,000); Kenala (67,000); Delasha (78,000); Anail-ghraib (52,000); Ner’al-falash (83,000); Bakrala (42,000); Netali (37,000); Denab (64,000); Terfal (56,000); De’graba (26,000).
Climate: Very warm. Lush and green around the coasts. Arid as one gets away from the coasts, becoming ever more arid as one goes south, until one gets to the Great Erg. There are a number of towns in the south, due to the building of a massive series of canals.
Government: Absolute monarchy, headed by the Caliph. As the viceroy of Allah on Meropal, his word is considered law. In practice, however, in a culture where important men will have multiple wives and the Caliph will have a harem, resulting in a large number of sons, brothers and other relatives, the possibility of dynastic squabble, vicious infighting and internecine strife becomes a distinct possibility.
Military: The Soorjyn military is structured around a corps of disciplined light cavalry descended from the classic Hassanid Legions, though not as heavily armoured. Soorjynian cavalry is lightly armoured (light chain mostly), armed with composite bow and scimitar. They will also use auxiliary cavalry units from the Great Erg – nomadic camel archers. They also will make use of elephants imported from the deep southern Spice Lands. While the camels and elephants are slow, and the elephants tend to lose control, they do have a significant advantage – they cause horses to panic.
Unlike most of the other nations, Soorjyn has a very disciplined infantry – the Naranni Spearmen. In keeping with Soorjynian military strategy – based around fluid, quick-moving units – the Naranni Spearmen are a lightly armoured infantry that is well-trained, disciplined and mobile. Armed with shield and 10-foot spears, the Spearmen are easily able to move quickly to any spot on the battlefield to back up the cavalry or serve as a bulwark against enemy encroachment. The size and training of the Soorjyn military make them a fearsome opponent. Soorjyn is often referred to in diplomatic circles as “the sleeping giant” based on certain knowledge that if they ever ceased their internecine strife for any length of time, they could conquer any other nation.
As a Muslim nation surrounded by Christians, the Soorjynian people tend to be contentious by nature, resentful and suspicious of foreigners. They have a great deal of pride, and are profoundly sensitive to any perceived slight. As a maritime power with a large number of coastal cities, the people take economics seriously. Natural hagglers, they consider it to be an art form, and will routinely take much longer to complete a deal than most – people have been known to spend an entire afternoon negotiating the purchase of a pair of sandals, with innumerable comments regarding banditry and starving children thrown into the mix. Also note: do not expect to buy an ale or cup of wine in a tavern in Soorjyn.
Capitol: Midral (population 89,000). Other major cities: Baserra (65,000), Verazza (48,000), Tarrena (62,000) and Bilbarra (59,000).
Climate: Warm to temperate. Extremely lush farmland, as well as some good wine country in the drier northern areas.
Government: Feudal monarchy, where the nobility hold fealty directly from the king. As a Christian nation bordered by two Muslim nations, one of which is much larger, Acrean has very little factional strife. The higher nobility serves as an advisory council to the king, but there is no formal parliament.
Military: While the mounted knight still forms the heart of the Acrean military structure, they have learned and adapted from their neighbours. They have light cavalry units, jinetes (mounted javelineers) that provide a great deal of flexibility in battle. As well, they are the only human nation apart from Eregos that has longbowmen. Apart from the longbowmen, Acrean infantry centres around the tercios, armoured sword/buckler fighters.
The people of Acrean combine a prickly nature with a punctilious politeness and a truly passionate religious belief. Of all the Christian nations, Acrean is the most devout and militant. In fact, Acreans account for the greatest source of recruits for the Office of the Inquisition.
Acreans take honour seriously. Even the commoners have a strong sense of personal honour and do not bear insult well. They are, though, extremely polite and can even be friendly if handled carefully.
One interesting port of call – the city of Bilbarra is well known for the quality of their weaponsmiths and armourers. It is said that only the dwarves are more skilled in the forging of weapons and armour. These products are very expensive, but those in the business of using the tools swear by them.
Capitol: Llallverrin. Other major city: Delterrien. Populations are unknown, but guesswork would put them as equivalent to moderate-sized cities in the range of 50,000 or so.
Climate: Warm and moist. Heavily forested.
Government: While there is a king and nobles, governance appears to centre around a Council of senior craftmasters. Little is really known as, while visitors and merchants are allowed in, there is minimal diplomatic contact and no permanent embassies. [However, they do send emissaries to other nations.]
Military: Like the northern elves of Quenitell, the centre of the army revolves around the Elvish Longbow. Like the northern elves, they have a skilled force of armoured infantry. Unlike the northern elves, however, they elves of Beriquel do have a significant cavalry arm. The power of the Elven Knights is respected all over Meropal.
In addition to the land forces, the Elven Navy is a force to be reckoned with. Their longships have virtually cleared the Western Ocean of pirates.
The elves of Beriquel are somewhat more open and friendly than the northern elves. But only somewhat. While visitors are welcomed into the two major cities, any travel past those two centres is discouraged. Again like their northern cousins, the southern elves are reserved and polite, but distant, remote. It is said that they fear to form strong attachments to humans, who have a mayfly-like existence in comparison. However, it does happen. In fact, it is rumoured that the royal house of Acrean has blood-ties to the elves.
Basically, nothing is known of this remote island of elves. It is reputed to be home to scholars and mages of great power, but no one has been there to tell.
Capitol: Selimdar (population 103,000). Other cities: Billal (63,000), Derel (58,000) Garel (72,000) and Toral (23,000).
Climate: While the south tends to be warm, the north is much cooler. The climate tends to be arid, except for the area around the Five Rivers flowing out of Lake Akali.
Government: Monarchy headed by the Sultan. The nobles, however, the four most powerful emirs, tend to run their holdings as almost semi-autonomous states. As a result, the Sultan’s influence carries minimal weight outside the capitol of Selimdar.
Military: The Hassanid military is predominantly composed of the Legions, mounted Cataphracts equipped with sword, bow and spear. The Legions are heavily armoured, both man and horse. They fight both mounted and dismounted. However, the calibre of the troops has degenerated profoundly from the glory days of the Empire. Functioning mostly as ceremonial guard units, recruited through nepotism, they strike no profound fear in anyone.
By and large, the Hassanid Empire is now a political backwater, though it does have tremendous wealth. Hassanid merchants are well-reputed, where the military is despised. However, while Hassanid merchants travel throughout Meropal, very few visitors actually come to the Hassanid Empire. By all reports, however, the people are reported to be polite, cultured and even friendly and tolerant to the mores of other cultures and religions.
Cities: Drak (32,000); Gart (28,000); Tarn (34,000); Barek (38,000); Falesh (23,000) and Krag (37,000). Each serves as the capitol of a mini-kingdom. The borders between the kingdoms is so fluid that most mapmakers don’t bother drawing them, choosing to simply draw in the Six Kingdoms as a single entity. Of course, no inhabitant of this region will refer to themselves as part of the Six Kingdoms, but refer to the kingdom named for the capitol.
Climate: While the southern kingdoms have a somewhat milder climate, for the most part the area is harsh and cold. Heavy storms lash the coastal areas, and inland tends to be dry. While the peasantry can eke out a living herding goats and sheep, this is not prime agricultural land. However, the Reiver settlers did feel it was milder and more liveable than their original home, which says something about the Reiver Isles.
Government: While technically these are feudal monarchies, most outsiders refer to the governance of the Six Kingdoms as feudal anarchies. Far being absolute monarchs, the kings have minimal power – each noble sets himself up as a nearly autonomous ruler. The massive instability would theoretically make the Six Kingdoms ripe for conquest, but it has no territory anyone would want.
Military: Mercenaries are the chief export of the Six Kingdoms. Younger sons are eager to leave home and seek fortune and glory in the warmer, wealthier kingdoms. The nobility tend to ape the chivalric culture of the Christian nations, striving to be equipped as knights. However, the relative poverty of the region makes it difficult to raise and provide for the heavy destriers necessary for knights. Therefore, the Six Kingdom horsemen tend to be more lightly armoured. However, their ferocity in battle makes up for the lack of equipment, and successful mercenaries will eventually find themselves as well equipped as any other knight.
For the infantry, the preference is for close combat melee weapons – swords, axes, spears. They make minimal use of archery – low power self bows or occasional crossbows. While they tend to short on tactics and strategy, again the individual fighters tend to be excellent. When they do have a significant number of crossbows, the standard tactic is to fire a single volley then charge.
The people of the Six Kingdoms are known only from the mercenaries that leave the area. These mercenaries have a well-deserved reputation for extreme behaviour. In battle, they are an implacable foe, retreating only with absolute reluctance, showing a true disdain of injury or death. Away from the battlefield, they tend to drink and party hard.
The vast majority of the people of the Six Kingdoms are pagans, observing the religious rites of their Reiver ancestors. However, there is a significant minority of Christians, mostly those who converted to Christianity while serving as mercenaries, and taking their new faith back home.
There are a number of off-map peoples who are virtually unknown in Meropal.
These seafaring raiders have not been a prominent threat for many years. In the past, the Reiver longboats, filled with sword-and-axe-wielding bear-sarks, were a primal fear. Mothers on the western coastal regions would warn their children that the Reivers would get them if they misbehaved.
These northern clansmen are significant threat in northern regions. Skilled individual warriors with little sense of tactics, the Highlanders think of cattle rustling as a sport, and continually raid and probe the northern territories of Eregos. Like the Reivers and the Six Kingdoms, they make minimal use of archers. When countered by disciplined troops, they can easily be killed, as they use minimal armour [in fact, they have been known to go into battle stripped naked and painted blue, having consumed herbs and celebrating rites that drive them into a frenzy].
The nomad horse archers of the Eastern Wastes are an ever-simmering threat. At various times population pressures have caused huge movements of tribes into the West. Many of the eastern nations of Meropal can trace their ancestry to one of these population movements. Many of the tribes will raid into Meropal; some will come in smaller groups and serve as mercenaries; this is relatively uncommon as the tribesmen tend to lack real military discipline and are easily distracted by rape and plunder. However, the swift-moving cavalry armed with powerful recurve bows can be a major threat.
These nomadic communities wander throughout the lands of Meropal, never settling for long in any one place. They are well-known as merchants, traders, tinkers and entertainers. They are also well-known thieves and assassins. They are also reputed to be practitioners of black magic, and as a result will often find themselves running afoul of the Office of the Inquisition.
This guide is intended as a brief introduction to the peoples of Meropal. It is not intended to be exhaustive in nature. Nor are the general descriptions of the peoples intended to be absolute. Obviously, there will be exceptions to every rule. Over the course of an adventure, players may encounter Soorjynians who are actually friendly toward outsiders or people from the Six Kingdoms with an eye for culture. However, one can use this guide as a general compass of what one might expect to find in the various nations.