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GEOGRAPHY |
Back to World of Varna Homepage Evervale
The
Kingdom of Evervale was established over a thousand years ago in the year
463 when the Paladin Valen Traldorn
established a keep at Beymoon and set about building communication and trade links
between the scattered settlements of the wild vale lands between the Storm
Reaches and the Evervale Forest. He
was popular among the people and in 475 Valen Traldorn was crowned and
pronounced King. Supported by loyal retainers Valen soon expanded his demesne
north into the Stonelands and west as far as orc infested lands now known as
Kanan. The orcs
of the Orcs’ Horribly
outnumbered Kanan and his soldiers fought bravely as the orcs swarmed from
the mountains in an endless onslaught. Kanan’s band persevered, cutting down
orc after orc until finally, with only ten men standing the orcs stopped
coming. According to the stories and songs of bards Kanan himself fell dead
overcome by his wounds only minutes after battle ceased. The battle came to
be known as Kanan’s Last Stand or Last Stand at Orcs’ Rift as is more common
in bardic tradition. Since that time, there has been the occasional raid, but
the orcs have not menaced the people of Evervale as they once did. Over the
centuries Evervale has prospered and generally fostered good relationships
with her neighbours, but there have been wars and disputes that mark her
history. In 827 the Elves of Silverwood, concerned about military manoeuvres
at their border in Rushland attacked and decimated a patrol of soldiers that
encroached into their lands. The resulting
humiliation led to a number of small border skirmishes which petered out
after a few years. Also the
occasional barbarian raiding party has skirted around the west side of the
Waylan’s The
current campaign year is 1481. The country is presently ruled by the aging King
Valen Traldorn III. Valen has ruled
since the year 1421 when he came to the throne at the age of 23 and is approaching
his 60th year as king. On
the whole he has been a good and just king and is well loved by his
subjects. Policy decisions are carried
out by the Council of Lords, comprising of the barons and representatives of
religion, commerce, wizardry and war.
During Valen’s reign the However, all is not well and the Now an old man, King Valen is truly without an heir,
and as his health deteriorates the ambitions of the Barons and councilors
look towards the throne. In the
strongest position is Lord Katyana Kanan, the King’s niece and baron of
Kanan. No love is lost between Valen
and his nefarious, egotistical niece and Valen believes her ascent to power
would constitute disaster for the peace and prosperity of the Kingdom. Furthermore Lord Kanan has fostered
accomplices within the council and has some influential allies willing to
help consolidate her position in return for power. King Valen has all but lost control of the
council and faces his last days in despair of what might become of
Evervale. In truth all that stands
between Katyana Kanan and the throne is the sick and weakened king. Kanan’s chief rival is the Baron Lord Garvin
Lockwood, a veteran fighter from common stock granted land and title for
deeds in service to the King. Baron
Lockwood knows his own claim to the thrown would be tenuous to say the least
and that Baron Kanan will be the next queen, nevertheless he is determined to
fight her claim and believes that civil war is favourable to submission to
her rule. The King himself governs the lands around the
capital city of
This is the demesne of Lord Garvin Lockwood, a
veteran fighter from common stock granted land and title for deeds in service
to the King. Lockwood covers nearly
all of Lockwood Baron
Lockwood is a man of honour, loyalty, bravery and compassion who is well
liked by his people. Lord Lockwood
keeps an army at his castle outside the city of Lockwood, an army that is
currently recruiting. When the time comes, Lord Lockwood does not intend to
swear fealty to Katyana Kanan, indeed he intends to oppose her rule by the
sword if necessary. Lord Lockwood has begun the construction of a
defensive wall around the city of Lockwood and there is currently plenty of
work for stonemasons, carpenters, labourers and craftsmen of all
descriptions. As a consequence of Lord Lockwood’s preparations,
taxes in the barony are currently high.
Additionally Lord Lockwood has imposed reams of red-tape on exports to
the city of
The Barony of Kanan covers the south-western corner
of the Kingdom occupied by the Named after Andrus Kanan, who defeated the orc
hordes centuries ago, the Barony of Kanan was granted to his family as a
reward for his sacrifice. In fact King
Hendrick Traldorn married Andrus’ sister, Emilia Kanan and thus the Kanan’s
became part of the royal family. The current Lord is the King’s own niece Katyana
Kanan; daughter of the King’s sister. Lord Katyana Kanan is selfish, evil and
tyrannical and she rules her people with the sword of oppression. Lord Kanan
encourages and nurtures those of her own kind and thus her barony is an
unsavoury place with unsavoury folk. Lord Kanan has found herself next in line to the
throne; no political maneuvering was necessary, the hag’s curse saw to
that. With the King sick and dying the
Kingdom is literally about to fall into her hands. Nevertheless she is
impatient and grows more so as each day passes. Lord Kanan knows that Lord
Lockwood intends to oppose her, but she has bought, bribed and blackmailed
much support on the council and also knows that the council will never crown
a man of common heritage. Rumours abound that Lord Kanan has had some dealings
with the orc tribes of the Katyana expects to walk into power, but nevertheless
her agents, assassins and spies are embedded and poised to act when the time
comes.
The Barony of Rushland is physically (but not
economically) the central hub of the Kingdom.
It covers a vast land expanse almost entirely taken up by the Evervale
forest. Lord Samian Rushland, a wizard of noble blood, rules Rushland from
atop his towers in the city of
The Stonelands encompass the lands north of Lockwood
covered by the Wyvern’s Watch and
At the south-eastern edge of the kingdom the Barony
of Stormreach covers the Dead Lord Kragon has positioned himself behind Lord
Kanan; whispers abound that he has been offered more land and power under the
new order. Barony
of
In the year 1151 a brash knight, whom history has
named Daradon the Dense, led an army to expand the Kingdom westward and
establish a barony in between the Waylan’s Reach and Embarrased, King Justan Traldorn scrambled to find a
solution to the situation and to head off war with the dwarfs. He invited King Ruskin Grondar Keenaxe to a
peace summit in Beymoon and after lengthy discussion and a hearty feast where
the consumption of dwarf ale reached unspeakable proportions, the two became
firm friends. With no interest in the lands south of Grondar’s
Hold, King Ruskin agreed that the humans could occupy the land that would be
annexed to the Ruskin died in the year 1401 and the current dwarf
king is his son King Grondar Grondar Skullhammer of Clan Grondar. None dare to mock the dwarf king’s name, a
junior court cleric of Andor once was foolish enough to poke fun, the
immediately subsequent events are not often spoken of in polite circles, but
when they are they are simply refered to as the mace-shaft incident. Grondar does bear a small grudge against
his father for naming him Grondar Grondar but carries the traditions of his
clan dutifully. Grondar too rarely took seat at the council, until
recently - the current political
situation in Evervale warrants monitoring.
Grondar despises Lord Kanan. Evervale is a green, forest-rich vale countryside
lying between mountain ranges at three sides.
To the north the kingdom stretches beyond the Vast expanses of forest cover the land; centrally
the Evervale and Lockwood forests dominate the landscape. To the east beyond the Dead Expansive grasslands stretch east to meet the Dead
At the southern
shores of Blood
Mountains: This range of mountains is scattered with townships
inhabited by a rag tag mix of humans, dwarves and other humanoid races. Rich in iron ore, the mountains slopes are
the colour of rust in the sunlight and they originally attracted folk to the
plentiful and lucrative work.
Discovery of silver in the mountains only served to intensify the
influx of fortune seekers to the area. The rough townships serve the miners
well enough, but are no place to raise families. Due to this the relatively new town of Highpeaks:
Lying 50 miles south-east of Wyvern’s Watch the Highpeaks are three awe inspiring
mountain summits. Their snow capped peaks are visible from almost any open
land or vantage point in the whole kingdom. Between the Highpeaks and
Wyvern’s Watch is formed a forest valley where the Lockwood and Oakride
forests meet. Little is known of what
secrets the Highpeaks conceal for none have ever survived its slopes.
The Orcs’ Orcs’
Revenant
Woods: At the
southern limit of the Storm Reaches are the Revenant Woods. They are spoken
of rarely and with great terror – for none have ever entered the woods and
returned.
Lost in Revenant Woods. An artist’s impression. River Rush:
From its source in the Waylan’s Reach Mountains the River Rush runs 100 or so
miles to Nimue’s Spring where it is joined by the Barren Flow to make a small
lake, it then continues through the heart of the Evervale Forest over 400
miles to its estuary at the capital city of Beymoon. The river is navigable between Nimue’s
Spring and Beymoon, but boats carrying goods always hire adventurers to guard
against the dangers of River
Wythrn: Sourced in the Wyvern’s Silverwood:
This large forest of both deciduous and evergreen trees lies to the north
between the Waylan’s Reach and Wyvern’s Watch ranges. Silverwood is not part of the Kingdom of
Evervale, they are Elf lands. Few
humans have been there, fewer still care to speak of it. Storm
Reaches:
The Storm Reaches stretch
more than 200 miles south to north marking a formidable barrier to the lands
that lie to the east. The Storm Reaches are so named for the wet, thunderous,
volatile weather that punishes the land below. Legend speaks of Thorndar, a storm giant who
endlessly mourns the death of his mate. In his despair and sadness he
besieges his domain with thunder, lightning, wind and rain. For many
centuries, the people of Evervale believed the Storm Reaches marked the edge
of the world; such ignorance has long since been dispelled.
The Storm
Reaches, once believed to be the edge of the world; the mountains look down
on Stormreach Deep below. Stormreach
Deep: This magnificent body of water spans about 85 miles
north-south and 40 miles east-west at its widest point. This deep, teeming lake serves the fishing
community of Wythrn. Undoubtedly the lake is also home to more dreadful
creatures, but the folk of Wythrn have yet to be troubled by anything like
the beast that is said to lurk in the
Foreboding
clouds amass above the vast waters of Stormreach Deep.
The Waylan’s Wyvern’s In the foothills below the Wyvern’s
The Citadel of
Lost Hope hidden among the peaks of the Wyvern’s Watch mountains.
Situated at the mouth of the River Rush is
Evervale’s capital city and seat of power Beymoon. The city expanded around the Beymoon
castle, built by King Valen Traldorn I over 1000 years ago, and has grown
into a thriving commercial and cultural metropolis. Known as the Beymoon has a splendid harbour where a steady stream
of merchant vessels and fishing boats navigate the clear waters of the Beymoon is a tolerant city, different races are
welcome, trade is encouraged and temples representing most of the major
deities of non-evil alignment can be openly found in the city. The grandest
temple is The Libraries of Erudition
devoted to Arlen, the god of justice, wisdom and learning, but open to those
of all faiths who seek learning. The army serves as the city guard which keeps them
occupied, there is also a dedicated city watch recruited from the civilian
population. A watch patrol is usually
made up of 4 watchmen and a sergeant, each city ward has its own Constable
responsible for the watchmen on his patch.
Justice is served by the Magistrates of Arlen, usually clerics of
Arlen, at least one of whom is on duty in the Chambers of Justice at any
given time. Like all cities, Beymoon has its seedier underworld.
Smuggling is rife and there are plenty of such outfits around the shadowy
coves of the
A dawn promenade near the harbour as the city of
Where the For as long as anyone can remember, the resident
cleric has always been the head of the community, currently the village is
led by a cleric named Hedric. Every now and
then a new band of adventurers arrives in the village looking to try their
luck against the legendary Beast of
At the mouth of the River Wythrn and built on the
swamp lands known as the Dead Originally a wooden balustrade was built to protect
the townsfolk from the denizens of the marsh, but this proved weak and
ineffective to the point where the dead were roaming the boardwalks of the
town at night. Lord Kragon built a new stone wall 5 years ago and since then
the town has been relatively well protected.
There is always paid work available guarding the walls at night. Built on the marshy land, the whole town sits upon a
wooden platform raised several feet above the marsh on heavy stilts. The town has no streets as such, but
boardwalks built of wood cut from the nearby Revenant Woods many centuries
ago. Apart from the new wall, the
whole town is of wooden construction. The economy of the town is based around its rich
fishing waters and the rocky beaches along the coast are literally blanketed
with shellfish for the picking at low-tide. The town is ruled by the Baron of Stormreach - Lord
Kragon.
Dragon Falls is a new town, built in 1438 to
accommodate the influx of fortune seekers into The Stonelands following the
discovery, by iron miners, of silver in the The town’s economy is thriving and its population is
growing fast as more people come to work the mines, seek their fortune in
silver or to work in the many tertiary and service industries that are
growing in the town. The town also has a rapidly growing jewellery industry.
Dragon falls is ruled by Lord Felovian Stoneland, Baron of Stoneland, a
nobleman and wealthy silver merchant who lives in a huge mansion in the
merchants’ quarter. He is a fair man, reasonably well liked, who cares about
the welfare of his people. They are
making him a lot of money after all. Just a few miles
north of the city is a vast waterfall on the There are known to be caves around the waterfall
that are rumoured to lead into the Underlands. Indeed, many a band of adventures have
returned from the cave laden with treasure… of course, many a lone adventurer
has returned without the companions they left with.
Adventure awaits in the caverns behind Dragon
Falls
Extending out from the lower slopes of Before recorded time the 13 Kingdoms dwelt in the
mountains in great underground cities.
There they mined ores from the mountains and traded with the Elves and
the inhabitants of the human lands below.
Their civilization was noble and prosperous, their structures a wonder
to all who laid eyes upon them. But
with their untroubled prosperity, had come complacency. Military matters were unimportant and so
the numbers of dedicated soldiers had dwindled over the centuries. Virtually
no resources were expended on intelligence. The dwarves did not conceive that
their domain was about to be threatened. Then the goblin races came; like rodents their
numbers had multiplied in their wretched holes in the The dwarves fought fiercely in defence of their
homes, but the sheer weight of the goblinoid numbers was overwhelming. One by
one the cities fell, the few survivors - refugees fled southward one city at
a time. Desperate, the dwarves
swallowed their bitter tasting pride and sent a messenger to the Elves of
Silverwood to plead for assistance.
But none came. Eventually, only the city of King Regdo Grondar Ironshield sensed that defeat was
inevitable, but would not give up the mountain. Addressing his people, he informed them of
his mind and asked that those who wished to flee the mountains should do so
with no shame. Not a single dwarf left. In a last desperate act to delay the
goblin onslaught, King Regdo ordered the tunnels sealed. Teams of dwarves used barrels of gnomish
black-powder to collapse all sections of tunnel leading into the city of The dwarves waited, anticipating the goblins would
dig through the blocked tunnels. They waited. But no more goblins came. The external fortress of Grondar’s Hold is in every
way at one with the mountain, walls of skillfully worked white granite tower
skyward to domed tops. Tributaries from the mountain run through the
structure in carefully constructed canals.
From the heights of the city the water cascades downwards from
manufactured waterfalls into a widened section of the River Rush below. The current ruler of Grondar’s Hold, King Grondar
Grondar Skullhammer of Clan Grondar dreams of opening the collapsed tunnels
and retaking the rightful domains of his people. But political affairs in Evervale have for
the moment taken his eye off that particular ambition.
From carefully constructed canals in the heights of
Grondar’s Hold, water cascades downwards into the River Rush below. Kanan
The walled city of Approaching the city of The economy of the city is based largely around the
black-market. The peasants work the land in an open-field system in order to
grow grain and other crops. A
ludicrous 80% of the crop is tithed to Lord Kanan in lieu of taxes. The peasants struggle to keep enough to
feed their families, yet Lord Kanan usually ensures them just enough to
maintain their productivity. A rich
black market operates in the city trading goods brought into the city port by
‘privateers’. Organised crime squeezes the city’s private businesses tightly
– of course the vast majority of this is tolerated by Lord Kanan as the money
trail invariably terminates in the coffers of the Dread Citadel. The city’s free
port is a safe-haven for ‘privateers’ who are given protection by Lord Kanan
in return for a rich tithe. In fact it
is thought to be more than rumour that Lord Kanan herself owns the fleet
which preys on foreign merchant vessels in the waters of the Lord Kanan’s army, the Dread Guard, maintains order,
their violence and corruption rarely spoken of by their victims as
retribution is swift and merciless.
Black robed Judges accompany watch patrols so that ‘justice’ can be
meted immediately and cheaply. Soldiers of the Dread Guard are identifiable by
their black tabards over dark chain. Recently the monstrous population of the city has
been on the increase. Lord Kanan has
developed links with the orc tribes in the
Beyond the Evermist Hills, on the outskirts of The city itself is an unremarkable sight, but within
is a bustling economy based around hunting from the forest and crafting from
raw materials, silver and iron from The Stonelands and wood from
Rushfork. Additionally the city has a
demand for labourers, engineers and craftsmen, for Lord Lockwood has ordered
the quick construction of a defensive wall around the city. Lord Garvin has made the wall a priority
and is throwing incredible amounts of money at the project – for he wants it
completed within the year in anticipation of war. Lord Garvin’s armies are also recruiting. As a consequence of all this, taxes are currently at
an all time high within the city, and while there are some who question this,
the majority of Lockwood’s people hold great trust in their leader. Up until recently, Lord Garvin ruled his city as
head of a council made up of merchants, guildmasters, clerics and
representatives of the people. But
upheaval caused by the current political situation led to argument and
disagreement within the council which was virtually split down the middle
over Lord Garvin’s intention to oppose Lord Katyana Kanan’s ascent to the
throne. For the first time in 14 years
Lord Garvin single-mindedly imposed his will upon his council. The council disbanded and now Lord Garvin
makes decisions autonomously, albeit with his supporters as advisors. The largest temple within the city is the
Where the River Rush meets the Barren Flow in The people of Nimue’s Spring welcome strangers and
are renowned for their excellent hospitality.
The village has a magnificent In spite of its popularity the village has resisted
expansion as its people prefer their small friendly community atmosphere. The village is governed by a half-elf named Urellia
Moonhair, a confident, patient and yet assertive woman whom the people
respect. Urellia is extremely concerned
about happenings in the realm and how her people will be affected. She has not done so yet, but she intends to
ask for the protection of King Grondar of the dwarves. Law and order in the village is kept by a retired
adventuring fighter named Salrek, a man of good nature and reputation, but a
man prepared and equipped to bang heads together when the need arises. The grove to the west of the lake has recently been
inhabited for the first time in a century by a new druid, a man named
Joran. He is occasionally seen within
the village and is treated as a resident by the locals.
Rushfork is a large town located at the fork made where
Old Ogatha’s Flow meets the River Rush in Evervale. Its economy is centred
around the forest, particularly the lumber trade and hunting. Rushfork exports wood to all parts of the
kingdom and wood is by far its chief source of revenue. Small outlying farms also produce grain for
the town, but a large part of its grain is brought in from Beymoon. The people of Rushfork are a hardy lot, woodsmen and
hunters mainly. Also Rushfork is
favoured by rangers who pass through The Ranger’s Rest Inn to trade information
and rumours and to find adventuring companions. The Ranger’s Rest is also a welcoming
stop-off point for adventurers passing through the town. Rushfork is ruled by a wealthy lumber merchant named
Fenn Danyo. Fenn is a good man, and a
good manager with strong business acumen – but he is no fighter. He is a good personal friend of the King
and in his own words doesn’t want to see the Kingdom “go down the damned
troll’s cesspool.” He intends to
support Lockwood, but knows he cannot defend his town against an armed
force. Fenn’s second, an ambitious
sorcerer named Wilham Ventrigar, holds a different view – but his attempts to
persuade Fenn that a new order would only present opportunities have met with
derision. Vale
The city
of The
skyline is dominated by a great stone tower in the southern end of the city.
Here Lord Samian Rushland keeps his rooms and rules from on high. Lord Samian
is rarely seen however and most of his dictates are carried out by his
regent, Sir Trelwyn Menthar (LN male human Ftr 10). Vale is
famed for its fine bows, arrows and wooden carvings, its merchants do a great
deal of business with the major cities of the Evervale and helps ensure the
continuing wealth of the city. Much of their economy therefore relies on the
Evervale forest and the trees that supply their primary resource. The
residents of Vale are a guarded people, reflecting the “closed” nature of the
forests that border the western part of the city. They have little trust for
the more powerful baronies and prefer the quieter lifestyle that Rushland
offers. Rumors
abound of another power-group making its presence felt. A small cabal of
like-minded mages has established a tiny guild structure within the cities
confines. Their motives are unclear but many believe they seek to subvert the
rule of the realm for Lord Kanan. Annually, a
great gathering known as “The Minyr” occurs by the banks of the River Rush.
Bards, poets and sages are invited to the city and asked to tell tales of the
past and of the distant lands for the education and entertainment of all.
This tradition was established by a long-dead ruler of the city - Lord Samian
tolerates its existence because it helps ease the unrest his latest tax rises
have caused.
Wythrn is
an idyllic fishing town, built where the River Wythrn winds its way down into
the Stormreach Deep. It’s a quiet place where people tend to take life slowly
and trouble is rare. It’s often said that Wythrn is the fair daughter of
Stormreach compared to the twisted son that is Deadmarsh - where the larger
city is surrounded by the disease and undead-infested fens; Wythrn is set
next to lush countryside and awe-inspiring mountains. Wythrn’s
residents are hard-working, peaceable folk who look on their neighbours (and
rulers) in Deadmarsh with considerable suspicion. The latest rumours
surrounding Lord Stormreach and his support for Lord Kanan have done little
to help the situation. The ruler
of Wythrn is a retired ranger, Garik Mhenlo (LG male human Rgr 6). Well into
60 years of age his adventuring days are long since past, he still retains a
healthy lust for excitement though and will often encourage adventuring
parties to explore the nearby Storm Reaches and bring back to him tales of
their deeds. He maintains an opposition to Lord Kanan and Lord Stormreach but
has yet to vocally endorse Lord Lockwood, whom he has a great deal of respect
for, for fear of alienating himself entirely from the support of Deadmarsh. Despite
whisperings of the opposition to his rule, Lord Stormreach hasn’t yet decided
to remove Garik from power simply because he sees no threat from the aged
Ranger and his simple subjects. With fish
as the town’s primary source of income it is no surprise that Wythrn
maintains a healthy fishing fleet. Everyday one can look out over the immense
Stormreach Deep and see a dozen white-sailed cutters, broad-leaf insignias
proclaiming their catch for the town of
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