Geography of the Kingdom of Valterra A sense of scale: The Kingdom exists on a planet roughly the size of our own. The northernmost town in the Kingdom, Mormont, is at a geographical latitude equivalent to, and has a climate simmilar to, that of the Gulf of St. Lawrence area in Canada (Northern France has roughly the same latitude in Europe, but the climate is warmer). The city of Rocksheld, at the lowest extremity of Surland, has latitude equivalent to southern Florida in the US and a similar climate. The straight line distance between the two is about 2500 km (1550 miles, 1000 leagues). Starting at the northermost area of the kingdom, and proceeding more or less clockwise around the peninsula, we come to the following political and geographic features: Mormont: A trading town in the northernmost section of the Kingdom. It is situated at the intersection of two local trade routes with the Po river, which itself is part of a major East/West trade route between the lands around The Sea, to Barbarian lands to the west, and across a desert caravan route to the legendary Fangorn Empire countless leagues beyond. The main road from the southern tip of the Kingdom reaches Mormont from the South, and the Road used by traders amongst the Thulian Dwarves reaches the opposite side of the river, where a ferry carries goods and people across on a daily basis. The town is dominated by the crumbling and quarried remains of Mormont Castle, known to legend as "Water's Bane" and said to have existed, in previous, more glorious forms, since the time of the Firstborn. Captain Alexander Praxis has been commissioned by the King to occupy the castle and rebuild it as a defense against threatened incursions by Barbarians. He and his force of 500 knights have occupied the town, to the consternation of many local nobles Mormont is where the living game and all the GMs and PCs playing within it will start. Northron: The Duchy of Northron is the powerful northernmost holding in the Kingdom,to which most of the nobles of Mormont are pledged. It is situated directly south of Mormont. It is protected by the Castle of Storms at the town of Gale, home of Duke Anomander Drake and his extended family. Umbra: Main city of the Duchy of the same name. Hardscrabble peasant farmers eke out a living on its rocky lands, while miners have an easier time digging their fortunes from the ground, and the taxmen spend most of their time in Sarul (see below) wringing what they can from the merchants there. Sarul: At the mouth of the Po River, is one of the "Twin Cities" – the other is Serialan, in the Kingdom of Eluhan directly across the river. The two compete for the sea trade to and from the Po River and the lands across the sea. As a result of this competition, Sarul has been able to carve niche as a semi free trading city within the territory of Umbra, a certain amount of freedom of action being necessary to compete with the wily Elves across the river. Lake Country: South of Northron lies the land of a thousand lakes, ranging from huge Lake Ebon to hundreds of tiny ponds. This duchy is noted for it abundant catch and its fine wine grapes, and is a favorite destination for noble game hunters. The Claws: The lands situated along and to the west of the three long peninsulas extending into the Clawed Sea. Another fishing region, and home to a few ports handling sea trade with the middle section of the Kingdom, plus countless smugglers coves on the long, rocky peninsulas. Feldur: A fertile farming region noted for staple crops and boasting two major parts, Stoneport and Redport, serving as ports of call for goods traveling to and from Rockthorne and Ulug across a nearby mountain pass. This region is also known for its fine hunting. Shiren: The most fertile region in the Kingdom, noted for all major crops, a bountiful fruit harvest, and pipe tobacco. Surland: The semi arid, southernmost region of the Kingdom, steeped in history as the area first conquered by Turin the Warhammer. Noted for its fine climate, fruit harvests, rich ocean fishing and whaling. Bordered on the north by the Badlands, an extensive desert like area of wind carved lava rocks, favored hiding place of desperados and rebels of all stripes. Rockthorne: The duchy bearing the same name as Kingdom's capitol. The capitol itself is a series of tall, often ornate castles and buildings sitting atop a series of high, cliff sided islands carved by the rushing Thorne river as it empties into the Bay of Seals. Dozens of bridges span the canyonlike gaps between the islands. Sundry: A vast swamp peopled by swamp folk who eke out a surprisingly bountiful living from the flora and fauna of the region. This almost exclusively hunter gatherer society is the only one in the Kingdom to lack the typical feudal agricultural structure of Lord and Peasant. Society is organized in a hierarchical clan system. The swamps and bogs are punctuated by seven thin, lofty rock spires reaching thousands of feet into the air. The city of Ulug is carved into one of them. The Fairlands: This is the second most fertile region of the kingdom and it also boasts extensive gold and silver mines, making its Duke the richest and one of the most powerful lords in the Kingdom. The Vale of Solon: An isolated, fertile high valley between two ranges of the Troth mountains. A traditional stronghold and last stand holdout for rebellious factions and enemies during various wars and usurpations which have punctuated the Kindom’s history. Its major geographical feature is Lake Cauldera, which has a place in legends surrounding the defeat of the Nameless Foe by the Firstborn. Troth: A pine forested plateau NW of the Vale of Solon and higher up in the mountains. As one might suspect, lumber is a major export from this region. Its Duke controls this industry; the peasants here cut down forests instead of tilling the land. The Rift: A straight, narrow, steep sided gorge almost 100 leagues long, and up to half a league deep, cutting straight through the mountains and valleys of the Troth range at the northwest border of the Kingdom. The city of Ravenhorn is located in a deep pit beneath a huge natural bridge of stone. Legend has it that the Rift was created when the god Thurgol swiped his great battleaxe across a line of invading forces during the final battle of the Firstborn against their great enemy. The Rift is a major mining region for platinum, gold, copper, iron, and the rare Ornithal, a stone like metal that has the unique property of preventing magic (including some evil divine magic) from working in its vicinity. Places and Peoples Outside the Kingdom As before, we start in the North and proceed more or less clockwise: Thulian Mountains: A great range comparable to Himalayas of our world, extending far into the frozen Northern wastelands. Home of the Thulian Dwarves, also known as the Ice Dwarves, who live in stone cities carved beneath its massive peaks, said to be interconnected by vast tunnels through the living rock beneath the range. The Kingdom of Eluhan: A mostly Elven kingdom also containing a considerable Half Elven and Human population. For the most part a richly forested land of rolling hills and lakes. The Sea: A large ocean bounded on the west, north, and east by two landmasses, and on the south by a larger southern ocean. The main trade route between the Kindom and the lands to the east. It is also possible to reach the east via the North Road which crosses and ice bridge in winter, and a short stretch of sea during the summer. Numerous islands, some substantial in size, dot this ocean. They are lairs of various pirate clans and the merchant’s kingdom of Lureza. The Lands of the East: Name given to the major kingdoms across the sea, the most powerful being in the southern region and occupying the area in and around a minor sea and group of land masses extending west from The Sea itself. Southern Jungle: Home of the Jungle Elves, a vast rainforest fed by rivers flowing from the mountains to the west. Numerous smaller kingdoms occupy the lands to the south and along the shores of the southern ocean, but little is known of these by other than traders and pirates as the Elves tend to stay to themselves. The only major city near the Kingdom is Teluhalappa.