1 Ravenloft Gazeteer V Credits Authors: Andrew Cermak, John W. Mangrum, Steve Miller, Ryan Naylor and Andrew Wyatt Developers:: Jackie Cassada and Nicky Rea Editor: Mike Johnstone Sword & Sorcery Managing Editor: Andrew Bates Art Director: Richard Thomas Layout and Typesetting: Ron Thompson Interior Artists: Talon Dunning, Jeremy McHugh, Claudio Pozas, Richard Thomas and Beth Trott Front and Back Cover Designer: Ron Thompson © 2 0 0 4 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Ravenloft, Dungeons & Dragons and its logo, D&D, Dungeon Master, d2 0 System, the d2 0 System logo, and Wizards of the Coast and its logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc., a sub sidiary of Hasb ro Inc., in the U SA and other countries, and are used b y Arthaus under license. ArthausisatrademarkofArthausPub lishing,Inc.Allrightsreserved.SwordandSorceryisatrademark of White Wolf Pub lishing, Inc. PRINTE D IN CANADA Special Acknowledgements Andria Hayday (1st ed. design) Bruce Nesmith (1st ed. design) Tracy & Laura Hickman (original concept) Additional Thanks Based onthe O riginal Dungeons & Dragons ® rules created b y E . G ary G ygax and Dave Arnesonand thenew Dungeons & Dragons game designed b y Johnathan Tweet, Monte Cook,Skip Williams, Richard Baker andPeter Adkison.
2 Foreward Table of Contents Forew ord 3 Report O ne:N ova V aasa 9 Report Tw o:Tepest 44 Report Three:K eening 83 Report Four:Shadow Rift 97 Attached N otes:D M ’s Appendix 124
3 Ravenloft Gazeteer V Foreword While some affect the sun, and some the shade Some flee the city, some the hermitage; Their aims as various, as the roads they take In journeying thro’ life; — the task be mine, To paint the gloomy horrors of the tomb; Th’ appointed place of rendezvous, where all These travellers meet. — Robert Blair, “The Grave”
4 Foreward reetingsonce again,mypatron.Nodoubt you have wondered what became of me after I last wrote from Sithicus. Indeed, thesepastweekshaveprovenmosteventful,andonlynowdoIonceagainhavethe opportunity to contact you.Should my patronconduct similar projects in the future, he may wish to contemplate more efficient means of relaying these reports than relying on his brutish messengers. Ihave traveled too long inthe south. I dislike these backward wilds, and I sense dark shadows gathering around me. Indeed, Ihave suffered more troubles inthe last six months of this survey of the Core thaninitsfirst year and ahalf combined. Not even the five years before that, spent evading the undead as I studied Necropolis, caused me such consternation. Much from this recent leg of my journey bothers me still. I have yet to determine howI eluded a grisly end in Verbrek. Naturally, my theories center around the strange bracer you bestowed upon me, but the nature of the so-called “protective” magic lockedwithinyour giftremains elusive. More than a year have I worn this device locked around my wrist, Azalin. My annoyance is countered only by my intellectual curiosity, and that will not assuage me forever. Imust alsoconfessthat, althoughIleftSithicus behind me well over a monthago, the phantasmal guiltpermeating thatlandlingerswithinme.These shamefulthoughts aremost unlike the falsememories Darkon feeds to our homeland’s newcomers; shedding them is not so simple as leaving the kingdom behind. The memories contain a certain truth — the truth in my daughter’s dying words… But never mind that. My most recent travails tookplacejustafterIlastwrotetoyou,mypatron.My schedule req uired that I cross the Balinoks q uickly. AsInotedthen,Ihadoncemorechosentoutilizethe mist-walking talents of hireling Vistani rather than submitmyself againto thatrolling coffinyourrepugnant underlings call a carriage. As much as I might choke onthesewords,ImustnowadmitthatIwould havedonewelltoheedyour cautions concerning the Vistani.I assure you, my dear patron,Ishallnotseek out their services again. I met withthe Vistana Ihadhired shortly after dusk, and he led me to his campsite. They were a smalltroupe,justthreemenand awomanalltold.A
5 Ravenloft Gazeteer V ragged lot with a hungry mien, I first mistook them forsurvivors ofInvidia’s Dukkar.Theywere entirely civil, even ingratiating, as the arrangements were made,but assoonasoneofthemhadmybacktohim, they attacked me as one. Despite the pistols on my belt, despite my blade, despite even my considerable arcane skills, I was scarcely prepared for their frantic onslaught, for they seemed to anticipate my every move. I managed a narrow escape, and I consider myselffortunate tohave done so.Thoughbloodwas shed on both sides, so harried was my retreat that I cannot even say with any certainty that I killed a single one of the wretched assassins. The truthbecomeshumiliatingly clearinhindsight.The gypsies’ gauntfeatures,the fire ofmadness deepwithintheirsunkeneyes—theseweredarklings, lowly and accursed outcasts from the Vistani way of life, andno more trustworthy thana viper.Evenso, this was clearly no random act of banditry. As they fell upon me, their deranged ranting revealed that they knewfarmore aboutme thana simplematter of battle tactics. These wretches seemed to know me, my dear patron, and of even greater interest, they seemed to know of my relationship to you. At one point during the fray,thewomanmanaged to pinme against a tree. Inthat long, dreadful moment before Imanaged to twist away,she leaned inclose and spat these words in my face: Tellthistoyourmasterwhenyoujoinhiminthegrave… That which is hidden M ust not be found; That which is chained M ust remain bound! What meaning this verse may hold, I cannot yettell, butthismuchI cansaywithcertainty: each darkling bore anidentical mark onthe left palm— six curved scars, radiating outward like a star. Arcane runes? Something akin to Hazlani tattoo magic, perhaps? I trust that my patron will find these facts of use. Perhaps he could be bothered to tell me what these vicious darklings intend of me? Or perhaps why theywishme dead?SomehowIsuspectthatno answers will be forthcoming. Trust that I will seek them out myself. Thus it was that I spent the last six weeks trudgingnorthonfoottoBorca, and fromthere due east down the Old Svalich Road, retracing my previous route through Barovia. Suffice to say, Count Strahd’s backwater has scarcely changed over the two winters since I first passed this way. I write to younow from the Weary Horse Inn, a spacious coachman’s respite just shy of the Nova Vaasan border. I have seen a number of Vistani skulking aboutthe area,so Imust admitto a tremor of relief when your underlings once again found me.YetIshould say,my dear patron: Did you really require all these weeks to locate me? I should hate to think that you had lost interest in your “little scholar” andher toil. Distracted by anew scheme, perhaps? Afinalnote.AsI penned thisletter,I assuaged an idle curiosity by asking the innkeeper why he would uphold a home and business here in the sinister and fearful Barovian foothills, when the wide, sun-drenched plains of Nova Vaasa beckon from just a few miles down the Old Svalich Road. The innkeeper laughed; his answer was simple. “There is much that is wrong in Barovia, that is true,” he said. “But here, it keeps to the dark.” Tomorrow, I enter the northern Vaasi Plateau, and my work begins anew. So, my suspicions were correct. Hyskosa’s kin have indeed entered the fray. No doubt their feeble meddling will grow all the more desperate as their opportunity wanes.Surely their mad little seers know how pointless their attacks must be? Of course, it is futility itself that they rail against. That is the flame that draws them in. That is the flame that burns them.
6 Foreward Report Format ue to the overall time required to completethisproject,Ihavetakentoprefacing eachvolume of the Doomsday Gazetteers witha summary of my standard practices and formatting.Ishall attemptto uphold the regular travel schedule I have maintained these past two years, allotting roughly six weeks to study each country, taking more or less time as required. Although my unexpected trek across the southern Corehas put me behind schedule,I already possess a folio brimmingwithcollected anecdotes concerning theShadowRift,so I believe Iwill be back oncourse by autumn. I shall immediately relay each report back to Darkon upon its completion. When socalled “local color” proves intriguing, I will provide direct excerpts of my interviews with the native populace. For clarity’s sake, I shall present these anecdotes in illuminated sidebars. To avoid confusion, all reports adhere to the following standard format: Landscape In this section, I present a naturalist’s view of eachregion,focusing onnoteworthy features ofits landscape, flora and fauna. I also take note of important waterways and trade routes, and describe prevailing architectural styles. History As this letter marks the opening of a new Doomsday Gazetteer, I should once again address the frustrations of historical study. Objectively speaking, many lands inour worldhave existed for only a very short time. On those occasions when the Mists have parted, however, the lands they revealed have typically appeared fully formed and fully populated.The inhabitants ofthesenewlands bear full memories of lives well before the emergence of their home. In addition, their historical records oftenstretchback centuries.In,short, dear patron, these folk believe themselves to be as real as you orI, and intruthI cannot disprove the claim. Common wisdom holds that these new lands have simply been “revealed” to the world, having existed all along while hidden deep in the Misty Border. Occultists in some circles, however, have posited the existence of other worlds — the supposed origins of the “outlanders” with which my patronis assuredly familiar. These occultists theorize that eachofthese realmsmayhave beendrawn into our Land of Mists from one of these so-called outlander worlds. I once scoffed at such wild theories, but Inow accept them, at least on a theoretical basis. Yet when one probes into the recorded history — or evenliving memory — of a regionbefore its emergence, such history often proves to be vague, incomplete or even self-contradictory. This leads me to the disturbing hypothesis thatmany landsinourworldmay simplyhave been created from whole cloth on the day they first appeared in the Mists. Every aspect of the region’s history,memories and lives predating that daymay be nothing more than an unfathomably complex phantasm. I hesitate to guess at the power of the nameless forces that would be capable of such creation, but the facts speak for themselves. For the sake of clarity, I endeavor to establish a “seminal event” during which each land first emerged — or, perhaps, materialized. Following thisseminalevent,cross-referencedhistoricaldocumentsfrom surrounding lands confirm the region’s objective existence. I cannot establish that anything before this seminal event actually occurred inany realsense.Therefore, althoughIinclude this “false history” in my accounts, I will endeavor to focus only on those historical events that still resonate in the present. The historical record of some countries reads as a chainof usurpers, one tyrant overthrowing the Local Animals and Native Horrors These sidebars present natural wildlife and unnatural monsters that are particularly wellsuited for adventuresinthe domain;they arenot exhaustive lists of all the creatures to be found. Creature lists are divided into “Wildlife” (common, natural animals) and “Monsters” (uncommon, unnatural threats). To make preparing anencounter quickly easier, creatures are listed in order of ascending Challenge Ratings (CR). Any creatures in italics are under the influence of the domain’s darklord (see “Enchantment” effects in Chapter Three of the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook). Unless noted otherwise, all creatures can be found in the Monster Manual. Marked creatures are found in Denizens of Dread (†), published by Sword & SorceryStudios, or in Monster Manual II(††) or FiendFolio (‡), bothpublished byWizards ofthe Coast. Creatures markedwithanumbersign(#) are included in the Attached Notes.
7 Ravenloft Gazeteer V next. If one or more of the past rulers of a country proves particularly interesting,Iwill provide a brief biography in an illuminated sidebar. Populace In this section, I present a census taker’s view of each land. My survey includes physical characteristics,fashions, demeanor, customs, cuisine and anoverviewofprevalentreligions.Iwillalsopresent mypatronwithbriefprimersonthe foreigntongues that I encounter. The Realm In this section, I turn my eye to the flow of power and the manner in which it is exploited. First, I provide anoverview of eachregion’s formal government, including law enforcement and prevailing opinion regarding current rulers. Next, I turn to economic power, including forms of currency, natural resources and notable industries. Lastly, I focus on matters of diplomacy, examining how each nation interacts with its neighbors. Inaddition, my years ofRequiem researchand trekking across the Core have taught me much about the true nature of power. My patron is of course intimately aware of the legends of what I term “dread lords”: vile individuals who mystically bind themselves to their realms in the pursuit of power, receiving dire curses inreturn. Fornearly a year now I have known that my patron is almost certainly already aware of the identities of these dread lords, but I will continue to ferret out likely suspects whenever evidence presents itself for my ownintellectualsatisfaction.ThoughIstillsuspect that my endeavors have something to do with these dread lords,inrecent months Ihave come to believe that my patron’s primary motivation lies elsewhere. Without a doubt, he is searching for something, and I am his proverbial eyes and ears.If my patron would be so kind as to tell me what my quarry might be, it would save us both time and aggravation. I would not feel obliged to pad my reports withunnecessary details, andhe wouldnot have to pore overtheminsearchof a single, elusive tidbit. Sites of Interest Here I present a brieftravelogue of my journey through the significant settlements and other intriguing locales in each nation, including noteworthy structures and inhabitants.To capture the flavor — and at times, annoyances — of my travels,Ilist communities and sites ofmore esoteric appeal in the order in which I visit them. Simply for my own reference, I also include a fewnotes onfood and lodging for eachcommunity; to be thorough, my surveys have often required convoluted routes and extensive backtracking. Final Thoughts Upon the completion of my survey of each land, I compile my notes and conclude with my executive summary ofthe regionas awhole. Formy patron’s benefit, I will distill my impression of the land, including potential causes for concern and weaknesses that might be exploited. How to Use This Book The book you now hold is an annotated version of the Doomsday Gazetteer Volume V, compiled from the narrator’s reports and correspondence. The bulk of this text is a travelogue, relating the narrator’s experiences and observations during a six-monthsurvey offour domains of the eastern Core: Nova Vaasa, Tepest, Keening and the Shadow Rift. The narrator’s patron, Azalin Rex, may also occasionally remark on the narrator’s commentary, perhaps to offer a differing opinion, as can be seen above. Sidebarssuchasthis one presentspecial gamematerialthatshould be read only by theDungeonMaster (DM).If you are a player,reading these sections may spoilsome ofthe mystery your DM hasinstore for you. “Dread Possibility” sidebars in particular present secrets and adventure ideas that may or may not be true. The Dungeon Master should decide whether these scenarios apply to her campaign. The final sectionof this book, Attached Notes,is a collectionof appendices coveringnew game rules, magic, creatures, NPCs and locations. Whenever thenarrator refers to attaching extranotes at the end of a report, gamematerial onthatsubject canbe found inthe appendix.Aswithsidebars, playersshould refrain from reading the Attached Notes.
8 Foreward A single copy of each Doomsday Gazetteer exists within the game setting, written in Draconic and carefully encoded (requiring a successful DC 30 Decipher Script check to interpret). Heroes can avail themselves directly of the informationfound withinthese pages, but first they must obtainthe book. This should invariably entail an adventure in itself. Heroes would most likely intercept a Doomsday Gazetteer report as it is being delivered to thenarrator’s patron. Of course, Azalin will seek to recoverhis property… While the primary purpose of the Gazetteersis to enrichthe Ravenloft setting, DMs are just as strongly encouraged to plunder these books for chilling NPCs, locations and concepts for use in any horror-tinged campaign.TheRealm of Dread is a jigsawworld, and eachelement canbe easily imported to othersettings, including those the DM creates herself. Domains at a Glance Eachdomainreport opens witha brief account of the domain’s vital statistics,inthe following format: Cultural Level:The domain’s degree oftechnological and cultural development,ranging fromSavage (0) to Renaissance (9). See Chapter One of the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook for more details. Ecology & Environment: The domain’s ecology rating (Full, Sparse, or No) and terrain types (see “Wilderness Adventures” in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). These factors determine the effectiveness of summoning spells withinthat domain.(See “Conjuration” effects in Chapter Three of the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook.) Year of Formation: The year on the Barovian Calendar when the domain first appeared. Population: The domain’s approximate total population. Undead and full-blooded Vistani are not included in population statistics. Races: A racial breakdown of the domain’s population. “Other” indicates a mixture of standard nonhumanraces that arenot explicitly cited, as well as a smattering ofliving,intelligent monsters that can pass for human. When more than one human ethnic group lives in the domain, these groups will also be broken down in descending order of social dominance. Languages & Religions:Locallanguages and religions are presented indescending order of popularity. The official or dominant language(s) and religions(s), if any, are labeled with an asterisk. Government:The domain’s officially recognized formof government.InRavenloft,however,the true, hiddenchains of powermay take a significantly differentform.Not all domainshave a centralized authority, and some have no formal government at all. When applicable, sidebars will also include notes and game statistics for typical members of local law enforcement. Ruler: The domain’s publicly recognized political ruler, should the domain have a centralized government. Darklord: The domain’s true master. Individual darklords are described infullinthe Attached Notes. The Native Hero These sidebars offerspecialnotes and advice oncreatingPCsnative to the domain.Suchnotesinclude the local role of the standard races and classes, recommended skills and feats that capture the domain’s atmosphere, and examples of typical names. Law Enforcement For quick reference, eachreport includes a brief sidebar offering game statistics for the typical member of local law enforcement. Sites of Interest Each settlement includes a sidebar presenting full community statistics. (See “Generating Towns” in Chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.)
9 Nova Vaasa Report One: Nova Vaa<a [A] wise prince will seek means by which his subjects will always and in every possible condition of things have need of his government, and then they will always be faithful to him. — Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
10 Report One Nova Vaasa at a Glance Cultural Level: Medieval (7) Ecology: Full Climate/Terrain: Temperate forests,hills, and plains Year of Formation: 682 BC Population: 67,700 Races:Humans91%,halflings5%, gnomes 3%, other 1% Human Ethnic Groups: Vaasi 88%, Barovians 4%, Darkonians 2%, Falkovnians 2%, Tepestani 2%, Rashemani 1%, other 1% Languages: Vaasi*, Halfling, Gnome, Balok, Darkonese, Falkovnian, Tepestani Religions: The Lawgiver* Government: Hereditary aristocracy Ruler: Prince Othmar Bolshnik Darklord: Malken beauty, long, long have I searched for thee inthe cool, quietshadows oflonely trees or in the aimless music of dwindling streams. Far,fartoo late did Ithink to seek for thee in the wide shadeless grass and the thundering breeze, but with you found the search fades like formless dreams.” Those were the words of the Mordentishpoet and Vassiphile Sir Archer Fleming, written after he saw the grassy plains of Nova Vaasa for the first time. Having traveled the plains myself, I can say with authority that they lack the degree of grandeur Fleming ascribes to them. To find sublime beauty in a miles-wide expanse of dirt and grass is certainly the mark of a simpleton. Had Fleming written his paean to the plains after seeing Nova Vaasa’s cities for the first time, I would bemore forgiving, asthe grasslands certainly become orders of magnitude more lovely by comparison. When I first trod through urban Nova Vaasa, I felt certain I was witnessing the darkest, seamiest portions of the land’s underbelly. Only later did I discover that even the squalor hid something worse yet. Just over a week into my travels through this land, on the nighttime streets of Bergovitsa, I received my first true glimpse beneaththe mask of Nova Vaasa, and saw the frightening face that Nova Vaasans keep hidden from others and from themselves. As I walked Bergovitsa’s roads,jotting notes and drawing rough maps of my surroundings, I gradually became aware that a small gang of men was following me. I pretended to takenonotice at first, hoping that the street toughs would grow bored and move on, but as their snickers and catcalls grew louder there was clearly little chance of that happening. In short order I found myself surrounded by five sweaty, soiled representatives of Nova Vaasa’s underclass,whohad mistaken me for aharmless— andhelpless — diversion. Their crude remarks left no doubt as to their intent, and for a moment I thought that I might be forced to tempt the wrath of Bergovitsa’s religious and secular authorities by using my arcane talents to reprimand them. I was fortuitously spared this risk, as the distinctive sound of horse’s hooves on cobblestones interrupted the hooting of the men. A loud voice, by the accent that of a nobleman, demanded, “Whatisthe meaning ofthis?”The cowardly thugs fled as the lone horseman approached. My “savior” dismounted, and it was clear that his accent labeledhim rightly. His clothing was of richquality and meticulous care, andhis steed was a magnificent creature — tall, strong and ill-tempered.The erstwhile riderwalked smoothly toward me, his simpering smile barely visible beneath his bushy mustache. “Ihope those commonbrutes did younoharm, milady?” he said in the thick, rich tones of Nova Vaasa’swealthy elite.Isaid some polite courtesy in return and prepared to be on my way. “Ah,notsohasty,my lovely,”he said, drawing closer, so that the whiskey on his breath was now clearly detectable. “You wouldn’t leave without showing your rescuer your appreciation, would you?” I left him sobbing and moaning in a fetal position. I would reflect onthat incident oftenas I traveled throughthe rest of the land. Whether it is the plains cat crouching in a field of lush grass, or the base lusts of a would-be hero, something sinister alwayslurks beneaththe surface inNovaVaasa.
11 Nova Vaasa Landscape ome landsinthe Core are dominated by a single feature. The mountains of Barovia, the bogs of Mordent, and the thickly forested provinces of the southwest all come to mind. On the other hand, it could be said that Nova Vaasa is largely dominated by a lack of features. Save for the westernmost regions, Nova Vaasa is a large, grassy flatland, the monotony of whichis brokenup only bymonotony of a differentsort, as one comes across the joyless peasants toiling on the farmlands that surround thehandful of rivers rushing to the Nocturnal Sea. This dry, flat plain fittingly has a dry, flat name: it is known simply as the Vaasi Plateau, or the Vaasimark, and it bothdefines and limits life and culture in Nova Vaasa. If one is for some reason compelled to make a closer examination, as I was, the Vaasi Plateau is perhaps not quite as uniform as it seems at first glance. Still, the differences from region to region are subtle and the similarities broad. Most storms break on the Balinoks or Mountains of Misery, resulting in an arid climate that tends to keep the grasses short and dry. Continuous grazing by Vaasi horses, both in ranches and in the wild, also contributes to the shortness of the Vaasi grasses. Exceptions do exist; different strains of Vaasi grass have different characteristics, and one strain or another often dominates large swaths of the Plateau. The Plateau can be roughly divided into six smaller plains, each withits ownname and its own cosmetic individuality. The northwestern plains, north of the BorchavaRiver andwest ofthe Dnar, are knownas theElendighedmark, orPlains ofMisery, due to their proximity to theMountains ofMisery.The fertility of the region belies that name. The disappearance of the Markovian Balinoks withthe coming of the Shadow Rift has allowed for a greater degree of rainfall here, and the numerous rivers in the relatively small region do much to keep the plain well watered. As a result, the grasses in the Plains of Misery are long and lush, oftengrowing waist-high if left alone. The northeastern-most region, north of the Sydligdnar and east of the Dnar, is known as Ehrendton,named fortheEhrend family, vassalsto the Bolshniks and Counts of Ehrendton. These grasses are short and thin.Theynaturally tend to be yellow-green in color, but a peculiar fungus often afflicts patches of the grasslands here and turns them a sickly white. Folktales hold that this dødmandgraes(“dead man’s grass”) only grows over unmarked graves. For such a remote and lightly populated area, Ehrendton is surprisingly well known around the Core. I shall elaborate on the reason for that later. Southof the Borchava River and the Vaughn Dnar and west of the Prince’s Road is the King’s Plain, or Kesjermark. The Kesjermark earns its name for two reasons, one historical and one cosmetic. Nova Vaasan history tells that the conqueror-king Højplads first marched into Nova Vaasa acrossthat plaininthemorning,made camp there in the afternoon, and won the first bloody battle for this land there inthe evening. The plain certainly has an imperial air, thanks to the wide fields of vingraes, a short golden grass with royal purple seeds. The Kesjermark is oftenknownby an alternate name, “Højplads’s Carpet.” West of the Kesjermark, between the Sydligdnar and the Ivlis,isthe Dommark,thePlain of Judgment. This is thehottest and least forgiving part of the plateau. Between the rivers and the farmlands almost no water can be found, and the grasses are short, dry and brown. In large patches the grass gives way entirely to dirt and stone. A peculiar strainof grass knownas knivgraes manages to thrive here, warding off the Vaamgaaer horse herds with its cruelly sharp blades. Between the Ivlis and the Saniset rivers, the Vaasi Plateau is known as the Tordenmark, or ThunderingPlain. The Tordenmark is dominated by hestgraes, a knee-high grass with seeds of rich brown and bright white. The ancient Vaasi poet Ansgar, observing the fields ofhestgraes blowing in the wind, likened it to “a thundring sea of horses ryding wayvs of shyning green.” That appallingly confused metaphor gave the plain its name. The southernmost stretch of the Vaasi Plateau, containing those lands south of the Saniset River, commonly known as the Pommel, is home to the longest strainof grass. This havgraes grows as highas aman’s chest, and the gallopinghorseherds trample the sun-yellowed stalks into long, broken trails. Walking through the havgraes is a risky proposition; one is unlikely to spot a venomous snake or crouching plains cat until it is too late. The VaasiPlateau, while the most prominent element of the landscape, is challenged in importance by the rivers, the source of life and center of civilization in Nova Vaasa. Farmlands stretch for
12 Report One miles oneitherside of eachofthe Vaasirivers.The grassesbeside the rivershavebeenplowedorburned away and shortstonewalls erected to separate fields and make a brave show of defense to the more brazenbandits.The peasantswhowork these farms live in squat, round hovels of stone, with thatch roofs made from the longer plains grasses. They’re a grim, stone-faced lot, yielding richharvests from the soil only to see most of it taken as taxes by the nearestnoble lord.Some fewofthese peasants own the fields they work, but most have been forced to sell them to thenobles to make up for shortfalls in leanyears. These unfortunates end up working the land they used to own as “tenant farmers,” though “serfs”would be amore apt description.Just beyond the farms arehorse ranches, eachowned by anoble orwealthy merchant. Because ofthe threat oftheft orraids,workers onthese ranches are always armed and aggressively unfriendly toward strangers. As hard and tiring as the lot of the farmers is, they live in a virtual paradise when compared to the hell endured by those living in Nova Vaasa’s cities. Giventhe wide expanse of the Vaasi plains, I would have expected the Nova Vaasans to lean naturally toward open, loosely packed communities, taking full advantage of the space available to them. Strangely, the opposite trend developed. Buildings are oppressively close together, streets surprisinglynarrow, and virtuallyno escape isto be found from the press of the crowds. The density of the population combines with poverty to create nightmarish scenes of urban squalor. Throngs of beggars line nearly every street and alley, ditches are piled with refuse and corpses bloated with disease or bloodied wounds. Urban buildings are usually constructed ofreddishbeige brick and built on granite foundations. Windows are unusually small, almost resembling arrow slits at times. Shingledroofs arebrownor goldenyellow.Wooden doors are rare and a sign of wealth. Away from the suffocating cities or life-giving rivers, relatively few people live on the Vaasi Plateau. Attempts have been made in the past to settle the more remote regions of the plains, as desperate peasants driven by the strict laws and harsh taxes of princes past and present sought homes further from their yoke. Crumbling stone ruins are all that remain to mark most of these efforts. Why these “pioneers” thought they could yield a sustainable harvest from the rocky arid plains where so many others failed is a mystery to me, but with the number of ruins now dotting the
13 Nova Vaasa landscape from north to south, the lesson appears to have taken hold. Few today try to eke out a life away from the rivers, even with the ever greater burden of taxation. Some communities do manage to persist, or even thrive, in the middle of the plains, but those that do are usually centered ona freshwater spring, or several suchsprings, whichcanbe found emerging from caves here and there along the Plateau. Most of these springs are by now occupied by settlers, bandits or plains cats. Plains settlements are by necessity as heavily fortified as they can be, for they are favored targets of bandits, who eagerly take advantage of the absence of law. Ironically, themore successful plains communitiesmust eventually callonthePrince andhislordsforprotection, asthe bandit attacksincrease insize and frequency. The aforementioned rivers flow into Nova Vaasa from nine major sources. The Vaughn Dnar flows from Lake Kronov in Tepest into Nova Vaasa, after which the Trished River joins it from the Mountains of Misery in Darkon. The enlarged Vaughn Dnar then wends its way southeast. From the Vaesen Foothills, the rugged, wooded hills bordering the Shadow Rift, come the Borchava and Little Borchava rivers, which flow briskly and somewhat eerily, oblivious to the fact that their headwaters vanished along with the Markovian Balinoks almost twenty years ago. The Little Borchava eventually flows into its larger sibling, which turns northeast to join the Vaughn Dnar. The Vaughn Dnar then continues east until it passes north of Kantora. At that point, the Dnar River, flowing south from Darkon, joins with it, and the combined river is thereafter known as the Sydligdnar, or South Dnar. The Sydligdnar flows east and empties into the Nocturnal Sea, creating a deepening gorge knownas Katsmund Canyonas it goes. TheSydligdnar is the deepest and broadest of the Vaasi rivers, wide enough to accommodate small ships, though the swiftness of its flow can make for difficult navigating. Despite the risks, vessels row up and down the Sydligdnar regularly, trading goods between Kantora and Egertus, and even small sailing ships from the Nocturnal Sea can sometimes be found far upriver. Larger ships loadandunloadtheir cargoesonGuldstrandBeach, just south of the Canyon’s mouth, using Gedfod horses to carry their goods up and down the rocky trails to Egertus. The Volgis River also has its phantom source in the Shadow Rift, flowing through the Vaesen
14 Report One Foothills and dividing the Dyrskov in twain. It flows southeast, coming very close to the border of Barovia, where it is subsumed by the Ivlis flowing down from the Balinoks. The Ivlis flows past Bergovitsa, assimilating the flow of the Ulvand, which runs northeast through the Borderwood from further south in the Balinoks. The gorge created by the Ivlis as it drifts into the Nocturnal Sea is called Storrokke Canyon. Large, jagged spears of rock block the mouth of Storrokke Canyon, preventing any entrance from the sea, but the Ivlis is too narrow and twisting to make sailing feasible regardless. InNovaVaasa’sfarsouth,theSaniset emerges from Hazlan, just north of the forest the Nova Vaasans calltheSkyggeskov, gentlymaking itsway into the sea. Further south, a river known as the East Musarde emerges from the Mists and cuts across the Pommel. As its name suggests, locals believe this to be a continuation of the Musarde, which disappears into the Mists south of Hazlan. I am not quick to accept the word of peasants, but the Vistani I spoke with say the same. Besides the rivers, the only major bodies of water in Nova Vaasa are the ThreeSisters, a trio of lakesnorthwest ofwhere the Ivlis and Volgisrivers meet. The Three Sisters are named for a Nova Vaasan myth telling of the first three daughters of the first manand womancreated by theLawgiver. The largest and northernmost of the lakes is Lake Nielsine, after the eldest of the sisters, the first womanto tame and ride ahorse.The second largest and westernmost of the lakes isLake Jensine, after the middle sister, the first woman to successfully grow crops in the soil. The smallest and southernmost ofthe lakesisLake Vibeke, afterthe youngest sister,whowasthe firstwomankilled and devoured by a plains cat. Charming. Nova Vaasa’s three major forests are the Dyrskov (“Beastwood”), the Graenseskov (“Borderwood”), and the Skyggeskov (“Shadowwood”).Eachofthe forests could only be considered “major” by Nova Vaasan standards, of course; none is particularly large. These forests all lie in western Nova Vaasa, on the border with other lands. The Dyrskov, in northwestern Nova Vaasa, grows on the edge of the Shadow Rift; the Graenseskov,incentralsouthwesternNovaVaasa, spills over the border of Barovia; and the Skyggeskov, in south-southwestern Nova Vaasa, straddles the border with Hazlan and recedes into the Mists. The Dyrskov covers most of the southern Vaesen Foothills and has long had an evil reputation. Before the Grand Conjunction, the Dyrskov spilled out of the untamed wilderness of Markovia and into Nova Vaasa like anunchecked infection. Slavering, unnatural beasts whispered to be much worse thanany plains cat roamed beneathits dark, thick canopy, and those who wandered too close were not likely to have a chance to retreat. With Markovia gone, whatever font was the source of these foul monstrosities appears to have been stopped, and the Nova Vaasans are daring to harvest timber from the Dyrskov, which provides the only trees in Nova Vaasa with wood suitable for lumber. Still, the Dyrskov is not completely safe. The proximity oftheShadowRiftis disconcerting, and sortvingebute (“black fairies”) are rumored to beguile lumberjacks and carry them off into the Rift.Talesofothersinister creaturesintheDyrskov abound; the creature most often sighted is the Centaur, said to be a ragged, bony horse with a man’s head and a human arm sprouting obscenely from either side of its neck. Any time a half-eaten animal carcass is discovered by lumberjacks in the Dyrskov the Centaur receives the blame, and the night-fires in their camps are built a little larger. TheGraenseskov spills outfromthe shadowof the Hills of Bleak Vistas in Barovia, called the Howling Hills by Nova Vaasans. The name is apt, as the Graenseskov is the most wolf-infested of NovaVaasa’sforests, and thewolveshere are larger and more aggressive than elsewhere, perhaps the result of interbreeding with Barovian wolves. The Nova Vaasanshave aslittle to dowiththesewoods as possible; the vampires and werewolves reputed to roam Barovia at night are said to dwell in the Graenseskov as well. Since timber cut from the Graenseskov’s trees rots quickly, few reasons exist for the Vaasi to brave its rumored dangers. TheSkyggeskov, despite itssomewhatsinister name, is not as feared as the other two forests. Because ofits closenessto boththeSaniset and the trade route into Hazlan, Nova Vaasans have a betterfamiliaritywithit and its contentsthanthey do the other forests. The Skyggeskov is home to wolves, but they are more typical of Vaasi wolves, preferring to avoid humans rather than attack them. Bandits and plains cats are knowntowander into the Skyggeskov, though, so it would be ill advised to let one’s guard down even here. Afewsmallerforests are scattered ontheVaasi Plateau, eachusually less thana mile square.Such
15 Nova Vaasa forests include the Misbande Forest,inthe eastern shadowoftheKoshka Bluffs;the Briarweed Forest, roughly halfway between Kantora and Egertus, southof theEast Timori Road; and the Abentaage Forest, a few miles north of Arbora. Small forests suchasthese serve ashavensforwolves and formen with the demeanor of wolves. Bandits camp in these areas, riding forth at night to raid poorly defended farmlands andhomesteads. Most ofthese bandits lead short, desperate lives, but some have been quite successful and become notorious, even celebrated. Among the mostinfamous are Dagfinn the Burner, who puts the fields he raids and the peasants who work them to the torch; the Tatters Man, knownfortying strips ofhis victims’ clothing to his lances and barding; and the Blood-Cat, believed to be a Vistani outcast by the name of Chezna, who has become particularly feared of late. Her outlaw band, active for almost thirty years, used to operate out of the Briarweed Forest, but a raid by a group of adventurers under the employ of Prince Othmar forced them out of that hideaway. Since then, the Blood-Cat has kept constantly on the move, striking vulnerable caravans with increasing ferocity and abandon. The few surviving witnesses toher attacks describeher as a bone-thin womanin Vistani clothing, riding a night-black stallion.She is also described ashaving wild hair “as thick and red as blood,” as one mutilated survivor put it. Red hair is unknown among the dark-locked Vistani, and this anomaly has served to enhance the Blood-Cat’slegend and give rise to her chilling sobriquet. Just as the forests of Nova Vaasa are concentrated in the west, so are the hills and mesas. The Balinoks and Mountains of Misery make swift, sloping descents as they give way to the Vaasi Plateau, and the resulting foothills are steep and rugged. The foothills of the former Markovian Balinoks are known, as mentioned above, as the VaesenFoothills,whilethefoothillsoftheBarovian Balinoks are named the Howling Hills. The foothills of the Mountains of Misery are identified as the Forgotten Hills. The originof thename is lost, making it ironically appropriate. It mayhave been a reference to the unusual changes Darkon wreaks on the memories of those who visit it from elsewhere, or it may be a memorial to the shattered
16 Report One land of Arak; I lack the time to investigate the matter more deeply. Not far from the foothills are theStony Bluffs, three large granitemesasthat providemost ofNova Vaasa’s buildingmaterials.TheKoshka Bluffs are a pair of smooth stone hills south of Liara, each one 1,000 feet tall at its summit, standing side by side with a canyon between them. Quarrying of the Koshka Bluffs has revealed numerous rooms and passages within, and many curiosities and antiquities have been found buried inside. Some suggest that the Koshka “Bluffs” were in fact once giant monuments or tombs built by some long fallen civilization. After workers there began vanishing or going mad in 741 BC, Sir Tristen Hiregaard greatly restricted the quarrying ofthe bluffs andhas forbiddenthe removal of any oftheirtreasures.The wicked spirit causing the disappearanceswas putto rest by a party of adventurers, but Sir Hiregaard apparently doesnotwishto risk a recurrence.Even in its currently limited fashion, quarrying the Koshka Bluffs has not proven to be without risk. Plains cats often make dens of the crevices and caves of the canyon, and jermlaines have made a home of the Bluffs’ interiors. The other bluffslack the colorfulhistory ofthe Koshka Bluffs. The Altid Bluffs stand imposingly between the Dyrskov and the Three Sisters, with Blacktower Heights, the castle of the Vistins, immediately to their east. Standing 2,000 feet tall, they offer an imposing view to any with the skill and determination to scale them; there were once stairways carved into the granite walls, but they have long since wornaway into uselessness. Those whodoscalethebluffsfindabandonedforventetaarn, or watchtowers, facing to the south and west. These were supposedly ordered built by Højplads after his conquest of the land, to watch for invasions from the two most likely directions. The watchtowershavenot been manned for centuries. I didnot find the opportunity to make the arduous climb to view them myself, but it is said that they stillstand astall and straight as ever.Some go onto say that the last watchmen remain at their posts, undying and ever vigilant. The Hvile Bluffs lie just south of where the Ulvand flows into the Ivlis, northeast of the Borderwood. The Rivtoffs quarry the Hviles, carving outstone forthewalls oftheirfarmlands and for Bergovitsa to thenorthwest.Hvilemeans“resting,” and indeed the weathered bluffs do have a vague drowsy quality to them. Ironic, then, that the plains around the Hviles were the site of some of the fiercest, bloodiest fighting of the Bucking Epoch, so muchso that it is still sometimes knownas the Blodmark. Perhaps hvile has come to mean a differentsortofrepose.SuperstitiousNovaVaasans claim that the spirits of the dead still linger here, fighting and dying at the blades of imagined foes. Four major roads cross the VaasiPlateau, each a busy trade route. The Old Svalich Road, which connects Nova Vaasa to Barovia and the lands beyond, terminates just south of Bergovitsa. Nova Vaasan merchants traveling the OldSvalich Road always goheavily armed, perhaps more so thanthe danger of the crossing actually warrants. Having traveled through Barovia and feltthe chill ofits air and the thickness ofits shadows, I can well understand the desire to gird oneself against imagined horrors. Bergovitsa is one terminus of two other major roads,thePrince’sRoadstretchingnorthtoKantora and the Vaere Bange Road connecting to Arbora. Each of these roads crosses miles of lonely plain, and bandit attacks are common on each. To help protect against this threat, each of the Five Great Families offers a contingent of their household guard for service as handelkonduktørs, or Trade Guards. Trade Guards can be hired as protection for merchant trains, but the fees for this service are steep. Many merchants turn to mercenaries of questionable experience and repute instead, hoping tomaintaina reasonable profit ontheirtrading. TheEastTimoriRoad,whichconnectsEgertus, Kantora and Liara before continuing northwest into Tepest, was once of muchgreater importance to the Nova Vaasans than it is today, providing quick access to the west for merchants innorthern Nova Vaasa. The Shadow Rift has put a stop to that. TheEast Timori remains important for trade within Nova Vaasa, but for now it is a shadow of what it was. Nova Vaasa’s last major trading route is its newest: the Nocturnal Sea itself. Nova Vaasa’s coast is sometimes known as the Fortress Coast, and with good reason. The Plateau drops off suddenly as it approaches the sea, and the sheer cliffs look from a distance like impregnable stone walls. Rocky beaches canbe foundhere and there up the coast, but sailing to them can be dangerous, as spears of rock lurk treacherously beneath the waters.Themost popular ports areGuldstrandBeach, near the mouth of the Sydligdnar River, and Lysening Beach, a few miles north of Arbora.
17 Nova Vaasa Flora The dominant plantspeciesinNovaVaasa are the aforementioned grasses, which cover the plateau from north to south. Besides the grasses, the Vaasi Plateau is home to numerous varieties of wildflower, including aster, spurge, bellflowers, dandelions, sunflowers, morning glories and so on in a seemingly endless parade. These flowers fare poorly duringNova Vaasa’s brief butharshfreezing winters, butthey alwaysreturninthemild spring to sprinkle color onthe plateau once more. A variety of shrubs and bushes cover the landscape as well, and in the drier regions cacti thrive. The Vaasi catspaw is a particularly dangerous cactus, as it secretesparalyticvenomfromitsspines.Thisvenom is not fatal by itself, but plains cats are thought to frequent patches of catspaw inhopes of catching a helpless meal. The cats themselves are immune to the ill effects of this poison, more evidence of nature’s base cruelty. Nova Vaasa has its own strains of oak, fir and pine trees, all of whichhave the unfortunatehabit ofrotting quickly once cut down.Thus, onlynative trees are seldom sought for their lumber, with most of those being found in the Dyrskov. Fauna Any discussionof Vaasifaunamust beginwith the horse. The quality, quantity and diversity of the horses in Nova Vaasa are astounding. Nova Vaasans have a saying: “The Lawgiver meant for Nova Vaasans to ride, and He provided ahorse for each of us.” Though most Nova Vaasans are not wealthy enoughactually to ownahorse,seeing the vast herds rumbling across the plains, I could not help but feel the ring of truth echoing in that proverb. The average Vaasi horse is deep black in coat and mane and tall at the shoulder, usually 16 to 18 hands, but distinct breeds among the horses vary from this description. Vaasi horses can be divided intofivemajorbloodlines:jernryge,rødbuge,vindhå re, gedfode, and vaamgaaere. Jernryge (“iron-backs”) mainly range in the Pommel and are the largest of the Vaasi horse breeds. Considered the strongest horses in the Core,they also tend to be relatively docile and thus are suited mainly as drafthorses and pack animals. Jernryge are taller and broader than other Vaasi horses, usually standing between 17 and 21 hands and weighing 2,000 pounds or more. They have thick feathering on their fetlocks, and their coloring is typical of the Vaasi horses. Rødbuge (“red-bellies”) are most often found in Ehrendton and the Elendighedmark. Strong, intelligent, spirited and radiating a noble beauty, they make superior warhorses and cavalry mounts. Manywho speak ofVaasihorses are thinking ofthe rødbuges. The Rødbuges do not get their name from their fiery spirits alone; theyhave distinctive reddish splotches on their chests and barrels. Rødbuges with unusually large or red splotches command higher prices at market. Particularly prized specimens have entirely red chests and barrels. Rødbuges usually stand between 16 to 19 hands. Vindhåre (“wind-manes”) run across the Tordenmark and are famous for their speed. They are the most popular horses for racing and are favored mounts for wealthy nobles despite their notorious ill temper. Vindhårs often have white markings on their face and lower legs, and may have streaks of white in their manes. A few are closer to blue roanthanblack. They are average in size for a Vaasi horse. Gedfode (“goat-foots”) are the smallest breed, but also the surest offoot, and some swear they are the smartest and most loyal of the Vaasi horses. Thoughnot as swift as vindhårs, many riders insist gedfodemake bettermounts.They are found inthe rocky western parts of the Kesjermark and the Elendighedmark. The Vistani in Nova Vaasa prefer the gedfode for their own mounts and pack animals. Gedfode stand from 13 to 15 hands. Finally, vaamgaaere (“heat-walkers”) range across the Dommark. A rough, rugged breed, they have provenunpopularinthe Core since they lack the beauty of the other Vaasi horses, but they are nearly tireless, can go long distances without food or water, and are little bothered by extreme temperatures. Merchantsfrom G’Henna orthe Amber Wastes who manage to find their way throughthe Mistwayshavepaidhandsomesumsforvaamgaaere. Vaamgaaere are colored in a unique reverse bay pattern,witha black body and brownsocks,manes, and tails. While the horse is the cornerstone of Vaasi pride,the plains cat crouches atthe center of Vaasi fears. Plains cats are large felines, superficially similar to panthers inappearance. They tend to be taller at the shoulder thanpanthers,however, and they have a far thicker musculature. Besides their fur, which is almost uniformly midnight black,
18 Report One their most distinctive feature is their bobbed tails. Male plains cats canbe distinguished from females by their ears; the males have white tufts of fur on their ears that the females lack. Plains cats are almost completely uniform in coloration. Besides the white tufts on the ears of males, they lack stripes or patches of any color. Only as a cat ages willits pelt start to change color, fading through silvery gray to an eventual white. Plains cats rarely reach such advanced age, and those that do arehighly valued by trappersfortheir rare coloration. Very rarely, a plains cat with dark red fur will be born in a litter. These “blood-cats” are rumored to be larger and stronger than their kin, and some say they can hypnotize prey with their golden eyes, fade into invisibility, or even imitate human speech. I have no doubt that these latter stories are superstitious nonsense, but if the two pelts I saw are representative then the bloodcats do appear to be larger than is typical. Plains cats prefer to lair in caves by day, emerging to stalk the grasslands at night, when they blend into the darkness. A plains cat shadows its prey silently withamazing patience, waiting for a moment when it appears distracted or unprepared, at which point the cat pounces with a yowl that sounds unsettlingly like a human scream. A plains cat’s leap cancarry it anastonishing 30 feet. Needless to say, prey that is fallen upon by a 200- pound cat is not likely to rise quickly, and the cat ends thingshurriedly, biting and wrenching at the neck while raking the back or belly with its claws. Plains catslive andhunt alone,save formother cats accompanying their litters. They generally avoid human settlements, but exceptions are not unknown. A child on a farm or a rural settlement being ambushed and carried off by a starving plains cat isnot as rare as one wouldhope.Eventhe cities have been known to suffer the occasional attack. Snakes are the other significant threat to a traveler inthe Vaasi wilderness. Infact, snakes are probably a greater danger overall than the cats, as there are so many more of them. Most areharmless or nearly so, but it is a narrow majority. The most common serpent is the Vaasi garter snake, more frequently known as the underboot, a name that should give a sense of how widespread they are. About 18 inches long when fully grown, the underbootisnon-venomous and dangerous only to insects and very small rodents. Other harmless snakes include the kingsnake, whichis immune to the venom of other snakes and hunts them voraciously; the bluffsnake, so called because of its
19 Nova Vaasa ability to imitate the distinctive rattle of more dangerous snakes; and the whipsnake, which is as long and thin as its name implies. More dangeroussnakes abound.NovaVaasa is home to many diamondbacks and sidewinders, both of which use rattles to warn off attackers. Unique to Nova Vaasa, the ironwhip, which appears at a glance to be a harmless whipsnake, is in fact quite venomous; a single bite isseverely debilitating and multiple bites can be fatal. The goldenhood, a cobra with scales in black and yellow stripes,is easily the most deadly. A bite from a goldenhood can kill a horse in minutes. After the above, animal life in Nova Vaasa becomesmoremundane.Small,timidwolvesroam wooded areas, while jackrabbits, groundhogs and numerous lizards live on the grassy plains. Avian life is typical of the climate. Nova Vaasans tell tales of many sinister creatures stalking the prairie. Herds of nightmares are said to run across the plateau at night, their fiery manes lighting the darkness around them. Catching a glimpse ofthemissupposed toherald deathor misfortune for the viewer or her loved ones. Another spectre in the night is the hestdrikker (“horse-drinker”).These fey creatures are rumored to stalkhorse ranches atnight, drawing blood from the horses and leaving them ill and dying. I have found no reliable sightings of a hestdrikker, suggesting that that these tales are perhaps no more than an ignorant reaction to mundane illnesses among the horses. More creditable are stories of rampaging werewolves and wereboars striking farms and ranches, leaving unmistakable carnage behind them. Fortunately, these lycanthrope attacks are rare. Swarms of jermlaines live in tunnel complexes within the bluffs or beneath the plateau. They sometimes emerge to hunt when their usual diet of snakes and rodents proves insufficient, but fear of the plains cats usually keeps them hidden. Finally come the doedridere, undeadhorsem*nwho silently roam the Vaasi Plateau. Doedridere are thoughtto be the restless corpses ofmenandhorses who died of thirst or exposure on the plains. Tormented by theirlonely, prolonged deaths,manand horse rise again, bonded forever in undeath, to wander those same plains forever. The doedridere crave living company, but they are surrounded by auras of such fearful melancholy that no living thing can long stand to be near them. It is best to
20 Report One avoid them, for those with whom they stop to converse will not be allowed to leave. Nova Vaasans have many other tales of spectral or malicious horse creatures. Niksiee pose as beautiful horses, coaxing fools onto their backs after which they charge into the nearest river or lake and drown the unfortunate rider. Skarphove are a rumored breed of cunning,flesh-eatinghorses whose hooves have blade-sharp edges and whose manes and tails are like tangled wire. Hestskærere are goblin-like creaturesthatslit openthe bellies of sleeping stallions and climb inside, driving the horse mad and directing it in all manner of mayhem. Strangely, the Nova Vaasans tell few horror stories involving cat-like creatures. Perhaps the reality of the plains cats is frightening enough. Vaasa seems to fall somewhere in between, and I have trouble sayingwithauthority inwhichgrouping itshould fall.Thehistory of Nova Vaasa is,like that ofthe mistbornlands, vague,indistinct and in some cases almost certainly false. Indeed, one will find very few references to actual dates or individual years in Nova Vaasan history, instead encountering references to the reigns ofPrinces or the occurrence of significant events. Onthe other hand,the Nova Vaasansinsistthattheirhomewas pulled into the Mistsfromanotherworld, and their history provides awealthofinformationaboutthis forgotten land even if the details have been smoothed over. This information suggests that perhaps Nova Vaasa does have its origins elsewhere. Reconciling the evidencehas provendifficult. It may be that theirhistoryhas a basis intruth, but Nova Vaasans’s pride and theiridentificationwith their ancestry leads complimentary myth and legend to be accepted as history, while mundane truths are forgottenand damning ones dismissed as slander. This attitude could perhaps result in the kind of flowing, indistinct history seen in Nova Vaasa. Or, it may be that the entirety was neatly constructed,fancifulimaginingswrittenonablank slate. Maybe the truth is somewhere in between; I candonomore thanspeculate. My educated guess, and Istressthatitisnothingmore thanthat,isthat there is, or was once, a land called Vaasa, and that some or all of the knowledge Nova Vaasans retain ofitmay be factual.NovaVaasa,however,I believe to have been a fiction until the day the Core welcomed it. According to history as they know it, Nova Vassans are descended from a people called the GammelVaasi, orsimply theOld Vaasans.TheOld Vaasanswere a taller,fairer and cruder people than Nova Vaasans of today. Old Vaasans lived a difficultlife as cattle ranchers and furtrappers amid the harsh,frozenflatlands of a regionknownsimply as Vaasa, situated inthenorthof a vast continent on anunnamed outlanderworld.TheOldVaasans did not beginas a united people,instead being divided into five major and numerous minor clans, each alternating in cooperation and competition with their neighbors. This fractious, ultimately meaningless existencewould likelyhave continued until the Old Vaasans were conquered or exterminated by one of the more civilized kingdoms around them, if not for the rise to power of one man who saw beyond the frozen hills and fields of mud. His Local Animals and Native Horrors Wildlife: Wildlife: Wildlife: Wildlife: Wildlife: CR 1/10 —bat; toad; CR 1/8—rat; CR 1/6 — donkey; lizard; raven; CR 1/4 — cat; owl; pony; weasel; CR 1/3—dog; hawk;snake, Tiny viper; CR 1/ 2— badger; eagle; pony, war; snake, Medium viper; CR 1—dog, riding; horse, heavy; horse, light; horse, light warhorse; mule; wolf; CR 2 — boar; lizard, monitor; horse, heavy warhorse. Monsters: CR 1/3 — cat, crypt†; dire rat; skeleton, human commoner;CR1/2—geist†;jermlaine#;zombie, human commoner; CR 1 — bakhna rakhna†; bat, carrion†; ghoul;CR2—direbadger;direbat;CR3— brokenone†;cat,plains†;ghast;lycanthrope,wereboar; lycanthrope,werewolf;shadow;wight;CR4—wight, dread†; CR 5—nightmare, dread†; wraith; CR 6— bastellus†; CR 7 — ghost; spectre; CR 8 — ghoul lord†. History iecingtogetherthehistoryofNovaVaasa presented me with certain difficulties that I had not yet encountered during this mission. Until now, the lands I’d visited seemed to fall more orlessneatly into two categories. There were the outlander realms, such as Barovia or Forlorn, in which the thread of history was easy to discern and record, and which told clearly of the descending of the Mists in a specific year. Then there were the mistborn realms, in which most of the shared history up unto a certainpointwas clearly a lie, and a poorly told one at that, with the people of these lands assuming that they had always been there, withthe details unimportant. Thehistory of Nova
21 Nova Vaasa name is variously recorded asZaanji or Juungi, but he is better remembered today as Højplads, which appears to have been a title or honorific, and translates roughly as “Highly Seated” or “Well Mounted.” After coming into power over the Bolshnik tribe, he managed to rally the other four major clans tohis visionof conquest; the Vaasi Timeline beginswiththisdate,theUnificationoftheVaasan nation. The Vaasi Timeline is divided into vague epochs ofindeterminate length; allthe years before this date together form the epoch of Grazing. The Vaasi Timeline is not in use today, even in Nova Vaasa, as the Nova Vaasans have adopted the Barovian Calendar to ease trade and diplomacy with other lands. Besides, the Vaasi Timeline is horribly confused and almostworthless as anactual time-keepingmethod,being suitableonly forteaching history in the broadest sense. WiththeUnificationbeginstheEpochknown as the Ranging. With the major tribes united in alliance, the minor clans quickly fell into place beside them, and the Old Vaasans went to war. They began by invading the neighboring land of Daamark, amore forgiving land towardwhichthey had long cast jealous eyes. The war for Daamark proved difficult and costly, lasting a “great and many” years, but Højplads turned the tide. He cast his eyes upward and pleadedwiththeheavens, and his god,theLawgiver, answered.The earthcracked open and hordes of creatures from the Hell of Slaves burst forth, sweeping the Daamark armies aside and then flowing back into the chasm from whichthey came. This account of“history” understandably leaves me skeptical. With the conquest of Daamark thereby completed,the clansset outin different directions: the Hiregaard to the west, the Vistin southwest, the Chekiv southeast, and the Rivtoff east, eachaccompaniedbydozensofsmaller clans. The Bolshnik followed in all directions, to impose Vaasan rule on the conquered. The Old Vaasans proved to be savage warriors when compared to their neighbors, and the ferocity of their attacks together with their Højplads’s ability to commanddivineinterventionmadevictoryasimple matter. At Højplads’s urging, the people of each newly defeated kingdomwere treatedwithseverity in direct proportion to the stiffness of their resistance.Soon,theOld Vaasanswere able to conquer lands simply by means of their reputationfor ruthlessness. Eventually,theOldVaasanshad conquered as far to the west and south as the oceans would let them; they had no talent for shipbuilding and no knowledge of lands across the seas to motivate them.Thus, allthe clansturned east and southeast, where victories had been slowest and new conquests still stretched out before them. The eastern lands were the most troublesome fortheOldVaasans.Some ofthe peoples ofthe east commandedpowerfulmagic,somethingwithwhich the Old Vaasans had little experience (although one could interpret Højplads’s calls for heavenly aid as the acts of a powerful spellcaster). Others were savagewarriorsthemselves, unwilling to cede a foot of land without first marking it with a Vaasi corpse. The Old Vaasans quickly learned that they could not intimidate these eastern lords, but Højplads remained inexorable, and with his generalship and piety leading the way the eastern lands began to fall in line with the rest. Interestingly, one of the conquered southeastern lands is remembered as Hathaljan, and it is written of as a land of“paintedwarlocks and foultreachery.” One cannot help but be reminded of Hazlan, but the Mulan do not admit to any such war, much less conquest, in their past. Another of these fallen eastern lands was of particularimport.Once knownasTygaam,it could nothave been more dissimilar from Vaasa, being a land of arid, grass-covered plainswellsuited forthe raising and ranging of horses. The Tygaami were masterfulhorsem*n, and the conquest of them was dearly won, but it paid handsome dividends, and Tygaam became a jewel in the Vaasi crown for a number of reasons. First, Tygaam served as a junction for several major trading routes. Caravans came to it from the southand west, and the port of Egertus did brisk business with the exotic east. Of even greater interest to the Old Vaasans, though, were the horses of Tygaam, which proved strong and swift, clever and tireless.TheTygaamihadnot traded their horses with others, holding them in too much reverence to allow such a demeaning activity.TheOldVaasanssawthe profitto bemade from them and began seizing and breeding them. Then, of course, there were the Tygaami women. Small, dark and fierce,theOld Vaasans considered them exotically beautiful, and breeding of a different sort quickly captured their attention. ThecombinationofthesefactorsmadeTygaam the most favored of Højplads’s conquests, and he declared the Tygaami city of Kantora his new
22 Report One capital. Tygaam was henceforth known as Nyvalg Vaasa, or“Newly Chosen Vaasa,” aname that was commonly shortened to “Nova Vaasa.” Theheads of the other four major clans joinedhim insettling there; the rest of the now vast Vaasan Empire was divided into spheres ofinfluence, witheachof the majortribes and many ofthe minortribes claiming a share. Sadly, the Old Vaasans knew far less of rulership than of conquest, and the decision of Højplads to hold court far from the center of his empire would eventually lead to that empire’s dissolution. The empire held until Højplads’s death, thus ending the Ranging Epoch and beginning the Breaking. After his death, by Højplads’s standing decree, rulership of the realm would be alternated between the heads of the five clans, in what he termedthe“OrdainedCycleofStewardship.”While this did much to stabilize Nova Vaasa where the chiefsheld court,it did little formore distantlands, which soon began to rise up in rebellion. Before long, even Old Vaasa had revolted, under a new warrior-king who held in disdain the foreign ways adopted by the Five Clans. After a “considerable time,” the last territory outside Nova Vaasa threw offits yoke, ending theBreaking and beginning the epoch known as the Saddling. The Saddling was a period of calm and regrouping, as the people of this orphaned kingdom struggled to find their own identity. Nyvalg Vaasa remained firmly under the control of the Five Clans, butitis doubtfulHøjpladswouldhave found much solace in that, as they quickly began to lose any resemblance to the clans of his day. The Old Vaasans were heavily influenced both by the Tygaami horselords they interbred with and the civilized merchants they traded with. At some point during this epoch the cultures that had formed Nova Vaasa blended to the point of being indistinguishable. This blending served to strengthen the kingdom, however, and the Nova Vaasans now took a fierce pride in their history, their independence and their growing economic might.The epochknownasthe Bridlingwas about to begin. The rise of the Churchof theLawgiver stands as the most significant event of the Bridling. Prior to the conquests oftheOld Vaasans,the Churchof the Lawgiver struggled as a marginal religion in Tygaam, dwarfed inpower and prestige by worship of such gods as the horse god Tygaa, the cat gods Sehkmaa and Bubahkaa, and the heroes cult of Fjodor and Fyldor. The Old Vaasans, beginning of course with Højplads, had encouraged the Lawgiver’s church,for its message of submissionto those in power suited the conquerors well. The Church thus began a period of steady growth, but it was not until the reign of Prince Gorkyn Vistin began that it truly came into its full influence. Prince Gorkyn was a devout follower of the Lawgiver and made furthering the Church’s cause his personal mission. Gorkyn brutally stamped out other religions, turning their lands, properties and incomes overto theChurchoftheLawgiver.Highranking members of the Lawgiver clergy received military and civil offices, and the Churchwasfreed from all taxes. When his reign was ending, Prince Gorkyn then did what no previous Prince had done:he refused to give up power, claiming thathis divine mission was not yet fulfilled. With the Church and his family backing him, the other patriarchs were forced to fall in line. A “short time” later, Prince Gorkyn declared that asthePrince oftheRealm,hewas also by right Head of the Church. The church leaders, after monetary persuasion, confirmed Gorkyn’s theological arguments as divine will, and Gorkyn assumed control of the Church of the Lawgiver. CallinghimselftheHimmelskNaeve(“DivineFist”), he thenledNovaVaasa ina series ofholywarswith her neighbors, remembered today as the Wars of Conversion. Unfortunately, Prince Gorkyn was overly ambitious, and his Wars of Conversion did little more than drain the kingdom’s resources. The Wars had clearly failed, and Prince Gorkyn died of illness exacerbated by his sorrow. With his death, the Cycle of Stewardship resumed, and the ChurchoftheLawgiver continuedwithitsstrength only marginally diminished. Despitehis draconian methods and failures as a general, Prince Gorkyn is remembered today as Saint Gorkyn, Beloved of the Lawgiver, and indeed his cultural impact on Nova Vaasa is noteworthy, evenbeyond establishing the Church of the Lawgiver as the state religion. Højplads was canonized as the first saint of the Lawgiver by his decree, thereby strengthening the Nova Vaasans’ pride in their past and reverence for their history. Muchof the symbolism inbothstate and religious ceremonies in Nova Vaasa today can be traced to Gorkyn,whohad a keeneye forritual.Religious art and architecture in Nova Vaasa enjoyed a golden age during and afterhis reign, sparked byhis lavish patronage. To this day, the head of the Church is
23 Nova Vaasa knownas the Himmelsk Naeve, althoughaPrince hasheld the office only three times since Gorkyn’s passing. The Bucking Epoch, a long period of general unrest, followed the Bridling. Prince Gorkyn was long dead by thistime, buthe remained aninfluentialiconof authority, and during theBuckingmany successive Princes attempted to imitate him by retaining power beyond the mandated five year period. The result was a series of rebellions, civil wars and assassinations that threatened to tear the realm apart.Infact,the realm was once split,when the Chekivs andRivtoffs declared anewPrincipality ofSydlig Vaasa.Sydlig Vaasa was short lived as an independent political entity, and indeed the entire Epoch is characterized by impermanence. Despite the effort of the rival lords to lengthen their grip on power, the average reign of a Prince during the Bucking was probably somewhat less than five years, thanks to incessant murders and deposings. The Bucking finally ended under the strong hand ofPrince Jokum Rivtoff, also knownasSaint Jokum the Pacifier, who began the Riding Epoch. Jokumbrutally crushed allresistance tohisreignin a brilliant series of campaigns againsthis rivals. He had the heads of the other four families executed and went downthe line killing theirheirs untilhe reached one ineachfamilyhe felthe could control. Inallfourinstances,these “chosen”heirs ended up being children,two ofthemnursing infants.Jokum then allowed the Cycle of Stewardship to resume, naturally declaringhimself Regent onbehalf of all four ofthe child lords.Officially,Joku*mserved two terms as Prince, but he actually held the reins of power for an unrivalled 35 years, as several of his regencies were sadly extended after a few of his wardssuffered fromunexplained and fatalillnesses. Jokum himself died of a mysterious and sudden illness, but he left Nova Vaasa a stronger, unified realm at the height of its military and economic power. The Riding Epoch continued after Jokum’s death, and Nova Vaasa established a trading empire that stretched south, west and east across the sea. Some felt that the Riding Epoch might last forever, but the peace and prosperity of Nova Vaasawould be shattered again, andmore dramatically than ever before. In the winter, during the final reign of Prince Ingemar Bolshnik, the skies over Nova Vaasa reportedly darkened, the earth shook, and a terrifying thunder echoed throughthe air.InwhattheChurchoftheLawgiver dubbed the SecondJudgment,NovaVaasans claimtheirhomeland was wrenched from its proper world and cast into hell, with “howling fear to the west, stone death to the north, shapeless nightmares to the east, and nothing but ominous swirling to the south,” as Prince Ingemar recorded in his famous journals a year aftertheSecondJudgment.Barovian records first show trading with the “the horselords ofthe east”in682BC, and thisisthe date generally accepted forNova Vaasa’s appearance inthe Core. The Churchclaims theSecond Judgment was the work of the Lawgiver, done as punishment for the pride and materialism of the people of Nova Vaasa.GiventhatNovaVaasahasremained a land of aristocrats and traders, it would appear that the lessonhasnottaken.Infact,while the first decades inthe Corewere one offear and uncertainty, asthe Nova Vaasansfound themselveswithinhospitable neighbors suchas Arak and the NightmareLands, they quickly adapted and even began to thrive once more. Themostsignificant eventwithinNovaVaasa since the Second Judgment has been the rise to power of Prince Othmar Bolshnik. Othmar has held the title since 729 BC, almost 30 years, giving himthe tightest grip onpowerinNova Vaasa since Prince Jokum. Othmar has proven to be a harsh taskmaster, imposing tax after tax on his subjects and ruthlessly suppressing all dissent. The noble lords grow rich under his rule, and Othmar of course growsricher yet, butthe lot ofthe commoners, as ever, worsens by the year. A second event worthy of attention has been the rise of anotherindividualto power of a different sort. In 717, long before Prince Othmar’s reign commenced, a religious movement beganin Nova Vaasa. Calling themselves the Claws of Sehkmaa and claiming to be priests of that ancient cat god, the Claws seemingly dedicated themselves to easing the plight of the poor and disenfranchised in Nova Vaasa. Normally, the Church of the Lawgiver would move quickly to stamp out any such “idolatry,”butforsomereasontheClawsofSehkmaa were left in peace. The Claws became powerful, wealthy and respected, and their high priest, who calledhimself Malken, became a figure of awe and reverence, though he was never seen. Sir Tristen Hiregaard, at that time Captainof the Kantora City Guard, soon uncovered the sinister truth behind the Claws of Sehkmaa. They were not priests at all, but were in truth a wide-
24 Report One spread criminal organization. Some of their illicit activities included extortion, theft, smuggling, bookmaking, kidnapping and even poisonings. Malkenhimself ruled at the center of this criminal web, andSir Tristen made ithis missionto oppose Malkenand bringhim to justice. By the end of the year, he had largely succeeded. The Claws were broken, the worship of Sehkmaa outlawed, and Malkenhimselfwas believed killed bySirTristen’s own hand. Recently, however, the name Malken is once more heard whispered on the streets of Kantora, Liara and Bergovitsa. A new crimelord has apparently risenin Nova Vaasa, bearing thename of the old. Unfortunately,Sir Tristenis too aged to combatthisfresh(orreturned)menace, andfewenough others have displayed an interest in trying. Some even whisper thatPrince Othmar is inleague with thisnewMalken,receiving a cutfromNovaVaasa’s illicit economy just ashe does from the legitimate. Finally,thoughitseems anodd sort ofthing to documentinthehistory ofthe realm,I come to the Signature Killer, who has perhaps done more to shape life in the cities of Nova Vaasa in the last seventy years than any prince or would-be crime master could claim. Striking mostly in Liara in recent years, but also in Kantora and rarely in Bergovitsa, a madman has been intermittently stalking thewomenofthe lower classes, killing and mutilating them and leaving the remains for the city guard to find, along with crudely scrawled taunts. Murders of this sort are anunfortunate fact of urban life, but for a string of such killings to stretch over such a long period of time without ending intheperpetrator’s capture,suicideornatural death is decidedly unusual. Fortunately, the killings have slowed since they first began in 682 BC, to about one, and sometimes two, a year.Still, that leaves the killer with over 100 murders to his “credit.” The unlikely durationof the killing spree has led to the speculationthat there may infact be a cult ofmurderers atwork, killingwomeninanact of obscene sacrifice. Others whisper that the killer isavampireusingmutilationtodisguisehisfeedings, or a disembodied spirit driving others to murder to satisfy its dark cravings, or that he is any of a thousand other creatures of thenight.Satisfactory answers and explanations have proven impossible to come by, and so the murders and the fear continue. Populace ova Vaasans are strictly divided along economic lines. The wealthy aristocracy holds all the power, while the impoverished peasantry provides the labor. One might look to the Churchof the Lawgiver as the third pillar of Nova Vaasan society, but the clergy are all aristocrats, and the actions and teachings of the Church serve primarily to supportthe interests ofthenobles.Instead of forming a third pillar, the Churchinstead serves as the foundation of the first. Giventhevastseparationbetweenthewealthy and the poor, most aspects of their culture and lifestyle must be twice examined, as what holds true for one side may have no reflection on the other. I attempt to delineate the broad characteristics of both the noble and the lowborn below. Appearance Nova Vaasans are a rough, rugged people well suited to the plains.Of averageheight,they tend to be stocky, with barrel chests, wide hips and thick limbs. Their facialfeatures are particularly distinctive, tending toward angular chins, prominent cheekbones, wide, full-lipped mouths and short, somewhat flattenednoses with widenostrils. It is a commonjoke inBarovia andTepestthattheNova Vaasans look rather like the horses they tend, a comment that invariably leads to crude speculations about Nova Vaasan ancestry. The slightly bow-legged swagger of the Nova Vaasans is a frequenttargetfor mockery aswell. Nova Vaasans are little concerned by these insults, as comparisons to horses bother them not at all, and they take no shame in the gait that marks them as experienced riders. Nova Vaasan skin tends to be fair and ruddy, though Nova Vaasans with pale olive or sallow complexions are not unusual. However, even lighter-skinned Nova Vaasans are often tanned from long hours working the fields or riding the plains. Eyes are almost always dark green or gray, with the occasional hazel or brown to be found. Hair is commonly dark brown or black, with light brown or dirty blond found as well. Women grow their hair exceptionally long, often past the waist, and young girls work these tresses into two long braids. Men generally prefer to keep their hair cut to just below the shoulder, although some noblemen grow their hair much longer and tie it back
25 Nova Vaasa into a tail. All men, noble or poor, grow long mustaches and usewax to shape them into stiff and sometimes elaborate curls.ANovaVaasanproverb holdsthat“amanwithout amustache islike ahorse without a tail.” Given the pride they take in their mustaches, it should come as no surprise that men whowishtohumiliate anenemy or a rivalwillseek to cut his mustache short or shave it altogether. Nova Vaasan men do not grow beards, as they would only serve to detract from their glorious mustaches. Fashion Nova Vaasan clothing, predictably, varies greatly between the social classes. Commoners’ clothing is drab, practical and of poor quality. The clothing of the poor is never dyed, and predominatelydirtywhiteorlightbrown.Brownispreferred, as ithelps tohide the stains of the dirt fields or the smears of urbansqualor.Menwearlong,homespun shirts, with the sleeves rolled up, and sometimes add thin leather vests as a second layer. Trousers are of heavy cotton, tied off with a belt of rope or, rarely, cheap leather. Women wear cottonblouses and culottes, and plain, unadorned kerchiefs cover their heads. Commoners in the cities usually go barefoot orwear clothwrappings around theirfeet; few ownboots, and those that donever wear them forfear of being robbed.Boots aremore commonin the fields, but only marginally. Incontrast, aristocratic vestments are brightly colored and cared for meticulously. Males wear ostentatiousriding breechesthatflare fromwaistto knee and tightenfrom knee to ankle;they also don thick, finely tailored coats over shirts of thin cotton or imported silk. Both the coats and shirts are trimmed with lace. Tall black riding boots and brightly colored,intricately embroidered kerchiefs round out the typical ensemble, with older men often adding felt caps. Particularly wealthy noblemen wear garments trimmed in plains cat fur and necklaces made from the cat’s teeth and claws. Noblewomen wear velvet riding skirts, billowing blouses and black boots. They favor long, thin scarves trimmed with bells and coins. Gold bracelets and earrings are the most popular pieces of jewelry among thewomen. Menandwomenprefer rich shades of red, blue and purple, though any bright color might be found, save green, which is worn only in mourning. Men prefer striped patterns, while women favor swirls and spirals. Language Needless to say, the predominant language amongNovaVaasansisVaasi.NovaVaasansinsist that their dialect of Vaasi is purer than those of Kartakass, Hazlan or Valachan, and none care enoughto argue. Nova Vaasans take great pride in their language, and by law it is the only language that may be used in legal proclamations and historical records. The Church of the Lawgiver has similar laws, requiring that all religious recitations and holy scripts be in Vaasi. While Vaasi is the official language of Nova Vaasa, it is far from the only tongue spoken there. Commerce brings merchants from all across the Core to Nova Vaasa. Balok and Darkonese are the next most commonlyheardhumantongues, while the Gnomishand Halfling tongues canbeheard in the few small neighborhoods and communities dominated by those small folk. Still, anyone planning to spend any significant amount of time in Nova Vaasa had best be prepared to learn at least a smattering of Vaasi. Vaasi Primer I againattacha supplementary primer on Vaasi, expanding onthose offered during my explorations of Hazlan and Kartakass. English Vaasi horse hest horseman, rider hestmand cat kat crime forbrydelse grass graes nobleman ædelmand commoner lavmand merchant købmand Lifestyle & Education An odd duality seems to exist in the minds of Nova Vaasans, expressed in many aspects of their culture and daily habits. The aristocrats, for instance,speak reverently aboutthe responsibility of a noble to his people and a master to his servants, and the importance of personal honor and chivalry.The commonerstalkofduty toone’ssuperiors, the sanctity of Law and Order, and the primacy of
26 Report One the community. In both cases, these appear to be sincere, deeply held beliefs. YetNovaVaasa is a landwhere the aristocracy taxes the peasantry into abject poverty, beating and imprisoning thosewho cannot afford to pay.A noble has the legal right to strike a commoner for the crime of insolence, and few think twice about exercising it. Many in the peasantry, meanwhile, throw themselves into every vice with abandon, steal from their neighbors and stare daggers into the back of every aristocratwho passes by.Inshort, a wide gulf stretches between the professed values of the Nova Vaasans and the lives they actually lead.Suggest this to a Nova Vaasan,however, and you will meet a stone wall of denial. This gulf seems to go beyond mere self-delusion. Nor does it seem to be a simple weakness of will, a shortfall from a lofty ideal. From my observations, average Nova Vaasans often appear to take a savage joy in the opportunity to flout traditionalmores.They act asifthe true purpose oftheir values was not to promote the health and security of the community and the individual, but instead to give their dark side something to rebel against. Only the constant threat of temporal punishment (among the peasants), the fear of public humiliation or censure (among the aristocrats), and the promise of eternal damnationby theLawgiver(for everyone)hold matters incheck.Eventhose powerful disincentives do little to stem the corruption and decay in the oppressively crowded cities. The renowned Nova Vaasan alienist Dr. Gregorian Illhousen most evocatively stated this duality, which he termed the Rider’s Dilemma. The lateDr.Illhousenimagined ahunter preparing himself to chase down a dangerous beast. Having appropriately girded and armedhimself,thehunter must now choose a mount on which to ride the creature down. He walks out tohis stables,intending to saddle his strongest and swiftest stallion, whenhe sees ahuge plains cat sleeping inthe sun, and indecision afflicts him. He knows he is foolish for considering it, for the catwould surely turnand devourhimshouldhe attempt to ride it, but he still cannot help but be tempted. The cat is swifter, stronger and fiercer thananyhorse could ever be.Ifhe could only tame it, rein in and harness its ferocity, no quarry could stand before him. His horse is strong, loyal and dependable… but it is no cat.
27 Nova Vaasa This, then, is the Rider’s Dilemma: the safety and surety of the “horse,” which represents the path of honor and propriety, or the seductive yet dangerous power of the “cat,” the path of ruthless and uninhibited self-interest.Illhousenstated that most menchoose the “horse,” buthe believed they do so out offear rather thangenuine preference for that way of life. If the “cat” could be rendered harmlessto the rider,Illhousenclaimed thatnearly all men would eagerly ride it. In the cities, poverty is even more rampant thaninthe fields, butironically the urbanpeasants have much greater freedom to pursue their personal interests and entertainment. There are too many people to be adequately policed, and the only noble with official power over the cities is the Princehimself, who generallyhas larger matters to concern himself with than the temperance of the underclass. Thus, in the cities Vice has been crowned Prince, and he rules with a trembling fist inawine-stained glove.By day the peasants eke out a living however they can, be it via petty crafts, unskilled manual labor or the provision of cheap services. At night they spend their earnings in a whirlwind of self-gratification. Gambling is by far the vice of choice, with bets placed on games of skill and chance, races of horses or dogs, or caged combats between beasts or even men. The consumptionof alcohol andnarcoticsisnotfar behind in popularity; opium from Hazlan is a particularly valued commodity. Amidst this storm of iniquity, violent crime flourishes.Robberies, assaults,rapes, murders… each are daily occurrences. Perhaps only in the remote settlements is Nova Vaasan life led in something approaching peace and balance. No Nova Vaasanis beyond the yoke of one of the noble families, but they do not bother to exert much influence on those communitiesfarfromtheir castles.So long astaxes are paid ontime and shows ofloyaltymade, distant communities are mostly left to their own devices. The resulting life is stillhard, but far less grim and only occasionally ugly. These communities are generally tightly knit, sharing each other’s joys and sorrows. They tend to distrust strangers and fear disruptions to their way of life. The aristocrats, living in luxury’s lap and almost entirely free fromlegalrestrictions,live largely as they please. Their lifestyles are paid for by the labors of the commoners, and while this arrangement frees them from responsibilities, it also leads to a fair amount of boredom and restlessness. A few loose traditions are in place to give young aristocrats some direction. Eldest sons are expected to learn the stewardship of holdings, while eldest daughters are expected to learnthemanagement of the household and to prepare themselves for marriage.Second sons are expected to trainformilitary pursuits or civil service, while second daughters choose between marriage and the Church. Subsequent childrenare largely leftto their owndevices. These are only traditions, however, and deviance It takes a truly clever man to state the obvious in such a convoluted fashion. Despite its fanciful imagery, the Rider’s Dilemma describes the Nova Vaasanpsyche well. Of course, one could justifiably assert that Illhousen’s scenario describesthe conditionof allmen,notjust Nova Vaasans, but here in this land there does seem to be something more to it. A cauldron of repressed anger — or perhaps hunger — quietly churns inthehearts of the people. By day, evenin the blighted press of the cities, I could hardly escape the townsfolk’s posturing abouthonor, duty and responsibility, yet by night the ferocity and abandon with which they pursued such vices as gambling, prostitution and beast-baiting took me aback. The nobles would have others believe that only the commoners find refuge in such filth, and theyhave done a fairjob convincing themselves of that same myth, yet I saw many fine black boots and well-tailored gloves amid the noisy masses of carousers and vice-seekers. Regardless,the truthremainsthatlife inNova Vaasa is grim, hard and ugly. In the fields and farmlands ofthenoble families,the lords do asthey see fit,withlittle chance ofrecriminationorretaliation. Fortunate peasantsserve under a lord suchas Sir Tristen Hiregaard, who is merely as severe as the law requires, but most lords are not so restrained.The average family laborshard fromdawn to dusk,for fear ofnot meeting thenobles’ exorbitant demands, and then returns home at night to nurse their resentments in sullen silence. They do whatever they can to avoid the attention of the aristocrats and their guards, even if that means doing nearly nothing at all outside of work. Those who do feel secure enough to seek diversions play gamessuchashorseshoes,rope-skipping,top-spinning and draughts. Devotions to the Lawgiver are a daily observation, oftendone ina spirit of avoiding consequence rather than genuine reverence.
28 Report One from these patterns is as common as adherence. One thing all aristocrats are expected to master, regardless of sex or birth order, is horsemanship. Allnobles ownat least onehorse, and often many more, and numerous sports and games are played on horseback. Races, hurdles, tilts and even jousts and melees are common and the results heavily wagered upon.There are anumber of unique Vaasi horse sports as well. In pøllo, teams attempt to use long-handled mallets to knock a thick leather ball throughanopposing goal.Riders playing hestberøre try to snatchgauzy streamersfromtheir opponents’ saddles while losing as few of their ownas possible, and in klæbegribe riders take turns attempting to pull short stakes from the ground at a gallop without falling from their horses. A middle class is slowly emerging as shrewd traders,landowners andcriminals are able togather enough wealth to elevate their status and exert influence over those in the peasantry. A few particularly successful farmers, for example, have bought the farms and lands adjoining theirs and employed the former owners ashands andworkers, while particularly skilled artisansinthe citieshave parlayed theirtalentsinto successful and profitable businesses. This middle class is currently small and thinly spread, however, and in the eyes of the aristocrats they are still peasants, only with larger tax revenues to provide. A few merchants are trying to remedy this situation, increasing their political power by forming guilds and trading companies, but these efforts have yet to effect any real change. Marriage among commonersisrarely a romantic occasion. Prospective partners are chosen for responsibility, fertility and a lack of overt querulousness. Marriage among peasantsisinmanyways a transaction, a mutual agreement that long-term partnership could prove mutually advantageous. This cynical perspective is undoubtedly the result of the hardship the peasantry must endure; most simply cannot afford to make life decisions based on something as intangible as love or attraction. Peasants do not rush into marriage, usually marrying in their twenties or early thirties. Aristocrats have more freedom to marry for romance, as their economic security is virtually assured. The only restrictions they face involve inter-family marriages; none of the great families want to see any fraction of their holdings going to anotherthroughpatrilinealinheritance.Thusmost noble marriages are between distant cousins. The richest and most powerful of the nobles will often arrange their children’smarriages,ratherthanrisking theirhonor or possessions.Nonoble,regardless of feelings or attraction, would stoop to marry a commoner; the embarrassment would simply be too great, and theChurchfrownsheavily uponthat sort of class intermixing. The Nova Vaasan diet is well varied when it comes to breads and vegetables, and much more uniform when it comes to meats and dairy. Pork, chicken and fish are the staples, supplemented with a variety of breads, fruits, roots and greens. Popular dishes include spiced pork sausages called kilbaasa; meat-stuffed cabbage rolls (golaabki) or eggs; pirogi, pockets of doughstuffedwithanything frommeats and cheese to fruits and vegetables; and a variety of meat and vegetable stews, such as “rider’s stew” (of whichthere are many variations, usually includingporkorsausage).Pancakestopped with jams made from apples, pears or peaches are the favored desserts. Art in Nova Vaasa is not nearly as developed or beloved a pursuit as it is in western lands. The peasants have no time for art, and the aristocrats rarelyhave the inclination.Still,theNovaVaasans are not entirely without artistic traditions. The highest Nova Vaasan art form is the epic poem, epitomized by the many works of the legendary Ansgar, author of such stirring tales as Fare imod denAften, DenBjaergekesjer, andHaldor ogGudrun. Haldor ogGudrun is considered the greatestwork of Vaasiliterature and tellsthe taleofthehero-knight Haldor, the barbarian-queen Gudrun, and their secret and ill-fated love for one another. Forced to command armies against Gudrun by the pressures of family and state, Haldor leads his knights in a suicide attack againsttheheart of Gudrun’s power, hoping that his death will ensure his love’s safety. The attack fails, and the surviving knights drag the dyingHaldor back to camp.Ashe lies onhis deathbed,anexultantmessengerenters,informingHaldor thatthe barbarian-queenis dead, killed aftermadly attacking the Vaasi lines for no apparent purpose. Haldor, of course, knows deep down that she had the same purpose inmind forher attack thathehad for his, and expires in grief. This tragic tale has inspired many starry-eyed nobles to take pen to paper. The Church of the Lawgiver has driven the growth of most other art forms. The Church has long traditions of architecture, sculpting and music. Hymns and choral pieces dedicated to the
29 Nova Vaasa Lawgiver are the most prevalent forms of musical expression in Nova Vaasa, followed by drinking songs. Instrumental pieces are centered on horns and percussion. Education in Nova Vaasa ranges from informal to non-existent. Peasants are too concerned about teaching their children practical skills such as farming or stone working to spend time imparting more academic matters. Literacy among commoners is almost unknown. Aristocrats hire private tutors for their children or send them to study in the west. A university stands in Kantora, but it is small and not particularly popular or well regarded. The Church of the Lawgiver provides educationto its clergy, teaching them how to read and write and othernecessary skills, but otherwise focuses on theological teaching of dubious value. Attitudes Toward Magic NovaVaasanshave developed a deeply rooted distrust of arcane magic. Anecdotal evidence indicates that they were far more accepting ofit inthe distant past, but the Second Judgment changed that. Their early years inthe Core were spent with a chaoticwasteland called theNightmareLands on their eastern border, where the Nocturnal Sea is today. The terrainof the NightmareLands shifted constantly, and travelers there reported encounteringhorrific creatures bornof their deepest fears. Fortunately, the NightmareLands vanished inthe wake of the Grand Conjunction. Few folk profess to remember the NightmareLands today, but they still seem subconsciously to associate arcane magic with the chaos and instability of that wasteland, and they want no part of it. The Church of the The Nova Vaasan Hero Races:Thanksinno small partto the influence oftheChurchoftheLawgiver,NovaVaasa is an unashamedly racist domain. Nonhuman races are believed to be cursed with degenerate formsforthe sins oftheir past, and thusnonhumans are seenasinnately corrupt, bothphysically and spiritually. Large pockets of dwarves, gnomes and halflings live in Nova Vaasa, mostly confined to racial ghettoes in the larger cities. The laws of the land prohibit “fraternization” between races, so inter-racial social interactions are limited and kept as brief as possible. Classes: Clerics,fighters and rogues are the most commonclasses in Nova Vaasa. Almost all clerics are devoted to theLawgiver and receive ahighdegree ofrespect and deference. Other clerics are indanger ofharassment orimprisonmentiftheirfaithisrevealed. Fighters and rogues can be found in all corners of the domain, with rogues being especially common in the cities. Rangers are uncommon, but their skills are highly valued; nobles often employ them to help watchover theirhorseherds or to keep plains cats from wandering into their land tracts. Bards are uncommon in Nova Vaasa due to the general distrust of arcane magic; most artists and musiciansinthe domainaremere experts.Thosebardswho do reside inorvisitNovaVaasa focus on recitation and poetry and keep their arcane talents well concealed. Druids, sorcerers and wizards are all equally despised and rarely encountered. Barbarians and monks are virtually unknown. RecommendedSkills:Appraise,Craft(blacksmithing,leatherworking,shipmaking,stonemasonry,weaving),GatherInformation,HandleAnimal,Intimidate,Knowledge (nobility and royalty, religion), Perform (oratory, percussion instruments, sing), Profession (farmer, fisher, herdsman, rancher, sailor, stable hand, tanner), Ride, Sleight of Hand, Survival, Swim, Use Rope. Recommended Feats: Animal Affinity, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bolas, whip), Great Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, Jaded, Mounted Combat (plus derivatives), Quick Draw, Skill Focus (Handle Animal, Ride), Self-Sufficient, Toughness, Weapon Focus (heavy flail, heavy pick, lance, longspear, morningstar, scimitar). Nova Vaasan Male Names: Andor, Christer, Erik, Fraanse, Gunnar, Ivaar, Konraad, Mikaal, Olav, Rudolf, Tor, Ulf, Viggo, Warnaar. Nova Vaasan Female Names: Anja, Dagmar, Else, Grete, Helena, Inge, Lucia, Magda, Marta, Sofie, Thora, Ulla, Vanja, Vita.
30 Report One LawgiverinNovaVaasahas banned the practice of arcanemagic asblasphemy, claiming thatit*spread was one reason the Lawgiver handed down the Judgment. Suspected practitioners are frequently imprisoned. Divine magic is accepted if and only ifit flows from theLawgiver. Whenthe Churchof theLawgiver deignsto admitthe existence of other gods,it places them in subordinate roles, labeling them as servants of the Lawgiver and essentially powerless in their own right. Both Ezra and Hala, for example, are officially codified as the Lawgiver’s concubines.Therefore,accordingtoChurchdogma, any cleric performingmiraclesinthename of a god other than the Lawgiver must be a liar and a heretic, drawing his magic from arcane or even demonic sources. Imprisonment is the kindest fate a “heretic” can hope for, so servants of other gods would be wise not to call attention to themselves with flashy displays of divine power. Religion TheChurchoftheLawgiveristhe state church of Nova Vaasa and the only religion witha significant presence.The Churchisthe true glueholding together Nova Vaasansociety. Its teachings about law, obedience, and the divine right of rule are ingrained into every citizen at a young age, and withoutthisstabilizingdogma theunderclasswould assuredly rise against the aristocracy that oppresses it. Churchattendance isnot legally mandated, but significant social pressure encourages it, and those seen as impious are ostracized and avoided. Given the Church’ssignificance bothwithin Nova Vaasa and without, Ihave thought it fitting to describe it in greater detail in the Attached Notes. The Realm lthoughtechnically aprincipality,Nova Vaasans often refer to their realm as a kingdom. This is a legacy of the great conqueror-king Højplads, whom the Churchof theLawgiverhas elevated to sainted status. Højplads is seenas the realm’sEternal King under the Lawgiver’s mandate, with the princes being merely the realm’s stewards in his materialabsence.Unsurprisingly,individualprinces have sometimes held dissenting viewpoints. By tradition, Højplads’s authority as Eternal King is recognized in a number of symbolic ways. The Storsortstenstol (“Great Blackstone Throne”) in the Prince’s palace has traditionally been left empty, with the Prince sitting instead at the head chair oftheCouncilTable.TheWhip ofRight and Rod of Might, the traditional symbols of Nova Vaasan kingship, have likewise traditionally been left unused except in rare ceremonial occasions. Proclamations are made “in the name of the Eternal King, by the will of the Lawgiver.” FewcouldquestionthatOthmar viewshimself as the realm’s king in fact if not in name, and no prince in Nova Vaasa’shistoryhas dared to openly usurp so much of the Eternal King’s symbolic authority. Othmarwasnotthe first prince to refuse to surrenderhis stewardship of the realm after five years, butno prince ever reigned as long ashehas, and he grows bolder with each successive year. Nine years into his reign, all portraits and sculptures he commissioned began depicting him wielding the Whip of Right and Rod of Might. Fourteen years into his reign, he commanded that coins be minted with his likeness rather than the traditional seals of the great families. And five years ago,he tooktositting intheGreatBlackstone Throne. This act nearly provoked a revolt by the Rivtoff and Vistin families, but pressure by the other three families, and a decree from the Himmelsk Naeve legitimizing Othmar’s actions, calmed the dissent. Rumor has it that Othmar has nearly proclaimed himself King on several occasions, only to be talked out of it each time by his advisors.Still,the patternofhis reignsuggests that it is only a matter of time, and when that time comes the resulting unrest may not be so easily defused. Government As previously noted, rulership of Nova Vaasa is traditionally rotated between the patriarchs of the Five Great Families, in what is called the Ordained Cycle of Stewardship. Taking the title Prince of Nova Vaasa, the chosen patriarch rules for a term of five years, upon which the title is transferred to thenext patriarchinline. The cycle occurs in this order: Bolshnik, Rivtoff, Vistin, Hiregaard, Chekiv, and then back to Bolshnik once more. This would appear to be an inherently unstable arrangement. Though it was intended to create unity and a sense of kinship among the Five Families, men being what they are, one would expectresentmentandinternecinepower-struggles. Remarkably,the scheme actuallyworked,withfew hurdles, for centuries. I suspect the stabilizing influence of the Church of the Lawgiver was the invisible hand holding the realm together.
31 Nova Vaasa Obviously, affairs of state have stopped proceeding according to this plan.Othmarhasreigned asPrince for 28 years and thereby become the first Prince to maintain the title for a full Cycle. Were the Ordained Cycle still being observed, power would rightfully be in Bolshnik hands, but only untilthe end ofthis year, afterwhichRivtoffwould traditionally assume power. As the year continues, renewed pressure is mounting from the Rivtoffs and Vistins for Othmar to step down and let the Cycle resume, but Othmar showsno signs of being moved to acquiesce. It appears that the current state of government will persist for the foreseeable future. The traditionoftheOrdained Cycle leftNova Vaasa with a strong aristocracy by necessity. Each of the Five Families has significant power within their region of the principality, powers that are retained whether the patriarch of the family currently holds the title of Prince or not. Most importantly, eachfamilyhas the right to tax those living within their sphere of influence. Of course, muchof this income must inturnbe givenas taxes to the Prince, but any revenue that exceeds royal taxesisthe families’to keep.The familiestherefore attempt to pass as much of these taxes as they can onto their subjects, bleeding them dry in order to fill their own coffers. Only the Hiregaards are notablymorelenientinthisregard,andthatfamily’s fortunes have been diminishing for decades. Besidesthe right oftaxation,the Five Families alsohave the right to maintainstanding militaries and to conscript citizens into these household guards intimes of war or rebellion. Conscriptionis a rarely exercised power in modern times, though occasionally a family will gather together and arm a group of peasants to assist in hunting down bandits.The families alsohave broad judicial powers over their lands, with the right to arrest and punish lawbreakers, though the Prince has the right to reverse these decisions. In practice he almost never bothers, so the Families enforce the law withnear absolute freedom. The familieshave other broad executive powers within their lands; they are almost autonomous states. The division of the realm among the Five Families is accomplished by parceling the realm into five duchies and giving each family authority over one of them. The Vaasi rivers have largely determined the centers of these duchies, since settlements in Nova Vaasa are tied closely to the riverlands. The Borchava Duchy, ancestral territory of the Hiregaards, consists of all farmlands watered by the Borchava and Little Borchava rivers, and by the Vaughn Dnar River up to the fork where the Borchava and Vaughn Dnar meet. The southern boundary of the duchy extends south to the edge of the Dyrskov. After flowing past the fork, the Vaughn Dnar becomes part of the Heartland Duchy, the largest duchy and the territory of the Bolshnik family. The Heartland Duchy extends east to the NocturnalSea; thePrince’s Road marks its southern border as it runs east-west. The Altid Duchy, governed by the Vistins, consists of the Altid Bluffs and lands watered by the Volgis River, and is bounded inthenorthby theBorchava Duchy and in the east by the Heartland Duchy. The Ivlis Duchy,home of the Rivtoffs,is centered on the Ivlis River and is bounded in the north by the Heartland Duchy. Its southern border is the northern border of Hazlan, extended east to the sea. ThePommel Duchy consists of all those lands south of the Ivlis Duchy and is the territory of the Chekivs. Technically, the five largest settlements are each under the direct control of the Prince. The Prince appoints the mayors of each city, and they respond directly tohim. Inpractice, though, much of the power in each city lies in the hands of the nearest Great Family, as the mayors are almost always chosen from their ranks. For instance, the Mayor of Kantora has almost always been from a branchof the Bolshnik family, and the Hiregaards have long provided the Mayors of Liara. Power in Bergovitsa ishotly contested betweenthe Rivtoffs and Vistins,withmayors oftenselected fromeither orneither;thisstruggle isthe source of muchofthe bad blood between the two families. The smaller settlements, Egertus and Arbora, are even more thoroughly controlled by nearby families: the Bolshniks govern Egertus with a free hand, and ArboraisalmostentirelythedomainoftheChekivs. Settlements that exist outside the nobles’ immediate sphere of influence have their own weak governments, with a mayor or council of elders making decisions and enforcing the laws. These civic governments stay inplace only as long as the nobles permit, so they are careful to govern in a fashion that will not draw undue attention. “Invisible hand?” Far too charitable a term! The Iron Fools know nothing of subtlety.
32 Report One The Council of Lords deserves a brief mention, I suppose. This small body is meant to advise the Prince. Traditionally, it consists of twelve members: the four Dukes; the mayors of Kantora, Liara, Bergovitsa, Arbora, and Egertus; and three other luminaries chosen at the will of the Prince. The twelve member council convenes annually in Kantora to discuss the state of the realm and suggest policy to the Prince. The weight given to the Council’s recommendations has waxed and waned over the years. Currently, under Othmar’s reign, they are virtually ignored, and each year nearly half of the Council neglects to attend the meeting. The three “extra” council members are currently Poul Ehrend, Count of Ehrendton; Lord RangvoldAlriik,Othmar’sspymaster; andMathias Bolshnik, the aerkebiskop of Kantora. The Five Great Families Given that the Great Families control the government of Nova Vaasa, this seems a fitting time to examine each family in greater detail. Bolshnik Prince Othmar Bolshnik rules the Bolshnik family, the Heartland Duchy, and all of Nova Vaasa from his stout keep Stonegard, just north of Kantora on the opposite bank of the Dnar river. Stormy in countenance, word and deed, Othmar commands the fear and respect of his people, not their love. He ruthlessly clamps downonany signs of dissent or independence in his realm and is known for his explosive outbursts when angered. Contrastingwithhis dark moods arehis bright and ostentatious costumes, always made of the finest materials found in the Core, and sometimes beyond. Thepreviouspatriarchofthe family,Kethmar, was revered by the people and his fellow lords as honorable and just. His sudden death near the beginning ofhis second reignin729 left the realm in shock and grief. Othmar had just turned 21 at that time and was prepared to succeedhis father as prince, but by Kethmar’s deathbed command he was not permitted to take on that responsibility. Instead,Tristen Hiregaardwas asked to serve ashis regent until Othmar reached the age of 25. Coincidentally, this period wouldhave marked the end of Othmar’s first reign. No doubt Kethmar knew what sort of son he had made and hoped to spare the realm from his “stewardship” for another 20 years. Unfortunately, Kethmar could not have imagined that Othmar would subvert the entire Nova Vaasan system of government. Othmar maintainshis power throughfear and has established three organizations under his control to aidhim. His personal guard, the Storkaskete (“Black Caps”), are well known as dangerous and fanatical men. Their number is set at fifteen, and anyone seeking the honor of serving with them mustfirst challenge and slay anexistingmemberin personal combat. This ritual has insured that the men of Othmar’s guard are both fearless and ruthless.Theymeet any threat orinsulttoOthmar,real or perceived, with drawn steel. Only Othmar’s command can stay them — a command given rarely. Even more sinister are the Slangetunge, Othmar’s network of spies and informers. The members oftheSlangetunge receive generous payments to serve as Othmar’s eyes and ears, and they can be found in any of the realm’s major settlements, and many criminals and dissidents are put to death by their reports. They are universally despised, and lynchings of suspected Slangetunge are not unknown. An accurate estimate of their numbers is impossible, but there must be a few dozen at the very least. The master of the Slangetunge is Rangvold Alriik, Othmar’s distant cousin and close advisor. The worst of the three are the Straffers, Othmar’s personal police force. Perhaps inspired by Azalin’s Kargat or Vlad Drakov’s Talons, the Straffers officially exist to “supplement” the city watch. In truth, they have much broader powers than any watchman, with freedom to arrest, pass sentence and execute criminals who fallinto their clutches. They have a reputation for sadism and depravity; tales of cannibalism, demon worship and lycanthropy among their officers are widely whispered.The otherlordshave politely requested thattheStraffers be kept out oftheirterritories, out of respect for their sovereign judicial rights, and thus far Othmarhas acceded to that request, but in Kantora and Bolshnik lands theStraffershave free reign. Fortunately, theirnumbers are few, and thus by necessity they keep their focus on accused revolutionaries and traitors to the crown. The leader of the Straffers is Nikko Hetch, who serves double duty as Othmar’s court executioner. Little about Hetch is known, but much is whispered. Besides the Storkaskete, Othmar’s standing guard is estimated at 100 foot soldiers and 50 mountedsoldiers.He canalsocallupontheKantora
33 Nova Vaasa city watch on short notice, swelling his guard by another 200 men. If he were to summon all his strength and bannermen, Othmar could field perhaps 800 soldiers without having to call on the other families. Major branches of the Bolshniks include the Tavolys, the Ehrends, and the Laars, who have provided the last five mayors of Kantora. The arms oftheBolshniksdepict ablacksnake twinedaround a silver axe ona field of green. The family motto is “Unity from us, power for us.” Chekiv Duke Tunch Chekiv governs the Pommel Duchy, the least populated and most distant of the Nova Vaasan duchies. This remoteness lets the Chekivs enjoy anevengreater degree of autonomy thanthe otherfamilies;rarely doesthePrince orhis officials make the journey south to take a direct hand in matters. Inthe past, this distancehad also left the Chekivs poorer and less powerful thanthe other families, but the appearance of the NocturnalSea is changing that rapidly. Increased trading opportunities have also meant increased tax revenue for the Chekivs, and even the underclass in Pommel is seeing a small increase in prosperity. Though the distance from central authority has given the people of Arbora and the surrounding land a sense of increased independence, Duke Chekiv tends to tow the Prince’s line. Somewhat ironically, his relative freedom from the Prince’s control has given him a vested interest in not rocking the boat, and thushe tendsto exercise very little of that theoretical freedom. He works particularly hard to stamp out signs of discontent or rebellion, fearing that the Prince may decide to sendhisStraffersto settlemattersifhe cannot keep revolutionaries contained. Duke Chekiv has a standing guard of 40 foot soldiers and 15 mounted soldiers. He has established a small watch in Arbora that could lend another 20 swords if needed. At full strength, the Chekivs could perhaps deploy 200 men. The family’s significant branches include the Norivs and the Pomaars. The Chekiv arms depict awhite sword ona red and greenfield.Their motto is “Gripped in warning, drawn in anger, raised in triumph.” Hiregaard From Faerhaaven, a mighty fortress overlooking the Little Borchava river, Duke Tristen Hiregaard keepsthePrince’s peace intheBorchava Duchy.Tristenbecame patriarchoftheHiregaards after the tragic suicide of his father, Romir Hiregaard, in 671 BC. Romir, who was Prince of Nova Vaasa at the time ofhis death, killedhimself in sorrow after his wife died of a sudden illness, leaving eleven-year-old Tristenas bothanorphan and asPrince oftheRealm.His uncleSergeiserved as regent during young Tristen’s first reign. Tristen reigned twice more as prince, from 694–698 and again from 719–723, and served as regent from 729–733, making him the last man to rule Nova Vaasa before Othmar. Like his father before him, Tristen gained a reputation as a fair, honest and even-handed ruler, and he is the most loved of current patriarchs, though that is damning with faint praise. Duke Hiregaard, who prefers to be known by his knightly title of “Sir Tristen,” or simply “Captain” in recognition of his time as head of the Kantora city guard, has been the closest thing to a championthe underclass ofNova Vaasa canclaim. He continuously argues for lower taxes at the Council of Lords, but his fellow lords are not so willing to see their incomes decline. Though he appears to regret thehardship these taxes place on the shoulders of the Nova Vaasan people, he does not stop from scrupulously collecting every last copper piece the crown claims. This attitude has led some to see him as a hypocrite, though in his defense he, of all the dukes, imposes the smallest taxes over and above those ofthe crown.Hismercy has left his family in somewhat poor straits; the former jewel of Faerhaaven is in notable disrepair, and the family’s household guard is at its smallest numbers in decades. Though in rather astonishing health, it must be assumed that Tristen willnot live muchlonger, as he is already over ninety years of age. Upon his death, his eldest son Yorgi will become patriarch. By all accounts,Yorgihas beenwell groomed forhis role as successor, though there are some indications that he would like to see the family returned to itsformerwealth.WhenTristendoesfinally die, the poor of Nova Vaasa may likely no longer have a voice. As noted, Duke Hiregaard’s forces are at low ebb;intheir prime, they werenearly as large as the Bolshniks’.Currentlyhisstanding guard consists of 60 foot soldiers and 20 horsem*n. Given enough time, he could summon the Liara city watch, adding another 100 soldiers. If he were to summon all
34 Report One the swords at his command, he could field around 500 men. Major branches of the Hiregaard family include the Tuegaards, the Boragaards, the Laruchs, and the Tryggaars. The arms of the Hiregaards depict a golden griffin flanked on either side by a white rose, against a field of sky blue. The family motto is “Duty from without brings honor from within.” Rivtoff Duke Søren Rivtoff is the current head of the Rivtoff family, and oversees the Ivlis Duchy from Castle Everwatch near the center of the Tordenmark. Duke Rivtoff is strong, handsome and very, very bitter. His anger over Othmar’s continued reign is well known. In the past, his adviser and former regent Lord Adal Keirin was able to calm him and keephim from openly speaking against Othmar, but Lord Adal’s death ten years ago removed that stabilizing influence. Duke Rivtoff has since been loudly critical of Othmar, and it can only be a matter of time before his lack of discretion brings consequence. I suspect the Duke is trying to force a conflict, hoping that an open attack by Othmar will bring the other families to his side. This seems unlikely at best, as the Hiregaards and Chekivs are firmly behind the Bolshniks, and the Vistins andRivtoffs despise one another. Strategic planning does not appear to be Duke Rivtoff’s strong suit. The Rivtoffs have been keeping themselves prepared for potential conflict, and besides the Bolshniks they currentlyhave the largest standing guard in Nova Vaasa, with 80 foot soldiers and 40 horsem*n. At full strength, those numbers could swell to nearly 600 soldiers. The major branches of the family include the Keirins,whohave oftenserved asregentsfor young Rivtoff princes, and the Ladzlins. The arms of the Rivtoffs depict a black fist gripping a human bone against a yellow field. The family motto is “The death of our enemies is the seal of our authority.” Vistin The seatofVistinpowerisBlacktowerHeights, a fortified tower beside the Altid Bluffs. The current “patriarch” is Duke Grigor Vistin, a two-year-oldinfant,whosucceededuponthedeath of his father Bevis last year. Grigor’s regent and mother, Lady Lara Vistin, holds true power in the family. Lady Lara is known as a harsh, uncompromisingwoman, andherstruggleswithDukeRivtoff for power and prestige have shown her to be every bit as competent a leader asher latehusband.Still, because of her “femininity,” Lady Lara does not enjoy the unquestioned support from her vassals and soldiers that Bevis commanded. The old Duke was much respected, perhaps more for his old friendships with Kethmar Bolshnik and Tristen Hiregaard than for any accomplishments of his own.LadyLarahas thus far managed to cajole and command the obedience thatisherright asregent, but it seems she must reclaim it anew with every order and initiative. Bevis’sloathing forPrinceOthmarwas apoorly kept secret; he was a loud voice of opposition to Othmar’s retentionof power, and thoughhis complaints softened as Othmar’s hold on the realm tightened, his dissatisfaction was clear. Lady Lara hasnot yetspokenor actedagainstOthmarovertly, so her attitudes toward the prince and his regime remain a matter of conjecture. She has shown a vindictive streak,though,so the idea ofherharboringherlatehusband’sgrudgesisnotatallfar-fetched. The household guard of the Vistins stands at 50 foot soldiers and 20horsem*n.LadyLara could potentially field up to 500 men, but there is some question as to whether all of her vassals would answer the summons. Major branches of the Vistin family include the Volgaars and the Harstins. The family arms depict a combatanthound and plains cat ona field of purple. Their motto is “Faithful no matter the risks.” Economy It should surprise no one to learn that the Nova Vaasan economy is centered on the horse. Vaasihorses are renowned fortheirstrength,speed and intelligence, and are highly desired as riding horses, warhorses and status symbols among the wealthy all across the Core. Since there is no shortage of horses on the Vaasi Plateau, the Nova Vaasans are all too willing to share their most valuable resource with others, at a tidy profit of course. Nova Vaasan law states that any male Vaasi horse sold to a foreigner must first be gelded; the Nova Vaasans are very protective of their monopoly. This condition has made the outside demand for Vaasistallions veryhigh, bothtohorse breeders and to soldiers or noblemen who desire more “spirited” mounts. The high prices these
35 Nova Vaasa stallions command has accelerated the growth of the black market for Vaasi steeds. The Vistaniin Nova Vaasahave a unique part to play in the horse trade. While Nova Vaasan horse trainers are often highly skilled, the best of them pales in comparison to the better Vistani trainers, and the Nova Vaasans grudgingly realize this fact. Thus, the Vistani are permitted to take and raise horses from the Vaasi Plateau, the only foreigners so privileged. This privilege comes with a restriction, however: the Vistani, by law, are permitted to sellhorses of Vaasi bloodlines only to Nova Vaasanmerchants.Underthis arrangement, then, the Vistani pull horses from the plains, raise them, train them, and then sell them in Nova Vaasanmarketsfor princely sums.Thoughmuchof this revenue must be paid to excisem*n as the Vistanileave the market,they stillreap a fair profit from the transactions. The merchants then sell these Vistani-trained horses at even higher prices to nobles both inside and outside the domain. Since noblemen usually despise the Vistani as thieves and beggars and are loathto dealwiththem directly, having Nova Vaasan merchant middlemen benefits both sides greatly. Though undoubtedly some Vistani caravans flout these laws, most choose to obey them rather than risk souring a profitable situation. In fact, at least one Equaar caravan, the Twin Waters, stays almost exclusively within Nova Vaasa, rolling through a slow circuit of the land while gathering and selling horses. Besides the horses themselves, byproducts of thehorsehave also become important elements of the Nova Vaasaneconomy. Horsesthat are too old orinfirmto be sold, bred orworked are slaughtered, and their constituent parts are sold toward various ends. Some such parts, such as horsehair, can be regularly harvested from healthy animals. Horsehair is dyed and woven into baskets, bridles, ropes and similar items. Horsemeat is sold as food for the hounds of the rich or the children of the poor. Horse hooves are valuable to “chymists” for the creation of adhesives. Organs such as the heart, liver, eyes and testicl*s are powdered and sold as medicines or aphrodisiacs to the gullible or as spell components to the wise. Horse dung is gathered and sold as fertilizer at markets up and down the four rivers. But it is the hide of the horse that presents the most opportunity. Nova Vaasan leatherwork is among the most prized inthe Core, both for the quality of the horsehide leather itself and the skill of the Nova Vaasanartisans.Saddles, boots, gloves, jackets and other goods made from Vaasileather canbe found inlandsthroughoutthe Core. In the western realms, pistol holsters and scabbardsmade fromVaasihorsehidehave become de rigueur; in fact, I believe my own holsters are made from Vaasi leather, though in all honesty I pay little heed to such matters. It will perhaps be more surprising to discover thatthe fearedVaasi predator,the plains cat,is also a significant element of Nova Vaasan commerce. The pelt of the plains cat is actually quite soft and fine, and garments trimmed with plains cat fur fetch handsome sums. The silver and white fur of an aged plains cat is even more in demand, but none is as valued as the fur of the blood cat. The claws and fangs ofthe plains cats are prized byNova Vaasan noblemen as pieces of bracelets or necklaces, and this culturalfashiontrend is catching on inadjacent lands suchas Darkonand Barovia.Ear tufts are valued as lucky charms, while powdered organs are even more valued than those of horses. From an agricultural standpoint, Nova Vaasa is quite wealthy, with wide expanses of farmland along the banks of the realm’s three major rivers. Grains, especiallywheat, barley, oats and rye,make up the majority of the crop, but a variety of other foodstuffs are grown as well. Orchards of apples account for most of the fruit produce, followed by pears, peaches and plums,thoughlocal plumshave slowly fallen out of favor with the import of more flavorful Barovian varieties. Cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, turnips and beans make up the majority of their roots and vegetables. Nova Vaasa also has rich yields of fiber crops, including hemp, flax and kenaf, which contribute to the burgeoning textiles and paper industries. Livestockconsistsmostlyof chickens andhogs, with sheep and cattle being relatively scarce; the Nova Vaasans are reluctant to take ranging space from their horses. The Nova Vaasans instead import most of their red meats and cheeses from Darkon and Tepest. This is all supplemented with steady fishing of cod, herring and mackerel in the Nocturnal Sea, and smaller catches of pike, trout and bass from the Three Sisters. Granite is the most prevalent mineral resource, quarried from the rock bluffs in the southwest. It is likewise the most-used building material.Demand verynearlymeetsthe supply and thus little ends up as export. Besides granite, the few minerals found in quantity include amber,
36 Report One gathered from river beds; limestone, gypsum and chalk,found inthe same rock mesas as the granite; and salt, mined from depositsinthe foothills ofthe Mountains of Misery orharvested onthe shores of the Nocturnal Sea. Despite thewealthofitsresources,NovaVaasa is by no means a self-sufficient kingdom. Vaasi timber is of dismally poor quality and sparse quantity.ThusimportsfromBarovia,Tepest andDarkon are vital, more sonowthaneverwiththe growthof the Nova Vaasan navy. Metal resources are also scarce. The foothills around Bergovitsa and Liara yield small amounts ofironand copper ore,far too little to meet the kingdom’s demands. Imports from Barovia, Borca and Darkon make up the shortfall. Nova Vaasancoinage is becoming anincreasingly commonsightinlandsthroughoutthe eastern Core, and merchants and townsfolk will usually accept it in even exchange with few reservations. The gold piece is known as the bridle; the heads side shows a horse head in profile, looking to the observer’s left. The silver piece, the spur, shows a rider’s boot, with the toe pointed to the observer’s right. The copper piece, the horseshoe, shows exactly that, ahorseshoewiththeopenendpointed downward. The tails sides feature two common designs, one for those minted before Othmar’s reignand one for those after. Before Othmar, each coin bore the crests of each of the five great families, arranged in a pentagonal design. By Othmar’s command, coins now bear his likeness. He is shownseated ona throne,head turned to the observer’s right. In his left hand he holds a whip, and in his right hand a rod, the two traditional symbols of Vaasi kingship. Because the older coins are melted and repressed when taken as taxes, Othmar’s coins have become far more common. Diplomacy Nova Vaasa has regular contact with other lands. Merchants travel to and fro by all available routes, and young Nova Vaasan aristocrats often garner their education abroad. There are few civilized parts of the Core where a Nova Vaasan is nowhere to be found, and thus many relationships have been established and opinions formed of other lands. Barovia: Barovia is viewed mainly as a stepping stone to the riches ofthewest.While demand for Barovian timber, spirits and metals does exist, trading for them unfortunately involves dealing with Barovians, something that few Nova Vaasan merchants savor. Barovians remind Nova Vaasan traders of the lower classes they avoid at home, withthe additional unpleasantness ofsuperstitious atheism thrown in. The secularism of the average Barovian greatly bothers most Nova Vaasans who encounter it, and the few religions that do have a foothold in Barovia bother them even more. The Cult of the Morninglord is seen as particularly pernicious; its message of temporal hope for the downtrodden is as opposite to the dogma of the Lawgiver as anything could be. Darkon:Thoughthe tiesbetweenNovaVaasa and Darkon were only recently forged, Darkonhas already become one of Nova Vaasa’s most respected neighbors and the latest focus of its mercantile pursuits. When the lands of the Core shifted in the wake of the Great Upheaval, the Mountains of Misery no longer barred all traffic between the two lands. Nova Vaasans were eager to take advantage ofthisnewopportunity fortrade, and ithas paidhandsome dividends onbothsides. Nova Vaasan aristocrats also admire — dare I say, envy — King Azalin and his firm control over so widespread and varied a kingdom. Feh. The opinions of the masses mean little to me, especially whenthethingsIshould mostbepraised for remain hidden to so many. Hazlan: Nova Vaasans aren’t quite sure what to make of the Hazlani. The commonalties of language and religion would seem likely to draw the two peoplestogether, buttheHazlani culture is too alien to be easily overlooked. Indeed, the few similarities between the two cultures appear only toaccentuatethedifferences.TheHimmelskNaeve would like nothing more than to increase unity betweenthe two realms, which would increase the Church’s influence, but despitehis efforts it seems unlikely that the two lands will ever become more thanuncomfortableneighbors and lukewarmtrading partners. The NocturnalSea:Egertus and Arborawere wealthy ports before the Mists rose, and the disappearance of the sea had left them as shadows of their former wealth. When the Nightmare Lands vanished after the Great Upheaval, the sea reappeared, butthemists didnotrecede.IntrepidNova Vaasanmariners boldly attempted to sail and chart the enshrouded waters, with few successes and many tragedies. When the mists finally did recede
37 Nova Vaasa and reveal the waters of the Nocturnal Sea, it was seen as a miraculous blessing, a reward from the Lawgiver for the good faith and service of His people.Thoughneither portis anywhere close to as powerful as they oncehad been, eachhas begunto boomwiththe returnofmarine commerce.Egertus carries on a brisk trade with Nevuchar Springs on Darkon’s coast and with the island of Liffe to the northeast, while Arbora does the same with Graben Island. Thoughthe NocturnalSea is treacherous and turbulent, Nova Vaasans continue to view it with a certain fondness, their own special gift from the Lawgiver. There is no shortage of volunteers for trading vessels or for the Nova Vaasan Navy, and the Nova Vaasanreputationforriding thewavesis slowly growing to matchtheirreputationforriding the plains. Tepest: Tepest is something of a thorn in the side of Nova Vaasan merchants, who are always seeking toincrease theirtradingopportunitieswith thewesternlands.Thewild and fey creatures ofthe untamed Tepestani forests make for a perilous journey for merchant caravans. In an effort to improve matters, Nova Vaasans would like to see theEastTimoriroad extendednorthintoKeening, withthehopesofeventuallymeetingtheDarkonian Strigos Road and thereby hastening the completion of the trade route. Plans have been laid to construct guard outposts along the way; that this is anegregious violationofTepestanisovereigntyhas been pointedly ignored. This has thus far been a doomed effort. Every labor team sent into Tepest for this purpose so far has disappeared, even those under armed guard. Such events have increased the frustration of the merchants, and support is growing for a campaign to invade and “civilize” Tepest. A recent build-up ofroyaltroopsinthenorthsuggestsPrinceOthmar may be taking heed. The Tepestani themselves are considered barely worthy ofnotice, as theyhave little interest infinehorseflesh.Their“pagan”zealotry doeslittle to help. It is mainly the vast stores of Tepestani timber that keep Nova Vaasan merchants coming back. What other barter occurs is usually of an agricultural bent. Sites of Interest y travels through Nova Vaasa began in Arbora. Once there, I felt closer to the edge oftheworld thanIhad ever desired to be. As disconcerting as that feeling was, I suspect I may look back upon it with nostalgia before this long survey ends. Indeed. This world has more boundaries natural than any Y one should, and all of them press too close. ou have not yet begun to feel their chafing. Arbora Arbora’stownsfolk referto it as“the far corner of the world,” a statement not made without a certain element of pride. The origins of that description are not hard to discern. Arbora is the southernmost settlement of note in the Core, and the most physically isolated as well, save perhaps for those at sea. Not only do the Mists surround Arbora and nearby lands on three sides, but it is distant from most large population centers. The closest major settlement to Arbora is Sly-Var in Hazlan, andwhile relations betweenthe two towns are cordial, cultural differences keep them from drawing too close. Because of this relative isolation,Arboranshavedevelopedavery independent, self-sufficient attitude and prefer to make their own way as much as possible. Physicalisolationhas resulted inpoliticalisolationas well.Prince Othmar Bolshnik,like many princes beforehim, caresnothing for the regionso long as his taxes arrive. Thus the Arborans have felt relatively little of the burden of centralized authority since 728 BC, the last year a Chekiv sat the throne. The current Duke Chekiv dutifully collects Othmar’s taxes and supports his decrees, but exercises little of his own initiative. Where to stay in Arbora TheWorld’sEnd Inn(commonquality rooms, good quality food)is ofmediocre appointments but wonderfulfare.Iparticularly recommendthe pirogi; nowhere else I dined in Nova Vaasa had as varied and flavorful a selection. The beer, however, was disappointingly weak and rather cloudy.
38 Report One Bergovitsa From Arbora I backtracked the long journey up the Vaere Bange Road to Bergovitsa, attaching myself to a small merchant caravan to make the trip less perilous. A feeling of danger simmers in all of Nova Vaasa’s cities, thanks to the widespread crime and general discontent, but Bergovitsa has an extra element of chaos added to that already explosive mix. The Rivtoffs and the Vistins have long vied for influence over the city, and this struggle for power and statushas boiled overinto the streets.Of course, one rarely sees the aristocrats themselves suffering forit.Instead, gangs ofthugs,hired by one of the noble families, harass and assault innocent commoners or merchants whose only fault is that they in some way represent (or are thought to represent) the interests of the rival family. During my stay here I witnessed a craftsman in a tannery owned by the Vistins dragged into the street and beaten by Rivtoff henchmen, who cared not at all that their attack had witnesses. No one moved to call the watch, and from what I have seen I doubt the watch would have responded anyway. In fact, Isuspectthatthewatchhas beeninstructed to take no notice of these incidents. The Bergovitsa city watchissubjectto the commands of Mayor Araam Tavolys, a cousinoftheBolshniks, and itwouldnot surprise me to learn that Prince Othmar has commanded thatthe conflict be allowed to continue.It certainly helps to keep the two families distracted from other concerns. Bergovitsa is an important waystation in the trade betweenKantora and thewest, and as a result is the most cosmopolitan of Nova Vaasa’s cities. Most of the Core’s languages can be heard spoken in Bergovitsa’s markets and goods of all styles and descriptionsfoundinitsshops.Thoughmany come to Bergovitsa from other lands to trade,few end up deciding to stay. Bergovitsa is as dismal as the rest of Nova Vaasa’s cities, and it makes a far better place to visit thanto lay roots. The result is steady traffic inand out ofthe gates, as caravans arrive,sell their goods, buy replacements and leave in short order. Places of interest in Bergovitsa include the Crimson Citadel Fane, a walled religious community on the northern edge of the city and the seat of Pave Lod Ragnaar; the Traveler’s Market, Bergovitsa’s bustling commercial center, in the western part of the city; and the Ansgar Museum, the former home of the ancient poet converted into a shrine to his life and work. The Avener’s District, in northeastern Bergovitsa, is probably best avoided despite its popularity. It is the site of the greatest horse races in Nova Vaasa, but crime is rampant. I also collected recent reports of a “shambling mud-monster” stalking the District at night, attacking those who stumble across it. No verifiable deaths orinjurieshave beenattributed to this mud-man, so it is likely anurban mythsprung from the other, very real dangers to be found inthe Avener’s District. Where to stay in Bergovitsa The richness ofthe appointments ofthe Innat Bergovitsa (goodquality rooms, goodqualitymeals) contrast withthe simplicity ofitsname. A favorite destinationof visiting merchants,it isnot difficult to see why. The meals are exquisite; I especially recommend the roast quail with Barovian plum sauce and the stuffed figs. The innkeepers have long enjoyed an honest reputation, and ever since persons unknown robbed Sir Tristen Hiregaard here inhissleep decades ago a small, discrete group of hired guards have made this the safest inn in Nova Vaasa. Those with lighter purses in need of a quality meal would do well to try the Clever Gray Mouser (no rooms, good quality meals), a cheerful tavern with a solid reputation. That reputation did dip somewhat in 682 BC when the Signature Killer chose a barmaid from the tavernashis first victim, butno suchmisfortunehas visited the tavernsince. Interestingly, the tavern was once known as the Clever Gray Malken, but after the scandalizing of the Claws of Sehkmaa and their high priest the name was changed to minimize any perceived association. Arbora(large town): Conventional;ALN; 3,000gp limit; Assets 691,500 gp; Population 4,610; Isolated (humans 96%, halfling 2%, gnomes 1%, other 1%). Authority Figures: Mayor Torina Pomaar, female human Ari5; Aerkebiskop Bearnt Chekiv, male human Clr7. Important Characters: Lukas Duremke,male human Clr6 (heretical priest); Astrid Chekiv, female humanAri2/Brd4(revolutionaryphilosopher),George Weathermay,male human Rgr9/Avr4 (Mordentish expatriate).
39 Nova Vaasa Kantora Kantora strikes visitors as either an awe-inspiring example of urban splendor or a horrific morass of urbandecay—perhaps bothat once.The city changes dramatically as one passes from the heavily patrolled, meticulously kept aristocratic and government districts into the boroughs of the paupers and tradesmen. Where the presence of the citywatchisfelt,Kantora issafe, cleanand attimes evenbeautiful, butthisis a very smallsectionofthe city, and thosewho clearly donot“belong”inthese areas will quickly find themselves ejected or arrested. The rest of the city is largely left to fend for itself, and living conditions there are among the worst in the cities of the Core. Running east-west through the middle of Kantora isthe HighRoad, dividing the city intwo. At the center of the High Road and Kantora is the Prince’sPalace,the ceremonialseatofNovaVaasa’s government. It is readily apparent that the Palace was constructed with grandeur and opulence in mind rather than practicality. The Palace is a breathtaking sight, tall, proud and sprawling, but its fortifications are woeful. The outer wall is thin and short,the gatestoowide, and the towers placed cosmetically rather thanstrategically. Were Nova Vaasa invaded, thePrince’sPalace would surely be abandoned as indefensible. For that matter, the Prince’s Palace is nearly abandoned in any case. Prince Othmar stays here when he has business in the city, but he prefers to rule from Stonegard, leaving only a detachment of guardsmen and a handful of stewards to occupy the palace. The palace may be the physical center of Kantora, but the Horse District is its true heart. Covering the southwesternquarter of the city, the Horse District is dominated by the Great Corral, a Bergovitsa (small city): Conventional; AL LN; 15,000gp limit; Assets 4,980,000gp; Population 6,640;Isolated(humans90%,halfling4%,gnomes 4%, other 2%). Authority Figures: Mayor Araam Tavolys, male human Ari4; Pave Lod Ragnaar, male human Clr13. Important Characters: Beyta Vistin, female human Ari2/Rog3 (well-connected noblewoman); “Mad Mikaal,” male human Clr2 (homeless doomsayer).
40 Report One wide, open-air market where horse ranchers and trainers display their wares. Here, and here alone, the Vistani are kings, proudly displaying their magnificent and expertly trained steedsto a throng of clamoring merchants and traders.Inthenorthis the River Quarter, another bustling trade district, but with a much less savory reputation. The Merchant’s Quarter, in the southeast, is less prosperousthanitsnamewould suggest.Itis dominated by struggling shops and unemployed laborers, and beggars line every street. On the eastern edge of the city is the Mausoleum of the Elect, a walled tomb where those princes whohave died while inoffice are interred. The Church of the Lawgiver holds that princes who die or are killed during their terms are chosen by theLawgiver, elected to reignbesidehim inthe IronParadise, and those so “blessed” are laid to rest in the Mausoleum, a high honor. Of course, the Church has reversed itself on this point when politically convenient, declaring that specific princes, the unpopular or liberal, were actually struck downby theLawgiver to remove them from office and barring them from the Mausoleum. Princeswho commitsuicide,suchasthe latePrince Romir Hiregaard, are also denied honored rest. Where to stay in Kantora TheMaiden’sScarf(good quality rooms, commonquality meals)is ahomey, comfortable innin the Merchant’s Quarter, with friendly and eager staff.The HungryTyger(poor quality rooms, common quality food) is another popular destination, thanks to the wide variety of diversions available. It is one of the busiest gambling halls in Nova Vaasa, and the ale is serviceable, but the rooms have little to recommend to those not seeking temporary companionship. Egertus From Kantora I purchased passage on a river ferry down the Sydligdnar to Egertus, a much swifter method than going by foot or wagon, if perhaps not quite as safe. The Sydligdnar’s flow is at times dangerously rapid, and there are enough sharp turns and looming rocks to nauseate and enervate the most jaded traveler. Fortunately, the ferrymen on the Sydligdnar are remarkably proficient, and rarely are boats actually lost. The ferry docked at Guldstrand Beach, near the mouth of the Sydligdnar. Though Egertus is highabove the Guldstrand,withthe looming cliffs of the Fortress Coast separating them, the beach has become the most vital part of the town,for it is here that merchant ships from the Nocturnal Sea dock to unload their cargo. Onthe opposite side of theSydligdnar is theSkibbygger Beach, whichhas become the centerforshipbuilding inNova Vaasa. Nova Vaasans claim that Egertus was once a citynearly aslarge asBergovitsa andLiara, and that it was the greatest port of the Old Vaasan Empire. Tragically, the Judgment laid waste to the city, in a manner that is not entirely clear. Some say that large parts ofEgertus simply disappeared whenthe Mists rose, just as the sea the Egertusians once sailed vanished. Others say that the Judgment physically shook the city, causing buildings to collapse andcrushingpeoplebeneaththem.Egertus was further diminished by a mass exodus, as peasantsfled firstthe looming curtains of mist and later the chaotic madness of the NightmareLands. This rapid population decline has produced some positive results onthe village.Thoughitsstructures are as densely placed as those of any Nova Vaasan settlement, the population density is much lower, and thus Egertus is actually a relatively clean, unblighted town. With the appearance of the Nocturnal Sea, though, there has been a flood of immigration, as Nova Vaasans seek to take advantage of this new source of opportunity. In the near future, Egertus will likely become as filthy and crowded as its sister settlements. Inthe recent past,Egertuswaslittlemore than an appendage of Kantora, sending most of its resourceswestto satisfy theneeds ofthe bloated city. That situationhas begunto reverse, ashuge quantities ofhemp,flax and imported timber are sent to Egertus to aid in the growth of the Nova Vaasan Navy and satisfy theneeds ofmaritime traders.The increased importance of the town has given Egertusians an inflated sense of pride, and they Kantora (large city): Conventional; AL LN; 40,000gp limit; Assets 33,040,000gp; Population 16,520; Isolated (humans 89%, halfling 4%, gnomes 4%, other 3%). Authority Figures: Mayor Ulrik Laars, male human Ari7; Himmelsk Naeve PieterJergaar,male human Clr16. ImportantCharacters:Viggo Snyggar,male human Rog2 (Slangetunge informant); Dommer Johan Bolshnik, male human Clr3/Rog1 (Church inquisitor).
41 Nova Vaasa tend to be quite condescending toward visitors and immigrants. I found them insufferable. Other than the aforementioned beaches, few destinations are of particularinterestinEgertus.The only building of intellectual importance was the ClinicoftheMentallyDistressed,whichwasfounded by the famous Dr. Gregorian Illhousen. The Clinic served as ahospital and sanitarium for the mentally ill and was one of the most celebrated of those institutions inthe Core, rivaled only by the Asylum fortheMentallyDisturbed offthe coast ofLamordia. Dr.Illhousenwas particularly respected forhisinnovative research into the nature of dreams and how they impact mental health. Strangely, the inhabitants of the Clinic, both patients and physicians, disappearedwithout explanationin749BC,leaving the Clinic abandoned. PrinceOthmar ordered aninvestigation, as one ofthemissingpatientswashiselderbrotherTalgaard. Talgaardhadsufferedfromseverementalillnessesfor most of his life, but in 720 BC they took a violent turn. He began stealing away from Stonegard on stormy nights and strangling innocents with a garrote of barbed wire. The “Kantora Strangler” killed dozens of people over thenext six years before being captured and institutionalized, becoming one of the Clinic’s very first patients. He was still undergoing treatment when the disappearances occurred. Despite a long search by both the town watch and watchmen from Kantora, no trace of Dr. Illhousen, Talgaard, or any of the other missing residents was everfound.Thewhereabouts of Nova Vaasa’s greatest native scientist remain unknown. Where to stay in Egertus TheSailor’sHearth(goodquality rooms, common quality food) is one of the better kept inns in Egertus, and the meals are filling if not flavorful. The chokka herring stands out, and the beers are excellentandinexpensive.Theimpoverishedcould no doubt find a resting-place in one of Egertus’s many abandonedhomes,thoughtheywillnodoubt find competition from rats and beggars. Dread Possibility: The Clinic for the Mentally Distressed The staff and inmates of the Clinic of the Mentally Distressed were pulled into the domain known as the Nightmare Lands, which sat on Nova Vaasa’s eastern border prior to the Grand Conjunction. After the Conjunction, the Nightmare Lands broke free from the Core and currently exist as ahuge pocket domain, floating through the Mists. A land where dreams shape reality and the boundary between waking and sleeping isblurred,theNightmareLands are ruled by a sinister group of dream-masters known as the Nightmare Court. The Courtdrawsbothdelight andsustenance from tormenting others with horrid and psychically draining nightmares. Dr. Illhousenuncovered the existence ofthe Nightmare Court in his work with his patients,many ofwhomhad beendriven to madness and despair by these invasions into their dreams. Dr. Illhousen did what he could to combat the Nightmare Court, but a Dr. HarrodTaskerbetrayedhimtotheNightmareCourt,whichhad contactedhimin his dreams and turned him against Illhousen. With Tasker’s aid, the Nightmare Court was able to draw Illhousen and his patients into the Nightmare Lands,where they remaintoday inamad duplicate of the Clinic. The abandoned Clinic in Nova Vaasa is a rank two sinkhole of evil,with aTaint of Fear.Bastellisometimeshaunt its empty halls, but there is a greater threat. The Clinic acts as a Mistway to theNightmareLands, and thosewho fall asleep there while the moon is waning will awake in that forgotten domain. Fortunately, the haunted Clinic is not an inviting place to find rest, and thus few fall prey to itshiddenclutches. This Mistway, the Unending Sleep, is a oneway Mistway of excellent reliability. Egertus Egertus Egertus Egertus Egertus(large town): Conventional; AL N; 3,000 gp limit; Assets 591,000 gp; Population 3,940; Isolated (humans 93%, halfling 4%, gnomes 1%, other 2%). Authority Figures: Mayor Kaia Bolshnik, female human Ari4/Exp2. Important Characters: Captain Maja Ovesdatter, female human Exp6/War1 (ship captain); Red Rolf, male human Rog4 (smuggler).
42 Report One Ehrendton After leaving Egertus, I headed north to have a look at the plains of Ehrendton, which have a notoriety entirely out of proportionto their actual significance. In695 BC, a Nova Vaasanknight by the name of Sir Armand Rivtoff, better known as Armand Ironhand, wrote the famous saga The Beast of Ehrendton, a fanciful embellishment of his efforts to root out a would-be bandit king calling himself the Black Duke ten years earlier. In the novel, the Black Duke is cast as a literal demon from the pits of Hell, intent on conquering first Nova Vaasa and thenthe rest of the known world. Though Ironhand’s prose is unpolished and at times awkward, the winged, whip wielding Duke makes for a memorable antagonist, and the events depicted are impressively disturbing in places. It has beensuggested that The Beast of Ehrendton was actually meant as a political commentary,withthe Black Duke representing the Church of the Lawgiver; the imagery of the whip is particularly intriguing when viewed in this light. I am skeptical, however, as Ironhand foregoes many opportunities to develop the metaphor, and I expect he had no greater ambition than telling a tragic horror story. Sir Armand’s popular tale made Ehrendton one ofthe better-knownregions ofNova Vaasa, an honor it most assuredly does not deserve. The previously referenced rebellion of the Black Duke and his Brotherhood of the Whip, culminating in the razing of the village of Drataan, is the only eventinlivingmemoryworthyofmention.Drataan wasonceEhrendton’slargestsettlement;thatquestionable honor now falls to Haaldam, a hamlet of perhaps 200 peasants. It is said that the screams of the dying canstill beheard echoing inthe ruins of Drataan.Iheardnothing unusualin my visitthere, but neither did I find a reason to linger. The Ehrend family governs Ehrendton in the name of the Bolshniks. The Ehrends are a small branch of the Bolshniks, created when a second son was granted the lands that now comprise Ehrendton in order to stave off a struggle for succession. As Counts of Ehrendton, the Ehrends have a great deal of latitude in its governance, but little enough is there to make it a power worth exercising. Liara Liara could almost be counted as two cities, so dramatically does it change as day fades intonight. During daytimehours,Liara is the safest and calmest of Nova Vaasa’s cities, no doubt thanks to the intervention of Sir Tristen Hiregaard. The mayor ofLiara,UlfTryggaar,is adistant cousinofTristen’s and by all evidence is firmly under his influence. ThroughTristen’sintercession,theLiara citywatch hasbeenwelltrained,wellequipped,andascleansed of corruption as could reasonably be expected. Thanksto their dutiful patrolling and integrity,the incidence of open crime on the streets of Liara is significantly lower than that of Bergovitsa… during the day. After dark, the mood of the city changes. For decades the Liarans have been living in anxious fear of the Signature Killer that stalks their nighttime streets. Indefiance of that fear, manyLiarans havebecome aggressively exuberant, almostmanic, intheir pursuit of thenight’s illicit diversions. The fearstill croucheswithinthem,though, and canbe heard inthehard edge oftheirlaughter and seenin eyesthatstay coldwhile theirfacesleer.Inevitably, the fear breaks free in some of them, in a flurry of anger and violence. The powerful Liaran underworld, controlled by the mysterious Malken, adds kindling to the fire. It is unwise to walk the nighttime streets of Liara unless one intends to find trouble, or be found by it. It is perhaps fitting that each of Liara’s two mostsignificantstructures embodies one side ofthe dichotomy.ThePasseslot, a strong,squatfortress of stone, is the barracks and training grounds of the citywatch, completewithanarmory and stable.By day it rings with the sound of wood and steel as those watchmen not on patrol run through practice drills. By night, it is much quieter, though it never sleeps entirely. Watchmen walk the walls at all hours, hoping that all those who left on patrol at sunset will return at sunrise. The dark twin of the Passeslot is the Staggering Stallion, the center of nighttime activity in Liara. A large brick building with a deceptively plain exterior, the Staggering Stallion offers its patrons the opportunity to quench thirsts of all kinds. Other than the obligatory spirits, most of which are brought in from Barovia and Borca, the Staggering Stallion provides opiates, prostitutes, gaming and beast baiting.None ofthese distasteful activities is actually illegalin Nova Vaasa, but the delights offered by theStaggeringStalliondomuch to increase the violence and danger of Liara. The Staggering Stallion is owned and operated by Canute Dorisz, an insincerely jolly fat man of
43 Nova Vaasa questionable hygienic competence. It is widely believed that Doriszis merely the public face ofthe StaggeringStallionand that most ofits profits find their way into Malken’s pockets. Where to stay in Liara TheaforementionedStaggeringStallion(commonquality rooms, poor qualitymeals)is a lodging option for the truly desperate, but the chances of awakening with one’s purse intact are slim. Of better repute is the Green Grail Inn (good quality rooms, common quality meals). The Green Grail accepts no lodgers after nightfall, and none of the more illicit entertainments are offered within its walls, making theft or violence a rarity. This also makes it relatively unpopular, so those who arrive early enough to gain admittance should have no trouble securing a room. The rider’s stew at the Grail is superb, and the pear brandy more than satisfactory. gent of guardsmenescortedme fromLiara toCastle Faerhaaven. Faerhaavenisanimpressivestructure,itsstrong walls of stone surrounded on all sides by a wide moat.Astout barbicanguardsthe only drawbridge, and two turrets loom menacingly over the castle gate.Faerhaavenwas clearly constructedwithfunction over form in mind, and the brightly colored pennants swaying from the turrets and towers do little to make it seem friendly or inviting. Sir Tristen Hiregaard himself proved both friendly and inviting, almost suspiciously so. I believe he was trying to seduce me, which would certainly be inkeeping withhis reputation. While he may be robust and handsome for a man of his advanced years, I found him to be smug and selfsatisfied. Still, he was forthcoming enough about Nova Vaasa’shistory and politics, at least whenhe was not attempting to steer the conversation toward his ambitions or my appearance. When I attempted to question him about the infamous Malken, his shadowy nemesis, his mood darkened, andhisresponsestomy questionbecame clipped and recalcitrant. I believe mentioning the crimelord wounded Hiregaard’s pride, as Malken’s influence continues to increase despite the best efforts of Hiregaard and the watchmen of Liara to capture him. Afterward, it soon became clear that Hiregaard had tired of my presence, so I gracefully excused myself and returned to Liara. Final Thoughts It would be theheight of understatement to say thatIhadgrownwearyofNovaVaasaby the timemy travels throughit drew to a close. The dusty scent of the plains clings with a persistence that almost matches that of the foul stench of the cities. The people were no better, and it was with a great sense of relief that I left them and their seething emotions and simmering discontent behind. I am now tantalizingly near to completing my survey of the mainland, but first I must cross yet another wretched land of bewitched forests and further perils beyond. Mindful of the challenges ahead, I stopped briefly at a local poorhouse before leavingLiaraandmadeaninexpensivepurchasethat should ease my passage, so to speak, carrying the whimpering infant out in a bundle under my arm. As short as the journey from Liara over the border of Tepest is, it did not feel nearly short enough. Liara(smallcity): Conventional;ALLN;15,000gp limit; Assets 5,692,500 gp; Population 7,590; Isolated (humans 90%, halfling 5%, gnomes 4%, other 1%). Authority Figures: Mayor Ulf Tryggaar, male human Ari6; Captain Stig Andor, male human Ftr8 (captain of the city guard). Important Characters: Canute Dorisz,male human Rog3; Thyra Torsdatter, female human Exp6 (horse merchant). Restraining yourself out of fear of your inferiors? How disappointing! I had thought you had more of the will to power in you than this, my little scholar. Castle Faerhaaven AsItraveledthroughNovaVaasa,I attempted to gainaudiences withtheheads of the Five Families,only tobe rebuffedorignored, asthe aristocrats of Nova Vaasa have little interest in academic matters. In several instances, I considered using magical means of persuasionto get past the guards and manservants that invariably blocked my way, but considering the prevailinghostility toward the arcane in this land I thought better of it. Fortunately, as my survey of this land was drawing close to an end, one of the patriarchs did finally agree to meet with me, and a small contin-
44 Report Two Report Two: Tepe<t Theinferno of thelivingis not somethingthat will be: if thereis one, it is what is already here, theinferno where we live every day, that we form by being together. — Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
45 Tepest Tepest at a Glance Cultural Level: Early Medieval (6) Ecology: Full Climate/Terrain: Temperate forest and hills, with tiny pockets of magically induced permanent spring, fall or winter Year of Formation: 691 BC Population: 15,500 Races: 98% Human, 1% goblin, 1% other; various breeds of fey and shadow fey HumanEthnicGroups:99%Tepestani, 1% other (Darkonian, Nova Vaasan) Languages: Tepestani*, Darkonese, Goblin, Sylvan, Vaasi Religions: Belenus*,Ezra, theLawgiver Government: Aristocratic and theocratic independent settlements Ruler: None. Darklords: The Three Hags left Hiregaard’s demesne,following the EastTimoriRoadnorthwardfromLiara. Just before departing, Ihad spied a most interesting contraption in Liara’s marketplace: abassinetthat couldbe secured to the back of a saddle, across the top of the saddle bags. The price was reasonable, and it very quickly paid off. The rhythmic motion of my steed lulled the baby, which I purchased before leaving Nova Vaasa,to sleep far more quickly thanIthinkwould have been possible if I had tried to carry it in a saddlebag. Less than a five minute ride out of the city, I encountered the last ofSir Tristan’s tax collectors, and behind them rose a dark wall of ancient trees — the wooded lands of Tepest. After taking my coin, the older of the two officers warned me, “Them woods ain’t no place for a lady and babe to travel. Dunnowhat’sworse—the screwy priests or the goblins.” ItoldhimthatIwas only going asfar asKellee, and that I should reach the town well before nightfall. He warned me to stay on the main road and tonot trust any signs that might say otherwise. I assured him I would. Ithoughthiswarning a bitstrange untilI came upon a leaning, weathered signpost after riding through the deepening forest for about half an hour. A signcarved with words in Vaasi and Balok pointed toward a narrow, partly overgrown trail and read “To Kellee.” Another sign, likewise in two languages, pointed ahead on the road and carriedthelegend,“ToWormwoodHollow.”While only the most naïve traveler would believe that leaving the mainroad would be the proper pathto Kellee,someonewas obviously tamperingwiththe road signs.I double-checkedmy pistols,justincase I was forced to deal with“screwy priests or goblins” before the day was out. Two hours later, after stopping once to feed the baby, the unfortunate cost of safe passage beyond Tepest, I crested a hill and looked down upon a crossroads and a bridge across the South Dnar River... and a pair of wolves that appeared to be feeding onthe carcass ofsome black animal.The dark and twisted foresthad already reminded me of Verbrek, so I wasn’t amused by the appearance of the wolves. I drew my pistols and fired both of them, one after the other. The shots struck the groundnear the wolves, my first shot making them jump and the second sending them fleeing in terror. Ignoring the wakened and screaming baby, I spurred my horse onward down the hill. At the crossroads,Inoticed yet another clumsy attemptto mislead travelers: The road sign had been twisted around so the arrows reading “To Kellee” and “To Liara” were pointing where the ones reading “To Wretchwood” and “To Wormwood” should be. A single glance at what the wolves had been feeding onrevealed thatIwasinerrorwith my first conclusion. It was not the carcass of an animal; it was a blacked, burned humanoid corpse. I dismounted, tied the horse to the signpost, and examined the area. Growing weary of the baby’s wailing, I took it into my arms and made soothing noises. Just off the path leading into Wormwood (or to Kellee, if the sign could be believed), I found a shallow grave. The body’s charred head was still within it. The site had not been uncovered by animals, but was neatly exhumed with a shovel. Returning to the body,Inoticed thatit*handswere missing and that its ribcage was cracked open and itsheartremoved.The cutswere clean,however— the wolves had simply been feeding on what was left behind. Preliminary researchduringmy final evening in Liara had already told me that the superstitious, backwardwoods-folk ofTepestwere led by priests of
46 Report Two Belenuswho spenttheir dayshunting imagined evils and their nights burning at the stake those they deemedwicked.However,looking atthe stateofthis body — exhumed and mutilated ina way that could only indicate someone was practicing the darkest of magic — made me wonder if the evils hunted by Belenus’s faithful were all that imaginary. Landscape epest is a land of ancient forests nestled injagged, rockyhills of the TimoriPass, rising fromNovaVaasa’snorthernprovince toward the Mountains of Misery in the west; the barren, abandoned haunt of the legendary banshee Tristessa in the north; and the yawning chasm where once the central Balinoks rose with the realms of Markovia and G’Henna. Most ofthe land is between500 and 800 feet above the level of the Sea of Sorrows, but a single peak rises to nearly 1,500 feet in the north. Winters and summers in this land are short and mild, with the spring season separating the two by weeks of uninterrupted rain. Autumn comes early in Tepest — the leaves were already turning red and goldwhenI arrived—and isslowto relinquish itselftowinter.The slowdecentintowinter allows cropsthe timeneeded to ripen.The long fallseason is also marked by unpredictable weather, particularly along the Blackmist River, south of Lake Kronov. Here, the clash of warm winds from the Nova Vaasan plains and cold air streaming down from the Balinoks where theShadow Riftnarrows can cause violent storms to explode upon the hillsideswithlittle ornonotice.Thissame clashof temperatures causes the eternally overcast skies. Two ofthe threemostimportantsettlementsin Tepest, Briggdarrow and Viktal, are located on the southern shores of Lake Kronov. This large, clear mountainlake is either fed by or feeds all the whitewaterriversthatrushthroughTepest.TheTepestani claim the lake is home to a monster they name the Avanc. I collected six different descriptions of the creature from bards and two additional and very differentonesfromwhatpassedforalibraryinKellee. OnemustassumethateitherLakeKronovisthemost monsterinfested body ofwaterintheCore orseveral different beasts migrate to and from the lake via the rivers.Orthemultitude of descriptions oftheAvanc is a symptom of the shaky relationship between the Tepestani and the concept of historical accuracy.
47 Tepest While Tepest looks to most outsiders like one big forest that features minor breakpoints marked by impassible gorges and rivers, the Tepestani see their land as containing many different forests. North of the South Dnar and Lynn Kathryn Rivers and reaching to the mountainous frontier with Darkon is Wretchwood. The majority of the realm’s thorps and tinyhamlets canbe foundhere. BetweentheSouth Dnar andLynnKathrynRivers and Lake Kronov is Tanglewood, one of two areas inthe landwhere cloudberries—whichare used to make a highly valued wine — are grown. WestoftheCryingRiver,northofLakeKronov and stretching to the barrenslopes ofMountLament liestheGoblinwood,withtheWytchwood immediately to the south. A series of barren ridges and the East Timori Road separate these two forests. Few humansettlements exist inthese woods, as they are home to the largest number of goblins and fey. The forests south of the South Dnar River have dangerous reputations among the Tepestani. From the headwaters of the Vaughn Dnar River to the thinning forest that gives way to the grasslands ruled by Tristan Hiregaard, the forest is known as the Wormwood. It servesashometoVaasanoutlaws,goblins,andenclaves ofHala’switches;itis alsohome tothe singularly evilest creatureIencounteredduringmytimeinTepest.South of Viktal, between the Vaughn Dnar and Blackmist Rivers is a forest the Tepestani call the Blackwood, though it is noted on most maps by its Vistani name, Brujamonte,whichtranslatesroughlyasSorceress’Wood orHag’sWood.Somesayevengoblinshesitatetoenter, andhumansstay close to Viktal and thehills along the BlackmistRiver.Brujamonteisrumoredtoharborcreatures so twisted and evil that eventhe Vistani willnot enter it. One curious note about the Blackmist River is that priorto theGreatUpheaval,itfedLakeKronov from a spring that existed within the Brujamonte. Now the river flows from Lake Kronov, spilling into theShadowRift as a greatwaterfall.Thewaterlevel inLakeKronovhasnot appeared to change,though. I attribute this phenomenon either to the appearanceofthe rocky tornamedCastle Island,orperhaps the spring that was once in the Brujamonte has moved to the bottom of the late, as Markovia was reportedly moved to the far reaches of the Sea of Sorrows. The direction of the river’s flow and the lack of impact on Lake Kronov may bear further study and analysis at a later date. I doubt it is something that will be of much interest to you, my patron.
48 Report Two The easiest and safest way to reachthe important settlements inthe realm is to travel along the East Timori Road, which is patrolled regularly by rangers from Viktal and militiamen from Kellee. The Timori Road once stretched unbroken from Lekar in Falkovnia to Egertus in Nova Vaasa, providing a major alternative to the Svalich Pass through Barovia, despite the goblin bands that often raided caravans. The Great Upheaval severed that trade route. Now the East Timori Road justleads offthe edge oftheShadowRift, ending in a folly called the Descent. (See my report on the Shadow Rift for specific discussion of this area.) The road winds its way repeatedly across the South Dnar. The bridges are high stone structures that date from ancienttimes, built over gapswhere cliffs lean in close to each other. Copious tales speak of creatures lairing under the bridges and emerging to exact tolls from travelers. I encounteredno suchmonsters duringmy travels, although I did dispatch a particularly pathetic bandit who thought he had found an easy target in a woman traveling alone. The settlements of Tepest are not much to look at.They consist ofscattered collections oftiny one- and two-family homes, the simplest of which are sod huts constructed over shallow pits. The largest andnicesthomes arewhitewashed,wooden structures with thatched roofs, though they are rarelyfoundoutsideKellee,ViktalandBriggdarrow. One canusually tell what a family’s mainsource of income is by the presence of pensholding sheep or goats,fishing boats, or racks withrecently skinned pelts near the house. Virtually none of the structures have more than one story. The occasional barn, temple, the inns of the three major settlements, and the compound that houses the leaders of the Inquisition in Viktal rise above the low profiles. The mostly roofless temples (so that Belenus may attend services devoted to him) are typically the only stone structuresina community. What passes for goblin settlements have even fewer features worth noting. For the most part, the goblins live in caves enlarged with tunneling and surrounded with well-hidden traps. The cave and tunnel complexes are usually home to three or four extended families, and allfeature atleasttwo exitsso the residents can escape in case wild beasts or more dangerous predators get pastthe traps.Onrare occasion, built under directionof the chiefhimself prior to his death, the goblins have constructed crude cairns for powerful tribal chiefs. Cairns oftenfeature more elaborate traps, as well as two entrances like with dwellings. They are usually built from large stacked boulders that are then buried. The puzzle of the Blackmist River may relate to “our” quest, little scholar, but you are correct in dismissing it as something that you can address later. As informed as you are becoming, you still cannot relate to the forces that manipu- lating the destinies of us all. And those forces do not act without cause. Goblin Traps One of the major risks of traveling off the main road through Tepest are the many traps set inthe woods by the goblintribes. They are built either to trap game or to defend the goblins’homesfrom attack.The following list features the types of traps the goblins commonly construct. For details, see the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Common Wilderness Traps: CR 1—basicarrow,camouflaged 10-foot pit, poison dart, poison needle,rolling rock, spear, swinging log (as block); CR 2 — camouflaged 20-foot pit, javelin, large net, spiked 20-foot pit, tripping chain, well-camouflaged 10-foot pit filled with waterand leeches, well-camouflaged 10-foot pit; CR 3 — hail of needles, poisoned arrow, spiked 20- foot pit; CR 4—collapsing tree (ascolumn), poisoned dart,wide-mouthedspikedpit;CR5—swingingspiked log (as falling block). Scattered throughout the countryside, either on the edge of the pastures where Tepestani run their sheep during the day or deep withinthe most overgrownparts of the forest, stand austere singleor two-story stone structures. Decaying and overgrown,these structures once served as keepsforthe axelords who ruled Tepest in ancient times, and this type of architecture died with them. The Tepestani studiously avoid these buildings — to the point of pretending they don’t even see those that stand near their sheep pastures — and the remoter oneshave become lairs for the more powerful of the goblin clans or for fey. Nearseveral ofthese structures,Ifound ancient standing stones, the tallest of which stood over six
49 Tepest feet in height. They all radiated faint magic of the abjuration school, but I was unable to discern anything aboutwhattheir purpose orfunctionmayhave been. At one time, the stones allfeatured runes that I assume were magical in nature, but they are all defaced by crude representations of humanoids and gameanimalsandarenowindecipherable.Tepestani bards claimed that the stones once ensured the blessings ofthe gods uponthehomes ofthe axelords, but they lost their magical power when the fey brought ruin to the land some 500 years ago. Flora Tepest is covered with thick, ancient forests that consist mostly of hardwoods (predominately oak, beech and hazelnut), punctuated with the occasional, towering evergreen (spruce or pine). Although the trees are of varieties common throughout the central and south-central lands, they grow in a unique fashion that lends Tepest a sinisteridentity completely its own.The trees grow in strange and bent fashions, with every oak and beech tree having gnarled trunks and branches twisted like the arthritichands of anancient peasant. Even the pines appear oddly warped. Despite the tortured appearance of the trees, they growstrong andhealthy.Their crowns are thick and tangled overhead, preventing what sun that breaks through the ever-present cloud cover from ever reaching the forest floor. Inthis eternal gloom, a wide variety of mushrooms and mosses flourish. Everysooften,wideclearingsbreakthegloomof the forest. Inthe spring, the clearings are explosions of color.Strangely,insome of these clearings spring and summer seem to last longer than in the forests around them. I witnessed one such clearing where flowers bloomed evenasthe leaves onthe surrounding trees were goldenand the ground beneaththem gleamed with early morning frost. The Tepestani believe these clearings arehome to the fey and refuse to frequentthem untiltheyhave been“cleansed” by priests of Belenus. Once this cleansing is accomplished, however, such clearings become popular placesforherdersto graze theirsheep and goats.Isaw no evidence offey inthe clearings,nor could I detect any residualmagical energiesinthe clearing I visited that might explain the anomaly. Threenoteworthy types of plants growonly in the hills of Tepest: the cloudberries, fairy stools, and Wichtingourds (also called witching gourds). Cloudberries grow on low, prickly bushes found in small patches throughout Tepest. Difficult to cultivate,itsonlysuccessfullyfarmedplantingsthrive on the steep hillsides along the Blackmist River. Otherwise,theplants growonthe edgesofsmallbogs inthe southernwoods and along the southernshores of Lake Kronov. Every autumn, small groups of Tepestani visitthe scattered patchestoharvest a few pailsofberries.Originallyusedinawinetraditionally consumed during fall festivals, the berries have become a valuable commodity over the past twenty years owing to the increasing popularity of fruity cloudberry wine with the nobles of Nova Vaasa. The tiny hamlet of Linde, which controls the only concentrated cloudberry farms,issteadily gainingfameforcloudberrywine.Mostofthecommunity’s output is sold to Vaasan merchants. I believe that if Linde was easier to access,it would already rival the importance of Viktal and Briggdarrow.Therewould probably also be more cloudberry patches planted alongtheBlackmistRiverifnotforthemanydangers involved in harvesting them in the fall. As I mentioned previously, the hills along the Blackmist River are legendary for the severe storms and unpredictablewindblaststhat eachyear blowthree orfour villagers off the steep slopes and into the icy, fastflowing river far below. Fairy stools are small, red-speckled, tan mushrooms that grow quickly in circles, lines or spiral patterns when exposed to arcane magic. The Tepestani are convinced that the mushrooms only grow where fey have practiced their corrupt spellcasting, but my experiments indicated that a single fairy stool multiplies and sproutsinto dozens within mere hours of exposure to any magic from the conjuration, divination, enchantment and transmutation schools. The mushrooms grow in spiral or circular patterns in response to spells whichcover anarea,form into straight lines along the path made by a precision spell such as magic missile, and in a combination of the two general growth patterns when spells that affect an area re cast well away from the caster. Amusingly, the Tepestani also believe the mushrooms grow where fey have danced or traveled, springing from the ground in order to give them places to rest. The Inquisition looks for the presence of fairy stools near homes to determine who in communities may be consorting with the fey. They also use shallow trays containing fairy stools asslow,inaccurate detect magic devices, passing them back and forth across a prone subject. If more fairy stools sprout in the tray, the subject is assumed to be either under the sway of the fey, an ally of the fey, or perhaps even a fey himself.
