World Information
The Grand Duchy Of Brynn:
The Grand Duchy Of Brynn was once a vassal state under an overseas kingdom. A succession crisis in that kingdom several hundred years ago resulted in the Grand Duchy becoming independent. After gaining independence, the Grand Duchy has had no contact with their former oppressors. Grand Duke Bren, currently in his early 50s, is the ruler of the Grand Duchy. Grand Duke Bren resides in the White Palace in the city of Brynn.
Cities:
Brynn:
Brynn is both the capital of the Grand Duchy and the largest city. Situated on an island in the middle of Buzzard's Harbor, Brynn is the primary place where ships dock. Aside from the Harbor, the only access to Brynn is through a series of bridges covering the islands called The Fertlands. This makes Brynn rather defensible; a natural fortress.
Brynn is home to some 7,500 residents -- primarily human but also heavily consisting of Dwarves, Elves, and Gnomes. Halflings are a small minority, mostly residing in the slums. Aside from the White Palace, Grand Duke Bren's residence, the most noteworthy location is the Chapel Of Unity; a large chapel dedicated to the worship of dozens of Gods.
Towns:
Albion:
Albion, situated to the south of the Emerald Hills and to the east of The Endless Grove, has a sizable Elven population. Roughly half of Albion's 830 residents are Elves or descendant from Elves. The remainder is split between humans, Gnomes, and Halflings. Very few Dwarves live in Albion. Albion's primary route of access to the rest of the Grand Duchy is through Cardin's Pass (splitting the Emerald Peaks and the Emerald Hills) is well patrolled by rangers and scouts from Albion.
Albion's most notable features are the Western Light (a lighthouse) and the headquarters of The Green Warriors (a group of radical druids who insist on everyone living with nature).
Grey Rock:
Grey Rock is one of the closest settlements to Brynn itself. Much like Brynn, the population of Grey Rock is a mixture of humans, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings. Other races are not unheard of, but tend to be rare. Grey Rock is called home by some 900 residents.
With its close proximity to both the Green Woods and Lake Serpentine, Grey Rock is home to many hunters and fishermen.
Weshire:
Weshire is typically viewed as an undesirable place to live, but still is home to some 650 people. The population is split between humans, Halflings, and Gnomes, with Tiefling and Dragonborn minorities.
Weshire is one of the most secluded places in the Grand Duchy; only Windy Orchard is close by. As a result of its isolation, Weshire has its own detachment of the army. Due to the nearby Dusk Woods, home to many undead, many clerical orders have established themselves in Weshire.
Villages:
Astrid's Landing:
Astrid's Landing has one of the only ports in the entire Grand Duchy, but is often passed over in favor of Brynn. Despite this, Astrid's Landing has a populace of roughly 200 residents. No race holds a majority in Astrid's Landing, but there is a sizable Goliath minority.
Gherthelm:
Gherthelm holds a unique position on a peninsula between Buzzard's Harbor and Dragon's Maw Bay. The village of some 150 people, most of which are Genasi, is only nearby the fort of Dukehold. Despite the seclusion, Gherthelm is mostly safe; most citizens being part of the Gherthelm Militia.
Green Hollow:
Green Hollow is situated in the middle of the Emerald Fields. The fertile lands provide excellent farming opportunities for the 350 residents of Green Hollow. All races are present in Green Hollow's population, with Elves and Halflings holding the majority.
Talonwood:
Despite a central location near Brynn, Grey Rock, and Dukehold, Talonwood is the smallest populated area in the Grand Duchy. Having been razed by an Orcish raiding party only 30 years ago, the village is still rebuilding. Roughly 75 people, mostly human, call Talonwood home. The few residents are known to hold a grudge towards Orcs for the past raid, regardless of where they come from.
Traveler's Rest:
Traveler's Rest started out as a tavern by the same name; used as a resting point between Windy Orchard and Green Hollow. Over time, it has grown into a settlement in its own right. The tavern still stands, but functions more as a museum nowadays. Traveler's Rest is home to nearly 200 people, most of which are humans and Halflings.
Windy Orchard:
Windy Orchard started as a massive apple farm by the same name. After a group of soldiers fought off a bandit clan, with the farm being razed in the process, the soldiers decided to stay and rebuild it. The farm steadily grew, with multiple other farms sprouting up, until it became a settlement. Windy Orchard is now the agricultural center of the Grand Duchy. Halflings make up most of the 150 residents, but sizable populations of humans, Dwarves, half-Orcs, and others do exist.
Il'Vallum:
The autonomous city of Il'Vallum is situated in the middle of the Emerald Peaks and the Endless Grove. Home to some 5,000 Elves, with minor populations of Gnomes and humans, Il'Vallum is mostly left to its own devices. Caravans for trade regularly move between Il'Vallum and the rest of the Grand Duchy, carrying traditional Elven goods to be sold in exchange for supplies.
Il'Vallum's Emerald Spire functions as the Count's office and as a watchtower. The military of Il'Vallum regularly patrols the Endless Grove and Emerald Peaks to try and keep the area safe. Illivium, a large tree believed to give life to those near it, is heavily protected by the Il'Vallum military.
Dun'Muldin:
Dun'Muldin is the last of the once-numerous Dwarven settlements that dot the Grand Duchy. The city is autonomous much like Il'Vallum, and is called home by some 4,200 Dwarves. Gnomes, Dragonborn, and humans make up the minority. Dun'Muldin is set in the Dragon's Spine mountain range. A tunnel through to the other side of Dragon's Spine, deep in Dun'Muldin, is well guarded by the Dwarven military.
Dwarves from Dun'Muldin mine the mountain range for various ores and minerals needed by the rest of the Grand Duchy. As a result, caravans regularly go to the Dwarven city from Brynn.
Forts:
Dukehold:
Dukehold was once a fort without a name; hastily constructed to fend off the approaching Orcish armies. The Grand Duke in charge at the time, Hesteldes Po, commanded his army to a great victory in defending the fort. As a result, the fort was named Dukehold for Hesteldes' successful defense. Dukehold always has a contingent of soldiers on standby, and regularly patrols the Green Woods to keep Talonwood safe.
Pariah's Watch:
Pariah's Watch sits on the southern end of Furrow's Bog, and guards the pass through the Dragon's Spine mountain range. An Orcish army was turned back by the defenses of Pariah's Watch long ago, but the fort is still regularly threatened by Goblinoids attempting to make it to Grey Rock. Pariah's Watch has fewer soldiers on duty at any given time than Dukehold, due to the lack of a need to patrol wilderness, but is still quite capable of fending off assaults.
Valdimar's Tower:
While not a fort per se, Valdimar's Tower is widely considered to be one of the best defenses against the undead of the Dusk Woods. The tower was created by a wizard named Valdimar, who sealed it from the inside and disappeared. Whenever large groups of undead form in the Dusk Woods, the top of the tower glows green as a warning to the residents of Weshire. No-one knows why Valdimar created the tower, or what exactly it does or how it functions, but Weshire is always glad for its existence; some citizens even worship the tower as a minor God.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:17, Mon 12 Nov 2018.
