Furrin’ Countries

The Conglomerate of City States is a term for the populous lands on the other side of the Gelt mountains to the south. These states are characterised by the complex and lethal form of politics known as The Game, whereby alliances and war are declared and broken with equal ease in the continual bid for more power. The Game affects everyone from a city ruler to a street urchin who is paid to act as his ‘listener’. Unwary travellers can easily be killed as pawns in a game which they never knew existed.

The isolated valleys of the Western Isles are inhabited by a pale and stocky race of mariners known as the Noord. These people have a high regard for independence, and have been known to cause trouble by their disregard for the King’s Laws when they visit the mainland.

Between the City States and the Inner Sea is the Theocracy of the High Plateau. Their people are tall, with brown skin and a mane of hair which roots down the spine. They also have a nictitating membrane over their whiteless eyes. In this arid upland the Church maintains a strict control over the water supply and the agriculture. The church is an austere and extreme version of the cult of Daleth the Earthmother in Athion.

Between the City States and the Flooded Plains is the Land of the Children of Herne, ruled by the Abeys. This country is set between two mountain ranges, and all trade between the coast and the heartlands goes through it.

East of the land of Herne are the Flooded Plains. This is a vast area of boggy fields worked by the Babel, a small yellowish people who also have a third eyelid and the whiteless eyes. They are a race enslaved to grow food for the Empire of the Inner Sea.

The Empire of the Inner Sea is ruled by the Kinjuru, a semi-aquatic race with dappled green skin and the strange eyes. Their capital is a huge and ornate collection of floating and semi-submerged palaces drifting in the Inner Sea. It is renown as a Court of extreme etiquette, artistry and courtesy, where the business of actually running the Empire is left to an immense and bizarre bureaucracy. The Empire influences or controls all lands surrounding the Inner Sea except one; the Menteshe.

The Menteshe is a hot, windy desert only traversed by the warrior tribes who search for and mine the bedrock, which is sometimes revealed beneath the shifting sands. The valuable metals and minerals which they bring to the coast to trade are much sought after.

To the East of Athion lie the immense and impenetrable Kalkas Mountains, sometimes called the Wall of the World. To the North lies nothing but snow and ice and the Frost-Wyrms.

Nyskilde in 141

A report by Councillor Matthew Dixon, Emissary to Nyskilde

Background

Nyskilde is a small city about 200 miles to the north of Linrodeth. The trip normally takes about twenty days, allowing for time to shelter in little bays and inlets while the storms of the sea rage outside. Nyskilde is built on the shores of a circular bay and is surrounded by stone cliffs. The City’s defences are impressive even by comparison with his majesty’s castle in Linrodeth.

People

The society is very male dominated with age having considerable influence. The Jarl of Nyskilde (the equivalent of Lord Courtney) is Jarl Gudmund Thorkeleson. Other important citizens are Harond Garlok, Guildmaster of the Guild of Merchant Adventurers; Sten Bargeld, head of the Furriers’ Guild; Kertald Grine, Marshall of the City Watch; and Stella Kimble, leader of the Weavers’ Guild. Of these, only the latter, Stella Kimble is a woman. All of the civic leaders wish to maintain good relations with Linrodeth (but see below!), but in general have only limited horizons. It seems that Nyskilde keeps to itself in almost all matters.

Progress

Following Alderman Baldwin Under­wood’s excellent handling of relations with Nyskilde, I found that little needed to be done. Indeed the only progress that can be reported is that a new trading agreement between the Weavers of Linrodeth and the Weavers of Nyskilde has been concluded.

Problems

During my stay in Nyskilde, it came to my attention that the envoy’s residence in Nyskilde is in need of urgent maintenance. I therefore humbly re­quest that the budget for this Emissary be increased next year to prevent much larger expenditures in the future. In addition, the Merchants of Nyskilde are very parochial and may take offense at the slightest pretext. As an example, the Merchant Adventurers’ guild of Nyskilde seems to be bent on a course of ex­cluding all access to Nyskilde’s trade markets except when conducted by their guild. It is my belief that the guild charters of the guilds in Linrodeth grant us the right to trade (in the relevant goods of course!) wherever we wish and so we should resist this as much as possible. It is also worth pointing out that if the worst came to the worst (for example if the City States attacked Athion) that the City of Nyskilde would act in any interest (including that of his Majesty’s) other than their own.

Linrodeth

Linrodeth is the second-largest port and the capital of the Kingdom of Athion.

Linrodeth's wealth is based upon its vigorous Trade Guilds, which over the years created an unusually literate and articulate citizenry of craftsmen and shopkeepers. These Guilds men and women are permitted a limited form of self-rule, in return for a suitable tax, under the watchful scrutiny of the nearby Citadel.

The port and docks below the bridge over the River Ishtan are the lifeblood of the city and increasingly, the city is coming to rely on its seafaring traders and merchant navy to increase its prosperity.

For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 21 wards. At Midwinter the householders of each ward elect 12 councillors and an Alderman to represent their ward on the city council. These representatives must be guildmembers as well as householders and, because politics is an expensive and time-consuming business, most are actively sponsored by their guilds. The city guilds are granted a monopoly on their trade, and many citizens are members of one. The city has many popular markets as well as the shops.

Once elected the ward representatives take their place on the Court of Common Council which sits in the Witanmoot at the heart of the city. Here they are drawn into the complex and chaotic political arena, riven as it is with factionalism, feuding, intrigue, bribery and occasional reforms. To everyone's surprise, most problems get sorted out eventually. Interested citizens can catch up on the latest news about their councillors in The latest issue of The Chronicle.

Linrodeth is blessed with several major temples, and many countless minor cults. The major religions include: Hahn (law and justice), Torus (healing), Daleth (earth and growth), Esprayenna (sea and self-reliance) and Brynette (fire and construction). Of these religions, the Wellhouses of Daleth and the Smithies of Brynette are most likely to be found in rural villages.

Also resident in the city are the students of the Bards' College. The college is a squat, rambling structure in the easternmost corner of the city, which is rumoured to pre-date the city itself. It produces very few bards, but many musicians, poets and scholars of all types. Their entertainments, and occasional serious work, are the source of much vexation for their neighbours.

On the north shore of the River Ishtan are the civilian shipbuilding yards and stinking tanneries. To the west, 3 miles further down the estuary, lies the military harbour of Kingsport where the Fleet is based.

Because of the strict guild monopoly in Linrodeth, many immigrants and paupers are reduced to begging and often end up in the river slum known as the Floating Market. It has some advantages. If they can find something floating to live on there is no rent. If they can find customers for their trade there are no guild laws and no poll tax. The edges of the market do receive a number of customers; the boats close to the bridge and the embankment sell more exotic items as well as strange and wonderful meals. The latter areas have even become a favourite stop for the pleasure boats of the rich young nobles from the Citadel.

The Calendar

The year consists of 365 ¼ days; 12 months, each consisting of 3 weeks which contain 10 days, plus five feast days that fall between months. There is also an extra day every fourth year, the Dragonfeast, which is part of no month and follows the Midsummer Festival. The names of the twelve months are given along with their more common name, the feast days are in italics.

The Dragonfeast is the extra day that comes every four years. It is a day of open council between nobles and people; a day for making and dramatic ending of agreements. The entertainments are often in the nature of tests and trials for those wishing to improve their reputation or status. Traditionally, the constraints of class and of breeding are removed for this one day. A minor cult called ‘the Dragonshield’ are associated with the Dragonfeast.

Midwinter is also known unofficially as Yuletide, the turning of the Year. For the nobility and other leaders, this is a time to plan the coming year, to renew old alliances, make new vows and send gifts of goodwill. To more common folk this is the nadir of the year, when their lords have an obligation to provide food and warmth to see them through the worst of the cold. They celebrate this heartily with feasting and bonfires.

Springtide is the official end of winter, a day of celebration. Flowers that have been carefully cultivated indoors are set outside to decorate the home and to bring luck and fertility in the coming year. Early wildflowers are also gathered and used to ‘crown’ a maiden in each community, who then blesses the fields. By tradition young children are Named at this festival; probably due to a seasonal baby boom.

Midsummer, also called the Short Night, is a time of feasting and music and love. Betrothals are traditionally made on this night. Sharing and informality are the essence of this feast and, for this one night, the constraints even of marriage are forgotten in an unconditional of love and passion. Bad weather during the night is considered a very bad omen.

Harvestide signals the start of autumn and, hopefully, of the safe fathering in of the harvest. It is a feast both to thank the hard working harvesters, and to celebrate the brief period of plentiful food. Many journeys are undertaken at the end of the feast, as travellers hurry to reach their overwinter destination before the worst of the mud arrives are the rain freezes into snow.

The Ghostmoons is the most sombre festival day in the year. It is a day for remembering the dead; graves and shrines are decorated, and many tales told of ancient heroes and lost treasure. Both moons shine full during this night, and it is believed that on this night the ghosts of lost souls can return to the world. This day marks the start of winter snows, and the end of fighting until the spring re-melting.