Bacland

## Intro

Bacland is one of the most northern Nations. It is Ruled over primarily by a Monarchy that governs the five mainland states, Of other two states Vardon fort for Independence and now works as its own nation separate to Mainland Bacland. Katos, an island to the north was historically a colony of the Dwarves, but defected and reassigned itself to Bacland, it is much like a separate nation, though technically recognizes fidelity to the other states of Bacland.

## Population

The largest populations on Bacland are Humans and Elves. There are also a number of Dwarves, Rodenta and Large local Goblin Populations.

The Elves in the area are largely Woodelves, This includes a large number who still live Nomadic lifestyles in the forests of Bacland. There are also High Elves who live in both cohabit cities and villages, as well as predominantly elven cities. Below the ground are also a number of Drow, with a small number of whom brave the sun to venture above ground.

The Rodenta, known as Warfrats and the smaller mouse-folk, live primarily in small, self contained villages and communities as well as coastal towns.

## Government

The Ultimate authority is the Parliament of Greater Bacland. However, they meet only twice most years, around the solstices.

Mainland Bacland (The Eastern Valley, The Stretch, Heartland, Lake Country, and Westerlot) are ruled over at the highest level by King William The Elder. The individual states are ruled over the wardens of the 5 Main Stewards, The Lord of Eastern downs; Arron Greyfield of the Eastern Valley, The Stewards Council of The Stretch, Her Ladyship the Mayor Esme Truegust of North Moor in the Heartland, Head Councilman Ed Chamberlain of Sadyn in the Lake Country, and the Governor of Westerlot George Edwards.

They report and communicate with King William when needed, otherwise they oversee the majority of mainland Bacland.

Quite separately to this, there are six dwarven clans who control Katos, splitting it into almost city-states. They pay a small tax to the King of Balcand for their independence.

Similarly, since 16 245, Vardon has run as an entirely separate Nation. Sending representatives to parlay with the Kings, the five Stewards and the six Dwarven clan heads When meetings are needed. However, it is rare that events threatening all of Greater Bacland cannot be dealt with my the individual three parties.

## The 7 States

### The Eastern Valley

The Eastern Valley is cut in half by the Green River, Framed wither side by the Shepherds Peaks and the Twisted Mountain range.

It is ruled over by Lord Arron Greyfield as Voted in by the East Bacland Council, made up of the four mayors of Evesfol, Laysfield, Ordinsvale and Wayspath as well as a representative of the dwarven citadel of Orsendal and the elven Steward of Ellha Anore.

This is a region of much trade and commerce with Katos and The North. Many traveling from the Old World come through the Eastern Valley.

### The Stretch

The Section of land between the larger Heartland and western parts of Bacland and the East. They contain swamps, moors and mountains.

Because of the regions diversity, It is governed in separate counties, each if which make up one seat on the Stewards counsel.

### The Heartland

This is the Center of Bacland, containing the Lenion Basin as well Oaktown, the capital city of Bacland, home of the Royal court, as well as Northmoor the largest trading port of Bacland. It also has Sherwood Forrest and Wildnorth wood.

### Lake Country

The northern most state of Bacland, Home of Drenn and the Vast White Woods.

### Westerlot

A Land to the West in Bacland. Known for being a quiet and mostly uneventful state.

### Vardon

The Land to the south of Drellions Impassing, A separate nation to Mainland Bacland. Home to Many Wood elves and the older Vardish humans.

### Katos

An Isle to the north, ruled over by six Dwarven clans. Home of Hargrim.

## History.

The History as taken for Eurron Garric's seminal historical book 'The History of the second Northern Continent'

> This may be somewhat out of line with other cannon, I Have to go over and check it. - Galen 'The DM' Graham.
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### Times before Humanity

It's possible that the Cloud Giants have records going as far back as this. However, they are not like to share them or even read the documents themselves.

What is known that the time of giants and the era of elves were times of great violence and conquest, Much like every other age.

If stories are to be believed after the Angels created the land to stand upon the Giants and Dragons carved up the land, pushing up mountains and digging out the valleys. This is certainly the story that the Giants tell.

### First Age Of Humans

In the first age the only records we have are of the now lost original elven city of Cylanor. Though some modern scholars doubt if it even existed to begin with. The Original Gnomish city is, most likely, built in this land at this time. From the records we have of both sides the Elves and Gnomes had little to do with each other, Gnomes living for sort enough a time - to an elf - that meaningful relationships with elves was very challenging (remembering that at this time Elves lived even longer than they do today). There was limited trade. However, such things like territory was not necessary to negotiate, as the Elves could literally outlive any disputes.

A few other Peoples were in Randore at this time. Though It is hard to be certain without records. By all reasoning the Satyrs most likely originated in Bacland - despite later moving primarily to Griai. There are a few scattered first age Elven documents mention a ‘people of the south eastern green hills’ , While this might to be a reference to the dwarves it is well documented that they didn’t arrive on the northern shore until at earliest year 83 and could not have had a citadel built in the south within 8 months of landing in the north. The now long dead Gith are also believed to have originated either in Bacland or in an unknown location in the South. However very little is known about them at all. They seem to have been a race of intelligent humanoids, capable of building. But they are described by the elves as Long and thin like snakes, green of skin and black of heart. Ultimately there’s not enough information to say if these people were real or not. Let along what happened to them.

### Time Of the Orcs

#### Dwarven Congregation

> No earlier than the year 83 | no later than 112
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In the year 83 there was written a High Elven scroll, dated in the 9th month of the year, proposing that there may be a mass of ice to the north if the temperature was cold enough that the water would freeze. Their prediction wasn’t too far off, however there is also a great deal of solid land in the North. It is tremendously unlikely that this document was written after the Dwarves made landing. Compare this with the Date in 112 inscribed in the metal part of a Dwarven boat found in Bacland puts first landing between 83 and 112.

From the records that Both elves and dwarves have kept; Their cohabitation was a peaceful one. The Elves granted the Dwarven explorers the Island of Katos Mirvn (Dwarven for New Land - the Mirvn would later be dropped from the name). The Dwarves and elves would trade both goods and knowledge.

#### Orcen Migration

Mid 200’s

The Orcs from the south (what would be called the New world) sailed to the North in the early 200’s and most probably went through Bacland and the now lost isles of Herrinan. With their arrival in Dukhet firmly placed at 274, this means that the Orcs would have needed to come through Bacland to do so. The Elves records for these events is somewhat lacking, and the Dwarves made only a few notes often lost to early Citadel Cave-ins.

What we do have are mostly second, third and even fourth hand accounts from transcribed Wood elf stories In the early Trevus days. There are three major theories about what happened after the orcs came to Bacland and why there is so little evidence of their presence.

The first is that, much like the dwarves, they were welcomed and given a section of Bacland for their own, and what written saucers that were made were lost when the elves went into hiding and the Vardish humans likely caused them to re locate. It's even possible there was a full war between the two, however its more likely that they struggled living in the same spaces in the harsh winters.

The Second theory is somewhat more unorthodox but still possible. It’s possible that rather than the orcs being welcomed, they invaded and after failed negotiations the elves went to war with them and lost. Out of embarrassment they purged the records of such a defeat but never forgot, and three thousand years later they worked with the dwarves and/or the Vardish to cause the force the orc's to migrate to the Old World.

The third and final theory goes that the Orcs were simply not considered important enough to record in the high elves records - like any race that wasn't elvish, and the majority only passed through Bacland before continuing south That the few who remained may have simply been lost in the tails of the Woodelves.

Regardless of what exactly happened it is evident that Orcs were in Bacland during the Second age as many Vardish stories tell of the Elves and Orcs in the forests, and modern archaeologists have found evidence supporting them. Not long after this the orcs began to call the land a new name, however it has since been lost from history – as has the forest dialect of the orc tongue.

#### The Four Vardish Invasions,

The Vardish Humans, or rather the Humans from the old and new world who would become them, seem to have tried three different times to come to Bacland. Once in 609, when the dwarves of Katos recorded sending out a fleet to stop them. Another time less than ten years later in the 610’s and again in the 620's; both referred to again form a Dwarven ship fleet driving them off. The last attempt and subsequent success came in the 650's and by 700 the High Elves had 'decided' that they would live in peace. The Elves are known to move slow with these things, and as such it is safe to assume this was done far earlier.

#### First Great Winter

Begins 3400's

The temperature around Randore drops significantly, this will prove to be a struggle for the orcs who were use to a much warmer climate.

#### The Great Orcen Migration

3500’s

Around the end of the second age a huge majority of the Forrest orcs in Vardonia died. This is a phenomenon noticed all around Randore for various reasons, both known and unknown. Some people theorise that it could be that the Grow in Vardish people lead to a slow repopulation as the Vardish gradually took more and more land from the struggling orcs as the land grew colder. It is believed that this marked that first ice age that covered much of Vardonia with snow. The Humans likely fared much better than the orcs in this new weather while the orcs did not.

#### Vardish Repopulation

> Early – Mid 4th century (4100-4400)
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During this New frozen time The Vardish people spread and covered much of the land. In these long cold nights, the Dwarves retreated to their great stone halls, bringing many wood elves with them. Some would choose to stay and some still would go further underground, these became the first stone elves and Drow. The High elves retreated to their Enchanted cities. Like much of their history it is unknown what happened to the Faun to allow them to survive the cold. Humans and orcs however were forced to live out in the cold. Humans managed to adapt, not needing nearly as much food as the Orcs did. When the ice began to shed in Vardonia around the 6th century and the elves left their cities to see what had become of the world around them they noted that while the humans survived the Orcs “numbered few indeed” It is believed that over the following ages they were not able to regain a foothold in the land, and slowly slipped away.

### Dawn of Humanity

#### Vardish-Dwarven Division and the End of the First Great Winter

6400

Unlike the elves, the Dwarves still came and went from their citadels during the ice age, they were not however, willing to help the humans or the orcs in any way. Once the snow cleared and Katos was once again an island, and not just a different area of ice, The Dwarves and Vardish people came to what was known as the North Katos pact, where the island of Katos was to be considered a part of the northern cap. This would remain in place until it re-joined with what was called Vardonia (the name Bacland would be used later in history) during the Trevious occupation when relationships with the King of Winter turned stale. The citadels that were in Vardiona were left in piece to continue as they were, and became hubs of trade and enterprise in Bacland. The relationship between Katos and the North was never fully amended.

#### Second Great Winter

7200 - 7350

Lasting an elvish generation this was a much more mild Great winter than had been previously seen, it proved far less deadly. It did however connect The North and Bacland for a time with an ice plain. It is believed this is when many of the Minatour came to Griai, as the distance was short and the North was even harsher living than previous.

#### Elvish Hiding

Late 9900’s

Nearing the end of the third age for early Bacland (still called Vardiona at the time) the Dwarves of the north were currently in a harsh cold war with the ‘southern humans’ now as the Honish humans, or the Trevious Army. This war would last several hundred years but could not be won by the dwarves who, while nearly unbeatable in the defensive, did not have the power to keep the Honishmen from setting in the northern areas that were not already directly near their citadels.

Eventually an uneasy piece was brokered. This time of uncertainty gave the dwarves time to worn their friends in Bacland of the oncoming invasion. There was then a great meeting in the southern citadel of Grelibrim and it was agreed that the High elves would place their cities into hiding along with any wood elves who wished to join them. They would have powerful spells to keep out any who were not welcome. Those elves who would become the Drow, humans and dwarves were not invited. The dwarves were given a many great treasures and powerful elvish artifacts as payment to strike the High Elves and their cities from their records. By the lack of historical evidence it would seem that they held their side of the bargain.

A section of elves and Gnomes moved into the dwarven undergrounds, eventually taking up new gods and becoming the Drow and Smirfeblin.

### Trevus Occupation

#### Final discovery

10 084

For the final time, at least in our history, The Lesser Northern Continent was ‘discovered’ and named. This time Bacland, a very poor interpretation of dwarven ‘south land’ (“Blacul undr”). These humans form Daswer called themselves the Honish, and made short work of the Vardish people. While they may have been gifted mages, survivalists and preservers of nature; they were no match for the Trevios empires war machine.

#### Five great Dounzilhouns & the Rebellion of 10 647

Before the 11th century (11 000)

After the Trevious Empire had spread throughout much of Northern and eastern Bacland, on to the southern lands, they had been long at war with The Vardish peoples, who unlike the north did not submit to the empire. In the year 10 647 The last free city of Vardonia in the south started a campaign that almost removed the Trevious from Bacland. After 12 years of fighting it was eventually called a failure, but it was at the time the closest any nation had gotten to overthrowing the Trevious. It was around this time that the Empire attempted to build more perinate fortifications to help them hold power in Bacland, many of which still stand to this day. With the help of the Dwarves they also built five ‘Dounzilhouns’ or ‘Great seats’ in key places across Bacland. These were called North, South, East, West and Center Dounzilhound. Of these places the northern was raised to the ground In the late 13th century, the southern and central abandoned in the establishment of the free land of Vardon. The West and east still stand to this day, one now being the great city of Eastern Downs, and the other the capital Westerlot, Arthem.

#### Establishment of Orsendal’s Lift.

12 253

It was in this year that the Dwarves of Orsendal connected to the Underlands that run beneath Randore, subsequently the great structure known as Ordensfuin or Orden’s Lift was created and allowed trade on an unprecedented scale within Bacland, as they didn’t have to go through the Trevious Empires exorbitant taxes or potential blockades. This also made travel between the under-dark easier.

#### Fall of the Emprie

12 348 ~

The Trevious Empire eventually fell, as all do. While The effects of The Great Cutting of Chains didn’t go unnoticed in Bacland, the Vardish had been so toughly persecuted and enslaved that the Honishmen of Bacland were, unlike the south, not forced to leave. They instead stayed, keeping things in many ways like they were. The Dwarves were no longer able to be strong-armed and as such trade was somewhat freer and more open, however the conflict and desire of freedom from the old Vardish people was still great. In place of the empire a monarchy of Bacland was established, this would later self-reform into a somewhat democratic constitutional monarchy.

### Middle age

#### Red Fever

13 800’s

Like many places of Randore, Bacland suffered heavily from outbreaks of Red Fever. Many were lost and for a time the King tried to close of trade and travel, but this proved impractical.

#### Third Great Winter

14 342-14 347

The third Long winter , last only five years rather than several hundred hit Bacland hard. There was much famine and a great loss of life. Whole villages were lost under snow and ice. Only to thaw in the Long-awaited summer. It was short but intense.

#### Elvish re-emergence

~14 350

After the snows melted some of the High Elves came out of their hidden cities and did what they could to help the peoples of Bacland and would go on to help much of Randore.

#### Vardish War for Indipendance

16 084

The Vardish, capitalizing on a weekend Bacland monarchy, started another rebellion. While this was one of many, it would prove to be successful. Massing in the south they push as far north as modern-day Oaktown.

Rise of Drellion’s impassing 16 243 in an event widely agreed to be the end of the war, The powerful Druid Drellion Summoned a mountain range to cut off a new territory, agreed to be called Vardon and given back to the old Vardish people. This is looked upon as a one of the greatest magical events in history as well as the end of the Vardish wars. Mostly.

#### Katos Reassignment

16 104

Throughout the mid 18 100’s the Dwarves of the north became decreasingly hospitable, this accumulated into the dwarves of Katos declaring independence and re-joining Bacland. The Northern Dwarves retaliation was only minor.

#### Establishment and First Meeting of the Parliament of Greater Bacland.

16 251

It was in this year that the powers at play in Bacland finally sorted out a system mostly upheld to this day. The Parlimant of Greater Bacland became the highest authority of the continent.

### Twilight years

#### Transport wars

18th century

The people of Hixdale Began to offer transport of good through the Underland, this threatened much of Bacland's place in the world. Eventually they learned to co-exist by each transporting different goods.

#### Fourth Great winter

18 826 - 18 934

A long and bitter Winter, Unlike many others this winter came fast and stayed longer than the last. It caused many international tensions as the New World was hit less than the Old. This was also the final straw of the Dwarves of the North, who splintered into several individual Kingdoms.

#### Signing of The Starlight agreement

~19 200

The Starlight agreement was singed in the early days of the movement. Allowing Bacland to be used as a push of port for allies within the north and south to meet and communicate before the Northern Dwarves were won over.

### Current age

#### Civil war

19 702 - 19 723

Bacland fight a war, with the Eastern two states going against the Heartland, they lost, the country stayed united. However this left deep scares in some of the people, especially in the Eastern Valley.

####  Adventure Begins

20 124

The party arrives in Evesfol. Opening their letters.