Carufell

### Crest

A snarling brown bear head with four blue stars vertically arranged on either side.

### Population

7 mllion

Sitting just North of the Spiked Peaks, Carufell is a new frontier for mortals. Few people settled here immediately after the War of Ascendance. But after a few hundred years the country slowly began to take form. It started with people wanting to live far from lords and law. A new civilization was created as people slowly began to tame the land. Rudimentary governments formed and slowly cities were built. In the middle of the country the ancient city of Tarabrenth was found and reclaimed. As the population grew several governments joined under a Queen. This was the foundation of the union. Through a mix of conquest and diplomacy Carufell was united. This was refered to as the Unification Crusades. Eight provinces were established. They were Almaar, Devlar, East Devlar, Emparum, Kerriisk, Mortaan, Nesh, and Tellish. The Island of Maristoll joined making nine. Now each province is ruled by a baron, and each baron sends a senator to Tarabrenth to represent their province. Each province keeps only a small militia. Because the countries is isolated by the Spiked Peaks they almost never participate in international politics. Thus the need to keep a large army is diminished.The provinces contract mercenary groups sanctioned by the king. Martisoll is the exception to this, maintaining a large fleet and decently big militia. The people of Carufell keep to themselves and live spread through the country on the fringes of civilization. The Eastern third of the land has not been fully explored and is still filled with monsters left over from the war. It is divided in into the North and South by the Emerin River. To the North past the treeline is the Frozen Wastes. A desolate place covered in frost year round. Beyond this is a range of mountains few have ever been to.

## Provinces and Major Locations

### Almaar

Raspon lies on the Western Coast in this province. It trades with the three Southern countries. It is a mile long, the whole city stretching along the bank of the ocean. Raspon is the most populous city in the country having about three times the population of the capital.

### East Devlar

Before the Unification Crusades, East Devlar was ruled by the Thelandir family. However they fought against the MorCaiden's and were deposed when they lost. A new Barony was put in place. This province was the birthplace of Yoseph Thelandir.

### Emparum

Emparum is the capital province and home of the monarchy.

Tarabrenth lies in the center of Emparum. It is surrounded by an ancient wall and sits above a vast expanse of catacombs and tunnels. Only the top layers  of these caves have been explored. Nobody is quite sure how deep they go. Tarbrenth has a few notable locations. The MorCaiden family rules from an old castle in the city center. A parliament building is constructed across from the castle. In between the two is Coalition Square. Not all of Tarbrenth has been settled. The population of the city is a little less than ten thousand. But the city is so large there are still old parts unclaimed by anyone.

## People of Kerriisk

Morgar and Thèandìl of the Nurmendemar. Art by Steven Shan https://www.artstation.com/cha4os

The most western of the provinces and one of the most wild. The barony seldom takes interest in what happens so long as the taxes are paid. This leads to semi-autonomous groups defending their own interests. Two such groups are the Silver Circle, and the Order of the Burning Palm. This province is also home to the Nurmendemar. Kayn lives somewhere in the countryside. This province is the birthplace of Alekiai, Aspen, Calvin, Ingrid, Morgar, Thèandìl, and Willa.

Towns

Agnoor- Home of the Nurmendemar and coastal town. It was under Burning Palm control until AeP 441 when it became the capital of the Nurmendemar. It had many markets and stalls on the harbor. The Nurmendemar gathered in a wooden longhouse in the center of town to drink. It also had a stone keep where the Palm commanded from. However the keep was destroyed in a riot by Ingrid and the citizens of Agnoor. By AeP 447 walls had been built around the town and it was thriving.

Hundred’s Keep- Capital of the Burning Palm until AeP 441. It was a small walled town with a notable library.

Ley-Hilla- Former Burning Palm town now under Nurmendemar protection. Tal Silverstep is the current governor.

Srensgard- A small town formerly under control of the Silver Circle. It was notable for its stone church. The people here were often downtrodden and sullen during the rule of the Circle. When the troops of the Circle left to fight at Hundred’s Keep the people of Srensgard overthrew the church and lynched the priest.

The Glade

In the North of Kerriisk lies a wondrous Glade. Within the Glade it is claimed is a divine connection to nature and all your senses open to true meaning. It was first discovered by a member of the Jyrakari clan around Aep 140. It was then found by Warren Kasset. Arkin Devers went searching for it in AeP 441.

The Glade is thought to reside North of Kerriisk. Tlaloc moved there after his time in Keriisk.

## Province of Maristoll

Art by Summer https://twitter.com/justasummerjob

The islands to the East of the continent. It joined the country in AeP 423. Until then it was an autonomous country. Eabrifast the capital of Martistoll. It is known for its great shipyards rivaled only by ones in Roadon and Cape Red.

### Mortaan

Mortaan City lies in the East. It is a trading hub for settlers who travel to the East of the country. It is the capital of Mortaan Province.

### Tellish

Tellish is a province in Carufell. The town of Curaheim is in the North of the province, just a few dozen miles from the treeline. In the fall of AeP 446 and winter of AeP 447, the Dawn Priest took over Curaheim with a host of Drel’Mareath. After she was defeated she fled to a vault deep in the frozen wastes. The vault contained thousands of Drel’Mareath. She was eventually killed, and the vault buried.

Tellish also was a critical location in the Unification Crusades.

### The Island

The island south of Maristoll is the training place and home of Rallia’s order.

## Culture

A sketch of a warrior from Carufell. He could be a member of the Winter's Hand, or just a frontiersman

The Legion of the Dancing Winds train their members on The Island. Once a year they drop off their graduating members in Raspon. For this reason many members of this order stay in Carufell. They along with the mercenary companies act as the policing force. The main mercenary group they work with is The Winter's Hand. A company that recruits the most talented soldiers from Carufell and beyond. Some criticize the amount of power they hold but they are supposedly lept in line by the royal family. The real force keeping both groups in check however, is the rivalry between the two. Though the soldiers worship Rallia, many of the people of Carufell worship Li-Shara. Her inquisitive nature is what brought their ancestors to the country. They seek to honor her name by expanding the frontier.

### Death

In eastern Carufell, the dead are honored and remembered by having a blade forged in their honor. This was primarily a practice of the Nurmendemar but it spread to nearby regions. In older times, the blade would be used in battle so that the dead could once more fight for their families. The blades have names such as Cold Wind, Steel Fist, or Pine Shield. This would communicate the ideals of the honored dead. Both Veldud and Yoseph carried a knife forged in honor of a relative. In Maristoll, all ships are named for someone that was to be remembered. This includes both private and military ships.

## Ecology

### Fauna

Tundra Longhair is a species of horse unique to Carufell. The species is characterized by long grey fur, and a shorter squatter build. These horses can not achieve the speed of their more Southern brethren, but they can survive the freezing winters of the North. They are native to Carufell. Tundra longhairs roam in parts of the Frozen Wastes and the forests to the North. They can easily move through snow banks and can eat pine needles. This is not their favorite food but it enables them to feed during the winter.

Hill Porcupines live on the island of Maristoll. Their territory is the small mountains and hills in the east. They are smaller and slimmer than traditional porcupines. However they have bigger claws for climbing and longer spikes. Their spikes are a mix of white, grey, and black.

Predator species in carufell include several species of wolves, polar bear in the wastes, brown bears, bobcats, hawks, grey owls, white owls, brown falcons, wolverines, several types of foxes, and ferrets. Prey species include sparrows, elk, great elk, deer, rabbits, bluebirds, geese, ducks, moose, porcupines, beavers, marmots, and bats. These lists are not exhaustive.

### Flora

A special type of pine tree grows in Carufell in the most Northern parts of the Union. Called Northern Pine by those who live there, it is naturally stronger than most wood. The people here use it to craft bows and shields.

The Lightberry is a type of fruit that grows on bushes in central Carufell. They are small and reddish in color. The lightberries themselves are poisonous, but their leaves can be used to make a tea that helps with fevers. The tea itself is mildly hallucinogenic.

### Monstra

Carufell is home to Dire Wolves. These wolves hunt in small packs and are much larger than their mundane counterparts. White Badgers have occasionally been seen near the Spiked Peaks. In AeP 447, they started traveling farther North.

## Notable Events

-Unification Crusades

-In AeP 441 the war between the Burning Palm and the Silver circle was ended as detailed in the campaign Cults of the North.

-In AeP 446 a cultist of Nezeril was encountered in the tunnels of Tarabrenth. It was named Crypt Keeper.

-In Rallius of AeP 447 Carufell was experiencing the worst winter in living memory. Not only was it colder but the snow was higher and took longer to melt. At this time a group of Nurmendemar stole back a shield from the King and injured Quinta Yon-Suk the Chief knight of Carufell

-In Cainus and Ghuramus of AeP 447, the Winter’s Hand engaged in an extended battle with a host of Drel’Mareath occupying the town of Curaheim. The Drel’Mareath were under the control of a sorcerer named the Dawn Priest. Eventually the Hand freed the town, and the Dawn Priest was killed by Deryl, Tarron, Valera, and Zonah Safar. She was trying to awaken a massive army of Drel’Mareath kept in a vault created by Hlesmil, the old god of the dawn.

## People from Carufell

Many people emigrate to Carufell. This list is of people confirmed to be born there.

* Alekiai was from Agnoor
* Aspen was from Kerriisk
* Calvin was from Agnoor
* Carl was from Curaheim
* The Dawn Priest
* Deryl Dunderheim
* Ingrid was from Kerriisk
* Jessie
* J'Kar Burin was born in the small town of Pinesprout
* Strongarm
* Morgar was from Kerriisk

* Rayna was from Curaheim
* Ritaak
* Silvia MorCaiden
* Tarron Kesvin
* Thèandìl was from Agnoor
* Valera
* Veldud Mirthfow was from Raspon
* Willa was from Kerriisk
* Yoseph Thelandir was from East Devlar
* Zayn Shmitty
* Zek

## List of Appearances

1. Cults of the North Session 1: To Start Again
2. Cults of the North Session 2: A House of Convicts
3. Cults of the North Session 3: A Dangerous Discovery
4. Cults of the North Session 4: The Battle at the River
5. Cults of the North Session 5: An Alliance of Theives
6. Cults of the North Session 6: In the Halls of Our Fathers
7. Cults of the North Session 7: Last Bastion of the Light
8. Crypts of Carufell
9. Of Shields, Stories, and Hammers
10. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session One: The Blizzard’s Bite
11. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Two: The Grip of Frost
12. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Three: The Winds that Blow
13. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Four: The Sunshine’s Lost
14. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Five: The Force of Cold
15. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Six: A Host of Force
16. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Seven: In Frozen War
17. The Tale of Storms and Clay Session Eight: Beneath the Cold

**Supplemental**

1. Cults of the North Supplemental Documents: Ellenora's Backstory
2. Cults of the North Supplemental Documents: Tlaloc's Backstory