The Baalps

The **Baalps** are a series of mountain ranges in the Evergreen Pastures that separate the Plains of the Queens from the coast of the Widening Sea.

## History

The large mountain range known as the Baalps (or sometimes the Baalp Mountains) has served as a boundary between the Azan Empire and the fey lands to the north for millennia. It wasn’t until the time of the 7th dynasty that Azan and its dwarven allies were able to claim these mountains and establish countless dwarven holds and mountain fortresses.

It is believed that certain faerie lords, infuriated by the loss, joined forces to spawn unusually large numbers of gibberlings, which promptly overran the dwarven mines, driving out the dwarves (who ended up forming the nation of Gautlan during a failed attempt to migrate to/invade the Oront region).

Since then, the Baalps have been quiet and largely forgotten. The gibberlings rarely come to the surface, thus allowing small pockets of human shepherds from the Daligrad and Gvilderstaaten regions to settle in the area.

## Government

The Baalps once had several cantons and hereditary baronies, but the region is generally too poor to maintain anything more than rudimentary governments, so now nothing remains of the old subdivisions but old place names and coats-of-arms. The villages and hamlets usually have elected, part-time leaders though.

The she-ep, gnomes, gibberlings, harpies, and other social fey have primitive clan/tribal governments.

## Economy

The humans are mostly shepherds and fishermen. Some of the fey have a rudimentary bartering system. Although the Baalps are rich in mineral resources, the gibberlings make mining too dangerous.

## Foreign Relations

### Daligrad, Gvilderstaaten, Evergreen Pastures, Hereby, Thereby, Whereby

The Baalps do limited trade with these regions.

### Mutaa’s Realm

Those in the eastern Baalps sometimes are subjected to slave raids from Mutaa’s Realm. In addition, Mutaa’s agents sometimes stir up trouble, and particularly reckless inhabitants of the Baalps sometimes willingly visit Mutaa’s Realm.

## Geography

The Baalps region is a mountain range, but there are enough mountain valleys and fjords to support a small human population.

## Demographics

### Humans

Most humans in the Baalps can trace their origins to settlers from Daligrad and Gvilderstaaten who settled the area during the various Azan conquests. They are a quiet folk who mostly keep to themselves. Sometimes refugees from Waldemaria also settle here briefly, but most continue onward south.

### Gibberlings

Although once numerous enough to overrun the dwarven kingdoms of the Baalps, it is believed the gibberling population has dropped significantly since those times. Gibberlings are rarely seen on the surface, living most of their lives in the ruined dwarven mines and in caves. They occasionally come out to raid surface dwellers though.

### She-eep

These sheep-centaur are generally associated with the fey, though as always, the line between true fey and their creations is blurry. More common in the Evergreen Pastures region, they sometimes migrate into the Baalps as well for short periods of time.

### Dwarves

A few dwarves live among the humans. They are generally from Daligrad rather than descendants of the lost dwarven kingdoms of the Baalps.

### Miscellaneous Fey

Aside from she-eep and gibberlings, a small number of fey and fey associated races live in, or sometimes travel to, the Baalps. Most are friendly like the small families of gnomes, hobbits, and animalkin associated with Nikkla, others are hostile like the occasional werewolf or renegade swamp creature, and a few can go either way like the isolated packs of goblins and harpies that live in some coastal caves.

## Religion

Humans generally worship the New Azan Faith, but they also have a healthy respect for the beliefs of the fey and the few faerie lords who still have an interest in the area. The dwarves have their own ancestor-based worship, but like the humans, have integrated some fey beliefs into their own.

Faerie lords with an interest in the Baalps include:

* **Voluptuia** - Queen of the She-eep and certain other fey, she is generally seen as harmless and decadent, but some say she was involved in the creation of the gibberling swarm, given her favored lands are north of the Baalps and in the path of the Azanese conquests.
* **Nichtmair** – Said to be one of the masterminds behind the gibberling assault on the dwarves, and still worshipped by gibberlings and other dark creatures. It is believed that Nichtmair had a falling out with the other faerie lords in the region at some point, which is why her gibberlings are so indiscriminate in their attacks.
* **Nikkla** – A gnome-like hermit scholar and wanderer, the Baalps seem to be special to him, so he sometimes grants boons to like-minded folk.
* **Mutaa** – Has spies throughout the region, not surprisingly since it borders her realm.

## Military

There is no coordinated military in the region to speak of. Humans and other more peaceful folk will sometimes form small militias when their communities are threatened. More hostile folk like gibberlings, swamp creatures, and certain goblins and harpies will form barely organized raiding parties when desired. She-eep are pacifist, but some of their druids have strange but powerful magic.