recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Robrecht Tornier

Robrecht Tornier was the warlord of the town of Dornrod during the mid-2nd Century, and later the first king of the Kingdom of Dornrod.

Thanks to meticulous records kept by several of his advisors, the personality of Robrecht is no mystery. It is said he was a frail man, kept in power by the protection of his younger brother Jurgen, who really ruled Robrecht's domain through the influence he held.

Robrecht suffered frequent bouts of insanity; it is during these episodes that he made many of the decisions that shaped Dornrod. Many others had envisioned themselves ruling the area, but Robrecht was the first crazy enough to follow through with the vision. Thanks to the competence of his brother he managed to succeed.

His fall from grace began early on when he married his cousin Fleur and had a son, the future second king of Dornrod, Merven Tornier. Both Robrecht's choice of wife, and the fact that Merven suffered the same insanity as his father, earned Robrecht infamy in the court. Jurgen could only protect his brother so much, and was forced to conduct several purges over the years to prevent a coup.

Robrecht died in 148 at the age of 50. Officially he died of natural causes, but the politics of the court at the time mean that foul play is not out of the question - one record states that 'there was an awful amount of blood for death by natural causes'.
South Persidian War

The South Persidian War, also known as the Renzen War and the Kamkaran Trade Conflict, is a trade-driven war taking place in the eponymous southern Persidian Sea.

The war was sparked when Kitabatake issued an embargo on Kamkaran shipping, an action caused by the Kamkaran supply of weapons to Kitabatake's enemy Igashikuze and its dependents. Both Kitabatake and Kamkara were followed into the conflict by heir satellite states Hojo and Saikouji respectively.

Currently Kitabatake is losing badly - the Kitabatake-Nin admiral Gonryoumaru Tadaoki has been missing since his defeat at the disastrous Battle of Yukan Point, and while the war effort has been shouldered by the warlord's brother Kitabatake Renzen, he lacks the ships to challenge Kamkara. Currently the Kamkaran admiral Ran Hansha has the Kitabatake-Nin navy blockaded in at the port town of Ewa, and there is also a blockade in place around the capital city of Fujakawa.
Scanbroughan Secession

The Scanbroughan Secession was a war during the 7th Century between the Kingdom of Faramond and the rebelling nobles of Scanbrough. It resulted in the independence of the latter, and marked the end of Faramondian hegemony over the southern shore of the Trade Lake - over the following decades Faramond lost dominion of most of its other land, having several towns ripped away by Lacrive in 638 and then the formation of the Kingdoms of Gabrainn and Dunfleasel.

## Background

Scanbrough had always been culturally different to the rest of Faramond, being more horse-focused due to its border with Halarbic and Parsanian lands. The arrival of the exiled Talorian House Higwalding in the 5th Century just added to the rebellious sentiment.

For nearly two hundred years the Higwaldings wormed their way into politics in the Northride of Scanbrough, becoming the Caped Men of Sturlmere once House Granthias went extinct.

## War

By late 634, the Higwaldings had most of the Scanbrough region on their side, and declared independence from the Faramondian King Aylard. The first year of the war was bad for the disorganised Scanbroughans, who rushed around raiding and pillaging while Faramond gathered its reserves to make straight for Sturlmere.

Once the Faramondian army was raised by the start of 635, it began its march to the Scanbroughan capital. The Caped Men finally combined their forces and the forces fought at the Battle of Shepsted Hill, resulting in the defeat of the Faramondian army. Peace was signed several days after the battle, on 13 January 636, with King Aylard giving up his claims on Scanbrough and granting the region its independence.
Ormol (region)

Ormol is an administrative region in northern Dalfore, sandwiched between the West Sea and the Hurva River. Is is governed from Ormol Camp, and contains the towns of Baenurra Camp, Tawurm, Farrav Town and Croscamp.

Ormol was formerly a Tungrid splinter state, made a vassal of Dalfore and peacefully integrated in the 7th Century. It is still culturally different to the rest of Dalfore despite the government's best efforts to bring its Tungrid inhabitants into the fold.
Ormol Camp

Ormol Camp is the administrative centre of the Dalforean region of Ormol and the former capital of the Tungrid splinter state of the same name. Despite having been part of Dalfore for nearly one hundred years, it maintains a strong Tungrid cultural identity, reflected in the style of its two Aladornic Houses Qashqar and Bedagorn.
Slidon

Slidon is a small town in southeast Gabrainn, perched on the northern foothills of the Dale Hills. Mainly a farming town, Slidon's main exports (wool, mutton and lamb) are of very high quality, and are carted to Ducsport and from there shipped all over the Trade Lake.

## History

Slidon was founded during the Age of Migration by the settlers of the cog Baedan, under its captain Niall mac Eochada. Over time the town grew, and while it was never part of a formal state before the Great Gap, it was a bustling pastoral town and part of the loose federation of towns which would later become known as Faramond.

Shortly before the Gap, the local businessman Laois mac Flannghaile opened a trading business in the town, specialising in export of Slidon's wool and lamb to the warring states of Sardan to the east, and also transporting spices and silk from Sardan to Ducsport where it was distributed throughout the Trade Lake.

After the Gap, Faramond had formalised into a real Kingdom, and Slidon had become the domain of the Counts mac Daibheid. This county was subject to the Duke of Trablarney, who was subject to the King.

Slidon remained in this state for two hundred years. The Counts mac Daibheid gave way to the Counts O Caonroi, and them to the Counts mac Giolla Cathal. In 645, Count Niall mac Giolla Cathal chose to follow Duke Diomanh O Cailin in seceding from Faramond to form the Kingdom of Gabrainn.

The town first faced invaders in 762, when the main armies of Lacrive and Scanbrough met in Slidon to organise the occupation of Gabrainn. Since then, Slidon has been occupied by Armsman Wanteley of Demsforde. Count Ferghal mac Giolla Cathal is currently leading the town's levies in Dunfleasel, as part of the King's army.
The World of Tairghol

Tairghol as a continent is so vast that the concept of there being anything else is a fairly new one. Despite tales of Halcyonia being widespread, they are usually dismissed as just that - old wives' tales. Only in the last century have scholars in cities such as Reme, Arpia and Tauromus begun to wonder what lies beyond the coast of the continent.

Tairghol measures roughly 18,000 km in length from east to west, and around 13,000 km from north to south - a total of around 230 million sq km. To translate that to the size of Earth, Tairghol would cover a rectangle whose vertices (clockwise from northwest) are at London (UK), Ottawa (Canada), Stanley (Falklands) and Stromness (South Georgia). The only other known continent, Halcyonia, is thought to be even bigger.

The world - dubbed Byzita by the Lastrian philosopher Urtun Galdona during the 6th Century - is known to be a planet by the presence of a sun, moon and constellations such as those on Earth. A scholar, Ristophanes of Mur, measured the circumference of the planet to be 85,000 km in the year 548, by using the same method used on Earth by Eratosthenes.

Byzita is the same as Earth in most respects - days are 24 hours long, the seasons come and go in exactly the same manner. The same species of birds, fish and livestock populate the continent. Essentially the only thing differentiating Byzita from a larger copy of the Earth is that humanity was not the first sentient species to arrive.
Trade Lake

The Trade Lake is a large lake in the northwest of Tairghol, surrounded by many countries and fed by half a dozen rivers.

The north shore of the lake is heavily forested while the west is mostly fields of grass and crops. The south shore is a mixture of the two, while the eastern shore is hotter and dryer due to the desert southeast of the lake.

Countries surrounding the Trade Lake, as of 764CE, are Dalfore, Talor, Satï, Ulgard, Varland, Oethen, Senheim, Scanbrough, Faramond, Gabrainn and Lacrive working clockwise.

Rivers feeding into the Trade Lake include the Merkata, Prye, Spurnian and Hurva rivers.

The lake is called many things in different languages, but the accepted international name is the Spurnese name, which coincides remarkably with the English-language translation.
Spring of Hunkor

The Spring of Hunkor is a mythical lake said to be located in the realm of the Mountainfolk. It serves as the origin of the Savanese folk hero Hunkor.

The Spring was originally a simple lake in a valley surrounded by high mountains. During the course of the Gernerian Epic, the Kingdom of Gernerin is built around it.
Sertois

House Sertois is a powerful Lacrivian noble house based in the northeast of the country. It holds the Baronies of Ladon and Bellegarde, as well as the Grand Barony of the Ruadhain - this latter title makes the Sertois family the only Barons on the same level as a Duke.

The lands of House Sertois comprise the southern half of the Ruorgagh River as well as the woodland to its west. it is bounded in the south by the road between Bouchier and Bòrmomble and in the north by the town of Rogneus, which belongs to House Pontallaire.

Across the river are the Houses d'Arborage and Dacourt, and to the west are Houses Barbeboise, Rochefort and Cordonnier. To the south are Houses Trimbodeaux and de Ratre.

House Sertois is the leader of a small coalition of Lacrivian houses opposed to the War of the South Lake, the Ligue de l'Epe Gaine, and has refused to send any levies to fight. This has raised tensions with the crown, and the Ligue stands ready to abandon the Ardouin monarchy if the battle at Rolimar goes in favour of the Dalforean League.

## Coat of Arms

The arms of House Sertois are 'Or, a griffin volant Argent'.
Oenia River

The Oenia River is a stream in the Jan'ah Hills. Originating deep in the range, it runs roughly south and terminates in the Uclian Lake.

The Oenia gives its name to the town of Oenipont, which is built around a bridge over the Oenia's upper reaches. It also passes through the towns of Emevua and Antochia.
Sopiesta

Sopiesta is a Harprician city and the current capital of Sarvalneiv, in the Western Wing of the Sacred Coalition. It lies on the Flentia River, opposite the Patronyan town of Maioria. Roads from Sopiesta lead to Maioria, as well as along the riverbank to Barinum and Morovum, and inland to Dejelsumi.

Sopiesta is known for its arts; the Dukes of Sarvos have long been patrons of painters, musicians and philosophers.
Sahran

Sahran is a large state in Suren's Desert, of Mustanian culture, bounded by its neighbours Kajasthan, Sawistan, Omarah, Qar Parsana, Oq Parsana, Kath and Sharaf.

Governed from the capital city of Soran, Sahran is centred around the Solitary Peak range of mountains, from which the Spurnian River emerges.

Sahran was allied to Sharaf when the latter began its 739 Sharaffi Invasion of Kiba, and Sahran was subsequently annexed along with Sharaf. It was reinstated in 742 following the War of the Sacred Coalition.
Santoin de la Munte

Santoin de la Munte (141 - 155) was a Lacrivian nobleman and member of House de la Munte.

Little is known of Santoin's life and personality due to the circumstances of the time. It is recorded that he had an older brother Frere, and an older twin Demechard.

Santoin met his end in 155CE, at the tender age of fourteen. After escaping the Third Siege of Roumur Castle along with his brother Demechard, Santoin was gored by a bull while trying to catch a calf to slaughter and eat. The wound festered and Santoin died, likely in great pain, around a month after the wound was inflicted.
Ranwald Lusugenet

Ranwald 'the Warrior' Lusugenet (730 - Present) is a Faramondian nobleman, the head of House Lusugenet and the incumbent King of Faramond.

Ranwald succeeded his father, King Roland, in 761 at age 31. His reign began uneventfully, but in 762 the War of the South Lake began and Ranwald was dragged into the conflict. So far he has acted as the coordinator for scattered Faramondian and Gabrain forces, as well as commanding the defence of the Second Battle of Faramond Keep - an act for which he earned his epithet.

Despite having a vice-riddled, dishonest character, Ranwald is seen as a good king - he clearly sees the line at which he must put aside personal issues and fight for the greater good of the realm. This is more than can be said for some of his forebears - in particular King Hervouet.
Zhihao Chen

Zhihao Chen (511 - 564), also known as Chen the Baker, was a Tianguese nobleman, the Boju of Sujiang and head of House Chen during the mid-6th Century.

Chen participated as a minor commander during the Tianguese River War; his force faced that of the Faramondian Crown Prince Rimbaud Wyrold during the Battle of Arelbank and decisively lost. During the battle Chen ordered his archers to launch flaming arrows at his own men - this earned him his grisly nickname. After the battle Chen was captured and spent the rest of the war living in Dalforean captivity in the fortress town of Renlin.

Following the war Chen was released, but word of his conduct during the Battle of Arelbank had filtered back through to Sujiang. He was tried and executed for war crimes upon his return and control of his fiefdom given to his nephew Shanhang Chen.
Vadyan (culture)

The Vadyans are a relatively tribal people residing in the western Vasterlands.

## Origins and History

Originally, the Vadyans were Serbian and Ottoman sailors from the ships Kotromanici, Raska, and Zahumlje. They arrived as part of the Vasterlands Fleet, settling in the new towns of Atvor, Sarkap, and Tzilkar. Here they lived peacefully for centuries, expanding into the flat, marshy lands to the south and east.

When the Gehemnians came in the 1st Century BCE, the Armedeans to the east were displaced. Many came west as refugees; these integrated into the populace in the east of the Vadyan lands, bringing their culture with them. Ever since, there as been a slight cultural divide between the east and west Vadyans.

When the Age of Migration came to an end and feudal states began to emerge elsewhere, the Vadyans kept their traditions and made few concessions to their new lifestyle. Even nowadays, the Vadyan lands are seen by others as a black box full of savage fire-worshipping brutes - and they aren't entirely wrong.

## Culture

Vadyans are very traditional people, with many rituals and customs involving fire and sacrifice. These are usually tied to their religion, and also to the social hierarchy that exists.

## Religion

Traditionally Vadyans are animal worshippers, with a five-god pantheon. These are also represented by hierarchical positions, and aspects of personality. The animals are:

* Boar: The king of beasts, with brute power to enforce its will.
* Raven: The queen/diplomat, equal parts wise and cunning.
* Squirrel: The jester/poet, upbeat and rambunctious.
* Deer: The soldier. Loyal, brave, and strong.
* Mouse/Rat: The craftsman. Practical and forward-thinking.

All of these gods are often hunted, as it is believed that the gods are not friendly with one another - rather, they vie for control of the world, with humans in the middle as the mediator. The gods send their minions to the world to take over, and it is the job of humanity to keep the balance.

In the east and south of Vadya, the Armedean Fire Pantheon has taken hold and Vadyan animal worship is slowly integrating with it. This has created a complicated system of animals and fire aspects, with fifteen major deities.
Roite de Montain Soud

The Roite de Montain Soud (translating to 'Southern Mountain Road') is a major highway in southern Lacrive.

It has no clearly defined western end, though it is generally agreed to be the T-junction where the road from Hougoumont meets the roads from Liniçon and Bourac. From here it runs along the southern edge of the Alletoix Range, passes through the city of Clernois, and continues along the southern edge of the smaller Lericonne Range until it hits Argenin. After this, it turns north and terminates, again unclearly, somewhere before the town of Périconne.
Sernuria

Sernuria was a theocratic nation in the Hurva region during the 5th Century.

 History

Sernuria was first recorded at the end of the Great Gap, and it is believed the country formed out of Kafetran and Vadyan farmers on the banks of the Hurva and Astarciy rivers. Sometime during the Gap these farmers came together to found the city of Zinthur, and with it came a de facto country, called Sernuria by the nations around it.

Sernuria had nothing to do with its neighbours, remaining diplomatically isolated. It was a poor nation for most of its lifespan due to a lack of trade and infrastructure. Towards the end of its lifespan the lower classes began to desert Zinthur. Though still believing in the religion that had brought them together, they became disillusioned with the tyrannical priesthood and its sacrificial methods.

With a lack of common people in Zinthur, the nation crumbled around the priests of Sernuria, and in 485 Zinthur was abandoned once more. The priests vanished into thin air and the common people carried on their lives as their ancestors had before them.

## Geography

Sernuria was located at the fork of the Hurva and Astarciy rivers. Though governed from Zinthur, which is two leagues from either river, the majority of the population lived along the riverbanks. Traditionally the outside banks of both rivers - the Hurva's western bank and the Astarciy's eastern bank - remained unsettled due to divinations directly after the Great Gap. The priest believed that the mass amnesia of the Gap was due to settlers on the outside banks. This didn't stop settlements like Sugria from trading with Sernuria, though.

The geography of Sernuria was fairly flat - Zinthur was on a small hill, but still no more than two hundred metres above sea level while the riverbanks were half that.

## Politics

### **Government**

Sernuria was led by a council of priests who served the gods of fire and water. These were mostly split into two opposing factions, the Fire Faction and the River Faction, who squabbled over which god was most important.

## Culture

### **Flag**

The flag of Sernuria combined the two symbols for fire and water - representing their religion - and also contains the hexagon that held spiritual significance for Sernurians.
Ornwulf Hardwalden

Ornwulf Hardwalden (390 - 447) was the head of House Hardwalden between 421 and his death in 447. He is famous for his friendship and camaraderie with Cyng Beohrtsige Bellringer, and fought alongside the Cyng during the ambush that lead to Beohrtsige's death.

Ornwulf was the oldest of four siblings - he had two younger brothers, Ornwald and Ornhaer, as well as a sister, Arenfrith. His father Arheol taught Ornwulf for most of his youth, taking him on tours of the Hardwalden domain and instilling in Ornwulf a sense of duty and honour.

He welcomed Cyng Beohrtsige to the Hardwalden seat of Fenwich in 422, and was showing the Cyng the view from the belltower when assassins attacked. Ornwulf and Beohrtsige held them on the belltower steps until the Hardwalden and Gothelm retinues arrived to turn the tide. Beohrtsige was killed as the fight was ending, though Ornwulf survived with several minor injuries.

After the regicide, Ornwulf testified to House Higwalding's involvement in a court hearing in Eorlsburh and was one of the major proponents, along with Talahas Ricfriding, of exiling the House responsible.

Ornwulf lived to the age of 57 and was succeeded in leadership of the House by one of his sons, Peohtwine Hardwalden.
Salmor

Salmor is a small village in Dalfore. It is part of the administrative region of Abrunn. It lies on a crossroads: the north-south road leads from Sugria to Riabel, while the east-west leads from Jalobras to Nuntrick.

Salmor is not much more than a waypost between larger settlements, with the population of five hundred being mostly employed in inns, taverns and hostels for travellers.

Salmor is home to just one noble family: House Marven. This is a vestige of a time long past, when Salmor was large enough to justify the creation of an Aladornic house. Since then the population has more than halved, and continues to decline.
Michan Tuathalain

Michan Tuathalain (617 - 654) was the head of House Tuathalain and the Duke of Ruorgagh, a vassal of the Kingdom of Faramond during the early 7th Century. He is most famous for being the defender in the Attack on the Ruadhain Forest.

Michan was the eldest son of Duke Connair Tuathalain. He took up his father's seat in 636 at the age of 19, after his father was mortally wounded during a boar hunt. Michan was only Duke of Ruorgagh for two years - in 638 his land was attacked by the Lacrivian Cont Olivier Bellevue. After a siege of two months, Michan and his defenders were forced to surrender and sailed in defeat to the port at Faramond Keep.

From here Michan lived as a landless nobleman in the court of King Aylard until his death in 654. He left behind three sons - Cillian, Riordan and Declan. All of these had legitimate claims to Ruorgagh, though they never acted on these due to the political situation it would cause.
Mearhus

Mearhus is a large coastal town lying on the Trade Lake and one of the administrative centres of the Talorian region of the Cwylming.

Mearhus is home to the royal house Wihtgil and is dominated by its lavish palace. However, few in the region are fond of this house, as members of house Wihtgil generally refuse to carry out their duties as local lawmakers and peacekeepers.

Mearhus serves as the halfway point for the boat race known as the Fiscwicke Meet.
Vorgebirge

The Vorgebirge is, as its name suggests, a bridge over the Vorge River. It was constructed by a local nobleman, Hertua Laaki Ponjoinen, in 602 to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Vorgebirge.

The bridge crosses the Vorge at the ford the battle was fought over. It is a stone arch bridge one one hundred and twenty metres long, with piles every thirty metres. The stone is black marble, imported from Suren's Desert at great cost to the Hertua.

It is speculated that the underlying reason Ponjoinen constructed such a vast and lavish bridge was to appease the spirits of the fallen and stop the apparent hauntings in the area. Unfortunately the bridge seems to have had no effect, and the area is still considered cursed.
Qintar ul-Urda

Sharqa Qintar ul-Urda (733 - Present) is the incumbent Sharqa (King) of the Gerentis, a desert-plains nation near the realm of the Mountainfolk.

Qintar was born in 733, the third son of Sharqa Jirikh ul-Urda. As was tradition, on his father's death he and his four male siblings competed for the throne in a mock battle. Qintar won and was crowned Sharqa, subsequently exiling his siblings - again, tradition.
Satï

Satï is a country sandwiched between the realm of the Mountainfolk and the Trade Lake, bounded by Kafetra, Talor and Ulgard.

Satï technically consists of a single region, which is informally named after the forest, the Vorforst, that occupies most of the country's middle. While the rest of the country is forested as well, the Vorforst is supposedly cursed and, due to this, Satyans refuse to travel through it.

The west of Satï is dominated by the city of Imvalta and the towns of Polsi, Havolsi and Bakaður, while the south is governed from Jyltheim and comprises the populous towns of Holsax, Skagafirð and Arberg. The capital city, Sastavala, is supported by Tula, Kaapunkii and Sønesla.

The national motto of Satï takes the form of a popular Maan proverb: "The sparrow sings and the squirrel eats". This proverb essentially means that one should use his time wisely for survival and growth, like the squirrel, instead of preening, singing and looking pretty like the sparrow. Boiled down further, it means to look to the future and prepare for all eventualities - this is an all-pervading backdrop to Maan life, given the culture's history.
Mossfort

Mossfort is a city in The Spur. It boasts the title of the Spur's southernmost fortress, and is linked by typical arrow-straight roads to the larger cities of Hazelfort and Lagonmount, as well as to the Omelian town of Tenera.

## Geography

As stated above, Mossfort lies adjacent to the towns of Hazelfort, Lagonmount and Tenera. It lies on the foothills of the small mountain Ingoor Bern, while the town's fort lies approximately half a mile further up the slope.

## History

Mossfort has been inhabited since time immemorial - there is evidence of settlement by the People long before the arrival of humans in the area, and once humans did arrive they made note of the easily-defensible position of the settlement. A settlement named Monsford, along with a small fort, were built on the lower slopes of Ingoor Bern before the turn of the 4th Century BCE.

The citizens of Monsford bade their time as farmers and craftsmen. The turbulent times of the first settlements were forgotten and the fort built on the Bern fell into disrepair. The town earned its name as moss grew over the fort's battlements.

Eventually the status quo was broken. Several of the larger towns in the area declared their intentions to become sovereign nations. While many other settlements were wise enough to follow suit before they were absorbed, Monsford was not one of these. It fell to the new Kingdom of Ocary during the 1st Century BCE, and was ruled by this land until it was conquered by Briawicke in 125CE. After spending several months in the town, Briawicke's monarch Jormund Edricksen decided it was more defensible than his current capital of Barkville and moved his capital, repairing the fort as he did so.

Briawicke was one of the first political entities to recognise the threat posed by Varhold in the early 4th Century, and proposed the merger of the cities in the area to form the Spur as it stands today. Since then Mossfort has been part of the Spur.

Mossfort was besieged by the Vardanids during the Spurnian Subjugation, though due to the Great Gap it is unknown whether the town fell.
Renault Torimbeau

Renault Torimbeau (c.360 - 423), also known as Rene or Renau, was the founder of House Trimbodeaux and first Baronne de Mereville. His story is recounted in popular Lacrivian folktales as the 'Tale of Signeur Renault'.

## Background

Nothing at all is known of Renault's birth or early years. He took his surname, Torimbeau, after being told as a child that this particular name would bring him luck and glory. Scholars have since concluded that the word is nonsense, and was likely passed to the gullible Renault as some sort of joke.

Renault was raised as the squire of an unnamed Lacrivian chevalien, though sometimes this figure is given to be either Signeur Verrec or Signeur Emerie, both characters from the 'Tale of Sir Verrec'. He separated from his master following a petty squabble, and set his sights on the abandoned Chateau Mereville - an old motte-and-bailey castle east of the city of Bouchier.

## Capture of Mereville

The Chateau Mereville was said to be the home of a fierce dragon. This tale was supported by the local villagers, who said they saw smoke rising from within the walls. Recruiting the help of several villagers - Jac, Gene, and Pat - Renault approached the castle and knocked loudly at the gate.

He was purportedly greeted by the dragon, over whom Renault claimed guest rights. At this point two of the villagers lost their nerve and ran - Jac managed to stay standing. They were chased down by the dragon and killed, with the dragon later providing Renault and Jac with meat from their bones to fulfil his rights as a host.

Having had a meal and a drink, Renault now sprung his trap. He challenged the dragon to a game of chess, with the castle and his life at stake for the two of them. He did not mention the rules until he had played the dragon into a corner - but the dragon was not aware of the rule that trapped him, a local rule played by the villagers.

Renault invoked this rule and Jac backed him up - they were playing locally, so that local rule applied. Renault easily won the game from here, and with it the castle. Needless to say, the dragon was not best pleased. He seized Jac and tore him apart before making for Renault. In a series of daring moves that vary depending on the storyteller, Renault managed to entice the dragon underneath the castle's portcullis and trigger its mechanism. The dragon was impaled and killed, and its body later heaved into the moat, with its blood giving the water its distinctive red colour.

## Later Life

After taking the castle from the dragon, Renault lived a more or less normal life. He married one of the local women and had children, all the while cementing his rule over his new Barony. He defended it several times from attack by House de Ratre and House Urceaux before relinquishing his lands over to his son, Jacques Trimbodeaux.
Yudao (island)

Yudao is an archipelago to the west of mainland Tairghol. It is dominated by Dai Yudao, and occupied by a nation named for this largest island.

## Etymology

Yudao translates from the Chinese 'Yù dǎo', meaning 'Jade Islands'. This does not refer to any jade deposits on the archipelago; instead it refers to the deep green colouration of the forests on Dai Yudao ,which itself translates to 'Largest of the Jade Islands'.

## Geography

Dai Yudao is temperate, with summers averaging around 30 degrees and winters half that. The north of Dai Yudao is dominated by Zhen Shan, a mountain rising some 1400 metres, and to the south the hills fall away to green farmland and golden beaches.

South of Dai Yudao are several smaller islands, most with high peaks themselves. Further south is the island of Yuyuo, which is wide and flat, one-third the size of Dai Yudao.

## History

Yudao was discovered by the Chinese junks Jinchang and Minjie, which later settled the islands.

The next time Yudao was of any significance was in the 1st Century CE, when the archipelago was absorbed into the Liancheng. Later, it was absorbed into the Sei Dynasty, the precursor to Tianguo.

Yudao won its independence during the reign of Governor Tan Tai, who fled the Tianguese palace after an altercation regarding the Emperor's favourite courtesan. Since then, the archipelago has been under the nominal protection of Dalfore.
Riabel

Riabel is a Dalforean town near the coast of the Trade Lake, though separated by a range of low hills. It lies on the main road from Jalobras to Ashfeas, and also holds the end of the Wealton Road, an unbroken road leading from the Talorian city Wealton through several towns and forming a major trade route from Talor and Kafetra to the Trade Lake.

Riabel was founded by settlers from the south during the 6th Century, as part of the Dalforean government's plan to settle the relatively uninhabited area north of the country. With the settlers came the Aladornic house, the Torjorius family. They were a family of traders, and used the riches they had gained during the Tianguese River War to build the town from scratch. Since then Riabel has prospered, with the Torjorius sons each founding their own trading companies and establishing the town as the origin of several strong merchant companies.
Santerine Hills

The Santerine Hills are a range of low hills lying on the edge of Suren's Desert and the Cordic Plains. They are a rich source of basalt, granite, and other strong igneous rocks used to construct fortifications, and were heavily mined while part of the Reman Republic. Currently they are part of southern Antrusca, lying west of the capital city of Leucia.
Seaxwulf's Expeditions

Seaxwulf's Expeditions are the three naval excursions led by the Talorian Cyng Seaxwulf of the Waves. The first, in late 434, went to trade with Varhold; the second in mid-435 struck south to build up relations with Faramond and Lacrive, while Seaxwulf's final expedition left port in 437 and headed for the Spurnian River.

## First Expedition

Seaxwulf's first expedition was a trading mission; Talor was already friendly with Varhold and the previous Cyng Eomer Bonespear had promised Varhold's warlord Darsh a several tons of Talorian ale as a gesture of goodwill. Seaxwulf managed to convince his advisers to allow him to head the trading mission to establish personal diplomatic relations with Darsh. The expedition entailed half a dozen ships, leaving from Fiscwicke in November 434, and sailing to the Varholdian port city of Lingstrup. The expedition reached its destination after a week of sailing and stayed for a month and a half, enjoying the hospitality of Lord Darsh. In January 435, the expedition left Varhold and sailed back to Fiscwicke with holds full of furs.

## Second Expedition

Talor had no previous relation with the nations of the Trade Lake's southern shore. As such, and exulting in the freedom he'd had on the first expedition, Seaxwulf put together a fleet to establish relations with Faramond and Lacrive, the two most powerful countries on the south shore. This fleet was larger (twenty ships to the first expedition's six), but composed entirely of merchantmen rather than warships.

The expedition set off in July 435, heading anticlockwise along the coast. They stopped at the Bight of Taerth after a week, resupplying and paying their respects to Dalfore. From here, they kept going and sailed several leagues down the Merkata River to map it out. They turned around at the bridge of Sarguemont and continued along, establishing contact with Lacrive at Aritoux. Seaxwulf expressed a desire to travel up the Laria River to the capital of Bouchier, but the river was too shallow so Seaxwulf appointed one of his subordinates, Heorhas Viriding, to take the crews of two ships and travel by foot up the river while Seaxwulf and the rest of the expedition continued to Faramond.

The expedition stopped at Ducsport and was given directions to the capital city of Faramond Keep, which they reached in October 435. Here they stayed for two months, leaving in late December and, after touring the coast of Scania, cut across the Trade Lake to arrive back at Fiscwicke in February 436.

## Third Expedition

During the first expedition, Seaxwulf had heard from Darsh of great riches lying up the Spurnian River and, after planning for most of 436, left Fiscwicke with three ships in April 437 to sail due east. They were reported to have stopped in Fjoll for supplies in May, then in June at Spurtown. Past here there is no certainty, but eyewitness reports from Edgeview tell that the three ships were lost in a section of rapids after trying to overtake a slower convoy of Varholdian merchant ships.
Maan (culture)

The Maan are a culture found on the northern coast of the Trade Lake - while they originally populated much of the region of Sjøbredd they are now confined to the coastline between Jyltheim and Haselgard.

Maan culture is self-deprecating - for a culture that has spent most of its development under the heel of other peoples, the Maan have developed a collective dark sense of humour and tend to value cunning and trickery over more conventional values.

Because of this, the Maan are respected in the countries they inhabit, even if out of necessity. The giant kingdom of Varhold, when it came into possession of the Maan lands in the early 400's, tried to enforce Varlish culture on the area, only to be faced with petty resistance. They found that the Maan found ways to resist for which they generally could not be punished - when asked to provide levies they played on Varholdian religion by sending sheep with helmets and daggers, and when asked to pay their taxes many melted the coins together and glued the mess to the chests they were paid in.

The Maan are responsible for several popular folk songs which are currently played excessively in the lands of the Sacred Coalition. One in particular, the Sjøbredd Polkka, is an elaborately-disguised jab directed at the warlord Jakub of Varhold - it effectively states 'You may have taken the Sjøbredd lands from us, but at least we have both bollocks', playing on the rumours that Jakub was infertile while playing down the effects of the Lingstrup Massacre.

The Maan are not farmers. Traditionally they are a hunter-gatherer culture, and generally subsist on deer and moose, supplemented by fruits and berries, though this diet changes slightly by region.
Old Chaonia

Old Chaonia was the first, and so far the last, unified Chaonic realm. It existed between the 1st Century BCE and the Great Gap, after which it was fractured and broken.

Old Chaonia was one of the first nation-states to form in the area, and quickly expanded to dominate most of the eastern Vasterlands before other states formed to oppose it.

when this happened, Old Chaonia was hemmed in by Narvonna and Ancturum to the west and by the savage tribes of the Nagar to the east.
Riyou Endou

Riyou Endou (729 - Present) is the current Dai-Haksha of Riyou and the head of the royal house of the same name. The eldest son of his predecessor Riyou Oushaku, Endou has two siblings - both of whom have, due to Kaiganese tradition, been told to 'take the Path of Flowers'. In other words, they have been sent to wander the wilderness until either Endou dies or they find a new master.
Sugria

Sugria is a village in Dalfore. It is part of the administrative region of Krasnar and is home to House Davalor.

The village lies on the south bank of the Hurva River, part of the highway that runs along the bank from Ealsor in the west to Granwald in the east.

Sugria was founded in the 1st Century by the cultural group that later created the Sernurian civilisation. When the nation of Sernuria fell into decline so did Sugria, and the settlement followed Sernurian fortunes in being settled by the Tungrids shortly afterwards. It became part of Krasnar when Adagan Khan died and part of Dalfore later when Krasnar was annexed in the early 7th Century.
Prai Stresh

Prai Stresh is one of three Cudumbian countries lying in the Northern Wing of the Sacred Coalition. Bordering Pharom, Tra Stor, Radruus, Vas and Esheburg, Prai Stresh is the most conservative of the Cudumbian states and, unusually for countries of the Coalitions, maintains a standing army.

Over the past hundred years Prai Stresh has conquered several neighbours and alienated most of the rest. In particular, Esheburg actively campaigns against the Streshi people in its capacity as Arsus.
List of monarchs of Tianguo

The monarchs of Tianguo are its Emperors. They are selected by hereditary cognatic primogeniture - only males are eligible to take the throne.

Originally the monarch of Tignauo was named Lord, though this changed following the Great Gap - Tianguo was the hegemon of the region and its monarch could afford to call himself Emperor.
Ormol

Ormol was an ex-Tungrid khanate centred around the settlement of Ormol Camp. It was integrated into Dalfore in 612 as part of the consolidation of Dalforean power in the area.

## History

Ormol was founded by the Tungrid commander and politician Ormahas following the death of his father Adagan Khan in 528. It was attacked early on in 531 by the splinter states led by Ormahas' half-brothers Eldegai and Kutlugh. Ormahas thoroughly crushed the combined forces of these foes at the Battle of Ormol, absorbing the lands these brothers had claimed and thus expanding his realm south as far as Croscamp.

The Battle of Ormol, while a victory, was very taxing for the new and poorly-organised country, and Ormol had still not fully recovered by the time the Tungrid Wars broke out in 534. The neighbouring state of Torgol, ruled by Ormahas' full brother Torgalijin, was the first to be conquered. When the attacking Duchy of Harä withdrew from these lands, Ormahas took advantage and moved in, expanding his realm east to Tawurm. He repeated this action in 539 when Harä attacked Ghunrol - this time occupying the town of Niogar and the surrounding lands.

In 541 Ormahas died and was succeeded by his second-in-command Hutlegh Ergzin. Hutlegh was nowhere near as charismatic as his predecessor, but did have a sensible head on his shoulders. He requested protection from the ambivalent Republic of Dalfore to the south. This made Ormol a vassal state of the great trading republic, and however much Harä and Kafetra complained, Dalfore refused to allow them to attack Ormol.

Ormol remained a vassal state of Dalfore until it was peacefully integrated into the greater Dalforean state in 612.
Ueda

Ueda is a Kaiganese fiefdom ruled by the Ueda dynasty - in the Kaiganese style the country has the name of the ruling dynasty.

Ueda borders Zaranikyie to the north, and its Kaiganese brethren Sukazu and Kitabatake to the east and south respectively.

Ueda is fairly peaceful as far as the Kaiganese states go, simply because it is one of few Kaiganese countries not to border the Plainspeople or Snowfolk. Uedans are routinely bullied into joining the border forces in Sukazu, but only because the two dynasties are tied by marriage. Requests for assistance from Kitabatake and Hojo are politely ignored, and Gashikan requests are outright refused.
Pysgothe Caer

Pysgothe Caer is a city of the Dhum Teic, lying in the southern region of Silvandria. It is connected to Penfrith, Rheicorfus and Cledyfum by road. It is responsible for the defence of the south-easternmost corner of the Dhum Teic, and is the destination for most Tauromean and Marthenian Dianfirre.

## Etymology

Pysgothe Caer is Moranian for Fish Castle. It is unknown why it has this name - the city is hundreds of leagues from the ocean, and the rivers nearby are shallow, wide and not known for their fishing. It is possible the name is a bastardisation and its translation in Moranian is a coincidence, but this theory is unproven as no scholar has yet offered an alternative translation.
Vinciguerra

House Vinciguerra is a Kafetran noble family holding the title of Cante di Fiorese.

The Vinciguerras married into the Talorian House Leodwalding during the 7th Century when the head of the house, Dionigi III Vinciguerra, was married to Mathilda, the cousin of the Leodwalding family head Odalric.

The arms of House Vinciguerra are 'Vert, three roundels Or'.
Roumidia

Roumidia is a medium-sized Halarbic country on the edge of Suren's Desert. It is bounded by Falsil, Scanbrough, Oshijan, Kajasthan and Tadmor.

Roumidia is the only country to maintain relations with Oshijan, leading to Roumidia effectively controlling the Oshi export of diamonds. Thus Roumidia has grown rich in the diamond trade, though the country sees little of this wealth due to the heavily-corrupt upper class.
Spurnian Subjugation

### Outcome

Omeland and Flenburgh gain independenceItubia and surrounds granted to the Vardanids

The Spurnian Subjugation was a war during the 4th Century. Shortly before the Great Gap, the Vardanids invaded the Spur. The majority of the war is lost to history, but it is apparent the Spur lost the war due to the concessions it had granted by the Great Gap's end.
Ulfsjoll

Ulfsjoll is a Varlish trading town on the northern bank of the Spurnian River. Like most towns on the north bank, it was rebuilt several kilometres back from the river proper during the Great Gap for reasons unknown. The town lies between Borgardalr and Hvammr, and is linked to the Spurnian town of Lasthall by bridge.

## Etymology

Ulfsjoll is derived from the Varlish given name Ulf, and the Proto-Talorian word 'Jolle', meaning 'hold'. It translates literally to 'Ulf's Hold'.

## History

Ulfsjoll was founded as a trading post when the Flennsmen passed through the area in the 5th Century BCE. It had a quiet history until the end of the Migration Age several hundred years later, when it emerged as the capital city of a small nation - Botaland. The first King of Botaland was Ulf dur Botar, who renamed the settlement to reflect his rulership.

The town slowly grew, but remained no more than a large town.Despite Ulfsjoll being fortified heavily by its rulers, Botaland fell to the Kingdom of Turheim in the 1st Century, and again soon after to the Kingdom of Espria. After this, it came under the dominion of the Confederation of the Spur, and acted as its northwestern bastion until after the Great Gap.

After the Gap Ulfsjoll had been relocated to a hill several kilometres north. Despite this, its defences had been renovated and the town maintained its former duties until the fall of Varhold in the early 6th Century. It was then quickly attacked and overrun by Snidur Veltafssen, the ambitious Bjarn of Reykjaholt. It changed hands several more times in quick succession before finally coming under the control of the Kings of Varland, under whose hegemony it remains to this day.
Running Men

The Running Men were a species of the People living on the Isfelian Plains. Before humanity arrived, these centauroid tribesfolk lived relatively peacefully - the pillaging and burning of other Running Men villages was plentiful, but this was the norm.

## History

Humans arrived first on three ships. Kham Tibetans on the Kuwan Wa settled in what is now the town of Baenurra Camp; the Yi Chinese on the Taizun settled around eighty kilometres down the coast; and the Han Chinese on the Guangbing settled somewhere between the two - the site is now unclear.

The Tibetan and Chinese settlers had vastly different attitudes towards the native Running Men. While the Kham began to trade with them and became friendly, the Yi and Han sought to eradicate them. The Running Men took this beating for around four years before snapping and erasing them from the map so thoroughly that their settlements have never been found. The only testament to their existence is the town records of Baenurra Camp, which state that the Kham 'urged the Yi and Han to cease their slaughter'.

Well, time passed. Baenurra Camp eked out a hard existence for the next six hundred years - the Running Men severed all ties at the same time they wiped out the Yi and Han. The Running Men thrived in much the same way they had before. Enter a new player - Dalfore.

The Dalforeans were a mixed bunch - Europeans and Asians who had been beaten to every other settleable spot on the continent. So when they founded their city, they looked to expand. They came from the south, settling the Isfelian Plains calmly but relentlessly. While they didn't outright ostracise the Running Men, they didn't care for them either. When Dalfore came into contact with Baenurra Camp and learned of what had happened to the Yi and Han so long ago, they found their excuse.

Dalfore cited the eradication of the Yi and Han as a reason to make war on the Running Men. Just settlement wasn't enough - they knew the Running Men lived in villages and worked the land, so if this land was annexed by Dalfore then the settlers didn't need to build their towns because they were already there, the current occupants just needed to be evicted.

Over the next five hundred years, Dalfore pushed the Running Men back. They forced them out of the central and northern plains and across the Hurva River, then up the foothills and into the mountainous Huon Range. Here the centauroid Running Men found it very difficult to survive, so they tried to cross the mountains and settle the plains on the other side. Well, here they found another human culture, the Huons, who were just as friendly as Dalfore had been.

It's not certain what happened to the Running Men in the end. Shortly before the Great Gap there are records of them trying to break out of the Huon Range on both the north and south sides, but after the Gap there is nothing. They just disappeared.