recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Ling Hill

Ling Hill is a Huon settlement directly south of Yeoneung in Nanjigu Region. The eastern road leads to Jinhu, and the western goes over the Tseung River to Jesong.

Ling is a place of Huon spirituality, bearing a strong link to the Huon hero Chang Il-Hung. A statue of this pioneer stands in the town square, atop the hill for which the settlement was named.
Herewulf

House Herewulf is one of the twelve royal houses of Talor. Hailing from the forested town of Cynrheorst, the family resides in Herewulf Hold.

House Herewulf has provided two Cyngs: Cyneheah Boarslayer reigned from 437 - 472, and Wictred the Bowman from 592 - 614.

The arms of house Herewulf are in uncommon colours: 'Beige, a boar courant Sarcelle', often simplified to 'Or, a boar courant Azure'.

## Notable Members of House Herewulf

Cyneheah Boarslayer - Sixth Cyng of Talor. Cyneheah is said to have slain the Cwylboar, a gigantic boar roaming the forests of the Cwylming. This story conflicts with that of Eomer Bonespear, though this fact is often ignored.

Wictred the Bowman - Fourteenth Cyng of Talor. Wictred was a notable archer, allegedly winning his place on the throne by defeating Ekkehard the Thunderbolt in a challenge of ranged prowess when the votes for Cyng inexplicably came to a tie.
Jeremy Penthaile

Advisor to the Count of Welldale

Kingdom of Dunfleasel

Sir Jeremy Penthaile (681 - 763) was a Dunn knight and advisor to the Counts of Welldale. He was also the founding head of the noble House Penthaile.

## Early Life

Jeremy was born to a craftsman and his wife in the hamlet of Penthaile in southern Dunfleasel, and raised to be a carpenter like his father. At the age of eighteen, though, his town was attacked by raiders from Mamelkert and put to the torch. Losing his family and many friends, Jeremy travelled to the town of Beyham where he joined the local town militia. He rose through the ranks quickly, and by the age of thirty became the commander of Beyham's militia and levies in times of war.

## Service to Beyham and Welldale

As was customary at the time, the Count of Beyham - Count Eric Ovardale - knighted Jeremy. He took the surname Penthaile, to remind him of his origins, and took the arms 'Vert, a castle afire'. Jeremy's newfound fame became his local downfall. He began to have illicit relations with the Count's daughter, and was discovered and laid off in 714 at the age of thirty-three.

Exiled from Beyham, Sir Jeremy took up the post of military advisor to the Count of Welldale - one of Count Eric's fiercest rivals. He retained this post for the rest of his life. In 721 he led a cattle raid into the hamlets north of Beyham, and again in 724. Eric Ovardale died in 726, and with him went Welldale's animosity towards Beyham. The 624 raid was the last time Sir Jeremy was pitted against other Dunns.

## Later Life

Sir Jeremy was married to a local carpenter's daughter in 725, and quickly had several children. The Count of Welldale died in 731, and his successor died in 752. The third Count of Welldale Sir Jeremy served, inaugurated in 752, was Count John Havocke. John relied heavily on Jeremy's advice for his ambitious planning, and it was on this advice that the Count annexed the lands of Houses Granthood and Debauvais in 755 and 759 respectively.

## Death

Sir Jeremy advised Count John on his scheme to take the Lacrivian fortress of Mont-Sarmans in 762. However, this venture is not called Havocke's Folly for no reason. On the first day of the march, Sir Jeremy fell from his horse and broke his ankle. Due to his old age - he was nearly eighty-two at the time - complications arose from this injury. Sir Jeremy returned to Welldale directly after the injury and died, surrounded by friends and family, on the 3rd of January 763. He was succeeded as head of House Penthaile by his second son, John Penthaile.
Bousquet

House Bousquet was a noble family in early Lacrive, holding the titles of Duc de Clernois et Liniçon. Supporters of the deposed Serre dynasty, the house was ordered to join the Fallen Company, where it met its extinction.

The last head of the house Valentin Bousquet, was the first leader of the Fallen Company.

The arms of House Bousquet are 'Per Bend Azure and Gules, a merlion countercharged'. The arms are usually stylised to make the red closer to orange and blue closer to purple, because their arms were granted by their hegemon House Jebrais specifically in the horribly-clashing colours red and blue as an insult.
Herias of Vas

Herias of Vas (670 - 721) was the first monarch of the independent Kingdom of Vas and the head of the House of Vas. He followed on from his adoptive father, Freidrich von Eindfelt, who was the monarch of the semi-independent Vasian state inside the Reman Republic, and later the King of Cydarmus.

Herias was raised during the turmoil following the Vardano-Reman Religious Wars, and as such understood the need for peace and prosperity in the land. He worked closely with King Freidrich to stabilise their holdings and, after his father's passing, declared the new Kingdom of Vas.

Vas was a small, weak kingdom, and Herias was forced to pander to his larger neighbours for survival. However, no matter how low he was forced to go, Herias was loath to surrender the freedom of his lands. Upon Herias' death in 721, his own son Gerontian inherited a kingdom small, but dense and strong.
East Asian Squadron, Vasterlands Fleet

The East Asian Squadron of the Vasterlands Fleet was a squadron of 83 ships of the Vasterlands Fleet. It was roughly split into three groups:

* Chinese Group, Vasterlands Fleet, led by Yue Fei
* Japanese Group, Vasterlands Fleet, led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
* Korean Group, Vasterlands Fleet, led by Yi Sunsin

The East Asian Squadron was the furthest-travelled group of ships in the Halcyonian Flotilla, covering some 15,000 km after reaching the continent of Tairghol - this is equivalent to a circumnavigation of Africa.

The Vasterlands Fleet was never a united organisation, and the East Asian Squadron only travelled with the Babylonian Squadron out of necessity. Fortunately, the majority of the Babylonian ships dropped out early on, with only the Serbian Group remaining past the Geung Peninsula.

The Korean Group settled on the Geung Peninsula, while the Chinese Group spread throughout the Isfelian Plains and Blue River valley. The Japanese Group kept on until the weather began to turn cold, finally settling along the coast of the Persidian Sea. The few Siberian and Ainu ships of the Japanese Group sailed even further, settling the icy shores of the Ovody.
Ligue de l'Epe Gaine

The Ligue de l'Epe Gaine, translating to the League of the Sheathed Sword, is a coalition of several Lacrivian noble houses opposed to the War of the South Lake and, by extension, the expansionist policies of Lacrive in general.

The Ligue stands ready to abandon King Richaud VI if the impending battle at Rolimar goes badly for him - it would be an opportunity for them to strike out on their own and prove to the Dalforean League their innocence, especially as the capital city of Bouchier lies within easy striking distance of several Ligue seats.

The main members of the Ligue de l'Epe Gaine are as follows:

* House Sertois of Bellegarde
* House de Villepin of Périconne
* House Brian of Houimiers
* House d'Etrange of Dimasse
* House Broglie of Clanoît
* House Courvoisier of Genneville
* House du Ponce of Aubermasse
* House Boudon of Maine
* House Leveteque of Mauzon
Fladh

Fladh is a small Talorian farming town on the edge of the Cwylming (region). Founded sometime during the 1st Century, it has traditionally been a withdrawn and isolated settlement. It lies on the road between Eordwald and the main Talorian Coast Road.

Fladh is home to a family of the minor nobility: the House aef Cymburgh.
Dinas Goleddol

Dinas Goleddol, often known simply as Dinas, is a city of the Dhum Teic, lying on the eastern border between Bryncaer and Teyrnas.

## Geography

Dinas Goleddol presently lies on a small rise surrounded by plains. Only two leagues to the east is the forbidding border with the Eastforest. This has not always been the case, though. The beginning of the Eastforest was more than twenty leagues east when the town was founded, having moved forward during the Great Gap.

## History

Dinas was founded during the first colonisation of the area in the 5th Century BCE, by the Irish cog Laois. The original settlers, led by Diarmuid ua Duibhne, saw the need for fortification, and built high drystone walls and towers - this now makes up the lower levels of the northern keep, called Diarmuid's Hold.

The Hyrellians, farmers and herdsmen at heart, lived peaceably in several smaller settlements around the castle for hundreds of years. Whenever they were threatened they would take refuge in the keep and wait for the danger to pass.

Eventually, the status quo was changed. The growing influence of the Reman Republic in the area from the 2nd Century BCE led to the creation of several proto-states nearby, and the first determined warlord, Gwynlais of Fyddin, managed to conquer Dinas. The city passed into the hands of the more formal state of Ceneldis several decades later, a nation which grew in power enough to survive into the early 2nd Century CE.

When Ceneldis collapsed in 128CE, Dinas Goleddol passed into the ownership of the Lords of Bryncaer. These militaristic dukes put effort into repairing and maintaining Diarmuid's Hold before expanding the fortifications to make Dinas Goleddol a formidable fortress. It became Bryncaer's southern redoubt, defending the capital along with Inarbel in the north, Corsteir in the west and the lost castle of Caer Llebryc in the east.

Dinas Goleddol remained in the possession of Bryncaer until the Great Gap - afterwards it is evident Bryncaer cast its lot in with several other states. Cairia, Weldeland and Pirreny were all merged with Bryncaer to form the organisation of the Dhum Teic, the Forest Corridor.

Since the Gap, Dinas Goleddol has served as one of the greatest Dhum fortresses. With help from its neighbouring strongholds, Dinas has repelled several Eastforester attacks. It was the rallying ground for the armies of the Dhum Teic and Caer Moranh during the Pirrenian War, and the decisive Battle of Glaswell was fought only ten leagues south of the city.
Flenburgh

Flenburgh is a country near the Trade Lake, bounded by Oethen, Kajasthan, Omeland, the Spur and Varland. It lies on the south shore of the Spurnian river.

Flenburgh is divisible into the north and south. The north, the region of Riverdell, was previously a part of the Spur before seceding following the disaster at Vorgebirge. As such, the region comprising the city of Llyne and towns of Glarny, Pendell, Lullin, and Myrefall has better infrastructure than the rest of the country.

The south contains the city of Lhanbyrde and the towns of Penketh, Blencogo, Whaldrake, and Armore.
Ardolphe de Gaudin

Ardolphe de Gaudin (706 - Present) is a Lacrivian nobleman, the head of House de Gaudin and the incumbent Cont de Roumur, a hereditary title indicating lordship over the mountain town of Roumur.

He is described as a tall, severe-looking man in his late fifties. He sports a short greying ponytail in the old Lacrivian style, along with a thin moustache. de Gaudin is a master of strategy in terms of Lacrivian warfare, adhering to a strict code of honour when in combat. This puts him at a severe disadvantage when commanding troops during the War of the South Lake, in which the Dalforean League forces, Vadyans in particular, prefer to use underhanded tactics to win.

Ardolphe is a good friend of his liegelord, Jerome Richeleu.
Halcyonian Flotilla

The Halcyonian Flotilla was the vehicle for the first human colonisation of Tairghol. It consisted of around five hundred ships, mostly seafaring carracks, galleons and junks. The Flotilla carried around sixty thousand people to Tairghol from their origin in Halcyonia.

The Halcyonian Flotilla split into three fleets once it reached the mouth of the Flentia River:

* The Eastern Fleet headed east along the coast. It was made up of Celts and Mongols, who settled near the Eastforest, and Slavs, who settled south of the Bay of Teuthria.
* The Flentia Fleet sailed up the broad Flentia River. It was made up of Europeans and Middle-Easterners who settled the Flentia River Basin, Suren's Desert and the Trade Lake.
* The Vasterlands Fleet travelled west along the coast of the Vasterlands. While the Babylonian portion of the fleet settled here, the East Asian and Slavic ships of the fleet sailed much further, settling on the coast of the Persidian Sea.
Caer Moranh

Caer Moranh is a city-state centred around the clifftop fortress of Caer Moranh. It is located on the northern coast of Tairghol, far to the east between the Fen Boroughs and the Eastforest. It is connected to other human kingdoms by the fort network of the Forest Corridor.

## Geography

The capital city of Caer Moranh lies in the west of the country, with the city-state sprawling eastward to the border of the Eastforest and covering the area of a medium-sized kingdom. It controls the Aberffraw Peninsula and therefore all trade between the human world and the rich Jurnevian Islands; tariffs on this trade route are what keep the city-state in arms and men, who treat Caer Moranh as a pseudo-Crusader state, a place of zeal, fervour and defiance against the People.

### Regions

Caer Moranh is split into three river valleys: the Nante River valley, containing the capital city amd the towns of Lleman and Croesidden; the Rhaniod River valley, which encompasses the settlements of Tardiadde, Arlanafon, Pysgothe, Treffcanol and Ynysig; and the Cyfli River valley, which comprises Deirydd, Hirfondde, Cadarndin, Fyddin and Caer Cardell.

There are also settlements which do not fit into these river valleys - Inarbel and Gorsddin are too far inland to be counted, and the towns on the Aberffraw peninsula - Grythboyse, Afordis and Gorynis - are on the smaller By River. The settlement of Ynis Dawel is on the eponymous island.
Kitabatake

Kitabatake is a medium-sized Kaiganese country lying on the coast of the Persidian Sea. Bordering Ueda, Sukazu and Hojo, it is well-supported to deal with the Plainspeople to the east.

It is well that Kitabatake is supported by its immediate neighbours, for it has made political enemies of countries further afield - Igashikuze and Kamkara are currently out for Kitabatake-Nin blood for various reasons in the separate Hojo Proxy War and South Persidian War respectively.
Dauphin le Villiers

Dauphin le Villiers (715 - Present) is a Lacrivian nobleman, the head of House Le Villiers and the incumbent Cont de Rolimar.

Cont Dauphin is the only son of Cont Joachim le Villiers and his wife Marie. As such he is the cousin of the current King of Lacrive, Richaud VI, and the nephew of King Garille Ardouin. He received many gifts from the latter, including several large sums of money to repair the failing fortress of Rolimar and turn it into the formidable stronghold it is today.

Dauphin has two sons and three daughters - his eldest son Jean is currently leading a troop of chevaliens in the army, while his other son Jerome is an accomplished businessman in the capital city Bouchier. His eldest daughter Gretchen is a widow who was married to the elderly Baronne de Gours, who surrendered his lands to the le Villiers estate upon his death in 761; Dauphin's other two daughters Joanne and Catherine are too young to marry but are expected to follow the same fate.
Atheling

House Atheling is one of the twelve royal houses of Talor, and has its seat in the capital city of Eorlsburh.

The Atheling arms are 'Argent, a rose in chief and a lozenge in base, all Azure'.

## Notable Members of House Atheling

* Cyng Dagheard the Welcoming (516 - 556) - 12th Cyng of Talor, gave the Fallen Company permission to settle after their expulsion from Dalfore.
* Cyng Ekkehard the Thunderbolt (525 - 610) - 13th Cyng of Talor
Lafambroise

House Lafambroise was a noble family in Lesser Alletoisia, the Conts de Bourac from the Great Gap until its ousting by House dò Dalaix in 668. The house is now extinct.

The arms of House Lafambroise were 'Party per fess Argent and Vert, three tomes Argent'.

House Lafambroise was a supporter of House Sertois, and never formally recognised the legitimacy of Ardouin rule.
Flennish (language)

The Flennish language is related to Talorian, resembling a mix between it and Low Lakespeak. It is found primarily in the countries around the mouth of the Spurnian River, most notably Oethen and Senheim.

One of the unique quirks of Flennish is the 'oo' sound. Present in the names of most of the major towns of the Zaltersee region, it is a product of the mixture of Flennish and Lakespeak in the region. Though it appears to be pronounced as a long 'oo' sound, in fact it is a long 'a' sound, like one would find in 'armour' or 'large'.
Efulia

Efulia is a large country in the Vasterlands, bounded by Yerlen, Trisk, Røgolm, Avzold, Savanor and Olke.

The Efulian coast, lying on the Great Northern Bight, is mostly inhabited by the Armedean minority, who are primarily fishermen and have strong ties to their ethnic kin in Avzold. They are unconsciously repressed by the nationalistic Efulian government and there is an underground movement for the area to be ceded to Avzold in its entirety. This area is also more densely inhabited than the rest of Efulia as Armedeans expelled from Olke, Savanor and other east Vasterland countries settle here.

Efulia is home to several deserted settlements, ranging from hamlets to large cities. These places, such as Dangosturom and Ancturum, have been deserted since the Great Gap. Most people refuse to go near, believing them to be the homes of ghosts and monsters. One sect even claims that Dangosturom is inhabited by the Mountainfolk. Those who are brave or foolish enough to enter these settlements, and lucky enough to come out alive, say that the cities bear the scars of savage warfare, with building collapsed and human skeletons lying together with those of creatures unknown.

The current King of Efulia is King Tarmonus Es Dengura.

 History

## Geography

### **Administrative Regions**

Cenreal Efulia is governed from the capital city of Laporus and contains the towns of Furivum, Tamnum, Vizinus and Durdovica. The ruins of Val Trum,, Dangosturom and Belevicus also lie in the vicinity, though they are avoided by all but the most intrepid.

In the south, Delminias governs the settlements of Narvon, Eapidus, Mursas, Starium, Istris, Sopania and Dochlea, as wll as the ruin of Enstrum.

The north of Efulia, bordering the Great Northern Bight, is dominated by the Armedean minority. The city of Farshavinum governs this area, though it is rather rebellious; as are the surrounding towns of Khablar, Harmozka, Lutna, Sarpanis, Tivranis, Kertin, Vandashat and Maoura. The only loyal towns in the region are Sancria and Lucuvum.

## Politics

### **Government**

The Kings of Efulia are selected via hereditary primogeniture: the oldest son of the previous King is chosen as King. Typically they face opposition by a faction of marcher lords in the southeast of the country; centred around Mursas, Durdovica and Starium, these noblemen band together to prevent any potential loss of freedoms that results from royal decisions. These nobles put considerable pressure on the monarch, especially after a succession, often outright threatening to defect to other countries if their wishes are not respected.
Governor of Terpont

The Governor of Terpont is a long-extinct office in the town of Trjeponti in the Duchy of Sarvalneiv. Governors were democratically elected and exerted control over the town and its riverside surroundings for periods of seven years.

The office became extinct following Reman expansion into the area in the 2nd Century BCE. It was replaced by the Praeses of the Serinaeum, who resided in the nearby town of Serina.

In 635BCE, the Governor Szelny Dumbyria gained local fame for executing the poet Flarinius, following a quip by the latter regarding Dumbyria's clubfooted son.
Arberg

Arberg is a small Satyan town near the coast of the Trade Lake. It lies on the intersection of roads from Skagafirð, Askervik and Kaapunkii.

As one may expect from a majority Maan culture, Arberg does not farm the land around it; instead its citizens are hunter-gatherers. They hunt the deer and moose that gather to the north during winter, and in summer trappers excel at culling the rabbit population. As far as fruit and vegetables go, the town has several orchards and groves nearer the coast.
Imona

Imona was a village in eastern Dalfore, several leagues from the Trade Lake. It was razed to the ground by marauding Varholdians in the early 6th Century, though soon afterwards the ruins were resettled by the Fallen Company as their headquarters Avisir Post.

Imona had two Aladornic Houses, Salanguel and Untridge, both of which were wiped out during the sack of the town.
Arsus

An Arsus is a ruler of one of the more influential countries in the Flentia River basin, sitting at around the same level as a Duke. The only real difference is that, along with their ducal duties, an Arsus is also involved in the election of the Great Rex of the Sacred Coalition. Five minor countries in this coalition hold the office of Arsus; the office is mainly hereditary, with an additional election taking place to decide a new Arsus if one's line dies out.

Only a Duke is allowed to hold the title of Arsus - Kings cannot be elected as they hold too much influence within the Coalition, and and Arsus attempting to rein in such power will be stopped abruptly by the other four, if not out of loyalty to the Coalition then to maintain the balance of power and strengthen their own chances.

There is no plural for 'Arsus', meaning that any sentences containing the term must refer to it in the singular, or be edited to address it thus. Currently the countries holding the title of Arsus are Fal Buscua, Ulthuena, Esheburg, Anstura and Trelinth.
Asvangria

The Ryke of Asvangria was a short-lived country centred around the town of Asvanger during the early 6th Century.

## History

Asvangria was one of the countries that rose from the ashes of Varhold - the Bjarn of Asvanger, Svean Hrolfsson, was a responsible leader and took control of the area around the town when Varhold disintegrated.

Asvanger and its surrounds took over a decade to recover from the carnage of Vorgebirge, a process hampered by constant raids by deserters from Kurt's army.

The political situation became more dangerous as the area recovered, and Svean was forced to adapt or die. He declared himself the Kung of Asvangria, and moved his huscarls into the surrounding settlements. Over the next nineteen years, the borders or Asvangria fluctuated but remained fairly consistent in its domination of Asvanger, Milkagil, Kolgrafir and Þinsandur.

Asvangria fell in 532 when it was conquered by the Kingdom of Folleland. Kung Svean was forced to live out his days as a courtier in the palace at Fjoll.

## Flag

The flag of Asvangria was the arms of Kung Svean, as well as the traditional arms of Asvanger. These are 'Quarterly, 1st and 4th Gules, two Wyverns erect Vert winged and taloned Or, 2nd and 3rd Or, two Unicorns passant Argent horned Or'.
Lastrian (language)

Lastrian is a language spoken near the south-eastern end of the Mountainfolk realm, in countries such as Lastornia, Hanharth and Herriald.

Lastrian is completely unrelated to the languages at its borders, instead having much in common with the languages of northern Reme. It falls under the Cordic language group.
Jurnevian Islands

The Jurnevian Islands are an archipelago off the coast of the Eastforest. They are composed of the large island Jurnevia Maior, two smaller islands Sartur and Encela, and a tiny outcrop of rock known as Lesa.

Due to their isolation and low human population, the Jurnevian Islands have never seen the need to militarise or form nations. They exist as a single trading entity, surviving on the income earned by their monopoly on coffee, tea, spices and opium.

In terms of geography, the three smaller islands are flat and fertile - they have been almost entirely deforested and act as giant plantations. Jurnevia Maior, on the other hand, is dominated by several mountains and possesses large tracts of tropical rainforest. This is the primary Jurnevian port island, and acts as its de facto capital.
Behnam

Behnam Khan (485 - 534) was the son of Adagan and first ruler of Barzal.

Behnam is first recorded as leading the Tungrid infantry at the Battle of Vorgebirge at the age of 17, where he is noted as the tall, strong second son of Adagan Khan. He lost his left hand in that battle, valiantly holding back a contingent of Spurnese pikemen after flanking them from the rear. It is implied he suffered trauma during the fight, and avoided battle for the remainder of his life.

Afterwards, Behnam was awarded governance of Baragsel by his father when it was founded by the Tungrid hordes in 511.

Upon Adagan's death in 528, Behnam held several tribal towns together to form the splinter state of Barzal. He was a peaceful Khan, though this did not help him in the long run. Barzal was invaded by Harä in 534 as part of the Tungrid Wars, and Behnam's state was caught completely by surprise. Vengeful Harnese infantrymen, some of whom had been present at Vorgebirge, burned Behnam alive in his yurt along with his entire court.
Fenwich

Fenwich is the administrative center of the Talorian region of Vestr, lying in the east of the flat, grassy region. The town is home to around sixteen thousand people and also serves as the seat of the royal house Hardwalden.

The town itself is dominated by an ancient belltower which, according to legend, is the same one used by Cyng Beohrtsige Bellringer to warn the people of an incoming raiding party. The belltower lies in the centre of a paved square, surrounded by civil buildings. There is a rotting wooden palisade separating the civil sector from the surrounding residential area,
Bala'ad

Bala'ad is a country on the eastern edge of Suren's Desert, surrounded by Sharaf, Oq Parsana, Falminarum, Antrusca and Ahadhma.

## Geography

The capital city of Yabeh lies in the east of the country, just north of Yabanakh Hill. There are no other major towns in the country; as a desert country its settlements are kept small due to their dependence on oases with limited water resources.

North of Yabah lie the towns of Mana, Hutah and Harja; west of here are Bara, Jafir and Yabiq. Further south are the towns of Thutan, Qaiqal, Lifah, Hulah, Kharji and Matra. There was another large town, Taizah, but it was destroyed by Kiban forces during the recent War of the Sacred Coalition and has not yet been resettled.
Dale Hills

The Dale Hills are a chain of high hills on the southern coast of the Trade Lake. The hills begin at the border of the Lericonne Mountains and stretch through Dunfleasel, petering out south of Greenal at the Scanbroughan border.

The Dale Hills form part of the border of the Trade Lake basin, shielding the coast from the harsh, hot weather of Suren's Desert to the south and east.
Feldfurt

Feldfurt is a town in the Grand Duchy of Senheim. It serves as a coastal fortress, the northern bastion of the realm and a major fortress in the growing tension between Senheim and its northern neighbour Oethen. It lies on roads leading to Oostergein, Genville and Zaltmeer.

## History

Feldfurt was founded in around 145CE by Robrecht Tornier, the King of Dornrod, as a fortress to mark the northern border of his realm. It was partially a concession to his men - his soldiers were flagging after the battles at Genville and the surrounding hamlets, and sought peace. The foundation of a castle symbolised the end of King Robrecht's northern expansions.

Feldfurt stood as a fortress of Dornrod until the late 3rd Century, when it was taken by the Kingdom of Yaradale during the War of the Zaltersee. After the war is was still officially Dornish, but Yaradale maintained a garrison until Dornrod predictably collapsed in 297.

Yaradale had no way to ensure its own control over the fortress and the growing town around it, so Feldfurt was ceded to the new Duchy of Zaltersee - this realm was essentially a satellite state of Yaradale anyway. The town stayed under the control of Zaltersee until the Great Gap.

After the Gap, Feldfurt's fortifications were crumbling and it was part of the first Duchy of Vastergein. Here the town was in the centre of the realm and not in any immediate danger - Feldfurt grew fat and its citizens lazy as it established itself as a port town roughly halfway between the Prye River and Spurnian River.

The first Duchy of Vastergein lasted until around 470, when it was conquered by the Marcher Kingdom of Flennlandr, a satellite state of Varhold. Here the fortifications were reworked to suit the town's new status as a southern bastion. Feldfurt had relative peace until the death of the Flenn King Lukas in 635; it was ceded to his third son Torwen as part of the second Duchy of Vastergein. Again it was the centre of the realm.

Vastergein was partitioned between Senheim and Oethen in 652 and Feldfurt gained its current position as the northern extremity of the Grand Duchy of Senheim.

## Geography

Feldfurt has a rich history of conquest and counter-conquest, and the central keep has been stormed no less than three times. As such, the castle at Feldfurt is a mishmash of fortifications in both Flennish and Varlish styles. Drystone walls are common, but so is treated timber.

The settlement proper lies between the port town and the castle - a road connecting the latter two runs through the town and merges into the road to Oostergein. Crossing this is the road from Genville to Zaltmeer.
Korletsvoy

Korletsvoy, known as Korletsia in the lands to the north of the Ursyan Sea, is a Duslavlian kingdom lying between the Hills of Ekaterin and the Pudny Mountains. It borders Igashikuze and Zapadiy to the west, and its ally Ghorny to the east.

Korletsvoy is known, along with Ghorny, Drevlia and Kharkasy, to boast the strongest horsemen in southern Tairghol - in a strange twist of fate these are known as the Winged Hussars, and heavily resemble the historical Polish and Hungarian winged hussars of Earth. This may be no coincidence - while Duslavlians and Varslavlians are Russian in culture, many Polish Rydrovians settled in the area after the Arpian Expansion.
Heidael

House Heidael is the newest of the twelve Talorian royal houses, and the only one foreign in origin. It was founded by a descendant of the now-extinct Lacrivian House Versunthe, and as such bears similar arms.

The arms of House Heidael are 'Vair, a bear rampant Argent above two swords in saltire Or'.
Le Loup

House le Loup is a Lacrivian noble family hailing from the region of Greater Alletoisia. They hold the Barony of Antolon, but also stake a legitimate claim to the Barony of Cour-le-Mar. This is complicated by the fact that House le Loup is directly subject to House le Feuvre, which holds the contested Barony.

The arms of House le Loup are 'Or, three hounds Gules within flaunches Purpure'.
Chaonic (culture)

The Chaonic culture is a patriarchal warrior society found in Eichaon, Iorea and Olke in the eastern Vasterlands. The Chaons value prowess in combat, though this is not paramount; they are equally concerned with victory at all costs; in this regard they are similar to Vadyans.

## Hamster Death Rings

One popular Chaonic pastime is hamster fighting rings. No, seriously. Two hamsters are selected and knives or other small weapons are strapped to their backs, then they are set on each other until one inevitably kills the other. The more intellectual of the Chaons argue that this serves as a reminder that unassuming and peaceful creatures such as hamsters are capable of great destruction, accidental or not. This gives the Chaons a reason for their aggressive attitude towards the relatively peaceful Efulians and Nagar on their borders.
Jong Kam-Pak

Jong Kam-Pak was one of the pioneers allegedly serving under Chang Il-Hung during his fateful expedition to Ling Hill.

Once the pioneers arrived in Ling Hill and created their settlement, the story goes that Jong was told by Chang to stay in the settlement until the settlers arrived and to tell them what had happened to the rest of the expedition. Once the settlers arrived a hundred years later, and his duty was fulfilled, Jong went into the mountains to join his comrades.
Herd Lhantun

Herd Lhantun was a Faramondian nobleman, the Head of Huse Lhantun and Baron of Pantmawr from 600 until his death in 630.

## Personality

Herd was a gruff, logical man. He spared no thought for the arts or sciences, instead working to cement his family's standing on the Packmoor.

This no-nonsense attitude gained Herd many friends in the area - the lords of the Packmoor have always been poor but determined, and this culminated in an insular attitude.

## History

Herd was born in the city of Armel to Merick Lhantun and his wife Seirhe. His father was a landless knight, a vassal of the Duke of Armel.

Herd was brought to the Packmoor as a young boy when Merick was appointed Baron of Pantmawr in 589 following the assassination of the previous Baron.

Merick was rightly scared for his position due to the demise of the last Baron of Pantmawr, but he saw the sense in trying to befriend the other local lords. Herd was parcelled off to Baron Ering of Lancrest to learn the martial and administrative arts.

Here Herd met the to-be Count Seachan of the Packmoor and the two became fast friends. He also met his wife-to-be, Jeanne.

Fortunately for Merick, the other lords took a liking to him, for when he died in 600, they respected fifteen-year-old Herd's right to the Barony. He ruled with Baron Ternen of Murley as his regent until he was seventeen, then alone.

Herd's coronation gift from Baron Ternen was Jeanne's hand in marriage. This was the beginning of a marriage-alliance that still lasts more than a century down the line. Jeanne gave Herd his only son Roderick in 611.

Herd died in 630 at the age of forty-five during a local outbreak of cholera.
Aladorn's Law

Aladorn's Law is a Dalforean decree issued by Minister Tannell Aladorn in the early 4th Century.

## Law

The Law states that every town of more than one thousand inhabitants must be home to at least one noble house - these can be in name only, as long as they are ready and willing to defend the settlement in times of trouble.

## Effect

This led to the rise of a large class of lesser nobility in the republican state, giving Dalfore an interesting political situation. For the most part, houses in the north of the country are conservative and try to stick to the republican values that have kept Dalfore strong in the face of its enemies. Closer to the capital in the south, the nobles tend to be more power-hungry. A difference in ideals lead them to believe that a monarchy would be better suited to face Dalfore's primary opponents Tianguo and Lacrive.

## Aladornic Houses

The houses brought into being by the law are known as Aladornic Houses. Below is a list, by location, of the most important of the Aladornic Houses.

### Abrunn Region

#### **Galusar**

* Gluer
* Interamus
* Lengar

#### **Prensie**

* Carmaros
* Hertander

#### **Jalobras**

* Persanus
* Balharris
* Begwyne

#### **Granwald**

* Leomenor
* Darnelis
* Neriance

### Krasnar Region

#### **Ealsor**

* Valcorne
* Quincine

#### **Angog Post**

* Farman
* Serdhand

### Ormol Region

#### **Ormol Camp**

* Qashqar
* Bedagorn

#### **Croscamp**

* Folduin
* Galeath

### Avisir Region

#### **Helnas**

* Farfaren
* Aeson
* Omatumal

#### **Lylf Thaeth**

* Farcrana
* Trisvalur

#### **Lefthas**

* Neydark
* Swansuen

#### **Avisir Post**

* Prestorius
* Giltorus
* Beougardus
* Parcard

### Isfelion Region

#### **Unetheas**

* Bigwine
* Ealdor

#### **Ulfmell**

* Janzana
* Sarwine

### Capital Region

#### **Delfar**

* Zintorus
* Sarinor
* Miroris
* Ravaron
* Zillus
* Ualaird

#### **Ayerius**

* Cayrus
* Rofaran
* Erlathan

#### **Elyran**

* Cardithas
* Elephon
* Theodluin

#### **Lahona**

* Aireus
* Vaneiros

#### **Filnhil**

* Sarsater
* Ensidor

#### **Sanuil**

* Aebanis
* Heirona

#### **Kesnor**

* Darfin
* Jarnos
Calcherth Riders

The Calcherth Riders are a military organisation in Scanbrough. Recruited from the knytes of the region, they stand around one thousand strong and protect the west bank of the Prye River, the border with Roumidia.

The Riders were first documented as an all-cavalry division of the Scanbroughan army during the Scanbroughan Secession, when the state was still too disorganised to have set ground rules for its military. Led by the son of the Caped Man of Calcherth, they wrought havoc on Faramondian supply lines and isolated units. During the Battle of Shepsted Hill, the Riders charged a formation of Faramondian spearmen to give the infantry time to engage; this resulted in appalling losses and the death of the commanding officer, Furough Standler.

Following Scanbrough's independence, Throned Man Aldric gave the Calcherth Riders the honour of being the only standing army in the country, and gave them the task of defending the Prye riverbank against frequent raids conducted by the Halarbic minorities on the eastern bank. Initially they worked together with Vardanid divisions on the east bank to accomplish this, though when the Vardanids collapsed thirty years later the Riders were alone in the task, and the splinter state across the river - Roumidia - now officially sanctions the raids.

There are roughly one thousand Calcherth Riders, given the honour of wearing gold and crimson cloaks to mock the former Faramondian royal colours. Though personal armour varies, most wear hardened leather armour or brigandines. They are armed with an assortment of weapons, and are grouped loosely into ranged and melee units, with the latter broken down into shock squadrons wielding spears and lances, and fighting squadrons with axes and sabres.
Jagseum Boat Culture

The Jagseum Boat Culture was an ancient civilisation in the Jagseum Islands. Since the Great Gap the civilisation's settlements have all been lost and the islands have become taboo for the mainlanders, but their culture remains in some places.

## Culture

The Jagseumers worshipped two deities - a god of land, Chiang-Rai, and a goddess of water, Fueng-Li. Their names translate to 'Mountainous Dirty One' and 'Cavernous Moist One' respectively, and as one may guess they were considered husband and wife and revered as fertility gods.

The Jagseumer gods were worshipped in many ways across the islands, but one common custom was a boat-sacrifice. An animal or small child would be tied onto a raft and sent north into the ocean, where it would be swept away by the strong east-west current and never seen again. Other customs, mostly conducted on the luxurious beaches of the islands, included tying sacrifices to stakes in the surf and waiting for the tide to rise, or creating complex patterns of ruts in the sand and filling these with the sacrifices' blood.

The Jagseumers were also great shipwrights - they built longboats up to fifty metres long and traded with many other cultures across Turquoise Bay.

## Namesake

The Jagseum Boat Culture takes its name from an ancient myth - at the inception of the Culture there was another tribe, known only as the Kuree, or Dark Ones. They were jealous of the islands and sent many warriors to slaughter the Jagseum Boat Culture and take their islands.

The Jagseumers heard of this great fleet being assembled and sailed out themselves to do battle. They met in the middle of the Hagusa Inland Sea and, after a great battle, the Kuree were defeated and driven away. Afterwards, the mainlanders grew to know the islanders as the Boat Men due to their prowess on the sea, and over the years this formalised, eventually becoming the clinical Jagseum Boat Culture that we know today.

## Legacy

While the people of the Boat Culture are long gone, the culture lives on in the mainland settlements of Wongeup, Ikwang and Jonglyo. Most of the more savage customs have been outlawed by the government of Huon Sa since the Great Gap, but some of the tamer ones remain. The villagers of Wongeup, for instance, still draw complex patterns in the sand, though they fill these with concentrated dyes instead, which infuse through the sand throughout several days, eventually fading but not before giving the beach a fantastic range of colour.

The Boat Culture also left behind a proud seafaring tradition. Many of the sons of Ikwang, Wongeup and Jonglyo go south to seek their fortunes as sailors in Huon Gug, and those that remain still trade with the Vadyans and Yerlenese across Turquoise Bay.
Heleor

Heleor was a village in the Abrunn region of Dalfore from the 4th to 6th Centuries. Settled as part of a plan to claim the coast of the Trade Lake, it was home to around three hundred settlers and one Aladornic house, Lengar.

Heleor was built only one kilometre away from another town, Galusar - a native settlement of the Abrian culture. Part of Heleor's original mission was to impart Dalforean ideals and values to the inhabitants of Galusar. This took a long time, but by the 6th Century this mission had been achieved. Several decades later Heleor and Galusar were formally merged, with Galusar remaining the name of the combined settlement.
Asbjarsholt

Asbjarsholt is a Varlish town lying on the border with Ulgard.

The settlement was founded during the 3rd Century BCE by the pioneer Asbjar Hrolfssen after he found it to be a prime defensive position - in the chaos of the pre-Varhold Trade Lake coast, this made the town relatively safe. The original fortress stood on a high, flat-topped hill surrounded on three sides by a slow-running but deep glacial stream.

Asbjarsholt was not named by its inhabitants, but by those who attacked it. Raiders were commonplace at the time, and it was only after the town had easily repelled raiding parties seven separate times that it gained the nickname 'Asbjar's Holdfast'. This was bastardised over the years, becoming Asbjarsholt.

The settlement quickly became a highly-sought strategic location in the area, and the pre-Varholdian warlords of the region, especially Vasse of Nidvelr and Halach of Enbjornfjord, poured considerable resources into conquering the fortress. This only strengthened the resolve of the defenders, and in the 1st Century the town's Yarl Olaf decreed a counterattack. The lands to the rear of the town were large and fertile, protected almost completely from the outside by the town itself. This meant that though raiders thought they were merely attacking a town, Asbjarshold had the size and infrastructure of a small country.

Yarl Olaf rallied the levies from his northern holdings and struck out south, along the path of the alpine stream that defends Asbjarsholt. In the year 74 Olaf founded another fortress in the river valley, Olafsvellir. This strained Asbjarsholt's resources, and in 89 the warlord Karel of Nidvelr struck the river between the two, sieging and capturing Olafsvellir and Yarl Olaf along with it. Olaf's fate is uncertain, but there was no longer a Yarl ruling Asbjarsholt and the town fell swiftly when Karel put it under siege in 91.

From here Asbjarsholt fell into decline. The infrastructure north of the town was forcefully moved south by Karel to strengthen his hold on the area. The walls around Asbjarsholt were dismantled and the town inevitably sprawled over the stream, making it impossible to defend.
Army of the Steel Tortoise

The Army of the Steel Tortoise (Ganggui Jundui in Tianguese) is a Tianguese military unit currently billeted in the eastern town of Futou.

## History

Several Tianguese armies have been named 'Steel Tortoise', dating all the way back to the first wars of expansion fought by the state over four hundred years ago. The current Army of the Steel Tortoise has been in continuous commission since at least the conquest of Shanzhou in 455.

The Steel Tortoises have been historically linked to the eastern regions of Tianguo, taking part in most of the wars of conquest fought there, as well as peacekeeping, along with the Army of the Stubborn Aurochs. By the late 7th Century it was a unit numbering around forty thousand strong, under the command of General Hanhao Cheng. Cheng was instrumental in organising the Soldiers' Revolt of 682, and the Steel Tortoises acquitted themselves admirably during the conflict - especially during the Battle of Fanrishan, where the Steel Tortoises managed to encircle and destroy around a third of the loyalist Army of the Vigilant Hawk.

Following the Revolt, royal decree prevented the Cheng line from maintaining control of both their lands and the army. They chose the landowners' life, and the Steel Tortoises passed into the hands of government-appointed generals - poor tacticians, but loyal minds.

Since the Revolt, the Tianguese army has fallen into decline. The Steel Tortoises, led by bureaucrat Jinru Fo, were humiliated at the Battle of the Forest Edge in 694. Since then they have been garrison troops in Futou, even remaining stationary during the coup d'etat of 743.
Keornas Ricfriding

Keornas Ricfriding (503 - 537) was a Talorian nobleman and later a mercenary working for the Harnese Band.

Born into the affluent royal house Ricfriding, Keornas was the heir to the house. He was directed to take command of the house's retinue of one hundred men during the Red Plains War at the age of nineteen. He performed admirably through the early stages of the war.

One year into the war Keornas was ordered to answer to Theoren Blydnas. This detachment headed south and met hostile forces at the Battle of Fenfield. During the battle it is recorded that Keornas 'threw down his weapons and fled the field', though the source of this information is heavily disputed. It is obvious that he deserted the field, though, along with most of the retinue he commanded.

After taking refuge in Fenfield, Keornas realised his situation. He led the retinue back to Eorlsburh, where he was formally disinherited for cowardice. His uncle Hildwulf Ricfriding became the new heir to the family, while Keornas was cast out and exiled from Talorian lands.

Along with several sub-commanders of the retinue who had also been exiled, Keornas joined the Harnese Band, a mercenary group patrolling the Harnese border on the Astarciy River. Later the Band was hired by Legnasia to protect itself from Astarcia. Here Keornas stayed until he was killed in late 537 during the Satyan Conquest of Imavalta.
Lefthas

Lefthas is a town in the Avisir region of Dalfore. It lies on a crossroads between Melfrius, Fanoris, Boith and the coast road. It is home to the Aladornic Houses Neydark and Swansuen. Like most other towns in the region, Lefthas is a major agricultural centre, and supplies grain and vegetables to the densely-populated south of the country.