Teldor

## General

Teldor could be much more than it is.  There is trade that flows through Teldor, but the tariffs are so high, that many traders seek other routes rather than deal with the laws of this land.  There is still some prosperity through trade in Teldor, but most of that wealth is spent on political in-fighting.  The people of Teldor serve the Magnate in Balkmore, but there is still much civil unrest between nobles from the cities.

Teldor also deeply distrusts their neighbors. They were attacked by the Balmoriens prior to the Great War, which ended a reasonably successful trade relationship with them, as well as sinking the Eastern Bryan Bridge. There is trade with Balmorien now, but it is viewed in a different light given their history.

To the south is the large country of Aden Shahn. The region of Surrin is split between Teldor and Aden Shahn, which is something that the Teldorians will never forget. When Teldor was established, southern Surrin refused to swear fealty to the Magnate; rather, it became the capital of Aden Shahn, and all of the regions south of Surrin. Just prior to the Great War, Teldor invaded Aden Shahn to attempt to retake Surrin, but this not only failed and created animosity between the two nations, but also resulted in Teldor pulling back away from much of the trade they had. This attitude has reduced the wealth of Teldor, but the people of Teldor cannot get beyond it. Instead, the in-fighting has resulted in noble families rising and falling quickly, and a large network of assassins that the Magnate and other nobles employ.

## Government and Culture

Family Megrakk is the ruling family of Teldor. There have been assassination attempts against the Magnate, but for the most part, people are respectful and subservient to the ruler. There is a court in Balkmore for nobles and dignitaries and have their petitions heard. Typically, the petitions are heard by the Magnate's advisers, except on special occasions. There are bounties issued, most of the time for bandits or raids from Ur folk along the roads or in the holdings of nobles. In many cases, the independent free farmer has little recourse against bandits, and sometimes the bandits happen to be soldiers of a noble house. The Magnate and the nobles have no desire to allow any of the citizens to increase in power unless it benefits them.

There is a sense of karma or balance in Teldor, although it tends to have a dark vein. Palio is a commonly worshiped deity across Teldor because of the sense that nothing bad will happen without something good as well. This is in part what keeps the lower classes believing in change. It is also what keeps the secret guards, or *The Veil,*  fresh with new recruits.

The Veil is a society who trains people to work as special observers, informants, and guards with the expressed purpose of being able to do their work without prejudice. They can be hired by nobles or agencies permitted by the Magnate. That being said, they work very closely with the Magnate to gather information and to weed out potential assassins of the nobility and crown throughout the society. This helps the Magnate make sure the chance of revolt against the Magnate is greatly diminished.

Teldor has a large slave population. The poor and indigent are often made into slaves, as well as prisoners captured from raids or wars. There are slaves of many races in Teldor, and almost every noble from every city has a slave contingent.

## Regions

There are two regions in Teldor, Azmunth and Surrin. They lie on top of each other, stretching from the East Mote Hills on their western border, to the Cymydog branch of the Bryan on the east.

## Azmunth

Azmunth is the heartland of Teldor and home to its capital.  The greatest inhabited part of Azmunth are the plains stretching east to west across the region, especially along the River Nant and Iarp Rivers. There are farms and ranches across the plains providing most of the food for the realm. On the far side of the Cymydog Wood, the stretch of land running from Yardharm south has small hamlets supporting the towns there, whether in agriculture or in trade. The large Cyfail Wood to the west is rarely penetrated even by hunters, even though there are many in and around Great Azmunth. The Ur that live in the heart of the Chwaer (kwair) Plains have expanded into the East Mote Hills near the far side of the Cyfail wood, and are slowly making their way into the center of the forest.

Most of the little trade that exists in Azmunth goes out through Yardharm and Rinarn. There is domestic trade, of course, between the cities, but the port cities handle everything going out to the Bryan. The high tariffs set by the Magnate have stifled much of the growth for the two port cities. Both of the cities would like to change that situation, but it would probably require getting rid of the current Magnate (and/or his family) to truly make things better for merchants working with other countries.

### Character Characteristics

*Humanoid Characteristics: Light hair, Light complexion, Heavy frame*

*Humanoid Stats: (+1 Wis, +3 Dex) OR (+2 Wis, +2 Dex)*

*Languages: Irar, Ang Thadesh (E), Balladda (D) Jadroar (½), Fang-Homar(O)*

### Balkmore

   Balkmore is the seat of power in the insular nation of Teldor. From Balkmore, the Magnate Megrakk sends forth his minions from *The Veil* and seeks more information and power over the land. Balkmore is a large port, but it has probably been a more powerful port in the past, before the nation of Teldor was founded. Nevertheless, Balkmore is the capital of the nation and the most important city in Azmunth, the region in which it lies.

Balkmore is surrounded by fertile plains and the Bryan, sitting calmly amidst the Nant Shores. The only threats directly to the city come from people in the city itself, or from other nations bent on conquering Teldor. There are bandits, of course, that interdict trade here and there, but they are handled by people answering the Magnate's bounties, or by *The Veil,* who will discover the root of any problem within the realm. This is the home of *The Veil,* and as such, the temples to Palio and Hadokahn are extremely strong here. This is the home for people in the intelligence gathering and assassination business.

The original Magnate was Lord Takhan, but for many generations now, the family Megrakk has been both the head of the nation and Balkmore. There is a nominal mayorial appointee who takes care of the mundane work of the city, but the Magnate is truly the head of all of the important activities of the city. If smaller issues arise, the Mayor may post bounties to call for anyone to handle the problem. For bigger issues, the Magnate will probably use *The Veil* to determine the severity of the threat and then acquire whatever is necessary to handle it.

The Magnate is the complete ruler of the nation. There are noble houses who would seek the family Megrakk's downfall, but it is absolutely not public knowledge who would think such a thing for *The Veil* would certainly hear about that treachery and act.

The shops and artisans in Balkmore are the best in Teldor. Martial items are quite good, although you should be careful buying anything too dangerous. The Magnate looks for anything that could disrupt the city or nation. The shops could be better but the general xenophobia of the nation and the lack of trade does limit the variety of goods found even in such a large city as Balkmore. Balkmore does have a slave market, and many of the Teldor nobles will have slaves and indentured servants.

The main temples in Balkmore are Palio, Hadokahn, Lovaxa, Mardank and Mata. There are several decent sized temples to a few more gods, but shrines are present for all of the Children Gods somewhere in the city. The temple to Mata is of decent size, but nothing in comparison to Aachnarn or Glen Ar. There is a strong undercurrent of dreamers and divination visionaries in Balkmore, and the temple of Mardank is one of the strongest in all of Eirethune. The dreamers come from all social strata as well, seeking out visions of alternate realities as well as the future.

### Great Azmunth

   Great Azmunth is an old town and the heart of the agrarian people of Azmunth. Long before Teldor took shape and there was a single ruler, Great Azmunth served as a trade center for settlers and farmers all over the Cyfail Plains, west of the River Nant. As the settlers received very little from anyone, the town was a beacon for all to bring their wares and share with what they had; and so the town became known as Great Azmunth.

Great Azmunth stopped growing a good while ago. The dangers present in Cyfail Wood and Eastern Mote Hills stunt the growth of settlements that would feed Great Azmunth with new people. The hamlets in the plains still come to call, but they grow very slowly, especially under the leadership of the Magnate.

The family Heutar rules Great Azmunth now. They are old blood, but not originally from Azmunth at all. They are, however, quite loyal to the Magnate. Now the people of Great Azmunth abide by Baron Heutar's rulings and rule, making sure not to displease the ruling class too much. The Veil is strong in Great Azmunth as well, even though it's a relatively small town.

The shops and artisans in Great Azmunth focus on hunting and agrarian work. Hunting is a core activity in the lives of the people of Great Azmunth, and their need to hunt either out in the plains, hills or forests is a part of what it means to be from Great Azmunth. There are exceptional bow and crossbows made in Great Azmunth, probably one of the few exports that the town actually has even though there are good food stocks present here. There is a slave market in Great Azmunth, though it is held only after capturing foes in battle or raids in the Cyfail Wood or Mote Hills.

The main temples of Great Azmunth reflect the people who have lived here before and now. The four main temples are dedicated to Palio, Hadokahn, Sapayo, and Thopila. The hunters of Great Azmunth are among the best in the world. It is hard to travel with a hunting group from Great Azmunth because of their great stealth, and even harder to beat a hunter of Great Azmunth to the kill, as they are known as extremely skilled archers.

### Yardharm

    Yardharm lies on the Lantor Shores, just east of where the East Bryan Bridge once stood. It's port lies on the Cymydog, where it has modest trade with Aden Shahn and Balmorien, even though the tariffs limit it. The plains around Yardharm provide it with relative safety and good food stocks. Even with the relative safety and productivity of its location, the people of Yardharm seek more. They have a spirit of travel, whether they're fishermen or merchants or not, Yardharm looks beyond their surrounding, almost as though they look for a land or a time before the insular nature of the realm took over. The Veil is present in Yardharm, but they aren't as open about their whereabouts as in the western towns and hamlets of Azmunth.

Family Vinstore is an old noble family from Yardharm, originally farmers in the Lantor Shores, but also involved in trade. Since the inception of Teldor, the Baron Vinstore has served the Magnate well. They are very active in Balkmore and very responsive to the Magnate's request. It is the belief of the family Vinstore that they may enjoy a minuscule more freedom if they can assuage the Magnate. The Baron does not use The Veil unless the Magnate decrees it, rather Baron Vinstore prefers to post bounties for any problems that might arise, perhaps giving the more adventuresome locals or foreigners the opportunity to seek something out of the ordinary.

The shops and artisans of Yardharm are decent. The small amount of trade that does exist in Yardharm provides some exchange of items from foreign lands, though probably not as varied as what can be found in Balkmore. Still, it can be a surprise what can be found in the markets. There is a slave market in Yardharm, but only once per month.

The main temples in Yardharm are dedicated to Palio, Mata and Lasipa. Lasipa enriches the travel hungry, and Palio understands the balance in life; Mata, on the other hand, is another escape for the scholarly of Yardharm. There is a fair amount of magic present in Yardharm and the library there although small, has some surprises in terms of content. There are also smaller temples to Hermax and Astoda as well as shrines to many other Children Gods.

### Rinarn

    Rinarn lies further down the Cymydog (KIM-i-dog) on the Cymydog Shores, very close to the Cymydog Wood. It sits on the coastal road and the main road between the Cymydog and *True Surrin* and the city of Redenkorz. Rinarn is much like Yardharm but smaller. It doesn't have the trade of Yardharm because Yardharm is closer to the Bryan. Nevertheless, the port has some merchants, the fishing boats still go out, the hunters go deep into the Cymydog Wood and Rinarn continues on.

Rinarn is second to Great Azmunth in its prowess as furtive hunters. Fishing and hunting are as much of a part of Rinarn life as hunting is in Great Azmunth. Similarly, the fishing and hunting equipment found in Rinarn nearly rivals the extraordinary bows of Great Azmunth. As hunters in Rinarn become renowned, it is also common for scouts from The Veil to inquire with said hunters as to whether they wish to join their ranks, and in many cases the hunters do. The Veil is not omnipresent or disruptive in Rinarn, but it is known that many of the Veil originated here.

The Family Ivar is a politically appointed family sent to rule Rinarn by the Magnate several generations ago. There have been attempts on previous Baron Ivars in the past, but none yet have succeeded. Baron Ivar does not truly care about the people or needs of Rinarn, only that it should be safe and compliant with whatever the Magnate wants. If trouble is found that might affect Rinarn, the Baron will post bounties as well as call upon The Veil to handle any communications with people involved in the episode.

The shops and artisans of Rinarn are fairly common, except for the excellent hunting and fishing equipment. There will even be an assortment of Great Azmunth-based archery equipment as it is the one thing that the people of Rinarn might spend a year's wages on. There is no slave market in Rinarn, even though Baron Ivar has many slaves.

The main temples in Rinarn are dedicated to Sapayo, Palio, Hadokahn and Lasipa. The hunters of Rinarn travel away and return, sometimes weeks later. Who knows where they have been, but part of the psyche of the town is to go, discover, and kill.

## Surrin

Surrin, or *True Surrin*, as the people of Teldor sometimes call it, is the northern half of the old region of Surrin. This Surrin decided to swear fealty to Magnate Megrakk at the inception of Teldor, whereas the southern Surrin people did not. And although there is apprehension and some animosity between Teldor and Aden Shahn, the actual people of Surrin seem to be much closer than their national brethren.

Surrin is very agrarian, with farms and ranches across the Reden Fields. Surrin is known for its husbandry and all of the mounts for the royal guard. Once in a while, some of the nearly finest mounts are sold in Aden Shahn, but there is a mandate that the best mounts are kept for Teldor.

### Character Characteristics

*Humanoid Characteristics: Dark Hair, Light complexion, Blue eyes, Heavy frame*

*Humanoid Stats: +1 Str, (+1 Int OR +1 Wis OR +1 Cha) ,+2 Dex*

*Languages: Goldar, Irar, Ang Thadesh (E), Balladda (D) Jadroar (½), Fang-Homar(O)*

### Redenkorz

    Redenkorz is the greatest city in *True Surrin* and the second greatest city in Surrin, next to Bredenkham. Nevertheless, Redenkorz is a very prosperous city with good informal relations with Bredenkham. Redenkorz sits in the middle of the Reden Plains, surrounded by different agrarian interests, with the Cymydog Wood only a few miles to the northeast. There are many great mount trainers in and around Redenkorz. All of the royal mounts for the Magnate come from Redenkorz and any noble worth their weight would seek the mounts of Redenkorz for their own. There are great races with much wagering monthly in Redenkorz. All of the locals plan ahead to make sure and attend them, but people from Teldor and Aden Shahn come to see whatever class racing is being undertaken that day.

The family Sevard is a strong noble house that has ruled Redenkorz for many generations. They are rooted in Surrin, yet pay their fealty to the Magnate to stay in command without much interference from Balkmore. Baron Sevard is respected by the people of Redenkorz and the Surrin(s) in general. Trouble rarely comes directly to Redenkorz, but if there are issues with trade routes, or if settlements near the Cymydog Wood have suffered, the Baron will promptly post bounties. It is rare that he will use the Veil, unless the threat is grave or if the Baron is directed specifically by the Magnate to use the Veil.

The shops and artisans in Redenkorz are quite good, especially for riding equipment or merchant caravans. There is more trade with Aden Shahn here than in all other parts of Teldor, and that helps the markets offer a variety of goods not seen in the realm, not even in Balkmore. There is a slave market in Redenkorz, but it is only monthly, and only some of the nobles of the city have slaves.

The main temples in Redenkorz are dedicated to Palio, Thopila and Chanahn. There are smaller temples to the more popular Teldor deities, such as Sapayo, Hadokahn, and Mata; and there shrines to pretty much the rest of the Children Gods.