Netheren

**Netheren** is a kingdom in southeastern Morgaea. It is located south of Anderlay and Maudet and east of the Adamantium. Netheren is best known for being the birthplace of the Grey Order and the site of their headquarters, Greyhold.

## History

Netheren was originally the eastern part of the Adamantium, from which it separated after a rebellion in **-695D** (500 AE), though was reconquered in **-535D** (660 AE). After almost 100 years of bitter war with the fiendish hordes during the First Scourge, the Grey Order was founded and in **-305D** (890 AE) Greyhold was built. The Scourge was then slowly pushed back during the next century or so.

The Adamantium held on to Netheren for another 200 years before abandoning it, in an effort to protect central Adamantium, when the Second Scourge began in **1A05** (1199 AE). Netheren was nearly destroyed by the Scourge, but was saved by Emperor Caecilius Volantus I, who lifted the siege of Greyhold in **1A33**; after which, Netheren joined the Maudesian Empire, as well as converted to Sibyllism. Following the death of Volantus, his successor Caecilius II could not hold the empire together, and Netheren broke free again in **1A65**. The Second Scourge was ended in **1A95**.

The Third Scourge, from **3A10** to **3A25**, mostly maimed areas to the north and west of Netheren, starting in the Adamatium and Maudet, and ending in the Freemarks at the Battle of Hunteron. Netheren got off relatively easily. This didn't last, however.

In **5A12**, the Fourth Scourge began, and spread to Netheren; the fiendish hordes laid siege to Lougrick for seven years. During the fighting King Henaud was killed by an ogre, causing his wife queen Argan to take up regency for their son, King Grivault, who was an infant at the time. Since most of the nobles did not support her, however, most power laid with the Grey Order, specifically Ranger-Commander Gerwine. Under the leadership of their Field-Commander Erenod, the Rangers managed to break the siege, after cutting off the fiend's supply lines from the Underways. After the siege was broken, Queen Argan pledged to continue to support the war effort, in exchange for Erenod publicly supporting her reign; and subsequently sleeping with her. The Scourge was again ended elsewhere, this time in western Lysadore in **5A24**.

## Geography

The arid landscape of Netheren experiences dangerously hot summers, and during cooler months dust storms blow inland and make farming all but impossible.

Geographically, Netheren consists mostly of steppes, largely deserted after weathering the most severe Scourges. The capital is Lougrick, located southeast from Greyhold. The area is bordered by the Dusted Hills and the Hilsain to the south; the Corea Bay to the west, and the Adamantium to the northwest. Also, on its northern borders, beneath the Hunteron Mountains, lies the great hewnhold of Nar-Lodahr, once capital of the dwarven empire. In the east lies harsh and uninhabited territory ending on the Oster Sea with the sole port town of Layth lying on its shores. The entire purpose of Layth was to receive ships from Oster Sea, odd-looking cargo vessels that would arrive laden with wares and spices which cannot be found in Morgaea. This trade stopped by the early Fourth Age which caused Layth's decline. Several Adamatine merchant houses banded together to mount an expedition and reestablish trade, but all of them, and the few vessels that followed, did not return, fading all interest for the people across the Oster Sea.

According to Netheric legend, these traders were called the Voshai, and they were hostile towards the people of Layth, completely uninterested in learning the Trade tongue for anything more than barter, and were obsessed with purchasing lucenium. Also, the captains of each ship were dwarves who were treated with such deference that it implied they held profound power in their society. Based on questionable reports in recent years, many Voshai ships have returned to Layth carrying tales of a "massive cataclysm" in their homeland.

### Settlements

* **Antven**
* **Groenberg**
* **Kufzell**
* **Layth**
* **Lougrick** - capital of Netheren
* **Sundaren**
* **Tradare**
* **Tradare's Eye**
* **Wesslow**

### Regions

* **The Blasted Hills** – on the border of Maudet
* **Broken Tooth** – a jagged butte; Greyhold is built on its edge
* **The Dusted Hills** – home of the Ostenish people
* **Feral Fjords**
* **Hunteron Mountains**
* **Mordaine**
* **Scourgelands**
* **Stenan Peak**
* **The Weathered Pass**

## Culture and society

The people of Netheren are known as Netherfolk. An old name for Netheren is the Ostenlands, and due to this an old name for its people is Ostenish. However, in recent times, Ostenish has come to refer to people living in the Dusted Hills region, who practice scarification of their faces as a part of their culture.

### Grey Order

Netheren houses Greyhold, the headquarters of the Grey Order. While a king resides in Lougrick, he generally ignores the citizens of Netheren, being more interested in maintaining the order and comfort of the capital city, to the exclusion of anything else. This distant monarch is protected by royal tribunals, who also function to enforce the laws he creates; being a highly religious nation, these tribunals administer justice for the sake of "absolution". It's said that the king of Netheren is weak, and that the Netherfolk refer to the Grey Order for leadership, of which, there are over a thousand present in Netheren. Netheren is the last place where the Grey Order has retained their importance over the centuries, as they hold political power equal to an Maudesian baron or Nordish jarl; a power they have recently taken greater advantage of.

Stationed at Greyhold, the First Ranger is intended to be the commander of all of the Grey Order throughout Morgaea, though, in practice, the entanglements of Netherfolk politicking leave this individual functioning mainly as a figurehead. This results in considerable responsibility being laid at the feet of the regional Ranger-Commanders. One of the tasks of the First Ranger is to act as adviser to the preoccupied king in matters of state. Intriguingly, the First Ranger has recently begun to criticize the nation's monarchy, suggesting that the leader of the Rangers is considering a grab for the throne.

Outside of the cities, most Netherfolk live in small, but self-sufficient, outposts and villages. The importance of the Rangers to Netheren is shown here as they are the only real source of authority in such remote areas and maintain some presence even in the distant and thinly peopled hinterlands.

Netherfolk are the only non-dwarven people to fight the fiends on a regular basis, as they remain a constant menace, and can appear almost anywhere at anytime. As a result, the population lives in constant fear and vigilance. No child of Netheren grows up without being terrorized by bedtime tales of the fiendish hordes. The Netherfolk became hardened warriors who fight grimly against an enemy that they cannot defeat: the rest of Morgaea is remote enough that their plight is easily ignored. They are a poor people who live in a devastated land of vast, stark steppes, though their proud culture remains. Unlike Maudet and the Adamantium, a person's accomplishments count for more in Netheren than their name.

An order called the "Brotherhood of Dust" leads caravans through the Dusted Hills to the distant port of Layth, and is said to be comprised of the best marksmen in Morgaea.

### Religion

The Netherfolk are likely the most pious followers of the Ministry in Morgaea, praying for a day when they are released from the clutches of the Scourge. The Ministry's presence is felt strongly in the country, and worship of the Watcher is expected of a citizen. Even the king's laws are seen as having religious underpinnings, and their violation can be punishable with death in Lougrick.

### Art

Netheren is also famed for its art. The sculptures of Netheric artisans, which usually have religious content, are the most prized and sought-after in all of Morgaea, especially within circles of the Maudesian nobility who would pay exorbitant prices in order to have them. However, members of the Dwarven Merchants' Guild, who act as the middle party in these transactions, keep most of the profits as "handling fees" while the artisans receive very little, if any. In recent times, the traditional Netheric portraiture style has experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to the work of Griselda Reinier. Her piece, *The Love of Light*, which portrays Sibylla playing the lap harp the night before being burned at the stake, won the annual art contest held by the University of Maudet, and is considered both a stroke of inspirational genius and a masterwork portrait from one of the most traditional painting schools. Reinier is currently one of the most sought-after artists, especially since her extreme piety has granted her the support of the Ministry.