New Settings Section. :)

 Dear Reader,

I mentioned a while back that I was going to be combining the Flora & Fauna feature with the Settings feature in my weekly topics. What does this mean for you? Well, I hope to be hitting the following points going forward (provided life doesn't screw with me like it has over the last 48 hours):

• Descriptions of flora and fauna that can be found in this world, along with their uses (This will include pictures as I can get organized enough to sketch them.)
  
  
• Details of the Poisoner's Notebook - a subsection of the flora and fauna stuff that focuses exclusively on poisoning and nefarious things. 
  
  
• Place descriptions that are relevant to the plot of various books as well as just interesting locations (I will attempt to make maps but right now my cartography skills are hideously bad.)
  
  
• Character sketches of major characters in the series and occasional random ones that are just fun to write (I am still debating if I am going to work up a character sheet for each in the style of old school D&D.)

While I am enjoying creating this material (because it helps me brainstorm things to put into the books), I am super excited about the concept of people taking things that I have created here and using them to create their own fanfiction, fantasy gaming campaigns, or artwork. I feel that my books are an open-world experience. As I add to the series, you are following the main plotline of the story. There will be side stories (like the serial stories on here) that will come out to cover supporting characters or just be adventures through the world. 

I am issuing a formal invitation to you to join me in creating this dynamic world. It is as much yours as it is mine once the books are in your hands.

Locales and the Flora & Fauna posts are to be merged!

 Dear Reader,

I know that you are probably wondering when I am ever going to post the progress I am making at drawing the roots of plants. And I am sure that you are also wondering when I am ever going to be posting details about new locations within the universe of the Umbrel Chronicles of Evandar. This is going to be happening on Wednesdays because these two topics are being merged under a new heading: Worldbuilding. 

The Worldbuilding topic is going to cover more than my bad plant sketches and long winded place descriptions. It will also get into techniques for character development planning and mapping out story elements like artifacts of importance. I haven't yet decided what will replace the Flora & Fauna topic of the day. I will update you when that brainstorm happens.

Look for an update to my serial stories later today. I have to find my idea notebook and clean up a few concepts before committing them to the internet. I'm going to attempt to update both Dacia's War and The Iron Lily. The trick to all of this is getting it done before my kids get home from school. Because, yay! Today is the first day of school and I can get back into a little more focused writing.

No Locales post today.

 Dear Reader,

I've burned through my writing time getting the latest installments of Dacia's War and The Iron Lily up. Now I have chores to do. But, yay for serial stories getting updated, right?

I'll have a new fantastic location for you next week, provided the stars align properly. :)

Locales: On pause.

 Dear Reader,

I'd love to describe another place in my fantastic little world but I'm currently sucked into a non-fiction work. (I'm writing a devotional for the Lokean community. It's been kind a rough going because the kids are very distracting. I'm reminded why NaNoWriMo in November is always more successful for me. The update on how that's going will be tomorrow.) I will try to get something up for you next week, provided the kids give me a few minutes peace to get it written.

Locales: Acidavia

 Dear Reader,

Acidavia is a city-state in the Dacian empire. It is located in the mountainous region simply known as the North. Home of the second largest library of religious and legal texts, Acidavia is well suited to its role as the remote city of scholars. It's climate is generally dry and cool during the warmer months and bitterly cold and snowy during winter. The people of Acidavia are of mixed heritage.

Acidavia is a remnant of the pre-Dacian empire peoples who lived in that region as part of another empire that has been forgotten as of the time of the current story (Dacia's War). The building style is blockier and heavier than what is found in Dacia city or in the lowlands. Acidavia is one of the largest cities of the North. The city is supported by the hilly farming lands about the mountain it sits on. Acidavia has long been a stronghold against the nomadic people who live in the higher mountains farther north.

The people of Acidavia are complex. There is a thriving art and cultural community that is focused upon the cultus of Julara primarily. The cultus of Ashur is strong in Acidavia but it is not represented as much in iconography unless Ashur is paired with Julara. These paired icons are most commonly seen at intersections of roads through out the empire. Acidavia is famed for the manufacture of these icons and is known as 'the city of the stone lovers' because of it.

The governor of Acidavia and his wife are the heads of the body of worship for Ashur and Julara respectively. The governor of Acidavia is responsible for the defense of the region and the rule of law. His wife is responsible for overseeing civil disputes and enacting the will of the Empress. In a twist upon typical Dacian politics, the governor of Acidavia and his wife are equal in power where as in most Dacian city-states, the wife is head of the region just as the Empress is head of the empire.

Locales: Coming Soon.

 Dear Reader,

I may suck at drawing maps, but I will be making a master list of locations described thus far. Also, I will be adding new locations that could be a good D&D setting for a dungeon crawl or other sort of campaign. I am going to attempt to draw up something vaguely map related for the settings that I am sharing with you to use in your tabletop games but I have to warn you it is going to be blocky and badly drawn. (I have graph paper to work with and I'll be color coding levels.) I have a love for tabletop gaming and for similar 'old school' role play games. The idea that one of my settings may be used by someone for a game is one that makes me really happy.

I will be posting the 'maps' (if you can call them that) as images and I will also try to figure out how to make a .pdf of the map with a full description of the setting. For example, if your players want to meet the wise dragon Gerða and be gifted with a magical weapon from her treasures, I will be drawing up a map of her warrens (known as Gerða's Hall). In with the .pdf of the map will be a description of the sort of things that one may find in Gerða's Hall, the persons one may encounter, and of Gerða herself in both her forms. If your players want to go on a campaign that takes them into Dacia and lets them battle the enemies of the Empire, I will be providing a description of a few battles with maps marking enemy locations and the terrain.

If you're a cartographer of sorts and interested in working with me on this project, that would be awesome. This is currently a labor of love and there isn't really any funding behind it. However, when the project is complete and all the documents are complied into one e-book, I will split the proceeds with you. Contact me and we can discuss the details, if you're interested. I know that artists and creative souls die from working for exposure. This is why I am giving my solemn word that I will work with you to figure out a fair business arrangement between us before all the eyes of the internet. Such an oath is serious business according to my faith. I can also help you get into contact with persons who are designing role play games that you might want to work with.

Locales: Map making is harder than drawing plants.

 Dear Reader,

I had this mad idea that I was going to draw a few maps of the cities and towns that I have described here. It was a glorious failure. I will confess, the attempts were consigned to the burn bag. They'll see the light of day before a match is put to them and they're sent to the great beyond. As I delve into the prospect of making things like maps and other artwork surrounding my books, I am realizing that I have tons of ideas but my execution is wanting. I can fully appreciate the artists who go at it full time working this stuff up for other authors.

I, however, can't afford an artist for this sort of work so I am occasionally taking shots at doing it myself. This experiment was a failure. Perhaps my problem was I was using grid ruled paper. Perhaps my problem is I didn't have a t-square and a compass. I have a minimal amount of art supplies because my crafting hobbies focused over the last decade on the fiber arts. I want to channel my inner dungeon master and make maps that could be used for a session of D&D but it is not working very well.

So, I think I'm going to stick to giving you detailed descriptions until I get enough experience under my belt that I can make a simple map. My old notebook from way back at the beginning of attempting to write up all my ideas for this series (The Umbrel Chronicles) has a map in it. It's cartoonish and badly drawn. I tried to go back to it and clean it up. The results were just ugly. Perhaps when I have a bit more cash flow, I'll find an artist who can make me a couple of maps. I don't know. 

I do know, these books would be a lot more interactive and interesting with a map of the major journeys the main characters have taken on the flyleaf pages and some flavor images of cities in the midst of the sections detailing adventures in them. That, however, is beyond my ability right now and that makes me a bit sad. So, I'm going to go back to drawing plants (hopefully in bigger scale and quantity) over the next few months. As I get pictures done, I will share them. And, when I next attempt to draw a map, I will post my badly done work to give you a vague idea of what these places look like when mapped out.

I knew I should have taken a technical drawing class at college. Too bad I ran out of time for that. I guess I just learn it the old fashioned way, through a lot of trial and error.

Locales: Generating Place Names

 Dear Reader,

It is possible to spend hours on developing language for your work. If you find this relaxing and productive, go for it. I'm still finding my footing in that arena. You don't, however, have to come up with your own language to name places. If you take a moment to look at the naming of places in the real world, you'll come to realize that some of the names are pretty dumb once you translate them out of the language they're written in.

For example, in England, there are many rivers named 'Avon' or have the name 'Avon' in them. This is because of the Romans and Celts having some communication difficulties. Avon, in the ancient Celtic dialect spoken in those regions of England, simply means river. Thus the Avon river is literally River-river. 'Tor' is another one from the Celts which simply means a high place. So, it's possible that exotic sounding name you were thinking would sound really cool as you mash together things from two different languages translates to something really simple, possibly dumb.

If you focus on landmarks and historical events, you find it easier to name places. For example, there's a river in the Umbrel Chronicles of Evandar that is known as the White River because it has many rapids in it, hence a good deal of white water. I've taken that and translated it (roughly) into Gaelic to use as the place name. Why Gaelic? Because the people of that region are based on the Gaels and I've decided that their language is in many ways parallel to Gaelic. Google translate isn't the best source for translations, I will be honest, but when you lack a dictionary between the two languages it works in a pinch.

There are place name generators on the internet. I've used them a few times when I have gotten stumped. Just remember to keep a log of your place names and a rough description of the location. Nothing's worse then having to rewrite an entire chapter because you messed up the setting details. (Not that I have ever had to do that before. ;) )

Locales: Aldstone

Located in north-central Dakon-Bar, Aldstone is a village with a very long history. It is known chiefly for the mill which has been standing since the last great war. Aldstone boasts one of the largest mills in central Dakon-Bar and is situated at the side of one of the great rivers that run through the kingdom. In the north, this river is known as the Usiage-Ban, The White Waters, for its turbulent path through the mountains of Tarsus where it begins. As it reaches the rolling lowlands on the border of Tarsus and Dakon-Bar, it is known as the Wide Waters. It follows a great looping path down to the sea.

Aldstone is one of the large villages that is not quite big enough to reach a city status. This is mainly because of its close proximity to the more well known Dragonwood Keep, seat of the king of Dakon-Bar. The mill of Aldstone is under the auspices of the queen of Dakon-Bar and during the reign of the hero Erian Talisid, the queen was known to regularly come and visit the mill and the people of Aldstone. This is why it is sometimes known as the Queen's Village. Aldstone has not had the opportunity to grow to its full potential for several reasons.

The most unfortunate of them is the fact that after Askemb rose to power, the village was burned in an effort to quell an uprising. Astonishingly, the mill survived intact. Much of the population of the village died or fled into the forest. It is slowly recovering but strange tales of the Grey Lady make outsiders wary of taking up residence there. These folk tales speak of the vengeful spirit of the forest trying to reclaim Aldstone.

Some of Askemb's forces reside in Aldstone but they come to strange misadventures when they go into the forest to hunt with out a guide from the native people of Aldstone. Aldstone was not just burned once but twice. During the Great War, Aldstone was known as High Grove and a place where many people lived. High Grove had vast apple orchards in addition to the mill. The deamon prince Atroniac marched on High Grove for he had decided to root out all of the men who resisted him from the forests of Dakon-Bar. Atroniac's forces chopped down the orchards and burned High Grove to the ground. They were frustrated in their efforts to slaughter their foes for when they arrived at High Grove they found it deserted, as though all the people had vanished in the middle of the day.

Locales: Gerða's Hall

In the rolling hills of central Dakon-Bar legend speaks of a Queen of the Wood and her magical hall beneath them. Like all fairy tales, these have some roots in fact. Gerða is the Queen of the Wood, whose holdings are the great forest of Dragonwood. Beneath the hills, Gerða resides with the King of the Wood, Frey Greenwood, and the wildlife of the forest bends its proverbial knee to her.

The entrance to her hall is located beside an ancient oak tree that is one of the few survivors from when the forest burned in the dragon's wrath during the Great War. A stone grotto leads to a great door made of ironwood that can not be moved by the strongest of men. Behind that door is a carved passage lit with torches that ever burn but do not foul the air even as they cast their light. The passage leads to a great hall built with many pillars. The pillars and the ceiling are carved in such a manner that the great hall seems to be a forest grove. Along the walls of the passage and of the great hall, there are gleaming veins of precious metals and crystal.

There are other passages that lead deeper beneath the hills. None have entered them and returned to tell the tale, even in elder days. Stories abound that they lead to another world, to the dragon's lair, or something terrifying. But the foreword passage that leads from the great door to the hall proper is appointed with benches for weary travelers to rest. There are rooms on either side of the hall that serve the function of such rooms within a castle, such as a wardrobe and an armory.

Tales speak of great celebrations and feasts that lasted for days that happened within Gerða's hall. They speak of heroes welcomed by the Queen of the Wood and of the peace woven between the elves of Dragonwood and humanity. Like all Queens, Gerða is fearsome and powerful. Possessing strange magics, Gerða shapes her hall to her liking by ways that not even the most learned of the elder races understand. It is rumored that the elfin lord Agrimmon was her close ally and friend. The location of his stone halls has been forgotten by men but Agrimmon's work can be seen in Gerða's hall for all of the clever stonework and carvings were the work of his master builders, perhaps even himself.

Locales: Review!

Dear Reader,

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm planning on posting more content going forward. The locale feature of the blog talks about different settings in the books I'm writing. Some of them are general and some of them are specific places. My earlier work on locations in here was pretty general. I'm trying to get more specific and hope to have a few maps up for you to view. As I know absolutely nothing about map making, you'll have to give me a few months to figure this stuff out.

Here's a recap of all previous posts regarding locations. Some of them may look familiar if you have been reading the serial stories Dacia's War and The Iron Lily. There will be more about random locations in the world and major sites of the books (and the back story) going forward. My plan is to cover as much as I can. As I have said, this is my sandbox but I invite others to come play with their original characters.

Locales: Tor Caldri

Picture from Pexels.com

Tor Caldri is located within the kingdom of Tarsus, one of the northernmost sub-kingdoms of Evandar. It is upon Wyvernmount, named for the famed creature that old tales said lived upon the peak of said mountain and kept the city under their protection. No name is remembered for the wyvern. Only signs of this ancient tale is seen in the insignia of the corps of the city's watch and of the city officials. The city banner is of a gold wyvern couchant upon a white field with a blue fess. Where the fess is usually a sign of martial honors, for the city of Tor Caldri, it is a sign of the great river it is beside, as is the white field.

The Usige Ban river is known as the White River in the common tongue of Evandar. In the ancient language of the first Evanadari people, it was known as the Caldri river, which also means white river. The river is known as the white river because of how many rapids it has. It springs from an underground fountain at great force, emerging from the upper face of Wyvernmount as a great waterfall of frothy water. The cavern it emerges from is unreachable because of the sheer face. This face is on the northeastern side of the mountain above the city. The water tumbles down and into a channel that runs along the eastern side of the city before sloping down the mountain in a more natural path.

Tor Caldri, known as the White City in the ancient language of the Evandari people, is a Free City. That is a city that has no kingdom allegiances and is a free state of itself. Most Free Cities are border cities, such as Farden on the eastern Dakon Bar/Evandar - Ranyth border. Tor Caldri is the site of an ancient border that no longer exists as the kingdom of Tarsus expanded in earlier eras. Tor Caldri retains its Free City status as it is the site of the High Council of Evandar, where the sub-kingdoms of the land hold council and discuss region wide issues such as trade, infrastructure, taxes and tithes to the High King. The High King is overlord of the entire Evandar region and rules for a designated period before another is voted in by the council.

This unlikely place is the seat of the high priesthood of Kaileth, the god of change, winds, and chaos. Where the city is laid out in a most orderly fashion and much of the buildings are faced if not constructed entirely of marble, the main temple of Kaileth is far older and is made from common stone. Grand structures erected as temples to the other principle deities of Evandar (the god Sigurt and goddess Roen) are popular pilgrimage sites, the main temple of Kaileth has largely been ignored. This is perhaps due to the reputation of the priests being insane or the unpredictability of the deity in question. Change, however is coming to the priesthood with the passing of the ancient High Priestess Theodonia.

The construction styles of the buildings of Tor Caldri varies, as this is a very old city. It is a walled city with an inner and outer wall. Within the inner wall is the old city. This is where the official buildings of the High Council, the priestly orders, and the most reputable of businesses are located. Most of these buildings have marble and are built with columns much like the Romanesque architecture of early Medieval Europe. The exception to this is the eldest buildings which make up the temple complex of Kaileth's priesthood. The courtyard of the old city is surprisingly large. On the western side of the courtyard is the priesthood of Kaileth. On the southern side is the temple complex for the priesthood of Sigurt. On the eastern side is the temple complex for the priesthood of Roen. At the northern side of the courtyard is the government buildings for the city, the summer palace of the High King, and the chambers of the High Council. Interspersed between these buildings and the wall of the old city are residences of the wealthy. The space between the inner and outer wall is where the new city is located. A bustling market is located within the courtyard of the old city that is set up daily. In the new city, however, there is no common market square but rather roads where businesses align. Thus the butchers and people who peddle meat products are on butcher's row as the fullers and seamstresses are on a street named for the predominant trade there.

At a corner where the old city and new city meet on the eastern side of the city, there is the public baths and wash. Here the people of the city come to communally wash their goods. This is a place of a great deal of public activity and gossip. Servants of wealthy households rub elbows with the poorest of the city in a general sense of good will. The wash is separate from the baths but water from both runs through pipes from the river itself. Tor Caldri has something like infrastructure to ancient Rome where water is used in a rudimentary septic system for the city. The runoff from this is drained out into the half moat that is around the southern edge of the city. When the moat reaches a certain height, sewage and waste flows out through a gate into the river to be carried away.

Note: I apologize for the lack of a map. I keep trying to draw a satisfactory map and failing. I hope that my description of the city is helpful.

Locales: The Great Dragon Mountains.

Photo from Pexels.com

Just as here on Earth, in the world of Evandar there are continental mountain ranges. The continent that the kingdom of Evandar is located is divided into thirds. One third is desert away to the west of Evandar. One third is relatively temperate which is where Evandar, Ranyth and several other countries are located. The final third is off to the east of Ranyth that is grasslands.

A massive chain of mountains divides the temperate zone in half and then spreads along the lower edge of the polar region (which is progressively more tundra like as you move away from the mountains) from the small grassland plain on the western edge of Evandar to the distant ocean at the far eastern end of the grasslands east of Ranyth. A small spur of mountains extends into mid-western Evandar. Another, somewhat larger spur of mountains extends down along the far eastern edge of the grasslands. The extensive chain of mountain ranges is known as the Great Dragon.

The various ranges that make it up have names pertaining to parts of a dragon except for the small spur that extends into the mid-western region of Evandar. The Dragon's Teeth is the portion of the northern range that moves from northern Tarsus into northern Ranyth. The Dragon's Spine extends from the southern edge of the Dragon's Teeth to the south until it reaches the sea. The Dragon's tail is a very long range that is actually made of several smaller mountain ranges (much like the Appalachian mountains here in the USA).

It moves from the north-eastern edge of the northern most duchy of Ranyth east across the border of the great grasslands. The spur that extends down along the far eastern edge of the grasslands where the continent meets the ocean is unnamed by the peoples of the Evandar-Ranyth region. The ocean is considered mythical by many. That, however, is something for another day.

Locales to change content!

Image from Pexels.com

My weekly description of places in my world is going to change a bit. Instead of describing only
nations/states, I am going to start giving descriptions of places within them that show up in the books. This is going to include some maps, details about the population, and information about the politics of the place.

Think of the things that your D&D campaign needs for a location to be useful and that is the sort of thing I'm going to be writing. Some of these places have been touched on briefly. I am going to go back to those descriptions and flesh them out. This is a combination of doing so for my note taking purposes and to enable you to possibly get a better idea of what things are like in my little world.

If requested, I may set up some generic character sheets for NPCs for anyone who wants to use a given location for a D&D game. All I ask is that you share with me the hilarity of the game. Because we all know D&D games start out super serious and then descend into pure silliness. (Unless your gaming troupe is like the ones I've been in, then we start at pure silliness and go WAAAAAY off into left field with the DM going 'You know what, that's not even covered in the book. Throw a d20 to see if it even works.' often followed by a 'well, damn, it DOES work, how about you narrate what happens.'

Worksheets!

Hi everyone!

As I had promised, I have the first of the worksheets for developing characters and such done. I will be posting it here. Please, share this and use it as you see fit. If you adapt it, please note your changes and make a point to ping back to the originals. This is not something that you can take and make into something you are going to make people pay for. I'm sorry, but that is just not allowed. If it is the base idea that triggers you to create something of your own and is for profit, that's cool.  Please give credit where credit is due.

All of this said, here is the first worksheet that I completed. Anyone who has played in some sort of tabletop gaming system or in a LARP, you may recognize how I set this up. I found the style that the worksheets for character generation to be really helpful and straight forward. If you have any suggestion for how to improve this or if you do make another version, please note your changes and send me a link. I'd love to see what you've done with this.

Character Worksheet Version 1

This is based off of the little note cards that I started a while back. It gives you a solid basis for developing the character's back story and fleshing them out so that they have a more three dimensional quality. Obviously, you do not need to fill in all the details for every character. But, it does help with making the 'lead' characters of your story easier to work with.

Relic Worksheet Version 1

This is based off of the prop cards that the LARP troupes I played with had. I expanded a little on it, but this is a great way to flesh out the details about interesting items in your story and just why they are important. It also lets you determine details like how they are used before you bring the item into the story, so that every time it pops up it is consistent.

Setting Worksheet Version 1

In the class I had at college regarding Short Fiction, our instructor had a regular exercise for us. We were to write brief sketches of locations, real or imagined. This is based of her exercises.

Ritual Worksheet (In progress)

In pretty much every gaming system I have played in, there as the opportunity to play a character that performed some sort of magic. With each system I got involved in, the level of detail for the magic system increased. Somewhere along the way, I started keeping notes on it. And I realized that my method of keeping notes was identical to how I keep notes regarding my witchcraft stuff. Thus, this particular worksheet was developed.

Creature Worksheet Version 1

This is a more formal version of what I presented in my post earlier this week. It covers the basic questions about your creatures and the role the play in your story.

Locales: Graleryn

Graleryn is the smallest of the Seven Kingdoms that make up Evandar. Surrounded by the kingdom of Moesia, Graleryn is a land that lives under the constant threat of hostility. Once, Graleryn extended from the Rock east to the border of Ranyth. Moesia considers Graleryn a satellite kingdom. This leads to conflict between them at the High Council. Open hostilities between these two have not happened in a few generations. The war, however, is still remembered. Graleryn was not completely overrun by Moesia in that war because of the dangerous and wide rivers that lie on either side of it.

Graleryn is a kingdom divided as well. The northern portion of the small, but prosperous, kingdom is ruled by King Cagdas Agha. The southern portion of the kingdom as known as Gwohar and is ruled by Queen Asterith. Technically, these two rulers are wedded and the law of the land is divided between them. There is, however, sufficient tension between the two that Gwohar is recognized as a second seat upon the council in honor of Queen Asterith. This was a political move intended to bring greater stability into Graleryn. Thus far, it seems to be successful.

Graleryn is a region with rich lands. The warmer climate and very fertile fields allows the people of Graleryn to grow exotic produce and medicinals. The wealth of Graleryn comes from the trade of these products in the north of the kingdom and the sea trade in the port cities of the south of the kingdom. Graleryn is technically in an uneasy truce with Moesia but Queen Asterith seeks to regain the eastern lands they lost.

King Cadgas Agha, born of the line of the first king of Graleryn, only wishes to maintain peaceful relations with the surrounding kingdom. His grandfather, Cadgas the Wise, was the one who negotiated the truce with Moesia. Queen Asterith comes from a lineage that claims eastern lands as their due. In Graleryn, there is many petty nobles who lack lands but possess wealth due to skill in trade or ancestral wealth. The queen is descendant from one of the most powerful of these petty noble families.

King Cadgas Agha's power is not as far reaching as his Queen's. Thus, the representitives to the council have come under her power, giving her a double vote on the council.

Locales: Moesia

Moesia is the southernmost of the Seven Kingdoms. Stretching along the southern border of Evandar from the Shattered Mountains to where the Dragon's Spine mountain range meets the Vreth Sea. A narrow kingdom compared to the others of the Seven Kingdoms, Moesia's lands are primarily those at the edge of the sea. The major industries of Moesia are trade, mining, and fishing. To the north, Moesia borders Dakon-Bar. Near the heart of Moesia is the much smaller kingdom of Graleryn, all that remains of that kingdom which had once been the eastern border.

Moesia's fame lies in the blood stained history of the lands. The rocky lands to the east and western portions of Moesia are sources of great wealth and important resources. Many battles were fought over control of those resources. Prior to the establishment of the kingdom, there were also battles between those who lived along the coast and the inland people. Moesia was established as a kingdom during the Great War of the last age in a desperate attempt to preserve the people against the encroaching armies from the west.

Originally, it was half the size it is now, with the eastern most border falling at where the Rock peninsula is located. On the western side of the Rock, there are shallow waters and much of the fishing trade is poor. On the eastern side, however, the waters are deeper and the harbors are better suited to larger ships.  The sailors of the western coastal waters have a reputation as fierce raiders. This reputation is well earned, though the raiding parties no longer harry the eastern coastal waters but rather the lands elsewhere about the Vreth sea.

One of the warmer lands of the Seven Kingdoms, Moesia's climate is far more temperate than that of the northern kingdoms. The lack of substantial farm lands, however, puts Moesia in something of a disadvantage. The people of this kingdom are known for their hardiness and their ability to adapt to situations. This flexibility makes soldiers from Moesia particularly difficult to defeat because they are opportunists and will use unconventional means to achieve their goals.

Another reason Moesia is known is because it is the location of Gaulrin. The city of Gaulrin is home to a mining operation of exceptional cruelty and violence. The mining is predominantly done by prisoners and slaves. Gaulrin is known for hanging particularly violent offenders of their laws outside the city walls as a method of execution and a warning that they will not tolerate disobedience. This practice has had some infamous parties executed through it. It is also the reason why a noose is known as the Gaulrin necklace through out most of the Seven Kingdoms.

Locales: Swavia

The kingdom of Swavia is the smallest of the Seven Kingdoms of Evandar. Irregularly shaped, the borders of Swavia follow the Shattered Mountains, bordering Aelethmer where the range begins. Surrounded by the mountain range, the hilly lowlands of the kingdom are places of mediocre quality farming. Swavia is not a very populous kingdom. It does, however, have a higher number of thralls per citizen ratio. This is because of Swavia's mining industry.

Slaves are predominately the source of labor in the mines. Swavia does not have a the same population of foresters within its borders as neighboring countries, such as Dakon-Bar (which lies to the north-east) or Moesia (which is south of Dakon-Bar and east of Swavia.) This is partly due to the fact that the forests of Swavia are not as dense of these kingdoms. It is also due to the policy that criminals are enslaved. The high slavery rate of Swavia is something that other kingdoms within Evandar are of mixed feelings on. Under the reign of Erian Talasid, prior to the incursion of the Cordid or the war with Askemb the Usurper, Swavia was a place that was tolerated due to treaties by kingdoms with low slavery rates. Tarsus and Dakon-Bar, with the lowest slavery rates, were consistently at opposition with Swavia in most matters during this period. 

The kingdom of Gwohawr, which wraps about the southernmost border of Swavia up to meet Galeryn, has the second highest rate of slavery, followed by Moesia, and has been Swavia's most staunch supporters. Swavia's metals trade and precious jewels trade makes the upper class very wealthy and the lower classes a bit more well off than those of the neighboring kingdoms. Swavia is divided by the Shadowmer river that cuts from Galeryn along a northeast to southwest track into Ackmere before returning through southernmost Swavia and running into Gwohawr. The Shadowmere river is the largest river in the western kingdoms of Evandar.

Along its banks and in its floodplains are prosperous towns, rich farmlands, and a few large cities. This region is in many ways the bread basket of Swavia. The prices for grain in Swavia are shockingly high compared to other regions due to the poor growing conditions there. The only kingdom that comes close in its prices for grain is the mountainous kingdom of Tarsus in the northeast of the Seven Kingdoms.

Locales: Ackmere

Ackmere is the south-westerly kingdom of Evandar's seven that borders Swavia and Aelethemer to the north, Moesia to the east, and the region known as the Darklands to the south. On the western side of Ackmere are the grasslands that lead to the desert known as the Waste. Where the grasslands north of Ackmere are claimed as part of Aelethmer's domain, the ones on the border of Ackmere are not claimed as part of that kingdom but rather reserved for the people who were ancestrally displaced from the Darklands during the Great War of the last Age. Officially, these people are free and not tied to any kingdom. In practice, however, they align with Ackmere. They, however, are not part of the seven kingdoms that make up the greater kingdom of Evandar.

In the north of Ackmere, where the pinnacle of the boundary meets Aelethmer, the foothills of the Shattered Mountains roll. There is a region of six lakes that are heavily sheltered by the hills from the bitter winters of the north. These lakes are known as the tears of Roen, for local folklore states they were formed by her tears as she walked the world and saw the evil Morguthu brought. Around these lakes, there are vineyards. This is where Ackmere's wine production predominantly happens. The wines of Ackmere are considered to be almost as good as those of Aelethmer.

The mountains of the Shattered Mountains range march through the eastern side of Ackmere. They divide the kingdom into two regions. The western side of Ackemer is approximately two thirds of the kingdom. The western region with its hills are known for the sheep and goats that reside there. The villages and towns of western Ackmere are predominantly places where fabric is fashioned and traded. In the city of Crookdown, the largest center of fabric trade of the seven kingdoms is located. Exotic fabric, such as silk from the distant lands of Pannonia in across the sea, first come into the kingdom here. While Ackmere is not favored with ports, it is part of a great trading route that moves through the lands about the great sea.

Eastern Ackmere is a place where timber is traded. The trees of the southernmost part of the kingdom are rare, for they have grown in the bogs that reach into the realm known as the Darklands. The bog wood is reputed to possess magical powers. It is also extremely durable and resistant to rot. There are also orchards in eastern Ackmere that are famed for their fruit. The plums of eastern Ackmere are fashioned into a wine that is popular through out the seven kingdoms for its sweetness. Eastern Ackmere is considered to be the gateway to the inner kingdoms. The trade routes through the Shattered Mountains are well policed with a dedicated force that answers to the king.

The monarchy of Ackmere is a matrilineal one. The rule of the kingdom is handed down from mother to daughter. The queens of Ackmere have an established reputation as ruthless and devious enemies of their foes. The sitting queen is living up to her reputation with her merciless rule over her lands. Malcontents are found out and punished when they speak out against the queen. The queen is also known for the fact that she has ridden out into battle, leading her troops personally. The king of Ackmere is generally more of a consort figure with substantially less power, though in theory he is the queen's equal.

In the entire history of Ackmere, there has only been one known battle between the queen and her king. This battle has been remembered as a bloody civil war between west and east Ackmere. The conclusion of the civil war brought a considerable reduction to the king's power. Indeed, that king was imprisoned by the queen and died under suspicious circumstances.

Locales: Aelethmer

Aelethmer is the northwestern kingdom of Evandar. It abuts Tarsus in the northeastern region of it, then the kingdom of Dakon-Bar on the southeastern region. The southern region of Aelethmer borders Swavia. The western side of this kingdom extends to encompass the northern portion of the plain that stands before the desert known as the Waste until it reaches the northern most tip of Ackmere that touches both Swavia and Aelethmer.

The northernmost regions of Aelethmer are mountainous. The foothills of the mountains cover approximately a third of the kingdom. These foothills extend south and very slightly to the west. In a crescent, the plain reaches from the northwest end of the foothills to the border with Swavia and down to the southern most portions of this kingdom. The southeastern region is rocky terrain with another set of hills. The southern hills of this region allows one to catch a glimpse of a small mountain range that marches through Ackmere and into Moesia.

The northern mountains of Aelethmere are the source of a significant marble industry. The foothills and the great lake Isleth (rumored to have been created from the tears of the widows of the Great War from the last age) provide suitable fertile ground for wine production. The wines of Aelethmere are considered to be superior to those of other regions. It is a major industry of this kingdom. In addition to wine, however, Aelethmere is known for its wool production. It is also home to gold mining and goldsmithing in the southeastern region. This, however, is a very minor part of Aelethmer's income. The forested foothills of both mountain ranges (the Dragon's Spine to the north and the Shattered Mountains to the south) provide a significant industry in lumber. This, however, is not as substantial as that of  Swavia, as the wood from Aelethmer is considered to be 'common' quality.

Aelethmer is ruled by a king who is born of the lineage of the first king. Succession is patrilineal. They are one of the oldest kingdoms in the western portion of Evandar. Aelethmerian politics are almost as complex as the politics of the Council of Seven. Aelethmer is divided into six duchies with five earldoms in each duchy and varying numbers of vassals in each earldom. The six duchies have representatives that make up the Inner Council of the King. This council advises the king on matters of domestic affairs and state. International affairs are discussed in the Grand Council, where the duchies have two representatives and the earldoms each have one. It is the Grand Council who nominates the ambassador to the Council of Seven at Tor Caldri.

Aelethmer is a modified absolute monarchy. The judicial system is based upon the vassals of the monarch having rule over their vassals. When a matter requires arbitration, their overlord sits in judgment. There have been very few matters that have risen to the king's final judgment. Generally, vassals are reluctant to challenge their overlord by appealing to the one above them. This, however, does happen on time to time. Generally, it results in either the claimants being sent away to different fiefdoms or, on occasion, the execution of the loser. The vassal who had their decision overturned are given a rebuke. This results in the loss of prestige and ability to persuade the Grand Council on any major matters in direct relation to the number of rebukes they have received. In the history of Aelethmer, there have been earls and knights who have been stripped of their titles because they have such a poor record of judgment.


Aelethmer is known as one of the moderately prosperous kingdoms of Evandar. They are in lands that have been, for much of recent history, been peaceful. Aelethmer is frequently considered to be 'fat and lazy' by their eastern neighbors because of how insulated they have been from strife. Still, on the Council of Seven, Aelethmer is well regarded for their tacit and ability to skillfully manage economic scenarios. They are known in Tor Caldri as the House of Coin for how frequently representatives from Aelethmer have been appointed to monitor and manage the royal treasury of the High King.