Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Durnauc



The subcontinent of Durnauc is remote, cut off from much of the rest of civilized Eldreon due to distance and the barrier of the Kadeshi desert. Trade ships still make the voyage largely for the rich gem mines found in the region as well as the export of rare animals and the materials they provide.With large stretches of uninhabited land sheltering pirates and marauding gnoll bands even along the coast, civilization clings tenuously to the larger settlements and those areas they can protect. This wild and largely lawless land has attracted many adventurers and fortune-seekers, helped by the legends of fabulous and wealthy ruins left by a long-fallen ancient civilization somewhere in the wastelands.

Cathuili

The lone outpost of the elves in Durnauc, this city has survived largely on the strength of its location. It is the last truly hospitable deep water port before the larger cities of Golapoor, and thus sees a vast amount of trade traffic sailing in both directions. The elves here have grown rather fond of the stark, spare beauty they see in Durauc, and often cooperate militarily with the Sendron settlements to fight off the ever-threatening gnolls.

Sendron

A coalition of sovereign settlements in western Durnauc, these towns and cities cling tenaciously to their tough existence. Known for the commonly cynical and independent inhabitants, these peoples live in constant skirmish warfare with the gnoll nations and tribes to the north. Halflings are surprisingly common in these settlements, though they tend to be more taciturn and reserved than their kin in greater Eldreon.

Groak and Tezzen

The anarchic nations of Groak and Tezzen are not popular with their neighbors due to the prevalence of piracy as an occupation. In reality, the tribal structure of society has pushed the more marginalized tribes to this way of living, while the best farmlands are monopolized by the wealthier peoples.

Gahel

A despotic kingdom with a large deal of internal political strife, nonetheless the Gahelians see themselves as the most cosmopolitan of Durnauc's inhabitants and have the arrogance to match it. The rich river valley that forms the heartland of Gahel has made them prosperous and the nation is more densely populated than any other area in the subcontinent. Despite (or perhaps, because of) this large population, certain factions of the Gahelians also engage in the piracy that is so common in the local sea lanes.

Ezlen

Ezlen sits atop the richest deposits of rare gems in Eldreon, and their wealth and strength is built upon their many mines. Slave labor is still widely exploited here to pull the riches up from the earth, and mercenaries are hired from the world over to enforce the tyrannical rule of the Jeweled Princes and to defend Ezlen from outside interests - whether they be gnolls from the north or the settled peoples from the south and west, seeking control of some of the lucrative mines for themselves. In turn Ezlen desires control of a port city and invasions and schemes by the Jeweled Princes are not uncommon. Only to the east does Ezlen find anything approaching stable relations, as Dusai and Jerai are their primary trading partners, exchanging gems for slaves.

Dusai and Jerai

The oldest realms in Durnauc, Dusai and Jerai commonly raid other lands for slaves, as well as enslaving people within their own society for a variety of crimes - unpaid debt, theft, murder, etc. They use a mixture of drugs and subtle mental charms to make the majority of their slaves more pliant. There are also a number of different classes of slave, some of which are for life, others for a certain amount of time, and beyond. The rules and laws surrounding the institution are old and complex. The lowest classes of slave are often sold to Ezlen as laborers for the mines.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.