The Northermark Confederacy

Notes: the Northermark confederacy is a loose collection of city-states, principalities, and small kingdoms. The council of nobles from the different nations elect a regent. The regents powers are limited to settling disputes between nations and gathering taxes from the member nations for the upkeep of the roads and the confederate legion. The legion is a military arm that patrols the roads, rivers and coastline throughout the confederacy. They answer to the regent and serve as a police and peacekeeping force.

Among the nations of the Northermark Confederacy are: the mountain Duchy of Thentis (pop.49, 000), the Tuchuk plains nations (Nineclans, pop.230, 000), the free-city of Port Kar (pop.90, 000), the mountain dwarven kingdom of Thunderhold (pop.55, 000), Kingdom of Dunador, the Barony of Urich (pop.22, 000) and the city of Turia (pop.70, 000).

Religion: Heldar, Rhea, Briganta, Grun, and Uller. In the Veronian Mountains there is a shrine dedicated to St. Nevron, a Paladin of Heldar. It is where the kings of Dunador traditionally visit when coming of age. Drinking from the shrines sacred fountain is said to impart strength and wisdom to the royal family.

Hardwood stands of oak, mahogany, birch, and maple dot Dunador providing leafy shelter for travelers and those who toil in the fields. Shrubs and thick underbrush tangle beneath the copses forcing travelers to either hack a way through or travel along the paths. Thistles, mistletoe and various other bushes are common.

Most of Dunador is covered in farms. Some of which are owned by wealthy landlords and rented out to sharecroppers. The majority are owned by peasant farmers who raise, among other things, barley, corn, wheat, and beans. They've learned the principle of crop rotation; there's not enough land in Dunador to let a field go fallow for a season. There are also ranchers who raise livestock.

Most of the ordinary animals common to all lands can be found here, birds, bears, freshwater fish, foxes, deer, boar etc. Large spiders make their way into Dunador from the Mistwood from time to time: many are harmless but a few are extremely poisonous. Fortunately for the farmers living near the Mistwood, the poisonous albino spiders never leave the safety of that dread wood. On the other hand Goblins and Gnolls leave the Mistwood fairly often. Though they don't venture too far from the dank forest, they do make life difficult for those trying to make a living near the wood. These humanoid bands usually only hit a single farmstead or cabin before retreating to the Mistwood. But tales of atrocities performed upon the inhabitants of those dwellings serve to keep all but the most adventurous from living near the Mistwood.

Despite its small size, Dunador boasts a fair number of towns and villages. Most of them are tiny fishing or farming hamlets with populations of no more than 50. However, there are settlements of more importance in the land, sitting on the roads, along the riverbanks, and other well-traveled areas. The most important of these, of course, is the Free City of Dunthrane.

The first of the river towns is Piercalm, a village of about 1,000 people. It's just inside Dunador, right on the northwestern border. Originally established as a fishing village, it's now more a market for those who don't want to pay the high fees for docking at Dunthrane. The mayor is a woman named Anais Stormsdaughther, a Ravvikan outcast whose knowledge of the river's ways has earned her the respect of her fellows.

This town of 1,250 is mainly of bargemen and fishermen. Most everyone makes a living from the river, one way or another and they have little use for outsiders. There are some who work as fishing guides, but most steer clear of outsiders. They are among the most xenophobic people of Dunador.

Michael's' Bluff is situated on the connecting road between the Dunadoran Free Way and the Imperial Road. It is not a populous as most of the other major towns of Dunador. The population numbers about 500, and these folk split their living between smuggling, river life, and serving travelers along the road. Its mayor is an Aragossean named Gierbete.

Montinelle is the capital of the Duchy of Andevar one of the three duchies that make up the kingdom. It sits among a ring of hills and is the home to one of the largest collections of guards in Dunador. Since the increase of Humanoid raids into Dunador from the Tuchuk Plains and Veronian Mountains in the last few years, the Dunadoran regents have become very watchful of this border. The people, on the other hand, are leaving. The population of this formerly burgeoning trade town is 1,000 people.

Morildon is situated is such a place as to take ultimate advantage of both the Road and Piercalm's position on the Laine. Set farther in on the Road. Morildon has absorbed much of Montinelle's population and holds nearly 2,000 people now. The major, Joseph Morilie, is descended from the man who founded the town, and he makes a healthy profit off the trade that passes through Morildon.

This is the Capital of the duchy of Valdemar and also the biggest town in Dunador, boasting a population of 2,500. Since it sits on the RiverWay. The town is geared toward making a pleasant stay for those traveling on the River, and thus is mostly filled with inns and outfitters. It's also a popular place to hire guards.

Since the people of Dunador are traditionally leery of the tribes from the Tuchuk Plains, The town of Edgelin was established to house a garrison of troops to protect against any further Tuchuk invasions. Now, of course, with the normalizing of relations between Dunador and the Tuchuks, the town serves more a border crossing, a place for the customs officials and the honest traffic into the land. Its population is about 1,500 people.

This is the only city in the kingdom. However, it was not until King Halfred I ascended to the throne that it became the Free City of Dunthrane, a safe haven for those who had offended other rulers. The other rulers would then have to petition the regent of Dunador to extradite the criminals. many political favors were thus earned by the last regent of Dunador, who would sell these criminals in exchange for treaties of one sort or another.

If a traveler were to enter the Free City by coming up the river Laine, the first thing he'd see would be the wharves set up a mile distant from the city, with carters anxious to rent their wares to rivermen seeking to avoid the high docking fees at the city, with carters anxious to rent their wares to rivermen seeking to avoid the high docking fees at the city. Looking downstream, the traveler could spy the spires of the city rising above the land and the fishing village. (some would say a slum) huddled at the base of the wall. There are also a few thriving shipwright businesses here.

Much of the Free City sits on a 50-foot bluff overlooking the river, at the junction of the Laine and Tuor rivers. Boatmen constantly jockey for position to keep from being swept downstream past the docks; those that are have a tedious day ahead of them as they have to make their back up the river.

Once they've landed, they must deal with the dock master, pay their loading fees, and submit to possible inspection by the customs agents of Dunador. The docks are, naturally, outside the city, whose 40-foot walls rise above the wharves. Guards man a pair of arbalests, watching vigilantly out over the river and tending to the iron gates that open onto the waterway.

Once one enters the gates, the land slopes gently upward away from the docks. The slope is gradual enough that the streets of the city are easily traversed, even in the worst of winter's ice. Near the gates are the warehouses, places for the storage of goods going in and out of the city. Stables have also been built nearby, both for keeping and for renting horses in Dunthrane. On the other side of the street, against the Western Wall, the wealthy folk live walled off from the rest of the city. Privately hired guards patrol this section, keeping the riffraff away. Beyond that division lies a public park, greenery inviting the city dweller to rest. Farther south are the inns, a large guard barracks near the gate to the Imperial Road, and a large residential area (called Crofters' Corners) for servants of the wealthy and the crafters of the area. The Bazaar of Dunthrane and the Farmer's market lie just to the east of this section, providing all manner of goods and services. The Bazaar is the main place of business in the land of Dunador, while the Farmer's Market caters mostly to Dunthrane's producers.

Just north of Crofters' Corners is Healers' Row, a street devoted entirely to physicians. They're cheaper and more accessible than the priests of the temples, but their services aren't as reliable. However, since there aren't really enough priests to keep a whole town well, the healers do a brisk business. North of the healers are the banks and guildhalls, where the bulk of business is done in Dunador. The Bazaar is here for the traders; the guilds and banks are here for the moneyed and the representatives of the moneyed. Some guildsmen even have the people's best interests at heart.

Naturally, Embassy Hall is located right next to Caer Dunador, the castle and heart of the realm. A 30-foot high wall separates the hilltop castle from the rest of Dunthrane; treetops can be seen nodding over the walls, and the scent of flowers wafts from the garden. Guards constantly patrol the tops of the walls, keeping an eye peeled for interlopers. Thieves, and would-be assassins. They especially keep an eye on the Bazaar, just to the south.

The edifice that houses the Court and Jail of Dunador is off the eastern wall of Caer Dunador and it is one of the best fortified structures in the city, including even the castle. Difficulties with jailbreaks were disrupting the city and too many criminals were escaping, so Jorain Dunador took steps to ensure that would no longer be a problem. Back to the north, the Library of Dunador squats next to Embassy Hall and right next to that is Sages' Corner. The scribes of the city are situated behind the sages, just off the park. The park is graced by one of the two springs of the city and it is constantly in use. To the east of the park is the gate on the Road, which sees quite a bit of traffic. Stables and inns are common here as well.

South of the gate is the largest (in terms of population and square footage both) residential area in the city, called Thornbrook. The artists and other creative people who work in the arts live in the southernmost corner of Thornbrook, near the gate to the Dunadoran Free Way and the Western Imperial Temple of Heldar. Here too is to be found White Hall College, a bardic school of no little renown.

Of course, Dunthrane also has its seamy side. Some would say that Dunthrane's seamy side is the most attractive feature of the city. No matter a citizen's tastes, the chances are that they can be satisfied in the Free City of Dunthrane. There are houses of ill repute, dealers in questionable substances, purveyors of black market goods, and denizens of even darker mien.

The Tuchuk Barbarians are a black-haired and blue-eyed people. Large, hardy folk who live by raiding, hunting, gathering, and farming. The Tuchuks are divided into 10 tribes (at the present). Sometimes there are more, sometimes less. The tribes are named for the beast totems such as the Black Lion, Thunderbeast, Red Tiger, Blue Bear, Great Worm, Sky Pony, Tree Ghost, Black raven, Griffon, and Grey Wolf. Although civilization has come to the north in waves throughout history,

Much of the land is wild and untamed, the unbounded home of the Tuchuks. Their tribal lands extend north into the Cold Mountains, south as far as Veronian east to the Sea, and west to Dunador. They avoid cities, the Mistwood and the lands around Maghreb. Although some tribes have embraced agriculture and fixed habitations, the Tuchuks have few stable villages. Most tribes wander the wilderness in small clan or family groups and live within a few weeks travel of their ancestor mounds their holiest of holy grounds.

Tradition is the centerpole of Tuchuk life. Yet it is blind devotion to tradition that keeps them savages. Strength is everything and civilization is a weakness not to be tolerated. Among the Tuchuks, men are warriors and hunters, and women tend to food gathering and family needs; though all are capable of defending the tribe. Though rare, it is not unheard of for women to be warriors. In fact there is a highly respected warrior society that consists of young unmarried Tuchuk women, they are called the Maiden Archers. Tuchuks have no written language and little art beyond geometric carvings and clothing decoration. Their religions and philosophies focus on war, plunder, and survival in a harsh land. They are superstitious, with a paranoiac dislike of magic. To reveal oneself as a magic-user to an Tuchuk warrior is to ask him to kill you. The Tuchuk barbarians have little to do with city folk, other than to treat them as prey. Lone travelers or large caravans, both are ripe fruit for plunder (still, some Tuchuk have made beneficial "civilized" alliances). Though the Tuchuks prey on civilized folk and frequently fight among

Most Tuchuks dress in fringed leathers and furs. They love bright colors, gaudy jewelry, and ornamental decoration. everything they own is embellished with complicated designs and geometric patterns interwoven with designs representing their tribal totems and other beasts. The men of the tribe tattoo their cheeks with simple images of their totem, and the women are the showcase for their warriors victories, wearing captured booty proudly.

In addition to the hand axe, knife, and spear, the Tuchuks favor the battle axe, saber, atlatl, javelin, light lance, bola and the composite hornbow. The most common Tuchuk armor is leather and shield. Some warriors possess studded leather and shield. A tribal chieftain or veteran warrior may possess chainmail and shield. In most cases, the shield is a spiked buckler (which can be used as a weapon).

Within the Tuchuk, all deities are allied to a central religion focusing on beast totems. Each tribe has its own totem. All other deities, including adopted foreign, gods, are secondary and subservient to the beast gods. This includes Morrigan (the Tuchuk war goddess) and Rhea (the earth and fertility goddess, although she is worshipped exclusively by tribal women). These nonbeast gods are represented among the tribes by shamans of lesser power (rarely above 4th level). Rhea's clerics are always women. Southern gods are occasionally found in tribal strongholds, tolerated only because they or their clerics provide something valuable to the tribe.

The Tuchuk barbarian tribes each worship one of the beasts native to their lands. Tribal shamans are the magical power within the tribes. During the Autumn months, all tribal clans converge on the tribe's ancestral mound for the annual Runemeet. These huge earthworks mounds, often shaped like the totem beasts, are sacred burial grounds, where only the greatest shamans and chiefs are interred. Here the Tuchuks worship their gods, set tribal policy, perform marriages, celebrate births, formalize adoptions, and mourn deaths. During the Runemeet, youths desiring to be adults and warriors of all ages participate in the ritual of the Runehunt, in which those involved seek victory over one of the tribe's r i t u a l enemies, usually Gnolls.

Taken as a whole, the separate tribes form the Tuchuk people, yet they have individual distinctions. This diversity is expressed as cultural variances, devotion to their unique totems, and tribal goals. Each tribe has an ancestor mound where they worship their totems (and other gods) each fall during the Runemeet. Several share mounds with other tribes, while some mounds are lost or abandoned. Each tribe is ruled by a chieftain. Chief shamans are the most powerful in their tribe, and normally accompany the chieftain. Other shamans of lesser or even equal power exist within each tribe. The ritual enemy is a foe whom young barbarians must challenge and overcome in order to become adults. It is also the focus of ritual hunts during the annual Runemeet. Gnolls are the common ritual foe of all Tuchuks, but each tribe may have its own personal enemy.

The black lion is long gone from the north, yet the tribe that bears its name lives on. Chief Alaric's badge of office is said to be a cape made of black lion skin (those who claim to have seen it recall only a mangy scrap of dirty black fur. Nestled in a wide valley is the small village of Beorunna's Well (mostly small huts, long houses and a few tents), which stands a respectful distance from the watery pit that is its name-sake. Here, the complacent Black Lions have forsaken tradition to become farmers and herders. Hunters still roam the wilds, but the tribe no longer depends upon them for survival. Agricultural success lets them trade with others for their needs. In forsaking their barbarian traditions, they have also cast aside their tribal totem. Most folk of Beorunna's Well worship Rhea, Briganta, Uller, and Grun. Beorunna's Well is one of the most sacred sites of the Tuchuk barbarians. The folk here sense its eldritch nature and fear it more than they revere it. During Runemeet, the Red Tiger tribe performs the required rituals while the Black Lions avoid entering the well.

Of all the Tuchuk, the Blackraven are the most conservative, holding tightly to the old ways and reacting violently to the new. Pureheartman and his assistant, Wulphgehar, are the only shamans tolerated by the tribe. As far as the caravans who ply the Nothermark are concerned, the Blackravens are the worst of the tribes. Blackraven warriors are renowned as bandits, gaining this reputation because they prey on those whom they despise the most foreigners, especially merchants and missionary clerics. They seek t o destroy that which may threaten their way of life. The tribe is aided in their quest by their totem, the gigantic ravens of Ravenrock. The raiders sit astride massive ravens, swooping down out of the sky to rob and terrorize caravans. The Blackravens have little respect for tribes who dwell in towns (particularly the Thunderbeast and Griffon tribes), since those tribes have adopted foreign ways. In return, they are enemies of those tribes. Chief Gundar Brontoskin (Thunderbeast chieftain) offers a bounty for the destruction of the Blackravens eggs. Because their raiding spoils are tainted with foreign influence (including gold, jewelry, weapons, fabric, etc.), these items are sacrificed to the Blackraven and secreted away in Blackraven shrine, near the Ravenrock ancestor mound. The Blackravens protect their

This tribe is evil, a pawn of Mahgreb. The Tuchuk tribes stand united in their enmity towards the infamous Blue Bear tribe. No longer a mere spirit, the blue bear totem has become demon-like due to the tribe's association with the evil within Mahgreb. Likewise, the tribesfolk have degenerated and become brutal, possibly even more savage than Gnolls.

Of all the tribes, they are the most arrogant, surly and self-indulging. Considered by many to be little more than bandits, they often raid other tribal settlements for food, women, and sport. Chief Zokan Thunderer is regarded by most as a vulgar thug. Under his rule, clerics of Louhi have gained a strong hold on the tribe.

Though they are not the most numerous or the most powerful, this is the most feared of the Tuchuk tribes. Long ago, the tribe adopted human refugees from the lost city of Gaungrym. The evil that had possessed the city caused the tribe to be cursed with lycanthropy. Any tribesman who possesses Greywolf blood becomes a wolf under the light of the moon (although those who are adopted by other tribes slowly lose the curse). On moonlit nights, the entire tribe roams the wilderness in search of prey. During Runemeet, the Blackraven

Chief Kralgar Bonesnapper is a popular man of great charisma, and even greater ambition. Since assuming leadership, he has pushed his people towards greater accomplishments, making the Griffons foremost among the tribes in power, skill, and learning. His great goal is the conquest and possession of one of the northern cities of Mahgreb. To this end, he has declared ritual war on Mahgreb. Unallied clans seeking either plunder or the benefits offered by cities have joined the Griffons, swelling their ranks. Even so, Griffons Nest, the primary tribal encampment, rivals some of the smaller northern cities. Without realizing it, Kralgar may accomplish his goal within his lifetime as Griffons Nest slowly changes from camp to city. While the tribe wages incessant warfare against the cities, they welcome contact with outsiders, considering all as potential allies in their quest.

This village of crude huts and longhouses surrounded by a palisade which encloses all but the outlying farms has been rapidly growing in the 10 years since Kralgar became chief. Economy: Subsistence level farming, hunting, woven baskets and containers (which are sold to visiting traders), and gold panning in Shining Creek. Militia: 300 Tuchuk warriors in residence, plus another 1,000 who can arrive to form a greater horde.

This tribe is wild and solitary. They hunt in very small family groups and roam widely, primarily in the Cold Wood. They are wary of all strangers and would sooner avoid contact with things or folk which they do not know. The tribe has few shamans and no shrines other than Beorunna's Well. The men of the Red Tiger tribe are strictly hunters, leaving gathering and trading to the women, elderly and children. The Red Tigers believe that the true test of a hunter is the ability to bring down prey unaided. Often, their only weapons are "Tiger Claws"wooden handles embedded with three sharp stone daggers. The hunter holds these so the daggers project between the fingers like claws. The Red Tigers are loyal to King Gundar Brontoskin of the Thunderbeasts, who won their respect during a Runemeet Runehunt by bringing back a leucrotta, slain with only a pair of tiger claws.

The Town of Grunwald on the edge of the Mistwood is home to this most civilized of the tribes. Although, he wields no official power over the other tribes, King Gundar has the charisma and respect necessary to call the tribes together into a horde. The tribe takes its name from the apatosaurus (brontosaurus), which in ancient times roamed here. Tribal shamans claim that thunderbeasts still dwell in the Forest. The clan's hearth at Morgur's Mound is surmounted by an apatosaurus skeleton. It said that in time of great need, the tribal shamans can animate the skeleton to fight in the tribe's defense. In addition to the Beast Cult shamans, the Thunderbeast tribe in Grunwald has grown civilized enough to tolerate priests of other religions, primarily druids and the priests of Uller.

This tiny village is built upon the ruins of a dwarfhold. Most homes are built of stone rubble and timber from the forest. The tunnels beneath the city are known, but are taboo, off-limits to villagers and foreigners alike. A druid grove and a shrine to Uller are located near the king's lodge.

The Tree Ghosts are wanderers who search for Grandfather Tree, their lost and abandoned ancestor mound. At Runemeet, they worship at whichever ancestor mound is most convenient before resuming their wandering again. Unlike the other Tuchuk tribes, the Tree Ghosts totem is not a beast. The Tree Ghost is a woodland spirit, similar in some respects to an elemental, but drawing life, energy and intelligence from the forest and giving back its energy to the forest as a caretaker and guardian. Supposedly, each forest has a Tree Ghost whose power depends on the size of that forest. The Tree Ghosts are cordial to foreigners, but will not ask for outsiders help in their holy quest for their ancestor mound.