Birthright - Player's Secrets of Ghoere

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The Baronyof Ghoere

Table of ContentsIntroduction............................. 2Missives From the Court ........ 3History of the Barony.............. 4The Lands of Ghoere .............. 8Ghoere Society .................... 29Important Personages ............. 32Holdings of Ghoere ................ 35Rumours, Secrets & Plots ....... 38Strategy Tips ........................... 39Appendix ............................. 40

CreditsWritten by Terry Keith and Mark VanderMeulenEdited by: Terry Keith and Mark VanderMeulen

Creative Consultation by Tommy Ashton,Craig Greeson and Mark VanderMeulen

Cover Art & Colour Plates by: Luis VilaçaInterior Art by: Dominic Hamer

Cartography by Terry Keith

Special Thanks to Craig Greeson and Mark VanderMeulen who bothcontributed several of their own ideas and writings to this document,and to the membership of the Birthright mailing list at large : a heartfelt note of appreciation. A better group of folks you’ll not find!

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AD&D, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and Dungeon Master areregistered trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Birthright, and the Birthright Logo are trademarks owned by Wizardsof the Coast, Inc. (formerly TSR, Inc) © 1995

This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people,organizations, places, or events is purely coincidental.

Welcome to the Barony of Ghoere, a landsurrounded by powerful enemies who guardagainst the ever growing might and strength

of the Baron. Traditionally denied the rightful rankand position it deems itself worthy of. The Barons ofGhoere play a continuing game of cat and mouse withthe other Imperial realms of Anuire. The Crown of theEmpire is coveted by many, and in the quest to claimthe Iron Throne, friendships and alliances are asfleeting as the winds. Intrigue and subtlety abound,but it shall take a strong arm and ingenious diplomaticsavvy to claim the Throne of Anuire for yourself.

What you need to playThis accessory is designed to be used with the 2nd

Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, and isspecifically designed for the Birthright™ campaignsetting. The Birthright Box set is required, and thePlayers Secrets of Roesone, Book of Priestcraft, andBook of Regency are very useful but are not essentialto incorporating this writing into play. The materialpresented here can easily be altered to fit any mid-size, martially inclined kingdom.

How to Use this SourcebookIt is assumed that the Barony of Ghoere is to

be used as an NPC realm, and this book takes theDungeon Master through a journey of the manysecrets and dangerous locales within that Barony. It isnot meant to be read outright by your players, and as aDM, you should allow only those portions which youfeel might be common knowledge to be seen by yourplayers. You are free to alter, ignore, or expand uponany of this information as you see fit in order tomould the knowledge herein to fit your personalcampaigns.

I have referred to published material as muchas possible and conceded to it in each instance. Much of the geography and history of this writing isbased on information presented in the Player Secretsof Roesone by Richard Baker and the Atlas of Ceriliaby Richard Baker and Collin McComb. Additionalresources used in this writing include: the Book ofPriestcraft by Richard Baker, Dale Donovan, DuaneMaxwell, and Ed Stark, The Book of Regency by EdStark, The Book of Magecraft by numerous authors,and of course, The Falcon and the Wolf by RichardBaker. I would like to thank all these authors for theirworks.

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Missives fromthe CourtThe Lord General Havriel’sreport

Greetings my Lord Baron! Our armies are thelargest and best trained in all the heartlandsand without exception, our neighbours fear our

strength. This is both bane and boon to our cause myLord. There is little that occurs within our land thatdoes not escape the attentions of our neighbours, andour political manoeuvres are monitored with closescrutiny by every regent within Anuire. All eyes areupon you my Lord, but our military might isunquestionable. Your troops are strong, wellequipped and loyal. The many mercenary captains ofAnuire flock to your banners my Lord, and we areprepared to march at a moments notice. I believelord, that if the Prince Avan could be distracted, andour ancient rivals in Diemed as well, that we might atlast be able to conquer our northern nemesis inMhoried within the span of a season.

To the east, the Khinasi of Elinie sit ripe tobe plucked, and in Osoerde, the Usurper Dukestruggles to lock a yoke upon his people. To thesouth, the Baroness Marlae Roesone as yet to learn therules in the game of thrones, and her own noblesapproach us, secretly seeking alliance. These realmsare no threat to us as yet sire, and our strength couldbe used to force them to our cause.

To the west, the Duke Alam hides behind hisshield, and utters empty threats at his enemies acrossthe river in Tuornen. We need fear nothing from him,though he might too, be turned to our own ends with asmall dose of manipulation.

Only the dark woods of the Spiderfell arecause for immediate concern Lord Baron. The fiendof those woods has been overly quiet these pastmonths, and the perpetual storm which rages over thatdark mire has grown more ferocious of late. If I werea superstitious man Sire, I might think the storm bodessome imminent disaster or that it portents the comingof the Spiderlord. Of course sire, I am neither worriednor fearful of such an incursion. The brain-feveredfiend could be put down as quickly as a Ghieste tradershould he but poke his head out of his woods long

enough for my archers to plant a shaft in him.- Lord Havriel Sein

Lord General of Ghoere

The Lord Seneschal’s Report

My liege and Lord Baron, greetings. Our realmis wealthy beyond measure, and we havelittle worry for monetary matters. Yet our

martial policies are expensive sire, and much of ourresources are used in maintaining the men of yourlegions. Though I do not propose to question yourwisdom or policies sire, there are many areas of ourrealm which might well benefit from an equal share ofour treasuries attentions my Lord.

The docks of Ghieste are in dire need ofrepair my liege, and the entire town crumbles withage. The border town of Achiese cries out forincreased funding to maintain and upgrade itsdefences Lord, and in light of the recent usurpation ofthe Osoerdean throne, it might well be wise torelocate funds and forces to that province’s defencesire.

The people, though well fed, are not overlyhappy in regards to the rather heavy taxation whichthey are subjected to, and some amount of dissent hasarisen in the provinces which yet remain to becompletely secured by your rule.

Aside from these concerns Lord, there aresome in your land who turn their ears to the voicesand promises of the more liberal Mhoriens, andalready our lands have become infected with thereligious teachings of the humanitarian temples ofAvanlae from our Khinasi neighbours. Your nobleshave begun to test your resolve these past months alsosire, and several of your Counts have grown lax intheir duties. Lord Baron, I fear we might soonencounter some fair amount of resistance and uprisingover the strictness of your rule, and I urge you toreconsider your policies before it is too late.

- Landen TruemarLord Seneschal of Ghoere

The Senator’s Report

Sire, I report to you concerning our realms’popular opinion amongst the diplomats andSenators of the Imperial Senate in the City of

Anuire. Know Lord Baron, that much of Anuire looksupon our land as a rabid hound, eagerly awaiting thefirst sign of weakness from our neighbours so that wemight strike. Lord, your reputation as a warrior and

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conqueror precedes our every move. None trust us torespect the sovereignty of the surrounding lands, andevery action our land takes is closely scrutinized byour peers. If it were not for the recent outbreak ofhostility and chaos throughout much of Anuire, I fearsire, that our land would be beset upon by an allianceof our most formidable opponents, eager to end thethreat which they perceive we present to them.

It would do well to perhaps offer somedisplay of friendship toward our fellow regents sire,and perhaps even some manner of self sacrifice mightbe in order, in hopes that we might better our relationsand allay the fears of our peers my Lord Baron.

- Lord Peityre Noried Senator of Ghoere

From Duchy toBarony; an introduction to the historyof Ghoere

The lands that are now known as the Barony ofGhoere were once separate, but closely alignedDuchies known as Ghieste and Bhalaene. These

two Imperial powers had long been allied anddependant upon the other, and together, the tworealms seemed to exemplify everything which theEmpire stood for.

Ghieste was composed of rich bottomlandthroughout her provinces of Ghiere, Rhumannen,Tireste and Tornilen, and her fields yielded vastamounts of grain and other staple crops. Eventuallytasked by the Emperor with keeping the Imperiallegions provisioned, the nobles of Ghieste soonbecame known for their skills of administration anddistribution, and the Duchy quickly became the centreof trade for the entire heartlands.

The Imperial Duchy of Bhalaene, on theother hand, enjoyed rich deposits of mineral wealth,and the hilly uplands of Achiese, Bhalaene, Bheline,Conallier and Danaroene soon became the dominatingsource for coal and raw iron ore for the majority ofImperial Anuire. The province of Conallier, and to anextent, Thoralinar, were mediocre agricultural basedlands, but the legumes and tubers produced therecould not supply Bhalaene’s ever growing populacealone, and so large amounts of grains and other

foodstuffs had long been imported from the marketsof Ghieste.

When the Imperial Steelworks was movedfrom the Imperial City to Bhalaene in 732 H.C (-792MR), the might and influence of the Duchy becamenearly unparalleled throughout the entire Empire, andthe words of the Bhalaene Dukes were said by many,to have carried nearly as much weight as those of theEmperor himself. With the death of Michael Roele andthe destruction of the majority of the Imperial Legionson the slopes of Battlewaite, the foundations of theEmpire quickly began to decay, and the very fabric ofAnuirean life quickly unravelled as the regentsscrambled to maintain their thrones and power in theensuing chaos.

As a result of it’s mineral wealth and strongmartial and religious tradition, the Duchy of Bhalaeneseemed largely unaffected by the initial decay of theEmpire. The Duke rapidly seized the opportunity toclaim the Imperial Steelworks as a Ducal Protectorate,and supported in this claim by the Prelate of theImperial Temple, the might and influence of theDuchy remained largely intact.

In Ghieste however, the loss of the ImperialBureaucracy nearly broke the power of the Duke, andwith the Imperial Legions decimated and scattered,the backbone of Ghieste’s political might was largelygone. The nobles quickly seized the right to sell anddistribute their grain independently from the Crown,and the Duke of Ghieste lost one of the last vestigesof influence and control over his lesser nobility. Seemingly overnight, the rising middle class came todominate the entire trade of Ghieste, and within a fewdecades, the lesser nobility of Ghieste had grown richand powerful in comparison to the Duke which leadthem. Common born traders and minor noble bornmerchants grew fat from the economic contractswhich the Ghieste land owners tendered to them, andmany thought the trade town of Ghieste might cometo rival the Imperial City in both size and economicmight.

The following years would bring strife andwar throughout Anuire as each realm struggled tomaintain what little influence remained to them, orelse scrambled to usurp it’s dominance over theirneighbours. Age old alliances fell apart, and friendsturned to enemies as the nobles of Anuire quarrelledover land rights and the succession of the Iron Throne. Even the religious doctrines of the Empire were to fallunder contest, and within a few decades following thedeath of Michael Roele, the pillar faith of Anuire, theImperial Temple of Haelyn, began to crumble and

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splinter. There was little peace throughout Anuire,and internecine warfare had become commonplace.

The Duchy of Bhalaene meanwhile, hadalways been a cornerstone of the teachings of Haelyn,and held a long history of military expertise andwarfare. The shattering of Empire and the schism ofthe Imperial Temple did not overly effect Bhalaene,and the Duchy largely held to the ancient ImperialLaws. It’s strength lay in her vast supply of iron ores,and it’s enormous population. Few realms in Anuirecould raise, supply and field a larger nor more welltrained army of religious minded troops than couldBhalaene. Due to this strength, many of thesurrounding domains sought Bhalaene’s friendshipand courted her in hopes of gaining a strong alliance.

In contrast, Ghieste was one of the leadingadvocates for change in the new political tapestry ofthe post Imperial age, and with her paramountinstitution of trade, it is little wonder that theteachings of Saramie would eventually replace themore martial philosophies of the Haelyn temples. Bythe middle of the second century following the deathof Roele, there were few temples left in Ghieste thatheld Haelyn as their patron. This shift in basereligious beliefs obviously caused many of thesurrounding Duchies concern, but few domains hadcause nor wealth enough, to openly challenge theeconomic giant which Ghieste had become. Never amilitary power, Ghieste’s strength lay in it’s tradingpolicies and it’s sizeable treasury, and in thesematters, none of the regents would risk the enmity ofthe Ghieste lords. By 85 M.R. nearly every realmwithin the Heartlands of Anuire was heavilydependant upon Ghieste trade and relied on Ghiesteimports to feed their own populace.

As such, Ghieste was largely left uncontestedduring the pivotal years following the collapse of theEmpire. The duchy gradually grew farther away fromthe traditional values and teachings of Empire, andwith each passing year, the rising middle class becamemore powerful and apparent as the trade consortiumsand economic unions came to prominence and slowlyreplaced the rights of the nobles. By the late 100's,the nobility of Gheiste had become little more than acollection of titled nobles scrambling frantically tosurvive amongst the wealthy trade unions andmerchant consortiums which had arisen throughoutthe Duchy.

Ghieste seemed on the verge of forging aland based on the humanities and structured onindividual merit rather than the traditional right ofbirth. If it were it not for the pivotal events of the

spring of 227 M.R., Ghieste could have very nearlygiven birth to the beginnings of an AnuireanRenaissance.

However, a large force of humanoids invadedthe Duchy from the depths of the Spiderfell early thatspring, and Ghieste was forced to call upon theirneighbours in Bhalaene for aid in lifting the siege oftheir realm. With the Bhalaese aid, the Spiderfellforces were defeated by the autumn of 227 M.R., andthe realm of Ghieste was much indebted to theireastern neighbour. Thus, it was decided that GraehamBhalaene, son of the Duke Bhalaene, was to wed theeldest daughter of Duke Eldant Ghieste, the LadyCaerellyn. It appeared the two duchies wouldeventually be made one through the union of theeldest born. However, when the Lady Caerellyn,(perhaps due to her lands more humanistic viewsregarding personal freedoms) spurned the youngGraeham of Bhalaene, and refused to marry him, theDuke Eldant Ghieste tried in vain to rearrange theagreement with Bhalanene, and offered them greattrade agreements and large tributes of gold in place ofhis daughter. Graeham and his father would not haveit however, and demanded that the wedding take placeas arranged. With the apparent suicide of the LadyCaerellyn in light of the Bhalaene demands, the firstseed of conflict was planted between the once staunchallies.

The Duke Ghieste, now heart broken andmournful over the death of the Lady Caerellyn, lookedupon Bhalaene as the cause of his sorrows, while theyoung Graeham, obsessed with the lack of his rightfulboon owed to him, began to lobby the surroundingrealms to begin pressuring Ghieste to fulfil the boonwhich was owed. Graeham argued that Ghieste hadabandoned Haelyn and the Empire, and petitioned thatthey should be made to forfeit their mercantileinterests in favour of Haelyn’s more noble andrighteous teachings of duty, strength and charity. Inthis way, he argued, the Duchy of Gheiste could bebrought back to the traditions of Empire, which yetwas held in high regard by many of the realmsthroughout the Heartlands.

Despite his best efforts, Graeham could notbreak the Heartland reliance upon Ghieste trade, andthough his son continued the quest following hisdeath, Bhalaene would only eventually manage toconvince a few foreign nobles that something ought tobe done about Ghieste policy and device, but noindividual regents would unite with him in militaryaction against the Duchy. The Bhalaene campaign toturn Anuire against Ghieste seemed lost, and for the

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next 170 years, relations between the two Duchieswould continue to degrade.

As fate would have it, Ghieste was to host theSword and Crown of 396 M.R., and as the Anuireannobility descended upon the Duchy of Ghieste, theirsimple presence did what no amount of reasoned andimpassioned words could do: it moved them to action.In Ghieste, the visiting nobility experienced first handhow the traditional values and rights of the residentnobility had been replaced by the power of the tradeguilds; how even simple born commoners would feelfree to interrupt and even contradict their betters; andhow their noble counterparts in Ghieste lived either intattered ruins of once great manors, or else spent theirtime scurrying around making business deals andcurrying favor with bureaucrats and administratorslike common merchants.

After the Sword and Crown, a cabal ofnobles, including not a few of the surrounding regents,agreed to support the Duke Bhalaene in his effortsagainst the depravity, which was by now, rampantthroughout Ghieste. Although they still fearedGhieste and her economic might, and yet reliedheavily on her trade, they secretly began funneling themen and coin that Duke Ghilbaer Bhalaene neededbegin his campaign against his western enemies. Inthis manner, the Heartland Duchies were able tosupport the traditions and values of the Empire, whilealso maintaining the much needed trade with the veryrealm they sought to put down.

And so it was that in the spring of 397 M.R.Duke Ghilbaer Bhalaene and his forces marched uponGhieste. Though Ghieste was wealthy almost beyondmeasure, it’s armies lacked the battle-hardened zeal ofthe Haelynite faithful that fought for Bhalaene. Withthe timely employment of the majority of mercenarycompanies by the other Heartland realms, Ghiesterealized it had lost one of it’s primary defensivemeasures - there were no mercenaries available forhire with which they could easily swell their numbers. Without the advantage of simply outnumbering theiropponents, (a strategy which Ghieste had alwaysrelied upon) their armies were unable to adequatelydefend against the Bhalaene threat, and wererepeatedly routed from the field. After an intense butshort siege, the city of Ghieste fell to Duke Ghilbaer,and by the close of the summer of 397 M.R., the DukeRhegor Ghieste and his entire household had beencaptured and imprisoned within their own dungeons. By the end of autumn harvest, the last remnants ofresistence throughout the Duchy had been put down,and the realm of Ghieste was firmly held by the

Crown of Bhalaene.Duke Ghilbaer was initially inclined to be

merciful to the people of Ghieste and their fallenduke, but High Priest Enrik, the Prelate of Bhalaeneand Ghilbaer’s primary advisor, continually warnedhim away from such a path. Throughout the longwinter, Enrik counseled harsh punishments for themerchants and bureaucrats of Ghieste, for their crimesagainst Haelyn and His Empire were unforgivable inhe eyes of the church. Ultimately heaping guilt on theyoung Duke for considering mercy to those whowould betray Anuire, Duke Ghilbaer finallycapitulated to Enrik’s demands, and began a series ofharsh campaigns to restore the will of Haelynthroughout Ghieste and punish those who hadbetrayed the very core of the Anuirean being. Duringthe coming months, Ghilbaer organized inquisitionstyled militias and empowered his troops with specialcivic powers that denied the people even the mostbasic of personal freedoms or privacy. Many werethrown into the Ghieste dungeons after only the mostbasic of trials, and hundreds were put to death withlittle or no substantial evidence which might provetheir guilt. Being suspect was enough to warrantpersecution, and thus the later half of 397 M.R.became known as the Winter of Sorrows.

With the spring of 398 M.R., it had becomeapparent to many that the Duke Ghilbaer was losinghis grasp of reality, and that it was the High PriestEnrik who was actually in control of both the Ducalthrones. At great urging from his other advisors,Ghilbaer finally agreed that the Duke Ghieste and hisfamily would be transferred to the Imperial City ofAnuire in order to stand trial for their crimes againstHaelyn and the Nobility. He invited the ImperialChamberlain and his Royal Entourage to the city ofGhieste, and by mid spring, the imprisoned RoyalFamily of Ghieste was readied and provisioned for thereturn to the Imperial City of Anuire.

However, the long winter and the incessantwhispering of Father Enrik had taken its toll on theDuke Bhalaene, and before the Imperial Entouragecould depart, Ghilbaer brought forth the Duke Ghiesteand his family, and placed them on public trial beforethe assembled crowds of the city. Ghilbaer wasdetermined that the Ghieste Lord would first admit hisguilt and beg forgiveness from the very people whichhe had wronged, before his families transfer toAnuire. For hours, Ghilbaer ranted, screamed, andaccused Duke Rhegor and his family of heresy anddozens of other crimes, but try as he might, Ghilbaercould force no admission from Rhegor. His anger now

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at it’s zenith, the Duke Ghilbaer flew into a ragespawned by madness, and thrust Rhegor’s own swordthrough his chest as the Duchess and her childrenlooked on in horror. As the bloodline of Ghiestecoursed into the enraptured body of Duke Ghilbaer,the assembled crowd, including the ImperialChamberlain’s representatives, stood aghast at thecrime which they beheld. When at last his ecstasyended, and Duke Ghilbaer turned to see the eyes of hispeers staring with revulsion and outrage upon him, helost all semblance of sanity. He flew intouncontrollable rage, screaming his hatred of all thingsGheiste, and cursing the family line with the very coreof his being. Quickly murdering the Duchess Ghiesteand her two children as they lay weeping over thebody of the late Duke Rhegor Ghieste, Ghilbaermarched from the public dais and left the shockedassembly behind. He called all his loyal officers tohim, and rode from the city, determined to hunt downand destroy every last vestige of the Ghiestebloodline. He would see the line driven to extinction.

The Duchies that had once supportedBhalaene against Ghieste were dismayed at what hadbecome of their champion, and quickly declared him amadman and murderer, denouncing rather thansupporting his claim to the throne of conqueredGhieste. They withdrew their political and monetarysupport, called back what soldiers weren’t alreadycaught up in the fanatical madness of the region, andin repentance, began to funnel aid to the rebel factionsthat had sprung up anew throughout both Duchies inthe aftermath of the public bloodtheft. As theirchampion, they seized upon Lord Regien, Baron ofGhoere in Tireste, who was a former general of theGhiestan army and a follower of the Cult ofCuiraécen. He managed to rally the rebel cells ofGhieste and Bhalaene into a unified body, and withina few short months, Regien had organized arevolution against the Mad Duke Bhalaene. TheBaron lead the now suddenly allied nobles ofBhalaene and Ghieste against the mad fanaticism ofGhilbaer’s administration, and his cause wouldcontinue to gather support over the coming months,while that of the Duke Bhalaene was quickly falling toruin.

In the following two years, the DukeBhalaene would churn up the very fields of Ghieste insearch of even the slightest link to the former Ducalline of Ghieste, and the viciousness of his Inquisitionsare legendary to this day. It was a dark time for bothrealms, as brother turned against brother in theconflict, and the loss of life was incredibly high.

The civil war ended and the realm of Ghoerewas born in 399 M.R. when Baron Regien Ghoerewon a decisive victory against the mad DukeBhalaene’s final vestige of power at the LionsgatePass in southern Danaroene. Following his victorythere, the Baron Regien Ghoere claimed the Ducalmantle of both Ghieste and Bhalaene for himself. Still, rumors of a possible Ghieste heir persisted, andalthough the Baron Regien was said to have had anebulous connection to the House of Ghieste, he hadabsolutely no connection to the House of Bhalaene,and so could not, under the laws of the Empire, claimthe rank of Duke. Despite his victory and clear rightto the titles, he was denied the ranks which he felt heso rightly deserved, and would never be named aDuke by his peers. Thus was the Barony of Ghoereborn from the havoc spawned by the destruction oftwo of Anuire’s most ancient Ducal Houses.

The years following the war saw BaronGhoere secure his new lands, and he managed tocement the former duchies into a single entitysurprisingly quickly and efficiently. The Baron’ssuccess lead to a surge in interest in the Cult ofCuiraécen, and the faith quickly rose to prominencethroughout the newly born realm. Despite his wiseand effectual rule, it was soon whispered that theThrone of Bhalaene may have been tainted and cursedwith the bloodlust of the Mad Duke Ghilbaer, for thethoughts of those who sit in it seem to turn quickly tobattle and domination over all which they surveyed.

In 429 M.R., in response to insults and slightsmade by Duke Harlan Diem, as well as continuedinterference in the affairs of Ghoere by the Patriarchof the Imperial Temple, the Baron Regien marchedhis forces through the still sparsely-populated lands ofeastern Diemed, and assaulted the City of Ilien. Thesiege lasted several months, but his armies werefinally forced to withdraw by the superior magic ofCountess Azlea Aglondier.

The Baron Regien would pass away a fewyears later, and in 434 M.R., Regien’s son Gherrytwould succeed the throne of Ghoere. Gherryt’s reignwas unremarkable, for he was a far betteradministrator than warrior. Despite his lack of martialprowess, Baron Gherryt’s efforts resulted in thestrengthening of the Ghoeran economy, and the landbegan to recover from the incessant wars and strifewhich he had endured for so long.

In 471 M.R. Noered Tuorel rose to power asthe new Baron Ghoere following his marriage toRegina Ghoere, Baron Gherryt’s only daughter. For abrief time, the entire Barony was at peace. The Baron

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Tuorel was a strong leader, and his wife was anaccomplished diplomat who traveled the baronycreating peace and prosperity where she passed. In482 M.R., however, the Baroness Ghoere died of astrange fever after returning from a trip to Elinie, andsoon afterward Baron Tuorel succumbed to acancerous black brooding over her loss. Heirless andlonely, Baron Tuorel blamed ‘the khinasi savages’ onhis eastern border for his beloved wife’s death, andunleashed his vengeance upon them.

By 484 M.R., the armies of Ghoereconquered the entire land of Elinie through a series oflightening-quick battles, whose strategic brilliance isstill legendary today. The following year saw Tuorelstrike into Mhoried, and by spring of 486, the Baronyof Ghoere held most of Mhoried under its control.

Tuorel’s success was not to last, however, forhe would loose his grasp upon Mhoried the followingspring, and within a year of his army’s retreat fromMhoried, Tuorel was slain and his throne usurped byhis general and cousin, Orvaene Ghorelle.

The young Baron Orvane ruled Ghoere withan iron first, but failed to continue the martial mightthe Barony experienced under Tuorel or those beforehim. Within the decade Ghoere had lost its hold overElinie, through ineptness and internal corruption, andeven his own provinces began to drift. For a time itseemed that the Barony of Ghoere would collapsealtogether, and by 515 M.R., the Barony of Ghoerewas reduced in might to little more than a loosecollection of only barely aligned provinces. Despitehis inability to weld the realm together, Orvaenewould reign for over 40 years.

It was not until 530 M.R., that Orvaene’s rulecould be seen drawing to a close. His armies met theforces of the fledgling Barony of Roesone in the fieldin what is now known as the Battle of DanaroeneField. The forces of Roesone, lead by the violentBaron Morghan Roesone himself, had managed bystealth, to strike deep into the County of and wereonly discovered through a fluke encounter withOrvaene’s own vanguard as they marched to treat withthe Count of the province, the Lord Gwynaard. Theresulting battle of their meeting is legendary amongDanaroene’s populace, for although the raiding forceof Roesone were greatly overmatched, they fought ahard-won victory against the Ghoerans, and escapedback into Ghoried with a great deal of booty.

As the fog of war cleared, the Baron Ghorellewas found on the field, suffering from a viciousstomach wound. Although he was healed upon arrivalat Count Gwynaard’s keep, Orvaene would never fully

recover, and by early 531 M.R., Orvaene was dead. The of the Barony was claimed, uncontested, byOrvaene’s cousin, Gavin Tael. Many suspect that itwas Taele who delivered the stomach wound to hisincompetent cousin, but there has never been anyevidence brought forth to support such a claim, andany who were present at the battle who might chooseto press the matter have quietly disappeared.

Since his reign began, the Baron Tael hasmanaged to cement the Barony into a firm and strongrealm once again, and under his guidance, the Baronyhas truly earned it’s reputation as the premiere warmachine throughout Anuire. The nobles of Ghoereare powerful and strong thanks to Tael’s many rulings,and the barony has clearly earned the right to beconsidered as an Imperial Candidate, despite heavyopposition.

The Lands ofGhoereT

he Barony of Ghoere is one of the largest realmswithin Anuire, and also ranks amongst one ofthe richest.

Climate

The Barony enjoys a vast array of climaticconditions throughout the year, and the weathertends to be as harsh and extreme as the Baron’s

law.The spring winds are generally warm and

light, bringing with it a fair amount of precipitation,and light rain often falls in a steady drizzle for weeksat a time. During the height of summer however, theregion turns muggy and hot, and the winds that blowover the hills from Coeranys fail to bring any relief. During the autumn and winter months, the winds shiftfrom the north, and turn frigidly bitter and sharp. Storms commonly blow down from the StonecrownMountains and can bury the region in blinding snowfor days before finally blowing themselves out. These chilling winds are thought to be the breath of theGorgon by the more superstitious of the common folk,and when they begin to howl, the chapels of theBarony tend to fill beyond capacity with fearfulpeasants seeking divine protection from the evilwinds.

Despite these extremities, the region is

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perhaps one of the richest regions with the heartlandsin terms of arable land, and those areas unsuited forcultivation tend to reap other riches, iron and coalbeing the most abundant, though some small silverdeposits have been found. Unfortunately, these fewprecious deposits are quickly exhausted and seldomlast more than a few years before being mined out.

Topography

The Barony of Ghoere was once believed to bethe territory of over a dozen different pre-flightDeismaar goblin tribes, and many of the mines

that are still in use today are remnants of their ancientexcavations. It is popularly said that a vastlabyrinthian network of tunnels and ancient mineshafts lies beneath the Ghoeran landscape, but if thisis true, much of the network has collapsed or beensealed into isolated pockets. Certainly, the earthbeneath the Barony is not as hollow as most foolsbelieve it to be.

Small stretches of light forest are commonthroughout the entire Barony, and most of these serveas Royal hunting Grounds for the nobles of eachregion. Since hunting and hawking are popular pasttimes of the nobility, these areas tend to be heavilypatrolled, and trespassers and poachers alike canexpect harsh treatment from the Baron’s law.

The land in western Ghoere is very rich andproduces a vast amount of agriculture, which isprimarily used to feed the massive legions of Ghoere’smilitary. Windrows and wind breaks are commonthroughout the region, and the land is generally welltended for. It is rare to travel more than a few hourson horseback without sighting at least a fewfarmsteads.

The Gray Hills of north eastern Roesone risein high, rocky spines throughout the southern mostregions of Ghoere, and the provinces of Achiese,Danaroene and eastern Bhalaene are all hightableland, and as such, suffer from almost perpetualwinds.

From the depths of the Spiderfell, a thin fibreof crumbling tors stretch forth to bisect the Barony ontheir route into Elinie and beyond to Markazor itself. It is along these ancient mounds that the majority ofancient goblin mines can be found, though most ofthese entrances have long since crumbled andcollapsed. Though lacking a proper name, these low

mounds have become known as the ‘Gorgon’sSpine’- for many fell creatures have been known totravel in secret through the crumbling ravines andsharp valleys. Several ancient cairns and barrows havebeen unearthed over the years, and these regions arethought to be haunted by the spirits of the goblins andgiants which were once thought to have roamed thecontinent. More than a few shadow world incursionsare reported to have occurred at these sites as wellover the ages, adding even more reason for thesecrumbling hills to be avoided at all costs.

The dark and twisted trees of the Spiderfellrise like fingers from a natural bowl-like depressionall along the south western reaches of Ghoere. Dozensof motte and bailey styled fortifications, collectivelyknown as the Fellwatch, have been built (and rebuilt)along the borders of the dark forest for centuries. Raids from the minions of the Spiderlord are mostcommon in Tireste and Rhumannen, and much of thetimber of these lands is used in repairing thesefortifications following the incessant goblinoid raids.

The north and western borders of the Baronyare demarcated by the mighty River Maesil, whichwards against invasion better than the mightiest wallever could. Flood plains, wetlands and oxbow lakesare common all along the entire river’s edge, and thestrong currents and eddies of the river make erosion acommon problem. As such, travel along the river’sbank is generally dangerous and uncertain, as all toooften, the banks suddenly cave in on upon themselvesand travellers can find themselves trapped in asinkhole, or lodged waist deep in a submarine grottovery quickly.

Where the Stonebyrn River joins the Maesil,the waters spill over the surrounding banks to form amorass of swirling, hypnotically treacherous eddiesand currents, which can suck a swimmer beneath thedark surface of the river with the strength of a giant. These same currents have carved a wide path throughthe surrounding bog of rotting filth which has becomeknown as both the Shadowmere Swamp, (its Ghoeranname) and the more common, Riverport Marsh. Thefetid bubbling waters of this bog are heated bythermal vents, and the cool waters of the Stonebyrnand Maesil rivers mix with the acrid muck of theswamp to form a thick, low lying murk which oftenblankets the entire region in a blinding stench. Thereis little good to be said of the swamp,and only the insane and foolhardy ofadventurers leave the rivers flow toattempt to explore the region.

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The River Maesil

Springing from the high passes of the StonecrownMountains, the River Maesil is the life’s bloodof Anuire, and is arguably, the single most

important and heavily trafficked highway uponCerilia. The flow is swift and rough in the north,where rapids and falls are common, but by the time itpasses the woods surrounding Shieldhaven, the Maesilslows considerably, growing wider and deeper witheach passing mile. Nearly half a mile wide at the cityof Gheiste, the Maesil brings a constant flow of tradeand river traffic to an ever increasing number of townsand villages along the banks of the mighty river.

An entire sub culture of rivermen exists onthe Maesil, selling their services to carry passengersand cargo along the length of their beloved river. These rivermen do not commonly claim or owe fealtyto any particular realm, but rather consider theirvessels and the Maesil itself to be their nativehomeland. Commonly looked upon as gypsies,tramps, and thieves, the brightly coloured barges andkeelboats of the rivermen are not overly welcomed inmany of the river ports, and most of the ‘legitimate’guilds who ply the river do their best to promote thediscrimination against them. The guilds look uponthem as pirates and freebooters, for they operateindependently of the guilds, and infringe upon theirmercantile interests by under cutting prices andignoring guild sanctioned embargoes and duties.

Aside from the rivermen, pirates are acommon threat along the entire length of the mightyriver, for much wealth is shipped along the water. Many of the bordering realms maintain fleets of keelboats and river barges which are used to police thelengths of river along their borders, and the Barony ofGhoere is no exception. The red and green paintedkeelboats of Ghoere are most common betweenGhieste and Riumache, though weekly patrols travelto Klehrs and occasionally police as far south as theEndieran border. Baron Taele has made it quite clearto his river captains that he will not tolerate piracyalong his borders, (except his own most folk believe)and the punishments for such a crime is swift andheavy.

Despite the common practice of policing therivers, the Maesil is largely considered a neutral zonebetween the realms of Anuire, and though a fewrealms try to lay claim to the waters on their banks,most are not willing to stymie trade or enticehostilities with neighbouring realms by openlyclaiming portions of the river as their sovereign

territory. It is commonly accepted that the a realmmay consider a claim upon the first dozen feet ofwater from their shoreline, but beyond that point, theriver remains free of any realms’ dominion.

Flora and Fauna

The temperate climate of Ghoere allows for animpressive variety of growth within it’s borders,and the land yields a bounty of flora which

flourishes throughout the Barony. The people dependon the land to produce enough food to feed theBaron’s armies first; what remains as surplus is left tothe people, and they know it. The average Ghoerantakes great pains to ensure that the earth remainshealthy and productive.

A wide variety of deciduous trees growthroughout the region, and these tend to form smallgroves and bluffs in the sparsely settled regions of theBarony, but commonly tend to be cut and shaped inorder to form windbreaks and sheds in the moreheavily farmed lands of western Ghoere.

Birch, willows and other wetland trees growalong the banks of the Maesil and may also be foundin small copses around the marshes of both Conallierand Ghiere. Caragana is common in the west, andash, oak, maple and pine trees grow in sporadicabundance throughout Ghoere, but are concentratedmost heavily in the Baron’s Wood of centralBhalaene. These are also seen to be growing from thedepths of the Spiderfell itself (though these arewarped and twisted specimens to be sure) and there isknown to be more than one specimen of unknownorigin or nature growing within that dark region.

Barely, wheat, oats tubers and lentils tend tobe staple crops of the Barony, and much of theproduce is taken to feed the massive standing army ofthe Baron. Rabbits, field mice and gophers aboundthroughout Ghoere, and frequently cause pestproblems as their population explodes every fewyears. Squirrels, owls, coyotes, and foxes arecommon near the woods of Bhalaene, Bheline andDanaroene, and deer are a common sight along thesouthern borders of Ghoere. The ferocious multilegged prairie sleen are frequently reported inConallier and Thoralinar, and larls, a variety of giantpredatory cat, are common throughout the wooded hilllands of central and southern Ghoere.

Humanoid appearances are rare withinGhoere’s interior, though far more common andfrequent along the borders of the Spiderfell. Goblins,gnolls, ettercaps, and an occasional owlbear

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frequently create problems throughout the borderingprovinces of Tireste, Rhumannen and Bheline. Luckily, they seldom raid in large numbers, or travelfar from the borders of their dark wood, but when theydo, the Spiderlord himself is commonly amongst theirnumbers.

Wandering gnolls and a few goblin bandshave been encountered among the peaks of the GrayHills in Achiese, and along the fringes of theGorgon’s Spine, but these incursions are rare. Othermundane monsters have been encountered at times inthe marshes and swamps along the River Maesil, butfar more common are bear and wolf sightings,especially in the Baron’s Wood and in the forestedhighlands of southern Achiese & Danaroene.

AchieseT

he County of Achiese is a rugged region, andnearly every type of terrain can be found withinit’s border. To the south, the Gray Hills tower

over 600 feet above the Achiese Valley, and manylook upon these crumbling mounds as smallmountains rather than hills. Goats and horned sheepare common amongst the steep slopes, and snow canremain in the shadowed ravines and gullies here wellinto the spring. Stone and shale quarries litter theentire region, while iron and coal mines are morecommon in the heights of the Gray Hills. Thenorthern plain is grassy and rough, and is suitable foronly grazing land and pasture. The entire region isdifficult to cultivate, yet between the city of Achieseand the Iron Citadel, home of the infamous IronGuard, the persistence of a dozen centuries of efforthas paid off, and thin strips of farm land manage toproduce a meagre crop each year. Despite thisachievement, grain must still be imported tosupplement the local production, and locally raisedstock and tubers tend to form the staple of theAchiesean diet.

The folk remain a proud and willful lot, andare perhaps the most troublesome people (in BaronTael’s mind at least) in all of Ghoere. Where theoppression and harsh rule of the Baron has quashedthe will of the populace in other counties, the peopleof Achiese refuse to break or suffer under Tael’ssubjugation. The folk here are as hard and rough astheir land, and do not bend knee easily, much toGavin’s chagrin. Even the temple of Cuiraécencannot bend the peoples will, and despite the violenthistory of the region, it is the noble temples of the

Haelyn Aegis that has captured the hearts and spiritsof the people.

TownsThe largest settlement in the county is also

among the oldest of the Barony. The heavily fortifiedtown of Achiese has stood as the gate to Osoerde forcenturies, and has never yet been taken by siege,though it has seen no less than a dozen foreign armiesat it’s gates since it’s founding. However, the onceproud military might of this town is begun at last tofalter, and as the politics of Empire change, Achiesesees less and less support from the capital with eachpassing year. If the political interests of the Baronyremain unchanged, then it will soon be left to the localofficials to raise the gold needed to maintain the wallsand towers of once mighty Achiese.

Achiese has hosted the seat of the Baron’sregional government since the earliest days of ancientBhalaene, and has grown from a simply woodenvillage to a leading industrial city of nearly 4,000persons. Smithies, smelters, armourers and soldiersabound, and nearly every industry is represented inthe city in some fashion, but most recently the city hasbecome known for it’s more intellectual contributionsto the growing strength of the Barony.

The recently completed “College ofArchitecture and Design” specializes in the pursuit ofarchitecture and engineering. It is rumoured that theUniversity has created several improved war engineswithin the last two years, though these have yet to beproven in battle. The College itself is generally nottaken very seriously by most people, as theinstitutions philosophies, theories, and ethics arerather controversial. Still, the Baron puts up with theeclectic professors, so there must be some measure ofworth to their proposals.

As the seat of the Baron’s power in theCounty, the city centre houses the governmentbuildings and estates, but since the recent death ofCount Agelmore Pelien during a hunting accident inthe Gray Hills, the County has been run by theBaron’s officers, bureaucrats and agents of the regionin what is referred to as the “Small Council”. TheBaron has yet to appoint a successor to the title ofCount, and this hesitation has sent the nobles ofAchiese squabbling amongst themselves in hopes ofgaining the favour of the Baron, and thus the title tothe office of Achiese.

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Shepherds camp around the Guardian Stone in thehills of Achiese

The Iron CitadelStanding square on the Baron’s Road from

Achiese to Bhalaene is the Iron Citadel, home of thefeared knightly order known as the Iron Guard ofGhoere. Little more than a squat fortified tower andwalled grounds, the Citadel has areputation that belies it’sappearance. At first glance, itappears a simple walledcompound and central tower, butcleverly concealed murder holesand arrow slits line it’s darkwalls, numerous ballistae can beseen atop the tower’s tiled roof,and the numerous balconies couldeasily afford a half dozen archersabreast.

A small town of farmershas sprung up around the citadel,and their sole existence is tosupply the needs of the Citadel.

The GuardianStone

The ancient Guardian Stone has stood in thisrocky pass since the arrival of the first of the FiveTribes crossed into Cerilia. In all that time, nonehave discerned the nature of this giant monolith, as itwas said to have been worn and weathered even then.

Whatever it’s original purpose, the gianthumanoid figure (nearly 60 feet tall) has been wornsmooth by millennia of rain and winds, and the smallcreek which flows around the base has underminedthe statues support, causing it to lean at a deceptivelyperilous angle over the rocky gorge below. Constantly swaying back and forth in the strongwinds, it would seem to be in danger of toppling intothe pass below, but even the oldest ballads makemention of the ‘dancing monolith’, which seems tosuggest that it has stood as it has now for at least agood many centuries.

It is said by many folk that the GuardianStone is somehow connected to the goblin minesknown as the Tarkal Deeps, (which lie just south ofthe border in Roesone) and popular rumour suggeststhat those mines extend under Achiese and open in

hidden grottoes and valleysthroughout the county. Others

suggest that it is some sort of golem or a sleepinggiant that awaits for the proper ritual to be performedin order to break it’s slumber. Rumours and theoriesabound, but many sages and some of the greatestmages of the Imperial College have studied thestructure and all have come to the same conclusion - itis, for all intents and purposes, simply a cleverlycarved chunk of rock.

The NoblesThe Pelien clan of Achiese has controlled the

County for more than 400 years, having initially beenawarded the title following the numerous victories thethen Baronet Frederick Pelien won against OsoerdeElinie, and Aerenwe. Count Agelmore Pelien (MA;F4, Re, minor, 21, LE) was the aged Lord of thePelien clan, and lawful Count of the region untilrecently. (See “Recent Events” for further details.)

Agelmore was a vain, crueland untrustworthy man, and there ismuch suspicion surrounding hisfamilies household and wealth, for as

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the county begins to slide into decline, the Pelienhousehold thrives, and their vaults grow larger. It isoften whispered that the Pelien’s have gained much oftheir wealth by embezzling royal funds intended forthe upkeep and maintenance of the fortifications ofAchiese.

Baronet Eldred Ghent (MA;F6; unblooded)and his family control two manors within Achiese,including the heavily garrisoned Granite Hall, locatednorth east of Achiese, only a few short miles to theborders of both Elinie and Osoerde. Eldred is aveteran of many campaigns in the Barony’s service,and is the leading candidate for the office of Count ofthe region.

Baronet Percival Glynn (MA;T2;Br,tainted,9) controls a single manor near the town ofAchiese. A budding guilder, he is Ghorien Hiriele’schief lieutenant in the area.

Recent EventsCount Agelmore Pelien was mauled by a

great black bear in the Gray Hills whilst hunting withhis eldest son Boern, (who was gravely injured and iscurrently in coma at the families manor). He is notexpected to survive. Baron Tael has since deniedAgelmore’s sons the succession of the title, and hasordered an inquiry into the affairs of the Pelien estate. The reasoning behind Tael’s rather controversialdecision remains a mystery, (though the rumour oftheir ill gotten treasury might have finally reached theBaron’s ear) and the surviving Pelien’s are protestingthe decision with every resource available to them. Rumour has it that they may even be attempting tobring the Imperial Chamberlain in to mediate theaffair, though few believe Dosiere will involvehimself in such a trivial matter.

The miners and guilds men of theHighland/Overland Traders are disappearing in thedeepest of the Gray Hill Mines, and none candetermine the nature or manner of these occurrences. There is speculation that the miners may haveinadvertently connected their excavations to theancient goblin mines of Roesone known as the TarkalDeeps, but this has yet to be proven.

An ancient and abandoned dwarf stronghold,referred to in the taverns of Achiese as RivenrocksHold, is said to exist somewhere in the heights of theGray Hills. Many whisper that the halls of thisstronghold still hosts the audience of the occasionaldwarven thane visiting in secret from Baruk-Azhik,and a good many dwarven wanderers are said to use it

as a safe hold while abroad. No claim oracknowledgement of such a hold has been made byany of the known dwarven realms within Anuire, butit might be possible that the source of this rumour isactually the dwarven guilds of Osoerde. It seems notoverly difficult to believe that they might be makinguse of some abandoned or undiscovered mine in orderto smuggle contraband in and out of Osoerde.

BhalaeneT

he county of Bhalaene has long been the heartof the Barony, and even in the days of theoriginal duchies of Ghieste and Bhalaene, the

province was paramount in the politics of theHeartlands. Following the merger of the two duchies,the province quickly became the undisputed centre ofthe civilized Heartlands, and many still insist thatBhalaene plots the political course of the Heartlands.

Being home to a population of over 30,000persons, the county of Bhalaene is the agriculturalcentre of Ghoere, and there is little free land left in theprovince that is not already planted or grazed. Mostof the land is owned by wealthy noblemen, and thereare precious few free homesteads. Farmland is eitherrented out to wealthy freemen, or worked by peasantsfor their respective Lords in the typical Ghoeran styleof repressive serfdom. In each case, the farmers ofGhoere must not only pay the Baron’s taxes, but mustalso surrender large portions of their crops to helpsupport the enormous military of the Barony.

The eastern region of Bhalaene is demarcatedby the rising tors of the Gorgon’s Spine, and is largelyused as pasture and grazing land by herders andshepherds. The southern reach of the province isbisected by the thick and twisted boughs of theBaron’s Wood, while the north and western reachessettle into featureless plains, the endless farmlandbroken only by the occasional hill or fence.

TownsThe capital of the Barony, and the one of the

largest cities in the heartlands, the walled city ofBhalaene has stood since the earliest days of theEmpire.

Home of the Baron’s Royal Court, the city isalso the political centre of the Ghoeran chapter of theMilitant Order of Cuiraécen. The order has erected animpressive cathedral (as a castle level 5) south of thecity gates, and many consider it a greater work than

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“There are few places a man can hide from the shadow of the Rook Roost,and the Watchers on the Walls can see your every move...”

the Cathedral of Haelyn in the Imperial Cityitself. The Haelyn Aegis receive only tokenworship here, though the faith has begun tospread amongst the common folk, and severalsmall churches have been erected in the commonquarters of the city within the last few years.

The city is governed directly by ShamesLevallier, the Lord Mayor of Bhalaene, though hedoes not do so with impunity. Shames’ authorityends at the cities walls, and he must report to theCastellan of Rook Roost each month, who in turnmust attend the Baron’s Small Council (seeAppendix).

The small hamlet of Aergon’s Pass insouthern Bhalaene is named for the hero ofancient Bhalaene who fought at Deismaar, but isknown primarily for the strong and bitter (buthighly regarded) dark lager which is brewed here. Baronet Halmied Dekker (see “Nobles” below formore information) holds a manor near the village,and his support of the Haelyn Aegis is wellknown. The Haelyn Aegis temple enjoysexclusive privilege in the village, though recentevents in the area are beginning to disrupt thissleepy little hamlet.

The town of Caplan is the largestsettlement outside of the capital itself, and is theagricultural centre of the province. The entireeconomy of the town is centred around thecollection, refinement, and shipping of theproduce and crops of the surrounding farms andfree holds. Many wealthy land owners andmerchants live here, and perhaps nowhere else in theBarony is the difference between the peasantry andwealthy more evident.

Rook Roost CastleAn impregnable fortress, the massive stones

of the Baron’s dark keep are said to have been cutfrom the very peaks of Mur-Kilad, but whatever thetruth, the oppressive shadow of the keep lays over thecity centre like a cloak. There is no location in thecity where a man can hide from the gaze of the darkkeep.

Built on a massive tor in the very centre ofthe city of Bhalaene, Rook Roost Castle stands overthe ruins of several previous keeps, and is nowthought to be nigh invulnerable. The ancient andoriginal keep that once stood during the earliest daysof Bhalaene (little more than a motte and bailey to besure-though legend says it was crafted in stone as

well) was destroyed during the elf-human wars, andwas eventually replaced by the massive castle knownsimply as the Bhalaene Castle. An impressive fortressin it’s own right, Bhalaene Castle stood for centuries,but was finally breeched and sacked during the civilwars which rocked the region following the bloodtheftof the royal family of Ghieste. Once the Duchieswere united, the newly appointed Baron of Ghoereimmediately began construction of Rook Roost castle. Though most dwarven smiths scoff at the notion,popular legend has it that the Rook Roost wasdesigned and crafted by dwarven engineers, and thatmany of the ancient defences of the most renowndwarven holds were also incorporated into RookRoost’s design.

The walls and towers of the Roost are highlyornamented with frescoes and reliefs, though theyseem to have been carved to inspire fear and awe inan assaulting army than to beautify the building. Ravens, gargoyles, and other fell creatures grace the

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heights of the keep, casting their stony gazes uponthe market square below, and watching over the cityin an endless vigil. It is from these carvings that thecastle attributes it’s name.

There are thousands of rumours and storiesof the Roost, each one more terrible and fanciful thanthe last, but nearly all of them associate fear anddarkness with the keep. Tales insist that miles ofsecret tunnels, passageways, ancient sewers, and longlost burial crypts exist throughout the keep, and morethan one claims to relate the tale of tragic princesses(and a few aspiring thieves) who became lost in thelabyrinths of the “Underkeep”, and who may yetwander there in search of escape. Spectres are said towalk the walls at night, and the ‘Watchers of theWalls’ can spring to life at the Baron’s will. None ofthese tales have yet proven true, but the Baron wouldhardly deny such fear inspiring tales.

The Baron’s WoodProtected by ancient decree, the Baron’s

Wood is commonly used as the private huntinggrounds of the baron and his closest nobles. Thoughit is true that the wood is frequented by the Baron’scourt, few royal expeditions have actually penetrateddeeper than the northern most borders of the wood incenturies.

Effectively bisecting the province, the onlyroad through the thick forest is the Aergon Road, andfew travellers willingly leave sight of the narrow pathwhile passing beneath the thick forest canopy.

The Baron’s Wood has grown wild andunhindered for hundreds of years, and the depths ofthe wood are largely unexplored. Tales of fairies,centaurs, and other mythical beasts abound, and manyof the common folk believe the wood to be hauntedby spirits and other foul spectres. Many folk claimthat the forest has eyes, and that it watches all whopass beneath it’s boughs, and that it was once even apart of the Spiderfell itself, but whatever the truth, theforest has managed to grow unhindered by theencroachment of man for centuries, and doubtlesshouses more than a few secrets of the ancient world.

The NoblesShames Levallier (MA; F0, unblooded) is the

Mayor of Bhalaene, and has served in this office formore than thirty years. Appointed by the baron, thetitle is usually granted for life, though it may berescinded at any time by royal decree. As mayor,

Shames is responsible for governing a major portionof Ghoere’s populace, though his authority ends at thegates of the city.

Shames was once a skilled bureaucrat andadministrator, but in his advanced age, he has becomeforgetful and enfeebled. At the advice of the RoyalCastellan, Shames’ son Huebaert (MA; F3,unblooded) has begun to handle an ever increasingamount of the day to day responsibilities of his father,and is expected to be named as the new mayor ofBhalaene by years end.

Onwen Tuorven (Ma, F5, unblooded) is bothCastellan of Rook’s Roost Castle, and Governor ofBhalaene. Where the mayor’s authority ends,Onwen’s begins. His is the voice of the Baronthroughout the province of Bhalaene (and evenbeyond some believe), and though he is not a titlednoble, Onwen enjoys many of the same benefits andpolitical exemptions that the landed nobility do, andeven some which they do not. Much to the chagrin ofthe upper class, Onwen keeps charge of the lessernobles of the province, ensuring that they do notoverstep their station or permit their personal edicts toconflict with those of the Barons.

Although he is nearing his fiftieth year,Onwen remains an impressive physical specimen, andhis strength and stamina belies his age. As a veteranof many military campaigns, and a long time studentof siege craft and artillery, he and the Baron Taeleenjoy a fast friendship, and as such Onwen isgenerally considered to be amongst one of the mostpowerful men within the Barony.

Baronet Liemen Deloitte (MA; F3; Br,minor, 13) controls four manors in the northern part ofthe province. He is a favoured hunting companion ofthe Tael family, and few within Ghoere would darecross him. Of all the nobles, he alone can slightOnwen Tuorven without fear of some form ofrepercussion from the Castellan.

Baronetta Dierdren Windel (FA;0-level;unblooded) controls 3 manors, including themagnificent Windel Estate on the outskirts of Caplan. Her husband was an avid adventurer who travelledfrequently. He was slain four years ago whileexploring elven ruins near the Spiderfell border, andhe left Dierdren with an enormous fortune. TheWindel family is a favourite patron of merchantsseeking capital for investment opportunities, and theBaronetta has proven to be a shrewd businesswoman,and frequently sponsors adventuring companies.

Baronet Halmied Dekker (MA;F3;unblooded)is the Lord of three manors in southern Bhalaene.

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A manifestations of Godly Wrath, or a Fiend of the Shadow?

This young man (age 26) is a devout supporter of theHaelyn’s Aegis. He has spoken out on more than oneoccasion regarding the rather draconian practices ofStiele Ghieste, the head priest of the Ghoeran MilitantOrder of Cuiraécen. The High Priest is not known forhis tolerance of criticism, and so many of Dekker’svassals have tried to distance themselves from thebaronet’s outspoken opinions.

Baronet Frederick Hess (MA/Br; T2; Ma,tainted, 9; CN) controls a single manor just outsidethe city of Bhalaene. This estate, Redstone Fields, isone of the largest and most profitable in all theHeartlands. The Hess family actually won it during agame of chance at the royal palace nearly 70 yearsago. The man who lost the manor, Luethyr Aernass,would have liked to back out of the wager, but toomany other lords had witnessed it. The Aernassfamily has never forgotten their loss, for only a yearlater their entire household lost it’s lands due to apoor choice in political alliance. The Aernass familynow dwell in squaller as fishermen in Ghieste.

Recent EventsA strange spectre is lately said to be haunting

the hamlet of Aergon’s Pass in the form of a headlesshorseman. The fell spirit is said to ride the path of

the Aergon Road during the darkest of nights,claiming the heads of any which it encounters. Thesmall hamlet is in a panic, and have called upon theGovernor for help. Many blame the rather vocaloutcries of Baronet Halmied Dekker against thetemples of Cuiraécen for the wraiths appearance, andfear that the rider is a sign that Haelyn is angered bythe Baronets public denouncement of his son’s earthlytemples.

Several members of the Maesil ShippersGuild have been arrested in the city of Bhalaene,apparently caught trying to find an entrance into thehalls of Rook’s Roost. Guild mistress MoereleLannaman has sent a diplomat to the court ofBhalaene in attempt to negotiate their release.

BhelineT

he County of Bheline rests at the bottom of agreat valley which is nestled between the GrayHills of northern Roesone, and shallow mounds

of the Gorgon’s Spine in central Ghoere. Thesouthern slope of Bheline rises only a few hundredfeet into Roesone, and then falls again into the SpiderRiver Valley of Ghoried. The crest of this slope isgenerally considered to be the political borderbetween the two rival realms, though in practice, it isnot so well defined.

Fogs are common throughout the valley inthe early morning, and often lingers well into mid daybefore the heat of the rising sun finally burns it away.

Flooding is always a concern during thespring, and in particularly rainy seasons it is notuncommon for the province to turn into a soggymarsh. As such, little farming is done in the province,and if not for the sheep herds and cattle industries ofthe Highland/Overland Traders, the province would behard pressed to sustain itself.

The county is a popular site for militarycampaigns and exercises, due largely to thetopographical nature of the region, and it is commonfor Ghoeran generals to march their troops here forwar games and other training exercises. The populacegreets these expeditions with open arms, for theybring with them much needed gold.

Towns Aside from the walled town of Gweirlaen,

there are few communities in Bheline which could beconsidered large enough to constitute more than evena small hamlet. By far, the vast majority of the

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regions populace tend to congregate into small,fortified free holds from which they may guard theirflocks and herds.

A typical Bheline free hold is surprisinglysimilar to those found in the Roesonean province ofGhoried, and the two people are actually more alikethan either would care to admit. Typically comprisedof no more than a half dozen families, these walledand lightly fortified holds tend to contain only thefamily homes, a barn or two, and perhaps a commonhall. Very few have any sort of industry beyond whatthey produce for their own consumption, and whatcannot be manufacture for themselves, they simplybuy from the markets in Gweirlaen.

The lone town in the region, Gweirlaen wasbuilt to originally serve as a Keep against theencroachment of the Spiderfell humanoids, and assuch, the majority of the towns population belongs tothe military in some fashion. The remaining citizenssupply the goods and services to the Count’s militia,though a small amount of farmland has beendeveloped around the walls, and the towns economyis beginning to reflect this recent growth bydiversifying it’s focus and products long unavailablewithin the region are now being imported moreregularly.

The Abbey of Haelyn’s ShieldThe lone edifice of the Haelyn’s Aegis

within Bheline, the small abbey rests near theDanaroene border. It’s construction has onlyrecently been completed, and much of the clergy haveyet to arrive and staff the facility.

At the moment, there are fewer than 20priests and a handful of retainers who man the towerand prepare the surrounding fields. Wagons andcaravans have begun to arrive at frequent intervals,laden with the orders articles and possessions that willbe kept within the newest House of Haelyn in Ghoere.

As a fanatic disciple of Cuiraécen, LordRaesene, Count of Bheline, is known to have beenopposed to the creation of the abbey, but with BaronTael’s recent acknowledgment of the order, Raesenedare not voice his concerns too loudly. He hasordered his men to keep an eye on the small keep andtower however, and plans on taxing the priests quiteheavily.

The NoblesThe exiled family lead by the Lord Beldere

Enderiane (See the Player Secrets of Ilien by KevinMelka,) once held this province, but were unable todefend it from the Spider’s incessant rampages. Following the ascension of Gavin Taele to the Thronein 531 M.R., the Beldere’s quickly and quietly fledthe nation, seeking sanctuary in the neutral realm ofIlien. Gavin soon after decreed the family exiles andtraitors, and levied a standing bounty on the heads ofall Belderes. At only five Gold Crowns a piece, thesum is just enough to insult the estranged nobles, butnot enough to entice most bounty hunters of note intoactually pursuing the family.

The current Count of Bheline is a man namedRaesene Cardael (Ma; F7, Unblooded), and he makesa point of earning his name sake. A fierce warrior andgeneral, Raesene is often called “The Black Count”by his subjugated peasants, for he accepts littlechallenge to his authority, and enforces his laws witha heavy hand.

Being practically born in a horses saddle, heis an accomplished knight and a powerful warrior whoeagerly awaits the day when the barony embarks upona war of conquest against neighbouring Roesone. Hemakes sure his Lords and squires are well prepared forconflict, and he accepts no disobedience from hischarges.

Although Bheline borders the Spiderfell, theprovince suffers surprisingly few raids by the goblinand gnoll forces of the vile bog since Raesene came topower. This is a testament to the regions militarypreparedness. Raesene has been the Count of Bhelinefor 11 years, and during that time, only a handful ofhumanoid raiders have ever returned from excursionsinto his lands.

Now in his mid fourties, Raesene is widelyconsidered to be the baron’s most favoured count andis certainly amongst one of his closest friends. Agiant of a man, the Count seems to share many of theBaron’s traits and opinions, though Raesene has neverlearned to control his feelings; jovial and merry oneinstant, he can suddenly become murderously enragedin a moment. As such, justice tends to be swift inBheline, and crime of any sort is not tolerated. Thecount’s family directly holds 4 manors, including theirancestral home of Greymantle.

Baronet Ruorven Desailly (MA; F3;unblooded) holds two estates within the province,both of which lie in the north eastern corner of theCounty. Being the only other noble family aside fromRaesene’s, the Desailly’s have long chafed at theCounts overbearing manner and heavy-handedmethods of governorship. The two men are far from

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friends, and the locals often fear that the two lordsshall sally forth to wage war between themselves -vassalage be damned, and there by destroying theirherds and livelihoods in the process.

Recent EventsIt has been nearly 20 years since the

Beldere’s fled Ghoere for Ilien, yet that familiesnotoriety has never dwindled amongst the populace ofBheline. The legend of Beldere incompetence isconstantly being fuelled by Raesene Cardael, as itwas with his father before him. Recently however,Raesene has begun speaking to the Baron concerningthe traitors, and is urging him to increase the bountyon the family in hopes of having them brought to bearresponsibility for their failures to the Barony.

A strangely intelligent goblin has recentlybeen captured by Raesene’s patrols only a few milesfrom the town of Gweirlaen. The goblin is being heldin the Count’s Hall in the town centre, but initialinterrogations have not proven fruitful. The townsfolk are whispering that the goblin is a spy for theSpider, and some suggest that he may even be someform of shaman or is somehow magically charmed bythe Spider, for he has repeatedly resisted the pleasuresof Raesene’s inquisitors while the most stalwartwarriors known to Anuire have traditionally broken inmoments. Raesene is said to be considering hiring awizard of his own in hopes of breaking the goblinmagically, for the Count is determined that he willnot be bested by a simple goblin, and is determined tosee the creature willingly scream it’s inner mostsecrets to him. Patrols have been increased, and theCount has begun conscripting more men from theregion in anticipation of an assault from the darkwood.

There is word that a local woodsman of anearby hold has discovered a huge cache of amberjust within the border of the Spiderfell. Since theregion naturally drains into the wood, which is rich inorganic deposits, it seems quite likely that the sourcemight indeed exist. Unfortunately, after returning tohis home to gather tools with which to beginharvesting the substance, he has not been heard fromagain. His family is certain that the Spiderlord hascaptured him, and they are pleading with the Count tosend a rescue party after him. The Count of course, ismore interested in finding the amber than the missingpeasant.

ConallierC

onallier is a true borderland province, and whencompared to the rest of Ghoere, the countyseems nearly devoid of habitation. In all the

province, there are fewer than 3,000 folk, most ofwhom dwell near Klehrs Keep in the northern-mostregion of the plain, and nearly everyone of them is athief, criminal, scoundrel and cheat. The region haslong attracted the less desirable people of theHeartlands, and the nobility of the region is littlebetter, but as long as the Mhor is held at bay, theBaron is all too happy to forget about the unruliness ofConallier.

The land is rocky and bogs of swampy earthand grass are common along the length of the Maesilshoreline. The eastern portions of the county are flatand largely featureless, marked only by an occasionalruined fence or abandoned cottage. Theses reachesare common grazing land for shepherds, but haveproven too rocky and sterile to farm much more than afew tasteless tubers and other roots.

The Maesil spills over it’s banks every springbetween Klehrs and Toren’s Ferry, trapping the waterin a dozen natural depressions, and by mid spring, thesmall wood north of Toren’s Ferry is knee deep inwater. The ox-bow lake known as Stein Pond is clearand full of fish in early spring as the floodingrefreshes the ecosystem, but by mid summer, the riverhas long since receded, and the lake has grownstagnant, becoming little more than a lifeless slew ofstinking weeds and rotting slime.

Towns The largest community within the County,

and seat of the regional government, (such as it is) isthe small but heavily garrisoned keep known simplyas Klehrs. Boasting a population of only 1,000people, (most of which dwell in the outlying villagesand shanty towns) the keep is a bustling centre fortraders and rivermen of the most questionable sort, butrelatively few overland visitors ever approach it’sthick oaken gates.

The keep is the keystone in the Ghoerandefence against the Mhor’s land, and the hostilitiesbetween these ancient rivals is perhaps no where morepronounced than here. Altercations are commonbetween travelling folk of the two lands, and evenupon the river Maesil, fishermen have been known toleap aboard a rival barge and begin wrestling one

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another. This enmity is well fuelled and encouragedby the Baron, and he has carefully chosen his vassalsand lords who comprise the Keep’s upper echelonwith this sole concern in mind.

The Ruins of Conallier CastleThe Castle Conallier was once a magnificent

fortification, looking over the River Maesil from it’slofty towers and guarding against Mhoried incursion. The swamps around the castle formed a naturalbarrier against enemy armies, and the castle was longthought to be impossible to siege. For generations thecastle stood as a symbol of Ghoeran might, but atlength, the strength of the Maesil proved greater thanthe stone walls of the keep, and the foundation of themagnificent castle crumbled on top of itself, castingthe mighty walls into the very marshes that onceprotected it.

The castle lay abandoned for generations,and the Keep at Klehrs was eventually built to replaceit. Many adventurers met their fate in the ruinedpassages of Conallier Castle, for it’s flooded hallshave laired many foul creatures over the years, but oflate, the ruins have been claimed by the entity knownas the Sword Mage and his vile incarnations. Undeadare said to roam the swamps now, forced intoservitude by the strength of the mage’s will, and agreat many stories tell of the horrible demons that themysterious Vos mage has summoned from theshadow world.. Now only the fool hardy venture intothe swamps, and of these, most now serve the mage ina mindless undeath.

Abbey of the Celestial SunOne of the few religious monasteries

dedicated to the Sun Goddess within Ghoere, theAbbey of the Celestial Sun serves as a Mecca for theAvanlaese faithful of Ghoere.

Preaching peace, contemplation, andlearning, the missionaries of the Abbey travel theeastern lands of Ghoere, attempting to convert thepopulace away from the more martial doctrines of theHaelyn and Cuiraécen temples. Many peasants havebeen tutored by these travelling priests, and there hasbeen a surge of literacy amongst the lower classes ofeastern Ghoere over the past few seasons. Several ofthe regions noble families have also converted to theworship of Avanlae, and they have begun to pursueknowledge and understanding of the world aroundthem. With their sudden introduction to the religion,

the Abbey has also begun to establish itself amongstthe more scholarly of Anuire, and is beginning toemulate the Khinasi based institution known as ‘TheDiscourse’ (See Book of Priestcraft) in it’s methodand practice.

With the Orders domination throughout theprovince of Thoralinar, it would seem that manyGhoerans have grown weary of the continual strugglefor Empire, and are searching for a more personallyfulfilling state in their lives. Though considered only atemporary fascination by many of the more traditionalminded of the realm, vast amounts of gold and othergoods have been donated to the Abbey over the lastfew years by the eager nobility, and the entire churchis surprisingly wealthy.

The NoblesThe office of Count of Conallier has

remained vacant since the Ghoeran-Mhoried War of486 M.R. and the ruling nobles of Conallier havesince plotted and schemed against one another to gainthe favour of the Baron and his appointed governors.

Upon Gavin’s ascension to the throne, heabolished the title of Count altogether, and insteadcreated the office of Provincial Governor andappointed a trusted general as Sheriff of Conallier. He then began hand picking his less desirable nobilityfrom other reaches of Ghoere to fill the ranks ofoffices within the province. Each was carefully chosenby Baron Tael, and awarded lands or offices here inlight of their notable hatred of all things Mhoried. Assuch, the province is a hodgepodge of pompous,incompetent, over zealous and non too bright nobles;each one thinking themselves the favoured of theBaron, but are actually of little use to either him or theBarony as a whole. In fact, the only office to hold anytrue political power is that of Sheriff, and even theProvincial Governor is little more than a figure head.Of no true consequence or influence to the overall ruleof Ghoere, these offices and titles are constantly beingwon and lost, and seldom are they held by the sameman for long.

Gaerik Bellerran (MA, F5, An, minor, 18) isa minor noble who has recently moved his householdto Klehrs from central Alamie. Since his arrival at theKeep, he has been rapidly growing in power andinfluence, and is taking obvious pains to befriend theofficers and advisors to the Baron Tael. He is knownto be an ambitious man, and some suspect he will bethe next Governor General of Conallier if he is notfirst sabotaged by one of the other nobles of the

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provincial court. Unknown to any in the region, theHouse Bellerran is a minor offshoot of the Avanfamily, and though Gaerik’s loyalties to the Prince arequestionable at best, there is little doubt that he coulduse his connection to the Royal Family of Anuire toeither aid the Baron’s cause, or thwart it utterly.

Recent EventsThe swamps around the ruins of Conallier

Castle have long been thought haunted, but since thearrival of the mysterious Sword Mage to the court ofGhoere, the entire region has become a nightmare. Undead monstrosities, dark shades and shadows, andcreatures even more dire, have been seen combing theswamps for the past several months. Seeminglysearching the depths and muck for some ancientartifact or device, these fell creatures have recentlybegun to attack any they encounter. This has lead tothe belief that the Sword Mage is at last nearing hismysterious goal, for why else would he suddenly sendhis dark minions to protect the mire from incursion? What is he trying to protect?

The missionaries of the Abbey of CelestialPeace begun to concentrate their conversion efforts inthe Inns and brothels of Klehrs Keep. Several Innsand a good many of the most seedy brothels havebeen burnt to the ground of late, and some goodamount of suspicion has begun to fall on the order asa result. Could these priests be hiding some dire plotor agenda behind the mask of religion, or is theirarrival in the area only coincidental with the recentrash of arson? Some even whisper that the entireorder is little more than a spy network for thePatriarch of Elinie. Tensions are mountingthroughout the north, and several travellingmissionaries have been mobbed in the streets.

DanaroeneT

he terrain of Danaroene is as varied as it’speople. From the steep rocky slopes of theGray Hills in the southern corner of the

province, to the wooded vales of the north, andthrough the deep valley passes into Roesone,Danaroene is a true marvel of variety.

The small but swift Eryin Creek bisects theprovince, and is fed from the small lake nearAergon’s Pass in southern Bhalaene. The river bankis rocky and has carved deep gorges through the hillyregions of the south, where it ultimately joins with the

Berendor River and thence to the Gulf of Coeranysbeyond.

The Lionsgate Pass is a wide valley thatbreeches the southern hills which separate Roesonefrom the Barony, and it is through this deep channelthat the armies of both realms frequently march. Alsothe historical site of the final battle between BaronRegien Ghoere and the mad Duke Bhalaene in 399M.R., the valley has a long history of warfare.

So many battles have occurred in this valley,and the earth has been so frequently saturated inblood, that the very flowers which grow along it’ssteep slopes have been stained red, and their stemshave grown sharp thorns. Named the BloodthornFlower, it’s dark crimson petals are said to be keyingredients in several necromantic spells, and arecoveted by the those who practice such vile magic.

TownsThere are several small towns throughout the

region, but few of any importance. The only notablecommunity within the region is the ancient hall andcastle known as Umleigh Keep which stands at themouth of the Lionsgate valley pass into Roesone.

The ancient keep has stood since the earliestdays of Bhalaene, and was the hereditary residence ofthe Lord Baron Tuorel. When Noered Tuorel rose asBaron Ghoere in 471 M.R., he moved his householdto Rook Roost Castle in the city of Bhalaene, andgranted this keep to the Gwynaard family. The castleand fief was renamed in honour of the families firstLord, Umleigh Gwynaard, in 476 M.R. The Gwynaardfamily has remained the county’s ruling noble familyto this day.

A large market town lies on the northern sideof the great gates, and a dozen small communitieshave grown throughout the surrounding lands. Fromthe tall watch towers of Umleigh Keep, the northernfields of Danaroene sprawl out in a patch work of tiledfields and grazing lands, and the chimney smokesfrom the many hamlets rise into the air like a thousandspindly pillars. To the south of the great gates lies thepass into Roesone, and all traffic through the channelis halted at the great gates of the Keep and thoroughlysearched and recorded. It is said that, the Count ofDanaroene, Aeric Gwynaard, holds nearly a hundredvolumes of such records dating back nearly 40 years.

As a result of the martial history of the passwhich the keep wards, the Baron has placed largecontingents of his military might within UmleighKeep, and a force of some 500 men can be marshalled

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at a moments notice. The Militant Order of Cuiraécenalso has a large following in the region, and can addan additional 200 infantry men to those of the Baronif needed.

The Bandit’s DemiseThe Bandit’s Demise is the site of the most

recent battle between Roesone and Ghoere. Arolling field only a few miles northwest of UmleighKeep, the battlefield remains heavily rutted andscored from the ravages of battle, and the once gentlehills of the clearing have been overturned and nowserve as a series of deep burial mounds for those whoperished during the fight.

Known as the Battle of Danaroene Field, itwas also the site where the Baron Orvaene wasmortally wounded. History records that the battle wasso vicious and that so much blood was spilt, that onlyweeds, briars, and hardy field grass will grow in therutted and scored earth. Many tales tell of thespectres of the dead rising in the night to slaughterany foolish enough to be near, and more than a fewgoats have been found drained of blood amongst thecairns as well. Despite the popular rumours, noactual encounter with these undead has ever beendocumented, but the locals are convinced that thefield is haunted all the same, and many believe that agate or a shallowing has evolved here which leadsinto the Shadow World.

The NoblesThe Gwynaard family has long held much of

this land since the founding of Ghoere, and untilrecently, the family enjoyed a grand and proudhistory. With the last few generations however, thestrength of the Gwynaard family has begun to wane,and it is only the achievements of the familiesancestors that has kept the Gwynaards from beingcast down years ago.

Aeric Gwynaard (MA, F3, Re, minor, 19) isthe current ruling Count of the province, and is themost incompetent of his line without exception. Ashis father before him, Aeric suffers from severalpsychotic conditions, not the least of which is mildparanoia and sporadic bouts of dementia. Coupledwith the fact that he is a complete coward who faintsat the site of blood, Aeric will very likely be one ofthe last of the Gwynaard family to rule Danaroene asCount. It is common knowledge that Gavin Tael ispriming his other nobles in the region for the position,

and most eagerly await the death of Aeric (and somemay even be trying to hasten it) so that they might bidfor the title.

The Thuried family (see Players Secrets ofRoesone) has long held manors throughout the region,but has suffered severe loses to both their holdingsand political influence since Gavin Tael rose topower.

The families patron, Lord Donal Thuriedgrew up with Gavin Tael, and even in childhood thetwo could not stand one another. Pitched in a lifelong competition with the other since birth, Taelmanaged to win the seat of Baron, while Donal wasdoomed to remain a general in the Baron’s armies.

Despite a career of outstanding performanceand achievement, Lord Donal receives little respect,recognition nor admiration for his sacrifices andaccomplishments he has performed in the name of theBarony. After suffering a broken spine in battleagainst Roesone some years ago, the Lord Donal wasforced to retire from active service despite petitioningGavin for a ceremonial position with the Baron’sSouthern Guard. Lacking the use of his legs, the oncenoble and proud Lord Donal must now be carriedabout like a child, and is forced all the while to grinthrough gritted teeth as the Baron Ghoere forceshumiliation after humiliation upon him and his family.

As a result of Tael’s cruelty, the attractiveyoung daughter of Lord Gareth Thuried, the LadySaerena (FA; T1, unblooded) means to havevengeance upon the Baron by any means possible. Recently, she has sworn her service to the Baroness ofRoesone, and is supplying her with information inhopes of eventually having the pleasure of watchingGavin Tael fall from grace. Saerena is so embittered,that she constantly fantasizes about the day she canwatch Tael crawl on his belly like a worm, an she isonly barely able to conceal her contempt for him.

Recent EventsThe Lord Count Aeric Gwynaard has long

excelled in his ineptness, and the Baron Ghoere hashad enough. Since it is public knowledge that theGwynaard’s are not likely to remain in their positionfor much longer, the Count has grown paranoid andsuspicious of everyone around him. He is claimingthat he has survived no less than five assassinationattempts in the past year, but whether these are real orimagined is unknown (and largely irrelevant in theeyes of his peers.) Whatever the truth, Aeric has beenobsessively barricading himself within the towers of

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Umleigh Keep these past months, and if the BaronGhoere does do something soon, then he will beforced to besiege his own county in order to evict theLord Gwynaard and his family.

Several dark robed figures have been sightedriding atop mounts as black as midnight in theLionsgate Pass recently. Though these figures haveyet to threaten the area, they have not made theirintentions known either, and speculations are runningwild. Some say that these are agents of the DukeOsoerde, while others insist that they are someoutlandish agents of the Baroness Roesone, sent tofind some weakness in the Ghoeran defence. Ofcourse, the Lord Count Gwynaard is certain that theyare minions of death come to take him to the afterlife. In order to protect himself, he has recently declaredthat it is illegal to harvest the Bloodthorn Flowerswhich grow throughout the pass, since these couldobviously be used to perpetrate his untimely demise.

GhiereT

he River Maesil is often said to be the lifebloodof the Heartlands, and the many ships andmerchants which travel it’s waters have brought

incredible wealth and opportunity into the province ofGhiere since the earliest days of Empire. Once thecapital of the old Duchy of Ghieste, the region is nowa denizen of thieves, cutthroats, mercenaries andundesirables of all sorts. It is easy for such folk tobecome lost in the bustling trade centres of theregion, but for this very reason, some of the finestcraftsmen and artisans can be found here as well.

The southern region of Ghiere is heavilyfarmed, and only a few hours of travel lay betweeneach of the many small roadside taverns andfarmhouses. Small bluffs of woods grow in organizedpatterns, craftily tended to form wind breaks that keepthe precious soil from blowing away. The north isswampy and bogs become common as one drawscloser to the Shadowmere Swamp. The bogs bubbleand froth with decaying organic matter, and manyherbs are harvested from the rich earth of the mires,but they also hide many foul beasts and creatures bestleft undisturbed.

TownsThere are dozens of small hamlets and

villages scattered throughout the province, but asidefrom the capital, the only community worthy of

mention is the crossroads town of Stunder in centralGhieste.

Situated at the crossroads of the ImperialHighway between Endier and Bhalaene, the town ofStunder serves the needs of the many travellingmerchant caravans, and many of Anuire’s largerguilds maintain offices and warehouses here.

The capital of the province is the trade townof Ghieste, and it is here that the Haelyn Aegis andthe Militant Order of Cuiraécen both hold a largecourt. An ancient community dating back to theearliest days of Empire, the town shows well it’s age. Buildings lean at precarious angles throughout thewooden town, the entire dock network sags deeply,and the thick planking constantly creaks and moans asthe waters force the foundation pillars to shift. Thenorthern most quarters of the town are built alongmighty wooden piers and docks, while only thesouthern most quarters stand on firm enough groundto support stone foundations. The entire town appearsas a great sore to the eye, and seems on the verge ofcrumbling into the Maesil any moment. Despite it’sdecrepit appearance, the town is one of thecornerstones of the barony’s economy, and few othercommunities within Anuire can boast such a highproportion of wealthy citizens.

Brotherhood of the SpurKnown as the Redspurs by their enemies, the

Order of the Spur is a militant order of Knightsfanatically devoted to the teachings of Cuiraécen. These violent minded fanatics are affiliated with theMilitant Order of Cuiraécen, but are only marginallytolerated by them, and are generally held in greatdisdain by the more honour bound warriors of thatOrder. Hostilities are not uncommon between the twofactions, as each considers the other to be a perversionof the faith in some fashion, and it is a constantstruggle to keep these two orders working in harmony.

Where the Militant Order serves the investedpatriarch Fhylie the Sword, the Redspurs are fiercelyloyal to the edicts of the Ghoeran High Priest, StieleGhieste, and pay Fhylie only token respect. There isno question who commands the Redspurs, and thisdivision in power only fuels the friction between thetwo factions.

Vehemently opposed bythe Lances of the Dawn in Elinie,these knights mercilessly ridetheir mounts across Anuire to dothe Stiele Ghieste’s bidding.

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They are famous for riding their mounts to death, andtheir spurs are often bloodied from kicking theirmounts to ever greater speed.

The Shadowmere SwampThe swamp has existed since the first

trickling waters of the River Maesil began to flow. The foul waters are fed by slow geysers of thermallyheated water, and when the cool waters of the RiverMaesil flow into the swamps, heavy mists rise withincredible speed, and cloak the land for miles aroundin a blanket of stinking fog.

It is an ancient and fetid marshland, infestedwith countless mosquitoes and biting flies. The mostfeared creature in the swamps is not the giant woolylizard which infest the swamp, nor the many varietiesof vipers which live amongst the boughs of thetwisted trees, but rather it is the simple Mere Leechthat commands the most terror.

Little more than a pale coloured slug, theMere Leech often grows to be over a hand in length,and a single leech can drain a mans body dry of bloodin only a few hours. Most often found floating withthe currents and eddies of the water, the leechattaches itself to the flesh of passing creatures as theybrush against it. The slug-like body of the leechexudes a numbing excretion, and the victim will oftennot be aware that his Lifesblood is being drained fromhim until it is too late.

The NoblesBruider Arlannis (MA, F1, An, Minor, 23) is

the current Count Ghiere and is the quintessential fopand dandy. Resplendent in his polished silver platemail, he frequently plays at being a knight, though hehas never received nor earned that honorific, nor evenso much as rode in an armed campaign. Handsomebeyond measure, and overly vain, he has beenmarried no fewer than four times in his ten year asCount, and has released each one of his wives for avariety of surprisingly creative reasons. He has sirednearly a half dozen children throughout his manymarriages, but refuses to take an active role in therearing of any of them. Instead Bruider leaves theirupbringing in the hands of the many servants andmaids which his household employs, and sees hischildren only rarely. Despite his rather questionablemorality, he remains one of the most eligiblebachelors within the barony, and is frequentlypursued by many young maidens, each one hoping to

become the next Countess Ghiere. Bruider inherited the title and lands from his

father Bairenor, and has much yet to achieve if he isto live up to his fathers legacy, who was best knownfor his responsible and exacting service andadministration to the baron. In contrast, Bruiderprefers to live life to it’s fullest, and uses his positionto get what he wants while avoiding the majority ofwork and a fair share of the responsability.

Lord Mayor Halivier Maellen (MA, T10,unblooded) rules the trade centre of Ghieste in theBaron’s name. A devious man with an infamouslycunning smile, the Lord Mayor manages the city ashis personal enterprise, and has his fingers in almostever facet of the city. Halivier commands an intricatenetwork of spies and informants within the city, andhis police force is little more than a trained group ofsanctioned thugs. It is not uncommon for them toaccept bribes and other forms of corruption. Thoughhis nature and habits are generally well known,Halivier somehow manages to legitimise even themost underhanded of deeds in the pursuit of his office,and he is frequently called upon to perform mattersdeemed too delicate for the Baron to become directlyinvolved in. He is generally suspected to be thebaron’s spy master, but as might be expected, thiscannot be confirmed nor denied.

Recent EventsA violent clash has recently erupted between

a squadron of Redspurs and a unit of Militant Order ofKnights Templar just south of Stunder. By allaccounts the two factions refused to give way to theother on the road until boiling tempers and stubbornpride finally manifested in swinging swords andclashing steeds. Though there are no reports that anyin either host were slain, several warriors from bothfactions were severely wounded in the encounter. TheHigh Patriarch of Ghoere, Stiele Ghieste, is said tohave erupted in anger over the matter, and hasdispatched a missive to Fhylie the Sword in Tuornenexpressing his outrage in the matter, and condemningher for her Templars blatant audacity at daring to raisehand against his personal guard.

Several of the masked minions of the SwordMage, known throughout the land as “The Daemeon,”have suddenly made their presence within Gheisteknown, and have demanded positions amongst thecivil court of the town. The Lord Mayor Halivier issaid to have been outraged at the audacity of it all, butfearful of their sorcerous powers, he grudgingly

24

granted them a table. What their intent and purposeis within the town remains as mysterious as their darkmaster, and if Baron Tael knows their purpose here,he has not deemed it necessary to inform the LordMayor.

With the sudden exposure of the Daemeon,reports and rumours of sorcerous occurrences areerupting throughout the region. Every rare streak ofluck, mysterious oddity or unexplainable event isbeing accredited to some secret council of mages thatis rumoured to be harboring itself within Ghieste. The general populace seems convinced that a cabal ofwizards has moved into town, and the region seems tobe suffering from some sort of mass wizard-phobia.

RhumannenR

humannen has never been completely tamed bythe Barons of Ghoere, and even today, the landproves a challenge to Tael’s rule. Aside from

the usual troubles of occasional raids into the regionfrom the Spider’s minions, the Mhors of Mhoriedhave always managed to maintain a notable amountof influence throughout the province. Despiterepeated efforts on behalf of the Barons, Mhoried’sinfluence has never been completely removed, thoughit has waxed and waned throughout the years. Today,the Mhor holds nearly as much political power withinthe region as does the Baron Tael, and even theregent of Endier, the Guilder Kalien, has managed toinvest some sizeable interest in the markets andeconomy of the land.

The land itself is covered with small bluffsof trees, especially along the south and west borders,while the north and east of the province has long beenclear cut to provide land for farming. The Spiderfellis a boggy swamp of a forest and sits at the bottom ofa tall ridge of hills that run the width of the province.

TownsThere are numerous small farming villages

along the road from the capital of Bhalaene, and thewestern reaches of the province are home to manyshepherds, but the only sizeable community worthy ofmention is the mining town of Bhrier.

Built entirely on the hillside, Bhrier isprimarily a town of miners, trappers and merchants. The town is actually built into the very hillside itself,and the buildings are supported on the leeward side ofthe slope by a web work of stilts and pillars. Wooden

bridges and a seemingly endless labyrinth of stairs andwinches connect the many ‘levels’ of the towntogether. The town boasts enough taverns andbrothels for a community twice it’s size, but despitethat, there never seems to be an empty bench in any ofthem once the mines close for the day. A commonsaying in the area is “A man can find a fight easier inBhrier, than he might find a mug of ale”, and thisaxiom is not far from the truth. It is a tough town,inhabited by tough men. The surrounding area islittered with mines for miles around, most of whichare owned by Ghorien Hiriele, though Guilder Kalienhas also managed to capitalize on the abundant orethat is harvested from the region.

The NoblesThe office of Count of Rhumannen is

supposedly a hereditary title, though few familieshave managed to hold the rank longer than a fewgenerations. The region is plagued by troubles ofnearly every sort, and the Baron of Ghoere seldomallows his nobles to fail him twice. As such, the titlefrequently passes to a new noble by Royal Decreeonce the Baron has grown tired of the continuedfailures of the current Count. The Barons of Ghoerehave a long history of hanging the Counts ofRhumannen, and it is generally regarded as a deathsentence to be named Count of the region. Thoughfew nobles would openly admit it, none seem eager toaccept the office.

The current Count is also nearing the end ofhis reign, though he has managed far better than mostof his predecessors. Count Rheghor Saerel (MA, F5,unblooded) has held this precarious position for nearlytwelve years; far longer than most. It is said that hehas only managed to keep his life and office so longsimply by keeping the truth from reaching the Baron’sears. It seems well known amongst the populace thatthe Count has nearly every baronial assessor, agent,and official within the province on a sizeable stipendfrom the regions mines if their reports first filterthrough the Count’s own offices.

However, since the old mayor of Bhrier wasfound dead in his bath, Rheghor has watched hisposition of security slowly slipping away. The newmayor, a young and eager man named Gaelyn Aerlier(MA, T2, Brenna, tainted, 6), lusts for power andseeks rapid advancement within the Baron’shierarchy. He has managed to befriend the Baron’svassal, the Guild Lord Ghorien Hirele, and togetherthe two have begun to threaten Count Rheghor’s

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position by discovering the identities of the Count’sagents, and essentially ‘outbidding’ his stipends withtheir own. Thus, the two rogues are able to rewritethe reports as they wish. Rheghor has odds placed onthe date of his death throughout the town, and popularopinion is that he will hang by the harvest.

Recent EventsSeveral of the older mines have begun to

collapse with surprising frequency throughout theregion, and some suspect that the Spider’s minionsmight be undermining the supports and foundations inan effort to seal the tunnels of Ghoere. Many suspectthat the mines of the region have begun to encroachupon the goblin tunnels, (which are believed toradiate like a web beneath the Spiderfell) and there isconsiderable debate within the courts to either closethe mines completely, or else purge the wood of theawnsheigh and his minions for good.

Baron Tael has begun to suspect the Countof Rhumannen, and is considering replacing himsoon. However, there does not seem to be any noblesworthy of the office. The young Mayor of Bhrier iseager enough for the position, but Gavin Tael cannotstand the sight of him. There is some speculation thatTael might be considering abolishing the titlecompletely, and instead naming his vassal GhorienHirele as the new regional governor of Rhumannen. Nobles have failed to quench the resistance of theregion since the unification so long ago, so Tael iswondering if an eager-to-please guilder might be ableto succeed where noble blood has failed.

The previous mayor of Bhrier, the LordMayor Harrigan Toele, was found dead in his bathwater only a month ago. Though there was never anyinvestigation, many rumours have surfaced about hisdeath. Some say that Harrigan was about to revealthe Count’s duplicity to the Baron, and that CountRheghor had him poisoned in order to keep his secretsfrom the Baron’s ears . Others insist that it wasHarrigan’s successor, the eager Gaelyn, whomurdered the aging mayor in order to achieve therank of office for himself. There is also somesuspicion that Harrigan may have been slain by agroup of greedy miners in order to keep theirdiscovery of some great treasure within one of the oldmines a secret. This rumour, though a bit far fetched,is also one of the more popularly believed, since italso explains why there have been so many cave insof late, and the old mayor was famous for hisinspections and tours of the tunnels.

ThoralinarA

barren region, Thoralinar is little more than avast prairie of wheat and rye. It is perhaps thedullest region within Ghoere, and aside from

an occasional sighting of a goblin or two along thehills, very little of note unfolds within it’s borders.Home to only a few thousand farmers, herdsmen andshepherds, the folk are generally considered by themajority of Ghoerans to be little more than ignorantcountry bumpkins. The good folk of Thoralinar mustsuffer as the butt of many jokes, most of which, calltheir intelligence and ancestry into question. The factthat the populace has largely embraced the morebenevolent teachings of the Life and Protection ofAvanlae only reinforces the prejudice which thecommon Tharaliese must suffer.

Still, the folk of the land prove a hardy lotand are quick to unite together if presented withtroubles. Many goblinoids seeking to raid the landsfrom the hidden ravines and gullies around theGorgon’s Spine have been surprised by a united andcompetent militia that suddenly mobilizes from thecountry side. The people of Thoralinar are goodnatured, but can turn as hard as nails in order to overcome hardship.

TownsThe lone settlement larger than 500 persons,

is the farming community of Faerlan’s Field, andhome to the Count of the province, BelrycWiermaeon.

The town serves the dozens of farms andshepherds of the province, and the entire economy ofthe region revolves around agriculture. Tall silos,mills, and granaries line the highway to Bhalaene, andwhat produce is not consumed locally, is shipped ingreat caravans to the capital city. Famous for it’s aleand bread products, the populace holds a greatseasonal fair following the autumn harvests, and folktravel here from the furthest reaches of Ghoere inorder to partake of the festivities.

The Nobles The Wiermaeon family has held this

province in the name of the Baron since theUnification occurred in 399 M.R. Originally apowerful family of Brecht nobles once loyal to theOverlords of Anuire, the Wiermaeon family was

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forced to flee their holdings in western Massenmarchfollowing the rise of Karl Bissel. Already muchinbred with Anuirean blood, the true heritage of thefamily is only barely recognizable. They are moreAnuirean now than Brecht.

Currently, the aged Belryc Wiermaeon (MA,F2, Andurias, tainted, 8) reigns over the land, andthough his body is failing him, his mind is as sharp asever. The entire household has fallen under fire fromthe other noble houses of Ghoere for their recentpublic support of the Avanlae temples, but the oldCount Belryc refuses to bend knee to these pressures. His family had lost their ancestral holds in Brechturdue to violence and a lust of conquest, and throughouttheir history within Ghoere, they have never managedto regain their former power. Now is the time, Belrycbelieves, to establish peace. Gavin Taele has left theold man to his rumblings, thinking the old mule willsoon die anyway, and besides, Belryc’s only sonGavnar, is a captain in the Ghoeran military - aconvenient hostage if the Baron needs to silence theold Count. Still, Belryc is a dissident, and a rathercharismatic one at that. It may only be a matter oftime before his views of peace begin to spread acrosseastern Ghoere.

Baronet Elamien Rhondal (MA; F5;unblooded) is the aging Lord of 2 manors in westernThoralinar. In his younger days, Elamien was knownas one of the barony’s most brave knights. His sonsAelvin (MA; F4; unblooded) and Pierden(MA;F3;unblooded) do their best to carry on thefamily’s military tradition, and are both rankingofficers in the Baron’s armies.

Baronet Friemen Collier (MA;F1;unblooded) is secretly in league with the Duke ofOsoerde, Jaison Raenech. He is very crafty andcunning, and his loyalty and allegiance has not yetcome into question. The Collier’s control two manorsalong the province’s southern border.

Recent EventsA twisted goblin corpse has recently been

discovered in the hills north east of Faerlan’s Field. Though the incident would hardly be worthy ofmention elsewhere in the Barony, it is great newswithin the province, and there are few folk here whodo not debate the original intent of the goblinoid. Many believe it was sent to spy out the weakness ofthe region, though the nobles of the region dismissthis rumour outright. Unknown to most, the farmerwho found the corpse first pilfered the body before

reporting it to the local militia. He took a small silverand ebony ring in the shape of a horned owl and alsofound a small iron bound box which contained athumb sized ruby. Though he has told no one of hisbooty, he has become very paranoid and protectiveover the items, and spends most of his timeobsessively coveting the stone and talks to it as if itwere a child which needed his protection. His friendshave become concerned over his odd behaviour, andhave begun to suspect that something is amiss.

TiresteT

he province of Tireste is another of the greatcentres of trade within the Barony. It’sgeographic location along the River Maesil, and

it’s proximity to the mercantile realm of Endier,provides the province endless opportunities for trade.

The province is perhaps one of the mostbeautiful in the Barony and the great willows whichgrow along the rivers edge drape their boughs into thewater like curtains. Rolling hills of verdant grass andwildflowers cover the province like an artists canvas.Only in the east, where the dark wood of theSpiderfell rises and the gentle hills turn craggy andsteep, does the land begin to loose it’s lushappearance.

Fogs and mist are common throughout theprovince, and are especially thick in the early morningand evening. Seeming to rise out of the Spiderfell andsnake it’s way towards the river like a viper, the fogbecomes thick enough at times to limit vision to onlya few dozen feet, and it deadens the air in anunnatural silence. During these times, most folk standwith weapons ready, staring towards the Spiderfell,awaiting the coming raids of the goblinoids of Tal-Quazar.

Though the country side appears serene andpeaceful, the politics of the region are quite theopposite. Guilder Kalien of Endier has managed todominate the province’s economy over the last fewyears, and his influence rivals the Baron’s own. Mostnobles tread a treacherous path within Tireste, fortheir security and welfare rests with the whims of boththe Baron of Ghoere, and Guilder Kalien’s mobbosses. More than one noble has fallen from grace asa result of offending one of these two powers.

TownsThough the province is heavily populated,

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there are few towns larger than a few hundred folk. The close proximity to both Endier and the trade cityof Ghieste has resulted in little need for another largesettlement, but instead, the land is dotted withnumerous towns and villages. A man can walk tofour different settlements in the span of a day withlittle trouble.

The town of Maeren’s Crossing is perhapsone of the largest settlements within Tireste, and isthe only ferry and crossing into the Duchy of Alamiesouth of Ghieste itself. It also holds the distinction ofbeing the birth place and centre of the ancestral fiefof the Lord Regien, first Baron of Ghoere, and it isfrom this fief that the Barony takes it’s name. Thefief of Ghoere has long since been in the control ofthe Vathormane family however, (See “Nobles”below for additional information) and that family alsoholds the title over the county.

Aendar is another large town, home to nearly2000 persons, and is located only hours from theEndieran border. Aendar is built around the ImperialHighway that connects Bhalanene to the lands ofDiemed and beyond, and so many merchants haveestablished warehouses and other holdings here. Aendar also serves as the centre for the easternBorderwatch patrols, and several fortified watchtowers have been built in the surrounding area.

The abbey of Haelyn’s CrossOne of the many abbeys throughout the

Heartlands of the ancient faith known as the Haelyn’sAegis, the Abbey of the Cross has stood in this regionsince time immemorial.

Heavily fortified, the Abbey appears to bemore a well defended keep than a vast library, butthere are actually very few militant clergy dwellingwithin the tall towers of the Abbey. Only a skeletonregiment of knights Templar are posted at the abbey,and the number of resident librarians, contemplativemonks, and scribes here far outnumber the moremartially skilled of the order.

Serving the Haelyn’s Aegis as one of theprimary research and contemplation centres of thefaith, the Abbey of Haelyn’s Cross is tasked with thestudy and interpretation of the ancient histories of theAnuirean peoples. The libraries of the Cross are saidto be so extensive, that the towers alone can notcontain it all, and so have been expanded over thecenturies in a great labyrinth of books, scrolls, andtomes deep below the keep. The Abbey refuses toconfirm this issue however, and seldom allows any

but the most ranking priests and renown theologiansinto the library proper.

The NoblesThough not a proper noble himself, the Guild

Lord Kalien of Endier (see “Player Secrets of Endier”for details), parades through the streets of Aendar as ifhe were, and receives greater respect from thecitizenry than do many legitimate nobles of theregion. He controls nearly the entire economy of theprovince, and can close the borders to trade with asingle word. Though he is far too cunning to openlythreaten this course of action, he has made it knownthat he can do just that, and has withheld popularitems and common necessities for brief periods in thepast-just to prove that he could. The resulting famineis not something the folk of the region wish to repeat,and they often pressure the Baron’s nobles andofficers into seeing things the way Kalien wants them.

The Countess Gwyllese BrimnanceVathormane (FA, F0, Ba, major, 36) is the rulingCountess of Tireste, and her house is as old andancient as the Maesil itself. The Countess prides herHouse’s ability to be able to trace it’s lineage back tothe pre-flight tribes of Aduria, and she takes theopportunity to remind her peers of this at everyopportunity. Snobbish, conceited and condescendingin the extreme, the Lady is the epitome of nobility atit’s extreme. Though a powerful bloodline flows inher veins, very few men can stand her haughtyattitudes, and the few suitors which her late fathermanaged to bring forward were quickly dismissed orran away on their own volition after only a few hoursin her presence. Thus she has remained a maid, andno prospective husbands are forthcoming. Theancient Vathormane line appears doomed toextinction.

As might be expected, she cannot stand thesight of the Guilder Kalien, who she sees as littlemore than a common thief and scoundrel. Though shecannot deny his political power and strength withinher County, she only barely manages to belittle herselfand her position by playing a game of peerage withhim. Blatantly sweet and grotesquely polite in herdealing with him, it is all too apparent that she detesthim with her every fibre, and Kalien knows it. TheCountess is certain that Kalien goes out of his way totest her resolve in this matter, and that he takes everyopportunity to slight her dignity (which he does -much to the delight of the attending nobles.)

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Recent EventsThere are always minor instances of goblin

activity along the Spiderfell border, but of late, therehas been a significant increase in the sheer numberand frequency of such incursions. There are alsoseveral reports of massive ‘curtains’ of spiders thatare seen writhing from the boughs of the dark andtwisted trees only a dozen yards from the edge of thewood. Many fear that the Spider Lord is planning amajor offensive very soon.

The philosopher and writer, Sir DaerrenPeirvian, has recently completed a study on the natureof the old Ghieste society and its focus on thehumanities during the height of the Duchies power. Though it is not yet widely known, his writings arecausing a wave of outrage amongst the nobility whohave read it. Sir Peirvian concludes in his writing thatthe rise of the middle class and the loss of poweramongst the noblesse which occurred following thecollapse of Empire was a renaissance well ahead ofit’s time. He goes so far as to suggest later in hiswriting, that the same state will inevitably come topass again throughout modern day Anuire, arevelation which the nobility has no wish to see cometo pass - again. Though the various sects of Haelynhave yet to comment on his writings, there is someconcern that Daerren may have also committedheresy in the course of detailing his missive, for in hisattempt to define the state of being which liesbetween the nobility and lower classes, he may alsohave brought the core of Haelyn’s scriptures intoquestion.

TornilenAnother agricultural centre, the province of

Tornilen has always produced an abundance offoodstuffs, though it frequently suffers as a battlefieldbetween the forces of the Mhor and the Baron. Sinceit is not uncommon for the farmlands of the region tobe torn asunder by clashing raiding forces from eitherrealm, the folk of Tornilen have become hardy andare stubbornly indomitable. Though their entire cropmight be confiscated in order to supply the Baron’stroops on his latest campaign against Mhoried, thepeople refuse to give up, and simply begin theirplanting again. No matter the manner of hardship,the Tornilen people seem to grudgingly endure,refusing to surrender or succumb to despair. “Stubborn as a Tornilen” has become a common

saying throughout the Barony for a man who refusesto yield his position despite apparentlyinsurmountable odds.

TownsAcross the river from the Mhoried port of

Riumache, lies the Ghoeran port of Almen. A smallerversion of its sister city of Ghieste to the west, Almenserves as both a way station for the many ships andbarges that ply the river, and also as the home port ofthe Baron’s river patrols. From Almen, the port inRiumache is easily visible, and river captains fromboth realms sail the area in an uneasy peace.

Brona is a small town nestled near the centreof the province and is best known for it’s breedingstables as well as the many wind powered mills whichhave been built throughout the hillside all along theRiumache Road. Merchants from across Ghoere shiptheir goods here to be ground into flour and meal.

Long used on the farms of the region, theTornilen Mule has been bred over many generationsfor their strong backs and legs, as well as for theirremarkable hardiness and endurance. Famed for it’ssingle mindedness, the mules have been known towork themselves to death if not properly supervised. Unfortunately, the beasts must frequently be‘convinced’ to perform the task in the first place. It isa skilled trainer and handler who is able to direct thesebeasts of burden consistently and without incident.

The Three Roads Inn is not a propercommunity in itself, but rather is a large coaching Innand sizeable stable yard which caters to the manytravellers and caravans which traverse the ImperialHighway between the Ghoeran capital and thesouthern realms. The Inn is owned by the Maerrelfamily, an ancient line of fallen Ghieste nobility, andthe Inn is all that remains of their once vast holdings.

Many of Anuire’s most well known bardshave played the Three Roads Inn at one time oranother, and the epic ballads and tales which havebeen woven beside the Inn’s massive hearth areconsidered by many in Anuire’s Bardic Colleges tohave been legendary performances.

The NoblesThe High Lady Margaery Khellevien (FA,

M4, Vo, minor, 28) is a young and beautiful graduateof the Royal College of Sorcery. She inherited thetitle of Countess of Tireste following the drowning

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You can’t hide anything in Ghoere without the Iron Guard finding out about it.

deaths of her family last autumnwhen their river barge wasattacked by river pirates as theyjourney to the City of Anuire toattend her graduation. Thrustinto a position for which shewas not prepared, she is findingthe intrigues and subtleties ofcourt very difficult, and shelongs to be free of such duties inorder to pursue her love ofmagic. Despite this, she suffersher duties well, and strives tolearn the art of regency.

Though she has muchto learn, she has madesignificant progress over the lastmonths, thanks in large part tothe efforts and attentions givento her by the Royal CaptainBrence Caragrane. There issubstantial rumour that the twohave become romanticallyinvolved, but they both denythese stories out right. Both arepainfully aware of their respective stations and thecomplications which would arise from anyrelationship which they might engage in. This suitsmany of the Lords of Ghoere fine, for there areseveral ranking nobles who eagerly seek the HighLady’s favour, and of late, even Baron Tael’schamberlain has begun to think that the LadyMargaery would make an excellent Baroness.

The Maerrel Household is an ancient line ofGhieste nobles who were once prominent figures inthe Ducal courts of that realm, and held the honour ofcaring for the Ducal Winter Palace during thesummers while the Royal family was at court. However, following the arrest and subsequent deathof the Duke Rheghor Ghieste and his family, theMaerrel family was also persecuted as Ghiestesympathisers, and much of their lands wereconfiscated by the Throne. Now little more thanimpoverished nobles, the entire household consists ofonly the land and buildings which are the ThreeRoads Inn. It is the families shame that they havebeen reduced to common labour, but the householdhas accepted their lot over the intervening centuries,and they take great pride in their inn.

Brence Caragrane (MA, R7, unblooded) isthe Lord Captain of the Barons Fleet, and commandsover a dozen river boats and half as many barges from

his offices strong house in the town of Almen. Hisoffice is tasked with keeping the Barons Law upon theRiver Maesil and it’s surrounding environs, and LordBrence takes the task very seriously. He is alsoextremely good at what he does. Very few riverpirates escape his notice or the reach of his arm. Unfortunately, the officers and men who serve himare not so loyal or dutiful, and the Lord Brence isoften forced to police his own men as well as therivers which surround his beloved land.

Recent EventsThe hearth at the Three Roads Tavern is said

to have been the vessel for a recent apparition. According to eyewitness accounts, the hearth began toglow a soft blue, and the commonroom was filled with a soft, sparklingradiance, described as being like untoa full moon. All within were said tohave fallen speechless at the sight of

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it, and then every lantern in the room suddenly burstinto a blazing flame, blinding all within with it’sintensity. Some have begun to postulate that theevent was a prophetic vision sent by Ruornil, andtaken it to mean that the extinct Ghieste familybloodline shall be reborn, while others suspect theMaerrel’s may have interpreted the occurrence tomean that their lost station and lands shall soon bereturned to them. The Baron’s closest advisors warnthat he should beware possible treachery from thefallen nobles, for though they appear beaten, theymight yet rekindle the lost loyalties of the old Gheistelines. Whatever the truth of it, the popularity, as wellas the infamy of the Inn, has grown three fold sinceword of this occurrence first became known.

A large river barge which was headed for theImperial City has recently left the port town ofAlmen, but has failed to meet it’s scheduled arrivaldate at the port of Ghieste. It is suspected that thebarge was attacked by river pirates and was quitelikely scuttled in the murky depths of theShadowmere swamp. It is uncertain what cargo thebarge carried, or if the pirates managed to loot theentire hold before the barge met it’s end, but severalagents representing the College of Sorcery havearrived in the region to begin searching for the hulk. This has lead some to speculate that the cargo wasworth more than what was first believed. There is agrowing treasure hunt underway as a result, and thequest for the missing barge has become something ofa local sporting event.

Ghoeran SocietyT

he Ghoeran way of life is rather simple: obeywell and thrive, or rebel and die. Disobedienceis not tolerated in any form within the Ghoeran

mind set, and ranks amongst the greatest crimesknown throughout the Barony.

There is little in the way of personalfreedoms within Ghoere, as many aspects of daily lifeare structured and regulated in some way. The entirerealm is rigidly militaristic which manifests itself in

the form of civic oppression, andevery where a man turns, there isan official or officer of some sortpolicing the populace andensuring that the status quo isfollowed to the letter.

The barony is home to

more than 200,000 people, most of which areindentured serfs. The presence of the free middleclass, which is becoming more common throughoutAnuire, is most evident in the mercantile provinces ofGhiere and Tireste, but is slowly growing in size andstrength within Bhalaene over the past decade as well. Elsewhere in the Barony, the vast majority of folk liveas serfs who work their Lord’s lands and are seldompermitted to leave the confines of the fief in whichthey serve.

By far the most common character classwithin the Barony is that of a warrior, and the longmilitary tradition of the barony encourages folk topursue the proficiencies of that profession. Excellence in the martial skills is the quickest andeasiest route to power and prestige within the Barony.Those who cannot fight tend to gravitate towards themore mundane mercantile pursuits which remainprevalent in the core psyche of old Ghieste. The ratioof career minded thieves (that is to say, those thieveswho organise themselves into a business-like entitiesand brotherhoods) is perhaps higher within theprovince of Ghieste itself than in all of some of thesmaller realms of Anuire.

A Brief Word RegardingGhoeran Feudalism

The vast majority of citizens are commonfolk who are indentured to some lord or other, andthere are relatively few ‘free men’ amongst the lowerclasses. With the general appearance of a risingmiddle class throughout Anuire over the past years,the number of free men is increasing within theBarony, but very few of these are land owners, and soare not entitled to hold serfs under Ghoeran law aslanded nobles are. The very nature of the Ghoeranfeudal system is such that in matters of a lord to avassal, the Baron and his officials have very fewrights nor privilege with which to intervene. As longas the over lying laws of Barony are not in themselvesbroken, titled lords and nobles are within their rightsto dispense their own justice amongst their vassals andserfs as they deem fit.

Though the Baron holds and maintains hisown troops, and also has command of the dreadedIron Guard, it is also important to note that thepractice of “Calling of the Banners” (see “SpecialAction: Calling of the Banners” for additional details)is still practised throughout Ghoere, and all landowners within the barony are expected to supply a

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percentage of their house guards to the service of theBaron and his armies if called. Though there is needfor this ancient practice to be invoked only in times ofmassive campaign, failure to comply willimmediately result in the complete and total forfeitureof all lands and holdings to the Crown of Ghoere, andthe irrevokable stripping of any titles and rankingscurrently held within the barony. Essentially, thenoble in question is reduced to a common free man,and will quite likely end up being forced to indenturehimself and his family to another in order to survive;a harsh punishment and significant deterrent in themind of any noble worthy of his blood.

The Nobility of GhoereThe highest title achievable within Ghoere is

that of Baron, and only the current ruling family mayclaim it. Since Ghoere has not yet managed a longlived dynasty, this title tends not to be hereditary, butis instead claimed by the successor (or usurperdepending upon your point of view) of the throne ofGhoere. It is important to note that there is no suchlimit in place concerning a families rank however,since the Baron of Ghoere cannot possibly enforceany decrees to suppress such ancient claims.

Titles and position are an important aspect oflife within the militaristic realm of Ghoere, and theBaron and his nobles are fond of granting titles,honours and medals (of some form or other,) upontheir subordinates which they deem worthy or whohave excelled in some fashion. Since suchbureaucratic titles are not generally hereditary innature, the nobles of Ghoere are relatively free to castsuch positions around without having to overly worryabout the long reaching effects. As such, there arenumerous administrative and bureaucratic titles in usethroughout Ghoere, many of which have not beenemployed since the height of the Empire, and evenseveral dozen positions which are unique to theBarony itself. However, very few of these titles holdany degree of meaning or effect outside of the realm.

The Iron Guard of GhoereFirst formed by Gavin Tael prior to his

ascension to the throne of Ghoere, the Iron Guardoriginally served as Tael’s House Guard and hisprivate elite units. It was with their aid that hemanaged to secure his throne so easily. Upon hiscoronation, the Iron Guard was given the honour andduty of policing the entire realm and ensuring his

edicts were obeyed by all his citizens. Essentially theIron Guard still serves it’s original purpose, but nowhas the power to act as Tael’s personal brute squadthroughout the entire realm. The Iron Guard arerenown throughout Anuire, and follow the Baron’sorders without question or hesitation.

The core of the Iron Guard is comprised ofthe best soldiers and officers which are hand pickedfrom amongst the regional military regiments. Eachone pf them has proven their loyalty to the Baron firstand the realm second, in some fashion, and has at theleast, been awarded the ‘Badge of the Lion Rampant’(an honorarium which recognizes a mans exceptionalcourage and bravery in battle) at least once.

With the recent troubles he has had in regardsto his nobles loyalty, Taele has begun swelling thenumbers of the Iron Guard by declaring that allcavalry and elite units within the Barony must serve aterm of at least one year under his direct command(which essentially means his Captains in the IronGuard get a year to brain wash as many of these menas they can, and use that resist as cannon fodder in theevent of war.) Thus he hopes to hold his nobles incheck with possible noble born hostages who might beamongst the units so sequestered, and is also able tomaintain a large force under his direct command incase he should need to march against a recalcitrantnoble or put down a possible revolt against his rule.

Employed mainly as an elite civic policeforce, the Iron Guard is not amongst the standingmilitary units of Ghoere which are able to engage intraditional war moves. There are simply not enoughindividuals in the core of the Iron Guard to constitutethe improved statistics described on the war card unit. In order to raise an actual unit of Iron Guard for use inthe field, the Baron must use the ‘Improve Unit’domain action as described in the Book of Regencypage 85.

The Ghoeran MilitaryThe Barony of Ghoere is without a doubt,

one of the most militaristic realms upon the face ofCerilia, and it’s extensive natural resources arequickly consumed in order to support the massivemilitary engine that the realm maintains. Thestanding army of the Barony and their traditionallocations consists of the following:

Achiese1 unit pikemen

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1 unit mercenary cavalryBhalaene

1 unit archer2 units cavalry1 unit elite infantry

BhelineNo standing army

Conallier1 unit archer1 unit mercenary cavalry1 Patrol Barge

Danaroene1 unit elite infantry1 unit pikemen

Ghiere1 unit cavalry1 unit elite infantry1 unit knights6 River Boats1 Patrol Barge

Rhumannen1 unit archer

ThoralinarNo standing army

Tireste1 unit mercenary cavalry1 River Boat

Tornilen1 unit knights1 unit pikemen5 River Boats1 Patrol Barge

Aside from these Royal troops, the regent ofGhoere can expect additional support from theMilitant Order of Cuiraécen, and might also be ableto convince the Haelyn’s Aegis to supply additionalunits if he is able to convince the Prelates of thattemple that the cause is just.

Special Action: The Calling of the Banners

Aside from it’s standing units, (listedpreviously) the Barony is able to muster an additionalforce of 10 units worth of troops, (without direct orimmediate cost to the throne) upon the close of thesecond war move of any given military campaign.

These additional troops are considered to bethe result of the Baron invoking the ancient feudalpractice known as “The Calling of the Banners.”

Essentially the Baron issues a decree that requires hislanded nobility to supply him with a percentage oftrained and equipped units based on the general networth of their estate and the amount of land whichthey directly hold.

These units will arrive in the capital (oranother appointed domestic province if desired) at theopening of the third round of the same war move inwhich this power is invoked. Troops so mustered areconsidered to be mercenary infantry units, though forevery 3 units of infantry so mustered, one unit may beknights if so desired. All these additional unitsfunction as the equivalent mercenary card of the sametype.

The regent of Ghoere is able to perform thisspecial action only once every other season at most,but it should also be noted that there is a finite numberof trained warriors within the Barony. Excessive useof this special action will weaken the defensive abilityof the barony at large, and cause considerable strifeand unrest from the over taxed nobles (not to mentionthe common folk who must form the bulk of theseunits). The regent of Ghoere is warned to employ thisspecial power only as a last resort.

ImportantPersonagesG

hoere is home to many powerful people, for thevery nature of the Barony dictates that only thestrongest are able to rule for long. Of course,

Gavin Tael keeps both eyes on his nobles at all times,and though he may not appear to be aware (or evenconcerned) of their behaviour, there is very littlewhich occurs in the land that he is not quicklyappraised of. Indeed, many would argue that the onlyevents which unfold within Ghoere are those whichthe Baron has put into play himself.

Gavin Tael, Baron of Ghoere9th level Anuirean Fighter

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Str: 18/25Dex: 14Con: 16Int: 12Wis: 13Cha: 11AL: LEAC: -2hp: 73MV: 6THACO:12 (10)#AT: 3/2Dmg: 2d4+2 (Warstar)Bloodline: Reynir, major, 49Blood Abilities: Iron will, Long Life (major).Special Items: Warstar (morning star +2), Crown ofGhoere (provides 25% magic resistance while worn),field plate +1, shield +1 (with raven symbol ofGhoere emblazoned on a red and green field).

Ruthless and cunning, the Baron Taele is oneof the most dangerous and powerful men withinAnuire. His word is law, and he expects his law to beobeyed. Disobey him, and you will be destroyed. Serve well, and you will be rewarded. Patient andmanipulative, his true strength lies not in his skill ofarms (which is substantial to say the least,) but ratherit is the loyalty he inspires amongst his vassals whichmakes him so powerful. Though not a kind or gentleman, Tael has proven that he is willing to reward (andpunish) equally and fairly, without class or socialdiscrimination, and the people of Ghoere seem to lovehim for it. His nobles on the other hand, tend toresent this ratherodd habit of theBaron, and despitehis continuedexamples, theBaron mustcontinuallystruggle to remindhis nobility that hewill not let theirstations hide themfrom his wrath orhis law.

Whereother regents hopeto build and securea dynasty for theirrule, Tael wants it all for himself, and he wants it allnow. If it is his might and strength which forges arealm, then he feels he should be the one to reap the

rewards of doing so. Should he choose to produce orrecognized an heir one day, then he can go and securehis own power, just as Tael has done.

Though his temper is said to be only slightlyless fiery than the Gorgon’s own, Tael has learnedconsiderable patience, and has mastered the art ofplaying his enemy’s own fears and doubts againstthem. He often jokes with his advisors that he will beknown as Anuire’s greatest puppeteer, for he hascraftily forced many of his enemies to dance to therhythm which he has set for them - and many did noteven know it! A masterful manipulator, more thanone enemy has ripped himself apart with their owndoubt and apprehension as a result of Tael’s skill.Gavin Tael is fully described in the Book of Regency,page 55.

Jonathan Miechale, FirstLieutenant of Ghoere5th level Anuirean FighterStr: 17Dex: 13Con: 14Int: 12Wis: 10Cha: 11AC: 4(3)hp: 38THACO: 15#AT: 3/2Dmg: by weaponBloodline: NoneBlood Abilities: NoneItems: Half Plate armour, shield, crossbow, lance,long sword, ring of office (signet ring).

One of several unblooded and common bornlieutenants in the Baron’s employ, Jonathan Miechaleis proud of the honour which Gavin Tael has placedupon him, and he is determined to excel in his newstation. He serves the Baron without question, and iseager to please his Lord.

Gavin is smart enough to know that bypermitting such common folk to achieve positions ofimportance and power that it improves their loyaltytowards him, and also inspires others to work hard inhopes of achieving a similar reward for themselves. In this manner, Jonathan has already exceeded hisBaron’s hopes, for Jonathan is already a true heroamongst the common folk. Only a little more than ayear and a half after his rise to the position, many

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farm boys play at being ‘Sir Miechale’ and pretend atprotecting the Barony from her enemies. Tael is quitehappy with Miechale’s performance in this regard,but he is also aware that too much popularity couldprove to be a threat to his rule, lest the populace rallybehind the unblooded hero. Tael is therefor alreadyplanning Jonathan’s fall from grace if he does not doso on his own first.

Moergan Braelaunt4h level Anuirean FighterStr: 14Dex: 17Con: 15Int: 17Wis: 13Cha: 16AC: 3/2 (-3 Dex adj.)hp: 80THACO: 12#AT: 3/2Dmg: By WeaponBloodline: Reynir, major, 24Blood Abilities: Enhanced Sense, Iron WillItems: Plate mail, shield, long sword, lance,crossbow, battle axe.

Moergan is the unrecognized bastard ofGavin Tael, and the Lady Emillie Braelaunt ofAendar. A minor courtier in the service of theCountess of Tireste, Gavin had a brief affair with thelovely Lady Braelaunt during his time as a general inthe armies of Orvaene Ghorelle. Since his ascensionto the throne of Ghoere, Gavin has ‘orchestrated’events in order to secure Moergan’s loyalty. TheLady Braelaunt now serves in Rook Roost Castle (aconvenient hostage, and Moergan understands thiswell.)

Moergan is young and prideful, and heresents the hold which Tael has over him, but as yethe is powerless to do anything about it without riskingthe life of his dear mother. Moergan knows that hislife is always in danger, for if Gavin perceives him asa threat, then he will simply be sent on someimpossible mission from which he will never return.Still, Moergan frequently clashes with the Baron andhis men, and is in need of reminder of his tenuousposition rather frequently.

If Moergan can manage to curb his temperand his pride for a few years, he might survive longenough to build a following of his own, and thenpress his claim upon the throne. Gavin is sure that

this thought has occurred to Moergan, and he willsurely be sent to his death in the name of duty soon.

The Sword Mage10th level Vos WizardStr: 11Dex: 17Con: 16Int: 17Wis: 13Cha: 15AC: -5hp: 43THACO: 18#AT: 1Dmg: 1d4 (dagger)Bloodline: Vorynn, major, 42Blood Abilities: Alter appearance, resistance (major).Items: Cloak of Swords AC 0, blade of protection +2,blade of magic protection (as a scarab of protection),blade of opening (as a chime of opening), numerouspotions & scrolls.

A rumoured summoner of demons, the SwordMage has earned his reputation well. Perhaps noother being is more feared or more mysterious withinAnuire than this masked wizard with a warriors heart. So mysterious and secretive is the mage, that none caneven accuratelydiscern the magessex, though he ispopularly believedto be male. Themage is renown as acruel, ruthless andevil sorcerer,perhaps the mostblack hearted beingthis side of theGorgon’s Crown.

The currentalliance the SwordMage holds with theBaron Gavin Tael isas mysterious as themage himself. It issurely anarrangement ofmutualconvenience, andlittle actual interaction is known to occur between the

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two.The minions of the Sword Mage, commonly

known amongst the Ghoeran people as ‘TheDaemeon.’ As far as anyone knows, the mysterious order has noofficial title or anything as formal as a name - and noone has thought to ask the Sword Mage the question.

Whatever these agents and minions arecalled, they are feared just as much, if not more, thanGhoere’s own Iron Guard. When they appear inpublic, they shield their faces behind a full face,silver cloth mask with a black sword bisecting theface. As they pass, fear follows. The Sword Mage is fully detailed in the Book ofMagecraft, page 41.

Stiele Ghieste9th Level Priest of CuiraécenStr: 16Dex: 13Con: 14Int: 12Wis: 14Cha: 16AC: 0hp: 42THACO:16#AT: 1Dmg: by weaponBloodline: Andurias, major, 27Blood Abilities: Battlewise (major), Courage (minor)Items: Full Plate, the Storm Shield (shield +1,protection against heat/cold 10'), Cuiraécen’sGlittering Blade (long sword of sharpness +2), lance,flail

The High Priest Stiele Ghieste is an activeand aggressive proponent of the war aims of theBaron Tael, and works closely with him and hisgenerals quite frequently. Stiele is well known for hisdespisal of the order’s invested ruler, Fhylie theSword, (see the Player Secrets of Tuornen for details)and he seldom follows her dictates or directives withmore than a modicum of compliance.

The High Priest commands the loyalty ofmore than half of the Ghoeran temples, but also holdsthe complete and utter allegiance of the affiliatedorder known a The Redspurs, and these serve him ashis personal guard and private army. Despite hispower and dominance over the Ghoeran temples, theHigh Priest has much left to accomplish if he is tochallenge Fhylie for the regency of the entire faith, so

it is commonly believed that he will instead cementhis hold over his regional diocese and then splinterfrom Fhylie and her order completely.

Despite his namesake, Stiele Ghieste has noclaim to the ancient bloodline of the same name, or atthe least, none that can be legally supported orproven. This suits Stiele fine however, since he is notoverly interested in anything other than the pursuit ofglory in the name of Cuiraécen. Despite this apparentlack of interest in laying claim to the ancient title, theBaron Tael has placed several spies within the templehierarchy with which he may closely monitor the aimsand agenda of the Priest and his clergy.

Ghorien Hiriele5th Level Anuirean ThiefStr: 13Dex: 17Con: 13Int: 12Wis: 10Cha: 11AC: 8/5 (-3 Dex adj.)hp: 24THACO:18#AT: 1Dmg: by weaponBloodline: An, minor, 20Blood Abilities: Resistance(minor):enchantment/charm magic schoolItems: Leather Armour, long sword, dagger, crossbow

A competent guilder in his own right,Ghorien Hiriele seems cursed with an endless streakof bad luck, and even the greatest of his schemesseldom develop or mature as they should. Despite hisbest efforts, he has been unable to greatly impress theBaron of Ghoere, and seems hopelessly trapped in astrict vassalage contract with him. In fact, GhorienHiriele holds his title and position over theHighland/Overland Traders only because Tael letshim keep it, and Ghorien knows it all too well. He isnot overly bitter in spite of this, and instead strives toexcel in his assigned tasks. Thus he hopes that theBaron Tael will at last realize his true potential, andgrant Hiriele the freedom and control of the guildnetwork which he currently only oversees.

A handsome man in the prime of his youth,Ghorien has little trouble attracting potential brides,but as yet, he has resisted obligating himself to anysingle woman. Better he reasons, to remain mobile-and besides, the last thing he needs is another

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responsibility which could be used to hold him back. Ever the under dog in the contest for the

Ghoeran markets, Ghorien hates the Lord Kalien ofEndier with every fibre of his being, and is constantlyplotting the untimely demise of the half elf. Unfortunately for Hiriele, Kalien is all too aware ofhis desire, and he forces the Ghoeran merchant toplay an amusing game of cat and mouse - a game thatGhorien is seldom able to win.

Despite his lack of great success, Ghorientruly believes he is destined for great things. He onlyneeds the opportunity and the chance to provehimself.

Holdings ofGhoereT

here are many factions and groups within theBarony of Ghoere who hold power aside fromthe Baron and his officials. Despite this, only a

very select few of these have managed to attain astrong enough presence to effect the workings of theBarony at large. Ever mindful of the various groupsand factions within his land, the Baron Tael is wiseenough to know that even smallest fish mighteventually grow into a shark, and so he permits verylittle in the way of rival powers within his lands. Heis constantly policing his lands and routing out suchholdings and factions which he deems a threat. Theonly holdings in Ghoere are either the ones that hepermits to be there, or the ones he is currentlyworking on removing. As such, it is very difficult forany new holdings to get a foot hold within the Baronywithout first gaining his blessing to do so.

Law Holdings

The Baron of Ghoere would love nothing morethan to attain total and complete control anddomination over all vestiges and manifestations

of law within his realm, but unfortunately, the Mhoryet maintains several small law holdings throughoutselect portions of the Barony, and Ghoere has grownlarge enough to keep the Baron largely busy with themany other matters of state that prevent him fromactively increasing his strangle hold over the realm.

The Mhor Of Mhoried

The Mhor does not hold enough direct powerto actively oppose Tael in any but the most minoractions throughout the majority of Ghoere, but he hasbeen known to use his resident power to influence thedecisions of local magistrates in the past. As well, agood many of Ghoere’s lesser nobility (and in turn,these noble’s vassals) are secretly on the Mhor’spayroll or have been promised some other greatreward in return for their efforts. In the lands ofGhiere and Rhumannen however, the Mhor has longheld a stronger presence, and is frequently able tomore directly affect the affairs of those regions.

Within these provinces, the Mhor hasactively managed to construct a physical semblance oflaw, and he actively works to thwart the Baron Tael. Within Ghiere, the Mhor maintains a handful of smallbut fortified holdings and even a defensible ship yardnear the edge of the city of Ghieste. From thesewalled compounds, the agents of the Mhor are able tocause the Baron and his officials no end of grief, andmore than a few exposed spies and nobles of the Mhorhave been smuggled out of the land from here.

His hold over the province of Rhumannen isequal to the Baron’s own, and the land is neatlydivided in half between the two. Always a thorn inthe side of the Baron’s rule, the people of Rhumannenhave long held to the Mhor’s presence as an excuse toavoid losing the common freedoms which the regionis so renown for. Something as simple as declaring acurfew upon the province would be cause fordomestic uprising. As such, the rulership ofRhumannen has always proven to be an impossiblechallenge, and most Ghoeran nobles avoid the chargewith all they are worth.

Temples

Always a stoutly religious people, the folk ofeastern Ghoere seldom take exception to thedictates of the sanctioned temples within the

Barony, and even those who are more directlydescended from the Ghieste lines of old have learnedto respect the edicts of the church. This is not to saythat the temple regents can expect an easy time withinthe Barony, for the Baron Tael is a crafty and cunningnegotiator, and a man can never be certain he ishearing what he thinks Tael is saying. Still, if thePrelate of Ghieste says the sky is green, few will darenay say him in public.

Haelyn’s Aegis

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Aside from the staunch support of Cuiraécen,the Baron also supports the Order of Haelyn’s Aegis,though with substantial less reverence andenthusiasm. Though the Order is headquartered in theMhoried capital of Shieldhaven, the Baron of Ghoerehas given his support to the Ghoeran temples of theOrder as well, and in return, the High Priestess AnitaMaricore has promised the Baron that her Order willnot actively spy for either him nor the Mhor. Theduty of the Haelyn’s Aegis is to defend all of Anuire,not just a single realm or the interests of an individualregent. Despite this, (or perhaps because of it) thetemple is often forced to act as a mediator anddiplomat between the two realms.

Life and Protection ofAvanlae

Several members of the barony’s upper classhave taken to the worship of Avanlae in the last fewyears, and the faith is growing in popularitythroughout the eastern border provinces - despite theBaron’s somewhat mediocre attempts to stop it. Medhlorie Haensen, the Hierophant of the temple inElenie, is very pleased that the teachings of the patronof the Khinasi folk has begun to be embraced by theGhoerans at last, and it is her sincere hope that themartial minded folk of the Barony will be tamed bythe enlightenment which they are bound to discoverunder Avanlae’s teaching.

The militant affiliate of Avanlae in Elenieknown as the Lances of the Dawn are frequentlyencountered along the border of Ghoere, and theyhave begun to take it upon themselves to safe guardthe Ghoeran temples of their Goddess. Though actualconflict has thus far been avoided, it seems only amatter of time before one of the many militant groupsof Ghoere meet the Lances of Elinie in battle.

The Baron Tael has surprisingly done littleto prevent the faith from establishing itself along hisborder, and seems content to let the temples ofCuiraécen and Haelyn deal with this sudden spiritualrevolution. Interestingly enough however, he hasgiven the militant orders several incentives in order tokeep the LPA from infesting the rest of Ghoere.

Militant Order of CuiraécenMost commonly referred to as the

Blackguards, the Militant Order of Cuiraécen isrenown throughout Anuire, but perhaps nowhere elseis the faith so strongly supported than it is in Ghoere.

The hills of Rhumannen are the site of the first abbeyin Cuiraécen’s honour and was built late in the sixthcentury following Deismaar. Built in the hills to wardthe Spiderfell, the small abbey existed without muchnote until the Baron Regien Ghoere won the throneand united the Duchies of Ghieste and Bhalaene. Following his successful campaign, the faith ofCuiraécen quickly rose to prominence, and Ghoere isgenerally considered to be the birthplace of the entirefaith of Haelyn’s son. With such a strong following, itcomes as a surprise then that the actual political centreof the faith is based in Tuornen rather than in therealm which founded the faith.

The Order preaches that the spirit can only betrained through the body, and as such, the majority ofthe monks and priests of the temple are able fightersand warriors. Since it is a faith of strength andcourage, the abbeys and monasteries are not knownfor their hospitality nor charity - any who seeksanctuary within their walls are permitted a singledays respite. Once this time has passed, they areforced to depart or else pledge themselves to theOrder and Cuiraécen’s service.

Under the purview of the High Priest StieleGhieste, the Militant Order continues to expandthroughout the Barony. The largest temple belongingto the entire order has only recently been completedjust outside the walls of the City of Bhalaene. Thetemple is heavily fortified, (as a castle rating 5) andhouses an entire company of elite infantry and cavalrywithin the abbey walls, with plenty of room foradditional troops if needed.

The Temple is strongly supported by theBaron’s Iron Guard, and along with the affiliatedorder commonly known as the Redspurs, the warriorpriests of Cuiraécen patrol the barony and help defendit’s borders and people. As the strength andpopularity of the Order grows within Ghoere, it isbecoming more common for the various groups tobegin competing with the other, and there has beenseveral instances over the past few years in which theBaron’s troops and those of the Blackguard havecome into conflict. The definition and distinctionbetween the jurisdiction of state and faith has beenconstantly growing more blurry and hazy of late.

Guilds

As with most other Anuirean realms, the land ofGhoere is the host for a variety of guilds, andthe control of the economy of the realm is

hotly contested by each one. The only sanctioned

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guild within the barony is the Highland/OverlandTraders however, which is in fact, directly vassaled tothe Baron himself. As for the remaining guilds, theyhave either managed to force their way into the localeconomies, or else were already established when theHighland Traders first established itself some decadesago. While the temples of the land are given muchfreedom in their affairs, the guilds are closelymonitored and regulated by the Barony.

Heartlands OutfittersGuilder Kalien of Endier controls the

Endieran based Heartlands Outfitters guild, andcontrols a great deal of the economy throughout muchof Ghoere. One of the chief rivals of theHighland/Overland Traders guild, Kalien is viciouslyaggressive in the defence of his guild interests inTireste and Thoralinar most especially, and activelypursues expanding his mining operations inRhumannen. He would like nothing better than tocorner the markets of Ghieste, but he has been unableto outstrip the influence held there by Hiriele.

Ghorien Hiriele would love to plant a bladebetween the half breed shoulders, but the Lord ofEndier actually seems to enjoy the intense rivalrybetween them, and looks upon it as a game of somesort. Kalien takes every opportunity he can to makeGhorien look like a goose, and in return, Ghorien triesin earnest to bury Kalien in the muck at the bottom ofthe Maesil River.

In stark contrast, Kalien enjoys a relationshipof cautious respect with the Baron Tael. WhileHiriele is the Baron’s vassal and urges the Baron torid the land of the half elf, Gavin Tael does not seemto see Kalien’s presence as a threat. Rather, he viewsthe competition and rivalry between the guilds as anasset to the economy of his realm. Of course, he hasheard of Kalien’s shady history and reputation andmight well be able to make use of the guildersomeday, but is wise enough to watch his movementslike a hawk. Kalien, of course, returns the favour inkind.

Highland/Overland TradersGhorien Hiriele is Taele’s puppet Guilder

and he controls the majority of trade within Ghoere inthe Baron’s name. It is a little known secret thatHirele holds his position only because Tael permitshim to do so, and this has been the cause of someamount of distress between the two. Ghorien does

not mind his vassalage overly much, but would prefermore direct control over the guilds, and of coursegreater security in his position wouldn’t hurt either.

The Highland/Overland Traders holds a widevariety of mercantile interests. Throughout Ghoere,the guild primarily operates the many state sanctionedmines and is in charge of collecting and distributingthe Barons grain and produce. The entire guild isbased in the City of Bhalaene, and holds it’ssecondary offices and warehouses along the docks inthe city of Ghieste. The guild also operatesthroughout eastern Alamie, and has broken into theMhorien markets of Tenarien province over the pastdecade as well. In both these regions, it is well knownwho the guilders serve, and especially in Mhoried, theactivities of the merchants and the movements of it’scaravans are closely scrutinized. Ghorien Hiriele hasattempted to counter this scrutiny by burying hisguilds under pseudonyms and paper companies, but ifthe Mhor and Duke Alam are aware of this or not,none can be sure.

Maesil ShippersMoerele Lannaman of Mhoried controls the

interests of the Maesil Shippers throughout Ghoere,and as a sometime ally of Kalien, the two havemanaged to make considerable inroads throughout theBarony.

Moerele is infamous for his love of hishomeland, and he uses his resources and connectionsthroughout Ghoere to aid the Mhor. The majority ofMhorien spies caught within the Barony are under hisemploy, but none can be certain if these are merelydistractions to keep the Baron’s men from finding thetrue agents of Mhoried, or if they are in fact, the bestthat Mhoried can offer.

Despite both the Baron’s and Hiriele’s bestefforts, the Maesil Shippers continue to dominatetrade north of Conallier, and it is all that Ghoeranmerchants can do to get their wares to northernmarkets.

SourceThe old Duchy of Ghieste was once strong

with wizards and mages of all sorts made their homeshere. However, following the unification of theDuchies and the subsequent formation of the Baronyof Ghoere, many of these wizards left for quieterretreats of greater power, or else were forced away bythose strong enough to claim the remaining

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manifestations. By the end of the first century as theBarony of Ghoere, there were only a handful ofmages left in the area, and of these, only half heldpower over the mebhaighl. Since then, mages havecome and gone, as few of those sort can long standthe intense scrutiny they are forced to endure in themidst of the martial disciples of the region.

The Sword MageThe soul being to control the source potentials ofGhoere is the mysterious figure known only as theSword Mage. Since his arrival in Ghoere, he hassystematically hunted and destroyed any mages whichmight prove a threat to his power and control of thelands source manifestations, and he now enjoyscomplete control of every ounce of Ghorienmebhaighl.

As the Vos sorcerer is also said to be able tosummon and control fiends and demons, it is notknown what the true limits or actual extent of hispower might really be. Rumour insists that he issomehow able to draw power from the fiends whichhe reputedly so frequently communes with, and if so,his actual strength might be boundless. Due to thevast number of fanciful stories of him and the simplefact that he is so mysterious, he has inspired morefear in the Ghoeran people than any display of powerever could.

With the sudden return of the CountessTornilen from her studies at the College of Sorcery,and the recent rumour that Sedrie Bellamie of Bellamprovince (See Rumours, Secrets and Plots foradditional information) might also be given regencywithin Ghoere, the mage is suddenly not as secure inhis position as he once thought. It is suspected thathe has placed more than a few agents and minionsclose to the Countess at least, and very likely hasdesigns in the works in case of the eventuality thatBellamie also gains an interest in the Barony.

Rumours,Secrets & Plots

There has been a growing movement withinGhoere for the regional temples of Cuiraécen toseparate from the Militant Order and form their ownfaith with the grand Cathedral in Ghieste as the centreof this new order. Though Stiele Ghieste has not

publically acknowledged this trend, there isconsiderable evidence that would suggest that he ispreparing to do just that. Several couriers andmissives have lately been speeding their way betweenGhieste and the Militant Order’s home quarters inTuornen, and some rumours have been circulating thatFhylie the Sword is en route to Gheiste to personallytreat with Stiele Ghieste in this matter.

Constant rumour has been sweeping thetaverns of southern Ghoere that the Count SedrieBellamie (MA, W3, Vo, minor, 23) of Bellamprovince in Roesone is in negotiation with BaronTaele and has been promised a sizeable amount ofland in return for the Count’s oath of fealty to thethrone of Ghoere. With the sudden surge ofdelinquent nobles throughout the provinces of Ghoereof late, there seems ample lands from which the Baronmight choose to award Count Bellamie, and thoughhis defection would certainly mean war with Roesone,it seems a small price to pay. Sedrie’s allegiance, andthe subsequent addition of the province of Bellam toGhoere, could only strengthen the Barony and Taelwould be one step closer to achieving the Iron Throne. The Baroness Roesone, Marlae Roesone, is said to bewatching Sedrie closely, and may be preparing tomake counter offers to him in hopes of securing hisfealty.

The court wizard of Mhoried, the MageRegien, is rumoured to have penned an alliance withBaron Tael. Though the details are not known, thetimely aid of Mhoried’s only wizard would be pivotalin determining the success of a campaign against thatDuchy. The Sword Mage shall surely balk at anyoffers or rewards the Baron has promised Regien inreturn for his aid, and is not likely to allow a rivalsorcerer to gain a foothold upon the mebhaighl ofGhoere. Some of the baron’s generals are said to begrowing concerned that Taele is putting too manyeggs in his basket, and that even if his strategies aresuccessful, that he will have to divide the spoilsamong so many allies that he would effectively gainvery little.

With the uprisings in the neighbouring Duchyof Osoerde since the throne of that realm was usurpedby Jaison Raenech, many of the traditional enemies ofGhoere have been forced to turn their attentions inthat direction. There is a strong movement within theBaronial court to begin funnelling resources towardsexpansion in light of this event, while others insistthat the wisest course would be to simply wait and seewhat happens with the Duchy. Should theneighbouring realms, which have so long been

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holding Ghoere behind a fence, suddenly be forced tomarch upon Osoerde, then the Barony would have theopportunity to expand into one of these lands withlittle or no opposition until it was too late. The Baronis said to be considering these courses of actionclosely, and it is as yet, uncertain what he plans to do. The entire realm however, is certainly preparing tomarch, for conscription rates have nearly doubledover the past year, and there is word that Tael mightannounce a Calling of the Banners to his nobles -something that has not been done since the BaronTuorel invaded Mhoried so long ago.

Strategy andAdviceG

hoere is surrounded by strong realms, and eachone taken individually would be little threat toyour power. However, history has proven that

your neighbours are quick to unite under a commonbanner in order to halt the expansion of Ghoere, andas an allied force, Ghoere is powerless to defeat them. The only solution to this problem seems to be to findsome way to divert the attention of these regents, andkeep them from uniting against you. With thisaccomplished, your armies could easily march acrossany one of the borders which surround the Barony. Inorder to accomplish this task, the wisest strategicalminds of the Barony have compiled the following listof possible strategies. Heed what you will, butremember, the Iron Throne is at stake, and a singleaction can either lead to your downfall or rise you toglory.

Dominate Your Own LandFirst

Though Ghoere is held in a tight fist, thereremains several pockets of resistance to your ultimatecontrol. The Mhor yet holds power throughout therealm, the economy relies heavily on the whims offoreign guilders, and even the spiritual aspects of therealm are divided amongst many. While suchdivisions of power keeps a single group from rising tothreaten your position, it also creates possibleweaknesses for your enemies to exploit while yourarmies are abroad. Image what would happen ifGuilder Kalien should suddenly be convinced to cease

trade throughout Rhumannen or Tireste, just as youwere about to sack Proudglaive. Or if the Haelyn’sAegis suddenly decided to support the Mhor as yourlast unit crossed the Maesil.

While it is not necessary to completelyremove all foreign holdings within the realm, it wouldbe wise to at least be able to ensure that these regentsare indebted to you in some way. Then you couldensure their neutrality while you campaign abroad.

Listen more than talkThe true strength of the Barony, and it’s

greatest advantage, is that it does not need to make thefirst move. Be patient, listen to your lords andneighbours, and let them do the talking. In thismanner, you will be in a better position to twist theirwords and probe them for holes in logic andconsistency. Remember well the words of thephilosopher Trevyr of Ansien, my Lord Baron: “Aman will often times betray himself if permitted to talklong enough.” If you remain silent, a man may hearwords you did not say, and this is a powerful weaponwhen employed masterfully.

Gain their TrustIf possible, you might try the unexpected,

and befriend one of your powerful neighbours. If youcould somehow manage to convince the Duke Alamthat your plans are also beneficial to him, then he willbe more likely to ally with you, or at the least, beslower to unite against you.

Alternatively, you might approach Roesoneand negotiate an alliance against Osoerde or promiseaid against Diemed. It would be an easy matter togain new lands in Osoerde while maintaining a maskof goodwill. In such a campaign sire, Ghoere mighteasily be seen as a liberator and force of justice...especially if we concentrate on making Raenech’s ruleseem even worse and more vile than it truly is.

Make you enemy seem thegreater villain

The regents of Anuire are soft when it comesto matters of political relations, and they seem eagerto side with the victim over the hostile instigator inmany instances. Where possible, it might be wise tomanipulate events so that Ghoere looks the victim,and thus you could more easily legitimize youractions in the defence of the realm. Should Osoerde

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decide to test your resolve and strike your weakeneddefences in Achiese for example, a counter invasionmight be easily legitimized. Properly manipulated,such events could easily be twisted to appear that acounter strike is just and appropriate. The key toconquest lies in convincing the other regents ofAnuire that your actions are justified, and that yourresponse to provoked hostilities exonerate you fromblame. Once you are able to do that, the Iron Throneis as good as yours.

Appendix

Small Council:A term I borrowed from the novels of

George R.R. Martin’s epic tale “A Song of Ice andFire.” Essentially interpreted for use in the BirthrightCampaign to mean a ruling council comprised of theminor officers, officials and agents of the Crown.Such bodies are generally empowered to act as aunified body in the absence of a local ruling noble, orby direct appointment of the domain regent.

Alternatively, such a council might also becreated by the regent himself, and it’s membershipmight instead be comprised of only his closest andmost important or trusted of advisors. It is importantto note that in this later version, such a council neednot consist of the standard or traditional members ofthe regents court. In a small council, the regent isfree to select the members from amongst any of hiscadre of servants and advisors. Though seldom givendominance or precedence over the traditional andcomplete court, appointment to a small council is agreat honour and council’s the regent in the mostpersonal matters in a more direct but much lessformal manner.

SleenA large multi legged, snake-like predator

distantly related to the varsk. An excellent hunter andgenerally an all around ferocious beast. They areinfamous for their cunning and relentless behaviours. They are able to coil around a victim and constrictthem to death, or rend them to shreds with one oftheir many claws. The beast is incredibly fast, andcan easily out pace even the fastest horse.

Larl

A large predatory cat roughly the size of alarge hound. Physically powerful and well muscled,it’s razor sharp claws can rend even the toughest ofleather armours effortlessly. Ferocious and otherwisegenerally nasty kitties, they are believed to have beenimported from Aduria sometime during the flight ofthe Five Tribes. The beast has dominated the woodedhill lands of Anuire. The sleen is the Larls onlynatural predator.

AdditionalResourcesThe Gates of Mhelliviene(http://mhelliviene.tuarhievel.org)My personal site and archive of my Birthright andother D&D related material. Contains an HTMLversion of this document (complete with original art).Of course I would plug my own site... thanks to Arjanfor hosting it!

The Official BirthrightCampaign Home page(http://www.birthright.net)

The Birthright Mailing ListArchive(http://209.67.104.4/archives/birthright-l.htm)The highest calibre list maintained by WotC in myopinion.

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Luis Vilaça’s Birthright Gallery(http://gallery.tuarhievel.org/)

The home page of the artist responsible for the colour platesthroughout this work. Go check out his site for some seriouseyecandy!

Terry KeithMarch 2001