Antillan Empire (Campaign Setting)

[Jon]

The Antillan Empire, also referred to as the Kingdom of Antillan, is split into 4 regions; The Darkened West, the Tonsoor Valley, The Verdant Coast, and Gaesten Isle.

To the North lies the Hemesharohn Caliphate, to the west the Deep Dark, to the South the Wildlands and the Kingdom of Kess, and to the East the Astalan sea and the mysterious kingdom beyond.

[Jon]

The Darkened West

West of the Bay of Cantour stretches the great pine expanse called the Darkened West. The Antillan Royalty’s lineage traces its roots back to this ancient forest and the barbarian tribes that still border the kingdom. The area along the coast is well populated and civilized at this time, and the largest settlement in the region is the sprawling city of Beldon.

The Duchy of Beldon was the springboard for the Antillus the Great’s campaign to take the kingdom, and holds great pride in that fact. Antillus’s grand-nephew, Tellon, is now Duke here. He is a strong man with an adamant sense of honor, particularly in his heritage. For the most part he is a just noble, though he has been known to take liberties when it suits his appetites. He is now late in his Middle age, and his 8 sons are vying hard for right to succeed.

The duchy’s two largest exports are lumber and minerals. The land is rich in ore and the ancient evergreen forest never seems to deplete. The land depends on imports of grain and luxury items. To the south and west begin the Wildlands, and to the north is the Tonsoor Valley, and the capitol Entil-Bin.

[Jon]

Tonsoor Valley

The Tonsoor Valley is a wide lowland left by some prehistoric glacial retreat, and is cut in two by the Tonsoor River. Southwest of the river the people are still strongly connected to the history and customs of the Darkened West. To the northeast, the people have stronger ties to the customs derived from the Hemesharohn Caliphate. The Capitol City of Entil-Bin site at the mouth of the Tonsoor, and is easily the largest metropolis in the Kingdom.

King Mennis I sits on the throne in Entil Bin, the grandson of Antillus the Great, and Son of Antillus II who conquered the Tonsoor valley and the Verdant Coast. These lands once belonged to the Caliphate of Hemesharohn, but were tenuously held by few officials and underfunded military presence. When Antillus marched his father’s army against the city, there was little the resident force could do to repel them, and many of the human locals descended of the Darkened West joined the assault from within the city walls.

Entil-Bin is a truly cosmopolitan city, only 50-60% of its residents are Human. Of those, about three quarters are descended of the Darkened West, maybe one fifth from the Hemesharohn Caliphate, and the rest from foreign or free lands. Elves are the next most common race, followed by halflings and dwarves. Orcs, Ferans and other races make up less than 5% of the population combined.

Mennis I is the first of his line born as a prince with the right to assume the monarchy named after his grandfather. He has proven himself to be a strong, firm leader, and his success against the Caliphate’s retaliation, now known as the Red Sands War, has earned him great confidence from his people. Now nearing his 50th birthday, the people are concerned about when his passing might come, but the Prince, Mennis II seems to be bright and just, having spent most of his third decade organizing the reconstruction of the empire.

The fertile valley is lush with farmlands and home to a renowned textile industry. Entil-Bin hosts a wide variety of master tradesmen and merchants, making it a city where any transaction is possible. Its exports are largely grains and fabrics, and it imports nearly everything else imaginable.

[Jon]

Verdant Coast

The Verdant Coast is a long stretch of land on the north side of the Rea Caln Straight which connects the Cantour Bay to the Astalan Sea. The Verdant Coast extends only 20 miles inland at is most narrow to 80 miles inland at its thickest, and then gives way to savannah and desert in the North. Far to the east lies the Astalan Sea, and beyond that lies an empire that has little contact with Antillan so far. To the west lies the Tonsoor Valley and the Capitol, Entil-Bin.

There are no massive cities on the Verdant Coast, but there are several counties with their own large townships. Amongst these are Yelderon on the Veldenale River, The Township of Wix on the Yellow Point, and Galdarr at the mouth of the White Ash River. Much of the north border of the Verdant coast is in a state of reconstruction after the Red Sands war, with once bustling trade villages like Briden Pass having been nearly completely wiped off the map.

The Verdant Coast is primarily a string of fishing villages that collect from both the Rea Caln Straight and the several rivers flowing into it. The warm, often humid climate is also a perfect place for many fruits, and sugar cane. Most papyrus is also made in the region.

[Jon]

Gaesten Isle

The Gaesten Isle is the newest province that the Antillan Empire seeks to annex. Essentially a massive peninsula jutting off of the southern mainland, the Gaesten Isle is separated from the mainland by the Erinves River to the southwest and the Quinway Sraight to the southeast. The Erinves Lake lies between and feeds both of these waterways, which in turn is fed by the Ironfloe channel.

The ancient elven city and sovereign state of Solomon lies at the center of the Gaesten Isle, and the fabled ruins of Penterose lie on the far east end of the island. The only township in direct service to the King is Hevard Port, under the lordship of the war hero Sir Gaverek, now Lord. The Rea Caln Fish Market at Hevard Port has been becoming a major point of trade in this small fishing village, and the increase in trade and traffic has spurred the residents into requesting aid and acceptance into the Antillan Kingdom.

While there seems to be a vast number of possible resources available on the island, there is also the menace of a massive goblin army. Until such a threat is managed, the fate of this new province is still undecided.

[Jon]

Kingdom of Kess

South of the Gaesten Isle is the dwarven kingdom of Kess, settled deep in the Unforged Range. Much of the kingdom lies under-mountain, with surface settlements and outposts serving primarily defensives functions.

Not even the Elves are aware of a time when the kingdom was successfully assaulted, though only indigenous giants and orc tribes seem to have any interest. The Dwarves manage the flow of their rivers into the dwarven forged Ironfloe Channel, which is actually a massive watermill powering the engineering marvels of much of their kingdom. Few non-dwarves know how to navigate the waterway.

Non-natives are rarely accepted into the under-mountain, with even foreign born dwarves being ostracized to the surface villages. The Dwarves are eager traders, especially for fresh meats and cheeses, as well as grains and textiles. Several Dwarven Trading posts lay along the Quinway Straight, exporting fine metalworks and returning home with luxury foods and clothing.

[Jon]

Kingdom of Solomon

At the heart of the Gaesten Isle is a deep wood which hides the venerable city of Solomon, home of the High Elves. Almost all elves in the region claim their lineage traces back to Solomon, though many cannot say how. The Solomon Elves claim that their entire race originated the in the Sylvanwoade that the city calls home.

The city is unique in that it was carefully grown (and is still being grown) out of the forest itself. Not a tree has been felled, not a brick placed or a nail driven in the entire city. Visitors have marveled at the patience of the elven architects who coerce the city's trees by magic and mundane means to grow as they are told, and function as buildings, roadways and towers where they are needed.

Solomon claims self sufficiency, but will begrudgingly trade for general supplies in meager times. Still, they claim this trade is for the benefit of others, and a charity on their part.

[Jon]

Clans Lands of Lun

A loose affiliation of Orcs live on the southeast coast of the Gaesten Isle, and collectively call their home Lun, meaning “home” in orc. These clans are at constant rivalry, often resulting in random conflicts and skirmishes. While primitive in appearance, the forges of Lun are home to some of the most expert blacksmiths known to the region.

While visitors are generally welcome, the harsh living conditions often prove too difficult for most non-orc visitors and many gentrified orcs as well. Hunting dogs and mounts of both horse and boar variety are considered family, and sometimes favored over actual orcs who cannot pull their own weight.

The orcs of Lun are eager to trade for just about anything, though they are difficult to haggle, because they don’t believe they need anything more than what they can get in their settlements. Their Spartan lifestyles make this assertion effectively true.

[Jon]

This is the long-awaited map.

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