Government

Formerly a province of the Theran Empire, Barsaive comprises several self-governing cities and towns, many of whichhave increasingly come under the influence of the dwarf kingdomof Throal. Perceived as benevolent because the Council Compact bywhich they govern renounces slavery and espouses individual rights,the growing dwarven influence does not trouble most Barsaivians,though some question the dwarven kingdom’s motive for gatheringpower in the province. Despite having lost in their first attempt totake over since the Scourge ended, the Therans insist that Barsaive still belongs to their empire. Throal provides Barsaive’s strongest counterweight to renewed domination by the hated Therans—afaçade which seems brittle after the Battle of Prajjor’s Field. Though the individual practices of governments in Barsaive’scities, towns and villages may vary, many follow the guidelines ofthe Throalic Council Compact. Written in 1270 TH at the height of the Scourge, the Compact set out guidelines for a just and orderlypost-Scourge society in which all races could conduct fair andpeaceful trade. The widespread use of Throalic currency in Barsaive also illustrates the powerful influence of the kingdom, whose traders spearheaded the recovery of Barsaive when they reopened traderoutes following the Scourge. Few Barsaivian municipalitiescontinue to use Theran currency.

Nationen und Stadt-Staaten von Barsaive

Cara Fahd

The ork nation of Cara Fahd lies in southwest Barsaive, betweenthe Delaris Mountains, the Twilight Peaks, and Theran-occupiedVivane. The territory claimed by Cara Fahd hosts a variety ofterrain, from inhospitable and unforgiving jungle to open plains.On the southeastern slopes of the Delaris Mountains sits ClawRidge, the capital of Cara Fahd. Surrounded by the granite fortressof Wurchaz, the city is still being constructed—only a quarter ofits residents living in finished buildings, the rest living in tents ormakeshift shacks. Many settlers in the area have begun farming thesoil-rich flood plain of the Delaris River.

The T’skrang Aropagoi

Six great trading houses dominate trade on the Serpent River.With the exception of House Henghyoke, each aropagoi controlsa section of the river system, but riverboats from all houses travelthe entire length of the river. Although not all villages and settlementsalong the Serpent River are affiliated with the aropagoi, allof them operate under their system of trade—written down in theFree Trade Compact.House Ishkarat dominates the North reach of the SerpentRiver, and is based on the Fortress Isle of Maratha. Its thirst forconquest has left them with few allies—the Denairastas Clan ofIopos.House Syrtis is based in the Cliff City of Lalai Gorge, and hasallied with the elves of Blood Wood to keep the expansion of HouseIshkarat in check.House V’strimon controls the Coil River and is based on theFloating City of Lake Ban. House V’strimon is closely allied withThroal, the city state of Urupa and House Syrtis. Recent eventshave led to open warfare with House K’tenshin.Due to the arrival of the Theran behemoth, the southern reachof the Serpent River is controlled almost exclusively by HouseK’tenshin, who have allied with the Therans and seized control ofthe river from the Mist Swamps to Lake Ban.The recently revived House T’kambras vies with HouseK’tenshin for control of the Tylon River. Their influence is strongestin the northern reach of the Tylon, but their central settlementremains unknown.The mysterious House Henghyoke is a pirate confederationwhose riverboats raid the entire length of the Serpent River. Eerilysilent, their warriors never cry out, even when injured in battle,and have never broken under interrogation. Their location of theirbase remains unknown, and they have no known allies.

Blood Wood

The massive forest called the Blood Wood lies along Barsaive’snorthern boundary. Known as the Wyrm Wood before the Scourge,this forest holds the Elven Court ruled by the Elven Queen Alachia.Though the Elven Court was once the center of elven culture, thehorrible mutilation to which the elves of the Wood subjected themselvesto survive the Horrors caused many elves living outside theBlood Wood to forsake Alachia. They see her and her ilk as abominations,as monstrous as the Horrors themselves, and many scholarsshare this sentiment. Travelers who have visited the Blood Wood,however, often contend that the elves of the Wood remain a beautifulpeople, despite the horrible things they did to their bodies inorder to survive the Scourge. The inhabitants of the Blood Woodremain capable of intricate magic; the Elven Queen’s castle, builton a foundation of eight enourmous oak trees, is still universallyrecognized as a wonder to behold.

The Theran Empire

In the Selestrean Sea far southwest of Barsaive lies the isle ofThera, seat of the Theran Empire that held sway over Barsaive inthe years before the Scourge. Though the Scourge cost the Theranscontrol of Barsaive, they regained a small area of the province inthe years that followed. The Theran-controlled lands in Barsaiveinclude the city of Vivane, and the surrounding vicinity, which iscalled Vivane Province. Theran territory extends to the southernedges of Cara Fahd, and border conflicts in the area are common,and adventurers often encounter Theran patrols and airships in theregion. Adventurers often encounter Theran patrols and airships inthese regions. Even though the Therans have established the militaryinstallation Triumph in Barsaive’s heartland, the Theransrarely venture beyond the Twilight Peaks, preferring to consolidatetheir hold on the territories they already control.Rumors place Theran spies in virtually every major Barsaiviancity, as well as several of the larger towns and villages. The Theransat Triumph pose a threat to Barsaive, few people doubt the Therans’intention to one day reclaim Barsaive as part of their empire.

Sky Point

One of the few remaining Theran outposts in Barsaive, SkyPoint lies southwest of the city of Vivane. The Eighth Theran Legionquarters at Sky Point, giving the outpost the strongest Theran presenceof any Barsaivian settlement. The outpost consists of a largeplatform supported by several huge pillars, and many small villagesbeneath the massive platform supply the Therans with necessitiesand slave labor. Sky Point also serves as the home port of the Theran Armada, comprising more than 25 airships that includethree kilas and two dozen vedettes. Half the vedettes are outfittedfor elemental mining and unfit for combat; the remaining craftboast fire-cannons and can carry up to 100 troops.General Crotias commands the Eighth Legion’s soldiers andcavalry, although half of them have recently been sent to guardTriumph. The area around Sky Point is heavily guarded againstintruders.

Triumph

Clearly visible from the Serpent River, the grounded behemothof Triumph towers over the nearby landscape. Commandedby General Nikar Carini, a t’skrang related to House K’tenshin,the fortress has a great influence on the region. Slave trade hasincreased along the southern reach of the Serpent River to providethe Therans with a suitable workforce. In addition to the FifthLegion and half of Sky Point’s Eight Legion, Triumph boasts aconsiderable fleet of airships and kilas which remains detachedfrom the main Armada stationed at Sky Point.

Vivane

Once one of Barsaive’s most beautiful cities, Vivane now standsas a testament to Theran power. As the city nearest to the seat ofthe Theran Empire, Vivane fell to the Therans when they returnedto reconquer Barsaive almost 60 years ago. With many of its buildingsstill in ruins, this south-western city remains a shadow of itsformer self.Though the Barsaivian magistrate Quarique Oathstone nominallyrules the city, all of Barsaive recognizes his true status asa puppet ruler controlled by the Theran Overgovernor Kypros.Kypros often docks his massive airship, Ascendancy, at Vivane toremind the city’s residents of Theran power. A support base forthe Theran outpost at Sky Point, Vivane is also the only city nearBarsaive with a sizable slave population.

The City States

The great cities of Barsaive are home to many thousand people.While almost all of them have developed customs and laws thatclosely resemble the Council Compact of Throal, each of the citiesis unique in its culture and remains politically independent of theKingdom of Throal.

Bartertown

Originally a bazaar, Bartertown has become a sprawling citysitting outside the gates of Throal. Bartertown was founded bymerchants who wished to take advantage of Throalic trade policieswithout becoming a part of the dwarf kingdom. Lacking formalcity government to oversee planning, these traders built shops andhomes wherever they saw fit, giving the city a haphazard layout.Barsaivians claim that travelers can buy any good or service inBartertown, if they look long and haggle hard enough.

Iopos

Located in the northwest corner of Barsaive, the city of Iopos isruled by a powerful family of magicians called the Denairastas, whohave held power since before the Scourge. Though their successat bringing the city through the Scourge earned the Denairastasthe loyalty of most of Iopos’ population, the magicians continueto rule with an iron hand, arresting and often killing dissidents.The Denairastas subject outsiders to the same drastic measuresas city residents, and so visitors to Iopos are advised to keep anycomments about the city’s rulers to themselves.In the years since the opening of the kaers that followed theScourge, the Denairastas have repeatedly vowed to defeat bothThera and Throal and claim control of Barsaive. With the recentassassination of King Varulus III, it appears they have put theirplans into motion.

Jerris

The wealthy trading city of Jerris lies on Barsaive’s westernedge, between the Liaj Jungle and the Poison Forest. A perpetualcloud of gray-black ash and dust hangs over Jerris, blown in fromthe Wastes that lie west of Barsaive. Rumors claim this pollutionhas cursed the city.A fiercely competitive group of trading houses act as the defacto rulers of Jerris. Only issues vital to the city’s livelihood motivatethese traders to suspend their otherwise continuous infightingand treachery.

Kratas

Located almost exactly in the geographical center of Barsaive,Kratas is known as the Thieves’ City. Almost all mercenary andillegal activities in Barsaive take place in Kratas, and some ofBarsaive’s most notable thieves and informants make their homesthere. Garlthik One-Eye, the legendary ork thief, controls the citythrough his gang, the Force of the Eye.A veritable crossroads of information and stolen goods, adventurerscan find almost any type of equipment or service in Kratas,though at a higher price than in any other Barsaivian city.

Travar

Of all of Barsaive’s ancient cities, Travar alone has maintainedits pre-Scourge splendor and grace. Its white marble towersand spires overlook the banks of a tributary of the Serpent Riverin southeast Barsaive. Travar’s location provides excellent tradeaccess to both the t’skrang and the Kingdom of Throal, and ensuresthe city’s prosperity.Three magistrates rule Travar, each serving a three-year term.If a magistrate wishes to serve another term, he must win hisposition in the Founding, a tournament in which champions representingthe magistrate and his would-be successors compete. Thepatron whose champion wins the Founding becomes a magistrate.

Parlainth and Haven

The ancient ruins of Parlainth, the Theran Empire’s provincialcapital before the Scourge, lie in Barsaive’s far northeast corner.Knowledge of the city’s existence mysteriously disappeared fromthe minds of Barsaive’s population during the Scourge, and the cityhas only recently been rediscovered. Parlainth is often called ‘theForgotten City’, a reference to the many splendors lost to time andthe Scourge. The Forgotten City has become a Mecca for adventurers,who seek the mysteries and priceless treasures hiddenwithin its ruins. Even tales of the Horrors and other dreadful creaturesthat dwell in the city’s catacombs have done little to dissuadethese treasure seekers.The small town of Haven lies at the southwestern corner ofParlainth. Ostensibly a trading village, Haven has become a stagingarea for explorers seeking Parlainth’s treasures, and boasts a varietyof goods that almost rivals the selection available in Bartertown.Haven’s shops also occasionally offer goods from the nearby BloodWood, though such items are usually difficult to obtain.

Urupa

Situated on the shores of the Aras Sea, Urupa was foundedafter the Scourge by the residents of seven small kaers, believingthat safety lay in numbers. The city lies at the base of a high, sheercliff on a peninsula in the Coil Delta. The 500 yard high cliffdiscourages attacks on the city from above, and a well fortified porthelps defend against attacks from the sea. Urupa has considerablemilitary resources—including troll drakkars and a large militia—commanded by a Leadership Council consisting of the councilorsof Urupas different districts.

Blood Wood

Once known as Wyrm Wood before the Scourge, Barsaive’smost prominent forest stretches along six hundred miles nearly theprovince’s northern border. At first glance, Blood Wood is a placeof fantastic beauty, with thick red and green undergrowth andtowering trees that only allow narrow shafts of sunlight to piercethe forest gloom. However, the use of blood magic has twisted thegrowth of Blood Wood, creating a terrible mockery of the graceand beauty for which Wyrm Wood had been known. The BloodWood holds the dubious honor of being the only place in Barsaivecorrupted by its inhabitants – rather than by the Horrors.Those who journey to the Blood Wood face dangers and diffi-culties unlike those of any other place in Barsaive. Because of theself-isolation Queen Alachia has imposed over Blood Wood (seeGovernment, below, for more information), very few uninvitedtravelers go beyond the outermost fringes and live to tell the tale.Deadly defenses—both natural and man-made—ensure that no oneenters Blood Wood undetected by the blood warders and wardensserving as border guards.Once renowned the world over as the center of elven cultureand tradition, the Ritual of Thorns and the transformation itwrought on the Blood Wood has reduced the influence of the ElvenCourt and Queen Alachia to the Wood’s confines. Blood Wood ishome to the Great Ranelles of Talshara, Jae’Healstri, Carithasca,Daevenar and Escalanas; extended elven families exerting a highdegree of influence on the Elven Court.

Siedlungen und Städte

Countless towns and villages dot the shores of the SerpentRiver, trading with the t’skrang and other Name-givers. Thefollowing settlements are the most influential ones, their namesare known in very port of the Serpent.

Denlikiyan

Denlikiyan is the wealthiest of all river villages, as it boasts thefinest shipyards of the Serpent River. The village’s engineers areresponsible for the innovations of the renowned shimoram riverboatdesign, and is one of the handful of yards which can build a fireengine—and thus a complete riverboat—from scratch. Rumor hasit that after nearly a century of shipbuilding, Denlikiyan now sitson top of one of the largest stashes of gold coin in all of Barsaive.Denlikiyan lies close to the settlements of the Vorst, humans whosuffered badly from the Scourge.

Eidolon

At the confluence of the Mothingale and Serpent Rivers liesKaer Eidolon, a site of great historical and strategic importancein northern Barsaive. Eidolon is a fortress manned with elven andt’skrang soldiers who fight hard to keep the oppressive t’skrangHouse Ishkarat in check. Although the elves stationed at Eidolonare usually not born in Blood Wood, they stand under QueenAlachia’s command—which has led to active black market tradebetween Blood Wood and the t’skrang of House Syrtis.

Marrek

The city of Marrek lies on the patch of land between the Caucavicand the Serpent Rivers. The city is all that is left from this onceproudhuman kingdom. Marrek prospered after the OrichalcumWars, explored lands, fought wars, and gained a reputation forassassinating nobles from other kingdoms. When Marrek becameinvolved in the assassination of a Theran councilor, they lost thesupport of the Theran Empire. Thera’s feelings remained hurt forcenturies, and they eventually decided Marrek could do withouttheir magical protections from the Horrors. Today, scholars saythe Kingdom of Marrek exists in name only, having been rippedraw during the Scourge.

Lalai Gorge

A few miles south of the confluence of the Caucavic and SerpentRivers, the Throal Mountains collide with the Caucavic Mountainsto form the Lalai Gorge, one of Barsaive’s unique natural wonders.The Cliff City of House Syrtis is build into the southern wall of thegorge, which rises nearly 1,000 yards on each side of the river. TheCliff City was build before the Scourge and served as a citadel forthe largest of the t’skrang aropagoi (see the Government sectionfor more details).

Tansiarda

Just south of the confluence of the Onman and Serpent Riverslies the town of Tansiarda, home of a consortium of dwarf engineersand magicians embarked on one of the most ambitious endeavorsin Barsaive’s history—to bridge the Serpent River. The dwarf engineersfollow a plan developed before the Scourge, which wouldprovide an overland connection to the old Theran road which runson the other side of the river. Tensions between the dwarfs and thet’skrang frequently run high.On the trading route between Tansiarda and the Kingdom ofThroal, the trading town of Ardanyan flourishes from the traffic.Founded by a group of wealthy merchants, the town boasts aboveaveragedefenses and provides a save haven from ork scorchersthreatening the area.

Trosk

The small town of Trosk is the last settlement on the shores ofthe Serpent River before it turns into the Mist Swamps. Built onthe ruins of a pre-Scourge port city, Trosk is called home by manyQuestors of Jaspree and their servants, who occasionally tradewith the Scavians and the t’skrang. The Troskians believe that theyhave a sacred duty to stop the growth of the Badlands, but no onecan tell if their efforts have met with success so far.

Servalen

Located on the shore of Lake Pyros, Servalen is a bustling,brawling community. As a village which outgrew itself, criminalsalways had an upper hand in Servalen. Before the Theransreturned to Barsaive, many of the people in Servalen were transients:ork scorchers and riverboat crews on liberty, mercenarieswaiting to be hired, and explorers staging for expeditions intothe jungle. The t’skrang of House K’tenshin and the Therans tookcontrol shortly after the landing of Triumph, and turned Servaleninto a slave market.

Scavia

Not much is left of the mighty city of Scavia that once arosebetween the Mist Swamps and the Scarlet Sea. Built on the ruinsof an even older civilization, the Scavian Kindom fell during theScourge due to a serious flaw in the construction of their kaer.Although there are still descendants of the Scavian Kingdom, theirnumbers are decreasing. These—mostly human—families sail thelower part of the Serpent River on their barge-towns, floatingvillages that serve as home for the Scavian families.For a long time, the Scavians felt the t’skrang with whom theyshare the river were a threat to their very existence, and foughtmany battles against them. Recently, they have joined forceswith the emerging t’skrang house T’kambras, fighting against theTheran-allied House K’tenshin. In return for their protection, theScavians frequently provide House T’kambras with elemental fireand ancient engineering secrets. The most popular port for makingsuch exchanges is the trading town of Farram, where the IontosRiver enters the Serpent.

The Serpent Lakes

At three points along its length, the frantic rush of the SerpentRiver slows and winds into the calm and clear Serpent Lakes. Eachone hosts settlements of many sizes along the shores and underwater.

Lake Ban

As the largest freshwater lake in Barsaive, Lake Ban ishome to the Floating City of the t’skrang House V’strimon (seeGovernment, below). The city is built entirely on platforms madeof woven reeds growing from the lake bottom. Lake ban’s location—midway between Throal and Urupa, and the junction of the Coiland Serpent Rivers—have made it a major economic and culturalcrossroads. The Floating City, along with the bustling towns andvillages along the lake’s shores, make Lake Ban the undisputedheart of the Coil River valley, as well as one of Barsaive’s most civilizedregions.The landing of the Theran fortress of Triumph (see the How ItCame To Pass chapter, p. 31, for more information) at Ayodhyahas had a strong impact on the region, as the V’Strimon havemarshaled their warships to protect their city from any attacks bythe Therans and their allies, House K’tenshin. The K’tenshin haveseized the Serpent River between Lake Pyros and Lake Ban duringthe Theran’s arrival, which led to open hostilities between the twohouses.

Lake Pyros

West of Ayodhya and Triumph, the Serpent River enters adensely forested region that gradually gives way to impenetrablejungle. The Serpent River empties into the smallest of the SerpentLakes: Lake Pyros, whose name stems from the precious, thicklayer of phosphorescent algae that covers the bottom of the lake.The land around the eastern shores of Lake Pyros contains some ofthe most fertile soil of the province.Several waves of settlers have erected quickly growing boomtownsalong the shores, which attract deserters and exiles of allkinds, despite the frequent raids by t’skrang pirates of HouseHenghyoke. Tensions between the various immigrant and nativegroups have arisen from time to time, but House K’tenshin hasrecently managed to seize control of the unruly towns, turningLake Pyros into a staging area for Theran slaving raids into theServos Jungle.

Lake Vors

More than a thousand feet deep, the cold waters of Lake Vorsfoster some unusual species of fish and freshwater mollusks. Thenorth bank of the lake consists of high bluffs rising up to 100 yardsabove the water’s edge. Ruled by the oppressive t’skrang HouseIshkarat, the Lake boasts two major settlements: the recentlyconstructed town of Axalekso, on top of the northern bluffs, andthe Fortress Isle of Maratha, jutting out of the water like a roughhewnpillar in the western parts of the lake.Long considered a minor power by the Elven Court of BloodWood and the former King of Throal, House Ishkarat is allied withthe Denairastas Clan of Iopos.