GLANTRI (Principalities of)
Location: North of Darokin, south of Wendar, west of the Ethengar Khanates. OW
Area: 116,650 sq. mi. (302,124 sq. km.).
Population: 590,000 humans and elves, plus approximately 11,000 humanoids living in and around the Great Crater (previous estimates of their numbers were inaccurate). Population figures are down due to the recent war with Ethengar.
Languages: Thyatian (Glantrian dialect), Alphatian (Flaemish dialect), Elvish (Belcadiz and Erewan dialects), Sylaire (a.k.a. Averoignian, a.k.a. French), Traladaran, Ethengar and numerous goblinoid languages.
Coinage: Crown (pp), ducat (gp), sovereign (sp), penny (cp).
Taxes: Quarterly income tax of 10% as well as a hearth tax of 1 ducat per household. Also, almost every activity-including speaking in public, carrying weapons, wearing armour and spellcasting-requires a license of some sort with fees ranging up to 50 ducats a year for each activity.
Government Type: Magocracy, ruled by a wizards' council. Only mages can be nobles, and their voting power in the council is determined by their rank (prince, duke, count, etc.).
Industries: Agriculture, alchemy, magic, metallurgy, mining.
Important Figures: Jaggar von Drachenfels (Prince of Aalban, human, male), Carnelia de Belcadiz y Fedorias (Princess of Belcadiz, elf, female), Juliana Vlaardoen (Princess of Bergdhoven, human, female), Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany (Prince of Boldavia, human, male), Urmahid Krinagar (Prince of Bramyra, human, male), Carlotina Erewan (Princess of Erewan, elf, female), Dolores Hillsbury (Princess of Fenswick, human, female), Angus McGregor (Prince of Klantyre, human, male), Ralindi Virayana (Prince of Krondahar, human, female), Kol (Prince of New Kolland, kobold, male), Isidore d'Ambreville (Princess of Nouvelle Averoigne, human, female), Malachie du Marais (Prince of Morlay-Malinbois, human, male), Harald of Haaskinz (Prince of Sablestone and Grand Master of the School of Magic, human, male).
Flora and Fauna: Because of the magical interference and summoning of countless mages, almost any plant, animal, or creature-whether native to Mystara or not-can be found within the principalities.
Further Reading: GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri, PC4 Night Howlers, Glantri: Kingdom of Magic boxed set, previous almanacs.
Description by Hempford Brewster.
La Vallée des Loups. The Valley o' the Wolves. Lair o' the White Wolf. Kingdom o' the Beasts. (Okay-I made that last 'un up meself).
The Principality of Morlay-Malinbois be a right beautiful place to visit-long as yeh stay in the civilised regions. Venture inta the woods, an' yeh might find yerself dancin' with wolves... literal-like!
The Land
As yeh follow the Loir River northwards out o' Nouvelle Averoigne, yeh find yerself in a valley o' dark hilly forests. This be the southern edge o' Morlay-Malinbois. Most o' the principality falls between the Loir to the west and the Luneau River to the east, though the rulers Malachie du Marais an' his wife Diane de Moriamis claim some o' the outskirts on either side as well.
Les Montagnes Noires (the Black Mountains ta those who don't speak Sylaire) mark the northern and eastern ends o' the valley, and Mont d'Ire (Mount Wrath) towers in the west. Its said that five wizards once had their towers around Mont d'Ire, but they summoned up some foul creatures beyond their control an' disappeared from human reckonin' back in the days afore the Forty Years War. Just like mages to mess with things they don't understand.
It can get pretty darned cold up in la vallée durin' the winter, so less'n yeh be a werewolf (an' come equipped with yer own fur coat) yeh might want ta bundle up. I'd suggest yeh visit during the summer months-it's right nice out, an' there be some excellent hikin' in them there mountains.
The People
Those what live in Morlay-Malinbois be a pretty hands-off bunch. They don't care much for outsiders, as yeh might expect from a bunch o' backwoods hunters an' loggers. If'n they wanted ta be around city types, I reckon they'd not have picked such an isolated place ta live.
As for the rumours-they're mostly true. Exagg'rated a bit, I reckon, but there def'nitely be werewolves up in these here parts. Other lycanthropes, too, but mostly werewolves, an' livin' side by side with non-weres. Strangest thing I ever saw. Some o' the more distant communities still hold to their hatred o' the weres, an' it's not unusual to hear tales o' woodsmen a-huntin' down and a-killin' weres what they find around their town, e'en if it do be against the laws in Morlay-Malinbois. Not that weres can go around a-huntin' an' a-killin' as they please themselves; just that Prince du Marais affords them equal protection under the laws o' his principality. Never did get to see any o' them lycanthropes change, though.
Recent History
Baron Malachie du Marais married Vicomtesse Diane de Moriamis back in '05 [AC 1005. Ed.]. Seems everyone but la vicomtesse knew the marriage was a sham so's du Marais could get his act o' enfeoffment (which he did, later that year, becomin' prince o' the unified region). The early years o' their marriage were awful unpleasant, way I hear, but the two seem to be gettin' along quite fabulously ever since. Might have somethin' to do with la vicomtesse getting' her hair an' figure back. You'd almost swear she were a diff'rent woman.
Prince du Marais granted equal rights to lycanthropes as 'is first official princely act-confirmin' in many people's eyes the rumours that he be the legendary White Wolf o' Glantri. If'n he is, I can't say for sure, but it sure seems a little too coincidental him bein' a resident o' the valley o' the wolves an' an albino. But I'm not one to spread rumours. Leave that to Princess de Belcadiz's minions in the Paparazzi.
In other news, there be a lot o' ruffled feathers in regards to la vallée these days. What with them Loups de la Guerre (War Wolves) runnin' loose down south last year, an' the brother o' Prince du Marais' seneschal found workin' in conjunction with them. Princess Carlotina Erewan an' the southern elves in partic'lar have been chompin' at the bit an' puttin' political pressure on the prince to crack down on the weres.
Don't Miss
La Vallée des Loups be a pleasant enough place ta visit, but yeh probably wouldn't want ta live here. If'n yer the type what loves adventure an' exploration, there be plenty o' ruined towers ta explore from back in the days when this valley was the most remote part o' Glantri. The ruins of l'Ermitage in a deep valley o' Mont d'Ire are supposedly haunted by ghosts o' persecuted clerics. Likewise, la Tour de Magibelle in the eastern hills glows with eerie lights every night-if'n there be someone home, they sure don't answer to knockin' at the door.
Up
north in the Black Mountains, the prince has started work on les Citadelles Invincibles. These two towers used to guard the pass
between the Principality o' Aalban an' la
vallée, but they fell into disrepair way back afore Prince du Marais first established his barony here. Given that Prinz von Drachenfels an' Prince
du Marais been so chummy-like lately, it's not surprising that the pass is
being reopened.