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: 607,700 humans and elves, plus approximately 14,600 humanoids living in and around the Great Crater.
Languages: Thyatian (Glantrian, Aalbanese, and Caurenzan dialects), Alphatian (Flaemish dialect), Elvish (Belcadiz and Erewan dialects), Sylaire (a.k.a. Averoignian), Kaelic (a.k.a. Klantyre), Fenswick (a.k.a. Anglais), Traladaran (Boldavian dialect), Ethengar (Krondaharan dialect), and numerous humanoid 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), Carnelia de Belcadiz y Fedorias (Princess of Belcadiz), Juliana Vlaardoen (Princess of Bergdhoven), Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany (Prince of Boldavia), Urmahid Krinagar (Prince of Bramyra), Carlotina Erewan (Princess of Erewan), Dolores Hillsbury (Princess of Fenswick), Angus McGregor (Prince of Klantyre), Ralindi Virayana (Prince of Krondahar), Kol (Prince of New Kolland), Isidore d'Ambreville (Princess of Nouvelle Averoigne), Malachie du Marais (Prince of Morlay-Malinbois), Harald of Haaskinz (Prince of Sablestone and Grand Master of the School of Magic).
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.
Last Year's Events: Glantri continued to be a place of intrigue, with notably the Barony of Oxhill changing hands, a marriage between House Singhabad and House Krinagar, or the abduction of Herr Sigmund von Drachenfels. The Followers of the Claymore led several audacious attacks to further their own goals of overthrowing the magocracy, though they too were played by the political forces of Glantri. Many politically heavy events also arose in the aftermath of the Alexander Day Massacre, including the unexpected return of Volospin Aendyr. Bergdhoven gained an heiress, and Princess Juliana got rid of the Black Eagle. Meanwhile, the Radiance gained a voice of its own, though who or what it is remains a mystery.
Description by Joachim Saxenburg von Drachenfels.
In my official capacity as the court historian of House Ritterburg, I am fortunate and proud to have the task of giving comment of our proud Principality of Aalban, the greatest principality of Glantri! Ja, though many may disagree with this bold claim, few will deny that we Aalbanese have many proud traditions that distinguish our culture and nation above the rest, not just in Glantri, but throughout the Old World.
The Land
Aalban is in the northwestern region of Glantri, a valley of hills and pastures nestled in the Wendarian Ranges. When the Flaems first settled in the Highlands near the end of the third century, Aalban was one of the original seven duchies, albeit the most rustic one. Only a century later, when legends of the Dragonlord of Mystara sprang up, did obscure, rural Aalban become noteworthy as the home and haunt of the adventurous dragon slayers! Indeed, it was this reputation of Aalban that drew the famous dragon-hunting Drachenfels to these lands during the Thyatian migration of the 720's. As leaders of the powerful military faction of the Hattians, the Drachenfels transformed Aalban from the agricultural backwater under Flaemish rule to the mighty military realm it is today!
The People
The people of Aalban are known for their grand military heritage. The first Hattian colonists of Aalban were veteran generals of the imperial Thyatian army, and their names-Ludenburg, von Graustein, Löwenroth, von Drachenfels-live on today in the ranks of the Glantrian military. Healthy young males of Aalban are bound for a proud military life. Those who are without magic are conscripted for two years of military service; many remain and rise in the ranks of the army. Ja, Aalbanese soldiers receive considerable prestige and appropriate compensation for their service; it is their pride in the Aalbanese military tradition that makes them the best soldiers of Glantri.
And together with our military might is our battle magic, the undeniable influence of the Alphatian battlemages that became part of Aalbanese people during the Forty Years War. Many of the Glantrian military wizards come from Aalbanese families; those who do not would grudgingly admit that the Aalbanese tradition of military magic is by far superior. Indeed, our reigning Prinz Jaggar von Drachenfels himself is descended from a long and proud line of Glantrian military leaders, and he is hailed as the greatest warden of the marches of all time.
[According to our other Glantrian sources, the Aalbanese people are not purely Hattian, but rather a mix of Hattian and Alphatian heritage. It is also known that this racial intermingling is a source of friction within Aalbanese society, and even within the ruling Drachenfels family. The traditionalist Hattians of Aalban, such as our correspondent Herr Joachim von Drachenfels, tend to play down this fact, while rivals of Aalban are inclined to exploit it. Ed.]
After manpower and magic, the third pillar of the Aalbanese military is machines. Aalban is home to numerous blacksmiths and forges, and famous for the great factories that produce ballistae, trebuchets, juggernauts, and other war machines, be they made of wood, iron, stone, or steel. Of course, Aalbanese artisans are not limited to colossal military machinery, as they also craft all types of weapons, armours, as well as everyday tools and the finest gadgets with miniature clockwork pieces. Magic is also used in the creation of such machines by Aalbanese, which often leads to the preposterous rumours of technomancers or gnomish tinkerers working in Aalban.
History
Everything in Aalban is strictly controlled by the military, and as such, Aalban has been a prosperous haven in times of peace, and an orderly stronghold in times of war. During the Great War, Aalban was neigh impregnable under Prinz Jaggar's protection, even as he was defending the principalities himself! There were many unconfirmed sightings of gold dragons patrolling the Aalbanese skies, believed to be allies summoned by the Drachenfels. But there were many more reports of groups of iron golems appearing out of nowhere to crush invading enemies of Aalban, leading many Glantrians to believe that Prinz Jaggar had in his control an entire army of iron golems!
The past decade has been peaceful for Aalban, being largely untouched by the Ethengar invasion. Some may even call these times happy, with the wedding of Herr Sigmund von Drachenfels [Jaggar's son and heir. Ed.] to Frau Walburg Löwenroth, daughter to another Aalbanese nobleman, Baron Franz Löwenroth of Adlerturm. Most recently, Frau Walburg gave birth to triplets, who will undoubtedly carry on the noble Drachenfels name and the proud Aalbanese traditions.
Don't Miss
Within the impenetrable Schloß Ritterburg is the laboratory of Herr Sigmund von Drachenfels, the eccentric inventor-wizard (and future ruler of Aalban!). Though dangerous explosions, noxious gases, and other weird magical emanations are the most common things that come out of Herr Sigmund's workshop, the madcap crackpot has managed to produce many wondrous, if bizarre, inventions, often both magical and mechanical. His latest creation is a mechanical drolem [dragon golem. Ed.] that breathes fire and hisses steam, but run by levers, cogs, and cranks, and fuelled by water and fire elementals. Herr Sigmund sardonically named the metallic contraption "Old Dolores," named after his father's former lover, Princess Dolores Hillsbury of Fenswick.
Late last year, Herr Sigmund had his first test run of the
dragon-shaped machine in Graez, much to the delight of the villagers. But a few weeks later, "Old Dolores" was
attacked and Herr Sigmund abducted, presumably by the Free Anachronic
Society of Aalban, a secret cabal of extremist wizards radically bent on
destroying technology and machines of all kinds. [The Anachronics were also implicated in the arson of the
Montgolfière & Urbaal Ltd. skyship factory the previous year. Ed.]