HILLVALE (Kingdom of)
Location: Isle of Dawn. SD
Area: 79,690 sq. mi. (206, 397 sq. km.).
Population: 10,000 (3,000 in town of East Portage). [Population figures are tentative, pending census. Ed.]
Language: Alphatian (Hillvale dialect), Thyatian (Redstone dialect).
Coinage: Alphatian Standard: crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp). Thyatian Standard also very common: emperor (5 gp), lucin (gp), justiciar (ep), asterius (sp), denarius (cp).
Taxes: 15% income tax on everyone of servant status or higher, and an import/export tax of 2% on magical items and components, and 1% on all other goods (Naycese kingdoms, Karameikos and Thyatis excluded). 10% of tax revenue goes to the Naycese treasury, and an additional 10% is spent on military forces in the name of the confederation.
Government type: Semiautonomous monarchy, member of Nayce.
Industries: Trade, portage of goods between East and West Portage.
Important Figures: Quicklimn (King and General).
Flora and Fauna: Due to its proximity to the Great Escarpment, all manner of creature types may be found wandering into the kingdom.
Description by Allstrick.
I will not lie and say that I had looked forward to our arrival in East Portage. In truth, I faced the prospect of returning there with mixed feelings. It was not fear that manifests these feelings, it was disappointment and downright anger. I made it a point that our stay in East Portage would be brief and we adhered to that plan.
The Land
East Portage is a hilly kingdom, thus dubbing its other name the Kingdom of Hillvale. From its position on the eastern side of the Isle of Dawn isthmus, East Portage has carved its place and future in portaging goods across the isthmus to West Portage. This effort saves many days in any sea voyage around the northern or southern tips of the island. If it were not for this role, East Portage would probably be no more than a simple agricultural kingdom.
The capital of East Portage is the town of East Portage. Architecture is of a predominantly Alphatian design, however Thyatian designs are also prevalent. As one would imagine, the town has ample harbour and shipyard facilities to load and offload cargoes for the overland journey west. Facilities for this cargo ferrying are also in abundance. The streets are usually congested with wagons. Likewise the cobbled streets are littered with the waste products of the beasts of burden. And one cannot go down a street without seeing a stable, blacksmith shop, or wainwright. During the summer months the smell is quite bad.
The People
East Portage has traditionally been an Alphatian holding. As such, the populace is mostly Alphatian. The populace's interaction with its Thyatian neighbours has seen the rise of a noticeable Thyatian minority and some adoption of Thyatian ways. As one would expect, the bulk of the populace deals with the transport of goods across the isthmus. The people of East Portage did not carry themselves well after the Great War. Their behaviour is not exactly a shining point in their history and they know it. They tend to ignore that period. Many become aggressive if pressed on the matter.
Recent History
East Portage had long ago been under the auspices of the old border wars that had so prevailed between the two empires. In times of war, it had flip-flopped between empires as a possession. In times of peace, it has served as one of the trade junctions between Alphatian lands and those of the Old World. After the Great War, East Portage put up a very limited defence against Thyatian expansionism on the Isle of Dawn. In exchange for a Thyatian ducal title, King Lornce M'Jozee surrendered the kingdom to the Thyatians. The Thothian stand and counteroffensives allowed the return of East Portage to Alphatian hands. With Thothia's entrance into Nayce, East Portage soon followed.
Don't Miss / Do Miss
Within East Portage, there is little to see. The kingdom is quite unremarkable. The locals are too business oriented to
offer too much interest. Likewise, East
Portage lacks the usual magical flair that Alphatian kingdoms usually bear
witness to. The most exciting and
hazardous aspect of East Portage is dodging the animal wastes that line the streets. Outside its borders is another story. The Great Escarpment is close enough to
offer an unexplored region filled with many unknowns.