KARAMEIKOS (Kingdom of)
Location: East of Thyatis, west of the Five Shires, south of Darokin and Aengmor. OW
Area: 43,950 sq. mi. (113,830 sq. km.).
Population: 351,000 humans (40% Thyatian, 60% Traladaran) and 81,000 demihumans (90% elves, 5% gnomes, 3% dwarves, 2% hin).
Languages: Thyatian, Traladaran, Elvish (Callarii, Vyalia, Alfheim and Erewan dialects). Thyatian is the official language of the nation.
Coinage: Royal (gp), crona (sp), kopec (cp).
Taxes: Quarterly income tax of 25% for commoners and 20% for nobles. Sales tax of 5% as well as an import tax of 1%.
Government Type: Feudal monarchy, member of the Western Defence League.
Industries: Logging, mining (gold and silver), agriculture.
Important Figures: Stefan Karameikos III (King), Olivia Karameikos (Queen).
Flora and Fauna: The wilderness of Karameikos is inhabited with all sorts of animals and monsters. Various reports of lycanthropes, vampires, and other undead are very common.
Further Reading: GAZ1 The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, Karameikos: Kingdom of Adventure boxed set, previous almanacs.
Description by Joshuan Gallidox.
The Barony of Verge was a once quiet logging community located just a few miles away from the Barony of Threshold. Since the discovery of the so-called Lost Valley of Hutaaka, Verge has found itself to be a hotbed of largely unwanted activity.
The Land
Verge is located at the entrance to a forested valley, on the western side of the Foamfire River. To the northeast of the village lie the town and Barony of Threshold. Numerous logging camps can be found in the forested hills of the western valley, sending their lumber to Verge. From there, the wood is bundled and processed by the villagers and shipped downriver to the capitol. Ambitious prospectors, drawn to the north in the flurry of activity of recent years, have been searching the mountains and hills around the village for ore deposits. Thus far their efforts have yielded nothing.
The People
The village of Verge itself is home to less than a hundred permanent residents, consisting of just over a half-dozen large families and individuals. They fish in and farm the lands around the Foamfire River, and they are responsible for handling the lumber coming in from the western valley. The close-knit community is almost exclusively Traladaran, and tends to be distrustful of outsiders.
The discovery of the Lost Valley has brought a lot of attention to the Foamfire Valley, and the residents of Verge find themselves in the centre of things. Outsiders-adventurers and scholars-have been exploring the valley region, searching for ancient ruins and treasures. Though most of this activity is based out of nearby Threshold-the larger community being more suited to such individuals as a base of operations-the seedier and poorer elements often come prying around Verge as a possible alternative. Such individuals are usually quickly driven off by poor reception or the strong military presence, but often not before causing trouble in the village.
The aforementioned military presence carries with it its own stigma. Since the opening of relations with the residents of the Lost Valley, King Karameikos has ordered a new fortress built in the Foamfire Valley. Until it is completed, his troops have been operating out of the fortress of Baron Antonic, with that lord's permission. The baron's fortress is the most suitable temporary base for them, but residents of Verge look with distrust on what they view as a Thyatian military in their hometown. The fact that the troops are most often on patrol against the Death's Head gnolls of the northern valley helps a little to allay villagers' fears.
Recent History
Retameron Antonic was born in the city of Specularum, son of a Thyatian father and Traladaran mother. He began embarking upon an adventuring career at the early age of 18, basing himself out of the town of Threshold. Antonic quickly grew to popularity among the rural population in the Foamfire Valley, particularly in the village of Verge, where he eventually made his home. His exploits brought him to the attention of the duke, who awarded him the fief of Verge shortly after the turn of the millennium. Later that same year, Baron Antonic and his wife, Halia, played a key role in saving Duke Stefan from an ambitious wizard named Skarda.
After Duke Karameikos formally adopted the title of king, he rewarded the Antonics' years of service with a baronial title. More recently, Baron Antonic succeeded Admiral Lucius Hyraksos as Karameikan Minister of War, following Hyraksos's death in AC 1010. Though not interested in holding the title permanently, he did agree to fill in for a few months until a suitable successor (the paladin Zandra Sulanov) could be found to fill the role.
Don't Miss
Baron Retameron's fortress is located on the edge of the village. It is an unusual sight in the rural north of Karameikos, being built entirely of stone, rather than wood. Strategically situated atop a hill overlooking Verge, it is fortified by both a moat and a wooden palisade. It is here that the baron, his wife, and their retainers make their home. Currently, it houses one company of the king's fifth division. Formerly stationed at Riverfork Keep, the company will be relocated to the Foamfire keep currently under construction north of Verge.
Do Miss
The hills north of Verge are home to the deadly Death's Head gnolls
and their allies. Worshippers of
Entropy, the Death's Head gnolls are known for their fanaticism in defending
their territory. Since the discovery of
the Lost Valley and the increasing traffic in the region, the gnolls have been
particularly active. I recommend
avoiding them at all costs.