Saragón (Baronía de)
Location: East of Guadalante,
north of el Grande Carrascal, and west of Gargoña and
Narvaez.
Area: 8,757 sq. mi.
Population: 8,000, including 6,600 in Ciudad
Matacán.
Languages: Slag Common (Espan Dialect).
Coinage: Oro (gp), dies (sp) and centa (cp).
Taxes: 20% income tax.
Government Type: Independent barony part of the Treaty of
Tampico and Signatory Council.
Industries: Sages and knowledge.
Important Figures: Barón Balthazar de Montejo y
Aranjuez (baron, human, male, W12).
Flora and Fauna: Standard for its warm temperate climate,
including kudzu, tomatoes, potatoes, maize, plains grasses, deer,
armadillos, prairie dogs, turkeys, and eagles. Dangerous monsters
include goblinoids that raid from the Yazak Steppes. Normal animals
with Legacies can also be very dangerous.
Further Reading: The Savage Coast online
document.
Description: by Hernando Cagliostro
Saragón is one of the three enlightened states of las baronías. Along with Gargoña and Almarrón, its rulers promote philosophy, arts, and educations among its publación. Saragón is also famous in its role of defending las baronías from invasions from the Yazak Steppes thanks to la careta de la barrera [The Barrier Mask. Ed.], an artifact of the Immortal Ixion which repulses enemy forces that approach it. A second artifact, the Bracers of Forbiddance, enhances the Barrier Mask's already great powers.
The Land
Saragón is mostly composed a prairies that lie along el Rio Maldito and Rio Copos. The western borders run along la Bosque de las Sombras (The Forest of Phantoms), a woods rumoured to be haunted by the legions of soldiers who died fighting the gnolls who once inhabited to forest.
Saragón is has three baronets, minor lords who represent each one region of la baronía. The baronet of Aranjuez represents the north, while the baronet of Montejo the southern parts of la baronía. The baronet of Saragón comes from the central area of la nación.
The People
Saragóners are an enlightened people, much like Gargoñans, du mainly to the good education they receive from the nobles. Mages and scientists are very common here, and are in fact renown throughout las nacionas as the most wise sabios [sages. Ed.] of the Savage Coast. Many here study the Red Curse and are trying to understand it better, and possibly defeat it if possible.
Also common in Saragón are the Inheritors. This is due to the fact that the original Inheritors all came from this nación. In fact, baronet Don Luis de Manzanas is one of those original Inheritors. Because of this longer use of Legacies in the area, Saragón has more red steel and cinnabryl then most other nacionas.
Despite this high concentration of cinnabryl, most people use the priestly Maintain spell to keep the Red Curse at bay. This is parcialamente [partially. Ed.] because of cinnabryl's high price, and parcialamente because they have been well thought about the consequences of running out of cinnabryl. Afflicted are therefore rare as even the children of the land understand the properties of the dreaded Red Curse. Those that are Afflicted are treated no differently than someone with any other disease or wound; say someone missing a leg or an arm.
Recent History
Saragón has had a relatively peaceful history, and this is perhaps one of the reasons it is an enlightened state. La nación was formed in AC 966 when los baronías of Montejo and Aranjuez united after several años [years. Ed.] of working together to defeat encroaching goblinoids and gnolls. Saragón remained peaceful except for a small dispute over watering rights with Guadalante throughout most of its history.
In AC 993, adventurers found the Barrier Mask which has helped keep la nación safe since then. AC 1006 brought the holy wars in which Saragón united with other baronías to fight against Narvaez. As is well known, this battle ended when all las baronías united to fight off Hule. Then, in AC 1007, goblinoids from the Steppes invaded, but were subsequently repulsed as well.
At the end of AC 1009, magic failed for a week, and there was much commotion in la nación. Goblinoids took advantage of the failure of the Barrier Mask to attack Manzana's tower and destroyed it. Also, this is when the dreaded Red Curse spread throughout the land.
In AC 1010, Luis de Manzanas had a new castillos constructed, but was then challenged by the Inheritor Balazar. The troubles caused by this challenge eventually led to the discovery of the Bracers of Forbiddance, which helped repulse another goblinoid invasion led by Balazar. This new artifact, along with the Barrier Mask, are in la posesión of baroner Don Luis de Mazanas, where he keeps the borders safe from goblinoids and Narvaezans.
Since then, Saragón has
remained out of most of the politics of the region, except for its
demand to increase los sanciones on Narvaez.