SARAGÓN (Baronía de)
Location: East of Guadalante, north of El Grande Carrascal, west of Gargoña and Narvaez. SC
Area: 8,757 sq. mi. (22,680 sq. km.).
Population: 8,000, including 6,600 in Ciudad Matacán.
Languages: Espa.
Coinage: Oro (gp), dies (sp), centa (cp).
Taxes: 20% income tax.
Government Type: Independent barony part of the Treaty of Tampicos and Signatory Council.
Industries: Sages and knowledge.
Important Figures: Balthazar de Montejo y Aranjuez (Barón, human, male, M12).
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, previous almanacs.
Description by Hernando Cagliostro.
Saragón is one of the three enlightened states of the baronies. Along with Gargoña and Almarrón, its rulers promote philosophy, arts, and education among its people. Saragón is also famous in its role of defending the baronies from invasions from the Yazak Steppes thanks to la Careta de la Barrera [The Barrier Mask. Ed.], an artifact of the Immortal Ixion that 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 of prairies that lie along Rio Maldito and Rio Copos. The western borders run along la Bosque de las Sombras (the Forest of Phantoms), woods rumoured to be haunted by the legions of soldiers who died fighting the gnolls who once inhabited to forest.
Saragón 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 hails from the southern parts. The Baronet of Saragón comes from the central area of the nation.
The People
Saragóners are an enlightened people, much like Gargoñans, due mainly to the good education they receive from the nobles. Mages and scientists are very common here, and are in fact renowned throughout the baronies as the wisest sages 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 nation. 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 than most other nations.
Despite this high concentration of cinnabryl, most people use the priestly maintain spell to keep the Red Curse at bay. This is partially because of cinnabryl's high price, and partially because they have 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. The nation was formed in AC 966 when the Baronies of Montejo and Aranjuez united after several years 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 that has helped keep the nation safe since then. AC 1006 brought the holy wars in which Saragón united with other baronies to fight against Narvaez. As is well known, this battle ended when all the baronies 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 the nation. Goblinoids took advantage of the failure of the Barrier Mask to attack Manzanas' 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 castillo 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 possession of Don Luis de Manzanas, 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 the sanctions on Narvaez.