renardie

Le royaume de Renardie.

(The Kingdom of Renardy)

Coat of arms:golden fox rampant (lst and 4th quarters) and fleurs-de-lis (2nd and 3rd quarters) in azure field, with royal crown and golden crest overhead.

Capital: Louvines (pop.: 65,700-mostly lupins, humans, some demihumans and tortles); ruler: King Louis IV "Le Cabotin;' son of Gaston de Clairvault (royal domain includes the communities of St. Vézy and Daens); patron: Saint Renard.

The Renardois belong to an uncommon race of humanoids, the lupins. No one knows exactly how they came to Mystara, but it is largely believed among sages that lupins descend from a cross between humans and gnolls. Fortunately, humane attitudes prevailed in the offspring, and an ancestral hate of gnolls and other evil canine manifestations is part of the lupin character.

Early lupins were nomads, tribes of hunters and adventurers who roamed the plains west of the Guardiano lands. They observed the way the Guardianos grew in power, and the lupins began to imitate them, mimicking their arts, nobility, hereditary laws, and philosophies.

The goblins of the Yazak Steppes captured a large portion of the lupins' hunting grounds, scattering many of the tribes. Five tribes, however, regrouped to the south and formed an alliance to defend their lands against the goblins. They were the founding fathers of Renardy, the present lupin kingdom, west of Eusdria. With time, they became typical medieval dominions under the authority of a sole king, now King Louis IV "The Theatrical." Louis set his capital in the City of Louvines, on the River of Dreams. It was the site of an old lupin camp (see D&D module X9 The Savage Coast, page 8, Lawful Alliance Camp).

To prevent the sleep-producing amber lotuses from the Plain of Dreams from plaguing their lands, lupins installed a water lock whose sole function was to strip out all debris that floated on the river (particularly plants) before the water tlowed further south. Construction was achieved thanks to the help of lupin shamans who protected the workers against the effects of the plants. Later on, the water lock grew into a mighty fortress, Château-Roan.

Other sleep-producing plants infested the land nearby, and soon the shamans directed a general cleanup, slowly gaining territory to the east and north. Patches of noxious plants were systematically destroyed, and the earth beneath them scorched thoroughly. This infuriated the goblins, who saw their conquered territories threatened, and they savagely attacked all lupins in hopes of wiping them out. The war was a brutal one, but the courageous lupins held their ground. It also forced the lupins to build great fortresses on their borders; most towns and villages erected walls. The late King Gaston de Clairvault finally ordered the construction of the Great VVall to protect his subjects from the goblin hordes and halt the spread of the cursed plants. Today, Le Grand Mur is complete, and the Plain of Louvines is a lush, fertile vallev dotted with countless hamlets and farms.

Allthough the Renardois remain at peace with their neighbors, the Eusdrians, the former suspect the latter of harboring aggressive thoughts toward lupinkind. Kings Louis and Sigismund of Eusdria have begun formal talks, however. Sigismund is likely to offer a pact of nonaggression or treaty of mutual support against the goblins. King Sigismund would also be willing to trade an undisclosed amount of red steel for the shamans' secret protection against the cursed plants in the Plain of Dreams. Red steel (see this column, DRAGON° issues 171-172) is currently unknown in Renardy. Both Sigismund and I,ouis dream of conquering wide swaths of the northern plains-Sigismund in hopes of imperial power, and Louis for the recovery of the ancestral lupin hunting grounds. If the red-steel trade for shamanic secrets takes place, "the Holy Crusade" against the Yazak Goblins may very well succeed.

Lupins are great producers of wine, grain, dairy products, cloth, wool, and works of art, and they also extract amber and sapphires from their mines. A great deal of their exports channel through the Free City of Dunwick, a city of merchants located at the heart of the tortles' sacred lands. The majority of Duwvickers are tortles, but the remainder contains representatives of just about any intelligeni race, including goblinoids. Dunwick was built around the site of an old monastery of the Lawful Brotherhood that is now the mayor's residence (see D&D module X9, page 7, Second Chance Outpost). Dunwick later became a trading post owned by the LB Trading Co., based in Cimarron. Today, (particularly plants) before the water tlowed further south. Construction was achieved thanks to the help of lupin shamans who protected the workers against the effects of the plants. Later on, the water lock grew into a mighty fortress, Château-Roan.

Allthough the Renardois remain at peace with their neighbors, the Eusdrians, the former suspect the latter of harboring aggressive thoughts toward lupinkind. Kings Louis and Sigismund of Eusdria have begun formal talks, however. Sigismund is likely to offer a pact of nonaggression or treaty of mutual support against the goblins. King Sigismund would also be willing to trade an undisclosed amount of red steel for the shamans' secret protection against the cursed plants in the Plain of Dreams. Red steel (see this column, DRAGON° issues 171-172) is currently unknown in Renardy. Both Sigismund and I,ouis dream of conquering wide swaths of the northern plains-Sigismund in hope of imperial power, and Louis for the recovery of the ancestral lupin hunting grounds. If the red-steel trade for shamanic secrets takes place, "the Holy Crusade" against the Yazak Goblins may very well succeed.

Lupins are great producers of wine, grain, dairy products, cloth, wool, and works of art, and they also extract amber and sapphires from their mines. A great deal of their exports channel through the Free City of Dunwick, a city of merchants located at the heart of the tortles' sacred lands. The majority of Duwvickers are tortles, but the remainder contains representatives of just about any intelligeni race, including goblinoids. Dunwick was built around the site of an old monastery of the Lawful Brotherhood that is now the mayor's residence (see D&D module X9, page 7, Second Chance Outpost). Dunwick later became a trading post owned by the LB Trading Co., based in Cimarron. Today, many of the businesses in Dunwick are either owned or financed by the LB Trading Co., with the hired protection of the Texeiran Navy and a corps of Torreôn swordsmen.

The wine trade is of particular importance to Renardy. Wine affects many things in the Renardois' daily life, from business to political power. The existence of the small châteaux (country houses and estates) and vineyards so typical of the Renardy landscape have a greater meaning than most outsiders think. Nobles or bourgeois (members of the self-employed middle class) commonly own the châteaux, seeking prestige from the quality and uniqueness of their wines. Châteaux range from small fortified manors to welldefended towers strong enough to resist goblin depredations or banditry long enough for help to come. Bourgeois are wealthy enough to arm guards to defend their estates.

Bourgeois commonly settle north or west, outside the limits of the kingdom, on lands that are not part of the established nobility's domains. For a fee, a bourgeois' claims to the land is registered at the Palace of Louvines by the royal bailiff (Bailli du Roi). This practice angered the goblins, who have watched the fringes of their immense tribal land being nibbled away. Renardois nobility defends the bourgeois, for the latter are regaining the tribal territories of their ancestors.

A jury of wine-tasters, the Brotherhood of Vintages, determines which wine in Renardy is the best every winter. Sourgeois, nobles, and the king are allowed to present samples from the vineyards they own. Numbered samples are otherwise unmarked to avoid cheating. The winner receives a golden vine leaf from the Brotherhood.

Seven leaves awarded to the same vineyard over time allow a bourgeois to gain nobility. The King of Renardy recognizes a bourgeois as a baron when the latter receives the seventh leaf. In exchange for his title, the baron swears fealty to the king, and his estate becomes a dominion of the kingdom.

Likewise, seven leaves awarded to a vineyard allow the owning noble to gain a rank, such as from baron to count. "Grand duke" is the highest title that can be attained. A rank cannot be lost except by royal decree (a punishment for treachery). If the noble's family is dispossessed or extinct, the king divides the land into châteaux. The lords of the manors who . administered those vineyards for their noble master get to purchase the land if they meet a price set by the king, therefore becoming bourgeois. Otherwise, the land is auctioned off. Until nobility rises from the nouvelle bourgeoisie (new bourgeois), the land remains under the king's law and protection.

Monasteries often own vineyards, too. Should they win seven leaves, their territory would become a royal dominion under the authority of the Renardois clergy. Depending on the number of awards, the landlord could become an abbot, a bishop, or an archbishop. Although not shown on the map, many such monasteries within larger dominions eventually escape a noble's authority, including taxation rights and other service privileges. Clergymen cannot attain royalty.

The very first king ot Renardy was originally put on the throne by the allied lupin tribal chiefs. From then on, the crown remained a hereditary title. Should the royal family become extinct, the noble of the highest rank and with the highest number of leaves becomes the new king.

Besides prestige, wine growing encourages territorial and economic growth for the kingdom. The more "leaves" a wine is awarded, the more popular it is among the connoisseurs and therefore the more expensive. Clues also reveal that some of the best vintages (seven gold leaves or more) have mystical powers, such as the abilities to heal, instill joy or sadness, enhance strength or bravery, or even compel truth (thus the saying In Vino Veritas-although simple inebriety often achieves the same results). Of course, wine-growing and fermentation techniques are utterly secret, invaluable family heirlooms never discussed with outsiders.

Many bourgeois have been bankrupted in Renardois history, either because of a long-lasting lack of awards, vine diseases, bad weather, poor growing technique, or goblin raids. But the worst threat to a bourgeois, or a noble for that matter, still lies in his very neighbor. Competition among them is fierce, if not outright sordid. No guile or villainy is too low for a rival. Although lupins are lawful beings, anything goes when it comes to wine. Local bourgeoisie usually rush to bid for a fallcn competitor's land (they may even coerce the latter to sell out) or establish a new claim at the Bailli du Roi should all legal owners of the land be gone or deceased. This is often how nobles and bourgeois increase their domains.

Many Texeiran sages still wonder how the lupins developed their present language and culture, which is somewhat different from that of the Guardiano. Many "tribeless" lupins came from the faraway land of Glantri. There, they had lived with the people of New Averoigne, from whom they learned the local tongue. Following problems with lycanthropy in that region, the lupins migrated to the lupin nation they had heard rumors about. From the ôriginal Renardois, they gained friendship and protection. In return, the Glantrian lupins offered their magic skills and their colorful culture, which has become widely popular there.

Dominions of "Sa Majesté le Roi"

Duchy of Ysembragne-Coat of arms: sable wolf head in crimson field (upper left half) and ermine (lower right half); capital: Deauvais (pop. 14,300); ruler: Duc Henri "Le Grognard;' son of Thibaud de Châtelguyon; typical NPC: lupin knight riding a dire wolf; patron: Saint Loup.

Marquisate of Noijou-Coat of arms: red and argent chequy; capital: Pertignac (pop. 9,800); ruler: Marquis Francois "Le Hautain," son of Fouques de Valefroi; typical NPC: Glantrian lupin wizards, sages, palace or cathedral architects, and wine merchants; patron: Saint Ralston.

Barony of Brégoigne-Coat of arms: flaming hell hound over argent and azure vair; capital: Ytres (pop. 5,600); ruler: Baron Philippe "Le Chevalier Sans Puce et Sans Reproche;' son of Grégoire de Rochefort; typical NPC: Old lupin mystic shaman; patron: Sts. Mâtin and Malinois.

County of Marmandy-Coat of arms: three golden mastiffs standing in verdant field; capital: Mons-en-Plécy (pop. 12,300); ruler: Comtesse Marguerite "La Soyeuse," daughter of Gilles de St. Gens-de-Bout; typical NPC: sea wolves, lupin adventurers and explorers; patron: Saint Clébard.

The lupin pantheon

Much like other civilizations, the lupins of Renardy adopted spiritual patrons among the Immortals. The novelty here is that they refer to them as saints, holy lupins who achieved ultimate greatness in this universe. Over the centuries, many saints were authenticated, either genuine Immortals or heroes of the lupins' history now long gone. It would take too long to enumerate all these here, other than some more-common ones:

St. Renard: (alias Korotiku). He represents freedom of thought, wit, wisdom, smell, cunning, but also trickery. He is the chief Immortal of the Renardois pantheon and so far has guided the royal dynasty of the Clairvaults well. Korotiku is the only Immortal of this group who wasn't a lupin (although everyone in Renardy would object to this statement). He sponsored lupins to become Immortals as a prank ptayed on pompous Immortals of human origins.

St. Clébard: This is the patron of loyalty, fidelity, and family. He represents the law and also love among those wellthinking beings of acceptable canine pedigree.

St. Loup: As the patron of mercy but also of hunger, destruction, night, and winter, St. Loup portrays both good and evil among lupins. Originally, St. Loup was the one who kept the tribes strong by weeding out the sick and the weak.

St. Mâtin: He is the Great Watchdog, patron of fortresses, guards, and those who died on the battlefield defending their kin. He is the master of safety and happiness at home.

St. Malinois: Patron of hunters, the Were-Slayer also masters the spheres of revenge, courage, warriors, blacksmiths, and those who go to war He is the lord of glory and conquests against evil.

St. Ralston: The patron of good food, fun, health, and later the patron of wealth, farmers, merchants, and those who produce goods for all. St. Ralston is the immortal patron of life.

Common lupin: Bipedal, human-sized, doglike creatures with canine heads. AC 9 unarmored, or AC 5 with armor; HD 2; MV 120' (40'1; #AT l; D by weapon type; Save F2; ML 8; INT 2d8 + 1; AL L; XP 20. For more information, see D&D modules X2 or X9, or accessory AC9 Creature Catalogue, page 39.

Common tortle: 'Turtlelike, 6'-tall, 500lb. humanoid land-dwellers. AC 4; HD 4; MV 30' (10'); AT 2 clawsll beak, or 1 weapon; D 1-4/1-4/1-6 or by weapon type; Save F4; ML 11; INT 4d4; AL L; XP 75. For more information, see D&D module X9 or accessory AC9 Creature Catalogue, page 47.