The Kingdom of Emerond.
Main Cities:
Izmira (pop. 12,000):
Izmira is the capital city of the Kingdom of Emerond, and much of the adventure opportunities available in other capitals can also be found here. As the official residence of the royal family, Izmira offers many plots - by natives and foreigners alike, for would-be heroes to foil. Besides the inherent beauty of this city (like all Emerondian settlements, Izmira seems to have been "grown" out of living plant matter, rather than built), travellers can uncover many mysteries about the Emerondians. It is said that documents containing information on the true origins of the Emerondians can be found somewhere beneath the city, as well as detailed accounts of events in northern Davania over the past thousand years, possibly the only ones in existence.
Glauqnor (pop. 10,500):
Glauqnor is the second-largest settlement in Emerond, and as such it has more than its share of activity. Here, a traveller can find numerous attraction that are available in other larger settlements, overlaid with the mysterious Emerondian culture. Apart from this, however, Glauqnor has little to offer the adventure-seeker. This place is quiet, just how the inhabitants like it.
The Emerondians.
The kingdom of Emerond is a loosely organized nation of city-states under one monarch.Over the centuries a nobility has developed from the more influential families of the city-states'governments.The city-states are mostly autonomous , but in case of war or a grave crisis , they will accept the rulership of the ancestral ruling dynasty. In other times the city-states see the royal authority mostly as a honorific position.
The Emerondians are essentially farmers and gatherers. Their knowledge of agriculture and flora in general is extensive , but they remain almost totally ignorant about the ways of the sea and navigation. The local economy is weak compared to other nations of the kown world , as their concept of private property is rather vague . Emerondians share with each other much more than money-driven societies . They live in a humble , albeit generally comfortable , life.
A peaceful people , the Emerondians are very respectful of their ancestors and laws . They benefit from an ancient culture that provides them with a rich artistic and literary background . Their philosophy is mostly druidical , but several insectlike figures are known to be part of Emerondian pantheon of immortal patrons .
They suffered several invasions in the past , included a number of limited incursions from Thyatis . Emerondians maintain a small but reasonably well-trained army . They are master in concealment in woods and have acquired a great experience in engineering ; As a result , their cities are always fortified and well defended .
Emerondians grow a special steel-like vegetable fiber from which they produce armors or blades . Amply curved lines and deadly thorns are typical of these pieces of equipment . The color of the fiber varies from tan to dark brown . A common sort of emerondians armor provides AC 5 (AC 4 with a shield ) , while blades are equivalent to the Known World's normal swords.
Both types of equipment generates half the encumbrance of comparable metal weapons for the same strength . If ever sold , they would cost five times the price of metal gear because of the time needed to grow the fibers and the amount of work neede to fashion them .
Emerondians have mastered a special fighting technique that make ample use of the thorns on their armor and on their blades . Once during each round of melee , one of the following may happen , depending on the Emerondian warrior's initial attack roll that round :
-On an attack roll score of 1-5 , an opponent chosen at random is stabbed by a thorn inflicting 1-4 hp damage .
-On an attack roll score of 16-20 , an opponent of the emerondian warrior's choice must make a Strength check or be disarmed .
The emerondians are not natives of the Known World . They came many centuries ago from asteroids far beyond the skyshield , called the Pyrithean archipelago . The Pyritheans were a race of savage space pirates . A stray war band became stranded on the Known World and eventually founded the more peaceful Emerond Kingdom . They brought their unique vegetable fiber with them .
The common Emerondians have forgotten about this old tie with their warlike Pyritheans ancestors . A hanful of the high priests and greateer druids remain as the keepers of this archaic lore . They have a secret knowledge of special magic that creates Pyrithean war mounts : flying insects grown to huge proportions and transformed into mystical armored beasts with wicked thorns and talons . The war mounts are tamed to respond to their riders'thoughts . For combat purposes , The mounts have the same game statistics as the hook horror (AC 9 Creature catalog , page 70 ) ,but have a flying movement of 180' (60').
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