Sea of Tranquility

Humans

Mixed ancestry is common, but most humans are pale-skinned, with darker colour hair and eyes. They tend to be lithe, and charismatic, but have often been considered reckless and hedonistic. Merlos are common.

Dark Elves

Given Koryl as a gift, their numbers are now considerable, although still not close to outnumbering the humans. They are quickly placing their influence on the place, with their high crystal towers and terraces now looking down on the lesser races.

Attavarians

A rare humanoid race, the Attavarians were the original rulers of Koryl, and have a flamboyant, hedonistic style similar to the cities original culture. They say they were once a great empire, but whatever the truth, their people have now fallen upon hard times.

Other Races

Never common anyway, the other races are even less common now as both the Merlos and the Dark Elves have been quite unkind to racial minorities. They are better treated in Luthien, but still rare.

Koryl

By far the largest of the three cities on the West Coast, Koryl was for a long time a smaller version of Drasnia, with high fashions and a renaissance feel. But then the Merlos conquered it, and they had little time for the fancy balls and high society. Now it has been transformed into a military fortress, with many of the nobles dead. The Merlos maintain a large garrison here, and while they still claim to rule the city, many know in reality it is now ruled by Drath’Devar for his Dark Elven brethren. The Emperor gave them Koryl in return for helping him wipe out the hated Klydorians. For five long years, the city was even shrouded in eternal darkness, but that has since been dispelled or prevented, again by a group of Klydorian heroes. But the Dark Elves remain in large numbers, and are now forming a magickal gate-way between their own empire and the subterranean caverns beneath Koryl. If completed it will be almost impossible to ever dislodge them. The people would likely never be the same anyway at this point.

Luthien

This city fell to the Merlos when its ruler surrendered without a fight. A resistance lead by a man known only as the “Bishop” killed the ruler for his cowardice and eventually retook the city through a campaign of supply disruption, theft of taxes, assassination, and finally open rebellion. The city is now ruled by two men. Prince Troy, who rules the city officially, and controls the normal society, and the Bishop who controls the crime and darker sides of things. These two harbour agents of the resistance against the Merlos, and where possible send supplies to assist in the fight in Koryl. While it is rumoured they do not like each other, they seem willing to work together for the betterment of their city.

Twycross

This smaller city that was captured as an afterthought to allow the creation of the road between Koryl and Cthrag Merlo. The people were mostly simple farmers and fishermen, but many have been put to work building a Port to harbour many Merlo War Galleons, which have mostly been withdrawn from Koryl. Merlo patrols from Twycross and Klydorian patrols from Silverton clash regularly.

Merlo Warriors

There are many Merlo Warriors garrisoned in Koryl and Twycross. They defend the city, continue a lesser role to convert the region to Merlo culture, and fight the Klydorians for a foothold in Silverton. The Clans with the largest presences are the Wild Cats, Silver Hawks (mostly scouts), Thunder Hammers (who are setting up armouries and forges) and the Night Runners.

Dark Elf Warriors

While still outnumbered by the Merlo forces, there are now a large number of Dark Elf forces in the city. Mostly these forces protect the raised Dark Elf sections of the city, and they roam the city carrying out various “Dark Elf” acts like suppressing subversion (which they frequently incite), taking slaves or publicly executing or shaming people. All of the specialist Dark Elf Warrior types can be found here.

Dark Elf Priestesses

The Priestesses are the ones primarily responsible for converting the city into a place appropriate for Dark Elves. They are ruthless, sadistic, hedonistic and debaucherous in equal parts. They are increasingly intolerant of other faiths, although they give the Gods popular with the Merlos a wide berth for now.

Resistance Fighters

Many have given up the fight, having been disheartened by the fortifying of their once beautiful city by the Merlos, and now a second wave of conversion by the Dark Elves. But a brave few continue to resist, whether that be acts of sabotage, theft, assassination or supplying information to the Klydorians or Luthien

Relations

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Clothing

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Women

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Cities

Key settlements: Koryl, Luthien, Twycross.

Trade

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Arms

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Language

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Religion and Magick

Not yet covered in the Western Regions source.

Note

Khan WildCat

Dark Elf Ruler

Resistance Leader

Sea of Tranquility

Most vessels keep to the coastline as the storms in the middle appear suddenly and without mercy. It is said the God of Storms lives beneath the waves. However, those that risk a central journey are nearly always favoured with a strong tail-wind, and those that survive a journey through the middle make the trip in less than half the time.

Koryl

Once a place of high society and excess, Koryl is now a very strange place, with a mixture of three very different cultures, none of which is in total control. The old society is clearly in decline, with many of the nobles having been killed in duels with Merlos, or some have just disappeared. There are still elements of the old aristocracy, and strangely enough, this has had somewhat of a renaissance under the Dark Elves, who are far more comfortable with court intrigue and sophisticated society than the brutal militaristic nature of Merlos. It has also allowed them to convert some of the locals to their cause, and also to the worship of their Gods of hedonism and pleasure, both strong elements on Koryl society. The Dark Elves have even been willing to allow those loyal to them to resume their old posts which is facilitating the normal operation of the city again. This has in fact split the population between those that are willing to sacrifice everything to overthrow both the Dark Elves and the Merlos, many of whom are part of the resistance, and another group which is choosing to make the best of it with their new Dark Elf masters. Hostility between these two camps is common.

The Merlo influence, while strong for only a short period of time, is unmistakable, if only for the fortifications and ramparts which now adorn what was some of the most beautiful architecture is Driax. Those few Merlos who remain in Koryl are nearly all employed to be the Koryl army in the instance of an uprising or Klydor attack.

The emerging influence is that of the Dark Elves. Already they have destroyed key sections of the city and built their high crystal towers and terraces from which to look down on their subjects, and their temples are being constructed to “attract” new worshippers. While the other gods churches and shrines remain for now, there is increasing incident of accidents befalling both the shrines and the priests themselves. And while the humans may have been given back much of the administrative control of the city, there is no illusion as to who rules, as the swift and decisive punishment from Drath’Devar and his people for even the slightest infraction or sign of disloyalty has cowered many into acceptance of the current regime. As with normal Dark Elf society, the Priestesses of the Dark Elf Goddess Drezzim, have a large amount of influence, and while under the rule of Drath’Devar, essentially control all other warriors. A large construct in the middle of the Central Market is used to publicly humiliate and execute those that betray the Dark Elves.

Perhaps an indication of the Merlo influence, weapons may be carried within the city, but only Dark Elves are allowed to bear arms within the Elven portions of the city, which includes their magical crystal towers which rise high up over the rest of the city. The people of Koryl tended towards no armour, and elegant fencing blades, but heavier armours and weapons were still common. This diversity has continued as the Merlos prefer heavier armours and all manner of weapons, while the Dark Elves prefer slender curved blades, and their repeating crossbows. The Dark Elves also make use of their crystal-powered armour suits for many of their troops, including the now infamous Night Hawks and Black Knights.

Koryl’s original language was that of common, but for a time it was Merlo, as the locals were expected to learn it. The Dark Elves now expect people to learn their tongue, although many have reverted to speaking in Lotese when there are no Merlos or Dark Elves around.

Twycross

For years the only remarkable thing in Twycross was the well regarded shipwrights who built all of the local fishing vessels, and the odd military vessel for the Korylites. Its people, like those of towns all over Driax, were hard-working basic folk primarily interested in their crops or fishing vessels. The Merlos have changed this, with the construction of their Port, and an expanded shipwright area to produce their massive War Galleys. Entire trades have collapsed as the Merlos push more and more people into the shipwright and port construction industry, preferring to import other items not deemed essential to the war effort. The people are largely a defeated lot, with morale low, and a feeling of hopelessness. Visitors are poorly regarded, and adventurers who promise to “lead them to freedom” are even moreso. The Merlos do pay well for these upstarts though, so many are handed over.

Luthien

After the retaking of Luthien, all residents are part of the city militia, including the women, and may be called upon if required. All young people now spend 2 years from 16-18 in service to the militia. As a refuge and hiding place for people from Estwilde, Koryl, and many other places, it has always been home to many vagabonds, rogues and cut-throats. However, the Bishop is the now the unquestioned King of Thieves, and his Guild known as the “Cardinals” are quite influential within the city, and the rulers of the tunnel network beneath the city. The Prince has a small honour guard, but otherwise his advisers are friends from his old adventuring days. The Prince is well known for his parties and Grand Balls, and those of high society appreciate his generosity. He is a very hard man to get an audience with however. As women are expected to fight like the men, they have equal rights here. Clothing tends towards long flowing cloaks, robes and dresses, but styles from all over Driax are intermingled here. Weapons are worn at all times. There are large underwater caverns beneath the city, which are popular with both rogues, freelance ship captains, and those hiding from the Merlo warships that police the Sea. All the gods find worship here, but Protection, Mischief and the Sun are the most common. Channellers are rare, but there are bound to be a few h-iding here.

Marsh Grove

Legends say this was once the home of an ancient magickal race, who angered the Gods, and their great city sank into the swamp. In theory this swampy grove can be traversed by shallow vessels to allow trade between the Sea of Tranquility and the cities of the West Coast, but this journey is fraught with danger. Not only are the natural perils of the ever-changing waterways dangerous for a ship, but the place is home to many bands of brigands, and supposedly the spirits of the Snake-men who are once said to have lived in the magnificent crystal ruins on the Groves edge.