The Northern Sanction¶
Granted to the men of the north by the dwarves (back when they still ran this place) it is the last remaining civilized area of Men, broken now into three kingdoms:
Ardenia¶
Allies of Korim. No peace yet with the neighbouring Orc tribes (maybe because they’re allies with the dwarves, who would cut off trade with Ardenia if they made peace with the Orcs).
Ruled by Queen Aeleth, Ardenia is famous for its bardic college; the College of the Whispered Song (A.K.A. the Whisper) lead by Master Troubadour Christoph. Ardenia’s bards travel the kingdoms from the high city of Arden all the way to Titan’s Gate, collecting and spreading news!
Suspected by the other nations, but never proven, rumor has it that Queen Aeleth uses her bardic college as a spy network, keeping the larger, more prosperous Kingdoms of Haldrim and Cardus at bay.
Haldrim¶
Probably where most people start their adventures. Lots of Half-Orcs in this area, because of the close proximity to the Urshok Hills and Red Sun Orc tribe.
Haldrim made a truce with the Orcs to the north, aggrivating Sethis (their legion captain) whose men took to the hills and became the first bandits. They were soon joined by others. Sethis is now Lord of the Bandit Tribes.
You often just get straight up Orcs hanging out here who are outcasts from the Red Sun tribe.
Haldrim is ruled by King Cyric the Grey, in his 91st year. He remembers the kingdom of Kalazanbaar and yearns for those older days when the dwarves of the Broken Spine endured peace throughout the land.
Certainly closer to his end than his beginning, Cyric fears what will happen when he passes. His daughter will be Queen, and Princess Elise lost her husband to the Orc Warfather (then a young Headtaker) Valkun. Cyric knows if his eldest daughter becomes Queen, the peace with the Orcs will quickly convert to war. A vocal, traditional minority would like this very much and in spite of her hawkish sensibilities, the majority of the people of Haldrim love Princess Elise and remember her as a girl.
His younger daughter, Miranda, is a potent enchanter and while Cyric would rather hand the reins of the country to her, whom he trusts, the people are deeply suspicious of sorcery and would not follow a Wizard-Queen ruling from her Tower of Sorcery.
Preparing for the inevitable succession war, Princess Miranda has already forged a secret alliance with Master Troubadour Christoph, who promised to help overthrow (or even assassinate) Princess Elise before she can ascend to the throne.
Cardus¶
Cardus has the largest standing army in the Northern Sanction, but they use it for defense. They can’t commit troops to the pass as they’re busy holding their ground against the Men of the Scale Hills.
Ruled by King Godfrey, the teenaged ruler only recently came to the throne when his father king Edmond died in battle against the Snake Men (Yuan-ti) of the Scale Hills. Rumers persist that King Edmond’s death was not the glorious last stand that the bards sing of… The absense of a body to recover mean the rumors never die.
Godfrey was raised to be a king and a knight, and at fifteen is already a capable horseman and warrior.
Eager to avenge his father, he is advised by the Knight-commander Duncan.
Unbeknownst to the people, the bards and even the young king, Edmond is not dead. He fell in battle, his retinue slain (meaning that there were no witnesses to the event) he was kidnapped by the Yuan-ti, who intended to ransom him back to Duncan.
But Duncan is happy with Godfrey on the thron, because the young king is in favor of an aggressive campaign over the mountains, into the Scale Hills; to wipe out the hereditary threat of the Snake Men once and for all.
King Edmond was a realist and a pragmatist, always willing to negotiate with the opposing side. Duncan did not approve of this and raised Godfrey to be the king he wished Edmond would be.