PG Places and People
Jul 21, 2017 19:41:35 GMT -8
Post by Daos on Jul 21, 2017 19:41:35 GMT -8
Southern Ergoth
Capital: Daltigoth (ogres), Qualimori (qualinesti), Silvamori (silvanesti), Zhea Harbor (humans)
Population: 221,739 (human 36%, ogres 30%, Silvanesti elves 20%, Kagonesti elves 12%, half-ogre 1%, other 1%)
Government: Dictatorship (ogres), monarchy (elves), republic (humans)
Religion: Zeboim (Stormdancers)
Trade: Fish, fur, grains, herbs, spices, fruit
Capital: Daltigoth (ogres), Qualimori (qualinesti), Silvamori (silvanesti), Zhea Harbor (humans)
Population: 221,739 (human 36%, ogres 30%, Silvanesti elves 20%, Kagonesti elves 12%, half-ogre 1%, other 1%)
Government: Dictatorship (ogres), monarchy (elves), republic (humans)
Religion: Zeboim (Stormdancers)
Trade: Fish, fur, grains, herbs, spices, fruit
Alignment: LG, LN, LE, CE, CN
Southern Ergoth is a land with greatly varied geography. Its verdant southern reaches grow cold during the winter, only to blossom in the spring and summer. The thick forests, separated by swift flowing rivers, are full of wildlife. Sylvan glades are hidden from view, and magical animals and creatures are said to dwell among them.
To the east, across the southern arm of the Last Gaard Mountains, the trees thin and prairie lands dominate the landscape. Horses, cattle, and other herd animals wander the plains, occasionally hunted by wildcats and wolves. To the north of these lands is a great bay that lies at the center of the island. The ogres named the bay “Morgash,” which means Bay of Darkness, for the mist that often rises from the shore in the early morning and night, blotting out the stars.
Following the shore of the Morgash to the west and around to the north, the lands become more rugged as they pass through the foothills of the Last Gaard Mountains. Winds coming down the mountains across the Bay of Darkness carry rains from the south out to the Straights of Algoni, leaving the lands of the north dry and barren. Stubborn grasses cling to the shores of the bay and east coast of the island, making for good farming land.
North of Morgash, the northern reaches of the island are dry and barren. The precious few ground springs in the region are jealously guarded by the human and ogre barbarians of the region. Patches of savannah are scattered along the north coast, where small fishing villages and pirate ships make port.
West of the Last Gaard Mountains, the temperatures are mild from warm sea breezes. Green grasses and verdant forests flourish here, making it one of the idyllic settings on the island.
Life & Society
Southern Ergoth is a land of harsh climes that nonetheless attracts diverse groups of people. The island is split between ogres, elves, and nomadic and civilized humans. South of the Bay of Darkness, and to the east of the Last Gaard Mountains, the ogres dominate. Many ogre tribes are settled in different territories across the island. Some have set up crude farms and collect herd animals from the plains. Others have taken over the ruins of settlements along the southern shores of the Morgash, where they take crude boats out into the water and cast makeshift nets for fishing. In the city of Daltigoth, the ogres barter with the surrounding tribes and survive on raiding the camps of their enemies and the humans of the east coast. Life is centered around finding food and fulfilling their base desires.
Along the east coast of the island are a number of human settlements. These settlements owe their allegiance to the Empire of Ergoth. They are the last surviving evidence of the Ergothian culture on the island. The walled city of Zhea Harbor, directly across the bay from Daltigoth, is the largest city in the east. It is an impressive city, built in much the same style of the old imperial city of Daltigoth, only not as large. Located at the mouth of the New Sea, with deep waters that can accommodate a fleet of large ships, Zhea Harbor has become a rather wealthy port city. This in turn supports the other human settlements in the region. A small army, obedient to the Emperor, makes certain the troublesome ogre tribes of Southern Ergoth keep their distance from the lands of the east.
North of the human lands are the badlands. The northern wastelands are populated with wild ogre tribes and barbaric clans of humans. These two factions war with one another over the precious resources of the region.
Southern Ergoth is a land of harsh climes that nonetheless attracts diverse groups of people. The island is split between ogres, elves, and nomadic and civilized humans. South of the Bay of Darkness, and to the east of the Last Gaard Mountains, the ogres dominate. Many ogre tribes are settled in different territories across the island. Some have set up crude farms and collect herd animals from the plains. Others have taken over the ruins of settlements along the southern shores of the Morgash, where they take crude boats out into the water and cast makeshift nets for fishing. In the city of Daltigoth, the ogres barter with the surrounding tribes and survive on raiding the camps of their enemies and the humans of the east coast. Life is centered around finding food and fulfilling their base desires.
Along the east coast of the island are a number of human settlements. These settlements owe their allegiance to the Empire of Ergoth. They are the last surviving evidence of the Ergothian culture on the island. The walled city of Zhea Harbor, directly across the bay from Daltigoth, is the largest city in the east. It is an impressive city, built in much the same style of the old imperial city of Daltigoth, only not as large. Located at the mouth of the New Sea, with deep waters that can accommodate a fleet of large ships, Zhea Harbor has become a rather wealthy port city. This in turn supports the other human settlements in the region. A small army, obedient to the Emperor, makes certain the troublesome ogre tribes of Southern Ergoth keep their distance from the lands of the east.
North of the human lands are the badlands. The northern wastelands are populated with wild ogre tribes and barbaric clans of humans. These two factions war with one another over the precious resources of the region.
Warfare is commonplace, and only the strongest survive. The humans here are chaotic and unpredictable. Unlike the Ackalites of Northern Ergoth, these barbarians are truly primal and savage in nature.
West of the Last Gaard Mountains, the Kagonesti tribes rule the forests. For hundreds of years, they have protected the west from rampaging ogre tribes. They spend their days as they have for eons, hunting, fighting, and living from day to day off the richness of the land. To the north of the forests, is a region claimed by Solamnia. The woods known as the Southern Forests and surrounding lands come under the watchful eye of the Solamnic Knights. They maintain an outpost in this area and a handful of ships anchored near the town of Welmet. For the most part, it is a safe place to live with few worries about what is happening in the east.
West of the Last Gaard Mountains, the Kagonesti tribes rule the forests. For hundreds of years, they have protected the west from rampaging ogre tribes. They spend their days as they have for eons, hunting, fighting, and living from day to day off the richness of the land. To the north of the forests, is a region claimed by Solamnia. The woods known as the Southern Forests and surrounding lands come under the watchful eye of the Solamnic Knights. They maintain an outpost in this area and a handful of ships anchored near the town of Welmet. For the most part, it is a safe place to live with few worries about what is happening in the east.
Regional History
Once, Ergoth was a strong, influential, and united empire on the western edge of Ansalon, rivaled in greatness only by the city of Istar. The Empire of Istar and the Ergothian Empire were long standing enemies. Human slaves who escaped ogre masters founded Ergoth. The determined humans prospered in their free land. At the empire’s prime, the capital city of Daltigoth set the standard for trade rates with other major cities. However, strife among the empire’s people and political leaders lead to its downfall long before the Cataclysm. As with most empires, the Ergothian leaders became tyrannical, lording their power over their people. This uncompromising political view led to the Rose Rebellion, in which Vinas Solamnus and the Army of Ergoth joined rebel forces and led an attack against Daltigoth. Emperor Emann Quisling was forced to surrender and accept Solamnus’s terms to grant the eastern regions independence. The lands surrounding Daltigoth remained loyal to the emperor, but the empire’s dominance dwindled.
When the Cataclysm struck, massive earthquakes broke most of Ergoth free from the continent. In the space between the newly formed islands of Ergoth, the Turbidus Ocean rushed in and formed the Straits of Algoni, consuming all settlements and castles in that area. The remnants of the Ergothian Empire were two islands, Northern and Southern Ergoth.
The Fall of Istar brought about great tidal waves that washed through the lowlands of the empire, killing thousands. By this time, the reign of the empire had ended. War with Solamnia and Istar had proven costly, and civil unrest was commonplace. Young Gwynned VII ordered a halt to the fighting in Solamnia less than a year before the Cataclysm. Most of the armies were lost when Ergoth was separated from the rest of Ansalon. Unable to maintain the peace in Daltigoth, Gwynned VII was assassinated shortly after the Cataclysm and rival factions fought for the crown. Although in the years following the Cataclsym, the humans of Ergoth maintained control of Daltigoth, their struggles only made it that much easier for ogre clans, which had been building up strength in the Last Gaard Mountains, to invade. Those humans that were able to escape fled further east to the walled cities of Zhea and Fairkep. These cities weathered multiple attacks by the ogres for nearly a decade, before the ogres began fighting amongst themselves. While forced to survive with the threat of the ogres, the humans began to farm the lands just outside the city walls. Eventually, small villages formed and some trade began again.
In the early Age of Despair, ships from Northern Ergoth came to find what had become of their empire in Southern Ergoth. What they found was a city full of ogres. Some of the ships were destroyed as they pulled into the docks. As the fleet prepared to leave, some ships from Zhea Harbor made their way across the Morgash and hailed them. From that point on, the Ergothian colonies of Southern Ergoth pledged their loyalties to the emperor and the empire once again. Unfortunately, being so far away from the new capital of Gywnned, the ruling class of Southern Ergoth acted as little more than petty despots and ineffectual tyrants.
To the west of the Last Gaard Mountains, in the rich forests, the Wilder Elves survived the waters brought by the Cataclysm. They fought against both humans and ogres to keep their forests free of any outside influence. When ships from Sancrist reached the western shores nearly a decade later, the Kagonesti did not turn them away, but they watched them carefully for signs of invasion. The knights did not appear to be threatening so the elves left them to their own devices. When the knights started making explorations in the forests of the south, the wild elves made it abundantly clear they were not welcome, and the knights did not press the issue. The Solamnic Knights set up an outpost near the village of Welmet and began to run a small number of ships from Welmet to Cristyne, Sancrist, Northern Ergoth, and the Solamnic mainland.
Once, Ergoth was a strong, influential, and united empire on the western edge of Ansalon, rivaled in greatness only by the city of Istar. The Empire of Istar and the Ergothian Empire were long standing enemies. Human slaves who escaped ogre masters founded Ergoth. The determined humans prospered in their free land. At the empire’s prime, the capital city of Daltigoth set the standard for trade rates with other major cities. However, strife among the empire’s people and political leaders lead to its downfall long before the Cataclysm. As with most empires, the Ergothian leaders became tyrannical, lording their power over their people. This uncompromising political view led to the Rose Rebellion, in which Vinas Solamnus and the Army of Ergoth joined rebel forces and led an attack against Daltigoth. Emperor Emann Quisling was forced to surrender and accept Solamnus’s terms to grant the eastern regions independence. The lands surrounding Daltigoth remained loyal to the emperor, but the empire’s dominance dwindled.
When the Cataclysm struck, massive earthquakes broke most of Ergoth free from the continent. In the space between the newly formed islands of Ergoth, the Turbidus Ocean rushed in and formed the Straits of Algoni, consuming all settlements and castles in that area. The remnants of the Ergothian Empire were two islands, Northern and Southern Ergoth.
The Fall of Istar brought about great tidal waves that washed through the lowlands of the empire, killing thousands. By this time, the reign of the empire had ended. War with Solamnia and Istar had proven costly, and civil unrest was commonplace. Young Gwynned VII ordered a halt to the fighting in Solamnia less than a year before the Cataclysm. Most of the armies were lost when Ergoth was separated from the rest of Ansalon. Unable to maintain the peace in Daltigoth, Gwynned VII was assassinated shortly after the Cataclysm and rival factions fought for the crown. Although in the years following the Cataclsym, the humans of Ergoth maintained control of Daltigoth, their struggles only made it that much easier for ogre clans, which had been building up strength in the Last Gaard Mountains, to invade. Those humans that were able to escape fled further east to the walled cities of Zhea and Fairkep. These cities weathered multiple attacks by the ogres for nearly a decade, before the ogres began fighting amongst themselves. While forced to survive with the threat of the ogres, the humans began to farm the lands just outside the city walls. Eventually, small villages formed and some trade began again.
In the early Age of Despair, ships from Northern Ergoth came to find what had become of their empire in Southern Ergoth. What they found was a city full of ogres. Some of the ships were destroyed as they pulled into the docks. As the fleet prepared to leave, some ships from Zhea Harbor made their way across the Morgash and hailed them. From that point on, the Ergothian colonies of Southern Ergoth pledged their loyalties to the emperor and the empire once again. Unfortunately, being so far away from the new capital of Gywnned, the ruling class of Southern Ergoth acted as little more than petty despots and ineffectual tyrants.
To the west of the Last Gaard Mountains, in the rich forests, the Wilder Elves survived the waters brought by the Cataclysm. They fought against both humans and ogres to keep their forests free of any outside influence. When ships from Sancrist reached the western shores nearly a decade later, the Kagonesti did not turn them away, but they watched them carefully for signs of invasion. The knights did not appear to be threatening so the elves left them to their own devices. When the knights started making explorations in the forests of the south, the wild elves made it abundantly clear they were not welcome, and the knights did not press the issue. The Solamnic Knights set up an outpost near the village of Welmet and began to run a small number of ships from Welmet to Cristyne, Sancrist, Northern Ergoth, and the Solamnic mainland.
War of the Lance
While most folk on the west coast of the mainland were blissfully unaware of the danger that was building up in the east, the people of Southern Ergoth were painfully aware of their predicament. A merciless hill giant by the name of Stormogre ruled the city of Daltigoth, dubbing himself the Dictator of Daltigoth. Stormogre was a conniving wretch, but he held a powerful sway over the ogres of Southern Ergoth. He made a pact with the White Dragon Highlord Feal-thas to bring all the ogre clans of Southern Ergoth into one mighty army. For the Highlord’s end of the bargain, Feal-thas was promised to supply Stormogre with white dragons that would follow the hill giant’s directives.
The tyrannical hill giant assumed the leadership of most of the clans of the south. Despite this, fierce clan rivalries were still commonplace, and Stormogre and his sons were kept preoccupied, dealing with internal affairs. With the help of the white dragons, the organized forces of the ogres were able to breech the walls of Zhea Harbor and Fairkeep, and razed the smaller human villages of the region. The humans there became slaves, and ogres under the command of the mysterious Stormdancers expropriated the ships of Zhea Harbor. The Stormdancers are hardy female ogres that seem to have some connection to the ancient goddess Zeboim.
While most folk on the west coast of the mainland were blissfully unaware of the danger that was building up in the east, the people of Southern Ergoth were painfully aware of their predicament. A merciless hill giant by the name of Stormogre ruled the city of Daltigoth, dubbing himself the Dictator of Daltigoth. Stormogre was a conniving wretch, but he held a powerful sway over the ogres of Southern Ergoth. He made a pact with the White Dragon Highlord Feal-thas to bring all the ogre clans of Southern Ergoth into one mighty army. For the Highlord’s end of the bargain, Feal-thas was promised to supply Stormogre with white dragons that would follow the hill giant’s directives.
The tyrannical hill giant assumed the leadership of most of the clans of the south. Despite this, fierce clan rivalries were still commonplace, and Stormogre and his sons were kept preoccupied, dealing with internal affairs. With the help of the white dragons, the organized forces of the ogres were able to breech the walls of Zhea Harbor and Fairkeep, and razed the smaller human villages of the region. The humans there became slaves, and ogres under the command of the mysterious Stormdancers expropriated the ships of Zhea Harbor. The Stormdancers are hardy female ogres that seem to have some connection to the ancient goddess Zeboim.
It is unknown of how it happened but Stormogre died during the war. His sons fought each other for rulership of the city, but Stormogre's cousin Kthaarx drove them from the city. Kthaarx then became the next Dictator of Daltigoth.
Meanwhile, after Silvanesti was engulfed in Lorac's Nightmare and Qualinesti was burned by the Red Dragonarmies, refugees from both nations started to arrive on the southern shores, where the Kagonesti dwell. The Kagonesti welcomed their cousins, and two new towns were quickly built up--Qualimori and Silvamori, on opposite sides of the Thon-Tsalarian River. A decade later, and many still live there. A number of Kagonesti have been displaced, or worse, enslaved. There has been talk of making the area a permanent home for both the Qualinesti and Silvanesti, even once their own nations have been rebuilt.
Meanwhile, after Silvanesti was engulfed in Lorac's Nightmare and Qualinesti was burned by the Red Dragonarmies, refugees from both nations started to arrive on the southern shores, where the Kagonesti dwell. The Kagonesti welcomed their cousins, and two new towns were quickly built up--Qualimori and Silvamori, on opposite sides of the Thon-Tsalarian River. A decade later, and many still live there. A number of Kagonesti have been displaced, or worse, enslaved. There has been talk of making the area a permanent home for both the Qualinesti and Silvanesti, even once their own nations have been rebuilt.
