The Realm of the Horas
The heart of the Horasian Empire lies in a region which
is also called Fairfield or Old Realm. On its western coast,
it spans from Grangor to Drôl and is separated from the
Khôm Desert in the east by the Golden Cliffs and the
High Eternals. Fertile fields and a mild climate guarantee
the wealth of this region, whose ports are home to many
renowned trading companies. As the most successful
traders in Aventuria, the merchants of the Horasian Empire
transport wares and passengers to the far corners of the
continent in their proud sailing vessels. Daring captains
and respected explorers set out for Uthuria or even distant
Gyldenland, the legendary home of the first settlers. The
capital of the realm, Vinsalt, was erected on the ruins of
the old Imperial capital, Bosparan, which was destroyed by
the people of Gareth. The city of Kuslik, still the only one
in Aventuria with three mage academies, is the spiritual
center of the Church of Hesinde. Long ago, the first people
to set foot in Aventuria landed at Bethana, which is now
the seat of the Church of Efferd
Its long history made the Horasian Empire into a haven of
traditions and a bastion of the belief in the Twelvegods.
Famous temples and holy places attract many pilgrims.
Many of the empire’s large cities compete with each
other—not just for political influence and volume of trade,
but also for glory and cultural splendor. Education and
appreciation of the arts are required virtues for nobles and
common folk alike.
Power struggles between old noble families take place
behind the scenes, and murderous conspiracies, sinister
secret societies, and strange cults blossom in the shadows
of palaces. The Cyclopes Islands in the Sea of Seven Winds
also belong to the Horasian Empire. These islands are
home to the last remaining one-eyed giants, the legendary
masters of smithing for which the archipelago is named.
The Lands of the Tulamydes
The variety of bazaars in the Lands of the Tulamydes
remains legendary, the artistry of their magical dancers
holds great fame, and their storytellers astound audiences
with tales of powerful djinn, cunning heroes, and
majestic sultans. On the shores of the Mhanadi River
and its tributaries (especially the Gadang) live a very
temperamental people who differ from the descendants
of the Gyldenlandian settlers in their tanned complexion,
dark hair, and exceptionally flowery language.
The fertile Mhanadi valley yields rice and other grains.
Warm-weather fruit trees grow in abundance. The largest
city is Fasar, a brooding crucible of people and the oldest
city of men in Aventuria, known not only for its legendarily
affluent masters but also for its sinister mage academy.
Other cities on the Mhanadi are Mherwed primarily
inhabited by Novadi devoted to Rastullah, fairytale-like
Rashtul, and Khunchom, which is said to have been
erected on the ruins of a lizardfolk city. On a high plateau
on the border of Arania lies the Gorian Desert, and it is
said that strong winds can carry its red sand all the way to
Mherwed. Few survive an expedition to this hostile place.
Another area, inhabited primarily by Tulamydes, is the
valleys of the rivers Thalusim and Ongalo, where the strict
manorial system sometimes fosters bands of thieves.
Arania, Land of the Matriarchs
Between Perricum and the Gorian Desert lies Arania. Its
cities include Baburin, the capital Zorgan, Elburum,
and Anchopal, which is currently occupied. Arania has
been influenced by the cultures of the Middenrealm and
the Tulamydes alike, and boasts industrious farmers,
skillful merchants, and ingenious artisans. Women play
a considerably greater role in society than men, which
is uncommon for Aventuria, which generally does not
support the idea of a superior gender.
The Khôm Desert and the Caliphate
The Khôm Desert, the largest desert in Aventuria, is home to
the Novadi, proud equestrians and warriors. They worship
one god, Rastullah, who appeared to them over 250 years
ago in the Oasis of Keft. From his teachings they created
the 99 Holy Commandments, which govern everyday life
and interactions between the strictly patriarchal tribal
cultures. Caravans with precious goods travel throughout
their territory, braving the dangers of the Khôm between
stops at oases and caravanserais. The most important of
the desert fringe areas is the Shadif, which is famous for
its noble breed of horse that exhibits proverbial fire and
grace.
The Lizard Swamps
The rotting swamps and impassable mangrove forests
south of the Khôm hold all sorts of poisonous animals
and gigantic reptiles. Its oppressive humidity makes life
hard for travelers. A mighty kingdom of lizard people
once controlled the southern half of the continent.
Few humans live in these jungles, which are the natural
habitat of the achaz, bipedal lizardfolk who live primarily
in pile dwellings. Very little is known about them other
than they worship old gods (the mighty H’Ranga) and
subsist on hunting and fishing, and some of them know
crystallomancy, the ancient magic of gemstones.
Despite the dangers and hardships, humans occasionally
enter these swamps in search of spices, reptile skins, Tsa’s
Spring of Eternal Youth, and treasure and artifacts from
ancient achaz kings.
On the northwestern border of the swamps lies the city
of Selem, which is what remains of the old Tulamydian city of Elem. It is said that Elem was destroyed by the gods
themselves. Today humans and lizardfolk dwell in Selem
together, but the city is a sad hive of poverty, deterioration,
and creeping madness.
The City States of Meridiana
Al’Anfa, the Black Pearl, is the second largest city in
Aventuria. Here one can rise from coconut mat weaver
to wealthy Grandes in a heartbeat—a trait that attracts
immigrants from all across Aventuria. Yet the fall from free
citizen to slave can be just as quick, since the inhabitants of
the city embrace slavery. Often do the reckless or unlucky
disappear, only to be found later in the Hanfla River that
flows into the sea. Most citizens worship Boron as highest of
the Twelvegods, and poisons and intoxicants are the most
sought-after goods. Murders often go unsolved, which has
earned the city its nickname of Sore of the South. Al’Anfa’s
poor are not worse off than those elsewhere, but its rich
are unbelievably affluent—Al’Anfan Grandes make even
some Middenrealmish Counts look like beggars.
The archenemy of Al’Anfa is Brabak, where slavery is
outlawed and where the Grandes and their excesses are
both greatly despised and secretly envied. This city on the
marshy estuary of the Mysob faces a mountain of debts due
to years of financial mismanagement. As the gateway to the
legendary southern continent of Utheria, much money still
flows into the coffers of Brabak, but it is lost just as quickly.
The city is a popular destination for free spirits, since they
can indulge their whims to study at the local black-magic
academy, free from conventions and limitations.
Other cities in the region, such as Chorhop, Mengbilla,
Sylla, and H’Rabaal, are former provinces of other realms.
Today they are independent, just like the small jungle
kingdom of Kemi. Only Hôt-Alem is still allied with Gareth
as a protectorate colony of the Middenrealm. Few other
independent city states still exist today. Any that did not
seek a pact with Al’Anfa or the Golden Alliance (made
up of the Horasian Empire, Brabak, and Kemi) were soon
conquered by Al’Anfa. The Vice-Kingdoms of old now exist
only in name, and the former royal city of Mirham is a
vassal of the far mightier Al’Anfa..
Steaming Jungles
On the southern tip of the continent stand the Rain
Mountains. The western slopes of these 18,000-foot-high
peaks open into lush valleys, while the eastern slopes
descend to dense jungles. Travelers must be brave and
knowledgeable to survive where gigantic constricting waters, poisonous vipers fill the undergrowth, and sabertooth
tigers hunt on the area’s few paths. The best teachers
are the native, copper-skinned Forest People, whom we
collectively call the Moha, after their largest tribe. These
small-but-agile folk do not often treat with outsiders and
are usually hostile toward trespassers.
Altoum and the Forest Islands
The defining feature of the Charybbean, as this part of the
sea is known, is pirates and freebooters. The Black Serpent,
a society of pirates with more than 100 members, maintains
its headquarters in Charypso, on Altoum. But the colonial
fleets of Bornland, the Horasian Empire, and Al’Anfa also
cruise these waters, along with Thorwalian Ottas and ships
of Kemi. Each has its own agenda.
White, palm tree-covered beaches, isolated bays, and lush
jungles dominate these islands. The remote Forest Islands,
far from any civilization, make excellent hideouts for the
pirates of the Southern Sea. Shady individuals sell socalled
treasure maps in almost every port tavern from Riva
to Hôt-Alem. Some maps might even be real.
Outposts of (Middenrealm) civilization exist only on Token,
Sokkina, Iltoken, and Benbukkula due only to the presence
of spices. The fleets of Al’Anfa, Festum, and the Horasian
Empire dominate the trade in precious goods. Various
tribes of Forest People live in the interior of many islands
alongside the dark-skinned Utulus, who came originally
from the southern continent of Uthuria.
