The Flannish Cities dot the north-western shores. Their culture is a young one, but perhaps it is this which gives their citizens unmatched drive and ambition. Their ships range far and wide, and trade goods all over the world. A prosperous future of these cities seems assured.
Perhaps paradoxically, they tend to have a strict definition of "morality". Most city governments have defined a range of activities as immoral, such as gambling, prostitution, or drinking alcohol, and passed laws to outlaw those. This often does little to actually suppress those activities, as they are just driven underground. Still, most upper-class citizens like to make a show of how morally superior they are when compared to people from other regions.
Industries
Life and Society
On the surface, the Flannish cities seem far more egalitarian than other regions. While there are still some hereditary nobles left from the feudal ages, true power is open to anyone who is able and willing to grasp it. There is more than one merchant lord, city councillor, or other potentate of humble origin - and who is proud to tell the tale of his self-made success to anyone who is listening.But despite this, class tensions are alive and well. Most of the poor live in squalid apartments they have to share with a dozen other people - or more! They have to work long hours in factories without hopes for better jobs, while their children are sent to work as soon as they are able to contribute to the family income, thus denying them chances for a better education and a brighter future. The rich, on the other hand, have replaced the nobility in all but name - they make sure their own children get the best education and opportunities, and look down on the poor as being lazy and lacking in moral fibre. Between these extremes is a middle class of craftsmen, accountants, shopkeepers and other people frantically trying to enter the upper classes (or at least aping them) while constantly worrying about sliding down to lower class status.
Still, the Flannish cities are constantly expanding and changing, and someone with the right measures of boldness, wits, and luck can easily make his fortune, if he is only willing to take his destiny into his own hand.
Government and Politics
Groups and Organisations
Butcher's Guild: This organized crime ring started in Bodenwald, where it runs so-called "meat parlours", where customers can heat various meat products - which are outlawed in Grüngarten. To get meat, it has established secret supply trains from neighboring cities and communities, where it has branched out in other illegal activities (such as gambling and brothels). It is ruthless when it comes to threats to its businesses, and rumors have it that its enemies are sometimes killed, cut up, and served to unsuspecting guests.Flannish Cities Unity Coalition: Most people in the modern Flannish cities regard the city-state as the very pinnacle of civilization. Not the members of this society - for them, the city-state is a historical aberration on the way out. They point to the emergence of the League of Armach, the Alliance of the Pantheon, and other, older nations and claim that true nations are more powerful and more enduring than any single city can be.
Besides, it was disunity between the rulers of the region that made conquest and occupation by Negroth the Doombringer possible, and such an event might happen again soon - perhaps sooner than people might realize. To be sure, at the moment all the borders of the Flannish region seem to be safe - but people also thought that of the Norfjell Wastes right before Negroth's hordes swept out of them.
Thus, the members of the FCUC do whatever they can to strengthen links between the Flannish city-states, from easing of trade restrictions to cultural exchanges to conferences on the possible structure and constitution for the future Flannish nation. This does not always make them popular, since many people are wary of outside meddling in the affairs of their city. Additional, the group is seen as suspicious because it is headquartered in Praxus and partially sponsored by that city's government, and many believe that the unification the FCUC strives for is only a unification under the rule of Praxus.
The Cerulean Dawn: This secret society counts some of the most skilled wizards and architects of the region among its members. They are studying the ancient ley lines that once criss-crossed the land and that druids could use as a source of power, and they believe that they can use nexus towers to create new ley lines that they can tap for immense power - possibly even enough to become gods. They are sponsoring many magic departments of colleges and universities, as well as expeditions to remote regions where the ley line network is still intact.
Religion
Important NPCs
- Basilis Niland (LN exp12/clr5 of Shaprat) has been hailed as a genius, a visionary, and a fanatic and megalomaniac. The chief architect of Praxus is all this and more - his goal is nothing less than the creation of the ultimate magical city, and he will not let anything get in his way. He has fought the other leaders of Praxus over even the slightest alterations to his plans, and so far has always gotten his way in the end.What most people - including possibly him as well - is that Shaprat, the Last City whispers into his mind every night. In the morning, he wakes up with his head full of new ideas and spends the next hour or so committing all the new plans to paper. He is not sure what will happen once Praxus is finished and is in the precise shape it was always meant to be in. But he is sure that it will be a perfect moment.
Major Geographical Features
Breonor: This sparsely inhabited island off the coast has no large cities, and only brave merchants and several groups of pirates that make their home here brave its rocky shores. The inhabitants mostly dwell in isolated farmstead and live from simple agriculture and shepherding.A common belief among the inhabitants is that on the night of the new moon, the spirits of the dead who were not faithful enough to gain entry to the realm of a god can enter this world through a certain cave on this island. The people of Breonor spend those "wild nights" behind closed doors and barred windows, and attach charms to all openings that are supposed to keep the spirits away.
Court of Birds: This rocky isle far to the west is visited by millions of birds during their annual migration. It is said that powerful spirits live there who protect the birds from all humans who would hunt them.
Fields of Harrow: This dismal swamp is the site of the battle where the combined armies of the Flannish cities were soundly defeated by the hordes of Negroth the Doombringer. The region still seems to echo the many deaths that happened here, and undead can be found in large numbers. Still, living humans can be found here, as a special wood named heartwood grows here that is highly priced by wizards. Thus, several groups of loggers operate here. All are heavily armed.
Forest of Songs: Strange, unearthly sounds constantly emanate from this forest. Elves and other sylvan creatures may enter freely, but many humans who try the same never return, and those who do return have no memory of the time they spent under the forest's leaves.
The Green Monoliths: These slabs of green marble dot the Flannish countryside. It is said that they were erected by the fey in ancient times, when the Flannish region was covered with virgin forests. They are covered with strange glyphs that apparently change over time. It is said that anyone who tries to defile, remove, or even destroy a Green Monolith will come to great harm, so most of them are simply left alone by those who dwell near them.
Gray Hills: These badlands are known to be inhabited by numerous tribes of goblins, who frequently raid civilized areas. There have been numerous expeditions by surrounding city-states to eradicate these pests - but each time they are under assault, the goblins just retreat under the hills and wait until the human armies leave again. A few years or decades later they reappear again and start the cycle anew.
Siren's Rock: This lonely rock surfacing from the ocean is known to be the gathering spot of Sahuagin of a curious, almost human like appearance.
Important Towns and Cities
Bodenwald (Metropolis, 1,837,284): In Bodenwald, the Astromantic Society was founded, and the city still serves as its headquarters. Thus, Bodenwald serves as the center of most activities involving the exploration and colonization of other planets, and many people who hope to start over on a new world come here. The city has become rich by trading exotic goods and minerals from the colonies, and its zoological gardens, which feature many creatures from other worlds, attract many scholars.
Bodenwald is one of the few Flannish cities with a surviving aristocracy, and despite the fact that an elected parliament governs the city, the excentric and wildly popular King Maximilian III can certainly influence politics a lot when he puts his mind to it. He has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Astromantic Society, and the riches its effort bring to the city have reflected well on him as well.
Dartmouth (Metropolis, 1,652,923): A major center of trade, Dartmouth is dominated by a ruthless merchant council whose members constantly plot and scheme against each other. It has a large protectorate in the fertile Dart Valley, and its large plantations in it make Dartmouth a net exporter of food.
Approximately four centuries ago, all wizards were driven from the city after a string of scandals involving necromancy. Most of these wizards fled to the Lands of the Dead, where they founded the city of Thornstone. Today, there is still a certain distrust of wizards in many parts of the citizenry, but for the most part, wizards are accepted again as a vital part of society.
Of late, there has been an anti-halfling mass hysteria fanned by several newspapers who reported on alleged "halfling crime rings" despite few hints to their actual existence. The situation has deteriorated so badly that halflings will be blamed for any unresolved crime (whether or not a halfling was nearby), and beatings of lone halflings by groups of humans have become common. Many fear that it is only a matter of time before the next pogrom starts.
Grüngarten (Small Metropolis, 614,327): During the War of Liberation, the city of Holzau was conquered by an elven prince of neighboring Turaveen after the city's rulers inadvertedly insulted him. He became bored of ruling a human city after a century or so, but a strong elven influence persists even today. As a result, the city (now named "Grüngarten" or "green garden") is renowned for its many gardens and greenhouses, which provide the city with most of its food. The agricultural specialists of Grüngarten are highly regarded even in far-off regions, and can command high salaries. Eating any kind of meat is strictly illegal in this city, which has lead to the establishment of underground "meat parlors" where customers can enjoy steaks, sausages, and other meat products of usually inferior qualities. Organized crime in Grüngarten is firmly in the hands of the "Butchers' Guild", which controls most of the meat parlors.Gorok-kar (Small Metropolis, 519,849): This dwarfhold has the distinction of having the only major seaport of the dwarven people. It is located within a long and mountainous fjord, which allows them to both engage in mining and selling the ore and finished products to human merchant ships. Some of the younger dwarves have even started to build their own ships, an activity which is frowned upon by their more conservative elders.
Hogenrood (Metropolis, 1,863,715): This city is famous for its Museum of Art, a gigantic structure several miles in diameter and more than two hundred yards tall at its highest point. Strange objects, pieces of art, and artifacts from all over the world (and even from other worlds) are on display here and under heavy guard. The construction of the museum actually isn't complete yet, but many mages have noticed that it seems to be designed to harness magical energies similar to a nexus tower. However, there are noticeable differences as well, whose true purpose remains unknown. This mystifies many scholars to no end, but some have remarked in private that they plan to stay far away from Hogenrood on the day the museum is completed...
Hollowhill (Large City, 213,416): By day, this fog shrouded community seems to be a typical Flannish city, if perhaps even more ordered and disciplined than most. By night, this impression changes radically, as the city's true ruler make their presence known: The Court of Shadows, a powerful group of fey creatures. Anyone caught in the outside becomes their plaything, and no matter how desperate the plea, no citizen of Hollowhill will unlock a door or open a window after nightfall.
Nimdenthal (Small Metropolis, 723,510): This city is infamous for surrendering to the invading armies of Negroth the Doombringer without a fight, and is still hated by the citizens of the other Flannish cities as a result, who suffered far more under his brief reign than Nimdenthal did. That the army of Nimdenthal was hardly able to withstand the might of Negroth's forces on their own is conveniently forgotten. Many other cities still levy large tolls against the goods from Nimdenthal, or boycott them outright. As a result, Nimdenthal take an almost perverse pride in being self-sufficient.
Oldenheim (Large City, 348,232): Ever since this city's merchant council slighted a powerful wizard more than three centuries ago, its inhabitants have suffered under a terrible curse: If they don't talk for at least one hour every day, their innermost thoughts and secrets will be broadcasted to everyone in the vicinity. As a result, the citizens of Oldenheim are renowned for their talkativeness, and even those away from Oldenheim will tend to talk about any possible subject at great length. Visitors to Oldenheim should be aware that the curse affects all who are within the boundaries of the city.
Praxus (Large Metropolis, 3,245,844): Ever since a major city program ended approximately a hundred years ago, Praxus is generally considered the best planned city in the world. Its streets are clean, its avenues straight, its parks well maintained, and its public buildings majestic. For the upper classes, their city is a huge source of civic pride, but its detractors often consider Praxus to be "soulless".Rondhaven (Large Metropolis, 2,538,757):Much of this wealthy coastal city lies at or below the sea level. Its neighborhoods are protected by several dikes of titanic proportion. Rondhaven is considered to be relatively "liberal", as far as Flannish cities are concerned, and many artists and free thinkers flock here.
Svardholm (Large City, 430,383): This northern city-state is built on multiple small islands scattered along the coast. Svardholm is generally considered to be the last outpost of civilization before heading into the northern wastelands.
In the last decade, a popular (among the upper classes, at least) eugenics movement has influenced politics in the city council. People who get high marks on certain intelligence tests that every public official is required to take (though everyone can attempt them) are encouraged to have as many children as possible, and recieve generous cash bonuses for each child they have. The poor and unemployed, on the other hand, recieve a small sum of money if they allow themselves to be permanently sterilized through magic. The criminal and insane are automatically sterilized without their consent.
Torburg (Large Metropolis 2,167,529): This city seems to be determined to beat Rondhaven as the premier naval power among the Flannish cities. Its city council council has commissioned the creation of a fleet of merchantmen and warships that exceed any other ships ever built in sheer size. Whether these monstrosities will actually help Torburg achieve its goals is some matter of dispute, but all observers agree that the first finished ships are very impressive to behold.
Zuidenstadt (Metropolis, 1,852,798): This city was in a severe economic depression until recently, but a newly installed merchant council has changed that with its aggressive policies. Its forces have started to "protect strategic resources" in the vicinity and frequently engage in skirmishes with patrols from nearby cities. That the government of Zuidenstadt is said to be in negotiations with the League of Armach is the cause of no few concerns among the other Flannish cities.
Important Sites
Atalan Wall: This long structure, whose remains stretch from about 50 miles south of Svardholm on the coast of the Great Lake to the sea coast 100 miles south of Gorok-kar, once defended the Atalan Empire against northern barbarians. It is in a poor condition today, as lack of maintenance and the plunder of the stones for building materials have taken their toll. Some stretches of the wall are haunted by the ghosts of former Atalan soldiers.Regional History
In the distant past, the entire region was a mixture of lowlands, swamps, and forest sparsely inhabited by humanoids and human tribes. But in 180 NA, the Atalan Empire appeared on its southern boders, and started conquering and civilizing it. By 241 NA the last serious resistance to Atalan rule was vanquished, and the Empire divided the region into three provinces, which compromised the southwestern, southeastern, and the northern parts of the region. They then built the Atalan Wall to defend the provinces against raids by barbarians from the Norfjell Wastes, and apart from a few small skirmishes never expanded beyond it.This state of affairs continued for several centuries, but gradually the Atalan Empire crumbled from within. When the last provincial governor renounced all ties to the Empire in 654 NA and crowned himself kind of Darchester, it was a mere formality - the Emperor in Atalus was too far away and too weak to do anything more than protest. Now the three provinces became feudal kingdoms, with Darchester in the south west, Gelgen in the south east, and the Flannish Kingdom in the north. These soon splintered into small baronies, fiefdoms, and small, independent cities that continually warred with each other, despite a short attempt at unification by the Flannish King Hellweg III, who crowned himself the first Emperor of the Flannish Empire. He succeeded in conquering the entire region in 977 NA, but died seven years later without heirs - all heirs apparant had apparently met "tragical accidents" or been murdered outright. Thus, the Empire crumbled soon after it was created, though rumors of a "true heir to the Flannish throne" continue to be popular in certain circles even today.
The feudal system reached its moment of crisis with the invasion of Negroth the Doombringer in 1174. The various feudal lords were completely incapable of uniting in the face of a common threat, and indeed often used the invasion as a chance to stab their fellow nobles in the back. As a result, the Flannish kingdoms were soundly defeated at the Fields of Harrow, and even though the reign of Negroth ended two years later, the aristocrats were completely discredited in the eyes of the common people. Some nobles saw the writing on the wall and gave more and more of their powers to various citizens' councils, while other were forced to abdicate or even executed by angry mobs. This culminated in the "Liberation War", where the combined armies of Hogenrood, Holzau (now Grüngarten), Oldenheim, Torburg, and Zuidenstadt marched against the other regions where nobles were still in control. This war culminated in the partial destruction of Praxus, and ran out of steam when an elven army from Avareen conquered and occupied Holzau. The armies retreated, leaving only Bodenwald in the hands of nobles.
Thanks to the experiences from these wars, people were now much more concerned about external threats that old-fashioned armies wouldn't be able to handle, and the ancient techniques of constructing Nexus Towers became popular again. Old ones were repaired and improved, and new ones sprung up everywhere. The cities were expanded and fortified, while most smaller settlements vanished or were reduced to small supply depots. And in 1268 NA, all Flannish cities (now including Gorok-kar and Svardholm) signed the Treaty of Praxus, a self-defense pact that requires all Flannish Cities to cooperate in the face of an external threat.
Today, such concerns seem out of date. No enemies seem to threaten the prosperity and stablity of the Flannish Cities from without. Instead the cities have become increasingly competetive and hostile to each other, as they try to monopolize key resources and trade goods. And all the while, the cities themselves become more crowded, and full with poor, desperate people who have little to loose.
Adventuring in the Flannish Cities
While the Flannish cities are civilized, this doesn't mean that they are peaceful. Some merchant lord, noble, or other potentate is always scheming against his peers in other cities - or in the same city. While no giants stalk the land, and no dragon dares to fly openly within sight of a city-state, plenty of monsters remain that lurk in the spaces between the city-states - or within them. And while the rulers count their riches, some among the oppressed people in the slums whisper of revolution...Adventure Seeds
The Lumberjack Wars: Wood is a vital resouce for any city-state, and even more so for the coastal cities. Most easily accessible forests in the vincity of a city-state have been completely cut down by now, and as a result the shipbuilding industries have to search further abroad to continue to function.there have always been arguments and low-level conflicts about the ownership of useful forests. But now, with the new aggressive ship building efforts of Torburg, these conflicts are becoming more heated. Already there have been a series of skirmishes between the forces of Torburg and the neighboring cities of Dartmouth and Oldenburg, and many fear that worse is to come. All sides are hiring mercenaries and other agents to sabotage the other side's efforts to secure the most accessible forests.