Near Lands
In the time of Haro I, careful negotiation and diplomacy formed a continental trade agreement, known in Michian as the Pax Mortalis. There have been periods in the subsequent centuries, where the free flowing of trade has meant that travellers have required little more than some basic paperwork to visit and trade in lands not their own. Sadly, as history too often recounts, peace is so very often simply the time after the last war when you’re busily preparing for the next one…
- Cleo of Fiona, A History of the Continental Trade Agreement (2001 A.T.)
Recent history has been marked by remarkable occurrences taking place in the town of Yorik in Harodom, and Scarsinvale, an area once in Harodom, now part of the no-man’s-land between Harodom and Eldersire known as the Broken Reach. Following the conclusion of the troubles of the town of Yorik, new issues have begun to emerge in a new, as-yet unnamed settlement near the banks of the Ire.
These lands, and the other lands and territories surrounding the Lakes Region, are frequently the sources of adventures. Harodom, Eldersire, and the Broken Reach are just a few of the lands in this region, and this document will briefly touch on these and several others. Other documents in this wiki will go into more detail about each.
Harodom (Human)
The Kingdom of Harodom was founded by king Haro the First in 1705 A.T., bringing together several independent lands in an initially fragile agreement, wherein they would acknowledge the primacy of the throne in Hoggsport, and would become the Duchies of Harodom. The Duchies of Gelrich, Dwadain, and O’Shea make up modern-day Harodom, with the Duchy of Portnos having been broken off during the recent war with the neighbouring country of Eldersire. Harodom is a human kingdom, with a feudal monarchy that is rapidly becoming more egalitarian.
Harodom’s current king is King Francis Alexander Haro, who has enacted sweeping social changes following his coronation. Under King Francis Alexander, slavery has been outlawed in its entirety within Harodom, with serfdom slowly being phased out. As well, while primarily a human kingdom, Harodom has become more egalitarian. Humans still remain the dominant socio-economic species, but merchant traders, travellers, refugees, and people seeking lives of peace or adventure have come to lend their hand to the “Harodonian Experiment”.
The tongue spoken in Harodom has become the common trade tongue in the Lakes Region, and most every traveller through the area can speak it with some fluency. Harodom is famous for its mines and rich farms, both of which have historically made its armies strong and some of its people very affluent indeed.
The Broken Reach
The majority of the lands currently known as the Broken Reach were once a part of Harodom, with some lands once held by Eldersire making up the balance. Wracked first by war, and then by natural – or supernatural – disasters, the Broken Reach is by treaty a no-man’s land between the two belligerent nations, declared so by the Treaty of Sashkissed (2018). The dead of the war that were not able to be repatriated have proven ample fodder for those necromantic forces that the earthquakes and opportunistic treasure hunters have unearthed.
Still, given an opportunity, no matter how dangerous, people will attempt to make a living on unclaimed land. Forces in the Reach include The Barony, a large, militaristic nation that has claimed several of the more intact towns from what was once Portnos, the River Traders, who make their living moving goods in and out of this dangerous region, and the town of Scarsinvale, where adventurers and refugees from the dwarven hold of Hammerfrost gathered and formed a budding nation-state.
Eldersire (Elf)
A nation of elves, it is not quite accurate to dub Eldersire a ‘kingdom’ – rather, Eldersire is composed of a collection of city-states, with a governing council that determines the League’s international standing, as well as league-wide domestic affairs. These positions are elected, but only those possessed of high status are allowed to participate in these elections.
Eldersire’s primary faith is Apenca, although Sasha is well represented among the various cities in the League, as Eldersire is the current home of the Guild Arcane. The Guild, as well as Eldersire’s leadership, are much diminished following a multi-year, costly war with neighbouring Harodom, started by a border dispute, and ended only after much loss of life and materiel. Although Eldersire nationals may travel freely to Harodom, different city-states within the League have varying views on Harodonians visiting in return.
Michian (Human)
The empire of Michian is a close neighbour and recently valued ally of Harodom. The core of Michian is the rule of law, with worship of Brack the Lawbringer as the state religion. The empire has several provinces, each reporting to the Imperial Throne, and while the representatives of these provinces within the Imperial Senate are not given carte blanche to rule without oversight from the Imperial Manse, it is with the guidance of these senators that law is made and maintained within the Empire.
The war between Michian and Harodom began in 2007, and ended with the appearance of a mighty demon that routed the Michian centurion forces. Michian was briefly absorbed into Harodom as ‘New Harodom’, but was returned to its status as an independent nation following the conflict with a nation known as Estovic, with Harodom no longer able to maintain enough troop presence to occupy Michian. A political wedding between the Royal Family of Harodom and the Imperial Family of Michian has led to a stable and positive alliance ever since.
Michian is a predominantly human nation, and maintains fairly strict immigration and border policies.
Hammerfrost Hold (Dwarf)
With the explosive growth of the Broken Reach, Hammerfrost Hold no longer borders Harodom. Nevertheless, Hammerfrost dwarves can be found throughout the Lakes Region, as Hammerfrost Hold has fallen, as recently as 2019. Undead, springing up from the Hold’s cavernous necropolis and catacombs, overcame the Hold’s main defences at the incitement of a powerful revenant claiming to be a long-forgotten king of the Hold.
While many dwarves now hold the Hold under siege, and the efforts of a dwarven paragon known as the Frostbreaker have broken the legendary Walls of Hammerfrost, the war to retake the hold is ongoing, and supplies head north from everywhere that Hammerfrost dwarves have made their home to support the siege camps. After all – the living still need food, drink, and some measures of comfort, the better to maintain their vigil.
In times of peace, Hammerfrost was marked with skilled craftspeople, and peopled predominantly by dwarves. As many warriors from different lands have contributed to the efforts to retake one of the last great Dwarven Holds in this part of the world, what the culture of the Hold will look like if dwarven primacy is re-established is – to date – anyone’s guess.
Splishenfellow (Gnome)
The gnomes of Splishenfellow tend to be curious and thoughtful, with – as some gnomes might say – a healthy measure of anarchic tendencies just to keep things interesting. Their government is a constitutional monarchy, with the throne creating a House of Commons to complement the existing aristocratic House of Lords. Those with a healthy interest in Splishenfellowegian politics suggest that the country is constantly on the brink of internecine conflict, as these two bodies vie for political advantage and control, all the while watched by a bemused royal family. Many gnomes suggest that gnomish politics have always Been Like That, and that what some describe as civil war in the offing is just how a group of sufficiently dedicated political leaders express themselves passionately.
Splishenfellow, though a part of the Continental Trade Agreement, refuses to be bound by the limitations on trade of restricted or prohibited alchemical or herbal mixtures, leading to friction with some of its neighbours. Merchants who wish to do business with the surrounding nations will often toe the line, but may seek any opportunity to creatively achieve a state with fewer limitations on their business.
Splishenfellow has a significant population of non-citizens living within its borders, for while the gnomes are far from workshy, they tend to lack the fortitude of some of their more robust neighbours. Mercenary companies within Splishenfellow benefit from the study and insight of gnomish commanders, and the muscle of orcish, minotaur, and human warriors more than prepared to follow a clever command when they hear one.
Deepwood (Elf*)
The ancient forests of Deepwood have been home to elves for much of recorded history: the University of Deepwood is the home to the original Guild Arcane, and dates back over twelve centuries. Sages and scholars that have emerged from this land have reviewed records held in trust by the University that go back further still, and it is believed that the seat of power in Deepwood, the city of Darkwood, holds within it a Golden Age artifact of some considerable power, which has helped to ensure that, though battered, these elven lands have never truly become extinct.
Unfortunately, this legendary power has utterly failed to keep Deepwood safe from conquering armies or occupation. The Age of Blood (1135 A.T.) began by the sack of the University, by D’shunn forces. Centuries later, the elven Twins, Sarna and Tivolous, made themselves known as they raised the catacombs of Darkwood to overtake the city with infernal and undead forces. As recently as the last twenty years, the Darkwood crusades have tried and failed to expel a large infernal presence that has lingered in the eponymous dark woods, and as the crusaders were forced out, the infernals took hold of the government.
The official elven government of Deepwood, including the majority of the royal and aristocratic lines, now form a government in exile in Eldersire. In Deepwood, there is a parliament of infernals, with powerful otherworldly beings in nominal reign over the cities and provinces of the ancient nation. What the infernals want with Deepwood is undetermined, but neighbouring cities have embargoed the country for alchemical and herbal products, allowing only foodstuffs, clothing, and similar staple wares to be sent to the occupied country.
Ang Gijak (Orc)
The orcish lands held under the banner of Ang Gijak are not a nation as such, but a grouping of principalities. Each village chooses its leadership separately, using judgments that best reflect that village’s interests. Frequently beset by great beasts from the hinterlands, raiding parties, and the constant threat of war, many villages are led by strong warriors – but while the stereotype of orcs is that strength is held in the body, Lor’Kan and Ang Val have both traditionally elevated those who can rally the most to their banner – the strength of the force not in the arms of the one, but in the arms of those that they can lead.
Many of the Gijak orcs revere Hemulis, either for being a mighty warrior, or a cunning hero, but this is not an exclusive faith within Ang Gijak. Recently, there has been an uptick of Gijak traders reaching positions of prominence, and thus the faith of Marius has risen greatly in stock. Orcish Clovites are also commonly found along the Gijak faithful, most notably where the banner lands border the Broken Reach. Gijak scouts have reported no end of strange creatures in the plagued lands of the Reach, and stand fast at their borders, to ensure that their lands remain secure. The Dust Strewn Gijak orcs are feared and respected, but do little to ingratiate themselves – as powerful necromancers, sorcerers or priests of Stasa, the Dust Strewn are without permanent village, and when they arrive, they are often given whatever they need, with the understanding that they should soon move on.
Militant factions from Ang Gijak have come to the aid of Harodom in past, during the war with Estovic. This relationship has deteriorated since the war ended, as Harodom, cash-strapped and rebuilding, had little with which to pay the requested fee for this aid.
Sorr Bukra (Orc)
Sorr Bukra has been a traditional enemy of Harodom for lo these many years, and though this has rarely led to more than a border squabble in the past fifty years, there are many in Harodom who have fixed in their mind the flag of Sorr Bukra as a banner that spells disaster at the hands of powerful, militant forces. Sorr Bukra raiders have been known to pillage underprotected farms in years when the hard-to-work lands that are held under the Sorr Bukra banner have proven particularly parsimonious with crop output.
With longstanding grudges against Harodom, Hammerfrost, the dwarven Bog Raker Clan, and the elves of Eldersire, it is understandable that some orcs seeking a better life have settled in Dwawain in Harodom. Although their nation’s history has made it difficult for these orcs to integrate, Harodom’s recent wars with Eldersire, Estovic, and Michian have meant that their strength has been much in demand if they seek work as mercenaries.
Portnos (Human)
Until the Eldersire war, Portnos was one of the high duchies of Harodom. Famed for its Great College, Portnos was hammered during the conflict with the raiders from Estovic, and then suffered further indignity when highly placed aristocrats refused to war against their long-standing neighbours to the east during the war with Eldersire. With the Breaking of the Reach, and soured ties with Hoggsport, Portnos declared itself independent of the nation of Harodom at the end of the war, giving up much of the land that had fallen in the Breaking, and instead keeping only those lands that the Ducal Guard could maintain control over.
There are many Harodonian citizens who resent Portnos for their lack of support during the most recent war, especially within the duchy of O’Shea, whose forces were hoping for relief from their longtime neighbours. Still, those who grew up in the duchy of Portnos are afforded passports to travel back and forth from the city-state, and have largely been able to choose which nation is truly their home. Portnos’ cadre of traders and craftspeople have many goods still much in demand in the remaining lands of Harodom, and if they are pricier than they once were, their rarity is outshone by their quality.
Authored by: Andrew Dunlop
Fantasy Alive Lore Team 2026
Copyright © Endless Adventures Ontario