Capital:
none
Population: unknown
Government: none
Religions: none
Imports: none
Exports: none
The wild lands of Haladhor lurk along the sparsely-inhabited
northern frontier of the Empire, laying between the Worldspine and
Edgemoor mountains. Its many hills and dells are the haunt of
trolls, ogres and half-remembered monsters. Its civilized
settlements consist of fortified human and dwarven mining camps,
generally along the southern and eastern borders or along the
lower reaches of the Phaedon river.
Haladhor is the demesne of several dragons. The troll clans
fear them and propitiate them with offerings, while the humans and
dwarves do their best to avoid them altogether. Some believe that
the dragons prefer the area because of its rugged remoteness,
while others theorize that the ancient ruins of Iridian,
Numanthaur and Conorria which fascinate the great beasts.
HISTORY
The first Conorrian records of Haladhor show it to have been
little different than it is now, a wild place of rugged woodlands,
but inhabited semi-civilized tribes of men who acknowledged the
King of the High Forest as their overlord. These tribes were
conquered by the Conorrians in the fifth and sixth centuries,
eventually becoming the province of Haladhor, best known for its
hardy spearmen and fiery music.
Though the Mage Wars did not devastate Haladhor as they did
some provinces, the loss of Conorrian authority nonetheless caused
the government of the province to collapse. In just over a
century, the legions had pulled back before the rising tide of
orcs and ogres that pressed in from the mountains. The men and
dwarves of Haladhor were on their own.
The Kingdom of Haladhor lasted for little more than another
century, but during its time, it was a source of great legends.
The battles of the warlord Garold and his knights to secure the
kingdom’s borders, the quest of those knights to find the Torc
of Gold, the death of Perrian, the last king, who fell in battle
with the dragon Deadmoon, these are all now the stuff of legends
throughout Vatheria.
After the death of Perrian and the civil war that followed, the
kingdom broke up into petty fiefdoms which faded into the mists of
history, or fell before the fire and steel of orc tribes. All that
is now left of the valiant and short-lived Kingdom of Haladhor are
the ruins of a few old castles and abbeys.
MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS
Morreiontown (Town; population 1,690) - Southernmost and
largest of all the human dwellings in Haladhor, Morreiontown
stands at the confluence of the Phaedon and Edruin rivers. A
water-filled dike and wooden palisade protect it from the north.
Trappers, miners and hunters visit the town regularly, as do
traders from the Empire, Dhûnazhar and Brythnia. It is a place to
pick up supplies and guides, and is generally considered the last
outpost of civilization.
Nementhar’s Hold (Village; population 540) - Three
hundred miles up the Phaedon from Morreiontown, less than a day
from the eaves of the High Forest lies the fortified village of
Nementhar’s Hold. Built on a solid outcropping of rock
overlooking the Phaedon valley, the village supports a community
of hardy miners who seek their fortunes looking for gold and
silver. The village has come under increasing pressure from clans
of ogres in recent years.
Zhurandor (Village; population unknown) - Far from
civilization and deep in the remote Haladh valley lies the dwarven
settlement of Zhurandor. Dwarves from Dhûnazhar arrived here two
centuries ago, seeking a rich source of metals. Zhurandor has rich
veins of metals, indeed, but is also beset by trolls, wyverns and
worse. The dwarves of Zhurandor have not been heard from in years.
IMPORTANT LOCAL SITES
The Phaedon River - The great river of the west-central
empire begins in the depths of the High Forest and flows through
Haladhor, marking its southern borders. The river is navigable
over most of its course, and though broad, is rarely swift.
Nonetheless, few now travel it north of Morreiontown for fear of
the river spirits said to entice men to their deaths with their
enchanted songs.
Ganelon - Capital of the lost kingdom of Haladhor,
Ganelon was burned and abandoned in the wars following the death
of King Perrian. But during its brief heyday, Ganelon was a center
of learning and culture and was famed for its beauty. Now it lies
in ruins, its walls covered in moss and its temples crumbled
beyond recognition. But here too is the gloomy lair of the dragon
Scaladon the Black, whose very gaze is rumored to drive men mad
with fear.
The Ruarnath - Atop a high hill overlooking the Phaedon
stands an ancient, shattered temple of pale marble. Its
once-magnificent pillars now lie in ruins across the hillside and
its marble has largely been carted away. But there remains at the
center of the temple a high throne, plain and unadorned. Most who
approach this weathered seat sense nothing unusual, but some say
that they can feel a presence, a sense of expectation. Some who
have sat upon the Ruarnath have claimed to see visions of distant
places, or of the future. Still others have been healed of
grievous and permanent injuries. Mostly, no one comes to this
forgotten place anymore, since the area has become a haven for
Stone Trolls. |
