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Antiphia Map
The Duchy of Antiphia
Most Tirgonians tend to think of Antiphia as
little more than a wilderness, a frigid icy waste of impassible
mountains, impenetrable forests and rocky wastelands inhabited by
hordes of vicious and warlike goblins and terrible monsters
out of legend. In truth, it is rough and raw place, largely
untamed and home to more than a few questionable
characters. But it also a land of rugged, self-sufficient
farmers, miners and freeholders who have managed to carve not just
a living out of the wilderness, but a home.
A History of Antiphia
Long ago, perhaps as long ago as -2000, the North
(including the valley now known as Antiphia, three great kingdoms
arose. The first was the realm of Azanārgud, the greatest
dwarf kingdom of old. Besides their great city, the dwarves
had many towns, holds and mines throughout the area. The
second was Arvaniel, the now-vanished realm of the elves, famous
for its learning, philosophy and beautiful art. The third
kingdom was Dulgakh, the "Iron Empire" of the orcs.
These kingdoms lived in mutual enmity and distrust, and many of
the great hatreds between elf, dwarf and orc hark back to the
maneuverings, alliances, betrayals and misunderstandings of those
ancient days.
Around the year 0, legends tell that Azanārgud
and Arvaniel fought a great war against Dulgakh, and managed to
destroy the orcish realm, but at great cost. Certain of the
elves, despairing of the great slaughter of their kinsmen, made a
terrible pact with dark powers to aid them in their war. The
war won, these demons came to collect their due. When the
elven kings refused the terrible price they demanded, the demons
unleashed their power on the fair lands of Arvaniel, slaughtering
and scattering the elves until their power lay in ruin more utter
than that of the orcs.
The dwarves escaped the slaughter of the demons,
but without the elves to trade with and to act as allies, their
power waned slowly for centuries, and the power of the orcs waxed
again. Though the Tigelion valley had been home to scattered
tribes of humans since time immemorial, they had wielded little
power, and were largely ignored by the great kingdoms. Now
their numbers grew appreciably, and they rivaled the orcs in
number and strength. The two races began a centuries-long
series of raids and wars which eventually resulted in the orcs
being driven east or into the mountains. The dominion of man
in the valley had begun.
In 1580, Conorrian legions marched into the land
then known as Alatun and established their last great province,
naming it Tirgonia. This was their high-water mark and the
northernmost extend of their conquest. But not far to the
north of their new provincial capital at Tirgon lay a swift and
wide river they called Tigelion, and it became the bulwark against
the warlike and hostile tribes of the north. Conorrian traders
explored the Tigelion valley, and while they were impressed with
the beauty of the place, it was sparsely populated and bore few
good which the Empire could not access more cheaply further
south. The great valley was left to the goblins, scattered
elves and the tribes of hill-men who made it their home.
After the Mage Wars split the Empire in two,
Tirgonia was the northernmost province of the Miletian Empire, and
the Miletians sorely needed raw materials, and began to
settle the valley in earnest, establishing Fortress Antiphia
(Far-away) on an island in the Tigelion in the year 2036.
After the Darothic invasions of the 23rd century
destroyed the Empire, and Darothic tyrants ruled the lands of the
south, Antiphia became a land of petty warlords and warring clans
which was to remain apart from the life of the south for three
hundred years. In 2539, the Bekanai hordes invaded both
Antiphia and the newly-proclaimed kingdom of Tirgonia.
Unable to defend themselves, Antiphia appealed for Tirgonian help,
and after the repulse of the Bekanai, became a subject territory
of the new nation.
In the first part of the current century, an
escaped Daeron slave and pit-fighter named Marcos Alphendri became
one of the most celebrated heroes in Tirgonian history. Over
the span of a few decades, he defeated a Daeron plot to
assassinate King Beolfred, led a Tirgonian fleet to victory over
an armada from the Mahadran Islands, and negotiated a peace with
the Skane. As a reward, he was named the first Duke of
Antiphia in 2730, and promptly set out to tame his new lands
through settlement, diplomacy and the sword.
In 2756, the Bekanai king was assassinated and
replaced with the warlike Hurgen Tasmarr. The Tasmarr clan
soon led the Bekanai to invade Tirgonia in an attempt to cut off
and seize Antiphia. Though checked at the river Tigelion,
the Bekanai army grew strong over the next few years, while
Tirgonia struggled with war on three fronts.
In the year 2760, two battles at Tigelion's
Crossings and Cold Landing resulted in great victory and terrible
tragedy, respectively. The Bekanai were turned back at
Tigelion's Crossings by an inferior force led by the Duke's own
household force, the Black Dragons. However, the Duke and
his three oldest sons were killed in battle with Ice trolls at
Cold Landing, and he was succeeded by his sixteen-year old
grandson Aethelstan.
In 2761, the Black Dragons failed to prevent the
assassination of young Aethelstan, by his uncle Kyerill, one of
Marcos' youngest sons. But they did manage to rescue
Aethelstan's twin brother, Morgan, who became the third Duke of
Antiphia. He is still Duke, though he is now forty years
old.
Geographic overview
The northernmost of Tirgonia's duchies, Antiphia
sits in the sheltered Tigelion valley, which covers more than
33,000 square miles. Bounded on the north by the
Finnathan mountains and on the south by the Eann Skye. But
the defining and central feature of the duchy is the great
Tigelion river which flows through its center. The river
drains the eastern uplands and flows swiftly west to the sea at
Mordecai.
The Finnathan mountains to the north are tall and
snow-capped all year. They are home to giants, orcs and cold
drakes. Despite their remote and dangerous nature, many
small villages dot the foothills and approaches, owing to the
abundant wealth of silver and iron to be mined there. Not a
few dwarves, descendants of the ancient kingdom of Azanārgud,
work these mines as their forefathers did, though they are
outnumbered by the human miners.
The Eann Skye mountains are uninhabited by man, at
least in Antiphia. This is because of the dense and
trackless Eann Skye forest which blankets its slopes and spreads
for hundreds of miles along its length. Though many
Antiphians make their living by cutting timber along the eaves of
the wood, the deep woods are home to many dangerous creatures,
including dragons, griffons and wild fey. The mountains
themselves are home to countless hordes of goblins who still raid
the lands of men almost every summer. It is thought that
somewhere in this trackless wilderness may lie one or more of the
ancient cities of lost Arvaniel.
The swift Tigelion river is dangerous for boats at
any time of year, particularly in the spring, when the runoff from
heavy snows turns it into a raging torrent that would smash any
boat to pieces. Thus, it is possible to cross the river only
at a few places. No bridges span the river, but at Tigelion's
Crossings, Ashford and the Tower of the Blue Knight, it is shallow
enough to ford; at Antiphia city, it is placid enough to
allow the passage of ferries
Points of Interest in the
Duchy
Tigelion's Crossings (Small
Town - pop. 1,170) This well-built town sits astride the most
important ford of the Tigelion river, and benefits from the
overland trading heading between Antiphia and the rest of Tirgonia.
It boasts a strongly fortified tower and a large round temple to
the god Fargalann. It is known as 'House Stormcrown', after
its founder, the priest Sagramore Stormcrown, whom the locals are
convinced was a saint assumed bodily into Heaven. Tigelion's
crossings was the site of a major Battle between the Bekanor and a
ragtag army led by the Black Dragons in 2760.
The Watchtowers - Two
sturdy Miletian towers, the Tower of the Blue Knight and the Tower
of the Wyvern, stand guard over the upper Tigelion. The Tower of
the Blue Knight is occupied by a force of Antiphian soldiers, but
the Tower of the Wyvern is home to a mysterious college of arcane
arts known as The Dreamthieves.
The Vale of the Sun Stones -
In the far northeast of the duchy, under the shadow of the
Finnathan mountains, stand five huge concentric circles of tall
gray monoliths, the largest almost half a mile across.
No one knows their meaning or origin, though many wizards suspect
that they are a portal of some sort.
The River Road - A
broad, well-built road runs beside the north bank of the Tigelion
from Tigelion's Crossings in the southwest to Thargelion in the in
northeast. A fortified tower sits beside the road every
fifteen miles for its entire 310 mile length. Each tower is manned
by a garrison of ten soldiers and is stocked with wood and oil to
light the large signal fires on their roofs. Travelers in
small parties may sleep in a straw-lined corner of the lower room
for 2 Commons per night. These towers are paid for by the
duke's taxes on guilds and adventurers.
The City of Antiphia
(Small City - pop. 8,900)
Built on an island in the midst
of the Tigelion, Antiphia is as much a fortress as a city.
At its heart lies the sturdy Miletian citadel now known as
Longspear Castle. The city has no walls, relying instead on
the broad moat of the Tigelion and its many watchtowers to protect it.
The buildings are primarily wooden, though the larger civic
structures such as the castle and cathedral are made of fine
Finnathan stone.
Home to nearly a quarter of the
population of the duchy, Antiphia is the center for trade and
skilled labor in the great valley. Its bustling streets hum
with the activity of grain, lumber and ore merchants, as well as
blacksmiths, silversmiths, armorers and shops and trades of all
kinds. All the tradesmen of the city are organized into
guilds, which pay a portion of their profits into the ducal
treasury.
Because of the duchy's great
number of monstrous humanoids and its proximity to so many warlike
and barbarous neighbors, and because of the growing wealth of its
silver mines, a great number of mercenaries and adventurers make
the northern city their home. By law, these must be
organized into companies licensed by the duke, who demands 15% of
their revenue (this is sometimes suspended for those companies
that perform missions at the direction of the duke).
Noted Taverns
The Old Tower - This
square, two-story edifice near the city center was once a
Miletian watchtower, and later a dungeon for the enemies of the
local baron. For the last hundred years it has served as
Antiphia's best-known tavern. The Old Tower is renowned for
boisterous carousing at all hours, dancing late into the night,
and for high-stakes games of chance held on the second
floor. The basement holds a fine assortment of wine and ale
imported from all over Tirgonia.
The Honest Lyre - Built
on the banks of the Tigelion, the Honest Lyre is a popular place
on summer nights, when the breeze on the large outdoor deck is a
welcome relief from the warm interiors of most taverns. This
tavern is famous for its baked fish, its mutton pies, and the
large number of famous bards who have played here. Although few
people know that the Honest Lyre was founded by Killian Keer, a
former Black Dragon, most
people in Antiphia know that it is still the favorite watering
hole of not only the Black Dragons but several mercenary and
adventuring bands, notably The Lion Rampant.
Boamund's Axe - Located
on Promontory Street, not far from the west gate, this hall built
of stone walls and sturdy oaken beams is known for its hearty
welcomes and its dwarven clientele. All are welcome, so long as
they can hold their ale and pay their tab. Outrageous
boasting contests are a favorite form of entertainment here, as
well as rowdy songs and the clanking of mugs. The proprietor
(Baldon, grandson of Boamund) brews his family's own recipe for
strong ale in the brewery next door.
Major Inns -
It is not unusual for merchant
caravans to form temporary encampments north of the city during
the summer months, and many poorer travelers do likewise.
But winter comes early and strong in Antiphia, and then, no one
stays outside who has any alternative.
House Ardens -
This fine inn on the Crescent is often called the best public
lodgings north of Tirgon. Fine copperwood is used on the
floors and furniture, while the walls boast a collection of
magical paintings by the artist Greenmoon. These moving
portraits each depict a different legend or allegorical tale over
the course of an hour or so. Safe, pleasant and private, the
guest rooms and private meeting rooms are a favorite with visiting
merchants and noblemen.
Juliadh's Inn - A popular boarding
house for mercenaries and travelers, this slightly seedy one-story
building includes a common room, private rooms and a small public
taproom. Juliadh is the now-retired halfling founder of the
inn. It is now run by her daughter, Priscia, a serious young
halfling who loves tales of faraway lands and times.
Points of Interest in the City-
Longspear Castle - This Miletian citadel is built of
enormous grey blocks of stone so closely set that no mortar or
joining was used in its construction. It is set upon a large
outcropping of rock and towers above the city. Siege
engines mounted upon its broad ramparts command the northern
approaches to the city and threaten all who cross the Tigelion
from that direction.
Black Dragon Tower - Adjacent to the castle stands a
single tower attached to a two-story stone villa. This is
the residence of the Black Dragons, elite guards in the
direct service of the duke. Few people have ever entered the
tower, but rumors about strange visitors and dangerous magics
abound. Since the murder in 2782 of all the known remaining
members of the famous band, no one now lives there. Adjacent
to this is a large, still pond. This is the site, locals
say, where the tower of the wizard known as Goro the Foul once
stood, and which suddenly vanished one day in 2764.
The Forum of Valterrafix - This wide open brick plaza is
now popularly used as a gathering place for public displays and
speeches. Before the founding of the city, this was the lair of
the evil and rapacious Valterrafix the Tyrant, a large and very
old beholder who held the Tigelion valley as its own
fiefdom. Slain on the spot in a titanic battle with Gold
Knights of the Miletian empire, the dying aberration cursed the
place so that no magic would ever again work there. No
arcane magic has any effect anywhere in the large plaza, though
divine magic works as normal.
The Undercity - It is widely known that below the
streets of Antiphia lies the ruin of an older city. It is
also widely known that this ruin is inhabited by dangerous
monsters and degenerate races who live only to harm those of the
surface world. Nearly all access to the Undercity is gained
through Antiphia's sewer system, and all known points of access
are strictly controlled by order of the Duke.
It is a well-known rumor that there are actually two cities
beneath Antiphia. The one, known as the Dwarf Delvings, is a
remnant of the time when Azanārgud ruled much
of the north, and is believed to contain hidden caches of dwarven
treasure left behind when the last dwarves abandoned the
city. Beneath that, says the rumor, lies a far older city of
inhuman strangeness, once inhabited by a race of serpent-men.
The People
There are several mercenary companies, adventuring bands and trading guilds that make their permanent home in
Antiphia. Some of these wield considerable political power in the duke's council. Chief among the mercenaries are the
Eagle Standard, The Iron Legion, The Knights of the Bright Spear and
The Lion Rampant. The chief adventuring bands are The Order of Explorers
and the Duke's elite Black Dragons. The chief trading guild is
The Seven Swords.
In addition, there is a small religious order of warriors in the town of
Thargelion, known as the Lance of Daria, and dedicated to the service of that goddess. In addition, the duchy fields a small, elite force of a few hundred soldiers, known as
The Shield of the North. Their exploits are legendary and their tactics are unorthodox.
Ambrosius Thegranos is captain
of the famous mercenary company known as The Knights of
the Bright Spear. Sir Ambrosius is a popular figure in
Antiphia, and the Knights of the Bright Spear are among the most
sought after mercenaries in Tirgonia.
Astinus is Shaydewraithe's son
and little is known about him. He is believed to have gone to live
in the Empire.
Dougal is the only remaining
wizard who apprenticed under the White Wizard. He is slightly mad,
but is a pyromancer of considerable power. He resides in a villa
on the southern shore of the island.
Exelred is the High Priest of
Thandor in Antiphia and is widely honored for his piety and faith.
Falros, Prince of the Grey Wood
is an elf who befriended Duke Marcos more than eighty years ago
and still lives in the city his friend founded. Falros is a master
of the bow and the lance, but is more likely to be found at his
great estate in the heart of the city than on the field of battle.
Garek, Baron of Rowan's Falls
is Duke Morgan's cousin, but has little interest in politics.
Gauhadhor the Cruel is an
ancient black dragon that lairs somewhere in the Eann Skye forest.
It has many spies and servants throughout Antiphia and Noharia and
seeks to dominate the entire North. It was an implacable foe of
the original Black Dragons before their downfall.
Harwood, Baron of Five Crowns
is the most powerful noble in Antiphia after Duke Morgan, and is a
vocal opponent of the Duke's in council. Many people believe that
Harwood desires to be Duke himself.
Hereward is the Captain of the
Shield of the North. Hereward is a wiry, bald man in his middle
forties. He is a firm supporter of Duke Morgan and a loyal
soldier.
Isembard is a the Guildmaster
of the Guild of Smiths.
Katrina is the Captain of the
Antiphian city guard. She wears an eyepatch from an old injury and
is in her late forties.
Kyerill is the fifth and
youngest of Marcos' sons and is Shaydewraithe's identical twin. He
is a powerful and evil sorcerer who has twice attempted to seize
the ducal throne, once resulting in the death of his nephew, Duke
Athelstan.
Liam Adanavar is captain of
the Lion Rampant mercenary company and one of the hottest hotheads
in all of Antiphia. A known brawler and a casual killer, it is
only the importance of his company that has kept Liam alive and
out of jail.
Meggarius Talonar is the
richest man in Antiphia. Head of the Seven Swords merchant
company, Meggarius lives in a fine mansion on Eredan Hill. While
not actually a greedy man, he is the undisputed master of all
trade in the duchy.
Mekros is the son of Kyerill,
and so Duke Morgan's cousin. He is believed to be a sorcerer and
his father's chief lieutenant.
Meran is the High Priest of
Borlmanos and one of Duke Morgan's advisors. Aged and
infirm, he is concerned for the recovery of the lost knowledge of
the ancient kingdoms that once flourished in the area and has
sponsored many expeditions to recover rumored caches of such
treasure.
Moira Ravenhair is the Captain
of the Iron Legion, and one of the best swordsmen in Antiphia. She
is always accompanied by a mute Harkorian servant.
Morgan, The current
Duke of Antiphia. Son of Auran and grandson of Marcos, Morgan
assumed the throne in 2762, after his brother Athelstan was
assassinated. He is an intelligent and well-liked leader. He has
furthered the alliance his father created between Antiphian and
Skane, and has generally kept the peace.
Orontes, Bishop of Agaleus is
a loud, brash and boorish man. Nonetheless, his position makes him
one of the most feared and powerful men in Antiphia.
Rhiannon is Auran's only
daughter and Duke Morgan's sister. She is married to Otho, the
Prince of the Skane, but returns often to the land of her
youth. She is a patron of the arts and letters.
Shaydewraithe is the mage-name
of Latherum Alphendri, fourth son of Duke Marcos and uncle to Duke
Morgan. Shaydewraithe is an enigma, only rarely seen in Antiphia.
It is said that some dark fate hangs over him from his long-ago
days as an adventurer.
Sylvia is the High Priestess
of Selene. She stands aloof from politics.
Ysgarll, Eater of Souls is a
foul creature of nightmares. The evil illithid is Gauhadhor's
chief servant, and the great enemy of Duke Morgan and his Black
Dragons.
Characters of Historical Interest:
Aarias was one of the White
Wizard's apprentices. He was head of the College of Corporeal
Sorcery in Antiphia. He disappeared with the White Wizard.
Athelstan was Auran's oldest
son. He was briefly duke of Antiphia between 2760 and his death by
assassination in 2762.
Auran was the oldest son of
Duke Marcos, and founder of the Black Dragons. He was killed in
2760 at the battle of Cold Landing. He was father to Dukes
Athelstan and Morgan..
Coriannus was one of the White
Wizard's apprentices. He was head of the College of Conjuration
for all of Tirgonia. An avid collector of butterflies. He carried
the fabled Staff of Morbius. He disappeared with the
White Wizard.
Galais was Marcos' second son.
He died in 2749 during an hunting accident.
Killian Keer was a former
Black Dragon, now in his sixties and owner of The Honest Lyre,
a popular tavern. He disappeared five years ago and is
thought to be dead.
Marcos, The original duke of
Antiphia. Known as The Iron Duke, he was the son of a Sothwall
peasant. Taken by Daeron raiders at the age of twelve, he became a
successful pit fighter and eventually escaped from Daerond. After
a life of adventure, he became a friend of King Aramayne's and
eventually won the right to settle the Tigelion Valley as a full
duchy. His sword was the famous Adraga.
He was killed at Cold Landing in 2760.
Melchian the White Wizard was
Marcos' chief advisor. He was a master of cold magics and a figure
of mysterious power. He and most of his apprentices vanished
without a trace in the winter of 2761.
Snowmane was the White
Wizard's only female apprentice. Chief among Antiphia's diviners,
and one the Black Dragons' best allies, she was murdered by the
undead knight of Caer Thorne, merely to get their attention.
Tranthel was Duke Marcos'
second son and commander of the mercenary band known as The
Iron Legion. Tranthel disappeared and was presumed dead at
Cold Landing in 2760.
Wendigo was one of the White
Wizard's apprentices and a powerful Skane Mage. He died defending
the Black Dragons from a demon.
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