(Georic Gazetteer) The Almond Coast Circa 1150

The Almond Coast (aka, the Shires of Illyria)

Pantheon: Xellnic, with obvious Halfling deities.

Ruler:  Sherriff Orson of Illyria

Capital: Boldharvest

Other Cities: New Silvertop (Fullboots), Eastplace, Wolfhome.

Language: Halfling, Xellnic, Prythax

Flag/Emblem: Bushel of Wheat in a field of Red, Yellow, and Blue.

Coinage:  Readily accepts, Prythax, Xellnic, and Ispatlian standards.

Important Personas:  Theo Squinteye (mapmaker, scholar), Sabrina (human Minister of Magic in Illyria), Sabrinianus (military hero), Marcus Wheatfont (evangelizing cleric of Apollo), Kratus Berrycalm (athlete/warrior/trainer), Irina of Pannoia (Almond Coast representative to the Xellnic Council on Religion), Father Jerome of Pannoia

Alliances:  Preferred trading status with Koland and Danaan

Hostilities:  Emron and Ras-Prythax

Open Warfare/Skirmishing: Steady raids by Milosic

Intrigues: Prythax diplomats and agents attempting influence after years of Emron dominance, religious revivalism affecting local decision making.

Demi-Humans: Predominantly Halfling, Gnomes, Gnome Titans, few dwarves and orcish blood.  Recent influx of elvish blood.  Kobolds in Koland.

Magical Devices:  The Fourfold Diadem and the Ancient Stonestaff in Boldharvest.  Kol's Scepter and Ring of the Chameleon in Koland.  The Hin Tablets in Vengum

Thumnail Sketch:  The Almond Coast is not the name of a true region, it's not a kingdom, it's not a colony.  If you ask most nobility and any affluent adventurer, they will call it a "Holiday Destination."

The Almond Coast's northern border is shared by the ancient boundaries of Emron, follows a long, peaceful border with Ras-Prythas, turns south running along the wildlands of Milosic, and ultimately back west with Argivia.  It's true western border is its most famous one:  it's numerous beaches touch the Mer Adri, and lure thousands every year for it's landscape and leisure.  

It's the true interior of the region that feeds those visitors, and brings them back repeatedly.  There are ancient text dating back to early Khemmet and Parthian times detailing the excellent beaches and  hearty halfling cuisine.  Almonds dominate the menus, as the trees dominated the wilderness in the early days, and the halflings have done well nurturing and domesticating them into proper groves doting every village and shire.

Governmentally, the Almond Coast has been largely a confederation of the halfling shires, with a heavy weight of influence given to the Shire of Illyria, the largest shire.   As Illyria goes in trade and politics, so goes most of the other shires, and this theme has proved beneficial to the halflings for many years.  

Perhaps it's that the bucolic valleys are bordered by hills most goats would not dare tread.  Perhaps it's geographic location just far enough away from the capitals of most powers. Perhaps it's the close proximity to the Orc Leagues of Milosic,  Regardless, The Almond Coast has remained largely independent of human control.   That is not to say that human empires have not tried to sway influence for gold and protection.   The Shires held a lucrative trade agreement with the Ferasean Empire numerous times over its existence.  

Almond Trees With Ruins of the Would-Be Conquerors in the Background

For most commoner who have even heard of it, the Almond Coast is first a hideaway for the rich and powerful.  The second thing they confirm is the traumatic meteor striking the Halfling Lands, followed by stories of the orc and goblin tribes pouring in from Milosic.  The territory, however, has demonstrated some weakness to magical falling stars crashing from the heavens. 

Emron-Senzar War of the Wizards in the 1130s was catastrophic for both sides, with the burning of Remus, and the sinking of a number of prominent Senzar islands, but the Almond Coast shares a similar scar.  While never confirmed, it is assumed that the Senzar enclave sent a massive flaming ball from the heavens.  While most assume it was headed to Emron City proper, something, or someones sent it veering off-course, and it crashed into the Emron-Almond Coast border.  Tens of thousands perished by the impact, and if it were not wintertime, the layer of dust and earth thrown into the sky might have killed all the crops for hundreds of miles, causing famine and starvation. 

The humanoids from Milosic stormed in to seize the true center of the crater before the disaster had subsided, but were quickly met by an odd defender:  an army of Kobolds led by a Kobold Wizard, known simply as Kol.

Kol's occupation of the land only delayed Emron's seizure of large swaths of territory from the coast.  Principalities had lost considerable territory from the blast, with the entirety of Blackhill, save it's Prince, Volospin Nittledorn and a small contingent, who were away in battle.

The Wizard Occupation of the Almond Coast set up five new Principalites under allegiance to Emron. 

Blackhill was re-established just south of the crater, Prince Volospin marching into the halfling town of Fullboots and re-naming it New Silvertop.  

Prince Morteos Woszlany of Vlachia had ruled the Principality of Boldovia, before it was conquered by Mercadian Dwarves.  He still held considerable sway in court, and was granted the land of the Rambleton Shire.  Despite building Igorov Keep outside of Rambleton the town, all the Vlachian naming conventions he attempted to institute were never used outside the castle.

The area north of Boldharvest in Illyria was bequeathed with the wizardress Princess Carlotina Erewan of Agenmoor.  Unlike the other power-hungry wizards of Emron, Princess Caroltina was looking for a place to establish a new homestead for the elves of Agenmoor.  Leaving Boldharvest the true halfling capital, and allowing administration of the southern, less forested areas.  She was able to gain the trust of the halflings, and the elves were welcomed. 

In 1135 "King Kol XIV" was recognized as a peer by Emron and granted a formal Principality.  The heavy Kobold population angered many a halfling's old racial prejudices, but of all the new conquerors, the humanoids were willing to trade vital goods for much more gold. 

Finally Lady Dolores Hillsbury of Albion was granted lands boarding ancient Emron, the crater, and Ras-Prythax, naming it Fensglade.  She had been a tremendous asset during the Wizard's War, and assumed higher rolls than her age and station would normally allowed. 

So for ten years, the Princes (and Princesses) of Emron ruled most of the Almond Coast, until a series of Illyrian Halfling spies infilitrated Fensglade and discovered Princess Dolores as a Black Dragon, allied with the Drow, the Galmar Barbarians, and even the Master of Yarbay himself!  With a combined force of Kobold and Halfling commandos, the dragon was slain, and the influence of the Emron Princes nearly vaporized.   

Fensglade was reabsorbed into existing Principalities.  Prince Volospin and Prince Morteos have technically relinquished all control over their territories.  Both acting more like the stereotypical wizards in towers, and apparently enjoying it much more.  The folks in Fullboots have continued to used New Silvertop in Volospin's honor.  The halflings in Ramblewood still call Ramblewood... Ramblewood.   Morteos does not protest. 

Current Regional Government

Grainshire (Northern Shire)
Sherriff: Teuta Stumbletoe
Capital: New Silvertop
Other Towns: Pannoia, Grainshire

Rambleton (Northern Shire)
Sherriff: Caera Agron
Capital: Rambleton 

OtherTowns:  Patliatown

Illyria (Central Shire)

Sherriff: Orson of Illyria

Capital: Boldharvest

Other Towns: Eastplace

County of Erewan (Elvish Protectorate, north of Illyria)

Ruler: Princess Carlotina Erewan of Agenmoor

Capital: Erenyl  (3,500 elves)

Principality of Koland

Ruler: Prince Kol XIV
Capital: Blackstone Castle
Other Towns: Bigheart

Tereste (Southern Shire)

Sherriff: Euta Swiftfoot
Captial: Greenmarket
Other Towns:  Purelarder

Vengum (Southern Shire)

Sherriff: Valens Hogpen

Capital: Novi Sad

Other Towns: Wolfhome 

Places of Note: 

• The Famed Beaches

•  Kol's Crater - While the blast area is still recognizable, much of the land is covered in new vegetation.  The actual impact site seems to continue to evolve into something more twisted and tragic.

 

Religion: Halfling Mythos, although recent statues have a definitive Ispatlian flair of the Xellnic pantheon.

Mentions to the  Almond Coast in the Blog:

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #49 - Vanished!

GM Notes:  I formed the Almond Coast as an excuse to put a halfling land that wasn't a duplication of the Five Shires in Georic (that would be Stronghome).  It was an area of a fruitful breakfast and subject to the predilictions of the colonizing powers surrounding it.

While the original Hackmaster campaign was still in switch I entered the proper Glantri machinations from all the Poor Wizard's Almanacs, but never got to see them play out in campaign time.  With such a powerful neighbor to the north, there's no surprise that even an invasion after a meteor strike wouldn't force the Halflings to succumb to much.