The Republic of Tallowsland:

“Growth and change are inevitable; or are they?”

Population 35,000; 40% human, 30% hobytlan, 20% half-elves and elves, 5% marchat, 4% half-orc, 1% mixed other (dwarves, lizard folk, grippli)

About 8,500 of Tallowsland's folk live in known villages and towns, while the rest live in scattered homesteads, hamlets, and as nomads. There may be as many as 5,000 more folk living unaccounted for in the region, in hidden settlements which have never "connected" with the known population.  More than half the human population are members of Woodsfolk tribes.

Ruler:

Tallow Tallowson, hobytlan fighter (L5/5). NG

Government:

Grand Mayor and elected council 

    Surrounding villages and towns send a representative to Tallowstown early each summer, and a council forms that remains until the first snows in fall. Twenty years ago, the council established a permanent charter, appointed Tallow Tallowson as Grand Mayor, and set itself up as the governing body of Tallowsland.

Important Towns and villages:

1. Tallowstown (becoming Tallaston in the local dialect), pop 2,500.

2. Windy-on-Naze, pop 950

3. Brasewing, pop 400

4. Old Bydon, pop 900

5. Brindenford, pop 1,100

6. Idibel Underhill, pop 650

7. Kentbywater, pop 400

8. Oswalddale, pop 550

9. Greenwing, pop 450

10. Asercha, pop 600

11. Dare’s Overlook, pop 1,200

Historic Outline and Current Events

Tallowsland is the most recently re-established settlement in 'Boria. It is loosely controlled by a hobyt named Tallow Tallowson. Tallowsland started as a small fortified inn and rest-stop at a convenient stopping place on the way to Irgirth and Avenvole from Greenvale. Many merchants and Shalani stopped there regularly. Over time a smithy, some permanent merchants and a small town grew up. When danger threatened from an Emerald Dragon in the dense forests, a band of adventurers saved the town and a few settled down there to stay. With this core of protection, Tallow, the Innkeeper, was able to establish a protective presence. Soon Tallowsland was drawing settlers. Several villages sprang up in the fertile river-valleys nearby. Walls were built around them, and around Tallowstown itself. More villages and towns have grown, with a small network of roads and farms between them.

In fact, some of these small towns and villages were already in existence in the area now known as Tallowsland. In 2nd Empire days, 400 and more years ago, Tallowsland was part of a principality famed for its wheat and cornfields, orchards, dairies and wineries. During and after the Fall, armies marched through these lands, looting, raiding and scavenging. Farms and towns were destroyed, and the populace fled or went into hiding. Several small kingdoms rose in the region, but none were strong enough to last more than a few decades. Ruins of forts and castles, wizard’s towers and battlefields are fairly common, found buried in the woods that have retaken most of the fields and meadows that the previous dwellers here had created.

Those few residents of that era who hid rather than fleeing or dying scratched out a hidden living as hunters and gatherers, as secretive farmers of tiny plots in woodland clearings, living in burrows, caves and in the trees. As Tallow and his town grew up, some grew confident enough to make their presence known. Others remain secretive, half-hidden and unknown to outsiders. About 1/3 of Tallowsland’s population are still mostly living a subsistence existence as hunter-gatherers. Mostly they are humans, half-orcs and marchats. Hidden villages are most often hobytlan and elvish.

Tallowsland is still young. It has only been populated for about 125 years, and could be destroyed by a determined foray of monsters, or by the actions of evil. Tallow Tallowson (Tallow the Second) is the acknowledged leader, but the official council is fractured between the various factions. The captain of the Yellow-cloaks or Sherrifs is his friend and assistant, and by pure force of personality, Tallow has maintained leadership of the small land. Unfortunately Tallow is growing old, and has no heir. What will happen to the fledgeling land when he dies is unclear. One faction that wishes to take control of the land is a band of adventurers, children of those who originally helped Tallow the First build his settlement. Their goals are personal power, expansion and settlement of the wild lands. They dominate several of the larger towns; one of their key golas is to increase the numbers of seats on the council of larger towns. Another faction seeking power is a group of Knights of Sir Richard of the Wold, of Safreth. Their goal would be to control the size of the small nation, and build it into a natural sanctuary. They would reduce or even eliminate the council and replace it with their own advisors – rangers, druids and knights of the Wold. A third group seems to wish to cut off contact with the outside world, becoming a hidden country in an effort to hide from the dangers "out there". They seem to favor dissolving the council entirely, retreating into each town or village for itself, and even dismantling the Sherrifs. This is the least organized faction, but it has great appeal to many of the Hobytlan who dwell here.

Long, long ago, perhaps as much as 6,000 years ago, Dwarves came here to Tallowsland. They dug deep and builded a large keep or even perhaps a city, known as Stoneseek, in a region south of what is now the village of Brindenford. Eventually, the dwarves rebelled against their evil ruler, Queen Ryssa, and left the region, abandoning their workings. Much later, a dragon named Metterak came to the region; this was during the time of the First Empire, when dragons were acknowledged as one of the "Intelligent Races". Metterak was known as the Prince of Dragons, and he ruled from deep within the dwarven ruins. They became known as Dragon's Delve. Eventually, Metterak apparently fell into a deep sleep within his fortress, and may still sleep there today.

Much later, Lord Saral came here with his followers. They plundered the dungeon, but were unable to destroy Metterak, at least according to legend. Licking their wounds, they retreated, but had attained such wealth that Lord Saral was able to make an attempt to wrest the region from the faltering control of the fading Second Empire. He failed, when the Emperor sent the Red Saint, an infamous doer of heroic deeds, to destroy him. Azassarah did not remain long in the region, himself, and soon the empire collapsed.

More recently, Duke Chordille arrived in the mostly wild region, and established his Duchy. All seemed well at first; he and Tallow of Tallaston became friendly. But over time it became apparent that the Duchess, if not the Duke himself, was corrupted by evil. Tallow turned to Prince Dellfer of Greenvale, and to the folk who were living in this region, Woodsfolk, hidden villages of hobytlan, and others, and begged them to unite, defeat evil before it could destroy them, and raze Chordille Keep. Thus evil was kept from winning a hold on Tallowsland in its very inception. But Dragon's Delve still lingers, a name and a place of ill-repute.

Geographic Points of Interest:

Dragon's Delve: Famous site of adventure in Tallowsland, this dungeon is perhaps the sole reason most adventurers have ever come to this small land. Certainly, the village of Brindenford owes its size and wealth to a combination of placement on the road between Tallowstown and Greenvale (Laston being the nearest town in Greenvale) and the dungeon of Dragon's Delve.

Lake of Tears: the southern coast of this lake is perfect country for growing grapes. However, winters on the lake are fierce, as the winds from the northern plains rip across the frozen water's surface.

Tallow's River: This navigable waterway runs from the heart of Tallowsland due south into the Westron River, which then flows west to eventually join the massive Fiaraven River. Trade between Greenvale and Tallowsland moves briskly up and down this river much of the year, stopping only in the few months when cold and heavy snow, sleet or ice disrupt travel.

Gar Lossian Forest: This dense old-oak forest lies between Greenvale's northwest border and the eastern border of Tallowsland. North lies the lake of tears. This forest is unclaimed as yet by either kingdom, and yet adventurous explorers, huntsmen and prospectors from both lands may sometimes be met here. This countryside once supported rich dairy farms, corn and grainfields, and was a prosperous, well-settled region in the days of both the First and Second Miraborian Empires. Ruins are found here in large numbers, and the limestone/granite rock foundation makes natural caves commonplace. Tribes of lesser goblinkind and other creatures dwell here in relative obscurity and with little violence or show of aggression unless threatened.