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Harothar

Page history last edited by Gillian 2 years, 2 months ago

Harothar:

FrontPage

 

The Land of Harothar is a cold and mountainous place. Far to the north of Greenvale, this small nation touches the eastern seacoast only briefly. There the capitol is found, the city of Haroth. On the east, Haroth touches the eastern ocean, and on the west stretches as far as the Long Lake, a narrow glacial waterway that eventually drains southward into the ocean. The Tower Mountains and Secil Mountains are both found within its borders. (Miraborian Geography)

 

Harothar is populated by both dwarves and humans, and is a richly diverse cultural region. It is also a rough and tumble place, on the edge of goblin and orc lands, not far from Umade's Barrens. There are known to be giants and dragons in the mountains close outside the kingdom's borders.

 

The farmland of Harothar may be less fertile than that of Greenvale, but it’s a land of rich pastures and lush fields, with corn, oats, barley and wheat. Dairy farms, orchards and berry-brakes are common. But winters are long and harsh, and the growing season is short. Only the sea provides a bounty all winter long, and the winter sea storms are feared by even the most experienced sailors. Old mountains have been inhabited by dwarves for generations, and provide many places to dwell away from winter’s fury, but also many mouths to feed. Many dwarves leave Harothar as mercenaries to earn money for trade with southern realms in the form of grain and vegetables.

 

Harothar’s proximity to the Barrens on its south flank is its least beneficial feature. This magically blasted region is badly damaged, but has shown signs in the last hundred years or so that it may eventually recover. The Deadlands, one region within the Barrens, was once the site of a towering oak forest. Today, the Deadlands consists of three distinct subsections. The southern section was damaged most severely, and will therefore be the last to revive. Currently, the land is barren, except for some ant hills and scattered burdock. The middle section, however, shows more signs of life; milkweed and thistle have replaced the burdock, attracting butterflies, goldfinches, and wild rabbits. Chokeberry shrubs and tangled honeysuckles have spread over the hills and valleys, providing cover for wild chickens and deer. Badgers and wolves, lured by the smell of prey, are moving in and raising families. Since the northern edge was the most distant from the source of the blast, it shows most signs of renewal. New oaks are peeking through the soil, the seeds carried by the wind and dropped by squirrels and birds. Recovery, however, proceeds at a snail's pace. Few of these oaks have grown more than a foot or two, and the animal population remains low. It may be centuries before the forest returns to anything resembling its original glory, but it will return eventually.

 

The Barrens

 

Another long-term problem for the region is on the northern flank of the Kingdom. A land known as Gragash has always been home to orcs and ogres, trolls and giants. Even in 2nd Empire days, this northern end of the realm retained a reputation for producing unruly bands of humanoid raiders. Over the last several hundred years, as Harothar has grown, the folk who live there have had to beat off several waves of attempted invasion from this region. The last was perhaps fifty years ago.

 

Harothar is famed for its school of wizardry, and is known for producing many fine wizards who have become heroes and benefactors to the realm, but it also has a converse reputation for producing many less conscientious mages of ill-repute and even of evil. Many of these have tried to establish holdings in Harothar or on its flanks and command rulership of the region. So far, none have succeeded. However, the threat always lingers, and is taken quite seriously. In fact, in just the past few years, such a wizard, who called himself “The One”, was beaten and destroyed.

 

Weather

 

The weather in Harothar is pretty much like that in other cold-temperate areas of the world. Summers are comfortably warm but humid and short, and winters are bitterly cold. Most spring days are as warm only in the afternoons. Rain falls steadily throughout the growing season. Compared to inland regions the coastal lands are more humid and milder. Travelers may be shocked to discover the weather disparities between the cities and the surrounding countryside. Hardwood buildings and stone walls retain heat, so cities tend to be warmer than open fields. Because buildings block and redirect air currents, cities experience fewer strong winds. And dwarves, clever builders that they are, frequently design their streets and larger buildings as wind-blocks and heat traps. Heat from furnaces where mining activity is ongoing also helps warm many smaller towns.

 

Haroth:

Capital city of Harothar, this city is split between two sections. Each section is substatially a city of it's own, but both sections are firmly ruled by Prince Herru IV, the dwarven ruler of Harothar.

 

The port city, also known as Harothport, is a busy, crowded, rough and tumble place, filled with sailors and laborers, wealthy merchants and the occasional pirate. Smuggling is an art here, as are whaling and deep-sea fishing. The city is also famous for it's strawberry fields; green riverbanks which in the late spring are blanketed with sweet strawberries. Townsfolk stake out their claims to the banks, and feuds over gather-rights are common. Few of the strawberries or the jams and preserves made from them ever leave Harothar, as dwarves greatly love the flavor and pay highly for the fruit.

A mile or more inland from the port, Haroth-underhill can be found. This is the dwarven portion of the city. Topped by a sizeable defensive structure, this part of the city and the port are connected by a long stone road-wall that was constructed with an eye for defense. Above looms a protective fort where the road-wall descends into the city proper.

Haroth-underhill is about three times the size of Haroth-port; the total population of both is about 60,000. Haroth-Underhill consists of a smallish city aboveground, built in three concentric rings on the top of a steep hill. Centered on the hill is the Earthstone School of Mages, also known as "The Wizard's College". The focus of the second ring is the great gates at the end of the Roadwall to Harothport. These gates lead to Underhill proper. The rest of the ring is mostly small shops, craftsmen and the residences of those humans who prefer not to live Underhill. The third ring is mostly farms, pastureland, and cultivated woodlands. Low fieldstone walls separate the third ring from the forests and scattered villages of the surrounding hills. The second wall is granite, capped with small guard towers and gates. The innermost wall, surrounding Earthstone School and a collection of wealthy residences, is gleaming white marble from the nearby hills. 

 

The Earthstone school of mages - produces fine human and occasional dwarven wizards. They specialize in spells of the Alteration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Illusion and Transmutation schools. This school trains both apprentice wizards and provides facilities for adult wizards of greater skill to study and do research. There are at least 100 students, and as many staff and faculty. Their library rivals that in Candlekeep, with a focus on Harothan history and legend. The school is divided into six colleges, each led by a learned wizard-scholar. The Library is run by a seventh wizard; at this time a young woman named Cecily. It is rumored that she is by far the most powerful wizard at the school, but she looks and acts like a school teacher most of the time. 

 

 

Other Cities and Towns in Harothar:

 

 

Camberwell

a minor village a day's walk south of Harothport, on the main road from Greenvale.

 

Dralen

Medium city/large town on main route between Haroth and Kithalar (perhaps 2/3 of the way west). Lord Simon Skybolt is the human mayor, while Ral Claddsprekh is Captain of Fort Ulish nearby. It is half again the size of Malmhus

Ekirit

Edimal

Fort Alversh

North of Dralen by some miles, is both military fort and small town, off major trade routes.

Kithalar

Large city, western edge of Harothar, on the lake.

Kolpen 

(see notes in the Barrens)

Malmhus

 

Malmhus is a small military outpost on the northern flank of Harothar. It consists of a military base, a small contingent of civilian dwarves with direct familial links to the military residents, and a growing population of human farmers, merchants and pilgrims. Malmhus is about 1/3 "above ground", set into a hand-cut cleft in a steep mountainside, and 2/3 underground.

 

Places of Familiarity around Malmhus

Bekhus Hole:

A small set of caves within a few miles of Malmhus which seem to draw unsavory residents. Many stories of goblins, skeletons and other dangers are told, and some tales include treasures that were found as well; always small ones, but not bad for this area...

 

Brekart’s Tower:

A ruined tower, once home to an evil wizard who tried to take over the area some 15 years or so ago.

 

Gragash:

This land is a rough and wild place and is populated primarily with monstrous humanoids, such as orcs, goblins, ogres, trolls and evil giants. Every so often a leader will arise in Gragash who is able to briefly overcome the generally chaotic nature of the inhabitants and beat together an army with a plan. In such times there is war between Harothar and Gragash. While the might of such beings as trolls and giants enables the forces of Gragash to make inroads into the dwarven lands, the caliber of Harothan forces and the organizational skills of the leaders has always spelled defeat for the invaders. The fact that the Gragash warlords typically turn on each other in bids for power also makes Harothar’s task that much easier. After the last invasion Harothar constructed numerous forts on its border with Gragash and manned them with troops. Malmhus is one such fort, now grown into a small town.

 

Stone Hill:

Older than Brekart’s tower, this place has a more evil reputation. It lies some 15 miles south of Malmhus, and slightly to the east of the road. Many people think Stone Hill is haunted, and it is known that those who go to seek the treasure that could be buried there never return. It is said that two wizards once fought on the hill, blasting each other with lightnings until one was slain and the other fled. However, the huntsman Jadus is known to live on the west flank of the hill; this middle-aged human has never seemed to have any trouble with creatures more dangerous than occasional cave-rats, by all reports.

 

Druid’s Grove:

Valthos is not the only druid in the region of Malmhus, but he is certainly the most visible. He maintains a small grove of oak trees a mile south of town and only a few hundred yards west of the road. He can be found there most of the time between sunset (when his shop closes) and an hour after sunrise (when he returns to town). He tends the grove every day for several hours, and also lives in a small hut formed from the trunks and limbs of fallen trees. While it may not seem to be much shelter from the winter’s bitter cold, somehow he manages to survive.

 

Ontok

medium city/large town on main route between Haroth and Kithalar (about 1/3 of the way west)

 

Sekberg

Vittek

 

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