Back to Terenor
The Devarin river Valley: Climate varies greatly from place to place within the watershed. Elevation ranges from sea level at the river mouth to more than 14,000 feet (4,300 m) in the mountains, and temperatures vary with elevation. The highest peak is Wyvern Tor, at 14,411 feet (4,392 m). High elevations have cold winters and short cool summers; interior regions are subject to great temperature variability and severe droughts. Over some of the watershed, especially west of the Epee Mountains, precipitation maximums occur in winter, when Pacific storms come ashore. Atmospheric conditions block the flow of moisture in summer, which is generally dry except for occasional thunderstorms in the interior. In some of the eastern parts of the watershed, especially shrub-steppe regions with Continental climate patterns, precipitation maximums occur in early summer. Annual precipitation varies from more than 100 inches (250 cm) a year in the Epees to less than 8 inches (20 cm) in the interior. Much of the watershed gets less than 12 inches (30 cm) a year.
The Devarin river valley is the home of two Earldoms; Duhomel and Guyonne and five baronies; Helvenblade, Le Pau, Auxerre, Nevers and Cahors. To the west of the Epee mountains, Trier (and Trier City) is an Earldom that runs along the Devarin River and up the coast, and Rundreth is a barony (and town) that bridges the Southern Epee Pass, through which the river and main highroad travel. Arbor is the baronial seat of the barony of Montcliffe, to the east of Rundreth.
Adventuring in the Devarin River Valley: the Devarin river valley is a large area, well-settled but still less dominated by demi-humankind than the eastern coastal regions of Terenor. The largest towns are Belliard, capitol of the Earldom of Duhomel, and Ouestpont, capitol of the Earldom of Guyonne. Tresverett is the capitol of Cahors Barony, and is smaller than Ouestpont. The whole region is also well-known for the presence of a number of elemental cults, which date back to pre-Terenor history. They are Rivergard Keep, Feathergale Spire, Sacred Stone Monastery, and Scarlet Moon Hall. The town of Vergue is the largest baronial seat of the barony of Le Pau.
Dwarven Kingdom of Dremovik: the dwarves claim a small surface area of land between Wyvern Tor and the Silver Peak, to the west of the Devarin River valley. The dwarves once ruled the whole region, some 700 or more years ago, until their empire collapsed for reasons few humans know, although it may have had to do with turning to evil worship, or perhaps just greed and sloth. Now, these dwarves are seeking to reclaim some of their old lands and passsages. They returned here about 100 years ago, and are busily refortifying their realm. A few adventuring dwarves leave Dremovik now and again, to explore and seek out old ruins and legends of their fallen kin.
Politics and the War in the Devarin River Valley: The Earldom of Duhomel was on the side of Prince Leonard, the Pretender. Since the Enfant is back in the hands of his supporters, Earl Duhomel's power was failing. And then, just recently, both a band of Stone Giants, and a Red Dragon, possibly in alliance, attacked the city of Belliard and the Earl's castle. Some rumors claim that the Earl kidnapped one of the Dragon's Eggs, and other stories say that the Giants were seeking revenge for the 100 year old murder of one of their kin. Why they chose to attack now is unclear, but the results have been devastating. The castle was destroyed, a third of the city was either burned or bombarded, and hundreds of people were slain. And now the Giant King has taken up residence in the castle ruins!
The Earl of Guyonne is firmly on the side of the Enfant - Prince Josselin IV - but he spends his time mostly in the capitol, and has not been in Guyonne for over a year at this time. Since the baby Prince Josselin has been rescued from his cousin, Prince Leonard, and is soon to be crowned, Guyonne's position has been secure, and his importance in the west is on the rise. While there have been border skirmishes with Earl Duhomel, there have been few outright battles in the area, and not in the past six months.
The city of Oestpont is the capitol of the Earldom of Guyonne. This largish city sits on the eastern fork of the Devarin River, called the Serene. A canal connects the Serene River to another branch of the Devarin, called the Goldwater, or the Rivier d'Or, which then flows south past Champ d'Or Monastery. Oestpont has a population of about 10,000 people; 80% are human. Most of the rest are hobbyts, half-elves, elves, dwarves, and half-orcs, in descending order.
The Earl manages Guyonne with the help of a city council of 8 appointed officials and a Mayor. He also appoints a Captain of the Watch, a Firewarden, and the Captain of the Riverwatch.
Ouestpont is located on the Serene River. The Earl, Somerset Faron, is an older man, highly regarded as a good and successful ruler. His heir is his eldest son Gilmar Faron, who is perhaps a bit less well-liked than his father, and is known for his sternness and prowess in battle. The Earl's granddaughter Leandra and her two younger brothers live here in Ouestpont with their mother Lady Adrienne, the wife of Gilmar Faron. Gilmar divides his time between waiting on his father in Nordforet and his wife in Ouestpont.
The Earl's Seneschal is Pierre-Antoine Gaudreau – he's sweet on Kristana. His duties lie in managing every part of the Earl's holdings that fall outside the city of Ouestpont.
Stats:
3,500 structures – 125 acres – this city is loose and sprawling, low-density except in the poorest areas
Gold Piece Limit:15,000.00
Wealth:5,268,000.00
Income for Lord(s)/King(s):26,340.00
Magic Resources:526,800.00
Ouestpont has 5 Major Guilds, including the Marble Cutters, Dairymen, Wool Merchants, Grain Merchants, and the Watermen.
Power is carefully balanced between the Guilds, the Temples (there are large temples to both Safreth and Sithlar in town), and the Earl's Watchmen. There are also several Knightly orders, and a half-dozen small cults. The Thieves' guild is also a factor. The guild is run by Raoul. He has recently married Kristahna. He has the Watermen firmly in his pocket, and has recently become a member of the Wool Merchant's Guild.
Places of Interest to the PCs:
Commercial (Green) district
Inns: there are 2 inns in the Commercial Neighborhood.
Leaky Roof Inn. Ouestpont’s busiest and rowdiest establishment. A copper gets you a place on the floor of the upstairs common room, whose roof is the source of the inn’s name. Travelers favor the inn, mainly for the cheap, but hearty fare. A copper gets you a plate of stew, a chunk of bread or a mug of dark ale.
Clocktower Inn. Situated on the same main plaza of the town’s most profitable businesses and the town hall, this is a place where men and women of influence discuss politics and the issues of the day and deals are made. Food and drink are of the finest quality, and cost accordingly. PCs stayed here. Raoul heads his guild from this Inn, and the innkeeper is a partner/friend of his.
Government (blue)
The King's Ravens:messengers who serve across the Kingdom of Terenor, these black-cloaked riders are found stationed in small keeps around the kingdom, in nearly every Earldom or Barony and in any town of over 1,500 people. They hold themselves aloof from the current political dispute over the kingdom's rulership, claiming to be loyal to the country, not the ruler. They carry messages for a small fee (3 cp per day's ride), and guarantee delivery to Nordforet from here in about two weeks time (their fee is 4.5 silver deniers). The local representative is Giselle Solvier, a silver-haired woman of considerable age, proud and professional and very direct.
Skygate Observatory: the Observatory is home to a dozen or so mages who call themselves “Celestial” mages, and who study the night sky. They claim Khutaba and Talaia (god of the sky and goddess of knowledge) as their patrons. Their spokesman in the community is Corneille Gain, a human man of about 50, white-bearded and patriarchal in attitude. He is not the leader of the group, though – that is Hugon the Elder – a half-elf of great age who rarely appears in public, but who rules his fellows with a sure, steady hand. His goals seem to be to keep the group disengaged from local politics, and to gain knowledge of the older days, as well as to study the sky for portents and knowledge.
Helvenblade Hall: this estate, village and surrounding farms form the Barony of Helvenblade. The village of Falcon's Hollow has a population of about 800 folk, whose day-to-day activities are managed by the Baron's Reeve, the local sherrif, and the "gavel" of the local lumber consortium, which is both the largest local employer (other than farming for the Baron), and owns the sawmill in the village. Between the village and the Manor, which are about 6 miles apart, and to the north, lie rugged, lightly forested hills, known as the Foret Lune-Noire. Scattered all along the edge of the woods are a number of lumber camps. Recently, there is a rumor that Falcon's Hollow is suffering from a foul disease, and is in need of healers.
Feathergale Spire: This tall tower looms over the surrounding Sember Hills, creating a home for many of the younger sons and daughters of Terenor's nobility. They have formed an elite hippogriff-riding band who fly across the mountains and valleys of the region, but who have remained almost wholly neutral in the brewing civil war across Terenor. Instead they spend their time being dashing, drinking and hunting and performing acts of aereal derring-do. They call themselves "Feathergale Knights", although only a few have actually been knighted. They also have Aeries near Nordforet and Trier. They are associated with a Cult of Air. Only the Spire in the Devarin Valley is directly corrupted by the Cult of Howling Hatred, although they may have devotees in the other Aeries, and not all members at Feathergale are corrupt.
Rivergard Keep: the mercenery Captain Jolliver Grimjaw bases his soldiery out of this keep. In theory, he is kept under control by the local baron of Le Pau, but the baron has sided with Lady Gabrielle Duhomel, who is fighting an ongoing battle with Baron Alphonse Duhomel of Nevers Barony and is off at court, not attending to his local business much during the past 3 years. Rivergard's Captain is actually nothing but a jumped up bandit who has not sent a mercenary group into battle in over a year; he claims to be waiting for a "better offer"... Instead, they make a profit from extorting money from merchants traveling on the Devarin River.
The Sacred Stone Monastery:
Scarlet Moon Hall:
Champ d'Or Monastery: this is the headquarters of the Temple of Safreth in this half of Terenor. While it is not so old as the Head Temple in Nordforet, it is a larger generator of income, and a much larger actual facility. It is a very large farm estate several hundred acres, including orchards, a small lake, numerous gardens (medicinal, herbal, and vegetable) as well as dairy and sheep herds, and a small stretch of river (the Rivier d'Or, or Goldwater) with woods. There is a large temple, and dwelling space for about 300 monks, laypeople and laborers. The head of the monastery is Father Herve de Clare. His right-hand assistant, who is most likely to deal with visitors, as Father Herve is often to busy to be bothered, is Mother Honore Descorches. She is a motherly, practical woman, sensible and not easily misled.