Crippin’s Thumb (Montwold Protectorate)

Posted on September 11, 2024 in Steel-Realms

Crippin’s Thumb is a spur in the NE of the North Pines Forest and part of the Montwold Pass Protectorate.

Rulership/Governance: Halfling Leadership has no centralized government or formal “fiefs” and does not use peerage titles. When they need to, they send a hetman or mayor to any gatherings that affect all in the community. Humans live among the Halflings, but positions of leadership are all of the small-folk. This makes diplomatic relations difficult at best, and thankfully their good nature offsets the confusion and disorganization.
> Administrative Center (“Capital”): While there is no capital, Willfordshire serves as a gathering place – especially when meeting with outsiders is necessary.

Population: Halflings

Crime: Crime in Halfling settlements is infrequent, mischievous, and mostly petty. There may be a couple dissatisfied locals, but there is no organized crime.

Places & things of Note

• Cobalt Pollen Harvest (Rhyl)

North Pines (north heartlands)

Posted on January 17, 2024 in Steel-Realms

The area of North Pines is a dense region of mostly pine and fir, with a few stands of birch and ash. It has long been a thorn in the side of the lands now known as The Grand Duchy of Rhyl. It has been the scene of rebellion, harbored of bandits and wildlings, and a center of black market trade for centuries. The free folk here are known to raid wildling and Rhylian alike, stirring up the pine tribes and wydlings against Rhyl and her ‘free’ neighbors. Its folk are rough, fierce, and independent. They have even antagonized their Klaurian neighbors in their overzealous logging of the north Rhyl Forest. The folk here follow the Freelander Way, reflecting their rebellious spirit.

The edges and heavily logged interior of these forested areas have grown at an accelerated rate in different areas since around CY 8500 – believed to be part of the effects of The Odyssey of Elancil’s Wound.

Rulership/Governance: {Integrity *}

• Recognized Administrative Center/Seat of Power:
• Primary Settlement Upbringing Experience:

Population: Approx. race (%, total)
> Note: There is no official census provided.

The Ker-Sabohr consider all of the area of North Pines as part of their charge of defense, and their own tactics and strategy will dominate any who need to work with them in its defense.

The Altain Corridor: Kroith Passage was once the gateway between North Pines and the Grand Duchy of Rhyl and the Altair Pass to the west that granted access to the western Freelands of the North of the Northern Heartlands.

The weather over North pines is different than the rest of The Weather in the Grand Duchy of Rhyl, obviously some mystical effect keeps North Pines warmer than the rest of the forest. It has less cloud cover.

The Grand Duchy of Rhyl has tried to claim North Pines as part of its domain several times, but never been successful in imposing its laws and territorial claims.

The people here are fiercely protective of the land they claimed as their own. Travelers are not treated well and watched closely, and few traders ply their wares from the outside. No formal military force exists, but the peoples have an eerie ability to coordinate across distances, and forces of a hundred or more can be raised in less than a day, and at times of major crisis the area has fielded a force some five to eight hundred strong of mixed compliment. Their scouts are masters of using the forest both offensively and defensively.

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Chronicle of the Locale

• Pervasive
• Common
• Uncommon
• Scarce
• Rare

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