PTOLUS

Geography 

Here is the geography part of the handout that I gave to the players of my campaign. Although the entire campaign takes place within a single city called Ptolus, the surrounding world still plays a big part. Starting player characters were all from someplace other than Ptolus, so this gave players material from which to build their backgrounds. Currently, Iíve had two PCs from Dohrinthas (in the Sea Kingdoms), five from Palastan (six if you count cohorts), one from Uraq, one from Rhoth (two counting cohorts*), two from Tarsis, and two from the areas around Kem.

Here is a map (53k) of the region detailed in the text below.

By the way, those of you who have read Sean Reynoldsí recounting of my Praemal campaign on the Wizards of the Coast site will recognize the name Mrathrach mentioned in the Cold Desert.

~Monte

* Isnít ìCounting Cohortsî a great name for a band?

Geography 

Although the campaign will take place entirely within the city of Ptolus, here are a few details regarding the lands around the city. All of the places mentioned here, with the exception of the Eastern Hordes, can be found on the map provided with this material.

Cherubar

Mountainous Cherubar to the west is a mysterious place filled with isolated villages and remote settlements. Humans live among the cherubim here, as well as friendly giants. All these folk, it is said, consort with spirits of the air to such a degree that cold winds flow through their veins as much as mortal blood.

The Cold Desert

Stretching above the mysterious pit known only as the Dissolution of Mrathrach, the Cold Desert is a dry, dead wasteland. Extremely inhospitable, the area is barren and virtually lifeless.

The Eastern Hordes

Long ignored by the peoples of the west, the tribes beyond the Grey Mountains east of Tarsis unified under King Oulgas around 700 IA. Assailing the Grey range, they swept across the Plains of Panish in the next few years and fought great battles with the Imperial Army. Due to the barbariansí great numbers and the lack of unification among Imperial forces (the Empire was already divided two -- if not three -- ways), by 709, King Oulgas had laid Tarsis itself under siege. By 710, he sat in the Imperial Palace.

People expected Oulgas to proclaim himself emperor, but he did not. Reportedly, Oulgas had nothing but contempt for the more civilized folk of the west. When he left Tarsis in 714, taking the majority of his people with him back over the mountains, rumor has it that someone asked him why he invaded the area in the first place. Oulgas is said to have answered, ìBecause I could.î

Some easterners stayed behind, most settling in the Plains of Panish or southern Nall.

Kem

Antique and shadowy Kem was a place of great magic and sorcery. Now it lies in ruins, brought low by the same spells that once made it great.

Nall

Said to be haunted with the ghosts of the ìfirst men,î icy Nall is a wasteland trapped between the Dragonsbirth Mountains, the Grey Mountains, and the Endless Ocean of Ice. The people of Nall are few but hardy.

Palastan

About a year ago, the Imperial Governor appointed by the Lion-Guarded Throne died amid chaos and rioting in the capital city of Trolone. Forces loyal to the hereditary monarchy, long exiled from the land, returned order to Trolone. King Anathais and Queen Miaga returned to their palace and took control of Palastan ìuntil the Empire appointed a new governor.î With the problems in Tarsis, this appointment has not happened yet -- nor is it likely to happen in the near future.

Palastan is a verdant, lush land of rolling hills and green fields. The people are farmers and herders, as well as fishermen along the coast of the Whitewind Sea. Although political power has rested either in the hands of the monarchy or the Tarsisian Imperial Governor, most would say that the Viridian Lords hold the true power in the land. These rangers operate independently from the government, but the populace looks to them for guidance and leadership. The Viridian Lords are said to have physically bonded with plant life in a way handed down to them by the Circle of Green, an ancient group of druids that long ago disappeared.

Technically, the city of Ptolus falls within the borders of Palastan, but since the governorís death, it has maintained its independence from the monarchy.

The Plains of Panish

Grassy, fertile plains, these rolling fields stretch for seemingly endless miles. Remote, primitive tribes of humans, litorians (lionlike humanoids), wemics, and other races live here -- almost no elves or dwarves, however.

The Prustan Peninsula

The Prustan Peninsula is home to the Grailwarden dwarves and the Prust, a people that took over the lands around the city of Tarsis more than 1,000 years ago and eventually established the Tarsisian Empire. Rugged and mountainous, this land breeds an industrious people. Particularly under the rule of the Empire, they built fabulous roads and developed great devices using gears, steam, and gunpowder.

Ren Tehoth

Once part of a fabulous kingdom, Ren Tehothís cities now lie in ruin, proof that nothing lasts forever. Even before the founding of the Lion-Guarded Throne, Tarsis annexed what was Ren Tehoth. The bloodline of the royal family was long since extinguished. The kingdomís people had long since scattered to form tiny feudal states that warred against each other with no ultimate liege to keep the peace among the vassals. Intimidated by Tarsisí growing strength and eager to live in peace, Ren Tehoth accepted Imperial rule with little resistance. The few nobles and thanes unwilling to submit were overrun by the extremely efficient Prustan army that enforced Tarsisí might.

Rhoth

The Plains of Rhoth are known for their vast herds of horses and livestock. Rhothians are a good-natured folk, standing tall and fair. They dwell in small towns and villages frequented by the caravans of the faen (a diminutive elven race).

The Sea Kingdoms

A federation of once-warring pirate princes, the Sea Kingdoms get their power and wealth from fishing and shipping in the Southern Sea. This is a place of politics and betrayals, plots and assassinations. It is also a place of great beauty, for gold and silk flow like water, it is said. The area has seen little warfare to despoil it for hundreds of years.

Dohrinthas, the Golden City, prospered greatly in last few hundred years, for ships laden with wealth sailed daily to this large port from the southern lands. When barbarians threatened invasion of Tarsis in 706 IA, Empress Addares XXXIV attempted to move the Imperial Capital to Dohrinthas for fear of these easterners. She succeeded only in splitting the Empire, for Segaci -- who also claimed to be Emperor -- maintained the government in Tarsis even after the barbarians sacked the city.

Tarsis

Ancient beyond reckoning, the vast city of Tarsis remained merely an important trading center until the militaristic Prust from the mountains south of the city took over the surrounding area and eventually founded an empire. The Prust nobility chose quickly growing Tarsis as their center of power, for their own cities were remote and trapped within rugged mountains.

At its height, the Tarsisian Empire encompassed all of the Prustan Peninsula and the lands surrounding the Southern Sea, including Uraq, and the northern lands from Cherubar to the Plains of Panish. Today, its control is questionable. To many, the Empire has fallen. To some, it exists in name only. Yet to others, proud citizens dwindling in number, the Empire retains control over its lands, and all owe fealty to the Emperor.

Uraq and the Distant South

Hundreds of years before the Lion-Guarded Throne rose to power, the land of Uraq held sway over most of the known world. By controlling the Southern Sea, this economic and seafaring power claimed most of the commerce in all the surrounding lands.

To the south of Uraq lies the ìDistant South,î a region of deserts and jungles and people unknown.

Coming up next: character classes and races, plus some details about the characters currently abroad in the Ptolus campaign.