[Written] Silverthorne - Duchy of Dorchak

Duchy of Dorchak
Found in the Old Lore Books on the Final Haven website.

The Great City of Dorchak, Capital of the Frontier

From A Biography of Silverthorne by Sathin Maevers, 1000 P.E.W.
Population: c. 80,000 actual 62,573 tax paying citizens. Approximately 20,000 others who avoid taxes, or have used false names.
Note: children are listed by their parents at the tax collectors building.
Imports: Raw Materials Exports: Nearly anything you can buy
Baronies: D'albin, Da'Thanis, Katak, N'Tor

The great city of Dorchak is second only to the City of Silverthorn itself in size and population. Located on the east bank of the Silling River where it meets the Red Flood of the North, also known as the An’Ran’Ildiin. The city itself stands upon the ruins of numerous other tradecities, and was once the city of Dorcha established by the Empire of Lassa.

The enormous granite walls stand a bit under twenty paces high and seem to brood over the surrounding plains. The forest has been cut back from the city for miles in all directions, both by inhabitants gathering wood, and to keep the monsters that dwell in the forest at bay.

Inside the city buildings are a hodgepodge of brick, stone, and hald timber construction. They are for the most part roofed in slate or wood slats, though most of the low town (read slums) outside the city walls have thatched roofing. Fire is a constant hazard, and arson is punishable by death in the city.

Beyond the city proper stands the great inner wall and the Fasthold of Dorchak. The inner wall is of well laid granite, cut to precision and unmortared. It stands nearly thirty paces tall and is capped in turrets and crenelations. Beyond the wall, separating inner-city from outer is a great dry moat, ten paces deep with steep stone sides. The moat bottom is laced with stone and steel spikes and can be filled with water from the river to clean out refuse or wash away invaders. The gates to the inner city are guarded by two units of Dorchak guards (Twenty men) and their cavalry officer. The gates themselves are of dwraven stone set on steel runners and swivels. If not for the subtle lacing of Dwarven stonework with alchemical brew they would be too heavy to even move. The gates are only closed during a time of war.

The inner city contains the residences of many nobles, as well as the great library of Dorchak, a large guard barracks, a parade ground, some storage facilities, and the Embassy buildings for the houses. Of coarse the view is dominated by the massive square stonework of the Fasthold.

The Fasthold took nearly a century to complete and was made entirely of stone, engineered by the best Gnomish craftsmen to appear brutal and oppressive. The great fortress is the seat of government for the entire frontier region and can be seen from any point within the city. Its bulk rises as much a ten stories into the sky.

The Houses

DeVris

Dorchak is the traditional capital of House DeVris and they hold tight to its fastness. The ban on magic within the city is partly due to DeVris dislike of magic and their influence on the council. From this city all policy within DeVris and interpretations of the kings law are carried out. Here the seat of house DeVris makes his home and maintains connections with all of the DeVris magistrates scattered throughout the kingdom.

The DeVris cavaliers also call Dorchak their home. The headquarters for their organization lies just inside the walls of the inner city, where a full legion of DeVris most skilled and dangerous lawmen can be found drilling and studying at any time.

As this is the seat of House DeVris, several other powerful individuals can be found here as well. This usually includes one second and two or three third rank members of house DeVris. In addition there are nine district Magistrates that run most trials in the city. There are three for the inner city, three for the outer, and three for the ‘laborers’ region.

Toevass

House Toevass is represented on several levels within Dorchak. They are responsible for care and maintenance of the great library and its vaults. They also have a House Embassy within the inner city and several scribes and astrologers working throughout the city proper.

Jakoric

The exact amount of influence Jakoric maintains within Dorchak remains a mystery to most. It is known that they have a House Embassy building, as well as maintaining several tavern’s and small shops. The exact number of house members here fluctuates rapidly and none but those within the highest ranks of the house know exactly how many eyes and ears are present within Dorchak. What is known is that Jakoric has recently stepped up its interactions with the merchants guild, and seems to be paying a great deal of attention to internal witch-hunts. They seem to have had trouble with the loyalty of their membership recently.

Mandalor

The merchants house lacks some of the power here that it holds firmly elsewhere within the duchy. In fact, due to the power of DeVris and the respect of the townfolk for the magistrates, the merchants guild has stepped lightly. They greatly fear the offense of the House of DeVris who could make it very difficult for the house to carry out their tax collecting duties.

The emissary from the headquarters of the merchants guild in Bonnifuss has recently changed. It seems that the previous one was unable to accomplish the necessary profits in Council that the house required and was replaced. The new representative is married to one of Duke Mandolin’s many grandchildren, lady Kayla Na’Landly.

Barony of Da'Thanis
Found in the Old Lore Books on the Final Haven website.

From A Biography of Silverthorne by Sathin Maevers, 1000 P.E.W.

Location: 90 Miles South of Dorchak on the Dorchak River
Population: ???
Demenses: One City

Overview

Ruled by Garret Kendal, youngest son of Duke Kendal of Dorchak, the small barony of Da’Thanis has recently prospered and come into its own from its previous state as a dangerous backwater. The barony is only composed of the central city of Da’Thanis, which is situated on the shores of the Dorchak river. The native people of this region have long adapted to the harsh realities of life in this stange environment, living on the open plains, with enormous seasonal weather fluctuations. When I traveled through this region the first time I was but a boy, I saw the long legged horses of these people, prized throughout the kingdom for their courage and stamina, and was in awe of them. The horses here are especially tall and beautiful and have adapted to the tall grasslands of the Bonnifus plains quite well. The waving stalks here rise between six and eight feet in height, towering over men, and concealing predators and prey alike. In order to survive and protect themselves the plainsfolk of Da’Thanis have become a warrior society in which children learn to ride before they learn to walk. Here man and horse live as one, each incapable of survival without the other. In order to better protect the horses, they are barded in boiled leather to protect their soft bellies from the razor grass and the belly worms. I once saw a horse dragging three of these disgusting parasites along as they attempted to burrow through his armor, their wide heads concealing rows of teeth, but no eyes. The rider had to wait until he reached the safety of his village in order to get help removing them, and he spoke to his horse as she ran like other men would speak to a lover.

Young Garret took command of this Barony personally, knowing that he would not be needed to oversee anything in Dorchak and feeling a driving need to prove himself against the world. At first the people here did not trust him, or appreciate his presence, but I hae been told that he spent two years in a peasant’s hovel, until all of the homes in Da’Thanis had been raised from the ground on stilts and fired bricks. He then spent a further year riding patrol and making sure that every person in his demense knew him by name. The people have grown to love and respect Garret as no other outsider. He has become ‘Their tough little baron’ and they say it with pride and would follow him anywhere from what I have seen. I once recall witnessing a drover cursing the baron for not laying better roads along the shore, which is quite a normal curse in the other places I have visited, but the words had scarcely left his mouth before half a dozen daggers appeared in the hands of those nearest him. I have never seen a drover apologize that quickly either for that matter. But the pride of these people in their baron is not the only factor that sets them apart from other lands. Here, where people are sparse, and dangers great, it is considered a great honor to be a farmer. The dangers in farming are far greater than many of the other occupations, and the peasants here travel armed with twelve foot spears, made of long narrow sprouts. The spears are used to stab the giant moles which destroy the crops from underground and to fend of all forms of grass snakes that enjoy snacking on the unwary farmer.

I asked why the grass wasn’t simply cut down to prevent these many creatures from hiding in its depths, and they revealed to me the secret of the plains. The grass here is not only razor sharp, it grows close to a foot in a day. A week after it has been cut it returns to its original size!

I must also pass on a warning about the other dangerous creatures that inhabit the plains. Ever present are the wyverns. These are great flying serpents with two legs and wide leathery wings. They wing overhead searching for prey and have been known to eat horse and man alike. It is against the danger of these creatures that many of the men and women of Da’Thanis have taken to carrying horse bows of late. They become well practiced in shooting on the run.

Even worse than the wyverns though are the Snow Lizards, called Ga’nishto. In the winter, when the snow piles nearly to the head of men, and the people hear walk on its surface with giant shoes of bound grass lathes, these deadly beasts hunt men for sport. They run so fast that they seem to blur to the eyes, and leave a trail of falling mist behind them. On the rare occasions that they have been killed, their overheated bodies have melted the snow for several feet in all directions. It seems though that there is nothing of magic about them. According to the stories of the old peasant here, the Ga’nishto become hot in their running, nearly destroying themselves with their own heat in the pursuit of prey. It is this that allows them to run down anything else on Phantera. One old man even told me that he once watched one of the snow lizards burst into flame on a snowy day as it raced across the ice. The creature died twisting, just feet short of him, cooked by its own exersion.

Barony of Katak
Found in the Old Lore Books on the Final Haven website.

From A Biography of Silverthorne by Sathin Maevers, 1000 P.E.W.

Location: 30 Miles south of Dorchak
Population: Approx. 1400
Demenses: 3 outlier villages, 1 keep, 1 town

Environment

The Katak Barony is located along the river route from Dorchak into the plains held by his son Garret. Thick forest lines the riverbank at both sides and the town of Katak is located where the Dorchak river joins the Mist Flow River. Weather in the Katak Barony is relatively mild and sheltered due to the forest environment, though still temperate in nature. Plant life is diverse both in and out of the water.

Ecology

Katak Barony has yet to classify all of the creatures dwelling within its confines, but Scribe Ellis Torinis of House Toevass has prepared a limited report of the common fauna;
In my travels from one outlying village to another I spotted several species of animal life prevalent to this region. Though many more creatures inhabit this region I have as yet only received detailed accounting of these few. Common indigenous life includes the Shaggy Nestrit which is a large relatively docile tusked beast that feeds in the shallows of the rivers. It travels in small family groups and uses its four foot long ivory tusks to sweep the silty river for food and defend itself. The creatures are extremely protective of their young and best not to approach during the foaling season. At other times they are friendly and a few have been domesticated by especially skilled breeders.

Another inhabitant common to this region, though of less use and more danger is the Brown Tree Snake. This three foot long reptile lives in damp earth or overhanging branches and waites for its prey to stride by. It then launches itself from its position and uses the ring of fangs imbedded around its mouth to burrow into the victims soft internals and eat its way out. The death is extremely painful and gruesome to watch. Many of the riders and draft animals here wear hardened leather barding over stomachs and necks to protect themselves from this invasive predator.

The third creature of common interest in the region, and one of great profit to its woodsmen is the lesser forest wyvern. These creatures dwell mostly in the southern region of the province and are increasingly rare. They are approximately eleven feet in length when full grown and a mottled green in color. Unlike their larger plains dwelling cousins these wyverns have no poison. They are hunted for food, and their skin which is of great value to the leather workers for cloaks and boots that water runs off of in the most damp conditions. The unfortunate side effect of hunting these creatures is that the large airborne bellows fish, a creature which inflates itself with flamable vapors and uses its long stringy tentacles to prey on fish and livestock; are increasing in numbers.

The Towns

Katak

Population 600, Principle Industries: Fishing and Farming.
Produce: Grains, Small pottery, Iron goods, wood crafts.
The town of Katak was decimated by the invasion of Harrison’s troops. They slaughtered off any who stood against them which created a severe deficit of men. Currently the Knight Sir Guire Tarc serves as constable and maintains the peace with an iron fist. The original constable is deceased and the council disbanded. Notables in residence are Alfred Kofka judge advocate of house DeVris in hiding. Ellis Torinis of House Toevass, held in the Keep for conspiracy against the Peace of Harrison. Nathan Laudimer capenter and member of house Jackoric. Lastly Bauson McVerden Alchemist(Hedge Doctor), also a member of house Jakoric. Katak contains a smithy, a kiln, boat launch, mill, granary, and inn.

NorthWorth

Population: 250, Principle Industries: fishing, woodworking/lumbering.
Produce: Fine Lumber, some meat from the Shaggy Nestrits.

Northworth is a small outlier settlement under the support and protection of the town of Katak. After the Barony was taken by Harrison Northworth has been left primarily to fend for itself other than infrequent food gathering expeditions by Harrison’s garrison. Northworth has a lumber mill, smithy, small overnight guesthouse.

SouthWorth

Population: 200, Principle Industries: fishing, pottery.
Produce: Fine clays, pottery, and ceramic shingles.
SouthWorth is another small village previously under the protection of Katak. Due to the clay rich soil SouthWorth does a thriving business in pottery. It also contains a small boath launch, wheat mill, and a clay foundry.

Marset

Population: 175, Principle Industry: lumbering, hunting.
Produce: Fine wood, rare animals.
Marset is a small community of foresters and their families located deep within the wilderness. It is 5 miles to the west of Katak, and that has proved to be five miles too far from the help of the garrison. Several times in recent days the stockade has been assaulted by strange tree creatures. With no help forthcoming Marset may disappear back into the wilderness at any time. Marset contains a small guest house for overnight visitors.

The Keep

Population: 100, Principle Industries: war
Products: Weapons and Armor
The keep has been taken by Harrison and his trusted ally Istan Tesu given rulership of the Barony. In his service are Sir Guire Tarc who guards the outlying towns and Sir Nevel Sar who maintains the Keeps garrison. Each of the knights has fifty hardened soldiers, 20 of whom are equiped with chain armor stripped from the previous garrison. An additional 10 archers rotate between keep and town duty. One healer and one lesser battle mage were left with Istan Tesu in case of emergencies. The previous Baron was killed along with his wife, but their two sons (13 and 7) escaped to the southern barony of Garret. Currently held prisoner are Ellis Torinis of House Toevass and the original captain of the Guard Sir Elar Gunter.

Barony of N'Tor
Found in the Old Lore Books on the Final Haven website.

From A Biography of Silverthorne by Sathin Maevers, 1000 P.E.W.

Location: South-SouthEast of Dorchak
Population: Approx. 4500
Demenses:N’Tor and the outlying village of Barma

Terrain

N’Tor is situated where the great forest of the Northern frontier meets the grasslands of the south. Biting winds cross the south edge of the barony and dangerous beasts prowl the dark forest to the north. The keep has a great wooden palisade standing ten paces high around its exterior, walling off the small village of N’Tor proper. There are perhaps six hundred inhabitants to the village and another hundred living within the keep itself.

Rapid climate changes are common in the surrounds of N’Tor and viscous storms or tornadoes are not unheard of. Air elementals have been thought to be responsible for a great deal of the destruction caused in the surrounding area.

The only other town, located across the river a few miles down from N’Tor is Barma. This village is also enclosed in a wooden palisade, and in addition has a spike filled trench surrounding the entire town of five hundred. The buildings are constructed in pagoda like fashion several stories high to fit several families into one structure and make the town’s overall size relatively small. The population subsists on fishing in the river with their two coasters and farming the surrounding valleys.

Ecology

The northern forest are densely populated with a variety of wildlife. Most of it hostile to humans. Wolves prowl the forest edges, great cats lurk in the trees overhead. Giant Razorwings, a viscously territorial hawk, shriek from the air overhead. In recent days other creatures like the ogre and troll have been spotted and avoided by the local guards.

One other inhabitant of note is the Black Death. They come like shadows in the night, graceful figures full of life. Bows of golden wood across their backs, and black arrows in dark packs. Faces pale and ears quite long, like Elves all done up wrong. Their hair so dark it shines, their wails and song take men’s minds. In the night they come, to drive men back from the forest to which they come. No metal do they touch only witchwood with its poison do they clutch.

The southern plains are another story entirely. The wind blows so fierce that dust and grit stains the eyes. Men go blind if they stay out too long. Dust masks and goggles are always ready to a farmer’s hand. No creatures generally live here, though a few thick hided beasts eek out a meager living. The farmers themselves wall in their crops with brush and felled trees in the deepest of valleys to keep them from blowing away. By far the worst though are the wind creatures. Strange elemental beasts that ride the currents. Some are purely primal in nature, others quite intelligent. Those who have survived meetings say that they have an entire society in the clouds above. As no one has ever been there who can say?

The Baron

Baron Armis N’Tor is an aging man. Well past his sixtieth winter, he struggles to strengthen his barony before he must pass it on to his only living descendant. The grizzled old man is wise, and was quite a warrior in his day. He served the previous two High King Silverthorns in battle as a knight and then a thane. Never did his loyalty or allegiance falter. When the most recent King took the thrown, Armis N’Tor asked for his retirement from active duty to raise his two sons and daughter. On the journey to the Barony bequeathed N’Tor for his honorable service, the party was attacked by an enormous river beast and Baron N’Tor’s eldest son was slain.

Shortly after arriving in the new barony, N’Tor’s second son Kamett married a local girl and set about raising a family. One night his homestead was raided while he was off hunting and his wife and guards slaughtered with dozens of black arrows, long and graceful. Kamett swore vengeance upon the forest wraiths and set off into the woods to extract it. He never returned.

Armis’s only daughter, a beautiful young woman named Narisha married the local captain of the guard a bore a healthy son. Her husband left when Gromm’s forces first attacked to defend the mountain breach and was declared missing in action. During the winter, the loss of her husband and brothers overwhelmed the poor girl. She died off the cliffs of many sorrows in late winter.

Her death left Baron N’Tor with no children and a six year old grandchild. Now that he is getting on in years N’Tor is frantically trying to prepare his descendant for the tittle. The child is bright and healthy, if a bit quiet from time to time. He is very well behaved and little trouble. Many of the locals believe he will develop into one of the brightest young men in the kingdom.

Other Important Individuals

Baron N’Tor is a hardened veteran of many campaigns, he has seen more than his share of death and violence and has reached the edge of breaking. His misfortune’s sometimes overwhelm him and he retreats to his study for his real pastime. The Baron loves a rousing game of stones. He is accounted as one of the finest tacticians in living memory. Should anyone like to earn his favor, they would do well to cultivate some skill in tactics and stones.

Baronet Hamir N’tor is a spoiled child in many respects. As the last surviving heir to the seat for the barony his grandsire looks after him like a precious jewel. That is not to say that he is favored and given to softness however. Though the child is only six years old, he has begun knifework with the guard instructor and is learning his letters and counting. The child so far shows the level head to be expected of someone much older, and his wisdom could lead him to assume the thrown quite early.

Advisor Nathanial D’Marcos of House Mandalor is a narrow faced, long nosed individual who always dresses in the formal robes of his council post. It is rumored that he seeks the barony for himself and known widely that he has a strong dislike for the baronet. However, should anything happen to the child the blame would first fall to him, and D’Marcos realizes this as well. He is possessed of a shrewd mind and has seen to the stockpiling of the treasury based upon a river tariff for trade during the war with Gromm. The barony stands to make a great deal from this, but not much of it seems to make it into the general treasury

Advisor/Magistrate Sir F’Blaar of House DeVris is a stoic, though portly individual. Many of the locals find him to be helpful and understanding. He is a man with little like for politicking which is probably why at nearly the age of fifty he is still in a small town. However he enjoys working with the peasants and lending a hand with the nets or harvest. For this he has earned respect and great favor. Sir F’Blaar spends time each week with the Baronet, teaching him the law of the kingdom and telling stories about the great DeVris Cavaliers. Some of the servants say that Sir F’Blaar has a sky blue cloak with a silver star upon it sitting in his wardrobe.

Advisor Lady Zaria of House Jakoric is a short and comely woman. Though soft spoken and unostentatious she is given to clear thought and ready action. It is said that a pin does not fall that she is not aware of, but for the most part the folk of N’Tor favor her forthright manner. She may know everything, but she has never used her knowledge to harm a citizen of N’Tor in living memory.

Advisor Sir An’Liit of House Toevass, 6th Tome is the final seat on the court of advisors. His rise to power has been most strange. The young man arrived a few years ago, prior to the war with Gromm. He stayed on and settled down to become a farmer, but word got out that he could read write and count so his neighbors began taking letters to him to read for them. Soon he was serving as a scribe for those who could not afford it and attracted the attention of the previous house Toevass seat who appeared to have a wasting sickness. After spending some time training the lad, only about twenty, the house Toevass seat died, passing on his position to An’Liit with his dying breath.

Barony of D'albin
Found in the Old Lore Books on the Final Haven website. No additional information provided.

From A Biography of Silverthorne by Sathin Maevers, 1000 P.E.W.