Notes
I'm happy to use other regions instead, ideally with a variety of geography in their region & neighbors.
If my application involves too much variety, I'm happy to be more selective & let some of the other aspects go to neighboring territories.
Alternately, open to swapping one species for another, changing names, etc, esp where shared with neighbors.
Bransown: this is the last name of my first ruler, and he is the bastard son of a traveling performer named Bran. Feel free to add Bransowns throughout the empire.
Kobolds: My kobolds are like Mole Man's moloids from Marvel. If someone wants Dog or Lizard/Dragon Kobolds, I can rename mine or switch to use theirs.
North Baria, aka "The Scraps"
Region 10
Geography
While relatively small, the region of North Baria comprises a varied geography.
Borders:
The northern border is a roughly defined path between Mount K'nack and a small lake, Lake Orthanc, and from the lake to the bend in a great river.
The southern border is the River Baria, the boundary with Baria proper (region 11).
The western border is the Bay of Glass.
The eastern border is a lake, the boundary with region 12.
Mountains: Far to the northwest, a single mountain, Mount K'nack, also known as the Northwest Gate, sits at the recesses of the Bay of Glass. Sitting where it does, it dominates & controls passage between Regner and Inyaka, as there are three or four possible overland routes: Along a very thin strip of sand beneath its cliffs, which can disappear in a high tide or storm, through an equally thin mountain pass, or to climb the mountain itself, or to dig a passage through the heart of the mountain.
Foothills: Much of the northeast part of the region are the foothills of the northern mountains, which tend to be moderately wooded, and progressively rockier as they become taller closer to the northeast border.
Plains & Fertile Fields: A small corner of the southern tip of the region is flat and moist enough to be tilled.
Coastline: The Eastern coast of the Bay of Glass is largely a small strip of sand or rocky beach, rapidly raising in elevation on grassy hills before leveling out a bit to the interior.
Islands: The region encompasses two islands, a very large one called Roak Island, and a very small one called Governor's Island or Tower Island. Roak rises fairly high out of the water, taller than the coasts on either side, and consists largely of hills that are both grassy and rocky, and a moderately thick wood on the Eastern side. Tower Island is a much lower island, grassy and soft with a central bedrock providing stability in the island's core.
Glossary:
Baria: The greater coastal area of the region & its southern neighbor
Bay of Glass: The body of water to the West of North Baria
Lake Orthanc: A small lake in the Northern foothills
Mount K'nack: The solitary mountain watching over the Northern point of the Bay of Glass
River Baria: A long, wide river separating Baria and North Baria
Roak Island: A large island inside the Bay of Glass
Tower Island: A very small island north of Roak Island; fka Governor's Island
People and Culture
Several different species live in the area, tending toward living in their own environments, but intermixing with regularity.
Kobolds: Hailing from Mount K'nack, named in their language, these hairless grey hominids average about half the height and weight of humans. Inside their mountain home, they mine copper and other minerals, gather robust local foliage and hunt for eggs and insects. In other communities, they tend toward menial or assistance jobs, or combing through refuse and broken items, either repairing or repurposing them, or simply valuing things differently.
Lizardfolk: Dense and coldblooded, they tend to live tribally in and around the waterways and coastlines of the region. Primarily matriarchal and raised from clutches of eggs by a communal effort, they tend toward fishing, hunting, and battle.
Humans: Most of the rest of the population is Human, though nearly all races on the continent have some minor representation. All population centers, with the exception of Mount K'nack, are at least 50% Human.
Goblins and Hobgoblins: Each of these smaller groups are non-native and their presence is owed directly to the conquest of a century past. The Hobgoblins were a mercenary unit working for Dejan on his conquest. These magically-derived and long-lived people live in a highly structured hierarchical society. Since Dejan's death and the weakening of the empire, they remained in the area, largely cohabitating in the Human communities in martial or bureaucratic positions. Conversely, the goblins, smaller and multicolored, are the remnants of several former tribes that fought for and against Dejan, were enslaved, or pressed into menial duties. They have all taken the clan name BloodBlood, but are far more loosely organized than a unified identity might suggest. To the degree any description can be broadly applied, they tend toward handcraft and experimentation, and avoiding violent threats at all cost.
There is little by way of unifying culture in the region, but some trends do appear. A pervading sense of live and let live, conflict avoidance, and mutual defense exists between the different groups. Generally, the people appreciate the unity and cooperation of the empire, but hate & fear the warfare that took place in the area before and during the empire's control of the area. Beyond this, there is a premium placed on art, music, and the like.
History and Government
In ages past, the Kobolds, Lizardfolk, and Humans coexisted roughly in the area, with petty squabbles, raids, and small wars through the ages. The area was also host to bandits and pirates who would prey on travelers and traders.
The area was loosely claimed as part of Baria proper though it was largely ignored by the government and people of that region.
When the empire reached the area, the human settlers of the area welcomed the access to and cooperation with the larger empire, while the Lizardfolk and Kobolds largely kept further from sight.
The empire largely left the area to its devices, though they established a port on Roak Island and placed a fortified mansion and watchtower on the small island they named Governor's Island, placing an administrator there to control the region.
Several pitched battles occurred in the area over the decades of Empire control, including a noteworthy defensive stand in the mountain pass & beach path of Mount K'nack, where thousands died on both sides in the cliffs and surf, turning the Bay of Glass red and foul.
Following the death of Dejan, the Scraps were one of the first regions to be withdrawn from and left to their own devices. Banditry & piracy increased beyond pre-Empire levels, resources were scarce without support from the Empire, and what little farming, hunting, and fishing that could be done was insufficient, due to the effects of war and drought. The Hobgoblin mercenaries were left to their own devices while the BloodBlood clan remained behind on Governor's Island, since sacked in a naval assault. The Human and Kobold societies reached out to the Lizardfolk and Hobgoblins for mutual support against the bandits, who parleyed after a show of united force, and were convinced that open conflict was less favorable than cooperation, if they could turn their force of arms to the defense of the communities and accept pay rather than hoping to find valuable targets as the area descended further into deprivation.
In the decades since, each community self-manages its own affairs, provides a force for mutual defense, and appoints a representative to a council that deals with internal conflicts and larger decisions that affect all in the region. A Governor is elected by the Council from outside its body to focus entirely on management of the region and Diplomacy with its neighbors.
Governor
The current Governor is Saul Bransown, a Human shopkeep from Orthanc. This is the beginning of his first appointment to the position.
Diplomacy: 4
Military: 3
Economy: 4
Faith: 1
Intrigue: 3
Humans
There are a handful of Human-led communities, primarily these:
Orthanc: Built on the shores of the northern lake, this is the most remote human community, though large enough to reasonably defend itself against small threats. Combination of fishing, subsistence farming, and picking through old battlefields.
Port Roak: Settled on Roak Island, this community lives off fishing, a few hogs, and minor shipbuilding, plus salvage operations.
Riverford: Near the Mouth of the River Baria, this is the seat of trade for the region, both by sea or overland. It's also the primary farming community.
Each of these larger communities provides one member to the Council.
Kobolds
The Kobolds of Mount K'nack have a leader, not selected in an official manner, but simply by whose actions & rhetoric cause the plurality of the group to listen to what they have to say. That leader chooses the candidate who appears on the Council.
The Mountain Kobolds send 1 Council member. Those living with Humans simply vote with their local community for a (likely Human) representative.
Lizardfolk
The Lizardfolk follow the largest & oldest female member in good standing. She decides whether she will manage the tribe or join the Council, or choose someone promising and reliable to delegate one or both positions to. Both are likely to be be younger females, though the Council member could be male, or even the tribal leader if no proper female options are available and the male is closely connected to her. A male so elevated is considered roughly equal to a female who hasn't been raised to a position of authority, so long as he appears to be acting as the matriarch would intend.
The folk of Roak Island, the Baria River folk, and the tribe of Lake Orthanc each send 1 Council member for 3 total.
Hobgoblins
The Hobgoblins maintain a militaristic hierarchy. They obey orders from their commander, ceremonially called Major regardless of the practical considerations, based on the fact that their mercenary Captain of a century ago was given a brevet promotion to Major by Dejan.
Each community or post occupied by a force of Hobgoblins has a Captain appointed by the acting Major to lead that group. Another Captain is appointed specifically to act as their one Council member; others are placed in charge of logistics and supply, or coordinating communication and replacements between posts.
The Council & Governor
In times of peace, the Council operate out of Riverford in a large wooden hall that also provides them with small rooms and offices.
The individual members serve variable terms as decided by their own people, assuming they choose to continue their service. They also can be expelled from the body by a unanimous vote among a present quorum of at least 50% of the total number (currently 9, making a quorum 5 not including the expelled member).
The Governor cannot be a currently serving Council member, nor ever expelled from that body.
An election requires at least 3 valid candidates nominated. Each Council member gets 5 markers of a certain type and color such that each can vote secretly but the votes of each anonymous member can be tallied. They must place all 5 markers in the jar or bowl representing the various candidates. If they fail to place all 5, or place more than 3 in any vessel, all 5 of their markers will be tossed and not counted. Whichever candidate receives the most markers wins if they receive at least 10 more than the next candidate. In a runoff of those within 10 of the leader, a basic plurality wins.
The Council can recall the Governor at any time with a similar vote between the following options: Remove in good standing, meaning the Governor could serve again or on the Council, Remove in poor standing, barring them from serving again, or Exile.
Every year the Council will have a vote of Confidence in the Governor, with a choice between Continue Service, Remove in Good Standing, or Remove in Poor Standing. Other candidates are not raised unless Remove is chosen. If Removed in Good Standing, the current Governor could be nominated to continue serving and win the vote.
Every two years, the Council votes between Voting a New Governor or Continuing Service with one vote each and a simple majority carrying.
In service, the Council brings the concerns of their own communities and act as contact points for the people while managing various bureaucratic functions, hearing conflicts between their people.
The Governor sets a plan for the region and directs communal resources, and makes final decisions when the Council can't get a majority vote or are too close to the concerns involved.
Economy
Much of the local resources are at subsistence levels, and primarily are fish, farming, wood. The primary export is Copper from the mines of Mount K'nack.
Resource: Copper, or Fish
Required Resource: Iron, or Food
Faith
Official Religion: None
Majority Religion: Perijanism (Humans)
Minority Religions: Dejanism Classic (Hobgoblin)
Dejanism (Pacifist Offshoot) (Humans, Kobolds, Goblins)
Jalyeong-Bo (Lizardfolk)
K'nack (Kobolds)
K'nack is the worship of the mountain itself by the Kobolds living & mining there. Could be folded into Perijanism or seen as an aspect of Abhidi, but the Kobolds haven't been too impacted by those faiths.
The Pacifist Dejanists see Dejan as divinely guided and his goal of unified rule as correct, and the wars for empire as necessary, but no longer to be repeated. The empire is to be reforged through agreement and cooperation.
