TSR 9250 - GAZ11 - The Republic of Darokin.pdf

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-
OFFICIAL
Cj
WCESSOI
IN~ROOU~~~ON
“There is no place in Darokin for the
unthinking brute who solves every prob-
lem with force
. . .
Darokin has survived
these many years, surrounded by strong-
et, more barbarous nations, by cleverness,
by negotiation, by guile-in short, by
finesse. It
is
a lesson no one wishine to
succeed in
this
land should forget.”
-Reynard Vmho, Historian
n**
Merchant’s Guild
“Darokin!
F‘fah!
Land of
w$
have no stomach for coni
of war. Why they prospc
can understand.”
-Ludwig von Hen&,
on
of
Karameikos
or a love
r than I
e
agle
Bar-
25mm merchant caravans in 3-D.
we
Histonp
of
DaROkiN
Like many of the other predominantly
human kingdoms in the Known World,
the Republic of Darokin
is
not particular-
ly old, even though the area has been
:-habited for over 2,000 years. Perhaps
cause of their drastically shorter natural
humans tend to move around
hus, while the elves have been in
k
or
1,800
years, and the dwarves
e for nearly that long, the
in Roc
events sUed to the formation of the
rokin
took place only
200
Republi
Years
ag
*C-IS,
W€lcOMe
to
DaROkiN
-
Darokin is a young country
as
countries
.
-
we
C;azeltee
This sourcebook desci,,,
Rep
--...
of Darokin for
use
wi antasy roleplay-
ing campaigns set in e D&D” game
Known World. In additbn to D&D gar
play, the information i
this
sourcebo
campaign,
could be used in an
AD
or with many other f a n t a olepiaying
games. This Gazetteer
(
ns
th<
lowing:
3
..
.:
-
$1
A 64-page DM’s Boa
rhich
describes the history, geo
ment, economy, peoples
well
as
interesting cities,
derness
areas
all
across
the huge and
diverse land of Darokin.
This
book also
includes a complete D&D adventure set
in the Republic, and plenty of ideas for
an extended campaign set in Darokin.
*
A 32-page Player’s Book, giving dif-
fering points of view on many aspects of
the Darokin culture, guidelines for mat-
ing a Darokinian player-character. and a
system for running a Merchant
as
a new
character class.
*
A
22“
x 34” full-color map of the vast
Republic of Darokin, including some
smaller diagrams along its edges and a
number of more detailed maps and some
building diagrams.
*
2
full-color sheets of cardboard fold-
ups, suitable for building your very own
*
leys and dolitical in&igue,
or
untamed
Iderness. overrun with monsters and
wild creatures, adventure awaits you in
Darokin.
Rarelv does anvone do anvthine half-
,
-
way
in Darokin. Given that, it makes
sense that the patrolled, civilized areas of
the country are welhuuctured and rela-
tively
safe.
The parts of Darokin that are
Y
stdl wild, however,
are
very
wild. In fact,
I‘
Eanlp
ScttLens
there are some areas that are techni
the lands that were to
part of Darokin that the governmen
The
first
eyes
*
>
power over whatsoever.
come Darolun were probably those of
I
OK,
in the earliest days of the Nithian
Wealth and power go hand in h a
’
Humans, elves, halflings, and
arokin. In the minds
of
most citiaLLa0,
011s
and other demi-humanswere
fact, the
two
words are synonyms. The
no race settled the
arokin slang word skiff(short for
skif-
numbers to claim it.
ngton,
a
no-longer-used coin), for
.rere
:ample, means both “cash” and
with most other
power.” Rich DarokiNans are always
chnology) was not very
lick to quote their Golden Rule.
“He
us,
the different
races
ho has the gold makes the rules.”
A
society
as
money-oriented
as
Daro-
each other for the most
kin’s might be expected to be exue
class-conscious. Surprisingly, there is
so,
the western
half
of
now Darokin was divided into
two
ttle bigotry or prejuhce. This
is
because
:
orc and human. The orcs con-
1st about anyone in Darokin, no matter
olled the land to the north and west of a
3w
poor
or
disadvantaged, has a chance
ie from present-day Corunglain, down
!make aformne here. Because there
are
the Streel River, and then due west
through Akorros. They also controlled all
ty.
the
poor rarely complain. The newly
of the Broken Lands, southern Glantri,
nearly all of Ethengar, and the mountains
rich, rather than being snobbishly looked
between Ethengar and ALfheim.
Fom-
down
on
by the establishment, are
nately, these large orc holdings were
instead congratulated on their hard work
divided among
17
different orc tribes,
and ingenuity and welcomed into the
and their constant tribal skirmishes pre-
fold. Darokin has a very high standard of
vented them from making any coordi-
living, and
a
generally happy people.
But there’s more to do in Ddrokin than
nated attacks on their neighbors.
The humans living in the south
of
just making one’s fortune. There
are
Darokin were not much more organized,
thieves to be caught, monsters to be
slain,
though they did not attack each other
wilderness to
tame,
and glory to be won.
with the frequency or ferocity of the orcs.
So
welcome to Darokin, and may good
The humans gathered in small villages
fortune be yours!
and raised good crops in the excellent
farmland. The best organized of the
+
~
______
I
1
human groups was a clan called
Eastwind, which inhabited the area
between the Streel River and Alfheim.
Although records are inconclusive,
many historians believe that the Eastwind
humans received a great deal of help from
the elves of Alfheim in the way
of
magic,
weapons, and supplies. The ora, living
right across the river. rarely came close to
Canolbarth Forest because of the deadly
elvish raiders, but the elves
still
feared the
might of the orcs should they ever com-
bine into one force. The elves, normally
wanting nothing to do with humans,
were apparently willing to help the
Eastwind clan while using them
as
a
bu€fer
against
the orcs.
Slowly, over the next
400
years or
so,
the humans continued to expand their
holdings. The orcs gave ground grudg-
ingly, and bloodshed was a constant fact
of life in the area. It was during this time
that the Eastwind clan rose to dominance
among the other human tribes, trading
their
surplus
elven-made weapons and
magic in exchange for a uibe’s allegiance.
By the time the Empire of Thyatis was
formed
(0
AC on the standard Known
World calendar), the Eastwinds had the
allegiance of over three-fourths of the
humans in the area.
The Republic of Darokin gets its name
from Ansel Darokin, the
fmt
of the
so-
called Eastwind Kings. Ansel I came to
power early
in
the First Century AC, and
was responsible for the first steps in orga-
nizing the Eastwind clan and its allied
tribes into a semi-competent military
organization. The Darokin line of kings
abruptly ended in
87
AC when Ansel’s
great-grandson, the newly-crowned
Aden I. was killed in an orc raid near the
present-day site of
Fort
Nell.
As
Aden
had not yet married and had no heir, the
various factions l i e d up their candidates
to replace
him
and the fragile coalition of
humans quivered on the brink
of
civil
Waf.
agreed that the situation was critical, but
none
was
willing to step aside. By the
fmt
snows of winter, the ora had taken all
of
Darokin west of the Streel River except
for Athenos and the Malpheggi
Swamp.
As
is
their nature, they were hunrrrv for
-.
s i l
more.
tl
Once
again,
the elves of Alfbeim inter-
vened, their fear
of
the ora overcoming
their distaste for dealing with humans.
The elves backed a compromise choice for
the leadership of Darokin, a warrior
named Corwyn Attleson, and promised
to provide the humans with arms, magic,
and even troops
(if
necessary) if the
humans would stop their fighting and
unite under Atdeson.
The troops were never necessary. Attle-
son proved to be an excellent choice, a
strong fighter, charismatic leader, and a
canny politician. He quickly rallied the
bickering factions under his banner, and
won an important battle almost immedi-
ately, repulsing a major orc attack on the
town of Darokin itself.
Under Attleson’s leadership, the orcs
were steadily beaten back and more
human clans pledged allegiance to
Daro-
kin. Corwyn died of natural causes in
122
AC, but his son, Corwyn
II,
proved every
bit
as
capable
as
his
father. The Atdeson
Dynasty
had begun.
The Atdesons ruled for another
400
years, driving the ora completely out
of
Darokin. The country
was
even bigger
than it is now,
as
clans loyal to the Attle-
f
sons claimed portions
o
what
is
today
Karameikos, Ylamam, and Glantri.
a
Roads were built and trade
w s
estab-
l i e d . It
was
a time of great peace and
prosperity, a “Golden Age” for Darokin.
tories that the problems were entirely
d
fault of the other, but,
as
is
often the case
in such disputes, the truth ties somi
where in the middle. Although many
di
ferent factors contributed to the growin
enmity between Darokin and A&ein
the most important of these were
As
the elves distanced theiuscivi
more and more from the humans, enti
generations of humans lived in Daroki
that had never
so
much
as
seen an elf.
P
the stories
of
the elves’ help against
tk
orcs grew more and more distant,
tk
humans’
lack
of familiarity with the elvi
grew into distrust. then suspicion, and
o
through dislike and into hatred and par;
noia.
To
many, it seemed clear that
tk
elves must have some dark secret to hidi
*
The elves, too, had their share
of
mi
conceptions about the humans. In
tk
tales of the previous
400
years, the Darc
kin humans were portrayed as we1
meaning, but essentially bumbling fool
who had
to
be
“rescued” time and
rirr
again by the “superior” elves.
Man
elvish tales of past encounters with
t
l
*
m
Elfwan
e
As
Darokin grew and prospered, their
dependence on and contact with the elves
of
Alfheim became less and less. This
suited the reclusive elves, who saw no
need for contact with Darokin once the
orc threat was removed.
Relations between Darokin and
Alf-
heim gradually deteriorated in the latter
half of the
Fifth
Century AC. Both elves
and
humans
record
in
their respective hs
i-
I
The
ora
were quick to take advantage
of the situation, and in one bloody
sum-
mer they redaimed nearly all the territory
that it had taken four Eastwind Kings
some
65
years to take. The three strongest
candidates to succeed the Darokins all
men of Darokin took on the flavor
jokes.
*
As might be expected when a single
famdy rules for
350
years, a few clunkers
worked their way into the Attleson line.
Particularly bad were Mithras IV (467
480)
and
Mithras V
(480
-
503).
Their
reigns were marked by corruption, inept
management, and a nasty streak of racist
hatred for the elves
of
Alfheim.
~
The results were predictable
and
sad.
When times got a little tough in Darokin,
the king blamed the elves. The people
believed unquestioningly, and began
persecuting visiting elves and talking of
war.
The elves, feeling misunderstood
and betrayed, took the talk seriously and
began their own preparations. All that
was missing from this powder keg was a
spark.
That spark was provided in the spring
of
501,
when a cottage and farm near the
Alfheim border was attacked and
burned, with all of its occupants mur-
dered. The nearby villages quickly orga-
nized a militia, and marched on
Alfheim.
The attack was actually made by
human bandits, but the mob was beyond
reason. The elves defended themselves
from the villagers and inflicted some
casualties. As great battles go, this was
nothing more than a minor skirmish. but
it was sufficient to push already inflamed
human tempers over the edge.
The actual fighting of Elfwar lasted
just under four years. Mithras V was
killed
in
battle in
503,
and his successor,
Corwyn XIII, carried on the fighting for
another
18
months or
so
before he pro-
claimed that the elves had “learned their
lesson,” and that the war was over.
Corwyn based
this
decision on three
facts:
*
First, the Darokin forces were making
no headway at all in their attempt to
invade Alfheim. The elves could not be
tracked in the thick Canolbarth Forest,
and seemed to be able to attack with com-
plete surprise at any time, only to disap-
pear
as
soon
as
resistance was organized.
*
The second, and perhaps more dis-
heartening reason,
is
that it became obvi-
ous
almost from the start that of the war
that the elves weren’t trying very hard.
hs
They looked at
ti
“war”
as
some
sort
of
game; a grand-scaleversion of Hide-and-
Seek.
For their part, the elves
did
see the
hs
whole thing
as
a big game.
T i
perhaps
explains why this entire episode is given
such brieftreatment in the elves’ own his-
tories. In fact, many elves of today are not
even aware that Alfheim and Darokin
were ever anything but the best of
friends. (For more information on the
Elves of Alfheim. players and DMs
should see Gazetteer number
5
.)
*
The third reason was provided by the
orcs of the Broken Lands. They took
quick advantage of the situation and laid
hs
siege to Corunglain.
T i
development
was a double blow to the war effort
against Alfheim, because not only could
Corunglain troops and goods not be used
against the elves, but more forces had to
be sent north to break the orcs’ siege.
Weighing these three factors carefully,
Corwyn quickly came to the realization
that the elves,
if
they really wanted to,
4
could have wiped out Darokin’s armies in
a month, and wisely called the whole
thing off. Even though the fighting was
relatively brief and bloodless (fewer than
2,000
humans were killed in
the
war, and
fewer than
50
elves), the enmity between
elves and humans would not soon die.
Even with the Elfwar over, the Darokin
army was not prepared for the tenacity of
the ora. The siege of Corunglain was bro-
ken a dozen
times,
only to be damped
back on by the orcs, each time stronger
than before. In
523,
the city fmally fell.
The orcs ransacked the city and slew thou-
sands of people before they went back
home, carrying the wealth of an entire
city on their backs.
Trade. military cooperation, and diplo-
matic relations with the elves were practi-
cally nonexistentfor centuries. Individual
towns and villages became more and
more independent and, by
650,
the posi-
tion of King of Darokin was ceremonial
in nature, and completely powerless.
When
Santhral
I1 died
in
723
without an
heir, the era of Darokin Kings came to
an
end.
b N b
Of
L€ftOV€nS
-
The next
200
years or
so
were not eventful
ones in Darokin history. Most towns and
villages governed themselves, while a few
larger cities. namely Akorros, Darokin,
Corunglain,
and
Selenica, began to
exert
some influence
in
the surrounding coun-
tryside. Contact and trade with other
countries improved. especially with
Alf-
heim and the Five Shires.
Trouble with the orcs was at a
mini-
mum during
this
time, with one notable
exception. The northern town of
Ardelphia was looted and leveled in
846
by a huge army of orcs crossing the border
from the Broken
Iands.
Fortunately, the
orcs quickly fell to bickering among
themselves over the booty, and the army
disbanded and returned home without
causing any more damage.
But the most important events of the
era
725
-
925
were the continual migra-
tions of refugeesfrom other nearby lands.
As more neighbors settled their own
fates, losers in those strugglespoured into

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