An Ironclaw campaign.
Calabria’s first inhabitants are lost in the mists of time. Surely a great race lived their once — in the forgotten
corners of the land, monuments have been left to their passing.
Thousands of years must have passed before the Great Houses made their marks on the land, beginning
as mere immigrants upon the landscape from the rest of the world. The first to appear were the cunning
Rinaldi (gray foxes). They were swiftly followed by the Doloreaux (boars) and Avoidupois (horses), then Bisclavret (canines) emerged as the newest of the Great Houses. None can say from whence they originally came and this has been a source of some debate. Navigators and scholars agree that the earth is round, and that there are many lands yet to be discovered beyond the horizon.
What is clearly a matter of record is the rise of the current empires throughout the Known World. Today,
the Great Noble Houses command powerful armies and naval fleets. The fickle and erudite nature of sorcery
has been foresworn in favor of the simple brutality of sword, musket, and shield.
People today believe themselves to live in a glorious age of wonders. The invention of the printing press
has made books cheaper and more available to the greater public. New sailing ships and navigation equipment have given merchants and explorers a reach greater than ever before. And, the distillation and
preparation of gunpowder is changing the nature of warfare, while at the same time enabling mining and
engineering projects on a grand scale.
In fact, gunpowder is one of the more dramatic changes. Formerly, the knight in full armor was the “ultimate
war machine”, second only to the rare and unusual warrior-wizard. However, a bullet can pierce
even the best plate mail. And though fireballs and lightning bolts may fly far and true, it takes long years
of tedious study to become an accomplished wizard, whereas even an ignorant peasant can pull a trigger.
Magic is not unknown — but it is not widespread. Few have the patience or presence of mind to cast
spells, and those that do jealously guard their secrets. The language barriers between disparate geographic
regions don’t help, either — not to mention the cryptic ciphers often found in books of yore.
THE CITY OF TRISKELLIAN
Upon the Bay of Auvrich in the lands of Lykaemon lies the city of Triskellian. Rumors abound that buildings in the older parts of the city are far older than any modern history book. The bulk of affairs take place in
the new districts, near the dockyards — where the Guilds hold sway.
The vulpine Rinaldi were the founding family, led by their powerful and wise
patriarch Don Jon. He rebuilt Triskellian around its ancient ruins and established
his clan there and in the surrounding territory. Triskellian grew to be a
port city and, since transport of goods overland was dangerous and expensive,
it flourished. The Granvert River and the roads from the north brought
the wealth of Calabria to Triskellian’s markets. Here one can find Bisclavret
timber, Doloreaux gems and Avoirdupois armor. The Rinaldi’s influence on
the other houses is great, for it is in their city where fortunes are made and
lost. Here is the place to find a tradesman of the finest skill, a mage of the
highest caliber and a thief of great ability.
The Rinaldi are not without their troubles. Of late, they have become more
and more consumed with infighting and have let their precious city slip
away. Some say it is the recent conversion to S’allumer by the Don and his
high court that led to the disappearance of one of the duchesses and her
reluctance to come into the Light. But they still rule with an iron fist and
an eye for the market. Should trouble ever arise, the Rinaldi are well
defended by more than military might. Their city is home to many of the
Houses’ highest nobles and their fortunes will not be easily taken.
RELIGION
As with customs, religion also varies from parish to parish. However, the city
is the home of the Penitents of S’allumer, which is the primary religion of
Calabria. The city observes all the high holy days of S’allumer, and every seventh
day of the week is the day of Dimache, where it is forbidden to exchange
money within the city limits, by clerical and secular law. Each year pilgrims
from across the land gather in the city to visit the Cathedrale de Temoin.
LANGUAGES
The original tongue of the Rinaldi, and thus Triskellian, was Matriloquentia.
Many Rinaldi nobles still speak it with a heavy accent, and some of the older
Guild Masters do too, especially those who know the finer points of law.
Some Penitent ceremonies are conducted entirely in this older tongue.
Today, the common language of Triskellian and the rest of the island is
Calabrese However, on the dockyards, the better merchants know a handful
of languages to deal with their hodgepodge crew and their various customers.
THE GREAT HOUSES:
The House of Rinaldi.
The Rinaldi family is said to come from an ancient
stock; their family records have no mention of their
arrival in Calabria. The Rinaldi maintain that they are
the only “true” inhabitants of the island and that they
are single-handedly responsible for the demise of the
Autarchs. As might be expected, the other great houses
doubt this claim. However, this assertion does give the
Rinaldi a certain credibility with the common people.
Their business sense has brought them more wealth
than any conquest could.
“Pure in Thought, Pure in Deed” —
The House of Avoirdupois.
The equine Avoirdupois claim that their noble line is the oldest and the
proudest of all time. To back up their claim, the Avoirdupois maintain the
oldest known castles and have the longest written records of anyone in
Calabria. Steeped in tradition, members of this house are known for their
unfailing courage, their unfaltering attention to their chivalric code, and
their intolerance for everything not “Avoirdupois”.
The Avoirdupois are proud and strong, fleet of hoof and of mind. They control
the vast sweeping northeastern plains of Calabria. Their great vineyards
and sweeping manors are responsible for most of the specialized food production
on the continent. They pride themselves on having the swiftest
army in the land and the most rigorously trained knights. They wish to
maintain their open fields and keep their heritage intact. Despite their militant
stance, they are also quite concerned with the knightly virtues of loyalty
and honor. None could be said to more pious than an Avoirdupois knight
on the morning of battle.
MINOR HOUSES WITHIN AVOIRDUPOIS:
Àoreilles
A minor house of Rabbits who became vas
Avoirdupois early on, the Àoreilles are establi
the northwest shore of Lake Aube.
Casque
A proud house given to occasional acts of defiance, the armadillos of the Minor House of
Casque accepted Avoirdupois rule in lieu of being destroyed. They claim to be followers of
S’allumer, but the depth of their allegiance is not known. They petition at times to establish
a school or library on their territory but refuse to completely cede care-taking of this same
land to the Church. They occasionally join one of the Holy Orders, but such is rare. The
few that do exist are Haimorrs, and reportedly do quite well under a regimen of selfflagellation
and outdoor living.
Écorcheurs
Hundreds of years ago, the rhinoceros known as the Écorcheurs were the hated enemies of
all Avoirdupois. Today, they live in peace under Avoirdupois rule. As a Minor House, they
are franchised to own land, although many become knights-errant and take up high-ranking
positions in garrisons and border patrols. Individuals of this group often go on personal
pilgrimages not associated with religion, and roaming seems to be in their blood.
Lissemanteau
A Minor House of ermines who joined the Accord de Gérance during the war against the
Rinaldi, the Lissemanteau inherited much of their current property under dubious circumstances.
They have never been able to shed their bad reputation, and other nobility are likely
to snub them or otherwise express their disdain. Some Lissemanteau try to compensate by
living up to the ideals of chivalry. Many others simply use their status for personal gain.
“From Stone &Wood to Brick & Steel” —
The House of Bisclavret.
The Bisclavret were once part of the demesne of the Phelan (p. 283). Over
three hundred years ago, on the night of the “Seiscethir,” the Bisclavret proclaimed
themselves a separate nation. They threw off the trappings of their
old ways and embraced the “modernism” of the Church of S’allumer, of
kings and vassals, of commerce and technology. Today they are a formidable
Nobe House in their own right.
Their control over the northwestern forests of Calabria has given them the
economic power to build an army second only to the Avoirdupois. The
might of their mercenaries and the quality of their troops shoud not be
doubted. They have pretensions of being a great power but are limited by
endless infighting and lack of supplies. Their nobles are forever in a contest
over land and status, each trying to best the other. Their shipping industry
has been a priority of late and is growing.
MINOR TRIBES WITHIN BISCLAVRET:
Blaireu
This minor house of Badgers is a vassal state to the
Bisclavret, but have established several freeholds in the
Muire Forest.
Keylljeyder
In the Phelan epic poem, The Song of Conas Mac Gadhar, the hero Conas is prevented from
crossing a bridge by a white elk who wields a spear pointed on both ends. After some debate, the
elk agrees to let Conas pass if he can beat him at a race from there to “the edge of the world”
and back. Conas agrees, and the two of them dash off over hills and through the forest, in a
contest that is described for many stanzas. They reach the end of the earth by nightfall, but as
they run back, Conas becomes lost in the morning fog, and he must wait until noon for the
weather to clear up. By then, he has lost the race. Being an honorable warrior Conas
congratulates the elk and returns the way he came. He gives the elk the name of Ceo laoch,
“Warrior of the Fog.” The Phelan claim this is where the Keylljeyder got their name, and that it
was winning this contest that gave these elks the right to the lands they currently own.
Today, the Keylljeyder dominate the Wildenlands on the northern part of Calabria. Little is
known about their way of life, as they do not mix with outsiders. They enjoy peace with the
Phelan as their territories do not overlap, and they have no open relations with any other folk.
They do not mark their territory with carved standing-stones as the Phelan do, but by marks
made in trees. The Keylljeyder speak a dialect of the Bérla Féini, though a few have learned
Calabrese. Their religion has little in common with the Phelan — in fact, their beliefs have
much in common with the Old Faith of the Doloreaux (q.v. Doloreaux). There are Keylljeyder
who know the Blessed Paths, though they do not acknowledge the goddess Lutara and her
pantheon.
Fiach
The Fiach are a tribe of ravens who claim to be
descended from the Morrígnai, or war-goblins.
With their ability to fly and their lack of arms, the
Fiach live very differently from other folk of
Calabria. They build their houses in high tree
branches, and their farms look more like gardens.
The Fiach enjoy rights as “freemen” or Féine
under Phelan law. Their needs are modest, and
they serve valuable roles in the community, as
their mobility makes them excellent messengers.
As per Phelan Law, all Fiach must respond to the
summons of a Druid by means of the spell Call
Raven.
Feòcullan
Possibly the strangest folk of all Calabria, the skunks called the Feòcullan are the oddest of
all. What technology they have is even more primitive than the Phelan — they know no
forges or metal armor, using only pattern-folded iron spearheads and tree-bark for clothes.
They speak a guttural language unlike any other. Sometimes the Feòcullan paint themselves
up with blue dye and stage bandit raids against the Phelan or other folk, ambushing with
their skunk-spray, then disappearing as quickly as they appeared, running off with whatever
booty they can make away with. The Phelan dislike them intensely and have not attempted
to get to know these strange neighbors. The Feòcullan would probably have been
exterminated by now if they did not make their homes in the bogs and swamps of the
western Muire Forest, where no one else wants to go.
Screeberagh
While the Keylljeyder enjoy good relations
with the Phelan, the Screeberagh are under
constant suspicion. A conglomeration of wild
cats of assorted breeding and races, the
Screeberagh live under a code of laws simpler
that owes more to the Phelan way of life than
they would like to admit. Over the centuries,
the Screeberagh have been pushed out of
Phelan lands by threats and by open warfare.
Today their scattered holdings are on the
border of the Phelan and the Bisclavret
territories, within the South-eastern Muire
woods — in fact, more than one Screeberagh
clan lives on land where they swear fealty to
a Bisclavret lord. Some cats worry that they
are losing their culture and becoming pawns
of the Bisclavret; other Screeberagh get
drunk on whiskey and curse the Phelan and
all they stand for. In any case, the
Screeberagh folk are on the wane.
Repense
The Repense are a minor house of Bats and Mice
who are subjects of the Bisclavret. The Repense live in
the forest near the source of the river Skirfane. The
nobility of the Repense are all Bats, while the
Mice treat their Bat nobility with awe-struck reverence.
“Iron Tusks and Gardener’s Souls” —
The House of Doloreaux.
The Doloreaux made their home on the northern part of Calabria, moving
quickly to claim the area between the Rother and Lyore rivers. Their
arrival was not without violence — the Doloreaux expansion was the first
to buffet the Rinaldi, and later the Avoirdupois and Bisclavret. Young
lords, eager to stake their claims to land, went to war whenever they
thought they could win. After many victories and few losses, the
Doloreaux have staked their claim … but they command no sea ports, and
their farmland can only sustain their current population.
THE MINOR HOUSES OF DOLOREAUX:
Avinge
The Avinge are a minor house of Shrews who swear
loyalty to the Doloreaux, who originally held a
considerable amount of land under their sway before
losing most of it to the Phelan and Doloreaux.
Quennel
This noble house of Squirrels is subject to the
Doloreaux, who annexed their lands, which lay around
Auriville.
Thierry
This minor house of Bears swears fealty to the
Doloreaux, who conquered their homeland atop the
Walls of Calabria.
THE OTHER FOLK OF CALABRIA:
The Chevernaise of Rothos
The goats who dominate the north-eastern mountains are known as the
Chevernaise, though not all of them claim lineage from that dynasty. They
are mostly composed of small clans which vary in their organization and religion
from valley to valley and mountain to mountain. The richest of these
clans inhabit the length of the Chevernaise pass and charge a heavy toll for
use of the only safe way to Epinian and back. The Chevernaise refuse to
acknowledge the authority of any of the Great Houses. They often ambush
caravans that move through their pass to the northeastern port.
Phelan
Living in the deep forests and steppes of the north-west are the Phelan, a
proud race of wolves who are cousin to the Bisclavret. The Phelan have
customs and way of life very different from other Calabrese — many speak
their old language of Bérla Féini, and few have given up their old ways of
worship in favor of these new gods. Phelan society is dominated by the folk
known as Druids, who serve as mediators between the mundane and the
spiritual worlds. Of all the folk of Calabria, the Phelan have the most
accomplished Atavists.
The noble titles of the Phelan are not hereditary; successors are chosen
among the worthy. As can be imagined, there are many squabbles and feuds
over power and wealth. The Phelan are united mostly by their dislike for all
other factions on Calabria, especially the Bisclavret who have forsaken the
old ways in favor of avarice and greed (by Phelan reckoning, anyway.)
Zvonimir
A minor House of Bats, the Zvonimir claim the
caverns studding the Walls of Calabria as their domain.
They occupy land of little use to others, and favor a
cuisine of flying insects few others relish. This has
allowed them to cultivate a reputation for "neutrality";
thus, despite their eccentric ways and their nominal
fealty to the Rinaldi, they are often sought as mediators.
Rumors abound that these eloquent negotiators have
connections within the Scribes and Couriers Guild; certainly,
there are many fast-flying Bats among their number.
Långsvansad
Inhabiting the southeastern and eastern portion of Isle
of Auvrich, which lies south of the Bay, this house of
weasels is famous for its fickle political alliances as well as
for its violent successions and frequent usurping of the throne.
While individual leaders may be open to relations
with other nations, the general population tends to meet
outsiders with suspicion, an eye for profit, or outright
hostility, due to continuous fueding with the other groups
inhabiting their island.
Valgt
The Valgt are a minor house of Wolverines who live
along the western and northern coasts of Isle of Auvrich.
Locked in an ongoing conflict with their insular
neighbours, the Långsvansad, which has lasted for as long
as either side can remember, they believe it is their right
and destiny to control the entirety of Isle of Auvrich and
its associated islands, of which they consider Calabria to
be a part, likely due to the fact they remain unaware of
the size of Calabria. The Valgt welcome all visitors with
weapons drawn, and they consider any Wolverines who
leave and later return to be outsiders; therefore those who
leave do not return with tales of the world at large.
Forms of Address
What do you call someone in formal speech? How do
you introduce yourself to strangers? The forms of address
in Calabria are numerous and strange. Here are some tips.
Only nobles – that is, characters with the Gift of Nobility
– may be addressed as “Sir” or “Madam”. There are
numerous forms of address and how to say them –
characters with the Gift of Etiquette will know how to speak
with nobles without embarrassing themselves by using the
wrong form of address.
Characters with the Gift of Ordainment are recognized
priests and priestesses. The lowest-level ordinaries in the
Church of s’Allumer are addressed as “Brother” or “Sister”.
Common clerics – that is, folks with s’Allumer careers who
are not ordained – may be addressed as “Presbyter”, such
as “Presbyter John”. Uneducated lay-folk may slur the
words and say “Prester John”, instead.
There are no men ordained in the Old Faith of the
Doloreaux. Ordained women, known as Hierarchs, are
addressed as “Blessed”.
Commoners are addressed as “Good”, such as “Good
Hendrick, have you seen my purse?”
Money
Prior to 515, the Rinaldi family controlled all currency
and all mints — which they used to their advantage.
Mint more coins and push them into circulation, and the
value of money might decline. Likewise, melt too many
down or cluster some away to cause a shortage, and the
value of money might go up. The Major Houses of
Calabria were displeased by such displays, but it wasn’t
until 515 that they were able to force an order of law.
Since 515, by standing of High King Don Rinaldi,
only the Minters Guild is permitted to strike coins in
Calabria. Made up of members of the Great Houses,
Lesser Houses, and master guildsmen of the merchants
of Triskellian, the Minters Guild meets four times a year
to decide what coins need be made.
The three most common coins in Calabria are the
denar, the aureal, and the orichalk.
Denar
The standard coin is the denar (plural denarii), a
small silver coin defined as the worth of one day of
unskilled labor. Each coin weighs about 4.5 grams.
The coins bear the image of the current Don on one
side; on the other, the year of minting as well as RURU
(rex una, republicus una –"one rule, one people", in the
Magniloquentia language), the motto of Calabria.
When listing prices, it’s common to use a “d with
stroke”, or Ð, for denarii. For example, if something
costs 4 denarii, the price is listed as “4Д. In some
accounting records, “d” is used as the abbreviation,
though that can confuse some folks as whether it means
days of labor or denarii earned.
Aureal
The aureal is a solid-gold coin weighing 6.3 grams.
Its value is set at 24 denarii. Before the Minters Guild
Act of 515, their appearance varied. After 515, they
have one side with three seashells (the Rinaldi crest); on
the other side, a depiction of the Royal Palace at
Triskellian, above it says "24Ð" and below it lists the
year of minting.
Orichalk
While there are fewer orichalks than denarii in
circulation, this coin is seen far more frequently. In 515,
Don Rinaldi signed the Minters Guild charter and fixed
the exchange rate of 12 orichalks to 1 denar.
The orichalk is made of a bronze alloy that looks like
copper. They usually have a triskele on one side; on the
other side "1/12" and the year the coin was minted.
Quincunx
Seen rarely in Doloreaux lands, and hardly anywhere
else, the quincunx was a silver coin worth 5 denarii,
issued during the first and second centuries to soldiers in
the Rinaldi army, and later in the third century as tribute
to the Doloreaux. As gold replaced silver for larger
transactions, this coin was phased out and is now illegal
to use as money since the Minters Act of 515. Each
weighs 13.5 grams, but the imagery on each one varies
wildly, from three seashells (the Rinaldi crest), to some
Rinaldi king, to (in later years) some Doloreaux Baron
that the Rinaldi sought to court favor with.
Player-Characters who try to use Quincunxes as
currency can assume each one is worth 3 denarii.
Characters with the Gift of Haggling can assume a
Quincunx is worth its “legal” value of 5 denarii.
Radiate
In centuries past, Rinaldi were known to issue "vanity
coins" featuring the likeness of a king, queen, or even a
friend of court. Most of these show someone’s head with
a crown radiating many lines of light and are thus
nicknamed radiates. Radiates are no longer official issue
and thus are banned by the Minters Guild Act of 515.
They can be sold to collectors, or they can be melted
down — most are pretty large, weighing in at 12.6g,
with a rare few at 18.9g.
Bunne-de-at, Silver Earrings
The Phelan do not recognize coinage or money.
Barter is far more likely. A common custom among
travelers is to wear many small, silver earrings called
bunne-de-at.
These earrings are worth about 4 denarii in silver …
but one would still have to haggle when trading with
merchants, even the Phelan.
The trading of bunne-de-at is specifically banned by
Bisclavret law. Western merchants will melt them down
into silver, first.
Gold Ingots
When travelling, merchants will prefer money that
everyone can respect: bars of gold. Calabrese custom
has a standard bar weighing 453.6 grams – about 1/14
of a stone, worth 72 aureals or 1,728Ð. Larger or
smaller ingots are certainly possible.
By law, any ingot must be stamped with the seal of
the foundry that minted it, and the weight of the ingot.
Shaving off bits of an ingot is a crime.
Jewels
Diamonds, sapphires, rubies, etc. can also be used
for barter. The value of jewels is something that almost
always requires haggling, but jewels can’t be beat for
portability.
In game terms, jewels are always Extravagant and
Rare, but they can be of any value. The finer details,
such as flaws, cuts, weight, etc., are understandable only
to jewelers and other connoisseurs – so Haggling tests
will be necessary.
Promissory Notes
The bank checks of Calabria, a promissory note is a
piece of paper, signed and stamped with a signet ring,
and the seal of the merchant house that authorizes it.
The Merchants Guild of Calabria have agreed to honor
each other’s notes – just go to any counting house
bonded to the Guild, and cash the note. Most houses
charge a fee of 1 denar to cash a note, plus another 1
for notes in excess of 100 denarii. Because there’s a fee,
most people don’t even bother with notes unless the
amount is 48 denarii or more.
Like checks, a promissory note can be signed to only
be cashed by a certain party, which helps deter thieves.
MENAGERIE:
Courser
For those who can’t afford destriers and would prefer
a creature of more substance than the jennet, the
courser is a name applied to many of the breeds of warmount
found on Calabria. While they can’t be trained as
well as other, more .refined. breeds, they also don’t cost
as much. They are herbivores and have good longrange
stamina, for those in need of practical transportation.
The statistics provided here are of a typical
courser, but breeds vary considerably.
Cumal
Domesticated many years ago, the cumal (plural
cumalaí) is a staple of the Phelan economy. An
herbivorous beast, the cumal will eat almost any
vegetative matter. Cumalaí lay their eggs once a year,
and the Phelan celebrate the occasion as one of their
festivals. While they can be used to pull plows and carts,
they are unsuitable as riding animals.
Dray
Squat, foul-smelling,
and generally
unpleasant, the dray is a
beast-of-burden good
for heavy labor, such as
wagon- hauling or fieldplowing,
provided one
isn’t in any hurry. Drays
will eat most any
vegetative matter, and
they vary in personality
from docile to downright ornery. Few will attempt to ride
one; in fact, many will balk at first-time riders and shy
away from saddles and the like, but they can be driven at
a slow and ponderous pace for hours.
Destrier
In their heyday, the Rinaldi were famous for their
highly trained war-mounts, the destriers. This type of
mount is very rare and very expensive, the product of
selective breeding and extensive training. A destrier is
combat- trained and won’t spook at the sound of gunfire
or magic. It can also be coaxed into attacking and
trampling foes. Unfortunately, destriers are known to be
irritable, and skilled handlers are required for their
upkeep. They are also omnivorous, requiring a highprotein
diet to keep up their muscle tone, in other
words, a fair amount of meat, which makes their upkeep
far costlier than most mounts. Many are temperamental
and can’t be kept in a stable with other mounts, even
other destriers, as they will bite and kick. The process of
breaking a destrier in and learning to ride one is not for
the faint of heart or thin of skin.
Jennet
The mount preferred by the Avoirdupois, the jennet
is long of leg and swift in stride. They can be combat trained,
but they would still prefer to run than to stand
and fight. They are an excellent choice for outriders or
skirmishers, as they are smart enough to learn
formation-fighting. Their speed makes them a good
choice for lancers, as well. They are herbivorous and will
eat most any scrub or plant matter, but better-quality
food keeps them in their best shape.
Palfrey
A higher-class breed, the palfrey is the mount owned
by those who are of distinction but not necessarily of a
fighting nature, such as clergy or noble- women. While
omnivorous like the destriers, palfreys are smaller and
leaner and have less demanding dietary preferences.
Palfreys can be trained to tolerate magic and gunfire and
can be urged to strike out at footmen, but they lack the
ferocity of their destrier cousins.
Rouncy
For those mounts of no particular breeding or training,
the term rouncy is used as a catch-all. Rouncies won’t
fight or trample, and they will spook at loud noises such
as gunfire and the more brutal magics. But they will take
their riders from one point to another, they will work in
teams, and they are far more tractable than other, nastier
mounts.
Bethrach
Constant threats to the Phelan rancher are packs of
bethrachranna, fearsome lizards that use sophisticated
tactics of surrounding their prey and then taking it down.
Some breeds are domesticated and used as guards or as
patrols. Many other breeds run free in the forests, a
menace to farmers and hunters.
Damhánalla
A nasty eight-legged spider, about as big as your
head. One by itself is just a nuisance… but in the
deepest parts of the woods, they can number in the
dozens.
Tarantella
A much bigger spider, with a peculiar bite that causes
its victims to fall into fits.
Uadh-chrith
While the bethrachanna are considered nuisances,
the uadh-crithean are the stuff of nightmares. A distant
cousin to the Rinaldi destrier, the uadh-chrith can grow
to a hundred stone in size or more. They are far-ranging,
solitary hunters, and every now and again one wanders
from the wilderness into Phelan lands. Their hides are
tough and they are notoriously impervious to pain. It is
considered prudent to bring at least a dozen men and
one wizard when dealing with such a monster.
...and undead galore.
To name a very few...
The north-west is the home of the Phelan House (wolves / Celtic like).
The north-central mountains are home to the Chevernaise (goats / mountain-dwelling raiders).
The north-east is the home of the Doloreaux House (boars / eastern European, Russian like).
The south-west is home to the Bisclavret House (wolves / Scottish like).
In the south-central, the city of Triskellian, is homes to the Rinaldi (gray foxes / Italian-Medici like).
The south-east is the home of the Avoirdupois House (horses / Euro-Christian knights like).
You do not have to belong to any of the Major / Minor Houses to live on the land; however, you will be expected to pay taxes. The Phelan and Chevernaise are almost xenophobic. So, it comes down to what flavor of background do you want?
Random thoughts:
In society, it is OK to love / marry / have sex with another species (you will not produce offspring). Your family, on the other hand, may detest the ideal!
Every occupied land has different set of standards. Walking nude among the Phelan is no big deal; however, walking nude among the Avoirdupois will get you thrown in the dungeon.
There is a picture that shows several bathing tubs lined up with a table across the middle of all of the tubs. Two people per tub, of same / both sexes and of different species, eating while bathing.
All female animal-people have only two t@*+, not four, six, eight, etc...
Other known lands:
Everyone that lives on Calabria came from some where else. No one remembers from where.
Akoma, "somewhere south-west of Calabria."
Avami, "many miles away."
Govorya, not much is known about this land.
Zhongguo, "far to the west."
"A bizarre land. Here on Calabria, the carnivores eat unintelligent reptiles; however, in Zhongguo the reptiles are intelligent and not eaten by the carnivores. Here the Fiach (ravens) have no hands. In Zhongguo the Tengu (ravens) do have hands. And the Zhuque is an bird made out of fire! A bizarre land to say the least."
