1. Talingarde is an island. It is about the size of England in the real world. Talingarde is located in the Steaming Sea, far west of the Ironbound Islands, and is a forgotten, isolated colony from Cheliax that now worships the Trinity place. It is far from any other nations and outsiders are something of a rarity. In the south it enjoys a temperate clime, but the north of the island is quite cold and often blanketed with snow. Most people avoid this part of the island because it is populated by monsters.
2. Talingarde is a lawful good nation. Talingarde is a place of law and order. Violations of the law are punished severely but fairly. Talingarde is also a place that reveres the ideals of goodness. Clergy tend to the sick, often for no pay. Knights seek to protect the weak. Paladins are fabled individuals often featured in stories and songs. Talingarde might be, in all the world, the nation most committed to the ideals of law and good.
3. Talingarde is a monarchy. It is ruled by good king Markadian V called the Brave. Markadian is a much beloved ruler from a well-established royal family known as the House of Darius.
4. The King has no son. He does however have a daughter, the beautiful princess Bellinda who is twenty years old and still unmarried. The king and the princess are the only full-blooded members of the royal family, though they have lots and lots of cousins and more distant family. The King’s wife Lucinda died in child birth and he has never remarried.
5. The Victor was the first Darian king. Markadian V is actually the great grandson of Markadian I called the Victor who established the House of Darius and defeated the former royal house, the House of Barca, at Battle of Tamberlyn. The Victor remains beloved in Talingarde even decades after his death and you still see statues of him everywhere.
6. The only gods you are allowed to worship in Talingarde are the Trinity, Iomedae, Sarenrae, and Desna. Once other gods were worshipped, but that all came to an end under the House of Darius. Worship of Asmodeus, arch-enemy of the Trinity, is outlawed and punishable by death by burning. Worshipping other nonevil gods is technically allowed but highly discouraged and very rarely seen.
7. The Trinity are the ladies of Light. The Trinity each have their own aspects. A leader and protector, Iomedea. A guide and mentor, Desna. And healer and living flame, Sarenrae. The Trinity are benevolent goddesses and the arch-enemy of the First Tyrant, Asmodeus.
8. The Church of the Trinity is everywhere. No town in Talingarde lacks a church of the Trinity. The priests are almost always important men in their community. Women are also allowed to become priestesses but few do. The second most powerful man in the kingdom is the High Cardinal of the Church, Vitallian of Estyllis. There word is not law but it is heard and respected and ignored only infrequently. The House of Darius and the Church of the Trinity are allies dedicated to keeping Talingarde the bastion of goodness, law and devotion that it is today.
9. Asmodeus is the enemy of the Trinity and Talingarde. Only one faith is banned and punishable by death within the kingdom of Talingarde – the faith of the devil-god Asmodeus, the lord of the Nine Hells. Before the House of Darius rose, Asmodeus was part of the pantheon of Talingarde. Asmodeus was not loved, but he was feared and respected alongside the other gods. Markadian IV called the Zealot outlawed the faith and unleashed the Inquisition against it. In the Asmodean Purges of the twenty years ago, every temple and high priest of Asmodeus was burned. The Temple of Asmodeus never recovered.
10. Talingarde is defended by the Knights of the Alerion. The Knights are a storied and legendary order of warriors who uphold the right, protect the weak and work to see justice done. They are a religious order and everyone has sworn oaths to the Trinity. Uniquely, they are not all nobles. Even those of common blood may become a knight if they are deemed worthy. Not every Knight is a paladin, but their order has produced more paladins than any other.
11.Talingarde has six regions. The Island of Talingarde has six parts – The Cambrian Ports, The Heartland, the Borderlands, the Caer Bryr, the Savage North and the Lands of the Yutak. The Cambrian Ports are the three large cities of Talingarde that sit upon the Bay of Cambria. The Heartland is the farms and rural parts of Talingarde. The Borderlands are the northern reaches of the kingdom protected by the Watch Wall. The Caer Bryr is a great forest inhabited by the savage Iraen. The Savage North is a wasteland of ice ruled by monsters. And the Lands of the Yutak are scattered small northern islands
inhabited by strange men very different from the men of Talingarde (or Talireans as they are sometimes known).
12. Talingarde is protected by the Watch Wall. Twelve fortresses mark the northern border of the kingdom of Talingarde. These fortresses control every point of access from the Savage North and each holding an enchanted stone that wards that defend the land from incursion by the bugbears and other monsters that live there. Markadian V called the Brave earned that name defending the Watch Wall.
13. The game starts on the 7th of Sarenith 4713 (June in our world). Three days before Asmodeus's holy day "the Darkness Eternal".
13. Talingarde is at peace. But will it last?
What is Talingarde?
Talingarde is the most virtuous, peaceful, noble nation in the world today. This land is ruled by King Markadian V called the Brave of House Darius. He has only one heir – the beautiful princess Bellinda. This benevolent monarchy is heavily intertwined with the Church of The Trinity, the Shining Goddeses. You are from Talingarde. This is your home. You have lived here your entire life. And if they gave you half a chance, you would have your revenge on all of them.
Who is the Trinity?
The Trinity, the so-called Shining Godesses, are the god of the sun, bravery, honor, justice, charity and other such pusillanimous rubbish. The Church of the Trinity is the preeminent religion of Talingarde these days. The Knights of the Alerion, the elite warriors of Talingarde, are a Trinity order. The monks of St. Macarius, who travel the land healing the sick and the helping the needy, are also a Trinity order. The House of Darius, the royal family of Talingarde, are devout followers. It wasn’t always this way. Before the Darians took over, Talingarde worshipped an entire pantheon of deities. Preeminent among those deities was Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, Lord of Ambition and Order. Now it is forbidden to worship Asmodeus. To do so is to be condemned. The devoted followers of the Trinity destroyed all the Asmodean temples and burned his books and priests. There are no followers of Asmodeus anymore in Talingarde – at least none you know of. Devout Mitrans will not say the name Asmodeus. He is simply “The Fallen” or “The Enemy”.
The Six Regions of Talingarde
The Cambrian Ports
This is the center of the nation of Talingarde and the apex of its culture and power. This region is defined by three great metropolises – the capital Matharyn, the northern city of Ghastenhall, and the western port of Daveryn.
The Heartland
This is where most of the population of the nation of Talingarde lives and works. Seemingly one quaint village after another, this is a land of endless farmlands broken up only by small stretches of well-managed forest. Those who truly understand the nation understand that the Heartland is Talingarde’s strength. The cities may create its riches and culture, but without the stalwart yeomanry, country knights and hearty folk of the field, Talingarde would be only a dream.
The Borderlands
Located between the Heartland and the Savage North, this border region represents the limits of Talirean power. Unable to fully conquer the north after centuries of incursion and brutal conflict, it was King Accarius IV of House Barca called the Architect who constructed the first version of the Watch Wall. In more educated circles it is still called the Accarian Line. Accarius constructed nine castles guarding the border. Later Markadian I called the Victorious would add three more and called upon the priests of the Trinity to use their divine power to protect the people of the south. They constructed the Ward stones effectively prohibiting access to the Heartland from the North. The Watch Wall was intended to protect the Wardstones repeling monsters and savages so that eventually the rest of the isle could be conquered and pacified. It was never meant to be the permanent measure it has become. The success of the Watch Wall has bred complacency. Why invade the north when the south is so prosperous? The Watch Wall does such a fine job of repulsing the illled assaults of the barbarous humanoid invaders. Thus today, the Watch Wall is little regarded as a pressing military concern. The twelve castles are garrisoned and maintained but little is done to capture the Savage North.
The Caer Bryr
The Western frontier of the island is dominated by the massive forest that gives this region its name. Small Talirean border towns flourish in the less wooded south, but the north remains a land of mists and legends. The Caer Bryr is reputed to be haunted and filled with monsters. There are tales of dragons and ancient evils that still haunt the woods. The only ones who are able to travel here with impunity are the barbaric Iraen, a primitive human tribe that reveres the spirits of the woods. The Iraen neither revere the Trinity nor pay homage to the king, instead preferring their own crude animistic faith and barbaric chieftains. Worse, in times of hardship the Iraen can be quick to turn to banditry against Talirean settlements. Thus their relationship with Talingarde is strained at best. Still, beside the occasional raid or skirmish, there has never been large-scale warfare between the Iraen and the Talireans.
The Savage North
Beyond the Watch Wall lays the Savage North. Often this land is said to be nothing but an empty waste of ice and monsters. This is a complete fiction. The north is dominated by forests and plains rich in life. Here dwell three peoples long demonized or ignored by the more civilized folk of the south – the brutal burabar (the name the bugbears call themselves), the naatanuk (intelligent polar bears) and the mysterious ice elves. Though little is known about the North, this is certain – it is largest unexplored region on the island. Many a Talirean king has dreamt of conquering the North. So far, those dreams remain unfulfilled...
The Lands of the Yutak
This chain of islands is inhabited by the Yutak, short swarthy black-haired humans. These islands are cold, inhospitable places unsuited to farming or grazing, so the Talireans have left the Yutak to their own devices. Where the southerners see wastelands, the Yutak see oceans teaming with fish and seals. In their one-man kayaks and larger umiaks, they ply the open oceans hunting for fur and blubber. Occasionally, several small bands will unite to hunt a whale. Rarely, an umiak will appear out of the mist loaded with ivory and furs. These Yutak umiaks will sail into one of the western ports (a few have made it as far south as Daveryn), conduct their business and then disappear once more. The Yutak never trade for gold instead prizing steel, leather and strong drink. Wise merchants keep a stock of steel harpoon heads in case they encounter a Yutak trader. The Yutak will trade much ivory for a finely made harpoon.
Few Talireans speak the strange musical Yutak tongue and few Yutak understand common. The Yutak, much like the savage Iraens of the Caer Bryr, have their own gods and their own way of life. Still, where the Iraen are secretive and xenophobic, the Yutak are a gregarious people. Travellers along the western coast tell tales of Yutak who without invitation join Talireans around a campfire. The Yutak share their seal meat and sing strange but beautiful songs with strangers with whom they share no tongue. It is said that if you are polite and share your own food, the Yutak may leave a gift to mark their passing.
Major Settlements
Matharyn: Matharyn is the capitol of Talingarde. Out of the three great cities it has the largest population. To understand the history of this great city, you must understand the history of Talingarde itself. Every major civilization on the island has claimed this place for its own at one time or another. Matharyn is the oldest human settlement in all of Talingarde. Located at the southernmost reaches of the island – it enjoys amild climate. By the sea and the bay, the fishing is legendary. The promontory here commands entrance to the rich Cambrian Bay beyond. And the land upon the nearby peninsula is rich and arable. The only surprise about Matharyn would be if it were ever uninhabited. The first civilized settlers here were dwarves and they likely took it from the bugbears that once spread across this entire island. The old dwarven fortress controlled access to the bay and guarded against threats to the wealthy dwarven mountain holds within the inner kingdom. The old dwarvish word for ‘gate’ is ‘maat’ and likely that is where this place first got its name. When the first humans came – the Iraen – they settled here and in when the dwarves fell from prominence, the fortress fell into the hands of the barbarians. What name it bore then, none now know. Exact timelines become difficult throughout an age of illerate barbarian warlords. Exactly how many claimed lordship and how long they reigned is a matter of conjecture for scholars. However, the town was little more than a hill fort built from crumbling dwarven ruins surrounded by hovels when the Chelaxians arrived. Through the following years, what was once a single village had split into two, because of the squabbling of ancient chieftains. And so it was the Iraen who gave the city the second part of its name. Ira Annoch Araen (Ear-ah An-knock Ae-rain) meansroughly ‘the place of great lordship over all the people’. Of course foreigners could make little sense of such a complex and unpronouneable title, and so the second village was often simply called ‘Araen’.The twin villages of Maath and Araen were amongst the Chelaxians first conquests. The Iraen were caught off guard by the foreign invaders and unable to defend against their superior military might and unity. Maath-Aryn (this being the invaders’ best attempt at pronouncing the old Iraen words) was born under the Barcan kings of old. It became their capital. Then they built the sister city of Aath-Aryn. Though Aath was lost in a disastrous earthquake and now lies at the bottom of the sea, legends of lost Aath persist to this day. In time the Barcan kingdoms unified after a grueling civil war and the nation of Talingarde was born. By then, the name of Maath-Aryn had shifted to its modern spelling Matharyn and the city began to take on its more modern character. At first, it was a small city by the standards of the kingdoms of the mainland. The isle of Talingarde was always regarded as a remote backwater by more established kingdoms and Matharyn was scarcely known outside of the realm. It was only under the reign of the Victor that the city truly exploded in size and influence. The Victor, always a confident ruler, swept away the xenophobic isolationism of the Barcan regime and opened up trade with the mainland. Even though much of that trade ended up going through Ghastenhall, some went to Matharyn and the king taxed it all. The city grew rich and prosperous. From across the land, settlers moved to live near the shining court of the Victor. Matharyn doubled in size and doubled again. It became a true metropolis by the end of the Victor’s fourty-six year reign.
Ghastenhall: One of the three great cities of Talingarde, Ghastenhall is by the far the most cosmopolitan and liberal. Compared to the orthodoxy of Matharyn and the rigid legalisms of Daveryn, Ghastenhall is a hub of trade, art, theater, learning and culture. Ghastenhall is a city with one foot in
the past and one foot in the future. The duke is the last gasp of the old Barcan nobility that used to rule this island. His grandfather marched to war against the Victor. Of course, the old duke was also wise enough that when defeated he swiftly swore fealty to the new king. Still there is a lingering wound there that has never entirely healed. But at the same time, Ghastenhall is at the forefront of Talirean art and culture. Virtually every newbook and play written in Talingarde comes from this city. Most new music and fashion are born here. Almost anything truly new in the kingdom likely originated here. If you know what’s happening in Ghastenhall, you know what’s happening in Talingarde. Most trading vessels come to Ghastenhall to trade and spend their liberty at the infamous Red Quarter.
Daveryn: Daveryn is the last of the great cities of Talingarde and the smallest. The Port city has 13 districts each known for making their own unique brand of liquors. Otherwise the city is in the shadow of Matharyn and Ghastenhall but otherwise it was a thriving port city ruled by a less than competent Duke. Therefore it is a haven for organized crime.
Farholde: Farholde is the northernmost colony of Talingarde. This small city is a backwater, largely isolated from its parent nation by distance and danger. No King of Talingarde has visited Farholde since the Victor sat upon the throne. And yet, Farholde is a keystone of the realm’s defense. Without control of the delta that feeds into Lake Scardynn (pronounced SCAR-den) there would be no credible defense of the Borderlands.
