Ustalav missing a county?

[DeciusNero]

Is Ustalav missing a county? There's supposed to be sixteen (as indicated on the national coat of arms); Virlych is the remants of Grodlych and Virholt, and Janoyt was annexed to the River Kingdoms.

That'd be fifteen; were Tamrivena and Canterwall two counties once, and were then merged?

[Icyshadow]

It could be a retcon.

[archmagi1]

Canterwall was formerly Tamrivena prior to the Palantine movement. All I can find says sixteen, but twelve remain (not counting Virlych), and with the three former counties, that still only makes 15.

[Mythic Evil Lincoln]

Not missing. Vanished into mysterious mists.

[Kajehase]

And Lastwall used to be part of Ustalav, back before the whole Whispering Tyrant episode.

[MarkusTay]

Mythic Evil Lincoln wrote:

Not missing. Vanished into mysterious mists.

Oooooooohhh...

GOOD ANSWER.

[DeciusNero]

Kajehase wrote:

And Lastwall used to be part of Ustalav, back before the whole Whispering Tyrant episode.

I believe Lastwall, like Virlych, is also comprised of the other parts of Grolych and Virholt.

[Tirisfal]

Mythic Evil Lincoln wrote:

Not missing. Vanished into mysterious mists.

If my players figure this out and ask me, this is the answer I'm giving them.

[F. Wesley Schneider]

DeciusNero wrote:

Is Ustalav missing a county?

So far I've only talked about 15 of them, and Rule of Fear only touches on 15 (see page 9).

I've kept my options open on that last one so far, because there's a few different stories and family backgrounds here that I'd still like to explore (or would like to keep my options open on).

As each of the 16 counties was a land granted to one of Soividia Ustav's generals, each county also equates to one of the nation's 16 original ruling families. Each county name or original name is (generally) derived from the historic name of one of those ruling families. We can see this in the modern country with the similarities in name between Odranto county and the Ordranti family and Caliphas county and the Caliphvaso family.

If someone forced me to pin down something right now, I'd likely do one of two things. Either, I'd chalk out a region of Canterwall and Lozeri as a traditional county that became defunct during the creation of the Palatinates, or I'd mark off a region larger than the Furrows in that region to reenforce that area's formerly contested nature.

But neither of those is quite the story I want to tell with the sixteenth family. So if you need something right now, feel free to run with one of those. But if you want the full story, that's something that I'm keeping in my back pocket for a while longer. (Though may have dropped hits at in Rule of Fear and Carrion Crown.) ;)

[captain yesterday]

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:

DeciusNero wrote:

Is Ustalav missing a county?

So far I've only talked about 15 of them, and Rule of Fear only touches on 15 (see page 9).

I've kept my options open on that last one so far, because there's a few different stories and family backgrounds here that I'd still like to explore (or would like to keep my options open on).

As each of the 16 counties was a land granted to one of Soividia Ustav's generals, each county also equates to one of the nation's 16 original ruling families. Each county name or original name is (generally) derived from the historic name of one of those ruling families. We can see this in the modern country with the similarities in name between Odranto county and the Ordranti family and Caliphas county and the Caliphvaso family.

If someone forced me to pin down something right now, I'd likely do one of two things. Either, I'd chalk out a region of Canterwall and Lozeri as a traditional county that became defunct during the creation of the Palatinates, or I'd mark off a region larger than the Furrows in that region to reenforce that area's formerly contested nature.

But neither of those is quite the story I want to tell with the sixteenth family. So if you need something right now, feel free to run with one of those. But if you want the full story, that's something that I'm keeping in my back pocket for a while longer. (Though may have dropped hits at in Rule of Fear and Carrion Crown.) ;)

Well played Mr Schneider;)

[Tirisfal]

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:

DeciusNero wrote:

Is Ustalav missing a county?

So far I've only talked about 15 of them, and Rule of Fear only touches on 15 (see page 9).

I've kept my options open on that last one so far, because there's a few different stories and family backgrounds here that I'd still like to explore (or would like to keep my options open on).

As each of the 16 counties was a land granted to one of Soividia Ustav's generals, each county also equates to one of the nation's 16 original ruling families. Each county name or original name is (generally) derived from the historic name of one of those ruling families. We can see this in the modern country with the similarities in name between Odranto county and the Ordranti family and Caliphas county and the Caliphvaso family.

If someone forced me to pin down something right now, I'd likely do one of two things. Either, I'd chalk out a region of Canterwall and Lozeri as a traditional county that became defunct during the creation of the Palatinates, or I'd mark off a region larger than the Furrows in that region to reenforce that area's formerly contested nature.

But neither of those is quite the story I want to tell with the sixteenth family. So if you need something right now, feel free to run with one of those. But if you want the full story, that's something that I'm keeping in my back pocket for a while longer. (Though may have dropped hits at in Rule of Fear and Carrion Crown.) ;)

Ooooooooooooo! I think I know what you're hinting at :)))))

[DeciusNero]

F. Wesley Schneider wrote:

If someone forced me to pin down something right now, I'd likely do one of two things. Either, I'd chalk out a region of Canterwall and Lozeri as a traditional county that became defunct during the creation of the Palatinates, or I'd mark off a region larger than the Furrows in that region to reenforce that area's formerly contested nature.

But neither of those is quite the story I want to tell with the sixteenth family. So if you need something right now, feel free to run with one of those. But if you want the full story, that's something that I'm keeping in my back pocket for a while longer. (Though may have dropped hits at in Rule of Fear and Carrion Crown.) ;)

Wouldn't happen to be above Vieland, in the Worldwound? The Moonscream Vale mentioned that the villiage had Ustalavic achitecture...

[TheLoneCleric]

The 16th family turned Vampiric. They are the undead heirs and protectors fo the crown.

That's my head canon so far.

[W E Ray]

Wes,

No matter what your plans had been, or what you're thinking now -- you have to write it according to what Evil Lincoln said; the Mists got it.

Have to.

[Werebat]

The 16th county of Ustalav is ruled by Peter Ustinov. I thought everyone knew that.

[martinaj]

Yeah, I'm with Evil Lincoln on this one. If you want to get really hammy with it, maybe we could say about 400 years ago there was this little place called Barovia...