Introducing the World - Part 2

These are things I and my co-DM have developed for Bugbears for Breakfast and done some detail work on. More will follow.

Barony of the Mead
Across the Flathead River from Goldland Crossing, nestled up to the western edge of the Small Hills, is the Barony of the Mead. This fiefdom was granted to the Brewers' Guild, with the Guild Leader also being the Baron Mead. The barony consists of very fertile soil with several clear streams running through it, making it ideal for raising the crops necessary for brewing and distilling various forms of alcohol. In addition to grains, hops, and several other crops vital to the guild, the barony also raises food crops, making it the primary source for wheat and other vegetables for Goldland Crossing.

The coat of arms for this barony features a steel beer stein flanked by sheaves of grain on a green background.

Smoky Hands Barony
North of the Small Hills, along the coast of the Southern sea, lies a small forest, some 30 miles in length, which comprises the Smoky Hands Barony. This fiefdom was granted to a charcoal burner whose talents were critical in the establishment of Goldland Crossing. This barony still supplies the majority of cooking charcoal for Goldland Crossing, although the Barony of the 50 Lances is starting to cut into this business.

The coat of arms for this barony features two black hands on a field of white with a black, crenulated border.

Royal Archer Country
In the southwest edge of the Small Hills is the small fiefdom of Royal Archer Country. This fiefdom was granted to Harald Arrowstorm, once a military commander in the Old World, as a retirement benefit. Harald has established a small fortified manor house at the top of a hill and is in the process of building a wall around it. Harald has granted smaller portions of land to old comrade at arms from his time in the military, providing a core of disciplined fighting men to defend the fiefdom.

The coat of arms for this fiefdom is a silver cloud raining three arrows, on a field of blue.

Empty God Fief
Approximately 20 miles south of Goldland Crossing is the Empty God Fief. This fiefdom consists of an immense, partially buried, hollow statue and the lands immediately around it. The statue is buried to its waist, with its hands submerged in the dirt. The features are very weathered, making it all but impossible to identify anything but the race of the statue (human, probably). The original claimants accidentally discovered the statue was hollow when fighing some raiding humanoids and a mis-placed lightning bolt breeched the exterior. After winning the fight, they explored the interior and determined that there was plenty of space inside to build structures. They built wooden support structures inside the statue to provide living and storage space and applied for a fiefdom. Needing a strong defense point south of the city at that time, the Gate Guild recommended the fiefdom be granted and it was.

The coat of arms for this fiefdom is a white, half-buried human figure on a field of green.

The Candlestick Marches
Stretching south from the southwestern corner of Otter's Bay to the edge of the Muddy Woods, lie a series of tall, metallic structures. What ever purpose they once server is lost, along with the burned and melted tops of the towers. About half of the 30 structures are inhabited at this time, spread evenly along the length of the march. Those living in the towers are required to maintain a signal fire and heliograph to warn Goldland Crossing of any humanoid forces marching east from Five Castles.

The towers themselves are made of an unknown metal and are very resilient to damage and corrosion. The interior of each is able to hold 15 to 20 individuals. The populace includes farmers, retired military people, and an unusual number of spellcasters of various stripes. The current Warden of the Marches is Slean Lodinson, a retired military commander from the Old World.

Five Castles
Five Castles is an area over 40 miles west of Goldland Crossing, containing five ancient castles that are controlled (more or less) by various humanoid tribes. These tribes fight amongst themselves for sole control of the various castles and periodically send raids to Goldland Crossing for slaves and loot. The Gate Guild is concerned that if any one faction finally gains complete control over Five Castles, they will march east and attack Goldland Crossing in force.