Name: The Imperial Land
Established: unknown
Slogan:
Government Type: none
Capital City: none
Nationality: none
National Language: none
Currency: crownback, with the middle punched out, all old (minted before the Age of Mysticism); waterhusk
Census: Population – 38,600 ; People per sq mi – 1.62
| Racial Makeup | Percent of Pop. |
|---|---|
| Human (human, kith, vishay) | 37.8% (14,600) |
| Uncommon (elfling, stern, scale, dark, aasimar, shifter, tiefling, grunt, sharaak) | 28.8% (11,100) |
| Dwarf (mountain) | 17.4% (6,700) |
| Rare (genasi, sharkfolk, shuang, unhallowed) | 6.2% (2,400) |
| Elf (noble, spark, merfolk) | 6.0% (2,300) |
| Halfling (light, pooka) | 3.9% (1,500) |
| Gnome | 0 |
Area (sq mi): 23,815
Environment: flat plains, mountains
History: The country now known as the Imperial Land was once the eastern tip of the Athenon Empire. It is rumored that the first emperor had his original palace built here, before the threat of the yuan-ti became too much to ignore, and the Crystal Palace was rebuilt further west. In the centuries since, the country has degenerated into a chaotic mishmash of villages of mountain folk, a neglected land filled with monsters running wild, and the Three Cities.
There are dozens of pirate towns along the coast of the peninsula. They are almost always “governed” by either the strongest or smartest groups or individuals, have almost no law except those given by the rulers, and very little in the way of safety provided. The only law the pirate towns will actually agree on is that Tula Radul’s word is as good as gold. The pirate towns are actually so scattered that few outsiders know how they are grouped into “Three Cities”, but the pirates know.
Tula Radul returned to the Three Cities after years of adventuring to find them in chaos. Between constant attacks by a rising force of giants from the Wastelands, and the yuan-ti hiring Sim pirates to besiege them, the disorganized pirates of the coast were losing the battle to survive. Tula tracked down the toughest pirate captain she could find, a minotaur named Mandor. She defeated him and earned his respect and the admiration of the pirates. She took control of the Red Terror and led the pirates into forming companies to combat the forces surrounding them, and is regarded as the unofficial leader of the Three Cities.
During the Eternal Day, Keleris Nightstalker, a devoted fanatic of Xoac, invaded the country with the intention of creating a bastion of worship to Xoac on the mainland. His plan was to use this as a launching base to attack Threy and eventually Tarm. His army has continually been denied this goal, however, first by the pirates, led by Tula Radul, and by the mountain folk, who have responded to the call of the Jester, a mysterious being who appeared out of the mountains. They repelled Keleris’s attacks enough that he had to set up a border siege of the country on the edge of Egremont. He was distracted when he realized that General Blight’s army was in a perfect position to attack him and so he directed part of his army to vex the giant army. At present, Keleris has sat with his decimated army in some hastily built fortresses on the Egremont border, presumably waiting for the go-ahead and resources to continue the invasion.
There were three sub-regions; the Three Cities, the Blackrock Mountains (mountain villages), and the Devastated Plains. In 2 SR, the mysterious forces teamed up with the Isle of Slaves to mount a full-scale assault on Threy, devastating many yuan-ti powerbases. Afterward, the proud barbarians of the Isle under Geron Blaxe considered themselves part of the Imperial Land, citing persuasion from the Jester.
Ruling Entity: It is unknown exactly what role the Jester plays in the decision-making for the country, but it is well known that Tula Radul runs the Three Cities and all obey Geron Blaxe on the Isle of Slaves. The Devastated Plains and the Blackrock Mountains have no central authority and typically simply follow whichever of the three that rallies them.
Items of Interest: The Imperial Land is important, but nobody knows why. It is littered with relics and ruins from the ancient Athenon Empire, but nothing that would merit the continual attempted occupations by various powers over the centuries. Even Keleris doesn’t understand why his god directed him to take the country. But it has never been occupied by a foreign power, and time after time it has stayed independent of foreign as well as local forces. And there has always been the Jester.
In the north, on the border shared with the Swamps of Stitei, lies the small town of Holly Bayou. This town is not far from the Fortress of Night inhabited by the armies of Keleris Nightstalker.
Foreign Policy: The villages of the Blackrock Mountains are isolated and relatively self-sustaining…diplomatic relations for them consists of persistent traders who travel back and forth through the mountains selling trinkets and gossip. The Three Cities are pirate towns and any diplomacy they might practice come at the end of the sword…however in recent years it has been established that their unofficial leader Tula will negotiate a no-raid policy with any organization or house that meets her outrageous demands. The Isle of Slaves has trade policies with Icos and the Three Cities and do not recognize any other authority.
Associated Organizations:
Creation Information
Regional Backgrounds: Acolyte, Charlatan, City Watch, Companion, Criminal, Eldar Scientist, Entertainer, Faction Agent, Fisher, Folk Hero, Former Slave, Hermit, Hunter, Latham Insurgent, Marine, Outlander, Pirate, Royal Herald, Sage, Sailor, Spy, Urchin
Regional Feats: Aboriginal (Aquatic, Mountain), Arcane Distrust, Arcane Ward, Barbaric, Beastsign, Blooded, Clanlore, Conclave Student, Dragonsign, Fearless, Fiendsign, Foe Hunter, Giantkiller, Knifefighter, Luck of the Heroes, Mariner, Mind Over Body, Puerduran Canon, Regional Acumen, Shadow Balm, Snake Blood, Stoneblood
Languages: Common, Cortesian, Vivani
Shadows of Dakaron 