Common Language: Thyatian. Common coinage: Lucin (gp), asterius (sp), denarius (cp), and the emperor (pp). Thyatis is ruled by Emperor Thincol I.
The Grand Dutchy of Karameikos:
Home to the sylvan Calarii Elves. Ruled by Duke Stefan Karameikos. Liberated from Thyatis nearly 300 years ago, the kingdom is still plagued by conflicts between the city's two major ethnic groups: the native Traladarans, and the more influential Thyatians. Centuries of strategic inter-marriages had quelled most ethnic disputed until recently. Ethnic disputes have flared up resulting in sparse and sporadic infighting throughout the kingdom. Excellent management has thus far kept these events from becoming serious conflicts.
Common language: Thyatian. Common coinage: royal (gp), crona (sp), kopec (cp), and the halav (ep), thought the Thyatian emperor (pp) is still accepted as valid currency.
The Republic of Darokin:
Also known as the land of gold, Darokin is ruled by the wealthiest people,
usually merchants with empires of traders working for them. Gold Darokin Eagles are prized in neighboring kingdoms for their value in trade. Only Thyatian coin is more valuable. Recent conflicts between the merchant lords have sparked a series of short civil wars, which has resulted in the formation of a new branch of government. Now, the original ruling council and new senate are flexing their muscles and testing the limits of each other's power. The promise of more conflict looms over the center of the republic like a dark storm cloud.
Common Language: Thyatian dialect known as Darokinian. Common currency: daro (gp), tendrid (sp), passim (cp), half-daro (ep). Recently, Daroking has begun replacing the daro with republic eagles.
Alfheim:
Land of the elves, Alfheim is a forest kingdom magically protected from intruders. Only a man in the company of a native of Alfheim may enter without becoming lost. Recently, the home of the elves has come under attack by a mysterious fungus that is destroying the trees and other plant life that the elves need to survive.
Common Language: Elvish. Common currency: di (gp), on (sp), teci (cp). Ruler: King D'Oriath and the heads of the seven clans rule this kingdom.
The Broken Lands:
Home to all kinds of humanoids, the Broken Lands are a nest of evil bandits, raiders, and highwaymen. Until recently all of the humanoids were being gathered under a common banner. The past months have seen concerted raids into bordering lands by various groups of humanoids. Rumor now has it that the unifying force has been removed, and that the humanoid clans are now as busy fighting each other as they are with attacking their neighbors.
Common Language: orcish, Common currency: none, all the money in the Broken Lands was stolen from someone else.
The Northern Reaches (Ostland, Vestland, The Soderfijord Jarldoms):
With a very Norse-flavor, these Kingdoms are home to Vikings and barbarians at different levels of civilization. The barbarian clans of the Jarldoms have recently risen up and started small wars all over the northlands between each other and their more civilized neighbors Vestland and Ostland. The motive behind these conflicts is attributed to a meteor that was seen to fall nearby.
Common Languages: Antalian and Thyatian. Common currency: (Ostland) krona (gp), eyrir (sp), oren (cp); (Soderfjord) markka (gp), penne (ep), gundar (sp), oren (cp); (Vestland) schilder (pp), guldan (gp), hellar (ep), floren (sp), and the oren (cp). Ruler: Soderfjiord has many Jarls, ruling small independent states, Vestland is ruled by the fair King Harald Gudmondson, and Ostland is ruled by King Hord Darkeye and his ambitious wife Queen Yrsa.
Ethengar Khantes:
With a very oriental flavor, Ethengar is composed of family-based clans led by Khans. These Kantes are rumored to hold honor high above all else. All that is certain about Ethengar is that they dislike outsiders, and have the best mounted archers of the entire Known World. Peace talks between the various clans of Ethengar have ended in a massive multi-sided war of succession for the kingdom. Most neighboring kingdoms believe that this is a good thing, as it keeps the horsemen of the steppe from attacking their own kingdom.
Common Language: Ethengarian, Thyatian. Common currency: tangs (bars of gold, silver, copper, platinum, and electrum minted in 1-, 5-, and 10-coin denominations).
The Five Shires:
Home to the halfling people known as the Hin, the five shires are known as quiet, peaceable places. Travelers from all kingdoms are welcome to visit the Hin. Recent rumors suggest that a clan of seafaring orcs has begun making trouble for the little folk.
Common Language: Darokinian version of Thyatian, and Lalor (ancient halfling). Common coinage: yellow (gp), star (sp), sunset (cp). The five shires are ruled thusly by five Sheriffs: Seashire (Jaervosz Dustyboots), Highshire (Multhim Greybeard), Eastshire (Maeragh Littlelaughs), Heartshire (Delune Darkeyes), and Southshire (Sildil Seaeyes).
Galantri:
Land of mages, Galantri is comprised of Principalities ruled by sorcerer princes. The Princes watch each other and their lands from their high towers throughout Galantri. A council comprised of the ten most powerful princes rules over a very efficient bureaucracy. It is said that the land there glows with magic. Those that have been there know that the land doesn't actually glow, but that there is something mystical about the place. Nearly everyone knows a spell or two. Priests are outlawed, as is any worship of any deity. Anyone travelling through the rocky mountians and valleys of Galantri would be wise to hide their holy symbol. A rumor has it that the princes have uncovered an artifact of extreme power, and are now locked in mortal combat over the possession of it.
Common language: Thyatian, Ethengarian, Traladaran, and Alphatian.
Ylaruam:
Very Arabic in nature, the desert lands of Ylaruam are broken up into city-states ruled from the oasis-cities that mark the landscape. The Atlan Tepes mountain range completely surrounds Ylaruam making it a difficult place to travel to. Magic is viewed with distrust and perhaps even hatred; mages
beware. It is said that Ylaruam has also fallen into civil war; a conflict between two factions. The territorial, outsider-hating introverts are warring for dominance with the expansionist, moderate faction. All most people know is that there is a long-running religious dispute between the two major religious
factions there.
Common Language: Ylari. Common Currency: dinar (gp), dirham (sp), fal (cp). Ylaruam is ruled by the Sultan and his Grand Vizier, though each of the individual Emirs holds considerable power.
The Minrothad Guilds:
Merchants and traders make their homes in this cluster of Islands to the south of the Thyatian coast. Like Darokin, Minrothad is a plutocracy, but the government consists of a single elected guild-master who serves for life.
Common Laguage: Thyatian, and a pigdin called Minrothaddan.
Irendi:
The Island Kingdom of Irendi is south of Karameikos and the five shires. This kingdom is a loose federation of individual islands. The most interesting fact about Irendi is that they hold yearly contests, the winners of which become the King and Queen for a year. A bureaucracy of course holds the real power in
the kingdom.
Common Language: Thyatian, Makai (native language). Common currency: pali (2 pp value), geleva (gp), sana (sp), cokip (cp).
Rockhome:
Home to various dwarven kingdoms, Rockhome is a very difficult land for most people to travel. It's harsh wind-blasted landscapes and treacherous mountain trails make the place nearly impossible to pass during the winter. Little news has been heard from the dwarves of Rockhome of late, though the most popular rumors have millions of dwarves gearing up for war.
Common currency: sun (2 pp), trader (gp), moon (sp), stone (cp). Common language: Dwarvish, Thyatian. Ruler: King Everast XV.
The Atraughin Clans:
With a Native American flavor, the plateau of the Atraughin clans is a another nearly impossible region to get to. Recently, the only passage in or out was destroyed, leaving the clans isolated from the rest of the known world.
Common language: Bear Clan. Common currency: cloud (5 sp), land (cp), though most trade is accomplished through barter.
Heldann Freeholds:
Thyatian territory. Thyatian refugees from the island of Hattias hold small baronies. These Thyatian knights are oppressive, and believe that the goddess Vanya has called them to conquer the world. Currently they are training a massive army. The neighboring kingdoms are nervous.
Common language: Heldannic (a dialect of Antalian) and Thyatian. Common currency: groschen (pp), gleder (gp), erzer (ep), markshen (sp), and fenneg (cp).
Sind:
The Sind desert is a harsh and inhospitable wasteland full of dangerous creatures, and even more dangerous people. The reclusive people of the Sind are nomadic. They have small holds wherever they can find shade and protection from the local wildlife. Little is known about the lands west of Galantri and
Darokin. Recently however, an army of nomadic wasteland warriors has flooded out of the desert, through Galantri, and into Northern Darokin.
Common language: Sindhi and Thyatian. Common Currency: guru (5 pp), rupee (pp), bhani (gp), khundar (sp), piaster (cp). No one is certain who really rules the Sind, except the Sindhi.
The Empire Alphatia: The island empire far to the east of Thyatis. Ages ago, it was explorers from Alphatia that first founded Thyatis. They've been at sporadic war with the Thyatians as long as anyone can remember. It is rumored that the sorcerer lords of this far away land are planning a massive invasion of Thyatis in the near future. Of course, that rumor is thirty years old...
Norwold:
Farther north than Heldann, Norwold is the longest-lived kingdom that was can trace its roots to neither Alphatia nor Thaytis. It is a hostile land of frost, snow, and mountains, but its people somehow manage to survive. Despite having to fight off repeated attacks from Thyatis and Alphatia, Norwold is thriving. It is currently in the midst of a westward land-rush that will continue for the forseeable future.
The Savage Coast:
Far to the west of the Sind, the baronies of the Savage Coast were once colonies of Thyatis. These lands are said to be afflicted with the "Red Curse", a trange condition which disfigures anyone who lives there for too long.
