Transcymoria: Valiant Templar Crusader States[]
Geography[]
Transcymoria is a vast high altitude plateau that exists in the mountain expanses to the north of the continent of Ghalisatra which must be crossed in order to enter the lands of the Amyran Federation. This is a region of nomadic caribou herders, ice fishermen, and trappers to the north and tribal farmers to the east along the temperate coastal fenlands, where the warm currents of the Jaddess flow into the coast inlets and estuaries, melting the glacial flow from the plateaus to the east. This has created a small, but densely populated region of coastal settlement. For centuries these tribes have fought over the limited, but very product land and resources within this northeastern coastal region. When their populations became to dense, they formed wandering bands of raiders which struck out upon the sea to terrorize the coast settlements of the southern Jadess. These bands have largely been cleaned up, and their fleet burnt by the careful control of Ides to clear up the shipping lanes of the Southern Jaddess. After the revitalization of the Valiant Templar Order under the House Mair, the High King attempted to redirect their rebellious energies toward subjugating frontier regions far to the east and North of the Empire. He charged one Conclaveon to raise a crusader army, cross the Northern Ravenspires and subdue the tribes of Northmen which were harassing new Alamastran trading posts. The Northern Conclaveon was anointed the first Magnate of a new Imperial Crown, that of Transcymoria and was charged with raising a vast new host of knights recruited out of the Cymorian heartland to permanently conquer and garrison the lands of the Northermen. This resulted in a ongoing, decades long struggle to carve out a new Crown of Transcymoria, modeled after Trasteverre in the lands of the Northmen.
These developments have given rise to a strange mix of commercial interests in the eastern coastlands. The Temple religion of Cymoria traveled north with its knights and has established a strong presence in the region, with a series of martyrs' shires dotting the landscape outside of the fortified coast settlements and a series of religious foundations established among the manors of the Order Protectors to aid in the religious and cultural re-education of the Northmen. This has strengthened ties to the Heartland. The Amyrans also have maintained Federal Trading posts in the region for at least a century, being allied with various tribes of Northermen in order to facilitate the fur and precious metals trade in the region. These trading posts have been given Imperial sanction by the Conclaveon of the North and now serve as the entry point for trade and commerce between the two great Imperial Powers. So much so, that the Amyran Federation has sent a Legatus to permanently represent Federal interests in the region. Work is underway to open a trade route across the mountains to access the Heartland of the Alamastra, while circumventing the chokehold Ides has as the only major port-of-entry in the Southern Jadess. Complicating things still further, Ides has several historic naval bases within the tidal fenlands which are left over from their campaigns to clear up the shipping lanes of the Southern Jadess. The North Conclaveon has sued the High King for transfer of these bases into his custody, but the Idesites have stubbornly maintained these bases as the a part of its patrimony - even dredging deep sea channels and constructing man-made harbors to open up these ports to maritime trade. Some smaller fleets have began using these ports as haven against the storms of the Southern Jaddess as they approach Ides. The Amyran Legatus has also received permission to use a handful of these ports as an alternative to transshipment through Ides and received limited permission to transact trade between the empires through them.
As various tribes were subdued, they were reduced into settlements and has a Protector appointed over them as the Lord and Governor. The Northernmen owed his house tribute in the form of a an agricultural tax from their family lot and a labor tax, administered and organized by their tribe. This has resulted an chain of fortified settlements along the northern coast. With the sedentary tribes of the coastlands largely subdued, the Northern Conclaveon is now engaged in an indefinite struggle with the herdsmen of the plateau for control of the natural resources the Order would like to exploit in the region, as there have been strikes of diamond, emerald, platinum, gold and silver in the region. The Order is rushing to garrison the region and keep up with the influx of Alamastran fortune seekers and settlers which are upsetting the herdsmen and creating a violent War of Reeving. The Protectors which rule over these garrisons in the plateau region have actively organized their settlers into defensive militas to try to counter act the Northmen herders. It is widely believed that many of the herdsmen are in league with the Amyran Legatus, who seeks to lay claim to incredible resources of this region for his own industrial juggernaut far to the North across the waves. In skirmishes with settler militias the Northmen have suddenly become well-equipped with Amyran steel and it is rumored that they are commanded by Amyran advisors from the Federal Auxilliaries.
Firevent River[]
The major waterway which cuts through the interior plateau. This waterway is fed by acidic hot springs, fumaroles and geyers and its course is continually altered by volcanic and seismic activity of the region. The Firevent gets its name from a series of famous natural fire spouts that jets phosphoric flame. The Firevent River basin hosts wildlife with unusual adaptations to help them thrive in the simultaneously glacial, volcanic and acidic environment. It also is infamous for attracting a variety of young dragons looking to carve out territory.
The Great Geysir[]
Situated along the Firevent River, the Great Geysir is a natural geyser inhabited by a colossal steam mephit.
Curse of the Wendigo[]
Legends abound among the plateau tribes that in the deepest depths of winter,