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| Nera, the White City. |
The human Empire of Nerath was built on the ruins of the ancient empires - Dragonborn Arkhosia and Tiefling Bael Turath. In her rise to power she defeated the diabolist ancestors of the Iron Circle in the hot south, and drove back the barbaric Karkothi Necromancers to the east, beyond the Midnight Sea. Nerath fell to the Gnolls of White Ruin a century ago. The trade city of Punjar survived as an independent city-state at the mouth of the White River. The ruins of the capital city, Nera, lie in Gnoll territory to the south, beyond the Mountains of Nerath.
Dawnforge Mountains: High mountains littered with living and dead Dwarf-Holds.
Winterbole Forest: Vast northern forest inhabited by barbarians and savage beasts.
The Stonemarch: Badlands roamed by Orc tribes.
Vor Rukoth: Isolated, long-ruined Bael Turathi city on the Dragondown Coast.
White River: Major thoroughfare with numerous small baronies along its roughly 150 mile length between the Witchlight Fens in Nentir Vale and its mouth at Punjar.
Barony of Therund: Largest of the White River Baronies, allied with the town of Moonstair on the White River.
The Trollhaunt: Marshes and heathlands west of Moonstair, roamed by fell trolls.
Gulf of Kul: The Iron Circle have been gaining control of the formerly independent villages and towns here.
Sarthel: Inland Nerathi city (pop. 15,000) now secretly controlled by the Iron Circle.
Punjar: Major city (pop. 25,000+). Many of the nobility are the descendants of refugees from Nerath's fall; they still claim the title of Duke or Count of Nerath (Dux Nerathum, Comites Nerathum), but most of their claimed lands are long-lost in Gnoll country to the south, or overseas.
Nera Bay: Pleasant bay with several prosperous baronies along the coast north of the White River; most owe fealty to the Overlord of Punjar. The wealthy Barony of Gaunt lies here, with the Barony of Morgansfort to the north, close to the mountains. South of the White River lie the Mountains of Nerath and Gnoll country. The lost Duchy of Ozim lies here, in the former Nerathi Heartlands.
Nentir Vale: Sparsely settled northern borderland. Extant Nentir baronies include Fallcrest, Harkenwold, Winterhaven, and the Dwarf Hold of Hammerfast. The Harken Forest is inhabited by both Elves and Goblins.
Baronies: The most ubiquitous form of social organisation across Fallen Nerath, a typical Lordship or Barony is around 100 square miles, typically a ca 6 mile radius from the Manor of the Lord, with a population of around 5,000. Large baronies may be 500 square miles (roughly a 12 mile radius, pop. 25,000) or more. Tracts of wilderness between Baronies are common, especially in frontier lands.
Foreign Lands
Iron Circle: Sinister followers of the devil-god Asmodeus. Rule from the Citadel of Iron's Grasp in what was once Arkhosian territory. Successors of a diabolical cult once almost destroyed by Nerath, they once more stretch forth their hand over the world.
Karkoth: Land of savage barbarians and their Necromancer overlords. To the west are former Nerath -allied territories. The Karkoth war almost constantly with Vailin to the south.
Bael Turath: The dark remnants of the devil-touched Tiefling empire can still be found on their island homeland.
Vailin: The sun-kissed shores of far Vailin are said to be home to a mighty kingdom of Elves and Men that has endured centuries of war with Karkoth. The high-prowed ships of Vailin still occasionally reach Punjar, bringing valuable trade and greetings from their noble Queen, but these welcome visits become ever rarer as the world grows dark.
Important Dates (approximate) in Nerath Reckoning (NR)
-1300 NR: Legendary founding of Sarthel.
-650 NR: The Dragonborn Empire of Arkhosia founds a northern colony at the mouth of the White River.
-600 NR: First Turathi colonies east of the Dawnforge mountains. Turath founds a rival colony to Arkhosia at the mouth of the White River.
-250 NR: The rising human empire of Turath pacts with Hell, becoming Bael Turath. Noble lineages become devil-blooded.
-120 NR: Beginning of Arkhosia/Bael Turath conflict, which will destroy both empires.
1 NR: Legendary coronation of Nera, first King of Nerath, in the shadow of the ongoing Arkhosia/Turathi wars. Official founding of the city of Nera, and beginnings of the Kingdom of Nerath.
80 NR: Final destruction of both Arkhosia and Bael Turath.
101 NR: The hero-tyrant King Magroth slays the ancient gold dragon Ayunken-vanzen and lights the Flame Imperishable on the highest rampart of Nera's royal palace.
102-200: Growth of the Kingdom of Nerath.
200-300 NR: The Kingdom of Nerath, in alliance with the eastern Kingdom of Vailin, wars with and defeats both the diabolical Iron Circle and the Necromancers of Karkoth, forging a world-spanning Empire.
300-580 NR: The Glory of Nerath. A golden age of peace and prosperity. In this epoch Man gradually turns from warlike pursuits towards the study of art, literature, mathematics and astronomy.
305-410 NR Nerathi settlers enter the northern Nentir Vale.
307 Founding of Moonstone Keep by Aranda Markelhay, beginning of Fallcrest.
580 NR Fall of Gardmore Abbey, northern bastion of the Imperial Knights of Nerath. The Empire is greatly weakened, and inhuman hordes turn their baleful gaze on the rich lands of Man.
601-4 NR: The gnoll known as White Ruin raises the greatest Horde ever seen, overrunning the Golden Savannah.
605: Nera falls to the Gnolls of White Ruin. Death of her last King, Elidyr.
605-15 NR: Collapse of the Empire of Nerath.
613 NR: Ruin Horde Gnolls conquer the city of Punjar. The city survives.
615 NR: Ruin Horde Gnolls turned back from the walls of Sarthel.
627 NR: Bloodspear Orcs defeat Fallcrest forces at the Battle of Gardbury Downs and sack the Nentir Vale.
713 NR: The Beggar King of Punjar invokes dark forces. Dragora, renegade daughter of the Overlord of Punjar, defeated in the City of the Apes. A strange sea monster stalks the sea lanes.
717 NR: In Nentir Vale Mallakai the Mad attempts to raise the Turathi Arch-Lich Skoulos. Retainers of Lord Markelhay bring a live dragon back to Fallcrest.
Iron Circle: Sinister followers of the devil-god Asmodeus. Rule from the Citadel of Iron's Grasp in what was once Arkhosian territory. Successors of a diabolical cult once almost destroyed by Nerath, they once more stretch forth their hand over the world.
Karkoth: Land of savage barbarians and their Necromancer overlords. To the west are former Nerath -allied territories. The Karkoth war almost constantly with Vailin to the south.
Bael Turath: The dark remnants of the devil-touched Tiefling empire can still be found on their island homeland.
Vailin: The sun-kissed shores of far Vailin are said to be home to a mighty kingdom of Elves and Men that has endured centuries of war with Karkoth. The high-prowed ships of Vailin still occasionally reach Punjar, bringing valuable trade and greetings from their noble Queen, but these welcome visits become ever rarer as the world grows dark.
Important Dates (approximate) in Nerath Reckoning (NR)
-1300 NR: Legendary founding of Sarthel.
-650 NR: The Dragonborn Empire of Arkhosia founds a northern colony at the mouth of the White River.
-600 NR: First Turathi colonies east of the Dawnforge mountains. Turath founds a rival colony to Arkhosia at the mouth of the White River.
-250 NR: The rising human empire of Turath pacts with Hell, becoming Bael Turath. Noble lineages become devil-blooded.
-120 NR: Beginning of Arkhosia/Bael Turath conflict, which will destroy both empires.
1 NR: Legendary coronation of Nera, first King of Nerath, in the shadow of the ongoing Arkhosia/Turathi wars. Official founding of the city of Nera, and beginnings of the Kingdom of Nerath.
80 NR: Final destruction of both Arkhosia and Bael Turath.
101 NR: The hero-tyrant King Magroth slays the ancient gold dragon Ayunken-vanzen and lights the Flame Imperishable on the highest rampart of Nera's royal palace.
102-200: Growth of the Kingdom of Nerath.
200-300 NR: The Kingdom of Nerath, in alliance with the eastern Kingdom of Vailin, wars with and defeats both the diabolical Iron Circle and the Necromancers of Karkoth, forging a world-spanning Empire.
300-580 NR: The Glory of Nerath. A golden age of peace and prosperity. In this epoch Man gradually turns from warlike pursuits towards the study of art, literature, mathematics and astronomy.
305-410 NR Nerathi settlers enter the northern Nentir Vale.
307 Founding of Moonstone Keep by Aranda Markelhay, beginning of Fallcrest.
580 NR Fall of Gardmore Abbey, northern bastion of the Imperial Knights of Nerath. The Empire is greatly weakened, and inhuman hordes turn their baleful gaze on the rich lands of Man.
601-4 NR: The gnoll known as White Ruin raises the greatest Horde ever seen, overrunning the Golden Savannah.
605: Nera falls to the Gnolls of White Ruin. Death of her last King, Elidyr.
605-15 NR: Collapse of the Empire of Nerath.
613 NR: Ruin Horde Gnolls conquer the city of Punjar. The city survives.
615 NR: Ruin Horde Gnolls turned back from the walls of Sarthel.
627 NR: Bloodspear Orcs defeat Fallcrest forces at the Battle of Gardbury Downs and sack the Nentir Vale.
713 NR: The Beggar King of Punjar invokes dark forces. Dragora, renegade daughter of the Overlord of Punjar, defeated in the City of the Apes. A strange sea monster stalks the sea lanes.
717 NR: In Nentir Vale Mallakai the Mad attempts to raise the Turathi Arch-Lich Skoulos. Retainers of Lord Markelhay bring a live dragon back to Fallcrest.
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| Soldiers of the Iron Circle |
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