This portion of the series will concentrate on defining the boundaries of the independent fiefs, name the noble family that rules it and add my initial observations of the area. I intend (and we all know what's paved with good intentions) to do fief by fief posts adding detailed information about the fiefs and their sub-demesnes. In short this is a work in progress allowing me to flesh out a great many details about the Wilderlands using Chivalry & Sorcery as the game system. Note that I am currently being influenced by Merovingian Francia in my concept of the politics of the Wilderlands. Not independent cities, but no strong central authority either.
The Great Fiefs of the Wilderlands
The heartland along the Roglaroon
These are the core of he provinces claimed by and usually acknowledging the Invincible Overlord. They are loyal to the City State due to the shared trade highway of the Estuary of the Roglaroon. The fact that they're also the easiest for the Overlord to send and support a Vasthost when putting down dissent and rebellion may play a factor in their overt professions of loyalty.
The City State - the personal demesne of the Invincible Overlord. It's core is the City State and the rich farmland to the west, but contains the Moonraker Moorlands as well as the Troll Fens and Mermist Swamp. It claims much of the Dearthwood, but those claims are subject to dispute by the Orcs of the Purple Claw.
It's boundaries start where the Forest River enters into the Roglaroon in hex 3518, follows the river upstream along the northern branch to hex 3017, south to the headwaters of the tributary of the Conqueror's River in hex 3018, down that stream to it's confluence with the Conqueror's River then upstream on the Conqueror's to it's headwaters in hex 2714, continuing across to the headwaters of the river Stillring and it's tributaries in hexes 2613, 2314 and 2014. Thence south along the Howling Hills to the headwaters of the Eorlbane in hex 2121, on to the headwaters of the river defining the northern boundary of the Mermist Swamp in hexes 2122 and 2123 and then to the headwaters of the northern fork of the southern river defining the Mermist Swamp. It follows that river down to the Roglaroon and along the estuary back to the start on the far side of Dearthwood.
County of Severnais - ruled by the Catilia family of Virdii extraction. The coasts and banks of the estuaries cutting this demesne are high and steep, making water transport much harder than the you might expect from the map. Small fishing and smuggling settlements exist, but no major ports.
The demesne follows the boundary of Roglaroon from it's beginning at the mouth of the Forest River in hex 3518, all the way through the headwaters of the River Stillring in hex 2014. From there it turns and follows the Stillring all the way to it's mouth on the coast in hex 3110, thence along the coastal hexes to the Mouth of the Roglaroon in hex 3712, then back up the estuary to the beginning.
County of Losthaine Ruled by the de la Vora family from Antil, recent favorites of the Overlord. The wide plain between the Cloudwall Mountains and Ered Losthain is an important agricultural area feeding the City State. The fortress at Bier (hex 2926) not only protects the Old South Road and the ferry crossing, but also serves as a sheltered anchorage for vessels awaiting better wind and tide conditions to minimize their exposure to the hazards of the Estuary.
The county's border follows the Roglaroon from the mouth of the southern river draining the Mermist Swamp to the mouth of the minor stream east of Bier (hex 3124), up that stream to it's source on the slopes of the mountain (hex 3426), along the crest of the hills joining that mount to Ered Losthain proper (hexes 3127-3428). Down the crest of Ered Losthain to Fatherhorn Mountain (hex 3431) , bending southwest along the spur to the south (hex 3333) then west along the edge of Quean's Waste and the Hetflad Dunes to the Cloudwall Mountains (hex 2734), turning northwest along the crest of the mountains to Lanshan Gap (hex 2129), across Ered Cantref and Twinhorn Gap (hex 2127) to the source of the central tributary (hex 2126) to the southern river draining the Mermist Swamp, back down that stream to it's mouth on the Rogalroon.
County of Brythange - Ruled by the pleasure loving Vespillia family, who emigrated from the City State of the World Emperor due to excesses too great for that decadent court some 800 years ago. This realm is tucked along the southern bank of the estuary. It's extensive forests (for it's size) are hunting preserves of the nobility, being generally safer than the Dearthwood across the water. The fortunate peasants toil for their overlords on the central and eastern plain adjacent to the Hagrost. The less fortunate have to toil in the rocky uplands of the west and south.
The border starts at the mouth of the minor stream east of Bier (hex 3124), down the Roglaroon to the confluence of the river Hagrost (hex 3522), up the Hagrost to the first tributary of the Archlin Stream (hex 3925). It goes up that tributary to it's sources in the hills (hex 3826), along the crest of the hills through Neuwag's Neck (hex 3527) to Ered Losthain (hex 3428). It follows the crest of the hills north to the mountain east of Bier and the source of the minor stream (hex 3426), thence down stream to the mouth on the Roglaroon.
Duchy of Difrios Known as the loyal duchy, it's sobriquet is more a reflection of the Overlord's problems with the other Dukes than any fond feeling on the part of the debauched Vespillia family. This is the family's major holding and the Dukes, who often privately style themselves Rex Modronia, have as much control of their relatives - including the infamous Rumps of Tegel - as the Overlord does of them. The duchy is a prosperous province with many agricultural, mineral and raw material resources. It also benefits from controlling the trade at the mouth of the Roglaroon, the city of Modron being a major transshipment point as well as the entrepôt for the goods of the province.
The border starts at the confluence of the River Hagrost and follows the Roglaroon down to it's mouth. It controls the entire coast down to the River Torn (hex 5123). The boundary follows the Torn up to it's source (hex 4424), then across to the source of the Archlin Stream (hex 4226) and down the Archlin and Hagrost back to the confluence of the Roglaroon. Difrios also includes the isle of Croy and a number of smaller islands in the Winedark Sea within it's borders.
Wilderlands guides and maps are copyright 2018 Judges Guild. They have been used without express permission to illustrate my personal version of the classic campaign setting.
Rob Conley, who did the Layout and Cartography for the Revised Edition, has new a Kickstarter for his RPG rules based on his long running campaign.
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