Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Alphatian Province of Theranderol

Mapped with Hexographer
Theranderol is a land of small secluded lakes and windswept plateaux.  Some say that each is unique and veils a secret of its own.  Although predominantly wizards, Theran aristocrats who inherited the realm from its founders fancy the romantic manner of knights and gallantry.  Although they retained the original names of the largest and oldest towns, they renamed all others and most geographical features to better reflect their colorful inspirations and remind visitors of ancient heraldry.  Although unable to equal the feats of true knights, Theran wizards adapted heraldry and enhanced it with magic to embody the skills of their families.  One is never too sure what forces or creatures wizards might summon from their banners, or enable household knights to do the same from their shields.

In the north, the Grey Mountains and the Lion Rampant Crest form a natural border with the exalted realm of Bettellyn.  East stands the old Randel Wall.  Foreigners believe this wall to be located within Theran borders, but nothing could be farther from the truth.  The Randel Wall lies within. . . well, Randel!  Ask this question over there and you'll get a dark look and a shrug of annoyance.  The south belongs to Arogansa.  Curiously, some centuries long past, a celestial body crashed and dug a two-hundred-mile-long gouge through the earth.  Ever since, it became a nearly-impassable, pestilential border.  One might wonder about the fortresses guarding its cliffs.  There was a time, soon after the crash, when horrid creatures grew from the gouge's scorched soil and began raiding local villages.  No one could explain it.  In time, they were defeated, and died out.  At least, it's the official version.  Rumor has it, however, that these strange beings moved below ground to rebuild their forces.  Judging from the soldiers still holding the forts and patrolling the edges of the Great Gouge, one might conclude the old affair was never wholly settled.  

In the west stands Vertiloch, but you knew that, didn't you?

Click HERE to download the map.  The list of names for Theranderol's lakes is provided below:

1.   Prophetia Lake
2.   Regency Lake
3.   Lake Suzerain
4.   Lake Paragon
5.   Lake Celestia
6.   Lake Temporia
7.   Hegemony Lake
8.   Lake Chalice
9.   Basilisk Waters
10. Tarn of the Enfield
11. Lyzard Lake
12. Chancellor's Lake
13. Martletts Pond
14. Golden Badge Lake
15. Allegiance Lake
16. Immortal Claws
17. Yales Waters
18. Kingfisher Lake
19. Tyger Trough
20. Opinicus Lake
21. Lucy's Pond
22. Cameleopard Mist
23. Crapaudy Mudhole
24. Alphyn Spring
25. Amphisbæna Deep
26. Boreyne Mere
27. Trough of the Catoblepas
28. Calopus Pond
29. Parandrus Puddles
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9 comments:

  1. rafael beltrameJuly 12, 2012 at 12:02 PM

    "Curiously, some centuries long past, a celestial body crashed and dug a hundred-mile-long gouge through the earth. Ever since, it became a nearly-impassable, pestilential border."

    love that part!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bruce HeardJuly 12, 2012 at 12:33 PM

      Yes, it's the realm's "oogah-boogah" component!

      Delete
    2. RobJNJuly 12, 2012 at 2:48 PM

      I thimk I just found the resting place of another of the Blackmoorian Throne Of Stars....

      Delete
  2. Hervé MusseauJuly 14, 2012 at 12:18 PM

    typo (in the text): Arongansa -> Arogansa
    Question: what is glantrium?
    Other question: In the PWAs post-WotI, there is a Mount Thera that stays above water, but there is no such landmark in the DotE map nor yours. I suppose it could be a new name given to it post-sinking. However, I'm not even sure which mountainous formation it could be. Highest point on your map appears to be Falcons' Crest (there is also Statant and Regardant Peaks, but they are too close to the Grey Mountains by my reckoning). Opinion?
    Hervé

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bruce HeardJuly 14, 2012 at 12:24 PM

      Glantrium -- possibly pitchblende (uranium).

      Mount Thera -- possibly the mountain at Saltiron Palace? What if a part of the land was pushed upward during the catastrophe, creating Mt. Thera where no mountain stood before?

      Delete
    2. Hervé MusseauJuly 14, 2012 at 12:34 PM

      Uranium, of course, now the connection seems obvious! :)

      So, Saltiron Palace would be located on Mount Thera, on an island surrounded by Lake Chalice. Possibilities abound.

      Delete
    3. Bruce HeardJuly 14, 2012 at 12:35 PM

      Thought you would appreciate!

      Delete
    4. LoZompatoreAugust 7, 2012 at 2:48 PM

      I have a suggestion about a possible fleshing out the town of Mersepolis and surroundings, see if you like it.

      This town is the sole settlement with the suffix "-polis" in the whole mainland Alphatia, so it could be inhabited by non-standard Alphatians, maybe with a Greek-like ancestry. In particular I suggest to populate Mersepolis with Milenian-descended people; here's why.

      The large empires of Milenia and Alphatia thrived next to each other for nearly 1000 years (the Milenian empire collapsed shortly before the Thyatian Empire was established); maybe they had trading and diplomatic links or maybe they warred constantly, but in any case I don't think they just ignored each other for such a long amount of time. Given the fact that any magic-user on Alphatian soil is granted nobility status by default, it is likely that the more friendly Milenian mages and clerics visited the Alphatian empire quite often, accepted and valued by the Alphatian elite.

      When the Milenian empire collapsed, the most well-reputed Milenian magic-users (and their extended families) could have been allowed to settle in the Alphatian empire, founding the town of Mersepolis. The refugees could have swiftly adopted the Alphatian laws and way of living, but it's likely (and more interesting) they kept many typical costumes of their former homeland.

      From HWR3 supplement "The Milenian Empire", the Milenians are good at alchemy, and they seems to be quite fond of giant statues scattered across the countryside (just check the Milenian Empire section of the Hollow World maps). Maybe both features could have been preserved also in the Alphatian Empire (and exported outside mainland Alphatia: I am thinking about the city of Alchemos in Bellissaria). Milenian-descended magic-users could also have helped building the giant rainbow statues of Haven, who knows. Lastly, if Theranderol is a kingdom of Houses, there could be a lesser "House of Merse" playing in the internal politics of the country.

      Ok, it's enough. Just throwing in a few ideas. ;)

      Delete
    5. Bruce HeardAugust 8, 2012 at 7:59 AM

      Hey, thanks for posting this! Sounds like a great idea. I'll second it.

      Delete

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