Kingdom of Raxas
"The continent to the West is home to the older Human Kingdoms. Dark forests and steep mountains dotted with stony keeps and ruins. A few elvish and dwarven colonies exist and orcish raiders plunder the southern crossings"
The Kingdom of Raxas rises from the coast into the mountains. Fortress cities and walls guard the ancient kingdom of man. Great pine forests supply lumber for fleets of merchant ships bound for the Western Continent. From Raxas Castle, King Voldrim rules the Iron Circle, his council of knights sworn to defend the kingdom and his family. --Polybius
The Kingdom of Raxas is a nation of Humans in the world of Mundus created by @Polybius. The following is a more detailed encyclopedia of the midievel fantasy nation. This Guide is intended for use by any player/author intending to create a human character/Mercenary Company starting in the Kingdom of Raxas. Mercenaries!
The Kingdom of Raxas is divided into fourteen (14) individual principalities or provinces. These fourteen are defined for your edification here.
Provinces
Alt Zealand
- A triangular shaped island off the eastern coast of Grumbach. The terrain is primarily marshland with excellent swaths of fertile farmland. The northern regions receive ample snowfalls in wintertime, but never exceed 70" in one season. A typical snowfall is roughly 4-6". The primary exports from Alt Zealand are wool, mutton, sheep, agricultural products venison and horses. The provincial Capital is located at Ossprey along the southern tip. On the northern coast along the Sea of Omens is the Port City of Braedon. The highest elevation on this isolated grassland is roughly 200' above sea level.Berwick
- The provincial Capital of the Kingdom of Raxas houses the Nation's Capital at Raxas City and Raxas Castle. The Capital, Raxas City straddles the thousand meter expanse, Trys River which flows from the Daervish mountains in the north, south through Berwick and then forms a natural boundary between Berwick's southern neighbors, Jutland and Sutherland.The East Side of the River Trys lay wide open expanses of fertile farmlands, lakes and spotted copses of forests. Rolling hills slowly undulate throughout the terrain leaving excellent land for farmers to perform their work unseen. The west side of the River Trys is overrun with the wild tangle of the Wysop forest to the north. This dark and dense forest stretches all the way to the Daervish Hochland to the north and out towards the border with Westfeldt to the west. Extending Eastward from Westfeldt, south of the Wysop forest is the eastern ridges of the Grimmweldt Mountains. The eastern ends of the Grimmweldt Mountains reach the western banks of the Trys River. They offer protection to Raxas Castle. The castle is built into the eastern end of these ridges. The Castle itself is layered upon the Eastern end of the southern ridgeline.
East of the River, the highest elevations fluctuate from 500 to 1000 feet above sea level. West of the River, the mountains peak in some places over 10,000 feet. The highest elevation in western Berwick is 14,392 feet.
The principle resources found in Berwick are Iron, Gold, Silver, precious gems and lumber.
Colmar
- The Land of a thousand lakes. Colmar is a northern province wedged between Grumbach to the east and Nordland to the west. The eastern foothills of the Daervish Mountains extend into Northwestern Colmar. Eastern Colmar is composed of wetlands, with many, many lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.The City of Norwich is a racially mixed city of Dwarves and humans. The Citadel upon the Pyre is found in Norwich. This Citadel is an institution of higher learning for the Arcane Arts. Norwich is the the northern bastion against any encroachment by the Winter Dire Wolves and ferocious Winter Dire Bears who inhabit the regions north of Raxas.
The Colmar River forms a natural boundary to the west with Nordland. In Southern Colmar is the King's largest Keeps. It serves as a hunting lodge for the king and his royal family. The King's younger brother Adama resides at Dunson Keep with his family. Adama Voldrim holds the title of Prince and Count of Colmar. He is often referred to as either Prince Adama or simply Colmar. Dunson Keep is a rather large city resting upon the northern bank of the Chantilly River. The Chantilly is fed through a tibutary from the upper Colmar River and then runs southeast into the Bay of Vitborg. The Colmar-Chantilly tributary forms a southern border for Colmar and its provincial neighbor, Finnmark.
There is ample farmland in the marshes to the north and in the southern regions near the Chantilly and the Colmar Tributary. More residents live in this southern region or in the three large cities of Colmar, Norwich, Dunson Keep and Sherfield.
Sherfield is on the eastern bank of the upper Colmar River and is home to a mix of Dwarves and Humans. The residents of the city all appear to be quite content. It is an harmonious environment for all who live here.
Natural Resources include Iron, Fish, Sheep, Cattle, Leather goods, Steel goods, agrarian crops, sugar, apples and Wool.
Winters in Colmar Province can be quite rough. Average seasonal snowfall is over 120". Blizzards can rise up, seemingly out of no where and drop over three feet of snow in a 24-hour period. The lakes freeze over and are great sources for ice and ice fishing. The temperatures drop below zero with the longest sub freezing stretch lasting just over three weeks. The summers can have daily highs in the 90s (F) and occasionally over 100 degrees (F).
Daervish Hochland
(Dwarven Highlands) -The Daervish Hochland, as it is called by the Dwarves who live in the mountain is a difficult landscape to traverse. The mountains reach up to the heavens and only the hardiest of adventurers dare tread upon them. Various treacherous paths lead up into these mountains and a few pass over them. The mountains are filled with an underground city home to the Dwarven communities of Raxas. Two of their knowl cities are Caerleon, located to the south along one of the feeder rivers that leads into the River Trys. Caerleon is built into the southern face of a Daervish Mountain. Banrockburn is located between Mt. Barrach (Elev. 14,227') and Mt. Tolmach (Elev. 16,893'). Banrockburn is the Dwarven capital and therefore provincial capital of the Daervish Hochland.Politiclly, the Dwarves prefer to be left alone. They will however support King Voldrim if the situation is amenable to them. King Voldrim has always given the Dwarves the impression he really does not care about them. He has made no forays to push the Dwarves from their rocky mountain home nor has he made any efforts to assist them when the need arises. Some suspect King Voldrim is racially biased towards humans. It could be that he had his hands full and was unable to assist them. The Dwarves would not know and remain apathetic to the plights of the humans as well. The one area the Dwarvish can be encouraged to assist is their desire to trade wtih the rest of the word. They are not complete isolationists.
To the south of Banockburn near the border with Berwick there are isolated human villages. These are more populous closer to the River Trys. Along the southern border with Westfeldt, Elves have established settlements centuries ago that are the occasional thorn in the side of Dwarven provincial government. There have been the infrequent clashes between the Elves of Wysop Forest and the Dwarves of the Daervish Heights.
The Daervish Highlands are filled with gold. It is the primary resource of the Highlands and mined quite regularly by the citizens of the province. One can find other resources to include fish, iron, copper, precious metals and precious gems in scant supply.
The Climate in the Daervish Highlands is cold, bitter and harsh. During from late summer until mid Spring, the mountain peaks at Schuyler, Barrach, Tolmach and Marnach are always covered in snow. These four peaks are bare only during the hottest months of summer. The temperatures on the mountains themselves can drop as low one hundred degrees below zero. In the lower country to the south, the temperatures can drop as low as twenty or thirty degrees below zero. In the summer time, the highs can reach into the 80s. The Daervish Hochlands are a bitter cold place live.
The word, Hochland is used by the Dwarves who live there. The Elven and Human residents of the province tend to use the word, Highlands.
Finnmark
Boughton
King's Watch
Gor am Ramsfeld
Gor's Crossing
Sheffield
Tenby
Grumbach
Arcot
Clacton
Sudbury
Hagenau
Easthaven
Fairnsworth
Seton
Jutland
Poltragow
Reford
Wellspring
Nordland
(Northland)Domburton
Eastcliff
Solms
Acton
Hargrove
Monmouth
Sarton
Sutherland
Eaton
Lycester
Middlesboro
Woodhurst
Vitborg
Hornsby
Runswick
Windhir
Westfeldt
Torranta
Eldergrove
Oakenvale
Murky Banks
The Map
The World of Mundus
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The Kingdom of Raxas
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Notable Cities
There are opportunities for the Bold ...Still others explore vast stretches of wilderness searching for fabled ruins and artifacts. --Polybius
Arcot, Grumbach Province
Dunson Keep, Comar Prvince
Eaton, Sutherland Province
Gor's Crossing, Gor am Ramsfeld Province
Hargrove, Solms Province
Raxas Castle/Raxas City, Berwick Province
- The Castle is located on the western side of the Trys River, built into the side of the mountain. A virtual city exists underground, a formidable labyrinth of tunnels, rooms and buildings, carved in an immaculate ornate manner. A small portion of the castle extends outside the mountain facing the river itself. This is where the Royal family's living quarters are located. This portion of the city (castle) on the western side of the river is a walled city with no visible ramparts leading to the banks north and south of the city. Faithborne Bridge, an engineering marvel constructed of stone, measuring 1200 meters in length and 50 meters in width extends east from Raxas Castle across the River Trys and ending inside the Kenmore District of Raxas City on the eastern shore. Raxas City itself is a very large city encompassing over twelve square miles of urban terrain. The bridge has a 5% grade sloping from East to West into the City proper.
Over the years, the city has expanded significantly. Every several decades a ruler decides to build a new wall to encompass the expansion of the city. There are five walls expanding out from the eastern end of Faithborne Bridge, the 1200-meter expanse connecting the city to Raxas Castle. The Five walls have created five concentric semi-circle shaped districts within the City as well as a sixth district of expanding buildings outside the fifth wall. These Six Districts are known as the Kenmore District closest to Faithborne Bridge; Dagenheim, the second district; Newington; Loughton; Weybridge and Halstead, the only unprotected portion of the city. The construction is newer as you move away from Raxas Castle and Faithborne Bridge.
Kenmore District is inhabited by government buildings, the Raxas court of adjudication and the Knights of the Iron Circle as well as the Men-at-Arms who serve King Voldrim. Dagenheim contains the Raxas commercial district with businesses of many types and artisans from all over Raxas. The Temple of the Gods is the centerpiece of Dagenheim. Newington contains residences for the wealthy citizens of Raxas City. Owners of Raxas' more well-known commercial enterprises call Newington their home. Loughton contains living space for many of the artisans and other business professionals who work in Dagenheim and Kenmore District. Weybridge is home to a large number of Raxas citizens who work either outside the city in other enterprises or have found some other service oriented profession in various locales around Raxas City. Halstead is the outer city, where one can find cheap affordable housing. The members of the Raxas Militia are quartered here and work as indentured servants on the King's lands as famers, huntsmen or woodsmen. Vagrants and other seedy characters also live in Halstead. There are a number of brothels and taverns containing some of the filthiest characters on Mundus.
Reford, Jutland Province
Seton, Hagenau Province
Windhir, Vitborg Province
Minor Cities
In the World of Mundus, magic is commonplace. Great Wizards still roam the land and bend the ear of powerful kings. --Polybius
Acton, Solms
Banrockburn, Daervish Hochland
Boughton, Finnmark
Braedon, Alt Zealand
Caerleon, Daervish Hochland
Clacton, Grumbach
Domburton, Nordland
Eastcliff, Nordland
Easthaven, Hagenau
Eldergrove, Westfeldt
Fairnsworth, Hagenau
Falcon Haven, Berwick
Hornsby, Vitborg
King's Watch, Finnmark
Lycester, Sutherland
Middlesborough, Sutherland
Monmouth, Solms
Murky Banks, Westfeldt
Norwich, Colmar
Oakenvale, Westfeldt
Ossprey, Alt Zealand
Parma, Westfeldt
Poltragow, Jutland
Runswick, Vitborg
Sarton, Solms
Sheffield, Gor am Ramsfeld
Sherfield, Colmar
Sudbury, Grumbach
Tenby, Gor am Ramsfeld
Torranta, Westfeldt
Torrine, Berwick
Wellspring, Jutland
Woodhurst, Sutherland
"Something Lurks Beneath...The age of the world is far underestimated. Civilizations have risen and fallen. Races of beings have appeared and disappeared leaving their mark on the land. Ruins and dungeons are scattered across the world, waiting for someone brave enough to seek them out and uncover the secrets contained within." --Polybius
