House Marrow of Alabast
Head of House: King Osmodeus Marrow
House Specialty: Abundant gold ore & excavation in mountainous region
House Ancestral Weapon:
Gravetouch – a bone-white longsword with a pommel wrought in the shape of the water buffalo skull of the house. Legend tells that a mere touch from the blade of the sword is enough to kill a man or dragon alike
Influence and relations: Marriage pact with houses Khyriin of The Endless Plains and Cragmore of Stormgully. Trade pacts with Ashtoken, The Greenwood and Kreshva'ik'va
Important membersKing Osmodeus Marrow, 36. A lean man of 6’1 with burning yellow eyes and olive skin. Osmodeus’ face is almost always obscured by white silk wrappings around his mouth, nose and scalp with a fringe of wavy brown hair swept across his brow. The King likes to dress in bone white silken robes and jewel-encrusted sandals. King Osmodeus is an unnervingly quiet man with a cold dead stare that could frighten the hardiest of men. He is always accompanied by at least two Skeleton Guard. Osmodeus is a cold individual with a harsh sense of justice, proud and loyal to his kingdom and unforgiving to those who wrong him
Captain Blackbone (Osric Bone), 42. Older half-brother of King Osmodeus. Bastard son of former King Oswald IV. Exiled. Captain of a mercenary group and pirate fleet, The Pale Skull, operating up and down the east coast of Elyden
Nana Obara, 93. Maternal grandmother of King Osmodeus. Oracle. King’s advisor. Resides in the Marrow Palace, Marbis
Princess Opal Marrow, 17. Only daughter of King Osmodeus. Twin of Prince Onyx. Oracle-in-training. Betrothed to Melvan Cragmore of Stormgully. Resides in the Marrow Palace, Marbis
Captain Octavius Marrow, 30. Cousin of King Osmodeus. Captain of the Skeleton Guard. Resides in the Marrow Palace, Marbis
Prince Onyx Marrow, 17. Second son of King Osmodeus. Twin of Princess Opal. Resides in Lith
Other Members & Notable NPCsPrince Oswyn Marrow, 20. First son of King Osmodeus. Heir to the throne of Alabast. Betrothed to Rika Khyriin, daughter of Lord Odegai of House Khyriin of The Endless Plains, Marshal of Alabasti army
Prince Ostifer Marrow, 33. Younger brother of King Osmodeus. Governor of Lith
Lord Jehadin Lotus, 46. Lord of House Lotus, Master of Ships
Lord Abarh Scar'opp, 65. Lord of House Scar'opp. Governor of Basisk
Captain Tristan Bone, 33. Captain of Opexis
The Kingdom of AlabastColor on map: Light Grey
Capital: Marbis [1] – A lively seaside city nestled between the mouth of The Phalanges and the glistening waters of Maidenhead Bay. It is said the ports and markets of Marbis never sleep and there is always business to be done, legal or not. The black market situated in the far south of the city is a hive of opium dens, brothels and cutthroat digs where men enter at their own peril. Otherwise, the city is a picture of the beauty of the desert, the architecture seemingly sculpted from the surrounding earth in sandstone buildings in typically dunelike domed shapes. Housing is dotted along the walls, accessed by steps, like alcoves in a cave wall. At the very heart of the city is an abrupt hill which winds up to the palace of House Marrow, a great sandstone castle of tall turrets and labyrinthine parapets encircling a large bailey in which a beautiful garden of desert flowers and arching fountains is located. Population: 20,000
Maidenhead Bay [2] – A vast bay serving as the border between Alabast and its northern neighbour. Both nations have an alternative name for the bay so many do not know what to call it. Maidenhead Bay seems the popular choice with outland sailors, however
Lith [3] – The southernmost major settlement in Alabast, Lith is an integral town to the region for its mining community which provide the realm with its most valuable resource: gold. However, Lith is often the target of mongrel raids, thus a city wall with menacing barbicans has been erected to protect it
Basisk [4] – Basisk is the second largest settlement in Alabast, and, like Lith, it was built around its mining community which scour the mountains to this day in search for iron, copper and gold
Opexis [5] – Opexis is a military fortification constructed to secure the bay from pirates and enemies of the realm. The neck is strictly policed by naval ships which monitor every ship coming and going, overlooked by the fearsome catapults atop Opexis’ seaward parapets
Lake Octavia [6] – The hub for the wildlife of the region. Wading birds, hippopotamuses, crocodiles and watering land mammals congregate here
Lake Mysa [7]
The Phalanges [8] – The river delta which spreads through Alabast’s flatlands, providing a vital source of water for the region. The Phalanges support the farmlands of Alabast along its banks and the towns and cities that rely upon the rivers for trade routes
The Bonelands [9] – The stretch of coastline starting on the latitude as Basisk southwards to Alabast’s southern border. It is named so for its rich chalk deposits which blanch the earth white and the preserved skeletons of ancient creatures that have been unearthed on its surface by the sea, including dragons. The Bonelands are a source of great mythology to the citizens of Alabast which some deem sacred and embued with ancient magic. The white temples are the only sign of civilisation here, crumbling and disused bar for a few oracles still in practise
Ichthus [10] – An ancient and desolate city. Only the oracles dare enter as it is said to be haunted by the ghosts of old. Under the city lies a large network of catacombs, untouched for thousands of years
Population: 1,555,800
Race Name(s): Nomadii, Jaggar’is, Standard Human
Racial demographics:
82% Nomadii – Originally from the northern desert, the Nomadii, as their name suggests, were a nomadic clan that eventually found their way down south to the oases and delta network of Alabast where they settled. The Nomadii are Middle Eastern in appearance, except for their bright yellow eyes. Culturally, the Nomadii wear white robes covering their torsos and legs and sometimes veils to shield from the dust-filled winds of Alabast. Nomadii have a high tolerance to high temperatures and slightly better long sight than most other races
16% Jaggar’is (Mountainborn) – Otherwise known as the Mountainborn, the Jaggar’is typically range between 5’4 and 6’5 in height, distinguished by their tan skin, olive eyes and sharp angular bone structure that make them appear as if they were hewn from the very rock of the mountains they call home. The Jaggar’is are historically a mountain clan known for their prowess in tackling harsh terrain and climbing the most formidable peaks with naught but their bare hands
2% Standard Human
Culture: It is said in areas of the continent that no man will ever truly understand the Alabastis. Alabastis are a mysterious people with a quiet tongue, finding actions and gestures to communicate in most cases sufficiently. Though this is not to say they are passionless. Alabastis thrive on gold and enjoy a good haggle almost as much as a good bargain. Elders and ancestors are respected and revered in Alabasti society for their wisdom and guidance, particularly the Oracles of The Bonelands whose divination by osteomancy has been coveted by the nobility for generations. Arts and music are held in high esteem and popular artists can earn themselves good favour in noble courts and the streets alike. Bastards in Alabast are given the surname “Bone”
Battle attire is very important in Alabasti society. Most soldiers equip themselves in traditional bone armour, thought to have originated from mimicry of mongrel custom in ancient Jaggar'is culture. Most armour sets are made of an assortment of different animals' bones, such as oxen, buffalo and oryx, shaped to the human form in horrific contortions. To have armour of pure human or mongrel bone is a display of wealth and status, though these skeletons are completely overshadowed by those of dragons. Dragon bone armour is an incredibly rare, expensive and durable item, second only to star metal. It is only owned by a select few of high noble birth and wealth. Of course, iron armour is in wide use and far more durable than bone of any other creature but the dragon. Craftsmen who specialise in working and crafting bone armour are known as bonesmiths, and are practically exclusive to Alabast. Those that can work dragon bone are even rarer, as it requires both expertise and magic to temper and finish
Exports: The jewellery sector in Alabast has always been of a certain prestige, the region famous for its working of bone and jewels into trinkets and rings. But since the discovery of gold in the southern mountains, the trade has expanded and boomed to become significant to the entire realm. Bone armour and weaponry is a well-known trope of the Alabasti and they are prized for their crafting of specialist dragon bone armour for elites among elites, the most durable material beside star metal. Other exports include crops such as rice, maize, yam and bean; livestock including oxen, camels and buffalo; copper; stone; spices and iron
Imports: Leather, grain, glass, cloth, silk, timber, game meat
Type of Government: Male-preference cognatic primogeniture. Leaders known as kings and their children princes/princesses
Military – 7,780
The executive decisions of the military are decided by King Osmodeus and exercised by his Marshal, his firstborn son Prince Oswyn, and Master of Ships, Lord Jehadin Lotus, on the battlefield or sea respectively
3,000 Bannermen – poorly-equipped
2,000 Yeomen – equipped with swords, mallets, longbows or spears
1,600 Foot Knights
580 Mounted Cavalry/Camelry
50 Skeleton Guard – elected champions in martial prowess sworn to protect and serve solely the king. Their bodies are painted in black and white war paint to make them appear as skeletal warriors. In battle, they don terrifying armours of bone warded by magic for increased durability
30 Catapults
25 Monoreme Dromonds – 50 rowers, 15 marines
5 Bireme Dromonds – 120 rowers made up of prisoners of war, thralls from the mountain clans & criminals, 35 marines
Landscape: Alabast is a dusty and arid land. Ringed by the mountain range to the east and south, the habitable area of Alabast lies in the flatland in the shadow of the sandstone giants, made fertile by oases and The Phalanges that runs its fingers through the plains. Farming subsists along the banks of the tributaries with yields of rice, maize, yam, bean and cotton, and pastures for camels, water buffalo and oxen. Mining occurs along the frontier of the great valley, scouring the mountainsides for gold, copper and iron.
Wildlife: The majority of wildlife in Alabast is centred around the delta. Land mammals such as water buffalo, camels and ibex graze and water along the banks alongside wading birds such as ibises and egrets feeding on mullet, sole and frogs. Dangers of the river come in the form of crocodiles and hippopotamuses. Though rare, it has been known for gnolls to stray into the northern region as far south as Lake Octavia. In the mountainous region, vipers, rattlesnakes and scorpions are a mortal presence lurking beneath the rocks upon which lizards great and small bask. Though these are nothing compared to the mongrel scourge which ravage the mining communities and trade routes of the southwest. The Bonelands are largely barren, however along the shores shellfish and crabs can be spotted, some growing to unnatural sizes. Vegetation is sparse in Alabast and mainly agricultural, though a highlight of the kingdom is the red lotus blossom which drift downstream in beautiful bouquets through the capital of Marbis and into the Maiden Head Bay.
History: Eighteen years ago, King Oswald IV was killed while out on a trek across the mountains with his three sons and royal escorts by a mongrel skirmish. The elder of his three sons, Osric Bone, despite his appeals to the counsel of Alabast, was denied the throne due to his illegitimacy. The kingdom was to fall to his younger brother Osmodeus, then Marshal of the Alabasti army. In a fit of anger and jealousy, Osmar plotted to murder his brother and claim the throne but was thwarted by the Skeleton Guard, captured and exiled. In exile, Osmar using his influence and natural charisma raised and united a formidable pirate fleet , The Pale Skull, that reaves the eastern coasts of the continent to this day, becoming known principally as ‘Captain Blackbone’.
Five years ago, miners in southern Lith hit an abundance of gold ore in the mountains which has led to rapid economic growth in the region and a boost in the jewelry business and trade across Maidenhead Bay and to further regions, increasing Alabast’s influence in Elyden tremendously. Around the same time, Captain Blackbone began to intensify raids along Alabasti shores, becoming a scourge on the merchant vessels coming and going from the capital. Tensions are high as the two brothers pit against each other
Strengths:
- Newfound gold ore abundance promises prosperous economic future
- Oracles and scouts of Nomadii descent excellent sources of intelligence
Weaknesses:
- Much smaller military than most other regions
- Fractured ruling house on verge of major conflict
