Tir-Gach Connighclann
The seat of Suranthi Power, the home of Geata-Iarainn, the greatest city by size and sheer architectual wonder in all of the Tundra Realms, and the center of power of the Kingdom of Suranth, the Tir-Gach Connighclann is perhaps the most important in all of Suranth. Housing just north of three hundred thousand of Suranth's roughly 2.3 million citizens, it is not the most populated region, and yet is one of great importance to the nation overall.
Territories
The region so defined includes the majority of the Irontip Mountain Range, along with a large portion of the Ferric Woodlands on the mainland. It also encompasses the isle of Higbolv in its entirety. In total this region includes the nation's capital of Geata-Iarainn, which is a massive metropolis and center of industrial and military power, accounting by itself for a little under one half of the region's population. Besides this it includes two other major cities, Higveld and Seal Point, both located on the Isle of Higbolv, along with 6 towns and 15 villages. These are the large centers of population, relatively speaking, places of permanent power, places where there is some permanent military presence, regardless how small. Those whom settle around such places in smaller outlying communities are counted among the larger central community as part of its population. Geata-Iarainn is the exception to this, where its population refers wholly to those living within her walls and city limits.
Each city deserves and will have its own entry within my tome, but below they shall be listed, with their populations, as well as the major towns. The townships I shall give some brief information here, but they are all well worth the visit.
Cities and Towns of the Tir-Gach Connighclann
Cities
Geata-Iarainn (151753): The capital of the entire Kingdom of Suranth
Higveld (39604): The city of Higveld, upon the southern tip of the Vogenvald Pennisula, along coast of the Vogen Bay, it is the largest city on the Isle of Higbolv. A busy naval station, garrison, and fishing port, crab and lobster being major industries here. The city itself, like all the major cities, is a self sufficient fortress of a settlement, housing a relatively massive military presence amongst the population. Salt is mined here extensively as well, another major industry of the city.
Seal Point (31643): Along the river delta of the River Eian out into the Nor'Westor Sea on the Isle of Higbolv's eastern coast, the city of Seal Point gets its name for the fact that the seals along the beaches outside the city outnumber the people every year for several weeks. This is major business of course, hence the name, but the city itself is also built amongst marble cliffs, and quarrying the rock is major business in the city. It is in fact the dominant industry, although fishing and kelp farming are also notable business. Sealing is big business during those few weeks as well, as one might expect.
Townships
Blackdale Reach (11134): The town of Blackdale Reach is a military fortress first and foremost, the town itself having a population of some 6295 of the township's population. It is named for the battle that took place here, famously, the battle where High King Cormac built the reputation that eventually saw him chosen as the first High King. The region is rich in black slate and granite, and many small quarrying communities lie all about the region within a day or two's travel, mostly south and west of the garrison town.
Dawnholst (12706): The township of Dawnholst is a major rail town, a processing and fueling facility for locomotives en route into Geata-Iarainn, or leaving the city, and a place where the rail crews coming in swap out for new crews. The capital is too busy, too heavy in traffic for the yards there to want to handle loading coal or crew swapping, the capital's yard is on a very tight schedule. It is also a shipping point for something else entirely, one of the major ingredients for smoke powder, which is mined in the township of Smoke-Stone, a little east and north. The town itself is home to some 7144 of the townships citizens. There are small limestone quarries and forestry hamlets and villages all about Dawnholst, about a day or two on foot away from the main town itself.
Boomendaal (10207): The township of Boomendaal is one of many places on Suranth where ingredients of Smoke-Powder can be found in large natural deposits and mined. In the region both Sanfir and Saltpeter can be found and are mined extensively. Sanfir is a large industry here, and the main town itself is built around and home to a large sanfir mine. The main town is home to some 5138 of the regions populace. Other small settlements around mine saltpeter which can be found in natural deposits in different areas within a day or two's travel of Smoke-Stone proper. The town is also a refinery town, smokepowder is produced here, as charcoal is also produced in two or three hamlets in wooded valleys near Boomendaal itself. Though Sanfir is only 10% of the composition of smokepowder, it is an important piece, it is this part of the composition that gives the powder its distinctive cracking sound, and its sheer power that can even sound through magick trying to deafen noise. It acts as an accelerant of sorts, though it is not fully understood how it works.
Foliean's Point (9526): At the mouth of the delta of River Foliea that enters Vogen Bay from the north-east, Foliean's Point itself is home to some 5102 of the people that call the township home, it is a relatively busy naval garrison, one of those that are a meeting place between river and sea. The surrounding small villages and hamlets are mainly hunting and fishing communities.
Moosehead Banks (8701): On the northern banks of Antler Lake, this township is well known for two things. Leather and fur production, of moose and other smaller animals in the region, and the surrounding communities are mainly hunting and trapping communities, yet that is only one half of the story. The town proper itself, home to some 4398 of the townships population, is known for two very large companies. Antler and Tack Brewery, known for their wide variety of amber and dark ales that they produce, along with Black Bear Distillery and Spirits, known for their strong whiskeys and cognacs specifically.
Screecher's Banks (10040): On the north-eastern banks of Screecher Lake, where the River Eian flows out from the lake towards the sea. Unlike many of the other townships, the town proper here, which is home to some 7083 of the townships inhabitants, has no singular industry, it is more of a river equivalent of a crossroads town, and in some wierd ways, a tourist destination, for those sorts whom seek to find or see the 'Screecher' which gives the lake its name. Surrounding villages and hamlets are a mish-mash of sorts, fishing, hunting, even snow-berry farming.
Each city deserves and will have its own entry within my tome, but below they shall be listed, with their populations, as well as the major towns. The townships I shall give some brief information here, but they are all well worth the visit.
Cities and Towns of the Tir-Gach Connighclann
Cities
Geata-Iarainn (151753): The capital of the entire Kingdom of Suranth
Higveld (39604): The city of Higveld, upon the southern tip of the Vogenvald Pennisula, along coast of the Vogen Bay, it is the largest city on the Isle of Higbolv. A busy naval station, garrison, and fishing port, crab and lobster being major industries here. The city itself, like all the major cities, is a self sufficient fortress of a settlement, housing a relatively massive military presence amongst the population. Salt is mined here extensively as well, another major industry of the city.
Seal Point (31643): Along the river delta of the River Eian out into the Nor'Westor Sea on the Isle of Higbolv's eastern coast, the city of Seal Point gets its name for the fact that the seals along the beaches outside the city outnumber the people every year for several weeks. This is major business of course, hence the name, but the city itself is also built amongst marble cliffs, and quarrying the rock is major business in the city. It is in fact the dominant industry, although fishing and kelp farming are also notable business. Sealing is big business during those few weeks as well, as one might expect.
Townships
Blackdale Reach (11134): The town of Blackdale Reach is a military fortress first and foremost, the town itself having a population of some 6295 of the township's population. It is named for the battle that took place here, famously, the battle where High King Cormac built the reputation that eventually saw him chosen as the first High King. The region is rich in black slate and granite, and many small quarrying communities lie all about the region within a day or two's travel, mostly south and west of the garrison town.
Dawnholst (12706): The township of Dawnholst is a major rail town, a processing and fueling facility for locomotives en route into Geata-Iarainn, or leaving the city, and a place where the rail crews coming in swap out for new crews. The capital is too busy, too heavy in traffic for the yards there to want to handle loading coal or crew swapping, the capital's yard is on a very tight schedule. It is also a shipping point for something else entirely, one of the major ingredients for smoke powder, which is mined in the township of Smoke-Stone, a little east and north. The town itself is home to some 7144 of the townships citizens. There are small limestone quarries and forestry hamlets and villages all about Dawnholst, about a day or two on foot away from the main town itself.
Boomendaal (10207): The township of Boomendaal is one of many places on Suranth where ingredients of Smoke-Powder can be found in large natural deposits and mined. In the region both Sanfir and Saltpeter can be found and are mined extensively. Sanfir is a large industry here, and the main town itself is built around and home to a large sanfir mine. The main town is home to some 5138 of the regions populace. Other small settlements around mine saltpeter which can be found in natural deposits in different areas within a day or two's travel of Smoke-Stone proper. The town is also a refinery town, smokepowder is produced here, as charcoal is also produced in two or three hamlets in wooded valleys near Boomendaal itself. Though Sanfir is only 10% of the composition of smokepowder, it is an important piece, it is this part of the composition that gives the powder its distinctive cracking sound, and its sheer power that can even sound through magick trying to deafen noise. It acts as an accelerant of sorts, though it is not fully understood how it works.
Foliean's Point (9526): At the mouth of the delta of River Foliea that enters Vogen Bay from the north-east, Foliean's Point itself is home to some 5102 of the people that call the township home, it is a relatively busy naval garrison, one of those that are a meeting place between river and sea. The surrounding small villages and hamlets are mainly hunting and fishing communities.
Moosehead Banks (8701): On the northern banks of Antler Lake, this township is well known for two things. Leather and fur production, of moose and other smaller animals in the region, and the surrounding communities are mainly hunting and trapping communities, yet that is only one half of the story. The town proper itself, home to some 4398 of the townships population, is known for two very large companies. Antler and Tack Brewery, known for their wide variety of amber and dark ales that they produce, along with Black Bear Distillery and Spirits, known for their strong whiskeys and cognacs specifically.
Screecher's Banks (10040): On the north-eastern banks of Screecher Lake, where the River Eian flows out from the lake towards the sea. Unlike many of the other townships, the town proper here, which is home to some 7083 of the townships inhabitants, has no singular industry, it is more of a river equivalent of a crossroads town, and in some wierd ways, a tourist destination, for those sorts whom seek to find or see the 'Screecher' which gives the lake its name. Surrounding villages and hamlets are a mish-mash of sorts, fishing, hunting, even snow-berry farming.
Military
Within the Tir-Gach region, between all the various old fashioned titled types, volunteers and semi-privatized reservist/'home guard' type forces (this generally includes law enforcement within its numbers), there are some 8335 whom could be mobilized in a reservist type military role. Of this, some 5500 or so are law enforcement, as one might expect, including 2250, which is the Geata-Iarainn Police Force. As for standing military, the region houses some 14.2%, or 16160, of the nation's standing military, with almost half of that number being stationed in/operating out of, Geata-Iarainn herself. These numbers are broken down by troop type below as follows;
5860 Clansmen: (regulars), the infantry core of the land forces, which includes equal numbers of archers/crossbowmen and regulars (arming sword, hand-ax, hammer, or mace, and a shield, spears or other polearms, or claymore/great axe). Counted among this number for now as well, are the first generation of Sky-rigger, those soldiers whom are also crewmen for Sky-Ships, though at current the Suranthi Air Force is in its barest infancy, numbering only six Sky-Ships.
3759 Saltbeards: (basic marines) the bulk of all naval forces and crews, both seaman and river-wardens. (Axe/arming sword and shield, pistols)
1695 Tundra Rovers: These troops are skilled at deploying swiftly, preferring longbows, or carbines, and a variety of side arms, from cutlasses to hatchets. Road Wardens, Rail Wardens and Air Wardens are all in this group as well Rangers of all sorts, but a key troop, making up a notable majority, are mushers and their dogsled teams. Capable of crossing great distances quickly, with cargo, intelligence, a person, or even two to three, of importance. Their military uses are diverse, as is their training. Pilots and flight crew for Suranth's few Sky-Ships are held under this designation right now, as there is not yet a properly dedicated division for an Aero Force, though such a thing is on the list of policies to be handled within the coming months and years.
1210 Iron Riders: Heavily Armored Demigryph and Griffon mounted knights, mixed with heavy shock cavalry riding large Frost-Tip Boars, wielding boar spears, cav hammer/axe and shield.
808 Storm Lancers: The elite troops, the shock and awe of Suranth's army at close range, the Storm-Lancers all ride massive white-grey furred boars known as Iron-tusks. They are strong, tough and vicious as they come, and with not an inch of give in them, their loyalty to the throne of Suranth only equaled by their conviction to their faith. Vicious mounted, but what most never expect is the carnage after the charge, as they dismount, and engage in melee with a skill and ferocity only matched by their Iron-Tusk mounts.
808 Iron Dragons: These troops are a mixed brigade, specializing in...unique tactics. They combine the standard dwarven formation fighting, shield walls, and unbreakable defense with skirmisher tactics and groups to back it up, allowing a flexibility of tactics that one would not normally see. Dwarven units and companies normally don't mix, as such differing heights would not allow effective formation fighting. But these elite troops balance that issue by making the battle groups a combination. A bastion to strike from, the dwarves make up the wall, the anchor for the other more mobile and less formation based soldiers to strike from and operate within. They employ a variety of devastating tactics combining that classical dwarven fortress of steel with shot, explosives, and swift brutal violence. They are the new age elite, using similar training to the ancient Exemplaris orders, but are strictly tied to the military and their country, owing no allegiance to the church. Though they have not the strange chemistry and alchemical substances at their disposal the Exemplaris orders treasure and guard so secretively, this does not really matter. The Iron Dragons accomplish similar feats of skill and ferocity through a bristling wall of steel, with withering rains of rifle and pistol fire, and copious amounts of high explosives applied generously. They are a highly flexible unit, with impressive tactical awareness and adaptability, along with of course, an impressive ability to rapidly and fully deploy with a complete and overwhelming violence of action.
809 Wave-Runners: (Intelligence Organization) Naturally this number is pretty much a best guess by anyone's count. The Wave-Runners are Suranth's....problem solving apparatus. They are the nation's eyes and ears abroad, and at home as well. Tundra Rovers whom are perhaps the tops of their craft, particularly mushers, may find themselves offered a large promotion to join the ranks of this secretive intelligence unit, whilst still maintaining their status as a Tundra-Rover, or so the rumors suggest. None will confirm, however, which is not unexpected.
606 Warpriests/Priests/Magisters/Physicians: These are specialized troops of course, all of which are in high demand by all sections and brigades. With available numbers being limited by comparative need, they are made available how and where they can be.
605 Engineers/Artisans: These are of course the officers and craftsmen whom handle large arms, like cannon, trebuchet, ballista, and other such large scale equipment. Sappers. These officers and troops are favored for seige warfare, though every oceanic vessel in Suranth's navy has at least one engineer and a specialized cannon operator on board, whom guides and trains the handpicked sailors on the basics of cannon operation.
5860 Clansmen: (regulars), the infantry core of the land forces, which includes equal numbers of archers/crossbowmen and regulars (arming sword, hand-ax, hammer, or mace, and a shield, spears or other polearms, or claymore/great axe). Counted among this number for now as well, are the first generation of Sky-rigger, those soldiers whom are also crewmen for Sky-Ships, though at current the Suranthi Air Force is in its barest infancy, numbering only six Sky-Ships.
3759 Saltbeards: (basic marines) the bulk of all naval forces and crews, both seaman and river-wardens. (Axe/arming sword and shield, pistols)
1695 Tundra Rovers: These troops are skilled at deploying swiftly, preferring longbows, or carbines, and a variety of side arms, from cutlasses to hatchets. Road Wardens, Rail Wardens and Air Wardens are all in this group as well Rangers of all sorts, but a key troop, making up a notable majority, are mushers and their dogsled teams. Capable of crossing great distances quickly, with cargo, intelligence, a person, or even two to three, of importance. Their military uses are diverse, as is their training. Pilots and flight crew for Suranth's few Sky-Ships are held under this designation right now, as there is not yet a properly dedicated division for an Aero Force, though such a thing is on the list of policies to be handled within the coming months and years.
1210 Iron Riders: Heavily Armored Demigryph and Griffon mounted knights, mixed with heavy shock cavalry riding large Frost-Tip Boars, wielding boar spears, cav hammer/axe and shield.
808 Storm Lancers: The elite troops, the shock and awe of Suranth's army at close range, the Storm-Lancers all ride massive white-grey furred boars known as Iron-tusks. They are strong, tough and vicious as they come, and with not an inch of give in them, their loyalty to the throne of Suranth only equaled by their conviction to their faith. Vicious mounted, but what most never expect is the carnage after the charge, as they dismount, and engage in melee with a skill and ferocity only matched by their Iron-Tusk mounts.
808 Iron Dragons: These troops are a mixed brigade, specializing in...unique tactics. They combine the standard dwarven formation fighting, shield walls, and unbreakable defense with skirmisher tactics and groups to back it up, allowing a flexibility of tactics that one would not normally see. Dwarven units and companies normally don't mix, as such differing heights would not allow effective formation fighting. But these elite troops balance that issue by making the battle groups a combination. A bastion to strike from, the dwarves make up the wall, the anchor for the other more mobile and less formation based soldiers to strike from and operate within. They employ a variety of devastating tactics combining that classical dwarven fortress of steel with shot, explosives, and swift brutal violence. They are the new age elite, using similar training to the ancient Exemplaris orders, but are strictly tied to the military and their country, owing no allegiance to the church. Though they have not the strange chemistry and alchemical substances at their disposal the Exemplaris orders treasure and guard so secretively, this does not really matter. The Iron Dragons accomplish similar feats of skill and ferocity through a bristling wall of steel, with withering rains of rifle and pistol fire, and copious amounts of high explosives applied generously. They are a highly flexible unit, with impressive tactical awareness and adaptability, along with of course, an impressive ability to rapidly and fully deploy with a complete and overwhelming violence of action.
809 Wave-Runners: (Intelligence Organization) Naturally this number is pretty much a best guess by anyone's count. The Wave-Runners are Suranth's....problem solving apparatus. They are the nation's eyes and ears abroad, and at home as well. Tundra Rovers whom are perhaps the tops of their craft, particularly mushers, may find themselves offered a large promotion to join the ranks of this secretive intelligence unit, whilst still maintaining their status as a Tundra-Rover, or so the rumors suggest. None will confirm, however, which is not unexpected.
606 Warpriests/Priests/Magisters/Physicians: These are specialized troops of course, all of which are in high demand by all sections and brigades. With available numbers being limited by comparative need, they are made available how and where they can be.
605 Engineers/Artisans: These are of course the officers and craftsmen whom handle large arms, like cannon, trebuchet, ballista, and other such large scale equipment. Sappers. These officers and troops are favored for seige warfare, though every oceanic vessel in Suranth's navy has at least one engineer and a specialized cannon operator on board, whom guides and trains the handpicked sailors on the basics of cannon operation.
Maps
-
Tir-Gach Connighclann
The lands encompassed by the Tir-gach Connighclann in Suranth, including all the cities, towns and villages.
Type
Geopolitical, Province
Capital
Parent Organization
Neighboring Nations
Comments