The Western Dales

The Western Dales, once the heartland of the Melentine Empire of old, is now a wild area where only the strong survive.

The nation of Burundy made the first major attempt to tame the lands now known as the Western Dales. The way was paved by the First Army of Exploration, which made considerable attempts to map and explore the area. The effort was eventually for naught as the Burundians stretched themselves too thin.
Other attempts have been made from various factions over the centuries, whether by the Aurumfels, Vercinia, or Galvinor. Despite the fact that no nation can hold the Western Dales for long, the attempts of colonization has caused considerable consternation between all parties.
Although settlers from various nations have made attempts to colonize the land, there is little in the way of economy in the Dales. The wilderness is water-logged and forested by thick dark woods, and provides a limited supply of arable farmland. Still, there are several small frontier settlements that can be found scattered throughout the Dales, scratching a living in this unforgiving land.

Local Government

Throughout most of the Dales, settlements are ruled by individuals known as Atamans, the title given to the ruling village chiefs. The ataman discharges nearly all the functions of government, enforcing the law, settling disputes, and setting priorities for the settlement they currently rule. The ataman has almost unlimited authority within his settlement.
There are few with the power to contradict him, and even those who officially have such power are normally too far away to have any effect on day to day affairs. Despite this, few atamans rule as tyrants. In most cases, the wise women and priests of the Gods provide a counterweight, and in the cases where the ataman is not the leader of the village’s rota, the Rotamaster also has significant influence. Atamans reach their office through a variety of traditional routes. In most Dalish settlements, the ataman’s position is hereditary in a noble family, though the details of inheritance vary.
Matrilineal inheritance is common, though female atamans (called atamanka) are somewhat rarer and make up only about a quarter of the total numbers. Very few Stanitsas Chiefs have surviving nobility, as the Stannistas leaders were completely wiped out by the victorious Tremalking when they came into the Highlands. In these places, elections are instead used to decide who shall become the newest Atamans. In many border settlements, the best war leader becomes the ataman. Such atamans have almost invariably served as rotamaster, but it is quite common for them to abandon that role to concentrate on more strategic matters. A few, particularly among the remaining Melentine, retain old traditions of having rival candidates duel for the position; most of these duels are to first blood, but rumours persist of isolated settlements that still impose fights to the death.
Other contests are also possible; one village in the east requires candidates for ataman to wrestle a bear, in tribute to the Werebreaker, whilst another, in the southwest, holds a singing contest. Even the villagers there are baffled as to the origin of the custom, but recent extreme good luck makes them reluctant to change anything that might offend the spirits.

Stannistas Law

In some areas of the Dales, generally remote parts of the wilderness, Stannistas law still applies. It is unwise to argue the details of the definition of a crime in an Stannistas court.
The laws contain the normal kinds of prohibitions against theft and violence but also have a number of provisions based on life on the wilds. Refusing hospitality is a serious offence, only a little below murder. Some allowance is made for the circumstances, but turning someone away from your camp is always a criminal matter. The basic rule is that more permanent settlements must offer hospitality and that, if both groups are equally nomadic, the responsibility falls on the larger. Abusing hospitality is an even more serious offence than murder, and some judges argue that it is the most serious offence possible. It is one of the few cases in which a judge might order innocent members of the criminal’s group to be punished as well. However, the most important mark of gravity is that the Stannistas put a lot of effort into finding and punishing those who commit this crime, in some cases spending years on the hunt. For example, one Velucian follower of Melora was finally slain by a half dozen travel-worn Stannistas warriors on the streets of Charm. Hospitality does not, of course, extend to followers of the Nemesis, the Shattered god, or Domination, and refusing hospitality to them or abusing their trust is perfectly legal.

Stannistas Responsibility

The fundamental concept of Stannistas law is that a group is responsible for the actions of all its members. If a member of a group commits a crime, any member of the group may be punished for that crime. The smallest such group is the family, defined as all the blood descendants of a living woman and the husbands of any married women in that bloodline. Men change families when they get married. Families split into groups defined by blood descendants of a matriarch’s daughters when she dies. Stannistas law has nothing to say about actions taken within a family, and the elders discipline as they see fit. In most cases, however, the harsh environment ensures families pull together.
It is normal for a family to travel together or live in the same place. And while individual members may leave, it is unheard of for a family to be split between two clans. Above the families come the clans, as well as the tribe. Both clans and tribes were originally defined by blood links, but over the centuries, they have simply become traditional groupings. It is unusual, but not unheard of, for a family to change clan or tribe, though an individual woman must belong to the clan and tribe chosen by her family. It is not uncommon for men, on marriage, to change both clan and tribe as well as family. clans are places of residence, typically villages, and often host a number of families and even different clans or tribes.
If a crime is committed against an individual, the penalty can be levied on any individual who shares membership with the criminal in a group to which the victim does not belong. Thus, if both criminal and victim are in the same family, there is no possible group to take the penalty. If they are in different families within the same clan, a member of the criminal’s family must be punished. If they are in different clans, anyone in the same clan may be taken. The law states that the actual criminal is the preferred target of punishment, and the judge grants the criminal’s group a period of time to produce the malefactor for punishment. This deadline is normally at least a week, occasionally as long as a year; the length depends in large part on how important the criminal’s group is. Melentines are, for the purposes of Stannistas law, considered to be one family.
That means any crime committed by a Melentine against an Stannistas may be avenged on any other Melentine. the Dalesites are considered to be a single group, and all foreigners are treated as a single family. This generalisation has led to an innocent Avendori merchant being executed for a murder committed by a mercenary from Valonbray.

Stannistas Court

Stannistas law courts consist of a single judge who listens to the evidence, asks questions as he wishes, and then makes a decision. There is no appeal. The only rule is that the judge must not belong to the same group as either the victim or the accused. Thus, a judge between two families must be from a third family, which means that a judge between Melentine and Stannistas must be a foreigner, though the Stannistas tribes have agreed the rulers of the land in person can also serve as judge in such a case. When judging between a Dalish and a foreigner, there is no neutral group, so any judge can serve.
As a result, foreigners rarely win their cases. Although the formal requirements are simple, most judges are chosen based on their experience and reputation for fairness. In principle, the two parties to a case can choose anyone qualified whom they agree on, and in the past, things worked that way. Most judges are elected, though some areas have different customs, such as always appointing the oldest living man or someone who was crippled fighting against raiders from the south.
Foreign judges are chosen based on their actions, and their names are sent to the Dales in the normal way. Blood hunters from Galvinor are chosen quite frequently, as they often impress the Stannistass with their commitment to hunting down foul cultists. They also have no objection to handing out harsh sentences and are willing to travel the wilderness to reach the cases. The judge decides what evidence to hear, and the verdict is at his sole discretion, as is the penalty. For the most part, this process works well enough and provides something close to justice quickly enough to allow life to continue on the unforgiving wilds. If a judge becomes corrupt—or worse, seduced by the evil gods—it can be disastrous.

Stannistas Punishment

The Stannistas do not use fines as punishments, though they may require compensation to be paid to victims. Similarly, they do not use imprisonment as a punishment, but criminals may be held while they await trial. Suspects are normally held by their own family, rather than by the accusers, in order to ensure the right person suffers if the decision goes against them. As a result, Stannistas punishments are almost entirely corporal. Flogging and branding are popular, and the number of lashes or the size of the brand depends on the nature of the crime. Crippling is only employed when a whole group is held to bear some responsibility for a crime, as a crippled member becomes a burden on the group. Indeed, it is not uncommon for a crippled criminal to be killed by his family, an action outside Stannistas law. However, minor mutilations, which do not affect a person’s ability to survive, are used in much the same way as brands. Finally, capital punishment is common. The following specific punishments are popular in Stannistas areas, but most judges have their own favourites.

Punishment by Arrows

The criminal is tied to a post, and archers shoot arrows at him. The number of arrows, and the distance between the archer and the post, are determined by the judge. This punishment can be anything from a death penalty to a light slap on the wrist. In almost all cases, the victim is allowed to nominate an archer. The Ballad of Isukin and Noga includes a famous scene in which Noga shoots twenty arrows at Isukin—who was convicted of betraying Noga—from five paces and misses every time. In the ballad, this act is the start of an alliance that overthrows a horde of orcs. Satirical versions in which Isukin kills Noga as soon as he is untied are almost more popular than the original ballad.

Punishment by the Glove

A metal glove that opens like a clam shell is heated until it glows and then is closed on the criminal’s hand. It is left closed for a number of heartbeats depending on the severity of the crime and then removed.

Punishment by the Helm

A closed helmet is heated until it glows and then is forced onto the criminal’s head. This punishment is a form of execution, and if the judge is feeling merciful, the helmet is riveted to the base of the skull with a long spike, causing near-instant death and sparing the criminal considerable pain.

Punishment by Horse Running

The criminal is tied to a rope, which is tied to the saddle of a horse. The horse is then set into motion. Many variations of this punishment exist, allowing it to be tuned to the crime. The length of the horse’s run can be controlled, as can its speed. Similarly, the length of the rope and the means by which it is fastened to the criminal make a difference. A rope tied around the waist allows the criminal to run as fast as he can. One tied around the wrists makes him more likely to fall, while one tied around the ankles guarantees that he will be dragged. Further, the horse might be ridden or simply driven into a gallop out onto the wilderness. Leaving the horse to its own devices means the final level of the penalty is in the hands of the Gods, something appealing to some judges.

Punishment by Spirit's Mercy

The criminal is driven out into the wilderness, branded on his face with a mark indicating that it is a legal duty to deny him hospitality. This act is basically a death sentence, and in most cases, the criminal is driven out naked and with no possessions, which guarantees a swift death. However, in some cases, the criminal is allowed full equipment, particularly if his family is very popular or if the judge feels he was justified in his actions. It is still essentially a death sentence, but a few people manage to survive alone on the steppes. Suren the Dead is a legendary example; certainly, his exploits in support of his family and against the raiders from the south have been exaggerated in the telling.

Notable Sites

Rivers and Lakes

• River Reitsch
• River Dorn
• River Shelyn
• River Velna
• River Argen
• River Mekla
• The Fingers
• The Strozahn Water
• Lake Candlemire
• The Long Sea
• Lake of Lost Lights

Regions

• Imperial Plains
• Daggerland
• Blackwold
• Capital Highlands
• Lesser Blackwold
• Kamewold
• Lowland Mire
• Arbor Fields
• Three Peaks Foothills
• Koyavi Bog
• Iron Valley
• Unclaimed Hills
• Balthazar Hills
• Sorjan Marshes
• Shattered Coast
• Dalish Coast
• Tattered Islands
• Verdenwick
• Isla Drakon
• Valley Strozahn
• Iron Mountains
• Silben Mountains
• Ruins of Nilgard
• The Fire Tower
• Lumbercamp
• Silver Mines
• Gold Mines
• Iron Mines

Settlements

• Meklagard - formerly Konstanton
• Lux Donum
• Orc Town
• Langesmeer
• Andorahol
• Foxstead
• Fenbray
• Kwynn
• Branburg
• Dunwall
• Fletcher
• Kislov's Trading Post
• Zephyr Spire

Maps

• 

  The Western Dales

Type

Region

Location under

Tremalking

Included Locations

• Andorahol
• Bandit Fort
• Blazekow
• Bor Kazzan
• Capital Highlands
• Danube
• Fenbray
• Fletcher
• Foxstead
• Gorzow
• Imperial Plains
• Kislov's Trading Post
• Konstanton
• Kwynn
• Lake Candlemire
• Langesmeer
• Lux Donum
• Meklagard
• New Akanvor
• Nilgard
• Ostrow
• River Dorn
• River Mekla
• River Reitsch
• The Blackwold
• The Necromancer's Fort
• The Strozahn Water
• The Three Peaks
• Torun
• Verdenwick
• Vilgeford
• Wobble Village
• Zory

Included Organizations

• Luxandria
• The Dwarven Marche of New Akanvor

Contested By

• New Melentine Empire
• Principality of Burundy
• The Aurumfels
• The Greater Restorers
• The Trase Amigos