Roqborough

Lacking any single powerful ruler such as Montand or Strychan, the southern Naelax lands are a hodge-podge of small landholdings and feuding minor nobility. Armies may charge high fees for allowing anyone to cross the lands of their petty lord. So trade has declined sharply away from the Flamni in particular where the militias and well-trained river excisemen of Carnifand and Roqborough protect merchants from over-zealous private militias. However, while there is no central focus of power, there is no shortage of intriguing places and people.

Of the many animuses created by Ivid's servitors, Prince Kalord of Roqborough is certainly the most pyrotechnic. The animus-prince ruler of this otherwise insignificant trade village has an additional ability to those of most animuses. He can literally burst into flame when angered or irritable. His body becomes shrouded in a aura which acts as a wall of fire (inflicting 4d6 hp damage to those within five feet of him).

Because Kalord cannot control this ability voluntarily, he wears only a leather suit which has the magical quality of fire resistance, so he wanders his own halls, and the village, half-naked most of the time.

Kalord's other claim to fame is that he possesses the signet ring of Ivid II, lost when that monarch's son assassinated his father. The simple garnet-set ring is an heirloom which has symbolic significance; any pretender to the malachite throne would gain some legitimacy to his claim if he were able to mark his own proclamations of rulership with this ring. Kalord is well aware of its value, and has it very carefully hidden within his mansion in the village.

Emissaries from more than one prince have come, offer ing much gold for it, but as yet Kalord has dismissed them all. How long he can continue to do so without someone marching on his village to take it by force is uncertain. Still, the distance between Roqborough and the home armies of the main power-player Naelax Princes is quite considerable, and such a strategy would not be likely to be successful. Kalord anticipates that assassins may be sent instead, and he has his own phalanx of warriors and thieves who act as bodyguards at all times. To date, only three of his guards have been immolated while on duty.