Middenland

Current Times

Middenland is a mostly mediterranean region, only the northernmost Duchies experience harsher winters. It is located to the west of the Eastern Steppes and to its south is the Gulf of Gaspari and the island chains located there. Due to its many port cities, most of the southern parts of the region are quite wealthy as a result of extensive sea-based trade with other countries. To the north Middenland is blocked off from the northern regions by a mountain chain known as The Pale Mountains inhabited by the Dwarves, who only allow limited passage. It is one of, if not the most industrialized region in the world. Partially a result from a culture based on foreign trade and exploration that promotes invention. But it is also something that is supported by the large coal reserves found here, and the ongoing effort to mine them.
The population is largely composed of native Middenlander humans (~40-45%), with the Varaki being the second largest group (~20-25%), closely followed by the Orcs and Half-Orcs (~15-20%). There are also folk of Sulvari ethnicity (8-10%), a small population of Halflings and Gnomes (3-5%), and Elves and Half-Elves (2-3%). Lastly there are the more rare species such as the occasional Dwarf, Gnoll, Hobgoblin, Genasi , Lizardfolk or Tangaroa (3-5%).

Middenland has always been a region rife with war and conquest. There have been many nations, empires, earldoms or others over the course of history, none of which have withstood the test of time. Currently the region has been split into seven different sovereign duchies that in reality function more like city-states as there is no longer a larger kingdom to belong to. But they continue to call themselves Celesian Duchies to call back to the old Celesian Empire to further support their legitimacy. They are headed by powerful noble houses that are highly territorial, yet they are bound by a tenuous alliance. After the last war which nearly brought the region to ruin, the seven Duchies of Middenland signed a pact of non-aggression. Ever since, they have strictly adhered to this pact and there has been no significant military conflict. In the meantime they have been focusing more and more on their industrial revolution, which has left the region the industrial hotbed of the world, with their technological level advancing beyond almost every other nation barring perhaps the Magvar Empire and the Commonwealth of Furan. Thus Middenland has not seen a war for several decades, however this does not mean that all is as well as it seems. While they cannot afford to start new wars for fear of falling behind in industrial advancements, there are still other ways to absorb territory or influence without breaking the pact.
In the end each duchy has to be able to pay for its infrastructure and pay off its debt to contractors. By employing underhanded schemes to cause another duchy to fall into debt, one could extract political concessions through loans, or buy up territory for example. Court intrigue is also commonplace as well and those Duchi who do not participate in these petty games could find themselves isolated from resources or trade agreements by groups who did associate with each other. There are also some darker sides to these games, such as defamation, blackmail, bribery or worse, but such things are well-kept secrets of course.
When discussing current Middenland it is also important to underline the influence and effect of one of the greatest reminders of the old Celesian Empire, the Iron Arbiters. With how important they are in holding off Ryvallen, the Duchi cannot deny them, and they still have the imperial document signed by Rikar Celeste himself that gives them authority to hunt down criminals and heretics throughout the lands. They effectively function as a religious and secret police within the region that doesn't even need to answer to the local rulers, although they do require the cooperation of the Duchi to carry out their duty and so they do confer and work together with them to some extent. But this is partially just about show and the Duchi rarely try to overturn their decisions or deny their requests.

The Great War and the Celesian Empire

Initially the native humans of the region only held a small amount of territory in the southern part of the region. This changed after the great exodus of the Gnoll tribes of the region, which created a power vacuum. A large central part of the region was freed up and the human tribes formed a temporary union to contest this region from other powers in the region such as the Varaki Dominion. This sudden increase in territory, combined with their rapid reproduction rate (compared to other races) meant that the influence of the humans surged rapidly. This all set the stage for Rikar Celeste, leader of one of the largest tribes to make his mark on the world. He was a charismatic man and a renowned warrior, it did not take long for him to unify the human tribes into a single entity which would later become known as the Celesian Empire.

After stabilizing its territories and integrating the troops of the different tribes into a single military structure, the new empire set its sight on the Varaki Dominion. What followed was a long and bloody war, where the humans and Varaki stalemated each other for nearly two decades. What tipped the scales in the end was simple diplomacy. The relationship between the Dwarves of the Pale Mountains and the Varaki had slowly soured over decades due to small border conflicts and they desperately needed a stable ally after the Catastrophe ruined their former ally in the north, the Valleian Empire, and they were now beset by the undead that roamed the region. So when Emperor Rikar proposed an alliance to the Dwarves in exchange for exclusive trading and mining rights, they eagerly accepted. Now forced into a two-front war, the Varaki Dominion was forced to split its forces and soon collapsed. The further increase in territory and accompanying resources, including many Varaki slaves, propelled the Empire even further. In the following years the empire conquered a small foothold in the Eastern Steppes as well and build fortifications to repel the Khalag tribes. A problem arose however when Emperor Rikar, now in his early sixties, suddenly fell to illness. While he had multiple sons who could succeed him, none showed his charisma or political acumen. What followed after Rikar's death was a brutal succession war, where the Empire split in many different factions, some led by the princes, others lead by nobles who believed they would make a more suitable successor. After a long period of bloodshed the region once again split into several fractured kingdoms. There has never again been a single empire that has managed to unify all of Middenland. The only one that has come close was the Kingdom of Veloria led by King Orsina Veolar that occupied nearly two-thirds of Middenland. It was King Veolar who slowly abolished the enslavement of Varaki, bringing the last legacy of the Celesian Empire to an end.

Unique Landmarks

Generally, the southern part of Middenland is a coastal region with a temperate climate and consists of flat plains and fields. More centrally the region becomes more hilly and there are greater swings in temperature. The northernmost countries are much colder and some of the northeastern regions are quite swampy. From the Pale Mountain located to the north of Middenland originate several rivers which flow downward through the lands and spill into the Gulf of Gaspari along the coast of Middenland. There are also a few areas that stand out for their unique environment [To be expanded].

Echsemarsh

Marshland is not uncommon in the north, but in the Duchy of Redden more so than elsewhere. And even then the Echsemarsh is different, not only for its size, but also the sinister atmosphere within it.

Flora and Fauna

The Echsemarsh is a shrub marsh inundated with brackish water. It is especially known for the 'rasan reed' that can only be found here. These tall reeds seem almost alive at times, especially during storms when they lash out almost randomly against any living creature within range. This makes it quite a dangerous area to traverse during a storm.
The marsh is also home to a collection of Lizardfolk tribes, who live peacefully in these lands. They hunt the swamp creatures, trading the parts they do not need with the nearby villages and even providing guide services to those who need it and seem to harbor no ill will. They are not as civilized as their southern brethern in Sabara perhaps, but they have adjusted well to dealing with other species.

Oromun Mines

Within the borders of the Duchy of Solland lies a large network of mines known as the Oromun Mines. It is largely responsible for mining being one of the two great industries within the region, along with the lumber industry.

Geographical Features

While there are only a handful of entrances up top, underneath lies a large web of caverns and mineshafts that is constantly being explored further as the caverns appear to be rich in iron and also gold, making it a very valuable venture. The further down things goes there are also several man-made structures and even stranger things still. No one knows how deep exactly it goes, but as long as there are these riches to be mined, then further down we must go. Several makeshift communities have been built at the deeper levels to keep operations running smoothly.

Flora and Fauna

The downside is that the deeper they go, the more dangerous it gets. Besides Umber Hulks and Staukata, there are far worse things down there as well. Aberrations stalk the lightless corridors and cavern coming up from who knows where. Perhaps they have something to do with the strange structures on the lower levels, but where do they come from?

Alternative Name(s)

The Seven Duchies, The Shattered States

Type

Region

Included Locations

• Corasonne

Included Organizations

• Duchy of Anthalia
• Duchy of Armastria
• Duchy of Parafiore
• Duchy of Redden
• Duchy of Rosalia
• Duchy of Solland
• Duchy of Vecunia
• Muckhunter Society
• Scribing Halls
• The Diamond Vigil
• The Ember's Gift
• The Iron Arbiters
• The Sea Serpent's Step

Related Ethnicities

• Middenlanders

Inhabiting Species

• Bog Horror
• Crow Queen
• Decoy Corpse
• Firebug
• Goblins and Bugbears
• Hide-and-Seek
• Ibixian
• Owlhound
• Shadow Sprite
• Staukata
• Whalewolf