Five Shires
A country of Halflings (they call themselves the Hin) and western neighbor of Karameikos.
Structure
A Sheriff heads each Shire. Candidates may be proposed by any hin when a seat is open; the candidates are investigated by the other Sheriffs, who also choose among them if there is more than one, and if found suitable are privately invited to the post. The current incumbents are Jaervosz Dustyboots of Seashire, Multhim Greybeard of Highshire, Maeragh Littlelaughs of Eastshire, Delune Darkeyes of Heartshire and Sildil Seaeyes of Southshire. The Sheriffs oversee the general condition of their territories, and are in charge of justice there. Each Sheriff has deputies known as Krondar, who serve him as police, messengers, and bodyguards. Sheriffs may judge and sentence any offender. Offenders may also be judged by their Clanmaster (usually depending on whether their crime was against their clan), who is responsible for any judgements and punishments that need to be made.
History
The original home of the hin is unknown. What is known, is that hin arrived at this region over two millennia ago; this event is recorded as The Coming of the Hin, and is the beginning of their history. They lived peacefully for a few centuries; in contrast, the following millennium is a chronicle of strife, conquest and suffering. Orcs, dwarves, and more orcs successively conquered the hin; each time they overthrew their conqueror and established an independent realm, which then fell to the next conqueror. Roughly 1,500 years ago, the various invaders were repelled, and eventually the current structure of the Shires emerged. Since then, the Shires have mostly been at peace, barring sporadic orc attacks and border trouble with the Black Eagle Barony.
Demography and Population
Most non-hin tend to view hin as being childlike, merry, naive, and non-too bright. However, those who truly know the hin know the truth is a different matter. The common view has a kernel of truth; in that hin tend to be quite cheerful in disposition compared to other races. Few, however, can be described as naive. For the most part, they tend to be inquisitive, curious, and straightforward. Hin also have an unsavory reputation for mischief and larceny. This reputation mostly stems from the yallaren, young hin who have left their homes to wander the world. Almost every hin has been yallaren at one time in his life. These young hin enjoy both thieving and pranks, but such behavior is most atypical of Shires-dwelling hin. Major pastimes of hin are storytelling and music (especially singing). Many of these are tall tales; others may preserve bits of local skill and lore.
Hin society is clan-based. By tradition, there are no more then 100 clans. Almost all hin in the Shires belong to one of the Hundred Clans, except for a few who were born outside the Shires. To a hin, the clan is the focus of their life. No hin will harm their own clan under any circumstances whatsoever. Each clan has its own territory in the Shires.
In addition, there are a few non-hin in the Shires. Most are human, but there are also elves and a very few dwarves. Most of the non-hin are traders, dwelling in the larger towns.
Territories
This land is the homeland of the hin (or, as they are known to others, halflings). It is roughly triangular, situated on the continent's southern shore, bounded by Karameikos to the east and Darokin to the north and west. It is a rich land, covered with fields, hills, and forests. Three major rivers cross the Shires from the north to the sea. The northwestern border traces along the Cruth Mountains. As the name implies, the country is divided into five Shires.
- The northernmost of the Shires, Highshire is also the wildest and least populated. It includes the highest region of the Cruth Mountains in its northern tip. Its southern part tends to be mostly open, with hills and forests. Mining is a major industry here.
- Eastshire, on the eastern border, is more settled, mostly covered by rich farmlands.
- To the southwest of Highshire is Heartshire. This rural Shire was once the center of mining activity in the Shires, and is mainly hills and mountains, with forests and farmlands to the south and east.
- To the south of Heartshire and Highshire is Seashire. This is the largest and most populated of the Shires. The land here is mostly open, with few hills or forests. This Shire contains three ports, including Shireton, the capital of the Shires.
- The southwestern tip of the Shires contains Southshire. Legend says that this was the first settled area in the shires. The majority of the land here is farmland.
The Pirate Life
Halflings may be known to the fold of other lands as cute little child-like creatures, but to seafarers and coastal dwellers in the western Grand Duchy and the Empire of Thyatis, in particular, they have a darker reputation. Halflings are cheerfully reckless saileos. The more evil or angry the hin, those who seek revenge, or those on yallara who simply love the sea and crave adventure, become pirates. Halflings are bold pirates, daring pirates - and widely feared pirates. Halflings reserve their special bloodlust and aggressive feelings for their meetings with Thyatian vessels because of the long-ago seizure of halfling lands, ports, and the halfling ships in them by the Empire of Thyatis. Vessels of other nations have good reason to fear the pirates of The Shirecoast. Unless a ship approaching halfling waters is crewed by halflings or is closely escorted by ships of the Navy of the Shires, it will be narrowly inspected, probably several times, by tiny, swiftly-racing, battered and tattered pirate boats. A halfling pirate crew will often include a scattering of humans, for the ranks of the halfling pirates are a refuge for outlaws and shady characters of all the coastal lands. A pirate crew will also have at least one beautiful human or elven maiden. Sometimes these "ladies" are captives taken at sea, and sometimes they are prisoners rescued from slavers or other captors. Some have come to join the pirates at an early age themselves. Whatever her origin, every self respecting hin pirate crew will have its "lady." The pirates do not accost or mistreat their ladies; any pirate who does is immediately invited to swim to shore, even if shore is two days of hard sailing away. They revere them and shower them them with riches and attention, such as massages, perfumed baths, and careful hairstyling. The "Lady" of a crew is a sort of mascot; even if a bloodthirsty bladeswinger herself, she will slowly come to realize that the object of every halfling pirate crew is to find her a faithful mate with whom she can be happy, and set her up in wealth somewhere along the coast. Shireton and the coastal settlements of the Shires are full of wealthy, earthy ladies of varying ages who have been "retired home ashore" by halfling pirate crews.Military
Navy
The Shires has a small but vigilant navy. If there were no hin pirates, the navy would be too small to maintain the halfling claim to the Shirecoast waters. The hin navy is far too small to wage any aggressive naval warfare against any other nation, but as a defensive force, given the stormy, rock-studded waters and the hin pirates, it is adequate. Naval ports are Shireton itself, Shireton Port, Thantabbar, Tothmeet, and Rollstone Keep. Commanded by experienced and crews loyal to the Sheriffs, the hin navy consists of 2 war galleys, 4 very old large galleys, 2 small galleys, and 12 small sailing ships. Another dozen or so old, battered sailing ships can be commandeered or hauled out of beached retirement in wartime, but no new ships are presently being built. The war galleys are equipped with rams and modern, top-of-the line artillery. They are The Hinwrath and The Pride of the Shires, and they are usually at port: one in Thantabbar and one in Tothmeet, sailing only in response to clear threats. The old large galleys make up for their clumsiness and lack of hull armor by loading them with catapults and ballistae. They are The Tempest, The Shiresword, The Hin Storm, and The Steel Wind. The small galleys are the Barracuda and the Swordfish. The larger sailing ships are the Sea Lion, the Shire Dragon, the Hin Trident, the Deep Serpent, and the Black Shark. The smaller sailing ships are the Dagger Octopus, the Scorpion Crab, the Toth Arrow, the Shireton Sword, the Shireshield, the Wave Striker, and the Flame Sword. Hin navy ships are known for their fearless seamanship in storms and their devastating archery, but the navy as a whole is laughably small in both ships size and numbers. The sailor uniform of the Hin consists of loose white pants, black shoes, blue jacket over a light blue vest and shirt, orange kerchief, and straw boater hats sporting a blue band with an orange stripe. The officers wear blue and white striped pants and a blue jacket over an orange vest and white shirt. Officers' boater hats are blue cloth with an orange ribbon, and each jacket has gold stripes denoting rank; the captain's hat usually sports a large, white feather.Religion
Hin follow the High Heroes, the Immortals Nob Nar, Coberham Shadowglint, and Brindothin. These Immortals are virtually unknown to non-hin, and whatever religious practices the hin have, if any, are likewise unknown.
Maps
Maps
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The Five Shires
Capital
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
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