Province of Phandalin and Thundertree
Geography
The explored portions of the province are primarily heavily forested hills and the lower reaches of the southern mountain range. The temperate climate means that most of the forest is deciduous trees and shrubs, with a few groves of evergreens scattered about. The forests are also punctuated by massive thundertrees. Mature thundertrees tower over 300 feet tall, and are scattered 1/4 to 3 miles apart. It is not known why the mature specimens are never next to each other; smaller, immature thundertrees are often found in small groves, but never near an adult. As the terrain rises to the southern mountains, the deciduous oaks, maples, and elms give way to various evergreens. The mountains eventually rise up beyond the tree line, leaving barren rock, grasses, and lichens. The southern mountains are mostly unexplored, uninhabited except for primitive orc and goblin tribes. The highest peaks are perpetually snow-covered. Most assume that this is due to their great height, though some scholars suggest a strange inaction with the weather spawned by Cape Storm could cause snow to remain at lower than normal elevations. Some prospectors have begun to venture up into the unexplored valleys in search of the "mother lode" that feeds ore nuggets and gem stones into the lower streams. However, any who have survived in these orc and goblin lands have not yet reported their findings to others, so the terrain remains "unexplored" by the civilized world.History
Once Wallace the Bold approved the creation of principalities as subdivisions of his kingdom, several of his lieutenants began a race to find the best potential lands in the Arle River watershed to attract settlers. Westland was the first area to be claimed, so some thought that the territory on its western border would soon be claimed as well. However, most felt that the terrain was too hilly and rocky to be suitable for farming. Although heavily forested, the hills would likewise make harvesting the timber more difficult, and there were still plenty of forests on more level terrain nearer to the existing major settlements. And no one had any idea how to harvest the giant thundertrees yet.
As a result, the first wave of expansion leap-frogged over the future province of Phandalin/Thundertree. Instead the fertile, and relatively flat, river basins to the west were claimed by lieutenant (soon to be Prince) Allen, forming Allenstadt. Initially all trade and travel between Allenstadt and the rest of Wallacia was via the Red River, bypassing the province. However, once the Tri-Boar Trail was discovered and explored, some travel and trade began to trickle along the trail. This led to the discovery of the ruins of the ancient town of Phandalin.
As Phandalin was re-settled and rebuilt, people began to find valuable ore and gems in the nearby streams. This attracted more settlers, though not enough to constitute any sort of "gold rush". Though growing, the Phandalin population and surrounding farms and mineral claims were not considered large enough to support a standing military force, so the area remained unclaimed by any prince/princess.
Periodically, the orc and goblin tribal populations in the province would surge. They mostly left Phandalin alone, possibly thinking that it was too small to offer much to loot. However, the tribes did begin to attack merchant caravans on the Tri-Boar Trail, raid outlying farms and settlements in Allenstadt and Westland, and even attack keelboats and rafts on the Red River. This would cause the king Wallacia to dispatch regulars and militia into the province to suppress and decimate the rocs and goblins, driving the survivors higher into the southern mountains. The troops would then be withdrawn.
This has happened several times over the 200 years of Wallacian history, the last about 50 years ago. After a few years, the province was once again pacified. Then a man settled in the province who invented a way to economically harvest the giant thundertrees. This produced lumber almost strong as iron, but lighter and easier to produce in long lengths. He founded a small town on a hill near the northern bend of the Red River and built a lumber mill there. This town quickly attracted many settlers to work in the mill, or to provide goods and serves to the mill workers.
The production of thundertree lumber made the man quite wealthy, and he hired sufficient armed mercenaries to ensure the security of the province. There was serious discussion of elevating him to the nobility and making him leader of the new principality of Thundertree. These plans were curtailed by the eruption of the Ash Mounts.
The three Ash Mount cones were covered in dark red stone and ash, streaked with black. They have been inert since first sighted by Wallacian explorers, and thought of as little more than curiosities. The run-off from the Ash Mounts did provide the reddish sediment which gave the Red River it's name, and their slopes were noticeably devoid of vegetation. However, neither the red-tinged river water nor the ash itself appeared to be dangerous. But when they erupted 40 years ago, a new type of red ash was thrown into the atmosphere.
The winds were predominately from the west during the eruption, carrying the red ash over the northern half of the province, including the thundertree lumber mill and associated town. Where the ash fell, most of the humanoids died choking, a red froth bubbling from the their mouths and noses. Those who did not fall to the ash soon had to flee for their lives, and those killed by the ash rose again as zombies. Phandalin was largely untouched by the ashfall, but the threat of roaming zombies drove away many residents.
In the intervening decades, most of the zombies have been dispatched or fallen inert. However, the secret of how to harvest the thundertrees died with its inventor in the initial ashfall, the lumber mill and town have been long abandoned. Most alive today have not even heard of it, and its location is uncertain.
Trade & Transport
The primary trade route through the province is the Tri-Boar Trail between Westland and Allenstadt. Although the Red River usually provides a cheaper route for trade downstream from Allenstadt, the river is not passable during spring floods and in late summer when the river is low. Also, trade upstream from Westland is more difficult, and thus slower and more expensive. These two factors lead to a regular, though infrequent, traffic of mule and wagon merchant caravans along the trail.
Most such caravans stopover in the small town of Phandalin. This is the only significant settlement in the province, and is near the halfway point between the two principalities. While in Phandalin the caravans trade with the locals, selling manufactured items and agricultural goods which cannot be produced nearby. The caravans also buys ores and gems from prospectors, top off their food supplies, and export a small amount of agricultural goods from Phandalin.
Allenstadt
Neighboring Territories
WestlandAllenstadt
Type
Geopolitical, Province
Alternative Names
The Western Hills, Phandalin, Thundertree
Parent Organization
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Comments