Talinie
Thane Thuriene Donalls
• Law: Aerie Boeruine and Thuriene Donalls both have invested themselves with the law of Talinie.
• Temples: The Northern Imperial Temple of Azimir, based in Talinie and run by the thane, is the state religion. Though plenty of temples would like to move in, none of them dare try the strength of the Imperial Temple and Thuriene Donalls, its Supreme Hierarch.
• Sources: Torele Anviras, the mage of Talinie, works tirelessly against the machinations of the Eyeless One from the Five Peaks and enemies of the realm from his tower in Serimset.
• Guilds: Bannier Andien of Dhoesone and Storm Holtson of Stjordvik control the domain's two guilds. In Talinie, they strive to act honest—or at least honest-seeming. They control the timber industries as well as the mining in the hills of Greensward and Freestead. As they have few scruples and compete directly with each other, they will stoop so low as to sabotage each other's holdings. Soon the thane will put a stop to it.
Army: The army of Talinie is not large—barely enough to contain the goblins and bandits of Thurazor and the Five Peaks, in fact. If Boeruine or one of the Rjurik jarldoms decided to invade Talinie, the thane could do little to repel them. Her army consists of:
• 1 unit of archers.
• 3 units of infantry.
• 1 unit of scouts.
• 1 unit of mercenary cavalry.
Regent: Thuriene Donalls, Thane of Talinie, watches over the domain both spiritually and temporally. Her guidance has kept it alive for more than 15 years now; without her and her predecessors, the kingdom would have fallen to Boeruine or, worse, to goblins and brigands.
Donalls is a fanatic about her faith, as one might expect from the ruler of a theocracy. Though she tolerates people of other faiths, she'd just as soon crush their temples. She also can see the light of reason, though, and won't charge into a battle against another priest unnecessarily. Still, she desires only to serve her god—her people take a distant second to her relationship with Haelyn, and they know it.
The fairly excitable Donalls has found herself lured into several traps by enemies seeking her demise. These near misses have granted her a bit more caution, but she hasn't entirely learned her lesson. Her actions tend to be less than well considered, but she's learning.
• Lieutenants: Torias Griene, does have ambition. The second most powerful hierarch of the Northern Imperial Temple, Griene sees that Donalls will give him no chance to ascend to the throne, but he can influence both church and state—and reap the benefits of doing so. Griene's a canny politician where the thane is naive, and manipulative where she is straightfor- ward. When he sees a problem, he strikes out at it with the best means available. Sometimes he uses a show of force, while other times he orchestrates a subtle campaign to discredit an enemy.
Important NPCs: The temple hierarchs rule the villages of Talinie, guarding the law and elevating the flock. Such notables include Priestess Siobhan Riedhie (FA; Pr3, Haelyn; An, minor, 21; LG), the Watcher of Newcayne, in Greensward. She com- mands the soldiers stationed in the border town, presides over the services in the temple, and passes judgment in the Hall of Law. The literal-minded priestess feels devoted to Azimir and his law, seeking always the higher truth. Some posit that the thane is grooming her for eventual ascension to the throne of Talinie.
Description: The forest of the Aelvinnwode covers the kingdom almost entirely. Though most of its provinces have only sparse populations, this kingdom maintains sizable lumbering and mining industries. These efforts do bring coin into the domain, but they have produced a significant negative impact on the land. The woods slowly give way before the human expansion, and they don't grow back. Since Donalls believes the land is here for humans to use, she does not let herself worry.
For the most part, the people of Talinie share their monarch's opinion. They have to make a living, and why should they move away from the lands they know best to do it? Some miners and foresters make efforts to heal the land's wounds, but they number too few to do any noticeable good. It's hard to fight the prevailing sentiment that the land holds plenty of wealth, and that it can afford to give some up.
The locals, a practical and religious populace, offer their stern devotion to Hae- lyn, as required by law. Though they may seem somewhat crude, they are far from ignorant and resent any stranger who tells them otherwise. These proud and independent folk rely on only themselves and their god.
Capitol: The capital of Talinie is the fortified city of Nowelton in the province of Ice Haven, from which Thuriene Donalls rules.
• Trade Goods: Hardwood lumber and coal are the dominant goods of Talinie. Roads connect the mining provinces of Serimset and Freestead to Lindholme, and a sea route connects that province to Stormpoint in Taeghas. Some trade also crosses the Black River into Boeruine
. Allies: By casting its lot with Boeruine, Talinie has earned itself a powerful friend. Thuriene Donalls's domain needs no other allies.
Enemies: For its support of Boeruine, Talinie has earned the enmity of the kingdom of Avanil. However, since Avanil's armies would have to march through three separate kingdoms to reach the northern coast, the thane puts the matter out of her mind.
Of greater concern to the thane are her enemies just to the east and northeast. Thurazor and the Five Peaks both see Talinie as a cheap source of raw materials and frequently cross the border to obtain needed lumber and ores. Since the industries of Talinie have paltry defenses, the raiders take what they want with little trouble.
Special Conditions: Though Talinie contains plenty of industry, it also boasts plenty of magical power. Some say that the mage Torele Anviras (MA; Wl 0;An, major, 35; NG) has discovered a way to summon forth magic even from cultivated lands.
• Temples: The Northern Imperial Temple of Azimir, based in Talinie and run by the thane, is the state religion. Though plenty of temples would like to move in, none of them dare try the strength of the Imperial Temple and Thuriene Donalls, its Supreme Hierarch.
• Sources: Torele Anviras, the mage of Talinie, works tirelessly against the machinations of the Eyeless One from the Five Peaks and enemies of the realm from his tower in Serimset.
• Guilds: Bannier Andien of Dhoesone and Storm Holtson of Stjordvik control the domain's two guilds. In Talinie, they strive to act honest—or at least honest-seeming. They control the timber industries as well as the mining in the hills of Greensward and Freestead. As they have few scruples and compete directly with each other, they will stoop so low as to sabotage each other's holdings. Soon the thane will put a stop to it.
Army: The army of Talinie is not large—barely enough to contain the goblins and bandits of Thurazor and the Five Peaks, in fact. If Boeruine or one of the Rjurik jarldoms decided to invade Talinie, the thane could do little to repel them. Her army consists of:
• 1 unit of archers.
• 3 units of infantry.
• 1 unit of scouts.
• 1 unit of mercenary cavalry.
Regent: Thuriene Donalls, Thane of Talinie, watches over the domain both spiritually and temporally. Her guidance has kept it alive for more than 15 years now; without her and her predecessors, the kingdom would have fallen to Boeruine or, worse, to goblins and brigands.
Donalls is a fanatic about her faith, as one might expect from the ruler of a theocracy. Though she tolerates people of other faiths, she'd just as soon crush their temples. She also can see the light of reason, though, and won't charge into a battle against another priest unnecessarily. Still, she desires only to serve her god—her people take a distant second to her relationship with Haelyn, and they know it.
The fairly excitable Donalls has found herself lured into several traps by enemies seeking her demise. These near misses have granted her a bit more caution, but she hasn't entirely learned her lesson. Her actions tend to be less than well considered, but she's learning.
• Lieutenants: Torias Griene, does have ambition. The second most powerful hierarch of the Northern Imperial Temple, Griene sees that Donalls will give him no chance to ascend to the throne, but he can influence both church and state—and reap the benefits of doing so. Griene's a canny politician where the thane is naive, and manipulative where she is straightfor- ward. When he sees a problem, he strikes out at it with the best means available. Sometimes he uses a show of force, while other times he orchestrates a subtle campaign to discredit an enemy.
Important NPCs: The temple hierarchs rule the villages of Talinie, guarding the law and elevating the flock. Such notables include Priestess Siobhan Riedhie (FA; Pr3, Haelyn; An, minor, 21; LG), the Watcher of Newcayne, in Greensward. She com- mands the soldiers stationed in the border town, presides over the services in the temple, and passes judgment in the Hall of Law. The literal-minded priestess feels devoted to Azimir and his law, seeking always the higher truth. Some posit that the thane is grooming her for eventual ascension to the throne of Talinie.
Description: The forest of the Aelvinnwode covers the kingdom almost entirely. Though most of its provinces have only sparse populations, this kingdom maintains sizable lumbering and mining industries. These efforts do bring coin into the domain, but they have produced a significant negative impact on the land. The woods slowly give way before the human expansion, and they don't grow back. Since Donalls believes the land is here for humans to use, she does not let herself worry.
For the most part, the people of Talinie share their monarch's opinion. They have to make a living, and why should they move away from the lands they know best to do it? Some miners and foresters make efforts to heal the land's wounds, but they number too few to do any noticeable good. It's hard to fight the prevailing sentiment that the land holds plenty of wealth, and that it can afford to give some up.
The locals, a practical and religious populace, offer their stern devotion to Hae- lyn, as required by law. Though they may seem somewhat crude, they are far from ignorant and resent any stranger who tells them otherwise. These proud and independent folk rely on only themselves and their god.
Capitol: The capital of Talinie is the fortified city of Nowelton in the province of Ice Haven, from which Thuriene Donalls rules.
• Trade Goods: Hardwood lumber and coal are the dominant goods of Talinie. Roads connect the mining provinces of Serimset and Freestead to Lindholme, and a sea route connects that province to Stormpoint in Taeghas. Some trade also crosses the Black River into Boeruine
. Allies: By casting its lot with Boeruine, Talinie has earned itself a powerful friend. Thuriene Donalls's domain needs no other allies.
Enemies: For its support of Boeruine, Talinie has earned the enmity of the kingdom of Avanil. However, since Avanil's armies would have to march through three separate kingdoms to reach the northern coast, the thane puts the matter out of her mind.
Of greater concern to the thane are her enemies just to the east and northeast. Thurazor and the Five Peaks both see Talinie as a cheap source of raw materials and frequently cross the border to obtain needed lumber and ores. Since the industries of Talinie have paltry defenses, the raiders take what they want with little trouble.
Special Conditions: Though Talinie contains plenty of industry, it also boasts plenty of magical power. Some say that the mage Torele Anviras (MA; Wl 0;An, major, 35; NG) has discovered a way to summon forth magic even from cultivated lands.
