Here is the description. I have tried to make it an island of adventure, with many scenario hooks.
Isle of Llum (pop 50,000), ruler Laird Ossian McTuard (age 36). Predominately human Capital: Mobertory (pop 4,500) This was once the biggest Canton of Mordori (in population) but broke away within 10 years of Mordori’s independence from Sophos. It is a fiercely self-reliant country, with great loyalty to its elected Laird. The Laird is elected from among the male members of Clan Tuard by all men over age 17 of the Clan. The Lairds traditionally reside at Caer Tuard. Major Settelments Mobertory (pop 4,500) Mobertory is the capital of Llum, and is a very pretty town, with 2-3 storey houses all painted different primary colours fronting the seashore promenade. It is primarily a fishing village but also boasts a distillery, making the best whisky you have ever tried. The castle house the Sensechal, but also serves as lodging for the Laid. The Grand Hotel has the best rooms in almost the whole of the region (and the best drinks) Niofftorp (pop 3,000) This is the ferry terminal for the Holy Isle of Anio, and is the main industry of the town. Its large Inn of the Laughing Druid is always full. In addition there is a fish-drying plant here, specializing in salted fish which it ships throughout the region. Sirrah Denzil Tuard keeps order in the town from the comfort of the Keep. Nassenubh (pop 2,500) Another fishing town with sightseeing boats to the famed Lagnif Grotto. A sad memorial, the Cairns to the Fallen – honours those slain in the only civil war on Llum, when the western half wanted to secede from the rest of the island. The statue of the rebel leader still stands in pride of place in the town square. The Laird has manned a fort here with some trusted knights to ‘keep an eye’ on the locals. Erun-Giarc (pop 2,000) The main port to the mainland, with little other industry apart from some fishing and fruit. Like Mobertory, it has different coloured houses lining the foreshore. It is under the suzerainty of Sir Fingal Craig-Tuard (a distaff branch of the Tuard Clan). Outside the town is a desolated area, caused by an unfortunate magic spell that went badly awry. So far, no means has been found to heal it, though the suggestion of using blood magic is being considered. The Halliwell Reefs harbour delicious mussels and clams. Gaivred (pop 1,500) A small inland town, on the banks of the Lussa Rill. It serves as a local market area and cattle meet every quarter for the surrounding district (barley and cattle being the most common rural industries) There is an abattoir in town, and a rather sinister butcher. There is a ruined stone Circle in the hills above the town – a vestige of the long forgotten previous inhabitants. It is now used in dark druidical practices at the dead of night. Caer Tuard (pop 700) The traditional seat of the Tuard lairds. Laird Ossian, the present Laird, was brother to the previous Laird Farain who died while hunting – and some say (rather quietly) that the death was no accident. Laird Ossian is ambitious, and hopes to make his land more prosperous through trade and pilgrim tourism, and also seeks the opportunity to convince the northernmost Canton to unite with Llum. He has raised the fees on the ferry taking pilgrims to Holy Anio – which is rather unpopular with the pilgrims. Special sites Holy Anio: Their first priests (Drù) set up their temple on the Isle of Anio, just off the coast of Llum, where some of the first migrants to this region settled, prior to their ‘colonization’ (aka conquest) of the mainland areas. Ever since, Anio has been the site of pilgrimage for the Erithian peoples. Although under the protection of the Lairds of Llum, it is theoretically independent, and none are barred from visiting it on pilgrimage. McNalkol Monument: This monument was raised over the last resting place of perhaps the most famous son of Llum. Captain Lachlan McNalkol, was a famous explorer who sailed from Berenur to the eastern continents of Ezrute and even distant Peredur, and was killed in a naval ambush by baron Doggetage of Dunor Valley in Ezrute. His body was slated and brought back to rest in his beloved home, Llum.. Caer Cuchlain: A ruined castle, overgrown by forest – it was laid waste during the civil war 124 years ago, when the rebels came very close to capturing Tuard Castle. It is said the vengeful ghosts of the inhabitants who were burned alive by the victorious loyalists still haunt the ruins. And what lies below in the dungeons – no one dare find out. Caer Veliran: Another ruined Castle, destroyed by the vicious loyalist troops who hanged every man, woman and child from the battlements. This was the last rebel stronghold to fall in the Civil War. The Rebel Lord is said to lie in a preserved state in the depths of the dungeons. In fact, he is a Mummy and exhorts a small band of rebels to again raise the standard of rebellion. And the latest coup was the enlistment of Colum Stuard, ousted rightful Earl of Caer Tiroran. Caer Tiroran: A ruined castle, due to neglect after the bankruptcy of the last Stuard earl – and the Tuards are not so willing to let anther occupy it after they went to so much trouble to covertly destroy the Stuard line. But neither are they willing to take it for themselves, since the whole countryside is very loyal to the Stuards, and another civil war is the last thing all parties want. Nevertheless, the remaining Stuard heir, cousin of the last Earl, is secretly meeting with the rebel band under the ruins of Caer Veliran. Lagnif Grotto: A magnificent rock structure rising straight up from the sea like massive organ pipes, interlaced by dark waterways lit by fireflies and where one can here various musical notes as the wind rushes through many of the columns which are actually hollow. It is in fact the remnants of Vicent Pryce, a sea giant’s pipe organ. Felir Mendeleran, a musician from Nerilim has composed the famed Lagnif Grotto Overture, now taken as the National Song of Llum. Geography The island is divided int three, one by the central mountain range, the other by the long narrow Forth of Fifth. Mountains and Hills Central mountain range. A rugged mountain chain, though nowhere nearly as lofty as the mainland mountains. The tallest mountain is Deargh Mor, at 2374 feet. The range peters out in the north to a chain of rolling hills, the Straithen Coinne (the reputed ‘fairy hills’). In fact, there are hidden settlements of the small brown-skinned people whose ancestors once had this land as their own, and erected some stone cirlcs and various dolmens. Western Mountains. A small range dominated by the peak of Carn Mor (1476 feet), where a giant is supposed to live – no one in living memory has seen it, and no one cares to find out if he is still at home. In fact, he died over a century ago, and hidden in his cave is a small fortune in gems and valuable artefacts. But you have to find the cave first, and overcome its obstacles. Wasteland The Malleih Scrub is a rather unfertile region, dominated by dry bracken and twisted bushes, hiding much birdlife and smaller animals – and the hunters love it! Satan’s Marbles are an area of rocky ground with many huge boulders scattered throughout, many piled on top of another, up to 7 boulders high. Each boulder is at least twice the height of a human. They are said to be the work of a devil, but in fact were the product of a chess-like contest between 2 giants – hopefully dead? Rocks of Maeve are an apt name for this stony desert, with just hardy tuft-like grass pushing through the rugged rocky landscape, which looks strewn with many large pebbles. Again, another by-product of hopefully long gone giants. Morsarbor Plains, another wasteland of rocks, sand and salt pans, with stunted dead trees thereabout. The product of spells by the rebels mages in an attempt to defeat the increasingly victorious loyalist forces. This was once a fertile and productive area of Llum, now dead to all life except hardy insects and small reptiles. Forests Eochan Coillte is a dark brooding place, home to spriggans and water horses who drag their prey into the cold depths of the nearby lake. A few hardy woodcutters are on the edge of the forest for its valuable wood, but are very wary about venturing too far in. Waterways and Wetlands Lussa Rill, the longest river on Llum, ending at the town of Erun-Giarc. It is a life-giving stream, and full of salmon and trout. Coladair Rill is a cold, very clear stream whose pure waters are used in the making of the famous Mobertory Whisky, where it reaches the sea via a small number of waterfalls at the capital of Mobertory. Forth of Fifth is a long thin inlet of the sea, almot cutting the island in two. Its coastal shore is rather inhospitable except on the northeastern shore. Large man-eating sharks, never seen before, have been spotted here in recent years, and there have been several fatalities. Lough Scriainne is the dark cold lake in the middle of the Eochan Coillte. It is home to the dreaded waterhorses, and an even more dreadful monster, the Lough Scrianne Monster. Ogden Fens is a dreary place of grassland and many shallow pools and hidden quicksand bogs. Reimgoch Swamp is surprisingly a vibrant place, despite its swamp nature. It is home to well fed water and bird life, and several families make a living by trapping. A few very small hamlets exist in the swamp. It is also home to a family of ghouls, previous trappers who met a grisly end (perhaps murdered by neighbours – the truth is long lost in the dim depths of memory). A Short History Llum was the first island settled by the migrating Erithian people from Berenur, over 500 years ago. The region was sparsely populated by Stone Age people, who very soon succumbed to the invaders’ forces. It is still possible that some still exist in hidden places – folklore places them under some of the hills in Straithen Coille. From Llum, the invaders spread over the whole region, many interbreeding with the natives and the Elves. Llum remained a vassal of the Duchy of Sophos, but with the overthrow of the ruling family by Lord Magnadir 85 years ago, Llum and the northern mainland coastal strip broke away, and are still independent to this day. Their independence is secretly guaranteed by the Elven Queen. Quarrels with the newly formed Free Cantons of Mordori over where the capital would be, and who was to be the Protector of Holy Anio led to Llum breaking away within 10 years and setting up its own nation, under the Lairdship of the Tuards. However, within a year, civil war broke out with the rebels in the west of the island determined to remain part of the Free Cantons (and not to submit to Tuard rule) After 5 bitter years of fighting, with atrocities on both sides, the Warlord of the Western forces surrenders to the Lairds, and was exiled (and has since been assassinated). Warlord Cuhulan remains a folk hero in the west, and there is even a staue in the town square of Nassenubh. With the rebel earls of the west defeated, and their strongholds cast down, the Tuard Lairds turned their efforts to eliminating their economic rivals, the Stuards, which they did about 8 years ago. Within a year of their final victory, the Laird was killed while hunting (suspiciously, some say), and Ossian, his brother, was elected to the Lairdship instead of his nephew. Now the land is at peace – though a covert group of rebels, led by the Mummy of the last earl of Veliran castle and the living heir to the Stuard Earldom, meets to plan another rebellion. Current Political Situation The Cantons are still smarting over the loss of Llum, and therefore guardianship of the Holy Isle of Anio. Llum is not sure about the intentions of the Cantons, and are very possessive of their guardianship of the Isle of Anio (supposedly independent, and a site of pilgrimage from all the human realms). They look to Nerilim as their ally, and oppose the claims of the Cantons to Caleb island. And all is not as peaceful in Llum as appears on the surface. The wounds of the civil war have still not yet healed, and Laird Ossian is aware of the need to reconcile rather than run roughshod over his people, something his brother, the previous laird never learnt to do. And in the wings, as a wild card, is Ossian’s young teenage nephew Durian, only surviving child of Laird Farain, Ossian’s deceased older brother.
Comments
Here is the description. I have tried to make it an island of adventure, with many scenario hooks.
Isle of Llum (pop 50,000), ruler Laird Ossian McTuard (age 36).
Predominately human
Capital: Mobertory (pop 4,500)
This was once the biggest Canton of Mordori (in population) but broke away within 10 years of Mordori’s independence from Sophos. It is a fiercely self-reliant country, with great loyalty to its elected Laird. The Laird is elected from among the male members of Clan Tuard by all men over age 17 of the Clan. The Lairds traditionally reside at Caer Tuard.
Major Settelments
Mobertory (pop 4,500)
Mobertory is the capital of Llum, and is a very pretty town, with 2-3 storey houses all painted different primary colours fronting the seashore promenade. It is primarily a fishing village but also boasts a distillery, making the best whisky you have ever tried. The castle house the Sensechal, but also serves as lodging for the Laid. The Grand Hotel has the best rooms in almost the whole of the region (and the best drinks)
Niofftorp (pop 3,000)
This is the ferry terminal for the Holy Isle of Anio, and is the main industry of the town. Its large Inn of the Laughing Druid is always full. In addition there is a fish-drying plant here, specializing in salted fish which it ships throughout the region. Sirrah Denzil Tuard keeps order in the town from the comfort of the Keep.
Nassenubh (pop 2,500)
Another fishing town with sightseeing boats to the famed Lagnif Grotto. A sad memorial, the Cairns to the Fallen – honours those slain in the only civil war on Llum, when the western half wanted to secede from the rest of the island. The statue of the rebel leader still stands in pride of place in the town square. The Laird has manned a fort here with some trusted knights to ‘keep an eye’ on the locals.
Erun-Giarc (pop 2,000)
The main port to the mainland, with little other industry apart from some fishing and fruit. Like Mobertory, it has different coloured houses lining the foreshore. It is under the suzerainty of Sir Fingal Craig-Tuard (a distaff branch of the Tuard Clan). Outside the town is a desolated area, caused by an unfortunate magic spell that went badly awry. So far, no means has been found to heal it, though the suggestion of using blood magic is being considered. The Halliwell Reefs harbour delicious mussels and clams.
Gaivred (pop 1,500)
A small inland town, on the banks of the Lussa Rill. It serves as a local market area and cattle meet every quarter for the surrounding district (barley and cattle being the most common rural industries) There is an abattoir in town, and a rather sinister butcher. There is a ruined stone Circle in the hills above the town – a vestige of the long forgotten previous inhabitants. It is now used in dark druidical practices at the dead of night.
Caer Tuard (pop 700)
The traditional seat of the Tuard lairds. Laird Ossian, the present Laird, was brother to the previous Laird Farain who died while hunting – and some say (rather quietly) that the death was no accident. Laird Ossian is ambitious, and hopes to make his land more prosperous through trade and pilgrim tourism, and also seeks the opportunity to convince the northernmost Canton to unite with Llum. He has raised the fees on the ferry taking pilgrims to Holy Anio – which is rather unpopular with the pilgrims.
Special sites
Holy Anio: Their first priests (Drù) set up their temple on the Isle of Anio, just off the coast of Llum, where some of the first migrants to this region settled, prior to their ‘colonization’ (aka conquest) of the mainland areas. Ever since, Anio has been the site of pilgrimage for the Erithian peoples. Although under the protection of the Lairds of Llum, it is theoretically independent, and none are barred from visiting it on pilgrimage.
McNalkol Monument: This monument was raised over the last resting place of perhaps the most famous son of Llum. Captain Lachlan McNalkol, was a famous explorer who sailed from Berenur to the eastern continents of Ezrute and even distant Peredur, and was killed in a naval ambush by baron Doggetage of Dunor Valley in Ezrute. His body was slated and brought back to rest in his beloved home, Llum..
Caer Cuchlain: A ruined castle, overgrown by forest – it was laid waste during the civil war 124 years ago, when the rebels came very close to capturing Tuard Castle. It is said the vengeful ghosts of the inhabitants who were burned alive by the victorious loyalists still haunt the ruins. And what lies below in the dungeons – no one dare find out.
Caer Veliran: Another ruined Castle, destroyed by the vicious loyalist troops who hanged every man, woman and child from the battlements. This was the last rebel stronghold to fall in the Civil War. The Rebel Lord is said to lie in a preserved state in the depths of the dungeons. In fact, he is a Mummy and exhorts a small band of rebels to again raise the standard of rebellion. And the latest coup was the enlistment of Colum Stuard, ousted rightful Earl of Caer Tiroran.
Caer Tiroran: A ruined castle, due to neglect after the bankruptcy of the last Stuard earl – and the Tuards are not so willing to let anther occupy it after they went to so much trouble to covertly destroy the Stuard line. But neither are they willing to take it for themselves, since the whole countryside is very loyal to the Stuards, and another civil war is the last thing all parties want. Nevertheless, the remaining Stuard heir, cousin of the last Earl, is secretly meeting with the rebel band under the ruins of Caer Veliran.
Lagnif Grotto: A magnificent rock structure rising straight up from the sea like massive organ pipes, interlaced by dark waterways lit by fireflies and where one can here various musical notes as the wind rushes through many of the columns which are actually hollow. It is in fact the remnants of Vicent Pryce, a sea giant’s pipe organ. Felir Mendeleran, a musician from Nerilim has composed the famed Lagnif Grotto Overture, now taken as the National Song of Llum.
Geography
The island is divided int three, one by the central mountain range, the other by the long narrow Forth of Fifth.
Mountains and Hills
Central mountain range. A rugged mountain chain, though nowhere nearly as lofty as the mainland mountains. The tallest mountain is Deargh Mor, at 2374 feet. The range peters out in the north to a chain of rolling hills, the Straithen Coinne (the reputed ‘fairy hills’). In fact, there are hidden settlements of the small brown-skinned people whose ancestors once had this land as their own, and erected some stone cirlcs and various dolmens.
Western Mountains. A small range dominated by the peak of Carn Mor (1476 feet), where a giant is supposed to live – no one in living memory has seen it, and no one cares to find out if he is still at home. In fact, he died over a century ago, and hidden in his cave is a small fortune in gems and valuable artefacts. But you have to find the cave first, and overcome its obstacles.
Wasteland
The Malleih Scrub is a rather unfertile region, dominated by dry bracken and twisted bushes, hiding much birdlife and smaller animals – and the hunters love it!
Satan’s Marbles are an area of rocky ground with many huge boulders scattered throughout, many piled on top of another, up to 7 boulders high. Each boulder is at least twice the height of a human. They are said to be the work of a devil, but in fact were the product of a chess-like contest between 2 giants – hopefully dead?
Rocks of Maeve are an apt name for this stony desert, with just hardy tuft-like grass pushing through the rugged rocky landscape, which looks strewn with many large pebbles. Again, another by-product of hopefully long gone giants.
Morsarbor Plains, another wasteland of rocks, sand and salt pans, with stunted dead trees thereabout. The product of spells by the rebels mages in an attempt to defeat the increasingly victorious loyalist forces. This was once a fertile and productive area of Llum, now dead to all life except hardy insects and small reptiles.
Forests
Eochan Coillte is a dark brooding place, home to spriggans and water horses who drag their prey into the cold depths of the nearby lake. A few hardy woodcutters are on the edge of the forest for its valuable wood, but are very wary about venturing too far in.
Waterways and Wetlands
Lussa Rill, the longest river on Llum, ending at the town of Erun-Giarc. It is a life-giving stream, and full of salmon and trout.
Coladair Rill is a cold, very clear stream whose pure waters are used in the making of the famous Mobertory Whisky, where it reaches the sea via a small number of waterfalls at the capital of Mobertory.
Forth of Fifth is a long thin inlet of the sea, almot cutting the island in two. Its coastal shore is rather inhospitable except on the northeastern shore. Large man-eating sharks, never seen before, have been spotted here in recent years, and there have been several fatalities.
Lough Scriainne is the dark cold lake in the middle of the Eochan Coillte. It is home to the dreaded waterhorses, and an even more dreadful monster, the Lough Scrianne Monster.
Ogden Fens is a dreary place of grassland and many shallow pools and hidden quicksand bogs.
Reimgoch Swamp is surprisingly a vibrant place, despite its swamp nature. It is home to well fed water and bird life, and several families make a living by trapping. A few very small hamlets exist in the swamp. It is also home to a family of ghouls, previous trappers who met a grisly end (perhaps murdered by neighbours – the truth is long lost in the dim depths of memory).
A Short History
Llum was the first island settled by the migrating Erithian people from Berenur, over 500 years ago. The region was sparsely populated by Stone Age people, who very soon succumbed to the invaders’ forces. It is still possible that some still exist in hidden places – folklore places them under some of the hills in Straithen Coille.
From Llum, the invaders spread over the whole region, many interbreeding with the natives and the Elves.
Llum remained a vassal of the Duchy of Sophos, but with the overthrow of the ruling family by Lord Magnadir 85 years ago, Llum and the northern mainland coastal strip broke away, and are still independent to this day. Their independence is secretly guaranteed by the Elven Queen. Quarrels with the newly formed Free Cantons of Mordori over where the capital would be, and who was to be the Protector of Holy Anio led to Llum breaking away within 10 years and setting up its own nation, under the Lairdship of the Tuards. However, within a year, civil war broke out with the rebels in the west of the island determined to remain part of the Free Cantons (and not to submit to Tuard rule) After 5 bitter years of fighting, with atrocities on both sides, the Warlord of the Western forces surrenders to the Lairds, and was exiled (and has since been assassinated). Warlord Cuhulan remains a folk hero in the west, and there is even a staue in the town square of Nassenubh.
With the rebel earls of the west defeated, and their strongholds cast down, the Tuard Lairds turned their efforts to eliminating their economic rivals, the Stuards, which they did about 8 years ago. Within a year of their final victory, the Laird was killed while hunting (suspiciously, some say), and Ossian, his brother, was elected to the Lairdship instead of his nephew. Now the land is at peace – though a covert group of rebels, led by the Mummy of the last earl of Veliran castle and the living heir to the Stuard Earldom, meets to plan another rebellion.
Current Political Situation
The Cantons are still smarting over the loss of Llum, and therefore guardianship of the Holy Isle of Anio.
Llum is not sure about the intentions of the Cantons, and are very possessive of their guardianship of the Isle of Anio (supposedly independent, and a site of pilgrimage from all the human realms). They look to Nerilim as their ally, and oppose the claims of the Cantons to Caleb island.
And all is not as peaceful in Llum as appears on the surface. The wounds of the civil war have still not yet healed, and Laird Ossian is aware of the need to reconcile rather than run roughshod over his people, something his brother, the previous laird never learnt to do. And in the wings, as a wild card, is Ossian’s young teenage nephew Durian, only surviving child of Laird Farain, Ossian’s deceased older brother.