Schattenburg

55% human, 23% half-gnoll, 11% dwarves, 11% other

                Schattenburg is a young country settled in the last few centuries by refugees from Mortannia and settlers from Orlind seeking a new life in untamed lands.  Though cities have grown, the land still carries a rustic, simplistic charm.  Surrounded on almost all sides by nearly insurmountable mountain passes, the land is almost inaccessible during the wintertime, though the seasons in Schattenburg proper are not particularly fierce.

Government: Schattenburg is nominally ruled by Baron Stefan Von Schatten, an aging hero who purportedly slew the last dragon who had settled in the valley.  In truth, the land is divided into three boroughs.  The eastern province is under the reign of Stefan’s daughter Elena, while the western borough is overseen by Karl Auschvich, a devout holy man and friend to the Baron.  These three rule over the lands in a feudal system, collecting taxes and foodstuffs from the towns they oversee in exchange for providing defense.  Each individual town is largely autonomous however, typically run by a hereditary governor who is some relative of some kind to one of the three ruler’s mighty warriors.  Local militias also hold an outsized amount of influence, this union of native citizens providing a populist counterbalance to their local governor.

Economy: Trade with other countries is difficult, yet the Rasz’ii Trade Consortium does make frequent airship runs back and forth from Schatten Castle Town.  Boasting a land that is highly rich in natural resources, Schattenburgian lumber and iron is their primary export.  Schattenburg is also the only place where blood iron can be found, in the Wailing Mines in the northern mountains of the land.  Few are bold enough to try harvesting this metal though, as most that do are never seen or heard from again.  Darkwood is relatively common in Schattenburg though, and is exported frequently to Orlind and Mortannia.  Internally, some gnoll tribes are willing to trade with the human settlements, often trading pelts and charms for steel weaponry.  The dwarves have a begrudging trade pact with Baron Von Schatten after years of raiding skirmishes took a heavy toll on both nations.

Religion/Spirituality: Adherence to the Church of Light, an offshoot of the Mortannian branch, is the most common form of religion in Schattenburg.  Large gothic cathedrals in Mortannian style dot the landscape, but the religion is not forced upon the citizenry.  Many of the Holy Virtues are worshipped as well, particularly Courage and Sacrifice.  The gnoll tribes maintain a devotion to the moons and the spirits of the natural world.  The Amazonian Muses have recently found a small footing amongst the more devout citizenry of the Western Province.  Finally, the Courts of the Sidhe are known to be fairly active in the deep untouched forests, and there are certain covens of mortals who give worship to all manners of fey.

Lifestyle: Life in Schattenburg is typically simple for the common folk.  The rulers are honorable folk who try to oversee the needs of their people, and there are many adventurers wandering the countryside willing to take up odd jobs for the populace.  Still, the land is largely untamed and the deep forests provide all manner of unknown dangers.  Nearly all Schattenburg males are expected to serve in their village’s militia for a short time at least, and many are trained in the use of a variety of weapons.

Diplomacy: Due to its seclusion, Schattenburg has only passing contact with Mortannia and Orlind, and even less from the other countries.  Most of their politics is local, as they maintain an uneasy peace with the dwarves of Straegenhammar, and a fluid relationship with the many disparate gnoll clans of the realm.  Overall though, the humans of Schattenburg are accepting people, and one can find many embassies of the Muses, the Kabalites, and more scattered throughout the lands so long as they remain peaceful and contribute to the defense of their land.  Recently the Rasz’ii Merchant Consortium has been building inroads into Schattenburg, which has opened diplomatic (though mostly economic) ties with Al’Hasier and Arna.

Military/Defense: Schattenburg has an impressive militia force, as every able-bodied adult serves at least for a few seasons with the militia of their local village.  The threats to Schattenburg all come from within, whether from the roaming gnoll tribes in the southwest and the north, from the highly organized King’s Men Bandits, or from the dwarves of Straegenhammar.  The human settlements have a diverse militia consisting of at least a few rangers among the fighters and warriors.  Each of the rulers has their own order of knights, mighty warriors all who patrol their domains, ever guarding against demons, dragons, or other woes.  More often than not though, the troubles of Schattenburg are local and not nearly so dramatic.

Geography/Borders: Schattenburg is a wide, deeply forested valley surrounded on the east, south, west, and most of the northwest by tall insurmountable mountains.  A small portion of the northern highlands of Schattenburg give way to immense cliffs that overlook the northern sea.  The most prominent feature of Schattenburg is the Misty Lake; a large inland sea nestled in the western province.  A large river descends from the northern mountains, splintering its way through Schattenburg eventually emptying out into the Misty Lake on its tributaries, and the Mordas River to the east.

• The Adventurer’s Academy – Nestled in the northwest corner of Schattenburg is Galic Vuundt’s Adventuring Academy. A city-state in and of itself, it is known as a place that welcomes folk of all stripes.  Recently a portal to Penumbra was discovered beneath the central fountain, linking the Academy to the Titan’s Forest.
• Schatten Castle Town – The capital of Schattenburg is the home of Baron Von Schatten’s fortress, a sprawling stone monument built by Stefan’s ancestors that cropped up around a simple palisade into an impressive stone castle. The city outside grew around the protective auspices of the Baron’s armies.  All roads in Schattenburg eventually lead to this city, and the sprawling settlement boasts many fine establishments, including a very large branch of Selis’s Sundries.
• The Misty Lake – A few days ride south of the Adventurer’s Academy, the Misty Lake is a massive inland sea that is perpetually shrouded in low-hanging fog. It is a place of endless intrigue and mystery, drawing adventurers from near and far to delve into its depths.  Those who return often come with tales of mysterious islands of varying shapes and sizes that contain beasts of wonder and danger as well as untold mystical treasures.  A small settlement catering to adventurers has cropped up around the edge of the lake in recent years.
• Wailing Mines – Situated at the base of a deep sunless valley, the Wailing Mines are a haunted place that few traverse willingly and the only place where blood iron ore can be found. Once home to an old mining settlement in Schattenburg’s early days, the empty shells of homes can still be seen from the valley entrance.  All throughout the rocks of the valley and the caves beyond are littered with chilling, humanoid shaped veins of iron ore.  Striking into these veins elicits a haunting wail from the whole valley, thus giving the place its name.  It is said that deep in the caves lies an ancient dwarven ruins, but few have gone that deep and returned, and the dwarves of Straegenhammar remain silent about it.

Variants:

• A human racial variant is available for Schattenburg.
• Blood iron is a unique metal that is especially useful in the crafting of armor and weapons and found only in the Wailing Mines of Schattenburg.

Prominent Figures:

• Baron Stefan Von Schatten (Male Human Ranger) – The ruler of Schattenburg claims his right to the throne by right of conquest and prowess. In early times, Schattenburg was home to many feral and powerful dragons, and the Von Schatten family was amongst the most powerful of dragonslayers.  It is said that Stefan slew the last of such dragons, a mighty green wyrm, in his youth.  A skilled man who takes just as easy to politics as adventuring, he remains healthy and spry despite his advanced age.
• Elena Von Schatten (Female Human Fighter) – Daughter of Stefan and baroness of the eastern province, Elena is an honorable if somewhat severe woman. A potent swordswoman and legendary bandit slayer, she seems ill at ease sitting on any kind of throne.  Her younger sister disappeared recently after traveling to Al-Hasier to participate in the Providence Games.
• Karl Auschvich (Male Human Cleric of the Church of Light [Schattenburg Branch]) – Baron of the western province, old friend of Stefan and devout servant of the Light. A humble man who ignores most of the trappings of his office, he can usually be found traveling his province and listening to the concerns of the populace.
• Vense Spierlen (Male Human Ranger/Fighter) – The Avatar of Courage grew up in a small village in western Schattenburg that was raided and destroyed by the King’s Men Bandits. He still wears a torn and weathered surcoat from his days as a city guard.  He is frequently traveling abroad and is known to stand firm against the machinations of dragons and the nether realms.
• Galic Vuundt (Male Human Bard) – The headmaster of the Adventurer’s Academy is a kindly, spry old man who was an accomplished adventurer in his youth. He founded the academy to help teach would-be heroes how to survive and to dispel some of the romantic notions.  A known ally of the Light, yet he rarely actively interferes in events of the world.
• The King of Bandits (Unknown Gender Unknown Race Rogue/Fighter) – Little is known about the King of Bandits, who always appears in a thick mask and concealing leathers. He (or she, it is unknown) is known to wield a pair of blades capable of piercing his foe’s magical and physical defenses.  His motivations are unknown, but his troop is a common scourge is Schattenburg and even in parts of Orlind and Mortannia.