Notable in the Dragonshire
Major City: Stormsword's Rest
Stormswor'd Rest is a small walled city straddling a narrow pass that leads west across the Worldspine. Well-fortified and highly-definsible, it guards the east against campaigns launched out of the independant territories of the northwest, or by unaligned Orcs and Dwarves; it also hosts some of the Dragonshire's premier war-colleges. Both controlling one of the rare passes through the Worldspine and sitting in the Northland Corridor, it is also a major trade hub. It is also a polyglot city, hosting populations from a dizzying array of races, many from outside the Commonwealth (possibly owing to being a major center of High Road activiy).
Population: varies; 90K permanent, plus stationed troops
Common Languages: Weal, Hartland Gnoll, more
Common Races: varies; Humans (20%), Gnolls (20%), Drakes (10%), Orcs(10%), Kobolds (5%), plus others and stationed troops
Location: In the northwest of Dragonshire Province, in the foothills of the Worldspine Mountains.
Industries: Soldiery, Command, Administration, Seigecraft, Masonry, Smithing, Farming
Stormsword’s Rest is a large walled township that sits in the northwest of the Dragonshire Province, in the lower peaks in the northeast fringe of the Worldspine Mountain. It covers a narrow pass through the Worldspine Mountains, which rises to the West; to the East, it looks down on rugged highlands, rolling foothills and river-run lowlands of the Northland Corridor. The region is known as the Worldspine Pass March; though small, it is strategically vital for the Dragonshire, as it sits at the nexus of two trade-routes, and in particular controlls access to the Dragonshire from north-west Northland Province.
The city hosts a vibrant culture, consisting not only of Drakes and Humans, but also a dizzying array of imigrants, travelers, and refugees. The city hosts several prominent universities, including one of the Dragonshire's premier war colleges; it is also an outpost of both the High Road and the Far Watch.
Stormsword's Rest is described in much more detail in the Example Setting: Stormsword's Rest chapter.
Major Spirit: The Bullrush God
Basin: Unknown. It was able to manipulate Dragon eggs to create the Drakes, and it apparently has use of land and a title.
Manifestation: Unknown, as it almost never manifests. It appeared to Karrach in the form of a Drake.
Propitiation: Unknown, as it almost never seeks or accepts offerings. The price it asked of Karrach was several demarc of marshland and a noble title.
Binds: None known.
The spirit responsible for the creation of the Drakes referred to itself with a number of names, among them the Bulrush God, the Rainstorm Shepherd and the Osprey’s Father. After Karrach began searching for a spirit that would aid him in the creation of a people, the Bulrush God approached him in the form of a Drake; it offered him a people in that image, in exchange only for a stretch of swampland and a noble title. Karrach met his price, and the Drakes were created.
It is unknown why the Bulrush God wanted to own a marsh — or why it cared if Karrach recognized that ownership, if that area had already been its Basin, as some claim; nor is there any obvious reason why a Great Spirit should want to also be a Count. It is unknown if it has any wants, rituals, or binds; it is also unknown what its basin is, although it is clearly such that the Bullrush God could aid in the creation of the Drakes. Since being granted its title and domain, it has sought no further contact with mortals, and has made no further desires known.
The Dragonshire zealously guards the territory granted to the Bulrush God, even though it did not specifically tell them to do so, out of concern for what it might do should its lands be invaded; when dealing with a spirit as powerful and mysterious as the Bulrush God, such precautions are wise.