The High Hills | My Site

The High-Hills

A sober people, of sober crests and sober beliefs, with less excitement than the north, and yet still many curiosities. Without a doubt, a place full of mounds, boulders, and hills, and many, many hills. Upon some, hill forts, upon others, beasts and enchanted forests. The High-Hills are one of Speros’ largest regions, and its first to be greatly populated. As such, it has a great many realms.

The Gaesaric Kingdom is the first in power and history. It was founded by a supposed descendant of Gaesar himself, one of the original members of the Tarentian Band, and its capital bears the same name. Its people can be adventurous, but also cranky, and they usually fall on the latter side of things.

The Coastlands, as one may guess, a place of many beaches and sea-destined citizens. With the grand capital of Yannis, and its astonishing hall, the Duke stands proudly as one of Speros’ greatest lords. However, Duke Viric is a cruel figure, and long ago he hunted his rebelling heir, Widaric. Of sober crest and pillaging whims, the Duke now reigns over his smoldering land with little kindness, spreading misery across the realm and loathing within the hearts of all citizens.

Seta is the capital of this smallest of realms, with a Count for a ruler, and jealousy as the norm. Although, what can the only realm with silk worms be jealous of, truly? Well, it has neither great warriors, nor very fertile lands. Its art thrives, but never do its armies. As such, the Count of Theamar, although jolly, is little else, and his name is often forgotten to the histories.

The Mountain Dwellings, a land without crest nor memory. These are three mystical cities buried deep into the Hills’ side of the Central Mountains. Their walls are eternal, their spirits stoic, and their warriors stout. They shall stand long after the world ends, or so it is assumed. Little else is known of them.

The Hill-Hamlets “We often bunch them up into a single realm, but there are in fact four different hamlets, each independent and curious in its own way. It is often said the most whimsical of events happen there. It was the Hill Hamlets that discovered fish-men, and the Hill Hamlets that birthed the first jester. Animal trials are quite regular over there, and there is no better way to present the place than telling you one of its common tales.” So said Gregor the Tower-Hermit, and he would know. These four hamlet are Endheim, Grenzeburg, Footmount, and Edgestream, and they each squabble like four children stuck in a small room, for theirs is a very small land. In fact, more should be said of them.

“One hamlet is at the center, with another north, west, and south. The central one is most arrogant and pompous, daring to call itself a city, and possessing even a palisade. However, like the three others, it was quite small. Each hamlet had but one street, with no more than twenty buildings of half timber work. ‘Ealdormen’ were the rulers, each selected in a different manner. The central hamlet, Endheim, passed the title on from father to son. The northern one, Edgestream, elected its ealdorman, but only those within the ruling dynasty were eligible. The western one, Footmount, selected through seniority. When an ealdorman died, only the most senior family member could succeed him. This made it particularly difficult when choosing between twins. And finally, the southern one, smallest of the four and bordering the Gaeseric Kingdom, selected through trials. Its citizens hailed from the Neo-Tarnyan Kingdom, thus they perpetuated the Royal Ordeals. Grenzeburg is a savage place, but it is my home.”

Now, finally, the region’s greatest city, one equalling Shipland in might and Kranberg and majesty. Darmic is a city-State, a place uniting the temporal and spiritual under the worship of Ythmeer and her High-Priest in the city. Unlike many cities, it is entirely made of stone, and its brave fighters proudly wear the blue banner into battle. None really know how the place became a theocracy, although many say it was because of a spelling mistake in a charter reviewed long after the city’s founding, one mistakenly claiming the Priests should rule, and not the Prince.