A merchant of the Karakirazi city of Atabash. He was a member of the Ghorgandi underground movement that sought to liberate Atabash (and only Atabash) from the rule of King Yum Kax. He was involved in the rescue of Madeleine Torsilley from the hands of the cultists of the Old Man, but in the process his rebellious activities were uncovered by Yum Kax and he was forced to betray the men of Sir Mordoc Torsilley.

The second of the Kingdom's three great rivers. The Raracas flows south from the northern mountains to a juncture with the Breaking River at Upper Raracas. From there it runs through the Grey Wastes and to the Sea of Unease at Shalgreth. The Raracas is the traditional eastern border of the Warlands. Low and quite fast-flowing, the Raracas is barely navigable to river craft except for the stretch from the coast to Rideforth.

An incorporated town on the coast of the Sea of Unease. Ravandil is located on a rocky peninsular jutting into the ocean and is a town of narrow streets and closely-packed buildings. Ravandil received its royal warrant in 308, when the then count of Ravandil offered vast sums for the royal coffers (Michael III was at that time seeking funds for his military foray into Castrovia). As part of the warrant the crown granted House Monroy a monopoly control over the Ravandil docks. As a consequence all ships not owned by the Monroys were charged harbour fees by the counts.

King of Montour (71-103)

King of Montour (205-216)

Former priest of the Mother in Bodwin's Howe. In late 353 he was stripped of his standing and disgraced after it was discovered that he had been systematically corrupting female novices in his charge.

(b.293) Duke of Montcoal, Member of the Order of the Golden Spurs. A stalwart supporter of Prince-Regent Erling and old friend of King Vandrad. He is married to Isabelle, eldest daughter of Princess Anne and Walter of Monistral. As his oldest son, Roger, is Count of Harloc and his second son, Vandrad, is a Shield Brother, his heir is his daughter Melissa.

• Family

Wife Isabelle du Sevigny (b.290), sons Roger (b.322), Vandrad (b.326), daughter Melissa (b.328), step-son, the cousin of Prezmyra of Sardeth (b.316).

(b.322) Son of Lord Robert de Rayno, Roger distinguished himself with his personal valour at the battle of Harloc. For this he was rewarded by Prince-Regent Erling with title of the Count of Harloc, and a new hold based at that important crossing of the river. Supported by funds from his father, Roger has begun rebuilding an old Castrovian keep that will dominate the fords when it is finished. His unofficial title is already Lord of the Ford.

God of the moment of death. A son of the Empress, the Reaper conducts the souls of the dead to the Empress' palace in the underworld for judgement. He takes many forms, but the most common depiction of Him is as a small, bald, white-skinned man with very dark, deep-set eyes.

The kidney-shaped Redmoor, in the next valley to the west of Breakingdale, is just as fertile as its neighbour and is the heartland of the Blooddrinker tribe. Opinions differ on whether the moor is named after the red heather flowers that thrive there or for the amount of blood spilt on it over the years. A ruined Montese castle, razed by the Blooddrinkers during their successful war against the invaders in the late third century, dominates the southeastern exit of the moor. The northwestern end is dominated by the tower-keep of the Blooddrinker kings, the Tower of Redmoor, and the northeastern exit is controlled by Fort Mugger, currently held by a Montese garrison at the invitation of King Muchbled.

The government put in place while there is no legitimate royal authority, either because the monarch is a minor, absent or incapacitated.

In the Kingdom's history there have been two major regencies. The first was created after the death of King Gregory during the Orcwar. In this case a council of regency was formed of several powerful nobles and high-ranking clergy. The squabbles of this council hampered the conduct of the war against the orcs and led to political instability in the immediate aftermath of victory.

The second regency was that of Prince-Regent Erling in 352-358. Erling, probably because he was heir and would one day have been king in his own right, was given powers equal to the king in his own person.

A town formerly known as the Fork. This town's population of 3000 people is mixed Voor and Thestrian, with a smattering of Montese. Requer/The Fork is still a rough-and-ready place, built to first service forays into Voorland, then to act as a trading centre. It is still the major supply base for the great castle of the Ageas.

Miltary campaign. In 350 Prince Erling, backed by King William of Valliore, marched into the duchy of Urla and in a popular movement wrested control of it from the forces loyal to Duke Simon Garnier. With Urla as a base, and with Vallioran troops lent by King William and mercenaries paid for with Vallioran coin, Erling prepared to cross the Ramosh Arkab. Garnier and his du Valier supporters made ready to defend the passes into Montcoal, but Erling bypassed them by taking a smaller, more difficult pass to the northeast. As Hector du Valier retreated in disorder back to Rossilion, factions quickly formed between Erling's and Garnier's supporters.

In the next year, 351, Erling laid siege to Rossilion and captured it from the Duke's lieutenants. The town was sacked and largely destroyed. This gave him control over the Montese heartlands, as the Garnier faction withdrew toward Thestria. Erling followed and met Garnier's forces at the Battle of Harloc in late 352. The Prince defeated Garnier and his allies in open battle. The Duke fled downriver to Shalgreth, but the Council of Ten had him arrested and handed him over to Erling, who had him executed. Following his victory and the death of Garnier, a Great Council acclaimed Erling as Prince Regent for his father, and Erling announced a pardon for all Garnier factioneers with a few exceptions for the leaders.

Seat of the du Plessey dukes of Aguiliers, Restormel Castle is a large fortification located about 60 miles to the southwest of Montour City.

the Builder. God of crafts and construction. He was brought to the world by the Mother, to build her heavenly palace. This he did, with the price being the hand in marriage of her daughter, Solana. His life since then has been one of sorrow and heartbreak.

Rhork has two forms, depending on whether the image was created by a Castrovian or Fendal. Castrovians show him as a small, crafty-looking man with intelligent eyes, while Fendals show him as a burly, gnarled smith. The followers of Rhork are centred in their great temple-monastery complex on the Aguilian plain. This complex is constantly being enlarged by the faithful, and is already by far the largest single structure in the kingdom.

King of Montour (0-34)

A town of around 4000 people, located on the right bank of the Raracas River. Rideforth is one of the Gates of the Warlands, and is the old base for Montour's wars against Thestria. As such it is very heavily defended against possible attack, with a double wall and no fewer than 3 castles protecting it and the bridge crossing to the left bank. Kings often ruled from Rideforth in time of trouble or war. Since the subjugation of Thestria it has lapsed into a quiet provincial centre, dependent upon the agriculture of the surrounding lands to maintain its wealth and status, and portions of the fortifications are starting to look a bit moth-eaten. Despite requesting it of the crown numerous times, the town has not received a royal warrant to provide for self-government. Its position as the Montese Gate has ensured that generations of kings have desired to keep it under firm royal control. Rideforth is ruled by a Governor appointed by the crown.

Commoners, from the lowliest villein to the haughtiest civic burgher, have the same set of basic rights in the Kingdom. They have the right-

• to be tried according to the law;
• to own property, including land, with no upper limit on their wealth;
• to unrestricted movement within the borders of the Kingdom, so long as they pay all legal tolls along the way;
• to marry according to their own wish;
• to engage in trade and crafts, so long as they abide by local statutes and guild regulations; and
• to own and carry arms subject to law.

Nobles, of whatever rank, have the following rights-

• to bear arms and to raise armed forces;
• to be tried before a panel of at least three of their peers;
• Great Lords have the right to speak to the king as equals, and have free and unobstructed access to his ear, at least in theory.

They have great influence over the peasants who live and work on their estates, although most of this is power of an unwritten and customary sort, such as the expectation of gifts upon the marriage of the lord or his children, or the knighting of his sons. Nobles can expect their peasants to turn out when summoned, and to fight on behalf of their lord for a period of some months, so long as they are paid or gain some other reward, but there is no legal obligation for a tenant to serve his liege in this way.

Nobles (with the exception of the margraves of Sardeth) do not have the power of taxation, and must live on the rents and profits provided by their estates. This is one of the main reasons why nobles are always looking to increase their wealth, especially in terms of land, for a noble is expected to live a lavish and generous lifestyle, with a retinue of a size proportional to their rank (hundreds for Dukes, dozens for Lords, a handful for mere Knights). However, in many instances they assist in the collection of taxes on behalf of the king, and it is not unknown for unscrupulous nobles to line their own pockets from the king's taxes, though this a crime grievous.

Time and precedent have allowed the King many powers. The King-

• has absolute control over the foreign policy of the kingdom, but usually must take the wishes of the nobility into account, as it is the magnates who provide a great number of soldiers for his army and who vote to provide him with taxation;
• can pardon any convicted criminal of any crime, and may pass judgement on any non-noble for any crime, excepting nobles, who can demand the right of trial by peers, and those accused of certain crimes grievous and treasonous who can, of course, demand trial by the manduel;
• can create new noble titles and award any land of the royal demesne to anybody;
• can make gifts and grant annuities or pensions to anybody out of the Royal revenues;
• can accuse nobles of treason, and demand their trial. On their conviction, he can confiscate their lands and wealth and add it to the royal demesne;
• has the right of guardianship over noble heirs who are still minors. He can alienate these rights to another if he wishes;
• appoints all royal officers, such as the Chancellor, Treasurer, Constable, Admiral, etc;
• is the sole legitimate source of permission to construct stone fortifications;
• can summon and dissolve a meeting of the Great Council; and
• can make and repeal laws.

In many ways the King is the Kingdom. He is basically above the law, and certainly cannot be accused of treason against the Kingdom. The King's person is inviolate, and an assault on the King is a crime treasonous.

The fast moving river of the woods flows southeast from the mountains above Montcoal to the Sea of Unease beyond Monistral. The river is broad and easily navigable by seagoing ships all the way to the town of Earl's Landing.

King of Montour (150-163). A relative of King Gregory, Robert was one of many claimants for the throne and came to rule only after a long struggle against decentralising elements and other claimants in the aftermath of the Orcwar.

King of Montour (163-190)

King of Montour (216-218)

A castle at the head of Breakingdale, held by the Shield Brothers, and overlooking the main road between Montour and Karakiraz. Lost to Gel control following the invasion of 342, it was regained by the Brotherhood in 349, during the attempt by Lord Vaz to liberate his realm. It is a large, many towered castle and has a current garrison of some 250 men, which is swollen from the normal number due to the increasing military activity of King Yum Kax. The Brotherhood has arranged agreements with the nearby Voor kings, and patrols from the castle are permitted to range as far west as the Voorland Mountains.

A third century Warden of Breakingdale.

(b.314) Baron of Breakingdale. Romenard is a popular nobleman, regarded as fair-minded and loyal to his masters and subjects. He is married to Princess Marie-Catherine, only child of Prince Desmond. Unable to have children of their own, the couple have adopted three.

A child or grandchild of a monarch is titled Prince or Princess. The third generation is titled Lord/Lady, and the fourth generation revert to commoner status.

A tribe of Voors. They occupy lands between those of the stronger Horsetamer and Blooddrinker tribes, and have been frequently subject to one or the other. Their lands are not rich, and the tribe is poor and weak.

(b.327) Prince. Nephew of King Vandrad and King's Vicar of Thestria.