Chapter IV · The World
Staerhiel
- Ruler
- Regnant Sovereigni Gilirak
- Known For
- Mineral wealth, the largest territory, the Peacekeepers, a civil war at hand
- Places
- Broughton, Caerdydd, Durmchapel, Keld, Leeside, Lockinge, Luton, Murkwell, Satbury, Silverkeep, Crystal Plains, Crystal Lake, Silvertip Mountains
- Contested Cities
- Durmchapel, Lockinge (most heavily), Luton, Satbury
- Currency
- Silver marks; 1 glim = 5 marks, by Gilirak's decree (see Money)
Staerhiel has the most land and the most mines outside the deadly Razorspine Mountains, and it has a ruler who wants more of both. It is also stretched thin. Its west is part of the nation in name only, and its east is lawless and plotting its own independence.
Gilirak
Regnant Sovereigni Gilirak is a war-monger whose main goal is to take Ethon. He is rumored to be ashen himself, though the truth is that he takes counsel only from a trusted advisor who is. He raised taxes in annexed towns until the people starved, hoping to drive them out and use the towns as staging grounds against Ethon. Saying his name without his title is a risk. His critics say it as if the title were a joke.
Trade and the Rail
Ethon deliberately destroyed the rail through the Dryarwood Forest during the War of Souls to disrupt trade. Staerhiel's trains still run north into Ethon, but the cut severed Staerhiel from Adryae, weakened Adryae, and forced the two nations to trade by airship. The tension between Gilirak and Daphyra grew, but Daphyra controls the fibrolite in the Fiend's Chasm, so Gilirak's greed won out over his anger and he kept trading with Ethon.
Privateers and the East
Over time, privateers found rich pickings among the ships crossing the gulf and built cities near the Tepor Islands. The east is technically part of Staerhiel, but it is lawless and conspiring to become its own nation. A civil war is beginning, driven by the Veil and the Gauntlet.
The Peacekeepers
The Peacekeepers are Gilirak's personal army, a force of military police with a history of brutality. They carry stun sticks and keep cities like Caerdydd under lockdown.
Caerdydd
Caerdydd once belonged to Ethon but was claimed by Staerhiel during the War of Souls, when the border moved north past Murkwell. Most believe it was a hostile takeover. In fact it was part of an agreement: Staerhiel supplied Ethon with much-needed steel in exchange for Caerdydd and Murkwell, and Ethon wanted to concentrate on keeping its barely held grip on Ashborne. The citizens of both cities are still angry about what they believe was a conquest.
Caerdydd is a major commercial hub with a port and rail lines running to Ethon, Lockinge and Silverkeep. A towering wall protects its center. Airships wait in line for designated landing zones, mechanoids direct traffic at intersections, and carriages, both horse-drawn and horseless, pass each other in orderly lanes. The order is enforced. Gilirak keeps the city locked down with Peacekeepers, and outbreaks of violence still happen. The Wardens have a very strong presence here and work directly with the Peacekeepers.
Murkwell
Like Caerdydd, Murkwell used to belong to Ethon. It is a small, bleak, war-torn town on the border, close to Wolfpine and few people's thoughts. Gilirak means to use it as a staging ground against Ethon, and his taxes are starving its people out. Its outskirts are ringed with spiked fences, watchtowers and the hovels of the poor, with the homes of the wealthy at its center. Murkwell has a jail run by the lawman Irvorn and his souldriven, a crowded tavern called the Whizzing Goat, and a back-alley fleshgrafter for anyone who knows where to knock.
Lockinge
The most heavily contested city in the Staerhielian civil war, where most of the fighting happens. The Veil has deep roots here, and it is a waypoint for airships bound for Solaris.
Luton
A contested city. The Sons of the Throneless and the Gutter Kings defeated Gilirak's attempt to retake it, and Gilirak branded the Sons criminals for it. The Veil also grew out of the people who hid here.
Other Places
Entries for Broughton, Durmchapel, Keld, Leeside, Satbury, Silverkeep, the Crystal Plains, Crystal Lake and the Silvertip Mountains.