![[heraldry_9.png]] # **Rivermarch - The Frontier Kingdom of the Stolen Lands** ## **Basic Information** - **Name:** Rivermarch - **Type:** Emerging Kingdom (Barebones Settlement) - **Region:** Stolen Lands, bordering Pitax and Restov - **Scale & Population:** Sparse but rapidly growing; consists mostly of **tents, tenements, and a newly built mill**. - **Primary Inhabitants:** - **Humans** (Brevic settlers, mercenaries, exiles) - **Ysoki (Ratfolk)** (large migrant influx, rapidly expanding their underground presence) - **Kobolds** (Tartuk’s faction, working for a stronger role in the kingdom) - **Various adventurers, outcasts, and mages** - **Climate & Terrain:** Mixed **forests, rolling hills, and riverlands**, mostly **untamed wilderness** with **basic infrastructure**. --- ## **Geography & Layout** - **Key Features & Landmarks:** - **Stromhaven (Capital):** The official capital of Rivermarch, but currently **little more than a collection of tents, tenements, and a few permanent buildings**. - **The Ysoki Warrens:** The **most developed part of Rivermarch**, an underground network of **ratfolk and kobold tunnels**, quickly expanding and merging with older kobold burrows. - **The New Mill:** The **first major construction project**, ensuring sustainable food production and industry. - **Whitewood Barracks (Temporary):** A **makeshift military camp**, set up by **Brinn Whitewood** to house and train Rivermarch’s militia. - **The Stag Lord’s Fort:** Recently **claimed ruins**, now under Rivermarch’s control. Could serve as **a future stronghold or outpost** once restored. - **The Crypt of Four:** Located **outside of Rivermarch**, this **mysterious ruin** is linked to **unusual arcane anomalies** and has drawn **Gideon and Borion’s** attention. - **Notable Districts/Areas:** - **Founders' Square:** The emerging **center of governance**, though currently **little more than a gathering area** with a few permanent structures. - **The Underburrow:** A subterranean city-in-the-making, where **Ysoki and Kobolds work to establish self-governance**. - **The Settlers’ Camps:** A **spread-out network of tents and wooden houses**, serving as homes and trading hubs. - **Connections & Accessibility:** - **Trade:** Rivermarch is beginning **trade negotiations with Restov**, though logistics remain difficult. - **Military Presence:** The **Stag Lord’s Fort provides a potential defense point**, though it is currently in poor condition. - **Arcane Influence:** Research on **ley lines and magical transportation** is underway, but far from operational. --- ## **Culture & Society** - **Local Governance:** - Ruled by **Lord Regent Brinn Whitewood**, supported by an **adventurer-led council**: - **[[Tybalt Rattigan]]** (Emissary & Diplomat) - **[[Borion Nightshade]]** (Arcane Advisor & Magus) - **[[Gideon]]** (Summoner & Mystic Scholar) - **[[Maximus]]** (Warden & Military Leader) - **[[Tartuk]]** (Kobold Leader & Political Manipulator) - **[[Linzi Fairwind]]** (Treasurer, struggling to manage taxes) - **Economy & Trade:** - Early **agriculture and milling efforts** have begun, but **resource shortages** persist. - **Kobolds and Ratfolk** play a major role in **construction and industry**, despite lingering racial tensions. - **Restov Trade Negotiations:** Tybalt has been working to secure a **favorable trade deal**, but Restov’s envoys have set **difficult terms**. - **Religion & Beliefs:** - A **mix of faiths** among the settlers, with no dominant religious institution yet. - **Tartuk’s kobolds** hold reverence for **draconic and chaotic deities**. - **Arcane discovery** has gained traction, particularly due to the **mystery of the Crypt of Four**. - **Laws & Customs:** - **Founders’ Rights:** Those who aid in building Rivermarch receive **land and positions of influence**. - **Kobold Citizenship:** **Tartuk negotiated a formal place for kobolds**, but tensions remain. - **The Ysoki Accord:** The **ratfolk’s growing influence** has led to informal governance in their tunnels. - **Languages Spoken:** - **Common, Elven, Draconic, Ysoki Dialects, Kobold Pidgin.** --- ## **History & Lore** - **Origins & Founding:** - Established by **Brinn, Tybalt, Gideon, Borion, Silas, and Linzi** under **Lady Jamandi Aldori’s charter**. - Survived **early threats from bandits, the Stag Lord’s remnants, and kobold politics**. - **Major Historical Events:** - **The Kobold Pact:** Tartuk was given a **council position** instead of war. - **The Ysoki Migration:** A **mass influx of ratfolk** overwhelmed the settlement. - **Irovetti’s Intrigue:** Pitax’s **King Irovetti views Rivermarch as fragile**, planning to **let it destroy itself from within**. - **Current Conflicts or Issues:** - **Political Infighting:** Tartuk, Tybalt, and Gideon **have competing visions for Rivermarch**. - **Economic Unrest:** Linzi’s **failed taxation attempt** has **weakened the economy**. - **Pitaxian Spies:** **Grigori, an agent of Pitax, has already begun inciting rebellion**. - **Arcane Anomalies:** The **Crypt of Four** holds **a yet-unknown magical force**. - **Rumors & Mysteries:** - **The Crypt of Four:** A mysterious **First World ruin**—a **potential source of immense power**. - **Tartuk’s True Intentions:** Some **suspect the kobold leader of secretive ambitions**. - **Whispers of the River:** Some claim **an ancient presence** stirs beneath Rivermarch’s waters. --- ## **Notable NPCs & Factions** - **Key Figures:** - **Brinn Whitewood:** The martial **Lord Regent**, focused on **pragmatism and security**. - **Tybalt Rattigan:** The **cunning investigator and diplomat**, working to **secure alliances**. - **Gideon:** A **summoner obsessed with uncovering Rivermarch’s arcane potential**. - **Tartuk:** A **politically savvy kobold leader**, whose **true loyalty remains in question**. - **Maximus:** An **automaton war leader**, shaping Rivermarch’s **military foundation**. - **Linzi:** A **bard-turned-treasurer**, struggling **with governance and public perception**. --- ## **Adventure Hooks** - **Who Will Lead?** – **Can Rivermarch’s divided council survive internal power struggles?** - **Pitax’s Shadow War** – **Irovetti’s agents are already at work—who can be trusted?** - **The Crypt’s Secret** – **The First World power beneath Rivermarch may reshape the kingdom’s future.**