The Duchy of the Peaks

The Duchy was founded by rogue magicians long ago (hence the Superstition Mountains and Starport). They claimed the land between the Misauga and the Superstitions, 1 but few humans lived outside the highlands. In 700, refugees from Thonia started to trickle in. The Duchy was only too happy to protect the so-called Unwanted. The men of the Duchy (well, mostly its slaves) built a string of forts down along the Thunder River. The Duchys small craft would follow the river until the Channel, and hug the coast until Port Dacoit and Robinsport. The craft were guarded by Robinsports fleet, and upon landfall their wares were loaded onto more seaworthy craft for transport throughout the lakes and rivers of the Northern Province, and north to the Skandaharians. In 925, Thonia came looking for its wayward citizens, so the Duchy renounced its claim. The lands between the Barrier Swamp and the Misauga proclaimed independence under the Duchy of Ten. The Peakss navy changed title but not much else. The same Barons patrolled the waters, and the same Barons ran the overseas shipping. If anything, the Peaks profited from Tens independence. (Neither side was much interested in colonizing the Empty Lands for its own sake, even after the Firefrost current made the Lands more fertile. And they gave no-one else the opportunity.) When the Egg arose, the Duchy attempted to play the Egg, the Duchy of Ten, the Peshwah, and the Empire off against each other. The Duchy proved remarkably immune to the wars of the north. The worst calamity that ever befell the Duchy was not caused by a government, but by a single barbarian. Marfeldt caused some unknowable havoc that killed 30% of the population (at least, so the Duchy claims). 2 There is a price on his head in that land to this day (one of many). When the Afridhi invaded Ten, the Ten Barons neglected their naval duties; when their ports fell, the Barons were killed or driven off. As the old Duke of the Peaks dithered, his new wife, Sonia Sholako, quietly took the reins.3 The new Duchess of the Peaks was forced to come to terms with the Afridhi, preferably while it was still engaged in Ten. 4 Toska Rusa made a bid for the land up to the Superstitions, including any military outposts. The Duchess, knowing she could not face the Afridhi on the open field, agreed to the deal. Ten fell, but the Peaks remained independent. Mostly. Although the new fortress Sherpur, with its new catapults, still keeps the raiders away from the Thunder River, it cannot protect the Peaks shipping overseas. The Peaks legitimate trade is now even further restricted to Robinsport and Port Dacoit and not by allied Tenian officials, but by the Egg and the Skandaharians. Since the Afridhi have taken the ports, the Duchess blames the Afridhi for not securing her countrys trade to Blackmoor and beyond. Her subjects are increasingly smuggling goods to Degerns rebels. The Afridhi were negotiating in 1024 for 1000 of the Duchys pike, in exchange for advance payment in gold.5 The Duchess has been holding out throughout the following year. They would rather sell the pike to the rebels. The land is well known for its debaucheries, magicians, and excellent heavy pikemen. It was once very rich and prosperous,6 basing its wealth on the slave trade and fine-quality diamonds. 7 Due to the recent turmoil it has become strapped for funds. It has very little crime, frankly because little is forbidden here. Its decadence ensures a mentally immature people, few of whom live beyond the age of forty. All they want out of government is what

1 DA4 p. 26 2 JG p. 16 3 DA1 p. 60 4 DA1 p. 3 5 DA1 p. 43 6 JG p. 16 7 DA1 p. 4 JG p. 16. Sounds like the average for the Middle Ages though.

they have; wide latitude for both financial gain and exotic pleasure while only mildly oppressing them. 8 They also like public spectacles, which have proven a drain on the economy.9 Whenever an army of at least 30% of the Peaks forces shows up, the Peaks ally with the intruders (codified into an obsequious, but meaningless, treaty) 10. They lavish the enemy with everything from Wine to Slave Girl and will even permit an occupying garrison. The garrison generally succumbs to the lands decadence and swiftly assimilates. This applies even to those who pass through the area and has much the same effect of Lotus Eaters and Sirens. So far, only Marfeldt has not fallen to the Duchys spell. As it happens, both Lotus Eaters and Sirens abound in the area. So do Trolls, regrettably; those revolting creatures roam as far as the Glens.11 And Sonia speaks Dragon and Elf.12 In battle, their troops try to avoid combat (although this is not true of their mercenaries). They also change sides if bribed [or] physically threatened. The old Duke was particularly weak-willed; it was said that even common soldiers were able to sway his opinion (although, to be fair, he was a brave man who, once battle was joined, personally led his troops). Sonia Sholako has more sense. Naturally, the people do not live on the mountains, but in a high, narrow pass. Take the hilly hex to the west of Starport, and the five mountainous hexes surrounding it. This valley is the only area known to be under the Duchys control.13 The capital, Starport, is one of the largest cities in the Northlands at 15,000. It is walled and high in the Superstition Mountains. 14 Inside it is constantly changing in order to accommodate the many new residents. There are several Castles and the Dungeons have been preserved from the New Age Era (sic) with pleasures and entertainments to drive sane men mad. The Dungeons connect to extensive tunnels; most of the more famous treasures are located in the depths.15 The remaining citizens live in the various mining towns: overseers, constables and the like. The mines are truly miserable places, much like the Chesterfield and the New Delving in the Rand. Not all the Duchy is happy with the direction the Peaks has chosen. The Fetch has been led to believe that a small team of agents would be able to destabilize the place, possibly enough to overthrow the Duchess.16 That would fix the Confidence Level of the Duchy to a low Unsteady (200-222). This means that every time a game year begins, or a national crisis hits, the DM must roll a d6. If the roll is 1, the Confidence Level will drop by 10%, which hurls the Duchy into Defiance. The resultant drop in income would bankrupt the economy, forcing cutbacks that would further anger the populace. The Peaks historically relies on trade for its raw materials, but the Afridhi-Skandaharian wars against Blackmoor and their Tenian rebel allies have killed the Duchys gem trade to its east. The Tenians can no longer buy gems and the Afridhi will not. Sholako has been forced to buy more slaves and food from the west, at a reduced rate of return. Meanwhile, the bejeweled western chieftains clear more forest, enslave more people, and treat their serfs more savagely. This has not helped the Confidence Level of the west any, either. The Peaks has been trying to mitigate its effects on the western tribes by settling the wild country east of the Thunder River, but humanoids (the Gnolls), wolves (the Wolf Wood), undead (the Forest of Haunts), and Egg and Skandaharian raiders have made this next to impossible. The Peaks would love to restore its trade links with the Duchy of Ten and Blackmoor.

8 DA1 p.. 60 9 DA1 p. 43 10 DA1 p. 60 11 DA4 p. 33 12 DA1 p. 60 13 JG Players Map 14 DA1 p. 43 15 JG p. 16 16 DA1 p. 45