Old Mirathor was once the richest and most powerful civilization in the known world.  Mirathoran ships stopped in every country's ports, Mirathoran gemstones and weaponry were universally valued, and at one point Mirathoran wizards held court wizard positions in five of the seven major kingdoms of the world.

The kings of Old Mirathor were famous for wise rule and brilliant diplomacy; their dynasty lasted for several centuries of relatively peaceful rule.  Even the rulers of the then young Reldach Imperium, who made their reputation ruining kingdoms, dared not attack Mirathor.

The reasons for Mirathor’s downfall are vague, being lost in the distance of legends and time.  It is known that the Mirathoran king's vassals spent years planning a rebellion to seize power from the King and his feared school of wizards know as the Grey Ones.  The rebellion, led by the Duke of Rivenhelm, succeeded in trapping the wizards in their stronghold at Tirna Sironel and in invading the King's citadel, now know as the Wailing Tower.  Seeing how evil had invaded the land and that the king was soon to fall, the Grey Ones spent all their energy in devising a doomsday magic that would lay all of Mirathor to waste.  They created the Death Fog, which still exist along the Mirathoran border.  The Wailing Tower was subjected to a devastating magical onslaught.  Before destroying themselves the Grey Ones secreted the royal regalia in a hidden area called the Mirrored Caverns, where it was hoped that the heirs of Mirathor would eventually break the wards and recover these sacred items.  This does not appear likely in the near future, however, as the evil vampire-wizard Eldren Darkwing is known to be in possession of eight of the nine ward-keys.  The elvish wizard Lady Fey is said to hold the ninth key and to be in protection of the Mirathoran heir, but neither she nor the heir has been seen for over two years.  Eldren, however, has not invaded Tirna Sironel, so she cannot (yet) be in possession of the ninth key.  The Grand Duke has offered a reward of 10,000 gp for Lady Fey and 50,000 gp for the heir.  Lady Fey is probably in hiding somewhere in the Wild Moors – adventurers depart every day to look for her and her young charge.

Today Mirathor is split into several more or less autonomous political regions.  Most of the five hundred or so years since the Death Fog have been spent rebuilding, and it is only recently that a great deal of exploration and warring have begun to take place.  The Grand Duke of Rivenhelm (the ancestor of the author of the original rebellion) has succeeded in conquering most of northern Mirathor but has been stopped, at least for the moment, by a uneasy alliance between the forces of Everglory, Brokenvale, and the Iron Palace.

DESCRIPTIONS:

BLACKSTONE, THEOCRACY OF
Blackstone Keep is the stronghold of the Grand Duke's High Priest Dirilan Moroth.  Moroth is said to be a renegade Imperial priest who was taken in by the Grand Duke.  He is currently training new priests of the Imperial gods at the new temple in Blackstone.  He also controls the rich agricultural area around the keep.  The Grand Duke has given Moroth the title of Earl, although none of the other courts have recognized this title or even seen the reclusive High Priest.

BROKENVALE, KINGDOM OF
The rulers of Brokenvale are one of the few who, after the fall of Old Mirathor, proclaimed the title of King for themselves.  The city, always Mirathor’s richest, is located at the bottom of a tall, narrow valley.  The winds around the top of this valley make flight by any creature other that air elementals practically impossible.

Brokenvale’s greatest resource is the large deposits of precious metals and iron located all around it.  Brokenvale’s smiths are the best in Mirathor – metalwork and ores are often exchanged with neighboring Everglory for foodstuffs and leather goods.

The current King of Brokenvale is an elderly man who has dedicated his life to keeping Brokenvale a center of culture and learning, isolated from the rest of Mirathor.  He is widowed and has only one daughter, the Princess Daphne, who is one of the most sought-after matches for Mirathor’s new generation of young rulers.  The Princess’ notorious shrewishness has deterred some potential suitors but most desire her for purely political reasons.  The Earl of Everglory, the Grand Duke, several minor local rulers, and even the Pretender of Dumferling have tried every means short of kidnapping to woo the stubborn Princess.  She, however, is unmoved and has refused to even see suitors for the last few years.  The King worries about her, but prefers to let his daughter do as she will.

The army of Brokenvale is small but well trained.  The city's natural geography and infamous winds are enough to deter major overland and aerial attacks.  The Order of the Diamond, Brokenvale’s city knights, are renowned across Mirathor.  If this were not enough, the archmage Tempest also makes his home in Brokenvale – the story is told that, shortly after the current King began his reign, Tempest single-handedly captured an entire raiding force from the Tower of Three Rings and took great delight in polymorphing the lot of them into earthworms for his garden.  Even though Tempest is not exactly a loyal subject (he refuses requests from the King more often than he grants them) he dislikes having his peace disturbed and will defend the city if the danger becomes great.

DEATH FOG, THE
The Death Fog is a ring of magical fog that surrounds Old Mirathor on both land and sea.  The ring is five miles wide and several hundred feet high.  The Grey Ones raised the fog in order to keep external powers from invading Mirathor.  Sages speculate that the fog is acid-based since at least on black dragon is known to lair within it, although the deadly nature of the fog has deterred most experimentation.

DEMONEYE
Demoneye is an ancient city that began as a school of magic in the days of Old Mirathor.  Few wizards dwell there now, although the old wizard's keep is currently the stronghold of Sir Alain Bloodstone, commonly known as the Red Knight, who is the Grand Duke's Knight General and right-hand man.  The Red Knight claims to have fought over a thousand duels and to have won them all.  Some say that he has even bested the mercenary Raven in single combat, though the Red Knight himself has never made this claim.

The city of Demoneye has access to a rich agricultural valley as well as the mineral deposits in the foothills of the Wyvern Mountains.  The Red Knight always maintains a large standing army to defend its wealth from Yorish raiders and the occasional orcish incursion.  It is said that the Red Knight is in possession of an artifact of great power, the eye of a slain demon prince, that can be used in the defense of the city.

Although the loyalty of the Red Knight is not disputed, it is known that he has been less that enthusiastic in carrying out the commands of his overlord since the governorship of the city of Silverlode (which the Red Knight captured) was given to the Grand Duke's incompetent brother (see SILVERLODE).  It is also known that the Knight has designs on marrying into power, most likely to a Yorish clan heiress but perhaps even to the very eligible Princess of Brokenvale.

DOOMLANDS, THE
The Doomlands are a large area of marshland and hills in the northern part of the Earldom of Yor.  Bleak from any perspective, the area is technically claimed by the Earl but actually large numbers of goblins and a few tribes of lizard men hold the few habitable areas.  The Earl probably does not value these lands enough to contest for them.  Adventurers always claim that vast treasures exist in ruins somewhere in the Doomlands but, as these adventurers are nearly always poor or broke, their reports are generally considered unreliable.

DREADLANDS, THE
Not to be confused with the Doomlands, the Dreadlands are what once was the center of Mirathoran civilization.  Centered on the famous Wailing Tower, this entire area is inhabited by strange monsters that dwell in the ruins of old towns and is characterized by strange magical effects.  Literally hundreds of ruins exist here but few have offered any real riches to brave explorers.  However, the rich finds that have been made make this area a favorite with adventurers.

DUMFERLING
Dumferling is a city situated on the Isle of Tremaine that was formerly the seat of the ruling family.  The city is currently ruled by the Pretender of Dumferling, whose main duty of late has been keeping the red dragons who dwell near him placated (see TREMAINE, ISLE OF).

Dumferling is famous for its fishermen and sailors as well as for all other goods that come from the sea.  This town is the source of most of Mirathor’s pearls and coral.  The city is still poor since it is isolated from the rest of Mirathor.  Most Dumferling merchants travel to Silverlode and Yoreton Eld, although some make their living in trade with the capricious Faerie Queen.

Dumferling has few trained troops since it is so isolated and there is so little there worth defending.  The Grand Duke has shown much interest in Dumferling of late, recruiting several sailors to train his navy, which is based in Wizardswatch.

DWARF-LORD, THE
The King of the Doubleaxe Clan of dwarves, who rules the entire northern arm of what is now called the Doubleaxe Mountains.  The Dwarf-lord’s citadel is in the heart of a huge mountain that was once a volcano.  The city is tiered all the way to the top of the mountain, providing an impressive sight for the few visitors who are allowed in.

The dwarves supply some of the very pure gold that eventually works its way down to Brokenvale and Everglory.  The dwarves do not trade very much, however, being quite distrustful of humans since Pelrigard the Mighty betrayed them to the orc hordes.  Only very recently has the dwarvish population reached anything near its former levels.

The dwarves do not have a large army but have the advantage of dwelling in a very inaccessible area.  The Dwarf-lord has a trading arrangement with Brokenvale and is allied with the Iron King and Everglory’s Count of Stormhaven.

ELAVON
Elavon is quite probably the oldest settlement in Mirathor and perhaps the entire world.  The city is the traditional embarkation point for the elves to their other-worldly home.  However, since the raising of the Death Fog some elves have been forced to find some alternative locations. 

The city itself, which is forbidden to any other than those of elvish ancestry, is filled with delicate towers, gardens, and fountains.  The castle of the Faerie Queen, the ruler of the city, overlooks the small harbor and the southern ocean.  The city houses scores of incredibly skilled elvish craftsmen whose artifacts are only occasionally seen outside the Forest of Whispering Trees – the elves tend to be quite distrustful and resent the intrusion of other races into what they regard as their private domain.

The Faerie Queen can raise a considerable fighting force if provoked, but only on rare occasions could the King of Old Mirathor receive any elvish forces in the country's armies.  No large elvish force has been seen outside the Forest since the fall of the old King.  All respect the power of the Faerie Queen (she is another of the world's few archmagi) and few would be courageous (or foolhardy) enough to brave an invasion of the quiet forests around Elavon.

EVERGLORY, EARLDOM OF 
Everglory was once one of the most prosperous cities of Old Mirathor.  Home to the Lorde Chancellor of Mirathor, a powerful school of wizardry, a prestigious university, and a High Priest, the city was dubbed “Everglory” because it seemed as if it would always be a shining light in Mirathoran culture.

However, such has not been the case.  The Fog devastated the lowlands around Everglory and decimated the population.  Most of the survivors fled to the safer areas around Silverlode and Brokenvale.  Those who remain in Everglory are the ruling house and the descendants of those who would not or could not leave.

This does not mean that the city has greatly diminished in power.  The Earls of Everglory have been able to rebuild their city (although much of it is now deserted) and reconquer their fertile valley, fighting off multiple invasions by their traditional enemies, the orcs of Mrakdinaror.  Everglory has always been home to the greatest warriors in Mirathor, and this is even truer now.  The current Earl is a respected fighter who has put together a standing army, which until the advent of the Grand Duke, was considered the greatest fighting force in Mirathor.  Everglory’s warriors are led by the infamous Death's Head company, a group of high-level warriors that is the most powerful seen since Raven's Wolfclaw Mercenaries.  Everglory is also home to a group of assassins that have a reputation throughout Mirathor and beyond.  These assassins have been employed in a variety of Mirathor’s areas – they are rumored to be responsible for the death of the Countess Frost of Frostfang and to at one point have almost slain the Princess of Brokenvale.  All this makes Everglory a respected city, but it is generally considered a barbarous backwater by the more civilized cities of Brokenvale and Silverlode.  The city is indeed dangerous as it is a mecca for warriors of all types who are trying to make a reputation for themselves.

The Earl of Everglory is handsome, intelligent, and charismatic but also somewhat vain and power-hungry.  He wants nothing more that to marry the Princess of Brokenvale as this will give him the money and power necessary to enable him to challenge the Grand Duke on equal terms.

EVIL PARTY, THE
A title sometimes applies to a group of powerful and very greedy adventurers who base themselves in the Skull Plains.  They originated in northern Mirathor and soon made a name for themselves as mercenaries.  They were soon said to be undefeatable, a reputation that may be somewhat exaggerated but nevertheless appropriate.  Most of the major powers of Mirathor have tried to recruit them but they refuse to recognize any authority other than their own and can only be hired on a single-mission basis -- and they are expensive.  Their most recent patron has been the Grand Duke, who had them retrieve a powerful magic item from the Doomlands.  They are currently resting in their tower in the Skull Plains waiting for the next appropriately lucrative assignment.

The party is led be a defrocked Knight who was once a Mirathoran paladin.  He vowed revenge on paladins in particular and the forces of Good in general when his powers were stripped from him.  He is now more powerful than ever, wearing the legendary armor of Black Ithram and riding a nightmare that was the gift of an archdevil in return for services rendered.  Also in the party are a half-demon witch, a glaive-guisarme-wielding fighter, an evil ranger, an evil cleric, a half-elven fighter/magic-user, and illusionist, and two rogues.

FAERIE QUEEN, THE
The Faerie Queen is the ruler of the city of Elavon and the elvish community in the Forest of Whispering Trees.  She is simultaneously one of the most talked about and one of the least seen individuals in all Mirathor.  She ruled Elavon in the days of Old Mirathor, and it is said that at least one of the old kings was in love with her.  She was apparently more accessible then, because the Iron King owns a human-made portrait of her that was painted over six hundred years ago.  The only noticeable change in her appearance is that her once-black hair is now streaked with grey.  The archmage Tempest (who is supposedly horribly cursed as a result of an affair with her a century ago) owns the only other existing likeness of her.

In recent years she has kept herself in seclusion, showing herself only at her famous Faerie Faire, which is held every year during the Midsummer Festival.  The yearly tournament there is the largest of its kind in Mirathor for noble and commoner alike.  The only human she has given audience to in the past decade is the Grand Duke, who is said to have offered her a marriage proposal.  Since he invaded the Earldom of Yor immediately after leaving her castle, most assume that he was not warmly received.  In any case, she is an accomplished poet, musician, painter, and wizard, and her work that has found its way into the realm of humanity is greatly valued.

FROSTFANG
Frostfang is a city near the eastern coast of Mirathor that was founded by the legendary Ice Wizard of Thar.  The area is kept in a perpetual winter by a magical device know as the Heart of Winter.  This magic keeps a thirty-mile radius around the Heart deep in ice and snow.  The Heart also produced find, ice-blue diamonds as a side effect.  These diamonds are highly prized, giving the Frostfang rulers sufficient means to buy food for their always hungry subjects.

Other than diamonds Frostfang has few things to offer.  Miners explore the mountains around the keep but find little or nothing.  Local herdsmen raise a breed of shaggy cattle that thrive in cold weather, but much of the stock is stolen every year by raiding humans and by giants from the Render.  The few citizens support themselves by skilled craftswork or by begging from the court.

Frostfang’s best defense has always been its awful weather.  Few armies want to stage an invasion in sub-zero temperatures, especially considering the frequent storms that are incessantly dumping snow in the area.  Since the rulers of Frostfang have always been relatively powerful, adventurers have been wary of trying to steal the Heart of Winter, mostly because a moving area of ice and cold sixty miles wide is difficult to hid and may cause several problems.

Frostfang’s current ruler, Lady Storm, has reportedly just recently discovered the secrets of controlling the powers of Darkness that always aided her ancestors.  She has married a priest of Hell to aid her in those endeavors after being turned down by the Grand Duke (who may now be regretting his decision, as Storm has greatly increased her power in the past few years).  Her most recent acquisition is a white dragon that she has been riding into combat.  She is also said to be keeping winter wolves as pets in the same manner as her great-grandfather the Ice Wizard.  She obviously wants to expand her rule north towards Everglory and Brokenvale.  Her power is not quite strong enough yet, but it has increased to the extent of making the rulers of both cities rather nervous.

GRAND DUCHY, THE (DUCHY OF RIVENHELM)
First called the “Grand Duchy” by its current ruler, Hyrim of Vilorac, this area is indeed the grandest territory in Mirathor that is united under one ruler.  Hyrim’s rule now extends through all of Mirathor north of the Wyvern Mountains and east of the Doomlands and, on its western side, as far south as the city of Silverlode.  This rapid expansion has caused the massive growth of Hyrim’s capital at Rivenhelm, which is now one of the largest and most glamorous cities in Mirathor, second to Brokenvale in splendor.

Hyrim had relatively humble beginnings when Rivenhelm was still a small-time power in the wild Mirathoran northlands.  Hyrim had always shown a talent for battle and strategy so his father, wanting his talented son to do better things than he had, sent Hyrim into the Reldach Imperium to learn how these people had build their empire so quickly.  The Reldach, of course, did not accept him warmly (any non-Reldach is considered to be a slave) but in his years there he became a valued slave and managed to learn a great deal about the Imperial methods of life and governance.

Hyrim’s father probably thought his son had learned a bit too much when, upon arriving back in Rivenhelm, Hyrim assassinated his father as per the Imperial tradition and promptly assumed power for himself.  Soon Hyrim had established a reasonable facsimile of the Imperial war machine, called together a group that greatly resembles the Imperial Knights, and put together a school that is modeled upon the Imperial School of Wizardry.  He also adopted the Imperial philosophy that if one has an army one uses it until the last man is dead and, with that, had soon conquered all of northern Mirathor.  Not being quite audacious enough to assume the Imperial titles, he instead modified his own title of Duke into that of “Grand Duke”.

Economically, the Grand Duchy is very well off.  The Grand Duke controls rich valleys, large herds of livestock, skilled craftsmen, and many deposits of metals.  He is currently working on standardizing his currency, which, if he continues increasing in power, will soon be as valuable as Brokenvale coins.

The Grand Duke's army is huge but, after last summer's conquering of Silverlode, Hyrim has run out of places to go for the time being.  So far the Duke's war machine has not proven effective against the wily hillmen of the northeastern Earldom of Yor, and the mountains limit movement to the south.  However, the Grand Duke is in contact with the orcs of Mrakdinaror in hopes that they will give his troops a safe route through the mountains from which to attack Everglory.  The Grand Duke is quite intent upon marrying the Princess of Brokenvale since he knows that this is the only way he has a good chance of taking that city.  The Duke is also dealing with Eldren Darkwing to gain the nine keys— he styles himself as the future King of All Mirathor, and he wants to gain the old regalia to legitimate this claim.

HALFLINGHOME
Halflinghome is a large village of halflings and gnomes situated about fifty miles southwest of Brokenvale.  The halflings have traditionally been closely allied with the Kings of Brokenvale.  The current ruler of the halflings, Bonk Shortspear, is no exception to this.

Halflinghome is generally self-sufficient, although trading is done with Brokenvale to keep up good relations.  Brokenvale relies on the halflings as suppliers of food, regarding the halfling’s famous mushrooms as a great delicacy.  Most of the halflings are farmers who care little about the affairs of the outside world.

The halflings are know to be formidable opponents in their own territory so few monsters or human rulers trifle with them.  Halfling footmen played a large part in routing the Grand Duke's aborted invasion of Brokenvale two years ago.  In general, though, the halflings dislike violence and do not keep a standing army, only keeping a trained militia to fend off monsters from the mountains.

IRON PALACE, THE
The Iron Palace is the mountainous stronghold that was built by the infamous adventurer Pelrigard the Mighty.  Pelrigard has gone down in history as being unequaled in both arms and wizardry, supposedly exceeding 20th level in both disciplines.  At its height Pelrigard’s rule extended over much of what is now the Grand Duchy and as far south as Frostfang.  He is the only ruler ever to have conquered Brokenvale.  Upon his death a century and a half ago Pelrigard spent much of his fortune in the creation of a devilish dungeon, known a Pelrigard’s Peril, that would give Pelrigard’s treasures to any who were powerful enough to be deserving of them.

The Peril was defeated several years ago y the current Iron King and his followers.  However, refusing to go on a campaign to rebuild Pelrigard’s empire, the Iron King has been content to allow his conquest of the Peril to be the crowning achievement of his career, living in a state of retirement in the Iron Palace married to Pelrigard’s daughter Meridian.  Meridian reportedly vanished several months ago, causing the Iron King great distress in wondering what trouble the daughter of Pelrigard may be causing.

The area around the Iron Palace is rich in game and is near several deposits of precious metal and gems.  The small population generally makes their living as miners and herdsmen.
 The Iron King commands a small but powerful army.  Few are willing to attack the Iron Palace directly due to the Iron King's personal prowess and that of his court wizard, Thulim Greenhat.  The King's troops have the advantage of knowing the treacherous mountains in the area extremely well – stories are told of how a few incredibly outnumbered troops defeated an invading army from the Grand Duchy by luring them into an avalanche.  The Iron King is on good terms with the King of Brokenvale and has succeeded in winning a bit of trust from the Dwarf-King as well.

MISTWATER, THE
The Mistwater is a large, deep lake near Everglory, named because of its famous thick fogs.  Formerly a great shipping lake, it has been little used since the demise of Tirna Sironel.  Ships from Silverlode still go to Everglory, but the Mistwater has become more dangerous due to the increase in the number of sea monsters.  A huge dragon turtle is said to be the greatest of these.  Great treasure is rumored to lie on the bottom of the Mistwater buried in the muck, but few have the desire or ability to compete with the sea monsters to get it.

MRAKDINAROR (KINGDOM OF THE ORCS)
Mrakdinaror is the stronghold of the Vile Rune orcs, a numerous and powerful tribe.  The orcs dwell in a system of caverns dug by a now-extinct clan of dwarves.  The current ruler of the orcs, Vile Longclaw, is amazingly intelligent, powerful, and nasty.  Under his guidance the orcs have grown to an unprecedented level of prosperity.

The orcs live mostly be gathering in the mountains and by taking what they can get by raiding.  The orcs have always been enemies of Everglory (they claim the humans took the rich valley from them) and are incessantly invading Everglory’s borderlands.  In spite of dealings with the Grand Duke, Longclaw is also known to be raiding Hyrim’s caravans as well.  The Grand Duke greatly desires to get the orcs as part of his army, but Longclaw is apparently stonewalling until he works out a deal that gives him Everglory.  Since the Grand Duke is not known for his patience, he may be just as likely to war on the orcs as ally himself with them.

The orcs have a large though inefficient fighting force.  Their strength lies in numbers and, considering the three favorite pastimes of orcs (killing, eating, and reproducing, in that order) his numbers are growing daily.  Soon (within a few years) Vile Longclaw expects to be able to make another large-scale attack on Everglory’s lands – and this time he expects to be victorious.

RENDER, THE
The Render is a narrow mountain pass that connects Frostfang to central Mirathor.  Few use this route, however, as the pass is inhabited by a wide variety of dangerous monsters and has several natural hazards.

RIVENHELM
Rivenhelm is the capital of the Grand Duchy.  A small city at first, Rivenhelm has grown rapidly into a metropolis and is now the largest city in Mirathor.  The Grand Duke has attracted a variety of artists, architects, and planners to help him put together his glorious new city.  Even now the city is magnificent, and if the Grand Duke continues to grow richer, will be more splendid still in years to come.

Most of the inhabitants are either members of the Duchy's huge governmental bureaucracy or part of the support staff for these individuals.  Merchants from all Mirathor come to Rivenhelm to trade with the Duke's well-paid governors.  The Duke is very artistically minded, constantly staging new theatrical production and musical compositions to amuse his subjects.

The city is well defended by the Grand Duke's large armies that are based here.  The Grand Duke has also created an elite group called the Silent Guard that is in charge of internal security.  Nevin Hemlock, a former Everglory assassin, is in charge of this group.

SILVERLODE
Silverlode is a medium-sized city that serves as a port between two connecting rivers and the sea.  It too has diminished in power over the years, especially after the ruin of Tirna Sironel, but still retains much of its former glory.  The city is unwalled but is surrounded by water.  Silverlode is famous for its spectacular water gardens within the city.  Silverlode had been ruled by a coalition of merchant houses since the fall of Old Mirathor but has been controlled by the Grand Duke since the Red Knight captured the city three years ago.  The Grand Duke's younger brother Milrim has since been placed in charge as Lord Protector of Silverlode.  Milrim, however, seems to care little about his position, living his life in luxury and debauchery and relying upon his administrators and his older brother to take care of all the unpleasant aspects of rulership.

Even though Silverlode is no longer a thriving port it is still a center of trade for northwestern Mirathor.  Farmers especially use the city as a location for trading produce and livestock for needed goods, giving the city a reputation for smelling like a barn (which is probably unwarranted).  Other than for a few timely “accidents” that were probably arranged by the Silent Guard, the life in the city has changed very little since its conquest.

The Grand Duke does maintain a large garrison here that is composed mainly of troops taken from the peasantry in the northern Duchy.  The local inhabitants regard their conquerors with great suspicion but both groups generally leave each other alone, establishing two separate communities that dwell in the same city.  This garrison has been increased since the Earl of Everglory has shown signs of putting together an army, preparing for a potential attack on the city next season.

SKULL PLAINS, THE
The Skull Plains are the large, arid areas in southeastern Mirathor that is marked by weird rock formations and strange weather conditions.  Findings of old ruins and artifacts here have caused sages to speculate that this area was once controlled by a civilization even older that Old Mirathor.  This area is historically a dueling ground for powerful adventurers, especially wizards.  The is where Tempest defeated Fylich the Possessor, where Pelrigard the Mighty fought his duel with the Faerie Queen, and where the Red Knight slew the Champions of Silverlode.  The Evil Party currently has a stronghold in this area.

TIRNA SIRONEL
Tirna Sironel are the ruins of the stronghold of the Grey Ones of Old Mirathor.  The city once was the greatest in the kingdom – the nine castles of the wizards still overlook the stormy seas around the Isle of Tremaine.  Adventurers have been looting the place for centuries so few obvious treasures remain; however, much of the city is actually still unexplored.  Those who have seen the city often return with tales of strange apparitions, weird ghouls, and talking statues.  Popular rumor claims that one of the Grey Ones escaped destruction and still exists in lichdom somewhere in the city, but no visitors have ever seen it – at least none that have returned to tell about it.

TREMAINE, ISLE OF
The Isle of Tremaine is an island off the west coast of Mirathor that has traditionally been ruled by the House of Tremaine.  The lower areas around the coastline are wooded, while the interior of the island is high and mountainous, marked by active volcanoes.

The largest of these volcanoes is the lair of an ancient pair of red dragons.  These dragons were in ages past under the command of the House of Tremaine – the founder of the House defeated them and, in return for their lives, forced the dragons to agree to obey the holder of the Tremani Crown forever.  This crown vanished with one of the rulers when his boat was capsized in a storm, and the dragons once again took power of the island.  The Pretender to the House crown has searched for the crown for years and it was indeed reported found somewhere in Tirna Sironel.   It soon disappeared again, however, and now the dragons have reportedly recaptured this for themselves.  Even so, the dragons cannot destroy the crown, and if anyone should stumble upon it the dragons would once again be commandable.

WAILING TOWER, THE
The Wailing Tower is located in the midst of the Dreadlands, the Wailing Tower is the ruins of the King of Old Mirathor’s palace.  It has received its name from the weird keening that can occasionally be heard for miles from the Tower.  Listening to this sound for prolonged periods is said to cause insanity.  The Dreadlands are often explored but few have ventured to go near the Tower itself, mostly because of the huge demons that are said to be bound to guard it.

WILD MOORS, THE
The Wild Moors are an area of largely deserted moorlands in the northeast corner of Mirathor.  The large population of trolls and giants has deterred most large-scale settling attempts, although a few reclusive adventurers have built strongholds here.  The most notable of these is the mercenary Raven, who has a secret fortress somewhere in the untrackable moorlands.

WIZARDSWATCH
Wizardswatch is a city built on one of the few harbors on the north coast of Mirathor that is home to the school of wizardry established by the Grand Duke.  The Grand Duke's court wizard, a Yorish mage known only as The Thane, is currently the Master Wizard of the school.  The Thane is also in charge of governing this province of the Grand Duchy.
 The city is not very spectacular other than for the great castle that is utilized by the wizards.  Most of the other inhabitants are fishermen and herdsmen who are constantly worried that the wizards will summon some sort of apocalyptic plague down upon the city.

Wizardswatch is also the base for the Grand Duchy's navy, which has caused a substantial increase in the population in recent years.  Most regard this navy as useless (there is no other sea power on this side of Mirathor), but the Grand Duke persists in training them anyway.  In addition to the navy, Wizardswatch supports large regiments of footmen and cavalry.

WYVERN MOUNTAINS, THE
The mountains north of Everglory which, as the name implies, is the location of a major wyvern breeding ground.  In addition to wyverns, these mountains are home to giants, orcs, and a large number of ogres.  A few mines have been dug in locations close to Everglory, but because of the rather unpleasant character of the place most of the riches that they hold remain untapped.

YOR, EARLDOM OF
An Earldom in name only, Yor is a country populated mainly be semi-civilized, semi-nomadic clansmen that are nominally ruled by an Earl who it situated in Yoreton Eld.  These clans are always squabbling with one another but do cooperate with each other if threatened, as seen by the humiliating defeat suffered by the Grand Duke's armies at Yorish hands in the Doomlands.

Yoreton Eld is less a seat of power for an Earl than it is a gathering place for the clansmen.  Merchants from Dumferling and Silverlode often trade arms and armor for the wool, intricate rugs, and weavings made by Yorish craftsmen.  The Brokenvale aristocracy has recently made owning Yorish tapestries a mark of status, and as such these items are in great demand there.

The Yorish do not have an organized army per se but, as status in the clan depends upon fighting ability, every adult male and most adult females are capable of using a sword and shield.  Yorish fighters are valued as bodyguards and shock troops but make poor mercenaries since they refuse to fight in any sort of organized fashion and refuse to obey any unrespected person.  Even though lack of organization may seem a weakness, the Grand Duke will attest to the competence of Yorish warriors in the field.