A Primer on the Kingdom of Martel

Below is a primer on the Kingdom of Martel, one of the most prominent provinces in the Eracian Empire, divided by duchy and broken down by points of interest.

1. Nescaux-Loire: The most mountainous region of Martel, this duchy is a mountain pass away from Eracia and has long enjoyed not only trading with the empire’s homeland, but also in controlling trade to Eracia.

1. Mt. Nescaux - visible from many miles away, this southern terminus of the Capricus Mountains is famous around the world. The weather here is as unpredictable as the scenery is beautiful, and while many rich and famous people have built villas on and below the mountain, these chateaux are nearly castles, built to withstand the most violent of storms.
2. Sausanne - A hemmed-in port town of faded prominence, this once-great city is still impressive in its own right, and its people are linked culturally and socially to Eracia. The Martelan branch of the Bardic College is located here. The city was an ally of Phillip the Third’s during his succession crisis, and as a result he has favored them with many gifts and economic stimulation.
3. Loire - Ducal capital of Nescaux-Loire, though rarely home to its line of Dukes, who have long preferred the solitude of the countryside. Loire is an important wine, cheese, and crops hub, and is a stop along the road from Eracia to Marnes. The city itself is in a semi-arid valley that’s supplied water from the Sess and Altiru rivers via aqueducts that predate the establishment of Eracia by hundreds of years.
4. Monde Hills - a semi-arid wilderness, this area has been experiencing problems with monsters lately, which has posed a problem for the vineyards nearby.
5. Brittanwood - ancient site of folklore, limber, and of course conflict with the Hillfolk and later the Tintagelans. There is a famous battlefield deep in the woods where the Boar King of the southern Hillfolk once failed to invade Martel.

2. DuBlanc: The least populated and wildest duchy of Martel, this land has ties to Brecon that go back thousands of years.

1. Ft. Luna - established centuries ago on the site of an old lycanthrope settlement, Luna has seen a resurgence of werefolk over the last few months emerging from the Brittanwood, rather than their usual infestation of bandits.
2. DuBlanc Vineyards - new Fiannan clients have given DuBlanc, once the least prestigious vineyard in the province, a new lease on life, and have drawn a lot of strangers to the region - not all of them savory.
3. Chauvret - Small by Martelan standards, this old and slightly derelict city is on the rise again with the changes taking place in the Empire.
4. Vertrand Hills - A long, peaceful border with Brecon, but a good place for people to hide.
5. DuBlanc Highlands - Verdant but rugged, this region has many caverns and constantly struggles with monsters.
6. Durand Barrens - A mysterious, monster-infested region where archaeologists have begun uncovering remnants of a civilization of giants and their kin.

3. Laurent: This region is vast, profitable, and dull, though its capital is an important trade and cultural center.

1. River Loup - Laurent’s western border, it flows into the Seil d’Ronde and there are many fishing towns along it - there are also many bandits living around the river’s rocky shores.
2. Weirland Hills - Under the view of Ft. Luna, these hills have remained peaceful, but recently strange troubles with lycanthropes and extraplanar interlopers have become increasingly common.
3. River Durand - an important trade route for agricultural products. Most crops from Laurent’s interior are shipped to the coast via this river.
4. Laurent - Home to a prestigious university, Laurent lost clout recently but its school has been gaining students from families who don’t want to send their children for educations in “disloyal” provinces, such as Emilia.

4. Leque: This duchy’s odd shape speaks of its martial past, when the warlords of Leque conquered portions of Laurent and Mercoeur in order to control shipping and gain a border with Marnes. This province is the greatest source of skilled soldiers in the Martelan army, and its cavaliers are famous across the continent.

1. Martyrwood - This forest straddles 3 duchies, but the majority of the industry and hunting that takes place in it happens in the eastern quarter. A famous hunting ground favored by Philip the Third is located here, and it’s also the source of some of the continent’s best hardwood for the production of furniture.
2. Rondel River - This river flows past the Martyrwood after the Durand empties into it, and is used to ship numerous goods from Laurent and the farms of northern Leque. River pirates flourish here despite centuries of attempting to control them.
3. Leque - Architectural and culinary jewel of the eastern coast, but also a home for unsightly and rough shipping facilities, Leque is a place with a diversity of influences, and nearly every culture in the world can be found here.
4. Dunon - a large city in western Leque, it’s a place for the well-to-do from all around the province to come and play. There are many chateaux in and around its gentle hills. It overlooks the most beautiful part of the Martyrwood.
5. Ft. Matti - a border fort with Brecon, and a vital point for the distribution of military supplies and the movement of troops both by land and by sea.
6. Ambreaux - Thanks to the multitude of limestone caves in the Ambre Heights, Ambreaux has become one of the prime cheese producing cities in the world. Caravans ship the product to Ft. Matti, Laurent, and Marnes, but it has been consumed all over the world since before the fall of Aster Isle.

5. Mercoeur: This vast duchy was once its own kingdom and fought against Pezane for centuries to gain favor with Asterian traders before the destruction of that isle. Mercoeur has only been a part of Martel for 1100 years, and its leaders are still referred to as princes and princesses, rather than dukes. This land has an ancient culture of its own, but is an important part of Martel.

1. Mercouer - An ancient city founded on the basis of trade with Aster Isle, and an important ally of the Asterians on the continent. There is a gate outside this city showing a battle between Mercoeur and Pezane, halfling troops fighting alongside the Mercoueri to sack the city of canals long before Emilia was founded. This city’s people are connoisseurs of food and entertainment, and there are many theaters here, some of them featuring drama from across the sea.
2. Lake Lamoux and Lamoun - Lamoun is the gateway to the beautiful Lake Lamoux, a beautiful lake in Mercouer’s northern plateau. Though it’s a popular destination, there is a military presence in Lamoun due to the occasional uprising of aquatic monsters who live beneath the lake’s limpid surface.
3. Mont LaMere - a newly booming fishing town brought to prominence by the Elven War, this town is mired in corruption.
4. Cote-coteau - A vast strip of coastland south of Mercoeur, this area is full of hidden coves and dangerous cliffs. It’s a haven for pirates, and a graveyard for ships.
5. Lympia and the Golden Coast - An early colony of Eracia after its expansion began around 1050 years ago, Lympia was founded in territory that Mercouer and Marnes has fought over for centuries. To this day, the area’s culture is a mix of Martelan and Eracian. Now that wars between cities here are mostly a thing of the past, this has become a financial center and a home away from home for the rich and powerful.

6. Marnes: The center of Martel, and the center of Martelan life. What was once a tiny duchy forced to cleverness to defend itself from its larger neighbors, Marnes rose to prominence nearly 1500 years ago and conquered, by marriage, trade, and war, most of the rest of the peninsula, with Mercouer falling under its influence later.

1. Marnes - The capital and by far largest city of the province, and the fourth largest city on the continent. There are many ancient and beautiful buildings and monuments here. Recently, many of those afflicted with slavery to the Spire - an evil curse devised by the Cult of Neren who secretly instigated the Elven War - returned to the city, and are having a difficult time living normal lives. Though the city’s infrastructure is well-kept, and the slums here are much more well-organized than those in any of the other large cities in the Empire, there are still many poor living inside the walls of Marnes.
2. Sabele Vineyards - Perhaps the most famous vineyard in Martel, the lands here are owned and operated by the crown, and the revenue from their high-quality wines has filled the royal coffers for longer than anyone can remember.
3. Pt. Les - Two days’ ride from Marnes is the city’s primary seaport. Built to prevent Lympia from taxing all of Marnes’ exports, the city remains small but busy.

A Survey of Cities: Taurinum

The city of Taurinum, located in the western foothills of the Capricus Mountains, was established in -3 ER. Its founding represents a black mark on Eracian history.

Eracian expedition forces were searching for a place to build a fortress that was relatively unassuming, as they were nervous about the Martelli crossing the mountains into their territory. While looking for a place to build, they discovered silver and copper deposits, and set about building a fortress. They were confronted by a local tribe with a strong religious culture tied to totemic bull worship, who they called the Taurinii (Tor-in-ee-eye), per the usual Asterian tribal naming convention. The Eracian legion, rather than relocate their fort, exterminated the small tribe, and completed their fortifications.

The Martelii never attacked Eracia, and as a matter of fact it was only 7 years after that that a formal alliance was wrought between Eracia, Martel, the Hillfolk Tribes, and the coastal cities of what is now Cordon. At this time, the fortress at Taurinum was ceremonially dismantled, and although there are occasional monster threats (such as a black dragon attack in 192, and a devastating gnoll raid in 410), the city remains, like most in the area, without a wall or significant fortifications.

Since the city's establishment, silver and copper veins have been continually mined in the area. It also happens there was a very good reason the ancient tribe here worshiped bull totems--cattle thrive in this area, and it has become a center for raising premium meat and for curing it in various ways. Salami Taurini, for instance, is a moderately popular variety of meat as far away as Brecon and even the Capital.

Culturally, Taurinum has always been a home for the theater, and a large ampitheater named The Horns has been located near the city center since the year of its establishment. Troupes from all around make a point of stopping in Taurinum on their way between larger cities, and there is an annual drama competition here which has produced many famous actors and playwrights.
--From A Survey of the Outlying Cities of Eracia, by Estimia Laceva

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