Kabout-Ral
Whereas Moeras chose death and Virthal chose subjugation, Kabout-Ral chose violence. The nation of explorers and settlers, dinosaur tamers and refugees have fought viciously for their adopted homeland for decades even in the wake of overwhelming adversity. The cities of Boda and Bekou, the first in the nation, have fallen to the sundering waves of the great leviathan. Fort Estriel is little more than a smoldering tower. The ground around Agalta itself was torn asunder by the Kraken's wrath, and yet Kabout-Ral remains defiant. The people of the nation have fled north, away from the coastline, hidden between the shadow of four active volcanos. So far the Kraken has not pursued them. Instead, the settlers of Kabout-Ral must contend against tribes of Lizardfolk to the west, and Virthalian militias to the east, who would like nothing more than to bring the rebellions territory back into the embrace of empire.
The land of Kabout-Ral is far older than any of the cities or towns within. Once it was said to be the homeland of fire giants, and cloud giants before them. In the age of heroes, ancient settlers of Kabout-Ral fought against the Ghostfire March, when the ancient fire warriors came down from Mt. Zarana to enslave the souls of the world in flame. Local myth suggests that the Ghostfire exists still within those mountain vaults, buried in places unknown even to the ancient Duergar and Fire Giants of the mountain passes.
Each of Kabout-Ral's volcanoes is home to ancient subterranean structures built by ancient peoples, be it derro, duergar, fire giants or even hobgoblins. The last of these is actually what first drove the empire of Moeras here to begin with, and caused the first Hobgoblins to settle in the region. Since the downfall of Moeras, the goblinoid races have fared better here than in other settlements of the old empire, as stigma against them is not as prevalent as in places where goblins once ruled more forcefully. There are simply too many larger concerns for racial prejudice to take priority, and Moerasian control of the region was always slippery to begin with.
Firebrands have significant power bases within the region, funded by the Hurricane King, and supported by the populace to combat the Kraken's forces. Beyond them, both the Pathfinder Society and Aspis Consortium have a base of power in Esmir, exploring the cloud giant ruins there, as well as the Fireshriek Mountain Range.
Kabout-Ral has no traditional form of government, with individual cities and towns governing their own affairs. The violence and chaos in Kabout-Ral ensures that there is little in the way of interconnectivity between these settlements, other than the Caudemar Couriers, a group of Dinosaur riding messengers based out of Sacao delivering messages to individual settlements, as well as providing supplies and information to individual firebrands within the area.
The Primary races of Kabout-Ral are Goblinoids, Humans, Lizardfolk, Water Genasi, Merfolk, Fire Genasi, Goliaths, and Duergar. Common monsters in the area include giants of all types, fire elementals, wild dinosaurs, undead, wild incursions from the plane of water, and primordial beings.
Assets
Mining of volcanic materials is common in Kabout Ral, as is the refining of obsidian, native to the volcanic mountain ranges. Dinosaur leathers are common in the design of weapons and armor, and their meat is eaten in many smaller villages.
Much of Kabout-Ral's resources come from unexplored ruins, adventurers, explorers, pathfinders and consortium members are deeply competitive over the race for resources. From outside of the territory, many guns from Bartsama and the Broken Spine have come into Kabout-Ral, to compliment the niter found within the Fireshriek Mountains.
Territories
Aparcus: A solitary monastery devoted to the worship of Senwanya, settled by civilized lizardfolk from Veles-Wrede looking to ponder the mysteries of the faithful. The lizardfolk are thoughtful, courteous, and willing to engage in spirited debate, but in the lawless land of Kabout-Ral, there are few with the time or energy to do so.
Auvia: The border town is known for a series of duels that broke out there 30 years ago between agents of the aspis consortium and pathfinder society. The resulting dead are buried in the hills nearby, and the town has attempted to profit off of a policy of "there are no laws in Auvia" ever since. Everyone in the city is armed, dinosaurs guard key shops, and anarchy reigns.
Batalu: The final border town near Mt. Kodemai is used primarily for resupply before any serious raiding into the mountain range. Homes are constantly rebuilt, fires are constantly extinguished, and between it all the cities shops have quietly become some of the best magical item traders in the region.
Berou: The city of Berou was sunk beneath the Kraken's grasp early on during the destruction of Moeras. While the waves have since receded, the area remains abandoned. Hidden depots of Hobgoblin treasures likely remain in the city, along with numerous arcane wards set up to protect them, and the haunted remains of the nearby beach.
Esmir: Built from the ruins of a fallen cloud giant city, Esmir is the closest Kabout-Ral has to true civilization. Pathfinders, Aspis Consortium Members, and numerous guilds and mercenary companies via for power in the city and cooperate towards its defense. The Firebrands serve here openly, acting as a unifying authority for the otherwise ambitious, greedy, and cutthroat factions.
Fort Ceregue: With the absence of a true military authority from Moeras, this once great fortress has come under the control of a ragtag militia and petty banditry operation claiming loyalty to the "true people of Kabout-Ral." The True Bandoliers as they call themselves spend much of their time fighting Lizardfolk (provoked or unprovoked), raiding territories for "supplies", and otherwise patrolling their area of control. The Bandoliers have responded to desperate threats in the past, and even aided against the Virthalian invasion, but their reliability is suspect and they are just as likely to raid potential allies as fight certain enemies.
Fort Estriel: The once hobgoblin bastion was destroyed utterly when Mt. Kodemai erupted, and now little more than a smoldering ruin remains.
Fort Suma: The Sihirian Sorcerer Gavalar has taken control of Fort Suma, using it for personal experiments while keeping nearly Lizardfolk away from the area. The rumors that many of the people Gavalar captures are taken into his quarters to be experimented upon has only caused more people from all sides to avoid the fortress, on the strange abominations that now guard it's walls.
Lake Cougui: Myth tells that the Beast of the Land once slept upon Lake Cougui, and from its slumber emerged the bounty of the land and the abundance of the sea. The lake is teeming with life, and is relatively safe to cross from one end to the other. Unfortunately, this fact has led to highwaymen to patrol the waves as well looking to collect "taxation" for the use of the waterways.
Mt. Caudemar: The most active volcano on Mana Jalqabaa is famous for being the resting place of Cuetzmonquali, the Fire Shrieker. The mountains of the region are named for the regal behemoth, and they are considered to be one of the true offspring of the Beast of the Land. If his remains are truly at the Volcano's heart, then it is likely that the Spear of the Destroyer's Flame is as well, and with it, the power to summon a legion of fire. Attempts to verify any of this have been unsuccessful, as Mt. Caudemar's current overlord, the Ancient Magma Dragon Po-Ah Natadu has claimed the mountain as his own, or perhaps it always was.
Mt. Kodemai: Mt. Kodemai erupted 20 years ago, spreading volcanic soil and utterly ruining the forest of Agalta. The volcano remains active, and attempts to explore it have proven unsuccessful. Not helping matters are the seemingly endless legions of fire elementals and brass golems guarding something within the volcano's core.
Mt. Nanos: In the age of wonder, Mt. Nanos was occupied by a Dwarven race untainted by Duargar hatred or the downfall of the four stags. Now in the present day, efforts are underway to unearth the ancient dwarven Thaigs beneath the volcano and locate the mythical "sphere of the sun" spoken of in dwarf scripture.
Mt. Zarana: Fire Giants once held dominion from this spot, and even thousands of years after the apex of their empire, the remnants of their terrible rage still guard the Eternal Forge, and perhaps the last resting place of the Ghostfire.
Poda: The first city settled by Moeras at its zenith has fallen beneath the waves, and been utterly ruined. Even with the waters draining, all that remains of Poda are broken buildings, broken dreams, and broken magics. The magical academy of Moeras within the cities magics have gone completely haywire, making the area abundant with wild and dangerous magic. The inability to cast spells properly within the region makes exploration difficult, and few desire to do so.
Sacao: Sacao is famous for monuments to the heroes of the Ghostfire March, and little else. The once historically significant town now serves as little more than a tributary of the great magma dragon Po-Ah Natadu, who has taken the town under his protection, and ordered it's residents to pay him tribute, and mind the waters for the Krakens approach. The people, truly terrified, have done both.
Soleguae: The town on the edge of the Sunspear desert is known for pistols, rifles, blunderbuss', arquebus’ and just about every other type of firearm available. The seat of the firebrands within the region, the remote location was chosen to supply the people of Kabout-Ral in peace with little fear of reprisal from the Kraken's forces. Nearby sources of Niter have dried up however, forcing the firebrands to move deeper and deeper into the desert to resupply, and to increasingly dangerous territory.
The Agalta Divide: At this spot 20 years ago was perhaps the greatest military engagement on the continent in the previous century. A large Virthalian force, led by the Kraken's servants attempted to cross into Kabout-Ral and subjugate the populace, supported by tidal waves from the south. A crazed expedition led by the pathfinder society of Esmir triggered a massive eruption, and Virthalian Rangers detonated massive explosions that drove the army into panic. The result is the Agalta Divide, separating Virthal from Kabout-Ral and sending thousands of Virthalian and Kaboutian soldiers tumbling to their deaths in the pits below. Fire has since erupted from the divide, and whatever treasure or supplies held by soldiers and Kraken officers are stuck within the pits of hell themselves.
The Ignis Forest: Some of the worst atrocities in the Ghostfire March took place within this forest range, and in the centuries since the forest has regrown, much of the echoing terror seems to have manifested in the ground itself. The trees are known to spark and combust suddenly and without explanation, and the species of dinosaur who call the forest home are said to have the ability to breath fire, in addition to their other deadly qualities.
The Ouatou River: A connecting river to the Great River Runway. The river is rarely utilized not because of incredible danger, but out of a lack of desire to pass through one of the deadliest mountain ranges on Celasper to reach uncivilized jungles.
The Ravaged Forest of Agalta: The remains of the Agaltan forest are haunted by more than just ghosts and zombies. Flameskulls, giant skeletons, the Ghostfire remains of a thousand battles haunt the wood, making the area best avoided by all but the bravest travelers.
The Screaming Wood: Known for the screamers, a sentient set of raptors who call the forest home, using shrieks and cries to trick would-be hunters and isolate them for slaughter. Rumors tell of an ancient druidic grove deep within the wood that is granting the dinosaurs sentience, but such rumors have been dismissed by the Pathfinder Society as nonsensical.
The Sunspear Desert: Legend says the desert was formed when the fire-demigod Ah Pook descended from the city of brass and declared his desire to hunt the Beast of the Land. Finding it already gone, he settled instead for the souls of a thousand victims, and a thousand more to satiate his made desire. The result became the first Ghostfire March, and the desert has remained scorched ever since. Despite the normal monsters of the desert, large depots of Niter can be found within the hillsides, make the area extremely valuable to mine.
Turrito: The tiny border village is known primarily for lake access and ferryman services to Esmir and little else. That the best sharpshooter in the region has settled in Turrito is a closely guarded secret, as the retired adventurer now simply wishes to live in peace.
Zamona: A tiny border village sitting against lake Cougui, containing an inn, a winery, and little else.
Capital
Power Structure
Semi-autonomous area
Economic System
Barter system
Parent Organization
Neighboring Nations
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