Esker

It is the year 498 of the Fourth Age, and the world has never been more fragile… The kingdoms of Tseragarde bicker with one another over who is the rightful successor kingdom to the rulership of times past. The accords that were made only 30 years ago to defend the continent during the last Virothi invasion are already buckling under the weight of intrigues from all angles. Lord Chiron, the lord of House Sardou and King of Mereth, seems to be one of the few forces keeping the peace. He has made massive efforts to bring the other lands to his table in Martiné to talk of order, even recognizing some of the beastfolk tribes of the Isles and inviting them. At his antithesis is the King of Cerano, Hydraam Blackbard. Only threats of war have been received from his envoys, spouting about fabricated wrongdoings by all other parties. It is unknown what has spurred on his increased aggressiveness. Some point to his general greed while others claim that the influence of the nascent Cult of Stars in the Cerano priesthood is the cause. The last of the kings, the current holder of the old city of Tseragarde and king of Tarasath, Thorwald Goethe, sits in the old palace, watching and waiting to see what comes of the others. But his view only extends outward, with problems rising across the southern forests, with rumors abound of fell beasts wiping villages out of existence. The last powers in the island stand with the republics, ruled by the few for the many as the patriarchs liken to say. The merchants of Andisium, the city formed by the citizens of the Tseragarde who escaped from the many sackings of the city to the nearby barrier islands, continue to find new ventures across the Southern Isles. Colonies dot the thousands of pockets of land, with all manner of goods returning to the great city despite the many dangers. But with great wealth, comes the ire of the greedy, and the kingdoms look on to the rising wealth with caution and envy. Such is the same with the many minor republican city states of the North Coast, who often join together for extraregional affairs, and have been on the receiving end of their own threats from Cerano. Raiders from the Great Ice Floes also hunger for the wealth that flows into the many ports, hunting especially after that of Stilltide, one of the northernmost and the most militant of the cities in hunting down any who would disrupt the region. In the Southern Isles, pirates reign of much of The Crones, destroying any sort of stability in the region and reaving whatever they can get their hands on. Even once the forces of civilization have abandoned the area, the various crews wage raids on one another for loot. Any who enter the region are often under threat of being pressganged into service by a pirate lord, a fate some think to be worse then death. This has been the situation in the region for many years, but one pirate lord above all is rumored to be bringing the many captains under his one banner, a terrifying prospect to any. The only semblance of order in the region lies with the city of Amares, the sole large colony of Andisium that hasn’t been put to the torch. The more settled Maiden Islands have remained largely out of reach of the roaming pirate forces thanks to the large navy on retainer for many of the colonies. The city of Opan is an especially prosperous, and is often considered the capital of the region. This is largely due to it serving as the last port of call between the many islands and the Virothi Empire, allowing trade by any sensible folk to pass through. But the trade in the region has become less frequent lately and hard times have fallen on some of the smaller folk of the Maidens, leading to some smaller towns openly requesting aid from the nearby seafolk, whether for good or ill. And all the while, the Empire sits...and it waits…