In the underbelly of the Danoshorvas continent, between the Horn of Gersaan
to the East and Ieshali to the West lie many tracts of rustic and rugged
lands primeval and wild. These lands are called simply the Vold by the
Humans that inhabit this expanse, the Machtig.
MAGIC
The Machtig have a diverse range of magical traditions.
The Druids weild powerful magics rooted in the natural world, and the
turning of the stars and ages. They create mysterious stone monoliths and
circles to focus their power and further weild absolute spiritual authority
among the Machtig. They use the
Derwydd Magic System.
The Skalds know many things including the secrets of Skaldingkraft, a subtle
but influential form of magic that excels at manipulating the morale of
others. They use the
Sortilege Magic System (Spontaneous variant).
The Obermancers are masters of the very Elements and weild awe inspiring
powers over the building blocks of the material world. They use the
Elementalism Magic System (Spontaneous variant).
The Runecrafters learned the way of the Runes from Varic allies long ago and
excel at carving, engraving, and tattooing them upon things for impressive
effect. They use the
Runecrafting Magic System.
The Aelf-bludded have some Haelfinan blood in them that grants a powerful
legacy in the form of magical Gifts and can be quite potent. They use the
Aeldenaren Magic System (Extended variant).
HISTORY
The Vold has been home to many peoples over the millennia, but most recently
the Kor and the Machtig. For more information consult the
History of the Kor and the
History of the Machtig.
MODERN DAY
The Vold is firmly controlled by the powerful and diverse Great Clans of the
Machtig. For more information regarding the Vold in the Modern Day, cosult
the
Machtig Clans documents.
COINAGE
The Wundvolding Clan of the Machtig mint their own coins, which were
originally modeled after the Varic standard but diverged over centuries. In
the modern era there are three coins in circulation:
Gildennze (GILD-en-OONZE): Usually shortened to Gilden in
everyday speech, this gold coin is a little larger and heavier than the
Varic standard; every four Gilden are worth five Varic Aurs (1:1.25 gp).
Gilden are stamped with a mountain on one side and a hammer on the other;
and thus are called Mauls in the slang of the Great Trade Route.
Silbennze (SILL-ben-OONZE): Usually shortened to Silben in
everyday speech, this silver coing is twice as large and is worth exactly
two Varic Arians (1:2 sp). Silben are stamped with a mountain on one side
and a round Machtig style shield on the other; and thus are called
Bucklers in the slang of the Great Trade Route.
Eizennze (EYE-zen-OONZE): Usually shortened to Eizen in
everyday speech, this coin is a copper-iron alloy that makes for a
curiously reddish color; six of them are roughly worth one Varic Arian (6:1 sp),
but they are not accepted too far away from the Vold as few know what to
make of them. Eizen have a mountain on one side and a pick on the other;
they are called Blooddrops in the slang of the Great Trade Route due to
their color.
LAND FEATURES
The Vold is a rugged and harsh land of great beauty but also great danger.
Primarily composed of bluff rolling highlands shrouded beneath dense and
ancient forests, it is effectively a subcontinent, ringed in by a natural
arc of rugged and rocky mountains and crisscrossed with streams and rivers
that have carved lush and fertile valleys over millennium and form a great
freshwater lake before spilling
into the southern oceans.
The highlands between the central cropland and the moutains are heavily
forested, providing a selection of different types of wood. The coastline is
relatively harsh and is very rugged, but there are numerous natural harbors
ideal for medium to low drafts, and a couple of deep harbors that can take
larger keels. Fishing is good in the rivers, the large lake, and off the
coastline.
The mountains are rugged enough to provide useful natural defense, but a
couple of natural passes and river courses are navigable. The mountains are
resource rich, and numerous mines have provided well-husbanded resources for
the Machtig, particularly in the Wundvolding Clanhold.
BODIES OF WATER
LAKE PARGO: This large and deep freshwater lake is home to many fish
and provides a good deal of sustenance to the fishermen of the Pargori clan
that live along its edges.
VANDOLOR: This large and stately river flows through the Vold from
far to the northwest, through the lands of the Wundvolding, Jagrling,
Ulthferen, and Pargori before flowing into Lake Pargo.
A fair amount of trade enters and leaves the Vold via this river, and it has
become a creditable trade route in the last sixty years. Many Kor attempts
at retaking the Vold have tried to use the Vandalor as their entry points
since it provides one of the two easiest means of ingress into the Vold.
ORDECAR: This fast moving and flood-prone river races into the Vold
from the north and east, and has carved a great pass directly through the
Wundvolding mountains. It's course has changed a few times over the many
millennia as well, leaving courses throughout the area that sometimes become
flash flooded when the Ordecar overruns.
In seasons when it is navigable it provides a means of trade through the
lands of the Herodi before rushing into Lake Pargo, but most find it safer
and preferable to trade via land along the broad pass running the length of
the river. There isnt an actual man made road here, but the dry river
courses make for a natural passage.
A couple of Kor and Undari invasion attempts have tried to use the pass to
enter the Vold, but it is extremely well defended with Herodi fortresses,
and the attempts provided to be ill-advised.
VANDOLFELSIG: A small tributary of the Vandolor, this river runs
through Jagrling lands, forms part of the border between the Huarthmunn and
Pargori lands, and finally empties into Lake Pargo north of Fallenheim.
During some parts of the year Jagrling loggers and carvers move lumber and
worked wood products down the river for trade in Fallenheim.
LAGERBREK: A middling sized river flowing through the lands of the
Ulthferen into Lake Pargo. It originates somewhere deep beneath the
mountains, and also occassionaly becomes flooded by winter run off from the
mountains. A small amount of trade moves along it, but most people prefer to
avoid the lands of the Ulthferen.
ORDEFELSIG: A small tributary of the Ordecar, this short river is
even faster than its parent and very few vessels will risk its length.
GUNNARSVIK: A decent sized river running down from the eastern
mountains of the Vold, it too is of subterranean origin. It is a generally
safe and easily navigated river save for when it runs high from run off or
heavy rains. Many settlements in the Herodi, Huarthmunn, and Hengsting
Clanholds rely upon it for their general livelihood. Accordingly much trade moves
along its length in both directions, and two important roads parrallel its
length for at least part of their way.
UNIEN: This large moderately quick river drains from the south end of
Lake Pargo and makes for the coast in a basically straight southwesterly
course to empty into the Sea of Osloanda. It connects three of the most
important Machtig settlements: Fallenheim, Dunn Betreiben, and Hafenstadt.
Particularly vital is the stretch between Fallenheim and Dunn Betreiben, and
so many Pargori merchants move up and down it either via boat or along the
road that parrallels it that many call that stretch the Pargori River and
this is a generally understood reference throughout most of the Vold, though
it is truly part of the Unien River.
UNFELSIG: A very short and unimportant tributary of the Unien, its
main claim to recognition is that it acts as a natural funnel for excess
flow, helping to prevent the Unien from flooding badly when the water is
high. It also acts as sufficient barrier to land navigation that the fastest
way to Hafenstadt from the west is by boat; otherwise a detour up to
Beulhalle to portage across is necessary.
WOODLANDS
VOLDWALD: A massive forest, its borders are essentially the same as
the Clanholds of the Faendradi, Jagrling, and Ulthferen, with a little bit
of spill off into the western-most Herodi lands. Traditionally home to many
small groups of Ungheur these forests are not perfectly safe, but certain
well populated and traveled areas are reasonably secure.
In addition to three of the nine Clans drawing a good deal of their
livelihood from the forest, some Jagrling settlements are skilled loggers,
carpenters, bowyers, fletchers, and other workers of wood and some beautiful
pieces of furniture and other fine products originate from them.
SWARZWALD: A dark forest that lies entirely within the Herodi
Clanhold, this was once part of the greater Voldwald but was seperated
long before the Machtig came to these lands by a great fire. Traditionally
the home of many Ungheuer, the Herodi long ago hunted them to a controllable
state. Most areas of the forest are now completely tamed, but a few pockets
of various Ungheuer can still be found in its more remote expanses.
ROADWAYS
Roads are relatively scarce for such a large area, but are sufficient to
meet the typical needs of those who must travel the Vold's expanses.
SHIDAALWEG: This is by far the largest and most traveled single road
within the Vold. Roughly 750 miles long, it connects the Huarthmunn capital
of Dunn Betreibenn to far off Shidaal, where it also latches on to the end
of the Great Northern Trade Route that originates in Daelanthanor far to the
north. From Dunn Betreibenn the road turns north and ends at the Pargori
capital of Fallenheim, the center of trade for the Machtig.
The Wundvolding call the portion of it that runs through their lands
Steinweg, which means Stone road, but everyone else calls even this portion
of it Shidaalweg.
CAER SVATO to CAER ALUNBRENNER: Not specifically named, an important
road runs across the spine of mountains, through valleys, passes both
natural and man made, and even a few tunnels the length of the western arc
of the Wundvolding mountains, ending in the Herodi fortress of Alunbrenner.
There is also a tunnel running under the Ordecar river that allows one to
easily connect up with the road starting in Caer Verdton on the other side
of the river.
It also has offshoots that allow linkages with the Great Northern
Trade Route via Caer Vaclice and Caer Ungorhaus. This passage way is
crucially important and is well protected by the Wundvolding Huscarl, the
Steinwach.
CAER VERDTON to FALLENHEIM: Not specifically named, there is a series
of roads connecting Herodi settlements that eventually loop back into the
Vold proper and connect with both Hengsting and Huarthmunn settlements
before finally ending at Fallenheim via a couple of forks.
A good deal of inter and intra Clan trade uses this road network, but few
non-slave outsiders have ever trod it's traces.
CAER DIRKLOF to DUNN REITSTALL: Though there is no actual road, a
broad natural passage carved by the Ordecar river allows easy foot
transportation from Caer Dirkloff in the north to the Hengsting capital Dunn
Reitstall in the south, passing through the Herodi capital of Caer Coinig
along the way. A good deal of trade passes along this route, which is
sporadically patrolled by the Herodi Huscarl.
SOCIETY
The Machtig have relatively few professional armsmen (Huscarl), but almost
fifty percent of their population is comprised of trained warriors making
them a force to be reckoned with when they go on the war path.
Each of the Nine Clans has its own capital, which they call a Laird seat.
Whenever an Oberlaird rules no longer the Lairds of the Nine Great Clans
congregate and vote for one of their number to ascend to be the new
Oberlaird, and that person so voted is both the Laird of their own Clan and
the Oberlaird of all the Clans thereafter. They rule from their own capital;
thus as the current Oberlaird is a Pargori the effective capital of the Vold
is the Pargori capital but it may change the next time an Oberlaird ascends.
Fallenheim is a relatively attractive small city built on the southern end
of a large lake and is in two halves. It is a trade center for the Machtig
and some merchants from beyond the Vold, and is a very lucrative and
pleasant place to live.
The city is in two halves, split by the Unien River. The half on the left
bank is the older part of the steading and is called Upper Fallenheim. It
has all of the culturally and politically important assets of the city,
while the newer half is called Lower Fallenheim.
Most of the practical work, such as working docks, warehouses, and trade
processing facilities, have been moved to Lower Fallenheim over the years,
leaving Upper Fallenheim as a sort of high-rent neighborhood for the wealthy
and influential and older families that been in the city for a long time.
However a good amount of trade still makes its way into Upper Fallenheim
before being ported across the river thanks to the Shidaalweg ending at the
gates on the left side of the river. A large trade market exists essentially
permanently and bustles with trade, though the individuals currently manning
the stalls vary widely.
A surprising amount of swag makes its way to Fallenheim, including copious
amount of loot and plunder traded to the Pargori by the Herodi and
Raevoring. Between the The Kauffenkwad (COUGH-in-KWOD, literally "Merchant's
Square") in Lower Fallenheim and the Geschftar (geh-SHOVT-tar,
literally "Trade Fair") outside Upper Fallenheim's southern gate a person
could find just about anything for sale aside from certain things that the
Machtig don't countenance such as drugs and slaves.
Upper Fallenheim is walled, but Lower Fallenheim is not. The Laird Hall of
Fallenheim rests on a hill that gives it a commanding view of the entire
area, particularly the Lake.
Kaenha Kennering is a wily and capable ruler that has brought numerous trade
agreements into being while managing to rein in the more fractious Clans. He
is likely to hold power for at least another decade.
