Harmonias is a newly liberated province of the Divine Empire that has been subjugated by humanoids for over thirty years. It was freed by the forces of the Duchess of Everwatch and her allies but prior to that had a much troubled and violent history. Today it is still recovering with much of the land in ruins, the inhabitants impoverished and small bands of hunted humanoids still roaming. Efforts are being made to re-establish order, to protect and nurture the populace while hunting the humanoid remnants but it is expected to be a slow process. Harmonias is rich in a rare enchanted ore called Reliquum that greatly aids in the creation of magical items. The province has large fields of the mineral that can be profitably mined with minimal investment but the presence of large hordes of humanoids had always prohibited this. With the liberation these large ore fields, located near Harmonias city and Eastward Bay, are being developed with haste.
Harmonias was the main humanoid state in Western Warlderia before the Higher Wars. It had a prosperous if savage existence up to the time of Kaegor and his Liberation War when he sent Lord Bravlin to conquer the land driving the orcs and their ilk deep underground. House Bravlin ruled the wealthy province of Harmonias through the mad Emperor period up until 329 I.Y. when a horde of creatures from the underdark poured forth overwhelming the province and its people. At this time the Old Empire launched an assault on the island province of Ipranius which diverted both attention and resources from the reconquest of Harmonas. The Duchy of Everwatch to the north established a border with ‘Fallen Harmonias’ and matters settled down in to a long stalemate.
Recent History
In early 360 I.Y. , 32 years later, the Harmonias humanoids sacked Castle Everwatch and looked set to overrun the whole northern duchy. Under the leadership of Duchess Katalin the humanoid host was shattered and driven back in to its own lands in a dramatic reversal of fate. The Council of Chieftains that had ruled splintered and dissent spread. Several attacks by the Duchy and her allies drove the humanoids back in to Harmonias and border lands were lost to the humans. Any semblance of humanoid co-operation ended and in-fighting broke out. The only favourable result for the humanoids was when the 4th Divine Legion was driven away at the 1st Batle of Shag'ra and the last remaining heir of the Bravlin line, Lady Arabella Mauberry, was captured. She was taken to the City of Galgortha, Harmonias the old provincial captial, which was controlled by the Uthabar Orog Tribe and their eastern human mercenary allies; these human allies were acolytes of the God Hextor, a deity of war, conflict and tyranny. To end the war they offered to elect a hero as their High King by marrying Lady Arabella and jointly ruling from Golgortha. . Though both Sadhaka Hakesh and Sir Wulfram Amali, who had not yet married Duchess Katalin, volunteered to wed Arabella it was the monk Quellin who took the High King mantle. Quellin and Arabella wed and were crowned as rulers gaining control of northern Harmonias and the Humanoid horde. Lady Arabella was a beauty skilled in the magical arts while Quellin was a wandering monk from a very brutal background; they made an unusual couple. They appointed several advisors including Sir Tristram, the leader of the Hextorian acolytes, before ordering the humanoid army south to subdue the orcs, goblins and gnolls that refused to accept their rule.
With the humanoid horde safely heading south, High King Quellin acted at home in the City of Galgortha. The next day Sir Tristram and his Hextor worshipping followers turned on all the remaining humanoids in Galgortha. Anyone of any humanoid blood was killed, the bulk of which were females and children. Thousands were hunted down and slaughtered with some half-bloods even fleeing north and east to Everwatch. The bodies were dragged out of the city and buried in three massive mass graves before they could rot and further pollute the city. The humans that had been enslaved by the humanoids were freed and armed to help finish the purge of the ‘green bloods’. Then Quellin declared for 'Humanity' and crusader units, Everwatch allies who had come to specifically fight the humanoids and free humans, the Maelfasan Brigade, from the human biased Barony, joined him along with the 4th Divine Legion. This caused the first split in the allies who had been fighting against the humanoids. The Church of Heironeous withheld support from Quellin due to the massacre and because of the presence of Hextor followers within his ranks; Heironeous and Hextor are arch enemies and detest each other. From the south the returning humanoid army was seeking bloody revenge so further arguments had to wait as Wulfram Amali led the 4th Divine Legion to block them. With assistance from the other allies Sir Wulfram was able to defeat the humanoids and once and for all route them, securing the safety of Galgortha.
Within the new regime of Harmonias matters then swiftly changed. The 'Heroes of Everwatch' argued with High King Quellin over his killing of the humanoids with many blaming Arabella. Quellin abdicated and walked away in to wilds while Arabella declared herself Margravine and vowed fealty to Duchess Katalin. Arabella re-employed the Hextorite mercenaries, continued to massacre all with a touch of humanoid blood and expelled the church of Pelor. The alliance effectively fell apart as the humans bickered amongst themselves till finally war broke out between the forces of Margravine Arabella and Duchess Katalin who could not abide a Hextor worshipping state on her border. Surprisingly the 2nd Battle of Galgortha was a tactical victory for Margravine Arabella with the forces of Duchess Katalin driven back in to Everwatch; a stalemate developed. A desperate Margravine sought aid from the most dangerous of sources and an interrupted meeting with the leaders of the Underdark led to her death at the hands of the Heroes of Everwatch. Quick to capitalise on her death, Everwatch attacked again and this time, at the Battle of Nyrlin's Folly, they defeated the leaderless Galgortha forces. In exchange for safe passage, the Hextor mercenaries surrendered the city and finally left the province. The City of Galgortha was officially renamed Harmonia and an Everwatch Governor, Baron Jasper af Staller, was appointed as ruler. A chain of small forts was established to the south east while once again the humanoids sued for peace. For a short while, a fragile truce existed with the humanoids to the south surrendering at least some of their human slaves to the Duchess. She is in turn settled the ex-slaves in the north, especially in Stonehaven with aid from the Church of Pelor and financing from the Temple of Zilchus.
Conflict soon erupted from an unexpected source as Istavan Vadild and his House Chapray backers landed at the port of Steelrayn and defeated the last remnants of the once powerful humanoid Council of Chieftains. Istavan and Tibor were the younger twin brothers of Duchess Katalin who were believed to have died in the sack of Castle Everwatch but were in fact rescued by the ‘Heroes of Everwatch’ and brought forward through time. Sixteen year old Istavan believed he was the rightful Duke and had turned to House Chapray for support. The Chapray’s were of good of heart, as followers of Pelor, but they were overconfident of success when they intervened to support him. They felt a quick and decisive victory would show his fitness and right to rule and their conquest of Steelrayn boosted this belief. A subsequent failed attempt by House Chapray to destroy Kaplyn, the Necromancer of Mortesia, cost the house and its followers dearly in lives and treasure. Istavan and Eleanor Chapray, his Aunt and House leader, were both killed along with the annihilation of their forces. Kaplyn then marched on Harmonia and only a hasty truce and treaty averted another war with, this time, an undead ruler. Both Everwatch and Kapyln agreed to not interfere in each other’s affairs and to mutually exist. This was not well received by the Church of Heironeous but Everwatch did not have the resources to defeat the necromancer and the Duchess felt she had little choice but to agree to the treaty.
Settlements:
Harmonia (Galgortha)
Small City: Alignment: LN, Population: 8,400 (99% human). Authority figure: Baron Jasper af Staller (human male, fighter).
Harmonia is the old provincial capital and was once an impressive city of grace and beauty that has long since fallen in to disrepair since its sacking and capture by humanoids over thirty years ago. When dominated by the Orcs and then Uthabar Orogs it was called Galgortha but recently was captured by the Duchy of Everwatch and reverted back to its old Harmonia name. For a brief period it was controlled by Margravine Arabella backed by Hextor mercenaries but her death and their defeat to the Duchy of Everwatch has led to its current governor, Baron Jasper af Staller, being appointed to rebuild the city.
The Baron has introduced a strict no nonsense policy to administering the city with the formation of an active and honest city watch and magistrates. This has stamped out much of the endemic corruption that plagued Harmonia but also caused a degree of unrest as the populace adjusted to the new rule of law. In turn the Baron has been not hesitated to keep order using the sizeable Everwatch garrison to quell unrest; over a hundred rioters were imprisoned and sentenced to hard labour for their criminal actions. Though a sizeable criminal underworld still exists the Watch maintains order and the economy of Harmonia is in turn growing. It is becoming more and more like a normal city and the bulk of the populace fear a return to the random violence and rampant corruption of the past. Along with the imposition of the rule of law major efforts to rebuild the city and to assist the populace are taking place. The Church of Pelor has established a temple and numerous shrines from which aid and assistance is freely given while Clerics of Bralm continue to aid and guide construction and rebuilding. To the north and east of Harmonia are the reliquum fields that are a valuable magical resource where grants to exploit the fields are being issued.
Maidenvale (Shag’ra)
Small Town: Alignment: TN, Population: 1,000 (99% human). Authority figure: Sir Huwel af Morriss (human male, fighter).
Maidenvale was a prosperous market town to the north east of Harmonia till it was overrun by humanoids. It was then left largely abandoned for the next thirty years till it recently, as Shag’ra, was the new home of the Kal-Varzt Hobgoblnis after they were evicted from Telchion (Fal’Nfort). Over 2,000 warriors and additional dependants lived there and the ruined town was fortified till they were defeated and destroyed in battle. It has now been occupied by Everwatch forces under Ducal knight Sir Huwel af Morriss who, backed by mercenaries, is assisting 1,000 ex-slaves in rebuilding and garrisoning Maidenvale. The 3rd company of the Everwatch Ducal Scouts are based here to patrol the nearby lands and to kill or capture remnant humanoids. Just outside of Maidenvale is a ruined temple of the evil god of slaughter and conflict, Hextor.
Gloryhome (Woodchase)
Small Town: Alignment: TN, Population: 500 (95% human, 4% Dwarven). Authority figure: Osthen Amali (human male, adventurer).
This was a base for the 4th Divine Legion when it was sent to assist in the liberation of Harmonias province. It was in cantonment there while it’s three most senior officers vied for control. When the Legion withdrew it was taken over by Arabella’s forces but then destroyed in a surprise attack by Lord Rufus Renfrew of Telchion. Osthen Amali and his three sons have now taken over the settlement with the, alleged, full backing of Sir Wulfram who is a nephew. Osthen’s is planning an ambitious rebuild of the settlement as a port and trading centre; this plan seems well under way.
Steelrayn
Small Town: Alignment: LN, Population: 1,000 (60% human, 40% Dwarven). Authority figures: Lady Virago Termagent (human female, wizard) and Mother Trow Restell of Estana (human, female cleric).
Steelrayn is a newly re-founded fishing port and farming community on the western shore of Harmonias. It is the home to a group of female human ex-slaves, the Sorority of Picayune, and a group of Dwarven ex-slaves who have settled in the town. This highly organised and motivated group were all once slaves of Abbathor worshiping evil Dwarves but have banded together to build a home for themselves. Many of the women are pregnant and a number of half-Dwarves are expected to be born imminently. Steelrayn is technically the fief of the Ducal Knight Sir Malwas but he leaves matters to Lady Virago and the Sorority. It is a very matriarchal society and Lady Virago is rumoured to be a seer who can predict the future, though she has wisely sworn fealty to Everwatch and her Duchess.
Steelrayn was a prosperous fishing port and modest trading centre before the fall of the province to the humanoids. It was the last holdout of the Council of Chieftains that once ruled most of Harmonias from Galgortha till captured by Istavan Vadild and House Chapray. There deaths at the hand of Kaplyn the Necromancer led to the ruins being occupied by Sir Malwas and a handful of retainers but the gloom of the nearby Necromancer Kaphlyn kept settlers away till the Sorority of Picayune and their dwarf allies arrived. Now that Mortesia and the undead have vanished to be replaced by the Golden Woods the town is a much more attractive location.
Wyntern
This now destroyed settlement was located at the southern end of the Orc’s Cleft chasm. It was both a port to the west and a cliff top settlement to the east with a mere mile of land separating them. It was home to creatures that wander up from the Underdark and for stragglers from the recently defeated humanoid armies. Wyntern was a warren of a lanes and alleyways which were all in a sad state of disrepair. A magically created earthquake levelled the settlement and collapsed the strip of land flooding the southern part of the Orc's Cleft to become Loch Rayden.
The String Forts
To secure the border with the humanoid dominated south east Baron Jasper af Staller had ordered the construction of a chain of defences running from south of Harmonia near the border with Mortesia up to the north east and the Indersta Sea. Bastion faced Mortesia and was not a popular posting while the largest was Bright Redoubt built ten miles to the east of Harmonia on the eastern side of a large field of reliquum. The redoubt guarded the large number of prospectors in the area and acted as a trading centre. To the far east was Seafort built on the coast and in between was Fasthold. They were manned by the newly raised String Fort Rangers, a light infantry unit, formed on the orders of the Baron and tasked to defend the frontier. With the total victory of Everwatch in Harmonias the importance of the forts initially changed with only Bright Redoubt to still be garrisoned to police the nearby Reliquum field. The other forts were to be mere trading centres and inns for travellers but this was very short lived. The prevalence of remnant humanoids led to the swift re-occupation of all the forts especially Fasthold which controlled the contested nearby Reliquum Ash field. Orcs from the Red Canyon would prey on prospectors and Knight Hathus Amali was appointed as Warden to fight a brutal and merciless war of containment leading the 4th Ducal Cavalry.
Stones of Cerne
This is an ancient holy site of the Old Faith that has endured for centuries. It has been re-consecrated by the Druids and serves as a centre of worship for the province and beyond. When it fell to the humanoid invaders it was a great loss to the faith as the invaders befouled the site and left it desecrated. Prior to its loss it was a major druidic site attracting pilgrims from all over Warlderia. At the heart are the Spiralling Stones of Cerne which are said to lead both to h a higher form of consciousness and a differing place of being. Around the stones is the invisible labyrinth which can only be perceived by Druids of a high calibre and standing while the uninitiated are still able to stumble in to it, few leave. It is said that a Hierophant Druid is now in residence at Cerne and the full restoration of the site is well underway. Most know that so far at least a dozen druids have sacrificed themselves to re-consecrate the inner stones which are now a fully sanctified druidic shrine again. There are over two thousand people at the site aiding in the restoration, worshipping or in supporting roles..
Puevon
Village: Alignment: LN, Population 150 (90% human, 8% half-Orc, 2% other). Authority figures: Stal Pheral (male, scholar) Edelmir Grausam (human male, trader).
Puevon is a stoutly walled town with a small harbour and market. It only has 150 inhabitants but could accommodate twice that number. Puevon is an old settlement brought to Warlderia by the magic of the Fey Queen to where the much newer settlement of Vrowbin was built. Many of the inhabitants are the extended Crimson Coaster family of the Maelara Grausam a Ducal Knight of Everwatch. There is a small temple to Xerbo the god of business and seafaring, the Bat Inn and a trading store ran by Edelmir Grausam. The mysterious scholar Stal Pheral lives in his magical mansion with its garden of exotic plants. Recently more human and half-Orc ex-slaves have settled here along with the Grausam family. The freed slaves tend the fields while the Coasters fish and tend to their boats.
Puevon has walls laced with cold iron and strong wards preventing the fey from entering the town. As it as on the borders of the enchanted Silver Woods this is good protection from the more malicious and malevolent inhabitants. Maelara Grausam has been made Lady of Puevon and of the silver Woods by the Duchess of Everwatch but has spent most of her time travelling on duties for the Duchy.
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