Note: East Telida appears in the Neighbours and the Adventuring sections of the site. It is a neighbour and is recognized as an ally, even though there is little trade - but it also an idea place to base a set of adventures.

The eastern coast of Telida is mountainous, and cut with many broad inlets, known locally as sounds, each of which is an extended clan home. Not quite savages, not quite civilised many sages think these clans are still close to the way the Hann lived, before the coming of the Wangate Empire. While there are slight differences in approach, they all follow a philosophical core based on the The Cult of The Old Lords, tempered by Pharasma’s fatalistic life view and the competitiveness of Kurgess.

There are three main sounds, Holden, Terrill and Degal, that are connected to the Telidan Mountain Spine by mountain pass, and have some connection with the outside world. Other sounds do not have that connection and rely on coastal sea trade. The residents of each sound consider themselves to be a single, and distinct, clan (even though they may be of mixed heritage) but with enough cultural and social similarities that they see all the clans as a single nation.

Each of these great clans is composed of smaller, family based, clans sometimes known as septs, however there has been enough intermarriage that there are blood ties between all the smaller clans. These smaller clans are invariably led by a Clan Chief, often from a small fortified town that originally provided sanctuary for the whole clan. Villages are the bases for the Chief's Lieutenants, one of whom will be chosen to succeed him as the next head of family.

The great clan is led by a chieftain, called known as The Kapo, who acts as business leader, arbiter and general. The Kapo is chosed by the clan chiefs, and rules for life, unless recalled by the Clan Chiefs. Choosings and recalls are messy affairs, which involve clan leaders, backed up by their personal armies, meeting in conclave. Some conclaves have seen particularly violent battles as part of the election process. To make matters worse, the Kapo generally commands the elite troops of the clan, although they are drawn from the smaller family-clans, and generally have split loyalties.

Each area is self supporting with an economy based on fishing and farming - Chickens for eggs, fish as food, sheep for their wool and a few cows for a bit of milk/cheese. Farms always grow some sort of cereal, often barley or oats, alongside peas, beans and some root vegetables. Most clothes are woollen, with simple leather shoes. Iron and Steel are expensive (items cost twice the listed price) and bronze is used widely.

Each family-clan will have a few warriors serving as the Chief's Retinue, who will fight back incursions, if needed. They are often armed with Studded Leather, Wooden Shields and Axes, although most households can turn out someone with a spear and padded armour, and more armed with slings. Then there are the hunters, generally armed with shortbows and knives … Most people have bronze weapons, however, all leaders and PC class characters, will have at least one steel weapon.

PC class characters are often Shaman, Witches (Nature Patron), Oracle (Nature Mystery), Rogue (Scout, River Rat, Survivalist archetypes) or Fighters, Rangers and Barbarians built for wilderness or marine warfare.

Think Celts crossed with Norse/Vikings.

Holden is the most southerly of the three main holdings, and can be reached from Berhof via the Adlerweg Pass. A large saltwater inlet dominates the valley, it reaches most of the way up to the river, with spur-lie inlets on each side. Over time, the areas between the inlets have become clan-based territories.

Each territory has a fortified coastal town as the clan's main holding, with a castle that serves as a residence for the clan chiefs. The town is home to the clan’s fishing and trade boats, along with the majority of the clan’s crafters. Villages, overseen by clan lieutenants, and hamlets radiate out across the land, they farm barley and root vegetables as well as run flocks of sheep in the hilly land. There are generally chickens and a few cows for eggs and milk, respectively.

The town, and most villages, will be served by a wise-man/woman dedicated to The Old Lords. When a person dies, their body is exposed, often atop a burial mound, before the bones and skulls are interred. Only chiefs, and some high ranking clan members, are buried complete. The burial mounds are overseen by a priest of Pharasma.

About 10% of each family clan are ‘under arms’ although most are equipped with nothing more than padded armour, spear and sling. However, the Chief’s retinue, normally 1-2% of the population are much better armed, with studded leather, large wooden shield and battleaxe – these are normally high ranking clan members. The hunters, another 1-2%, are armed with a short bow and dagger and have leather armour. During battles, they act as scouts and skirmishers, in peace time, they patrol the borders and bring in game. There is an eclectic collection of bows and crossbows kept at the Chief’s castle, that are used to defend the town and castle walls, should the need arise. The chief often has a steel sword, shield, and metal armour – often a chain shirt. Spearheads, arrow heads and crossbow bolts are normally made of bronze. Swords, Axes and Daggers are steel.

There are nine family clans in Holden, and each of their holdings follows the description given earlier - all that really changes is the size importance of the clan. Demographically, something like 90% of a clanhold population is human, with about 5% made up of half-orcs (1/2 orc shildren with clan blood are accepted into the clan) a few half-elves, with the rest made up of halfling crafters.

There are three anomalies – Kapot, Belarum and Zorfu.

The Kapot is the seat of Holden’s leader, The Kapo. It is a small town set on an island at the mouth of the Holden Sound. The Kapo is ‘chosen’ by the clan chiefs, and is often a high ranking member of one of the clans, and is more of an arbiter and enforcer rather than a high king. Something like 40% of The Kapot’s population are halflings - traders, merchants, crafters and (perhaps most importantly) ship builders.

The Kapo’s Castle is home to the Holdren Host, a group of seasoned clan warriors and scouts, who serve as the Kapo’s retinue and bodyguards - although they all expect to return to clan lands at some point and server as a lieutenant to their own clan chief and, perhaps, eventually follow him as the family leader. While armed with their traditional weapons, The Host all carry a slashing short-sword, known as a machete, as a sign of their rank.

The Dockyard is significant, as it enables trade along the East Telida coast, as well as down to Port Elizabeth and Porters Bar. It also contains the Holden shipyards, that makes all the watercraft used by the clans. +East Telidan craft are clinker built, open vessels with a single square sail, and multiple oars.

The Market is the largest in Holden - with crafted items from the clans and dwarves, as well as imported items.

Zorfu is the highest stronghold and furthest into the mountains, it guards the mouth of the Adlerweg Pass and is the last (semi) civilized place that trade caravans see as they enter the mountains. It has a strange history and (in the past) has been completely Orcish at times, and completely human. Now it is ruled by a Half-orc warlord and has a mixed half-orc / human population, with hardly any halflings at all. Zorfu has a population of about 200 souls.

Zorfu is the training ground for the clan warriors and hunters. Known as The Fian, they live by hunting, trapping and raiding the monstrous tribes of the area. Led by a small, permanent, force of Rangers, Scouts and Barbarians, their madcap raids are feared across the region. It is a dangerous life, and many recruits do not survive - but those who do go back to serve in their chief’s retinue or as a clan hunter. The very best go to serve in the Holden Host, and may go on to become a Clan Lieutenant and (possibly) chief.

There is a temple dedicated to Kurgess, and the priests teach the basics of their faith, encouraging competition, winning gracefully and losing politely. There is always a Shaman (or two) based here as well, making sure that the youngsters get a solid idea of their faith, and treat the natural world with respect. There is also a priest of Pharasma, to deal with the inevitable bodies, and prepare them for the journey back to their clan lands.

Zorfu is often ‘on edge’ and full of hormonal teenagers, raring for a fight and to test their mettle. While the priests and permanent staff keep a lid on things, many behaviours are tolerated in Zorfu, that would not be acceptable at home. What happens in Zorfu, stays in Zorfu.

Belarum is a Dwarven stronghold set high up in the mountains, accessed via a steep sided inlet and a climb. It is mainly built underground, an acts as a single small town. The dwarves here are not wealthy, but mine and smelt both tin and copper for export as well as a few gemstones such as malachite, azurite, turquoise. It also has the traditional underground caverns dedicated to fungi-culture and Cave Cricket husbandry and a population of about 300 dwarves.

While they trade with the people of Holden, and export their goods via the markets in The Kapot, the Dwarves of Balarum and followers of Moradin, and are therefore somewhat insular. However, their military are known for their heavy crossbows, hand axes and bronze armour.

Done to here

This needs reworking -

Make this a lightly forested, hilly region, with scarps and rocky outcrops. Not good for horses. Use semi-barbarian tribe, mainly based in the forested areas - hunting in the forests, using forest farm techniques as 'agriculture light'. They have static camps, and home territories - and skirmish along their borders.

Need to find something (other than pigs) that are natural woodland creatures - perhaps minimal deer, or something similar, for herds that are moved around through the forested home region for grazing.

Find a couple of jungle tribes to base their culture on.

This needs reworking

I think I want to change this to horse barbarians. Tribes of nomadic barbarians, each with a 'home range', Hunter gatherers supplementing their diets with horse meat, mare's milk cheese and blood 'sausage'. They trade with tribes of Wen (Neanderthal humans) in the surrounding hills. There needs to be an externally run trade-post somewhere on the coast, and another up at the pass that leads to Melmond (for steel weapons). They women forage while the men hunt from horseback. Perhaps some sort of cross between (the old media perception of) Native American Indians and steppes barbarians. Maybe put Hawking / hunting with birds in as a common activity.

https://image1.slideserve.com/2110054/steppe-culture-l.jpg

Keep it as a plains/steppe area, lots of flat space - with room for horses to run … The Iragols (Iraqoi / mongol mashup)