Area: 6040 sq. miles
Population: 2545
Ethnic Groups: Erewan Elves 40%, Boldavians 35%
Villages Leynorn Woods (820): the western wooded hills.
Stekel Manor (112): located at the heart of Eastern Wooded Hills.
Government: Magistrate appointed by the Council of Princes, in charge for seven years. Seat in Leynorn.
Ruler: Magistrate Laylan (born 880, elf female, Elf 9/Fighter 9-Mage 6, Al L/LG, Cryptomancer of the 1st Circle).
House: Ellerovyn. Laylan does her best to serve Ellerovyn’s interests and she’s loyal to the Princess.
Territory: Borders North with the Realm of Wendar, South with Fort Nordling and Western Colossus Mts. Free Provinces, Southeast with the Barony of Pavlova, East with Eastern Wendarian Ranges FP, and West with the Western J . It includes the second and the third wooded hilly areas from the left of Gaz3 map.
Food: Surplus/self sustenance.
Trails: Since a violent earthquake devastated the area two centuries ago, there aren’t trails leading to Wendar and there are only two trails leading South. A poor trail connects Leynorn Woods with the village of Noordeen, crossing the mountains east the Viscounty of Bergen. A bad trail connects Stekel Manor with the Barony of Pavlova.
Economics: This is the center of a Dragon Kingdom ruled by an old female red dragon. Recently a (perhaps) lucky turn of events allowed House Ellerovyn to establish an elven community named Leynorn, with the aim of studying vegetation and soil, thus providing Erendyl University with useful information.
Stekel village is home to Lord Andryi Stekel and a small secluded community, composed by a number of slaves and servants bound to his will. Lord Andryi’s Seneschal regularly pays taxes to the Council in order to maintain his Master’s privacy. Stekel provides enough food for self-sustenance.
Having been settled only recently, the Leynorn woods provide enough food, plus a small surplus, which is usually stored in case of a particularly harsh winter. The elves of Leynorn gather rare herbs and plants in the woods. These herbs are studied and sent to Erewan for further investigation and for sale as spell ingredients.
Notable sites: Amanthyr* is a dragon kingdom ruled by Amanth (born 668, female Red Dragon, 19 HD, Al C). She took the place of Wordhar, the Red who slaughtered Traagen inhabitants 5 centuries ago. She has reigned for 150 years, trying not to attract curious in the heart of her territory and doing away with stubborn Glantrians and wendarians. A couple of times she cunningly arranged the death of her most feared enemies (other dragons) by the hands of members of the von Drachenfels family. She’s currently completing her Quest for Knowledge of her life cycle.
The real ruler of Leynorn Woods is Aldaron (as the elves call him), a 150 years old Actaeon**, who guards the harmony of the forest from his sanctuary of Herumar. Some 150 years ago, the druid of the forest received an omen regarding Amanth’s arrival. He arranged for Aldaron’s creation in Herumar, just few days before being killed by the dragon. Still too young to win a direct confrontation with the dragon, Aldaron is trying to have the elves doing this work for him.
Mornwoods, the Dark Woods or the Haunted Woods, are home to Stekel Manor, residence of Lord Andryi Stekel (born 591, Bard 16, Riddlemaster kit***, a 340 years old Nosferatu, Al N); the father of Lord Miroslav Gorevitch-Stekel**** (born 614, Mage 16, a 351 years old Nosferatu, Al N/NE, Necromancer of the 3rd Circle). He’s a dumb Traladaran noble who has always loved loneliness, talked to other people, and cast his magic, by playing his organ. After his wife’s death, his own son who wished to prevent his father’s suicide turned him into a Nosferatu. He doesn’t want any intruders in the woods and during the night (when not feeding), in order to maintain his privacy, he regularly plays his beloved instrument to perpetrate the belief the Woods are haunted.
Some years ago Morphail decided to replace this "old jerk", wishing to protect his territories from Wendarian elves and other Barons, by mean of another Barony. However, as the settlers in the area increased a little, Amanth, the red dragon, "discouraged" a massive settlement of her territory. Examining the ruins Morphail realised his borders were already very well protected, and let Miroslav believe he let his father there as a retribution for his deeds.
Personalities: Aldaron (born 850, Actaeon, Al N).
Amanth (born 668, female Red Dragon, 19 HD, Al C/CE).
Magistrate Laylan (born 880, elf female, Elf 9/Fighter 9-Mage 6, Al L/LG, Cryptomancer of the 1st Circle).
Miroslav Gorevitch-Woszlany (born 614, Mage 16, a 351 years old Nosferatu, Al N/NE, Necromancer of the 3rd Circle).
Lord Andryi Stekel (born 591, Bard 16, Riddlemaster kit, a 340 years old Nosferatu, Al N).
Useful Links: none.
*The Kingdom of Amanthyr, as well as the Dragon Amanth, appears in an article written by Bruce Heard for Dragon Magazine #170-171.
** Details on the Actaeon are taken by an article appeared in Dragon Magazine #190, "The ecology of the Actaeon".
***Details on the Riddlemaster kit can be found in the Complete Bard Handbook, a TSR supplement for AD&D.
****Miroslav Gorevitch-Stekel appears in the Player Crucible "Top Ballista", a D&D supplement, in the Adventure booklet, "Heart of Darkness" adventure.
Thibault Sarlat, Giovanni Porpora, Agathokles.
January 2001, All rights reserved.