*Villages: Wylon (1203): located near the Blackhill borders, near a source of water, along the Blackhill Trail.

Urbaal Tower (175): few miles Southwest of Wylon.

Taphnay (145): the old Flaemish settlement.

Aerol (127): the mines of Silver in the mountains.

Ethnic groups: Alphatian 95%, Others 5%.

Languages: Alphatian.

Ruler: Count Emeet Urbaal (born 946, Air Elementalist of the 3^rd Circle) (OD&D: Mage 11^th, Al C) (AD&D: Wizard 11^th, Al CN).

Military: 1 Flying Ship with 20 sailors and a captain. Each major village has a constable, and the Blackhill troops regularly patrol this area. Emeth also keeps 8 personal bodyguards.

Trails The Blackhill Trail passes through the County, reaching the main village from Silverston then stretching North towards Blackhill again. Poor and bad trails connect other villages.

Economics: Silver is mined in the village of Aerol, and fruit is cultivated quite everywhere in the hills, as it is the main food resource of the County. Trading with the Principality of Blackhill only.

History:

Originally a Flaemish settlement, centred around the village of Taaphnijn, this valley was conquered by Hattian immigrants under the banner of the Graustein family. When the Graustein left Silberstein, the Hattians and Flaems of the region gathered around the old Flaemish village, now renamed Taafnen. The local lords took the name Taafnen as their family name, and in 845 Alexander von Taafnen was recognised as the first Count of Wylon. Unfortunately, von Taafnen left Wylon as consequence of an Awards Festival, and so did his successor Pieinants. The next lord was the Alphatian Wolfen, who brought with him a large number of Alphatian colonists, and forced most Hattians and the few remaining Flaems to leave the county. When Wolfen left Wylon, the damage was already irreversible, and the Haaskinz could barely keep their position among the rebellious Alphatian population. Later rulers had little or no interest at all in the doings of the Wylonian people, as they were mostly foreign nobles bent on the purpose of getting a better fief back in their home provinces. The Wylonians are accustomed to the periodic changes of rulership, and they consider the Prince of Blackhill as their true ruler. In times when the local Count didn't even come to Wylon, the Alphatian Princes have actually sent their own guards to protect the Wylonians, and when an Alphatian ruler comes to Wylon, he normally pays regular visits to Silverston, and the laws of Blackhill applies to Wylon too.

Notable sites: Haaskinzs Tower was built to serve as a secure research facility for their studies about Radiance. Whenever the reclusive Robert and Arnulf came to Wylon they used to shut themselves in the Tower, something that didn’t raise their popularity amongst the populace, as the Tower became known as Fussy Tower. Due to the hostility of the locals, they fortified and trapped it so much, that when they left to Berrym it took the new ruler, Idwal Terlagand, less time to build a new Tower than to remove all Haaskinz’s traps. But then, the "ol’ fox", came out with a mean to make money out of it: the Annual Trap Contest.

Wylonian Locksmiths' Guild was created as the result of the Annual Contest. The basement of the Locksmiths' Guildhouse hides the halls of the Thieves' Guild, vassal to the Fellowship of the Pouch. It’s main activity is troubleshooting, but as a result of their vassal status, burglary is developed as well, mostly within the County and the bordering free provinces.
The Guildmaster is Ardan Kerhilar (human male, born 958) (OD&D: Thief 9^th, Al C) (AD&D: Thief 9^th, Troubleshooter-Kit*, Al CN), and the Guildmembers are often recruited among the winners of the Annual Trap's Contest. The Guildmaster is involved in the process of choosing the site of the Annual Contest, since nowadays it takes place in a different place every year. Every five year, Haaskinzs Tower hosts the Great Trap Contest, which is attended only by those who won the Annual Contest at least once. The winner bears the title of "Master of the Traps" for five years.

Personalities: Count Emeet Urbaal (born 946, Air Elementalist of the 3^rd Circle) (OD&D: Mage 11^th, Al C) (AD&D: Wizard 11^th, Al CN).
Ardan Kerhilar (human male, born 958) (OD&D: Thief 9^th, Al C) (AD&D: Thief 9^th, Troubleshooter-Kit*, Al CN).

Coat of Arms: Argent cloud and lightnings on sky blue field.

*Details on the Troubleshooter kit can be found in the "Complete Thieves Handbook", a TSR supplement for AD&D.

Thibault Sarlat, Giovanni Porpora, Agathokles.

January 2001, All rights reserved.