Intro:
DURID, home of the Dalwan Coliseum, is an island barony west of the Hurvan mainland.
It is a wild, wooded land, troubled by orcs and by human barbarians, the Red
Bear Clan; historically, much blood has flown between the clan and the Hurvans.
The baron is Kaliar, who is
against peace with the clan.
| c. 25 | The walled, free city of Dalwa are founded. |
| 157 | An earthquake, which swallowed much of the besieging army, helps prevent Dalwa from being over run by orcs. |
| 299 | A tribe of vicious barbarians, known as The Durs, sack the city of Dalwa. They kill every male Dalwan and take all of the women and children as their own. As there were more spoils than could be carted off, many of the Durs remain in the city. Their chieftain, Krar the Bastard, is regarded by historians as the first king of Durid. |
| 819 | The Kingdom of Durid, under constant attack form orcs, barbarians and pirates, petitions for Hurvan protection. The condition is to become a barony of Hurva. Thus the barony of Durid is founded, with Dalwa its capital. |
Borders:
The Baronial jurisdictional limits of Durid shall be all of the lands contiguous
with the great city of Dalwa and all of the islands that are closer to it's
shores than to the shores of any other lands.
General Feel of Placenames:
There is an ancient Roman feel to Duridian placenames in the civilized portions
of the north around Dalwa. Red Bear Clan has more earthy & barbaric sounding
names. There are also orcish names or variant names for many places.
(The orcish language is guttural and chucked full of harsh consonants
while
lacking in long vowel sounds) The barbarians and orcs populate the mountains
and southern portions.
Other Nomenclature:
Durid: "Duridian". "Durish" refers to the barbarian tribe known as the Durs
who
conquered and settled these lands.
Dalwa: "Dalwan"
Major Geographical Features:
Major Rivers:
Apelles River
Flows northward out of the Glitheorn Mountains before flowing south again and into the city of Dalwa. The Apelles' floodplain is the most fertile land within the barony.Bromius River
Flows westward out of the Glitheorn Mountains before flowing northward and eventually into the city of Dalwa. The headwaters of this river are intense whitewaters.Eligius River
The headwaters of this river in the south of Durid are crystal clear. Minerals it picks up along the way give its waters a crisp, refreshing taste that has made it something of a commodity with the nobility in Dalwa.Glitheorn Mountains
Derived from an old Durish phrase which meant, "bright horns", the rugged Glitheorns provide the city of Dalwa with granite and a number of light colored marbles that give the city its distinct look. Large swaths of beech trees cover the lower elevations. The Red Bar Clan claims that Mt. Vexus lies somewhere hidden in these mountains.Taurine Hills
The rough hills of southeast Durid. Many tribes of the Red Bear Clan call these hills home. The Red Bear keep secret where they have found their precious and semi-precious stones that have so much meaning to the Clan.Known animals and monsters of the Glitheorn Mountains and the Taurine Hills include: mountain lions, orcs, skunks, giant snakes, chimera, gorgons, hippogriffs, jermelaine, minotaurs, wild donkeys, trolls, wolves, owls, pegasusi.Kasen Hills
The rolling hills of northeast Durid.The Warrens
The chaparral of southwestern Durid has been tunneled under by various creatures over the years. Various giant vermin, formians and the rare brass & blue dragon have made copious tunnels that are used as shelter by many creatures. Many smaller burrowers, such as rabbits and gophers, add to the maze. Above ground, Triceratops and Lions are the most common creatures amongst the varied fauna.Galatean Forest
The forest north and west of the Glitheorn Mountains.Ibolyan Woods
The forest southwest of the Glitheorn Mountains is known for the many flowering plants and trees it contains.Sidran Glade
Just to the north of Lake Sol Vitale and bordered by the Bromius River to the north, lies a stretch of wood that some say are inherently magical while others say are inhabited by many fey creatures. All agree that the luminescence at night is spellbinding.Luperca Woods
The light forest east of the Glitheorn Mountains._____
The sandy islands which protect the southwest coast of the barony._____
The rocky archipelago south of Durid. There are a number of small settlements on these almost tropical islands. There is little to no organized government here. Tides are quite extreme there making sailing the waters quite dangerous_____
The lightly wooded islands off the southeastern coast.Tolfeas Isle
A small island south of the chaparral area, this once heavily wooded island is now covered with dead trees and a seemingly lifeless forest._____
A large island off the eastern chaparral area_____
Several islands off the north and northeast coast.Lake of the Silver Bear
The large lake in the southeastern part of the barony is famous for how the sun and moons' reflections are constantly dancing & shimmering upon it's ripples._____ (2 reefs)
Reefs off the west and east coast._____
The plains of far northern and northeastern Durid.Blood Sea
Sailors can be so melodramatic. Found to the west of Durid, the Blood Sea gets its name from the reddish color imparted to these tropical waters by an abundance of red planktons and seaweeds found there. Its waters actually provide smooth sailing, outside of the storm season.
Named Cities, towns & villages:
Dalwa (M)
Sarpedon (V)
Marpesia (ST)
Bona Dea (ST)
Over 90% of the 'civilized' people of Durid live in Dalwa and the farm country which extends north and south of the city.
