ATLAS OF THE SEA OF DAWN
                    

   
To the east of the Old World, where the sun rises every morning, lies the Sea of Dawn.  It is a place rumored to be mystical in nature by many tavern tales, and perhaps it is.  Three exotic cultures can be found in this area, notably the Thothians, the Ochaleans, and the Pearl Islanders.
The rest of the nations, however, are either Thyatian or Alphatian in origin, and many bear the numerous scars of war between the two Empires.  For the Sea of Dawn is the border between the Old World and the Alphatian Sea, and it is where the two cultures clash, more often violently than not.
The Isle of Dawn, a continent size island in the north of the Sea of Dawn, is a militaristic land where armies march constantly and battles take place almost daily.  Such constant warfare has spread to the nearby Alatian Islands as well, and glory can easily be found by brilliant tacticians and expert mercenaries.  The battles between the Empires have since died down since the signing of the Treaty of Dawn (or Isle of Dawn Treaty), yet it only takes a spark to start the war all over again.
Still, another threat seems to be looming over the area, and many of the nations are fearful of an attack by strange spiders found on the Thothian Plateau.  The nature of these Aranea is unknown, and whether there will be a war or not is also unclear.  But if there is, the people of the Isle of Dawn will be used to it.
The southern islands, however, are peaceful in nature, and no trip is more relaxing that one to Ochalea or the Pearl Islands.  It is from these nations that the Sea of Dawn receives a mystical description when talked about, for surely no one talks with pride about the constant wars on the Isle of Dawn.
The people of the Sea of Dawn are educated, and except for the Pearl Islanders, a majority can actually read and write.  Both Thyatian and Alphatian are well known, and it is rare to find someone who cannot speak both languages.
The Sea of Dawn is officially the sea along the eastern coast of the Old World, ending upon reaching the continents of Bellissaria and Alphatia.  Since the sinking of Alphatia, the former Eastern Sea of Dawn has now become part of the New Alphatian Sea.  The Sea of Dawn ends northward when it reaches the coast of Norwold, and its southern end borders the Jungle Coast on Davania.  West of the southern Sea of Dawn is the Sea of Dread, while to the east is the Bellissarian Sea.

Correspondents for the Sea of Dawn 
Here is our list of correspondents that give us detailed information on the nations, places, and events of the Sea of Dawn.

Elidor Murtagh
As the First Mate of the Callista, Elidor's love of sailing marks him as a typical Minrothad sea elf.  His love of travel has brought him throughout the Sea of Dread and the Sea of Dawn.  Elidor is also an accomplished adventurer, having wandered extensively during his first century or so of life.  He has visited the undersea nation of Aquas (although that was in AC 950, just after Seashield's founding).  Elidor has also visited the Undersea regions near Minrothad and Ierendi, and has friends among the aquatic elves and merrow (mermen) there.  
While people afraid of water are not unusual, Elidor is the first person I've met who is afraid of land.  He will never travel more than a day's walk inland, preferring to keep the open sea in sight at all times.
During AC 1015, Elidor described to us the nations of the Alatian Islands as well as several Alphatia kingdoms on the Isle of Dawn.  Unfortunately, his notes were lost along with those of the Alphatian Sea.

Kalituro Nuar
Kalituro is a wandering priest of Asterius from the Pearl Islands, specifically the island of Nuar.  He views the entire world as an interesting place to visit and desires to see the whole world before he dies.  He views the study of different cultures as enlightening and the one true way to understand human nature.  He also loves collecting items from each nation, and claims to have at least one of every coin of the entire known world.
Kalituro shares his experiences on Thothia and Ochalea with the readers.  We unfortunately had to edit his sections on the cultures and people since he submitted enough to write an entire book on each culture.  Hopefully we've managed to keep the important information.

Titia Solenius
Titia is a Thyatian Legionnaire stationed at Fort Kendach who writes to us during her spare time.  Born in a poor household, she ran away from home as a child to avoid a pre-arranged marriage to the son of a wealthy merchant.  Upon reaching adulthood, she joined the military and was quickly caught up in the battles of the Alphatian Invasion during the Wrath of the Immortals.  She has since earned the rank of lieutenant in the Legion, and claims to never want to give up this style of life.  
Titia describes to us the Thyatian Provinces, as well as the nations allied with Thyatis on the Isle of Dawn.


Atlas

HELSKIR (Kingdom of)

Location: Northern tip of the Isle of Dawn, north of Westrourke and northwest of the province of Dunadale.
Area: 28,932 sq. mi.
Population: 40,000.
Languages: Thyatian Common (Redstone dialect), Alphatian Common (East Portage dialect). 
Coinage: Thyatian Standard: Emperor (pp), lucin (gp), asterius (sp), denarius (cp).  Alphatian coins are also very common: Crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp).
Taxes: 20% income tax, collected 4 times a year (Va. 1, Ya. 1, Fy. 3, and Ei. 1).  5% sales tax on all items except food and clothing.
Government Type: Independent Monarchy with formality ties to the Empire of Thyatis.
Industries: Trade and fishing.
Important Figures: Eruul Zaar (King, human, male, F18), Asteriela Torion (Queen, human, female, M12).
Flora and Fauna: Standard for its climate, notably herds of sheep and goats.  Dangerous monsters include goblinoids and bandits that are common throughout the Isle of Dawn.  Giant lizards and other unknown monsters inhabit the Demeran Moor.
Further Reading: M5 - Talons of Night, Dawn of the Emperors boxed Set, AC1010 - Poor Wizard's Almanac to AC1012 - Poor Wizard's Almanac 3.

Description: by Titia Solenius
Helskir was the first independent kingdom to be accepted into the Empire of Thyatis.  As such, the king and queen of the land have absolute control over the laws, even to the point where they can overrule any Thyatian Imperial Law.  In fact, the nation doesn't even pay any taxes to the Empire, nor must it provide military troops for the Legion.  In all respects, it is an independent nation with only formal ties to the Empire.  Only if the Emperor himself declares war on another nation must Helskir participate in Imperial politics and send its troops out with the Legion.  
Helskir has its own armies and navies, yet the Legion is also present in this nation.  A Helskian officer is always considered to be of higher rank than a Legionnaire, and their orders always come first.  They can give us orders, yet the Legion has no say as to what the Helskian Army does.  In fact, Helskir still has its own senator representing them in the Imperial Senate.  Helskir is therefore independent of Thyatian orders, yet able to itself influence the orders of the Empire.
Is this in fact the start of a new age for the Empire of Thyatis?  Is the chain of command among the nobility being destroyed and replaced with this new form of government?  I can't help but noticing that independent kingdoms loosely allied together with an Emperor in charge of only the military and foreign affairs sounds way too much like the Empire of Alphatia.  Is it a better system?  I personally don't think so, as each nation has its own armies, and it makes coordinating military activities extremely difficult.  Still, I'm a warrior and not a politician, so I'll let our leaders decide what will become of our Empire.
The Land
Helskir is a very small kingdom, and it only takes a couple of days to patrol the entire border.  The vast majority of the northern coastal area is fertile farmlands which provides slightly more food than needed by the people of Helskir.  
The southwestern borders end at Demeran's Moor.  The land is often shrouded in fog, making it very dangerous to patrol.  Various bandits, goblinoids, and lizard-monsters make their lairs in this swamp, and strike from their fog-hidden ambushes.  In fact, many a brave Legionnaire has lost his life patrolling that area.
The southeastern borders of the land are much more rocky and unsuitable for farming.  This is were the Helskians herd their goats.  Further past the border into Dunadale, the land rises higher and higher until it finally drops several hundred meters and the Herdane Escarpment.  This natural feature is in fact clearly within the borders of Dunadale, patrols of Helskir often go as far as the Escarpment.  Another one of their "enter Thyatian territory with impunity but we follow their orders" advantages.  I'll never understand nobles and politicians.
The city of Helskir itself is rapidly growing.  New city walls have been built to better defend the thriving community, and Helskir is becoming one of the major trade centers of this region of the world.  Strategical buildings also have a wooden palisade protecting them.  Helskir has a deep harbor which can dock many ships at once, a fact that has helped them achieve their trade market dominance.
The People
Like most Isle of Dawners, Helskians have learned to ignore most rulers and simply get on with their lives.  In fact, Helskir has changed from Thyatian to Alphatian rulership and vice-versa so many times that Helskians have lost count.  Strangely enough, regardless of which Empire Helskir has belonged to, Eruul Zaar has always been the ruler of this town.
Helskians are of Alphatian descent, but have abandoned all ties to the Empire of Alphatia.  Until recently, many feared that Helskir would be the first place to be destroyed should the two empires go to war.  In fact, this has been the only city spared from the famous Wrath of the Immortals and the aftermaths that followed.  This is another reason their economy is prospering.  Helskians now look forward to a bright future.
Recent History
Helskir is a young nation.  Just over 40 years ago, Helskir was nothing more than a simple fishing village.  In fact, Eruul Zaar himself founded the village and brought it to the predominance it has today.  When the fishing trade started to become lucrative, both the Empires of Thyatis and Alphatia began to take interest in the town, and both have claimed it numerous times.  Eruul Zaar remained independent from both, yet claimed to follow whoever was in charge.  He had the armies fight for rulership outside of town and declared that he would dutifully follow whoever won the battle.  Hence, whenever Helskir changed empires, Zaar still remained the ruler of the town.  On many occasions, especially when the Alphatians and Thyatians almost wiped each other out, Zaar even went so far as declaring Helskir independent from both Empires.  With all this shuffling around and battles for the small town, it is no wonder that most Helskians feared the future.
In AC 994, Helskir served as the neutral meeting grounds to discuss future expansions for both Empires.  Hotly contested were the lands of Norwold, recently granted [that is, in AC 990.  Ed.] to Ericall, son of Empress Eriadna of Alphatia.  In fact, Emperor Thincol and Empress Eriadna themselves both appeared at this meeting, only to be kidnapped by forces of Alphaks.  Brave adventurers rescued the two rulers in a heroic quest onto the Great Escarpment where they faced the intelligent spiders that are now plaguing the southern Isle of Dawn once more [this heroic quest is often told by bards; just ask them to tell you about the M5 - Talons of Night adventure.  Ed.].  In the end, King Ericall retained his title over Norwold.
In AC 1008, during the heat of the battle for the Isle of Dawn, Eruul Zaar married Asteriela Torion, daughter of the Emperor of Thyatis, and was declared king of Helskir by the Empress of Alphatia.  Thyatis was forced to recognize the kingship in AC 1009 when it signed a peace treaty with Alphatia, shortly before the Immortals sank their continent.
Helskir remained independent until AC 1012, when it voluntarily joined the Empire of Thyatis in fear of an invasion from Thothia.  Emperor Eusebius agreed that the ties between Helskir and Thyatis would be mere formalities and that Helskir would in fact remain an independent nation with the protection of the Empire.  Thothia never did invade, and peace was re-established with the Isle of Dawn Treaty that same year.
Don't Miss
There is not much to see in Helskir proper, except for the lighthouse which guides ships to the safe deep-water harbor.  This building is a good 15 stories in height, and its base must be at least 15 meters.  A huge magical fire lights the top of this tower, and this reportedly allows ships to spot it from at least 150 kilometers (100 miles) away.  In fact, this is the biggest lighthouse known in the world.  Luckily, mirrors aim the light toward the sea, otherwise people would hardly be able to sleep during the night.
The market of Helskir is also a popular place for off-duty Legionnaires.  Here, they can find trinkets from all around the world.  In fact, any ship that has sailed the Alphatian Sea of Sea of Dawn has probably stopped in Helskir at one point.  Although Thyatian coins are the standard for this kingdom, coins from any nation are accepted by most merchants from the market of Helskir.


OCHALEA (Kingdom of)

Location: Island south of the Isle of Dawn, north of the Jungle Coast, west of the Pearl Islands and southwest of the Alatian Islands.
Area: 190,054 sq. mi.
Population: 125,000, including 50,000 in the capital Beitung
Languages: Alphatian (Ochalean dialect), Thyatian (Ochalean dialect).
Coinage: King (a.k.a. Teng, 5 gp), one (gp), tenth (sp), hundredth (cp) (Ochalean coins are octagonal with square holes in the middle).
Taxes: 15% income tax, inheritance tax of 10%.
Government Type: Monarchy.
Industries: Agriculture (wheat and rice), textiles (silk).
Important Figures: Teng Lin-Dieu (King, human, male, Pr20 of Koryis).
Flora and Fauna: Ochalea is mostly free of monsters.  Dangerous creatures encountered include ghouls, weretigers, tigers, panthers and the rare purple worm.  Also common are sheep, goats, and snakes.
Intelligent monsters would include ogres (many who know magic and are often called ogre-magi), while lupins and rakasta often roam the Grasslands of Chi.
Further Reading: Dawn of the Emperors boxed Set, AC1010 Poor Wizard's Almanac to AC1012 - Poor Wizard's Almanac 3.

Description: by Kalitoru Nuar
Ochalea be a strange land indeed, with customs unlike those found anywhere else in de world.  Even der architecture is unique, with der tiered an' slanted roofs and strange, sliding doors made out of what appears to be paper [I doubt they are made of paper, but I left this here because that is what the writer believes.  Ed.].  A small bamboo fence be surroundin' their houses.  Stepping stones lead around de houses to a little garden with a few trees an' perhaps a shrubbery or two.  Even der gardens are designed to give a feelin' of quiet and peace.
The Land
Ochalea be an island kingdom, just like the Pearl Islands, mohn.  But dis island is not rich in farmlands and palm trees like Nuar.  It be a rocky place, with large uneven hills everywhere.  These hills once be volcanoes, but are now completely inactive and have been so for the past hundreds of years.
In de valleys between de hills, however, dere be another story.  Water rolls down de hills, mohn, creatin' rivers that make fertile lands.  De Shino-Gawa River be de largest of dem crossing almost de entire nation, mohn.  It start from de hills around de town of Wongzhao Tsuhao, den moves down to de lake around the town of Chungklang.  From this lake, de largest one in Ochalea, de Shino-Gawa then pours into the Sea of Dawn several days walking away.  All along this river are forests and very productive farmlands.  Dey be so productive that dey be makin' enough food to feed everyone in de kingdom an' even export some out to other nations.
Dere also be two huge grasslands steppes on de island.  One, on de western shore, is also the location of Beitung, the capital city.  De other, called de Grasslands of Chi, covers de southern shore of Ochalea.  De most southern portion of de flat terrain is actually a tropical jungle, mohn, mostly due to de southerly ocean currents that warm its shores.
The People
Ochaleans are Alphatian an' be having de same coppery skin as all de other Alphatians.  Dey usually have dark brown hair, an' eyes vary from brown to amber or golden.  Fine facial features are very common.
Ochaleans are a peaceful bunch, satisfied with de status quo instead of seekin' to improve themselves.  Dey be very scholarly, doing a lot of research an' educatin' der people.  Many claim dey be de third most educated nation in de world, only behind Glantri an' Darokin, wherever those places be.  
De philosophies of Koryis, de Immortal of peace an' prosperity, have made de Ochaleans very quiet and reserved.  Dey be extremely polite, mohn, an' often things that everyone else do are considered rude here in Ochalea.  True to de ways of Koryis, all arguments are settled peacefully through negotiation.
Ochaleans believe in de equality of all men, an' der king be treated no differently den any of de peasants that work on de farms.  Women, on de other hand, be treated as inferiors.  Der husbands decide der every fate, mohn, an' girls are often items to be negotiated away for pre-arranged marriages instead of children to be loved and thought to live der own lives.
One strange custom of de Ochaleans involves der greeting.  Dey be seemin' to like kissin' each other, regardless of gender.  It be not uncommon to see a man kissin' a man, or a woman kissin' another woman.  An' this be a full kiss on de mouth, mohn, not on de cheek.  This appears to be der method of handshaking which be common in de rest of de world.  Der be no romantic connotations involved in der greeting kisses.
Recent History
Not much be happening in this land over de years.  In AC 1007, Ochalea declared der independence from Thyatis with de Pearl Islands, succeeding thanks to de war Thyatis was in against Alphatia.
Recently, uncovered scrolls have stirred up a big debate between der scholars, mohn.  De scrolls seem to indicate that de Ochalean architecture be not from Alphatians but from a race previously living on de Alphatian continent before dey arrived from der own world.  This other race was displaced to de island of Ochalea along with other Alphatian undesirables [mainly non-spellcasters, that is.  Ed.] where dey created der own culture.  De Alphatians seem to have dominated in terms of appearance, since no other racial traits are visible among dem, but it is de philosophies an' architecture of this mysterious race that have dominated Ochalea ever since.  Scholars believe that de other race be from de land of Skothar and might actually be de same as de ancestors of de Nuari of de Pearl Islands.  Would this not be an interesting development, mohn.
Don't Miss
De architecture is unique throughout de world, mohn, so Ochalea deserves a visit by any tourist.  It be a land of beauty, one definitely worth seeing.  An' they be havin' an interesting culture as well, worthy of study as any other.


PEARL ISLANDS (Kingdom of the)

Location: south and east of Ochalea, south of the Alatian Islands, north of the Jungle Coast of Davania.
Area: 119,719 sq. mi.
Population: 100,000.
Languages: Nuari (believed to be a dialect of Tanagoro), Thyatian Common (Nuari dialect). 
Coinage: None (they use barter), although Thyatian coins are mostly used for and by foreigners.  Thyatian standard: Emperor (pp), lucin (gp), asterius (sp), and denarius (cp).
Taxes: none, people work freely to improve their nation when the king needs the help.
Government Type: Monarchy.
Industries: Pearl diving, jewelry making, and export of tropical fruits.
Important Figures: Nurokidu Nuar (King, human, male, T20).
Flora and Fauna: Mainly dominated by fruit-bearing tropical trees and hardy grasses.  Animals include cattle and horse imported from Thyatis.  Giant lizards (draco) are also common, as are many sea creatures in the surrounding waters.
Further Reading: Dawn of the Emperors boxed Set, AC1010 Poor Wizard's Almanac to AC1012 - Poor Wizard's Almanac 3.

Description: by Kalitoru Nuar
Ah, my homeland be de subject of this entry, and I be proud to give it to ye, mohn.
The Land
De Pearl Islands, as dey be called by Thyatians, are a series of islands found where de Sea of Dawn meets de Bellissarian Sea.  Dere be five large islands and several hundred smaller ones usually not found on any map.  De islands be volcanic in origin, an' a few be still active.  De volcanic mountains can be seen on every island.
From de shores to de slopes of de mountains, tropical forests are everywhere.  From these forests come all de wonderful fruits that will delight everyone's stomach.  Not many animals be livin' in de woods, either.  One only needs to watch out for de famous draco lizards.  Streams collect the runoff waters from de mountains and bring them back down to de ocean.
Of the five major island, only Nuar is large enough to actually have rivers an' even a lake.  Der be also many clearings that are dominated by grasslands.  Dwair, Puir, Tuar, and Kuirhave have neither rivers or grasslands, and neither do all de other smaller islands.
The People
We, de Nuari as we call ourselves, are an energetic people who always strive to do de best we can, mohn.  We be fierce fighters yet also great philosophers.  We believe in individual excellence in everything we do, whether it be warfare, the arts, theology, or magic.  Nowhere can ye find better sailors or scouts than here on the Pearl Islands.
It be believed that de Nuari are descendants of Tanagoro colonists from long ago.  Ancient scrolls claim that we once be a matriarchal society, but now men an' women be treated equally.  We have black skin, brown or black hair and eyes.  Nuari are taller than de average Thyatian, but we also be leaner.
De Nuari believe that everyone is equal an' everyone has de potential to be great.  We therefore be nice to everyone, an' expect de same in return.  Upon meeting a stranger, Nuari present dem with a small gift, usually a pretty colored shell or stone.  De stranger be expected to return a similar gift before de day is over, an' to do otherwise be a sign of dislikin' de person.
One thin' that be shocking most visitor be our lack of concern for wearing clothing.  We be born without clothes, so why should we be forced to wear dem at all times, mohn.  It be strange how other cultures believe that not wearing clothes is unnatural.  What could be natural than de way we be born?
Recent History
As with Ochalea, de Pearl Islands do not have much of a history to tell for de past few years.  In AC 1007, we be declaring our independence from Thyatis, an' have held on to it since.  Now, we be living peacefully on our own since then.
With de departure of de Thyatian Navy, de town of Seagirt be mostly abandoned now.  De king be ruling from dere mainly because it be de sight of de palace, an' it be the only town with stone buildings an' a wall around it.  Most of Seagirt's people have returned to livin' in simple villages like de rest of de Pearl Islanders.


THOTHIA (Kingdom of)

Location: Southeastern end of the Isle of Dawn, north of Caerdwicca and east of Provicia Septentriona.
Area: 458,157 sq. mi.  (95,277 sq. mi. for Thothia proper and another 362,880 sq. mi. for the Thothian Plateau.)
Population: 80,000.
Languages: Nithian (Thothian dialect), Alphatian Common (Thothian dialect, official language). 
Coinage: Alphatian Standard: Crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp).
Taxes: 15% income tax, collected yearly.
Government Type: Independent Monarchy part of the New Alphatian Confederate Empire.
Industries: Agriculture, fishing and trade.
Important Figures: Ramenhotep XXIV (Pharaoh, human, male, P10 of Rathanos).
Flora and Fauna: In mainland Thothia, standard desert wildlife can be found.  Also, various undead and golem/statues protect the numerous ruins and tombs lost beneath the sands.  On the Thothian Plateau, the exact wildlife is still relatively unknown, but there is a known presence of phanatons, centaurs, treants, and aranea.
Further Reading: M5 - Talons of Night, Dawn of the Emperors boxed Set, AC1010 - Poor Wizard's Almanac to AC1012 - Poor Wizard's Almanac 3.

Description: by Kalitoru Nuar
Thothia be a place worth visitin' if ye be havin' de time an' de money.  Sure, mohn, dey be treatin' non-Alphatians like uncivilized barbarians, but at least dey complain when ye show dem yer gold.  With de proper money, ye be enjoyin' yer stay, no matter how barbaric dey think ye are, mohn.
The Land
Thothia be mainly one large desert, nothing like our home island of Nuar.  Yet dere be farmin' land as well.  Most of dem be along de Aurora river, especially in de fertile delta at de river mouth.  De desert be very inhospitable, mohn, and I be advising ye not to go unless ye be well trained in surviving in such dry place, our that ye have a good guide.  De desert is filled with large, triangular buildings dey call pyramids, which serve to house der dead.  It be an expensive way to bury dem, but it comes in real handy when dey be needing to raise dem all to fight in their army, as dey did against Thyatis a few years ago.  It be a scary sight to see skeletons and zombie charging against ye, mohn.
The southeastern most edge of de kingdom be a dry grassland where a few herders dwell, but they be mostly scarce.  Instead, de grassland be de home of the cat-people called rakasta [of the msongo or fast runner race.  Ed.] who run around an' hunt for food.  De rakasta are not considered to be citizens of Thothia, yet de nobles often use dem in der armies or as pets.  I don't be thinkin' that de rakasta like dis deal, but it seems that dere be too few of dem to do anythin' about it.
Not much be known about de Thothian Plateau.  Most who go dere don't come back, and those that do claim dey be attacked by giant spiders call aranea by de locals.  De plateau seems to be heavily forested, a sharp contrast to de desert and grassland of Thothia down below.
The People
Thothians be a strange bunch, mohn.  Dey call themselves civilized, yet refuse to deal with other cultures.  I be thinkin' that talkin' to others is what make ye civilized, mohn.  Dey be small people, with a brownish skin and red hair, although mainy Alphatians have fled here since de war and have now mingled with them.
De Thothians have a deep respect for the dead, an' any form of grave robbin' be a capital offense here.  I have always believed in letting de dead go, so I can agree with dis law.  Dis respect comes from der religin toward de Immortal Rathanos.  In fact, der king, called a pharaoh, must be a priest of Rathanos.  I guess dis be making Thothia a theocracy of sorts.  Who really knows, mohn.
Dere be another religion in Thothia, although this one be without any Immortal.  A game called de Spider's Wed be holy to dem, but de pharaoh not be likin' dis game.  He be tryin' to get his people to abandon it, and the mysticism that be goin' with it.  Dis have something to do with de pharaoh's father, Ramenhotep XXIII, who was being controlled by a spider demon.  It seems that he be overthrown by adventurers, mohn, just before the turn of de century [we believe it was circa AC 1000, but this is yet unconfirmed.  Ed.], and de new pharaoh doesn't want dem spiders back.  Could dey be related to dem aranea on the plateau?  Who knows, mohn, but I wouldn't take a chance either.
Recent History
Thothia prefers to be left alone, mohn, so dey not be influencing de world much.  Of course, when Thyatis invaded dem after Alphatia sank, de pharaoh showed dem Thyatians just how much dey be wantin' to be alone.  Dey animated most of der dead and sent dem off to defeat de invaders.  I be thinkin' that de sight of de undead alone was enough to rout de Thyatians.  Add magical statues and golems into de group, and ye be seeing that Thothia is powerful indeed mohn.
Dey conquered lands that were originally Alphatian until dere be a peace treaty between Thothia and Thyatis.  Dis Treaty of Dawn, as some call it, defined what territories belonged to Alphatia and which would be given to Thyatis.  In it, Thothia was granted control of the Great Escarpment, now called de Thothian Plateau.  Soon after, Thothia be joinin' de New Alphatian Confederate Empire, re-establishin' its loyalties to de Empress.
Since then, not much has happened.  Except for on de plateau.  De Thyatian colonists dere have been fleein' into mainland Thothia, askin' for help against the aranea that live dere.  Thothia does not care much about dem Thyatians left on der land, but now de spider monsters actually be raidin' into Thothia proper.  Many believe that Ramenhotep XXIV will be doing somethin' about it soon, mohn.
Don't Miss
For a Nuari, dere be nothing here to miss.  Come and see it all, mohn.  De pyramids are examples of spectacular engineering, mohn, an' de statues of sphinxes an' other such monuments are larger dan ye would think possible to create.  De culture be different too, an' worth learning about.  I must say, I be enjoying that Spider's Web game, too.


THYATIAN PROVINCES

Location: Various places throughout the Isle of Dawn, but concentrated mainly on the western shores.
Area: 401,060 sq. mi. (Caerdwicca: 17,459 sq. mi., Dunadale:168,605 sq. mi., Furmenglaive: 38,410 sq. mi., Kendach: 12,970 sq. mi., Redstone: 57,864 sq. mi., Septentriona: 95,775 sq. mi., West Portage: 9,977 sq. mi.)
Population: 169,000 (Caerdwicca: 2,000, Dunadale: 64,000, Furmenglaive: 3,000, Kendach: 35,000, Redstone: 50,000, Septentriona: 10,000, West Portage: 5,000). 
Languages: Thyatian Common (Thyatian dialect official, Redstone dialect also common), Alphatian Common (East Portage dialect), Nithian (Thothian dialect).
Coinage: Thyatian Standard: Emperor (pp), lucin (gp), asterius (sp), denarius (cp).  Alphatian coins are also very common: Crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp).
Taxes: 25% income tax, collected 4 times a year (Va. 1, Ya. 1, Fy. 3, and Ei. 1).  5% sales tax on all items except food and clothing.
Government Type: Dominions under the jurisdiction of the Empire of Thyatis.
Industries: Agriculture, fishing, trade (in general; each province might have a few extra industries as will be noted in their description).
Important Figures: Deitica Baralius (Governor-General of Septentriona, human, female, F13), Jules Docerius (Captain of the Guard of West Portage, human, male, F12), Periandra Docerius, Baroness of West Portage, human, female, F12), Phileus Furmenglaive (Count of Furmenglaive, human werewolf, male, F20), Lyra Furmenglaive (Countess of Furmenglaive, human werewolf, female, P20 of Protius), Marie Kendach (Countess of Kendach, human, female, F9), Uthgaard McRhomaag (Baron of Caerdwicca, human, male, F16), Edmondo Tiberia (Duke of Dunadale, human, male, F11), Anaxibius Torion (Count of Redstone, human, male, F20), Stefania Torion (Countess of Redstone, human, female, F5 dual-classed to T14).
Flora and Fauna: The Thyatian provinces have the normal animals and plants found for lands of their climate and weather (which are too numerous to all list here).  Of special note, goblinoids and roaming bands of mercenary bandits can be found in the hills of the provinces of Dunadale and Redstone.  Caerdwicca and the Protectorate of Septentriona have also been experiencing raids from the Aranea of the Great Escarpment.
Further Reading: M5 - Talons of Night, Dawn of the Emperors boxed Set, AC1010 - Poor Wizard's Almanac to AC1012 - Poor Wizard's Almanac 3.    

Description: by Titia Solenius
The Empire of Thyatis is a feudal monarchy (where the king is called Emperor) in which several nobles swear fealty to the Empire.  These nobles are granted dominions within the Empire, and answer directly to the Emperor and Senate.  On the mainland, these dominions are called by their rank, that is Barony, County, or even Duchy.  When a dominion is not located within the mainland of the Empire, it is traditionally referred to as a province.  In fact, so far only the Isle of Dawn and the colonies on Davania have provinces.  Except for this difference in terminology, a ruler from the provinces has all the same rights and privileges as any dominion ruler of the same rank from the mainland.
The Land and the People
There are currently seven provinces on the Isle of Dawn. Caerdwicca (Barony) is a small forested province just south of the Thothian Plateau.  The barony is rather poor compared to most dominions, and there is no military stronghold to speak of.  In fact, McRhomaag Castle is nothing more than a simple two-story building with a wooden wall and ditch surrounding it.  The Baron doesn't seem to fear attacks or pirate raids.  In fact, pirates docked in the ports often and act respectable when in the Caerdwicca Town.  Rumors claim that the Baron McRhomaag has made several deals with these pirates, but I cannot confirm or deny these reports.  The people of the town don't complain and in fact enjoy the business goods brought to them by these fraudulent merchants.  In fact, their largest concerns at the moment come from the several reported sightings of giant spiders near the Thothian Plateau.
The Province of Dunadale (Duchy) was in fact a kingdom of the Empire of Alphatia until it was conquered in AC 1010.  The Thyatian rulership of the dominion was confirmed with the Isle of Dawn Treaty, after which Governor-General Tiberia was named Duke of the land.  Now the Thyatian population is on the rise, while Alphatian residents are slowly moving back to Alphatian dominions.  Starting from the shoreline, the first 120 kilometers (75 miles) inland are flat and suitable for farming.  This is where most colonists sent to the Isle of Dawn from mainland Thyatis make their new homes.  Beyond these plains, hills and bogs dominate.  In fact, most valleys between the hilltops are swamplands, and entire patrols have disappeared into the muck.  The Dunadale Bogs, as they are known, cover over half of the dominion.  In fact, many creatures and bandits make their lairs within these swamps [including Mario's Marauders, if reports are accurate.  Ed.].  Entire Legions are often sent to patrol the borders to the Dunadale Bogs, but still raids make it in and out without problem.  The Duke rules the province from the City of Dunadale.
Furmenglaive (County) is the province I enjoy the least being stationed at.  The people claim that their hills are the home to undead, lycanthropes, and evil wizards.  On each of my patrols, I always had this dark feeling of being watched or followed.  This leads me to believe the rumors.  Even Castle Furmenglaive, a black fortress sitting atop a large cliff overlooking the sea, looks and feels haunted.  Strange noises are reported by most Legionnaires who stay at the castle, especially during periods of the full moon.  One lieutenant in fact even claimed werewolves lived within the castle walls, but the Count and Countess deny these claims.  The province itself is mainly hills and grasslands, with forests near the border to Caerdwicca.  Most villages in the province are well fortified, and the townsfolk diligently patrol the town walls - they do not take their fear of the monsters in the hills lightly, and in fact I can't say I blame them.  Many patrols sent into the wilderness have never returned.
Castle Kendach is the heart of the county of the same name.  This small province is mainly flat farmlands located just south of the narrowest point of the Isle of Dawn.  The southern edge of the county is in fact dominated by marshy wetlands where goblinoids and bandits are known to make their camps.  Kendach has always had a military heart out of all the Thyatian Provinces, and for a soldier like myself, there is no better place to live.  Their fortresses are in top condition, and everything town has centered their industry on entertaining the military.  My men mostly enjoy the numerous brothels and seedy taverns that can be found through the town of Kendach.  Kendach laws are more intolerant toward Alphatians, and more recently, of Westrourkites and Helskians.  It is believed that this is because of the Countess' desire of revenge against Alphatians for killing her mother during the Wrath of the Immortals.  Her anger toward Westrourkites and Helskians [if it is indeed because of anger.  Ed.] is probably because they have since declared independence from the Empire.
Redstone (County) is another province renown for its military.  While Kendach is regarded as the best place to be posted as a Legionnaire, Redstone is definitely the best training ground for new recruits.  Its smiths and armorers are in fact the most renown of the entire Isle of Dawn.  As to be expected from new recruits, the military part of the population tend to be rowdy and noisy.  The local inhabitants, however, are rather superstitious and hold many beliefs in ghosts and faeries and such.  In fact, no Legionnaire or official have ever seen any fey creatures in the land, yet everyone can swear that someone they know has.  Sidhes are reported in Sidhe Woods, and it is said that evil faeries control the giant wolves that attack travelers near Ashton Woods.  People even keep vigils for the Redstone Lough monster [we are still looking for proof as to its existence as well.  Ed.].  In terms of land, Redstone has everything from the hobgoblin infested Fengallen Marshes in the west to the Sutherland Grasslands in the north atop the huge cliffs overlooking the Western Sea of Dawn.  Farmlands dominate the north-west, while the southern coast is mainly hills.
The province of Septentriona is actually a protectorate under military jurisdiction.  Currently, Governor-General Deitica Baralius is in charge of this dense forest wilderness.  This land is one of the two places being colonized by Thyatians from the mainland [the other being Dunadale.  Ed.].  Still, people here report many strange sightings within the dark woods, and patrols of Legionnaires have in fact disappeared without a trace.  The colonists claim that the forest is haunted and that the shadows come alive and slay all those who trespass.  This is how the area received the name Shadow Coast during the past couple of decades.  What exactly goes on in those woods is anyone's guess, and I myself have never been posted to the area so I cannot comment.  From what I hear, the woods are so thick that sunlight barely reaches the ground beneath the canopies, so the "shadows" people see can be any number of creatures simply misidentified because of the poor lighting.  The Emperor is keeping Septentriona as imperial territory so he can carve it up as dominions granted to heroes who have helped the Empire.
Finally, West Portage (Barony) is the famous province renown for the Crossdawn Road.  This road crosses the narrowest point of the Isle of Dawn, and many merchants prefer to make an overland travel from East Portage to West Portage rather than sail around the entire island.  The rugged lands of West Portage have absolutely no resources to offer the people living there.  In fact, their entire industry relies on the trade and commerce that uses the Crossdawn Road.  More so than any other community on the Isle of Dawn, the people of West Portage are so used to having their city change hands from one empire to the other that they don't even notice anymore.  In fact, they simply ignore whoever is in charge and get on about their lives.  West Portage is crawling with thieves hoping to get their hands on some (and even all) of the cargo that crosses through the town.  Any Legionnaire posted to West Portage is sure to have his hands full with bandits and rogues.  Captain Jules Docerius tries his best to rout these thieves, but they are much too clever [I personally believe he is actually working for them, but as yet have no proof.  BF.].
Recent Events
During the famous war of the Wrath of the Immortals, the Isle of Dawn practically completely fell into the hands of the Empire of Alphatia.  Many Thyatian nobles, including Countess Julia Kendach, General Harantius Lycrandonion (of Redstone), and Archduke Donegal Firestorm (of Westrourke) were killed in these massive battles.  They even went so far as to invade Thyatis City.  Then the Immortals showed their wrath against the Alphatians who dared attack the empire and sank their continent beneath the cold waters of the sea.
Since that fateful day in AC 1009, Thyatis reclaimed most of the Isle of Dawn.  Stefania Torion, daughter of Emperor Thincol, was granted Redstone as a county, dividing the province of Westrourke.  In fact, Thyatis continued even past this point and proceeded to invade the Alphatian Kingdoms on the Isle.  Dunadale, East Portage, Ekto and Trikelios all fell to the mighty Legions.  But then Thothia retaliated and conquered most of them back.  With the death of Emperor Thincol, Duke Thrainkell Firestorm declared independence for Westrourke.  The wars ended in AC 1012 with the Treaty of Dawn [or Isle of Dawn Treaty.  Ed.], in which Alphatia regained all its kingdoms except for Dunadale.  In exchange, Thyatis granted Thothia sole ownership of the unclaimed Great Escarpment [now called the Thothian Plateau.  Ed.]. Dunadale was promoted to full duchy status shortly afterwards.
Now, the southern provinces receive refugees from the Thothian Plateau claiming giant spiders chased them out of their homes.  The Legion officially does not involve itself in these matters, even though the refugees are Thyatian colonists, mainly because the land belongs to Thothia.  In fact, these aranea spiders have made a few excursions into both Caerdwicca, Kendach, and Septentriona, and now the Legion is definitely looking into things.
Also, Marie Kendach is very disappointed with the results of the Treaty.  She lost the Kendach Plateau during these talks, and the new fortress built high atop the plateau now falls into the jurisdiction of Alphatian-controlled Ekto.  Because of this, and the relative impunity with which Duke Firestorm separated from the empire, the Countess of Kendach is a rather angry noble.
Don't Miss.
There are many places to see throughout the various provinces.  The Herdane Escarpment of Dunadale allows an impressive view of the sunrise, and the cliff itself makes a great challenge for those who enjoy climbing.  If you want to taste the life of a pirate, Caerdwicca is the place to go.  The impressive Redstone Castle is by far the most amazing fortress to visit on the entire Isle of Dawn.  Even the gnomish contraption that lifts boats onto land at West Portage is worth a visit, from far of course - I wouldn't trust a gnomish invention too much.
My favorite sites are in fact the numerous battlefields that dot the land.  I find it a sheer joy to stand atop the hills once used by commanders of numerous armies and retrace in my mind the maneuvers and battles that took place in the fields below.  To relive the tactics used by General Martigan or General Bentharzim of the Alphatians or of the late General Lycrandonion of Thyatis always manages to impress me with the sheer simplicity and brilliance of their strategies.  Perhaps one day, people will even come here to see where I stood when I led my men to victory.


WESTROURKE (Grand Duchy of)

Location: Northern section of the Isle of Dawn, south of Helskir, east of the province of Dunadale and north of the province of Redstone.
Area: 97,272 sq. mi.
Population: 55,000, including 25,000 in the capital of Newkirk.
Languages: Thyatian Common (Thyatian dialect official, Redstone dialect is also common), Alphatian Common (East Portage dialect). 
Coinage: Thyatian Standard: Emperor (pp), lucin (gp), asterius (sp), denarius (cp).  Alphatian coins are also very common: Crown (gp), mirror (sp), judge (cp).
Taxes: 25% income tax, collected 4 times a year (Va. 1, Ya. 1, Fy. 3, and Ei. 1).  5% sales tax on all items except food and clothing.
Government Type: Independent Grand Duchy with formality ties to the Empire of Thyatis.
Industries: Agriculture, armor, dies and pigments, and lumber.
Important Figures: Thrainkell Firestorm (Duke, human, male, P(cr)12 of Vanya), Holva Firestorm (Duchess, human, female, T13).
Flora and Fauna: Standard for its climate, notably herds of sheep and goats.  Dangerous monsters include goblinoids and bandits that are common throughout the Isle of Dawn.
Further Reading: M5 - Talons of Night, Dawn of the Emperors boxed Set, AC1010 - Poor Wizard's Almanac to AC1012 - Poor Wizard's Almanac 3.

Description: by Titia Solenius
Westrourke was once the largest dominion on the Isle of Dawn, but has suffered severe cuts since the Wrath of the Immortals war.  Despite this, it is still one of the largest territories, and is by far the most stable and prosperous.
Like Helskir, Westrourke is an independent nation with formality ties to the Empire of Thyatis.  It has its own military, and none of the taxes collected ever make their way to imperial coffers.  Still, Westrourke has seats in the Senate and can command Thyatian Legions to help defend its borders on top of its own military.  What this spells for the future of our Empire, especially since other nobles are starting to get jealous of this prestige, remains to be seen.
The Land
Westrourke is blessed with a wide variety of terrains and towns.  In fact, the Archduke has divided his land into several lesser dominions.
The Duchy of Newkirk is the Duke's own seat of power.  Here lies the city of Newkirk, capital of the entire Grand Duchy.  The borders of the duchy are delimited by the Southern Kauth Hills, a light forest to the east, and the grasslands to the north.  The Bay of Newkirk is obviously the western border.  In fact, the entire coastline is one large cliff dropping into the waters below, giving the duchy an excellent means of defense from sea reavers of Ostland.  The city of Newkirk is renown for the excellent chain and platemails, and the Legion often orders in bulk from their armorers.
The Dust Reaches is a large plateau located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) off the shores north of the Duchy of Newkirk.  This wasteland is overflowing with goblinoids, particularly kobolds and orcs.  In fact, many military excursions are sent to clear them out, but so far with no success.  Between the plateau and the Bay of Newkirk are the Sveikassli Woods.  This region is uninhabited.
North of the Dust Reaches you enter the County of Viksdalen.  Contained within its borders are Glotta Forests and the Fyresvatn Bogs.  Viksdalen is a major trade town as all overland caravans from the north must pass through the town to get to Newkirk or beyond.  Viksdalen also has a strong military presence, mainly due to the constant raids of orcs from the Dust Reaches or lizardmen from the Fyresvatn Bogs.
Spreading out toward the north and west, around the Bay of Westrourke, are the baronies of Blido, Guddal, Tromsheim, and Ytre Ystrebo.  In fact, each barony is nothing more than a small village of which the baron controls about 30 kilometers of the land around it (20 miles).  The area is well forested and home to many lumberers and woodsmen.  The plains are also fertile and produce just enough food to keep Westrourke self-sufficient.
The County of Nordvik is the largest dominion of Westrourke.  This county encompasses all the land around the Erdals Fjellet River as well as the Geittinden Mountains.  A small gold mine within the mountains provides some income for the dominion, but in fact its main industry is the production of dyes and pigments.  Nordvik is the northernmost dominions of the Grand Duchy, near the border to Helskir.
The People
Thyatians and Ostlanders make up the vast majority of the population.  Alphatians used to be common, but many have fled after being faced with intense prejudice by Thyatians upset at the deaths caused during the Wrath of the Immortals.  Still, it is not uncommon to notice Westrourkites of Alphatian descent.
Most Westrourkites are proud of their new-found independence and believe that they will be spared should Thyatis start another war with the New Alphatian Confederate Empire.  In fact, should there be such a war, Duke Firestorm would probably rush to the rescue of his former Empire, despite what his people believe.
Recent History
The Grand Duchy of Westrourke was completely conquered in AC 1007 during the Wrath of the Immortals, a fact which took Thyatis by surprise.  It seems that Helskir secretly switched sides and invaded the Duchy from the north while General Martigan of the Alphatians spearheaded an assault onto Newkirk itself after conquering Redstone Castle.  The battle was long and bloody, but the Alphatians outnumbered the Thyatians.  Duke Donegal Firestorm gave his life defending his people, allowing them to escape the doomed city.  
His son, Thrainkell was one of those who escaped, and he was named Duke of Westrourke when Thyatis finally reconquered the land in AC 1009.  But the Emperor did not return full control to Thrainkell Firestorm.  First, the entire southern half of Westrourke was turned into the province of Redstone and given to the Emperor's daughter Stefania.  Second, a large part of the northern territory was acknowledged as belonging to the Kingdom of Helskir.  Still, Thrainkell held Emperor Thincol in high regard and accepted the decision.
In AC 1012, after the death of Emperor Thincol, Duke Firestorm announced his bid for independence, and Emperor Eusebius granted it to him shortly after the Isle of Dawn Treaty with Thothia.  The current allegiance to Thyatis is merely a formality.
Now that he has his own nation, Duke Firestorm has given some attention to the matter of vengeance against General Martigan.  He has placed a 250,000 lucins (gp) reward for bringing Martigan to him alive, and many bounty hunters have since flocked to Newkirk.  Unfortunately, it seems that Martigan can no longer be found in his county in Norwold.  In fact, he seems to have disappeared off the face of Mystara.  But this has not stopped the Duke's desire for revenge.
Don't Miss
Westrourke has a magnificent signaling system all along its coast, starting from Finnegar's Watch in the Geittinden Mountains all the way down to the city of Newkirk.  Several towers dot the coast every 100 miles (150 kilometers) or so.  Within each of these towers are large, magical chimneys that can send a pillar of smoke into the sky.  The smoke signal is easily visible by the occupant of the next tower, who can pass it on down the chain.  Thanks to this method, a message can quickly reach the capital about an invading fleet.  Just as importantly, all the local inhabitants can also see the immense smoke clouds and will rush to safety.  This saves the bother of sending out messengers to each village to warn of an impending attack.
