Mount Deoron and Environs

One hundred miles south of Silverwater City, this part of the Duchy resembles the Sicilian countryside, with rugged hills covered in pastureland and rocky outcroppings, and small but dense forests here and there. Its edges are bounded by the Barony of Rondhoff in the north, the Barony of Suthriver to the south and east. The Far Spar Mountains can be seen to the west, the source for several small streams and rivers that cross the region. Deoron's most notable feature is Mt. Deoron, a large volcano that hasn’t erupted in living memory, but periodically lets of small gouts of steam. Much of the land to the west of Mount Deoron is unorganized, dotted with small ranches and fortified farmsteads. The largest waterway through Deoron is the Ketrick River, which is barely large enough for small boats and barges. The following market communities can be found within Deoron:1) Deoron Hill - Pop. 1500 – This town sits on the shore of Lake Ketrick, near the rapids and cataracts of “Ketrick Falls”, and is the location of Deoron Keep. The “castle” is large enough to house the Lord, his family, men-at-arms, and assorted servants. The town has a well-organized market plaza, around which the local artisans are clustered. There is a small temple to Aurintuli here, serving as the local religious center. Deoron Hill grew as a trading center as the overland portage around the Ketrick Falls, but it later assumed greater importance as the seat of power for the domain.2) Lemnick - Pop. 500 – Lemnick is located about five miles to the west of Deoron Hill, out in the countryside. It is populated exclusively by pious Korjata-worshipping farmers. The villagers do not conduct trade with travelers for the most part, and are content to sell the products of the Burick’s Woods to known traders. A vassal knight and ten men-at-arms are garrisoned here, but they usually do little beyond terrorizing the local girls and taxing travelers. The real security is handled by a militia of twenty or so local men with little training or equipment beyond their spears that they attempt to drill with on off days.

3) Eward - Pop. 200 – Eward is located about ten miles from of Deoron Hill, on the road north to Silverwater. There are a few small inns here, catering to travelers coming to and from the city. There are ten men-at-arms here, charged with keeping order in the village and surrounding countryside. Because Deoron maintains cordial relations with the neighboring Barony of Rondhoff, this is a relatively quiet region. Both domains maintain border patrols, but not aggressively so.

4) Oming – Pop. 300 – Oming is a bucolic little market village, serving the numerous hamlets and homesteads in the eastern corner of the realm. It produces lumber and game products hunted in the Oming Forest. Most of the forest is claimed by the neighboring Barony of Suthriver, but a portion of it extends into Deoron land. This region is a constant source of tension and danger, as the two lords dispute the actual boundary line. Armed parties are likely to encounter hostile patrols in this forest, especially if traveling near the ostensible border areas. Oming is governed by a knight and twelve men-at-arms.

5) Satzen - Pop. 350 – Satzen is located to the northwest of Deoron, on the slopes of Mt. Deoron. The locals here raise grapes for wine rather than more conventional farming, and represent a lucrative source of revenue for the Barony. The local vassal knight and twenty men-at arms reside at the local manor, levying tolls on the road. The men-at-arms usually are busy enough that they have not antagonized the locals unduly, with bandits and Goblinoids making constant raids from a network of caverns in the nearby hills. They help protect the village, but do little to actually eliminate the source of the raids.

6) Sarrhem – Pop. 200 – Sarrhem is the market village for the farmers and foresters of the southwestern parts of Deoron. It is also located very close to the Farspar Mountains, and thus plagued by occasional incursions from wilderness. The Barony has stationed two knights and twenty men-at-arms in the village. This large armed contingent does improve the security situation markedly.

In addition to these four named communities, there are numerous smaller hamlets scattered about the domain, each with a population of 20-50 people, usually composed of 2-6 families. Each one is associated with one of the nearer “named villages”. Most of these have no guards or men-at-arms, and are located off the main roads. In most cases, they consist of two or three fortified farmsteads, usually sharing a single defensive wall. The farmers or herdsmen living within will be deferential to nobles or guardsmen, but surly and suspicious to strangers or travelers. In fact, it is rare that any of them travel beyond the nearest large village.

The Deoron Ruins

The Elven ruins are located about two miles up a trail from Satzen. None of the locals go there, largely out of superstition. The ruins themselves are on a precarious ridge line requiring a somewhat risky climb, and the path is strewn with loose rocks and goblins and worse. Occasionally travelers will disappear in the area. More useful information might be had from the Sevastin, a group of which have made the woods near the ruins their home for decades.