Kurrot

The Kurrot tend to their fields of grain, and their herds of cattle. Eschewing steeds, they run alongside their herds, or across the plains to their neighbors to give or ask for aid. The fastest of them are messengers, running long distances that would kill a mounted horse.

With many dangerous creatures roaming the plains, the Kurrot are used to reacting quickly and viciously. The plains are also full of salt, and many salt mines reap the benefit. The salty diet and constant fighting with dread creatures have made the Kurrot a sour lot.

Lake Hargis was named after a legendary warlord who had ruled the fertile land south of the lake. The river that feeds into the lake from the south is called Father's Fall and is full of dangerous rapids. Hargis had two daughters. Liandris was the elder and obedient one who never strayed far from home. Marnea was the younger and rebellious. She left home and was never seen again. The Liandris River feeds the Father's Falls from the west and the eastern feeder is called the Marnea River.

The myths of Hargis also tell that his daughter Liandris became a mate to a warlord known as Kur. He became the new ruler of the human people and led them out onto the plains west of Lake Hargis. The plains there bear his name. The tales of Hargis and Kur are little more than legends passed down, so the full truth about them is unknown.

However the tales tell of Kur creating the first human civilization. Some tales say that it was razed to the ground by the goblinoids during the Second Goblinoid War. Other tales tell that Kur and his people were accepted among the goblinoids due to their vicious nature and were instead destroyed when the giants warred with the goblinoids. Rumors say that some information on this early age was preserved and is currently hidden in Rheamoor.

During the battles between Agon and Casea, many did not want to fight. Deserters found plenty of empty lands near or on the Plains of Kur where they could avoid the conflict. Soon the area became seen as a place to get away from authority. Criminals fled to the land. Exiles from Agon, Casea, and Ravalei fled there as well. The Kurrot are therefore often seen as mostly the descendants of deserters, exiles, and criminals.

This odd mix eventually blended to help create the culture of the Kurrot. Independence and freedom were often the foremost things a native of Kurrot desires. Most wish nothing more than to be left alone. The criminal heritage of some of the people led to many rumors about the people of the land that are not entirely true.

Outsiders often think the Kurrot have a strong bloodlust, and many do enjoy battle. Some join the Tempests to try to control their rage. Others join the Bladestorms or a mercenary group in the Disputed Lands to sate their thirst for violence. However, as Kurrot is home to an untamed plains and tied to the deadly Siren Swamp in the northeast as well as having the constant threat of goblinoids, there is always a need for those that will fight such threats.

Thus was formed the Cleansers. Often wearing stark white, these heroes use any method they can to eliminate threats to civilized life. Some are former Tempests, Bladestorms, or mercenaries. Other Kurrot join merely to find adventure. Adventurers of all races will sometimes join the Cleansers as well. Few survive for long, as they face the deadliest creatures, often alone. Those that do survive usually become great legends.

Many tales speak of the lands of Kurrot as cursed to be in perpetual war. The fertile plains near Lake Hargis are knows as the Blood Plains. It is there that many wars have been fought. The war between Ago and Casea ended on those plains. The goblinoids often spill out across them from Siren Swamp or crossing the lake and its rivers. Certainly the many deaths have fertilized the lands, and many find the Kurrot's willingness to farm there a bit disturbing.

Each city-state within Kurrot has its own culture, the defining characteristic that binds them together is a mutual distrust of outside governments. Most of them are named simply based on their main attribute, the Kurrot like to say they don’t need fancy or elaborate names. The nine current city-states are:

Border Town – Home of those in Kurrot who wish for isolation from other countries. The grand walls around this city-state help keep foreigners out, and the Kurrot here send out fierce border patrols to keep the unwanted out of the area. Their location means they mainly worry about goblinoids slipping past the Agonish forces or to deal with Agonish deserters, mercenaries, pillagers, or other malcontents.

Farm Town – Major food trading post. A fairly safe and idyllic location. They pride themselves on being peaceful and open. The Agonish often think of them as naive hicks.

Lake Town – A fortified town ready to defend against the goblinoids. A strong source of trade with Ravalei, providing food from the farms on the Blood Plains and fish from Lake Hargis.

Mine Town – Northwestern salt mine trading post. An unpleasant and xenophobic town. Run like a dictatorship with a company store for the locals. Workers are paid in credit that is only good with company owned businesses.

Rheamoor – Capital city of Kurrot and home of the Bladestorms. Like Border Town it is a walled city. The main library of the Cleansers is also here. By far the largest of the city-states, it is sectioned off into various quarters. The Merchant Quarter is the only one open to the general public. It is the front face of the town. It is there that trading happens, and dozens of shops litter the streets, including several inns and taverns. The military quarter houses the current Lord of Blades, who leads the Bladestorms and is the central power of the city-state. The residential quarter only lets people in and out who have city issued IDs. This has led to a criminal class of thugs without ID who can not leave the quarter and therefore have turned to mugging others to survive. The professional quarter is where many of the citizens work that do not have a business in the Merchant Quarter. In the professional quarter, goods are manufactured, usually for sale in the Merchant Quarter. Laborers and artisans of all kinds work here, but rarely profit as they work for those who own the storefronts of the Merchant Quarter and the manufacturing facilities of the professional quarter.

Riverton – A more cosmopolitan town due to Agonish influence, it is a major hub of trade and shipping. They make exclusive deals selling Kurrot salt and livestock to Agon and Feergrus.

Salt Town – Southeastern salt mine trading post. An isolated mine, the people share some of the isolationist tendencies of Border Town and are the only people that regularly trade with that city-state. While Slat Town is open to traders, merchants, and other travelers, the inn is a good distance from the mines and the worker’s homes. The locals keep outsiders at an arm’s reach. They are cordial in the areas near the inn, but work hard to keep outsiders away from their homes and the mine.

Tempest – Fishing and trading port near the monastery. The port city is quiet. It trades Kurrot Salt and livestock to Ravalei and Nuvroc. The nearby monastery often attracts visitors. The monks turn most visitors away, only looking for students who seek inner peace.

Two Daughters – A town of tall and poorly made shanty towers. All of them creak in the wind. Many lean upon each other for support. The walls of the town are not as impressive as Border Town or Rheamoor but they do their job against the nearby goblinoids. They also often provide support to the shanty buildings. The town is desperately poor and is rumored to be home to several nasty criminal syndicates. There are even rumors that some goblinoids live in the town as well.

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