City State Kickstarter

Judges Guild’s City State Kickstarter is coming up on its last 5 days! We’ve experienced a lot during this campaign. Funded within days, we’ve smashed through over half of our Stretch Goals. Go to the City State Kickstarter page to enter your pledge now! Our Facebook page can be found here!

The City State Kickstarter Stretch Goals include unlocking newly envisioned Campaign Maps of the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, miniatures done by Eastern Front Studios, even the Wilderlands Player’s Guide and Wilderlands of High Fantasy books.

Here is our journey so far through the Wilderlands of High Fantasy:

The City State Region

<p”>We started in the region occupied by the City State of the Invincible Overlord. A land with influences from man, elf and dwarf alike. The geography ranges from plains, to marshes, to woods, hills, and mountains. Notable cities and towns are Thunderhold, Modron, Tegel Village, Ossary, Lightelf, Sea Rune, and more. Forces from the City State engage in the Pirates up and down the River Hagrost, the Orcs of the Purple Claw, the Skandik Raiders of the East, and others.

Barbarian Altanis

The area known as Barbarian Altanis is home of the nomadic, red-skinned Altanians. Their ancestors were more advanced technologically, but their civilization had crumbled long ago leading to tribal feudalism. Now they wander the wastelands of the fathers. The ruins of the Kingdom of Kelnore are found in this regions as well. Mostly uninhabitable due to the thick wooded terrain, dense jungle, hills and mountains, there are very few outposts from the Invincible Overlord found here and there. Strewn across the region are many isolated villages of tribes and cults, Skandiks and orcs, and even a few pirates.

Isle of the Blest

Wilderlands Campaign Map XII: Isle of the Blest details the southern part of the Pazidan Peninsula and the Isle of the Blest. The fingers of the peninsula are known as Oricha, ancient home of the Orichalan Dragon Kings before the Altanian Barbarians killed all but few. The Isle of the Blest contains the City State of the Sea Kings, Rallu (on Campaign Map XVII: The Silver Skein Isles). The seas in the area have many traders going to Tarantis or Rallu, sometime even Tula, the City State of Mages. As with any place where traders are about, the seas of the Isle of the Blestare rife with pirates! The populations tend to be a mix of Alryans, Altanians, Tharbrians, and the occasional Antillian. Isolated settlements of Dwarves and Halflings are here and there as well. Navigating the hundreds of islands can be dangerous without proper equipment, navigators, and charts!

Ghinor

Land of sea storms, dangerous reefs and shoals, jungles teeming with feral dwarves, and the City State of Chim. This City State is located on the Devilstongue Peninsula. Long ago, this area was the Ghinorian Successor States, originally belonging to the Kelnorian Empire until a prince granted himself autonomy from the empire. Chim had sat empty for many years but has been settled by a tribe of dwarves.

Silver Skein Isles

Campaign Map XVII: Silver Skein Isles details Rallu – the City State of the Sea Kings located at the tip of the Isle of the Blest, Tula – the City State of Mages located along the coast of the Southern Reaches, and the actual Silver Skein Isles. The population is mostly Ghinorian men who often oppress the fairly small Karakhan minority. There are 6 large and 28 small islands that make up the Silver Skein Isles. Rallu and Tula have been in a power struggle for a while. Rallu is home of the Kelnorian descendants known as the Sea Kings, and Tula is home to many of the famed Schools of Wizardry, and the Chromatic Mages. Aside from the Rallu-Tulan War, there is an even longer enmity between the religious powers of the Silver Skein Isles.

Isle of the Dawn

The Isle of the Dawn has been of religious significance to the followers of Apollo as they believe here is where his Sun Chariot, Helios to the Ghinorians and Hyperion to the Skandiks, originates in the sky. Most of the human settlers here have lost touch with their peoples’ history. No major political power is present in this region because of the vast distances of sea between islands. Whaling vessels are pretty common here. Dragons, Mer-elves, Suhägin, schools of glowing fish, and dolphins are about!

The Ebony Coast

The Ebony Coast is a peaceful region rich with coal, crude oil, and peat. This land is wet in spring and early summer causing some swells and minor flooding. Mild winters are often accompanied by rain in the lowlands, but heavy snows in the highlands. Merchant and political influences have made for a vast network of roads between cities, villages and settlements to ease trade and patrol. Revelshire is the main political power here. Due to the geographic position of the Ebony Coast, it lies at the center of many different spheres of influence making it very diverse racially. These include Some Alryans and Karzulun tribesmen, but mostly Gishmesh, Antillians, Ghinorians, and Skandiks. The south has a significant Karakhan influence with two outposts on Moonstone and Blackwell Isles.

Tarantis

This is the region containing the City State of Tarantis, ruins of what is rumored to be the capitol of the Kingdom of Kelnore, the Terad Mountains, the Silver Sea, Shadow Lake, and the Jarmeer Plain. The Tarantine Merchant’s Association is based here. Weather tends to be warm and humid in the west and dry and hot in the east. The Jameer Plain is known for its almost daily occurrence of tornadoes. The city state of was founded 2541 years ago by the two nomadic tribes, the Gishmesh and Paldorians. The current dynasty ruling Tarantis was founded just under a hundred years when Edario I overthrew the sickly child Emir, Greataust II. Now Edario’s son, Atar the Lion, is Emir of Tarantis, having ruled successfully for over 48 years. Many of the provincial rulers in the Tarantis region are Sultans in treaty with Atar the Lion.

Valley of the Ancients

The current stop in our journey through the Wilderlands of High Fantasy is the Valley of the Ancients: (see bottom for past locations) According to the mythologies of men, and the ancient records of the Elves, the Valley of the Ancients was the place of genesis for the first creatures to walk the earth, the dragons. The prehistoric wars between dragons and the Markrabs raged here. Now, only rangers and hunters explore these poisoned lands. Thick fog obscures the sight of many travelers, leading to the naming of the Glow Worm Steppes. It is rumored that large carrion grubs which give off a bioluminescent glow can be seen making their way through the plains at night. In actuality, these are the hunting parties of cavemen armed with torches, mounted upon their ponies. Races found here include the Tenifell Lords, the Rangers of Tarsh, the Tarshian peoples, Avalonians (both common and true), and other mixed men so far removed from any particular race that they cannot be accounted for.