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A Traveler's Guide to the Turamzzyrian Empire
South Hendor
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Hendor was once a Kingdom apart from the Empire. Hendor fell in
4630, two years after the first appearance of Issyldra, the Ice
Queen, in the DragonSpine. The campaign for Hendor, fought between
4635 and 4638, liberated the territories from the occupying humanoids
and made North and South Hendor officially part of the Turamzzyrian
Empire.
South Hendor is some of the most plush and resourceful land in
all of the Empire. Plentiful streams and lakes, and rolling valleys
make up what many consider to be the garden spot of the Empire.
While South Hendor is land-locked, rivers abound, many large enough
to support river towns and river commerce.
Waterford
The city of Waterford is rich, even by Empire standards. It is
central to the territories, and to the Empire itself. It is a hub
of commerce, and is also very well ordered and lawfully ruled. Justice
in Waterford is swift and absolute, deterring most major crime.
The citizenry of Waterford pay considerably higher taxes to support
this level of protection. Waterford¿s glory, though still
well renowned, has diminished in the past century, as the quake
that created the great falls on the Tempest River disrupted river
access to the sea. River traffic in lumber and other distant resources
still arrive in Waterford, but now require overland shipping once
received.
Nydds
Nydds is a wondrous city located south of the hilly land that borders
the Sea of Fire. The culture of Nydds is different from most of
Hendor, with the citizenry open to foreigners and strangers, and
its people require a greater degree of freedom than most cities
in the Empire. Serving as the scholastic center of the Turamzzyrian
Empire with its numerous sages and colleges of the arts, Nydds also
boasts a satellite Hall of Mages for students of the arcane.
The Halls of Solace, a monastery devoted to Lord Voln, can be found
in Nydds. One of the most influential Voln monasteries in the Empire,
the Halls of Solace have been instrumental in aiding Aldora against
the Horned Cabal.
The merchants of Waterford are renowned for their magnificent silks,
as the weavers of South Hendor are among the most skilled in the
Empire. In addition to the great scholastic fame of Nydds, scriveners
and artists abound.
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Exports
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Imports
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Wood
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Medicines
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Cloth
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Rare Herbs
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Silk
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Produce
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Hides
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Grain
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Furs
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Coal
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Marble
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Books
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Waterford has an ancient harvest tradition known as "The Harvest
Bell." At the time of reaping, a handful of corn is left uncut
in the field, and at the end of the day the reapers stand a marked
distance away and aim their sickles at the "harvest bell"
(a sport that is not without its share of injuries!). When at last
the shock of corn falls, there is a fight for its possession, with
the victor carrying it in triumph to the harvest feast. On the way,
young girls throw bowls of water at the sheaf-carrier, who is meant
to dodge them all and bring his trophy safe and dry to the village
hall, where he is lauded as the hero of the evening.
The historians of Nydds love to tell of the winged serpents that
used to populate the area in days gone by. They were described as
very beautiful, sparkling all over as though covered with jewels.
Some were colorfully crested, and their bright wings had eyes like
those of a peacock's tail. Despite their splendor, the serpents
wreaked havoc on poultry and other farmyard creatures, and were
eventually exterminated.
Though not generally superstitious, the people of Nydds are still
loathe to enter a grove of oaks at midnight, for it is said that
the spirits of the past assemble there, especially those who fell
to the Ice Queen. It is also well known that he who cuts down a
juniper will die within the year. In the older parts of the city
one can still see strangely shaped houses built to accommodate one
or more of these revered trees.
Nydds is sometimes called the City of Flowers both in reference
to the glorious fields of wild orchids that cover the hillsides
nearby and to the prevalence of flowery windowboxes that decorate
Nyddian homes. The phrase, "Sweet as Nydds in Spring,"
is commonly used throughout the Empire when referring to something
with a particularly pleasing scent. The young maids of the city
are especially fond of wearing garlands and floral circlets, with
different flowers to symbolize beauty, chastity, romance, devotion,
and other popular themes.
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