The Kingdom of Liekia
Low rolling meadows and thick resource rich forests dot the landscape until they become lost in the horizon. The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves wafts through the air. Horse drawn carts and pedestrians make their way on a broad thoroughfare that cuts across the landscape, connecting major trade hubs. Dozens of conversations can be heard just under the trundling wheels and hoof beats, allowing people from different walks of life to exchange a quick greeting, tell stories, and discuss current events.
Border Crossing
With the numerous docks of Emberde Bay providing unfettered access to the northern coasts and being the anchor of the The Common Thread on this side of Monsherba, Liekia is the largest hub of trade in the region. As a result, there is a constant flow of people and goods keeping those assigned to border checkpoints busy.
Their job is not to track the movements of every person and item coming into or leaving the country, but to make sure The Cobalt Crown collects their due through taxes. Visitors to Liekian lands are required to register with an administrator at the border and to pay the required (2sp) entry fee, which they explain helps to maintain roads and other public infrastructure. Once paid, the administrator issues a small lead coin pressed with the date and border location, which is called a Way-Mark that can be shown as proof that the tax was paid. It needs to be returned upon leaving Liekia and failure to return the Way-Mark results in a hefty (50sp) fine.
Laws, Customs & Taboos
Speaking with some travelers on the road, you learn a number of useful things that might help you in your travels.
Laws:
- Minor offences are not dealt with through imprisonment, as that would waste valuable resources of the kingdom. The Redvakt Peacekeepers handle these infractions by bonding the culprit to a local guild where they pay their debt through labor. Skipping out on the bond is a much more serious crime.
- Any weapon longer than a dagger must be peace-bound while inside the walls or bounds of a settlement.
- At twilight, all shrines, temples, ruins, and other religious sites are ordered to be closed by order of the king to prevent “ideological agitation.”
Customs:
- Locals who still follow the old ways will often hang stylized dragon scales or claws near the entry of their homes as a way of honoring their ancestors and letting everyone know that they continue their proud draconic traditions.
- When staying the night at a tavern or inn, its customary to sit in their common room and offer a story, song or recipe from your homeland. This is referred to as the Traveler’s Share. Innkeepers or tavern owners who are sufficiently impressed may offer a discount, a round of drinks or a high-quality piece of information.
Taboos:
- Heartwood trees hold a near sacred status amongst the Liekian people. So much so that they chose to shape their gold coin in their honor. Destroying one to create everyday objects from their wood or using it as a fire source to keep warm is seen as a repulsive, almost sacrilegious waste of a long-lived resource.
- Desecrating ancient draconic sites, known generally as Grots, will raise the ire of the traditionalist population. Those who deface or destroy these hallowed ruins are hunted down by small vigilante groups who seek to exact extrajudicial justice.
Faith & Superstition
- The Cobalt Crown sees the ancient draconic traditions as a threat to their legitimacy. They are cautious not to be too overt in their attempts to erase these heritage sites, as doing so risks incensing the traditionalists, further entrenching their beliefs and raising solidarity amongst the rest of the country. On a small scale, the Redvakt Peacekeepers turn a blind eye to small, private practices but quickly disburse larger gatherings and displays.
Currency & Commerce
The currency is minted as precisely cut shapes so that any shopkeeper can verify the coins’ authenticity by inserting them into calibrated slots on a shop counter. Coins have various shaped central cutouts that allow them to be secured on a cord of leather to help avoid loss or theft. The major banks of Kemet have joined together to standardize coinage to simplify trade across the world. While the face and shape can be designed freely, the coin must meet a standard weight and purity in Copper, Silver, Gold and Platinum to be accepted as currency outside its minting nation.
- Leaf (Copper): An elongated oval with tapered ends and a thin rectangular central cutout.
- Seed (Silver): A large hexagram with a circular cutout, its points are slightly rounded to avoid injury when handling.
- Heartwood (Gold): A heavy round coin with concentrically engraved tree rings on both faces and a small square cutout in the middle.
- Crown (Platinum): A small scalloped circle with a hexagonal center slot and a slight rim around the outside edge.
Commerce Style: Open Markets
Rumors & Folklore
Rumors:
- Merchant sailors whisper that they’ve seen representatives of King Rouis transporting strange, heavily guarded, unmarked black crates from a nearby foundry onto Nautilion League vessels late at night. Strange Shipments →
- Redvakt Peacekeepers have supposedly been searching for magical items and relics which they’ve been confiscating, citing public safety. Peacekeeper Raid →
Folklore:
- Traditionalists say they’ve noticed the ancient draconic Grots that dot the countryside are slowly sinking into the earth. It’s claimed this indicates that any settlement that was built over the ruins will one day simply fall into the darkest depths.
- There is a widespread superstition amongst Liekian artisans that crafting a truly flawless object invites immediate ruin.
- Some believe that the deep, crimson clay near the southern border with Zhal’desh is stained with the blood of ancient armies. It is said any metal weapon or tool that lays in the soil overnight will permanently rust.
History & Dates
Communalism/Tribalism (around 19,500 BR): The earliest Humans are scattered in small clans. Their survival as a species depends on evading predators, the most dangerous of which are dragons. Over thousands of years they live in isolated, hidden communities living off what they can kill and forage. As populations grew it became more difficult to remain hidden. Their needs for food, water and shelter outpaced what the land alone could provide and conflict brewed between the clans as they competed for resources. A few influential individuals realized they could no longer outrun or hide from the dragons and so they made the first Human pacts. They began to work together to form strategies to protect themselves from the creatures and as word spread of their successes other clans began to join their cause.
Drakenden – Chiefdom (around 10,800 BR): By this point in time the clans began to coalesce into larger, more fortified settlements. Leaders began to fight for power and control of the unified clans and it was often the strongest and most powerful that came out on top. In order to maintain their authority, some clan leaders turned to the dragons themselves for their displays of power. By creating stories of legend and rituals that promised control over the beings, they began to weave myths about whose bloodline was most blessed to lead. Over time these ideas spread through all of the regional clans.
Serpens Regnum – Monarchy (around 7,000 BR): Over thousands of years, the various draconic bloodlines cemented their power and control over their ancestral lands by crowning themselves kings. Wars were waged between these kingdoms over territory and resources. Once mighty realms fell as a result of the bloodshed and their lands were consumed until they were finally unified under a single, all powerful “Serpent King.”
Kralovec – Constitutional Monarchy (around 5,300 BR): This absolute power gave rise to great inequality and led to the merchant lords and common folk to turn against the monarchy. Together they would march upon the capital demanding change and threatening to destroy the nation’s agriculture and trade if they were ignored. Fearing mutual destruction if he refused, the last Serpent King surrendered. Superstitions were hard to break however and they chose not to execute the king for fear of ancient curses or retribution but they stripped him of his authority and drafted a constitution establishing a ruling council. The era of unchecked draconic traditions became heavily regulated and the nation flourished through a golden age of trade and expansion.
The Kingdom of Liekia – Absolute Monarchy (3,012 AR): The golden age of Kralovec was rocked by the events of The Stellar Rupture as the ruling class was unequipped to handle a populace where magical abilities were suddenly wide-spread. The Era of the Unbound Arcane quickly devolved into a time of arcane warlords and the upheaval of the social order. From this a ruthless military power arose who believed that unchecked magical power and this new fractured leadership would cause the destruction of the world. A powerful commander crushed the warring mage-lords and created the Kingdom of Liekia and declared themselves the absolute authority over the region. Today The Cobalt Crown uses the memory of these horrors to justify its control. Magical use has become more tolerated but not left unchecked by the Redvakt Peacekeepers and the kings work in the shadows to erase the draconic traditions of old in order to continue their stranglehold on leadership.
Conflicts & Secrets
Scaled Shadow: Underneath the pomp and circumstance of Liekia’s monarchy, there are still those who cling to the old ways. Rooted in draconic traditions, traditionalists from all walks of life continue the rituals and customs of their ancient ancestors. It doesn’t rise to the level of rebellion but it’s an open secret that many have refused to abandon the path of their forebears. The monarchy tolerates this activity only because of how widespread the beliefs are. Doing otherwise risks open revolt, and so they turn a blind eye to the practitioners and their ancestral sites.
Berth-Right: The Nautilion League has been systematically pricing out local independent ship captains in Emberde Bay by paying a premium to The Cobalt Crown to secure prime dock leases. They then pass on those costs by strongarming regional merchants into unfavorable long-term shipping contracts. Resentment has been growing amongst sailors and merchants, who have begun turning to smuggling and privateering to reclaim the waters of their homeland.
Economy & Military
Economic Reality: The Kingdom of Liekia has long been a powerful and prosperous nation, but recently the national coffers have been dwindling as a result of overstretching The Ratvarta, maintaining the international status quo, and with large scale building projects for the purpose of erasing ancient sacred sites. As a result, King Rouis was forced into a position of leasing off valuable dock space in Skalan to the Nautilion League so that the country could remain solvent.
Military Might: The standing army of the nation is deceptively small compared to other nations. While Liekia has one of the largest navies on Kemet, they’ve struggled to recruit enough troops to keep their battalions sufficiently staffed. Ambassadors have been working behind the scenes to secure peace treaties and trade pacts with their neighbors to avoid a conflict from further decimating their forces.
Regional Encounters
| d10 | Encounter Details |
|---|---|
| 1 | Way-Mark Checkpoint: A patrol of 1d8 Redvakt Peacekeepers stops the party to verify each character paid their entry tax and received a Way-Mark. A character can make a DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) or Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to locate their token. A character who never purchased a Way-Mark automatically fails this check. On a check total of 9 or lower, the token cannot be found, resulting in a suspicious delay and a 50 silver piece (sp) fine. On a result of 10–19, the token is found after a brief delay. On a result of 20 or higher, the token is produced instantly, resulting in a positive interaction. |
| 2 | The Broken Wagon: A Tesarcraft Guild laborer approaches the group and says that their wagon has slid off the road and is stuck. The driver offers payment for help getting the vehicle back on the path. REWARDThe driver provides a regional map that reduces overland travel time to one destination of choice by 25 percent. |
| 3 | Shakedown: A gang emerges from a nearby hiding place and demands a sum of gold pieces equal to 10 times the average party level (APL). Combat triggers if the characters refuse or fail a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) or Charisma (Intimidation) check. The gang flees if their leader or half of the base enemies are killed.
|
| 4 | The Lone Sailor: A rugged, salt-stained sailor named Voda is far inland, quietly speaking to locals. He is looking for strong individuals to help transport a shipment of supplies. He was forced to find an alternative place to dock his vessel after the Nautilion League leased all available berths in Liekia. REWARDHe offers a sum of gold pieces equal to 5 times the average party level if the party provides protection during his travel. |
| 5 | The Audition: The group is approached by a brightly dressed individual who introduces herself as Lyuna. She claims to be a traveling bard and enthusiastically begs the party to listen to her latest arrangement. The characters make three successive DC 10 Intelligence or Wisdom checks (player’s choice). They must succeed on all three checks to enjoy the performance. REWARDShe provides a useful local rumor if the party enjoys the song, or a useless local rumor if any of them dislike it. |
| 6 | Celestial Font: The party discovers a small spring of raw astral energy breaking through the surface of the earth. Until the end of the day, any creature within 20 feet of the spring that casts a spell of 1st level or higher must immediately roll a d100 on the Wild Magic Surge table. |
| 7 | Hidden Cache: Tucked just out of sight, the party uncovers a concealed lockbox containing several items. REWARDThe container holds a small, non-magical stylized dragon scale amulet and a thick handwritten ledger detailing several traditionalist meeting places. |
| 8 | Magical Item Inspection: A squad of Redvakt Peacekeepers patrols nearby and stops the party to inspect their equipment for restricted relics. One peacekeeper casts detect magic. A character must roll a d100 to determine if their magical items are discovered. The peacekeepers instruct them: “If you have a grievance, take it up with the High Castellan’s office.” The item can be retrieved the following day if the inspection yields no nefarious results. On a roll of 1, the peacekeepers temporarily seize one magic item in the character’s possession for deep inspection. On a roll of 2–10, the inspection causes a suspicious delay. On a roll of 11–99, the characters pass with a neutral interaction. On a roll of 100, the compliance is seamless and results in a positive interaction. |
| 9 | Quiet Vigil: The group stumbles upon a small pile of stones adorned with a chalk pictograph of draconic iconography and a smoldering candle. A moment later, a commoner steps into the clearing and freezes in shock, begging the party to keep silent while they hurriedly dismantle the altar. |
| 10 | The Edict: The party notices a small group congregating around a recently erected notice board. The royal decree states that all public gatherings of five or more creatures after sundown are prohibited. A character who speaks with the crowd can make a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) or Charisma check to learn how the locals plan to bypass the law. REWARDOn a success, the character gains a +2 bonus on their next social ability check made with commoners in this area within the next 24 hours. |
Quick Stats
| Government | King Ondoros Rouis rules over the country and is supported by The High Consulate. The king appoints High Castellans to oversee provinces and rural settlements, while Prefects are tasked with administering larger cities on behalf of The Cobalt Crown. |
| Population | ~630,000 |
| Exports | Timber, Ships, Woodworking products, Food products |
Language & Linguistic Guide
Naming Characteristics
Names blend Slavic roots, specifically with sharp consonants of Czech and soft vowels of Croatian, with a layer of Norse.Prefixes & Suffixes
Naming Prefixes:
- Traditional/Hard: Birk-, Thru-, Skal-
- Modern/Soft: Mas-, Hre-, Kon-, Med-
- Deep/Ancient: Draken-, Varm-, Stone-
Common Suffixes:
- Lineage/Major: -ia, -grot, -hold
- Modern/Civil: -a, -en
- Industrial: -an, -ov
Naming Examples
Names reflect a divide between ancient status and functional utility. Commoners use short, one or two-syllable names derived from local trades or plants, while nobility use their settlement name as a surname preceded by “z”.
Ancient Examples:
- Thrumir
- Skaldra
- Joren z Maslova
- Voda
Functional Examples:
- Milas
- Strazan
- Lesna
- Straz
Place & Location Examples
Location names are functional descriptors. Settlements are formed by identifying a primary geographic feature or resource and applying a suffix based on the industry or terrain.
Settlements & Geography:
- Zalivia
- Lesen
- Hrena
- Ryba
- Ptakia
- Verhan
Industrial:
- Rudan
- Luskav
- Srebov
- Drakengrot
- Varmhold
- Stonegrot
Organization & Technology Examples
Formal groups use functional names combining the Liekian trade word with a Norse-style descriptor. Items range from single-word Slavic utility tools to legendary artifacts that utilize a “Dragon Flair” compound structure.
Organizations:
- The Rudan Guard
- The Vlakno Weavers
- The Meda Order
- The Sekira Shields
Technology & Artifacts:
- Sekira
- Frostbane
- Ironfist
- Soulgrot