Hazlan
| Hazlan | |
|---|---|
| |
| Culture Level | Medieval |
| Ecology | Full |
| Climate & Terrain | Temperate hills, mountains, and plains |
| Year Formed | 714 BC |
| Population | 26,100 |
| Races (%) | Humans 92%, Halfling 4%, Gnome 3%, Other 1% |
| Languages | Vaasi, Halfling, Gnome, Balok |
| Religions | Church of the Lawgiver, Hala |
| Government | Feudal ethnocrat despotism |
| Ruler(s) | Hazlik |
| Darklord(s) | Hazlik |
| Nationality | |
| Analog | |
| Related Categories | |
| Locations in Hazlan | |
| Transportation in Hazlan | |
| Inhabitants of Hazlan | |
| Former Inhabitants of Hazlan | |
| Flora of Hazlan | |
| Fauna of Hazlan | |
| Native Monsters of Hazlan | |
Biology
Flora
Fauna
Monsters
Aberrations
Geography
Weather
Terrain
Mountains & Hills
The Balinoks
The Forhenvaerendman ("Ancient Ones") are the eastern foothills of the Balinoks. These foothills gives way to the Ensommark ("Lonely Plain"). Toyalis sits at the frontier between them and the Lonely Plain. The Red Highway from Toyalis scales the Forhenvaerendman and breaches the Balinoks beyond.
The Høj i den Safdrede Sti-Naavne ("Hill of the Hundred Paths") stands in northeastern Hazlan close to the border with Nova Vaasa at the limit of the Ufrugtbarlan ("Barren Lands"). It is shunned as a place where ghosts walk and kill those who put a foot wrong.
Plains
The Ensommark ("Lonely Plain") covers eastern Hazlan and is divided into the Ufrugtbarlan ("Barren Lands") to the north, and the Dunlan ("Dun Lands") to the south, by the [[Saniset River].
Forests
The Skyggeskov ("Shadowwood") straddles, just south of the Saniset River, the eastern Hazlani frontier with Nova Vaasa, fronting the Misty Border. It begins in earnest east of the Felgmøsge ("Mistmoss River").
Landmarks
The Black Spire
Communication
Rivers
Saniset River System
The Saniset River is navigable from the Nocturnal sea to Sly-Var and beyond, certainly not all the way to Immol, but perhaps to the shadow of the Barovian Balinoks where the climb to Immol begins. Craft are very likely smaller than small ships however. Otherwise chuul, when they rear their ugly selves, wouldn't be able to make a mess of transport on the river.
The Genspejle is navigable from Sly-Var to the frontier with Nova Vaasa and with greater difficulty some distance beyond.
Fording the Saniset River seems unlikely, even above Sly-Var. The Iron Road crosses the Saniset two-thirds of the way to Toyalis. This would be the disembarkation point for goods carried by water to Toyalis from both up and downriver, so throwing a bridge across the river here would do no exceptional harm to river traffic. Additionally, one could imagine Hazlik insisting upon a bridge as it would also service his private estate of Veneficus. The Iron Road crosses Genspejle at Sly-Var. A bridge here would allow the town to straddle both banks and would be a boon to commerce. And a ferry across the Saniset would make sense too. The Vaere Bange Road crosses the Saniset near the Nocturnal Sea. Again a ferry would make sense.
- The Genspejle ("Mirror River")
- The Felgmøsge ("Mistmoss River")
- The Saniset River has as its tributaries the Genspejle ("Mirror River") and the Felgmøsge ("Mistmoss River")
The Musarde River System
Only the Vistani or a Captain of the Mists could use the East Musarde River to reach southwestern Hazlan or the Musarde River to reach the southern Pommel of Nova Vaasa.
- The East Musarde River
- The Musarde River has a tributary the East Musarde River
Roads
- The Iron Road joins Toyalis to Sly-Var, traversing the Ensommark ("Lonely Plain"), and continues on to the east into Nova Vaasa.
- The Red Highway joins Toyalis to Ramulai, scaling the Forhenvaerendman ("Ancient Ones") and breaching the Balinoks.
- The Warlock's Road joins Toyalis to Immol, traversing the Ensommark ("Lonely Plain") and climbing into the Balinoks where it stays close to the Saniset River.
Mistways
- The Road of a Thousand Secrets (two-way, moderate reliability) between the Misty Border of Hazlan to Pharazia. It existence is widely known in Hazlan.
- The Song of Obscene Hunger (one-way, excellent reliability) from the Black Spire in southwestern Hazlan to Bluetspur.
Frontiers
Nova Vaasa
The Graenseskov ("Borderwood") begins in earnest at the northern Hazlani frontier with Nova Vaasa.
The Skyggeskov ("Shadowwood") straddles, just south of the Saniset River, the eastern Hazlani frontier with Nova Vaasa, fronting the Misty Border. It begins in earnest east of the Felgmøsge ("Mistmoss River").
The Høj i den Safdrede Sti-Naavne ("Hill of the Hundred Paths") stands in northeastern Hazlan close to the border with Nova Vaasa at the limit of the Ufrugtbarlan ("Barren Lands"). It is shunned as a place where ghosts walk and kill those who put a foot wrong.
Barovia
Forlorn
Kartakass
The Misty Border
The Misty Border is also known as the Road of a Thousand Secrets and is widely known to lead to Pharazia.
Population Distribution
Cities
Toyalis (pop. 8,200 ) sits on the western edge of Ensommark ("Lonely Plain") within a vast crater. The Forhenvaerendman ("Ancient Ones") stand at its back to the west. Toyalis is joined to Sly-Var by the Iron Road, to Ramulai by the Red Highway, and to Immol by the Warlock's Road. The Tables is its most feared and noteworthy structure. The Iron Citadel-Fane, just outside of Toyalis, is the seat of the Halzani branch of the Church of the Lawgiver.
Towns
Sly-Var (pop. 4,500) sit on the Ensommark ("Lonely Plain") on the frontier between the Ufrugtbarlan ("Barren Lands") and the Dunlan ("Dun Lands). The Saniset River and the Genspejle ("Mirror River") meet in Sly-Var. Both rivers are navigable at this point. Sly-Var is joined to Toyalis by the Iron Road. It is joined to markets in Nova Vaasa by the Iron Road and the Saniset River. The Tables is its most feared and noteworthy structure.
Villages
Ramulai (pop. 300) sits in the Red Wizard's Vale at the foot of Mount Soren at the heart of the Hazlani Balinoks. It is joined to Toyalis by the Red Highway. It is the seat of the Red Academy.
Notes
The remaining 13,000 Hazlani live in other villages or smaller communities still. Theses include private estates, religious enclaves, frontier communities, and farms. The majority, probably the overwelming majority, of these places stand on Ensommark ("Lonely Plain").
Inns & Taverns
Ramulai
Sly-Var
Toyalis
Things, Creatures & Personnages of Legend
The Høj i den Safdrede Sti-Naavne ("Hill of the Hundred Paths")
Authority
Temporal Ruler
Spiritual Ruler
Pave Stavroz Vatsisk commands the Iron Faith across Hazlan from the Iron Citadel-Fane outside of Toyalis
Church & State
There is no evidence that Hazlik views the Church of the Lawgiver as anything more than a tool of social control. He is an open, and an immensely proud, master of arcane magic which is a blasphemy according to its doctrine and for which, back in Kantora, he would be imprisoned, tortured, and executed publically as an example to others. Whatever faint hope that the Iron faith had of redeeming him as an individual could hardly have survived his revocation of the ban on the use of arcane magic and his opening of the Red Academy promoting the use of arcane magic. His tatoos, and those of the Mulan generally, are the visible signs of moral and spiritual degeneracy, serving only to confirm the faith's view of him. It is difficult to imagine that homosexuality is not viewed likewise by the faith, although it is not clear whether Hazlik has or has not hidden his sexual orientation. Additionally, the position of women according to the faith is, strangely enough, also an issue, for Hazlin is planning to usurp the body of his female apprentice. In fact, to Hazlik the Iron Faith may not even be a tool of social control, at least in the usual sense. Prior to this religion the Mulan race was not challenged by its lesser in Hazlan and Hazlik was not challenged by his lessers in the rule of the land. And both seemed secure, at least in their own minds, in that respect. So while the Iron Faith does reinforce the rule of both, it perhaps offers Hazlik something that he actually does find useful and values immensely, the undisturbed quiet to better pursue his arcane projects. Were the Hazlani church to disturb Hazlik, to interfere in any tangible way in his ability to do as he wishes, to take, in particular, the hardline on the practice of arcane magic that the Divine Fist back in Kantora is demanding, a faith that has outlived its usefulness could discover that Hazlik is willing to cast it from his land with a casualness apt to rotted fruit. Not, of course, that he need go so far. Hazlik could decree the independence of the Hazlani church and impose the necesary changes in leadership and doctrine. His preference might be dictated pragmatically by his desire to return his attention to arcane matters of genuine consequence, mainly the annihilation of a race. Then again, he has a vindictive streak and is nothing if not unpredictable.
Government
Law Enforcement
Data from the Ravenloft Catalogue
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Ravenloft Third Edition |
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Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp7,26-27 | |
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Secrets of the Dread Realms - pp8-9 |
