Adventures in Arcadayn
Haldinibar
By Tim Emrick

Ruler: Turwen (Queen) Lothwen II.

Capital: Urassenor.

Other Cities: Aberalt, Amarwar, Aramakla, Cavalcoch, Deggwern, Dildin, Glasport, Lasliath, Ninkasa, Silverford.

Symbol/Arms: Divided per chevron red (above) and green (below), a gold torc in chief (upper section).

Culture Level: Barbarian.

Currency: Copper Hind ($.01), bronze Stag ($.10), silver Hound ($.50), Eagle ($2) and Gryphon ($10), gold Dragon ($25).

Divisions: 11 city-states: Urassenor (capital), Amarwar, Lasliath, Ninkasa, Silverford on the mainland; Deggwern on Inis Mam Gint; Cavalcoch and Glasport on Dyelenor; Aberalt on Lurdonor; and Dildin on Ninwalota.

Government Type: Monarchy (matrilineal).

Languages: Sivian (M/A), Northlander* (M/A). Several Sidhe languages are spoken here, with the Seelie Court Tongue (M/H), Tuatha* (M/H), Dryad (M/A) and Naiad (M/A) being most common. (* Each of these languages has several dialects, which default to other dialects at -2.)

Population: About 200,000 humans, plus an unknown number of sidhe.

Racial Stock: The Haldin are men of North Anidel stock. Most are fair-skinned with blue or gray eyes and blond (sometimes red or brown) hair. The Sidhe have interbred with the Haldin to an extent that the humans of this kingdom are no longer as tall as their Northlander cousins (no height modifier), and silver hair and/or violet eyes are no longer rare. Albinos are still uncommon, but less so than in any other part of Arcadayn.

Geography: The center of Haldinibar is a peninsula extending southwest from a branch of the Thunderhead Peaks. This hilly peninsula is covered with thick forests, with two small groups of steep mountains: the Fountainlofts (central) and Eaglesnest (northwest coast). Haldinibar also controls the four largest Storm Isles (from east to west): Inis Mam Gint, Dyelenor, Lurdonor and Ninwalota.

Climate: Warm and rainy in coastal areas (within 50 miles of sea). Warm with dry winter inland.

Agriculture & Resources: Crops: some barley, beer, rye, some wheat. Animals: cattle, ponies, sheep. Resources: gems (moonstone), silver, timber.

Religions: The Haldin who have contact with the Sidhe tend to acknowledge many gods but rarely pray to or make offerings to them, and they hold Dananira (the Queen of Faerie, home of the Sidhe) in special reverence. Dananira has no priests; instead, she has given the gift of Magery to her faerie (and part-faerie) descendents, and sometimes gives special mortals the gift of World Sight (see "Faerie Shamanism" about these).

Druidism and the Elemental Cults (especially those of Ingor and Morovira) have many followers in Haldinibar, and this kingdom has its own Bloodletter Cult. The Quadralunic Cults are rare, while the Celestian Church is nearly unknown.

Military: [TBD]

Nonhumans: The Sidhe are frequent visitors to Haldinibar, and some groups maintain permanent presences. The Tuatha (Seelie noble courts) hold much power in the city-states of Urassenor, Silverford and Aberalt. Wood elves dwell in the mainland forests; merfolk dwell in the coastal waters of the Storm Isles; sprites inhabit the eastern islands; and bands of Unseelie still control many of the mountainous regions. [Currently elfkin are the only sidhe allowed as PCs.]

Swanmays and albino weredeer can be found in Haldinibar. Iron dwarves from the Thunderhead Peaks will occasionally visit this realm.

Other Special Groups: [TBD]

History: The region now known as Haldinibar has always been known to be a realm influenced by Faerie. The first humans to explore the area widely were Dalemen from what is now Visala. When the Krithian Empire attempted to annex the Dalemen's homeland, the Dalemen called in faerie allies. This led to the "Aelfhild" (Elf-War", 330-352 KC), in which Dalemen and faeries occupied Sivia and Kastir, and built Caerdin Har.

After the war, most of the faeries returned to their own lands (both in this world and Faerie). Finninir Cordlos, a hero of the war, founded the city of Urassenor as the capital of a new kingdom, Haldinibar. About a century after Finninir's brief reign, a cruel tyrant, Danthemris, usurped the throne. he was evetually deposed by the part-sidhe Corlot family, who claimed descent from Finninir. The Corlots have been exiled more than once since then, but have always regained their throne.

In 633 KC, a band of iron dwarves kidnapped King Alkadel. The elfkin king negotiated his own release peacefully, and opened trade with the dwarves.

The current Turwen (Queen), Lothwen II, is a diminutive warrior who made quite a name for herself as an adventuring hero before her succession.

Urassenor is the administrative and defensive center of the kingdom, but the port of Silverford is the economic center. The royal city traditionally has a strong faerie presence (natural given the royal family's heritage), but in contrast, Silverford's permanent residents are almost entirely human.

Names: Haldin names may be Celtic or Norse in sound and form.

Northwestern Arcadayn is also home to several city-states which are not controlled by Haldinibar but which have much in common with its human and faerie cultures:

Dantlurig, Luntamar and Numfalasmas are sidhe city-states in The Fey Isles.

Eariamind lies across Tempest Bay from Haldinibar, at the foot of the Thunderhead Peaks. This river town is constantly plagued by kobolds and other Unseelie creatures from the mountains. The townsmen believe that swanmays (rarely if ever seen by its citizens) help protect them from these creatures, so the town's standard bears the likeness of a swan.

Lanvelen is a port-town located near the borders of the Hold of Lis. So far, they have resisted annexation by that domain, but are plagued by frequent attacks from spriggans.

Marwar is a submerged sidhe city on the Storm Isle of Velkalak.

Wolk is a Northlander town just north of Haldinibar's mainland territories. Because of the level of intermarriage here with the Haldin, the Wolkish are less prejudiced against mages and (Seelie) faeries then most Northlanders. The town is heavily fortified, due to recurring problems with Fachan and other Unseelie threats from the nearby hills and mountains. Lothwen II spent much time here in her adventuring days, but in spite of her deeds in defense of the town, Wolk remains fiercely independent.

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