The Principality of Tarbul

In the days of old it is said that an ancient race lived in these lands. Ten feet tall, with hair the colour of sand, and eyes like diamonds they drove off all who would challenge them. Then came the Adurians, thousands of soldiers all lined up in their little formations and the ancients of this land sailed off across the ocean, leaving the land rather than face Aduria. Where they went is not recorded, but over the years many have seen them sailing before the great storms that come in for the endless ocean. Perhaps if you are very lucky one day perhaps you will see one, off a sailing on the Sea of Storms.

An modern Tarbul tale of the Rjurik

Alignment: Chaotic Good
Status: Recommended

Provinces/Holdings: Tarbul is the second oldest of the Northern Neha Principalities. It, like Aral is widely known as a source of fine timber and mineral ores and even the hilly provinces in the east of the principality are well populated by those who seek to exploit the wealth of the land. Because of this many guilds make their homes in Tarbul, most exporting either timber from its forests or minerals from its mines in the foothills of the Azure Peaks.

* indicates a fortified holdings.

Abbreviations: PI = Princess Istella (Tarbul); TCB = True Church of Brenna (Untrini the wise); TTC = Tarbul Trading Consortium (Serra Talat); SP = Silver Princess (Halwan); NF = Northern Foresters Guild (Pinter Ollinie); RFW = Reynir's Forest Wardens (Harri the Druid); DTA = Dara Temple of Azari (Suris Hormien); DM = Dara Mining (Olli Brarc); EH = Erl Halwa

• Law: Princess Istella maintain a light law presence in her lands, preferring not to counter the businesses of the guilds of this land with too many police. She tries to maintain a low profile and allow the various guilds to work unhindered in the hope they will not work against her. It is only tradition that has so far prevented the guilds from claiming the remaining law holdings.
• Temples: The true church of Brenna is prominent along the coast of Tarbul, while inland the druids from Reynir's Forest Wardens carry on their battle with those who would pillage the land for profit. Although the main temples are in Aral, the druids have gained a bigger foothold here in Tarbul, mainly because the Princess takes like action against regents building in her lands. This policy has however allowed the evil Dara Temple of Azari to move into the principality, setting up three small temples.
• Guilds: It is the guilds that hold much of the power in this land, perhaps even more than the Princess herself. The Northern Foresters,   Tarbul Trading Consortium, and the Dara Miners all fight for the right to the rich timber and mineral trades to the southern lands. The guilds have in the past hired mercenaries to fight against each other, and even now the two largest each support small armies to protect their holdings. Also most of their holding are fortified in case of an attack by one of the other guilds.
• Sources: The Silver Princess, ruler of Halwan claim a few minor sources in this land, but has yet to expand them as she has done in Dara and Aral. Perhaps the activities of the guilds have discouraged her up until now.
• Provinces: Princess Istella is the official ruler of the land, and it is she who collects the taxes. These are mainly used to fund her parties though, and little is returned to the people. Instead most people rely on their jobs working for one of the two major guilds. It is these guilds that virtually control the principality, maintaining armies, building roads and the like, and it is to the guilds that most people owe their loyalty, rather than to their princess as might be expected. Because of this the loyalty level of the provinces is very low and it would be quite easy for one of the guilds, or the temples to start a rebellion. So far this has not occurred though.

Regency Generate/Accumulated: 4/9
As a bard Princess Istella gains little in the way of regency. Most of what she does gain is used to attract more people to her realm and increase the population. So far she has worried little about the law holdings in her provinces, and as a result maintains little control over her people.

Treasury: 13 GB
Most of the money taken in by Tarbul is quickly spent of elaborate building project to expand the palace or on parties for the princess and her friends, little is returned to the people in the form of new roads or other important structures. The guilds however have spent much of their own income on this infrastructure, setting up a good road network and expanding on the port at Talat.

Army/Navy: Tarbul support only 2 units of infantry, both based in the capital city, Talat. However both of the guilds also support soldiers of their own. The Tarbul Trading Consortium has 3 units of archers, and 2 infantry, while the Northern Foresters control 6 infantry units. These troops are spread throughout Tarbul guarding the various merchant houses and trade routes. Also on top of this force each guild owns a single war galley, as well as a large number of heavy transport vessels to carry their goods to the southern empires.

Regents: Princess Istella Cordel (FNe; B2; Unblooded; Age 24) never wanted to rule Tarbul. Her father was an important general in the Nehalim army and for his bravery and skill was given the position of Prince of Tarbul. He was a strong ruler and cared about his people, making many of the improvements that make Tarbul what it is today. When he died it was expected that Istella's brother Garmin would take over his father's title, but Garmin choose instead to join the army and fight in the war with Aduria, leaving his younger sister Istella in charge. The young princess reluctantly took the throne, but knowing little about how to run a large kingdom quickly passed on control to her advisers. Unfortunately for her most of the advisors were bribed by the guilds into giving them more and more power until things quickly got out of hand and the guilds were fighting each other on the streets. Not knowing what to do Istella hid in the capital until the fighting had died down and she has remained their ever since attempting to drown out the real situation in her lands by holding an endless series of parties and celebrations. Secretly she is hoping that her brother, now a general commanding several thousand soldiers, will return and take over for her, but this may be a long way off. The princess does not want the responsibility of ruling and now wishes only to give up her power and return to her former life of a bard. The only reason she has not done this so far is that she fears what the guilds will do if they gain control over the provinces as well.

Important NPC's: Serra Talat (FNe; T8; Unblooded; Age 45) is the head of the noble Talat family, former rulers of Tarbul. She despises the current princess and would like nothing more to take control and rule openly. She is opposed however the the Northern Foresters who currently control a larger army than hers so she has so far not risked a attempt on the throne. The Talat family is one of the oldest noble families in the north. They came north with the original settlers and ruled Tarbul for nearly a hundred years. Then one of the family was unlucky enough to be involved in a plot against the Nehalim Emperor and was executed for his crimes. The Nehalim army arrested and killed most of the family and gave control of the land to a young general, Harnim Cordel. Serra has watched for nearly her whole life as the realm that should have belonged to her family was ruled by another and has built up a lot of hatred for the Cordel's. She is a very ruthless woman and will do anything possible to regain power. At the moment though she is locked in a struggle with the Northern Foresters for control of the principalities guilds, a struggle that she has carried north into Aral, building up a small empire there as well. At the moment the battle between the two guilds is quiet as they are both busy building up their forces for another strike.

General Koras (MNe; F5; Unblooded; Age 76) leads the official Tarbul army. As most of the best soldiers and generals have been hired by one or the other of the guilds Koras is the only one left who still supports the Princess. Once a strong warrior and tactician his body is now old and withered, but his mind is still as sharp as ever. Some say that it is Toras's skill that keeps the principality under the control of its regent rather than allow one of the guilds to take over. He has only two units of infantry to work with so he has placed them both in the capital preferring to protect that rather than risk defeat on the battlefield elsewhere in the principality. He wishes that he could convince the princess to give him more money as he know that with a few more units he could win back control and drive out the guild armies. So far he has failed to get the funding he need, but he keeps trying ever hoping for Istella to come to her senses and start acting like a princess instead of the scared child she is at the moment.

Horaum Gersious (MNe; T4; Unblooded; Age 56) is Istella's chief advisor. He is paid by the Tarbul trading consortium to influence the princess into making decisions that will assist them, rather than the Northern Foresters. He is know for always wearing dark coloured clothing when meeting with the princess, and carrying a large sword. He has a threatening manner and most of the time the princess follows his advise out of fear more than anything. Horaum has a hatred of General Koras and would like nothing more that the crafty old soldier to suffer and unfortunate accident. So far though, no matter how hard he has tried, he has been unable to arrange this.

Yelia Talat (FNe; T6; Unblooded; Age 27) is the princesses second advisor. She tries to move the princesses support more towards her sister and the Tarbul Trading Consortium rather than the Northern Forester. She has been successful so far mainly because she is the princesses friend, or at least is pretending to be her friend. She also organises most of the parties that the princess holds and tries to act as nice as she can around Istella and the other members of the court. Inside though she is very similar to he sister and has wants to see Istella dead as soon as possible. The princess is well protected though and so far she has been unable to get close enough. Yelia also dislikes Horaum Gersious, General Koras, Lord Erl, and most of the other people in the court and has even poisoned several servants because they displeased her.

Lord Erl Halwa (MNe; W4; Vo, minor, 21; Age 28) a close relative of the Erhshegh known as the Silver Princess is currently the Halwan ambassador to the court of Tarbul. The young lord is infatuated with princess Istella and has been attempting to aid her in any way possible, foiling two attempts on her life by her friend Yelia. Istella does not trust Erl though, knowing that he is a wizard, and therefore not to be trusted. Erl hopes to win her over in time though and until then does what he can to assist, casting spells to spy on Istella's advisors and informing the palace guards when ever an attempt on the Princess's life is about to be made. He has even gained control of a source holding in Talat that he hopes to be able to use in the future, despite knowing little of the secrets of realm magic.

Descriptions: One of the northern Neha Principalities that were settled over a three century period up until the current day. Tarbul was the second of these realms to be settled, a hundred and fifty years ago after rich deposits of iron ore were discovered. It has always been a society that depended on the wealth from the mines and lumber camps, but this has become even more so in the past five years since the Princess has taken control. With little law in the land as it was, and advisors who worked for the two main guilds she had little chance of ruling in her own right and now spends most of the time in the capital partying with friends while in the lands outside the capital the guilds gain more and more power. The only reason they have not already seized control of the provinces themselves is that they fear the reaction of the Neha Emperor. None of the Neha lands have even been ruled by merchants, with former generals and relatives of the Emperor being the most common rulers. Throughout the empire rule of most provinces and principalities is a right given by the Emperor and the gods he represents. For this reason Princess Istella still holds onto power, although for how much longer remains to be seen.

• Malu (4/1) This coastal province borders on the Principality of Aral to the north, and is also mainly a fishing and farming province. Foodstuffs from Malu are sent to the lumber camps and mines in Gharra and Saraas to the east. The land here is fairly flat and is good for farming, with wheat and cattle being the most common. The main north south road runs though here as well, heading south towards the capital, while smaller road branch off it, towards the coastal villages and Gharra. The largest settlement is the small city of Malune, home to maybe seven thousand people. It is a regional center and market for the goods this province produces and normally would be a nice safe place to work and live. Now however it is right on the frontlines between the two warring guilds with each side building fortifications at either end of the town. Although open battle has yet to occur there is a lot of tension in the air and soldiers from both sides have a tendency to disappear at times. Only the actions of the priests of Brenna have so far prevented an battle.
• Gharra (3/4) A forested province in the east of the kingdom, nestled against the foothills of the Azure Peaks. This province is dominated by the Northern Foresters who run the lumber camps that take the best of the wood to Talat for shipment to the south. There job has become harder recently though after the druids of Reynir's Forest Warden arrived in the province. They have set up several shrines and are working against the guild as much as possible, trying to stop the damage that is occurring to the forests.
• Tarbul (6/1) The capital province is home to the city of Talat, with nearly fifty thousand people living in it. Once it held twice that number, but many moved north to Aral and Ornasis after those lands were settled to follow the dream of riches and wealth that is said to lie in the north. Currently Talat is a beautiful coastal port, with clean streets and neat stone homes and shops. Unlike some of the more northern cities Talat has a large merchant fleet that travels between Neha and Talat carrying wood and ore to feed the Emperor's war with the Adurians. In recent years Princess Istella has spent vast sums of money to improve the look of the city, painting all the buildings and replacing large parts of the old palace. The new palace is certainly a site to be seen, with a great glass dome now covering the courtyard making it into a gigantic greenhouse filled with plants from the southern jungles. The walls are now all constructed of a white marble, and the roof is made of red clay tiles. Inside is more luxury than even some of the Adurian rulers are used too. All this beauty though hide the current problems in Tarbul, and many resent the princess for the her lack of leadership.
• Saraas (3/4) This province is again similar to Gharra to its north, although even less developed. Once again the Northern Foresters have the upper hand here, and the few druids can do little to stop them expanding into the once virgin forests and dragging off the mighty timber that fetch such a high price with southern merchants.
• Khashm (4/1) This southern province is under the virtual control of the Serra Talat and her guild. This is where her headquarters has been set up and half her army is based. There is no major settlement here, with most of the province farmland, so small farming villages are the most common form of settlement. The small town of Kas is the largest settlement, and even it is home to only two thousand people, most of whom work for the guild. A new threat has just arisen in the province however with the cultists from the Dara Temple of Azari gaining some support amongst those who desire an end to the constant trouble between the two guilds. They have taken some of the peoples faith away from the traditional worship of Brenna and are trying to expand here as much as they are in Dara to the south. This province is the one Tarbul's southern border with Dara and the main road from the capital travel south here towards the Dara capital, and Halwan even further south. Trade caravans are commonly seen moving up and down this road, hauling vast loads of wood and ore towards Neha and bringing manufactured good north, over the mountains from the Empire.
• Gharandal (3/4) This southern province is also controlled by Serra Talat's guild and is home to most of the mining that takes place in the principality. Dara Miners has also set up a small operation in the province, but it is not yet large enough to be noticed by Serra. Much of this provinces is mineral rich hill, rising to tall mountains in the east. The Azure peaks block much of the warm winds from the east here and make this land a lot cooler than is normal in the region.

Allies: As a principality of Neha Tarbul has the support of the Emperor in all military matters, it does not have many close allies in the region, although Halwan sees it as a possible area of expansion in the region should things turn really bad and the Empire not assist. The other principalities see Tarbul as a weak nation and not worthy of their notice.

Enemies: The main enemy of Tarbul is its princess. She is too weak willed to rule the lands properly and this has led to the guilds taking too much power and virtually running the lands. The Dara temple of Azari could also be considered an enemy, but they are everyone foe at the moment.

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