Athmyr, like Beogar, is a feudal system. However, in Athmyr the king actually rules. It is a relatively recent kingdom, founded in 1700 after the last of the lich-kings in the region from the Atrek to Tunwalch Bay was defeated. The great leader Athmyr gathered the remnants of his army together and divided up the land between them, making himself Overking, after the manner of the elves.
This means that the country is divided into ten duchies, each ruled by the descendants of one of the ten remaining men who fought beside Athmyr. Within each duchy, the duke is the final arbiter of justice and law, choosing when to bestow titles and lands upon whom and what taxes are due that year. The Overking has only a very small land-holding around Telandyr and rules that city. His main job is to mediate disputes between the ten dukes. Inter-duchy trade, road construction, and the like are all managed by a labyrinthine network of political "favors" and deals between the dukes and the Overking.
The general populace is lawful, with a slight bent towards neutrality instead of good. Many peasants live their entire lives without ever seeing the scheming and plotting that occurs in the highest courts. Farming is very good here, the valley is very fertile due to the ancient volcanoes in the Cruth Mountains. Roads within a duchy are relatively well-kept, but between duchies are long tracts of unimproved dirt trails -- not what you want to drive your cart through. So, much of the excess food is stored locally, and moves to other markets only when Wayland trade caravans fight their way through the brush to reach another duchy.
Along the Ruatha Veda, between Selenica and the impassable desert, are a series of fortifications designed to keep the nomads on the northeastern side of the river. Before 1730, the riders crossed the river often, coming to raid the many towns and farms nearby. Once the Overking had gained control, his first orders were to build a fence, to protect the villagers from the "evil barely-human bandits". Every half-day's ride there is a tower on the southern bank. The tower is manned by a force of 20 to 30 men, who patrol their assigned stretch of river on horseback and in small boats. This vigilance is considered the most important military expenditure in the kingdom, so the duchies that border the river never fail to keep the towers manned and equipped. In the last 169 years, the nomads have realized the futility of trying to cross the river. Thus, many of the troops stationed along the Ruatha are bored and have begun to think that there is no longer any need for such paranoia.
The Capital City is within the boundaries of the Overking's realm. That means that it is not subject to the whims of some of the reigning dukes. That said, this is a typical city: some crime, some goodness. The docks are always busy, filling ships with the produce from nearby duchies and unloading goods not found here: metals, gems, the "fine goods" such as silk and spices. Enough lumber is found within the kingdom to build with, but not enough to export.
Much of the activity in Telandyr comes from the Tunwalch Bay. Fishing in the bay is simply remarkable -- huge fish, larger than anywhere else in the sea, are found here, and other smaller fish are found in greater numbers than elsewhere. No one is sure why this is, but it is believed to be due to two things: the enclosing arms of the bay mean that it is less affected by tides, and there is a kind of algae that grows only here. The algae gives the bay a bluish color, and seems to feed the fish well.
Thus, in the city fish and fish by-products are the major source of industry. Oil, gelatin (a preservative), and scales are all used in many products distributed throughout the Kitaran Sea area. In fact, most of the lamp oil for the entire civilized lands comes from the Tunwalch Bay. Needless to say, the Athmyrian navy guards the bay very well.
Much more centralized than Telandyr, Atrek is the main city for mining operations in the Cruth Mountains. Stone and salt are mined heavily, but metals are in much less abundance. Barely enough is mined to produce Athmyrian currency, so in some cases foreign currency is melted down in Atrek's forges to produce new coin.
The miners are fed by the abundant farms around the city, and some fishing in the rivers. Trade proceeds down the Gorgon River to the Sea, and follows the coast to Beogar or follows the overland route to Telandyr.
This city is completely within the domain of Duke Samthain. The duke is a wise ruler, almost fifty years old, and well versed in the politics within the duchy as well as in Telandyr. His duchy encompasses the city of Atrek, the upper reaches of the Atrek River, and local areas of the Cruth Mountains. He has appointed Counts and Barons to administer the farther territories, but maintains control of the city for himself.
Copyright © 2000, Michael Friedman.