Region Profile: Wasslund

This is the first of many articles detailing a specific region of my campaign world. I figure I should start with this particular one since this is the continent that initially inspired me to create this campaign, eventually was relegated to an obscure corner when I decided to go with the nautical theme and then suddenly got brought forward as an important stepping stone in the storyline (and a mini-campaign in and of itself). These are meant to be a general overview of the land as a lot of specifics still need to be filled in still. Things like names of major cities, locations, geographic features/formations and such are not determined yet and will be added as I think of them or need them.


This first area is the Continent of Wasslund and it is home to the Sacred Empire of Alamari. It is located in the North-Western portion of the world map and is a few weeks travel from the infamous Storm Wall. It is primarily a temperate climate similar to our world’s European/North-Eastern US with a little bit of the Pacific North-West mixed in. There is one major mountain range with two major passages through. South of this mountain range is a temperate rainforest while North of it there is primarily plains, farmland, hilly lands, small mountains/valleys and forests similar to what you would find in Europe or the American North-East. In the South-Western portion of the continent you will find another temperate rainforest. The Northern coastlines have a large track of coastal woodlands all around the edges.


Between the Temperate Rainforests you have the main passage of shipping trade, the Sea of Mercy. A calm and shallow area perfectly suited for funneling shipping into the Straight of the Law Giver which leads into the Bay of the Faithful. The Northern most portion of this bay is where you will find the Capital of the Sacred Empire, Alamari’s Beacon. This is the largest trading port in the Empire.

In the North you will find another bay called The Bay of Penance. This is a place where most of the heretics of the nation end up travelling to, either due to necessity or by being shipped off by the Empire for failure to pay their tithing. The area surrounding the bay has a reputation for being less lawful than the rest of the land and far more resistant to the changes put out by the High Council of the Archons.

In the South-East, you will find Paradise Sound. Named for their afterlife destination, this is a large shipping area that is primarily known for the large lumber industry nestled inside. Most of the non-human population of this continent reside on the islands within the sound, doing their best to avoid the Empire’s wrath.

The Sacred Empire of Alamari is thousands of years old. It is the oldest Human civilization still in existence and it is only outlived by the Elves of Nusantara. It has largely been left alone by the other nations due to many different factors. The Empire has the single largest army in the world, it is well organized and full of faithful zealots that will defend the home of their faith, and has a large cache of some of the world’s only remaining Magic Items. Those who serve as instruments of the Goddess Alamari typically have a resistance to the taint that magic brings to those who wield it allowing them use of the power granted to them by their goddess against those who might oppose them.

The Empire is ruled by a theocratic council known as the High Council of the Archons. A group of 7 Clergymen elected into lifetime positions by lower clergy is a style similar to an electoral college. The High council selects from among them a single clergyman to be declared the Supreme Archon, a man whom acts as the primary voice of the Empire, directs policy, and chooses appointments for High Offices, like Viceroy and the Hand of Alamari. He is also the deciding vote in any matter the council, basically the legislature, is unable to come to a consensus on. All council members are selected for life to their positions.

The office of Viceroy is an appointment selected by the Supreme Archon and confirmed by the High Council to run the day to day execution of government business. Basically acting as head of state in all things that the Supreme Archon and High Council deems below their interest levels. Budgeting, tax collection, payment for goods and services, and such fall under his jurisdiction. The Viceroy can be removed and replaced by the council at anytime and do not have a set time period for service.

The office of the Hand of Alamari is the supreme commander of the Sacred Empire’s military. He is selected from within the ranks of the Paladin Order to handle all military and law enforcement matters within the Empire. Within the army, his word is law. Typically selected from the ranks of the Guardian Generals of the order (The ranks are, from lowest to highest: Squire, Initiate, Paladin, High Paladin, Templar, High Templar, and Guardian General).

The Supreme Archon also has a personal bodyguard regiment called The Nightguard. This is his own personal army that reports only to him. Not much is known about them. The selection process for entrance is secret and they are forbidden to speak to anyone outside of their order unless it directly has to do with their duties. They are called the Nightguard because they are the only troops allowed in the [grand palace] at night and because of their distinct black and grey uniforms.

The military is designed as the enforcement arm of the goddess Alamari. Every single officer is a Paladin of some type. The rank and file are made up of either volunteers from the Faithful (worshipers of Alamari) or conscripts entirely from non-believers. Non-believers can volunteer as well, but if the army needs spots filled, they will grab what they need from non-believers. If a non-believer serves in the army they are given special rights not normally allowed to those who don’t worship the goddess of the Empire. [The weaponry and tactics of the military are still up in the air. I can’t decide if they are going to allow their troops to use guns or not. Paladins won’t be allowed to, they are given magic weapons and armor for long term faithful service, aka a high faction score. Guns don’t work as effectively on magic armor as they do on normal armor. All magic armor will retain its full armor bonus against all ranged attacks originating from a gun. It is one of the things that makes it very difficult to take the fight into the Empire. Their navy is nothing spectacular, a handful of older, smaller, outdated ships with poor weaponry all typically volunteer civilian captains offering their assistance to their “benevolent” government for some coin. They aren’t officially Privateers, because the empire views that as dishonorable, but they are very similar in everything but name and the occasional guard duty post near the shipping lanes. There is always at least one Paladin onboard a ship to ensure that the Empire is properly represented by these auxiliary units.]

Life for those under the Empire’s rule is separate and definitely not equal. Those who worship the goddess Alamari are allowed to be considered citizens of the empire and receive all the protections and rights that means. The truth of the faithfulness of those in the empire is regularly judged by Inquisitors every seven years or when required. If someone is found to be lying the penalties can range widely and all depend upon the circumstances. Non-believers cannot receive the goods and services provided by the temples, open a business, or do much more than be a subsistence farmer under a Temple’s fiefdom without paying proper tribute/tithing to the Empire/Clergy.

The Clergy take the place of the typical nobility you’d see in a nation this size. Fiefs are controlled by temples and the temples are controlled by a Council of Clergy arranged in the exact same power structure as the high council with a single one appointed as the high councilor who then selects their level’s equivalent of a Viceroy and Hand of Alamari (along with any other unique offices, these two offices are required per the holy scriptures). This structure of 7 appears at all levels of government for the Empire. From the single, local temple, all the way to the High Council of the Archons. Each level deals with different levels of threats or problems. This structure is called out for in their sacred texts and has helped to keep the Empire capable of handling most problems. It can be a very slow process at times, but it works effectively in the end.

New Clergy are selected by the existing Clergy as required or directed (whether that direction is from their goddess or elsewhere is unknown outside of the Clergy who direct it and isn’t talked about.). New Clergy are selected from any particular walk of life, as long as they are one of the Faithful. No real pattern has been observed in those selected. Paladins are selected in a similar manner, but these selections are made by the Paladin order instead, sometimes based off of the judgment of a paladin.

So that's the land of Wasslund, home to the Sacred Empire of Alamari. I might have more to add to this later (like a trade profile and a map! Seriously, I really have one, I'm trying to transfer it into auto-realm as quickly as possible, but I'm still learning the damn program) so stay tuned.