Random World Part 3: West of Caldbrygg and the Legacy of Karnegras

Third part of the fleshing-out of a randomly-generated world and last part to focus on locales for now, as the areas described are enough material to make full game work, be it sandbox or otherwise. As such the next part will be some hodge podge of ideas for adventuring in these regions.

West of Caldbrygg.

Waywood, The Last City of Karnegras

Ravnica 'Forest' by Richard Wright.

The last city is a misnomer, as Caldbrygg and many other towns owe their origin to the destroyed civilization of Karnegras. However, of all of them, only Waywood still fly the flag of old Karnegras and in the street of Waywood the code of law and covenant with spirits still hold. While still a prosperous city, outsiders tend to dislike Waywood for its rigid code of law and conduct which limit the greed of Cryham magical barons.

• The people of Waywood have held ancient covenants with spirits and many of their bloodlines have retained great potency in magical abilities.
• A great fortified city with tall ramparts and mighty watch towers to protect against hordes of monsters from the Orcfen.
• Last city to hold the code of law of Karnegras and to fly its flag: traditions go back a millennia if not more.
• The city has an extremely harsh code for those who try to cheat, steal and blaspheme against the spirits which still inhabit the city. The code is unfortunately quite antiquated, obtuse and has suffered in translating it from the language of Ancient Karneggi, leading to conflicting interpretations.
• Has a large market outside the city core which has grown into a bit of a shanty-town where the ancient codes of law old little sway. The city officials have not purged it because it swell with refugee from monster attacks near the Orcfen who are of common ancestry to the people of Waywood. Codes of hospitality to your fellow citizen and all that.
• Some of the spirits in Waywood have grown corrupt and seek to undermine the tenuous social order.

Glanda, the Final Outpost

Frozen Lair by Nico Navarro.

Once a part of Kanegras, the outpost of Glanda is now an increasingly grim locale. Once a port for the (now destroyed) great ships of Karnegras to stop before sailing beyond the world, Glanda is now a sad, dreary and cold place. The people there have long abandoned all official ties with Waywood and it is now a haven for pirate and raiders.

• Outpost to the ancient civilization of Karnegras.
• Now it is an outpost for pirates and raiders who sail across the world.
• Cold, dreary locale. The environment is unfriendly and unwelcoming. If not for the food the raiders and pirate bring it would be a much less lively place. It also has the best jerky in the world.
• Sorcerers frequently travel here hoping to uncover the ancient path of the Karnegrasian sailors which led them to other world, before the walls of ice closed the world.
• Monstrous mercenaries from faraway lands are a decently common sight in this place.
• Island is home to giant, man-eating walrus.

Mavre Woods

Hinterland Logger by Karl Kopinski

The name 'Mavre Woods' is a deformation of their name in ancient languages: 'The Maw Woods' or rather 'The Woods Which Devour Men'. It is the homeland of many wood trolls and these creatures are notoriously hostile and hungry. Their population has supposedly declined in past centuries but they remain a dangerous threat to the communities of the region.

• A region with many wood trolls, which are known to enjoy human flesh.
• Wood trolls vary in size between being as tall as a large men to being noticeably much, much bigger as they keep growing all their lives some say. They are intelligent and devious but fortunately rather solitary and anti-social creatures.
• Troll Wyrd are terrifying troll-sorcerers known for their bizarre appearance, bizarre magic and even more bizarre mannerism. Run away when you see one.
• The woods have tunnels which some say lead to other worlds, pocket dimensions and other strange realities where the trolls supposedly dwell. There's strong magic in the depth of the woods.
• The area is home to a many local folks who live in their walled cities. They are known for being a strong and tall people. Their women are as tall and as strong as the men, which outsiders often find funny and exaggerate in jokes as them being huge, burly and as ugly as trolls! Locals find this tasteless.
• In addition to their strength, these people are famous archers: they developed their skills because no one is stupid enough to get in melee with an angry troll!

Scarwood Forest

Kaladesh Swamp by Adam Paquette.

Ancient (but what isn't in fantasy lands?), broken and twisted, the Scarwood Forest is another locale where ancient powers bend the world around it. There is a pervasive miasma of unnatural influences in these lands. The beasts there are imbued with disturbing sentience. Time and distance seemingly bend and those who travel deep enough and return are forever changed.

• Yet another high-magic wilderness locale.
• Time, space and reality bend easily here. Travelers risk being temporally displaced and/or mutated.
• Local beasts become possessed of a malign alien intelligence and can eat people to gain their memories and shape.
• Several coven of witches and sorcerers live around the area, trading with the Middle Landers some times and trying to enslave them most of the time.
• One of the few locations where undead are common, as one find themselves distorted and unable to fully die.
• Trickster spirits, part ghost, part goblin, live in the trees and lure travelers in the roads around the region.

The Middlelanders

In between Mavre Woods and the Scarwood Forest are hospitable lands and, as such, make for a decently 'normal' place for people to stay. Composed of a mixture of plain, woodlands and farmlands it is a relatively simple place...if one ignore the threats which lurk in the shadows. Being between two dangerous locales and relatively close to the Barakzahd Highlands mean there is always a good chance for some monster to wander there. Adventures also bring trouble.

• Normal and quaint locale by comparison to the rest.
• Relatives of the people living around the Mavre Woods.
• The people there are fairly normal if one ignore all the travelers from other regions.
• Composed of several city-states in plains and woodlands, who trade their excess food and resources with the others.
• Warring and feuding nobles, knights and mercenary guilds.
• Monsters, bandits and rivals all around.