Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius
Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius
Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius
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The Demography <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong>under the control <strong>of</strong> powerful demi-humanclans: the central forests (from the RadlebbWoods, to the westernmost part <strong>of</strong> theDymrak Forest, to the half <strong>of</strong> the same east <strong>of</strong>Rugalov River) are the hold <strong>of</strong> the ancientelven Callarii and Vyalia clans; the hill countrybetween Windrush and Hillfollow Rivers,with its rich mineral deposits, is instead thehold <strong>of</strong> the gnome clans. Demi-human clansare at worst neutral toward the humangovernment <strong>of</strong> the Grand Duchy, but there isalso a large part <strong>of</strong> the country which iscontrolled by hostile humanoid tribes:goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and their kin holdsway over much <strong>of</strong> the central Dymrak Forest,the south-western woods, the CruthLowlands, the central Black Peaks range, part<strong>of</strong> the Wufwolde Hills and the Altan Tepesrange. Beside the areas under humanoidcontrol, there are those which are the hold <strong>of</strong>other dangerous creatures, like the frostgiants <strong>of</strong> the northern Altan Tepes range, thestone giants <strong>of</strong> the Wufwolde Hills, and thedragons – a number <strong>of</strong> these fierce beastshaunts some <strong>of</strong> the forests, hills andmountains <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong>, where even anumber <strong>of</strong> local draconic kingdoms are found.LAND OCCUPATION ANDSOCIAL CLASSESMost <strong>of</strong> the Karameikan human populationbelong to the commoner social class (98%).Among the commoners, however, variousdegrees <strong>of</strong> wealth are represented: from thewretched conditions <strong>of</strong> the lower classes(mostly peasants, but also unskilledagricultural and city labourers, and beggars),to the middle class (city craftsmen,comfortable landowning peasants, traders,pr<strong>of</strong>essionals in some field – usually law andaccountancy, but also culture, military, andclergy), to the high middle class (wealthynon-noble landowners, and rich merchants,mostly). About 2% <strong>of</strong> the human populationbelong to the aristocracy: wealthylandowning families who have been grantedlarge tracts <strong>of</strong> lands and authority to ruleover them; human aristocracy is mostly <strong>of</strong>Thyatian ethnicity, even if some Traladaranfamilies had their titles somewhat confirmedby the new government <strong>of</strong> the Grand Duke(like the Marilenev, the Dromilov, and soon).Among demi-humans, social classes aremuch more blurred – demi-human societiesare characterized by a lesser level <strong>of</strong>inequality and by a greater application <strong>of</strong>solidarity between family groups - and tendto keep only the distinction among rulingand non-ruling clans. Humanoids have noproper social classes: existing inequalitiesare based on the use <strong>of</strong> force – strongerhordes or clans prevail over the weakerones, and make decisions.The human population <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong>,contrary to the neighboring ThyatianEmpire, enjoys a quite high amount <strong>of</strong> smallland ownership, which is mostly spread inthe borderlands and in scarcely-populatedareas. More fertile and safer areas tend to bethe property <strong>of</strong> rich landowning families,whose wealth comes from land rented topeasant families, because Grand DukeStefan has abolished both the practices <strong>of</strong>slavery and <strong>of</strong> serfdom; this has led to animprovement <strong>of</strong> peasant conditions,because they have more freedom to moveand thus more bargaining power against thelandowners.Foremost among the rich landowners arethe members <strong>of</strong> the aristocracy who havebeen granted a fief by the government.Many small- and average-sized fiefdoms are11THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #1