Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius

Fort Doomby Niels Just RasmussenBefore the Thyatian invasion thewesternmost Traladaran people used tokeep to themselves, as they were isolatedfrom other Traladaran settlements byominous forests full of humanoids and otherdangerous creatures. The small fishingvillage of “Old Halag” had both daringfishermen that sailed into the Gulf of Halagcatching big game with long lines and coastalfishermen using nets. In the flat landsaround Old Halag you could find someexcellent farmland where thousands offarmers made their living. All of these peoplehad together built a walled inland town -“New Halag” - which was protected bothfrom pirate attacks from the sea and fromhumanoid attacks from the forests. There,fishermen and farmers could exchangegoods under the jurisdiction of a Mayorappointed by all the male elders of theregion -- all free men of 40 years of age andolder could vote. The Mayor was appointedfor life (or until his wits failed him) and hesat in the council with an elder fishermanand an elder farmer that together had thepower to veto the Mayor's decisions orremove him from office if they agreed he wasunable to lead.When the Thyatians invaded in 900 AC andtook over Marilenev (renaming itSpecularum) the Halag region was mostlyunaffected, since it was far away and not inany way a trade center that was tax worthy.The Halag Traladarans were verysuperstitious and regarded halflings, elvesand dwarves as tricksters to be avoided. Sothey kept to themselves as they had donefor centuries, not even trading with thehalflings in the Five Shires just across theGulf of Halag.Their age-old isolation was brutally brokenin 970 AC when the Ludwig von Hendriksand his Hattian cavalry suddenly camecrashing out of the woods into the plainswith far greater speed and coordinationthat any humanoid raid. The Traladaranswere overwhelmed and many farmerscould not flee in time to safety behind thewalls of New Halag. The attacking Hattianshad taken many farmers hostage andthreatened to kill them before the wallsunless Halag opened its gates. The horrifiedpopulace was at first indecisive, but theelders bade them stand firm. But after thedisplays of cruelty before the walls, manyfarmers faltered, fearing that their familymembers were the next to be killed, and131THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #1