Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius
Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius
Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius
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The Demography <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong>Besides these larger tribes, smaller bands <strong>of</strong>orc raiders, <strong>of</strong>ten in the service <strong>of</strong> humanvillains, can be occasionally found also inother parts <strong>of</strong> northern <strong>Karameikos</strong>.Hobgoblins (pop. 4,750)Hobgoblins <strong>of</strong> <strong>Karameikos</strong> belong to theeastern hobgoblin stock (Goblinus grandis)and came to this region together with otherhumanoid hordes after the Battle <strong>of</strong> SardalPass (BC 492). Hobgoblin-only tribes arequite rare, and their hordes tend to gathertogether with other humanoids to lead themand to form larger tribes. Hobgoblins aremost numerous in the Altan Tepes range,where their most fearsome tribe, theSteelwarriors (which also includes a number<strong>of</strong> bugbears), is found. Other mixed tribes <strong>of</strong>the Altan Tepes who include large numbers<strong>of</strong> hobgoblins are the Chaos Horde, theBloody Head, and the Jagged Rocks. Ahobgoblin-only tribe, the Killer Sands, liveson the side <strong>of</strong> the Altan Tepes which looksupon Ylaruam. Hobgoblin minorities are als<strong>of</strong>ound within some mixed tribes <strong>of</strong> eastern<strong>Karameikos</strong> or within some Dymrak goblintribes (like the Dread Horde). Hobgoblinsare not numerous in western <strong>Karameikos</strong>; ahobgoblin-only tribe, the Roaring Fiends, isfound between Luln and the Black EagleBarony, while a mixed bugbear-hobgoblintribe, the Bloodbears, threatens the WestronRoad from the southern woods.Dwarves (pop. 4,000)Only a small number <strong>of</strong> dwarves lives in<strong>Karameikos</strong>, most <strong>of</strong> them belonging to theStronghollow clan. The Stronghollows cameto <strong>Karameikos</strong> around AC 300 fromRockhome, and mosty settled within theborders <strong>of</strong> the Kingdom <strong>of</strong> Highforge, wherethe gnomes welcomed them. Other smallergroups <strong>of</strong> dwarven immigrants belonging toother clans arrived in the Grand Duchy inthe course <strong>of</strong> the following seven centuries,the larger number consisting <strong>of</strong> thosedwarves who fled persecution in theHighlands during the Year <strong>of</strong> Infamy (AC828). A thousand dwarves live alongside thegnomes in the town <strong>of</strong> Highforge, another500 in other gnomish settlements <strong>of</strong> theKingdom <strong>of</strong> Highforge (these are mostlyStronghollow ones), while the rest (dwarvesfrom other clans, mostly) is spread amongthe humans’ main towns and settlements(more than a thousand live in Specularum).Some <strong>of</strong> the dwarves live as mining pioneers(sometimes alongside gnomes) in thedangerous borderlands <strong>of</strong> the Altan Tepesand western Black Peaks mountains.Halflings (pop. 3,000)A number <strong>of</strong> halflings live among thehumans in a variety <strong>of</strong> villages and towns.The hin are all immigrants from the FiveShires, who came there over the course <strong>of</strong>history. They form a strong presence in theForeign Quarter <strong>of</strong> Specularum.Centaurs (pop. 2,000)Centaurs live in the deepest woods andforests <strong>of</strong> the Grand Duchy, from theRadlebb Woods in the west to the DymrakForest – except the areas controlled by thegoblins – in the east.The Radlebb Woods centaurs do notparticularly like humans, but are goodfriends <strong>of</strong> the woodland races and <strong>of</strong> theelves, and fearsome enemies <strong>of</strong> thehumanoids. They don’t have large tribes,but live scattered in small family groups.The centaurs living in eastern <strong>Karameikos</strong>are instead grouped into three major tribes.21THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #1