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Table of Contents
Broken Lands in Birthright terms
From my Mystara Birthright Conversion
Early Versions
1st (Solmyr) version
As Solmyr's write up. I took Solmyr's write to imply that each Tribe head was the province ruler, and thus Thar only ruled in Orcus Rex, though the other tribal leaders were his vassals.
2nd version
No significant change. Added River terrain to the appropriate provinces.
3rd version
At first (ie at the time of my PBEM) this was still the same, but by the end of version 3 I ended up splitting each province into two provinces- one on the surface to represent the Upper Broken Lands, and one underground realm for the Lower Broken lands. For the most part I simply split the various holdings between them. The temple regent for JTS was stated and named Ogat (One of the players in that PBEM was Alebane, so I wanted to flesh out the nameless priest of his realm.).
Early Versions Design Notes
- From Solmyr's write-up it was not clear if it was intended for each chief to own the province or if Thar was the province regent in all provinces. Both versions have pro's and con's.
- Law- I didn't care for the level of control implied by the tribal heads, I always felt their control was looser, over their horde only, albeit their hordes are by far the largest horde in each area. Obviously Kol and Thar were dominate.
- Temple- A Nice mish-mash of humanoid temples, begging for expansion
- Guilders- none. As Solmyr put it: Monsters don't trade
- Sources- Kol has a good share of the entire broken lands magic, but is he strong enouh to hold out the glantrians or others?
4th version
I Added a whole slew of new tags for smaller Tribes an Hordes, each with a level 0 law holding. Also added the OGT tag as a level 0 law holding in each province for the "Other Goblinoid Tribes of the Broken Lands" to represent the smaller hordes. Lower Kolland province of Kol-Dahk changed from (1/0) to (3/1) and the Kol-Dahk province (representing Upper Kolland) was renamed Kolland and changed from (3/3) to (1/0), DK law holding and the STK temple holding moved from the the surface province to the Underground one as was Kol-Dahk (Castle 3). The South Gnollistan province name was switched to the Lower Province (formerly Lower Gnollistan) and the surface province renamed Sun's Anvil. Split rulership of JSK between Thar and Uruk Vaath. Named some of the Castles more explicitly (only implied previously). Also added notes and relationships of the various Tribes to one another (other than just to Thar). Finally, I added lots of flavor text and some statistics from the Italian demography project. I won't repeat the flavor text here, but the final is thusly:
| Province | Law | Temples | Guilds | Sources | Terrain | Ruler |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bugburbia (1/7) | OGT(0) Oh(0) | BSM(1) | - | DK(2) | Mountains, Glacier, River | Oh |
| High Gobliny (1/7) | OGT(0) Ya(1) Zyr(0) | WW(1) | - | DK(2) | Mountains, Glacier, River | Ya |
| Hobgobland (1/6) | Akl(0) HK(1) OGT(0) | TYR(1) | - | DK(3) | Steppe, River | HK |
| Kol-Dahk (3/1)[3] | DK(3) KSl(0) KTa(0) OGT(0) | STK(3) | - | - | Underground (-1,500'), River, Lava | DK |
| Kolland (1/3) | OGT(0) | - | - | DK(3) | Hills, River | DK |
| Kundar (1/0)[1] | OGT(0) Rox(0) | - | - | - | Underground (-1,000'), River, Lava | Oh |
| Low Gobliny (2/0)[2] | OGT(0) Ptz(0) | WW(1) | - | - | Underground (-1,250'), River, Lava | Ya |
| Lower Ogremoor (1/0)[1] | OGT(0) Shp(0) | - | - | - | Underground (-1,200'), River, Lava | Al |
| Ogremoor (1/7) | Al(1) OGT(0) | JTS(1) | - | DK(5) | Mountains (the Yaks Spur - Alt. 10,000'), Glacier, River | Al |
| Orcus Rex (1/7) | OGT(0) Th(1) | JSK(1) | - | DK(4) | Mountains, Glacier, River | Th |
| Red Orcland (1/5) | Nat(0) OGT(0) SH(1) | WW(1) | - | DK(2) | Wasteland, River | SH |
| Sacred Cavern (2/0)[2] | BlB(0) BlT(0) FlN(0) OGT(0) SH(1) Vas(0) | WW(1) | - | - | Underground (-1,400'), Underground Lake (Lake Gum), River, Lava | SH |
| South Gnollistan (1/0)[1] | BRa(0) OGT(0) | - | - | - | Underground (-800'), River | NP |
| Sun's Anvil (1/5) | NP(1) OGT(0) | RIW(1) | - | DK(5) | Desert, River | NP |
| Tanglar (2/0)[2] | Akr(0) OGT(0) | - | - | - | Underground (-1,000'), Underground Lake (Lake Morkia), River | Mo |
| Trollhattan (1/8) | Ha(1) OGT(0) | - | - | DK(4) | Swamp, River | Ha |
| Trollhattan, lower (1/0) | OGT(0) | - | - | - | Underground (-1,300'), Underground Lake (Troll Lake), River, Lava | Ha |
| Udhgar (3/0)[3] | OGT(0) Sod(0) Th(2) | TYR(2) | - | - | Underground (-1,100') | Th |
| Ul'Guzud (2/0)[2] | Arg(0) HK(1) OGT(0) Ozo(0) | TYR(1) | - | - | Underground (-900'), Lava | HK |
| Yellow Orkia (1/5) | Mo(1) OGT(0) | TYR(1) | - | DK(1) | Wasteland, River | Mo |
Key: Al- Alebane (Ogremoor); DK- Dodge Kol (Kol); Ha- Haa'k Hordar (Trollhattan); HK- Hutai Khan (Hobgobland); Mo- Moghul Khan (Yellow Orkia); NP- Nizam Pasha (South Gnollistan); Oh- Ohr'r (Bugburbia); SH- Supreme Hool (Red Orcland); Th- Thar (Broken Lands/Orcus Rex); Ya- Yazar (High Gobliny); Akl- Akkila's tribe; Akr- Akkar (tribe); Arg- Argul (tribe); BlB- Blue Bellies (tribe); BlT- Black Toes (tribe); BRa- Bir-Razud (tribe); FlN- Flat Noses (tribe); KSl- Kol-Slah (tribe); KTa- Kol-Tarree (tribe); Nat- Natoka's tribe (tribe); OGT- Other Goblinoid Tribes of the Broken Lands; Ozo- Ozomo (tribe); Ptz- Pootz (tribe); Rox- Rox (tribe); Shp- Shapathi (tribe); Sod- Sodhor (tribe); Vas- Vashawar (tribe); Zyr- Zyrd (tribe); BSM- Bartziluth's Spiked Mace; JSK- Jagged Sword of Karaash (Thar & Uruk Vaath); JTS- Jammudaru's Tasty Slime (Ogat); RIW- Ranivorus' Insane Word; STK- Shining Temple of Kol; TYR- Temple of Yagrai Reborn; WW - Wogar's Wolfriders
Design Notes
- Provinces- Splitting each into two allows for the replication of the above ground / below ground dichotemy of the broken lands.
- Law- All the minor tribes tags are meant to show that the main tribe heads can not act with impunity, though they do have the dominant control (little actuall impact, more fluff ideas)
- Temple- Like with the early versions, a nice mish-mash begging for expansion. No significant changes.
- Guilders- no trade, raids!
- Sources- again, trying to balance- keeping kol from being too powerful at the start but yet strong enough to disuade outsiders from trying to move in.
5th version
I had just barely started the broken lands when I abandoned this version.
6th version
RoE style with Law split into Law & Manor, and Gulid holdings split between Guild and Trade, with Trade Routes eliminated, along with some other alternative rules (ie natural diffuse + localized or artificial sources, and economic level, etc.)Trollhattan, Lower was renamed Lower Trollhattan. I was able to give each of the Minor Tribes a level 1 holding, usually a Manor holding, though occasionally a Law holding. To do so a few had to switch between surface and underground or vice versa. Gave OGT a couple of Manor (1) holdings as well. Gave the various main Tribe regents a level 0 law holding in any of their own provinces where they did not previously have a law holding, except for Ha who kept only a level 1 holding (which was converted into a Manor holding, not a law holding). SH Law holding in Sacred Cavern reduced to level 1 to make room for the various lesser Hordes in Red Orcland. NP's main law (1) holding was moved to the lower province - retaining a Law (0) in the surface province.
| Province | Level | Law | Temple | Manor | Guild | Trade | Source | Terrain | Ruler |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bugburbia | |||||||||
| estimated 3,340 humanoids, perhaps 1,400 Bugburbianus Bugbears, 1,000 Common Goblins, 700 Common Hobgoblins, 100 Vulgaris Bugbears, 100 Yellow Goblins, and a scattering of Lizardfolk and Troglodytes. | |||||||||
| Bugburbia | 1/G/7 | Oh(1) | BSM(1) | OGT(1) | - | - | DK(2) | Mountains, Glacier, River | Oh |
| 3,321 sq.km. On the east bank of the Vesubia river at about 4,200 feet. Borders: Belcadiz (Glantri), Fort Monteleone Free Province (Glantri), High Gobliny, Kundar, Orcus Rex, Red Orcland, South Gnollistan, & Trollhattan. | |||||||||
| Kundar [1] | 1/G/0 | Oh(0) | - | OGT(0) Rox(1) | - | - | - | Underground, River (Minor), Lava river | Oh |
| 2,200 sq.km. of caverns about 1,000' underground. Along the Bugbur River. Borders Bugburbia & Low Gobliny. | |||||||||
| High Gobliny | |||||||||
| An estimated 5,270 humanoids, perhaps 2540 Grey Goblins, 1450 Common hobgoblins, 850 Common Goblins, 270 Bugbears (mostly Bugburbianus), & 160 Ogres. | |||||||||
| High Gobliny | 1/G/7 | Ya(1) | WW(1) | OGT(0) Zyr(1) | - | - | DK(2) | Mountains, Glacier, River, Volcanoe's | Ya |
| 5,104 sq.km. On the west bank of the Streel River. Includes the Plateau of Zyrd (alt. 6000'). Borders: Belcadiz (Glantri), Bugburbia, Hobgobland, Low Gobliny, Red Orcland, Satolas (Glantri), Sun's Anvil, & Taijits (Ethengar). | |||||||||
| Low Gobliny [2] | 2/G/0 | Ya(0) | WW(1) | Ptz(1) OGT(1) | - | - | - | Underground, River(minor), Lava lake | Ya |
| 2,000 sq.km. of caverns about -1,250' underground. Site of Akrass Fortress. Along the Bugbur River. Borders High Gobliny, Kundar, & Ul'Guzud. | |||||||||
| Hobgobland | |||||||||
| An estimated 4,120 humanoids, perhaps 2020 Common Hobgoblins, 1120 Goblins (mostly Yellow Goblins), 860 Yellow Orcs, and a smattering of Ogres and Trolls. | |||||||||
| Hobgobland | 1/G/6 | HK(1) | TYR(1) | Akl(1) OGT(0) | - | - | DK(3) | Steppe, River | HK |
| 2,900 sq.km. On the north bank of the Streel River. Includes Akkila's Trone (a 650' tall plateau). Borders High Gobliny, Kol, Orcland (Darokin), Red Orcland, Sun's Anvil, Taijits (Ethengar), Ul'Guzud, & Yellow Orkia. | |||||||||
| Ul'Guzud [2] | 2/G/0 | HK(1) | TYR(1) | Arg(1) Ozo(1) OGT(0) | - | - | - | Underground, Lava lake | HK |
| 2,300 sq. km. of caverns about 900' underground. Includes Ul'Guzud Fortress. Borders Hobgobland, Low Gobliny, & Tanglar. | |||||||||
| Kolland | |||||||||
| An estimated 13,130 humanoids, perhaps 6390 Spotted Kobolds, 3440 Brown Kobolds, 1575 Red Orcs (Vulgaris), 1170 Spotted Gnolls, 550 Yellow Orcs (Facis Ratis). | |||||||||
| Kol-Dahk [3] | 3/G/1 | DK(3) | STK(3) | KSl(1) KTa(1) OGT(1) | - | - | DK(0) | Underground, River (minor), Lava lake | DK |
| 4,500 sq.km. of caverns about 1,500' underground. Along the Kol-Dahk River. includes Kol-Khat Fortress. Borders Kolland, Sacred Cavern, & South Gnollistan. | |||||||||
| Kolland | 1/G/3 | DK(0) | - | OGT(1) | - | - | DK(3) | Hills, River | DK |
| 4,053 sq.mi. On the East Bank of the Streel River. Includes the Black Hills (450'). Borders Corunglain (Darokin), Dwarfgate (Darokin), Hobgobland, Kol-Dahk, Red Orcland, & is close enough to Ainsun (Alfheim) to be considered to border it. | |||||||||
| Ogremoor | |||||||||
| An estimated 3,180 humanoids, perhaps 1250 Ogres, 1200 Goblins (mostly Grey Goblins), 375 Bugbears (mostly Bugburbianus), and 350 Common Hobgoblins. | |||||||||
| Lower Ogremoor [1] | 1/G/0 | Al(0) | - | Shp(1) OGT(0) | - | - | - | Underground, River (minor), Lava river | Al |
| 5,500 sq.km. of caverns 1,200' underground along the Trolldew River. Includes Fort Rattaya. Borders Ogremoor, Sacred Cavern, & Lower Trollhattan. | |||||||||
| Ogremoor | 1/G/7 | Al(1) | JTS(1) | OGT(1) | - | - | DK(5) | Mountains, Glacier, River | Al |
| 5,329 sq.km. Includes the west bank of the Vesubian River and the Yaks Spur Mountains (10,000') and most of the Khyr Glacier. Borders Akorros (Darokin), Corunglain (Darokin), Huledain (Glantri), Lower Ogremoor, Orcus Rex, Red Orcland, & Trollhattan. | |||||||||
| Orcus Rex | |||||||||
| An estimated 5,370 humanoids, perhaps 2700 Common Orcs, 1600 Kobolds, 900 Spotted Gnolls, and a smattering of everyother kind of humanoid from across the broken lands. | |||||||||
| Orcus Rex | 1/G/7 | Th(1) | JSK(1) | OGT(0) | - | - | DK(4) | Mountains, Glacier, River | Th |
| 4,510 sq.km. Stretches from the west bank of the Vesubian river to the Khyr Glacier. Includes the Valley of Khyr (3000'). Borders Bugburbia, Erewan (Glantri), Huledain (Glantri), Ogremoor, Trollhattan, & Udhgar. | |||||||||
| Udhgar [3] | 3/G/0 | Th(2) | TYR(2) | Sod(1) Th(0) OGT(1) | - | - | - | Underground | Th |
| 2,600 sq.km. of cavern about 1,100' underground. Includes Udhgar Palace (Castle 3). Borders Hobgobland, Low Gobliny, & Tanglar. | |||||||||
| Red Orcland | |||||||||
| An estimated 6,980 humanoids, perhaps 5110 Red Orcs (about 2/3 Rubeus Vulgaris), 1800 Goblins (mostly Grey), 50 Gnolls (mostly Spotted), and a handful of others. | |||||||||
| Red Orcland | 1/G/5 | SH(1) | WW(1) | Nat(1) OGT(0) | - | - | DK(2) | Wasteland, River | SH |
| 4,169 sq.km. Inbetween the Streel and Vesubian rivers. Includes Natoka's Grave, a high desert like wasteland at 2,500'. Borders Bugburbia, Corunglain (Darokin), Erewan (Glantri), Lower Ogremoor, Orcus Rex, Red Orcland, & Trollhattan. | |||||||||
| Sacred Cavern [2] | 2/G/0 | BlT(1) FlN(1) SH(0) | WW(1) | BlB(1) OGT(0) SH(0) Vas(1) | - | - | - | Underground, Lake, River (minor), Lava river | SH |
| 4,500 sq.km. of caverns about 1,400' underground around Lake Gum and along the Ogreditch and Orcsditch rivers and the sacred Cavern. Borders Kol-Dahk, Lower Ogremoor, & Red Orcland. | |||||||||
| South Gnollistan | |||||||||
| An estimated 4,430 humanoids, perhaps 2060 Gnolls (mostly Spotted), 1260 Spotted Kobolds, 730 Yellow Orcs, & 380 Trolls. | |||||||||
| South Gnollistan [1] | 1/G/0 | NP(1) | - | BRa(1) OGT(0) | - | - | - | Underground, River (minor) | NP |
| 4,000 sq.km. of caverns about 800' underground. Includes El'Krak Fortress and Oued Ashuma. Borders Kol-Dahk, Lower Ogremoor, & Red Orcland. | |||||||||
| Sun's Anivl | 1/G/5 | NP(0) | RIW(1) | OGT(1) | - | - | DK(5) | Desert, River | NP |
| 4,575 sq.km. A Desert plateau 800' above the Streel River. Borders Dwarfgate (Darokin), High Goblin, Hobgobland, South Gnollistan, Taijits (Ethengar), & Yellow Orka. | |||||||||
| Trollhattan | |||||||||
| Perhaps 1,150 ravenous Trolls | |||||||||
| Lower Trollhattan | 1/G/0 | - | - | OGT(1) | - | - | - | Underground, Lake, River (minor), Lava River | Ha |
| 3,100 sq.km. of caverns about 1,300' underground. Includes Troll Lake and the Trolldew River. Borders Lower Ogremoor, Trollhattan, & Udhgar. | |||||||||
| Trollhattan | 1/G/8 | - | - | Ha(1) OGT(0) | - | - | DK(4) | Swamp, River | Ha |
| 2,849 sq.km. A 600' swampy crater watered by a series of waterfalls on the eastern rim siphoning off some of the flow of the Vesubian river. Borders Bugburbia, Ogremoor, Orcus Rex, Red Orcland, & Lower Trollhattan. | |||||||||
| Yellow Orkia | |||||||||
| An Estimated 5,160 humanoids, perhaps 2490 Yellow Orcs (Canis Oriensis), 1880 Yellow Goblins, 670 Gnolls (mostly Spotted), & 120 Trolls. | |||||||||
| Tanglar [2] | 2/G/0 | Mo(0) | - | Akr(1) OGT(1) | - | - | - | Underground, Lake, River (minor), Lava Lake | Mo |
| 1,400 sq.km. of caverns about 1,000' underground. Includes Lake Morkia and the Shingshi and Hal Walls. Borders South Gnollistan, Ul'Guzud, & Yellow Orkia. | |||||||||
| Yellow Orkia | 1/G/5 | Mo(1) | TYR(1) | OGT(0) | - | - | DK(1) | Wasteland, Swamp, River | Mo |
| 3,212 sq.km. Includes The Mucks - a swampy region at the fork of the Streel River. Borders Dwarfgate (Darokin), Hobgobland, Sun's Anvil, Taijits (Ethengar), Tanglar, & Yakkas (Ethengar). | |||||||||
Key: Al- Alebane (Ogremoor); DK- Dodge Kol (Kol); Ha- Haa'k Hordar (Trollhattan); HK- Hutai Khan (Hobgobland); Mo- Moghul Khan (Yellow Orkia); NP- Nizam Pasha (South Gnollistan); Oh- Ohr'r (Bugburbia); SH- Supreme Hool (Red Orcland); Th- Thar (Broken Lands/Orcus Rex); Ya- Yazar (High Gobliny); Akl- Akkila's tribe; Akr- Akkar (tribe); Arg- Argul (tribe); BlB- Blue Bellies (tribe); BlT- Black Toes (tribe); BRa- Bir-Razud (tribe); FlN- Flat Noses (tribe); KSl- Kol-Slah (tribe); KTa- Kol-Tarree (tribe); Nat- Natoka's tribe (tribe); OGT- Other Goblinoid Tribes of the Broken Lands; Ozo- Ozomo (tribe); Ptz- Pootz (tribe); Rox- Rox (tribe); Shp- Shapathi (tribe); Sod- Sodhor (tribe); Vas- Vashawar (tribe); Zyr- Zyrd (tribe); BSM- Bartziluth's Spiked Mace; JSK- Jagged Sword of Karaash (Thar & Uruk Vaath); JTS- Jammudaru's Tasty Slime (Ogat); RIW- Ranivorus' Insane Word; STK- Shining Temple of Kol; TYR- Temple of Yagrai Reborn; WW - Wogar's Wolfriders
Design Notes
- Law/Manor- Finally the smaller hordes and tribes have some actual impact! And the main tribal heads have at least some trace contact with the other [surfcae/below] part of their realm.
- Temple- no changes.
- Guild/Trade- What is this concept you call trade?
- Sources- no changes
- Other- Grouping the two provinces of each main tribe together I think makes for a cleaner presentation (no actual changes there, just a formatting or presentation clarification) though it does give the impression of a weaker Thar (as it should perhaps be)
Characters
Design Notes, character specific notes, obvious strategies, etc.
- Thar - In the early versions it appeared that one possible and desirable route for Thar to proceed down would be to consolidate some holdings from the tribal heads while hopefully in the later versions it becomes obvious that he needs most of those vassals to control the fractious hordes. Can Thar forge the broken lands into a true threat to the neighboring lands? Or can he even hold it together?
- Kol - If he focuses solely on the magic portion of his holdings, he could become a very powerful right hand to thar, and long term for himself alone. If he tries to use his magical backing to support his own power too soon, will the others turn on him?
- Haa'k Hordar - The weakest of the tribal heads (in version 6 the only one without a single law holding - just a manor holding), but then again no one wants to mess with the trolls…
- other tribe heads- Lots of questions. Can they manoeuver the smaller tribes to support their own positon? Can they play their peers against one another to maintain or improve their position with resepect to Thar? Or oppose and replace Thar? Do they raid their foes within the broken lands or try to gain plunedr abroad?
- smaller tribes - Can they increase their power, either with or against the local province regent? Every petty tribe head dreams of unifying the broken lands as the next supreme ruler, or are their dreams more realistic - lots of plunder in the rich neighboring lands.
- Temple - Starts small, but with so many possibilities.