Backford (medium city):

Located right on the south bank of the Syphon River, this city controls the main ford across the Syphon. All traffic on the Royal Highway has to go through the city gates, which has ensured a modest income to the otherwise pressured Eorl of the city.

The Backford shire has suffered from the neighbourhood of the chaos creatures from the Foulblood Forest. Ever now and then some of the creatures manage to escape the patrols at the exit of the Footprint and lay waste to the farmlands west of it. Only when there is a powerful Warden of the Footprint Marches the local militia there will suffice to round up any strays. Warden Korlaman of the Orshanti did an excellent job so far.

Bandori River:

The Bandori Valley is home to the southernmost of the four old tribal federations of Heortland. Unlike the other three, this smaller tribe did not receive a duke when the Hendriki tribe, assisted by the upsurging Aeolian Church of Heortland, took control over the other tribes after Belintar's ascension. The only city in the Bandori lands, Refuge, is controlled by God Forgot Brithini who maintain their status even though the city was conquered by the Hendriki around 1350.

Baron Sanuel's Land:

This portion of the Volsaxi valley is ruled by an outsider of foreign religion. Baron Sanuel is a Rokari convert who made a fortune in Nochet and settled here on land granted to him by Prince Terasarin of Sartar, in 1598, in exchange for his loyalty and the service of his heavy cavalry guards.

The Kurtali tribe of the Volsaxi holds a certain grudge against the Baron for taking parts of their lands, but they acknowledge his sovereignty over his land and people, a mixture of immigrants from Nochet and natives of the valley who found protection and opportunity there..

Blackwind Marsh:

A dark and soggy marshland is all that remains of the once wide river bed of the Creek-Stream River after the monster summoned by the Only Old One was slain by Belintar, in 1318. Only a small amount of the earlier water seeps through the Styx Grotto into the old river bed and trickles into the steadier flow of the Marzeel River, formerly only a tributary of the River.

Bullflood River:

The Bullflood gains its name from its source, Stormwalk Mountain, where the Storm Bull once wrestled the head of a mountain god. On its upper course are the settlements of some of the most traditionalist Orlanthi clans of Heortland, whereas its lower course through the plateau goes through the heartlands of the Hendriki tribe. On its long delta below the plateau fisherfolk of islander stock and newtlings ply their trade. The Bullflood can be shipped by small river craft a good way into the plateau, upt to five miles from the city walls of Durengard.

Choralinthor Bay:

The wide and relatively shallow inland sea forms the core of the Holy Country. Almost one third of it falls dry at low tide, and an enormous current runs out through Troll Strait whihc can be used by skillful captains to save up to a day on their outward journey. Also known as the Mirrorsea Bay, the waters keep calm even when the storms are raging across Kethaela. This is due to the influence of Choralinthor, the god of this sea. The son of the Land Goddess and a Sea lover is calm and friendly. The fisherfolk hold him dearly for he rewards them with excellent catches as well as comparatively safe passage, and the Ludoch praise his sokid strength.

Coastal Flats

This stretch of land between the White Cliffs and the Mirrorsea is a mixture of flat, soggy land, wind-driven dunes, and debris of sometimes impressive size fallen down from the cliffs. Numerous lesser bays and lagoons lead into the five rivermouths or directly out into the Mirrorsea Bay.

The inhabitants are part farmer, part fishermen, with many people of Islander ancestry. Some of the marshier parts of the bays are inhabited by newtlings and occasional duck families, all of whom have put themselves under the protection of the King of Heortland.

The soil is heavy, but rich. The farmers grow some grain, but also cabbages of various sorts, though most of the land is left for grazing. Cattle occupies the better pasture, while sheep are kept among the debris below the cliffs.

There are only three major settlements in the flats: the port cities of Vizel and Leskos and the fisherman community of Sklar. The rest of the populace lives in hamlets or single steads scattered on the peninsulas. Except for some parts in the south, most of the coastal Hundreds belong to shires ruled by clans of the plateau. While there usually is some tension between the coast-dwellers and the plateau-dwellers, the arrangement has worked so far.

Duchamp (medium city):

Overlooking the ford across the Minthos River, this city controls the trade of the southern duchy of Heortland with the mainlands.

Durengard (large city):

The royal capital of Heortland, and seat of the archbishop of the Aeolian Church.

Footprint:

A deep depression, about 20 miles wide and almost 60 miles long, whose origin is said to have been Larnste's foot stamping down on a squirming thing from beyond the world. When the Soul Arranger stamped down, the Storm Mountains folded up, but the squirming thing reached around and bit the god who limped off howling in pain. Afterwards a god grabbed the masterless spear of Caladril and drove it deep into the sore left by the thing, releasing the imprisoned fires of the volcano god. A storm god (likely Kolat) blew the ashes and dust into the depression and petrified the woods around the chaos sore which became the Foulblood Forest. While his magic could not destroy the festering chaos, it could confine it in its place by denying it the life to infest.

Foulblood Forest:

Where the poisoned blood of Larnste fell to the earth, horrible mutations befell the forest there. The chaotic inhabitants of this place know it as Forest of First Reward. It is a holy place for several chaotic cults, whose adherents linger around its fringes.

Jansholm (large city):

The centre of the northern of three Heortland duchies sits atop a river island just above the Solthi rapids. The Royal Highway enters the city over two ancient stone bridges of apparently dwarven built.

Important features of the city are the golden-domed cathedral to St. Elmal, whose tower overlooks the entire city, and much of the surrounding lands; the ducal palace, the former citadel of the city; and the city gates at the stone bridges.

The cathedral of St. Elmal is ancient, its great circular tower being the most recent addition, built around 1380 - atop the foundation of an older, lesser tower. Its layout is almost military, with stables, barracks and cells filling the backyard of the cathedral ground. The bishop's residence and the chapter of the knights of St. Elmal are located there.

People of local notice:

Duke Eadwulf Carlmansson

Bishop Aelbreht

Sir Feoric, Captain of the Knights of St. Elmal

Teodbert, senior wizard of St. Elmal

For an aerial view of the city I recommend "Asterix and the Laurels of Caesar" which has a picture of Lutetia, the most astonishing city of the Universe. I use a map of medieval Paris (in my copy of Victor Hugo's "Notre Dame de Paris") for the general city layout.

Jaransbyrig (small city):

This town is the administrative and economic center of the Jaraning Shire, southwest of Jansholm. It's once generous palisade has been filled during the last years by refugees from Lunar-occupied Sartar, following the various crises there. The fortifications of the ancient clan hill-fort have been expanded twice to provide protection for the general populace, the second expansion marking off a full hide of land below the castle, which was surrounded by a ditch and palisade. It encloses the large marketplace, the Aeolian temple with all its shrines to the locally important deities, and the houses of farmers and townspeople. The northern part of the ditch is formed by the mill creek, which powers the watermill on the edge of the town. (Windmills fell out of popularity in northern Heortland when the Zistorites imprisoned the Good Wind of Heortland. They were regarded as an enslavement of the Good Wind as well, and thus somewhat evil.)

Karse (large city):

The city of Karse is the centre of the Barony of Karse. This seaport has a long (though interrupted) history as the turntable between central Genertela and the Seas. Originally located on the opposite bank of the River mouth, the city of Karse was resettled only after Belintar had killed the Only Old One and redirected the Creek-Stream River. The new city was founded by dissident nobles from Heortland who received a land grant of the Karse along the Marzeel mouth. The new city soon attracted settlers from all over the Holy Country. With the Opening, Karse has experienced a second growth, out of its city walls. It now serves as the most important place to offload goods destined for Dragon Pass or Peloria, once again.

The Midkemia Press supplement "The City of Carse" was published by Chaosium and was, to my knowledge, used as Karse in the Chaosium house campaign(s). This supplement is based on the map of the medieval city of Caernarfon in northwestern Wales.The Welsh Historical Society, Cadw, has produced an excellent booklet on the castle and the city with much information useful for the Gloranthan version of Karse. It has the ISBN 0 948329 42 4, but I have no idea whether it can be ordered through ordinary channels. If you happen to visit Wales, it is available at most major castles belonging to Cadw. It is fun to walk through the original of the fantasy setting, too.

Kenstone Island:

This island east of the Troll Strait has a strong fisherfolk population of Islander stock, but is ruled by Ashart Tidebiter, a Hendriki noble, as part of the Kingdom of Heortland, and is the base for the small fleet of stout boats forming the royal coast guard.

Knight Fort:

This ancient and forbidding fortress looms over a squalid Praxian oasis inhabited by the enigmatic Oasis folk of Prax. It was erected in an earlier age as the defence against Praxian raiders. After a long period remaining unoccupied by any troops, the fort was taken and repaired by Heortland forces around 1360. Since then it has served as the main base for the royal forces protecting the marcher settlers. Recently it has been crewed by mercenaries, including both Brian of the Volsaxi (1611-1615) and Sir Richard the Tigerhearted (1615-1616).

Leskos (medium city):

This Heortland seaport at the mouth of the Bullflood River lies on a peninsula between the river bed and a lagoon. It occupies the best quay sites for deepwater ships with goods heading to Durengard.

I use the map of medieval Kiel for this city. I hope to be able to include a picture soon.

Marcher Barons:

The Marcher Barons of Prax are Heortland nobles who settled here during the later phase of the Heortland Civil War. Protected by the mighty Knight Fort, refugees from the civil war settled under the supervision of merited followers of the conqueror king. The barons form a warlike and somewhat rough community of individuals who put great prize at their freedom to act as they see fit. They only unite when their land is threatened by Praxian raiders, and even then sometimes reluctantly.

Martof River:

The main tributary of the Minthos River in southern Heortland.

Marzeel River:

The Marzeel River springs in the northern ranges of the Storm Mountains and gathers strength in the Troll Woods. Originally only a tributary of the Creek-Stream River, the Marzeel now provides most of the water flowing into Choralinthor Bay at Karse, and few people remember that this once was Lorian's way when he followed the beckons of Magasta.

Marzeel Valley:

The northern part of Heortland is dominated by the Marzeel Valley. After the Dragonkill War, all human settlers had been driven out of Dragon Pass, or slain, and few wanted to settle that close to the dragon-haunted lands. Those who did best were the humans of the Kitori tribe, who had maintained a common tribe with trolls since the Dawn Age. They controlled the human settlers of Esrolite or Heortling stock who held out under the sufferance of the Only Old One. Originally the valley of the Creek-Stream River, Belintar's victory over the Only Old One blocked that river with the Lead Hills, and made it even less popular for human settlement, so the Kitori tribe remained in power. Only with the resettlement of Dragon Pass by humans the valley experienced an increase in traffic and population. When the kingdom of Sartar was founded in the Quivin Hills, regular traffic travelled through the valley, and the Kitori took their share of the trade, and often more. In the late reign of Prince Saronil, his younger brother Tarkalor organized the sun worshippers of Sartar and the suppressed farmer clans of the valley in resistance of the troll-friendly Kitori, and with the aid of the newly re-settled Sun Dome Temple pushed the Kitori tribe back into the lands of their troll allies. Ever since, the Volsaxi tribal confederation ruled the valley from the ancient hilltop-fortress and city of Whitewall.

Minthos River:

The southernmost of the five rivers of the Heortland plateau springs in the southern Storm Mountains and is joined by the Martof River at the edge of the foothills. It is navigable for sea-going ships up to the port city of Vizel, and for smaller river craft up to a few miles below Duchamp. The river marks the border between the duchies of Mt. Passant and Durengard.

Mirrorsea Bay

Another name for Choralinthor Bay, also just called the Mirrorsea.

Mt. Passant (large city):

The capital of the southern duchy of Heortland overlooks the southern plateau from a solitary rock. Founded as an Orlanthi hilltop city in the First Age, it was given to the Talars of God Forgot after the expulsion of Palangio the Iron Vrok during the Gbaji Wars. It remained independent from the Kingdom of Heortland until its conquest in 1356, after two seasons of siege warfare.

Queendom of Jab:

The efforts of scorpion-queen Gagix Twobarb in subduing three other queendoms by devouring their queens after personal duels have formed this sizeable state of scorpionmen on the slopes of the Storm Mountains. The amounts of half-wit scorpion breed released in Dark Season has experienced a steady rise since she has come to this power.

Refuge (large city):

Refuge was founded as an exile colony by an unknown group, even before the Darkness. Several groups claim this privilege, including an unorthodox sect of Brithini, the Eurmal cult, and indigenous natives who claim kinship to the Oasis Folk of Prax. The old port of the city and the Lighthouse in the bay are of Waertagi origin. Even though conquered by Heortland in 1360, the city is still controlled by Brithini lords, who take care to please the conquerers sitting in their castle. The city itself appears to be lawless, and in certain quarters thieves and other criminals hold almost unlimited power. There are also fisherfolk and Heortland exiles among the residents.

Roadend (village):

This village on the border between the Volsaxi confederation and the Principality of Sartar marks the end of the royal Sartarite road from Wilmskirk, which is continued by a much older but very worn-down trade path through Volsaxi lands.

Sklar (village):

This settlement on a bay in northwestern Heortland is inhabited mainly by fisherfolk, but the rich marsh pasture has attracted a number of Hendriki herders to settle here. The current Archbishop of the Aeolian Church was born and raised here.

Smithstone (medium city):

This city in Volsaxi lands is famous for its masonry. The river beds around it provided the white quartzite which makes the facing of Whitewall so impressive.

Solthi River:

One of the five rivers cutting into the Heortland plateau, the Solthi springs in the Troll Woods and runs around the island of Jansholm through a narrow gouge into the Mirrorsea Bay.

Stone Cross (altar):

This altar was erected by the Pharaoh to commemorate his treaty with Ironhoof, the centaur King of Dragon Pass. It stands on the Crossline, a formerly magical border erected by the dragonewts after the Dragonkill War.

Stonewood:

This petrified forest in the Footprint gives silent witness of the Footprint myth. It originated when a Storm God (likely Kolat) blew the cloud of dust, ash and poison that emerged from the place where Lodril's Spear pinned down the Squirming Thing over the forests surrounding the sore left by the poisoned blood of Larnste's foot. It has since served as a killing ground for the chaos emanations from the Foulblood Forest. It is rumoured that, if entered at certain times from certain directions, the petrified forest is alive (but stony). The rare wanderer into these parts rarely return, falling prey to wandering stone monsters.

Storm Mountains:

This chain of mountains separates the land of Heortland from the Plaines of Prax. There are several myths about their creations: When Larnste stamped his foot on a squirming thing he saw, when Caladril's/Lodril's children rose from within Esrola's womb, when Orlanth raised this chain to connect his mother Kerofin with the Cosmic Spike.

Stormwalk Mountain:

This mountain is a sacred place to the Storm Bull. It is the site of his victory over a son of Lodril, whose head he wrestled off when he came into these lands. As a result, the top of the mountain now forms a spiral pathway to a plateau on the top. The spiral pathway and the plateau are the home to the largest known herd of skybulls. They are guarded by the demigod hero Gorangi Vak and his dog.

Syphon River:

This river is unique in its retaining the original Godtime direction, flowing from the sea to its source. When Magasta called all the seas and rivers of the world to his aid to plumb the hole the implosion of the Spike had left, the Syphon River too headed with al his force to fight the chaos. Unfortunately the chaos at its source was stronger than the distant pull at Magasta's Pool, so that it alone still runs to its headwaters.

Troll Strait:

The only deepwater access to the Mirrorsea Bay experiences a strong current at each falling tide, washing above the Ludoch city of Deepest. The strait gained its name from the Sea Troll ambushes the God Learner ships experienced when they approached the Shadowlands.

Troll Woods:

This firwood is the home for several troll tribes living in the eternal shadows of ancient trees which have withstood even ravagous trollkin. More recently the trolls have been joined by their long-time human allies of the Kitori tribe who had been driven out of the Marzeel Valley by the sun worshippers who came to aid the Sartarite prince Tarkalor and the tribes which later formed the Volsaxi confederation.

Twotop (village):

This hillfort is the seat of the Sylangi tribe of the Volsaxi people.

Vizel (medium city):

Built upon terraces hewn into the white cliffs of Heortland, this port city on the Minthos River mouth serves as the seaport for southern Heortland. Some of the inhabitants claim that Prince Sartar got the inspiration for the Pockets of Boldhome on a visit to Vizel.

White Cliffs of Heortland

The western end of the Heortland plateau ends abruptly on a drop of up to 300 metres down to the coastal marches. Chalky white rock with a few bands of red or black forms almost vertical cliffs, sometimes with a few ledges overgrown with grass. Below the cliff chunks of rock which gave away to the forces of storm litter the ground, some of them as big as a town.

It has been a long time since the Sea has risen enough to gnaw away the basements of the cliffs, so few land is lost to the plateau. Sheep graze there where the wind keeps all plants reduced to shrubs.

In the cliffs myriads of seabirds nest, taking their share of the fish bounty of the bay and sea.

Whitewall (large city):

This ancient hillfort is centered around a hilltop sacred to Orlanth. It has been occupied already at the Dawn, and although it was deserted several times it still was resettled as soon as circumstances allowed. The current city still has the Second Age drystone wall of snow-white quartzite, reinforced with impregnated fir wood from the nearby Troll Woods into the famous Orlanthi walls mentioned already in Palangio's "Accounts of the Manirian War", a copy of which survived in the library of Alkoth in Dara Happa. After the Dragonkill War the hilltop fortress remained unoccupied until the Etori clan of the Kitori tribe reestablished Orlanth worship at the temple in the centre of the city. Under the guidance of the Pharaoh a temple to Argan Argar was added, in recompensation for the damages done to the trolls during the ascension wars. The mixed human-troll inhabitants held the fortress until Tarkalor Trollkiller led an alliance of sun worshippers and rebelling tributary tribes against the Kitori and drove them into hiding in the Troll Woods with the sun magic of his allies. The city became the centre of the new-founded Volsaxi confederation, which maintained its independence from both the Principality of Sartar and the Kingdom of Heortland. Only recently the humans of the Etori clan was readmitted to the city, and only because of their kinship ties to Brian of the Volsaxi. The trolls had proven impossible to drive out, but had been put under close guard.