ABOUT THREE TOWNS

GEOGRAPHY

Three Towns takes its name from three small settlements that have entered into a mutual trade and protection pact in the turbulent years following a Cataclysm: Wheaton, Fer and Arakan. These towns lie in a somewhat triangular formation at the eastern end of a landmass, blocked by impassable mountains to the north, inhospitable forests to the south, and the enemy pressing in from the west. Each town has its own strength and resources... Wheaton its grain and sheltered position, Fer its access to what little iron is left in the mountains, and the skills of the dwarves who make them their home, and Arakan its closely guarded magical secrets. Together, this fragile alliance has thus far managed to hold the enemy in the central fields, known commonly as the Contested Areas. What limited manpower the towns possess is dedicated to holding their lines at the passes into Fer and Arakan, but they lack the sheer forces required to drive them from the Contested Areas.

(Click for full size map of commonly known areas)

Each of the Three Towns is blockaded by a gate manned by guards, who prevent the enemy from entering, and also collect the requisite head tax from those who are wealthy enough to contribute to the towns' coffers in exchange for their protection. Each town has a protected territory, and outskirts which can be divided roughly into two parts, and from these travellers may begin the long overland journeys to neighboring towns, or to the Contested Areas.

The Contested Areas themselves are vast, sprawling, hilly expanses that are currently rife with occupying enemies. The eastern zone, closest to the impassable mountains that protect Wheaton, are occupied by a huge number of orcs, whose numbers make up for their lack of resources and overall prowess. The west is manned by troops of the Iron Brotherhood, who have managed to erect a fortress with a command tower in the center of the area. The Iron Brotherhood is also reinforced by members of the Bleeding Eye barbarian tribe. With these two areas under their ersatz control, the enemy alliance keeps the Three Towns bottlenecked from the areas west of there, areas relatively rich in resources and arable land, which feeds and supplies the enemy and their mysterious masters.

OTHER SETTLEMENTS

There are more settlements than just the Three Towns, but these are relatively isolated, by circumstance and sometimes by choice. These small settlements are poorer than the Three Towns, generally speaking, but usually have their own resurrection points and thus provide an alternate base of operations for adventurers seeking to stay closer to the enemy's deeper holdings.