Shelledrock

Shelledrock is a continent rich with culture and steeped in centuries of tradition. The continent is divided between thirteen proud nations which have settled most of the monstrous regions into tame civilized lands. Most of the strife is self-imposed political conflict or international trade conflicts.


The Countries of Shelledrock:


Shelledrock (Country): Shelledrock is a continent rich with culture and steeped in centuries of tradition. The continent is divided between thirteen proud nations which have settled most of the monstrous regions into tame civilized lands. Most of the strife is self-imposed political conflict or international trade conflicts.


Ripland: picks up along Shelledrocks fertile eastern border and grows more lush as it ascends to the continents east shoreline. The shoreline is littered with cliff faces and black sand beaches. The further north you go the more sparse the vegetation grows until you reach the southern end of the notorious Snow Quag Swamps. The Snow Quag marks the northern Ripland boarder. Ripland only occupies half of the latitude that Shelledrock occupies. 

The genius of Ripland occurred as a political settlement between factions of senators some fifty years after the erosion of the monarchy of Shelledrock. In an attempt to avoid civil war the aging milerteristic senators negotiated the secession of the southeast in a surprisingly peaceful manner. For years the country has been ruled under the divine guiden of Palve of Guin. The country whorships Kar-tir the god of humans and there is little room for negotiation for the populist of the religiously active state of government. 


Turlock: seeps with chaos as factions of warlord command strongholds and city-states throughout the land, yet no form of central government reins. Many have tried to govern the area but the folk are as stout as the weather and neither will bend long enough for a government to take hold. Thus Turlock has a reputation for being a harsh haven for criminals and a sanctuary for those on the run. 

Turlock goes from nasty terrain to worse than nasty as you travel from the southern border to the north. Nether border is officially marked or recognized internationally. To the south the Snow Squag Swamps cause Ripland to lose interest in expanding north so by default Turlock begins there. The enormous Bloody Glacier bay drains into the swamps. Turlock encompasses the bay and then stretches north into the Ice Wasteland. Just as Ripland lost interest in settling further north due to the swamps, the monsterous infested tundra prevents Turlock from settling further north. 


Hudocx: eastern boarder looks from the top of the Aux Arcs down upon Turlock and its southern border is firmly marked in the Aux Arcs on Shelledrocks northern border. The Aux Arcs turn into the Aux Mountain Range. The dissolved southern plateaus gain fortification and reach some twenty thousand feet into the sky. Hudox encompasses the entire northern mountain range with very little flat land within its boarders. The northern border dissolves into the Ice Wasteland and the Aux Mountain Range disloves into tundra. 

Hudox sticks out, quite literally, from the other countries of the Shelledrock continent. The mountainous country is one of only two nations ruled by non-humans. Satyr, goat men, rule the kingdom of Turlock. While many nations have raged war against the Satyr governed nation none could muster a sustainable campaign in the mountainous region. 


Markhum: is one of the few nations that has not raged war against its eastern neighbor Centauri. This technologically advanced nation is the other nation ruled by non-humans. Ancient gold dragons rule this nation via the council of golden dragons. These dragons mandate higher education on their population, have extremely intense patient control on intellectual properties and are complete isolationist. Indeed a great deal of their military might is securing their borders against illegal immigration. 

Markum is a completely walled nation. To the east its walls cut into the base of the Aux Mountain Range. To the north the wall cuts through the Ice Wasteland tundra. On its western shore the wall goes out into the ocean some two miles. On Markhams southern boarder the wall separates Markum from three nations. The land within the wall is a scenic country of Oak trees, meadows, lush farm land laying in beautiful valleys encompassing rivers and lakes alike. 


Centauri: is the northwestern most kingdom of the Sultans Five. The kingdom’s vast coastlines bolster the economy and make it one of the most prestigious places to visit in all of Shelledrock. Fishing warfs and small beach communities line the coast while inland the lush farm valleys. 

Centauri is known for its elite noble knights and honorable monarch. The nation is quick to avenge injustice and holds its populist to its high moral standard. Thus the nation of pristine sandy beaches and beautiful castles has one of the nastiest and infamous prison system in the world. 


Vemenous: the land locked nation is the northern most nation and sits on Centauri’s eastern border as well as Markum’s southern border. The inland farming valley’s that run north and south through the country have the perfect climate for wine and spirits and the country produces nearly two thirds of the continents wine. So prosperous has the wine industry been that much of the countries wilderness area has been converted into vineyards and agricultural spreads. Property values have corresponded to the industries economic boom and now much of the land that isn't completely ideal for wine production has been converted to manufactured agricultural land. 

The Sultan of Vemonous is little more that a symbolic figure head however he is one of the riches men in the world. A parliament controls the day to day operations of the country and ensures economic growth. These representatives are geographically selected by popular vote so the nation has a strong democratic core with a historical appreciation for the monarchy of old. 


Gastoun: Furthest inland of the three countries directly south of Markhums border is Gastoun. To the east the country boarders Shelledrock so the county is adjacent to two of the most powerful nations on the continent. The nation is known for it’s deep valleys and canyons that led to a vast network of underground caves. The land is rich with natural mineral deposits, underground springs and vast lakes. 
With such power hungry neighbors Gastoun learned early in its inception to ally with the powers at be. 

Gastoun exports natural goods at an exceptional rate and the Sultan takes a percentage of every business deal in the country. Thus the people of Gastoun are not poor, but their ruling class is so exponentially separated from the rest of the country the middle class is nonexistent. That Military is nearly non existent because everyone knows Markhum and Shelledrock covet the mineral rich nation and will ensure its stability.


Perjium: Another rich scenic land bursting with culture and wealth. Positioned on the coast line below Centauri, Perjium’s wealth comes from the seas. The economy is based on nautical efforts and the nation is emfoumous for crafting the worlds finest ships. Visitors find solace in the quant fishing villages up and down the coast line and the inland agricultural efforts are enough to support the country without having to rely on imports from other countries too much. 

Beautiful sandy beaches and harbors line the coast line while open and sparsely vegetated lands dominate the inland skyline. The country is longer than it is narrow and the majority of its territory hugs the sea. The weather is warm and pleasant which makes it a great place to visit.


Rileston: is the last of the Sultans from the Kingdoms Five. This militaristic nation prides it self on having a powerful military and a strong central government. The economy of the country is based on industrial production and the country uses most of its domestic revenue to foster its military. Rileston is notorious for selling its military services to countries in need of military might and has made a name for itself internationally for launching campaigns against Tyrants. The Sultan of Rileston prefers brute diplomacy and speaks quite frankly with his populist who love him. 

Rileston has a wide range of natural recources and is the largest of the Kingdoms Five. The barren western rolling hills which are spurn from the coast of Perjium turn into thick lush forest littered with streams. The southern end of the Gastoun’s mountains die out at Rileston’s northern boarder only to pick up again on its southern boarder creating a large spanning valley rich in natural wealth.


Rebexston: is an island off the southern shores of Shelledrock. The island is large enough to support a few fresh water lakes, a mountain range and a dense jungle. Wildlife has not evolved as quickly as the wildlife on the near by main land and many species that have been shunned out by the massive development of human civilization still exist on Rebexston. 

The populist of Rebexston is tribal in nature but several independent cultures spawn of Shelledrock’s discontent have settled on the island. Imports and exports are at a minimum and most of the populist of both the island and Shelledrock are content to ignore each other. Some claim a heavy presence of dragons to exist on the island but neither civilization can foster proof of that. 


Asterland: takes the mountainous range on Rilestons southern boarder and turns them into a raised plateau of barren dessert. The elevated desert features deep canyons, jagged mesas, and very few places to gather water. The sun baked land hardened any who spend time there. At the highest level the plains reach an altitude of twenty thousand feet. 

Tribal warlords claim the land as their territory and none have ever desired to contest their claim. Trade routes wind through the elevated flatlands which connect Boudernash with the Kingdoms Five. Accords keep the tribal warlords from raiding the caravans and most of the poverty stricken economy’s revenue is generated in this manner. The other industry that flourishes in this land is Piracy. Along the coast line deep rivers run inland under the elevated plains and Tribal warlords use these routes to connect their raiding ships with the trade routes along the coast.


Bouldermash: connects with the dry elevated plains of Asterland and runs to the southern coastline of the continent where fifteen to twenty thousand foot sheer cliff faces great aquatic travelers. Natural springs make the inland surface of the country a much more fertile country than its norther neighbor has. However much of the city is underground and whole cities exist carved out of the sheer cliff faces that boarder the southern coast. 

Bouldernash is controlled by a republic of religious leaders. A senate controls the states operations and each religion is given a number of senators based on the number of followers they have in the country. Thus the more popular religions are the more powerful.