Pale
Proper Name: Theocracy of the Pale
Ruler: His Worshipful Mercy, Theocrat Ogon Tillit,
Supreme Prelate of the Pale (LN male human Clr16
of Pholtus)
Government: Theocracy administered in the name
of the god Pholtus; clerics hold all government
positions
Capital: Wintershiven
Major Towns: Eltison (pop. 15,400), Hawkburgh
(pop. 12,400), Hatherleigh (pop. 24,500), Holdworthy
(pop. 16,700), Landrigard (pop. 7,800), Ogburg
(pop. 17,400), Rakervale (pop. 13,700), Stradsett
(pop. 10,900), Wintershiven (pop. 39,900) Provinces: Twenty-seven city wards and low dioceses
divided unevenly among nine archdioceses
Resources: Foodstuffs, copper, gems (IV)
Coinage: Bright (pp), gold glory (gp), silver sun (ep),
silver moon (sp), basic (cp)
Population: 395,000—Human 96% (FO), Halfling
2%,Elf 1%, Other 1%
Languages: Common, Flan
Alignments: LN*, LG, LE
Religions: Pholtus*, all other religions suppressed
(however, secret offerings made to Beory, Phyton,
and Oeridian agricultural gods by many farmers in
the countryside)
Allies: Many Pholtan churches across the Flanaess,
certain Tenh nobles who converted to Pholtus and
aim to rule Tenh as a subject state of the Pale
Enemies: Iuz, Stonehold, all orcs, goblinoids, and
giants; all other states and peoples of the Flanaess are
regarded as pagans or heretics, minor enemies of the
Pale by default; wizards are suspect by default as they
often worship other gods; all religions with criminal
or evil aspects are especially hostile
Overview: The Pale is a moderately sized realm located in the shadows of the Rakers, bordered by the Phostwood and the Gamboge in the west. These forests are shared with the duchy of Tenh and Nyrond, respectively, while the mountains in the east form an almost impassable barrier to Ratik and Bone March on the Solnor Coast. The Pale is ruled from the city of Wintershiven by a religious bureaucracy with direct command over the military, law enforcement, economics and trade, and nearly every other aspect of life in the kingdom. The clerical hierarchy rules the land in the name of the god Pholtus and the most powerful of their number, the theocrat, is said to be chosen by their god to hold the Throne of the Sun for his lifetime. He is selected from the ruling body known as the Council of the Nine, which assembles four times a year in Wintershiven to advise the theocrat. The intolerance of its rulers has become legendary, and the Pale is generally perceived as having territorial ambitions on all its neighbors. This may be true, but the society cannot always be so easily categorized.
Winters in the Pale are harsh and unforgiving and the land and its people seem to reflect this attitude. Only two seasons exist in the Pale (it is said): the unbearable winter and the barely bearable "summer," when crops are grown with difficulty. A sizable portion of the population herds animals instead. Food is also imported from other realms.
The Pale is composed of nine large provinces, surrounding a like number of cities that serve as regional capitals, each controlled by a prelate who sits on the Council of the Nine. The population is about evenly divided between people of relatively unmixed Oeridian and Flan stock. The Flan are considered lowborn by the Aerdi upper class, and intermarriage is rare. Oddly, the Flan are thought of as the comelier race by all, but they hold fast to "pagan" teachings despised by the Pholtus-worshiping Oeridians. The former frequently eschew the large cities of the Pale, where they often work as servants and day laborers, preferring the countryside and the opportunity to work their own family farms. A few Palish families include half-elves, particularly in the south.
The society has been relatively closed for the last two centuries, and this stagnation largely has been attributed to the class structure and the pervasive prejudice of its leadership. The Pale has been living under an inquisition for more than two centuries, since Nyrond first invaded the country. Evil priesthoods and hostile cults are actively routed out and destroyed, while other faiths are suppressed. Mages and other so-called "consorts of demons" are closely watched in the Pale and must be careful not to draw too much unwanted attention. The Templars of the Church Militant work within the religious and military hierarchies, and are charged with conducting the inquisition. The roaming High Legates are given great authority and are much feared in the Pale for their ability to put someone to the Question.
Despite these unpleasant aspects, Good exists in the Pale. Monasteries near the western woods and in the eastern foothills of the Rakers have some of the most impressive libraries and respected philosophers around. The city of Ogburg in the southeast is a prodigious trading center and its leaders display unusual tolerance for outsiders. Many dissidents can speak more freely here than elsewhere. Finally, the soldiery of the Pale is among the best trained and most disciplined in the Flanaess, and the borders are well patrolled and defended, making travel within the Pale among the most peaceful in the Flanaess, though the Trolls Fens on the northern frontier remain a constant bane.