Editing Fear To Tread (section)

=Triple Alliance=

==History==
Halflings brought savage orcish and human tribes together under one banner to defend each other against the chromatic dragons.  Over centuries, this union has created an intermingled culture and population that is both vibrant and strong.

The final turning point in the War Against Dragons is central to the current state of the Triple Alliance.  Despite heroic efforts and generations of fighting and sacrifice, the alliance was unable to break the power of the dragons, largely because any time they got close, Tiamat would descend from the heavens and incinerate everything.  In desperation, many of the human leaders joined a secret cabal to find the power necessary to keep The Queen of Dragons out of the fight.  They found the answer in the dark flames of Hell, and made pacts with fiendish powers up to Asmodeus himself, pacts that altered their very flesh and blood.  They wielded the terrible power they'd bought to curse Tiamat, sending her crashing from the skies and crawling back to her island in tatters.  At this moment, the paladins of Bahamut struck, not at the Queen, but at the human nobles, bringing them low before the evil they'd sold their souls for could infect the world.  They spared the children of these nobles, and from them are the tieflings descended.  This act of seeming betrayal is known as the Sacrifice of Saints, and is generally accepted in the stories to have been a fate the infernal nobles planned on.

==Demographics==
*30% Halfling
*30% Human
*30% Orc
*4% Tiefling
*2% Dwarf
*1% each of Gnomes, Dragonborn and Elves (including Half-Elves).

Halflings dominate the agrarian river valleys, orcs are most common along the northern coast and western foothills, while humans are dominant along the southern coast and eastern woodlands and plains.

==Geography==
There are foothills and low mountains in the west, two broad river valleys in the center, rugged coasts in the north and south and rolling forests that taper into flat plains in the east.  There are few good ports, and no deepwater ports at all in the north.  The Triple Alliance is roughly in the center of the continent.

==Government==
Feudal electorship.  Archdukes, Dukes and Counts vote to elevate a Duke or Archduke to the High Kingship, a position held for life.  Barons serve viscounts or counts, who in turn serve Dukes or Archdukes.  Some barons and counts are styled 'free', and swear fealty directly to the High King.  Archdukes, Dukes and Free Counts may attend the Council, an advisory parliament with little hard power (but substantial influence), as may several high-ranking clerics, important guild leaders and powerful mages.

==Religion==
Religion is an important part of life in the Triple Alliance, and religious tolerance is considered an important civic ideal.  The primary religion centers on the Neufiad, which contains nine gods, three from each of the founding Races of the Triple Alliance.The orcs contributed the Ishtar, Goddess of Love and War; Bau, the Goddess of Fire and Irkalla, God of the Spirit World.  Humans put forth The Raven Queen, Goddess of Death; Anu, the God of Walls and Enki, the God of Knowledge.  Halflings added Pelora, the Goddess of the Sun; Tammuz, the God of Agriculture and Avandra, the Goddess of Luck.  A number of minor gods are also associated with this pantheon, including Melora, the Goddess of Nature; Nanna, the God of the Moon; Malara, the Goddess of the Hunt; and Corellon Larethion, the God of Magic.

Elvish, Gnomish, Dwarvish and (metallic) Draconic religions are also practiced in the Triple Alliance by members of those races, in far smaller numbers.  The Paladins of Bahumat are notably integrated tightly into the nation.

The Dwarven pantheon consists of the Forefathers, a set of founders and teachers who are worshiped only together, though some dwarves unofficially acknowledge a particular deity as a patron or matron.  These include Moradin, the creator of the dwarves, and the Forefathers of Learning, the Hearth, Smithing, Stonework, Trade and Tempests (including earthquakes and avalanches).

==Duchies and Major Cities==
*The Archduchy of the Stone Shore.
**The archduchy stretches along the northern coast of the Triple Alliance, west of the Jadube River.  Most of the population is orcish, and they maintain many orcish customs that have been integrated into modern Alliance life.  They also maintain both the principle fleet of the north and a series of fortified cities and sites along the coast to guard against the savage orcs to the east.  Farming here is not very productive, though the fishing prevents the population from relying on food imports.  There are abundant resources for local stone construction, and both glassware and pottery are made in quantities for export, as is salt.

==Major Figures==
*The Lady Neega Prowbreaker, Third of Her Name, Archduchess of the Stone Shore, Admiral of the Northern Fleet.
**An aging orc noble, a powerful leader and warrior.  Tall, robust and strong, her hair is marked by swatches of iron grey.  She traces her descent back to Holg Peacemaker himself, and carries the magical great ax her house is named for.  A talented strategist and skilled sailor.  She assumed control of House Selmy's lands when they fell.
*Archduke Salazar of the Sand Coast.
**A human man who was involved in House Selmy's downfall.  His house is wealthy and a trade rival to the Ioricci's.
*Duke Milo of the Upper Jadube.
**A scheming halfling who engineered the destruction of House Selmy for reasons unknown.
*Duke Volerio Ioricci of the Midlunds.
**A tiefling lord of great wealth and power.  Malvolio's father.  He acquired House Selmy's ancestral regalia when they fell.
*Duke Jonathan of the East Marches.
**Religiously intolerant of druids and those who worship the wild gods.

==NPCs==
*Free Count Gell of Grey's Manor.
**An orcish noble whose future was saved from goblins by Ser Peter Selmy.
**Lady Yevelda, the damsel daughter Peter rescued.
*Baron Holg of Grey Tower.
**Orcish vassal of Count Gell.  His son (a half-orc) is squire to Peter.
*Lady Elann.
**Human, Baron Holg's wife, and no small master of the halberd.
*Nocthis, a wizard turned into a creature that absorbs spells and guards an arcane library.  Has strange insights.

==Military==
The armed forces of the Triple Alliance are a patchwork of feudal and national forces.  Each Lord maintains their own force of armsmen, with larger forces the greater the title.  Of course, each noble can also levy the troops of their subordinate vassals.  Most peasant populations and cities maintain their own militia to protect their homes.  These localized forces comprise the bulk of the army.

Outside of this, the High King commands the Royal Army, which is comprised of several parts.  The first part is the Royal Guard, which supplies the High King with bodyguards and secures his residences.  The second part is the Royal Post, which secures royal messages and guards the roads, keeping them clear of bandits and monsters.  The third part is the Royal College of Magic, which trains military wizards and sorcerers for both direct combat and support roles.  Lastly, the High King commands the Otomies, a professional army loyal to the office of the Kingship.  They are not terribly numerous, but are very well-trained and well-equipped.  In addition, the High King can levy the Free Barons and Counts, and has whatever troops he brings to the office via his ducal titles.

Finally, there are the knights.  Knights are essentially professional adventurers and mercenaries bound by ethical and feudal obligations.  They are technically nobility, though knighthoods are non-hereditary and come with no land grants.  The average knight is styled simply a Knight of the Realm, and is raised to his position by a noble of count or higher title.  There are also several knightly orders, including the famed Pegasus Knights and the Paladins of Bahamut, that generally recruit from knightly petitioners but may contain noble members capable of knighting a person directly into the order.

While the Triple Alliance limited port cities, it does maintain two fleets.  The Stone Fleet is stationed along the northern coast and, due to the lack of deepwater ports, consists almost entirely of longships.  It is kept busy escorting shipping and sparring with the savage orcish raiding squadrons from the east.  In the south, the Fire Fleet guards against the dragon ships.  It maintains a powerful core of well-built warships, backed by troop carriers and fast longships for scouting and courier service.

==Economy==

==Other==