Key to Numbered Hexmap

Map Descriptions for the Carceres et Dracones campaign

Towns/Cities

• 04:04 Occita The provincial capital of La-Isla. Much trade in lumber occurs here. The citizens of Occita are patriotic and identify closely with the interests of both the Empire and the Imperial Core. Most trade revolves around the exportation of lumber and the importation of staples and luxury goods unavailable in La Isla. This province is a safe and well-defended one due to the strategic importance of its prime export. It is garrisoned with enough troops to repel the occasional testing forays of the sea barbarians.

• 10:09 Colonia Magna It is the provincial capital and although Salla has begun to eclipse it in many ways, it is still the most important city in the province. Originally settled by veterans given land-grants following the Imperial conquest of Centralia, it soon rose to prominence due to its excellent location. The population has fallen somewhat during the past several generations and more and more trade is stolen by Salla, but Colonia Magna is the best place to find ex-patriate communities of foreigners, powerful merchants, provinicial movers-and-shakers, etc. Its intrigues are often beyond the ken of inexperienced persons from the countryside or small towns.

• 11:16 Salla Hundreds of years ago, it was one of the first Centralian settlements to come under Imperial control. It is now a great city. Most trade from the Imperial Core enters Centralia via the docks of Salla, as bringing in goods via ship is far easier than crossing the mountains located on the southeast of the map. Salla also sees ships from many other provinces. It is a cosmopolitan and dangerous city, famed for its gladiatorial arena and its thieves. The surrounding territory is largely a noisome malarial swamp. It is not unknown for newcomers to the city to succumb to fatal fevers.

• 16:06 Rema Cisfrigidia There's definitely trade coming up from the Centralian heartland, as well as from the Imperial Core and from other provinces such as Hyperborea. Rema Cisfrigidia is a bit rough-and-tumble what with barbarian traders and soldiers, but is reasonably cosmopolitan for a mere town; many of its residents are descendants of refugees from the ruined cities nearby. For adventurers looking to cross the Frigidus, Rema Cisfrigidia is a good place to equip, make contacts, etc. There's a good deal of construction occuring, as a city [town] wall is in the process of being built. However, it's not close to completion, so a concerted barbarian attack would easily take the town barring a miracle or the arrival of a mobile legion.

• 17:13 Transmontania Nova It's built in the former suburbs of the ruined city of Transmontania Magna (18:13). It's something of a backwater, but not too rustic. Nearby Transmontania Magna is fairly tame as far ruined cities go. One might run across the odd runaway slave or skulking outlaw, but in general treasure obtained in the ruins is going to be the result of diligent searching rather than wresting gold from foes. Please note the frontier troops at 20:09; they're there to prevent barbarians from slipping across the river during a bad winter, sneaking south through the forests, and then looting---as was the case when Transmontania Magna was taken.

Ruined Cities

NB: Only ruined cities are detailed below. Ruined towns---let alone ruined villages---are beyond the scope of the hexmap. Since hexes are 15 miles across, most hexes will have a village, hamlet, thorp, or some sort of inhabitation. EDIT: Or more than one! If you're away from a paved road, fifteen miles is a long way.

• 14:05: Glenum. Glenum was once one of the most cultured provincial cities in the entire Empire, famed for its forae, its academies, and its kilns. During the Bad Years, disorganization within the Empire allowed the foot barbarians to cross the Frigidus and torch Glenum. Now this charred husk has an evil reputation. Ghosts of its former residents haunt miserable alleyways, and its ruinous buildings are home to an unsavory assortment of outlaws, cultists, witches, and runaway slaves and peasants. From time to time, river-pirates make their home here, and the remnants of the Imperial Frigidus Fleet must contend with them.

• 18:04: Rema Transfrigida. This city was once the capital of Transfrigidia Faliscana, but now almost all Imperial holdings northeast of the Frigidus have been abandoned and the province of Transfrigidia Falisca is no more. Although the foot barbarians grow more civilized with every passing decade due to contact with the Empire, many of them, especially recent arrivals to the frontier, still shun urban life. Thus, after it fell to the barbarians, Rema Transfrigidia, was allowed to fall into disrepair and was abandoned. Most of its surviving Imperial citizens fled across the river to the town of Rema Cisfrigidia. The rich farmlands once surrounding Rema Transfrigidia have been abandoned and become overgrown. Rumors state that evil spirits from the pine-woods have entered the city, and the barbarians now shun it, although occasionaly large parties of armed barbarians will enter the city and haul off marble, brick, and other building materials to use in the construction of new dwellings in their own villages.

• 18:13: Transmontania Magna. During a particularly cold winter during the Bad Years, barbarians slipped across the Frigidus, made their way unnoticed through the woods, and took the city. The destruction was so great that the surviving citizens established the town of Tranmontania Nova in the former suburbs of the city. Transmontania Magna is fairly tame as far ruined cities go. One might run across the odd runaway slave or skulking outlaw, but in general treasure obtained in the ruins is going to be the result of diligent searching rather than wresting gold from foes.