Martens

Martens is a secluded, mildly cold, mountainous region stuck in the very North of the world. Its land is scarred by a giant ravine, while the steep slopes all around are scattered with woods, small settlements, and deep gorges. The small population is divided between Rustlings, the original inhabitants of the region fighting to reclaim their land back, and humans, who in turn are split into two factions competing for control. The religious zealots Disciples want to keep trade and foreigners out of Martens, while the rebellious Charred Ones seek open borders and an end to the oppression of Rustlings.

Towns and settlements

Zones

History

500ya: This secluded region was discovered by scouts from Stiltsborough, the capital of an empire that once encompassed the Murky Shallows, Grimrise Hollow, and Riverstead. Martens was empty of humans and was instead inhabited by Rustlings, a population of free spirits of nature, like fairies, nymphs, or satyrs. They didn’t have homes or villages, they slept under the night sky, as animals do, and talked with trees and rocks. In the beginning, only a few settlers dared venture up Brittlerock Gap. They got along with the Rustlings and set up a permanent settlement in what will become Ridgeburg.

But soon, word of the new land reached Stiltsborough, and the empire sent surveyors to chart and appraise the region. The land was rich in wood, and the creek flowing down to Grimrise Hollow merged with the larger Murkwater River, which was already being used to transport goods directly towards the Murky Shallows down south. For Stiltsborough, a maritime city built on stilts, and with its trade and power based on a large fleet of ships and vessels, wood was never enough.

Stiltsborough’s army dug out a tunnel, later named Grimrise Delve, and started shipping convicts to Martens to help set up a fortress first, and infrastructure to extract wood from the region later. They cleared a good portion of Duskthorn Grove, killing and pushing back the native Rustlings that didn’t know how to fight back. Castle Hill became a huge fortress, hosting the penal colony that went out to work during daytime to set up as many lumber mills as the empire could manage. Rustlings retreated deep into Martens woods and, scared, stopped interacting with humans. Ridgeburg was growing strong, subsidized by the empire, and shops and other activities to support the extractive operation started popping up all over the city. Another road was being built towards Riverstead over Whispercreek Chasm, and Ridgeburg became a stop for travelers that wanted a shorter land route between the east and Grimrise Hollow.

400ya: The south of Martens, the more accessible part of the region, had been littered with dozens of lumber mills. Rustlings have long stayed hidden from humans, to the point they almost became a legend. “Don’t venture too far, Rustlings will eat you”, was a popular saying told to children. Thousands of convicts have been shipped up to Martens at this point, and they outnumbered the army 10 to 1. They know it. Vesper Rook, a political prisoner and charismatic leader, is starting to seed an insurgence. Stiltsborough, once strong, is too preoccupied with its wars with other maritime empires and is not paying attention to Martens. The cult of the Disciples, a made up religion created by Vesper Rook to calm and control the coping prisoners, starts spreading. They believe this valley is the only thing they need to live a serene and prosperous life, and they want to cut all ties with the rest of the world.

At the same time, the operations in the southwest had cleared almost the totality of the trees there. But, in the fall of a year with too much rain, disaster struck: half a mountain, once held together by the roots of the various woods, came crashing down into the valley below. Hundreds of workers died. This area of ravine became known as Martens’ Sorrow. The ravine changed the flow of the water in Martens, forming the bodies of water now called Ridgeburg Lake, Drywater, and Emerald Retreat. The tragedy was used by Vesper Rook to further cement the idea of rebellion in the prisoner: the gods wanted them to get rid of Stiltsborough’s army. And so, the night following the disaster, the Disciples exploded a section of Castle Hill, killed all what was left of the army, and declared their independence from Stiltsborough. Exploitation of prisoners was no more.

Rustlings, taking advantage of the chaos, decided to reclaim back at least a portion of what once was their land. They had been secretly organizing and arming themselves deep into Gentlefire Furnace, and knew of the Disciples and their plans. Rustlings always have ears and eyes everywhere thanks to their abilities to communicate with animals, birds, and insects. That same night, they stormed Castle Hill, scaring away the Disciples and pushing them towards Ridgeburg, on the other side of Bearfall. They enchanted Duskthorn Grove, and summoned deep roots that forever destroyed Castle Hill and Thornkeep Cairn.

300ya: Stiltsborough has given up on Martens, and has lost a few wars in the south and west, in regions so remote people here wouldn’t even be able to place on a map. Rustlings kept to Duskthorn Grove, while Disciples consolidated their power over the rest of Martens. Before his death, Vesper Rook had left a generous sum and a blueprint for power to his inner circle. High Hamlet and Cendalar grow during this time. Only a few homesteads remain in the northwest. Redrock Mine opens, lumbers merge near Cendalar, and hunting develops in the northeast near High Hamlet. But most importantly, herbs with healing properties are being discovered and studied all over the region, probably leftovers of the ancient Rustlings societies and magic. Traders and scholars are coming in ever greater numbers to get their hands on them. Disciples were wary of foreigners, and they discouraged the trade of herbs.

But not everyone in Martens was down with the seclusionist nature of the Disciples’s religion. Dissent started growing, with a portion of the population that wanted to expand trade and open up Martens to the world. The movement, founded by Pete Elderpine out of some coalmen near Cendalar, took the name of Charred Ones, from the black soot covering the men during their meetings. People started opening siding with one or the other faction, and Charred Ones started taking control of Cendalar, while also founding Sund out of the few homesteads around there. Disciples were cornered in the northwest, in Ridgeburg and High Hamlet. The tension culminated with Disciples bombing Grimrise Delve, and with Charred Ones destroying the northmost bridge over Bearfall.

200ya: Martens had become dangerous, almost no one dared venture here from other regions. The area was split in three: Disciples controlling the northwest, Charred Ones firmly set in the center and in the south, and Rustlings haunting Duskthorn Grove. Sylvan Elderpine, the grandson of the Charred Ones’ founder, was tired of the division and hatred. A kind soul, he first befriended Rustlings, and then attracted the sympathies of some of the Disciples as well. A natural born leader, he was on the verge of reuniting Martens and open it up for the rest of the world, but was assassinated. The culprit has never been found, but fault fell on Disciples, and a full on war broke out over the death of the beloved Sylvan Elderpine. A sanctuary was erected for him inside Duskthorn Grove, his favorite location: today that’s Martyr’s Exile.

With war set loose over Martens, people fled. Natality dropped. The few that remained kept fighting their skirmishes, but the Disciples power was weak, the Charred Ones were tired, and Rustlings had no interest in interacting with humans in the first place. After a while, a fragile equilibrium was reached.

Today: The region is still split in three, but roads are safe and mostly unguarded. While still divided, only a fraction of the population goes by the predicament of their faction. People are free to travel between the two jurisdictions of Disciples and Charred Ones, but no one dares to venture inside Rustlings’ territory apart from a few welcome faces. The rest of the world doesn’t care about Martens, and when the youth catches a glimpse of what’s outside of this remote valley, they flee to never return. The people remaining in Martens get by with farming, hunting, or cutting wood. A few herbalists make trade with the few travelling merchants that want to make it to Martens, and scoundrels roam Martens’ Sorrow in search of rare gems to sell. But stability is not guaranteed, and each faction is waiting for opportunities to further their goals.

Demographics

Martens doesn’t count more than a thousand human souls. There isn’t an official number for Rustlings, but it is said they are equally numerous.

Martens’ population is aging, and the few youngsters that still remain here learn their trade from parents and grandparents. Hunter, lumberjack, miner, farmer, leatherworker, blacksmith, or herbalist are the only viable life paths here. A few try to get by scamming outsiders and traveling merchants, and there are a few thieves and brigands around. There are only two loremasters in Martens, one for Disciples and one for Charred Ones.

Politics

Disciples maintain a strong influence over the territory they control. Most of the population there goes by their creed, convinced that any outsider can bring doom to their society. They prefer to live quiet, pre-determined lives, and are wary of misfits and of people that go against their beliefs.

Charred Ones, on the contrary, still advocate for Martens’ opening to the world, and welcome foreigners with an open mind. They don’t see themselves as rulers, and prefer to simply administer their territory while making sure Disciples don’t overstep their boundaries.

Rustlings keep to themselves, daring to venture in the human occupied zones only during the night, or only when it is considered safe. They make sure that Duskthorn Grove remain well guarded and cultivate its natural energy to remain strong. They generally don’t like humans, although they sometimes have connections and trade with the more open minded Charred Ones.

Climate

Martens has short summers, and long winters. The region is deep in the middle of mountain ranges, and the sun, even during the summer, is late to rise and early to set. It’s not a very rainy place, but during the spring and during the fall it sees a fair amount of precipitation. The winters also see abundance of snow, which melts and refills the region’s creeks and rivers during the spring and summer. Temperatures range between -20°C in the winter nights to 25°C during midsummer days.

Nuradan

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