Locations: Empire of Ralifon, Province of Saloppidum

Province of Saloppidum

Empire of Ralifon

Overview

     The local salt mines of this province are the major source of power and wealth in this part of the Empire of Ralifon. The Hallein goblin family has built a large castle and uses much of their wealth to protect the province outside the gates from raids by barbarians from the Pinnaqii Plains to the east and orcs from the Schwarzwald forest to the north. The Mountains of Weydaan lie to the west and south beyond the Pinnaqii is the Qadar Seas. The family owns large tracts of arable land and has a great many slaves working the farms.
     The province has no local source of water and utilizes the Qidron waterworks system to provide water to the populace. The moat of the castle is fed by this system and underground pipes run all throughout the province to the homes, fountains, and gardens.
     The two main gates of the province, Urgate to the north and Thummgate to the south are well guarded by minotaur slaves and their goblin overseers. Thummgate is where most of the salt from the mines is processed, there is a very large open area for the piles of salt and the mobile pole barns to protect them from the elements. Mule drawn carts file into Thummgate at all times of the day and night going from the mines to the Gates and back. This area is also home to three of the four tax assessors in the province. Urgate is where all other goods passing through Saloppidum are assessed for taxes and the last assessor calls home.

Gates

    The four Gates of the province connect to Aestus Mulie, Qidron-Forum Orientem, Qidron-Templum, and Sexeptum.

Temples and Shrines

     There are several temples in Saloppidium. Foremost among them is the temple of Berrish the Cheesebringer. This sits just south, outside the moat and gate into Hallein castle. It is a large affair with a gigantic fountain in the southern courtyard where worshipers toss coins in it and pray for good fortune. Across the Via Sal from there are the temples of Ralifon, Amn, Erron of Solitude, Wazirëkyn, and Ur & Thumm. Beyond this concentrated area of worship there is a temple to Barbēlō within the Hallein complex, which has caused some controversy among the goblins because Berrish is supposed to hold the most prominent place in a goblin household.

Notable Cheesemongers

     There is only a single family in the province of Saloppidium that manufactures cheeses. The Hallein family not only is the sole producer of Lüneberg cheese (it is salted on the surface, and rubbed and washed occasionally while curing. When ripe, the cheese is said to be about midway in characteristics between Emmental and Limburger) it also produces two other types. Emmental cheese (it is produced in a round shape with a natural rind, and aged in humid caves) and Graukäse cheese (it owes its name to the grey mold that usually grows on its rind and it has a powerful penetrating smell). These cheeses, the farms, and the nearby salt mines they own have made the Hallein family the third richest and powerful of the goblin families. The Tesremos family, makers of Cheddar and the Selpan family, makers of Mozzarella are the other two more powerful goblin families.

Notable Locations

     Just inside the inner wall is Nenwef's Laborium, a stable where horses and slaves are bought and sold. This establishment is run by a light-skinned Saxaran by the name of Nenwef. He is a tall cruel man with a keen eye for horse and man flesh. The majority of his slaves are male and good for farm or mine labor. Nenwef will occasionally have a female for sale, but the prices for them are high enough to keep the average buyer out of the auctions.
     Soprensuta's Cured Meats makes a salame from donkey meat, Cibumasinus, that is considered a local delicacy. They also produce a wide variety of other cured meats that will keep for long periods.
     Pergamum's Diphtheraium produces parchments and high quality vellum from donkey skins. For a premium they will also bind sheets into a high quality water and fire resistant book. They work with Leon's Locks from Sexeptum to make an even more expensive tome that locks.
      Blandus Cultri is a maker of fine knives and gladium (a type of short sword popular with arena fighters). Blandus has a dwarven slave that also manufactures fine armors and polearms. Blandus has a contract with the Legions to make weapons and is also granted a license to sell them to non-legionnaire persons. To that end he has acquired several slaves and apprentices with smithing and forging skills to help him meet demand. He has several buildings along the moat just south of the Temple of Berrish where his staff work day and night to make good on his contract.

Outside the Walls

     The road heading north goes all the way to the southern border of the Schwarzwald forest. There the road ends at the Fortress of the Black Woods. A small town, Blackwood, had sprung up around the Fortress composed of lumbermen and game hunters, there are a few small farms around the south side of the town. The Fortress is built on the site of a natural artesian spring that provides ample water to the town and farms. Blackwood is a full week's march from Saloppidum.

     Two days march south of Blackwood is the shire of Hillsborough. This Hobbit domain is full of friendly farmers and traders. The honors have maintained good relations with the Pinnaqii tribes that graze the plains to the east. There is a well worn dirt road that goes all the way to the Amethyst Mountains, a full two months march east from Hillsborough.

     Further south from there is the town of Scorch. This ghost town is two days march from both Hillsborough and Saloppidum. There is a shin high rock wall surrounding Scorch and the only recognizable structure is a burned and dilapidated temple. There are no readily identifiable markings to denote what god the temple was dedicated to and locals will not pass into the interior of the rock wall.

     To the south of Saloppidum the road leads to the Salt Mines of Hallein just a half days march away. The salt mines are busy at all times of the day or night. The entrance is heavily guarded, slaves and mules are constantly working to dig and process the rock. In addition to the street, the mines also provide a good place to cure the cheeses that the family produces.

     Further south a two days march is the village of Asinus. This village is on the shore of a small lake, Aquaviridi, and is where most of the donkeys are foaled and raised. There are also many goats and water oxen here as well.

     Finally, another five days march south is the trading post of, Transienasiams. This trading post is on the aptly named Via Spice. The Legion has little reason to come this far and so Transienasiams is a rather lawless place of commerce. Officially the trading post does not exist and is not on any sanctioned maps of the empire.

Notes

     Further south across the plains is the coast of the Qadar Sea and the Province of Qadar. Qadar has lost the gate that was placed there and now all trade is being rerouted through the neighboring provinces. Also the Amethyst Mountains are the western border of the Empire of Ralifon.