Sea Kingdom of Ghan

The Sea Kingdom of Ghan is a coastal nation in the Steadfast. It borders Draolis to the southeast, and Navarene to the northeast.

Background

Known for its coastal trading ships, the so-called Sea Kingdom of Ghan is a relatively peaceful land. King Laird has no wish to challenge or even appear to challenge Queen Armalu of Navarene or the ruling council in Draolis, yet he doesn't appear weak and ripe for the taking, either. Thus, he protects his borders and maintains a careful vigil without making aggressive moves. Most important, however, he ensures that his merchant fleet plays such an important role in the Steadfast that no one would want to suffer kingdom's sudden collapse - or, just as bad, his sudden refusal to maintain the coastal trade routes vital to most of the nine kingdoms.

The rolling green hills of Ghan are known for herds of gallen and aneen. Gallen are long-bodied, herbivorous animals values for their meat and hides. Aneen stand two to three times as tall as a human, with hunched, hairless bipedal bodies, small forearms,a and broad heads. These pack animals can attain great speeds and walk tirelessly for long distances. Many trade caravans in the northern part of the Steadfast use aneen to transport goods or pull massive wagons.

King Laird lives in the Coral Palace off Ghan's coast, a part of the City of Bridges. Ghan has little in the way of an aristocracy. Most of the people are free citizens owing fealty only to their king. Few people own slaves. Governors and mayors rule over districts and towns, but the organization is varied and unofficial. Seafarers and herding folk, Ghanites don't abide a strong government, and King Laird is happy to oblige them.

Cities

• The City of Bridges

• Omar

• Keford

• Jaston

• Ledon

Other Points of Interest

• The Merchant Fleet

• The Scarred Monoliths

Hearsay

The Sacred Gallen:

In a hillfolk village called Iera, the people believe that to lay the foundation for their new temple, they must plow the ground with a sacred white bull gallen. But the creature they were set to use has disappeared from their care, and they've offered a reward of 100 shins for its return.

Liquid Ghosts:

The southern coast of Ghan is said to be haunted by ghosts, but the entities are actually the intellects and memories of people from the distant past that wee loaded into storage that uses smart fluid housing. Some of the stored consciousness now wander the shoreline, often acting with a surprisingly destructive hostility. The only way to stop them permanently is to find the ancient facility where they're stored.

Festival:

Omar has a yearly festival celebrating its founding. During this years's drunken revels, a group of thieves intends to use the celebration as a distraction so they can tunnel into the shin-house that stores the miner's wealth - boldly using the miners' own tools to do the job. The criminals are slyly looking for help. If they succeed, Mayor Farond will certainly put a price on their heads.

Weird

Man of Glass:

A man made of glass wanders the rolling hills of Ghan. looking for something.

The Face of Ghan:

In a ruin along the coast, a crumbling stone wall bears a large, vaguely human synth face in relief. If a creature with telepathy attempts to communicate with the face, it sometimes replies.

The Court of the Sphere:

At seemingly random intervals, six old men and women gather in a run-down stone tower looking out over the sea. When they sit at a round, red table together, a mechanized sphere appears above the tower and transmits secrets into their minds.