The Kingdom of Littonia - Vaults of Pandius

GEOGRAPHY
is still undergoing post-glacial uplift.
The coastal regions are believed to rise at
the rate of one inch every 75 years,
whereas the lands west of Namejs’ Line
are rising by an inch every five years.
This process will continue for the next
couple of centuries, producing minor
earthquakes along the divide, and
extending the coastline in some regions.
Communities and Ruins
The vast majority of Littonia’s
population lives in secluded farms and
hamlets spread throughout the forests and
hills of the kingdom. Littonians typically
build with wood; thus, while a given
community may be over a thousand years
old, most of its buildings are a few
centuries old at most. Military
fortifications are built of stone, as are the
newer portions of the larger settlements.
Arekne: Half of the 460 people in
this village are loggers harvesting the
ancient pines of the Veči Forest. Timber
is sawed into boards and shipped by
wagon to Rezevpils. In contrast, the
occasional oak tree is floated down the
Gaudava to Paraskas, where that
settlement’s sawmills finish the job. The
remaining villagers either farm, or craft
furniture for sale in Rezevpils.
Dundaga: This large fishing village
(750) is blessed with ample amber
deposits on its beaches. It used to be a
moderately busy place where amber
merchants would come to purchase their
wares. With Gaudavpils and Rezevpils
experiencing rapid growth and foreign
mercantile interests establishing
themselves in the capital, few merchants
now are willing to risk missing an
opportunity by coming up here. Instead,
they have hired some locals to act as
middlemen and procure amber for them.
This reduction in status does not sit well
with the region’s nobles. Some traffic to
and from Šiaiulai passes through here.
Fort Namejs: Built where the
Aiviekste and Gaudava Rivers split, Fort
Namejs is the largest, most imposing
fortification in Littonia and the de facto
military headquarters for the nation. It is
protected by water on two sides. Well
within bow range is a simple bridge
spanning the upper Gaudava River – the
most convenient place to cross for many
miles. For this reason, Fort Namejs is
often referred to as Tilts pār upi (“bridge
over the river”), but it is most commonly
called the Bridgefort. It was established
by King Guntis II as a simple hill fort in
AC 193 to strengthen his hold in the
south, and has been expanded numerous
times since then. 340 soldiers garrison
the fort, and 350 civilians farm the
surrounding area or perform other tasks.
Gaudavpils: This bustling port of
8,600 has long been a capital, first of
Livonja and now of Littonia, yet it would
be considered only a large town in other
nations. Along with Rezevpils, it has a
sizeable number of stone buildings, many
of which have been built in recent years
by the local dwarvish community. The
central market is paved and surrounded
by many shops and inns relative to the
city’s size. At the wide mouth of the
Gaudava River, Gaudavpils is blessed
with a deep harbor that can accommodate
larger vessels. Places of note include the
Royal Palace (currently being renovated
by dwarven artisans) and the Holy Hill,
where the royal family worships.
Guntis’ Tower: This stout tower
was erected in AC 831 following an
unusually well-planned raid by the
Bloody Waters goblins. Although the
clan was eventually eradicated, hundreds
of people in and around Valmiera were
killed. In response, Grāfs Guntis
Ezergailis had this tower built to deter
similar attacks. It is home to 80 soldiers
and 150 civilians.
Kuldiga: Most of Kuldiga’s 470
people occupy themselves with sheep and
wool to some degree – raising and
shearing the animals, curing meat, or
weaving and dyeing wool. During the
summer months, many people drive their
flocks deep into the hills of Namejs’ Line
for weeks at a time.
Mariaipeda: The capital of Lietuvos
once stood at this location, but it was
razed almost 1,700 years ago as
marauding armies swept back and forth
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through the region. The remnants of the
old capital lie buried beneath the hills
immediately south. Modern Mariaipeda
was founded circa AC 300. It is home to
640 people, most of whom log or mine
tin.
Nevmala: Nevmala is a prosperous
mining village (990), whose inhabitants
work in the nearby silver mines. Along
with Valmiera, it was destroyed by frost
giants in BC 12. It was only restored in
AC 200 during the initial stages of the
long campaign to reclaim the southwest
from goblins that had moved into the
region in the intervening period. The
village was the birthplace of Karlis the
Unifier – a fact that is commemorated by
a great statue in the middle of the village.
It is the ancestral seat of the royal family.
Paraskas: Technically a village,
Paraskas (1,100) is sufficiently large and
dynamic to be a small town. In many
ways, it is an extension of Gaudavpils,
which it supplies with fish, finished
wood, foodstuffs, and labor. Some
people recognize that there are benefits to
be had from strengthening ties to the
capital, but many feel that too many of
the village’s young people are being
sucked into a vortex, never to return. It
is only a matter of time before the
merchants of Gaudavpils establish
themselves formally here.
Raimonds' Tower: This massive
tower was built in AC 450 to replace the
decaying, original wooden fort that dated
from the time of Karalis Māris. It was
intended by Karalis Egils to be the first
in a series of fortresses along the
northern frontier. Construction costs
vastly exceeded all estimates, leading to
the institution of tax increases that incited
unrest – an angered mob burned Grāfs
Raimonds Didgalvis to death in his
manor by a mob. The tower was named
in his honor, and houses 269 people –
164 soldiers and 105 civilians.
Rezevpils: In ancient times
Rezevpils was known as Piltene, a
powerful city-state whose ships
dominated what are now the southern
shores of Littonia. Piltene was lost in the
chaos following the decline of the first