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(The Map above was done by an unknown Cartographer, if anyone knows the original artist, please contact me)
(Taken from A Traveler’s Guide to Evendarr by Shifter Gileen, Master Trader. Original to be found in Ember's Library of Ravenholt) Niman-
Niman is a duchy of contrasts. On the one hand, they are one of the richest
duchies, with a great love of the arts, wonderful architecture, beautiful
fields, and colorful and exciting people. On the other hand they are one of the
kingdom’s poorest duchies, because they persist in perpetuating a system that
relies on slavery to exist,
It
is very easy to devote your time to the arts when your slaves do all your work
for you. It is easy to live richly when you don’t pay your slaves or spend
anything for their well-being. I guess you can tell that this issue makes me a
bit upset.
I’ve seen it firsthand, and its not an easy sight.
The
nobles and upper class citizens of Niman who keep this system going are able to
control the slaves (many of whom are descended from the barbarians who lost in
the wars.) by a system that relies heavily on “clues” that allow them to
tell their people from the slaves.
A slave who escapes, and tries to impersonate a free person is easily
found out by his or her rough speech patterns, poor dress, and lack of courtly
manners. When you arrive at the borders, be sure to be polite to the border
guards, and get the proper papers so that you can prove that you are not a slave
if the question comes up. Don’t travel alone, unless you are somebody
important, or you may find yourself captured and turned into a slave.
Duke
Vordan Nicadaemus is a doddering fool of a man who like most of his nobles sees
nothing wrong with the system of slavery. They all tend to have a number of
reasons why they can justify the act, and trying to argue with them about it is
a sure sign that you will conveniently “disappear.”
Niman’s
main business is agriculture, and their main crops are wheat and other grains
which they export to other duchies in exchange for silks, jewelry, and other
riches. They also have a few mines which produce copper and other light metals.
One
of the finest sights in Niman is the capital city of Coventry. Duke
Nicadaemus’ castle is a model of modern architecture with its new rounded
style gate house, and its murder-holes overhead. There is a radical new style in
slop conveyance for the moat monsters, and the building has all of the new
conveniences such as indoor plumbing. There is glass in most of the windows
replacing the traditional oiled sheepskin!
Inside there are wondrous tapestries, statues, paintings, and other
expensive adornments. It is a glory to behold as long as you put out of your
mind the fact that it was all bought from the blood of their slaves.
The
Barony of Hadran also has some of the most beautiful caverns in all of the
kingdom if you are interested in spelunking. There is one cavern known as “The
Singing Cavern” where the water drips down the colorful stalactites and
makes beautiful music as the drops hit the puddles beneath. (What the people of
Ashbury wouldn’t do to have this cave in their duchy!) Even with all of this it is advisable to avoid traveling through Niman unless you are a trader of fine goods. In 499, Niman was admitted to the Kingdom of Evendarr to act as buffer between the Kingdom and the Plains of Hadran..
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