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(Taken from A Traveler’s Guide to Evendarr by Shifter Gileen, Master Trader. Original to be found in Ember's Library of Ravenholt) Rotaria-
Rotaria is in a bit of upheaval. After the mysterious and untimely death of the
evil Duke Martin Rotari last year (Year unknown, to be established later),
things appeared to be turning to the better. His wife Lillian took office and
vowed to make sweeping changes.
It
is not an easy job. Although she has destroyed the necromancer’s guilds that
pretended to be healer’s guilds, and although she has obliterated many of her
husband’s former associates, there is still unrest in the country, and much of
the advice I gave travelers before her ascension still applies.
The
main problem with Rotaria is the bureaucracy. Those petty minor nobles whom the
Duchess has still to root out, who pledge loyalty to her while still attempting
to consolidate their own power. They care only for their own self-advancement
and as such their peasants are the poorest, most underfed and oppressed people
in the kingdom. (Well, except for the slaves in Niman.) Things are improving and
some new nobles are not as oppressive as before, but society does not change
overnight. The most hope is the northern Barony of Warwyck, where Baron Galen
Warwyck recently assumed the throne taken from him by Martin Rotari years
before. He has begun to make changes -difficult as that may be, - and the people
are beginning to show more hope.
The
Barony of Baltaria is the one to avoid. Baroness Annoria Cabbot has had five
husbands executed already, when she got tired of them. She has done the same
with many of her knights and other court personnel. Her hold on power is so
strong that the Duchess is still afraid of offending her for fear of losing her
own power, (or so it is rumored.)
If
you do decide to venture into Rotaria, (-who knows? You could be searching for
adventure? Out to right wrongs? -Or you may just be a damned fool !) be sure to
get some of the apples from their wonderful groves. They also have some of the
loveliest beaches in the kingdom as well. Off the coast, if you can avoid the
pirates that are allowed to exist as long as they
pay off the Rotarian nobles, you might even see a mermaid!
The
best advice for traveling through Rotaria is to bring lots of money to pay
bribes to get yourself out of tough situations. If anyone invites you to their
home, Don’t go! Make sure that you do everything that the city guard and the
nobles tell you to do. Remember, even if the higher-ups in this duchy are
friendly, to get to them, you have to climb up through a lot of Mud!
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