Formatting code for SouthernShield
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====__**The Southern Shield**__====
Realm: [[TwelveKingdoms The Twelve Kingdoms]]
Population: Approximately 4,000,000
Military: Varied
Economy: Varied
Language: Common and Uskal
From the eagle's eye view, the [[Irontooths Irontooth Mountains]] form a broad, curved knife shooting down from the high peaks in the north to the lower heights as the range descends into northern [[Calantyr]]. Though the actual mountains are reckoned to end somewhere to the east of [[KnightsLake Knight's Lake]], the highland ridge continues all the way through southern [[Calantyr]] to the Bay of Storms. From Ang'arta in the north through [[Djorain]] and eastern [[Porphia]] to the [[SouthHold Southman]] citadel of Norryton, tall hills divide the land.
These hills, whose name varies from region to region, are noted as a particularly wild and dangerous territory. Nests of [[Goblin goblins]], [[Orc orcs]] and various magical creatures survive, protected by rough terrain, despite the best efforts of human nobles to exterminate them as thoroughly as has been done in the flatter terrain to either side. Hill-dwelling peasants are also menaced by ordinary human dangers, with bandits, rebels and rogue warlords all finding safe havens in between raids.
To either side of these hills, whose name varies from region to region, are high plains stretching for a hundred miles or more--the Southern Shield. The plains continue right up to the shores of the Center Seas, so that the western shores of that great gulf are dominated by rocky cliffs. Though there are a few ports along the coast, the first true harbor heading north from the Cape is [[Vtavia V'Tavia]] at the mouth of the Tav, which inconveniences [[Porphia]] but cripples [[Ironfell]] and [[SouthHold Eastern South Hold]], which are both choked off from seagoing trade despite ample coastline.
>>{{image alt="Southern Cliffs" url="http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/23478/Cliff.jpg"}}>>To the west of the hills, the high plains drop off very suddenly in an escarpment, more than a hundred miles west of the central range. Numerous trails cut down the ridges, some easy, some hard, but even so the sudden drop in elevation provides a natural boundary. In [[SouthHold South Hold]], the border between the Calant and Otessan halves of the divided kingdom follows the escarpment neatly, helping to preserve the independence of both domains.
In the north, the Shield descends around the southern border of [[Calantyr]], with a number of gaps and passes that permit travel but inhibit the movement of large armies. [[Angarta Ang'arta's]] position on the top of the shield has been a factor in its rise to power, protecting it against V'Tavian armies while leaving Ang'artan raiding parties free to harass the land all around.
The high plains of the Southern Shield hold extensive softwood forests and rolling grasslands, but relatively little fertile farmland. The eastern half of southwestern Meditra, therefore, is largely poorer than the west, with more of the population required to farm the land.
One other notable feature of the Shield is the river that rises in its central hills. Coming together from springs in highlands of [[Djorain]], it flows through [[Porphia]], cutting a narrow valley out of the hills. In southern [[Porphia]], it turns sharply northward and descends in rapids down the escarpment to the western lowlands. There it winds more leisurely until it merges with the Vesserine river, forming a large delta flowing into the Meditran Ocean.
This river is called the Laria while in [[Porphia]] (after its ruling family, the [[HouseofLar House of Lar]]). The [[Djorain Djorainis]] call it the Ashkent and claim sovereignty over the whole river (or at least its upper reaches) by virtue of history and their control of its headwaters. Before the rise of the [[HouseofLar House of Lar]], Calants called the river the Dardon; this was still the case as recently as half a century ago in the [[Nemarie Republic of Nemarie]], prior to its defeat and annexation into Porphia. The Otessans called the river the Parlo during their occupation of southern Meditra.
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Back to __**[[TwelveKingdoms The Twelve Kingdoms]]**__, __**[[World]]**__
====__**The Southern Shield**__====
Realm: [[TwelveKingdoms The Twelve Kingdoms]]
Population: Approximately 4,000,000
Military: Varied
Economy: Varied
Language: Common and Uskal
From the eagle's eye view, the [[Irontooths Irontooth Mountains]] form a broad, curved knife shooting down from the high peaks in the north to the lower heights as the range descends into northern [[Calantyr]]. Though the actual mountains are reckoned to end somewhere to the east of [[KnightsLake Knight's Lake]], the highland ridge continues all the way through southern [[Calantyr]] to the Bay of Storms. From Ang'arta in the north through [[Djorain]] and eastern [[Porphia]] to the [[SouthHold Southman]] citadel of Norryton, tall hills divide the land.
These hills, whose name varies from region to region, are noted as a particularly wild and dangerous territory. Nests of [[Goblin goblins]], [[Orc orcs]] and various magical creatures survive, protected by rough terrain, despite the best efforts of human nobles to exterminate them as thoroughly as has been done in the flatter terrain to either side. Hill-dwelling peasants are also menaced by ordinary human dangers, with bandits, rebels and rogue warlords all finding safe havens in between raids.
To either side of these hills, whose name varies from region to region, are high plains stretching for a hundred miles or more--the Southern Shield. The plains continue right up to the shores of the Center Seas, so that the western shores of that great gulf are dominated by rocky cliffs. Though there are a few ports along the coast, the first true harbor heading north from the Cape is [[Vtavia V'Tavia]] at the mouth of the Tav, which inconveniences [[Porphia]] but cripples [[Ironfell]] and [[SouthHold Eastern South Hold]], which are both choked off from seagoing trade despite ample coastline.
>>{{image alt="Southern Cliffs" url="http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/23478/Cliff.jpg"}}>>To the west of the hills, the high plains drop off very suddenly in an escarpment, more than a hundred miles west of the central range. Numerous trails cut down the ridges, some easy, some hard, but even so the sudden drop in elevation provides a natural boundary. In [[SouthHold South Hold]], the border between the Calant and Otessan halves of the divided kingdom follows the escarpment neatly, helping to preserve the independence of both domains.
In the north, the Shield descends around the southern border of [[Calantyr]], with a number of gaps and passes that permit travel but inhibit the movement of large armies. [[Angarta Ang'arta's]] position on the top of the shield has been a factor in its rise to power, protecting it against V'Tavian armies while leaving Ang'artan raiding parties free to harass the land all around.
The high plains of the Southern Shield hold extensive softwood forests and rolling grasslands, but relatively little fertile farmland. The eastern half of southwestern Meditra, therefore, is largely poorer than the west, with more of the population required to farm the land.
One other notable feature of the Shield is the river that rises in its central hills. Coming together from springs in highlands of [[Djorain]], it flows through [[Porphia]], cutting a narrow valley out of the hills. In southern [[Porphia]], it turns sharply northward and descends in rapids down the escarpment to the western lowlands. There it winds more leisurely until it merges with the Vesserine river, forming a large delta flowing into the Meditran Ocean.
This river is called the Laria while in [[Porphia]] (after its ruling family, the [[HouseofLar House of Lar]]). The [[Djorain Djorainis]] call it the Ashkent and claim sovereignty over the whole river (or at least its upper reaches) by virtue of history and their control of its headwaters. Before the rise of the [[HouseofLar House of Lar]], Calants called the river the Dardon; this was still the case as recently as half a century ago in the [[Nemarie Republic of Nemarie]], prior to its defeat and annexation into Porphia. The Otessans called the river the Parlo during their occupation of southern Meditra.
