Population and Infrastructure

[The Dungeon Master]

Population Distribution
In most states, the majority of the population is centered round the capital city and the other large urban areas of the state. Similarly, most population density occurs in the midlands of an area, with decreasing density as the border is neared.

Small towns, Villages, et. Al.
Communities are nearly always located on a waterway, road or coast (lake or sea). Some small settlements occur in wilderness areas where some produce, resource, or the like, gives a reason for habitation. These communities are most thickly scattered in agricultural areas.

Fortifications
Forts and castles are generally found as the seat of aristocratic power or as protection against hostile incursion. Therefore, there will be several types of fortifications within a state – those of a ruler, those of his/her liegemen, and military forts built to protect coasts or borders. There are also the fortified places built by independent nobles, petty lords, bandits, and so forth. These occur in borderlands, unclaimed areas, and other out-of-the way locales.

It is safe to assume that one will encounter some form of habitation or stronghold in any given area of 100 square leagues, provided the place is relatively fertile and flat. The harsher the terrain, the less the likelihood of discovering habitation, although robber forts and the castles of petty aristocrats might well be found in such areas.

Distribution of humanoids
The various races of humanoids have generally been driven into the least favorable areas-mountains, barrens, marshes, swamps and forest. From time to time groups of humanoids band together and attempt to retake areas of better land. This occurred in the Pomarj and Bone March. A similar attempt is now taking shape in the area of Furyondy and Highfolk.

Only Iuz, the Horned Society, and portions of the Great Kingdom allow the more civilized humanoids to dwell amongst the humanfolk, at least to any large scale. The large free cities are also known to allow various sorts of humanoids free access to their precincts.

Land Communications
There are roads between major cities in each state. The general condition of these highways depends upon the particular state, but most are fairly broad and well-kept. These roads continue through border areas where trade routes exist.

A secondary system of poor roads and cart racks connects the small towns and border forts to the main traffic arteries. Roads of this nature are usually the only links between most states. There are notable exceptions, such as in the Ulek States, the two Urnst states, Furyondy and Veluna, and Keoghland and Gran March.

Maintenance of thoroughfares is by political subdivisions and communities. In certain areas travelers pay a toll for road usage, and a portion of this fee is used to maintain the road

[The Dungeon Master]

Characteristics of the Races inhabiting the Flanaess
There are few pure racial groups extant on the Flanaess, save perhaps at the fringe areas of the continent. Of course, the races of demi-humans are relatively unmixed, but humankind, as is its wont, has industriously intermixed in the central regions to forma hybrid type which has actually become the norm.

Baklunish: The Baklunish people have golden skin-tones. Eye color is commonly grey-green or green, with gray uncommon and hazel rare. Hair color ranges from blue-black to dark brown. Ekbit, the Tiger Nomads, Ull and Zeif, typify the straight Baklunish strain. The Wolf Nomads are intermarried with the Rovers of the Barrens, so they show the darker Flan blood. Ket is so mixed with Suel and Oeridian blood as to be the least typical of the Baklunish race, for the people of Ket are pale yellow or golden-brown or tan in skin color, with virtually any hair color possible save the lightest yellows and reds. Both the Paynim tribes and Tusmit show occasional admixture also.

Flannae: The flan race has a bronze-colored complexion. This varies from a lighter, almost copper shade to a very dark tone that is deepest brown. Eye color is commonly dark brown, black, brown or amber (in declining order of occurrence). Hair coloration is black, brown-black, dark brown, or brown. Also, Flannae tend to have wavy or curly hair.People of the Duchy of Tenh are pure Flan, proud of their bronze color. Geoff and Sterich , despite mixture, show strong Flan racial nfluence. The Rovers of the Barrens are of the copper-toned sort of Flannae, although the western tribes show the golden skin color of the Baklunish due to interbreeding with the Wolf Nomad tribes. The people of the Hold of Stone Fist and the citizens of the Theocracy of the Pale are primarily hybrids, the former Flan/Suel and the latter Flan/Oeridian. The inhabitants of the Pale are particularly handsome.

Oeridians: The Oeridians have skin tones ranging from tan to olive. They have hair that runs the gamut of color from honey blonde to black, although brown and reddish brown are most common. Likewise, eye coloration is highly variable, although brown and grey are frequently seen in individuals. Unmixed Oeridians, despite claims of the Great Kingdom, are most common in Furyondy, Perrenland, the Shield Lands, and in the east and south in North Province, Medegia, and Onnwal and Sunndi.

Suloise: The fleeing Suel folk were scattered in a broadcast fashion across the Flanaess, so that most tended to mix with other groups. The Suel race is very fair-skinned, some being almost albino. They have light red, yellow, blonde or platinum blonde hair. Eye color varies from pale blue or violet through deep blue, with gray occasionally occurring. Curly to kinky hair is common. The inhabitants of the Duchy of Ernst are nearly of pure Suel race. The Frost, Ice and Snow Barbarians are perfect specimens of unmixed Suloise Blood; the nearly albino Snow Barbarians are the best example. The Suel folk are quite predominant in the island groups off the eastern coast of the Flanaess as well as on Tilvanot Peninsula, in the Scarlet Brotherhood region. Those bands that migrated into the vast Amedio Jungle and Hepmonaland are so altered as to be no longer typical of the race; they are tan to brown with heavy freckling.

The original Flannae stock shows up with either Oeridian or Suloise or both as a coppery or bronze overtone. Oeridian and Baklunish develops a fairly light complexion, but the skin coloration is true yellow. A hybrid of Baklunish and Flannae gives a golden-copper or golden-bronze color that is possibly the most attractive complexion of any of the admixtures of the basic races.

In general, the skin color of an individual is of no particular importance. The dark Flan complexion shows up quite often in most nations. By contrast, the nobles of the Great Kingdom are proud of being light-skinned, just as the rulers of Tenh are overly conscious of the supposed superiority of their deep bronze color. In the central region of the Flanaess, from western Urnst to the Duchy of Geoff, there is little heed paid to either skin color or racial type, whether human or demi-human (or eve humanoid, in some places). The main exception to this is the demi-human kingdoms, where humankind is judged inferior, especially in Celene.

Racial and National Dress
Oeridians typically favor checks and plaids. Aerdi and Nyrondal houses tend to wear plaids, while the southern and western Oeridians favor checks, often of a diamond pattern or similar variation from the standard square. Clothing tends toward tight-legged trousers, close-fitting upper garments, and capes or cloaks.

Suloise folk have long used solid colors. Aristocratic houses have two or more such colors in their dress, so parti-colored garments are not uncommon. Similarly, the Suel people tend to favor display of emblems or tokens on their garments, typically of a contrasting color to their basic one. Dress was originally loose pantaloons topped by a baggy blouse. This form of dress has changed to meet the needs of the varying climates, so the northern Suloise barbarians wear furs and skin garments, while those in te southern-most area have replaced the blouse with vest-like upper wear.

Flannae once wore brightly hued body paints, with yellow ochre and vermilion being the favorites. While the Rovers of the Barrens still use considerable body painting (where their high boots, loincloth and chest and arm leather don’t cover them), the more civilized Flan dress in the mode currently fashionable in their portion of the continent. Garments, however, tend to be of solid primary colors, with very bright hues predominant.

Baklunish peoples are of two sorts. The northern branch favors bright patterns and gaudy colors. They wear gowns and robes, or else short breeks and flowing coats. The poorer folk even wear gaudy prints, although their garments are typically a one-piece coverall with whatever additional garb they can add. The southern branch like parti-colors of a more pastoral hue. Their dress is complex and full of many puffs and slashes when adorned for special events. They commonly wear rough hide and cloth when traveling or at war, with shields and banners showing clan colors.

Dwarven (called “dwurfolk”) folk love shades of brown, red, and gray contrasted with a bright splash of color and icked out with as much precious metal as they can possibly wear. Leather is a favorite material, with wool being popular also. Dwarves wear clothing similar to that of the Oeridians,

Elves (called “olve” or “olvenfolk”) of the Sylvan ilk dress similar to Suloise, except their colors are pale tints of green fawn, ecru & dove gray. High elves are similar in mode of apparel but they add blues, lilacs and purples to the more natural forest hues of their woodland kin. Hunting and war garments are brown, russet or tan. Grey Elves wear very complex and flowing garb of pure white , sun yellow, silver and gold lame set off by polished leather of contrasting colors and highlighted by jewels. All elvenkind wear cloaks, especially when traveling. These garments are neutral gray or gray-green.

Gnomes (called “noniz”) and Halflings (called “hobniz”) dress in similar fashion, often replacing their trouser with knee-length britches. The gnomes favor more stolid colors – brown breeks, a tan blouse, green boots and belt, with a dark brown jacket or coat. A Halfling in the same garb might have a yellow shirt and top off with a cap of green with a bright yellow feather in it. Both races will often wear striped clothing. When hunting or at war, they likewise favor garb of a curiously mottled sort, with greens and browns intermixed.