My New Campaign Is About To Start

Selangod

Selangod is the capitol city in the Kingdom of Selangod. There are 20,000 souls in the large city, a mix of races: 40% human, 20% Dwarf, 15% Elf, 12% Gnome, 8% Halfling, 3% Half-Orc and 2% Half-Gnoll. Trade comes and goes at a fervent pace inside the city. As the Government collects no taxes, merchants proliferate. Competition causes the best merchants to succeed but the power remains in the government – there is no business lobby. People get several chances to succeed and are never disadvantaged by any hegemony, so long as they obey the laws. King Lecrose is fair. It is common knowledge that the Royal Family has a fortune in diamonds and with his own wise investments, the King covers the cost involved in maintaining the City, the services and the armed forces. He knows what a Gold Piece is worth.

Like many of the valleys and lowlands throughout Mu, Selangod enjoys a jungle climate. It is usually hot enough to cause one to sweat, and is always humid. There are two seasons, Rainy and Sunny with the former occurring only during the last three months of the twelve-month year. It is normal for there to be a short rain every day, soon after sunrise. The kingdom has two lakes and two main rivers. The white tips of tall mountains can be seen far to the north on a clear day.

The nearest kingdom of civilized people is three hundred miles to the northwest, whose capital is called Davout. There are occasional trade caravans sent along empty roads, back and forth between this kingdom and Selangod. Davout is at war with the mighty Ogre Kingdom. There are other settlements of peoples here and there, some nearby, but most of these are small, temporary and unmapped. The majority of the jungle is thick and wild. Very, very far to the north of Selangod is a great sea, surrounded on all sides by other great kingdoms. Over three hundred miles to the south is The Endless Expanse, water with no far edge.

The Kingdom of Selangod is currently also at war with the Ogre Kingdom. King Lecrose has raised a large army of Gnolls to fight this war, although some townsfolk have also joined the war effort. The Gnolls live in the northern mountains between these two kingdoms. They have an ancient alliance with Selangod, and seem willing to maintain it. The war has long periods of coldness where only small skirmishes occur.

The religion of the Sun God, Atura, is the main religion throughout Selangod. The traditions and laws of the church are closely tied to the governmental laws. Justice is fair but swift. The God has no symbol except the sun in the sky. Priests are very often involved in government and they see to the needs of people. It is in everyone’s best interest to keep their neighbors from struggling.

King Lecrose is known for his fairness and justice but also his generosity. During his reign he has ended the burden of taxation and built a network of care-houses that do more than shelter the disadvantaged, but strive to teach and rehabilitate them. He has also wiped out the Withering Death plague. Additionally, the old and infirm are allowed to leave the world in comfort and honor on the King’s own estate, with final support given to their families. The King has no Queen, nor any known children. It is expected that he will appoint a successor at the time of his retirement, likely an important person from the official church.

The police force throughout the kingdom is fair but strict. In Selangod, it is managed by a Master and a team of Bashers. Strangers get extra attention in town from law enforcement. Those looking the part of Adventurers get harassed as adventuring is frowned upon. Weapons and armor are rarely worn by citizens. The police themselves are lightly armed. There are no “adventurer’s” shops but there is a public black market that trades in everything. It’s not illegal to shop the black market, it’s just illegal for common folks to bare arms. Licenses to carry arms and armor can be purchased with donations made to the church.

The only official duty required of the populace is the Blood Offering. Every month, on a day of the supplicant’s choosing, adult citizens are bound by religious and secular law to provide a small share of their own blood. There are many centers throughout the Kingdom where this offering can quickly and almost painlessly, be made. There has never been an incident or accident regarding this ancient and holy tradition.

Generally speaking, the people of Selangod are happy and helpful. Those that do gripe and complain are most often focused on problems outside the Kingdom: toward Ogres, strangers, and the inefficiencies in foreign kingdoms. There is a lot of opportunity for those that embrace fair business, with those seeking to take advantage of people being run out of town. Selangod insists on being a safe Kingdom.