The world at a glance

Trace the northern front, the Riverlands and the southern jungle. Open the map for a closer look at its settlements, roads and waterways.

Select the map to open the full-size image.

The Empire and the Rebellion

Emperor Thaldar Rythguard proclaims himself Emperor of the known realms. In the Carrowlands, that claim is slipping from his grasp.

For more than forty years, Gareth Carroway served the Rythguardian Empire as a lord, a vassal to Thaldar, and Warden of the Carrowlands. Now known as the Rebel King, he leads the Carrowland Rebellion against the Empire he once served.

Through raids and guerrilla warfare, the Rebellion has spent recent years gaining ground. Imperial forces have been driven almost entirely from the Carrowland river territories.

An empire forged through combat

Hundreds of years ago, the Rythguard warrior clan began the conquests that would shape the Empire. Combat determined more than victory on the battlefield: trials were settled through fighting, and leadership was earned through strength.

After conquering almost the entire continent, the Empire changed. Expansion gave way to consolidation. Leadership once won through combat became a hierarchy inherited by birthright, and much of the old clan’s savage warrior identity faded.

Its treatment of other peoples softened far less. The Empire remains intolerant of other races, subjecting them to exclusion and mistreatment.

Gareth Carroway

The ancestral leader of the Riverlands. Once one of the Empire’s greatest warriors. Now one of its greatest threats.

A giant of a man standing over seven feet tall, Gareth leads a force built around archers and light cavalry. His soldiers raid southern Imperial towns and villages for resources, using guerrilla warfare to gain the upper hand.

Outside of Grand Marshal Adam Lima, Gareth was Thaldar’s greatest warrior. Emperor and vassal shared professional respect and trust, but Gareth grew dissatisfied with what the Empire stood for—and what it had become. An empire content to settle rather than expand was not one he readily accepted.

Gareth wants to restore some of the old warrior beliefs, including leadership earned through strength rather than inherited by birthright. Yet he also believes in compassion, seeking a balance between those convictions rather than a return to every cruelty of the past.

Thaldar Rythguard

A better world for his people. A different way to win.

Short in stature, Thaldar possesses an imposing demeanour and a commanding presence. He is quiet, but knows when to take the lead.

Thaldar wants a better world for his people, but conquest has shown him that progress does not follow simply by repeating the old ways. Traditionalist Rythguard Imperials thrive on war, hate non-humans and regard magic with disgust. He grew up surrounded by these beliefs and still struggles with his own convictions.

His closest friend’s rise to Archmage has divided opinion. Some Imperials have defected to the Carrowland Rebellion, seeing it as a new Empire that will wash away what they consider weakness. Others remain loyal through Thaldar’s influence.

Alliances over brute force

Thaldar does not care about non-humans, yet he is the Empire’s first ruler to pursue a treaty with a non-human people: the Lightkin, elves imbued with light magic. Ice showed him the value of their healing powers and abilities that ordinary soldiers cannot match.

He seeks their help against Averhold on the northern front, where both the Empire and the Lightkin are located. Their support would free the majority of Imperial forces to confront the southern Carrowland attack.

The pact with In’Dius serves a complementary purpose. With the southern jungle people on the Empire’s side, the Carrowlands would face pressure from both directions. The agreement would also provide a foothold towards the Zareth’Sai Desert.

These alliances challenge Imperial tradition while serving Imperial interests. Thaldar is trying to win through strategy and magical advantage rather than relying on the brutal methods his people are known for.

A friendship that challenges neutrality

Thaldar’s closest childhood friend is Ice, Lord to the Magi and Archmage of the Mage Guild. The Guild had always been neutral until Ice became Lord. Their friendship draws suspicion from people who see a conflict of interest between the Guild’s independence and its leader’s ties to the Emperor.

Thaldar nevertheless uses the friendship of the Mage Guild where it benefits the Empire. That approach served him well until the Rebellion.

Grand Marshal Adam Lima

Second only to the Emperor. A formidable warrior, and an even greater defender of cities.

Formerly General Adam Lima, the Grand Marshal holds the highest command beneath Thaldar Rythguard. His service to the throne spans two generations: before serving Thaldar, he served the Emperor’s father.

Lima’s reputation rests on more than his skill in battle. He rarely makes the wrong strategic play, and his command is particularly feared when a city must be defended. Even his losses have typically been tactical retreats—withdrawals made by choice rather than the collapse of his judgement.

He is also Lord of Fort Lima, one of the largest castles in Imperial territory. Considered impenetrable, the fortress stands under the command of a man whose greatest strength is knowing how to hold his ground—and when to yield it.

Averhold and the Thrust King

A northern refuge. An ancestral homeland. A promise under pressure.

Sheltered by mountains from the cold northern winds, Averhold Valley enjoys all four seasons. Its lush landscapes and carefully maintained settlements are counted among the most beautiful places in the realm. Despite its comparatively small territory, the valley houses millions of humans alongside many Hordekin refugees.

Averhold’s commitment to sheltering the Hordekin is a source of both conviction and political strain. The growing population places pressure on the land, and crime has risen. Protecting those seeking refuge while supporting the communities receiving them has become an increasingly difficult responsibility.

For a hundred years, Averhold has fought the Rythguardian Empire. Imperial hostility towards the Hordekin lies at the heart of the conflict, alongside generations of Rythguardian conquest that have stripped Averhold of ancestral land.

A crown entrusted, a championship earned

A council representing the valley’s settlements chooses the Thrust King for judgement, service and stewardship. The monarch serves for life but can be removed for serious failures. Established families retain considerable influence, and choosing a ruler is far from free of political friction.

Averhold’s fighters, the Thrust Knights, favour spears and polearms. Jousting tournaments determine the Thrust Champion, their greatest warrior. The championship and the crown are separate honours: excellence with a lance does not automatically confer the right to govern.

The man beneath the crown

The current Thrust King is courteous, attentive and stubborn. He listens carefully, but once convinced that a course is right, he is difficult to shift. Damaged farmland and neglected towns trouble him as deeply as a lost battle.

He refuses to abandon the Hordekin, yet recognises that welcoming refugees without supporting the communities that shelter them fails everyone. Protecting people and preserving the valley are equally sacred duties to him; reconciling them grows harder with each passing year.

His pride in Averhold is also his weakness. He wants to believe his homeland can uphold every ideal, and is slow to admit when its systems cannot cope. For a ruler who insists that governing requires more than skill with a lance, he also takes the jousting season remarkably seriously.

The Nummy Man

Too many frogs nearby. A sudden stumble. Small things, easily dismissed.

Parents warn their children that the Nummy Man will turn them into pet frogs. The story is not entirely wrong: those he transforms may become his devout followers. He does not eat children, however, and generally avoids them unless he needs followers for a cause. Adults are the usual targets of his mischief—and may face transformation or being eaten.

A terrifying demi-god and leader of the frog-like Monka people, the Nummy Man is one of the few beings capable of breaking reality itself. He traverses different realms at a whim. An unusual gathering of frogs or an inexplicable bout of clumsiness may betray his presence.

The Cult of Balatro

The Cult of Balatro worships the Nummy Man with a devotion that is predominantly Monka, although occasional followers come from other races. They offer prayers and service; what he offers in return depends on his purpose and his mood. Their devotion gives them no assurance of his affection.

Turgidus

A giant, beastly Monka, Turgidus fought the Nummy Man when they first met. Their battle destroyed half the Mire. Afterwards, Turgidus became his pet—the rare exception to his indifference towards those who follow him.

Beyond the rebellion