Motherland Campaign Setting part 5 - Lay of the Land

The Kingdom of Calhaligon stretches approximately 3000 miles in diameter from north to south and covers about 6000 square miles. Most of the land is wilderness (76%, 4600 square miles), the rest is civilized area (24%, 1400 square miles).

A total of 252,000 people of different races live in Calhaligon, with about 42 per square mile. Most of the population lives in urban regions (91% 231,840 people). Only 5 percent (12,600 people) live in cities. The rest (3%, 7,560 are wandering or have no residence). These number change slightly, depending on the season.
The biggest urban population centers are:
* Thunderhold 9445
* Gatetown 1635
* Elvenwatch 1520

The rural population is divided between the villages and hamlets, and five castles.
With the Winding Waters Calhaligon features a major lake. Smaller lakes can be found at other places.

The borders of Calhaligon are marked naturally by a large mountain range in the north and in the east. The western and southern borders are political borders that were subjects to many conflicts in the past.

As a kingdom Calhaligon is ruled by a monarch, Queen Lucya. The kingdom grants minor lords of the lands in exchange for their service estates or plantations, complete with any villages or serf who live there. These lords and ladies claim a portion of the crop, herd, or other goods, produced on on his land. From that portion he pays tribute to the monarch. Sometimes a stretch of land is granted to a faith. Then the rulers are noble-clergymen, that also run monasteries (like the Stern Tower), cathedrals and abbeys (the town of Ortwyn is such a place). Other towns are controlled by merchant-princes (Crossroads Inn), guilds (Gatetown) or wizards(Sundall).

Calhaligon consists of three dales that are ruled by the duke. Minor nobles report to the duke, who in turn reports to the queen.

Calhaligon has a relatively strong economy that consists of:
* Agriculture. Mostly in the river floodplains, and sometimes even in the grasslands.
* Fishing at the Winding Waters. the halfling population at Denderlum also produces great quantities
* Forestry. Calhaligon has large forests, however there are often conflicts with the druids, as they try to tease the hunger for wood of the big cities. The elves of Darkwood are known to cultivate the forest without disturbing the natural beauty of the woodlands.
* Herding. You can find large herds of animals grazing in the vast grasslands and sometimes in the mountains.
* Hunting/Gathering. The forests offer game and other goodies for those who dare to enter the sometimes dangerous woodlands.
* Manufacturing and crafting is normally found in the cities or in the mountains.
* Mining is found mostly in the mountains and sometimes in the Adder Hills.

(c) Copyright 2009 by Markus Brixius. All rights reserved.