Harphos lies on the eastern side of the MMM mountains, separated from Carregor and Sarpace. It runs primarily north-south, ...
The kingdom is totally dominated by a Magocracy. By charter, each duchy is controlled by the head of one system of magic. The overall ruler of the kingdom is rotated among the ruling mages, who all know (and can use) the power of the kingdom Cainam Crystal. By tradition, each duchy also knows one Cainam rune from the other duchies, so that the magical runes will never be lost.
Just on the other side of the mountains from Carregor is Phostonor. This duchy is one of the stronger duchies of the kingdom, and one of the oldest.
The eastern half of the duchy is dominated by the Phoston Forest. The wood of the Phoston Forest is said to have magical properties, but the forest itself is dangerous, particularly at night. The trees
The forest extends into a unique underground region, which lies outside of the territory of Harphos. This huge stone vault is known as the Bolgortha Vault, and is the home of a variety of underground races, such as drow, svirfneblin, and others.
Just north of Phostonor is Chascom. Chascom is currently governed by Ridalvo, who is a poor ruler of the duchy, despite his bardic talents. The duchy is plagued by magical creatures, and the villagers plead with the council to appoint a new duke who will raise a strong enough military to protect them. But the council maintains its strict rules, and Ridalvo's position on the council is secure.
The primary town of this duchy is Tevipar. Tevipar is a moderate town, but its mayor is a strong opponent of the governing council. The mayor's stance does little to help Ridalvo secure the duchy, and the tension is causing the current situation to worsen over time.
Along the eastern border just north of Prihavad is Zankobar. Like most of the kingdom, Zankobar is quite hilly, and a few mountainous peaks dot the eastern border. The people in this land are somewhat fatalistic, so they indulge in extreme sports as pastimes. Skiing is popular, as are some ball games. The ducal estate is in the eastern mountains
Zankobar is governed by a powerful and evil warlock, Cyrbalan. Cyrbalan has gained a reputation among the Vei as a horrific opponent, and others who follow his lead are similarly feared. At the same time, Cyrbalan supports the council of Harphos; they allow him to control his duchy as he sees fit, and he provides a dangerous force to deter invaders.
The duchy is also home to several packs of werewolves. These beasts plague the nearby towns, but local warlocks defend against these creatures fiercely. A common rumor is that Cyrbalan is actually also a werewolf, but this has not been verified. Ogres and trolls are another recurring threat to commoners, but Cyrbalan allows these creatures to roam in the eastern hills, threatening the nearby Vei.
Gorafan is located in the northern reaches of the kingdom. It is the northernmost duchy, and is quite hilly.
In their quest to learn arcane balance, the masters of Harphos send explorers to far regions. One group, who accompanied an Ardevoran noble party, travelled to the Eastern lands. There they met with arcane spellcasters (wu jen) whose magic was distinct from any they had seen before. Many of the masters were invited to travel to Harphos, and several of them accepted the offer. Each brought a small retinue, and most remained in Harphos. They adopted the small duchy of Gorafan, and introduced their Eastern culture to the people.
The wu jen of Gorafan are extremely independent, and each is encouraged to seek their own path to magical learning. A master will typically teach only a handful of disciples at a time. Over time, other Easterners have migrated to Gorafan; some of these are exiles or renegades, while others are those who desire a fresh start or new opportunity. The culture is an odd blend of Eastern and Western cultures.
The duchy is governed in name only by XXX, who is considered the greatest master of the art. Few of the wu jen are interested in political power, so the region is somewhat lawless. The masters ensure they are not threatened, and leave the populace alone for the most part. Renegades from other land come to Gorafan, and banditry is common.
Xoniphel is just north of Zankobar, and east of Chascom. It faces attacks from Vei on occasion, and the towns are all walled, and most are protected by magical enchantments. Xoniphel is not an easy target for raiders, and the attacks have grown rarer over time.
Xoniphel is home of the most traditional magic school of the kingdom. Perhaps the entire duchy could be considered part of the wizard's school, or at least an extension of it. Farmers work the land with help from enchanted creatures, while buildings are constructed by magical servants or permanent spells. Wizards at the school must spend three days a week using their magical talents to improve the duchy in some fashion, and the senior members are no exception. Even the Chancellor that rules the duchy spends time augmenting the magical defenses of the various towns.
At the southern edge of the kingdom is the duchy of Prihavad. The duchy is controlled by a fierce warmage, Garifen