Two types of terrain fill most of Rathmarda: first, the mountains (Sleve Fergairon and Sleve Balla) and the hills rolling down from them; second, the vast fields of the Moy Corom and Moy Raine, which occupy most of the land between Loch Langren and Loch Gairen. Rathmardans usually think of the men of the plains as more “civilized” and sophisticated than the rougher, tougher men of the hills and mountains, but there’s little truth to this belief.
A large forest, the Kylle Rathas, occupies most of northeast Rathmarda. Many Rathmardans make their livings chopping wood, gathering nuts and berries, or hunting there. Fortunately for them, the Rathas has fewer trolls and Pictoi than most large Tualan forests, but the Rathmardans must remain wary of malicious forest-faeries and similar threats.
KING THAITER
Thaiter, tashac of Clan ConAillech, holds the throne of Rathmarda. Knowing he can neither command the complete loyalty of all of his vassals, nor stop the constant clan struggles that take place throughout so much of his kingdom, he exerts as little of his kingly authority as possible. He hopes his prob-
lems will somehow resolve themselves. As long as his vassals send their legally-required tributes and emis- saries to Cathair Marda, he remains content.
Instead of devoting his energies to his royal duties, King Thaiter is a devotee of the pleasures of bed and board. His life of ease has made him corpu- lent to the point where he rarely leaves the confines of his castle anymore — not even to go hunting or falconing, pursuits he once enjoyed. No longer fit to lead his own war-band, he has turned that responsibil- ity over to his son, Prince Phelim. As lean and swift as a greyhound, Prince Phelim is everything his father is not, and looks forward eagerly to the day when he becomes king. In many ways he rules Rathmarda already, but still he wants the crown itself.
THE WESTERN LANDS
The most peaceful parts of King Thaiter’s realm are the western fiefdoms, and they generally offer him the most loyalty. Duke Baglan of Aillech, for example, is the king’s staunch ally. In fact, the Aillech dukes have always supported the king, since when Duke Callough became king many years ago, he gave his duchy to the tashac of Clan Shantrim, a clan very loyal to Clan ConAillech. Duke Baglan thinks little of King Thaiter personally, but remains devoted to the throne; he has a high opinion of Prince Phelim, and hopes he ascends to the kingship soon.
Colm MacGortragh, earl of Ses Coran, rules the westernmost realm of Rathmarda. His lands border on those of the kingdom of Duneane, and clans beholden to him often raid into King Ernan’s territory. Earl Colm regards these raids as simple good fun and commerce, and often leads them himself, but King Thaiter has become concerned that they may spark a conflict between himself and King Ernan. Through Duke Baglan, he has asked Earl Colm to restrain himself, but so far his request seems to have had little effect.
Two of the richest realms in Rathmarda are the Duchy of Crodleigh and the Barony of Ladra, which share the unfordable lower reaches of the River Drua- cha as a border. Duke Inis’s people raise cattle and catch fish in Loch Gairen and the Glasgaren Sea, while Baron Amalgith enjoys a reputation as a breeder of quality sheep, from whose wool his people produce rich, beautiful cloth and clothes. Both nobles trade extensively with Seanclough to the north; it’s said that King Sitric wears Ladran woolen cloaks in preference to those woven by his own folk.
One of the most spectacular sites in all of Tuala Morn is part of the Crodleigh-Ladra boundary. The Rivers Shanra and Manach meet the Druacha at the same point, creating Avendri, the Place of Three Rivers, a waterfall larger and taller than any other in the land. The thunder of the falling waters drowns out all other sounds nearby, and the mists rising from the river below often obscure the land for leagues around with fog. Below the falls, the Druacha is broad and deep, crossable only by boat; above them it is rocky and much shallower, with many rapids.
THE FOREST REALMS
Two fiefdoms border the northern part of the Kylle Rathas: the Duchy of Radnor to the west, and the Earldom of Dechta to the east.
The Radnor lands, ruled by Clan Mulcoree, border the king’s own lands to the west, with the River Manach and Loch Langren as the line of division. Duke Caolan Mulcoree must tread a fine line. He dare not appear openly defiant of the king’s commands (since the king could easily bring his much larger war- band across the river to enforce obedience), but at the same time he nurtures an ambition for greater power. While outwardly loyal to King Thaiter, he employs spies so that he may gauge the king’s weaknesses and look for opportunities to gain advantages for himself. Prince Phelim dislikes Duke Caolan, and tries to keep a close eye on him.
Earl Uaid of Dechta, on the other hand, pays almost no attention to King Thaiter. His lands, wedged in between the Sleve Balla and the forest, are virtually inaccessible except by sea, so the king has no way to enforce his laws in Dechta, making the earl a virtual king himself. Fortunately for Clan ConAillech, Earl Uaid has his hands full with clan squabbles and deal- ing with the trolls of the mountains, so he has neither the time nor the desire to foment rebellion — he simply wishes to be left alone to rule as he sees fit.
THE HILL REALMS
South of the Kylle Rathas lies two realms, the Duchy of Gabra and the Earldom of Cavan. Many hills, including the Sleve Gabra and Sleve Slannog, fill these lands, making travel and commerce difficult. The men who live there are hardy and independent, little liking for anyone to try to rule or command them. They prefer to live their own lives, hunting amid the hills and stealing cattle from their neighbors.
Duke Hegarty MacCraebeg of Gabra, known as Hegarty of the Three Gifts, has more luck controlling his vassals than Earl Riddoc. Charis- matic, strong, and amicable, he naturally attracts skilled men hold the greatest respect for him. His nickname does not refer to his gifts of personal- ity, though, but rather to a legend the bards tell of him. In his youth, they say, Hegarty was hunting by himself in the Sleve Gabra when he chanced to come upon two trolls who were tormenting a faerie they had captured. He charged, slaying one with the slash of his sword as he rode past, and then defeating the other in single combat. In gratitude, the faerie he rescued bestowed upon him three wondrous items: a pair of boots that let him walk on water; a silken cloak that turns arrows like the strongest armor and keeps him perfectly warm no matter how cold the weather; and a leather pouch that twice a day can create enough good food and drink to feed three large men.
Earl Riddoc, unfortunately, lacks any of Duke Hegarty’s gifts, tangible or otherwise. An old man of crabbed, peevish disposition, he demands loyalty and tribute, and thus receives little of either. He will likely die soon, and his eldest son Nessan stands ready to replace him. Nessan will make a power- ful earl, for he once befriended a sorcerer dwelling in the Eastern Wilds and learned from him some of his magic. He possesses a fierce hatred for Mar Cormac and is determined not to let the Cormac take his lands — even if he must sacrifice his life to stop the ambitious king.
Tuala Morn pChapter Three 101
A
prosperous and pleasant realm between Dunrioga and the Glasgaren Sea, Sean- clough is one of the most powerful kingdoms in Tuala Morn. King Sitric, who has ruled for over thirty years, has assembled a large war-band of mighty heroes from among the many clans who owe fealty to him. Unfortunately, he’s wasted much of his strength on a long and bitter feud with Conhaile, leaving him fewer men than he should have to protect his people from Vulkrings, trolls, and other dangers.HISTORY
After the battle of Tonag Statheen, Donnan Mac Slevin, a young man of great wisdom, led a band of followers east to settle a new land. Coming to a loch they named Tallacht, they built a large dun nearby and established farms and villages. Gradu- ally they explored their new home, learning the feel of the wind over the Moy Lamlara, the shape of the paths through the Kylle Dorach, and the perils of the Shrona Ivruss and Loch Corra. By the time of the Pictoi Wars, the new land, now called Sean- clough, was well settled.
When the Pictoi rose up against the Tualans, tribes living in the Kylle Dorach and the Shrona Ivruss came out of their hidden strongholds and attacked the men of Seanclough, killing dozens of peasants and lesser nobles. With his war-band around him, King Crevan O’Donnan crossed the River Rosgaire at Ath na Shinna and went north, meeting the Pictoi host at Parga Macken. Pretending to have fewer warriors than he truly did, he lured the Pictoi into a trap, kill- ing almost all of them. The Pictoi who escaped the slaughter fled deep into the Kylle Dorach, from which they have never emerged to trouble the people of Seanclough the more.
The line of Slevin came to an end in Sean- clough when King Mulcahy and all his family perished during a plague that struck the kingdom during the reign of High King Dovlech. Thereafter the crown passed to Clan Donduvaine, whose arms, the serpent-nowed sword, are the symbol of Sean- clough to this day.
THE CONHAILE FEUD
Three centuries ago a feud arose between Seanclough and Conhaile when the kings of those realms blamed each other for the loss of the chance to become High King. Rather than recount all the events of the feud, this chronicle confines itself to one memorable victory of Seanclough: Crithrough’s Ride.
Some years after the feud began, but while Devin ConRingabar was still king of Seanclough, a band of Conhaile men crossed the Plain of Crows, intending to make a sneak attack on some rich holdings in the Sleve Statheen. It hap- pened that a hermit who lived in the hills near the headwaters of the River Rosgaire saw the Conhaile warriors pass into Seanclough. Using strange magical powers, the hermit sent a spar- row with a message of warning for the king.
The sparrow flew swiftly to Dun Tallacht, only to find that King Devin was away to the south, near Ath Grellach. Commanding Tallacht in his stead was Strahan Crithrough, a noble war- rior. Astonished to hear a bird speak, he never- theless heeded its message. Taking what men he could with him, he mounted his Lamlaran steed Carrigorn and rode north as if the Sluagh were on his heels. He and his men rode without sleep- ing until they found the invaders, then despite their exhaustion fought the enemy until the Con- haile warriors fled west.
When King Devin returned to Dun Tallacht and heard the tale, he rewarded Strahan with rule of the lands which he had saved, naming him duke over the new Duchy of Crithrough. And the ford near where the hermit lived became known as Ath na Foraire, the Lookout’s Ford.
THE BATTLE OF TREY CARRICLAITH
For the past several decades, Vulkring raid- ers have attacked the coast of Seanclough again and again, burning villages and farms and steal- ing anything of value. On many occasions the local thane has arrived with a band of fighting men too late to do more than bury the dead and comfort the grieving. The clans living along the shore have learned to watch the sea carefully for the blood-red sails of the northron warriors.
One time, at least, their vigilance paid off in vengeance for Seanclough. A young boy keeping watch saw three Vulkring ships making for Trey Carriclaith (Shore of the Grey Rocks), where they could land and raid several nearby towns and settlements. While the boy ran several miles to the house of his thane, Driscoll O’Conleth, a fortuitous storm kept the Vulkring ships off- shore, unable to land for fear of being dashed to pieces on the rocks that gave the place its name.
Thane Driscoll and his war-band rode to the shore, hiding in a nearby wood to keep the Vulkrings from seeing them. Though the raid- ers outnumbered the Tualans nearly two to one, Thane Driscoll’s men had the element of surprise
on their side. After the Vulkrings landed and began marching inland, a volley of spears caught them off-guard, killing nearly half their number. The Tualans fell on the wounded survivors, making bloody play with their spears before the Vulkrings could get close enough to use their axes and swords. The fighting lasted nearly an hour, but the outcome was never in doubt; soon all of the Vulkrings lay dead on the ground, their blood seeping into the turf.
Thane Driscoll ordered the Vulkring corpses piled onto a vast pyre, then doused them with oil and lit it. The peasants living near Trey Car- riclaith say that to this day, the ground where the Vulkrings died, and where they were burnt, is especially fertile, growing the largest, thickest crops of any place in Kintire.