The Cursed Lands (World of Ukrasia)

The Cursed Lands are not ruled or claimed by any of the political regimes of Urdor. It lies to the southeast of Tantûrak, west of Koronande, and north of Taaliraan. 

Once, over a thousand years ago, it was part of Taaliraan. But following the Great War that ended the First Age of Humanity – which ended the Autarch’s Rylindar Imperium (of which Tantûrak was then a colony) – it was largely abandoned by the Elves. Many had died in the final battles of the War, and most of those who survived relocated to either Koronande or southern Taaliraan. However, a few small independent Elvish communities remain in the jungles to this day. Some reclusive faerie folk (pixies and gnomes) also are rumoured to dwell in hidden enclaves.

The region is known as the ‘Cursed Lands’ because of the large number of undead that have haunted its hills and forests since the Great War. Ghouls especially are quite common. Trolls, redcaps, and other menaces also dwell within the central hill lands. Giant spiders dwell within the woodlands, as do other malevolent entities, such as vampires and similar dark spirits.

The ranger of the ‘Company of the Morning Star’ – Karos – provided the adventurers with a detailed map of the area. The land within the surrounding jungle is roughly 35 miles east-west (40 miles at its widest point) and about 75 miles north-south. 

Map Information: 

The little coloured circles on the map mark small settlements (100 – 1000 inhabitants). 

• Green: Elvish settlements (these are loyal to Taaliraan in the south, Koronande in the northeast, and are independent [‘free’] in the middle region).
• Pink: Koronande (Kirani) settlements.
• Red: Tantûraki (Arsilonian) settlements.
• Yellow: Independent settlements (of various kins).

Human settlements:

• Dawnfell (mixed population).
• Green Shields (mixed population; some elves).
• Korlax’s Haven (mixed population; some dwarves). Ruled by the dwarf Korlax.
• Misty Vale (mixed population; some halflings).
• New Hope (primarily Tantûraki).
• Soggy Fields (primarily Tantûraki; some halflings).
• Triumvir Town (primarily Tantûraki). Ruled by Lord Triumvir – an Arsilonian from the northern island of Aldena (not Tantûrak).

Other settlements:

• Blue Stone Mine (Dwarves).
• Bright Lake (Green Elves).
• Bruffo (Orcs and half-orcs).
• Crisp Water (Halflings).
• Crystal Glade (Green Elves).
• Fargoth (Orcs and half-orcs).
• Naurlindol (Orcs and … terrible things).
• Thraz (Orcs and half-orcs).

The Company of the Morning Star:

• The Company is based in the Tower of the Morning Star.
• It includes Evrix (Hathorian mage and elf-friend), Karos (Kirani ranger), Zephyr (Tantûraki scout), Bleys (apprentice to Evrix), Ketta (Halfling scout), Onshay (Dwarf 'intelligence collector'), Ulxor (Tantûraki healer and scholar), and Wylane (Blue Elf warrior).
• The Company tries to deal with major threats to the troubled people of the Cursed Lands.

Significant Dangers in the Cursed Lands:

• Bandits (humans, orcs, and especially redcaps).
• Trolls (only attack at night). 
• Undead, especially ghouls.
• Spiders (mainly in the Weblands and nearby regions).
• Wolves. 

(More information about the World of Ukrasia is available here.)

[The map above is part of the larger one, by Pete Fenlon, included within ICE’s The Court of Ardor campaign module. I have added the coloured circles and many of the names to it using Preview.]