Bone March
Proper Name: Bone March
Ruler: His Nobility, Clement, the Marquis of Bone
March (presumed dead—LN male human Ftr9)
Government: Formerly a feudal marchland of the
Great Kingdom, now controlled by a conclave of
nonhuman chiefs
Capital: Spinecastle
Major Towns: Knurl (13,500), Johnsport (pop.
3,500(?)), Spinecastle (pop. 6,300(?))
Provinces: (Formerly) three town-counties, nine
outland-baronies, and other minor fiefs; (now) a
shifting patchwork of nonhuman territories
Resources: Silver, gems (I, II)
Coinage: [Aerdy standard] orb (pp), ivid (gp), noble
(ep), penny (sp), common (cp)
Population: 310,000—Human 37% (Osf), Orc 20%,
Halfling 18%, Gnome 10%, Elf 7%, Half-orc 4% Halfelf
3%, Dwarf 1% (large number of uncounted goblins,
gnolls, etc.)
Languages: Common, Old Oeridian, Orc, Halfling,
Gnome, Elven (plus Goblin, Gnoll, etc.)
Alignments: LE*, LN, N, CE
Religions: Hextor, Oeridian agricultural gods, Erythnul,
Kord, orc pantheon, Beltar
Allies: North Kingdom
Enemies: Nyrond, Ratik, Frost/Ice/Snow Barbarians
Overview: Bone March is a small realm located north of the treacherous waters of the Teesar Torrent, nestled between the Rakers and the coast of the Solnor. While the march once held the distinction of being the northernmost frontier of Great Kingdom before the founding of Ratik, it ceased to be a part of that empire after 563 CY. Bone March is now steeped in discord, ruled by a coalition of invading nonhuman tribes, particularly orcs, gnolls, and ogres. Humanity, which once thrived here, is generally enslaved and subject to the capricious whims of petty bandit chiefs and nonhuman warlords who raid Ratik and even North Kingdom at will, going as far as Nyrond and the Flinty Hills to pillage. Nomadic bandit gangs, survivors and descendants of the onceproud human culture, prey on one and all. Only the small, autonomous county of Knurl is secure at present, aside from a handful of nearly forgotten gnome strongholds in the Blemu Hills. Knurl is ruled by Count Dunstan (LN male human Ftr9), the last noble of Bone March left in the region and an ally of Ratik,
The cool, rocky farmland of Bone March is relatively poor and never supported a dense population or large cities. Its farmlands are now largely desolate wilderness. Spinecastle, from which the marquis ruled a prosperous realm before its fall, has gained an increasingly baneful reputation in the last decade. The city is a partial ruin, surrounded by armed camps of nonhumans who still rule the surrounding town, but avoid the fortress itself, which they believe is cursed. The nonhuman chieftains gather in council infrequently, acting for the most part independently of each other. They have carved up Bone March into dozens of territories that they rule as minor fiefs; in reality, their little realms are merely their normal raiding areas. The influence of North Province (now North Kingdom) has led to greater organization and military effectiveness among these barbaric tribes.
The tribes from the Rakers and Blemu Hills are likely to remain in firm control of most of the march, failing an invasion by either North Kingdom (unlikely) or the concerted effort of Ratik and its allies among the Suel barbarians (who have had successes and failures here in the past). Grenell, the selfstyled "overking" of North Kingdom, covets these lands and would gladly see them under his thumb, but past alliances with the nonhumans have brought many under his own banner, and he cannot risk losing their support. His own realm is not yet solid enough for the assault, as well. Ratik harries the nonhumans, sure to punish them for any incursions to the north.